"How did you respond to its inquiry?"

  "I claimed her identity as my own."

  "A surprising answer, I must confess."

  "Predictably, the Wolfkin launched a savage assault—the lightning quickness of his movements and those razor-edged talons remain indelibly etched in my memory. The Monster Slayer and I—surely the most catastrophically ill-suited partnership in recorded history—somehow emerged victorious, though the triumph belonged almost entirely to his combat prowess. My contribution consisted merely of incantations from the periphery, weaving rudimentary binding enchantments such as 'Skjálf den ????' and similar formulae. As life ebbed from him, he revealed his lineage as Crescent Wolfkin—my first indication that their species encompassed distinct bloodlines."

  "That they have different breeds is news to me as well," Raveirmom confessed, his surprise genuine. "You indicated this encounter constituted a deliberate stratagem against your mentor. What ultimate resolution occurred?"

  "Dania Lassō is dead. Most unfortunately, she died at the hands of the Wolfkin."

  The duke maintained expectant silence. "The threat extended beyond a solitary Wolfkin, Raveirmom. The entire settlement comprised Wolfkin—Crescent variety, presumably. Upon my return to our lodgings, my mentor's remains consisted of nothing more than unrecognizable fragments of flesh, splintered bone, and scattered viscera."

  "A regrettable outcome." His tone conveyed clinical detachment. "Their objective centered on Dania from inception. Whatever ancient animosity motivated this vendetta remains unknown to me—her life had already been extinguished before my return. In truth, I harbor no particular curiosity regarding these circumstances. I conjured a portal and extracted myself and the Monster Slayer from the Wolfkin-infested village. When authorities eventually marshaled forces for punitive action, the settlement had vanished completely. Subsequently, my account met with universal skepticism—dismissed as the deranged fabrications of an unstable witch."

  "Fortuitously, your narrative finds credence with me." The sorceress offered a dismissive shrug. "From your experiences, I can extrapolate two critical insights: primarily, Wolfkin operate through coordinated pack structures, mirroring their lupine counterparts. Secondarily, they maintain seamless integration within human communities, preserving complete rational faculties even during bestial transformation."

  "Your assessment approximates the reality."

  "Excellent. We have at minimum established the existence of Wolfkin and acquired rudimentary understanding of their behavioral patterns. Lostya, based on your observational data, would you conclude that Wolfkin orchestrated the pursuit of courier elements within Wymar Forest?"

  "The probability approaches certainty. However..." Her brow furrowed in contemplation. "The pursuers targeting Ivan's contingent manifested as Dire Wolves—distinct from the Wolfkin specimens I previously encountered."

  "Could Wolfkin possess capabilities enabling lupine possession? Perhaps communicative faculties facilitating remote pack coordination?"

  "My knowledge contains significant gaps regarding such specifics," Lostya Huggins responded with uncharacteristic gravity. "Legendary accounts, however, do attribute animal communion abilities to Wolfkin. My most vivid recollection involves the confrontation between the Monster Slayer and Crescent Wolfkin—a nearby swine enclosure should have erupted in panicked disorder, yet the animals remained eerily silent and motionless. This observation reinforces my belief in Wolfkin's animal control capabilities, with wolves representing potentially heightened susceptibility."

  "We shall proceed for now with the working theory that they possess this ability. Which brings us to the other creature. Your report mentioned you were pursued by a swarm of bats?"

  She confirmed with a deliberate nod. "Their numbers were overwhelming—sufficient to obscure celestial visibility. They were... yes, diminutive specimens with distinctive crimson ocular features."

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "Could predatory instinct have motivated their aggressive behavior toward you?"

  The sorceress directed an exaggerated ocular rotation toward him, executing the gesture with theatrical contempt. "Has your cognitive function deteriorated catastrophically, my esteemed Duke Dear? What aerial predator would conceivably target your raptor familiar? Even a Riftjaw Dragon would exercise respectful restraint! Even assuming capacity for victory against a Spotted White Eagle, draconic aerial velocity remains demonstrably inferior!"

  "I merely sought to eliminate alternative possibilities."

