The Xyrans surrounded Ashton, their mistrust and hostility fixed on him as the air around them trembled with tension.
Ashton's presence on Nefarion, which was absolutely off-limits to outsiders, had alarmed the Xyrans. Yet, rather than cower under their scrutiny, Ashton greeted them with a bold and confident smile, his eyes blazing with defiance as if he didn't care he was facing Xyrans.
His stance was that of a warrior undeterred by the odds stacked against him. Although he appeared to be standing there casually, Nishkca could see no openings for them to attack the human.
That was enough to put Nishkca on edge, but his newly recruited underlings didn't have the experience he did. Even then, he was hopeful they'd be able to subdue the stranger before them.
"Should we end both of them?" one soldier asked. "One is a traitor, and the other is infiltrating our planet."
"Nah, let's capture them and feed them to the Holos. Those dogs are always hungry for exotic meat-"
"Man, you guys are funny." Ashton laughed like a maniac, stopping the Xyran midsentence. "What are you people even doing here? Go open a podcast or something. People seem to enjoy those these days."
The Xyrans, used to being feared and obeyed, found themselves unsettled by Ashton's unwavering confidence. It was as if he knew something they didn't, and the uncertainty gnawed at them.
"Who are you, and what business do you have on Nefarion?" one of the Xyrans angrily demanded. "Tell us, or I'll rip your tongue out and do the talking for you!"
"I am but a traveller passing through," Ashton casually replied. "I had heard tales of the Ombra sector's desolate history and was curious to see it for myself. But I seem to have stumbled upon something more intriguing than anticipated."
"Curious travellers don't just stumble upon restricted Xyran property," Nishkca retorted, brandishing his knuckles. "What's your real purpose here?"
Ashton's smile didn't waver, and he continued spouting more bullshit to agitate the Xyrans.
"Perhaps you're right," he conceded. "I am keenly interested in history and preserving the legacy of forgotten places. It's a shame what has become of the Ombra sector. Wouldn't you agree?"
The other Xyrans looked at each other, their suspicion growing. Varian watched in fascination as Ashton seemed to effortlessly navigate the tense situation.
"Enough of your lies!" one of the Xyrans snarled, lunging at Ashton with a plasma spear.
Ashton sidestepped the attack in a blur, his grin widening. "Come now, there's no need for violence. I'm just a man seeking knowledge, nothing more."
Undeterred by Ashton's remarks, the man lunged at him again. Only this time, Ashton decided to go on offence. Ashton seamlessly disarmed him and twisted the Xyran's arm behind his back, rendering him immobile.
The other Xyrans hesitated momentarily, taken aback by the ease with which this seemingly ordinary human had neutralised one of their own.
With a sinister grin, Ashton revealed his fangs; the glint of his vampiric nature confused the Xyrans. They had only encountered one such individual before who was in their custody. At least, that's what the reports mentioned.
"You see, I'm not a human," he said, his voice taking on an eerie tone. "I am something you would have nightmares about... starting now."
Before their eyes, Ashton sank his fangs into the Xyran's neck, drawing blood. The Xyran winced in pain, but he was unable to resist, held firmly in Ashton's grip.
The sight was horrifying yet mesmerising, and Varian could not tear his eyes away. It almost felt like the lord had answered his prayers in the form of the stranger before him.
Ashton drank the Xyran's blood, his eyes glowing with an otherworldly intensity. Time seemed to stand still for a moment as the Xyrans watched in awe and terror.
When Ashton finally released his hold, the Xyran stumbled and fell... lifeless. The chilling silence that followed was broken only by the faint hum of energy in the air. Ashton turned his gaze back to Varian, his fangs retracting as he did so.
"You should leave now," he said calmly, his voice resonating with authority. "I'll deal with these Xyrans."
"B-But-" Varian protested, as Nishkca wasn't the only Xyran there. More of them would arrive at any moment, but Ashton shushed him, pointing towards the exit.
"Rest assured, they won't ever trouble you or this planet again. Now go!"
Gathering his courage, Varian nodded in gratitude and fled from the scene, leaving Ashton to face the remaining Xyrans.
"Now then, shall we begin?" Ashton asked the Xyrans as he bit into his own hands.
Blood trickled down from the bite wounds, but a moment later, red mist filled the room.
"What the hell is this!?" the Xyrans' exclaimed, not knowing what would happen next.
As the mist turned denser, the Xyrans found themselves caught off guard, coughing and sweating profusely, while only Nishkca remained somewhat unaffected.
[Skill: Bloodmist has been activated.]
"Let the hunt begin..." Ashton whispered as he disappeared into the thick red mist.
The mist clung to every corner of the room, obscuring their vision and filling the air with an unsettling presence. Soon Nishkca's underlings began hallucinating and attacking each other.
The once loyal soldiers were driven mad by the poisonous mist. Nishkca watched in horror as his underlings succumbed to the maddening effects of the mist.
What was supposed to be a show of force and control had turned into a nightmarish scene of chaos and self-destruction.
"I need to get rid of this mis- what the hell?"
Nishkca was busy formulating a plan when he felt an excruciating pain in his back. It was as if someone had clawed him. He turned to see the stranger's hand had transformed and was drenched in his blood.
"You bastard!" Nishkca yelled and lunged at Ashton.
Unfortunately, he ended up hitting one of his own men, killing the poor soul instantly. But Nishkca didn't have time to react as he received a swift kick in his face, sending him out of the broken building as Ashton appeared before him... with the severed heads of Nishkca's underlings.
"Huh... I didn't know Xyrans were supposed to be this weak." Ashton yawned before throwing the severed heads towards Nishkca. "You should probably say your farewell to them. After all, you killed most of them."
"What?"
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