CHAPTER 62: AROUSAL OF THE VAMPIRES [4]

"Grrr..."

Growling sounds of the thralls could be heard all around the city.

While nobles were cooped up in their luxurious mansions, protected by all kinds of barrier, and guards, the commoners were the only ones to suffer.

Blood splattered everywhere, the once lively marketplace filled with cries of horror, and despair, the mana induced street lights flickering to symbolize the doom of the capital city.

Only a few minutes had passed since the outbreak, and the city was already in a state of partial destruction.

Things were even more complicated, because the Royal Family was out of the Capital, for the Five Races Association, with most of the soldiers of the City Guard.

The Church had already lost much of it’s power since the Saintess disappeared without a trace, ten years ago, so they hid behind the walls of the church, not to get swept away in this pandemic.

Most of the professors, and senior students of the Knights’ Academy were away from the capital, to prepare for the upcoming Joint Combat Meet.

Hence, as if each piece falling into the scheme developed by someone, the Capital was at the most vulnerable state right now.

It was the perfect time to attack, if anyone wanted to.

And thus began the chaos.

A peculiar thing happened in the midst of all this.

Only men were turned into thralls, while women were immune.

But, instead, they were violated and killed in the end.

Those vile and horrific scenes spread throughout the capital, while the uninfected ones went into hiding.

However, it would not be long before the unifected ones also get devoured, because there stood a creature, in human form, yet a vampire, guiding all the thralls in the city to their destination.

"Time to say hello to my friends.... Let’s see the potential of the Academy."

She muttered as all the thralls looked towards the Academy buildings, standing tall in this chaotic night.

On a single gesture from her, everyone ran towards the gates of the academy, laced with protective barriers from all around.

Laurel knew it, already.

Yet, she also wanted to see, for how long the barrier can survive their attacks.

The result was inevitable, yet some brew hope in their hearts to survive this desperate situation, and emergency victorious in this war between the most advanced race, against the most ancient race.

***

"Wait, something is wrong.", Lysa warned, as the thralls, they were fighting earlier, started moving in some other direction.

More precisely, in the direction of the Academy, where the unifected civillians were being taken to.

Due to the command from the student council president, Alicia, the dispatched student along with the remaining City Guards, only subdued the thralls, without killing them.

"Have they found out, what we are doing?", Aster asked the remaining four of his group members, in a serious tone, as the thralls they had already subdued, woke up and started moving in the same direction too.

Lysa, the mage of the group put her fingertips in their direction and sent waves of mana energy, which she used earlier to subdue them, but nothing changed.

Lysa uses a technique of her Family Thompson, which uses mana energy as neural waves.

Her original element of magic is fire, but she can also use this technique to confuse her opponents.

But, this time, they didn’t work on those thralls, as they got out of their sight.

"This shouldn’t happen.", Lysa muttered.

"If the neural waves aren’t working then, isn’t it possible that someone else is already in control of their nervous system?", Ren, the swordsman and analyst of their group spoke up.

"They are most probably going to the Academy, but I don’t think the person who is controlling them has figured out our plan.", Astoria said, putting her daggers in the sheath.

The final member of his group, Tolan put down the mana shield, and listenes to their conversation.

"This is bad, isn’t it? If these creatures pass through the academy barriers, then the unifected civillians would be in danger.", Aster said, sheathing his sword too.

And continued.

"Most of the civilians have been sent to the academy, with the help of Senior Rena. The other units consisting of our seniors and the City Guards have also returned to the Academy premises with them...They can run havoc inside the Academy, if these creatures are able to enter through those barriers. Now what should we do?", he pointed out the main problem and asked his teammates for solution.

"Shouldn’t we also return, and report this to Senior Alicia?", Astoria raised an obvious question.

This information was to be reported to her, as soon as possible, so that respective countermeasures will be taken.

"But....what if there are still some people who haven’t been rescued?", Aster posed a question of conflict here, due to his own righteousness and kind attitude.

"Let’s do this. I will search for any other survivors, and the remaining four will go and report this to Senior Alicia and help her moving further.", Aster proposed, they split up to complete both tasks.

It was only a speculation on their part that all of the thralls are moving towards the academy.

What if some remain in the city only and attack some unifected civillians, still not rescued?

This was the thought of Aster, yet the others perceived this differently.

If their speculation is wrong, then this plan would practically be suicide for Aster.

The others couldn’t possibly agree to this.

"I am going with you too.", Lysa said, after thinking about the possibilities.

Aster blinked at Lysa, her pale fingers trembling around the rim of her staff. Her face was steady, but the fire in her eyes betrayed her resolve.

"I can’t let you go alone. If there are survivors... someone needs to cover you while you search."

"That wasn’t the plan," Ren snapped, stepping forward. "Aster, splitting up was dangerous enough. Now two people are going into a city filled with thralls being controlled by a greater vampire? You’re both going to die."

"But if we don’t, someone else will," Aster said quietly. "I can’t live with that."

The group fell into silence. Behind them, the city continued to scream. Fire burned unchecked down the cobbled lanes, casting long, writhing shadows against the stone walls. A scent of iron floated through the wind—thick, metallic blood and scorched flesh. Rooftops that once housed families were now cracked open, some collapsing entirely. The street vendors’ stalls that once overflowed with spices, fabrics, and copper ornaments were now overturned, covered in blood and claw marks.

Distant cries for help echoed through the alleys—some real, some illusions planted by the vampire to lure out survivors. The moon, high above, hung like a pale eye watching the end of humanity.

"You’re right, Aster," Tolan muttered, his voice barely audible. "If someone is alive, they deserve a chance."

"But you’re also wrong," Ren countered. "The academy is our last stronghold. If we lose that, it’s game over. We cannot risk two key fighters. Especially not you, Aster."

"I’m not a key fighter," Aster said, looking toward the cathedral tower burning in the distance. "I’m just someone who got lucky... but if I can buy a little more time for others, I’ll do it."

"No," Lysa cut in, stepping beside him. "It’s not about sacrifice. It’s about doing what’s necessary, even if the outcome is painful. If people survive today, they’ll forget the names of those who died to save them. But that doesn’t make it meaningless."

Astoria gritted her teeth. Her usual casual posture was gone; she looked ready to punch a wall. "This is suicide, Lysa. You’re a noble mage! Your neural spells can turn the tide—"

"And they didn’t work just now," Lysa replied, voice clipped. "I’m useless against the current enemy. But I can still detect life signatures. That makes me the best one to search for survivors."

A tense beat passed.

Astoria clicked her tongue, then stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around both of them. "I hate this."

Ren turned to Tolan. "We have to leave."

"No," Tolan whispered. "We have to trust them."

Ren gave one last look to Aster and Lysa, who were already walking toward the burning streets. Their shadows stretched long beneath the firelight, disappearing into a fog that was too thick to be natural.

"Be back before the Academy falls," Ren said, barely managing a smirk. "Or I’ll drag you out myself."

"No promises," Aster said.

Then, with a shared nod, the party split.

Tolan, Astoria, and Ren began the sprint toward the academy, disappearing into a veil of smoke and flickering magic lights, where shadows danced like specters on the edge of despair.

Meanwhile, Aster and Lysa moved deeper into the heart of the doomed city, their silhouettes swallowed by the rotting mist of blood and fire.

Unbeknownst to them, above the rooftops, dark eyes watched from a high spire, smiling.

She, too, was curious to see how long they could last.

And perhaps...

Who would break first.

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Author’s Note :

Please comment down your thoughts on the story so far, and if you have any suggestions, feel free to comment them too.

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