The young knight looked at the pile of dust at his feet. He kicked it slightly and smeared it across the ground with a slight grinding noise.

“Makes me sick, every time.” Caius said.

He had just slain a vampire, a foul creature indeed. Recently he had spent the last week hunting them down in the slums of the city. He believed that somewhere among the tall run down buildings was a hideout or den that these vampires hid themselves in during the day. He had killed 5 within the past week, number six lay at his feet.

He quickly turned and gazed up at the sky. The sky was dark, clouds had blocked the sky and the light of the moon and stars could not be seen. The wind blew from the east, a rare event, and Caius knew a storm was coming. He quickly pulled his hood over his head and moved down a dark alleyway. The stone pathway was slick from the rain and in the darkness Caius had to take head not to slip. The wind grew stronger but Caius fought the cold. And soon he could hear the patter of rain drops hitting the buildings around him.

His gaze moved from each ran down building to another. Most were boarded up, light ran through cracks and holes in the boards proving that there was more life to the place than there seemed giving the surrounding some illumination. A few beggars were perched up against walls wrapped in clothes to keep them dry and warm.

He stopped in front of one the beggars at the end of the alley. “Any news around here lately?” He asked.
The beggar took a second to answer. “I mean no trouble my lord, I did nothing wrong.” The beggar replied.
Caius tilted his head. How am I supposed to help these people when they don’t want to help me? He asked himself.
“I did not say you did anything wrong, I just require information.” He said dropping a silver coin on the ground next to the beggar.
The man scooped up the coin eagerly and then looked back at Caius. “What kind of information?”
“Bloodsuckers.” Caius responded quickly. I need to know everything I can about those freaks.”
The beggar slid the coin in his pocket. “Strange noises come from some old house on Cowgate street. Some of the others have said that a few of our friends have vanished when they went inside.”
“Why did they go inside?”
“They were offered hot meals, that’s something we don’t get around here to often.”
Caius nodded. ‘Our friends’ must be other beggars, this was a usual ploy vampires used. They set traps for beggars and when they disappeared no one ever noticed. He thanked the beggar and quickly moved to Cowgate street. Cowgate was the center and lowest point in the slums. He never liked going down there but it had to be done. About after a 20 minute walk he arrived at Cowgate. He looked down the street from one end to the other. Where to start searching first…

There are moments in your life when you wonder why it’s so boring and why can't something happen. Then it does and you’re thrown into an assignment given by the general. Then there are those days when you are thrown into something at the last moment and expected to do a good job, those you usually do pretty good with anyways. And then there are moments that you’re expected to do a good job and you really can't because there is no way to find out the stuff you’re supposed to find out. Umbra gave a tired sigh, this was definitely all three. Mission: Investigate and stop a group of vampires in the Lomedor district that were killing innocent people. Problem: No sign of said Vampires, victims, or ways said vampires attacked said victims. And to top it all off, it had just started to rain.

Umbra pulled her hood on her cloak over her head to keep herself dry. Okay you blood sucking vermin where are you? she wondered as she moved across the roofs to figure out what exactly she could see. The rain beat hard on her and she was soaked in moments as thunder was heard in the distance. Why am I the only person ever put on these missions? Can't they send a lieutenant or sergeant with me? she complained in her mind. She stopped on a rooftop and seen a soldier talk to some beggars on the side of the streets. “I did not say you did anything wrong, I just require information.” the soldier said as he tossed a coin at the beggar who scooped it up quickly. “What kind of information?” “Bloodsuckers.” The man said. "I need to know everything I can about those freaks.” She looked surprised, Why not ask me? I am friends with one...Well, a pacifist one . She thought

“Strange noises come from some old house on Cowgate Street. Some of the others have said that a few of our friends have vanished when they went inside.” That struck Umbra; she listened closer as they talked. “Why did they go inside?”
“They were offered a hot meal, that’s something we don’t get around here to often.” She smiled. Thanks for the tip. she thought as she rushed off to Cowgate.

