Vlad passed through the first three steps easily.
Since condensing his bones and reinforcing his muscle, the first movements of the Great Sword Art were fairly simple. It was pleasing to be able to slip through the flow without needing to concentrate on every small movement.
Also the flow of his blood energy was more efficient as the veins within his muscle had grown with it.
It was a small advance, but it felt like a big one in this moment.
He smiled as he moved smoothly into the fourth step, slashing upward. This time, he felt more confident in pushing additional blood energy up the blade. The steel had proven tough enough to handle small amounts.
The little clearing lit up with red light as he gracefully switched from step to step without pause.
Fifth.
Sixth. On the second crossing slash of the step, he unleashed a wave of energy which burst explosively as he brought the sword back down.
Seventh step.
Again, he felt the smooth effortlessness which came from having a strong body. The sword in his hands felt light as he thrust violently and sent a sharp spike of blood energy spitting from the blade's tip. It speared forward with deadly intent before smashing into a tree and melting a hole clean through the trunk.
Sparks flew like little sprites but were quickly snuffed by the cold air.
Now the crucial test.
The eight step.
His wrists twisted, pulling the blade around his back in a tight circular motion.
Blood energy ignited easily, rampaging down the blade.
His wrists barely felt the force.
Grinning tightly, he completed the rotation. The blood energy by this time had condensed at the tip of the blade, pulled by a vortex of power. The bright light was like a small red sun, flickering as though it had a heart of its own.
He raised the blade high.
Then brought it crashing down.
The bright ball of red flared.
And as his sword smashed into the ground, it rushed forward like a searing wall of crimson fire. Burning through the ground and leaving a wide crack in the earth.
The effect lasted only a moment.
This was normal because Vlad hadn't been able to complete the step properly. This attempt was flawed.
But he was satisfied. He knew the reason it was flawed.
Because he hadn't yet fulfilled the requirement in his heart and core to be able to use another energy needed to power the Great Sword Art. Shadow energy!
If he was able to use it, the two energies would wrap around his sword like coiling serpents and the sun would be a perfect black sphere crackling with red lightning.
An evil thing to see.
But a wonderful thing to unleash!
At least he could do the basic movement now without his wrists bursting. That was most important.
Tomorrow, he thought, he would concentrate on his core.
He wanted to use shadow energy as soon as possible.
A sharp pain tugged at his belly and he winced. How long since he'd drunk blood? He'd skipped a few offerings from the Renfields. Their blood tasted sad after having drunk the blood from the Crimson Drop in Bistritz.
As he was thinking this, he heard a sound.
A faraway sound which made him lift his head with an eager grin.
Sound of a scream.
Without hesitating, he flung the sword across his shoulder and darted into the trees.
A slender shadow dropped from a nearby tree and skipped into the middle of the clearing.
Katalin.
She crouched in the dirt, touching the imprints left by Vlad's feet with trembling fingertips. The crushed earth from where he'd stomped had left a deep crater.
And then the crack which split the ground was almost a hand wide and three hands deep!
"Such strength," she whispered. Then she looked towards where he'd run. He was following the scream. Her lips curled into a greedy smile. "I must have it!"
With a whoosh, she dove towards the trees but her form blurred as she reached the dark shadows and merged with them. Quicker than any mortal eye could follow, her shadowy form leapt from shadow to shadow as she gave chase.
Her heart raced.
Watching him had been so exciting. It had been so hard to resist leaping down and demanding he teach her this marvellous way of fighting immediately.
She'd heard from Karlo's brother, Ist, that Vlad despised the mace.
That he called it a Turkish weapon.
For almost five years she'd learned how to use the mace from Elder Laszlo. The mace she'd carried had been developed by him. It could crush the hardest bone and, with her vampiric strength, even break through most armour.
She'd treated her weapon with respect.
Cleaned it.
Polished it.
But as soon as she'd heard Vlad's opinion of it, she'd tossed it away immediately. She had no need of it. If she could learn this Great Sword, she would need no other weapon. She was sure of it.
The movements thrilled her. They called her.
She'd tried to imitate them. Had even bullied Ist into showing her what he called the First Step.
But it wasn't enough.
She needed Vlad to show her more. Show her everything!
It was fate. She was sure the universe had conspired to send him to her.
Wait for me, my teacher!
Three women were pressed against the wheel of a wagon. Two men lay dead on the ground, their throats torn out.
