The rains descended in sheets upon the mountain as the giant, dark figure stomped his colossal feet on the ground, attempting to crush the vampires beneath him. But the vampires were too swift, too agile. Each time the giant focused his immense bulk on a single opponent, that vampire would quickly evade, while the others simultaneously attacked him from a different angle, a relentless, fluid dance of evasion and assault.
Reina ran directly behind the giant, her sword gripped tightly in her right hand. She leaped into the sky with a powerful spring, striking the monstrous figure from behind. Her blade, however, seemed only to make small, superficial dents in the giant's tough, dark skin. A grim realization settled upon her: her sword would surely shatter if she swung it too hard against such an opponent.
"Shit, my sword is going to break the longer this battle goes," Reina thought, glancing down at her blade, a flicker of concern crossing her face.
"My turn, sister!" Helen yelled, a flash of determination in her eyes as she surged past Reina.
The vampire knight, Paul, moved with disciplined speed, following close behind her. Helen noticed Knight Paul just a few steps back. "Where are you planning to attack this monster, Knight Paul?" she called out, already assessing their target.
"I was thinking of attacking its heel, Madam," Knight Paul replied, his voice calm, his expression one of intense focus.
"Then I will take the left foot, and you the right one, okay?" Helen said, her gaze already fixed on her assigned target, formulating her approach.
"Yes, Madam!" Paul affirmed, gripping tightly onto his sword, his knuckles white
"Then let's go!" Helen commanded. They both moved with synchronized speed, running across the rain-slicked ground directly towards their target. Helen gripped her sword, focusing her spirit force into the blade, causing it to hum faintly. Paul mirrored her action, carefully pouring just a measured amount of spirit force into his own sword. He had to be precise, as he knew the blade would shatter if he imbued it with too much power.
Paul and Helen reached the feet of the giant dark figure while it was still preoccupied with Caden. Both vampires simultaneously struck the giant's heels. As before, their attacks did not deal significant damage to the colossal being, but it was enough to finally seize the giant's attention.
"Run!" Reina yelled, her voice urgent, trying to warn Helen and Paul to quickly escape the giant's wrath.
Paul managed to get away, but he was not the one the giant dark figure targeted. The monster's full, terrible focus shifted to Helen. The giant lifted his left foot and, with incredible force and speed, kicked Helen, sending her tumbling and bouncing violently across the ground.
Blood gushed from Helen's mouth as she scrambled to her feet, but her face, her back, and parts of her arms and legs had received severe, bleeding abrasions from the impact. She glared at the giant dark figure with raw fury, letting out a low growl. Just then, a vampire knight ran towards the giant dark figure, sword in hand, ready to engage. Only a few seconds later, he noticed Reina running swiftly beside him. "Knight, put away your sword! I have a plan!" she commanded.
The Knight, without hesitation, did as he was ordered. "What is the plan, my Lady?" he inquired respectfully.
"You're going to give me a boost so that I can get closer to its face," Reina said, her expression serious, her gaze already calculating the attack.
The vampire knight looked at Reina for a few seconds, his expression steady, before nodding his head. "I am ready when my Lady is."
"I'm ready," Reina confirmed, her voice firm and resolute."
As the vampire knight and Reina ran towards the giant, dark figure, the vampire knight leaped high into the air. Reina followed suit, jumping just a little higher, a silent understanding passing between them. The vampire knight then clenched both of his hands into fists, pressing his wrists together to form a sturdy platform. Reina placed her feet precisely on the vampire knight's joined hands.
"Haaaaa!" the vampire knight screamed, grunting with effort as he used all his might to launch Reina straight towards the giant dark figure's face.
"Let's hope this works," Reina thought, a fleeting prayer as she flew through the air at full speed. The giant dark figure instinctively tried to grab her mid-flight, but she was simply too fast. "Aaaaaah!" she screamed, her own battle cry echoing. Her sword, like a silver serpent in the downpour, glided through the rain, each drop exploding into a silent symphony of shattered water around her. She stabbed her sword deep into the giant's right eye, causing the colossal creature to flail wildly in pain. It shrieked in agony as Reina pushed the sword even deeper. It tried to swat at her, but she had already retreated.
The vampire knight who had launched Reina into the air continued his attack on the giant's leg, but, like the others, his blows did little damage. The giants dark figure then lifted his foot and stomped the vampire, crushing the vampire beneath his feet. The vampire was crushed into paste, a gruesome end that sent a surge of white-hot anger through Caden. "No!" he roared, a raw cry of anguish.
He immediately leaped into the air to deliver a punch from behind, but the giant quickly turned and slapped the young vampire through the air like a fly swatter.
The giant wanted to pursue Caden, but Paul suddenly stabbed his sword into the giant's right foot and twisted it violently. This immediately caught the giant dark figure's attention, drawing its furious gaze. Paul then swiftly used his Blood Step ability to retreat, vanishing from the giant's immediate reach. Helen, who had already recovered thanks to her rapid regenerative ability, instantly sprang back into action, hastening towards the giant at full speed.
