Gilgamesh was a king. He was strong and influential. No one could touch him, not even the government. He was one of the richest men alive. That's how people view him. Humans saw him as big mafia, but in the underworld, he was the vampire king. Everyone feared him and licked his boots. But the one who really had the control was in the shadow. The old man who served him, his butler. It was that old man who ran the organization.
His name was James Moriarty.
Moriarty was the one who controlled the underworld's financial. And the one who controls the money rules the world. Police forces and congressmen were all his toys. Moriarty simply moved a finger. Gilgamesh was only the head figure for his chaotic evil doings. Everyone fearing Gilgamesh made it even easier for Moriarty to do his business in the dark.
Moriarty was in his room, sitting on his chair as he crossed his fingers. He looked at his chessboard closely, then he decided his move. He moved a knight to the front.
Holmes will have 32 options on how to deal with this. I wonder which one he will choose. How fun. Moriarty thought and smirked.
.
.
"Welcome and thank you for coming." Sherlock Holmes welcome Arjuna into his house.
Holmes led the dark-skinned man into his living room. Galahad was already waiting on the couch. Next to him was Tristan who was drinking tea.
"Long time no see Arjuna. Seems like you're no longer one of us." Tristan said as he put down his cup. "How sad.."
"Tristan" Arjuna simply called his ex-squad member. "I didn't know you're into this as well."
Tristan smiled and Holmes offered a seat to Arjuna, then Holmes picked the kettle beside the teapot and poured water for him, clearly aware of him being a vampire. "Please sit down. We have things to talk about."
Arjuna wondered since when did Holmes knew about his activities. Arjuna traced back his steps, but he didn't find any evidence of Holmes tracking him. How did Holmes do it without leaving any traces at all?
Arjuna sat down. He wasn't particularly happy to join them. He was simply there because Galahad played the trump card of 'I won't promise your mate's safety if you don't comply to our wishes'. Arjuna had no choice. "Then, why am I being called into your tea party, Sherlock Holmes?"
Holmes put a few pictures on the table. Those were pictures of some congressman and people with fortune. In short, people who control the world. Gilgamesh was in one of the pictures. Ozymandias and Achilles as well. But Arjuna didn't expect to see Anastasia Romanova there. She was only a head figure queen. She was supposed to have no power. Seems like Arjuna had missed a few important points. Then Holmes group the pictures into two sides.
Galahad saw the pictures. "I see."
Holmes laid his back on the couch. "These two groups are the power. Let's call it group A, the ringleader is Gilgamesh. I believe you all know him already."
Arjuna looked at the picture of the man he hated the most. Arjuna had decided not to seek revenge or to fight him anymore because revenge wouldn't protect Karna. But of course, the desire to kill Gilgamesh never disappear. Even this second, if Gilgamesh died, Arjuna would celebrate it.
Tristan opened his eyes slightly to see the pictures. "What's the point of showing us this?" he said after he closed his eyes again.
"Well, let's talk to the main point." Holmes explained as he clapped his hands together. "Lately Kultu(fictional one island country) is in politic turmoil. The one who is responsible for this is, as you guessed, it's Gilgamesh.. no, Moriarty. " Holmes blinked once when he said that name. "The government is Moriarty's lap dogs. As long as they could get their own quota, they will do anything. But they can't exactly send troops into that island without a political reason."
Arjuna knew where this was going. "PH Company is the sole company in charge of the food supply, trade, and ports in that island. In short, Ozymandias has full control of the people in that island freely."
"Yes. PH company had caused public unrest by cutting food supply and halting their trade routes. They could name any reasons to do that. But new companies cannot enter the country because of PH's control." Holmes nodded. He was glad that these people were fast on catching what he meant. "If the Kultu government got overthrown. They can send their troops in by pretending to help them out. If they captured that place, they could create a puppet country."
"Then they can take control of the Heroin being produced there, and that's 80% of world's black market's Heroin. I see." Arjuna understood the topic. Still, this didn't have anything to do with him. All matters was Karna and their incoming child.
Tristan shrugged uncomfortably. "If that happens, then group B will totally lose control. That's a huge shift of power balance."
"Then, what does that have anything to do with me?" Arjuna asked.
