When Vladis reached the base of the statue, he stopped and tilted his head back, studying this massive work of art. Every carving, every detail on the stone, was the product of centuries of mastery and dedication. This clan was not just made up of warriors; they were also historians and artisans. The guard was just about to open his mouth to say something impatiently when a calm, melodic voice was heard from the opposite side of the plaza.
"If you like that, you should see our library."
Vladis turned in the direction of the voice. A tall, elegant vampire woman was approaching them. She wore dark, stylish armor and a cloak that didn't restrict her movements. Long, raven-black hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her eyes shone with both intelligence and a dangerous glint. On her face was a mysterious smile that seemed to both understand Vladis's situation and be slightly amused by it. The guard, upon seeing the woman, bowed his head respectfully. This must be Mistress Xara.
Vladis paused for a moment in the shadow of the colossal statue, in the silence that followed Xara's melodic yet steel-hard voice. This woman, the mistress of this underground kingdom, looked at him not as a threat or an ally, but more like an interesting puzzle. The intelligence in her eyes reminded Vladis of Nydra in the early days, but in this gaze, instead of that toxic ambition, there was a centuries-old wisdom and perhaps weariness. Vladis turned to the woman and bowed his head slightly; it was not a gesture of submission, but one of respect between equals. "Your statues are impressive," he said, his voice echoing deep and full in the cave's acoustics. "But I did not travel this far to see stone carvings, Mistress Xara."
A faint smile appeared on Xara's lips. As she drew closer, Vladis could make out her details better. Her armor was made of light but durable-looking metal plates, blackened and inlaid with silvery patterns. Her cloak was the color of the darkest night and rippled behind her with every step like a sea of shadows. "A Drakovan," Xara murmured, as if speaking to herself. "We thought your line was extinct. The rumor that your father perished in ashes along with his clan was accepted as near-fact even in our records." Her eyes studied Vladis like a surgeon's scalpel. "I see rumors are not always true. So, why does the last scion of his line dare to knock on the door of the Chain-Skull Clan?"
"Daring is a requisite for survival," Vladis replied. "And I am in pursuit of a rumor. A rumor I wish to confirm the truth or falsehood of within your records."
"Is that so?" Xara said, her interest piqued. "Continue."
"Nydra," Vladis said, the very name leaving a bitter taste in his mouth. The calm, controlled expression on Xara's face flickered for an instant. Her brows furrowed slightly, and the wise glint in her eyes was replaced by sharp suspicion. "I have heard whispers that she is alive, gathering strength again somewhere."
After a moment's silence, Xara let out a short, mocking laugh. "Nydra? She is a tale to frighten children, Drakovan. A legend who burned to ashes in the fire of her own ambition. She vanished overnight along with her kingdom. She left neither trace nor witness behind."
"This seal on my neck says otherwise," Vladis said, his voice like ice. He put his hand to the collar of his jacket, revealing a part of the talisman. The tarnished metal glinted ominously even in the dim light of the cavern.
When Xara looked at the talisman, the mocking expression vanished completely from her face. Her eyes narrowed, and her face grew grim. "That... That is impossible." She took a few steps closer, as if she could feel the diseased aura radiating from the talisman. She understood the gravity of the situation. "This plaza is no place for such talk. Come with me." She turned and began to walk. Vladis, knowing the guard was still behind him, followed.
They crossed the plaza and turned into one of the corridors carved into the rock. As they walked, the gazes and whispers of the clan members around them were fixed on him. Some looked mockingly at Vladis's noble but outdated attire and the ancient sword he carried. Others were dumbfounded at the survival of a Drakovan, as if seeing a ghost that had stepped out of a history book. Especially in the eyes of the elders, there were traces of an old respect for the power and glory the Drakovan name once held. The younger ones, however, saw him as a relic of the past, an outdated threat, and cast looks of contempt. Vladis ignored all these stares and whispers. He had turned his back on such judgments and social games centuries ago.
Finally, they arrived at a heavy door carved into the wall, covered in complex runes. Xara pushed the door open and entered. This room, unlike the plaza, was smaller, more intimate. The walls were lined with bookshelves reaching to the ceiling. In the center stood a large, round table, upon which maps and old parchments were spread. The only light source in the room was a crystal sphere on the table, within which a blue flame danced.
Xara went to the table and began toexamine one of the parchments. "Now," she said, without lifting her eyes from the parchment. "Tell me everything. From the beginning. Every whisper you heard, every clue you saw."
Vladis spoke of the stranger who had come to his manor that night, of Nydra's assassins who had ambushed him, and of the delusions the curse created in his mind. As he spoke, he saw the expression on Xara's face grow darker and darker. Finally, when Vladis finished his story, Xara remained silent for a long time. Her fingers traced the edge of a map on the table.
