Vampire Hunting is a difficult and dangerous profession. The job requires rigorous preparation, consisting of a long training period, numerous experimentations, and tests on the mind and body alike. All so the hunters can have even a remote chance against the vampires. After a while, it became logical that a school for vampire hunting should be established at every main human region.
In Landen’s school of vampire hunting, one class decides to use today’s lesson to learn about incantations…
Teacher: Well class, what is the difference between incantations and spellcraft?
No one raises a hand, except one small girl in the middle…
Teacher: Yes, once again, Maya…
Maya: Spellcraft is used by vampires because they have what they call “magicka”, which we have defined as a malevolent ethereal substance with reality-altering capacities. Incantations are not spells, because they do not rely on “magicka” to cast, but on prayers from the book of the Sun God.
Teacher: Very nice!! But what distinct these two is a lot more complex…
The class starts to gain interest…
Teacher: What Maya said is true. Vampires and humans rely on two different sources to cast “spells”. But this difference itself develops the advantages and disadvantages in a fight. Because “magicka” itself is reality-altering, a vampire only needs to create a ritualistic medium, such as a seal, etc to cast. So they have complete freedom as to what they can do. We can only chant the incantations given in the book.
Student: One more way the bats outdo us…
Teacher: Now, now… While that’s true, what did we see in chapter seven of “Vampire Anatomy”?
The class raises no hands…Except one…
Teacher: Uuuhh, Maya?
Male student: Actually, it’s Vic?
Teacher: Oh, Victor! Weird that you have an answer on a theoretical lesson.
Victor: Well, “Magicka” is limited. If used, it takes a while to replenish their pool. This probably means, that since we only need to endure the mental fatigue from the incantation’s power, we can cast as many times as we want.
Teacher : (Finally, I can boast to the teacher’s lounge that TWO students participated in class today!)Well done, Vic!! Everyone, you should follow his and Maya’s example and open a book occasionally!! So, as I was saying…
Returning to our heroes at the pub. After the last mission, the boys deployed the body at the nearest support center for hunters. Their job would be to search the body up and down for any clues about the gravedigging. Once they returned, Url patched them up and sent them to bed.
This morning, the boys woke up to a mildly sunny day. In Landen, it is customary for people to wake up late, take their morning routine as slowly as possible, and have a peaceful, calm breakfast…
SUIGA: GOOD MORNING TO EVERYONE!!! I HOPE WE HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY!!!
Landenians, of course…
Suiga wakes up early, prepares himself, and loudly descends the wooden stairs on the right of the pub, connecting the first floor and lobby. Url awaits him with breakfast…
URL: WELL HELLO THERE SUIGA. WOULD YOU CARE FOR SOME EGGS??
SUIGA: I WOULD DO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!
URL: WELL THEN, REST ON THE GRAND TABLE AND I SHALL SERVE YOU WITH THE BEST EGGS YOU HAVE EVER-
Aaron: SHUT IT OR YOU ARE ALL EVICTED, YOU FUCKS!!!
Aaron, wearing his wrinkly common clothes, descends slowly and begrudgingly down to the lobby. Dark eye circles down his eyes, messy hair, that can only mean a rude awakening…
URL: Oh Aaron, you are awake.
Aaron : OH REAALLLLYYYY???
SUIGA: Are you well rested, chief?
Aaron: Don’t call me chief, and yes until two foreigners decide to make my life miserable again…At least breakfast’s ready…
As Aaron sits and eats, last night falls into the conversation…
URL: So, about the mission, I heard. Congratulations, you broke the losing streak!!! This ought to give the people some peace of mind.
Aaron: Should have seen topknot. He diced that fucker like butter. He moves pretty well.
SUIGA: I shall guard this comment deep in my heart, chief…
Aaron: No, you shan’t. And your potion worked just fine, Url. The imps fell on the stuff like Shroud on Smoked Rum.
URL: I’m glad it did…Now about your careless beheading…
Aaron : (SHIT) Uuuhh…
URL: I shall not say a thing. Shroud, on the other hand, has sent a message overnight…
Url takes out of his pocket two completely black sheets of paper…
Aaron: What the hell happened?
