Seated along with the other members of the Darkhaven family, Vivian anxiously observed the flow of the match with worried breaths. Mars, Loki, and Raven sat beside her, a cacophony of swirling emotions lurking within their hearts.
"Who is that guy? I've never seen him anywhere around the castle before," Loki asked, scratching his head. His eyes remajned heavily glued to the fight, unwilling to look away for even a moment, for fear of the fight ending if he missed even a second of it.
"Be quiet! Do you want to draw unwanted attention to yourself?!" Raven responded, punching him on the shoulder. "Look at everyone; do you think they care about what you think? Or have you forgotten the hatred they have for father? Just because he's put them in their place, doesn't mean they wouldn't try something again if they get the idea. So I'd advice you keep quiet and just watch the fight."
"Hey! Have you forgotten that I'm older than you? What gives you the right to lecture me?" Loki snapped back.
As the both of them bickered, Mars' attention remained on the fight happening below, his thoughts as hazy as his mother's. From what he could observe, both the emperor and the intruder were evenly matched, accelerating the flow and potency of their attacks as time continued.
'I remember that day like it was yesterday—ten years ago, when uncle Julius passed away. Tyler, Quinn, Flynn, Jayus, and Roman challenged father for the throne, and lost. However, one thing people keep on saying is that father held back during all of his fights. He never went all out, so I wonder if he'll finally show the full capabilities of his power, especially since he's obviously become considerably more powerful since then.'
Minutes past, his thoughts shifting and gliding like the fearsome winds before a dreadful storm. His thoughts continued:
'... I hope he doesn't loose…' he straightened himself, clearing his thought as he forcefully altered the trajectory of his entropic thoughts.
Raven's eyes fell upon her brother's worried countenance, a warm smile forming on her lips. She waved her hand at him, her words carrying a sense of reassurance as she spoke:
"Mars, you don't have to be worried. Father will definitely win. Remember what he always tells us, that if it's a one-on-one fight, that we should always count on him being victorious? Just calm your nerves and enjoy the show. He'll make that fool pay for ruining the party."
Mars' gaze lingered on his sister for a while, before returning to the fight happening below, his mind too preoccupied to even offer a response. However, Levi's lips twitched as he clenched his jaw, punching Mars the next moment.
"Hey, jackass, she said all that just to cheer you up, yet you act like some pompous bastard and just ignore her? Man, your arrogance is really irritating. Why can't you just be down to Nefaria like everyone else?" he asked, his tone fluctuated by the frustration he had been harbouring.
Right after, he felt a hand connect with his cheek, snapping him out from his fury as he stared back at his sister with an incredulous expression. His lips parted, words struggling to escape his mouth as he tried to overcome the shock of what had just happened.
"You idiot!" Raven started off, not giving Loki anytime to say anything. "Why did you do that?! Can't you feel for goodness sake?! He's worried, it's natural. I'm also worried. Mum is also worried!"
Her voice was loud and heavy, offloading torrents of disdain seemingly compiled for a considerable span of time. She exhaled deeply as her rant concluded, fiery eyes staring harshly at her brother.
"Honestly, just how foolish can you be?" She asked, shaking her head in feverish disappointment before returning to her seat, ignoring his existence for the rest of the match. Loki also ignored her presence, choosing to focus more on the match while burying his emotions within himself for the meantime.
Vivian silently prayer for her husband's victory as the fight persisted, the opponents' every action vigorously drawing the emotional strings of the broken crowd.
Kael swung his blade at Slade's hardened chest, swiftly creating distance between himself and his opponent. Before Slade could give chase, his blood aura surged outward in monumental amounts, swirling endlessly as it took form. Shrouding his figure in their deep radiance, a gargantuan replication of his being forged from his crimson powers came to be, the inanimate entity stirring petrified expressions from the trembling observers.
Right after, a towering mass of crimson flames appeared all across the Arena, their red glow crackling as they unleashed a spiteful wave of heat upon his opponent. Slade's body shuddered and stumbled, loosing balance. Kael took ample advantage of the opening, swinging his arm forward, the giant mimic copying his action.
The gigantic fist slammed into Slade, pressing his body hard against the wall. He twisted his fist, the pressure he exerted increasing as a plethora of cracks appeared on the wall.
Suddenly, he felt a force pushing back. It started off small, growing stronger the more prrssure he applied. Kael gritted his teeth, adding more of his strength. However, Slade responded in kind, until he managed to free himself from the former's fist, flying away immediately after.
Several blood spears then appeared in the air, their pointed edges honing in on their airborne target. Slade quickly took notice of the levitating projectiles, his struggle significantly increased as now, both the twisting lightning and the blood spears served as obstacles in his path. The emperor was truly not someone to be taken lightly.
The wounds he gathered from the blood lightning were complemented by the jabs he received from the blood spears. Though he managed to avoid them considerably, that didn't stop a bothersome amount from striking theur target.
He spat out loads of blood, veiny eyes cursing at the vampiric emperor. Meanwhile, the luminescent mimic opened its jaws wide, a gargantuan wave of crimson energy shooting from its depths. Of course, all of its powers originated from the one within—Kael.
Slade's pain accumulated, his body working hard to heal the wounds it was gathering with every dreadful moment. His lips parted, exclaiming in agony as he prepared himself for what was coming.
His powers then expanded out, shrouding the Arena in his purple radiance. As the lumination gradually subsided, the blood lightning was seen to be no more, along with the blood spears and the blood beam. They were all evicerated by the vibrant glow, restoring the void that perpetuated the vast space.
But then, right after Kael's attacks were deleted, the purple glow swaying across Slade's body expanded out once more, conjuring a mimic of his own that shrouded a massive stretch of the vast space. His massive wings continuously flapped, claws and mouth unleashing a barrage of attacks at the emperor.
Kael did the same, unleashing all five blood abilities at once. The blood lightning returned, along with the blood spears, the blood flames, and the blood beam. By ascending to the throne, he had gained greater power, in addition to his already fearsome might. One of those gifts he was given was the prodigious amounts of crimson energy that was perpetually connected to the throne. The emperor could always access that vast mass of power whenever he wished, making him far more terrifying than any other vampires in the kingdom.
Another one was the ability to form the gargantuan crimson mimic that greatly amplified his powers, though simultaneously draining them at a faster pace. Then lastly, there was an ability that was heavily connected to the moon, however, since Nefaria had no moon, no emperor on the planet had ever been able to access that aspect of the three powers.
Which meant that now, Kael could only access two out of those three powers. Of course, he believed they would be enough for hik to dispense of the current threat.
"I refuse to loose to you, creature of sacrilege!" Slade roared, purple energy surging furiously, showing no sighs of waning for even a split second.
Several hours passed as the battle dragged on, the stalement between them remaining consistent. As the other royals observed the match, they joined his wife in her prayers, eagerly hoping for the hellspawn to win the match, a sharp contrast to their jarring feelings for him ten years prior. Of course, numerous things transpired during that timespan, many of which mutated their degenerate feelings towards him.
The magnitude of their collision sent shockwaves all across the empire, leaving citizens wondering what was causing such a large-scale disruption. In Fluxton, Raphael stood beside the window in his chambers, observing the struggling town below with a dejected expression on his face.
"Those royals sure like to make noise," he said to himself, caressing his necklace. The next instant, he turned his head, moved back to his bed, and laid down. His body soon drifted into a deep slumber, wishing to escape the distasteful reality that plundered the warmth of his existence.