"I supposed it all began after I defeated Brunestud." Zelretch began as he softly rubbed his beard. "I was still a brash young man then. Infected with vampirism from the source of it and weakened from over stressing myself in the fight."
"I spent many months trying to figure out how to cure myself of vampirism. Of course I learned it wasn't quite possible since it was tied into the soul. I even had the former magician of the third craft me a new body, but the moment I inhabited it, my soul turned it into one partially infected with vampirism." Zelretch recalled as he looked up, and Raven could see small fangs peaking out.
"So I did what any person does, take it out on the person responsible." He said casually and Raven nodded at that. "So I went and destroyed his castle on the moon. Hunted down most of the remaining True Ancestors. Anything to get my anger out."
"However as I was destroying part of the castle he owned on Gaia, I found myself standing face to face with a blonde haired child. In a field of white flowers. A daughter standing face to face with her fathers murder."
[Image]
"Under the pale moon she asked me a single question." Zelretch paused as he looked at Arcueid.
"Are you here to kill me? That's what I said to him." She spoke finally with a smile. "I was ready to die then and there, but gramps is too kind for his own good at times."
Raven raised an eyebrow at that as a small cackle escaped his mouth at the thought of it being true.
"Instead of killing me, he just stared at me, silent for what felt like an eternity before he knelt down and offered me a hand. He asked me a single question in return." Arcueid paused as she seemed to go down memory land.
"Do you want to live?"
"I took his his hand and haven't regretted it to this day." She said with a cheerful smile.
"Interesting. So is this like a bi-century meet up?" Raven asked as he looked at the alluring red eyes. Truly, these dead apostles and their eyes were annoying. He just wanted to rip them out for himself.
"Something like that, though I normally sleep to past the time, but an old foe has shown his face again and I have to hunt him down." Arcueid said and Raven frowned as he tried to think who could be an old foe to a being like her.
"I can't think of any old foes able to live so long against you." Raven mused and she nodded her head.
"You wouldn't. Back when I was constantly active a magus scientist tricked me into drinking his blood. Using that to incite a literal bloodlust, he stole a portion of my power, about 23.1% of it. His name is Michael Roa Valdamjong. Roa used that portion of my power to eventually become a powerful Dead Apostle Ancestor. However he also managed something else, to become a being capable of reincarnating over and over. He was given a title for that." Arcueid paused.
"The Serpent of Akasha." Arcueid said and suddenly there was a deep pressure set off. A bright cyan aura glowed off of Raven, if anyone else was in the room they'd be flattened, and if it wasn't for the barriers surrounding his office, many people in the clocktower would be suffocating to death right now.
"They dare call him after that huh?" Raven asked with a snarl as his hands turned black revealing his claws, and his eyes glowing cyan.
"Yes, because he enters Akasha and returns through reincarnation, but he keeps his memories as he enters a new body. Currently this is his 18th incarnation." Arcueid scowled and Raven snarled out before taking a deep breath and returning to a full human appearance.
"If you bring me him inside a body still, I can shatter his soul." Raven declared seriously and both vampiric beings in the room stared at him.
"Shatter his soul?" Arcueid asked shocked and Raven titled his head.
"Yes. It's not that hard, the expremenets I've done with souls has shown it's possible to do. I grip it and then I force it to implode. Simple work." Raven said and Zelretch sighed.
"Soul manipulation, especially on that level, is not considered simple work Raven. Even for us magicians. Though I suppose when you surround yourself with two death deities that I shouldn't be too surprised." Zelretch explained.
"Oh I see. Well the point stands. Bring me him with his soul still present and I'll shatter it." Raven declared and Arcueid smiled.
"Nothing too hard. Except for I can only use about 30% of my current power, I'm using the other 70% of it to suppress my vampiric urges." She said and he nodded in understanding before a black braclet band formed in his hand.
"Try this on. I made it for a set of twins who also have to suffer the same thing, it's still a prototype since I haven't been able to give it to them yet." Raven tossed it over and Arcueid shrugged as she sensed no harmful intentions, plus Zelretch was here after all.
