I forced myself to regain composure as my tendrils slowly retracted beneath my skin, still stinging from being shattered by the Duke's raw power. I began mentally crafting new strategies for dealing with anomalies like him—tie him to a rocket and launch him into space, hit him with a nuclear blast, or, more simply, capture the Megamycete itself and enslave it. None of these were impossible, but they'd require greater caution.
Eventually, I reached the castle—a towering Gothic monument, its silhouette carved against the winter mist like a relic from another age. I entered through the massive front doors as if I were expected. The vestibule, lined in crimson and gold, reeked of decadent luxury. My gaze paused on a large portrait framed in black wood, depicting three young women with expressions both noble and ominous. The plaque beneath read: Bela, Cassandra, Daniela.
To the side, an old elevator looked out of commission—not that it mattered. A short flight aboard my Blood could easily take me where I needed to go. Ignoring the rusty machinery, I continued through a paneled hallway lit by flickering candelabras. The floor creaked beneath my steps as I entered a vast, tiled hall. A grand staircase rose at the center, with several heavy wooden doors branching off.
One door stood out—a double door etched with grotesque faces. A metal plate read:"Only the Key of Four Faces opens the path outside."Charming.
Just as I finished reading, a high-pitched hum began to rise. Subtle at first, it quickly swelled into a black swarm of buzzing insects. I narrowed my eyes and extended my hand, capturing a handful to send to the Factory for analysis.
The rest of the swarm spiraled together, coalescing into shifting female forms. Within seconds, three young women emerged from the chitinous, flesh-like dance, their pale skin a stark contrast to the warm tones of the hall.
One of them—likely Bela—stepped forward, a cruel smile curling her lips."Well well… What a surprise. He's quite… charming, for an intruder."
"Charming, maybe, but arrogant," Cassandra sneered."Walking into our domain like a pig at a masquerade."
Daniela giggled, circling me with the grace of a starving predator, her golden eyes sparkling with sadistic glee."Mother will be delighted. When she returns from her meeting with Mother Miranda and those pitiful nobles, she'll have a new toy."
"Especially since Heisenberg keeps getting on her nerves," Bela growled bitterly."That mannerless mongrel—she dreams of flaying him alive."
Cassandra chuckled, her voice like a whisper from a crypt."At least you've got some presence. Shame you're… disposable."
Daniela stepped closer, brushing my cheek with a frosty hand, her eyes glinting with cruelty."You smell… different. Too alive. I like that."
I slowly raised my hand and caught hers in a sharp, firm grip. My smile was icy."Hands off, sweetheart. I'm already taken—and she's a hundred times more dangerous than you."
Her hand dissolved in a disturbing buzz, turning into a swarm of flies to escape my grasp. I frowned.
A shift in the air. A vibration.
Bela lunged from my right, attempting to shove me. I didn't even budge."Seriously? You think you can move me?"
Cassandra, more pragmatic, swung a rusty sickle at my leg. It shattered instantly on contact with my reinforced skin—like striking a steel pillar.
"Enough games."
My voice cracked like a command across the hall. In one swift motion, I turned toward the large doors behind me and delivered a devastating kick, shattering both panels in a burst of splintered wood. A frigid wind rushed in, whistling through the corridors, carrying the bite of a brutal winter.
The three sisters screamed in unison, their flesh trembling as though trying to escape their bones. They shriveled, shielding themselves with their arms—but too late.
"Well now…"
I unfurled my dorsal tendrils and hurled them forward with precision and force. They wrapped tightly around the three girls, locking them in place. They howled and writhed, unable to disperse into insects—the cold had disabled their powers. Their skin cracked, blackened by frost, their mouths spewing curses through ragged gasps.
I slowly dragged them across the icy stone floor toward the outer bridge. My footsteps echoed as their bodies quivered in agony.
"Such a ridiculous weakness… in a castle this cold? Seriously?"
Daniela snarled, tears of rage freezing on her cheeks. Her once-beautiful features now twisted in pain and humiliation."You… you don't understand anything… Mother will kill you!" she spat, her voice shaking with impotent fury.
I raised an eyebrow, amused."Mother Miranda…? Let her come. I've got a few things to settle with her."
"Not her, idiot!" Cassandra screamed, her eyes blazing."Countess Dimitrescu, our mother!"
I tilted my head slightly, a wicked grin spreading across my face."The real question is—will you three still be alive when she gets back?"
My tone darkened, growing colder and sharper. I stepped toward them, dragging my tendrils across the frozen floor, their whisper almost sinister.
"Of course… if you submit, I might show a little mercy. Until your precious mother returns."
For the first time, they backed away. The vampiric trio averted their eyes, teeth clenched, their bodies trembling—not from the cold… but from fear. Slowly, one after the other, they nodded—swallowing their pride.
With a flick of my wrist, I sent them into the Factory. The mental link sealed the moment they were transferred. They were mine now. Loyal. Obedient And useful.
I let the wind close the great doors behind me as I turned back, heading into the depths of the castle. The cold marble echoed under my steps. The dusty scent of ancient tapestries, dim candlelight, and portraits with eyes that seemed to follow me—everything breathed a decadent stillness, frozen in time.
I took my time exploring, opening door after door, climbing carved staircases, inspecting luxurious chambers and decaying salons. But nothing seemed vital… until I heard hurried footsteps in a side corridor.
"Gerald!" a breathless voice called. "Thank God you're here."
Ethan Winters burst in, pale and tense, drenched in sweat, his jacket torn and bloodied.
