NOVEL NEXT Chapter 058 | Discussion between Partners
In the solitary confines of their private quarters, awkwardness pervaded every corner as Damien recently invited Hecate to discuss the proposal given by the seventh Paragon. The crimson-haired vampire rested on the edges of her senior's comfy bed, determined yet somewhat anxious.
Damien glanced at his junior and sighed to himself. This was a discussion they couldn't avoid, no matter what they did. It, after all, originated from the proposal bestowed by Miss Alastair. Though he didn't expect the crimson-haired girl to be frank about it.
"I assume that Miss Alastair already told you everything about her proposal." He uttered with calm, prompting her to nod in agreement. Hecate then responded. "Fighting without the sustenance of blood affects the psychic integrity of vampires."
"Although we could live without it, it was impossible to avoid once you start fighting for something." She glanced at his sable-tinted gaze and added. "Blood of those with sapience is vital for power. Avoidable yet inevitable."
"Have you drunk blood, Hecate? Have you ever thought of drinking the blood of those humans belonging to the criminal syndicates?" Damien questioned despite already knowing the answer from his partner.
"I haven't tasted blood yet. But I did think of drinking it from the pools of crimson that permeated a sweet and addictive scent. However, I never did. Until that hesitation affected my mind and almost broke the seal."
"I realized that avoiding my identity wouldn't do anyone good, including me. I need to become stronger to protect those who are important to me. I was willing to abandon myself for it." Hecate felt her resolve harden, burning with the power capable of pushing until the very end of her life.
"To be honest, when I first became a Jaeger, I didn't think vampires could live without blood. It was impossible for me, yet you broke my false expectations and enlightened me that none of you are mindless beasts."
Damien smiled at his partner and continued. "Just as there is evil within humans, there could be good within vampires as well. To not predetermine the fate and judgment of an entire species is a lesson that only you could tell so effectively."
A spark of hope glimmered from the velvet irises of the crimson-haired vampire. A complicated smile transformed her face. She felt delighted to hear such words, but was saddened at what it cost her. Taking a deep breath, Hecate expounded part of her life.
"Amongst the members of the Clan, my family upheld an old tradition of not drinking the blood of those with sapience. It was our way of life, despite it opposing the common sense of the vampires. This tradition brought us peace, far from violence."
"But it also made us feeble. One day, my parents were attacked by a rampaging, starving vampire. At that moment, my Blood Technique awakened and erased all of my pain, memories, and life. It wasn't until I spent years within laboratories that I remembered my past."
"However, it was already too late for me. I already forgot the faces of my mother and father. I couldn't remember anything, whether it'd be their names, words, or their feelings. It felt like staring at a muted and frozen image. Nonetheless, our way of life was imprinted within my body."
"No matter how much the vampires forced me. They couldn't have me drink blood. I remain weak, but I didn't abandon what my parents left behind for me. Many more people entered my life, but all faded as well."
"They guided me, taking my hands as we moved a path obscured by tragedy. Regardless, I remain weak, unable to protect them when they needed me the most. So, I trained my body, breaking it even with the temptation of blood obstructing me."
"It took years until I finally escaped their clutches and ran across the continent, reaching the southern frontier of the Federation. An army pursued me from behind, and when I thought all of my suffering was for naught."
"An angel descended from the heavens and punished those who had made me suffer." Hecate's smile was hopeful yet sad. "Once again, another one is guiding me. But I don't want to be the same as before."
"The moment I resisted and broke out of the laboratories that shackled me. It was fated for me to fight until the very end of my life. However, I cannot fight and protect all of you without understanding that I am a vampire." The crimson-haired vampire's smile became light.
"I want to hear your answer, Damien. I don't want us to be hesitating when the world continues to throw challenges at us. Sooner or later, I will face my fears. I'd rather face it now than on the battlefield where all of you need me." She gazed directly at the eyes of her senior, determined.
To confront your inner fears head-on was something Damien thought easy to think but difficult to act upon. Smiling at his partner, he patted her crimson hair and ruffled its strands. "As your partner, I will assist you in any way possible. After all, you will be protecting me as I do to you."
Hecate's eyes lit up as she gave a gentle smile to the black-suited young man. "Thank you for your answer, Damien. I should take my leave. I will be deliberating about the training session with Senior Francine."
"No need to vouch for me. I'll ask the senior myself." With the conclusion of their short discussion, the crimson-haired vampire intended to leave the confines of his private quarters with a weight lifted off her shoulders. "I should take my leave, Damien. See you later."
Hecate waved at her senior as she stepped out of his private quarters. Silence once again crept into the room, permeating throughout its interiors. Damien sat along the edge of his bed, left pondering about the decision his junior and he had reached.
'She didn't even give me a moment to continue speaking.' A wry smile formed on his face, shaking his head and staring at the front door of his private quarters. "An agreement has been reached between the two of us. It is only a matter of time until she needs my blood."
A cold glint then escaped his sable-tinted eyes as he called out into something and nothing. "Yuki... I need your assistance." In mere moments, the lights of his room flickered as a pale lady attired in a pure white yukata materialized out of nowhere.
"Lord Oberon, this humble follower awaits your command." Yuki lightly bowed, awaiting the directive of her leader. Damien glanced at the ghost lady and uttered with cold calm. "Inside this file are names of adversaries that should be taken care of."
"All of them belonged to the criminal underworld of New Janus. Your vengeance should be capable of reaching them." The black-suited young man handed the file to the ghostly apparition of Yuki. For a second, the lights flickered as the paranormal monster solidified.
"I will execute vengeance on those who dared to become obstacles to Lord Oberon. How should the great one intend their deaths to become? Gruesome or accidental?" Yuki bowed after accepting the file and tilted her head after inquiring how the targets should die.
"I want it to be accidental. Don't let anyone trace it to Block 7. Even if Miss Alastair wouldn't mind, I don't want us to be further incriminated with any more killings." Damien answered, understanding the importance of public relations.
"It shall be done, Lord Oberon." After deeply bowing to her liege, Yuki faded into the background, vanishing from her materialization to enact vengeance upon those written in the file.
Meanwhile, Damien stared at the wall, somewhat dazed. His dream was to learn the truth about Heaven's Fall and the black towers. To do so without inexplicably dying, he needed power. It was straightforward.
But perhaps there was a greater reason why he was transported into the far future during Heaven's Fall. It shouldn't be incidental, so... He wanted to recover remnants of the modern world alongside searching for the truth. None were mutually exclusive; they could even further each other's goals.
After Yuki vanished, Damien called out the Banshee and the Shadow Hound. They emerged respectively from thin air and the shadows. Like the ghost lady, they awaited the orders of the liege.
"I want the two of you to assist, Yuki... Especially against targets who are metahumans. Although it would be difficult for their deaths to be accidental, the two of you should be capable of making their deaths resemble the abilities of their rival factions."
He wanted these two paranormal monsters to handle the metahumans alongside Yuki. Obviously, it was with a similar requirement as before. Anything as long as it didn't directly incriminate them.
The Banshee and the Shadow Hound bowed towards him, learning from their counterpart, Yuki. Damien smiled at them before waving them away. The Banshee dematerialized while the Shadow Hound returned to the shadows.
As the two paranormal monsters completely vanished from the private quarters, Damien was left alone in silence. With so many subordinate monsters under his command, he pondered what he needed to do to kill time. It took a while before an idea struck him out of nowhere.
Standing from his comfortable bed, Damien straightened his wrinkled black suit and put on his fedora. "I have so much free time... I should use this to train. Perhaps sparring with Hecate would be the solution. I should also increase the difficulty of my physical training."
"There's also my newly-acquired abilities."