Chapter 33: A bitter truth and mercy
Kingdom of Gaul, Town of Gerth.
...
Royse and Jack soundlessly sprinted through the rooftops while following their prime target; Sasha Fullmoon. The former priestess walked through the empty streets and dark alleyways. As she was unaware that there were two inquisitors following her. Sasha stopped as soon as her senses picked up something coming from behind and then spun around.
"W-Who's there?"
...
No one was there, and only the silent wind brushed her skin. The priestess breathed out in relief for a bit and kept going, but she was uneasy at the same time. Sasha was wary as she remembered the incident the last time when she was abducted by a pair of Dark Priests under their disguises from a couple of weeks ago. But this time, it was someone else who was seeking her with ill intent.
Her heart raced as she paced her walking speed bit by bit until a wave of panic chilled her skin. Unbeknownst to her, the cloaked inquisitors were staring down at her from the rooftops as if they were wolves on the prowl, keeping their eyes on her as if the former priestess were a vulnerable prey. When Sasha almost reached home, Jack ordered Royse to prepare her daggers to strike down the traitor.
"Now!"
Sasha stopped once she heard the voice and then her gaze perked up. Two cloaked individuals descended from the rooftops. One landed in front of her, while the other was behind her. Jack then swiftly raised his rapier and the tip of the blade was placed on her throat while doing a devious smile on his face.
"Well, well~! What an unpleasant evening, Miss Fullmoon." Jack said with a polite bow. "I hope our own actions didn't seem to bother thee."
"W-Who... are you?" Sasha stuttered out warily and then noticed the female inquisitor landed from behind, unsheathing her blades. "What do you want from me?"
"Oh? What do we want from you? Well, our answer is simple; your death." Jack answered nonchalantly, which made Sasha freeze on her feet. "We're here to get rid of someone... one special, traitorous individual who was also responsible for orchestrating the downfall of Lescatie, and the Order is seeking for your head."
The former Priestess of the Order was shaken until she trembled on her knees. Pressured from all sides, she couldn't do anything but confess her crimes, yet she couldn't produce any valid reason from her lips as she now realised that the High Order of the Chief God knew her actions, which had brought shame to her kingdom and did an act against the teachings of her god to be friendly with the monsters. Even to be as a former member of the Order, the crimes of her sins would never let go unpunished.
"Oh? You want to confess your crimes, Miss Fullmoon?" Jack raised his eyebrow.
"No... Please, listen!" Sasha pleaded to the two agents. "All I did as a hero is to save people-"
"Yeah, yeah, right. By sheltering mamono children under their noses, huh?" Royse snarked while brandishing her blade. "You should be ashamed of yourself after what you did to the Kingdom. Then tell me, what else did you do? Sharing information with the enemy?"
"I... no... that's, uh..."
"Well~, A shame that you can't even correctly confess your crimes to the executioners, dear Fullmoon~" Jack chuckled while shrugging off his shoulders before he raised his rapier. "Too bad~! I think the Chief God awaits you in heaven and judged within her light. Then imagine that your soul has been tarnished by sin, you'll be brought to eternal damnation~!"
"I will make things right! I beg of you!" Sasha cried out while tears streamed down, begging the Inquisitors. Yet they ignored her with unamused expressions. "P-Please... forgive me... Ash, help me!"
Jack then swings down his rapier to slice off her head. That is not until he felt his hand was grabbed firmly by someone else. The Inquisitor widened his eyes in surprise for a moment and narrowed his gaze. He spun around in disbelief to see some knight would dare to interrupt her execution.
"You dare to interrupt us-"
However, he didn't finish his sentence once the knight punched him directly in the face and sends him flying, crashing against the wall with a large puff of dust. Royce stepped back in shock to see her partner had been punched by a knight while Ash glared at the female inquisitor. Royce charged forth as her knives delved for his throat, but the knight parried her attack with his steel fist, deflecting her wrist to the side, and rammed his left armoured elbow right into her face, breaking through her divine shield. His counterattack resulted in sending Royce flying against the wall.
'Dammit! His strength is that of a hero!' Royse grunts in pain while clutching her nose. 'Wait... why is his life force so... void?'
"Don't lay another finger on her." The knight growled at Royce. "Or else you'll end up like him."
"As if you eat your own words!"
The knight then turned around and saw a glimpse of the male inquisitor who leaps out from a cloud of dust. Ash reeled his head back to avoid a deadly swing of his rapier, which nearly caught his neck.
"That was quite a punch, coming from an imbecile like you!" Jack hissed in amusement while readying his sword towards Ash. "Have a taste of our divine blades!"
'Their bodies are more resilient than an ordinary human.' Ash said in his thought. 'Then these two are trained heroes.'
Jack then thrust his rapier forwards before Ash narrowed his eyebrows behind his helmet as if the world around him turned in slow motion. Thus he swung his left arm while avoiding the thrust of the pointy blade, thus parrying the Hero's attack. Ash sends another punch into the Inquisitor's guts at full force, and then another fist slams into his face once more. Jack felt a surge of pain through his body after he underestimates his opponent's strength while flying straight into another wall.
"Impossible... how are you alive...?" Ash then slowly turns around to Royse, who trembled in fright as the weapons in her hands shake. "You have no mana... no being should be alive without it!"
Sasha was relieved that Ash was here in a nick of time to rescue her and stood up quickly to get on his side. The Astoran knight looked down at the Lescatian priestess in worry.
"Are you alright?" He asked. Sasha nodded in response. "Good. Get out of here before they get the chance to raise their blades."
"I'll call the others for help!" Sasha said determinedly, not until she noticed the male inquisitor stood up with heavy breathing while streaks of blood flowed down through his face. "Oh no, he's still alive."
"Hah!... Hah!... I never thought the traitor hired a bodyguard... a knight who hits with strength like a freaking hero..." Jack growled, sending glares toward the Silver-Blue Knight while pointing his finger at him. "Who the hell do you think you are!? Protecting a traitor who turned a kingdom into a Demon Realm!? Do you have no shame as a human being!?"
"I serve Lady Fullmoon to absolve her from sin," Ash spoke in an indifferent tone. "Killing her would accomplish nothing for your wretched Order."
Royse couldn't help but feel offended by his words and then brandished her knives once more while taking a defensive stance. "Tch! You dare to speak those words to us, the members of the Holy Order!? I will make you eat your own words and let the Chief God judge thine punishment!"
"I do not belong to your god ever since I was born." The Silver-Blue Knight unsheathed his broadsword. "All your self-righteous claims of judgement just made you nothing more but petty jesters. Even the Pardoners of Carim can do a better job to deal with the guilty."
