章節 48: Chapter 48: Imposter Revealed

*BAM*

Abraham barely stepped through the entrance when a force blasted him back, hurling him into a heap of rotten flesh.

*PFFFT*

Ricky burst into laughter as he watched Abraham sink into the rotten flesh, while Father Sebastian called out in concern.

"ABRAHAM-"

"Wait Father, he did say he would handle this after all." Ricky replied in a condescending tone as he saw the disgusted face of Abraham claw his way out of the meat pile.

"If it isn't the notorious Abraham van Helsing, the blood bag that has haunted my ignorant father for the last century." A call resounded from the entrance but Abraham's disgust wasn't on being covered in the pungent flesh, but at the being who threw him into it.

"Xarus Tepes." Abraham walked back into the entrance before Ricky and Father Sebastion followed him to see the sight of the vampire masscarding as Dracula himself, his son Xarus Tepes.

"I am very honored that you remembered me, but alas, I shouldn't be surprised since my notoriety is as vast as your reputation after all." Xarus arrogantly spoke, adorned in a shining orange pendant.

Xarus had a very thin frame as his deathly pale skin cast an eerie glow while his spiky black hair stood tall while wearing the clothes of a British noble.

"Who is he?" Ricky leaned over to ask Father Sebatison who also leaned in.

"He's one of Dracula's son though he is quite weak-"

"WEAK, A MERE HUMAN DARES TO CALL ME, XARUS TEPES THIRD SON OF DRACULA, WEAK!" Xarus roared, his eyes strained as the amulet radiated in a bright light before that familiar gord was levitated above him.

*BOOM*

*CRACK*

In a split second, Ricky felt the danger and put up his barrier right as a blood spear amplified to a frightening degree and was shot at him at unparalleled speeds.

The blood spear slammed into Ricky, creating a medium-sized crack in his barrier as Ricky let out a haggard breath, the force of the impact clearly taking its toll.

'Full counter'

*BOOOOM*

*BAM*

The blood spear was then hurled back at Xarus with doubled strength, trailing a large cloud of dust in its wake.

"Hmmmmmm, that is very troubling." The dust cleared to reveal Xarus with only a slight incision of his cheek which quickly healed up.

"I suppose I didn't see it wrong within the eyes of my minion, you can really repel magic attacks back at the user with twice the power, very interesting." Xarus brushed the dust from his clothes before hovering back above the coffin.

"What's with a sudden change in behavior-" Ricky asked, trying to assess what was happening as the atmosphere suddenly switched.

"You fool, do you think I'd be distraught by the mere words of a lowly priest?" Xarus scoffed as Ricky scrunched his eyebrows.

"I simply lured you into the train of thought that I was retaliating out of anger to assess your unique magic." Xarus admitted, looking at his fingers while Ricky suddenly became on guard.

"KID GET READY-"

"But can it redirect regular physical attacks?" Xarus curiously asked, however this time, he was right in front of Ricky shield.

*BAM*

Xarus collided his fist into the barrier with a mind numbing force, Ricky's eyebrow twitched from the strain as a slight sonic wave rippled out in result of the collision.

"Hmmmmmm." Xarus rubbed his chin while not even giving Abraham nor Father Sebastion the time of day as if them preparing for their attacks weren't a threat to him at all.

"Let's see something, shall we?" Xarus disappeared and reappeared next to the ten black men while using his magic to lift them into the air.

"RICKY, DON'T DROP THE BARRIER!" Abraham commanded while Father Sebastian controlled his spell with another agenda.

"DROP THE BARRIER RICKY, WE MUST SAVE THEM!" Father Sebastion yelled, causing Ricky to grit his teeth as he suddenly saw the ten men thrown at him.

"DAMMIT!" Ricky yelled since he still wanted to be in Father Sebastion good faith, choosing him while slightly dropping the barrier as Xarus dashed upon throwing the men at them.

Ricky then waited for the men to cross a certain threshold before creating a thin wall on the other side of them right as Xarus collided into it.

"Oh I see, you can control these barriers into different forms instead of a mere circle." Xarus nodded his head, deducing more of his powers upon seeing it firsthand for the second time.

Xarus then backed up in the literal next second as Ricky formed mental spikes and shot them forward at Xarus who easily dodged them.

Although Xarus couldn't actually see them, his ability to perceive his surroundings was heighted to such degree's that he could sense them.

"Tsk, tsk, you still have a long way to go." Xarus easily dodged the attempts as he turned his pessimistic gaze towards Ricky who was smirking.

"What are you-SHIELD!" Xarus asked only to suddenly cast out a spell upon seeing Abrahm crushing a vial.

Abraham couldn't wield magic from within, but he could manipulate any magic in the air. The vial he had just crushed released a surge of dense magic, which he quickly seized control of.

Channeling the magic into his hands, a bright light suddenly erupted as Abraham crushed the supreme holy water in his grasp to combine the two forces in a terrifying holy spell.

In response, Xarus enveloped himself in layer after layer of blood shields, preparing for the impending clash.

"PURIFYING EMBRACE!" Abraham roared as the concoction he seemingly brewed formed into a beautiful angel.

It didn't show any malice when gazing at the unholy Xarus, but instead, held out its golden arms and took the blood shields into its embrace.

No distaste could be deciphered or hatred could be seen on the angel's face but instead it wept in sorrow, tears for this being set on the wrong path as it started to purify it.

Abraham fell to his knees from the strain, the tips of his finger's peeling from the backlash since a being without any magic trying to control something with such a vast amount of magic, had no protection against the brunt of the spell.

"ABRAHAM!" Father Sebastion, after sending the last of the enslaved men out the doors, rushed to his friend's aide while immediately grabbing onto him.

The last enslaved man didn't leave immediately and instead, he glanced back at Ricky with a look of solemn gratitude before slowly limping out of the door.

Ricky on the other hand, was starting to pull out his one-time use items since his mind was still blaring signaling that this probably wasn't enough.

Father Sebastion shared in the strain as his magic pool was all but drained, yet sought in an attempt to save Abrham's life.

The light ceased in the surroundings and Father Sebastion was the one who collapsed while the exhausted Abraham tiredly caught him.

The fingers holding Father Sebastion had the tips, including his nails, completely ripped off with his bleeding flesh staining his priestly robes.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The maniacal laughter of Xarus let out as burn marks littered his being but it was only smaller regions of his body, showing no fatal harm.

However much to his pain, they weren't going away as his healing factor couldn't heal something so pure without help from outside dark forces.

"Don't tell me this was what you were to use on my father?" Xarus covered his face in ridicule as Abraham's expression sank at only him having a couple burn marks.

"You only withstood it because of that amulet-"

"Oh come on Abraham, we both know that those words are false." Xarus shook his head, hovering in the air while wagging his finger as Ricky focused intently at the side while they conversed.

Alexander quickly rushed to his shoulder, Ricky squinting as if focusing on a certain area.

"Maybe twenty years ago when you actually had your core could you have killed me, but let's face it Abraham, your age has finally caught up with you." Xarus pointed at him with a smirk as Alexander whispered in Ricky's ears.

"No that's-"

"Now don't worry, after I've brutally murdered these two before your very eyes, I'll make you into my pet ghoul where you'll serve in my army against my foolish father." Xarus laughed in excitement at this project as Abraham flinched.

"You would go against your lord-" Abraham asked, knowing the hierarchical nature of the Vampire race.

"HE IS NOT MY LORD-"

*Ahem*

"Dracula merely f*cked some whore to create me along with a spell, he is not my master for it." Xarus corrected as he stuck out his hand.

*SPALT*

Then to Xarus' astonishment and Abrahram's, invisible spikes impaled his being from all sides as Ricky had been controlling his mental barrier to wholly wrap around Xarus before curling them into various spears.

*COUGH*

Xarus coughed up a large mouthful of blood as Abrham turned his head towards the already celebrating Ricky.

"YOU IDIOT, YOU-"

"Should've gone for my head." Xarus suddenly teleported using magic in front of Ricky.

*BAM*

*COUGH*

*CRACK*

*SPLAT*

Ricky's instincts screamed danger, but before he could react, Xarus's fist slammed into his chest with a bone-crushing force.

The impact shattered all of Ricky's ribs in an instant, sending a shockwave of pain through his body.

Blood gushed from Ricky's mouth in a huge, crimson arc as the force of the blow hurled him backward.

