The air was cold.

It stung at her cheeks and chilled her hands, but she didn't seem to care. There were more important things to think about, to care about.

The somewhat aged, black haired woman looked down upon the city, a sense of melancholy washing over her. Her personal guard told her to stay in her office, but no. She couldn't. She was the damned General, not some caged bird needing protection.

"Damn it..."

She muttered to herself, her gaze falling towards the wall. The sound of gunfire rang out.

"..."

There were vampires, a horde of them running through the city. Hunters, Enforcers, and common soldiers worked to eliminate them, but many civilians still died. Too many were dead. They didn’t deserve this. No, they were good people.

They were innocent.

"Why must this happen... Is it the will of God? Are they testing me...?"

Her eyes fell down towards her hands, her gaze following the creases that lined them.

"I..."

She was the General.

And, not a day passed where she questioned that fact.

But being the General, it was not her duty to hide. 

She is the General.

That meant she had to fight.

But here she was... standing at the top of military HQ, staring down upon her bloodied city as more and more innocent blood was shed.

"... Fujioka. Tell me, by last count, how many casualties? Soldier and civilian." She didn’t turn to look at the woman behind her, simply asking what she needed to know.

"General, you should return to your office. I can inform you of the--" She was cut off, the General’s grip on the railing tightening.

"That was an order, Fujioka.”

The woman bowed her head, frowning.

"Yes, General. As of the moment, the confirmed death count has risen to two thousand, four hundred and seven. Including soldiers and civilians."

"... What are the numbers of those bitten, the ones who are expected to turn?"

"Seven hundred, at the very least."

"And the confirmed hunters and enforcers killed?"

"Four hunters. One enforcer. All confirmed dead… The True Bloods and two High bloods that killed them have been eliminated and brought in for questioning."

"... I see."

"... You really should go back inside. I wouldn’t want for you to get a cold…”

"It'll be fine, Fujioka..." She grimaced, "I failed as a General. I need to be here."

"Cyra..."

Her voice was uncharacteristically quiet, emotional, even, "I'm not asking for your opinion. Just... silence. Please." 

Fujioka's lips were sealed as she heard her heartfelt plea, nodding slowly as she held her hands behind her back.

It was silent between the two as Varano leaned on the railing in front of her. She closed her eyes, the frigid snow falling upon her hands.

"Of course this would happen… They had been relatively quiet for a while now, of course they were planning something… What a fool I am…”

"Don't say that, General. No one could have predicted this, not even you..."

"No, I could have. I should have. I grew too confident in us, too confident our education protocols would work... But it's never enough..." She clenched her teeth, "This... this has been a repeat of twenty years ago. The same... nothing changed. I..."

She paused, though suddenly, Fujioka spoke up.
“General Varano, please step back from the railing.”
“What…?” She slowly looked back, an eyebrow raised.
“In the sky… something is approaching. A Vampire… no, not just a Vampire…”

She felt a familiar aura, and her expression hardened.

"A High Blood.” Fujioka took a step forward, her expression changing the moment those words were uttered.
“To think they would come straight here... Fujioka, prepare yourself. Your talents will be necessary here."

"Yes, General.

As the Vampire drew closer and closer, the General took out her blade, a simple silver sword, though a work of art as well. A beautiful single-edged blade with an engraving at the bottom. The Sigil of Lucifer.

"Stay behind me, I’ll…” Fujioka spoke, though the General’s look stopped her.

"Please, I'm not as weak as the council gives me credit for.” The General stood behind Fujioka, her black eyes gazing forward with utmost confidence. “Even if I can't use Aura, I won't stand back and watch you fight alone."

"... Very well, General. I won't let a single scratch fall upon your face."

 

With one gust of wind, the Vampire had finally arrived, floating in the air in front of them as their jet black wings flapped. They were relatively thin, though the faint outline of musculature was noticeable through their dark cloak as it moved in the wind. Their overall outfit was delicately crafted, not something a soldier would wear, but instead an aristocrat of some sort. Still, both humans could tell the danger they posed, hiding under a sly smile and unimposing body was a killer. A powerful one.

"Hm... So, you're the famous General Varano, then?" Their voice had an undertone of whimsy, his black hair swaying at each flap of their vampiric wings. 

"Vampire, I don't know what business you have here, but you have ten seconds to answer before you die."

"Hah! Empty threats won't work on me, General. I've been around long enough to have heard all the stories."

