Lucian's communicator suddenly rang, shattering the silence inside his secret hideout buried deep underground. An automated channel lit up—a priority protocol that only activated when accessed by certain individuals. Reuel's name flickered faintly across the glowing blue holographic interface before him. Lucian stared at the screen for a moment, then answered without saying a word.
"Lucian, it's me... Selene." Her voice was calm but laced with tension on the other end of the line.
"I hear you, Selene. What's going on?" Lucian replied cautiously.
"We managed to capture Amalia. But she... she doesn't believe Kraven actually tried to kill her. And she doesn't believe you're still alive. She wants to see you in person," Selene said, getting straight to the point.
Selene went on to explain the situation. Her tone conveyed more than just information—there was strain behind every word. She hoped Lucian would agree to show himself, to prove to Amalia that everything she had said wasn't a lie.
Lucian didn't respond right away. He stayed silent, letting Selene's words hang in the air. His eyes narrowed, thoughts racing. Selene's voice sounded sincere, but suspicion was second nature to a Lycan who had survived decades of war and betrayal.
"Don't worry... we won't harm you. I know this probably sounds suspicious. But please, come. She needs real proof." Selene's voice softened, nearly a whisper. It was more than a request—it was a quiet plea, tinged with regret and the hope that she wouldn't be misunderstood.
Lucian let out a slow breath. If Reuel or Selene had truly meant to eliminate him, they could've sent an armed unit to finish the job quietly. But they hadn't. Not yet.
"Alright. I'll come," Lucian said at last.
"The place is the same—Michael's house. Where we first met. I'll send a craft to pick you up," Selene replied.
"Fine. I'll wait there."
The transmission cut off. Lucian turned to Raze, who stood at the doorway as if he'd known all along he'd be needed.
"Raze, you're coming with me. We need to gauge how strong they've become. We need to know exactly who we're dealing with, so you don't act rashly," Lucian said firmly.
"Of course, Leader Lucian," Raze answered without hesitation.
They set off for the designated location—a rundown house long abandoned, once belonging to Michael. But this time, something unfamiliar awaited them. A strange aircraft with military design and unfamiliar tech sat waiting. This was no ordinary ship. With a low hum and glowing blue energy surrounding it, the medivac lifted off, carrying them toward a place neither could yet comprehend.
Their destination: a Terran battlecruiser—a colossal warship from the world of StarCraft.
Upon arrival, both fell silent. Lucian and Raze, two seasoned Lycan veterans accustomed to hunting in darkness, now stood in the heart of a metallic hangar with towering walls, artificial lighting, and silhouettes of technology beyond their understanding.
As they walked through the hangar, their eyes swept over the alien landscape: rows of ships with unfamiliar designs, towering machines like Thors, Goliaths, and Siege Tanks lined up in combat-ready formations. It was all strange. Intimidating. Unlike anything they had ever seen.
Soldiers from multiple worlds passed by—Astra Militarum, Terran Marines, Firebats, Marauders, Medics—all busy following commands known only to themselves. To Lucian and Raze, this was no longer Earth. This was another realm—an interstellar military force wielding technology far beyond anything known to mankind.
Only now did they fully realize they had been brought aboard a spacecraft. Lucian's thoughts drifted to one unsettling conclusion: was Reuel even human? Was this all part of an invasion of Earth? As far as Lucian knew, no nation on Earth had this kind of military power—let alone an entire spacefaring fleet.
Still, they walked on, following two armed marines assigned as their escorts. The metal corridors pulsed with glowing panels, giving off the cold, sterile atmosphere of a futuristic military installation.
Eventually, they reached a waiting room. The space was simple yet clearly designed with cutting-edge technology: smooth metal walls, a transparent glass table, and unfamiliar ergonomic chairs.
Selene was already there.
"Please, sit," she said quietly, her gaze reflecting both exhaustion and determination.
Lucian and Raze took Selene's cue and sat down across from her. On the other side of the room sat a woman radiating an aura of immense authority. Her gaze was sharp as a blade, yet her face was undeniably beautiful—elegant like a European noble from a bygone age.
"It's good to see you again, Elder Amalia," Lucian said, looking straight at her. His voice was calm, but a faint warmth lingered beneath it.
They weren't just two immortal beings on opposite sides—they had once fought side by side during the wars of medieval Europe, back when racial differences weren't yet a reason to kill each other.
"Lucian...? I don't believe it..." Amalia whispered, barely audible. Her eyes widened, her body leaning slightly forward, as if trying to make sure the man before her wasn't just some illusory projection.
"You're really alive?" she asked, still in disbelief.
"So... everything Selene said—it's true?" she continued, voice barely more than a sigh.
Tears welled at the corners of her eyes—though they didn't fall, they were enough to reveal the depth of longing and exhaustion she'd carried for centuries. In her long, lonely life, Amalia had seen friends, family, even old enemies fade away one by one. Nothing remained of the past—until today.
Selene remained silent. She watched from the side, fully aware that this was more than a reunion. It was a meeting of two ancient souls weathered by time, bound by something that went beyond war and betrayal.
