Zeno was locked in a fierce battle with the leader of the Storm Hornets in the grand dining hall. The clashing of swords and the explosion of magical attacks echoed through the large opening in the wall, creating an atmosphere thick with tension.
With a powerful leap, Zeno soared into the air, his muscles bulging as he delivered a heavy downward slash. Kilo, the Storm Hornets' leader, braced himself, and his special armor began to glow as it drew on hidden reserves of power. When Zeno's sword struck Kilo's, a shockwave erupted, causing the very ground beneath them to tremble. The power was so strong that Kilo was forced to one knee, spider cracks spreading from his feet like a web.
"Is that all you've got, Zeno?" Kilo taunted, a sly grin creeping onto his face.
With a surge of strength, Kilo pushed Zeno back, using the brief moment to recuperate. "I expected more from you. But don't worry, I'll defeat you in no time. The longer we fight, vampire, the stronger I become. Remember that."
Zeno clicked his teeth in frustration. "It seems you don't grasp the difference between our power levels. But you will learn today, human!"
Just as Zeno prepared to attack, a loud, booming noise interrupted their duel. Kilo turned his head toward the source of the sound, which was growing closer. Zeno also glanced at the wall behind Kilo, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What the hell?"
Suddenly, the wall behind them exploded, and two figures burst through the debris. It was Markus, sprinting with a tall man slung effortlessly over his shoulder. Zeno stared at Markus in disbelief as he dashed past him. The tall man was encased in special armor, but Markus showed no signs of strain; he seemed to bear his opponent's weight with ease.
As Markus dashed forward, he turned his head and spotted his brother facing off against the leader of the Storm Hornets. A light grin spread across his face. "Greetings, Brother!"
Zeno couldn't believe what he was witnessing. "What are you doing? You're breaking the castle! Have some restraint!"
Markus laughed heartily, the tall man still slung over his shoulder. "Where's the fun in that, bro?" With that, Markus slammed the tall man through the wall, sending rubble flying, and continuing his charge.
Zeno shook his head in disbelief, glancing at the massive destruction. "Why is he such a jerk?"
"Don't forget about me, Zeno!" Kilo shouted, launching a surprise attack aimed at severing Zeno's head from his shoulders.
Zeno barely had time to react, but he managed to raise his sword just in time to block the strike. The force of the impact sent him hurtling across the room, crashing into a cabinet filled with delicate glasses and plates. Shards of porcelain and crystal shattered around him, creating a cacophony of chaos.
"Apologies, Kilo, for ignoring you," Zeno said, brushing shards off his cloak as he regained his footing. "I worry about my younger brother a lot, but it seems he has everything under control."
Kilo smirked, his eyes narrowing. "Your brother is going to die, Zeno. He's underestimating my subordinate, Raven. That will be his undoing."
Zeno chuckled softly "Hehehe, we shall see about that."
====
On another section of the castle, Decker was locked in a fierce battle against Anna. With a determined look, she held out her hands, and two bolts of lightning crackled to life, dancing in her palms. "Take this!" she shouted, hurling the bolts toward Decker.
The lightning bolts streaked through the air at breakneck speed, but Decker had a different plan. Instead of dodging, he charged headlong into the attack. From his body, two shadowy figures emerged, mimicking his movements. They intercepted the lightning bolts just in time, leading to two explosive detonations that lit up the dimly lit chamber.
Smoke and debris filled the air, obscuring Anna's view as she stood still, anticipation etched on her face. She waited for Decker's lifeless body to emerge from the haze, but her hopes were dashed as he burst through the smoke, charging toward her
He readied himself for a heavy attack, but Anna was quicker. With a graceful spin, she unleashed a powerful roundhouse kick, slicing through the air with precision. Her foot connected with Decker's midsection, the impact resonating like a thunderclap throughout the room. The force sent him hurtling backward, but before he could even hit the wall, Anna was already upon him.
In an instant, she delivered a fierce punch, her arm a blur as it shot forward, crackling with electricity. "Bolt Flash!" she called out, the name of her technique echoing in the air.
Her fist sank into Decker's abdomen, and the sheer force hurled him through two walls, debris scattering in his wake. Shockwaves rippled through the vengeful vampire's body as he rolled across the ground, like a tumbleweed caught in a storm.
While Decker lay on the ground, he couldn't help but cough up a mouthful of blood. Pain radiated through his body like wildfire. "Aah, fuck. This bitch is a monster," he thought, gritting his teeth against the agony.
