Chapter 73:

  Moor of the Damned

  (Elizabeth's POV, Cont.)

  ---

  >NOTICE: You've now entered the Moor of the Damned.

  >Decide your fate. Push forward or leave now. Life is precious.

  >Time Remaining: 4 days, 6 hours, and 53 minutes.

  ---

  "Into the void" is a saying that wouldn't be far from the truth when one entered a gate. The feeling was almost like vertigo. Your stomach lurched, the world shifted, and you found yourself somewhere else entirely. It was a sensation that Elizabeth had grown accustomed to over the years, and one that was essential for Pyers to overcome.

  Many new Pyers found themselves throwing up the first time they entered a gate. It was a stray thought that entered Elizabeth's mind, remembering the days when Lucas was still capable of becoming a Pyer. She smiled fondly at the memories from her earliest days of regression.

  He never could get fully used to the sensation of entering a gate. It took him many attempts not to throw up, and the pride on his face when he finally managed it left her amused. He was just too cute.

  It was a simpler time. One where she was still enamored by the miracle of it all. Being able to live again and be by his side once more. Now, she knew better, but she still longed for those days, and would do all she could to ensure that a future where that was possible could exist.

  So, as the sensation washed over her and she found herself, along with those from Asgard, within the Moor of the Damned, she focused on the task at hand.

  "Damn..." Leif whistled as the rge man saw the ndscape before them, "That's grim."

  Elizabeth silently agreed with him. This pce was not meant for those seeking to live. It was a nd of death and decay. It was a pce that only those who could survive in such thick miasma could settle. Vampiric creatures and those of rot lived here.

  The gate had put them on top of a hill overlooking the Moor. This gave them quite the view of what awaited them.

  Dark, crimson orange skies overhead with clouds of grey with a deep red sun hanging above that basked everything in a strange, ethereal red hue. The air was thick with a heaviness reeking of death. The grass under their feet was a dull orange, almost wheat color. The dirt itself was half-way between mud and solid.

  However, even the twisted tree line, with their warped branches, nor the marshes where the Kin of Rot shambled about were anything compared to the true centerpiece of this pce. Bones, but not just any bones. Giant, rotting, corrupted bones. Creatures far rger than even the hills around them.

  Some were half-buried while others y crumbling above ground, yet they were held together by pulsating dark veins. Pustules of rot grew upon them, some bursting even as they watched, and from those pustules came Kin of Rot. There were those that fell to the ground, and others that took to the sky.

  In the distance, around perhaps the rgest collection of rotted, corrupted bones, was a darkened cathedral. As grand as any pace, and twice as intimidating. Its grim appearance reminded Elizabeth of the gothic era of Earth, and a little of her own homend. At least from where Von Angeal was from. However, this was far, far more sinister than her home.

  "I'm going to take a guess, but..." Oliver raised a hand in the direction of the obsidian cathedral, "I take it that's where we have to go?"

  "Most likely," Elizabeth replied, knowing the truth of the matter.

  It was within that cathedral that the leader of this pce resided, and it was also within that cathedral which y the heart of Vitaer. For it was within the long dead ribcage of the Titan that the cathedral had been raised. The pustuting veins twisted around the cathedral spires, coursing with energy. It was around the Titan Vitaer's heart that this cathedral was built. It was where they worshiped it.

  The Vampire Lords.

  A fanatic group of creatures, once humanoid in some capacity, that have long since drunk from the veins of Vitaer. Their power was inherited through vile ritual and sacrifice. They feasted upon the flesh of others, and over time the nd had become corrupted. This lead to the creation of the Kin of Rot, and it was the Vampire Lords which ruled them.

  "Doesn't seem too tough," Noel commented, but Viggo cast her a cautionary gnce.

  "You know better than to assume that," Viggo said, kneeling down as he took in the area, "There are hundreds of those creatures between us and that cathedral. We can't rely on Oliver's strength the entire time. It will be needed for the boss."

  "...You're right, sorry," Noel stated bashfully, though Viggo waved a dismissive hand.

  "Don't be, we all do it," he chuckled, standing from his position, "What matters is if we let it go to our head, but I know you."

  He cpped her on the shoulder lovingly.

  "You never let it get to you," he smiled and she pushed his hand off pyfully with a roll of her eyes.

  Elizabeth allowed herself a small smile, for she wasn't adverse to seeing others in love. In fact, it was one of the few redeeming qualities of humankind. It was one that Lucas had shown her, but now wasn't the time to lose focus. The Kin of Rot knew they were here.

  "Above!" one of the archers from before shouted, "Are those Wyverns!?"

  Gncing up, Elizabeth noted them. They were indeed Wyverns, or at the very least, corrupted versions of them. They believed themselves to be dragons, but were simply mindless, winged lizards. They didn't even have arms, but they were no less deadly if one wasn't careful.

