As the battle continued, all hope seemed to be lost. More and more vampires poured over the walls, and while they were trying their best to fight back, to shoot them down before they could approach, there were far too many.

Too many.

The smell of blood and death filled the air, and the screams of agony were enough to make anybody's heart sink. That was especially true for Lucien, who could hardly stand at this point. His legs were weak, and his body was trembling.

"Fuck--! They're never ending!"

His hands were clammy, and his grip on his rifle was slipping. Every bullet he fired loosened his grip further and further, until he couldn't hold it anymore.

He had no choice but to run.

As he turned, he bumped into another soldier, who was also running.

"Watch it!”

"Shit, sorry--!"

He was quickly cut off as a batlike beast flew in between the two, its jaws open and ready to bite. A rag covered leg was sent into Lucien’s gut, knocking him a few meters away.

But he wasn’t safe from the Creature’s grasp. No, it quickly jumped atop him.

"GAH-- FUCK! GET OFF OF ME! GET OFF!"

Lucien stumbled back, his arms flailing as he struggled to get the monster off of him. He could feel its claws digging into his skin, its razor sharp fangs looming closer and closer every moment.

"H-HEY, YOU! SHOOT THIS THING!"

He was met with silence.

"HEY-- W-WHERE ARE YOU GOING?! PLEASE! SOMEONE! ANYONE! PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS! I CAN'T... I CAN'T DIE, NOT YET, NOT YET! THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!"

As he cried out, the sight of the Vampire on top of him grew nearer as it struggled to bite him. It was a bat-like face, with sharpened teeth and glowing red eyes that seemed to almost shine. Saliva dripped down from it’s agape mouth, trembling, shaking as it pushed Lucien down.

"Blood.... B... blood..." It spoke incoherently as it shook, desperate, dying. Were all of these Vampires blood starved? Is that why they were so willing to die?

"YOU-- YOU DAMN FUCKING VAMP-- GET OFF!" He fought. Oh, how he fought.

But it was all for naught.

Nobody came.

Not one single soul.

And, before he knew it, the Vampire had bitten into his neck, a fierce stinging pain reverberating throughout his body.

"GHAAAAA-- GAAH! IT-- IT HURTS, IT HURTS– GET OFF OF ME!”

As his pleas rang out through the air, the vampire finally stopped moving. Its head dropped to the ground, and its claws slowly let go of his body.

Lucien was stunned.

It was... dead?

Had he killed it somehow?

He wasn't sure, but as his vision started to fade, he could feel his blood dripping from his neck and the feeling of cold infecting his body. 

He was dying.

No... he was turning. A far worse fate for a human.

A stinging fear washed over him as he made this realization.

He couldn't become one of them. He couldn't.

He was going to fight it.

With his remaining strength, he lifted his gun and aimed it at his temple. That's what he knew he had to do. He...

 

"Shit, kid! You're lucky I found you before an enforcer!" A voice broke through, distracting him from his thoughts of death.

"W-who..."

While his vision was blurring, he squinted his eyes as he tried to make out the figure standing in front of him. It seemed to be a woman, wielding not a weapon in sight. Was it this person who killed the Vampire, who saved him? If so, the only question that stood was how.

"Hey, hey. Stay with me, kid! Don't give up on me. You're not going to die. Not on my watch."

As he felt her lift him up, his mind grew more and more hazy. He felt his body tremble, his breathing was labored, and his throat was dry.

"Shit-- Venom's already spreading through you..." She spoke, ruffling through her pockets, "Need to start the purification process... Today's your lucky day! Well, if you survive this..."

"Wha-- what are you--"

He could barely speak, and his eyes were closing.

"Don't worry, kid. Just trust me, okay?" 

"Tch, you're wasting your time with him." A second voice spoke out behind the other, much lower than the former.

"The Headmaster needed new members, right? Besides, you can trust my intuition!"

As the two voices spoke, Lucien could feel something cold being pressed against his neck.

"Step one," She spoke, muttering the process as she worked, "Apply Silver to clean the area..."

The object was taken off as she took out a syringe.

"Next, take a blood sample.."

She pushed the syringe into his arm, a vial connected to it quickly being filled with a crimson liquid. Once full, she took it out and shook it a bit.

"Step three, I gotta get some of the venom... This'll hurt a bit, kay? Clench your teeth or somethin'."

He nodded, not quite understanding what was going on. But, before he could ask, another syringe, this one with a silver glint to it, was inserted into his neck.

