“Then why is he waking up! My power should have kept him asleep for at least another forty years!”
“I was well aware of that sir, I’m not sure. What should I do?” Krare asked.
“Break him out of that tank and restrain him immediately!” Tal’davin said. “I will not have him escape the facility before we are ready!”
“As you command, sir!”
Tal’davin slammed the phone down with such force it fell out of the carrier. The cord made the handset bounce as it hit the floor and Tal’davin pulled it back into its place. He pushed the chair out from underneath him and stood up, to begin pacing around the room. He stopped by another chair, a small hatched chair, standing next to one of his towering bookshelves. Tal’davin drummed his fingers into the wood before pausing.
“Aldo!”
The doors burst open and Aldo came into the room once more. He’d barely finished closing the doors before Tal’davin had called him back.
“Yes, Tal’davin! What is the matter?”
“I need you to send every possible Vampire you can to the research facility in Sauria. We cannot allow Abner Toldar to escape!”
“He’s been asleep for over four hundred years?” Aldo asked. “What could possibly go wrong?”
“Everything! Abner waking up too early is not part of the plan. We’re not ready,” Tal’davin said. “He’s the only Hunter I am remotely concerned about coming back from the grave to kill me. I need to find a way to redirect his anger so he can become my weapon. Send our people now!”
Aldo bowed again and went to leave the room. “It will be done, Tal’davin.”
“And send in the wolf I’d like to speak with him,” Tal’davin said.
Tal’davin sat down in the hatched chair and waited until the wolf walked in. Time had not aged him either past the appearance of a thirty-year-old man. Scars ran all over his face, marks from multiple encounters with his former brother. His massive frame had a suit cut to fit it, nothing less than the finest for those that sat within the inner circle of Tal’davin. Whilst Tal’davin had no need for the wolf he would spend his time training and waiting for his next target.
“You sent for me, Tal’davin.”
“Yes, Byrone,” Tal’davin said. “I have an assignment for you. Zarazenih, your brother has escaped once again. I need you to restrain him and keep him under wraps at the facility. My other son, Abner, is waking up. I do not need the two of them reuniting under any circumstances, do you understand?”
“Zarazenih has been a thorn in your side before,” Byrone said. He paused to pick a chunk of meat out of his teeth. “Why not just kill him?”
“He’s still needed to understand so much more,” Tal’davin said. “He is part of the virus I am trying to create to send across the seas to the rest of the world. You know of my plans.”
“And that’s it? All this time and you still need to understand more? I’ve grown tired of hunting him and each fight leaves me more damaged than the last.
“Everyone is part of the plan,” Tal’davin said. “Everyone has their place, and this is your role, should you accept it. If you refuse, I will find someone else. You’re easily replaceable. Do you understand?”
Byrone nodded. “Of course, Tal’davin. I will do your bidding. I will leave immediately for the hunt.”
2
Awakening
Abner’s eyes snapped open and he found himself trapped in a small container filled with blue water. He panicked clawing at the roof, unable to break free, a stream of bubbles escaping from his nose. His mouth was tied shut, a cord running out of the container to the outside world. He tried to rip it off but quickly realized it was helping him breathe.
Abner now looked outside the container and saw a white world, full of strange looking equipment that did not look familiar. Flashing lights was the first thing that caught his attention followed by an increased beeping sound. He saw his name written on a display, with an outline of his body lit up in all different colors.
There was a bang from outside and a door slid open to let someone enter the room. The man was balding, his skin looked ready to fall off his bones. He wore a white lab coat and ran over to check the display.
“No, no, it’s happening too quickly, this can’t be happening,” he said. He tapped the display and turned it on and off again. “Shit!” He hit something on his wrist and Abner heard another small beep. “Guards, we have a code black on Subject One. I repeat a code black on Subject One. Make your way to the containment facility immediately!”
Abner smiled. He was still restrained yet the fear he instilled in this man was incredible. Abner closed his eyes again and felt his rage build. He pulled back his fist and thrust it into the glass. The thud caused the man to turn around.
“This is Doctor Krare! Subject One is attempting to escape containment! I need immediate assistance!” The Doctor then began to change, his skin turning into the grey color Abner had become all too familiar with.
He hit the glass again and this time it shattered, both the water and Abner spilling out onto the tiles below. Abner leapt to his feet, his muscles sore, no doubt from the time he had spent inside the container. He ripped the cord from his mouth and smiled at the Vampire again. The Doctor looked shocked, but still attacked none the less.
Abner felt his claws sprout from his fingers at the last second as the Doctor leapt upon him. The Vampire trying to claw at his face to blind him. Abner held it back and rammed his own claws into the Doctor’s gut. He let out a shriek and fell to the side, rolling away trying to recover. Abner leapt to his feet, stretching his muscles out and met the Vampire face to face.
Krare was fast, faster than Abner remembered Vampires being, but he kept up with each strike, blocking and parrying each one as they came. He grabbed Krare’s arm pulling him off his balance, striking at his throat. The Vampire stepped backwards, clutching it’s throat, stunned by Abner’s power. Abner stabbed one of his hands into the Vampire’s arm and the other into his throat.
