Cid, changed into his Shadow attire, was looking at Blood Queen proudly. Well, not like she could see his face, but he was proud! He has finally managed to employ this technique against a worthy opponent! He spent some time carefully managing the "drag into your Realm" part, and even more time with making it look cool! Like all those runes flying around him? They were completely unneeded… Well, they did help a bit, but he did not actually need them, and he actually could just insta-cast it, but where's the cool factor in that?

The moving part itself was simple: make a connection with Outer Shadow Realm (that one where everything is just grayed out and dark), control the shadows around target, and drag them down with yourself. Now both you participate in glorious 1v1 against each other!… Though Cid does have some unfair advantage like being connected to Shadow Realm and thus being able to move and use magic freely and even getting a boost from it, while his opponent is being restricted by it as the unwanted guest… But that's even better, right? Like what's the point of technique if it doesn't give you advantage? Well, maybe the 1v1 part is advantage? Like if it was a team that relied on each other, and then he takes away the most vulnerable target? Hmm, that feels like Raid Boss type or something…

Anyway, back to the point! He took his opponent to Shadow Realm for the cool 1v1 showdown! And be he damned if he did not use it to the fullest!

It happened all of sudden.

One moment, Lord Shadow was fighting with Blood Queen… And even though he did his best to stick to one fighting style that he chose, he still managed to fight back against her. As expected of Lord Shadow, even the Ancient bringers of doom were nothing in front of him.

Then, he started doing… something. Beta was not sure what, but it involved a lot of runes, and it would probably be better if Eta was here… But she was not here, because in the end Lord Shadow took the control in bed back and… Yes, Eta ended up being the most used up, and even slime control was quite difficult for her… It should've been Beta, not her!…

Oh, right, battle! Yes, Lord Shadow did… something. And then both he and Blood Queen disappeared… Or so it seemed, but in truth there were some kind of… silhouettes. One red, one purple mixed with black. And no, she does not mean "crimson red", she means "red".

The purple one was in place of Lord Shadow, while red one was in place of Queen Elizabeth. However, they were intangible. Beta tried to snipe the red silhouette with arrow, however it simply passed through as if there was nothing. However, they still moved. They moved as if they were still engaged in combat, though this time…

Blood Queen seemed to be losing.

"The hell just happened?…" people looked up.

When a sudden flash of light erupted in the sky, everyone covered their eyes. However, it dissipated very soon, and participants found out that the two figures disappeared from the view entirely… However, their silhouettes were left.

And the silver-haired female elf just tried to shoot one of them, to no avail.

It was at this time everyone realized that… Blood Queen was gone. She disappeared along with mysterious agent that escorted Yukime, the Spirit Fox, to the Crimson Tower. However, his partner remained.

"My, my, gentlemen," Stierlitz smiled mysteriously as she took out the throwing knives, "It would do no good for you to attack the one under my protection, now would it?"

"Move away, woman. I wish to speak to Yukime," the blind wolfman waved the agent away and focused his senses on the fox therianthrope.

"Ara? Quite bold man we have-"

"Let him come," Yukime interrupted Stierlitz.

"…Hmm, well, if you say so," agent shrugged and made a step back, "Though I was tasked with your protection first, and that order will have priority over yours if I see your life being in danger."

"I am aware…" Yukime bit her lip.

Wolfman slowly came forward and stopped right in front of fox-woman.

"That's how you decide to repay to me, huh…?" he snickered.

"Both you and me are aware of what actually happened back then, Gettan," Yukime coldly retorted.

"Hmph! And I have long said that only might makes right! If we were stronger, all of this wouldn't have happened!" Gettan gripped his sword.

"And that's why you decided to kill my mother?" her voice lowered.

"Your mother was a senile old fool!" wolfman erupted in anger, "'Don't go against your nature', she said! 'Cult only wishes to use you', she said! And you know that!"

"Clearly, the pills have gotten to your head," Yukime closed her fan, "Actually, was your head of any good use, anyway? The only quality of yours was always your inborn physical strength, nothing more and nothing less. You never had the wisdom to actually think about your actions-"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" he pointed his sword at her, "If only-! If only you were on my side-! All of that- All of that wouldn't happen! And we would- would live! Our clans would survive!"

"Survive, but not live. That's the key difference. And I am pretty sure if you did not backstab my mother, we could have defended ourselves…" Yukime's eyes shone crimson as her lush nine tails wavered in the air, "Everything is gone, now… Because of you."

"Because of me?… Because of me?! You, foxes, were the one who invited the destruction! You are the one hellbent on revenge! Even though it was all your fault!"

She easily stopped the attack with her fans.

"You weren't always like this, Gettan…"

Wolfman jumped back and stared at her with hateful blind eyes.

"Life is not always a shining sun, you know?! Someone has to dive through shit so you can live your life as, how was it, oh, right, the Spirit Fox, ruler of a large corporation!" he spat on the ground and changed his stance.

