Hero Stories: Awoken Vampire Lord

Interesting. It seems you've worked quite hard with that tiny little brain of yours.

I already knew what I needed to do to make you move.

That little!

We'd better restrain ourselves, Lady Elvira. We were ambushed after all, thanks to a certain careless someone.

I like how you catch on so quickly. But honestly, I've got to say...I'm a little surprised.

I never thought you'd walk into the trap so easily. Apparently, Vampire Lord isn't that big of a deal.

I'm sure it's easy to hide your thoughts and feelings behind a few words...

But your eyes and body are telling the truth, shivering in fear.

...Save your breath and give in already, Kane Drake

It's been a while since I heard that name.

Of course, it came from a fallen family.

Since you are an illegitimate child, no one would have told you or even called you by your name.

And yet you're shaking right in front of that illegitimate child, Captain.

You're very much mistaken if you think you can agitate me with some joke.

It doesn't matter to me if the family that abandoned me is disgraced or not.

But things are quite different for you, since I know your secret that'll get you in trouble if your subordinates ever find out.

A secret that will sully your name once your life is over.

Veronica! Are you okay?

Maintain formation and separate Kane from his minions.

Make no mistake, there are no second chances!

That's right. Do all the things you want before you die without even being able to use the tricks you've prepared.

Are they trying to lure you in?

Yes, they're trying to lure me to where the trap is. Just like how they gathered us all in one place by leaking fake rumors about the Tree of Genesis.

I'll play along so that they can die without regrets.

Even if anything happens, I could always make Elvira and Abigail buy some time for me so that I can escape.

Are you really going to follow them? Even if it's you, we never know what kind of trap they have set.

I don't think there's much left to do here. Wouldn't it be better to withdraw...?

Chase them.

I won't return until we kill every single one of them.

Ugh...!

Ugh. They just keep coming and coming. Abigail, go and help Lord Kane!

I wish I could, but these Humans are resisting as if their lives depend on it.

You may be strong, but you won't get through so easily.

We've been training and preparing for this very day!

*loud cheering*

How amusing, hahaha!

I'll crush you all and make sure it's worth it. That way, you'll die an honorable death!

Ugh... Urk...

I can see the pain in your eyes.

When you're still alive, your desire to live makes your pain that much stronger.

All of your Human shields seem to be gone now. Have you recovered from your injuries yet?

Captain Veronica.

Don't move.

Do you really believe it'll make your fate any different?

Leaving some scratches on me will be the best you can do. But even still...

They'll fade so fast that I won't even remember who made them.

Is that so? We'll see. Because I went through a lot to get these.

...

Oh, this must be the first time you've seen Bullets of the New Moon in real life.

...!

Not surprising at all, since all other Vampires who were shot by these are dead.

I've got to say, these were pretty hard to find.

No. There's no way they're still...

...!

Kane, the last Vampire Lord... Your death here, on this day...

Will mark the end of this war.

Lord Kane!

No...!

We're running out of time! Hurry!

Do not let them escape! It's not over yet!

He's bleeding too much, Lady Elvira!

We still need to destroy his true heart! Do not let them get away!

In order to survive, I had to fight. And it almost felt natural.

It was natural for me to walk down the streets every day, dragging my body covered in blood and scars. No one cared.

Chase him!

Everything was the same. Except this time, strangers were chasing me.

*panting*

Of all the days I had to fight for dear life, was there ever one where I was as desperate as this?

...

...

A tiny Human girl.

It was then when I met you, when I had barely any energy left to kill.

Cold ground and some leftovers. A few pennies thrown at me out of sympathy.

That has been my whole life ever since I can remember.

I was young, but I could easily tell that my family abandoned me.

In this filthy, cold reality, even death was not allowed to me.

I had to live on, as if it was my one and only duty.

I chewed and swallowed whatever I could fit in my mouth to fill my belly, and fought to survive turf wars.

You...! You little!

Are you trying to call me ungrateful?

Ack...

How naive of you.

Betray, fight and betray again and fight... The life that was given to me was nothing but struggle.

Kane betrayed us!

Get him!

Kane!

I thought it was hunger simply because I had starved for a long time.

Because I could quench the thirst whenever I put something in my mouth.

