Off in the distance, at the very top of the king’s castle. Two men could be seen standing outside on a balcony top. They were looking out off in the distance where the large red blood dome could be seen.
“Were you informed that the blood dome would be used?” One of the men asked.
“No. Have things gotten so bad that it needed to be used? I suppose this is Bryce’s doing. He has been doing things on his own lately, more often than not. Although I can’t say he has ever made a decision that has affected the vampire settlement in a bad light. If anything, that man truly cares about this place. Perhaps a bit too much.”
The other man turned his head and looked through the two large curtains that showed the outline of a large bed. “Should we inform him of this?”
Suddenly, the bed’s shadow changed as a large figure could be seen behind it. A light in the room was making it so the shadow upon the curtain was far darker. “It looks like he already knows. Let’s prepare ourselves.”
****
Stepping out from a misty black portal, a large menacing creature with long dangly finger like claws had appeared. Just looking at the creature, the people watching in the audience were frightened. It was clear it was something to be feared, and judging by the reaction of the other leaders, they were right.
Lee was huffing and panting and was now down on one knee. He had several cuts all over his body and rips in his clothes, while Bryce didn’t have a single mark on him. It was clear even between two leaders there were some stronger than others, but Lee was nowhere near done giving up.
However, Bryce hadn’t kept his eye on the main target. Perhaps for others, they thought it was the prisoner Fex, but for Bryce, his target had always been the punisher child. When glancing over in his direction, the creature was seen.
“How? There hasn’t been a Boneclaw seen in hundreds of years. How did that damn child manage to get his hands on one?” Bryce said shocked. “I thought they were meant to be picky about their users. If the rumours are true, then why did it pick him, what’s so special about that boy?”
Clark seeing the Boneclaw for the first time had become excited. He wished he could get in closer to examine it, to have a look at it, but he knew that his Leader Jin wasn’t moving, then he wouldn’t be moving either.
“Is this what you were talking about, Clark?” Jin asked.
“Yes sir, it is one of the strongest familiars known in existence. The only other person ever to have a hold of one before is said to be the first vampire king.” Clark replied. When speaking, Clark made sure to say his words loud and clear. He wanted the other leaders to hear. To know just how amazing it was for a vampire to have one.
As soon as the Boneclaw was out from its dark mist, with its hand it made a slash towards Jill. It was acting on the feeling of its master’s desire and right now, the one Quinn wanted dead most was her.
She immediately pulled her hand out of Cia’s body, at the same time, Layla finally felt like she could breathe, but the blood still kept pouring out.
After letting go of Cia, she was able to flash step farther away, avoiding the strike.
“Huh, where did it go?” Jill thought, for when she looked up, the large creature was no longer there. The next second a piercing pain was felt in her back as the claw-like fingers ripped through her skin.
Pulling away and turning to perform a kick of her own, she tried to hit the creature, but as if it was freely teleporting around, it was gone once again.
Jill was considered one of the weaker leaders, but that was mainly due to her ability not being a combat one. She was still a leader making her the Rank of a vampire lord, so she was plenty strong to deal with nearly anything, but for the first time in a while, she only felt fear.
“Everyone, release your familiars. Get rid of that Boneclaw as soon as possible!” Bryce shouted.
At once, the leaders that were in the fight did as they were told. Bats, hounds, gorillas, all looking abnormal creatures were summoned. It was a reminder to Quinn that the whole time the leaders still weren’t going all out in their fights.
Most of them had yet to use their abilities, and only now were they summoning their familiars.
Quinn was still stuck on the ground with the spear in his shoulder looking at Layla. Although she was no longer being hurt by Jin through Cia, there still was the problem with her bleeding. There was an open wound on her stomach, as if she was the one that had been hit by Jill.
He wanted to help but knew if he wanted to do anything, he needed to get rid of the leader first. With the Boneclaw now being busy, he had to do it himself.
But then, another person from the crowd came running out. It was a blonde-haired female that Quinn didn’t recognise.
“Layla, Layla, speak to me!’ Amy cried. “She’s lost so much blood.”
“Is there anything you can do?” Xander asked, feeling concerned as well.
“Layla, listen to me, you can hear me right, you need to evolve. I know it’s hard, but you need to control your emotions so you can evolve. Your evolutions, I remember Paul said that they have a better healing ability. It’s the only thing I can think of.”
Layla could hear what Amy was saying, but couldn’t reply. She tried to concentrate, but it was hard for her to think of painful memories of the past.
At that moment, Cia had come running over to her. “Layla, I’m sorry it’s all my fault. I wasn’t paying attention, I didn’t know the spell you cast on me would do that.” She cried and cried.
However, Layla didn’t care for that, for with Cia there next to her. There was more dark fog over her body than she had ever seen before. Something she could greatly use.
While Vadeen was distracted with his other hand, Quinn grabbed onto the spear. Infusing his Qi he activated his gauntlet’s skill, sending a shock through the pole eventually traveling to Vadeen. It had caused him to startle and lose his grip slightly. So next, using all of his strength, Quinn screamed and pushed the pole out of his shoulder while getting a safe distance away from Vadeen.
He looked over to the Boneclaw, who was now completely surrounded by several different types of creatures. They had all gone for him as they were asked. Quinn was worried, but he knew that the Boneclaw was unable to be killed.
What Quinn was more worried about was when the Boneclaw died, all the other familiars would be free to attack them. They were already barely hanging on. To deal with even more enemies would be impossible.
“Should we summon our own familiars to help them?” Sunny asked.
“You may do as you wish,” Muka replied. “But I am staying put. If we do anything, then it’s possible Bryce will use that against us. He may have disregarded some of the laws but I have not, and I believe soon the judge will come to punish them all for their crimes.”
‘The judge?’ Jin thought. That was a word he hadn’t heard in a long time. For recently, the council would act as the so-called judges.
“I wouldn’t worry so much. There is a reason why the Bone claw is so feared and considered special.” Clark said. He had only read about it through books and research, but he was hoping it wasn’t wrong right now.
The first to go attack the Bone claw, was a large bird-like familiar. It had a long thin beak that would act as a blade, and a large wingspan, allowing it to glide and fly up high. It circled the Bone claw from above a couple of times before making its move.
It dived down with its large one-meter sharp beak, out like a torpedo heading downward. The Bone claw stayed still however, unfazed by all of the families in front of him.
“Hey is it just me or can you see some of the familiars shaking?” Someone from the crowd asked, and when they looked closer, it was true. At first, they thought they were perhaps waiting for the right time to strike, but instead they were scared.
“The familiars, they come from the same universe and work with each other,” Rokene said, as he looked at his black rabbit in his hand. ‘The same is for the Bone claw and in the Familiar world, they have another name for him…. The undead king.”
Lifting its hand up it managed to stop the bird familiar’s attack, catching it right between its dangly fingers, then with its other hand, a quick swipe that couldn’t even be seen by most of the vampires were made. In an instant, the bird had puffed into mist. It was killed on the spot.
“So what, you’re not the only one with a special familiar,” Bryce said, as mist started to come from the palm of his hand, and down off the platform, his own was summoned. When it finally settled, the figure of a three-headed hound could be seen.
It started to walk over towards the Boneclaw, and the other familiars made way for the large three-headed dog.
“You don’t understand anything… that won’t work,” Rokene said. He knew more about the familiar world than anything. Mainly because he was able to communicate with animals due to his ability and that included his own familiar.
When the three-headed dog finally reached the Boneclaw, it started to kneel down bowing its head, submitting to its master.
*****
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