Zeres’ eyes widened after taking a closer look at the badge. It was a badge that signifies you’re a member of the ’Covenant of Ash’, an organization or a cult formed by Apostles or people who served the Forsakens.

"Urgh, Fuck it hurts," he groaned, laying on the cold ground as he stared at the sky. The black sphere covering it was already gone.

The metallic smell of blood drifted around the empty space, making Zeres’ tired face twist in disgust.

"When will I get used to this?" he hissed. His blood still felt like it was burning, his senses stretched too wide that he could even sense a pig moving quietly across the farm.

"I never thought I’d have to use this one on a mere student," Zeres’ head snapped to his side. Kale’s corpse was wriggling like a maggot—and he was smiling.

"I still wonder how you knew so much about us; our organization’s history stretches far back before even empires were built. But if you’re a vampire, that makes sense." His voice became even more distorted as his legs stood up, the sound of bones cracking echoed as he fixed his spine back into place.

Move! Zeres forced himself to stand up, his legs wobbling—his vision blurring. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"It was nice meeting you, for the first and last time," Kale smiled. His ripped mouth showed all of his teeth as he moved. The daggers in his grasp shone before they made their way towards Zeres’ stomach.

The sound of wings flapping echoed as Zeres flew into mid-air. His body was filled with bruises and mangled flesh, while a fresh wound on his side was dripping blood.

"Fuck," he cursed. His body was barely holding on after using the Blood Origin he possessed. If he had known that it was that hard to use, he wouldn’t be in such a pathetic state right now.

"Careful, this blade has poison," Kale chuckled lightly while playing with the ominous dagger. Then he extended his arm, and a massive black magic circle appeared; the runes etched into it made it feel ancient.

This is dangerous! Zeres’ instincts kicked in. He flapped his wings to move, but a searing pain assaulted him from his side. He gritted his teeth as he glanced at it. His skin had turned purple from the poison.

"Black throne buried beneath forgotten ruin, heed my call. Let the world kneel beneath hollow sovereignty. Rot the land, silence the pulse, and drag the living toward despair... Black Magic: Throne of the Hollow King." Kale chanted, an arrogant smile tugging at his lips as a massive black throne emerged from his shadow.

What is— Zeres wasn’t able to figure out what was going on when a strong gravitational force made him plummet down to the ground hard.

"It’s no use. This spell is an exclusive one only accessible to Disciples of Heralds," Kale smirked, resting his head on his hand as all of his wounds started healing.

Zeres’ gaze snapped to the ground; countless black, murky hands were trying to get a hold of him while he was restrained by the gravitational force.

"Well, how does it feel to drown?" Kale asked, staring down at Zeres who was slowly being consumed by the black hands.

Zeres opened his mouth, exhaling deeply through his nose before he chanted.

"Rain of Zephyr’s Dark Blood."

The whole area went still. The hands grabbing his thighs and calves halted.

Kale’s eyes widened, then droplets of liquid appeared. It had started raining—raining blood, and a tornado was slowly escalating the damage within the forest.

"You wretched thing! How come you know of such a spell!" Kale shouted from the bottom of his lungs. The throne he’d been sitting on was destroyed as multiple raindrops pierced his entire body.

He tried forming a barrier, but it was too late—multiple blood-raindrops had already plunged deep inside his body.

His desperate shout drifted across the forest before his body fell to the ground, black blood seeping out from the gaping wounds he received.

"Ask my damn sister," Zeres mumbled, his vision blurring before he fell to the ground. Long white hair soaked with blood lay sprawled across the earth.

The forest was silent. Destroyed trees, uprooted ones, and even some trees who seemed to have lost their vitality screamed in agony under the illumination of the moonlight.

Zeres’ chest heaved up and down, his gaze fixed on the red screen hovering before him.

=======

[Assimilation : 12%]

=======

"Fuck, is there really no escape from this?" he smiled bitterly as a hollow laugh escaped his mouth.

"Still, this looks useful." Holding up the badge he had taken from Kale, he let the moonlight reflect off it.

Then a strange thing happened. The badge made a screeching noise before a message hovered above it.

==Ygris Forest. 12 pm at midnight on the fortnight==

Zeres’ eyes narrowed. "Haha, looks like they have some meetings." He then hid the badge inside his storage ring.

"Fuck, I’m drained," he mumbled. His mouth felt dry; he was craving fresh blood.

Just then, he heard the sound of footsteps mingled with a heartbeat beating so fast, along with a familiar scent of blood.

"I thought you went back to school already?" Zeres asked, forcing himself to stand up, but he miserably failed. He embarrassingly fell with his face planted on the ground.

"You—you’re alive." Aeliz’s voice softened. Her long white hair fluttered behind her as her sapphire-like eyes gazed at him with meaning. Then she walked towards him.

"But what happened here? Your body’s a mess," she clicked her tongue, her fist clenched hard. Then her eyes widened slightly.

"You’re a vampire, right? Here, take some of my blood. Just don’t leave me dry," she said, a teasing smile tugging at her lips as she folded the fabric of her sleeves.

"That won’t be enough," Zeres muttered. Then his hand sprang towards Aeliz’s nape as he drew her closer. Their breaths mingled, gaze meeting for a second, their faces only a small distance apart before Zeres sank his canines into her white-porcelain neck.

"Hnnghh—" Aeliz’s back arched. A strange sound escaped her mouth as her hand moved to grab onto his back. She felt a strange sensation coursing through her...