  The hooks in their wings could grab and cw into things, even flesh, but what was more deadly was its tail. Sharp and agile, it could strike faster than most could react, and what made it worse was that it injected a toxin into the body that causes paralysis, quickly leading to death as their razor teeth and back legs tore a victim apart.

  They had scales as hard, if not harder, than most steel. Their hides were often valued high for retively mid-tier armor. They shone like dragon scales, but were often green or bck. Very few differences existed, but in the case of these Kin of Rot...their scales were a sickly red with pustules and dark veins unduting over them.

  One thing typical Wyverns cked compared to an actual Dragon...was a breath weapon. The only thing they could do was cause a sonic roar that deafened and disoriented, but these weren't your typical Wyverns. They were Kin of Rot, and on top of that...this was a Critical Dungeon.

  "Leon, can you-" Oliver began, but he had no time.

  The Wyverns all reared back their heads, a dark crimson glow beginning to build within their throats, moving towards their mouths as they all suddenly let out a wave of noxious miasma. With a single wave of her hand, as the gas descended upon them, Elizabeth's fmes fred to life and ignited it instantly. Ethereal blue fmes ate away at the toxic breath, causing it to fall harmlessly away from everyone.

  Overhead, the Wyverns screeched in annoyance as they began another pass.

  "Don't let your guard down," Elizabeth cautioned, and Oliver nodded while the rest bickered amongst themselves.

  "Wyverns can't breath!" one of the thieves excimed, obviously shocked by the incident, "How the hell can-"

  "Obviously...these ones can," Leon replied, quickly drawing his bow, "I suggest you ready your knives, Kennith, unless you want to be melted by some Wyverns."

  "Not going to happen," Kennith replied, spinning his bdes in his hands as they began to glow with a slight hue of electric blue.

  "Aria, Mira..." Leon called as the other archer and thief got into position.

  "Yeah, we know," the archer, Aria, drew her bow and an arrow appeared glimmering within it.

  "Don't need to tell us twice," Mira, the other rogue stepped forward, knives glowing a subtle hue of violet.

  Oliver and the others looked rexed, and so Elizabeth followed their example. She interfered once when they were unprepared, but this was no their battle, and now she understood what each of them was.

  Mira and Kennith channeled energy into their bdes, and from there the bde split into several ethereal copies that hovered around them. They were Shadowbdes, at least that's what Lucas had called them, and it seemed the world had agreed. Magic and agility entwined to enhanced their chosen weapon.

  Leon was like Richard, his arrows shimmering with the effect of a skill ready to be released. However, Aria seemed a little different. Her bow that she had drawn folded out and locked into pce. Its silver surface shimmering with runes as an arrow and string simply appeared. A magical force with now physical arrows. She was what the world called a Magic Archer, though Lucas argued that they should be called a Mystic Archer, but those are semantics.

  Elizabeth watched as the Wyverns got ready for another pass. Leon took the lead, stepping forward as power collecting into his arrow. She recognized the skill from its golden light. [Sure Strike]. It was powerful, and if aimed by a competent archer, could penetrate most defenses whenever they found an opening, and Leon found that opening.

  As the Wyvern in the lead reared its head back to breath once more, the moment it opened its mouth to spout the noxious gas, Leon loosed his arrow. It streaked through the sky in an instant, piercing through the creatures mouth and tearing its head from its neck. This wasn't the end of the attack, however. There was another skill that Leon had yered on top of [Sure Strike], and as the arrow which just killed the lead Wyvern began to glow green, it revealed itself. [Rain of Arrows].

  The arrow split, cascading back down as a myriad of missiles tore into the wings and bodies of the now disoriented Wyverns. Their leader had been suddenly killed and they were in disarray.

  "Leave some for us!" Aria shouted, losing an arrow of magic that crackled as she loosed it.

  Like a lightning strike, the arrow struck the first Wyvern, and then cascaded out in an electrifying dispy. It tore apart a small swathe of Wyverns, causing them to disperse and begin to flee. It was an impressive use of [Conduit Strike].

  "No you don't!" Mira and Kennith shouted in unison.

  Their knives lifted into the air as they moved their hands almost hypnotically, activating [Kinetic Manipution] and [Soul Strike], before sending a cascade of death towards the Wyverns. Mira's a hail of violet shards, and Kennith's were streaks of icy blue. The fleeing Wyverns never had a chance as the st of them fell from the sky.

  "Hmm, maybe Noel's right," Leon admitted, "It might not be that-"

  His words trailed off as everyone heard what Elizabeth knew was coming. They had only killed them, but they didn't defeat them. The rustling and movement of body parts, the squelching of limbs being pulled back together by the bck veins and rotting pustules would make even the strongest of stomachs sick.

  "Right..." Leon said, understanding his mistake, "I forgot about that."

  "Didn't Viggo say not to let it get to your head?" Aria teased, nudging him, "Bones and all, right Miss Elizabeth?"

