TO Rewrite: B2 — 17. A Demon in Wolf's Clothing (Patreon)

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1. Rachel (Our Lunar Hare Is Going In!)

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Putting Illa’s weird confession in the ‘later box,’ Rachel rolled around her neck and loosened up while moving to tap each member of Omen on the shoulder; they still had a few minutes, but she’d factor that into their advantage and set things in motion with temporary immunity.

“Scarlet, you have Cássia, Illa, and Coral.  As I said, head for her mother’s study and get to the bottom of this fiasco.  I’m counting on you.  No hesitation if vamps or hunters are on you.  Got it?”

The dark-haired girl nodded without batting an eyelash.  Whatever Cássia had given her had certainly produced a different Scarlet than she’d known.  On her way to Maria, she passed her inactive clone and the bloomed flower, and she could feel the Crimson Moon calling her back.

“The second I go out, everyone will view this clone as Cássia.  Levitate her, Fi, and book it to the West Wing.  You got the heals, Maria?  Saint Catherine and Fiona should have the firepower, so I’d rather you focus on sustaining them than combat.”

“Shit, and after you gave me these sun gloves?”  Maria snorted, flexing her fingers.  The items melded to her hand size, thinning extensively; coming from a hard Legend Quest, they were quite powerful artifacts at the end of the day.  “Chica, I’m game to finish this up in one or two nights.  Ready to slide on these fools, Fi?”

“Heck yeah, horse butt!”  Fiona snickered, illuminating a bright green as she lifted the clone out of the flower.  “I knew you’d have a plan, Rach.”

Nia summoned their hammer and slung it over her shoulder.  “If by a plan you mean slaughter everything, then sure; Cap resorting back to her thug mentality.  Let’s turn up the violence!”  she chimed, slamming the spiked head against the blood wall, leaving an impression that slowly filled in.

Rachel grinned and bumped fists with the Unicorn before moving to the hopping bunny.  “Just remember, vampires are supposed to be Dex builds, right, Scarlet?”

“You were listening!”  the fanged girl giggled.  “Yup, but some should have a lot of Power, too.  Regeneration, flight, intangibility—shrinking even!  Magic goes without saying, so be careful.  I’ve got a few things on my mind to tell Elizabeth myself!”

“Haha!  You go, girl.  Just… don’t bite off more than you can chew, and I’m not talking about combat.”  Her braided hair whipped to the side as she pivoted toward the door, where Nia waited.  “Illa!”

“H-Huh?”

She paused, half-turned, and leveled a light glare at the stiff 16-year-old.  “Be very careful how you act, and don’t cause Scarlet any trouble.  We’ll touch base after this with all of this shit regarding your dream.  The same for you, Cássia; I’m not completely sold on your act, either; you may be plotting things to get at your mother.”

Illa’s messy ginger hair bobbed as she nodded rapidly.  “No trouble from me!  Eh-hehe.  None at all!  Like I said, it’s just a dream!  Oof.  Shutting up!  Shutting up!”

Scarlet beamed, giving her a thumbs-up.  “That’s why I’m going to get answers!  I’m on a mission, Cap.”

Cássia wasn’t anywhere near as frantic as the older teen, gripping her elbow and looking troubled.  “I do appreciate what you are doing for me, but things… were not supposed to escalate this quickly.  Where is Aurora?”

“Good question,” Rachel growled, scratching the back of her neck with a frustrated sigh.  “The woman is clinging to me one second and off chasing a random vampire dude for a dance the next.  She went into one of the rooms, so I’m guessing she’s planning on remaining neutral… or doesn’t even know what is happening.

“So, who the hell knows?  With how dense these stupid walls are, they might as well be ten-meter-thick foam.  Anyway, I’ll find you all when I get a chance, so keep inside the hallways if you can.  Everyone good?”

Scarlet gave her a salute, Coral plopping on top of her head to mirror the reaper.  “I am; good luck, Captain!”

“Fifififi!”

Nia rolled her eyes, free hand on the doorknob.  “Yes, Coral, you can kill things now.”

“Fiiiii!”  the terror bun roared, a sinister pumpkin grin spreading across her mouth.

Half-opening the door, her lieutenant slipped out, and Rachel gave Scarlet a thumbs-up before joining her.  It was time to relieve some stress.

The sounds of her team dampened significantly as she pressed her back against the closed door, puffing out a long stream of air to calm her pumping heart.  She felt a huge weight slip off her shoulders as she took in the large throng that had spread throughout the hall—her audience.

