Loyalty

by Charles E Yallowitz

  Catching a strange scent, Mab floats through the darkness until she comes to a shimmering hole. Once she recognizes her apartment on the other side, she remembers the smell is a type of incense she used to burn after being away for so long. Getting as close to the portal as she can, the burglar tries to see if anybody is inside. Flickers of movement catch her attention, but she repeatedly loses track of the source. Knowing that it is a trap, Mab struggles to see through the obvious illusions only to find that she cannot do it from inside the void. Hearing the monsters roaring in the distance, she fears that they are regaining their courage and about to attack since she has come through multiple times without leaving a snack. She circles the hole one more time in search of her enemy, but quickly gives up and goes looking for another exit.

  Feeling a subtle tug on her legs, Mab stops and focuses on her side of the portal instead of the suspicious room. Glowing threads appear around her limbs and the slack network is gradually tightening as they are drawn through the gateway. Swinging her claws at the magical strings, the burglar gets herself tangled and is abruptly yanked out of the shadows. The illusion of her apartment dissolves to reveal the throne room where Xavier and Nadia are waiting. The Lady of Nyte walks down the steps while coiling the threads around her arms, a pulse of electricity repeatedly running along them to stun her prey. Weaving her hands, the noble creates a cocoon around the Dawn Fang and slams it into the wall where it sticks. Expecting her former ally to escape, Nadia fires a bolt of cold that hits Mab as tears herself free. The burglar is unable to get out of the way and takes the blast in the chest, which leaves her shivering on the floor. The grinning orc continues the barrage as she gets closer, but leaps back when the enraged Dawn Fang shrugs off the thickening ice and charges.

  “Never underestimate me, thief,” the noblewoman growls before delivering a punch to Mab’s face. The impact sets off an explosive spell that partially flays the Dawn Fang and sends her smashing against the wall. “Very little skin and your muscles are shredded. I hope you decide to fall down now because this is pathetic. What made you think an abomination like you could defeat someone like me? All because you got a little extra power? Your kind isn’t the first to threaten us and you won’t be the last.”

  “You’re right, Sylvan,” Mab gasps, her steps shaky and slow. A burst of speed snaps her bones, but the sprint puts her directly in the other woman’s face. “This isn’t a threat. I promise that I will destroy you. How tough can you be if I’m still standing after all of that as well as you getting the drop on me?”

  “We do not have to listen to this creature,” Xavier interrupts with a snap of his fingers. He waits for his wife to zap the Dawn Fang into unconsciousness, the noxious smell of burning meat filling the throne room. “Disgusting how you can see the innards working even when the thing is asleep. This is all my fault. If I had not been enamored with Clyde’s power and killed him during the attack then our future would not be at risk. We would have only had her and your maker to deal with instead of a growing army of abominations. You were right that these things would be a danger if left unchecked.”

  “Both of us wanted to believe in him, but things changed when he began infecting our people,” Nadia says as she summons a pair of golems that were disguised as curtains. The mindless servants wrap around Mab to stop her from bleeding on the floor and hop her into a corner. “Do you want Stephanie and I to bring the Duragians back for Clyde? You know it’s only a matter of time before he shows up.”

  Xavier scratches his chin and bends down to sniff at the pool of blood that smells both delicious and toxic. “That is a card that I do not wish to play again unless I have to. People will get suspicious if the mortals show up to fight on our behalf. It is hard enough to keep up the charade of them working with the council without their actions being too convenient for us. We should prepare for Clyde, but not get his attention just yet. I have already been told that he is heading for Miez Castle, so I would like him to settle his business with our old friends. Best to let him remain one of our agents for as long as possible. When the time comes, I will send out the giants to greet him. As strong as your brother is, I doubt even he could handle them, especially if I give them the dragon blood that I have been saving.”

  “You seem worried.”

  “Decades of planning my ascension to ultimate power and it is threatened by an enhanced thug.”

