Fangs and Fury : Dual System of the Godslayer

The campfire crackled softly, sending spirals of smoke into the cold night air. The group sat in a loose circle, their faces illuminated by the flickering flames. Myia had just arrived with troubling news, her usual calm replaced by an uncharacteristic urgency.

Terry leaned forward, his expression grave. "What do you mean, werewolf slaves were killed?"

"Exactly that," Myia replied, her voice steady but tinged with concern. "I received word from one of Lady Elenara's messengers. They found several bodies in the village of Urther—torn apart, as if by wild beasts."

Curl clenched her fists, her lips tightening into a thin line. "Wild beasts? Or something more deliberate?"

"The villagers suspect vampires," Myia said, her gaze flicking to each of them. "There have been sightings of cloaked figures near the outskirts of the village."

Soden exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Vampires. Of course. They're always circling like vultures, waiting to strike."

"Do we know how many were killed?" Terry asked, his tone low and serious.

"Eight, from what I've heard," Myia said. "Most were younger—newer slaves."

A heavy silence fell over the group as the weight of her words sank in.

---

Curl broke the silence, her voice laced with anger. "This isn't random. Vampires don't just attack without a reason. They're too calculated for that."

"Maybe they're sending a message,"Myia said calmly .

Soden nodded thoughtfully. "Or testing the waters. They could be trying to provoke us, seeing how far they can push before we retaliate."

"Retaliate?" Terry repeated, his voice calm but firm. "We're not exactly in a position to start a war with vampires, Soden."

"Maybe not, but we can't ignore this either," Soden shot back. "Eight lives were lost, Terry. Lives like ours. What are we if we let that slide?"

Myia interjected, her voice steady but soft. "We don't even know for sure if it was vampires. The villagers might be mistaken."

"Do you believe that?" Curl asked sharply, her eyes narrowing at Myia.

Myia hesitated, her gaze dropping briefly before meeting Curl's. "No," she admitted. "But rushing into action without evidence could make things worse."

Terry leaned back, crossing his arms. "We need facts before we do anything. Speculation won't get us anywhere."

---

The next morning, the group decided to move closer to Urther to gather more information. The village sat nestled between two jagged cliffs, its cobblestone streets winding through clusters of wooden huts.

The air was thick with tension as they entered. Villagers murmured in hushed tones, their eyes darting toward the group with a mix of fear and suspicion.

"It's worse than I thought," Myia whispered. "The whole village feels... off."

Curl scanned the streets, her sharp eyes catching the nervous glances of a few villagers. "They're hiding something," she muttered.

Terry approached an older man sitting on the steps of a small tavern, his face weathered and lined with worry. "Excuse me," Terry began, keeping his tone neutral. "We're looking for information about the recent attacks."

The man's eyes flicked up, narrowing as he studied Terry. "And who might you be?"

"Someone who wants to help," Terry replied simply.

The man snorted, shaking his head. "Help? You're too late for that. The dead can't be helped."

"What about the living?" Terry pressed. "If this happens again, more lives will be lost. We need to know what we're dealing with."

The man hesitated before leaning closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "They say it was vampires. Saw one myself—tall, cloaked, with eyes like burning coals. It was near the eastern woods, just before the attacks."

"Did anyone confront it?" Soden asked, stepping forward.

The man laughed bitterly. "Confront it? We're farmers, not fighters. All we could do was pray it didn't come for us next."

Terry stared hard as they began to leave. It was a vampire but still he wasn't sure, he had to investigate further .

---

As the group walked away, Curl's frustration boiled over. "So it was vampires. What are we waiting for?"

"We don't have proof," Myia said, though her voice lacked conviction.

"And what would proof look like, exactly?" Curl snapped. "Another massacre?"

"Enough," Terry said firmly, his voice cutting through the tension. "We're not rushing into anything. If we're going to act, we need a plan—and we need to be sure."

Curl glared at him but said nothing, her anger simmering beneath the surface.

---

Later that evening, the group decided to investigate the eastern woods where the vampire had reportedly been seen. The forest was dense and eerily quiet, the only sounds the crunch of leaves beneath their boots and the occasional rustle of branches.

Terry led the way, his senses on high alert. His system pulsed faintly, its notifications silent but ever-present.

"Over here," Soden called out, kneeling near a cluster of trees. He pointed to a patch of ground where the soil was dark and disturbed.

"What is it?" Curl asked, stepping closer.

"Blood," Soden replied grimly. "And tracks. Whatever did this was dragging something—or someone."

Myia knelt beside him, her hands brushing over the tracks. "These are fresh," she said. "Less than a day old."

Curl's jaw tightened. "We're wasting time. They're still out there."

"We don't know that," Terry said, though his own doubts were beginning to creep in.

"Yes, we do," Curl shot back. "And if we don't act now, they'll strike again."

---

The argument continued as they returned to their temporary camp, the tension between Terry and Curl reaching a boiling point.

"You're too cautious," Curl said, her voice sharp. "Always waiting, always second-guessing. If you'd acted sooner, those eight slaves might still be alive."

Terry's eyes flashed with anger, but he kept his tone controlled. "And if we act recklessly, how many more lives could we lose? This isn't about ego, Curl. It's about strategy."

Curl scoffed. "Strategy? Is that what you call sitting on your hands while innocent people die?"

Before Terry could respond, Soden stepped between them. "Enough," he said firmly. "This isn't helping. We need to focus."

Curl turned away, her shoulders tense. "Fine. But don't expect me to stand by and do nothing."

---

That night, as the camp settled into uneasy silence, Terry's system buzzed with a new notification.

---

[SLAVE SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:]

**Subtask Available: Confront the Vampire Threat in Urther**

**Reward: +2 Levels in Slave System, +1 Level in Elf Lord System**

---

Terry stared at the notification, his mind racing. The task aligned with everything Curl had been pushing for, but it also felt like a trap.

He dismissed the message and leaned back against the tree, his gaze fixed on the starless sky. "What are you trying to tell me?" he muttered to himself.

---

The following morning, Terry gathered the group. "We're going back to the woods," he announced.

Curl raised an eyebrow. "Finally decided to grow a spine?"

"Don't push it," Terry warned. "We're investigating, not attacking. Not yet."

Curl rolled her eyes but said nothing, falling into step with the others as they headed back into the forest.

As they followed the trail of blood and tracks deeper into the woods, the atmosphere grew heavier, the shadows thicker. The group moved in tense silence, each step feeling like a gamble.

Eventually, they reached a clearing where the tracks ended. In the center of the clearing stood a large, twisted tree, its branches reaching out like skeletal hands.

"This place feels... wrong," Myia whispered, her voice barely audible.

"You're not imagining it," Soden said, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade. "Stay alert."

---

Before they could move closer, a low, menacing growl echoed through the clearing. The group froze as a figure emerged from the shadows—a tall, cloaked vampire with eyes that glowed like embers.

"Well, well," the vampire said, his voice smooth and mocking. "What do we have here? A pack of lost little sheep?"

Terry stepped forward, his stance steady. "We're not here to fight. We want answers."

The vampire chuckled, his fangs glinting in the dim light. "Answers? How quaint. And what makes you think I'll oblige?"

"Because if you don't, we'll make you," Curl said, her blade already drawn.

The vampire's grin widened. "Brave, aren't you? Let's see how long that lasts."