Without skipping a beat, she strode forward with Nia, entering the crimson light.  Her skin dyed the same color, her vision tinted, and she felt the urge to propagate tingling the hair on the back of her neck.

A snobbish-looking woman in heels and a dress swept their appearance behind her mask as they neared.  “Only the two of you, and what is with this flower you spread earlier?  Did you really think none of us would have noticed?”

She displayed the plucked crimson flower, leaking droplets of blood from the root, yet Rachel ignored her and continued right past the vampire.  Instead, her aim was on someone in the shadows—someone hiding outside of the moon’s light.

“Wha—excuse you!”

“Haha!  You’re not even worth their time, Lauren.  If she wants to make herself an easy target by being in the center, let her; they’ve only got a bit over a minute left on life, after all.”

“Does anyone else smell how… divine her scent is?  I want to sink my fangs into her neck.”

“Patience, Florence.  Let the others test out her powers first and wear her down.  After all, we have over a hundred vampires here.  Enjoy the show.”

Nia flipped the hammer around her neck and tossed it for Rachel to snatch out of the air, continuing past the vampires, who jeered or mocked them.  Her instincts brought her right up to the large cloaked figure, who stood on his lonesome, a large cavalier hat hiding his face.

As she stopped, Rachel placed her hand on her hip and breathed in the trace amounts of pollen in the air.  It came from the ocean, but it wasn’t enough to fully influence people—not how she could with an actual, concentrated dose of the crimson flower.

“You’re not a Vampire, so you’re a Hunter.  Are you joining the fun?  And don’t think I don’t hear you, Red!”  she shouted, glancing to the right, where the huntress hid behind a pillar.  “Where do both of you stand, because besides you two, maybe… four or five others are really worth my time.”

The man lifted his head slightly to look down at her, showing part of his face beneath his hat.  His dark-blue eyes illuminated, and his thick, black locks shifted around his broad shoulders.  The hunter’s Dutch accent was low and earthy, matching his light facial hair, strong jaw, and confident smile.

“Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Rachel Park, the Lunar Hare of Misfortune from what my sources tell me.  Abraham…  Abraham Van Helsing,” he stated, holding out a gloved hand.  “And no, we are not at odds… as of yet.  I merely wanted an excuse to stretch my legs.”

Rachel’s smile grew as several vampires swiftly gave them room, his introduction spreading through the throng.  Accepting his extended hand, she could feel the strength behind his grip and the sounds of the weapons hidden in his big coat.

“Big name to fill, friend.  I don’t suppose you’re here for the game and waiting for the true prey to show their face.  Hopefully, we won’t meet as enemies.  What about you, Little Red?”

A rush of wind and rose petals revealed the brown-haired girl, who held an ax over her shoulder and pulled her hood up.  “More or less here for the front-row seat.  You can’t stop all of them from storming the room and taking the little lady; I don’t care how fast you are.”

“We’ll see,” Rachel winked, flipping on her heels to return to the center of the hall; her seeds were ready, seconds on the clock, and she was up for a fight.  Holding her hand in the air, she snapped her fingers, leaving a crack throughout the massive hall.  “Let the game begin!”

The throng parted in shock as hundreds of flowers along the floor and walls illuminated, drawing in the blood beneath the crystal and growing to the size of a human in seconds.  The bud Lauren held wrapped around the vampiress, barbed roots digging into her arm, tapping into her spirit and physical blood.

“What the hell!”

“Destroy the flowers—”

“Behind you!”

[Mental Acceleration - Activated]

[Blessed Lunar Grace - Advanced to A-tier]

An explosion of sparkling, crimson powder veiled the hall, and hundreds of clones emerged from the haze, tackling the vampires and causing a commotion.  Time slowed in Rachel’s vision as the strings and organ in the background picked up their pace, slinging her hammer off her shoulder.

Her instincts told her these clones could fight on even ground with the fodder, but real threats were hidden among the rats.  Everywhere she looked, she saw herself emerging from the chaos, cloaked in a ruby aura, spreading more pollen from the flowers on their chests.

[Lunar Spike: Normal White Moon - Activated]

Vampires took to the air, only to be met by her clones; using a Neutral Force like the Normal White Moon gave her clones temporary access to free lunar platforms to reach their opponents, and now freely mobile in the air, true chaos was unfurled.

