章節 47: Chapter 47: Ghoulish Reunion

As they walked through the tomb, they grabbed a torch from the wall and Abraham lit it, revealing the scene just as he had predicted.

The tomb was littered with the bodies of humans, taken as slaves by the vampires, who had fallen victim to various traps around about twenty-five in total.

"Damn." Abraham whispered, his voice tinged with guilt, as he blamed himself for not acting sooner to prevent this.

Abraham had witnessed similar scenes before; vampires, much like humans, didn't value their food, treating them as mere tools or livestock.

"Now, Young Ricky, when you pull back on your bowstring, make sure to either let out a breath to steady your aim or take one in. I've seen it done both ways." Alexander reminded Ricky, informing him that even though he hadn't yet taught him the finer points of archery, as his teacher, he didn't want to see him slacking.

A faint ringing echoed in Ricky's head as he took a slight breath, pulling an arrow from his newly acquired quiver and knocking it on the bowstring.

The Solar Flare bow wrapped the regular arrow in a bed of flames as Ricky drew it back to his cheek. Without a moment's hesitation, he released the three fingers holding the bowstring.

The flaming arrow shot into the air, its fiery light illuminating the path of his vision.

"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" A ghoul's agonized shriek echoed through the air as the arrow pierced its twisted form.

The monster was instantly engulfed in the flames of the Solar Flare bow, its body consumed by the searing heat until it disintegrated into nothingness on the spot.

"What the!" Abraham looked up just in time, to see the ghoul burning up before only the arrow remained.

"Holy sh*t, I actually hit something." Ricky whispered under his breath, really only wanting to do a practice shot but instead, actually managed to already kill one.

His eyes widened after the light disappeared though it revealed the other two ghouls next to its dead brethren.

"Roll away, young Ricky!" Alexander commanded as his paws gripped onto Ricky's shoulder though he was already rolling away.

*BAM*

"A MERE HUMAN DARE!" As a ghoul appeared in the exact spot where Ricky had been, he swiftly pulled an arrow from his quiver and knocked it on the bowstring.

"THE LORD IS RIGHTEOUS, HE GUIDES THE FLAMES OF THE DAMNED TO PUNISH THOSE WHO HAVE STRAYED INTO THE DARKNESS!" Father Sebastion commanded, grabbing the torch from Abraham and morphing the flames of it into a goat.

The flaming goat charged forward, its blazing form cutting through the air with relentless speed.

Lowering its horns, it impaled the ghoul, driving its fiery essence deep into the creature's twisted flesh.

The ghoul writhed in agony as the searing heat consumed it from within, reducing it to ashes in a matter of moments.

"SCREEEEEE!" The ghoul burned through the holy fire, but Abraham, on the side, took out a crossbow and shot it at the ghoul just as it was about to lunge at Father Sebastian.

The ghoul didn't even get to launch off the ceiling before it was burnt to a crisp by the impact of the bolt.

"I didn't even realize that the ceiling was that high." Abraham let out a sharp exhale, his breath carrying the weight of realization as he glanced upward, noticing how the ceiling had seemingly crept closer, transforming their surroundings into a confining hall.

The walls, adorned with ancient glyphs and eerie carvings, seemed to whisper of long-forgotten secrets.

Ricky, undeterred by the ominous atmosphere, continued to draw his bow with a steady hand.

Sensing an impending danger, he didn't hesitate and released another flamed wrapped arrow as the arrow flew forth with a fierce velocity, leaving a trail of light in its wake.

Then amidst the shock of not only Ricky's eyes but the other two's, the arrow split its being into eight other projectiles in all directions as the light lit up the entire hall, it suddenly revealed twelve ghouls lying in wait.

"SCREEEEEEEEEEE!" Two stray arrows found their mark, embedding themselves into two ghouls.

The creatures let out piercing screeches of anguish, which only enraged the surrounding ghouls further.

"Uh oh." Ricky voiced the thoughts that were on everyone's minds when gazing at the small hoard, prompting both the priest and Abraham to immediately reach into their robes.

"KILL THEM!" A ghoul emitted a horrifying screech as it charged forward, followed closely by nine of its fellow brethren.

*DINK*

The nine ghouls were abruptly halted by an invisible barrier, slamming into it only to be seemingly stopped from this unknown force.

The two of Abraham and Father Sebastion looked at Ricky, who had conjured the unseen wall a short distance in front of them.

"Don't just sit there, f*cking do something!" Ricky yelled, gnashing his teeth at the two, who flinched but quickly resumed their tasks.

"The flames of my lord, guide me-"

"You think you're all that cause you killed a couple ghouls-"

Both Father Sebastion and Abraham muttered different incantations.

Father Sebastian commanded the torches to flame up and multiply, creating brilliant steeds that chased and warded off the ghouls.

Meanwhile, Abraham started dual-wielding crossbows, swiftly firing bolts at the approaching undead.

The air filled with the sound of hissing and screeching as the ghouls were met with a barrage of fiery projectiles and bolts, forcing them to retreat momentarily.

"Now child!" Father Sebastian shouted towards Ricky, who lowered the invisible walls and released his arrow.

It shot forward but narrowly missed its target, grazing the side of a ghoul, before the undead monstrosity sped up its haste towards the three.

"Dammit!" Ricky clicked his tongue, pulling out another arrow as a steadfast Alexander squinted his eyes.

"Keep your breathing calm Ricky, you're being too hasty." Alexander reassured Ricky, who focused on controlling his breathing as he pulled back his bowstring, all while watching Father Sebastian and Abraham launch their attacks.

The fiery steeds of Father Sebastian trekked through the air, rushing towards the oncoming ghouls with such ferocity.

Three more ghouls fell to the horses though the ones who sought to avoid the stray horses were buried in the waves of bolts shooting out of Abraham's crossbow.

Ricky, seeing four ghouls left, pulled back the arrow as he took a deep breath in and aimed at the center most one.

As he released his grip, the ghouls, having regained their senses, watched Father Sebastian and Abraham prepare for an attack with malicious smiles.

Yet, their sinister expressions transformed into shock as their pitch-black pupils reflected a swirling dove of flames.

The flames from the Solar Flare Bow combined with the Quiver Of Chance morphed into exquisite fiery doves, their presence commanding elegance from the very air they touched.

The doves circled gracefully around the arrow, their beauty and power creating a mesmerizing spectacle.

"Such beauty." A ghoul stopped dead in its tracks as the fiery sea of doves guided the arrow into the ghouls being.

Then in the next second, the doves covered the ghoul in a blinding light only for the next instance, his entire body had been completely swept away with the dove's brilliance before they guided the arrow towards the next ghoul.

"SCREEEEEEEEE!"

"NO! NO-SCREEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

"I SURRENDER, I-SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

The doves, although beautiful, were relentless in their pursuits as they immediately guided the arrow into the nearest ghoul, one after another.

As the last remaining ghoul burst into dust, the remaining creatures didn't advance but instead retreated in complete fear.

However, the doves' purpose had not been fulfilled as they surged forward with the arrow, sweeping away a ghoul determined to survive, before only one remained.

The lone ghoul tried to make its way towards the door, but the doves collided into its being, causing it to immediately disappear.

As if they had never been there in the first place, the only evidence of their existence was the lone arrow plunged into the ground.