It was not long before a young girl in a tattered cloak walked through the streets. She limped across the street as she walked by the soldier that was talking to the beggars uptown. She moved on towards the next block unknown that she was being watched, a lone beggar sat beneath a cloak watching the child as a man walked up to her. "Hello child. Why are you out in the rain? I have a warm place for you." he said. The child backed away. "N...NO!" she cried as she turned. The man grabbed her arm. "It isn’t safe out here. There are bad people about." he said with an evil grin on his face. "No. GO AWAY!" the child screamed as she pulled away and began to run. The man's eyes grew red as the child ran towards the soldier. "PLEASE HELP ME!" she cried as she struggled to run. She fell a few feet from the soldier as the vampire male went to get her. "Come to...AACK!" he shouted as someone grabbed his collar and pulled him as he tried to jump. Thrown back the beggar the child passed earlier stood in front of him. "Didn't anyone tell you not to play with your food? " she asked. "Hate to say it...But you’re my new meal." The vampire turned on the beggar and leapt at her. Moving aside the vampire slashed her stomach which began to glow underneath her clothes. "Want to try that again?" she asked as she pulled off the disguise revealing a young woman wearing holy plate armor. She drew her holy blade and walked towards the vampire whose eyes widened at her. With one kick she pushed him to the ground and put her foot on the vampire's chest. "I will make you a deal. Tell me where the house that you all are using and why you’re doing this and I will spare your miserable life!" she said. The vampire laughed, "Go to the underworld." was the last thing the vampire said before a blast of holy energy turned him to dust.

Turning to the child and soldier she sheathed her sword, the child looked at the soldier as the woman smiled and placed her hand on the child’s shoulder and held out a few gold pieces. "Here. Why not go home and give these to your family. This should keep you for a while." she smiled as the child ran off with the pieces. "Sick vermin. I apologize for that, but this place has been infested with the blood sucking leeches for a while now. I was assigned to find out exactly what was going on. I over heard your conversation with the beggar and decided to get a head start. I did not expect to see you here so soon. What’s your name soldier?' she asked.

Caius watched as a child passed him. At first he thought nothing of it with the weight of finding the vampires on his mind. But reality snapped back into place.
“Hey! Its past curfew.” He said.
He watched a she continued down the street and moved down to the next block. At first he decided not to follow, and he quickly went back to surveying the area for signs of vampires.

"N...NO!"

Caius head snapped and he turned around. Frack! He pulled out his sword and dashed towards the block in which the girl had ran. As he came around the corner he noticed a large man trying to grab the girl. She tried to run, then stumbled and fell a few feet from Caius as the vampire male went to get her.

Yet before he could make a move on the vampire a beggar behind the creature yanked him back. He watched the fight seen unfold as the vampire and the beggar squared off. First he flinched when the vampire lashed out at her stomach. Yet he a soon as he saw the glowing he realized it was holy magic. This was no beggar. Sure enough she unveiled her cloak to be a young woman in holy armor. Caius smiled, this was turning into one interesting night.

As Umbra killed the vampire his remains turned to dust and piled on the ground in fornt of her Caius quickly moved over to the little girl. “You seem to be fine…” He said patting her on the head. He nodded with approval as Umbra gave her some coins.

"Sick vermin. I apologize for that, but this place has been infested with the blood sucking leeches for a while now. I was assigned to find out exactly what was going on. I over heard your conversation with the beggar and decided to get a head start. I did not expect to see you here so soon. What’s your name soldier?'

“My name is Sir Caius Lucius, I am a Knight of Lomedor.” He said, he looked down at the child. “Go on now, you should be fine.” He said and sent the girl on his way. “I’m much faster than I look.” He said. This women was curious, she was dressed in holy armor and had considerable skill with a sword. “I have been working on flushing these beasts out for weeks.” He said. “Yet every lead I gotten has been nothing but a dead end.”

