Chapter three

Soft sunlight seeped through the simple patterns of a wooden window. A small cottage nestled in the forest was filled with the aroma of herbs lingering in the air. A large wooden table sat in the center of the room, piled high with old books. Some had torn corners, while others had been meticulously mended with golden thread.

An eight-year-old girl sat cross-legged on a handwoven mat, her small face scrunched in curiosity as she stared at the ancient script in the book her mother had just opened for her.

"Today, let's learn about this, Laufey," her mother said gently, her voice kind but firm as she shifted to sit beside her.

The little girl with amber-green eyes looked up at the woman she loved and trusted most. "What will we learn about, Mother?"

Her mother flipped to a new page, revealing a series of magical seals drawn in intricate patterns. She began to explain, pointing at the first image with her finger.

"These are seals that must never be broken. They are demon seals. What's trapped within them has the power to destroy everything if released."

The girl fidgeted nervously. "What will happen if they're broken?"

Her mother let out a long sigh. "The world will turn to ash, and everything we've fought to protect will be lost forever."

She moved her finger to the next illustration.

"Some seals, however, were created to store natural energy, like the power of forests, rivers, or the earth itself. If nature were to collapse, these seals could be broken to restore life and energy to the world."

"So, those seals can be broken, right?"

Her mother nodded. "Yes, but only with great caution. If the person breaking the seal lacks the necessary knowledge or uses it improperly, it could also lead to disaster."

She paused, her expression thoughtful, before continuing. "Sometimes, seals that have existed for hundreds of years can deteriorate. You may sense the energy leaking from them. If you encounter such a seal, you must break it before the energy spirals out of control, and then create a new seal to replace it."

Her mother closed the book and turned to face her daughter directly. "Remember this, my child... Our duty is to decide when a seal should be broken and when it must be protected."

The girl furrowed her brow slightly, her voice uncertain. "What if I make a mistake?"

Her mother gently stroked her head. "No one goes through life without making mistakes. What matters is that you listen to your heart. If what you do is to protect the balance of the world and help others, you'll never lose your way."

"And what if I'm forced to break a dangerous seal?"

Her mother's eyes dimmed slightly, but her tone grew resolute. "If that happens, you must remember that your role is not just as a releaser of seals, but also as someone who can stop them. Sometimes, sacrificing yourself might be the only way to preserve the world's balance."

The sun hung high in the sky, casting its blazing rays onto the scorching ground. Prince Garrick and the vampire witch walked on foot into the desolate wasteland that was once a grand military camp. Now, it was nothing more than ruins. An ancient military carriage, rusted and forgotten, stood in one corner, its wheels tangled in vines that nearly concealed its original structure. Heavy machinery lay scattered across the grounds, some of it charred down to skeletal remains.

Prince Garrick surveyed the area with cold, calculating eyes, though there was a flicker of curiosity hidden deep within. Everything around him was unfamiliar and strange.

"What is this place?" he asked in a low, raspy voice.

"An abandoned military camp," the witch replied flatly as she walked around, inspecting the debris. "This used to be a critical strategic site during the world war fifty years ago—at least, from what I recall."

The prince gave a small nod, not fully grasping the details but understanding enough from the destruction around them that the war must have been catastrophic.

"And what do you think we'll find here?" he asked, kicking a stray piece of metal debris on the ground with the tip of his boot.

"Perhaps some scraps we can salvage," the witch replied, her eyes scanning their surroundings. She crouched down to examine a fragment of wood with faint, weathered engravings. "Take whatever you find useful. We'll set up camp here tonight. It's safe and hidden enough for now."

But just as her words trailed off, a sharp, piercing sound erupted from above. The hum of an engine tore through the eerie silence, and an armed drone zipped overhead, its metallic frame gleaming in the sunlight.

"Attack!" Tae commanded, and the drone fired immediately.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The ground around the vampire witch and Prince Garrick erupted into clouds of dust and debris as the laser rounds rained down. The two scrambled to dodge.

"What is that thing!" the prince roared, diving behind a rusted military carriage as a laser beam narrowly missed his head.

The witch stood still for a moment, her emerald-green eyes narrowing as she locked onto the drone circling above, unleashing relentless fire. With a sharp motion of her hand, she summoned a protective barrier of magic, shielding them both.

"Where did they come from!" she snapped, her voice filled with irritation as her energy shield absorbed the incoming lasers.

"Surprise!" a voice called from the side.

Aém Sawada swung out from behind the crumbling remains of a wall, using a sticky synthetic web to propel himself through the air. He launched a web straight at the witch's hand, cutting off her spell mid-cast.

The witch yanked her arm back violently, letting out a furious scream as she floated upward into the air.

