“A humming-bird’s heartbeat slower and you would have had me,” Crozan chuckled as he swung his blade back around. I dodged to the left and moved in behind him, spinning around to kick him in the back, sending a deadly wave of energy right through his body. The armor across his back dented in heavily, while the front of his cuirass bowed outward.
Crozan barely managed to remain on his feet, but I was far from finished. Moving in from the other side, I lashed out again, crunching my boot into his ruined breastplate and sending him flying through the wall of the closest building. His form crashed right through the brick and mortar, impaling his torso on the corner of a fireplace.
Out of control, I charged after him when a large piece of rock came flying at me from the wreckage with tremendous force. I barely managed to bring up my shield to deflect the older Vampire’s throw. The rock stopped me mid-lunge and knocked me back a couple of steps as it impacted against my left arm and shattered, peppering my face with smaller pieces.
“Why so angry?” Crozan laughed, as he pulled himself off the wreckage behind him, his side closing back up like a freshly stitched seam. This enraged me even more. I was already out of my mind and every word from the bastard’s mouth chipped away at what little control I retained over myself. The one thing that gave me comfort was noticing Grestal and the men slaughtering what remained of Crozan’s soldiers, butchering them with ease.
I turned back to face my nemesis, knowing full well that if our battle continued like this, I wasn’t going to win, not in this state. Tactics didn’t matter, there was no finesse to my attacks. I no longer cared. Even if it killed me, I would send him hurtling to meet his fate, like my poor Alara.
A small, rational corner of my brain pleaded with the rest of me to remain calm for long enough to figure out how to decapitate this snake without dying myself. Most Vampire Lords fought with sword or battle-ax, as anything else lacked the power to shear through a neck and spine in a single blow. Decapitation was one of only three ways to kill a Vampire, and I sought to land a lucky blow that would suddenly relieve his neck of its burden. The second way was to rip his heart out and crush it, and oh how I hungered to rip out that cold black organ and feel it crumble in my fist. The third and final way to kill a Vampire was to burn them until nothing but cinders remained—but, I wasn’t patient enough for that.
“We need to get in there and help him take care of Crozan!” Sylvana whispered as she rose from the shadows and loomed over her kneeling sister. Both women felt drawn to the fight, but Raziel battled like he had lost his mind and would as soon strike them down as appreciate their help. Besides that, there were the soldiers that had just killed Crozan’s men. What if they wanted to fight?
“Let's wait and see how it plays out,” Helena cautioned as they sensed the approach of hundreds of footsteps from three directions. Two groups came from behind where Crozan crouched in a defensive stance, and one group from directly opposite him. This last force was much smaller, only about forty pairs of feet she guessed from the vibrations. “If we’re to do anything, it needs to be after these reinforcements arrive.”
The sisters were torn by their love for life and the looming prospect of death. It was the only thing that kept them from rushing in. They might be mistaken for enemies and attacked by those they sought to aid. Grestal alone was enough to contend with one of them, and his men looked to be competent enough to deal with the other, given how they massacred Crozan’s larger force earlier.
“I think—,” Sylvana began.
“We wait a while longer,” Helena interrupted. “Let's see if Raziel can kill Crozan by himself or at least wear him down.”
Sylvana didn't reply, but she didn't feel the same way Helena did. She had to ensure Crozan died, even at the cost of her own life. Too much hatred and evil resided in Crozan’s dead heart. She would never let her sister or herself submit to his demands, which they would be forced to if he won.
Raziel drew their attention as he renewed his onslaught of attacks on Crozan, who deftly evaded every strike. The taller Vampire was hard-pressed by the flurry of attacks, but that was about it. He couldn’t do anything but parry and dodge as the other man beat down on him with his bladed shield and sword, attacks flowing from one to the next flawlessly.
Crozan finally regained the initiative and slashed at Raziel’s face. Throwing up his shield at the last moment, he blocked the attack without much trouble. Then, a mass of reinforcements appeared from both sides at the same time to drive in a wedge between the two combatants.
