"Stop!"
The deep, authoritative voices of the two guards echoed through the corridor as they appeared, blocking the path. Their black armor glead under the dim light, with vivid red details that seed to pulse, almost as if alive. Both wielded spears of a deep crimson, so intense that Strax could have sworn they were made of coagulated blood, molded into weapons.
"Huh?" Strax tilted his head slightly, his interest piqued. It was the first ti he had encountered vampires who didn't belong to the Scarlet clan. But it wasn't just these two. He could feel it.
Thousands of red eyes seed to be fixed on him, hidden in the shadows and behind the walls. Each one emanated a distinct, powerful presence, like a unique signature of strength.
'All of them...' Strax thought, his gaze narrowing as he analyzed the presences. 'These vampires have the strength of Grandmasters. It's not just one or two, but many. A whole military force made up of elites.'
Though he had already ascended to the level of King, he knew his strength was still not fully stabilized. His cultivation was incomplete, and he still needed to absorb all the power to reach his peak. Still, the challenge excited him.
"So, this is how it is..." He murmured to himself, a small smile curving his lips.
Cassandra, standing beside him, crossed her arms and stepped forward, evaluating the guards with a cold, calculating gaze. "The King's Guard," she began, her voice laden with respect and caution.
"The King's Guard?" Strax repeated, turning his face slightly toward her.
"Yes," Cassandra replied, tilting her head slightly toward the two guards blocking the path. "They are the personal guard of Vlad Dracula Tapes, the very king of vampires. Each one is handpicked from the most powerful warriors in the Vampire Kingdom. They undergo centuries of training and rituals to attain perfection. These spears..."
She gestured slightly toward the gleaming weapons the guards held. "They are molded with ancestral blood, infused with ancient magic. They are living weapons, designed to destroy anything that threatens the royal family."
Strax looked at the spears more closely. There was a heavy, suffocating feeling emanating from them, as if they were hungry for blood. He felt a chill run down his spine, but that only fueled the excitent in his eyes.
"Interesting..." he murmured, still wearing that almost insolent smile on his face.
One of the guards stepped forward, his presence so overwhelming that the air seed to vibrate around him. "Identify yourselves," he said, his voice rough and cutting like a blade.
"This level of security at the entrance isn't common," Daniela comnted, her voice calm, but tinged with concern, as she held the reins of her Vampire horse beside Strax.
"Hm?" Strax gave her a curious look, raising an eyebrow.
"These guards shouldn't be here," Daniela continued, her eyes carefully scanning the two guards ahead. "They are from the Royal Guard, trained exclusively to protect the king and his direct family. Normally, they are restricted to the royal residences, never stationed at the city entrance."
She glanced around, as if searching for more clues in the tense atmosphere. "Having so many guards of this level at the city entrance... this isn't a good sign. Sothing's out of place."
Cassandra, who had remained silent until then, pulled the reins of her Vampire horse and advanced a few steps. Her confidence was unshakable, and her cold eyes fixed on the guards ahead.
"Vermillion," Cassandra declared firmly, her voice carrying authority as she pointed to her vibrant red hair, which marked her clan.
The guards froze for a mont. One of them involuntarily took a step back, and both quickly lowered their heads in a gesture of reverence.
"Lady Cassandra," one of them murmured with deference, while the other imdiately moved the spear aside, opening the way.
Strax, watching the scene, let out a smirk, amused by the guards' reaction. He ran his fingers through Apocalypse's mane and comnted casually, "It seems the Vermillion clan still maintains its impeccable reputation around here."
Cassandra turned slightly to him, her eyes narrowing. "It's not just reputation, Strax. It's absolute authority."
"Authority that doesn't usually need to be displayed," Daniela added, glancing briefly at the still bowing guards. "If they're at the entrance of the capital, it ans the tension within the kingdom is much higher than we imagined."
"Or soone wants to make sure no trouble reaches the king," Belatrix intervened, approaching with her Vampire horse, her relaxed posture contrasting with the calculating gleam in her eyes.
"Either way," Cassandra cut in, straightening herself in the saddle, "We need to go to our mansion." She comnted.
Strax let out a slight sigh, shaking his head as he looked at the still motionless guards. "So much formality," he murmured before looking directly at the two. "So, are you going to clear the way, or do you want a more detailed introduction?"
The guards exchanged quick glances but kept their spears firm. The tension in the air increased as one of them stepped forward, his voice cold and unwavering: "The three Scarlets may pass... but this man is prohibited from entering until his identity is confird."
