Arthena

The term spirit actually referred to two distinct species. The first were the Natural spirits, beings who lived on this earth. The second were the true spirits—Celestial spirits. They did not reside on earth but instead in the upper realms.

However, it is said that Celestial spirits once roamed the earth, and their union with Natural spirits gave birth to humans. Humans, however, lacked spirituality, and their affinity for magic was extremely low. Sometime after, the pure Celestial spirits are said to have ascended to the zeniths. Bound by natural laws and limitations, they could not return to earth after their ascension.

Despite this, they were a magnanimous race, deeply attached to humans. It was this attachment that motivated them to establish a connection between earth and the upper plane—a connection they called Promus.

However, this plan backfired catastrophically when the connection allowed extremely dangerous mutants from the upper realms to invade earth, wreaking havoc on the once-peaceful human race.

Since the connection had been seized by endless hordes of mutants, the Celestial spirits had no way to lend support. Thus, the weak humans had no choice but to resort to a forbidden art—one that transformed them into vampires—as a last-ditch effort to survive.

As someone aware of nearly every intricacy of Devil's Playground, Arin immediately recognized that Bhavesh had entered the embryonic state—a state unique to Celestial spirits. This realization made his head spin with doubts and questions. The Bhavesh he had long assumed to be a Natural spirit was, in truth, a living trace of legend—a Celestial spirit.

The aura radiating from the still spirit seemed to possess salubrious qualities. His body, which had been on the brink of death only moments ago, now appeared to have virtually recovered.

The vampiress was even more shaken than Arin. Seeing a Celestial spirit before her eyes had stunned her to her core. They were on a completely different level—beings feared even by the vilest of spawns. Mere rumors of their arrival had once been enough to shake the mightiest forces.

A sense of dread was evident on her pale face, though her steps remained steady—for now. But that did not last long. Bhavesh's form and aura suddenly turned chilling, billions upon billions of razor-thin streaks of chaotic blue ripples exuding outward. The ripples moved with eerie precision, almost appearing sentient.

The female vampire attempted to flee, but the relentless, innumerable ripples refused to allow it. They bound every single inch of her being, making even the slightest twitch of her facial muscles impossible.

The blue wisps enveloped her, rendering her form almost invisible, leaving only a sapphire silhouette. Even the runes had been smothered by the merciless, intelligent energy plumes. No more beams shot from them.

The once-cacophonous chamber was now consumed by utter silence, as though sound itself had been erased from the world.

Nocterin, now fully recovered, stared in silence, an intent yet composed expression plastered on his face. His mind, however, was anything but calm. Thoughts—some of the past—fluxed through it in a chaotic storm.

He had once been a man with nothing to his name—no shelter, no loved ones, and no purpose to live for. He had only one thing: hope. Hope that he would find her, the one he had lost. Every day was the same—a never-ending peregrination from one place to another, each just as disappointing as the last. The bright days held no light, only shadows that deepened the burden on his heart, his fragmented soul.

In those bleak times, a single ray of hope had shone upon his shadowy existence: Lord Mikhael, the King of Aerthys. Nocterin's life of vagary and Sisyphean searching had transformed into one of meaning. He had found her, and the people who had once detested his very being had turned into his most passionate supporters.

The only condition—the only request—Lord Mikhael had made was simple: protect my cherished grandchild. Do not let a single ounce of suffering seep into his life.

Yet now, that very grandchild was the closest to death a person could be.

One thought now remained—the prince will have a life free of the term 'pain.'

His gaze seemed to burn with a brighter light, a determined expression written clearly on his face.

On the other hand, the spirit toyed with the now-bound vampiress. His eyes seemed to be the laws of the world itself; wherever the auburn orbs moved, the vampiress would as well. The walls had caved in due to the repetitive collisions with the female vampire's unbelievably sturdy body.

Her frame, formerly unblemished, had etched on it countless wounds and rashes—sinking deep into her flesh. Her once rosy-pale complexion had turned ghostly. She looked to have lost signs of life, her eyes completely blank.

Noticing her state, Bhavesh suddenly stopped for a moment before turning toward Arin. The vampiress' virtually dead body was placed in front of him as the spirit approached the silent Arin.

The spirit, placing a dagger in his hand, requested in a seraphic tone, "Take your revenge, your highness."

Arin was struck clueless by his words. He didn't think of himself capable of taking someone's life, much less her status as a vampire. His hands trembled as he held the dagger, rounds of horripilations rippling through his body.

Arin looked at Bhavesh, noticing an expectant look on his face. Nocterin too looked at him intently.

"I can't cower out— not if I want to thrive in this dog-eat-dog world," Arin tried to convince himself.

Hands trembling, he closed his eyes. The blade was held tightly by both his hands as he struck the recumbent vampiress on her chest. The crenulated blade of the dagger cut through the fabric and her skin, eventually sinking deep into the depths of her heart. A sudden scream elicited from her body, which had appeared lifeless a moment ago.

The scream had a profound impact on him; it seemed to overcome natural boundaries, reaching his soul. A contrite Arin opened his eyes, his gaze caught onto flowing crimson.

Ring!

[The Bloodmother of Vampires, Arthena, has been exterminated by you.]

[Holy skill— boon of extermination activating.]

[Please choose one of the following:

Magic

Spiritual arts

Combat]