"Woah." Ricky looked at his bow then back at the arrow as two shocked expressions turned back to him.

"How did you-"

"Child, how were you able to command holy flames?" Father Sebastion, misinterpreting the appearance of doves as they were one of the few holy animals of heaves, thinking that Ricky had conjured the holy flames into messengers of the heavens.

"Wait Seb, that kid isn't actually-"

"Child, we need to converse after this is all said and done." Father seriously spoke as Abrahm sighed heavily but Ricky only raised an eyebrow though shrugged it off.

"Alright." Ricky obviously wasn't to correct this misunderstanding that worked out in his favor as Abraham sneered at this total fraud.

"Alright, alright." Abraham whispered to himself in a condescending tone, mocking Ricky though stopped once Father Sebastion sent him a glare.

Continuing their trek towards the deepest region of this lost temple, Father Sebastion took the lead while guiding them through the countless littered bodies of those human captives that fell to the cruelty of the traps and taking the fate instead of these monsters.

Meanwhile in the center most region of the temple, the fake Dracula stood with an ecstatic expression as he gazed at a coffin.

"Open it, cattle." Dracula commanded the last ten of the original one hundred minions that remained.

Among these final ten were the abducted men, including the shopkeeper from long ago, Elijah.

The ten men wore defeated expressions, their faces marked by the inevitability of their doom.

Believing the coffin was a deathly trap, sealing their fate but even if they wanted to run they had no choice in front of these monsters and, with heavy hearts, walked forward, pushing the coffin.

"SCREEEEEEEEEE!" The screams of the ghouls nested outside to keep out any intruders sounded to everyone in the room as Dracula had an ugly expression.

"Nexor, take the rest of the ghouls and kill that damn Van Helsing." Dracula commanded towards the ghoul leader, Nexor, nodding his head as he gazed at the eight remaining ghouls.

"At once Lord." Nexor seemingly flew forwards, crawling at rapid speeds as his small horde of ghouls followed him.

"HURRY UP YOU USELESS LOWLY BLOOD BAGS!" Dracula spoke in a fury, but if one listened closely, they could detect the anxiety underlying his tone.

The ghouls, led by Nexor, hurried through the halls, only to encounter the familiar figure wearing an arrogant and narcissistic smile.

"It is you." Nexor hissed, recognizing the figure shooting arrows as the same human from before.

Watching Ricky release an arrow and pierce the last ghoul in front of him, seeing his brethren morph into ash.

"It is me!" Ricky antagonized Nexor with a laugh, drawing his arrow back and firing it right at Nexor's heart.

The arrow barreled forward as it started playing an infectious tune though Nexor dodged the arrow with ease.

The arrow missed its mark though as it dug into the ground, its impact creating a mesmerizing music, charming enemies and luring them away from Ricky.

Even Nexor had his gaze stolen for a second, his eyes glazed momentarily until they suddenly returned to its original necrotic state as he furiously gazed at his brethren running towards it.

"SNAP OUT OF IT YOU FOOLS-"

"AND GOD SENT HIS CHARIOT OF FLAMES!" Father Sebastian roared, and Nexor instinctively flew backward in an instant.

His eyes locked onto the golden chariot of flames, fury igniting within him though he remained calm.

Instead of confronting the flames directly, he turned and sped towards the arrow that had ensnared his brethren.

Moving at unfathomable speeds, Nexor snatched the enchanted arrow and, in the next instant, hurled it towards the chariot.

*BOOM*

The chariot exploded in a golden array, eviscerating the enchanted arrow and snapping the ghouls out of their trance.

Abraham wasn't idle; he swiftly grabbed his crossbows and unleashed a rapid wave of bolts at the gathered ghouls.

Nexor swiped his hands through the air, creating a powerful gust that blew away all of the bolt's from mid-air.

"Ah, if it isn't the pitiful Abraham." Nexor taunted Abraham, the ghouls behind him snickering while Van Helsing frowned.

"Nexor." Abraham instantly recognized the ghoul, who politely bowed as it introduced itself.

"Why are you here, shouldn't you be sucking Dracula's cock back in Transylvania?" Abraham hatefully seethed, Father Sebastion nudging him but the old man was firm in his insult.

"Oh, Abraham, and they say our mouths are the one's filled with rotten flesh." Nexor chuckled, his gaze mocking while Abraham crossed his arms, his expression one of deep-seated hatred.

"Do you know this guy?" Ricky whispered to Father Sebastion who unfortunately nodded.

"That is Nexor, an elite ghoul who should be under Dracula." Father Sebastian whispered back, but it did little to help Ricky understand the situation.

"Why aren't you serving Dracula-"

"Abraham, unlike you, everyone changes with time. Not all of us are stuck in the past," Nexor taunted, knowing exactly which buttons to press as Abraham gripped his crossbows tightly in response.

*Bang*

"Cute." Nexor grabbed the crossbolt mid-air, snapping it between his boney fingers then throwing it away.

"You never were one for conversation, it must be why you're hanging around that one." Nexor then gazed at Ricky, raising his gaze.

"Mutant, have you thought of my proposal?" Nexor asked, tilting his head though Ricky wore an ugly expression.

"And be a rotten flesh bag?" Ricky surveyed the ghouls, his distaste growing as he looked past their horrid smell.

Their appearance was so grotesque that not even a mother could love them and Ricky was too narcissistic to give his looks up for mere strength.

"Yeah, I'll pass." Ricky declined, Nexor shrugging since the life of a ghoul wasn't for everyone and understood.

"Very well, then I guess I'll just eat your flesh." Nexor let out a malicious grin, revealing his sharp, triple-row of teeth.

"Kill the priest and Van Helsing, I'll dine alone on the mutant." Nexor flicked his hand, a green smog hovering around his horde.

*CRACK*

"F*cking flesh magic." Abraham sneered under his breath, watching Nexor control the flesh of his fellow ghouls and strengthen them.

"What the hell is flesh magic-"

*BAM*

Ricky's head throbbed as he instinctively raised his barrier as Nexor slammed his fist into it, his smile turning into a carnivorous grin.

"You should really learn to read the context of the situation." Nexor mocked Ricky, observing him from behind the mental barrier as Ricky pulled back his bowstring.

"Contextualize this!" Ricky didn't have a better comeback, saying the first thing that came to his mind and releasing the arrow.

"Contextualize this, really?" Abraham laughed from the side, being thrown to the side but killing a ghoul.

"Oh shut up, I can't always hit the mark." Ricky yelled, Nexor inspecting the barrier with intrigue since it had grown stronger.

"Literally." Father Sebastion unconsciously retorted, widening his eyes and realizing what he had done.

"Father!" Ricky yelled at Father Sebastion, seeing his guilt ridden face only for Nexor to laugh out.

*CRACK*

Nexor slammed his fist into a certain spot which made the barrier splinter, causing Ricky to gaze to the side in horror.

"What the-"

"Young Ricky, your foe has deduced the blindspot in your barrier." Alexander, obviously attuned to this part of Ricky's power, immediately spoke.

Alexander had kept it to himself, planning to cover it in his training, but he hadn't expected Nexor to figure it out in just two encounters.

"Dammit." Ricky only winced at his barrier being broken, turning his bow and arrow to Nexor before suddenly turning the table.

