The Fallen Vampire

Chapter 94: Fall

That single tap atop the head of Duncan may not have looked all that impressive at first, but it was followed up with a concussive blast that made him feel like he'd been hit by a freight car.

Time seemed to go in slow motion for the hero of unbreakable ice, as he plummeted down from the sky like an angel knocked from heaven.

During his fall, Setskua would appear in front of him and continuously tap various parts of his body with her cane while seemingly expending no more effort than one would to turn a doorknob.

But with every knock against his body, Duncan felt as if an entire region of his being was being obliterated from existence.

A tap against his leg was followed by one in his arm, shin, and even stomach.

Each time her wooden staff connected there was a sound like a sonic boom before excruciating pain followed behind it.

Finally, Duncan crashed back onto the ground but he wasn't even remotely whole anymore.

Parts of his body were broken beyond repair and his entire being was in so much pain that he could hardly string together a coherent thought.

'What is this..?'

'How long have I been here...?'

'What was I even doing here..?'

'I can't feel anything... weird.'

Suddenly, an old woman floated in front of his face like an angel and some thread of memory began trying to connect itself within his mind.

He remembered just how much he hated this woman.

But he wasn't sure why.

There was just something about her that just infuriated him to his very core and he wanted to see her lying dead instead of him.

But his body wasn't listening to him.

If he were able to see himself, he would know that the reason was because his body was currently bent at a number of odd angles.

Even his skull had a large dent in it from where he was initially struck and it was a miracle he was still cognizant.

But no matter how much he tried to keep his mind alert and awake, a creeping darkness was filling his vision more and more by the second.

'Is this how I die...?'

'It doesn't have to be.'

'Who..?'

'Don't forget who made you special, Duncan. Don't forget who has always been the secret to your greatness. '

'Va... I can't remember your name.'

'Your disrespect can be forgiven just this once. For right now, allow me to impart this spell within what little mind you have left.'

'This spell... this will-'

'Restore what little honor you have left and ensure that your legacy trumps that of Isaac. Isn't that what you want?'

'I...'

'You're almost out of time. Use the spell before it is too late. '

In the end, Duncan used the little bit of functionality within his mind to cast the spell that was imparted to him by the inner voice.

And it was the last thing he would ever recall.

"For...bidden Arc...ane Ice.. Art : Life... and Death... Transposition..."

Setsuka suddenly sensed a dangerously cold power welling up from within the crumpled body of the enemy before her and she immediately went on high alert.

Throwing out her hand, she tried to stop her sect members who were approaching thinking the battle had been won.

"Stay back, girls! Something is-"

BOOOOMMMMMMMM!!!!!

A column of purely white energy struck the body of the fallen human and turned the area closest around him into pure crystalline ice.

The leader of the Drifting Snowfall Sect felt like her mind was playing trick on her.

'This aura... it clearly belongs to a six star mage..!'

When the column of ice dispersed, the human was back on his feet and recovered but.. there was something different about him.

Parts of his body were made up of pure ice, like his left arm and leg along with half of his skull.

There was a cold and empty look within his icy blue eyes, and his entire demeanor had undergone a massive change from earlier.

He lifted up his arm and opened and closed it a few times to test proper control over his body.

"That vampire never should have let his plans get out... Now I get to reap the benefits of his thinking with only half the time and work..." he said under his breath.

"Who are you? What have you done with the man who was there before?"

The human looked up at the old elven woman with empty eyes before a glimmer of recognition shown within them.

"Oh right... I had almost forgotten about you even after you were the one responsible for my coming. That was rude of me."

"And the rudeness continues. Do you not know that it's rude to not introduce yourself in conversation?"

'Duncan' smiled as he clasped both hands behind his back.

"My name... Are you worthy of hearing it?"

BANG!!

A wave of icy shards sprang up from the ground at the feet of the imposter; sharp and unrelenting.

Setsuka twirled the staff in her hand before she raised it above her head and smacked the incoming attack with all of the force she could muster.

But even then, the force behind the attack was significantly greater than she could have ever anticipated, and she was sent skidding back as the ice continued to push her at a slow speed.

'What a monster..! So much power within his magic and he didn't even use a chant...!'

Setsuka knew immediately that her enemy was now in an entirely different weight class, and if she wasn't careful then she would immediately succumb to his new might.

"Oh...You're still up..?" The human said in surprise. "That's pretty impressive... I wonder if those that you have trained are just as capable."

Setsuka felt her eyes widen as she looked back at the one hundred or so warriors who were still standing around motionless with no idea of what was going on.

Everything afterwards seemed to happen in slow motion.

Setsuka threw out her hand to send all of her members back into the sect before it was too late, just as pillars of ice like jagged columns spiraled up from the ground and pierced between their legs to the top of their heads.

The Abbess felt her heart shatter into two as every member of her sect lost the light within their eyes all at once, and they died without even understanding what had happened to them.

"Girls... Noo!"

As Setsuka fell into an inescapable pit of despair, a male voice suddenly played directly within her ear.

"This sort of falls on you, you know? At the end of the day your failure to properly instruct them is the reason why they failed to hang onto their lives."

Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced her chest and she looked down to find a pillar impaling her just like the ones that had harmed her precious daughters.

"Atone for wasting their lives with your own. It is the least you can do for failing to teach them properly, no?"

"Bastard...!"

"No, hag..."

'Duncan' Suddenly grabbed Setsuka by her face and held her above his head while chilling her all the way to the bone and staring into her eyes.

"God." he corrected.

As he prepared to watch the light leave her eyes as well, he felt multiple incoming presences and casually looked over his shoulder for the culprit.

Running at him quickly along the bridge were a large demonic looking fox, a werewolf with dark black fur, and a dark skinned woman with a purple dress and long raven hair.

"You bastard!"

"We'll kill you!!"

"Put her down!!"

The one who referred to himself as a god tilted his head in confusion as if he didn't understand where exactly these new onlookers had come from.

They clearly weren't affiliated with the sect.

However, he quickly realized that he didn't really care all that much and shook his head free of all concern.

"You all seem upset... that's funny since I don't believe I've done anything to you. But if all of you are so intent on forfeiting your lives, I have no problem taking them."