MY SUGAR MUMMY IS A BEAUTIFUL VAMPIRE

Chapter 351: All down

As Dumphries descended through the air, his eyes locked on his target, he whispered reverently, "Moon Blade, guide my strike true."

With every ounce of strength in his weathered blacksmith's hands, Dumphries swung the sword. The blade met the dragon's scales with a resounding clash that echoed through the cavern.

For a heart-stopping moment, it seemed the beast's tough hide had repelled even this legendary weapon. But Dumphries wasn't finished. With a defiant roar, he pressed a small contraption at the sword's hilt.

Instantly, the blade began to spin, jagged edges materializing along its length. The sudden transformation sent vibrations up Dumphries' arms as he pressed harder against the dragon's scales.

'These scales,' Dumphries thought, gritting his teeth. 'Densely layered, almost like overlapping plates of armor. Good thing I brought this particular sword.'

As he applied more pressure, his mind drifted to the forging of this blade. 'Three hundred years of perfecting this design. Countless nights spent hammering moonsilver and folding enchanted steel. It all comes down to this moment.'

Below, Blake and the others watched in awe as the spinning blade began to shatter the dragon's seemingly impenetrable defense. Sparks flew as scale fragments scattered through the air.

Blake's heart raced. Could this be it? After all their struggles, was Dumphries about to become their unlikely hero?

The cavern filled with the sound of grinding metal and the dragon's pained roar. Everyone held their breath, hoping against hope that this would be the decisive blow they so desperately needed.

As Dumphries pressed on, his blade inching deeper into the dragon's hide, the battle's outcome hung in the balance. The next few moments would determine whether their perilous quest would end in triumph or tragedy.

As Dumphries' blade pierced through the tough scales, he felt a moment of elation as it sank into softer flesh. But his triumph was short-lived. Suddenly, his sword jerked to a halt, caught by an unyielding scale.

To his horror, Dumphries watched as numerous scales began to shift and overlap, covering the exposed area. The dragon was healing itself, sealing off the vulnerable spot he'd worked so hard to create.

Shock etched itself across Dumphries' face. "How?" he whispered, disbelief coloring his voice. Centuries of craftsmanship and skill, and still the beast adapted.

On the ground, Reggie and Randal's concentration suddenly shattered as sharp pain lanced through their wrists. They looked down to see blood welling from fresh cuts, their shadow breaches wavering.

A thunderous sound drew their gaze upward. The dragon's massive wings unfurled, stretching to their full, awe-inspiring span. The beast was preparing to take flight, and with it, their last hope of containment.

"Blake!" Reggie called out, his voice strained with exhaustion and urgency. "We can't hold it anymore! Our shadows are spent, and it's taking a toll on us physically now!"

Blake's heart sank as he took in the scene. Dumphries' blade trapped, the dragon breaking free, and his comrades at their limit. The realization hit him like a physical blow - they were out of options. They were toast.

As the dragon's wings began to beat, creating gusts that threatened to knock them off their feet, Blake's mind raced desperately for a solution. But for the first time since this battle began, he found himself coming up empty. The enormity of their failure, and the consequences it would bring, began to settle over him like a suffocating shroud.

In that moment, as hope slipped away, Blake knew they needed a miracle. But as he looked at his exhausted companions and the triumphant beast before them, he wondered if even that would be enough.

With a powerful shake of its head, the dragon dislodged Dumphries. The ancient vampire was sent flying, his prized sword clattering to the ground as he slammed into the cavern wall and slid down, dazed and battered.

Randal and Reggie, seeing their comrade fall, rushed towards him with the last of their strength. But the dragon was far from finished. Its massive tail whipped through the air with terrifying speed, catching both knights mid-stride. The impact was devastating, sending them crashing into the wall next to Dumphries. They crumpled to the ground, the fight knocked out of them.

And then there was one.

Blake stood alone, face to face with the colossal beast. The dragon's eyes, burning with primal fury, bore into him. Steam rose from its nostrils, and its scales gleamed in the dim light of the cavern. This was the ultimate obstacle, the seemingly insurmountable challenge that stood between him and saving Rose.

A maelstrom of emotions surged through Blake - fear, anger, desperation. But above all, an iron determination took hold. His fists clenched at his sides, blood dripping from self-inflicted wounds as he prepared to channel every ounce of his power.

"Not now," Blake growled, his voice low and filled with resolve. "Not again, not ever."

The image of Rose flashed in his mind - her smile, her laughter, the light in her eyes. He'd lost her once before, and the pain of that loss still burned within him. It fueled him now, stoking the fires of his determination.

"I am not losing Rose again," Blake declared, his voice rising to a shout that echoed through the cavern. "Not even to some overgrown lizard!"

As he stood there, the last line of defense against this monstrous foe, Blake knew that everything hinged on what he did next. His friends were down, their strongest weapons had failed, and he was running on fumes. But giving up wasn't an option. Not when Rose's life hung in the balance.

Blake's eyes began to glow with an otherworldly light, his blood swirling around him in strange patterns. Whatever it took, whatever price he had to pay, he would find a way to overcome this beast. For Rose, for his friends, for the future he refused to let slip away, Blake prepared to unleash everything he had in one final, desperate gambit.

Blake exploded into action, his movement unleashing a shockwave that sent rocks flying and shattered the cavern floor beneath his feet.