  "Your success in that endeavor proves indisputable."

  For the second time that day, he let her sharp-tongued sarcasm pass without comment. "This suggests bat swarm manipulation. However, a critical question requires resolution: did the entity controlling the lupine pack simultaneously direct the bats pursuing you, or does this indicate separate operational control?"

  "Undetermined," she responded without hesitation. "I've consistently maintained that simultaneous control of multiple species transcends reasonable capability—such manipulation would impose extraordinary psychological burden upon the practitioner. The swarm targeting me comprised potentially thousands of crimson-eyed chiropterans..."

  "Necessitating consideration of an alternative hypothesis?" The duke postulated, "I find myself reluctant to accept concurrent confrontation with both Wolfkin and Blood Race."

  "I regret that precise scenario appears most probable." Lostya's expression conveyed pronounced displeasure. "In actuality, my pursuers encompassed two distinct bat varieties. The first—the crimson-eyed swarm—I successfully incinerated through arcane intervention. The second presented significantly greater challenge—an unfamiliar species comparable in dimension to Aethelwing itself. Unlike its mindlessly aggressive crimson-eyed counterparts, this specimen exhibited terrifying intellectual capacity transcending conventional animal cognition. Had I not relinquished the message cylinder, its talons would have undoubtedly terminated my existence."

  Raveirmom Dear formulated an internal apology. "Sufficient discussion of this matter."

  "Let us then designate our adversary as Blood Race." He deliberately employed formal terminology. "Your familiarity with this species apparently predates current circumstances."

  "Technical clarification—not personal experience, but rather my mentor Dania Lassō's. During childhood, she received nurture from an Advanced Vampire. Moderate your astonishment," she added upon noting his expression.

  "..."

  "Your reaction precisely mirrors my historical response, Raveirmom. However, Dania possessed no motivation for fabrication, and I detected no deceptive elements in her narrative. Her childhood recollections emerged during somnolent states—sometimes in half-conscious murmurings. Dania suffered abandonment immediately following birth—ostensibly due to physical unattractiveness, though she maintained gender constituted the actual motivation. She endured multiple transfers between slave traders until a transaction disruption created opportunity for escape amid ensuing chaos. Her approximate age during this period was five or six years. She fled until physical exhaustion induced collapse, regaining consciousness within unfamiliar bedding. A rural agriculturalist had provided sanctuary—Skronzingerian derivation, I believe. After five years of cohabitation, she witnessed him consume soup for the first occasion—a viscous, porcine blood concoction."

  "Did carelessness precipitate this revelation? Or perhaps..."

  "Affirmative." She confirmed with deliberate head movement. "The revelation was intentional, occurring during evening sustenance. Having determined her cognitive development sufficient, he demonstrated his authentic nature during the meal. Pure malicious amusement motivated the disclosure."

  "A Vampire with a sense of humor," the Duke remarked dryly. "How droll."

  "Her response?" Lostya Huggins emitted genuine laughter. "She possessed innate magical aptitude from earliest development. Without formal instruction, she had already mastered elementary force manipulation—similar to Ash's goblet levitation you witnessed upon entry. Naturally, she preserved this capability as her own secret, permitting the Blood Race agriculturalist to maintain his perception of her as an unremarkable human child. Consequently, with minimal digital manipulation, she propelled the blood-filled vessel through the window aperture."

  "The vampire exhibited neither indignation nor surprise at this demonstration?"

  "Regarding surprise, my knowledge remains incomplete. Concerning anger, absolutely not—following momentary stupefaction, he erupted in unrestrained hilarity. Dania joined his mirth, though she regained composure first."

  "'Do you not fear I might disclose your vampiric nature to the community?' my mentor inquired experimentally. His response emerged with immediate frankness: 'Such action would ensure reciprocal exposure of your arcane nature, diminutive witch. Humans may fear witches, yet that fear incorporates respect. For blood-consuming abominations such as myself, they harbor exclusively revulsion.'"

  "If I found myself face-to-face with a proper vampire, I'd keep my bloody mouth shut, that's for certain," Raveirmom Dear muttered to himself.