"Attacked?"
"That can't be."
"What does he mean, attacked?"
The Hierarchs' attention shifted completely away from the two naked men fighting in the center of the room. Instead, all eyes turned to Lycidas. Some questions came through over the noise of the fight, while others were whispered between themselves. But their disbelief was clear.
The Nocturne had been their gathering place in Arlcliff City for as long as anyone could remember. Sure, there had been snoopers and unlucky ones who learned what went on there. But just like the brothers wrestling in blood on the floor, anyone who uncovered the Nocturne's true nature had long since been captured or killed. It was only natural. Nearly every time it filled, there were over a hundred vampires—Nightborn—each one stronger than an Apprentice-level mage or knight in almost every way.
So, how could it be believable that the Nocturne had actually been attacked?
Still, despite their doubts, Lycidas looked around and said, "Believe me, it was as unbelievable to me as it is to all of you. But it's true. Austra and I were both there when it happened. The whole church was set on fire."
His words stirred murmurs among the Hierarchs. But Lycidas' focus returned to Heiman when the latter spoke.
"First the military crashes down on us, and now this," he grumbled, drinking from his glass before setting it down on the table and leaning back again.
"Do you know who did it?"
Lycidas nodded.
"We believe a mage was behind it, my Lord. A clever one. The spells used to burn the Nocturne and trap us inside were designed specifically against us. They're no threat to us Hierarchs directly, but it's clear they've dealt with Nightborn before."
At the mention of a mage, the Hierarchs grew more alert. Mages meant Takerth Academy, which could spell serious trouble even for them.
One Hierarch, his arm wrapped around the waist of another as they leaned close, said, "Another mage? Didn't Austra just face one recently? There was an Archmage too, right? Could this be connected?"
Another nodded.
"Maybe. But we haven't detected any movement from Takerth Academy lately. So where did this attack come from?"
Lycidas already had an answer.
"I don't think it was Takerth Academy, at least not from what Austra told me. They didn't target us, only the Nightborn. And before that, they made sure to rescue all the humans and Mind Slaves we had. Takerth wouldn't bother with that. And if they did, they wouldn't be so clumsy about it. Austra was fairly certain that it was a single individual, and based on the mana patterns in the spells used, I agree."
That turned the Hierarchs' worry into something else. It was good news that Takerth Academy wasn't involved, and only one mage was behind it. But it raised a question: why would a lone mage cause so much trouble? Just to save a few humans?
Attacking them over that seemed utterly insane.
"You keep mentioning Austra, but she's not here with you. Where is she?" Heiman asked. The other Hierarchs shared the same question. If she had been with Lycidas during the attack, why wasn't she here now?
Lycidas fell silent for a moment, sighing quietly to himself.
Austra... you really dug yourself into a mess this time by not dealing with that boy earlier. I'll try to soften the blow, but the Lord's not going to let you skim away from this unharmed.
After a pause, Lycidas said, "I think the attack was personal, so she stayed behind to handle it. You see, my Lord, the one who attacked us was... the human named Magnus."
For a moment, the room went quiet as everyone tried to place the name. Usually, they didn't bother remembering human names unless they belonged to them, or worked alongside them. But Magnus was different. He had hurt Austra and appeared alongside an Archmage. After he caused one of their operations to fail, the military launched raids on most of their branch cells across the city, which they would be foolish not to draw a connection.
While no Nightborn were caught, their chain of command was scattered. The remaining cells went into hiding, and their usual business slowed to a crawl.
"Wait, we're talking about that kid? The one Austra was supposed to get rid of?"
"Oh, Austra really messed up this time. I thought she'd taken care of him long ago."
Trying to defend her, Lycidas repeated what Austra had told him.
"Apparently, he left the city before she could reach him. Maybe he realized he was being hunted after all the trouble he caused. Either way, when he came back, he launched the first attack."
Heiman suddenly laughed—a short, sharp sound none of the others expected—and immediately silenced the room.
"So... I give her time to fix her mistake and clean up this mess. And she not only gets blindsided by the one she was supposed to kill—discreetly, no less—but we lose the Nocturne because of her failures. I'm starting to think I should redefine 'incompetent' to include her. What do you think?" He looked at Lycidas, who seemed unsure whether to respond.
Seeing this, Heiman narrowed his eyes.
"Oh, right, you and Austra are close. Asking you is pointless. Still, you said she went after the boy, didn't you?"
"That's right, my Lord. She went to kill Magnus herself, while I dealt with the lingering magic he used to neutralize the Nightborn at the Nocturne. Once I finished, I thought it best to report directly to you, considering the situation." The downside of the vampire's ability to communicate through electromagnetic waves was how easily others could intercept messages. Any vampire could technically pick up the signals. Though there were ways to encode communications, private messages sent by a Hierarch to others, especially Umbrach, were always telling.
For matters like this, it was simply better to speak face to face.
Still, that was a mindset held by the Hierarchs and those beneath them—vampires who followed the system simply because they were part of it. But Heiman? As an Umbrach, sitting at the very top, how could he share those same concerns?
