Dawn of Courage (Chapter 221 Up) (2024)

It had been a few days since the party had left the Lava Elf Clan. They were back on the road, heading toward their next destination. Sir Reginald was in the lead, as usual, guiding the party with his map and compass. Nova was relatively quiet, still sorting through his newly released memories as they walked.

“I’m glad the gang is willing to listen to me and my depressing past,” he said silently. “The fact they’re willing to help me sort through all of it so I can finally put it to rest for good means a lot to me. I’d rather not burden them with my memories but I need the help facing them in order to finally put it to bed. It’s tough sorting through all these depressing and horrific memories but I feel better knowing that I finally have the strength to face them instead of running from them.”

Nina touched his shoulder, smiling, “Copper for your thoughts, Nova?”

He jumped a little bit before chuckling weakly, “Sorry. Didn’t mean to jump like that. Just lost in my own head again, thinking about what we discussed a few days ago. The fact that you’re all helping me sort through all those horrific memories so I can finally put them to rest means a lot. I just worry I’m burdening you all. After all, ‘if you burden your friends, soon you won’t have any’. And you guys are the best friends I’ve ever had, so I’d hate to be responsible for causing you problems.”

Kettu turned to him, “Don’t worry about it, Nova. That’s what friends and comrades are for. You shouldn’t have to carry such a weight on your own, especially given the expectations that Edyn has on you right now. We don’t mind sharing the burden. If it helps keep our team together and allows us to overcome all our obstacles then it’s worth it.”

“Here, here,” Angelo said with a smile.

Nova gained a small smile, “Thank you, that means a lot. For the first time in my life I finally feel like I have actual support compared to the environment I grew up in. I just hope there’s still some time left to change my family’s course before reconciliation is impossible. But thank you, all of you. It means the world to me to have such caring and supportive friends. And a fiancée to boot.”

Nina nuzzled against him, smiling, “Gladly, Nova. You’re the glue holding us together. And you’ve done so much for not just us but Edyn as a whole. I know we’ll prevail. Yes, we still have to figure out the whole barrier issue but I feel we’re on the cusp of a real breakthrough in that regard. We’ll find a way, and I know you’ll be hailed as a hero. Shame a certain Werecat and moronic meatball monkey can’t learn a thing or two about that. But that’s a subject for another day. Sir Reginald, what’s the next town on our world tour going to be?”

Sir Reginald looked at the map before replying, “It would be the Dark Elf Clan’s village, which should be just over that ridge. Which means we might run into Lady Glass again. The Dark Elves have one of the bigger villages. I guess calling it a ‘village’ is incorrect. Rather they have a large town, just shy of a small city. The Dark Elves, like their Light element counterparts, are one of the more powerful elven clans in terms of magical might. They’re also one of the larger clans among the elves. It should be a good place to do some business. Especially now that Muu’s presence has been removed from this kingdom.”

“Let’s just hope no problems have cropped up,” Zeeker said. “Like extinct monsters reappearing or a special unit of Muu’s army attacking.”

“Don’t tempt fate, Zeeker,” Nova stated. “Because fate will be all too happy to reply. Trust me, I know from experience. And knowing my luck whether fate answers or not we’ll be roped into something.”

Nina gained a crooked smile, “Sadly, you are correct, Nova. We often get roped into some sort of problem whenever we visit a town, village, or city. I guess, considering our status as the Demon King’s champion party, it’s to-be-expected that we’re the go-to problem solvers. Let’s just hope we can catch a break for a change.”

The party collectively nodded and soon made their way over the ridge, coming into view of the Dark Elf Clan’s home. The Dark Elf Clan’s town was very large and seemed to be full of life. The party soon made their way into the town proper. There didn’t seem to be any sort of issues, as everyone was going about their business without much concern.

Nova gave a relieved sigh, “Well, looks like we lucked out this time. Doesn’t look like any problems or issues are afoot so maybe we can finally spend some time at this town without getting roped into some crazy shenanigan.”

Suddenly, a familiar voice said, “Oh! It’s you all.”

They all turned to see Glass dash up to them. She stopped just short of the part.

“Hello, Lady Glass,” Sir Reginald said. “Is everything okay?”

Glass rubbed her arm, saying nervously, “Well… everything is technically okay, but… well… how do I put this? We kinda need some help in dealing with a rather recent problem.”

Nova sighed defeatedly, “I spoke too soon…”

“What’s the problem?” Elizabetta asked. “Is it urgent?”

Glass rubbed her arm again, “Well… no, it’s not urgent or anything. At the moment it’s not a big deal. But my father is concerned that it could lead to a bigger problem. You see, there’s an old mansion just west of here. It’s been abandoned for quite some time. However, just two days ago a… well… a Vampire has taken residence it that mansion.”

