Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only. This story is an alternate version of the Osaka arc with differences from the original; please refer to the footnotes at the end. Once again, I would like to thank my beta readers and editors, xLightningToki and Falchion1984, for their help in making this fic possible. Enjoy and please review :)

Chapter 2: Frenemies, Part I

December 14 2020

Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, Russia *1*

In the grand Bolshoi Theatre, a young blonde ballet dancer paused briefly as she made eye contact with the sole audience of her entire company's performance of Swan Lake *2*. The handsome face that accompanied his intense gaze made her blush slightly before turning away lest he noticed her staring.

Despite having been burned by numerous fires and rebuilt over the centuries since its construction in 1780, as well as bombed during the Second World War, the elegant Russian theater remained one of the most famous historic landmarks as well as the pride and joy of its country and her people.

Second Progenitor, Urd Geales, Vampire King of Russia (or Czar *3*), as well as the rest of the former Soviet Union, *4*did not move a muscle from his seat on the theater's balcony where he remained as still as a statue. He did not even blink, but his ruby-eyed stare was intense as he lightly rested his cheek in a gloved hand. Were he human, he might have smiled upon catching the pretty young dancer looking at him.

But unfortunately, such expressions no longer came easily to the blond-haired and dusky-skinned vampire lord who appeared no older than a young man of thirty despite living nearly two millennia.

"Yes, what can I do for you, Lord Karr?" Urd asked suddenly without turning around, startling his newly arrived visitor. Though he sounded polite enough, his voice was flat and without emotion.

Few things actually astonished Third Progenitor, Lest Karr, including his lord's keen and sharp senses, even among vampires.

"How did you know it was me?" the younger vampire lord asked curiously in his thick German accent.

"Only you would dare come up from behind me unannounced," Urd replied with a soft Russian accent despite being of Persian decent.

"True. Not like you actually need an announcement considering that you could hear and smell me coming from a mile away. I hope I'm not interrupting anything; I know how much you enjoy these performances. If you don't mind my asking, what's so interesting about watching livestock sing and dance? Do you find the blood of talented performers more pleasing than that of normal humans, my lord?"

Though it was an innocent enough question, at least one for a vampire, it was also another inquiry no one asides from Lest Karr would ever dare make of Urd Geales, even Ferid Bathory.

No, that isn't right. Krul could also be quite daring if she was genuinely interested, Lest thought with amusement.

Instead of answering his question, at least the second half, Urd merely said:

"If you truly wish to know, then kindly join me for the performance. Otherwise, state your business."

The younger vampire lord could not help frowning in disappointment at Urd's remark. Even after all these centuries, Lest could not, for the life of him, understand what his liege found so fascinating about livestock that could sing, dance, paint, write, whatever. Like Krul, Lest himself had been turned at an age younger than most vampires normally were. Were he not a third progenitor, he likely would have not been taken seriously by the lower-ranking nobles or common vampires due to his childish appearance (and occasionally childish behavior).

And despite being among the oldest of their kind, Lest still retained some youthful immaturity- a common trait of vampires who were turned before they had the chance to reach and experience adulthood as humans.

"My lord, is it so wrong for me to simply pay you a visit? If you are concerned about my post being unguarded, rest assured that my governance over Germany and the rest of Western Europe is without fault and everything is well in hand. After all, I did learn from the best."

"If that is true, then you should know that ruling through fear and oppression can only last so long and would inevitably open the door to rebellion, Lest. That is why I do not prefer such methods to maintain order in my domain."

Although he did not consider himself a tyrant, at least not by his own standards, the younger noble thought it best not to try and refute Urd's implication that his rule was oppressive. In Lest's own opinion, he believed himself to be just as benevolent a ruler as Urd Geales towards his human and vampire subjects, and that the only reason he was not as revered the second progenitor was due to his lack of genuine interest in human culture.

"I apologize, my lord. I understand and respect that the humans and lower vampires revere you because of your wise and benevolent rule, one that I can only hope to live up to one day. Unlike Krul, however…"

As if reading his mind, Urd finally sighed and cut Lest off. "Enough with that, Lest. I know there is no love lost between you and Krul, but she is a competent ruler. And even if you believe your rule over Western Europe is perfect, biting off more than you can chew is unwise."

Despite Urd's back being turned to him, Lest still refrained from letting his disappointment show on his face. As someone who deeply admired and respected his liege, Lest Karr compelled himself to remain poised at all times in Urd's presence, as if the older vampire lord had eyes in the back of his head and could read his every thought and expression as easily as he might the text in his untouched program to this absurd play.

Lest was about to apologize to Urd again when a voice of an alarmed vampire guard interrupted them.

"My lords! There's been a livestock uprising in Japan! I think it has something to do with the Seraph of the End experiments by the humans!"

Now that caught Urd's attention, and he finally turned around to face Lest and the vampire guard. Despite the alarming news, the second progenitor remained calm and asked the guard to repeat himself to make sure he heard him right.

"Report," he commanded. "Are you certain that is what it is? And does Krul know anything about it? I trusted her word when she claimed to have halted the experiments. Has she somehow failed?"

"I am not certain, my lord. All I know is that we've received an urgent transmission from Japan requesting an emergency session of the Progenitor Council and your permission to proceed as soon as possible, sir!"

Seeing an opportunity to finally wrest power and control over Japan along with the rest of the eastern Pacific islands from Krul, Lest happily took it.

"Oh, really?" he asked innocently in a tone that almost reminded Urd of Ferid. "It looks like the humans were too much for Krul to handle after all. However, if I were in control of Japan, none of this-"

Not in the mood for Lest's obvious attempt at a power grab, Urd sharply cut him off.

"That's enough, Lest," he said in a tone that told the younger vampire lord not to test his patience before turning to the guardsman. "Very well. We shall convene at Saint Basil's Cathedral at once."

"Yes, as you command, my lord. Shall I have a car and driver ready for you?"

Urd nodded as he finally stood up and gave the guard his approval.

"Yes, please," he said politely, startling Lest a second time. As a second progenitor as well as current leader of the vampires in place of the missing first progenitor, they all knew that Urd Geales had absolutely no obligation to show a mere guard such courtesy.

And though he was curious, Lest also knew it wasn't his place to question his liege. Instead, he decided it best to change the subject.

"Would you like me to accompany you as well, my lord?"

"It would certainly be the most logical thing to do since I prefer not to waste time," Urd answered simply as he allowed the vampire guard to help him put on his dark coat. Like Lest, he always made sure he was well-dressed and his appearance never less than impeccable with his fashionable 19th century inspired ensemble.

As a third progenitor, Lest knew that his presence would be required at the council anyway. And while he was genuinely curious, even a bit concerned, to know what the humans could have done that would cause even Krul Tepes difficulty, the child-like vampire lord was still confident that he would be able to deal with their rebellion more efficiently. It was also no secret among the other progenitors that Lest Karr was something of an opportunist who would love to expand his own empire by seizing any chance to prove to Urd that he was more fit to rule over Krul's domain as well.

"Of course, my lord," he replied pleasantly. "Lead the way."

