Crimson Bonds

Chapter 44: The Breaking Point

The air around them crackled with tension, the weight of the looming battle pressing down like an impending storm. Babe could feel it in his veins—the Leviathans stirring just beyond the veil, their power seeping into the world. His blood magic hummed with a dangerous energy, and it was growing harder to contain with each passing moment.

Beside him, Billy stood tense, his eyes scanning their surroundings as they waited for the inevitable attack. They had made it this far together, but now, with the Leviathans' influence spreading and the human hunter closing in, it felt like they were standing on the edge of a precipice.

"We need to move," Billy muttered, his voice low and urgent. "The hunter won't wait much longer. We're sitting ducks out here."

Babe nodded, but before they could make a move, the ground beneath them shook. A low rumble echoed through the air, followed by a sharp crack. It was as if the very fabric of reality was tearing at the seams.

"They're close," Babe whispered, his heart pounding in his chest. "The Leviathans... they're coming."

Before Billy could respond, a figure stepped out of the shadows, moving with a deadly grace. The human hunter had arrived.

The hunter's eyes gleamed with a dangerous intensity, and in their hand, they held the artifact—the one capable of stripping away supernatural powers, the one that had already wounded Billy once before. The hunter's lips curled into a cold smile as they surveyed their prey.

"You've run far enough," the hunter said, their voice like ice. "But it ends here. The Patchanon bloodline dies tonight."

Billy stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Babe. "You're making a mistake," Billy growled, his fangs bared. "This isn't just about us anymore. The Leviathans are coming. If you keep this up, you'll doom us all."

The hunter chuckled, shaking their head. "Do you think I care about your little prophecy? I was born to hunt your kind, and I will see your bloodline wiped out. Whatever happens after... well, that's not my concern."

The hunter raised the artifact, and for a split second, time seemed to freeze. Babe could feel the dark energy radiating from it, a cold, suffocating power that sent chills down his spine. If the hunter used that artifact on Billy again, it would be the end.

But Babe wasn't about to let that happen.

"No," Babe said firmly, stepping forward. "You won't touch him."

Billy's eyes flickered with concern, but he didn't protest. He trusted Babe, even in the face of this overwhelming danger.

The hunter's smile widened. "So the witch finally decides to play hero. Tell me, do you really think your blood magic can save him? You can barely control it."

Babe's heart raced as he felt the pulse of power building within him. The Leviathans were close, so close that their dark energy was already clawing at the edges of his consciousness, threatening to pull him under. But he couldn't hold back anymore. He couldn't afford to.

With a deep breath, Babe tapped into his blood magic, letting it surge through him with a force that shook the very ground beneath his feet. The air around him shimmered with crimson light as his power flared to life, a swirling storm of energy that pushed back the darkness.

The hunter's smile faltered, their eyes narrowing in surprise as they felt the sheer intensity of Babe's magic. But they weren't backing down.

"Impressive," the hunter sneered, lifting the artifact. "But it won't be enough."

The artifact glowed with an eerie light, and in an instant, the hunter launched an attack, aiming to strip Billy of his powers once and for all.

Babe reacted without thinking. His magic erupted in a blinding flash of crimson energy, intercepting the hunter's attack. The force of it sent a shockwave rippling through the air, knocking the hunter back several feet.

But it wasn't over. The surge of power that Babe had unleashed was more than just a defense—it was a release. His blood magic had tapped into something far deeper, far darker.

The Leviathans.

Babe could feel them now, their presence pressing against the edges of his mind. His magic had drawn them closer, and for the first time, he could see them—faint, shadowy figures moving in the distance, just beyond the veil of their world. Their dark energy seeped through the cracks in the seal, filling the air with a suffocating weight.

Billy staggered, his face pale as the full force of the Leviathans' presence hit him. "Babe..." he breathed, his voice tight with fear.

Babe's heart raced as he struggled to contain the surge of energy within him. The Leviathans were calling to him, their voices whispering in the back of his mind, urging him to give in, to let them in.

But he couldn't. Not yet.

"Stay with me," Babe whispered, his voice shaking as he reached out to Billy. "I can... I can control it."

Billy's hand found his, their fingers interlocking as a sense of calm washed over them. Together, they faced the hunter, who was already back on their feet, fury burning in their eyes.

"You think you can stop me with that?" the hunter snarled, raising the artifact once more. "I will not be beaten by some cursed witch and his vampire lover."

Babe's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening around Billy's hand. "We're not just some cursed witch and vampire," he said firmly. "We're stronger than that. Stronger than you."

With a final burst of energy, Babe channeled his blood magic through him, letting it flow freely. The air shimmered as the Leviathans' influence swirled around them, but this time, Babe didn't fight it. He controlled it, shaping the power into a force that pushed the hunter back, overwhelming them with its sheer intensity.

The hunter screamed, the artifact slipping from their grasp as the weight of Babe's magic crushed down on them. They collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath as the crimson energy enveloped them, trapping them in place.

For a moment, everything was still.

Then, as quickly as it had begun, the energy dissipated, leaving the hunter unconscious on the ground. The artifact lay shattered beside them, its power finally broken.

Babe stood there, panting, his body trembling from the strain of the magic he had just unleashed. But he wasn't thinking about the hunter anymore. His gaze drifted toward the horizon, where the shadowy figures of the Leviathans still lingered, waiting.

"They're coming," Babe whispered, his voice barely audible.

Billy stepped closer, wrapping an arm around Babe's shoulders. "We'll stop them," he said softly. "Together."

Babe nodded, but deep down, he knew that this was only the beginning. The Leviathans were stirring, and with the seal weakening, it was only a matter of time before they broke free entirely.

And when that happened... the world would never be the same.