Chapter 43: Eclipse of Blood
A piercing silence reigned in the great square before Big Ben, broken only by the rustling of coats and the neighing of restless horses. Edward stood in the center, with Tula beside him like a statue of darkness, and behind them an army of men baptized in loyalty and blood.
On the opposite side, the Ravencroft family army and their traitorous gang allies gathered, spreading like a sea of steel and gunpowder. The Ravencroft commander stepped forward, raising his sword with arrogance, and shouted in a hoarse voice: "Today will be your end! You rabble... whoever wants to save his life, kill Edward now and join us!"
Silence lasted for seconds, but not a single man in Edward's ranks wavered. The commander looked on with rage and screamed again: "Are you determined to follow this failure? Then go to hell with him! Today shall be your inevitable death!"
As soon as he finished his words, something happened that made hearts tremble; the silvery moonlight began to fade, and a deep, bloody red eclipsed the face of the sky. The moon turned into a terrifying "Blood Moon," as if the heavens were announcing a feast of souls.
Edward shouted a single word that shook the square: "Annihilate them!"
The battle erupted like a storm. Carriages and horses crashed into one another in a horrific collision. Edward's men fought with suicidal ferocity, tearing through enemy ranks with swords and axes. Amidst this chaos, Tula was the true embodiment of Death.
Tula used no physical weapon; he moved like an untouchable shadow. With a single word, the shadows of the enemies beneath their feet began to turn into sharp claws, piercing through their bodies. He moved through the ranks, and anyone he touched froze in place before their body exploded into black ash.
As for Edward, he fought with a murderous chill. He drew his longsword and pistol, advancing with steady steps amidst the flying bullets. He decapitated the first gang leader he faced, then emptied his rounds into the chests of the Ravencroft guards. His movements were precise, as if he were conducting a symphony of death.
Screams echoed, and the smell of gunpowder mingled with the scent of blood under the red light of the moon. The battle that began as a confrontation turned into an organized massacre led by Edward and Tula. Fear gnawed at the hearts of the enemies, who realized too late that they weren't fighting mere humans, but the King of Shadows and his demon.