Lucian began to speak. Without holding anything back, he laid out the entire truth—Kraven's betrayal, his faked death, and the plan to wipe out the vampire Elders in a bid for absolute power. He didn't embellish, didn't downplay. There was no room for lies tonight.
Amalia said nothing as she listened. Her eyes didn't blink, but the light in them shifted—the old resolve, long dimmed, began to spark again.
"So... all of this was Kraven's deception..." she murmured, her breath heavy. "I will summon every bloodline. We'll annihilate that bastard."
She stood slowly, posture straight like a queen who had just found a reason to lead again.
"I will call upon the other vampire bloodlines to remove Kraven from the throne that was never his," she declared firmly, her tone bearing the aristocratic weight of a medieval European noble.
But Selene exhaled long and slow, a heavy sound that carried the weight of harsh truth.
"It won't be that simple, Elder Amalia. The vampire council at the Great House has already fallen. Kraven's filled every seat with his own people. They're all pawns now. They won't listen to you anymore. You're too late."
Selene's words echoed through the room. There was no sarcasm, no despair—only the bitter reality that had to be faced.
Amalia was stunned. "What? Are you certain… they've all betrayed me? The entire Vampire Council truly sides with Kraven?" she asked quietly, like a mother just discovering her children had abandoned the values she had long instilled in them.
"Of course I'm sure, Elder Amalia," Selene replied firmly. "I used to be a Death Dealer. I know how they think, how they scheme. Kraven even developed ultraviolet bullets—weapons designed specifically to kill vampires. Why else would they exist if not for betrayal?"
Amalia lowered her head. Her mind wandered, trying to redraw the map of the world she once knew. The Great Vampire House—meant to be a symbol of unity, power, and stability—had become nothing more than a den of traitors.
There was no face left she could trust among the shadowy new Council. Everything had changed while she was away from Europe, drifting through America in hopes of maintaining neutrality and staying out of power struggles. In the end, her absence had only allowed things to rot further.
Silence filled the room. Then, in a low voice, she asked:
"In that case... can we ask for Reuel's help? Might he... be willing?"
A sliver of hope slipped into her thoughts. Reuel—the enigmatic figure known to be close to Selene—might have the power to shift the balance.
But Selene slowly shook her head.
"No. Reuel has signed a non-intervention pact. He won't get involved in vampire or lycan affairs... unless one of them deliberately seeks their own death."
Selene's voice was sharp, definitive. There was no room for negotiation behind her words.
Lucian and Amalia exchanged glances. No more outside help. No gods to descend and save them. All that remained were themselves—immortal beings trapped in the web of politics, betrayal, and the unrelenting burden of bloodborne vengeance.
Amalia and Lucian spoke at once, spontaneously and almost in unison:
"A pact with who?"
The question hung in the air like lightning that refused to strike. The atmosphere in the room suddenly thickened, as if the oxygen had been sucked out.
Selene looked startled. Her shoulders tensed. She hadn't expected them to catch the slip in her words so quickly. She tried to hide the unease rising in her chest, but her voice lacked conviction when she finally replied:
"I... don't know."
Lucian and Amalia exchanged glances. Neither of them said a word, but their eyes spoke volumes. They had lived for centuries—they knew a lie when they heard one.
Lucian narrowed his eyes, then stared coldly at Selene.
"You think we're that stupid?" he said quietly, but with a tone that carried threat. "We know who he is. We just chose to stay silent."
Amalia turned to Lucian, her face betraying no surprise. She knew what he meant. They weren't merely suspicious—they had long suspected that Reuel wasn't just some otherworldly creature. But until now, they hadn't known who—or what—could be powerful or dangerous enough to bind Reuel to a pact.
And that made everything far more complicated.
Amalia now found herself in a precarious position. Though she still wielded significant influence among the vampires, nearly all her subordinates had been seized and detained by Reuel's forces. She knew Reuel's strength didn't stem merely from his race or technology, but from entities behind the scenes—something far greater than the war between vampires and lycans. And she, a Vampire Elder, knew she was being watched from all sides.
The Great Vampire House had turned into a prison controlled by unseen hands. Hundreds of blood clans had been systematically relocated from across the United States. Vampire dominion over the continent had been quietly absorbed without meaningful resistance.
The question now was clear:
What about the rest of America? Who controls it now?
Lucian, who had remained silent, finally spoke. He turned to Amalia, then looked back at Selene.
"Selene, Kraven met with me today," he said calmly, as if delivering casual news.
"I told him Amalia was dead. That way, he'll keep his end of our deal."
Selene stiffened.
"A deal...?"
Lucian nodded slowly.
"Our original plan is still in motion: awaken Viktor, then lure Kraven to the lycan den and kill him together."
His tone was flat—not out of apathy, but because every detail had been calculated long before this meeting.
Selene didn't respond right away. She looked at Lucian in silence, then gave a slow nod.
"All right. Let me know when the time comes. I'll be there."
Lucian returned the nod.
"Then I'll take my leave."
He stood and turned away without waiting for a response. Raze, who had kept his distance throughout, immediately followed behind him.
Selene didn't see them out. She just stood there, letting the automatic doors close behind the two lycans.
