Chapter Forty Nine

The cathedral shook and trembled as the vampire stared down the human standing before him, the air growing heavier with each passing second. Devalgar's gaze lingered, the weight of his presence palpable. "Hmmn, a human in my sanctuary. My domain. And that other one, trying to possess my body. Humans have grown cocky over the past few thousand years, it seems." His voice, low and measured, echoed through the space like a drumbeat of impending doom.

He floated down, his feet hovering just above the ground as the air crackled with a surge of malevolent energy. Yet, the human before him stood, unmoved, unaffected by the pressure. Then their eyes met, and for the briefest of moments, Devalgar flinched, though he barely registered it. His mind was pulled to a halt. "No. This one isn't human," he muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing as suspicion gripped him.

"I don't recognize you, demon. I am Devalgar Von Dracula, Fourth seat of the progenitors," he declared, his voice thick with authority as it reverberated like a challenge.

But the 'human' barely acknowledged him, her eyes tracing over him and landing on the corpse behind him, her expression distant as though he were nothing more than an afterthought. "I'm assuming you sent your pet to revive me?" he asked, his patience slipping through his fingers.

Still, the 'human' didn't respond, walking right past him. The soft clank of her heavy shield nudging the corpse filled the air. It didn't stir. Elwen was dead.

Devalgar's crimson eyes glinted dangerously. "Are you a spawn of Kaelos?" His jaw clenched at her casual indifference. "His stench permeates my domain," he continued, his voice now tinged with cold fury.

|| Devour ||

The corpse vanished in an instant, absorbed into the shield. A faint, sinister glow emitted from the new purple crystal that joined the others, all shimmering faintly in the dim light like trophies of battle.

The 'human' finally turned to him, her demeanor shifting slightly. "My name is Maple. Hehehehe," she laughed sheepishly, a sound so disarming it nearly dissipated the tension—nearly.

"Sorry about earlier. No, I didn't send him to revive you. I was trying to stop him, and I had no idea what he was actually doing," she added, scratching her head in a gesture that felt almost mocking in its simplicity.

The vampire's eyes flashed. "Maple? I'm not familiar with that name. What faction are you from?" His words were like barbed wire, curling with disdain.

"Faction?" Maple tilted her head as if trying to puzzle something out. "Oh, I'm not from any faction. I just happened to be passing by when I accidentally got here and saw something bad happening."

Devalgar's eyes darkened, his expression hardening like stone. "Something bad?" His voice dripped with venom, the very air around him vibrating with latent power. "You dare speak of 'bad' in the presence of a progenitor? I am a force of nature, girl. My awakening is not something a mere creature like you can comprehend."

Maple blinked, her brow furrowing as confusion deepened. "Huh? I'm not sure what you mean, but I'm pretty sure you're the bad guy here. You're a vampire, right? I mean that bad guy did all those terrible things to summon you."

The progenitor's patience, already paper-thin, frayed further. "Insolent wretch," he snarled, his voice now a low growl. "You think you can stand before me and live? I have laid waste to empires, turned oceans red with blood, and razed continents to dust. You—"

"Oh!" Maple interrupted, her face lighting up as though she just remembered something trivial. "I've destroyed a city before! By accident, of course. It's not exactly the same but I guess we have that in common."

Devalgar's mind stuttered to a halt, his eyes narrowing dangerously as he processed her words. The fragile thread of his restraint snapped audibly in his mind. "What did you say?"

Maple's innocent smile remained, her words completely detached from the growing storm around them. "Yeah, it was kind of a mess. I got a bit carried away, and the whole place just... well, you know. I didn't mean to, though."

The vampire's expression twisted with barely contained fury. "YOU DARE MOCK ME..!! YOU DARE..! GODS HAVE FALLEN BY MY HANDS, DEMONS BY THE DOZENS...!!"

Devalgar raised his hand, and the ground beneath him trembled, faint crimson energy swirling ominously around his fingertips, condensing into a tiny sphere. His lips curled into a twisted smirk, his eyes locking onto Maple.

