“Where are we?” she asked. She finally managed to get up onto her feet. Oh, yes. She’d definitely pulled or torn something in one of her knees. A quick application of [Restore] left her knee aching but functional. “This… cave wasn’t on the map.” To make matters worse, the cave was full of corrupted flesh, tendrils, and other eldritch detritus. Not far off was a vast, twitching mass of flesh that was even larger than the manor above them.
“I have no idea. Either there was a cave under the manor that they missed when they were mapping the place, or those things dug it out of the rock themselves.” Eric yanked a piece of rock out of his chest, and the wound immediately began to close. “Has anyone seen the vampire?”
Miles stumbled toward a pile of rubble. “You have to help me! He was right there!”
“Wait!” Aria shouted. “I want to help him as much as you do, but we’ve got trouble headed our way.” She pointed. The mass of twisted flesh had begun to undulate toward them, a roiling tide of corruption that sprouted barbed spines, teeth, and all manner of weapons as it advanced.
It was a miracle none of them screamed. Here, at last, was their true enemy. From what Jonathan had told them, this… thing had once been a vampire who had delved too deeply into the secrets of the Beyond. He had glimpsed the truth of forbidden eldritch lore, and that knowledge had changed him forever. Now, free of the dagger and with his strength growing with each moment, he had become something truly alien to their world, a true eldritch horror.
“Jonathan did say we’d know him when we saw him,” Eric drawled. “I’m guessing that’s him.”
“I hope so.” Aria rolled her shoulders. Good. She could fight. “I have a hard time imagining anything worse than this thing.” She glanced at the others. “I’ve faced eldritch horrors before. If it’s like them, its very presence will fill you with fear and doubt as it gets closer. Don’t let it get to you.”
“We kill it, right?” Eric asked.
“Yes.” Aria looked at Miles. “Find Jonathan. We’ll try to hold this thing off for as long as we can. We might be able to kill it ourselves, but Jonathan should be able to help us with the lore he knows. If he has the dagger, we might not even have to fight it.” Her gaze went back to Eric. “Stay in your human form. That thing… it’s consuming everything it touches. I really, really don’t think biting or clawing it would be a good idea.”
Eric grimaced. “I think you’re right.” He raised his spear. “Oh well. At least, I’ll get more practice in.”
“Hah!” Blue Scales raised his trident. The massive merman seemed to have gotten through the collapse with barely more than a scratch or two on his scales. Water began to pool at their feet. It was only ankle deep, but the creature reacted immediately. Long tentacles with spikes on the end lanced toward Blue Scales, but a swing of his trident sent tendrils of water forward to block the attacks. He was only partially successful, but Eileen was ready to intervene. She transformed back into a hydra, and her volleys of acid devoured the tentacles. “Finally!” Blue Scales boomed. “A worthy opponent! Let us see how strong this abomination truly is!”
* * *
Jonathan blinked and opened his eyes. Huh. He should be dead. A normal vampire noble of his age and power would have died underneath all of the rock and debris. Maybe he hadn’t hallucinated the entire encounter with the Blood Emperor.
Of course, you’re alive. I said I’d help you, didn’t I?
He just barely managed to stifle a scream. Okay. He definitely hadn’t hallucinated. As crazy as it sounded, he really had met a fragment of the Blood Emperor’s soul and had made a pact with him.
Exactly. Now, get moving. Your companions need your – our – help.
Magic and strength that were not his shoved the rubble aside with ease.
I’ll be leaching off you to maintain my existence, and you’ll have to keep your hands on the dagger too. In exchange, you’ll be able to channel some of my power. It should be enough but be careful. If you try to draw on too much of my power, you’ll be lucky if you knock yourself out.
“And if I’m unlucky?”
We’ll be both be dead – for real, this time.
“Great…”
In seemingly no time at all, he was free of the rubble. As he staggered to his feet, he saw Miles. “Miles…”
“Sir!” The butler ran to him, joy written clearly on his face. “But how?”
“It’s a long, long story.” Jonathan lurched forward. It was impossible to miss the gigantic… thing the others were fighting. “We have to help them kill that thing.”
“It must have caused the cave in too, sir.”
That is the true form of the opponent I bound inside the dagger. I would have killed him, but he refused to take a fully corporeal form, which made it impossible to end him permanently. There was something decidedly vicious in the Blood Emperor’s voice now. But now he has taken on a corporeal form. He must have believed that there was no one here who could threaten him once he’d grown strong enough to complete his transformation. He was wrong. We can kill him.
“The dagger?” Jonathan whispered.
No. If I was there to use the dagger, it might be possible to drag him back into it without much of a fight, but you aren’t me. We’ll have to go for the direct approach. Don’t worry. I know Words and Signs that can kill him, but I’m not sure how much of my power you can handle. Ideally, we’d have a week or two to work out your limits.
“I’ll do what I have to,” Jonathan muttered. He glanced down and found that he was holding the dagger in his right hand. He couldn’t remember picking it up. “Miles, tell them to keep attacking it. The dagger can’t stop it now, but I might know some Words and Signs that can help.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jonathan tried to steady himself. It was a miracle he could put one foot in front of the other. The sheer weight of the Blood Emperor’s power and presence in the back of his mind were unbelievable. What would happen once he tried to use some of that power?
