David's movements unfolded like a carefully choreographed dance, each step a testament to his finesse. His concise footwork mirrored the fluidity of his waist as he pivoted gracefully to the side. Long-range attacks were met with a seemingly effortless sidestep, even when they originated from distances of hundreds of meters. In close combat, a mere reach into his pocket and a sly grin were all it took to send any of the three Vampires hastily retreating.
"Thanks to those Solar Magic Ions marbles, he's toying with us, Colan!" Galeward voiced his frustration, his words barely audible. This wasn't an Ability per se, but rather a trait inherent to Vampires, enabling them to manipulate sound waves. With sufficient mastery, one could even consider it a Sound Wave Ability, drawing from the extensive Dobroutes' library.
"At this pace, we'll deplete our Magick reserves. When will he make his move?" Galeward remarked.
"Be careful with your words, Galeward," Colan cautioned. "Do not underestimate David's capabilities. Currently, I intercepted the sound waves, but the next time, they might fall within the range of his heightened hearing."
Perched atop various rooftops, lampposts, and building walls, the trio assumed their Vampiric forms – two menacing creatures and one ethereal, single-armed Colan.
"The police are on their way. Shouldn't we retreat to The Gray? The Solar Magick Ions would be less potent there," Novak suggested.
Initially, they had brought David out of the Terminal Dimension because the night sky provided an advantage for Nightly Creatures. However, the presence of the Solar Magick Ions marbles forced them to reconsider whether to maintain their racial advantage or neutralize the opponent's weapon.
"We can't," Colan dismissed the idea. "The Lycanders prioritized the bounty over joining us. They fail to grasp the significance of our mission compared to the allure of the Demonic Reward. Before they reconsider, and before local law enforcement arrives, we must subdue David!"
"As you say."
"As you decide."
Galeward and Novak consented. Aware that time was of the essence and a prolonged battle of attrition favored their adversary, the three straightened their postures, preparing to go all out despite the looming danger.
Leaping from their perches, they soared at high speeds. Flying in humanoid form required wings, impractical during battle, or when achieving the Second Metamorphosis.
'They're coming!' David halted his playfulness and withdrew both hands from his pockets, each clutching a marble. 'Still no movement from him…' he mused, refraining from glancing back at the silent fourth member sent by the House of Dobroutes, only heightening his awareness to their presence.
Squeezing the marbles, they began to crack. David loosened his grip, not yet permitting the Solar Magick Ions inside to discharge.
Colan once again led the assault. Ten meters from David, he dove, embedding himself into the road. Meanwhile, Novak and Galeward seized car doors from parked vehicles, using them as shields.
David leaped without shattering the marbles, even as the ground beneath him trembled, and Colan's First Blood, a glistening red fang, emerged.
Novak hurled the car door like a boomerang and exclaimed, "Bats Swarm!"
The First Metamorphosis could endure regular gun bullets with ease. However, when it came to Magick augmented, high-speed spinning and large chunks of metal, even those prepared for the Second Metamorphosis faced a different challenge.
In midair, David found himself unable to evade the incoming car door. Swiftly passing the marble from his right hand to his left, a silver hue spread from his free right fist, which he then used to strike the door.
The car door was propelled towards the approaching red fang below, while David capitalized on the impact to change direction.
The multitude of small, black bats were tightly packed, almost as close as the red fang that propelled the car door with a mere nudge of the arm controlling it.
'Not yet,' David searched for Galeward, who had vanished. Colan and Novak were now less than five meters away, executing a clear Hail Mary, and he doubted the Dobrouteses would split their forces for a follow-up attack. At least, he believed the three would converge on him simultaneously. 'He's the anomaly…' Once again, it was the silent fourth member.
At a distance of three meters, David hovered above the ground – the enemy's speed outpacing his gradual descent, especially from the perspective of a First Metamorphosis. He clapped, forcefully bringing the two marbles together.
Instantly, a brilliant yellow eruption ensued, blinding and engulfing everything.
'As expected, the heat is more intense…' David had to acknowledge that excessive absorption of Solar Magick Ions could be detrimental, even for someone not accustomed to nocturnal life. 'They won't be able to endure it!'
What he couldn't fathom was the fact that Novak and Colan would blindly pursue him. They had ventured too close this time, and the concentration of Solar Magick Ions was higher than before, meaning that even in retreat, they would sustain significant injuries.
'What about the other two?' His feet touched the ground, but his attention remained focused on the surroundings. Alert but not overly cautious, as they couldn't see him much like he couldn't see them. Until the light dissipated, they could only rely on their senses and deduce the enemy's location based on their last observed movements.
