“The chase is among the purest of human pleasures.” – Theodore Roosevelt
As I ran, scaled, and leapt through the winding mountain range I couldn't help but recall the famous quote by one of the most badass president to ever take the office.
His words resonated deeply with me at this moment. I enjoyed it and I could say otherwise but that wouldn't be the truth, the thrill of the wind whipping past me, the earth crunching beneath my feet my senses stretched to their limits. with each step sending me gliding across the terrain I couldn't help but revel in the moment the slow building excitement as I thought about the fight to come.
The tire marks lead directly into a hidden ravine. At the base of the mountain I found a nice little surprise. Rico’s Lamborghini sat there looking all pretty and by the look of it, his ride had just been freshly washed and waxed. six men stood around it their own SUV's forming a semi-protective circle around Rico’s.
"I Know what your thinking Kain....and I approve!" Doc laughed giving me a small mental thumbs up and while not out right saying it I could feel Belmonts agreement.
With that I launched a powerful bolt of lightning the attack chaining together as it pierced the heads of the six suits crowded around the cars before leaping to each vehicle, for a moment silence and a deep charred stench mingled with that unique scent of ozone filled the air.
*BBBBOOOOMMM*
Then with a few steps not bothering to look back at the mess I created I darted past the wreckage a refreshing smile plastered on my face as I flew to a mansion nestled deep in the mountains the location would have been incredibly hard to find had I not had the coyotes memories to guide me.
After what felt like ages but could not have been more than an hour, if the time on my phone was anything to be believed.
When I finally arrived I paused. for a second I was struck by the sheer grandeur of the mansion before me. It rose imposingly from the landscaped grounds, a palatial structure with tall, arched windows that seem to watch me as I approached. Ivy snakes up the stone walls, adding a touch of old-world charm to the otherwise pristine facade. Columns stood like silent guardians by the entrance, leading up to a sweeping balcony that stretched across the upper floor, with wrought-iron railings that glint subtly in the afternoon sun.
The front door is massive and solid, framed by ornate carvings in the wood that give it a sense of history. I take in the details—sculpted stone, intricate windowpanes, and the subtle symmetry that makes the whole mansion feel like a work of art. The driveway winds behind me, lined with towering trees, their branches arching like a natural canopy over the path. A large fountain sits in the center of a circular courtyard, its water cascading in soft, rhythmic splashes that echo across the front grounds.
Around the mansion, the gardens are sprawling and meticulously kept, with paths that disappear around corners and statues that emerge between perfectly trimmed hedges. Everything feels so quiet and deliberate, like the house itself is waiting.
"I might not like him but can't deny....he's got taste." Doc echoed in my mind
"Shame, it belongs to a leech." I muttered as I burst through the mansion doors, boots slamming against the old, rotting wood, sending dust flying as they crashed open. My heart was pounding, but not from the run—no, it was the anticipation, the rage, the need to end this bastard once and for all.
The mansion’s interior was however unlike its outward appearance decayed and decrepit—peeling wallpaper, broken furniture, and the stench of rot thick in the air. But none of that mattered. Not when Rico stood at the far end of the room, waiting for me like he was expecting me to stroll in. He leaned against a cracked marble pillar, arms crossed, grinning like he owned the place. And maybe he did—who else would want this crumbling tomb of bad decisions?
Rico started clapping slowly, the sound echoing through the empty hall like nails on a chalkboard.
“Well, well, well. Look who decided to drop in,” Rico said, his grin spreading wider, his voice thick with that streetwise swagger. “I don’t know why, but I just had this… feeling you’d survive, y’know? Figured I’d hang around, give you a shot. Hell, why not? Makes it more fun.”
I didn’t say a word, just kept walking toward him, my fists clenched tight. I could feel the familiar crackle of electricity beneath my skin, the energy pulsing through me, ready to tear him apart.
Rico chuckled, pushing himself off the pillar and sauntering toward me like we were old friends. “You’re a tough bastard, I’ll give you that. But to actually think you would come back to find me after what I did to you?” He scoffed, shaking his head. “Pssh, man, you’ve got some balls. I’ll give you that.”
