As several second-generation blood descendants of Odis and Ivey arrived, the civil unrest in Eric's town escalated.
It was the following afternoon, close to dusk, the sun settling atop the mountain peaks.
Recker and the civilians he led continued their relentless pursuit of Town Lord Marcos' convoy, desperate for a chance of survival through the harsh winter.
However, their glimmer of hope was extinguished when hundreds of menacing demons and bats encircled the dwindling refugee population, now reduced to a mere 700.
The joy of Rachel's anticipated victory swiftly transformed into terror as the fear of being dragged into the abyss by demonic forces gripped them.
Victory was within their grasp, yet everything had drastically changed.
A haughty voice reverberated from the heavens, accompanied by a swarm of colossal bats filling the sky, resembling whispers from a malevolent entity in the abyss.
"We are the Holy Light Blood Clan. Lay down your weapons and surrender. Your lives will be spared. I repeat, lay down your weapons."
The arrogant declaration spread across the field, striking fear into the hearts of the refugees.
Panic ensued as the crowd fell into disarray. The humans, who were moments ago engaged in a fierce battle, felt a wave of icy coldness wash over them, their bodies trembling with fear.
"Vampires?! How can they be here?!"
Ivy emerged from beneath a magical bat, casting a protective spell upon herself as she hovered before the terrified refugees. Her long, black mage's robe provided a semblance of comfort to the panicked crowd.
"The Goddess of Life, have you forsaken your followers?"
"God! Those are bats, vampire bats!"
"We've encountered vampires?!"
The crowd collapsed into despair. If not for the looming presence of countless magical bats encircling them, they would have fled for their lives.
Vampires often embodied evil in the eyes of humans. Enigmatic, graceful, bloodthirsty, and terrifying, these blood-sucking creatures possessed all the elements of human fear.
Ivy observed the panic-stricken crowd below and extended a comforting hand, releasing a light green magic orb that burst into a cascade of soothing green lights, easing their apprehension to some extent.
"We are the Holy Light Blood Clan, not the evil blood clan you speak of. Surrender and your lives will be spared."
Ivy's words, imbued with magic, further alleviated the crowd's anxiety.
Many looked at her with skepticism. The Holy Light Blood Clan and the Evil Blood Clan?
Did vampires even differentiate between good and evil?
Regardless, the name bestowed upon them by Morgen resonated with the humans. The prefix "Holy Light" evoked images of light and justice, concepts deeply ingrained in human hearts.
Moreover, the Blood Clan possessed an aura of nobility.
As Ivy, the beautiful mage, uttered these words, even amidst the presence of hundreds of fearsome magical bats, a flicker of trust emerged in the hearts of many.
Appearance, after all, held significant sway in the world.
Recker suppressed his inner turmoil, stepping forward and addressing Ivy in mid-air. "May I inquire as to your identity and purpose in obstructing our path?"
Ivy descended gracefully, meeting the gaze of the sturdy human. "I have come to your aid, human. You are now under our protection."
Recker's bloodstained face contorted in confusion. "But you said you wouldn't harm us?"
His hand instinctively gripped his sword.
A ripple of dread morphed into something akin to desperate relief as Marcos saw the shimmering figures gliding down from the moonlit sky. Vampires. Abhorrent, yes, but a preferable alternative to the mob of refugees surging towards him, their desperation tinged with rage.
"Honorable Mages," he called out, voice tight with forced authority, "I am Marcos Eric, Baron of the Nolan Empire and Lord of Eric's Town. These… unruly trespassers threaten my people and my livelihood.”
His words barely landed before a storm of curses and accusations rose from the crowd.
"Traitor! Colluding with demons!”
"He'd sooner sell his soul than share a crust of bread!”
But beneath the outrage, a flicker of fear. Even desperation gnawed at the edges of their anger.
Marcos ignored the shouts, his gaze locked on the lead vampire, his voice dropping to a seductive purr. "Assist me in subduing these unruly… pests, and I offer you half my fortune. Nay, all of it! Consider it… compensation for keeping the peace.”
The vampire's crimson eyes glinted in the moonlight, an unnerving stillness settling over their form. The refugees held their breath, the air thick with tension.
Whoosh!
Over a hundred members of the Blood Clan descended from the sky, transforming into bats and landing on the ground, seizing control of the situation in an instant.
