Special thanks to: AC Marvel, Joker wx, Stephen A Gocha, Dude
Author's Note: Hey everyone, been a long time, I know. Sorry about the massive delay. I can assure everyone that it had absolutely nothing to do with the massive check I received from Canadian doctors wanting to study Joker after going insane, lol. Seriously though, I was going to tell everyone what has been going on in this note here, but I decided to post it to the story forum instead since I did not want to start this chapter off on a big downer and get everyone depressed right away, that is what the news is for. So, if anyone is curious and wants to know what happened, you can check the story news section of the forum. In the meantime, I hope everyone enjoys the chapter!
Additional Note: Milestone time everyone! R&V Chronicles has surpassed 260k views! I cannot remember what or when the last announced milestone was, but I am pretty sure that it was a lot less than this, meaning that even in my absence, you guys were still coming back here to read and enjoy my story and I appreciate that. Thank you.
"A hero should go on his way!" – Sakamoto Ryoma, Imperialist Samurai (1836 – 1867).
Danger lurks in the background for three generations of Tsukune's family this night. Tsukune and Moka are in Ireland carrying out a mission for Queen Lilith. After meeting with the local informants that turned out to be Kerry and Mary from the Banshee Seven mercenaries, they made their way to a foggy marsh where they find the outcast witch they were supposed to assassinate but instead fell into her clever trap that captured both of them. Shino meanwhile is in Rome with Akari following his magical link and catches an airborne assailant that turned out to be Yuuki from Lilith's castle. He then finally meets his dream girl but before he can ask her any questions, she's quickly caught and killed by a monster hunter bent on killing the rest of them next. Elsewhere, Issa arrives at Castle Saltik for dinner with Naoya for what will surely be a very tense and possibly eventful dinner for them and unbeknownst to anyone else, for Kouta as well.
Chapter 88: Blood and Bondage
Castle Saltik
January 12, 2018
"This way, gentlemen." The guard commander turned escort says as he guides Issa and Naoya through the castle's stone hallways.
All the while, having reminded himself that he was safe as long as he was with his grandfather, Naoya looks around them in amazement despite the overshadowing fear lingering over him. All of the stone blocks he can see have a golden-brown look to them with some having beautiful layers between the two colors that also include varying shades of the colors. He reaches out to touch them and feels how smooth they are. Then every so often there would be a large tapestry hanging on the wall depicting one fight or battle after another, all with the common theme of the mighty vampires crushing their foolish enemies.
"Are you interested in tapestries, young master?" Their escort asks him.
"What? Oh, um…I-I guess." He tries to answer. "I-I've just never seen anything like these before and there's do many of them and each one is different."
"Understandable, they all are very well made and depict the many gallant achievements of the Saltik House's history. There are many other such tapestries throughout the entire castle. I would be more than happy to give you a tour of them if you are interested."
"I-I'll think about it…"
The vampire shrugs his shoulders.
"Your choice."
A little confused, Naoya whispers to his grandfather.
"Ojii-sama, what's going on? Why are these people being so polite to us when we know they hate us?"
Issa cracks a small smile.
"Power, my boy, power."
"Huh?"
"They fear my power since I can easily match that of most of the house lords, so they cannot afford to act rashly. Remember, I used to be one of them and it was not for show." Issa unpleasantly groans to himself. "Until my wife usurped me and destroyed my house…"
Naoya thinks about it for a moment and decides to not ask about that last part before replying.
"So, you're acting as a deterrent against the shadow council attacking us again and that's why they have to be careful?"
"Exactly."
"But why are they inviting us to dinner?"
"We're here, gentlemen." Their guide announces and begins opening a large double door.
Issa places his hand on Naoya's shoulder as they enter the room.
"We're about to find out. Be ready for anything."
Before them is a long and sturdy wooden table, no doubt it is far older than Naoya is. At the far end of it a tall, well-built man with brown skin wearing an expensive-looking brown suit stands up and greets them with large smile on his face and quickly approaches them.
"Welcome, Lord Issa Shuzen, it has been years since we've seen each other last."
"Lord Orhan Saltik, it has been a long time, yes."
The two clasp arms together.
"I trust you are in good health, Orhan?"
"Reasonable so. Yourself?"
"I've been keeping busy."
Despite all the pleasantries being exchanged, Naoya can clearly see how strongly they are squeezing each other's arms and how tense their stares at each other are. It is enough to raise the hair on the back of his neck, but he does his best to not let it show. He cannot embarrass or disgrace his grandfather so he bravely stands his ground. After several tense seconds, they finally release each other.