 "AGH--!"

A wave of pain washed over him, his body spasming as it tried to reject the object.

"He's already close! Jasper, pass me the serum!"

The man behind her threw something her way, catching it as she mixed it with the strange clear liquid she got from the wound on his neck.

"Almost done. Just hold on, kid!"

Once done, she combined the blood vial with this new mixture as she shook it again.

"Alright. Last step."

She pushed the syringe back into him, the mixture entering his body through the one artery in his neck that hadn’t been torn open.

"Please work please work please work..." She muttered under her breath as she watched the young man convulse.

Lucien screamed as pain overwhelmed him, his body trembling. It was unbearable, and if he had any strength left, he'd try and rip the needle out. Of course, he couldn't, as his limbs failed him. 

He could barely breathe, and he couldn't open his eyes.

Was this it?

Was this how he seriously died?!
After everything he did? All the years he fought just to survive? How the hell was this fair?!

He felt his consciousness fading as his body began to give out and his breathing slowed. But, after a few minutes, his body stopped trembling, and his muscles relaxed.

"Hey, hey! Come on, stay with me..."

The voice rang through, and his eyes flickered open.

"Oh, HELL yeah!" She lifted her arms in the air, grinning from ear to ear, "I managed a field save! That's gotta be some kinda record, huh?"

"Tch, you were lucky, that’s all… Looks like the new serum works well…”

"Yeah, yeah. Kid, can you stand?"

Lucien lowered his eyebrows in confusion, "Stand?! I have a hole in my neck!"

"Do you? Maybe you should check again..."

"Wait-- what?

He grabbed the area where the Vampire had bitten, finding that  the large open wound was now nearly completely healed. In fact, it was almost as if his flesh and skin was regenerating as they spoke.

"How did you... Wait, what are you, some kind of miracle worker?

"Nope! I'm a Hunter, just like you, now!"

"... Huh?"

 

-- 

 

Lieutenant Ramirez was always a proud man. He had served the military since he was young, just seventeen, and his record was impeccable. He was the top of his class as a private and was quickly promoted to Lieutenant. He had a high success rate, and was a master strategist. There wasn't a single thing he couldn't handle. He knew there was nothing he couldn’t handle.

Until today.

A surprise attack on Sanctuary, one he was told about only twenty minutes before they appeared.

Just twenty minutes…

It was a massacre.

Soldiers were dropping, his soldiers were fleeing, and the Vampires never stopped coming. For every Vampire that was shot down, three more quickly replaced them. Four platoons in whole, along with some other soldiers, were ordered to guard this specific portion of the wall. All in all, that was around two hundred and fifty people.

Two hundred were dead or gone. There were less than fifty left.

Ramirez didn't move from his footing. No, he kept on shooting. Any Vampire that got closer than ten meters from him was met with a bullet to the head.

But by all means, he felt like the last of their defenses at this point. A few other lieutenants and second lieutenants remained, along with some of the more skilled soldiers, but the majority were either dead or far away from the wall. Or, even worse, beginning to turn.

"Fuck-- we need backup!" One of the Lieutenants of another platoon yelled out as he reloaded his gun.

"It's not coming. All the other sectors are being overwhelmed as well. We're on our own." Ramirez clenched his teeth, firing a silver bullet into the head of a flying Vampire.

"Damn it... we've got to pull back. There's no way we can keep up this pace…” Ramirez’s Second Lieutenant,  Clyde Drescher, spoke up, firing an array of shots upon the approaching horde.

"Pull back and every damn citizen hiding in their houses will be dead! If we don't stay here, we might as well be traitors to the entire fucking city!" Ramirez yelled back, his arch narrowed and hand still tight around his rifle.

"You're a fool if you think we can keep fighting!" Another Lieutenant of his own caliber spoke.

"I don't care what you think, keep firing! Our duty is to protect the citizens of Sanctuary, and by God, I won't let a single fucking Vampire get through!"

"Are you kidding me?! You're insane! This is suicide! You're going to get us all killed, Ramirez!"

"If that is our fate, then so be it! This is what we chose when we became soldiers! We may die, but we'll bring every last one of these Vamps with us! Do you hear me?!"

"D-damn it... Fine! But I'll be cursing your name as I die!"

"I'll be cursing mine, too."

The Lieutenant grumbled as he reloaded his rifle. His words roused the courage of the soldiers, but it didn't mean much. The battle continued to be a losing one.

