Chapter 129
Chapter 129
He lowered his hands, which allowed me to break free. I breathed a sigh of relief. I quickly picked up my sword and approached the healer, who was kneeling and clutching her chest.
“H-how?” she asked.
“The arrows I released didn’t fly at the same speed. I purposely held one back because I knew I was your real target. So when you grabbed me by the neck, you let your guard down.”
Blood dripped from her mouth. “P-please don’t. I’m begging you, Astra.”
“You're right. I’m still a witch. You deserve a few more seconds to live.”
That’s when I turned my back.
My brows furrowed when I heard the sound of a sword.
“Someone’s still breathing,” Albina said as she withdrew her sword from the witch’s chest. She licked the blood off her blade. “Unlimited blood tonight.”
I glared at her.
“I think I’m at fifteen now…” She held her chin, as if trying to recall. “Or no, fourteen? This girl would be the fifteenth. But she was half-dead. So technically, I’ve killed fourteen and a half?”
I turned my back on her.
“Wait, Astra! How many have you killed?”
“I don’t count.”
“Let me guess. Seven? Six and a half since you didn’t finish off that one?”
I rolled my eyes.
Erikson met up with us. “That was cool…”
“Thanks,” Albina giggled.
“I told you, you didn’t need my help, Astra.”
“Hey! I helped too!” Albina scoffed.
“Where are Celeste and Randolf?” I asked.
Erikson looked around. “I think I lost them. Don’t worry about it. You got shot by one of your own arrows. Weren’t they poisoned?”
I reached into my pocket for a small vial. “I have the antidote.”
Erikson smiled and ruffled my hair.
“Good girl,” he praised.
I drank the antidote. I had no time to grow weak now. We still had much to face.
“Uhm… guys? I think someone’s watching us…” Albina said.
I followed Albina’s gaze. A man on a black horse was watching us from afar. He wore a blue cape with an engraved symbol on it.
“Wait. That logo embedded on his cape looks familiar,” I noticed.
I got goosebumps when he started heading toward us.
I didn’t know why, but I suddenly felt really nervous.
“They have arrived,” Erikson said.
I got goosebumps again when I realized what he meant by that.
Erikson quickly moved to shield us with his body. I clutched his arm. My knees trembled in that moment. I had faced many enemies tonight, but this one was different.
“I bet his blood tastes sweet,” Albina chuckled.
“Don’t,” Erikson stopped her. “You can’t handle him alone.”
“You’re being a scaredy-cat, Mr. Nadija!” Albina laughed.
“He’s right, Albina,” I muttered.
I inhaled sharply. Even just his presence was terrifying.
“Wait. Okay, seriously? Who is he?”
“Lord Viero of the Vienzara Clan. One of the elders and followers of The Five Cloaks.”
He lowered his hands and that’s how I escaped. I finally breathed in relief. I quickly picked up the sword and approached the healer who was now kneeling, clutching her chest.
“H-how?” she asked.
“The arrows I shot didn’t fly at the same speed. I intentionally left one behind because I knew I was your real target. So, when you grabbed my neck, you got too confident.”
Blood trickled from her mouth. “P-please don’t. I’m begging you, Astra.”
“You’re right. I’m still a witch. You deserve a few more seconds to live.”
That’s when I turned my back.
My brows furrowed when I heard the sound of a sword.
“Someone’s still breathing,” said Albina as she pulled her sword out of the witch’s chest. She licked the blood off her blade. “Unlimited blood tonight.”
I glared at her.
“I think I’m at fifteen... or no, fourteen? This girl makes fifteen. But she was half-dead, so maybe it’s fourteen and a half?”
I turned away from her.
“Wait, Astra! How many did you get?”
“I don’t count.”
“Let me guess. Seven? Or six and a half, since you didn’t finish one?”
I rolled my eyes.
Erikson came to meet us. “That was cool...”
“Thanks,” Albina giggled.
“I knew you didn’t need my help, Astra.”
“Hey! I helped too!” Albina scoffed.
“Where are Celeste and Randolf?” I asked.
Erikson looked around. “I think I lost them. Don’t worry about them. You got hit by one of your own arrows. Aren’t those poisoned?”
I felt for the small bottle in my pocket. “I have the antidote.”
Erikson smiled and ruffled my hair.
“Good girl,” he praised me.
I drank the antidote. I didn’t have time to get weak now. There was still a lot ahead of us.
“Uhh... guys? I think someone’s watching us...” Albina said.
I followed Albina’s gaze. A man on a black horse was observing us from a distance. He wore a dark blue cloak with a symbol on it.
“Wait. That logo on his cape looks familiar,” I noticed.
Goosebumps ran down my arms as he began to approach.
