Spirit guardians appeared and surrounded Princess Cauladra. They looked like miniature dragons, all seven of them.

The Elven Princess stared at the spirit guardians before she reached her hand out to touch one of them. "Are these fairy dragons which you have summoned, Grand Cleric?"

"They are Spirit Guardians that represent an aspect of the platinum dragon. It is what I chose for them to look like. Any vampire that comes near you, they will defend and attack." He told her.

"Thank you, Grand Cleric," Princess Cauladra seemed a little concerned, "But do these guardians which you have summoned to my aid mean that you plan to abandon me?"

He gave her a look of surprise, "Why would you even consider that, your highness? I did say that I would protect you, did I not."

"You did, Grand Cleric, but I know that protection can take many forms. I mean't no offense," Princess Cauladra replied, "It's just that, with my husband going away so often, I am more used to protecting myself as opposed to having him protect me in person. Again, I mean't no offense."

"Oh, poor, poor Princess Cauladra. What will you ever do if he was going to abandon you?" Came a sultry feminine voice from one of her close servants. A elven handmaiden walked in smiling. A series of sharp fangs protruded from her mouth dripping with fresh blood.

"Serelia, what? What is the meaning of this? Have you been eavesdropping on our conversation this entire time?" Princess Cauladra turned to face her Handmaiden.

"Elf blood is sweet tasting, so full of long life and magic, don't you think?" The handmaiden gestured with a flick of her hand as her royal guards came in charging. The nearest guard was paralyzed and the one nearest to him hit the hard stone floor with a thud.

"What have you done?!" Princess Cauladra gasped in horror.

The Bronze Man summoned his spiritual weapon behind the vampire. It struck with such fervor and zeal that the handmaiden's arm was seared off. "Enough of this idle nonsense, fiend!"

The handmaiden screeched in pain and retreated into the shadows of the hallway only to return with nine thralls into the throne room.

"Indeed!" The princess unsheathed her sword from her sheath and turned to face the vampire, "Away with you, Serelia, I am sorry that this fate has befallen you. I truly am! But you have no place her now! Begone with you and never return!"

Grinning through the intense pain, Serelia replied, "Oh no, princess, the masters want you alive. The rest are just food."

The thralls entered and engaged the royal guards not subdued by Serelia's power and steadily pushed them back towards the doors.

Lazheros raised his holy symbol crying out, "And let DAWN take you now!" A beam of pure white light rained down upon the thralls reducing them to ash and healed the royal guards at the same time.

"Did you strike Serelia down, Grand Cleric?" Cauladra scanned the room without relaxing her guard, "She is the greater threat amongst the thralls you have slain."


*****

A screech from a swarm of bats came blasting out the darkness of the cavern followed by a half dozen vampires. Sir Gonagle and his kin took up defensive positions armed with crossbows, while Quake readied her net gun and fired it over the opening.

Curses and screeches came from the vamps caught in the net. They were almost free of it until the gnomes unloaded their weapons on them.

Quake gasped, "There's something big and fangy coming, lady!"

"Step back away from the entrance," Alyson commanded as her form shifted into the red dragon this time.

The gnomes took cover as the scorching breath of the red dragon obliterated the huge creature. Some kind of giant vampire bat and the rest of the vampires leaving only ash littering the floor of the cavern.

"Quake, go ahead and scout the area before the gnomes follow," The red dragon watched the burning corpse smoldering in the darkness.

Without question, Quake did exactly that and scouted the next area of the cavern. No sign of an vampires except for a stream of blood flowing out the wall on the far side. She came back and motioned them to follow.

******

The platinum knight held up his hand suddenly and motioned two of the slayers to scout out a potential sighting. Suddenly a handful of vamps came out fangs and claws swinging. Madeous brought his greats word up and in one fluid motion smited the closest vamp leaving only ash behind. The other two vampires closed in on the slayers and met the business end of multiple wooden stakes.

"Only three vampires." One of the slayers said.

"Usually there are more," Another added.

Just then one of the smaller homes exploded with vampires. At least a dozen more.

"You just had to open your big mouth didn't you!" A third slayer grumbled.

The platinum knight charged head on towards the vampires and took three down with a great cleave of his sword.

Between the slayers and the platinum knight, they dropped every single one the vamps and chased down the ones that ran. They also checked the citizens for bite marks and took inquiries from witnesses of a possible lair.

*****

The Swordsman drew forth Evenflow, "And it's good to have a friend to watch your back."

Irzen spied something in the gloom right behind Maxim, "Look out!" The Swordsman shoved Maxim aside just as a vampire stepped forward to try and bite him. The only thing the vampire received for its trouble was a vorpal sword that sliced its head from its shoulders.

The Swordsman stretched his hand out to Maxim, "Are you alright?"

Before Maxim could answer he jabbed forward catching another vampire in the chest. His next attack dropped one directly above the swordsman as it fell from the wall. "Just fine. Watch your back."

