The Sharpest Blade (My Vampire System Fan-Fic)

The ship hung in silence, even the hum of its machinery had gone silent, the only sound in the frozen void was the beating of Sil's own heart echoing loudly now in the wake of the quiet. Times passing had been stopped, suspended in a stillness that wrapped every corner of the vessel in cold stasis, except for one—the figure of Sil, struggling against the oppressive grip of Calyx's hand. The vengeful god's fingers were like an iron vice, digging into Sil's throat, suffocating him with the force of hundreds of years of seeking retribution.

His breath was shallow, the pulse of panic surged in his chest as he fought to pry himself free. His vision swam, his body trembled, and the light had slowly begun to fade all around him, like a dark tunnel closing in. The pressure on his neck was unbearable, and yet, he could still feel it... there was something—someone—approaching.

A flash of bright white light split the darkness, and Sil's heart stilled for a moment. From the corner of his eye, he caught movement, a flare of iridescence that shimmered like a promise of salvation. His mind barely registered the figures stepping into view through the light—a pair, moving with the nonchalance of those who have seen everything, and walked as though they were outside the laws of time.

Mundus and Bliss.

Mundus, with his calm, commanding presence, strode across the still expanse of the ship as if the laws of time and space had no hold on him. Bliss followed in his wake, her eyes sharp, but her demeanor deceptively gentle. Their arrival was effortless, as though they had simply stepped from one moment to the next, unaffected by the chaos they had just entered into.

Sil's vision blurred, but instinct took over. With a burst of energy, he twisted under Calyx's grip, his hands finding purchase on the god's fingers. With one final heave, he broke free, collapsing to the ground in a heap.

His lungs burned for air, his body was alive with pain, but he was free—free for the moment, at least.

The moment of clarity didn't last long. Enraged, Sil's gaze shot toward the celestial sorceress, his voice raw with accusations. "You," he spat, his raspy throat still aching from the crushing grip. "I knew you had to have a hand in this. I should've known better."

Bliss' expression was unreadable, but her voice was soft, almost apologetic. "No, Sil. You brought this on yourself," she said, her tone was stern but regretful. He wanted to lunge at her, wring her throat, but just as he tried to will his body into motion, suddenly his body was glued in place. More than that, it was completely immovable.

Mundus had raised one hand towards Sil. With that single motion Sil's body from the neck down was now frozen in time, just like everything else. At least his outer body. The pounding of his heart in his ears let him know that everything else was still moving.

And then, Mundus started to walk. His steps were measured, deliberate, and as he circled the room, he approached each figure with the care of a man making a life changing decision.

First, he stood before Calyx, examining him with a curious, almost detached gaze, then moved swiftly to Raten and the girls, pausing for a moment to observe their wounds, noticing the pain etched across their faces. He stopped at Vorden and kneeled down beside him. He clicked his tongue against his teeth while shaking his head.

He was contemplative, each movement was heavy as if he held a great weight upon his shoulders as he returned to Sil, standing before him with a cryptic look. The silence between them was heavy too, overflowing with words left unspoken.

"This... is troublesome," Mundus finally murmured, almost to himself. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, then addressed Sil with a calmness far too relaxed for the size of the issue at hand. "It is true that I promised to keep Celestials out of the affairs of humans," he began, his voice carrying the weight of an ancient pact. "But when gods cause problems for Earth on their own behalf… there is no one left there that I can trust to deal with it. The balance has tipped so far the other direction now, and I can't get myself involved personally. That would not look good for the messenger of the ancient ones to be dabbling in the affairs of others. However there must be balance, or things could get much worse. What to do, what to do... ?"

Sil's brow furrowed, his anger rising again as he shifted, trying to move—anything.

"That's what you think?" he shot back, his voice filled with a fury that burned like acid. "All you are worried about is keeping your precious balance? My brothers are on the verge of death, and you're standing there talking about balance? They aren't celestials or godslayers! They're innocent! That psycho is a liability, Mundus. And you—you—could stop this, but instead, you're considering just, what, letting it fester?" Sil bellowed in disbelief and fury.

Mundus took pause, his gaze falling to the floor for a moment before returning his gaze to Sil as he continued talking. "And what of Quinn, then?" Sil's words were biting, sharp with the knowledge of the consequences. "He's not dead, you know. Just asleep. Can you imagine what would happen if he woke to find the gods killed nearly every last one of his best friends? You think that wouldn't throw a wrench in your precious balance?"

A flicker of something—regret?—passed through Mundus's eyes, but it was fleeting. He only sighed. "It's complicated," he murmured, more to himself than to Sil. "Things have changed. Your powers, your very existence... it all complicates matters further." He looked at Bliss, his thoughts weighing on the words he chose.

Bliss spoke next, her voice unexpectedly gentle, yet still firm. "I just hope, Sil," she said, her eyes meeting his, "that your enemies don't find out about your lack of power after this. Earth will be overrun with attacks. You may be strong, but you're no longer the godslayer they believe you to be. There's no one left strong enough to defend Earth from the powerful, would be enemies now."

The words landed like a cold slap. Sil stared at her, suspicion clouding his thoughts. What's her angle?

Mundus seemed to be thinking, his gaze turning inward as if the answer to his own dilemma was almost within reach. Then, without warning, a smile crossed his lips, a sinister looking, wide, toothy, smile. He had a knowing gleam in his eye. It was a little unsettling.

"I have an idea that might suit us both," he said, his voice now filled with a quiet but commanding confidence. "If I give you your power back, Sil... if I restore you to your former strength, will you take up Quinn's role as an agent of the gods? Will you stand against those who would harm your world?"