My eyes narrowed as I stopped a few feet away from him. He was taller than me by an inch or two, but that didn’t matter. I’d torn down bigger monsters than him.
Rico’s grin didn’t falter, but there was something darker behind his eyes. “So, here’s the deal, Kain. Why don’t you join us? Join our noble bloodline. I mean, look at you. You’ve already got half of what it takes. You’re a killer, just like us.” He spread his arms wide, as if offering me the world on a silver platter. “With your power, man, we could own this world. Forget the scraps, forget fighting for survival. You could have it all. Blood, power, eternity—whatever you want. Just say the word.”
I let the silence stretch out for a moment, watching him, feeling that little pulse of smug satisfaction radiating from him. Rico probably thought I was actually considering it. Maybe he thought I was pathetic enough to want what he was offering. Hell, maybe I should have been. But that’s not me.
I met his eyes, taking another step closer. “Rico,” I said, my voice low, “I don’t give a shit about your ‘noble bloodline.’ I’m not like you. I’ll never be like you. You’re nothing but a parasite in a fancy suit.”
The grin slipped from his face for a second. Just a second.
Then it was back, but it was colder now, more dangerous. “That how it’s gonna be, huh?” he said, his voice dropping an octave. His hand went to the collar of his shirt, loosening it, rolling his shoulders like a boxer before a fight.
"Yeah Rico that's how it's gonna be." I said putting my own hands up my stance similar to buwaka’s
“Then die.”
Before I could blink, Rico moved.
He was fast, faster than I’d expected, even though I’d seen him fight before. One second he was standing in front of me, the next he was a blur of motion, his fist coming straight for my gut.
I barely had time to react, twisting my body just enough to avoid the full brunt of the punch. But the force of it still knocked the wind out of me, sending me staggering back a few steps.
“Come on, tough guy!” Rico shouted, his voice full of that street-level venom. “That all you got? I almost killed you once and I’ll do it again!”
I straightened up, cracking my neck. My muscles burned with adrenaline, and I could feel the anger rising again. But not for his power. No, this was about Leo. This was about stopping Rico from turning the world into whatever nightmare he had planned.
I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and grinned. “Almost,” I said, electricity sparking from my fingers, “but I’m not dead yet, and you won’t get a second chance!”
He rushed me again, but this time I was ready.
I dodged his punch and swung low, my fist crackling with lightning as I aimed for his ribs. The impact sent a jolt of electricity surging through his body, and for a second, I saw the flash of pain in his eyes.
“You’re gonna regret that,” he growled, his hand lashing out to grab me, but I twisted out of his grip, landing another solid blow to his side.
Rico’s laughter echoed through the crumbling mansion as we clashed again, his movements a blur of power and speed. I swung, claws slashing through the air, but he dodged every attack with infuriating ease. My Eclipse Hunter form crackled with energy, claws gleaming, lightning dancing across my skin. I was going all out, every hit backed with as much strength as I could muster, but it wasn’t enough.
Rico was faster, stronger. His strikes hit like sledgehammers, and every time I thought I’d land a blow, he’d sidestep or block it with a smug grin plastered on his face. Each punch he threw slammed into me, the force rattling my bones. My breath came in ragged gasps as I tried to hold on, tried to push through, but I could feel it—I was slipping. He was overwhelming me, and the son of a bitch knew it.
“That's right, ya little bitch,” Rico sneered, darting in with a sharp jab that caught me across the jaw, sending me stumbling. “All that big talk, all that power, and now… what? Barely hanging on?” His eyes gleamed with sick amusement. “You’re nothing, you hear me? Nothing compared to me.”
I spat blood onto the ground, wiping my mouth as I straightened up. My whole body ached, every muscle screaming, but I wasn’t giving up. Not yet. “Hah, insecure much.” I laughed despite the situation I was in Rage mingled with excitement as we pressed on
Rico laughed again, a cold, hollow sound. “Insecure! Fuck you, you little bitch don't you get it yet I have it all! And you you're nothing more than a mid-day snack! A little harder to swallow than most, I'll admit to that but your still pathetic.”
