“What the heck is going on around here, lately!” A tall slender woman said as she planted her foot onto the floor one after another. Each time the clacking of her black high heels could be heard hitting the floor.
Down in the middle of a grand hallway, the woman with long black hair that went past her waist continued to complain and by her side she was being accompanied by another. A man who had a scar that went across the top of his forehead and also had on his back what looked like a flat rounded shield.
“This is the third council meeting that has been called within such a short amount of time.” The scared man said. “Do they really need to call us all in again? I just hope it’s not about the thirteenth family.”
Two guards stood outside the grand door that led into the council room once more, and with a sigh the two of them were greeted as they entered. “Fourth leader Sunny, and Fifth leader Gin, the others are waiting for you inside.”
As they pushed the doors open, the usual chairs were in place, and everyone seemed to have already arrived. But what had surprised Jin more than anything else was the fact that his personal vampire knight Clark, was present in the room. To his knowledge, he should have been looking after and teaching the direct descendents this year.
However, the attention quickly was left from Clark as the focus moved to the one beside him. The first leader, Bryce. He was currently gripping his cane in his hand tightly, as if he was fidgeting, and even though he was suppressing his usual energy, the murderous intent behind his eyes could still be felt by the others.
At first, both Sunny and Jin were going to complain, but seeing how the first reacted they decided to shut up and sit in their seats. Little did they know that the rest had felt the same way until they too had come into the room.
*Clack *Clack *Clack
As usual, the first leader was indicating that the meeting was about to begin.
“First, no interruptions,” Clark said without explaining why or the need to go further. “Three direct descendents have been killed. Siryus came from the 1st family. Kip Cha from the second family, and Chip Dawn from the seventh family.”
The others turned the head to start a discussion, but before a single word could be spoken, the cane was slammed in an instant to the ground once more, silencing them before it had even started.
“This is not why everyone was called here today!” Bryce shouted. “Clark, can you please recall what happened after you discovered the dead students.”
For a second, everyone thought that the serious matter was the fact that the students had died, but learning that there was something else. All of the leaders were listening in carefully. The leader of the fifth family, Jin was especially listening in, because he knew that if the matter bypassed his ears and went straight to the council, it had to be something big.
“I found the person responsible, and tried my best to take them in, unfortunately I was defeated in battle.” Clark explained. “I would like to apologize for not being able to complete my task. Especially to the fifth leader, Jin.”
Slamming his cane onto the floor. Bryce was trying to get Clark to get to the point.
“The main thing was… that the person who had defeated me and caused all this, used shadow abilities.”
A few of the leaders immediately sprung up to their feet in shock.
“Are you sure, but how!” One of them shouted.
“I’m positive, I would like to say the reason for my loss was because I was taking it easy, and although that may have been the truth at the start. I used every bit of my power to try to beat him but I couldn’t.”
The first leader then asked in detail to explain about what had happened during the fight. Specifically explaining the details of all the shadow abilities that had been used. Although he decided to keep the Bone claw a secret for now, and he had a good reason for doing so.
“Weren’t they all meant to be dead? Didn’t they go away, how could they be returning and now of all times?” One of the leaders started to shake his head in disbelief.
After hearing the explanation from Clark of the abilities that had been used, all of them knew it was true. These were certainly the traits of the punishers. As Clark went through them one by one, some of them were starting to remember vividly, memories that had been long forgotten were starting to surface up once more.
However, not everyone on the table had the same reaction, it looked as if the room was quite split. There were those with worry on their faces, while others chose to keep their composure, perhaps some with a slight smile.
“Whether this is a sign of the punishers having returned, or one of them coming back to exact their power and revenge is yet to be seen.” Bryce explained. “Or they might even be coming back for good, and claiming their right to their power and position on the council table. But judging by what Clark has explained, the vampire seems to be young. My guess it is someone who has only found the power, or a disciple of some sort of someone who managed to survive.”
The murmuring between all of them continued. It seemed like a lot was happening recently in the vampire world. Huge events that didn’t seem to be linked to each other. The only thing they could guess was they were just unlucky at the moment.
The meeting had ended, but not before giving instructions to each of the thirteen families, to be on the lookout for the punisher, and to do everything they could in their power to bring them in.
One of the leaders had left the room, still visibly shaking from the information that he had just been told.
“I was one of the ones that turned against them… What if they are coming back to punish us? To punish me… I need to lie low for a while.”
While one of the other leaders had walked out with a large smile on their face. “I knew you would come back. We will always be on your side no matter what. Let’s return the vampires to the ways they once were!”
Clark had immediately been pulled to the side by his own leader Jin and when they were a good distance away from everyone else he whispered. “I know you’re holding back something.. I need you to tell me everything, and if the punishers really had returned, why are you even still alive.”
The punisher’s name, although not spoken for around a hundred or so years, still seemed to have the effect on the families just as it did back then.
Outside in the middle of the forest, out in the outskirts of the city, a portal had opened up, and through it Quinn had safely arrived in one piece. The portal closed behind him, and in front he could see the tents that were there before he left.
But more than anything, something had struck him as soon as he arrived. His senses were higher than they were previously and with that the connection of those that were in his family were stronger.
“Layla, it looks like is still okay, and not too far from here.” Quinn said, but that wasn’t what had surprised him. For when he closed his eyes and started to focus again. Deep underground, over in the direction of where the city was, another bond could be felt. It wasn’t strong, as if something was trying to block it, but he could feel it now.
“Peter, I finally found you, let’s just hope Fex is with you.”
At the same time, peter too had felt the bond. “Quinn, you came.” And with it, a strange new found energy was starting to surge through his body.
****
For MVS artwork and updates follow on Instagram and Facebook: jksmanga
If you want to support the creation of the Webtoon, you can on my P.A.T.R.E.O.N: jksmanga
