Owl's Hour, thought Vandal, assessing the darkness of the night. In a few hours, the sun would rise. The sharpshooter had not slept for a moment, every creak and thump making his eyes flicker open. Without his long gun or any weapon by his side, he felt vulnerable. He only succeeded in shifting from side to side on the soft, luxurious sofa over the hours his mind refused to grant him sleep, despite its comfort.
One part of him cursed him for a coward. You rest with companions, two of which as great as any battle mages you've met. What is it that frightens you so much? The darkness?
Yet, another part of him retorted. This is madness! I am out in the field without even a shiv. I must find something.
Everyone else still asleep, he moved quietly around the suite, in search of means to defend himself when danger found them. In the kitchen, he found a butcher's cleaver. He swung it in the air, testing it. He liked the weight and feel of it, so he kept it with him as he returned to his sofa.
When he passed by the door that led out into the hall, however, he stopped. The shadows and of feet moved up to the door.
Whoever they were, they just stood there, unmoving.
Friend or foe? Vandal thought to himself, I'm not taking any chances, I must prepare.
At first, Vandal gripped the blade and began to focus, imagining fire, but he stopped and wanted to try another spell Winston had taught him. He palmed the sharp edge and cut, making a break in the skin just deep enough to draw a little blood.
Long ago a man who claimed to be the son of a vampire taught Winston the art of blood magic. Winston, truly the wisest and most skilled man Vandal had ever known in the practice of magic, figured out a way to imbue weapons with such a dark art. He then taught it to Vandal.
Vandal focused once again, his blood dripping down the edge of the steel.
The hissing of the blade made Vandal rejoice, knowing of his success. Who can stop me? At this rate, I must be a master! Vandal thought with pomp.
In his hand, the steel's shine was sullied by scarlet. Red veins wrapped around it like brambles and morsels of flesh began to grow in parts where the blood pooled in subtle nicks in the blade. Gods! I forgot how vile this spell was ... The benefit of such an enchantment was impressive, however, each strike drawing from the victim's life force and adding it to the wielder's own.
Ready for combat, Vandal approached the door and looked through its peephole.479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dQcx7wqtG
What he saw made his heart jump.
"Please help," a man, covered with blood, said quietly as if to keep his presence unknown to his assailant, "T-T-The warehouses. I saw you three. Didn't know if you were threats, working for one of those things ... and ..."
The man just stood there, emotionless staring at the door. Vandal wasted no time in unlocking the door. When he opened it, the man fell to his knees and began to beg. It annoyed him to see people grovel and beg. He could never tolerate such weakness, and yet ... Poor bastard, he found himself thinking seeing the many cuts and bruises that covered his body. Familiar burns mottled his pale skin, perhaps I should wake Nu. 479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsqCvw5pPnD
"Alright," Vandal said with slight irritation, "get up, no need for that. Come in, I'll wake the healer."
As Vandal turned his back, the man gripped his sleeve like a sobbing child.
"No! There is no time," the wounded man begged, "I awoke here, with my wife. She is in danger. Please, come at once!"
"Calm yourself," Vandal said, tugging his sleeve free, "I'll go. I'll go."
Nu's done enough, Jayden seemed upset by that little box in his hand, and I overheard Senshi threaten Nu. Everyone must be on the edge. I can probably handle this myself anyway.
"Bless you!" the man exclaimed loudly.479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd23oXQ4gNn
"Quiet, man," Vandal hushed, "my companions are sleeping"
Behind, Vandal heard the buzzing of Jayden's phone. He looked back and saw that the bedroom door was slightly open where it was closed when he first went to sleep. Vandal could not see in the darkness within. Did the man wake them? Vandal shrugged. Perhaps I am imagining things.
Vandal followed the man down the halls and stairs, quite quick for someone as wounded as he was. He led them to the bathroom on the ground floor, where he first encountered the miracle of, what Jayden patiently described as, "modern plumbing."
The restroom was empty, and only the wounded man and Vandal stood on the dusty tiles in the dark.
The man turned and tsked at him, pain from his injuries seeming to disappear as he stood upright and shook his head.
"There is no one here," Vandal said, "What is this?"
"Foolish, foolish, foolish ..." was all the strange man said.
"Come again?" asked Vandal, gripping his cleaver.
"Foolish!" the man repeated for the fourth time, "To come here all alone. We noted your arrogance. Obviously, it would lead to your downfall."479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjumthz9mAN
"Who's we?" Vandal asked, "and who are you? Are you behind all this?"
"Bah," uttered the man raising a lazy hand, "what use is answering the questions of a dead man? Perhaps you'll be lucky next time. That is if there is a next time."
The man snapped his fingers and from three stalls, three different abominations. 479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzibUO3sgyT
The first was no stranger to Vandal, the creature Jayden called an Umbra. The second looked like the offspring of bull and man, its torso muscular with strong arms like tree trunks, and its horned head and legs like that of a bull. In its hairy hands, it held an axe with jewels embedded in its hilt and head. It snorted angrily and stamped its feet and Vandal. The third, a spider-like creature the size of a large dog skittered out, its eight, long, black legs gleaming in the moonlight that came through the small windows above.479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ078dunXDjj
"What deep hell did you find these demons from?" inquired Vandal, his courage fading.
"Again," the man said with mild annoyance as he casually wiped the blood from under one eyelid, "I do not answer questions for the soon-to-be-dead."479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NuTh7m72v
"You are so sure about that?" asked Vandal trying to sound unafraid, "you deceiving son of a—"
"Hold," the man interrupted.
He pulled a small black box, one similar to the one Jayden always had on him, and held it up to his ear.
"Oh," the man said into the box, "is that so? Very well, I'll tell the subject." He slid the device into his pocket and turned to Vandal. "You're in luck. Your friends seem to be early risers and are on there way here. Ah, the rewards of friendship! Well, I'll leave you all to it." The man snapped his fingers and the beast approached Vandal. "As for your questions ... bah, wasn't going to tell you anyway. I'm not permitted. We'll be watching you," he giggled as he turned into a ball of black smoke and flew through a window, the crashing of glass making Vandal jump.479Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH1WDh9L6z4
I just have to hold out until they get here, thought Vandal as his blade of blood pulsed madly to match his heart.
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