Bertie couldn’t believe it. He’d watched Vlad help them out and he’d been surprisingly competent with his shield while letting them finish the wolves. Like he was used to fighting with a group. Though his axe strikes could use some serious work.

Then the Lycan came along and splintered his shield and sent him flying over the back of the wall. Then just ignore the rest of them as it jumped after him.

Bertie and Nicholas had managed deep cuts into the creatures back with their weapons. Hoping it would mess with the creature or at least weaken it if Vlad was still alive. He had just heard the crashing and splintering of wood when another wolf came over the wall.

“Damn it!” He roared as he brought the large longsword he held in an upward strike. Hitting the creatures left front paw and lobbing it off. Nicholas came in after and jabbed his spear into it’s head and finished it off.

Olive fired an arrow into the eye of another Lycan that had tried to move over the wall while the two men had been busy. She looked furious as she loaded another and fired. Bertie had to admit she was great with that bow. Firing either to support him and Nicholas or other groups of guards and volunteers when the opening presented itself.

He felt angry. Why had these wolves come for the sleepy little frontier town? They had only killed wolves in self-defence ever since they had managed to put up the town. So why now? What had changed?

Swiping his sword along the lip of the wall he took the head off another wolf and a Lycan. The cleave skill he was so proud of helping him immensely in that strike.

Then another Lycan came over the wall. A mountain of muscles and angry teeth and claws. It swiped its claws at him and using the sword to guard he managed. Though he let out a strained groan as he felt the tips of the Lycan’s claws burrow into his bicep.

Thankfully, Nicholas came in and stabbed into the creature's armpit, causing it to howl with pain and back away.

“Thanks.” He let out as he swung the sword once more at the creature. However, he felt it. How slow he was getting, how weak after the constant fighting. Many others had switched out with the backups to get a little rest before jumping into the fray again.

Nicholas stabbed, again and again, leaving the Lycan unable to advance while riddling it with shallow holes. An arrow finished the creature off and they got some breathing room.

“I’d love one of Grandon’s concoctions right about now.”Nicholas wheezed with his cheeky grin.

Bertie only smirked and nodded. “Those would do well about now. Though a health potion would also hit the spot.” He then replied as another snarling jaw came at him.

“You think Vlad’s ok?” Olive asked as she took her dagger and stabbed it at another wolf that had gotten past another group.

“I hope so!” Nicholas said as he twirled his spear around and with the butt slammed it into the head of the same wolf Olive attacked. Then with the front end stabbed into another trying to scramble over the wall.

“If he isn’t ok, I’m sure Campbell will kill him.” Bertie said chuckling a little to try and suppress his own worry.

He knew they all wanted to run down the stairs and find Vlad and help him. But the situation didn’t allow for it. If they left then the wolves would have a hole to get through and into the town.

Bertie was just glad that they were only attacking from one side.

He knew if they had to defend more places than this one they’d most likely be overrun.

Bertie was jolted from his musing as yet another Lycan came over the wall and swiped hard enough to break Nicholas’s spear. “Damn.” He cursed as he charged the Lycan and swiped with his sword hard. Managing to score a hit along the creature's thighs.

The creature retaliated by shoulder decking him back. He fell against the back rail of the wall and groaned from the hit. It was like being hit by a brick shot from a ballista.

Nicholas switched over to his short swords and sliced along the Lycans tendons to make its legs useless. An elbow almost sent him flying over the wall to the waiting jaws of the wolves. Olive moved in and stabbed her long dagger into the creature's shoulder, it cut deep.

Before it clawed the woman down however a loud inhuman growl stopped the Lycan in its tracks.

The trio looked towards the stairs and saw Vlad hobbling up the stairs. Blood covering the lower half of his face, hands and clothes. A short sword in one hand and a woodcutters axe in the other. He looked near-feral with rage.

Bertie felt a shiver run down his spine at the sight of those cross-shaped eyes. Then a greenish layer seemed to fill up all of his spots that showed bare skin.

At that sight, Bertie also noticed the claws that had come to adorned his friend's fingertips. What exactly was Vlad?

“Get into the town! They are coming over the undefended spots.” Vlad snarled as he pointed into the town behind him. Then almost like a blur he moved in and slammed the axe into the Lycan’s head, cracking open its skull. “Go!”