His body sailed through the air, crashing through the entrance and landing outside with a heavy thud, leaving him gasping for breath and writhing in agony.

"KID!" Abraham screeched in despair, watching the horrifying sight of Ricky's chest caving in as Xarus surprisingly didn't chase after him but arrogantly looked back at Abraham.

"Now where was I? Oh yes, I'm going to slaughter your little comrades in front of you then make you into a ghoul." Xarus elegantly walked over to Abrahm and pushed him aside while holding a drained and passed out Father Sebastion over Abraham.

"Young Ricky, YOUNG RICKY!" Alexander, who had barely hung onto Ricky's shoulder, patted his summoner's cheek.

"No, no, no, no!" Alexander yelled in immense guilt since the entire idea of attacking Xarus the way Ricky did was his idea.

Though neither of them knew that the only way to kill a noble vampire was to cut off their head or put them into an animated state with a wooden stake.

However Ricky was the one to pay the price of their foolish mistake while Alexander could only helplessly watch.

*CRACK*

Then in the next second, Ricky's accelerated healing began to take effect.

His shattered ribs slowly cracked back into place, each bone painfully realigning with a series of grating sounds.

As the last rib settled, Ricky let out a small, relieved breath from his dried lips, his body still trembling from the ordeal.

"Oh god~" Ricky whined out, grabbing his caved chest which was slowly healing in such a grotesque way back to its original formation.

Though the healing process wasn't instantaneous and might take thirty minutes to an hour, Ricky didn't want to move.

Alexander, however, was already jumping on his shoulder, not allowing for him to wallow in such a defeated state.

"Young Ricky, you must stand against the mighty foe of pain and reclaim the glory that was stolen from you!" Alexander quickly informed him though RIcky waved his hand.

"I give up." Ricky said in a painful tone, shaking his head to dissuade Alexander though he only infuriated him.

"IF YOU GIVE UP THEN YOU'LL DIE, DO WANT TO DIE!" Alexander slapped Ricky's face though it barely made a dent though they did have merit.

"Of course not, I wanted to kill that bastard but it's just really hard-OW!" Ricky slightly whined only to have Alexander poke his cheek with a small toothpick-like spear.

"If you die here, then everything you've accomplished will be for nothing." Alexander spoke to Ricky with a serious tone, causing Ricky to fall silent.

*Sigh*

'Yeah, he's right. I've wasted too much time preparing to just give up now.' Ricky thought, as Alexander's favorability toward him subtly increased.

Alexander's Favorability: 58 (+33)

"Exactly, now get up so we can hatch our surprise attack!" Alexander, reaching above fifty, could hear Ricky's directed thoughts toward him as he sighed.

"Fine, let's get this over with already."

"ARGH!" Father Sebastion let out a pained grunt as Xarus held his neck in front of Abraham who was clawing at his feet.

"LET HIM GO YOU BASTARD!" Abraham roared, his eyes furious while scratching at the vampire's ankle.

"Not until I've tortured him for at least another ten minutes-really?" Xarus was about to make him suffer even more until he caught a flaming arrow without even looking.

Turning towards the side, Xarus saw the angered Ricky yelling at a small gerbil covered in ancient greek armor.

"You said it would work!" Ricky yelled while Alexander scratched his head since his surprise attacks always worked like that.

*BOOM*

The arrow suddenly exploded in Xarus' hand as he instantly flew back and let go of Father Sebastian as Abraham caught him.

"SEE!" Alexander pointed after the arrow conveniently exploded in Xarus' hands as Ricky scoffed, drawing his bow back once more.

"That was simply convenient, nothing more!" Ricky pulled the arrow back once the smoke cleared to a clearly furious Xarus.

"How are you alive!" Xarus said though his question was answered after seeing Ricky's chest slowly inflating up as he scoffed.

"Luck?" Ricky tilted his head, firing the arrow as Xarus dodged it only for it to suddenly turn into a sentient plant and wrap itself around him.

"What is this?!" Xarus fought to break free, but the more he struggled, the fiercer the plant's grip became.

"What are you doing young Ricky, the plan-" Alexander, who had clearly laid out a detailed plan, saw Ricky completely take it off the tracks of reason.

"Your plans keep getting my ass kicked, we're going with my plan." Ricky grabbed the one off item, Stormcaller's Conduit, and held it up into the sky.

*BOOM*

A burst of lightning exploded into the air, forcing Xarus to halt his movements as he squinted at the sudden thunderclouds forming ominously above him.

As Xarus stopped moving, the sentient plant loosened its grip and fell off him, revealing its trap-like nature which was similar to a Chinese finger trap.

Xarus tried to lunge at Ricky, but a blast of lightning crashed down on him, sending him flying backward as a trail of lightning strikes followed his every movement.

Ricky in this time, was aiming his bow at Xarus, though he was horribly missing every shot as the vampire was too fast for him to comprehend.

"Focus young Ricky, find the trail-"

"I AM FOCUSING, BUT IT'S HARD WHEN THERE'S SOMEONE WHISPERING IN MY EAR!" Ricky yelled as he released his arrow, which burst into sparkling fireworks as the explosion created a wide area effect, striking Xarus directly.

"Young Ricky, fly up!" Alexander yelled, and Ricky swiftly used his psychic powers to control a pillar, launching himself upward just as Xarus's fist crashed down where he had been standing.

Ricky's eyes gleamed as he swiftly drew back his bow as the arrow shot through the air with lightning speed, striking Xarus in the shoulder.

"You coward, fight me like a man!" Xarus yelled in frustration as Ricky's tactics grew increasingly irksome.

Ricky began forming invisible walkways and sprinted away along them, further aggravating the noble vampire.

"No!" Ricky yelled back, pulling back his bow and arrow then shooting it at Xarus.

Meanwhile, Abraham carried the unconscious Father Sebastian on his shoulder as he glanced at the chaotic scene, then turned his gaze to his only true friend in the world, feeling the weight of the moment.

Abraham thought it was a high-class vampire, but he never would have guessed it was one of Dracula's children as he knew Dracula kept them all on a tight leash.

Xarus needed his entire focus which he couldn't give with his friend in this state, deciding to make a decision that might forever haunt him.

"Kid, I know it's a lot but it's up to you." Abraham shamelessly called out as he retreated from the temple, while Ricky readied his bow and took another shot.

In essence, Ricky was pushing himself to the limit, transforming the room into a labyrinth.

He filled it with various walls and psychic constructs, all designed to frustrate and disorient Xarus.

*DINK*

Xarus tried to dodge to the side, only to smack his face into an invisible wall as the arrow morphed into a flaming net that covered him.

"Wait, what do you mean-" Ricky just registered Abraham's words, realizing that the man was completely ditching him.

*BOOM*

"That's it." Xarus's deadly voice rang out, causing Ricky's head to throb as he winced as the structures surrounding Xarus were completely eviscerated.

Abraham saw this state, seeing Xarus use the power of the amulet to forcefully propel himself to a higher level though Abraham merely turned away from the scene.

Biting his lip before shamelessly limping out of the entrance with Father Sebastian in his arms while leaving parting words.

"Sorry kid."

"YOU BASTARD-'' Ricky's eyes reddened as he watched Abraham flee.

But just as he prepared to drag him back, a sharp pain blared through his head once more.

"You will fall here, but you've proven useful so I'll reanimate you into my servant." Xarus spoke as the gourd hovering next to him started pouring out blood from it.

Ricky readied himself, every muscle tensed for the inevitable clash, but Xarus shifted tactics, his eyes narrowing with malevolent intent.

The blood swirling around him, a dark and ominous tide, surged with newfound aggression.

It lashed out violently though not directly at Ricky, slamming into the surrounding barriers within the room with a relentless fury.

The barriers trembled under the assault, their protective sheen cracking and warping as the blood's vicious strikes sought to break through.

Ricky watched, his head pounding, as Xarus's new strategy unfolded with a dangerous elegance.

"Argh." Ricky stumbled, reeling from the psychic backlash as Xarus methodically dismantled the weaker barriers.

He struggled to mount a full counter, his focus fractured by the intensity of the assault but before he could fully react, Xarus appeared suddenly before him.

Xarus's arm, suddenly brimming with explosive power, hurled itself toward Ricky as he managed to raise his barrier in time, but the impact was so forceful that a sonic boom resonated through the room, shaking the very air around them.

