Versus Vampire

"You don't have to do this!"

She pleaded with me. I didn't talked to her. I had things to say but I didn't need to. All I need to do is follow orders. I charged towards her.

"Blood Gale!"

Of course she wouldn't just let me reach to her that easily. Despite the power her attack carried I was able to parry it and changed its direction. Even though I rode its momentum to send it out of this roof my arms shook. She was strong. I looked at her eyes. Same tone of red as me and Elizabeth. Could it be?

"He can transform! He just needs time!"

I reached her. I feinted to her neck. She created a shield out of red mana around her neck. My goal was on other hand, never were her head. My sword fell towards her thigh. She jumped back. She had very quick reflexes. She barely avoided my blade. But I wasn't a swordsman. Several throwing knives flew towards where she jumped. I was able to get her in her shoulder and lower leg. They weren't deep but they were also not something she could ignore for long.

"Aunt Elizabeth will listen to me! Please!"

So it was like I guessed. The mana coming from her was also familiar. She was related to Elizabeth. I remembered Elizabeth's behaviour. She was angry to something. Did she thought her family honor was in danger? Whatever it was, it wasn't my problem. Kill the ghoul and capture the vampire.

"She is the one sent me here. Her orders were clear."

"No! It can't be."

She sounded like she was hurt mentally. Elizabeth told me that she would vote for death. Did what she did was considered this bad in vampire society?

"I can't allow you to kill him! I just can't!"

"Man" behind her growled and groined in pain and hostility.

"Look at him. Whatever that man was is no longer here."

I hated the fact that I sounded like Calamity. But the situation here was different. Still, that ghoul was different than what Elizabeth told me. He didn't attacked me. Yet.

"He still can return! Please! I just need time!"

Voice back of my head told me to listen her. I sympathized with her and that man.

"I can't."

I read the report given to me by Elizabeth. That ghoul already killed over 10 people. He was different than me.

"If it is like that then I will fight against you with my full power as a member of Bathory family!"

Red mana surged from her. It was immense amounts of mana. Attacks she did before this were just warning shots, it seems. Since she was from same family as Elizabeth, she wasn't someone I could fight half-heartedly. I should be prepared to die!

"Blood Spear!"

A spear over three meters made out of mana was shot towards me. It was not something I could parry. I dodged. Even though I moved out of the way, the radius it affected was so big that half of the roof was destroyed. Building made noises and the ground beneath my feet started to crack down. Was she insane? Using an attack like this in this place? She was going to kill us all! While I barely jumped to non damaged parts to not fall she grabbed the ghoul. Wings made out of blood appeared on her back and she started to fly.

"That's not fucking fair!"

Elizabeth should have told me about this! If she gave me list of abilities she could use, I could have come here more prepared! Still, she moved slowly with those wings. I put my sword back to its sheath and pulled my bow. Wind and rain would made any sharpshooter anxious yet I was calm. I pulled my bow and shot it. My arrow pierced one of her wings and she started to fall. While they fell I shot several other arrows. She was able to create a shield to block them yet my goal was to make sure she didn't repair her wing to fly away. They landed on damaged part. Due their landing, already damaged part started to break down even more. Entire roof collapsed and I started to fall. I didn't even had time to curse as I jumped rubble to rubble to not get trapped or fall to my death. Thanks to my vision I was able to reach to ground without any major injury. I got several bruises due flying rocks and my feet hurt like crazy due landing but I was fine.

"Noah! Where are you?"

On other hand vampire was bleeding. She and ghoul was separated. Good for me. I pulled my bow and shot towards her. Despite her back being turned to me she was able to block all of them with a magic shield.

"Just leave us alone!"

"He killed 10 people. Because you didn't kill him."

"He didn't want to!"

"Tell that to families of the people he killed."

His voice came from under the rubble. He was trapped under it. Good. Now I could focus on subjugating her.

"I can make him better! Why you have to do this?"

"Are humans just toys to you?"

"What? Of course not! I love him!"

"You love him as a toy. You are just afraid he will be taken away. What about his own feelings? Do you think he is okay with losing himself?"

She tightened her fists.

"I don't have to listen to you! I will not allow him to die!"

A wave of mana rushed from her. I was hit by it and pushed back.

"All I need to is defeat you and cure him!"

She had great power. But our little skirmishes told me one thing. She was inexperienced. She didn't know how to use that power. I pulled my sword.

"I on other hand!"

I cut down the mana waves she was sending towards me.

"This is a good experience for killing Lazarus."

That was what I thought at that moment.