URL: Shroud wrote to us, but the post office had to censor the letter. Excess profanity and abusive words were used…
Aaron: THAT’S THE CENSORING????!!!
SUIGA: This Shroud sounds aggressive…
URL: He’s our senior, after all. He can be a brute, but he means well…
Url puts the papers back…
URL: Aaand on the subject of bad news…
Aaron: No, we are out of rotisserie chicken sauce!! I knew I should’ve run out to…
URL: Listen to me well when I say that because of you, WE ARE NEVER RUNNING OUT OF THAT STUFF. No, it has to do with your medical results…
Aaron: The fuck’s this all about?
URL: Aaron, I might need to take Suiga to Central today. I’m worried about that vampire and the kick he landed on his gut. There might be a dislocated bone my potions can’t fix.
SUIGA: You managed to confirm that with just a general exam?? You are sure an amazing doctor!!
Aaron: Even more reason he should be treated here. You’ve patched up worse than this!
URL: I’m afraid we are also out of supplies. I miscounted my resources…
Aaron: Well, I can take him then, no need for you to
Url slowly approaches Aaron, and rests his hand on his shoulder…
URL: I N E E D T O G E T O U T.
Aaron: Understandable, I’ll stay and recover.
URL: Great!! Suiga, get ready to see Central!!
SUIGA: With pleasure!! But are these injuries that-
URL: Let’s leave now!!!
The boys get ready and abandon Aaron as they depart for Central. The route to the institution is quite short, but Suiga takes it as a chance to witness what the city has to offer. To his expectations, Landen is truly the mechanical haven that most outsiders hear. Factories all over the place, and tramways fill both ground and aerial space as they ensure safe transport for the citizens. Electrical apparel is less common since the technology was recently developed, but you can easily notice the new automated stop signs and the hidden generators that power the numerous decorations for every little shop occupying Central Square. The people have seemed to adapt to this complicated lifestyle, establishing an anxious and energetic personality to cope with this challenging environment…
The boys arrive at Central. A large building in front of an avenue. Historic, since the association was founded long ago. The architecture is a mixture of the original gothic foundation of the building when it was first conceived, along with the industrial modifications made to accommodate today’s hunters.
The gates are always open. An old rule of the office, to signify the availability of the association concerning civilians, and to indicate that the Hunt is a day and night occupation. Once inside, the boys reach for the lobby. They are greeted by the secretary, a kind, brunette woman…
Recep. : Well, well, if it isn’t Landen’s favorite plague doctor!
URL: Hi, Patricia. Favorite because I’m the only one, I assume?
Recep. : Uuh, that humbleness of yours…Wish more of your colleagues could be like you…
URL: Ooh, our diversity only makes us more unique…
Recep.: You know, all those words would sound even better if you took off that horrid mask…Let that face shine…
URL: Nice try, Patricia. Should I expect the same from the nurses?
Recep.: Oh, come on, we have to watch like 30 ugly old mugs per day-
Patricia notices Suiga…
Recep.: On second thought, you can keep that mask, if that cute fellow is with you at ALL your visits ever…
URL: Depending on the visits, today we are here for the hospital wing. Would not want to see Suiga there every time we are here…
Recep.: True, true…The hospital’s calm for now, but the nurses are just coming back from lunch, you’ll have to wait a second. In the meantime, where is the annoying stack of muscle that you carry around for no reason?
URL: I told Aaron to stay home today. I told him Suiga might have a fractured bone, but honestly…
Both Suiga and Patricia approach…Seems Url might have some complaining to do…
URL: Yeah, he was supposed to show Suiga around central, but knowing him he would do half the job, then go eat. So, I needed an excuse to change seats…
SUIGA: So I am just fine? Are no bones fractured?
Patricia: Your Highness, the man before you is no simple doctor. He relocates your dumb partner’s shoulders during combat like that!
Suiga seems amazed by his silent partner’s feats…
URL: Well that’s enough about me. Any gossip around the house, maybe about the “expedition”?
