Inside the throne room, the Emperor could no longer remain still. The clash of steel and the cries of the wounded echoed through the corridors, each sound tightening something inside his chest. He had stationed himself at the entrance, determined to guard it personally, but every instinct in him rebelled against waiting while his people bled outside.
At last, he stopped pacing.
"I'm going out," he said. His voice left no room for argument. "No one leaves this room. No matter what happens."
He looked at the Empress. "Protect the children."
She stepped toward him, but he was already turning away. A moment later, the doors closed behind him.
The courtyard was thick with smoke and the metallic scent of blood. Two vampires spotted him immediately and rushed forward, claws gleaming.
The first leapt straight for his throat. The Emperor shifted aside and drove his blade upward into its chest, twisting hard before pulling free as it collapsed at his feet.
The second attacked from his blind side, but he caught the strike against his arm guard and forced the creature off balance. One clean swing ended it.
As he moved forward, his eyes caught sight of Yuyan.
She lay motionless on the ground. Fear struck him.
He rushed to her side, lifted her into his arms. Her skin felt cold___unnaturally cold.
He turned back toward the throne room without hesitation.
Yue Rong hurried toward him the moment he entered. "Is she alive?" she said.
The Empress pressed trembling fingers to Yuyan's throat, then to her chest. "There's a pulse," she said quietly, though worry clouded her expression.
"She's freezing," Yue Rong murmured.
"She looks so pale," the Empress added.
"She's alive," Mimi insisted softly, as though refusing to allow doubt.
Before they could decide what to do next, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the corridor outside. They were heavy, deliberate.
The Empress stiffened. "That's not his Highness."
Yue Rong swallowed hard and picked up her sword. Her hands shook. Her father had taught her how to fight___ but she had never been on a battlefield. Never faced a vampire.
Then three vampires stepped into the throne room.
The children screamed___ though Mimi didn't. Their eyes were wide with terror as they stared at the creatures___ pale skin, glowing eyes, blood still dripping from their mouths. Monsters from nightmares, now standing right in front of them.
One of the vampires moved toward the children.
Yue Rong stepped in its path and swung. Her blade sliced across its arm, drawing a hiss of anger. It lunged again, forcing her backward. Her heel struck something on the floor___ a spear. Without pausing, she used her leg to pick it into the air and seized it mid-air, thrusting forward with all her strength. The spearhead sank deep into the vampire's torso. She drove it harder, pushing until the creature staggered and collapsed.
The second vampire darted past her toward the children, but the Emperor appeared from the outside and intercepted it mid-stride and cut it down before it could take another step.
The third turned on Yue Rong. Panic flickered across her face as it closed the distance, faster than she expected.
A flash of steel cut across her vision.
The Emperor's blade severed the vampire's head in a single stroke. The body fell, and for a moment the throne room was silent except for the children's sobbing.
Outside, the battle had thinned.
In the center of the courtyard, Fang Leng and Tian Yu battled fiercely.
Fang Leng flashed towards Tian Yu and in the blink of an eye, a slash tore across the Tian Yu's arm. Pain flared__ but the he didn't pause to savor it. He drove his knee into the Fang Leng's ribs, sending them crashing. Fang Leng went on his knees with a painful hiss but he stood back up. Tian Yu could hear the sound of his ribs rearranging, like the time was been rewinded.
"You can't defeat me, nephew. I'm a million years stronger than you." Fang Leng said and smirked. In the blink of an eyes, he was standing before Tian Yu again. Before Tian Yu could react, Fang Leng gave him a heavy kick that sent him flying backwards and landing on the stone floor with a sickening force. Tian Yu moaned on pain, and his vision blurred.
Fang Leng didn't give him a second. He rushed towards him, his sword striking towards his head. Tian Yu quickly stood up, locking swords with Fang Leng.
"Get up," Fang Leng snarled, pressing his sword down, grinding it closer. Tian Yu kept pushing upward.
Just as Fang Leng's sword for too close, Tian Yu rolled just in time and Fang Leng's blade struck earth where Tian Yu's head had been a heartbeat earlier, embedding itself deep. Before Fang Leng could yank it free, Tian Yu acted swiftly and kicked Fang Leng hard in the stomach, launching him across the field like a broken doll. Yet, less than a minute, he was back on his feet again, wounded yet unyielding. Tian Yu faced him, blood running down his shoulder.
Tian Yu attacked again, driving his sword into Fang Leng's stomach. The blade sank deep, but Fang Leng did not fall. With a snarl, he struck back, sending Tian Yu crashing again a wall. Blood spilled from Tian Yu's mouth as he struggled to rise.
"Pathetic!"
Fang Leng pulled the blade from his own body and straightened as if the wound meant nothing.
Yu Wing rushed him from behind and stabbed him through the back. Fang Leng reached back without turning, seized him, and hurled him against the wall. Yu Wing collapsed and did not move again.
Wu Zhen charged next, burying his blade into Fang Leng's side. Fang Leng kicked him away, his focus fixed entirely on Tian Yu.
But Wu Zhen did not fall. He crashed backwards, remaining on his feet.
As Fang Leng raised his hand to finish Tian Yu, Tian Yi teleported behind him and drove a sword deep into his back.
Fang Leng staggered for the first time.
Blood poured freely now, soaking his clothes, yet he still tried to move forward.
"You still cannot kill me," he rasped.
Tian Yu forced himself upright, every breath painful. The Night Blade felt different in his hand___ heavier, as though waiting.
Fang Leng charged.
Instead of retreating, Tian Yu stepped into the attack.
Claws tore across his shoulder, but he did not stop. He drove the Night Blade forward with everything he had left.
The blade pierced Fang Leng's chest and continued through, straight into his heart.
Fang Leng's body locked in place.
He looked down slowly at the weapon embedded in him, disbelief replacing fury. The strength in his limbs began to drain, as though something inside him had finally given way.
"No…" he whispered.
His knees buckled. Blood spilled from his mouth as the unnatural force sustaining him unraveled. The light in his eyes dimmed rapidly. Tian Yu twisted the blade and pulled it free. Fang Leng slowly raised his hand but Tian Yu swiftly picked up a sword from the floor with his feet and with a spin,he severed Fang Leng's hand. He fell backward onto the stone and did not rise again.
The courtyard gradually fell quiet.Tian Yu remained standing for a long moment, breathing hard, the Night Blade hanging at his side.
The war was over. And victory was to the side of goodness.