Meanwhile, Prince Garrick seized the opportunity to hurl a small object from his hand, glowing ominously red.

"Watch out!" Tae shouted, but it was too late. The high-explosive device struck the drone, detonating in a deafening explosion that sent shards of metal scattering in all directions.

Aém flipped through the air, narrowly dodging the blast, before using his web to swing away from the witch, who was now hurling bolts of purple magic in his direction. The magic hit the ground with a series of loud, fiery bursts, creating craters in its wake.

Aém twisted mid-air and kicked back at the witch, but she vanished, reappearing high above him before launching another round of magical attacks. Aém countered by vaulting from tree to tree with his webbing, narrowly avoiding her strikes.

At the same time, Tae flicked his right wrist, activating his nano-sword. The blade materialized from his high-tech bracelet, glowing with a faint blue light. Tae charged at Prince Garrick, aiming a swing at him, but the prince moved with supernatural speed, evading every strike effortlessly.

"Too slow, little human!" Prince Garrick taunted, a smirk on his lips. He tossed an electric trap onto the ground, which let out a high-pitched whine before sending a surge of electricity through the air, shocking Tae's left arm.

"Argh!" Tae cried out, his body paralyzed on one side.

But before the prince could finish him off, Aém came swinging in again, this time launching himself directly at the prince. With a powerful kick, Aém sent Prince Garrick crashing into a wooden pillar. The force of the impact splintered the wood as the prince slumped to the ground.

Aém didn't hesitate. He charged at the prince once more, this time intending to stomp him to end the fight. But the vampire prince caught his leg just in time.

"You're so annoying…" the prince growled before hurling Aém with all his strength.

Crash!

Aém was sent flying into the ruins, a cloud of dust erupting on impact. He lay motionless, groaning softly.

"Ouch… so much for looking cool," he mumbled, panting and wincing in pain.

At that moment, the witch launched another spell toward Tae. The blazing energy surged forward. Tae was still unable to move, but the spell struck a trap on the ground instead, triggering a powerful explosion that destroyed the trap.

Tae seized the opportunity, swiftly raising his left arm. The nano-shield system activated almost instantly.

A brilliant silver light appeared. The dormant nanoparticles in his wristband were released in quick succession, moving like a synchronized school of fish in a flowing stream. A circular shield formed in front of him, its metallic surface reflecting light like a mirror and revealing intricate overlapping rings in its mechanism.

The witch slammed into the shield—boom! The shield absorbed the full impact, sending the witch flying backward. However, the vibration from the collision caused Tae to stagger back two steps. The scattered nanoparticles sparkled like stardust in the air.

"System repairing..." the AI's voice reported in his earpiece. Nanoparticles emerged from the wristband, reassembling into a new shield within seconds.

The witch snarled in frustration. She raised her hands again, preparing to unleash a second spell. This time, Tae crouched and sidestepped to evade her attack.

Suddenly, a low humming sound echoed from the sky. A massive shadow moved across the ground—a battleship descending from the horizon. The sunlight reflecting off its metallic body made the brightness almost blinding.

The high-frequency pulse cannon fired from the ship's underside. A beam of blue light enveloped the area where the vampire prince and the witch stood.

"Arghhh!" The vampire prince let out a deafening scream, clutching his ears tightly as he collapsed to the ground. The sound waves seemed to pierce through his eardrums and every bone in his body.

He glanced at the vampire witch standing nearby, but what shocked him more than the pain was… she wasn't affected by the sound waves at all.

The witch stood still, her expression calm as if nothing had happened. She glanced at the prince, who was now crumpled on the ground, but said nothing. Slowly, she stepped back, retreating into the shadows of the ruined building. Moments later, she disappeared entirely.

"Where… are you going…" the prince murmured, barely audible. He then collapsed to the ground, too weak to rise.

The cannon fire ceased, and silence fell for a moment. Then, the side door of the battleship opened. Hot air from the engine gusted, scattering sand and dust. Princess Zan emerged, clad in gleaming golden armor that reflected the sunlight. Her stance was regal and commanding.

"Seize him!" she ordered coldly.

Max Masnet followed closely behind her, his signature bow in hand, eyes fixed on the prince lying helpless on the ground.

Two female knights accompanying the princess descended with large, glowing blue shackles. They approached the vampire prince, who lacked the strength to resist. The special cuffs locked around his wrists with a mechanical click, suppressing his magical powers.

At that moment, Tae and Aém came running from the other side of the field. Both were slightly out of breath after their intense battle. When they saw the vampire prince captured by the female knights, they froze in their tracks, surveying the scene.

"Wait a minute…" Aém said, turning to Tae. "Where's the witch?"