Claws of Eternity ✔️

Chapter 37: Dracula

VLAD

Vlad shouted orders from the outer wall of the Bran Castle. In the same time he tried fighting the Unknowns that continuously climbed over the wall. Soldiers in the field were barely alive, they were tired and outnumbered. Sergey's soldiers attacked from the other side, but there was a mere five hundred of them. They could do nothing against an army this big.

All disciples went to fight no matter how many times Vlad told them it wasn't smart, they were determined to defend for their home. Nonetheless, the front part of the castle was almost breached. If they entered the castle's garden, they would win. Vlad could not let that happen.

He tried not to think of all the dead bodies that spread all over the once green fields, all vampires he trained for this life. Almost half of them were dead now, including his army.

The Unknowns weren't spared either, possibly the same amount of them die fighting and Vlad was so proud of his soldiers, his disciples. He was so sorry he let them down. He was also angry, because through this entire battle, he didn't see Lucien once.

Vlad swung his sword and battled off an Unknown that attacked him from behind. He wanted to get down there and see what he might be able to do, but the attackers kept on coming.

A sound of a sword coming towards his neck interrupted his thoughts and Vlad swung again, this time hitting the man's head instead of his sword. He was much better than any of the Unknowns, but he was only one and seven thousand of them.

Vlad climbed down the wall and ran through the garden of Bran Castle, trying not to incommode any soldier and help those he can along the way.

"Voivode!" Andryj called for him, Vlad turned to look at his loyal friend. Andryj was covered in blood and dust, barely recognisable. "They are about to breach the front gates!"

"Fuck!" Vlad cursed. He tried to wrap his head around any idea that he could come up with. They were attacking them from all sides and Vlad was torn. He didn't what to do first, which side to protect more.

"Maybe we should run!" Andryj suggested and Vlad appreciated him for it. It was no easy thing to say to a general that it might be time to run.

"We are not running." Vlad cut him off, he felt his heart in his mouth as he said those words but he wasn't about to give in.

"Then tell us what to do!" Andryj begged and Vlad swore his eyes watered. They were helpless, they felt defeated. He was not about to let his army go down feeling defeated.

"Fuck!" Vlad cursed once again as the idea he dreaded most crept into his heart. He had to protect those he loved, he had to keep his school standing. He had to save all of these vampires, they were his disciples, they were his soldiers. His responsibility.

"Vlad!" It was Codrin that shouted across the garden. "They breached the front gates!"

The Border was not restored. Sergey's additional soldiers weren't enough. The Unknowns climbed all over the walls of Bran Castle. Now, they breached the front gates. And Lucien, their leader, was nowhere to be found.

"Find Lucien! Find the leader, NOW!" Vlad roared through the garden and stormed to the front gates. Blood pumped through his veins as his hatred grew. He would have to use it, he would have to become his worst self in order to win this, to save all these young lives.

The scene in front of the gates was worse than he imagined. Dozens of Unknowns entered the Bran Castle walls and even more tried to climb over. There wasn't enough soldiers to keep them at bay, others were protecting the steep side of the castle. Vlad held his sword tightly and readied to dive into the crowd of vampires.