Despite Soren's lockdown of the church, it was already a moment too late.
The smartest among the vampire elders had seized the moment the instant Faith appeared. Sensing danger, many had already slipped into the shadows and fled.
By the time Soren's spatial grip sealed the sanctuary, only three elders remained trapped alongside the blood god.
The others were gone.
But the ones who stayed?
They were now prisoners… doomed.
As the spatial force tightened its hold, panic surged through the surviving vampires.
The so-called Blood God had been tossed around like a toy.
Soren hadn't even broken a sweat.
Despair rolled through the cathedral like a wave.
Faith, still hovering in the air, could only watch as fear consumed his kin. This... isn't possible, he thought, his mind unraveling.
I'm the Blood God! I should be invincible! That's what the scriptures said!
But scripture couldn't explain this.
The space around him was now a crushing vice, threatening to shatter what remained of his brittle bones.
With every heartbeat, the divine energy of his transformation leaked out like air from a dying balloon.
"No... no!" Faith snarled.
"I won't die like this!"
Freyja watched coldly from the side. "Still clinging to delusions."
Faith's breathing was ragged. His muscles bulged, veins glowing red, his body spasming from the overload of blood energy. But even in this final surge… it was clear.
He was no longer a god.
"Lorelai lied to you." Soren said, voice like a judge delivering a sentence.
"She used you as bait. And you… you let her."
Faith froze. The truth, undeniable now, hit him harder than any blow ever had. His arrogance, his blind loyalty, it had all been for nothing.
"No more speeches."
He raised his hand.
"Space Rift."
With a deep hum, a black gash opened in the air. Chaos bled from it, a dimensional wound of pure oblivion. Winds howled. The scent of death curled in the air.
Faith's eyes widened in terror. "Wait! Please!"
But mercy was not Soren's language.
The chunk of space imprisoning Faith was lifted and hurled into the rift. His scream echoed for only a second before the void swallowed him whole.
Just before the rift closed, a streak of blood flashed across the tear… and then it was gone.
Silence returned.
Freyja looked away. "That… was brutal."
Soren didn't respond. He turned to the rest of the church.
One by one, the surviving vampires were dragged forward, frozen in space, screaming, begging, or snarling with defiance. Soren questioned each of them.
Those who cooperated lived long enough to speak.
Those who didn't…
"Space Rift."
Over and over again.
Whatever loyalty or pride the vampires had left crumbled under the weight of Soren's judgment.
Finally, after what felt like hours, the stone doors of the church groaned open.
Soren, Freyja, and Blade stepped out into the cold night. Behind them, the church was silent. The scent of blood and smoke lingered in the wind, but the air was still.
The vampire stronghold was no more.
Blade exhaled slowly. "I've killed a lot of bloodsuckers in my time… but damn. That was something else."
"We got more than just bodies." Freyja said.
"The three elders we captured, before they screamed, told us something."
Soren glanced at her.
"They said Lorelai's heading to Syria."
"Something about a 'supreme existence' hidden in ancient ruins. The old blood. The origin. Whatever it is, it scares even them."
"Well." Blade said grimly, wiping a smear of blood from his cheek.
"Those elders weren't exactly helpful."
Soren's gaze drifted eastward, his brows tightening.
"Syria."
"That Lorelai… she really knows how to run. From North America straight to Asia."
"Syria. That's halfway across the damn planet." Blade exhaled hard.
Freyja's glanced at the stars. "Whatever she's after must be Dangerous."
Blade nodded slowly, then turned to Soren with awe and disbelief.
"Sir… I don't know what to say. You didn't just save my life tonight, you wiped out half the global vampire population in a single night. Maybe more. I've been fighting them for years, and I've never seen anything like this."
Soren smiled faintly, dismissive. "I didn't do it for gratitude. I helped you because I wanted too."
"And I couldn't stand seeing Lorelai's leash around your neck."
He took a step forward, speaking clearly now. "Blade, I've removed her influence from your body. More importantly… I altered your genetic structure."
"…"
"What?"
"You still have all the strengths of a vampire, the speed, the healing, the power. But the flaws?"
"You will no longer need to use a serum to maintain your body now."
Blade's eyes widened. He looked down at his hands, his chest rising and falling in disbelief. There had been a change.
He'd felt it the moment Lorelai's control disappeared, but hadn't understood it until now.
Then a memory came up… the headlines!
His eyes snapped up.
"Wait... you're Doctor Soren Macaluso?"
"Everlife!? That Soren?!"
Soren chuckled softly. "Took you long enough."
Blade scratched his tricep. "Sorry. I've been living in the shadows so long, I forgot what daylight looks like."
"And I definitely wasn't expecting the so-called 'Savior of the World' to be hunting vampires."
"You're not the first to think that." Soren replied dryly.
Blade composed himself, his tone growing serious again. "Soren... I need to ask. Most of the vampires are moving to Syria. You plan on going after them, don't you?"
Soren nodded. "Of course."
"Lorelai cannot be left out to wonder. And whatever she's chasing in the Syrian ruins… it might be older than vampire history itself."
Blade hesitated. "About Lorelai… I'm sorry. I wasn't in control. But I remember enough. She made me strike at you. At Freyja. I..."
Soren waved a hand. "It's done. You're not the first to be used."
Blade looked him straight in the eyes. "Let me come with you."
Soren raised a brow.
"I've been hunting these monsters my whole life. I swore I'd see them gone for good. And now, with what you've done for me… I've got a second chance. A real one."
Freyja glanced at Soren, then back at Blade.
"He might slow us down." She said, testing.
Blade smirked. "Try me."
Soren was quiet for a moment, then gave a small nod.
"Fine. You're in. But this won't be like anything you've faced before. If Lorelai finds what she's looking for in Syria… it won't just be vampires we're fighting."
"Good. I've always liked a challenge."