Forty men rushed to Raziel’s side as hundreds of infantry and archers grouped around Crozan in a crescent formation, swordsmen at the fore, and archers at the rear. Arrows flew across the town square, forcing Raziel and the smaller group to take cover behind their shields and the nearby walls.
“Stop!” Crozan roared at his own side, striking three of the closest soldiers down himself. “I want to take him apart myself! Anyone who interferes will die by my own hands!”
On Raziel’s bloody and nearly expressionless face, a slight smile appeared. He would have a chance to avenge both his lover and redeem his pride as the strongest of them all.
The arrows stopped almost instantly, letting the pressure off Raziel and his men. He stepped out from behind the shields, his sword raised to take Crozan’s head. That warrior readied himself by grasping his great sword with both hands, before tensing his shoulders and circling the other Vampire Lord. The soldiers around them cleared a space and held their shields up, creating an arena for the two bloody foes.
Raziel seemed to have calmed down somewhat; his movements and breathing told the sisters as much. The way he held his shield and sword demonstrated even more that he was once again in control, cold and calculating.
Sylvana’s eyes wandered to the body of the dead woman who was being desecrated by hundreds of eyes. What a travesty. Pain and shame filled her heart, and she nearly moved from the shadows to go out there and pull the woman’s corpse out of the way. It was as if Raziel could read her mind. He looked down at the dead woman and then to Grestal.
“Grestal, get her somewhere she won’t be hurt anymore,” Raziel said, his voice choked with pain and loss.
“Why bother? You’ll follow after her soon enough, Raziel.” Crozan chortled.
Sylvana let out a hiss. She imagined ripping off what little manhood the smirking fool had and feeding it to him. Just the image of him standing there with that idiotic smirk made her want to vomit. Helena put her hand on her sister’s shoulder and squeezed, calming her as Raziel started moving again, tracking Crozan's moves as they circled each other. Neither attacked, waiting for the other to make the opening move and possible first mistake.
Finally, annoyed by Raziel’s calm demeanor, Crozan lunged at him and swung wide, slamming the flat of his blade against his opponent’s shield. Raziel flicked his wrist out to parry the attack, forcing both blades away from his shield, then faster than anyone could see, reversed his sword’s direction and slashed it into his enemy’s side, drawing first blood.
Crozan’s elbow shot out, catching Raziel on the chin and sending him staggering back. He followed this success up by hammering down blow after blow against the small shield, denting it beyond recognition. Raziel tried to counter but could only block and parry the never-ending onslaught of crushing blows. Finally, Crozan overextended a wide swing in his rage, giving the other Vampire Lord the necessary opening. Raziel dodged to the right and cut his blade along the rear of the bastard’s leg, forcing him to one knee, but didn’t dare to go in for the kill as the two-hander swung back his way.
The battle had already lasted over twenty minutes, leaving both men panting with exertion. Both men were visibly weary and annoyed by the prolonged fight. Luckily, Raziel had regained his calm, which was much more than could be said for Crozan, whose body trembled with rage. His pride made him act rash and stupidly, he had underestimated Raziel over and over again.
A new commotion drew the attention of e
veryone present. A brief whooshing sound was followed by dozens of thunks. Crozan’s soldiers cried out in pain, specifically the archers, who turned around in bewilderment, seeking to find the origin of their new threat. The sound of hooves slamming down on the cobbled road announced the presence of a new force.
“Is it time?” Sylvana whispered, peering around the corner to see for herself what was going on. She managed to catch a glimpse of the person who led the charge. It was that female officer at the head of Raziel’s cavalry. Strangely, there were two men or women per horse, both a rider and an archer.
“What the hell is going on? Where did they come from?” Helena asked, abandoning any pretense of stealth. “Sister?”
“Calina! What the hell are you doing here?” Raziel roared. “I’m not losing another woman today!”
Woman. Why did that word feel so bad and good at the same time, Sylvana thought? Wasn’t it a good thing having someone to protect you? They were all warriors, no matter if a man or a woman, all had their pride.
