Chapter 557: A Butler

"Accept what?" her face froze.

"Truth be told," broken screens flashed, "-I'm a vampire."

Screams of help, the sound of bones breaking, the gluttonous groan of the crawler. Mild tremors diffused per their steps.

"A vampire?" she gulped,"-what then?"

"I need, "caressing her neck, "-blood. Your blood."

"I trust you," said she in a soft-spoken tone and compassionate expression.

*Slam!* the door flung open; a tall figure entered with a pig-like creature in his arms. Fierce eyes submerged in a black veil, rounded white spots marked the retina. A strange symbol ran from the forehead, down the nose, and spread around the mouth. A dark complexion, short hair, and protruding horns. Ling's grip nearly pierced skin, her face paled.

"It's him," she let a whimper. 

The seeking gaze struck Igna and the cowering lass. "You there," patting the pet, "-what's your name?"

"My name?" returned Igna.

"Yes," said he, "-I'm searching for a certain individual. My master sent me to evaluate his strengths."

"I knew it," said he under the breath.

"Igna?" her face fearfully stared upwards; "-do you know him?"

"I'm afraid so. Ling, sense that aura. There's no way anyone's getting out alive. Sorry about this," he bit into her neck, a warm tingling sensation ran down her whole body. Her legs and arms involuntarily contracted in wait for something else. Her tears warmed to steam, the cheeks and ears boiled, '-s-stop,' asked she in an unconvincing manner. 

'Good, she'll do. I can just about manage to recover.' Quick to locate the splattered blood, '-if there's a massacre, all the better for me.' *Blood-Arts: Bloody Mary.*

"Once again I ask," the tone came across impatient, "-what is your name?"

"Igna Haggard," he stood whilst Ling rested inside the makeshift hideout, "-you're a demon from Scifer's army?"

"Correct. To be precise, a low-level demon, a butler. Don't be confused, butlers are more suited to combat than our masters."

"Demons follow a hierarchy?" he chuckled.

"What is so funny?" the unmoving pale face rose a brow, the petting stopped. 

"Where does the inheritor of the Founder land?" 

"Very shrewd of you," the wind blew strong, carrying the vaporized mists of blood and broken skin, "-the inheritor is the rightful king. Though, all considered, most of the lords and nobles haven't accepted thy claim. Lady Vesper and Lady Kul might have done so, we, speaking as a proxy, haven't recognized thee as the king. We follow the simple law of survival – the strong rule and the weak follow. What will it be?"

"This supposed to be a fight, right?" ambled till the door, "-don't worry, I'm not running away," said he feet away from the demon, "-quite rude of me, I forgot to ask, what's thy name?" A dead body crashed against the adjacent wall, splattering bone fragments across. 'Good,' thought he, '-the plan's coming along.' 

"Please, refer to me as Butler. I haven't been granted a name by my master yet. We of the demon race follow different rules."

"To each their own," he stepped onto the broken roof, a fire rose in from Reforge. The singular Crawler spewed fire before reaching the camp. The adventurers broke into teams to fight fire and monster. It wouldn't take long for support to surround the beast. 

"I'd say this fight is getting along nicely," said the Butler, "-a single Cawn managing to destroy the Azure wall and its fighters. Quite sad, considering their place in the demon-army."

"Are they not monsters?" inquired Igna walking along with the troubled surrounding.

"No, they are the ants of our world. Those abnormals there," pointing to Viola's fight, "-are a tiny bit up the scale. They're throw away lives, fast regeneration, and instinct to fight, adapt, and win. The more people fight one, the stronger it becomes."

"The perfect pawns," sighed he, "-listen, Butler, are we going to fight?" over yonder, the wall-guardian neared her end, the blade broke, she stood before the hunter and its prey. 

"We'll fight, that much is sure. I'm in no rush, I quite enjoy the sight of carnage. Go," said he, "-rescue those who need so," a blink later, "-I'll be taking this girl as a hostage. Can't have the inheritor running out on me," glancing to the lonesome tree beyond the walls, "-I'll be there, waiting. My patience has its limits," a deafening pulse marked his teleportation. 