The giant then lifted both of its massive arms and brought them down to the ground with devastating force. A massive tremor shook the entire mountain, and the ground erupted like a volcano, spewing dirt, shattered rock, and debris violently into the air.
Helen, who had been rushing towards the giant, unfortunately lost her footing. She sank into the churning earth because of the giant's attack, trapped by the shifting ground. As she fell into the fractured earth, one of the large rocks that shot up in the air descended directly upon her. She desperately wanted to dodge the falling rock, but her left foot was firmly stuck in a deep crack in the ground. Gritting her teeth, she cocked her arm back and focused a tremendous amount of spirit force into her right arm. As the rock hurtled down, she unleashed a powerful punch, shattering the large rock into multiple pieces with a resounding crack.
After a few tense seconds, Helen managed to wrench her left foot free from the tenacious crack. Her hair clung to her face, drenched from the downpour, but something struck her as odd: she felt no rain falling on her skin. She instinctively looked up and saw the giant, towering high in the air, plummeting straight down onto her like a meteor.
"Blood Step!" she heard and then felt someone grab her. It was the vampire knight Paul, arriving in the nick of time, coming in clutch to save her from meeting the same gruesome fate as the vampire knight from earlier. They both tumbled and rolled on the ground but quickly regained their footing.
Helen swiftly shifted her gaze to the vampire knight Paul for only a moment before turning back to the colossal dark figure. "Thank you, Knight Paul," she said, her voice genuine.
"Please, my Lady, there's no need for gratitude," Paul replied, his focus unwavering. "Let us concentrate on the enemy before us."
Meanwhile, as Caden was hurled through the air, he struggled desperately to halt his uncontrolled trajectory. He looked up, his eyes widening in alarm, and saw that he would collide with the castle walls in a matter of seconds. He braced himself for the inevitable impact. "Shit, this is going to hurt like hell," he muttered through gritted teeth.
As he flew by the castle gate, in that split second, his eyes registered two figures ascending the hill towards the castle's massive entrance. First, he noticed a boy who looked strikingly familiar, carrying a man on his back. The man on his back also seemed incredibly familiar.
The man's distinctive crimson red hair stood out like a sore thumb against the gloomy sky. And in that same split second, the man too noticed Caden hurtling through the air, and a faint, light smile unexpectedly appeared on his face.
Caden's eyes stretched wide in disbelief, his mind becoming foggy as he thought he was seeing a ghost. "No, this can't be... he's alive?"
The vampire then flew straight into the castle walls. A loud boom echoed through the mountain air as a result of the impact. Bricks from the wall exploded outwards, flying everywhere, and a dense cloud of debris momentarily billowed outwards from the rupture.
John didn't see Caden hurtling through the air as quickly as his grandfather did. From his perspective, it was like a large, dark bullet had streaked across the sky and crashed directly into the wall. "What the hell?!" John exclaimed, shocked. They had barely entered the castle premises, and they were already under attack, he thought, as he continued to carry his grandfather on his back.
"Boy, go over there," Leonidas instructed, pointing towards the section of the wall where Caden had crashed.
"Where?" John asked his grandfather, genuinely confused and not realizing Leonidas meant for him to go to Caden
"To where I'm pointing, you idiot!" Leonidas snapped, his voice sharp with impatience.
"Who are you calling an idiot, you old turd?!" John shot back, his own frustration flaring. "You want me to go to a stupid boulder? Aren't we going to the castle?"
"Just do as I say," Leonidas commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
John grumbled but complied, heading towards where the thick cloud of debris still partially obscured the air. He hadn't noticed Caden yet. As they drew closer to the crash site, the cloud rapidly began to thin and settle in the heavy rain. John coughed as they approached, and then his eyes landed on it: a hand sticking out from underneath some of the rubble and bricks. "Yo, old man, I see someone!" he called out.
Leonidas looked at the hand for a moment, a glint in his eye. "How long are you going to play dead, Caden?" he called out, his voice carrying a mix of exasperation and relief.
John was dumbfounded. "Caden?! What is he doing there?"
"He was clearly thrown there. Are you stupid?" Leonidas retorted, a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"Call me stupid again and see what happens," John warned, his jaw tightening.
"I can't with you, Caden! Stand up!" Leonidas grumbled, his voice sharp with a mix of exasperation and relief.
The hand beneath the rubble twitched, then moved. Caden slowly climbed out of the heap of bricks and shattered stone. He looked up, his eyes widening as he saw John, with his grandfather clinging to the boy's back. He rubbed his eyes as if clearing a fog. "Grandfather, John... they said you died." He then felt himself, patting his body, before looking back at them. "Am I dead?"
"No," John chuckled, a genuine laugh escaping him.
"I'm so glad you two are alive!" Caden exclaimed, pulling them both into a warm, heartfelt hug despite their awkward position.
"We managed to escape," Leonidas stated, his voice low. "We wanted to arrive early to warn everyone about Decker's betrayal and his plans to attack the family, but we're clearly too late."
