A devilish grin would pass his lips as his shifted his weight from one leg to the other, his arms crossed over his chest dressed in an attire more appropriate for fighting as he stared at the men he was training to be his personal guards. If they intended to protect to him, then they would have to prove themselves. You couldn't just become a special unit that protected the Count when he didn't feel up to it, or if he ever needed them to protect his family. They had to surpass the strength, smarts, and speed of the last guard, and with having so heads working as one Each one was hand picked by Vlad, each with their own unique abilities, but perfectly chosen to become the perfect four cell team. A healer, whom is an expert when it came to fixing up a person, who also is skilled with a pistol and a spear. An average size woman. The tactician, whom was highly skilled at coming up with plan in tight situations, and hand to hand and a sword. A muscular fella. The assassin, whom was highly trained in the art of espionage and stealth, and dangerous with a knife. Oddly, looked a bit small. The brute. Well, his name basically explains what he excels at. Just wrecking s**t. Big guy of course. The sight of him would scare people, which was one reason why he was chosen.
Allowing his amber hues to look over each one's face he would allow his arms to unfold and fall until they were now in his pockets.
"Obviously you four know why I picked you, so I don't have to waste time telling you one by one why I chose you. What I will tell you is this is your interview. Just because I 'picked' you doesn't mean I picked you, you can still be traded for someone who could possibly be better than you, and could do your job better than you. This is what we're here to find out. This interview will determine whether you stay or go." A hand would be pulled from it hiding spot in his pocket and raised until his fingers were combing through his long black locks.
"So... Shall we begin? Or, did you need time to prepare?" He inquired as the same devilish grin slid back over his features, because he wasn't going to wait and he showed that when he had vanished from his position yards from them and was now standing directly between all four.
And like he assumed, the tactician would roll out of reach, like he knew something like that would happen, a hand going to his sword on his back but not unsheathing it. Seeing what the tactician had did the assassin did the same, leaving the fragile looking woman and the muscle standing there. Vlad being who he was acted like he was going for the healer, a punch with his right hand aimed for her face. Just as it was about to connect a large hand would launch out and check the attack hard, causing Vlad's body to swing one way, and that's when the Count would make his real attack knowing the woman would be protected, and allow his body to spin on the back part of his left foot spinning. Just as he halfway in the turn his right foot would lift up off the ground and high into the air its destination the side of the man's face.
At the last second the brute would lift an arm to block the kick, the impact of the kick caused his body to forcefully go to a knee. Having the first kick block he immediately dropped the kicking foot quickly and just as it did the other foot was planted into his unprotected chest, taking him off his feet and into a tree. Without hesitation he turned and stared at the healer who was now gripping her spear and sliding into a stance.
Casting his head over to one side he checked out her stance.
"Been a long time since I've gone up against a spear." He would tell her as he reached across his body with his right hand and landed on the bone made hilted large broadsword.
No words came out from her mouth, but was said when she took a step forwards surprisingly, her spear moving with unnatural speed, yet with grace, the blade aiming to pierce his skull with the tip of the blade.
Reacting swiftly, Vlad had unsheathed his sword partially and put the blade in the path of the sharp pointed steel that rested at the end of the staff, using the width of the sword to block it. The sound of the metal clashing together filled the air around them. The sound it was marvelous to the vampire's ears, he smirked, but that was soon wiped from his face for a split second when he found himself being pushed backwards off his feet into the air as the small healer was following through with her attack showing off strength that Vlad didn't know about.
"Oh, so you've been hiding that, huh? Bravo!" He would tell her honestly as he soared a some couple yards before his foot hit the ground before he slid back a few more yards, but that until he stabbed his broadsword's blade into the ground that he finally fully revealed.
Pulling the blade out the ground he lifted it and waved the blade before his person. This indeed was going to be fun. Straightening out his arm, extending it fully he pointed the weapon towards her, and just as he was going to make another move towards her, the assassin came out the trees from nowhere, landing crouched at Vlad's right knife in hand. Acting as if he didn't truly notice, making his target think he was going to hit his mark when the sharp edged steel was cutting through the air with a thrust, its point aiming to stab him just under one of his ribs to only find it cutting his shirt and grazing the skin of his side. Vlad had just barely spun left, taking a step outwards his sword switching hands so when his left hand swung around the blade would be used to decapitate the man. Meanwhile, The Implaler's right hand was being clenched into a fist to be thrown to connect with the side of his face if he ducked it, and with luck he did just that. The punch was hard enough to truly cause serious damage, just enough to rattle his head a bit. It was the next attack he about to do that was going to be the one that fatally wound him, or kill him.
