Chapter 33

The figure's red eyes glared at the humans on the floor while he walked in. As he stepped into the light, his image became clear to them, shattering any remaining hope that the man before them was someone other than who they feared.

When he stopped before the broken circular table he grabbed a chair and sat down. "It's been a while, council of Pilantrop."

Their eyes shook as they stared at the nightmare of a man seated before them. None of them could muster out a word except for one man who was able to find the courage. "Why have you come here Vander von Kisher?"

Vander moved his gaze and looked at the old mayor who stopped in front of him. "It has been some time Roland, I hope life is treating you well."

Roland gave Vander a light smile before opening his mouth. "I appreciate your kind words, but could you please answer my question? To what do I owe the pleasure."

Vander could see the old Roland's body shaking as he stood upright, causing him to alleviate the pressure he was releasing giving everyone in the room area to breathe. "I came here to figure something out, I hope you don't mind."

Roland heard the coldness in Vander's words as he spoke, but what he heard next frightened him to death. "You, you dare be so brazen! You broke in here at such a dire time, to do something so mundane!"

All the older council members glared at the young councilor. Vander stood up and walked over to the young man. He could see fury in the young man's eyes, but when he leaned in closer it all disappeared. Vander grabs the young man by the collar and lifts him.

"Let go of me!" Vander didn't listen to the young man's words, causing them to panic even more. "If anything happens to me you'll break the treaty and if that happens an entire army will march down at your pitiful city!"

Vander scoffed at these words prompting him to turn around and walk towards the wall he broke through.

"Vander, what are you doing?" Vander glances over his shoulder toward Roland.

Roland felt like his soul was being gazed at as their eyes interlock causing him to avert his gaze. "I mean your highness what are you planning?"

Vander signaled with his other hand and Roland could clearly understand what he meant, he didn't want to hear a word.

Vander grabbed the young man by the back of the head and turned him around. He was now looking at the city beneath him.

"Look at it, the city you people always flaunt about, being destroyed before your very eyes. Yet you do nothing, you only argue about your possessions as everything goes up in flames."

Vander tightens his grip around the young man's head, causing him to groan in pain as he continues to speak.

"And yet you dare spit in my face, telling me that what I and my father have cultivated for thousands of years is but pitiful."

"I'm sorry, I spoke out of line, can you please let go of me." The man raises his hands trying to loosen Vander's grip but to no avail.

"You speak of the peace treaty as if you know it well but has the Rosetail family forgotten to pass down the information why it even exists?"

Vander loosened his grip a bit revealing the man of the feeling that his head was going to explode.

"It is something almost as old as Pilantrop, yet it seems time has withered its prominence out of the minds of this city's people."

"Right, I made a mistake. I should have known better."

Due to the pain he felt, the man had still not noticed what precarious situation he was in.

"but to think it would end up in pieces spread over a bloodied floor."

"Vander, what do you think you're doing?" Roland yelled at him as he saw Vander let go of the young man.

All the council members watched with shaking eyes as the young man disappeared from their sight. "And it was shredded by your hands."

The council member's bodies stiffened out of fear, as they felt his gaze fall on them. "That's one taken care of who would like to be the next person to speak up to me, or are you all going to listen?"

Roland stared at the cold Vander while complicated emotions filled his heart. The young lord of the Rosetail family was a person who heavily opposed his ideals, but he couldn't be happy when he saw life being squandered.

While his hand clenched onto his cane, his gaze moved when he heard footsteps getting closer.

A platoon of enforcers burst into the room with their weapons at the ready. When they say the frightened council members they aim their weapons at Vander.

"Don't shoot!" Roland cried out as loud as he could, but his words had no impact. "Fire!"

Roland felt his life flash before his eyes as the bullets raged forward.

Roland stood inside an office and behind the bureau sat a man with a thick mustache. On his table laid a book [Blood against the Purge] and close by stood a nameplate [Marceo Ere]. 

Roland grabbed the book with both his hands, before looking back at the man who was smoking from a pipe. "Father, why are you giving me this?"

"Son, there are many things in this world one must never forget. As you father it is my duty to bestow you with the wisdom, so that one day you can take my place. Read that book at least once a year so that you always remember why Pilantrop could prosper."

The young Roland held onto this book, confused about its contents. "And this is?"

Marceo laid his pipe on the table and turned his gaze out of the window. "It must have been around seven hundred years ago when that fool the fourth mayor of Pilantrop aligned himself with the church during the purge."