“Where the fuck am I?”
Krare’s response was only to laugh. “You don’t know, do you? You’ve been asleep for years. Tal’davin has plans for you.”
“What fucking plans!”
“I’d rather die again before telling you, Toldar,” Krare said.
Abner shrieked at him, his Vampire rage boiling to the surface. He removed his claw from the Vampire’s arm and tore his throat open with both hands, removing the head entirely. Covered in the black blood of the Vampire, Abner now headed towards the door of the room. It slid open to reveal a Vampire clad in black body armor.
It carried a short black tube-like weapon, something Abner had never seen before. The Vampire brought the weapon to its eye level and a projectile shot from an open hole. Abner didn’t have time to avoid it and he cried out in pain as it took him in the shoulder. It stung, burning much like the Dreyth dagger had done and Abner charged forward, sweeping the Vampire’s leg as it tried to fire again.
Abner kicked the weapon away and brought his fist down onto the Vampire’s nose. It cracked under the pressure and as it recoiled, Abner hooked a claw inside its eye and pulled back. The Vampire’s neck began to break as Abner pulled its head clean off. He looked at the body armor and felt his shoulder still on fire. If he escaped, Abner would need to blend in with the crowd and this seemed like the best way.
He stripped the Vampire quickly and covered his nakedness, having now only realized he was exposed to the elements. The armor fit him, each piece overlapping the other ensuring total coverage. It was heavy, but still mobile enough with Abner’s power body inside it. He picked up the weapon and look down the sights. “Just like a crossbow,” he said to nobody but himself. Abner left the room and found himself at a T junction. He turned left and found a wall of Vampires all clad in armor blocking his path their weapons all raised in his direction. Abner turned around and saw more piling in from the other direction blocking off both of his possible escape routes.
&nb
sp; He raised the weapon and ran at the first group, squeezing on the trigger. It began to click after eleven shots and the weapon was empty. Several of the Vampires fell with holes in their head and Abner leapt over them as he reached them, throwing the unusable weapon at them, taking another Vampire down. He raked his claws along the face of another Vampire and ducked behind another as the second group opened fire.
The fire rates from these weapons were different, the larger weapons needing two hands to operate properly. Abner ducked behind one of the remaining guards and grabbed him by the throat, using him as a shield. He grabbed the Vampire’s arm and returned fire with his weapon. Four more Vampires fell to the floor with holes in their bodies and Abner dropped his weapon and ran.
He felt the projectiles enter his body armor, however they didn’t pierce his skin, so he kept running. Once he rounded the corner to the corridor the fire stopped and Abner slowed, looking for a way out. No doors slid open as he approached, he assumed they were all locked. He sped up as he heard the few footsteps of the remaining Vampires getting closer, following the corridor as far as it would go.
Finally a door opened as he passed it and Abner ducked inside. The room was dark, he focused on his Vampire vision and his eyesight turned red, able to see through the darkness. He ventured back into the room, stepping past all of the strange contraptions that had been set up. Chairs sat under large mechanical arms, blood on them, evidence someone had been there before.
Abner’s hand brushed over a cold metal handle, a small hooked tool that would no doubt make his job easier. He picked it up and held it close to his chest as he moved through the dark room. He crouched down behind a bench, the guards footsteps giving away their position as they moved around the room behind him.
Abner lashed out, sliding around the desk, using the hooked tool to take out the Vampire’s legs. It collapsed in a heap, flat onto its back, trying to bring its weapon around to fire once again on Abner. Abner was faster, his claws piercing through the Vampire’s skull, ceasing any further thought it had of resistance. He picked up the Vampire’s weapon and stood.
Five had followed him into the room and only four remained. Abner raised the weapon to his eye and three projectiles entered the nearest Vampire’s skull, making it drop to the floor. The other three turned and fired back at Abner who ducked behind the bench again, waiting until one rounded the corner. Abner shot out his knee and the next shot landed between the Vampire’s eyes. It clawed at the wound, howling as it fell to the ground. He stood up, firing five shots at another Vampire, on the run, firing as it came forward. Three of Abner’s shots found their mark, sending the Vampire tumbling into a shelf, equipment and utensils flying everywhere.
He turned to shoot at the last Vampire, but each time he pulled the trigger his weapon clicked, out of ammo. Abner looked down at it, it was heavy enough and he threw it at the Vampire, clocking it on the side of its head, throwing off its aim. Abner leapt upon it his claws doing the work for him, tearing the fiend apart.
Covered in fresher black Vampire blood he rolled off the fiend and picked up its weapon, swinging the strap around his neck. Abner found the others that remained with ammo in them and carried them the same way. He exited the room and continued to make his way down the corridor away from the massacres.
As he ran up some stairs he found two more Vampires walking in his direction. They raised their weapons and opened fire. Abner ducked into a doorway and waited until they stopped firing. He raised the weapon he’d first picked up and rounded the corner, dozens of shots peppering the Vampires taking them down. He moved on quickly, the shots likely to have attracted more attention.