Jack felt his gaze hardened to hear that this heathen knight dare to mock their Judgement of Heroes as if he spoke like a heretical vigilante. He hated such people exist who claim themselves as "heroes". Although what is strange for him is that this knight doesn't have a hint of mana, his very nature was pretty much akin to a hero.
The male inquisitor grits his teeth. 'Just who is this guy?'
"What is your name, heathen...?" Jack demanded as he spat. "Speak before I will cut you into pieces!"
"Ash Cyrus... the Silver-Blue Knight of Astora." Ash presents his identity while gripping his sword. The inquisitors froze once they heard his infamous alias. "You just made a mistake by hitting the wrong person."
"Shit. So it isn't a rumour after all." Royse cursed while stepping back in fright. "Jack, this person is the real deal. We have to make a retreat-... Jack?"
Jack only stood there in surprise before his lips slowly form into a mad grin and then laughed hysterically. "Hahaha... HAHAHAHA! Now you told us your name, and I was looking forwards to end you, wretched Vigilante!"
Sasha reeled back, unnerved by his behaviour. She knew the Inquisitors were not actually the most friendly people in the sub-branch within the Order of the Chief God, and there are rumours about them being weird and beyond insane like fanatics who ignore the basic human decency. Yet this guy takes the cake.
"Feel the wrath of our Lord!" Jack then pours the powers of the divine blessing into his rapier and the blade glows with light. "Blade of Judgement!"
The inquisitor then leapt to the knight at neck-breaking speed as Ash immediately pushed Sasha aside to avoid her from getting caught in a deadly duel. The Knight of Astora swings his broadsword and parried off his rapier. Much to Jack's surprise, his enhanced rapier was deflected by an ordinary-looking sword. Realising that the heathen's sword was beyond mundane and probably blessed by some divine blessing.
"DON'T DENY YOUR JUDGEMENT! YOU FALSE HERO!"
Ash parried and deflected multiple quick slashes from the Inquisitor until Jack then thrust his rapier to the knights' abdomen. Ash foresaw this move and swiftly swung his broadsword downwards, deflecting the glowing blade away, thus hitting the inquisitor's face right into the nose with his sword's pommel. Jack reeled back in pain and Ash wasn't even finished. Before the inquisitor had the chance to retaliate; the Knight's broadsword tore his blessed shield with a thrust and pierced through his neck.
"NO!"
Royse screamed in terror once she sees her partner get his neck pierced through by the knight's blade. The female inquisitor tried to dive in to save her partner, yet her feet couldn't make a single move. Her hunch caught an unusual sensation that she would be next if she dares to strike the knight from behind. As Jack gargled with blood from the throat, he tries to recite a healing spell for regeneration while struggling to hold the broadsword, yet Ash twists his sword. Bringing another world of pain.
'F-Fuck! This is impossible! I should be the one who can judge this wretched soul!' Jack felt his eyes twist around while the unbearable pain surged through his nervous system. 'NO! I couldn't... This freaking heathen... dare to-'
"I heard you heroes can heal after taking a fatal blow," Ash spoke bitterly. "Any last words?"
The inquisitor coughed out blood and retorted in a painful tone. "T-To the pits... of... damnation to you... heathen-"
"Hmm... very well," the Silver-Blue Knight spat back. "May the Abyss welcome thee."
Ash twists his blade toward his heart and ripped through the ribcage. Completely slicing it apart before he beheads the inquisitor until blood sprouts like a fountain. The corpse fell flat to the ground. Sasha cringed at such a sight. Yet she was used to witnessing the violence ever since they had escaped the city of Lescatie during the siege. But it wasn't over once she felt a grip on her arms and was suspended by Royse from behind. Then she felt the sharp edges of the blade under her neck.
"Don't move!"
Ash heard the voice of the female inquisitor and slowly turned around. His gaze tensed when he saw Royce holding her knife against Sasha's throat. Royce wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. Even if she killed her target, that would mean she'll be the next in line. So she opted to use the former priestess as a hostage as the sole key to escape.
"One more move and I will kill her..." Royce hissed with a threatening voice. "Any last words before I cut the throat of your traitorous fair maiden?"
"Ash... please don't do it..." Sasha pleaded as tears swelled from her eyes.
The Silver-Blue Knight balled his fists until he noticed another figure standing on top of the rooftops. He smirked behind his helmet and let out a relaxed sigh.
"Well... I guess this is my win." He shrugged off nonchalantly. "You'd better be aware of someone else."
"W-What!? To whom are you talking about!?" Royse demanded until she heard an eerie noise fall in the air. "What the-?!"
She spun her gaze around in surprise once she saw another individual just landed on top of her and a sword's pommel made a hard smack on top of her head. The inquisitor was knocked out unconscious and fell to the ground while releasing Sasha from her grips. Ash looks up to see Lucrezia, who sheathed her sword back in the scabbard while another person, Lucena, landed on her feet beside her sister.
"That was a close one." Lucena then gives her older sister a thumbs up.
"Yeah, close indeed. " Lucrezia nods with a relieving sigh while looking down at the fallen inquisitor. "Patch her up and interrogate our fellow intruder for the latter."
"Got it." Lucena acknowledges before carrying the unconscious inquisitor by her shoulders. "Jeez! This girl was heavy!"
"Tsk, I bet she has eaten a lot in the tavern." Lucrezia chuckled before turning around and helping Sasha to stand on her feet. "Are you alright?"
"Uh, y-yes! Th-thank you for saving me!" Sasha flustered with an embarrassed blush. She didn't expect that her life was saved by a demon. "So, how did you know we were here?"
"I heard the rumours of nobles running around the town just ran our suspicions and the identity of the inquisitors were confirmed." The Demon Mirrah Knight answered before expressing her relieving smile towards Ash. "But luckily, we've disposed of them right on time before any damage they would've caused."
Ash then turns to see Lucena carrying the unconscious female inquisitor away by her shoulders before asking the demon Mirrah Knight. "Then where are you taking her?"
"Into the Inn's basement," Lucrezia answered and then let out a disappointed sigh. "Then we have to let her spit that information of hers who's responsible for sending them."
Ash understood and nodded. "I see."
"But the problem is that it might take a while," Lucrezia said while rubbing her chin in thought. "Say, should we borrow one of your friends?"
"Who?" Ash raised his eyebrow in question.
"A dhampir named Elen," Lucrezia said with a smile. "In the Order of Mirrah, dhampirs were the most important assets to gain information from our captives without questioning."