*BOOM*

*CRACK*

Ricky's nose and mouth bled out, though he forced himself to draw the bow back as the vampire suddenly dodged left only to go into his foot.

*BAM*

Ricky, who had been attacking solely with his bow, seized a moment of opportunity and with a swift motion, he drove his foot into Xarus's chin as the force of the kick sent the vampire's face snapping to the side.

"Did you really think-" Xarus chuckled, slowly turning back to Ricky with a sinister grin.

But before he could fully refocus, Ricky hurled the vial he had stolen from Abraham at him.

The vial shattered upon impact, releasing a highly potent holy water that caused Xarus to screech in pain

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Xarus screeched in agony, desperately covering his face as the substance caused his features to slowly melt away.

Ricky, still coughing up blood, grimaced in pain but steadied himself, drawing his bow once more as he prepared for the next move.

"JUST F*CKING DIE!" Ricky yelled at Xarus, his voice filled with fury as he unleashed a flurry of arrows.

One by one, the arrows struck the vampire, each impact driving him back and intensifying the battle's chaos.

"ENOUGH!"

*THOOM*

A wave of red shot out around Xarus, the arrows breaking and dismantling into nothing as the hateful vampire looked back at Ricky.

*BAM*

Ricky's eyes widened as he saw Xarus's fist slam into his own jaw, the vampire's speed having increased dramatically.

*BAM*

The force of the punch resonated through Ricky, causing the impact to register painfully in his ears as his jaw dislocated from the sheer force, almost tearing away from his face.

Skidding across the ground, Ricky struggled to regain his footing but before he could recover, the vampire appeared on the other side and delivered a powerful kick to Ricky's stomach, sending him flying upwards.

*BOOM*

*COUGH*

Ricky was propelled upward, crashing into the ceiling with a jarring impact as the force expelled all the air from his lungs, leaving him gasping.

His jaw wobbled with the force of the blow, adding to the disorienting agony as his body peeled off the ceiling and fell flat against the ground.

*Huff*

"I apologize for my uncouth behavior, but you're immensely frustrating." Xarus adjusted himself, confiding in Ricky who ground.

*Crack*

"I get that a lot." Ricky, cracking his jaw in place, looked up at the vampire regaining his previous deminor of elegance.

"Focus young Ricky, we can still claim victory!" Alexander, unlike Abraham, stood by Ricky and faced death with a warrior's honor while tucked into his shirt pocket.

"You say that, but he's really kicking my ass." Ricky sighed, trying to get up only to stumble onto the floor as Xarus chuckled.

"You're a surprising fellow, I never expected to find such an unpolished jewel here, but it seems a lot of treasures lay within America." Xarus strolled around, Ricky trying to regain his footing as the vampire hovered above him.

*DINK*

*SIGH*

Xarus sighed in irritation at Ricky's persistent resistance, watching as the human below him coughed up blood.

With renewed resolve, Xarus struck the barrier around Ricky again, shattering it with force.

As the barrier crumbled, he saw Ricky pouring every ounce of his remaining energy into his defense, desperately striving to stave off imminent death.

"Really, what happened to turning me into a ghoul?" Ricky breathlessly coughed up a mouthful of blood, asking Xarus who shrugged at him.

"You frustrate me on par with my father, what can I say?" Xarus wanted to kill him as of now, flicking the barrier before walking backwards.

"Any last words before I wipe you from existence itself?" Xarus curiously asked, Ricky letting out a sigh before managing to stand up.

"One question before I kill you." Ricky boldly proclaimed, pulling out a thimble and a vial from his inventory.

Xarus scoffed at this arrogance only seen in noble vampires, crossing his arms as the blood turned into thousands of weapons.

"Did you-"

*Whoosh*

Just as Ricky attempted to speak, Xarus took the opportunity to test him as he fired a small sliver of blood, no larger than a toothpick, striking dangerously close to Ricky's head.

Xarus watched with a cold nod, assessing his opponent's reaction, seeing how Ricky didn't even comprehend it.

"I apologize." Xarus chuckled, seeing Ricky's frown and gesturing to him.

"I wanted to test whether you could reflect magical attacks beyond your comprehension. It seems I was correct in my thoughts. Now, feel free to continue." Xarus spoke and as he did, he began rising into the air, the swirling blood around him forming an ominous aura.

"Did you kill Rocco?" Ricky demanded, his voice edged with desperation as he tightened his resolve.

"Oh, humans. Such an unruly herd of sheep," Xarus responded with a boisterous laugh, dismissing Ricky's question with contempt as his tone dripped with disdain.

His hands moved gracefully, orchestrating the blood into blades that began to cover the sky, a hauntingly beautiful display.

Ricky, meanwhile, was fixated on a blue screen visible only to him as his eyes locked with a certain item.

"I've watched your kind build and destroy countless marvels with their own hands. The cycle is endless." Xarus' words trailed off point, seemingly forgetting Ricky's question entirely as the swords of pure, shimmering energy danced through the air, their movements both mesmerizing and deadly.

"It is only right that vampires should rule in this new age." Xarus declared, his voice filled with conviction.

"My father clings to a world that has passed him by, expecting everything to fit neatly into place alongside him. But—"

"F*CKING HELL, DID YOU KILL ROCCO!" Ricky's roar cut through Xarus's monologue, his frustration boiling over as Xarus sighed, feigning ignorance.

"Who are you referring to? Ah, yes, Rocco. He was a delightful dessert after my main course. A sweet treat for such an exquisite meal." Xarus finally finished his taunt as the blood fully formed into thousands of deadly weapons, each one a testament to his power and cruelty.

Xarus had been studying Ricky's counter very closely however when he observed Ricky deflecting those attacks, it was when he was visibly conscious that he was able to counter them by swinging at the attack.

"Ha~" Ricky let out a cynical laugh, wiping away the blood and gazing at the spell hovering above him.

"What is this anyways, why don't you face me down here like a man or whatever thing you are." Ricky asked, wanting to get him closer to use his last card but Xarus merely shrugged.

"I want to test my future cards against my father, you've frustrated me enough that I've decided to wipe you from existence itself." Xarus' actions were genuine since in the vampire's mind, he won.

Ricky's mind was pushed to its limits, and though the pain was excruciating, the bow's damage wasn't enough to finish Xarus off.

The psychic attacks, while effective, couldn't deliver a killing blow fast enough because Xarus's barriers consistently intercepted them.

Frustrated, Xarus decided to deploy one of his trump cards, the very ones he had been saving for his father as he resolved to use this devastating power to finally destroy Ricky.

"Now, give into death and be the stepping stone towards my future conquest." Xarus laughed, intoxicated by the surge of power he felt as the levels of strength he had never experienced before.

The sheer intensity of the power exhilarated Xarus, amplifying his ruthless determination.

A thousand blood swords swirled around him, each one glowing with a menacing red plasma.

They encircled Ricky, forming a deadly constellation. As they aligned, they poised to strike from all sides simultaneously, a relentless assault that promised no escape.

"THOUSAND BLOOD BARRAGE!" Xarus commanded as the weapon thrust themselves towards Ricky at unparalleled speeds.

Xarus's face lit up with pure ecstasy at the sight of the lone man standing in his way of complete and utter domination.

He could already envision himself sitting on his father's throne, basking in the suffering of those he considered mere blood bags.

As a thousand weapons descended upon Ricky, he looked up at Xarus with a calm smile and with a resolute grip, he crushed the vial in his hands.

"F-o-o-l." Xarus commented, but it seemed to be in slow motion as a colorful aurora borealis suddenly burst forth, creating an illusionary landscape of northern lights.

The thousand blood projectiles hurtled toward Ricky at speeds that defied comprehension.

Despite his perception of them in slow motion, their velocity remained astonishing as they slammed into his last line of defense, a final, fragile barrier encircling him.

Each impact was a jarring shockwave, reverberating through his mind as he steeled himself against the relentless onslaught.

*COUGH*

*SPLAT*

However Ricky endured, feeling the impact of the thousand weapons piercing his mind, the strain causing him to vomit another mouthful of blood as he waited.

Then upon registering the final projectile, he tiredly swiped his bow across his body as Xarus's eyes slowly widened in shock.

'N-No, how can this mere human have something that slows the flow of time?' Xarus thought, feeling a pang of helplessness as although his mind raced in real time, his body was unable to keep up with the relentless pace, trapped in a state of unyielding inertia.

