They struck.
Fangs bared aiming for Tariq's throat but his shield flared to life just in time once again saving him from near decapitation.
"Ooohh" Constantin chuckled deeply, while stepping back. "I see you've come prepared."
Of course, Tariq was prepared. Like predators, when Velari struck they always aimed for the throat. That's why he kept his protective wards up at all times. Witches weren't as fast or as strong as other Velari. Dodging a direct strike like that was nigh impossible. They lacked the reflexes and reaction speed to keep up with such strikes. That's why they cast spells to boost their strength, speed and reflexes though it would be subpar to those of other Velari.
"Are you alright?" Eirik asked stepping beside him, his eyes sharp with concern.
"Do not worry about me" Tariq answered already steadying himself. "Stay focused"
They looked ahead and charged. Eirik made for Constantin while Alric lunged at Vladan, Tariq keeping to the rear offering support. They moved in a blur, their speed mind boggling, but all the while the vampires laughed easily dodging each deadly swipe from the lykans, their expressions gleaming with joy. They were enjoying this.
Tariq raised his hands incantation already on his lips. "Tembar'a Val 'Mirak!"
Thick roots burst from the ground, writhing toward the vampires in an attempt to bind them in place. The vampires leapt and twisted, slashing with their claws severing some of the roots midair while sidestepping others with inhuman grace.
Occupied with the roots Alric struck. He leapt into the fray catching Constantin by the leg, yanking him mid jump. The vampire's eyes widened in surprise just before Alric hurled him towards Eirik who snatched the vampire by the throat and slammed him into the ground with devastating force. Claws bared Eirik raised his arm to strike, aiming for the neck, a killing blow.
But Vladan appeared in a blur, kicking Eirik with the force of a truck. The blow sent Eirik flying, but he managed to twist midair, landing on his feet.
"Well done... well done" Constantin said as he stood, brushing off dirt from his coat. "Perhaps you will entertain us this lovely night. Now... shall we continue?"
He vanished.
Vladan reappeared beside Tariq, claws already slicing towards his neck, but this time Tariq was ready for the attack. He ducked under the swipe, drew a dagger from his belt and drove it into Vladan's exposed underarm. The vampire snarled and leapt back.
"You ruined my coat witch." He sneered. "This was quiet an expensive peace of leather you know"
"I do" Tariq replied. "I have one just like it"
Vladan looked down his sneer faltering. Black veins forked his skin branching like rot from the wound.
"A poison dipped dagger" He spat. "You do know this will do nothing. It won't kill me."
It was true, poison would not kill him but this would slow him down considerably. He charged again but Eirik intercepted him, slamming into Vladan's side sending him straight towards Tariq.
Tariq raised both hands and once again roots erupted skewering Vladan through his chest from multiple directions. The vampire didn't even cry out as he was impaled. With a sharp motion, Tariq twisted his hands and the roots curled around the vampire's body. Cocooning him tightly, squeezing with enough pressure to crush steel. He intended to implode the vampire.
On the other side, the fight between Alric and Constantin had grown even more brutal. They had moved further from the others, trees lay fallen around them with boulders cracked and shattered.
Alric lunged claws sweeping but Constantin side stepped the strike and slashed in return. Alric caught his arm, flipped him over his shoulder slamming him to the ground, a sharp sound followed. Alric had broken Constantin's arm.
But the vampire merely growled and twisted, slicing across Alric's abdomen with his claws, blood welled and Alric staggered back. Constantin stood and popped his broken arm back into place, bon mending in seconds.
Alric turned and ran.
"Fleeing already, are we?" Constantin taunted following in pursuit. "That's disappointing"
Alric rammed shoulder first into a thick tree snapping the trunk at the base. As it fell, he caught it, spun and swung the massive timber as if it was a club, striking Constantin mid charge.
The vampire soared back the way they had come, bouncing off the ground twice before crashing into another tree with bone shattering force. The second tree collapsing on top of him.
He stood slowly, dazed, blood trickling from his scalp. The smile now gone, his eyes glowed red with rage.
Tariq had tightened the cocoon with each passing moment, but it refused to go no further. The roots were loosening, the cocoon shaking violently.
Eirik stood ready. The roots exploded outward snapping and twisting like whips. Vladan emerged, fury burning in his eyes. His arm was now black veined and trembling from the spread of poison. He dragged a claw across his infected arm and sliced it open, dark blood pouring freely.
"I'm wasting good blood because of you witch" He growled. "Perhaps I'll drain your in exchange."
"Be my guest" Tariq said cooly while stepping back.
But Vladan just smirked, turned and sprinted towards Alric's direction. "He's going to team up with the other!" Tariq shouted.
"Shit" Eirik said following pursuit.
Tariq cast spells trying to slow the vampire. He hurled flames, roots to snare the vampire but he dodged them all. Constantin had caught Alric in a chokehold, arms locked around his neck. Alric strained, then wrenched the vampire's arm until it snapped. He tore free but again his arm healed instantly.
How was he regenerating so quickly Alric thought. They must be older than he initially thought.
The older a Velari was the stronger. They could heal in moments while others would need minutes possibly even hours depending on the level of damage inflicted.
Vladan joined his companion and together the charged once again.
Though sill a distance away Tariq shouted "Akshara Flam!"
A wall of fire burst between Alric and the vampires causing them to pull back.
"You're an annoying one" Vladan said wagging his finger at Tariq.
Without warning they turned and focused their attention on Tariq now. Once again, his shield flared absorbing the first few hits, but with each monstrous blow the shield weakened. The blows came like thunder from both sides, and Tariq felt himself reeling, blood pooling in his mouth as he staggered from the sheer force of the blows.
Eirik went to assist but the vampires just changed targets, targeting him instead. Each time one of them went to help the other they would target them forcing them further and further away from the others preventing any of them from gaining time to heal.
"Have the mortals fooled you?" Constantin spat.
"Have their films led you to believe that you stand a chance at beating us, especially without embracing your true forms." He laughed cruelly. "You're delusional"
It was true, lykans while strong could not fully harness their immense power in their human form. To do so they had to shift into their beast like forms, but unlike them vampires had no transformations. They could harness their full strength at all times. To defeat a vampire without without shifting was a hard task, impossible if it was an elder vampire. They were more agile and faster than they were.
But shifting had its drawbacks especially against opponents such as these. Alric knew that. He would grow stronger yes, but also larger in size making him an easier target. In the dense forest where tree surrounded them it was smarter to remain in human form.
"We need not change forms in order to defeat the two of you" Alric spat, wiping blood from his lips.
"It is as I suspected" Vladan said shaking his head.
"What do you mean?" Constantin said in mock shock.
"As I thought" he continued "They have gone rabid, like the dogs they are their brains have been infected and are unable to think clearly. For why would they come to Wallachia?"
"It's okay" Constantin said while patting Vladan's shoulder. "It's up to us now to help them move on to a better place."
Tariq watched this performance in disbelief. If anyone had gone rabid it was clearly them, because clearly they were high on something.
A twig snapped in the distance.
Everyone stilled, heads turning towards the sound. From the shadowy tree line to their right a dozen glowing orbs hovered in the dark, watching. But they weren't just orbs. Six forms emerged slinking from the undergrowth, each the size of a grey wolf. Their skin gleamed obsidian beneath it veins of molten red pulsed like lava. Fire danced in their eye sockets.
Hellhounds.