Even without Elios’s warning, Roland would have done it. He was already moving forward, searching for more demons to kill.
He could feel how dangerous they were, not just because he was trapped in this place, but because he had never seen the mutations anywhere else.
That could only an one thing: they were being produced here. And they had to be found and destroyed.
This wasn’t just a trap it was also a place for experintation.
Still, the absence of the mastermind puzzled Roland. Why hadn’t they shown themselves yet?
He killed over twenty demons before noticing that more vampires had arrived to support them.
That confird his suspicion.
There weren’t many of these new monstrosities, and this whole thing might be the vampires doing.
"If you’re going to co at , bring real numbers. I’m getting bored with killing one or two at a ti."
He tried to provoke them, to see if any would respond.
But none of them spoke; the vampires just kept lunging at him without a word.
Until, finally, a voice echoed from far away.
"Don’t bother," it said. "I’ve been controlling all of them. I don’t need workers or underlings, just slaves who obey without question. That’s what Targo Grivoss told to do.
But I suppose you killed him, since he hasn’t returned in weeks. So tell , how did that trash die?"
Before him stood a vampire he felt he would have difficulty with; he looked young but sohow had the presence of soone who was long-lived.
"Yes," Roland said coldly. "Torn into pieces. So how about you tell what you’re doing here, before you end up the sa?"
The man smirked, even laughed, before settling down.
"Well, no doubt you’ll kill , but that would only make things worse for you, Hero. I have your friends cornered upstairs," the vampire said, voice calm while looking like he didn’t care either way. "So, let’s make a deal. I’ll have my fledglings let them go. If you agree, then there will be no problem with you being able to leave also. I don’t really need to stay here now that that guy’s dead. No point watching my tools die off like this. I hate wasting ti and resources."
Roland glared at him, then looked upward. He noticed the battle sounds above had changed; there were no more explosions, no flashes of magic.
"Did any of them die!?" Roland shouted angrily, nearly rushing forward to cut the vampire down.
"Nope," the man replied with a shrug. "They just made an earth cage. One might have gotten bitten, but it was by a fledgling. I believe they tore off the wounded part to prevent infection."
Roland’s thoughts instantly went to Stella.
"It was a man," the vampire added. "Half-demon. No one under your command, I believe."
Roland’s eyes widened.
"How do you know so much...?"
The man summoned a small bat that flapped into view, hovering behind Roland.
"I have eyes everywhere, kid. I’ve always been cautious about spies. So, tell ... what will you do?
Should I send my worms to break through the walls and let my fledglings swarm your allies? Or will you let leave, along with my underlings?
As for the demons... destroy them. They’re useless to if they can’t survive more than a few days.
The experint was a failure in my eyes. But the demons already know about it. They’ll perfect it soon enough. That ans you’ve got other enemies to worry about, ones far more powerful and nurous than ."
The vampire stood still, clearly waiting to see if Roland would fight... or let him go.
"And what about you?" Roland asked, voice cold. "Why shouldn’t I just kill you here and now?"
The vampire noble took a few slow steps to one side, then the other, as if weighing sothing deeply.
"You know, I haven’t really thought about it much... what to do next, that is," the vampire mused, casually pacing. "Maybe I’ll keep looking for improved fledglings. Ones that can actually retain so sanity. I have no use for thousands of mindless brutes who can’t even do basic math. I need helpers... assistants who can actually contribute to my work."
He raised a finger as if ticking off a list.
"There’s also the crystals. I wonder how much further I can push their refinent. Then there’s the class system... I keep wondering if I can enhance the spirits’ ability to assign classes... skip the whole ’start off weak’ part. Make them functional from the beginning."
He grinned, sharp and unsettling.
"But those are just side projects. As for what I can offer you..."
He paused, clearly enjoying the mont.
"I keep hearing that girl—Stella, was it? She’s looking for her brother, right? What if I gave you a hint? After all, I have eyes everywhere."
Roland clenched his fists. He wanted nothing more than to storm forward and choke the answer out of him, that is, until he saw them.
Over a hundred glowing crimson eyes appeared behind the vampire.
These weren’t just fledglings. They were evolved.
"Fine. I’ll accept your deal," Roland growled. "But the information better be worth it."
"Good," the vampire said, smirking wider. "Toss so of your blood, and I’ll do the sa. It’s a binding contract. Once our blood mixes, it will create a reaction that proves we’re both telling the truth. Ask your annoying spirit about it."
Roland narrowed his eyes and asked silently:
[Well? How is that, Elios? Do you think we should?]
There was silence, then a reluctant huff.
[Do as he says. If there’s one thing I respect about demons and their filthy kin, it’s that they uphold contracts above all else.]
Roland gave a small nod and t the vampire’s gaze.
"Fine. Let’s do this."
They each made a small cut, letting their blood fall to the ground between them. The two pools touched, sizzled, and released a faint light before vanishing as a thin wisp of gas.
"Good," the vampire said. "Neither blood remained. That ans the contract was accepted. I’ll give you the information... and you won’t chase afterward."
He paused, eyes distant, as if looking through sothing unseen.
Then he began to pace slowly, reaching out with his hand as though grasping at sothing invisible.
"There... found it," he murmured. "Your beloved’s brother is hiding near the castle of the fallen Elris. You’ll need to reclaim it soon... before he’s discovered.
Which ans you have sothing more pressing than staying in this place."
He smirked faintly.
"Just cause a big explosion or sothing dramatic. That should be enough to draw him out. But I’ll warn you—the perfected experints are there. Malacar is present, along with his pathetic scientist. So, you could land a heavy blow if you act swiftly."
With a shrug, the vampire looked back at Roland, as if waiting for a response.
"Good," Roland muttered. "Then I suppose we’re both free to walk away."
The vampire tilted his head, pausing again—as if sothing else had co to mind.
"Oh... one more thing. I’ll leave, that much is true. But you’ll still need to fight. I can’t make it look like I let you go. So, kill off the rest of the mutated garbage still roaming about. Your friends are up there waiting.
Well then, I’ll be taking most of my assets now... including my null crystal."
Without waiting for a response, the vampire walked toward the ledge. He and his kin turned into bats and flew off into the depths below.
Roland stood still, unsure why he had been allowed to live.
That was when he noticed the small bat still hovering beside him.
"If you kill this little guy, our contract ends, young hero," the vampire’s voice echoed faintly. "Don’t worry—it’s just my eyes. I don’t peek at what I shouldn’t. In fact... I may even help you take back Elris, so long as you don’t interfere with my future plans."
Roland placed his hand on the hilt of his blade, debating about what to do, then let out a long sigh.
"Damn it... Fine. Just don’t get in my way—or let that little thing get killed by accident. I’m not responsible for keeping it alive... but I won’t make a move on it. For now."
He turned and began climbing upward again, but paused halfway up the steps.
"What’s your na, anyway? At least tell that."
The small bat fluttered closer, then spoke in the sa voice as the vampire.
"Norelli Baxtrey... Forgot to introduce myself, Hero Roland Ashford. It’s just... I know so much about you that I sotis forget we’ve never actually t."
Roland shuddered at the implication. The way the vampire said it, it was as if he’d been watched ever since his arrival.
Every mont, every step, every decision... everything had been recorded.
"Relax," Norelli added smoothly. "I don’t usually share what I see. I do it to learn. And there’s so much I can learn from you."
That final sentence made it click for Roland why he’d been allowed to walk away so easily.
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