Chapter 142: Who Are You?


    Lysa twirled her de through the air in calm strokes.


    I take it the old man is Lord Mora? And the little blonde brats must be his children. So, who are you two? Lysa pointed her de at Callum and Clypeus.


    An actualmia? Lord Mora shook his head and cleared his throat, Who let you into my home?


    Oh, Ill get to you soon enough, Lysa smiled, ck venom dripping from her two long fangs.


    Lord Mora stepped back and swallowed.


    Callum raised his hands, Lets just slow this all down for a moment. I am Callum of House Veres. I dont know why youvee, but surely you dont wish to anger my House. I believe we cane to some sort of arrangement here, cant we?


    House Veres? One of the Ruling Families of Hollow Shade? Lysa cocked her head to the side.


    He nodded, Precisely. I am the son of the family leader, Lord Veres IX. I am quite certain we cane to an arrangement. Whatever your masters sent you here for, I can help you acquire it without the need for bloodshed.


    I have no <em>master</em>, Lysa hissed.


    Before Callum could respond, Lysas tail snapped behind her and pushed her body forward. Her de swung in a wide arc at the young vampire. Clypeus jumped in between, his twin des shed and blocked themias attack.


    And who might you be? Lysa moved back, her tail curling in a smooth pattern.


    Clypeus raised his dii, I am the Shield of Veres. Be it monster or man, here I stand proud and I shall not falter!


    I am neither monster nor man, Lysa smiled.


    Her de whirled in a silver blur, shing at Clypeus from several angles. He spun his des in small arcs, blocking each blow with a st of sparks. Themia did not stop, her shes were endless and the longer Clypeus blocked the faster her de became. He winced in pain, her de sliced small bits of flesh across his limbs.


    A swordmaster and so young too. What a pity to lose, Lysa licked her lips.


    Clypeus tried counterattacking but her de was overwhelming, pushing him back with each blow. The tip of Lysas tail flung forward and smacked his shins. He fell to his knees, his de slipped out of his hand. She pushed past his other dius and sank her de into his neck. Sparks flew as her de nced off his throat. A faint yellow outline of scales glowed around his neck.


    Lysa drew back and narrowed her eyes, Youre a yellow mage. I wondered why your shins didnt break.


    Clypeus pushed himself to his feet, It just took me some time to cast my durability spell. Your attacks are truly incredible, but I suggest you concede now.


    After that durability spell made your whole body slower? Id rather not, she giggled.


    This is why you dontpliment your enemy, Callum began writing red ward symbols in the air.


    It is customary to respect our elders, Clypeus panted. He was already tired from only a few exchanges with her de.


    Elders? Callum frowned.


    There is no doubt in mind, thismia is a grand swordmaster, Clypeus wiped the sweat off his brow.


    Callums hands trembled, the ward spell shattered before it waspleted.


    Callum, focus! Clypeus yelled without looking back at him.


    Clypeus knew he couldnt fight her alone. Her speed and strength alone were overwhelming. Her sword skills were something else entirely, she reminded him of his sister of Gale, that insurmountable feeling.


    The durability spell could protect Clypeus against a few more hits, but themia was right. The spell made him heavier and therefore slower. There was no way he would be able to dodge her attacks.


    You are both magi? That doesnt seem very fair, Lysa made puppy eyes. Let me even the odds.


    The runes on themias metallic belt began to glow. The belts purple magestones red to life. Lysas image blurred and spread apart until there were four identical copies of Lysa standing before them.


    Magic? On a beastkin? Callum muttered in shock.


    Uh, Lord Mora, we need your help! Clypeus yelled.


    Lord Mora was in the other corner of the study. He had pushed aside a bookshelf and had opened a secret door behind it. He didnt bother ncing at their battle. Instead, Lord Mora walked into the secret tunnel, his children right behind him. Maeve followed them, her father smacked her across the face, sending her tumbling to the ground.


    I told you, you have shamed me for thest time, Lord Mora sneered.


    W-wait, dont leave us! Maeve pushed herself to her feet.