In the next second, Ricky wrapped Nexor in his own barrier before straining his mind to repair the damages instantaneously.

"Oh my, you've grown." Nexor complimented, watching with amusement as Ricky released his fiery arrow, only for it to be suddenly interrupted by the explosion of Nexor's fist.

*Boom*

The arrow pierced Nexor's fist, but the projectile exploded in a burst of flesh as the ghoul sacrificed his arm to absorb the impact.

"To think you've managed to actually destroy one of my appendages, I suppose I cannot toy with you any longer." Nexor then transformed the flesh into an acidic substance, compelling Ricky to drop the barrier as the corrosive effect ate through it.

However instead of attacking Ricky, the ghoul leaped towards Father Sebastion sparking Abraham's attention.

*BAM*

In this splitting attention, the ghouls fighting Abraham suddenly managed to lay an attack with Father Sebastion preparing a spell.

Only that Nexor quickly ran past him, his eyes gleaming at Abraham only for a light to appear behind him.

Without even a second of hesitation, Nexor grabbed a nearby ghoul and threw it behind him without looking.

"SCREEEEEEEEEEEE!"

The sounds signified the ghoul being pierced by the arrow with Ricky, surprised by the sacrifice, realizing he should have anticipated such a move.

*Sigh*

"Dammit." Ricky, already bloodshot in his right eye, knew he had to act if he wanted to keep up this hero's bravado in front of Father Sebastion.

*BAM*

"Argh." Ricky grunted, Nexor smashing through the blindspot of the barrier seemingly already predicting he would act, though Abraham smiled.

"You!" Nexor yelled at Abraham, seeing him reveal a holy grenade from his own pocket forcing the ghoul to back up.

However instead of a blinding flash of his self sacrifice, Abraham pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it on the ground.

"Did he just bluff Nexor?" Ricky unconsciously asked out, seeing Nexor furiously swipe in the smoke.

"And that kid, is how you blend into the shadows." Abraham appeared next to the two of them, holding the pulled holy grenade.

"Also, it wasn't a bluff, just had a defective firing pin." Abraham then threw the holy grenade at Nexor who immediately turned around.

Without pausing to line up his shot, Abraham fired his crossbow at the grenade mid-air as an explosive white light burst forth, blinding everyone in the vicinity.

Gnashing his sharp teeth, Nexor ripped out a chunk of the wall as the surroundings were completely covered in a holy light.

*WHOOSH*

Then in the next second, the light condensed back revealing the scene of all two more ghouls fading into obscurity.

"I see you haven't lost your touch, Abraham," Nexor remarked, his tone dripping with a twisted form of admiration as he glanced to the side.

Nexor saw his brethren being torn apart, the holy magic slowly whittling their numbers and seeing the situation he closed his eyes with slight heartache.

"Forgive me brothers."

"SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Then in the next second, Nexor' eyes flashed in a green light as his last four let out pained screams.

As the three of them saw the situation shift in Nexor's favor, he extended his hands, causing the ghouls to squirm in place as if they were puppets under his command.

"CHILD STOP HIM, HE IS HARNESSING HIS FELLOW GHOULS TO CAST ADVANCED FLESH MAGIC!" Father Sebastion, not able to cast fast enough, urgently requested of Ricky who had already drawn his bowstring.

"Already on it, father." Ricky calmly said, releasing the arrow as he watched the rotten flash on the ghouls melt from their bones in such a grotusque way.

At first glance, the arrow appeared ordinary, but as its light flared and then dimmed, leaving shadows in its wake, dark spears of tendrils shot out from behind it, all converging directly on Nexor.

"You're too late." Nexor's calm voice sent a shiver through all of their bodies.

His hands glowing with a bright green light, the melted flesh of his fallen brethren began to coalesce into a sludge-like abomination, encircling Nexor in a grotesque mass.

As the tendrils made contact with the rotting sludge of flesh, instead of repelling it, they absorbed it into their mass, seemingly empowering the grotesque formation.

"Dammit!" Abraham holstered one of his crossbows and pulled out a high-grade bottle of holy water, a level below the one that Ricky had stolen from him.

"What is happening?" Ricky asked with disgust, firing arrows at the sludge wall which dinked off to the side or were absorbed to with no effect.

"Kid, get back-" Abraham pushed Ricky back, stepping forward towards the sludge-like abomination slithering around Nexor.

"I shall end this farce here." Nexor calmly pointed, commanding the flesh wall into a tsunami and thrusting it towards the three of them.

Countless faces formed on its towering wave, their anguished wails ringing out in a deafening screech as it sought to swallow the three of them whole.

"YOUNG RICKY, YOU MUST USE YOUR POWER! THE BOW WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO COUNTER THIS MAGIC!" Alexander quickly informed him as Ricky didn't hesitate to put up his barrier and reinforcing it to its extreme.

"What are you-" Abraham was on the verge of acting when Ricky abruptly yanked his collar back.

His eyes widened in alarm as he reached out, fearing that the kid was about to sacrifice himself.

"DON'T!" Abraham yelled instinctively, only for Ricky to kick his jaw and yell at his gerbil.

"I know, I was just waiting for that douchebag to finally use magic on me!" Ricky grunted as he activated his forcefield, just in time for the flesh tsunami to crash against his shield.

"HOLD IT STEADY KID OR WE'RE FINISHED!" Abraham yelled his weird words of encouragement as Father Sebastion started casting a holy spell.

"NO SH*T!" Ricky shouted, bracing himself as he waited for the precise moment to make his move.

The screams of the tortured rang in their ears, the force pushing and pulling against Ricky's mind while holding it steady.

Ricky gritted his teeth, his fingers turning white from the strain as they began to shake but despite the pressure, a wide smile spread across his face as he sensed the timing was perfect.

"FULL COUNTER!" Ricky yelled once the conditions were fulfilled, swiping his bow as a small light shining in the middle of the flesh before it completely shot backwards at Nexor.

"H-How?" Nexor saw his towering flesh tsunami double in strength and redirect itself at Nexor who tried to maneuver his hands basked in pale green light.

But those walls didn't answer his call, the wails convulsing into angered riddled roars as the hollow faced eagerly gazed at Necrotic with only one intention, to consume.

"Master, look-" Nexor eye's were coated red, too weak to dodge or repel as the faces of the rotten flesh collided into his monstrous being while seemingly eating him whole.

The flesh splattered all over the area, almost covering the three of them before Ricky put up his shield again to block the spray of rotten flesh.

Ricky commanded his mental barrier to part, pushing aside the rotting flesh to reveal the horrific scene before them.

The walls and floors were coated in a thick layer of putrid flesh, exuding an unbearable stench that made Ricky immediately use the barrier to form an astronaut-like helmet around his head to block out the smell.

Amid the devastation, Ricky's gaze settled on the half-consumed remains of Nexor, a grisly testament to the chaos that had unfolded.

Nexor's strength and magical power were completely depleted, leaving him unable to scream.

The last vestiges of his self-preservation instinct drove him to crawl away, but he failed in his desperate struggle.

As the grotesque faces of the flesh consumed him, they slowly withered away, about to leave nothing behind except his regret.

Before the three could even turn their gaze toward the entrance of the tomb, a blinding light burst through the hallway, streaming all the way to the entrance.