"And who are you, Vampire?"

"Ah, you may call me Tethas Nesai Oleander! A noble serving under her majesty," They bowed while in the air, smiling, "And she has ordered your death, Human General.”

"Is that so?" She made a display of unsheathing her blade, her grip tight upon the hilt.

"Yes, and I must say it is an honor. Not everyday do you get a chance to kill such a high ranking human! When I succeed, I’ll surely be promoted.”

“Rank. That’s all you Vampires care about. A meaningless title if you don't have the mettle to back it up.” Her eyes still locked upon Tethas, she spoke to the woman in front of her, “Fujioka.”
“Yes, General…” She took a step forward, eyes narrowed as she stared at the Vampire, "Permission to kill?”

"Aim for the throat.”

As the small woman approached, she took off her thick coat, letting it fall to the ground as her eyes met Tethas’.

The Vampire chuckled, "My, the one many of my kind call the Grim Reaper! I'm a fan of yours, you know! Oh, the way you kill… and to have such a title and a pretty face? Such a pity it'll be contorted in agony by the end of this. Or, perhaps a mindless smile, I'm not sure what I’ll do yet.... Ah, I can't wait to find out."

A scythe began to manifest in Fujioka's hands as a black air surrounded her, gaze locked strictly upon the vampire, "Not another word. I'll tear your tongue out and make you choke on it if you say anything else."

"Oh? How scary~. A real reaper, how lovely. Do you kill humans too in your spare time? Or are my kin the only ones on your list?"

"Only you, Vampire. You're the only ones who need culling."

"Ahhh, flattery. 

With a wave of his hand, his Aura broke free from the restraints of his body, a crimson mist surrounding him as his veins bulged outwards. His eyes glowed, and his lips pulled into a wide grin.

"This is going to be fun."

With that, the Vampire charged forward, a blur in the air, and more quickly than Fujioka expected, a blur on the ground in front of her.

Fujioka responded by swinging her Scythe forward, a large, curved blade attached to the end making contact with the Vampire, the impact sending out a shockwave as the air around reverberated.

"Ah... Your aura is truly impressive. To think a human could become this powerful…" The Vampire blocked the blade with two daggers, a thin layer of crimson covering the weapons, "... It’s repulsive. Your kind aren’t fit to possess such strength.”

As the two weapons interlocked, Fujioka responded in kind, "A weapon befitting an assassin, no wonder they sent you... Rare for a high blood to come out of their crypt, though."

"Crypt?! I'll have you know I live in a palace, thank you very much! It's beautiful and filled with the blood of thousands!”

"A tomb, then."

"Tch... You could have an easier death if you would have just died like a good girl. Instead, you insist on getting on my nerves!"

"Apologies. It seems I am actually a bad bitch." Fujioka twisted her scythe, attempting to break the Vampire's daggers in two. A weakness her weapon didn’t possess.

"Ghk--!"

The Vampire jumped back, landing on a higher position as they held their daggers in front of them. They narrowed their eyes as they let their Aura fully envelop their body, then, their weapon. The crimson layer of blood on top had cracked, showing the obsidian underneath. Sharper than almost anything, but fragile. Tethas knew they had to replace the blood layer quick, or else–

Suddenly, a shot rang out as some small object hurtled towards the Vampire's shoulder, bursting through their flesh as it embedded itself in their bone.

"GAH--?!” They stumbled back, grabbing at the wound as they yelled out, “What was-- How?!"

They felt something burning inside them, they knew the feeling well. One of the two metals that had the same effect as sunlight…

"A silver bullet...? How strange, your primitive firearms haven't been able to pierce my flesh before..." They looked towards the source of the shot. The General.

"A courtesy of the Hunter Core's lead researcher." She narrowed her eyes as she spoke, "Aura infused bullets. Surprised that even a 'puny human' like me could injure you?"

"Tch..." The Vampire grit his teeth as they looked at the bullet stuck in their shoulder, "... You conniving creature... I was enjoying our little duel! Two against one is just so... annoying."

"Too bad."

The General took a step forward as she jumped up to the same area as Tethas, holding her blade forward.

"General, be careful..." Fujioka kept an eye on her as she followed close by, a worried expression on her face.

"There is no need. Not for this scum.”
She ran towards the Vampire alongside Fujioka, who was now focused on the silver bullet currently burning the insides of their flesh.

"This will take forever to heal..." They complained to themself, "Ugh, and it's not even out yet! Human technology is so disgusting."

