5. The Final Showdown

'.....'= Thoughts 

"....."= Conversations 

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The female vampire was about to speak again when she suddenly stopped and looked at the male vampire.

"Rest for a few minutes," he told the remaining captives.

He and the female vampire then left the room, instructing the masked figures to remove the bodies.

They walked to a pair of beautifully carved double doors. The male vampire opened them, revealing a large chamber filled with power. At the far end, a figure in grand robes sat on a throne, with another vampire standing beside him, head bowed.

As they approached, the male and female vampires bowed deeply.

"Eliza, my child, there's no need for such formalities. You will soon be one of us," the seated figure said.

Eliza lifted her head, meeting his intense gaze. "Thank you, Your Excellency," she replied respectfully. "I will always remember the manners I've been taught."

He studied her features. "You have a rare quality, Eliza. Humility and grace are often missing in those your age."

A small smile appeared on Eliza's lips. "I was taught to uphold the values of our kind, Your Excellency. It is an honor to serve and learn from you."

The man nodded, pleased with her response.

"Report," he said, focusing on her.

William stepped aside to join another male vampire, both bowing their heads. He knew he was beneath Eliza and only part of the coven because of her.

"Your Excellency, from the sixteen groups of lesser beings we brought here, we found only one suitable candidate," Eliza reported.

The man sighed and swiftly moved to the window, almost as if he had teleported.

"Only one from sixteen batches. In the last hundred and fifty years, we've found only three individuals like this," he murmured.

Eliza approached and bowed her head. "I apologize, Your Excellency. My ability is not enough."

He turned to her, his piercing gaze making her feel exposed. "Your ability has limits, but it's not your fault. Without your efforts, our coven wouldn't have grown stronger. If it weren't for the Volturi…" He trailed off.

Eliza stiffened at the mention of the Volturi. They had lived in fear of their power for too long.

"The Volturi have a strong grip on our coven," he said, troubled. "They set the rules and will enforce them."

Eliza nodded, serious. "They are ruthless in keeping control. Anyone who challenges them is dealt with quickly."

"Indeed. We must tread carefully. This burden weighs on us all," he replied.

He felt some resentment toward the Volturi. While they claimed to uphold the laws of the vampire world, their actions were driven by power. For centuries, their coven had lived in fear.

"We must remain vigilant," he said finally. "But that doesn't mean we lack hope. We must continue seeking those with rare abilities. With your help, perhaps we can stand against the Volturi one day."

Eliza nodded, determination shining in her eyes. "I will do everything I can to help our coven thrive, Your Excellency."

The man smiled faintly, hope appearing in his gaze. "You are invaluable to our coven, Eliza. Your dedication inspires us."

Suddenly, his expression grew serious. "We cannot grow complacent. The Volturi are becoming more active, and we need to change our base within five years to a more secure location. I will need your help for a smooth transition."

The vampires in the room nodded, their faces showing determination.

"We must also keep searching for others with rare abilities," he added. "Eliza, I will rely on you to find them, but remember: quality over quantity."

Eliza nodded, her resolve strong. The future of their coven depended on their growth and adaptation.

The man turned to the others, his gaze steady. "I expect each of you to dedicate yourselves to this cause."

They bowed deeply at his command, ready to confront future challenges.

"What about the newly acquired ability user?" the man asked.

"He has been sent to headquarters for transformation into a higher being. He should arrive there in a few months," Eliza replied.

The man smiled knowingly at Eliza. "About the game you're playing…" He paused.

Eliza bowed, embarrassed.

He laughed. "It's alright, my child. We all have our quirks. It can be seen as part of your training."

Eliza shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, feeling embarrassed for being caught.

Taking a deep breath, Eliza spoke. "I have a request, Your Excellency. May I take one of the lesser beings and transform him into a higher being?"

The man raised an eyebrow, curious.

"I want the ten men to fight each other, and the last one standing will become my servant. I will turn him into a higher being and have him serve me forever."

He shook his head. "I cannot allow that. The situation doesn't permit such actions."

Eliza nodded, not arguing.

The man sighed, his gaze softening. "I understand your desires, but I can't grant your request now. However, I'm willing to compromise."

Eliza's interest grew. "What do you propose, Your Excellency?"

"I will allow you to choose one of the lesser beings to be your servant for five years. You may do whatever you wish with him, but you cannot turn him into a vampire. At the end of five years, you must release him and terminate his existence."

Eliza's heart sank at the thought of having to kill her servant. It was not her plan, but having someone loyal for five years was too tempting to ignore. "Thank you, Your Excellency," she said reluctantly.

