The academy lay in ruins. Smoke rose from shattered walls, and the once-pristine courtyard was now a battlefield of scorched earth and broken stone. The air was heavy with the smell of blood and charred wards.
From the shadows, Victor Allucard watched quietly. His daughter, Lilith, had been injured during the assault, but he did not intervene.
"You must remain hidden," said the Succubus Goddess, appearing beside him. Her eyes glimmered with warning. "If he learns you were not by their side, Aiden will hate you for not helping."
Victor's crimson eyes flickered, but he nodded silently. "Then I shall remain in shadows… and watch."
Inside the destroyed dormitory, Aiden worked tirelessly, his newly awakened Night King blood powers making him efficient in stabilizing and healing Selene and Lilith. He whispered reassurances, though his own energy was still strained from the battle.
Selene leaned weakly against him, her shoulder bandaged with glowing threads of his blood. "You… saved us," she murmured, her voice faint but full of warmth.
Aiden only shook his head. "No. You all survived because I couldn't fail. I won't."
Lilith, however, was struggling. Her breaths came faster than normal, a faint tremor running through her body. She felt it — a burning, unquenchable thirst coursing through her veins.
Aiden noticed immediately. "Lilith… what's wrong?"
Before anyone could react, Lilith lunged, her fangs sinking into Aiden's arm. Crimson blood mixed with her own energy as she bit him fiercely, her eyes wide with confusion and shame.
Selene gasped, pulling back. Lucien froze, blinking in disbelief. "Sis… what the hell?"
Lilith's face flushed, her hands gripping Aiden's shoulders as she pulled back. "I… I didn't mean… I just… I couldn't control it."
Aiden's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't recoil. Instead, he gently placed a hand on her head, steadying her trembling form. "It's alright," he murmured. "You're… you're just discovering the power inside you. Your demon heritage… the thirst. It's part of you."
Lucien let out a low whistle. "Looks like the Baby Devil's little sister just made things… interesting."
Selene's gaze softened but carried a tinge of worry. "We need to be careful. The Church will recover, and now… everyone's blood is a weapon. Including ours."
From the shadows, Victor's eyes glimmered faintly. He had not moved to heal his daughter, but watching the scene, a small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. The storm was far from over, and the blood of kings and monsters was rising stronger with every passing moment.
Aiden, Lilith, and Selene stood together, weary but alive. The aftermath of the Church's first strike had left scars — physical and emotional — but it had also ignited new powers, new bonds, and new questions about the limits of their strength.
And in the quiet of the ruined dorm, the Night King's blood pulsed, preparing for the battles yet to come.