16 Chapter 16 - Crimson Blades

Darrien felt the cold sweat dripping down his back as he faced the vampire, his eyes slowly adjusting to the poor light, though his dark vision was rather good, it still required some light to help him out, the vampire seemed annoyed though.

"Night vision, not fully human I guess. No matter I'm not a fussy vampire!"

Darrien would pull the wind back to himself, the vampire starting to slow down as its eyes would look around, clearly sensing something before his grin grew wider.

"Oh my, wind magic, I thought you were a weak and worthless human, if you have this kind of magic then you would not be a simple bartender!"

Darrien felt his colour drain as the vampire had guessed it correctly, taking another step forward as the shadows around him would flicker, almost moving on by themselves.

"Let me guess, Wind Magic. It's clear to say that I did not sense you enter or the sounds either, only a Wind Mage could eliminate that sound, to do it to this extent you must have some skill as well. Seems Vanessa was careless again!"

Darrien would move his lips slowly, making it appear like he was casting as the wind wall would come up quickly, protecting him from the vampire as he made sure to take a few steps back.

"Oh my, Wind wall is a standard spell and to cast it so quickly, you must have some skills. Shame that I have a rare set of magical ability's from my family."

He would walk up to the barrier, his fangs growing as he slowly melded into the shadows, simply moving under the barrier before reappearing, laughing gently as he rushed forward, hand shooting out as he pierced the side of Darrien's stomach, blood spattering out onto the stone floor.

He felt the pain rushing through his body, mind racing as he gritted his mind, the vampire had come closer as long needle-like claws extended from his fingers, looking like shadows as they slowly moved along his tips.

The vampire continued moving closer as the shadows grabbed his shoulders, grips like vices as he could not believe these shadows could do such a thing.

"Sadly boy shadow magic is a combination of Darkness and Lightness magic, rare and powerful we have trained for many years, this pitiful wind magic can do little against us!"

Darrien felt the pain coming stronger, the shadows holding him as the wind magic was useless as he was trapped, speed was useless when he could not utilize it to run away. He would watch the vampire come closer, fangs out as he would open his mouth, ready to feast on the intruder.

Darrien felt the voice inside his mind slowly echo out, almost teasing him in the distance as the strange force known as Gnome spoke.

"You have the earth with you, use it to your advantage"

Darrien felt confused, his mind unable to process what was going on, the shadows had a hand over his mouth so he could not so-called cast anymore, limbs pinned by them as the vampire was coming closer with each step, his time going slower as he would feel the earth under him.

Each moment passing as he could feel the earth swallowing him whole, the people around him slipping around him as the earth pulled him fast and strong, he could feel himself against the earth, not breathing but the wind filling his lungs as he glided through the earth, wind and earth combined as he opened his eyes in amazement.

Zanshi had woken up only a matter of moments ago, the slight noise catching his attention, he was very alert to his surroundings and even while in his death-like sleep, he could still sense everything around him. His ears perking lightly as he heard something move to the gem, he would quickly move from the seat, looking over to see a human, it seemed like the new staff member hired by Vanessa.

"What are you doing here?"

He would smile as he knew that this was going to be a free meal, this male had caused so many issues with the vampires above, everyone wanted a taste and even a group of vampires had requested from Vanessa to drain him and sell his blood, giving them a good amount of money. Vanessa seemed to be up for the idea during the first night, though after she returned later the evening she had called off the idea, some vampires even complained including himself.

"Then I got stuck here, demoted to guard duty... Well, it's my lucky night tonight."

He would complain to himself, approaching the male, laughing softly as he would begin, during his taunting he would wave his hands lightly, activating the two rituals, he had prepared these beforehand with the clan, each ritual was done via hand gestures.

His mouth would slowly start to shadow walk, the new bartender clearly a newer wind mage as it was only a wall of wind, slowly sinking into the shadows as he finished, he would do another gesture as two shadows puppets appeared, each one rapidly grabbing the man, his panic clear. He could feel the fear inside as he grew closer, extending his fangs.

Oh, he would enjoy draining him and drinking that tasty blood, his strike earlier causing that lovely blood to spill, such a waste. His fangs fully extended as he grabbed the man, holding him lightly as he moved quickly forward, fangs sinking towards his neck.

It was only a moment later that the male slipped through his fingers, quickly trying to grab open air as he cursed, falling onto the floor as he slammed fully onto the floor.

Cursing as he placed his hands on the floor, seething rage as he would blink looking around.

"Where the fuck did you go!"

It was only a second later that twelve spikes of earth pushed from the floor rapidly, skewering him, he would continue to curse as he felt several spikes in his body, all of them had pushed through his flesh as he watched the floor, missing all vital points.

"Fuck you, do something!"

He would scream at the shadows who seemed unable to do anything at all.

It would not be long before another set of spikes would come from the same floor, skewering his face and heart, killing him rapidly as he screamed and cursed, the slaves blinking in horror as the so-called master died in an instant.

The spikes spreading rapidly as he became a living artwork, spikes coming out of every part of his body as the blood stained the floor and the vampire stopped moving, his eyes dulling as the shadows would simply fade.

The prisoners and slaves would have something they had long forgotton.

Hope.