The Grim Legion

by Kindred Ult

  Brand was wondering just how much he knew about history at this point. "How do you know it wasn't the Vampire Slayers who killed them?"

  "Good point," she smiled. "We thought of that, but it would be a first for them to attack in such a manner. Those ones truly are 'honorable,' and they've never killed a werewolf in his or her sleep before or since. Besides, only the vampires knew the location of the castle we had then. Altogether, it reeked of vampire treachery. Look, the reason I'm telling you this is teach you this: they betrayed us first, and while a single vampire or werewolf may be able to afford having honor, we as a nation cannot take such luxuries. And besides, at least you saved him from the other werewolves. If you had not told them to capture him, he'd be dead right now."

  Brand took a moment to reflect on this before he nodded his head. "Yes, I suppose that you are right."

  She smiled again. "Of course I'm right, what else could I be? Anyway, before I get to why I came here, is there anything else history-related that you would like to know?"

  "Hmmm, I'd like to know what the Werepyres were and why we had to kill them." He had been wondering about that for awhile now.

  "I figured that you would want to know about them sometime soon." She repositioned herself in her seat. "Well, the Werepyres were a hybrid of vampire and werewolf blood. Now, by 'hybrid' I do not mean that it was a brought about by a vampire being bit by a werewolf or a human bit by both races. No, a Werepyre can only be the child of a vampire and a werewolf. That said, once Werepyres are created, they can turn both werewolves and vampires into Werepyres simply by biting them. However, for some reason the vampire or werewolf must want to become a Werepyre, otherwise nothing will happen except maybe they'll die.

  "Now, as for appearances, they looked like first class werewolves except that they had large, leathery wings, huge canine fangs, and their hands are similar to the vampires' Other form. They possess the extreme regenerative capabilities of both of our races, and have almost none of our weaknesses. They fear neither wood nor silver nor fire. In fact, the only thing that we have found to be harmful to them is sunlight. They still stay in their Werepyre form during the day, but they can't touch the sunlight. They are stronger than most werewolves are, far stronger than vampires are, and they are generally faster than werewolves as well, but tend to be slower than vampires. In general, we calculate that any Werepyre can kill any first class werewolf or Other form vampire, but that it would lose to both of them put together.

  "As to the reason we needed to destroy them. Besides the fact that they are freakishly strong, when the first Werepyre reached maturity (for it is only when they reached maturity that they look like Werepyres, before that they resemble whatever race their mother is), he immediately made it his goal to either convert all vampires and werewolves to Werepyres or kill them. No one knows why he did it, but within a few months, bot races saw the need to try to destroy them. There were about one hundred Werepyres alive at the time, so the two of our races combined were able to completely destroy them, but we took a heavy toll. We lost many of our own fighters, since basically any warrior who was not a first class was no match for them. Many of our first classes died as well, and the only ones left alive today are Scar and Ghost. They are our greatest warriors save for our King and maybe our Queen.

  "But enough of this. I was sent here to tell you that our King and Queen wish to meet with you for a special mission. Will you come?"

  Brand was finally getting used to how fast she changed subjects. "Yes, I'll go."

  As they were walking through the streets towards the King and Queen's throne room, Brand suddenly got an idea.

  "Say Lupine, how do you know that it wasn't the Werepyres who killed your King and Queen?"

  "Aha!" She snapped her fingers. "A good question. You see, we know that it was not the Werepyres because all of the Werepyres were dead at the time. We knew this because our now-deceased Queen was able to sense Werepyre presence. Apparently she was born with the ability to sense almost anything, and so she put that to good use in leading both armies to every Werepyre den. They fled like rabbits after they lost our only battle, but eventually we hunted each and every one down and slaughtered them like they did to our races. We kept hunting until she could feel their presence no more. This is how we are certain that there were no Werepyres alive at the time, and we are also equally certain that no more have been created since then by either of our races."

  Brand thought on this until they reached the castle and they went inside. They were quickly let into the royal hall, and as they walked up to the thrones the King hailed Brand.

  "Ah, Deathbreak, I'm glad you've come. There is an urgent matter that we believe calls for your special skills."

  Brand bowed. "I am yours to command, my King. What is the task you wish me to perform?"

  The King smiled at his ready obedience. "It has come to our attention that a dragon has wandered into our territory. It appears to be a red drake of at least one hundred years. Few times has such an opportunity presented itself to us, and we would like for you to be the one to capture it for us and turn it into one of our own kind. It will be very dangerous, and so far no warrior has come back successfully from such a mission. Will you accept it?"

  "Very well sir." Brand was pleased that the King thought so much of his ability, but then he wondered just why the King thought so. "But, if I may, why send me? There are other werewolves more powerful than I, my King."

  The King looked to the side a bit. "It's true, we do have a few warriors that are more suited for the task, but our strongest warrior, Blood, is recuperating from a previous battle, both Scar and Ghost have declined the offer on account of having something very important to do, and none of the others will accept."

