Ascendant Path of a Lustful Vampire

Chapter 9: I’d like to see for myself

”Kaya, what is this?” Caius asked as he turned around to face her.

”What does it look like?” Kaya retorted with a smirk as she stepped toward him.

Caius could think of one thing he’d like to do since he had her alone but he had feeling that wasn’t exactly what Kaya had in mind.

”I want to duel you, Caius,” Kaya said while rolling her eyes at how slow he was to figure it out.

”Come again?” Caius said and blinked like he wasn’t sure he had heard right.

”I want to duel you,” Kaya said again.

”Why?” Caius asked.

Kaya’s cheeks went red and then she looked down with her hands behind her back as she shifted from foot to foot. A few seconds passed before she shrugged,

”I don’t know. A crazy Idea maybe. But I can’t help but be curious, you know.

How strong will the magic of the genius who advanced to the Third Circle at Thirteen be? It has to be something special. I’d just like to see it for myself.”

Caius laughed once and raised one hand to rub the back of his neck,

”I’m not any more special than you. You might have heard that I was ill for five years. I only recently recovered.”

As popular as Caius was for his achievement at Thirteen, he was also popular for not being seen in society for five years because of an illness.

”Advancing to the Third Circle five years earlier than the rest of us has to count for something,” Kaya insisted,

”Ill or not, you still must have been improving.”

Caius shook his head slowly,

”No,” he said, ”I really wasn’t.”

”How—?”

”Kaya, I haven’t used Magic in five years. Haven’t cast a spell. I haven’t even harnessed Mana.”

That was the case for Caius and for Kevin, it was even worse in the sense that all this had technically not been real until a few hours ago.

A few seconds passed before Kaya spoke again.

”Have you lost your magic?”

”Hmm? No. No, I don’t believe I have,” Caius replied, surprised by the question.

”And you have recovered from your illness, right? You’re healthy?” Kaya asked suspiciously.

”Yes. I think I have,” Caine answered, fingering the moonstone ring on his finger.

”Then we can duel then,” Kaya said enthusiastically and took on a stance.

”What?” Caius said with his eyes wide in surprise, ”I just told you...”

”If what you said is true, then what better way to get you used to using magic again than a friendly duel?” Kaya asked with a raised brow.

Caius blinked. Where did this stubbornness for a duel with him come from? Sure, in the original story, Kaya did go on to be an expert duelist and did have a certain interest in combat but this specific interaction had never happened...

And then it clicked.

Of course, it never happened because Caius never interacted with Kaya in the original story;

Because he didn’t want to tempt his nature as a Vampire who evolved through arousal, Caius’ interaction with women in the original story was very rare. This also made him seem cold and unapproachable so, of course, Kaya would not have been able to lure him into a Combat Magic Classroom to try to convince him to duel her in private.

Caius with Kevin’s soul was different. He had talked to Kaya. Introduced himself with a smile and even allowed himself to charm her causing a significant diversion from the original story’s canon.

If things had gone according to the original story, Kaya should have been making friends with Aurelius and his posse of allies while still repressing her desire for duel instigation.

Anyway, understanding what must have caused this change made Caius smile.

Kaya mirrored his smile,

”So you’ll do it?” She asked.

”I’m considering it,” Caius said with a hand now stroking his jaw. He considered that if he wanted, he could just give Kaya a stare down and charm her into letting go of the idea of a duel but then he decided he didn’t see a point in that.

”Alright,” he announced.

”Yes!” Kaya let out and her face glowed.

”Give me a moment though,” Caius said and held out a hand, ”Like I said, it’s been a while.”

Kaya nodded and waited patiently as Caius closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He knew what to do thanks to the memories he had inherited and the mana that had been stagnant in his body for years reacted to his call with the enthusiasm of a pet seeing its owner return after a long lonely day.

As his mana flowed through him, Caius’s lips spread into a delighted grin. [To Kill A Demon Lord...] had described the feeling as soothing but Caius felt it was more than that. While the feeling didn’t compare to the pleasure and euphoria of Bloodsucking, it was still incredible.

Caius felt powerful and before he opened his eyes, he brought to mind every single spell he had memory of being taught. And there were quite a few.

”Alright,” he said, ”I’m ready.”

Kaya grinned,

”Good,” she said, ”I’m going to show you something.”

She let out a droning spell chant as she clapped her palms together and a green Spell circle composed of Magical symbols materialized, teeming with a lively energy. It even carried the sweet scent of wildflowers.

Kaya slammed the spell circle into the ground and it transformed into a net of vines that writhed and twisted. She looked up at Caius with excitement at this reveal but he just looked at it with none of the surprise she expected.

”Have you seen Nature Magic before?” Kaya asked, her pretty face confused.

Not all the magical elements that exist are tested at Orientation. Only the basic elements that everyone should have some level of affinity with and the two ’Special’ unique elements of Light and Dark are tested.

There are various other elements, many of them unique (but not as special as Light and Dark) that are not tested because usually not everyone has an affinity with them.

Nature magic is such an element but even more unique because it’s almost only ever known to manifest in Elves and sometimes their half offspring who are rare.

Caius had told Kaya she was the first Half-elf he had ever seen so she didn’t expect him to have ever seen anyone else wield nature magic. Unless of course, he’d met an actual elf before.

”Seen? No,” Caius answered her question, ”But I’ve heard of it. I assumed you might have it as a Half-elf.”

This was a fairly natural conclusion to arrive at and Kaya accepted it even though she did pout her lips.

”Shame, I was counting on your surprised face,” she said and let out a sigh,

”Oh well.”

The vines moved then, slithering quickly toward Caius. When thorns suddenly stabbed out of each vine, and he smelled that sweet wildflower scent coming off them, Caius knew the spell Kaya had cast;

Net of Amorous Thorns.

A Third Circle Nature Magic spell that ensnares the target’s sense of smell. If any of those thorns were to stab into Caius’ body, they’d sap his energy continuously until detached.

He had to avoid it or destroy it.

Fireball.

Probably the most default spell he could have picked out of the arsenal he had inherited in his memories. The Fireball spell was a Third Circle spell and by bringing the required spell circle to mind, a miniature version appeared above Caius’ palm before blazing into a ball of flames that he struck down at the vines.

*Boom!*

The vines instantly caught fire but while a majority were scorched by the flame of Caius’ spell, two survived and burst out of the fire to strike, taking Caius by surprise.

Wind Blade.

A Second Circle spell that materialized a blade of wind around two fingers on Caius’ right hand and with a swing, he sliced through the two vines and turned his attention to Kaya who he then realized was already preparing a second spell.

A blue spell circle appeared in front of her and Caius remembered that a High Affinity with Nature Magic was not the only thing Kaya was capable of. She had a High Affinity in three other basic elements.

Out of the blue Magic Circle fired an Orb of water that traveled so fast, Caius couldn’t even think to dodge.

*BAM!*

It struck him in the chest and he went flying.