The mercenary Raven continued to release a rapid flurry of punches, knocking the massive vampire Markus back against the stone wall. Raven scoffed, seeing his target absorbing the damage. "Why are you so weak, Markus?"
Markus's body ached with deep, radiating pain, but this relentless beating was precisely what he secretly desired. "Shut up, you fu*king c*nt," he growled back, his voice thick with suppressed power. The vampire, his normally pale skin now bruised and mottled, had been a veritable punching bag, absorbing blow after relentless blow, allowing Raven to expend his energy and confidence. But as Raven wound up for yet another punishing strike, a flicker of cold, predatory light ignited deep in the recesses of Markus's eyes.
With a low, guttural growl that was more hiss than human, the vampire suddenly rose to his feet, his battered form coiling with an unexpected surge of energy. A slow, evil grin stretched across his blood-smeared lips, revealing glinting fangs. The mercenary, too consumed by his own sadistic rhythm, threw his punch—a wild, wide haymaker aimed directly at Markus's head.
In a blinding flash of speed, the vampire was no longer where he had been standing. He ducked clean under the wild haymaker, shot forward low to the ground, and drove both shoulders into Raven's legs, executing a lightning-fast double-leg takedown. The mercenary's feet left the floor entirely, and he crashed onto his back with a sickening, audible thud. Before Raven could even gasp for breath, the vampire was already on top of him, straddling his torso. The evil grin remained fixed, chillingly, as he began to rain down brutal, piston-like blows onto the mercenary's face and head—a relentless ground and pound that promised to pay back every ounce of pain received, and then some.
Markus laughed, the sound ragged and raw, as he continued to punch the mercenary on the ground. He would sometimes switch his punches with powerful elbows, and all the mercenary could do was desperately block the constant strikes. "I'm glad you let the demon help you, human. Now I can fight a little longer."
Raven frantically guarded himself as he received the constant barrage of strikes from the enraged vampire. Raven quickly reached out his open palm and fired a burst of dark energy blast, sending the vampire flying through the air. Markus hit the ceiling with a loud, sickening impact before descending heavily to the floor in a thud. Markus spat out a mouthful of blood, but he even chuckled as he slowly stood up. "That was a nice one, human."
Raven quickly got to his feet, a renewed, malicious energy pulsing through him. His arm suddenly changed to a deep, dark black color. "Let me show you the power of a demon."
"Twisted Fantasy," Raven snarled, his transformed arm coiling before instantly whipping out into a massive, fleshy tentacle that pulsated with dark energy. As he swung the tentacle toward the vampire, it arced through the air with incredible speed, creating a menacing, oppressive aura around it. The twisted, sinewy form of the appendage extended, ready to strike with overwhelming force. Markus, caught slightly off guard by the speed and reach of the transformation, attempted to evade, but the sheer size and reach of the tentacle made escape impossible. The speed and force of the attack were so vicious that they blew the vampire completely through the remaining stone wall.
The mercenary's monstrous arm gradually returned to its normal size and coloration, as if the transformation had simply come to an end. He looked at his dark-shaded arm, feeling a huge amount of energy coursing through his veins. "I can feel my power increasing. It won't be long before my power surpasses that of Markus. The vampire who slayed thousands is going to become my plaything, hehehe."
He walked through the massive hole he had created in the stone wall, his feet touching the wet floor outside. His confidence was soaring as a smirk lingered on his face. "Wake up, sleeping beauty."
Markus slowly got to his feet, dusting off the debris. "Hehe, you are just a lowly human who got a little bit of power. Now you think of yourself as some kind of hotshot, huh?" The vampire stretched his body and, as he looked around, he saw that the entire room was now thoroughly tarnished and ruined.
"Human, I will give you credit. You have gotten strong. Way stronger and in just a short amount of time. Demons are truly powerful, but I have a proposal to make."
Raven started to chuckle lightly. "You are not thinking of backing out of this fight right now. This is war, and our fight is to the death."