  “Shame we could not use them as pawns.”

  “I find it best not to keep a troll on a leash unless you know how to control it.”

  “Do you think we can win this new war?”

  “With the fall of Clyde, the Dawn Fangs will be nothing more than a miniscule speck in our history.”

  15

  Miez Castle stands beneath a shroud of eternal night, the constant darkness created by the large crystals atop each of the seven wall towers. A slightly arched parapet runs between each of the defenses with the thickest one having a door made of polished metal. The entrance is covered in orbs that roll in their sockets and wait for anyone foolish enough to make contact, the enchanted metal designed to explode into ten-foot-long spikes. In place of a moat is a swampy graveyard where the skulls of undead guards remain above ground to keep watch for intruders. A lone Eusu wanders from one pool of stagnant water to another, the four-jawed alligator surviving off those killed by the zombies and presents from its masters. Multiple towers are spread throughout the vast courtyard, each one belonging to an individual council member. Churning portals are on their wide tops, the gateways allowing the nobles to return to their distant manors once their business in Miez Castle is complete. Looming over the entire complex, a domed keep glints in the darkness and is dotted with brightly lit windows that are occasionally blocked by a passing guard.

  Surrounding the fortress is a bustling city that is divided in two by a fence, which is manned by living scarecrows. The inner circle is home to the vampiric soldiers and servants, who are always ready to be called into action. Due to the darkness spell only covering the castle, tunnels leading into the complex have been built underground and are accessed through dozens of metal hatches. Very few who stumble out of the thick forests and into the dense collection of homes and businesses make it to this section. Most are stopped by the larger circle of buildings that is home to mortals, who are kept in a charmed state by the nobles. Magically programmed to keep all outsiders away from the vampires, the farmers and tradesmen are the first line of defense against invaders and will gladly throw themselves into the path of enemies. Their secondary purpose is to act as an emergency food source for the council during lean times. Due to this important job, the townsfolk routinely have feasts and keep themselves impeccably clean in case they are called on as a meal. To ward off disease and injury, a well of healing potions is maintained by a mesmerized Duragian priestess who lives in the center of the city.

  The chaos starts when the sun is blocked by thick shadows for a second, the returning light revealing that two blocks worth of mortals have collapsed. Seeping puncture wounds are on their bodies, but they have not been drained completely. Screams ring out as a crowd of people slump into a pile, the attacker nothing more than a black blur. The priestess emerges from her hut and is about to cast a holy spell when she feels a sharp pain in her shoulder and is thrown onto a rooftop by the force of whatever has hit her. Men, women, and children of all races continue to fall to the ground, their breathing shallow and raspy. Those who try to escape into the trees find themselves grabbed by an invisible predator and tossed back into the city. As they sail through the air, they catch glimpses of a man who gives them a quick bite and instantly knocks them out. When it is clear that they cannot leave the city, the mortals try to hide in the buildings and begin screaming for the soldiers to save them. Doors burst from hinges as the mysterious attacker continues feasting without killing anyone. Hearing the commotion, bells ring out from the inner circle and the noise eventually drowns out the disappearing voices. Within minutes, the mortals are all unconsc
ious and the only sounds are of the soldiers scrambling to get ready for the unexpected attack.

  “I imagined this place having gargoyles,” Clyde says as he leaps onto a tavern. He wipes the blood from his mouth, but licks every drop off his fingers. “Still feels wrong that I didn’t kill any of them, but you’re right that I have to get used to it. Leaving bodies would reveal us to more enemies and we have enough of those. The more I think about this fight, the more fun I think it’s going to be.”

  “And that is why I came along,” Gregorio points out with a sigh. Climbing up to the chimney and taking a seat, he rolls his wrist to create a glowing book in his hand. “You may be powerful, but arrogance can still be your downfall. In fact, I would say emotions are a bigger threat to you than any other Dawn Fang. Not that you should cast them aside because that would turn you into a true monster. More that you need to master and use them as an added source of strength.”

