In the heart of the vampyros domain, in a hall that stretched endlessly, lay an expanse of ominous beauty.
There were no floors, only a glowing crimson liquid that seemed alive, rippling faintly with an eerie pulse.
Massive pillars, carved with intricate, ancient patterns, stretched upward, vanishing into the dark, arched ceiling above.
The entire chamber was bathed in a blood-red hue, but the light didn't come from above. It came from below. The crimson pool that filled the hall radiated a soft, sinister glow, casting sharp shadows and an unnatural ambiance that whispered of power, reverence, and an ancient presence.
At the center of the pool, two figures floated as though weightless. Naked. Pale. Flawless. The very embodiment of the vampyros race.
"Ah~ this feels so nice," Lirae Bloodveil said, her voice dreamy as she drifted lazily on her back through the pool of blood.
Her eyes were half-closed in bliss, her fingers trailing ripples through the liquid. "We should do this more often, Grandma."
The air grew still. Heavy. A palpable shift in the atmosphere sent invisible chills rippling outward.
The second figure, seated cross-legged in the pool, opened her eyes. Crimson. Sharp. Cold enough to cut steel. Jezeneth Bloodveil, the Blood Queen, did not speak with warmth or indulgence.
"This is the Hall of Crimson Eternity," her voice resonated, sharp and cold. "The blood of our ancestors, paragons who carved the foundation of the vampyros race flows here. Their essence, their sacrifice, their power. And you dare treat it like a bathhouse?"
Each word dripped with anger, her icy tone making the blood itself seem to pulse with disapproval.
Lirae stretched, unfazed, releasing another contented sigh. "Right, right. Respect, ancestors, yada yada. I got it."
She waved her hand lazily, as though she couldn't care less, her eyes still closed, making no effort to adjust her demeanor.
Jezeneth's gaze hardened, her aura pressing down on the chamber like an unrelenting vice. The temperature dropped further. If looks could kill, Lirae's carefree smirk would have been obliterated.
Jezeneth clicked her tongue in irritation and turned her gaze away.
"Ungrateful brat."
She'd been dealt the worst hand in granddaughters. Lirae's mother had been a disappointment in talent, but when Lirae was born, Jezeneth had dared to hope. No, she had been ecstatic. Lirae was gifted, a prodigy among prodigies, her potential unparalleled.
But potential was worthless without effort.
Instead of becoming the apex warrior Jezeneth envisioned, Lirae treated everything, including sacred rituals, as mundane, laughing her way through life with nonchalance. It was infuriating.
She couldn't help but wonder just how powerful the girl would've become if she had only put more effort into her training!
Jezeneth inhaled deeply, her patience thinning. How long could she endure this?
The blood of vampyros paragons was special. It was invaluable to the vampyros race and worth more than any resource. That was why, even after death, the blood of vampyros paragons was collected and stored in the Hall of Crimson Eternity.
Bathing in their pooled blood strengthened the blood of the individual, making it a valuable training resource.
'At least she's strengthening herself regardless,' Jezeneth thought.
Just as she was about to return to her training, her thoughts fractured as a faint tremor brushed her senses.
Something, or someone, was outside.
Jezeneth's eyes narrowed, her instincts flaring. The Hall of Crimson Eternity was sacred, impenetrable, and forbidden to all but their bloodline. Not even the grand elders were allowed entry.
She was the Blood Queen. Unless something requiring her intervention had occurred, she couldn't possibly imagine why anyone would dare disturb her while she was training.
It could only mean one thing: catastrophe.
She raised her hand with slow precision, and the colossal doors parted silently, revealing a woman kneeling at the threshold, trembling in reverence.
Her formal attire and crimson gaze marked her as an elite attendant. The woman bowed so deeply her forehead touched the stone.
"My queen," she began, her voice quivering under Jezeneth's unyielding stare. "There is an incident… at the human border."
'Hm?' Hearing the word human, Lirae's ears perked up, and she turned her gaze toward the attendant, her attention caught.
Jezeneth's aura darkened. A suffocating weight fell over the hall, causing the attendant to visibly shudder. "Speak clearly," Jezeneth ordered.
The attendant shook with intensity under Jezeneth's piercing stare. She didn't need to be told; she understood what Jezeneth meant.
Why should she care?
"A fight, my queen." The attendant's voice faltered as she hurried to clarify. "It… it's paragon-level."
Jezeneth's eyes narrowed into lethal slits. The very air seemed to coil with her aura. Paragon level? At the human border?
Her thoughts raced.
'Yorowin.'
She had sent him on a covert mission to the same border, a mission known only to her and a few trusted confidants. And now, a paragon-level battle was occurring in the same location?
The crimson pool rippled violently as Jezeneth stood, her form radiating an intense coldness. Blood clung to her body, only to swirl upward in intricate streams, weaving into an elaborate, regal gown.
Dark crimson-red and black fabric adorned her form, imbued with an aura of supremacy that made the attendant lower her gaze further.
Something was happening. She had to see for herself.
"Take me with you, Grandma!" Lirae's voice called out, casual as ever.
Jezeneth didn't spare her a glance. Paragons were leagues above her. She'd only get in the way. Plus, despite her dissatisfaction with Lirae's behavior, she couldn't put their greatest genius in harm's way.
Without a word, Jezeneth turned and strode toward the exit, her steps echoing in the vast chamber.
The hall gave way to a narrow passage, reinforced with materials so dense they muted her perception. She hadn't felt the shockwaves of the fight until now because of these exact materials.
Emerging into the open air, Jezeneth stood atop the highest balcony of her castle.
Her bare feet touched the stone. Blood swirled around her body once more, forming armored embellishments, her crimson cloak billowing behind her as though alive.
The atmosphere shifted, plunging into an unnatural chill that spread across the sprawling city below.
People froze. All of them in the city. Instinctively. They felt it, their blood stirring within their veins, resonating with her presence. Every gaze turned toward the castle, trembling in fear.
Jezeneth didn't acknowledge them. Her eyes were locked on the horizon, toward the border where chaos brewed. Her crimson irises glowed faintly, akin to a frozen storm.
And then, she vanished.
For a moment, the world held its breath. Silence gripped the city.
Then it came, the shockwave. A deafening boom ripped through the air, shaking the ground and causing the entire city to tremble.
People stumbled, their blood pounding in their ears. The aftershock was so immense it took several seconds to subside.
The people turned toward the horizon, their hearts still racing.
The Blood Queen, Jezeneth Bloodveil, was on the move.