Perhaps because of my deep concern, or simply by chance, I found myself in the center of my spiritual palace. The watchman's tendrils floated outside, more energetic than usual. The fire in the fireplace in the master bedroom was not comfortable at all.

I want to see it. I'm going to see. It was the first time I lived my daily powerlessness as a burden. I would sleep for almost 10 hours, during which my friends and allies would fight, bleed and die, and I absolutely could not change that.

I'm going to see. Show me. Show me!!

A purple tendril flashed through the window, and I felt a tug. I walked out of the hall and down the stairs. Two reinforced doors opened in front of me.

The garden is as peculiar and beautiful as ever, full of unknown essences and strange rocks. I paced up and down its hidden niches and false paths, with a sense of familiarity that stemmed from intimate knowledge. We're in my head, where I'm going now, I've never seen before.

The thorny roots form a small circular pond. The tree bends inward, obscuring it from the outside. Its calm surface reflects only the eye above and the black space around it. The reflection is as strange as the original, but not as fascinating. It's like looking at the sun through dark glass. The glare was softer, but still majestic.

Show me.

Reflections become blurred and varied in a kaleidoscope of shapes and colors. I got closer, and the pond swallowed me whole.

A tall man emerged from the sea and walked leisurely, as if he did not care about his army. Dark figures swim behind, witnessing the bloodshed to come. His jet-black hair and beard clung to his golden skin, and his dark eyes glistened with a contemptuous smile. Just as his first opponent spotted him, a dark armor emerged from underneath and enveloped his formidable frame. The last thing they saw his face was eight cruel fangs glistening before his body was wrapped in nightmarish plates and massive scales.

A small army gathered on the shore. Two hundred men and women were heavily armed, armed with bows, guns and gauntlets. Their colorful robes and armor come from another era, glowing auras and shiny runes that repel the darkness of the night. Around them, formations and circles have been dug to block, defend and authorize. They're ready.

"Fire!"

From the ranks of the combatants, a burst of catapults erupted. Arrows, bullets, spears and stones. Spells in beautiful shades of blue and gold. They swept across the sky like a pack of beasts of prey, lunging at the man.

He held up a hand. Three concentric circles of red runes formed in the air, and then he clenched his fists.

A purple and crimson leaf was born. It crushed the collective attack like the tide washed away a sandcastle. The curse returns, hitting the carefully constructed shield. To stop the onslaught, layer after layer was burned. Men and women knelt on the ground, their eyes bloodied and screaming. Those behind stopped the attack and joined the defenders.

In the end, the magic failed. Behind the troops, an old man in elaborate costume raised a hand with a stylized lock in his hand.

At his feet, a complex rune formation was ignited, reflected beneath his darkly armored enemy.

Unbeknownst to the mage, the tall man held out two fingers downward, black runes wrapped around his wrists, like a twisted mirror, reflecting the spell thrown at him.

He stopped for the first time.

The circle around him shimmered silver. At the same time, a woman in a red tunic emits a screaming scarlet orb, and a couple in gray layered armor rushes towards him from the side.

The flames blazed, and the man's black Claymore knife stabbed through the target's throat, and the woman's sword stabbed into his heart.

Then the bait collapsed.

His gaze turned to the robed mage, but it was too late. His body had been lifted alof, his blood had been drained. The man in black armor threw it aside, stretched out his arms, and put his wrists together. A structure like a black tree sprang up from them. Where its rough branches hit, the warriors fell, and the corpses turned into mummies, as if they had been in the desert for many years. The absorbed life force of the spell turns red and quickly turns into a giant scythe. It affects the defenses of the red woman and distracts them. The man in gray armor rushes forward, his enemies retreating, and then counters with a deadly spell. The knight fell. His companion lunged at him, but her attack hit the Obsidian Gauntlet. The same gauntlet swung out and cut off her head. The next spell of the Witch in Red is interrupted. She stared incredulously at the blade in her stomach.

With this, the resistance collapsed.

The vampire lord leaned over to devour the mage, and no one stood in front of him

I withdrew from the vision. Not this one. I've seen it before, and now I think about it. Yes, Master is back. I don't care. He's on an island somewhere, and thankfully, I just miss him so much...... No! I don't need him! I don't need anyone! Elegant. I. Target. Bloody. Fight!

Something taut and broke, but I didn't care and moved on. Yes! It's right here, right next to me!

Midday.

The superior armies finally completed their preparations, and their infantry moved forward. The battle began, like a terrible surprise that hit the morale of the defenders.

