Bab 83: Deadly Blood Ties

Ru stood at the door of Lord Dekaris' study, uncertainty weighing on his shoulders. The gothic, vintage mansion seemed to grow colder around him as he clenched his fists, his mind swimming with questions. He had faced the impossible before, but this was different. This wasn't a battle of speed or strength—it was a decision, one that could change his life, or perhaps end it.

He knocked twice, the sound echoing through the hallway before the door creaked open on its own. Taking a breath, Ru stepped inside, greeted by the dim glow of candles flickering against the tall bookshelves. The room smelled of old paper and something metallic, like blood, just below the surface.

At the far end of the room sat Lord Dekaris, his presence as imposing as ever. His pale skin and wine-red eyes gave him an otherworldly air, like a marble statue given life. This time, he didn't wear his usual hat, leaving his face fully visible. His pinkish-white wavy hair shimmered faintly in the candlelight, and his expression was calm, almost too calm for what Ru was about to ask.

"Welcome back, Lirui," Dekaris said, his voice low and even. "I take it you've had time to consider my offer?"

Ru nodded, closing the door behind him. His eyes wandered briefly before settling on a painting of Dekaris' twin sister, hanging on the wall. She was eerily similar to Dekaris, yet there was an innocence in her features that seemed absent from the man sitting before him.

"You and your sister look alike," Ru said, his voice steady despite the turmoil churning inside him. "But she... she looks more innocent."

Dekaris' lips twitched, caught between amusement and something darker. "My evilness, perhaps, is reflected in my face. As you know, I've made pacts with demons."

Ru felt a pang of discomfort but stood his ground. "I'm sorry. I didn't come here to insult you."

Dekaris waved the apology away with a graceful hand. "I'm not hurt, Ru. But I suppose, in some way, I've hurt you."

The admission hung in the air, heavy and thick.

"If I were in your position," Ru began slowly, "I'd want to resolve the same uncertainty I'm feeling. And if it were me, I'd be thinking about capturing the demon's heart."

Dekaris raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the comment. "So, if not to discuss our arrangement, what brings you here, Ru?"

"I need to know," Ru began, his eyes locking with Dekaris'. "What does brotherly love mean to you?"

For the first time, Dekaris seemed caught off guard. He leaned back in his chair, his crimson gaze narrowing ever so slightly as if weighing the question.

"Brotherly love," Dekaris repeated slowly, the words rolling off his tongue like a foreign concept. "It's a curious thing. An immortal bond, yet fragile in its way."

Ru's heart raced. "Would you do anything for your sister? Even if it meant sacrificing yourself?"

Dekaris tilted his head, his expression thoughtful but distant. "I have done many things for my Moni. Turning her was both a gift and a curse and now, to save her, I ask you to do what I cannot. But understand this—it is not the same as human love. Time erodes those simple emotions, and warps them. We are bound by something stronger than love, something eternal."

Ru swallowed, Dekaris' words twisting in his mind. The vampire lord's coldness unsettled him. "But do you regret it?" Ru pressed. "Turning her? Condemning her to this life, this... limbo? Is that love, or is it control?"

Dekaris' eyes flickered, just for a moment, a faint crack in the stoic mask he wore. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk, his fingers laced together. "I did what I believed was right to protect her from death. Love, and regret—these are human words, human concepts. My sister and I, are beyond such trivial emotions. We are bound by blood and time."

Ru felt the sting of Dekaris' words, but more than that, he felt the weight of his question, the one that had been haunting him since the moment he had taken up this insane game. Fu. Almighty Ru's brother. He'd been missing for so long, lost in the chaos of the past, of fire and ruin. Was Fu even alive? And if he was, would Ru's wish be enough to find him? Or worse—would he even want to?

He pushed aside all his thoughts and kept up the act.

"You don't understand, do you?" Ru muttered, more to himself than to Dekaris. His thoughts turned inward, his heart heavy with the memory of his ex-step brother. "You can't. You and Moni, you've never known what it's like to lose someone—really lose them."

Dekaris watched him silently, waiting for Ru to find the words.

"My brother," Ru began, his voice low, raw. "Fu. I lost him. In a fire. And I don't even know if he's still out there or if he's just... gone. I've been through hell, and I've survived, but this—this game, this contract—I can't shake the feeling that whatever I wish for, it won't bring me peace."

There was a silence that stretched between them, thick and suffocating. Dekaris leaned back once more, his expression unreadable.

