"And done." Serenity said as she returned the weapon. Anju took hold of the rod and fastened it to her belt. "Seriously though kid, I never thought I'd actually find a use for that scythe. And I never thought I could see you do what you've done to it."

"You told me it was something meant for a Bloodbane weapon, just without the Pureblood part." Anju remarked. "So I just thought if I channeled my blood through it, it could make a similar effect."

"Heh, I guess you did learn something from Rodin." Serenity said. "Though I still have to wonder how the hell you actually managed this." She now gestured to the destroyed coat that once belonged to Jerome. Anju looked as red fluid dripped from the torn fibres, reminiscent of blood.

"I don't know." Anju answered. "All I did was hammer every ounce of my strength into him and that happened."

"Hmm…" Serenity frowned. "Maybe I should relook how a Bloodbane weapon is made in the first place. There has got to be some clue there."

"How do these weapons get made anyway?" Anju said. "How does a Pureblood's blood become that?"

"A very powerful alchemical process." Serenity nodded. "Long story short, the crackpots at Helsing bind the Pureblood's blood into a weapon, turning it into some sort of parasitic lifeform that feeds off blood, human or vampire."

"So without that process…" Anju frowned. "Doesn't that mean the weapon can't sustain itself?"

Serenity remained silent for a long amount of time. "Now that's something. Why didn't I think of that? If a Bloodbane weapon requires a powerful bonding between the weapon and the Pureblood blood, then removing that is the solution to breaking them!"

Serenity suddenly scribbled notes down as fast as possible. Anju looked and was surprised to see a gleam in her eyes, even the slight curl of her lips. This was possible the first time she had seen Serenity this ecstatic.

Then, her pen stopped, and Serenity pursed her lips. "But that leads to another issue. How can you undo an alchemical binding? That shit is tougher than nails…"

"Maybe because my blood cells are combined of both human and vampire?" Anju suggested. "Maybe the human factor penetrates the Hunter magic of the alchemic process, and my vampire factor destroys the Pureblood within?"

"Yes…" Serenity nodded. "Yes, yes! The human factor allows you to bypass the protection while the vampire factor destroys the Pureblood segment inside the weapon! Just like how vampires are capable of devouring each other, and Purebloods most of all…"

"Devour each other?" Anju frowned, a little bit disturbed by what she heard. "What does that mean?"

"Ah, right. I forget some people aren't too well versed in vampire confrontations." Serenity replied. "You see, when Purebloods battled each other for supremacy, there were times where the victor would devour the loser. There are various examples, like Shizuka Hio and Kuran's ancestor. My guess is that a Bloodbane weapon versus you is something very similar, considering your vampire DNA comes from a Pureblood."

"But what does that mean?" Anju frowned.

"It means, rather than you destroying Jerome's Bloodbane weapon, your vampire factor 'devoured' the one in the Bloodbane weapon." Serenity explained. "While I'm not exactly sure how this even works to begin with, it seems your cells are able to destroy the blood connection within a Bloodbane weapon. Effectively, it is the same as one vampire devouring another, only on the cellular level."

"Is that even possible?" Anju asked.

"Hell if I know kid." Serenity shrugged. "This shit is a first for me as well. But with this, I wonder…"

"What?" Anju asked as Serenity looked at her quizzically.

"Sorry kid, change of plans." Serenity said as she went forward and gripped Anju's hand, forcing her to sit down. "Sit down. I'll need something else from you."

"What might that be?" Anju frowned, and she gulped as soon as Serenity took out a venipuncture needle, along with a few rather big tubes.

"Your blood." Serenity answered. "And lots of it."

Cassandra sighed as she observed the entourage of knights that now surrounded her living space. She had agreed to this after a lot of convincing from Queen Ai, but it still wasn't the most comfortable of arrangements. Her mind thought back to the discussion she had just the day before.

"It does make sense, especially with how he initially sent James after me." Cassandra nodded as she heard Ai's explanation. "I always wondered why he would need my powers if he wanted to create a body that was virtually invincible. More than likely he wanted to get some of my blood and then splice it into his own body. I wonder if my mother was afraid of this all along. Still, I doubt that little sample James took will get him anywhere. I heard that it would take a lot of blood to simply retain vampire abilities."

