NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Aurora Bastion
The trio had begun their journey from the northernmost reaches of the known world, a desolate expanse known as the Frostscar Wastes. Now, they raced eastward on the back of a great grey wolf, their destination Aurora Bastion was still too far.
Aurora Bastion was a city-state renowned for its impenetrable fortifications and the mesmerizing auroras that danced across its skies.
Though still situated in the extreme north, the city thrived within its colossal walls, sustaining a small population with its carefully managed resources.
This ancient stronghold of the north had once been built by vampires as a sanctuary for humans to thrive in the harsh northern climate so fresh blood can be found even here. Yet, those ungrateful humans, had turned on their benefactors, overthrowing the city's count, slaughtering all the vampires and seizing control.
For Krista, this city was more than just a destination—it was her first target.
The great wolf beneath them ran tirelessly, driven by Krista's Skill. She refused to let it rest, even as its bones cracked and its nose bled from the strain. Whenever its pace faltered, she invoked the [Blood Contract] skill, forcing the beast to push beyond its limits.
Days blurred into nights as the wolf sprinted across the frozen landscape, its strength waning with each passing hour.
Krista, part vampire and part human, had little need for sleep. Though her human side required some rest, she ignored it, consumed by her determination.
Fur, however, was fast asleep, her face pressed against Krista's back and her arms wrapped around her waist. Krista held Fur's hands tightly, ensuring she wouldn't fall.
The girl's injuries had been healed by Krista's [Blood Transfusion], but the journey had taken its toll on her.
Dianelle, a pure vampire who required no sleep, remained confined to the shadows. Krista had forbidden her from emerging without explanation, leaving the vampiress to bide her time in the darkness.
Then, with a final, shuddering thud, the great wolf collapsed, its body giving out after weeks of relentless running. Starved, dehydrated, and utterly spent, the level 30 beast had reached its limit. Its MP drained, it could no longer sustain the grueling pace Krista had demanded.
[Level 30 Grey Wolf slain: +5 XP]
"Tsk," Krista sighed, hopping off the wolf's lifeless body. She released Fur's hand, causing the girl to slip and tumble into the snow.
"Ow!" Fur bolted upright, clutching her head as she looked around in confusion. She found herself in the midst of a dense forest, its conical trees towering above her. For someone who had spent her entire life in the barren Frostscar Wastes, the sight of so many trees was bewildering.
"Dianelle!" Krista called out. In response, a pool of black slime erupted from the fallen wolf's shadow, coalescing into the form of a beautiful vampiress clad in a dark cloak.
"Poor creature," Dianelle smirked, glancing at the wolf's lifeless form. "It couldn't withstand Mistress's lofty expectations. Are we still far from our destination?"
"Not much," Krista replied, her gaze fixed on the path ahead. "We can reach the city on foot from here. This is the Great Forest that surrounds Aurora Bastion. The city was built at its heart to ensure easy access to food and resources." She walked over to a nearby tree, running her fingers along its black bark. "And ample firewood, of course. Keep walking, and we'll arrive by sunrise."
Without waiting for a response, Krista resumed her march. Dianelle followed without hesitation, her movements graceful and unhurried.
Fur, however, dragged her feet, her body aching from the abrupt awakening. Her stomach growled as she eyed the wolf's carcass, her mouth watering at the thought of fresh meat.
She didn't understand numbers, but she knew that bigger monsters meant more meat. She opened her mouth wide, ready to take a bite, but a sharp glare from Krista stopped her in her tracks.
That woman hadn't fed her properly in weeks, offering only meager scraps of salted meat from Dianelle's supplies. Frustrated, Fur stomped her feet and reluctantly followed the others, her irritation palpable.
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the dense canopy blocked out the moonlight, plunging the trio into near-total darkness. But for the vampires, this was no obstacle—their night vision allowed them to navigate with ease.
Dianelle dispatched any weak monsters that crossed their path, her movements swift and precise. By the time the sun rose, she retreated into Krista's shadow, leaving the others to continue alone.
"There it is," Krista whispered as the towering walls of Aurora Bastion came into view, rising above the treeline. She quickened her pace, her eyes fixed on the city ahead. Finally, they emerged from the forest, the city standing before them in all its imposing grandeur.
The trio had reached their destination.
Aurora Bastion loomed before them, a fortress-city of immense scale and grandeur, its presence both awe-inspiring and intimidating.
The city was encircled by towering walls of black stone, their surfaces smooth and unyielding, as if carved from the very bones of the earth.
The walls stretched high into the sky, their tops adorned with jagged battlements that glinted faintly in the pale light of dawn. At regular intervals, watchtowers rose even higher, their spires piercing the clouds like silent sentinels.
From within the city, faint plumes of smoke curled upward, hinting at the life that thrived behind those impenetrable barriers.
The gates of Aurora Bastion were a masterpiece of both engineering and intimidation. Massive and reinforced with bands of iron, they stood as the only entry point into the city.
The gates were framed by two colossal statues, each depicting a robed figure with outstretched arms. These statues were lying broken and vandalized as they belonged to the Vampire Count and his wife's. They weren't removed entirely to make a point. A point of humiliation and defacement.
However even the broken figures seemed to loom over anyone who approached, their stone eyes cold and unfeeling. Between them, the gates themselves were carved with intricate runes and symbols, that once glowed faintly with a pale blue light, —a testament to the ancient magic that had protected the city, now lay in darkness.
Above the gates, a massive arch bore the city's new emblem: a stylized aurora borealis, its swirling colors etched into the stone and shimmering faintly as if alive. The old vampire bloodlines crest removed.
The arch was flanked by braziers that burned with an eerie, blue flame, casting flickering shadows across the ground. These look hundred fold better at night time.
The air around the gates was thick with an almost palpable energy, a reminder that this was no ordinary city—it was a place steeped in history, power, and secrets.
The gates themselves were closed, their iron bars reinforced with crossbeams that looked as though they could withstand the assault of an army. A smaller, human-sized door was set into one of the gates, presumably for individual entry. Guards clad in heavy armor patrolled the top of the walls, their movements precise and disciplined.
Their armor was adorned with the same aurora emblem, and their faces were hidden behind visors, giving them an air of cold anonymity.
Krista stepped forth, having taken fur by hand now so as to look like they indeed were together. The guards had noticed them approaching from a distance, however seeing there were just two young girls in disheveled clothes and stinking of blood and meat, they didn't think of them as danger.
"Halt" The senior guards spoke aloud. "Who are you and why do you want to enter the city?" However no one bothered to perform the intimidating stance they often do why grabbing the hint of their swords.
Perhaps because they were too distracted by the beauty of this strange woman with her wild companion.