Chapter 7: Vampire unsealed

(Time skip: 2 months)

(POV: 3rd)

Dante stood amidst the shifting mist of the forest's edge, his eyes scanning the horizon. The past two months had been anything but ordinary, not due to any formidable opponents—no, there were none who could truly challenge the Shadow Monarch—but because of the growth within his ranks. Every battle, every expedition into dungeons, had been an opportunity for his peerage and shadow soldiers to strengthen their bonds and synchronize their power.

The dungeons they raided were diverse, each one a different blend of myth and mystery. From towering elementals born of ancient stone to multi-headed drakes whose screeches could splinter the sky, they had faced it all. Dante had used these encounters as training grounds, watching as Velzard's icy might, Shion's unwavering strength and Shuna's calming magic seamlessly blended with his legion of shadows. These battles were not about testing his mettle; they were a teaching stage, leading, and fostering unity among his peerage.

His memories floated to the snowy peaks where they once faced an army of frost giants, their colossal forms nearly blotting out the moon. Or the deep, labyrinthine caves guarded by creatures with shifting, smoke-like forms that made them hard to strike. Each battle further cemented the loyalty of his shadows and honed the abilities of his companions.

The closeness among them had also deepened, and Velzard, ever perceptive, had acted on this new unity. She had brought Shion and Shuna into their circle with a grace that spoke of her understanding and acceptance. Dante had been aware of their affections but had held back out of devotion to Velzard. Yet, she had shown him that their path forward was not bound by the constraints of simple choices.

He recalled the night they had spoken by a crackling fire, Velzard's crystalline eyes studying him with a knowing glint. "Dante, you're aware they have feelings for you," she said, breaking the silence.

Shion had straightened, usually fierce and confident, yet a rare vulnerability flickered in her gaze. Shuna sat composed, her hands folded, a small, hopeful smile softening her expression.

"I know," Dante admitted. "But my loyalty—"

"Isn't divided, Dante," Velzard interjected with a soft laugh. "Love doesn't weaken, it strengthens when it's shared among those you trust."

Shion's fierce eyes gleamed with an emotion Dante hadn't often seen—unfiltered hope. "We don't just want to serve you. We want to stand by your side."

Shuna's gentle voice wrapped around them, warm and resolute. "Together, we can face whatever comes, as one."

That unity would soon be tested. Their next raid was not just another adventure but an investigation. The dungeon lying within the vampire territory had caught Dante's attention not because of its difficulty, but because of its history. The tales spoke of a being so powerful that the vampire lords had deemed it their eternal enemy. To Dante, such a story was more than a curiosity—it hinted at a greater mystery. What kind of being could hold such a title, and why had they chosen imprisonment over annihilation?

The Shadow Monarch knew that leaving such a being sealed was risky. Seals were imperfect barriers, prone to weakening, and anything that could be considered a threat to an entire race warranted scrutiny. Yet, there was also a flicker of excitement within him—an eagerness to confront and understand the unknown. Whatever lay beyond that sealed gate, he would face it, not just as the Shadow Monarch but with his peerage, ready to uncover the truth together.

Back to Present: Entering the Dungeon

Now, they stood before a new challenge. A dungeon with a storied history—one that, according to legends, was left behind in the Vampire's territory. Inside, they believed a dangerous entity had been sealed, the very enemy number one for vampires. It was said that the vampire kingdom had placed this entity under a powerful seal, but the seal itself was a dangerous thing. Leaving someone sealed meant leaving a half-open door for higher beings to breach, and Dante was determined to understand what exactly was sealed away.

"I don't care about legends," Dante murmured to himself as he surveyed the dungeon's entrance. "I care about the truth."

The air felt different as they stepped inside the dungeon. The vampires who had once guarded the place were long gone, but their presence lingered in the very structure of the dungeon. The dark, gothic architecture, with its towering spires and eerie corridors, spoke of a deep connection to the vampire race.

"Bellion, you have command. The raid is yours."

Bellion's eyes, cold and focused, met his king's. "We will not fail, my lord."

