Chapter 21
"Archers!" Arthur shouted and men with bows and arrows got ready to shoot.
"Fire!" Arthur shouted and they sent a volley of arrows over the wall and into the army below. The funny thing is that not a single arrow met its mark. All of a sudden a part of the army, wolves and vampires alike jumped. Some guard's snickered thinking that they would never reach the gates but Arthur knew better. These were vampires and they were deadlier than the most poisonous snake. As for the wolves he didn't know, but they seemed awfully familiar. The vampires landed in various places around the courtyard and even on the wall. They swung their swords so fast that some of the men barely had time to block it, and the sword went through their heart. The vampires, whenever they were engaged in a fight, they would laugh as if they were only playing. The wolves however were the ones that surprised everyone.
"Hold your positions!" Arthur shouted.
The wolves easily jumped over the wall but before they would even touch the ground, some of the wolves would transform mid-air into tall, rugged men covered in furs. They were very unlike the vampires, who fought with a deadly grace, much like a dance. The werewolves fought with their fists and had no need for weapons. But when they used a sword or a bow, their aim was deadly accurate and could kill several men in a matter of minutes. The same goes to the vampires who were legendary swordsmen, skilled not only in the sword, but every other weapon known to man. But it seemed like the werewolves and vampires were toying with the men. Laughing and smiling as they hit and slashed at another. Even before death they wouldn't stop smiling.
"Werewolves!" Arthur shouted. "Aim for their hearts and heads." He said and ducked as a wolf transformed mid-air and tried to tackle him. Arthur ducked as a fist from the werewolf went over his head. He saw his chance and ran him through with his sword. The man fell down dead. Arthur turned to see Lancelot fighting with a vampire. His back was turned to the wolf that was creeping behind him, ready to pounce. Without a second thought, Arthur took a spear from the ground and hurled it towards the unsuspecting wolf. Arthurs aim was true and the wolf fell down with a thud just as Lancelot killed the vampire. Lancelot nodded as a gesture of thanks and engaged in another fight with a vampire. All of a sudden, a rock went crashing into the castle above them. The part of the castle that was hit broke and rocks started falling down.
"Catapults!" Arthur shouted "Load the trebuchets!"
Amidst all the fighting, several men managed to pick up a large rock that had fallen down and placed it on the launching pad.
"NOW!" Arthur shouted and the rock went flying over the wall and into the army behind it. Many more rocks were sent by the other army into the castle; some were on fire and managed to light up several of the wooden structures. More parts of the wall fell and parts of the castle.
"Keep firing!" Arthur said and blocked a sword swinging in his direction.
"If this keeps up we'll have no choice but to surrender!" Lancelot said to him
"Not yet! We can still hold the castle." Arthur replied
A horn sounded in the distance. Just as quickly as the vampires and werewolves came, they started leaving. They jumped over the wall and the catapults stopped throwing rocks. Arthur ran and looked over the wall. There was no trace of any army ever being there. They had literally vanished into thin air. The mist that once covered everything that the eye could see now started to disappear faster than it came. The only evidence was the bodies that littered the ground and the castle that was burning and lay in ruins.
"What just happened?" Asked Lancelot as he stood by Arthur.
Realization struck Arthur like a hammer on nail. "It was just a distraction." Arthur said. "So that we won't notice something."
"Not notice what?"
"I don't know but I have a feeling that we'll find out very soon." Arthur said. "We must head to the Heastington Stronghold. We cannot stay here any longer. Come let's help the wounded."
I paled. "Dracula." I squeaked. All the legends and stories portrayed Dracula as a blood thirsty, murderous maniac.
"Don't believe all the tales that you hear about me." He smirked. "But you know." He whispered in my ear "They might as well be true."
I shivered, my thoughts racing in my head. I felt his grip on my arm go slack; I took a one second decision and wretched my arm out of his hand. He instinctively reached out to grab me but I leapt out of his way. I will not go down without a fight. However I forgot to take one thing away from him, the rope that was connecting my hands to it. He pulled on it hard, sending me flying into him. With one hand he caught me by my waist and with the other he held the rope. I put my hands on his chest and tried to push him away but it had little effect.