"Full counter."

Suddenly, a blinding flash erupted, engulfing the surroundings in a blinding light that seemed to consume all other colors.

The brilliance was so intense that it temporarily blinded everyone present and when the light subsided, the air crackled with magic energy, and the thousand blood projectiles were seen shooting back towards Xarus with a ferocity that defied comprehension.

The projectiles moved with double the speed and force, pushing Xarus's mind into overdrive as he frantically searched for a way to counter this imminent threat.

As time resumed its normal flow, the projectiles struck Xarus with a deafening impact as each projectile tore through his flesh yet his gaze remained firm.

*BOOOM*

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Xarus's body erupted with every ounce of magical power he could muster.

A blinding red light surged forth, cutting through the chaos as it battled against the relentless onslaught of the thousand blood swords.

Then in another second, Xarus' burning body fell to the ground with a loud thud yet instead of eviscerating into dust, he slowly gazed up at Ricky.

*HUFF*

Both of them let out ragged breaths as the ground around them rumbled, and the tomb's ancient structure began to crack and groan.

Ricky, barely conscious, bled from his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears, his vision locked on the charred form of Xarus.

The vampire had been forced to unleash the full extent of his power, exploding outward from within his own body to prevent his spell from tearing him into thousands of pieces.

Each of them had reached their limit, yet both of them slowly managed to stumble to their feet.

"Why won't you JUST DIE!" Xarus yelled out at Ricky, black blood coughed up in the process.

"BECAUSE YOU KILLED MY FRIEND YOU D*CK!" Ricky yelled back, also coughing up some blood while limping towards the vampire.

Xarus didn't remain still; he limped forward, each step signaling new cracks to splinter through the crumbling tomb.

The abandoned temple began to rumble violently, its structural integrity shattered by the spell Ricky had repelled.

The damage not only left Xarus in a state of near destruction but also threatened to collapse the very surroundings that had once been a sanctuary.

However, even when the debris fell from the ceiling and came crashing into the ground, both these men were focused on finishing the fight they started.

Xarus swung a fist across his body, but Ricky ducked and retaliated by driving his own fist into Xarus's charred side.

The force of the blow sent Xarus' body jerking to the side as Ricky immediately seized the opportunity.

Ricky followed up with a powerful punch to Xarus's jaw, causing the vampire to stumble back slightly.

Trying to capitalize on the opening, Xarus suddenly turned and drove his clawed hand into Ricky's stomach.

His sharp nails dug deep into Ricky's flesh, tearing through muscle and sinew with brutal efficiency which made Ricky let out a pain groan.

"A human could never defeat a vampire, we are the supreme race-" Xarus hissed at Ricky, trying to grab his heart only for the supposed human to smash his forehead into his nose.

"Jesus f*cking christ, do you ever shut up!" Ricky yelled, kicking Xarus leg causing him to fall to one knee.

Ricky seized Xarus's spiky hair and yanked it downward into his knee as the force of the impact not only fractured Ricky's own knee but also shattered Xarus's teeth.

An arc of black blood shot out of Xarus' nose as he fell to the ground, feeling dizzy as Ricky pulled out a dagger.

This was one of the daggers of Tel Megiddo, the very same one he borrowed from Abraham that is said to be able to kill the antichrist.

"S-Stop-" Xarus covered his face with one hand, outstretching his other but Ricky only sneered.

*BAM*

Without hesitation, Ricky delivered a powerful kick to Xarus's face, the impact jarring the vampire, plunging him back into a hazy state.

Ricky, reeling from the exhaustion and pain, stumbled over Xarus's crumpled form.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Xarus screeched out in pain, feeling the sacred dagger plunge in very specific spots all across his body.

"Young Ricky, what are you doing, cut off his head-"

"THIS IS FOR EDDY YOU F*CKING BASTARD!" Ricky, who had memorized Edward's hospital report at this point, started stabbing Xarus in all the places that made Edward paralyzed.

Edward was shot five times, each bullet striking him with brutal precision.

In a relentless fury, Ricky drove the dagger into Xarus at each location where Edward had been hit, targeting every wound with cold determination.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Xarus screeched out, never feeling such pain in his life as Ricky flipped the vampire on his back.

*CRACK*

Xarus' screeches were breathless upon Ricky driving the dagger into his spine, fracturing his vertebrae.

Grabbing a fistful of Xarus's spiky hair once more, Ricky yanked him upright as he pressed the dagger firmly against the vampire's neck, the blade poised to deliver a lethal strike.

"And this is for Rocco." Ricky hatefully whispered but instead of cutting it in one fell swoop, Ricky started slowly cutting his head off.

Xarus flailed like a fish out of water, choking on his own black blood as his blood red pupils shrunk.

Trying to halt Ricky's advances, the effects of the dagger left him too weak to even overpower Ricky physically as he could only wait for his own death.

In a final, brutal gesture, Ricky placed his foot on Xarus's shoulder and yanked back with all his might.

With a grotesque, wrenching motion, he tore the vampire's head from his body as the horrifying sound of blood splattering erupted, echoing through the crumbling tomb like a macabre symphony.

*Huff*

Ricky then turned Xarus to him, wanting this vampire's last sight to be the face of the man who had killed him.

Xarus's eyes, wide with shock and disbelief, locked onto Ricky, the source of his undoing while trying to comprehend how a mere human could have killed him.

Xarus could do nothing but watch helplessly as his entire body slowly turned into ash, until nothing remained.

*Dink*

The sun pendant dropped from where Xarus' body stood from before, rolling right beneath his feet as Ricky collapsed onto the ground.

*RUMBLE*

"Young Ricky, you are victorious-"

*COUGH*

*SPLAT*

Mouthfuls of blood were coughed up by Ricky as his eyes were completely bloodshot, the heavy strain from the entire fight putting him into a near death state, barely clinging to life.

Ricky had strained himself to the point where every movement felt agonizing as his muscles were literally torn with exhaustion, and he gasped for breath, pushing through the searing pain and fatigue that coursed through his body.

At this point, what kept him alive was his newfound healing ability, which worked to mitigate the rapid deterioration of his being.

However, while he would eventually heal, it would take time, time he didn't have at this current moment.

"Just go." Ricky defeatedly muttered out, gazing at the crumbling ceiling with blood and saliva dripping from the ends of his mouth.

"NEVER!" Alexander roared in defiance as cracks spiraled all across the ceiling.

"If you perish, then so shall I." Alexander stood firm on Ricky's shoulder, showing that he wouldn't let Ricky perish alone in his glorious moment.

The surroundings convulsed and he flashed a smile towards Alexander which showed the blood sticking to his pearly white teeth.

"Well at least I have my trophy." Ricky whispered condescending words as he picked up the amulet.

Holding it in his shaky hands, he saw the bright orange jewel convulsing with a mysterious power as the chain that held it firm had a dead language encrypted onto it.

However even when it was over, the grief never faded but twisted the hatred in his heart even more when looking at the pile of dust that became Xarus.

Deep down, in the layers of his heart, Ricky truly thought he would feel better after killing Xarus after all he had done to him.

But now, with everything said and done, Ricky felt a profound emptiness.

Having slain Dracula's son, he found himself more isolated than ever, his quest for revenge having done little to soothe the grief that enveloped him.

The victory felt hollow, leaving him alone with his sorrow, without even the solace of vengeance to ease his pain.

*Huff*

"You did it!" A baffled yell rang out, Ricky side-eyeing the shout to the entrance though instead of a familiar sight of his friends or Abraham, it was the shopkeeper Elijah.

"A SAVIOR, YOUR TIME HAS NOT COME YET! SAVIOR YOU MUST HELP HIM!" Alexander quickly rejoiced before pointing Elijah to Ricky and even though he didn't understand Alexander, he limped towards Ricky.

"Do I know you?" Ricky asked in a tired voice, raising an eyebrow as Elijah stumbled right before him while picking him up.

"No, I'm just some random cat you saved back there." Elijah said with a chuckle, slinging Ricky's arm over his shoulder and started to help him out.

Unlike the other nine men who had been helped by Father Sebastian, Elijah, a shopkeeper and father, gazed back at the commotion with a growing resolve.

To Ricky, Elijah was just a passing scene, an insignificant moment, but to Elijah, Ricky was someone who he couldn't help but hold respect for.