"You guys are So serious. Haven't heard a peep from you all yet." The blade was thrusted forward so that it was buried in his chest, just a centimeter to the right of his heart.
Yet, that's not what happened, instead his amber hues would snap upwards as his sword flew high into the air after the sound of metal hitting against one another had rang out loudly. It was once he looked back down that he realized it was the tactician who made his move, not to kill but disarm to save his teammate. Vladislaus couldn't help but grin, his sword landing feet from him. He said nothing, merely just dropped into a stance, one you would find a muay thai fighter going into.
The two would size each other up before Vlad made his move, it would just look like a blur as his hand slipped to a pouch on his hip that held knives fixed in place until they were needed, before one was thrown his direction. Waiting until he went to dodge it the dark prince had closed the space between them.
Now with the combat close quarters, Vlad's right arms would tear through the air, an elbow going to connect with the side of his head, to find it blocked with a brought up left arm. Not stopping with eh bow he would take his left booted foot and thrust it out and into the inside leg of his right knee of the tactician. Hitting his make he would watch as his body jerk right, and go for another attack, to find to his surprise the man hand's right hand was slammed down and his body weight had shifted and was all rested on it, before both feet were up into the air, his left leg moving and bending to put a knee to his ribs on the right side that was hopefully exposed to him.
Vlad barely having much time to react would kick his left leg across his body and spin, knocking the attack away with his chins, causing the guy to only balance and spin his own body, doing a full three-sixty, the same leg moving to sweep him off his feet. Just as Vlad's body spun from blocking the kick from the tactician, the healer was shoving the blade towards his direction thinking she had an opening. She would find he attacked somehow parried, and her blade was stabbed into the ground on Vladislaus's right, which caused the sweeping kick that was aimed for him to stop suddenly that way he didn't end up with a blade embedded in his foot. Or worse.
Stunned, she was at a disadvantage now, and Vlad showed her that by quickly pulling hard at the spear, the blade being lifted from the ground forcefully, ground being pulled up in the process. Jerked forwards she was stumble into a foot planted firmly in her chest. It was so perfect, his foot shoved outwards before pulling back with a snap quickly to be planted down for him to spin and face the man he was fighting prior. In that same attack, he had also threw one at the tactician he was fighting, the blade when it was pulled from the ground it was aiming to cut him across the face, but to Vlad's disappointment, he had rolled out the way just in time.
Coming to a stop to face the man, he would spin the spear within his hands before it came to a stop behind him in one hand, the blade pointed somewhat at the ground while the other end of it was pointed at the sky. His legs almost pressed together, his feet touching at the heels, while towards the toes it was they were spread out to form a "v".
"Looks like I still got it." He would muse lightly with a grin, his head turning so his amber hues could take a glance at his surroundings.
It would appear everyone was getting to their feet, all except the healer whom was busy checking the damage out on herself.
Grinning from ear to ear he would hold up his free hand to signal for them to bring it.
The first to move was the brute, making a beeline straight for Vlad, before launching himself into the air. The assassin would then make his move, dashing at Vlad also, but much faster, just a blur for those with mortal eyes. Throwing small knives as he went. The tactician would wait, standing his ground.
Spinning the spear once he brought it up and with precision knocked down the first knife, before spinning left, the spear again being spun with his hands for it to end up behind again him laying against his back blade putting somewhat at the ground like before, oddly doing so he managed to block the second knife. The third he would catch with his free hand as he finished the spin just before hitting him in the face. Just as it touched his hand it was thrown to divert the last knife, and with luck he succeeded, in that same instant though he was lifting the spearing turning it so the blade was upright and was soon thrusted into the air to impale the brute upon it.
Out the corner of his eye off to his right a man had appeared in a all black suit, pushing his eye glasses up the bridge of his nose, Vlad immediately would retract the attack and vanished from his spot, away from the still attacking brute and assassin.
"What?" Was the first thing he said when he had appeared before the man.
Without a word Vlad was hand a rolled up piece of parchment and the man would disappear. Eyeing it quietly for some time he would break the wax seal that kept it closed and unrolled it. His face would turn up in a look of distaste, before he balled it up and threw it side.
Turning to the people he was training with.
"Run along, I need a little time to think to myself." Was all he said as he spun in the balls of his toes and with that he burst into a massive swarm of bats that tore for the forest, for a moment all you would be able to hear was screeching and the sound of fluttering wings before fading away.
Meanwhile people who Vlad was fighting would disappear one after the other, that is after looking at each other in question.
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