Van Dijk stood in silence for a moment, his crimson eyes narrowing as he processed the Gluttonous Death’s words. The air in the cathedral was thick with tension, the weight of the Usurper’s presence pressing down on them like a physical force. Finally, Van Dijk spoke, his voice low and measured. “Who is the one with the blindfold?” he asked, his tone sharp and demanding.
The Gluttonous Death tilted its head, its form shifting slightly as if amused by the question. “Ah, Alcide the Ruthless. He is but a client of ours. Why do you wish to know that?”
“Tell me where he is,” Van Dijk said, his voice cutting through the air like a blade.
The Gluttonous Death chuckled, a sound that echoed unnaturally through the vast hall. “A, a, ah, my question needs to be answered first,” it said, its tone mocking. “It is the proper way for a conversation.”
Van Dijk’s jaw tightened, but he took a slow, deliberate breath before responding. “I need to kill him,” he said, his voice cold and final.
The Gluttonous Death’s smile widened, its teeth glinting in the dim light. “Fair enough. And now, let me answer your question. Right now, I have no idea where he is. Honestly, though, here’s a small tip: you, vampire, cannot beat a lycanthrope. Well, not the weaklings he sired, but him? No, you won’t even come close. You’ve seen what he can become. Not even your father was able to take him down. What makes you think that you could?”
It paused, its gaze shifting to Ludwig. The Usurper’s form blurred as it stepped closer, placing a hand on Ludwig’s shoulder and leaning in until its face was uncomfortably close. “Unless,” it said, its voice dripping with mockery, “you believe this thing can do it.”
[Do not instigate the Gluttonous Death!]
The notification flashed before Ludwig’s eyes, its warning stark and urgent. Ludwig remained still, his hollow eyes meeting the Usurper’s gaze without flinching.
The Gluttonous Death straightened, its form shifting again as it regarded Ludwig with a mix of curiosity and disdain. “An Apostle of Death. Quite funny. What, this makes you the seventh? Eighth one I’ve seen?”
Ludwig frowned, his mind racing. “What do you mean?” he asked, his voice steady despite the unease creeping into his thoughts.
The Gluttonous Death chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down Ludwig’s spine. “Hmm, you don’t know, do you? But you must have met the mutt. I can smell his scent off of you—quite recently, too. Perhaps that’s why you came here.”
Van Dijk’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean by Apostle of Death?” he demanded, his voice sharp.
The Gluttonous Death placed a hand over its mouth, feigning surprise. “Oh, you don’t know? Even if it’s your own disciple? Should I have kept it a secret?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Ludwig interjected, his voice firm. “Regardless, what do you mean by eight apostles? You have yet to answer the question I asked.”
The Gluttonous Death’s smile widened, its form shifting fluidly as it spoke. “You know how to play the game. Right, you’re not the only one with… that.” It pointed at Ludwig’s lantern, its eyes gleaming with malice.
Before Ludwig could react, the Gluttonous Death flicked its finger. Suddenly, all the remaining souls inside the lantern were pulled out, their glowing forms hovering in the air like captured fireflies.
[Your Soul Letting Lantern is currently empty! Death will be permanent!]
The notification blared in Ludwig’s mind, but he didn’t have time to process it. The Gluttonous Death dragged the souls toward its gaping mouth, its form distorting as it prepared to consume them.
Ludwig acted on instinct. He lunged forward, his hand closing around one of the souls—a warm, glowing orb that pulsed faintly in his grasp. It was the soul of Thomas Vondel.
“That’s not yours to eat,” Ludwig said, his voice low but firm.
The Gluttonous Death’s eyes narrowed, its form twisting as its face morphed into a nightmarish visage of endless rows of teeth. “I EAT WHAT I WANT!” it roared, its voice shaking the very foundations of the cathedral.
But Ludwig didn’t flinch. He held the soul tightly, his gaze unwavering. “You can have the rest. Not this one. I still have business with this soul,” he said, his voice steady despite the overwhelming pressure.
The Gluttonous Death stared at him for a moment, its form shifting back to its previous state. It sighed, a sound that was both amused and exasperated. “Fine, fine. I’ll consider it a token of friendship,” it said, before gobbling up the remaining souls in one swift motion.
The cathedral fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. The Gluttonous Death leaned back, its form shifting once more as it regarded Ludwig with a mix of curiosity and amusement.
“Regardless,” it said, its tone casual, “do you know the reason why your mission is yet to be completed, even though many who are stronger, smarter, older, and more experienced than you came here before you?”
Ludwig didn’t hesitate. “I can already tell,” he said. “Because they didn’t dare risk losing their immortality.”
The Gluttonous Death’s smile widened, its form shifting fluidly as it clapped its hands in mock applause. “Oh, a smart one, indeed. They rely on that trinket too much. And if they end up without souls, they’re no different than any mortal. But I see that you have some backbone. The others were on their knees begging during our first meeting. Quite the sight, I thought I’d get to see it once more. But sadly, you undead have no such thing as fear. Quite pointless…”
Its form began to shift again, but this time, it immediately reverted to the image of the werewolf. The Gluttonous Death tilted its head, its eyes gleaming with a predatory light.
“Hmm, you… have no memories, no recollection of your past life. Quite the interesting fellow. Is it the protection of Necros? Or perhaps you really don’t know who you truly are?”
Ludwig met its gaze, his expression unreadable. “Perhaps it’s both,” he said.
The Gluttonous Death chuckled, a sound that echoed unnaturally through the hall. “You do know how to play the game. Good. There is no reason to answer directly.”
It turned to Van Dijk, its form shifting once more. “So, your wish is to kill the one that caused you to be what you are. But let me tell you again, you’re not strong enough. You struggled against a mere puppet so much. What makes you think you can defeat one that served the god of death?”
Van Dijk’s eyes narrowed, his voice cold and sharp. “I haven’t revealed all my tricks yet. Not to mention, I’m pretty sure I’m currently stronger than my father.”
The Gluttonous Death’s smile widened, its form shifting fluidly as it leaned closer. “That is indeed true. But you’re not the only one who grew stronger, vampire. Your nemesis also had time to grow. Especially after he earned my blessing.”
Van Dijk’s rage boiled over, his aura flaring with a palpable intensity. The air around him crackled with energy, the pressure forcing Ludwig to take a step back.
“Master,” Ludwig said, his voice calm but firm, trying to diffuse the tension.
The Gluttonous Death chuckled, its form shifting again as it regarded Ludwig with a mix of amusement and curiosity. “By blessing,” Ludwig asked, “is that what you gave him so he’d be more… gluttonous?”
The Usurper’s smile widened, its form shifting fluidly as it clapped its hands. “Will you look at that, we have a smart one here. Yes, lad, he asked for it, and I obliged. After all, it was the only way for him to survive me. Those who come here thinking they can take me on are always in for a rude awakening. And that’s the only reason the two of you still draw breath—well, one of you…”
Ludwig’s gaze remained steady, his voice calm. “It’s because none of us had any intentions of fighting you in the first place.”
The Gluttonous Death’s smile widened, its form shifting fluidly as it leaned closer. “Indeed, you didn’t ask yourselves why someone like me would be living in a place with so little… protection, now did you? The things you fought all the way here were merely a small hindrance, something that would earn you the right to speak to this one. As for those who came with malicious intent before you, they have all perished long before they took a step into the city. And even if they made it to the city, they had to fight far more grueling and deadly battles to get here…”
The Gluttonous Death’s voice trailed off, its form shifting fluidly as it regarded them with a mix of amusement and menace. The cathedral fell silent, the weight of its words hanging heavy in the air.