Caden released them from the embrace and looked towards the ongoing battle. "Correct. Decker is truly powerful. Even with the combined powers of Mother, Helen, and the others, we can't seem to defeat that creature." He pointed towards the towering; dark figure still locked in combat with Reina and the other vampires
John turned, his gaze falling upon the colossal monster. Fear immediately began to creep inside him, a cold dread. Leonidas, too, could sense that the creature was not from this world; it felt distinctly demonic. "Where is Decker now?" he demanded, his voice tight.
"Last time I sensed him, he was engaged with Grandmother," Caden replied, a flicker of worry in his eyes. "But her energy disappeared. I'm not sure if Decker killed her."
"Impossible. That woman is a tough nut to crack," Leonidas scoffed, though a shadow of concern crossed his face. "Nevertheless, where are Zeno or Markus? Are they dead? I doubt so, but with Decker's schemes and the help of a demon, anything is possible."
"No, they're still in the castle. Can't you sense them, old man?" Caden asked, genuinely puzzled. "And why is John carrying you on his back?"
"It's a long story, but I can't use my abilities fully," Leonidas explained, his voice low. "Nevertheless, I've thought about how we're going to deal with this threat, and I've come to the conclusion that I have to swallow my pride and ask for help."
Caden was utterly flabbergasted. He knew his grandfather's personality better than anyone. Leonidas was a man brimming with pride, who absolutely detested asking others for assistance. Most of all, he hated being in someone's debt. Yet, Caden also understood that now was not the time for such pride.
The rain fell continuously from the sky, drumming against the ground. Caden looked intently at his grandfather. "Who are you going to ask for help?"
Leonidas looked up as a low rumble of thunder echoed through the sky. "I was thinking of getting assistance from our vassal clans, but it would take too long for them to get here as they don't have any teleportation portals at the moment. I think I heard sometime that Emberfall, one of our vassal clans, has recently built a teleportation portal. The plan is to call them first. If they don't have a portal, then my only choice is to seek help from the Vampire King or big clans like the Fulger."
Caden touched his chin thoughtfully. "We most certainly need the vassal clans to get teleportation portals in case this type of situation occurs again. And on the subject of the Vampire King and the Fulger, I would have never expected you, old man, to ask them for help. Nevertheless, their involvement will definitely tip this war in our favor."
John, still burdened with Leonidas on his back, looked confused. He had never heard of this family. "Who is the Fulger family? Are they strong?"
"Well, John, today will probably be your lucky day. They are a very powerful family," Leonidas explained. "If we manage to get their help, then we will win this war, unless Decker has summoned an army of demons."
Leonidas glanced at the blood flowing down the ground, mixing with the rainwater. "Well, the Fulger family is actually my third choice. I was first thinking of getting one of our vassal clans for help. Otherwise, we have to call the King. I hate to say this, but my back is against the wall, and I don't have my full power. Otherwise, I would have ended this war by myself."
"The way I see it, besides our vassal clan, between the two—be it the Vampire King or the Fulger clan—you are going to owe them big time," Caden said, shaking his head with a wry smile.
Leonidas looked up to the far distance and noticed a multitude of dark creatures swarming in the sky. "What the hell is going on with those disgusting monsters in the sky?" he muttered.
"Well, Decker's men were losing against us, so that madman unleashed those creatures to give his allies more power." Caden explained, his gaze fixed on the aerial threat.
"Old man," John interjected, a nervous edge to his voice, "I don't want to squabble with those creatures. What if they bite me? I don't want to get bitten."
"You fought a troll, why are you scared of a few small, turd-like creatures?" Leonidas asked calmly, a hint of amusement in his tone.
Caden was taken aback. "What? John fought against a troll? How did he survive?"
John turned to Caden, a huge grin spreading across his face. "You know, Caden, I am somewhat of a dark lord with powers beyond your comprehension..."
Leonidas promptly smacked John on the head. "Ouch! What did you do that for?" John whined, rubbing his head.
"Stop talking shit" Leonidas stated, his gaze firm. "We have to get to my office and retrieve my magic communication mirror."
"I will accompany you, grandfather," Caden offered, stepping forward.
"No, the others seem to struggle against that giant creature. You go and help them," Leonidas urged Caden, his voice brooking no argument
"Are you sure?" Caden asked, a flicker of concern in his eyes.
"Yes. This child is not completely useless." Leonidas responded, gesturing dismissively at John.
"Stop insulting me, you old coot!" John exclaimed, genuinely annoyed.
Caden looked at John, utterly shocked. No one had ever spoken to Leonidas like that, yet Caden noticed that Leonidas wasn't making a big deal out of it. He shrugged his shoulders, a light smile playing on his face, before turning around and running in the direction of the giant dark creature. "Then do your best!" Caden called back.
John and Leonidas both looked at the once-beautiful castle, now broken, riddled with holes, with fire and smoke billowing from various locations. John hit his fist against his palm, a determined glint in his eye. "The heroes have arrived. Let us save the clan!"