Before that day, when I found out what I truly am.

The second street! We'll surround him!

We have orders to kill him on sight! I repeat, kill Kane Drake on sight!

Kane Drake!

They called me by a strange name.

Kyaaaa!

Hold fire. Kane has captured a hostage.

Kane Drake, give in already.

What's the fuss over there?

It seems that the Slayers are chasing a survivor of the Vampire Lord's bloodline.

I heard they're hunting the Drake family...

They should look for him in Sangerat, then... He isn't hiding here, is he?

Vampire Lord's bloodline. Survivor of House Drake.

The mysterious thirst and sense of emptiness I felt...

Kyaaaa!

Lock down the village! Kane is on the run!

It was because of the blood running through my veins.

For the power to overcome life and death...

For the sake of pure and noble desire...

...

At the tip of my fingers and toes, lost senses are slowly coming back.

We'll see if they work for real or not.

...!

Kane, the last Vampire Lord... Your death here, on this day...

Will mark the end of this war.

Lord Kane!

No...!

Poor thing. She must have been thrilled by the thought that she had killed me.

It's none of my concern what you do out there, but the least you could do is pull your own weight.

At least, that's what I think.

...What did you just say?

What do you think gives you the right to...

I'm curious...

...To see the look on your face when we meet again.

Lord Kane... He came back to life...

How...?

Why do you look so surprised? We literally moved the coffin and offered him blood to wake him.

Come on, you're just pretending you weren't surprised at all!

...

Bullets of the New Moon, they must be powerful indeed if so much time has passed.

Are you okay? Can you move?

I thought we lost you for good. I had no idea she'd use those bullets.

How many did it take to wake me?

Thirty-three. Seventeen from me, and sixteen from Elvira.

Is it really necessary to go into specific details?

Well, I just thought Lord Kane should have the precise information. Like the fact that Lady Elvira didn't try her best, for example.

You dare...!

*cracking*

This is still not enough.

I beg your pardon?

The power within me is not fully awakened yet. I need more blood.

If you wait, we'll go find some more in no time.

I'll need some time to stretch my legs anyway before we go looking for them.

That should be enough.

...All those people disappeared in the blink of an eye.

He even said his powers aren't fully awakened yet... It's hard to believe he's been sleeping in his coffin.

I'm sure his powers are not fully awakened because what we offered to him was not enough. If only you hadn't skipped that one time...

Seriously? How many more times are you going to bring that up?

As long as I remember.

If you keep getting on my nerves, I swear...

Enough. You two talk too much.

...I'm sorry, Lord Kane.

Are they still breathing? I wonder if they're still drunk on their small victory.

Actually, there's something I have to talk to you about regarding the Slayers.

I'll hear you out on the way.

I can't wait to meet them as soon as possible.

Chase him!

*panting*

I'm at my limit. I can't even lift a finger anymore.

Find him! The House of Drake must leave no survivors!

...If I get caught now, I'm dead.

...

...

I need to take her out before she can scream, but my arms won't move.

Why are you hiding here?

...

Oh! Are you playing hide and seek?

Kgh...

My wound won't stop bleeding. I must have taken a proper hit from one of their shots.

I found some tracks here!

Mister, are you hurt? Is it bad?

Will Lady Elvira be able to split up the Slayers all by herself?

The Slayers assume you two follow wherever I go.

Elvira would be the perfect bait to lure away the Slayers. Also, they will bring a good number of soldiers to stop her.

It'll make it much easier to catch that kid you met.

If you really felt a similar energy from him, he must descend from the bloodline of a Vampire Lord just like me.

Securing that kid is our top priority now.

I'm sure the kid's with my sister. It was for a short while, but I could feel it.

She was protecting the kid.

...Will you be staying here?

What about you, Sister?

Do you plan to settle down here? With those people?

No.

I see.

W-Wait, that's not what I mean! What I meant to say was...they'll be leaving soon.

...

And I'll be staying at this manor from now on. It might look like this now, but once upon a time...

It was a place where our family spent happy days together. And if you stay here with me...

You seem to be having weak thoughts again.

Even if she betrayed me and left me, she's still my sister, so sometimes I wonder...

