The magic circle beneath our feet glowed with soft blue light as Lavinia completed the teleportation ritual. Within moments, the familiar surroundings of the Black Dog Bar dissolved, replaced by a dense forest of towering pine trees under an overcast, perpetually twilight sky.
Even in what should have been midday, the territory was shrouded in an unnatural darkness, clearly designed to accommodate its vampire inhabitants' sensitivity to sunlight.
"Here we are," Lavinia announced cheerfully, brushing off her robes. "Just a few meters away from Carmilla territory." She reached into her cloak and withdrew a carefully folded map, extending it toward me. "Make sure to take a good look at this before deciding where to invade their territory. The layout is more complex than it might seem from the outside."
I accepted the map, feeling its weight in my hands. The parchment was old but well-maintained, covered in intricate markings that showed defensive positions, patrol routes, and weak points in the territory's perimeter.
"Thank you, Lavinia," I said, tucking the map into my jacket without unfolding it.
She tilted her head curiously at my action but didn't comment. Instead, she stepped back and prepared another magic circle. "Well then, good luck to all of you. Try not to start a full-scale war, okay?" Her tone was light, but there was genuine concern in her sapphire eyes.
"We'll do our best," Valerie replied with a slight smile.
As Lavinia's form began to fade within the teleportation circle, she gave us one final wave before disappearing completely, leaving the three of us alone in the Romanian forest.
The silence stretched for a moment before Valerie turned to me with a questioning look. "So, what's the plan?" She glanced pointedly at my jacket where I'd stored the map. "Aren't you going to check that?"
Before I could respond, Xenovia stepped forward with her characteristic directness. "I suggest we attack from the front gate. That's where their strongest individuals will be positioned, and it makes tactical sense to deal with the most dangerous opponents first."
Valerie's eyes widened in alarm. "Xenovia, this isn't just a few vampires we're talking about! Carmilla territory has a population equivalent to everyone living in Kuoh Town. We can't just charge in through the front entrance like we're raiding a small outpost."
"We're attacking from the front," I said firmly, beginning to walk in the direction where I could sense the strongest concentration of vampire energy.
Xenovia nodded approvingly and fell into step beside me. "A direct approach. I like it."
"Wait, hold on!" Valerie called after us, her voice filled with concern. "This is incredibly reckless! The Carmilla faction is known for being one of the stronger vampire houses. They have trained soldiers, magical defenses, and—"
She stopped mid-sentence, and I could practically hear the gears turning in her head as she remembered exactly who she was talking to. The same person who had single-handedly decimated a significant portion of the Tepes faction in one night. The same person who had defeated Vali Lucifer and Kokabiel.
"...You know what, never mind," she muttered, quickening her pace to catch up with us. "I suppose if anyone can pull off a frontal assault on a vampire stronghold, it would be you."
As we emerged from the treeline, the imposing gates of Carmilla territory came into view. Massive stone walls stretched in both directions, topped with what looked like a combination of traditional battlements and more modern magical barriers. The gates themselves were ornate affairs of dark metal decorated with intricate patterns that seemed to shift and move in my peripheral vision.
More importantly, eight female vampire guards stood at attention before the entrance. Each wore polished black armor that gleamed despite the overcast sky, and each carried a sword that radiated a faint supernatural aura. Their postures were alert and professional—these weren't ordinary sentries.
As we approached, the guards immediately took notice of our presence. Their hands moved to their weapon hilts in perfect synchronization, and I could see their fangs extending slightly as their eyes began to glow with an ominous red light, clearly preparing for potential combat.
"Halt!" the lead guard called out, her voice carrying the authority of someone accustomed to being obeyed. "State your business in Carmilla territory!"
I stepped forward, keeping my hands visible but ready to move if necessary. "I'm here to meet with Queen Carmilla. Tell her that—"
My words were cut off as all eight guards suddenly launched themselves at us with supernatural speed, their swords gleaming as they drew them in fluid motions. So much for diplomatic introductions.
"Hostile approach it is, then," I muttered, activating my abilities as I prepared to meet their charge.
Xenovia was already moving, Durandal materializing in her hands with a flash of holy light. "Finally, some action!" she declared with obvious enthusiasm as she intercepted two of the attacking guards.
Valerie summoned Chastiefol in its spear form, spinning the weapon with practiced grace as she engaged another pair of vampires. "Why is it never simple with you people?" she called out, though there was no real complaint in her voice.
I focused on the remaining four guards, deciding to keep my more dangerous abilities in reserve. These vampires were skilled, but they weren't threats that required the Sage's Eye. Instead, I activated my Bungee Gum, the aura extending from my hands in flexible strands that were invisible to normal sight.
The first guard's sword thrust met nothing but air as I used my water manipulation to create a small but precisely placed barrier that deflected her blade just enough to throw off her balance. At the same moment, my Bungee Gum attached to her armor, and I used it to redirect her momentum, sending her crashing into one of her companions.
The third guard attempted to flank me from the left, but I was ready for her. Water rose from the moisture in the air and the morning dew on the grass, forming into a pressurized stream that caught her sword arm and threw her off balance. Before she could recover, strands of Bungee Gum wrapped around her legs, and I yanked her feet out from under her.
The fourth guard proved more cautious, hanging back to observe my fighting style before committing to an attack. Smart, but it wouldn't save her. I sent a strand of Bungee Gum stretching wide around her position, then snapped it back like a rubber band, using the elastic properties to accelerate a sphere of compressed water directly at her midsection.
