The grand hall of Bloodmoor was a study in silence and shadow. The once-whispering crowd now stood frozen, transfixed by the confrontation between Alexi and Vasilis. A palpable tension rippled through the air, thick and dangerous, as the two powerful vampires faced each other in the dim light of the chamber.

Alexi’s grip tightened around the dagger—the one Vasilis had claimed as his birthright. Its ancient runes pulsed with an ethereal glow, radiating power that even the court could feel from their distant vantage point. This relic had belonged to the Sanguine for generations, but now, in Alexi’s hand, it had become the catalyst for the duel that would decide the fate of Bloodmoor.

Vasilis sneered, his lips curling into a vicious smile as he brandished his sword, the blade reflecting the flickering torchlight like a predator’s gleaming fangs. His pale features were twisted with rage, the veneer of nobility stripped away, revealing the raw ambition that had driven him to betray his own kind.

"You’ve made a grave mistake, Alexi," Vasilis growled, his voice low and filled with malice. "You think you can wield the power of the first-bloods, but you don’t understand it. Your time is over—this kingdom belongs to those strong enough to take it."

Alexi’s crimson eyes narrowed as he regarded his rival. He could sense the desperation behind Vasilis’s bravado. The Sanguine leader had been backed into a corner, forced into this final act of defiance. But even so, Vasilis remained dangerous—perhaps more so than ever.

"This kingdom belongs to those who can protect it," Alexi said, his voice calm but cold. "And you’ve proven time and again that you would sacrifice Bloodmoor for your own ambition."

Without warning, Vasilis lunged forward, his sword arcing through the air in a deadly strike aimed at Alexi’s heart. The suddenness of the attack caught the court off guard, a collective gasp rippling through the room. But Alexi had anticipated the move. With a swift motion, he parried the blow with the dagger, the clash of steel against steel ringing out like a bell of war.

The duel had begun.

Vasilis was a skilled swordsman, and his strikes came fast and fierce, each one fueled by his fury and desperation. His blade was sharp, his movements precise, but Alexi was faster. Each of Vasilis’s attacks was met with a deft counter, the dagger in Alexi’s hand moving with deadly efficiency.

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The court watched in rapt silence as the two vampires danced across the hall, their blades clashing in a symphony of violence. The relics of the Crimson Vault glimmered in the background, their ancient magic seeming to pulse in time with the combat. Every strike, every dodge, every clash of steel sent sparks flying, illuminating the faces of the onlookers with flashes of firelight.

But as the duel wore on, it became clear that Vasilis was growing more desperate. His attacks became wilder, less controlled, while Alexi remained calm and focused, his movements deliberate and precise.

"You’re losing, Vasilis," Alexi said between strikes, his voice low and controlled. "And you know it."

Vasilis’s eyes blazed with fury, but there was fear behind them now. He had expected to overpower Alexi quickly, to take control of the situation and rally the court to his side. But Alexi had proven stronger, faster, and more cunning than he had anticipated.

"I will never bow to you!" Vasilis snarled, swinging his sword in a wide arc that Alexi easily dodged.

"You won’t have the chance," Alexi replied coldly.

With a swift motion, Alexi drove the dagger forward, the blade slipping past Vasilis’s defenses. For a moment, time seemed to slow as the dagger’s tip pierced Vasilis’s side, the ancient runes glowing brighter as they absorbed the power of his blood.

Vasilis staggered back, his hand clutching the wound as dark blood oozed between his fingers. His face twisted in pain and disbelief as he realized that he had been beaten.

The court remained silent, their eyes wide with shock as Vasilis fell to his knees before Alexi. The once-proud leader of the Sanguine now looked broken, his strength fading with every drop of blood that stained the cold stone floor.

Alexi stepped forward, his expression impassive as he gazed down at his fallen rival. "Your ambition has brought you to this, Vasilis," he said quietly. "And now it ends."

Vasilis’s breath came in ragged gasps, his eyes filled with hatred as he looked up at Alexi. "This… isn’t… over," he hissed through gritted teeth. "Zephyrion… will come for you. And when he does… you will fall."

Alexi’s expression didn’t waver. "Perhaps. But it won’t be you who sees it."

With that, Alexi raised the dagger once more and, with a single, swift motion, ended Vasilis’s life. The court gasped as the Sanguine leader’s body slumped to the ground, his blood pooling around him like a dark, spreading shadow.

For a moment, the hall was completely still.

Then, slowly, Alexi turned to face the court, his eyes cold and unreadable. "This rebellion is over," he said, his voice carrying with the authority of a true ruler. "Anyone who still wishes to defy me will meet the same fate."

No one spoke. The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, and the nobles shifted uneasily, their eyes flicking from Vasilis’s lifeless body to the dagger still gleaming in Alexi’s hand.

The message was clear. The game of shadows had just taken a deadly turn, and Alexi now stood firmly at the center of it.