11. Clash of Silver and Steel

Julius rolled out of the way of Mathias' swing as he sat there for a moment breathing heavily fighting through the pain in his chest as he took the moment to glance down quickly and seeing the stake that was lodged just below his heart. Close call, a very close call.

"Keep your eyes on the battle Julius!" Mathias yelled as he slammed his blade down upon Julius' shoulder cutting into him as burning pain shit through him as he grit his teeth baring his fangs at the man before grabbing the blade with his left hand gripping it as his hand burned from the contact with the silver.

Julius swung his blade upward catching Mathias across the chest as he stumbled back pulling his blade out of Julius' shoulder as he hissed in pain. Putting a hand on his shoulder he stared Mathias down.

"Are you holding back on me Mathias? or are you just rusty?" Julius spat at the man as he slowly stood up his body throbbing with pain. He was fighting a losing battle. One he couldn't afford to lose. But at this rate he was beginning to have his doubts. Being caught with his pants down had left him in a spot he didn't want to be in.

Was this just the universes way of getting back at him? He thought to himself as he slowly caught his breath and stabilized himself he took a stance holding his blade to his side as his left arm hang limp. If only he could get just a drop of blood. His healing factor could kick in just a bit enough for him to use his left arm just enough to make a difference in the fight in front of him. He had to have just brought a simple hunting knife.

"Sorry for disappointing you with a little leniency how about I change things up?" Mathias spoke as he slowly pulled out a silver tipped stake from loop in his belt taking a stand that rested his sword on the arm that held the stake.

Taking a deep breath Julius lunged at Mathias with a horizontal strike as Mathias spun around swinging his blade upwards as the two connected clashing with each other as the screech of metal upon metal rang out through the night sky. As they continued to trade blows the smell of heavy smoke wafted into Julius' nose as his eyes widened before he barely managed to dodge out of the way of a stake aimed for his heart.

The manor was burning. Fear gripped at his heart as the realization hit him hard like a truck. Realizing that he had sent Angelica to her possible demise rage began to rise through him, the adrenaline rising to the point his pain became almost nonexistent as he glanced to his elongated hunting knife as the blood that was on it glistened in the moonlight. Licking the blood from the blade slowly feeling started to return to his left arm as he slowly moved his arm around as he stared at Mathias with a look of pure rage.

"You burnt down their home?!" Julius roared out as his form began to shimmer in the air as the stake that had been impaled into his chest fell to the ground. Spinning the blade around in his hand he spun around and landed a kick to Mathias' chest sending him through one of the brush walls of the maze.

Laughing out loud Mathias quickly rose up with a wild grin on his face. "We have done more than just burn the house down. We did a lot more than that." He spoke in a sadistic tone as he lunged at Julius only to be intercepted by another body slamming into his own and slamming him into the ground.

Julius stood there as he quickly turned around and deflected a flying stake as he glared at the two in the distance as he quickly glanced back to see who it was that had dragged Mathias to the ground. Seeing a man with black hair wrestling with Mathias on the ground before rolling off and quickly rising looking to Julius with a warm look.

"Jadamine said you were going to need help and looks about half right." Drevan spoke with a lopsided smile as he pulled out two revolvers smiling like santa gave him something other than coal for Christmas. Drevan stood at the average height of five foot nine and wore nice red suit pants and a white shirt that was covered in soot.

A wave of relief shot through Julius as he heard that he had been sent by Jadamine. "And Angelica?" He asked as he kept his focus split between him and Mathias as he stood there going through the situation in his head.

"Angelica is fine, I was told to come to help you and get you out. Let us get our asses moving before we have to deal with this guy and any more of his friend" Drevan spoke as he aimed one of his guns at Mathias as he slowly began to back up.

Mathias knowing he was outnumbered two to one laid there not moving a inch as Drevan stood up. His smile still clear as day on his face as his eyes moved to look at Julius. "We may not get to rid the planet of two vampire lords. But we get to rid the world of one at least." He said as he chuckled as a cold feeling shot through Julius as he quickly looked to Drevan.

The realization of the situation became all the more clearer than he had expected them to. "We have to get to Jadamine now!" Julius spoke loudly as he ran deeper into the maze as his mind raced at a thousand miles an hour. He couldn't believe that Mathias of all people would use himself as a decoy. A decoy just to take down the one who was holding the Xeres family apart. Jadamine.