On the outside perimeter of the castle, Reina and Helen were running at a frantic pace, urgency propelling them forward while Thomas and Carmilla struggled to keep up by their side. The air was thick with a suffocating tension, and the distant, metallic sounds of clashing swords and guttural shouts echoed ominously through the air. Every boom of a falling gate or magical explosion served as a grim reminder that their home was under a brutal siege.
"Listen to me, I want you to immediately go with the other children through the secret escape tunnel," Helen urged, her voice remaining remarkably steady despite the surrounding chaos. Even in the heat of battle, she maintained the poise of a leader, though her heart hammered against her ribs. "I will see to it that a few of our most trusted knights accompany all of you to ensure your safety."
"Mother, I can fight too!" Thomas exclaimed, his youthful determination shining through as he glanced at his mother. He was pleading for her acknowledgment, his hand gripping his weapon tightly as he looked for any sign that she might let him stay and defend the clan.
"No, Thomas," Helen replied firmly, her expression softening only slightly as she met his desperate gaze. "You are too young, and many of the invaders here are far too strong for you to face. Some of them are wearing quality armor that your current attacks will not be effective enough to penetrate, let alone cause any real damage or kill them. Beyond their equipment, they also possess far more battle experience in lethal combat."
Helen knew exactly how much her son wanted to prove himself to the clan. She could see the thousands of hours he had dedicated to training reflected in the fierce fire of his eyes, and it pained her deeply to stifle that growth. But this was a slaughter, not a sparring session, and it was no time for youthful bravado.
"You and the other children will be taken to a secret tunnel that leads directly into the heart of the mountain," Helen explained, her voice low and urgent. "You will move deep into the mountain's core and descend until you reach the exit at the base of the cliffs below. That exit leads straight into the Endless Forest that stretches out behind the mountain. Once you are under the cover of the Endless Forest, the vampire knights will lead you all to a secret bunker hidden deep within its reaches. If we win this battle, we will come for you as soon as the area is secured and it is safe to reach the forest."
Carmilla's voice trembled with a deep, underlying worry that she could no longer hide. "Aunt Reina, what about my mother?" Her eyes widened, becoming glassy and filled with an overwhelming fear for her parent's safety.
Reina looked at her with a heavy hint of sadness lingering in her eyes, though she forced a confident posture for the sake of the children. "I am so sorry, Carmilla, but your mother has to stay and fight to hold the line. But do not worry, we will send every single one of these bastards to hell and then we will come to get you all."
As they increased their speed, Carmilla glanced around and saw the vampires clashing violently with the mercenaries. The ground was already littered with fallen bodies, and while many of them belonged to the mercenaries, the fight was far from over. There were still a staggering number of the Storm Hornet's men alive and pushing forward, confirming that they had come well prepared for this bloody invasion.
Carmilla watched, horrified, as some of the mercenaries reached for the belts at their waists to pop the cork on small vials containing concentrated holy water, while others wielded glass containers filled with a specialized mixture of holy water and crushed garlic. When these volatile liquids splashed against the vampire knights, the fluid instantly seared through their skin like potent acid. The liquid sizzled as it burned their flesh, causing the proud warriors to howl in agonizing pain and involuntarily drop their guard. It was a gruesome sight, confirming that the mercenaries were using every available advantage and cruel tactical weakness they could find against the vampire clan.
From a distance, one of the Storm Hornets' mages spotted the fleeing group through the haze of battle. An evil smirk crept across his face, hidden somewhat by the swirling smoke and the chaos of the courtyard. "Bloodsuckers trying to escape with their bloodsucker kids. No one will escape today; the Crimsons must die," the mage muttered with cold conviction. He then lifted his ornate staff, channeling his mana to instantly manifest a massive, sharply pointed rock. With a jagged edge designed to pierce through armor, he hurled the projectile toward Reina's group with blinding, lethal speed.
While they were still running, Thomas felt a surge of intense anger and unhappiness that he could not help his family in this dire situation. Suddenly, he sensed a looming danger and turned his head to the right, his heart dropping into his stomach as he saw the jagged rock hurtling straight toward his face. Panic surged through his veins, and he tried desperately to move his legs to dive out of the way, but his limbs felt heavy and futile under the pressure of the moment. Am I going to die? he thought, a cold despair creeping into his mind as the stone grew larger in his vision.
Fortunately, Reina had already spotted the incoming threat with her sharpened vampire senses. Without a moment of hesitation, she dashed in front of Thomas, her determination unwavering as she shielded the boy. She instantly concentrated her Spirit Force into her right fist, armor-plating her hand with an invisible, indomitable power. There was no glowing light or visible aura; instead, the air around her knuckles seemed to subtly warp and harden, imbuing her strike with the density of iron.