The sky swarmed with colossal magical bats, while the enigmatic and formidable Blood Clan surrounded them. The crowd's newfound courage dissipated as thoughts of vampire legends plagued their minds. Even the women and elderly collapsed to the ground in despair.
Ivy understood the situation upon witnessing this scene. In her long existence, she had witnessed countless instances of human conflict.
Moreover, in the human world, nobles and commoners rarely coexisted harmoniously. However, it was uncommon for commoners to openly challenge the nobility.
She felt intrigued by the burly human. What had given him the courage to defy a noble?
The Holy Light Blood Clan never resorts to deceit.
Humans, your conflict is of no concern to the Blood Clan.
However, you have become our captives and are thus our property."
Recker's face twisted with anger. "Your property? We are not slaves!!"
"You have no choice."
"Fine, death is inevitable. Instead of allowing you to drain our blood one by one, we might as well perish with the courage bestowed upon us by God."
Rakel's declaration rekindled a spark of spirit among the humans who had been cowed by the Blood Clan. Recalling the legends of vampires, they tightened their grip on their weapons.
"Death?" Ivy's voice, dripping with honeyed condescension, sliced through the tense silence. "No, no. The patriarch has grander plans for you. He envisions a city, magnificent and sprawling, and you, dear humans, will be its foundation."
Her words, laced with subtle menace, hung heavy in the air. A ripple of confusion flickered through the crowd. Death wasn't the immediate threat, replaced by a new, unsettling uncertainty.
"Fear not," Ivy continued, her smile predatory. "The Holy Light Blood will grant you its protection. Daily sustenance will ensure your continued labor. You will become instruments, not corpses."
A low murmur arose from the humans, their defiance wavering. Hope, a fickle ember, sparked in their eyes. Recker's words, fueled by the imminent threat of death, now seemed distant, lost in the promise of survival.
"Winter looms," Ivy purred, her voice taking on a sing-song quality. "But worry not, for provisions will be granted, enough to weather the harshest storms. Consider yourselves fortunate, humans, to bask in the benevolence of the Holy Light Blood."
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Her words echoed in their ears, each syllable a hammer blow against their resolve. Humans, she mused, so easily swayed by the illusion of comfort. A predator understood the power of manipulation, the art of offering a carrot before the bite.
Ollie, a boy barely past childhood, vibrated with fury beside Recker. His small frame trembled with indignation, fueled by the injustice he perceived.
"Liar!" he spat, his voice cracking with defiance. "A vampire offering kindness? You're no better than the nobles who exploit us! Just another mask hiding deceit!”
His words hung heavy in the air, sparking a flicker of hope in some hearts, while others recoiled in fear. Could there be truth to his accusation? Could vampires, creatures of legend known for their insatiable thirst, truly offer such favorable conditions?
Ivy, however, remained unfazed. A faint, unsettling smile played on her lips as she surveyed the captive humans.
"Humans," she began, her voice smooth as silk yet laced with an underlying threat, "your ignorance of the Blood Clan is vast. Deceit is not a tool we wield. Remember, we are the Holy Light Blood Clan, not the vile creatures you conjure in your frightened minds.”
With a predatory glint in her crimson eyes, she swept her gaze over the crowd, her smile fading into a cold smirk. "Furthermore, what leverage do you possess that compels me to lie? If I wished, I could erase you all in the blink of an eye.”
The weight of her words settled upon the humans like a suffocating blanket. Doubt and fear warred within them, Ollie's outburst fading into a distant echo. The threat was clear: compliance or annihilation.
At her command, the sky erupted in a flurry of leathery wings. Magical bats, their forms etched against the sun, rose in a mesmerizing dance of power. Below, the Blood Clan warriors, their eyes glowing with channeled magic, stood resolute, an embodiment of their mistress's will.
The crowd fell silent, the weight of the display pressing down on them. Hope, however fragile, had been extinguished. This wasn't an offer, it was a decree.
Ivy's voice, cold and clear, sliced through the air. "Witness the strength of the Holy Light Blood Clan. We do not traffic in deceit, the weakness of the powerless. You, humans, have stumbled upon fortune, or perhaps your misfortune - the line is thin. This is not a negotiation. You are prisoners, resistance a fool's dream.”
A predatory glint flashed in her crimson eyes. "But we are not monsters. The Blood Clan will offer... employment, sustenance... through the harsh winter. Consider it a debt you will repay in service.”
Her words hung heavy, each syllable a hammer blow. Employment? Winter's bite was cruel, but was this servitude preferable to death?
