As the blood ran dry in the prison tunnel, Albus, Kislev, Elysia, Thern, Ophelia, and Cassiel, all together, ran straight back towards the Foundry.
While captured, Elysia, being swift and nimble alongside her shadow step skill, was able to carefully snag the keys to the entrance of the Foundry off Aurei, the commander.
"Kislev!" Cassiel calls out as they jump roof to roof.
Glancing over, Kislev is afraid of finally getting an earful for what he had done prior.
"Your arm?" Cassiel mocks, laughing hard as to show he has recovered his mana.
Head down in embarrassment, Kislev runs alongside his comrades as they close in on the Foundry.
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.....
Finally inside the Foundry after their errors from before, the group is met with an immense heat. The heat was so hot that it felt as if the very air they breathed was burning to crisps.
Turning back to face his warriors, Cassiel makes the quick decision to send everyone outside to watch the entrance as he was the only one capable of bearing the Foundry's flame.
Although it was with hesitation, the five listened to their king as they left to the outside, standing guard to kill any and all oncoming guards.
.....
Minutes had passed.
Cassiel had surrounded himself within his own mana so that he wouldn't burn amongst the millions of embers inside.
The inside of the Foundry was completely black.
The walls, the floor, the tools, absolutely everything. The only light came from the flame towering throughout the middle of the Foundry, the same flame that made it almost impossible to breathe.
Although the air was tight and his air flow was cut short, Cassiel was able to make do by enhancing the air entering his body with mana, something he had learned from Jenk to make his sword strikes stronger.
Traveling up the steps, Cassiel finally began hearing hints and traces of life up above.
There appeared more and more furnishing the higher he climbed, there was more color to the tower called the Foundry, infamous for being a darkness only lit by one flame.
.....
With just a couple more steps, Cassiel would make it to the top, only to be met with sixteen eyes staring at him in confusion.
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At the bottom of the Foundry, Albus, Elysia, Thern, Ophelia, and Kislev, stood torn and bloodied.
Aurei Antiacus and his troop had caught up after following Thern's scent, as he was still inept in concealing it.
Many bodies lay dead in front of the group, yet still Aurei's guards listened as he ordered them to advance.
.....
His blonde hair and his sullied white eyes gave him an aura unmatched by any other born commoner.
He always held his head high, believing that even he could be of importance to Rampiel despite not being of royal lineage.
Training for years in seclusion, Aurei was one of the only remaining vampires on the continent to be above three hundred years of age.
Seeing his potential, Nahka granted Aurei a title, a hefty suit of armor, and a great sword fit for his tall, muscular stature.
.....
Despite their cuts being small and shallow, they were beginning to add up.
Their numbers didn't ever seem to drop, no matter how many the group managed to kill.
It was as if ants were being sent to war against spiders.
Even Albus, who was closest to Cassiel in power amongst his warriors, managed to be cut, even if only a few times.
The others began growing more and more ragged with their movements, with the exception of Ophelia who stayed behind to use her weapon to its fullest potential.
Thern, wanting to keep up with his fellow warriors, pushed himself to his fullest, slashing with all his might even at the weakest of soldiers that'd come his way.
He didn't want to fall behind any longer, even if the blood in their veins was the difference.
Kislev, seeing his companions fight with all their might, felt as if he must do the same, even managing to laugh when cut, showing his enemies no fear.
He fought for the sake of his friends' morale.
Elysia, who grew in despair with the many previous errors she made, believed this fight over the entrance was her only way to repent.
She continued in the name of fixing her mistakes.
Ophelia, who had never cared about anyone other than Jenk, continued fighting for Albus, not wishing to see him hurt any longer.
She gave it her all for the attention of the man her heart felt for.
Albus, ordered by his king to watch over the entrance, fought only for those words. An order by his king, whom considered him a friend, that was all he needed.
He fought for his order.
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.....
Sitting across from the eight blacksmiths of Anvilius, Cassiel's sweat ran dry as his gaze burned through their souls.
"Are any of you aware of who I may be?" Cassiel questions, his voice intimidating in the face of the defenseless.
With a couple moments of silence, Cassiel grows angry.
"You vermin... must I remind you which royal family granted you protection from other families' influence?" Cassiel growls.
Stunned, one of the blacksmiths opens his mouth to speak.
"Are you... of the Aeternus family?" He questions, leaving five of the blacksmiths to turn in shock.
Staring without a word, the eight smiths grow more weary.
"Y-You must... you must leave at once, we-"
"Silence."
Cassiel's voice booms over the blacksmith's words, leaving him to wallow in despair for a few moments.
"Why have you betrayed the previous king's protection?"
"We... had no choice, sir."
"Sir? You are to address me as 'my king'" Cassiel barks out, his voice never dropping below his usual serious tone.
The room would fall silent.
None of the blacksmiths would dare open their mouths after Cassiel's statement, all in fear of what he might do.
"I will ask again. Why have you fallen under Nahka's rule, despite being granted the permission to be an independent city by my father."
A couple seconds of silence would continue, before the blacksmith from before would speak again.
"It may not be of importance... but my name is Fregurd Hium. The previous undisputed lord of Anvilius, Hildric Esh-"
"What?" Cassiel questions, standing up straight.
"Is there an issue with something I've said, my king..?" Fregurd questions, afraid.
"That name... Hildric, he is your 'lord'?"
Staring in confusion, Fregurd nods slowly, as the others do in agreement.
"Hildric... but he's holed up in Ananchel..." Cassiel says, his voice trailing off as many different thoughts invade his mind.
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.....
Only one of Cassiel's warriors remained standing strong in hopes of his late return.
It was Albus.
The others, Elysia, Kislev, Ophelia, and Thern, were all laid out on their backs, either too exhausted to move, or unconscious from blood loss.
Stepping forward, Aurei finally drags his sword from off his back, laying it forward as its weight carries it into the ground.
The few remaining guards under his thumb stood behind, not in fear, but in order.
When Aurei draws his sword, it is him declaring a duel for whomever his eyes are set upon.
"You know, if you were a commander under Cassiel's ruling... you'd have been beaten black and blue for only entering the fray at the last moment." Albus mocks, smiling despite his worn state.
"You address your king by first name? I feel as though that proves enough." Aurei bites back, his eyes cold as they set on Albus.
Laughing, Albus pushes his stance forward, drawing his blade low in front of him, as if he were about to charge in for a stab.
Picking his sword up with one hand, Aurei points his blade forward, as if to show Albus his reach.
Dropping his smirk, Albus focuses his eyes past Aurei's sword, laying them solely on his legs.
Shifting his stance, Albus would mimic Jenk's most signature move.
"Allow me to teach you something, Aurei. A weapon is only as good as its user." Albus says, appearing in front of him.