"But... how so?" Sasha then asked. "I mean, can she do that?"
Lucrezia then made a cocky smile as she crossed her arms. "Simple, all she has to do is to..."
...
...
"Wait... All I need is to suck out some of her blood?" Elen questioned Lucrezia with a quizzical look on her face. "That's what I needed to do?!"
"Of course, you're a dhampir, aren't you?" Lucena said while flashing a devilish smile, "Say... since how long have you drank blood?"
"Well... that was a long time ago when I was a kid back then..." Elen answered with a doubtful look while scratching the back of her head. "I remember I got angry with my brother while searching for my favourite ball, which my mom confiscated from me after breaking a vase and told Reginald to never tell about it."
Lucena then nervously asked. "Oh, so did you bit him?"
The Dhampir nods. "Yep."
"It was painful as far as I can remember." To Elen's right is Reginald, who leaned against the wall while narrowing down to his younger sibling. "Bit me in the arm once, and it was an unpleasant experience which my stubborn little sister did to me."
The dhampir then felt a tick on her forehead and retorted back. "Hey! I'm stubborn no more, you ass!"
Reginald sighed while closing his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, shut it and let's get back to the point."
"Alright, now let's get to the second question." Lucena then asked Elen. "Did you experience something after biting him?"
"Well, all I remember is seeing my mom and Reginald were talking about where my ball is hidden," Elen answered with a puzzled look. "It was weird seeing them while they were not aware that I was there and she told to my brother where my ball is... Then after finding it... I was grounded for the second time she caught me."
"Huh, so you developed that ability of yours from an early age than I expected!" Lucena's expression brightened. "Elen, we can use your Memory Drain to see through the Inquisitor's memories."
"Memory Drain?..." Elen questioned out of bewilderment. "It's the first time I heard about that."
"Listen Elen, Memory Drain is a unique ability which only bloodsuckers, such as Dhampirs, who are born with the blood of the Five Factions are capable of," Lucena explained while lifting her index finger. "If you drain some blood from your captive for information, you can see through their memories in a brief span of a few seconds."
"Wait... that doesn't come as their natural ability... right?" Reginald asked nervously while sweat beads flow down from his forehead.
"Well... yes, they were born with such ability," Lucena replied to Reginald while making a sly smile. "When I never told her about this, your dhampir sister wouldn't know about the secrets of her big brother~! Teehee~!"
When Elen heard that, she made a wicked smile toward Reginald, which gives him a chill through his spine. He doesn't want his sister taking advantage of him when he imagined himself getting caught off guard and sapping some of his blood to see his secrets.
Reginald then growled in annoyance once Elen made a childlike expression. "Don't think about it."
"Oh, don't worry bro~!" His sister sang as she playfully swings her knees. "I won't let anyone hear your secrets~"
Her older brother grits his teeth, scowling at her. "Tch, let's get this case done and get over it."
Lucena, Elen and Reginald came up to the female inquisitor, who was held in a chair, strapped by ropes. Their prisoner was still unconscious, and Lucena rubbed her hands on the right side of Royce's exposed neck.
"Here... just bite over here."
Elen felt uneasy for a moment before looking up at Reginald. He made a gesture for his sister to do it and Elen nods determinedly before leaning towards Royce and opening her mouth. Then she felt four fangs in the upper and the lower jaw had just sprung up, much to her surprise.
"Huh, they're sharp indeed." Lucena mused while inspecting Elen's sharp fangs. "Make sure you don't wake her up."
Elen rolled her eyes before biting the inquisitor's neck, and the unconscious Royse jolted up. The dhampir felt disgusted to think that she had taken a bite on another person until she tastes Royse's blood. Elen was surprised that the blood of the inquisitor tastes like sweet strawberry until her eyes dilate as her mind, vision, and consciousness were pulled out from reality and entered into a dream-like world.
...
"Is this true?
"Indeed, the traitor isn't found anywhere else in the Demon Realm of Lescatie."
Elen opened her eyes and finds herself inside an unknown building. Inside the room, members of the Inquisition Branch displaying the crest of the Holy Order of Valaria were examining pieces of papers and documents. Then she saw an elderly priest in his fifties reading through the names of the most wanted men and women with a magnifying glass.
She has a weird feeling as if no one is aware of her being around until an inquisitor went through her body as if he was some ghost. The dhampir spun around and tried to touch the phantom of the memory in her curiosity. Yet she felt nothing solid, as if they were made of thin air.
"All of their names have been confirmed by our agents' eyewitnesses that most of these people have turned over to the Demon Lord before the invasion." She heard the inquisitor inform his colleagues while pointing out their names on the list. "But there is only one person left who hasn't been monsterized, and it's highly likely a well-renown hero who had escaped from the Kingdom."
"Sasha Fullmoon; Age of twenty-one and a Hero Priestess, born in a church and raised in an orphanage within the slums of the city." Elen heard the Elder Inquisitor, who read Sasha's bio out loud, in much of her concern. "Her crime is committing the greatest treason against the Kingdom by providing information to the Monsters and sheltering monster children right under their noses. By the chief god, looks like we have a heretic to hunt."
"But where she could have gone, Sir Blazh?"
"And how do we know where she went, Grigorii?"
Elen watched as the inquisitors were squabbling in an argument until the elder priest raised his hands to stop them.
"Silence, you two loud fools." Blazh raised his voice, silencing them both. "There has been a mass influx of refugees going straight into Gaul since the Kingdom fell. There's a chance that a traitor is hiding in there."
"So we have to take her out for abandoning her duty?" One inquisitor inquired while raising her hand.
"That might be difficult and after all," Blazh then paused for a moment before turning around. "This heretic is a former hero, and it requires a hero to take her out and Gaul is hard to bypass their security since they are part of the Federation."
"Unbelievable. Gaul used to be an Order Nation," Grigorii stated as he expressed his concern.
Then Blazh turned around as Elen followed the suit to where his attention went and saw two individuals at the dark corners of the room and called out their names.
"Royse... Jack. I'm assigning you two to take out that traitor. Her crimes should never go unpunished."
"Yes, my lord."
She saw the two assassins bowed monotonously while withdrawing into the darkness. Elen swore she saw a familiar face on the female inquisitor.
Once the inquisitors left the room, Elen saw the elderly priest chuckle while gracefully spinning his golden goblet full of wine.
"Heh heh heh, I pity that poor girl."
After seeing his last moments in this memory, her consciousness was pulled back, and it dragged her away into the world of reality.
...
"WOAH!" Elen agitatedly reeled back, letting the unconscious inquisitor go, yet her outburst catches Lucena and Reginald in surprise. "Holy Lords, are you kidding me!? Did Sasha do something bad!?"