Kettu quirked an eyebrow, “A Vampire? Didn’t they go extinct about 1,750 years ago?”

Glass nodded, “Yes, and that’s the strange thing. However, my father heard from Chief Scias about the Scylla and the Scuttzles that infested the Wood Elves’ well and is concerned that this Vampire could lead to similar problems. From what we’ve gathered, the mansion already has a colony of Blood Bats thanks to the Vampire’s presence. As you may or may not know, Vampires get stronger when Blood Bats are present. Their powers not only increase but they also gain strong recovery abilities. The Vampire nor the Blood Bats have attacked us yet, but father is worried that they might soon. We don’t know where this Vampire came from or why a supposedly extinct monster breed has returned, but after hearing about the Scylla we’re concerned that the Vampire might attack our home. And, unfortunately, as we’re Dark Elves, and our magical specialty, which is Dark, obviously, well… Vampires are not only immune to the Dark element but can absorb it to become stronger. Some of us do possess other elements of magic, but mostly it’s just the Neutral element like Mana Ball and a few buffing and debuffing spells. But no one has any elements like Fire, Light, or Holy, which would be extra effective against a Vampire.

Kettu placed a hand on his hip, “So you need us to slay it for you, right? Before it becomes an actual problem for you?”

She nodded sheepishly, “In a nutshell, yes. However, there is something in it for you if you tackle this threat. There is a rumor that a powerful legendry sword sleeps in that mansion. Said to be forged by the Demon King and the Goddess themselves and possess anti-Undead properties. No Undead of any sort can even touch the blade without being instantly destroyed, except maybe Muu himself. If you can kill the Vampire then you can have the sword said to be hidden there.”

Nova quirked an eyebrow, “If such a weapon exists in that place then why has no one gone after it? Seems a bit fishy.”

“That’s because the mansion is protected by a large moat with a drawbridge on the other side. And in the moat are Torrent Cobras, Jellies, and Big Puffers. They can’t get out of the moat: but the size, depth, and distance between the mansion and the surrounding land makes it impossible to actually get in the mansion unless you can fly. And there aren’t any races around here that can actually fly, like Buzzwing or Phoenix Clan members. So no one has been able to actually enter the mansion to search for the sword. As a result if the sword is in there it’s gone undisturbed for years because no one can actually get inside the mansion. But since you have both Lady Nina and Elizabetta you can activate the mechanisms that’ll lower the drawbridge so you can enter the mansion, deal with the Vampire, and get the sword as your reward.”

Sir Reginald replied, “Then we’ll do it. Especially if taking out this Vampire helps nip a problem in the bud. Let’s go, team.”

Glass stated hastily, “H-Hold it! The Vampire is only active at night, where it becomes immortal and invincible. And it’s already mid-afternoon. I suggest you go to the inn for now and wait until morning. It’ll give you more time to fight and kill the Vampire, since it’s only vulnerable during the day. At least that’s what the old history books say about it.”

Nova gained a crooked smile, “Makes sense. And seeing how we need to kill that thing before it can become a problem it might be wise for us to rest first and then tackle it when we’ll have the time needed to take it down while it’s vulnerable. Plus we did just get into town from the road, so it would be in our best interest to rest before going after this fanged freak.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, that’s a good point, Nova. It’ll also give us a chance to plan out a strategy, since Vampires are tough creatures. Not as tough as Scuttzles but if there are Blood Bats present in the mansion it’ll become a much more challenging foe. But since both Blood Bats and Vampires are nighttime dwellers, then resting first and then going after it in the morning would be a more ideal strategy. Very well, then. Let’s head for the inn to prepare our strategy. Lady Glass, tell your father that we’ll deal with the Vampire on your behalf. Hopefully we can take it out before it decides to attack your town or becomes a bigger problem. But let him know we’re on the case.”

Glass gave a relieved sigh, “Thank you. We’d hate to ask you this, especially after everything you’ve done for Edyn, but our clan is in a rather… difficult position when it comes to dealing with this threat. Hopefully we still have some time before the Vampire decides to come here looking for a midnight snack. But thank you for your willingness to help us. I’ll let father know that you’re going to tackle that monster on our behalf. I’ll come get you in the morning, as I can guide you to the mansion.”

“We’d appreciate that, Lady Glass. Come, team, let’s head for the inn and begin mapping out a strategy. Vampires are said to be very tricky foes, but we’ve faced worse, so we should have a chance to defeat it.”

Glass bowed before scampering off to inform her father about the party promising to deal with the Vampire.

“Wouldn’t casting Angel on it kill it instantly?” Elizabetta asked. “I mean, it is an Undead monster, right?”