Urd said nothing else as he made a gesture and beckoned Lest to follow him. Minutes later, both of them were sitting in the back of a luxurious black Mercedes Benz making its way to the centuries-old Saint Basil's Cathedral in Red Square. Lest didn't know why, but he found the silence between himself and Urd rather awkward, so he tried to make conversation when they passed by some children as their ride approached Red Square.

Looking out the window from his side, Lest was about to feign interest in the human children so that he would have something to engage in conversation with Urd when he suddenly noticed something about them that actually did catch his interest: all of the children were dressed in normal civilian clothes and not the white uniforms of the human livestock in Sanguinem or ragged attire of the free humans who managed to survive on the surface in Japan either. Looking around, Lest noticed that every human he saw were clad in rather fashionable attire of decent to praiseworthy quality.

"I'm impressed, my lord," Lest began in awe. "Your human subjects look quite happy and content. You've even allowed them a beneficent level of culture. In fact, now that I've gotten a good look at this city, it's like the Apocalypse never happened at all here. You really must tell me your secret."

"I believe I already have, if you remember our conversation back at the theater, Lest," Urd replied smoothly while gazing out his own window.

Lest turned his head towards him, but the older vampire lord kept his gaze out the window. It wasn't often Lest felt ridiculous, but this time, he did feel rather silly making an inquiry in which he had already received an answer from his liege not that long ago.

"Of course, I remember. Forgive me, my lord," Lest apologized. "I can see that you have successfully built a model society where humans and vampires live in peace, truly a shining example to us all."

Urd finally raised his brow at Lest's words, as if unsure whether they were genuine or not. Especially since he never saw the younger vampire lord showed any interest or appreciation for human culture or their talents and abilities. Lest pretty much made that clear when he asked Urd if he was more interested in the blood of humans gifted in the performing arts rather than their actual talents.

"Hmm? Do I detect sarcasm in your words, Lest?" Urd asked, genuinely curious to see how Lest would respond.

"No, of course not!" Lest insisted. "It was truly a compliment! I may not look like it, but I actually do care what my subjects think of me, whether they be humans or vampires; and I mean it from the bottom of my heart."

Unlike Ferid, who had no qualms about lying through his teeth, Lest was sincere when paying compliments to others if he felt they were deserved. And Lest was certain that Urd's human subjects revered him far more than their past leaders for his benevolent rule, an irony in itself considering that he was a vampire while the worst and most oppressive rulers in Russian history were humans. Urd Geales may have been stern when need be, but he was no Vladimir Putin *5* or Joseph Stalin. *6*

Once they arrived at the cathedral, the driver parked right out in front before stepping outside to open the door for Urd and Lest. As he always did with those who served him, Urd remembered to thank the man before turning to Lest and making a silent gesture for the younger vampire lord as well as driver to follow.

Although Lest had been here many times for past progenitor council meetings and knew his way around quite well, he said nothing but nodded quietly and simply followed Urd. As always, he made sure to humbly walk behind his liege and allow him to lead the way out of respect and reverence.

As they walked down the hallways to the progenitor council room, Lest could not help noticing for the first time that the interior of the cathedral looked almost brand new despite being centuries old. Now that he thought of it, so did the outside of the cathedral as well. It didn't take Lest long to realize that Urd had invested more time, money, and resources into maintaining the pristine appearance of the capital city from where he governed his domain than other high-ranking vampire progenitors did. This included Krul, who did not care if most of Sanguinem was a rundown and filthy expanse of ghettos so long as her own palace was opulent.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, the two progenitors finally arrived at the door to the council chamber. The driver, who had been following them, opened the door and stepped aside.

"We have arrived, my lords. Will there be anything else?"

"No, that will be all. You may go," Urd answered courteously before taking a what looked like a banknote worth over seven thousand Russian rubles, the equivalent of roughly a hundred American dollars, out of his shirt pocket and offering it to the driver. The gesture astonished Lest once more since he thought it was a rather generous tip for a short drive and opening a door.

The driver bowed in gratitude as he accepted the tip money. "I thank you for your generosity, Lord Geales. Have a good day," he said before finally taking his leave.

After the driver had left, Urd and Lest went inside the room. Since the summons was very sudden, there was no time to make preparations, as would have been done over the course of several days for a normal council meeting. However, Urd was not bothered by the informality; his main concern was to address the urgent issue at hand and he did not hesitate to connect the transmission to Kyoto himself, a menial task normally done by the vampire servants when making preparations for progenitor council meetings.

Although he knew that now was not an appropriate time to bring it up, Lest had to admit to himself that he was rather impressed with Urd's ability as well as interest in keeping up to date on human technology, a quality that most powerful progenitors lacked. After all, they had no need to operate computers and other modern devices themselves since the younger common vampires, who also continued to upgrade the operating systems and internet wi-fi in place of the humans, could do it for them.

And despite his rank, Urd did not think it beneath him to perform menial tasks himself if no one else was available to do so in his place; he could even find the app he needed among the sea of countless apps without thinking about it.

After a few moments of flashing static on the projection screens, one of them, to Urd and Lest's surprise, finally cleared up enough to show the smiling face of Ferid Bathory, who was also waving cheerfully to catch their attention.

"Testing! Testing! Can anyone see me?" Ferid asked in his usual singsong tone that often annoyed and irritated Krul considering that he was a constant presence in her life as well as thorn in her side. However, Urd and Lest gave Ferid a look of indifference because they rarely ever saw or spoke to him, especially since he was of a lower station than themselves.

Unfortunately, there was one other high-ranking progenitor who did not take Ferid's summons as well as Urd and Lest.

As soon as Third Progenitor, Nix Parthe, who was attending the impromptu council from his palace in the British Isles, *7*saw the visage of the silver-haired vampire lord from his own screen, his face and expression darkened in anger.

"What the hell?! You're not even a member of this council yet you dare call for it to be convened, Ferid Bathory?!" he shouted furiously. Judging by the third progenitor's tantrum, Urd and Lest easily surmised that Ferid must have caught him at a bad time.

Knowing that even Ferid would not be foolish enough to overstep his bounds and call for a progenitor council meeting without a good reason, Urd raised his hand to cut off the more hot-tempered Nix Parthe.

"Silence, Lord Parthe," he ordered sharply before turning to Ferid once more. "Speak, Ferid. I trust you have a good reason for convening this council meeting in Lady Krul's place? Has something happened to her?"

Although he sounded patient and civil enough, it was not lost on everyone present that Urd did not refer to Ferid by his noble title, as if the informality was Urd's way of showing displeasure towards the silver-haired vampire lord for his insolence, or to make Ferid realize that the consequences would not be pleasant if Urd did not like what he told him.

Smiling shamelessly as if he were totally unaware (or uncaring) of this fact, Ferid threw up his arms and began in his usual annoying sing-song tone that made Lest roll his eyes, but he nonetheless held his tongue.

"Well, you see, we actually have a surprising and highly inconvenient issue on our hands at the moment…"

As the silver-haired vampire lord prattled on, Crowley stood some distance behind him with his usual look of indifference to anything that did not involve him directly. Though he said nothing, even Crowley had to wonder if Ferid truly had a death wish addressing the rest of the progenitor council in such a flippant manner. It also was not lost on Crowley that Ferid did not even apologize for his impromptu summons of their superiors.