"If what you say is true," she said at last, her voice thoughtful. "This means the reawakening of a nightmare we all preferred to ignore. Nydra's power was not just brute force. She was a plague that poisoned minds and souls. Her return would be a catastrophe for all vampire kingdoms." She looked up at Vladis. "I will help you. I will open our records. But..."
"But?" Vladis asked, knowing she would demand a price.
"The Chain-Skull Clan does no one a favor without a price, Drakovan. This is our most fundamental law. Knowledge is our most precious treasure, and we do not offer it to those who have not earned it. I will ask a price of you."
"What is the price?" Vladis asked, ready to pay whatever it was.
A dangerous glint appeared in Xara's eyes. "First, I need to see what you've got. You carry your father's blood, but what remains of that blood? Has years of seclusion dulled you, or sharpened you like a sword? We need to test your strength. Wait here." With these words, she exited through a door at the other end of the room and disappeared from view.
Vladis was left alone in the room. While waiting, he glanced at the books on the shelves. Thousands of years of history, spells written in forgotten languages, maps of lost civilizations... This clan truly was the keeper of knowledge. A few minutes later, the door opened again, and Xara entered. But she was no longer wearing that elegant armor. Instead, she wore a short, metallic-gray skirt that didn't restrict her movement and a matching, form-fitting top. Her bare arms and legs were hard and muscular, like a warrior's. She had pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail at the nape of her neck. The expression on her face was no longer that of a leader, but of a huntress.
"This is your price," she said, her voice clear and determined. "You will engage in a test spar with me. If you can stay standing, you will get the information you want."
Vladis was surprised. "A fight? Have you forgotten the curse I carry? I could lose control. It would be dangerous... for you."
"Can you control it, or can't you?" Xara asked, seeing his hesitation as a weakness.
"Perhaps," Vladis answered honestly. "But it's not worth the risk."
"It is for me," Xara said. As she spoke, Vladis was sizing her up. He mentally weighed her stance, the tension of her muscles, how she might move. His eyes slid from her strong legs to her slim, muscular waist, lingering there for a moment. Xara noticed his gaze, and that wry smile reappeared on her lips. "Like my waist, Drakovan?"
Vladis shifted his gaze to her eyes. "The grace of a serpent and the strength of a wolf, combined," he said, his voice filled with admiration. "Impressive."
This unexpected compliment turned Xara's smirk into a genuine smile. But this momentary warmth was cut short by Vladis's next question. "Garon... Is he alive?"
The smile faded from Xara's face. She took a deep breath. "Garon," she whispered, a fleeting sorrow in her voice. "He was a brave warrior and a good friend. He was one of the first to stand against Nydra during her rise. He died long ago, Vladis. Honorably."
Vladis closed his eyes for a moment. Garon... His closest friend in the clan, his blood brother. Hearing that he too had fallen victim to Nydra's treachery was another dagger in his heart. But this was not the time to show his grief. When he opened his eyes, his gaze was cold and determined once more.
"Then let's begin," he said.
Xara took a light, curved sword from a recess in the wall. "This is not a fight to the death, Drakovan. It's a test. But I don't expect you to hold back, either."
Vladis drew "Midnight" from his back. The sword's light-absorbing black steel looked like a void even in the blue light of the room. "This sword does not forgive, Xara. Neither do I."
When Xara saw Vladis's sword, her eyes shone with respect. "A legendary weapon," she said. "I hope its wielder is worthy of the legend." With these words, she suddenly lunged at Vladis. Her metallic skirt stretched with the speed of her movement, the muscles in her legs becoming prominent. Her ponytail whipped behind her like a lash. Her speed was incredible.
Vladis raised his sword in an instinctive reaction. The two blades met with a deafening clang. The force of the impact sent them both staggering back a step. They began to circle each other like two predators. Their eyes were locked.
"Not bad," Xara said, her voice holding both mockery and genuine eagerness. "But you can do better." She attacked again. Faster this time, stronger. Vladis didn't just defend this time. As he parried her blade, he accelerated, using a fraction of his strength. As Xara's sword passed through the space he had occupied a moment before, Vladis had already moved to her left and given her a slight push with his shoulder. Xara staggered but didn't fall.
As soon as she regained her balance, just as she was about to make a move with her sword, she suddenly leaped, twisting like a bow, and launched herself at Vladis from the side. It was an unexpected move. But Vladis's reflexes were faster. He sidestepped with a single slide and, grabbing the woman's airborne upper body, pushed her away. Xara's attack had missed. She landed in a somersault and sprang to her feet. But Vladis gave her no time to recover. This time, he was the attacker. Xara lunged at him at the same moment, and they collided violently in the middle of the room, falling to the floor.
Vladis had fallen on top of Xara. For a moment, there were only a few inches between their faces. He could feel her breath on his face. "Still slow, Drakovan," Xara whispered, breathless.
"And you still talk too much," Vladis retorted. Locked together, they tried to get up. Their swords, after a few more clashes, fell from their hands and scattered to different corners of the room. Now it was a battle of bare hands and will. Vladis found himself looking at the woman's waist again. This time, he didn't hesitate. He grabbed her by the waist. "My waist again?" Xara asked, a challenging tone in her voice.
