Kaden panted as he took in the scenery. The thunderstorm was slowing, indicating that both sides were running low on lifeforce. The surrounding area had a large chunk of it missing and the sun could be seen high overhead, bathing everything in its glow. Everything was in ruins. Three Divine Knights lay dead around him. Only two vympiri had fallen.

Kaden looked to Aya who struggled to get to her feet. Her breathing just as heavy as his. She roared as she reformed her third mana skeleton. Kaden himself was on his fifth skeleton as well. Now they both were weaker and were running out of Lifeforce. All Kaden could muster was a watered down skeleton and lightning cloak.

Aya could no longer use the warp skill or conjure Stardust weapons, her armor was busted up and cracked. The Knights around them were also running low on Lifeforce.

Two vympiri were dead. A few were injured. Some more so than others. One lost an arm, a few had wounds that would normally kill but only served to slow it down. Still their durability and dark Mana gave them the edge.

We can't win. Kaden thought with frustration.

Maybe not. Sir Jericho said via Nurolink. But we made a promise between men that I intend to keep!

Sir Jericho dashed for Kariah-Belle. A vympiri appeared in his way and the large knight conjured five solar copy cats. He didn't slow when blood escaped his mouth from overusing solar craft.

The vympiri dodged each attack sent by the mimics, being sure not to get caught from behind. The creature took to the air to avoid being grabbed only to meet Jericho's hammer. The creature went sailing down to the floor, creating a crater in the crystal upon impact.

The solar copycats swarmed the vympiri and exploded one after the other. The explosions this time were like multiple nukes in a confined space.

Sir Jericho roared as he shaped the blast radius but the impact would blow away anyone not in an skeleton. It was a display of great mana control.

"Sir Jericho!" Kaden shouted. Moving as he suddenly saw something forming behind the Divine knight. "Behind you!"

Kaden was too slow. Another vympiri reformed from being black smoke. Sir Jericho reacted but he was slowed as he worked to contain the blast.

Before he could put up his guard, the vympiri jabbed it's fingers through the man's armor and pierced his chest. Kaden saw the two exchange words before black spikes burst to life from inside Sir Jericho. Blood, guts and body parts rained from the sky.

"No!" Kaden roared filled with rage. "I'll slaughter you!"

He was now upon the vympiri who still uttered words to the dead knight. Kaden could hear them but his rage made him deaf. However before he could throw a strike, the one armed vympiri appeared before him.

"Fuck off!" He yelled drowning out Aya's voice in the link.

He threw a punch to which she dodged and swatted him away like a fly.

The master knight slammed through a chunk of black crystal.

Kaden struggled to get to his feet before falling to the floor, his red and black Mana skeleton shattering into shards. His breathing now even more ragged than before.

Damn. He thought to himself as he tried to will his body to move. He looked at the vympiri who had nabbed Kariah. He remembered her.

She smiled tauntingly.

The young man could see Aya and other Knights fighting against the remaining vympiri. Things were looking grim. They hadn't been fortunate to receive any reinforcements and with Sir Jericho dead, any remaining chance they had of winning here were tossed out the window.

Damn, damn, DAMN! Jericho... Tears swelled in his eyes while pain racked his heart at the loss of his senior. One of the men Kaden respected most died right in front of his eyes and he was powerless to avenge him. He was powerless to save Rygilya or his sister.

Am I really gonna die here? In a place like this?

Pull yourself together Kaden! Aya snapped in the nurolink. She was now using her dual SMGs to act as support for the other Knights. It's not over until all of us are dead!

Yeah! Kyanè said in the link. We aren't slouches! Cheer us on from the sidelines and regain some strength!

Right! Kaden thought to those in the nurolink. Sorry!

He mentally kicked himself for forgetting about the other knights. Maybe they could pull through. He decided instead of thinking the worst, he'd relay the vympiri movements to his comrades.

For a time the strategy was going well. Thanks to the tactic, Aya and another Knight manage to take down a vympiri. Another vympiri yanked off Aya's arm before swatting both of the knights away.

"Aya!" Kaden yelled as he tried to move.

The only way he'd be able to move now is if he used the remaining of his Lifeforce to conjure a Mana skeleton. However if he did that he would surely die.

"Aya!" Kaden shouted again to the downed knight laying on the crystal floor only several yards away.

Kaden crawled his way over to her as tears began to over flow. Her Mana skeleton was gone but she moaned letting Kaden know she was still alive.

"Aya!" Kaden shouted once more.

This time the young woman's eyes flew open. She sat up in a daze before noticing her arm was missing.

She screamed in agony, the pain just now being felt. She clutched the bleeding stub. Winching, she squeezed her eyes shut while conjuring a faint Mana that would stop the bleeding and numb the pain somewhat.

"Dammit all." She whispered before biting down on her bottom lip still in pain. "I'm at my limit."

Just then Van came crashing down a few feet away. Both Kaden and Aya instinctively looked in the opposite direction to find a large barrage of crystals made of super dense dark matter closing in with great speed. Kaden could barely see them. Aya couldn't react.

Suddenly the two were trapped in a dome that emitted blue fire but gave off no heat.

The shield cracked immediately after the crystals hit. The barrier shattered soon after as Memphis came flying through. He would've smacked into the two if Sir van hadn't kicked him away.

"Hey! What's the big idea, military dog?!" Memphis demanded to know after swiftly recovering.

"You were coming in too fast." Van stated with a neutral expression. "You would've killed them."

