Battle cries echoed off the walls and occasional bangs reverberated the floors, making the walls tremble too.
With his Primordial strength, Akotal overwhelmed them all.
It doesn't matter if it's Heald with his fangs and claws and vampire speed, Mei Li with her sword, Benzo with his flames or Mac in his towering wolf form.
They were no match for him.
But he wasn't unscathed either. Due to their numbers, he sustained a few injuries and hits. If he faced one, another would strike from behind. And he faces the one behind, another will strike from the forth.
They all attacked like they cared less for their lives. Of course they knew, one strike from Akotal can end the life of each of them. Akotal is faster than them all. But they didn't care about this. They gave their all.
They unleashed their full tenacity.
This didn't go well with Akotal. It made things harder for even for him. He's a Primordial and this little supernatural beings shouldn't be a problem to him.
His anger and frustration only grew as seconds passed.
But they were resilient.
Akotal bashed Mac's wolf head against the wall.
Bang!
The wolf howled in pain and staggered back.
Akotal made to advance toward the giant wolf.
Swoosh!
Akotal groaned and steam rose from his right arm. He hissed in pain and glanced at it. Hell, it was scorched all over.
His angry face turned to Benzo.
Fear ran through the latter's eyes, making him flinched his bruised face.
Akotal tried to attack Benzo but Heald came into picture and slashed his face. Akotal grunted as several slash marks appeared on his face. He growled and grabbed Heald's wrist. He clutched it and broke the wrist bones. Heald hollered in pain.
Akotal controlled a wooden stake from amidst one of the shattered chairs up the upper corridor with his telekinesis. The stake flew with great speed and right in his wide eyes, Heald watched as the stake pierced his chest.
Heald screamed in pain. His eyes opened wide. And within a few seconds, his face reddened.
Akotal held his head and tilted it backwards, holding it in place. He stretched his other hand towards the upper corridor and tried to control another wooden stake to come.
But it didn't come.
His confused face looked up at the upper corridor and what he saw made his eyes widen.
"Caius?" Akotal muttered with disbelief.
"Yes, it's me. I'm alive." Caius leaned off the wall he was resting on and grimaced in slight pain.
"How? You should be dead."
"I presume. But after I let all my feelings of hostility towards you go away, the mark quitted tormenting me. I'm alive, Akotal."
"That's quite a turnaround." Akotal dropped Heald onto the ground and faced Caius. But then his lips curled as he analysed Caius with glinting eyes. "But you won't be able to raise a finger to fight in days."
Caius shrugged and sighed. He knew that Akotal was saying the truth. With the beating he's had in Akotal's hand today, he can't take more. All he can hope for right now is that, he and his son, Adrian, who is still lying on the floor, bloodied and unconscious, will be able to get out of this mess alive.
Akotal caressed his right shoulder, which had been scorched by Benzo's flames before and hissed as he lifted his face to look for anyone to pass his aggression upon.
However,
Mac in his wolf form, growled and lunged at Akotal who was unaware. He grabbed Akotal and slammed him on the floor.
Akotal couldn't even struggled as Mac flung him away.
Bang!
The walls trembled as it beheld the Primordial vampire.
Mac howled and began to step towards Akotal.
But Akotal didn't even stay on the floor for one more second as he sprung up to his feets and appeared before Mac in a slit second.
Mac could barely react as Akotal grabbed his neck and pushed his hand into his heart.
The wolf howled in agony and writhed.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!"
A powerful war cry resounded behind Akotal and he stopped as he sidestepped.
A powerful blade landed on the spot he stood on a second ago.
A sweat dropped from Mei Li's face as she held her sword tight.
Akotal gritted his teeth as he punched Mei Li, sending her flying, with her sword flying in a different direction.
Mac, still in his wolf form, was on the ground, bleeding heavily with his chest opened. Akotal had pulled out his claws with haste earlier. If not, Mac would be dead by now.
Akotal looked away from the wolf in pain and approached Heald.
Heald grunted and was on his knees as Akotal got to him.