"What did you see in her memories?" Lucena asked with concern. "Who sent them...?"
"Well, just some bunch of maniacs belonged to the Order," Elen informed while massaging her temples under stress. "They sent two undercover inquisitors to get rid of Sasha Fullmoon for her acts of treason, such as providing information with the demon realm and taking care of mamono children."
"Huh... Wait, that's it?" Lucena's expression turned more confused while trying to get the piece together. "They hunt her down for providing the enemy with some minor information and taking care of mamono children?"
"Are you not surprised about her acts providing the monsters some information?" Reginald raised his eyebrows in question. "Aren't we supposed to be concerned about that?"
"From what I can tell... I've been through several interrogations with former lescatian politicians and in that case, Sasha might've done that out of desperation." Lucena then explained the details. "The last time I heard about Lescatie before its downfall, their major capital is filled with corruption, and the entire nation just went under heavy military reforms to combat the Demon Lord's forces. Sadly, their efforts to build up an effective army have gone to waste because of religious interference with the local populace."
Reginald then crossed his arms, brooding on the subject. "Then that means... she's not the only sole cause of the nation's downfall?"
"Correct. She isn't the sole reason. We are aware of other defectors who turned their backs on the Order and provide the most secret information." Lucena then exhaled deeply. "Despite the monsters receiving their information, the Demon Lord's Army can just roll into the country and can take over everything in a few days to a single week, even when they have a Lilim on their side. Then their objective to search for information was just playing for fun and wasn't necessary. Their mana would corrupt everything in their way. Regardless of their situation."
"Unless, if it comes against us, it's different. Right?" Reginald guessed and Lucena nodded. "Huh? Were they that actually afraid of us?"
"You're not wrong." Lucena pointed out. "Besides, we only fear if the two sides are making a move on us."
After ending their discussions, the door opened as Lucrezia and Adelmar entered the room.
"Find any information?" Adelmar asked. Lucena nods before the senior Mirrah Knight turns to Elen. "Good, then what did you find?"
...
Horseback Inn.
...
"Undercover Order Inquisitors went through the borders unrestricted?" Siegward spoke up in surprise after hearing Junayd's explanation of the earlier incident and then turns to Sasha. "Did you got hurt, milady?"
"N-No, I'm actually fine." Sasha fidgeted while looking down. "I... I never thought they would come here."
"Don't worry Sasha, we're always here to protect you!" Sieglinde said out loud in determination while holding up a ladle. "If those thugs would ever come here, then we'll show them!"
Ash waited for the others to come until he saw Reginald exiting the basement entrance and the entire tavern was currently vacant, without guests around. In the meantime, Elaine, Gerome and Arcturus dropped three individuals of Order soldiers and knights, who appeared to be tied up in ropes and gagged with cloths. Ash went to one of the order soldiers, then lifts him by grabbing his collar and removing the gag.
"No! Please don't kill me! I have done nothing wrong!"
"Still, you're escorting those inquisitors," Ash spoke bitterly. "So tell me, who send you after her?"
"T-The Holy Order of the Chief God...!" The soldier replied fearfully. "W-We were ordered to escort the inquisitors and then bring the traitor to justice!"
"Fools... this is the Federation. You blokes just crossed the borders, unrestricted." Jennifer wasn't pleased by this as her arms crossed, narrowing her eyes to the frightful soldiers. "Unlawful witch-hunting is forbidden because you are in neutral territory. Therefore, you could be arrested by the authorities as outlaws. And yet, you just carried out some pitiful attempts for nothing?"
"You damn heathens! Don't you people have any shame!? Where are your dignities of humanity!?" Jennifer and Siegwards turned their attention toward an Order Knight. "You're all humans and yet you allow monsters to live among you!? One day, then this Federation of yours will be finished and turned into a demon realm!"
"Pff, it's been already eighty years and these guys are living under a rock." Lucena snickered silently in mischief while standing behind Olivier. "Say... you're a part of the Order, right?"
Olivier was silent while seeing the members of the Order had been suspended by the Knights of the Sunlight Order. One fact she heard the words from Jennifer is that the Federation forbids witch hunts on anyone who was aligned with monsters for no reason. Yet she was around with Elen, Elaine and Lucrezia for quite some time and they were, in fact, different from the rest of any mamono she sees in this town.
Despite the Order Knight's claims of mamono would turn everyone into monsters. She knew Lucrezia was a demon and her kind was said to have unfathomable magic energy and malicious, releasing demonic energy within their surroundings without care. But she is calm, collective, and didn't have a single hint of malevolence.
Elaine, an orc. Spoken by the scholars about her kind was supposed to be ferocious. She doesn't seem keen to hurt or intervene with anyone except she was provoked into a fight. Then there's Elen. She knew dhampirs shared the same common sense as humans and their instincts turn once they drink human blood, which drives them into a frenzy. However, like the other two, she is as sane as them.
"They are right. This is a land of heathens! Doomed to become monsters!"
Adelmar's face turned sour after hearing the Order Knight's accusation, especially saying an offence indirectly to his mother, who is a demon. Thus, he hits his face with a hard smack of his boot to shut him up.
But the Order Knight still kept on screaming. "GH-GHAA! I won't be silent about this! It is the truth! You will turn into one of them"
"Tch, tell that to my mother who birthed me, you annoying piece of shit." Adelmar then raised his boot one more time. "Looks like you lack discipline for how to shut your mouth. Then good night!"
*BAM!*
The face of the Order Knight crashed against the hard ground until he fell unconscious, while the other two soldiers of the Order yelped in fright as they tried to get away, but Lucrezia held them both on their shoulders.
"Don't try to escape." She said coldly, making the two captive soldiers freeze. "If you dare, I might... slit your throats as you scream."
Olivier couldn't help but felt pity to see her fellow members of the Order would do something so arrogant to the public eye. Then she turns to Sasha to ask something that made her curious. She knew inquisitors would arrest someone and execute those who dissent themselves from the Order of the Chief God, even with their recognition and permission to leave the Order; they will allow no heresy that goes against the Chief God's teachings. If such heresy was spread among the local people, justice shall go forth and execute them.
Therefore, Sasha might have done something worse against the teachings of their God.
"Sasha... just what did you do?" Olivier asked, catching the former Priestess of the Order off guard by her question. "The Inquisitors were after you... Then can you tell me... What exactly happened...?"
Sasha, after hearing this, felt her own shadow loom over her eyes with an expression of dread. Olivier awaited her answer until she noticed the priestess stepped back silently. Thus, the musketeer stopped her with a quick, firm grip on her left arm.