"They're crazy in here. I only managed to evacuate one person from a house that… that felt alive, like it was breathing. When I reached the castle, some weird guy—looked insane, hammer in hand and sunglasses on—started manipulating metal! He launched debris at me like darts and forced me to fight another wave of Lycans!"
I raised a hand to respond, but I didn't get the chance.
A scream tore through the air—guttural, powerful, like a war bell ringing through the stone walls. It was laced with pure rage, maternal pain, and a chilling authority.
"WHERE ARE… MY DAUGHTERS!!!"
The sound hit so hard that the chandelier overhead trembled slightly. A deadly silence fell in the corridor—even Ethan stopped breathing.
I briefly placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You go find your daughter. I'll… have a little chat with her."
We parted ways at a fork in the corridor. On my way, I mentally summoned Tintin from the Factory. He appeared a second later in a flash of blue light, hat on his head, smirking.
"Ready for the entrance?" he asked.
"Always."
We descended the main staircase toward the grand reception hall, our boots echoing against the black-and-gold tiles. The massive columns cast distorted shadows, and the walls were adorned with grim portraits of the Dimitrescu bloodline. The room was bathed in crimson light filtered through towering stained-glass windows.
And there, at the center, she stood.
Imposing. Majestic. Wild.
Lady Alcina Dimitrescu. Over eight feet tall, dressed in her ivory gown stretched tight with fury. Her clawed fingers clutched the stem of a crystal glass, which she hurled violently at the wall upon seeing me.
Her yellow eyes locked onto mine. They radiated visceral hatred.
"Who are you?!" she roared, her voice booming like thunder through the hall.
She lunged forward, each step making the floor quake. But she never reached her target.
Tintin, smooth as ever, slipped between us and grabbed her wrists with surprising strength, stopping her assault effortlessly. She thrashed, trying to tear through his armor with her obsidian claws—but it was useless. He held firm.
The countess, stunned by the young man's strength, paused her struggle, her eyes showing confusion.
I kicked a carved chair toward me and sat down with unnerving calm, crossing my legs like I was here for a diplomatic visit.
"My name is Gerald King, pleased to meet you. And yes—yes, I did take your daughters."
Her eyes flared. She growled like a cornered beast.
"They're fine, I assure you. Better than before, actually. But could you at least introduce yourself first? A little courtesy never hurts," I added with a charming smile.
"Stop teasing her, Gerald," Tintin said.
I nodded, accepting the point.
She eased slightly in his grip, realizing brute strength wasn't enough."Alcina Dimitrescu, Countess of this estate," she said flatly.
"So, Countess Dimitrescu, I have two objectives in coming here. One is to help Ethan Winters find his daughter, and—"
I was cut off by her sharp, haughty laughter, echoing beneath the vaulted ceilings.
"Winters? That little insect? He was handed over to my imbecile brother for his stupid games. He's already dead, like so many others."
I lazily raised a finger, waving my hand in mild disapproval."He's here. I saw him less than five minutes ago."
She hissed through her teeth, her gaze sharpening, growing more cautious.
"As for my second objective, it's simple: I want to speak with Mother Miranda."
That sentence shifted the tension. Her expression turned cold, murderous.
"The girl… Rose… She's been torn apart and sealed in four flasks for the ritual. Winters will go mad when he learns the truth."
I didn't reply—just stared. Her fury visibly intensified.
"And Miranda… she doesn't tolerate interference. You're a grain of sand in a divine machine. She'll destroy you, just like she did the others."
She tried to break free again, but Tintin tightened his hold, unmoving, like a statue.
"Now give me back my daughters!" she screamed, torn between maternal despair and frozen rage.
I smiled slowly. Dangerously.
"No."
She thrashed again, but Tintin finally pinned her to the floor, demonstrating his dominance through sheer strength."Listen, ma'am, we can come to an agreement. If you agree to surrender, we'll take you to see your daughters," Tintin said, surprising me with his unexpected gentleness toward the towering woman.
"Alright, I accept the conditions… just let me see my sweet little girls," she sobbed, overwhelmed by her helplessness. It almost made me feel bad.
"You go with her, Tintin," I said, sending them both to the Factory—binding the Countess to my service as well.
I explored the rest of the castle, and eventually, we located Rose—or at least a part of her. I gave it to Ethan, who collapsed to his knees.
"She's still alive. Let's find the other containers. I think I can bring her back to normal," I told him as we went our separate ways—he toward a small clearing, and I toward the lake.
I tried calling Tintin for company along the way, but he didn't come.
What I didn't know—and what forced Tintin to stay behind—was that Alcina's daughters had discovered carnal pleasure with the Jordan triplets, resulting in a small orgy between the six of them. Eventually, Alcina took hold of Tintin and, for the first time, found herself a partner her size.
The sounds of my subspace don't usually reach me, and the fact that I couldn't summon Tintin was highly unusual. Inspecting the situation, I discovered the truth… and was left somewhat stunned at the sight of Tintin ravaging Alcina, her cries of pleasure echoing through the Factory—prompting me to flee the space in haste.
I took a step back, inhaled deeply, and decided that the swamp full of mutant monsters would, in fact, be an excellent place to clear my head.
With a simple gesture, I summoned Hermes, climbed onto his back, and muttered:"Alright, buddy. Let's take off. Mission: erase what I just saw."
Hermes shot off at full speed.And me? I was already grumbling:"I'm gonna need three eye rinses and a therapy session. Thanks, team."
(Author's note: That's the fan service segment—feel free to let your imagination do the rest ^^ )