Blood-Mage Hunters

Reia

The old man left after delivering the message, leaving Reia, Cyrus and Lucius with extremely confused expressions on their faces.

"The King wants to meet us?" Lucius quietly asked, his mind definitely calculating different possibilities. "What could he possibly want to see us for?"

"The king hasn't shown his face in a hundred fucking years and now he wants to talk to us? The fuck?" Cyrus also asked, rubbing his head in confusion.

"Maybe... Maybe we shouldn't go," Reia quietly said, the others barely hearing his voice. They both stared at him, confused.

"Reia, he's the king. If he wants to see us, then we have to go," Lucius said.

Reia looked up from the ground meeting their eyes. "I know, I know," he shook his head from side to side, trying to find his words. "It's just that... What if it's a trap? I mean, there is that rumor going around about how the king's son might be The Biter. That would explain why he hasn't shown his face to the public in such a long time. What if him and The Biter are working together and they're just trying to lure as to them?" he said, speaking fast.

Lucius and Cyrus were silent for a moment, taking in his words.

"If they truly are working together, then we have more of a reason to go," Lucius interrupted him. "We've been trying to catch The Biter for a hundred years. If he truly thinks he can trick us and kill us, then he is mistaken. This is not a trap, Reia. It's an opportunity," he firmly said, his eyes shining with determination.

"An opportunity to kill that motherfucker," Cyrus agreed, an unhinged smile spreading across his face.

Reia closed his mouth and stopped talking, looking at his determined friends. They weren't afraid.

"Alright," he quietly caved in. "Lucius, can you take us there with your ability?"

The vampire nodded his head and moved closer to the two of them, closing his eyes and focusing on the darkness brewing inside him, manifesting it around them. After just a few seconds, the cloud of darkness dissipated and the three vampires were in a different location: the capital of The Kingdom of Cruxesta. In front of them stood a grand building, guarded by men in armors. It was The King's Castle.

When they noticed them, a few guards opened the big gates, letting them in. The vampires cautiously walked inside the big yard, looking around. The sun had already set, night taking over. Except for the guards -which remained near the gates- ,there was no one else around.

Out of the darkness around them, a figure suddenly appeared right in front of them, startling the vampires and making them stop. The figure was actually a tall, slim man dressed in formal attire. He had long, white hair and his glowing yellow eyes shone in the darkness, looking almost eerie.

"Oh, you've finally arrived!" he exclaimed, an over the top smile spreading across his face, revealing his sharp fangs. "I'm Aragoth, the king," he introduced himself, looking from one vampire to the other, his gaze stopping on Reia, something in his eyes changing and his smile twisting into something terrifying. "Oh, my dear Reia, you've also come!" he cheered, approaching him.

Reia instantly flinched back, jerking his arm away. He looked almost unrecognizable. His entire complexion paled and his eyes were full of fear.

"Reia, you know the king?" Lucius asked, his voice laced with confusion.

The vampire snapped his eyes at him, the scared, angry look in his eyes almost making him look insane. "He is no king," he spit the words, his voice filled to the brim with venom.

Aragoth began laughing maniacally like Reia had just said the funniest thing ever. All three of them turned their gazes back to the man with white hair. "Oh, but I guess you're right!" he said, barely managing to stop laughing. "By the hierarchical rules, I'm not the king. You are. Right, Reia?" he asked, a cruel smirk on his face. Reia began breathing harder and faster, looking like he was about to collapse.