"You won't have time to heal. You're dead!" The General swung her sword as she ran forward, her eyes locked on the Vampire as they dodged.

"Too slow~!"

He parried the blade with his dagger, kicking her away.

"Kh--" Sent flying back, she managed to land back on her feet as she moved to close the distance once more.

With that little time, however, Tethas pulled the bullet from their shoulder, letting it fall to the ground as their wound closed. However, a sharpened edge soon appeared near his neck, threatening to cut through.

The vampire turned his head to see the general's guard, Fujioka, her scythe mere moments away from rendering him decapitated.

He stepped forward, the edge of her blade cutting the tip of his ear off but not anything else. And in that moment where her scythe met little resistance, Tethas stabbed his blade into her wrists

"ACK--!"

Fujioka let out a yelp, but they weren’t done. Their knife embedded into her flesh, they quickly grabbed her wrist with their free hand.

With a quick motion, he snapped it, a loud crack ringing out as the bones shattered. A muffled scream shook the air as the woman held her hand, her scythe dissipating for a moment.

"My, you humans are oh so delicate! I was only hoping to knock you back a little!" He laughed, "Ah, but look what happened, your hand is a mess! You should really get that checked out!”
"Shut... shut up."

She swung her scythe with her off-hand, a burst of black Aura shooting outwards from the weapon as the vampire was pushed back, giving the general the opportunity to close the gap between her and them.

"Now!" Fujioka threw a small knife towards the General, the woman catching it with ease.

"Hm?"

She swung her blade once again, this time aiming for the Vampire's neck.

"Woah there, General! If you want my head, you'll have to earn it first!" Tethas leaned back, just barely avoiding the blade as he swiped the General off her feet.

"Ngh--!"

The Vampire then spun, delivering a kick to the General's stomach.

"Kha--!"

He landed a second blow as he grabbed her wrist to prevent her escape, this time to her cheek. 

Then, one more as he attempted to pierce her skull.

She rolled out of the way as their grip weakened, however, managing to scratch his arm with the small dagger from before as she did.

"Hah! All that for a scratch… and You're still alive? You aren't even reinforcing your body with Aura!” The Vampire smirked, though despite their apparent confidence, the slightest bit of looming anxiety built up inside them,  “Just how are you surviving this? I'm a noble, and even the most powerful of you humans died in seconds before me! Just take a look at the so-called Reaper over there! Standing like an idiot as she’s too scared to attack!”

The general spat out blood, a bruise forming on her cheek.

"You can't tell? It's simple, Vampire." She wiped the blood from her lips, taking a step forward, "You're just weak."

"You little... I'll kill you." All whimsy and playfulness disappeared from the Vampire's tone, his hands clenching the two daggers tighter and tighter.

"If you can."

She charged forward, a sudden burst of energy appearing as her blade lit ablaze with blue fire, the aura of the attack burning around her.

"What in the--!"

The Vampire attempted to parry, only for their blade to finally crack under the building pressure. Then, as the blue flame loomed closer, what was left of the obsidian blade melted away in mere moments.

"No-- Impossible!"

As her blade was nearly about to slash his chest, he knew he had to move, to dodge. As confident in their power as they were, they knew well just how high the melting point of obsidian was… And if this fire could do that, who knows what it would do to them.

However, as they tried to dodge, something prevented their escape. Tendrils of black Aura surrounded his legs as they rose up from the ground, keeping him in one place. What’s more, as they grabbed at him, he could feel an intense pain rising up across his body. His skin that was in contact with the Aura was turning black, breaking out across his legs in a spreading fashion. Was it infecting them!?
No… this was the Grim Reaper’s technique, it had to be. This was… Decay.

The General’s blade finally made contact, cutting open his chest as the blue flames scorched his body. He let out a cry of agony as pain overwhelmed him, but he knew that he could still recover. This was fine… his natural regenerative abilities had always put him above all others in his rank. Even fire would not keep him down, he would heal in no time…

But as the flames refused to die out, he quickly realized that this fire’s purpose was not just to burn. No. As hard as he tried to heal his scorched wounds, they refused.

The flames had negated his regenerative factor.

"Another gift from the Hunter Core, infused with the technique and aura of a man named Kato. I'll have to send him a gift once this is done with... Perhaps your venom will do."

She stabbed the blade towards the Vampire, slicing through his gut as it came out the other side. The flames erupted as they began to melt through his body.