"Believe it or not," Ivy's voice dripped with icy amusement, "your fates are no longer your own. You stand before the Holy Light Blood Clan, and deception is beneath us. Now, relinquish your weapons, or the people will have their say.”
Her gaze swept across the crowd, a predator surveying its prey. "Don't even think of resistance. It will only hasten your journey to the kingdom of the dead.”
Her words were like a sledgehammer, crushing the fragile hope that had flickered within the humans. Soft pleas and defiant shouts were silenced, replaced by a heavy, suffocating silence.
Then, in the corner of her eye, Ivy saw it. A single weapon, clattering to the ground. A ripple of movement, and another, and another, until the air was filled with the metallic clang of surrender.
Recker, his face etched with despair, watched the tide turn against him. He knew the game was over. Fate, a cruel mistress, had dealt him a losing hand.
The weight of the sword felt heavier than ever in Recker's hand. His gaze, once fiery with defiance, dimmed with the setting sun. With a deep breath, he lowered the blade, its clang echoing a mournful surrender. His knee hit the ground, a silent plea for the mercy he no longer believed in.
Pain, not just physical but a soul-deep ache, lanced through his eyes. "Dear Master," he rasped, his voice choked with despair, "we surrender.”
Ollie, barely a man, watched his brother kneel, his heart shattering like a fragile ornament. Tears, hot and angry, blurred his vision. "No, Brother Recker! We can't surrender to these bloodsuckers! They'll drain us dry, leave us hollow shells!”
Recker's body trembled, mirroring the turmoil within. He understood Ollie's fear, the primal instinct to fight against the unknown. But the weight of responsibility, the lives he held in his hands, pressed down on him like a mountain.
He had no choice. They had no choice. Surrender offered a sliver of hope, however fragile. Resistance, a path paved with defiance, led only to a bloodier end. The taste of defeat was bitter, but it was better than the metallic tang of death.
Rachel squeezed his eyes shut, a grimace twisting his features. He was no naive civilian. As an alpha-level warrior honed in the crucible of mercenary life, he understood the terrifying power these vampires wielded.
"Wise choice," Ivy's voice, smooth as silk yet laced with predatory amusement, slithered into his ears. "It seems you hold some sway over this rabble. Keep them subdued, and perhaps you'll find yourself spared.”
A curt nod of satisfaction from Ivy. The ending, Rachel knew with chilling certainty, had been sealed the moment the Blood Clan descended.
Initial plans had called for a public display of dominance, crushing the strongest to cow the rest. But the simmering rebellion among these humans had presented a fortuitous opportunity. Their spirit, already fractured, had crumbled under the weight of fear and exhaustion.
"A better outcome than anticipated," Ivy mused, her crimson eyes glinting with a hunger that extended far beyond blood.
Recker straightened, a ghost of his mercenary calm settling over his features. The tenser the situation, the stiller he became, a predator assessing its prey.
"Your Excellency," he began, his voice low and measured, "we have one final plea." His gaze flickered to Marcos, who cowered behind the imposing figure of the vampire. "This craven lord, driven by fear, led us to the slaughter of our families.”
A flicker of pain, raw and unyielding, crossed Recker's face. It wasn't just vengeance he sought, but a twisted form of justice. "I yearn to offer him the same fate he inflicted upon us," he continued, his voice hardening with resolve. "To sever his head with these very hands.”
He paused, letting the weight of his words hang heavy in the air. "This is not a demand, but a desperate plea. Grant me this, and I swear, I will offer everything I possess, everything I am, to serve your will.”
The room stilled as Recker's words hung heavy in the air. Marcos, once hidden behind his supposed authority, found himself exposed, shivering like a cornered rabbit.
"No, dear blood," he stammered, desperation lacing his voice. "I am a noble of the kingdom! Surely, my life can be redeemed with gold. I have the privilege!”
His eyes darted across the Blood Clan, finding no comfort in their impassive expressions. More than a dozen pairs of crimson eyes focused on him, each glinting with an unnerving hunger.
Ivy's brow furrowed, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. A glance at the human crowd revealed a different story. Anger flared in their eyes, a collective thirst for justice they weren't afraid to voice.
"Human aristocrat," Ivy's voice was cold, dripping with disdain, "your privilege seems to have lost its luster amidst the people's ire.”
Silence stretched, thick with expectation. Then, with a curt nod, Ivy addressed one of the vampires. "Okon, this 'nobleman' is yours to judge.”
