Ch 81 – Double Awakening [End of 1st Arc]

"Nec..." Ace stared in awe as the being slowly walked towards her. This was Necro, she knew it had to be. The water from the rain washed away all doubts. "What's going on?" She asked, but nobody responded.

A lightning, followed by thunder.

A flash of light, revealing a familiar yet very different face. Crimson eyes, with a slim vertical slit for a pupil. Her white skin looked even more ghostly white, but her lips looked even more red than before, a thin line of blood flowing down the corner of her mouth. But most importantly, two massive fangs now could be seen in her mouth...

"So it was true after all..." Ace muttered to herself, as the light from the lighting vanished. She closed her eyes for a second. "Are you okay?" She asked, yet, Necro still didn't respond. Rather, she stopped walking towards her. After a second, something could be seen shining near the corner of her eyes. Tears.

"Is that so..." Ace said, taking a step towards her. Necro took a step back, trying to stop her from getting closer.

"A----ce... W-hy..."

"Because you are my beloved one."

"R--un..."

"I refuse."

After a handful of seconds, Necro's back hit the wall behind, Ace still taking slow but steady steps towards her...

"Why..."

"Because I love you." Ace took a step forward, standing only a couple feet from her. Necro raised her arm. Ace flinched, fear overwhelming her confident facade. She opened back her eyes, as she felt Necro's fingers caress her face, her long claws only lightly touching her skin.

"You're... afraid... of me..."

"I'm not."

"Don't... lie..."

"I'm not." She took another step forward, awkwardly kissing Necro's lips. "I'll be with you... No matter what."

"Thank... you."

"Nothing to thank me for." She hugged her.

Necro's eyes fell onto Ace's nape. Something pushing her. He mouth opened, then closed again.

"You can do it."

"I... don't want to... hurt you..."

"It's okay. I trust you."

"Ace..." Necro's eyes glowed in a different shade of red, a much gentler one, and so did Ace's. She relaxed herself, strengthening her resolve. 'I need to hold back."

'Do it." But Ace's words pushed her over the edge. Ace winced as Necro's fangs bore into her nape, a cold feeling taking her over as she felt her very life escape through her neck. 'I entrust myself to you, my love.' She thought, as she felt her consciousness fade, only for a torrent of mana to burst through her soul. It was like before, but more powerful. Her soul felt like it was burning as something seeped into her through the wounds on her neck. "Aaahh~" a captivating moan of pleasure leaked from her lips as she held tightly around Necro's waist, her hands supporting her back and neck. Her whole body felt like it was on fire, she could feel her own mana surge like a magic circle going out of control. Something was changing inside her. Another self was now taking over. But it didn't feel strange or uncomfortable. Instead, it felt cozy and warm. She knew who that other self was. It was her. A will to do something unthinkable took her over. Her body began moving on its own, her mouth moving itself towards Necro's neck.

'What am I doing? What's going on? Why am I doing this?'

'I allow it.' A permission came through her mind. A voice of a man, but she knew who it was. It was also her. She felt a rusty flavor invade her tongue. Before she noticed, her canines had grown into Necro's nape.

*THUMP*

Her heart beat stronger than ever before. Power surged once again though her body, but not her own, yet, still hers. A power unparalleled and far beyond human understanding, one leagues above that of which she'd even felt from Necro. 'What is this? What's going on?' Yet, somehow, she knew. She'd been granted something.

"Fuaaah~!" Necro let go of her neck, breathing heavily. "Thank you for bringing me back... I don't know what would've happened without you..."

"I... I'm the one who has to thank you... I was so afraid. So worried I had lost you." The two held each other's face, their fronts touching. "But now I know... I remember everything."

"What are you talking about?"

"I can't say for sure for now, It's still hazy... But I've known you for a long time."

"Is that so..."

"Nec... Why did you marry me?"

"Eh?!"

"You let me drink your blood, didn't you?"

"I think I did... Wait! That makes you my..."

"I'm so happy..." Ace kissed her mouth that had now gone back to normal. There were still fangs, but not as large as the ones before.

"Wait, you're not angry? I turned you into a vamp—"

"It's okay. I understood it from the moment I got close to you... Rather, this is the best outcome."

"Then why?"

"Haven't I told you already? Because I love you. I really, really love you."

"Thanks... I'll match your feelings." Necro smiled, despite everything that happened today, she was genuinely happy now...

"But why didn't you tell me before? That you were a vampire..."

"Because... I didn't know I was one..."

"How come...?"

"Nobody said anything about it... I had a hunch but I had never had anything to tell me I was one such thing..."

"I see... you awakened today..."

"Awakened? Do you know anything about this?" 'I remember something about this from when I was studying as Soleir... but I don't recall it...'

"I do... Vampires, no, not any vampire... Purebred Noble-born Vampires... they don't have powers ever since they are born... They need an event to trigger the release of their powers."

"So..."

"Yes... Today, you awakened as a vampire."

"Sorry for taking you down this path."

"Sorry? Are you crazy? Do you realize how much mana I have flowing though myself right now? That's way beyond anything I could've ever imagined even in my wildest dreams. Instead, thank you..."

"Thank you too..."

"Guess this means we're together forever from now on, right... Immortal..."

"Yeah... Feels strange to know that..."

DarkGodEM