15.5

“Aurelius?” John muttered his friend's name as Rabugra retracted his fist from the beastkin’s body. Sticky, warm blood dripped from Aurelius’ punctured torso.

The beastkin—his friend—who he barely knew for more than a few days had thrown his life on the line, just to create a distraction for John to escape.

John had his mythril sword in his hand. He would easily cut through the steel bars gates behind him and head for the exit before the vampires could come for him.

If he heeded Aurelius’ words and bolted now, his freedom would be guaranteed.

Even with the opportunity created by Aurelius, John could not move his body. His feet refused to move to escape.

I-I...can’t… I have a responsibility to Aurelius… I need to get him out safely. I don’t care what happens to me, but Aurelius needs to—

John looked to his surroundings, for some way, for some path to get himself to where the injured beastkin was.

Yet, all that greeted him were the jeering gazes of the vampire audience that watched the look of desperation that he could no longer contained.

“Rip his headdd!!!!”

“Tear him limb by limb!!!”

“Drink from his skull and make the human watch!!!!”

The vampires snorted, cheered, celebrated, edged Rabugra on as to finish Aurelius’ fleeting life before squandering John’s.

John’s shoulders shrank from the voices. His eyes shook as they spun from the overwhelming blood thirst within the vampire audiences.

“What was I thinking…? Why did I even try to fight the vampire…w-why did I let the vampire live…?”

Tremors enveloped his hands as the realization of Aurelius’ eventual death hit him. And all of it, because he had a moment of weakness when he freed Matilda and Cacti.

Had he just plunged his sword into the vampire guard named Umer, had he just been more vigilant and more pressed for time whilst freeing Team Rectiser.

He knew he was dealing with monsters that murdered the Harvests. But like the flawed human he was, John let his fears of becoming a horrible demon got the better of him.

All of this could have been avoided had John been more ruthless in his actions, all of it, including his current predicament, would be avoided.

And it was all his fault.

It was his fault for being indecisive.

It was his fault for being hesitant to kill.

It was his fault, for thinking that he could extend kindness to horrible monsters such as a vampire that was alienated by his fellow kind.

And Aurelius paid the price for his tomfoolery.

Then Rabugra’s gaze met his. And with a triumphant voice, he spoke.

“WHAT WILL YOU DO? JOHN!!!???”

Then his mind flashed.

Flashed to another place. Another time when he was just a wee lad…

“Run...M-master...”

“Ahahahaha!!! John, John, John, John, John!!! Do you think you can hide from your true nature forever???”

The clashing of metals rang in his ear repeatedly, his vision was scattered. One moment John could see a flurry of strikes coming in his way, the next he felt the flesh on his torso being sliced cleanly. Pain registered in his mind speaking to him that the vision he experienced was more than just an image of his mind.

“LET HER GO!!!”

John could hear his voice blasting from his own mouth. It was squeaky, trembling, and much like how he currently felt being in the den of the vampires.

It was a helpless plead for mercy.

But it was in a different venue.

The Sarvod Residence.

“Why?” the other voice asked. “Why do you take pity on someone like her? You and I. John, we are destined for greater things, things far beyond what most people can comprehend...yet, yet...even now, you still won’t give in. I have removed those pesky idiots you claimed to have hated so much!!! I HAVE KILLED THEM ALL!!! WHAT IS STOPPING YOU!!! LET EVERYTHING GO!!!”

His vision then focused on where the owner of the voice was.

And there he stood, atop the rubble of what was once the Sarvod Estate, an adult male with the eyes of a cunning serpent. An indomitable aura surrounded the man, one that was the signature of a cruel ruler.

And on the end of his left claw, the man held a woman by her neck.

“Kahnira!!! No, s-stop this now! I-I’ll do what you want, so just—”

The man interrupted young John’s pleas and shook his head fervently before flashing a horrible “John, John, John… You still don’t understand!!! I said, let go of everything!!! AND THAT INCLUDES HER!!!”

“Please… Just stop this…” young John fell to his knees with it, the weapon he held in his hand. “You can take everything from me. I don’t care about what happens…just let her go. She is innocent…no one has to suffer because of me.”

“Wrong answer.”

The man’s grip on Kahnira’s neck tightened, causing the girl in white hair to gasp for air as her scarlet eyes looked in John’s direction for one last time.

“I love you, master John.”

Crack!

A distinct snap made its way to where John stood. And following that was the vision of Kahnira’s body being flung away by the man that stood so proudly above the ruined estate of the Sarvod household.

The man dusted his hands, as though snapping the neck of an innocent girl meant nothing to him. “Now that we’ve gotten rid of that nuisance. WHAT WILL YOU DO!!? JOHN? I TOOK EVERYTHING FROM YOU, YOUR LOVE, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR EVERYTHING...ALL THAT IS LEFT FOR YOU...IS MEEEEE!!!”

A dark aura enveloped his younger self’s arms as his vision became a blur, ending the memory.

Thump, thump, thump, thump!

John’s heart pounded loudly. The memory of the cruel man of his past ended, but the fear struck in him did not.

He tried stalling for time, he tried to do things the methodical way, he did his best to control his bubbling emotions, even after the Harvests death, John had not been tempted by the same dark magic he used to save Raina Valindra Eridi that fateful night.

“I’m sorry, Kahnira. I’m sorry I remember nothing about you. I’m sorry you died because of me. I’m sorry for whatever rude things I’ve said to you.”