Abner followed the winding corridors as they went higher, stairs now coming at every turn he took. Here the corridors were lighter, and within moments a large door stood in his path, a crack of natural light visible. Abner pushed through the door and found himself in a lobby, people wearing suits holding small devices in their ear.
People shot him concerning looks, but ultimately, dressed as a guard nobody gave him that much notice. It wasn’t until a large overhead screen showed Barros’ face that Abner caused panic. He unloaded both weapons into the image until the barrels were empty. People screamed and ran, ducking for cover as glass shattered on the floor around them.
More guards approached, not firing into the crowd, not wanting to hit anyone. Abner ran at them and collided with a thud, bowling into both Vampires, slashing at their throats. More shot at him from behind and Abner ran outside, breaking through the glass, showering the sidewalk with shards. The roads here were different, a dark grey with white marks in periodic distances.
Large metal looking containers zoomed past, almost a blur to Abner. He needed to escape. He looked up and down the sidewalk seeing nothing of note. Upon seeing no options, he began to run. Abner pushed past people on the sidewalk, at one point even shoving a man onto the road. He fell in front of one of the containers that ran over him, leaving his body a bloody mess.
Now that he was clear of the crowd, the guards began to open fire again, more shots hitting Abner in the back, his armor taking the blows, the impact still stinging. He had no weapons left and was too far away to turn to face them. There was a rumble and Abner saw a black metal container leave the road and collect the two Vampires that were chasing him. It sideswiped them hitting them into a nearby wall.
“Oy you!” a voice called from a window. “Get the fuck in the car!”
Abner started running towards the car, it’s lights flashing at him. The Vampires began to stir and two loud bangs sounded from the car, stopping their movement. A door opened and Abner jumped inside, to find himself with another weapon pointed at him, the barrel level with his eyes.
“Paige! Fucking floor it!”
The car’s wheels screeched, and they were moving leaving the site of Abner’s awakening behind them. More Vampires were surging out of the building, looking for Abner.
“Who the fuck do you think you are, boy?” a gruff voice from behind the weapon said.
“Firstly, can you get that thing out of my face?” Abner asked.
“What, my gun? Not until you’ve answered the damn question.”
Abner sighed and raised his hands. “I have no quarrel with you, but if you shoot me I’ll be forced to kill you. My name is Abner Toldar, son of Barros Toldar. I have no idea where I am or what is going on here.”
The gun in front of his face was lowered and Abner now saw the man behind it covered in a bandana and face mask. He pulled the mask down to reveal a mouth half full of golden teeth. The man grinned. “You’re in luck Toldar, you’ve found the right people. We’re what’s left of the Hunters. Welcome back to the world, son.”
3
The Game
You’re all that’s left?” Abner asked. “What do you mean? Before Barros attacked me there were hundreds if not thousands of us left. What happened?”
“We’ve been looking for you for at least the last four hundred years. We had a tip off from another one of us that had found out where you were being held. I’m Gerard by the way,” the gruff man stuck out his hand.
Abner grabbed it and shook it. Gerard removed the rest of his face mask, the design now reminded Abner of the old Blood Brotherhood masks that the assassins had worn many years ago. He revealed a full black beard and sharp piercing eyes with a nose that looked like it had been broken.
“Who’s the girl?” Abner asked.
Another hand reached through to the back of the car. All Abner could see of her was her long black hair. “Paige.”
“Nice to meet you, but sorry, Gerard, you said you’re all that’s left?”
“Look as far as I know. The world went to shit right after you disappeared. Tal’davin came out into the open and started stamping out Huntries left, right and center. We all tried to stand up to him, but with those fucking amulets he was too damn strong,” Gerard said.
Abner felt his face flush. “Tal’davin got all of the amulets?”
“How freely do Vampires walk around the world?” Abner asked.
“Unopposed,” Gerard said. “It got so bad at one point Tal’davin had to consider culling his own kind to stop the outright killing of humans. Vampires are tamer than they used to be, but they still control everything.”
“Control everything as in what? Is there any chance we can interrupt their operations?”
“Everything means everything Abner,” Gerard said. “Look out the window.”
Abner turned and looked out to the sky. Far into the distance, a red tinge washed across the sky, a stark contrast to its normal blue.
“I’ve seen that before.”
“Yep, that’s a no-go zone for us, mate. They get Tal’davin to throw that up every and any time he kills a Hunter. You would have seen the first of the Blood Sky at West Anacore I assume?” Gerard asked.
Abner shook his head. “I can’t remember. It feels like there’s a haze in my mind blocking some thoughts.”
“Fuck, what did they do to you in there?” Gerard asked. “We heard rumors they were experimenting on other subjects in there.”
“I couldn’t even tell you,” Abner said. “I was asleep for the entire time. I’ve only just woken up. I found myself in a tub of some sort with a tub attached to my mouth, keeping me alive. Before I slept, my wife stabbed me with a Dreyth blade. Do you know what happened to her?”
“All traces of Lois Behan vanished not long after the attack on the Tyrain Huntrey,” Gerard said. “I’d like to let you know what happened to her but we can only assume that she died a long time ago.”
The Toldar Series Box Set Page 60