"Be as it may, we are not taking chances. It is very likely Ridley himself will head for you once more." Ai nodded. "He is the only one who could possibly slip through most of our defenses."

"So I'm going to be the blood sacrifice that will push this madness to its peak." Cassandra smirked sardonically. "I was always taught by my grandfather that Purebloods are always seen as the most esteemed prey. I guess at the very least, he spoke true, considering I am to be the one he relishes more."

"I know it sounds like an overreaction." Ai remarked. "But will you allow me to increase the amount of guards around you?"

"You should know that I have been training my powers." Cassandra remarked. "I should be able to hold off any assailant that comes for me, my grandfather included."

"I believe your skills should at least be saved for the direst situation." Ai replied. "From what I understand, the fatigue that comes is still quite the drawback. So until we need it, we ought to hold off on using it too much. Thus, unless you have no other options, I'd rather we avoided that."

Cassandra remained silent as she considered the information. Truly, the rush of exhaustion that accompanied it was still the same despite her expanding the range and selectivity of that power. And while powerful, it was far from subtle. "Very well. I suppose extra guards would be reassuring since they consider me a primary target."

"I'll do whatever I can to ensure it does not obstruct you too much." Ai nodded.

Cassandra now walked to her sister's assigned room with Beatrice in tow. If anything, she felt she needed to know. Knocking on the door, Cassandra spoke. "It's me. May I come in?"

"I'm a prisoner here remember?" Came the bristling reply. "You don't have to ask."

Cassandra sighed as she turned the doorknob. She walked in to see Katarina now lying on the bed, arms folded behind her head. "That's rather unlike you." Cassandra said as she observed her sister's posture.

"Can you blame me?" Katarina scowled. "I've been sitting in this room for over a week now. I'm bored! I never imagined anything worse than having to deal with Irina and Lucretia's idiocies."

"You never bothered to go and find Felise?" Cassandra asked. "From what I know, Queen Ai is fine with you going out so long as you have some guards. And I'm sure that girl would be delighted to see you again."

"Is it really so necessary to do something like that?" Katarina frowned.

"Don't you want to?" Cassandra asked.

Silence was the response as Katarina shifted her position that her back now faced Cassandra. Cassandra now sat down in the chair while Beatrice stood by the door. "You know…" Cassandra said. "You ought to at least do what you want once in a while."

Katarina remained still, but responded nonetheless. "Why?"

"Because even for us, for vampires, time is already so fleeting…" Cassandra said. "Actually, I think it is more for us, since we tend to put things off owing to having all the time we want."

"Your point?" Katarina grumbled. "You know how I dislike these long winded tales."

"What I'm trying to say is that we shouldn't leave behind regrets." Cassandra said. "Because in the end, those end up being the things that stick with us most. You still remember what mother always told us when we were little, right?"

"Why would you bring up something so long ago..." Katarina huffed. "I haven't the foggiest idea what mother's final words were, or what she used to say as she tucked us into bed."

"She always told us to live happily." Cassandra said. "You remember that at least, don't you?" Katarina remained silent. Cassandra now sat down on the chair and breathed, mustering her courage. "That's why, after all this ends. After we..."

Katarina snuck a glance at Cassandra and saw the look in her eyes. She already knew what Cassandra had thought without having to think about it.

After we deal with our family huh? Katarina thought to herself. With the path she had chosen, it was inevitable that Cassandra and their grandfather would finally be on opposite sides. So long as she stood against him, their grandfather would take every measure to see that such a threat would not be permitted to go freely. Such was the fate that awaited those that betrayed their family.

Cassandra shook her head. "After we put this whole business behind us, I want to become a vampire idol. I love singing, I love standing on a stage and performing. And I want to do that for vampires and humans."

"Is that how you'll spend the rest of eternity?" Katarina frowned. "What if it becomes so troublesome for you? What if one day, you become exhausted from it all?"

"Even so, if I don't do it, I feel I will regret it forever." Cassandra said. "And that will be too painful to bear."

Cassandra now stood up, moving to leave. "I hope you will think the same for yourself sister, as will sister Irina and sister Lucretia."

