Sixth Bloodline [BxB]

CHAPTER 59: VATICAN'S SECRET [SECOND CITY OF VAMPIRES]

cHAptEr 59:

vAticAn's sEcrEt

[sEcOnd citY Of vAmpirEs]

    MIKHAEL DIDN'T have a good opinion on Vatican. For once, the two sides had an irreparable grudge that would make them draw swords the moment they met.

It all began at the time Mikhael was into pirates and wandered the world. Navy was quite troublesome for him, but it was nothing compared to the pain of being chased by Vatican.

All popes, as long as Mikhael remembers, were spell-casters — and powerful to boot, at that. They didn't use talismans, but rather manipulated mana with their voice and were most proficient in light magic. Back then, there have indeed been a good bunch of popes and Mikhael even sneaked in as a young priest there to learn about their magic.

He was quite satisfied with what he saw, but he was also frightened to his bone when he saw the foundation this city was built in.

Mikhael back then chose the den of wolves to hide himself and at that moment, there were two potential candidates to become the next pope, and fate would have it that Mikhael ended up serving one of them. Mikhael could swear that in his whole eight hundred and something years — he's yet to meet a person as kind as that guy.

Anyway, he had looks, he had talents and he was extremely kind person — if this person became the new pope, church would blossom.

But church at that time didn't need a kind pope, but ruthless leader that would help them expand.

That's where the second candidate came in mind — Mikhael's personally most hated person. He wanted to beat the Vampire King whose mere face irritated Mikhael, but this person was someone you can simply hate — and if you don't hate him, you'll only loathe him more.

He didn't need to exert much effort to get rid of the good Francis — but luckily he had Mikhael who would sneakily protect him. He finally found a decent human friend — how can he let him suffer?

But the more their fight dragged on, the more Mikhael noticed that there's something off with this city, especially when a perfectly healthy previous pope died for no rhyme or reason.

Mikhael has personally seen that guy the day he died, not only was he full of vitality, his whole body was full of mana that only spell-casters who reached the peak of their studies had! Yet he simply died and the competition between the two was delayed.

Mikhael felt that it was odd, so he sneaked to check out the corpse, only to see — the fucker was gone. He wasn't anything good either - Mikhael probably though Francis to be the only decent guy church created.

Anyway, forget about his body - even the coffin was gone! So Mikhael felt that it was even more suspicious and decided to investigate.

Who'd know, his good mentor Francis also felt that something was odd and came to check this out, so when the two met — they went together. Reality would prove that whenever someone went along with Mikhael's whims, they'd have their whole view on the world turned upside down.

The ended up finding the "corpse", but they also found over hundred more such corpses under the city, all belonging to previous popes and none of them being dried up! Turns out, their bodies preserved at the moment when they very full of mana were what truly powered this formation in the city. It's no wonder vampires couldn't get inside this place — with so much power, any new Pope could wield freely, even Mikhael felt uncomfortable when he was in that city.

Human sacrifice, whether in spell-casting or witchcraft, was always the most ruthless - but also the most powerful practice. It's just that spell-casters didn't really like to play with it since corpses emitted dead mana and the energy of resentment could easily corrode the formation creating something completely different from their goal.

Mikhael was no fool, he could feel that those corpses were merely the main power, and none of them looked too old. Contrary to the history books, all popes took the mantle at the prime of their youth, with advisors by their side to fill in the gaps. Those corpses were all around forty years old — and not even a single of them had an ounce of dead mana.

But if this was the main force, what about auxiliary? Mikhael could see that popes were willing to die like this, but what about others?

Indeed, when they saw Francis was not so pleased with their secret, they chose the other guy, and Francis, who was also a young and powerful spell-caster - could only be chosen as auxiliary unit. Mikhael saw the other side, not even a single corpse was in good state like pope's. So he snatched Francis and ran away, but he made sure to wreck havoc in that place before he left.

How much could a single Mikhael do, you wonder?

Well...

Even now, the first thing a Pope that inherited the mantle learns isn't about that secret underground — but the face of church's sworn enemy aka. Mikhael. He revealed that he was a vampire back then, so they hated him even more. It was shameful for them that a vampire played on their Sacred grounds like a priest.

Mikhael didn't need to think twice before deciding that it was his time to scram from this place.

There were some problems as Francis wanted to get to the bottom of this deal, but when church turned against him who couldn't accept what he found — he really was unable to do anything.

By the way, after Mikhael took him away, he met Mikhael's disciple who was rumored to be incarnate of devil itself — so Francis took it on himself to convert her to the good side and decided to travel with her.

His disciple that had a lifelong grudge with men of all ages, finally found a good looking kind — though a bit wrong in his head, as she saw it — man, and was unable to let him go.

Mikhael wasn't sure what happened afterwards, but the next time he saw them, he was converting her with his love while she happily obliged.

He was turned into an immortal human after that by his disciple.

Although Francis wasn't so fond on idea of immortality and believed that everyone has to die at some point, Mikhael's do kindly used her wretched ways to make him obey and he swore to convert her with even more fervor.

There was something wrong with their love life, but Mikhael ignored it. He didn't want to get involved with other people's stuff.

But that's in summary why Mikhael didn't like that place.

Not to mention that every Pope who came after that other guy was his descendants and ended up being more wretched than previous one. And they all had a life mission to kill Mikhael, so many churches who knew about vampires hunted down Mikhael when they saw him. It's another reason why Mikhael liked to use masks and avoided churches as much as possible.

But now.

   "I'm going to check out that place," he told Ethan about his intentions, "I'll retrieve that Armament myself."

   "..."

Ethan's reply was to take out handcuffs from his void — don't ask why he had then there — and tie Mikhael for bed before leisurely taking out a book and reading on side.