  "That's correct, Aria," Elizabeth nodded, watching her gather an arrow of burning fme, "Bones and all."

  The entire area began to swell with a whirlwind of energy as Aria gathered the necessary power. She then nodded and unleashed a massive arrow that detonated upon where a rge group of them nded. The fme itself was a deep, dark crimson. Almost like magma. In the wake of the attack, nothing was left. Not flesh, nor bones. Just half-melted, gssed earth.

  [Magma Shot]. An incredible skill, and the power behind it was incredible. Once again, Elizabeth approved and was impressed. Leon, on the other hand, was dumbfounded and in awe.

  "Well...are you just going to stand their, mouth agape, or are you going to help?" Aria inquired, smirking at him over her shoulder.

  He quickly came to, shaking himself back to reality. With a wide grin, he quickly loaded three arrows onto his bow and aimed, the tips of which began to glow a dark, deep purple. Elizabeth watched quietly with a slight smile. These individuals were as good as Oliver had cimed, and she was gd to see the level of skill and strength they exuded. They were almost as strong as Zero Squad. Almost.

  Leon activated [Dark Shot] and loosed the three arrows which all found their mark. Upon imbedding themselves into the flesh of the Wyverns, tendrils of darkness erupted and enveloped the creature and all other creatures within several feet of it. He had once again yered his abilities, this time using [Devour] on top of [Dark Shot]. It reminded Elizabeth of Lucas, who used to yer his spells because they cked power individually due to his weaker magic, but together worked wonders.

  In Leon's case, however, he had the magical power to back it up. It didn't take long for the four of them; Aria, Leon, Mira, and Kennith, to clean up the remaining Wyverns, leaving nothing behind.

  "It's a shame..." Oliver commented as he stepped forward to look at the after math, "Are we not able to even gather their cores?"

  "Unless you want it to corrupt whatever you use it for, then no," Elizabeth told him, "You've seen this pce, and I did run into Kin of Rot in another dungeon. I had tests conducted on their cores, and...it's better if you don't."

  "Understood," Oliver nodded and motioned for Asgard to continue moving, "We have a lot of ground to cover. Aria and Leon, pick off any that get close. Eradicate them."

  The two of them nodded, keeping their bows at the ready.

  "Kennith and Mira, watch our fnks with Evy," Oliver continued, and Evy nodded, "Anders, Stel, stay in the center and be ready to support. The rest of you, with me."

  The warriors of the group fnked Oliver as they took the lead. Elizabeth stayed in the center with Stel and Anders. She was looking forward to what all of them could do, but what she has seen so far was a good sign. All of her work to prepare the world for its future was looking brighter. Just a little longer and her dream would finally be coming true.

  -----

  (Elizabeth's POV, Moments Later)

  Moving through the marsh of the dungeon was slow at first, even with the skill that Oliver's Asgard team dispyed. It wasn't just the regenerative abilities of the Kin of Rot, but also the very environment itself. The miasma that perpetuated the nd caused one to feel sick. The first of the symptoms started with Stel, one of the young mages in the team.

  It started when she tried casting a spell, but suffered from a sudden backsh as it failed. The result was the aether in her body attacking her, and the spell exploding in her face. This was known as "Mana Influx". The poison of the miasma attacked the aether, causing a votile reaction. It was easy to get rid of. A simple [Detox] was all it took, but the issue was that this entire realm was filled with such a miasma.

  Elizabeth had known about such a danger, but they had to experience it for themselves to understand. Within this realm, one had to control their abilities to such a fine extent as to completely negate the effects of the miasma upon their bodies. It not only attacked the aether inside of them, but also caused other symptoms such as tiredness, migraines, and vomiting. The worst of it could cause boils and cysts to appear and eat away at your flesh, and even slowly sap you of your strength, but that was only if you were not strong enough to resist.

  Thankfully, all of them were.

  That's what made this pce so dangerous. The Kin of Rot and the miasma which surrounded this nd literally leeched the life from you. The miasma fed the Kin of Rot with those that it drained of life. Once they all understood this, however, it became more of a nuisance than a true hinderance.

  "What a nasty pce..." Oliver commented, wiping the sweat from his brow, "You're saying more of these will appear?"

  "Unfortunately, yes," Elizabeth nodded, completely unbothered by the miasma herself, "The one in Italy was just the beginning. This is the second. You know that if there is one, there will be another...and another."

  "You're right about that," Oliver sighed heavily, sitting for a moment on a nearby rock, "When the first Gate appeared, more followed. Every new Gate that has appeared since has never just been singur."

  "What are we going to do?" Evy asked, handing out some rations to the rest of the team, "If there are going to be more like this...will we be ready? Even we're feeling its effects now."

  Stel silently thanked Evy for the water and snack, as did all the rest of the team as she made her rounds. Evy even stopped at Elizabeth, offering her a drink and a snack.