"Oh no, I will never dare to back out of this fight," Markus scoffed, shaking his shoulder. "I wanted us to relocate to another location, if you don't mind."
"And why would I do that when I can just attack you right now, huh?"
Markus shrugged. "If that is what you want to do, but that is at least what you can do since I spared your life in our first battle."
The mercenary held his chin and looked up at the broken ceiling, seemingly contemplating what to do next. It did not take long for him to make his final decision. "Fine, fine. Lead me to the place where your grave will ultimately be."
"Good, good, you won't be disappointed. Follow me." Markus's intention was clear: to lead them to the castle's training room, a secure area that has walls durable and strong enough to withstand huge amounts of explosive force.
====
John didn't know what to say to Elena. "Thank you, I'll promise to keep it safe." Elena laughingly smiled and hugged him again. "Now, what are you doing here? I heard you and the lord died."
"It's a long story. I thought that you died," John said as he is still in her embrace. John looked over her shoulder and saw Haven and the kids. They slowly pulled apart, smiles lingering on their faces. "So, what are you doing with them? Are you not escaping?"
"Me and Haven are actually here to rescue the children and bring them to safety, you should come with us," Elena urged, her voice filled with deep concern.
John turned his body and head to look behind him, and as he turned back he lightly shook his head. "I can't. I have to see this through, I have to help Leonidas."
"How may I ask, Young Master, are you going to help the Lord?" Haven asked, her voice respectful but doubtful.
"Well, not to brag or anything. I am partially the reason we are still alive. Not gonna lie, almost died a couple times, but that's life, right?" John replied, attempting to inject some dark humor into the grim situation.
"This is no time for jokes, Young Master John. Can't you not hear the chaos that is happening on this mountain? Come with us, let us leave this place. I promise I will protect you," she pleaded, reaching out her hand, hoping John would choose safety.
"I would really love to go with you and the others, but I really can't," John repeated, his resolve hardening.
"Why?"
"Because…" There was a moment of silence as John struggled to voice the deeper truth. "Because…"
"John, where the hell did you run off to?"
Leonidas and Porto then arrived, their forms slightly staggered but moving with purpose, with three more people following them. It was three vampire knights; however, one of the three vampire knights was a familiar figure: Dante.
Dante had successfully helped his family escape after the vampire Richard aided them against the mercenary lizard. However, he had chosen to come back and help his brethren where he could. He managed to kill a few of the enemy mercenaries before meeting two other vampire knights. The three of them worked together to save some of the maids and butlers who are not good at combat. They were later recruited by Leonidas and Porto, who found them drinking from a human mercenary they captured. Leonidas also briefly explained to them the plan on how they were going to save the castle.
John didn't know what to say to Elena. "Thank you, I'll promise to keep it safe." Elena laughingly smiled and hugged him again. "Now, what are you doing here? I heard you and the lord died."
"It's a long story. I thought that you died," John said as he is still in her embrace. John looked over her shoulder and saw Haven and the kids. They slowly pulled apart, smiles lingering on their faces. "So, what are you doing with them? Are you not escaping?"
"Me and Haven are actually here to rescue the children and bring them to safety, you should come with us," Elena urged, her voice filled with deep concern.
John turned his body and head to look behind him, and as he turned back he lightly shook his head. "I can't. I have to see this through, I have to help Leonidas."
"How may I ask, Young Master, are you going to help the Lord?" Haven asked, her voice respectful but doubtful.
"Well, not to brag or anything. I am partially the reason we are still alive. Not gonna lie, almost died a couple times, but that's life, right?" John replied, attempting to inject some dark humor into the grim situation.
"This is no time for jokes, Young Master John. Can't you not hear the chaos that is happening on this mountain? Come with us, let us leave this place. I promise I will protect you," she pleaded, reaching out her hand, hoping John would choose safety.
"I would really love to go with you and the others, but I really can't," John repeated, his resolve hardening.