Nina heaved a sigh, “Sadly, no. Yes, Vampires are Undead, and under normal circ*mstances Angel and Kyrie would be effective. But there is the caveat that are the Blood Bats in the mansion. If even just one Blood Bat is within a five mile radius from a Vampire then that weakness is eliminated. Blood Bats not only power up the Vampire and give it extra special properties but they neutralize their weakness to anti-Undead properties. Well, hellfire might still be effective, so Nova’s Hellfire Bow and Van’s Hellfire Spear, along with Elora and our Hellfire Rings, might still pack a significant punch. But the Blood Bats complicate things. If even just one of those pests are around then the Vampire becomes a much bigger problem and it loses some of its weaknesses. And I wouldn’t be surprised if at least a small colony of them are in the same room as the Vampire itself to ensure it has the needed backup to keep strong.”

Angelo added “And there is one last wrinkle: Blood Bats become stronger in the presence of a Vampire. So the relationship goes both ways, with each side benefiting the other. So we need to factor in that the Blood Bats will also be stronger, not just the Vampire. And Blood Bats, while not the toughest monsters in the world, can be a real threat in large groups, much less powered up. So we need to keep those elements in mind when dealing with our enemies.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes, you both bring up excellent points. You know your stuff. For now let’s go to the inn and start mapping out our plans and ideas on how to deal with this threat. We may have to wing it a bit, depending on the number of Blood Bats we’re dealing with, but we’ve proven to be good at that. Let’s head for the inn and get ourselves rested up and begin strategizing. Tomorrow is going to be an interesting day.”

The party nodded and made their way to the inn. After paying for rooms they gathered in the dining room to map out their plans. Soon dinner was served, prompting them to stop and eat, before retiring for the night. They knew tomorrow they had a big job ahead of them.

The sun rose in the sky. The party slowly stirred from their slumber. They knew they had to deal with the Vampire today. They made their way down into the dining room and had a hearty breakfast. After finishing their meal they went outside to await Glass. No more than a few minutes later she appeared.

“Okay, is everyone ready?” she asked.

“As ready as we’ll ever be,” Van stated.

“Good. Now, follow me. Normally I’d just use Warp to get us there but the strange energy that the mansion is emitting disrupts teleportation magic. That’s to-be-expected, as Vampires are able to disable, or at least disrupt, certain types of magic with their powers. And said powers are stronger thanks to the Blood Bats. That way we can’t just teleport into the heart of the mansion to deal with it. So we’ll have to go by foot. Fortunately, it’s only an hour from here, so it’s not a difficult trek. But we do have to go through some woods so be prepared for that and don’t get lost. Now, let’s go while we still have light in the day.”

The party nodded and followed Glass toward the location of the mansion. Little did they know that a familiar figure was following them.

After an hour of hiking through a densely wooded area they soon came to a clearing. And in that clearing was a large, rather creepy mansion surrounded by a wide, deep moat.

Glass turned to the party, “This is as far as I’ll go, since I’ll just be a third wheel from this point forward. The rest is up to you. I’ll meet you back at the village. If possible, please bring something back that belongs to the Vampire to prove you killed it, like its cape or something. So we can rest easy knowing that it’s gone. Good luck and stay safe.”

She scampered off quickly, retreating to the town for safety.

Sir Reginald turned to the party, “Okay, let’s get this mission underway. The sooner we deal with this Vampire the better, especially while it’s still sunny out. Keep your eyes and ears open for any threats or other enemies outside of the Vampire and its Blood Bat minions, as we don’t know if there are other creatures in that mansion.”

Kettu nodded, “I hear ya, Reggie. Looks like a perfect place for something like a Mimic at the very least. Especially if there’s a treasure of sorts hidden in that place. Best be on our toes and expect the unexpected.”

“Well put, Kettu,” Nova said. “Now, let’s see if we can find the mechanism that’ll lower the drawbridge so we can get into that creepy place.”

The party nodded and made their way to where the drawbridge was. They looked down in the moat to see various monsters lurking in it. The monsters realized the party was there and swam over to where they were but were too far down to be a threat to them, something that even they knew.

Nina looked around before saying, “I see the mechanism that’ll lower the drawbridge. It’s just behind the statue on the left side of it. Leave this to me since I’m the fastest flyer. Elizabetta, stay on standby in case something happens, as I may need backup if something like a trap is waiting for me.”

Elizabetta nodded, “You can count on me, Nina.”

Nina opened her wings and swiftly shot over the moat and onto the other side. Some of the monsters followed her in hopes of attacking her but she was too fast. She took a moment to observe the mechanisms for the drawbridge before pulling a lever. There was a loud CLANG, followed by the old gears slowly moving, and the drawbridge lowered itself down. The party stepped back a bit to avoid getting flattened underneath it, and soon the drawbridge was in place.

Nina called out to them, “You’d better hurry across, as this drawbridge is on a timer! It’ll automatically reel itself back up within a minute or two!”

