Leaving the vast, yet dull dead forest that Rampiel called home, Albus and Cassiel finally laid eyes on a burning, destroyed city: Bagnion.
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As the two approached Bagnion, the city of hunting, the stench of humans and blood filled the air with disgrace, completely overpowering the natural scent of the wilderness.
Walking closer and closer, the gates were wide open with no one standing guard.
With the first steps into the city, Cassiel and Albus would both witness something of great horror, one that left even Cassiel revolted.
Blood dripped from the outsides of houses, forming puddles of blood across the streets. Dead vampires were left lying on the ground, some with missing limbs, and others with their faces completely mangled.
Walking further into the city, Albus couldn't hold back any longer as he fell to the ground to vomit, never seeing such a horrific sight once in his life.
Cassiel stopped to look at Albus, feeling his sorrow for only a moment before thinking to himself how pathetic Albus was for falling to the ground over this.
"Get up boy, we're getting closer to them..." Cassiel said, letting his words trail off as he had an uneasy feeling that this wasn't done by any normal men.
As the two walk further into the city, stepping over twisted limbs and shattered bodies, they finally begin to close in on the center of the city where Cassiel is sensing they're at, or at the very least most of them are.
Deciding it was the fastest way to get there with Albus trailing behind, Cassiel cuts through an alleyway with Albus following closely.
Upon leaving the alley way, the stench of death and rot filled the air, and only then Cassiel figured out the hard way he should have taken as much time as needed.
Rotting corpses, hanging corpses, mangled corpses, all types were rung through the center of the city, all dead, all vampires.
Immediately Albus turned to belch and vomit.
Even Cassiel, who took pride in being a warrior of all traits, had turned to look away for only a moment.
The scene would have been horrific for any vampire or even a human to see, but it didn't stop Cassiel from moving forward once more.
"Albus... I will not blame you if you wish to stand behind..." Cassiel said, for once showing Albus some compassion.
Making his way through the bodies, stepping on guts and splashing puddles of blood, Cassiel finally sees them.
The creatures responsible for this manslaughter were only mere humans.
They stood in a loose circle against the walls, talking casually among themselves. Cassiel took the chance to count out how many there were and scanned for others, but as soon as he finished counting the ones in the group he instinctively ducked down as a steel ball flew over his head.
"Who do we have snooping around here eh?" A man says loudly, walking towards Cassiel from behind, which, in turn, alerts the other men.
"This isn't ideal." Cassiel mumbles, standing back up as his sword forms in his hand.
Without another word, the man pulls out a chain in one hand, and grabs another steel ball from a bag holstered on his belt.
The humans from behind begin to close in as well, all pulling out and grabbing different, unconventional weapons, ones not normally used in battle.
From double headed axes, glaives, chains, one handed crossbows, and more, the seven men that came from behind all had weapons that weren't synced with the others, as if they all fight alone.
"Is whatever you're getting paid worth enough for your lives?" Cassiel says, threateningly.
"So, you figured we're mercenaries, eh?" The man from before says, throwing another steel ball aimed straight at Cassiel's head.
Without thinking, Cassiel immediately puts his hand up, swiping the ball away like a toy as it blows a hole into the ground beside him.
"If that is your will..." Cassiel would say annoyed, yet still in a noble tone.
A man leaped silently from behind Cassiel, swinging an oversized great sword downwards to cleave Cassiel in two.
However, before making contact, Cassiel side steps and swipes his sword clean through the man's skull, cutting it in half horizontally.
As the man falls to the ground, the other six mercenaries stand there, stuck in shock.
Staring at the men, Cassiel stands confused.
"What's your problem? You can slaughter vampires like that, but get scared shitless when one of your own falls?" Cassiel speaks in annoyance.
A blonde woman with dual swords cries out, charging at Cassiel as if she had gone mad, swinging her swords from both sides as if she were using scissors.
However, her attack was too sloppy.
She fought like a child in denial, allowing Cassiel to simply stab straight through her neck, ripping it out the side, leaving her head attached to her body with a thread.
"YOU BASTARD!" The man who held the chain had swung his weapon out, wrapping around Cassiel's arm, but with a tug from Cassiel, the man flew straight towards him.
With quick thinking however, one of the men from the side tackles the man with the chain, making him let go of his weapon, but also stopping Cassiel from cutting his body in half.
"You're quick." Cassiel says, his voice sending shivers down the spines of the men.
Although they outnumbered Cassiel, with two of their friends falling in quick succession, they were shaken with fear, unable to make a move.
Without exchanging any more words, Cassiel looks at all of the men left.
Two in front of him and three on his side.
No longer wanting to drag this out, Cassiel shoots a blood sphere into the ground in front of the three men on his side, causing the dirt to fly up and act as a smoke screen as he dashes forward, cutting an arm off one of the men.
Falling onto the ground, crying out in pain, the man writhes and rolls around like a worm, bringing a smile onto Cassiel's face.
"Finally... I'm all alone and don't have to put on an act anymore..." Cassiel says, grinning ear to ear.
"W-What are you..." The man wielding the double headed axe begins to say.
Still grinning, Cassiel dashes forward, aiming to land a kick on the man's solar plexus, only to be blocked by him at the last second, causing him to be knocked back a couple feet.
"Everyone, get out of here... find Barakiel, this vampire is too strong!" The man says, as he slams his weapon into the ground, getting into a stance as if he were getting ready to be hit.
As he completely stances up, the man screams out as loud as he can, causing Cassiel's eyes to turn straight towards him.
"What is this...? A man born with a taunt skill is living as a mercenary?" Cassiel says to himself, charging at the man, unable to control his body.
"You all have five seconds... please run-"
As the man says his final words, Cassiel lunges at the man, pummeling him with his bare fists as they begin to get covered in blood.
With the fearsome sight, two of the men run, one of them staying behind however, charging at Cassiel with a spear as he drives it straight through the side of his back, coming out the other side.
Panting with fear, the man falls back as Cassiel doesn't even flinch to the wound, still beating on the man from before as his hands continue to get bloodier.
With a deep breath, Cassiel, sitting atop of the man, turns to the only one left.
As a huge grin creeps across his face, he walks up towards the man stuck on the ground in fear.
"You should have listened to him." Cassiel says, a blood sphere forming in his hand.
"Now open wide." He says, gripping the man's face and forcefully opening his mouth as he shoves the blood sphere down his throat, blowing the man's head up from within.
"It seems I may have been too late..." A man says, appearing a couple feet from Cassiel.
Looking up at the man, the first thing Cassiel notices is his odd attire choice.
Fully dressed head to toe in long, red and black clothing, the man also had on circular red tinted glasses with dark red medium wavy hair to suit.
The man snaps his fingers, making a cane appear from seemingly nowhere as he stamps it into the ground.
"My name is Barakiel, who might you be, sir?"