  "Thanks," Elizabeth nodded, taking what was offered, which seemed to please Evy as she moved to sit next to her father, "As for if we're ready...we'll have to be. The world counts on us, an it's our duty to defend it. So, when you get back, make sure to get stronger."

  "Heh, easy for you to say," Leif, the rgest among them said jovially, "You're the War Goddess. I've not even seen you breath hard from this miasma."

  "I didn't start out this way," Elizabeth countered as she bit into the snack, a simple ham and cheese sandwich.

  It was good. A simple, easy to make and ready to eat food. Washing it down with water was refreshing and cool. Elizabeth felt a little nostalgic. Any good pyer knew that you had to keep your strength up while in the field, which is why they were taking a short break after just clearing the area.

  It was a moment for her to reflect on how far she had come. What she said to Leif was true. She didn't start out as strong and capable as she was now. In fact, her previous self couldn't even compare to those before her right now. It showed just how far her efforts had gone to make the world and those within it stronger than ever before. It gave her a little bit of hope.

  "It was only through hard work and effort that I made it this far..." Elizabeth continued, taking a small sip of water as she allowed herself a small smile, "And a bit of determination. I can't say I didn't stumble, but I had a reason to fight."

  Lucas was that reason, and it was only thanks to her that she had even gotten that chance. Of course, she didn't give all the credit to him. She knew how capable she was without him, but she didn't want to be without him. There was a difference that some might not understand, but it didn't matter.

  "Speaking of reasons to fight..." Oliver began cautiously, gncing at her curiously, "I did hear about your engagement, but it has been a while. Do you have a date set?"

  For the first time in a while, Elizabeth was caught off-guard, almost choking on a bite of her food as she grew a little flushed. Fshes of Lucas in a finely tailored suit walking down the isle towards her. She stood in a fanciful dress. Her heart pounded at the thought.

  "So, even the infamous Hades can get flustered," Evy teased as Elizabeth recovered from a coughing fit, "That's reassuring for the rest of us."

  "W-Well, I am human, after all," Elizabeth replied, trying to compose herself as her face continued to burn with embarrassment, "As for a date...no. We haven't pnned one yet, but we will."

  Elizabeth mused a little at calling herself human. This was technically true, but not entirely. Human. Demon. Queen. Heiress. These were all things that Elizabeth was, but of course she still had a heart. A heart that was weak to one person, and one person only, but a heart nonetheless.

  "You better invite us!" Evy excimed, nudging her father, "Isn't that right, pappa?"

  "Evy!" Oliver excimed, a little shocked at her inquiring, "You can't just invite yourself to-"

  "Heh, it's fine, Oliver," Elizabeth assured, smiling kindly at the young woman, "Of course, you're invited, but first we need to make sure we all survive, yes?"

  "Then, on that note..." Leon drank the st of his water, chiming up for the first time since their break, "We should probably continue, yes? We all saw the notification earlier?"

  The notification he was talking about was in pin view for everyone.

  ---

  >NOTICE: You've now entered the Moor of the Damned.

  >You've chosen your fate. Make your way to the Progenitor's Cathedral.

  >Clear Conditions: Find and defeat the Lords of Blood.

  >Failure to do so will result in the Moor of the Damned being unleashed. A world of rot and decay will be ushered in.

  >Time Remaining: 3 days, 7 hours, and 15 minutes.

  ---

  The rest of the team nodded in agreement and stood, readying themselves for the coming battle. Elizabeth prepared herself for what was to come. There had only been a couple of times where she intervened on their behalf, but for the most part they had done all of the fighting. She pnned on letting them face the Vampire Lords, but was ready to step in if things went wrong.

  "Three days..." Oliver mumbled, shaking his head, "If those bastards at NUN had procrastinated any longer..."

  "Rex, pappa," Evy told him chidingly, "As much as I agree, we have to focus."

  "It won't take us much longer," Kennith spun his bdes in his hand as he spoke, stepping up next to Mira, "We just have to make it through that."

  He pointed one of his bdes out, aimed at the imposing cathedral before them. They stood before the impressive structure, its dark spires hanging overhead from which the pustules and dark veins pulsed incessantly. It was a disturbing sight, but one they had to face.

  "Alright..." Oliver took a deep breath, centering himself, "To your positions."

  They moved like a well-oiled machine, everyone in their pce as they began to stride forward. A rge bck stone staircase was their first obstacle. It was at least a hundred steps up, but that wasn't what caused them any issue. It was the pustules above them that exploded as they approached. They burst from the veins and unleashed a noxious liquid and several Kin of Rot.

  Stel and Anders lifted their staves to the sky, creating a prismatic barrier that acted as an umbrel from the liquid. As it spshed against the barrier and onto the surrounding stone, there was a wicked hissing sound as it melted the stone of the steps. Not only was this noxious liquid poisonous, but acidic as well.

