Chapter Four: Alliance
"We must go to Western Europe," I decided immediately. "Vincent may be unreliable, but he has crucial intelligence about Serafina. We can't let the Blood Falcon Merchant Guild get there first."
"I'll go with you," Marcus said in a deep voice.
"Too dangerous. The Blood Falcon Merchant Guild is no ordinary force; they..."
"It's precisely because it's dangerous that I'm needed," Marcus interrupted me. "Damian, we're allies now. Besides, I want to see the woman who caused my family's destruction in my past life."
Looking into his determined eyes, I finally nodded: "Okay."
We left our father at Lemaître Castle and, with ten elite guards, rushed to Western Europe overnight.
Three days later, we arrived at the ancient battlefield ruins.
A deathly silence reigned. The abandoned castle stood on the wasteland, surrounded by countless skeletons. The traces of war from hundreds of years ago were still clearly visible—broken weapons, shattered armor, and congealed blood.
"Vincent's presence is in that castle," I pointed into the distance, "but it's very faint, as if it's been sealed away."
"Be careful," Marcus said in a low voice. "It's too quiet here."
We approached the castle. Suddenly, a dark shadow fell from the top of the castle and blocked our way.
He was a man dressed in a black cloak with a silver mask on his face. His aura was powerful and eerie, far stronger than that of an ordinary pure-blooded vampire.
"Damian Flamel, Marcus Draven," the man spoke, his voice hoarse. "Two reborn individuals, delivering themselves to my doorstep, saves me a lot of trouble."
My heart stopped.
"You know we've been reborn?"
"Of course," the man sneered. "The Blood Falcon Guild's intelligence network spans the entire world. We've known your secrets, the secrets of the three of you reborn individuals, for a long time."
What do you want to do?
"It's simple." The man removed his mask, revealing an aged face. "Study you. Uncover the secret of rebirth. Then... grant all the high-ranking members of the Blood Falcon Merchant Guild the chance to be reborn."
"He's gone mad..." Marcus gritted his teeth.
"Madness?" the man laughed. "This is evolution! Only by mastering the secret of rebirth can the Blood Falcon Merchant Guild truly rule the vampire world!"
As soon as he finished speaking, countless men in black poured out of the castle and surrounded us.
"Damian, what do we do?" Marcus whispered.
"Break through," I said in a deep voice. "The objective is to enter the castle and rescue Vincent."
"clear."
We acted simultaneously.
Frost and shadow erupted, instantly felling more than a dozen men in black. But there were too many enemies, and each one was quite powerful.
"Damn it!" Marcus was surrounded by three men in black and was in grave danger.
I wanted to help him, but I got entangled with five people myself.
Just then, a familiar voice came from the top of the castle.
"That's enough."
All the men in black stopped fighting at the same time and retreated to both sides.
Serafina emerged from the castle.
She wore a tattered scarlet dress, her face was as pale as paper, but her eyes burned with a mad light.
"Damian Lemaître, Marcus Draven," she sneered. "I didn't expect you two to come here to die in person."
"Serafina..." I gritted my teeth.
"Don't look at me like that." She stepped closer. "Damian, you think I don't know you marked Vincent? You underestimate me. I noticed the moment he sided with me. I left it there on purpose, just to lure you here."
"you……"
"The Blood Falcon Guild promised me that if I handed you two reborn individuals over to them, they would help me reclaim everything in Camarilla." A greedy glint flashed in Serafina's eyes. "Damian, you ruined my plans. Now, it's your turn to pay the price."
"Dream on!" I unleashed all my frost power.
But the masked man was faster. He raised his hand and released a strange power that instantly suppressed my frost.
"This is the Blood Falcon Merchant Guild's secret technique—Bloodline Sealing," the man sneered. "It's specifically designed to counter the power of pure-blooded vampires."
I feel the power within me being suppressed, just like when Serafina placed a bloodline suppression curse on me in my previous life.
"Damian!" Marcus rushed over, wanting to help me.
However, he was also suppressed by the other two men in black using the same secret technique.
"Grab them," Serafina said coldly.
Men in black rushed up and pinned us to the ground.
"Seraphina..." I looked up at her weakly, "You'll regret this..."