You’re pathetically weak, but that’s to be expected. I’ve seen your memories. You are a scholar, so the battlefield is not something you’re familiar with. Don’t worry. You’ll learn. We’ll have to be careful, but I think we can manage. It will hurt as few things in your life ever have – my power is not easy to wield – but if all goes well, you and your companions should survive.
“Wonderful.” Jonathan winced as a storm of fleshy tendrils lashed out. They had barbed hooks coming out of them, and they dripped venom. Aria called out a Word to deflect the worst of the attack, and Eileen’s acid had entire sections of flesh sloughing off. Bolts of water blasted into the creature, tearing chunks out of it, and Eric was hitting anything he could reach. However, it was simply too big. They were doing damage, but it was regenerating faster than they could hurt it, bulbous, warped flesh replacing any injured areas.
We shall begin with a Sign. Their efforts are admirable but largely futile due to its regeneration. Eventually, they will tire. Can you use the Sign I want without collapsing?
The Blood Emperor showed Jonathan the sign he wanted him to make, and the younger vampire nodded grimly. He could use it. “I think so. Let’s give it a try.”
Then pay close attention. You might need this Sign again in the future.
Jonathan found his body moving of its own accord as the dagger traced a Sign in the air. There was a sound like a clap of thunder, and the creature’s vast, bloated body shimmered briefly before taking on a faintly coppery tinge. This time, when the others struck, the creature’s regeneration was not nearly as quick.
Annoying. That Sign should have stopped its regeneration completely. Perhaps it is due to the difference in our strengths. Still, it’s better than nothing.
“Whatever you did,” Aria shouted. “Keep doing it!” She cut off a tendril, and for once, no tendril grew to replace it. Blue Scales was cutting loose now, bolt after bolt and wave after wave slamming into the monstrosity. It still wasn’t enough. As powerful as t
he merman was, the creature’s sheer size was incredible. Blue Scales would have blown a hill apart with his magic by now. Unfortunately, they were fighting something far, far bigger than a hill.
“I’m not sure I can.” Jonathan staggered. Using that Sign had him on the verge of collapse. He could feel the Blood Emperor’s disappointment, and he had the feeling the older vampire could have thrown dozens of that Sign around in his prime without even blinking. With Jonathan’s severely limited stamina, they couldn’t afford to be so cavalier.
“What now?”
Let them continue to weaken it. Once it is weak enough, we can strike the decisive blow.
Little by little, the others wore the creature down. Despite being large enough to fill most of the cavern underneath the manor, it was clearly beginning to tire. Its movements were more erratic, and its attacks were less crisp. It was desperate now, moving with a wildness that had not been present before. If the others were fresh, they could easily have capitalised. Unfortunately, they were tiring too. They had been fighting for some time now, and Aria and Miles, the two humans in the group, were clearly slowing down. Blue Scales and Eric were faring better, but the merman was running out of Words. He’d thrown what felt like a lake’s worth of water at the creature, and it was still standing. Eileen, meanwhile, had transformed into a salamander. Her hydra form would have been more effective, but Aria had mentioned that she wouldn’t be able to use it forever. Transforming into a salamander was likely far less taxing. At this rate, the monster would outlast them, but Jonathan was hoping the Blood Emperor had something up his sleeve.
It’s time. Give me control and try not to die.
Jonathan did his best to stay calm. It was harder than he’d hoped. Power filled the air, and it was far more than he could ever have mustered on his own. Yet at the same time, he could still feel some of his magic at the core of it all. So that was how it worked. The Blood Emperor was using him as an anchor and a focus, a conduit for his power. That power surged through Jonathan’s veins, a wave of fire that seared his very being. Was it a coincidence that he’d been brought here? Maybe. Or perhaps it was all down to luck.
Having [Knowledge] as one of your main Words gives you much greater than normal resistance to mental overload. Without it, you would likely go insane from trying to use my power. Your body, weak as it is, is still the body of a vampire noble. This will hurt, and you’ll need to feed more frequently, but it’s easier to fix a damaged body than a damaged mind.
“What are you going to do?”
Since we’ll be partners for the foreseeable future, I thought I’d share some information with you. Besides, you’re a scholar. I’m sure you can appreciate this little piece of knowledge. One of my main Words is [Conquest]. I was destined to rule, and the greater the challenges I face, the quicker my strengths are to grow. As for what I’m doing, you might want to tell the others to get behind you.
“Move!” Jonathan shouted. “I’m going to do something! Get behind me!”
The others hesitated and then broke into motion as the power gathering around Jonathan sharpened. The instant they were behind him, the Blood Emperor struck.
[Conquering Flame].
There was a brief pause, a split-second of absolute silence and stillness.
And then the world erupted.