As the rock neared her, Reina unleashed a powerful punch. The invisible force behind her fist collided with the massive projectile, shattering the magical stone into a thousand glittering fragments that rained harmlessly to the muddy ground. "You will die, human!" she swore, her voice laced with a lethal and ancient promise.
She looked over at Helen with a gaze that brooked no argument. "Helen, take the kids and escape! I will deal with that flea and come to you as soon as I send that man to the afterlife."
"Please be safe, sister," Helen urged, her voice tight with emotion. She knew the immense danger Reina was stepping into, but she accepted her sister's resolve, knowing that the survival of the children was their highest priority.
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When they finally arrived at the escape site, they found a weathered, unassuming shack standing somewhere along the perimeter. It was a simple, nondescript structure that looked like it had been forgotten by time, yet the door was already standing open. Standing guard outside were a vampire Knight named Paul and several other armored vampire warriors, their weapons drawn and their eyes scanning the surrounding haze for any encroaching mercenaries.
"Lady Helen, please!" Paul gestured for them to hurry inside the small building. His armor was already scuffed from early skirmishes, and he looked ready to plunge back into the thick of the fighting.
As they stepped into the cramped, dim interior of the shack, the true purpose of the structure was revealed. Beyond the simple walls sat a heavy, reinforced iron-bound door set deep into the back. This was the true gate, the entrance that led into the secret tunnel system bored through the heart of the mountain.
Inside, another knight stood by the inner door, his posture rigid and his hand resting on the hilt of a broadsword. Helen turned to this man, her gaze firm and unwavering. "I want you to take these two into your care immediately. Protect them with your life," she instructed. The knight gave a solemn, heavy nod, acknowledging the weight of his task.
"Knight Paul, how many of the children have managed to reach the tunnel?" Helen asked, turning back to the seasoned warrior who stood by the shack's entrance. Her heart was heavy with a mother's concern, not just for her own son, but for all the young lives of the clan.
"My lady, I sent out the other knights to gather the children. We managed to rescue many, but I fear there are still younger ones trapped deeper inside the castle as the mercenaries push further in. I've also dispatched ten of our men to keep watch over those who have already entered the inner door to guide them safely down," Paul reported, his tone grave. He shifted his stance, his eyes flickering toward the courtyard where the sound of clashing steel was intensifying.
"Good," Helen said, her resolve hardening. She knew Paul would be needed by her side in the carnage to come.
"Mom, please do not die," Thomas said to his mother. His voice was small and laden with a sad, worried tone that managed to break through the high tension of the moment. He looked up at her, his eyes searching hers for a promise he knew was incredibly difficult to keep.
Helen did not hesitate; she pulled Thomas into a tight and heartfelt hug, pressing his small frame firmly against her. She could feel the desperate strength in his tiny hands as he clung to her for dear life, and the agonizing thought that this might be the last time she would ever hold him in her arms pierced her soul like a silver blade.
"I love you, Thomas. Your mother will come back for you, do not worry. You go with Carmilla and be safe, okay?"
Thomas desperately wanted to stay, but the look in the eyes of his mother told him this was the only way he could truly help her. "Okay, Mom," he whispered, finally relenting as he turned toward the knight waiting by the dark tunnel entrance.
Helen then turned her attention to Carmilla. "Milla, you go with Thomas, okay? I am going to find your mother and help her immediately."
Carmilla felt a lump in her throat so thick she could barely breathe. "Please, Aunt Helen, bring my mom back to me," she pleaded.
"Of course, child," Helen replied softly. Her voice steadied as she looked at Knight Paul and nodded her head, signaling the transition from mother to commander.
The lead escort knight acknowledged her unspoken instructions. He stepped forward and placed his hands gently on the shoulder of Carmilla. "Come, Young Mistress Carmilla, let us hurry and get you both to safety," he urged, gently guiding her toward the entrance of the small hut. Tucked deep within the dim interior of the structure was the heavy metal door that served as the mouth of the underground escape tunnel.
Before Carmilla stepped inside, she turned her body slightly. "Aunt Helen, what about John?"
The heart of Helen sank. She had not spent much time with John, but he was still a part of the family. As a mother herself, she could not bear the thought of losing a child so young to the cruel mercies of the mercenaries. Helen hesitated, masking her fear with a mask of iron. "John is safe, Carmilla. You will see him soon. Now go."
The eyes of Carmilla were watery, but she steeled herself, nodding before finally stepping through the metal door.
Outside the hut, Helen quickly asked one of the perimeter guards to lend her a sword and a spare metal breastplate. As she was finally adjusting the leather straps and feeling the cold weight of the iron against her chest, she heard her son call to her one last time from the shadows.