  They had no time to stop as the Kin of Rot were upon them. These particur Kin of Rot were familiar to Elizabeth. Reminiscent of those guardians that she had killed back in the D.C. Wild Zone. Those that had cimed to defend her own pace at one point in time.

  Gargoyles.

  Unlike those that guarded her pace, these were sickening abominations of rotted flesh instead of stone. They held wicked spears twisted with bck veins as their wings beat the air with tremendous force. Letting out a wicked screech, they flung their spears forward, intending to pierce Oliver with everything they had.

  His eyes glowed, his staff swung out before him as runic symbols appeared in the air before him. Each one intercepting the Kin of Rot's spears. In that same breath, those spears were sent back at the Gargoyles with double the force. It tore into their bodies, tearing them apart, but with a sickening sound pulled themselves back together and screeched in anger as they called their spears back.

  "Heh...it's a good thing you're dumb," Oliver smirked, for as their spears returned to their hands, their bodies were immediately engulfed in righteous fire.

  A golden-orange pyre erupted from the runes that Oliver had pced when he returned them to the creatures. They were quickly enveloped, screeching in pain as they soon became ash and their cores burst into nothing. With the immediate threat out of the way, they continued their ascent.

  Large, dark metal double doors greeted them as they reached the top of the staircase. Its surface was completely smooth, giving it a bck mirror sheen. It almost looked like solidified oil, and as they approached, it began to open by itself. A great creaking echoed out as it did, as if some great mechanism was at work.

  Slowly, the rge doors opened to reveal a rge, darkened entry into an abyss. No light from the outside penetrated the depths of the cathedrals threshold.

  "Well, that's not concerning," Evy mumbled sarcastically, much to the agreement of everyone.

  Elizabeth couldn't help but smile to herself. It was definitely a foreboding sight. She remembered the first time she had entered this pce. The unknown darkness awaiting her had given her pause, but she had pushed through in hopes of finding the answers she sought. Now that she knew what awaited her, she was more than willing to take the first step.

  Making her way forward, there were a few sounds of surprise and apprehension before she heard their footsteps fall in line behind her. As soon as her foot passed the threshold of the entryway, there was a sudden gust of fetid air that blew past all of them. It smelled of the sweetest rot. Almost intoxicating.

  "Mind yourselves," Elizabeth cautioned, gncing back at the rest of them, "What you just smelled...pay it no mind."

  Oliver and his team from Asgard all looked dazed as they shook themselves free of the scent upon the wind. It was unlike the rot of the nd around the cathedral. This rot was sweet, enticing. It attempted to lure those who came here to partake in the feast that awaited, but one had to be strong of mind to resist...or they would fall like the rest of the Kin of Rot.

  "We're good," Oliver assured, taking a deep breath and stepping forward, "Allow me to take the lead now."

  Elizabeth nodded and fell behind him as he led his team inside. They fell into their positions once more as they strode into the darkness. Before Oliver could produce a light, the doors that had once so graciously opened for them began to close. Turning to see the darkness close in on them, their faces steeled with resolve. None made a move to retreat, they simply gripped their weapons tighter, and stood their ground.

  As the final light was pinched from sight, the sound of braziers being light filled the room. One by one, sconces upon the walls fred to life, along with several grand chandeliers hanging above them. The light wasn't bright, but rather a dark crimson that bathed the room in red.

  "I'm sensing a theme..." Mira joked as she twirled her daggers expectantly, scanning the room with wary eyes.

  "Red does seem to be this pces color," Noel chuckled, hefting her great sword on her shoulder, "Besides all the rot and undead, I don't hate it."

  It was good that they could still joke. It meant they had their wits about them, even if they were using it to mask their uneasiness.

  Several rge pilrs lined the grand hall they found themselves in. Dark stone etched in gold that rose several stories to the vaulted ceiling overhead. A maroon carpet trimmed in gold led the way before them. The floors themselves were made out of a bck marble, and overhead were chandeliers made of gold. It was an overall luxurious pce, far different from the vile corruption outside, but the true horror of this pce still y ahead.

  At the far end of the room was a fountain rge enough to be seen from where they were, and even in the red light of the room, everyone knew what it was. Blood.

  Coursing from within the multi-tiered fountain was the sweet life nectar of all living things, fed by what looked to be several statues poised elegantly in the center. As they made their way forward, footsteps dampened by the carpet, they all saw that what they had believed were statues, were in fact living.

  Poised and melded into the stone itself were humanoid creatures not dissimir from humans, if not for their pointed ears and twisted forms. Elizabeth hardened herself against the sight, for she knew what and who they were. Elves.

  From their wrists and neck came forth that warm, crimson honey of life. Their blood pulled from their body and entwined with the magic of this fountain, perpetually draining these immortal beings of their vigor. Their eyes no longer held any light, unaware of anything around them.