Blood formed wide pools around their bodies.
The women were whimpering and crying.
Two other men stood above the bodies. Big men. Their bare chests bore many scars.
Vlad leaned against a tree. He was downwind from them. He'd chosen this path, suspecting what he would find.
The two men were dogs of the Full Moon clan. This much was certain.
They must have been in their dog form when they attacked, he thought.
One of them lunged at the nearest woman and jerked her into his arms with loud barking laugh.
"Trismus! We have one wench too many. I've chosen mine."
The other leered broadly. "One too many? No, my friend. Two for me is just about right!"
"Let me go!" The woman in his arms was Ilinca. Her face was pale with fear and tears were already bright down her cheeks.
"You men will be in trouble!" A buxom blonde shouted at them. Vlad smiled at her tone. Though she was clearly terrified, she was fighting that terror with anger at seeing her friend torn away from her. "Big trouble! Do you even know who we are?"
Trismus looked at his friend and snorted. "You hearing this, Jock?"
Jock threw back his head and howled. "Girl, do you know where you are? You're nowhere! Who will care what happens to you?"
"We're Dolls, you stupid bastards!" The blonde hissed. "As soon as the Court-"
Trismus slapped her with the back of his hand. "That's enough lip from you. I can't get hard if you keep yapping like a stupid bitch."
"Bitch," Vlad said, stepping out of the forest. He drew the word out thoughtfully. "You are a funny dog, aren't you?"
Jock threw Ilinca down as both werewolves whirled towards him.
"Who are you?" Trismus growled. "Are you stupid? We're Full Moon Clan scouts. You should leave while you can."
Vlad pointed at him. "You really are so funny! First, you call the girl a bitch, when it is clear that you are both the dogs here. And now? Now, you think you will be the ones who will be leaving this place! So funny."
"Jock?" Trismus spat on the ground.
"Yeah?"
"Looks like we got a stupid bloodsucker." He squinted at Vlad. "You watch the bitches. I'll take the leech."
"Got it."
"Tch," Vlad said, shaking his head. "This won't do. I don't have time for that sort of nonsense. Both of you come at me together."
"Together?" Trismus stared at him like he was crazy. "Two of us aren't needed for filth like you."
"Together," Vlad said firmly. "Or I will get mad."
"So?" Trismus glanced at Jock, who shrugged back at him.
Vlad slowly drew the sword from his back.
The blade gleamed in the moonlight.
"I don't think you will like my angry acts," the vampire told them.
"Ha!" Trismus sneered. "You think that bullshit thing scares me? You clearly don't understand who you're messing with. Let me show you."
With that, he started to transform.
Bones deep inside his body crunched as his muscles started to shift under his skin.
Then his eyes widened.
He hadn't completed the change when Vlad flew forward using the seventh step. He'd been eager to try it out now he could do it easily.
The thrusting blade drove deep into Trismus' belly. The man, halfway through his transformation, was twitching when he took the blade. Clearly, he hadn't expected that.
Vlad paused the movement, staring deep into the shifting creature's yellow eyes.
"Did you think I would wait for you to change? Tch. I told you I did not have time for your nonsense."
And with that, he completed the movement by tearing the sword up in a vertical line. He didn't need to reinforce the blade with blood energy.
Trismus let out a wet squeal which was cut off as his body split into two above his navel.
"You-!" Jock blinked. Glanced at the three women. Then back at Vlad. "Are you crazy? Do you know who we are?"
Vlad lifted the sword and licked the blade.
The blood rushed into him, his heart greedily pulling the blood energy from it and dispersing it through his body.
Nodding with a satisfied smile, Vlad simply said; "Yes."
And lunged again.
Jock moved fast, though. He rolled across the ground, snatching at something near the front of the wagon.
A place where he and Trismus had left their packs.
And their sheathed swords.
With a roar, he unsheathed the long Great Sword and spun on his heel. Hissing with hate, Jock dropped into a form Vlad instantly recognised.
"Blood Dragon Great Sword Art," Vlad ground out between his teeth.
"What bullshit are you speaking?" Jock snapped. "Whatever cheap tricks you used are nothing compared to the Full Moon Great Sword Art!"
He moved with blinding speed, stepping into the first step and driving the blade towards Vlad's belly.
Vlad's eyes widened in shock as yellow energy flared along the blade's sharp edge.