Haven was nearing the last flight of stairs, the final descent to the lower floor. She ran through the sprawling, wide corridor, Carla clutched tightly in her arms, while Adam clung to her back. The corridor, once a testament to grandeur, was now a canvas of recent conflict. Cracks, like jagged veins, snaked along the white-painted walls—scars from powerful blows and fierce battles. The floor was strewn with scattered debris: fragments of shattered chandeliers glittered amidst the remnants of what was once splendid decor. The polished marble tiles beneath their feet were now chipped and stained, marked by dark splotches and deep fissures that silently screamed of the violence that had erupted there.
As she and the vampire kids dashed down the corridor, they spotted a man looking at a picture that is damaged because of the battles. The picture hanged crooked with only one corner hanging on the wall. The man with the green armour seems to admire the picture as he stared at it intensely until he sensed a vampires nearing him.
When Haven spotted the mercenary with green armour, she immediately came to a stop. The man she is currently looking at is the same man with green armour that came through the huge wall with Raven and their leader Kilo but she did not know that. "You know miss vampire; I didn't want to come here to fight against this legendary family."
*sigh*
"The Storm Hornets did so well, we were earning a decent amount of capital, until our great leader Kilo became greedy, he even allied himself with a goddamn vampire who is apparently possessed by some kind of demon and now we are paying for it."
He finally tore his attention from the crooked painting and met Haven's gaze. "Our men were dropping like flies, and just a few minutes earlier, some demon creature offered me power. This is madness, I told that thing, it can go fuck itself!".
Adam, trembling slightly, whispered softly from Haven's back, "Miss Haven, this man is scaring me."
Haven, her gaze unwavering, did not respond to Adam. She simply stared at the mercenary. "Then leave," she stated, her voice firm. "Don't come back."
The mercenary shook his head, a weary gesture that seemed out of place with his imposing armor. "When the boss, Raven, and Decker started fighting your people, I took that opportunity to flee. But I got lost, this damned castle is so huge."
"Then let us pass," Haven urged, her voice steady. "We mean you no harm." Carla, wide-eyed and trembling slightly in Haven's arms, gazed at the man in green armor with undisguised fear.
"Tsk," Rubin Canon scoffed, a sound of reluctant resignation. "I'm afraid I can't let you pass. Even though I don't want to be here, I have to fulfil my mission, and that is to kill you vampires."
"What about the kids?" Haven asked, her gaze hardening. "Will you let them go?"
He looked at the female vampire, his expression grim and unwavering. "I swear on my name, Rubin Canon; I will make it quick."
Haven's own face hardened, mirroring his serious resolve. Gently, she lowered Carla and Adam to the floor. She then knelt before them, her voice dropping to a low, earnest tone. "Listen, kids, I have to fight the bad man over there. I want you both to keep your distance from us when we fight. If I get the chance to distract him, then I want you two to run through that door." She pointed to a heavy, ornate door further down the corridor. "If you find the stairs, then head down. And if you spot a vampire knight, go to him; he will know what to do. Is that understood?"
"No, Miss Haven, don't leave us," Adam whimpered, his eyes already glistening with unshed tears.
Carla, her voice small and trembling, asked, "Miss Haven, are we going to die?"
"Not if I can help it," Haven replied, her voice firm, despite the pain in her eyes. "Now go stand over there, make sure you are far away from our fight."
Adam slowly reached out, his small hand finding Carla's. They gazed at each other for a silent moment, a shared understanding passing between them, before both looked back at Haven, nodding their heads in unison. "Please don't lose, Miss Haven," Adam whispered, his voice barely audible.
Haven offered them a determined, if strained, smile. "Don't worry," she promised, "I won't."
Haven drew her sword, the blade a dark gleam in the dim, castle light, and advanced towards the man in green armor. Her expression was grave, a mask of grim determination, while Rubin Canon, conversely, sported a wide, confident grin. He wasted no time, drawing his own blade with a flourish and rushing towards the female vampire. Their first clash was deafening: a resounding clang that vibrated through the very stone of the corridor, followed by a palpable shockwave that rippled through the air.
Both combatants recoiled for a split second before lunging back into the fray. Rubin lunged low, attempting to cut her legs, but Haven, anticipating his move, deftly blocked his sword's blade with her own. He then tried to seize her with his left hand, but she swiftly sidestepped and delivered a sharp side kick to his head, staggering the mercenary, albeit momentarily.