"You did something... haven't you?" Olivier spoke monotonously. "Tell me, Sasha, have you been hiding your secrets?"
"Olivier, please... hear me out." Sasha shivered with a deep breath while taking a gulp. She didn't want Olivier to be upset about this. "The sole reason they were after me... The truth is..."
Ash held his breath to hear Sasha telling the inevitable truth while Olivier felt her shoulders tremble despite standing firmly. The musketeer herself swore her neck had just felt the tip of the blade, made of betrayal.
"I am no longer a member of the Order. Because my actions alone have done against the lord's teachings..." Sasha felt a painful pang in her heart while looking down, and thus she noticed Oliver's expression remain still, but her eyes were glowering at her. "I made a shelter for the mamono children who lost their parents and then provided information to the monster village to prevent further bloodshed unleashed by the Armies of the Order."
Olivier fell in deathly silence, and her eyes went blank. Yet her fists balled. "Did you also share the information about the kingdom's defences?"
"... Yes." Sasha nod.
The musketeer couldn't help but felt her hands shaking and slowly reached out for her dagger. Ash caught her move in caution until she stopped before breathing out loud in frustration. Sasha felt a sensation of relief that it didn't escalate into a quarrel... until the musketeer raised her hand.
*SLAP!*
Thus, Olivier did a swift, hard slap and left a red imprint on Sasha's left cheek. The priestess reeled back in shock once she felt a numb sensation where she landed the hit. Everyone stepped back out in bewilderment after witnessing what Olivier had just done.
"After we had been through... I once looked up to you..." Sasha couldn't say a word, Olivier's voice quivered and grew spiteful for her. "I trusted you, and even Wilmarina herself, the king, everyone... Until you come up with a stupid plan to save our kingdom!? Our home!?... Sasha... WHAT ARE YOU EVEN THINKING!?"
The priestess caressed her cheek, trying her best to apologise to the musketeer for her actions. "I-I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to-"
"Now you're saying sorry!? Is that how you will apologise to us!?" Oliver vented out her frustration even further at the veteran heroine while her tears swelled out. "How will we ever forgive you because your actions turned our home into a godforsaken demon realm, YOU DAMN TRAITOR!"
Oliver raised her hand once more. She felt someone stop her wrist to prevent another hit on Sasha. Olivier spun around in to see Ash, who grabbed her wrists firmly. The musketeer seethed and wrestled his hand to let her go.
"L-Let go of me!" Olivier shrieked out in resentment. "I'm not through with her yet!"
"That's enough," Ash said monotonously in a bitter voice, which stopped her frustration. "She told you everything."
"But how about you!?" Olivier cried out, while her wrist is still suspended by Ash. "Are you not angry about what she did!?"
"I did... but that was no longer of my concern. Lescatie was already beyond help, and their corruption alone dragged the attention of the Demon Lord's forces before the invasion even began." Ash explained while looking down at the musketeer with cold eyes behind his helmet visor. "There is nothing I could do to prevent that."
"Nothing to prevent that!? But you were strong! You've slain a god! Yet where were you when the invasion began!?" The musketeer angrily spat out. "You could've saved us from our wretched fate on that day of the siege!"
"I don't want to gain unnecessary attention," Ash replied bitterly. "Especially, it will also attract those who came from realms of the Gods. But I trust none of them."
Olivier then looks at him with disdain and her eyes narrow with spite. "Tch! Let go of me."
"As you wish."
Ash then released her wrist before Olivier stomped her way past Adelmar and Reginald, thus leaving the tavern with the door slammed shut. Jennifer and Siegward then spun their attention to Sasha with worry until the priestess fell on her knees to the ground and broke down with a sob.
"Sieglinde, fetch me some warm milk for her," Jennifer ordered Sieglinde, to which she responded to her mother with a nod.
Jennifer's daughter felt sorry for Sasha and went to the kitchen. Elaine helped the priestess to get up on her feet and rubbed her shoulders in comfort.
"Damn, I didn't know you just made one big mess." Elaine sighed. She knew betrayal is something not to be forgiven. Yet Sasha didn't seem to be a person to turn her back on them, either. "Listen, we'll find a way for her to forgive you."
"But how... how will they forgive me...?" Sasha quivered, still feeling down. "I cannot atone for my own sins I've committed..."
"Sasha isn't the only one." Everyone then turned their attention to Elen. "There are others who did more than hers, right?"
Sasha was silent for a while before nodding. Elen then sighed in relief. "Yeah, that's what I think about."
"Still, handing out information does not interest the Demon Lord's army, but the Order takes that as a treasonable offence." Everyone then turns to Lucrezia, who explained the details with a long sigh. "In a conflict between the Holy Order and the Demon Realm, the odds were always stacked to the monster's favour, whatever it takes place. As for Lescatie, the monsters only did is to play out their defences for a while until the stronger ones can simply roll in to take what they please."
"But... how did you know about that?" Sasha questioned while wiping off her tears. "The Order was always vigilant, but our odds against them are... low?"
"The Order of Mirrah and our allies received any valuable information from the Vinheim clan," Lucrezia explained while closing her eyes. "They've observed every scenario from previous decades and the Order isn't playing well in their games."
"So... even when the Heroes are on the side of the Order... did not fare well at all?" Sasha questioned, as she grew dreadful. "Then... when I became a hero, it's still hopeless?"
"I hate to say this, Sasha. They did turn you into a Dark Priest from a couple of weeks prior and succeeded it without failure." Ash said while pointing out. "Then yes, that result alone tells how hopeless your situation can be. Even you, as a hero, the monster mana will always find a way to exploit and seduce your desire without giving a chance to retaliate."
Sasha then exhaled, stumped by this information. "By the Chief God... this is truly dreadful."
"Don't be down, Sasha. At least the Federation is lucky for having the Five Factions," Lucena said with a proud smile while patting Sasha on her left shoulder. "But don't you worry, we're here to help you whenever you got any troubles!"
"When I first heard about a mess you made, then it must be those blokes in Lescatie who create it first," Reginald said with some encouragement towards the Priestess. "Then worry not, I and my sister will help it out."
"Of course we, too," Arcturus said with a heartfelt tone while Gerome and Elaine stood to his side. "You may have abandoned your Order. But I know you aren't a bad person too. All you just did is you do your best to help people out."
Sasha was surprised at hearing that everyone was going to help her out until Ash made a smiled behind his helmet. "Well, Sasha, looks like they haven't abandoned you."