Madden, Dutch, and McGee had terrorized Elijah and his shop for years, yet no one had ever lifted a finger to help him.

The madame had assisted occasionally, but when it came time to cough up bogus collections, no one had supported him, until Ricky had changed everything.

To Ricky, it was a simple way to change the club's ownership and increase revenue by letting everyone in.

But to Elijah and the other residents of Harlem, it was like night and day.

The change to Ricky was miniscule, but he had affected the community to such a degree that almost everyone in the neighborhood knew of his deeds.

Even when he was reduced to nothing more than a mere slave, Ricky had somehow come to his rescue.

The depth of that gesture weighed heavily on him; he couldn't simply ignore such an act of salvation.

He felt a profound sense of obligation, knowing that he had to acknowledge and repay the help that had been so freely given.

So when he saw Abraham carrying Father Sebastian away from the fight and Ricky standing alone, Elijah sprang forward.

To his awe, Elijah witnessed Ricky destroy the being that had enslaved him that he never thought possible from human hands.

In that moment, Elijah saw in Ricky the very thing he desired most, he saw a man who wasn't afraid to sacrifice himself for his own freedom.

*COUGH*

*SPLAT*

Ricky coughed up another heaping of blood, the toll of the battle evident on his body.

As the tomb began collapsing behind them, Ricky felt a wave of despair wash over him, believing all hope was lost.

However, just as he was about to succumb to the overwhelming odds, he noticed three figures appearing in the distance.

"CHORES GRAB THEM QUICKLY!" Jake yelled as Chores barreled forward towards the two.

Rushing forward, he scooped them up as if they were mere children and started running back towards the entrance.

"MOVE TO THE LEFT, THE STRUCTURE WILL COLLAPSE ON THE RIGHT!" Barko yelled as right as they all moved to the left side of the hall, the right side had started to completely cave in.

They were running against time as Chores, Jake, and Barko all started their last ditch effort to save the man that had saved them all those times before.

'God I need a drink.'

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章節 49: Chapter 49: The Father Cleans Up After The Son

"WHERE IS MY SON!" Lucky roared at the weary Abraham, whose legs trembled under the weight of Father Sebastian still slumped over his back.

"I'm sorry, Lucky I-"

*CLICK*

The ominous click of guns echoed around Abraham, their barrels trained on him and Father Sebastian.

The Luciano men, who once regarded him with complete reverence, now stared at him with cold disdain.

"I didn't ask for an apology, Abraham." Lucky lifted his gaze, his fury palpable in the icy stare that pierced through Abraham, chilling him to the core.

"You promised me you'd keep my son safe, and now you have the balls to look me in the eye and SAY WHAT, YOU'RE SORRY!" Lucky screamed at Abraham, his breath hastening as his worry for Ricky convulsed into a scornful hatred for Abraham.

"You lied to my face, Abraham and we don't tolerate lies in these parts." Lucky huffed in anger and heartache, his tone quenched momentarily by the bloodthirst now brewing within the core of his being.

The methods Lucky envisioned to torture Abraham were so vile, so unspeakably gruesome, that even the briefest glimpse into his thoughts would make a passing soul cry out in terror, forever tainting any pure heart that dared to listen.

Abraham, overwhelmed by guilt, closed his eyes. He had no words to defend himself, no excuses to offer.

In the presence of such imminent danger, all he could do was shrink back, his instincts screaming for him to flee.

*BOOM*

Just as the entrance began to close, five figures suddenly burst through, kicking up a thick cloud of dust in their wake.

"RICKY!" Lucky yelled out as the dust settled, revealing Ricky and the four others, shoving Abraham aside and rushing toward his son.

"I f*cked up-'' Ricky tried to apologize in his own way, blood seeping from the ends of his mouth as Lucky ran up to him.

"No, no you didn't, you did what I asked of you." Lucky pulled Ricky off Chores' shoulder and wrapped him in a tight embrace.

"I got him pops, I got that bastard." Ricky whispered out, Lucky's eyes shrinking until the next words snapped him out of his worry.

"You got to move now, their backer is dead and they don't even know." Ricky huffed out, Lucky surprised that Ricky could even think about the family right now when he was in this condition.

However, Lucky's face slowly hardened into an icy demeanor as he grappled with the guilt of leaving Ricky alone to endure this.

"Frank!" Lucky called out to Frank, who hurried over, his face contorting in a grimace at the sight of Ricky, bloodied and battered.

"Go get me an ambulance and watch over Slick." Lucky's tone showed no objection, though Frank felt a slight wave of gratitude.

He understood that he had been chosen for this task precisely because of the guilt he felt whenever he was away from Eddy.

"Wait, before I go." Ricky pushed himself away from Lucky, stumbling toward Abraham, who had risen to his feet with a look of deep guilt.

"Listen kid-"

*BAM*

Ricky didn't wait for Abraham to finish his sentence; his knuckles drove into Abraham's jaw with a fierce, explosive impact.

*Thump*

Abraham's head jerked to the side, his eyes rolling back as he crumpled to the ground, knocked out cold while Ricky stood over him, his expression weary and resigned.

"That's for leaving me to take care of your mess." Ricky pointed his middle finger at Abraham, a final, defiant gesture, while Lucky smirked briefly before rushing forward as he noticed Ricky starting to collapse.

"Frank." Lucky handed Ricky over to Frank, watching silently as his father walked to the center of the family gathering.

With every step Lucky took toward the heart of the Luciano Family, his fatherly demeanor seemed to shed away, revealing a steel-clad expression that spoke of a role forged not from luck but from unwavering resolve.

"Today is the day boys, today is the day!" Lucky roared, his voice echoing with fierce determination.

"But don't get it twisted, this aint' business, this ain't something we're merely doing to fill our greed, but to avenge our brothers!" Lucky gripped his fist tightly, channeling the moral weight of his actions and the gravity of the moment.

"We are avenging our friends, our cousins, and our brothers who were taken by the hands of the jewish mob!" Lucky yelled, cheers spiraling out from his men as he raised his gun high into the air.

"Today, we wipe the Jewish mob off the map for good and make them pay for every slight, every insult, and every ounce of trouble they've caused us." Lucky's words gradually eroded the fear within his men, transforming it into a pure, unyielding hatred and bloodthirst that rivaled his own.

"This is our moment to show them that there is no mercy, no retreat, and no forgiveness. We're going to send a message so clear and so brutal that they'll remember it for generations. Stand tall, hold your heads high, and let's show them what it means to cross the Luciano family. Now, let's get this done!"

The entire Luciano family raised their guns in a unified, bloodthirsty cheer, the air thick with their savage excitement.

Then Ricky's eyes shut, setting off a domino effect that would eventually cause all of Manhattan to fall under Luciano's domain.

While Ricky slept peacefully, Manhattan did not.

Gunshots rang out throughout the Jewish mobs' territory, and bullets littered the streets as the area was transformed into a complete warzone, with even the eager Dewey, the man dead set on taking Lucky down, staying far away from the chaos.

Jewish gangsters were mercilessly slaughtered under Lucky's bloodthirst, and anyone who stood with them met a similar, brutal end.

Blood stained Manhattan's streets as the criminal underworld began to shift irrevocably towards the dominance of the Luciano family.

However, this victory came with its own toll.

The sudden attack and the loss of key figures within the Jewish mob left a significant void, though not as extensive as the devastation wrought upon the Five Points gang.

Both sides suffered heavy losses, but the Luciano family's numbers surged in contrast to the diminished Jewish mob, thanks to Lucky's recent recruitment drive.

At the main hideout of the Jewish mob, the scene was one of unrelenting carnage as bodies piled up in grotesque heaps, a grim testament to the travesty that Lucky had inflicted upon them.

"P-Please." Pep pleaded from a seated chair, his voice trembling with desperation.

His closest comrades had been torn apart in excruciating ways, and he was forced to watch the horrific spectacle unfold before him.

Pep was sobbing uncontrollably, his tears mingling with his despair all the while Lucky stood nearby.

His expression impassive and unreadable, casually sipping from a glass of wine as he observed the scene with cold detachment.

"Hey Meyer, what did Pep say to you when you came here for peace?" Lucky asked, swirling the wine in his hand with a casual air, as Meyer meticulously cleaned his hands beside the torture equipment.

"He asked if I 'knew the power he held'." Meyer informed Lucky of the situation, prompting Lucky to down the last of the wine in his glass before tossing it aside with a decisive clink.