Holmes looked to Arjuna seriously, his eyes pierced straight to the dark eyes. As if Holmes was reading him like an open book. "Surely it has nothing to do with you. But don't you feel like you want to at least stop them? I don't want Moriarty to win this game. If they managed to get Kultu, there will be nothing to stop them. They will own the world."
Then Holmes smiled to Arjuna. "Seems like you're going to be a father soon. Congratulations." He said as if implying something else.
Holmes must have tracked his blood purchases past this year. Even though he had done roundabout and was very cautious about that. How did he even do that?! Arjuna could only bite his lip in frustration. He thought he had cleaned everything. But no, this person right here, he could destroy Arjuna's peace if he wanted to. That's the only thing he couldn't afford. Should I kill him here? No, I can't. Galahad and Tristan are here. How about later? No. Holmes must've had a plan for that already. How to get rid of this person?!
Tristan chuckled at his ex-squad member. "It's showing again. Please tone it down.." He said. "Your face might not be showing it, but the hostility is very clear. Calm down, we don't want to hurt your family."
"Galahad, what about the audience with Gilgamesh?" Holmes asked to the hunter that had been silent for a while. "I expect you don't find anything to be used for evidence."
"It's like what you said. But that's not a problem." Galahad answered. "We are still going raid him in three days" he said as he shifted his gaze to Arjuna.
"That's impossible. You need men to raid Gilgamesh and the tops won't give you the approval." Arjuna said.
"Indeed. We need to get rid of the humans who side with Gilgamesh. And we need to destroy his warehouses to disrupt his economy control in this town. Then we can remove his social rights." Holmes chuckled then he glanced to Arjuna. "That's why we called you. Isn't this what you're good at?"
Arjuna understood what Holmes meant. They needed him to do the dirty job. Arjuna couldn't run from Holmes, neither can he fight Galahad. He had no choice but to accept.
Holmes then said "I promise you. If this end well, you and your family will live in peace."
Everything was according to Sherlock Holmes's plan. Holmes got up and walked to the window, there was a chessboard there. He moved his queen and checked the king. Moriarty, I have done my turn, let's see how you deal with this.
—
For the next three days, the tv was filled with news of warehouses' explosions and the assassination of the chief police, the congressman, and some wealthy people.
Moriarty watched the news. Four of their warehouses were bombed by someone. Their illegal guns and drugs were kept there. They had lost a lot of money.
Moriarty, of course, understood who had caused this. Not only that, the police chief he controlled and the congressman were also killed. Whoever killed them must be skillfull. He lost his dogs.
Thanks to the assassinations, they had lost their backings. The rich families stopped supporting them especially after some of them getting assassinated. And the royal family regained their power.
Moriarty sighed. He could move the king away but he would still be checkmated by the next turn. I have lost this game.
Then the news changed. The woman reporter said: "The hunters will perform a raid on the mafia's headquarters tonight at 7. This raid is approved by her majesty herself."
Moriarty laughed. Well, we can start a new game again later. We have a lot of time to do that. Holmes, you win this time. You pulled a huge scheme indeed.
He packed his stuff into his luggage and walked out from his room.
James Moriarty left the mansion and nobody knew where he went to. He simply disappeared.
—
It hurts. It hurts. It hurts.
Arjuna was walking limp. His left leg was twisted many times. His right eye was stabbed. And he was bleeding from his arms. His whole body hurt. His healing factor was getting slower because he got wounded multiple times. He was at his limit.
Arjuna had finished his job. He had destroyed the warehouses. Killing a lot of vampires in the process. He also killed many humans just to assassinate a few influential ones.
Now he was walking home because he no longer could run. This isn't even half of Karna's pain. Why am I so weak?! Arjuna thought to himself as he forced himself to keep walking.
I want to see Karna... I want to go home.
Arjuna's eyesight was getting more blurry every step he walked. His head hurt too much.
Karna... Karna... I need you...
Just a little bit more... I need to keep walking just a little more... I am already so close...
Arjuna fell. He coughed blood.
And a vampire appeared. He was drawn by the smell of Arjuna's blood.
The vampire knelt down, his hands reached for Arjuna's shoulder. He was about to bite him when someone grabbed and threw him a few meters away.