Still, Crowley could not help but find a bit of wry amusement at his "friend's" audacity. Or rather, his insolence, as any other vampire would call it.

"This is interesting," he said in a low voice. "I haven't seen Ferid in such a genuinely good mood in ages."

Unfortunately, the maroon-haired vampire lord's faithful retainers did not share his sentiment since neither of them had any love for Ferid and only tolerated him out of respect for Crowley himself.

"Maybe so, but I'd rather not die for one of his stupid pranks…" Chess muttered, her expression betraying her discomfort and fear.

"Nor I…" Horn added grimly. Although the older vampire woman was better at concealing her thoughts and emotions better than Chess, she also shared her friend's anxiety over how the higher-ups would react to Ferid's words.

As they all predicted, Urd was not amused at Ferid's theatrics even though everyone expected as such from him.

"That's enough, Ferid, get to the point," Urd said in a tone that warned Ferid not to try his patience.

Although it was quite rare for the second progenitor to raise his voice, even the slightest hint of his displeasure was enough to send chills down the spines of the lower-ranking vampires, common and nobles alike, let alone humans.

Knowing that Urd Geales meant business, Ferid finally decided to cut the small talk and do as he was ordered. What he revealed next was enough to send the entire Progenitor Council into a state of shock, even Urd himself.

"Of course, my lord. Anyhow, unbelievable as it may seem…" Ferid began before finally holding up the bound and gagged Krul Tepes by the scruff of her neck and shaking her roughly like an animal for all the other progenitors to see. "I have discovered that Third Progenitor Krul Tepes herself was in league with the humans and their Seraph of the End experiments! In point of fact, they could not have succeeded in their endeavors without her assistance!"

It was quite rare that someone like Urd Geales showed any emotion, having witnessed the folly and destructive antics of humankind again and again for at least two millennia. While he appreciated the impressive achievement of humans as well as the advancement of their culture, society, and technology over the centuries, Urd still considered vampires to be the more "enlightened" race that were above what he considered petty human flaws such as greed and lust for power. So, to hear that one of their own, and a high-ranking progenitor at that, was directly involved in the forbidden Seraph of the End creation, even he could not help but be shocked along with the rest of the Progenitor Council.

"What? How is that possible!?" the other council members demanded.

Ferid smirked as if he were hoping for, even expecting, such a reaction. He knew the Progenitor Council, especially Urd Geales, were not easily impressed and it was not lost on Crowley, Horn, and even Chess that Ferid took a perverse delight in their reactions. Were the situation not so alarming and serious, Urd might have reprimanded Ferid for his disrespectful treatment of Krul, even if she was technically a traitor who lied to the entire Progenitor Council about what really happened with the Hyakuya Sect and their experimental Guinea pigs, the Hyakuya children.

It didn't take Urd long to figure out that not only did Krul fail to destroy the Hyakuya Sect's research, but also preserved it and must have kept at least one or two children bearing the seraph gene alive for the experiment to succeed. Though for what reason, he could not fathom and was about to demand an answer when Ferid interrupted again, but not before releasing Krul and letting her fall to the floor and onto her face with a thud, a deliberate act to further her humiliation.

"But while the humans have succeeded in weaponizing the Seraph of the End with the assistance of the lovely and powerful Queen Krul, I and my most trusted ally, Thirteenth Progenitor Crowley Eusford, willingly risked our lives to uncover her treacherous plot and apprehend her at nearly the last minute!"

Crowley had to refrain from rolling his eyes at Ferid's remark. He knew that his role in taking down Krul was very small and that Ferid did most of the plotting and scheming. However, revealing such would also expose the fact that Ferid knew all along what the pink-haired vampire queen was up to and had neglected to report it to the Progenitor Council sooner, a crime that would have earned him a punishment as great as one that would be inflicted on the perpetrator.

So, he's basically using me to cover his ass…, Crowley thought wryly. Not that it comes as a surprise.

However, he said nothing and allowed the other vampire lord to continue.

"Even so, the power achieved by the humans is still great and our brethren in Japan have no way to counter it!"

Before Urd could demand more specific answers from Ferid, the entire Progenitor Council heard several loud explosions as well as screams coming from the Seventh Progenitor's end, as if a battle was taking place in Sanguinem right this minute.

"Dammit, I don't believe it!" a vampire soldier shouted from outside the council room. "Humans have actually infiltrated the city!"

Normally, vampires showed little to no fear of humans. But the terror in the voices of the vampire guards made it clear to everyone present at the council that the invading humans must have a powerful weapon at their disposal that was beyond even the vampires' ability to fight off.

"Holy fuck, you're right!" another guard shouted. "Fall back, everyone! Or they'll slaughter us!"

And they were not wrong. For, right outside the palace, the smoke started to clear from a recent explosion to reveal a duo of two young human men fast approaching the entrance along with their followers after forcing their way through the city with ridiculous ease thanks to said new weapon.

Showing neither fear nor concern that they were vastly outnumbered by vampire soldiers, Guren Ichinose and Kureto Hiragi made their way out of the smoke like a pair of magicians re-appearing before an audience after performing an elaborate disappearing act.

Only this human duo were no illusionists. The power they unleashed upon their vampire foes eliminated any such notion.

"Come forth, Raimeki. Let them hear you roar," Kureto commanded in a calm voice as he drew his gold-toned katana, expecting Guren to follow suit.

Although his humiliating defeat at Nagoya Airport at Mikaela's hands as well as the loss of Yuichiro still weighed heavily on him, Guren forced himself to tuck her in the back of his mind and obeyed his superior's unspoken command in calling for his own demon.

Channeling the rage (and jealousy) over the fact that he lost Yuichiro to Mikaela, into his sword, Guren commanded in a cold voice void of all emotion:

"Slice them to ribbons, Mahiru-no-Yo. All of them."

Normally, the inborn pride of the vampires did not allow them to admit defeat to humans easily. However, the soldiers before Guren and Kureto were smart enough to know that they stood no chance against them. Even without the seraph doing their bidding, Kureto Hiragi and Guren Ichinose were a force to be reckoned with.

Overwhelmed and terrified, the remaining vampire soldiers abandoned the front lines and retreated into the palace, using their concern for Ferid as an all too convenient excuse not to engage in direct confrontation with the two Black Demon wielding humans and their seraph.

"Lord Ferid! The humans have laid siege to the palace! Please take cover immediately!" the vampires' commander shouted as soon as they were inside the palace.

Despite the chamber where Ferid currently spoke with the rest of the Progenitor Council being on the third floor and still a good distance away from the main foyer where the vampire soldiers had retreated and started barricading the palace doors with anything they could find, Ferid's sharp vampiric hearing picked it up easily. His hunch was confirmed when Lacus and René burst into the council chamber to warn him of the humans' advance.

"Lord Ferid, the humans have reached the palace! You must take shelter immediately!" Lacus warned in a panicked voice.