Rachel walked through the mess to a beautiful Philippino woman, her smooth brown skin shining under the tinted moon.  She shed her cloak, revealing a crop top and skirt as her thoughtful eyes appraised her.  The vampiress floated into the air, arms spreading out, yet her feet didn’t leave the bloody floor.

Torso separated from her lower half, spear-like intestines pierced the clones nearby, draining them of blood and withering the flowers they were birthed from.  Gnarled, twisted black wings peeled out of her back, ripping apart a portion of her shirt.  Bloody tentacles spread out from beneath her skirt, weaving around vampires’ legs to seek her clones.

“Interesting power,” the woman chuckled.  “A flower vampire?  Consider me amused, but you are far from the real thing.”

Drawing her hammer up, Rachel’s smiling eyes narrowed as Nia dodged blasts of fire and a storm of electricity that came from her right, engaging her own opponent.  “We will see…”

“Oooh.  The Myth of Manananggal!  You really are hideous.”

Rachel pivoted to her right as the succulent and amused feminine voice appeared without warning.  The spear-like intestines struck like vipers, piercing Aurora’s grinning mouth—only, they went right through the fae as if an illusion.

“Aurora?!  What the hell are you—great, you’ve thrown off my whole mood!  You are literally the worst teammate anyone could ask for!  Dammit.  Are you really on our side?”  she snarled, dodging the tentacles and throwing her hammer to Nia so her twin could block a ball of lightning that zipped through the air to collide with the rabbit.

“A fake?”  the Manananggal hummed, rubbing her chin.  Most of the vampires had given them a wide breadth.  “And… oh, how clever.”

The attacks against Rachel ceased for a moment as everyone in the room paused.  Confusion swept the crowd; dozens of clones emerged from the twinkling pollen, creating the moment for Scarlet and Maria’s groups to scatter.  Cássia, Illa, Scarlet, Maria—every one of them—were now either running down different halls or up to the higher levels.

The Baobhan Sith clapped.  The silver-haired temptress stood between the Manananggal and her, giggling and basking in the chaos.  Aurora’s emerald-green eyes and extravagant green gown shifted as she twisted in a slow circle, the tentacles phasing through the Succubus as if she weren’t even there.

“What a beautiful dance!”  Her hooves came to a stop as she half turned to her and gave a devious smirk.  “I said I would tag along; I never said I’d fight.  Oh.  Bye, bye, Scarlet!  Hope you have a lovely night…”

She sighed as the Manananggal continued to jab her with her intestines while pushing Rachel further back and dodging a few Noble Vampire strikes.  “Sweetie, sweetie… it’s a Phase Shift!  Act as if I’m not even here.  I’m merely present for Rachel’s moral support and commentary.  Go get her, Bunny!”  she chimed with her Scottish accent.

Rachel’s tail stiffened at the nickname, jumping into the air and snatching the hammer Nia threw to her; it wouldn’t be long until people started following the weapon and focusing on her rather than the clones.  But, without a doubt, this ‘cheerleader’ bitch knew she didn’t like it and was doing it to annoy her.

Aurora really is the worst frenemy…  she internally complained to Nia.  Oh!  How nice; you filled up the charge.

“Because I’m courteous like that… unlike some people,” Nia complained.  “Dammit!  Why do these people love their magic?!  [Lunar Spike] slowed us down a bit, so I don’t know if that was the play, Cap.”

The 25% we lost is coming back, and it brought enough chaos to let Scarlet and the others escape, Rachel countered, flipping to a pillar and using it as a platform to jump into the air.  How many went after them?  I didn’t see—this Manananggal girl is annoying!  How far can her intestines reach?  Something feels… off.  I’m not enjoying myself as much as I normally would in a fight.  It isn’t the moon; it’s misfortune.  Someone else is pulling it away from me.  And there’s Aurora, watching and sipping blood like we’re her entertainment!

Angling her hammer, she activated one of its attributes; kinetic energy infused into her, and she rocketed at the shocked Philippino woman.  Her guts clumped between them and behind the vampire, softening the blow as the spiked flat portion ate into the bloody mess, spraying liquid all over her.

The hammer carried the mass of innards right against the woman’s chest and would have blown it apart had not the slippery entrails behind her acted as a slide.  Gliding across the blood-slicked floor against the top half of the woman, her lower half was yanked with them until they came to a stop on the terrace.

