Chapter 23: Trial by Blood
The air between them was thick with tension. Aarav stared at Draven, the supposed last defender of Bloodhaven, as the remaining vampires formed a tight circle around them.
Draven's eyes gleamed in the dim light. "You claim to be the lost king. But words mean nothing in Bloodhaven. If you want to reclaim what was once yours, you fight for it."
Aarav cracked his knuckles. "Then let's not waste time."
Draven grinned. "Good. Your trial begins now."
Before Aarav could react, Draven moved.
Faster than a mortal could comprehend, he was suddenly there—a blur of motion, his claws slicing toward Aarav's throat. Aarav barely dodged in time, feeling the wind of the strike cut inches from his skin.
He retaliated with a sharp kick to Draven's ribs, but Draven absorbed the impact, barely stumbling. Instead, he grinned wider, his fangs glinting.
"You've got power," Draven admitted. "But do you have control?"
Aarav didn't answer. He lunged forward, fists striking with precise fury. Draven blocked, countering with a knee to Aarav's stomach. Aarav gritted his teeth, twisting to avoid a follow-up slash aimed at his chest.
The gathered vampires watched in silence, their expressions unreadable. Kieran and Veyron stood at the edge of the circle, their hands ready to intervene—if necessary.
But this was Aarav's fight.
Draven's movements were relentless, but Aarav began to see his pattern. His strikes were aggressive, but predictable. Aarav shifted his stance, waiting—watching.
Then, when Draven aimed for another deadly swipe, Aarav dodged—this time, not away, but forward.
He caught Draven's wrist mid-strike, twisting it sharply before driving his elbow into his opponent's jaw. Draven staggered, a flash of surprise in his eyes.
Aarav didn't let him recover. He struck again, sweeping Draven's legs out from under him and pinning him to the ground with a knee to his chest.
The crowd tensed.
Draven, pinned beneath Aarav, let out a low chuckle. "Not bad."
Aarav pressed his knee down harder. "Do you yield?"
Draven exhaled, his smirk never fading. Then, after a moment, he nodded. "You've proven yourself… for now."
Aarav stepped back as Draven pushed himself to his feet. He wiped the blood from his mouth, then turned to the others.
"This one is worthy," Draven declared, his voice carrying through the ruins. "The lost king has returned."
A murmur spread through the gathered vampires. Some nodded, some remained skeptical. But none denied what they had just witnessed.
Kieran smirked. "About time someone else saw it."
Veyron chuckled. "Well, that was fun."
Draven turned back to Aarav. "Come. There's much to discuss. If we are to reclaim Bloodhaven, we need more than just strength."
Aarav nodded. "Then let's plan our next move."
As they walked deeper into the ruins, one thing was clear—
This was no longer just about survival.
This was war.
To be continued…