"Why?"
"Because…" There was a moment of silence as John struggled to voice the deeper truth. "Because…"
When Haven noticed that their lord is coming their way, she immediately walked towards where John and Elena were standing while holding the kids close to her. John, seeing his chance, immediately shouted the disrespectful greeting that was unique to him.
"John, where the hell did you run off to?" Leonidas thundered, cutting off any attempt by John to explain.
"Hey old man, look who I found," John immediately retorted, pointing toward Elena.
Leonidas, who was carried on Porto's back, came closer with the three vampire knights. Elena and Haven immediately bowed and greeted their lord. "My lord, it is a privilege to see you again." Haven said while feeling some kind of hope inside.
"Welcome home, my lord. We feared for your safety." Elena said as she also bowed. Leonidas looked at the two kids and his subjects and he couldn't help to feel a tinge of pain inside of his heart. "I would like to thank you for being strong and helping where you can in my absence. You have my word; the castle will stand!"
Leonidas looked at the two maids. "Lead the children to safety, we will go and complete our objective."
Elena was shocked and started to panic. She knelt on the ground. "My lord, please let me join you on this mission."
"Elena," John said sadly.
Leonidas stared at the vampire maid's eyes for a few seconds; its as if those eyes are begging him to take her along. He could see that she wants to be closer to John. He then shut his eyes for a few seconds before nodding his head. "Very well, then. I will allow you to accompany us."
Leonidas looked back at the two vampire knights. "You two will accompany the maid and the children and lead them to the escape tunnel."
The two vampire children was really happy to see their lord, they felt safe in Leonidas's presence. "Thank you my lord," Carla said, feeling internally happy.
Elena turned to speak with Haven but she was cut off. "Are you sure you want to go, Elena? Why don't you come with us?"
"Haven, thank you for being my friend. It was really nice to spend time with you. But you know that I have to go with the young master. If all this is finished and done. I will come and find you, okay," Elena replied.
Haven's eyes were a little watery. "You're right, we are here to serve the Crimsons but please look after yourself. We don't know how long the potion is still going to stay in effect so don't go overboard."
"I' am still brimming with power and that snack we ate earlier, fully charged me up. But I will do as you say. Please look after the kids for me."
The two maids gave each other a strong hug. After a few seconds did both of them release each other from their embrace. "See you soon."
Haven and the two vampire knights then headed through the door, where the stairs were very close, which was going to lead them downstairs, whereby they just must head outside and go to the escape tunnel. Leonidas was fully confident that they would arrive safely at their destination. Leonidas ordered Dante, who stayed behind, to briefly explain their plan to Elena, a plan that was deceptively simple.
Just as they were about to move, Adam (one of the children being escorted by Haven) called out to Leonidas. "My lord!"
Leonidas shifted his head to look at the small boy. "What is it, boy?"
"Beat them, my lord."
Leonidas grinned, a chilling promise in his voice. "They will be destroyed. I promise you."
The five remaining figures—Leonidas (on Porto's back), John, Porto, Elena, and Dante—headed through the door to begin their mission. Leonidas turned to the others. "Let us continue."
After almost twenty minutes of relentless running, the party reached their destination, which was the teleportation room. They were incredibly lucky not to have picked up any problems or engaged any mercenaries as they headed this way. All that they witnessed was destroyed and cracked infrastructure—a testament to the ongoing siege—and a distressing amount of dead bodies, both from the Crimsons' loyal knights and the Storm Hornet's mercenary group. There were also dead bodies of other vampires who worked for Decker.
Elena was secretly concerned for John; this level of carnage was not something this young boy should have to witness. John was from another world, a world of peace and order. He lived in a quiet neighborhood and had never witnessed so much death. Usually, this was the stuff only seen in horror and war movies. Dead or severed bodies were all around the castle, be it inside or outside.