“Captain?!  Ack…”

[Grade Advancement - Lunar Coat II Unlocked]

[Grade Advancement - Lunar Cap II Unlocked]

Rachel froze as a dozen bloody spears dug into her dress, half-stopped wherever Nia’s protection covered—she was paralyzed.  Her scarlet veins tinted a blinding gold, her mind expanded, and the world came to a complete stillness with a wealth of knowledge.

Staring upon the grinning vampiric woman she rested upon, her clawed fingers moving at a snail’s pace toward her chest to rip out her flower, Rachel’s thumping heart stilled, and the flowers around her mixed with a yellow hue.

[Greater Moon of Abundance: Active]

Immediately, Positive Energy surged through her veins, feeding her a sense of balance and optimism that collided with the Crimson Moon’s need for propagation.  The world brightened, and information she’d never learned flooded her expanding mind, giving her an abundant vision of the world.

[Emanator of Abundance VI - resonating with a sphere of Greater Abundance, every facet of the user’s growth is magnified in its light, emanating it to those around the user.]

[Life in Abundance VI - so long as the user remains within the light of the Greater Abundance, they can regenerate their soul—mind, body, and spirit—even if almost entirely eradicated]

[Knowledge of Abundance VI - the user may pull from the wealth of knowledge within The Abundance to grasp the universe in which the user resides.]

[The Abundance of Fortune VI - Luck is in the user’s favor, so long as they remain within its light.  When one slips, they land on their feet; when one misses, they strike a fatal blow.  Life is a joy!]

Rachel smiled as the Manananggal’s claws dug into her breast, yet the woman’s glee soon turned to overwhelming panic as her chest heaved, followed by a torrent of bloody intestines that jetted out of her lower half, writhing throughout the massive hall.  The vampires left shouted at the surprise assault of uncontrolled spear-like organs, lashing out at random.

“Stop!  I can’t control it,” the woman shouted, retreating her hand to claw at her own breast.  “There’s too much!  I—I can’t pull them back…”  she wept, in an unfathomable amount of chest pain.

Her heart pumped frantically to keep up with the rapid increase in the blood required to sustain her tentacles, but Rachel was too fascinated with the wealth of knowledge at her fingertips.  The golden glow radiating from her gleaming skin magnified the Manananggal’s powers to an enormous degree.  Anything in excess could be harmful, after all, and that was the double-edged sword of the Greater Moon of Abundance.

“Make it stop!  Make it—”

Flipping her hammer to the spiked end, Rachel brought it over her head and down through the Manananggal’s chest as intestines began forcing their way out of her sides, throat, and stomach, penetrating Rachel’s body, yet she felt no pain.

Another fault of the Greater Moon of Abundance was the fact one could still feel pain, despite being practically immortal under its light through an absurd rate of regeneration.  Yet, even though she was aware it was there, Rachel felt no sting due to the Crimson Moon’s touch.

The vampire’s heart was penetrated by her spike, and her body collapsed into dust to be swept up by the ocean wind.

[Level Up - Level 13]

[2 Stat Point Added; 2 Available]

Rachel’s dress and body were illuminated in gold, her innards regenerated, and she felt a calm confidence that brought her to her feet.  She saw everything inside, from her rapidly growing flowers, given new life as they drew upon her strength, and now that she was an Eminator of Abundance, she could activate another Feat that was limited to her before.

Nia charged right through the explosion of electricity, fire, and other enhanced dark magics that the panicking vampire sent her way.  The eruption of unstable, enhanced magic blew most of the fodder vampires that remained to pieces, along with many of her flowers, but they would regenerate.

Closing her golden and crimson flower-petal eyes, she breathed in the lovely night, a shiver close to her spine as the moon whispered things into her mind.  Once again, the world came to a standstill, and her clones mirrored her, the hive network helping to process the information.

“The Blood Seed spreads beneath the waves, corrupting the planet.  The Eldritch invader knows; the invader comes for us.  Fear approaches.”

Turning, a smile touched her lips as more clapping was heard in the following stillness, only the instruments heard emanating through the palace, but it wasn’t from the silver-haired seductress who stepped out onto the terrace to join her.  Vision opening, Rachel saw with new clarity; a robed, giant of a man stepped through a dimensional rift.

He wore a crooked grin, stretched wide on his massive face, matched by his huge body, which seemed to grow even larger the more she looked.  “Ah-hah!  My boisterous, brave hare!  You are more trouble than I had thought; maybe we’d get along!”

