A couple minutes later...

Bella entered the guild building first, her body brimming with shadows and darkness energy, and her eyes glowing with a violet hue. The air around her distorted with her power, ready to lash out at the first sign of danger.

Nina and Arael followed immediately behind her, both summoned and prepared for combat. Nina’s gauntlets were already ignited with flame. Arael hovered just above the ground, with two black projectiles floating at her sides in waiting.

Ethan entered last, with Ragnarok in his hand. His eyes swept the room with sharp intensity, searching for threats, traps, anything out of place.

But what he found was worse.

His team lay scattered across the guild lounge, and they were all wounded and gasping in pain.

The wolves were sprawled near the far wall, their fur matted with blood. Percival was on his side, with one arm clutching his ribs in shallow and labored breaths.

Aliyah lay beside him, her leg bent at an awkward angle, and her face twisted in a grimace.

Hayley was slumped against the base of a pillar, and she was unconscious. Her head was tilted to the side, with a dark bruise spreading across her temple.

And Wilson...

The back of the vampire was pinned to the wall by his own sword. The blade had been driven clean through his shoulder and into the stone behind him, suspending him like a grotesque display.

Blood soaked his shirt, dripping steadily onto the floor beneath him. His head hung forward, and a low, agonized groan escaped his lips.

Ethan’s eyes widened in shock and terror, mirroring the horror on Bella’s face.

He could hear their hearts still beating, but it seemed Wilson was in a worse off condition than the rest of them.

With that, Ethan blurred forward towards him, crossing the distance in an instant.

Meanwhile, Bella had already rushed toward the werewolves.

"Hey, Wilson, look at me," Ethan said urgently. He raised Wilson’s face and lifted his head gently, forcing the vampire’s unfocused gaze to meet his. "I’m going to pull this out. Stay with me."

Wilson’s eyes fluttered weakly, but he managed a faint nod.

Ethan placed his hand on the hilt of the sword embedded in Wilson’s shoulder. He braced himself, then yanked it free with one forceful motion.

Wilson screamed painfully.

Ethan took no pleasure in doing this, and the moment the blade was out, the vampire collapsed forward, and Ethan caught him, lowering him carefully to the ground.

Wilson’s healing factor had already begun to work, slowly knitting the torn flesh back together, but it wasn’t fast enough.

Ethan then raised a hand over the injury and cast an amplified version of the greater healing spell. The wound began to mend more rapidly as the bleeding slowed to a trickle.

Across the room, Hayley’s eyes suddenly fluttered open, glowing amber. She sat up with a sharp gasp, terror flooding her expression.

"Percy!" she yelled, her head snapping toward him.

Bella was already there, kneeling between Percy and Aliyah. Magic circles hovered over her outstretched palms, glowing faintly as she cast the greater healing spell on both of them simultaneously. The light washed over their wounds, easing the worst of the damage.

Hayley scrambled over to them with frantic movements. She looked between Percy and Aliyah, then glanced at Bella, who gave her a reassuring nod.

"They’ll be okay," Bella said quietly.

Hayley exhaled shakily, nodding back.

—

Several more minutes passed.

And now, they were all seated in different parts of the room, recovering. Percy was slouched in one of the armchairs, quickly raising his hand to catch the cold compress Hayley at tossed him.

He pressed against the side of his head with a groan.

Aliyah sat on the couch nearby, with her leg propped up on a cushion. She winced every time she moved, but the healing had stabilized her enough to sit upright.

Wilson leaned on the wall where Ethan had helped him sit, his shirt still stained with blood but his breathing was steadier. His eyes were half-closed, exhausted but alert.

Hayley paced about the room furiously. Then Ethan finally spoke. "What happened here?"

Percival exhaled slowly, then answered. "Some people just... randomly came and ambushed us."

"It would’ve been a walkover," Hayley said bitterly, "if that fucking vampire bitch wasn’t with them."

Ethan’s gaze turned towards her. "Which vampire?"

"I don’t know exactly," Hayley said, frustration bleeding into her tone. "She had white hair and a mask over her eyes. But the real problem was her ability."

She paused, clenching her fists. "That bitch could control our bodies. I tried to break free, but the others she came with jumped us hard while we couldn’t move."

"She could control your bodies?" Ethan’s expression darkened further.

"Blood manipulation," Wilson said from his spot. His voice was hoarse but steady. "She’s a vampire from the Vladimir family. Their family trait allows them to control blood."

Ethan’s eyes widened just a bit.

Wilson continued, his gaze locking onto Ethan’s. "There’s one more thing."

Ethan’s attention returned back to him.

"Before they left," Wilson began, "they warned us. They said you need to drop the case against Crypco immediately... or the next attack would be at Stark Industries."

On hearing that, Ethan’s facial expression twisted into such fury like never before.

—

Around that same time, Edgar was in his office, on a call through his arc phone.

"Did you deliver my message?" he asked.

"Yes, we did, Lord Desdemona," came the reply.

Edgar said nothing more before ending the call.

Then a knock came at the door.

"Come in," he said.

One of his officials stepped inside. "Sir, there are people here to see you."

Edgar’s gaze shifted. "Who?"

"Two girls, sir. I do not recognize one of them, but the other is Lucy Hargreaves... the lead engineer at Stark Industries."

For a brief moment, Edgar’s eyes widened.

Then, slowly, a smile formed.

"I see," he murmured. "Send them in."

⸻

His office was expansive, almost lavish in its design. Beyond his main desk was an open seating area arranged like a private lounge, with low couches and a central table that gave the space a more relaxed atmosphere.

Lucy and Bettie stepped inside.

Edgar had a glass of wine in hand, already watching them. Then he gave a slight gesture, inviting them further in.

"Come," he said.

Lucy had been the one to initiate this meeting, asking Bettie to accompany her.