For as long as anyone could remember, vampires abided by a strict hierarchy. Vynx was taught by his creator that the Vampire King ruled over them all, and each Vampire Lord was assigned a territory to govern by His Majesty. These Lords were handpicked by the King—personally turned and given his blood so that they would ascend beyond the rest of their kin while remaining eternally loyal to him alone. No one knew exactly when vampirism first appeared, nor how the Vampire King became as powerful as he is. The history dated back far too many centuries for the Alchemy Commission to find a reliable source, and so they were left with only the speculations and legends that surrounded the King's enigmatic nature. 

Even Sophia had never seen the Vampire King in person, despite her marriage to a Vampire Lord and her introduction to their upper society. The King was rarely seen at the gatherings that the Lords hosted, and fewer even knew where he normally resided. "I visited the King's palace on occasion with my former husband. As a bride, I was only a mere ornament to him, but I still managed to glean enough about vampire society during our brief time at their balls," Sophia explained. The pair had begun making their way from the village towards the manor on a hill overlooking the area. "It was there that I also met Lord Jaunus. My ex-husband had a rather low opinion of him."

"Seems like his estate is also a lot less snazzy than your old place," Vynx snickered. Rather than an imposing Gothic castle like the one he had met Sophia in, the Jaunus manor was a dilapidated building overrun with ivy and foliage. If not for the dim glow of candlelight from within the dusty windows, Vynx would have assumed that the place was abandoned. However, the rusted gates surrounding the mansion were left ajar, and the front door was open. The fact that they reached the entrance without running into a single vampiric guard or servant made Vynx wary. "I thought for sure that we'd be greeted by his lackeys by now," the hunter said aloud. He counted the number of bullets and stakes he had left after their extermination in the village. His supply was running low, but he hoped that it would be enough for whatever awaited them inside the manor. As they passed through the doors and made their way inside, he kept his sword drawn while listening closely for the slightest hint of movement.

"I smell blood coming from the second floor," Sophia whispered. The poor condition of the manor surprised her; most Lords kept both humans and thralls in their employment to manage their estates and land. Upon ascending the staircase in the main hall, Sophia saw the bodies of several thralls strewn across the carpeted balcony. Their blood was fresh and stained the mauve carpets on their way to the Lord's private chambers.

"Someone's been here before us." Vynx narrowed his eyes as he inspected the bodies. Severed limbs and clean sword cuts marked their torsos over where their hearts would be. "Whoever did this knows what they're doing," he muttered. Somehow, he sensed that the newcomer who awaited them was no ally. The trail of blood led directly to the master bedroom. Vynx moved in front of Sophia and gave her a silent nod. Then, with sword and pistol at the ready, Vynx kicked open the door and aimed his gun.

The corpse of Lord Jaunus lay at the centre of the room, his face still aghast with the expression of someone frozen in the midst of shock. The Lord was dressed in his nightrobes, and protruding through his torso was the slender blade of a rapier pinning the vampire to the ground. Standing above the slain Lord was another vampire draped in fine black velvet with golden embroidery and buttons decorating his coat. He pulled his sword from Jaunus' chest and calmly faced the pair. "Ah, I thought that I had already cleared out the servants here. I suppose I must have missed you two." The vampire took a handkerchief from his waist pocket and wiped away a speck of blood on his palm. His face, handsome and perfectly sculpted like that of a marble statue, bore a sense of regality to it that made Vynx immediately detest him.

"Prince Rainer…?" Sophia spoke before the hunter had a chance to snap back. Her eyes were wide as the silver-haired gentleman gazed back at her in brief recognition.

"Oh. It's you." The Prince raised an eyebrow, bemused. "Lord Walter's bride, am I correct?" 

"Former bride," Sophia replied with a frown. Her posture tensed as she watched Rainer's crimson eyes scan over her and Vynx.

"How convenient. I was told to find you after Lord Walter passed away." Rainer raised his blade and pointed it at Sophia. "Or should I say, was murdered?" He discerned the blood covering her and Vynx was not their own, and, without another word, he lunged.

Vynx pushed Sophia out of the way and blocked the incoming blade with the guard of his cutlass. The force of the attack nearly sent him backwards, but the hunter stood firm as their blades locked together. "Hey, didn't you just murder a Vampire Lord in his sleep? What the hell do you have against Sophia?!"

"I disposed of Lord Jaunus because of his negligence. I'm sure you've seen the outbreak that occurred in his village," Rainer snorted. He appeared astonished as Vynx remained unmoved by his strength and was even able to deflect another set of lightning-fast jabs. "Interesting. You must be the Vampire Hunter that I've heard so much about." Rainer leapt back before Vynx could swipe at him. His cloak fluttered behind him with each movement like a living shadow.

"The one who put a stake through Conrad and Sophia's ex? Yeah, that's me," Vynx declared. "And who exactly are you?"

"I am Rainer du Randt, the son of His Majesty." The Vampire Prince wore a cynical smile as he switched to another sword stance. "I was tasked with eliminating Lord Jaunus after a few of his underlings feasted upon the town and then deserted it. A Lord must take responsibility for the crimes of his subordinates, and this is hardly his first blunder. It is my duty to deliver judgement upon those who would disrupt the balance my father maintains…" His gaze shifted from Vynx back towards Sophia as he spoke. "And that includes tracking down traitors."

Sophia gripped the dagger in her hand. "Yes, I am a traitor. However, I never wished to be a vampire, nor did I ever care for the monster who made me this way," she hissed. 

"You have my condolences, Miss Sophia. I have no personal grudge against you, but so long as you continue to assist this hunter, you pose a threat to our order." Rainer offered a bow before he launched himself at the pair again, this time aiming for the vampiress. 

Sophia dodged his rapier as it sped past her neck. She thrust her knife forward, but the Prince swiftly caught her wrist and seized her in place. 

