The remaining ten minutes passed in a blur of restless shifting, whispered conversations, and the steady humming thrum of the teleportation array as it charged to full capacity. The air in the atrium grew heavier, saturated with mana so dense it clung to the skin like mist.
In fact, there was mist, such a high concentration of pure mana created a mist like mana substance that drifted throughout the room, though it didn’t majorly affect the actions of the students in any way.
Students fell into formation as instructed, but even in perfect rows the tension was palpable, knowing they were heading to an incredibly politically important region in the Demon Region.
A sharp tone rang through the hall. The runes beneath their feet flared from crimson to a searing white.
"Brace yourselves," Ysvara said calmly, her silhouette frad by ribbons of rising mana. "Long-distance teleportation, begin."
The world snapped and every molecule of air around them vanished, gravity inverted itself, and the ground dissolved beneath them as the teleportation took hold, stretching their senses outward in a twisting, spiraling tunnel of light that felt both instant and eternal.
A pressure like a thousand beating hearts echoed faintly in the void between worlds. Albedo felt Lilian stiffen beside him, the bloodline energy in her veins resonating with sothing ancient far ahead.
Then, with a sound like a giant exhaling, they had arrived. Cold air replaced the warm ozone of the array. The faint hum of runic engines gave way to sothing heavier, an atmospheric pressure thick with age and blood-rich mana.
And when the light cleared, the sight before them stole the breath from every single student.
They stood in the heart of a massive city, unlike anything in the Empire’s central regions. Towering gothic architecture stretched outward in a circular pattern of glazed obsidian streets and crimson-lantern walkways.
Blackstone towers, ribbed like vertebrae or carved like fangs, spiraled upward to impossible heights. Pale lights pulsed within translucent windows like veins beating beneath skin. Above everything, casting its shadow over the entire tropolis, stood the Crimson Spire.
Seeing it as a projection was one thing, however seeing it in person was sothing entirely different.
The tower was colossal. The vertebra-shaped structure rose so high it looked as if it stabbed through the twilight sky itself, its ruby surface shimring with an internal pulse like the world’s slowest heartbeat.
Rivers of crimson mana flowed down its sides in glowing lines, bathing the city in a perpetual red haze. The atmosphere around it vibrated faintly, as though reality bent to accommodate its presence.
Looking around at the streets, they could see Vampires walking around as far as the eye could go, dozens, hundreds, and maybe even thousands of Vampires.
There was pretty much no other species visible, no other types of Demons either, it was pretty much exclusively Vampires everywhere.
They walked with an unmistakable elegance and pride, their movents silent and fluid. So wore noble robes woven from night-silk; others wore armor crafted from darksteel bone plates.
Their eyes glimred in shades of crimson, gold, and violet. And every single one of them paused to glance toward the newly arrived group.
So of their gazes were laced with curiosity, but most of them were laced with recognition, as whispers imdiately rippled through the passing crowd as they looked towards Lilian.
"BloodHaven Heir."
"She’s returned."
"That’s Lady Lilian, isn’t it?"
"Look, her crest ring."
"Who are the humans with her?"
Various Vampires who saw her all bowed or did a curtsy respectfully, acknowledging her presence as a Higher Noble belonging to the Ruling Class of the region.
Lilian froze as dozens of gazes converged on her. For a mont, her carefully maintained composure splintered. Her shoulders tensed, her breath hitched, and her fingers curled tightly around her ring.
However, she quickly adapted. While she hadn’t been back here in quite a while, she was still used to these kinds of gazes. Her posture quickly straightened, her chin lifted and the faint trembling in her eyes was replaced by a Noble, confident gaze as she nodded, acknowledging her subjects so of whom continued on their way.
Albedo stepped slightly closer, not enough to draw attention, but enough for her to feel him there. Her fingers relaxed.
Ysvara stepped forward, her wings folding neatly behind her. "Welco to Sanguis Primora," she announced. "Capital of the Sanguine Moors, seat of Clan BloodHaven, and the location of the Sixth Demonic Monunt."
The various Vampires also acknowledged Queen Ysvara, using their magic to create Blood Flowers. It seed to be so kind of ritual of acknowledging the Demon Queen, and Ysvara acknowledged them as well.
The various students swallowed hard as they took in their surroundings. The streets stretched outward like a web, each lined with floating lanterns shaped like drops of blood, casting soft crimson light.
