The Fallen Vampire

The number of villagers was large enough that they were all able to circle the bank and have a great view of the fighting grounds.

The Youn Wouj appeared standing in the middle of the shallow lake- taking a moment to enjoy the feel of the cold water splashing in between her toes.

Her eyes wandered over to the western corner, where the humans that had already been captured were dangling off of a rocky wall that looked like it was going to give at any second.

The Red One became noticeably more excited once she imagined a few falling to their death early and becoming cause for an impromptu meal.

Finally, she could no longer bear the suffocating weight of her own patience and beckoned her dance partner for the night to come closer.

"My blood-kin cry for entertainment, little link. As a gracious guest it is rude of you to keep them waiting for the spectacle to begin."

Eyes from almost every tribesman were directed towards Taira and his group.

The faces of all except one of them were somewhat pleasant.

"...You do not have to do this." Taira said for what felt like the thousandth time.

"I don\'t care about these guys or Astel\'s stupid test, they can all die for all I care! I won\'t see you get hurt for them!" Vermeil said for what felt like a thousand and one times.

"I\'ve heard you both already. Will you take this for me?"

Vermeil took Keran\'s kimono worriedly as she watched her undress bitterly.

After a few years of sedentary life she might not have been as muscular as she once was, but her body was still nicely toned and beautiful.

Lying beneath her usual robe was a sleek leather bodysuit with no sleeves for added mobility.

Her stomach was cut out to give her more breathing room, and to allow her intricately developed abs to be on full display.

"Will you do me a favor, my loves?" she asked as she fastened her belt.

The family nodded immediately as if she didnt even have to ask.

"Please... Don\'t interfere under any circumstances. I\'d like it very much if you would let me do this on my own."

"But she is-"

"I know that my victory is unlikely, but I also know that she will not kill me. This is a good opportunity or me to see exactly how much farther I have to grow. As well as where I currently stand."

Taira looked like he was about to have an aneurism.

As did Enyo.

Because they knew, even if the others did not, that there is nothing pretty or graceful about fighting with asanbosam.

But they lost their chance to refuse her request when Keran finally peeled off her shoes and stepped into the water with her bare feet.

"Are we really going to let her do this...?" Vermeil asked tearfully.

Taira couldn\'t answer her, because he was too busy trying to answer that very question for himself.

As Keran let the cold water from the lake soak in between her toes, she circled her opponent and tried to observe her to the fullest extent.

The results of her investigations proved to be mostly fruitless.

Her opponent was full of openings, and yet she wasn\'t at the same time.

She was seemingly standing around defenselessly like she had no interest in this fight to begin with.

"Prey waits, little link. If you have any interest in changing your fate then you had better act now." the Youn Wouj beckoned.

"...Will you tell me your name?" Keran suddenly asked.

The tribe head looked vexed as if she did not understand the need for such a pleasantry before a fight.

Manners never really were her thing.

"...I am Tiche of the Red Wanderers. And I am the greatest enemy you shall ever know."

Keran suddenly felt something run down her cheek and her hand went to her face to investigate.

Her eyes nearly left the confines of her skull when she realized that she had a brand new cut on her face and she had absolutely no clue how it got there.

"I will not stay my hand again, little link. Show me the worth of the clan who deigns to take food from my table." Tiche beckoned.

Keran\'s cheek closed up in seconds as if it were never even injured.

Gradually, her feet began to float above the river.

"You say that I am the weakest, and perhaps that may be true. But I have never before known the cold grip of fear. It will not grab hold of me tonight..."

Gradually, a hot pink light began to come to life from within Keran\'s plethora of tails.

The fluffy members wrapped around her body like a little cocoon until all that could be seen were her brightly glowing eyes and the furry ears atop her head.

"On my honor as the third wife of the Heavenly Demon and the daughter of the Great Head of the Beasts, your fate will be... excruciating."

\'Eternal Moon Arts: The Tree of Life\'

At that moment, Keran plummeted from his sky like a man made rocket and crashed into the ground.

An explosion of pink flame shot out in every direction and bathed the battlefield in light.

A small earthquake ensued as a giant glowing pink tree sprang up from the ground.

With the blowing of the wind, showers of petals came billowing down to the ground where they produced even more columns of flame; thereby protecting Keran by ensuring she had room to breathe.

However, she made the mistake of underestimating the mental instability of her opponent.

Keran blinked one single time and the next thing she knew there was a horribly burned and disfigured hand right in front of her face.

\'She didn\'t even try to avoid it?!\'

Tiche proceeded to grab Keran by the face and held her jaw shut so that she couldn\'t scream.

Faster than the eye could see, the chieftain proceeded to slice open Keran\'s belly with a pair of gleaming silver claws.

As her entrails came spilling out onto the ground, Tiche finally stepped through the flames and revealed her horribly burnt appearance.

Ever so slowly, her healing began to kick in and she smiled sinisterly.

"That was indeed excruciating, little link. But I am not one who is so inept that I would buckle underneath the weight of some minor discomfort. Let us see if you share that proclivity."

-

After watching for only a short time, Taira had already seen more than enough.

He started to summon Yasuke and run to her aid when Aveena suddenly hugged him tightly from behind.

"Don\'t go, Taira. You have to let her do this even if it\'s hard…"

"What?? But she-"

"In all of the time that we\'ve been a family, when has Keran ever asked us for anything…? I know it\'s hard, but please just let her do this. We owe it to her to have faith in her ability."

Aveena didn\'t let Taira go afterwards- it was almost like she was afraid he would casually disregard her words and rush to Keran\'s aid.

For the first time in a long time, he was completely stumped about what the right thing to do was.

Every bone in his body was screaming for him to run to Keran\'s defense before the situation worsened.

But as Aveena had said, Keran hadn\'t asked anything of him or any of them in fifty years of being together.

So was he not obligated to heed her one, simple request?

All he knew for sure was that he had to come to a decision quickly…