Jake, Chores, and Barko, standing at the threshold, were taken aback by the intense radiance that illuminated the cavernous space.

"What was that?" Barko asked as Jake bit his lip, looking at the entrance before back at the front.

"Screw it!" Jake shouted, charging into the tomb with urgency, causing Chores and Barko to flinch at his sudden movement.

"Wait Jake, Slick told us to stay here-"

"Then stay here!" Jake countered Chores as the latter gazed at Barko who shrugged

*Sigh*

"Let's go." Chores then ran forwards with Barko following close behind.

"NO!" Abraham yelled with horrified eyes as he gazed at the entrance to the center most part of the tomb.

"You're too late, my lord has won." Nexor closed his eyes with a victorious smile as the last of his being was eaten away, accepting this defeat for his lord's victory.

Abraham jerked his head to the entrance while taking out one of the vials designated for the supposed real Dracula.

"You two wait here, I'll take care of him!"

評論 11條評論

投票

章節 48: Chapter 48: Imposter Revealed

*BAM*

Abraham barely stepped through the entrance when a force blasted him back, hurling him into a heap of rotten flesh.

*PFFFT*

Ricky burst into laughter as he watched Abraham sink into the rotten flesh, while Father Sebastian called out in concern.

"ABRAHAM-"

"Wait Father, he did say he would handle this after all." Ricky replied in a condescending tone as he saw the disgusted face of Abraham claw his way out of the meat pile.

"If it isn't the notorious Abraham van Helsing, the blood bag that has haunted my ignorant father for the last century." A call resounded from the entrance but Abraham's disgust wasn't on being covered in the pungent flesh, but at the being who threw him into it.

"Xarus Tepes." Abraham walked back into the entrance before Ricky and Father Sebastion followed him to see the sight of the vampire masscarding as Dracula himself, his son Xarus Tepes.

"I am very honored that you remembered me, but alas, I shouldn't be surprised since my notoriety is as vast as your reputation after all." Xarus arrogantly spoke, adorned in a shining orange pendant.

Xarus had a very thin frame as his deathly pale skin cast an eerie glow while his spiky black hair stood tall while wearing the clothes of a British noble.

"Who is he?" Ricky leaned over to ask Father Sebatison who also leaned in.

"He's one of Dracula's son though he is quite weak-"

"WEAK, A MERE HUMAN DARES TO CALL ME, XARUS TEPES THIRD SON OF DRACULA, WEAK!" Xarus roared, his eyes strained as the amulet radiated in a bright light before that familiar gord was levitated above him.

*BOOM*

*CRACK*

In a split second, Ricky felt the danger and put up his barrier right as a blood spear amplified to a frightening degree and was shot at him at unparalleled speeds.

The blood spear slammed into Ricky, creating a medium-sized crack in his barrier as Ricky let out a haggard breath, the force of the impact clearly taking its toll.

'Full counter'

*BOOOOM*

*BAM*

The blood spear was then hurled back at Xarus with doubled strength, trailing a large cloud of dust in its wake.

"Hmmmmmm, that is very troubling." The dust cleared to reveal Xarus with only a slight incision of his cheek which quickly healed up.

"I suppose I didn't see it wrong within the eyes of my minion, you can really repel magic attacks back at the user with twice the power, very interesting." Xarus brushed the dust from his clothes before hovering back above the coffin.

"What's with a sudden change in behavior-" Ricky asked, trying to assess what was happening as the atmosphere suddenly switched.

"You fool, do you think I'd be distraught by the mere words of a lowly priest?" Xarus scoffed as Ricky scrunched his eyebrows.

"I simply lured you into the train of thought that I was retaliating out of anger to assess your unique magic." Xarus admitted, looking at his fingers while Ricky suddenly became on guard.

"KID GET READY-"

"But can it redirect regular physical attacks?" Xarus curiously asked, however this time, he was right in front of Ricky shield.

*BAM*

Xarus collided his fist into the barrier with a mind numbing force, Ricky's eyebrow twitched from the strain as a slight sonic wave rippled out in result of the collision.

"Hmmmmmm." Xarus rubbed his chin while not even giving Abraham nor Father Sebastion the time of day as if them preparing for their attacks weren't a threat to him at all.

"Let's see something, shall we?" Xarus disappeared and reappeared next to the ten black men while using his magic to lift them into the air.

"RICKY, DON'T DROP THE BARRIER!" Abraham commanded while Father Sebastian controlled his spell with another agenda.

"DROP THE BARRIER RICKY, WE MUST SAVE THEM!" Father Sebastion yelled, causing Ricky to grit his teeth as he suddenly saw the ten men thrown at him.

"DAMMIT!" Ricky yelled since he still wanted to be in Father Sebastion good faith, choosing him while slightly dropping the barrier as Xarus dashed upon throwing the men at them.

Ricky then waited for the men to cross a certain threshold before creating a thin wall on the other side of them right as Xarus collided into it.

"Oh I see, you can control these barriers into different forms instead of a mere circle." Xarus nodded his head, deducing more of his powers upon seeing it firsthand for the second time.

Xarus then backed up in the literal next second as Ricky formed mental spikes and shot them forward at Xarus who easily dodged them.

Although Xarus couldn't actually see them, his ability to perceive his surroundings was heighted to such degree's that he could sense them.

"Tsk, tsk, you still have a long way to go." Xarus easily dodged the attempts as he turned his pessimistic gaze towards Ricky who was smirking.

"What are you-SHIELD!" Xarus asked only to suddenly cast out a spell upon seeing Abrahm crushing a vial.

Abraham couldn't wield magic from within, but he could manipulate any magic in the air. The vial he had just crushed released a surge of dense magic, which he quickly seized control of.

Channeling the magic into his hands, a bright light suddenly erupted as Abraham crushed the supreme holy water in his grasp to combine the two forces in a terrifying holy spell.

In response, Xarus enveloped himself in layer after layer of blood shields, preparing for the impending clash.

"PURIFYING EMBRACE!" Abraham roared as the concoction he seemingly brewed formed into a beautiful angel.

It didn't show any malice when gazing at the unholy Xarus, but instead, held out its golden arms and took the blood shields into its embrace.

No distaste could be deciphered or hatred could be seen on the angel's face but instead it wept in sorrow, tears for this being set on the wrong path as it started to purify it.

Abraham fell to his knees from the strain, the tips of his finger's peeling from the backlash since a being without any magic trying to control something with such a vast amount of magic, had no protection against the brunt of the spell.

"ABRAHAM!" Father Sebastion, after sending the last of the enslaved men out the doors, rushed to his friend's aide while immediately grabbing onto him.

The last enslaved man didn't leave immediately and instead, he glanced back at Ricky with a look of solemn gratitude before slowly limping out of the door.

Ricky on the other hand, was starting to pull out his one-time use items since his mind was still blaring signaling that this probably wasn't enough.

Father Sebastion shared in the strain as his magic pool was all but drained, yet sought in an attempt to save Abrham's life.

The light ceased in the surroundings and Father Sebastion was the one who collapsed while the exhausted Abraham tiredly caught him.

The fingers holding Father Sebastion had the tips, including his nails, completely ripped off with his bleeding flesh staining his priestly robes.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The maniacal laughter of Xarus let out as burn marks littered his being but it was only smaller regions of his body, showing no fatal harm.

