The night of madness had passed. By the time dawn's first light broke over Athens, the war between high-generation vampires had ended as the lingering mist dissipated.
This game of hide-and-seek caused no vampire casualties, yet the damage to the city was severe. By morning, several blocks lay in ruins, shattered walls littered the streets, and cries of despair echoed everywhere.
The sun was a savior. Its rising finally silenced the terrifying sounds, and shaken citizens dared to open their windows and peer out.
The battle had ended—but for the patrolling officers hiding in corners, their work was only beginning. They had to clear the damage wrought by vampires, maintain order, and suppress illegal gatherings.
New problems had also emerged. Last night's fighting had been fiercer than usual. Some citizens began relocating their families, abandoning generations of life in Athens to escape disaster. Nobles were not exempt.
Evacuation, like a contagious disease, spread rapidly. When the first wave of fleeing families poured into the streets, others followed suit.
Narrow streets became clogged rivers of people. A city that had barely sustained normal life now ground to a halt.
Athens—the brilliant jewel of the world—had become a complete disaster.
Kerry, sleepless through the night, let out a quiet sigh as he surveyed the chaos.
This was his worst fear. Suppressing the riots was unnecessary, yet the entire city could soon become a ghost town, destroying over two millennia of history. Greece itself could collapse. Greece was no gentle kingdom: under the giants' demands and with their cooperation, the subjugated peoples would not wait patiently for Athens to recover from this calamity.
"We must see Zeus," Kerry said, turning to his deputy. "This time, they won't refuse assistance. Yet the damage to the city will be irreparable. Notify the Spartan legions outside the city; the Senate grants them entry."
Deploying a military force into Athens—and letting it be the Spartan legions, the kingdom's elite—was a reckless gamble. While they could control fleeing citizens and possibly curb vampire destruction, it risked even the Senate's authority.
The infamous Spartan commander would never leave Athens lightly after achieving a major victory. And Zeus? He cared little who served him.
Kerry could only hope the monarchy would not be restored. Should that happen, Greece would run red with blood—and he would become history's villain.
With a last glance at the chaotic streets, Kerry climbed into the carriage toward Mount Olympus.
Meanwhile, in a hidden basement, Adam's faction counted the spoils of the night's hunts.
Four vampire nests had been wiped out. Around eighty vampires lay dead—most by Adam's own hand. The haul was extraordinary.
After hesitation, Adam cut his wrist, distributing the bulk of his vitae.
Athens was vast, and vampires plentiful. Adam needed more blood than ever. He had to collect it before being discovered—a race against time.
He required capable hands. To harvest efficiently, he needed the seven second-generation vampires under him to reach functional strength as quickly as possible. Only then could multi-front operations commence.
The method was simple: his subordinates would subdue the vampires, neutralizing resistance, while Adam collected the blood—the most efficient approach.
At this rate, like a rolling snowball, within three days he could clear all lower-generation vampire nests in Athens. If everything went smoothly, within a month, no vampire could oppose him—the city's existing vampires would be exhausted.
But that was wishful thinking.
In another corner of Athens, a greater storm was brewing.
The cold, dimly lit hall remained unchanged. Yomi sat in a tall-backed chair, flanked by four vampire kings, including Abyss. Five of the seven vampire kings were present.
A servant reported from the steps:
"Last night's battle was fiercer than any before. This morning, large-scale evacuations have begun… Reports from Western Europe indicate their forces have mostly left their posts. It is inferred that these high-generation vampires are converging on Athens."
"Dusk has gone mad. What is he attempting?" Yomi closed his eyes, contemplating.
In recent days, Western European vampires had been reinforcing continuously. Initially only four, now their numbers were unclear even to Yomi. The three vampires who had visited him on behalf of Dusk had departed three days ago, undoubtedly joining the fray.
Athens, dense with buildings and people, was a nightmare for those unwilling to fight directly. These Western European vampires moved like cockroaches in a castle, destroying and killing once night fell.
Athens—and indeed all of Greece—was plunging into chaos.
Vampires did not fear humans; they crushed humans as easily as ants. Yet they were bound to humanity, dependent on them for survival. Dusk's actions were pushing the entire vampire race toward the abyss.
"Any news on Dusk himself?" Yomi asked.
"Reports say he moved west."
"West? Sending his subordinates east while he goes west…" Yomi frowned, perplexed.
"I don't believe this is mere mischief," said the North American vampire queen, Rose, the only female among the seven kings. "This differs from any previous sabotage. He seems intent on mutual destruction."
"The Giants have also started reacting," the servant added. "Today's mass evacuations cut off their supplies more than prior riots. Likely, their envoys will arrive soon."
Abyss chuckled coldly: "The Giants are coming? Will those strong-limbed, simple-minded creatures really believe all this is Dusk's doing?"
"They won't differentiate between us and Dusk," the Middle Eastern king, Sands, muttered with a bitter smile.
"Furthermore," continued the servant, "the Senate has issued a rigid final ultimatum. They demand we cease action immediately; otherwise, they cannot guarantee that the list of Athenian vampires won't fall into the hands of rioters."
"This is no ultimatum," said the silent Eastern European king, Blackstone. "It's a desperate plea. Their own residences are barely secure. Summoning outside forces could create a new military government—this has happened before."
"In fact, they already are doing it," the servant said.
"It seems we must solve the current chaos before dealing with Adam," Yomi murmured.
Athens had become a massive vortex. Soon, all Western powers would be swept into this storm.