Chapter Text
This was a really, really dumb idea.
Azure had been exploring much earlier in the day, trying to see if there were any weaknesses anywhere in The Realm, anywhere to escape, because as iTrapped had pointed out, he couldn’t lose hope.
Trap had actually been behind him the whole time he was exploring–well, not behind, because Azure wouldn’t let anyone stand behind him unless they absolutely had to, but Trap was with him while he explored, leaving no rock or stone unturned.
And then, they’d found it.
It was a pathway between trees, something that right off the bat, they knew they weren’t supposed to be seeing.
And speaking of bats…
Bloodfell.
They had found Bloodfell Manor.
Not the version of it that had been edited for rounds, that would appear at random. No, this was actual Bloodfell Manor, the home of Nosferatu. The two had stared for a while before Trap suggested heading back, which Azure…found to probably be a good idea.
So that’s exactly why Azure had gone back to the cabin, waited about an hour, and then carefully slipped out again.
Multiple times recently others had attempted to speak to The Spectre. Multiple times they’d come back with various strings of failure.
But Azure had had enough of waiting around for others to step in and fix problems. His entire life had been spent sitting back and hoping that someone else would take care of the problem people. Waiting for others to stop the problem people is exactly why his partner stabbed him to death.
So he was heading back down the pathway, alone now, determination in his step. Was this stupid? Oh, absolutely, but he, again, wasn’t going to sit around.
He charged through the courtyard to the front door, staring at it for a moment.
…
“OPEN UP YOU STUPID VAMPIRE, WHERE THE HELL IS YOUR HUSBAND?!” he hissed, “I WANT A WORD WITH IT.”
No response came save for the echo of his words.
…Alright.
Azure had picked up on a skill when he was much much younger, used exclusively to sneak around in his attempts to deal with Amarah that never went anywhere. He knelt down to be closer to the lock on the door, listening in as he stuck a talon-finger’s claw in the lock, waiting for that click that signified he was in. He stood up and dusted himself off, throwing open the door and lashing his tendrils in a threat display.
“WHERE ARE YOU?!” he called out into the manor.
…Again, no response.
Azure pressed onwards, looking for any sign of the vampire he was seeking out. The manor wasn’t abandoned by any means, but it was clear that Nos was hiding. Hiding from being yelled at, from facing the consequences of his actions. After all, Noli had revealed to the group that Nos was the one who had spoken to him and threatened him on the day he’d been turned feral.
Azure had grown fond of the entire group of killers back at the cabin. They were a violent bunch, of course, but they stuck together, and that was so direly important to Azure. That was something Azure would protect, no matter what.
Something had shifted in the air. Someone was here.
Azure adjusted his hat, continuing onwards. He knew he was being watched, but just not exactly from where.
And then, there was another shift in the air as something moved fast.
Azure bolted to the side, just in time for Nos to skitter against the ground, hissing.
“Get out of my manor,” Nos spread out his wings, clearly trying to look as large as he could.
“Not until you get The Spectre out here,” Azure shook his head, “I want to speak to it, and I’m not leaving without that being the case.”
“I SAID GET OUT!” Nos shouted, any ounce of his normally polite nature completely and utterly absent as he flung himself at Azure, strangely desperate in his actions.
Azure caught him with a tendril, tossing him backwards and brandishing his own talon-hand, “This isn’t a fight you want to pick, just tell me where it is so I can speak to it, and everyone gets to leave uninj–”
He was cut off as Nos took off into the air, abruptly pouncing on him before he could react, slicing open his nose and cheek as he hissed in pain as he hit the ground, sliding across it. He settled his talons around Nos’ throat, fully intending to tear it open before he thought better of it, hesitating and simply slicing into where the corners of his jaw met his neck, giving Nos just enough of a leeway to sink his claws into Azure’s arms. Azure yelled in pain, kicking Nos off and bringing himself back up to his feet.
“WE COULD HAVE SETTLED THIS PEACEFULLY, DAMNED BLOODSUCKER!” Azure shouted.
Now it was his turn to launch, balling his hand into a fist, delivering a solid punch to Nosferatu’s face, knocking him to the ground and pinning him down.
And suddenly, Azure just saw red.
The kind of red he hated seeing. The kind of red that ended in him getting into a fist fight behind a church and dragged to punishment kicking and screaming. The kind of red that he knew was going to end in something terrible happening here, but at this point? He didn’t care. At this point, he sunk into it. In his eyes, he had someone who was directly part of the pain and agony in this realm in his hands. In his eyes, he had just a single shot to unload his rage at the suffering ongoing in this realm–a single shot to show that he wasn’t going to take this lying down. He wasn’t going to roll over and take it like he had in life, he was going to–
Frantic footsteps were his only indication before someone grabbed him and yanked him back, shouting his name in a panic. The feeling of cold fingers snapped him out of that state of red, and when he turned, there was the only other person who knew the pathway, staring at him with a look of fear.
“SNAPDRAGON–” Trap shouted, “AZURE, YOU’RE AN IDIOT!”
…
It was becoming clear to him what he had just done, especially as the room darkened as Nos pulled himself off the floor, coughing and holding his face.
“Your friend is right,” he breathed out, “You’re an idiot who lets your emotions guide you.”
Nos’ shadow stretched across the floor, and with a horrible sinking feeling of fear, Azure realized that wasn’t his shadow.
It was The Spectre.
And it looked pissed.
Azure caught the flick of the head-wings covering its face right before someone–presumably Trap–grabbed the brim of his hat and yanked it down, covering his face.
And suddenly, there was a resounding thud.
Azure readjusted his hat, shaking himself out as he stared down at where the thud had happened.
Trap lay in a heap on the floor, face turned just enough that Azure could witness the abrupt lack of the censor bar over his eyes, leaving white eyes staring off at nothing in dull horror.
“...Wolfsbane…?” Azure’s voice was so much softer than they meant for it to be. Trap didn’t respond, and before they could really think things through they had knelt down, frantically shaking him, “Hey! Wolfsbane! Trap! Get up!”
Despite the fact that he was breathing, he gave no response. His face didn’t even twitch from the horrified expression frozen on it.
Oh. He’d seen its face.
“Insolent IDIOTS,” The Spectre hissed. Azure, for once in his life feeling complete and utter fear, didn’t look up at it as it continued, “I CAN’T LEAVE YOU ALONE FOR MORE THAN A FEW WEEKS WITHOUT YOU ALL DECIDING TO DO /THIS?!/”
When Azure finally decided to look up, it had covered its face again, now with the smuggest bat Azure had ever seen laying on its shoulder, holding a wing-arm partially over his bloodied face. The Spectre’s form was rippling, and Azure realized this was the absolute angriest they’d ever seen it be. They had…very very much so messed up.
“SO PERHAPS I’M TIRED OF WAITING TO BREAK YOU ALL DOWN SLOWLY. WHY DON’T I SPEED IT UP?!”
In the seconds before the dark silence, it dawned on him exactly what that meant.