A second force came galloping in from the left with another of Raziel’s officers at its head. It slammed into Crozan’s archers and infantry like a tidal wave, crushing them to death beneath their hooves and blades in the initial charge before things devolved into a melee.
Arrows started raining down on the newcomers but were deflected by the shields of the riders. A few arrows found their mark, but nothing serious. Calina's women immediately switched targets and rained death on the enemy archers, picking them off with ease. The poor bastards were totally undefended.
Crozan’s wrath was terrible to behold. His face had turned red as he started foaming at the mouth, muscles bulging, and his eyes almost popping from their sockets.
“How can such a small force treat with such an army as if it was nothing? How?! Damned bastards! I’ll kill you all!”
The, now mad Vampire Lord, finally gave in and let blind rage consume him. He lunged toward Raziel who deflected the two-hander with his shield and cut into Crozan's side with his riposte. The cut closed up almost before his sword slid free. What monstrous healing power.
Raziel frowned. What the hell had Crozan taken that he could regenerate so quickly? It was the question that had everyone puzzled who watched the battle unfold. The King's blood? Elven blood? But there were barely any other Elves in the Vampire kingdom other than the sisters. They had been hunted almost to extinction on this part of the continent.
From the corner of his eye, Raziel noticed two shadows stand up and throw back their cowls. Pretty faces looked back at him as his eyes went wide. Sylvana was right, he did recognize them. Good, their time had finally come.
“It’s time, sister. We got the distraction we need,” Sylvana said as she stepped out of the shadows. Helena followed, not liking the idea but knowing that their best chance had just shown itself. The two elves threw away their capes as they ran right into the battle. Helena took out her short bow while Sylvana slipped her fingers around the wicked-looking daggers sheathed at her sides. They almost looked like small rapiers, which Helena teased her about all the time, but she liked them. They were long, thin, and extremely sharp.
Crozan looked around, obviously annoyed at their appearance, but glad at the same time. With their help, he would make quick work of Raziel. They were far from his match individually, but together they were deadly. Helena was a marksman without peer, while Sylvana preferred to get up close and deal death with her daggers. It was time for round two.
Chapter Twelve
I had no idea whose side the two newcomers were on, but something told me they were dangerous no matter which side they supported. Playing it safe, I took no risks and held back.
“Grestal!”
The young swordsman hurried over to me, unsheathing his long-sword and taking a defensive stance to my side as he noticed what I was looking at.
“My Lord?”
“See those two Elves? If they do something even remotely threatening, take them down.”
He nodded and shifted to intercept.
Crozan’s forces were more or less finished at this point as both Slayer and Calina’s cavalry ground them to dust. The Vampire Lord looked nervous about this turn of events and twitched around. One of the Elves notched an arrow and shot it in Grestal’s direction, while the other flipped over him and moved towards Crozan, who didn’t seem to think much of the two women. Moments later, this disregard cost him dearly, as the arrow strafed past my subordinate and struck him in the back.
“What the fuck do you—,” he roared before the second Elf appeared behind him, stabbing two obscenely long and wicked-looking daggers into the holes on the back of his armor. Crozan’s wings burst forth suddenly, thick as a swan’s and white as snow. He tried to turn around, but a second arrow struck him in the shoulder, knocking him back a step and into the daggers for the second time. Crozan’s expression was almost comical as if he hadn’t expected to be attacked by the two beauties in black leather.
“Die, please,” the woman with the daggers whispered in his ear, “You won’t be hurting anyone anymore, Crozan.” I still heard her no matter how silently she spoke. The way she said it, she must have known him personally, and from the venom in her tone, she must have had some run-ins with him. She pulled the long daggers out and stabbed him again. He backhanded her with his fist, sending her flying as he staggered to catch himself against a wall.
Strangely, the wounds weren’t closing. What kind of weapons was she using to leave such deep wounds? Elven steel? It must be.
