Chapter 54 - Bloody Tears

True to his word, Will repeated himself several times when it came time to finally go separate ways, with many more farewells and assurances given between him and Luka. Will found the situation surreal as they parted and began walking in different directions, shooting a glance over his shoulder. It wasn't long until they were around a bend in the road, and hidden from sight by a thicket of trees.

Goodbye feels much more definitive when you can drive off afterwards. Less so when you're on foot. Will thought to himself, reminding himself it wasn't forever. The lack of modern communications also made such a parting feel more dramatic. At least Alice and Yao could pass along any messages if the need arose.

"So, do you know where exactly the vampire queen and her cohorts are?" Will asked Alice, trying to divert his attention to the task at hand. "Hopefully they're not too far inland. I'd hate to have to backtrack."

"I may have some idea where they are. There's a few old vampire ruins across Sabasa that they could be hiding out in. It won't take long to figure out which one it is," Alice confidently responded.

"That's going to take a while then. Back to trudging across the desert I guess," Will remarked with a sigh, shifting his backpack in 'anticipation.'

"We're not doing that. We're flying," Alice casually smirked. "It's much faster that way."

Will looked over to Alice in apprehension. He knew she could fly, having seen her do so from the ground before. "Uh, well, I can't, so that's not really an option."

Her smirk only grew. "That's not a problem."

-

Will buried his face into the back of Alice's neck as her long silver hair whipped about and billowed in the rushing wind. He wrapped his arms around her waist for dear life while his legs gripped her tail, eyes clenched shut as he absolutely refused to look down.

"It's not that bad!" Alice called out over her shoulder. "I won't let you fall! Even if you did the fall wouldn't kill you!"

"No, of course not, it's the sudden stop that does!" he shouted back, opening his eyes for a moment and instantly regretting it. They were easily thousands of feet in the air, the landscape beneath them whipping by at an alarming pace.

Alice deemed teleporting too dangerous to Will's health, in case any body parts were still resistant to magic and got left behind. It was unlikely to happen, but they both agreed the risk wasn't worth it. Unfortunately for Will that left near supersonic flight across the kingdom as their fastest option. The knowledge that he could survive such a drop did little to ease his growing sense of vertigo.

"If you learn how to use the wind then you could eventually learn to fly," Alice remarked to him, super human hearing allowing him to hear her over the wind. "Perhaps you'll even grow a pair of wings when you become a monster. Sphinx had them."

"Yeah, sure, whatever!" Will grunted in response as he closed his eyes once more and continued to hold on for dear life. He was in no mood to discuss anything.

"Very well…. Maybe you'll get cat ears," Alice mused to herself as she continued flying. "That'd be cute."

-

After several long hours of flying, they eventually arrived at the ruins of a gothic castle. It was located near a stream that flowed into an oasis and stood beneath the shadow of foothills near the mountains. It was a way north of Sabasa itself, but well within marching distance for an army of monsters.

From the air Alice had spotted signs of habitation and sensed the presence of several powerful monsters. She landed close to the castle and Will slowly climbed off her, his legs shaking. He'd grown a bit numb to the fear after the first couple hours but not comfortable with it. At least fear gave way to boredom.

Man was not meant to fly, he thought to himself as he took a swig of water. He needed several moments to steady his nerves, thankful that terra firma was once more beneath his feet.

"So, think this is it? Or is it a bunch of monsters simply taking shelter?" Will inquired as he looked over the structure. Parts of it were crumbling and in poor shape, but overall it was still holding against the harsh environment. It did seem a bit out of place to his sensibilities.

A few statues of monstrous figures dotted the roof caught his eye. It felt like their stoney faces were staring down at him. "Cause I'm guessing those gargoyles aren't here by coincidence."

Alice followed his gaze. "They are not. This is it then."

"Alright," Will nodded before looking over to Alice. "How do we want to approach the situation exactly?"

He still felt uneasy about any confrontation, but Alice believed in his abilities. He wouldn't let her down and tried to ignore his self doubt.

"I'd given it some thought. It may be best if we simply announce our arrival. Fatima, the Queen Vampire, is still nominally loyal to me, so she may put on a show of treating us as guests. That'd allow us to get close to her without having to concern ourselves with minions," Alice explained, crossing her arms under her chest. "I plan on mentioning Black Alice to gauge her reaction as well."

