VLADIMIR: The Last Blood Mage

The Resistance

Vladimir had settled down in his makeshift chamber but still headed out to go see where he could get more knowledge of that {merit points}. he got to the missions unit.

Vladimir stepped inside and the first thing he saw was a big board-like structure that showed names and the missions assigned to them as well as the status of the mission; missions ranged from minor things like picking purple ink mushrooms to major ones like killing a thunder phoenix.

The merit points for each mission depended on the difficulty of the mission. Vladimir walked to the front desk to meet the academic bureau's official in charge of assigning missions.

"Good day," Vladimir greeted the official at the counter with a smile, tailored for her.

"What can I do for you, young man?" It was clear that the woman was frustrated about something.

"I was wondering if you could explain how the missions came about" Vladimir looked sincerely curious.

"You look unfamiliar, you're new right?" the official asked.

"Yes, I am, the question I asked needs an answer" Vladimir looked so polite.

"All right since you asked so nicely. the missions are brought here by the teachers or officials of the academic bureau. they make a deposit and the school assigns merit points to them then I and other officials assign them to capable students" The official tried her best to look normal while she explained.

"I have another question though, what makes a student capable?" Vladimir asked.

"Well, there are some other criteria that must be fulfilled, but first the student must be a second year and above, and second the missions are assigned according to their ranks; There have been times where it made an exception though, but for special students, anything else"

The official tried to be friendly but it was clear that she had something bothering her.

[She needs something, and you can give it to her, play your cards well] the deity chipped in.

[hmm, let me see]. " Yes but not for me" Vladimir sounded so calm it became scary. his aura had changed from sunny and smiley to dark, gloomy and serious.

"Young man what do you mean?" the official was taken aback by the way Vladimir sounded.

"I can give you that which you need" Vladimir still insisted on his words.

"And you think you can give me what I need?" the official looked sceptical.

"Try me... I will be in the Death Ring by midnight" With that Vladimir turned around and left the missions unit.

[Can I trust him? I wonder what he thinks my problem is. I am so confused now. the way his face changed; it was scary]. Vladimir had just placed the official in a dilemma.

After the bout in the missions unit, Vladimir navigated his way to the Death Ring. the building was colossal it looked so much like a Colosseum.

Its high round stone walls had seats for the spectators watching the mages fight. there was a protective array that protected the viewers from being injured by stray spells or arrows.

The Colosseum held different types of duels, sometimes the mages used only their magic, some other times they used only weapons and no magic and finally the other times they used weapons and magic or had handicap matches for the excitement of the spectators that paid good money to watch them fight some other times to the death.

After every fifty duels, the new head of the Death table got 1 merit point the second on the table got 0.8 merit points and the third got 0.6 points till the fifth person on the table.

The Colosseum was the fastest way to get merit points but you would be fighting a hundred mages, to say the least.

Before a mage gets to sign up for the Death Table he would have to fight ten mages, If the mage dies he or she loses if her wins he gets to fight in the Death Ring.

"Yeeeaaahhh, make him suffer whistler" someone from the spectator area screamed, cheering on one of the contenders in the present duel.

The Whistler was a young man, dressed in white clothes, with defined facial features, he was handsome not too feminine or masculine, somewhere in the middle with his silver-coloured scythe covered in dull green arrays carved on its blade. he was skilled with his weapon.

His opponent was a huge blurry man with defined muscles, blonde spiky hair and shirtless. he looked so menacing and intimidating with his huge sledgehammer covered in dull yellow arrays.

The huge mage with the sledgehammer used only direct hits filled with brute strength directed at the whistler but every time the whistler managed to dodge his direct hit, each time making whistling sounds as he slid through the air dodging the hammer every time by a hair breath.

After ten moves the two men stood opposite each other at the extremes of the Colosseum.

"Smasher, end him!!!!" another spectator screamed from the bleachers. " Smash him into oblivion!!!" another spectator said loud enough for Smasher to hear.

