The Almighty Vampire

After a brief reunion with his illegitimate son, at least, that's what the son believed, Cyrillus traversed half the world within seconds and now stood before a foreboding castle. Lightning streaked across the sky, and the entire atmosphere around the castle felt oppressive, emitting a suffocating aura.

Such things were inconsequential to Cyrillus, who casually strolled toward the castle's gates, as if it were his own garden, and the stifling aura was but a gentle breeze on his face.

"Here you are! Finally, after hundreds of years of scouring the world and even resorting to locking and torturing that beast for years, the man himself walks toward his own demise!"

A faint smile played on Cyrillus's ice-cold face as he continued his leisurely approach to the castle. The oppressive aura around him intensified, as if testing his resolve.

"I believe there's a misunderstanding between us, Silas," Cyrillus remarked, pausing in his advance. "The reason for my absence was that I had more important matters to attend to. Pests like you, who have begun to think they are above all, are precisely why I had to return."

As those words left his lips, the entire castle vanished. All that remained was a floating coffin, slowly drifting toward Cyrillus.

A middle-aged man with a pale complexion and red eyes kicked the lid off as he floated just inches above the ground. "I believe your long concealment has taken a toll on your sanity. But now that you've finally graced me with your presence, my wait is over," he declared, coming face to face with his greatest adversary.

With a sinister grin, Silas unleashed a barrage of fiery infernos and fireballs that streaked toward Cyrillus, who initially appeared defenseless. However, just as the flames closed in, Cyrillus exhaled deeply and extended his hands. A shroud of misty, otherworldly energy enveloped him, dissipating the flames upon contact, his form flickering like a mirage.

"I don't have time to deal with every pest out there, but you are a special one, one that shines in the dark. To expedite your demise, you imprisoned the only being in this world that I cared for. You know what? I should applaud your foolishness," Cyrillus remarked, waiting for Silas to conclude his fiery assault, a faint smile on his face that seemed more like a mocking gesture toward the vampire lord.

Windblades sliced through the air, aiming for Cyrillus. However, as they closed in, the windblades disappeared, leaving Cyrillus unharmed.

With a mere thought, Silas summoned torrents of water, shaping them into bullets that rained down upon Cyrillus. He walked through each bullet with ease, allowing the water to splash harmlessly on the chamber floor.

Silas couldn't comprehend why he was unable to harm Cyrillus, even with his formidable powers. He attempted to land a physical blow, a punch that should have shattered stone, but his hand passed through Cyrillus as if he were a mirage. It was as though Cyrillus existed on a different plane of reality.

Cyrillus took a step back, a knowing smile on his face. "You see, Silas, you've spent centuries preparing for a battle that you cannot win."

Cyrillus finally decided to take action; he snapped his fingers, and Silas, who stood some distance away, huffing after trying everything on Cyrillus, found his body bound by an invisible force. He was raised in the air and carried toward Cyrillus, with even his coffin following behind him.

"You will not be needing this thing ever again," Cyrillus declared, casually sweeping his arm to the side. The ancient coffin disintegrated into dust.

"How can this be? How can you destroy the coffin so easily? Not even death itself could accomplish such a feat!" Silas exclaimed in disbelief.

"Death itself, you say? Or did death simply deem it unworthy of its time, leaving you for me to manipulate as a pawn in my grand schemes for centuries?" Cyrillus replied, his smile carrying a sinister edge.

"Do you take me for a fool? Just because you broke through the final threshold, do you think you are capable enough to order death around?" scoffed Silas.

Cyrillus smiled without bothering to reply to the vampire's taunts. Just witnessing Silas struggle and attempt to break free from his grasp was entertaining enough. With a flick of his fingers, a bright red fire erupted beneath the vampire, slowly consuming him.

All that could be heard were Silas's agonizing screams as the fire burnt him to a crisp. He never got the chance to break free from his restraints.

But that wasn't the end.

With a casual nod from Cyrillus, a small incantation circle formed beneath the burning vampire Silas, returning him to his former self. However, the fire still consumed him at a slower pace.

Just as the vampire lost his life again, another circle materialized below him, bringing him back into existence, and the cycle of suffering continued.

After the gruesome cycle repeated several times, Silas had become so weak that he couldn't even muster the strength to scream. He was terrified, not of the fire, but of the devil that stood before him. At this point, he wished the fire would consume him faster, ending his torment once and for all.

"Waiting for death? I've told you, as long as I desire your life, nothing can extinguish it," Cyrillus proclaimed.

Silas finally realized the futility of his quest for revenge over the years. "Please! I beg you! I'll do anything you want! Just stop this, please!" he cried out, tears streaming down his face.

Had anyone witnessed the Ruler of all vampires, an entity proclaimed as one of the world's mightiest beings, reduced to tears and desperate pleas, they would have deemed it a cruel dream.

"Do you believe me now?" Cyrillus's tone remained cold and unyielding. "It could have spared you much agony if you had acknowledged the truth earlier. I have no reason to spin tales for the amusement of pests."

Silas, trembling and broken, nodded and dared not meet Cyrillus's gaze, his eyes fixed upon his feet, waiting for the final, merciful blow. But it never came.

Finally, as he ceased all resistance, Silas was released from his torturous bonds. Yet, his hope for salvation had waned entirely. He stood there like a lifeless toy, waiting for his master to wind the key.

Cyrillus's smile bore no warmth as he observed Silas's pitiful submission. "If I had known you would become so obedient years ago, I would have spared you sooner. Nevertheless, you wish to cling to your miserable existence, and I have no desire to soil my feet by squashing an insignificant insect. It would merely stain my soles."

Silas couldn't bring himself to respond to Cyrillus's words, his fear of the powerful figure overwhelming him. The trembling vampire bat was on the verge of tears, convinced that his life hung in the balance. Cyrillus, who outwardly appeared human, seemed like a demon to him.

"Do you wish to preserve your life, you insignificant bug?" Cyrillus demanded in a commanding tone, attempting to elicit a response from the terrified vampire.

"Y-y-yes! Please, I beg you!" Silas stammered, tears streaming down his face.

"Very well, then pay close attention to what I'm about to say," Cyrillus ordered sternly. "If you ever fail in this task, I will subject you to a hundred years of torment, or perhaps even for all eternity. Your existence now depends on obeying my every word. You will no longer address me by my name; you shall refer to me as 'master.' The name belongs to another now."

"Y-yes, master!" Silas whimpered.

"Now, what I require of you is to journey to Orchomenus one year from today. There, you will encounter me or, more accurately...," Cyrillus commenced detailing Silas's mission.

Once every detail had been thoroughly explained, Cyrillus issued a final warning before vanishing. "Don't entertain the thought that eliminating him will erase my existence. I am present here before you, but I also exist in the past and the future. I am aware of every plan you might hatch, and I'll be watching from afar, ready to intervene at any moment." Cyrillus waved his hand, summoning the flames that reminded Silas of the horrors he had endured.

Silas involuntarily stepped back as he saw the flames, which bore the lasting scars of the torture he had suffered. Cyrillus vanished from the scene as effortlessly as he had appeared.

Silas, unaware that he was no longer under Cyrillus's surveillance, remained vigilant, fearing that his master might be lurking nearby, ready to intervene at any moment. The mere thought of experiencing the torture and torment once more sent shivers down his spine, strengthening his determination to never let his master down.

With a newfound resolve, Silas swore to carry out his master's orders with utmost dedication and care. His loyalty to Cyrillus was unwavering, and he was determined to fulfill his mission without error.