"Busy doing what, if I may ask?"
"Training my grandchildren. Speaking of which…"
Issa motions for Naoya to step forward and he promptly does.
"May I present my grandson, Naoya Aono."
Orhan extends his arm to Naoya who nervously clears his throat and takes a deep breath.
"It is an honor to meet you under these circumstances, Orhan-sama." Naoya formally states while bowing to their host.
Orhan is surprised at the greeting at first and pulls back his arm as he remembers.
"Ah yes, this is how you greet people in the Far-East. The honor is mine, young lord. This way."
Orhan turns around and leads them to the head of the table and Naoya breathes a huge sigh of relief. While his grandfather had already taught him how vampires customarily greet each other, he wanted to avoid embracing arms with someone that is as strong as his grandfather and who he knows wants his family dead.
"I was not expecting you to bring any company, especially not your grandson, but no matter, we have more than enough food for everyone."
He then claps twice and the servants start coming out with various dishes of food that quickly cover the table from end to end. Naoya is amazed at not just the varied selection of food dishes but also the dishes themselves that are clearly very fancy along with the silverware that appear to be actual silver while the glasses look like the fancy kind you would see at a wine party on tv that remind him of a two lip rose.
"You're too generous." Issa comments.
"I know. Oh, just out of curiosity, which daughter does your grandson come from?" Orhan asks as they all take their seats with Issa on Orhan's right and Naoya sitting on the other side of his grandfather.
"He's from my third daughter, Moka."
"Ah, the one you had with your charming mistress, what was her name again?"
"Akasha, Akasha Bloodriver."
"That's right, I remember now. She certainly was a very charming creature. I recall that many men—and even a few women—the ones that were not thoroughly envious of her I should say—were utterly smitten with her whenever you brought her to a party. It was very entertaining and impressive, especially considering her commoner roots."
The two men continue to talk about their mutual past events for some time. Naoya meanwhile, does his best to lay low while continuously wondering what he had gotten himself into. Despite the inner turmoil however, he remains cool and collected on the outside so no one can tell what his thoughts are.
"More Blood Wine, milord?" One of the servant girls asks before refilling Naota's glass.
Naoya thanks her and smells his drink deeply before sipping it.
Still no scent or taste of poison or drugs of any kind. I never thought Ojii-sama's lessons on what to watch out for when dining with an enemy would come in handy this soon! Maybe I don't have to worry about it here though, this guy looks more like the straightforward muscle type than a sneaky poisoner.
He then shakes his head.
No! I shouldn't let my guard down no matter what! Like grandpa told us, it only takes one mistake to get yourself killed!
"Are you okay, milord?" The servant girl standing behind him asks.
"Huh? Oh…! Y-yes, I'm fine. Thank you."
He then looks around and sees that nothing has changed. His grandfather and host were still exchanging old stories from before he was born while a shabbily dressed servant stands behind each of them.
A thought then occurs to him.
Wait, did she say this was Blood Wine? As in human blood? If it is, then who is it all from?
He looks down at the dark red liquid in his glass and swishes it around, wondering. He then puts it down and decides not to think about it anymore and definitely not to ask.
Sometime later, Naoya is finishing his meal, being careful not to overdo it since they are in enemy territory. He has no idea what is going to happen when so he wants to be ready for whatever happens, the only thing that he is certain of is that something will happen. It has to. That much is obvious.
With both of the old men still talking to each other about things he does not understand, Naoya loudly clears his throat to interrupt them.
"I apologize for my rudeness, but…why are we here? Why did you invite my grandfather here even though you hate our family? It doesn't make any sense to me."
A long, uneasy silence fills the room. Eventually, after what seemed like hours but could not have been more than a minute, their host waves his hand in the air and all of the servants quickly leave the room.
Orhan stares hard at Naoya before finally answering him.
"How old are you, boy?"
Naoya clears his throat and answers him as best as he can.
"I just turned nine last month, Orhan-sama."
"…I see..."
Orhan puts his elbows on the tables, folds his hands in front of his face and takes a long pause before continuing.
"I used to have two sons. They were both nine once too. But now…"
Orhan's body starts to visibly shake.
"But now they're dead, both of them. And at the hands of your retched family." He spits out with venom dripping from every word.
Before anything more can be said however, Orhan grabs the long table they are all sitting at and…
SMASH!
…Smashes it into the wall with Issa and Naoya sandwiched in between.
A second later…
CRASH!