"Agreed!" Irzen spun around to face another seven vampires stepping out of the gloom from which they had been hiding, "Well, this doesn't look good! Ideas, anyone?"

A pair of vamps closed in on the prince flanking him, while another two kept a paladin busy.

"I have one!" Prince Birch declared as he drew forth his blades and cleared his throat, "How about a song to inspire us to victory!"

From out of nowhere, a cone of light appeared around Prince Birch and the sound of a piano and an Elven choir could be heard all around him. And then he began to sing this song:

Glorious
No, I won't give in
I won't give in
'till I'm victorious
and I will defend
I will defend
And I'll do what I must
No, I won't give in
I won't give in
Oh, so glorious
Until the end
Until the end

The weapons of Prince Birch's allies began to glow brightly and his allies began to feel a flood of inspiration that empowered them to counterattack the vampires who began to shirk away from them.

The hunters paused long enough to look at each other's weapons and continued on with their attacks. It was a ballet of swords, and stakes in the mix of the living and the undead on a grand stage.

With his sword glowing as though it were white hot, Irzen sliced through vampire and thrall alike as his blade decapitated his enemies. With his personal guard by his side, Prince Birch sang his song "Glorious" inspiring his allies to press the fight against the enemy.

******

Serna took one of the books about the history of nineteenth century Earth and began to read it in earnest. After a few minutes, she looked up at Captain Lion and asked, "Where are the dragons and elves and dwarves on your world? There is mention of Humans aplenty but not one word about the others."

"Elves and dragons are little more than fairy tales of myth and legend on Earth. As for dwarves, well, my dear there are some humans born incapable of looking like normal people. It's called dwarfism, or little people as they like to be called." He stood up from his chair and reached up on the higher shelves. There he pulled a photo album down for her to look through.

"No Elves? No dragons? No REAL dwarves?" Serna shook her head in disbelief, "You must come from a very sad and boring world, Captain Lion. I can see why you came to The Realm. No doubt to spruce up your life. Hey! How did you come to The Realm anyway?"

"True magic is frowned upon and feared by many who don't want to understand it. My wife and I had become wary of our time on Earth since the days of the vampire slayer waned and the threat of a great world war was on the horizon. So, we took a leap of faith and hoped that Lady Luck would allow us to find safe haven elsewhere. On this ship's maiden voyage we sailed through the clouds and came out to a world with three moons and two suns. Although I am told there are four suns." He sat back down in his chair.

"AAAAWWWW!" Serna sadly shook her head, "That's a shame. I'm sorry that your world has no true magic. And I'm sorrier still that you and your wife felt compelled to flee your homeworld. But you are right about one thing. The Realm does have three moons and four suns. Back where I am from, in Deeping Dale, we see them all the time. Have you ever been to Deeping Dale? It's very nice. Also, how do you and your wife like Asylum? Was that the first place you found when you came to the Realm? Or did you wander anywhere else before that?"

"We settled in quite nicely and started a family. All boys. We tried for a girl but no luck which is why I had asked you in Arbor Haven if you wanted to be adopted since you were an orphan. The offer is open to you, young lady. No, I have not been to Deeping Dale. The farthest I've been west was Arbor Haven, and I do not wish to venture beyond that. For I miss my lovely wife and my sons. I pledged my service to the Guardian of Asylum and it has been that way every since." He stood up suddenly when a shot went off outside.

****BANNGGG!!****

Serna nearly jumped out of her skin at the sudden sound of the gunshot!

A screech was heard briefly and then nothing. The Englishman came out with his rifle, "Only one?"

"Aye sir. We spotted some off to the left near the tower entrance." The gunner replied.

Serna breathed a sigh of relief.

Captain Lion spotted a vampire slinking around the outside of the tower adjacent to his ship. Bringing up his rifle he tracked the creature until its head was out in the open and fired.

**BANG!!**

The vampire's body flailed lifelessly as it tumbled all the way down to the bottom.

"Eyes up!" He said when another vampire flew up and over onto the deck of the ship preventing Captain Lion from using his rifle. He flipped it around and smashed it into the chest of the vamp.

Serna scanned the ceiling to find the vampire on the attack.

The vampire cursed him in the old language, "'Why do you protect that ripe piece of meat?'"

Without saying a word, Captain Lion tossed the gun aside and lunged for the throat of the vampire.

The creature gasp at how strong he was and managed to counter shoving him back. Racing forward with blinding speed, the vampire sunk his fangs into the man's neck drinking heavily and that's when the Englishman's appearance changed right before Serna's eyes.

"Captain Lion! NO!" Serna cried as the vampire bit into her friend's neck.

"'Because I am not a monster. I am anything but what you have become and therefore you must not be!'" Captain Lion's eyes went from blue to red, his skin paled slightly, and his hands were claws as he punched right through the vampire's chest and crushed his heart.

"WOW!" Serna gasped without batting an eyelash, "You tore right through his chest and ripped out his heart! I saw my adopted sister Kana do that once and it never ceases to amaze. WOW! Are you alright, Captain Lion? That vampire bit you pretty good."