Around me, I could hear the sounds of Xenovia's battle—the distinctive ring of Durandal meeting vampire steel, followed by her satisfied laughter as she overwhelmed her opponents with sheer power and holy energy. Valerie was more tactical in her approach, using Chastiefol's shape-changing abilities to keep her enemies off balance, switching between spear, staff, and pillow forms as the situation demanded.
The guard I'd knocked down was already recovering, vampire regeneration allowing her to shake off what would have been devastating injuries to a human. She came at me again, this time with two of her companions who had regrouped. I was preparing to end this quickly when a desperate voice rang out across the courtyard.
"Stop! Everyone stop fighting!"
The familiar voice made all of us pause mid-combat. Elmenhilde came running toward us from the direction of the gates, her usually composed demeanor replaced with obvious panic and concern.
"Stand down!" she called to the guards. "These people are... guests!"
The vampire guards looked confused but obeyed, lowering their weapons though they remained obviously wary. Elmenhilde reached us, slightly out of breath and looking frazzled in a way I'd never seen before.
"What were you thinking, attacking the front gates directly?" she demanded, though her tone held more exasperation than anger. "Do you have any idea how close you came to triggering a full military response?"
"We're here to see your Queen," I replied simply. "This seemed like the most direct approach."
Elmenhilde rubbed her temples as if fighting off a headache. "There are protocols for this kind of thing. Diplomatic channels, proper introductions..." She trailed off, seeming to remember exactly who she was dealing with. "Although I suppose subtlety has never been your strong suit."
"Is Queen Carmilla available to meet with us?" Valerie asked, dismissing Chastiefol back to its dormant state.
"She's... expecting you, actually," Elmenhilde admitted reluctantly. "Come on, I'll escort you to the castle. Try not to attack anyone else on the way there."
* * *
The interior of the carriage was more luxurious than I'd expected, with plush velvet seats and intricate wooden paneling that spoke of centuries of craftsmanship. Elmenhilde sat across from me, with Xenovia beside her looking completely at ease despite the tension in the air. Valerie sat beside me, occasionally glancing out the window at the passing scenery of the Carmilla territory.
I decided to address the elephant in the room directly. "Why didn't your Queen tell the Khaos Brigade about my location? Or has she already told them?"
Elmenhilde's eyes widened in alarm, and she shook her head quickly. "No! Her Majesty hasn't said anything to them, I swear!" She seemed to catch herself getting too emotional and tried to compose herself. "The Queen... she knew you would eventually come to fight against the Khaos Brigade after you refused her alliance offer. She just didn't expect you to show up here, since she never told you about our current location."
*So Carmilla is playing a longer game than I initially thought. She's betting on my eventual opposition to Khaos Brigade while keeping her options open.*
"What's the current status of the war?" Valerie asked, her tone gentler than my interrogation had been.
Elmenhilde's expression grew somber. "We're losing. Every day, we lose more soldiers, more territory. At this rate, it won't be long before Her Majesty and the other nobles will have to take the field personally. And then we'll be facing not just the Tepes faction, but the Khaos Brigade as well."
Xenovia leaned forward with a frown. "If you're losing so badly, why don't you just surrender? It would prevent more unnecessary deaths."
The change in Elmenhilde's demeanor was immediate and dramatic. Her back straightened, her eyes flashed with pride, and her voice took on a tone of noble dignity that reminded me exactly what kind of ancient bloodline she represented.
"We are proud nobles," she declared firmly. "Neither I nor anyone in our faction would ever bow our heads to those upstarts, much less to any humans who think they can dictate terms to us." She noticed my steady gaze and seemed to realize how her words might have sounded. "Besides," she added more quietly, "it's too late for that now. The war will reach its conclusion soon enough."
The sadness that crept into her voice at the end told me everything I needed to know about what kind of conclusion she expected. Having someone like Khaos Brigade on your enemy's side would definitely shift tides of war in their war.
"Whether it's humans or vampires," I muttered, "war is still a problem that needs solving."
The rest of the carriage ride passed in contemplative silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts about the complicated situation we were walking into.
* * *
When the carriage finally came to a halt, I stepped out and found myself staring at something that looked like it had been pulled directly from the pages of a fantasy novel. The Carmilla castle rose before us in gothic splendor, with soaring spires, elaborate stonework, and enough architectural drama to satisfy any vampire's sense of aesthetics. The perpetual twilight cast eerie shadows across its ancient walls.
"This place needs better lighting," Xenovia commented matter-of-factly, squinting up at the dark castle. "How are we supposed to see any enemies sneaking up on us? Do vampires just stumble around in the dark all the time, or do they have some kind of night vision I don't know about?"
Both Valerie and I sweatdropped at her completely practical concern about combat visibility in a vampire stronghold.
"Please follow me to Her Majesty's chambers," Elmenhilde said, leading us toward the castle's main entrance.
As we walked through the massive front doors and into the castle proper, I found myself thinking about the conversation ahead. Queen Carmilla was expecting me, which meant she had some kind of plan or proposal ready. The question was whether whatever she had in mind would align with my own goals, because what I had in mind, was gonna shock not only her faction but even Valerie too.
*Either way, it's time to find out exactly what the Queen of the Carmilla faction wants from me—and what she's willing to do to get it.*
The sound of our footsteps echoed through the cobblestone corridors as we made our way deeper into the castle, toward what would undoubtedly be another complicated supernatural negotiation in my increasingly complicated life.
. .
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