"And if she doesn't let us in?"

"Then we let ourselves in," Alice subtly smirked. "If Fatima flees then she's guaranteed to lose any forces here, so if this base is important enough she'd likely stick around to defend it. The two of us working together will be able to deal with her and her subordinates."

Will nodded along. It sounded like a sensible approach. No point going in guns blazing from the word go. "How… lethal should I be?" he asked with some apprehension.

Alice's expression fell, brows furrowed. "I'd prefer not to kill anyone if we can avoid it, though that's easier for me than it is for you. If it comes to it, protect yourself," she replied, sounding pensive about the prospect.

"Alright, I'll do what I can, but I can't promise anything," Will answered honestly as he nodded. "And what's our main goal exactly? Picking a fight with them is pointless if they can walk away from it afterwards."

Nerves were getting the better of him. He wanted to go over their plan again to reassure himself.

"Tamamo taught me some sealing techniques. It's not as strong as what Angel Halo can accomplish, but if we weaken Fatima enough then I can seal away her powers and do the same to her subordinates," Alice explained. "Then we can imprison them without issue."

"Alright, alright," he nodded once again. "And what about-"

Alice placed a finger on his mouth, shushing him. "There's no need to fret over every detail multiple times. I know you will handle yourself well when the time comes. I'll be right at your side and you'll be at mine."

She removed her hand, and he let out a sigh.

"You're right. I'm overthinking it," he said in agreement. "Let's do it then. I'm following your lead."

Alice smiled softly. "Good."

The pair started moving towards the castle itself, Will walking on Alice's side, only a few steps behind. He kept his weapon casually resting on his shoulder and adjusted his helmet to keep the sun out of his eyes.

They passed through a collapsed gate house and into the courtyard before the gargoyles atop the castle proper lept off. They swooped down and landed a short ways away from the pair, kicking up a bit of sand and bowing their heads low.

"My Lord," one spoke with reverence, "you grace us with your presence. How may we serve you?"

Alice's expression betrayed no emotion, staring down at the gargoyles with a critical eye. "I am here to speak with your master, Queen Fatima."

The gargoyle nervously frowned. "Uh, the Queen is currently preoccupied, as she was not expecting guests, b-but I'm sure she will make time to meet with you, My Lord."

"I'd expect as much. Take me to her," Alice ordered.

The gargoyles shared a brief look of hesitation, before the one that had been speaking bowed its head once again. "Of course, My Lord, my fellow guard with alert the Queen of your arrival. Now please follow me," she motioned for the pair to follow after her. While the other gargoyle took off and quickly flew up and into the castle through a collapsed wall.

Alice and Will followed behind the gargoyle as she ushered them through the massive reinforced doors of the castle. The interior was surprisingly well lit with sunlight streaming in through a tarp set up to cover the hole in the broken roof. The floor was free of debris and broken down furniture was thrown into a big pile in the corner.

A barracks of sorts was set up with various cots spread throughout the room with only curtains and wooden screens providing a sense of privacy. It was populated by vampire women and a small number of men, who Will could immediately tell were humans. Despite the lingering scent of blood in the air, and clear bite marks on the men's necks, they seemed quite satisfied, fawning over the vampires and being fawned over in turn.

A few of the women eyed up Will. Their gazes were lusty and hungry, smelling the monster blood within him. It made him quite a unique specimen, and clearly a coveted one.

He simply glared back at them, confident in his ability to deal with them. The aura they radiated was stronger than most monsters, however it was anemic compared to Sara or himself.

They continued on, down a hall that had been redecorated with rugs and curtains everywhere in an attempt to cover up the decrepit state of the castle. It was not long until they reached a pair of double doors deeper within, with the gargoyle that had flown off standing outside of it.

Will could sense a dreadful aura radiating from behind the doors. It reminded him of the elf and fairy queens, yet it was more sinister and tinged red in his mind.

"The Queen requests that you leave your escort here, My Lord," the gargoyle girl stated, gesturing for Will to remain where he was. "She would prefer to meet with you alone."

Alice hummed in thought and took a moment to respond. "I have heard your queen's request and after much deliberation I have decided to ignore it. You may return to your posts."

