Ozrik had never witnessed such madness in a human. The man before him was clearly unhinged. Could he really have killed a werewolf? And not just any werewolf, but one of Rodeo's own.
The scent of Red Witch Lady Seraphine, a woman Ozrik had always detested, clung to the man like a curse. This was the same human Bandi claimed had slain the Cursed Witch, Caroline. Just a human? Perhaps seeing him now, Ozrik could believe it.
"I'll ask you one more time, human. Did you kill her?" Ozrik's voice dripped with amusement.
"H-huh? What are you talking about?" the man sniffled, dazed.
Look at him. Pretending not to know.
Without another word, Ozrik kicked him in the head. "Pathetic liar."
He crouched beside Alisa, fingers pressing lightly on her neck. No pulse. As expected—she was gone.
"A...lisa," the man coughed, crawling toward her, staggering with every movement.
Lumino reached a trembling hand toward her—only for Ozrik to stomp it, hard. Bone cracked beneath his heel, muffled by the pouring rain.
"Pathetic," Ozrik muttered. "You're weak. Can't even fight back." He drove his boot into Lumino's face again.
"This is the one who supposedly took down Caroline? Ridiculous."
Satisfied, he turned away. Time to report this to Rodeo... and that bastard Bandi.
CRACK.
A violent thunderclap ripped the sky, followed by a blinding flash of lightning that silhouetted Lumino in the storm.
Ozrik turned, the smell of ozone sharp in his nostrils. Lumino stood, a crimson river flowing down his face, eyes rolled back in a horrifying white.
"What the hell?"
The air crackled with an unseen energy. Lumino stared, motionless, his silence more unsettling than any threat.
Ozrik sneered, a chill creeping up his spine. "You think standing up makes you strong—?"
Lumino raised his hand. Ozrik recoiled, skin prickling, a cold, heavy pressure invading his bones, whispering dread.
Run.
For the first time, Ozrik felt fear.
Real, paralyzing fear.
Who the hell is this guy…? he thought.
Then the world split.
The ground split beneath them, dark water erupting from the cracks. A blinding white light surged from Lumino's body, lifting him into the air. The blood on his face vanished, his skin radiant. The overcast sky above split open, and for the first time in decades—
sunlight poured down.
Ozrik gasped in horror. Sunlight.
He is a vampire.
If that light touched him—he would burn. He would turn to ash.
"No—NO!"
He ran. As fast as he could.
But the light caught up.
Searing pain engulfed his body. He screamed as his skin bubbled and cracked, smoke rising from his flesh.
"This… has to be that man's doing!"
"Damn it!!"
"F*CKKK!!"
And then, Ozrik was gone—reduced to ash in the rain.
The sunlight faded. The sky returned to grey. Lumino, still suspended in the air, dropped—
and collapsed onto the ground.
-------
"Interesting."
"My beloved…"
"My precious boy…"
"I knew it was you."
A woman in a blood-red gown stood beside Lumino's unconscious body. Her voice was honey-laced venom.
"I'd say the Orb is now at 80% activation," said a shadowed figure emerging beside her.
"You have to admit, Thartonus," said another dark figure ahead of her, "the shadow you sent was... disappointingly useless."
"What do you expect, Richo?" Thartonus replied. "There's an extra-dimensional human out here who somehow kills shadows with ease!"
"And I, unlike you," Richo chuckled, "was successful. I unchained a werewolf who hated that girl 'Alisa' and let instincts do the rest. And voila—they murdered her. Simple."
A third shadow added, standing beside Richo, "He has shattered his mental state."
"My dear Lumino... always blaming himself." Lady Seraphine gently stroked his cheek. "He never had to use his divine power... but he did anyway."
"You did a fine job luring that vampire, Ozrik, to this place," Thartonus said, glancing to another shadow.
"It was nothing," Izek replied coolly. "Considering the situation, I thought it best. Richo's extreme approach might've damaged Lumino permanently. After Lady Seraphine worked so hard to seal away his memories…"
"So now it's my fault, huh?" Richo growled. "I was following orders. We need the Orb at 100%, don't we?"
"It's all his fault," said the final shadow—Orches. "That man... he's terrifying. We're trying to control something beyond our understanding. He destroyed his own world, Livqas. Killed the man who raised him—like a grandfather."
"That's why I bound him," Seraphine said softly. "Fortunately, we had that Shadow Hunter... Kael. I used him to place a binding spell. He's the leash."
"A leash so Lumino will use his power for me." Her smile widened, wicked and satisfied.
"I also think this Kael is dangerous," Thartonus added. "Strange things happen around him. The Shadows we sent acted erratically around him… almost like they were drawn to his presence."
"I might know why," Seraphine said simply.
"Oh?" Richo and Thartonus leaned in.
"It's only a theory," she said, her smile coy. "Let's go now, Four Honored Subordinates. We can't risk being seen."
With that, the four shadows vanished—melting into Lady Seraphine's own shadow.
"Until we meet again, Lumino."
And with those final, whispered words, Lady Seraphine disappeared into the darkness.