The rains descended in sheets upon the mountain as the giant dark figure stomped his colossal feet on the ground. He was attempting to crush the vampires beneath him, but the vampires were too swift and too agile. Each time the giant focused his immense bulk on a single opponent, that vampire would quickly evade. Meanwhile, the others simultaneously attacked him from a different angle in a relentless and fluid dance of evasion and assault.
Reina ran directly behind the giant with her sword gripped tightly in her right hand. She leaped into the air with a powerful spring and struck the monstrous figure from behind. Her blade, however, only made small, superficial dents in the giant's tough, dark skin. A grim realization settled upon her that if she swung any harder at such an opponent, her sword would surely shatter.
"Shit, my sword is going to break the longer this battle goes," Reina thought. She glanced down at her blade while a flicker of concern crossed her face.
"My turn, sister!" Helen yelled. There was a flash of determination in her eyes as she surged past Reina.
The vampire knight, Paul, moved with disciplined speed while 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 was calm and his expression was one of intense focus.
"Then I will take the left foot and you the right one, okay?" Helen said. Her gaze was already fixed on her assigned target as she formulated her approach.
"Yes, Madam!" Paul affirmed while gripping tightly onto his sword until his knuckles were white.
"Then let us go!" Helen commanded.
They both moved with synchronized speed, running across the rain slicked ground directly toward their target. Helen gripped her sword and focused her spirit force into the blade, causing it to hum faintly. Paul mirrored her action while carefully pouring just a measured amount of spirit force into his own sword. He had to be precise because 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 heels of the giant. As before, their attacks did not deal significant damage to the massive being, but it was enough to finally seize the attention of the giant.
"Run!" Reina yelled. Her voice was urgent as she tried to warn Helen and Paul to quickly escape the wrath of the giant.
Paul managed to get away, but he was not the one the giant dark figure targeted. The full and terrible focus of the monster shifted to Helen. The giant lifted his left foot and, with incredible force and speed, kicked Helen. The blow sent her tumbling and bouncing violently across the ground.
Blood gushed from the mouth of Helen as she scrambled to her feet. Her face, her back, and parts of her arms and legs had received severe and bleeding abrasions from the impact. She glared at the giant dark figure with raw fury while letting out a low growl. Just then, a vampire knight ran toward the giant dark figure with 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 are going to give me a boost so that I can get closer to its face," Reina said. Her expression was serious and her gaze was already calculating the attack.
The vampire knight looked at Reina for a few seconds with a steady expression before nodding his head. "I am ready when my Lady is."
"I am ready," Reina confirmed, her voice firm and resolute.
As the vampire knight and Reina ran toward the giant dark figure, the vampire knight leaped high into the air. Reina followed suit by jumping just a little higher while a silent understanding passed 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 joined hands of the vampire knight.
"Haaaaa!" the vampire knight screamed. He grunted with effort as he used all his might to launch Reina straight toward the face of the giant dark figure.
"Let us hope this works," Reina thought. It was 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 exploded into a silent symphony of shattered water around her. She stabbed her sword deep into the right eye of the giant, causing the towering 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 leg of the giant, but, like the others, his blows did little damage. The giant dark figure then lifted his foot and stomped, crushing the vampire beneath his massive weight. The knight was reduced to paste. It was a gruesome end that sent a surge of white-hot anger through Caden.
"No!" he roared in a raw cry of anguish.
He immediately leaped into the air to deliver a punch from behind, but the giant turned with terrifying speed. His massive hand caught the young vampire mid-air with a deafening crack, the impact sounding like a thunderclap as it sent Caden hurtling through the rain like a ragdoll.
The giant wanted to pursue Caden, but Paul suddenly stabbed his sword into the right foot of the giant and twisted it violently. This immediately caught the attention of the giant dark figure and drew its furious gaze. Paul then swiftly used his Blood Step ability to retreat, vanishing from the immediate reach of the monster. Helen, who had already recovered thanks to her rapid regenerative ability, instantly sprang back into action and hastened toward the giant at full speed.
The giant then lifted both of his massive arms and brought them down to the ground with devastating force. A massive tremor shook the entire mountain. The ground erupted like a volcano, spewing dirt, shattered rock, and debris violently into the air.
Helen, who had been rushing toward the giant, unfortunately lost her footing. She sank into the churning earth because of the attack, trapped by the shifting ground. As she fell into the fractured earth, one of the large rocks that had shot into 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. 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 that shattered the large stone 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, a towering shadow blocking out the sky as he plummeted straight down onto her like a meteor.
Suddenly, she felt someone grab her with incredible force as Paul executed his Blood Step technique. Arriving in the nick of time, he came in clutch to save her from meeting the same gruesome fate as the knight from earlier. They both tumbled and rolled on the ground through the mud and debris, but they quickly regained their footing.
Helen swiftly shifted her gaze to Paul for only a moment before turning back to the giant dark figure.
"Thank you, Knight Paul," she said, her voice genuine.
