Chapter 18: Ancient Vampire Fight

"Arkalis," Delaynie commanded, "you stay at the center and create a barrier that emits energy similar to that of the Sun!" He emphasized the importance of keeping the Ancient Creature contained at all costs.

As Delaynie and Alex organized their party, they strategically positioned themselves to take advantage of the vampire's current state of hibernation.

"Stay behind me, Izak," Alex directed the young and less experienced member of the group. "You're not as strong as the others yet." He then turned to the archers and instructed them, "Both of you, maintain equal spacing and prepare your bows." Delaynie and Alex adjusted their positions slightly, distancing themselves a bit further from the vampire's hibernation shell.

Finally, Delaynie and Alex assumed their positions near the shell, poised to breach it and eliminate the vampire. All the while, everyone stood ready within the protective barrier created by Arkalis's magic.

"Get ready!" Alex's voice echoed through the chamber as he barked orders. He pointed at Delaynie, signaling him to strike the shell horizontally with his axe. With a mighty swing, Delaynie obeyed, and the shell cracked and shattered under his brute force. The Vampire awoke abruptly, his eyes snapping open to witness two swords thrust into his stomach. It was Alex who had plunged the blades into the vampire's gut and then viciously yanked them out sideways, causing a torrent of blood to gush from the exposed wound.

In a swift retaliation, the Vampire seized Alex by the head and hurled him toward Delaynie, sending both of them crashing to the ground, off the elevated shell platform.

Meanwhile, the archers unleashed their arrows with impeccable precision. The arrows found their marks, piercing the vampire's neck and eye. Though the vampire flinched, he managed to pull out the arrows and began healing his neck. That's when Izak, seizing an opportunity, attacked from behind with his sword. The vampire deftly dodged Izak's strikes and retaliated with a burst of fire magic aimed at Izak's abdomen. The force of the fireball sent Izak flying backward.

"Izak!" Alex roared as he sprang to his feet and landed a blow on the vampire's leg, inflicting a deep wound. The vampire, however, caught Alex's second strike, gripping his neck and slamming him against the chamber wall.

The archers acted swiftly once more, sending arrows flying to pierce the vampire's hand, forcing him to release his hold on Alex. Gasping for air, Alex fell to the ground and swept the vampire off his feet, Took his sword from the floor, positioned himself to deliver a killing blow to the defenseless vampire.

But the vampire, in a flash of magic, altered the terrain, shifting the ground and walls. Alex found himself disoriented, suddenly displaced behind the vampire.

As Izak struggled to rise, a peculiar round artifact tumbled from his bag, emitting a blinding light that began to harm the vampire, causing him to avert his gaze.

Realizing his disadvantage, the vampire assessed the situation and, with a burst of speed, made a desperate dash through the barrier created by Arkalis. The barrier proved futile in hindering the vampire's escape, and he vanished into the darkness, leaving behind a scene of intense and chaotic battle.

"NO!" Izak shouted when he witnessed the vampire exiting his chamber and making a dash towards the surface.

Alex cautiously regained his footing, while Delaynie and the rest of the group swiftly began their ascent.

"Come on, Izak! It's not too late!" Alex encouraged him, kindling hope for the safety of the town. He then joined the others in their sprint towards the surface, determined to protect the townsfolk and keep them out of harm's way.

Navigating through the winding cave system took longer than expected, but eventually, they emerged at the exit and sprinted towards the town.

"Keep searching! He might not have gotten far!" They scoured the surroundings as they approached the town's entrance.

Failing to find any trace of the vampire along the way, they began to suspect that he had fled into the nearby forest. Without wasting any time, they pressed on toward the forest's edge.

Izak, however, started coughing up blood due to the earlier blow to his abdomen. "That's not good," Alex murmured to himself. He instructed Delaynie and the others to continue their pursuit into the forest while he carried the wounded Izak back to the town.

Delaynie understood the urgency and led the group deeper into the forest, while Alex rushed Izak to the town's alchemist. As they entered the town, the sight of Izak's half-conscious and injured state drew the attention of onlookers. Alex wasted no time and hurried to the alchemist's shop.

