I Became A Zompirewolf

"Well, you're not the only Xyran I have fought," Ashton retorted, turning into a full-blown Zompirewolf. "And I wasn't a Precursor when I ripped them to shreds!"

Upon witnessing his transformation, the smaller ships immediately lined up before Ashton to stop him. But they had severely underestimated his final form. 

"You should have picked another day to invade my planet," Ashton roared in fury as he launched himself towards the ships. 

His crimson eyes glowed with hostility as he tore through the Xyran ships in his path. 

The smaller vessels didn't stand a chance as the zompirewolf lunged at them, rending them apart with monstrous claws and ferocious bites. Their hulls buckled and crumpled beneath his brutal assault, explosions erupting in his wake.

"What the hell is that thing?" one of the ship's captains roared over the comms but was disconnected as his ship turned into smithereens. 

Even Ashton was a bit taken aback by his strength. He hadn't turned into a Zompirewolf while having his precursor cells active. But now that he did, he realised why Vulcan had suggested him not to do it. 

The sheer might of the monstrous form enhanced by the Precursor genes proved overwhelmingly powerful. Ashton had to exert every ounce of his concentration to harness his abilities despite his objective simply being to annihilate everything before him.

By this time, the visitors from the Kernel Tower finally joined the fray. But as they did, all they saw was a sky littered with explosions. 

The Xyran forces, who had moments ago been full of courage and confidence, faltered now that they faced a nightmarish adversary. 

Ashton moved with unnatural speed, his feral instincts honed to perfection. Earth's defenders could only watch in awe and terror as the creature unleashed its destructive wrath upon the invaders.

"Do we even need to help him?" Vimur commented as the rest of the Ghosts followed his ship.

"We're not here to help him," Laihud shook his head as he manoeuvred the ship to the other side of the city. "We're here to help the people and fend off the Xyran troops on ground."

"Open the hatch," Anna commented as she and the Twins lined up on the safety latch.

Laihud nodded and opened it around the sector littered with most Xyrans. The trio fell from the ship and spurted their wings as they headed straight towards the Xyrans. 

However, before they could begin their assault on the Xyrans, Irina saw a familiar face that she wasn't expecting to see there. 

"Is that... father?" she mumbled, and Verina's attention immediately shifted there. 

***

Amid the chaos, Alucard and his three remaining royal guards found themselves surrounded by a horde of ruthless Xyran grunts. These grunts were notorious for their brutality, often devouring their defeated foes alive. 

The odds were stacked against Alucard and his loyal guards, but they stood their ground, ready to face whatever gruesome fate awaited them.

"Whatever happens from now out," Alucard rallied the courage in his men. "It has been an honour to fight alongside warriors like yourselves."

"Haha," the Captain of the royal guards laughed. "My liege, you speak as if this is our final battle! Fret not, sir. For I will slaughter them all if need be to protect you!"

"Arrogant till the very end, huh?" Alucard smirked and prepared himself for the onslaught. 

The grunts pressed on with unrelenting ferocity, their sheer numbers threatening to overwhelm Alucard and his loyal guards. Each swing of their weapons met a horde of foes, but the odds were increasingly stacked against them.

Unfortunately, one of the soldiers dropped his guard and was dragged into the swarm to meet his end. His companions roared in anger, determined to avenge their fallen comrade.

The more Grunts they cut down, the more seemed to appear before them. One by one, Alucard's trusted royal guards met their tragic ends, bravely defending their lord to their last breath.

Now, only Alucard and his trusted Captain were left behind as the grunts circled them. As Grunts closed in on them, Alucard and his Captain stood back to back, united in their final stand.

Alucard nodded to his Captain, silently acknowledging that they both knew what this meant. The Captain returned the nod, a fierce glint of loyalty in his eyes, and whispered... 

"It has been an honour to serve under you, my lord."

"Oh, now you want to be thankful?" Alucard laughed even in their dire circumstance. "If this is the end, let's ensure it's a worthy one."

With a final, shared understanding, they continued to fight side by side. But the odds were overwhelmingly against them. Within minutes, the Captain, too, got attacked. 

"Not on my watch!" Alucard roared, raising his sword as the Grunts rushed to rip apart the unconscious guard. 

Then the unthinkable happened. A blood-curdling roar pierced the air as one of the Xyran Grunts bit into Alucard's hand, tearing it away. The loss of his weapon and the grievous injury left Alucard defenceless and vulnerable. Death seemed inevitable, closing in on him like a veil.

But in the darkest hour of the battle, when it seemed there was no hope left, redemption descended from above to save him.

Two shadowy figures dropped from the skies, landing amidst the relentless grunts, their movements swift and deadly. In mere moments, the grunts that threatened Alucard's life were cut down, their grotesque forms falling in heaps around the two mysterious figures.

"How dare you!?" Irina roared as she ripped a grunt's head with her bare hands. "How dare you touch our father!?"

Verina, on the other hand, was too upset to express her emotions in words. Instead, she approached Alucard and hugged him tightly as tears welled up in her eyes. 

"Here, use this potion; it will stop the bleed for now," she whispered, handing Alucard a potion before joining her sister. "Drink it and rest. This won't take long."

The twins moved with the grace of dancers, their weapons striking down the foes that dared threaten their father's life.