"Sir! Enforcers have arrived!"

Ramirez's eyes lit up at the words.

"Finally!"

They were the pride of Sanctuary. Each one was hand selected, trained by the best, and were some of the strongest, most skilled fighters on the entire planet. They were a special group, designed to eliminate Vampires.

Each one was inhumanly strong, said to overpower even the hunters. Yet, they didn't use the blood of Vampires to become strong. Their secrets were kept close, but one thing was clear. One thing they were proud of more than anything else.

They were humans. True Humans.

Their strength, their skill, their prowess.

It was all earned through hard work, blood, sweat, and tears.

And Ramirez was thankful that he could have the honor of fighting alongside them.

"Alright men, they're our salvation! Let's show them what we've got! We're not going down without a fight, damn it!"

As his men roared with determination, five people approached. Each of them had no weapon in sight, but their posture alone showed their experience and power.

"I'm assuming you're Lieutenant Ramirez?"

One stepped forward, an older looking man, perhaps in his late eighties, with a long, well kept beard. His graying hair was tied back into a long ponytail, his impressive physique noticeable even through his uniform. 

"That's correct, sir. I'm glad you've arrived, we've been overwhelmed."

"I can see that. How are your supplies?"

"We've got enough ammunition for a good fifteen more minutes. A few silver grenades... Though, only fifty of us are left by the last check. I don't think we'll last."

"Then, it's a good thing we’re here. Dern, Sera, stay in the front. Not one more of these soldiers die."

The man turned to two of the figures, a taller, muscular woman with her braided hair tightly set behind her face, and a shorter, black haired man with low set eyes.

"Understood." They both spoke in unison.

"Carter, ready the barrier. It should at least slow them down long enough for us."

"Gotcha, boss. Should be no problem."

The fourth figure spoke up, a tiny blonde woman who began to take a step forward.

The bearded man looked to the final of the enforcers, "And you..."

"I’ll kill every last one of them.”

The last of the Enforcers, a young looking woman with black hair set with bright white highlights that covered one of her eyes, simply walked past the rest, her one visible blue eye filled with an intense fury.

"You never change. You have full permission… but try not to die.”

"No promises, old man."

The man ran his hand through his beard, sighing.

"As for you, soldiers. Stay your hand for now and get ready. When I give the signal, all of you must fire at once. That's when Carter will activate her barrier. After that, the rest is up to us."

"... Barrier?" Ramirez raised an eyebrow.

"You won't be able to see it, but you'll know when it's up. For a while, Vampires won't be able to get through, stuck in the air... At least, until she gets tired. So, get ready. The second we get our opportunity, we strike."

"Alright. You heard the man! Reload and steady your aim!"

The remaining soldiers did as they were told, each of them preparing for the fight of their lives. Perhaps, the last one they'd fight if these Enforcers didn't live up to their reputation.

"Another wave of vampires are coming!"

A shout from the left rang out, causing Ramirez to look over. Sure enough, a large group was flying towards them.

"Steady..."

He could feel his heart beat faster as they drew near.

"Now, fire!"

The enforcer called out, and as soon as he did, the soldiers followed suit.

"Fire!"

With that, bullets and shells flew from every direction. As the Vampires drew closer, a strange, invisible force seemed to stop them in their tracks. They tried their hardest to fly forward, but they got nowhere.

"W-what the hell?!"

"Did we win?"

The soldiers looked on in confusion.

"No, not yet. Keep firing!"

The enforcer shouted, and the soldiers immediately began their barrage again. Bodies began piling up as they stayed in the air, unable to move.

"Carter, now!"

"On it, boss!"

A sudden shift happened, and  many of the Vampires stuck upon the barrier dropped to the ground, their bodies limp and lifeless.

There were still those who hid behind the corpses of their allies, however. Thus, without fear and the barrier down, they approached once more.

"Alice... you're free to--"

Before the bearded man could finish speaking, the young blue eyed woman from before rushed forward. Long, leathery wings sprouted from her back as she flew forward, surprising each of the soldiers as they watched what happened.

"That woman-- She's a Vampire?!"

"Calm yourself. She's an anomaly among us, yes, but I assure you she's no Vamp. She's one of us... A human. "The elderly man, the seeming leader of the Enforcers, spoke. His eyes were narrowed, his arms crossed. “Do not doubt it for a moment.”

Ramirez lowered his brow, not quite believing the words, but he didn't have much time to think on it.