Patricia: You sure are a sly one… uh nothing new yet. Right now, Shroud is leading, cause the other two seniors had to leave for Pirout. No vampires other than some scavengers and imps. Word is that they will be coming home by the end of the week.
URL: Hmm, ok.
Patricia: Given what you told us yesterday, Higher-ups think there might be a cult inside the city. They scoffed it off eventually, but honestly, they just wanted to keep it low to avoid a freakout…
URL: Sounds like our association, alright.
Patricia: Uuuh the thought of vampires lurking around us, waiting to bite me… Ugh, save me Url…
URL: Would you look at that, the nurses are back. Let’s start the tour Suiga!!
As they abandon a disappointed Patricia, the boys tour the association. Url explains about the building’s formation. VHC has multiple wings, a hospital wing, connected to the research wing, a church wing, and a main administration wing. They manage to pass from every wing, arriving at the hospital for last. A spacious wing, it has multiple individual rooms for the hunters and large common rooms for the civilians with well-separated beds…
URL: So, once again, the hospital takes in hunters and vampirification victims. So, it is usually crowded. Research wing in charge of studying vampires, silver, hunting weapons, etc. The church isn’t used as much, but it becomes crowded on events and when some mass incantation is necessary (let us hope it never comes to that).
SUIGA: So this is truly the center of the Hunt… Amazing…
URL: So, let me just talk to the nurses, sweet talk my way into some extra drugs so Aaron won’t ask why-
A trembling, almost screaming voice can be heard from one of the common beds. The attending nurse seems to have fallen back in fear of the patient’s behavior. Url and Suiga rush to see what is happening. They see a disturbed, skinny woman, holding herself in a curled position…
SUIGA: Oh, that is…
URL: Vampirification alright. And from what I see, this one’s been distanced from her assailant for a while…
Nurse: I was just trying to change her plate, did not talk or look at her. She suddenly flips out and screams…
Patient: ….Blood…
URL: Huh?
Patient: Wh-whe-where is it? Where is he?! Where’s my Jack!!!??? WHERE DID YOU PUT HIM YOU ANIMALS????!!!!
As she starts flailing even more violently, Url wastes no second and quickly hits her on the head with a hand chop. She immediately falls …
Nurse: ARE YA NUTS????!!!!
URL: Calm down, miss. Vampirification victims in this stage have severe withdrawal symptoms. No amount of sedative will keep them calm…
Nurse: And what would you do, bird freak?
Suiga, knowing Url’s mask might be a sensitive subject, gets ready to intervene. But Url already responds…
URL: Change the silver-based sedatives to something more relaxing, rather than restorative. Have a nun from the church wing apply “Sooth” and “Purify” every two hours or so…
Nurse: Ha! Like she needs special treatment. Why don’t we call the whole church for every-
Url approaches her slowly…
URL: I will be frank. Vampirification is already a dangerous disease and is difficult to get rid of. Not a lot of people keep this in mind, but once delusions start to set in and the patient begins externalizing his symptoms, it is already late. This woman is on the verge of turning, I give her at least two days before her genetic code changes and she shows teeth and pupils. THAT IS if some nurse chooses to not follow a bird freak’s friendly advice and ask for help from the nuns. I’m sure one more death on your hands won’t weigh on your conscience…
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The nurse stays silent and embarrassed. She excuses herself and leaves for the church wing. Suiga stays amazed…
SUIGA:You… handled that well…
URL: Uuh I didn’t want to be so aggressive, but this has been the case for a lot of years. People think the cure for becoming a vampire is either one incantation or two sedatives and a small rest. This is why I love working as a hunter…
SUIGA: You did well, Url. This poor woman though…
URL: Hmm, she did help us though…
SUIGA: Huh? How?
