Chapter 15: The End of Nightmare

As they walk in the hallway, Gray noticed how everything has become strangely quiet. It feels like people from earlier has suddenly disappeared without a trace.

"Gray..." Rae called.

'So he noticed too, eh?'

"Yeah. Looks like someone's brave enough to attack us on broad daylight."

As his gaze wandered around, a strange scent suddenly lingers around his nostrils. It wasn't particularly something that's unpleasant, but it wasn't something he likes either.

"Hey, did you smell that?" He asked, but when he heard no response, Gray turned around and found that Rae wasn't there anymore.

"Hey, Rae! Where are you?" He called but no one's answering.

"Tch! Where could he have gone?"

Just then, the pinkish mist which appeared earlier, became thicker as it surrounds the whole building. And from behind, he heard someone approaching him. Gray quickly turned around and grabbed its neck.

"Caught you!"

But upon realizing the person's long black hair and crimson red eyes, his expression quickly shifted to confusion.

"Is this how you're going to greet me, Gray?" A smirk escaped from those cherry red lips.

"M-mistress..?" His voice trembled as well as his hands. It was as if his eyes are playing tricks on him right now. But the warmth of her neck is something that came so real.

The woman chuckled, "Don't give me that look. You look pathetic like that."

"M-mistress, h-how.. but you're --"

"I'm finally back. Isn't that good news?"

His brows furrowed as he became skeptical.

'Damn it! Because of that smell earlier, my nose isn't working properly. I can't tell by scent if this is the real Mistress in front of me!' He thought as he slowly removed his hand.

'There's only one way to find out...'

"Mistress, I have something to ask..."

"Hm? This is so sudden. But alright, I'll allow you."

"Mistress, how did you find me?"

The woman chuckled, "That's a pretty lame question. Of course, I'll be able to find you. There's nothing that's too hard for me."

"Why?" Gray retorted, "Why did you go all the trouble just to find me?"

The woman seems surprised at his question at first. But then, a smirk slowly drawn on her lips.

"Isn't that obvious?" She moved closer and held his cheek, "You are someone precious to me, Gray."

"Mistress..." He looked down as held her hand, "Funny. How I've been longing to hear those words... But not to an impostor like you!" His amber eyes glowed in red and pulled the woman's hand. Then, he pierced his big hand on her chest as she slowly turned to mist and disappeared.

"Hmph. The real mistress wouldn't say something like that. I'll make sure to find the culprit behind this mist and make him pay for tarnishing the mistress like that." He clenched his fist.

Slowly, the pinkish mist vanished and now he can sense the vampire's presence from above.

"Hiding on the rooftop, eh?" He grinned and rushed upstairs only to find out another batch of thick pink smoke.

"Tch! Not that smell again!"

When he turned around, there's a huge beast standing before him. It has black fur, pointed ears, sharp long fangs, and long limbs. Its crimson red eyes glowed as its appearance slowly became clear to him.

"A giant bat, huh? Is this your true form?" Gray raised his hand as it became bigger with its sharp claws, "The game of tag is over, vampire!" He rushed towards the beast and swung his claws.

But the monster was fast enough that it quickly dodged his attack.

"Heh! You won't get away." He smirked knowing his attack doesn't just end there.

Suddenly, the bat's chest bleeds as a long cut appeared.

"I told you so!" Gray jumped and attacked again. But the beast kept on dodging, thus, getting more cuts and wounds than before.

"Give it up. You'll be torn into pieces if you keep on running away."

The monster growled as it slowly got up. Its wounds close up as its blood gathered on its palm, forming a small orb.

Gray snickered, "Looks like you're going to take things seriously now, eh? Bring it on!"

Rae ran to the side while holding the orb on his palm. He was making a distance between him and the beast before he could attack.

But this wolf is quite clever and noticed his behavior. Before he could go and attack him from afar, Rae summoned sharp crystals from the blood he splattered on the floor earlier. In that way, he would get distracted for a while.