"Fuck... She's fast..." One of the now idle soldiers spoke.

“She’s fucking flying, John. Why is that what you’re surprised about.”

In but a moment she reached the approaching horde as she stabbed some invisible object through one's throat. It fell to the ground soon after as she moved to her next target. Then her next. And her next.

She was like a hurricane, cutting through them as if it were nothing.

"Sera, Dern! Stop standing around! Provide supporting fire!

The two enforcers raised their hands, and as they did, the rifles from the fallen soldiers lifted into the air. The trigger was pulled, and the guns fired, aiming at the Vampires around the flying woman.

In that moment, more hellfire rained than what any of the other soldiers could manage with all fifty of them. Were they truly this useless compared to them?
Was this the power of an Enforcer? This strange ability, supernatural by all regards…

Not a word was uttered from any of the soldiers.

None dared make a sound, as if their lives were dependent on their silence.

"Carter, do you have enough Aura for another barrier?"

"Yep! Just gimme a second!"

"Boss... That's... a lot of Vampires. Even for Alice, I'm not sure..." Dern seemed unsure as he spoke, looking back at the bearded man.

"Shut it, Dern Focus on--" His eyes narrowed as he spotted three figures approaching from the rear, "True Bloods! They're already past Alice, get ready!"

Ramirez looked towards the flying woman, spotting the three figures. She was still trying to clean up the last of the horde, and they were coming right towards them.

"Even just three of those monsters together would be enough to kill a few platoons. You sure you Enforcers can deal with them? If they reach us, we'll be dead." One of the Lieutenants questioned as they reloaded their rifle.

"If that's the case, why are you asking such a futile question? Keep firing to keep the vamps back with Alice. The four of us will deal with the True Bloods. I won't be holding back. I can't, not when they're so close."

The Enforcer spoke with confidence, and it seemed to rouse the soldiers.

"So, worry more about staying away from me, soldiers."

Ramirez smirked, "Don't have to tell me twice. You Enforcers do your job, and we'll do ours."

"Good."

The four enforcers stepped forward, the bearded man cracking his fists.

"Carter, set a persononal barrier around the soldiers. Keep everything trying to get in out. And, when the barrier is down, make sure you're ready for another. Don't drop the barrier until all the Vampires are dealt with, got it?"

"Gotcha, boss!"

"Then, let's begin."

 

--

 

Alice felt her blood boil as she cut through the vampires, her mind numb and her body moving on its own.

She hated them.

Hated their guts.

Hated their blood.

Hated their scent.

They disgusted her, and nothing gave her more pleasure than watching them die.

Her grasp on her Phantom Weapon tightened as she took off the head of yet another of the Bloodstarved Vampires. It was laughable how easily they fell, and her smile grew as she moved on to the next one.

"Die... die…. Die!"

She felt a rush every time she took one of their pathetic lives, a satisfaction deep within her. She didn't need to breathe, didn't need to eat. All she needed was their blood.

Their blood, which was filling the air and making her mouth water.

She couldn't help but crave it.

"Fuck... stop it. Stop…”

She clenched her teeth, forcing the thoughts out of her head.

In that moment of distraction, however, she felt the aura of three figures flying past her. True Bloods, heading right towards the soldiers and Enforcers.

"Damn it...! True Bloods!!" She felt a droplet of crimson fall onto her hand from her bloodied blade.

She was still stuck dealing with the horde. There were dozens more left, and she didn't want to leave the soldiers to deal with them.

By her last count, there were one hundred and seven of the Spawn remaining. A hundred more hearts to cut to shreds.

A hundred more lives to take.

A hundred more deaths to be the cause of.

She felt the blood lust wash over her once more. She couldn't stop now. She couldn't leave to focus on the True Bloods. She'd kill every last one of these disgusting Vampires! Each and every one of them! 

She felt her blood-stained hair fall down her shoulders as she prepared her blade, her eyes narrowing.

One of the Vampire's flew to claw at her back.

"Stupid...!"

She twisted her body, cutting the Vampire’s arm off with one swift slice.

"If you think you can hurt me, you're dead wrong... Haha... hahaha... Dead… wrong."

As her blade pierced through the Vampire's chest, she pulled the blade back and slashed across its stomach, letting it bleed out while it hurtled towards the ground.

"Hahaha..." She felt a wide smirk spread across her blood stained lips, "Weakling..."

