NOVPUBInside the large and expansive hall, where Malakai had once met with the sovereign upon returning to the clan, a massive crowd had gathered.
Unlike during that quiet meeting, the seats were now fully occupied. The Highbloods. The veins not participating in the hunt. The pulses. And at the very top, the sovereign himself.
The air was heavy. The tension, at its peak.
For many in the hall, today was more than just a competition. It was the future. Especially for the pulses, the veins, the Scarlet Ten, and many of the high ranking Highbloods seated across the room.
Their eyes were all locked on the large array of floating screens at the center of the hall, displaying live footage of the dark forest, the stage of the hunt.
But of the thousands of youths participating, only five truly mattered to them. The veins.
Their performance today would shift alliances, decide political movements, and bring down bodies.
Only the direct descendants had any true claim to the sovereign seat. Not even the highest-ranked member of the Scarlet Ten could dream of becoming sovereign.
Because of this, many had allied themselves with the pulses they believed had the highest chance of ascending. The performance of their children, the veins, was one of the deciding factors.
And so, many eyes were on the Third Pulse. He sat calm, his gaze fixed on the screen.
Two of his children, the Sixth and Eighth Veins, were participating today. Many expected one to emerge the overall winner, with the other ranking high.
The Tenth Vein, Octavia, was still young, the youngest of the veins. While expectations surrounded her, they weren't as intense as those laid upon Aurelia and Julius.
Then there was Maximus, the Seventh Vein. He wasn't the focus of the Scarlet Ten or most Highbloods, all because his father, the Fifth Pulse, had shown no interest in clan politics. And neither had Maximus.
And lastly… the Ninth Vein.
Malakai's recent feats had torn a rift through the beliefs of the Highbloods. He had accomplished in three months what took others years. And word of his battle with Julius had spread like wildfire. He'd beaten him in a direct confrontation.
Varnel had done everything he could to label it a fluke. But still… many were curious. Eager.
They wanted to see for themselves.
Was this the second coming of Valerian that they all feared?
Or was it truly… a fluke?
The hall remained silent, fill with anticipation. The future of many hung in the balance.
But it wasn't just this hall. All around Crimson Hold, massive chambers had been designated to stream the event. The captains of the Blood Knights, along with other members of the sanguine family were scattered across them, waiting.
And across the entire region, the same could be said. Streaming halls had been erected in every major city to manage public access to technology.
The hunt had become a release for the people, an outlet for the pressure of the ongoing war against the darkness creatures.
Arguments occurred across towns and cities. Debates over who would emerge as the victor. Bets were made. Fortunes were risked. Some even sold all they had just to place a wager.
The region was alive. Excited. Hungry to witness greatness.
And then, the screens flickered. Live footage of the participants lit up the hall.
"WHOAAAAAAAA!!"
The crowd erupted in a frenzy, shouting at the top of their lungs.
The hunt had begun.
…
Malakai felt the bite of the cold morning air whip through him as he plummeted from the skies into the dark forest below.
Unlike many others, Malakai hadn't requested a cushion device. He had jumped from the platform… with nothing.
He reached a large branch of a leafless tree and…
Crack!
His foot slammed against it, redirecting his momentum. He hit another branch. Then another. Each one slowed his descent and guided him toward the forest floor.
Bam!
He landed with a roll, body steadying as he came to a stop. Rising to his feet, Malakai checked himself, his breath calm, his expression focused.
'Everything is okay.'
No broken bones. Weapons intact. Vita reserves full. Utility belt complete.
He was ready.
Malakai scanned the area, taking in the scene.
The trees stretched taller than buildings. Blacker than a night without moonlight.
They looked like twisted, naked monstrosities, exactly the kind of creatures parents used to frighten their children with.
But Malakai's heartbeat was steady. His eyes were cold as he calmly took in his surroundings.
'No threats close by.'
There was nothing visible. So he reached deeper, he felt.
The forest was crawling with darkness creatures. Creatures he had developed a unique sense for.
The air was already cold. But Malakai searched for a chill of a different kind, the one that always sent his skin crawling. The one that dragged the memories of the night he lost everything back to the surface.
He searched… and found it.
'A hundred meters west.'
Still, Malakai didn't move. He remembered the rules clearly. They were only allowed to act after receiving a signal from their lifeguards.
So, he waited, still, eyes closed.
The forest was silent. Time passed quickly.
Beep!
Not a nanosecond wasted.
Malakai spun. Vita surged through his limbs as he dipped low and blasted forward at immense speed.
His lifeguard beeped again. He glanced at it.
— Grade one darkness creature nearby.
His gaze snapped back forward as his hand reached for his scythe, yanking it free.
His eyes sharpened. 'There.'
Ahead of him, beside a towering tree, stood a ginormous bear-like creature, cloaked in pure blackness.
Its claws jutted like blades from its fingers. White, rabid eyes gleamed in the shadows. Its jaw parted wide, teeth bared as it spotted prey charging toward it.
Sheeeech!
A guttural screech ripped from its mouth as it grinned and dropped to all fours, tearing toward Malakai at full speed. Its claw raised, and then descended in a blur.
But Malakai's expression didn't change.
His stance shifted. His body flickered aside, narrowly evading the swipe that slammed into the ground, sending dust and debris spiraling outward.
But before the haze could settle, Malakai spun. His scythe spun with him.
The blade sliced through the haze, reaching the creature in a heartbeat.
Before it could react, the tip of the scythe pierced through its skull with a sickening crunch.
The creature convulsed once, then stilled.