URL: “Where’s my Jack?” Delusional she may be, at this stage dependents already remember their captor’s name. So, we are in search of a certain Jack. And since last night’s vampire isn’t named Jack, thanks to the autopsy…
SUIGA:…There’s a chance it’s one of his teammates. We have a lead!!! We must inform Aaron imm-
URL: No, no, no. My plan needs two people maximum. Instead, I’ll have Patricia call him if we need backup…
SUIGA: You…must need time away from him…
URL: You are the first other person I’ve talked to, don’t take this away from me… So, we could have the research department connect the dots with our findings yesterday, but I think we are losing precious time. How about we stay here the night and see if her captor comes to rip his sows?
SUIGA: You believe the vampire will come to recuperate a dependent? Seems kind of a freak like them…
URL: Maybe, but she seems to remember his name. That is a sign that she did have some sort of relationship with him, so right when she’s ready to turn, it would seem like a good opportunity to get her back…
SUIGA: That… sounds pretty logical. Such smart thinking…
URL: All speculations though! We should still inform the administration later…But for now, let’s prepare for the outcome until nightfall…
The boys start discussing tactics and polish their armaments throughout the day… As Url prepares potions, he notices Suiga’s silver sword…
URL: Nice blade
SUIGA: Oh, why thank you, my friend. Enhanced silver, from our royal blacksmith…
URL: Haaah, you might have to send me a recommendation then. My saw blades are a bit tired from the chopping…
Url’s saw blades. Two medium-length serrated blades half covered in bandages. They rest alongside a small apothecary table, where Url makes his potions…
SUIGA: They do seem like they’ve been places. Which reminds me…Url, you are a medic but still a hunter, where is your Holy Armament? Is it that mask?
URL: Ooh, you thought…Hahahahah!!
SUIGA: Excuse me!!!
Suiga becomes red from embarrassment… A passing nurse, overhearing the conversation, approaches them with a shy look…
Nurse: Excuse me…I heard you talk about Holy Armanents…
URL: Well, yes of course. Here, have my mask, apparently it’s ominous enough to look like one.
SUIGA: Sir Url!!!
URL: Just joking, my friend!! Do you have a question, miss?
Nurse: Yes…what are Holy Armaments exactly?
The two boys look at each other confused…
SUIGA:…You don’t know what they are?
Nurse: Well, we did read about them in school, but I never really understood how they work… But I remember from my father’s stories that they are amazing to look at…
URL: Well, miss, do you have some time to hear a small lecture?
Nurse: Yes!! I’m done with my duties!!
URL: Well then! Back in the war against Dracula, his spellcraft and unique magic that controls blood seemed too strong for a normal human to face. However, a clever craftsman found out that silver hurts vampires, because of its affinity with the Lord’s Light. So, he sat, with his whole school, throughout the war, and they made arms that could give as much power as possible to the humans, anything to have them outdo the vampires in a fight. Not everyone could master those arms because of their crazy design, but the ones that did are hailed as heroes and registered in the books. The thing is, because of their feats, the Lord decided to grant those arms his blessing, to achieve what the craftsmen and the heroes wanted: Godly weapons for vampire slaughter. Thus came the Holy Armaments.
Nurse: Hmm, but… how do you get them?
URL: The selection depends on a lot of factors. Each weapon has its own conditions. Some are passed down to the next of kin, others are transferrable, and some just pick their master based on… I don’t know, personality?
Url brings forward his apothecary table…
URL: To answer your previous question, Suiga, this is my armament. Apothecary’s Table of Wonders, “Delirium”. It pretty much allows me to craft potions and other stuff faster, easier, and with more potent results.
SUIGA: That potion Aaron used… You made it yourself, didn’t you? I never heard of a potion that attracts imps that successfully!
URL: Well, I don’t like taking credit but…By the way, how about yours, Suiga?
SUIGA: Huh?
Nurse: Oh, I heard the Asian hunters have a long history of beautiful armaments. I would love to see one up close!!
Suiga starts shying away…He instinctively holds his sword…
SUIGA: Well, mine is kind of…non-majestful…
Nurse: Oh, it’s alright if you are not comfortable sharing…You never know when a vampire is watching!!