    Lord Mora mmed the door closed behind him. Maeve banged on the door with her fists, it would not budge.


    You bastard! She cried softly.


    Dont worry, well find him soon. Well find them all soon, the four Lysas said in unison.


    Callum, ward magic, now! Clypeus raised his swords.


    Im trying!


    Callums hands wrote the red arcane symbols in the air, but they all blurred and became a jumble in his eyes. He already had difficulty writing simple wards, anythingplex was impossible to read for him. His sister, Elise, had taught him how to read when the tutors could not, but this was different. The arcanenguage was far moreplex than a simple book.


    Callum! Clypeus screamed.


    The Lysas surrounded the Gale swordsman and assailed him with quick strikes. He tried blocking an attack, but the de simply blurred like a puff of smoke as it shed with his dius, reforming as it came out the other side. Another de struck his torso, his yellow scales red bright from the force of impact. He kept retreating behind the studys ss caskets to try and make some space. Themias sliced the caskets and the artifacts within without a second thought and kept attacking relentlessly.


    Clypeus yelled and stabbed his dii into a Lysas torso. The des sank in harmlessly. Her stomach gave off a faint purple smoke for a moment, before healing itself. The other three Lysas attacked in unison, Clypeus tried blocking. Themias swords streaked across his body. The real sword struck the back of his knees and crooks of his elbows, where the durability spell was weakest. His yellow scales cracked.


    Ah, fuck it! Callum released the ward spell, the red sigils fading into dust.


    Clypeus, eyes! Callum brought his hands together and aimed at themias. A beam of light sted forth, illuminating the entire room.


    Clypeus covered his eyes just in time to avoid the brunt of the bright spell, but his skin still burned from the intense light. Maeve had no such luck, she cried in agony and dropped to the floor, blinded. The Lysas all winced in pain, shaking their heads with clenched eyes. Three of themias flickered purple for a moment before regaining their shape.


    Callum and Clypeus shared a nce and nudged their heads towards the realmia. The blinded Lysas swiped their des through the air around them in a quick routine pattern.


    Clypeus threw one of his dii to Callum. They walked silently around the real Lysa, surrounding her from the front and back. They nodded to one another and dashed in.


    Lysa smirked. Her tail whipped around her, faster than her des had ever been. Clypeus eyes widened in surprise, he shed at the iing tail, but his de bounced off the scales. The tail smashed into both vampires and sent them crashing into the walls. Clypeus and Callum fell over, their bodies stock-still.


    You actually made me get a little serious at the end there, Lysas forked tongue licked her smiling lips, her eyes still closed.


    Lysa had been having fun ying with the interesting prey. The swordsman actually showed some promise, but his skills were too immature and he was too slow to keep up with her serpentine reflexes and strength.


    The Veres child was smart in trying to blind her senses. Unfortunately for him, he was ignorant. Lamias didnt rely on their sight, but their hearing. Lysa could hear their two pounding heartbeats as they surrounded her. All it took was for her to move at her full speed for a single moment, one strike was enough.


    Oh, sweet prey, you both never stood a chance, she cooed. So long as you have a heartbeat Ill know where you are. You cant run away from me and if you cant run, then Ive already won.


    Isnt that right, you pretty little thing? Lysa swiveled over to the prone Maeve. You may be keeping still, but I can hear your heartbeat. Its quick rhythm tells me you are still awake and simply pretending. I dont mind. I like the taste of fear.


    Maeve tried keeping still, her body could not stop trembling. Her vision was still blurry and her skin burned from the intense light of Callums bright spell. She needed to get out of here. She needed to think. She needed time.


    The four Lyasas turned their head to the door, the fire had already crept through the entire hallway and threatened to invade the room.


    It seems two more prey areing to y, how wonderful, the Lysas giggled.


    Themias frowned, Wait, no. Theres only one?


    The fire exploded across the door and blew themias away, destroying all three illusions. Stryg jumped into the room in a burst of speed. He vaulted over the ss caskets andnded on all fours on top of Maeve. He covered her body with his own and hissed.