"Do you know where you went wrong, Pep?" Lucky asked, waltzing over to him before looking down at the sniffling shell of a man.

"You thought of borrowed power as your own, when in reality, you were nothing but a simple small man having the strings above him tugged to another whims." Lucky then gripped Pep's collar, yanking him forward as the man flinched in fear.

"But you messed up Pep, you came for my family, and I can't allow you to walk out of here without being in twelve separate containers." Lucky's eyes were livid, his anger unable to be clenched by simply shooting him.

"Take him apart, and Meyer, do it slowly." Lucky walked out of the fallen headquarters, his dress shoes clacking sharply against the floor, he issued an irrefutable order to Meyer.

With a heavy heart that was already burdened by killing many of his childhood friends, he grabbed a carving knife and turned toward Pep.

This was Lucky's way of making a clear choice between loyalty and faith, as he had made it evident that one had to be sacrificed.

Meyer had made his choice, and it was clear which side he had aligned himself with.

"M-Meyer, you know me! We go way back!" Pep attempted to back away but slipped on a pool of blood, his efforts to retreat thwarted as Meyer shook his head, a mix of pity and resignation in his expression.

"You made your bed Pep, now you got to sleep in it, and now I've come for you head." Meyer approached with deliberate steps, raising the knife. Pep, his fear palpable, held up his hand in a desperate, futile gesture of surrender.

"Meyer wa-AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Meanwhile in the far reaches of Transylvania,

Perched atop a rugged cliff, a castle is a grand and imposing structure overlooking the surrounding countryside.

Its exterior is a blend of Gothic and medieval architecture, with towering spires, crenelated walls, and forbidding stone battlements.

Inside, the castle is a maze of dimly lit corridors, vaulted ceilings, and shadowy chambers.

The walls are adorned with ancient tapestries depicting scenes of battle and conquest, while suits of armor stand guard in alcoves along the passageways.

The main hall is a vast, echoing chamber, dominated by a massive stone fireplace and long, tall, arched windows let in scant rays of light, casting eerie shadows across the room.

A throne, built to hold a giant, had a small figure adorning it, his eyes slowly raising open to reveal his blood red pupil.

This mighty and terrifying figure, the very same that has left numerous tragedy after numerous tragedy in the shadows of human history, was the figure known to all but directly to some as Dracula.

*Crack*

Dracula's rage surged, unable to even contain the anger after feeling his connection with his son Xarus snap knowing that he had left this world.

However it wasn't sadness, but disgust at the mere thought that his own blood, his legacy, actually fell at the hands of a being that he assumed to be beneath him, since all were beneath him.

"This debt shall not go unpaid."

Next Day,

*BAM*

"Lucky, do you want to start a war!" Gambino slammed his fist on the table in frustration, while Lucky remained calm, leisurely sipping his wine.

"I don't know what you;re-" Lucky played the fool, taunting the little man before him in his own way.

*CRASH*

"DON'T BULLSH*T ME LUCKY, WHY HAVEN'T YOU MOVED YOUR MEN FROM OUR TERRITORY" Carlo screeched, pointing furiously at Lucky as the table, thrown aside in a fit of rage, left Lucky without a place to set his cup.

"My territory." Lucky corrected the situation with a composed tone, while Carlo looked on, baffled and struggling to process the calm in the midst of his fury.

"What are you on Lucky-"

"It's my territory now, I cleaned up the jewish mob all on my own, so I will be reaping the benefits." Lucky informed Carlo who scoffed at these words.

"You can't do that-"

"OH, I CAN'T!" Lucky stood up abruptly, causing Carlo to flinch and take a few steps back, startled by the sudden intensity of his outburst.

"WHEN I CAME TO YOU, MAN TO MAN, YOU LOOKED ME RIGHT IN THE EYE AND TOLD ME GO F*CK MYSELF CARLO!" Lucky yelled, and Carlo's neck instinctively shrank, his eyes wide with shock as he had never witnessed Lucky raise his voice before, and the unexpected outburst left him visibly shaken.

"This was between the Luciano family and the jewish mob, the Magano family chose to simply watch. So in the end, they can watch as I absorb the entirety of the Jewish mob territory and assets." Lucky turned away, and Carlo immediately began to panic, his composure unraveling as he struggled to regain control.

"Y-You can't-"

"You think I don't know you went behind Vinny's back to meet me here in the first place?" Lucky paused, casting a sharp side-eye at Carlo, who went pale under the weight of his gaze.

"Oh Carlo, I knew from the start that you met me without permission, however, I wanted to hear you speak on 'behalf' of Vinny so I could move in with relative ease." Lucky scoffed, a smirk playing on his lips as he revealed that he had manipulated Carlo's own hatred against him.

With that, he turned and walked toward the door, leaving Carlo to grapple with the realization.

"And one more thing." Lucky paused at the door and turned to face a completely defeated Carlo, his gaze steady and unyielding.

"I heard a birdy tell me that Vinny's gonna have a real long talk with you." Lucky snickered as he watched Carlo collapse to the floor, landing on his ass in a pitiful display of defeat, before stepping out the door.

Meanwhile at the hospital,

"No wonder you haven't left." Ricky laughed, enjoying his pudding as he gestured toward his side, where Eddy stood wide awake, though lost in thought as he stared out the window.

Eddy's hollow eyes reflected the birds flying freely in the sky, their carefree movements a stark contrast to the turmoil around him.

"Beautiful dolls dressed up as nurses and free pudding, Eddy this is heaven." Ricky boasted with a wide grin.

"....."

However, Eddy only continued to stare lifelessly out the window, the smile on Ricky's face stagnating before he turned his attention to his pudding.

In truth, Ricky was only staying in this room to cheer up Eddy.

When Eddy was hospitalized, he gained consciousness, but upon waking up, he was just different.

Eddy felt it almost immediately, the complete lack of function in his legs and despite efforts from Frank, the doctors, and Ricky to get him to talk.

Eddy remained stubbornly silent, keeping his mouth shut and his hollow eyes glued towards the window.

*Knock*

"Aye Slick, it's me." Lucky opened the door and Ricky smiled while finishing the cup of pudding.

"Can we talk for a second?" Lucky walked in as Ricky turned to the left to see Eddy not even paying attention though when he turned back, Lucky gestured him outside as Ricky nodded.

"Sure."

15 minutes later,

*Sigh*

"I should've known you'd pull something like that." Lucky let out a defeated sigh, pushing Ricky in a wheelchair as the latter had a smug smile.

"What? I was really hurt back there-"

"Yeah, yeah, I get the spiel, save it for the suckers alright." Lucky rolled his eyes, prompting Ricky to chuckle and with a smirk, Lucky then wheeled him over to a nearby bench.

"Do you ever wonder why I call you Slick instead of Ricky?" Lucky suddenly asked, causing Ricky to raise an eyebrow in curiosity before shrugging nonchalantly.

"Isn't it because you gave me the name?" Ricky asked, leaning over the side of his chair to watch as Lucky adjusted his suit before taking a seat.

"It's because I respect you. I respect what you did at such a young age like any mobster in the family." Lucky honestly replied only for Ricky to have a weird inkling.

'Are we about to have a heart to heart-'

"But I-...…..I haven't been respecting you like I should." Lucky leaned forward, causing Ricky to recoil with a puzzled expression.

"When I was little my pops, your grandpa, was too proud to ask for money when starting up his gang back in the day, so instead my ma was given money in secret by her cousin, Rotolo." Lucky leaned back, his gaze shifting upwards as he stared into the sky.

"I never understood why my father was so stubborn and it always ate me up when I was a youngster, that is, until I adopted you." Lucky glanced over at Ricky, who seemed uneasy and unaccustomed to the situation.

"Oh will you stop acting like a sissy and humor me for a second." Lucky noticed Ricky's expression and, in response, contorted his face into an ugly grimace with Ricky, feeling the weight of the moment, surrendered with a resigned sigh.

*Ahem*

"When I first dragged you into my own mess, I didn't want a kid like you following my footsteps without guidance since I just saw too much of myself in you." Lucky sighed as to this day, he still blames himself for giving Ricky this life.

"It's why when I saw you covered in those rotten bastard's blood did I realize that I'd become my father, but I wanted to be better than him." Lucky turned his entire body toward Ricky, slicking his hair back with a decisive motion.

