527 CHPT 527: Five of Nine

Sunday March 22nd, 2241. Ra Stadium, The Sunlands…

That Saturday afternoon they returned to Ra Stadium before the Waxing Moon could welcome them and rouse their spirits. Before the new guard shift could alert Ronin and guide The Dominators interested eyes.

Claude ended the day securing Maris in the forest of predators he called home. Along with Ursula. Cassidy stayed with the Vampires. Close enough to watch and listen to the cats, far enough to alert Claude before he was sucked dry. There was a sexual joke in that sacrificial play somewhere…

Claude didn't catch it because he was too busy arguing with Cassidy…. And himself.

Rupont was a very alarming enigma. One that was also alarmingly powerful. Powerful enough to defy Vampiric logic.

"—Considering you're the only Vampire who isn't an Elder but somehow has an Elder Ability.." He remembered hearing Sylvia say it as they discussed Maris. He remembered not thinking it was a giant deal. He had a skill, big deal.

Then he went over it with Arne, the Vampire expert. Who explained how Vampires get Elder Abilities and how powerful they are…..

Rupont was at three red flags now.

The third— technically the first, being that he knows something about Rollan. Which ultimately led Claude to letting Cassidy play scouting Lupine.

Maybe he was in higher spirits despite the chaotic ingredients that made the soup of his life currently.

Whatever the reason, Cassidy agreed to keep him updated.

Not that it mattered currently…..

He wasn't even in The Sunlands.

Or his time period.

Only a minute ago, he was walking with Ursula through Ra Stadium, avoiding the swarms of soullessly hungry interviewers and scouts. Then, just like the snap of two fingers. Arne mumbled something unintelligible and he was elsewhere.

Walking the halls of a castle broken and old outside and in. The colored and painted walls marred with slash-marks and peeling from age… moisture … old blood. Ceilings left broken in to reveal a sky swallowed by thunderous black clouds and Vulture screams. It was a lot like Sylvia's Coven grounds. Hell, if he was told it was the same place a hundred years in the past he would've believed it.

If not for the aura of the place.

All he'd witnessed was dark and dreary except for its people. It's people were hardy.

Knights and countrymen alike filled the halls. Weaponry and well beaten armor close to their skin as they worked tirelessly fixing up the place that spanned for what felt like ever in all directions. That was until he looked at the ground and saw how close he was to the carpet—

"Aye, mate! The kings son rises to the sounds of battle!" One of the knights hammering a supporting board over a hole in the wall said from atop his ladder.

Claude never heard what the boy replied. He could barely hear the clang of swords from below.

He continued down the halls of the castle, playing with other soldiers and countrymen, laughing, chasing, even peering into a room where a woman sat in a chair, reading a children's book to a baby. Everything was so serene and warm despite the meager means surrounding them.

The boy he inhabited the mind of didn't seem so interested in anything. Everything they'd seen so far was all sights on the journey towards something….

The clang of swords grew louder. The sight of watching men and women surrounded his vision as he exited the long hallway and approached the top of a stairway. With two white skinned chubby hands he gripped the railing and peered through at the floor below. But not before reaching down to the wooden sword stuffed in his belt, holding it to the railing as if the item would better his viewing experience—

CLANG!!!!

CRCKC!

Claude watched as four men sparred. Three against one. A Knight in black armor comprised of many forms and brands, tied down by animal intestines and furs. A tank with a beard as long as the hair on his head. And an Assassin, if their gear meant anything.

They clashed swords with one man. He wore a steel band around his head and a Necklance of Dark Elf ears. He was tall, wide at the shoulder and thick boned but not buff by any means. Very few of the people inside the castle were buff. He could only assume they didn't have enough food to attain such physiques. But still they functioned.

Especially the man facing the three. He was Reborn.

His sword glowed a royal purple. Sparkling and velvety like midnight. It was painfully simple in design. A simple broadsword with expert craftsmanship and function. Runes barely visible to human eyes lined the hilt and leather as thick as stone wrapped the handle but otherwise it was plain and impossibly clean.

Even so, he'd seen it before on Ronin's hip.

Excalibur.

As he thought the word, the ghostly form of a crowned knight appeared behind the man in the reflection of a large shield nailed to a wall above them. A few of the people in the crowd gasped, the boy he viewed the world through became ecstatic, jumping and pointing to what they looked at just as the swords shattered.

The man remained. He sheathed his sword and everyone clapped as he gave an exaggerated bow.

Suddenly the world lost form and solidity, becoming loose and homogenizing like paint in water. It twisted and shifted before reshaping with them all at a dinner table.

He now sat next to the man who'd bested three swordsman. Eating a dark and tough meat. For some reason he knew it was Elf and Orc meat. It just fit the situation.

"I told you, Reagan. This....." the man lowered his voice as he looked down at whoever's mind Claude was in and smiled. He turned back to his partner as he adjusted the metal band around his head, "I've heard word— stories from other Reborn men and women. Some go beyond the simple class power….. I've heard of men that find gods in their dreams. They say if they work in their favor they'll give them power. Some people wake up and take over entire factions. I heard a woman in Russia woke up and could cast incredible spells on a whim…. But she needed to eat children by the boatload."