She barely blinked, watching with mild curiosity as the orb floated toward her. "Oh, that's a small one," she remarked as casually as if she were commenting on a flower. "Are you going to throw that at me?"

Devalgar's eyes darkened, the small orb shooting forward like a bullet, tearing through the space between them. Maple tilted her head in curiosity, extending a finger toward it. "It looks kinda cu—"

The explosion that followed could only be described as apocalyptic. Darkness exploded in all directions, swallowing the cathedral and the surrounding landscape in a roaring shockwave that razed everything in its path. The earth groaned and split, the aftermath leaving nothing but a gaping crater miles wide.

At its center, Devalgar stood as he surveyed the destruction. "Foolish girl," he muttered, convinced that no creature, not even a demon, could have survived such an overwhelming attack.

Then, from behind him, came a voice. Calm. Unbothered. "That was pretty strong."

Devalgar turned, his eyes wide in disbelief. There, standing in the middle of the devastation, was Maple, untouched. Her shield rested casually by her side as if she hadn't just survived a cataclysmic event. She glanced up at him, her expression still wide-eyed with innocent curiosity.

"But explosions don't work on me," she continued softly, her voice gentle yet unyielding. "I don't want to hurt you, but if you keep trying to do bad things, I might have to."

For a moment, the silence hung like a blade between them. Then, Devalgar laughed. "Hurt me? Hahahahah, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA." Devalgar burst out in laughter, his voice a thunderous echo that reverberated through the air. "You? With your fledgling demon army?"

His amusement turned to palpable rage, his once-mocking tone now a sinister whisper as his pride reared its ugly head, unwilling to accept this perceived insult. "I will show you just a hint of the power of a superior being." His words lingered in the air like a dark curse, and in the next moment, the sky itself seemed to react to his malice.

The violet hue of the sky deepened, the very air growing oppressive. It was as if the heavens acknowledged Devalgar's dominion, and the blood-red moon loomed menacingly above.

///

Before Maple could react, he was on her. It was instantaneous—a blink and he was there, his hand raised, his face twisted in fury. The space around them distorted, reality itself bending to the sheer force of his power. "Die!!"

*BANG!!*

The explosion of force was deafening. Maple was ripped from the cathedral's wreckage and hurled across the landscape like a ragdoll. She careened into a nearby mountain with such force that the stone buckled and a deep gorge was carved in her wake, a cloud of dust rising like a funeral shroud. The impact crater was massive, the sheer destruction speaking volumes of the vampire's raw power.

Underneath the rubble, Maple's eyes fluttered open. She blinked rapidly. "Whoa... I didn't even see him move. That was super fast." Her voice carried a mix of surprise and admiration. She dragged herself out of the crater, brushing off the debris like it was an everyday occurrence. Her gaze wandered to the violet sky and that ominous blood moon. "Huh? What happened? Where am I?"

Her eyes traced the landscape—an endless expanse of barren lands and jagged mountains stretching as far as her enhanced vision allowed.

"This is definitely not normal," she muttered. Her attention snapped back to the ruined cathedral—or more accurately, to the vampire who had launched her across the mountains. "Is this some kind of dungeon?"

From the sky, Devalgar's laugh echoed, mocking her ignorance. He ascended higher, standing effortlessly in the air as if it were solid ground. "DUNGEON!? YOU INSOLENT CUR! THIS IS MY DOMAIN! MY WORLD! TO THINK THAT YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW THE LAND YOU'VE TRESPASSED INTO, DEMON!"

Maple's eyes widened in realization. "Another world?" She gasped, putting the pieces together. "How did that happen? Oh no, Sally's gonna be so angry." Her expression brightened suddenly, a glint of mischief dancing in her eyes. "Wait... If I beat you, this world will disappear, right?" She lifted her shield with renewed resolve.

Devalgar's laughter was cold and sharp. "Hahahaha… You? Defeat me?" His voice trailed off as he vanished.