Memphis looked to the two. Aya's father stared into her eyes. Mildly impressed he said, "Still alive, eh?"

"You're honestly surprised?" Van asked. "She is your daughter."

Memphis grinned saying, "So you were worth keeping alive."

Aya peered at the Darkness Tamer, anger in her eyes. "Letting me live may one day prove to be your greatest mistake, father."

"You would kill for vengeance?" Memphis asked.

"I am not like you!" Aya snarled.

"Then how do you plan on putting your poor mother to rest?" Memphis said mockingly as he started to turn away.

Kaden watched his senior's beautiful features twist into something ugly. He could see the hurt and hatred in her eyes and he had the irrational fear of her sinking into the Fallen Place right then and there.

The young man only ever saw the cool, collected Aya lose her composure when in the midst of her father. Kaden wished he had the strength to bring the man who caused her so much torment to justice.

Just then Iris was thrown against the floor hard enough to shatter dense crystal.

Her master quickly recovered as Dracula spoke saying, "You three are dangerous. With the female giving both offensive and defensive support, things become that much more difficult." Kaden noticed that the dark matter crystal platting on the right side of his jaw had shattered exposing his skin. The same was of the left ribcage. He held a long piece of dark matter crystal that acted as blade and wings sprouted from his armor.

"However," Dracula continued. "You seem to value their lives greatly. If I distract you then I could keep the males separate. Take you out one by one."

He held up his hand and more of the small dark matter crystal projectiles were sent hurtling towards them at a speed Kaden could only assume was faster than light.

The projectiles seemingly disappeared into thin air, being replaced with Van. The Holy Knight was next to Dracula soon after and the two began exchanging blows that shook the atmosphere.

Without his Mana skeleton Kaden couldn't even see when Van left the limbo world. He cursed his uselessness. He looked over at the remaining members of the rescue unit. Now with Jericho gone, it wouldn't be long before the entire unit was decimated. The Royal guard would then come to aid their master.

Boy. Spoke an unfamiliar voice inside his head. Do you want to live?

Kaden looked around somewhat frightened . Who's there? He asked.

You know it is I, human. The sinnister voice spoke.

Darqus? Kaden asked.

I can't allow you to die yet. Unlike Memphis the vympiri aren't searching for my power. They will kill you. I will share my power with you human.

Kaden had heard about Darqus. It was because of Aya that Iris gave him the details sooner than she planned. Kaden knew all about how Darqus wished to take over his body. This was the very first time Darqus had spoken openly.

Yeah? What's in it for you? Kaden quarried.

The sinister voice chuckle in Kaden's mind. When this is over you must surrender yourself.

You mean give you my body? Not on your life. Kaden thought back.

He knew what would happen if Darqus ever gained possession of his body. Master Iris had already warned him that Darqus only cared about destruction. He would rampage and kill everything in his wake. Human and non-human.

You would still be in control of your body as I cannot take possession until you fall deep inside the Fallen Place to return. I can let you tap into my power at the cost of physical pain.

So how will you posses my body? Kaden asked taking in this new information.

You will meet my underlings. They will extract me from your body.

And then I die, right?

It is a small price to pay to keep your loved ones alive is it not? Darqus asked knowing what Kaden's answer would be.

Kaden clenched his fist as he saw Dracula defend against blows from Iris, Van and Memphis. The battle had been taken further away but Kaden could tell Dracula had gained the upper hand. He would occasionally see Iris, Memphis or Van being hit and sent flying with various blows. Whenever Dracula slowed down it was to grab and throw one of the three.

Just then, Iris was sent hurtling towards them. Van and Memphis came following after. They rolled and tumbled along the crystal ground, causing it to shattered during impact. Kaden saw his master had lost an arm. Her Stardust armor had cracks and a great deal of it was missing. Memphis and Van were in no better shape.

Damn! Kaden cursed in his mind as he watched his master get shakily to her feet.

She fell to the floor. Her Stardust armor now completely shattering as she lay there screaming from the pain of her severed arm. It wasn't bleeding so Kaden guessed she somehow scorched the limb closed.

She active a weak the life support skill. Kaden watched as Sir Van and Memphis returned to their normal state, no longer having the Mana for a transformation. Memphis tried to stand but after coughing up blood, he fell backwards.

"Bastard got me good." He said wiping the blood from his chin.

Sir Van lay groaning in pain. He pressed his hands against his head. Kaden knew the man had been entering Limbo World frequently in rapid succession. The side effects for over using a branch craft without being apart of that family was painful and could even lead to death.

"W-we can't win." Iris stated through chattering teeth. Her whole body trembled.

Dracula descended so he could be heard. "You have done well humans but this is the end."

He gestured behind them. Kaden turned slightly to see vympiri throwing a body of two others into a pile. Only Kyanè and two others stood.

The vympiri lord then raised his hand above his head. Dark matter started to form as he spoke. "I have only met few who have pushed me this far. You have my praise Knights."

Small stars appeared in the dark matter now. A massive crystal formed over head, stars swirling in the darkness.

"Farewell." Dracula said as he launched the large object at them.

"He'd kill his own people." Aya said with distain.

However Kaden saw the Royal guard turn into black smoke and escape. Still Kaden wondered about the other vympiri. That thing Dracula had sent at them would be enough to destroy the crystal city and then some.

Dracula doesn't care boy! Darqus shouted in his mind. He plans to make sure none of the humans here survive!

"Dammit!" Kaden roared.

Fear gripped his heart before a cloud of dark matter exploded from him and covered the surrounding area in total darkness...