The priestess felt a wave of relief swell in her heart. She might have thought that everyone will leave her behind for creating a big mess in Lescatie and knew that the widespread corruption is a big issue back in the days before it became a Demon Realm, yet her newfound companions will do support her of undoing the problem.
She couldn't help but smiled. "Everyone... thank you..."
Outside the tavern, Olivier watched Sasha surrounded by her companions while peeking through the windows. She saw them giving the Priestess their support to find a way to reverse Lescatie back to its pre-transformation state. The musketeer felt disappointed in herself and underestimated the friendship of her newfound comrades have so much trust for Sasha and didn't see her as a traitor.
They knew she wasn't just a bad person, but a person who did her best to save the people out of desperation. Olivier knew Lescatie was corrupt to the core, which gains the attention of the Demon Lord's army. She still couldn't forgive Sasha after what she did to her homeland, but for now they're on a quest to save their home.
But on one issue, which made Olivier exhale deeply. "That idiot... how will they forgive you?"
...
Dragonia, 26 Years ago.
...
"Her highness is wounded! Quick, patch up her shoulders!"
"It's healing, but her arm won't grow back."
"This is terrible. I have never seen such a wound that refuses the healing magic."
The young Alto-Eris saw several doctors and Wyverns of the Dragon Knights Order gathered themselves inside the room of the Royal Red Dragon. She saw many had worry and dread filled on their faces. The young dragon clutched her dragon plushy while a person standing next to her right was her father.
"Come Alti, let's go see the queen right away."
Her father clutched the hand of his dragon daughter tight and went through the crowd of doctors until they reached the bed chamber of Deonora. Dracolinde, the queen's younger sister, was trying to feed her older sister some nutrition to get her feeling better, but she doesn't respond to eat. That is not until she noticed a pair of visitors approached the queen and shock struck their faces to see the Dragon Queen was lying on her bed, severely crippled that costed her arm.
"By the heavens, your highness..."
"Papa... what happened to the queen?"
The red dragon then raised her head up before expressing her anguished look towards the incubus father and the young dragon; she knew who these two individuals were, and they were the family who belonged to one of her most-respected Dragon Knights of the Order.
"Ah... I know you two... you are her husband and her daughter, I presume?" Deonora said with a hoarse voice. How will she tell about her death after that terrible battle? "You are looking for her, do you?"
"Yes, I was waiting for her after two days." Alto-Eris' father answered while expressing worry. "Is my wife alright, then where is she...?"
The husband of the dragon knight waited for her answer, but the Queen remained quiet before looking down with grief, and the incubus then soon understood what had just happened.
"I'm sorry... forgive me..." The Red Dragon uttered as she clutched her claws together, and tears swelled out from her eyes. "Your wife... is no longer..."
The incubus felt his eyes went wide in shock. After two days of waiting for his wife to come back home, he expected her heroic arrival to give their daughter a happy image of what it means to be a proud Dragon Knight. But she didn't. After Queen Deonora's return to the Kingdom. Instead of cheers for the return of the Red Dragon. Only sorrow and fear loomed over the royal capital when they heard the news of the Queen's personal army has been decimated by a lone Golden Knight.
Now he knows why the people were grieving around the city when they heard the news of their wives and daughters who never came back to their usual lives. Not even his own wife was spared by the murderous knight. Alto-Eris looked up curiously at her father, who shed a tear while hugging his daughter in much to her confusion.
"Daddy...? Why are you crying?" Alto-Eris asked. "Where is mama?"
Her father didn't say another word while rubbing the back of her head until he whispered. "Mommy... is not coming back home."
After hearing that, Alto-Eris reeled back in surprise. The Red Dragon Queen Deonora couldn't help but make a deep sigh. She wanted to give the daughter of the Dragon Knight a grim reality. But she didn't enjoy telling this, yet she couldn't help it keeping a secret.
"Alto-Eris... I'm afraid to say that your mother is no longer with us."
"Huh? Why not!?" The young dragon then turned to the queen with worry. "She promises me to come back home and visit the Order of the Dragon Knights together!"
Deonora then looked up to her father for a while until he nods in admittance before looking back to Alto-Eris. The Queen understands him and accepted his responsibility that it is the time his daughter needs to face reality.
"Alti... the reason she is no longer coming back... she's..."
Thus, Alto-Eris dropped her plushy to the ground once she heard the word.
"Dead."
That was the word of truth she heard from the queen. Never in her life will she hear that word that forever scarred her innocent mind. The young dragon knew what it means, but little did she know that such a tragedy would befall her beloved mother who will never come back home. Queen Deonora felt her heart sink once she sees the young dragon was starting of having blank eyes. All were emotionless and had no reaction.
"Dead...? No, she is not dead, right papa?" Alto-Eris looks up to her father while in denial, yet he couldn't help but look away. "Papa! Mama is not dead! She's strong and I knew it! Please, tell me she isn't dead!"
"I'm sorry, young one... but that is the truth." Dracolinde and the doctors felt pity for the young dragon, while Deonora continued her explanation. "You must face it... the world is not always filled with happiness and rainbows."
"Big sister! Don't tell her that!" Dracolinde pleaded. She didn't think her older sister would tell those words to an innocent young dragon. "Please, she needs to-"
"I don't. This is my responsibility and I will take it as the leader of this kingdom." Deonora intercepts, telling Dracolinde without batting an eye while looking away from her younger sister. "I've seen the hell, which no one thinks it will be possible. She needs to accept this reality and move on."
Little did the queen know something has awakened within the soul of Alto-Eris. A flame burning with passion and fury, the young dragon realised her new reality in her life would become. From an enraging spirit, thoughts of vengeance swell into her mind. Replacing those happy memories with her mother as it burns away, now with an image of herself being grown up to defeat the infamous Golden Knight, the man responsible for taking away her happiness.
Alto-Eris trembled as she felt tears trail down her cheeks. Her teeth grit and clenched her claws together.
'Mommy... when I grow up to become a Dragon Knight... I will make him pay for what he did to us!'
...
Present Day... Uncharted Buffer Regions.
...
"Mmhh~... Huh?"
Alto-Eris slowly opened her eyes before yawning from her wake while stretching her arms until she felt a sensation of pain. She looked down and sees her own torso and noticed her forehead, all wrapped up in bandages. To her confusion, where is she and who patched her up? The young Dragon Knight finds herself inside some sort of wooden cabin and lying on a neat bed.
Thus, her memories struck her head like a lightning. She remembers the pain she got into a fight against a young dragonslayer named Artor, the son of Ornstein. She couldn't help but felt frustrated how he defeated her after efforts while going through years of advanced training she had received as a knave were all for nothing.