He could feel a sharp, stinging pain lingering in his abdomen as he looked up. Anna approached him with the predatory grace of a tiger stalking an injured gazelle, ready to devour her prey.
But Decker wasn't ready to give up just yet. Memories of his daughter flooded his mind—her laughter, the way her eyes sparkled when she smiled, the warmth of her embrace during their dance. Those moments were a sanctuary, but they shattered abruptly as another memory surged forward: the day he watched Leonidas kill her.
The anger ignited within him, coursing through his veins like molten lava. "I will have my vengeance," he vowed silently.
The dark shadow entity sensed Decker's anger, absorbing more of his soul in exchange for power. Dark, thick energy poured from him, and Anna could feel the shift in the air, sensing something was amiss.
"I must applaud you for surviving my attack just now, you should have died but this is where our little skirmish will come to an end. I will now send you to the afterlife to keep my husband company"
With that, she balled her fist, and lightning crackled around her, illuminating her face with an otherworldly glow. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she realized the truth: the man before her was not even worthy of killing her husband. The thought gnawed at her, knowing that a low-class vampire would be celebrated in certain circles for defeating the fire lord, Leonidas.
Deep inside Decker's mind, he stood before the dark entity that was slowly devouring his soul in exchange for strength and power. He knelt on both knees, bowing before this ominous being. "My lord, please grant me the power to defeat my enemy," he pleaded.
The dark figure was like a thick dark shadow that floated in the air. It was very hard to see things beings eyes or mouth.
The dark figure loomed like a thick shadow, floating in the air, its eyes and mouth obscured by an impenetrable darkness. "The person you wish to kill will be nearly impossible to reach. If I lend you too much of my power, your body might explode."
"I do not care! I want her dead!" Decker's voice trembled with rage.
"If you perish now, you will never avenge your daughter," the dark entity replied, a sinister smirk playing across its formless features. "Are you sure you want to proceed?"
"Then what should I do? Don't tell me this is where I meet my end. I want her entire family to die; no one must survive."
The dark figure drifted closer, its presence suffocating. "Hehehe, you are an interesting vampire. Willing to sacrifice everything for revenge. Here is an idea: why not toss her away like the garbage she is? You can then take your time killing her people. By the time she comes back, she will be so enraged that when you two fight again, she will have many openings for you to exploit."
Decker's eyes glowed red, a malevolent determination surging within him. He lifted his head to meet the dark figure's gaze. "Then give me the power."
"I will"
The thick dark energy that had leaked from Decker's body earlier now burst forth, exploding like steam from a boiling kettle. A massive dark figure began to manifest from him, growing larger and larger. The sheer force of its presence shattered a portion of the roof, creating a gaping hole in the ceiling.
Anna stood frozen, startled by the enormity of the figure forming before her. Her eyes darted around, searching for Decker, but he was now completely enveloped by the dark entity, leaving her feeling both vulnerable and uncertain.
The giant dark being then looked at Anna's direction. She gritted her teeth and wanted to escape but the figure was a step ahead of her. It reached out its huge hand and grabbed to the direction where the female vampire was going to escape.
"Aaah, unhand me, you piece of shit!" Anna shouted, struggling against the grip.
The dark giant being wanted to crush Anna within its huge hand, it squeezed its hand tighter and tighter but the female vampire will not die. It is like a normal human that is trying to squeeze a ball of metal.
"Fine, then I will blow you to smithereens" Anna then unleashed more of her lighting energy as her eyes glowed and lighting crackled everywhere. She was storing a huge amount of energy and ready to unleash a powerful attack.
The giant figure then looked out into the distance and he lifted her up into the air, high above his head. Then in a single, powerful motion, hurled Anna into the air like a ragdoll.
The giant dark figure's fingers then formed a visor, it looked into the distance to see how far it threw the female vampire. Some of the vampire knights on the ground witnessed everything. First, they couldn't believe how this huge dark monster exploded out of the castle like a jack in the box and just after that the same entity threw the madam of the house for miles on end.
Reina and her companions raced toward the ominous figure, encountering a few vampire knights along the way. As they drew closer, Reina commanded them to halt. She looked up, her heart sinking as she saw Anna being launched through the air. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"No!" she gasped.
She wasn't the only one shocked by the scene; Helen, who had also witnessed the event, felt as if she were trapped in a nightmare. "No, this is not possible," she whispered, her voice trembling.