Global Awakening: Apocalypse Ender's Chronicle Chapter 1174: The Vampire Lords

Merlin’s Mana Sense stretched outwards, brushing against the encroaching shadows at the Stronghold’s edge. Initially, he mistook them for common vampires, perhaps thralls or lesser knights infiltrating during the chaos. However, upon closer inspection, their auras felt distinct—heavy, oppressive, and far more potent than anything encountered since leaving the pervasive fog.

"These are no ordinary knights..." he murmured, gripping his staff tighter. "Could they be... Lords?" He recalled the Super Soldiers discussing Zombie Lords, beings of immense power capable of razing entire settlements unless faced by numerous Level 50 survivors. If these vampires bore the same title, their presence signaled an impending catastrophe, and alarmingly, no one else seemed to have noticed yet.

Merlin’s jaw clenched. He was uncertain if the Omega Stronghold had detected the threat or if a specialized unit was already dispatched to handle it. Nevertheless, he could not simply stand by.

Taking a resolute breath, he moved with haste, his robe billowing as he melted into the surrounding shadows. The two Vampire Lords had already breached the perimeter, their forms obscured by mist. One brandished a blade crackling with crimson energy, while the other’s eyes burned red, poised to strike.

"Halt!" Merlin commanded, raising his staff. "You will not claim this Stronghold."

The first Vampire Lord scoffed. "An elder dares to challenge us? You should have remained concealed, mage."

Merlin’s staff pulsed as mana began to coalesce around him. "Hoho... Old I may be, but I am not without strength." With a swift hand movement, a volley of Magic Missiles launched forward, impacting the vampires! The projectiles detonated against their defenses, forcing them to stagger back. The second Lord, taken aback by the mage’s substantial Mana Reserves, jeered, "Trifling tricks. Do you truly believe such a spell will affect us?"

Merlin’s gaze sharpened. "Let’s discover the truth." He slammed his staff onto the ground, unleashing a torrent of flames that roared across the courtyard. The inferno enveloped the Lords, igniting their cloaks. Suddenly, the other inhabitants—Survivors, Soldiers, Warden Units, and all defenders—became aware of the intruders. If not for the old mage’s intervention, untold damage would have surely been inflicted upon their defensive perimeter!

Despite the encroaching flames, the Lords advanced, their bodies impervious to the heat. One swung his blade, unleashing a shockwave that pulverized nearby stone! With a clang, Merlin leaped back, uttering an incantation. A Mana Shield materialized around him just as the shockwave hit! The barrier groaned under the impact but held firm.

"Ha!" Merlin retaliated with a blast of ice shards, which shot through the air like deadly javelins. The shards embedded themselves into the approaching Lords, only to be met with laughter. "You possess considerable power, mage," one declared, tasting blood from his lips. "However, you lack holy power. Without it, you cannot hope to defeat us."

Merlin’s teeth ground together. It was true; he lacked both Dark and Holy Arts, but that was irrelevant… "Then I shall incinerate you until naught remains." He raised his staff aloft, channeling lightning this time. Even the ominous clouds seemed to aid his spellcasting.

Bolts of lightning crackled from the heavens, striking the Lords with thunderous force. Bang! Bang! The very ground quaked, structures trembled, and nearby soldiers turned in astonishment at the sudden tempest.

"Commander Tieria!" a guard bellowed from the ramparts. "The mage... he is engaging Vampire Lords!" Tieria’s cybernetic eye zoomed in, his expression one of disbelief. "Lords? Within the barrier? Preposterous... yet he holds them back single-handedly..." The Super Soldiers began to advance, but Tieria raised a hand. "Hold. Dispatch only the Warden Units to assist him. This battle is his. Concentrate our efforts on the external threats. Ensure these Vampire Lords receive no reinforcement!"

Tieria understood the dire consequences of vampires regaining strength through blood-draining, a tactic he’d witnessed repeatedly during the Cross Apocalypse Event. He would not repeat that costly mistake!

As if on cue, Merlin’s robe swirled around him as he unleashed another devastating spell… a vortex of wind that flung debris at the Lords! "Taste this!" The Lords were struck, quickly adopting defensive postures… One Lord dissolved into mist, reappearing behind Merlin with elongated claws extended. Merlin executed a Dash Spell, his staff flaring with power… In a fraction of a second, he unleashed a burst of frost. Crack! The vampire froze mid-lunge as ice began to creep across its limbs!

A fiery blast from Merlin met the icy form of one Lord, the ensuing detonation shattering the frozen expanse and sending the foe sprawling backwards.

The second Lord let out a furious roar, his blade surging forward in a relentless charge.

Merlin braced himself, his shield shimmering with protective energy, but the sheer force of the incoming strike proved overwhelming.

His barrier fractured, and the sharp edge of the blade managed to graze his arm.

A jolt of pain shot through him, yet Merlin clenched his teeth, uttering, "You'll need a more potent assault than that."

With a determined slam of his staff onto the ground, he conjured a towering pillar of flame that erupted directly beneath the charging vampire!

"Wall of Fire..."

The Lord's shriek was swallowed by the inferno as flames enveloped him. His armor began to glow a terrifying red, but Merlin showed no sign of faltering!

He relentlessly pursued the advantage, unleashing a barrage of spells in swift succession! Lightning, frost, gale, and fire... each elemental assault struck the Vampire Lord in a precise, rhythmic pattern!

Alex, who had been a keen observer throughout the entire ordeal, found himself unable to contain his rising excitement!

"He's... he's seamlessly weaving elements together! I absolutely must master this technique in the future!"

He harbored no doubt that a time would come when he, too, would command such devastating elemental combinations!

Tieria's advanced optical sensor also processed the unfolding spectacle...

"Remarkable... he's casting spells with the same ease as drawing a breath."

The Vampire Lords' bodies were rapidly succumbing to the assault, becoming scorched and severely wounded. One of them cast a desperate look around, desperately seeking a life-force to siphon.

However, their surroundings consisted only of Androids... mere lifeless machines devoid of the vital blood they craved!

"You... your existence is an anomaly. No mere mage should possess such overwhelming power..."