37: Moments before the End

No, no this can't be happening!!

This must be a nightmare, yes, it has got to be!!

But try and try as I deny, the bare truth lay right before my very eyes.

Reality is often cruel, and the lesson came in the form of Momoka being stabbed right at her chest.

The vampire grinned in utter triumphant. Despite showcasing clear injuries with his clothes burned and ripped from the explosion, it was as if he was unfazed and doing just fine. Perhaps it was a perk of being a vampire, to regenerate themselves quickly from whatever injuries they sustained.

"Did I interrupt something?" The vampire smirked while he was mocking us, "It is so touching to see two friends hugging one another, and I can't help myself but to join in, you know?"

I ignored his mad ramblings, still eyeing in disbelief at Momoka's still form.

"Momoka…"

As I touched her cheeks with grief, I was instantly surprised when something out of the ordinary happened.

My hand… it phased right through it. It was as if I was trying to touch a ghost.

And all of a sudden, "Momoka" disappeared, which further skyrocketed my shock. At the same time, a familiar shadowy figure appeared behind the vampire and slashed his left arm, amputating him as a result.

"GAAHH!!!" The vampire shrieked in pain as he was brought down to the ground while he covered the part that once housed his now nonexistent arm.

"Momoka!!"

Indeed, it was Momoka in the flesh, alive and healthy. Not once did she leave her sight now on the wounded vampire and she made her dangerous approach.

Momoka walked with an air of death and terror around her. I could also see the vampire's face exhibiting the definition of true fear as he was about to meet the grim reaper for his judgment.

This was my first time seeing a vampire in action and I heard that their wounds recovered at an absurd rate. Even the injuries caused by the explosion were already recovered and he was the picture perfect of health that many doctors wished for their patients. I also heard that they could regrow any body parts that had been severed, and yes, even their heads.

But for some reason, the vampire showed no sign of his arm growing, and he was still anguishing on the ground with no indications of recovering whatsoever.

"This katana that I wield, truly a work of art." Momoka said fondly of her weapon as she was now alarmingly close to the fallen vampire while she brandished her blade, "Hontō no shi, the 'True Death', such is undaunted path leading to one's end. For my blade strike true and deep into one's soul, from the most insignificant wounds to the gravest of injuries, none shall ever recover."

I see… now I remember.

Momoka's katana, "Honto no shi", is a weapon with a dark curse. When being injured with her katana, any wounds resulted would never heal. Essentially, it was a tool which sole purpose was to kill and nothing more.

This was why when Momoka encountered a foe she wished to spare, she utilized her katana while it was sheathed, basically using it like a blunt weapon.

Only the vilest of scum deserved the edge of her katana's blade, and once they were hit, then it's a point of no return, with only a single destination leading to their demise.

And such scum in this instance took the form of the vampire who was now squirming like a dog.

"You are not used to prolonged periods of pain; I assume." Momoka said with a deathly voice, "Take your recovery away, and you are nothing more than like us… humans who you constantly hunted like cattle. Humans like my family, the family you murdered."

"M-monster." Fear emphasized the vampire's stuttering voice as he backed down in a futile motion.

"Monster?" Momoka raised an eyebrow, "If I'm a monster, then what are you? You are nothing but a beast, covered in flesh that closely resembled the human physique."

"Ah, so this is about revenge eh!!?" The vampire gritted his teeth, "If I'm a beast, then it's not so different, you and I. You are driven by primal instinct, to murder by hatred."

"Hmm, true, I won't deny it." Momoka remained unfazed, "And as a beast, I find joy seeing my prey suffering before their death."

*SLASH!!*

"GAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!"

Emphasizing her point, she cut off both the vampire's legs, maiming him even further.

Despite stating how she found joy in his suffering, not once did I saw a sliver of smile coming from Momoka's face. She really was a master at keeping her emotions in check.

Maybe the anger that she displayed earlier to the horde was a farce? All to let their guard down, maybe? Momoka was a master of deceit, and she would use every tool in her disposal to lure her enemies in a false sense of security before striking unexpectedly for the kill.

 It was a Nightingale's nature to detest combat in the open, and Momoka indeed showcase what it really meant to be the Magical Girl of the Shadows.

The vampire was in pure disbelief, and he was now in denial at the dark fate that was awaiting him.

"No, I refuse to believe this!!!" Sheer horror was clear on the vampire's red eyes, "I, the Sanguine Vanquisher, Harold, reduce to this!!!??"

"A fitting end for scum like you." Momoka said and in another swift slash, cut the vampire's last limb, earning another pained shriek from him.

"You murdered my family, feasted as you defile their corpses." Momoka gazed with pure hate, "In Nashville, a family of seven in Sadler Village, do you recall?"

Madness took over, and the vampire suddenly laughed maniacally. Even with his death closing by the vampire Harold to his credit, still show resiliency and never wanted to give Momoka the satisfaction of him being afraid.

"Haha, why yes, I do remember." Harold's bloody lips gave a smirk, "Oh how I remember seeing the old man squirm as I ripped him slowly, piece by piece while his son, daughter, and their partners could do nothing as they were violated by my men. It was music, hearing the lads squirm like pathetic little girls as we beat him up while the two ladies, such remarkable beauties, mind you. My men just can't help themselves and took turns as their arousing screams echoed around the house."

"You…"

"And let's not forget the little ones…" Harold knew that he was treading on a dangerous line, but decided to fuck it since he was going to die anyway, "How their flesh, oh so soft and juicy… "

Harold licked his lips in bliss, recalling the memory with a sick smile,

"Let's just say that babies make for a wonderful stew."