Two British-flagged frigates emerged from a bend in the coast and immediately opened fire on the pirate fortress. Its high position protected it to a certain extent, but when the shells passed through the walls, the walls quickly showed signs of damage. There was no return fire. All the guns were pointed inland.

On the right flank of the American army, the line regiment faced fierce battles comparable to them. Soldiers in blue uniforms shot after shot behind a low wall, supported by a 12-pounder cannon. Dressed in crimson uniforms and black hats, they confronted those who thwarted Napoleon's ambitions. The man who held out from the sand dunes of Egypt to the desolate plains of Waterloo. The Red Line retaliated with accurate musket shots and was backed up by their own larger arsenal of guns. To make matters worse, the support artillery of the fortress became inaccurate due to the constant attacks of obsolete equipment and ships. Despite all the hardships they have endured, these mainlanders have fought back with a punch, just like their fathers. The battlefield was littered with dead and wounded, and the air was filled with smoke, but no side would rest on its laurels.

In the center, the battle did not go well. Strand's inexperienced militia panicked and opened fire prematurely before the enemy could reach effective range. Some bullets don't even shoot because they are not properly loaded. The British soldier stopped at 50 paces and fired a deadly volley. When the militia retreated from the onslaught, the red line fixed the bayonets and charges. The American army collapsed under their onslaught. Disciplined soldiers drove the enemy like insects. From the outside, they look like a monster with lead spitting teeth. It pounced and was ready now.

Thankfully, the fleeing troops joined up with their comrades on the second line and were firmly anchored to the ridge. The advance of the British troops was halted by the precise fire of a screaming old officer, who had seen the worse blows and drove them away. The main forces of the British army tried to attack again, but the militia clung to it and stabbed at the deadly enemy. The monster was slashed a thousand times, bleeding profusely, and after a fierce scuffle, it was repulsed. Unfortunately for the defenders, the enemy general smelled blood and soon sent his reserves to attack. Behind the reformed infantry, the sound of drums and trumpets heralded the arrival of the Scottish Highlanders, their elite reserves. They soon continued to attack with more ferocity. Less than two hours after the first gunshot, the U.S. military was in danger of being cut in half.

On the left flank, the British offensive was stopped by deadly fire from Venetian veterans. Their light grey uniforms show that they are an elite force, and their opponents realize that they may face more than they can defeat. Taking advantage of numbers, they tried to form a semicircle around Isaac's own defenders.

Just as they reached the optimal range, small infantry burst out from all sides and opened fire on the troops in close proximity. The British captain ordered his soldiers to charge with their remaining horses.

The lightly armed troops on the flanks were routed, but just as the main army reached a small bush, a powerful horn sounded over the plain. The detachment of American cavalry jumped out of the woods and engaged in a brutal close combat with the opponent. The red tide was repulsed, but managed to retreat in an orderly manner. Viné decided not to pursue, fearing his right flank.

Then, the tide of battle was reversed.

From the fortress, a cannon with a deafening roar hit the leading frigate with non-human accuracy. A second later, the civilians huddled in the village heard frantic screams, "Damn the weather" and "Put my hairy ass away". When the captain of the frigate realized what was happening, the second gunshot joined the first. He turned the bow of the ship, it was too late.

The third shell ignited.

In a terrible fire, the ship's gunpowder warehouse was ignited by a kind of incendiary bomb that had never been seen in the world. The resulting fireball stained the sky red, boosting the morale of the defenders. At the same time, in some Dve

gu

Inspired by screams, the fortress's shots became more and more accurate, such as "My uncle Gromir can shoot better, he's fucking blind!" Or "Hit it any more and I'll push you headfirst into the bucket, you fucking big dick!" In this way, the right wing was supported and held on.

In the center, Strand's whaler closes its steel jaws.

The cunning colonel, counting on the contempt of his enemies for the militia, forced him to launch an offensive in the center, and the enemy commander took the bait.

From the forest on the right, his elite legions appeared, reinforcing the besieged militia, and from the left came a column of bloodthirsty privateers, rushing at the highlanders like madmen. They may be undisciplined and unreliable, but if there's one thing you can count on, it's their irrepressible hatred of the British. Armed with sabers, pistols and axes, soldiers in leather clothes attacked the flanks of the infantry at close range. Sensing this trap, the superior forces ordered a general retreat under the cover of flank and concentrated artillery fire. Their soldiers fled, but left many wounded on the battlefield.

Victory is in sight.

Night is coming.

It breaks my heart! Alas, my head is like a vise! Why? Why, why. Is it because I pushed it? Being able to see what's going on? Not worth it, not worth it at all, I could have waited and now I'm stuck with this horrible headache! Is this a magical hangover? Curse!

