Staring into space she had a nagging feeling that something wasn't right, her clan possessed a close affinity to the space element and currently the space around them felt distorted.
Then she felt it, a ripple. Something was headed in their direction.
She sprang to her feet, ready to face whoever dared ambush them, or maybe it had just been some of the nobles sparring.
But then again she didn't hear any of their voices before then.
The attack came faster than she had expected, she had sensed it but failed to react fast enough. She took a short glance at Frederick who still sat relaxed and poised, his unbothered expression causing her to doubt whether there was even a threat in the first place.
But she couldn't have been wrong, the destructive prowess of whatever was headed towards them pressed down on her senses. It looked like a singular beam of light that tore through the night's darkness with murderous intent.
And in mere moments to come, it threatened to end their existence.
Teresa's body tensed. In the last moments between them and the ferocity of the light, a crimson mass rose and stood in its way like an impenetrable fortress. The surface of the mass flowed like molten liquid despite its imposing structure.
The ferocious light struck the crimson mass and for a moment the ground tremored under the pressure of the attack. But after a while, slowly the tremor began to subside.
Frederick finally got up from the ground, the relaxed expression on his face long gone.
***
The rest of the nobles that resided in the mountain cave walked out with tense expressions. They had all clearly felt the tremor of the mountain.
They rushed to its peak to see a lone figure with graceful dark blue hair that swayed with the night's breeze. In front of him a tall and wide crimson mass.
They all recognised him…it was Lord Frederick.
The terrain of the mountain peak was rocky and uneven but still wide enough for a couple hundred people to fit in. The crimson mass managed to cover at least half of the width.
The noble vampires approached him quickly, they felt he would surely have an answer to what had happened.
When they got close enough, a few of them noticed his dark expression. For a few moments, a fragile silence was held between them. Frederick neither spoke nor did he acknowledge their presence.
But as it was, the silence…was fragile.
One of the nobles, a tall and broad shouldered young man with brown hair and charismatic looks said to Frederick.
"Lord Frederick, we felt the mountain quake. Is there a problem?".
Frederick didn't respond, his dark expression grew darker. His mind seemed to be at war when faced with a devil and a red sea.
But who was the devil?, And where was the red sea?.
He looked at the noble who had spoken but his next words addressed them all.
"Ready your cursed attributes".
That was all, the only warning he would give them and the only one that was required.
The details didn't matter, they would eventually find out.
The noble vampires adhering to Frederick's words readied the cursed attributes. A scarlet sheen burning deep within their irises.
Frederick turned back to face the crimson mass, dismissing the strong hold, the impenetrable wall of crimson fell to the ground.
Behind it, Derick stood amongst a group of beings who looked like they were born from light. Their skin carried a soft glow of unquestionable radiance with eyes as bright as the stars of the night and slightly pointed ears.
Beings of impeccable beauty.
The noble vampires tensed when they finally noticed how dire the situation was.
"Vaels"
One of them growled under his breath.
The Vaels, as addressed, stared at the curses with murderous glints in their eyes and wicked grins plastered across their faces.
Their leader stepped forward, a young vael with dark hair and a star-shaped silver earring glinting at his ear. He unsheathed a blue dagger and leveled it at Frederick.
He had chosen his opponent.
The tension in the air had grown thick enough that it dared to be touched, no one attempting to make the first move.
Dark clouds slowly began to creep their way into the night, with it came the subtle echo of a distant thunder.
A storm was coming.
Ferocious winds crashed onto the mountain peak and assaulted each and every one of them. The winds grew stronger by the second, causing some of them to cover their eyes from the raising dust, Frederick included.
Both the moment he did, a shrill scream echoed behind him.
He turned, despite the enemy still before him. He could already sense where the real threat was.
Behind one of the nobles stood the Vael leader.
His blue dagger plunged deep within her chest and a sly smile played on his lips as he drew the blade sideways, creating a deep gash that had cut through flesh and bone.
The noble was dead.
Frederick could see it now, he unsheathed his thin blade which pulsed in delight of facing the enemy. The polished black blade reflected the dark red glow of his gaze that burned deep with a quiet rage.
The Vaels were the red sea he had to vanquish and Derick…he was the devil that he had to kill.
He took in a deep breath, exhaled and as the ravaging wind blew against his face he moved, his blade mere inches away from decapitating the enemy.