Benjamin did not know how a mere child could have knowledge on the Vampiric Lord of Blood. As deity that was hidden from the general public and he was only able to be a devotee for the God due to random events all leading to a single, profound memory.
Whoever... this boy is--he is trouble! He mused. The air around him - Grace - was sharp and calculative. His eyes spoke a million words but not a single one was said. Benjamin knew the type of person this guy was.
A sly and cunning bastard!
"See you on the flip-side, asshole!" Grace yelled as he jumped off of the cliff with Alice pressed against his chest. His hair flourished in the wind as their eyes met, an arrogant glint in Grace's eyes.
In the next breath, Benjamin flung forward, not caring to think about anything more than the need to kill and devour the flesh of the knowledgable. At the edge of the cliff, he jumped and dove downwards.
Slshhh!
However, he was blinded by his own madness. The moment his feet left the ground that he ran on, Grace had sent a dagger of light towards Benjamin, striking him in the right shoulder. Benjamin's eyes widened in pain as a spurt of blood sprouted from his shoulder, igniting his perception of the world.
Grace gritted his teeth, not being able to fully decapitate the manic man that was diving towards them. Catching themselves on a branch, Alice broke free from Grace's grasps and sent a streak of fire towards the falling Benjamin.
But the older male was swift, reacting quickly and lodging his hand into the side of the cliff and capturing himself on piles of rocks. His eyes burned with madness and fury, the scent of blood that loomed in the air commanding him like a puppet.
A puppet.
Yes.
That is what he is.
His head turned to the two students. And in the next second, he was gone from the side of the cliff and has lunged towards the branch that they stood on. With Alice, she brought her blade up, narrowly blocking a humongous fist that could have shattered her skull. Shifting to the side, Alice redirected the fist. And in the next second, she hoisted her leg, shooting it upwards.
The tip of her foot collided with the man's chin, shooting him in the air.
He's unrefined in close-combat. Alice concluded. His ample strength compared to them was adequate enough to somewhat blur the lines of his inadequacy in martial arts. But it was clear that this man had no formal training.
Grace shared similar sentiments, jumping in the sky and unleashing one vertical slash towards Benjamin's chest. But instincts took over, and his need for survival triumphed over all. Benjamin grabbed onto the branch and flung himself away to the next tree.
No matter the difference in strength--they had to press forward. The difference in combat techniques overshadowed the strength, making it much more bearable than it would be had Benjamin received formal combat training since his younger days.
They moved simultaneously, the silence that they shared being their form of communication.
"FIRE BALL!" Alice exclaimed, shooting consecutive fire balls. Grace followed, focusing mana towards his palm.
"FIREBALL!"
Another set of balls of fire appeared from his palm. They were quick and bright enough to incite something within Benjamin.
A weakness effect.
Brilliant light would decrease a vampire's strength within the night. Though the effect had been somewhat in effect due to his daggers of light, it was far too faint for it to be noticeable.
But now is different.
"Keep pressing!" Grace barked as he lunged from the tree, summoning all six daggers of light within moments. Alice did not need to hear it a second time, fire unraveling, sopping her iron blade.
Grace met Benjamin's gaze.
Danger!
"Stand still and fucking die!"
Benjamin grimaced and stepped to the side.
"You vulgar bastard!" Benjamin yelled back as tendrils of blood shot from the tip of his fingers. Grace widened his eyes and held his hand out.
"ICE WALL!"
A fortress of ice appeared, rising from the depths of the branch and blocking the deadly blood tendrils that could have severely injured him.
Bam!
Ice split away, flying in all directions. But Grace wasted no time, summoning back the six daggers of light and letting it fly from behind the block of ice. Stepping back and to the side, the daggers of light just barely missed striking him in the heart and other ligaments. But there were faint grazes, blood trickling down his forearm.
Diving down from the branch, Benjamin landed softly on the lush grass. But in the next beat, Alice scaled down the tree, flames rupturing from her blade. Holding the hilt with both her hands, Alice swung the blade horizontally, an arc of fire once again being unleashed. Cutting the air as soft as it was deadly, Benjamin exhaled as sweat dropped.
Fear struck his heart, but desperation followed.
He rolled forward, the flame cutting down the tree that stood behind him. But Alice remained unrelenting. She took steps forward, unleashing another powerful swing down, striking the ground.
FWOOOOOM!
A blast of fire scorched the lush grass, piercing the area. She stared calmly - though her heart was sprouting in fear - at the sight.
"AGHHH!" Screams agony flew into the air and Benjamin was revealed to have many burned marks on his body. The sears of scorching hot flames left tremendous damage in its wake.
But--
"Alice!" Grace yelled, jumping down. "Back away!" Alice did not bother questioning and jumped back. Her eyes widened once blood erupted from Benjamin's body, spikes of blood sprouting from all around him as a defense mechanism.
Swoosh!
Benjamin stayed silent, but his eyes - bloodshot red and eerie - remained firm even behind the blast of pain and blood that surrounded him. He turned around and ran as fast he could.
Veins bulged as all sense of fighting a two-on-one left his body.
Grace widened his eyes.
"Shit! He's going to the village!"
Benjamin was quick.
Insanely so.
Despite his body being incredibly injured, they could hardly catch up to him in raw speed. Each attack that they shot towards him was dodged and Benjamin remained steady with one single goal in mind.
HEAL! HEAL! HEAL! HEAL! HEAL! HEAL! HEAL! HEAL! HEAL! HEAL!
Arriving at the edge of the village, Benjamin jumped on top of a roof and mustered the strength to destroy the ash roof with his right foot. He dropped at the center of dozens of dead bodies all crowding one singular place. Their faces were lost of color, blood dripping from their sockets and their bodies drowning in their own lush red.
Grace and Alice were just a second behind.
But a second too late!
The moment they jumped towards the building of ash - and their bodies now being embraced by the air - large tendrils of blood rose from the house. The tendrils grabbed them by their foot and threw them down to the ground outside of the household.
Pain and agony ran through their bodies, their eyes bulging out of their sockets.
The doors to the household was smashed open, splinters of fallen wood flying all over the place. From beyond, a rejuvenated Benjamin Lan stood. His mouth dripped with blood as his legs slowly returned from a limping form.
Wiping the blood that dripped from his lips, he glared.
"No doubt... you two are pieces of work. But I suppose that is the difference between the privileged and the desperate--knowledge!"
Strength poured from his fingertips.
Spears of blood rose from the sea of crimson that was within the house.
Alice looked at him.
[Benjamin Lan]
[Grade: Normal-Grade 3 (Temporary)]
[God: Vampiric Lord of Blood]
[Magic: Blood]
For a short while, he stood at the peak of Normal-Grade 3.
Grace saw the same with the ring that wrapped around his finger. His face contorted into pure disgust as he gripped the ground with his hands.
"I don't give a damn!"
Regardless if he was many Grade above Grace and Alice--he still saw the glimmering light that awaited for them at the end of the tunnel.
We can still win! Grace thought inwardly.
He gnashed his teeth down, forcing down the pain.
At the depths of his heart, he would make sure someone like Benjamin would die here.