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*

*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 HARNESS 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!"