She didn't wait, quickly moving on to the next target.

"DIE, DIE, DIE!"

"I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU! TEAR YOU TO SHREDS! RIP OUT YOUR THROATS AS I WATCH YOU GURGLE OUT A CRY FOR MERCY!"
"I'LL USE YOUR OWN VILE CLAWS TO BREAK YOU! TURN YOU TO A BLOODY PILE SPREAD ACROSS THE SNOW! WATCH AS YOUR EYES POP OUT OF YOUR SKULLS AS YOUR SCREAMS RING OUT, ONLY FOR THEM TO BE STAINED WITH YOUROWN BLOOD!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! I'LL KILL YOU! KILL YOU ALL! I- I'LL--"

She stopped herself as a blade entered one last Vampire.

Their eyes were a bright crimson red, a thin, emaciated frame covered by tattered clothes, and their face was that of a human, yet gaunt and hollowed and just a tad beastlike. They looked young.

The Vampire was a young child, an obvious deduction she made. A Bloodstarved child who had no control of herself anymore. The thirst overpowered them, following only their sense of smell as they tried to find any sort of blood that would sate them.

The child was sobbing.

"..."

She removed the blade from the Vampire. It fell to the ground.

"... Disgusting Vampire..."

As the Vampire hit the ground, she spit down upon the pile of corpses.

"All of you... I hate all of you."

It was a massacre, a sea of red spread out in front of her. Her hands, her face, her clothes, all stained in the red liquid.

And she was the one who did it.

The thought brought a smile to her face.

"Hate you... hate them..."

"Haha… hah...."

She let her wings return to her back, her blade disappearing along with them. She fell to the ground hitting the icy dirt, the blood-stained snow falling from the sky as the wind blew her hair out of her face.

Her other eye finally came into view.
A red eye.

"... Disgusting..."

It was silent.

"Hey, Sera... What's the situation? Is everyone alive?"

She took out her phone as she called her fellow enforcer.

"We're fine over here. No more casualties, though the soldiers seem to be in shock. They were lucky to have us."

"Hah, glad I could save you some work. What about the True Bloods? How many were there?"

"Just three. But, we were able to kill two, and the other fled."

"... It’s location?"

"Don’t even think about following after them. You must be exhausted… let’s regroup, okay?”

"Alright... Be right there."

"..."

"..."

"Alice... you okay?”

"No."

She hung up the phone and turned to walk away.

"No, I'm not."

 

--

 

As the second True Blood fell to the ground and the third began to run, Ramirez fell to his knees.

His gun was empty.

He had no bullets.

He... had no injuries.

But, the sight he just witnessed, and the fact that he was still alive. It made him weak in the knees.

"They're... dead."

"Lieutenant."

"... Huh. Yes, Enforcer?"

He turned to stare at the bearded man, leaning on his rifle as he stood.

"How many soldiers did you say were left?"

"Around fifty, not counting those who were bitten. They've all followed protocol and shot themselves, however."

"Hm… I see. Then we will be eliminating the remaining Vampires that got through the other walls.”

"What?! They're in no condition to fight!"

"They won't have to. I'm giving you and them a direct order to leave the fighting to us."

Ramirez let out a sigh of relief, "I... thank you, Enforcer."

"It's my job." The man turned to leave, though stopped to speak once more, "... your full name, Lieutenant?"

"... Ramirez." He replied, "Lieutenant Imeldo Ramirez. You?”
"Enforcer Mun Ji-Hun. Captain of the Eleven enforcers. I ordered the other six to deal with the less out numbered sides of the wall. It was a surprise attack, after all and there are many ways in."

"Right. I'll give the order for everyone to retreat and head to the hospital, then. I... need to check the casualties. The General's daughter was among the soldiers fighting and I don't see her… here…”

“General’s daughter? Hm… What was her name, Rose?”
“Rosa.” Ramirez quickly corrected him.
“Right… Hm, I might as well come with you. The rest can deal with the Vampire’s that got inside..”
“Got it, sir.” Ramirez looked up at him, “And thank you.”
“Hm,” He nodded as acknowledgement, “I didn’t spot her features with the rest of the corpses. I suppose she must have ran…”

“... No, she wouldn’t. She’s not the type… She struggles with killing, but she wouldn't run. No..." He shook his head, "If she's not here, she's most likely injured and hiding. Perhaps with someone else…”

"Very well.

"... Right."