"Regret?" She crouched down, lifted my chin, and said, "Damian, my only regret is not killing you sooner in my past life. In this life, I won't make the same mistake again."
She stood up, turned to the masked man, and said, "They're yours now. Remember to keep your promise."
"Of course." The masked man nodded.
At that moment, a sudden change occurred.
A dark shadow suddenly descended from the sky and pierced the masked man's heart.
"What?!" Serafina exclaimed.
The masked man looked down at the wound on his chest and collapsed in disbelief.
The shadows dissipated, revealing a familiar figure—Marcus's father, Vladimir.
"Father?!" Marcus exclaimed in shock.
"Marcus, Damian," Vladimir said in a deep voice, "Go quickly."
"But you..."
"Enough talk!" Vladimir roared, unleashing his full shadow power to blast all the men in black away. "I'll hold them off! You all go save Vincent and get the evidence against Serafina!"
"Let's go!" I grabbed Marcus's hand and rushed into the castle amidst the chaos.
Behind them came Vladimir's roar and Serafina's scream.
We rushed into the castle's basement and found Vincent tied to a stone pillar.
"Damian..." Vincent said weakly, "I'm sorry... I shouldn't have betrayed you..."
"Stop talking." I cut the rope. "Where's the evidence? Where's the proof of Serafina's guilt?"
"In...in her secret room..." Vincent pulled a key from his pocket. "This is the key to the secret room...inside are all her records of commercial crimes...and...and her shady dealings with the Blood Falcon Guild..."
I took the keys and looked at Marcus: "You take Vincent and go first. I'll go get the evidence."
"No! It's too dangerous!"
"We have to go!" I gritted my teeth. "Without evidence, we'll never bring her down!"
Marcus paused for a moment, then finally nodded: "Be careful."
I turned and rushed into the secret room.
The secret room was located deep within the castle. I used the key to open the door, and inside was a huge study. The walls were covered with documents, contracts, and ledgers.
I frantically gathered evidence, stuffing all the important documents into my clothes.
Just then, the door was kicked open.
Serafina stood in the doorway, covered in blood, her eyes filled with madness.
"Damian Flamel..." she gritted her teeth, "I'm going to kill you..."
"Come on." I turned to face her, gripping the Frost Sword tightly. "Today, let's settle this once and for all."
Serafina lunged at her.
We engaged in a life-or-death struggle within the sealed chamber. Frost and the power of blood clashed violently, causing the entire chamber to tremble.
"You've ruined everything I had!" Serafina screamed. "My clan! My wealth! My status! It's all because of you!"
"That's your own fault!" I roared. "Serafina, everything you did to me in my past life, I'll repay you today!"
I thrust my sword into her heart.
But she suddenly stopped moving, letting the sword pierce her body.
"Damian..." She grabbed my hand, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, "You won... but did you think... this was over...?"
She suddenly laughed, a laugh filled with desolation and despair: "Outside... I still have my last trump card... a ten-year plan... I won't let you destroy it so easily..."
As soon as she finished speaking, her body began to disintegrate.
"Wait!" I exclaimed, "What other tricks do you have up your sleeve?!"
But Serafina could no longer speak. Her gaze gradually became unfocused, and she glanced at me one last time. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she said nothing.
Her body turned to ashes and scattered in the wind.
Serafina Camarilla – is dead.
I knelt on the ground, panting heavily.
The revenge was successful. But why... do I feel so uneasy?
"Damian!" Marcus rushed in. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine..." I stood up. "Seraphina is dead."
"That's good." Marcus breathed a sigh of relief. "My father also..."
He couldn't continue.
"Mr. Vladimir..."
"He was surrounded and attacked by the Blood Falcon Guild while protecting us." Marcus's eyes welled up with tears. "His last words were, 'Live well, don't be like him...blinded by hatred...'"
I remained silent.
Both fathers died protecting their sons.
"Marcus," I gripped his shoulder, "we'll avenge them together."
"Okay." Marcus wiped away his tears. "Let's take revenge together."
We left the ancient battlefield of Western Europe with the evidence and Vincent.
But Serafina's dying words have been echoing in my mind ever since.
"I've buried my last trump card..."
What is her trump card?
I found out very quickly.