   "...!"

Ethan had no intention of letting this little demon slip away again! How hard was it to find him, yet he wants to go to enemy's lair on his own? Dream on!

   "What's this," Mikhael pulled his hair to check those handcuffs, he was really surprised. Why did the other person tie him up?

It's fine if you want to be a bit kinky, I won't complain — but at least join me in bed if you're going to do it. What's the use of watching you sit and read books?

   "Sleep."

   "..."

Mikhael felt like he understood Ethan less and less the more he spend his time around him. If one thing was clear, though — this guy is another mental case among many Mikhael met.

   "Why..."

Ethan suddenly felt like Mikhael sleeping was a good idea. He won't go away while he's asleep and was quite convenient to keep an eye on him that way.

He put the book the book down before standing up and walking to the bed before sitting down. Like a parent coercing his child, he gently rubbed Mikhael's head.

   "Sleep for a while, this journey has been quite taxing on you," he spoke while looking directly in his eyes.

   "It's fine, I had rest the previous night, I can still go on. But never mind that, about what I said earlier..."

   "It's fine, it can be discussed later. Didn't you say that you wanted to take a nap right now?" Ethan interrupted him and Mikhael's words got stuck in his throat.

Yes... Wasn't he planning to...

Hm, what was it again?

Ah, right — sleep.

   "Alright then," Mikhael yawned, "Wake me up after a while then," he himself didn't notice when tiredness swept him away. Ethan watching the youth sink in his dreams with a smile on his face.

   "Alright. Feel free to sleep for a bit longer."

   "I still need to discuss with you how to... How to... Sleep..." After mumbling incoherently for a short while, he finally fell asleep and Ethan sighed in relief. To think that he'd be so lost on what to do and even resort to using Suggestion to make Mikhael sleep, Ethan felt like he was completely engraved by this little guy.

   "There's no need for kids to fight in this war, leave those things for adults," to Ethan, Mikhael who didn't appear to be that old was indeed like a kid in his eyes.  Even Ethan understood dangers of that place and hesitated to make a move, how can he let this little guy go there as if he's casually taking a walk?

The ride was uneventful after that.

Once Mikhael woke up, Ethan would feed him and he would in his drowsiness eat everything without complaint. Once he cleared up his mind, he'd want to talk to Ethan about his plans, but he would succumb to other guys Suggestion to sleep every time.

Mikhael didn't think much about it.

For once, he's yet to be swindled by some vampire with that power, and he doubted that a Higher Noble could influence him on that matter. The handcuff was long gone, but Mikhael forgot to ask why was it there in the first place.

He only thought that him sleeping so much had something to do with his failed Deep Slumber. It might've made him lethargic or something.

But while Mikhael thought like that, Ethan grieved that this little fox was too easy to swindle! How can he let him go inside Neo Academy alone?

Can't!

Must carefully watch over him so that he doesn't escape or does something stupid.

And so, by the time Mikhael finally woke up again, he found himself in a familiar car, but unfamiliar environment. He was so startled that he didn't know what to do before turning to Ethan who successfully mastered the art of making Mikhael who just woke up docile.

   "We arrived in Istanbul, sleep for a bit longer if you want — it's going to take us a bit to arrive to Dante's place."

But how could Mikhael sleep after hearing those news! When the hell did they arrive here? How did he sleep for long?

The ship they boarded, wasn't it supposed to leave them in Spain? How the hell did they cross half a continent and he didn't even notice anything about it?

   "The spell which affected you vitality must have had some hidden dangers, you should lay low for a while," this the innocent Mikhael who thought that Ethan was a really nice guy was easily coerced to not go to the Academy for a while.

He himself knew that there's no spell, but if he suddenly fell lethargic in Neo Academy and fainted in the middle of doing something important, even if he had nine lives — he'd be unable to get away. He should probably stay with Ethan for a bit longer until that problem goes away.

Yes.

This person is so reliable! Look how well he took care of Mikhael, he fed him every time and is able to protect him from harm!

The more Mikhael looked, the more he liked this future (unofficial) husband of his.

But Ethan could only secretly sigh in relief. Finally, after days of coercing him to sleep, Ethan could relax. He could continue with his old tactic, but he heard that it's no good for humans to sleep so much.

But if this fellow doesn't sleep, he'll seek death!

So Ethan could only make him willingly back down, but looking at fervor in Mikhael's eyes whenever he mentioned infiltrating Neo Academy, Ethan knew that it won't be easy.

Luckily, his effort wasn't in vain.

He figured out that this little fellow won't succumb to force and threats, but if you shower him with kindness, he had no way to say no.

And luckily, Mikhael was an i***t.

But looking around him, Mikhael finally noticed an oddity.

   "What with this place?" Vampires. Vampires as far as one's eye reached. Mikhael wasn't sure if there are humans in this place anymore.

Ah, right.

   "I forgot to mention that earlier, but vampires had taken over this whole city."

   "..."

How can you even forget something so big!

   "There are six cities including Istanbul that are under out control now; Hong Kong, Venice, New York, Paris and Brazil," he explained while driving the car through the crowd, "As you could guess, every one of them is under a jurisdiction of a Pureblood. since our City of Evernight fell, we had to take over another place, but we came out disagreement on what to do — hence we all went out ways to take over some cities."

   "..."

Why did this sound like picking cabbages on the market.

   "Hm? That's six, what about Dante..."

   "Does Dante look like he can rule a city on his own?"

   "..."

True.

   "He's with the Sixth Pureblood, don't think too much about it."

Mikhael suddenly recalled that person he met in Underground Necropolis, hopefully the other guy doesn't recognize him or is away or else... If that guy who loves vampires more than blood finds Mikhael who killed so much of his kind down there, won't he just skin him alive?