48. Heroes also Fight Vampire Lords

As with any fight between titans, it started with a staredown.

No words were spoken, for the two had never truly spoken the same language. One of them was identified as a hero, yet he lacked the moral traits whenever he was put up to the test. The other was a lord, having led over both vampires and elves with passion, yet that passion had long turned from love—the love for his people—to the hate for one single being.

Having his demonic sword already out, Gavin didn't want to waste too much time with the fight. After all, hero is not a hero because he is the strongest, and the confidence in Lucien's eyes showed that he was aware of that.

Still, no previous fight since the one against the demon lord required Gavin to give it his all, and the sword in his hand was a toy he was itching to test.

In a flash, the two strongest fighters clashed their weapons. Although, in Lucien's case, his weapon was his own body.

Hit after hit, waves of energy shook the snow around them, unveiling the grass that trembled in fear.

Gavin's reach advantage was kept in check by Lucien's millennia of experience in battle. Their hardened bodies and bold strikes kept one another on their toes, each looking for the opportunity to cut the adversary down.

Yet one of them dared to keep their smile intact.

"So that's how this works!" Gavin said, releasing more and more of the miasma nobody understood too well.

It was that very miasma that disturbed the vampire. Lucien fought through it, yet the more it touched him, the more his mind drifted to past days. His moves became more erratic, and it wasn't long before he made a mistake.

"That's your first! Three and you're out!"

As he spoke, Gavin smacked the lord over the head with the hilt of his sword. Lucien flew a couple of meters, rolling through the snow, but it didn't take him long to get up.

Now that he was out of the miasma and took some distance from his adversary, the grin on the vampire's face didn't fail to emerge.

"I could say the same about you!" he spoke, lifting both of his hands into the air and dropping them vigorously.

After some ancient words that Gavin didn't understand slipped out of Lucien's mouth, the blade in the hero's hand became heavy. No, it wasn't only the blade. His body also felt heavier and heavier.

"I see that Yumino forgot to mention who you're up against, hero," Lucien said, laughing at the struggling man.

Unable to hold his own weight, Gavin felt for the first time in a long while that his life was in danger. Yet that didn't seem to bother him all that much. In fact, the smile on his face still shone bright.

For all his excitement, the hero was still pinned to the ground, and that smile was soon covered by gray fog seeping out from the blade.

"I see you've already lost control of that thing. Terrifying blade, honestly. I don't know what's up with it, but if I never see it again, it will be too soon."

As he spoke, Lucien took small steps towards the hero, making sure not to weaken his control over gravity for even a moment. He couldn't see Gavin's body, but he didn't need to, as even the fog surrounding him was pinned to the ground, covering him like a blanket.

"Now, let me know if you see those riders above the heavens," Lucien said, pointing his index finger up.

At that moment, all of the fog got flung into the air. The vampire enjoyed seeing it get lost into the clouds. Yet for some reason, it seemed to be unending.

Suddenly, something smacked Lucien's face, flinging him back once again.

His expression clouded in disbelief, the vampire only had one question.

"How?"

"It's not that big of a deal. The gravity just died out. I don't think it's going to work again..." Gavin said, his shoulders raised as his figure came out of the gray miasma.

"Don't worry. This was bound to happen, so I won't count it as a mistake," the hero said, winking at the terrified lord.

The next moment, Gavin lunged at Lucien, aiming right for his neck.

"Don't think it's over just like that!" the lord screamed, shoving his hand into the snow and pulling another vampire from the ground as if it were a dead animal.

Gavin reacted instantly and cut the vampire in front of him, letting the lord escape once again.

"Now, you didn't think I would come to a fight unprepared, did you? With how much you've managed to anger me, I think it is fitting that I call in the army that will soon take down Death!"

As Lucien raised his hands, hordes of vampires emerged from the snow, as if they were undead coming alive in a graveyard. In no time, all three battlegrounds were surrounded by raging vampires, and unlike the ones Yumino usually fought, those vampires were the peak of Lucien's army.

Even so, Gavin didn't despair. Instead, he scoffed at the lord, having him tilt his head, confused at the hero's reaction.

"Could it be that you've already gone mad with the stench of death?" Lucien asked, but Gavin shook his head.

"That's already the second one! You're really close now!"