A whistle reached David's ears, prompting a quick evasion. The intense yellow brightness dimmed, allowing him to glimpse the object that narrowly missed him.
'The second door!' The very car door Galeward had wielded.
A distinct sound followed as the door collided with something. David turned around, hands already in his pockets, retrieving two more marbles from his remaining six.
"You are…" David uttered with a frown, addressing the silent Fourth.
The individual, still shrouded in concealment with only their head and most of their body visible, gripped the car door and hurled it at David, simultaneously charging towards him.
The door hurtled towards David with greater speed than the first two attempts. Once again, a silver hue enveloped his right hand as he prepared to counter rather than evade. However, in this counter, he retained the marble in his right hand and, with an open palm, smashed it against the oncoming car door.
Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.
"Did you think I wouldn't know you were hiding inside the door panel?" David asserted with disdain as he looked at the smudge that was the shrieking Galeward. The Vampire emerged from within the door panel, a black figure still smoldering – a defeated opponent. 'The last one…'
Selecting another marble, he shattered two, just to be cautious in case Colan and Novak decided to appear when he clashed with Fourth.
'Using the cloak to protect himself? That won't work.' Fourth remained unfazed by Galeward's predicament and was now less than two meters from David when he crushed the two marbles.
A silver hue emanated from David's hands in preparation for a close-range confrontation. He wasn't convinced Fourth would willingly send themselves to their demise. 'Something is up!' His senses screamed. Unable to see yet, he leaped backward.
"It's been a while, David," a hissing voice sounded next to him – the opponent could see and locate him!
"Taura!" David spread his arms, releasing an explosive discharge of silver Magick.
His silver Magick struck something past the yellow brightness, and a metallic screech followed – a clear indication of the unleashed force being deflected.
A gust of wind brushed against David's face. Before he could attempt another move to counter the enemy, a massive form closed in on him. When the brightness dissipated for the third time, a long entity with scales as tough as iron came into view.
The half-snake, half-human figure restrained David. From the end of the tail to the bald human scalp, the body was gray, with white patches on the skin and scales as if they had failed to molt completely and had dried.
Two needle-like fangs protruded from thin lips, dripping pale red venom.
"The Nāga joined the Dobroutes?" David squirmed in vain.
"The enemy of my enemy…" Taura of the Nāga inclined his head, madness reflected in his sickly green eyes.
"What have you done to yourself?" David examined the Nāga's condition, realizing the answer before Taura replied. "You let them turn you into a Daywalker. Do the Nāga know?"
"To catch you, I was willing, for the Nāga Tribe, even if against the will of The Nāga."
At Taura's response, three figures converged from the left, right, and front – Colan, Novak, and Galeward.
The trio bore injuries, with Galeward particularly worse off. They clutched empty Blood Health Potions in their hands, but consuming too much within a short period risked diminishing the potion's efficacy. While Colan could hardly endure one or two additional rounds, Novak and Galeward were no longer fit to contend with regular humans.
"Who turned him, Colan?" David demanded inwardly. 'It's not the time. If I use it now, I won't be able to face the Lycanders.'
"Who else? My Lord, of course," Colan admitted matter-of-factly.
"The Nāga will seek reparations."
"Not if She remains unaware. The transformation is flawed. Taura will perish soon, a sacrifice he willingly made to gain a mere one percent advantage in catching you."
Colan approached, and Taura shifted his snake body, creating gaps to expose David's pockets.
"The Lord will be pleased," Colan gathered the remaining marbles of Solar Magick Ions. "These will serve as evidence to justify the methods employed for your capture, should The Nāga discover my Lord overstepped… His limbs," he requested of Taura, who then shifted again, exposing David's arms and legs.
With a stoic expression, Colan shattered David's arms and legs.
"You should have torn them apart!" Galeward snapped, though all of his limbs were intact, unlike Colan's, raising questions about their full recovery.
"No. We need to present his body intact," Colan wiped his hand on his cloak. David didn't make a sound, nor did he display the demeanor of someone defeated.
Galeward grumbled.
"Your Magick is different. A few hours ago, it wasn't entirely the same but had most of the Nāga's characteristics, including a reptilian transformation. Even in submission, you restrain yourself…" Colan placed his palm on David's chest, just above his heart. "I don't need to know. In time, my suppositions will be answered," he declared, injecting his red Magick.
Unlike before, David failed to stifle the grunt of pain as his Pool of Magick Ions seared, engaged in a conflict of silver and red forces. Silver was prevailing.
"Let's go," Colan commanded.
"Are you surrendering the bounty to the wolves?" David gruffly inquired.