"He's right, my lord! The others can only hold them off for so long!" René added, his own voice filled with a fear he had not felt since his home country of France fell to the Nazis nearly a century ago.

Even though they both knew that few things fazed Ferid Bathory, Lacus and René had expected him to show at least a little concern that his life, not to mention that of their entire unit, were in danger. Instead, much to their chagrin, the silver-haired vampire lord smirked in delight, as if he were expecting such a thing all along.

Without turning around, Ferid continued to address the rest of the Progenitor Council.

"As you can see, my lords and ladies, my brethren and I in Japan, including our great capital of Sanguinem beneath Kyoto, is in great danger of being wiped out!"

At Ferid's words, the Progenitor Council fell into a silent stupor. Ironically, it was Nix Parthe who finally found his voice. Only moments before, he had been uninterested and infuriated with Ferid for interrupting whatever it was he had been pre-occupied with by calling for a Progenitor Council meeting to be convened.

"I don't believe it! How can that be?" Parthe demanded breathlessly.

Trying not to let the smug satisfaction he was feeling show on his face, Ferid feigned a serious expression and continued.

"My lords and ladies, you now know that I tell no lies when I say our predicament is dire and one we cannot handle on our own, as ashamed as I am to admit it. I trust that the lords and ladies of the Progenitor Council understand that the impact of the humans' power will eventually reach far beyond Japan and threaten the interests of our vampire brethren worldwide if nothing is done to stop it."

As much as they all disliked and distrusted Ferid Bathory, the rest of the Progenitor Council had to agree with his claim that the rebellious humans now posed a serious threat to them. Even Urd himself could not find a hole in Ferid's argument.

"Very well," he said. "Just tell us what aid you require to stop the humans and I will personally see to it."

Ferid finally gave in to his excitement over his plan's success but made a quick bow so that Urd and the rest of the council could not see the smug grin on his face.

"You are most generous, my lord. I am forever in your debt. First of all, I request permission to withdraw our presence from Japan temporarily."

At the strange request, Urd's brow rose. However, before he could ask Ferid to clarify, the silver-haired vampire lord stood once up, but not before grabbing Krul by the scruff of her neck again. Although the bruise she sustained from falling onto the floor on her face had long healed, her normally pristine features and impeccable attire were disheveled from the rough treatment.

Ignoring the frown on Urd and Lest's faces, Ferid continued. "And if I may, I would like to deliver the traitor, Krul Tepes, to you directly."

Although he had no love for Krul, even Lest started to get uncomfortable with Ferid's rough handling of her and gave Urd a look as if imploring him to grant Ferid's request, if only to get him to stop treating the fallen vampire queen in such a disrespectful manner. Lest himself knew that if he had been in her place, he would have also wanted clemency from such humiliating treatment as well.

Taking the hint, Urd finally agreed.

"Very well."

SSSSSS

A highway along the ocean

"So where exactly are we going, Lord Ferid?" Crowley asked curiously as he casually let his arm hang out the window of the 1969 blue Chevy Camero from his seat on the passenger side. Not surprisingly, Crowley prefer to gaze beyond the cliff and out into the sea than look at his silver-haired companion when making his inquiry.

"Hmm? Why, we're going to see some old friends of mine, of course! And you don't have to be so formal when it's just the two of us, just Ferid will do!"

Were he still human, Crowley might have snorted at Ferid's absurd answer. But since he wasn't, at least not anymore, the maroon-haired vampire lord gave Ferid a look of indifferent disbelief. They both knew Ferid was strongly disliked by humans and vampires alike. Even Lucal Wesker, another unpopular noble amongst the lower vampires, did not have a very high opinion of Ferid Bathory.

"What? Is this some kind of jest? Someone like you actually have friends?" Crowley asked incredulously. Whether Ferid was joking or seriously believed his own claim was anyone's guess, even Crowley's.

Instead of being offended, Ferid merely smiled as he took one hand off the wheel and rested his cheek on his knuckles.

"Hey, now! Haven't you ever considered us to be friends? We've known each other for like what? Eight hundred years now?"

"Give or take a few decades. That doesn't mean we're actually 'friends', just that we've known each other for eight hundred years. Big difference, Ferid."

For a moment, Ferid actually appeared startled before his lips broke out in a cheeky grin and he actually laughed, a rarity for any vampire, and confusing his companion slightly.

"What, did I say something funny?" Crowley asked, puzzled as he finally turned around to face Ferid, his expression one of genuine confusion.

"Oh, nothing! Just that I thought I caught a lilt in your voice just now. Did you happen to pick that up from Miss Yuichiro Hyakuya? She must have left quite an impression on you!"

This time, it was Crowley's turn to be startled. Though he had never liked or trusted Ferid as his self-proclaimed "friend", the maroon-haired vampire lord had to admit that his companion could read him better than he originally thought.

"I supposed she did," Crowley admitted. "That girl is one of a kind, I'll give her that. It's a shame her meddling squad mates had to interfere when things were starting to get good back at Nagoya City Hall."

"Oh, you have no idea, my friend. Well, you're about to, anyway. I have to warn you, though, you've got quite a bit of competition for that little gem of a human. And not just from little Mika and that mentor of hers."

To that, Crowley rolled his eyes and decided to change the subject.

"Never mind that. How about you tell me where we're going just now?"

"To a little seaside town to meet up with dear little Yuu and Mika. They don't know it yet, but we're about to become their new best friends."

"What? Are you actually serious or is this another one of your jokes? If my memory serves me right, you were the ones who slaughtered the rest of the Hyakuya kids, weren't you?

"That I was."

"And for nothing more than your own twisted amusement too, am I right?"

"Yes, yes. What are you getting at, Crowley?"

Crowley rolled his eyes again, wondering if Ferid was truly that dense or if he was deliberately being obtuse just to get a reaction out of him.

Not wanting to give the other vampire lord that satisfaction, Crowley began patiently.

"Well, if you had any ounce of common sense, you'd know that you're the last person Yuichiro and Mikaela Hyakuya would ever want to be friends with."

To this, Ferid gave his usual annoying toothy grin and let out another merry laugh.

"Common sense? Pfff! Who needs that? Don't let such a silly thing confine you, Crowley! Just think about it: former enemies coming together all through the power of friendship! Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Crowley sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, Ferid was one of the very few people left who could make him feel any emotion. Even if it was annoyance or slight exasperation with his childish optimism and seemingly lack of any common sense.

"I give up. I don't know what to say anymore," he replied in a flat tone.

"Already?" Ferid teased. "I mean, why wouldn't the Hyakuya kids want to be friends with me? I mean, I killed all your friends once too. And just look at us now, we're buddy-buddy!"

Crowley rested his cheek in his hand as he thought over Ferid's words. As insane as they sound, he had to admit that his companion did have a point. After so many centuries, Crowley could barely remember the faces of his long-dead friends and companions from before he became a vampire. *8*

Still, Crowley tried one more time to talk Ferid out of his hare-brained scheme to befriend the Hyakuya siblings and the rest of their companions in the Shinoa and Satoshi's Squads.

