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At that moment Sera tried to dash over and assist when a sudden paralyzing sensation from the core of her dead heart caused her to freeze.

 

Simultaneously Nox had also stopped dead in his feeding and appeared to be immobilized where he laid atop the boar.

 

 

Blood red lightning flashed, thunder boomed,  and over the entire canyon a churning angry looking storm cloud formed. Soon the atmosphere of the entire place began to thicken as a heavy metallic scent of blood permeated the air.

 

At the same time, slowly at first, the stone skin and chains on the statued man began to lift off and float away through the air like ash.

 

In the time it takes an incense to burn the pigment of the statued man's hair starting from the root, began to bleed from a platinum blonde  to a stark shade of red.   Next visible crimson sparks and arcs of lightning started shooting across the air around Lucy and the semi statue.

 

A strange and ancient power seemed to be awakening.

 

WHOOSH

 

WHOOSH

 

Two pairs of massive 4 meter long blood red feathered wings rocketed out from the upper and lower back of the semi stone statue. The majestic wings looked soft and inviting to the touch yet poised to take flight at any moment as they wafted gracefully in the air.

 

With a dry crunch the last of the chains and the stone skin on the man disintegrated into motes of ash. His crimson eyelashes lightly fluttered  before opening to reveal a matching set of irises to the world.

 

"I-I'm Alive!" the man detached his fangs from Lucy's neck and bellowed so loudly it further shook the canyon's walls

 

He couldn't believe it.

 

He had spent 450 years imprisoned in that stone.

 

Wasting no time he surveyed his much paler and leaner alabaster form. He was still big enough at his 6'4 and 225 lb size, and it appeared he still retained his angelically good looks albeit with much longer red hair now.

 

"W-Who, W-What are you?" Lucy questioned from where she'd fallen after finally letting go of the winged man's neck.

 

"How strange, I have never met you before but it's as if I've known you my entire life."

 

The crimson haired man shifted his attention to Lucy before a strange expression covered his face. He then closed his eyes, took a long deep breath and fell to bended knee.

 

"You're a vampire and I suppose that means I am one now too, but you're not a regular one...you're special." the crimson haired man paused for a moment with his eyes closed, as if to collect his thoughts. "I-I don't know who or what I was before now ... I don't remember!" he growled lowly, showing his fanged canines for a moment. "There was a great battle, the heavens fell...I fell, then those chains and now- I can remember nothing."

 

Lucy listened and watched on with wide eyes at the angelic appearance of the man before her; he was like a work of art.

 

The sight of him immediately conjured the images of the angels and seraphs commonly seen in the cathedrals of Lucy's former  world of Morgana, only difference is this "angel" seemed much more like the avenging, judgement dealing kind.

 

She could feel an almost imperceptible charge in the air  originating from his very being and although she couldn't  get a gauge of his exact cultivation level, she knew he was no small fry and she'd best stay on his good side for now.

 

"Wait? Did you just say you're a vampire now as well?" Lucy asked while touching her now healed bite mark in sudden realization.

 

'Is it possible...?!' she gasped

 

"Yes you-" the crimson haired man started before being cut off.

 

Suddenly at that moment two speeding figures rocketed over to Lucy's side.

 

In the blink of an eye one had taken a defensive position just in front of Lucy  while the other much larger figure launched himself with startling speed at the winged man.

 

WHOOSH

 

Within seconds of impacting the two distinctly nude and masculine figures began to grapple with one another, each vying for domination.

 

BANG

 

With a cacophonous crash the two figures smashed into and caused a crater in a nearby canyon wall before rocketing to the other side of the canyon and repeating the action in the blink of an eye.

 

And although Nox had the advantage of size and height over the crimson winged man, he was pleasantly surprised at how strong and well his opponent was able to keep up.

 

"Weak" the winged man grunted before roughly slamming Nox against the canyon floor.

 

'I guess there are still worthy opponents left for me after all haha' Nox laughed to himself before continuing to wrestle with his opponent.

 

 

"Are you ok sire?" Sera crouched protectively in front of Lucy before eliciting another hiss toward the now busily grappling assailant.

 

"I am fine, you two can stand down. I do not think he means to hurt us." she said walking over and breaking up the match between the two men, "In fact, I think he may be one of us now. Nox, Sera don't you feel it? Here, close your eyes and focus"

 

At that moment Sera and Nox shared an inquisitive glance with each other and then at the winged man before closing their eyes and focusing their attention inward...

 

"Oh, yes, I feel it. He shares the bond!" nodded Sera as she stared at the newest member of their coven.

.

"I-I feel something, almost like he's a blood relative I haven't seen in a long time- but how is all of this possible Lucy? W-What are we?"

 

A light rosy blush covered Lucy's cheeks as she remembered she had pretty much turned Nox and left him to his own devices without a proper intro into his new lifestyle.

 

"Well you see," Lucy started hesitantly, eliciting a small chuckle from Sera and a raised brow from the other red haired vampire. "We are all vampires, powerful creatures of the night who can live forever as long as we drink enough blood and avoid sunlight. Back in the forest near Port Blackwood, I turned you into one after we ran into Priest Cleary for the first time. I uh I apologize for leaving you there alone after turning you but Sera's life was at stake and I planned to return right away. "

 

After finishing her brief explanation, Lucy was hesitant to look Nox in the eyes, but once she did she was relieved to see his gaze toward her was still soft and warm.

 

Suffice to say the sire-progeny bond between the two smoothed any sour feelings there could've been, thanks to it none of Lucy's progeny would ever challenge her.

 

"All is forgiven, I completely understand. And to be quite honest, I probably would've done the same if I was in your shoes. Your decision was a wise one."

 

Lucy nodded a brief thanks before turning her attention back to the her newest progeny; his angelic visage looked flawless yet tormented under the glow of the moonlight.

 

" I understand if you need a moment to regain your bearings, it takes some time getting used to the change. But with that being said I do want to make sure we prioritize some things right away... First off, who or what are you?"

 

A complicated expression crossed the winged man's face before he replied in a hesitant tone, "I'm afraid I truly don't know, I-I can't seem to remember..."

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