Katarina watched her youngest sibling leave. As the door began to close behind her, Beatrice now stepped forward and placed a small basked of chocolate toffees on the table.

"Lady Cassandra hopes you will like these." Beatrice said as she bowed and followed her mistress out of the room. Katarina merely stared at the toffees, Cassandra's words hauntingly echoing through her mind.

Akira panted as he parried every blow from the many knights around him. Block and counter, block and counter, block and counter. Such was the pattern he now immersed himself into as part of his most recent training regimen devised by his aunt to prepare himself for facing multiple Paragon monsters and ultimately, Mortis Kraven himself. Thus, some of the highest ranking Vampire Knights were here to give him the hardest training ever.

"I wonder if you told mother about this auntie." Akira chuckled as he brushed off another Knight and parried a blow from behind. "I hope she gave her approval for this."

"If you have energy to mess around, then you have energy to keep up the exercise." Ren answered bluntly. "Okay you lot, go ahead and use semi-lethal force. I'm sure her majesty won't mind."

"Harsh." Akira gulped. "But I suppose that's what you are."

"Remember my dear nephew, a single hit on you and you fail." Ren answered.

On another side of the room, Shinji went up against his grandfather, lashes of blood carving gouges into the floor. Shinji now charged in, his kusari-gama swinging while electric sparks flew from the edges of the blade. As he took a swing at his father, three strands of blood flowed from Senri's fingers, knocking the attack away.

"Kuh!" Shinji grunted as he raised the chain to parry three blood needles that stabbed at him.

"Not bad." Senri nodded. "But you need to work on your reaction time. And of course, quit over-committing."

Shinji panted. "Once more!"

On another side, Akatsuki fought against his own grandson as well. Currently, Ganju was backed into a corner with Akatsuki unleashing a stream of fire straight at him. The rock shield glowed brightly against the extreme heat as Ganju pushed back, the heat of his own rock armour starting to rise as well.

"What's wrong kid?" Akatsuki frowned. "A little beat of heat getting you down?"

"Was that a joke coming from you?" Ganju grunted. "Didn't think you were the type."

"I'm not." Akatsuki retorted. "But if this is all you have going for you, then maybe it's time to end this." Akatsuki now conjured a tiny ball of fire in his hand, though it glowed more intensely than all the other flames he had summoned till now. Nonchalantly, he threw it at Ganju's rock barrier.

"Not so fast!" Ganju said as some loose stones from his rock barrier broke off and flew forward, encasing the glowing ball instantly. The explosion that followed sent a shockwave through the air, forcing Akatsuki back. The resulting breathing room allowed Ganju to escape and strike at his grandfather directly.

Not bad. Akatsuki thought. He's getting the hang of using his defense as offense.

"The hell!? Are you insane you old geezer?!" Ganju screamed as he charged in. "We both could've died from that!"

"But we didn't, and it's all thanks to you." Akatsuki nodded. "And I see you've also improved your own techniques. But that alone may not be enough. Are you willing to go even further than that? Show me."

Ganju growled in frustration as he resumed fighting. At another corner, Emi and Misaki were taking a water break. Well, at least it was for Misaki. Emi on the other hand drank a blood tablet solution as she wiped the sweat off her brow.

"Almost had that down…" Emi said as she removed the bottle from her lips. "I really hope that will come in handy when facing Celestine again."

"A revenge match huh?" Misaki answered.

"I just can't shake this feeling that we'll meet again." Emi frowned. "She seems pretty interested in me, in the way a predator sees its prey. Or maybe in this case, it's in a new plaything."

Misaki remained silent, but the cold look in her eyes only grew more intense. Seeing this, Emi playfully poked her in the forehead. "Relax!" Emi smiled. "That's why I'm training with you, remember? I'm certain that once I get that technique down…"

"Will it be enough?" Misaki answered as she turned to her vampire friend. "I heard that Celestine didn't even go all out on you. So will it even be enough to stop her?" To this, Emi remained silent.

"Rodin said before, she's strong enough to kill hundreds of vampire knights in the blink of an eye." Misaki said. "It's going to take more than just you to stop her, I'm sure of it."

