Tales of Revenants

Chapter 16 – Taste of Blood

The Pine Forest isn't that much bigger than the Mist Forest. It's a good grounding to hunt some wild animals. The untrodden tundra biomes and frosty season might not be that generous considering the animals were on hibernation.

“We've been searching but there's not a single squirrel let alone a polar bear.” Eirisse sobbed. She's too thirsty and starving.

“I'm trying to scan some lifeforms with these cool thermal lenses installed in my right eye, but I think it's broken or there's just no animal sighted.” Xenon clanked his head assuming it could fix it.

“Wait... I hear something.” Laken notices.

“Hmm...” Xenon breathed fire through the snow from trying to listen to the surrounding.

The party attentively listened under the rages of the snow. They pay attention and actually heard some weird noises coming from the north-west where they currently stand.

Later it became clear. It sounded some flesh being ripped apart. The party slowly moved towards their curiosity. To see for themselves what would be going on.

“Oh sh–” Laken seized Xenon, covering his dirty mouth.

He did not silence Xenon because they'll get caught, but rather he's about to say something unbefitting of Luciella's innocent ears.

What made Xenon startled was a horrifying Nightbeast that resembles a black Ursus with the head of a snake munching down a polar bear.

Laken had already seen the biggest and most terrifying kinds of Nightbeast, but this one is different as it seems the man cloaked in black beside the monster seems to be commanding it. He had a weird eye that is carved physically on his right arm.

“There are two possibilities; first it's a summon creature, or that shady guy is commanding a Nightbeast,” Laken guessed.

Everyone knew that Nightbeasts are diabolical and abomination spawn of the Dark Wars. No one will never try to tame a monster or rather they are obscure figures that only seek to destroy all life, let alone someone controls them.

“Hmm...?!” The unknown man somehow noticed the party's presence behind the pine trees. He gestured some weird runic spells and suddenly, the man disappeared like bubbles.

“This is bad, the beast has seen us.” Xenon was alarmed.

He brought Eirisse down, so does what Laken did to Luciella. The unknown man seems to control the beast to attack the party just before getting out of the place.

Laken grasped his sword. He went into a surprise attack stance. Gripping the handle while fixing a lot of pressure to his right leg for a stronger assault.

“Listen, protect Luciella behind here. Xenon and I will deal with this quickly.” Laken asked Eirisse into guarding Luciella. She nodded in understanding. No words exchanged as the beast might be following the sound of its prey.

“Accelerating Combustion Buster: Sniper Mode.” Xenon entered into another battle transformation.

This time his mechanical wings were wider than the rider form. His Stargazer now is a large assault rifle designed for long-range tactics.

He may have better eyesight with the help of his scope lenses installed in his eyes, but the Sniper Mode appears to have less armor than his normal mode.

“Let's have a gamble. Distract that abomination so I can blow up his head.” Xenon reloaded his weapon. Considering in mind the energy he had left so that he won't force himself to hibernation.

“Alright, any information about it?” Laken questions. Xenon tried scanning the monster but to no avail.

“My exoskeleton and x-ray monster scanner don't appear to work on that thing so I can't determine it will come down after incapacitating its head.” Xenon analyzed everything he could while Laken is contemplating waiting for the perfect moment.

After a short while, the Nightbeast Ursus' about to discover where they hide. They have come to an agreement, “I have two plans.” Laken stated. “Seems your sharpness knows no bound.” Xenon jerked the rifle's energy limiter.

Without exchanging words, their mind and idea synchronously followed the initiation.

“Commence the first plan!” Laken exclaimed and he headed out first. He got the attention of the Nightbeast when he slashes its back while Xenon raised his altitude until heading towards the clouds to disappear.

Xenon's specialty is aerial combat. Once he flew enough that anyone could no longer see him, he'll be the greatest threat they will ever face.

Since the skies in the region of Frozen Northlands is enshrouded with thick clouds, it's like this place is his playground. Not that it matters since the enemy is land-based, but for all-out battle tactics, he'd be invincible.

“Severe!” Laken's head-detaching technique failed when the Nightbeast Ursus seen his rear attack, deflecting Laken's sword in the process.