"But I didn't realize I was becoming like my father until we had that fight over the Jewish mob," Lucky said, his tone heavy with reflection.

"It was then that I understood why he was so stubborn back then, because he didn't want to involve the people he cared about and risk hurting them." Lucky sighed heavily, feeling the irony of wanting to be nothing like his father by becoming exactly like him.

"I don't want to be too prideful and too stubborn like my father, I know I'm hard on ya but that's only because I really love ya kid." Lucky spoke words he would say to Ricky only once in his life, his own expression reflecting surprise at the gravity of the moment.

"And although I've said that you'd be part of the gang, you were right, I've been purposely keeping you at an arm's length with the inner workings of the gang but after that entire fiasco, I want to do right by you and start teaching you the ropes, for real this time." Lucky finally got to the point, and Ricky nodded slightly, acknowledging the weight of Lucky's revelation.

It was true that Ricky had noticed how Lucky kept him at a distance from the Luciano family, only involving him in their affairs when it was absolutely necessary.

This behavior stemmed from Lucky's struggle to let go of the image of Ricky as a child, a sentiment many parents feel when they see their children growing up too quickly.

"But if I'm being honest with you, from now on, you got to meet me halfway." Lucky placed a hand on the wheelchair and squeezed.

"That was too close Ricky, when you fell into my arms covered in your own blood, my heart sank." Lucky thumped his heart, a gesture of deep emotion, while Ricky looked away for a moment, grappling with the weight of the conversation.

"Alright, I'll tell you everything that went down that day." Ricky spoke, and Lucky listened intently, his focus unwavering.

Ricky detailed everything, starting from the moment he first met Abraham, through the events leading up to the confrontation with Xarus, and culminating in his ultimate defeat.

"Wow." Lucky shook his head in shock, unable to believe what he was hearing.

Despite the incredulity of Ricky's story, Lucky found himself believing it as the supernatural didn't seem so far-fetched, especially not after witnessing Ricky's powers firsthand.

"And what about that pendant?" Lucky asked Ricky for more details, but Ricky waved his hand dismissively, indicating he wasn't ready to discuss the personal storage.

"Don't worry, I've hid it in a place that not even a bomb could get into." Ricky assured Lucky with a reassuring nod, then took another deep breath, preparing for what was to come next.

"So, what do we do now?" Ricky asked, uncertain about the next steps, but Lucky waved his hand dismissively, signaling that he had it under control.

"We're going to get a favor from that Father Sebastion." Lucky said with a menacing smile, and Ricky's eyes widened in response, filled with both surprise and apprehension.

"Don't tell me you got him confined-"

"Are you crazy? Of course not." Lucky waved his hand since although Father Sebasiton was a part of it, he was still a part of the church.

"But Abraham on the other hand." Lucky eluded to the fact, making RIcky let out a burst of explosive laughter.

"So is that why you came to me and asked? Because Abraham wasn't giving you squat?" Ricky asked for clarification, but Lucky surprisingly shook his head.

"If I wanted to hear him talk, then I wouldn't have put a gag over his mouth while I beat the living sh*t out of him." Lucky laughed in a twisted, unsettling manner, and Ricky, caught up in the moment, joined in with a chuckle.

"So, are we going to wait for father Sebastian to come to one of us or?" Ricky asked as Lucky smirked as he stood up.

"Not me kid, but you." Lucky then walked away, leaving Ricky to look around in surprise as he saw Lucky had locked his chair in place before breaking it with a decisive motion.

"Wait, where are you going-"

"I got to go get things ready for when you start settling into Luciano family matters." Lucky laughed, realizing Ricky was in a completely compromised position.

Despite being in a wheelchair, Ricky was still in his medical garment, and stark naked underneath as this vulnerability was precisely why Lucky had taken him all the way here.

"Dammit pops, POPS!"

45 minutes later,

*Whistle Sounds*

"Can it!" Ricky yelled in frustration as he heard someone catcall him while walking back into his room, only to find Father Sebastion standing next to Eddy, who was in tears.

"Father, why did god do this to me?" Eddy wept in Father Sebastian's arms, while Ricky stood frozen, his shock and helplessness evident in his stillness.

"Child, god has a plan for us all and you'll soon know your role." Father Sebastian smiled widely as Ricky's collar was suddenly yanked back out the door, pulling him away from the scene.

"What the-"

"Slick I don't ever ask for much, but give Eddy his moment with Father Sebastian, please I'm begging ya." Frank, although aggressive in his approach, had a pleading expression as Ricky sighed.

"Can you atleast give me some pants?"

1 hour later,

"I apologize for making you wait child." Father Sebastion opened the door and glanced at Ricky, who was now wearing pants but shamelessly reading a nudy magazine.

Father Sebastion froze, his expression turning to a frown as he made a cross gesture on his chest.

"Oh father, this is uhhhhhh-....a sports magazine?" Ricky honestly didn't have anything on the fly and Father Sebastion shook his head.

"Child I must ask first, forgive my worry, but the amulet?" Father Sebastion needed to know first and foremost as Ricky nodded.

"Destroyed." Ricky lied since it was sitting patiently in his vault for a rainy day.

"Phew~" Father Sebastian let out a relieved sigh, as if a weight had been lifted from his heart, and he didn't think to question Ricky's abrupt departure.

"May we converse for a second?" Father Sebastian then asked Ricky a question, prompting Ricky to sigh before nodding his head in agreement.

Instead of leading him outside, Father Sebastian guided him to the church inside the hospital, where they took a seat in the front row, overlooking the cross.

"Such a noble soul Jesus was-"

"Alright let's just cut to the chase, you came here because you feel guilty about leaving me there to die all alone with your problem." Ricky stopped Father Sebastian, making it clear he didn't want to hear any spiel about God or Jesus.

"Child, I would never-" Father Sebastion was appalled until Ricky snapped his fingers.

*Snap*

"Oh you're right, I mean Abraham." Ricky snapped his fingers, patting Father Sebastian on the shoulder in a gesture of forgiveness.

However, his face betrayed him, clearly still tinged with resentment.

"You know he looked me dead in the eyes, just after I just saved you both, and said he was sorry before leaving me with the son of f*cking Dracula." Ricky didn't hold back his distaste, making his feelings clear, while Father Sebastian closed his eyes, bracing himself for the confrontation.

"Abraham can be rough around the edges-"

"Rough? FATHER, HE LEFT ME TO DIE!" Ricky stood up and yelled in frustration, the fact that Father Sebastian kept avoiding the topic pushing him to the brink.

"I know, child." Father Sevastion lowered his head, unable to meet Ricky's gaze, the weight of his guilt pressing down on him like a heavy burden.

Despite Ricky being a clear fraud, Father Sebastion still believed him to be a child sent by God to help the Vatican.

The problem he now faced was that Abraham might have already burned the bridge between them before it even had a chance to form.

"I know you have ill will towards me and that is understandable, but please do not blame the church and I ask you to not think any less of God for the actions of Abraham." Father Sebastian spoke with a tone of apology, his words heavy with regret.

Ricky sighed, knowing that even if he wanted nothing to do with the church, it would always be a part of his life as long as he remained within the Luciano family.

However, Lucky had drilled into Ricky the importance of squeezing every last cent out of anyone who owed him, and Ricky intended to get his full worth out of this holy man.

"To be honest Father, when I originally saw that cross necklace stranded on the ground, I thought nothing of it." Ricky suddenly started bullsh*ting as Father Sebastion focused intently on his words.

"However when I picked it up, I felt that warm feeling I received whenever I stepped foot into my family's chapel. Yet now when I'm here, my heart grows cold." Ricky didn't even know where he was going with this but nevertheless continued.

"Honestly, I really don't know what to think about the church after all of this, that very same church which I used to hold most dear now seems so distant." Ricky drove the point home as he stood, walking around the room with deliberate steps, before pausing to dramatically touch the large cross before them.

"What can I do to make it right?" Father Sebastion spoke, making Ricky turn away to hide his enormous grin before reigning it in, and finally turning around.

"Do you know what they call people like me?" Ricky asked Father Sebastion, who raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean-"

"A freak."

*Dink*

Father Sebastian reached out toward Ricky, but his hand stopped short, meeting an invisible barrier as it reminded him of the protective shield he had seen Ricky conjure earlier.