The air slled faintly of night-blooming flowers, old parchnt, and the tallic tinge of concentrated mana. High above, flocks of bat-like familiars circled between rooftops, their silhouettes weaving between the shadows.
Ysvara began leading them through the outer plaza, her pace slow enough for them to absorb everything. "Do not be alard by the atmosphere," she said. "The Moors are saturated with Primordial Blood mana. It can feel oppressive at first, but it is not harmful to non-vampires. Simply remain calm."
A few Human and Elven students looked like they were trying, and failing, not to panic. For the Elves, Princess Fade quickly
Albedo had no such issue; his mana adapted instantly, though he did feel an odd pressure crawling up his spine, as if sothing ancient had taken mild interest in his presence.
Celeste walked near Lilian, her amber-gold eyes gleaming as she watched the passing noble families, "All of the Vampires here seem so happy to see you," she remarked, "I can’t believe you were so nervous,"
"These aren’t the people I was nervous about," Lilian muttered.
As they rounded a corner, the sight ahead widened into a grand avenue. A massive blood-red fountain stood at its center, a sculpture of a crimson phoenix rising from a pool of shimring liquid that was definitely not water.
Carved runes pulsed beneath its wings, and students stopped to stare in awe as the fountain’s droplets floated upward rather than falling.
Lilian inhaled softly, her eyes brightening. "The Phoenix Well," she murmured. "It channels excess blood mana from the Spire so the city doesn’t overload. I used to sit there when I was younger."
Elara’s expression softened, "You sound happy."
"I am." Her voice was quiet, but steady. "This is ho."
"Do you just feed on each-other?" Elara asked, and Lilian looked at her as if she was crazy, "Of course not, we source blood ethically. As for drinking directly from the Source, that’s reserved for your life-long partner exclusively,"
Lilian said, and lightly glanced at Albedo.
anwhile, Ysvara gestured to the Spire looming at the center of the city, "We will not be entering the Spire itself," she reminded them, "but the outer sanctum surrounding it is open to visitors under escort. Your accommodations have been prepared within the guest district. As long as you do not provoke the Noble Clans, your stay will be uneventful. Unlike our other Monunts, you can explore the City however you want, we’ll be here for a couple days,"
A passing vampire noble, dressed in flowing robes of black and scarlet—paused as they passed by. His eyes landed on Lilian, and he gave a slight bow. Not mocking. Not dramatic. Respectful. "Lady Lilian," he greeted. "The Moors welco your return."
Lilian dipped her head slightly, composed but polite, "Thank you, Lord Varos."
The noble continued on his way, lting into the crowd.
Elara stared. "People really recognize you."
"BloodHaven lineage is... obvious," Lilian said with a sigh. "And I didn’t exactly leave quietly."
Albedo raised a brow. "What happened when you left?"
She gave him a look that suggested the story was long, unpleasant, and likely involved political drama and possibly several assassination attempts. "Later," she said flatly.
They continued down the main avenue, and the closer they got to the Crimson Spire, the stronger the pressure beca. Even the air vibrated, as though resonating with an ancient pulse. Students shifted uneasily, but Lilian looked as if the sensation soothed her.
Finally, the entire group erged into a massive plaza at the base of the Spire.
Dozens of crimson banners fluttered from obsidian poles, each bearing the sigil of BloodHaven, a stylized chalice crowned by wings dripping with blood.
Vampiric knights in black-and-red armor stood guard along the periter, their eyes glowing softly as they observed the guests.
Elara whispered, "This place is terrifying."
Lilian smiled faintly, "This place is ho."
Albedo stepped up beside her as Ysvara instructed the students to gather for orientation. "You really ant what you said earlier."
She blinked at him. "What part?"
"That people here would be worried about us being close."
Lilian’s lips curved into a sly smirk. "Oh, absolutely. BloodHaven nobles are territorial. And I... well..." Her eyes flicked toward the gathering nobles around the plaza, "I’m the Heir. Everyone wants sothing from , and they’ll definitely be watching who I stand beside."
Elara looked weirded out, "So we’re being judged by your entire species?"
"Pretty much."
Albedo exhaled, "Fantastic."
Lilian laughed, soft and musical beneath the weight of the Spire’s looming presence, "Welco to BloodHaven."
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