Rachel gave a mocking bow.  “Baron Vyse Bruhl… or should I call you a vine of the Arbor of Decay?  How did an Eldritch Seed infuse itself into this planet?  Even the Greater Moon of Abundance isn’t clear on that particular note.”

A tremor of fear collapsed over her as several other members of the Bruhl line stepped out of tears in space, chuckling and laughing.  Nia flipped out of the sky to land next to her, and only the Crimson Moon allowed them to remain standing due to the abstract aura of terror the giant entities produced.

Their faces twisted unnaturally the more Rachel stared at them, revealing the monsters wearing vampire skins, and a surge of mist and darkness brought Baroness Belleza Melchiott and Baron Hrisu Heitinga’s families to surround them.

The Eldritch imposters shifted to the side, smirking as they observed the gathering.  Rachel and Nia were now in the center of three families.

Belleza shifted her bony hips, a hand on one while speaking silently to her family.  Baron Hrisu voiced what they were all thinking.  The handsome vampire looked down upon the Family of The Deep, his own brand of fear akin to the Greater Harvest Moon leaking out.

“What are you doing out during the games, Baron Bruhl?  Is this not a breach of the rules of engagement?”

“On the contrary,” Vyse laughed, tight vision shifting to the Baroness of Mist.  “I thought you would have acted by now, Belleza.  And after all the work I did feeding you information regarding the alien countess.  She does not fall under the royal mandate of etiquette; her seal is fake.  I know you wish to murder Baroness Audrey Morgan, but could you be a little swifter in your plots?”

Belleza’s smile fell, her children and husband’s vision narrowing as the mists thickened.  The thin woman’s voice was like nails against Rachel’s ears as Aurora danced around the nobles to join her, showing a strained grin in the tense atmosphere.

“First, you will address me as Baroness.

“Second, you were the one who delivered the information that Elizabeth was an alien to our planet?  No, it was in no way connected to the House of Bruhl.  My informant came from a turncoat within Elizabeth’s organization.

“Third, what makes you think I am after Baroness Audrey’s heart?  I am on splendid terms with the Morgan family, which is why I am here…

“What is your game, Vyse,” she spat with venom.  “Are you trying to pick a fight since you brought more children than I?”

Rachel’s smile grew at the twisting design of luck and misfortune that spun around her enemies, pulling them closer together… until all of it fell apart.  Her confidence within the Greater Moon of Abundance collapsed as some bitch spoke from right beside her.

“Ahem!  Ladies, gentlemen,” Aurora cooed.

She danced forward to take one of Vyse’s giant sons and spin him around in a dance to the continuous humming music; she was totally oblivious to the fact she’d just outed this guy and his family as a parasitic Eldritch entity.  The Baobhan Sith swapped to one of Hrisu’s daughters, allowing the girl to levy a confused smile at her father while swinging the giggling fae into a spin.

“The night is young!  Can’t we talk things over?  The night is young!  There are plenty of drinks and songs to dance to.  I quite enjoyed my time with your son, Baroness Belleza.  I am sure we can come to some… arrangements.  Wait…”  She looked up at Vyse’s giant son as the seductress came to a full stop, emerald eyes widening.  “Rachel, they’re… Eldritch creatures?”

Rachel streamed out a frustrated breath; only this slut could make her annoyed when under the Greater Moon of Abundance.  She was acting stupid as if she hadn’t understood her, but the bitch was too intelligent for that; she’d done this to put the focus back on them!

“You… are the biggest piece of goat shit I have ever had the displeasure of knowing!”  Rachel snarled, and Nia rubbed between her eyes as the woman backed away from the distorting giant.  “Why can’t you not be the center of attention in every damn conversation?!  You ruin everything I do, and I don’t know how!”

Aurora somehow pulled off a strained smirk and helplessly shrugged as she found her hands behind her back.  “Don’t lie.  You enjoy the chaos I bring.  Look, I’ve already brightened the mood.  There is no need for us to fight each other…  After all, we each have our own objectives.  Do we not?”

The barons and baroness glanced toward one another thoughtfully, and Belleza chortled, once again breaking her silence.

“Indeed, you are right.  I would love to adopt you into my coven when this is done, Aurora.  You would make a wonderful addition to my family.  Now, if you’ll excuse me… we have a meeting with a certain countess,” she stated, gesturing to her family.  “Maybe we will pass Scarlet on the way, Rachel!  Hehe.  Have fun, Baron Heitinga, Baron Vyse…  Should we both survive the night, I will speak to you further about this… Eldritch business.”