  This fountain was set at the base of a rge, grand imperial staircase that fnked it, leading up to the floor above and a balcony that looked out over the great hall. It was where they would need to go to head further in, but at the moment, the others were taken by the fountain.

  "My god..." Oliver muttered as he saw them writhing, the blood pooling into the fountain below, "I thought outside was bad, but this...this is-"

  "Elegant, isn't it?" a posh, masculine voice called from above, all eyes immediately shifting to where it had come from.

  Elizabeth had already known they were there, waiting for their chance to speak. From a balcony on high stood an almost impossibly lithe man in the highest of ancient finery. Dark hair slicked back, just barely brushing his shoulders. Deep set eyes that glowed an ominous red stared down at them from within his pale, gaunt face. As he smiled, fangs were made visible.

  "It's been quite a while since we've had guests," he continued, eyes scanning them and his smile growing wicked, "Please, do have a taste. It's to die for."

  Motioning towards the fountain, his ughter echoed throughout the hall. That disgustingly sweet aroma picked up once more, stronger this time as he tried to entice everyone to drink. Elizabeth stood her ground, unmoved by such things. However, from behind her, she heard Viggo grunt.

  Gncing in his direction, she saw that Leif had a hold of him, keeping him from moving towards the fountain.

  "Anders!" Leif excimed through gritted teeth, "I'd rather not break my brother's arm!"

  "Working on it!" Anders raised his staff, a soft golden light gathering at the tip, "[Cleanse]!"

  Anders released his skill which washed over Viggo. After a brief moment, he rexed in Leif's arms, finally back to himself.

  "Viggo, are you...?" Leif inquired, and Viggo nodded.

  "I'm good, thanks brother," Viggo patted his arm and took a breath as Leif released him, "That's a nasty fucking trick."

  Viggo gred up at the man whose expression had grown less than amused.

  "You dare refuse my invitation?" he inquired, a heavy pressure filling the room, "If he wishes to partake...you should let him."

  His eyes flickered to Anders and the air stirred as the man suddenly disappeared, but to Elizabeth's senses, she saw it clearly. He leapt at great speeds from the banister of the balcony, aiming straight for Anders, his fingers elongated into sharp cws. However, she didn't make a move to interfere, for he wasn't the only one to make a move.

  "Anders!" Noel yelled out, leaping into action.

  With incredible reflexes, Noel brought her great sword up to block the attack. The csh of cws on metal ringing throughout the room. With a bit of effort, she was able to push the man back, swinging her great sword like a bat and sending him flying back. However, with great acrobatic skills, the man flipped in the air and nded perfectly atop the fountain.

  "It seems you ck manners as well," he snarled, gring at Noel.

  "Anders, are you good?" she asked, and he nodded.

  "Yeah, thanks for the save," he was a little surprised, but otherwise seemed composed, "What the hell is he?"

  "Ugh, how rude," the man scoffed, "I'm standing right here, though you must forgive me, for I did forget my own manners in my haste to teach you some."

  His condescending tone was not lost on any of them. He believed himself superior and every facet of his being spoke of it. From the way he stood to the way he talked. Every movement had an air of superiority about it.

  "I am Viktor de Armos," he bowed as he spoke, his tone indicative of his believe that he was above them, "Progenitor of the Left Hand. I would say it is a pleasure, but you've shown yourselves to be nothing more than savages."

  There were five Vampire Lords that Elizabeth knew of. Each one with the title of Progenitor. There was the Right and Left Hands, the Mind, the Spirit, and finally, the Heart. Out of all of them, The Left and Right Hand were the weakest, but they never strayed far from each other.

  "Brother, what is taking you so long?" a posh, feminine voice echoed from above, the sound of footsteps descending stairs, "Are these guests causing you trouble?"

  Behind Viktor, standing midway on the grand staircase was a hauntingly beautiful woman simir in appearance to Viktor, save her hair being longer and her finery was more akin to a dress. Cwed hands rested delicately upon the banister as her cool red eyes took in everyone, and for moment, lingered upon Elizabeth.

  There was a cold assessment in the woman's eyes, as if she was trying to evaluate herself against Elizabeth, but as Elizabeth held her gaze unflinchingly, the woman quickly averted her eyes as she lost that battle. Instead, the woman turned her attention to Oliver and the rest of them.

  "Unlike my brother, I shall introduce myself first," she smiled as alluringly as possible, and with it held a hint of manipution, "I am Victoria de Armos, Progenitor of the Right Hand, and it is a pleasure to meet you. There is no need to fight, we-"

  "Fuck off, dy," Leif growled, hefting his twin axes, "Your manipution won't work."

  Victoria's eye twitched at his vulgarity, her gaze turning deadly.

  "I hate to admit it, but my brother was right," she clicked her tongue and the pressure in the room grew heavier, "You are savages. Not that I hate that."

  She gave Leif a smirk, sending a shiver throughout his body.

  "...That was unpleasant," he grumbled, and Viggo nudged him teasingly.

