(ACT 02) A home invasion

WILLIAM VEIL:

When William finally got his bearings back after being struck on the head (sneak attacks always sucks when he was the one on the receiving end of it) by some sort of club...?

The next thing William knows, he was lying face-down somewhere near the staircase, blood covering the side of his already bruised face, his crossbow lying uselessly not far from him with Winters already standing in front of him protectively in a defensive stance, Thanatos drawn but still unsheathed.

Only used when a life is supposed to end.

(Thanatos is his sister's greatest weapon, Hades had told them this a long time ago. No one could survive a direct hit from death itself, after all...)

William couldn't see what kind of expression his sister was making right now... but he can feel her aggravation, her rage practically pouring out in thick waves, making the air feel cold, almost suffocating. Dark, shapeless shadows writhed about at her feet like a pack of hungry wolves scrabbling for a feast.

Despite how much she likes to play fights with him, she had never done so well at the idea of him being actually hurt. Freaking mother hen.

By the doorway, a Cyclopes stood, hunching a bit just to fit. Its eye the color of mint glinting against what little light there is as it stared down at them.

It grinned.

“Can you stand?” Winters suddenly demanded without taking her eyes off of the monster that began to dash towards them at a terrifying speed, club raising high in the air as it let out a deranged roar.

The sound of heavy footsteps was making William's ears pound as he scrambled upright in answer despite the way the world seemed to sway for a scary moment as he snatched the crossbow off of the floor and began to take aim. Then, he fired when the monster was all but a meter away.

Using the large club, the Cyclopes deflected it with a hard blow, the silver arrow bouncing off uselessly before it struck a graduation picture of him in college hanging on the wall.

Then, the Cyclopes slowly turned to look at them with an ugly, taunting smile that actually made William shudder in disgust at the sight of rotting, yellow teeth. “Dude,” William grumbled, completely appalled, “…don’t you even know what a toothbrush is?”

The Cyclopes let out a psychotic giggle before raising its arm.

Winters suddenly surged forward, a blur of black, incorporeal then not in a span of a single heartbeat between them and raised a hand in turn, she caught its weapon before it could even land a hit while William lowered his weapon a bit to glare at her as she held the club so effortlessly with one hand, it was almost surreal.

…And yet.

And yet–! “You know, you should have told me to get my gun or maybe my rifle… but oh wait! Why the hell did I even listened to you?!” he complained.

She clenched her jaw, “Not now, William,”

“That's right, mortal,” a new voice suddenly piped up, making the three of them turn to look as one to what seemed to be a young man… who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere as he was already leaning next to where the arrow had been embedded, “...let the ones who matter talk.”

William bristled in offense, “Excuse me–?!”

Unbidden, Winters clenched her hand into a fist and the club instantly shattered like glass –causing the Cyclopes to jump away in shock as the goddess of shadows hissed:

“Vampire…”

As if to make matters worse, a howl pierced the night air.

“…and a werewolf,” she snarls.

Vampires have always been natural, solitary creatures of the night though following the events of the Righteous Purge... it is not unheard of them to build a group or a heinous cult of some sorts no matter how rare it has been throughout the years… they are not like werewolves or nymphs who come in droves, after all. They preferred to have the illusion of being their own master, to be independent, in control.

Each one having the same, old gimmick at the end.

But still, vampires have always been the bane of their existence; the monsters that lingered in and out of their minds, their nightmares… these creatures were all turned by one person, after all.

And they were all loyal to him, to–

“…Roman,” William snarled.

Not that fucker again.

Just thinking about the bastard who had hurt them... William suddenly felt the same helplessness, the same useless anger of a child who can do absolutely nothing but watch.

The vampire gave him a slow, sarcastic clap, “Bravo! So, you do have a shred of a working brain cell in that pathetic mortal head of yours!” To Winters, with sickening graciousness, he asked, smiling so adoringly: “Well then, shall I escort you home now, milady?”

“You lot burned down our home.”

The vampire grinned as though he was expecting the resistance, was actually waiting for it, the tips of his fangs proudly on display and William wished he could just wipe that grin clean off of the monster's face along with the rest of its neck.

“Dearest goddess,” the vampire all but purred with saccharine sweetness, its cold eyes of red falling half-lidded as it openly leered at Winters. “…we have no orders regarding your precious boy. We promise you that we will leave him be if you cooperate.”

“Peace is overrated,” William spat, adjusting his stance properly, keeping his feet apart as he readied himself, “I'd rather go down fighting,”

The vampire carried on as though he wasn't interrupted, “...I can assure you that His Excellency wouldn't be that mad… at least, not anymore. Come now, milady. Stop this childish rebellion and return to your rightful place at once. You have made him wait long enough.”

Not long enough, William wanted to scream.

Instead, he gritted his teeth.

Reasoning, as well as words is useless when it comes to these monsters, this he had learned in a time that seemed long ago but not quite.

These monsters… they lie and lie just to get what they want no matter what you say because they didn’t care, they have turned their backs on humanity as they pledged their lives to that demon all too willingly; in their eyes, humans are only food, playthings—and Winters had drilled in his head time and time again not waste his breath on them.

Let his weapon do the talking instead.

“Childish? My 'rightful place'?” Winters sneered, dark eyes glowing with barely restrained rage, “You think you can just waltz into my house and threaten me and my brother?”

The room instantly grew colder.

“…how... bold.”