The party nodded and hastily scrambled across the drawbridge and onto the other side. The monsters in the moat looked annoyed that the party crossed safely, making disgruntled noises. Not long after the party made it across, the drawbridge started to retract and soon it had returned to its original position.

“That was a good call, Nina,” Van said. “I guess the timer is to prevent unwanted guests, like ourselves, from just waltzing in and wreaking havoc. Especially since those who can fly are rare around here.”

Elizabetta, who was at the front gates, turned to the party, “We have another problem. The door is locked.”

Kettu stretched his arms confidently, “Leave that to me. As a master thief I know my way around locked doors. Give me a moment.”

He walked over to the locked mansion doors, took out a strange tool from his belt, and within seconds picked the lock open. He gained a smug expression before putting the tool back.

“Just call me the doorman,” he chuckled.

Nova chuckled, “Good work, Kettu. It pays to have a different variety of individuals in this party, as it allows each member to do something different in order to overcome the obstacles we face. Now, let’s get inside and start searching for our fanged freak and his flighty friends while we still have light in the day.”

The party nodded and entered the mansion, closing the door behind them. Soon, the mysterious figure that had been following them appeared from the shadows, revealing himself to be Dominic. He was sporting new injuries and bandages, along with damaged armor and clothes, but his eyes gleamed as he looked at the mansion.

He rubbed his hands eagerly, “So not only is there a monster for me to kill and gain glory from but also a rare, valuable, almost legendary weapon stashed away in there. I won’t let those losers claim my prizes first. Especially that pink-haired rat.”

He took a rope from his belt, turned it into a lasso, and threw it across the moat. The lasso caught on a statue above the doorway. Dominic gave it a tug to check it was secure, grinning. He climbed up a tree, still holding the rope so he could get to a higher vantage point and prepared to swing.

“For glory! For wealth! For women! I, Dominic the Daring, will slay the Vampire and claim the treasure for myself!”

He swung like a jungle man on the rope toward the doorway. However, he ended up smacking right into the underside of the drawbridge in a cartoonish way, letting go of the rope in the process. The monsters in the moat noticed this crash-landing and eagerly got into position, knowing that Dominic wasn’t going to stay stuck to the drawbridge for long. Sure enough, Dominic comically popped off the drawbridge and fell into the moat. As soon as he got his head above water he noticed the monsters eyeing him with hungry looks.

“Mommy…” he whimpered.

The monsters attacked him, making him scream in panic, before they dragged him underwater, eager to kill him for food.

Inside the mansion Nova turned around toward the doorway. The party noticed this change in demeanor.

“Noticed something, Nova?” Zeeker asked.

“Strange…” he replied. “I thought I just heard a scream of terror.” He shook his head, “Probably just my imagination, as this place is giving me the creeps.”

Elizabetta chuckled weakly, “Can’t say I blame you. This place is rather spooky. Wouldn’t be surprised if that ‘scream’ was some sort of ghost monster haunting the place, as this would be a prime location for such beings.”

“That’s a distinct possibility,” Nina nodded. “But let’s keep moving. We need to search this place top to bottom to ensure we can find that Vampire before it gets dark. And it’s a pretty big mansion, so we have a lot of space to cover.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Yes. And stick close together. We’ll be safer as a group, since any enemies inside this place will have an easier time picking us off one by one if we’re separated. Now, let’s go while we have the time.”

The party nodded and continued to search the mansion for any clues and the whereabouts of the Vampire. The mansion was infested with Blood Bats that attacked the party when they came into range. Fortunately, they weren’t very strong, but they were stronger than normal, and came in large packs, so the party had to keep their wits about them and not get overwhelmed.

They soon arrived in what looked like a library or study. They looked around, noticing a ton of books on the shelves. There was a coat of arms over the fireplace and dusty chairs and tables littered about.

Zeeker then noticed something, “Hey, gang, look over to the left of the fireplace. I see a treasure chest. Or, rather, a Mimic.”

The gang looked to where he was pointing. Sure enough, there was a shiny red and gold treasure chest nestled next to the fireplace.

“Yeah, that’s a Mimic,” Nina said with a crooked smile. “Notice how clean it is? There’s not a speck of dust or cobweb on it. No, that’s clearly a trap for some unsuspecting shmuck to fall victim to. Otherwise it would be way too obvious.”

“So it would be in our best interest to leave it alone,” Kettu said. “Even a thief like me knows not to be tempted by such an obvious trap. Let’s keep going, as it’s clear our fanged friend isn’t in this room.”

The party nodded and they left the room. However, Nova lingered for a moment, observing the coat of arms over the fireplace. His eyes narrowed as he looked it over. He shook his head and quickly rejoined the group.