  It was at that moment that a notification appeared before everyone.

  ---

  >ALERT: You have met the Vampire Lords, Viktor and Victoria.

  >They fight as one. Survive.

  ---

  "Survive, huh?" Aria rolled her shoulders as she readied her bow, "What a grim notification."

  "Miss Falcrest," Oliver called to Elizabeth, "Would you mind taking a step back?"

  Elizabeth shrugged and walked over to a nearby pilr, leaning upon it as she folded her arms. She watched the group closely, interested in just how capable they were. To her amusement, everyone except Leif, Viggo, and Noel stepped back.

  "Is this chivalry?" Victoria taunted, "Two against three? Surely, you don't think that's enough?"

  She ughed, but Oliver and the rest simply watched, unphased by her taunts. Seeing that it was going nowhere, her ughter died down quickly as she simply glowered at them all.

  "Very well, if you wish to be so insolent..." she sighed, moving her cwed fingers in anticipation.

  "Enough, sister," Viktor said with exasperation, "They do not deserve such courtesy. Let us end them qui-"

  With surprising speed, the behemoth of a man, Leif, had leapt up towards Viktor, axes poised to strike. His body was wreathed in a thin yer of red that swirled with hues of gold. [Berserk] and [Enhanced Body] were yered on each other, increasing Leif's natural combat abilities. It was typical for Pyers to have some kind of self-buff, but for physical fighters, it was almost a necessity.

  This caused many of them to be simir, but what set them apart from each other was how effectively they could utilize those skills and put their own fir on it. This was true for almost any Pyer, but in this moment, Elizabeth was focused on Leif's ability. His control was incredible, as [Berserk] typically increased strength at the cost of cognitive function, but his eyes were clear.

  "Tch, slippery bastard," Leif grumbled, his axes smashing the top of the fountain to pieces as Viktor got away.

  However, it wasn't an ineffective attack.

  "You savage!" Viktor practically screeched as he nded next to his sister, his face bleeding from a cut upon it, "Have you been taught no manners!? To attack when one is talking is-"

  "Oi," Leif called out, his voice holding a low rumble and aura fring as he stood atop the bloody fountain, "Why should I let you talk? You'll be dead soon."

  "Ha! Cheeky brat," Viktor hissed, running his thumb along his cheek, and as it passed, the wound completely disappeared, "Very well. Shall we, sister?"

  "Let us dance, brother," Victoria curtsied towards the three who awaited them, and in a blink of an eye, they both disappeared.

  Leif stood stoically atop the fountain, unmoving save for looking around cautiously. Viggo and Noel stood together, weapons at the ready.

  In a faction of a second, the engagement started. Victoria appeared in front of Viggo, but Noel intercepted with her great sword as Viggo made a thrust with his spear as he knelt down limberly. Victoria spun out of the way, avoiding a serious wound, though her dress was torn.

  "Ugh, do you know how hard it is to find good materials?" she clicked her tongue in annoyance and went in again.

  Her cws raked against Noel's great sword, but this time pushed off from it and attempted to leap over her. However, Noel and Viggo moved in unison. Oliver had praised them each for their individual strength, saying their teamwork wasn't as strong as Legions, but from Elizabeth's perspective, they were on par with them.

  Viggo was ready for Victoria as Noel moved to reveal that he had been hiding in her shadow. Victoria's eyes widened as his spear thrust upward with incredible force, wrapped in an evergreen energy. She twisted in midair, kicking at Noel who was sent several feet back, but was otherwise unharmed.

  At the same time, Viktor appeared behind Leif, cws aiming for the back of his neck. However, with quick reflexes, Leif blocked his vital spots by moving one of his axes to intercept and at the same time went in to counterattack as he spun around to swing, but hit nothing except air as Viktor disappeared into a crimson mist.

  Elizabeth could see why Oliver held them all in such high esteem, but the longer this battled went, the more at a disadvantage Leif, Noel, and Viggo would be. Vampire Lords were dangerous, but there was one ability among the rest that made them even more dangerous. Bloodlust.

  It was something that had given Elizabeth trouble in the past. The longer a fight dragged out, the more incessant they became in drawing blood. They grew hungrier, and that hunger made them faster, stronger. Elizabeth wondered if they would notice.

  She could only wait and see. Perhaps there was still something surprising that Asgard could show her.

  -----

  (Elizabeth's POV, Moments ter)

  Viggo's left arm was broken, dangling uselessly from its socket, yet he held on with pure determination, spear gripped in his right hand as it held Victoria to the floor. Noel was bleeding from several gashes along her midsection, barely remaining conscious as she held the hilt of her great sword firmly in both hands.

  "Finally...caught you," Viggo stated, out of breath from the recent battle, "You're one tenacious bitch."

  Victoria was nothing more than a rabid animal at this point. The fight had dragged on long enough to show the dangers of the Vampire Lord's bloodlust. It was a learning experience, but one that they would remember.

