"Gasp! "

Veylith greedily drew breath as her trachea was finally freed from the Vampire’s grip. Her body slammed on the ground and she drew yet another breath, the blue of her complexion faded, returning to her natural pale.

[!!]

But not even a second later, she was once again suffocating. Never before had she felt so much pressure, not even from Charymos.

Just who could it be, she wondered. Surely there was no one mightier than Charymos on this Floor.

Ah, perhaps the Ruler had descended? But why would he come here of all places, when even the swine from the First Floor look down upon it. Surely he would not dirty himself by coming to such a place.

"Argh..."

She grunted. And despite suffocating, her brain had a burning itch of curiosity, forcing her to strain her neck muscles in order to investigate the source of such power.

[!!]

Her blood-red eyes reflected the visage of the most majestic beast she had ever seen in her short life. And shortly after, she saw the source of all that raw power.

[A... god?]

She mused. Though "god" was not a concept that she fully comprehended, from what little she knew, she couldn’t help but think that Skadi was one. Surely no mere being would be covered by so much power, majesty and splendor.

[?]

As Skadi began conversing with her Master, Charymos, Veylith could feel her entire body becoming lighter, as though Skadi had withdrawn all that pressure.

Looking behind her, she saw that the Mermen and the other Homonculi had regained autonomy as well.

But...

"Argh!"

... Not the Vampire from the Eighth, he was still immobilized, it was as though gravity detested him, and him alone.

"..."

Her expression was as emotionless as ever as she glanced down coldy at her attempted kidnapper.

And once again, curiousity’s itch beckoned her to study Skadi’s —

[Is that...]

Her body involuntarily twitched and she narrowed her eyes at the strange puddle floating above Charymos’s shoulder.

[Ah...]

With her expression unchanged, she shed a tear from one eye.

[Kaelen... Is that really you?]

There he finally was, her shining everything.

The one person who’s unknown status —Alive or dead, had given her sleepless nights.

Her facial muscles contorted violently and a horrifying smile crept up her lips, but she was, in truth, extremely happy. So much so that she could sing for joy!

But... That joy was short-lived.

[You’re injured.]

She noticed the slowly-closing gaping hole on Kaelen’s abdomen, and the blood that floated around him within the gelatinous bubble, refusing to mix with the slime.

[You almost died... Because of me?]

[... I was too weak. I’m sorry Kaelen.]

She was haunted by it, that day. She could do nothing against the Orc and was instantaneously defeated, only to wake up hours later and find out that Kaelen had sacrificed himself for them.

Just why would he do such a thing, when he’s so important to Charymos and to her, does he not realize his own value?

Day and night, all Veylith could ever think of was that if she could turn back time, she would have taken Kaelen’s stead and allowed him to escape.

No —That simply wouldn’t be enough, she wanted to become so strong that they could fight side by side, and she would not have to feel so helpless again.

All she wanted to do was...

[Stay by your side... Kaelen, I want to stay by your side.]

[I need to get stronger.... Much, much stronger.]

She glanced down at the incapacitated Vampire and all she could think was that an opportunity had presented itself.

"..."

Veylith gulped.

[So... dry...]

When had her throat become so dry? Was it because she had been suffocating?

[Must... drink...]

She stuck out her tongue to wet her dry lips. Just when had she become so parched?

[Hungry...]

Her crimson eyes glowed a shade brighter than before. Just when did she become so famished, had she not forced herself to eat just a few hours ago?

[...Must eat...]

Crack...

Her canine teeth grew into fangs and her eyes were planted on the Vampire’s neck, each pulse on its veins causing her heart to beat faster.

Just what is it that the Vampire had that she would experience all of these strange urges?

Had her desire to grow stronger manifested itself? No, this was the result of —

"Argh!!!!!"

She lunged like a rabid beast and instinctively sank her teeth deep within the Vampire’s neck, undeterred by his screams.

Veylith gulped and gulped.

But...

Her taste buds did not leap for joy as compared to what she was used to and were instead corroded by the thick, bitter taste of iron and gunpowder. Her nostrils flared, but nothing even close to the sweet scent that she had known carresed her sense of smell, and instead, the pungent stench of death harassed her nasal.

[...]

Veylith was disappointed and she let the Vampire go, but she had already sucked him dry and he was neither alive nor an undead anymore, but was just... Dead.

"Wh-what?!"

"Veylith!!!! What have you done?!!"

Charymos’s voice pierced her ears and sh—

[!!]

CRACKLE!!!!

Her Mana Veins involuntarily exploded with power and she almost levitated within the plasma that burned so intensely that it almost devoured her kin and the Mermen.

Veylith felt it... This was her power, she had grown exponentially strong.

And so, she tamed it, the overflow of her Mana Pool and the plasma around her recessed.

Now, not only the tips of her hair were crimson, but a large length looked as though it had been dipped in blood. Only her crown remained snow-white.

"Damn it! What have you done, you stupid child! Have you any idea the repercussions?!"

Charymos was panicking, sure, he had wanted to kill the Vampire himself and Skadi seemed to be in on his scheme, but it was not yet the right time!

"F-forgive me Lord Veladreth, I shall take the life of this child as a show of no ill-intent, so p-please do not elevate this matter to the High Courts of the Dark Fae."

Charymos was sweating bricks. If found guilty, he may be stripped of his title and forced to lick Veladreth’s feet for all eternity, whilst a Vampire from the Eighth would assume the new role of Overseer of the Basement Floor.

He swiftly departed to —

"Wait. You mindless frog."

Veladreth’s voice reverberated from the crystal ball and stopped Charymos in his tracks.

"Why would you kill such an interesting Specimen? Are you truly the one who created her? How can you be so foolish and not see the value of her over some Vampire?!"

Veladreth stood from his throne and raised the crystal ball that was at the other end —His end. His eyes were trembling and his face was drenched in a cold sweat.

"Answer me, amphibian! Just how?! How were you able to create a progenitor in that insignificant lab of yours?!"

A crazed expression distorted Veladreth’s handsome face as he screamed those words.

"...Eh?"

Charymos was bewildered.