"GHAAAHH!” He screamed louder than before, writing in agony but unable to fall as Fujioka’s Aura still kept them in place. “Damn it, damn it, damn it, DAMN IT! I'll kill you! You PATHETIC, INSIGNIFICANT PEST! You're LIVESTOCK! You-- You can't kill me! You-- AGHH--!"

She twisted the blade, the blue flames burning even brighter than before.

"Gh-- AAAHHHH!"

The Vampire screeched as his chest quickly began to turn to ash, much of his torso beginning to burn.

"Even without much of your body, you Vampires can still speak. Convenient." She leaned somewhat forward towards the burning Vampire, a serious expression on her face, "Where are the other High bloods? How many are there?"

"We... WE ARE NOBLES-- KAHHHH--!"

He let out another piercing cry as the Blue Flames erupted.

"Nobles, hm? You have too many names. I'm not a scholar, I can't keep track of everything you creatures call yourselves." She narrowed her eyebrows, "If you can't tell me about the High bloods, then tell me what your objective here was. What was the purpose of the attack?"

"You-- You think I'd tell you?! You'll kill me either way!" He spoke with desperation and wrath, a futile rage.

Fujioka approached from behind, having wrapped her arm in some bandages, "Yes, but the General can make your death much more painful. You'd rather die quickly, wouldn't you, Tethas?”

"Damn you... Damn you all..."

He grit his teeth.

"... Hah... Hah! If I'm to die, I might as well make this interesting, I suppose! After all, I haven't had such a fight in ages...! Her Majesty will forgive me when I see her again! I'm sure!" He laughed, "Alright, human. Ask your questions, and I'll answer! If you're going to kill me, I want to savor the moment. After all, I won't have the pleasure of killing you in return."

"Hm. Where are the other High Bloods, and how many are there?"

"It's Nobles. Remember that, General... Haha, and I suppose it's difficult to say. After all, we've been around so long..." He smirked, "Around the world? Millions. In our homeland, our great Nosferatu... My, I'd say there's around twelve thousand of us now!"

"Twelve thousand?" Fujioka muttered, "... That’s…”

"Ah, don't be too worried, reaper! You won't have to fight us all! Only a fraction of us Nobles are actual combatants! Though, I assure you we are all naturally more powerful than an army of you humans... It's why you’ll always be below us–”

"That's enough, Vampire. The Queen, what did she want here? Why did she order you to kill me? Why order thousands of Turned to attack the city?”

"Listen well, then, " He looked up at her, a smile appearing on his face despite the pain, "Her majesty had a theory. She believes that you, the great General of Sanctuary, are the one that keeps humanity together. Not the oh so powerful council, but you. If you were to die, it'd spell the end for the rebellious Sanctuary Blood Bags.. The end of your little Sanctuary... And so, she sent me to kill you, and the other vampires to cause mayhem. A distraction."

"Thousands dead-- Just for a distraction?!" She clenched her teeth, her grip on her flaming blade tightening, "You disgust me. You and your kind, everything you are is vile. A stain upon this world."

"Hah! Oh, I know. We all know, Human! After all, you've made it known for centuries, millennia! You teach your children about us, call us monsters of the night! We're the boogeymen! The demons that hide in the shadows! After all... We're not people, are we?" A grin fell upon his face, "We're monsters."

It was silent for a moment, General Varano’s eyes closing as she clenched her teeth. Eventually, however, she broke the silence with her own rage.

"You're right." She stabbed her blade into his throat, making him gag and choke, "A dead one."

She pulled the blade out, Tethas gasping for air as he clawed at his scorched throat. His own burnt flesh filled his decaying lungs as he choked, drowning in his own blood.

"..."

He looked up towards the General, a wicked grin on his face.

"But, you…re monsters t… too." Through his nearly completely decimated vocal cords, he muttered these dying words.

"DIE!”

Varano cut his head off, the vampire's body turning to ash.

 

As the General panted, Fujioka didn’t dare to distract her. Didn’t dare invoke her fury, not now. She knew well to give her time, and that she did. 

"..."

"General, are you alright?" Fujioka approached after a few minutes, her gaze still locked on the Vampire’s corpse, "You took a few hits from that fight... I'll go fetch some medicine."

"No, it's fine. I'm alright, Fujioka. Focus on yourself, that bastard broke your wrist."