"Oh hell no!" Vynx fired several gunshots at Rainer, but each one whizzed through the empty air as the vampire suddenly reappeared before him. A rush of pain took the hunter as the Prince's blade ran through him, piercing Vynx right under his ribs. "Ack—" Vynx staggered back once Rainer pulled his blade out, and a spray of scarlet gushed from the open wound.

"You have my thanks; you saved me the trouble of cleaning up the village. Now, begone." Rainer turned his back to the hunter while Vynx dropped to one knee. 

Vynx could taste the blood bubbling into his mouth, but he grit his teeth through the agony. The Prince was nothing like the mass of mindless thralls he had cut down; he was even stronger than any Vampire Lords he had faced in the past. Unfortunately, as skilled as Sophia was, Vynx could tell that Rainer's speed was in a league of its own. As the sigil on his back gleamed under his jacket, he felt the hole in his torso gradually closing, but his mind continued to race with adrenaline. He had no time to wait for his wound to heal before he saw Rainer move again. "Stay back, Sophia!" Vynx threw himself forward and slashed at the Prince's back, catching him right with the tip of his blade before the vampire could reach Sophia.

Rainer spun around and brought his blade down on Vynx, only to be met with the sharp clanging of steel. The Hunter was back on his feet as if the vampire had not just impaled him through. "Hm. You're more durable than I expected," the Prince muttered. He held nothing back this time, sending a flurry of stabs at Vynx, piercing his shoulder and abdomen, then slicing through his left thigh. Yet his attacks didn't slow the hunter, and Rainer was forced to block and parry incoming blows once Vynx pushed forward. By now, he could deduce that his opponent was no mere human, even if he did reek like one.

The ringing of metal filled the darkened chamber as the men clashed, knocking over furniture and breaking any gaudy decorations that happened to be in their path. Clang after clang echoed through the room for what felt like eternity, until Vynx found an opening to fire his gun again. This time, his bullet flew past the vampire and shattered the window behind him. 

A stream of daylight shone through the opening, and Rainer furrowed his brow. He had somehow lost track of time during their duel, and despite carving a dozen fatal cuts through Vynx, the hunter was still standing. Rainer clicked his tongue in annoyance and stepped away from the sunlight while dodging a slash from Vynx. "My apologies. It seems like we will have to conclude our business on another night." The Prince backed away from the pair and spared one last glance at the vampiress still in the doorway. "I cannot fathom why you've chosen to accompany this… thing… but you cannot deny your nature forever, Miss Sophia. None of us can escape who we are." Rainer sheathed his rapier and transformed before Vynx could land another strike. His form faded into darkness and reshaped as a bat to fly through the shattered window.

"Hey! I'm not done yet!" Vynx shouted. He aimed his flintlock pistol and pulled the trigger, only to be met with an empty click. "Fuck!" He shook his gun furiously and turned around to kick the dead Vampire Lord's body in the middle of the room. "Stupid pompous princely prick—"

"Vynx, it's fine. We survived." Sophia let out a sigh of relief and went over to his side. Her eyes examined the bloodstained holes and tears all throughout Vynx's clothes. Quietly, she set her hand on his shoulder until the hunter calmed down.

"... Sorry. I just hate when they get away," Vynx grumbled. 

"I'm impressed that you were even able to fend him off. Prince Rainer… is a pureblooded vampire," Sophia murmured. She still appeared shaken by the entire encounter, and the deceased Vampire Lord at their feet was a stark reminder of the fate she had narrowly avoided.

Vynx glowered to himself. "Yeah, I know. Alfred told me about purebloods before… I just didn't expect him to be so annoying to deal with," he scoffed. Vynx did not want to admit that he had finally met someone he could not defeat. It made him question how powerful the King was and how the original Hunter once came close to slaying him. With an agitated sigh, Vynx shut his eyes to organize his thoughts again. "Besides Rainer, how many purebloods are there?" Vynx asked.

"There is only one other living pureblood that I am aware of: Princess Elise du Randt," Sophia answered. "I heard that your predecessor managed to slay most of the Royal Family before he attacked the King, while the Queen… passed away quite some time ago."

"Noted. I'll have to ask Alfred what he knows about dealing with them," he growled. 

"Vynx… your hands are shaking." Sophia lifted his forearm and placed her hand over his trembling fist.

The hunter flinched, then slowly relaxed his grip on his weapons. "... I'm alright. Let's get back before the others start to worry." Vynx sheathed his sword before taking Sophia's hand. "I won't let that asshole lay a hand on you, Soph," he promised.

Sophia smiled back, yet the concern remained on her face. "Thank you. I know that my abilities are limited in comparison… but I will keep fighting as well." 

Vynx pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Alright. I'll let you take a crack at the next Vampire Lord, deal?" he chuckled. As he pulled back, Vynx stopped once he caught a glimpse of the ragged state of his attire in the reflection of a dresser mirror. "Uh… Do you think you can patch up my clothes on our way back to the capital…? I can't afford a tailor for a while…" The hunter looked to Sophia pleadingly.

"Once you wash it, of course." Sophia refrained from commenting on the amount of gore soaking his clothes, only grateful that his injuries had already healed due to the sigil.

"Thanks, Soph. I almost want to borrow the facilities here before we go but…" Vynx kicked Lord Jaunus' body one last time to make sure he was still dead. "I'd rather just burn the bodies and get outta here."

"Agreed."

"That damn Rainer… leaving us to clean up his mess," Vynx mumbled to himself as he began dragging Jaunus' body out of the room to join the rest of the slain thralls. There was now one more dead Vampire Lord in the records, but Vynx felt no sense of satisfaction. Instead, he had a new enemy, and Vynx was determined to surpass him the next time they met.