"Sera, Carter, Dern. Make sure this wall is clean and help the others if needed. Alice is probably going to find more Vampire's to kill outside the wall... When it's safe, you'll meet us at the hospital."

"Yes, sir!" The three answered in unison, and with that, the Enforcers were gone.

Ramirez was left, staring at the bearded man, Ji-Hun, in front of him.

"We'd best get going. It won't be easy telling the General that her daughter is missing. Or worse."

"Just… what do you mean by that…?” Ramirez raised his eyebrows, taking a step forward.

"You're a smart man, Lieutenant. Let me tell you something, something interesting happens once you begin training as an Enforcer. Your sense of smell begins to heighten to something beyond the average person. And, a Human and Vampire each have a particular scent to them. I smell the same scent the general has, along with one I haven't smelt before... Following behind those two is another scent, a vampire’s scent, as well as the faint signature of an Aura... A True Blood was following them."

Ramirez's eyes widened.

"That's..."

"I'm not one to jump to conclusions. If she's still in the city and alive, we'd better find her quick. It looks like they were heading to the generators, they must have been trying to get them back on. Let's get going there before anything.”

Ramirez nodded.

"Yes, sir!"

 

-- 

 

"Elsie..."

Rose's eyes were open, just barely. She wish they weren't, no now. Not anymore.

Her breathing was shallow. Her throat was dry, and her lips were cracked. She felt the cold seep into her bones, and her body trembled, unable to move.

"I'm sorry..."

Elsie's bloody, brutalized head rested on her shoulder, Rosa's arms wrapping around her ever cooling body.

"... Why... why did you have to do that... I... I can't... lose you..."

As tears formed in her eyes, her head fell on Elsie's, her vision fading.

"... I love you..."

It was silent. Completely and utterly silent. 

She just wanted to hear it again. Her heart beat, her breathing… her voice.

But she couldn't.

It was gone… it was all gone. Everything was gone. Her everything was gone.

"So, this is where you've been."

A voice rang out, causing her to open her eyes.

"..."

She saw two men as she turned her aching head, their eyes staring at the scene before them.

"... So, you're still alive, Rose?"

She didn't respond.

"I told you, her name is Rosa."

She still didn't say a word.

"Ah... So, you're still alive, Rosa?"

"... Ra… Ramirez."

She stared up at the younger man, her lip quivering.

"E-elsie... she..."

"Is she...?"

Ramirez looked towards Elsie, bloodied, maimed,  her neck bent and her eyes closed.

"... She’s… de… dead…”

"... I'm sorry, Rosa." He took a step forward, only for Ji-Hun to put his arm out, stopping him. "Enforcer Mun...?"

"Just how long are you going to pretend to be dead, Vampire?" Ji-Hun narrowed his black eyes as he stared down a corpse. What looked to be a corpse.

Rose's eyes widened, a feeling of fear washing over her as she realized where he was staring.
It was completely and utterly silent.
Until it wasn’t.

"Aha... I wasn't pretending, not for a while there. It seems a point blank silver grenade can do quite a number on even me!"

The Vampire from before spoke up, slowly standing in an inhuman fashion. His back curved, his bones cracked as they broke back into place to allow him to rise. As the silver embedded in his body sizzled his flesh, it began to fall out, the Vampire licking his lips at the sensation.

"W-wha--?!"

"Vampire... It's a True Blood? But, to survive that…" Ramirez took a step back, reaching for his revolver.

Ji-Hun lowered his eyebrows, cracking his knuckles, then his neck.

"No. Worse." He stared forward, "A High Blood."

"Oh! So you humans do have a name for us? My, how simple it is, though I do enjoy the ring to it." Cyrell smirked, "But I'm a Noble, a Pureblood Vampire. Remember that."

He walked towards Elsie's body held by Rosa, a grin plastered on his face.

"Elsie-- don't you dare touch her!" Rosa scooted back, her breath quickening as her grip tightened.

"Or what, little human?"

"Or I'll shatter your skull, Vampire." Ji-Hun moved just a few meters away from the Vampire, looking as if he was ready to pounce at any moment.

"Ahhhh~?" He turned his head, looking towards the bearded man with an interested glint in his white eyes, "My... the last human that said he'd kill me... What did he say his name was? Ashen? Ashark? Hmmm..."

"You're the one that killed him, then. No surprise, I doubt any hunter could stand a chance against a Highblood..." Ji-Hun took a step forward, "But I'm no Hunter."

