"Wake up, you bastard."
Russel felt the wet, heavy rain against his face, his clothes sticking to his skin like glue. He opened his eyes and slowly turned his head while his mind was still foggy. Lava picked the man up with urgency. "Prisoner, I want you to go there." The vampire pointed in the direction where Reina was lying in a crater.
Russel was still dazed and did not hear what the vampire said. Seeing that the man was not responsive, Lava smacked the prisoner on the side of his head.
The human felt a sharp pain, immediately bringing him back to reality. He turned his head, his heart almost jumping out of his chest as he looked at a vampire knight. Lava Crimson had shoulder length dark red hair and a sharp, battle-hardened face. His pale skin contrasted with his black eyes, which were cold, steady, and impossible to read.
His body was protected by dark steel armor polished to a near black shine. Thin crimson lines ran across the plates, giving the impression of fire flowing beneath the metal. At the center of his breastplate rested the crest of House Crimson, a grand and intricate crimson "C" forged from elegant curves and flowing patterns. Within the heart of the symbol burned a flame emblem, representing the Hellflame bloodline of the Crimson family.
A deep crimson cloak hung from his shoulders, and the scratches covering his armor spoke of countless battles fought in the name of Lord Leonidas Crimson.
"Please spare my life, mast…"
"Do not fret, slave. We need your help," he said as he placed his right hand on Russel's shoulder.
Russel had a wry smile on his face. "Uh, then how can this lowly one be of service, Master?"
Lava then pointed towards the battlefield with his index finger. Through the heavy rain, the battlefield was difficult to make out clearly. The sky above the mountain was dark and covered in thick clouds, but it was not completely dark. Fires burned here and there across the castle, while explosions erupted in the distance. Mages continued to unleash fire spells across the battlefield, their flames briefly illuminating the darkness and revealing the chaos of the war.
Lava pointed towards a distant crater. Russel narrowed his eyes, struggling to see through the heavy rain. The crater was far away, and between the darkness, the rain and the smoke drifting across the battlefield, it was difficult to make out clearly. Another explosion suddenly lit up the area, allowing Russel to see the crater for a brief moment.
"You see that crater right there?"
The mad prisoner stared towards where the vampire knight was pointing. He squinted through the rain, trying to make out the crater in the distance.
"Lady Reina is trapped in that one and Lady Helen in the other one over there. I want you to go to the crater where Lady Reina is. I will go to the one where Lady Helen is. If you manage to save Lady Reina, then your deed will not go unnoticed. Do you understand?"
Russel was shaking, fear creeping throughout his soul as he looked at the giant creature delivering earth shattering attacks towards Caden and his group. The battlefield was filled with chaos as soldiers and mercenaries fought in every direction, while the flashes of fire and explosions constantly illuminated the mountain. Even with all the fire burning around them, the heavy rain and darkness made the distant battlefield difficult to see clearly.
He thought quickly.
"Russel, this is a great opportunity to get out of being a slave, but what if that monster crushes me? At best, even though I am stronger than the average human, this shit is far above my level. I might as well jump into a pit of fire."
He then turned his head to the vampire, rubbed his hands together, and with an awkward smile he said, "Master... I would love to rescue my lady, but I don't think I can do this. I'm sorry."
"Tch." Sergeant Lava's fingers immediately tightened as he squeezed Russel's left shoulder.
"Ow, ow, it hurts, Master."
"Oh my, you seem to be a little confused, slave. The thing is..." Lava came closer to the prisoner's ear. "What I said wasn't a request. It was an order. If I said you must jump off this mountain, then I expect you to say, 'Yes, Sergeant. Right away, Sergeant.' Am I making myself clear, slave?"
"Crystal clear, Sergeant."
"What is your name, slave?"
"Russel... my name is Russel, Sergeant."
"Russel, like I said, you have a chance to alter your destiny. Grab it with both hands. And even if you die, you die in the service of the Crimsons. There is no greater honour. You now have a choice, Russel. You go and save Lady Reina and die trying, or I can rip your spine out right now because the Crimsons have no need for cowards."
The prisoner was terrified as he looked down at his feet. His legs were shaking uncontrollably. "What is your choice, Russel?"
"I will do it, Sergeant."
Then suddenly, he felt his body regaining some of its energy. Lifting his head, he looked at the vampire knight.
"I am giving you some of my spirit force."
"Thank you, Sergeant."
The mad prisoner's muscles were twitching as his meridians began to open up. The locked-up prisoners did not get a lot of food, so their bodies were lacking nutrition. The man knew that this was a do-or-die situation, but what could he do other than comply? He had to try his best, even though he wanted to shit his pants.
The man started lightly jumping up and down where he was standing, then stretched his arms and legs afterwards, trying to warm up his muscles a little. Meanwhile, Lava was still standing in the heavy rain. Hearing the battle cries of his allies made him impatient. The vampire stood with his arms folded.
"What are you waiting for, slave? Get going."
Russel stopped stretching and, with a stern expression on his face, looked towards the battlefield. Lava sensed the change in the man and unfolded his arms. He was ready for action. His blood was boiling, and he felt eager to go and help his people.
