The new Eric stood emitting the aura of a powerful person. He slowly cocked his gun; his golden pupils moved as he glanced at the vampire.
Immediately, the matriarch subconsciously held her neck.
"Filthy bloodsucker."
Eric pointed his gun at the vampire.
Boom!!!
The vampire matriarch appeared on a fallen tree, sitting with her legs crossed as the last part of her neck healed completely. The spot where she was standing a second ago suddenly lit up in golden flames. Her battered clothes disintegrated and were instantly replaced with a black gown. With all her injuries healed and her clothes changed, her appearance was now clearer.
She looked like a beautiful young woman in her late twenties. She had slightly pale skin and black hair. Her bright red eyes held a profound depth that showed her old age. Just casually sitting on the tree, her aura rivaled that of the transformed Eric.
She was Amanda Crimson, the matriarch of the Red Tower.
"Tch, she's healed," Hermes said with a sigh, leaning his head back on the tree he was impaled on. His occasional twitching showed that he was in pain, yet his face was indifferent.
Amanda's lips parted, revealing her fang-like tooth.
"Allow me to formally introduce myself. I'm Lady Amanda Crimson, matriarch of the Red Tower vampires. Who are you?" She asked Eric.
Instead of answering, Eric turned to Hermes. "Hermes... What is this?"
Hermes's face displayed shock. "Eric?"
"Yes."
"Wait, it's still you?"
"What do you mean, it's still me? I thought you stabbed me in the heart because you knew this would happen."
"Well, yeah, in a way, but I didn't expect you to retain your reasoning."
"You stabbed even though there was a chance that I'd lose my reasoning? What is this? No more secrets. You need to start explaining stuff right now." Eric's voice remained calm and collected while he spoke, his tone with a hint of experienced maturity.
"Well, it's good that you retained your reasoning—"
"I said you should explain."
"You really want an explanation now?" Hermes said, gesturing with his head.
Eric turned in the direction Hermes gestured to. Looking at them with her blood-red eyes was Amanda.
"I noticed you ignored me earlier. My name is—"
Eric turned away, ignoring the vampire matriarch once again. Hermes's brow furrowed. It looked weird due to the fact that he was blind.
"Why are you ignoring her?"
"I don't know. There's something wrong with me."
"Explain, Kid."
"Remember how you said there was a chance I'd lose my reasoning? I think I understand. I can feel it; there's something in my mind. Trapped. And it's affecting me. Since I transformed, I've been feeling different. I can see my body changed; I even feel a different kind of strength running through my veins, but... my thought process... it's different; it's almost like I'm not myself anymore." Eric's voice deepened.
"Right now, there's a foul stench in the air. I'm utterly disgusted by this vampire. In my mind... there is a burning hatred. The disgust and the hatred are overwhelming me. It's forcing me to not even look at her, like I'll be defiled if I even listen to her voice. It's taking everything out of me to not walk over there and try to kill her. This foul stench—it's from her. This hate is scaring me, but..."
"But?"
Eric looked straight into Hermes's empty eye sockets. His face still retained his indifferent look.
"I don't see her as a threat."
"Oh?" Amanda's voice sounded laden with intrigue. "I'm not a threat? From what you said now. It seems your transformation made you stronger. Were you Hermes's last resort? If you and your brother end up failing to kill me, which you did. Was this kid your last resort? I should kill him then. Don't you think?" Amanda slowly stood up.
"What should I do, Hermes?"
Hermes smiled and turned his face to Amanda. "She's not a threat, huh? Listen carefully, kid; I'm not going to repeat this. You have been possessed by a being called 'the reaper.' Why? I don't know. Your relationship with him? No idea, but you can be sure your life can no longer be the way it was before."
"Wait, wh—"
"Don't worry. For some reason, the reaper doesn't want you dead. It's protecting you. It's why you were able to survive three years alone in this abominable land."
"Wait, that's not—"
"Your form right now is a result of his fusion with your body. A reaction from because I stabbed you. From your form right now, I'm guessing you're a priest. Do you see the large cross behind your cloak? That's the symbol of the 'undefiled.' A high-ranking exorcist. Attaining that level takes years of experience, but it seems being the host of the reaper skipped you a few years. Well, if you have the symbol, it means you can use divine energy."
"Wait, wait, this is too much. I don't understand."
"You don't have to. Just listen to me. You said you feel a special power in your veins, right?"
"Yes."
"That is called 'Divine Energy. I'm sure you wondered how we are able to all this crazy stuff even though we're humans—"
"No. I just thought you were monsters."
"Tch, well, we are humans. Divine Energy is how we can do what we do. Channel that power to increase your strength; pull this branch out of my chest."
"..."
"What are you waiting for?"
"How do I channel the Divine Energy?"
"I just told you. Channel it!"
"That's it? That's your explanation?"
"What? You need more? Be quick. She's going to attack any moment now."
"I'm going to need more details. Is this how you were taught?"
"Yes. You know what? This is going to hurt... Shoot me. The explosion would free me."
"Are you crazy? Did you see what happened when I shot earlier? It'll blow you to pieces. What is the point of you if you're dead? How are you not even dead like this?"
"I think that's enough of chatter. A kid who can't even use divine energy? This was your plan, Hermes? Well, I guess he's interesting since you say he was possessed by the reaper. I should experiment on him."
"Tch, filthy bloodsucker." Eric turned to her and shot repeatedly as her body kept vanishing and reappearing in different places.
"Look, you have the body and divine energy of a high-ranking priest, but you have no experience. You'll never win. Get me out of this thing. I'm still alive after having a branch in my chest. Your puny gun wouldn't kill me."
"Ah—I can't let you free, Hermes, kid. I'm a little weak from the earlier attempt of him and his brother trying to behead me. If you free him. I might not be able to stop him acting up."
Amanda raised her hand. Suddenly the colorful sky of the dreamscape completely turned red. Then a moon, something he had never seen in the dreamscape, appeared.
"Eric! Stop being a coward and freaking shoot."
"Coward? Me? Never! Fine, whatever happens is on you," with a fluid motion that almost seemed practiced. Eric pulled his gun on Hermes.
Bang!!!
Everything lit up in flames. The force behind the attack was even more than before. Hermes's body completely disintegrated along with the tree.
"Oh, you really shot him," Amanda said
"He asked me to."
"I noticed you were reluctant at first but didn't hesitate when he called you a coward. Must be the personality change. I guess this form of yours is quite prideful. So now that you've killed him. What do you plan to do?"
"Stop talking to me, vampire. You're making me more annoyed."
"You're not pained about his death? Is your transformation suppressing it? You seem even more aggressive to me. You're turning your pain to anger? I didn't kill him. You did."
"He died because of you."
"No, he died becau—"
A hand held up Amanda's head. The rest of her body flopped to the ground headless. The owner of hand raised her head to his eye level.
"Oh, I died? That's a joke"