Chapter 114 - Losses

We enter the city, after quickly dispatching a couple of vampire guarding the city entrance, without alerting the rest of the vampires in the area, I then whisper to everyone.

"alright, we are going to split up and free whoever we can, before the vampires figure out that we are here."

Celeste asks.

"so who goes with who?"

I look to Rosie and say.

"you'll be taking Ying, Celeste, Selshruuk, Gresnor and Aktosh along with you."

she nods.

"Roger, darling."

I ignore her comment and say to Celeste.

"make sure you stay connected with my mind while we are separated, so that we can communicate effectively."

she nods and asks.

"so what do we do if the enemy discovers our presence?"

I reply while looking at everyone.

"you don't need me to tell you, but I'll say it anyway. eliminate all hostiles if you are discovered."

Rosie then adds on looking at Ying, James and Katie.

"and remember, to focus on taking off their robes when you fight them in hand to hand combat."

as they nod, I ask her.

"what do you mean go for their robes?"

she sighs as she answers.

"well I figured, if they don't have their robes, Ying's magic attack, can easily kill apprentices and lords."

I reply, impressed that I didn't come up with that idea.

"I see, so we do have a chance on stopping the vampires even if the sun is blocked."

she replies smiling.

"yeah, well it's easier said than done, but I guess we'll see if it works."

I look at everyone and ask feeling anxious again.

"any questions?"

everyone answers in silence, almost as of they are telling me, that there is no point in asking, I then take a couple of deep breaths and say to Klein, James, Katie, Felnor, and Master Valtak.

"alright you five, are with me, let's go."

we split up and go in two different directions, Master Valtalk grunts and says to me.

"there is a residential area, that I'm quite familiar with, let's go there."

I reply.

"uh sure, lead the way then."

we walk down an empty and quiet road, not saying a word to each other, to keep ourselves from making any unnecessary noise, I then think to myself.

"I don't like this at all, it's too quiet and unsettling."

we arrive at the outskirts of the residential area that Master Valtak was talking about, and he whispers to me as he points at the houses.

"I grew up here with a family of demi-humans that adopted me from an orphanage, and raised me as their own."

Felnor expression lights up, and asks.

"so all those stories, that my family has told me about demi humans living freely in the Dwarven region, so is this true?"

he replies smiling through his beard.

"of course, it's always been like that ever since the Dragonoids destroyed and drove your ancestors from their original home region."

I then interject, by hushing them up.

"keep the chatter to a minimum, we don't want to accidentally cause noise that will bring attention to us."

Felnor lowers his head and apologizes.

"sorry, I just got excited, knowing that demi humans, live free from slavery."

even though I empathize with him, I say to him sternly.

"I get it, just keep quiet."

as we slowly walk through the neighborhood of the residential area, James makes a suggestion.

"maybe we should check out the houses and see if there are any occupants."

Katie whispers in agreement.

"yeah, if they are any civilians alive, they could be hiding in their houses."

I look at all of the houses, and reply.

"okay, but we will do one house at a time, so we don't have to worry about running into many vampires at once."

we sweep many houses, and disposed of the many sleeping vampires in each one, and freeing civilians that were chained together, with some rare shackles enchanted with mana blockers, and with this discovery made, I ask both Katie and James to anyone.

"have you guys ever seen shackles enchanted with mana blockers?"

Katie and James both told me, that the only mana blockers they are aware of, are the ones that come in liquid form, and haven't heard of any enchantments capable of doing that, but either way, we decided as group to take some along with us, so they can be studied back home, and as we are about to enter another house, Celeste invades my mind.

"Master Collin, we have been discovered, and it looks like we're going to need some help."

I ask.

"how many are there?"

her response sent an overwhelming sense of dread throughout my body.

"it looks like all nine vampire lords are here."

I ask trying not to panic.

"are you serious?"

she replies.

"yes, Rosie is out there stalling for time, until you guys arrive."

I then ask.

"why didn't you guys get out of there?"

she replies.

"we are surrounded by an army of vampires."

I ask.

"how many?"

she responds.

"maybe one thousand."

I laugh nervously and ask everyone.

"so who's ready to take on an army of vampires?"

Klein responds enthusiastically.

"let's do it."

James exclaims.

"are you crazy, a whole army!?"

I respond.

"yes a whole army but, we have no choice, the others are already surrounded by the vampire lords and their vampires."

Katie asks.

"do you know how many?"

I answer.

"about one thousand of them."

James and Katie's jaws drop, and look at me like I'm insane, while Master Valtak rubs his beard and chuckles nervously.

"what a terrifying amount."

I sigh and reply

"I know, and that is why we need to head over there right now and lend a hand before they all die."

I then start talking in my mind, hoping that Celeste is still hearing me.

"is there really no way, for you to open a portal and get everyone out of there."

she replies.

"I could, but if I do, then I would leave you guys behind and the vampires will find you and overwhelm all of you, before I even get a chance to het you guys."

