Then—
CRACK.
The silence shattered.
Across the corridor, Aldric stepped forward, his poleaxe slamming into the ground hard enough to break stone.
His red eyes glowed. Mana burned off him in thick, violent waves.
Lyriana raised her spear without a word.
Her wings flared wide.
Her lips pressed into a flat, furious line.
On the other side, the maid advanced, eyes locked on Ivan, her twin hand-axes gleaming crimson in the broken light.
No one spoke.
A long second passed.
Then—Aldric.
His voice, low. Furious.
> "You think it ends with him, do you—?"
BOOM—!
He launched forward like a siege weapon, poleaxe arcing in a brutal overhead strike.
Ivan didn't back off.
He stepped in. His hand caught the poleaxe mid-swing.
The ground shattered beneath them.
Shockwaves split the stone walls.
Ivan held the weapon — muscles straining, blood dripping — but his gaze never wavered.
Lyriana came from the side, wings folding in to increase speed, spear stabbing low.
Ivan twisted, let go of Aldric's weapon just in time—
The spear grazed his side.
Blood sprayed.
Ivan grabbed the spear shaft —
Ripped her toward him—
CRACK!
His knee slammed into her ribs mid-air.
She flew back, crashed into the wall.
---
The maid flickered into view.
Both axes spun in a deadly cross — one aimed for his throat, the other for his knees.
Ivan ducked the first, blocked the second with his forearm—
SLASH!
Blood sprayed.
His hand was severed.
But he gritted his teeth and kicked her square in the chest.
She raised both arms to block—
Too slow.
The impact launched her back.
Ivan stood bleeding — still composed.
His hand regenerated instantly.
---
Aldric returned.
Eyes burning.
Poleaxe glowing red with mana.
CLANG—!!
This time, Ivan blocked with both arms crossed.
The blow sent cracks spiderwebbing beneath his feet.
He slid back two steps.
His eyes burned crimson.
> "Three against one," he said. "Still not enough."
Ivan raised his hand — fingers slick with blood.
Crimson mana surged.
A blade formed instantly in his grip — pulsing with murderous energy.
Around him, dozens more shimmered into existence, floating like spectral fangs.
His voice was calm. Cold.
> "Even if there are more of you…"
"It's pointless."
He took a step forward.
The ground cracked beneath his heel.
> "A high-rank vampire might seem powerful…"
"…but compared to a pureblood—"
His eyes gleamed — sharp and red.
> "You're insects pretending to be wolves."
Mana swirled violently around him — heatless, suffocating.
---
Aldric stepped forward, poleaxe lowering slightly.
His red eyes locked with Ivan's.
He spat blood to the side.
Snarled.
> "Damn bastard... don't underestimate us."
He raised his hand.
Crimson mana raced up his arm — the air shivered.
Weapons began forming mid-motion —
Long, serrated blood spears throbbed into existence, floating around him.
Behind him, Lyriana and the maid's eyes lit with fury.
> " You think strength belongs to purebloods alone ?"
Aldric bared his teeth.
> "Then let me show you what a 'lesser breed' can do—"
> "—by killing you."
With a roar, Aldric launched a blood spear —
A red streak tore through the air.
---
Ivan's hand snapped forward—
> "Vermin. Die."
Blood blades shrieked through the air, spinning like crimson saws, jagged and merciless.
At the same moment, Aldric and Lyriana launched their blood spears.
A blazing red rain tore toward Ivan.
CLASH—!!
The corridor exploded.
Spear met blade.
Crimson magic collided mid-air, bursting in flashes of raw power.
The castle shook.
Windows cracked.
Stone walls split.
Some blood blades were deflected.
Others struck true.
A spear slammed through Ivan's left shoulder, bursting out the back — blood sprayed —
He didn't flinch.
A blade sliced across Aldric's chest, cutting deep.
He staggered — face calm. Blood healing as fast as it fell.
Then—
They charged.
---
BOOM!
They collided.
Spear met blade. Axe met arm. Flesh met steel.
The maid slashed low — Ivan blocked.
Lyriana's spear stabbed for his back — he spun, parried with a blood blade—
Aldric came in from the other side and—
SHUNK!
Ivan's arm was severed.
Blood sprayed across the corridor.
But in the same motion—
SWIPE—!
Ivan's blade carved upward—
Aldric's head flew clean off.
THUNK.
The body staggered backward. Twitching.
But not falling.
Veins glowed red.
The headless body twisted, bones snapping back into place—
His head regrew.
Eyes flared.
Teeth bared.
> "I'm not that easy to kill."
---
He lunged back into the fight without missing a beat.
---
Lyriana swept low — her spear a blur.
Ivan ducked — but the maid appeared above, axes gleaming, swinging in tandem.
SLASH—SLASH!
Both blades tore into Ivan's side — deep, clean cuts.
He grunted, twisted, and backhanded the maid into a stone pillar with bone-snapping force —
But she vanished mid-flight, flickering into shadow.
She reappeared behind him, already moving —
Axe arcing—
SLASH!
It sliced clean through Ivan's torso.
But Ivan didn't falter.
He caught her wrist mid-strike, his grip like iron —
And in one brutal motion, ripped her arm from its socket.
The severed arm hit the ground.
She screamed.
But even as blood gushed, the stump was already sealing shut, muscle and bone knitting back together in seconds.
> "I'll rip you apart," the maid hissed,
voice cold, face calm,
"for daring to lay a hand on the young master."
---
The battle dissolved into chaos.
Blood sprayed across stone.
Limbs flew. Weapons shattered.
Mana scorched the air.
Every blow could have ended a life —
But no one stayed down.
Ivan took an axe to the throat.
He regenerated.
Aldric lost an arm at the elbow.
It regrew — mid-swing.
Lyriana's ribs cracked from impact.
She caught a blood blade with one hand — and crushed it like glass.
The maid's axes spun like a storm —
She carved through Ivan's mana,
Sliced off his fingers — only for them to regrow instantly.