Suiga smiles to skip over the uncomfortable situation he manifested…Url notices and tries to change the subject…
URL: Oh, my lady! Since nightfall is approaching fast, could you inform the admin wing’s receptionist that we will be staking out a patient?
Nurse: Yes, of course!!
URL: Aaand you should probably leave as quickly as possible. We have no idea what our assailant will resort to so he can get his “property” back…
The nurse starts running for the admin wing. As the moon shines throughout the room, our wary hunters notice the patient getting out of her bed and leaving for the hallway leading to the main door connecting the wings … The boys, weapons in hand, follow silently. They lock the door behind them, to protect the patients.
The hallway is large in height and wide enough to hold a small conference. Large windows to the left side let the moon’s dim light shine throughout the cold room. The boys continue following the deranged woman, who slowly walks towards the next door. Suddenly…she stops.
SUIGA: How come? She is that close to the exit…
URL: Doesn’t seem like she noticed us… And no vampire in sight…
The woman stays locked in place. After a few moments pass, her head starts taking a left turn, around 180 degrees to the back. Her neck seems stretched out, blood flowing through the tears. She doesn’t seem to mind. Her eyes stay fixated on the boys… Her pupils' color slowly turns into a glowing red.
SUIGA: Oh Lord…
URL: She’s far gone.
The woman, head locked in place, lets out a harrowing scream that travels throughout the room, almost smashing the windows. The hunters, trained to resist a vampire’s disorienting screech, seem almost unfazed. The woman then chooses to reposition herself in a minute, starting to rush like a limbless zombie against the boys…
URL: Suiga, her genetic code is probably altered enough to affect her physical capacities. She is a vampire now!
SUIGA: We should then take cover and-
At a moment’s notice, as the boys prepare to dodge the dependent’s rush, a large crush is heard from the left side of the hall. A window is smashed to smithereens as a winged figure rushes through, landing on the boys. He manages to push the off to the side and land himself correctly. He retracts his wings as he dusts himself off. A tall, muscular vampire with spiky, beige hair and sporting the same clothes as yesterday’s foe. The woman stops her rush and jumps onto the vampire…
Woman: My lord!!! My beautiful lord!!! I was sure that you would be back!!
She falls slowly to her knees, kissing and sobbing on his legs while trying to hold on to him with her trembling, famished hands...
Woman: My, my Jack, I knew you’d-d-d c-c-come. E-e-every ni-i—ight I shook and shhoook but…the huuungeerr wouldn’t s-s-s-t-toooopp…
She can barely speak…The vampire looks down at her. No expression in his gaze, it’s as if he’s staring down a beggar pleading for a few coins… He raises his right hand. He pulls out a knife with his left and slashes his wrist. The blood from his arm starts flowing down the floor…
Vampire: Here…
The woman wastes no second. She lashes at the puddle of blood, slurping whatever her now master threw at the floor, like a starving dog…
The boys, lift themselves and observe in pity and disgust…
SUIGA:This…poor woman…
URL: That’s the dependency for you…Fully turned dependents will act like dogs when it comes to their master…
The vampire’s wound closes as fast as it was made. He turns his attention to the pair as he leaves his dependent behind.
SUIGA: How dare you treat her like that?!
Vampire: are you talking about the livestock? I see no other way to feed a dog…
URL: Well, at least now we don’t have any reservations about killing you. But first of all, Jack right?
Vampire:...Maybe…what’s asking?
URL: She was screaming your name. In agonizing pain. And you chose to come for her. Seems too close for a relationship with livestock…
Vampire: Even a farmer takes care of his animals since they provide him with food.
SUIGA: Farmers don’t torture their animals.
Vampire: But they do kill them. Otherwise, they’ll starve and die. It is only a natural law of the food chain.
The vampire bends over and starts dashing to Suiga, going for a haymaker…
Vampire: So filthy humans shouldn’t lecture us on food!!
While Suiga prepares to dodge, Url throws two small flasks over the vampire’s face. They explode mid-air, stopping the bat in its tracks…
URL: Suiga!! This will stun him for a little bit. Take a position and try to poke him while I cover you.
SUIGA: Understood!
