A Stranger in My Window

by J Benito, C; Renzi, Federico;

  -Layonel for you, I have the worse missions.

  -No matter what is the mission, I will do it without hesitation.

  -You walking to the workstation control and request reinforcements.

  -No my bastion! I will not leave you; my duty is to protect you.

  -Your duty is to obey my orders.

  - But you can send to another.

  -Not! You are the only able to transmit my request to the rest of State bastions and get them to come to our aid.

  -You overestimates me

  -No! I appreciate you in your perspective. Go away and do not fail!

  -Will I get reinforcements my bastion. Although I have to look for them in hell itself. -said Layonel with serious gesture. He bowed to him and left the tower.

  He ran towards one of the walls, climbed a narrow, almost ruined staircase until reach the top of the wall, where which jumped to the forest surrounding the Castle.

  Karsacry did not understand why his brother's clan abandoned them, but when he saw the worried Straush gesture, he suppressed his mind and accompanied him to his position of command.

  Layonel ran in the grass, jumping fallen trunks, climbing steep slopes full of moss and vegetation that made him slide continuously. Jumped to one of the trees and moved on them in an attempt to move forward more quickly.

  The control center was in a distant farm. A place that would be for anyone little striking, in fact was his goal that no one suspected what was hiding in the basement of that place. In a basement near the barn, was hosted a control room where a vampire was in charge of communications at the global level.

  It would not be easy to convince other bastions of mobilize their forces to fight against a threat that everyone believed already extinct. He had nothing to prove his words.

  When he came to the road, he jumped between a truck and a car circulating each one in opposite direction and crossed the road. He left behind the forest and he entered in a wheat field. Even given in his favour his enormous speed, the distance of his target was extensive, would not arrive before an hour and no one knew the exact number of darks that formed the army of the dark bastion. For when arrived the reinforcements might be already all dead and darks go in retreat.

  Julius was tense, noticed an odor that unfortunately was familiar to him. The darks were close, less than four or five kilometers he would tell them to Straush but this looked at him giving him to understand that he had already detected them. Irynae nailed his huge sword in the ground, although she had no interest in preserving the life, would not allow to anyone of his clan to die while she was alive.

  Karsacry took out a stone's rough appearance and rubbed it against the edge of his axe. The gesture monotonous of pass the stone again and again to sharpen his axe was something relaxing him. He would not think how much he would have liked to have Logan at his side. In the sewer, he had done very well, and that night his skills would have been very convenient.

  Chapter 22

  Layonel continued his career through all kinds of tilling fields. He jumped a fence of a fence and went through a herd of cows jumping over his loins. He looked at the clock; it took more than half an hour running. Asked to himself in what State would be his comrades, if would have started the fight and how would they.

  The Dark bastion held his hosts. Different to the traditional vampires they did not use swords; his claws were so hard that they could cut a head of a blow. In the background, those creatures wild and foul smelling repulse him. If not for the Cameo, everyone would launch against him to dismember him. It was a great idea to take the hand cut from the dark bastion; this would be done with the control of the vampire Empire. When the throne will be of his, would eliminate himself the darks.

  In the distance, he could see the torches on the walls of the Castle. He turned upon himself a noise caught his attention. A vampire trying to escape. He ordered to four darks to follow him and gave him hunting. He was not willing to let anyone escape the Castle. Until now the darks were a local problem of Chicago, He knew vampire politics. But if a vampire give the alarm at the national level, they exterminate them like cockroaches

  The darks run after his prey, ran as beasts sometimes erect and others on their limbs as if they were dogs. The vampire took them several kilometers away and did not appear to have been aware of their presence.

  The night it was clear which facilitated them the hunting and the darks were thirsty of blood. They wanted to hang on to that vampire by the only pleasure to destroy him, maim his members. His blood was not as pleasant as the human was, but they do not despise it.

  Layonel was still running without respite, not far from there saw the farm what looking for. It was like any other farm, only a weather vane with a rooster perched on a v letter indicated the place as indicated.

  The wind changed direction and he perceived the smell of the four darks who followed him. He groped back to be sure of not losing the sword and he kept running.

  The darks approached, so gathered all his strength to run faster. He grabbed a stone and when he was closer to the farm threw her against the door of the control room, which was camouflaged in the soil of the farm. He knew that that would call the attention of the operator.

  Inside the control room, a vampire of short hair and Brown eyes looked boring the monitors. He heard a hit near him, activated the cameras near the gate. When he saw a vampire running there followed by four vampires of strange appearance opened the hatch giving access to the corridor of security. If he failed to arrive on time to the Hall, he would not open the door of the room.

  Layonel was glad to see how the trap door opened. He jumped inside and closed after him the hatch, which was closed hermetically. The darks started beating her relentlessly, they wished with all his might come and kill their stronghold this ordered.

  The door of the room opened and Layonel went inside. He closed the door and sat in a reclining chair to recover breath. The vampire with Shorthaired turned over the chair and for a moment ceased to look at monitors.