"Kill me." Heald hissed in pain. The stake that had pierced his chest is still there and the pain that assaulted him couldn't even let him dare to pull it out. If a broken splinter grazes his heart then he's done for.
"No."
Someone said from behind Akotal.
Akotal looked over his shoulder and his eyes flashed with surprise. "You are up, too, skull vampire."
Kylian grunted and used the wall as support as he stepped back into the hall. He was covered in dust. His steps were filled with exhaustion. Yet, he gritted and managed to stay on his feets.
"No, I won't kill him. I can't, because someone else would love to have the honor. He must have really pissed her off."
Heald gazed with shock, not understanding what Akotal was saying.
A voice chanting spells and incantations brought him out of his reverie.
He turned to look at who. His eyes widened and his heart banged against his ribs.
It's the witch Sheila.
"Phesmatos fes mie." The witch chanted loudly, pointing at Heald.
Heald's painful yelp followed. He grabbed his head and collapsed on his knees.
Kylian grunted and sprung to help Heald.
"Oh, no. I can't let you near there." Akotal grinned.
"Phesmatos ain moe." Sheila chanted further.
The stake in Heald's chest began to push inward itself like an invisible force is driving it. The scream was horrible at this point.
Yet, the witch's eyes flashed with more anger as she continued chanting more spells, putting Heald into even more agony.
Akotal grinned as he faced Kylian squarely. "As for you," he paused and clenched his fist as something appeared in his grip out of thin air. It's the Chain of Dracula. Its blade was blazing hot and mere looking at it could make someone as brave as Achilles flee for his life. Akotal grinned and muttered. "You die now."
**********
"What's it? Please tell me, we don't have much time."
"You are an Armadi witch and this belongs to your ancestors, your family, your blood. What if the key to the spells is you?" Bones-the-old asked in ponder.
Sarai gazed in confusion. Melissa's eyes flashed with realization as she snapped her fingers.
"You opened the book with a family spell that can be learnt, but the spells in the book cannot be read." Melissa began. "What if your ancestors wrote it in a way that it can't be read so that it can't be used easily by anybody? What if it's a safety measure?"
"What if I can only be felt?" Sarai muttered as her eyes flashed with realization.
Their faces all lit up at this.
Sarai moved to the book again. This time, her eyes glittered with reverence as she slowly placed her hands on the book. Then, she closed her eyes.
Mei Li gulped in the lump in her throat. Hector prayed silently as his fingers tapped his thighs. Melissa's anticipating eyes were solely on Sarai.
Even Bones-the-old and the dying Bellerin in his arms couldn't help but keep their eyes on Sarai as she focussed on the Registro.
Silence was at large and the serenity of the place seemed to undergo a tremendous change.
Then all of a sudden, Sarai opened her eyes.
Melissa readjusted herself as she asked. "Did you find something?"
"Infinitum agnum blada." Sarai muttered.
"What's that?" Mei Li's brows furrowed.
"That's the sound of freedom, Mei Li." Sarai smiled brightly, showing her white teeths as she muttered. "Get me a bladed weapon, I have found a way to kill Akotal."
********
Kylian had tried to get to Heald and save him from the witch's torment but Akotal won't let him go.
He couldn't go through Akotal. He's weak. Akotal had literally broken all the bones in his limbs earlier, and gradually, he healed. But the process made him weak.
Even when he was full in strength, he couldn't lay a finger on Akotal talkless of now that he's weak.
And apart from that, Akotal now wields the Chain of Dracula.
No one could match him.
Kylian was the one who suffered the most. Almost every inch of his body had been covered in blood.
The others tried to swoop in. But which one among them can stand against the Chain of Dracula, a weapon that even Primordials fear?
"Just give in to me, already and you will leave here tonight, with your limbs intact." Akotal straightened his half burnt cloth.
"You are mad, Akotal." Mei Li spat out blood. Her sword has broken into two and she was barely holding on to it at this point.