A deadly silence fell over the group. Cassandra, Daniela, and Belatrix instantly narrowed their eyes, their gazes glowing with a silent fury that seed to pierce the guards like invisible blades. The atmosphere, already heavy, beca almost suffocating.
Belatrix was the first to break the silence, clicking her tongue in frustration. "Ah... I hate this place," she murmured, her voice dripping with disdain.
Strax raised an eyebrow, an ironic smile curving his lips. "Prohibited from entering, huh?" He slowly dismounted from Apocalypse, who snorted irritably, as if reflecting his master's mood. "And who, exactly, is going to stop ?"
Daniela sighed, crossing her arms while looking at the guards with a cold smile. "You really want to block a guest? Or would you prefer explaining to Scarlet and the princess herself why you're obstructing our way?"
The guards didn't back down, but it was clear they were in a dilemma. Their rigid posture didn't waver, but a bead of sweat dripped down one of their faces, betraying their tension.
"Orders are orders," the sa guard replied, trying to maintain his firmness. "Until this man's identity is verified, he cannot pass."
Cassandra advanced with her horse, leaning slightly forward to stare at the guard. Her scarlet eyes glowed with a mixture of fury and disdain. "You know who I am, right? My red hair isn't enough to refresh your mory?"
The guard gulped, but before he could respond, Strax stepped forward, bypassing Cassandra with the sa tranquility of soone who doesn't see a real obstacle ahead. He stopped directly in front of the guards, crossing his arms casually, but with a penetrating gaze that seed to pierce through them.
"Alright," he began, his voice low, but carrying a natural authority that didn't need shouting to be heard. "You want to confirm my identity? Fine, do it. Send a ssenger to the king right now."
He stepped forward, tilting his head slightly, as if inspecting the two guards. "Tell him you're stopping Strax... the man who ca as Scarlet's personal guest."
The guards were already showing discomfort, but Strax didn't stop. An ironic smile appeared on his lips as he continued, his voice now taking on a slightly provocative tone.
"Oh, by the way," he added, as if it were a casual observation, "I forgot to ntion. Scarlet is my wife. You know how it is, right? As the leader of the Vermillion clan, she has so responsibilities. And, if I'm not mistaken, that makes , at the very least, part of the family. I think that's fair, don't you? So, go ahead, call your king. I'd love to hear what he has to say about this."
An absolute silence fell over the city entrance. For a mont, it seed even the wind had stopped blowing. The two guards froze in place, their eyes wide open in complete shock.
"M-my wife of Scarlet?!" The guard on the left finally managed to stamr, his voice incredulous. He glanced at his companion, as if seeking confirmation that he had heard correctly.
The other guard didn't respond, his expression equally shaken. He tightened his grip on the spear's shaft, as if it were an anchor to stop his legs from trembling.
"Th-This... this must be a mistake," the first guard murmured, his voice trembling, as if trying to convince himself that the situation wasn't real. "Scarlet never... She never ntioned..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a sharp and sarcastic voice interrupted him abruptly.
"You think I need your permission to marry?"
The two guards turned quickly, their eyes widening in terror as they saw Scarlet, who had appeared behind them silently. They hadn't seen her approach, and now they were facing her in a state of visible panic.
"S-S-S-SCARLET?!" The second guard stuttered, his voice cracking as he stumbled backward, nearly falling on his back. The other, equally surprised, moved so abruptly that he ended up sitting down hard on the ground, his armor making a muffled thud as it hit the floor.
"I... I didn't know that..." The first guard tried to articulate, but he was completely lost, his words coming out in an incoherent jumble.
Explore hidden tales at empire
"Oh, darling, you got here before us..." Strax said with a wide, amused smile, visibly enjoying the scene. He watched the two guards lying on the ground, clearly shaken and unsure how to react.
Scarlet looked at the fallen guards with a nearly disdainful smile. "Don't do that in public, you bastard," she said softly, but with a latent threat in her voice. She took a step forward, causing the two guards to involuntarily retreat, but they didn't have the courage to get up or face the powerful leader of the Vermillion Clan.
"I see you're having trouble with my family again," Scarlet continued, her voice almost lodic, but carrying an intensity that made them uncomfortable. "I think these two will have an interesting story to tell."
Strax stepped closer to her, lightly touching her shoulder. "I had a lot of fun," he said, a satisfied smile still on his face. "Shall we go, my wives?" He teased, watching the soldiers' faces twist in confusion...
'MY WIVES??? ALL FOUR??? WHO IS THIS MAN?!'
User Comments
0 comments from readers