"Oh, you're a bold one! Are you sure about this, old man? You're a few centuries too late, and a few millennia too early to challenge me! You don't even have a weapon, after all. Not even one of your classic silver toothpicks! What can you do to me?"

"Kill you."

Cyrell scoffed, "Really? At least that Ash fellow was creative with his threats... Well, before I drained him. Haha... Considering your Aura, I'm sure you'll taste even better. Like a fine wine! I can taste it now, a well aged, vintage, red wi--"

Cyrell was interrupted as a fist planted itself upon his cheek, knocking him meters away into the steel frame of the generator. His body contorted, many of his bones breaking at the impact and a large hole in his skull forming.

"Ghk--!" He grunted, though quickly seemed to recover as the dent in his head filled itself in,  "Wow! I didn't even see you move! You're spry for an old fox like yourself!"

"Hm… you speak too much. Perhaps if I break your jaw next it would shut your mouth…”

"Is that a promise or a threat? Oh, I kid! You humans disgust me. I mean. Imagine! Me with you? You're so... decrepit! Haha, not that it matters, anyway. I'll be having a fun night either way!" 

He licked his lips as he stared at Elsie's bloodied frame.

"You... You monster...!" Rosa shuddered, tears streaming down her face as she stared in fear, "You took... took everything from me..."

"Ah, were you close with the blonde one? How adorable, I--"

Another fist made its way towards Cyrell, but this time...

"Surprise attacks only work once, old man. It seems your age has gotten to you if you forgot that…" He caught it, not even staring at Ji-Hun.

Though, he wasn't done, as with his hand preoccupied holding Ji-Hun back, he sent his knee hurtling into the Vampire's stomach, knocking him back and making him lose his breath.

"Gah--! You little--!"

"Usually, you don't talk during a fight. Did no one teach you that, High blood? Just how old are you? Less than a century, I'm sure..."

"Bastard...!" Losing his cool, Cyrell yelled at the bearded man, a thin film of red encasing his iris. 

"Finally shown your true self, Vampire? Of course... that's all you are. A monster pretending to be human."

"Hah-- HAH! Why would I pretend to be human?! Pretend to be a weak, meaningless creature such as you?! No... I am FAR beyond you! FAR BEYOND ANY OF YOU!"

"..."

"What's wrong, old man? No words? That's a first!"

"I am waiting.”

"Waiting? Waiting for what, a chance to run? It's a little too late for that, now! You're already dead, just like the rest of these miserable humans!"

"..."

"Well?! Answer me!"

"I was waiting for it to take effect, fool.”

"Hm? What are y-- Ghhh--!" An invisible force surrounded the Vampire's neck, making it many times more difficult to breathe, "What... What is this?!"

"My Technique. I thought I'd let you finish your monologue, first. The young do certainly like talking... Though, I suppose you and I might be around the same age? Or perhaps you truly are younger than me… It would explain your weakness…”

"Shut up!" He struggled, clawing at his neck, only for his nails to pass through, "Damn... It's your Aura! Just what are you doing?!"

"Force Constriction, a technique passed down through my family. A technique made specifically to kill powerful Vampires. You should feel honoured I am using it on you,” Ji-Hun took a step forward towards the struggling Vampire, his stride growing more confident each moment. “Once I land a single hit on you, it appears. Then, every hit after that tightens it more and more... Until your head pops off, Vampire. Although, missing causes it to weaken, but you happened to catch my fist instead of dodging. That registers as a hit. Convenient, no?”
The Vampire tried his hardest to get it off, but it was useless. While it was corporeal around his neck, his hands just went right through it.
“I will make this easy for you. Tell me, what did you plan to do after you finished draining the remaining blood in that corpse? Why are you here at all?”

"Ghk--! You... you think I'll just tell you?"

"I could kill you now, if that is what you prefer." He scratched his beard, staring down upon the vampire.

"Fucking... damn you. You're bluffing. You can't kill me, not now…! This technique! Once I kill you, it'll disappear! You need to focus to keep it up! You're an easy target!" Cyrell rushed forward with a desperation in his eyes. 

After all, he was working on a time limit.

His claws sharpened to a point, he went to slash the chest of Ji-Hun.

His attack was parried, however, the man slapping his hand away as he made a jab at his chest. But Cyrell learned from before. After all, the man had just explained his technique to him! A fool he was.

He quickly dodged the blow, side stepping it as he went to pierce his stomach.