And when he finally got the chance, he rushed towards the beast and was about to hit its face when the wolf suddenly grabbed his arm. The orb reached the wall and it strongly exploded. The walls crumbled to pieces but the beast still holding on to his arm so tightly. Even Rae uses his strength, it wasn't enough to pull it out from its grasp.

Then, he heard the beast growled as if snickering before him. He clenched his fist and broke his arm. The lad can hear the cracking sound of his bone as he groaned in pain. But he endured it all and when the beast loosened its grip on his broken arm, the lad quickly swung his leg and kicked its face. As he moved away from it, he bit his finger and turned his blood into red strings, wrapping the wolf around it.

The monster struggled, but by doing so, he gets more cuts and wounds around his body.

"It's useless. You'll be torn into pieces if you keep moving." Rae said as his arm was slowly healing.

The beast growled angrily and released light from its body. Since the red strings are connected to his body, Rae felt the electrifying pain when the light reached his system. In such impact, the lad flew and hit his back on the walls. He can feel his insides burning as smoke smoldered from his body. He groaned as he struggled to open his eyes.

For a brief moment, he saw Gray slowly approaching him. But when he blinked, it was the wolf who's now in front of him, grabbing his neck.

***

As for Ms. Grosvenor, she never expected things could get any worse. The moment she lost sight of Rae, she started to hear voices murmuring altogether. Not only that, right now she's being surrounded by bloody corpses wearing that old camper uniform.

'Aria... Why did you leave us?'

'Why did you abandon us?'

'Come be with us, Aria...'

The lass frowned, "No... You aren't real... None of you is real. This is just an illusion."

But even she said those words, the corpses didn't fade away. They continue to march and approach her. Some even tried to attack her but she pushed them away. Until someone held her shoulders from behind.

'Aria... Don't leave me ever again...'

"M-miss Kayne!?" The lass was shocked to see the face of her beloved teacher which was now rotten and bloody.

'Aria, watch out!' Apollo shouted but it was too late when the lass realized how the corpses held her limbs altogether.

"Let... me go!" She struggled with all her might. The sensation of their tight grips felt so real that she needed to exert much effort to move her body.

'No Aria...'

'You are going to join us...'

'We will never be lonely again...'

As she was being pinned down, she saw a figure standing before her, approaching slowly. When it came closer, her heart sank in a heavy and familiar feeling she has never felt for so long.

"You should join them, Aria. After all, you could've died along with them that time."

"Griselda..." She glared at the young girl with those long curly red-orange hair, grinning at her.

The girl snickered, "Don't give me that look. You'll look ugly on that. Oh, what am I saying? You're going to die here anyway." Then she laughed.

"I'll prove you wrong..." Aria forcefully retrieved her leg and kick the corpses around. And as they were distracted, she shoved them with her arms and shot them on the head one by one.

"I'm not going to die here... I'll make sure to find you, and make you pay for their lives!" Her golden pupils glowed as heat rises within her system.

The girl scoffed, "Big words for someone who failed to save them and who killed them just now."

"It wasn't for boast, Griselda. I'll make it happen. After all, you're not real either."

'Having the consciousness that everything was just an illusion wasn't enough. I need to do something more convincing that all of these aren't real.' The lass thought.

Aria took her pocket knife, "I'll make sure to get out of this hell first before I'll come and find you."

The girl snickered, "Oh? And how are you going to do that?"

"This!" Aria used her knife and wounded her right arm. She groaned in pain but endured it all.

Soon as she felt the real pain, the pinkish smoke suddenly vanished. And from above, she saw the vampire called Bel still standing on that aluminum mesh screen.

"Tch! Those who ruin the fun like you should be sent to the underworld immediately!" Bel appeared in front of her and swung his arm.

With her good reflexes, Aria managed to dodge it in time. Then, she noticed the other pinkish smoke on the other side of the rooftop.

'That's where he might be.' She thought, referring to Rae.

"Release him immediately." She commanded.

"Ha? Don't get too cocky, bitch! No filthy human dares to boss me around." Bel snickered.

"Is that so? Then I guess I have to make you." Her gazes went cold as she turned her rings to guns.

Then, she fired her guns but Bel managed to escape those golden bullets by turning his body into smoke.