Just as the prisoner was about to start running, he quickly stopped. "Master, I need to pee real quick," he said while twisting his face and cupping his hands together.
Large veins almost seemed ready to burst from Lava's forehead. "Please make haste."
"Will do. Thank you, Master." He looked around and wanted to move forward while searching for a good spot to relieve himself, but then he heard the vampire's voice.
"Where are you going, slave?"
"I'm looking for a spot to take a piss, Master."
"Don't waste time. Pull your pants down and do it right now."
Russel was startled. "Don't worry, you will come to no harm while I'm standing here. Finish your business."
"As you command, Master." The prisoner pulled down his pants and took out his woodpecker. Lava took a quick glance, and his eyes widened. "This piece of shit is blessed by the gods."
The human peed on the ground. He could feel the mud and stones pressing against the soles of his feet as warm steam rose from the man's urine. "Aaah." Russel squeezed out the last drop as he felt a pleasant tingle spread throughout his shaking body.
"Are you done?"
Russel pulled up his pants and turned around. "Yes, Master. I'm ready." He placed his right foot forward while his left foot remained further behind, balanced on the ball of his foot. His arms hung loosely at his sides, while his back leg formed roughly a forty-five-degree angle. His front leg remained straight but slightly bent at the knee. In an instant, the man pushed off with both legs and began sprinting at full speed.
Lava, who had yet to move, noticed that the man's speed was far above average, which pleased the vampire. "Let us hope your speed is enough, human. Try not to get crushed."
Darting towards the giant, the man's heart was beating loudly within his chest. "Shit, shit, shit. I'm really going to die." His feet hurt whenever he accidentally stepped on sharp rocks. "How does that bastard expect me to run and save that woman with this uneven ground and a fucking giant going on a rampage?" As he ran closer, the danger grew larger.
Two large tentacles morphed from the giant's dark back before it slammed both of them towards Caden and one of the vampire knights who was busy trying to get its attention. The mountain shook from the impact, but this did not stop the human from moving forward. Lava quickly ran next to Emma as she moved around the battlefield. Her attention was fully focused on the giant, but she had also come close to the crater where Helen was lying unconscious several times. Each time, however, the giant sensed her presence and forced her to retreat.
"Lady Emma, we have to hit the giant harder if we want to save both Lady Reina and Lady Helen. I can also sense that the giant is getting stronger. We cannot drag this battle on any longer."
"So what do you suggest, Sergeant?"
"My lady, we have to raise our spirit force."
"Heh."
Cassandra, who was running on the other side, was infusing spirit force into her right fist, planning and waiting to unleash a blood punch on the giant. The magical rope she had was already placed around her shoulder. She did not need it at the moment, as it would only cause problems if it was not used at the right time. She scanned the battlefield and saw a human running towards the giant. She was a little startled when she recognised his attire. He was clearly a prisoner of the Crimsons. She tilted her head, clearly confused. "What is the human doing? Does he have a death wish?"
Her eyes turned red and her pupils narrowed as she tried to figure out who the prisoner was. The man's face was clearly visible even with the heavy rain disrupting her vision. She somewhat recognised him. "Is that not the one they call the mad prisoner? Uhm, he is clearly living up to his name."
After a few seconds, Emma hurriedly came next to her while checking whether the giant was targeting them. "Sister, we need to get the giant's attention again."
"What do you mean, sister? Caden and the other two knights are already keeping it busy."
"Sergeant Lava suggested that we raise our spirit force."
Cassandra stood still for a few seconds and looked at the mad prisoner on his way towards the giant. Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in her head. "I think I know why, but the chances of the plan working are slim to none."
"Agreed, but if we do not do something now, then it would just be a matter of time before the giant crushes our sisters."
"Then it's settled. Let's move out."
The two vampire women spread out. They raised their spirit force in unison. Lava had already delivered the message to the other men by the time the female vampires made their move. When they sensed the women acting, they also followed suit.
Russel came closer to the dark giant's feet. His eyes widened. "Fuck. Fuck, fuck." He repeatedly said in his mind.
The giant sensed the increase in the others' spirit force. For some strange reason, the dark giant began to laugh, and it also increased its power. The monster began to grow larger again, reaching almost thirty feet tall. Its power exploded. The human felt immense pressure, as if the air had grown thick, making it almost difficult for him to breathe. The ground was uneven, and he sometimes had to jump and climb over huge rocks. He finally reached his destination. The giant's feet were a few meters away from him as he looked around. He climbed onto a huge rock to get a better look at the crater where Lady Reina was lying. It was not a difficult climb. The rain poured heavily over his face, and he felt a cold, light breeze against his skin. He turned his head and saw two craters. "The vampire in the other crater is not my concern. He said to get Lady Reina out. I just hope this huge, ugly thing doesn't accidentally step on us."
He slowly climbed down, keeping his eyes on the giant as it punched towards the other vampire. Loud noises could be heard with every punch and each attack from its tentacles. "Oh my God, I don't want to die."