"I'll be okay, General. Thank you for worrying... May I bring you inside? I--" She suddenly turned her head, her eyes narrowing, "Someone is approaching."

"Damn… another vampire?"

"No, it's a human. Fast, too… Ah, their aura… It’s…"

Varano crossed her arms, staring at the same place Fujioka was. The railing. 

A sound came from below, as if... someone was climbing the wall.Then, in a few moments, a man with a bushy beard appeared from above. He seemed exhausted, sweat pouring from his face as he climbed over the railing.

"General..."

"Enforcer Commander Ji-Hun. You're late."

"... Apologies, General. I needed to take your daughter to the hospital before I could..."

"... Rosa? Is she alright? Tell me, Ji-Hun, is my daughter okay?"

"..."

The General's gaze hardened. Fujioka stood behind her.

"This is a direct order from your superior to answer me. Are you refusing?"

"No, General." Ji-Hun bowed his head, "Physically, she'll recover. Mentally.. I do not know."

"... What happened?"

"A High Blood attacked her and a friend, a fellow soldier. She died. Her blood was drained by the vampire."

"Ah... Elsie... I did place them in the same platoon, didn't I..." The General's face was blank.

"..."

"And the vampire. What happened to him?"

"..."

"Ji-Hun, answer the question."

"He... escaped, General. I offer my sincerest apologies."

"Apologies don't change anything, Enforcer Commander. My daughter is injured, her friend is dead-- and for what? You are one of the most powerful men in this city yet you couldn't kill a single High Blood? Do you not see the ashes around? My own blade cut down a Noble. Yet, you could not? Why?"

"He was a powerful one. I did everything I could to stop him, General. However, I-"

"Failed. You failed. That's all. Thousands are dead, more are still dying. Get back in the fight. Do something, anything, Commander. That is an order."

"... Yes, General."

"Fujioka, we're going to the military hospital. I need to see my daughter, and you need to rest."

"Yes, General. I suggest you do as well..."

"No. I will not rest. Not when my people die, not when there is work to be done."

"But--"

"Silence, Fujioka. That is an order."

"... Yes, General."

With her solemn words, they left to the stairs, leaving the exhausted Ji-Hun alone.

"..."

"... Failed. Is that it...?"

"... Hm."

"Enforcer's... do not fail."

"Perhaps I... am not fit. Yet you gave me mercy, General..."

"..."

He stared at the ashes, the body of a vampire turned to dust.

"You... you killed him, General… a mortal woman without any Aura training... You did what I couldn't."

"..."

He grit his teeth.

"I have to kill them. All of them. I must... or else, I will have failed again. For her sake, and the sake of the thousands who died here..."

 

"Every single Vampire will die."

 

–

 

The city was dark, the streetlights flickering as inhuman figures walked by. They sniffed, their eyes wide as they looked around.

"So many. So, so, so many. So much blood. Fresh, warm… Smells so good."

"Shhh. Not yet, brother. They are hiding... I smell their fear... their despair."

"Mmmm... So hungry. So very hungry."

"Brother... You must calm yourself. Mother wouldn't like to hear of you eating them all to yourself. You must leave some for the rest."

"Mother... Mother... Mother."

"Yes, Brother. She is watching, waiting. You mustn't disappoint her. Come, come… let us continue."

The two creatures continued walking through the streets, the one in the front leading the way as the other followed, the former sniffing the air as he walked.

"Fresh blood. It's here."

He suddenly stopped, and the one behind him did the same.

"It's here, brother. I can smell it, so clearly. Can you?"

"Mmm... Aha... Yes. Delicious. Fresh, fresh, fresh, fresh. Mother will be so happy!"

"Indeed, brother. Now, follow me. Follow me, and we shall feast."

"Feast. Feast. Feast. Feast. Feast…"

 

"Afraid you won't be feastin’. No, not tonight." A voice spoke out from the darkness, a figure hidden among the shadows.

"Oh? Who is this? Another morsel?"

"Not quite. I'm afraid I'll be ending this night out of yours, boys." His voice was deep, a tad hoarse as he spoke in a 

"Hm? No... Hunter. This one is strong…”

"Bleh... I hate that smell. Let's not eat this human..."

"Good choice. You really don't want to try me."

The hunter stepped forward, a scowl on his face. On his side was a blade kept in its scabbard.

His hand glowed with Aura, a bright blue light appearing in it as he held it towards the creatures.

"Now, back to the hells with you."