But of course, they weren't simply allowed to leave unchecked. Several Terran marines stationed in the surveillance sector had already been given orders. They would make sure Lucian and Raze exited the warship without incident—and more importantly, without wandering into sections they weren't meant to see.
After they were gone, Selene remained standing in silence. In her mind, one question continued to gnaw at her
---
Inside the vampire Great House...
Kraven knelt with utmost respect, offering a vial of fresh blood sealed in a special crystal tube. Before him, Viktor's body sat motionless on an ancient stone throne—rigid, cold, and imposing like a noble mummy from centuries past. An infusion tube pierced his vein, delivering drop after drop of blood into the nearly desiccated body.
Slowly, Viktor's eyelids opened. A pair of cold, piercing eyes glowed in the dim room. His gaze locked onto Kraven, cutting through him like a drawn blade.
"Kraven," Viktor muttered, his voice heavy with ancient authority, "do you know what you've just done?"
Kraven's body tensed. He bowed deeper, holding his breath.
"Only one Elder may be awakened in a century…" Viktor rose slowly, his aged body still harboring terrifying power. "And this century belongs to Marcus. Not me."
His voice turned razor-sharp. Like a blade slicing through bone.
"M-Master Viktor… I beg your forgiveness… This is an emergency. I had no other choice," Kraven stammered, unable to meet his eyes.
"What kind of emergency could justify violating the laws of blood?" Viktor's tone was cold, menacing.
Kraven swallowed hard, then exhaled heavily.
"My lord… Selene has betrayed you. She's allied with the Lycans. Lucian… is still alive. And there's a strong possibility he helped orchestrate the escape. Also, Selene… she knows you were the one who killed her family. And lastly… Elder Amalia is dead. Slaughtered by the Lycans."
It all spilled out in a single breath, as if Kraven just wanted to deliver the bad news and disappear.
Silence. Then—
"WHAT?!"
Viktor's voice boomed like a demonic roar from hell. He stood fully upright, his body trembling with unrestrained fury.
"Selene… betrayed me?! She knows I killed her family? Lucian is alive?! And Amalia… is dead?!"
Viktor growled in rage, stormed forward, and kicked Kraven with the deadly strength of an Elder vampire. Kraven flew into the wall, stumbling before falling to his knees again.
"YOU FOOL! All of this happened under your watch, and you call it an emergency?! I should've destroyed that treacherous bitch from the beginning! Selene! How dare she stab me in the back!"
He paced the room like a wild beast just released from its cage.
"And Lucian… that bastard's still alive?! I'll rip his heart from his chest myself!"
Kraven stayed where he was, not daring to lift his head. Blood trickled down his temple.
Viktor stopped in front of him, glaring down.
"Have you found them?"
Kraven gave a small nod, his voice trembling.
"Yes, my lord. We know their location."
"Then gather all our vampire forces. We'll massacre them all!" Viktor's voice thundered through the cold stone chamber.
"As you command, Lord High!" Kraven responded swiftly. Without another word, he rose and exited the chamber at once. He had no intention of staying near Viktor any longer—every second in that room felt like flirting with death.
Once Kraven had left, Viktor sank back into his seat. His gaze was vacant, but calculating. No one could guess what was going through his mind—and that was precisely what made him so dangerous.
Meanwhile, as Kraven stepped out of the Elder's resting chamber, he beckoned one of his most trusted aides. In a low voice, he whispered a secret order directly into the man's ear. The aide gave a single nod, then departed without a word.
Kraven watched his aide disappear, eyes gleaming with ambition.
His plan was nearly complete. If Viktor died in battle, Marcus would be awakened early… and all power among the vampires would fall back into Kraven's hands. He would become the sole ruler of the night—the king of shadows.
At the vampire main estate, the clans had begun to gather. The corridors filled with armed vampires clad in dark armor, receiving weapons from the underground armory. Preparations for a great war against the lycans were underway.
---
Meanwhile, in the lycans' secret stronghold…
After receiving Kraven's message, Lucian moved into action. The armory was unlocked. Crates of weapons long sealed away were opened and distributed to his warriors.
The time had come. Time to take revenge for centuries of suffering. The fire in Lucian's eyes burned with unwavering resolve.
But he knew one thing: their current arsenal wouldn't be enough. Not to face Viktor in his fully awakened state.
Lucian contacted Selene, hoping she could bring additional firepower. The lycans' weaponry would not match the full might of the vampires in a direct confrontation.
Selene agreed without hesitation. She immediately made her way to Reuel's location.
Upon entering Reuel's chamber, Selene got straight to the point. She laid out the situation without pleasantries. Reuel listened calmly, his expression betraying no surprise. Once she had finished, he nodded slowly and raised his hand in a signal.
"I'll give you access to weaponry from the modern era. In addition, I'm assigning you an elite Karskin team for protection. Consider it a gift... to ensure your survival," Reuel said, his tone flat but firm.
Hearing that, Selene—the Moon Goddess known for her cold and untouchable nature—stepped forward. Without a word, she embraced Reuel warmly… then kissed him on the lips, sincerely.