Rubin quickly regained his composure, shaking off the blow, and unleashed a horizontal slash. Haven managed to duck cleanly under the attack. Yet, no sooner had she lifted her head than Rubin delivered a barrage of multiple slashes. Haven, however, met each blow with a precise parry, deflecting his attacks with practiced ease. She began to retreat, but Rubin pressed his advantage, unwilling to give her a moment's respite. The runic inscriptions on his green armour began to pulse with a faint, inner light, providing him with a surge of power, clearly giving him the edge
As the mercenary closed the distance, Haven saw her chance, delivering a swift upward slash. But at the exact same moment, Rubin brought his sword down in a powerful downward slash, cleaving effortlessly through her already damaged blade.
Her eyes widened in horror as the other half of her sword clattered uselessly to the ground.
"No!" Adam screamed, his voice thin with terror.
"Miss Haven!" Carla cried out, her small voice filled with anguish.
The mercenary, seizing the advantage of her shock, slashed again. The blade bit deep, carving a jagged gash across Haven's face. She recoiled sharply, her hand flying to her bleeding cheek. She stared at her right hand, now stained crimson, her own blood a stark contrast against her pale skin. The armour, truly a boon to Rubin, amplified his speed; he closed the distance between them in an instant. With newfound strength, he grabbed her face roughly, slammed it into the solid stone wall with a brutal impact, and then, with a contemptuous flick of his wrist, threw her violently to the side, sending her sprawling onto the debris-strewn floor.
Rubin approached the vampire, who was still sprawled on the debris-strewn floor. He moved with cold precision, intending to end the battle by plunging his sword through her heart. But Haven, despite her injuries, managed to roll out of the way with surprising agility. She then used her right hand to swiftly push herself upward, simultaneously delivering a sharp kick to the man's stomach.
Haven scrambled back to her feet, but no sooner had she stood upright than she felt something razor-sharp penetrate her stomach.
"Got you," Rubin said, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
He didn't withdraw the blade. Instead, he pushed her with the sword still impaled in her stomach, forcing her backward until her spine slammed against the cold, stone wall. He seized this opportunity, pinning her against the unforgiving surface by driving the sword's tip deeper, anchoring it into the wall itself. With Haven trapped and utterly helpless, the inscriptions on his armored arm began to glow intensely, and he unleashed a devastating punch directly to her face. Her nose exploded with a sickening crunch, and and blood sprayed from her mouth and nose, a crimson mist against the dim light. The bones in her face received multiple fractures yet Haven was still holding on to her broken sword in her left hand.
The vampire children watched the horrifying scene unfold; their small faces contorted with pure terror. They clutched each other, trembling with fear.
"Don't worry, kids. I will be right there, just give me a min," Haven choked out, her voice raspy and broken, but defiant.
Using this brief moment of distraction, Haven retaliated. She launched a desperate palm strike directly to Rubin's nose with her right hand. A fresh gush of blood immediately leaked from the mercenary's nostrils. He staggered back, his hand flying to his face, lightly touching the injury. "You bitch, you broke my fuckin' nose!" he roared, his voice laced with pain and disbelief. Seizing his momentary disorientation, Haven, with a surge of amazing, almost superhuman strength, managed to pull the sword clean out of her stomach with ease.
Without hesitation, she swung the enemy's retrieved sword in a powerful downward cut, but Rubin, recovering with alarming speed, caught the blade. With his free left hand, he punched the vampire directly in the stomach, the blow stealing her breath and knocking the wind clean out of her
The deep sword wound she had just received in her stomach had already begun to visibly heal, closing rapidly, but it mattered little. Rubin, having reclaimed his sword, moved with brutal efficiency. He swung it again, severing her left arm with a swift, clean cut. Haven screamed, a raw, piercing sound of agony. But only moments after her arm hit the floor, the mercenary delivered a powerful kick that sent her crashing through the wall, leaving a gaping hole in the stone. He advanced, intent on finishing her, but at that crucial moment, Carla, fuelled by a desperate, childish courage, grabbed a loose rock. With all her tiny might, she hurled it directly into the side of Rubin's head.