If I hadn't become like this...could I still have been with her?

Do you regret your decision?

Forget your past. And when you awake...

You will be born anew under my command.

No, I don't regret it. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to meet my sister again...

And I would have died without ever becoming whole.

Leave your sister to me.

...

Just make sure to stay focused on your duty.

Did the Slayers come up with a new strategy?

I see new faces among them.

...They're Humans who have sided with the Slayers. They were with my sister on a ship coming in to Erasia.

They were with Haste when I last saw them.

Then that must mean that kid is alone now.

Coli, enter stealth and stick close to me.

Understood.

Cidd, Pyllis, wait here. I'll try talking to them first.

We don't have much time to spare, so let's not make this any more difficult than it needs to be.

Intriguing.

Do you want me to take care of them?

No, leave it to me.

You might need some assistance. Though I only fought them for a little while, I could tell they were as good as the Slayers.

Abigail.

...Yes, Lord Kane.

Go to the Bloodrose Villa, and see to your duty.

...It hasn't been long since you've awoken. Please be careful.

Hearing footsteps approaching their own death...is always amusing.

The tiny Human girl, whose body seemed so fragile, showed instinctive caution and curiosity toward me, as I was a strange being to her.

...

...

For a moment she stared at my wound spurting blood, then she moved a tiny box in front of me.

Though the box was too small to hide me entirely, it seemed to have been the best she could do.

We've lost his tracks.

He must be around here somewhere...

...

Huh? It's just a Human girl.

Hey kid, it's dangerous out here. Go back home.

...

Kiddo, have you seen a man passing by?

...

She wouldn't be talking to us right now if she'd encountered Kane.

I'm telling you, he's still here. He wouldn't have made it out yet.

I saw him.

What?

...!

Over there.

...

I saw him go that way.

I mean, we just came from there... Are you sure?

Yes. He was hurt very badly and he ran that way. You're talking about the man with long hair, right?

...That does sound like Kane. Thank you, kid.

I'm not a kid.

...

My name's Claudia.

Hmm, I knew we'd at least find some tracks of Abigail. Looks like I was right.

We've missed her, but it's still better to check it with our own eyes.

I'm glad I sent Eligos to where Veronica is. Otherwise, he would have just wasted his time.

I wonder how Veronica's doing. She wouldn't have run into Kane already, would she?

...Hang in there. I'm coming.

Also...we have to make sure we finish this. For your sake.

I'm going to make sure to finish it. So, please...

Claudia! We found some bodies of Humans and animals! Over there!

What...?!

*panting*

Someone sucked their blood. And the bodies... There are too many of them... All at once...

This wasn't Abigail.

It's someone stronger than her...

Retreat, everyone! I must tell those in the front...!

AHH!

...!

...

...K-Kane...

You look surprised. Seeing you now, it reminds me of the time we met when you were a kid.

...

Claudia.

Come on, get yourself together. You've already fought him hundreds of times in your head.

I saw him go that way.

Because of the wrong choice I made as a child, too many have been sacrificed.

None of what happened is your fault, Claudia.

It's that conniving Kane who must seek atonement, not you.

And I promise, we will catch him.

If you want to run, be my guest. I find it extremely amusing to crush all hope as one struggles for life.

No, I'll never run from you, Kane. This is my chance...

...to finally right my wrong.

It's almost too pitiful to watch you.

Ack... *choking*

No... I can't die like this... Not before I...

Did you really believe you could take me down?

*panting*

You must regret saving my life.

Urk...

It was all decided from the beginning.

...

How you saved my life.

I saw him go that way.

And how your blood will serve as a source of life to make me stronger.

I was born to be a predator and a Vampire Lord, and you were born to be a Human to be preyed on.

Don't you dare... Stay away from me...

There's no need to despair in the face of fate. There was nothing you could have done.

Arrghh!

It looks like I'm too late.

I had to put an end to her myself.

What an ungraceful end she had. Poor girl.

But she gave you the power you needed, so her death was not completely in vain.

Did Abigail arrive at the villa?

Yes, she's watching that kid and her sister.

This is exciting.

I can't wait to see what power that kid might hold, the last survivor of the Lenox family, descended from the bloodline of a Vampire Lord.