CHAPTER 69
HUNT EPILOGUE
Pam Pam.
Hilda's knuckles rapped against the ancient door once more. Still, no response came.
The Matriarch let out a sigh. "I always knew her spells and safety measures would backfire one day."
An ivory wand materialized in Hilda's right hand, illuminating the cottage's surroundings in a blinding white light. Seconds passed, yet the brown door remained shut.
"You have to be kidding me." Hilda frowned. "Why did she even lock this place before leaving?"
"This is so unlike her," she mused. She and Dianne had been friends for the longest time—centuries, to be precise. Though their friendship was built more on mutual benefit than affection, it had still stood the test of time. They had shared important secrets: Hilda, a Great Mage; Dianne, a noble vampire—the only one she knew who had survived the Great Cleansing all those centuries ago. Hilda had always wondered how Dianne had managed it, given that they had only met a century after the purge.
A sudden wave of unease washed over her. "I hope it's not what I think." With another flick of her wand, the Great Mage vanished.
---
"I come to this meeting with great news!" Gregory laughed aloud.
The other two Supremes exchanged a glance but remained silent, allowing him to continue.
"The vampire has been taken care of." The dark-skinned Supreme bowed. "Leo and the queen are on their way to Elyria as we speak."
"You met them?" Alicia asked, frowning.
Gregory, not sensing where the question was leading, answered with pride. "I met them on the road leading out of Magnitia. Why do you ask?"
Clyde slapped his forehead in frustration. "What have you been learning all these centuries?"
Gregory raised an eyebrow, still not understanding.
"Why didn't you just teleport them to Elyria?" Alicia asked, shaking her head. "Honestly, we need to start prioritizing brains over brawn."
Gregory scratched his head, searching for a response that could salvage his dignity. Luckily, a bright flash of silver light spared him from answering.
"What's all this talk about vampires?" Hilda's voice rang through the lodge. The Supremes—except Gregory—did their best to mask their surprise at the Matriarch's sudden appearance.
"Welco—" Gregory stuttered, taking a bow.
"Thanks, Gregory." Hilda took a seat across from him. "Now, I would like an explanation about this vampire issue."
Clyde took a deep breath. "There have been a series of attacks in Magnitia and Elyria over the past three days. At first, we suspected an intelligent magic beast, but one detail pointed us toward something else: several human bodies were completely drained of blood."
"Which led us to conclude it was the work of a vampire," Alicia added.
*Crack*
Hilda's right foot fractured the enchanted floor beneath it. "And no one thought to inform me about this?"
Alicia looked confused. "You always told us not to bother you unless something posed a direct threat to the realms. So why the sudden concern?"
Hilda's expression darkened.
Clyde quickly interjected, hoping to ease the tension. "We also kept it from you because you were preoccupied with the demon interrogations and captures."
Alicia, observing Hilda carefully, smirked. Strange, she thought. She knew about the book in my possession, yet this vampire hunt somehow escaped her notice?
Matilda, breaking the silence, asked quietly, "Has the threat been neutralized?"
"Yes," Gregory confirmed. "Fanghyr and Queen Flowyria took care of the fiend."
"Though one of the Queen's trusted warriors fell in battle," Clyde added, crossing his legs. "Don't worry—the Queen has assured us his family will be well cared for."
"How is that my problem?!" Hilda blurted out.
The Supremes stared at her, shock evident on their faces—especially Alicia, who had known her the longest.
"What was the vampire's sex?" Hilda asked, now standing.
Alicia shrugged. "Female. According to Fanghyr, she was quite old. Which means she must have been here for a long time."
"And she's dead?" Hilda pressed.
Even Gregory, not known for his intelligence, could read the tension in the air.
"Something's definitely wrong," they all thought.
Hilda took a deep breath. "I will be heading to Magnitia to gather information from the Dwarvenstone Tower."
Another bright flash illuminated the lodge, and the Grand Mage vanished.
"That was strange," Gregory chuckled.
"Yeah," Clyde agreed. "Hilda has never disclosed her next move before. Makes you wonder what exactly upset her so much."
Alicia rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "There must be more to this."
"Finally," Clyde smirked. "A mystery worthy of my intellect."
---
"So, it's true."
Hilda raised a hand, shielding her eyes from the glaring sun. She had clearly underestimated the threat her friend had warned her about.
The clearing where she stood was completely devoid of trees, as though they had been teleported away. The outer edges still had some vegetation—stumps, shrubs, and a few surviving trees.
"What's that smell?" She wrinkled her nose at the putrid stench carried by the wind. Her curiosity led her forward until she found four massive, wolf-like corpses.
The crows feasting on the carcasses cawed and scattered as she approached. After a quick glance, she lost interest and walked away.
Not surprisingly, there was no sign of her friend's body.
"To think your bloodlust finally got the best of you," Hilda murmured. "Regardless, you were right about one thing."
Her eyes glowed bright gold.
The approaching foxes and lingering crows fled as waves of mana radiated from the being standing in the clearing.
"That assassin is an anomaly... one that must be dealt with."