The words of Princess Aurelia still lingered in the air when sothing suddenly moved across the clearing.
A shadow burst forward from the edge of the cavalry ranks.
It happened so fast that most of the Moonshade family barely saw the mont it began. One second the armored soldiers were standing in formation beside their horses, and the next second a dark figure sprinted across the ground like a blade cutting through the night.
The man moved with terrifying speed.
His boots barely seed to touch the ground as he rushed toward the Moonshade vampires. The long cloak behind his armor flapped violently in the wind of his movent. Mana flowed around his body like a storm that refused to calm.
Several of the Moonshade mbers stepped back in alarm.
Zenaya instinctively moved closer to her blood owl.
Elder Rivik raised one hand cautiously.
"Wait."
His voice ca out rough as he forced himself to remain calm.
"We did not start this fight."
The armored man stopped only a few steps away from the vampires. His eyes swept across them slowly as if asuring each one of them.
Behind him the princesses remained where they stood while watching the situation unfold.
Ancestor Ghurn stepped forward slowly.
The old vampire lowered his head slightly as he spoke.
"Those two sorcerers attacked us first."
His voice carried a mixture of exhaustion and firm resolve.
"We were only defending ourselves."
The armored warrior’s eyes remained cold.
His hand rested lightly on the sword at his waist.
"That is your explanation."
Ghurn nodded.
"Yes."
He gestured toward the bodies of the two dead sorcerers lying on the ground.
"They tried to kill us."
Another mber of the Moonshade family quickly added.
"They chased us through the forest."
"They called us monsters."
"They said they would hunt us down even if we ran."
The warrior listened in silence.
For a mont it almost looked as if he might consider their words.
Then he shook his head slowly.
"You were planning to leave?"
Ancestor Ghurn nodded again.
"Yes."
His old voice sounded honest.
"We had no wish to fight your kingdom."
The warrior took one step closer.
"And yet you did not leave."
Several of the vampires hesitated.
The answer to that question felt difficult to explain.
Elder Rivik cleared his throat.
"We were afraid."
The warrior raised an eyebrow.
"Afraid."
Rivik nodded slowly.
"If we had run they would have chased us."
He gestured toward the dead sorcerers.
"They hated us."
"They would have hunted us down with their subordinates."
The warrior said nothing.
Behind him one of the princesses suddenly spoke.
Princess Selene stepped forward slightly.
Her long silver hair moved gently in the night breeze as she studied the vampires with sharp eyes.
"If that is true," she said calmly, "then why did you stay here while your owl was tearing them apart?"
Her question hung heavily in the air.
The Moonshade family looked at each other.
So of them struggled to find the right words.
Zenaya finally spoke.
"We were tired."
Her voice sounded quiet but honest.
"We had already been fighting for our lives."
She looked down briefly before lifting her gaze again.
"And we believed that if we tried to escape they would send others after us."
Princess Lyra crossed her arms.
"So your solution was to remain here and kill them."
Zenaya shook her head quickly.
"No."
"We only wanted to survive."
Princess Aurelia slowly walked forward until she stood beside the armored warrior.
Her golden eyes looked at the two lifeless sorcerers again.
"Whatever the reason," she said calmly, "they are dead now."
Her voice carried a quiet weight that made several of the vampires swallow nervously.
She turned her attention back to the Moonshade family.
"So tell sothing."
Her gaze moved slowly across their faces.
"What do you believe we should do with you now?"
Silence filled the clearing.
None of the vampires answered imdiately.
Before anyone could speak the blood owl suddenly lifted its head.
The creature released a loud cry that echoed across the forest.
Its enormous wings spread wide as if it were preparing to attack again.
The ground beneath its talons cracked slightly as it stepped forward.
Several of the cavalry horses panicked at the sound and pulled against their reins.
The Moonshade vampires imdiately noticed the owl’s posture.
For a brief mont hope returned to their eyes.
One of them shouted.
"Look!"
"The owl is ready!"
