Time rewound to half an hour earlier, at the mountaintop magus workshop.
The Church Executors surrounding their target watched as the hunted man, his body pierced by dozens of Black Keys and nearly drained of blood, rose from the pool of blood despite having been dead long ago. Their pupils contracted sharply.
"Hiss!"
Before the Executors could recover from the shock of this sudden change, a sharp whine tore through the air. Every light was extinguished, plunging the magus workshop into darkness as the temperature around them plummeted.
"Splurt!"
Immediately afterward, a scarlet blur wrapped in darkness streaked through the air. Amid a clattering din, the dull sound of flesh tearing apart rang out, while the thick stench of blood and the twisted, struggling silhouettes in the darkness sent chills down their spines.
The Executors hurriedly chanted holy words, summoning light and drawing close to one another for reassurance.
An even more horrifying sight then entered their vision.
The target they had thought dead had lowered his head and sunk his fangs into the carotid artery of an Executor held against his chest. He effortlessly tore through muscle and greedily sucked down the captive's fresh blood.
Caught off guard and transformed from hunter into prey, the unfortunate man convulsed as blood rapidly drained from his body. Yet as his limbs grew cold and stiff, he could no longer control himself. He could only stare at his companions with terrified, pleading eyes as his life force was slowly sucked away.
As that life force poured into him and fresh blood nourished him, the dozens of Black Keys embedded in the target's body were forced out of his muscles inch by inch. With crisp tremors, they fell to the floor.
"I never thought you people would force me to use my last