  The Vampire Lord tried to cw at Viggo, but it was futile with only one arm. Stepping on her hand, Viggo pinned her more firmly. She let out growls and animalist sounds, her mind lost to the hunger.

  "Noel..." Viggo called, and the exhausted woman nodded.

  With one final push, Noel let out a loud cry as she brought down her great sword on Victoria's neck, severing it and ending the Vampire Lord's life. Her body turned to dust, and in its pce was a glittering blood red gem.

  "Finally!" Viggo fell back on his ass, followed by Noel who joined him on the floor, both exhausted.

  "Remind me..." Noel said through ragged breaths, "Don't let a fight with a crazy bitch drag on."

  "Heh...same," Viggo chuckled and gnced towards the fountain where Leif was standing over Viktor, "You probably shouldn't py around either, Leif."

  Leif was covered in blood, not all of it his own. Viktor had proved to have impressive regenerative abilities, something that Elizabeth had known, but to warn them would be to deprive them of growing stronger themselves. Leif had adapted well, pressuring Viktor as much as possible. As fast as Viktor was, Leif had kept up for about half of the fight. When he was unable to, Leif ignored defense in exchange for offense.

  He took the blows and counterattacked in the brief moments that were made avaible. Each cut of his axes into Viktor's flesh pushed the Vampire Lord to the brink of insanity, until finally Leif had been able to pin him at the fountain. Its stonework was now broken, with blood pooling on the floor. Viktor's body was attempting to regenerate, his broken bones haphazardly trying to shift back into position.

  "I know," Leif told Viggo, his voice gruff from overexertion.

  With one foot on Viktor's chest, he looked down at the Vampire Lord, and for a brief moment Elizabeth thought she saw pity in his eyes. Perhaps he saw the creature before him as deserving of sympathy. A creature driven by hunger, mindless at the end of their life. All that potential and power...wasted.

  Elizabeth didn't know what it was that Leif was thinking, but the moment passed as his gaze hardened and he brought his axes down upon the snarling head of Viktor. His struggling ceased, and like his sister, turned to dust and only a glittering red jewel remained.

  Leif stumbled back now that the work was done, falling upon a piece of the fountain that had broken free and used it as a temporary seat. Stel and Anders quickly rushed over to the three of them, checking their wounds and ensuring they were treated. Aria, Mira, Kennith, and Leon all took up watch as Oliver made his way over to Elizabeth.

  "So, what are you thoughts?" he inquired quietly so the others didn't hear, "Are they up to your standards?"

  Elizabeth regarded him coolly before passing her gaze back over Oliver's team.

  "Almost," she answered honestly, "Noel and Viggo work well together, but they pyed around too much. Leif is strong, but his emotions may poise a problem."

  "They can also be a driving force," Oliver countered, to which Elizabeth couldn't disagree, "Leif has a gentle heart. He fights for those he loves, like all of us, but he can't help but wonder if there's another way."

  That reminded her of Lucas, for he has said something simir so many times before. His bleeding heart extended to even the most mundane of creatures. In past lives, when they still were able to enter dungeons together, they would often watch the creatures living there. From goblins to trolls, hellhounds to griffons. He often commented about how he wished they didn't have to fight.

  He imagined a world where everyone simply lived in harmony, or as much harmony as one could. However, the currently state of the world didn't allow for that. Instincts took over, and there was something else driving all of these creatures. A fight for survival.

  Of course, that didn't mean Elizabeth thought it was impossible to achieve such a world. After all, she was fighting for more than just Lucas's life. She was fighting to show him the world that he dreamed of. She could only believe that it y beyond the very st gate. She only had belief, for she had never reached that far.

  There would come a time where her knowledge of the past would end, and she would finally step into a future that was unknown and new. The thought terrified her, but she wouldn't let that stop her. Oliver was right, emotions could be a driving force, and Leif was someone she approved of in remaining of this world that she intended to create. In fact, all those with her right now have so far proven themselves in her eyes.

  "Collect their cores," Elizabeth told Oliver, pushing off from the pilr, "Unlike the Kin of Rot, their cores are something different."

  "How can you tell?" Oliver inquired, tilting his head as he followed her.

  "Simply look at them," she motioned with her head towards the glittering red jewels, "Do they look as corrupted as the Rot of Kin's?"

  "Hmm..." Oliver pondered it for a moment before shaking his head, "No, they're not. Very well, we'll do that then."

  "Good, but hurry," Elizabeth told him, "We don't have much time for rest. I'm sure you felt it?"

  Oliver paused for a moment and looked around with a grim expression. Ever since Viktor and Victoria had died, the cathedral had grown deathly quiet. Even the fires which roared in the sconces on the walls seemed dulled. Something had changed within the cathedral, and if they lingered for too long...it would find them.

  ----

  Nikushimi