…Issa's punch snaps the table in two and sends both pieces flying into the other walls, his arms now covered in dragon scales and crossed in front of him in a defensive pose.
"Are you hurt, Naoya?"
From his new seat on the floor leaning against the wall, Naoya reaches to the back of his head and winces in pain. He then looks at his hand and sees it covered in blood, his blood.
"Yes, but I think I'll live."
"Your guard wasn't strong enough to fully protect you, I'll have to increase you training when we return."
"Sorry, Jii-sama." Naoya answers him in a light daze.
Issa meanwhile is having a staring contest with Orhan.
"No desert, Orhan?"
"I will avenge my sons no matter what, even if I must remove you to do it!"
Orhan then crashes into Issa and they both go through the stone brick wall and begin falling down outside the castle as the two start furiously exchanging blows.
"If you really wanted to kill me, then you should've invited the other lords as well, or at least Zoltan."
Orhan just grunted through his clenched teeth as they finally land on the ground and immediately lunge at each other.
"But then again, you're doing all this behind his back…aren't you?"
"Stop talking!"
SMASH!
Up above, Naoya cannot believe his eyes. Though it was now dark outside, his vampire night vision allows him to see everything. He had seen some intense fighting and fought in a couple of battles as well before, but this…this was completely different! The best way he could describe the fighting below would be to compare it to the major boss fights in Dragonball Z!
Just then he notices the calls of alerted enemy soldiers coming straight to the dining room he was still in! He jumps to his feet and has to grab onto a chair to steady himself for a second before rushing out through the doorway the servants had gone through, thinking it led to the kitchen. Arriving there, he hears approaching soldiers and quickly hides in the pantry and conceals his youki from detection. From there, he watches as several of House Saltik's troops rush past him and towards the dining room. As the last one disappears down the hallway and not hearing anyone else, he slips out the other way and quietly sneaks away.
2
Elsewhere in the castle
"…Wow…"
Kouta marvels as he walks down one of the castle's many halls, dragging his fingers across the smooth stone wall in amazement. He had heard about castles like this in stories but never imagined he would actually be able to walk around in one. The tapestries regularly lining all the walls are clearly well-made and big.
I wonder where I am. Maybe I should look for Naoya-nii and Kowai-ojii. It's rude to just wonder around in someone else's home after all. But where should I look? This place is huge!
He then wipes away some sweat from his forehead.
And hot! Are there any rooms with air conditioning?
After a while, Kouta is walking through a hallway when he hears voices coming from another hallway from a four-way junction just ahead of him, but since he doesn't have a speech stone, he cannot understand what they are saying. Hearing that the voices are getting closer from the hallway on the right, he is about to call out to them when he notices a certain word the voices say: Saltik.
Kouta's body freezes in place.
Wait… I remember that name!
Now in full alert mode, Kouta looks around him for a hiding spot in a near panic.
Seconds later, two guards with sunbaked brown skin and clad in their House's signature brown uniforms, both wearing a sword at their waists turn left at the junction and start walking down the hallway. As they continue to talk together one of them stops and looks around.
"What's wrong?" The other guard asks him.
"Do you smell that?"
"Smell what?"
"It smells like a human."
"Do you have brain damage? We have many human servants here, so what's strange about that? We smell those lousy cattle every day."
"Exactly! They all have the same cattle-like smell to them but this…"
The guard takes in another sniff.
"This one's different."
The other guard rolls his eyes and groans before walking away.
"You're imagining things. Nobody's even here to begin with. Let's finish our rounds before a noble catches us slacking."
The other guard looks at his comrade and then around him again. Still smelling the unusual scent but clearly seeing nobody there and no youki coming from anywhere, he hurries to catch up to the other guard.
After both guards are far down the hallway, a pair of shoes carefully step down from behind one of the many tapestries lining the walls and a very relieved but still concerned Kouta peeks around before stepping out and quickly sneaking down another hallway.
Not good! Not good! Not good! Those guys were vampires! They have to be! Only vampires talk like that about humans! What have I gotten myself into?
He then thinks back to a few nerve-wracking minutes ago. When he needed to hide fast but with nothing else around him, he dove behind one of the tapestries, looped his steel wire string around the metal pole holding it up and pulled himself up so his feet wouldn't stick out below between the tapestry and the floor. All the while being sure to flatten his body out as much as he could while remaining perfectly still and concealing what little youki presence he had.
Good thing grandma gave me this spool of steel wire to help me hide and escape for Christmas. I should do something nice for her when I get back. Right now, I need to find Naoya-nii and Kowai-ojii!
