Alida Makinos, the oldest known Vampire in all of America and the reigning Vampire Grand Duke, was not the figure of melancholy charm and noble coldness romanticized in human lore. In truth, his appearance was a grotesque spectacle of longevity and power.
His body was discolored, mutated into a strange, sickly light blue. Patches of flesh were hairless and translucent, allowing thick, ravine-like veins to show through.
The barely contained seepage from his skin was profoundly repulsive. He looked like a rotten corpse fiercely clinging to existence—a sight made even more stark when contrasted with the ethereal beauty of his daughter, Nysha Makinos.
Among the pureblood Vampires who had lived for centuries, Alida Makinos was viewed with deep revulsion. He had held power for over three hundred years, and though Vampire tradition dictated that strength should increase with time, Alida was an exception—a war-weary survivor, a ruthless schemer, and utterly power-hungry.
To keep his throne, he had led his clan out of Europe, actively fleeing the influences of the Church, Werewolves, and rival Vampire Houses, choosing the untamed wilderness of America.
His obsession with power meant he refused the traditional state of hibernation, preferring to endure the decay of his body and the waning of his strength just to remain sovereign.
He had even established the Blood Clan Guard, ruthlessly culling any opposition among his kin, and scandalously cooperated with human authorities to cement his rule. His existence was defined by the singular pursuit of power, regardless of the cost.
Yet, he remained the undisputed ruler of the New York Vampire Empire.
Supported by Nysha, the decrepit Grand Duke slowly approached the screen, his fingers tapping an erratic rhythm as he gazed deeply at the frozen image of Chadnomah (Sabretooth). After a long, tense silence, he addressed his loyal black Vampire butler.
"Giant, have you located him?"
"I regret to report, my Master," the Old Butler, Giant, bowed respectfully. "He possesses exceptional skills in concealment. Our trackers have been unable to establish his whereabouts. More time may be required."
Alida merely waved a dismissive hand. This news was, paradoxically, the best he could hope for, allowing him time to plan. He quickly pivoted the conversation.
"What about those other fellows?"
Giant, who had served Alida since the colonial period, understood the concise reference immediately. "The situation is highly volatile. They have begun to mutate, resembling the captured specimen, and have caused significant loss of life. I have already dispatched teams to contain the immediate aftermath."
Alida nodded with satisfaction. Giant's loyalty was absolute, a relationship sealed by two centuries of shared secrets and mutual trust.
"You have handled this well, Giant!" The Grand Duke allowed Nysha to ease him back onto the throne. "No more senseless sacrifice. We need to enlist professionals to handle a problem of this magnitude."
"My Master, are you implying...?" Giant inquired, uncertainty clouding his usual composure.
"Yes, the Vampire Hunters," Alida stated, his hand resting casually on his head.
"Hold on a moment, boss," Rehart, the leader of the Blood Clan Guard, interrupted, his massive frame radiating impatience. "You actually mean for us to hire those damned fools to deal with this beast? Why? We are more than capable of handling one rogue Lycanthrope."
"How dare you challenge the Grand Duke's direct command?" Giant stepped forward, baring his fangs in cold fury.
Rehart, an elite warrior who respected only the Grand Duke's ultimate authority, met the gaze with equal ferocity.
"Enough!" The Grand Duke's roar instantly silenced the confrontation between his two most powerful subordinates. "This is my command."
Rehart spat onto the floor in a sign of deep displeasure, but he grudgingly subsided, acknowledging the Grand Duke's will. Alida nodded, satisfied, and instructed Giant.
"Giant, display the evidence."
"Yes, Master." Giant, ever the perfectly mannered butler, pressed a device that switched the screen to a horrifying new image.
It showed a creature, once a Vampire, now unrecognizable, strapped to an operating table. It had been brutally dismembered, its strangely colored organs and mutated viscera exposed. Yet, even in this state, it writhed with furious aggression, straining violently against the metal bonds.
After closing the image, Giant's voice was frigid: "What you witnessed was a survivor from the initial attack site—a Vampire, one of our kin. In less than 12 hours, he mutated into this aggressive, disgusting state. He is violent toward both humans and Vampires. We have already lost two more subordinates dealing with him."
The Grand Duke took over, his voice grave. "They are multiplying too rapidly; this threat is already destabilizing the very foundations of our clan. Therefore, we must cooperate with the Hunters. This is my absolute decision: I will initiate a truce with them."
He then looked at his daughter. "Nysha, my child, that fellow who abruptly appeared and swept our strongholds at night—you will contact him. Inform him of the truce and that we require his assistance."
"Father?" Nysha looked up, shocked.
"He spared you once, he will spare you again. While your oath forbids you from revealing his identity, it does not prevent you from seeking his assistance."
The Grand Duke's words were superficially gentle but underscored by a clear impatience with his daughter's moral reservations. Nysha, despite her internal resistance, submitted to her father's will as a loyal member of the Blood Clan.
"Giant, go and make contact with Blade. Escort him here. Rehart, assemble the Guard immediately. You must be ready to coordinate with these Hunters." With a series of commands, Alida Makinos wove a vast, deadly net, hoping to catch the elusive Lycanthrope and contain the mounting crisis.
Back in his secluded laboratory, after a wild day partying with Tony and Rhodey, Zhou Yi returned to work.
The primary difficulty with Adamantium synthesis, he knew, wasn't the formula—which Howard Stark had conveniently archived—but the sheer luck required to acquire the raw ores. Fortunately, Tony had provided the core material.
Now, under the precise control of Medusa, the raw ore and other materials were combined and heated to 1,500 C, forming a pool of boiling, liquid steel. At this temperature, Adamantium maintains its castability; once it cools, it becomes virtually immutable.
Watching the molten Adamantium, Zhou Yi ordered the casting phase. He desperately needed a handy weapon to counter specific threats. Firearms were redundant; short of a tactical nuclear strike, nothing in the US arsenal could reliably take him down. Given his mastery of martial arts, he favored an indestructible cold weapon.
The limitation was the material volume. The 20-odd pounds he possessed wasn't enough for a full-sized sword or a long spear—he required the weight and reach of something like the mythical Ruyi Jingu Bang to truly feel satisfied. After careful calculation, he decided on a powerful semi-finished product.
The scorching metal was poured into the mold and instantly solidified. The result was a massive, ancient-style spearhead.
Length: 13 inches
Width: 2 inches
Its design was brutal: a sword-shaped spearhead with a fierce curve at the tip, straight, sharp blades, and a deep blood groove on each side. The base was flared into scythe-like guard blades. This weapon was a theoretical terror; in the age of cold steel, it would pierce any armor effortlessly.
The spearhead consumed most of Zhou Yi's meager Adamantium supply. While he had a peerless weapon, it was still incomplete. It lacked a proper shaft and, more importantly for him, the mystical enhancements necessary to truly unlock its potential. Zhou Yi needed more Adamantium, and he needed it soon, if he was to be fully prepared for the threats looming in the shadows of New York.