Loyalty

by Charles E Yallowitz

  A swarm of blurs rush by Clyde and the remaining camels attack the roots, their teeth easily chomping through the wood. Decker and Luther are close behind the animals, which are swiftly devoured by the ravenous trees. The two vampires are about to flank their leader when they each feel a strong blow to the chest. Flying away from the battle, the pair crash to the sand as Clyde swings his extended leg around to knock a lancing root out of the way. He ignores the distant complaints and curses from his friends, all of whom have lost their night cloaks. Pushing more blood into the gauntlet’s needles, he rushes into the mass of natural spears and tries to carve a path to the oakind. Sensing an attack from below, the vampire slashes through the sand to shear off the projection deadly tip. Clyde steps onto the blunted weapon and uses it to launch himself above the camp at a speed that keeps him a few inches ahead of the erupting roots.

  His assault is cut short when the nearest oakind rears back with its largest branch and throws a punch. Clyde’s sword strikes the tree and sends crimsons leaves flying until it slices down the entire limb. Reaching the trunk, he twists his entire body and kicks out to send the giant vampire stumbling into the rest of the forest. Leaping off the severed branch, he barrels into the creatures and cuts at everything in front of him. Unable to feel pain, the trees continue to swing at Clyde without losing any of their power. It is only when he cuts a massive chunk out of his first target’s trunk that he notices any progress. Exposed to the sun, the sensitive pulp bursts into flames that become trapped within the thick, armor-like bark. The injured oakind falls towards the sand and makes a desperate flail that manages to knock its killer out of another jump.

  Hitting the ground and bouncing, Clyde is about to land on his feet when the remaining trees pounce on him. He manages to get away and prepares to rush back into the fight when a wave of heat ripples up his arm. A haze wafts off his weapon, which begins to vibrate so fast that the blade looks twice its normal size. Clyde’s legs stiffen before abruptly going numb, his heart beating faster to produce enough blood for his limbs. Unable to move, he is easily swarmed by the oakind that are unfazed by the loss of a few branches. They brutally pound him into the sand, the soft earth helps to cushion him from the thudding blows. The onslaught lasts for a minute before a guttural growl rises from the bottom of the pile. Flickers of red mist can be seen around the trees’ wide feet, which are suddenly reduced to a wide cloud of splinters. As the creatures fall, their bodies are torn apart and the sensitive pulp bursts into flames. Leaves float across the camp and dissolve into wisps of blood that gather to create a crimson sky. Standing in the middle of the carnage, Clyde can only stare at his weapon and the thick blood oozing out of the gauntlet’s creases.

  *****

  “Ready to have some company?” Mab asks as she trudges up the dune. Sitting next to Clyde, she faces the opposite direction to watch their friends finish burning the oakind and surrounding camp. “Took a while to get all of those roots out, but Luther is sure those things won’t be coming back. Not that you care since something is on your mind. Came out of the ground with confidence and now you’re acting strange. This doesn’t feel natural, so speak before I call the others over.”

  “If you’re talking about me making a horrible plan then I can’t argue with that,” Clyde replies, his attention on the sinking sun. Pulling a pear out of his pocket, he takes a bite and feels the juicy pulp slide down his throat. “I was trying to get the dust out of my head, but I realized that you guys have been fighting without me for a long time. Didn’t feel right giving orders and making a plan based on the people you used to be. I believe that’s what I did wrong when the two of us went to that cabin and got captured.”

  “True, but I’d rather we went back to the old us,” the burglar says with a smirk. A shifting breeze carries the acrid smoke to the top of the dune, which hides the pair from view and causes their eyes to water from the stench. “I miss being a thief. Not that I’m afraid to kill, but that isn’t what makes me happy. I barely remember the thrill of a heist and the joy of caressing a bauble that wasn’t mine. This stupid war has turned me into an assassin. Decker has always been a soldier and my brother was more like a mercenary with his side of the gang. They handled the heavy lifting side of things and we were the greedy beasts lurking in the shadows. What I’m saying is that I envy you for still living in the past, so it might not be a bad thing for you to turn us back into the old gang.”