"Please, my Lady, there is 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, the young vampire struggled desperately to halt his uncontrolled trajectory. Looking up with eyes widening in alarm, he saw that he would collide with the stone walls near the huge estate gate in a matter of seconds. "Shit, this is going to hurt like hell," he muttered through gritted teeth while bracing for the inevitable impact.
As he flew by the massive entrance in that split second, his eyes registered two figures running up the steep mountain path toward the gate. 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 distinctive crimson red hair of the man stood out like a sore thumb against the gloomy sky. In that same split second, the man too noticed Caden hurtling through the air, and a faint and light smile unexpectedly appeared on his face.
The eyes of Caden stretched wide in disbelief. His mind became foggy as he thought he was seeing a ghost. "No, this cannot be. He is alive?"
The vampire then flew straight into the wall just a little further up from the huge gate. A loud boom echoed through the mountain air as a result of the impact. Bricks from the structure exploded outward while flying everywhere, and a dense cloud of debris momentarily billowed out from the rupture.
John did not see Caden hurtling through the air as quickly as his grandfather did. From his perspective, they were simply racing up the incline when a large and dark bullet streaked across the sky and crashed directly into the wall near the entrance.
"What the hell?!" John exclaimed in shock. They had barely reached the gate of the estate and they were already under attack, he thought, as he continued to carry his grandfather on his back.
"Boy, go over there," Leonidas instructed. He pointed toward the section of the wall where Caden had crashed.
"Where?" John asked his grandfather. He was genuinely confused and did not realize Leonidas meant for him to go to Caden.
"To where I am pointing, you idiot!" Leonidas snapped. His voice was sharp with impatience.
"Who are you calling an idiot. I will throw you of this mountain if you keep talking crazy to me, you old turd?!" John shot back as his own frustration flared. "You want me to go to a stupid boulder? Are we not going up to the castle?"
"Just do as I say," Leonidas commanded. His tone left no room for argument.
John grumbled but complied, heading toward where the thick cloud of debris still partially obscured the air. He had not 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 with a glint in his eye. "How long are you going to play dead, Caden?" he called out. His voice carried 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 with a hint of annoyance in his voice.
"Call me stupid again and see what happens," John warned, his jaw tightening.
"I cannot with you. Caden! Stand up!" Leonidas grumbled, his voice sharp with that same mix of frustration and relief.
The hand beneath the rubble twitched and 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 back of the boy. 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 as a genuine laugh escaped him.
"I am so glad you two are alive!" Caden exclaimed. He pulled them both into a warm and heartfelt hug despite their awkward position.
"We managed to escape," Leonidas stated, his voice low. "We wanted to arrive early to warn everyone about the betrayal of Decker and his plans to attack the family, but we are clearly too late."
Caden released them from the embrace and looked toward the ongoing battle. "Correct. Decker is truly powerful. Even with the combined powers of Mother, Helen, and the others, we cannot seem to defeat that creature." He pointed toward the towering dark figure still locked in combat with Reina and the other vampires.
John turned and his gaze fell upon the gargantuan monster. Fear immediately began to creep inside him like 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 was tight.
"Last time I sensed him, he was engaged with Grandmother," Caden replied as a flicker of worry crossed his eyes. "But her energy disappeared. I am 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 the schemes of Decker and the help of a demon, anything is possible."
"No, they are still in the castle. Cannot you sense them, old man?" Caden asked while genuinely puzzled. "And why is John carrying you on his back?"
"It is a long story, but I cannot use my abilities fully," Leonidas explained in a low voice. "Nevertheless, I have thought about how we are going to deal with this threat, and I have come to the conclusion that I have to swallow my pride and ask for help."
Caden was utterly flabbergasted. He knew the personality of his grandfather better than anyone. Leonidas was a man brimming with pride who absolutely detested asking others for assistance. Most of all, he hated being in the debt of someone else. Yet, Caden also understood that now was not the time for such pride.
The rain fell continuously from the sky and drummed 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 do not 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 do not have a portal, then my only choice is to seek help from the Vampire King or big clan 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 and 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 do not 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. He shook 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, the men of Decker were losing against us, so that madman unleashed those creatures to give his allies more power," Caden explained. His gaze was fixed on the aerial threat.
"Old man," John interjected with a nervous edge to his voice. "I do not want to squabble with those creatures. What if they bite me? I do not want to get bitten."
"You fought a troll, why are you scared of a few small and turd-like creatures?" Leonidas asked calmly. There was 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 as a huge grin spread 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 while rubbing his head.
"Stop talking shit," Leonidas stated. His gaze was firm. "We have to get to my office and retrieve my magic communication mirror."
"I will accompany you, Grandfather," Caden offered while 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 with a flicker of concern in his eyes.
"Yes. This child is not completely useless," Leonidas responded. He gestured dismissively at John.
"Stop insulting me, you old coot!" John exclaimed. He was genuinely annoyed.
Caden looked at John while utterly shocked. No one had ever spoken to Leonidas like that, yet Caden noticed that Leonidas was not making a big deal out of it. He shrugged his shoulders with 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. It was now broken and riddled with holes, with fire and smoke billowing from various locations. John hit his fist against his palm with a determined glint in his eye. "The heroes have arrived. Let us save the clan!"