Instinctively, Maplethrew her shield in front of her, its massive frame absorbing her entire small figure. Just in time.

*BANG!!*

Devalgar's fist collided with the shield, the force of the blow splitting the mountain beneath her in two, the sheer pressure sending shockwaves through the ground. Maple rocketed backward again, this time colliding with yet another mountain, adding to her growing collection of craters.

"Seriously...?" Maple groaned, pulling herself from the rubble once again. "I still got hit with knockback? He must be crazy strong." A grin tugged at her lips. "Alright, let's fight!"

High above, Devalgar hovered, inspecting his arm—what was left of it. His entire hand, up to the wrist, had vanished. "An artifact, perhaps?" He mused, his voice calm despite the loss of his limb. His eyes tracked Maple as she emerged from the destruction once more, unscathed. "No matter. If close combat proves difficult, I'll switch things up."

Devalgar extended his senses, searching. It took mere moments for him to find what he sought. "There we go," he muttered, his lips curling into a sadistic smile. "It will take time for my blood sea to rise. Until then, I'll use what little I can find."

He extended his hand toward the remains of the cathedral, and the ground began to tremble. The structure shook violently before collapsing in on itself, sinking into the earth and revealing a massive, gaping hole. From within, figures emerged—thralls, their hollow eyes reflecting the vampire's control.

"Disgusting," Devalgar spat, his face twisted in revulsion. "Just lowly thralls, less than trash." The thralls floated toward him, drawn by his will. "Be honored that your repulsive blood will serve me." He clenched his hand.

Maple's eyes widened in horror as she watched the scene unfold. The figures floating near Devalgar were familiar—too familiar. "Linux... the others?" Her voice quivered, disbelief clear in her tone. Her mind raced to make sense of the twisted reality in front of her.

And then, in a brutal display of cruelty, the thralls exploded. Blood and entrails rained from the sky, painting the ground in gore.

"No..." Maple's voice was barely a whisper, her heart sinking as the remains of those she had promised to protect fell to the ground. "How could you...?"

Rage boiled within her, bubbling just beneath the surface. She turned toward Devalgar, her face twisted in fury. "You... monster."

In the sky, Devalgar stood amidst a swirling ring of blood, the liquid flowing in unnatural patterns around him. "Now, die, you wretch." His voice was as cold as death itself as the blood shot forward, snaking toward Maple with terrifying speed.

Maple gritted her teeth, her grip tightening on her shield. "Devour!" she shouted, bracing for impact.

*BANG!!*

The blood whip coiled around her shield, bypassing its defense entirely, and slammed into her chest with the force of a meteor. She was sent flying yet again, her body careening across the sky. "It moved around my shield... That's not good," she murmured, still sailing through the air.

*BOOM!!*

Maple crashed into another mountain, the impact shaking the earth beneath her. Before the dust even settled, she sprang to her feet, her eyes catching the blood whip hurtling toward her once again—relentless, as if it had a mind of its own.

|| Heavy Body ||

*BRRROOOMMM*

The sound of grinding rock echoed through the battlefield as Maple stood her ground this time. Her feet dug deep into the earth, the sheer force of the blood whip pushing her through the mountain and tearing a deep scar across the landscape. The ground cracked and groaned under the pressure, but she remained rooted.

She leapt out of the gorge with a grimace, shaking off the debris. "That didn't work either. Guess I'll have to take the fight to him."

Once again, the blood whip materialized in front of her, this time moving with such blinding speed that it might as well have teleported. But Maple was ready.

|| Cover Move ||

In an instant, she was gone, reappearing above the vampire like a shadow, her shield raised high as she swung it down with crushing force, its edge glowing with the ominous aura of *Devour*.

*BANG!!*

Before her shield could connect, Devalgar effortlessly dodged the attack, his form vanishing and reappearing almost faster than Maple could process. He struck her with the blood whip, sending her hurtling through the air once again. The force of the impact carved yet another deep groove into the earth as she smashed into the ground.

