Witch Monastery

As soon as those words were spoken, the air grew heavy with a sense of foreboding. Von Stein took the opportunity to rise to his feet, straightening his back as he declared, "It is about to awaken, bringing its warped and abominable believers back to the material world, to unleash endless agony and disaster upon the living!"

Turning, he spoke earnestly to Charles, "My brother foresaw all of this. The moment that Great Old One began to show signs of fully awakening, I would be roused from slumber to investigate what’s happening in this era, and to seek alliances—some way to forge a coalition and fight against such a powerful enemy."

"Priest, we’re actually on the same side. Yes, I am a vampire, but I still long for order and stability in the material world. Any conflict between us is just a misunderstanding!"

Charles frowned, turning to Fatima. "Is that true?"

Fatima shook her head. "I’m not clear on all the details. I was buried long ago—Von Stein was among the last to... well, you know."

Charles pressed on, frowning. "When exactly did you wake up? What kind of sign triggered your island’s warning alarm?"

The vampire answered immediately, "It was during the last Twin Moons Night. A surge of Chaos Energy pointed straight at the deep-sea Great Old Ones we always feared. That’s what triggered the warning enchantment and woke me. Ever since that day, I’ve been roaming this age, gathering intel and quietly building strength."

Seeing Charles deep in thought, he quickly added, "Every word I say is true—you can ask Fatima. My brother viewed the Great Old One as his ultimate nemesis. But his power was too great—the act of awakening him is always severely draining. That’s why he sent me first, to prepare for what’s coming."

Anno snorted. "So you claim you’re preparing for the Great Old Ones, but you sneak backstage at a fashion show to raid on models in their dressing room? Some ’preparation’."

Von Stein looked sheepish for a moment, then gave her a wry grin. "Well, I was just so exhausted, I needed a little fun to unwind..."

Charles watched him, eyes glimmering with suspicion and amusement.

"Is that so." He nodded slightly, then asked, "Then tell me, sir: exactly how much have you prepared to fight the Great Old Ones?"

Von Stein’s expression froze. He forced a smile. "Honestly, not much. Most of my time has been spent getting to know this new world. Before I knew it, I got caught up in all the pleasures of this age..."

"I mean, seriously, your city is so much more beautiful than anything in my time. I’ve been dazzled by it all—like tonight’s fashion show. My heart might be dead, but even I can’t help falling for the thrill and romance..."

He rambled on, playing the fool, acting every inch the good-for-nothing aristocrat—hopeless, infatuated, always subtly dodging the real question.

Charles stared at him, half-smiling, letting him perform, until abruptly he cut in, "So where have you been feeding lately?"

Fatima had already mentioned that this guy had a controlling streak—and vampires naturally have the power to create spawn. There was no way Charles could believe that he’d spent so long without creating even a single minion.

Surprisingly, Von Stein shook his head flatly. "No, I’m not one of those lower vampires who just can’t restrain themselves—ugh—"

Before he could finish, a blade thrust straight through his chest. Charles’s voice was soft: "Purified."

Buzz—

Warm white light flooded out and Von Stein’s eyes went wide. His lips quivered; he wanted to beg for his life, but couldn’t say a word. The holy light engulfed him, and within moments, he crumbled to dust, wiped from existence.

A moment later, Charles drew back his twin-bladed polearm, opened his system menu, and frowned at the paltry 5,900 Purification Points that had just been credited. "So weak," he muttered, dissatisfied.

With this vampire, Charles had never intended anything but execution—whatever other secrets Von Stein knew, Charles had no intention of joining forces with someone so sly and evil.

Any bit of intel he could extract was already a bonus, but seeing how slippery the guy was, it was better to purify him now and be done with it.

Even so, he hadn’t expected the points to be so meager. After all, the Death Knight had at least netted him over ten thousand Purification Points...

Still grumbling to himself, he looked up and caught the deep worry now painted on Anno’s face.

She glanced between Charles and Fatima, then said, "If what he said is true, and another Great Old One is awakening—this time with its entire horde..."

Fear and anxiety clouded her features—her heart could find no calm. She struggled to imagine the future, especially since just last year, the Abyssal Lord Montport had awakened the slumbering Great Old One Shudde M’ell far below the mountains.

That awakening had caused a massive earthquake, permanently reshaping everything within a hundred-plus kilometers northwest of the city. The Great Old One’s minions—the monstrous Chthonians—had tunneled an immense network of underground labyrinths, even linking the surface to the depths, enabling Dark Elves, Mind Flayers, and other races to sneak into Liberl Port’s sewers with ease.

The damage wrought by Shudde M’ell had almost permanently shifted the balance in this city. It would take years, maybe decades, to truly recover from a disaster like that.

But now, Von Stein claimed, another being of that same level was about to awaken in the deep sea: soon, it and its followers would lay waste to everything around...

Just the thought of a Great Old One attacking Liberl Port tied Anno’s heart into knots.

Charles pulled her close, gently patting her back. "It’s alright—even if the sky falls, Madam Vajra’s adamantine golem will catch it. No matter how many monsters come, none will outlast her warforged juggernaut, right?"

Anno sniffed, but her anxious look didn’t fade. Charles knew she’d need time to collect herself, so he turned to Fatima. "Madam, as much as I’d love to grant you peace and freedom right now, as you can see—an even greater threat is fast approaching this city..."

"We have no firsthand knowledge about fighting a Great Old One from the deep sea—we don’t even know its name, abilities, minion types, none of that. Maybe..."

He trailed off suggestively, but, luckily, Fatima caught his meaning right away.

She sighed. "So you’re saying, I still can’t find rest, can I?"

"I understand. I’ll keep on surviving—at least until this next crisis passes safely."

Charles let out a long sigh of relief. "I’m glad you see it that way."

Fatima’s lips twitched faintly, then she turned to gaze out the window. "Actually, I do find myself getting curious. So much has changed compared to the twin kingdoms a thousand years ago, and yet so much seems the same."

"I can’t help but wonder what this world has become in this age."

...

Bharata, Port Kendra.

"Amir Khan, did you see that? Someone just fell in the water over there!"

A middle-aged man shouted from the dock, brown-skinned, wearing a rough linen shirt, his hair wild, thick lips curling as he spoke. He was a textbook ’Heng River’ tribesman, and the young man he called to looked much the same.

Here, at the mouth of the great Mother River of Bharata, in its richest port city, fortunes had changed fast. A hundred years ago this place had been a sleepy fishing village, but today—at the crossroads of global trade—it glittered with new money. While it might not rank globally, inside Bharata, Kendra was now the city everyone dreamed of for wealth and opportunity.

Today, with the sunrise, every boatman had already begun his day. No one expected anything out of the ordinary.

"Let me check,"

The young Amir Khan jogged over. He, too, had noticed something odd in the water a moment ago. As he reached the dock’s edge, a pair of decayed, talon-like hands suddenly shot out—

"Aaah—"

This was followed by a head—monkey-like in shape, its jaw gaping all the way to the ears, a visage so hideous it was monstrous. The thing lurched out of the water, bared its fangs at Amir Khan—and lunged straight for his throat!

~~~

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