Vivian was a witch who had lived for hundreds of years, and she shared a burning hatred with Carlos Decker toward Leonidas Crimson. Both held a deep, jagged grudge; they had both lost kin dear to them as a direct result of Leonidas's actions.
"Come, Vivian," Carlos said, gesturing toward the hallway. "Let us go to a more comfortable room to talk business."
He led the old woman into a lavish study, furnished with deep, soft brown leather couches and a table set with a bottle of fresh blood and a decanter of whisky. A large stone fireplace sat against the far wall, the logs crackling and casting a warm, orange glow that danced across the room.
As they entered, he gestured for Vivian to take a seat, a request she happily obliged. "Is there anything you would like to drink, Vivian?" he asked, his voice smooth as he poured a thick, dark stream of blood into a crystal glass.
"Some water would be nice," she rasped. "It was a long journey, and I'm feeling quite parched."
"Maid!" Carlos shouted, his voice echoing through the mansion.
Almost instantly, one of the house maids entered the room, her head bowed low. "How may I be of service, Master?"
Carlos took a slow, deliberate sip of the blood. "Please get this lovely woman some cold water."
The maid gave a shallow bow. "Yes, Master." She left the room, closing the door behind her with a soft click.
Once they were alone, Carlos Decker turned his full attention to Vivian. "So tell me... what is this scroll you brought me? And how exactly is it going to help us destroy the Crimsons?"
Vivian's thin lips curled into a smile. She made a slight gesture with her hand, and the scroll drifted through the air, floating away from Carlos and landing gently in her own gnarled hands.
"This scroll holds a form of dark magic called Eternal Shadow Duplicate," she whispered. "It works by summoning a certain type of dark demon... a power that is quite suitable for a man such as you."
Carlos swirled the blood in his glass, his eyes fixed on the parchment. "Dark magic, you say. And what are the side effects?"
Before Vivian could answer, the maid returned, carrying a tray with a glass of water. She moved silently across the room and presented the glass to Vivian.
Vivian slowly reached out her gnarled hand and took the glass of water from the tray. "Thank you, maid. Now leave us."
The girl bowed and scurried out, the door clicking shut with a finality that left the room feeling heavy. Vivian took a slow, measured mouthful of the cold water before setting the glass down on the mahogany table.
"Now, where were we... oh yes. The side effect is quite simple: you must sacrifice your soul," she said, her lips pulling back into a chilling smile. "Even though you are an immortal, this spell will burn your soul from the inside out. Once the contract is sealed, you will only have five months to live. Each time you feed a part of your soul to the demon, you will grow stronger, but every surge of power is a step toward an early grave."
She unrolled the parchment further, the ink pulsing like a heartbeat. "This demon is essentially a parasite. It allows you to summon dark shadow clones that possess your essence but are five times stronger than the original. But it goes deeper than that, Carlos. It will allow you to manipulate your own body in ways that defy nature. You can even use the parasite to enhance others, sending parts of the demon into your followers. They will become vastly more powerful, but they must give the demon permission to enter, and they, too, must sacrifice their souls."
Vivian leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a jagged whisper. "And if you are willing to give the entity a larger portion of your soul, you can even undergo a transformation. By allowing the parasite to take over, you will become a temporary demon. You can become a demon yourself for a short time, though the strain on your host body will be immense. It will devour you from within as you use it."
Decker began to giggle, a low, raspy sound that bubbled up into a dark, manic laugh. "Hehehe... I have long since stopped caring about living. Immortality is a bore when you have nothing but spite to keep you company. As long as I can kill Leonidas and make him feel the white-hot agony I've carried... I don't care about the cost. I'll burn my soul to ash if it means I get to see the light leave his eyes."
Decker leaned forward, the shadow from the fireplace dancing across his face like a living thing. "How long is it going to take to prepare?"
"I will need some time," Vivian rasped, her eyes reflecting the flickering flames. "I must prepare myself, gather the necessary sacrifices, and collect the other components for the ritual. It is not a simple task to invite such a thing into this world."
"Are you in a hurry?" she added, watching him closely.
"No," Carlos said, his smile turning predatory as he swirled the blood in his glass. "I am going to visit him tomorrow. I want to look him in the eye and see if there is an opportunity to inflict some small pain before the final blow. I want to give him a taste... before the main event."
"Oh, and I forgot." Vivian reached into the deep folds of her hooded cloak and retrieved a small vial filled with a shimmering purple substance. She used her magic to move the vial through the air into Decker's hands.
Decker observed the vial. "What is this?"
"That is the venom of an Alpha Werewolf," Vivian stated. "Hehehe... but I made some modifications to make it more potent. It's tasteless and odorless. You must find a way for him to drink it. With Leonidas out of the way, destroying his whole family will be easy."