Suiga engages in a duel with the now-recuperated vampire. Contrary to yesterday's fight, Suiga is a lot more on the defensive, dodging relentlessly the brutish bat’s punches and swipes that could visibly send someone flying. He tries to slash him occasionally, but even the polished silver sword isn’t enough to pierce this vampire’s skin…
SUIGA:(Of course. I must remember, this one’s well fed and battle-ready, I must have my guard up. But if my sword can’t pierce his skin, that means he’s well stronger than his comrade. I must either search for a weak point or make one by persisting in hitting on one place…)
URL: Suiga, hit only one place repeatedly, he has no weak points!!
SUIGA: How did he- never mind. Let’s try this out…
Url pulls out a long trail of encrypted bandages and throws them at the vampire’s arm, wrapping it enough to halt his movement. As he tries to free himself, the encryptions start shining, and his arm burns… Url throws more on his other limbs...
URL: Now Suiga!!
The samurai prepares to slash the hand. He chooses to attack relentlessly with a flurry of straightforward kendo strikes, slowly chopping it. The vampire does nothing, as more movement results in more damage anyway. As Suiga takes out his arm, while writhing in pain, he manages to move one of his legs to kick the hunter away. Url rushes to stop the vampire with two more flasks, but the vampire dodges back and throws his arm on the flasks, triggering the explosion farther away…
Vampire: VANESSA!!!!
The dependent, who barely saw what happened, now rushes to his side. The vampire picks her up, freed from the binds, and bites her neck violently, drawing out large amounts of blood. His hand starts regenerating and his wound closes…
URL: Good lord no…
Finished, he drops the woman’s trembling body to the ground and rushes to Url.
URL: You fuck!! She’s not some potion!!
The vampire engages the doctor in a fight. He successfully overwhelms him since Url is much less mobile with all of his equipment. As Url lies on the ground, he is picked up by the vampire in a similar manner to the lady. Suiga tries to save him, but to his surprise, the vampire quickly swipes his feet, knocking him to the ground. He picks Suiga up, and slams him to his teammate, letting them both fall once again. He returns to his dependent…
Vanessa: Jack…
Jack:…The info…
Vanessa: …Hmm?
Jack: Vanessa, I send you here to infiltrate the administration wing. I need the hunter’s patrol schedule…
Vanessa: My Lord…I was…too weak to walk…
Jack stares at her coldly for two seconds, before he starts kicking her around…
Jack: Worthless scum… I give you the gift of being among my kind…and you waste it!!!
The woman starts screaming and coughing. No sound nor blood comes out. She is already at her limit…
Jack: The rest at the hideout won’t be too happy with this…Guess I’ll just have to grab the info myself… I’ll just torture the hunters here...Once I’m done, I’ll steer away from any other hunter lurking around…
Jack picks up Vanessa, and moves towards the struggling hunters…
Jack: Look at you. Groveling on the floor, for some dog woman who would rather be my blood bag than thank you for your services…
SUIGA:(He’s too strong to draw out a fight with him… at this rate, if don’t get up with a solid plan quickly…there’s no security, he’ll murder everyone in this building!!)
Jack: Rat catch your tongue?
SUIGA: Why would you come here? You don’t even see this woman as anything other than food, why go out of your way and break into a vampire hunter institution?
Jack: I told you…Some farmers provide for their cattle because it provides them with food. And now, I’m about to rip my sows…
Jack lifts Vanessa from her hands and feet. He begins to pull, slowly starting to tear her apart…
SUIGA: Stop…
Jack: Wait, it needs some more force-
SUIGA: STOP IT!!!
The woman barely makes a sound, a living corpse at this moment…
Jack: Once I eat her, I’ll pass my time making sure you two don’t move an inch. Then I’ll smash the door, turn the patients inside my livestock, and I’ll just do it repeatedly…Until you tell me what I want…
SUIGA: And Url’s knocked out…What do I do…
Jack: Tell me… What do you know about the bones?...
SUIGA: Huh?