Inside, the dungeon opened into a grand hall lined with blood-red banners and shadowy columns carved with vampiric sigils. Shadows shifted, revealing vampire sentinels armed with enchanted halberds. Their eyes gleamed with the eerie light of ancient bloodlust as they prepared to defend their domain.

"Move!" Bellion shouted, and the shadow army surged forward, their presence like a living storm. Igris charged with sword drawn, intercepting a volley of silver-tipped arrows. His movements were fluid, slicing through the vampire archers with ruthless efficiency.

Beru's insectoid form cut through the opposing ranks like a whirlwind, his chitinous limbs a blur of lethal strikes. The vampires recoiled, their expressions shifting from confident defiance to sheer terror as they failed to grasp the true nature of their attackers.

From the peerage, Benimaru led the charge with a blaze of fire. His katana, wreathed in crimson flames, cleaved through armored vampires, each swing an expression of controlled ferocity. Shion followed closely, her massive weapon tearing through the enemy lines, each strike leaving shockwaves that shattered stone and bone alike.

Shuna's role was strategic, weaving spells that created barriers and redirected the flow of battle. Her incantations immobilized key targets, leaving them open to the relentless assault of the shadows. Meanwhile, Velzard's icy presence froze any foe who dared to advance too close, their forms crystallizing in moments.

Other members, such as Souei, worked in tandem with their shadows, moving like ghosts among the chaos to strike at vulnerable points and disable traps. Hakurou, with his flawless swordsmanship, cut through even the most agile vampire knights with a precision that spoke of centuries of experience.

The vampires' formation faltered under the combined might of Dante's forces. Their eyes, once filled with arrogance, now reflected a deep and dawning horror as they realized their true opponents were beyond mortal comprehension.

"What is this… magic?" a vampire commander hissed, staring in disbelief as Beru effortlessly parried his strike and, with a swift motion, disarmed him.

The battle ended with Bellion's booming voice. "Capture the general!" In moments, the remaining vampire forces were bound, their defeated leader brought before Dante.

Dante's eyes gleamed as he approached the general. "What lies sealed within this place, vampire? Speak."

The vampire general, armored in a blood-red plate and bound by dark chains, met Dante's gaze with defiance laced with reluctant respect. "We guard what even the night fears—an enemy so dangerous that it threatens the very essence of our kind."

Dante nodded, absorbing the information with an air of curiosity. With a swift gesture, the vampire general's life ended, shadows enveloping him and his fallen warriors as they were claimed into the eternal ranks of the Shadow Monarch's legion.

With newfound soldiers and a wary understanding of the dungeon's history, Dante and his forces prepared for the sealed chamber ahead—a place where whispers of forgotten power lingered, promising answers and challenges in equal measure.

As the stone chamber loomed large and cold, the figure of Luminous Valentine remained half-sealed, her snow-white hair flowing around her like a veil of ghostly beauty. Her deep red eyes flickered over Dante and his peerage, cold and calculating. The vampire queen had long since given up hope that anyone would come to her rescue. After centuries of imprisonment, she had accepted her fate, hardened by betrayal and sealed in stone, forgotten by time.

She looked at them with disdain, as if sensing the sheer power they radiated. But it was not fear she felt—no, she had been betrayed by far worse than these strangers. It was indifference. She had no illusions about their motives. Few ventured into the vampire's forbidden lands for anything other than glory or treasure. Whatever their reason for being here, she was no more than a footnote to their journey.

But then, as Dante spoke, something shifted in her heart—a flicker of curiosity, perhaps, or something more vulnerable.

"I know you must have your reasons, just as I have mine," Dante began, his voice carrying an undeniable sincerity. "I didn't come here to free you without understanding your story. But I believe nobody should be judged by their looks. If they sealed you, it was for a reason. But that doesn't mean your story is any less real."

Luminous blinked in confusion, her brow furrowing as his words pierced the stone walls of her heart. No one had ever spoken to her this way, and certainly not with this level of understanding. All she had known for centuries was hatred, betrayal, and isolation. Could this be genuine? Or was it some cruel trick? She stared at him, her resolve wavering.