Tears trickled down his cheeks as he apologized to the deceased maid in his memories. He knew nothing about her, he knew not what she liked or disliked, but he was certain about one thing.

She had been his family, someone who loved him more than he could ever remember.

More than anything, he was certain had he used the dark magic like he had on that very night when Raina’s chastity was in danger to save Kahnira, that devastating memory would not be in his mind. The surge of the dark aura in the last moments of that memory of his was only proof of that.

Perhaps he could have used it back then, perhaps he already knew of the dark aura’s origins, perhaps it would have very well prevented Kahnira’s death.

The fact of the matter was.

The magic that he had detested so much, the magic that haunted him everywhere he went, served a purpose.

And like his past, John realized it far too late.

Unbeknownst to all the vampires around John. A switch inside John Sarvod had finally flipped.

Relishing at John’s horrified expression, Rabugra brought his bloodied fist in front of his lips, extended his tongue and gave the thick blood on his fists a devious lick.

“This blood is quite lacking in flavor,” he said aloud, then looked to Aurelius, whose body dropped to the floor. “Beastkin! This is the first time I’ve tasted such a bland flavor from your kind. It is just as tasteless and as empty as cardboard.”

“Ack...ack…”

Captain Rabugra’s eyes opened wide.

“Oh I see, that’s why, now I understand!!! The reason your blood has no taste is because that’s exactly who you are!!! Hahahaha!!! I can’t believe it, a living beastkin, yet you are—”

Boom!!!

From the arena grounds, a thunderous explosion took place, leaving a crater of fissure as the cloud of dust scattered throughout the area.

“Blood Arts: [Platelet Defense].”

Instinctively Rabugra used the blood smeared on his right fist, surged his magic into the crimson liquid and commanded them into a barrier in front of him.

Wham!!!

As timing would have it, the moment Rabugra summoned the blood barrier, an overwhelming impact came into contact with it, shattering the barrier. Using the remaining beastkin blood, Rabugra formed a crimson blade just in time to intercept the oncoming impact.

And in front of him, he saw it…

A figure fully drenched in pitch black aura. Though his facial features were human, the emotion behind his empty black eyes, his black hair that nullifies all light that touches it, Rabugra felt the of fervent rage, the desperation, the agitation, and most importantly, the compulsion behind the boy’s eyes.

A compulsion that was cultivated from countless failures.

A compulsion bred from necessity.

“I win, human.”

Finally, John Sarvod had opted to showcase to everyone here his true nature as a demon. Leaping two stories high with an impossible speed for the sole purpose of ending Rabugra himself.

Rabugra can’t help but feel glee for finally having pushed the human to his limits, smiling despite John’s deathly attacks came crashing in his way.

“[Heal]!” John extended his free hand and used his magic to the fallen Aurelius.

Dark wisps of aura flowed from his fingertips and wrapped the beastkin’s body into a cocoon.

“Ah-ah, not so fast,” with a flick of his hand, an invisible barrier appeared between John and Aurelius, cutting off the healing magic that John administered to his friend. “Did you forget? Both of you will die by my hands. And when you are dead, Lord Hangrabo shall bring you back as one of us!!!”

The healing magic that wrapped Aurelius unraveled the moment its connection to John was cut off, but fortunately enough for the beastkin, the gaping hole in his chest was no longer there, all that was left was a sickly looking Aurelius who had bruises all around his body.

Tsk!

John clicked his tongue and swung his weapon at Rabugra.

The vampire skillfully moved his body and slanted his body at John’s attack as though it was mere child’s play, laughing as he wagged the crimson sword he crafted from Aurelius' blood at John.

“You are still far from defeating someone like me. Your raw power may be impressive, but that’s all you are, demon. You have no technique, no experience, and most importantly…”

Rabugra disappeared from John’s sight of view and reappeared behind him

“No discipline.”

The tip of the crimson blade appeared from John’s abdomen as the vampire whispered in his ear. John moved to swing his elbow at where Rabugra was, but when his arms moved, both Rabugra and the crimson sword had disappeared from John’s view once more.

“[Heal]!”

“If you think defeating Naild is what it takes to take me down, sadly, you are mistaken, human.”

Rabugra reappeared in John’s view. This time the vampire was standing beside Aurelius' collapsed body.

“Have you ever wondered why stories, legends about, we, the vampires, have existed since the dawn of mankind?”

Rabugra squatted before planting his palm yet again at Aurelius' face and lifted the beastkin arm with his muscular arms.

“It’s simply, because weaklings like you, and him exist,” Rabugra looked towards Aurelius and then at John. “If it weren’t for the innate fear and desperation the likes of you feel for us, vampires like us would never be as powerful as today.”

Rabugra bowed his body at John as though he was giving John his most sincere gratitude.

The vampire then spoke to Aurelius, “Since John here don’t want you tp die first, let’s grant him the privilege of experiencing death before you, shall we?” Rabugra then looked towards the ceiling where dozens of vampires flapped about, “You lot, take him down.”

The swarm of vampires came flying down in John’s direction, swooping him off the platform before dragging him back to the arena grounds once more.

Despite the dark aura that amplified John's physical and magical prowess, the torrent of vampires overwhelmed any and all resistance John could put up. Their teeth sank in his body, drained his blood like the blood thirsty monsters they are, sapping John of all his strength.

“I expected more from you, demon.”