Leonidas, watching powerlessly from the sidelines, experienced a rapid and painful shift in his emotions; he felt shock, fury, and ultimate frustration about how the entire desperate plan had played out. "We were so close," he muttered, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth in impotent rage.
Greyskin, who was still a distance away, moved with a hideous, evil grin fixed on his face. He had never been pushed to this extent. "Stupid boy, now I am going to slowly eat you alive," the troll roared. Greyskin started to crawl toward where John lay, using only its powerful arms to drag its immense body forward. The troll licked its lips in anticipation at the thought of eating the boy who had almost killed him.
Leonidas gritted his teeth, veins pulsing in his neck. He tried to move his body, lift his arms, or wiggle his feet—anything—but the venom held him down like thick iron chains. He screamed, directing his voice at John: "Move! Get up, boy!"
John heard a voice but couldn't quite make out the words; his mind was lost in a fog of pain and regret. "Damn, we really gonna die because of my carelessness? Why didn't I just finish the fu**ing troll?… I am sorry, Grandpa, I probably deserve this… I… I thought I could make you proud." John was consumed by the crushing regret of not killing the troll when he had the chance.
As the troll crawled closer to John, it swiped the scattered bones that lay on the ground, sending the discarded remains flying everywhere, scattering like macabre confetti. Despite its injury, the troll's determination was unyielding. The scraping sound of its broken limb dragging on the ground caused a sickening sound that echoed through the cave, adding to the creature's already unsettling aura.
After several agonizing minutes of crawling, the troll Greyskin finally reached John, maneuvering its massive body directly above the boy and balancing itself on its hands.
Leonidas, witnessing everything, panicked. He was powerless; the only thing he could do was watch his grandson be consumed. He desperately screamed, trying to get the troll's attention: "Hey, you overgrown fu**face, leave the boy alone! Come eat me!"
The troll looked directly at John's bloody, bruised face. A thick line of drool could be seen dripping down from Greyskin's mouth, some of it landing on John's cheek. Greyskin heard Leonidas's insults and lifted its head to look at the weak vampire sitting a few distances away. The troll grinned and licked its lips. "Wait your turn, weak vampire. Greyskin going to eat boy face, then come and eat your face, starting with your tongue, hehehe."
As John lay there on the ground, his shallow breaths punctuated by painful groans, the crimson fluids on his face seeped into the crevices of his broken features. The area around his left eye was swollen shut, and blood oozing everywhere formed a small pool behind his head—a grim glimpse into the young boy's agony.
John sluggishly opened his right eye, his vision blurred, to see the huge troll, Greyskin, looking directly at him. Without fear, having already accepted his inevitable fate, John spoke in a low, defiant tone. "Do it," he dared the creature that hovered above his face.
Leonidas, watching powerlessly from the wall, felt a wide variety of mixed, conflicting emotions. He knew nothing he could say would distract the troll from eating John. Leonidas forced a light, rueful chuckle. "To think that the great Leonidas is going to die from a fu**en troll. I want to kiss my wife one more time and tell my daughter that I love her. I want to see my boys and tell them I am proud of them. Kiss my grandkids on the forehead and maybe tell John that…that I am sorry. He gave it his all and fought valiantly."
However, this time, pure, unpredictable luck was on John's side.
The lightning bolt that John had accidentally shot toward the ceiling above his head, a result of the troll Greyskin throwing the broken club in his face, was now about to save his life. High up on the cavern ceiling were countless stalactites; however, one specific, massive stalactite had been critically loosened by the force of John's uncontrolled attack.
The huge, heavy, sharp rock formation suddenly broke free and came down like an arrow, piercing the troll through the nape of its neck, just as the troll Greyskin was lowering its head to take a final bite out of John's face.
Leonidas was stunned, his stoic expression cracking into disbelief. In all the years he had been alive, he had never witnessed such an impossible occurrence. The troll fell dead next to John and, for a few seconds, breathed its last, ragged breath before its immense body went still.
John, though shocked and surprised, couldn't show the emotion on his broken face. He slowly turned his head to look at the massive, dead troll beside him. "What the hell just happened?" he thought.
John let out a deep, shuddering sigh of relief before closing his eyes to finally rest.
====
The next day, in the opulent quiet of the Crimson Castle library, Elena was busy dusting the high shelves. Haven arrived to assist her. "Greetings, Elena; this one came to help clean the place," Haven said simply.
Elena carefully climbed down the tall wooden ladder and smiled, relieved. "Thank you, Haven; this library is far too big for me to clean alone, so I truly appreciate your assistance."
After working diligently for two hours, they both took a well-earned lunch break. Haven, however, excused herself briefly, saying she had to leave for a moment but would return in a few minutes. Elena moved to the upper section of the library, settling into a comfortable chair and drinking warm blood out of a delicate teacup.
