Fifty-Two: Cultists

It took Lilith and her two companions a while to find the Vampires sheltered by the Keeper of Secrets.

By the time the Little White Dragon padded over, her mood had lifted a bit. She never cared much about “development” anyway; she’d been a proud, straight-backed man—who needs showy chest muscles?

What hurt was realizing she was almost the same height as a ten-year-old girl. Lilith couldn’t swallow that, not today.

Before rebirth, she’d claimed one-eighty on paper yet stood barely over one-sixty in truth, always lining up at the front in class.

She’d already eaten years of short jokes, only to become a girl and get her head patted by big sisters cooing, “Small is cute.”

Keep that away from me.

“Ugh…” Thinking of it, Lilith’s tail drooped to the ground like a rain-wet ribbon. The Little White Dragon plodded behind Elasha and Abaddon, missing even when the Vampire Princess stopped ahead.

“What’s wrong? You seemed better. Why the gloom again?” Elasha sighed and rubbed the sulking white pup, her voice soft as mist. “Don’t worry. You’re a little dragon who hasn’t even shed her baby fangs. You’ll grow.”

“I get it.” Lilith muttered, her tone heavy as damp soil. “How d’you know so clearly though? I don’t even know if I’ll grow.”

“Necromancer Cultists get along with dragonkind,” Elasha said, calm as a stone under water. “Though this is our first time seeing a lively, breathing wyrm. For Vampires and Demons, most dragon knowledge comes from old texts—except the Undying. I’ve heard they’ve a sleeping dragon and know more.”

“Really?” Abaddon tilted her head, a curious claw to her chin. “Lord Satan’s never mentioned dragons to me. I even thought she was a white Demon at first—just like you, big sister!”

“That’s because you never listen,” Lilith snapped, heat rising like steam. “Even with demon basic education, you, a prenatal dropout, wouldn’t know squat!”

Lilith pressed both fists to Abaddon’s temples and twisted like a drill biting wood.

“Ow, ow, ow!” Abaddon grabbed the Little White Dragon’s hands, struggling like a hooked fish. Strength matched a small dragon’s, so the Demon girl couldn’t break free and yelped with every turn.

“You two, knock it off.” Elasha stepped in and rescued poor Abaddon. The gray Demon child clutched her head, glared, then put distance between them like a cat arching away.

Lilith took the hint and didn’t crowd her. She turned to the Princess instead. “Where are the Vampires? I don’t see them.”

“They’re concealed,” Elasha said. “Beyond the Keeper’s protection, Vampires have their own hiding arts. It’s how we stay unseen.” She bit her finger with a sharp canine. A few drops of blood spattered the earth like scarlet dew. “White Dragon blood breaks rules, yes—but every blood carries a unique power and nature. Learning to read blood, and the messages inside it, is a Vampire’s first lesson.”

Lilith nodded. Elasha had used her blood as a signal—telling the hidden Vampires it was safe to emerge.

While Lilith thought it through, several black shapes flickered past like crows crossing a moon. Instinct pushed her to draw and point at the newcomers, but before she moved, she saw their faces under the black robes.

Silver hair. Red eyes. A chill beauty that screamed Vampire.

The one in front stepped close and whispered in Elasha’s ear. The Princess stood silent a breath, then said, “Bring them here.”

Lilith wondered who “them” meant—until two figures in dark purple robes were tossed down before her and Elasha. The lead Vampire ripped back one hood, revealing black goat horns curling from the man’s skull.

“Demons, as expected. Void Sect believers?” Lilith eyed the horns—nothing like her dragon horns. How had Abaddon ever mistaken her for a Demon?

“Ah! That one!” The gray little Demon at Lilith’s side lit up, pointing at the man on the ground. She tugged Lilith’s cloak, eyes shining. “I know him. He kept begging me for tears. I couldn’t stand it, so I taught him how to control tears like Abaddon does! But… looks like he got beaten.”

“So embarrassing.” Abaddon pouted, sour as ash. “He learned my technique, had three or four buddies, and still ended up lying here like this!”

“Three or four?” Elasha’s gaze sharpened like a blade catching sun. She turned to the Vampires. “How many cultists did you meet?”

“Only these two,” the Vampire man said, voice cool as frost. “We didn’t let a single one leave our sight alive. These Void Sect dogs fought hard, but we gave them no chance to call for aid.”

“You fool. You never considered passive transmission?” Elasha cut him off, anger cracking like thunder. She drew the service blade at her waist and issued orders, voice tight as wire. “All units, ready. An attack could—”

Her warning hadn’t finished. A white tear streaked from the Crystal Forest, a bullet of light aimed straight at a Vampire.

The Vampire dove sideways like a swallow skimming water, dodging clean. The white tear whirled midair, then curved back toward him like a hunting hawk.

With nowhere left to slip, he braced, expecting impact—when a line of steel flashed and caught the shot.

“Wow, that jinx cashed in fast!” Lilith called to Elasha, breath like hot wind.

The Little White Dragon gripped the Shattered Ark. The Broken Sword’s guard flared, a burst of dawn from dull iron.

“Forget it—wipe them all out!” She lowered her stance, then surged forward like a white wave breaking.