“That coat of arms…” he said to himself. “Something about it seems… off. Not in a bad way but something about it seems like it might be important. I’ll keep that tucked away in the back of my mind for now. I’d better focus on the current task first and come back to that problem later.”

The party continued to search the mansion, running into more Blood Bats and occasionally finding a Mimic here and there. As they cut down the most recent swarm of them they stopped to take a short break.

Zeeker took a swig from his canteen before saying, “Whew, there are a LOT of Blood Bats in this freaky mansion. That Vampire must’ve attracted at least a mountain’s worth of these pests.”

Elizabetta nodded wearily, “Yes. And they’re tougher than normal. That Vampire is certainly working its magic, so to speak, and making what would normally be an ankle-biter of a monster to something a bit more of a threat. I’m already exhausted from dealing with them to the point I never want to see another Blood Bat again.”

Nina chuckled weakly, “At least they retain their weakness to Lightning despite the power boost, so that makes them more manageable. Though I admit I’ve used up a lot of my mana just dealing with them. Thank the Goddess for this bracelet Nova made for me, as it’s boosting my mana regeneration rate to help compensate for the increased usage during this mission. Once again, Nova, you proved to be the best thing to ever happen to me.”

Nova gave a weak smile, “I’m glad you’re getting so much mileage out of that bracelet I made you. It was worth spending all that time perfecting my craft to make sure it would be a worthwhile gift to court you with. But we can’t rest for long: the more time passes the sooner nightfall will come. And the sooner our Vampire friend will awaken from his nap, if he hasn’t heard the commotion we’ve cause already.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “Nova’s correct. But, fortunately, we only have a few rooms left to search, so we still have some time to work with. But we need to hurry regardless.”

“At least eliminating these Blood Bats will reduce the Vampire’s power levels,” Angelo pointed out. “That’ll make it easier to deal with.”

Van nodded, “True, so there is some benefit in slaying these flying freaks, as the fewer Blood Bats there are in the same area as a Vampire the weaker it gets. But let’s not lollygag, as we still have three rooms left to search. Hopefully our target is in the next room so we can end this mission once and for all.”

Kettu added, “Yeah, and there’s still no sign of that sword Lady Glass mentioned. Makes me wonder if it was just a rumor cooked up for kicks and not real.”

Sir Reginald stood up, “Perhaps. Or perhaps the sword is being guarded by the Vampire itself, since it probably knows a weapon like that would be dangerous to it if left in an easily accessible location. But, for now, let’s focus on our primary objective and worry about the sword later, if it actually exists.”

The party nodded weakly, standing back up, and continuing their search for the Vampire.

Outside Dominic was clawing his way up the moat’s wall, dangling from a windowsill. He was sporting several new injuries and was bleeding in various places. The aquatic monsters were glaring up at him, angry that he managed to escape their clutches, although there was a Torrent Cobra whose fangs were latched onto his backside. With a final grunt Dominic managed to open the window and climb inside the mansion, landing on the floor with as kersplat. He gained a smirk despite panting, managed to pry the Torrent Cobra off his rear, and chucked it back into the moat below. He started to make faces at the monsters, who all glared up at him hatefully.

“Nah-nah-nah-nah!” he taunted, sticking his tongue out at the monsters. “You can’t stop Dominic the Daring! Now…” he turned sharply around, “Time to find the Vampire and slay it before the loser patrol does! And also time to claim that legendary sword!”

However, he took no more than four steps forward before he was swarmed by a flock of Blood Bats. They had smelled the blood from his fresh wounds, making him scream his girly scream in terror as the flying monsters buried him under their bodies, eager to drink his blood. He struggled with all his might before eventually breaking free and running as fast as he could, the Blood Bats hot on his heels, still wanting their feast of blood.

At the time Nova turned around, having heard Dominic scream. Van also turned around, his ears twitching.

“Okay, I know I’m not the only one who heard that,” the pink-haired man said.

“No, this time I did, too,” Van replied. “Is there someone else in this mansion? Or are we just hearing a Ghost or something like that? Considering we have seen a Ghost or two while roaming these halls it could just be another one of them, as they often make noises like female screams to trick people into thinking someone is in danger and lure them to in an attack.”

Kettu nodded, “Probably is just another Ghost. We have run into at least one or two of them in this mansion so it’s not farfetched to think it’s just another one trying to trick us. Just ignore it, as we’ve got bigger fish to fry.”

Nina then said in a hushed tone, “Shh! Keep your voice down. I found our Vampire friend.”

She pointed to a door that was slightly ajar. Cautiously the party opened it, revealing a black casket laying in the middle of the room. There was a light snoring sound coming from the casket. They then looked up and saw another flock of Blood Bats lurking on the celling, asleep.

“No way it can be this easy…” Nova said quietly.