"I just don't want him to die; I want his whole family under the dirt," Vivian said after sipping on more water.
Carlos Decker moved closer to Vivian. "And it will be done, Vivian. No one will be able to stop us."
====
The next day John was deep into his usual intense training. He was wearing a bright orange tracksuit he had brought from his own world, the fabric feeling strange but comfortable against the wind. He had been sparring relentlessly with Tip and Nate for two hours, pushing his body to the limit until his muscles screamed. Eventually, Nate found an opening and delivered a blow that knocked John out cold.
As he recovered and the world stopped spinning, a common occurrence lately, he blinked his eyes open to see Elena sitting quietly on his right.
"Oh, hello Elena," John muttered, rubbing his jaw. "Howzit going?"
Elena gave him a warm, soft smile. "I am doing fine, Young Master."
"Where is Aunt Reina and the others?" John asked, glancing around the training grounds. "I still gotta whip Nate's ass for breaking my nose."
Elena chuckled softly and reached down to help John to his feet. "Lady Reina said that Young Master needs a break from all the beating."
John scratched his head while smiling. "Fair enough. Let's go for a walk."
While Elena and John were walking, a carriage arrived at the Crimson castle. As the door opened and Carlos Decker stepped out, his eyes were immediately drawn to a flash of bright color near the gardens. He caught a glimpse of John standing with Elena; the boy was wearing a vibrant orange tracksuit that looked completely alien in this world.
Decker stared for a moment, noted the boy's features, and then quickly looked away to avoid being noticed. He stood by his carriage, pretending to adjust his coat, while his sharp ears caught the tail end of their conversation.
"Young Master, I am not going to work tomorrow and will be off for the weekend," Elena said, her voice dropping shyly. "Does Master still want to go for a hike in the Endlessgreen forest?"
"Yes!" John immediately replied while grabbing Elena's hands, making her cheeks turn red.
Watching them from the corner of his eye as they walked away, Carlos Decker's lips curled into a predatory grin. Perfect, he thought. I must confirm that he is a Crimson by blood, as his death will bring sadness and misery. I have to make plans as soon as I get home.
Decker and Leonidas talked in a private room.
"What do you have for me, Decker? I am quite busy these days," Leonidas said.
Decker presented a deal for protection involving "millions of gold and purple crystal coins" and a connection to a rich family of Dwarfs.
Leonidas, initially uninterested, paused at the mention of the Dwarf connection. "Fine. I already have power and influence, but getting more is not a problem. Find a middle ground and arrange the meeting. Now leave, I have many paperwork that I must get done."
Decker seized the opportunity. "My Lord, before I depart... I couldn't help but notice a boy outside talking with a maid. He was wearing a very strange, bright orange garment a fabric I have never seen in these lands. Is he one of your grandchildren?"
"Yes, why do you ask, Decker?" Leonidas replied.
Decker, confirming the boy was family, pretended to compliment him. "No reason, My Lord. It is just small talk. Despite the odd attire, he shows such a striking resemblance to you that I thought he must be your grandson. Even from a distance, he gives off a mighty air."
Leonidas felt irritated. "Hmph, that boy is the child of my youngest and only daughter. He wears those ridiculous rags because he is a failure and weak, but a Crimson nonetheless."
Decker tilted his head, pretending to care. "How so, My Lord?"
Leonidas tightened his grip on the edge of his desk, barely restraining himself from mentioning John's hybrid nature. "John is... he is a defect vampire. He does not have the full strength of a pureblood. My wife, Anna, loves him a lot and treats him with far too much affection, but I despise the fact that he bears my blood while being so pathetic. Enough talking about him. If you do not have anything important to say, leave." "By your will, My Lord." Decker bowed deeply and exited, heading back to his waiting carriage.
When he arrived home, Vivian was still sitting on the couch, the firelight reflecting in her ancient eyes. "So, how did it go, Decker?"
"It went exactly as planned, Vivian. I also learned that one of his grandchildren is going for a hike in the Endlessgreen forest tomorrow. I am planning to send someone to kill him."
Vivian leaned forward, curious. "And who will you send?"
"I have a prisoner, a Werewolf," Decker said, a dark light in his eyes. "I am going to send him to kill the boy and cause a small ruckus. It will be a message. Then, in two weeks, I will take Leonidas to the fake meeting and trick him into drinking the poison."
Vivian chuckled, a dry, raspy sound. "You are probably the smartest vampire I have ever met, Decker."
"Thanks, my dear," Decker replied, snapping his fingers toward the shadows. "Guards! Get me another dancer. I want to dance."