However much to his pain, they weren't going away as his healing factor couldn't heal something so pure without help from outside dark forces.

"Don't tell me this was what you were to use on my father?" Xarus covered his face in ridicule as Abraham's expression sank at only him having a couple burn marks.

"You only withstood it because of that amulet-"

"Oh come on Abraham, we both know that those words are false." Xarus shook his head, hovering in the air while wagging his finger as Ricky focused intently at the side while they conversed.

Alexander quickly rushed to his shoulder, Ricky squinting as if focusing on a certain area.

"Maybe twenty years ago when you actually had your core could you have killed me, but let's face it Abraham, your age has finally caught up with you." Xarus pointed at him with a smirk as Alexander whispered in Ricky's ears.

"No that's-"

"Now don't worry, after I've brutally murdered these two before your very eyes, I'll make you into my pet ghoul where you'll serve in my army against my foolish father." Xarus laughed in excitement at this project as Abraham flinched.

"You would go against your lord-" Abraham asked, knowing the hierarchical nature of the Vampire race.

"HE IS NOT MY LORD-"

*Ahem*

"Dracula merely f*cked some whore to create me along with a spell, he is not my master for it." Xarus corrected as he stuck out his hand.

*SPALT*

Then to Xarus' astonishment and Abrahram's, invisible spikes impaled his being from all sides as Ricky had been controlling his mental barrier to wholly wrap around Xarus before curling them into various spears.

*COUGH*

Xarus coughed up a large mouthful of blood as Abrham turned his head towards the already celebrating Ricky.

"YOU IDIOT, YOU-"

"Should've gone for my head." Xarus suddenly teleported using magic in front of Ricky.

*BAM*

*COUGH*

*CRACK*

*SPLAT*

Ricky's instincts screamed danger, but before he could react, Xarus's fist slammed into his chest with a bone-crushing force.

The impact shattered all of Ricky's ribs in an instant, sending a shockwave of pain through his body.

Blood gushed from Ricky's mouth in a huge, crimson arc as the force of the blow hurled him backward.

His body sailed through the air, crashing through the entrance and landing outside with a heavy thud, leaving him gasping for breath and writhing in agony.

"KID!" Abraham screeched in despair, watching the horrifying sight of Ricky's chest caving in as Xarus surprisingly didn't chase after him but arrogantly looked back at Abraham.

"Now where was I? Oh yes, I'm going to slaughter your little comrades in front of you then make you into a ghoul." Xarus elegantly walked over to Abrahm and pushed him aside while holding a drained and passed out Father Sebastion over Abraham.

"Young Ricky, YOUNG RICKY!" Alexander, who had barely hung onto Ricky's shoulder, patted his summoner's cheek.

"No, no, no, no!" Alexander yelled in immense guilt since the entire idea of attacking Xarus the way Ricky did was his idea.

Though neither of them knew that the only way to kill a noble vampire was to cut off their head or put them into an animated state with a wooden stake.

However Ricky was the one to pay the price of their foolish mistake while Alexander could only helplessly watch.

*CRACK*

Then in the next second, Ricky's accelerated healing began to take effect.

His shattered ribs slowly cracked back into place, each bone painfully realigning with a series of grating sounds.

As the last rib settled, Ricky let out a small, relieved breath from his dried lips, his body still trembling from the ordeal.

"Oh god~" Ricky whined out, grabbing his caved chest which was slowly healing in such a grotesque way back to its original formation.

Though the healing process wasn't instantaneous and might take thirty minutes to an hour, Ricky didn't want to move.

Alexander, however, was already jumping on his shoulder, not allowing for him to wallow in such a defeated state.

"Young Ricky, you must stand against the mighty foe of pain and reclaim the glory that was stolen from you!" Alexander quickly informed him though RIcky waved his hand.

"I give up." Ricky said in a painful tone, shaking his head to dissuade Alexander though he only infuriated him.

"IF YOU GIVE UP THEN YOU'LL DIE, DO WANT TO DIE!" Alexander slapped Ricky's face though it barely made a dent though they did have merit.

"Of course not, I wanted to kill that bastard but it's just really hard-OW!" Ricky slightly whined only to have Alexander poke his cheek with a small toothpick-like spear.

"If you die here, then everything you've accomplished will be for nothing." Alexander spoke to Ricky with a serious tone, causing Ricky to fall silent.

*Sigh*

'Yeah, he's right. I've wasted too much time preparing to just give up now.' Ricky thought, as Alexander's favorability toward him subtly increased.

Alexander's Favorability: 58 (+33)

"Exactly, now get up so we can hatch our surprise attack!" Alexander, reaching above fifty, could hear Ricky's directed thoughts toward him as he sighed.

"Fine, let's get this over with already."

"ARGH!" Father Sebastion let out a pained grunt as Xarus held his neck in front of Abraham who was clawing at his feet.

"LET HIM GO YOU BASTARD!" Abraham roared, his eyes furious while scratching at the vampire's ankle.

"Not until I've tortured him for at least another ten minutes-really?" Xarus was about to make him suffer even more until he caught a flaming arrow without even looking.

Turning towards the side, Xarus saw the angered Ricky yelling at a small gerbil covered in ancient greek armor.

"You said it would work!" Ricky yelled while Alexander scratched his head since his surprise attacks always worked like that.

*BOOM*

The arrow suddenly exploded in Xarus' hand as he instantly flew back and let go of Father Sebastian as Abraham caught him.

"SEE!" Alexander pointed after the arrow conveniently exploded in Xarus' hands as Ricky scoffed, drawing his bow back once more.

"That was simply convenient, nothing more!" Ricky pulled the arrow back once the smoke cleared to a clearly furious Xarus.

"How are you alive!" Xarus said though his question was answered after seeing Ricky's chest slowly inflating up as he scoffed.

"Luck?" Ricky tilted his head, firing the arrow as Xarus dodged it only for it to suddenly turn into a sentient plant and wrap itself around him.

"What is this?!" Xarus fought to break free, but the more he struggled, the fiercer the plant's grip became.

"What are you doing young Ricky, the plan-" Alexander, who had clearly laid out a detailed plan, saw Ricky completely take it off the tracks of reason.

"Your plans keep getting my ass kicked, we're going with my plan." Ricky grabbed the one off item, Stormcaller's Conduit, and held it up into the sky.

*BOOM*

A burst of lightning exploded into the air, forcing Xarus to halt his movements as he squinted at the sudden thunderclouds forming ominously above him.

As Xarus stopped moving, the sentient plant loosened its grip and fell off him, revealing its trap-like nature which was similar to a Chinese finger trap.

Xarus tried to lunge at Ricky, but a blast of lightning crashed down on him, sending him flying backward as a trail of lightning strikes followed his every movement.

Ricky in this time, was aiming his bow at Xarus, though he was horribly missing every shot as the vampire was too fast for him to comprehend.

"Focus young Ricky, find the trail-"

"I AM FOCUSING, BUT IT'S HARD WHEN THERE'S SOMEONE WHISPERING IN MY EAR!" Ricky yelled as he released his arrow, which burst into sparkling fireworks as the explosion created a wide area effect, striking Xarus directly.

"Young Ricky, fly up!" Alexander yelled, and Ricky swiftly used his psychic powers to control a pillar, launching himself upward just as Xarus's fist crashed down where he had been standing.

