Their starvation was by design.

It had to be. For what reason, however, was only known by the rulers of the Larin Empire. The common folk knew nothing, for they were the victims.

“Can you blame the Larin Empire!?” The old man growled as he rose from his slumber, clutching his chest. “When the Clot is a weapon those scum have been using against us!”

“But the Clot only exists because your people are starving.” Frost rebutted. “How can anyone else take the blame but the Larin Empire?”

“Because… Because…! It… has to be… We gave our life to the Larin Empire! Our food… Everything goes to others so that we can survive!”

“It’s the same thing that’s killing you.”

“Then what are we supposed to do!? What can we do!?” The old man began weeping.

“Father…!” The child stopped herself from rushing to help him. She knew that no one wanted to be touched by her.

“It’s do or die for us… Can we even call it living!? Our neighbors were burned because they were a kilogram of food off! Now their demand is piled on top of ours… Our crops are burned… Gods, why… why us?”

No matter where Frost went, there were people struggling to live. The fear of being slaughtered by one’s own people, and the terror of being utterly incapable of resisting was something Frost had rarely thought about.

She was always in a position of power, even in her most powerless state.

Being reduced to nothing but a slave who lived a life that could barely be called living was a hellish existence.

Sorrow filled her heart.

There were undoubtedly thousands more like them in the Larin Empire.

Unfortunately, she could not personally help them all.

But there was something else that she could do for them.

I should have killed Mary D’ Grace. The Larin Empire doesn’t deserve its people when this is how they treat them.

“Frost, how else are Empires built, if not on top of bloody hands and dead bodies?”

By treating their people like they’re not fucking livestock! Power does not give a person that right!

“Yet, it is how it inevitably goes.”

Frost quelled her rage before it could startle the others. It hurt her that by allowing Mary to live, she had opened the doors to greater anguish.

“Please.” Frost addressed the old woman. “Tell me, how much of the Larin Empire has been taken over by the Clot?”

“… We’re… not certain. It could be the minor cities. Or the major cities. The Capital was said to be overrun by them. From what we’ve been hearing from the Redfiends. They’ll be visiting later in the week… They’ll have your answers.”

“Understood. That is all… And this Clot. Has anyone from your village been turned yet?”

The room went silent. A look of despair bloomed on the old man’s face. The mother’s shoulders slumped, and the little girl’s smile dwindled. The girl pointed her normal hand towards a door that was barricaded with wooden planks and rusty nails.

“… Would you like to see my big brother?”

* * *

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Within the barricaded door was the rotting stench of a dead body.

By the scent alone, and by using her eldritch knowledge, she estimated that this person had been dead for more than a year. Vascular tissue grew along the walls like a fungal growth. They pulsed to the presence of fresh air as the stench of decay assailed Frost’s senses.

Her stomach churned, not from the stench: but rather: because she had smelled worse.

She walked into the dark room as though it was fully lit, and she navigated over broken glass, fallen furniture, and holes that were eaten by the rot. Sitting in a tarry bed was a soft creature that barely resembled a human.

Its head was replaced with a shriveled sack, where a tongue dangled from the top. Attached to the tongue was a sharp proboscis.

Warts and crystal shards grew from their body. She reached towards the head and assessed this creature.

Clot (Deceased)

< An Impuritas born from a starving Vampire. Close relatives of the Crimson Hunger (universal Impuritas) >

Basic Observation

< The sack it carries must be filled with blood. Only then may it be satisfied > 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Paged Observation

< Even when full, blood alone cannot satisfy their thirst. They trash in ire, hoping for the thirst to end >

The Impuritas is the lack of blood. But from what we know, the Sin of Wrath is the excess of blood… Just what is happening in the Larin Empire?

“We should assume that the Impuritas have a stronghold in the Larin Empire. Particulalry the Crimson Hunger.”

… To become a monster because they could not satisfy their thirst or hunger… To become a Sin or Impuritas, of all things as well… tch.

“Demons suffer from this. Hence, why they require the essence of humanity to avoid corrosion.”

Frost could no nothing more here. She only wished to have a closer look at the Clot. To think Vampires would be reduced to mindless zombies… Such a disease could spread far and wide if kept unchecked, much like the Silicon Rot.

Though it only affected Vampires, humans and other species could easily become Vampires to spread this disease further. And even if it was contained, so long as one was a Vampire, then there was always a risk of gaining Qliphoth Corrosion.

It deeply saddened Frost.

Nav. Do you think I’d become a Clot if I became unable to satisfy my hunger?

“Worse, I’m afraid.”

Frost cast her gaze at a heavily disfigured shadow of herself, that was cast from the light behind her.

I think so too.

Soft patters entered the room. They stopped shortly behind Frost.

“He always shared with me whenever he could. Mother thinks I’m the reason why he’s still asleep.”

“Child, this was unavoidable.” Frost assured her. She turned, knelt, and gently stroked her head. “The blame isn’t yours to shoulder.”

“It’s not my fault?”

“It has never been your fault. Your brother would be sad if he heard you blaming yourself.”

“Brother did say to not feel sad about taking his food…”

Frost could not believe the type of hardships children had to go through in this world. Moreover, the fact that her parents blamed her for this greatly infuriatied her. But she did not wish to scold them now.

It would only invite more pain for the family.

“The only one to blame is the Larin Empire.” Frost’s words became heavy.

At the same time, commotion stirred outside. The ground began to shake as the sound of several dozens of hooves pummeled the earth. Frost peered at the wall behind the girl and saw one hundred golden lights fill her vision.

A band of one hundred people had arrived on horseback. A horn then blared to announce their presence. Alongside it was the sound of steel being drawn. Frost found it strange. If these were the Redfiends, who were supposed to collect the crops from the village, then what was the purpose of drawing their weapons?

“T-They’re here early...” The old man uttered with terror. “Quickly! The crops! Gather the crops!”

Banging came from the front door. An argument broke out as the villagers tried to figure out why they had arrived so early. They knew, but none of them wanted to say it out loud, fearing that it would offend Frost.

The crater must have attracted their attention.

She left the room and then approached the front door. The crowd parted as she stepped out into the afternoon sun. Their arguments were quelled in an instant, and she raised a hand to her chest as she spoke.

“You mustn’t fear. I shall deal with them. The wreckage of my vessel must have attracted them.”

“M-Ma’am… Those are the Redfiends… are also Fifth Generation Vampires. It would be best if you also complied.”

Frost smirked.

“Only Fifth Generation?”

“… I-I beg your…?”

An arrow whizzed by, and she stopped it with a single finger. The arrow exploded into shrapnel, miraculously not injuring anyone present.

“I don’t believe they’re here for your crops today.”

Unfazed, she raised the same hand at her chest to the skies. Blood suddenly began pooling in the palm of her hand. The congealed orb then shifted like a sloshing liquid into a crystal lance.

Then, she faced the direction of the approaching army: one hundred and fifty soldiers on horseback: and crushed the lance into tiny strand-like blades before hurling it into the skies. It appeared as a singular lance until it reached the apex of its arc.

Then, it split into fifty.