Luckily, John kept a cool head; he did not panic physically, but deep inside, he was full of fear. They headed down the dark stairs, only receiving a tiny bit of light thanks to the scattered light crystals. When they reached the bottom, they were met by a figure who was the last person they wanted to see.
The expansive chamber within the Crimson castle radiated an eerie grandeur, its high ceiling looming overhead. Eight formidable pillars—four on each side—rose like sentinels, their dark stone intricately carved. At the back of the room stood a teleportation gate, its once-vibrant glow now dimmed and offline, exuding an unsettling stillness.
The vampire stood before the huge, inert teleportation gate. "Well, well. Who do we have here?"
"Decker, you snake!" Leonidas cried out, his voice sharp with venomous hatred. But he was also deeply startled when he first gazed at the vampire, recognizing the deep changes that had occurred since he left them to die by the Troll.
Decker's skin had darkened from its natural white to a deeper, richer tone. His face had aged, now possessing the weary, lined look of a man in his sixties. Leonidas could not comprehend how this transformation was possible, especially as he could sense the vampire was significantly stronger than before. Little streams of thick black liquid moved down Decker's eyes to his cheeks, and his clothes were in tatters, a likely result of his earlier fight with Leonidas's wife, Anna Crimson.
"Leonidas, welcome back. Do you like what I've done with the place?" Decker said, stretching out his arms and smiling with black-inked teeth.
"Decker, you have made the biggest mistake of your life. This feud between us ends today," Leonidas declared.
"I know it does, Leonidas. I have dreamed about this moment since the day my daughter died at your hands."
"Your daughter had a fu*king demon in her, you stupid c*nt!" Leonidas roared, desperate to pierce Decker's delusion.
"Enough! Nothing you say will have me change my mind in slaughtering your whole family."
Next, Decker turned around, looking at the teleportation portal that seemed to be completely offline. "I know that you came here to call for reinforcements. But unfortunately, no one will be able to help you today, Leonidas, no one."
He smirked, and his two arms began to transform. They quickly extended and recoiled into two dark, writhing tentacles, which he drove directly into the huge, fragile teleportation portal.
"No, what the hell are you doing?" Dante screamed, knowing that if the teleportation gate fell, so did their final hope of reinforcements or an immediate escape.
"Stop this, Decker!" John screamed, his voice strained with urgency and fear.
"Never!" Decker's tentacles continued to extend like thick ropes and coiled around the teleportation's infrastructure like a snake. This time, he began to apply immense, crushing pressure.
Dante immediately ran towards Decker, his face a mask of desperation, trying to stop the vampire from ruining their plan. "I have to stop you!"
"You can't," Decker replied dismissively, standing with his monstrous, tentacle-extended arms rigidly focused on the portal.
Dante came closer to attack the vampire from the back. He unsheathed his sword and picked up speed. As he came into striking range, he lifted his sword high, readying for a lethal downward slash. However, a dark shadow copy of Decker instantly stepped out of Decker's back and punched Dante, who was caught completely off guard, squarely in his chest. The force sent the knight flying backward with a sickening crunch.
Porto then eyed Leonidas, who was still mounted on his back. "Master, should I go help Knight Dante?"
"I'm afraid it's too late," Leonidas said, his voice a tight whisper of finality.
The huge teleportation portal then instantly began to crumble under the pressure Decker was putting it through. Cracks erupted across the stone infrastructure, spiderwebbing outwards, and before anyone could react, the whole giant device started to tumble down like a house of cards. The collapse echoed throughout the chamber, deafening and final.
Leonidas was utterly shocked, cold sweat protruding from his forehead. He didn't know what to do at this point. With the teleportation gate destroyed, how were they supposed to end this war without reinforcements?
Decker looked at the horrified faces of the strike team, his own expression one of ultimate triumph. "Let me see your despair."
The whole team had shocked expressions on their faces. Even though Leonidas did not die in the cave as planned, this was the next best thing for Decker. "Seeing all your faces with despair fills me with joy. It almost makes me want to dance."