POV Regis
As I looked around the crumbling alley where we stood, I couldn't help but think about what this village must have been like before it was abandoned. The wind stirred up a cloud of dust and rancid smells as I found myself face to face with Dettlaff. His pale, noble features contrasted sharply with the anger burning in his crimson eyes.
"Still tangled up with that group, Dettlaff?" I asked seriously, breaking the heavy silence.
He nodded indifferently."Indeed. I need their strength for my revenge, and you won't sway me from this path." His fiery gaze locked onto mine. "In fact, I came here to make you one last offer. Join us."
I shook my head."You know I can't, Dettlaff. We are higher vampires. We should avoid meddling in the affairs of mortals."
Dettlaff let out a bitter laugh."Seriously, Regis? Look at them parasites, capable of smiling just to stab each other in the back for the smallest profit. Our superiority gives us the right to guide them, even rule over them."
I furrowed my brows."And what about me? I have human friends, witcher friends. Do you see me as a 'parasite' too?"
He exhaled sharply, then turned away."I see you're as stubborn as ever. Then, for the sake of the friendship we once shared, I ask you to leave. Stay out of the 'awakening' to come."
His eyes flickered toward the path Aiden had taken."Tell the witcher to leave as well. He has no idea what forces he's meddling with."
Dettlaff made a move to walk away, and a knot tightened in my chest. I didn't want him to follow this path of no return, so I said something that cost me more than anything:
"And… Amalia and Claire? Where do their memories fit in this grand revenge of yours?"
The moment their names left my lips, he lunged at me, reaching for my throat. On instinct, I caught his wrist, meeting his strength with our kind's own. For a brief moment, we stood there, locked in a silent struggle me, calm; him, consumed by rage.
"You have no right to speak of them!" he growled. "Amalia was the only one who ever reached out to me, the only one who accepted me for what I was… and Claire, I saw her as my own daughter. They died right in front of the house where I had tried to keep them safe burned alive by villagers terrified of my nature!"
I remembered that tragedy well how Dettlaff had watched, powerless, as fear-driven humans set fire to his home. Mad with grief and fury, he had slaughtered the crowd, then buried Amalia and Claire with his own trembling hands, weeping over their lifeless bodies.
"Dettlaff…" I murmured. "You know that avenging their deaths with indiscriminate chaos won't erase the pain you carry."
"I will burn this world to the ground," he spat. "Let them know let them all know the price of Amalia and Claire's lives. Their memory… it's all I have left."
He tore the necklace from around his neck and held it out to me a small charm containing a child's crude drawing, drawn by Claire, and a dried rose petal, once given to him by Amalia. A flicker of sorrow passed through his gaze.
"I'd rather die and be with them than go on living in a world that ripped them away from me."
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POV Dettlaff
I remember that afternoon as if it were yesterday. The sun bathed a small clearing in golden light, and the air smelled of pine and damp earth. Leaning against an old moss-covered trunk, I felt the reassuring presence of Amalia beside me her arm brushing gently against mine. A little farther away, Claire, no taller than three apples stacked together, was tossing a pinecone and trying to catch it, under our fond gazes.
"Look at how full of energy she is," Amalia murmured, pressing a little closer to me. Her hair brushed against my cheek, and a soft smile lit up her face. Meanwhile, Claire let out little cries of joy every time she managed to catch her pinecone, as if she had just won a grand victory.
I felt incredibly at peace, far from all the darkness of the world. Claire's laughter rang through the stillness of the woods like the sweetest music, and Amalia's warmth beside me chased away the loneliness that sometimes haunted me. In that moment, I told myself that nothing mattered more than these two, and that I would do anything to protect them.
Suddenly, Claire spotted a squirrel on a branch and took off after it, pinecone clutched tightly in her small hand, her ponytail bouncing behind her. Amalia laughed softly, still nestled against me, before looking up into my eyes.
"I hope she tires herself out before nightfall," she said with a smile, but I could hear the faint trace of worry in her voice.
I met Amalia's gaze, trying to ease her anxiety. She had heard rumors whispers from the villagers, frightened of what I was, murmuring behind my back.
"They won't do anything," I reassured her gently. "They're too afraid to act directly. We're safe here."
I had no idea how naive I was when I said those words. At the time, I truly believed them, and more than anything, I just wanted her to feel safe. Amalia looked at me with such tenderness that it made my heart ache. Her face radiated love, as if nothing else in the world mattered but the three of us.
She clung to me a little tighter and whispered,"You're not a monster… not to me. You never have been."
I felt my throat tighten. I was ready to do anything to preserve the way she saw me. But before I could answer, Claire grabbed my hand and tugged at it eagerly.
"Come play with me!" she exclaimed, her face beaming with joy.
She pulled me further into the clearing, still clutching her pinecone in one hand and my fingers in the other. I shot her an amused glance, trying to push aside the worries Amalia had just voiced, even if only for a little while. Behind us, I heard Amalia's laughter light and warm, like a ray of sunlight chasing away the clouds in my mind.
That image of simple happiness, wrapped in Amalia's unwavering trust and Claire's boundless enthusiasm, still haunts my thoughts. I had no idea how fragile that innocence truly was… and that in believing I could protect them, I was making a terrible mistake.