Before she could decide whether to speak, Shuna stepped forward, placing a spell on the air around Luminous. The truth-sealing magic gripped her, a faint pressure building behind her eyes, warning her that lying would cost her dearly.

"Who are you?" Dante asked, his voice unwavering.

Luminous's lips parted, but the truth spell made it impossible to lie. "Luminous Valentine," she replied reluctantly. "Queen of the Vampires... once."

Dante's gaze softened, understanding flickering in his eyes. "You were once their queen... What happened?"

Her eyes hardened as the weight of centuries of betrayal came rushing back. "I ruled the vampires with strength and compassion," she began, her voice dripping with bitterness. "But those I trusted—my generals—betrayed me. They turned against me, seeking my power for themselves. They destroyed everything I built, and in one night, I fell from the highest peak to the lowest pit."

Luminous's body tensed as the memory of her downfall played in her mind like an unending nightmare. "I wanted to end it all, but they sealed me here instead. Trapped me in this forsaken dungeon with no way to escape."

The spell on her caused her to wince, but she pressed on. "I couldn't care less about anyone anymore. Not after what they did. My guards, my own blood—they turned against me. They were weak, too."

Benimaru, who had been standing at the back of the group, crossed his arms, a skeptical frown creasing his brow. "That's a convenient story," he said, his voice laced with distrust. "How do we know you're telling the truth? You could have been sealed for far worse reasons than your betrayal."

Shuna, standing next to him, shot him a glare, but Benimaru's skepticism wasn't easily swayed. Dante, sensing the tension building among his peerage, raised his hand for silence.

"Benimaru, I understand your doubts," Dante said, turning to him with a calm expression. "But I have no reason to doubt her. The truth is written in her eyes. She's been through enough to know what betrayal feels like. If you want proof, we can let the spell do its work. But, regardless of that, I trust her."

Benimaru remained unconvinced, but he didn't argue further. His eyes narrowed, clearly unsure, but willing to hold his tongue for the moment.

Dante turned his attention back to Luminous. "I understand your pain. But I'm offering you a choice, not a command. You can leave this dungeon, find a new purpose, and join us. You can be free... if you choose loyalty."

Luminous stared at him for a long while, her mind racing. The idea of freedom, of not being confined to this dungeon any longer, was tempting. But could she really trust him? Could she trust anyone again?

"Loyalty?" she scoffed bitterly, shaking her head. "Loyalty to what? To you? To your army of shadows?" Her voice trembled slightly, but her pride forced her to continue. "I've been betrayed too many times to give loyalty easily. You don't understand..."

Her gaze shifted to the floor as if seeing the ghosts of the past. "You want me to trust you and your people, after everything I've been through? You ask for my loyalty, but I cannot give it so freely."

Dante stepped closer, his voice low and steady. "I understand the weight of what you've endured, but you have a choice now. A chance to rebuild. You don't have to face your demons alone anymore. I won't betray you."

Luminous took a step back, but as her mind spun with confusion and reluctance, she found herself questioning everything she had come to believe. The truth spell weighed heavily on her, but something about Dante's words—his unwavering trust, his sincerity—seemed to break through the barriers she had so carefully built around herself.

"I..." She faltered, still unsure, but the door to hope was slowly creaking open in her heart. "I'll stay. But I need to know that I am not being used. I need to know that my freedom won't be another form of shackles."

Dante nodded solemnly. "You have my word. If you join us, you'll be free—more than you've ever been."

Finally, she exhaled, her shoulders sagging in resignation, but also relief. "I will stay... for now."

With the blood contract sealed between them, Luminous could feel the power of the promise binding her to Dante. And despite the storm of emotions inside her, she knew one thing for certain: this was the first time in centuries that she felt like she might be able to truly trust someone again.

(A/N: if you have any questions or if you find any mistakes in grammar or information please do not hesitate to write that in the comments, I will try to answer all of the questions and edit the mistakes I made.)