Dracula Lives#3(1973)

Continued from last issue.... Dracula after having been turned into a vampire had gotten revenge against Turac the invading Turk who murdered his wife Maria. After burying his wife in the woods, the naked Dracula vows to get revenge against the whole world for the death of his wife. He then notices far off in the sky other vampires like himself approaching. Waiting to greet them, he is attacked and easily overpowered and the vampires carry him off into the night sky. Dracula revives to find himself before Nimrod the First, the king of the vampires. Nimrod orders Dracula to claim his loyalty to him, however Dracula only threatens Nimrod's death. Nimrod accepts Dracula's challenge and tells him that the next day they will fight the Tournament of Stakes. Given his own quarters, Dracula waits out the nigh, he is visited by a female vampire named Lala, who was at the side of Nimrod. She tells Dracula that while Nimrod owns her body, he does not own her soul and gives herself to him. Still mourning the loss of his wife Maria, Dracula is at first seduced until he looks at her fangs. Disgusted because she is as dead as he is, Dracula angrily rejects her and orders her out of his room. Insulted, Lala flees vowing that Nimrod will slay him in the tournament. That night, Dracula goes out and feasts upon a young gypsy couple before returning to Nimrod's lair to sleep the day. The following night, Dracula is brought before Nimrod where they prepare to battle the Tournament of Stakes, the victor would kill his opponent and would be crowned king of the vampires. Nimrod has the advantage in combat, having long mastered his vampiric abilities. When Dracula attempts to lunge at Nimrod, the vampire king turns into mist causing Dracula to imbed his stake into the ground instead. Although disarmed, Dracula gains the advantage when Lala attempts to slay him from behind. Hearing her approach, Dracula easily disarms her and then throws her at Nimrod. Lala is impaled upon Nimrod's stake and disintegrates into dust. When Nimrod resumes his attack, Dracula drops to the ground and flips Nimrod over him with his legs, making the vampire king land upon the stake that is stuck in the ground. Impaled upon the stake, Nimrod is killed instantly and Dracula is the winner of the tournament. With Nimrod dead, the vampires all hail Dracula as their new master.