Jack: Don’t toy with me…You could never know what we are planning…But I need to make sure…
Jack starts pulling again, further tearing apart the woman…
Suiga; STOP!! We know nothing!!!
Jack: Good…Patrol schedules. Where do I find them?
SUIGA:Like I’d…reception desk, main hall…
Jack: And last… are there any other hunters here?
SUIGA: No, just us two…Now, let her go!!!
Jack: Alright…
Jack drops her. The woman doesn’t flinch. One could say she was a wasted bargain…
URL: ... Why?
Jack: Hah? The bird’s awake…
URL: That woman was screaming for you. She didn’t choose any of this. How can you just look at her and treat her like trash? How can you have no remorse for your actions? Why would you put her through such a fate instead of ending it?!
Jack scratches his chin for a while…
Jack: Hmmm…I don’t see your reasoning. Thanks to me, she’ll recover as quickly as tomorrow. In the end, I see no other reason for existence other than delicious blood…
Jack picks up Suiga, who tries to struggle out of his grasp. His blade holds no effect on the vampire’s hard skin…
Jack: Now, the feet or the hands? That is truly the question…
URL: Guess we can agree on one thing…
Url raises his hand, forming a sign with two lifted fingers. He whispers “Bless”. Suddenly, Jack’s feet start to spasm, and the muscle slowly turns to atrophied mush. His grip softens, allowing a quick escape for Suiga…
Jack: Hell did you do!!!???
URL: Take better care of your food, Jack. It might have salmonella…
Jack’s feet have crumbled. He retracts his wings, but Url cuts them off with his saws before he takes flight. The vampire has strangely lost his strength that he was so boasting…
URL: Remember when you drank all the poor woman’s blood to recuperate? Well, I might have injected your dependent with large amounts of a muscle-atrophying silver virus. The woman’s so fond of you, I chatted her up so she can describe you…
Jack: Atrophy virus? How-
URL: My beautiful Apothecary’s table does more than simple potions…And all I had to do was use “Bless” to activate the silver agents inside your system. Started with legs, since you liked to swipe us all over the floor. There was no way me or Suiga could just cut you down without risking any casualties…
Jack: Damn you-
Suiga’s sword quickly cuts Jack’s temper short. As the samurai threatens to cut off his head, Url tries to make a deal…
URL: Suiga, wait. Unlike some brutes, we don’t cut people without getting any info…
Jack: Good luck with that. Like any dim-witted ape could even understand what my kind is going to
URL: Alright, let me try it this way: Thanks to the agents, I control the virus’ spread around your body. The only reason you get to speak is because I need you to spit out why you and your friends have decided to wreak havoc the past few weeks.
Url raises his fingers once again in the same sign…
URL: Now, Suiga make sure you don’t pull any spells or shout at your companion to attack us. I will ask some questions. You don’t answer…” Bless” …
The vampire’s left rib starts deteriorating…Shocked, he writhes in pain…
URL: I take you out part by part. If you answer, I’ll consider taking you prisoner…
Jack, writhing in pain, reluctantly accepts…
Jack: (Filthy livestock…but I must survive…I must remain for the upcoming plan…even if I have to lay some information to the enemy…) Alright…
URL: Great! Why did your associate steal bones by using imps?
Jack: They are necessary for a ritual…
URL: What ritual?
Jack: That I have no idea, I swear to my Lord Dracula…
URL: (That means he is only a subordinate) Who’s giving you the orders?
Jack:…My chieftain, Jack…
SUIGA: Isn’t your name…Jack?
Jack: That…I am not allowed to answer…even if I tried, I assure you that the consequences will be dire…
URL:...Alright, how many are there with you?
Jack:…no idea, I-
Url whispers “Bless”. The vampire loses his right forearm…
Jack: Aaaah!!! Seven, or even eight!! We communicate by spellcraft, I only talk with my chieftain!!!
URL: Last question then…What is the next target in your opinion?
Jack: What?
URL: You are left in the dark considering your chief’s plan…so, what do YOU believe he will plan next?