"Arjuna.. Arjuna!" Karna called for him.
"Karna..?" Arjuna weakly looked up. "Ahh.. Finally.." he smiled and reached his hand to Karna's cheek. "I'm home.." he said and then he closed his eyes.
"Arjuna?! Please talk to me!" Karna asked in a panic as he cradled the man in his arms. Arjuna didn't reply.
The vampire from earlier got back on his feet. Planning to attack once again. Karna glared on that vampire. And he felt the ominous and heavy aura of the pureblood. The bloodlust and evil intent. Those were eyes of a killer.
The vampire was terrified. This pureblood could kill him. He gulped in fear and ran away as fast as he could.
After that vampire was gone, Karna looked at the man in his arms. He cried.
Gilgamesh was furious. His mansion had been surrounded by the hunters. "Where is Moriarty!?" Gilgamesh screamed at his maid.
The maid was terrified with Gilgamesh, she knelt down and apologize. "I'm sorry, my king. Head butler is gone."
Gilgamesh punched his walls, cracking it. "That useless geezer!" How dare his butler leave him! How dare! Gilgamesh swore he would kill him the next time he sees him.
One of his bodyguards ran into the room. "My king, the hunters had entered the hall! They killed many of our men!"
That irritated Gilgamesh even more. "Kill them all!" He commanded.
Then Gilgamesh went to Artoria's chamber. He needed to leave with her. He couldn't leave her to death with his child.
She was looking outside the window to see the hunters surrounding them. Gilgamesh entered her room, and he pulled her arms. "We're leaving!"
She refused. She tried to hold on her feet but Gilgamesh was too strong. He dragged her all the way.
They were at the stairs when the squad one barge in. Artoria was shocked and ashamed to see her friends. She was no longer a human. She couldn't face them.
"Captain..!?" Bedivere looked in disbelief. He looked at her bloated stomach. What had Gilgamesh done to her!? Bedivere was so mad. Mad at the vampire king, also to himself for being too late. "Gilgamesh.. you!"
"Bedivere! Wait!" Lancelot wanted to stop his friend but Bedivere had marched to attack Gilgamesh.
It was a joke for Gilgamesh. A mere human couldn't hit him at all. Gilgamesh grabbed Bedivere's hand, breaking it. The sword dropped into the ground next to Artoria. Then he grabbed on the head, and throw him away.
Artoria grabbed the sword, she stabbed Gilgamesh from behind.
"You bitch..." Gilgamesh glared at her. He turned back and slapped her. Then he pulled the sword off him.
And a bullet was shot to his head. Perfect headshot. But that wasn't enough to kill him. Gilgamesh regenerated instantly and he looked to the person who shot him.
Galahad.
"You little shit!" Gilgamesh ran to him super fast. He wanted to pierce him. But Galahad was as fast as him. He evaded it a few centimeters next to his face.
"Tristan. Do it." Galahad calmly called for the redhead.
Gilgamesh was rabid mad, all he wanted now was to kill every single fucking hunter that dared to step into his mansion. He raised his left hand, planning to grab on Galahad but that arm was restrained by strings. The strings cut into his arm and bleed. But Gilgamesh pulled his arm off.
Galahad shot another point-blank head shot. But Gilgamesh regenerated again quickly.
"How many times do we need to kill him?!" Tristan asked as he jumped a few steps back to avoid Gilgamesh's range.
"I don't know. Just do it." Galahad easily said as he sliced the king's hand with his sword, then with the left hand he shot once again into Gil's chest. That didn't have any effects. He healed too fast. The arm regrow in a matter of seconds.
Artoria watched with her eyes on tears. Seeing her friends fighting, she wanted to return to them. She crawled to Bedivere's body. "Bedivere... wake up... please... don't die... Bedivere!"
Lancelot was slashing his swords, but Gilgamesh grabbed on it and with his grip, he shattered the sword. Then he choked Lancelot a brief moment with his right hand. Only to be sliced again by Galahad. This time it didn't regrow instantly anymore.
Lancelot fell and coughed. He almost died. Gilgamesh's grip was too strong.
The pureblood yelled. "You human! How dare you!" Gilgamesh aimed his fist on Galahad. But there were strings on his legs. He had to force them off, and the strings cut into his skin.