I sigh, and ask.

"then we truly have no choice but to get there with you guys?"

she responds.

"yes, but you must get here as quick as you can, because I don't know how long Rosie can keep them distracted."

I reply.

"alright we're on our way."

I look to everyone and say.

"alright let's not waste anymore time."

as we leave the residential area quickly I use mana detection magic and start heading towards the direction, where many mana signatures grouped together are located at, and I think to myself.

"good, at least they are not to far off."

a half an hour passes by and then Celeste gets into my mind and asks.

"Master Collin, do we have permission to transform into werewolves?"

I answer.

"yes, do whatever means necessary to keep yourselves alive."

moments later, we detect multiple mana signatures spike, and I think to myself.

"it looks like they've transformed now."

I look back to everyone and urge then to quicken their pace. We finally arrive at the battlefield, and I see a swarm of vampires surrounding the others, I then give the order.

"alright, be careful when you attack with magic, you don't want to harm our own, and if you see anyone getting overwhelmed jump in and help them."

as everyone disperses to fight the numerous enemies, I chant to myself.

"silver eyes."

I jump into the chaos and begin to slaughter the many human, dwarf and demi human vampires that were getting in my way from reaching the vampire lords who were torturing Rosie from the distance enjoying themselves, I look at the the others to see how they are doing, and of course Klein is doing his thing while in silver eyes, while Celeste, Gresnor, Aktosh, Selshruuk, and Felnor, are killing multiple vampires with ease in their werewolf form, I then think to myself feeling proud of them.

"good job guys, keep your focus and even if we don't wipe them out, we could still cut their numbers down significantly."

I look to Ying, Katie and James and see them taking out more vampires than us, as they use their incredible unique magic to completely decimate them, while Master Valtak is waddling around using his physical magic power. I continue fighting until I hear someone yelling in pain, I turn towards their direction, and see Aktosh getting ripped apart by many vampires, I then think to myself.

"damn it, I didn't notice that he wasn't in his werewolf anymore."

I continue, fighting my way towards the vampire lords while trying not to think about Aktosh's swift death, but then I hear Lord Vernon's voice boom in the air.

"fall back minions, your masters will take care of these, lowly mortals."

the vampires start to retreat as the nine vampire lords come forward."

as we take this opportunity to regroup, Ying makes a comment.

"this is good, if we can somehow take off their robes, then I could end this today."

I respond.

"if we do that, are you positive that you can kill them?"

he nods.

"yes definitely."

I sigh and say to everyone.

"we survived the easy part, but now the hard part begins."

as the vampire lords slowly make their way to us, I say to everyone.

"alright I guess there is no point in waiting around, it's time to face head on."

I begin rushing them, with Klein by my side, while the others trail behind, I then shout to him.

"when you see them fire off magic attacks, take cover behind me, the robe that I'm wearing protects against them."

as they all fire many types of magic attacks on me with no damaging effects, I keep charging them at a blinding speed, to the point where I'm staring straight into his eyes, he panics and shouts.

"electric overcharge."

the aura of electricity that surrounds him, does nothing to me as I launch an all out assault of physical attacks, and as I knock him down, I then turn around and see that everyone is has now engaged themselves in a battle with the other vampire lords, I chuckle and turn my attention back to Lord Vernon, who is completely enraged.

"I swear, you will die by my hands today silver eyed human."

I reply.

"my name is Collin Belfaust, not silver eyed human."

he calms down and composes himself.

"ah I see so when that other human lied when he claimed to be you?"

I reply.

"yes, but it doesn't matter anymore, because today you will all die."

he laughs as he points behind me.

"are you sure about that?"

I look back and see everyone injured, except for Klein, who is still fighting while missing a chunk on his right shoulder, I then shout.

"Klein get out of here!"

he shakes his head and continues fighting despite the wounds he is acquiring, I then leave Lord Vernon to assist Klein, but Klein yells.

"no Collin, you get everyone out of here, I'll buy you the time you need."

I then here Rosie shout.

"go Darling, get everyone out of here, I'll stay back and assist Klein."

I then think to myself.

"they're right, even if I take them on now, I can't kill them without Ying's powerful magical attacks."

I quickly grab Celeste who is no longer in werewolf form and Ying who is laying on the floor unconscious, and as I carry them away, I hear Lord Vernon shout.

"yes Collin, go ahead save your friends, and have them live so that they can die later."

I ignore him, and say to Celeste.

"open up portal and keep it open while I bring back the rest."

she nods and opens up a portal while I take multiple trips carrying everyone back to safety, except for Klein who was no longer fighting. Celeste finally closes the portal after I came back empty handed and she asks weakly.

"where's Klein and Rosie?"

I walk around the old fort trying not lose hope after witnessing Klein fall in battle and as I look at the solar eclipse I think to myself.

"this is all my fault."