'A low demon without a name. Guess I have to learn more about the other races. How the hell can he be that strong. Well, at least I know those beasts aren't monsters. They're servants of the demons. The beast-like one is named Cawn. Anyway,' multiple threads stretched as if spider-webs. '-all this death hasn't been lost.' A halo slowly built around above the head, five dark-crimson orbs hovered at the back. 'My blood is replenished, let's fight for real.'

"Runa!" cried the injured, "-save yourself, guardian, we're a lost cause."

"Shut up!" strong with a broken blade, "-I'll uphold my responsibility. I can't let my sister's aspirations be in vain." The blade dropped; a purple-cape materialized at her back; a bow conjured from thin air. The wind swallowed into a vortex.

'A saint,' he leaped over. 

"BEHIND US!" screamed another.

"She's open," gritted Igna, "-well," using the first Cawn as a springboard, he flew as if a bullet. 

"No you don't!" the arrow fired to hit and summon a black hole. The beast collapsed, blood spewed, the inner-organs crushed, it was as if juicing a lemon with the skin still on, all the liquid poured onto the wall. '-I did it,' light-headed by the first shot, '-next target,' spun to draw another, '-are those wings?' a figure went straight for the head, multiple strokes and it fell.

'Never underestimate the power of a true-blooded vampire.' 

"Who are you?" asked she falling to her knee.

"Kinless. Take the wounded to the lieutenant's quarters. It's the safest place on the wall, we don't know if there are more coming our way."

"We can't hold out anymore," cried Frost stuck in battle, "-between defending and attacking, we drew the shortest straw."

"Come on," fired Rena, "-let's win this fight already, I want to sleep."

"FOCUS KIDDOS," screamed the veteran signaling for an incoming volley of spells. 'Can't do much with the outpost inches away from destruction. We lose this and innocent people will die.' He stood on a boulder.

"Sir, Beast-wolves have engaged support from Ground-Zero and Stonegrove."

"Fucking hell," the view over the battle didn't inspire courage. 'Novices are fighting the monsters, our true might were dealt with in the first engagement. This is a well-coordinated attack. The fast-regeneration, a battle of attrition, don't think we'll last. Stamina is running low; our magic users are stuck healing fallen comrades."

A flash of red burst into an explosion, a lonesome swordman sliced the limbs, effectively halting the advance. "Everyone, retreat," screamed he, "-unless you have a cursed weapon, there's no way to deal damage."

"Igna?" 

"Frost, get back, protect the rest," said he jumping into battle. As quickly as he took off the limbs, the monster regenerated staggeringly fast. 

"Anna, you heard the man," cried Frost, "-order a full-scale retreat."

"Go," screamed she at the others, "-I'll summon a barrier!" 

'Good, they're backing off.' Three Earth-walls erected, '-how does she have so much strength left. Anyway,' holding one of the orbs, '-don't have to waste time on you, ugly,' *crunch,* the presence exploded into a whirlwind of crimson. Senses heightened, the eyes closed, mana-lines flowed to and fro, the weak-spot shone in black. '-Over,' a thrust ended the fight. 'You're not getting away," *Blood-Arts: Bloody Mary.* 

The halo hardened to reflect the moonlight; '-the real fight starts now.' *Woosh.*

"What happened?" wondered the veteran, "-where's the monster?"

"Defeated," said a messenger, "-a single swordsman defeated it. The wall's free of the uncommon. What now, Sergeant Appy?" 

"My orders were to protect the Outpost and not leave under any circumstances. They must have figured its weak spot."

"Report from Stonegrove and Ground-zero, they've cleared the way and are beelining for us."

"Good," leaping onto the grassy hill, "-everyone, retreat. We've won the battle."

Meanwhile, Igna scaled the wall and made for Viola who defeated three on her own. The numbers increased; her stamina ran dry. Going all out would mean more harm than good. "Over here," screamed he in mid-air, "-leave these two to me!" 

