53 Surprise (1)
Support my main contracted novel and winner of Writing Prompts #26 - The Legendary Mage!
Desolate Mage: A Legend Reborn!
https://www.webnovel.com/book/12013957905760805/Desolate-Mage%3A-A-Legend-Reborn!
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Vampires are nocturnal creatures.
But that doesn't mean that the legends of them burning to ashes in sunlight are true. Yes, they do feel lethargic, sleepy, weaker in the day-time - just like a human would at night. That's all.
To encounter a vampire at night means only one thing: Trouble.
And to encounter a vampire noble at night means only one thing: More Trouble.
And to encounter vampire royalty means. Deep Trouble.
Trouble whether for you (if the vampire is stronger); or whether for it (if you're stronger)?
No - whether you kill it or it kills you, it will always be trouble for you.
Their Queen, the Eternal Night Mother, is vengeful...
And crazy.
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[23 August - 4:25 AM - Somewhere in the Swiss Alps]
Scattered around the area were mounds of corpses - orcs, trolls, goblins, ogres, wolves, drakes. Countless corpses; all fallen quietly - strangely, without the signs of a struggle.
And contrary to Albert's guess, Celica's party was not fighting against one adult dragon. They were faced off against two - one fully grown adult around 60m long and one adolescent half it's size, looking to be around level 14.
And yet they still held the upper hand.
The dragons roared as they swooped around; sounding equally enraged and anxious.
Enraged because they were ambushed in their roost in a mountain cave during their sleep; not receiving any prior warning despite the countless cannon fodder meant to serve as an alarm.
Anxious because they could not escape.
The mild purple luminescence in the air, beautiful and fragile though it looked, was unbreakable to the mighty lords of the land.
(Damn it! Where did this trueblood come from?!?) Kreagor swore in her mind; then wheeled over in the air to cut off the black-haired maid's descending assault on her young dragon whelp.
She roared as she received another long cut in between her scales; the black-haired one had unerring accuracy despite having to change targets mid-flight - her brittle but incredibly sharp nails somehow could pierce the gaps between her dragon hide...
(Sh*t... What is going on?!?) The adult winter dragon released a burst of ice-breath again in retaliation; but once more the attack was intercepted by the green-haired lady.
Kreagor landed; crashing against the ground between the two maids; then lashed out with her tail. The great reptile slapped away the green-haired one despite knowing that she would just recover in a matter of seconds to harry her again. Then she turned to chomp down on the black-haired one - only to see that she had miraculously opened a distance of 100m in the blink of an eye.
And before the winter dragon could pursue the close-combatant; she heard a cry of pain and anguish.
Lo and behold; a cone of grey fire lanced out from the red-haired woman's hands, shrouding the air-borne dragon whelp in flames; leaving holes in her already-blackened wings.
"Misharga!!! No!!" Kreagor roared in dragon tongue to her daughter as she began to plummet; roughly 800m away - a small distance for the colossal reptiles.
In a flash, Kreagor arrived in front of the young dragon; shield her from the erupting flames.
Why didn't she just charge down the flame user?
Because when she had tried earlier, the two other maids had rushed straight for the whelp; slashing and smashing open horrifying wounds on her neck and chest!
And now; despite knowing that she herself was bleeding profusely from cuts, burns and broken bones, she could not find a way to break out of the pincer-siege.
(These insects... Th-their synergy is so aggravating!) Kreagor cursed her fate; as the 3 maids regrouped in front of their leader; a miniscule silver-haired girl in black gothic clothing. Kreagor and Misharga panted heavily; their hot breath melting the snow that drifted down from the sky unhindered by purple barrier.
The black-haired maid wielded exceptionally sharp nails on the index fingers of either hand - likely having a soul-imprint of Sharpness. She knew that the slightest touch should break the 6-inch long nails; and yet could never land a solid impact due to the maid's inhuman control.
In contrast, the green-haired girl looked delicate and flimsy just like the other two; but she had vigourous vitality; not falling no matter how many times she was pummeled - and packing a heavy punch. (Strength? Or Vigour...?)
And lastly; the most powerful of the 3 - the red-haired one. Her flames were a polar opposite to the winter dragons; but knowing their own weakness, every winter dragon coated their hides with countless layers of flame-retarding spells.
Yet the third maid's flames would melt and singe their scales, wings or flesh the moment they landed... This was even despite her being comparatively weaker in combat power and inherent man...
(A higher concept...? Disintegration...? Ashes...?)
In the brief moment of respite, Kreagor assessed their opponents' capabilities. Only; the 4th of their adversaries had not yet made a move after she setup the purple barrier.