He was on me again before I could blink, his fist slamming into my ribs. Pain shot through my chest like fire, and I gasped, barely managing to block his next hit. But it didn’t matter—he was too fast, too strong. Another punch, this time to my gut, and I felt my knees buckle.
I gritted my teeth, trying to push back, trying to claw my way through the pain. But Rico just kept coming, his blows relentless, his laughter grating in my ears. He was enjoying this, enjoying watching me struggle.
“You know, Kain,” he said, circling me as I tried to catch my breath. “I was almost impressed. Thought you might actually put up a decent fight.” He kicked me in the chest, sending me crashing into a pile of broken furniture. I groaned, the wind knocked out of me as I struggled to stand. “But now? Now I see what you really are. Just a dog chasing its tail. You don’t even know what you’re fighting for, do you?”
I pushed myself up, blinking through the pain, every part of me on fire his words bitingly perceptive all of a sudden. “What… what did you do with Leo?”
Rico stopped for a moment, his grin widening. “Oh, Leo?” His voice dropped, taking on a sickeningly sweet tone, like he was savoring every word. “Now that is one delicious piece of work. That Yin Physique of his? Perfection. You have no idea how valuable that boy is. I mean, even I have to answer to someone, right? And let me tell you, when the big Meet comes up in a month, Leo’s gonna be the star attraction.”
My fists clenched, fury bubbling up inside me, but Rico kept talking, his voice dripping with that slimy, smug confidence.
“You should’ve been here when they took him away, he shouted you know, said what we did with you and the look on his face when I told him how I filled ya with lead......priceless." Rico laughed sardonically " and the appreciation they gave me...hell even moved me up the ranks, with a seat at the table and everything for my exemplary and loyal service!" He bragged clearly proud of his bootlicking " But man I cant wait to get another taste of his blood… the power… oh man, and when the time comes he's gonna make one hell of a tribute. Perfect for 'HIM'.” He licked his lips, eyes glinting with something vile. “By the time you even catch a hint of him, Kain? He’ll be long gone. You’re too late.”
Something snapped inside me.
Gone. Too late.
Rage exploded through me, hotter than any electricity I could conjure. My body moved before I could even think, driven by pure, unbridled fury. The hunger—the one I’d fought so hard to control—surged to the surface, burning through my veins like wildfire. My claws extended, longer, sharper, the edges gleaming with energy.
“You son of a bitch!” I roared, my voice shaking with rage. I launched myself at Rico, not caring about technique or strategy. All I wanted was to rip him apart.
Rico’s smirk faltered for a second, just long enough for me to close the distance. I swung with everything I had, my claws tearing through the air, the crackle of lightning so loud it drowned out the sound of my heartbeat. Rico blocked the first strike, but my strength had doubled—no, tripled—and the impact sent him skidding back, his eyes wide with surprise.
“I’ll kill you,” I snarled, slashing at him again, the fury coursing through every fiber of my being. “I’ll tear you apart!”
Rico dodged, barely, but I was on him, relentless. My claws lashed out, slashing through his defenses, tearing through his clothes and into his skin. He grunted, stumbling back as I pressed the attack, lightning crackling around us, the air filled with the scent of ozone and blood.
“Damn it!” Rico growled, his voice finally cracking with frustration. “You think you can stop me now? You think your anger’s gonna save you? You’re dead, Kain! Just like your friend!”
But I didn’t care. All I could see was red—Rico’s blood, Leo’s life hanging in the balance, the sick, twisted grin on Rico’s face when he said Leo was gone. The hunger surged again, and this time, I didn’t fight it. I let it consume me, driving me forward, every strike more powerful than the last.
Rico blocked another hit, but I could see the panic in his eyes. He wasn’t laughing anymore.