“You’re right, Nova,” Zeeker growled, narrowing his eyes. “It’s a trap, I’m sure of it. My old soldier instincts are going off. That Vampire is just pretending to be asleep, as are the Blood Bats. They must’ve heard us earlier and decided to lay a trap for us. Especially since Vampires don’t snore, at least that’s what the historical documents say. The moment we open that casket they’ll ambush us.”

Kettu grinned darkly, “Then let’s turn the tables on them and strike from afar.”

Nova’s eyes gleamed, “I’ve got an idea. I just hope it works. Ifrit Mode.”

The Demon King Ring adjusted itself, now set to Ifrit Mode. He nocked an arrow onto his bow and took aim.

“Petrify Shot.”

He fired the arrow directly at the casket. The arrow struck it and rapidly turned the casket into stone, sealing it shut. Moments later the casket started to thrash wildly as the Vampire tried to break out of it. The Blood Bats awoke and started to attack the party.

“Thunder Crash!” Nina stated.

Massive lightning bolts rained down upon the entire room, striking every single Blood Bat and frying them to a crisp. The lightning bolts weren’t able to penetrate the petrified casket but the party was satisfied that the Blood Bats were now dead. The casket continued to thrash wildly as the Vampire tried to break free of it.

Sir Reginald grinned, “Excellent work. With the Blood Bats dead the Vampire will be in a more vulnerable position! And by trapping it inside the casket gives us a chance to prepare to fight it! Let’s take full advantage of it!”

The party jumped into the room, ready for battle. The casket flailed wildly, slamming into the ground and crashing into anything it could, causing cracks to start forming on it.

Sir Reginald tapped his Shaman Magic Bracelet, stating, “Elemental Energy Fusion activate!”

He was engulfed in swirling energy and before long had become the Burning Chaos Knight. A moment later the casket exploded, chunks of it flying everywhere, allowing the Vampire to emerge, clearly furious.

The Vampire resembled a well-dressed gentleman wearing a charcoal black suit over a grey tunic, matching pants, a long, flowing red cape, rather stylish boots, and had a red and black mask with bat-wing like structures pointing backwards. Its skin was a pale grey, its eyes were a venomous green, its hair was blood red. Clawed hands, pointed ears, and a pair of sharp fangs were protruding from its black lips.

It noticed that its Blood Bat minions were dead, gave an unworldly screech, and lunged at the party. Sir Reginald got in between it and the party and managed to block it with his shield, forcing it back.

“Nina, Angelo, Zeeker! Get into form now!” he instructed.

“Elemental Energy Fusion activate!” Nina, Angelo, and Zeeker said in unison.

They were engulfed in swirling energy and soon became Lilith Wing, White Blizzard Knight, and Savana Scourge, to the Vampire’s surprise.

Nina gave a purr, “You think you know darkness and death? Let’s see you handle this maiden of the moonlight! Death’s Kiss!”

She blew a kiss at the Vampire, creating a black heart with devil wings and horns that floated over to the Vampire, to its confusion. When the heart landed it was absorbed, causing the Vampire to clutch itself, eyes bulging, its body wracked with pain.

“I’ve put it on a timer. Now… let’s send this Vampire back to the bygone age!”

Angelo smirked, waggling his eyebrows, “Allow me to give it the cold shoulder. Flash Freeze!”

With a swing of his hand the Vampire was suddenly encased in a block of ice, surprising it and trapping it. At the same time the Death’s Kiss was still eating away at the creature’s body. It struggled to break free of the ice.

Zeeker grinned, “My turn! Burning Sun!”

He fired a burst of energy into the sky, which caused the sunlight to intensify. Then a beam of light crashed down from above, striking the trapped Vampire. The intense beam of light melted the ice but the Vampire screeched in pain as its body started to burn from the attack. When the attack waned the Vampire clearly looked like it was on its last legs. It gave a screech and soon more Blood Bats appeared, which seemed to strengthen it and its body started to heal.

Kettu said, “Nova, Van, Elizabetta and I will deal with the Blood Bats! You four take down the fanged freak!”

Nova and the others nodded and began attacking the Blood Bats in hopes of cutting off the Vampire’s power source. The rest of the party focused on the Vampire itself.

Nina purred darkly, “You won’t be able to resist my charms, fang boy. Take this! Life Steal!”

She vanished like a phantom before reappearing behind the Vampire. She impaled it with one of her inscribed golden gauntlets and the ribbons on her outfit, making the Vampire gasp. She started to drain energy and lifeforce from the powerful monster, prompting it to struggle to break free of her grip, but she held it steady by using some of the other ribbons to latch onto its arms and legs. After a couple of moments she removed herself from it, her task complete, as the Vampire now looked withered and weak. She vanished like a phantom again before returning to the rest of the party.

“My Life Steal managed to temporarily cut off its recovery ability while Blood Bats are present,” she said darkly. “We need to take it out now, while it’s weak and before it regains that ability!”