"Hoh?" Yukime parried his sword, "I wonder how much worse was it for you, then? What did you do? Pillaged villages? Was Cult's dog?"

"So what? So what?! I did everything I could to ensure the peace of my people-!" his speech was interrupted as fox placed her fans under his chin

"The ones which you killed with your own hands," she pressed the fans' blades onto his throat, "We both know the truth. I want to believe that your heart still has a place for kindness, considering that you did try to save us… But it matters not. You coming here and trying to kill me and people who tried to help me only proves that."

"Tch…" Gettan gritted his teeth, and everyone heard something crushing in his mouth, "Never! I will never yield!"

Burst of dark magic suddenly erupted from him, forcing Yukime to back away. Wolfman's muscles bulged, his wounds restoring, and his power increasing. With a roar, he went on the offensive once more.

Stierlitz only watched it with a slight smile on her face. Who knew that people had such stories? This is so interesting…

Elizabeth focused her gaze on the figure in front of her.

"Who… Are you?" were her first words.

The cloaked figure tilted his head. And spoke.

"I am Shadow. I lurk in the shadows…" he raised his hands, "And I hunt down the shadows."

Both went silent, inspecting each other.

"Tell me."

She cocked her head.

"What is it you wish for?"

"My wish?…" Queen lowered her gaze.

What is it she wishes for?…

The memories of better times flashed through her eyes. Back when she finally managed to make the first steps towards the peace between vampires, humans, elves, therianthropes… Back when they built first city together… Back when vampires slowly refused to drink blood, and even though they lost their undead powers, the sun itself welcomed them back into its embrace, allowing them to enjoy the beautiful view of bright rays shining upon their world…

And how it was all destroyed. It took one bad night for all her efforts to be for naught. One Red Moon, and the previously peaceful Queen went into rampage, making a waste of her own Haven and three countries in the process… Who would believe her after that? Who would trust her words? She was named Blood Queen, and she herself agreed with the moniker…

That's why she decided to let it go. That's why she decided to lay herself in the coffin and let time take its course. And she almost succeeded.

However, power-hungry, bloodthirsty vampires did not want their reign to end, and they had brought her back to life. Right under Red Moon. Right in a moment when her sanity would not be present. However…

This man, Shadow, brought her to this place. This… realm. Realm, where Red Moon had no access. Realm, where she could think properly.

She was grateful for that.

And…

And she made a wish.

"I wish…"

Her delicate hands were raised towards the Darkness itself. Something inside her wanted to believe, to believe in a man that ruled the Shadows. After all, Shadows are where the light shines, right?

"I wish for everyone to live in peace, for vampires no longer being forced to drink blood in order so survive, for all of us to make amends with each other…"

Shadow slowly walked towards her.

"And for myself…"

A single tear escaped her eye as he took her small bare hands into his own large gloved ones.

"To be free of this curse."

She felt the realm around her slowly making way for the reality as Red Moon shone sinisterly on her. And yet…

"Granted."

Aurora didn't know what she should do. Should she intervene? Or not? As it stands, the fox therianthrope still can hold on her own, but… It looks like soon she will fall down.

Though this guy… He actually used pills made from her cells? Really, that's what they were used for? To make drugs? Here she thought idiots from Cult actually learned something during all the time she spent sealed…

Oh, it looks like fox can no longer fight back- Really? Another one? Wolf had to eat two bottles of pills to dominate a single poor woman? Shame, shame. No wonder she left him.

Huh?… Now would you look at the sky, her Knight and… come to think of it, that girl seems to be somewhat connected to her in a way…

Hmm… Oh, yes, there was a theory among Shadow Garden (Aurora can swear she did not peek, they were too loud for her liking) that Possessed and Vampires might have the same source… Yes, Diablos' own blood. How curious… Could it be some kind of evolution? Her Knight will be delighted to hear that!

…Damn, she got too caught up in theories and almost let the poor fox die! That won't do.

"Excuse me, sir, I think your fight went too far," she politely interjected in their 'conversation' via blocking Gettan's attack with one of her knives. You know, knives aren't that bad, actually! Her Knight really knows how to choose best weapons for his people!

"Shut up!" he tried to relentlessly attack her, however it did not do much.

She easily intercepted each and every one of his slashes. She only needed to stop him from killing Yukime, after all. After that, her Knight can decide what to do. What if he had a plan? She doesn't want to ruin their play!

Oh, what is that shining in the sky?

Aurora stopped in curiosity. This guy is all out of breath and on his last legs, anyway. Might as well watch her gallant Knight doing something interesting.

With a corner of her eye, she caught Spirit Fox movement towards the wolfman. It looks like your story ends today, then…

The light became brighter. It surpassed the Blood Moon itself, and soon every person heard two words.

"I…"

However, Aurora heard four. First two that were heard by her only…

"Am…"

And next two that were heard by everyone.

"Recovery Atomic."

Cid: "I am gonna use Shadow Realm as a 1v1 stage! So cool!"

Elizabeth that restored her sanity in it: "Nuh-uh"