"Buddy-buddy, huh? Well, I suppose this kind of thing takes like eight hundred years to happen. How long has it been for Yuichiro and Mikaela? Four, five years? Don't you think you're pushing your luck a bit? Especially with Miss Hyakuya? After what she did at Nagoya Airport, it wouldn't be too hard for her to rip you into so many pieces that even the vultures won't find you," Crowley pointed out, completely unaware that he practically repeated Krul's threat to Ferid when he tried to use Mikaela to blackmail her before the Progenitor Council.

"Ha, ha! You may be right there, Crowley. Unfortunately, in this case, we don't have eight hundred years for little Yuu and Mika to let bygones be bygones. But don't worry, I have a plan to secure their 'friendship'."

"Like what?" Crowley asked, genuinely curious since he knew the Hyakuya siblings' grudge against Ferid would not be easily forgotten, especially after such a short time.

"You'll see."

SSSSSS

"Phew, I can't believe I'm already beat after just a few minutes!" Yuichiro panted as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

After the two squads and their new vampire ally had finished breakfast and discussed their plans for the near future, Yuichiro had insisted on gathering in an open clearing on the outskirts of the village to sharpen their combat skills in preparation for the battles ahead that everyone knew would be inevitable.

For everyone else, this was easy since they had been training almost consistently since their arrival at the deserted village. Yuichiro, however, found to her slight frustration, that her movements, including her normally flawless sword swings, were a bit sluggish due to her two-week long sleep.

"Careful, Yuu-chan," Mika, whom she had be sparring with, warned as he tossed his own sword to the ground and caught her before she could fall onto her face after he parried her oncoming blow with ease.

"I…I"m fine," the ravenette huffed stubbornly even though she allowed Mika to steady her until she can stand on her own.

"As stubborn as ever, I see," her blond brother said while trying to refrain from rolling his eyes. "Yuu-chan, you need to take it easy since you've barely moved in two weeks."

Technically, this wasn't true since Yuichiro had not been totally asleep during that time, even if she couldn't remember the demon using her body to try and manipulate Mikaela into doing its bidding.

But the blond thought it best not to mention that to his sister for the time being.

Not surprisingly, Yuu glared at him. While she appreciated his concern for her well-being, Yuu didn't like to be babied by Mika or anyone else.

"You don't understand, Mika. If I'm not totally prepared, we'll never be able to rescue Queen Krul from Ferid's clutches."

Mika was about to tell Yuu that they wouldn't be able to do that anyway if she stunted her recovery by overexerting herself when they both heard the sound of a throat being cleared.

Turning, the pair saw Narumi approaching them while everyone else in Shinoa and Satoshi's squads ceased their training session and lowered their weapons. Before the Hyakuya siblings knew it, they found everyone else's eyes on them.

"I really think you should listen to your 'brother', Miss Hyakuya: he's right. In any case, since you two seem more familiar with this Ferid noble than any of us, I suggest you let us in on what you know about him so we can be prepared in case he tries to pull something over on us."

Mika was about to open his mouth to answer Narumi's inquiry when he noticed that something had caught Yuu's attention, as she had suddenly turned her gaze towards the sea.

"Hold on a sec," Yuu began as she made a gesture with her hand for the others to be silent.

Puzzled, everyone else, including Mika, turned their heads in the direction Yuu had been looking.

"What is it, Yuu?" Mitsuba asked, puzzled since she didn't see or hear anything. And from the looks on the others' faces, neither did they.

"Do you hear that sound?"

Everyone blinked as they looked at each other in confusion.

"I don't hear anything," Yoichi said as he turned to Takeshi. "Do you?"

The other archer shook his head as their other companions followed suit, indicating that they couldn't hear anything either.

"I can't hear anything," Shinoa said as she looked to Yuichiro in concern. "Are you sure you're not just imagining things, Yuu? You have been a bit out of everything for a while."

Irritated, Yuichiro was about to insist that she was not imagining things when Mikaela, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke up after turning his head back to look at everyone in the two squads.

"No, Yuu-chan is right. I hear it too; it's a car engine. A vintage sports car, to be exact."

Alarmed, Shinoa and Satoshi looked at each other before ordering both their squads to ready their weapons.

"Everyone, have your weapons out!"

"Shit!" Narumi cursed as he readied his demon trident. "Someone's coming!"

"Could it be that the Demon Army has found us already?!" Satoshi exclaimed worriedly as sweat formed on his brow.

Thinking quickly, Shinoa turned to Yoichi and Takeshi. "Quickly, you two! Get to higher ground and report!"

Neither archer needed to be told twice. "Right!" Yoichi exclaimed as he made a nod with his head for Takeshi to follow him.

"We'll see who it is!" Takeshi assured their squad leaders before following Yoichi onto the roof of a nearby shack so they could see who or what was getting closer.

After the two brunet archers had left, Mika turned to look at Yuu, who had returned her gaze towards the direction of the distant car engine whirring once more, before asking the question that had been on his mind since Yuu revealed that she could hear what their other companions could not.

"Yuu-chan, how were you able to hear those car engines? They still have to be at least ten to fifteen minutes away. No ordinary human can do so from such a distance. Is it possible that your demon's possession is still advancing even while you're awake and aware?"

Yuichiro stretched out an arm while opening and closing her fist as she pondered Mikaela's question for a moment before answering.

"Maybe. To be fair, my senses have become sharper since I woke up. I feel a bit stronger as well, even with the little rest time I've had since we stopped sparring."

Under other circumstances, Mika might have been glad to hear that. But after dealing with the creature who'd been hidden within his sister's body and subconscious over the last two weeks without her knowledge, the revelation alarmed him.

"Holy shit…" he muttered, "You really are turning into a demon."

Yuichiro blinked at him before attempting to pacify the blond with a reassuring smile.

"Don't fret, Mika. It's not the end of the world. At least this way, I can protect everyone better."

Mikaela slapped his forehead in frustration. He could not help feeling that Yuichiro was not taking her situation seriously enough. And of all the things she could have chosen not to be serious about, it just had to be this.

As if reading his mind, Yuu raised a hand to silence Mika before he could protest and assure him that that was not the case.

"I know what you're thinking, Mika, and let me assure you, I'm well aware of my situation and have always been prepared to sacrifice my humanity, if necessary, to protect everyone I care about. As a soldier, I am no stranger to hard decisions and I'm sure the same applies to you as well."

Mika's protests died before he could even utter a word because he knew she was absolutely right. He also wasn't one to talk, having willingly sacrificed his own humanity to become a vampire at the tender age of twelve because it was the only way he could survive the horrific injuries Ferid had inflicted upon him. Had Mikaela not made that split-second decision, he would've never been able to find and win Yuichiro back from Guren and she would still be under her mentor's and the Demon Army's control.

As Mika probed his mind on how to respond to Yuu's words, everyone heard Yoichi and Takeshi call out.

"Hey, Yuu! Mika! Which direction is the sound coming from? We still can't hear it!" Yoichi exclaimed as he prepared his bow to fire as soon as he received the answer.

