redvbooks Chapter 351: Darkness and Blood
Chapter 351: Darkness and Blood
"It’s burning my soul and power!" Dravenyx cried out, shuddering. Now that they are back in their humanoid form, their bodies bore scars of burns. Their chests and parts of their faces blackened, and most of the flesh burned away.
Vale smiled with satisfaction. The Hellfire Moon is a combination of two powers: Hellfire and Soul Corruption. When the fire burns, it damages both the physical and the soul, burning away essence and life force.
He did not wait for them to recover their strength. Vale threw himself forward, covering the distance between them quickly and getting into their space.
That close, they didn’t have the chance to escape as he opened his mouth and breathed fire.
Heat exploded between them. Hellfire of red and black. They screamed as they scrambled back, frantically trying to put out the fire with both their hands and essence, but they weren’t having much success.
The difference between Vale’s ordinary fire and his new Hellfire is that Hellfire is not ordinary fire; it’s a fire that only demons can use, and it’s very, very difficult to put out. Hellfire also carries a curse, a misfortune of sorts that interferes with natural luck.
But most of all, it’s a very hot type of fire.
The two vampires screamed in pain, their bodies turning into fuel, their essence mostly futile in putting out the fire, although they were making some progress.
Yet again, Vale did not give them the opportunity.
He once again rushed them, his right hand raised, Hellfire condensed, turning from fire to liquid fire and then solid. Vale now held a sword of fire in his hand, a mixture of shining red and black.
Of course, it’s not entirely solid, but he condensed so much fire that it appears like that. He grinned, the sound like mad music, and then he swung.
The sword cut down. Dravenyx cursed and used his right hand to block the attack. Big mistake! The sword cut through his flesh as if it were cutting fat and only stopped when it met the bone.
Dravenyx let out a blood-curdling scream, jerking his bloody hand back.
Vale took a step forward to finish him, but Kaelvaris was suddenly there. Unlike his partner, he did not try to parry the sword with his bare hands. He used his claws, blocking the attack with one hand and thrusting with the other, forcing Vale to move backward to avoid him.
Kaelvaris jumped on Dravenyx, wrapped his hands around him, his legs flexing as he jumped backward with force, cracking the ground into a big hole as he ran.
Vale didn’t immediately run after them. He was grinning, his hair a wild darkness of jungle behind him, and his eyes carried a hint of insanity.
He was absolutely dominating two Master Knights. And he was only an Errant Knight.
What a wonderful feeling.
The two vampires did not waste time; they finally managed to put out the fire and then, with practiced ease, they brought out bottles of red liquid from their rings, downing them fast.
With their powers, they could quickly boost their healing with blood. As Vale watched, their wounds healed, the burnt skin smoothing into fresh ones and the gashes filling up. Even Dravenyx’s hand was whole again.
Their eyes met.
Vale was smiling, while the two watched him with bitterness and fury.
He raised his sword in a salute. "Are you still holding back? You can’t capture me unless you kill me. Or nearly kill me. Your mission is almost impossible, and if you’re not careful, you’ll die."
Kaelvaris hissed and gritted his teeth at the warning in his voice. "You fucking bastard. Are you actually daring us to try and kill you? Are you really trying to use us to train?"
Vale shrugged. "Is there anything wrong with that? You two are strong, and I can only appropriately test my new powers on the strong."
His smile turned dangerous. "Why, aren’t you two among the strongest Master Knights?"
Dravenyx and Kaelvaris stiffened.
Then Dravenyx shrugged. "You are right. It would be stupid to hold back on you."
When people with power at that level go against each other, it’s really hard to hold back because even less power behind a punch might get them killed. Unless there’s an imbalance of power, only then can one truly hold back.
Dravenyx took a step forward. "Do you know the abilities of vampires? Apart from their strength and exaggerated healing capabilities?"
Vale’s eyes shone. "I assume you are about to tell me."
"Blood and Darkness. We are creatures of blood and darkness. Unfortunately, you can’t train in both at the same time. But each vampire always follows one or the other. Blood or darkness."
As he was speaking, the air began to visibly darken as darkness descended. The darkness was thick, and the hallway quickly fell deep into it. The only source of light was Vale’s red eyes that pierced through, easily letting him see regardless.
And for some reason, Vale felt a flash of nervousness. ’...what are they planning? I can see through this darkness, so how exactly are they hoping to fight me? Also, what’s this nervous feeling I’m getting because I’m surrounded by darkness....?’
He didn’t have to wait long.
Dravenyx took a step forward, and he melted into the darkness. Just like when he turned into a bat earlier, his body broke into a mass of darkness now, mixing with the already existing darkness in the air.
’....a sneak attack?...’
Vale instantly activated his fire, boiling his surroundings with Hellfire. He strained his senses high and then spread them into the air to catch any attack coming at him, since there wasn’t any sense in hiding when his fire would give him away.
But nothing came at him. "Has your friend, Dravenyx, run away? I can’t sense him."
Kaelvaris glared, not replying. Instead, he raised his right hand, where a red light appeared. The red light turned into small blades that soon dug into his hand, funneling up blood that formed into a spear.
At first, the spear was only the size of a baby’s hand, but as more blood joined, it began to turn robust, pulsing with light and power. The aura coming from the spear was strong with power and killing intent.
It is a proper attack of a Master Knight.
Kaelvaris gripped the weapon, and then he carefully positioned himself for a throw, taking his time to line himself up properly.
Vale watched with slight confusion. ’...he wants to throw that? But why? I’ll just dodge it....unless Dravenyx is going to distract me...still...how did they think that will work since I’ve already seen through it...’
Vale could not help the doubtful look he gave them. Are they really among the strongest Master Knights?
He steadied himself and prepared for Dravenyx’s distraction, a formation held in his mind.
He didn’t have to wait long.
As if waiting for a signal, Dravenyx’s presence suddenly appeared like a warm throb. Vale began to instantly react, turning to where he felt it and at the same time keeping the spear in his sight and mind.
But then he froze as he realized a problem.
He could sense Dravenyx, alright. But the problem was, he could sense him all around him, everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
His whole body went into overdrive, and his brain flared, quickly processing what was happening. Dravenyx was all around him at the same time! The bastard must have somehow scattered himself...the darkness!
Vale hissed. His legs froze and flexed in sudden preparation. He needed to get out of the darkness!
But it was already too late!
He heard a soft chuckle around him, and then the darkness came alive, churning furiously as invisible limbs of darkness came down to hold him, wrapping around his entire body to keep him immobile!
Vale had misinterpreted their intentions. They wanted to distract him, alright, but not in the way he expected or anticipated!
’....wait...Kaelvaris.....oh shit!....’
Kaelvaris’s body flared once, and then he threw the blood spear.
Boom!
The ground beneath Kaelvaris buckled and shattered as the spear shot forward with a shockwave, a sonic boom.
Time seemed to slow.
Vale fought the darkness binding him. Hellfire covered him, burning around him and leaping incredibly high above, heat converging, showing his fury and desperation. He empowered his fire with his soul power.
Dravenyx cried out in pain, but the darkness didn’t release its hold.
Vale gritted his teeth. "Hellfire Moon!"
A moon of black and red appeared and smashed toward where the spear was coming from. The best defense is offense!
But things didn’t go as planned this time around.
Instead of the spear colliding with the moon, it actually curved around it, continuing undeterred toward Vale!
Dravenyx’s voice sounded all around him, dark, painful, but so filled with joy. "That first attack of sonic echo is to mark the surroundings! Now we can freely control where our attack goes!"