As she sipped the drink, she began to reminisce, her thoughts drifting back to her childhood. She remembered her mother, her gentle smile, her soft touch, and the delicious food she used to cook. Elena pictured herself standing barefoot on their farm, the cool sand soft between her toes, and giggling as she played with the farm animals.
The memory coalesced around a particularly warm moment in bed with her mother, Eve.
"Honey, Mother wants to give you a gift," Eve had said, her voice full of tenderness. Eve got up from the bed and went to the cupboard, retrieving a small, aged brown wooden box. She gave the small box to Elena to open.
Elena's eyes were wide with excitement. "Is this for me, Mama?"
Eve smiled warmly. "Yes. When Mama went to buy groceries in town yesterday, Mama walked by a small store that sold beautiful necklaces. Mama then noticed a necklace that is perfect for her sweet baby." She then lightly poked Elena on the nose, causing the young child to give a lovely giggle.
Elena giggled and carefully opened the box to find a beautiful golden sunshine necklace. The pendant and the chain were made entirely of gold.
Eve reached out, gently touching the pendant. "The owner even said that this necklace is inspired by the sun as a symbol of love and warmth. One day, Elena, when you have your own child or if you meet someone special that you love with all of your heart, gift that person this necklace, and you will forever be connected, just like you and me," Eve said, looking into Elena's eyes with profound motherly love.
In the present, Elena sat quietly, her fingers caressing the delicate sunshine necklace that hung by her neck. She didn't know why she had been daydreaming so intensely about the past; perhaps it was the last truly happy day of her life. And then, it happened. The day her life changed forever.
On that fateful day, Elena was playing with her pet chicken named Dobby. She was happily chasing Dobby around their farmhouse. "I am going to get you, Dobby," she called out, her laughter light and airy. Dobby was an agile chicken, and just as Elena thought she was going to catch him, the chicken would quickly change direction, leaving the young girl chasing shadows. Her mother, Eve, would watch with a lovely smile on her face. "Don't hurt yourself, Elena," Eve warned gently.
"No, Mama," Elena replied.
Elena was having fun chasing Dobby until a sharp, sudden sound pierced the air—an arrow struck Dobby clean through the body, killing the chicken instantly.
Elena froze, unable to comprehend what happened. Her eyes stretched wide, and tears began to force themselves out, stinging her eyes. Eve saw a group of men riding on horses coming quickly toward them.
"Elena, run!" Eve shouted desperately.
Elena was in shock, unable to process how someone could kill her pet. Eve quickly ran to her, grabbing her hand. "Come, Elena!" Eve picked Elena up and ran into the house. She quickly locked the doors when she heard a man's voice ringing with harsh authority.
"Eve Bennett, come out!"
Eve went to the small window, pulling the curtains aside. She saw the man, Dexter, standing outside. He was impeccably dressed despite the dirt of the farm: black trousers, black leather boots, and a simple white shirt layered with a simple grey vest.
"Dexter, what are you doing here?" Eve demanded.
Dexter had two men with him. He looked Eve straight in the eye, his expression cold and unforgiving. "I told you there would be consequences if you didn't sell me the farm; now you forced my hand."
Eve went to Elena and urgently grasped her small shoulders. "Elena, I want you to go to your room and find a place to hide." She looked at her daughter with glistening eyes, fighting back tears, knowing she had to stay strong. "Mama loves you, honey."
"No, Mama," Elena pleaded, crying freely now.
"Stop crying, honey; the bad men are going to break in the house anytime, so I want you to quickly go upstairs and find a place to hide; do not make a sound."
Eve gave her daughter a desperate hug, knowing this would likely be her last. Once they separated, she looked Elena in the eyes and commanded, "Now go."
Elena did what her mother said and ran upstairs to hide. Eve then went to the kitchen and grabbed a knife to protect herself.
A moment later, Dexter kicked the door inward with a splintering crash. "Knock, knock," he grinned evilly. One of the men followed him inside, while the other remained outside with the horses.
Dexter saw Eve standing defensively in the kitchen, noticing the knife in her hands. He looked at his man, and they both began to chuckle. "Eve, Eve, put down the knife before someone gets hurt."
While the confrontation was taking place below, a large flying boat was soaring high over Elena's farm. A beautiful woman with silky black hair and pale, exquisite skin looked down from the edges of the boat. She zoomed in with her eyes and saw a horrifying sight: a woman running out of the small house with multiple stab wounds across the front of her body.
The vampire woman licked her lips. "Collin, do you think I should help the woman? I don't particularly like to meddle with mortals' affairs."
Collin was a vampire knight. He looked at the human woman with the stab wounds and felt pity. "It would not hurt to help her, My Lady."
The vampire woman smiled, a predatory yet amused expression. "You do have a soft spot for the mortals; fine, then let us go help the human woman."
====
Elena, hiding under the bed in her room, was consumed by fear. She heard heavy footsteps climbing the wooden stairs. The creaking of the old floorboards grew louder with every step the person took closer to her room. The door slowly opened, and she saw a pair of dirty black boots enter the room. Her heart hammered in her chest, threatening to burst out.
