Trails of intertwined stars: Chapter 6

-47: Back from the Dead-

Zero sat in the clinic of the house, watching as Cassius calmly put his blood into a serum form. Cassius paused his work, staring down at the table in thought.
Zero frowned," Cassius?"
"I was just thinking. Tonight, things could have gone badly in the council," Cassius shook his head," I won't stop you from doing things you believe right. But...I refuse to let you rush headlong into danger like that. You're my friend, Zero."
Zero smiled," I'll be more careful then. Is that okay?"
Cassius smiled, warmly. It was wholesome.
"You're tired, right?" Cassius hummed.
Zero nodded.
"Get some sleep then. Lest I keep you here all night."
Zero got off the clinic bed with a nod.
"Shall I walk you?" Cassius tilted his head.
Both were about to leave, before the door slammed open. A hazy mist filtered through the room.
"Get behind me, Zero!" Cassius hissed, the entity coughing.
The mist cleared, revealing a familiar veiled woman and Hadrian.
"Hadrian!" Zero growled
Hadrian glared at Zero over the woman's shoulders.
"Lord Hadrian, now, Zero," The oily vampire hissed.
Cassius cursed.
"You won't lay a hand on him!"
"Yes, yes," Hadrian rolled his eyes, bored," We get it. Blah blah blah. You'll die for him. You're quite predictable. But I'm not here for you."

He turned to look at Zero, holding out a hand.
"I grow tired of waiting, Zero. Come. Submit yourself to me and fulfill your destiny."
Zero let out a sneer, filled with disgust," You mean live as your slave? My answer will always be no! Nothing you do will ever change that!"
The woman scowled," Don't you want to save the people you love? Resistance will spell their doom. You cling to an empty hope of victory, entity."
"You know nothing!"
Hadrian chuckled," We know much more than you. It's quite simple, Zero. You will be mine. Come with me willingly and all you care about shall be spared. Continue to resist me, and I will bend you to my will. Then make you watch as all your cares shrivel and perish. And believe me, they will not be granted quick, painless deaths. Is that a chance you really want to take?"
A shudder passed through Zero's body.
"You underestimate us," Zero seethed.
"Your little fight is amusing, but you truly are foolish."
Cassius glared at him," He isn't. You already said my friends and I are willing to die for him. Not even the threat of torture will scare us."
The woman pulled a small object out of her pocket, flinging it at the entity. Zero caught it, revealing a gold ring, embedded with a blood-crimson jewel.
"Should you change your mind, break the jewel in that ring. We'll come for you, wherever you are. You can't hide from us forever."

"You're so blind!" Zero hissed," You don't understand anything, do you!? You know nothing of love! You're evil down to your black and rotten cores!"
Hadrian's expression turned thunderous," Progress is not evil! Rebuilding our empire is a feat worthy of a ruler like me!"
Cassius scoffed," How is enslaving humanity progress!?"
He jerked his head at the woman.
"And you!" Cassius scowled," You're just his pawn? How does it feel to be disposed to the person you serve?
The woman snarled and shook with rage.
"Disposable!?"
She grabbed the edge of her veil.
"You would know all about throwing people away, wouldn't you!?"
She lifted her veil from her face. Zero gasped. Cassius was absolutely still in front of Zero.
"Edith?" Cassius practically whispered, in sheer disbelief.
Of course, the woman in the locket and the woman in the letter. Edith simply sneered.
"You remember me, brother? I'd have thought you'd forgotten by now."
Zero wanted to see Cassius' face, but fear kept him from moving. His supposedly dead sister was in league with Hadrian!? But she died! So how is she here!? Hadrian snickered, leaning close to Edith's ear.

"You see how terrified he looks? He knows that what he did to you was wrong. But has he ever cared about right or wrong? Your own dear brother betrayed you, left you in agony, buried undead. It's his fault you had to claw your way out of your own grave! That's a horror no one can forgive!"
Edith grit her teeth, eyes blazing.
"NEVER FORGIVE, NEVER FORGET!"
She raised a fist, and a swarm of vampires entered the room. Hadrian pointed at Zero.
"TAKE HIM!"
Cassius ran headlong into the group, snarling.
"Cassius!" Zero called out.
Hadrian and Edith darted through the door, Cassius immediately bolted after them. The vampires blocked Zero's path, eyes mad and fangs gleaming. Zero yanked out a medallion from Raoul, squinting as the pure light blazed through the room. The vampires collapsed to the floor with snarls and groans of pain. The fireplace caught Zero's eye, swiftly grabbing the poker, since Glitch deleted his weapons. Zero backs out of the room, stabbing some flapping vampires. A servant fled past him, screaming. A familiar figure came barreling around the corner.
"Zero!" Virgil gasped," Are you alright!?"
A group of vampires appeared closely behind him. Virgil cursed, whipping out two wickedly sharp knives. Virgil faced the growling vampires and spread his arms, knives gleaming.