The Shadow Of Fate

The forest path felt eerily quiet as Alucard and his party trudged forward, the trees looming like silent watchers. A suffocating tension hung in the air, growing heavier with every step.

Suddenly, Amabel stumbled, her knees buckling as her breath hitched. Her eyes were wide with terror, her trembling hand pointing ahead.

"I... I feel it," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "His bloodlust... It's him."

Alucard's stomach twisted. He instinctively reached for Seraphim, the blade glowing faintly as if reacting to his growing unease. He turned to Iglis, his voice tight with urgency.

"This might be the end for us. Get ready."

Iglis nodded, his face calm despite the weight of Alucard's words. "Relax. I can handle myself."

Eleanor's voice cut through the tension, sharp and resolute. "Stay alert! He's close!"

As if on cue, the shadows around them seemed to ripple, and an oppressive wave of energy crashed over them, stealing the air from their lungs.

A voice, cold and mocking, broke the silence.

"Looking for me?"

Lazarus appeared behind them, his movements so silent and sudden it felt as though he'd materialized from the void. His crimson eyes glowed faintly, looking into them with an almost lazy amusement.

Before anyone could react, Lazarus raised a hand. A crushing wave of blood magic froze the party in place, their bodies locked in invisible chains.

Alucard gritted his teeth, his voice shaking with anger. "Lazarus!"

Lazarus ignored him, his gaze settling on Iglis. His tone was calm, almost conversational, but carried a venomous edge.

"So, you're the famous Xenon prodigy," he said, his smirk deepening. "Dracula once told me that if I hadn't been born, you'd be the top talent of this generation. Let's see if he was right."

The revelation shocked everyone. Dracula—a figure of ancient nightmares—was mentioned with reverence.

With a snap of his fingers, the invisible pressure pinning Iglis vanished.

Iglis rolled his shoulders, stepping forward, his expression unreadable. "You talk too much."

Lazarus chuckled darkly. "Good. Show me what you've got."

Iglis reached for the greatsword on his back, but before his fingers even touched the hilt, Lazarus moved.

In a blur, Lazarus was upon him. A bone-shattering punch connected with Iglis's gut, sending him staggering. The onslaught continued—a brutal kick to the ribs sent him sprawling to the ground.

Iglis tried to rise, but Lazarus gave him no chance. He rained down blows with inhuman speed, each strike ripping through Iglis's defenses. The bandages on Iglis's body unraveled, revealing bruised and bloodied skin beneath.

Alucard's voice rang out, desperate and furious. "STOP IT, LAZARUS! HE CAN'T FIGHT BACK!"

But Lazarus didn't stop. He grabbed Iglis by the collar, lifting him like a rag doll. Iglis's head slumped forward, his breaths shallow. Lazarus's smirk faded as he studied him.

"This is it?" he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "The Xenon genius? How underwhelming."

With that, he tossed Iglis to the ground, the dull thud of his body echoing in the tense silence. Blood pooled beneath him as his greatsword lay untouched, just out of reach.

Lazarus turned to Eleanor, his expression sharpening.

Lazarus: "And you, snowflake. Where are the rune pages?"

Eleanor glared at him, defiance blazing in her eyes.

Lazarus noticing the staff she was holding on to with her all

Lazarus: (coldly) "You're neither talented nor powerful, just talk. You don't deserve this staff."

With a swift motion he, took Eleanor's Staff of Gluttony replica into his hand. The moment the staff left her possession, it pulsed with dark magic. Lazarus held it aloft, imbuing it with his own energy.

A wave of energy burst from the staff, draining the party's mana and stamina. Alucard, Aldeous, Eleanor and Amabel collapsed to their knees, gasping for air as Lazarus absorbed their essence effortlessly.

Lazarus discarded the staff as if it were a broken toy, watching them struggle with cold indifference.

He stepped forward and grabbed Eleanor by the neck, lifting her off the ground as though she weighed nothing.

Lazarus: (mocking) "Defiance won't save you, little snowflake."

His hand wrapping around Eleanor's neck. A spear of shadow materialized in his free hand, pulsing with lethal energy. He raised it, aiming for her heart.

"NO!" Alucard shouted, his voice cracking. "The pages are in her bag! Just... don't hurt her!"

Lazarus paused, his glowing eyes shifting to the bag slung over Eleanor's shoulder. His smirk widened as though he'd already won.

"Smart choice," he said, his tone almost mocking.

Eleanor spat at him, her face twisted with defiance. "Go to hell."

Lazarus wiped the spit from his face, his smile turning razor-sharp. "Been there. Didn't care for it."

Without another word, he drove the shadow spear through her chest. Eleanor's body jerked violently as blood spilled onto the forest floor.

Lazarus let her go, her lifeless body crumpling into Alucard's arms.

"ELEANOR!" Alucard's cry tore through the air as he held her close, his tears falling freely. "No... Please, no... Don't leave me!"

Alucard's voice cracked as he yelled, tears streaming down his face. "Please! Give me some mana—just enough to heal her! I'm begging you!"

Lazarus stared at him, crimson eyes cold and unfeeling. His expression didn't change, but inside, a single thought crossed his mind: How the fuck are you my twin?

He tilted his head slightly, his voice cutting through the air like ice. "Why should I? This is your fault. You're weak. Blame yourself."

Alucard's chest tightened as the words hit him like a punch to the gut. His hands trembled as he held Eleanor's dying body closer, his tears soaking into her bloodstained clothes.

He's right, Alucard thought bitterly, his mind spiraling. If only I was stronger… if only I wasn't so pathetic. Me? A hero? What kind of hero can't even fight a pure-blooded vampire, let alone the Destroyer?

His grief deepened, the weight of his failure suffocating him.

Eleanor's trembling hand brushed his cheek, her voice faint and broken. "My love... don't worry. I'll always be with you."

Her hand fell limp.

Alucard's scream of anguish shattered the silence, and the air around him exploded with raw, unchecked mana. A storm of energy erupted, black and gold, a cocoon of crackling energy enveloped Alucard, his form barely visible through the blinding surge of power.

Lazarus stepped back, observing the transformation with a flicker of curiosity. "Finally. Let's see what you've got, Alucard."

The forest trembled as Alucard's grief gave way to rage, his power consuming everything in its path.

Far away, the Saintess mounted her wyvern, urgency in her voice. "We have to move. Something terrible is happening."

In a dark crypt, Dracula's eyes snapped open. A slow smile spread across his face. "Fascinating... Such power."