After a few minutes of sneaking around and dodging everyone he finds, he sees another pair of guards turn onto the hallway he's in and instantly dives behind the tall base for the vase sitting on top of it. Peeking around the side his heart sinks as he watches them both walking straight towards him!
He quickly steps back, being sure to keep the base with the case between them, slowly opens the door he was about to pass by and quietly slips through it before closing it as quickly and quietly as he can.
He silently stands there with his ear pressed against it and listens as the guards walk past him and keep going. Kouta then lets out an audible sigh of relief.
"What are you doing?"
An uncharacteristic chill runs up Kouta's spin and he slowly turns around. He sees a young girl who looks around his age if not older sitting at a small desk and realizes that he's in a small bedroom.
The girl then gets up from her chair and storms towards him. The girl has the same brownish sunbaked skin that everyone else has with dark hair and dark eyes and wearing a cute black dress with what has to be a speech stone hanging around her neck in a simple neckless.
As soon as she gets close to him however, she…
SMACK!
…Slaps him.
"I asked you a question, servant!" She declares in a raised/stern tone.
Kouta staggers and shakes his head to recollect himself.
She's strong!
"Answer me! Why are you in my chambers unsummoned?"
"Ehhhhh…"
Kouta is at a complete loss. This isn't something he had thought about before and he just had his bell rung like never before.
"And what's with these clothes?" She demands as she grabs his collar. "Why are you dressed…this…way…"
Her expression and demeanor mysteriously go from angry/demanding to subdued/flushed in a matter of seconds right before Kouta's eyes as he watches in amazement.
What just happened?
She then starts breathing heavily with reddened cheeks and her face starts getting closer to his.
Now she wants to kiss me? Ehhhhh…? We just met! Wait, that look in her eyes seems familiar.
As their faces are about to meet however…
Sniff!
…She starts sniffing his lips.
"…You smell yummy…"
What…?
That's when notices the taste of blood in his mouth, his blood. He licks his lips, realizes that it's bleeding and his heart drops as reality dawns upon him.
She split my lip and smelled my blood! Wait, I remember now! That's the look Akane-nee gets whenever she wants to drink my blood! I need to get out of here!
"B-b-but we just met! I don't even know your name!" He shouts in a full-on panic as he squirms.
"…I'm Nihal Saltik…and I'm going to Nihal you dry." *1]
Her fangs come out and tries to bite his neck but he slips out of his shirt and opens the door to escape but…
SLAM!
…Is not fast enough.
"I didn't give you permission to leave…" She declares with a crazed look in her eyes, watering fangs, and Kouta is now trapped in a small room with this very thirsty vampire.
Mommy!
3
Rome, Italy
The smiling monster hunter lashes the whip at Shino who ducks just in time to avoid it, but Akari who was just standing on Shino's shoulder…
Smack!
…Takes a glancing blow.
"My ass! My ass! My ass is on fire!"
Akari holds and rubs her very red and raw butt and realizes that her light sundress has been torn at the waist.
"You bitch! That's the only ass and dress I have!" She furiously declares with a raised fist while flying. "You're going to pay for that!"
Shino meanwhile, runs up to Hungry and Hungrier and tells them to release Yuuki and then unsummons them. Against a seasoned monster hunter, a pair of half-grown plant monsters that cannot move far from the ground they're planted in would be nothing more than target practice.
"Fly away, Yuuki! Get out here!"
The stunned Yuuki however, just stands there with her mouth open. Shino tries pushing her away and repeats himself, but it does little. Out of time and options, he…
Smack!
…Slaps her face.
"Wha-what?" She asks as she snaps out of it.
"Go!" He shouts at her.
Yuuki then spreads her wings and finally takes off and flies away.
Shino however…
W'CHT!
…Isn't so fortunate.
"Gyaaak!"
Shino struggles and tries to pull the whip away from his throat while his attacker drags him across the ground as she pulls him to her.
"Tsk! Tsk! Such a noble little idiot." She gloats. "You should've left the other idiot and ran away when you had the chance. Not that it would've mattered in the end, but don't worry. This means you'll get to see your other little friend first!"
She sensually licks her lips and then the whip as she firmly steps on Shino's chest to hold him in place and gets ready to yank it to snap his neck.
"Arrivederci, little warlock."
As she is about kill Shino, out of the darkness Akari suddenly appears and tosses a dog turd rolled up in a leaf into the hunters wide open with her tongue hanging out…
GUH!