"Heh! You can't beat me with those petty attacks!" He rushed towards her and fought her head-on. But seems like the lass can still keep it up despite using a long-range weapon.

'This bitch is getting into my nerves! I must end her life quickly!' Bel thought and swiftly grabbed her neck. He jumped and stood at the aluminum mesh screen while hanging her body outside.

Aria struggled but the strength of a vampire is no joke. And if she did manage to escape, she'll end up falling with broken bones from a four-story building.

"Any last words, filthy human?"

The lass gazed at him, "My bullets... aren't petty..." Soon as she smirked, Bel felt pain on his shoulder and the other, on his leg. There are golden bullets stuck on his skin and that's when he realized, she can manipulate her bullets anywhere she wants.

The moment he did, it was already too late. The pain was too great that it feels like his body is burning inside.

"Damn you!" Bel threw her out with the last strength he has.

As she falls from the rooftop, everything went into a slow-motion phase.

***

Strangely, the monster bat can manipulate its blood and heals faster than any vampires.

'I managed to break its arm but it wouldn't be enough. It'll heal in few seconds.' Gray thought.

That's why, when he finally got the chance, he used his power and electrified the beast before him.

'I have no time to waste! I need to finish this right here and now.' Quickly, he grabbed the beast's neck with all his might.

"You're just one of those illusions from earlier." He glared.

The monster drooled and was about to lose its consciousness when suddenly, it shots its eyes open, glowing in crimson red.

"What the--!?"

'Let... me... go!' He heard its voice. And suddenly, his body moved on its own. His fingers were being forcefully pulled out one by one from its neck.

"W-what's happening!?" Gray tried to grab the monster again using his other hand but his arm suddenly stopped midway.

'I said... LET GO!'

The next thing happened, Gray found himself flying in mid-air. He can't move a muscle. It feels like his whole system has gone numb. And before he could think of other ways to escape, he felt his body being forcefully dragged downwards. He fell and hit his face on the ground that almost destroy the rooftop floor.

He gasped as he felt pain in his veins like any moment, they would come out of his skin. What's worse, he can feel his heart beating faintly as he was breathing heavily. And the one responsible for all of this was just standing before him, watching him suffer from those cold red eyes.

For a moment, he saw the silhouette of Rae before him. But when he blinked his eyes, the monster bat was the one standing there. It lifted its claws and was about to attack him when suddenly, it stopped the moment those sharp claws were about to hit his face.

The beast raised its head and sniffed. It was gazing around like some sort of scent caught its attention. And the moment it got distracted, the severe pain he's feeling suddenly vanished. His breathing became normal so is his heartbeat.

"Gray..?" He heard a familiar voice.

When he held his head up, he saw Rae standing before him with a puzzled look on his face.

The pinkish mist has disappeared and they have so much to ask each other. But seems like they have to save it for later when they both noticed the two figures above.

A vampire was grabbing Ms. Grosvenor's neck and was about to throw her out.

"Gray!"

"You got it!"

Like he already understood what it means, the tall lad nodded as Rae rushed swiftly the moment Bel swung his arm. He spreads his red wings and stretched his arm. The sweet and strong scent he's been sensing earlier came from the wound on her right arm. But right now, his priority is to save her first before tending the wound.

"Ms. Grosvenor!"

It was as if her body was just as light as the feather after being tossed like that. As she goes against the current of the wind, the whistling sound of it is deafening to her ears. Even so, she heard it loud and clear; the voice of someone familiar to her.

"Ms. Grosvenor!" Rae jumped and spread his wings, flying in such speed just to get her.

Because if anything else fails, she presumes, she'll hit the ground and have broken bones. But this isn't the reason why she suddenly stretched out her arm to reach him. But the moment she saw him jumped to get her left a tingling feeling inside her chest. It was as if she's relieved that he came to save her.

"Got you!" Rae managed to finally grab her wrist and quickly pulled her close to him. The moment it happened, he flapped his wings to fight against gravity that's been pulling them downwards. Good thing, he managed to make it on time.