His fist was once again evaded. But Galahad was caught by surprise because Gilgamesh's other arm had grown back and he grabbed on Galahad's arm, throwing him to the walls.
Galahad landed perfectly on his legs, the walls cracked as he landed there. He jumped to the ground, still well except for his left arm. It was a goner. The bones inside were shattered by Gilgamesh's strong grip.
"Tristan. S-bullets!" Galahad commanded.
Tristan loaded his gun with the special bullet and shot it right to the pureblood's eyes. Gilgamesh groaned in pain. The bullets melted inside his eyes that he couldn't regenerate them properly. "Lancelot, you get back!"
Galahad, with all his might stabbed on the vampire's chest. While the sword was inside him, Galahad rotated the sword to make Gilgamesh bleed more.
Gilgamesh's kick was so sudden that Galahad didn't have time to react, and he got thrown to the walls. This time he coughed blood.
"Galahad?! You okay?!" Lancelot worriedly asked his son.
"Shut up," Galahad yelled instead. "Don't talk to me!" He stood up and coughed. Then he picked his sword from the ground.
"Oi, seriously, this thing is still alive!" Tristan reminded them as he kept shooting him. His strings were useless, Gilgamesh, again, just pulled it off.
The monster's right eye had healed back. "I'll fucking kill you all!"
Artoria grabbed Bedivere's sword once again. "Gilgamesh!" she ran down the stairs.
Gilgamesh looked back to see his wife coming to him with the sword. Weirdly. He didn't react. All he did was staring.
She swung the sword, it touched Gil's neck. She cut off his head.
Enkidu..?
Is that you..?
The monster's head fell off to the ground as he saw the light of his life.
She dropped the sword. Artoria gritted her teeth as she knelt down in pain. She was holding on her stomach.
She looked up and Galahad was in front of her. She smiled. "Kill me.." she said as she cried. "Please.."
"No.. don't.." Bedivere crawled down the stairs, leaving trails of his own blood. He reached Artoria, and he embraced her. His back was facing Galahad. "Please don't kill captain.."
"She's no longer a human, Bedivere," Lancelot said. "That's a vampire.."
Bedivere sobbed as he hugged her. "No.. please don't.."
"Bedivere.. it's okay. Lancelot is right.." She hugged him as well. "I am happy to see you all again."
Galahad sighed. "I won't kill her." He said. He never raised his sword on her at the first place. "We've come to save you.." Galahad smiled a little bit as he offered her his hand.
Artoria's eyes widened in surprise. Her chest hurt. She was happy that they had come to save her, but also very sad. "I.. can't return anymore.." she started to spill her tears.
"It's fine. We will do something." Tristan said. He took off his coat and covered her with it.
"Please return to us." Bedivere finally let go of her. He looked at her with teary eyes. "Please.." he begged.
Galahad sat down. He was so tired from all the action. "Bedivere kept searching for you. He never gave up." He said as he took a breathe and closed his eyes.
"Thank you, Bedivere, Galahad, Tristan, Lancelot... really thank you.."
She had a place to return.
—
After the raid, many of the vampires gave up. Those who had given up were not killed. They were restrained and was sent to safety.
Squad two's captain Okita had cleared the whole mob vampires. The rest being her trail. Though the best achievement goes to Galahad again as usual.
Okita-san coughed blood and passed out right after she did her victory jump.
"Maybe you should retire soon, Okita-san." Tristan gave her the advice as she got carried into an ambulance together with other injured hunters.
Tristan then glanced to the man beside him. "You don't need to go to the hospital?"
Galahad's hand was already treated by the field doctor. "I'm fine."
Two of them watched as Bedivere was taken into another ambulance. He had passed out due to blood loss. "Bedivere is quite useless, isn't he?" Tristan asked, with a smirk.
"He's more useful than Lancelot," Galahad said. Lancelot was sitting right behind him. His neck was bandaged. Lancelot wasn't happy with what Galahad had just said.
Then they looked at the vampires that were being restrained. One by one entered the truck.
Artoria looked back to them. She smiled, albeit a bit sad and then she entered the truck.
"Why does the queen order the vampires to be kept alive?" Lancelot asked. "Usually we had to kill them all..."