    Maeve blinked, surely her eyes were still damaged by the bright spell. The whites of Strygs eyes were gone, his lc irises spanned across the entire eye. His slit pupils were razor thin and nced all about the room.


    Are you okay? Stryg asked without looking down at her.


    I-Ive been better, Maeve nodded from underneath him. Clypeus and Callum they ar-


    Theyre alive. I can still hear their breathing, Stryg muttered under his breath.


    Maeve swallowed, What happened to your eyes?


    Too much fire, too bright, he said.


    Lysaid on the ground, her eyes staring at the new prey. He looked kind of like the twins, but there was something else. She couldnt quite tell why, but there was something different about this one.


    Lysas tail coiled and pushed herself up. She dusted the ash off her skirt, I didnt expect that me spell, the explosion caught me off guard. You really are just full of surprises.


    Its been a while since Ive seen your wretched kind, Stryg gritted his teeth.


    You know, you kind of remind me of someone I know too. Well, two people actually, twins, except they were a lot less talkative. I guess what Im trying to say is, I dont like you, Lysa ced a finger to her lip.


    Youve never seen anyone like me, Stryg hissed.


    Right back at you, Lysa hissed.


    Stryg threw a me bolt right at themia, she curved to the side, dodging the st entirely.


    The same move wont work twice, sheughed.


    Stryg wasnt listening, he had already dashed over to Clypeus and grabbed his dius. He rushed low and thrust the short sword at the beastkins soft belly. Her de shed out, smacked his sword away, and struck with a riposte. Stryg bent his back, dodging her de by a hairs breadth.


    He pushed himself back and thrusted his dius. Lysa blocked the stab with graceful precision and shed back with deadly uracy. Stryg tried blocking, her de sliced through his shirt and into his shoulder. He winced in pain and jumped back.


    Youre not nearly as skilled as the other boy. Pity, I was hoping wed have more fun, Lysa sighed. Guess Ill just have to gut you.


    Stryg roared and leaped at her, his de swung down above her head. She blocked the attack with a quick swipe, pushing him back. He twisted in the air, letting the momentum of the block turn him, and threw the sword at her face. She ducked below the de.


    Stryg sneered as he fell in mid-air, he had hoped she would dodge, her face was now close. He kicked her jaw with all the strength he could muster. The t of her de came up and blocked his foot. Lysa grunted as she was pushed back to the wall from the force of the blow.


    Strygnded, his mouth open in shock. <em>How could she block at such a close distance?</em>


    Lysa rolled her shoulders, Ive never seen one so small yet so strong. s. You. Are. Just. Too <em>Slow!</em>


    Her blue tail whipped out with blinding speed, mming him into the wall, cracking the stone bricks. He fell to his knees.


    Stryg coughed painfully and scraped the blood off his lips.


    Still conscious? Aw, too bad, Lysa giggled.


    Maeve Stryg huffed. Run.


    W-what? Maeves voice cracked.


    I dont think I can win Run while you can <em>Run</em>!


    Maeve nodded reluctantly. She got up with shaky steps and ran towards the door.


    As if Id let you just go, Lysa hissed.


    Her tail changed direction and pushed her over to the door. Maeve froze, Lysa shed her de down. A blue blur entered the corner of Lysas vision. She curled to the side and barely dodged Strygs fist. His body mmed into the wall, shaking the floor.


    Run! Stryg roared.


    Maeve ran out of the room and disappeared into the burning hallway. Lysa hissed and chased after her. Stryg dug his ws into the wall, dug out a chunk of the stone brick, and flung it at themia. Lysa twisted her body to the side and evaded, the stone chunk punched a hole in the window behind her with blinding speed.


    Stryg blocked the entrance.


    Im not... done with you, he panted.


    Youre faster, Lysa narrowed her eyes. Those dark veins around your legs, agility magic? Oh, little prey, it doesnt matter how fast your magic makes you. Lamias are quicker than any orange mage.


    Stryg took a deep breath. He flexed his ws and crouched low, Didnt I tell you? Youve never seen anyone like me.


