The night sky was pitch black as the moon was silenced to a wisp by passing clouds.
Blood was spread across the outside pavement as blades of grass were to a field.
Many on each side were injured or killed, yet the fight continued as if their lives were irrelevant.
.....
Cassiel's soldiers were panting and losing morale by the second, just as Nahka's were.
Yuon's sword arm was mangled beyond immediate repair, so he has been forced to stay in the back, watching over to ensure no one can make it past.
Esk's sword was near its breaking point after the constant clashes of steel without rest, yet he continued despite that. He was panting, yet even then he knew he couldn't back down, as if he did, the soldiers beside him would as well.
Pam grew weary, unable to get use to the off balance she constantly faced as her arm was still regrowing, which forced her to begin relying on Thern.
Thern, on the other hand, was calm. Enduring through it all, he made sure to keep his stamina in check, slashing his blade with just enough might to cut down his enemies when needed.
Thern was the flame which fueled Esk's light, giving hope to all the soldiers around.
.....
Blood was spilt with every slash of a blade.
The ground was streaming from pools of blood, yet Nahka's reinforcements continued to advance, splashing in their comrades' remains solely to reach their king.
Shrieks of death echoed throughout the courtyard as vampires on each side dropped to the ground.
Yet, only then, as Nahka's forces were maimed down to just about ten soldiers, the one who ordered them from behind would finally step forward.
.....
He was ordinary.
His looks were nothing special. Dark brown hair, cut down to around his neck, parted in the front.
He wore an outfit similar to the other soldiers, and his eyes were just the same as any other common vampire.
However, there was one difference. He wielded a scimitar, unordinary for use to common folk, although it gave him an aura unlike any other.
Ordinary, yet deadly.
.....
"I suppose I should have stepped forward earlier, I apologize." The man says, voice filled with guilt.
Esk grits his teeth behind his closed mouth, seething at the fact a "leader" was hid behind his warriors, instead of leading them in the front.
Cassiel's remaining soldiers only numbered to just under thirty, yet unlike Nahka's, Cassiel's soldiers were drained, panting from exhaustion after the long battles they've endured.
Pam had already retreated back with Yuon, Esk was dripping with sweat, and Thern was finally starting to feel short of breath.
"Soldiers, please retreat back, there's no need for pointless slaughter." Thern orders, stepping in front of them, glaring at the leader of Nahka's reinforcements.
"What is your name?" Thern questions, his glare practically setting fire to the man's face.
Staring at Thern, the man thinks for a second, before scoffing.
"Elliot Taha is my name."
"Thern is mine."
"No last name? How quaint."
Thern's eyes immediately burrow in anger at Elliot's remark.
Gripping onto his blade, Thern gets in his usual stance, staring at the man.
Cassiel's soldiers had all retreated behind both Yuon and Pam, yet Esk stood just in the middle between Thern, and the soldiers.
After a moment, Elliot readies his blade without getting into a stance.
"Come, Thern." Elliot demands, his posture unordinary for a duel between blades.
"So be it." Thern growls, dashing forward despite his mind being clouded with anger.
Elliot instantly takes this to his advantage, dodging to the side while kicking Thern hard in the calf.
Without budging, Thern swiftly turns his body, swinging his blade perfectly at Elliot's abdomen, only to be parried off by the natural curve of Elliot's scimitar.
As if to mock Thern, Elliot copies his exact stance, before returning the same attack right back at Thern.
Just at the last moment, Thern brings his sword up to block Elliot's attack.
Although, this came with consequences.
Because of the positions both vampires had when sending the attacks, Thern wasn't in the proper stance to block an immediate attack, yet he did, which caused major strain to be sent onto his wrist, damaging it greatly.
Barely managing to hold the grip he has on his sword, a streak of sweat glides down Thern's face as he stares at Elliot.
"What an idiot." Elliot mumbles, dashing forward.
Right before attacking however, Elliot stops in place, as if to provoke Thern into an attack, which would work with Thern's natural instinct taking over, forcing him to cleave his blade in a straight arc down towards Elliot's sword arm.
Almost as if it was a repeat of last time, Elliot again parries Thern's blade, before sending the exact same attack down at Thern.
Moments before impact, Thern steps to the side, kicking Elliot back, launching him sliding across the ground by just a couple feet.
'This man... he's on my level, no, beyond that. He has an ability unlike any other... he can copy all of my attacks.' Thern thinks to himself, beginning to pant as his eyes lock with Elliot's.
Within a fraction of a second, Elliot appears behind Thern, pushing his elbow into right into Thern's spine, sending him into the ground.
"I'm sure of what you're thinking, and you're right. I'm at a level you'd never reach, fool." Elliot mocks, laughing as he stomps on Thern's back, pinning him to the ground as he sets his blade on the back of his neck.
However, just as he was about to decapitate Thern, Esk charges in, his footsteps silent as he tackles Elliot to the ground blade first, stabbing through the side of his stomach.
Coughing out blood, Elliot immediately kicks Esk off of him, fear streaking down his face for a moment as he'd never seen his own blood drip out of himself so vigorously.
"W-What..." Elliot pants out, before glaring at Esk. "You, YOU!" He continues, dashing straight forward, clashing blades with Esk, chipping Esk's sword down even further, leaving it on the brink of snapping.
"You're dead!" Elliot screams out, pushing Esk's blade to the side before bringing his arms up, ready to cleave Esk in half.
The entire courtyard was silent, not even a gust of wind to be heard, and without a word, Elliot's scimitar shrieked down like a whistle, falling straight down towards Esk.
And without a word, Esk swings his sword from the side in an arc, swiping Elliot's blade away last second, shattering his own sword leaving only two inches on steel left, before switching his stance into a stab, thrusting forward, and puncturing through Elliot's neck, letting him bleed dry on the ground, gurgling for air.
"You were the fool for relying on natural talent... had you trained, you'd have been a monster that could've rivaled Jenk." Esk mumbles, backing away and leaving his broken sword lodged into Elliot's neck.
.....
.....
After Elliot's death, Nahka's remaining soldiers felt as if there was nothing else they could lose, so they charged forward, only to met by Cassiel's soldiers, who, with a final boost of motivation after Esk's victory, cut down the last of Nahka's reinforcements without losing another soldier themselves.
Thern was immediately laid down off to the side, letting him rest and recover as he was unable to move after Elliot's final attack, and it wasn't until then that the castle doors opened, with a figure approaching from inside.