Kreagor settled her eyes on the tiny girl; eyes that were larger than the vampire princess was tall.
(With how strong the barrier is, it seems like that one is just hiding her power - playing with us. I fear that the moment she moves; it will be over... Lazo'lath, Azora, Shazream... Where are you...? Come quick; lest we perish!)
Kreagor shifted position; fortifying her feet for what could be the last 2, 3 rounds of futile struggle. Struggle, strive, claw and tooth - anything - all to buy but a moments more time for Misharga...
Or so she thought as she tried to shift position - for Kreagor could not move. Frozen stiff; like an ice sculpture; eyes locked on the girls enchanting, hypnotisingly purple eyes...
(No, no - NO--)
The dragon's pupils began to dilate.
Mentally she was thrashing around; but externally Kreagor began to turn calmly; eerily calm. As she screamed incessantly in her mind (RUN AWAY!!!); she heard a foreign voice emanate from her own throat, calling out a name: "Misharga honey~~..."
"D-daddy...?"
(RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
It was too late.
A deluge of tears fell from Kreagor's eyes as her own daughter lay at her feet; still alive and breathing - but her soul crushed from being torn apart by her own mother's jaws and talons.
"YOU MONSTERSSSSSSS!!!" She found that her voice had returned.
She also found that she was now right in front of the group of four; having charged over blindly.
"Tch... Blind from tears...? No more fun then... Oh well~! Silence that thing~!!" Kreagor gnashed her teeth in hate towards the abominable vampire who would speak cheerfully of another's suffering!
The frail but strikingly beautiful girl pointed a finger at the dragon; causing the sound and mana isolating purple light to converge in front of her finger.
Then the manifold compressed light fired at the dragon; leaving a round hole all the way from her forehead to exit at her tail.
The adult dragon, after having lived for over 200 years to grow to maturity...
Was fallen.
"Hoooh~! Bo-ring~!" The girl yawned.
Having settled their slightly difficult little clash with the dragons, all she had to now was to bait out the spying little rats from their hiding places...
(No matter... Hihihi~! It's just a matter of time before my tasty treat marches right into my fangs~...)
She smiled; looking at the scrumptious treat laid out before her - an evil light in her eyes as her lips parted to reveal her long, sharp canines.
"Little gi-irl~~!... Shall we, share a meal~~...?"
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"Ma... Mama! No...!"
"Fear not, my ssssweetheart... Mistresssssss will... Care for you sssssssumptuously...."
Misharga's pupils turned vacant; changing from silver to purple as she was forced to revert to human form - a 5-year old girl with white-silver hair and covered in a white-silver dress.
"Tch. You're nowhere near as beautiful as me, admit it! *I* am the mooost beautiful~~~!" Celica sneered cruelly as she ground her heel on the little girl's already bloody and cut face.
The sobbing girl whimpered in pain; crying out -
"Mama...!!!!"
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"Albert."
"Hmm?" He was shaken out of his thoughts; so focused was he on the battle in the distance.
"They're much stronger than us, right...?"
"Yes, completely and definitely so; so you should--"
For once, she acted and thought swiftly; cutting him off.
"Then... Please take care of Snowie."
If he could see her face, he would be horrified - her eyes had turned nearly red with fury; yet her face was ice-cold; jaw set in a woman's wrath - completely unlike her usual cheerful self.
Then she disappeared.
"Sam! No!"
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Licking her lips daintily and hesitating, as if unwilling to spoil the moment, the vampire princess pressed her palms together in thanksgiving to the Eternal Night Mother.
Then she recited the line she had been wanting to use:
"Itadakimasu~~~"
Then gasped.
"You--!"
She saw a girl in front of her; instantly appearing and piercing her range of detection. She had her knees slightly bent in a stable position; charging up a strike - one aimed at Celica's solar plexus.
Her eyes were red; her face cold.
"How did you--!!" Her voice changed; no longer sing-song, but rough from unease.
Her Trueblood Vampiric Charm wasn't working. Desperately gathered her scattered purple lumen; some of it still in a sound isolating field; some pinning the silver-haired dragon-girl down. It gather like a flood; layering countless times in front of her on top of her base mana reinforcement.
But it was too late.
"Goodbye."
The vampire princess disappeared in a mist of blood and flesh.
"NO!!!!" A cacophony of 3 female voices cried out in unison; joined by 1 male voice, slightly further away.
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[1] Concepts such as power levels, ranks and adventurer ranks have been posted! Please see auxiliary chapter: Strength, Ranks & Levels System!
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