  Finishing his snack, Clyde finally turns to Mab and fixes her with a cold stare. “Grow up, Winthrop, because that world is gone. Fifty years to accept that fact and you’re further away from it than I am? You’re stronger than that and I’ll need you at your best if we’re to help put an end to this war. Maybe we can go back to the old, carefree days afterwards, but don’t hold your nonexistent breath. There’s still the situation I’m dealing with. Doubt it will be going away any century soon and it could be getting worse.”

  “You talked to Gregorio?”

  “Yes, but he didn’t have much to say.”

  “Would it help to tell him about . . . whatever that was out there?”

  “I don’t know what I did to the oakind.”

  “Had to be a very powerful-”

  “I have no idea, Mab, so drop it!”

  Clyde punches the dune with enough force to send a plume of sand into the sky and Mab tumbling down the side. He already knows that his oldest friend is glaring at him before he turns around and draws his sword. Putting the weapon across his lap, he runs his fingers along the blade, which is covered in moist blood. Right eye twitching and lip curling, Clyde feels a looming hunger as he examines every curved tooth. The sensation has nothing to do with thoughts of food and it steadily becomes an internal heat that causes his fangs grow. Resisting the urge to go on a rampage, the vampire puts his sword away and takes several gulping breaths to get himself under control. Another punch to the dune sends a wave rolling into the distance and launches Clyde into the air. Without a sound, he lands in front of Mab and holds out his fists as if they hold an answer.

  “I’m not alive, but I’m no longer a vampire,” he says, helping the confused woman to her feet. Waving at the others who are staring from the camp, he flashes a toothy smirk. “That’s all I know and it’s enough for now. I can’t go back to whatever I was before, which means I have to push forward. Honestly, I’ve only felt doubt for the last three days and it doesn’t sit well with me either. I’d rather grab our problems by the face and squeeze until I get what I want. Maybe I can relax after this is all over, but I have to get there first.”

  “Keep in mind that you don’t have to do it alone,” Mab points out while adjusting her night cloak. She ignores the derisive look she receives and pulls out a flask she took off one of the dead vampires. “Like that was any cornier than what you said. Still, I like the idea of going forward. You mentioned missing fifty years, but I didn’t do anything in that time to prove I was really living . . . so to speak.”

  Clyde heads for the rest of the gang and chuckles at the sight of two of them wrestling on the ground. “Bob and Luther are at it again. You know, I think this was good for me because I got to see how much things changed. You can tell the others that they don’t have to worry about me becoming a liability. Momentary lack of confidence and nothing more. Before you say it, I don’t want them to know about me being a freak. That sudden burst of power and rage came from my weapon taking too much blood and setting off a rampage, which is probably the truth. I didn’t feel strange until I was pushed to my limits and the gauntlet dug deeper into my veins. Anything else you want to ask and get a vague answer to?”

  Smacking her partner in the shoulder, Mab jogs ahead to stop the fight, which has turned into a ridiculous boxing match. Clyde slows down to take in the view of the smoking landscape, which is gradually slumping into the giant hole left by the oakind. The fresh memory of victory brings a smile to his face, but he silently agrees with Mab that he misses being a thief. While never one to back down from
a fight, he feels like his new path is lacking something. Not wanting to reveal his returning frustration, he stops until he thinks of a way to make himself happier. Snapping his fingers, Clyde darts into the camp and returns in the blink of an eye. He holds up a golden necklace that he remembers one of the retreating vampires wearing, the beautiful rubies glinting in the dying sunlight.

  “Nope . . . Not the same,” he whispers before tossing the valuable jewelry over his shoulder.

  6

  The portly nobleman races through his castle halls while the screams of his soldiers become loud enough to shatter the windows. Desperate to survive, Lord Shallis keeps his balding head down to avoid being seen by the intruders outside. To help him run and stay low, he transforms his arms into extra legs and gallops as fast as he can. Glass cuts into his flesh, but the terrified noble refuses to slow down and remove the shards. Due to the raging fires, the shadows of warriors are cast on the far wall and grow larger as the battle gets closer. To the noble’s horror, the forms of those dressed in armor continue to fall to a towering figure who is wielding two swords. Recognizing Titus’s silhouette, Shallis barrels through the nearest door and casts a spell to turn the back of the pantry into an exit. He charges into one of the inner hallways, the crimson rug and portraits of his former homeland having been torn to shreds. Fearing that he has run into a trap, the vampire leaps to the ceiling and turns into a toxic cloud that seeps through tiny cracks in the mortar. Coming out in an upper ballroom, Shallis returns to his natural form and stops to get his bearings. He is checking the pockets of his long-tailed jacket when a nearby clapping startles him to the point that he rips a hole in the dark brown garment.