"Come out, little girl; I won't hurt you," the man, Dexter, called out, his voice falsely gentle as he searched the room for Elena.
He opened the wardrobe, finding nothing. Elena wanted to cry, clamping her hand over her mouth to stifle the sobs. She then saw the black boots walking directly toward the bed. "Oh no," she thought, despair washing over her.
The man knelt down, looked under the bed, and saw Elena pressed against the wall. "There you are," he said, his voice twisting into an evil grin.
Lady Anna's Intervention
Downstairs, the fight was already over. As Eve was running, one of the men tackled her from behind, sending them both crashing to the ground. Eve struggled desperately to get away, but the man held her fast. She looked up and saw three figures standing before them. The beautiful vampire woman, Lady Anna Crimson, looked down at Eve and noticed the blood soaking her white dress. Anna's eyes began to glow red, and thick black veins surfaced beneath her pale skin.
"Let the woman go," Anna commanded, her voice cold and absolute.
The man didn't hesitate. He stood up, defiant, and snarled, "Who the fu*k are you?"
This was the man's first and last mistake. Without the mortal even noticing, everything happened too fast. The vampire knight, Collin, materialized before the man. He grabbed the man's lower jaw with sharp nails, digging into the skin, and instantly ripped it clean off. "Mind your manners, mortal, this is Lady Anna Crimson," Collin hissed. Blood gushed everywhere as the man dropped to the ground, writhing and wailing in agony, dying a swift, painful death.
Anna looked down at Eve, who was still on the ground, grievously wounded. "Please, My Lady, save my daughter; I beg of you." These were Eve's last words. She suffered too many stab wounds and died right there with tears still wet in her eyes.
Anna gave the woman a silent nod, her crimson eyes flashing with restrained fury.
"Collin," she said, her tone calm but carrying the chill of command, "deal with the man by the horses. No survivors."
The vampire knight bowed once and vanished in a blur — a ripple of air where he once stood.
Anna turned toward the farmhouse. The scent of iron hung thick in the warm daylight, sharp and metallic. She moved, and the world blurred. Within a heartbeat, she stood inside. The wooden floorboards were streaked with fresh blood, the air heavy with terror.
She closed her eyes, extending her spiritual sense — a pulse of supernatural perception that filled the house. Two heartbeats upstairs. One weak and terrified. One steady and reeking of cruelty.
Her eyes opened, glowing faintly red. "Some mortal men are truly foul creatures," she thought coldly, "but I am not here to judge — only to end."
A single step, and she was in the upper room.
The man — Dexter, though she did not yet know his name — was leaning over the trembling girl, his intent vile enough to curdle the air. The sight ignited a cold, murderous calm within Anna.
He didn't notice her until the faintest tap touched his shoulder.
Dexter turned.
And froze.
Anna stood inches away, crimson eyes burning like twin coals. She didn't move, didn't breathe — she didn't need to. When she spoke, her voice was a whisper laced with ancient power.
"Look at me."
His gaze locked with hers, and her vampiric will surged forward — a silent storm that seized his mind. Resistance died before it could even form.
"You will go to the barn," she said, her voice calm, inexorable. "You will take a rope… and hang yourself."
Her compulsion rolled through him like a command from the gods.
"Yes, my lady," he murmured, his eyes glassy and unfocused. Pulling his trousers back up, he turned and walked out, every step mechanical and absolute.
Anna released a breath she didn't need to take. She turned toward the trembling girl, whose wide eyes were filled with confusion and fear.
"It's all right now, sweetheart," Anna said softly, crouching low. "You're safe. Come with me."
The girl hesitated, then took her hand. Anna led her out of the bloodstained house into the bright afternoon light.
Above the trees, the metallic hull of the floating vessel shimmered, waiting. Collin stood by the ramp, motionless as stone.
As Anna and the girl ascended, he bowed his head slightly.
"Collin," Anna said, her tone low and deliberate, "a man tried to harm this child. I compelled him to hang himself… but I've changed my mind."
Her eyes blazed, electricity crackling faintly in the red glow. "Find him. Make sure his end is not merciful."
Collin's grin was sharp and predatory. "As you command, my lady."
He vanished in a blur — dissolving into the shimmering daylight, like a mirage torn apart by heat.
====
[back to the present]
A single tear then ran down Elena's face, the sharp memory of her mother's tragedy lingering. However, Haven returned to the library and immediately noticed the maid's distress.
"Elena, is something bothering you?" Haven asked, her tone steady and observant.
"No, this one is fine," Elena managed, quickly wiping the moisture from her cheeks.
Elena instinctively touched the delicate sunshine necklace hanging by her neck. As her fingers brushed the golden charm—the symbol of love and warmth—John instantly came to her mind. His absence, his forced proximity to the Clan Lord, and her own rising anxiety were suddenly magnified by the weight of her own past loss.