Colan ignored him, as did the rest.
"Killing the bounty can save you, make you a true Daywalker, Taura – an existence above other Nāgas and Vampires. While the latter despise Daywalkers, your kind will see you as a champion, a warrior to battle your true enemy, the Garudas."
Colan delivered a punch to David's face, only for it to be blocked by Taura's scales.
Taura coiled to meet David eye to eye. "A reward at the First Metamorphosis tier won't change anything for me."
"Nor for me, yet I chose to pursue it anyway-"
"Don't listen to him, Taura!" Colan grabbed the Nāga, attempting to pull him back, but even before he became a Daywalker, Taura stood as his sole equal in the group.
Taura shook off Colan and slithered within seconds to a nearby rooftop, as the headlights of squad cars turned onto the street a few hundred meters away.
"Don't you, all of you, want to know why, instead of lying low after offending your House, the Clan, and Tribe, I'm here for a boy who isn't even at the First Metamorphosis?" David posed the question as they settled on the rooftop with undisguised intrigue, except for Colan.
"Don't speak in riddles!" Taura hissed. "Should I lose my patience, I'll rip your tongue out and take you back to the Lord of the House."
"Taura-" Colan began to transform.
"I may be ailing, Colan, as you admitted willingly from the Vampiric venom of your Lord, but among all the First Metamorphoses in the area, be it the Material Dimension or the Terminal Dimension, none can surpass me. Stand back, for all I want is to listen."
Colan canceled the transformation, displeased.
"Speak, David. You have one chance," Taura held David's jaw, emphasizing his threat.
"The bounty involves either a Demonic Prince, Princess, King, Queen, or Sin – a Premier Demonic Title!"
Silence.
For a whole minute, not even the devoted Colan could utter a word, for he knew better than anyone that David wouldn't lie.
"Explain!" Taura's fingers dug into David's cheeks.
"You… want me to elucidate the reason behind the behavior of these Demonic Entities?" David chuckled.
"Then prove it!"
"I've seen the Demonic Contract. It was enough to convince me to stay and fight you until the expiration of the bounty. Drink the bounty's blood. You're part Vampire now. It will show you the truth."
"Colan…" Taura swiftly turned to the leading Vampire. "Do you believe him?"
"David," Colan glared at his captive. "Isn't this more of your schemes?"
"It is just as much the truth," David retorted. "Because of Him, you don't want to deviate from the mission, but can you change the minds of the others?"
"Novak, Galeward…" Colan turned to his companions of the House. "In your condition, do you want to risk additional confrontation and lose him after all of our efforts to capture him?"
"To be owed by one of the Premier Demonic Titles will even sway the Lord. Should we perhaps contact the House?" Galeward suggested.
"To do what?" Taura wasn't receptive. "It's a First Metamorphosis bounty. No one of a higher Metamorphosis is allowed to interfere. The House can only dispatch additional First Metamorphoses for aid, and that would only serve to escalate the situation and divide the reward."
"While you're deliberating, do take note of the situation in The Gray. The Lycanders are at it, and the blockade I erected is set to last until dawn unless they go all out."
"Colan, you and I can handle the Lycanders. Galeward and Novak can capture the bounty."
"Sierra and Ramon's understanding of the First Metamorphosis is as good as ours. While you may be stronger as a Daywalker, I'm not in a condition to fight," Colan nudged his armless shoulder. "And what about the remaining two? I didn't identify them. Did you? Even at peak condition, Galeward and Novak can't take on one First Metamorphosis with complete understanding. What if there are two?"
"If I distract the Lycanders-"
"I won't confront the others-"
"We only need to buy time for Galeward and Novak-"
"To bypass David's traps while watching over him?"
"My worth is to your House and Tribe's pride. A mission well done will grant you nothing close to the bounty reward," David interjected into the argument.
"You're untrustworthy," Colan stated. "Why did you not kill the bounty if you claim we should value him more than our House and Tribe?"
"Because, petite Colan, I aim for the long haul. You don't need to know more than that. Whether you admit it or not, it is a fact that the bounty is more valuable to Taura and the Nāga Tribe."
"If the bounty's value is higher and he's going to obstruct us anyway, why not kill him?" Galeward offered.
"You can't, right, Colan?"
"We can't," Colan confirmed. "Break more of his bones, Taura. Don't worry. As long as we don't turn them to powder, they're not irreparable."
Taura didn't question. Colan's demeanor conveyed a sense of surrender, and that was enough. He squeezed David, exposing his neck while further fracturing his body. "To ensure your Pool of Magick Ions is inoperative," he bit, injecting a Daywalker's venom.