"What will mother tell me if she were here...?" Alto-Eris groaned while massaging her temples.
She slowly gets up from the bed and looked around the room, thus she went for the door and opened it. Alto-Eris then peeked out to see if someone was nearby, but all she sees is none. She went through the hallways and saw a cosy living room with the fireplace still burning. The Dragon Knight felt her sense that someone was still there, but no one was inside the house, which means someone was outside.
Alto-Eris went for the door leading outside and saw the outside world. It was indeed a beautiful sight to behold. She finds herself on some mountain that is lush with green grass, and beautiful flowers everywhere under the clear blue skies. Everyone in Dragonia might find this place beautiful and could've turned it into an attractive tourist spot and an economic boost for Dragonia's Travel Bureau.
That is not until her thoughts were interrupted once she saw a person sitting near the river stream. He appears to have messy orange-red hair and is wearing casual clothing. The curious dragon saw him fishing with a wooden rod and she cautiously walked down the path to greet him, but she grew concerned to see that this man was unusually taller than an ordinary human. Such a height gave her an unpleasant reminder about Artor, but she shakes off those thoughts and goes to the point of asking him.
"U-Um, hello?"
The man then perked up and turns his gaze around without showing his face and noticed the young dragon knight was greeting him casually.
"Oh, you're finally awake." The man then smiled. "Did you sleep well?"
"Y-Yeah... sort of... thanks for patching me up..." Alto-Eris was unsure. She could've sworn she kinda knew the voice of this man. "Wait, your voice is familiar... have we met before?"
"Huh, do you remember what happened?" He asked before some fish caught his bait.
Upon hearing his question, Alto-Eris narrowed her eyes in spite as she remembers her last battle. "Yes... but I don't want to speak about it."
"I see. Looks like you had a rough day."
The man said while standing up after dropping the fish into the wooden bucket. Alto-Eris blushed madly once she saw the man's full identity on his face when he faced her. He is undoubtedly handsome and his skin was almost white as snow as if he was some prince and his eyes were pale yellow. That is not until her daydreaming of claiming him as her husband was interrupted once her thoughts of him were replaced with his carefree, cocky smile.
"A dragon who couldn't even handle the Lightning of the Lord. How silly."
Hearing the word "Lightning" made her reel back in surprise and furrowed her eyes out of suspicion.
"Who are you?"
"Well, let me reintroduce myself." The man then presents himself. "The name's Artor, Son of Ornstein. Dragonslayer... and a local angler in this piece of land."
Alto-Eris froze after hearing his name until rage welled up in her mind, taking an immediate fighting stance.
"SO IT'S YOU! I can't let you get away with this-ARGH!" Thus, she felt an abominable pain shearing within before dropping her knees against the ground. She cursed herself that her condition hadn't fully recovered. "D-Damn you!"
"You haven't recovered yet," Artor said with a pitiful sigh. "Just get back to bed and I'll just wait until you leave this place."
"N-No! I still haven't got my revenge against your murderous father!" The Dragon Knight hissed while clutching her belly. "Especially, I have to get rid of you too!"
"Huh. Me too?" Artor questioned while pointing at himself with a dumbfounded expression before tilting his head sideways. "Seriously, you have a vast amount of vengeance in your mind. But we just met."
"SHUT UP!" Despite her injuries, the Dragon Knight charged forth with her uninjured hand. "Take this!"
Her fist shot out, but Artor stepped aside as he dodged her attack and missed. Alto-Eris tripped and fell to the ground, and groaned in pain. She spat in fury while trying to stand up, yet she was knocked out once Artor hit his fishing rod on top of her head. Smacking her head into the ground with a loud thud.
"Guhh!... Grrrr!"
"Just give up. Doing this will never lead you anywhere." Artor said firmly. "It will also never grant thee to achieve something in life ."
"I-... I trained my whole life for this... But why...? Why would you spare me? Am I too weak?" Alto-Eris then clutched her hand on top of her head while striking daggers at Artor. Despite the hate in her eyes, tears swelled out. "No... I can't be weak. I'm a dragon and you're just a mere human! The world doesn't work that way!"
"That's where you're wrong... I am no mere human, dragon." The Dragon Knight then chilled once Artor spoke in a voice, so firm yet powerful, like a king while the sun shines its light upon him, making him a radiant god to her eyes. "I am a Lord. A race from Lordran where my kin has slain the Dragons into extinction. Thus, facing a Dragonslayer will only mean an immediate death sentence."
'A... lord?'
Alto-Eris swore that his scent reeks are awfully similar to the humans. But to her concern that he is taller than any human who comes across. But what baffles her is that his spirit energy seems void, and this is shocking. How does this person even live and why does she feel there's an aura of divinity that radiates from this man? Is this man blessed with divine powers from a god? A hero, perhaps? No, as her scent caught something off is his lack of mana.
Hundreds of thoughts crossed her mind until the Dragon Knight shakes them away.
"A race called Lords, huh," Alto-Eris fumed with a pout while turning her gaze away from him. "You don't seem to be a Lord, but a mere peasant."
"Hah!... Well, you're not wrong." Artor chuckled heartfully in admittance while scratching the back of his head. "It's just a name of who we are. We were just merely different from humans."
Once seeing his smile, her cheeks blushed until it came to her horrid realisation; her mamono instincts are taking over her head and thus forcing her to claim this man who had just defeated her in a deadly duel and spared her life will become her husband. Because of her nature as a dragon, whoever defeats her is a worthy candidate to be her partner for life. Yet Alto-Eris didn't like this at all and this disturbs her. Artor is the son of an infamous Dragonslayer and he had dealt with other dragons who've been displaying their tempting beauty to the eyes of men.
Unfortunately, this guy does not act like other men and would she bear his children after what they did to her kin? No, it's like loving the murderer who keeps on killing and she would never stand such consequences, which could only bring shame to Dragonia. The Dragon Knight then hides her flustered reaction behind her pair of claws as Artor then looked down at the dragon mamono in his concern as she fidgets, and then she noticed his eyes looking at her.
"D-Don't look at me like that!" Alto-Eris cried out as she quivered while her cheeks grew red. "Get your filthy dragonslayer eyes away from me! It's making me crazy!"
"Huh... now you're one weird dragon." Artor chuckled before heading his way into the wooden cabin. "Get some rest while I will roast some fish. You're getting hungry."
Alto-Eris then made a pout as she crossed her arms. "I'm not hungry..."