A third arrow struck his sword arm, sending him into a fit of rage as his sword dropped from his nerveless grasp. Without overthinking it, I launched myself at him, dodging a kick and a head butt, sliding past him and slashing his already wounded arm cleanly off at the elbow. The Vampire Lord screamed, using one of the skills that came with age and paralyzed everyone for a couple of seconds. He jumped away just as I managed to shake off the daze and darted after him, grabbing him by his foot as he sought to flee and slamming him into the ground.
Crozan looked up with disbelief, anger, and betrayal in his eyes. “You bitches dare to betray me? You’re just Lefrand’s whores! Nothing else!”
I pinned him to the ground with my boot, cracking his ribs and puncturing his inner organs. He cried out, stopping his tirade. I was more than interested to hear about the Elves, however, so I decided not to finish him right away. Instead, I would make him suffer beyond his wildest dreams.
“What are you waiting for? Kill him! He’s a monster that needs to be put down!” the second woman demanded, the one with the bow.
One of Crozan's soldiers stood and shouted, finally seeing his Lord in danger. I knew it wasn’t the man’s own loyalty, but Crozan’s compulsion that caused it, still, it wasn’t my fault he witnessed this.
“Attack! Kill our Lord’s enemies!” he yelled and struggled to his feet, sword and shield in hand. Two lines of nearly a hundred infantry stormed the square, but I didn’t need to busy myself with them, Grestal would take care of it.
“Now, what the hell am I supposed to do with you, fucking scum?” I hissed, stomping again on his chest. More Ribs cracked under the blow. He cried out again and I couldn’t help but relish the moment, the moment where he lay under my boot and prayed for the shit he did with his life.
“Fuck you! You deserve each other, you, and those crazy bitches!” Crozan wheezed, blood from a collapsed lung bubbling at the corner of his lips.
“Shut up, you bastard!” one elf spit back. “Let’s see who’s going to fuck whom tonight when you’re down in hell!” sneered the other.
“You two, stand down and shut up. I’ll talk with you once I’m done with him,” I snapped and turned back to Crozan. Seeing the sneer still fixed on his face, I couldn’t hold back any longer. I pulled him up by his good arm, then cleaved it off with my sword and threw it aside. He cried out for a long moment, but then just gritted his teeth and glared at me as if daring to go all the way. I did.
&nb
sp; “And now the legs, my Lord?” Slayer joked as he stepped up beside me, putting a hand on my shoulder.
“Pick up his right leg,” I nodded, “then the left.”
Slayer did as ordered, but even he looked away as I cut the remaining two limbs off.
Crozan was out of it, mumbling something as he lay there in a puddle of his own blood and piss. So it seemed he could be broken after all.
I leaned in over the pitiful stump of a Vampire that remained, “Who are the Elves?”
His mouth opened, but no sound came out. I turned to face the two. They didn’t appear to be happy with my question in the least, either afraid of me learning the truth or something else. I couldn’t figure out which at that instant.
“What are we going to do with the Elves, my Lord?” Grestal asked as he stepped up beside me along with Calina.
“Guard them for now,” I sighed, “They may have helped at a crucial moment, but that doesn’t mean shit since they have some relationship with this bastard here.”
“They’re Lefrand’s bitches,” Crozan’s laugh rattled up from the ground; he seemed to have come to for a moment. “He’s been fucking and drinking them for centuries now.”
The women turned away, embarrassed. Now that was quite a turn of events.
I pinned them with my gaze, “Is that true?”
“Yes, it is. He’s been torturing us for as long as we can remember,” the one with the daggers replied. “My name is Sylvana, and Helena here is my sister.”
“Protect them and finish the rest of these soldiers off,” I said in reply to Grestal, nodding at the throng of soldiers.
“My Lord!” the younger man replied, grinned and stormed off after detailing a group of my men to guard them. I turned back to face Crozan and stared down at him. Or rather, what remained of him. He was a pitiful mess of meat and bone, death only inches away.
“Was it Lefrand?” I asked.
Crozan snorted, “Who do you think it was? His mother? Of course, it was him!”
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