I didn’t know why, but I felt extremely anxious.
“They’ve arrived,” Erikson said.
I understood then what he meant — and the goosebumps worsened.
Erikson quickly moved to shield us with his body. I grabbed his arm. My knees trembled. I had faced many things tonight, but this was different.
“I bet his blood tastes sweet,” Albina chuckled.
“Don’t,” Erikson warned her. “You can’t take him alone.”
“You’re such a scaredy-cat, Mr. Nadija!” Albina laughed.
“He’s right, Albina,” I muttered.
I gasped for air. Even just the look in this man’s eyes was terrifying.
“Seriously, who is he?”
“Lord Viero of the Vienzara Clan. One of the elders and a follower of The Five Cloaks.”
His presence alone was enough to make us wary of him. He was once the leader of the Vienzara Clan — probably stronger than its current leader and the father of Yngritt Vienzara.
“Lord Viero? So technically, he’s on our side?” Albina asked. “The Vienzara Clan is with us now, right? Lord Viero, come on. Are we really going to fight over this? Just join us!”
“Hush, Albina,” I elbowed her. “He’s no longer part of the clan. He’s a retired leader — an elder now. That means he’s close to The Five Cloaks. He’s our enemy.”
“No. Even the three of us together won’t be able to handle him,” Erikson’s voice was laced with concern. “Holy shit. And he’s just one of many.”
Lord Viero stopped his horse just a few meters away. From beneath the shadow of his hood, two glowing red eyes glared at us.
“Who among you is Astra?” Even his deep voice was intimidating.
I tightened my grip on Erikson’s arm.
“I think he has a crush on you, Astra,” Albina whispered.
I gasped when Lord Viero locked his gaze on me. “You are outnumbered. My fellow elders are here and currently fighting your allies. It’s not too late to surrender.”
“No! I won’t allow it,” Albina stepped forward. “We’ve already started this. All that’s left is to finish. I’m not wasting my free beauty treatment.”
“Albina!” I screamed as she floated in midair, unable to move. Two witches emerged behind Lord Viero — they were the ones holding her.
“You will never win against them,” Lord Viero said sternly. “You’re already on the brink of defeat. Give up before The Cloaks themselves arrive.”
Even as Albina struggled to breathe, she still managed to scream, “Not even on Mars!”
“Stop!” Erikson readied to attack, but the witches tightened their grips, and Albina vomited blood. “What the fuck, witches? As far as I know, you have no right to interfere in vampire affairs. Let her go!”
“No,” one of them replied. “We’ve allied with them. We have one goal — to destroy the one who started this war.”
“Albina has nothing to do with that!” Erikson pleaded. “I’m friends with Brixton!”
“Erikson!” I warned, but he ignored me.
“If anyone should be punished besides Brix, it’s me.” He gently removed my hand from his shoulder. “Take me instead.”
“E-Erikson...”
“You’re no hero, Mr. Nadija!” Albina coughed blood again. “Stop this bullshit. Just get Astra out of here!”
“Shut up, Miss Montereal. I can’t leave you.”
Albina still managed to laugh despite her pain. “You have a crush on me, don’t you? That’s why you can’t leave me behind?”
“Let her go!” Erikson stepped forward. “Fight me instead.”
“Mr. Nadija! Are you out of your mind? If you get hurt, Astra will too!”
“Stop babbling. I can take both of you,” said the witch.
“Stop!” I shouted as Erikson was also lifted into the air. I quickly grabbed my arrows and aimed them at the witches. “Bring them down.”
“You can save them both,” Lord Viero interjected. “Help us convince Brixton to abandon this blasphemous war against The Five Cloaks. You can’t win.”
I tightened my grip on my arrows.
Suddenly, Erikson broke free. I thought he did it himself — until I saw a fallen witch, with Lady Vienzara standing behind her, holding her heart.
In a blink, she appeared before us and threw the heart at Lord Viero.
“Did you like my present, Lord Viero?”
“Lady Vienzara...” Lord Viero sounded amused.
“Drop my bitch!” The other witch collapsed as Lady Nathalia flicked her hair. “No one gets to hurt her but me.”
Erikson rushed forward and caught Albina as she fell, weak.
I joined them. “Are you okay?”
Albina spat blood and glared at Erikson. “What the fuck was that, Mr. Erikson Nadija? I told you to run!”
Erikson shook his head. “I’m no hero, but I’m not a coward either, Miss Albina Montereal.”
“Damn. Do I owe you something now?”
“Yes. Stay alive.”
“Leave this to us!” Lady Nathalia turned to us. Now she and Lady Vienzara were facing Lord Viero. “Go to the castle and meet Nigel Hezuera. Celeste and Randolf are already there.”