"Your power?" Father Sebastian understood and quietly asked his question and Ricky responded with a nod, letting down the barrier as he did so.

"They call us things like devils, mutants, and everything in between." Ricky finally arrived at the point that Lucky had indirectly alluded to earlier.

Lucky had addressed this issue before, knowing that people who couldn't understand his powers might attribute them to the devil.

However, with this opportunity now presenting itself, he knew that Ricky had to take advantage of it to establish ties with the church.

"Are there more chosen people like yourself? Is this true?" Father Sebastian, surprisingly, asked while inherently assuming they were all chosen by God.

Father Sebastion had spent his whole life within the church, learning of its doctrines and how faith can be used to hold great power.

However, the priest was very ignorant to matters outside the supernatural world and yet, once again, Ricky chose not to clear up this misunderstanding.

"There are in fact, that big guy you met earlier along with that talking dog are both people with powers like mine." Ricky informed Father Sebastion who looked shocked.

"I see." Father Sebastion started pacing back and forth with great contemplation.

Father Sebastian's misunderstanding had spiraled out of control ever since he received that holy necklace, and it had only grown stronger with time.

"I must take this to the inner circle of the Vatican." Father Sebastion needed to inquire with the others of the Vatican however even if it was just this, it was enough for Ricky who smiled.

"However, even still, those disgraceful actions of Abraham should not be overlooked." Father Sebastion didn't shy away from his responsibility as he reached in his cloak and Ricky's eyes widened.

"Father-"

"No child, you more than earned this token." Father Sebastion handed that jewel embedded cross to Ricky who showed a disbelieving smile.

Although Ricky had wanted the cross, he had thought it would take some negotiation on his part and yet, here it was in his hand, practically obtained for nothing.

"With this, wherever you go, you are a friend of the Vatican." Father Sebastion still wanted to repair the damage that might have been done to his image of the church and although it was going over the top, he believed Ricky was worth it.

"But child, for people who walk down the righteous path of heartache, we must not only be strong but also must learn to forgive." Father Sebastion walked forward, placing a hand on his shoulder as Ricky sighed but nodded his head.

"Fine, I'll tell my pops to let go of Abraham but if you expect him to be-"

"Trust me, from knowing Abraham even the angel above wouldn't be against him getting beaten up every now and again." Father Sebastion joked and Ricky became surprised but started laughing.

"But let's keep this between you, me, and the lord above." Father Sebastion chuckled, winking at Ricky while walking towards the door as Ricky continued to laugh.

"See ya later Father." Ricky waved as Father Sebastion side-eyed him with a smile.

"I shall see you later, Ricky Luciano."

Ricky watched as Father Sebastian walked away, his footsteps echoing in the silence before he arrived back at the door of his room and turned to Frank, and ordered him to release Abraham.

Initially weirded out by the request, Frank's attention was grabbed by the necklace, prompting him to rush off to inform Lucky, leaving Ricky standing at the foot of the door.

Glancing through the window, Ricky saw Eddy's hollow eyes gazing out, but as he moved to push through the door, he hesitated.

*Sigh*

"Dammit." Ricky retracted his hand since although he cared for Eddy, he honestly didn't know what to do which caused his instinct to back away to form.

"Ricky!" A sudden shout sounded on the side as Ricky turned to see a crying Maria.

"Maria-" Ricky asked in confusion until she jumped into his arms while taking him into a kiss.

"When I said I needed space, I didn't mean for you to wind up in the hospital." Maria worriedly broke the kiss as she caressed his sharp jawline.

"Ah, your touch made all the pain go away~" Ricky joked, taking Maria's hand and kissing her palm as she laughed in between her tears before hugging him.

"So are you still mad at me?" Ricky whispered soothingly as Maria sank into his embrace, burying her tear-streaked face against his chest as her mascara ran, staining his shirt, and sought comfort in his arms.

"I'm just-...so much is-....and your always-" Maria tried to say what was on her mind yet the words didn't seem to come out right as Ricky petted her hair.

"Maria." Ricky moved her face up as she melted into his touch.

"I love you." Ricky said the words, though deep down, he wasn't sure if he truly meant them but felt it was the right moment to tell her this, hoping it might lead to something more intimate.

*Sniff*

"I love you too."

Ricky and Maria had a much-needed talk, but their moment was interrupted when Profaci pried Maria from his grasp.

Ricky reluctantly let go of her, feeling the loss of her presence keenly but eventually, he made his way back to the room and stopped at the door, but this time he walked in.

"Hey Eddy." Ricky forced a smile but Eddy continued to look out the window.

Ricky sighed but knew it would take some time, walking up to bed willingly to wait as long as needed and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Whenever you want to talk, all you gotta do is ask, alright?" Ricky finally let down his smile for once and showed a serious expression.

*Sniff*

Eddy looked like he was on the verge of breaking down, but he tried to keep it together for the sake of his appearance.

He nodded faintly as Ricky patted his shoulder a couple more times before hopping onto the bed next to him.

Meanwhile At The Brooklyn Port,

"I can't believe you gave the kid my cross." Abraham let out a pain gruff as he held an ice pack to his busted lip.

It was ironic, though, because Abraham's entire face was a canvas of bruises, courtesy of Lucky.

Even after Lucky had beaten the life out of him, it wasn't over and just when Abraham thought the worst had passed, Lucky came back and landed a brutal punch right in his mouth after hearing Ricky's story.

That blow seemed to hurt more than all the others combined.

Through it all, Abraham didn't even wince; he'd faced worse and only when he saw Father Sebastian did he finally let out a sigh of relief.

"You brought that child, who mind you was sent by the heavens, then left him there to die when the fight got hard-" Father Sebastion scolded the irresponsible man-child before him.

"I SAVED YOU-"

"Well, I didn't ask you to." Father Sebastian shook his head as they took their seats, a look of disappointment etched on his face.

Abraham, meanwhile, wore a deep frown, the weight of his situation heavy on his shoulders.

"And can you cut that crap about him being sent from the heavens cause if he's an angel, I'm jesus chr-OW!" Abraham scoffed, but Father Sebastian quickly jabbed his bruised side as Abraham recoiled in pain, the sudden pain making him wince and shift to the side.

"What have I told you about joking with heavenly figures?" Father Sebastian scrunched his eyebrows in disapproval, while Abraham merely rolled his eyes, his frustration evident.

"However that child looked oddly familiar, I could've sworn I've seen him before." FFather Sebastian rubbed his chin thoughtfully, causing a look of surprise to cross Abraham's face.

"You too?" Abraham hadn't been paying attention when Father Sebastian initially brought it up, but now that he wasn't alone, their eyes met and they exchanged a glance of mutual understanding.

"Weird."

Meanwhile in the heart of Harlem,

*SIGH*

Elijah let out a weary sigh as he swept up the countless shards of his door, while his son held the dustpan, quietly assisting in the clean-up.

"Elijah Bradley was it?" A voice suddenly spoke up, and Elijah turned his head to see Lucky walking into the shop, with the other family members waiting patiently outside.

"Y-Yes sir." Elijah immediately ducked his head, his back drenched in cold sweat, as he pulled his son towards him and forced him to bow his head as well at this foreboding person.

"Relax, I ain't gonna do nothing to the man who helped my son." Lucky held up his hand before reaching into his coat, causing Elijah to shut his eyes tightly in fear.

"Are you afraid of money or something?" Lucky chuckled, Elijah opening his confused eyes to a wad of cash.

"T-This is-"

"A gift of 5000, hush money." Lucky slipped a wad of money into Elijah's front shirt pocket.

Elijah let out a cold breath of air, stunned, as he realized it was the largest sum of money he had ever seen.

"O-Oh S-Sir, I'm unworthy of such a grand gift-"

"As a father, can you understand how worthy you could be for what you did that day for me?" Lucky suddenly asked, his gaze fixed on the child held close to him.

The question made Elijah fall silent, his mouth clamping shut as he awaited a response.

"Besides, it wasn't me but my boy who wanted me to reward you." Lucky held up a hand as he strolled out of the shop.

Their interaction was brief but carried an unspoken understanding as although they were two different people from two different worlds, they were both still fathers to sons.

"Who was that pa?" The kid looked up in confusion as Elijah's shaky hands held the wad of money.

"A very powerful man Isaiah and a very generous one at that." Elijah bent down and pulled him into a hug as Isiah looked at the expensive car driving away.

'Wow.'

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