    As they spoke, Strygs mind quickly ran through his options. He didnt have enough training with purple magic to reliably create illusions. The same applied to his blue magics torrent spell-form, there was no water here and he definitely wasnt capable of creating any. He knewmias could fight in pitch darkness, so shadow spells were out of the question too.


    Grey magics drain spell-form required long hand-to-hand contact, themia would cut him to ribbons before he got the chance. Greys curse spell-form and reds ward spell-form were the same. They all required time. Themia wouldnt give him any.


    Themia was already expecting his me spell-form. He didnt have any good options. The only option left was simple and obvious.


    He let the orange mana flow through his entire body, his veins darkening from head to toe. He forced all his orange mana to surge through. His body burned and ached from the exertion of the advanced agility spell, it wouldnt be able to hold. But he didnt need it to. He just needed a few moments.


    Stryg kicked the ground, the wood cracked underneath his feet. He shot at her like an arrow. Lysas de swept out with blinding speed. Stryg dropped under the attack and was met with her blue tail. He dug his ws into her tail as it smacked him into Lord Moras desk.


    He groaned and pushed himself up. Lysa hissed angrily and retreated to the corner. She nced at her cracked scales and bleeding tail.


    How did your ws <em>hurt </em>me? Her face darkened.


    The purple magestone on her belt shined brightly, her image blurred and spread apart, forming four Lysas.


    Youll regret this, the Lysas hissed.


    Stryg tilted his head to the side. His altered eyes saw the world in pitch ck with silver outlines. The mesing from the hallway appeared as orange ribbons fluttering in the air. The smoke they gave off seemed translucent to him, he could barely make out their faint outline.


    Yet, when he looked at themias, three of them were like smoke. Translucent, with only a faint purple outline. Illusions?


    Themias rushed and swung their des at him. He ignored the illusionary attacks, their swords blurred and swept past him. The true Lysa frowned and stabbed him. He sidestepped the thrust and wed at her neck. She bent backward and avoided the strike. She twisted behind him and swung her de. Stryg jumped away.


    You can see through my illusions? Lysa looked him over once more. You really are different. Yet youre still too weak.


    Before Stryg could move she was on him, her de a storm of silver all around him. He dodged the attacks and tried jumping back but she followed, her de never moving far away. He blocked her sword with his ws the best he could. Her strikes were overwhelming, he couldnt follow her de.


    His body burned, thest of his orange mana evaporated. His body suddenly felt sluggish and heavy. Lysas tail swept underneath him and knocked him to the ground. His back hit the wooden floor with a crack. Her tail curled around him and coiled tight. She looked down at him from above.


    I told you, little prey. I am not letting any of you go, Lysa smiled.


    Stryg tried desperately to move, her serpentine grip was as strong as steel. She opened her jaw wide, ck venom dripping from her twin fangs. She licked his neck and sank her fangs into his delicious-looking throat. Or at least she tried. Her jaw hung over his neck, her mouth salivating. But, try as she might, she could not bite down. Her body shook from the exertion, yet her jaw did not mp shut.


    Lysa pulled back and stared at the strange blue prey. He was still struggling in her tails grip to no avail. She frowned.


    She raised her sword and shed down. Her de froze right before it touched his neck. She tried pushing down on the sword, her arms trembled, the de held still.


    Lysa furrowed her brow as she gripped the swords handle tightly. Her fingers trembled and her face grew red, <em>Why wont you die</em>?


    Stryg looked up at her, his eyes full of anger and panic.


    L-let go of me, he gasped.


    His words sent shivers down her spine. Lysas eyes widened. She needed to release him. He needed to live. Nothing else mattered. She dropped her sword, her tail uncoiled, and gently lowered him to the ground.


    Lysa shook her head, what was wrong with her? Why did she release this little prey? Why did she not kill him? On the contrary, why did she want to save him? What the fuck was wrong with her!? Unless It couldnt be.


    Lysa stared at him with a mixture of fear and loathing, Who are you?


    Stryg kicked her in the chest, sending her flying out the window.


    He copsed on the floor.


    Damn snakedy, he wheezed.