Upon hearing Ivy's words, the crowd, who had momentarily believed Marcos could evade consequences, erupted in anger once more.
This damn traitor, they seethed inwardly, had needlessly sacrificed the lives of their loved ones in futile resistance. The combined fury of the Blood Clan's wrath and the dread of an uncertain future fueled their rage, directed squarely at Marcos in this moment.
Despite the protective presence of Enda, an alpha-level guard, Marcos found himself overwhelmed by the furious mob, torn apart by their collective wrath.
Ivy stood aside, a silent observer, offering no intervention as the crowd unleashed their pent-up fury.
A ripple of unease began to spread through the crowd. Ivy, her crimson eyes narrowed, sensed the simmering anger threatening to boil over. With a flick of her wrist, a fireball materialized in her palm, its searing heat warping the air around it.
“level two spell - Big Fireball," her voice echoed, a chilling counterpoint to the crackling flames.
The crowd's murmur died down, replaced by a tense silence. The fiery orb, larger than her head, pulsed with raw magic, a potent reminder of the power they faced.
With a swift movement, she hurled the fireball upwards. It arced through the twilight sky, leaving a trail of embers in its wake. Reaching its peak, it exploded in a dazzling display of light, momentarily eclipsing the fading sun.
The shockwave rippled outwards, a wall of superheated air crashing down upon the crowd. Faces contorted in pain as singed hair and clothes smoldered. Some stumbled back, fear replacing anger in their eyes.
Ivy stood tall, her silhouette stark against the burning sky. The message was clear: defy her, and the consequences would be swift and scorching. The once-volatile atmosphere had solidified, replaced by a suffocating blanket of fear and obedience.
Recker was stunned. He dropped the sword and looked at the vampire before him with disbelief.
He knew that the blood clan was powerful, but he did not expect her to possess such devastating magic. He realized that he was no match for this formidable sorceress. Even among mercenaries, it was rare to find a mage with such immense power.
Recker was surrounded by hundreds of vampires and giant bats that filled the sky, obscuring the sunlight. He quickly dismissed his rebellious thoughts.
He wondered why there was such a powerful vampire group on the border when the Goddess of Life was supposed to be watching over them. Were the troops in Green City incompetent?
"Respected Mage, what do you require of us?" Recker bowed his head in submission.
Ivey nodded, her dark eyes piercing through Recker's soul.
"Intelligent human, you bear the scent of a mercenary. You must understand that you cannot resist the might of the blood clan.
Organize your people and gather them all together. I will transport you to the Castle of the Holy Light Blood using magic bats.
There, you will find employment and sufficient sustenance to survive the coming winter.
I assure you that I mean you no harm. The orcs have destroyed your homes, and our castle will become your new refuge."
Recker did not entirely trust Ivey, but he had no choice but to comply under the overwhelming power of the vampires.
"Your Excellency, we have many elderly and children among us," Recker said hesitantly, recalling the gruesome tales about the blood clan. "We cannot abandon our families."
Legends often depicted vampires as mercilessly slaughtering the elderly and children due to their weak blood.
"Human, I reiterate that we are the Holy Light Blood Clan, distinct from the malevolent blood clan you have heard of," Ivey asserted. "Count the number of people and divide them into family units. I will relocate all of you to the castle."
Recker gazed into Ivey's earnest eyes, feeling a strange sense of unease.
Did the blood clan truly distinguish between the Holy Light Blood Clan and the evil blood clan?
At this point, resistance was futile, so Recker reluctantly followed Ivey's instructions. He hoped that she would keep her promise.
The blood clan was undoubtedly powerful enough to defeat hundreds of orcish cavalry, making them an unstoppable force.
Recker, along with a few trusted militiamen, began counting the people and dividing them into family groups. Unbeknownst to them, ever since the arrival of the blood clan, most of the villagers had already dispersed, seeking safety in separation.
Recker walked among the distraught villagers, his heart heavy with despair. Some of these people were his friends and neighbors. If only he possessed greater strength, they would not be facing such a dire situation.
"Recker, it's alright. We trust you," some villagers assured him.
"Recker, don't cry like a coward. We're still alive, aren't we?" others tried to cheer him up.
"Brother Recker," a child called out.
Their voices echoed in the fading sunlight.
These humans, who had recently lost their homes, were unaware that their fate was not as bleak as they feared.