Ricky's eyes gleamed as he swiftly drew back his bow as the arrow shot through the air with lightning speed, striking Xarus in the shoulder.

"You coward, fight me like a man!" Xarus yelled in frustration as Ricky's tactics grew increasingly irksome.

Ricky began forming invisible walkways and sprinted away along them, further aggravating the noble vampire.

"No!" Ricky yelled back, pulling back his bow and arrow then shooting it at Xarus.

Meanwhile, Abraham carried the unconscious Father Sebastian on his shoulder as he glanced at the chaotic scene, then turned his gaze to his only true friend in the world, feeling the weight of the moment.

Abraham thought it was a high-class vampire, but he never would have guessed it was one of Dracula's children as he knew Dracula kept them all on a tight leash.

Xarus needed his entire focus which he couldn't give with his friend in this state, deciding to make a decision that might forever haunt him.

"Kid, I know it's a lot but it's up to you." Abraham shamelessly called out as he retreated from the temple, while Ricky readied his bow and took another shot.

In essence, Ricky was pushing himself to the limit, transforming the room into a labyrinth.

He filled it with various walls and psychic constructs, all designed to frustrate and disorient Xarus.

*DINK*

Xarus tried to dodge to the side, only to smack his face into an invisible wall as the arrow morphed into a flaming net that covered him.

"Wait, what do you mean-" Ricky just registered Abraham's words, realizing that the man was completely ditching him.

*BOOM*

"That's it." Xarus's deadly voice rang out, causing Ricky's head to throb as he winced as the structures surrounding Xarus were completely eviscerated.

Abraham saw this state, seeing Xarus use the power of the amulet to forcefully propel himself to a higher level though Abraham merely turned away from the scene.

Biting his lip before shamelessly limping out of the entrance with Father Sebastian in his arms while leaving parting words.

"Sorry kid."

"YOU BASTARD-'' Ricky's eyes reddened as he watched Abraham flee.

But just as he prepared to drag him back, a sharp pain blared through his head once more.

"You will fall here, but you've proven useful so I'll reanimate you into my servant." Xarus spoke as the gourd hovering next to him started pouring out blood from it.

Ricky readied himself, every muscle tensed for the inevitable clash, but Xarus shifted tactics, his eyes narrowing with malevolent intent.

The blood swirling around him, a dark and ominous tide, surged with newfound aggression.

It lashed out violently though not directly at Ricky, slamming into the surrounding barriers within the room with a relentless fury.

The barriers trembled under the assault, their protective sheen cracking and warping as the blood's vicious strikes sought to break through.

Ricky watched, his head pounding, as Xarus's new strategy unfolded with a dangerous elegance.

"Argh." Ricky stumbled, reeling from the psychic backlash as Xarus methodically dismantled the weaker barriers.

He struggled to mount a full counter, his focus fractured by the intensity of the assault but before he could fully react, Xarus appeared suddenly before him.

Xarus's arm, suddenly brimming with explosive power, hurled itself toward Ricky as he managed to raise his barrier in time, but the impact was so forceful that a sonic boom resonated through the room, shaking the very air around them.

*BOOM*

*CRACK*

Ricky's nose and mouth bled out, though he forced himself to draw the bow back as the vampire suddenly dodged left only to go into his foot.

*BAM*

Ricky, who had been attacking solely with his bow, seized a moment of opportunity and with a swift motion, he drove his foot into Xarus's chin as the force of the kick sent the vampire's face snapping to the side.

"Did you really think-" Xarus chuckled, slowly turning back to Ricky with a sinister grin.

But before he could fully refocus, Ricky hurled the vial he had stolen from Abraham at him.

The vial shattered upon impact, releasing a highly potent holy water that caused Xarus to screech in pain

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Xarus screeched in agony, desperately covering his face as the substance caused his features to slowly melt away.

Ricky, still coughing up blood, grimaced in pain but steadied himself, drawing his bow once more as he prepared for the next move.

"JUST F*CKING DIE!" Ricky yelled at Xarus, his voice filled with fury as he unleashed a flurry of arrows.

One by one, the arrows struck the vampire, each impact driving him back and intensifying the battle's chaos.

"ENOUGH!"

*THOOM*

A wave of red shot out around Xarus, the arrows breaking and dismantling into nothing as the hateful vampire looked back at Ricky.

*BAM*

Ricky's eyes widened as he saw Xarus's fist slam into his own jaw, the vampire's speed having increased dramatically.

*BAM*

The force of the punch resonated through Ricky, causing the impact to register painfully in his ears as his jaw dislocated from the sheer force, almost tearing away from his face.

Skidding across the ground, Ricky struggled to regain his footing but before he could recover, the vampire appeared on the other side and delivered a powerful kick to Ricky's stomach, sending him flying upwards.

*BOOM*

*COUGH*

Ricky was propelled upward, crashing into the ceiling with a jarring impact as the force expelled all the air from his lungs, leaving him gasping.

His jaw wobbled with the force of the blow, adding to the disorienting agony as his body peeled off the ceiling and fell flat against the ground.

*Huff*

"I apologize for my uncouth behavior, but you're immensely frustrating." Xarus adjusted himself, confiding in Ricky who ground.

*Crack*

"I get that a lot." Ricky, cracking his jaw in place, looked up at the vampire regaining his previous deminor of elegance.

"Focus young Ricky, we can still claim victory!" Alexander, unlike Abraham, stood by Ricky and faced death with a warrior's honor while tucked into his shirt pocket.

"You say that, but he's really kicking my ass." Ricky sighed, trying to get up only to stumble onto the floor as Xarus chuckled.

"You're a surprising fellow, I never expected to find such an unpolished jewel here, but it seems a lot of treasures lay within America." Xarus strolled around, Ricky trying to regain his footing as the vampire hovered above him.

*DINK*

*SIGH*

Xarus sighed in irritation at Ricky's persistent resistance, watching as the human below him coughed up blood.

With renewed resolve, Xarus struck the barrier around Ricky again, shattering it with force.

As the barrier crumbled, he saw Ricky pouring every ounce of his remaining energy into his defense, desperately striving to stave off imminent death.

"Really, what happened to turning me into a ghoul?" Ricky breathlessly coughed up a mouthful of blood, asking Xarus who shrugged at him.

"You frustrate me on par with my father, what can I say?" Xarus wanted to kill him as of now, flicking the barrier before walking backwards.

"Any last words before I wipe you from existence itself?" Xarus curiously asked, Ricky letting out a sigh before managing to stand up.

"One question before I kill you." Ricky boldly proclaimed, pulling out a thimble and a vial from his inventory.

Xarus scoffed at this arrogance only seen in noble vampires, crossing his arms as the blood turned into thousands of weapons.

"Did you-"

*Whoosh*

Just as Ricky attempted to speak, Xarus took the opportunity to test him as he fired a small sliver of blood, no larger than a toothpick, striking dangerously close to Ricky's head.

Xarus watched with a cold nod, assessing his opponent's reaction, seeing how Ricky didn't even comprehend it.

"I apologize." Xarus chuckled, seeing Ricky's frown and gesturing to him.

"I wanted to test whether you could reflect magical attacks beyond your comprehension. It seems I was correct in my thoughts. Now, feel free to continue." Xarus spoke and as he did, he began rising into the air, the swirling blood around him forming an ominous aura.