“Whose not so tough now, hahaha” I laughed, my voice a low growl as I moved in for the kill. My claws flashed, aiming for his throat, but Rico managed to dodge just in time, stumbling back, blood dripping from his side.
“You… you think this changes anything?” Rico gasped, clutching his wound, but his confidence was slipping, his voice shaking. “You’re still too late! He’s already gone!”
I lunged at him again, the air around us crackling with energy as my claws connected with his chest, sending him crashing into the wall behind him. Dust and debris rained down, but I didn’t care. I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.
This wasn’t just about saving Leo anymore. This was for everything Rico had stolen from me. For everything this twisted world had ripped away from me. This was personal
For every loss, every wound, every moment I’d been torn apart and left to put myself back together again.
And I wasn’t done yet.
I barreled forward, the mansion crumbling around me as my fury drove me, the world narrowing to a single focus: Rico. His blood. His life ending at my hands.
"Get him, kid! Tear him apart!" Doc’s voice was sharp in my mind, crackling with excitement. "This is it, Kain—don’t hold back! You’ve earned this!"
His words wrapped around me like a coil, squeezing tighter, feeding the fire that was already burning out of control inside me. I could feel it coursing through my veins, the hunger, the need for blood. The world had taken so much from me, and now I was going to take it all back. Piece by bloody piece.
Belmont’s voice was there too, faint, a distant echo trying to reach me through the storm of rage. "Kain, focus. Don’t let it consume you."His tone was calm, steady, but it was drowned out by the roaring in my ears, by the thudding of my heart and the fire in my blood.
I barely heard him. All I cared about was Rico. He needed to die.
I slammed into him, the impact sending him flying across the room, crashing through a table, splinters of wood scattering everywhere. Rico groaned, trying to push himself up, but I was already on him. My fist drove into his side, hard enough to make his bones crack. His breath wheezed out, and I felt the satisfying crunch beneath my knuckles.
Doc’s voice howled in approval. "Yeah! That’s it! Make him suffer!"
I grabbed Rico by the throat, lifting him off the ground, his feet dangling as I squeezed. “You’re done, Rico,” I growled, my voice low and dangerous. “This is for everything.”
His eyes bulged, his lips trembling as he tried to speak, but I wasn’t interested in his excuses. I tightened my grip, the air around us crackling with energy. His blood would be the last thing I’d see.
But just as I was about to finish it, something slammed into me from the side. A thrall—a mindless vampire lackey—sent to die in Rico’s place.
I snarled, turning to face them, but more were coming. Rico’s goons, desperate to protect their master. They rushed in, but they weren’t a threat. They were nothing.
I tore through them, ripping and slashing, blood splattering the walls, the floor. It didn’t matter who they were, didn’t matter what they’d once been. All I saw was red. All I felt was the hunger driving me to destroy everything in my path.
"Good, good!" Doc’s voice cheered in my head, louder now, drowning out the last bit of restraint. "More! Don’t stop! Keep going!"
I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. I ripped through the thralls like they were made of paper, their blood painting the room as I moved from one to the next, claws tearing, lightning surging. The hunger was in control now, and all I wanted was more.
But in the chaos, I missed it. Rico, scrambling to his feet, eyes wide with fear as he saw what was happening. He didn’t hesitate. He took the opening and ran, his body blurring as he bolted for the door, disappearing into the shadows before I could react.
I roared, turning just in time to see him vanish, the last of his presence flickering out of the mansion like a coward.
“NO!” I shouted, but it was too late. He was gone.
"You let him get away!" Doc’s voice growled, disappointment creeping into his tone. "But don’t worry. You’ll get him next time."
Belmont’s voice, faint but persistent, finally cut through the storm of rage. "Kain. Focus. This isn’t who you are.
I stood there, chest heaving, blood drying on my hands. The room around me was wrecked—splintered wood, shattered glass, and the mangled bodies of Rico’s thralls scattered across the floor. I should’ve felt something more than this. Victory? Relief? Anything besides the emptiness gnawing at me.
Rico was gone. And I was left standing in a massacre of my own making.