"Mom!"
She turned her head to see Thomas standing by the hut's entrance. He was slowly raising his fist in a gesture of raw encouragement. "Give them hell."
Helen felt a powerful surge of determination wash over her, her expression turning stern while her heart brimmed with protective anger. Her light green eyes ignited with a terrifying intensity, the color swirling and transforming into a fierce, predatory crimson red. "You have my word, Thomas. I'll send them deep into the abyss."
With that, Thomas followed Carmilla through the inner door, disappearing into the escape tunnel flanked by two vigilant vampire knights. Helen turned immediately to the seasoned warrior at her side. "Paul, you come with me to help Reina. Double the men here to keep watch; no one must know this is an escape route."
"Yes, my lady," Paul replied immediately. He stepped away briefly to give his men final instructions on securing the perimeter while he was gone. Helen took that moment to finish donning the steel breastplate, the metal feeling cold and heavy against her chest.
Once Paul returned, he was a figure of absolute defense. Fully armored in gleaming light steel, with a sword and a shield gripped firmly in his hands, he stood ready. "I am prepared, my lady. Please lead the way," he said, the resolve in his voice echoing through the chaos. The vampire knight was poised and ready to face the storm for the sake of his clan.
====
In the upper section of the castle, Markus was locked in a gruelling and frustrating battle against the Shadow Clone. He unleashed a flurry of powerful punches and his fists whistled through the air with enough force to shatter stone. However, the shadow moved with a fluid speed that seemed to ignore the laws of the world. It did not just dodge; it flowed around his strikes like ink in water and evaded every blow with a silent and eerie grace.
"What the hell is this creature?" Markus muttered. His brow was furrowed in deep concentration as he tried to predict the movements of the featureless and pitch-black void.
Observing the chaos from a distance, two mercenaries watched with a mix of curiosity and growing impatience. Both men wore green armor that marked them as elites. One man was a titan, standing nearly seven feet tall, while his companion was shorter and thin. They stood idly for now and chose not to join the fight. They were predators waiting for the perfect opening to strike and claim a prize.
The tall man reached his right arm over his shoulder. His fingers wrapped around the hilt of the colossal great sword on his back. He drew the weapon with a slow and metallic rasp. "I cannot stand by any longer. I am going for the big guy," he declared. His voice was a low growl of ambition.
"I agree," replied the shorter man. His eyes narrowed as he looked over the battlefield like a scavenger searching for a prize.
"I will handle the son of the Crimson Demon while the boss deals with that woman," the tall man added. His voice was full of arrogance and contempt for the vampire bloodline.
Their impatience had reached its limit. Watching the shadow clones of Decker do the heavy work was hurting their pride. They were eager to claim the glory of killing members of the famous Crimson clan for themselves. Kilo had promised them a large bonus for the heads of the children of Leonidas Crimson and the thought of that wealth made them bloodthirsty.
The tall mercenary adjusted his grip on the great sword. "After today, my name will reach the heavens," he said with a look of pure delusion.
Suddenly, the carvings on the armor of his legs began to glow with a sickly light. He could feel his muscles overflow with an artificial power as the magic took hold. With an explosion of speed, he dashed toward Markus. His heavy boots cracked the stone floor with every stride. He leapt into the air and swung his colossal sword in a massive and bone crushing downward slash.
Markus pivoted his heavy frame with surprising grace and braced his muscles for the impact. He met the descending blade with a swift and powerful parry. The collision of steel rang out like a thunderclap through the upper section of the castle. Instead of buckling under the massive weight of the strike, a wide grin spread across the face of Markus.
"I was waiting for one of you to finally make a move," he said. His voice remained steady and low despite the pressure of the blade against his own.
While they were locked in this struggle of raw strength, the featureless Shadow Clone surged forward from the darkness. It moved with silent and eerie grace and aimed to strike at the exposed back of Markus.
Before the dark entity could reach him, a flash of red light cut through the air. Caden appeared from the front in a blur using his blood step technique. He delivered a powerful kick square to the face of the shadow and the force of the impact sent the dark creature flying through the wall and into the next room.
Markus did not break his lock with the mercenary as he spoke. "Thank you for the assistance, Caden."
"Do not worry about it, uncle," Caden replied with a grin.
He did not wait for a reply and rushed into the next room where the Shadow Clone had fallen to continue their battle.
The tall man leaned into his blade and the glowing carvings on his armor pulsed as he tried to crush Markus. "Apologies for keeping you waiting, but your death has officially arrived," the mercenary said. He mirrored the grin of Markus with a cruel twist of his lips and his eyes gleamed with a deadly anticipation.