Due to the King's order, the third castle was currently going through a difficult situation for more reasons than one. Their leader had just been killed, yet they weren't granted any time to grieve for those who cared for the leader and at the same time, there were vampires from other families taking advantage of the situation.

Disputes between families were quite common, so vampires were a proud bunch. They would often compare the strength of each of the families. Once in a while this competition would go too far, and result in fighting between the two families. If it got too big, the leaders themselves would have to sort it out, but the castle had no such leader at the moment. It was the same reason why the tenth family had been treated the way they had been for so long.

For as long as they lacked a new leader, it would be a vulnerable time for them. Inside the castle, in one of the grand dining halls, the late third leader's Vampire knights, May and Verth were going through the candidates to succeed her. The woman and man paced back and forth, their foreheads wrinkled deep in thought.

Meanwhile, sitting in the vacant throne meant for the leader, was a young looking woman with long black hair and a doll-like dress, holding a brown bear in her hand. It was a strange sight, because, although she looked very young, it was clear that the one holding the bear should have long been over that age..

"Annie, there's no helping it, nobody but you can take this position! I know it's a little early but Suzan has been preparing you to take over for a long time already!" May shouted.

Annie, held onto the bear tightly, and her legs were shaking up and down while also biting her fingernails. It was clear she was afraid.

"You don't need to do any of the work. We can cover for that, but right now the third family needs someone to step up, so we'll have order." Verth agreed with his female companion.

"It's not about being ready or not." Annie eventually replied in a shaky voice. "If I take that place… no, it's probably true for whoever takes the leader role... I'm afraid that whoever killed Mother will come after me!"

The two vampire knights didn't expect this, that they would ever need to convince someone to take the leader position. To the normal vampire folk it was a position they could only dream of. Being in charge of an entire family, becoming one of the most respected members of their society.

"If you just need a leader, then why can't one of you take the seat?!" Annie crossed her arms and pouted.

The two of them gulped when they thought of this, a shiver ran down them as they remembered Suzan's body on that wall.

"Th-that's because... b-because we can't! We're knights, after all! As her daughter, it's only right for you to succeed her." May eventually put together an explanation.

However, Annie may have been naive, but she wasn't stupid. Although it was going against their etiquette, it wasn't exactly 'taboo' either. Especially in their current time, when the first family was being led by their former knight Kazz, and the council had even granted Silver special permission to take over as leader if anything was to happen to the thirteenth leader.

It was practically guaranteed that as long as one of them would come forward that due to the circumstances their request to fill in would be granted. Yet, neither one of them wanted to admit it once the idea of them actually taking over was placed.

"I'm scared, I'm scared out of my mind. I know what the right thing to do is, but I just can't." Annie cried out in defiance.

"And so you should be." A voice said from inside the room, dark shadows surrounding him.

The two knights, the moment they saw who it was, were now shaking more than ever and almost fell to the floor.

"Arthur…'' May mumbled. The two of them had only seen his figure once before. The Punishers had been abolished by the time they took over, but they were sure of it. This was the same vampire they had seen at Fex's execution.

Lifting both his hands up, the two knights, still unable to move, were suddenly sucked into a deep dark shadow, vanishing in seconds. Annie, seeing this, had no clue where they had gone, and she didn't dare move, too afraid that she would follow them if she angered the intruder.

"Let's keep the two of them out of our conversation, shall we?" Arthur 'suggested' with a smile as he walked over. His entire body was covered in dark clothing. He wasn't wearing the blood armour, nor did he carry his trademark sword on his back. Were it not for May calling out his name, Annie might not have even known who he was.

"Annie… you seem too young to have been born when I entered my sleep, but you might have already been born when all the other Punishers left this world. I am now unable to ask your mother these questions, so it falls on you." Arthur proclaimed as he came forward.

'Does that mean he couldn't torture the information out of my mother?' Annie wondered, swallowing hard.

Usually leaders had pride, they wouldn't let fear take over and they would rather die fighting than to submit to the one threatening their death, however there was one exception to this rule, the Punisher who could make them experience unimaginable pain.

"I…I…Will answer whatever you want." Annie quickly conceded, hoping that Arthur would at least give her a quick and respectful death. Suzan might have been too prideful and tried to fight back, but the young woman had no hopes of leaving the place alive now that she had seen who it was, so her best hope was for a quick and hopefully painless end.

"Around five hundred years ago, when the last King took over. Bryce had gone out on an expedition with a few of the vampire leaders. Do you know about this?"

Annie nodded.

"Great, I'm going to name a few of the old leaders and current leaders and I want you to tell me which of the leaders went on that expedition with Bryce."

Arthur soon went over the list of names starting with the leaders before naming Vampire knights and those in the Royal guard as well. Annie nodded to those that had gone with, and shook her head to those that hadn't. Arthur didn't expect her to know the names of all the vampires, but one would have at least known the leaders who had left at the time.

"Thank you for cooperating so far. Now, as for the last name... Annie Topper." Arthur looked up from the list, staring at her with a hint of bloodlust.

The tears were falling uncontrollably down her face, for a brief moment she considered lying, but the glaring eyes gave her the feeling that they would be able to see through it. Even more afraid of the consequences of angering the monster before her, she finally nodded.

"Thank you, for telling me the truth. I doubt you had much say on the matter, but you still need to be punished for your crimes. You're guilty of eliminating the Punishers and their families who only wanted to live a life away from the settlement." Arthur stated.

When Annie heard Arthur speak, surprisingly his voice was soft and she could tell that he was almost in pain. As if it was something he didn't want to do, but knew it was something he had to do.

When she heard Arthur talking about the Punishers, her mind went back to that expedition. Although it was true that she did take part, at the time she had merely followed alongside her mother, barely helping her. Still, that was no excuse for the lives she did take that day.

"For your cooperation, you've earned a quick end." Arthur proclaimed next to her ear, already having shoved his hand through her heart, with it no longer beating.

'Now I have a list of who to go for, and every single one of these will receive a punishment, but I will savour the ones that are most guilty.' Arthur thought walking off, a lifeless body slumped behind him on the throne.

This time, it took a little while longer for the body to be discovered. For that day, two Vampire knights, as well as the replacement leader had gone missing. It wasn't until the vampires on cleaning duty had entered the castle that they spotted the massacre that had occurred and immediately called for the others.

The room had been left untouched. Entering the room before any of the others was King Bryce, followed by Tempus at his side. Looking at the scene, Bryce's blood was boiling with anger.

"This is my vampire settlement, and during my time, he is doing this. If this continues then the whole vampire settlement could be doomed! I will skewer him, twist his body and drain the blood out from his bones!" Bryce shouted in anger, turning around and breaking the door as he pushed it open.

"Flashy." Tempus noted, looking at the broken door and then turning his attention back to the room in front of him. Looking at the wall behind the throne, a bloody message had been left behind.

"I have a list of you all! Admit what was done to the people or all of them will be punished!"

*******

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