I pushed the top of the sarcophagus to the side and found myself in Isaac's safety tent. Dalton waited anxiously as a bound man was beside him. As soon as he saw me, he looked terrified.

"Lover? Are you okay?"

I tried to rub my eyes, but I noticed something slimy. Black blood stuck to my fingers.

It looks like my eyes and ears are bleeding. Oh, happy. I can't even die peacefully.

"I'm fine".

"What's going on?"

After that. Who is this?"

Dalton remembered the prisoner beside him and pulled him up. The captive is a cunning fellow, dressed in the blue uniform of our allies. One of his eyes was closed from severe bruising, and his hands were tied behind his back. Although his eyes frantically moved away from the sarcophagus, his complaint was choked by a thud. I can guess what he's thinking.

"I knew they must have infiltrated our ranks, so I kept an eye out for suspicious behavior. When I caught this man, he was trying to run away and join the enemy. Oh, by the way, we won!"

"I know."

"You!?"

I waved my hand dismissively. There is no time to explain.

"Did you bring him for interrogation?"

"Yes, I'm sure Isaac needs your help. He woke up an hour ago. You may not have time to go hunting. ”

Hearing these words, my future breakfast really panicked. I hurriedly grabbed it so that it wouldn't stain itself, as it would make the air sour. After a quick interrogation, he realizes that he knows nothing. As long as he can report on our troops and their location, we will give him a large bounty. Once I'm done, Dalton signals outside, and then the body is carried away by the bored guards.

I followed Dalton to Vine's command tent, and to my surprise, three mages stood outside. Ve

ET himself is there for them.

"Please wait a moment, Miss Ariana. My employer is eating. ”

We had a couple of spies at that time. With no small amount of curiosity, I turned my attention to these three people. The old man stood there with his eyes closed, and after a few seconds he realized that he had fallen asleep. The woman I remember, Merritt, looked confrontational, but her companion fidgeted with curiosity. He doesn't have any type of hair at all, making him look like a circus monster, and his big eyes don't help either.

I'd better get to know my allies. I've never spoken to the mages other than to tell them how they're going to die.

"Really?"

"Are you a corpse?"

We're off to a good start.

I ask this out of humor. Look, corpses are full of evil humor and are carriers of disease, so if you bite a corpse, you will make them sick, but at the same time your blood slave looks healthy, so it may not be like this, I'm just curious, please don't eat me. ”

He said a lot about the disease of people with aphthous ulcers.

Dalton is not my slave, he is my vassal. I'm not a corpse either. I don't rot and never will. ”

"What if you die again?"

Is it serious?

"We were reduced to ashes."

The man looked shocked.

"What about mosquitoes?" lice?"

"We're magical creatures, you idiot, we don't have any diseases or parasites."

"Even in your hair?"

"Yes, even in our hair. Are all spellcasters crazy? Or are you just an extreme example?"

"Leave Colvert alone, he's obsessed with cleanliness."

"Is that why he looks like a living alchemical accident?"

She nodded.

"He washed his hands seventeen times a day."

"You're sharing critical information with the enemy!" Her companion hissed.

The witch and I have similar moments between people who are relatively sane.

"By the way, my name is Merritt."

"Ariane".

She scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I never thought I'd talk to a legendary vampire one day. You are a myth. It is said that meeting a person is meeting death, and the city you occupy is a black zone, and to stay there after dusk is to stay there forever. Now I'm talking to someone. ”

"It's also a great opportunity for me. I've only spoken a few words to the magician. ”

"Really?"

"Yes, they are written along the line 'Fire Whip'!" and 'please don't'. ”

Merritt chuckled softly.

"Hah! I think so. One girl said to another. How did you get so many men to listen to you? Those old guys were always circling around me, knowing my status or something. ”

"This is mainly influenced by Isaac. We've known each other before, and his trust in me has given me a degree of legitimacy. ”

"So it's because of a man, um."

She looked depressed.

"Find a reliable person on your side, and you don't have to fight for the approval of others every step of the way, he will do it for you."

"How can I find such a treasure?"

"Your personality is definitely not good. Dalton interjected. I know he hasn't forgotten the slave's comment.

The woman's face turned ugly, and I tried to comfort her before our diplomatic efforts were irreparably damaged.

"The look of surprise on the face of an enemy who looks down on you is even sweeter when they are dying."

This brilliant observation of the nature of the universe was welcomed and the people were dumbfounded. What! What a solid suggestion! Born from personal experience!

"Uh-huh. I thought, thank you for those kind words, right?"