  “You know it’s not a fair bet when you’re using illusions to herd him,” Mab says before tossing a gold coin across the large room. The money lands in Clyde’s open hand as he drops the illusion of him being one of the many statues. “Really thought this one would go outside like all the others. What kind of idiot retreats to an upper floor when the castle is being invaded? Maybe I’m not refined enough to get the strategy because I’d go low and try to sneak out through the underground.”

  “The idea is to claim the higher ground, which is easier to defend,” Decker explains from the front door. Standing watch, he swings his axe to send a narrow ice bolt at their enemy’s right leg. “That should keep him in place. Another possibility is that he would reach the roof and transform into a bird. It is strange that he doesn’t have a night cloak, so there could be a fortified room that he could cower in. Still, this is really bad planning for a man we’ve uncovered as a conspiracy mastermind. Do you think our last prisoner’s information was wrong?”

  “People don’t always think straight when they’re scared and about to get their head shoved down their neck,” Clyde replies, the vampire abruptly appearing next to Lord Shallis. He crouches next to the noble and delivers a half-hearted punch that shatters the man’s frozen leg. “I know, I know. The proper way to interrogate a prisoner is to start with words and then move on to torture. Although, it doesn’t really work that way with vampires. A missing limb is painful and frustrating to our kind, but it isn’t like you can’t grow it back. Well, you can’t if I kill you, which is a decision partially left in your ring-studded hands. Are those things embedded in your flesh? Now, that’s impressively decadent and a little unsanitary. By the way, be thankful that my friends and I have so many ways to finish you off that it will take me a while to decide on the perfect execution. Gives you plenty of time to talk and convince me to grant you a painless destruction.”

  “I have nothing to say to traitors,” Lord Shallis growls, most of his concentration on regenerating his leg. Fueled by the gallons of blood in his body, the noble’s bone slowly stretches while muscles, veins, and arteries coil around the limb. “Lord Tempest has revealed his true colors over the last few weeks. He has sent you to destroy our strongholds and labs, which were going to be used against the Duragians and hunters. We were making progress in winning this war with a second group of special vampire species. Our forces could have wiped the mortals out if you hadn’t killed the oakind project. You are such a violent, arrogant, and foolish creature. What kind of name is Clyde for a vampire anyway?”

  “The one my mother gave me,” he replies with a smile. With a single kick, he sends the noble slamming into the wall, which nearly collapses. “Ever notice that people who say they have nothing to say end up talking within a minute of the declaration? There’s a reason we stopped betting on if you guys would stick to that promise. You’re all so predictable. Now, we’re well aware of your progress against the hunters since we rarely run into them. For that, Lord Tempest thanks you, but that doesn’t change the truth. Kai and Stephanie have found mountains of evidence showing that the council is pitting the Duragians against the forces of Nyte. How do you explain that whenever we question one of your people, they talk about the priests and the nobles working together?”

  “Because they are lying.”

  “It’s been thirty people with the same story and each one came from a different location.”

  “Plants by a true enemy who has had them memorize a lie.”

  “I will add that we got the information using methods that go beyond asking nicely.”

  “Telepathy can be tricked.”

  “Yes, but not by everyone.”

  Eyes darting from side to side, Lord Shallis licks his lips and presses his body against the crumbling wall. His leg sprouts with a loud pop and he charges at Mab, who has her back to the noble. Clyde rushes to intercept the attack and delivers a punch that sinks into the other vampire’s body, which turns into a flesh-colored liquid. Flowing along the floor, Shallis continues towards Mab and weaves away from the ice bolts that Decker tries to throw from the other side of the room. Turning into a tall wave with thousands of fangs, the noble is about to crash over the burglar when she leaps to the ceiling. Dangling from a chandelier, Mab cuts the chain to drop the decoration on the man’s face, but the vampire splits to let it smash against the floor. Stretching to catch her, Shallis grows a tube from his side to fire globs of gooey flesh at Decker, who is forced to move away from the door. The burglar proves to be too elusive for the noble as she gracefully runs along the ceiling. Cornering Mab, he creates edged blades that mix with his liquified body and rockets towards her like a geyser. She jumps for the floor and narrowly ducks a flailing tendril before sprinting around the gurgling creature.