Tristan smiled. "Well, that's part of Holmes's plan."
"Holmes who?" Lancelot asked. Not knowing who they were talking about.
Then Galahad turned back. He stood in front of Lancelot as he looked down to the useless man. "How useless.."
Lancelot internally cried as his son walked away coldly. Thankfully Lancelot still had Mash who would at least talk to him.
A few days after the raid, a press confrence was held.
Galahad was personally escorting Queen Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova to the conference room. He became famous not only because of his achievement, but being the Queen's personal escort had attracted even more attention to him.
She walked up to the stage, holding her skirt, while the camera kept flashing on her, tv stations recording, and some made live stream.
"My name is Anastasia Nikolaevna Romanova." She introduced herself, even though everyone already knew she was a queen.
"I was the one who commanded the raid. We have defeated the enemy that had rooted in our country for a long time." She spoke as the camera flashed onto her face. "But I believe that not all vampires are evil. Kind vampires are more common than what we have thought. We have to give them a chance."
She smiled a little. "I want to make a better world for both humans and vampires. Firstly, giving vampires identity and rights just like a human. Secondly, by regulating the business for the vampires. We will join our hands together and pave the road to the future."
Then her expression changed to a more serious tone. "Of course we will have to make rules. From now on, turning a human into a vampire is prohibited."
Anastasia spoke of peace and future. A world where humans and vampires could co-exist. Vampires could have their rights as long as they come out to as one.
She also had a research team dedicated into vampire's feeding needs. They were able to create the artificial cells that the vampires needed. Of course they would still allow blood business, as long as it was regulated by the government. Anyone could sell their blood as long as they fulfill the criteria.
The world was watching her. Other countries were shocked with her. Vampires and the humans alike. Some of them rejected her ideals, some accepted them. That was still an unclear future they walked into. But Anastasia was sure, it will be okay.
.
.
.
Arjuna was watching the live stream from his phone, and then he laughed to himself. He remembered Holmes's words about peace.
At first, Arjuna thought Holmes meant that he would let them go if Arjuna did his bidding. Who would have expected he really meant real peace.
How long had he planned for this? How the hell did he even planned for this? How many steps ahead is he? How smart is this genius really? No wonder I can't win from him. This is just too funny.
Beside him, Karna was looking at Arjuna in concern. Every time Arjuna laughed to himself, it was usually something bad. And this Arjuna laughed a bit too much. Maybe he hit his head too hard back then?
"Arjuna, are you okay?" Karna asked.
Arjuna noticed Karna's worried face. He was still laughing, but lightly this time. "No.. just remembered about something.."
"What is that something?"
"There's this person who is too smart that I can't even understand." Arjuna said as he laid his head on Karna's thigh. He put his ear on Karna's stomach, listening to the small heartbeats. While Karna ruffled on his dark hair.
Karna smiled. "If you said so, then this person must be amazing."
When Arjuna came home, he was wounded. Karna carried him home, and Arjuna was bedridden for two days. Karna took care of him carefully and stayed by his side all the time. Arjuna was a bit worried because Karna wasn't supposed to exhaust himself in his current state. But everything turned out fine.
Arjuna closed his eyes in tranquility as he slept. He was blessed.
Karna looked at Arjuna's serenity. He was really glad Arjuna returned to him. Thank you for coming home.
.
.
.
Merlin ate his burger as he sat on top of the lighthouse. The wind played with his long hair as he looked at the view of the port.
"The thing you've built for more than twenty years just got destroyed. Even though you almost win, Holmes totally got you." Merlin said as he grinned.
Moriarty was standing behind him. "I was getting a little bit bored with Gilgamesh."
"That's why you ditched him? How cruel~ I kinda liked him." Merlin said as he turned his body around to the old man. "What are you going to do now? Start a new game again? Aren't you getting bored with that too? You and Holmes have been playing for two hundred years..."
Moriarty chuckled. "There's nothing could be more fun than a game with Holmes."
Merlin finished his burger. "Well.. I don't understand.." then he threw the paper away and it got blown by the winds. "But I expect another fun game~," Merlin said and grinned innocently as he walked to the old man.
Moriarty and Merlin, they had known each other for a long time. Merlin often joined Moriarty's games when he got bored with his own. Their relationship was one to be called friends for benefit. Of course they could benefit each other in more than just games.