  -What hell were these creatures?

  -Darks. They came back. - Layonel said almost voiceless.

  -The darks were extinct centuries ago.

  -Yes, ok open up the doors and tell them.

  -My name is Layonel I come on behalf of Straush, bastion of Chicago. I need that you connect me with the national network of bastions.

  -I can't do this without the presence of a bastion.

  Layonel drew his swords, stepped toward him and put the blade of one of the swords in the neck of him.

  -You can connect me and save life or myself will do it after convert you in ash.

  The vampire turned, entered a couple of codes and appeared on the monitors the shields of the bastions of other States.

  -You know what you are doing. They do not walk with chicken.

  Quickly the bastions were connecting until all displays were lit.

  Layonel bent.

  -Bastions, I humbly present on behalf of my bastion Straush of the State of Chicago. We are being attacked by the darks.

  -Most of the bastions laughed to hear those words.

  -The darks were exterminated centuries ago and his bastion beheaded.

  -I say that they will attack our Castle. If not come to our aid more than five hundred brothers and all the bastions of my state they will be massacred.

  -How dare you speak to us in that tone?

  -I do not offend you I just looking for your help.

  -Leave the room before we send to an executor so that cut you your head! We are not prepared to a lunatic to make fun of us.

  Layonel looked at them challenging.

  -Okay, you want evidence? Because they will have them. Open the doors! Ordered Layonel to the operator. — Are you crazy?

  -Open the doors! - shouted Layonel

  As soon as the outer hatch was opened, they could hear the four darks jump to the inside of the Hall. They quickly ran to the door of the room that was already open. The bastions were ab
le to see with their own eyes to the darks an intense rumor was heard.

  Layonel severed the head to the first of the darks; the second knocked him down a kick while the third he journeyed through the chest with a sword. The fourth jumped on him, but the vampire with short-haired shot him with a large-caliber, that gun literally flew his head. Layonel used the other sword to sever the head a one of the dark. He seized the other vampires of the neck in the back of this using his swords like a pair of scissors; he approached the dark to the cameras

  - Send reinforcements or the next in be exterminated will you. -Layonel said as he closed his scissors and cut the head to the dark.

  -Send the coordinates accurate, in an hour our aircraft will be there with reinforcements.

  Layonel bowed to them.

  -The operator introduced the coordinates into the computer and sent them to all the bastions.

  -In an hour is possible that it is not nobody alive. -said Layonel.

  Chapter 23

  Layonel left the control room and began his return to the Castle. He would not expect to reinforcements arrived, he wanted to be with his peers, that was a good night to die.

  The vampire Empire available aircraft with appearance like the boing, but once they were in the air, they transformed themselves into fighter planes very superior to those manufactured by humans. Their turbines had double the capacity; his fuselage was transformed to become more aerodynamic, they have measures that made it invisible to radar. His armament was more superior, an only shot of one of his guns could bring down a skyscraper to the ground. So the romantic image that humans had of vampires was far from the reality. The vampire society was peaceful in general, technological and was strongly hierarchical.

  It has been activated the alarm in all States, all vampire who does not occupy a position of crucial importance, was called to attend the secret airports. The only thing not varying in clashes between vampires was the use of the sword and the dagger as a unique weapon. At the end, it was the only way to kill a vampire.

  The bastions reviewed boarding operations and in a short time, their planes sailed the heavens in the direction of Chicago. That level of coordination was unthinkable from the human point of view. But of course, they were not human.

  The darks walked to step slowly toward the Castle, forming a body of about six rows of vampires. Each body occupied one side of the Castle and was clear that they would attack from all directions such as Straush already expected, therefore his training in circle was perfect.

  On the inside of the castle all vampires wielding their swords, the stench to darks was already unbearable. Straush looked at his bastions all greeted him with pride. Karsacry smiled, carried by the ecstasy of the fight. Julius looked in all directions, trying to detect the presence of the darks. Jud was made a small cut in the right hand and used his blood to paint the face with tribal lines.

  Irynae raised his sword, wanted the fight to begin as soon as possible, regardless of the final result. Is not that she wanted to see die to his clan, but if they were going to die better as soon as possible.

  Layonel was running across the field, cursed every obstacle that made him stop or made him lose time. Needed to arrive as soon as possible, he wanted to fight with his clan.

  The dark bastion jumped into one of the towers, ran down the wall followed by the gaze of all vampires. Took momentum, crossed the sky in the direction of the Tower of homage, thence drew his sword, and lifted it. Then the darks jumped walls and formed a square surrounding the circle of vampires. Dark bastion jumped to the parade ground, he passed through his ranks and approached half way of the vampire formation.

  -Straush! He shouted. I want to talk to you from bastion to bastion.

  Straush despite the pleas of his men crossed the circle and slowly approached Gricarius.

  -Show your face Gricarius face! So do not hide under a mask. I want to see the face of the traitor who rebels against his own people.