The alchemist, upon seeing Izak's dire condition, swiftly provided healing potions, which Alex purchased without hesitation. He administered the potion to Izak, who quickly began to regain his strength and appear uninjured. Alex wiped away the remaining blood and inquired about Izak's well-being.

"I... I'm still struggling to regain my full strength," Izak admitted weakly, indicating that he needed rest. He suggested that Alex should go and continue the search for the vampire.

Reluctantly, Alex left Izak at a his inn, carrying him inside and explaining the situation to the concerned innkeeper. He requested that Izak be given rest. The innkeeper guided Alex to Izak's room, where he gently placed his friend on the bed and urged him to recover while he ventured back into the forest.

Setting out once more, Alex encountered Delaynie and the group returning with disheartening news. "We lost him," Delaynie informed Alex, a grim realization settling in that the vampire now posed a threat to the surrounding areas.

Alex's mind raced with uncertainty as he pondered their next move. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Oh God! What should we do now?" Searching for a solution, he turned to Delaynie with a spark of inspiration. "Try using your magic to detect the vampire's presence!" he urged.

Delaynie, upon hearing Alex's suggestion, immediately tapped into his magical abilities, attempting to sense the distinct power signature of the vampire. As he focused his energies, a surge of information flooded his senses. Among the various power levels he detected, one stood out as undoubtedly the vampire's. Concentrating further, he pointed in the direction that seemed to emanate from the town itself.

"What!" Alex exclaimed upon receiving Delaynie's guidance. Without wasting a moment, he dashed towards the town, with his companions following closely behind. Fearful of the vampire harming innocent townspeople, Alex urgently commanded, "Find him at all costs!"

Though Delaynie strained to pinpoint the vampire's exact location within the bustling town, the urban environment hindered his magic. The group scoured streets and alleys, racing against time to locate the elusive creature. Minutes ticked by as frustration mounted. "Where is this creature!?" they collectively wondered, their anxiety growing with each passing moment.

Meanwhile, in his inn room, Izak lay resting, his body slowly recovering from the pain he had endured. Yet, something felt amiss. A faint sound outside his door piqued his suspicions. He initially dismissed it as the innkeeper, but unease continued to gnaw at him. With his sword within arm's reach, he cautiously prepared for the unexpected.

As he closed his eyes to quell the uneasy feeling, he couldn't shake the sensation of being watched. Trusting his instincts, Izak sprang from his bed, brandishing his sword toward the table where his bag lay. To his shock, the vampire was standing there, examining the round artifact within Izak's bag.

"What are you doing?!" Izak demanded, his tone laced with aggression as he sought to intimidate the vampire. In response, the vampire slowly turned, clutching the artifact in his hand.

"Place the artifact back on the table!" Izak ordered firmly, unwilling to yield to the intruder's presence.

The vampire, his breath still ragged from their earlier encounter, inquired about the artifact's origins. "Where did you get this artifact?" he asked in a low, gravelly voice.

"Why do you care?" Izak retorted, his mistrust apparent.

"This is indeed an artifact that was used against my kind centuries ago," the vampire disclosed. "The creator of this artifact was someone I loved dearly."

Izak, taken aback, contemplated the vampire's words. Memories of his own loss resurfaced, as he too had suffered the pain of losing loved ones in his homeland two years prior. Words escaped him, leaving only a request for the vampire to depart the town and leave the artifact behind.

The vampire, seemingly unperturbed, tossed the artifact back onto the table. He then initiated a process of self-healing, his wounds swiftly knitting themselves together until he appeared whole once more. As he prepared to leave, he ominously warned Izak, "You should fear me forever." With a burst of dark energy, the vampire transformed, sprouting menacing black wings that granted him flight.

Perched on the window ledge, he bid Izak farewell and took off into the night sky, leaving the town behind as he vanished into the distance.

Izak took a seat against the wall, deep in thought, pondering what he should say to his companions.