  This made Brand wonder just how dangerous this mission was. He was also struck, however, at how the King had allowed others to decline his offer. If Brand did not know better, he might have thought that the King was benevolent. He needed to get his mind off of his battle with Demenn, however, and he thought that this would be a perfect chance. "I will accept your offer, my King. If I may ask, where is the Dragon now?"

  The King slapped his throne. "Hah, now that's what I like to hear. The dragon was last seen near the Galstryx's Claws mountain range. It will probably have moved by now, so it will be up to you to track it."

  "Yes, sir, I will leave at once." Brand waited for permission to leave.

  "Deathbreak." The King's voice was quiet.

  Brand looked up. "Yes, sire?"

  "Know that, once you leave our lair, you have officially accepted the hunt, and may not come back without that dragon." The King was expressionless.

  Brand took a deep breath. "Yes, sire. I completely understand."

  "Very well," the King's expression softened. "You may go, and take great care."

  "Thank you sir, I will." Brand bowed once again before leaving the chamber with Lupine. Lupine left him at the entrance to go to her home, and Brand quickly headed towards his own. When he got there he immediately called Nasoren. She came in from the kitchen with an apron on and a knife in her hand.

  "What is it?" She asked while running a rag over the knife.

  "I'm going on a mission to capture a dragon, I'll be gone for a bit, and I'll need my equipment. Do you know where it is?" He began walking to another room to search for it.

  She finished cleaning the knife and set it on a crag that served the role of a dresser. "Yes, I do. Why do you need it?"

  "I just told you, I need it to kill a dragon." Brand was still rummaging around in a room.

  "But why do you need to kill a dragon?" She walked up behind him and placed her hands akimbo.

  He turned around and faced her, a questioning look on his face. "Because the King told me to, so it's my duty."

  "Oh," she shifted an eyebrow and hip. "And not because to disobey him would show him that you're not really a werewolf?"

  The question on his face deepened. His face furrowed. "What are you talking
about, of course I'm a werewolf."

  "Wrong!" She stepped closer to him. "You are a vampire slayer and an elf."

  "Well yes, I'm that as well." Brand did not know what point she was trying to make.

  "So then why not try to act like one?" She was shorter than him, but she looked up at him in a way that made him feel she was taller, and that irritated him.

  "I'm working on it." He huffed and tried to step past her.

  She blocked his way with her body. "And just how are you working on it? What exactly have you done for your people since killing that cook?"

  He sighed, exasperated. "I defeated the vampires. I'm a vampire slayer, so I'm doing what I'm meant to do by being here."

  She laughed. Laughed, at him! "You think that you've gotten your eyes back, Brand, but you're more blind than ever, you're supposed to kill werewolves too."

  She expected a reaction, but she was even more horrified by what she saw in his face. He had no recognition of him name.

  "Brand?" She felt fear for the first time in the conversation. "Brand, you remember who you are, right?"

  "Of-of course Nasoren. I'm D-" he paused. "I'm Brand. See?"

  She slapped him, as hard as she could. "What are you?" She yelled in horror. In seconds, though, she regretted what she had done, as Brand turned his face back from the recoil, he stared at her with a snarl on his face and pure black eyes. She tried to step back, but he reached out a furred hand and clenched her neck. She tried to hit him in her panic, to claw and scream and struggle, but he barely felt her as he morphed into his first class. Her feet slowly left the floor as she was forced to grab his hand with both of hers in order to keep from being strangled. He still stared at her, his eyes black with malevolence, and his snout twisted in a sneer of rage.

  "Who do you think you are?" His voice was twisted with ferocity and hate. "You are nothing." He slammed her into the floor of his home, and she cried out in pain. He held her there. Savoring the pain he saw on her face, the tears that rolled down her cheek, the way her scar flushed with the red in her cheeks. Deathbreak loved the anguish he saw in her eyes. He felt pure enjoyment in each of her sobs, but he knew that the best pleasure would come when he devoured her in every way.

  "What are ya' doing, lad?" A hand rested on his; a normal hand; a human-looking hand.

  Deathbreak looked over at the figure that stood next to him and froze. Janije stood before him, clothed in rags, and covered in blood, but he was alive. The pure shock of the sight jarred his control over Brand, and a crack appeared in his consciousness. Brand saw Janije too, but he could scarcely believe what he saw. This could not be possible; it just could not be true. He had seen Janije die, he had bitten chucks of flesh from his body until he was nothing more than a bloody pile of what he had once been. He just could not accept it.

  "You…you're dead." Deathbreak let go of Nasoren in his confusion, and she scrambled away to the wall. Janije strode towards Deathbreak, who also staggered back. "I saw you die. I feasted on you myself."