The man nodded, a hint of affection in his gaze. "Do not worry, my child. Once we defeat the Volturi, you can do as you please."

Eliza bowed deeply, her determination to eliminate the Volturi growing stronger.

"Dismissed," he murmured. Eliza, Victor, and William left the room, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

As they left the room, William who walked beside Eliza couldn't hold himself back and asked, "Why can't we turn more of the inferior beings into vampires? Wouldn't that help us against the Volturi?"

Eliza frowned at him. "I'm glad you didn't ask that in front of His Excellency."

"Huh?" William said, confused.

"Think, William," Victor interjected. "Do you think the Volturi haven't thought of this?"

Eliza sighed, clearly frustrated. "Turning many inferior beings into vampires could cause chaos. The Volturi wouldn't allow that; they would retaliate harshly."

"But we have strength and numbers," William argued.

Eliza shook her head. "It's not just about strength. The Volturi have centuries of experience. If we provoke them, we invite their full wrath."

Victor added, "Turning a lot of inferior beings into vampires isn't simple. Newly turned vampires struggle with their bloodlust, risking exposure to humans and drawing the Volturi's attention."

He continued, "Remember how long it took us to control our thirst? It's not worth it to create more vampires without abilities."

William felt downcast, realizing he was the only one without special powers. If not for Eliza, he might have been cast out.

Eliza regained his attention. "Also, turning many vampires would strain our resources and make it harder to stay hidden. It could create conflict within our coven."

William nodded, starting to understand. "So, it's about keeping our coven stable and safe."

"Exactly," Eliza confirmed. "We must think about the long-term effects. The Volturi have plans to counter our moves. We need to be smart instead of reckless."

Victor added, "We should focus on building our coven carefully, recruiting those with unique abilities, with Eliza's help. Quality over quantity is key."

Though it felt like a long discussion, only five minutes had passed since their meeting with Elder Eustace.

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Two minutes ago..

Ethan watched as masked men entered the room, methodically clearing away the bodies after the vampires had left, while a few stood guard with muskets. He sank to the floor, trying to catch his breath and prepare for whatever the vampire had planned. His battered body made him doubt his ability to fight.

The same could be said for the others; they looked far from pristine. The three members who had accompanied him were dead at the hands of one of the ten captives. Ethan felt no sorrow for their loss; they hadn't been close. Guilt over killing had faded. He understood his actions were necessary for survival. He knew he had to become stronger or risk being the next victim.

His gaze fell on the strongest person in the group—a towering figure nearly seven feet tall. That individual had killed eight people, two more than Ethan. If forced to fight him, Ethan's chances of winning were slim. He was no professional fighter; his only combat knowledge came from anime and fight scenes.

Shaking his head, he cleared away the negative thoughts. As the group sat in tense silence, the two vampires who had orchestrated this twisted game re-entered the room with another vampire. Ethan couldn't fathom the self-control they must possess to remain composed in a room soaked in blood. He noticed William scrunching his nose occasionally but didn't lose control.

"You have rested enough. We will soon begin the last round of the game," William announced, glancing at Victor.

Victor smiled and quickly appeared in front of one of the captives, removing his glove and placing his hand on the man's arm. A grunt escaped the captive as all visible injuries healed under Victor's touch.

"Now you can fight without hindrance. Be honored that a higher being is using his ability to heal you," Eliza chimed in, her voice dripping with seduction.

Ethan watched intently, excitement bubbling within him. Soon, it was his turn. Victor placed his palm on Ethan's forearm. Without hesitation, Ethan activated his talent, feeling his body heal rapidly. He focused on the timer of his ability, which required five seconds of contact to generate abilities for him to copy.

One second. Two seconds... Three more, Ethan pleaded silently, desperation creeping in.

Three seconds...

Just as he was counting down, Victor removed his hand after three seconds had passed, leaving Ethan without the chance to generate abilities.

'Fuuuuuu*k,' he cursed in his mind.

Frustration boiled over as the chance to copy abilities slipped away, but he quickly quelled his emotions, forcing his expression back to neutral.

Eliza noticed the change in his expression but dismissed it, assuming he was in pain. Her gaze lingered on Ethan for a moment longer, thinking, 'Not bad-looking for an inferior being.'

Victor finished healing all the captives and returned to stand beside William and Eliza. Suddenly, William lunged toward the captives, digging his hand into the floor and creating a small circle around them.

"Now all of you will fight each other with knives until only one remains alive. Anyone who steps outside will be killed by me," William announced.

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