Without waiting for any further response, Alice slithered past the pair of gargoyles and opened the door, with Will following suite. They entered a large dining room turned bed chamber, with curtains dividing the room up. Old murals decorated the walls and glowing orbs of glass were the only source of illumination as there were no windows.

Lounging in a large cushioned chair was the room's sole occupant. It was an older blonde woman, dressed in a simple yet regal black dress with gold lining. She casually sipped on a wine glass filled with blood, taking a moment to savour the taste before acknowledging her guests.

Will found it odd that the queen was by herself, since he recalled she had two high ranking subordinates, Elizabeth and Carmilla, but yet he hadn't seen any sign of them. They had rather distinct appearances, one an eternally young brunette and the other had bright pink hair.

"My Lord, how kind of you to bless us with a visit," she stood up, causing her massive black cloak to fluttered around her, revealing its red lining, and bowed her head. "I apologize for the poor accommodations. We're still renovating this old keep of ours. It's been some time since vampires once ruled this land and it's fallen into disarray without our guidance. A forgone conclusion, really."

She finished her glass and set it down on the table beside her. "The humans require a firm hand in order to prosper. Without the strength and wisdom provided by monsters of our station, they'll never be able to accomplish anything," she continued, red eyes looking over Alice. "Wouldn't you agree, My Lord?"

"Yes, clearly humans should listen to you, so that they can know the joy of hiding out in ruins, like you. It's a gift I'm sure many would enjoy," Alice dryly shot back as she gestured to the room around them.

He subtly glanced up to the ceiling and didn't see anyone or anything hiding in the rafters, and the only people he sensed nearby where the gargoyles, which were still standing outside the door.

"It's a temporary state of affairs, I assure you," Queen Fatima waved off Alice's comment. "I'm seeking to rectify it."

"I hope not through war. I gave only one command and that was to never attack humans, unless in self defense," Alice remarked. "It is my desire to amend relations between monsters and humans."

Odd, you'd think they'd be nearby. They were vital for the queen's plan to invade Sabasa. Will mused before a realization struck him. Elizabeth and Carmilla were shapeshifters. That's how they managed to infiltrate Sabasa in the game.

"It's a noble goal, one which I agree with. I don't care about the race of subjects, so long as they kneel before me," she placed a hand on her chest. Her eyes flitted over to Will, scrutinizing him. "I see you feel the same, given the company you take. Though I would have recommended against turning your pet into an attack dog. It only ends in heartbreak."

Alice's eyes narrowed as she glared at the vampire queen. "I don't recall asking for your opinion regarding my affairs."

"You're right, My Lord. How presumptuous of me," Fatima faintly smirked, pleased at having struck a nerve with Alice.

Lady, you've got no fucking idea what type of game you're playing. You seem to be operating under the assumption that this is a social call. Will thought to himself, doing his best to school his expression.

He focused his senses on the pair of gargoyles outside the door and after a few moments realized they were attempting to conceal their presence, but doing a poor job of it, at least compared to a master of the technique like Yao.

"But enough talk. What brings you to my abode? How may I serve you, My Lord?" Queen Fatima inquired.

"It's a simple matter," Alice began. "I was accosted by the elf and fairy queens yesterday-"

"Such a sad fate to befall their races, but it is a self inflicted one," the vampire queen interrupted Alice, shaking her head and tutting. "Their own deluded sense of pacifism and weakness lead to their exile. I apologize on their behalf for bothering you. Clearly they lack any understanding of basic courtesy."

"While you're clearly an exemplar of it," Alice sardonically muttered before continuing. "During the course of conversation they mentioned a monster approached them. She claimed to be the true Monster Lord and offered them her support if they recognized her claim. They said her name was Black Alice. Have you heard of her?"

Fatima's eyes momentarily widened and hands curled into fists, before she schooled her features. "I can't say I have, no," she shook her head. "If I had I would have alerted you about her immediately."

"Oh?" Alice quirked an eyebrow and smirked. "Then why didn't you? Or do you really think me a fool?"

The vampire queen opened her mouth, then shut it, and stared back at Alice. The room was silent as power built up within both women. An almost visible aura surrounding Alice as embers began to form in her gloved hands. While Fatima's lips curled back, revealing her fangs as she snarled.

An instant later the room exploded into violence.