  "I told ya', lad, that everythin' has a choice." Janije walked towards Deathbreak. "You're losing to this beast, lad, but you don't have to."

  Brand saw for the first time what he had been doing. He saw Nasoren's tears and the blood dripping from her mouth. He knew what he had done, and he felt a wave of hate flow over him. 'What am I?' He cursed himself. 'I hurt her. I almost killed her. I would have devoured her in moments. H-How could I?' He railed at himself, cursing and shouting his anger and self-hate.

  Deathbreak was up against a wall. He felt Brand trying to break free, and he growled. "No use, Brand, I'm here, now, and there's no way you can take away what we've done now." He growled as he began to morph into his normal form. "Don't fight me, Brand, they hate you now. They know what you're capable of. You can't win without me."

  Brand kicked and screamed, tears ran down his face as he looked at Janije and at Nasoren's wounds. "I hate you!" He screamed at Deathbreak. "Look at what you've done. You've cost me everything!"

  "No, Brand, what we've done." Deathbreak growled back as patches of skin began to form over the fur.

  Brand stood in darkness, his hands at his head. He wanted to let go, to give in to Deathbreak and let him have his way. Then he saw Nasoren, though, and he growled. "No." He stood firmly. "No. We are not the same. I divorce you from me. You are not a part of me; have never been a part of me. You are nothing!"

  Deathbreak growled desperately as it's skeletal structure shifted back to one of a human and its presence from his mind shrank. When the metamorphosis was complete, Brand fell to the ground, exhausted. Before Nasoren could go to him, though, he rose back to his feet and stared at her. His eyes were full of sorrow and resolve. "My name is Brand Kyrcerin. I am an Elf, a druid, and a vampire slayer; but I am also a werewolf. I must follow my basic instincts, but I will not allow them to control me, and I will never allow myself to broach my beliefs again. I will serve the werewolves, but only as long as I believe what I must do to be right, and I will always be first and foremost a vampire slayer under the order of E, our leader; and I will never hurt you again Nasoren. This I swear by my life, my blood, and my ancestors."

  Nasoren smiled. In spite of the pain she felt, she knew that nothing had been seriously injured in her, and she was finally convinced that she was with Brand and only Brand. She stood to her feet and smiled at him. "Okay, now I'll get you your gear. One thing, though, who were you talking to?"

  Brand furrowed his brows before spinning around quickly. He saw no one. Janije had vanished as if he had never been there. Brand looked back at Nasoren and could only smile in his confusion. "Janije."

  She did not question him; she only walked into one of his rooms and returned with his weapons and a set of clothes for him. "Good." She smiled again, and Brand thought again just how beautiful she was.

  When he was fully equipped with his two swords and clothes, he stood by the door as Nasoren fussed over him.

  "You're sure that you don't want me to help you?" She asked for the enth time with that adorable look of worry on her face.

  He could not help but smile. "Yes, I'm quite sure. I am going up against a dragon after all, and I can't risk losing you now." Or ever, he wanted to say. "Lupine told me that the best thing for me to do while away is to give you to her until I get back. I'm sure she'll treat you well, and I think that your tasks will be light. It's basically for your protection. Okay?"

  "Yea, sure." She looked downcast.

  "What was that?" He feigned displeasure.

  "I said yes sir, ass."

  "That's better."

  When he left, they were both smiling.

  Brand walked out of Stone Wolf's mouth and turned to regard the large bust. Stone Wolf was the first to talk, as he always was. It seemed that few werewolves ever bothered to really talk t it, and it relished seeing Brand because it knew that he would always spare some time for it.

  "Ah, Deathbreak, finally someone who will do more than chant at me and use my tongue as a stepladder. What brings you out this night?"

  "Hello Stone Wolf, I'm out here on official business. Apparently there's a dragon out here somewhere and I'm the one who needs to find and kill it. Think there's any way you can help?"

  If it were possible, Brand was sure that Stone Wolf would be smiling at the moment. "Well, since you asked so nicely, I have been sensing a draken power directly east of here. It's remarkably close as well, so you seem to be in luck."

  Brand chuckled. "Thanks, bye-the-way, how did you ever come to be here?" He knew that time was precious, but he had wondered about this for a long time, and he felt that he really had to know.

  "Oh, I've always been around here, but it was only recently that one of your Queens used some very powerful spells to bind me to one place. Since then I've had to just sit here and have my throat invaded by furry animals and have my ears melted off by their chants. You know that you all live within my stomach don't you?"

  Brand did not know whether to be taken a
back or amused. "How strange, will the spell ever be broken?"

  It rolled its eyes. One of the few processes it still was in control of. "Not in the foreseeable future. Eventually you'll all die out or run out of power enough for me to break it. And let me tell you, if the latter of those two options ever happens I'm killing you all. However, for now and for a very long time I'll have to be content to just lie here and take what little vengeance I can."