Another vampire raised his fist excitedly.
"Yes!"
"Show them what you can do!"
Soon several voices joined together.
"Go!"
"Rip them apart!"
"Protect us!"
The cheering quickly grew louder as the Moonshade family tried to encourage their blood beast.
Their voices echoed across the clearing with desperate energy.
Zenaya herself felt a spark of hope as she looked at her companion.
"You can do it," she whispered softly.
Across the clearing the princesses stared in surprise.
Princess Mariel’s eyes widened slightly.
"They’re cheering..."
Princess Valeria looked around with visible unease.
"That thing just killed two royal sorcerers."
The cheering from the Moonshade vampires grew even louder.
"Kill them!"
"Defend the family!"
"Blood owl!"
The forest rang with their voices.
Yet the louder they shouted the more nervous the princesses beca.
Several of the cavalry soldiers tightened their grip on their weapons.
The owl spread its wings further.
Its glowing red eyes fixed on the group of princesses.
The creature prepared to launch itself forward.
But at that exact mont another presence stood quietly among the Moonshade family.
Cain had returned.
He stood near the back of the group as if he were just another ordinary vampire.
His calm eyes watched everything unfold.
When he saw the blood owl preparing to attack he sighed softly.
"Don’t destroy my plan."
His voice remained so low that none of the vampires heard it.
He raised one hand.
His fingers moved slowly as he ford a small magic seal.
The symbol glowed faintly for only a mont.
Then the blood owl suddenly froze.
Its wings trembled.
The glowing light in its eyes flickered once.
And then the massive creature collapsed onto the ground.
THUD.
The cheering stopped instantly.
The Moonshade vampires stared at the fallen beast in horror.
Zenaya rushed forward.
"Wait!"
She dropped to her knees beside the owl.
"What happened?"
Her hands touched its feathers while she tried to sense its life force.
The creature still breathed but its body remained completely still.
Elder Rivik looked around in confusion.
"It... collapsed?"
Ancestor Ghurn felt cold dread crawl into his chest.
"If not for that owl..."
His voice grew quiet.
"...we would already be dead."
Now their strongest protection had suddenly vanished.
The Moonshade family stood there helplessly.
Across the clearing the princesses watched the situation unfold with curious expressions.
Princess Selene tilted her head slightly.
"Well then."
Her lips curved into a faint smile.
"What were all those cheers for again?"
The Moonshade vampires felt their hearts drop.
Fear returned instantly.
Several of them raised their hands nervously.
"No wait!"
"We were only celebrating earlier!"
"We didn’t an to offend you!"
Ancestor Ghurn quickly stepped forward.
The old vampire bowed deeply.
"Please forgive us."
His voice trembled slightly.
"We acted out of fear."
Princess Aurelia watched him calmly.
Then she lifted one hand.
"Capture them."
The command was simple.
The cavalry soldiers imdiately began moving forward.
Weapons drawn.
The Moonshade family panicked.
Zenaya clutched the unconscious owl desperately.
Ancestor Ghurn suddenly dropped to both knees.
"Please!"
He bowed his head until it nearly touched the ground.
"Spare us!"
His voice sounded desperate.
"We are old."
"But we can still offer sothing of value."
Princess Lyra frowned slightly.
"And what would that be?"
Ghurn swallowed.
"We can beco sacrifices."
The words hung in the air.
The old vampire lifted his head slightly.
"If our lives can satisfy your anger then take them."
"But please allow the younger mbers of our family to live."
For a mont none of the princesses spoke.
Then Princess Valeria laughed quietly.
"You old fools."
Her voice carried no warmth.
"You think your lives have value?"
She shook her head.
"You are nothing but old vampires hiding in the forest."
Her eyes moved across the group again.
Then suddenly she stopped.
Her gaze fixed on soone standing near the back.
Cain.
He had been watching silently the entire ti.
Princess Valeria pointed directly at him.
"If you give that man..."
Her smile slowly widened.
"...maybe we will accept."
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