"Is that the best you can do?" Devalgar's voice dripped with disdain, echoing through the battlefield as he hovered above her, his arrogance palpable.

Maple shot him a frustrated look as she stood up from the wreckage, her body steaming from the friction. "Oh come on!" She grumbled, dusting off her armor. "I need to keep him still somehow."

Without hesitation, she tapped into the shadows at her feet, unleashing the skill that now summoned her demonic horde.

|| Predator ||

The shadows beneath her surged and writhed, and from them, snarling demons erupted, their red eyes gleaming with feral hunger as they charged toward Devalgar. Their howls filled the air, vicious and terrifying.

However…

"Ah." Maple's eyes widened in realization as her demons leapt toward the vampire, only to plummet back to the ground, one after another. "They... can't fly." She nervously chuckled as her demonic army repeatedly tried and failed to reach Devalgar, who was now staring at them with visible confusion.

Devalgar's eyes narrowed, his patience wearing thin. He took in the scene—terrifying demons of nightmare, leaping to no avail, looking like fools. A low growl rumbled in his chest, his pride once again flaring at the thought of being mocked by such pitiful creatures. "And what is summoning this rabble supposed to accomplish?" His blood whip lashed out, slicing through the demons with ease, scattering their forms into shadowy mist as he slaughtered them by the dozens.

The wind shifted, and a sudden blare of danger sounded in Devalgar's mind. His body instinctively moved, dodging as a massive fist cleaved through the space he had just occupied. The force of the blow created a blast of pressurized air that shook the surrounding mountains, the sheer power evident in the way the landscape trembled.

Devalgar's eyes narrowed as he observed the new demon before him. This one was different. Larger, towering over the other rabble, with two additional limbs and a blood-red mane that blazed like fire. Dark, shadowy smoke curled from its form, giving it a hellish appearance.

"Hmph, just another rabble," Devalgar sneered, launching a punch that sent the demon crashing into the ground. However, before the dust had even settled, the demon appeared beside him again, its claws slashing at him with vicious speed.

Devalgar let the attack hit him, allowing the explosion of air and debris to settle. When it did, he stood unharmed, his form unshaken by the powerful strike. Yet, as he glanced at his shoulder, he saw something that made him pause—a small tear in his clothing, and beneath it, a trickle of blood.

His cold eyes flicked toward the demon. "So... you can wound me." His voice held a hint of interest now, but no fear. Only a mild curiosity.

Before he could react further, an ominous sensation made the hairs on his neck rise. His instincts screamed at him, and he dodged to the side just as a black, viscous maw shot past him, its razor-sharp fangs slicing through the air where his arm once was. He glanced down, his left arm missing from the shoulder down, dripping blood.

His gaze snapped to Maple, eyes burning with fury. A dark thread of viscous, shadowy substance connected her to the maw, and her smirk was infuriating.

"YOU DAMN PEST!!" Devalgar's voice was a guttural roar as he poured his magic into the blood whip, lashing it out with enough power to flatten entire cities.

*PING!!*

The sound was sharp and metallic as Maple was launched like a bullet across the landscape, smashing through multiple mountains in her path, the earth splitting beneath her as she plowed through stone and soil.

Maple sighed as she flew through the air, her eyes rolling slightly in exasperation. "Damn it, that didn't work either," she muttered. Now, Maple loved flying more than anyone, but even she had her limits—especially when it was less flying and more being launched like a projectile over and over again. "It doesn't even hurt, but geez, this is getting really annoying."

Her frustration grew, and the embers of rage still simmered beneath the surface. She clenched her fists as the wind rushed past her, her patience fraying. "Alright, that's it. I've had enough."

As she plummeted toward the ground, her expression darkened. This time, she wasn't holding back.

No more games. No more playing nice.

An enraged Maple descended upon Devalgar's domain, her aura brimming with raw, unfiltered power.

|| Atrocity ||