  Gricarius took off his mask and stared him with his yellow eyes.

  -You are not my people. For years, I was loyal. You better than anyone else know that I helped you to defeat the dark bastion. But they were never rewarded my courage, never...

  -We are fighting for the Emperor not for us, no one owes us no reward, and it is our duty.

  -Do our duty? As he dies, his empire is run by puppet unable to put us in the position we deserve.

  - And what is that position?

  -To dominate the human race! We are the true Lords of the Earth, the culmination of the evolution. While they live as if they were the owners of the planet, us we rotting in the shade. Join me and I will spare the lives of your men. Together we dominate the world and crush our enemies.

  - Are centuries that we live in peace with the humans and those who you call enemies are my brothers. Long life to the Emperor! - shouted Straush.

  -Damn dog, lackey of a pathetic dying Emperor. Then you will die all tonight.

  -Better to die for an emperor with honour, which serve a bloodthirsty bastard.

  Both bastions looked challenging. Straush came back in his ranks, would soon begin the battle.

  The vampires were sitting in their seats waiting patiently come to the destination. Once there the plane would descend, his cargo door opened and all vampires jump on the vacuum ready to annihilate the dark. But there was still a long way to go, the bastions feared not arriving on time to help his brothers and what was worse, than the dark after annihilating a entire state forces from escaping. It would take months before someone have to find them again.

  Layonel still running, finally came to the forest, but there had to stop. A hundred darks patrolling the area, which surprised him. Normal would have been to be in combat. Suspicious stepped away; he would have to skirt the area to avoid them, which would delay him further. He cursed the darks and continued his advance in silence.

  Vampires looked to the dark, those beasts deformed and foul smelling they stayed away. Waiting for the order to attack, but it was inexplicably delayed. Dark bastion returned to the top of the tower of tribute, from there he would be easier to lead his army. He seized the cameo to emphasize his power over the dark and ordered the attack.

  The darks forces advanced so organized up to the vampires, by enclosing them inside. They cutting any possibility of withdrawal, the vampires beat his swords together to celebrate the fight. Karsacry would have wanted to be in first line to be the first to cut off heads, but should protect his bastion.

  Irynae watched with indifference of the darks advance, while Judah began to scream. Julius was placed on the back of Straush, Karsacry in front of him, while Jud and Irynae occupied posts on his left and right. Straush drew his sword, neither this protection would be sufficient for the attack of the darks. He was aware of that the brutality of the darks would break their ranks. But he knew that.

  The darks were launched towards the ranks of vampires, severing with his formidable claws the heads of all the miserable ones that were at his disposal. Everything seemed to indicate that the circle would fall fast, but the vampires reinforced the sectors most damaged for the attacks and retaliated with fury. The parade ground covered with green grass and shrubs soon began to take a gray hue to be covered with ash from the bodies of the dead.

  From the Tower, the dark bastion watched the battle. His forces responded as envisaged, but the vampires began to repel them.

  Straush encouraged his men to fight, while the rows vampires could not move forward, but also lost ground at the hands of the dark.

  Chapter 24

  The battle was the fiercest; the darks plucked mercilessly heads and members regardless of anything except annihilate the enemies of his bastion. The vampires began to lose ground and retreat to the interior. Straush ordered forward again and the vampire’s rows expanded quickly, ending with a hundreds of darks. Opened a gap in the circle, took advantage of the dark to penetrate it, but just do it the gap closed trapping them inside. A few hundred darks were reduced to
ashes.

  The Dark bastion saw undeterred the battle, he didn't interesting to him that his army was being defeated. From each tower suddenly came a large group of vampires that ended around the darks forces leaving them between two fronts. Without possibility of escape or unify their ranks the darks were annihilated. New vampire’s forces were integrated into the circular formation.

  From the Tower the dark bastion applauded, and then laughed aloud. The Vampires looked at him blankly, until when the bastion raised his sword and fell it hit. Along each side of the Castle, thousands of darks began to jump the high walls. His forces seemed to have no end. When the dark army was in full within the parade ground, the vampires were a percentage of ten-to-one against. The battle was lost; they could only kill the maximum number of darks before die.

  Straush looked to his bastions and soldiers, who seemed to have the death recorded in their eyes.

  - Knights, has been an honor to fight at your side. This will be our last battle, but before death. I only ask one last thing... fight until the end! - shouted.

  The Bastions and soldiers, shouted euphoric to letting their instincts were released and all his rage was transformed into thirst for revenge.

  -For the Emperor! - shouted Straush.

  All raised swords and fought with courage the attack of the darks, which of course would be devastating.

  Straush heard a strong blow to his back, believing being attacked just crossing his sword with Layonel.

  - Layonel?

  -The Mission has been accomplished, the reinforcements are on the way.

  - Why do not waited for them?

  -If I have to die, better fighting alongside my bastion.

  Straush grabbed his neck and supported his front against Layonel.

  -Never a father can be so proud of his child as I am of you. Now we fight. We must endure until they arrive.