Sir Reginald primed his blade, “I’ll take care of that! Chaos Blade!”

The flames on the sword changed from red to black and white. Sir Reginald charged in while the Vampire was struggling to recover, bisecting it at an angle. The Vampire screeched in pain as its body was devoured by the chaos flames. Soon it had been burned away to nothing, leaving only its mask behind. At that time the rest of the party had finished off the Blood Bats, ending the battle.

Elizabetta jumped for joy, “We did it! We took down a Vampire!”

Suddenly the floorboards opened up and a chest emerged from underneath where the casket used to lay. The party quickly became apprehensive of this chest.

“That’s no treasure chest,” Kettu growled. “That’s a Mimic, like the handful of other Mimics we’ve seen in this mansion. I wouldn’t be surprised if this Mimic was planted here by the Vampire to lure us into thinking we gained the sword as our prize as a final act of spite.”

Sir Reginald nodded, “I agree, Kettu. It’s clearly the work of the Vampire in hopes of taking us down. Maybe that sword doesn’t exist after all.”

Nova spoke up, “I don’t think that’s the case, Sir Reginald.”

Zeeker turned to him, “Wait. Are you saying you might know where the sword is?”

He nodded, “Yes. Or rather an educated guess, anyway. Remember that library room? There was a coat of arms over the fireplace. I noticed that the coat of arms had a rather impressive-looking sword as part of it. I think that’s the sword the rumors speak of. The only problem I see in trying to retrieve it is the Mimic nearby. If what you all have told me is true, then a Mimic’s tongue has quite the impressive reach. We may need to kill it before we can recover the sword.”

Nina nodded, “I agree. Leave it to me. I’ll remain in this form so I can kill the Mimic, as it’ll be vulnerable to my darkness-laden Shaman magic. The rest of you transform back to normal to give your Shaman Magic Bracelets a chance to recharge, just in case.”

“Cancel Fusion!” Sir Reginald, Zeeker, and Angelo said in unison.

They were engulfed in swirling energy and before long had returned to normal.

“Let’s grab the Vampire’s mask for proof of us killing it.”

Kettu walked over, picked up the mask, and tucked it away in his pack. The party quickly made their way back to the library room and entered.

Nova pointed to the coat of arms, “See that coat of arms? Notice the sword on the left side, near where the Mimic is? Doesn’t that sword look more impressive than the one on the opposite side? I believe that’s the sword the rumors speak of.”

Nina turned to the Mimic, stating, “Let me deal with that boxed beastie. Then we’ll remove the coat of arms and see if the sword is the real deal. This should take care of it. Darkness Love!”

She used both hands to create a magical circle in the air. She used her clawed gauntlet on her right hand to inscribe a strange symbol in the center of it. She then blew another kiss, creating the same black heart with devil wings and horns: that entered the magical circle. The heart transformed into a powerful energy beam that blasted the Mimic, which screeched in pain before it crumbled to dust.

“There, that should do it. Fortunately, while Mimics are beefy in terms of defensive prowess, they don’t have the best damage tolerance. In other words, they’re armored but frail. So a sufficiently powerful attack, especially one that cuts through such defenses, is extremely useful against them. Now, for the coat of arms. Elizabetta, help me get it off the wall so we can take a look at that sword, since it looks pretty sturdy.”

The moth girl nodded and both winged females flew over to the coat of arms. After examining it for a minute the two women managed to pry the coat of arms off the wall, damaging it slightly, returning to the rest of the group with it.

Sir Reginald examined the coat of arms, saying, “Yes, I think Nova’s right. The sword on the left looks much more impressive than the sword on the right. If anything the sword on the right is fused with the coat of arms, but the other sword seems loose. Let me see if I can remove the sword.”

He gently grabbed the hilt of the second sword while the girls held the coat of arms steady. The sword was, in fact, loose. After a bit of prying Sir Reginald was able to remove the sword from the coat of arms, revealing its true form.

The sword was magnificent. Its blade was gold in color with silver edges and the top of the blade becoming broader and spade-shaped. A line going through the blade ended in a gem with a sun-shaped pattern around it, an impressive gold and blue hilt with a dark blue grip, and purple gems at each point of the hilt.

Sir Reginald took a moment to get a feel for the sword, smiling as he did. He performed a few motions with it as if testing its weight and strength, before holding it in both of his hands.

“Magnificent!” he exclaimed. “This blade is incredible! I can feel the power flowing through it as I hold it. It certainly lives up to those rumors about it. But I wonder what this sword is called?”

Nova replied, “Let me handle that.”

He placed his hand with the Demon King Ring on the sword. The gem glowed and soon released a projection of the sword and any statistics it had.