"Alright," she faced the other two. Weapons drawn, they vanished before making contact. 

'Is he toying with me?' glaring the tree, the butler stood grandly and waved. 'Annoying.'

"Igna," exhaled Viola, "-I'm falling back. There's no one to evacuate."

"Could you contact Cousin Julius?" 

"How do you?"

"Long story," said he, "-tell him to dispatch supplies and soldiers to aid Reforge. We've taken a massive hit, there's no telling if there could be another attack."

"Alright, take care then," she ran off into the dimming night. Clouds grew to hang before the moon. The cold breeze didn't help but sway the bloodied weeds. 

"Commendable, I see you're not weak. The aura's changed very much so. How very delicate."

"Drop the act already," he breathed, "-let's fight."

"First," the pet imploded into a rapier, "-a contract is in order. If you manage to defeat me, I'll grant any wish. However, if you lose, I'll claim this girl's soul as mine."

"Deal," a seal hovered above each party.

"We may be revered as devils, cruel beings who care for devouring souls of others. All is true. The only thing binding us is our unfaltering will of upholding contracts. I hope you understand what this means?" the tall upright figure lowered into an unorthodox stance; "-I'm going to claim her soul." *Woosh,* a combination of thrusts had Igna in a defensive position. Out of five, he parried one, narrowly dodged two and the remainder landed. 'Fucking hell,' injuries flared up left, right, and center, the battle turned into a one-sided onslaught. 

"What is this?" laughed the Butler, "-can you not fight off a lowly Butler?" The movement grew faster than he could react.

'Damn it,' forced to consumed another orb, the burst of aura made some distance. 

"Oh, getting strong, are we?" he smirked, "-not to worry," the aura around him increased to match and surpass Igna's, "-don't leave the back so open," not even a second, the presence stood at his back. The ghastly white visage licked his lips with blade nearing Igna's heart.

*Blood-Arts: Crimson Threads,* dropped to the floor, the forward's momentum of the Butler led into the sharped cage of threads. Besides, Igna had Orenmir ready to thrust. 

"Smart, very smart," the body grew heavier, "-leaving an open spot as a trap. Sadly, there's something you ought to know, I have power over Gravity, *Snap,* four black balls dropped onto the feet and arms. "And now," smirked the Butler, "-the weight increases every time you struggle, the more one moves, the more it crashes."

"If you have power over Gravity, I have power over Blood," the halo broke into massive spikes. 

"Well, good try," he conjured a vortex to swallow the spikes. 

"Don't get so cocky," crystals broke into splinters that soon made for the Butler's neck.

"What is that going to do?" he smirked, "-you cut me only a little."

"That's the whole point," *Blood-Arts: Extria!* 

The smallest of cuts gave an advantage, blood ruptured the skin into a fountain. 

"Good," he laughed and held the wound, "-sadly," a giant ball materialized up on ahead, "-blood or not, once someone's under my control, there's no way to fight back – gravity is unbeatable." 

Panic set in, the four orbs formed a circle below his body, the ball above broke into countless runes. "What happens when someone is crushed to death?" coyly ambling around, "-it's been a pleasure, Igna." The symbols activated immediately pushing him onto the circle, "-there's no escape." Each minute, the pressure heightened.

'-Can't move,' Blood-Arts failed, he could no longer control blood. The Death-element spurred to only go dormant. Out the corner of his eyes, the demon made for Ling, lifting her chin and cackling at his win. 

'-Can't hold out for any more,' the skin tore, the pressure grew beyond the body's limit. 'Losing consciousness.' 

"Her soul is mine," runes formed on her forehead, "-watch, inheritor, this is the truth of those who are weak." Her consciousness returned, a dragger was drawn, "HELP ME!" she screamed, "-I DON'T WANT TO DIE, IGNA, HELP ME!" the cries of help stung deep, her face, the demon, it all blurred. 

'don't…Don't… DON'T' *Crack.*