Chương 35: Chapter 35 - Family is the True Wealth
The top floor of the massive villa was engulfed in flames, and sparks were carried by the night breeze, drifting up into the sky.
Solomon stood in the stone-paved garden, looking up at the burning manor. Behind him, twisted, grotesque black shrubs loomed, their deep darkness untouched even by the bright flames.
The negative energy sustaining Barnabas and Victoria had already begun to corrode the land within the manor. This was why the temperature at Colin Manor was slightly lower than elsewhere.
Living people who stayed in the area would slowly be eroded by the negative energy, becoming old and sick. Though Willy had always been a drunkard, the cold had only increased his drinking habits.
Solomon watched as the drunken Willy stumbled out of the front door, panicking. The old servant had called the fire department after discovering the fire, and Solomon had clearly overheard his conversation with the firefighters.
But Solomon didn't step out of the shadows to stop him. Instead, he remained hidden, eyes fixed on the top floor of the manor, waiting for the vampires to appear.
However, the growing blaze couldn't go unnoticed. Even though the land surrounding Colin Manor was private, the rapidly spreading flames and the glow they cast in the night sky soon caught the attention of many in the nearby town.
Solomon didn't have to wait long before he saw a car speed into the garden. The surviving members of the Collins family leaped out of the vehicle in a panic before it even came to a full stop.
Upon spotting Willy, they immediately grabbed him, trying to get information out of the old servant.
In fact, when Victoria had suddenly transformed into a bat and flown toward the manor while they were walking, Elizabeth had already sensed something was wrong. Her worst fears had come true.
The most resolute woman in the Collins family immediately ordered Carolyn to drive them back to Colin Manor, but as they approached the gate, they saw the towering flames.
Drunk Willy could barely speak clearly. No matter how much Carolyn shook his head or how many questions Elizabeth asked, all Willy could say was that in his daze, he had heard some noises. Before he could check, thick smoke had filled the corridors, and by the time he ran outside, the manor was already ablaze.
"It was that wizard!" Carolyn growled angrily, her voice low and guttural. She sniffed the air, trying to catch a scent.
Elizabeth's expression was unreadable, her posture straight and firm, as if the sharp, capable leader of the Collins family from thirty-one years ago had returned.
Back then, after Angelique had appeared, Elizabeth had considered the possibility that the Collins family might one day face such a crisis again. She had prepared for it as best as she could.
Elizabeth handed a key to David, who stood nearby. "Child, go with Willy and grab a few guns from the armory."
"But guns won't work on a wizard," Carolyn said, as thick fur began to grow across her face. Her toned legs became even stronger, her joints reshaping like those of a canine, and she grew taller than before.
At the same time, her jaw extended, her teeth sharpening into fangs. Her once elegant nose became bulbous and grotesque, her voice growing low and raspy, a threatening growl accompanying her words.
The surviving members of the Collins family, however, were not surprised by Carolyn's transformation; they were used to it. Carolyn was a werewolf. Angelique Bouchard, in her hatred for Barnabas, had extended her vendetta to the entire Collins family. Not only had she tried to humiliate them in business, but she also sought to corrupt their bloodline. When Carolyn was a child, Angelique had ordered a werewolf to bite her.
This secret had only been revealed thirty-one years ago, during Angelique and Barnabas's battle at Colin Manor.
"The wizard's definitely still inside," Carolyn said. "Now, let's go in and kill him!"
"Wait until David brings the guns," Elizabeth said. She wasn't rash enough to charge into the burning villa and attack the wizard who might still be inside. "With guns, at least we can help."
"Trust in Barnabas and Victoria. They aren't easy to deal with. At the very least, we'll make that wizard understand that the Collins family isn't to be trifled with."
A swarm of bats suddenly shattered the manor's top-floor windows, sending shards of glass raining down onto the stone ground. Elizabeth and Carolyn looked up.
They saw the bats circling the burning rooftop before diving into a dark corner of the garden.
"He's over there!" Carolyn shouted, rushing in that direction.
At that moment, David and Willy returned. Elizabeth took the shotgun from David's hands, loading shells into it with practiced ease. It was an old Winchester M1917 trench gun, but old didn't mean useless. This type of gun had been supplied to the military until 1945, and even SWAT teams still used it today. After loading her shotgun, Elizabeth helped David load bullets into his M1911 pistol.
"You need to learn how to fight," Elizabeth said to David as she loaded the bullets. "I'm getting old, and you're the only normal person left in the Collins family. Carolyn is a werewolf, which is why she never got married.
"The family needs you to carry it forward. Be brave, David. Whether we survive tonight or not, you need to fight. Remember, David, remember—family is the true wealth."
Solomon clenched his fist, summoning the Ring of Laggarod to block the incoming swarm of bats. He could feel the impact crashing against his arms like waves.
Calmly, he extended his fingers, and spectral blades whirled around him, slicing several bats in half. But that didn't stop the rest. As the remaining bats swooped down from the night sky, he opened his palm, and a deafening thunderclap erupted, so loud that even Elizabeth and David, thirty meters away, heard it.
Bolts of lightning appeared out of thin air around him, striking each bat. The burnt smell of singed fur filled the air as charred bodies dropped from the sky with screeches.
Then Carolyn came charging across the stone path. Solomon raised his shield, blocking her sharp claws. He immediately stepped forward, delivering a powerful punch to her abdomen, sending the werewolf crashing back into the garden with a pained whimper.
In the next instant, sparks exploded from his shield as countless small steel pellets, carrying tremendous force, struck the Ring of Laggarod and sent Solomon tumbling to the grass.
Before he could hide behind his shield again, another gunshot rang out. A few stray pellets pierced his leg.
The searing pain clouded Solomon's mind, making it impossible for him to maintain his spell. The Ring of Laggarod flickered a few times before vanishing completely. His leg felt unbearably heavy, as if it were being scorched by fire. Blood poured out from the torn flesh.
But this was nothing compared to the agony he felt when he put on the ring.
Solomon took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. He rolled over, his body covered in grass, and struggled to his feet, barely able to stand on the blood-soaked ground. His hand glowed faintly as he quietly pressed it to his wounded leg. (Warlock spell: Celestial Patron, 1st level, Cure Wounds)
Elizabeth cocked her shotgun, striding over with the barrel aimed at Solomon, who was now kneeling on the grass.
Victoria appeared behind Elizabeth in a swarm of bats, glaring hatefully at Solomon. "You're finished. No one can save you now!"
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