Part 1
Eliza slowly walked through an intense snowstorm, dragging her large scythe across the white blanket covering the ground, leaving a trail of crimson blood behind her.
Almost stumbling, she reached a small cave, where she finally collapsed onto the ground and leaned her back against the wall.
"Tch... What a pain. I hate this empire and its shitty weather," she muttered with obvious irritation.
Her eyes fell on her left arm, the same one she had used to block Empress Aurora's attack. Now, it was little more than a block of ice, withered and lifeless.
Eliza's eyes filled with hatred, something she hadn't felt in centuries.
How could the last survivor of such an ancient race have been wounded by an inferior being?
A disgusting human.
She turned her scythe and, at shoulder height, made a clean cut, like a guillotine, severing her arm in a single swing.
The chunk of ice fell heavily to the ground, along with her pure blood.
The vampire's eyes glowed intensely, and her arm slowly began to regenerate until it returned to its original form.
"That bitch damaged my beautiful dress..."
"Still... if the others find out that a filthy human managed to delay my plans, I'll become the laughingstock..." she muttered in annoyance as she examined her new arm.
She stood up and began brushing the snow off her dark dress.
"I'd better find some food... If I remember correctly, there was a small village nearby."
She firmly gripped her scythe, and an evil smile appeared on her face.
"I can't wait to taste that woman's blood... Yes... I swear I'll bathe in her blood..."
She spread her wings and took flight, heading at full speed toward the nearest village.
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Days before the Mist Valley incident
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In an empire where snow fell endlessly, unbeknownst to anyone, a stealth aircraft descended through the dense forest near the capital of that island.
The aircraft's main hatch opened wide, revealing the figure of the young vampire.
"Are you sure about this, Eliza?" Yamato asked from inside.
"Yes, Master. I know these lands like the back of my hand," she replied, though a hint of nervousness could be heard in her voice.
Although Yamato's face showed no emotion, deep down, he still wasn't entirely convinced by her words. Even so, a being with Eliza's level of power shouldn't have any trouble with this mission.
"I see... Don't forget to report your progress to Sera through the intercom," he finally said.
Eliza brought a hand to her ear, where she wore a small device.
"And don't worry. This aircraft is undetectable. Nobody knows we've infiltrated the area."
"Yes, Master. I promise I'll bring you good news."
With a slight bow, she began making her way down the ramp.
For a few moments, Yamato remained silent, watching her walk away in her long black dress. The sight of the vampire slowly descending through the snow made her look like the very embodiment of death.
"Eliza..."
The young woman stopped and quickly turned her head toward her lord.
"Be careful."
For someone who rarely expressed his feelings, those words meant a lot to his Heralds.
"Yes, Master."
Eliza gave one final bow before continuing on her way. Shortly afterward, the ramp closed completely.
The young woman raised her head and watched as the enormous technological object created by Yamato silently rose above the forest and camouflaged itself with its surroundings until it disappeared.
She couldn't even be sure it was still there.
"What interesting toys... They seem like forbidden magic."
"I can't even sense the young master's presence."
"There's no doubt that the technology of the summoned humans is something to be feared..."
She thought as she continued walking through the thick snow.
"Brrr... What an annoying cold. I can feel my legs getting numb."
"But, putting that aside..."
"How is it possible that this island has changed so much over the centuries? I don't remember it being covered in snow back in my day."
She crouched down and picked up a handful of snow with her pale hands. For a moment, memories of a distant past returned to her mind...
Ground soaked in blood, villages consumed by flames, and the desperate screams of their inhabitants.
"That's right... This is how it used to be."
She slowly stood up and squeezed the snow in her hand as a dark flame made it evaporate.
"What's done is done..."
"Now I just have to follow the young master's orders."
She resumed walking, her boots sinking into the snow as she made her way through the blizzard. However, it wasn't long before she regained her usual mischievous smile.
"I wonder what the new queen of these lands is like... I've heard she's a beautiful woman."
A little giggle escaped her lips.
"Jujuju... I can't wait to meet her."
The storm grew stronger, covering the landscape in a white blanket as Eliza's figure slowly disappeared into the snowy empire.