(Warning: This chapter contains some foul language which might not be suitable for some readers.)
~Chapter Fifteen~
Rise of the Blood Moon
Aqua pulled back the curtains and an eerie red light shined through the window. Owin stared longingly up at the thing he feared the most these past few days, the blood moon was now rising and they were drastically running out of time to save Arwen.
Owin: "I guess we were in the Elysium Tower longer than I thought. If we're to save Arwen we have to act quickly and we only have a few more hours to pull it off." He held his side and groaned from the pain. "We have to come up with some sort of a plan."
Aqua: "Well actually we already have one, when you were still in the tower Percival took the liberty of drafting one up, come on I'll show you." Aqua slowly walked Owin over to a large table where Percival and Ryo stood looking over a large map of Zhagos. Percival heard the footsteps and looked up from the table to Aqua and Owin smiling at his friends.
Percival: "Owin, I'm glad to see you're finally awake! I was starting to believe that you'd never wake up in the condition Ryo found you in. What exactly happened to you in there after we escaped?"
Owin: "Well after Luke left me I did exactly what I said I would, I released my full power over The Light and I was so close to ending Isis for good. That was until another one of the four generals ambushed me, allowing her to get away."
Ryo: "So the witch that tortured me is still alive? I knew it wouldn't have been that easy to kill her and what of this general? What kind of monster did Isis turn her into?"
Owin: "Well that's the thing, she already was one, a jiangshi from the Taiyo Empire named Yasano Kagura. What was most peculiar about her is that she also possessed the powers of a masani. Being from the Taiyo Empire she was also immune to my light magic and since I didn't have any of the proper equipment on me she was incredibly hard to fight." Aqua thought for a moment before speaking.
Aqua: "So she's not only creating hybrids, but she's also splicing together different species of vampires to create new ones? I'll be right back Luke and Sigmus should hear of this as well." She walked off over to where Luke sat alongside professor Sigmus and returned with both of them a few moments later.
Luke: "So is it true what Aqua told me of Yasano? A jiangshi with the abilities of a masani, that's quite a lethal combination. Creating a hybrid using a human and vampire is one thing, but splicing together two completely different species of vampire is another."
Sigmus: "Especially with two species as incompatible as a jiangshi and masani, they're as compatible as a cat and dog are. It's quite the feat by both scientific and magical means, even if it goes against the laws of nature and the United Arnorian Treaties."
Ryo: "I had the chance to meet Yasano once when I was undercover as Klaus Lindner. I had no idea she was a vampire all this time. From the injuries you had when I found you I assume she put up quite the fight? Hopefully you killed her, that'll be one less problem for us to worry about tonight."
Owin: "She was quite the formidable foe, in fact she was a samurai in her former life, most likely a master from how strong her Taiyo sword magic was. I ended up burning through all my remaining mana fighting her, if it wasn't for my secret form I would have surely died."
Percival: "You went up against a Sun Sword Master and survived? You really are impressive Owin and what's this secret form you speak of?
Owin: "Oh? I'm surprised you don't know Percival from all the tales of Slayers you heard. You see each Slayer is born with a unique mutation that we have come to call our secret form. I myself was born with the power to turn my skin into salamander dragon scales, I'm also immune to curses, poisons and fire while in my secret form.
Percival: "That's quite interesting, I really didn't know until now, I'm sure that secret form of yours will come in rather handy in the battles to come. But back to the topic of Yasano, from what I know the people on the Tayio Empire have the ability to use sword skills based on their six basic elements of water, fire, earth, wood, metal and sun. Is it correct that the sword forms you Slayers use were based on their techniques?"
Owin: "Yes that's indeed true, one of the founding members of Croft Hold was actually a sword master from the Taiyo Empire. He was a master of the Mizu or water style. Over the years we developed it into our own and even adapted it to use with other weapons as well." Owin then turned his attention towards Ryo. "To answer your question on if she's dead or not Ryo, that I can't say for certain. The battle ended when she released all of her sun magic at once in one massive explosion. I ended up taking the full force of the attack and it must have knocked me out and sent me flying into the nexus, hence the injuries you said I had. The next thing I knew I was waking up here at the institute."
Aqua: "Something similar to that hurt Luke as well, as he was running from you this huge explosion came out of nowhere and sent him hurtling through the air. Luckily I was there to catch him, he however didn't escape entirely unscathed since he has that scar across his cheek now." Owin looked over at Luke and examined the scar on his face.
Owin: "I'm so sorry for putting you in that position Luke, if I hadn't allowed you to stay behind with me you wouldn't have that scar. It was a mistake on my part, if I didn't have to worry about you in those first few moments I wouldn't have lost my focus, you wouldn't have gotten hurt and Isis would be dead.
Luke: "Don't be Owin, it's not your fault this happened." Luke had a fake smile on his face because he knew all too well it was Owin's fault. From what he knew of the legend, the power of light that Owin possessed had the ability to seek out pure darkness and destroy it. What Isis told him of his black mana was true, he felt it ever since the blood moon started to rise. The light within him was slowly fading away as the darkness was clawing its way in. "Should we go over the plan now since Owin is awake?"
Aqua: "Yes after all that's why I brought Owin over here anyway, Percival if you'll please explain."
Owin: "Wait, shouldn't Arwen be here as well? After all this is the plan we're using to save her life."