"She should have dealt with the boy by now. Summon her here. Clearly, I've been too lenient lately if this is what's acceptable," Heiman said, his voice carrying that same quiet force that had hovered around him earlier. But now, it pushed forward, pressing not just on Lycidas but on every Hierarch in the room. It wasn't overwhelming or threatening—Heiman rarely showed much negative emotion beyond mild irritation. Even then, those who angered him usually became a source of amusement before they died.
It was a way of life that only those who stood at the apex could enjoy.
Still, the presence around him made his mood clear, even more than his expression. The Hierarchs had learned to read it well—they knew he was annoyed by the endless complications all tied back to that one boy. And now, Austra would carry the weight of that annoyance.
Lycidas, having been the one Heiman addressed, nodded and focused. His presence stretched outward in all directions. No one but vampires could feel it, but every vampire in Arlcliff City could sense a Hierarch reaching out to another, specifically Austra. But as the communication spread at the speed of light, Lycidas suddenly frowned.
What? Where is she?
He sensed nothing. It wasn't just that Austra didn't respond—he couldn't even detect the faintest signature from her. Vampire communication, despite its flaws, was incredibly reliable. They could stay in contact across kingdoms or even on the other side of the world. So it was impossible that Austra had simply vanished.
Could it be a barrier? That boy did construct one around the church that could block our communications... but no, even then we were able to detect the interference. I'm not feeling any of that now...
A sudden realization hit him—there was only one explanation. One he hadn't even considered when he left Austra to handle Magnus. After all, Magnus was human, and from what they knew, only a Pseudo-Master level mage. If he'd been a full Master, it would've been serious, worth both of them staying behind to deal with. But against a Pseudo-Master, there shouldn't have been a problem with her alone.
"Well? Is she on her way?" One Hierarch asked, seeing Lycidas go quiet after being told to contact Austra.
Lycidas closed his eyes, gathering himself, then opened them again.
"I think she's dead." The room seemed to freeze at that. The two brothers fighting had collapsed from exhaustion and would probably die on the floor without help, but no one cared now. How could they, after hearing Lycidas?
"Dead?" Heiman repeated, his tone low and skeptical.
"It's true, my Lord," Lycidas said, turning to the others.
"Any of you can check for yourselves."
There was a brief pause before the Hierarchs began doing exactly that. One by one, they focused and sent out waves of communication, sweeping over every corner and crack of Arlcliff City, searching for Austra's familiar signal. Yet, even as the waves spread beyond the city and across the continent, there was no response. Even if a vampire was busy fighting or too injured to send or receive messages, total silence like this was unheard of.
Just as Lycidas had feared, there was only one explanation.
"Austra's really dead?"
"But- How? How could she possibly have died?"
"Was it really because of that boy? Is that even possible?"
"Maybe the Archmage got involved after Lycidas left."
For the first time since Lycidas entered the room, the expressions on the Hierarchs' faces went beyond worry or concern—it was real. Only Hierarchs had the power to kill one of their own, and even then, it was only a pseudo-death. The only being truly capable of killing them all sat right in front of Lycidas. So, as with all vampires, fear crept into their minds—a weak but undeniable fear felt by those who considered themselves immortal, suddenly reminded of their mortality.
"If this Magnus really is a threat, actively attacking our territory, then we can't afford to sit back any longer," one Hierarch said, voice heavy with seriousness.
"Agreed. I don't know what he did, but that doesn't matter. We need to send orders to every Nightborn in the city to hunt him down. The moment we find him, we'll strike together and eliminate the threat. Does everyone agree?" The proposal was met with nods and murmurs of agreement.
Yes, it was terrifying. Magnus had killed one of them. In the life of a vampire, other vampires were constants. Some grew stronger, some weaker. Many traveled the world, but none ever truly disappeared or died—unless they broke the rules of the Order.
And fear only fueled the urge to crush whatever caused it.
But that's when Heiman's voice cut through the murmurs.
"Have you all gone mad?" His eyes swept over the gathered Hierarchs, drawing their attention instantly.
"My Lord?" Lycidas spoke up, confused, since he had also aligned with their plan.
"Have you forgotten how we've stayed hidden until now?" Heiman pressed further.
"We move quietly. We blend in with humans. Unless absolutely necessary, we operate from the shadows. That's why we've gone unnoticed in Arlcliff City for so long, avoiding Takerth Academy's notice." As he spoke, Heiman stood, forcing Lycidas, who had been standing in front of the couch he was lounging on, to lower his gaze and step back.
Ignoring Lycidas, Heiman paced slowly around the room. His footsteps broke the silence, eyes scanning the Hierarchs who didn't dare stand as he passed.
He stopped behind a couch where a Hierarch sat with his Mind Slaves. The fabric creaked as Heiman placed both hands on the backrest beside the Hierarch's head.
"A mere human has killed one of our highest-ranked—and he has an Archmage backing him. And your response is to send more Nightborn to hunt him down? Has your fear of that boy driven you to madness?" He leaned forward, his tone serious, as if asking a genuine question.
The seated Hierarch shook his head.
"N- no, my Lord."
