Marvel - The Blood God

At the airport in Los Angeles, California, Maverick Cassain stepped off the private plane with Lilith in tow. Waiting for them was the resolute California Blood Police Chief, Babu. As Babu approached, he saluted sharply and declared, "Blood God!"

Maverick shook his hand with a smile. "If you're here, it sounds like the crisis has already been dealt with."

Babu nodded. "As soon as the blood clans heard of your arrival, they scattered like cowards."

Maverick chuckled. "They should be afraid. By the way, how did you become Chief, with lines like that?"

Babu gave a sheepish laugh. "The Blood Clan Police was a startup, and they were desperate for manpower. Chief Blade saw potential in me and gave me the promotion."

He added with a touch of nostalgia, "Before I became a vampire, I was a cop for over a decade without a single promotion. Funny how things change."

Maverick clapped him on the shoulder. "You did well this time. I'll make sure Blade throws in a nice bonus for you."

Maverick then pointed toward an older gentleman standing nearby. "And who's that?"

Babu turned to look. "That's the Shilik family's butler. He's here to deliver an invitation for you."

The butler, sensing their attention, stepped forward and greeted Maverick with a polite bow. "Blood God, Patriarch Shilik cordially invites you to visit Shilik Castle."

Maverick nodded without hesitation. "Alright, let's go have a look."

As they started to move, Babu hesitated. "Blood God—"

Maverick raised a hand to silence him, his voice turning cold. "Bring the entire force to Shilik Castle. If necessary, eradicate the Shilik family. The North American blood clans only need one leader."

Both Babu and the butler froze in shock, but Babu quickly recovered and saluted. "Yes, Blood God!"

The butler forced a thin smile and turned to lead the way, his mind racing. This Blood God is even more ruthless than the stories suggest. Have I made a terrible mistake?

---

At Shilik Castle, Maverick swirled the wine in his glass, his piercing gaze fixed on Patriarch Shilik. "You personally came to greet me and arranged a grand banquet. Let's not dance around it. What do you want?"

The patriarch, a noble-looking man with a youthful face that belied his centuries of life, gave a self-deprecating laugh. "Blood God, I simply wished to meet you. My pride would never have allowed me to arrange something this elaborate, but the situation demanded it. Please forgive the vanity of an old man."

Seeing Shilik's humble demeanor, Maverick eased slightly and took a sip of wine. "Alright, then. Now that we've dispensed with the pleasantries, what do you really want?"

"To ask why you insist on registering the blood clans," Shilik said bluntly. "If humans ever get their hands on those records, it could spell disaster for us all."

"For starters, those records won't fall into human hands. I've taken every precaution," Maverick replied calmly. "And even if they did, the information isn't as critical as you think. Technology is advancing rapidly. Identifying blood clan members is already trivial. A mass body-temperature scan would do the trick."

Shilik sighed. "Human technology truly is terrifying these days. But you must have deeper reasons."

"I do," Maverick admitted. "One day, humans might no longer tolerate our existence. When that day comes, I plan to lead the blood clans to a new home on another planet. These records will ensure that I can evacuate everyone quickly and efficiently."

Shilik's eyes widened in realization. "You're preparing for an exodus. Truly far-sighted, Blood God. The Shilik family will comply with the registration."

"Good." Maverick nodded approvingly but couldn't shake the feeling that Shilik had another motive. The patriarch's cooperation felt too eager, too calculated.

Breaking the silence, Shilik asked, "Blood God, the Blood of Hope—what creature does it come from? As far as I know, the blood clans can only drink the blood of intelligent beings."

Maverick raised an eyebrow. "You're surprisingly well-informed."

Shilik gave a wry smile. "The longer you live, the more secrets you stumble across. Speaking of which, I'd like to show you something from my collection."

"What kind of collection?" Maverick asked, intrigued.

Shilik's smile deepened. "Murals depicting the origins of the blood clans."

Maverick's eyes narrowed. "The origins? Now you have my attention."

---

In a dimly lit storage room, Shilik gestured toward the first mural. "This is where it all began."

The mural depicted an ancient, sinister-looking book inscribed with strange symbols. Maverick frowned. "You're saying the blood clans originated from a book?"

"Yes," Shilik said, pointing to the second mural. "This book created the first blood clan: Dracula."

The next image showed a crimson figure emerging from the book's pages. Beside it, two words were written in ancient vampire script: The First Ancestor.

Maverick's gaze hardened as he studied the murals. "And the purebloods? Were they created by this book too?"

Shilik nodded. "Dracula created the first purebloods using his own blood. The so-called Blood God ritual—it's simply a ceremony to revert purebloods back into Dracula's essence."

Maverick's expression darkened. "I knew something was off during the ritual. Only the twelve elders merged with me; nothing else."

He turned back to the first mural. "What is this book?"

"The Darkhold, also known as the Book of Sin or the Book of Death," Shilik revealed. "It's the origin of all black magic, the dark counterpart to the Book of Vishanti."

Maverick's eyes widened slightly. "The Darkhold? That explains a lot."

He knew of the Darkhold from tales of its corruptive power. Few who sought it escaped unscathed, their lives inevitably consumed by its influence.

Shilik pressed on. "If you wish to solve the blood clans' problems, the Darkhold is essential."

Maverick's gaze turned icy. "If it created the blood clans, then I'll find it. But don't think I don't see through you, Shilik."

Shilik feigned surprise. "I'm only offering knowledge, Blood God."

---

As Maverick left Shilik Castle with the supposed clues, a swirling portal of sparks materialized before him. Out stepped a cheerful, rotund man in monk's robes. Maverick smirked. "Wong, if you get any bigger, you'll need a wider portal."

Wong scowled. "It's plenty wide, thank you very much."

Then his expression turned serious. "Blood God, I bring you gifts from the Ancient One."

From his satchel, Wong produced a sleek necklace and a scroll of intricate runes. Maverick's face lit up. "Is this the armor she promised me?"

"Yes. Speak the incantation, and it will envelop you in battle-ready gear," Wong explained, barely concealing his envy. "Even at Kamar-Taj, we don't have anything this advanced."

Maverick chuckled as he slipped the necklace on. "Thank the Ancient One for me."

Wong nodded. "She also asked me to deliver a warning: those who seek the Darkhold never meet a good end."

Maverick's smile faded. "Understood. Tell her I'll steer clear of it."

---

Minutes later, Maverick was on the phone with Babu. "Surround Shilik Castle. Prepare to act."

Babu asked grimly, "Blood God, are we taking them out?"

"If they resist, eliminate them," Maverick replied coldly. "The blood clans need unity, not treachery."

The Shilik family's scheming had sealed their fate. Within hours, the once-mighty Shilik clan was no more, reduced to ashes or locked away. As Maverick surveyed the aftermath, his expression was grim. Being targeted by Mephisto, the demon lord behind Shilik's ploy, was a headache he didn't need.

"Isn't it enough that I tricked one of your sons and ruined one of your plans?" Maverick muttered. "Can't you just let it go?"