In his room, Roland grabbed the book cover and began to read through the pages.

A man ran inside the commander's tent. "Sir, that monster has appeared." Everyone inside turned towards the soldier. As they averted their gazes from him and glanced toward one another, they exchanged nods before departing from the tent.

Outside, they could hear the sounds of screams coming from the west as soldiers rushed in that direction. "Oh, lord who infinitely shines bright why did you let these unsightly beasts reside in this blessed land of yours."

"Your Holiness, I swear in the Lord's name that I will bring you his head." A man clad in magnificent armor stopped next to the woman who was dressed in lavish white and golden robes and with her face covered behind a veil.

"I will join you in that endeavor, sir Dustin." The last to walk out of the tent was a man who wore a particular set of clothing. The first layer was made of light leather and over it, pipes and metal created a strange-looking armor.

Dustin looked towards the man and smiled. "I would appreciate that Lord Ere."

"Father!" A young man ran towards Lord Ere who looked at him with cold eyes. "I want to join you, father." 

Lord Ere glanced at Dustin, but he didn't seem interested in the conversation. "No, you will stay here and not get in our way."

The young Lord seemed disappointed in his father's words. "But what if-"

"Lenard, I said no do not question my orders." Lord Ere interrupted his son's words before turning away from him and walking towards, Sir Dustin. 

Right as they were about to leave, Lord Ere was stopped once more by a woman's voice. "Father!" A beautiful woman ran towards them while holding up her skirt.

"Roana, what are you doing here?" Lenard looked at his sister in surprise.

"I can end this, so don't go." The words the young girl spoke piqued Dustin's and Her Holiness's interest, causing them to look at her. 

"What do you mean by those words young lady?" Her Holiness stared at Roana from behind the veil.

"If you let me talk with Vander I can-" Her father's raging voice went over the girl's words. "You foolish child, life is not a fairytale we are dealing with the Lord of Blood conversing is not an option with a beast like that."

"But, Father." Roana wanted to say more, but her father completely took over the conversation, making it impossible for her to speak.

"I am sorry for my children holding us up Sir Dustin. I will make sure to discipline them after you finish your holy mission for Her Holiness." Dustin looked at the old Lord Ere with kind eyes. "You do not have to apologize it seems your children are just eager to help, and I don't think Her Holiness took any offense either."

Her Holiness nodded in agreement with Dustin, making the rage Lord Ere felt disappear.

"We will take our leave then Your Holiness." With Dustin's words, he and Lord Ere sprinted off at an astonishing speed. 

"Roana, why are you not in the city." Lenard Grabbed his sister by the shoulder and turned her to face him. "I don't want any of this to continue." Roana spoke with sadness in her voice, causing Her Holiness to look at her.

Her Holiness walked towards them and stopped next to Roana. She lifted her veil and stared at the girl with eyes that shone a bright golden light. "Are the words you speak the truth, young lady."

Before them, Dustin and Lord Ere could see him. The man's hair had the same color as the ground, which was covered in a sea of blood. His eyes glowed brightly as soldiers charged him, the blood that was beneath their feet moved by his commands, taking out every soldier that tried to get close, they were swept away, pierced by spikes, and cut in half.

"Oh, Lord, that is infinite grant me the power to take down this heathen for the good of this world." While Dustin spoke, golden light washed over him, causing his eyes to glow. When he finished praying Dustin dashed towards Vander.

Vander waved his hand causing a tide of blood to sweep against Dustin. While he was pushed to the side Lord Ere appeared from right behind him and swung the sword in his hand. A wall of blood appeared right before Vander, stopping Lord Ere's sword from reaching him.

Lord Ere's blade cuts through the wall, but the damage he made to it quickly closes back up. from within the wall, a hand stretched out towards Lord Ere, seeing this in time steam burst off Lord Ere's right arm causing him to swing it at incredible speed. The hand made of blood explodes on contact, making the blood splatter all on the ground.

Afterwards, the wall of blood disappeared and Vander was nowhere in sight. Spikes of blood shot up from the ground attacking anyone who remained on the blood-filled ground. 

"Do not play petty tricks with us." Dustin stabbed his sword into the ground. When he did shockwaves came off his sword causing blood to shoot up and to his sides. Dustin held his sword with both hands while feeling his surroundings. He quickly stepped backward and swung his sword while something came down from above him. 

