Élise stood over him as he took his last breath, regarding him as nothing more than a bug she had accidentally stepped on. Everything about him revolted her, especially the creepy smile plastered on his face as he died. Even his blood smelled tainted, and her pink eyes glared down at him.
She lifted her foot, poised to squash whatever life remained. But just then, she caught herself.
"There's another insect that needs squashing… I'd rather not soil my boots with his filth."
In an instant, she was gone, moving with unparalleled speed. Her sharp senses had already locked onto her target's location. Within mere seconds, she was peering at them from the cover of darkness.
There were five of them: Edmond and a female mage who regarded him fondly. She had short brown hair and was dressed as a knight. There was also a sketchy-looking male mage carrying a musket, guarding her classmate, Joffrey von Hohenberg.
The fifth person was closing in on them fast. It moved so quickly that she suspected it couldn't be human. The group was panicking, leading her to conclude they were being chased by whatever was after them. They resembled a herd of deer being hunted, huddled inside the trenches and sneaking around like rats.
Deciding it would be best to reveal herself, she stepped into view. Edmond's expression turned to one of panic when he caught sight of her.
"Élise? What are you doing here?"
"Élise!! Is that really you?" Joffrey cut in. "You have to help; we're being hunted. It's one of the shamans."
He seemed to be in a state of panic, a dark aura swirling around him—his magic manifesting in physical form due to his fear.
Élise glanced back and forth at the four of them, locking eyes with Edmond for a few seconds. She barely fought the urge to decapitate him right then and there. After a moment, she spoke.
"I'll take care of him. The four of you just stay put."
"You can't take him on alone; he's too powerful. Let the five of us work together," the girl clinging closely to Edmond said.
"I'm sorry, what's your name?" Élise asked, her annoyance barely concealed.
"My name is Elizabeth. I was part of Sir Edmond's troops."
Hearing Edmond's name only fueled her anger.
"Well, Elizabeth, the four of you will do nothing but get in my way. I'm commanding you to stay put."
"We should do as she says," the sketchy-looking mage chimed in—it was none other than Von. "I mean, look at her hair color—she's one of them."
Catching Von's meaning, Elizabeth could do nothing but nod. Élise's white hair was a hallmark of gifted individuals known as the 'Children of the Prophet.' They were said to be among the most powerful in the world. Having one on their side was truly a godsend.
"None of you move until I'm back."
With that, she vanished in a flash, before they could even respond with a "Yes, ma'am." She was heading straight toward Grimjaw, the two of them barreling toward one another like missiles.
Then she saw him, his white mane flapping in the air as he launched an attack from above. Just as his claws were about to make contact, he stopped mid-air. It was the work of Élise's gift—a unique ability bestowed upon all of her kind. Each time they grew stronger, they acquired new gifts. She had managed to acquire seventeen of them.
The gift she used to stop Grimjaw was called "Midas Touch." It allowed her to control anything without even touching it.
Seeing the pink glow in Élise's eyes, Grimjaw couldn't help but chuckle as he came to a realization about her.
"Hahaha, I know what you are. You're a vampire. I haven't fought one of your kind in ages, and that white hair of yours—you're also one of those wretched Children of the Prophet. Hahaha, you're gifted on two fronts, but there's something awfully familiar about you."
"Would you shut up?"
PRUNG!
She used her Midas Touch to propel him into a cluster of trees. Just then, two shadow hyenas attacked from behind. In an instant, she switched places with them, binding them with another of her gifts, "Switcheroo."
In a flawless display of speed, she decapitated them before they could become untouchable. Grimjaw seized the opportunity to strike. One of his wyverns, flying above in the sky, dropped down on her like a missile.
The impact created a massive crater, sending dust and debris flying everywhere.
As the dust cleared, there was Élise, standing atop the fallen beast like a victorious gladiator, completely unscathed. In that single moment, her body had been destroyed and then reassembled. This wasn't a gift but a characteristic of her vampiric nature, just like her unnatural speed and strength.
An ominous chuckle rang out. Grimjaw stood beside his wraith, both staring at Élise from a distance, laughing uncontrollably.
"I knew I recognized you. You're Vixen's friend, aren't you?"
Élise neither confirmed nor denied his claim; she simply stared at him. In an instant, his wraith was standing beside her, facing him. It had switched places somehow. Shock and confusion washed over Grimjaw as he glanced at his side, only to see Élise.