  “You keep spouting stuff like that and it still doesn’t make any sense,” the other vampire growls, his attention more on the gathering soldiers. Walking to the edge of the roof, he licks his lips and cracks his knuckles loud enough to cause an echo. “I promise to leave my ego out of this fight even though I really want to terrorize them. Regardless of the alliance being a lie, the council still wants to eat me. Pretty sure Xavier won’t be too upset if I end his little war here either. Are you coming in with me or is this where you’re staying? I know you don’t like getting your hands dirty.”

  The undead inventor smirks as he closes his book, which disappears in a puff of smoke. “It is not the time or place for me to shed blood. This is your battle, my son. Part of me still thinks this is a foolish act, but you are correct that it has to be done. Even one drop of your blood may be enough to make these people more dangerous. If any of them bite you then you must destroy them completely before they transform. From my own experience, it takes seconds, so I suggest immediate decapitation. Tends to work for nearly everything. Total destruction would be best, but I don’t think even you could explode a noble with one punch.”

  “Have you figured out how we can be killed?”

  “No, but I will work on it if you keep some guards alive.”

  “I get the sense that my head and heart need to be protected.”

  “Those tend to be the most common weak points.”

  “Do you happen to have two fist-sized pieces of metal on you?”

  His curiosity peaked by the question, Gregorio checks his backpack and pulls out a pair of iron plates. Taking a seat on the edge of the chimney, he watches as Clyde removes his shirt and backs into the shadows. The sun glints off the metal as he shapes them into circles with his powerful fingers, the shavings falling to the shingles. With a snap, he twists his left arm to place one of the plates against his back and puts the other over his heart. Making sure they are lined up perfectly, the vampire presses them into his skin and heals around the sharp edges. Clyde waits a minute before letting go and flexes his muscles to test the hastily made armor. He can feel the one on his back already starting to fall out, so he waves for his maker to hurry over and push it firmly into place.

  “You would have been a decent gnome, my son,” Gregorio jokes while pulling out a notebook. He jots down a few notes to make an armored harness, his sensitive eyes squinting behind his dark glasses to get the proper measurements. “It is funny that I still feel like you’re my child since I made you, but now you’ve remade me. That brings up an interesting philosophical question that I must bring up to Huntley when we meet again. You’re welcome to join in the discussion.”

  “Thanks, but I don’t think I would be much help with that,” Clyde admits as he puts his shirt back on. He watches the scarecrows bounce around the fence, each one stopping over a gate that swings open. “Honestly, I don’t see any of you as my children. At least those of you who I’ve known for so long. Maybe things will change if I make more Dawn Fangs, but I haven’t decided on what I’ll do after this war. Xavier can keep the world of politics. I think I’m with Mab on wanting to return to my roots. Heists are much more fun than everything else I’ve done since I came back.”

  “Is that why you are grinning at the thought of battle?” the gnome asks, his smile exposing his keen fangs. Making himself comfortable on the roof, he pulls out a flask of tea mixed with blood. “Your power is one that can’t be held back for long. A sedentary life will eventually bore you to the point of insanity. I can feel my churning blood demand to be unleashed in my own body, so I can only imagine what would happen with you. There is no hiding the truth from me, young man. The thrill of battle is calling and you will never deny your violent urges. Huntley wants me to add some of my more colorful thoughts to the tome too. Please feel free to think up some wise advice while you clear the path. Think you will leave any alive?”

  Clyde shrugs as the massive army of cloaked vampires flood through the gates and fill the vacant streets. Blades are brandished and archers let their arrows fly as the Dawn Fang steps off the roof. One punch to the ground sends the first group of guards flying and a wave of powdered cobblestones rolls to both ends of the alley. With a crack of his neck, Clyde looks from one pack of enemies to another and takes a coin out of his pocket. He flips it into the air and stands straight as a post, his eyes gradually closing. As soon as the piece of gold lands on his foot, he sprints to his right and tears into everyone in his path.