"Really?" Heiman replied with a scoff, clearly unimpressed.
"The Nocturne has been destroyed. Without a doubt, it'll draw the city's attention, they will then bring in the military, and once magic is confirmed, Takerth Academy will take notice. Do you really think they won't start watching the city after an entire church was taken down through magic? And you all want to send more of our kind into the streets to hunt down a single boy? What else can I call that but idiocy? No wonder Austra died if this is how simplistic my Hierarchs think." Heiman stepped away from the couch where the frozen Hierarch and his Mind Slaves sat.
He began pacing again, muttering, "Or maybe it's my fault. Have I been too complacent, letting you all run things until you lost the ability to think?"
Immediately, the Hierarchs shook their heads, answering in slightly rushed voices, "Of course not, my Lord!"
"It's our fault."
"We weren't thinking clearly."
Heiman listened, then nodded.
"Oh, I see. You weren't thinking clearly, that's all. Well, good, we fixed that. Now, since you're thinking straight again, I'm sure you're full of ideas on how to fix our little problem, right?" A wave of nods and reassurances came in response.
Heiman chuckled softly as he stopped by the door.
"Good, good. In that case, I'll be generous and give you the same chance I gave Austra. Fair, I'd say. Though... maybe that was the problem. I gave Austra no deadline, and look what that got us. So instead, you all have one week."
Lycidas's eyes widened as he lifted his bowed head.
"What? My Lord?"
"You heard me. Fair enough, yes? One week to get rid of this thorn in my side. Dead or captured, I don't care. But from now on, your lives are linked. If one of you succeeds, all of you do. If none succeed... well, it's been a couple of centuries since I've had to replace my Hierarchs. I'm sure plenty of eager Nightborn out there are ready to prove themselves beyond whatever standards your failure will set." He said it like a joke, laughing quietly to himself even though no one else did.
As his laughter faded, he looked over them one last time.
"Do you understand?"
There was a brief hesitation before all answered, "Yes, my Lord."
"Good. Then we'll end here. Oh, and someone clean up this mess," he said, nodding toward the two brothers passed out on the floor.
"All this has killed my appetite." With that, he turned, and the doors before him opened on their own, then slammed shut after he walked through, leaving the Hierarchs alone in the silent music room.
Lycidas, still standing, clicked his tongue.
Well, that didn't go well...
=====================================•=====================================
Year 348 of the Great Sundering Era, 2nd Month, 5th Day of the Mistveil Cycle.
It had only been a day since what started as an entertaining meeting between the Hierarchs had suddenly turned into a guillotine-ridden countdown hanging over their heads.
Urien, the Hierarch of the Compression Domain, rode inside a carriage rolling through Arlcliff City. As Heiman had said, they couldn't afford to draw extra attention, not with the chance that Takerth Academy would soon investigate the Nocturne's destruction. So Urien had taken on the role of a guest from a noble family he fully controlled, having long since turned their bloodline into Mind Slaves.
The carriage blinds were closed, leaving him in darkness. For a vampire, that hardly mattered. The dull sound of wheels grinding over stone, the horses' clip-clop as they moved forward, and the usual busy noise of Arlcliff City filtered through the carriage walls. But Urien's focus wasn't on any of that. He was calmly thinking to himself.
That Austra really screwed us all over this time. I might almost be glad she's dead if she hadn't dragged me down with her. Still, I have to admit, she did a good job gathering info about the boy through the Ravens.
At first, Austra kept all information about Magnus, gathered through her Nightborn or the Ravens, Nightshade's espionage network, to herself. It didn't take the Hierarchs long to figure out she'd made more attempts on Magnus's life than they'd realized, all of which failed. Why she hid it was obvious: she wanted to handle the problem before Heiman found out.
Of course, she died in the end, making it pointless.
The Ravens lost track of Magnus after he entered Takerth Academy and didn't even notice when he slipped out to attack the Nocturne. But based on his choice to strike the primitive way and the history they'd gathered, it's only a matter of time before he reveals himself again. Then we just have to figure out how to handle him quietly. I don't know what trick a boy like him used to kill Austra, but I won't give him a chance to use it again. And if he doesn't show himself... well, there are always those around him. Honestly, it'd be easier if we could just lure him into a trap using hostages.
Urien let out a breath, his foot tapping against the carriage floor.
"One week... what a mess," he muttered.
It was only after saying that he noticed something. His foot stopped tapping, and the silence gave way to the fact that the carriage had come to a halt. The wheels no longer ground the street, and the horses' clip-clop had stopped too.
Frowning, Urien called out to the coachman.
"Why have we stopped?"
But no answer came.
"Ugh." He leaned forward and slid open the small window on the other side, the one that let him see and speak directly to the coachman.
"Did you hear me? I asked why we-" His words caught in his throat. The coachman was gone. The horses were also gone. And most alarming—he wasn't even in Arlcliff City. Instead, his carriage sat on some random road flanked by dense forest on both sides.
"What? When did- how..."
Before he could make sense of it, a knock came against the carriage door, followed by a young man's voice, friendly in tone.
"Hello? This is the Vampire Huntsman Agency."