Jack: Like I’d betray my chief so easily…
URL: “Bless”
Jack loses his other forearm, and he barely stands… Url ducks and raises the bat’s head…
URL: Let me make myself clear…The same way you made that woman suffer for your plan, the same way your chief’s making you suffer now for his…So instead of being your chief’s dependent slave, take a look at who’s trying to show you mercy and answer my questions, cause you don’t have a lot of limbs left, and I’ll start getting creative…
Url might wear a mask, but everyone in the room could imagine the cold piercing gaze in his eyes… Even Suiga was getting anxious, seeing his happy, calming teammate starting to resemble the ominous mask he constantly wears…The vampire, out of pride showed no fear, but he more than well understood that the plague doctor was holding the string of his lifespan, and the scissors to cut it…
Jack…A factory…
SUIGA: A factory? Which one?
Jack: I don’t know…But we have the materials for the ritual, so the chief ordered someone to find some testing grounds for a trial…I heard him mention a factory or something…That’s all I know…
Url raises the bat and puts it in an upright position…
URL: See, was that so hard? Well, a promise is a promise, I’ll have you detained…
SUIGA: Sir Url, he almost managed to infiltrate the admin wing. Is it safe to send him to prison with others of his kind?
URL: Of course not! That’s why I’ll do this!
Url casts “Bless” once again. Everything, other than the vampire's head turns to mush… The vampire is tormented in pain by the mass of his flesh…
Jack…YOU SAID YOU’D-
URL: Precautions for making sure you won’t pull anything to the guards. Oh, and don’t try regenerating… or do, I have no idea what could happen...Serves you right for torturing that poor woman…
The doors burst open… Multiple soldiers fill out the room and canvas the area in a matter of minutes… After an hour, we see a carriage transferring the mass of bat flesh in prison…Aaron has arrived, called by Patricia to wait as backup, and is caught up on the situation that just transpired…
Aaron: And the woman?
URL: Dead, I’m afraid. She had turned, but the regeneration system of a new dependent is far weaker than a vampire’s. She couldn’t survive being a blood bag, much less the starvation inside the hospital…
SUIGA: That monster…And I was too weak to lay waste to him faster-
URL: You were NOT weak, Suiga. That one was a strong bat we took on. Honestly, I felt like I was fighting with Aaron on my side, only this time he listens…
Aaron: Bed and breakfast, Url, I give you those.
Suiga; Thank you, Url.
URL: No sweat. and hey, can we please forget my little outburst back there? I felt you were kind of freaked out…
SUIGA: He well deserved it!! You really should have seen it, Aaron! He was-
Aaron: Yeah, yeah, I’ve seen him interrogate, he gets all psycho on the vamps…Oh, Suiga, could you go to support and make today’s report? We don’t want them leaving and having Shroud shout about missing paperwork...
Suiga; Of course!!
Suiga leaves excited. The boys look to their new teammate…
Aaron: So, did he spill anything?
URL: We just got out of a dangerous situation, THAT is the only thing on your mind right now?
Aaron: I know what you can do. I’ve seen what he can do. And I was on standby. I wasn’t worrying.
URL: Uuuh…No, not a word. He got defensive when we asked about it. Could it be he has no Holy Armament? I didn’t feel anything special about his sword…
Aaron: Shroud told me to watch out for it, but he couldn’t tell me what it was. But he compensates for it with raw skill, so I won’t pry… I mean, I don’t bother you about that mask.
URL: And I don’t bother you about your last name…But hey, look at you, praising the newcomer. Leading role’s starting to sit huh?
Aaron: I ain’t no leader.
URL: Oh well. One last thing I wanted to talk about, but we must let Suiga and Shroud know. If we tell the higher-ups, this might blow up back in our faces…
Aaron: What’s wrong?
URL: That vampire’s name was Jack. The chief’s name was Jack too. See where I’m getting with this?
Aaron’s expression turns shocked. He calmly hides his emotion from the surrounding infantry…
Aaron: He’s back, isn’t he?
URL: Yes, the Ripper…same pattern too…We might be looking at another disaster like 10 years ago…