…Mouth.
"Choke of that you bitch!"
Now "enjoying" a brand-new taste spreading all over the inside of her mouth, the woman gags, heaves and falls to her hands and knees as she…
Bleeeeeuuuuugh!
…Pukes her guts out.
Meanwhile, Akari is helping to free Shino from the whip strangling him.
"Are you okay sweetie?" She worriedly asks him as she slaps both of his cheeks. "Speak to me!"
Shino takes several deep breathes, never realizing before now just how delicious air can be. He then struggles to get on his feet with Akari practically glued to his face. Knowing that the fight isn't over yet, he reaches for his wand but realizes that it isn't there.
My wand! Where's my wand?
He tries to tell Akari about his missing wand but no words escape his still burning throat. With no other options, he frantically starts feeling around on the ground while working his way back to where he was before, hoping against hope that he can not only find it, but in time before the hunter comes back for him and without accidentally breaking it in his haste. Noticing what Shino's doing and how desperate his movements clearly are, Akari realizes what has to be going on and jumps down to help the search.
A minute later in the midst of their frantic search…
"You little shits!"
…Time runs out.
"No quick deaths for you two!" Allegra announces as she storms towards them, whip in hand. "I'm going to show you why I'm called the ultimate sadist!"
She then appears to stop in her tracks.
"Wh-what is this? What're you doing to me?"
Shino and Akari gaze back at her in stunned silence as the grass seems to be growing upwards and wrapping its way around her body, immobilizing her.
"Good going, Shino!" Akari shouts before realizing that he still doesn't have his wand yet. "Then who…?"
"Come with me!" A girl's voice shouts as she runs to Shino and with the wave of her hand the grass grows up to her, giving her Shino's wand. "Here's your wand! We have to get away now!"
With their new friend leading Shino by the hand, the three of them run as fast as they can but Allegra quickly frees herself and scream in frustration.
"You're not getting away from me! You're dead! You're all dead!"
A short distance away, the three of them are still running through the park when Akari notices something very important about their "new" friend and pulls Shino back and away from her.
"Hold it right there! We're not going anywhere with you until you tell why you're still alive!"
In the feint light from a nearby lamppost, Shino now sees what Akari is talking about. Before them stands a young girl, maybe a little younger than him, with pale skin, emerald hair and emerald eyes, and…her face…there's no mistake, he is standing face-to-face with his dream girl, the same girl that hunter had just killed!
What's going on? How's she alive? Is she a zombie like aunt Ling-Ling? No, she can't be. I was just holding her hand and it was warm. So, what is she?
The dream girl lets out a sigh.
"I'm sorry. My name's Elpis, I'm a Dryad and I need your help." *2] *3]
"What kind of help?" Akari demands.
The girl looks directly at Shino as she answers.
"Please, please save me."
4
A foggy marsh somewhere in the Irish countryside
A little girl with curly red hair and green eyes walks to the door of her home to answer the knocking and opens it. Outside are a group of people wearing black robes over their military-style uniforms with red eyes.
"Come in." She nonchalantly says before shouting. "Mom! The bloodsuckers are here!"
The girl then disappears into another room while her mother comes out of the other.
"Your child is as insolent as ever, witch." A man from the group simply states.
"That she is." She replies before motioning to the two statue-like figures nearby. "Here they are. I don't know who they are, but I know you want them."
"If they really bear the true ancestor's blood…"
"They do. I assure you of that."
The man motions for the others to pick up the two failed assassins and start carrying them out. He then tosses a bag of valuables, her payment, at her and she catches it against her breastbone.
"Thank you!" She happily says. "Give my fondest regards to your master, Lord Kossuth."
To be continued…
Note #1: Nihal means "drink" in Arabic so she is making a play on words here.
Note #2: Her name means "hope" in Greek. In Greek mythology Elpis was the personification of hope. She was the last spirit to remain in the jar after Pandora unleashed all the evils that were in it.
Note #3: Monster Bite Dictionary: Dryad – Originally, the term dryad referred to an oak tree nymph or oak tree spirit in Greek mythology with Drys meaning "tree", and more specifically "oak" in Greek. Today the term is often used to refer to tree nymphs in general. They are a female-only race that have a great affinity for nature. Little else is known about them, most likely due to them being so rare, even within their native Greece.
If you have any questions regarding my story then please ask them all in the forum that I created on this site and not in the reviews. I would also appreciate it if everyone did not talk about potential spoilers or have back and forth discussions in their reviews as well. That is what the forum is for. Thank you.