Only for the old man to grab his wrist.

"You--!"

He couldn't move.

"Did you learn nothing, Highblood?"

The bearded man's other hand shot forward, striking his cheek.

Cyrell felt the grip around his wrist tighten.

"Fuck-- Damn it all! How are you so strong?!" He tried to pull his arm free, to no avail. "You're a human! A pathetic human!"

"You're correct. I am a Human," Ji-Hun leaned forward towards him, his eyes narrowed, "A Human that is far stronger than you, a Vampire.”

Cyrell felt his grip tighten once more, the pressure on his bones making him grit his teeth.

"Now, speak. What were you planning to do with that dead woman? Did you have some sort of plan or was it simply for your twisted enjoyment?”

"You... Damn you.... Damn..."

Cyrell clenched his teeth. He could feel them grating against each other. A bad habit, a horrible one, one that only appeared in situations like this. One’s where he was stuck. Where he couldn't do anything.

But a Vampire did one thing better than anything else.

Bite.

And the only thing he could bite was himself. His own arm.

He bit down.

"What in the-- You bit yourself? Why…?"

Blood poured from his mouth, a wicked grin forming as his teeth tore into his skin. He swallowed his own blood, and then some more. A splash of blood surrounded his mouth, his sharp teeth on full display as he looked up at the man in front of him.

"You... you're an idiot... You're a fool, old man…! Let me tell you something... In truth, I am more of a scientist rather than a fighter… A genius, really, and... I've discovered something. A little experiment of mine... It's not much, and my, is it dangerous... But it should be more than enough to escape from a pathetic human like you..."

"Speak clearly, Vampire."

"I like to call it Bloodlust."

Cyrell's grin grew, a manic look in his eyes.

"A drug! One that I keep in supply all across my body... No, not in my bloodstream, however. Right under my skin, surrounded by a thin barrier that dissolves once in contact with my venom…. I've never tested it on myself, but I suppose now is the perfect time!" His voice was manic, the Vampire barely able to contain his laughter, his joy.

He took in another mouthful of his own blood, causing his veins to bulge outwards, the skin around them beginning to turn a darker shade.

"Haha… HAHAHA! You'll see JUST how weak you humans are!"

Cyrell's strength grew, suddenly breaking out of Ji-Hun's grip as he stepped back.

Ji-Hun clicked his tongue, dashing over to land another hit on Cyrell, but it was for naught. He dodged out of the way.

One more jab.

He jumped back.

One more strike.

He dodged.

"And that's back to zero! I've been keeping count of your hits, and now your misses and hits have reached equivalence!" The grip on his neck seemed to loosen, then disappear, "Ah... much better. Now, you've wasted enough of my time."

"Hm..." Ji-Hun stepped back, readying himself.

"Old man, you've put up a good fight. I'll give you that... So much so that I don't wish to take my chances here! This is goodbye! I'll be taking the blonde one as a snack. It's too bad she's already dead, but her stale blood will have to do!"

Ramirez shot a bullet towards Cyrell, but it only bounced off the skin on his neck, leaving a faint burn mark.

"Hah! What was that supposed to be?! If you're going to shoot me, aim for the heart, you stupid human! And don't think I forgot about you, black-haired one!"

In less time than it took to blink, a fist landed upon Ramirez chest, knocking him back against the wall as bricks shattered against him. Then, not even giving a moment for recovery, the Vampire kicked Rosa, sending her flying into the same railing Ji-Hun hit him into, leaving her within an inch of her life.

They both let out cries of agony, Ramirez dropping his gun.

"Oh~, now this feels good. But, I'm afraid like all good things, it has to come to an end!" He picked up the body of Elsie, throwing her over his shoulder, "This is farewell, humans! And, old man... thank you for the fun fight. I hope I didn't tire you out too much, now."

"Tch-- You won't get away!” Ji-Hun rushed forward, but his next words stopped him in his tracks.

"Hm? Can’t you tell you'll die if you fight me any further... Accept your losses! After all... just when did you last check on your dear general...?"

Ji-Hun's eyes widened, "General? What did you--"

"Bye~!"

Before he could finish his sentence, the Vampire vanished, disappearing into a puff of black smoke along with the body of Elsie. The smoke disappeared into the ventilation, not anything of the two left.

"Damn it... Damn it!" Ji-Hun had finally lost his cool. Picking up Rosa and Ramirez, he ran. He ran faster than he ever had before.