The Fallen Vampire

"What… is this..?"

"My chest feels… strange."

"Oh my…"

Even before Ayame had finished inscribing the secret phrase into the cavern ice wall, she and the group of outsiders were already feeling a little bit out of the ordinary.

A warmth spread through their chests that was completely out of the ordinary for this cold winter environment.

They hardly even needed their protective cloaks anymore.

Ayame etched the last line of writing onto the wall and the writing glowed bright blue.

With one breath, all enemies tremble with fear. With one step, all opposition sings in terror. And they all trade hoarse whispers of the Divine Black Myth.

At the back of the group, the old monk raised a brow.

Soon the entire group was bathed in a strange light and taken to another destination entirely.

Miles beneath Tatar's surface, the group had appeared on a great some bridge leading to a large, splendrous palace.

Situated atop a stone island, the building was surrounded by a clear, icy blue moat that safeguarded and surrounded the entire sect.

But there was another more jarring aspect about this place.

The qi.

It was so plentiful here. It was almost like one could have choked on it.

Hell, they could even nearly see it.

Flecks of brilliant blue energy danced around their vision like confetti.

The sight was beautiful and beyond anything that this world could replicate.

Across the bridge, one could see what looked like a small festivity being conducted in a courtyard.

That is, until it all came to a dead stop.

Everything happened in the span of time that it took the average person to blink three times.

One.

Aveena shot out of nowhere like a speeding bullet. She threw out a punch and Ayame raised her fists just in time to block it.

She felt it as soon as her bones developed a hairline fracture.

Two.

Even though he didn't see or feel anything, the monk froze dead in his tracks when the blade of a large scythe was suddenly pressed against his neck.

Three.

"My Queen!"

Two sovereign level cultivators appeared beside Leopold and his daughters.

Before his hand could even fully wrap around his greatsword, Vaal and Shakti had him cornered.

"I can't say I recommend that."

"If you touch your weapon you die. I urge you to stay still."

Ayame clenched her teeth as she smiled wryly.

"…This isn't exactly the kind of warm reception I was expecting. Here I thought we were closer than this. We're still family, right?"

Aveena showed a smile that was not a smile.

"Of course we are, mother-in-law. Which is why I thought you would know better than to bring uninvited guests into our home all things considered."

Aja started to raise her hand.

"No, Aja. You do not count as an uninvited guest."

Aja put her hand back down.

"Well, I did try to leave my guards outside! You told me you changed the password, but you didn't mention that you got rid of the stairs too!" Ayame retorted.

"So we have to tell you every single thing for you to abide by basic courtesy?"

Ayame narrowed her eye.

She sniffed the air twice before she put on a knowing look.

"I was wondering why you were in such a bad mood. You were about to get lucky, huh?"

Aveena smiled shamelessly. "If you think I'm upset, you should see your daughter. She's in a worse mood than I am right now."

'Why doesn't that surprise me..?' Ayame sighed internally.

"Look, Leopold and the twins are-"

"We're not upset about the old lion and his litter, Ayame."

'Rude…' the father-daughter trio thought at once.

"This human. Why did you bring him here..?" Taira finally spoke up.

Ayame finally broke her stalemate with Aveena and turned around.

"For your information, handsome, we didn't bring him anywhere. He was already on his way up here and we just walked together."

"And you didn't attempt to stop him, question him, or place him through any other vetting process?"

"I'm not your security, little prince. He said he was here for a little lady who lives on the mountain so I figured that he was here for Vermeil."

Ayame wasn't really in the mood to talk with the human monk, so she didn't say anything to him at all on the way here.

That was about as tolerant of others as she was willing to be.

"Eh? I dunno this guy."

The group suddenly looked up where they found Vermeil and the other wives seated on top of a large spider hanging from the ceiling.

Ayame could tell exactly what Aveena was talking about. Her daughter really did look pissed.

"Speak." Taira urged the old man. "Who are you looking for and how do you know of this place?"

The monk lifted his hand in polite greeting.

"Amituofo, friends. Please pardon my unexpected arrival, but I am looking for a young lady by the name of Setsuka... Is she here?"

Aveena forgot all about her anger instantly.

"…Why are you asking about my master..?"

Taira retracted his weapon for the time being at Aveena's behest.

The old monk rubbed away the line of blood on his neck and cleared his throat.

"She is my oldest friend… and the first love of my life. Is she here?"

Taira felt Aveena's heart break in a way that only the mention of her adoptive mother could cause.

-

"So... My friend is dead." The monk said.

"...I'm afraid so." Aveena said painfully.

After moving the conversation inside for comfort, the human monk spilled his story to Taira and Aveena.

In turn, they told him the story of Abbess Satsuma's death. And their decision to rebuild the sect fifty years after she passed.

They led the group to the grand hall inside of the palace.

A short flight of steps led up to two identical thrones seated side by side each other.

On the wall directly behind them, there was a painted mural of an older woman bearing a uniquely charming smile.

At the sight of her, the monk fell to his knees and lowered his head until it touched the ground.

It wasn't until the group saw his body unconsciously tremble that they realized he was whipping over what had been lost.

"Oh, my precious one... You leave me alone with too heavy a burden to bear...How could you ever be so cruel...?"

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