Apocalypse Reset: My Crab Can Heal the World!

The vampiric forces assaulting Ordella are unprepared when the eclipse suddenly breaks, and the forces of evil that operate under the cover of darkness are laid bare before the light. The scalding sun vanquishes all vampires who are touched by its light in moments, and as Barns stands over the battlefield, he sees the day is won.

He casts his Resurrection over the town - though the vampires did their best to annihilate all the humans they could come across, many are successfully restored. The humans who have been living as slaves under the vampire’s rule are now free, and Zelia gratefully adds them to Barns’ count.

[Progress: 6789/1000000]

Barns stares at the number. They’d been just under four thousand before today. In a flash, nearly three thousand more have been added to the burgeoning kingdom.

Another pop-up. Seems Barns has leveled up twice as a result of his efforts. He takes a peek at his profile in the system.

[Name: Barnacles

Species: Human (Irregular)

Level: 6 (12/1400)

Strength: 16

Vitality: 16

Agility: 17

Intellect: 15

Control: 6

Charisma: 18

Luck: 20]

’Hey, I’m finally smarter than Clancy,’ he quips to himself, looking at his Intellect stat.

Yunie is gone, but Ordella is freed. Even so, Adon and Adea are still out there. This is a victory, but the war is far from over.

It’s a hopeful day, as the late afternoon sun shines over the newest town to be freed from evil. But the people of Ordella have been deeply traumatized from their time living under the twins’ bloody rule. It will be a long time before this place can feel ’normal’.

The claws of Silver Rake settle back into the glove. His Adventurers and Police begin to gather the civilians and restore order to the town. Barns lets it all happen around him as a passerby. ’Legendary hero’ he may be, but today he’s done and been through enough. It’s time to let the others pick up some slack.

"I need to rest," Barns says aloud to two nearby Adventurers. "Get these people what they need, but no speeches. Not today. Let’s just focus on getting through the night. I don’t think Adon and Adea will come back here, but we can never be too cautious."

"So the Master Vampires still live?" one of the Adventurers asks. Her body trembles as she speaks.

Barns begins to walk off. "Not for long," he promises.

He sets himself up in one of the town’s abandoned hotels - one still in excellent condition. It appears the vampires kept it well-maintained to entertain guests from other vampires or demons to their hellhole town.

Barns lays on a magnificent king-sized bed, adorned with gold accents and a thick scarlet comforter. He falls asleep on top of the bed in seconds.

That night, when the sun sets again, Adon makes another move - although not to Ordella. He has to find his dear sister.

And he does - the blood binding them is stronger than reason, and Adon knows exactly where to find his sister. He also knows beforehand that she’s in rough shape.

When he finally reaches her, she’s unrecognizable. The glowing thorn still keeps her impaled to the ground. Most of her skin is gone, but the muscles underneath are being regenerated just as quickly as they are immolated, leaving her in a vicious cycle of endless pain.

"Brother," she says, her bony jaw bouncing around loosely. Her eyes, fully visible with the sockets melted out, lock on Adon.

"The humans did quite a number on you, Adea. My, my."

He sits down on the ground behind her, putting her head on his lap consolingly. He stares at the golden thorn. Even if he wants to free Adea, he can’t do anything about her situation. Even without touching it, the holy influence radiating from Maria’s thorn makes his skin tingle.

He glances around. He doesn’t see or sense any other presence. Whoever did this to Adea got away, he supposes.

"My sweet, beautiful sister," Adon says, stroking what’s left of her hair. "I was never any match for you in battle, so I’ve only ever dreamed of such a moment.

"Adon, what-"

He starts pulling her head, firmly. "Adon!" she screams, her pain reaching a new level even in her current state. Her mind goes blank as he snaps her neck and pulls her head away from her body, separating her into pieces.

He looks into her eyes, holding her still-conscious head in his hand. "My dear, sweet sister. You may have been defeated, but I will drain your power and fight for the future we would have both wanted."

He speaks the words, though he shows no sign of hesitation. In truth he’d planned this - if only Adea could be defeated, he once thought to himself. He could harvest her remains and absorb her powers. Her vicious strength and wings, combined with his torturous magic - together they can be a perfect vampire.

He digs into her neck facefirst like it’s a slice of watermelon, draining the lifeblood with each bite as he consumes his sister. In just a few discomforting moments, he tosses his sister’s half-eaten head aside and rises from the ground.

He feels her power coursing through him, and he allows it to activate. Black bat wings spring from his shoulders, and his muscles begin to balloon in size. He grows nearly six inches taller, and puts on a hundred pounds of muscle. He is transformed, given new power as a result of his sister’s unwitting sacrifice.

"And now I am immortal," Adon smiles, his eyes cast upon the moon as he experiences an involuntary muscle spasm in his arm. He still had no idea of Francois’ plot with his dead relative’s ashes - in truth, Adon has no idea such a thing is even possible.

Yet from his ignorance, he is emboldened. He focuses his attention north, in the direction of the Pale Court. But it is not Francois’ domain that holds his interest - it is what lies beyond.

Adon had learned from one of his victims that a small pocket of humanity remains to the north of Francois’ Court. A group of people who have never experienced the delight of a vampire’s rule - and comfortably out of reach from the humans in Dimartino. He did not fear them, but especially after seeing what they did to Adea - he would much rather avoid conflict.

"To this new land, then," Adon says, his wings unfurling and carrying him into the darkness. A new land, untouched by vampire rule. A fresh canvas for his artistry of terror.