The desert sprawled before them, endless and unforgiving. The sun beat down mercilessly, its scorching rays bouncing off the endless dunes, painting the world in waves of shimmering heat. Zariya, leading her group through the vast expanse of Desierto, felt the weight of the mission pressing down on her shoulders, but she wore it with the same effortless grace as she did everything else. Her black fitted clothes were sleek, practical for travel and combat, clinging to her form with a silent promise of violence. Boots walked atop the sand, silently but leaving imprints that the wind quickly swept away.

The others moved behind her in disciplined silence, despite the oppressive heat. No one dared complain. They were soldiers in their own right--trained killers, hardened by years of bloodshed and survival. The desert heat might have broken lesser creatures, but not the crew of Akudama. Not these tough nuggets.

Ban trotted beside her, his usual cocky swagger subdued in the face of the relentless sun. His dark sunglasses gleamed, shielding his sharp eyes from the harsh daylight. The purple of his fur shimmered in the bright light, but he didn’t say a word, saving his energy for the long journey ahead. Even he seemed to understand the gravity of what lay before them.

Behind them, the vampires and werewolves moved like shadows under the sun. Basil was the picture of calm strength, his tall, muscular form walking with the kind of controlled grace that only someone who knew their power could. His amber eyes scanned the horizon, always alert, always watchful. Saber, however, walked with barely restrained aggression, her crimson hair catching the sun, her golden eyes gleaming with the thrill of the hunt. She was itching for a fight--Zariya could feel it radiating off her in waves.

Hours passed, the oppressive heat soaking into their skin, but none of them faltered. They knew what was at stake. The Chalice of Everlasting Night was a power beyond imagination. Zariya had spent years mastering her own strength, but the promise of more, the chance to wield the power of an Original vampire, one of the Childer… it was an intoxicating thought.

As they trudged through the sand, the guide Dendera had provided led them with steady, experienced steps. The old man was silent, his weathered face unbothered by the sun’s wrath. He knew this land well, and Zariya trusted his skill, though she felt no warmth toward him. He was a tool--nothing more, nothing less.

Then, without warning, the ground beneath them trembled.

The movement was subtle at firs like the earth had taken a deep breath, but then it suddenly escalated. The sand shifted unnaturally, and before anyone could react, a massive shape burst from the ground, sending a cloud of dust and debris into the air.

Zariya’s eyes narrowed as she quickly assessed the situation. A giant scorpion, its obsidian colored exoskeleton gleaming in the sun god's light, loomed before them. It was grotesque and massive, its stinger arching high above its head, dripping with venom. Its pincers snapped in the air, the sound sharp and menacing. It moved with surprising speed for something its size, lunging toward the group.

“Move!” Zariya commanded, her voice as sharp as a whip. The team scattered, each taking their positions with the practiced ease of veterans.

Saber was the first to engage. With a growl of delight, she leapt at the creature, her fists a blur of deadly speed. She hit it with the force of a freight train, her vampiric strength amplified by the rush of adrenaline. But the scorpion’s armored body absorbed the blow, barely flinching as it swung a pincer toward her.

Basil, calm and collected, circled around the creature, looking for a weakness. His movements were calculated, precise, as he waited for the right moment to strike. The werewolves had a natural advantage against beasts like this. Speed and strength combined in a lethal mix.

Ban, small but vicious, darted in and out of the scorpion’s range, distracting it with quick jabs. His two tails flicked back and forth, his movements almost too fast to track. "You think you're tough, huh?" he taunted, his voice filled with that same cocky edge. "I've taken down things twice your size!"

Zariya, watching the chaos unfold, assessed the creature with a critical eye. Its thick exoskeleton made it nearly impervious to physical attacks, but there were always weaknesses. Every living thing had a vulnerability--finding it was a matter of patience and precision.

“Basil, its joints,” Zariya ordered, her voice cool and controlled.

Basil nodded, understanding instantly. With a quick movement, he darted forward, his claws gleaming as he aimed for the softer areas between the scorpion’s armored plates. His strike hit true, and the creature let out a deafening screech, its tail whipping violently in response. Saber, undeterred, launched herself at the creature again, this time going for the eyes. Her fists hit like hammers, each blow sending cracks through the creature’s shell. With a final, brutal strike, she caved in one of its eyes, black ichor spilling onto the sand.

The scorpion thrashed in agony, but it was too late. Zariya moved in for the kill, her black boots gliding across the sand. With a swift, deadly motion, she daggered her hand and plunged it deep into the creature’s exposed underbelly. The scorpion gave one last shuddering breath before collapsing in a heap, its massive body twitching as the life drained from it. Zariya wiped her hand clean on her pants, her expression unreadable. The fight had been brutal, but quick, just the way she liked it.

“Nicely done,” she said, her tone devoid of praise but not of satisfaction.

Saber grinned, wiping the black ichor from her face. “That was fun,” she said, her voice filled with a bloodthirsty excitement.

Basil simply nodded, his amber eyes steady and calm as always.

Ban, for his part, kicked the dead scorpion’s body with a satisfied smirk. “Told you. Twice your size.”

Zariya said nothing, her mind already moving forward. The desert stretched endlessly before them, but the sun was beginning to dip toward the horizon, casting long shadows over the dunes. They would need to set up camp soon.