"Yeah, at least give us a general direction if you're not sure exactly where!" Takeshi added while cocking his own crossbow. Like Yoichi's bow, Takeshi did not need to load his weapon. Since it was a demonic weapon, the arrows would magically appear once he was ready to fire.

Without hesitation, Yuichiro pointed towards a deserted highway from the direction of the ocean.

"That way! From the shoreline!" she shouted.

Both archers activated the pentagrams of light that served as their telescopes to get a better look in the direction that Yuichiro pointed.

"Oh no…" Yoichi muttered under his breath, taking care to keep his voice low so that his companions wouldn't panic until he found a delicate way to explain their predicament.

Unfortunately, his sniping partner was not as discreet in expressing his shock at what they saw approaching them from the deserted highway.

Or more accurately, who they saw.

"Holy shit!" Takeshi shrieked, nearly dropping his crossbow. "It can't be!"

Yoichi wanted to tell the other brunet boy to lower his voice, but it was too late; he was pretty sure Takeshi was loud enough to be heard by everyone present.

Looking up at the two archers standing on the shack roof from his place on the ground, Narumi, who happened to be nearest, shouted to them.

"Who is it? Who's coming? Are they from the Demon Army?" he demanded.

"No…no! It's the vampires! And not just any vampires, it's those two!"

"Who?" Narumi asked in confusion.

Yoichi was about to answer but Takeshi beat him to it.

"They're the nobles we fought in Shinjuku and Nagoya! One with silver hair and the other with brownish-red!"

"Holy shit, are you serious? Those monsters are coming here themselves? But they're nobles! Why not send their minions instead!?"

Nobody knew the answer to that. Even Narumi, Shinoa, and Mitsuba, who had served in the Demon Army longer than the rest of their companions, had no idea.

"If those two are who I think they are…," Mitsuba began.

"Then we're in deep fucking shit…" Satoshi finished grimly, practically reading her mind.

Trying her best to ignore her slightly more pessimistic companions, Shinoa turned to Mikaela. Like everyone else, she already knew the answer but wanted to be absolutely certain since she could neither see nor hear the vampires in question herself.

Fortunately for her, Mikaela saved Shinoa the trouble of asking.

"Yes, that's right. Those vampire lords are the same one who captured Queen Krul Tepes," he answered matter-of-factually.

"But why would they take the trouble to come out here to confront us themselves?" Shinoa asked in confusion. "Surely such a thing would be beneath nobles of their rank."

To be honest, Mika himself wasn't sure. "I'm sorry, but I'm as clueless as the rest of you. However, I do know that nothing good can come from associating with them. Especially Ferid Bathory", he answered in a venomous tone as he realized the irony of his own words.

"I don't doubt that. Under normal circumstances, I'd tell everyone to make a run for it. But as much as I prefer not to deal with them, we willeventually need Ferid Bathory and Crowley Eusford's cooperation to find Queen Krul's whereabouts. And the fact that they themselves went out of their way to come out here saves us the trouble of having to seek them out ourselves. So we should take advantage of it and hope for the best."

"I agree with you, Shinoa. But still, it's best not to let these nobles come here because we can't afford to let them know where we're staying, should we ever need to take shelter in this deserted village again. So, I propose we do make a run for it, if only to lead them as far away from here as possible," Satoshi suggested.

"Yes, you're right, Sato," Shinoa agreed before giving the order to both squads to hightail it out of their current location as soon as possible.

Without hesitation, everyone made a mad dash in the opposite direction of the seaside cliff and the highway, racing away with as much speed as their demon contractors afforded them. While the Shinoa and Satoshi squads moved faster than ordinary humans without the advantage of demonic contracts, none of them actually expected to outrun or get away from their vampire pursuers.

Especially not high-ranking nobles of Ferid and Crowley's caliber. The goal was to draw the two vampire lords as far away from their safe haven as possible.

Not surprisingly, both the nobles in question easily spotted the two squads and their blond vampire ally running off into the distance despite the fact that they were still at least two hundred meters away.

"Whoops! Looks like they've spotted us! Now they're running like rabbits!" Crowley said casually with amusement as if he expected such a reaction from the human teen squads.

Although he did not say so, and did not have to, both Crowley and Ferid knew the two squads were not exactly trying to run from them out of fear. Especially since none of them hesitated to risk their lives confronting Crowley directly and snatch his newly won prize, Yuichiro Hyakuya, right out of his grasp.

"Well, what are you waiting for, Crowley?" Ferid said lightheartedly as he briefly took his eyes off the road and gave his companion a playful look. "Go after them! After all, we can't let a couple of human kids get away from us or it'll hurt our reputation!"

Appalled, Crowley turned to him and cried, "What? You want me to go after them?"

Ferid pretended to roll his eyes out of exasperation. Not that he expected to see Crowley thrilled to do his bidding, but they did need to secure the cooperation of Yuichiro and Mikaela Hyakuya at the very least.

"Well, as much as I love a good chase, I am busy driving, you know."

"Is that all that's stopping you?" Crowley shot back. "Well, in that case, why don't you leave the driving to me, then?"

"Now, now, let's not waste time arguing. Just get going before the precious bird we're trying to capture gets away…" Ferid insisted with a touch of impatience even though he still maintained his cheery demeanor.

Knowing that it would be a waste of time to get into an argument with his companion, Crowley sighed and finally relented before unbuckling his seat-belt. Taking a moment to get his balance, he then stood up on his seat to get a better look at the "precious bird" in question.

Or, as Guren Ichinose had more accurately called her, a raven-haired fury.

"So, what exactly do you want me to do, Ferid?"

"Unless they try to interfere, ignore the others. Even Mika. Just make sure you capture Yuichiro Hyakuya. Anywhere she goes, they will follow anyway. And please refrain from killing her. I need little Yuu alive and in one piece. So just break her legs only if it's necessary to keep her from getting away."

This time, Crowley had to suppress the urge to groan. After his run-in with the Shinoa and Satoshi Squads at Nagoya City Hall, he knew there was no way they wouldn't intervene if he tried to do anything to Yuichiro. And it was even less likely that Mikaela would simply let him run off with her, either.

"Sheesh, Ferid. Whatever happened to all that talk about becoming friends with Miss Hyakuya and company?"

Ferid didn't give him an answer. Not that Crowley actually expected one from his silver-haired companion anyway. At least, not one that was actually logical and made sense. So, instead, Crowley turned his attention to the task at hand.

"Now, then. How best to catch up to them?" he mused briefly before bracing himself and taking to the air despite the fact that he already knew the answer to his own question.

While vampires may not be able to change into bats and fly like humans believed before the Apocalypse, it was still no problem for Crowley to catch up to the Shinoa and Satoshi Squads by making a few short jumps from his position in the car seat.

Even before he did, both squads and their vampire ally could practically feel their pursuer breathing down their necks. The Hyakuya siblings purposely ran behind the group to ensure that they would not lose anyone since they knew neither Crowley nor Ferid had any compunction against cutting down any of their other allies if they got between them and Yuichiro. The same likely held true for Mikeala as well. The blond knew that both vampire lords prioritized Yuu's capture over his own and that, at best, he would just be a bonus prize.