*GROAN~!*
The Dragon Knight felt her empty stomach make a loud growl. She looks down while trying to hide the embarrassing scowl on her face and her ears picked up. Hearing Artor made a slight chuckle.
"D-Damn you...!" Alto-Eris growled in frustration while slamming her fist against the ground. "I will defeat you, Artor. Then I will have the chance once I recover!"
After her outrage, Alto-Eris stood up on her feet and stomped her way into the cabin. She has never felt so frustrated in her life. At first; she wanted to kill him and then her mamono instincts were kicking in while trying to repress it. No matter if it were for love, such as the Demon Lord's wishes, has been ingrained in her soul ever since she was born. Alto-Eris will never accept to love this man, a person who does not hesitate to kill.
Yet why does her soul feel warmth and comfort whenever she sees his face?
"Why won't you love him?"
'Dammit, don't do this to me...!' Hearing her inner voice, the dragon clutched her head. Gritting her teeth while trying to repress her urges. 'I will never love him!'
"But aren't you born to love humans? That is the wish of the Demon Lord."
'No! Fuck you! He isn't human!' She couldn't handle it. Her mind went numb and her vision went blurry as she felt a numb sensation until her head felt hitting the floor. 'Why would I love him?... Just why?'
"... wouldn't that make your mother sad? How will she be happy when you were rejecting your love for this man?"
"I don't wanna...!" Alto-Eris spoke regretfully before a hick-up. Thus Artor came around the corner and was surprised to see her curling on the floor in pain as if she was suffering from a headache. "I just don't want to..."
"Hey, are you alright?" The Dragon Knight then sees Artor kneeling down to her side and had a worried look on his face before carrying her up into his arms. "Don't worry, I'll patch you up."
'Artor... why are you so worried about me...? I hated you and yet...' Her mind spoke while her vision slowly blacks out. 'No matter how I hate you... Why do you still care for me?... Artor, please answer me.'
...
Kingdom of Gaul, Town of Gerth.
...
"So there we go, up to jail with you fellas!"
It was sunrise. The Gaulian Soldiers led the soldiers and knights of the Order in chains and shove them inside an armoured wagon, including the undercover inquisitor, Royce, who is among the captives. Siegward and the Mayor of the Town bid the authorities a farewell once they left the settlement through the gates.
"Huh, it's the first time the town had illegal visitors from Order territory." The mayor said worryingly while wiping off the sweat from his forehead with his handkerchief. "Say Siegward, who are they tracking down to arrest?"
"Oh, it was just a former member of their Order," Siegward answered while looking over at Ash and Sasha. "But the issue has been solved. So there are no worries."
The mayor then made a relieving sigh. "I see. Well then, then they won't be sending another. I do sure hope to keep this town safe."
In other parts of the town, Reginald went through the market plaza to browse for useful items. Yet unbeknownst to him, he was, in fact, unaware of a single individual who was stalking him somewhere around the corner.
'Is he there?'
Daniella peeked out from the corner of the wall and sees Reginald went for another vendor. The Dhampir of the Demon Realm made a quiet gulp followed his trail. That is not until once she took a sharp turn, her face hit someone in the chest. She reeled back and fell on her butt. Daniella rubbed her rear in pain before looking up and her body froze.
"What are you doing here?"
She caught Reginald was striking a pair of daggers on her, waiting for her answer. Danielle quickly gets up on her feet and made an apologetic bow.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry for bumping you!" She apologised. "P-Please... I don't want to fight and hear me out, will you?"
Reginald then raised his eyebrow in curios. "Then speak."
"Okay... uhh-... Um, w-will you..." Then the dhampir nervously fidgeted while pressed her index fingers together. "Will you... go out with me?"
Reginald raised his eyebrow. '... Wait, is she for real?'
At that point, Reginald stood unresponsive while still having a blank look in his eyes while unbeknownst to the couple. Elen has been watching over them from a distant rooftop. Her jaw slacked down in disbelief and she couldn't believe what she was hearing; the words coming out from the mouth of another dhampir made her feel agitated.
'What the... what the heck did she say!?' Elen was shaken, ready to draw her knife.
'This woman... she really wants me to go on a date? Sounds silly...' Reginald sighed. 'Daniella is indeed cute and being a dummy, and she's been following me ever since we first met... does she really want me that badly?... Probably... perhaps let's see how this will turn out for having a girlfriend.'
"Hmm... sure, why not? But make sure this date of ours is supposed to be normal."
The dhampir of the Radical faction had never felt so happy to hear his answer. Reginald had been around the town for several weeks and despite being a "prisoner,", they did share talks with each other within the tavern bar. After the attempted undead invasion of the town, they share their quarrels. But after a few days and her last night apologising to Reginald, they seem to be quite close.
At the corner of the building from one block away, Elen's eyes then narrowed at Daniella in spite. "I'd better keep an eye on you..."
...
Chapter 33: Ends.
Secret Info: Unlocked.
Dhampirs of Mirrah:
The Dhampirs of the Mirrah Order were always been a valuable asset to the secretive Albionese Agency. Not just because of their hard work, but they possess a unique skill that proved the Knights Order of Mirrah a dangerous adversary to the Agents of the Order and the Royal Makai.
Bloodsucking: Unlike the previous generations of Dhampirs, whose bites are said to be pleasurable and intoxicating. Their bites of these unusual breeds are the total opposite and painful. No, really. It wasn't pleasurable at all and it's really REALLY painful that you need an extra bandage for covering your wounds. I've tried it on one of their Dhampir Knights to feel as if their bites really hurt, but I just let my curiosity kill me. Luckily, their bites won't turn anyone into a monster or incubi due to their lack of Demonic Energy.
But the downside is that it will suck away the vital energy of their paralyzed victims and weaken them, which might lead to their deaths if uncontrolled, either their targets were human or mamono. Yet regardless, this is their advantage to gain some boost increase for their extraordinary powers or physical strength and speed for some extended time. Fortunately, there are some individual Mirrah Dhampir Knights who know an alternate method of bloodsucking without killing their victims.
Memory Drain: Their bloodsucking abilities do not always grant them an increase in physical enhancements or magic powers. The Dhampirs can choose which attunement they need if it were for battle. But if it were for intelligence, they can inherit the Memories of their victims through the connection of their blood for valuable information.
In such cases, upon marrying a retired Mirrah Dhampir Knight, their husbands should always stay obedient to their wives. Because of this ability, it secures their married relationship.
One single fun fact; When a vampire wife is unsure of the words of her husband and her first-born human children, with who they shared the blood of the Five factions. She will use her dhampir daughter as a living lie detector in the family.