"Don't try to do anything stupid." He said "If you try to use your power just be aware that I'm still holding onto the rope and you won't be able to escape. After a while you will get tired and your power will stop working and you will be caught anyway."
I scowled knowing that there was truth in his words; even if I tried to escape I wouldn't get far.
"Open the portal." Dracula said.
Just after he said that the ground started shaking and I stumbled into him. Dracula wrapped his arms tightly around me and smirked. The ground suddenly opened up beneath us and we fell down a tube at an alarmingly fast speed. I could see no ground on the bottom and it was really, really dark and long. Dracula let go of me, he somehow straightened himself and darted faster down the tunnel like an arrow. He was racing ahead of me and the others. I looked around and saw that everyone else had control over themselves. They also got in the same arrow like position that Dracula had done.
I, on the other hand had absolutely no control and I was spinning around in circles. I finally managed to at least stop myself from spinning but I was still flailing my arms around like a chicken. In just a few minutes I finally saw the end of the tunnel. What's worst of all I had no way of stopping myself. Dracula and the others changed positions and now had their feet facing the ground. I panicked, in just a few second I was going to end up something worse than scrambled eggs. The ground just kept coming closer and closer. I closed my eyes unwilling to see my death. I couldn't keep them closed for long because I was curious to how everyone else was going to land. They all landed gracefully and soon enough I realized I was the last one that had to land. I saw Dracula move to where I was and then I felt a breath of air rush out of my lungs as I hit something. I looked down and saw that somehow I was just a meter above the ground.
What? I thought puzzled, that's when I felt an arm under my knees and around my waist. I looked up and to my surprise I saw Dracula holding me. He had caught me right before I touched the ground.
He smirked "Nice landing. You managed pretty well for your first time."
I scowled "Put me down."
"No, you're shaking like a leaf."
I looked down at my hands and saw that it was true.
"It's not every day the ground opens up beneath you and you end up falling down a dangerously long tunnel. Now. Put. Me. Down."
"No."
"Do it!"
"I said no and that's final." He said and started walking through yet another long tunnel but this one was not vertical.
"Who are you to tell me what to do?" I asked
"You're in my kingdom now; you might as well do what I say." Dracula replied
"Your kingdom?"
"Yes I am the king of the realm. If I wish to carry you then I shall do it."
"Great, I'm in the arms of yet another arrogant and stubborn king. Whatever shall I do?" I mumbled sarcastically. "Where are you taking me?"
"My kingdom."
"And will I be carried all the way?"
"Maybe."
"Well then, you can put me down, I am not shaking anymore." I looked up at him.
"Are we going to have this conversation again?" He said smirking
"Until you put me down, yes."
He chuckled. "You will make a fitting queen. Too bad I am a better king."
"In your dreams, Dracula. In your dreams."
"Please call me Vlad. Dracula's my last name." He said and put me down.
"Finally." I breathed. "I was beginning to think that you were never going to put me down."
We started walking through yet another long, dark and gloomy tunnel. Torches were on either side of its walls and were all lined up, lighting the tunnel up relatively well. The sad thing was that Vlad still had the end of the rope in his hand. He wasn't dragging me or pulling me to move faster. I just kept my pace with his and walked by his side. I heard the fall of a drop of water echo through the tunnel, and then there was an unearthly silence. All except for the light sound of footsteps.
"I'm starting to think that you're warming up to me." Vlad said
"No I'm not. I'm just being polite." I replied
"Well that's unheard of." he said
"What?"
"I hear all these stories about you; they all mention your fiery temper but never you being polite." He laughed
"You better watch out then, because I may use it on you!" I snapped
"I would be honored if you would not keep me from seeing your temper I was actually looking forward to it." Vlad laughed
I scowled "Maybe you will."
Sorry for the long update! I had a lot of exams these past few weeks. Sorry again!