Ascension of the Nephilim

Martha had a calm expression. 

"Oh? You're not a normal vampire, are you? I can't wait to eat your flesh." The humanoid dragon licked his lips.

"Path of Foresight... You were already above me since the start."

"You were quite far from where I was. So I just got here."

"I? Don't treat me like a child. I know there are five of you."

"Oh? She's quite talented. No wonder those Dracanae ghouls couldn't kill her." Another voice was heard. This voice was hidden in the darkness behind Martha. She was already surrounded.

Several figures also emerged. Another one stood behind the dracanae Martha was talking to. Two more stood on the part of the ceiling that didn't collapse.

"All five of you waited. You didn't attack so that you can trap me like this."

"Yes. All dragons are born with the same power you have. Dragons have the power called Fate Challenger. That's what's makes dragons more superior to other races. But we are different. We don't have Fate Challenger. We have Destiny's Favor."

Martha was silent but expected this. If this were a trap of Destiny, then Destiny's minions would be their enemies.

"Dragon favored by Destiny, eh? I would be trembling in my boots. But you five aren't real dragons. Right?" Martha laughed.

"You chased after me and not those five who have the dragon egg. I think that by now, you have already eaten dragon eggs or absorbed the vitality from more potent sources. But it's never enough. I'm a vampire, and I know. Even if I kill and absorb a vampire stronger than me, it's no assurance that I will become as strong as that vampire. So you guys can drop the act of calling yourselves dragons. You're not even a quarter dragon, are you? Ambitious group."

The arrogant expressions of the five turned sour.

"A little bat dares to mock us?"

"Five wannabe-dragons are so flustered that they had to corner a little girl and use Destiny's Foresight to make sure she can't escape... You five make me sick. And you call me a little bat? Tell me why you aren't attacking? Do you wish to learn more about my master?" She sneered.

[Taunt skill acquired.]

[Taunt skill activated.]

"What a brave little bat. You don't even know how to spread your wings, and you already dare to bare fangs at a dragon."

"Oh, shut up! Give me a break. How many bloodlines of the Fallen have you awakened? You fancy yourself a dragon, but you guys are even less than a whelp."

The group's look turned uglier.

"You arrogant-"

"Fanged Fallen. Charmed Fallen. Two Fallen blessings are mine. What do you have?" She laughed.

"Brother... Let's not waste our time. Tell us where your master is, and we'll spare those five."

"Spare them? They could have been eaten up by those dracanae ghouls by now. You think I'm so stupid to believe that!"

"They haven't. They are fighting one as we speak."

"Hm? You know? You're controlling them?"

"Of course we are. Who do you think controls all those dracanae's movements?"

"No wonder they are so precise. It was like I've been fighting all five of you."

"Hmp. Don't be too cheeky. We can only give them specific order."

Martha was wearing a serious expression. But her heart was relieved. The three were still alive. That was her biggest concern.

"Are you happy now? We've didn't attack as you intended. Have you healed enough from fighting my dracanae? You can't hide the activation of Minor Vampiric Healing. We dragons still have our pride, after all. We'll fight you and give you the chance to fight back." One of the dracanae laughed.

Martha had been casting Minor vampiric healing and had been absorbing the darkness that her Blood Weapons had absorbed when she stabbed it to the dracanae. Her hand had been reattached thanks to how clean the cut was. But although it was connected, she knew she couldn't use its full potential unless she drained all the dark energy she acquired.

"Tell us where your Coven Master is, and we will make your death painless."

"Busy fighting an Okto-Kefali. Whatever that is."

"An Okto-Kefali?!" The group was stunned as they heard those words.

"Lies."

"I tell you the truth, and you don't believe me anyway! It seems a painless death isn't possible then." Martha chuckled.

" If you don't want to talk or speak the truth, we'll just have to eat you and search for your master using your scent.." The group began to move.

Martha sighed. 

Despite her arrogant front, she knew she was doomed to die. The fast speed of the dracanae immediately severed her hand. She knew that fighting all five of them would only lead to her death. Yet, she couldn't afford to flee. If she tried to escape, those three would be their target.

And so, she decided to die in hopes of saving them. But, there was one more thing that she could try.

"Hunter! Hems! Hemsey! Run Away!" She shouted at the top of her lungs. Her cry contained force energy and echoed throughout the tunnel.

The three H's were fighting a dracanae and had managed to pin it down and had started to do the process of converting the dracanae after much effort. Just as Martha predicted, Hunter alone was not able to turn one successfully. The three poured in their blood through the swords and had to battle the enemy.

There, they began to make full use of the skills they acquired from their previous battle. 

With Dark Resistance and Minor Soul Resistance, they managed to fight back from the attacks of the mastermind controlling the dracanae.

They then used Blood Devourer and Dark Consumer to attack the force controlling it. All the level increases they had acquired for their skills, including their Blood Weapon level, were used, and with the combined effort, they managed to break it and started turning the dracanae into their ghoul.

Their magic point was dropping quickly.

"I wonder if we can even capture a second one?"

They heard the sudden shout of Martha in the distance.

"Lady Martha!" Hunter exclaimed. The sound of Martha's voice shocked his heart.

"There are very strong enemies! Get out of here! Now!" The shout continued.

The three trembled at those words that they froze for a second.

"Lady Martha needs us!" Hems shouted as he rushed back!

"Stop! No! We can't! You heard her. We will die!" Hunter gave a surprising order and pulled Hems back to the ground.

"What are you doing?! We have sworn loyalty to the Steele-"

"To Lord Kyros. We are not just the Steele family anymore!" Hunter shouted and overpowered Hemsey's shouts.

"Then we abandon Lady Martha?!" Hems argued.

"Think, you idiot! We can't fight them now! Lady Martha is strong! We've been holding her back! If she fights alone, she is stronger! We are too weak to help her! I plan to help her! The dracanae is the answer! We need to get more of these! That's the only way to survive and be more helpful to her! Lady Martha is fighting whatever monsters to buy us more time. We have a choice. To either use the time we have to flee or to help her! And of course, the answer is to help her! But if we dive in there, we waste Lady Martha's attempts! But with more dragon minions, we can go in there and save Lady Martha and escape!" Hunter shouted.

The pair was struck with a realization.

"We have to look for more dracanae! This one is not enough! It will be impossible to search for another lone dracanae or convert more with out remaining mana! And we can't drink too much blood to fall into that Dark Maddening state... I don't know it yet... But Fate is telling me that there is hope! Follow me!" Hunter urged his brothers.