He backed off for a second. The Nightbeast's intelligent capable of reasoning. It's not some kind of beast that just attacks anyone nearby, it has a level of knowledge.

“Now fire!” Laken exclaimed. Not that Xenon heard it, but the gesture means a message to pull the trigger.

Xenon charged his Stargazer's energy limiter to full, drawing a lot of energy in the process. He also delimited the muzzle of the rifle to minimize casualty.

“Combustion Buster: Stargazer at one hundred percent. Fire!” Xenon pulled the trigger.

A massive but thin light came crossing to sky down to the lands, scoring the head of the Nightbeast Ursus; it's a hundred percent bullseye.

It fell to the snow. Its body is heavy and huge it destroyed a couple of pine trees. Xenon descended to the ground deactivating his sniper mode to save energy.

“That wasted thirteen percent energy, not bad.” Xenon's body discharged steam. Eirisse and Luciella now came to the scene but Laken told them off.

“Wait it's still dangerous!” Suddenly the Nighbeast body still moved without its head. Xenon's guess was right. It was going to s***h Luciella when Eirisse pushed her behind.

Eirisse's back was gashed open. The angered Laken swiftly strikes behind cutting the Nightbeast in half. The Nightbeast Ursus vanished into crystalized shadow the way other Nightbeast meet their demise.

When Xenon came to the action to see the bleeding on Eirisse's back. He was shocked to the point he forced his personality switch to activate when Eirisse's blood touches her lips.

“Changing attribute: afraid... Holy crap Laken! Don't let that woman taste her blood!” Xenon's overwhelmed not because he saw the wound, but the fact that she's about to savor her blood.

“Eirisse!” Laken tugged Luciella away from her when she tried to get near and heal Eirisse with Light Blessing.

“This is bad. It's too late now.” Laken insinuated. The afraid Xenon is rummaging through their sack to find something useful.

Eirisse abruptly froze in motion when she savored her blood. Her lips turned rose. Her skin turns as white as the snow. Even her already long crimson hair somewhat had an extra inch.

The gash on her back gradually healed without any spell. It's the regenerative capabilities of a pureblood vampire.

“What happened to her?” Luciella is puzzled. She wanted to help Eirisse but she couldn't understand what is going on.

“Apparently, Eirisse can also force Metamorphosis not just by nighttime, but also when she tastes blood. Her own or any sort, it doesn't matter. She's going to Revenant Metamorphosis and she might kill us!” Xenon's too scared he cowered behind Luciella.

Sometimes the change attribute Xenon had might not be useful at times. Eirisse has turned into a bold, and straightforward vampire who can't resist the taste of blood.

“Hey? What are you standing for? It's not like I died.” Eirisse beckoned them. Her attitude drastically changed to a dominator.

“Won't you suck our blood?” Xenon asked cowering, “Tch. As if you have. You weird pile of a machine!” Eirisse exclaimed irritated.

“I could still control myself when it's a force Metamorphosis. This will only last for an hour, so carry me right now or my delicate foot nails might be blackened by frostbite.” Eirisse suggests. She became rude and doesn't mince words.

“Let's go Xenon just do what she wanted,” Laken ordered Xenon but refuses, “Forget it, I want Laken's back!” Eirisse immediately leaped towards Laken. Pushing away Luciella just so she would get what she wanted.

“Much better. Such masculine back, it turns me on.” Eirisse chuckled, “Well, there's nothing we could do, Luciella get on Xenon's back.” Laken decided and Luciella agreed.

“Changing attribute: normal. Welp, get on now, we must still search for food.” Xenon changed back to normal just like that. He carried Luciella in the meantime, but still refuses to go near Eirisse.

Luciella thought of why Eirisse didn't tell her regarding the other way to enter Metamorphosis. She thought there might be a reason. They remained silent as they search for food. Eirisse's just fondling over Laken.

The restless Luciella wanted to apologize because it's her fault that she went to Metamorphosis when the Nightbeast attacked her. She also somehow felt bothered without a reason when seeing Eirisse embracing Laken.

The party didn't lose hope as they continued to desperately seek for a random polar bear for their lunch.