Vander had been waiting inside the blood, and when he crashed down onto the ground it crumbled and shook. After straightening his back, Vander's eyes fell on his left forearm, which was lying on the ground. 

Dustin didn't waste time and rushed forward, but the way Vander acted was too calm for someone who had lost their arm. Lord Ere trailed behind Dustin as they launched an assault on Vander. Their swords swung, trying to get a fatal blow on him but even with one arm not much had changed the blood acted with incredible precision, protecting Vander from every attack and reciprocating with its own blows.

Nothing seemed to be going their way, so while Lord Ere slid over the ground he took out a makeshift pistol and aimed it towards Vander. When he pulled the trigger a bullet shot forward and after some time it exploded. From it came a wall of fire that fell onto Vander. As this happened Dustin's sword gave off a bright golden light. 

Vander swiftly dealt with the flames blocking his vision, but it wasn't fast enough. Dustin's shining blade stabbed straight through Vander's chest. Relief set in for Dustin seeing that Vander wasn't moving anymore, but those feelings changed when he saw Vander's body turn in blood and splash onto the ground.

"Sir, Dustin." Dustin turned around when he heard his name being groaned out. Behind him, he could see Lord Ere grasped by the neck and held up by Vander. "You're a disappointed for your family, Almeck."

Vander's cold red eyes stared at Almeck who was in hand, when Dustin's sword moved straight towards him. Before the sword could reach him blood shot up from the ground and pierced Dustin's chest. 

"Oh, Lord that is infinite." As Dustin sat on his knees a radiant light pierced the skies and fell on him. "Let this mortal of yours bathed in your clear light." Dustin got back on both his feet while his eyes shone an even brighter gold. "To cleanse your world of what hinders its path." he clasped his sword with both hands and held it above his head. When he swung down he opened his mouth once more. "Everlasting." From his sword, brilliant light stretched up into the sky and came down with an incredible slash. 

Before covering Vander's and Almeck's bodies, Dustin could hear three words. "Mother of blood."

The energy that came down with the attack, evaporated the ground in a straight line, killing anything that even made contact with it. When he fell forward Dustin struck his sword into the ground and leaned onto it, he breathed in and out as he dreaded the fact he had taken out lord Almeck as well.

Right when the light vanished fire spread over the blood and completely covered Dustin's surroundings. With his eyes wide open, he stared forward. "How?"

Dustin was lost for words when he saw Vander still standing tall with Almeck still being choked by the neck. Vanders appearance had changed from before, two large menacing wings had sprouted from his back, his skin had turned somewhat grayish, his once human body looked now monstrous, and the arm he had lost had regenerated back.

"How did you survive that demon?" Vander glared at Dustin who seemed at a loss. "It seems that foolish creatures such as yourself, still believe they are the only ones who are loved by a god."

Vander's skin was melting as the flames kept crackling, but due to his regenerative properties it was instantly healed, putting him into a strange state of being burned alive and being completely healthy, yet he never showed pain. 

Vander pushed his claws inside Almeck's neck before dropping his lifeless body to the ground. "Now it's your turn, herald of infinity."

As Vander walked towards Dustin, he could hear a voice in the distance. "Vander!" When he turned his head in said direction he could see a woman on heels running towards him. The blood covering the ground dirtied her beautiful dress as she stared at him with a worried expression. "Stop this Vander, please!"

Far behind her, he could see two others, a young man who seemed worried and a woman who wore a white and gold robe with her face covered. "Roana, can you please stop yelling he has already seen us, what is your plan now?"

Roana jumped towards Vander and put her arms around him, surprising anyone who could see this. Vander could hear Roana whisper in his ears, causing his body to morph back to his human form.

Vander's eyes glanced over to Dustin who was on the ground. "You are lucky Herald of infinity, you have slain the lord of blood and the weakened vampires have run deep underground for eternity." While Vander spoke Dustin balled his hands into fists, clenched his teeth together, and stared at the bloodied ground beneath him.

"Roana!" Lenard's voice roared loudly as he saw his sister in Vander's arms. 

When he finished speaking Vander's and Roana's bodies turned into blood and disappeared into the ground. "Roana!" Lenard let out a cry and dropped to his knees when his sister vanished.

Upon reaching the end of the book, Roland shut it and stared at the author's name, [Lenard Ere], which was written on the cover.