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POV Regis
His eyes filled with crimson tears, sliding down his pale cheeks. In a final act of anger, he shoved me away before turning on his heels and vanishing into the alley, his footsteps echoing between the crumbling walls.
I stood there for a few seconds, my heart heavy, unable to go after him."Dettlaff…" I murmured, my fingers brushing the ring I still wore a keepsake of my dear Saphire. "What am I supposed to do?"
The gray sky offered no answer. But soon, my nostrils flared as they caught a scent I knew all too well the blood I had given to Aiden.
My worry twisted into panic, and I bolted through the streets, my vampiric speed fueled by adrenaline. I could only hope I'd make it in time.
---
POV Aiden
Decapitating another reanimated corpse, I sent a wave of ice spiking outward, impaling a good portion of the monsters encircling me. I took advantage of the brief moment of respite to fall back and catch my breath.
"Damn it… this is endless," I panted. No matter how many I beheaded, stabbed through the heart, or cut down, the creatures kept rising as long as that vampire controlled them. He stood a short distance away, a disdainful smile on his lips, as if amused by my struggle.
I couldn't stay on the defensive forever. Dodging another wave of attacks, I searched for a strategy. This vampire seemed to be acting through possession his strength was real but likely incomplete. My gaze fell on the strange, pulsating red orb at the center of the cave. Maybe that was the source of his power.
Summoning all the icy energy within me, I created a deep crevasse of frost, forcing the undead apart and carving a path toward the altar. The vampire lunged to intercept me, but I let myself slide along the ice, dodging at the last second, and sliced through his legs as I passed. His agonized scream echoed through the cavern.
Seizing the moment, I conjured a small ice platform to propel myself toward the orb. Enveloping my sword in biting frost, I traced an Aard sign to amplify my strike, then brought my blade down on the object.
The explosion hit like a thunderclap. The force hurled me across the cave, slamming me into the rocky wall. Blood filled my mouth as I crashed to the ground. Before I could recover, a hand grabbed my collar and hurled me into the air, slamming me back down with brutal force. Dazed, I lifted my head just enough to see the vampire towering over me, his face twisted into a bloodthirsty grin.
"Pathetic," he spat. "So you're Aquila? My master was right vermin like you need to be eradicated."
He leaned in slowly.
"Before I finish you off, I think I'll savor the nectar of a so-called descendant of the first king."
His fangs sank into my neck, and a searing warmth flooded my veins as my limbs grew numb. The vampire drank deeply, then hesitated, his expression turning puzzled as he saw me smile.
"Why are you smil..."
He never got to finish. Dark veins snaked across his face and spread over his entire body, drawing out a strangled cry of agony. Seizing the distraction, I blasted him away with a freezing gust and staggered to my feet, pressing a hand to the bite wound.
"Black blood, asshole," I muttered with a bitter grin.
The vampire, driven by fury, his eyes burning with hatred, lunged at me again. I braced myself, preparing to counter, but before I could move, a figure stepped in front of me. With a single, precise stroke, the newcomer cleaved the vampire clean in half, sending his remains scattering across the cave.
Regis turned toward me with a smile.
"Apologies for the delay."
I opened my mouth to reply, but a ghastly laugh made us both look up. The vampire or what was left of him let out one final, rasping chuckle.
"Ah… even I never expected a traitor to our kind would choose to fight alongside humans."
Regis flicked the blood off his claws and responded in an almost casual tone:
"Pathetic is the only word that comes to mind, considering you needed runes just to weaken a single witcher. Almost like you feared him more than you'd care to admit."
The creature fell silent, then glared at me before hissing:
"We will meet again, Aquila. That day will mark the end of all hope the dawn of my new world."
His glowing red eyes dimmed, and the cavern fell into an eerie stillness. I sheathed my sword and turned to Regis.
"Restriction? What do you mean?"
Regis gestured toward the ground, where intricate symbols were carved into the stone markings I hadn't noticed before.
"Runes designed to push your magic into overdrive while draining your stamina. I'm honestly surprised you lasted as long as you did. Even the most seasoned witchers would have collapsed by now."
I let out a long, tired sigh.
"Great… so, in the end, we didn't learn anything just walked straight into a trap."
Regis shrugged.
"This place was nothing but a baited snare. If you're hoping for real answers, Count Albert might be a safer bet than this cave."
I eyed him curiously.
"You're not coming with me?"
Regis shook his head.
"No. I need to complete the ritual to track the vampires, and for that, I need the saliva of a spotted necrophage. I'll go hunt for one. Once I have everything I need, I'll send you a raven, and we'll piece our findings together."
We walked toward the cave's exit. I whistled, and Ganon, my horse, appeared at the entrance, leading Regis's mount alongside him. I exchanged a glance with Regis.
"Well… see you soon, I guess."
He chuckled softly and extended his arm in a friendly gesture.
"Yes. Until then. Take care of yourself, Aiden."
We sealed our farewell with a firm handshake before he mounted his horse and rode off. Taking Ganon's reins, I set off as well, my body aching but my resolve steady. My destination: Count Albert's estate.
I had no idea what awaited me there, but after surviving this ambush, I doubted it could be any worse.