1 Near The End
Away from the city lights, the battle that determines the future ensues. Three races fought down to their blood and bone to uphold their beliefs of freedom. Under the crimson moon, the war the world will never know rages on as 7 seven individuals cut through the lines between comrades, families, and foes. They had one goal, and it has to be done tonight, or this night will become an everlasting occurrence. Slaying one foe after another that stood in their path, a young man spearheaded the group as they advanced through flying projectiles and life-threatening spells.
"And to think, this would be our weekend," Jim stated as he sends a vampire crumbling to dust to its death with a swing of his massive sword.
"It's either this or a night at home with TV," Cam replies as two more fell to claws.
"I'd still take TV over this," Chris replied as even more fell in numbers after his fire spell disintegrated their pathways wide open.
"Why didn't you do that in the first place?" Cameron looked at his big co-worker with a frown.
"I should be asking you that," the big fellow crossed his arms across his broad chest with the same frown across his face, "Your magic is clearly more powerful than mine."
"Uh," no words of comment could form in his mind after the obvious statement, "Right, let's go."
The group had gone through the middle of the battle to the doorway between them and the Hall of Kings. The last room before finally reaching their target, the throne room. The 7 elites stood side by side with ripped or singed clothing and even more evident bruises on their human companions. Centuries ago, no one would even think of finding a group consisting of werewolves, vampires, and humans. Now here they are, gathered to put a stop to a dangerous and catastrophic event.
"Miss Emily?" Cameron gestured to the only royal-blooded vampire in the group, "The honor is all yours."
"Thank you, Sir Cameron," she playfully courtesied to the man as she steps forward to the only door that's standing between them and liberty to claim her right as one of the only royals that could walk through these doors.
"I still don't see what she sees in you," Terrence stated with a whisper as they witness the vampire royal place her hand on the stone doors.
"I still ask myself that question every day," Cameron replied with a chuckle before it immediately turns into a frown as he noticed Emily paused in her spot.
"You got it?" Cameron walks to stand right next to her.
"Yes," Emily turned to look at Cameron with concern in her eyes, "What's behind these doors is death, Cameron."
"I know, Princess," putting his hand on top of hers with his eyes glued to her own, "But we will get through this, you, me, and our friends."
"You do know I can hear you both, right?" Terrence leaned against the door and looked right at the couple, "We got this, sis. Right guys?"
"What?" the only two beings without a super hearing, Jim and Chris, responded in unison while the rest nodded in approval.
"Alright," Emily took a deep breath, and with Cameron's hand over hers, everything does feel alright. She closes her eyes and muttered the spell.
"Right, what?" Jim's protest was unheard of as the door glows red and finally opens with a loud creak, then stops with a loud thump to reveal a vast and pitch-black hallway right before the torches lit in respective order to reveal why it's called the hall of kings.
Just as the last of the torches lit, it revealed that pictures weren't the only ones present as 5 individuals stood at the far end of the hall. "Oh, right," Jim answered his own question as he laid eyes on them.
"It's Father's Generals," Terrence states as he assumes his position right next to his sister and Cameron, "The Fabled Counts of Dracula."
"They don't look so fabled to me," Jim hummed in as he stood right next to Cameron.
"That one in the middle," Terrence gestured to the taller male of the bunch, "Is my combat master."
"Must be quite the reunion, then," Lyla joined the standoff as she takes her stand right next to Terrence.
"Well..." Terrence never got the chance to say his words when one of the vampires bolted towards Cameron at inhuman speed with her blade drawn.
A loud crash between steel sparked right in front of Cameron as Joanna blocked the vampire's attack with equal fervor and speed. "If we wanna talk, we should've gone for that new cafe down the road from my place," Joanna pointed as the vampire jumped backward with a toothy several meters away after Joanna took her own spear for a swing at her foe.
"You both should push on," Chris states just before he slammed both his palms to the ground and raised thick stone walls to surround their party and the Counts, blocking each side, so the fight focuses only on them. "I've blocked their path from the stairs to the throne room. Go to this site while we hold them off," he gestured to the opening side of the hall.
"You guys sure?" Cameron knows he can't talk them out of this, but a part of him still hoped that they'd ask him to stay.
"You kidding me?" Jim steps forward with his hair rose and glows brightly with heat before turning into actual flames, "Rhydys is hungry for a fight." Just as he mentions that name, a red portal opened right next to him as a Lion in flames stepped out with the same heat radiating off it.
"Now, he's showing off," a yellow glow emits from Chris as a bigger portal opens behind him to reveal an even bigger creature compared to himself. "Humdor won't be left out of this one," A bear black in fur and glowing yellow eyes stood towering over the group.
"They got some teeth after all," Joanna chuckled before both she and Lyla shed their mortal skins to transform into two gray fur menacing werewolves in silver armor.
"You should go," Terrence nodded at both his sister and Cameron when a scimitar formed out of thin air in his right hand, "We got this."
Emily grabbed Cameron's hand as he stares at his friends before a spear came flying in his way. However, all he did was just sidestepped to the side as if it was nothing. "I'll see you guys soon," and with that, he took off running with Emily right by his side. Then seconds later, the battle ignites as the familiar clash of steel against steel and occasional loud exploding sound of something going off. He could hear the roaring sound coming off from Jim's summon before an ax penetrated through the earthen wall and honed into him. Once again, quick to his feet, Cameron avoided it with no sweat.
"Pick up the pace, man!" Jim's head popped through the crack that the ax had made before it flew back in, almost slicing him in half if he hadn't dodged it in time. "See, what I mean?!" He then gestured to the owner of the ax after his head popped back up through the hole, "Go!" the last words he said before the earthen wall covered itself again.
Cameron and Emily continued their run through the huge hallway and pillars with their friends' battle raging close by. Yet, as they make their turn to the stairs leading to the throne room, another figure stood to stop them.
"So, this is the dog you're so fond of, little sister?" her eerie tone reverberated down the stairs even when the battle behind the couple continues.
"Watch, your tongue Cassandra!" Emily takes her stand in front of Cameron as she looks up the stairs.
"You'd have to go through me first," Cassandra emphasized her point as she zoomed in with her blade drawn at an even quicker pace compared to the Count that aimed at him before.
"Not when I'm here!" Emily blocked her sister's attack with a blade of her own that he conjured out of thin air. "Go, Cameron!" Emily side stepped quick enough to grab her sister's wrist and threw her all the way down the stairs.
Cameron was reluctant to leave her alone, but as soon as Emily looked back into his eyes, he knew he couldn't argue with her. "Please, be alright," Cameron said his last words to Emily before resuming his pace up the stairs.
"I gotta say, sister," Cassandra's voice pulled Emily's attention away from Cameron, "I am impressed, but you still have a lot to learn." Before Emily could register what was happening, Cassandra's blade had already sailed past her at alarming speed right at Cameron's back.
"Cameron!!" Emily's scream was too late as the blade had found its mark.