"Did you kill Rocco?" Ricky demanded, his voice edged with desperation as he tightened his resolve.

"Oh, humans. Such an unruly herd of sheep," Xarus responded with a boisterous laugh, dismissing Ricky's question with contempt as his tone dripped with disdain.

His hands moved gracefully, orchestrating the blood into blades that began to cover the sky, a hauntingly beautiful display.

Ricky, meanwhile, was fixated on a blue screen visible only to him as his eyes locked with a certain item.

"I've watched your kind build and destroy countless marvels with their own hands. The cycle is endless." Xarus' words trailed off point, seemingly forgetting Ricky's question entirely as the swords of pure, shimmering energy danced through the air, their movements both mesmerizing and deadly.

"It is only right that vampires should rule in this new age." Xarus declared, his voice filled with conviction.

"My father clings to a world that has passed him by, expecting everything to fit neatly into place alongside him. But—"

"F*CKING HELL, DID YOU KILL ROCCO!" Ricky's roar cut through Xarus's monologue, his frustration boiling over as Xarus sighed, feigning ignorance.

"Who are you referring to? Ah, yes, Rocco. He was a delightful dessert after my main course. A sweet treat for such an exquisite meal." Xarus finally finished his taunt as the blood fully formed into thousands of deadly weapons, each one a testament to his power and cruelty.

Xarus had been studying Ricky's counter very closely however when he observed Ricky deflecting those attacks, it was when he was visibly conscious that he was able to counter them by swinging at the attack.

"Ha~" Ricky let out a cynical laugh, wiping away the blood and gazing at the spell hovering above him.

"What is this anyways, why don't you face me down here like a man or whatever thing you are." Ricky asked, wanting to get him closer to use his last card but Xarus merely shrugged.

"I want to test my future cards against my father, you've frustrated me enough that I've decided to wipe you from existence itself." Xarus' actions were genuine since in the vampire's mind, he won.

Ricky's mind was pushed to its limits, and though the pain was excruciating, the bow's damage wasn't enough to finish Xarus off.

The psychic attacks, while effective, couldn't deliver a killing blow fast enough because Xarus's barriers consistently intercepted them.

Frustrated, Xarus decided to deploy one of his trump cards, the very ones he had been saving for his father as he resolved to use this devastating power to finally destroy Ricky.

"Now, give into death and be the stepping stone towards my future conquest." Xarus laughed, intoxicated by the surge of power he felt as the levels of strength he had never experienced before.

The sheer intensity of the power exhilarated Xarus, amplifying his ruthless determination.

A thousand blood swords swirled around him, each one glowing with a menacing red plasma.

They encircled Ricky, forming a deadly constellation. As they aligned, they poised to strike from all sides simultaneously, a relentless assault that promised no escape.

"THOUSAND BLOOD BARRAGE!" Xarus commanded as the weapon thrust themselves towards Ricky at unparalleled speeds.

Xarus's face lit up with pure ecstasy at the sight of the lone man standing in his way of complete and utter domination.

He could already envision himself sitting on his father's throne, basking in the suffering of those he considered mere blood bags.

As a thousand weapons descended upon Ricky, he looked up at Xarus with a calm smile and with a resolute grip, he crushed the vial in his hands.

"F-o-o-l." Xarus commented, but it seemed to be in slow motion as a colorful aurora borealis suddenly burst forth, creating an illusionary landscape of northern lights.

The thousand blood projectiles hurtled toward Ricky at speeds that defied comprehension.

Despite his perception of them in slow motion, their velocity remained astonishing as they slammed into his last line of defense, a final, fragile barrier encircling him.

Each impact was a jarring shockwave, reverberating through his mind as he steeled himself against the relentless onslaught.

*COUGH*

*SPLAT*

However Ricky endured, feeling the impact of the thousand weapons piercing his mind, the strain causing him to vomit another mouthful of blood as he waited.

Then upon registering the final projectile, he tiredly swiped his bow across his body as Xarus's eyes slowly widened in shock.

'N-No, how can this mere human have something that slows the flow of time?' Xarus thought, feeling a pang of helplessness as although his mind raced in real time, his body was unable to keep up with the relentless pace, trapped in a state of unyielding inertia.

"Full counter."

Suddenly, a blinding flash erupted, engulfing the surroundings in a blinding light that seemed to consume all other colors.

The brilliance was so intense that it temporarily blinded everyone present and when the light subsided, the air crackled with magic energy, and the thousand blood projectiles were seen shooting back towards Xarus with a ferocity that defied comprehension.

The projectiles moved with double the speed and force, pushing Xarus's mind into overdrive as he frantically searched for a way to counter this imminent threat.

As time resumed its normal flow, the projectiles struck Xarus with a deafening impact as each projectile tore through his flesh yet his gaze remained firm.

*BOOOM*

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Xarus's body erupted with every ounce of magical power he could muster.

A blinding red light surged forth, cutting through the chaos as it battled against the relentless onslaught of the thousand blood swords.

Then in another second, Xarus' burning body fell to the ground with a loud thud yet instead of eviscerating into dust, he slowly gazed up at Ricky.

*HUFF*

Both of them let out ragged breaths as the ground around them rumbled, and the tomb's ancient structure began to crack and groan.

Ricky, barely conscious, bled from his eyes, mouth, nose, and ears, his vision locked on the charred form of Xarus.

The vampire had been forced to unleash the full extent of his power, exploding outward from within his own body to prevent his spell from tearing him into thousands of pieces.

Each of them had reached their limit, yet both of them slowly managed to stumble to their feet.

"Why won't you JUST DIE!" Xarus yelled out at Ricky, black blood coughed up in the process.

"BECAUSE YOU KILLED MY FRIEND YOU D*CK!" Ricky yelled back, also coughing up some blood while limping towards the vampire.

Xarus didn't remain still; he limped forward, each step signaling new cracks to splinter through the crumbling tomb.

The abandoned temple began to rumble violently, its structural integrity shattered by the spell Ricky had repelled.

The damage not only left Xarus in a state of near destruction but also threatened to collapse the very surroundings that had once been a sanctuary.

However, even when the debris fell from the ceiling and came crashing into the ground, both these men were focused on finishing the fight they started.

Xarus swung a fist across his body, but Ricky ducked and retaliated by driving his own fist into Xarus's charred side.

The force of the blow sent Xarus' body jerking to the side as Ricky immediately seized the opportunity.

Ricky followed up with a powerful punch to Xarus's jaw, causing the vampire to stumble back slightly.

Trying to capitalize on the opening, Xarus suddenly turned and drove his clawed hand into Ricky's stomach.

His sharp nails dug deep into Ricky's flesh, tearing through muscle and sinew with brutal efficiency which made Ricky let out a pain groan.

"A human could never defeat a vampire, we are the supreme race-" Xarus hissed at Ricky, trying to grab his heart only for the supposed human to smash his forehead into his nose.

"Jesus f*cking christ, do you ever shut up!" Ricky yelled, kicking Xarus leg causing him to fall to one knee.

Ricky seized Xarus's spiky hair and yanked it downward into his knee as the force of the impact not only fractured Ricky's own knee but also shattered Xarus's teeth.