Vyse’s massive frame shook with knowing laughter.  A strange, double voice reverberated inside Rachel’s mind as if an echo from an infinite void, “You go to places not even I would tread.  May you enjoy your stay.”

The mists gathered, and the smug, challenging woman vanished, leaving her with the two barons and wondering where the hell Anthony was.  Perhaps the reason why the Morgan family hadn’t shown up was a positive sign, all things considered.

Humming clicks shook the air as Vyse continued to grow in size, making the Hrisu family step back a little and give the fake baron calculating stares.  “In the end, no one will be spared the—”

“Let’s go, Bro!  I can’t hold back after seeing them!”

“Hold up, Sis!  I got your tail!”

Rachel’s ears stood up as a bang came from the hall, and two quite boisterous voices snatched everyone’s attention.  An instinctive urge filled her, and Rachel grabbed the sparkly seductress and jumped out of the way, Nia leaping high overhead as she rolled with Aurora over the bloody floor until she stopped on top of the woman.  The Hrisu family stepped through dimensions to evade the coming calamities.

Two colossal wolves broke through the wall and practically body-slammed the eldritch giants over the edge of the terrace.  In stunned disbelief at the absolute mayhem that was overtaking the night, Rachel watched the two Kaiju-Class Mythickin wolf twins battling it out with the Eldritch giants below.

Aurora forced a laugh, her body loosening its grip around her.  Silver hair draped around the fae as she gave Rachel a totally fake blush and smile.  “Well… this isn’t awkward.  Hehe.  We haven’t been this close for a little—oof!  Hey!”

Rachel’s face turned red as she angrily slapped her across the face and pushed herself up.  “Well, you didn’t have to hit me,” she huffed, a smirk returning as she looked up at her.  “You actually saved me, though.  Embarrassed?  Cute!  I hope that doesn’t leave a mark…”

Rachel flexed her fingers as Nia looked at her incredulously.

“What did you just do, Captain?”

I… don’t—wait…

She was unsure why she’d acted when the woman could just phase through things and could easily take care of herself.  However, the knowledge filled her from the golden globe overhead, and she shot an accusatory glare at the smirking Succubus.

“You… used some kind of Feat on me!  Unbelievable.  Why on me?  Oh, because I’m your target for the Scarlet Hand?  You are the biggest bitch I have ever met—I should kill you!”

“Oh, you wouldn’t,” Aurora giggled through her tears and rubbed her cheek, which was now showing signs of the very hard slap she’d taken; it didn’t do as much damage as Rachel would have thought.  “Ouch…  You’re really strong right now, by the way.  You could have killed me if I hadn’t expected you to be all cute and embarrassed.  Ouuuch.  Mmh.  I’m usually the one that does the abuse… but I guess it isn’t all that bad.  Hehe.”

She rolled upright and straightened her dress before folding her elbows against the railing, watching the wolves take on the Eldritch entities.  “I’m glad I wound up the Varcolac Twins before joining the games…  Look at them go!  And now the Legend of Lycaon is joining the fun—is that Little Red, too?  How chaotic.  I love it!”

Rachel frowned at the woman’s small comments, yet the House of Fear soon snatched her focus; their leader joined her by the rail.  Hrisu’s entertained eyes followed the devastation as he whispered, “I am not interested in most of this party… but I am interested in that aura I feel within your dress, Lady Rachel.  Let’s bring it out…”

She ducked backward as a claw phased through space to rake her eyes, and she shot into a backhand spring, jumping into a twist as two more sought to rip out her throat and belly.  Her hammer stopped the fourth before sharp nails raked along her back, making her wince; Hrisu hadn’t moved from his standing position, lifting his finger to lick the wet blood he’d drawn as he glanced back.

“Children… force out that power she is hiding.  I want to taste what kind of terror it is.”

Aurora flipped to her back against the railing with light laughter.  “Isn’t this awkward!  I’m cheering for you, Rachel.  Why don’t you show them?  I certainly want to see what tricks you’re hiding.”

Yeah, Rachel internally growled at Nia as her partner joined her, informing her that she didn’t have long left as an adult while the gleeful baron’s children spread out, I’m going to kill this bitch by the time this night is over!

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