"So what are you saying..?"

"King Arthur spoke to me….. he spoke of how the world is becoming much like what he once knew. No more guns…. Cars… we need to function within the current world, not the old one. For the betterment of all our children. Stephany… Edward… Reagan Junior… Arne and Aline."

***

Claude was suddenly crashing back into his own mind. Back inside Ra Stadium. In the sweltering heat. Two soft squishy pads against his chest. The smell of flowers and honey surrounding him in a tornado of complete euphoria. Lips pressing repeatedly against his face. Soft, reassur— WHAT?

Claude's eyes opened to find Ursula closer than ever before. So close he could see the pores in her skin. The little parts where her hair was more brown at the base coming from her scalp.

Loba and Frosty's growls continued, pulling Claude's attention to the door into Stella's room. Was it hotter than usual?

"WHAT THE FUCK!?" Rory Legrand stepped out of the room to find Claude entangled with Ursula as a couple Healers and Nurses scurried by nervously.

Ursula jumped off Claude. Her lips made a comical smooching sound as they disconnected from his cheek just below his eye. His skin was on fire there as he faced Rory. Breathing for the first time it seemed.

"Play along." She whispered as she disconnected.

"Oh hey." Ursula wrapped her arm around Claude.

"What the hell is happening?" Claude was so disoriented he could've fainted.

Until he caught the sounds and smell.

Enemy Lupine.

Ronin.

Others.

If the Red Knight facing them meant anything it was that the others were close. In Stella's room.

"Not surprised you're growing into a sl—"

"Red, fall in." Ronin's voice cut through the vile sentence like a sword through shi—

"Now, please."

Once again.

"You two, follow." Ronin said. He spoke in a near whisper but his voice boomed like thunder.

Claude and Ursula went in only after Rory did. He wasn't about to stare them down at the doorway.

"[What the hell…. I think you were just in my memory.]" Arne mumbled.

"Your father was King Arthur's chosen..? And you never said anything?! DUDE!?" Claude raged as they headed towards Stella's room.

"[I told you I was the best Swordsman Lupine alive. Who do you think made that possible, you wanker?]"

"Oh gods— are you somewhere else again?" Ursula tugged on his arm.

"Wh— No. I'm here."

"Good, because if I kiss you again to hide your obvious mental impairment we might burn alive."

Claude pulled at the neck of his University uniform beneath his armor, "Fuck— I think I'm burning right now, why am I sweating everywhere?"

Ursula laughed as they entered the room. Claude choked on his saliva.

Fifty percent of The Nine stood on the left side of Stella's bed, along with Samuel. On the other side, Stella's teammates tried not to melt in their seats.

Claude held Samuels gaze.

"What are you two doing here? From all my interrogations, you and the students of your class hate each other." Ronin pressed.

"I don't owe you shit." Claude thought as he looked at Samuel. He could've easily said it to both in that moment.

"I was her friend. I needed him to grow a plant for me." Ursula referred to the SpellBlooms in his hand.

A woman as tall as Claude— taller, approached him. Her hair was black— greying, as it slicked down her head smelling of seed oils and heat. He'd seen her in the books. She was taller and thinner in real life. Like a spindly oak tree left standing after a forest fire. Heat treated dark skin. Ready to grow anew.

Her green eyes glowed as she faced him. They almost looked similar with their rustic bronze skin and dark hair.

"Daughter of the Red Knight, do you kiss this student when he loses focus often?" RedVine asked Ursula without looking at her.

"It's better when he least expects it." Ursula said casually as Claude looked down and saw a new flower sprouted from his pot and wrapped around her finger.

She really could talk to plants.

"It is better that way. Skinner feigns anger, but her cheeks grow warmer than my flame when I do it.." RedVine chuckled with a sly foxy grin.

"Don't embarrass me in front of an opponent, Vine." Skinner said from behind her as she continued to watch Stella and Samuel…. And now Claude.

"My apologies, honey." RedVine stood up taller, looking down her nose at Claude.

Rory twisted his mouth at them, "You women are failures to your kin—"

"Suck a dick." Ursula snapped at Rory.

Skinner chuckled from her knights helm.

She grabbed his hair, he could feel her looking at his cleft ear as Ronin stopped Rory from blowing the entire hospital up.

"You have good taste. I knew you would." RedVine winked at Ursula causing Claude to notice the natural sparkle of her long black eyelashes.

She was both beautiful and terrifying in a ghostly creepy way. Like the sight of a burning statue in the middle of nowhere….

Ursula tapped Claude's back, they walked over to the other side so Claude could place the plant on the counter beside her. As he did he clicked his teeth and Loba hopped up on the bed.

Ronin looked over the cat as she stepped over Stella, licking her forehead before laying beside her. For the first time she moved to drop her hands into the Feline's fur.

"We should put her out of her misery."

"You don't touch her—" Chase started before Conroy put a hand in front of him.