“Hmm… so it’s called the Über Divine Blade. According to this data the sword not only has Holy energies in it, which make it extra potent against Undead, but for extra effect the purple gems on the hilt can be activated to lace it with hellfire. On top of that, whenever the sword is used for melee the user regains a small portion of their strength and energy. Über indeed, as this is a pretty impressive blade. Looks like those rumors were true.”

Sir Reginald took another moment to examine the blade, gaining another smile, before he turned to the party.

“Well, we’re done here. Let’s get back to Lady Glass and inform her that we completed the mission.”

Nina nodded, “Yes, and now I can transform back to normal. Cancel Fusion.”

She was engulfed in swirling energy and before long had returned to normal. However, to her confusion, the rest of the party was looking at her with surprised eyes.

“What?”

“Uhh… Nina… don’t you always flirt and try to seduce Nova while in your Lilith Wing form?” Zeeker asked. “That often results in him needing to forcefully cancel the fusion with the Demon King Ring. This time you just transformed back to normal without any fanfare or attempt to seduce Nova. Why is that?”

Nina blushed before replying, “I must be gaining better control over that form’s libido, since, as you know, my Shaman forms seems to have a stronger effect on my mind than everyone elses. I might just be gaining more control over it, that’s all.”

Nova chuckled silently, “Or maybe Nina’s libido was satisfied that one time we made love, thus the form is no longer thirsty for me. It might flare up again later on, but I think, for now, it’s been satisfied.” He then said aloud, “Let’s book it, gang, and get out of this creepy place before nightfall. I don’t want to think about what could happen here when darkness covers the land. The few monsters that are left here might go on a rampage or become stronger or something. So let’s hightail it out of here before anything else happens.”

The party nodded and made their way back to the drawbridge. Zeeker activated the mechanisms, lowering the drawbridge, allowing the party to leave the mansion unharmed. The drawbridge then raised itself back to its original position. Satisfied, the party retraced their steps back to the Dark Elf Clan. They were soon greeted by Glass, who sighed in relief when she saw them.

“I was getting worried about you!” she said. “Were you successful?”

Kettu took out the Vampire’s mask, holding it out, “Yep. And turns out the rumor about the sword was true. Reggie has it now, though he might need a new scabbard for it, as it’s a bit larger than his current sword. You can take the mask since your father wanted proof of the Vampire’s death. But the Vampire is no more so you don’t have to worry about it.”

Glass sighed in relief, taking the Vampire’s mask, “That’s good to know. Father will be most pleased. I’ll take this back to him as proof of your victory. And I suggest that Sir Reginald check out our weapon shop so he can get a new sheath for that sword. It’s yours as a reward for dealing with the Vampire on our behalf. Thank you. I’ll arrange for the inn to give you a free night as a bonus reward. But first let me take this mask back to my father so he can rest easy knowing that the Vampire is gone. Thank you once again as we Dark Elves would’ve been powerless against it.”

She scampered off with the mask to show it to her father.

Van stretched his arms, saying, “Well, we were able to slay that Vampire and recovered the sword rumored to be in that mansion. A job well done. Now, let’s get a new sheath for it so Sir Reginald can use it in the fights against Muu’s army.”

The party nodded and made their way toward the weapon shop to get a new sheath for the sword. They were quite pleased at their latest victory, knowing they nipped a potential threat in the bud.

Meanwhile, back at the mansion, Dominic was limping weakly through the halls. The Blood Bats had drained a lot of his blood, leaving him weak and feeble, before they fled after the defeat of the Vampire. He soon found his way into the room where the party fought the Vampire and noticed the treasure chest, his eyes lighting up.

“Yes!” he exclaimed. “The sword must be in that treasure chest! Those losers forgot all about it! Now I can claim a powerful, legendary weapon for myself! And no one, especially that pink-haired rat, will be able to defeat me!”

He eagerly ran over to the chest and slowly opened it. However, he soon saw a fleshy interior, a pair of gleaming eyes, and the rim of the chest was lined with teeth. The Mimic growled at him, making him go pale.

He screamed in terror before trying to run away, but the Mimic lashed out its very long tongue and caught him by the leg. Dominic clawed the ground, trying to prevent the Mimic from eating him, but the chest monster’s tongue held strong. It was almost like it was toying with him, as its eyes gained an almost gleeful expression. Soon the Mimic began reeling in Dominic, eager to have a meal.

“Mommy…” Dominic whimpered pathetically.

The Mimic used its tongue to fling Dominic into the air, and dragged him into its open wide mouth, snapping shut behind him. Chewing noises could be heard, the chest moving to the sounds, before the Mimic went silent. It then gave a belch, spitting out a boot and the broken remains of Dominic’s sword. It settled in to digest its prey, content and happy.

Next Chapter: Don't Fool with a Phantom’s Jewel