Russel reached the crater where Reina lay below. He slid down until he reached the bottom. He noticed that water had already filled a great deal of the crater. "Shit, shit, I have to hurry up and get this woman out of here." He gritted his teeth as he struggled to lift her. "Why is this woman so heavy? Luckily, that bastard gave me some of his spirit force. Otherwise, I would have no energy to do all this work."
Cradling the unconscious Reina in his arms, he began climbing the rain-soaked crater. Mud swallowed his bare feet, while loose stones shifted beneath every step. His footing slipped more than once, but he held her tightly and pressed on, digging his toes into the wet earth for what little grip he could find. With one final burst of strength, he reached the rim and drove a hand into the muddy ground. His fingers dug deep into the soaked earth as he hauled himself forward, dragging both their bodies over the edge before collapsing onto the solid ground with the woman still safely held in his arms.
As the others kept the giant occupied, Russel seized the opportunity. He rolled Reina onto her stomach and slipped his arms beneath her shoulders, pulling her limp body to her feet. Stepping between her legs, he caught her wrist and draped her arm across his shoulder before lowering himself into a squat. With a strained breath, he shifted her weight across his shoulders in a practiced fireman's carry, wrapping one arm around her leg to keep her secure.
The moment she was balanced across his shoulders, Russel broke into a run. Rain lashed against his face as his bare feet splashed through the mud, slipping on the soaked earth with every desperate stride. Behind him, deafening collisions echoed across the battlefield as the others continued to distract the giant, buying him the precious moments he needed to escape with Reina.
Cassandra noticed that the giant did not even sense the human escaping with Reina. "It really worked." She grinned, her right arm infused with spirit force. "Emma, throw that huge rock towards the giant at my count of three."
"Yes, Sister. Lava, get ready!"
"This one is already set to go," Lava said as he rolled his right shoulder.
Caden, who was near Lava, also had a grin on his face, with Blazescale still anchored on his shoulder. "I have to congratulate you, Lava, on your success in saving my mother. Now we have to get Lady Helen out. I'll assist Stepmother."
The vampire knight used both of his arms to hug the huge rock. All of his fingers dug into the hard surface of the rock. His power surged as he lifted the massive stone and raised it over his head. Aiming carefully, he threw the huge rock with tremendous force towards the dark giant's face.
Cassandra leaped after the rock with fluidity. Her charged right fist chased the massive object at great speed. A huge explosion occurred near the giant's face, obscuring its vision. The dark giant used its large tentacles to swipe through the debris. Lava, in the meantime, used Blood Step. His movements became a blur as he moved with grace and speed, sliding down into the crater. His boots sank into the muddy earth as they crunched over shattered rock. His eyes immediately found Helen lying motionless against the cracked ground, her breastplate cracked and smeared with blood and mud.
Without hesitation, he rushed to her side and dropped to one knee. After a quick glance to make sure she was still alive, he slipped one arm beneath her shoulders and the other beneath the backs of her knees. With one swift motion, he lifted her from the ground, drawing her securely against his chest before rising to his feet.
Helen's head rested limply against his arm as he tightened his grip, making sure she would not slip from his embrace. Every second they remained here was another second the enemy could spot them.
Wasting no more time, Lava climbed out of the crater as quickly as he could, carrying Helen firmly in both arms as he made his way towards the castle.
He quickly started sprinting to escape with the woman in his arms. It did not take long for the dark giant to sense his presence. One of its tentacles on its back slammed down, leaving a small dent in the ground.
With a low growl, the giant swiped its tentacle towards the fleeing vampire. Lava instinctively jumped high into the air with the woman still in his arms. He looked down while feeling the pressure of the tentacle sweeping past him below. The vampire landed on the ground with a heavy thud, his sabaton-covered boots striking the earth.
Lava bolted as soon as his feet touched the ground. Caden was busy keeping the other tentacle away, while Emma and Cassandra continued attacking the monster from the front.
The dark giant's remaining tentacle continued to thrash about. Lava had to stay vigilant as the tentacle continued to target him. "Why does this thing keep chasing me?" He looked down at the unconscious Helen in his arms. "Her life is in danger if she stays with me."
The two other vampire knights came running. They had been sent by Cassandra to assist Russel in his escape. Lava changed the direction he was running, aiming to get closer to one of the vampire knights. He could feel the weight of the female vampire in his arms, and not wanting her to slip out, he had no choice but to tighten his arms around her body. The Sergeant waited for the perfect moment to come. He made sure he was close enough to the knights.
"This is going to hurt like hell. My lady, please excuse me for what I am about to do."
It did not take long for a large shadow to loom over him. The rain stopped falling on the vampire's body, and he knew what it was without having to look up.
"Knight, catch!"
He quickly threw Helen's body towards the nearest vampire knight, using all his strength to send her safely out of the giant's reach. "Get both of them to safety."
The vampire knight perfectly caught Helen in his arms. "As you command, Sergeant!"
The vampire knight gritted his teeth and immediately ran. Behind him, he could hear the tentacle crashing into the ground. He knew his senior had made a crucial sacrifice.