As for the lass, she can feel his breath panting near her ear. As well as his throbbing heartbeat which she can feel as her hands are on his chest.

'Was he that nervous? I can't blame him, though. A second late and I could've broken my bones.' She thought.

"Did he do that?" He asked, referring to the wound on her right arm.

When she gazed at him, he was frowning; like he was being mad at something.

But she shook her head, "No, I did. In order to escape those nightmares, I inflicted pain on myself. It did work somehow."

Rae heaved a sigh, "Seriously, just how careless and stubborn can you be?"

He held her waist in one arm and used the other to heal her wound.

"I know you're strong, Ms. Grosvenor. But you should always keep in mind to be careful."

"Are you worried for me?" She asked without thinking twice. Anyone in her place would get flustered over something like this. But since it's Ms. Grosvenor we're talking about here, her curiosity comes first.

Rae flinched at her straightforwardness, he wasn't expecting her to ask that at all. It made him blinked fast, looked away, and blushed a bit.

"I'd be lying if I say I'm not worried."

The lass blinked, at that moment, her heart squeezed again after seeing the look on his face. She didn't find it vexing, but something interesting and amusing.

'Why... does he look cute all of a sudden?'

While this lass is still flustered about how she feels, the lad gazed above and saw Bel escaping. He turned half of his body into pinkish smoke to carry him out by the wind.

"Oh no, you don't."

In a blink of an eye, Gray appeared beside him and delivered a strong punch from his fist. Bel was blown and thrown just like that and landed at the school's fountain which was torn to pieces. Since he's a vampire, he can still get up after that strong punch. But the pain in his shoulder and leg is much worse than that. As he got out of the water, Gray was now standing from a distance not too far away from him.

The tall lad smirked, "I'm not done yet." His eyes glowed as he released his energy, crawling swiftly towards him. And when it came, Bel was electrified, which became stronger given the fact that he's in the water. That's the last thing he saw before he lost his consciousness.

Gray made a cracking sound from his knuckles, preparing himself to beat that vampire to his heart's content.

"Gray, wait!" Rae landed together with Ms. Grosvenor.

"Don't kill him. I need to draw some information out of him."

"Lemme guess, it's about the Alucards, right? I heard he's been mumbling it earlier when he escaped."

"Yes. I need him alive."

Seeing the seriousness in his eyes, Gray sighed in defeat.

"Fine, whatever you say, Your Highness." He raised both of his hands and moved away.

Rae smiled, "Thank you. I've already sent a message to someone who'll help us in cleaning this mess."

"You called?" Said Damien who just appeared behind Gray and Ms. Grosvenor. The two were surprised that they didn't even feel his presence not until he came.

"As fast as ever, Damien." Rae chuckled when he saw him.

He shrugged, "I have nothing much to do. Besides, I shouldn't ignore it if it's you who's calling."

Rae chuckled, "Thank you. I need your help in fixing all this mess."

Damien smirked, "Leave it to me." He placed his hand on the ground and closed his eyes.

After taking a deep breath, he released his power. The crumbled pieces of the cement were slowly moving and gathering together, forming into walls or any shape they've been before. The cracks and gaps were fixed, so is the fountain. It feels like these objects have a mind on their own while returning to how it was before like nothing has happened.

'This vampire... has a unique power. I didn't feel his presence earlier. I need to be more careful with him.' Ms. Grosvenor thought as she watched Damien.

"There you have it!" Damien brushed off the dust on his hands as he stood up.

"Thanks as always. How I wish I have a handy power like you, Damien." Rae chuckled.

He smirked, "Now that you've mentioned it, Young Master, I do have something to propose. If you really want to have a power like mine, why don't you take some of my blood?"

The lad blinked and furrowed his eyebrows, "Huh?"

"Well, since you have the power of blood art, I have a theory that you can absorb anyone's ability by drinking their blood."

By hearing this, Rae became nervous, "Where did you get this silly idea?"

Damien chuckled, "It's just my presumption. I've been reading books about the ancient vampires."

"I see." The lad made an awkward laugh.

'I thought he remembered something. But looks like I was just being paranoid.' He thought.