"Wait a minute, I have a question too. Are you all members of the Wizarding Order?"

The two mages exchanged glances. The bald man just shrugged his shoulders.

"I want it wouldn't hurt to tell you. We are with the Vault, which is more of a vague alliance than a real one. Not like those families in Europe. Langdon is our mentor. He is in charge when he is awake, so not often. ”

Loth told me that he didn't know much about the mage community. They are the most numerous strange inhabitants in the world, easily 100,000 in the known world. Many had only a little strength, but their well-trained soldiers were numerous and dangerous. There are groups of groups, chapters, secret societies, families, cartels, and other groups that have as many goals and agendas as political connections. In a sense, they are true representations of human nature. Crazed cultists fight against devout Christians who believe their power is a gift from God, while cunning plotters and police orders vie for control of the local government. However, there is not a lot of information provided by Lotus, and I suspect that there must be some groups at the top.

"Are you against the Shin Kong Brotherhood?"

"Well, yes, the directors decided it was a bad idea to let a power-hungry madman have an artifact capable of mass murder. Figure go. ”

Common sense! I couldn't believe my ears, I must be mistaken, right?

"It's wise."

"Yes, isn't it?" Oh, it looks like it's our turn. ”

Ve

E.T. waved at us from the side of the tent, and we joined in, the sleepy mage being dragged in by his companions. A more detailed map of the area is placed on a table in the center. The ink hasn't dried yet.

"Good evening! Good evening...... Yes. If I seem abrupt, I apologize first, but time is of the essence. As you know, we managed to repel the main attack of the superior forces. I will leave the management of the battlefield to our dear colonel, and concentrate my energies on what is really at stake. I'm referring to the keys to Villa. Our good Ve

Mr. et and Mr. Loth had noticed movement around the village of Black Harbor and the beach, so I was pretty sure the search for the ruins had begun. Of course, this is completely unacceptable. We rule the night, and they will soon remember. Ariana, I'm counting on you, you mages, please support her in any way you can. The enemy has a lot of spellcasters, and we don't see them today. Something is bound to happen. ”

Our human allies took the end of this sentence as a dismissal and withdrew at record speed. I'm staying.

"How are you?" My host asked.

"I don't know. The past few weeks have been an ongoing battle with the Muslim Brotherhood and its influence. I find myself missing painting, or walking in the woods at night. As long as it can get me out of my troubles. I felt like I was being eroded under this constant pressure, so to speak, losing depth. We need balance. ”

"There are more of us than most people. When this is over, you should be with me when I go back to Savannah. We need talented people like you who can provide you with a place to stay while you wait. It's also going to be very lucrative. ”

"Loth is going to Europe."

"It's not wise for you to be with him. Despite the political differences, you are technically a hooligan, and police management in Europe is very strict compared to here. The stakes will be high. ”

"I ...... I'll think about it. ”

"Of course."

"By the way, don't you think it's strange that they send patrols at night?"

"No, no. I doubt that their information is reliable. I think there are two possibilities. First of all, they are already desperate. Since they failed to capture the town, they may simply be trying to crush and capture quickly. Considering their tragic situation, such a strategy makes sense. The second possibility is that they want to frame you. ”

"Me?"

"Yes. How many people have died at the hands of you and Roth of Sgolag since you began your attack?"

"I didn't count."

"War-trained vampires are strategic assets. If they take you out, they can use their magic for nocturnal operations with impunity. There are only three of us, enough to protect our leaders, that's all. ”

"We've killed the two guys they sent to chase us."

"It's nothing. The core of their numbers should still be intact. I estimate you'll face about ten combat-trained mages, plus those two archmages. That's why I'm asking someone to accompany you. ”

"Hmm. We'll see. I'm ready to go. ”

"Go to the shore and look for footprints that go south. If not, or if they retreated, go north. We can't let them search. ”

"I'll do it."

Isaac nodded, adding:

"Thank you for your cooperation. I thank you for your support, as always. I won't forget. ”

"You can't."

We all laughed, and then I left.

I rubbed my paws with a torn gray uniform. There is only one group. Eight people with suicide runes, no mages. Odd.

Three spellcasters walked towards me and looked at the ruins around me and stopped. I could feel their fear in the air and in the heartbeat, but they remained silent.

"Unless they really run out of ideas, it's just a waste of my time."

The old man didn't want to make eye contact with me. He licked his lips nervously before answering.

"Yes, but why?"

As soon as these words came out of his mouth, a series of whistling dust emerged from the advantageous camp in the far north and fell to the ground. After a while, the night turned red.

”。 Damn it. It's back, it's back!"