  With a loud roar, Shallis swings a thick tentacle that is keen enough to cut through the marble statues. Mab leaps over the weapon, but it is about to strike Decker when Clyde jumps in the way. He catches it and heals his hands faster than they can get cut, which creates a cloud of red steam around his arms. Driving his fingers into the slippery tentacle, he flips the noble over his shoulder and jumps to push off the ceiling. The top of the castle seems to jump from the impact, which gives him enough force to slam Lord Shallis against the floor. A blast of blood erupts from the injured vampire, who swiftly returns to his natural form. Weakened and confused, the man tries to get up when he is grabbed by the throat and lifted into the air. He can feel Clyde’s thumb slowly push into his flesh, the digit pressing against his spine with enough pressure to make the bones crack.

  “This is war,” Lord Shallis groans in a faint voice. He tries to turn into mist, but is stopped by a savage punch through his stomach. “Lord Tempest chose his side when he failed to aide us in the initial attack. He is not a protector of our people, which means he needs to be replaced. It is a travesty that he is ruling our oldest and greatest city. All that being said, I would never work with the Children of Light to eliminate another vampire. The accusation alone is enough to bring disgrace upon my lineage.”

  “True, but it’s more that you’re trying to pit two enemies against each other without them knowing,” Decker says as he returns to the front door. A scent causes him to stop and he quickly backs away while waving for Mab to do the same. “Something is coming this way
and it smells . . . holy. How could an enemy with such a stench get inside your castle, Lord Shallis? Titus, his gang, and my soldiers would have noticed their approach unless they were already here or knew of the secret tunnels. Tell us what’s going on and we’ll let you live.”

  The noble grins and lets some of his remaining blood seep from his mouth. “I do not believe that is your promise to make any more. All I can say with surety is that someone is helping the Duragians. Maybe I am on that side and never knew it. Perhaps it is all of you who are the unwitting fools. It appears that there are traitors in every shadow these days. So much for the honor and nobility of the vampire race. May all of our people rot in the bowels of the Chaos Void demons.”

  Clyde and his friends put on their night cloaks an instant before the front doors are blown open by a light spell. A small squad of paladins, priestesses, and hunters rush into the ballroom with the blazing sun symbol of Durag shining over their heads. Decker uses all of his speed and strength to run at the damaged wall and smash through it with Mab a few steps behind. Before following the others, Clyde hurls Lord Shallis at the holy warriors and watches as the defenseless noble bursts into flames. Sprinting to the hole, the vampire whirls around and slams his fists into the floor. The entire ballroom slumps and cracks, which throws off the barrage of light beams and sun orbs. Diving to the side, Clyde avoids the spell swarm, which leaves a gaping hole in the hallway. He spots Decker running toward a doorway on the other side of the damaged area and turns around to see that Mab is climbing into an open window.

  Before he can call for her to wait, the burglar is knocked back by a blast that leaves her body steaming and badly burned. Clyde rushes to catch her and continues going, a terrifying roar erupting as he barrels through the wall. He can see burning vampire corpses everywhere as well as an army of retreating forms, Titus’s faint voice urging the survivors to not look back. At the sound of falling debris, the pursuing priests, hunters, and paladins stop and head back into the crumbling castle. Landing on a priestess with enough force to crumple her body, Clyde cradles Mab in one arm and sprints for a nearby tower as fast as he can. Creating illusionary decoys after every five steps, his enemies cannot tell which of the blurry vampires is their real target. Light blasts and arrows sail in every direction, most of the attacks hitting allies and causing the Duragians to focus on healing the wounded. With arguments breaking out, none of the holy warriors notice a hapless priest get grabbed by the neck, killed without a sound, and yanked into a fortification tower.