"I'll give you my blood later. You can confirm my speculation whenever you're ready." Damien snickered.

'His curiosity sometimes scares me.' Rae gulped.

After that, Damien came back while taking Bel with him. He was told to tend to his wounds if necessary and not to hurt him further. As for the three, they discovered that all the students on the campus were just sleeping in their respective places. Classes resumed once they all wake up. And no one knows everything that has happened except for them.

"I wanna know..." Gray mumbled, "Why the hell is this huntress still with us!?" He pointed an accusing finger at Ms. Grosvenor.

They're now walking on their way home and Gray decided to go with Rae since he was curious enough about the vampire who attacked them earlier. Well, more likely, he just wanted to get back at that vampire who made fun of him by giving them those illusions.

"It's not like I wanted to. This is also the way to my house." Ms. Grosvenor explained.

"Don't gimme that crap! Just admit that you're one hell of a creepy stalker!"

"Gray, calm down." Rae said, "Ms. Grosvenor is telling the truth. Actually..." He paused in front of his house gate.

"We are neighbors." The lad gently rubbed his nape.

"That's where I live." The lass pointed at the apartment in front of Rae's big house.

Gray blink fast as if he was processing everything. When the information finally sinks in, he suddenly patted Rae's shoulder.

"How long has she been torturing you?" He asked in a grave voice.

"I can clearly hear you." Ms. Grosvenor said.

"She's not torturing me at all." Rae smiled.

"Think whatever you want." The lass turned her back and was about to go inside her apartment.

"Rest well, Ms. Grosvenor. Thanks for saving us back there." Rae beamed.

"You saved me too so we're even." She mumbled before she closed her door.

"Tss... Good thing she already left." Gray mumbled before they entered the house.

"Welcome back, Young Master!" Rin cheerfully greeted Rae.

"Thanks. How was the vampire?"

"Upstairs, in the guest room. Damien's been taking care of it since earlier."

Rae nodded before they headed straight to that room.

"Perfect timing!" Damien came out of the room and saw them, "That vampire hasn't awakened yet, and I did just as how you told me."

"Thank you, Damien. I know I can count on you." Rae smiled.

"Tch! Here I thought I could beat that punk out." Gray grumbled.

"Don't say that. There must be a reason why he's doing this. I needed to know more about the Alucards through him." Rae explained.

Damien asked, "Uhhh... by 'him', you mean that vampire?"

The lad nodded.

Damien blinked and cleared his throat, "Gentlemen, I believe you should see for yourselves." He opened the door and led them towards the bed where Bel was sleeping.

His clothes were changed and his wounds are slowly healing. But what's weird is that there's a bandage wrapped around his chest. Also, they noticed how thin and slim his body in a closer look. Maybe they didn't notice earlier since their minds have been manipulated by those illusions earlier. But now looking at this vampire, they realized something important.

"That Bel vampire you've been referring to..." Damien spoke, "He's a 'she'."

***

Her mind has been drifting away somewhere for who knows where exactly. Not until she noticed the waving hand in front of her face and the voice that's been calling her.

"Knock, knock. Are you there?"

She flinched after finding out who's been there beside her.

"M-master Vulpine!?"

"Yo!" He beamed a smile, "Seems like you've been thinking something deeply."

"F-forgive my rudeness, Master Vulpine! I-I didn't mean to space out. I--"

"Don't worry. It's alright."

The female vampire looked down as she felt the awkwardness between them.

"W-what brings you here, Master Vulpine?" She finally mustered the courage to ask.

"Well, I need someone to accompany me to pick up Linnaeus. And I choose you for that."

"M-me? B-but I..."

Vulpine held her shoulder, "Can you do it?" He smiled meaningfully.

Seeing that expression, she gulped. And suddenly, her tremblings and all the hesitation in her mind has melted. She pursed her lips and said, "I can."

A smirk slowly drawn on his lips, "Well done." He gently patted her head. The hood that she's wearing slipped off her head which shows her long curly red-orange hair.

Vulpine stood up and brushed the dust off his coat.

"Let's get going, Griselda."