"Respectfully RedVine, my team would like to take our chances with recovery. We have faith despite our low chances."

RedVine shrugged.

Very few people seemed focused on Stella directly in that moment.

"[Remember what Rupont said, trying to expose Samuel backfires on you. Be calm here. Honestly, drop your flowers and leave. That's the best advice I could give you, mate.]"

"You two still beefing, huh? In the yard we'd just feed you to eachother at nightfall and sweep up the remains by morning." The Dominator commented as the two stared eachother down.

"Rhea…" Ronin looked exhausted with handling them socially.

"Why are you guys here?" Claude asked them.

They stared him down like he was dinner. Rory's heat. Ronin's killer gaze. RedVines simmering hot snare-like eyes. Skinner's apathetic aggression. The Dominators…. You get the point.

Chase, Conroy, Dunceon and Goren fell into their seats.

Still, they didn't amount to Fenrir. Their combined might wasn't yet at world ending levels. Not in the way Fenrir was at least …..

Claude faced them as he faced Samuel. To his surprise they weren't all his tormentors.

RedVine and Skinner were close with Ursula…. Like Aunts or older sisters from afar. He couldn't bring words to how much he needed to see that.

"We're just following the boss. Just like little Ronin, here." Skinner replied.

"My name is, Samuel."

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious, twerp."

Claude caught the purpose.

Ronin wasn't explaining to them why he brought them. But he brought Samuel. To Stella…. Who was nearly killed by Jack. Samuel among few others was the only people around when it happened. Of the few, he and Samuel were the only ones Ronin considered to be shapeshifters possibly. Samuel now more than ever. This was a passive interrogation.

"[Careful.]"

His blood heated at the prospect of damaging Samuel. His saliva pooled beneath his spiked tongue.

"Do you have nothing to say to your classmate, boy?" Ronin pressed from beside Samuel.

"I wasn't close with her. So yea, nothing to say." Samuel clenched his jaw.

Chase twisted up his face in confusion.

"And you were there when she was put into this condition? Like the rest of you in here. Do you feel like you need to discuss anythi—"

"I don't need anything from y—"

SLAP!

The sound of the slap bounced off the walls like Samuels teeth did in his mouth.

"I won't be interrupted. Not ever."

Claude felt something indescribable. It shrunk immediately when he noticed Rhea watching him with a smirk.

"HEHEHheheh…. W-wow!" Prof. Alvis said as he snaked his way into the doorway.

The tension in the room lowered. He walked in despite nobody welcoming him.

An unnaturally bold move for someone so fearful.

He wiped the comically voluminous amount of sweat from his forehead as he viewed them.

"Look a-at this…. H-hhe….. so m-much power in one….rrrr—room. The current and the n-next generation! S-so much variety be-tween the whole of y-you…. I w-wonder w-w-what it means… h-how it h-h-happens….."

Ronin's eyes were almost closed by this point until he saw Prof. Alvis face Samuel.

"Gl-ad …. Y-you're back…. S-sssamuel. If not for that faulty portal…."

Samuel's chest rose as he inhaled, "Yea…. Lucky."

"You're all dismissed. Get out." Ronin pressed. Something about his words got everyone off their feet and out of the room.

"Except you."

TWIP!

One of the SpellBlooms extended and wrapped around Prof. Alvis' arm, holding him inside the room.

As soon as Claude and his companions exited, Skinner sent a blast of wind at the door to shut it.

Claude faced the door, trying to listen.

"What are you guilty all of a sudden?" Samuel faced him.

Ursula urged the others back.

"Yea it's something your incapable of you..." Claude trailed off.

Samuel grinned, "Lost your words?"

"How do you like being interrogated by your father—"

"I don't have a father….. just like you. Only mine wasn't forcibly disgraced and murdered as an Omega."

"Who told you that?" Shadows spilled from Claude's mouth. His veins shook with wild magic and the hairs along his arms and back thickened into black wires.

Samuel smiled wider.

Claude didn't like it. He reigned himself in. The constant nightmares made the memories less imposing. Another day in the life.

Samuel's smile faded.

"Your going to die here, Samuel."

"What— by you and your hundreds of Lupines? Your bluffing Claude."

"[He doesn't know.]"

"Or you're weak. Spineless. If there were so many of you you'd kill me now. You can't. You don't have the numbers. But I do. I can bring Jack whenever I want…. My Alpha—"

"Please. Do it now."

Taking a punch from Jack was envigorating in ways he'd never experienced. He took a punch and didn't die. He gave a punch that drew blood. He could smell it on his claws. He wanted all their blood.

Samuel took half a step backward as more shadows spilled and his muscles glowed beneath his skin. His lips bled as his fangs drew blood. Shapes crawled out of the shadows.

Claude snatched his arm. Even as it erupted in purple flames. He squeezed.

CRACK!

"Bring them. Now! Bring me Dolion…. Let's go to war right here…"

Ursula broke them up, icing his palm where he stood.

"Easy, Claude. One thing at a time. Maris needs us."

"Right…. The Vampires."