Arthur tried to avoid the attack, darting to the side as fast as he could. But the magic circles followed him like hungry wolves. The blood-red swords shot out one after another. He twisted and ducked. Rolled over dirt and stones. Still, the blades sliced at him. Each miss left a trail of wind on his skin. Each hit carved another cut into his body.
He stumbled through the trees, heart pounding, legs screaming with exhaustion. The circles didn't stop. They floated behind, relentless. He leapt over a broken branch, only for a sword to graze his back. He yelped, gritting his teeth. Blood trickled down his side.
"Damn it!" he hissed. Another blade flew past his face, leaving a shallow mark on his cheek.
He kept running, weaving through the underbrush. But he was bleeding. A lot. His steps grew heavy. His breath ragged. And still, the magic kept coming.
Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, the killer raised his hands and the circles vanished. The swords disappeared into thin air, as if they had never existed.
Arthur collapsed to one knee, panting hard. Blood dripped from a dozen wounds. His cloak was torn, his shirt stained red. He tried to stand and almost fell. But he forced himself up.
"I'm not done," he whispered to himself. "Not yet."
Just as he got to his feet, the killer sprinted forward. His fist pulled back, aimed straight at Arthur's head. Arthur braced for the blow.
But it never came.
A blur of gray and white jumped between them.
Skarn.
The direwolf sank his fangs deep into the killer's wrist. The vampire shouted in pain, his punch never landing. Skarn growled and twisted his head, tearing into flesh. Blood spurted out. The killer cursed and tried to shake him off, but Skarn held on.
"Get off me, mutt!" the killer snarled.
He grabbed Skarn's head with his free hand and slammed him into the ground. The wolf yelped but didn't let go. The killer slammed him again, harder this time. Skarn whimpered, and his jaws loosened.
With one final motion, the killer threw Skarn aside. The wolf crashed against a tree and fell still.
Arthur's eyes widened. But in that moment, he saw his chance.
He dashed toward the tree nearby and pulled out a leather bag hidden behind the trunk. From inside, he drew two blood-forged daggers. Without wasting a second, he ran at the killer and slashed across his chest.
The daggers cut deep. Blood exploded from the wound. The killer staggered back, surprised. Arthur followed up with a kick that sent him crashing into a rock.
Arthur rushed to Skarn's side.
"Hey, Skarn. Hey, buddy. Are you okay?" he asked, crouching down. "Why did you do that? You saved me."
Skarn let out a soft growl. His body was bruised. A small cut over his eye bled slowly, but he was conscious. His breathing was shaky, but steady.
Arthur smiled weakly. "Thank you. Thank you so much, buddy."
He looked over. The killer was getting up. Slowly. But he was rising.
Arthur turned back to Skarn. "Stay here. I'll finish this. I'll kill him and come back to you."
He stood. His legs trembled. But his grip on the daggers tightened.
The killer chuckled as he wiped blood from his lips.
"You're strong, boy," he said. "I'll give you that. But I can't let you live anymore. You've done something no one else has in years."
His eyes narrowed, glowing crimson. "You've made me angry."
He stepped forward. His aura shifted. Magic crackled around him.
Arthur didn't hesitate. He ran forward with both daggers ready.
As they closed the distance, the killer raised a hand and shouted, "Noctis Weapon Birth!"
A red magic circle formed. From it, a sword materialized. Not just any sword. It looked like it was made of blood, but it gleamed like steel. Long. Sharp. Deadly.
Arthur didn't stop. He clashed with the blade. Sparks flew as dagger met sword. The force pushed him back a step.
His arms shook. The killer was fast. And his strength was unreal.
Arthur slashed again. The killer blocked. Again and again, their weapons met. The killer's blade cut through the air with deadly precision. Arthur deflected, barely keeping up.
But he was bleeding. The wounds from earlier hadn't healed. Every move hurt.
The killer, a pureblood, had already sealed his injuries. He looked fresh. Calm. Dangerous.
Arthur ducked a horizontal slash and countered with a dagger aimed at the killer's side. It grazed him. Barely.
The killer retaliated fast. He swung at Arthur's chest. Arthur blocked with one dagger and aimed the other at the killer's head.
But the killer caught his wrist mid-air.
With a grunt, he twisted Arthur's arm sideways and threw him with monstrous strength.
Arthur flew across the clearing. He smashed into a tree with a loud crack. His head hit the bark. He slumped down, dazed.
Branches cracked beneath him. One caught his leg and held it. He ended up hanging upside down, his head swaying a few feet above the ground.
The killer walked over. Slow. Confident. His red blade vanished into smoke.
Arthur blinked. His vision swam. Blood trickled down his forehead.
The killer leaned down so Arthur could see him, upside down.
"Now, now, mixblood," he said. "No dying yet. I haven't tortured you enough. Today, you'll learn what pain really means."
Arthur opened his mouth. Blood spilled from his lips. Still, he spoke.
"You… I will kill you. I hate you pureblood bastards. One of you killed my father. I hate your kind. You narcissistic filth."
The killer tilted his head. A slow smirk forming. "Huh. Not many vampires around Aldoria." He paused. "Wait. What was your father's name?"
Arthur's breath caught. "Carl. His name was Carl."
The killer's eyes widened for a second. Then a slow laugh escaped his throat.
"Hehehe. Oh kid… what a small world."
Arthur stared at him.
The killer leaned closer. "It was me. I killed your father."
He laughed. Loud. Mad. The kind of laugh that made the trees seem colder.
Arthur's heart skipped a beat.
"You… what…?"
"I killed him," the killer repeated. "Cut him open right down the middle. Watched the life fade from his eyes."
Arthur's fists clenched, but he couldn't move.
"You bastard!" he roared. "I'll kill you!"
But his body refused to respond. Pain held him down.
The killer grinned.
"Hehehe. Two generations. Both mixbloods. Both pathetic. What a treat. Oh, how sweet it felt to kill him. And now you. I'll kill you the same way."
He raised his hand. Magic crackled in his palm.
Arthur trembled with rage. He tried to break free. But his arms were numb. His vision blurred. Still, he glared at the killer.
His voice low, burning. "I'll kill you. Even if it's the last thing I do."
The killer's smile widened.
"We'll see about that, you weak little vampire."