He swung his arm, a large blaze of blue flames shooting outwards as it tore through the creatures, incinerating them within seconds. Their bodies were gone, the only evidence of their existence being the piles of ash on the ground.

The man's aura vanished, as did the flame.

"Disgusting. Damn Vamps..." He shook his head, sighing. "I need a drink."

Yawning, he took a step forward as he looked to the left, "But my job’s not over, apparently..."

"Kato!" A voice called out from behind him.

"Hm?" He turned around, "What is it, Sienna? Finish off the other ones already?"

"Yeah, a few blocks down. Heard there's a True Blood on Harkinson Street, thought you might need help."

"A True Blood? You just wanna take the venom once it's dead," He sighed.

The woman let out a chuckle, "Saw right through me, huh? Either way, we should get going. The soldiers can deal with the Turned! I want that venom!"

"Right, right, I'm coming."

He yawned once more.

"Goddamn, I hate vampires."

 

–

 

In the very center of Sanctuary, along with certain military buildings, stood the hospital. A vast structure built nearly a century ago now, yet still stood as if it would always be there. Its rooms numbered in the thousands, and it treated all, whether they could pay or not.

Inside the military section of the hospital, in one of the more well-made rooms, a man sat upon a bed. His stubble was dark, his even darker hair was curly, and he had a wide scar that stretched across his face. He grunted as a nurse wrapped his injuries in bandages, wincing at the pain as he grit his teeth.

He'd been in worse pain, however. This was nothing compared to that.

And there were those who were injured more than him. Those who required much more medical attention, or a miracle.

No, he didn't believe in miracles, though. He believed in skill. And, as he sat on the bed, he knew full well that the skills of those doctors and nurses saved his life.

"Thank you."

He muttered, his gaze falling towards the nurse.

They smiled, "Of course. Please, lay back down. Rest."

"..."

He complied, laying down as he stared at the ceiling.

He was a soldier. He'd been in the military for a long time, he'd been in dozens of battles. Hundreds.

... But this was different. This was not a battle. This was a massacre on both sides. He didn't know yet the casualty count, but he knew it was great.

... He'd been on this planet thirty four years, and in this time, there was only one event that felt similar to this. Twenty years ago. Back then, thousands died, and even more turned.

Now... it was happening again.

The door opened, a doctor stepping inside.

"Lieutenant... How are you feeling?"

"Better than I expected."

"Well, you have broken ribs, fractured limbs, internal bleeding... Hm, and if you were hit a bit harder, you might have been paralyzed for life. Consider yourself lucky."

"I consider myself in the care of skilled people. Thank you."

"Don't thank me, Lieutenant. Just doing my job. As for your wounds, you should be fully recovered in around three days due to your treatment. However, we're advising everyone to stay here until further notice."

"... Understood."

"Rest easy, Lieutenant, and... thank you for your service."

The Doctor left as quickly as he arrived.

He closed his eyes, attempting to sleep. To forget.

However, he heard voices outside the door. Voices he recognized.

"G-General? Ah, she's sleeping if you want to see her... You look in bad shape yourself, maybe you--"

"I'm fine."

Varano stepped past the nurse, her eyes narrowed.

"..."

She stared at him for a moment.

"Ramirez. You're alive."

"General. I'm glad to see you well," He moved to stand, though Varano motioned for him to stay.

"It's fine. You should be resting, not moving. Your body can't handle it."

"Yes, General."

"..."

There was a brief silence, before the general spoke.

"I'm glad you're alive, Lieutenant. Not many can say the same. If you had died..."

"You would have found a new lieutenant for my platoon, General. There are plenty of soldiers capable enough to take my place. Or, perhaps you would have just promoted someone."

"... No, Ramirez. If you had died, it would have been a loss. An immense one. This world would have lost a good man, a great soldier, and a loyal officer. You're important, Ramirez. Never forget that."

"I will try, General."

"... You should get some rest."

She spoke the final words as she moved past the room.

"... Yes, General."

He laid back down, the nurse having left the room.

It was quiet.

"..."

Ramirez sighed, and attempted to rest.

 

Outside his room, the General walked forward, her face blank.

She entered another room, her gaze falling upon her daughter.

She was hooked up to several machines, and the steady beating of a heart monitor rang throughout the room. It was a slow, constant beat that was both soothing and unsettling.

The General approached the bed reaching out to lightly touch her arm...

But she stopped herself.

"..."