* * *
When Jonathan opened his eyes again, it was still night. No. Given how long they’d been in the manor, it was probably the next night. From what he could see, they were taking shelter in part of the manor that had somehow survived the mayhem. It must not have been safe to try for the wagon where his crate was. Nearby, both Miles and Aria were sleeping. Blue Scales had rigged a makeshift bathtub in the corner and was busy soaking in it while Eric munched on what looked like deer. Eileen, back in her bear form, was the closest to Jonathan, and she gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder and what passed for a smile before she went over to nudge Aria.
“So… you’re finally awake.” Aria yawned. “It’s been almost an entire day. Whatever you did… it blew up the cavern below the manor and most of the manor too. We barely managed to get out of there in one piece.”
“Where in the manor are we?”
Aria chuckled. “We’re not in the manor. Whatever you didn’t blow up collapsed not long after we got out of there. We’re in a building about a mile from the manor. One of the servants told us about it. It’s a holdover from the baron’s youth when he wanted something smaller but even more private than the manor.”
“About the manor…”
“Don’t beat yourself up about it. We didn’t have a choice. That… thing needed to die. Besides, it’s in the contract. We can destroy the manor if we don’t have any other options.” Aria chuckled. “I think we can both agree we were running out of options.”
Jonathan chuckled and then winced as a stab of pain rippled through him. “It might even work in our favour. If someone ever tried to assassinate the baron, they wouldn’t take any chances. Blowing up his manor would be a plausible method. He could cover up what happened by saying the whole thing was a plot by his enemies to assassinate him.”
“Well, he doesn’t have to worry about us saying anything.” Aria pointed at his right hand. “We managed to hide it from the servants, but you’ve had the dagger on you the entire time. We tried to remove it but not even Eileen could pry it out of your hands.”
Jonathan glanced down. The dagger was still clutched tightly in his right hand. It seemed… quieter somehow.
“So…” Aria drawled, giving him a smile that was equal parts amused and wary. “Are you going to tell me about what happened down there? That attack you used at the end – I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone use something like that before.”
“It’s complicated.”
Tell her. She is asking because she can sense my presence to some degree. The Blood Emperor sounded impressed. There are few who can sense me while I am in this state. It must be a blessing from her god. The shape-shifter suspects as well. I suspect one of her summons is skilled in detection. I could conceal myself further, but it is better to have this discussion now than later. You have done them a great service so make use of their goodwill.
“Then uncomplicate it.”
Jonathan looked heavenward. Not all that long ago, he’d lived a simple life. Now, however, his simple life was looking more and more like ancient history. He’d become an anchor for the most powerful vampire in history, a vampire who wanted to bring himself back and rebuild an empire. It could be worse, though. He could be dead, and maybe this way he’d get his castle and his stuff back. If everything worked out, then in a few years he’d be eating some cheese and crackers in his library while laughing about how worried he’d been over nothing.
“Fine. It’s like this…” He took a deep breath. “You know how the Blood Emperor is dead? Well, that’s not exactly true anymore.”
* * *
To say that Aria was shocked would have been putting it lightly. Oh, she was happy they’d completed their mission, and she was happier they were all okay, if a bit bruised and battered. The pay from this mission alone would see them through the rest of the year, maybe longer if they were careful. However, she was more than a little curious about Jonathan’s sudden increase in power. She’d seen people achieve new heights of power in the heat of battle – survival was a wonderful motivator – but that was rare, especially in scholars.
There was also something different about him. The Sign he’d used to stop their opponent from regenerating was not one she’d ever seen performed. However, she recognised it from texts she’d read about a paladin who’d faced an ancient vampire. Such vampires were incredibly strong. It had taken thirty of her colleagues to defeat the vampire, and all but three had lost their lives. The Sign Jonathan had used was not something an ordinary vampire noble should be able to use. It took both power and experience, neither of which Jonathan had in spades, to say nothing of the Sign’s ancient origins. A vampire Jonathan’s age
should not be familiar with it even if he was a scholar. She was certain Jonathan hadn’t been concealing his power. She’d seen people pretend to be weaker than they were, and unless he was the most gifted actor she’d ever seen, she doubted that was the case.
The explanation he’d just given her made sense – but it was also giving her a huge headache. Good grief. This was going to make things messy.
“So you’re telling me that a shard of the Blood Emperor’s soul was hidden in the dagger, and he made a deal with you to help us that involves you helping him bring himself back to life in exchange for you also getting your castle and your stuff back?”
Jonathan made a face. “It does sound rather awful when you put it like that. And it wasn’t like I had a choice – we might all be dead now if I didn’t agree.”
“Believe me, I know that.” Aria had to fight to keep from screaming. It took everything she had to keep herself from ranting at the utter absurdity of it all. “Do you have any idea of how big a deal this is?”
“Uh…” Jonathan tilted his head to one side as though he were listening to something only he could hear. Then again, given what he’d told her, he probably was. For crying out loud… he must be talking to the Blood Emperor, a vampire so absurdly powerful that it had taken hordes of paladins and numerous other ancient vampires to defeat him. “He… um… wants to talk to you.”
“Who does?” Eric asked. He and the others were all awake now, but he was the only one paying even passing attention to what they were saying. Miles and Eileen were both looking for something to eat while Blue Scales was playing a game with Fluffy.
“The Blood Emperor.” That got a reaction from the others.
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