Thinking it better not to look behind them, Yuichiro turned to Mikaela as the group was sprinting as far away from the deserted village as fast and far as their legs could carry them.

"Hey, Mika?"

"Yes?"

"I hate to ask, but do you think that Ferid bastard is really that powerful?"

"Well, he is a noble and, as you know, nobles are stronger than normal vampires. Even among the nobility, Ferid is one of the most powerful. In Japan, he's second only to the queen herself."

If she didn't know it was a bad idea, Mitsuba would have turned around and stared at Yuu and Mika.

"What? You've got to be kidding! Are you saying this Ferid dude is even stronger than that red-haired one?!"

Mika strongly preferred not to answer Mitsuba's inquiry since he knew it was likely to make her lose her nerve. But unfortunately, Narumi took the choice out of his hands.

"If I remember correctly, the red-haired one is Crowley Eusford, and he's supposed to be a Thirteenth Progenitor according to military intel. And the higher their progenitor rank is, the more powerful a vampire is supposed to be."

Narumi's revelation made Yuichiro suddenly remember something Mikaela told her in the past but did not pay any mind to until now.

"That's right! I think I heard Mika mention that Ferid Bathory is a seventh progenitor."

"Unfortunately, that is correct," the blond confirmed grimly, hoping that bit of information wouldn't frighten the Shinoa and Satoshi Squads too much since they had just barely escaped Crowley Eusford by the skin of their teeth when they returned to Nagoya City Hall to rescue Yuichiro.

In fact, Mika was sure the only reason the two squads managed to take back Yuichiro and get away was because Crowley and his retainers chose not to pursue them. If he had, it was unlikely any of them could have escaped. At least, not as easily as they did.

Trying to lighten the mood as she always did when things got grim, Shinoa smiled and tried her best to give a convincing laugh.

"Oh, boy, this just keeps getting better, doesn't it?" she joked. "Let's just hope Lords Ferid and Crowley will be in a talking mood when they finally do catch up to us!"

Irritated, Mitsuba was about to snap at Shinoa for implying that their vampire pursuers would be angry at being led on a wild goose chase and simply kill them all for their insolence when she noticed the worried looks on Risa and Riku's faces though they likely knew that Ferid and Crowley would be more amused at them for attempting to run away than anything.

Before Mitsuba could open her mouth, Narumi stopped her. The last thing any of them needed now was for the hot-headed blonde girl to start a fight with Shinoa, or any of their allies for that matter.

"That's enough, Miss Sangu!" he said sternly before looking over his shoulder at Shinoa. "The same goes for you, Miss Hiragi! In case you two haven't noticed, we've got two insanely powerful vampire lords hot on our tails!"

"That's right!" Satoshi added without looking back even though he normally preferred not to get caught in an argument between two girls. "We better lead those nobles as far away from our little hideout as possible if you want a safe haven to return to should we ever need it again!"

Ignoring the other two squad leaders, a thought came to Yuichiro's mind, and she turned to Mika to ask him the question that had been troubling her since he confirmed her hunch that Ferid Bathory was indeed a seventh progenitor was correct.

"Hey, Mika, do you think that Ferid purposely allowed me to escape Sanguinum the night Akane and other others were killed? Surely a noble of his caliber couldn't have been slowed down, let alone killed, by an ordinary gun with ordinary bullets."

Mikaela hesitated to answer because he knew Yuichiro was likely right. After all, Ferid had easily cut down the rest of their brothers and sisters in the blink of an eye, and seemingly without effort. Ferid also dodged every bullet Yuichiro had fired at him with his own gun, practically dancing around them as if mocking her until there was only one bullet left in the chamber.

"He might have. For years, I thought you were able to finally shoot Ferid because he let his guard down. But now that I think about it, an ordinary bullet wouldn't have even fazed, let alone incapacitate him. Even if he was shot in the head. I know this because when Krul came to save me, Ferid casually got up and started making jokes like it was nothing. I can't believe I totally forgot about that until you brought it up again, Yuu-chan."

"But why would he just let me go like that, Mika?" Yuichiro asked curiously.

Mikaela looked away to avoid her questioning gaze.

"I have no idea…," he answered simply in a tone that told Yuu that Mika knew more than he let on and she could not help feeling a bit disappointed.

However, the blond's unwillingness to answer her query truthfully did not stop Yuichiro from entertaining her own suspicions, no matter how painful they may be, as her mind wandered back to the night she met her guardian—if he could even be called that anymore.

"Hey, kid, how would you like to help us get rid of the vampires? All of them?" the voice of Guren Ichinose from that fateful night echoed in Yuu's head.

At the time, Yuichiro could only think about how relieved and grateful she was that someone, anyone, was there for her in her time of dire need after she had barely escaped from the vampire city with her life. And even if Yuichiro had suspected that Guren's intentions were less than benign, the biting cold in addition to hunger as well as the painful and still-bleeding gashes on her back from Ferid's talons would have drowned them out real quick.

In other words, Yuichiro really had no choice but to trust Guren Ichinose, a mysterious man she had never met before that fateful night. Not if she wanted to live, that is.

But now that she thought about it, Yuichiro could not help wondering if her first meeting with Guren was not a coincidence after all.

Could it have all been planned from the start? she wondered. After all, what were the odds that Guren, Sayuri, and Shigure just happened to be in the area right after I got out of Sanguium? If our meeting was intentional, then whose plan was it?

As she pondered the question, Yuichiro's first thought drifted towards Lieutenant General, Kureto Hiragi, Guren's superior and the one who was actually in charge of the Demon Army since his elderly father was more of a political leader who stayed in the background despite his official position as general.

However, Yuichiro dismissed the lieutenant general as a suspect after recalling how he summoned her for interrogation with regards to her seraph transformation at the Battle of Shinjuku. She gritted her teeth as she also recalled how the bastard was more than willing to have Yoichi and Kimizuki tortured in front of her, as well as the gall to question the nature of her relationship with Guren, which was clearly none of his business, superior officer or not. Logically, if Kureto was the mastermind behind her escape from Sanguinem and ending up in Guren's hands, he would not have needed to waste his valuable time questioning her about it.

So, if it's not the lieutenant general, then who is behind all of this? He sounded like he was looking for answers himself and assumed I knew because of my association with Guren. But how did Guren know where to find me when I escaped Ferid? What are the odds that they were actually in it together and, if so, what do they have to gain from me being in Guren's custody? she wondered as she recalled Kureto's words from her not-so-long ago interrogation.

"Then are you aware that the Hyakuya Sect is the largest spellcraft organization in Japan? They routinely collected orphan children and used them for human experimentation and to test out new forms of magic. You and your siblings were likely lab rats used in their secret experiments. I understand now, this is starting to make much more sense; Guren must likely be trying to use something the Hyakuya Sect put inside of you, girl."

The Hyakuya Sect... I almost completely forgot about them. But if Kureto was inquiring about the sect and Guren was trying to use something they put inside me as he said, then neither of them must know anything. That would leave only Ferid then. And as much as I'd love to run him through with Asuramaru, I'd probably have to swallow my pride if I want to get anything resembling a truthful answer from him…, Yuu thought bitterly.