Varano looked at her daughter. She was covered in bandages, her skin was pale, and there was a bruise on her face. Her lips were chapped, her hair was a mess, and...

"E... elsie..."

In her sleep, she muttered that name.

"Elsie... no... no, please... don't... don't go..."

"... Rosa." The General leaned down, gently holding her daughter's hand.

"Please wake up... Elsie... please. Please..."

"..."

She clenched her teeth, closing her eyes as she felt a lump form in her throat.

"... Don't leave me... Not you..."

The room was silent, and the General let go of her daughter as she backed up, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, Rosa."

Then, there was only one person in the room. One person with the slow, somber sound of her heart beating.

 

--

 

"Kato!"  Sienna yelled out, "Pass!"

Lighting the dagger ablaze, Kato tossed his weapon towards Sienna, who caught it and stabbed it into the True Blood's chest.

"Gh-?! Ugh... Ngh... Ghhk..."

It clawed at its flesh, the blue fire spreading as the creature's cries echoed through the empty streets.

"Ghkkk! AGH! Khaaaa--!"

It let out a loud, ear-piercing screech as Sierre repeatedly stabbed it. Again, and again, and again, and again.

Eventually, it stopped. The creature's corpse laid on the ground, a charred corpse.

Sienna tossed the dagger back towards Kato, panting slightly. "Thanks! Man, I love your technique..."

"... Yes. The blue flames of hell, hot enough to even scorch the unholy flesh of the Vampire. It is the only flame that will truly keep them d--"

"I really don't need to hear your whole monologue again, but thanks anyways."

She walked past him, crouching next to the corpse.

Kato huffed, crossing his arms.

Sierra just ignored his pouting, "You said I could have its venom, right?"

"Sure. You're a newer hunter, you need it more than me."

"Aw, thanks!"

She cut into the vampire's chest, the blue flames slowly dying as the corpse cooled.

"Hm... Ah, got it."

She pulled out a silver syringe from her coat pocket, using it to suck up the venom from one of the glands across its body.

"There we go, now we just gotta report in and we can get some rest."

"I suppose… but…"

Kato shook his head, his eyes narrowing.

"... That was too easy."

"Hm?"

"A True Blood here. A few minutes ago, another True Blood alone, a block away. Then, there were two High Blood’s split up fighting the high rank Enforcers… They're usually smarter than this. Something is wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"... Just suspicious. It's fine, not our job to wonder what's going on. We just need to hunt."

"True enough. Come on, let's get back to the base. I'm exhausted."

"..."

The two Hunters headed back, Sienna's steps faster than his.

He slowed down, however, glancing around.

"..."

Something was definitely wrong.

But he didn't know what.

"I'm sure it's fine."

He kept walking, leaving the dead True Blood on the ground.

 

--

 

"Mama! Mama, look!"

"What is it, dear?"

"Look, look, the flower grew!”

"So it did... Good job, dear. You can plant the others."

"It's pretty, isn't it?"

"Yes, quite."

Two figures stood in a garden, both of black hair and one much younger than the other. The child wore a white dress, her short hair tied up into pigtails. She looked happy, a wide smile on her face as she dug a small hole in the dirt with her shovel.

The older woman crouched down, handing the girl a seed.

"Be gentle with it, dear."

"I know, Mama!"

The child dropped the seed into the hole, and covered it up with the surrounding dirt, a proud smile on her face.

"Done!"

"Good, good... Let's plant the others--" The woman stopped herself, a buzz ringing in her pocket.

"... Mama?"

She pulled out a phone, checking the screen. "... Ah, sorry, dear. I need to make a call. Why don't you go play with your father?"

"Wha? But, but-- I wanna plant the flowers with you!" A frown replaced the expression of the child.

"You will, dear, I just need to make this one call..."

"You always say that! And-- You're gone after! You leave! I don't like it when you leave!"

"... I'm sorry, dear. But this is important."

"And I’m not?!”

"You know that's not what I--"

"You're a liar! I hate you! I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, I haaaate you!"

The girl ran off, leaving the woman by herself.

"... Rosa..."

She picked up the phone, dialing the number as she watched her daughter run off.

"This is Varano. Report."

"General, we've confirmed sightings of the Vampire that escaped custody...  Enforcer Commander Ji-Hun took a team to confirm it was her."

"... Don't mince words, colonel. Its name...?"

"... Lysandra. It was Lysandra Belladonna. The fourth daughter of the Vampire Queen."