An arc of black blood shot out of Xarus' nose as he fell to the ground, feeling dizzy as Ricky pulled out a dagger.

This was one of the daggers of Tel Megiddo, the very same one he borrowed from Abraham that is said to be able to kill the antichrist.

"S-Stop-" Xarus covered his face with one hand, outstretching his other but Ricky only sneered.

*BAM*

Without hesitation, Ricky delivered a powerful kick to Xarus's face, the impact jarring the vampire, plunging him back into a hazy state.

Ricky, reeling from the exhaustion and pain, stumbled over Xarus's crumpled form.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Xarus screeched out in pain, feeling the sacred dagger plunge in very specific spots all across his body.

"Young Ricky, what are you doing, cut off his head-"

"THIS IS FOR EDDY YOU F*CKING BASTARD!" Ricky, who had memorized Edward's hospital report at this point, started stabbing Xarus in all the places that made Edward paralyzed.

Edward was shot five times, each bullet striking him with brutal precision.

In a relentless fury, Ricky drove the dagger into Xarus at each location where Edward had been hit, targeting every wound with cold determination.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Xarus screeched out, never feeling such pain in his life as Ricky flipped the vampire on his back.

*CRACK*

Xarus' screeches were breathless upon Ricky driving the dagger into his spine, fracturing his vertebrae.

Grabbing a fistful of Xarus's spiky hair once more, Ricky yanked him upright as he pressed the dagger firmly against the vampire's neck, the blade poised to deliver a lethal strike.

"And this is for Rocco." Ricky hatefully whispered but instead of cutting it in one fell swoop, Ricky started slowly cutting his head off.

Xarus flailed like a fish out of water, choking on his own black blood as his blood red pupils shrunk.

Trying to halt Ricky's advances, the effects of the dagger left him too weak to even overpower Ricky physically as he could only wait for his own death.

In a final, brutal gesture, Ricky placed his foot on Xarus's shoulder and yanked back with all his might.

With a grotesque, wrenching motion, he tore the vampire's head from his body as the horrifying sound of blood splattering erupted, echoing through the crumbling tomb like a macabre symphony.

*Huff*

Ricky then turned Xarus to him, wanting this vampire's last sight to be the face of the man who had killed him.

Xarus's eyes, wide with shock and disbelief, locked onto Ricky, the source of his undoing while trying to comprehend how a mere human could have killed him.

Xarus could do nothing but watch helplessly as his entire body slowly turned into ash, until nothing remained.

*Dink*

The sun pendant dropped from where Xarus' body stood from before, rolling right beneath his feet as Ricky collapsed onto the ground.

*RUMBLE*

"Young Ricky, you are victorious-"

*COUGH*

*SPLAT*

Mouthfuls of blood were coughed up by Ricky as his eyes were completely bloodshot, the heavy strain from the entire fight putting him into a near death state, barely clinging to life.

Ricky had strained himself to the point where every movement felt agonizing as his muscles were literally torn with exhaustion, and he gasped for breath, pushing through the searing pain and fatigue that coursed through his body.

At this point, what kept him alive was his newfound healing ability, which worked to mitigate the rapid deterioration of his being.

However, while he would eventually heal, it would take time, time he didn't have at this current moment.

"Just go." Ricky defeatedly muttered out, gazing at the crumbling ceiling with blood and saliva dripping from the ends of his mouth.

"NEVER!" Alexander roared in defiance as cracks spiraled all across the ceiling.

"If you perish, then so shall I." Alexander stood firm on Ricky's shoulder, showing that he wouldn't let Ricky perish alone in his glorious moment.

The surroundings convulsed and he flashed a smile towards Alexander which showed the blood sticking to his pearly white teeth.

"Well at least I have my trophy." Ricky whispered condescending words as he picked up the amulet.

Holding it in his shaky hands, he saw the bright orange jewel convulsing with a mysterious power as the chain that held it firm had a dead language encrypted onto it.

However even when it was over, the grief never faded but twisted the hatred in his heart even more when looking at the pile of dust that became Xarus.

Deep down, in the layers of his heart, Ricky truly thought he would feel better after killing Xarus after all he had done to him.

But now, with everything said and done, Ricky felt a profound emptiness.

Having slain Dracula's son, he found himself more isolated than ever, his quest for revenge having done little to soothe the grief that enveloped him.

The victory felt hollow, leaving him alone with his sorrow, without even the solace of vengeance to ease his pain.

*Huff*

"You did it!" A baffled yell rang out, Ricky side-eyeing the shout to the entrance though instead of a familiar sight of his friends or Abraham, it was the shopkeeper Elijah.

"A SAVIOR, YOUR TIME HAS NOT COME YET! SAVIOR YOU MUST HELP HIM!" Alexander quickly rejoiced before pointing Elijah to Ricky and even though he didn't understand Alexander, he limped towards Ricky.

"Do I know you?" Ricky asked in a tired voice, raising an eyebrow as Elijah stumbled right before him while picking him up.

"No, I'm just some random cat you saved back there." Elijah said with a chuckle, slinging Ricky's arm over his shoulder and started to help him out.

Unlike the other nine men who had been helped by Father Sebastian, Elijah, a shopkeeper and father, gazed back at the commotion with a growing resolve.

To Ricky, Elijah was just a passing scene, an insignificant moment, but to Elijah, Ricky was someone who he couldn't help but hold respect for.

Madden, Dutch, and McGee had terrorized Elijah and his shop for years, yet no one had ever lifted a finger to help him.

The madame had assisted occasionally, but when it came time to cough up bogus collections, no one had supported him, until Ricky had changed everything.

To Ricky, it was a simple way to change the club's ownership and increase revenue by letting everyone in.

But to Elijah and the other residents of Harlem, it was like night and day.

The change to Ricky was miniscule, but he had affected the community to such a degree that almost everyone in the neighborhood knew of his deeds.

Even when he was reduced to nothing more than a mere slave, Ricky had somehow come to his rescue.

The depth of that gesture weighed heavily on him; he couldn't simply ignore such an act of salvation.

He felt a profound sense of obligation, knowing that he had to acknowledge and repay the help that had been so freely given.

So when he saw Abraham carrying Father Sebastian away from the fight and Ricky standing alone, Elijah sprang forward.

To his awe, Elijah witnessed Ricky destroy the being that had enslaved him that he never thought possible from human hands.

In that moment, Elijah saw in Ricky the very thing he desired most, he saw a man who wasn't afraid to sacrifice himself for his own freedom.

*COUGH*

*SPLAT*

Ricky coughed up another heaping of blood, the toll of the battle evident on his body.

As the tomb began collapsing behind them, Ricky felt a wave of despair wash over him, believing all hope was lost.

However, just as he was about to succumb to the overwhelming odds, he noticed three figures appearing in the distance.

"CHORES GRAB THEM QUICKLY!" Jake yelled as Chores barreled forward towards the two.

Rushing forward, he scooped them up as if they were mere children and started running back towards the entrance.

"MOVE TO THE LEFT, THE STRUCTURE WILL COLLAPSE ON THE RIGHT!" Barko yelled as right as they all moved to the left side of the hall, the right side had started to completely cave in.

They were running against time as Chores, Jake, and Barko all started their last ditch effort to save the man that had saved them all those times before.

'God I need a drink.'

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