"You possess incredibly powerful self-healing abilities. You must be the most resilient creature I've ever encountered in that regard," Zhou Yi said, his arms crossed, floating closer to Chadnomah. "But I need to know: how many times can you regenerate? That kind of healing can't be without consequence."
Chadnomah replied with a threatening snarl, then immediately turned and fled. He bounded across the walls, a blur of motion too fast for the human eye to track. At this speed, he quickly neared the exit.
However, he would not reach it. Not until Zhou Yi permitted it.
Black light flickered, followed by an ear-splitting sonic boom. An invisible wall of compressed air slammed into Chadnomah mid-air. He felt like an insect smashed by a fly-swatter, utterly helpless, pinned instantly against the wall.
Chadnomah, a creature of high intelligence, understood immediately. The Dawn Knight's movement speed had exceeded the sound barrier, his appearance preceding the sonic wave. In a confined space, the resulting wind pressure was harder than any concrete wall. Without even lifting a finger, the Dawn Knight had neutralized him.
Looking at Chadnomah, who resembled a flattened bug, Zhou Yi sneered. "You are extremely cunning, not like a wild warrior at all, but more like a shrewd businessman or a politician. I'm very curious about your background. I think you might be able to answer a few questions."
Zhou Yi extended his hand. Psychokinesis gripped Chadnomah, pulling him toward the hero as if by an invisible giant.
Chadnomah struggled briefly, then wisely ceased. The pressure on his limbs told him that breaking free was possible only at the cost of losing them—a foolish exchange he was unwilling to make. He chose compromise.
"If possible, I would be happy to answer you," Chadnomah said, bowing his head. "But I fail to understand why a powerhouse like yourself would associate with the filthy Vampires." His respectful tone couldn't hide the subtle jab and the obvious disdain for his own kind.
"I'm also curious about that," Zhou Yi replied indifferently, ignoring the provocation. "But it's not your concern. You will only answer my questions. Understood?"
Zhou Yi clenched his hand slightly. Chadnomah felt an invisible, immense pressure, as if he were being squeezed to death by a giant. When Zhou Yi released him, Chadnomah gasped, his nearly exploded lungs taking in a desperate breath.
Chadnomah capitulated instantly. He nodded vigorously. "I understand. Completely."
"Good. First point of doubt: Machinos claimed there was an Alien Species with infectivity surpassing Vampires, and you are the carrier. Where exactly did you come from?"
"A mutant? The old man said that?" Chadnomah forced a bitter smile. "Where did I come from? I come from the purest Bloodline among the Vampire Families."
"That's impossible!" Nysha's voice was ragged as she rushed to the scene. Her heaving chest showed her emotional turmoil. "The purest Bloodline in the U.S. region belongs solely to the Machinos Family of the Camarilla. I've never seen you before."
Pure-blood Vampires were numerous, but the purest Bloodline belonged only to the Elder status within the family hierarchy. Machinos, the Grand Duke, held that status in the U.S.
"Never seen me, little newborn? How long have you been alive?" Chadnomah's eyes were filled with naked contempt. "Forty years, if I recall. I held you when you were born; you wouldn't remember. But I must inform you: I share your Bloodline. We have the same father. My name is Chadnomah Makinos, and I am your older brother!"
"That's impossible!" Nysha's voice was laced with disbelief. "You are lying! You have no proof!"
"Look at the ring on my left hand. Father gave it to me when I came of age. You have one too; it is the Machinos Family crest. Do you think I'm lying? No! The one who lies to you is the man you call father!"
Nysha lunged, tearing the ring from Chadnomah's hand. She held it, comparing it to her own. The result left her in despair.
"How did you become like this?" Her question was hesitant, the answer threatening to shatter her world.
"You ask a very good question, little sister," Chadnomah sneered. "Have you noticed our father's changes? He looks more like a demon than a Vampire these days, doesn't he? Do you know how long he has lived?"
"He is already a thousand years old, long overdue for death. Elders, to avoid death, enter a deep sleep, taking turns presiding over power. Our father murdered the other Elders, our brothers, and his first wife. For a millennium, he has refused to surrender power, sustaining his life with blood."
"He grows more decrepit with age. Even bathing in the blood spring cannot restore his youth. The Elder's immense power and vitality are fading. Soon, even the blood spring won't sustain him."
"So he sought a different path. His health and pharmaceutical companies were a cover. He sought a breakthrough in human genetics, stopping at nothing. Over thirty years ago, he imprisoned me—the purest blood closest to his own—hoping to experiment and find a way to reverse his monstrous decline."
"Do you know what he told me?" Chadnomah imitated his father's benevolent facade. "'Hold on, my son. This is just a small treatment. You will be the first of our Family, fearless of the Sun and silver, leading us into the daylight. And I, too, will gain new life through you.'"
"Do you know how I endured those years? I wish I could show you the scars, but unfortunately, I'm like this now, and all wounds heal."
"But I thank their efforts. If they hadn't developed that virus, I wouldn't have escaped to take my revenge. I will destroy everything he built. I want him to watch his Empire, his power, all vanish at the hands of his own son!"
"No! No!" Nysha listened, retreating step by step until she fled into the shadows. The two men knew she had gone to verify this insane family drama with her father.
Zhou Yi didn't stop her. He guessed the Grand Duke wouldn't harm his daughter in a moment of rage; Machinos would only sacrifice her when it was strategically useful. He returned his attention to Chadnomah.
"If you are the result of your father's experiment, does that mean he succeeded?"
"Does my appearance look like perfection? This look that even I despise?" Chadnomah revealed his twisted mandibles. "I endure inner torment every second; even blood cannot suppress this pain. It is worse than bloodlust. If not for my thirst for revenge, I don't know if I could have held on."
Zhou Yi frowned, concealing his disgust beneath the helmet. He thought for a moment, then released Chadnomah. All clues pointed to Chadnomah being the tragic protagonist of a prince's revenge story.
The Grand Duke clearly wanted Zhou Yi to be the executioner, but the Dawn Knight wasn't following his script.
Chadnomah, wise now, remained in place. He realized the Dawn Knight was not aligned with the Vampires and saw an opportunity. He wanted to recruit the Superhero. Overthrowing the Vampires—a cancer on humanity—was surely a tempting proposition for a Guardian.
But Zhou Yi interrupted him before he could speak.
"I know what you want to say. I only act according to what I believe is right, and my judgment is not swayed by alignment. The conflict between you and the Vampires is currently yours. After your affairs are settled, if Machinos survives, I will deal with him. But for now, you seem better suited to be his gravedigger."
"Avenging a father as a child. A typical Vampire custom indeed," Chadnomah smiled, a mix of sorrow and grim satisfaction.
"I have one final question. Your answer will determine whether I eliminate you here or allow you to seek revenge on your father. I require the absolute truth." Uttering such a threat as the Dawn Knight was a decisive demonstration of power.
Chadnomah bowed with a noble gesture, displaying the demeanor of a true Vampire prince, albeit a tragic one.