However, now that Bones is the one stealing energy, I am reluctant to use any of the energy I have left. Since there is no guarantee that I can get more, I want to save what I have left for upgrading my eyes. Besides, I can still help him improve his bones without using up my energy.

All I need to do is keep harvesting essence from the bodies and feeding it to him. So, that is what I do, I keep collecting essence, right up until I notice all the undead freeze. Even those that are in the middle of attacking Bones freeze, like someone pulled the power plug.

Immediately I toss the essence I have gathered over to Bones and start looking around. The only reason for the undead to freeze like that is that they have fallen under someone's control. As expected, in the distance I can see a figure floating slowly towards us.

This general is wearing armor and has a sword at his waist, unlike the last one who just wore clothes. As he gets closer I can see there is a bubble around him, just like the one around Bones. Speaking of Bones, he is slaughtering the frozen undead and doesn't seem to have noticed our guest.

The general drifts over until his bubble merges with ours and then his feet hit the shelf. That is when Bones finally notices him, but after a single look he goes back to killing the undead. The general looks back and forth between us and then focuses on me.

General says "So, you are the beast that has been stealing the Queen's power?"

"Yeah, I am."

General draws his sword and says "I will be taking that power back!"

"You can try! But in the end you are going to end up just like the last general!"

When I mention the other general, this one stops and looks around in surprise. As if he only now realized that there should have been another general here. Once he looks around, the undead resume their attack and then he turns his attention back to me.

One second he is standing looking at me, then the next he is right next to me swinging his sword. His movements are so fast that my eyes couldn't even track them, but his sword isn't as fast. I just barely have enough time to form a shield out of mana and block the sword.

The shield cracks after blocking the sword, but from that impact I am able to tell a lot. For one thing, the general's physical strength is not all that far behind mine. Second, the sword is enchanted as a blood drinker, any damage it does is returned to the wielder as health.

It is quite the nifty sword, but unfortunately it is designed to only work for vampires. However, if I get the chance to study it I should be able to learn something from it. The fact that his attack was blocked surprises the general and leaves an opening.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

My claws tear through his armor and leave four gashes across his chest. He quickly moves back out of my reach and just stares at me with a look of shock on his face. The general is reacting almost as if he has never been injured before.

To think a vampire that has been sealed for who knows how long, is this easily spooked. Here I was, looking forward to an epic fight with Dracula, and instead I got a wimp. While that means it would be fairly easy to kill him, I find that I don't want to.

At least not here, I want to kill him in the soulscape so I can steal his energy and drink his blood. The taste of the other general's blood was just too good, I want to taste more! So, I charge at the general, but instead of fighting me he runs away and he is too fast for me to catch him.

Since I can't catch him I stop chasing him and wait to see what he is going to do. After all, Bones is still killing the undead just as fast as he can and stealing their energy. If the general came here to stop us from stealing the maker's energy then he needs to do something.

However, he keeps his distance and just stares at me, I can't figure out what he is thinking. Then, he suddenly turns and runs away inside his bubble, he doesn't even look back. The general soon disappears from view, leaving me completely confused.

Him being a coward was totally outside of my expectations, what kind of general runs away? I thought he wore armor because he was a warrior, but maybe it is just because he is afraid of being hit. I never expected one of the generals to run away, so I didn't have anything planned to catch him.

With as fast as he is and the fact that we are underwater, I am not sure I could catch him even if I was prepared. I wait for a few minutes, but there is no sign of him returning, so I go back to collecting essence. As I collect the essence I keep an eye out for the general, half expecting him to return.

After all, he is a coward and cowards like to use sneak attacks when they feel threatened. However, I don't see any sign of him, but I keep my guard up until the next change happens. The last of the murlocs finally die and all of the undead swarm around Bones.

"If it gets to be too much pressure, tell me and I will wipe them out with a spell."

Bones says "It's fine. This is good training and I heal faster than they can hurt me."

"Okay."

Since Bones says he is fine I go back to collecting essence to feed to him. Right now, he should know his own combat abilities way better than I do. His class is listed as swordmaster, but since he is using a hammer I doubt I am seeing what he is really capable of.

"Bones, are those swords of yours enchanted?"

Bones says "No, there was no one to enchant them."

"Would you like them enchanted to steal energy like the hammer does?"

Bones says "Yes! No offense, but I hate this hammer!"

"Alright, I will work on them later. Originally I was going to take you with me when I leave. But now I am thinking it might be better to leave you on the island for a while."

Bones says "How come?"

"Because there are more undead you can hunt for energy. Not to mention that the humans and orcs are enemies as well. I want you to get stronger, but at the same time I want the maker to be weakened more. The only thing that worries me is she might be strong enough to control you."

Bones says "It should be fine as long as I avoid her, right?"

"Yeah, it should. From what I have seen of her generals they don't have the power to control you."

Bones says "Then if you are giving me the choice I would rather stay here and get stronger."

"I thought you might say that."