He spun, his head snapping to look at the little vampire girl. She stood defiantly amidst the chaos, eyes wide with fear, but her small voice ringing out with surprising clarity. "Leave Miss Haven... alone!".
Rubin let out a heavy sigh, a sound of weary exasperation. "I hate that it has to come to this." His gaze drifted over to Haven, still sprawled amidst the debris. "I will be back to finish you off. Let me first quickly dispose of these little ticks. It's best to rip out the roots early before it grows into a tree."
"Leave them alone," Haven muttered softly, her voice barely a breath.
The two children bolted, tearing down the corridor with the mercenary hot on their heels. Adam, smaller and slower, couldn't keep pace with Carla; he tripped and tumbled to the ground with a cry. Rubin merely strode purposefully towards the terrified young vampire boy. "Carla, run!" Adam screamed, his voice laced with pure terror. Rubin extended his hand, reaching to grab the little boy, until a cold, clear voice cut through the air: "Leave the child, unless you want to lose your hand."
Rubin's head snapped up. There, standing tall at the end of the corridor, was the maid vampire, Elena. Her eyes glowed a furious, vibrant red, and the knuckles of her clenched fists were bone-white from squeezing too hard, as she visibly fought to control her exploding rage. "Where is Haven?" she demanded, her voice tight with suppressed fury. "What did you do to her?"
"Mr. Bad Guy punched Miss Haven through that wall, Miss Elena!" Carla cried, her small hand pointing accusingly at the gaping hole in the stone. She fought back the tears that welled, threatening to spill from her eye sockets.
Adam, seizing the moment of distraction, quickly scrambled away. "This bad human even chopped Miss Haven's arm off!" he added, his voice a sad, choked whimper. He sniffed back snot, but the tears poured from his eyes as he barely completed his sentence.
Rubin scoffed, a sneer twisting his lips. "So, what, vampire? What are you going to do about it? This is war, what did you expect?"
"Is she dead?" Elena's question cut through the air, her voice dangerously quiet, echoing through the damaged corridor.
"Not yet. I was about to finish her off, but this damned child pissed me off," he growled, jabbing a finger towards Carla. "Let us not waste each other's time. Come at me."
Elena bolted towards Rubin while unsheathing her sword. The effects of the warrior's rage potion were still active. Rubin's eyes widened. "She's fast," he thought, genuinely staggered by the female vampire's unexpected, almost unnatural speed. Elena appeared almost instantly at his side and tried to cleave his body in half. Mercifully for Rubin, his armor was incredibly sturdy. She didn't manage to split the man, but the force of her swing, like a baseball bat connecting, knocked him back, sending him flying as her sword slammed into his stomach.
Blood spewed from his mouth as he was flung through the air, landing on the ground with a sickening thud. It took him a few precious seconds, but he scrambled to his feet, breathing heavily, his hand instinctively clutching his stomach as he held out his sword. The lingering agony of the blow still vibrated through him.
Adam, wiping his tears with a snot-stained hand, couldn't help but feel a little surge of triumph as Elena gained the upper hand. For Carla, Elena was nothing short of a superhero, and she gazed at the vampire maid with wide-eyed admiration.
Elena advanced towards the mercenary, pure rage burning in her heart and raw strength coursing through her body. As she walked, her eyes fell upon Haven's sword on the ground, cut cleanly in half by Rubin's blade. Her gaze then snapped back to Rubin, and she broke into a run, charging towards the mercenary.
Rubin, sensing the renewed threat, activated his armor. The inscriptions flared to life, pulsing with a bright, internal glow. And just like Elena, he dashed towards her, meeting her charge head-on. Their swords met with a furious clash of steel, sparks of flame erupting with each continuous, brutal impact.
They both stepped back, a brief pause in the whirlwind of blows, before simultaneously jabbing their swords towards each other. The tips of their blades met, and Elena's ordinary sword began to crumble with each forward drive, unable to withstand the might of Rubin's enchanted weapon.
Seeing her sword fail, Elena made a swift decision to abandon it. With a burst of speed, she utilized her Blood Step ability, appearing instantly to grab the hand in which the mercenary held his sword. She swiftly lifted his arm high, exposing his ribs, and unleashed a powerful punch into his side, causing the mercenary to cry out and drop his sword. As the weapon clattered to the ground, she followed up with a quick right-footed kick, sending the sword skittering away, leaving both combatants disarmed.