"You. You should be dead now." Akotal pointed to her face. "You gave me quite a lot of trouble the last time and even now. But I, in all my kindness, have decided to wipe the slate clean. Just a little price, give me the girl."
He turned to Heald who is still being thrashed around by the witch. "He should be dead, but I made the witch promise that she won't kill him. This sort of kindness, no one has seen from me in a thousand years. So tell me, am I not good enough despite being the winning man here."
"You are a hideous monster who only craves the pain of others. All you think about is crushing heads like you have done all your thousand years-"
Akotal interrupted her. "Heads of my enemies. But as far as I'm concerned, I haven't crushed any heads since. I even let that belligerent son of Caius' to live." Akotal took slow steps towards Mei Li as he muttered. "Tell me where the girl is and you shall live."
"You will not get it." Kylian yelled and swung his claws which were all half broken at this, at Akotal, in a weak struggle.
Akotal wiped it to the side and grabbed Kylian's neck.
Kylian gasped and couldn't even struggle. Akotal grinned through bloody teeths and tightened his grip on Kylian's neck. He swung his fist at Kylian face. But a hand stopped the fist from advancing, clutching the elbow tightly.
Akotal's furious face looked down to see Benzo. Akotal shook him off his arm and then slammed his fist right into his chest.
Benzo was sent flying away and by the time to dropped on the ground, he was limp.
Bang!
Akotal slammed his fist at Kylian's face. The latter crashed into the floor, shattering it and spreading cracks everywhere.
Slash!
Akotal growled as his back was slashed. Blood oozed out of it and he staggered forward.
Mei Li's breathing was irregular at this. Her face was as pale as white sheet and her hands were barely holding the hilt of her broken sword.
Akotal flashed towards her and a slap sent her crashing away.
Akotal walked over to the Chain of Dracula, splayed on the floor about a meter away.
Caius couldn't bear it anymore. Seeing as they failed miserably, he couldn't withstand it any longer.
He leapt at him trying to stop him. Akotal dodged his kick and grabbed the leg. He bent it and a loud snapping sound emanated.
Caius couldn't bear the pain and his painful howl almost deafen those who are still conscious in the hall.
Akotal then slammed his fist into Caius' chest, shattering his sternum and he crashed meters away.
Akotal bent over and grabbed the chain of Dracula.
His eyes flashed with rage as he swirled it in the air. His eyes found Kylian and he began to approach him.
Kylian, barely alive with blood all over him, just watched as Akotal's image became larger and larger in his eyes. But what caught his eyes the most is the Chain that Akotal held in his hand. The blade at the end of the chain was red hot. The look alone made his heart jump but he couldn't move a muscle.
Heald is still dealing with the witch who's giving all her best to make him suffer.
Caius is down.
No one knows if Mac is still alive. Even if he is, he definitely doesn't have much time left.
Mei Li, whether Akotal's punch had crushed her skull, no one knows. Benzo, his fate is unknown.
Everyone is down. No one is left standing.
They lost.
Kylian was still in his thoughts when Akotal's towering figure appeared right before him.
"Finally." He muttered as he succumbed to every desire to fight more. There's nothing left. At this point, there's no more fight they can put up.
Akotal's eyes was visibly blazing as he continued swirling the Chain. It had become to fast that only what one would see is a blur.
After a few more swirling, Akotal finally lowered it down at Kylian head.
"Akotal!!!"
Akotal halted and paused the chain movement a bit. His neck turned to look back at the entrance.
But he didn't see anyone.
His eyes narrowed and looked down again to face Kylian and finish him off.
But, out of pure instincts, he paused. All hairs on him rose in spikes and his heart flashed.
He can't mistake this feeling. He has fought many battles. And even though he mostly wins his battle with not much trouble due to his Primordial powers, he still can't mistake this feeling.
Unmistakable feeling of danger and death.
Akotal's eyes dilated, his muscles tensed and chills ran down his spine. He flashed up his face and raised the chains above his head to block whatever was coming his neck.
But, it was too near. He couldn't escape it.
Bang!
*********