Bear School Astartes

Chapter 463: 463. Buried!

”Let’s talk about something else.”

Lann threw another piece of firewood into the fire.

”Dilaf, did you summon all these vampiric creatures in the mountains?”

The black-haired vampire nodded silently.

”Yes, it’s one of my abilities. I admit I deserved punishment, but being chopped up and imprisoned for a century, I think that’s enough. That’s why I began striving for my freedom.”

”Luckily, time was on my side. Over a hundred years passed, Anahad’s arrangements gradually deteriorated. The ritual tools that guided the mountain’s energy would erode faster than if normally placed because of the constant impacts day and night. Consequently, my power could be transmitted out. Without you all, I estimate I would have gathered enough vampiric creatures in three years to break the prison and leave on my own.”

”Please don’t misunderstand; this doesn’t diminish my gratitude to you.”

”But what puzzles me is... it seems like you’ve never come to maintain the prison where I’m held.”

Dilaf calmly narrated about his long-imprisoned cell, his calmness being admirable.

By now, Ged seemed to have gotten somewhat accustomed to the two superior vampires beside him, and he sneered.

”Maintain your prison? Ha!”

”The place where you’re held has existed for a hundred years. If maintenance were necessary, this duty would surely have been passed down through generations. But none of us in the Bear School want to take on a responsibility that brings no benefit. Do you think Anahad’s words alone make his apprentices remember and carry them out on time? What a joke! As though the master-disciple relationship meant anything important to a bunch of ice blocks!”

”It’s possible the news of your prison only exists in the archives of our School.”

Without emotional ties or institutional binding, there’s no organizational efficiency, unable to complete the long-term complex tasks only an organization can accomplish.

The dissolution of the Bear School was understandable from every perspective.

”Well, now that the vampiric creatures gathered on the mountain have been sorted out, this commission from the Dwarves is considered complete.”

In the flickering shadows of the fire, Lann concluded the conversation.

”Tomorrow morning, Regis and Dilaf, you need to help us leave some intimidating marks at the prison to prove we did kill the target. You superior vampires should know better what setup to display.”

”Then I’ll bring Lence Ziva over for a look, while you two go swear the oath, and that’s it.”

Lann clapped his hands, ending the talk.

He and Ged went to sleep, while Dilaf seemed to be enjoying his first night after regaining freedom.

He gazed at the starry sky motionless, Regis accompanying him.

-----------------

The next day.

”So... you really took out that thing!”

Lence Ziva stood in the mountain hollow, accompanied by about forty dwarf stumpy figures, all clad in shining heavy armor, wielding axes, war hammers, and crossbows.

Yet even so, upon seeing the holding measures constructed by Anahad, the Dwarf Elder clutched his braided beard, gasping.

”Heavens above!”

This cool, composed Dwarf Elder, capable of conversing with traditional Bear School, mumbled to himself whenever passing by a vampire creature’s corpse.

Thirty or so vampire creatures, each towering over at least two dwarves!

And their strength was sufficient for each to pierce through dwarf armor in an instant!

Moving like the wind, equipped with invisibility or teleportation abilities!

Thirty or so, if encountered by them, not a whole bone would be left intact!

Even with the full guard team of hundreds from Hein Castle, the disastrous outcome from facing these creatures was unimaginable.

Their numbers multiplied, exponentially increasing the difficulty.

Now, Lence Ziva found himself feeling some respect for the two young bear cubs.

”The creature’s body is in the mine below, there...”

Lann pointed down from the slope, but before he could finish, the Dwarf Elder interrupted.

”It’s a cage forged from top-quality materials coupled with excellent craftsmanship, undoubtedly the best of everything. That’s why it can hold a superior vampire.”

Lence Ziva’s tone mixed with reminiscence.

”That’s my father’s craftsmanship... an exquisite skill.”

The dwarf stumpy figures behind the Elder seemed inspired, raising a unified low shout: ”Hurrah!”

Lann said no more, and Lence Ziva waved his hand: ”Alright, let’s go down there and see.”

The group moved along the circular path downwards, finally arriving at the mine’s edge.

There, Regis’s corpse lay peacefully beside, though his chest was stained with a large patch of blood.

”Was this the mage from your team?”

The Dwarf Elder asked, looking up.

”Yes.” Lann displayed a mournful and sorrowful expression, utilizing the diplomatic talent of the Sons of the Emperor here.

The expression made observers immediately feel the embedded grief and regret, evoking a sympathetic response.

”He sacrificed himself, that’s how we managed this unimaginably arduous task.”

”I’m, I’m truly sorry.”

Even the cold London Ziva felt ashamed due to the Demon Hunter’s sadness, as he assigned the task.

”Hein Castle will offer compensation! We never mistreat our friends!”

The mine was inspected by the Dwarf Elder himself; not long after entering, he emitted thunderous shouts inside.

Lence Ziva hollered and leaped out as if stepped on a toe, his braided beard bouncing and tangled.

His stumpy guard hurriedly surrounded him, then got scolded to retreat by the Elder, catching his breath.

Inside were Regis and Dilaf, piecing together a ’crime scene’ from dismantled vampire limbs.

The terrifying and gory scene dissuaded even Ged from taking a second look, and made the corners of Lann’s mouth twitch, yet it met the criteria for a superior vampire death scenario.

Anyway, the dwarves weren’t experts; as long as the visual effect was in place, it sufficed.

Ged was stifling laughter, snicker-snoring.

Lann pulled him to the side of Regis’s ’corpse’, mimicking preparation for burying a teammate.

This act surprised the Dwarf Elder who was steadying his heartbeat.

Perhaps out of guilt, he summoned two stumpy guards to help dig a pit, seemingly intended to bury Regis on the spot.

”Guys, make the pit wide and large, this respected gentleman died for Hein Castle’s safety, let his departure be comfortable.”

Regis was dumbstruck, opening his eyes in astonishment, seeing Lann blocking his face.

The two exchanged a series of glances instantly.

Ged barely made sense but ventured to guess:

Lann: Can superior vampires be buried?

Regis: Burying is possible, but our plan didn’t include this...

Lann: No buts! Just bury it!

Finally, Lann had to use his nearly 300-kilogram weight, grinding Ged’s toes with his heel, preventing him from bursting into laughter.

Then successfully buried ’sacrificed’ Regis, conducting a simple on-site memorial hosted by the Dwarf Elder.