Chapter 279 - Special Chapter: Darius and Elaine

Long before he was the feared Vampiric Lord Darius, he was the son of normal low ranking vampires. Still, even though his family's origins were weak within the tribe, the Vampire Tribe was a powerful tribe in the demon lands. His parents didn't really care about the tribe's view of superiority which is why they lived on the outskirts of the tribe's lands. 

...

One day while Darius was busy reading a book he found in his father's study, he heard the main door of the house opening. His father had returned home and in his hands was an injured horned demon. 

Darius looked curiously at the girl who seems to be only a few years younger than him. Even though she was injured and had bruises all over she looked like a beautiful doll. Darius's mother arrived and started treating the injured horned demon. 

While his mother was treating the horned Demon, his father started talking about how he found the horned demon. As Darius's father was heading home he noticed the sound of sobbing. Looking for the source of the sobbing he found the horned demon girl curled up injured and crying. 

Darius was curious as to why a horned demon would be near the Vampire tribe's lands. It was at that moment he smelled the horned demon's blood. 

"She's half-human." Darius murmured to himself. Darius now looked at the horned demon with even more curiosity. It was near impossible for any human to reach the western demon lands since most humans wouldn't want to enter the territory of the demons, without a heavy reason. So going in so deep into the lands of the demons was unlikely for most humans much less a child. 

Yet right here in front of him wasn't just a human but a half-human half horned demon. For a half-human to survive this long was amazing, since neither demons nor humans would want this kind of being. Darius continued looking at the girl with curiousity and excitement. He wanted to learn more about her.

...

After successfully healing the young half demon Darius's parents learned that the young half demon was an orphan. It was that moment they decided to raise the girl as one of their own. 

Years pass and the young demon who was later named Elaine turned into a rather cheery maiden who doesn't let anything make her feel down. She and Darius had a lot of adventures together roaming around the western demon lands. 

To her Darius and his family were her everything. She really felt like they were her true family, and this family expanded later on. During one of their travels, while Darius was teaching some of the younger demons how to play some board games the ancient humans invented, Darius and Elaine met a Lycan. 

This Lycan was called Kir and he was on his own personal journey trying to find out the meaning of strength. The moment the three met, Elaine who was a rather curious girl kept on asking Kir many questions. She kept on bugging him until he told his whole life's story. 

Darius found Kir quite funny and despite his tough look when face to face with Elaine he looked like a cute little puppy. The three quickly hit it off and Kir joined Darius and Elaine on their quest to show the demon lands that fighting all the time was not worth it. It's more fun to play games instead. Darius was the leader, Kir was the bodyguard and Elaine was the mascot. 

The three of them had many adventures throughout the Western and Southern Demon Lands. They tried their hardest to convince the children and some a.d.u.l.ts that it's more meaningful to have fun playing games instead of fighting and hurting each other. 

The three of them continued this kind of work for three years. After three years, Elaine was feeling homesick so the group of three decided to head back to Darius's home. Darius was also excited to see his parents again and wanted to tell them all about the adventures they had.

When the three were close to the old mansion Darius's parents lived in, they saw smoke coming from the direction of the mansion. Elaine without any hesitation started running towards the mansion. On the other hand, Darius was shocked by the sight and was momentarily stunned. 

"DARIUS, COME ON!" Hearing Kir's voice Darius was shaken awake. The two quickly followed Elaine towards the mansion. Once they reached the mansion Darius was shocked by the sight he saw.

His old home was burnt, the bodies of his mother and father lay on the ground lifeless. His kind, loving parents, were dead. Darius's mind blanked out for a bit when he saw that. He couldn't understand what was happening. In his mind he was thinking that this might all be a bad dream. 

"Big Brother Darius!" Darius was jolted by the desperate sound of Elaine's voice that was when he saw Elaine being held by the neck. The one holding her was a high ranking vampire. Kir turned into his wolf form and was about to attack, but the vampire spoke interrupting him. 

"Tell your mutt to stop or else I snap her neck." The vampire tightened the grip on Elaine's neck. Seeing that the high ranking vampire was serious Kir stopped and transformed back into his human form. Darius and Kir were brimming with killing intent but they took not a single step forward. 

"What do you want?" Darius asked the unknown vampire. 

"I want you to die." 

"Why?" 

"Are you truly that much of an idiot?... What am I expecting from a low class vampire that's barely a vampire at all... The elders of the tribe wants you gone since you've brought extreme shame upon the tribe by advocating your games."

"If that's what you want, then why kill my parents?" 

"Since they failed to educate you, then they are equally to blame from your failings." When Darius heard the high ranking vampire's answer he clenched his fist trying to hold in his anger. 

"... If you want to kill me, let go of the girl and kill me now, I'm right here!" Darius opened his arms wide inviting the high ranking vampire to attack him.

"No, no, no, I won't be the one to kill you. That will be your job. I want you to pierce your chest, take your heart out and present it to me. Surely, even a low born vampire like you can do that. Once you have accomplished that I'll let the girl go."

"Don't listen to him Darius!" Kir shouted at his best friend, but then Darius looked at him and shook his head. Darius then raised his arm and was about to pierce his chest but then something unexpected happened. 

The high ranking vampire looked shocked like everyone present. Elaine had used a spell to pierce through her heart and also piercing right through the high ranking vampire's heart. The two then fell on the ground as blood came flowing out of both of them. 

Darius and Kir quickly headed straight to Elaine's side. The two looked at the girl in panick not knowing what to do. They had no knowledge of how to use healing spells, they didn't even know how to do first aid. Demons had great regenerative abilities, that as long as the heart and the brain were safe they could potentially survive most things.

Darius tried to stop the bleeding but it was to no avail. Kir on the other hand made sure that the high ranking vampire was dead. In his anger he even crushed the high ranking vampire's head. 

"Elaine, why did you do that?!" Darius held onto Elaine's hand which was growing colder by the second. The young maiden smiled at Darius and replied. 

"I couldn't allow big brother Darius to die for me. Big brother Darius, mom and dad, have given me so much. It's my turn to give something in return."

"No, no, no, I won't accept this!" Darius was starting to tear up. Not only were his parents dead, but now he was about to lose his most important person. Elaine weakly lifted her free hand and wiped away Darius's tears as she smiled gently at him. 

"Big Brother Darius can we play a game?" 

"Of course anything you want."

"The game is simple it's a game of hide and seek. But to win the one seeking must try his hardest not to find the one who's hiding. I'll be the one hiding, and big brother Darius will be the one seeking. If you find me too... early... I will... be... very... mad... at... you..." 

Elaine's voice slowly drifted away and her hands no longer gripped onto Darius's. Kir and Darius who saw this scene didn't want to believe what they were seeing. It had to be a joke, one of Elaine's bad pranks. Yet no matter how much they called her name their was no response. Kir started to cry while Darius held onto Elaine's lifeless body and continued to hug it even tighter.