"The vampiric urges… they're not gone, but not as strong anymore. What is this?" Arcueid asked shocked as she only had to use about 45% of her power to suppress her vampiric urges now. A whopping 55% was still available to her compared to the previous 30%.
"It was something I had been working on for myself in the past when I was having some issues, but those were mostly resolved, so I decided to repurpose it for my bestfriends. Like I said, it's a prototype for now, so I'd appreciate any feedback on it. You too old man if you wouldn't mind?" Raven asked as he offered another one to Zelretch who gladly accepted it.
"This will certainly help in capturing Roa, for this and if you shatter his soul, what do you want in return?" Arcueid asked as she got close and held his hands, Raven took a mental deep breath, he didn't fully appreciate people touching him immediately, but he supposed he can ignore it for now.
"Let's go on a date." Raven declared and Zelretch cackled in glee. Arcueid titled her head confused.
"What's a date?" She was genuinely confused and Raven sighed.
"It's like a courtship. A testing ground where two people do things together to see if they're compatible for marriage." Zelretch explained once his cackling finished up.
"I see. Very well, I accept. I will head out and capture Roa, if you shatter his soul, we shall go on this date." Arcueid said pleased and walked out.
Raven sighed as he waved his hand moving the chairs into a corner and creating a much more comfy throne chair he liked. He slumped down into it.
"Haha, I don't think I've seen someone so bold since someone demanded she marry them. I'm even more impressed she didn't take a chunk out of you for it, but then again, offering to shatter Roa's soul is definitely a way to that girls heart." Zelretch mused and Raven hummed in return.
"I would, maybe, have regenerated, but better safe then sorry. I'm not eager to test my regeneration limits, especially against her." Raven said and the old man smiled before a sudden exteremly potent bloodlust was pushed down on Raven who froze in place.
This was so much worse then Behemoth. Oh so much worse.
"What are your intentions with my granddaughter?"
"To date her?"
"I see, but know this, if you hurt her, I will throw you into a universe infested with tentacles and other such monstrous beings that not even the most curse minded being can imagine. They will do unspeakable things to you for eternity and beyond." Zelretch promised and Raven nodded.
"Understandable. Now can you stop with the bloodlust? It makes me want to give into the voices demanding blood. Freaking planet." Raven said as he grumbled the last part and Zelretch chuckled.
"My apologies then. Now though, what did you come to chat about?"
"Oh yes, I wanted to talk to you about the doll bodies used for the heroic spirits, and now about your own new body. I'm working on a new project involving homunculus that aren't alive or any form of alive besides biologically. I've made one, but it can't even handle a large percentage of my power. Merely low tier supernatural in strength." Raven said and Zelretch hummed as he nodded understanding.
"What is your purpose for them?"
"Well I'm already using one to avoid going to meetings. It's currently attending a meeting for some companies I control. I considered cloning, but I didn't want to risk more me's running around, I'm not sure the world would be able to handle it. Especially if they came with my memories too." Raven said as the older man nodded in understanding.
"I see. Well let me see, I remember having a journal somewhere in here about that subject. While I look tell me more about your research on souls." Zelretch said and Raven started talking.
•~~~~•
Eventually after a couple hours passed, Zelretch having gone through three different places he stored his books and journals in, he finally found it.
"Here we go." He said as he dusted it off. "My notes in that particular bit of research. It's not complete since Third didn't want to reveal their knowledge fully before dying. You should be able to advance your research though." He said and Raven gratefully took it, he'd memorize the book soon and then make himself a copy and return this one back.
"Thank you- oh shit I'm late." Raven said with a panicked expression as he opened a portal and blocked it. He had a lesson to teach that started five minutes ago.
•~~~~•~~~~•~~~~•
Hello everyone! I'm glad to introduce Arcueid, I'm deciding on if I should add her in as a harem member or not, and for those of you who remember her from the original version of this story, she'll be different to that one.
Anyways, until next time, I hope you all enjoyed!
Bye~
-Voidy, The Insomniac
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