As if reading his sister's mind, Mika shot Yuu a warning glance as he slowed down slightly so that they were running side by side.

"Don't even think about it, Yuu-chan," he warned. "Remember the time I told you I went to Ferid's mansion alone and you flipped your shit over it? Well, you were absolutely right and I still regret not listening to you to this very day. If I had, Akane and the others would still be…"

But before Mikaela could finish his sentence, Yuichiro quickly cut him off with a shake of her head.

"No, Mika, that's not it. I have a feeling this whole thing started even before you even laid eyes on Ferid. It wasn't your fault and I really believe that, no matter what you did or didn't do, we would have still ended up in the position we are now."

Confused, Mika was about to ask Yuu what she meant by that when the pair felt a pair of strong hands slapping them on their backs, one hand each.

"Enough with the chitchat, you two," Kimizuki scolded as if he were their squad leader. "We'd best focus on getting as far away from here as possible. Still, if you think you're on to something, let us know."

"I'm not certain of anything," Yuu confessed. "It's all just speculation on my part. I'm still looking for answers myself."

Before anyone in the two squads can ask Yuichiro what she meant, the ravenette sensed something or someone powerful approaching. Whoever it was, they were closing in fast. And, from the look on Mikaela's face, she could tell he sensed it too.

"Everyone, look out!" they shouted in unison as they suddenly stopped in their tracks and made a quick gesture for their companions to do the same.

Despite the fact that they were the squad leaders and should be the ones giving everyone else orders, Narumi, Shinoa, and Satoshi trusted Yuichiro and Mikaela's judgement and ordered their other subordinates to obey.

"Do as they say!" Satoshi ordered as he quickly grabbed each of the Harada twins firmly since he noticed both of them had difficulty making a sudden stop after such an intense sprint. He was not worried about Takeshi and Daisuke in that regard, however, and focused his attention on Risa and Riku instead.

Shinoa was about to ask Yuu and Mika what was going on before the answer presented itself in the form of a very familiar maroon-haired vampire lord suddenly dropping out of the sky and landing in front of them. After taking a moment to rise from his kneeling position and casually dusting off his pristine elegant attire befitting of a noble of his rank, Crowley pretended to catch his breath even though everyone present knew that catching up to them required no great exertion on his part.

"Phew, finally caught up! You kids led me on quite a chase there!" Crowley teased before turning to Yuichiro and giving her a gentlemanly bow reminiscent of the one he showed her back at Nagoya City Hall before obliging her audacious challenge for a duel.

"And so, we meet again, my lady!" the maroon-haired vampire lord greeted in his most charming manner. "We never did get to finish our duel back at the city hall, didn't we? Well, until Ferid joins us, how about I entertain you and your dear friends this time around?"

Yuichiro was tempted to take Crowley up on his offer. Even if she still couldn't quite control her newly found seraph powers completely, the fact that Yuichiro even had them, and knew it, gave her confidence that she could take on the powerful vampire lord again, perhaps even without the aid of her curse stimulant pills this time.

Yuu was about to accept Crowley's challenge when she caught a flash of reddish-blond pigtails from out of the corner of her eyes as the last person she would expect to break formation and attempt to take on an insanely powerful enemy alone, rushed ahead of her, demon battle axe raised, and sent it crashing down on Crowley's head.

Or at least she tried to before a gust of wind from a single swipe of Crowley's claymore sent her flying backwards and past the raven-haired squad mate she was trying to protect.

If Yuichiro didn't know that turning her back to Crowley could prove to be a fatal mistake, she would have turned to Mitsuba and demanded to know if she lost her mind.

Fortunately, Narumi saved her the trouble and glared at the blonde after quickly catching her in his arms. He didn't know if it was intentional, but it seemed as if Crowley deliberately checked his hand with Mitsuba when he could have easily cut her in half.

"What the hell?!" Narumi demanded as he turned to look at Crowley in confusion after making sure Mitsuba was unharmed, which she was.

"I have no interest in you and your subordinates, boy," Crowley said calmly before sheathing his sword and offering a hand to the raven-haired girl before him.

Confused, Yuichiro backed off slightly at the unusual gesture. Why was he putting his weapon away when he made it clear he wanted to "entertain" her, his idea of such being a sword duel until one of them got to claim a reward?

"What do you want?" she asked, more suspicious than afraid.

"Why, I've come for you, Miss Hyakuya. Who else?" Crowley answered with his most charming smile, his fangs glistening in the sunlight. "Like I said before, we never did get to finish our duel at the city hall, didn't we?"

Yuichiro grinned. They both knew that wasn't true. As much as she hated to admit it, Crowley was the impromptu victor because he managed to catch her off guard due to the distraction that Guren had unwittingly provided him. But if the vampire lord was going to overlook that mishap and give Yuichiro a second chance at a clear victory, who was she to refuse?

Unsheathing her sword, Yuichiro took a stance and leveled it at Crowley like she did when she challenged him to a duel for the first time. Only this time, it was he who was challenging her.

"Alright, you're on!"

Footnotes:

1. The Bolshoi Theatre (Russian: Большо́й теа́тр, Bol'shoy teatr), literally "Big Theater", is a historic theatre in Moscow, Russia, originally designed by architect Joseph Bové, which holds ballet and opera performances. Before the October Revolution it was a part of the Imperial Theatres of the Russian Empire.

2. Swan Lake (Russian: Лебеди́ное о́зеро, Lebedínoye ózero), is a ballet composed by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875–76. Despite its initial failure, it is now one of the most popular ballets of all time.

3. Tsar, also spelled czar, tzar, or csar, is a title used to designate East and South Slavic monarchs. In this last capacity it lends its name to a system of government, tsarist autocracy or tsarism. "Tsar" was intended to mean "emperor" in the European medieval sense of the term—a ruler with the same rank as a Roman emperor, holding it by the approval of another emperor or a supreme ecclesiastical official (the Pope or the Ecumenical Patriarch)—but was usually considered by western Europeans to be equivalent to "king".

4. The Soviet Union, officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), was a socialist state that spanned Eurasia during its existence from 1922 to 1991. It was nominally a federal union of multiple national republics. In practice its government and economy were highly centralized until its final years. The country was a one-party state (prior to 1990) governed by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, with Moscow as its capital within its largest and most populous republic, the Russian SFSR.

5. Vladimir Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who is serving as the current president of Russia. In my AU, Putin perished with the rest of the humans in 2012 when the Apocalypse took place.

6. Joseph Stalin (December 18, 1878– March 5, 1953) was a Georgian revolutionary and Soviet political leader who governed the Soviet Union from 1924 until his death in 1953. He held power both as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (1922–1952) and Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union (1941–1953).

7. It was never revealed in canon what part of the world Nix Parthe ruled over but for my AU, he is the Vampire King of the British Isles. The British Isles is a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles and over six thousand smaller islands.

8. The deceased friends of Crowley I refer to are his fellow knights from the time he fought in the Crusades. For a more detailed account of Crowley Eusford's backstory, please refer to the Seraph of the End prequel light novels, The Vampire Mikeala.