Jason could feel Gina’s mana signature just a few meters away from him, and even though he was extremely glad that Gina was safe, and he wanted to go and speak to Gina right now, Jason stayed rooted ot his place, and he didn’t remove his focus from Gillian and what she was asking from him. Jason looked at Gillian’s peaceful expression, and he asked her seriously.
"Are you sure about this?"
Gillian’s smile never wavered.
"Of course I am. If I am going to die at anyone’s hands, then I don’t think there can be anyone more fitting than you. You and I have not spoken much in the time we’ve known each other, but I feel closer to you than I have to anyone else in my life. Well, maybe except for her. But she is a special one, so that is not important. Please, Jason, I want you to do this... for me."
Jason closed his eyes and let out a calming sigh as he heard all this. Gillian had always been an enigma to him, and even now, she was still a bit confusing. Jason’s thoughts ran freely for a few seconds as he considered what he would do next, and by the time Jason opened his eyes, his resolve had strengthened! Jason pulled his hand back until only the tip of his fingers were on Gillian’s chest like a knife, and he stepped close to Gillian and spoke to her in a calm voice.
"I pray you find peace on the other side, Gillian."
SQUELCH!
"Urk!"
Gillian’s body jolted as Jason’s hand stabbed into her chest and pierced her heart! Jason ripped Gillian’s heart out, and a mad scream suddenly echoed from somewhere on the other side of the large field!
"NOOOOO!!!!!"
The scream was from a short Vympir woman with pink hair and red eyes! The false Queen of the Vympir race, Lamina! Queen Lamina’s eyes were wide and bloodshot, and there was a madness in there that threatened to swallow her whole! Queen Lamina had just arrived in this world after following the trail of power that the previous fight had left behind, and the first thing she saw when she arrived here was the ritual taking place between Jason and Gillian! Lamina couldn’t believe that Gillian was giving this to him!? How dare she!? Does Gillian know how much Lamina had sacrificed for the Vympirs!? Did she know what Lamian had done to ensure the survival of their people! Lamina was the only one who deserved this honor!
Neither Jason nor Gillian paid Lamina any attention at all, and Jason just stood still as Gillian wrapped a hand around his neck and pulled his head down to her collar.
"Drink, Jason."
Jason’s Vympiric nature suddenly reared its head once again as his eyes bled red, and Jason opened his mouth and sank his fangs into Gillian’s neck to drink! A sudden surge of power erupted from somewhere deep inside Jason’s chest the moment he tasted Gillian’s blood! It felt like every time he drank, he was getting filled with pure adrenaline, and he pressed himself tighter against Gillian as he drank with even more desire! Gillian let out a small moan as Jason sucked hungrily and she spoke in a low, mysterious voice.
"Today, I, Gillian, Queen of the Vympirs, relinquish my Blood Oath to my people, and in return, I grant unto you, Jason Marc, my child, the right of ascension and the seat of the Dead Apostle of Fire. May all my authority, and all my possessions be conferred unto you."
DOON!
There was a sudden blast of mana that flowed out from Gillian once she finished saying this, and the world slowly began to darken! Jason pulled back from Gillian’s neck, and he let out a sigh of pure content as blood flowed down his chin. Jason’s eyes changed back to his regular black, and he breathed heavily as he felt the darkness cover him and Gillian while blocking them from the spectators around! Gillian smiled at Jason kindly to tell him that everything was alright, and when she saw the calm expression on Jason’s face, she leaned forward and gave him a small, chaste kiss on the lips. Jason was a little surprised by the action, and he pulled back to see Gillian smiling at him as she spoke.
"My final reward. This time as a woman rather than a Vympir..."
Jason felt a strange sensation filtering into his heart from Gillian, and his mind was suddenly filled with images of another life. A life where magic didn’t exist, and where he and Gillian met on an innocent day in a café. A life where they went to university together, fell in love, and grew up together. A life where they dated, got married, and had many children. A life where they grew old together and died together. Jason could tell that these were not his thoughts. Rather, they were Gillian’s fantasies being projected into his mind. Gillian had been looking at Jason’s life for such a long time now, and she couldn’t deny how jealous she was of how Jason had lived. For someone like Gillian, who had lived her entire life during the Period of Lawlessness and then had suffered an imprisonment that took away the rest of her life, there was no salvation that she could find in this world anymore. This was the life that she would have loved to live if she had another chance. Gillian’s sad smile made Jason’s heart squeeze in pain, and Gillian caressed his cheek softly as she said.
"Maybe in some other life, where neither of us carries so much responsibility, we would find our way to each other once again, and I can live the life I was denied. If it’s you, I feel I could have had the peaceful life I had always dreamed of. One without constant battle and death. Yes, if it were you, then it would have been possible."
Gillian finally pulled back from Jason, and she let go of his neck as a figure appeared from the dark fog surrounding them. Jason turned to see who the figure was, and the moment he laid eyes on him, a nasty look appeared on Jason’s face.
"Hello, you old fossil. It’s been too long."
Bang!
The Grim Reaper slammed its scythe on the ground in a show of power, and Jason’s bloody lips widened into a grin that revealed his sharp fangs! Jason could feel the anger rolling off the bastard’s body, and it only made Jason’s amusement grow! The Grim Reaper had come here for Gillian, but Jason could tell that it wanted to take him as well! In fact, the Grim Reaper wanted to take Jason far more than it wanted to take Gillian, and Jason almost felt like laughing at this point! Jason knew at this moment that he had no choice but to remain alive for as long as possible! Because the moment he dies, the Grim Reaper would do everything in its power to make him suffer!
Gillian stepped forward from beside Jason, and Jason turned away from the Grim Reaper and focused on her again. Gillian gently caressed Jason’s face as she walked past him, and she spoke kindly.
"Make sure you live a long life, Jason. And if you ever meet a fiery little woman with far too much pride, then let her know that becoming her friend was the best thing that ever happened to me, and I truly loved her with all my heart."
Gillian had a content smile on her face as she said this, and even though Jason did not like how things had gone between them, Jason could sense the sincerity in Gillian’s words. It didn’t take a genius to realise what woman Gillian was speaking about, and Jason finally let go of the anger in his heart as he smiled back at Gillian and nodded.
"I’ll make sure she knows."
Slash!
The Grim Reaper’s scythe cut across Gillian’s neck, and Gillian’s entire body suddenly went limp.