Aqua: "She's here but she couldn't come in any further than the atrium because of the warding magic that protects the institute. It's also what keeps the vampires in here so docile, and why Killian hasn't yet found it, if you remember when he looked into Luke's mind he seen that Sigmus was keeping the vampires here and vowed he'd come here to free them, the warding is actually a vital part of Percival's plan."
Percival: "Yes and I'll get to that part here soon, but first you need to know we'll be attacking on two fronts. The first group will infiltrate Whitestone Fortress and retrieve the information we need to shed light upon the Empire's misdeeds; this group will consist of Ryo, Luke and Aqua. While myself along with Owin and Arwen will remain here. According to Aqua, once the warding is deactivated Killian will sense the vampires and come as fast as he can to free them. Once he's inside we'll activate the warding again, he'll be trapped and weakened giving us the advantage against him."
Owin: "But won't the warding weaken Arwen as well? If she's to help us fight against Killian then we'll need her at full strength. Even weakened, I imagine he'll put up quite the fight. There's also the matter of the three remaining generals, if Yasano is still alive she'll be easy to deal with after the suicide attempt of hers. That final attack would've left her weakened and we don't even know who the remaining two are."
Percival: "This is true, Sigmus, do you mind if we use some of the equipment you've been working on?"
Sigmus: "Not at all my friend, everything here is at your full disposal. As for Yasano, I have an idea, although I'm not sure if it'll work or not. Seeing as she's part Masani she may not be able to die as there's no true way to kill them, but we may be able to bind her. A stake carved from a peach tree soaked in salt water through the heart should trap her within her own body."
Luke: "That's an excellent idea professor, I'll help you make them, I believe I saw some peach trees in your botany lab." Luke and Sigmus then walk off towards the other end of the institute talking amongst themselves.
Owin: "Okay you guys gather the equipment we'll need, I'm going to go talk to Arwen. I want to make sure she's ready for what's ahead."
Aqua: "That's a good idea she already knows of the plan but she seems uncertain about it. You go and talk with her then let's meet back here in about ten minutes. The sooner we get things together, the sooner we can save her." Everyone nodded and walked away from the table to gather supplies as Owin walked off towards the atrium where he found Arwen pacing back and forth.
Owin: "Arwen, are you okay?" She immediately looked over at Owin smiling as soon as she heard his voice.
Arwen: "Owin you're awake! When Ryo brought you in unconscious I feared the worst. I'm glad to see that you're doing well, but to answer your question no I'm not. What if the plan doesn't work out? What if we fail and I'm stuck as a vampire forever?"
Owin: "I'm certain we won't fail, I'm going to save you, that I promise. Together with Percival's help we will defeat Killian here tonight and change you back!" Arwen smiled at him again.
Arwen: "You do seem sure of yourself and that gives me hope. I imagine the others are preparing for what's to come? It's not going to be easy, you know? Whitestone is heavily guarded so Ryo and the others will be met with heavy resistance and I sense that our fight with Killian is going to be a hard one as well. Even though he'll be weakened from the institute's warding magic it'll still be a tough fight." Owin sighed.
Owin: "I'm not going to lie, I'm worried about what'll happen tonight, but like you I have hope as well. In the town I come from there's a saying "The fires of hope will set you free". So I want you to hold on to that hope as tightly as you can Arwen. Because that hope just might be what tips the scales in our favor." Again Arwen smiled at him.
Arwen: "Whatever happens tonight, thank you for all that you've done for me these past few days Owin. You are a true friend and for that I'm grateful for you all and what you've done in order to help save me. With that all said, shall we get started then? The sooner we put things into motion the sooner this night can end."
Owin: "No argument there, I should go get ready myself as well. I'll see you again soon." Owin then turned and walked back into the laboratory where the others were gathering supplies for the upcoming battle. He soon joined them gathering what he may need for the fight ahead. After a few minutes Luke and Sigmus returned and everyone again gathered around the large table with the map of Zhagos.
Luke: "Well I have good news and I have bad news, the good news is Sigmus and I were able to make the stakes. The bad news is we only had enough material to properly make two of them." Luke then put the stakes up on the table. "I also enchanted them with a binding spell as an extra precaution to make sure Yasano can't be revived if we do in fact run into her."
Owin: "Great job Luke, these should be of great help, and let's just hope that the other remaining generals will be easier to deal with." Owin reached out and picked up the stakes handing one over to Aqua. "Well let's do this then, good luck to you guys. I'll see you when this is all over." She took the stake from him looking him firmly in the eyes.
Aqua: "You make sure to kill that bastard after what he's put us through Owin." She then walked off near Ryo where Luke soon joined them. She then raised her hand and a portal opened in front of her. "Alright let's do this shall we?" The three companions then walked off through the portal with it closing behind them shortly after.
Owin: "Okay now we play out our part in this plan, Sigmus how do we deactivate the warding seals?"
Sigmus: "Don't you worry about that, Percival already knows how to do it."
Owin: "Good, now go and hide somewhere safe and leave this fight to us." Sigmus nodded and quickly ran off into another part of the institute. "Percival whenever you're ready deactivate that warding." Percival then walked over to the wall far to his right and placed his hand upon a rune that was carved into it."
Percival: "It's done, now all we have to do is wait. Aqua set it up so that the moment Killian steps into this room the warding will automatically activate again." As soon as he said that Arwen came running into the room.
Arwen: "Killian is coming! I sensed him the moment the seal was broken and he's moving fast, so ready yourselves!" She quickly ran over beside Owin and just as they were drawing their weapons Killian came bursting through the door and he wasn't alone…