"You know I can't let you do that." Emi said. "I mean, take your own advice there. At the very least, all I can do is match her and be faster."

"But I don't want something like that night to happen again…" Misaki replied. Emi now subconsciously felt the sting occur in her left shoulder, a reminiscent of the wound she had gotten since she saved Misaki ten years ago in Hamburg. "I don't want to lose my best vampire friend."

Emi now hugged Misaki. "And I don't want to lose my best human friend either. But I guess, we are in kind of a spot, yeah?"

"So what do we do?" Misaki asked.

"The way I see it, watch each other's backs when the fighting starts." Rodin said as he walked back to them, a black coat in his. "And until then, train like hell for it."

The two of them looked back at him before looking back at each other, grinning. "Well then teach, don't hold back." Emi smiled.

"Never do." Rodin said before he tossed the black coat to Misaki. "Here, something Serenity made especially for you."

"For me?" Misaki blinked as soon as she caught the coat. She gave it a quick examination, seeing that it wasn't wholly remarkable. Then again, she knew Serenity rarely made unremarkable things. Frowning, she slipped the coat on, not noticing anything different.

"It's similar to Anju's clothing." Rodin said. "That should help protect you from bullets, knives, blades, even Paragon monsters. But, Serenity also added an extra functionality from old Hunter techniques as well. She heard about how you fight and felt that was the best for you."

"What kind of Hunter techniques?" Misaki frowned.

Rodin held out his gloved hand and beckoned her to come. "Let's try it out, shall we?"

"Everyone is really going at it, huh?" Ai said as she observed the hundreds of warriors training.

"Milady, shouldn't you get back to that stack of paper on your desk?" Li Ming spoke from behind her.

"We are on the precipice of war Li Ming." Ai replied. "I think policy-making will need to wait."

"As you say." Li Ming nodded. "I merely hope what we have done now will be of benefit to us, and that our preparations have been satisfactory."

"Indeed." Ai nodded. "Any word from that smith? She mentioned something to me briefly about a breakthrough regarding Bloodbane weapons."

"Not since my queen." Li Ming said. "Ms. Serenity hasn't answered in my previous call. It appears she is still busy with Ms. Cross. But knowing how devoted she is when she finally gets to work, I felt it was for the best that we did not bother her any longer. Therefore, any updates you want from her will have to wait till they are done."

"You know her well enough." Ai grinned. "Perhaps because you are like her?"

"I deny nothing my queen." Li Ming said.

"You know, I had hoped you would be part of the evacuation plans should things turn nasty." Ai nodded. "Unlike me and many of the knights, you are more or less a civilian."

"While you speak truth, I cannot do that." Li Ming said as she bowed before the queen. "My daughter and I owe you our lives. Thus, till it is extinguished, it is completely in service to you."

Ai stared at Li Ming, recounting the day she had found both her and her daughter on a smuggler's ship headed to China. Desperation to escape radical hunters had led them to each other, and since then Li Ming had been one of her most faithful servants.

"Then I trust you at least to do all you can for the citizens of this fair city." Ai commanded. "My mother made this as place of harmony, an example of a very possible dream. I cannot, I will not let it be destroyed."

"It shall be so, my queen." Li Ming nodded. As she did so, a knight rushed in.

"My queen! Our lookouts have reported a fleet of helicopters moving in from the South!" He reported.

Ai breathed, closing her eyes. When they opened again, they were red as blood. "So… it finally begins. The beginning of this bloody end."

Author's Note:

Well, this chapter was much later than usual. That is because recent events have made work more exhausting than ever, and I unfortunately decided I needed to distance myself from a few things so as to preserve my own energy and mental state. I hope you understand. I still have every intention of finishing this story though, so please be patient for the finale I have in mind.

However, I was thinking that, while not the best idea after all I've done till this point, I was thinking of squeezing in one last Side Story that will focus on the two vampires who I felt have not gotten that much attention in the last few chapters. Yes, I'm talking about the Chinese vampires Li Ming and Lin Hua.

Since creating these two characters, I have had their origin story at the back of my mind, and would love nothing more than to share them with you! So I hope you enjoy that final Side chapter before we return to the main story.

As always, please read and review.

Jdbl00d