"Your wish," he said as if testing the weight of the words. "It could bring you what you seek. Or it could bring you something worse."

Ru's gaze hardened. "And what about you? What do you wish for?"

Dekaris smiled faintly, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I wish for nothing, Lirui. I have everything I need."

Ru shook his head, a bitter laugh escaping him. "Do you believe that? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you've lost as much as I have. Maybe more."

Dekaris' eyes darkened, a flicker of something dangerous passing over his face. "Careful, Lirui," he warned softly. "You tread on thin ice."

But Ru wasn't finished. "You want me to give my blood to your sister, to save her. But what are you giving? What are you sacrificing? You talk about love, about being bound by time and blood, but where's the proof? Where's the brotherly love in this deal?"

Dekaris rose slowly from his chair, his figure towering over Ru. His pale hand reached out, but instead of anger, there was a cold gentleness as he placed it on Ru's shoulder.

"I am offering you the chance to save her," Dekaris said quietly. "I am giving you the choice. That is my sacrifice. As for love—perhaps you will understand it one day. Or perhaps you won't. But make no mistake, Lirui. The bond between us is eternal, and that is more than love."

Ru stared up at him, the weight of the decision pressing down harder than ever.

"I'll sign the contract," Ru said at last, his voice steady but filled with resolve. "But this isn't about love. This is about survival. My survival."

Dekaris nodded, the faintest hint of a smile returning. "As it always is."

Ru hesitated for a moment, the next words caught in his throat, but he forced them out. "I'll even donate my blood to you if you guarantee you'll bring my friends, Vaelan and the Clockmaker, back into the game."

Dekaris returned to his desk, and red eyes gleamed in the dim light. "First, sign the game contract and donate your blood," he said calmly as if it were the simplest transaction in the world.

Ru felt a twist of uncertainty in his gut. "But... what if you don't? What if you already did, and this is just... part of your plan?"

Dekaris leaned back slightly, his fingers steepling as he watched Ru closely. "If your friends were here," he began, his tone chillingly matter-of-fact, "I would kill them and bring them back to life for Moni."

The words hit Ru like a punch to the chest. He clenched his fists, trying to keep his emotions in check. "So their lives don't matter to you?"

Dekaris smiled, but it was cold, devoid of warmth or compassion. "Their lives are means to an end, Lirui. Just like yours. In this game, survival is fleeting, and loyalty is a commodity. You've already chosen to play. All that remains is for you to decide how much you're willing to lose to win."

Ru's breath caught as he processed Dekaris' words. He was being asked to barter with lives—his friends' lives, his own life—and the vampire lord's offer hung like a sword over everything he valued. But what other choice did he have?

"Fine," Ru said, his voice barely above a whisper but firm. "I'll sign. But if you betray me, I will make sure this game ends for all of us."

Dekaris, still seated behind his imposing desk, nodded slowly. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

"Where are the pillow and the knife," Ru said, his voice a whisper. "Let me take them."

"Go to your room, sign the contract, and wait for Amunet. She will draw your blood from you," Lord Dekaris ordered.

Ru took a deep breath. "If you keep Heise away from me," he added, his voice barely concealing the bitterness that came with that name, "I can return to my room successfully."

Dekaris tilted his head slightly, amused by Ru's resolve. "As you wish."

As Ru turned toward the door, Dekaris raised a hand, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Wait."

Ru paused, turning back to the vampire lord, tension still coiling within him. Dekaris’ wine-red eyes gleamed with an unsettling calm as he slowly waved his hand through the air. A ripple of dark energy shimmered between his fingers, swirling like smoke caught in a gentle breeze. The room seemed to dim, the flickering candlelight bending toward the force of his power.

"You don't need to leave through the door," Dekaris said smoothly. "I'll make sure you return to your room... instantly."

Before Ru could react, the ripple of energy twisted around him, engulfing his form in a cold, numbing sensation. The room, Dekaris, the desk—everything around him faded into a blur. It was as though time itself had been bent, like the flick of a page in a book.

In a heartbeat, Ru found himself standing in his room, the familiar scent of wood and candle wax filling his senses. He staggered slightly, his mind struggling to catch up with the shift. The sensation of teleportation left a lingering chill on his skin like a ghostly touch still clinging to him.

"I want this power," he said to himself.

At that moment, a sentence flashed before his eyes.

'I wish to own Planet Earth.'

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