It's Not Over Yet!

What a mess this kingdom turned out to be. To think all it took was a naive kid showing up at the wrong place at the wrong time.

No, was that really when things went wrong? Ren himself screwed up as well, didn’t he? Or perhaps it was that lunatic who orchestrated this whole mess? After all, none of this would’ve happened if he hadn’t gotten rid of him sooner.

It was a shame he couldn’t change the past, but he could still fix things. He could still turn the tides. All he needed was a little more time.

A bellowing toll of a bell echoed across the shadowed spires, followed by a conspiracy of ravens.

One of the birds—oddly bigger and more silent than the others—gazed down at the streets barely lit by rows of ornate street lamps, eyes glowing pure red. In the dead of night, hardly a sane soul would dare to wander around.

For a handful of unfortunate individuals, the streets and alleyways became the center of attention, whether the people liked it or not.

As the distant bell continued to chime, the raven diverged from its group and soared down. With grace, it perched on a moving tram and continued to observe the ornamental buildings, their doors and windows shut and pure black.

When the tram passed by a building with flickering lights, the raven resumed its flight and drew closer to a window. It pulled the frame open with a talon and hopped inside.

From the same building, a thundering explosion blasted a stone wall away, crashing a man out toward the next building. A cloud of dust lingered around the scene as the man coughed and groaned.

Stepping out of the building next was another man wearing black robes and a raven mask. He readjusted his top hat and steadily approached his target.

The injured man stared at him with a deadpan gaze. “To think we’ve been caught so soon,” he muttered wearily. “Do enlighten me... how did you find us?”

The raven man merely slanted his head. “Predators like you should already know the answer, no?” He pulled out a scroll and unrolled it before him. “Sir Jules Roden, with the clear evidence found within the building, I hereby declare you guilty of the murders of thirty-nine people, mutilation, and human trafficking.”

The monocle glowed crimson, and his cane surged with red static. “And due to your nature as a vampire, I am authorized to execute you immediately.”

In retaliation, the man raised a hand, quickly forming a ball of red liquid in his palm. He clenched his fist, and the sphere reshaped into a bundle of needles. With a swing, the needles soared in a blink of an eye.

The figure batted them away with a twirl of his cane and parried with a wave of electricity. The streak struck the man, and he grunted in pain and fell on his sides, twitching uncontrollably.

The raven man lowered his head. “I am sorry,” he muttered under his breath as he pointed his cane. “May the stars bring mercy upon your soul.”

A laser shot out of the cane and blasted through the man’s head, leaving a sizzling hole as the man fell limp.

The executioner sighed and lowered his cane.

A gun clicked behind him.

He twitched and glanced over his shoulders, facing another figure.

Before they could pull the trigger, another window crashed open. The two flinched and looked up, catching a glimpse of another man screaming as he collapsed onto the gunman. The two instantly fell unconscious the moment their heads smacked against the cold cobblestone.

Another window shattered into pieces as yet another figure jumped out with a frontflip. He landed on the bodies with grace, his long, silver hair flowing behind him as his top hat floated its way back onto his head.

“Ta-daaah!” The old man dramatically bowed, his crimson eyes shining with mischief. “How’s that for a landing?”

“Haha, what a surprise indeed,” said the raven figure. “Thank you for the help, good sir.”

The man played with his curly mustache and slowly raised his cane as he approached him. “Don’t ‘good sir’ me when you nearly died—again—for the umpteenth time this week! What happened to being careful?!”

He swung his cane at him, only for the figure to nonchalantly bat it away.

“Also! You said you were going to go to sleep early for once!” the old man spat. “And here you are dealing with another vampire case! I get that you want to help me fix this kingdom fast, but sheesh!”

“Bold words coming from you. Aren’t you also busy with whatever business you have as well?”

“But even I don’t sacrifice that much sleep!”

The figure sighed and gazed at the black sky. “That’s because you still have someone to make you, Ren.”

The old man stopped swinging and frowned. “Then what the hell am I to you, Horace? A roach?”

He chuckled and shook his head. “I could never dare to see you like that, considering how much you’ve already helped me.” He slowly turned to him, his face still concealed behind the mask.

Horace stepped past him. “But I still cannot fully forgive you for your negligence as a father,” he hissed. “If your children were here, they would’ve called you such names without hesitation.”

Ren kept his calm gaze but discreetly squeezed his cane. "Did my daughter speak of me that much?”

“More than you realize, Ren. While I certainly do understand your reasons, I still wonder..." Horace stopped in his tracks and faced his back. “Do you still believe that it's truly worth it—that you’ve sacrificed your time with them for the sake of this kingdom?”

Ren chuckled. “If you keep asking me that, you’re going to make me feel regret.”

“That is my intention.”

“Haha, how cruel of you.”

“Forgive me—I still carry your daughter’s feelings, you see. I feel terribly obligated to share them with you for her sake.”

“I thought you despise vampires. Since when did you care for one you barely know much about?”

“The fact that you ask me such a question proves how ignorant you’ve become, Ren. How can I not look away when she cried for you? When she desperately worked hard in her studies in hopes of meeting you one day?” Horace pointed a finger at him. “But after all her efforts, look where we are now—in a world where she’s no longer around. Tell me, Ren, do you still believe it is truly worth it?”

The two remained at a standstill. A frigid breeze slithered by, carrying scraps of a wanted poster.

Ren finally turned to face him next, stretching a strained smile, and yet, his eyes gleamed with hints of hope. “Yes,” he answered. “Yes, I do, Horace. And in a few days, I will show you why that is.”

Horace tilted his head. “What are you scheming this time?”

Ren chuckled as he turned and walked toward the streets. “That, I cannot tell you just yet. Just think of it as a pleasant surprise when the time comes.”

He lowered his hand. “You and your strange antics could rival Lady Maribel, you know that?”

“Wow, that's the best compliment I’ve received in ages!”

Horace sighed. “Just go and do whatever you must.”

“And you should go back home and sleep. I’m serious. You might actually die if you keep this up.”

“Ah, did Fiona’s cards portray a new prediction?”

“No, it still says you’re going to die in a few days.”

“Oh, I see.”

“Don’t ‘oh, I see’ me! Go home!”

“Haha, alright, alright, I will be on my way as well.”

With that said, the men tipped their hats and crossed paths. Horace stepped into the shadows while Ren hummed to himself, walking down the street while the ravens on the rooftops continued to spectate.

While he did, glowing red ribbons swirled around his feet, and black feathers began to cover up his figure.

“In the end, we can’t even protect the peace of the next generation,” he murmured, staring at a street clock. “Sorry, kiddos, for getting you all involved in our mess, but we’re all out of time now.”

The howling wind carried another wanted poster, sharing the same silhouette as one darting through an alleyway. Another cloaked shadow also snuck by, following the larger silhouette.

Ren grinned to himself and glimpsed toward the sky. “Alright then..." He slowly raised a hand, his thumb and middle finger pressed together.

“Let the show begin.”