"Your weak point," Vladis replied, and using all his strength, he began to spin her around. His goal was to unbalance her, to throw her to the ground. But Xara, coiling like a snake during the spin, locked her legs around Vladis's waist. They were now stuck together. Vladis tried to shake the woman from side to side, to make her dizzy, to loosen her grip. Xara, in turn, used her hands like claws, scratching at Vladis's arms and shoulders, trying to distract him.
After spinning at a dizzying speed, the pair broke apart. Both were breathing heavily. Xara's hair was disheveled, her clothes somewhat torn. Vladis was in no better shape. The woman gestured as if to say, "Come on," and attacked again. Her hands, now claws, aimed for Vladis's face. Vladis responded in kind, and their claws met in mid-air. Seizing this momentary lock, Vladis turned sideways, unleashed a sudden burst of speed, and slammed into the woman from her left. At the last second, Xara managed to grab Vladis's arm. Vladis's extraordinary speed sent them both flying, and they crashed violently into the wall.
"Bad idea," Xara said, her back against the wall, with Vladis's weight upon her.
"Not yet," Vladis replied, trying to trip the woman's leg. This was no longer a test; it had turned into a battle of wills. Vladis decided to show his strength. Exerting extreme force, he gained tremendous acceleration and began to spin around the room like a whirlwind. Xara tried to follow him with her senses, but Vladis was so fast that she only felt a shifting wind. Before a second had passed, Vladis suddenly appeared behind her, grabbed her from the back, and lifted her into the air. Just as Xara was about to grab the Vladis behind her with her claws, Vladis threw her forward, slammed her to the ground, and pinned her. Just as she was about to be pinned, Xara tried to flip backward with her legs, but her legs hit Vladis's crotch. Vladis blocked this move, pressed her to the ground with all his force, and got on top.
"I believe I win," Vladis said, panting.
Xara looked up at him from underneath. There was no expression of defeat on her face. "Again," she said simply.
They got up. Vladis wasn't going to hold back anymore. When the woman attacked again, Vladis used his superhuman strength and speed. This time, none of Xara's moves found their mark. Every punch, every kick, went into empty air. Vladis, as if reading her movements in advance, effortlessly neutralized her every move. Within seconds, taking advantage of a momentary opening, he knocked her to the ground again. This fall was harder, more decisive.
As Xara looked up at him from the floor, an expression of surprise mixed with hidden admiration appeared in her eyes. This man truly carried the power of the old Drakovan blood. Just then, a change occurred in Vladis's eyes. His pupils dilated, his face contorted in pain. The talisman on his neck began to glow with a sick light, visible even through his clothes. The curse, following this extreme exertion of power, was reawakening.
Vladis spoke with difficulty through clenched teeth. His voice was more like a growl than his own. "Xara... quickly... get away!"
Xara sensed the danger immediately. The aura around Vladis had become uncontrolled and wild. Without hesitation, she scrambled to her feet, retreated toward the room's door, and got out. Behind her, she quickly shut the heavy door. From inside, Vladis's inhuman roar, filled with pain and rage, was heard. The test was over. And the price had almost cost them both dearly.
The solid thud from behind the door echoed in Xara's ears like the closing of a tomb. The first sound from within was Vladis's roar, forged from pain and rage, transcending a human voice. It was the sound of pure, primal agony. Xara pressed her hand against the cold metal of the door, fighting the instinct to go in and intervene. But she knew it was pointless. This was not a physical wound; it was a storm raging in the depths of the soul, one that no outsider could touch. The roar was followed by a crash; the muffled thud of a heavy body hitting the wall. Then, the sharp crackle of splintering wood and the paper-waterfall sound of hundreds of books tumbling to the floor. Vladis wasn't attacking himself, but the inanimate objects around him. This, at least, was a sign he hadn't lost control completely.
Inside, the world for Vladis had blurred into a crimson fog. The curse's grip was squeezing his brain like a vise. Before his eyes, it wasn't the book-lined walls of the room, but that damn delusion again. Nydra stood before him, in her most provocative, most diabolical form. Her laughter echoed in every corner of his mind, her words falling like drops of acid on his soul. "You see, Vladis? Even that woman is afraid of you. She sees you as a monster. Because that's what you are. My monster." Vladis fought against this voice with all his will. "No," he snarled, his teeth clenched. "I am nothing of yours!" But his will was weak against the curse's venom. In that moment he lost control for a few seconds, the savage power within him exploded. He spun and slammed into the nearest massive bookshelf. The centuries-old oak cracked under the impact of his shoulder, and the books and parchments on the shelves scattered. This physical act had released some of the pressure inside him, but the seizure wasn't over. He sank to the floor, took his head in his hands, and, trembling, waited for the storm to subside.