  *****

  Delivering a casual backhand, Clyde sends the last warrior sailing through the fence, which collapses with an echoing clatter. Leaping onto a watchtower, the vampire scans the piles of bodies for signs of anyone still willing to fight. Most of the corpses are already attracting clouds of flies while those who are merely unconscious remain motionless in the wreckage. Those who retreated can be seen lurking at the edges of the city, the afternoon daylight glinting off their exposed armor. Faint grunts can be heard from the surviving archers who have been jammed head first into the chimneys that they attempted to use as cover. Some of the mortals have woken up, but the widespread carnage causes them to scream and rush into the forest without a second thought. Crackling energy ripples across the outer circle as the council’s charm spell splinters in response to the locals’ mental trauma. The few animals remaining in the city abruptly shriek as their sense of calm is destroyed and they stampede in whatever direction they believe will take them to safety. A howling wind weaves through the streets, the unnatural gale throwing the shredded night cloaks into the sky where they drift across the landscape.

  With a yawn, Clyde ignores the curious display and leaps towards the entrance to Miez Castle. As he comes to the last line of buildings, he hits an invisible wall and is sent skidding down the street. Grabbing the side of a house, the Dawn Fang stops himself and flings the entire structure at the barrier. He frowns when it hits the main gate and is destroyed by the eruption of glistening spikes. Zombies crawl out of the nearby bog to clear the debris, which is dragged into the ground by hundreds of rotting hands. Not wanting to waste any time, Clyde charges ahead and rears back to deliver a punch to the unseen spell. Before he can swing, he slams face first into the wall, which is closer than he remembered. The sensation of invisible fists striking his body comes an instant before he is violently knocked away. Instead of stopping his momentum, the mildly amused vampire lets himself slide through the mud on his back while he stares at the sky. When he finally stops near the fence, he hops to his feet and calmly wipes the dirt off his clothes.

  “You seem to be taking this very well,” Gregorio mentions as he steps out of a nearby apothecary. His arms full of herbs and chemicals, the gnome hurries across the street to an abandoned cart. “If you aren’t going to take this seriously then help an old man do some shopping. None of those people are coming back, so all of this is for the taking. Go look for a blacksmith shop because I could use two or three new anvils. My old ones are covered in far too much dried gore and dents for me to use properly. Contamination is becoming a problem, which is
an odd phrase to say in your presence.”

  “Are you done rambling?” Clyde asks before turning around. He only makes it two steps before hitting the barrier, but Gregorio easily catches him by the leg before he can be sent far away. “Must be a caster hiding somewhere. I was wondering why the council only had warriors here. They always struck me as the types to have at least one specialized vampire within their army. Be nice if this one had more of a spine instead of fighting from the shadows.”

  “Because you came here for a tea party instead of a challenging battle.”

  “Now, you’re giving me attitude?”

  “Before I was unsure if you would continue on this path, but now you have made your choice.”

  “So, I need to stop whining and push forward.”

  “That or you can help me find some new boots.”

  Taking a bottle of acid out of the cart, Clyde tosses it ahead and watches as it lands in a pile of mud. Waving for Gregorio to stop glaring, he walks with his arms stretched out to meet the unseen barrier. Instead of rushing, he stops every few steps and scans the buildings for signs of his lurking enemy. He makes it halfway back to the castle when he hits the spell, but he reacts quick enough to plant his feet into the ground. Instead of being knocked away, he stays within reach and braces himself against the invisible obstacle. With the skin on his palms splitting from the pressure, Clyde pushes the barrier, which ripples like a pool that is being repeatedly pelted with stones. Shoving with all of his might, the Dawn Fang gradually makes progress while the nearby buildings get their porches and front walls shredded. He can barely make out the hazy hooks that repeatedly lash out in search of a hold that will not succumb to the man’s incredible strength.