.
.
"That was an amazing speech," Holmes said. They were in Queen's quarter.
"Thank you, Holmes." Anastasia nodded and said. "I am really glad that you reached out to me. I could never do this by myself."
Galahad was on her side, drinking the jasmine tea. Royal tea was indeed very good. Galahad never tasted a tea so good before. Then he poured another cup for himself.
"Good job to you too, Galahad," Holmes said as he glanced to the young man.
"Did you found Moriarty?" Galahad asked. "He will start another problem soon if we don't."
Holmes sighed as he smiled. "If he's that easy to capture, he won't be my rival for two hundred years."
Anastasia was concerned. The man who could destroy her peace was still out there, scheming for something. Who knows what he will do next. It's Moriarty we're talking about.
"Don't worry. I will do something about him." Galahad said as he looked to the queen.
Anastasia smiled. "Thank you. I trust you." She said a half lie.
.
.
.
Bedivere, Tristan, and Lancelot were visiting Artoria in the rehab center. All the vampires that were captured in Gilgamesh's raid were sent here. They sat at the round table in the dining hall.
"How're you doing?" Bedivere asked.
"I'm fine. Thank you, Bedivere." Artoria was wearing the default white long dress. She laid her back on the chair as she hold her bloated belly.
She used to hate her baby. But after all of that, after her friends had accepted her once again. She thought she wanted to learn to accept the child as well. Though Artoria was a little bit bitter. But everything had happened wasn't the child's fault.
"Where's Gawain, Galahad and Agravain?" She asked as she looked around. Not seeing the other two members of the squad.
Lancelot was a bit uncomfortable when he talked about his son. "Galahad is escorting the queen for the press.. also he's now the head chief." Galahad would be going up the ladder faster than Lancelot had thought. Even though he was still so young. Lancelot was a bit concerned. The world was never a kind place towards people like Galahad.
"Gawain is doing other job. He was assigned to do some investigation at the warehouses." Lancelot then continued.
"I see. Gawain is busy as ever isn't he? And Galahad is truly amazing. He could do everything by himself." Artoria's face brighten up as she praised the young man. "What about Agravain? Is he too busy to leave again?"
The three men looked at each other in awkward silence. They were all waiting for each other to tell her the truth.
Then Bedivere decided to tell her. "Agravain is Gilgamesh's man. He was the one that halted my investigation for years.."
Artoria was shocked. She looked at Bedivere in disbelief. "I see... that's surprising.." she said lightly. "Where is he now?"
Tristan snorted. "Well he's dead... the vampires must have thought Agravain betrayed them. They killed him."
Artoria closed her eyes. She realized she was dumb the whole time. She never listened to others and only looked up her own ideal. Naive and stupid. She never realized that Agravain was an enemy despite him being at her side. "I sorry. Everyone..." she said. "I wasn't a good captain. I've dragged you all into my problems."
Tristan smiled. "No. You've done well." He said and then he drank the coffee he brewed from the machine right there.
Then they talked about the others. About Okita-san who coughed blood again like usual. Lancelot talked about Mash and how nice she was compared to Galahad. Tristan informed Iseult's marriage with his uncle a few months ago. Which Artoria was kind of sad for Tristan. He loved her dearly.
"What about Arjuna?" Artoria asked out of nowhere. She frowned as she reminded herself of that night.
Tristan touched her shoulder for a brief moment. "He's fine. We were able to save you because he helped us... he did a lot."
"Eh, what?" Lancelot asked in surprised. "What do you mean by that?!"
Tristan didn't answer. He simply smiled as Lancelot kept asking him the same question. Bedivere had known the truth. Tristan had told him because he felt Bedivere deserve to know it. Bedivere had tried so hard that it would be unfair if Tristan kept it a secret. Bedivere smiled awkwardly as Lancelot realized he knows it too. Lancelot complained about why nobody told him.
Artoria didn't know what Arjuna did, but she believed Tristan's word as true. Though she was still asking herself if she could forgive that man. She was unsure. Even if he did help her, he was the one who left her into this mess.
She looked to the window. The sun was shining brightly. Today is a good day. She thought as she looked back to her friends.