She swung at him with immense force, striking between the joint in his arm and severing it. Another attack came in quick succession, but this time he was fast enough to avoid it, creating enough distance so she couldn't touch him.
Seeing his master's arm severed, the wraith let out a deafening scream and attacked the Élise standing beside it. But it was nothing but a doll, created from Élise's gift, "Doll Genesis," which granted her the ability to create human-like dolls.
After creating the doll, she used "Switcheroo" to switch places with the wraith, which was how she ended up beside Grimjaw. The doll acted as he perfect distraction.
The wraith then turned its attention to the real Élise, but stopped as Grimjaw signaled it to. He was beginning to feel that he was outmatched.
"What the hell is a Child of the Prophet doing here anyway? I thought you lot normally stay away from regular humans."
Élise smiled. "So you're opting for diplomacy? Alright then. Here are the terms: we'll keep the land we've already captured, and you can keep the rest."
"What?! The other shamans would never go for that."
"Tell them it was ordered by a Child of the Prophet. I'm sure they'll understand."
Grimjaw found himself at an impasse. If a Child of the Prophet was involved, he had no choice. If the shamans were to fight against a Child of the Prophet and lose, it would mean the end for demi-humans. Their people would be reduced to mere slaves.
"Fine, I'll make them understand. We have a deal."
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In the dead of night, a tribe of cat-like demi-humans stared at the body of a deceased human. A single claw was embedded in its chest, and their gazes were predatory.
"We can't do this," one of the elders of the tribe said. "This is cannibalism."
"We don't have a choice, old man. We'll starve if we don't," another demi-human replied. He had black cat ears and a long black tail. "It's their fault we're starving after all. And it's not cannibalism; demi-humans and humans are two different species."
"I've already prepared the fire," a female demi-human spoke up. "I haven't eaten in days, and I'm starving. He'll look a lot different once we've cooked him. The children don't have to know; consider it our way of fighting back against our invaders."
The full moon shone brightly in the sky.
The Devil's Tooth mushroom had the ability to absorb mana. Interestingly, on a full moon, it oozed a strange red liquid from its cap.
Two of the tribesmen lifted the dead body off the ground, carrying it toward the fire they had made. As they neared the flames, a strange phenomenon occurred: the boy's black hair began to take on a reddish hue.
"Ugh, that's strange."
"What? What is it?"
"Was his hair always red?"
His hand, which had once looked like a snapped twig, was now straight and healed.
"Wasn't one of his eyes missing? And the stump on his arm seems to have grown a bit."
"You're delusional; the stress is just getting to you. This guy looks like he's been dead for a while now."
"You may be right."
Without giving it any further thought, they threw the body into the raging fire and turned their backs to the flames.
"How long should we give it?"
"Uhh?"
"Until he's fully cooked, I mean. Maybe a few minutes?"
"Maybe… Hey, is it just me, or does it seem like Fiona has been sweating a lot? Do you think she's caught the virus?"
"Uhh, it could be. It's either that or she's in heat—"
Just then, a flaming hand shot straight through one of the demi-human's back, gripping his heart.
"GIVE IT TO ME!!"
A horrifying voice echoed. He turned around to see pink glowing eyes staring at him.
"I NEED IT!"
The creature pulled the demi-human's heart from his chest and began devouring it.
"Monster!!" the other demi-human shouted. But before he could react, the creature turned its sights on him. It grew long, pointed fangs and sank them into his jugular, drinking his blood as if it were dying of thirst.
Inside its body, a strange biological process occurred. The blood was drained of all its mana, granting it its first gift as it entered into vampiric existence.
The moment it received the gift, its instincts kicked in, and it understood its new power.
The other tribesmen were alerted and charged at the flaming monster. It cut them down one by one with incredible speed and strength, draining them of all their blood.
The last demi-human stood before it and charged, displaying cat-like reflexes. The flaming monster held out its palm toward the charging demi-human and activated its gift. A powerful wind attack shot from its palm, cutting the demi-human in half.
"Affinity Steal," it mumbled, reciting the name of its first gift.
Affinity Steal: the ability to temporarily use the affinity of whoever's blood the user drinks.
Damien Rothschild stared up at the full moon hovering in the sky, his body still on fire and his eyes glowing pink.
"So this is my power now. The power of a vampire."