Chapter 14

Blackness filled the already dim room. Before long, Malus could see nothing.

It was quiet...

He stood stiffly in place, then noticed that his sword arm was no longer outstretched in Dracula's chest. Both his arms rested beside him. A chilly breeze crept across his skin. He relaxed on impulse, his worn body breathing in the cold air. Then Malus looked up to the dark sky.

There were dozens of stars. Not quite shining, but they flickered through the enveloping darkness. But the young man gazed longer, until the stars started flickering out. One by one, each star faded away until nothing was there. Malus was left with the empty night sky.

He turned down to a lake in the near distance. In the clouds, there was a full silver moon reflecting down off the ebbing waters. Then, there he was, as a young boy sitting on a stone by the grassy waterside. He was still a hopeless boy, whose shoulders slumped miserably as he looked out into the dark water.

The now older Malus felt his former self's deep emptiness.

This is just a memory... He soon realized. Then where's Count Dracula...?

Malus focused his thoughts on locating the deplorable vampire. There was no other presence around, except for his own. Yet, he didn't feel that he was alone...

Anxiousness grew inside of him, until he decided to remember his best friend's ultimate defense. For once, he decided to follow Edward's example.

Malus closed his eyes, and prayed.

"How dare you!" Count Dracula seemed to appear from nowhere, stepping away from Malus. "What did you pray for?" He demanded.

The young man contemplated the now frightened vampire's request.

"Guidance...and the strength to defeat you."

"A silly waste of time," Count Dracula snarled. "Mankind is selfish."

Malus hesitated. "I don't follow man. I follow God."

"And why do you follow Him after all this?" Dracula snapped back.

It was almost the same question that the Count trapped Malus with years ago, as he sat by the lake in despair. This time however, the young man was ready.

"Because He has forgiven me... I have a purpose, and life beyond this wretched castle. My soul can rest for eternity...unlike yours, you despicable vampire."

It was truly rare that the Count appeared frightened. Malus had finally found his trump card. Count Dracula was convinced that any more of his attempts to destroy Malus mentally would fail.

The boy had grown. Dracula did not expect this...

Flashing a revolted scowl, the vampire conjured a dark matter within his hands. Like anything he formed, the element had an unbelievable, crazy energy driving it. Like lightning gone wild.

Deftly, Dracula molded a sword from it, just as unwieldy as Malus' own broadsword. The lighting fizzled, then Malus viewed his reflection cast off the dark weapon; yet he saw the resolution in his features.

Count Dracula sparred no words before swinging at Malus.

The young man caught the attack just in time--Steel tasted steel.

Dracula came back at another angle, driving the dark sword down with power like an earthquake. Malus deflected it with slight ease.

But he barely had time to breathe. Dracula had no intent of letting him live this long. Each of Malus' successful blocks were miracles themselves. He was lifting a heavy sword, and countering as fast as lightning. It was like Cornell's strength and dexterity were inside of him. The Count didn't appear too pleased.

Eventually, Malus began to feel that power disappear. His legs and arms felt like lead. But he countered again. And gasped for air...

Dracula was still unsatisfied with the situation. The vampire faded away altogether.

The young man caught his breath, this time in surprise. Where did his adversary go...? Malus counted as seconds went by. He didn't have the time or the energy to look for him.

Malus lowered his weapon, but kept it tight in his hand. As he gulped for air, he was quite calm. The young man was going to take his father's advice now...

Malus waited. He felt nothing around him...

Then it surfaced. It stretched closer and closer like a panther sure of its prey. Malus didn't move. It was just behind him, and Malus' skin sensed it well. A sinister, overpowering, hopeless feeling...

He swung the sword around, nailing Count Dracula, who had appeared silently behind him.

The vampire touched his wound. "I'm impressed. I congratulate your father on teaching you that trick."

Malus swung his sword at him again, but Dracula instantly disappeared, reappearing again on the other side of the young man.

"Marcell is resourceful, I must admit." Count Dracula continued. "He has strength beyond what he feels capable of. Through him, I would raise a demon army worthy of being feared by all mankind..."

Dracula's eye's flashed. "I will not let him go."

As he spoke the words, Marcell faded into view above them. The lizardman was trapped inside a transparent sphere of electricity floating in mid-air. He put his hands up against the invisible cage, looking down at his son.

Malus gasped. "Father!"

"He stays, boy." The vampire reminded him. "But you have two options. Leave now, and I'll spare you and your friends' lives. If you do not leave and you try to save him, Malus, I will vanquish you and everyone fighting beside you."

Marcell pressed against the sphere holding him. "Don't sacrifice your life for me, son. I've stayed in this castle too long... I saw this fate coming..."

Malus clenched his fists and sword. "No..."

The young man's eyes began to water. But Malus held onto his sword even tighter.

"Noooo!!"

A blinding light ripped through the darkness, impairing Count Dracula. The vampire jumped back, covering his face. He shrieked. The radiant light was everywhere.

Malus shielded his eyes. The light...just like when he had been saved before.

Brilliance faded into blackness once more, and he could see nothing around him...

Then there was a growl. A deep, low growl.

Whatever it was, it was huge. The sound came from all around, above him. Malus was sure it was an evil beast.

Out of the shadows, a black dragon with dual heads emerged. It was so huge, it could have swallowed Malus without even thinking... Its claws were bigger than Malus' whole body!

Malus stood there, petrified, looking up at Dracula's final form. Then at its eyes...

The dragon was blind.

It was a miracle.

The thing was blind...

Both eyes on the black dragon's faces were wide open, staring nowhere. Both dragon heads screamed with anger. The sound was like thunder and hail to the dark sky. Malus' blood was frozen by the sound, yet his heart beat on faster. What should he do now...?

He took a chance. Malus didn't know what made him do it, except sheer desperation. Taking Cornell's broadsword, he ran up and hammered the gigantic monster in the foot.

It did no damage.

The hideous dragon instantly looked down to its feet, gazing blindly at the young man. Its scaly black jaws opened to a set of jagged yellow teeth, clinging with saliva. Both heads snapped at where Malus stood before he had time to blink.

At the same time, a pair of scaly claws had reached from behind him, pulling Malus away just in time. Cornell's sword slipped out of his hands. Both dragon heads missed swallowing Malus by inches. He stood in front of a gateway of stained fangs. Malus looked through the gaps between them and saw a cavern of nothing. The monster growled. Grey smoke wisped out of its large nostrils.

Malus was still stunned. That same pair of arms pulled him out of the way again. Malus' head whirled around, and there was Marcell.

"Father!" Malus breathed out a long sigh of relief, almost laughing. "You're okay!"

Marcell smiled. His eyes were so comforting, even as a lizard creature.

"What are we going to do?" Malus asked anxiously.

The lizardman hesitated as he thought about their dire situation. They were both scared. Looking up to their adversary, then around in the dense darkness, Marcell's eyes landed on an object glimmering across the floor.

"Take the sword."

Malus looked to the fallen weapon. It was glowing with a strange intensity. A beacon ablaze in the dark...

The young man paused, but then rushed headlong to the bright sword. Once he picked it up, a brilliant white light beamed from the blade, slicing through the shadows. It skewered through the black dragon like a flame, burning through its putrid scales and even skin. Light. The darkness' worst enemy...

In one last ear-splitting roar, fire and light engulfed both heads, then the entire dragon..

Count Dracula was then no more.