"This has gone long enough!" Smasher exclaimed, "Bring your face to my hammer... ahhhh!!!".

smasher rushed forward, swinging his hammer as if it were weightless. his every step shook the entire Colosseum but the whistler still didn't look worried in the least.

"I was thinking the exact same thing, now come". the Whistler said as he got into a pose to receive the Smasher's attack

When the smasher got too close for comfort, the scene became a blur, dust rose high in the air as a result of the smasher running, and only a whistling sound could be heard throughout the colosseum as everyone was in suspense about what had happened.

By the time the dust settled, what people saw next made some grasp and others nodded approvingly before someone shouted. "And we have a winner!! THE WHISTLER "

Smasher was on the ground, knocked out cold by the whistler who sat on his head with his scythe by his side.

"And that concludes the { no weapons} duel, those who placed bets please come to the front desk and get your winnings. Have a good day...". and the voice of the announcer died out.

Vladimir found no joy in waiting for the whole Colosseum to be emptied before he walked out, so he joined the swarm of people walking out of the Colosseum.

"You know if this was a magic duel, the smasher would have won," one of the mages walking out of the colosseum said to his colleague.

"What do you mean by that, The both of them are count-level mages, their magic essence is about the same" the other mage retorted.

[They were Count levelmages, I wonder if I could defeat them in my current state] Vladimir was lost in thoughts as he walked to his chambers.

[Deity is it possible to raise one's potential?] Vladimir asked.

[Well no, there are not, your potential as a mage is given to you, the only thing you can improve is the purity of your magic essence to increase its power and learn more spells. That's why weak mages train their bodies and their minds, for if ever they meet an opponent with more magic essence than they. at least they would have a chance to win]. the deity explained.

[thats odd]

[Yes it is odd, but that is how the creators made it, Is there any other thing you want to know?]. the deity inquired.

[Yes, answer me this, what do I have that I can give to that official ?] Vladimir was visibly distressed.

[You would have to find out for yourself]

[You are something else. Another question, Do I get stronger?] Vladimir asked again.

[Actually yes, you will get stronger, you are no longer mortal, you are the blood demon, remember that.]

[ am no longer human...huh let me see where this would lead] The corruption in Vladimir's soul was already affecting his thoughts and actions.

after the conversation, some time had passed, the sun had set and the time was leaning closely towards his appointment with the official to wait for him at the Death Ring, Then...

--knock, knock--

Vladimir heard someone rapping at his door. "Come in," Vladimir said when he opened the door to his chamber.

the person at the door hesitated a bit before coming inside. It was Darcie she was dressed in a red nightgown fairly transparent, slightly exposing her full breasts.

"Darcie, do you need anything?" Vladimir asked as he let her come into his chamber.

"I just wanted to see how you are doing," she said as she sat on the bed in a very erotic way, trying to send signals to Vladimir. [What am I doing? I should stop, but I can't, I want to feel him]

"Thank you very much," Vladimir said as he sat on the bed next to her.

After talking for some time and Vladimir wasn't making any moves on her, she decided to make it clear.

[It is what it is] Darcie decided to take the initiative. " Vladimir..." she called.

"What is it? " Vladimir asked.

"To put it plainly, Vladimir, I love you Vladimir, I know we just met but I love you," Darcie said as she moved her hands closer to touch Vladimir's pale face,

Before her hands could reach Vladimir's face he stopped it and held it in the air. "No"

"What?" Darcie was visibly taken aback, this was the first time she had ever been denied anything in her life.

"I have somewhere to go now, I'll be back soon. if you can't wait...use the door" Vladimir let go of her hand and placed it gently on the bed before he put on his coat and left.

[What just happened?] Darcie questioned herself as she saw Vladimir leave the room and close the door.

[It's almost midnight, I need to get there fast] Vladimir walked as fast as he could to get to the Death Ring.

Luckily the official hadn't come, or maybe she wouldn't come and all the effort would have been in vain.

Nevertheless, Vladimir still found a high place to see when the official would come without her seeing him.