“Let’s move,” Zariya said, her voice cutting through the quiet. “We’ll camp before sundown.”

The group continued their march, the desert growing cooler as the sun sank lower in the sky. By the time they found a suitable spot to make camp, the air had shifted to a chill that bit at the skin. But the cold didn’t bother them. The werewolves had their fur, Daemons had magic coursing through them, and the vampires were unaffected by the temperature. Zariya’s group was made of tougher things than mere mortals.

They set up camp in silence, the routine familiar to them all. Tents were erected, supplies laid out, and a fire was lit. The smell of cooking meat filled the air as they prepared a meal, and though none of them said it aloud, the tension of the day began to ease slightly. Even soldiers needed to rest.

The Desiertan sat apart from the group, her back against a large boulder as she watched the fire’s flames dance. Her golden eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, reflecting the flicker of the firelight. Ban sat beside her, chewing on a piece of meat with an almost lazy air about him.

“Hope we don't run into anymore scorpions.” Ban sighed, his voice casual but edged with curiosity. "They'll take us out before we get to the damn castle."

“Maybe,” Zariya replied, her voice quiet. “The desert does have a way of testing those who cross it.”

Ban snorted. “Yeah, well, the desert can try all it wants. We’re tougher than anything it throws at us--just anything but giant scorpions.”

Zariya didn’t respond, her mind already wandering to the castle that lay ahead. The Blood Chalice. The power it promised. It was so close now, she could almost taste it. But power never came easily. Power had to be taken, wrested from the hands of those who would hoard it.

As the night deepened, the group began to settle down for the night, the werewolves needing the most rest. Even the vampires, though capable of moving through the night, knew the value of conserving their strength. Saber, restless as ever, paced the perimeter of the camp, her eyes flicking toward the horizon as if expecting a fight to break out at any moment. Basil had already settled into a light sleep, his massive form curled near the fire, though Zariya knew he was far from defenseless.

The desert was quiet, but not silent. There was always something lurking, just beyond the edge of sight. Zariya’s instincts prickled. She was never one to let her guard down, not even for a second.

And then, she heard it.

The soft sound of shifting cloth, almost too quiet to detect, but Zariya’s senses were too sharp to miss it. She stiffened, her hand, slowly closing them into fists as her eyes scanned the darkness. Ban noticed the change in her posture and immediately tensed beside her, his ears twitching. From the shadows, figures emerged; tall, pale, and predatory.

Vampires.

They moved with the same silent grace that Zariya’s kind always did, but there was something feral about them. Hunger gleamed in their eyes, and though they hadn’t attacked yet, the tension in the air was thick with the promise of violence.

Saber was the first to react, stepping forward with a snarl. “What do you want?”

One of the vampires, a lanky man with blood-red eyes, smiled lazily. “We’re just passing through,” he said, his voice smooth and dripping with arrogance. “But then we saw your little group, and we got curious.”

Basil stirred, his amber eyes opening slowly as he regarded the newcomers with the same calm he always did. “Curiosity’s dangerous out here.”

The lanky vampire’s smile widened. “So is competition.”

Zariya, still seated, met the vampire’s gaze with cold indifference. “You’re after the castle.”

The vampire’s eyes gleamed. “Aren’t we all?”

Saber growled, her fists clenching. “You won’t make it there.”

“Neither will you,” the lanky vampire shot back, his tone mocking. “Unless, of course, you’re willing to... step aside.”

The tension in the air thickened, the firelight casting eerie shadows over the group. Zariya’s eyes narrowed, her hand still resting on the hilt of her blade. This conversation was pointless. She could see it in their eyes that they weren’t going to back down.

“Enough,” Zariya said quietly, her voice cutting through the night like a blade. “Let’s get this over with.”

The lanky vampire’s smile faltered for a moment before his expression hardened. “Heh, Fine by me.”

And with that, the battle began.

The vampires lunged forward with predatory speed, their fangs bared and claws outstretched. Saber met them head-on, her fists flying with brutal efficiency. She took down the first vampire with a single, bone-crushing blow, but more swarmed her.

Basil moved with deadly precision, his claws slashing through the air as he tore into the attackers. His calm demeanor never wavered, even as blood splattered across the sand.

Ban darted in and out of the chaos, his small form making him a difficult target. He slashed at the vampires’ legs, tripping them up and making it easier for the others to finish them off.

Zariya, standing now, moved like a shadow through the battle, her chrome black colored nails flashing in the dim light. She was a whirlwind of deadly grace, cutting down any who dared approach her. The opposing vampires fought with desperation, but they were no match for her skill, her power. The fight was gory, but swift. Blood soaked the sand, the bodies of the fallen littering the ground. The smell of death hung heavy in the air, but none of the Queenpins group were fazed.

As the last vampire fell, Zariya wiped the blood from her hands once more and finally placed her hands in her pockets.

“Rest,” she sighed, her voice calm and composed. “I’ll keep watch.”

The others, exhausted from the battle and the long day, didn’t argue. They settled back down, their trust in Zariya absolute.

Ban sat beside her once more, his eyes scanning the horizon. “You think there’ll be more?”

Zariya didn’t answer, her golden eyes fixed on the distance where the castle lay waiting. The Blood Chalice was close. She could feel it.

And nothing was going to stand in her way.