He turned and looked down the street. “We must be close.” He said. “But before we continue, tell me your name demon…”

The dark haired half demon brushed the ash off of her sleeves as she watched the soldier. “My name is Sir Caius Lucius, I am a Knight of Lomedor.” He replied and then looked towards the child. “Go on now, you should be fine.” He said. Umbra looked up at the sky her grey eyes a little dismal from the rain. She gave a whistle and a black feathered bird soon flew towards them and landed on her outstretched arm. “Follow the child home. Make sure she stays safe.” She commanded. The raven cawed in acceptance of the command and took off after the girl.

The rain was still pouring down but Umbra had yet to really notice it after getting soaked a while ago. Her armor gave off a glow as the two stood on the dark streets that were now empty of any being save the two standing on Cowgate Street. She watched as the man eyed the girl as she turned the corner, the raven following after. Umbra never really minded the rain, it was good for the earth and it seemed to make people happier afterwards but there was one thing she hated about the rain that put her at a disadvantage.

The rain drowned out all smells.

Trying to get a glimpse of what was around her Umbra sent a few vibrations from her mind to scry what was nearby. Not much right now. A few houses had people in them, common since this was a district where people lived. Bad for the two because they would have to probably go from house to house to house to try and find the vampires. The man’s scent was probably gone by now, drowned out with the falling rain from each step he took. “I’m much faster than I look.” Sir Caius replied to her as she turned to him and nodded. “I have been working on flushing these beasts out for weeks.” Sir Caius began “Yet every lead I gotten has been nothing but a dead end.” He said. She nodded in agreement. It was really too bad her friend Blade was not here, she could ask him to help find the vampires but unfortunately he was no where to be found since the Lone Warriors disbanded.

She finished getting the damp ash off of her clothes as the ash on her armor ran off and floated away in the puddles and rivers that filled the streets. “We must be close.” He said finally. “Yea. I don’t think that vampire would be walking in this rain for a while just to find something to eat.” She said. “But before we continue, tell me your name demon…” he said. Umbra turned to him and smiled, ‘So even though I am dressed as a Paladin he still sees me as a demon...pretty observant.’ She thought as she indicated to the patch on her arm. A crescent moon was shown above three stripes and a five pointed star beneath the stripes. “I am Captain Umbra Kontis of the Special Forces Squad. I too have been assigned to flush out the vampires that are killing people in Lomedor. So since we are on the same assignment how bout we work together on this.” She asked. “I have been playing ‘beggar’ for a while now. When I heard Cowgate I figured this would be the best place to do some play acting while I investigate. I probably don’t know much more than you do. Everyone who knows something ends up dead.” She said with a sigh.

Caius nodded. "Very well." He for a moment looked of down the street before he continued. "I never heard of the Special Forces Squad. But then again you don't run into many knights of Lomedor these days." He said. "You can always tell the demons from the humans, if your smart. Humans are conservative when they fight. One such as myself would never leave an opening in my defenses even with the holy armor.” He turned to her. “I’ve seen too many good men; if they could be called men, die that way. Demons tend to allow such an opening as their demonic blood seems to usually give them a much better constitution than humans, encouraging such behavior.” He said motioning to the place where cloak was was torn.

He let his words sink in for a moment. “They are close but not at this block or the next few intersections. They would hunt close but not too close to give away their position. Vampires hate the light, they would have chosen a smaller building around much larger ones. That way the shade is casted upon the building during the day.”

This was not the first den he had flushed out in Lomedor nor the last. “We’ll go to the butcher next.” He said. “Sometimes the bloodsuckers get animal blood as a substitute for human blood. This cannot sustain them for long though and none the less they will eventually be forced to use this tactic.” He began to walk down the street assuming Umbra would follow. “Lets see if anyone has been buying large sums of blood from the butcher's guild." Caius quickly moved down the street and assumed Umbra would follow. After a few minutes they came to a small shack that had a lean to it. Caius pounded his fist on the door. “This is the night watch! Open Up!”
Inside he could here the sound of footsteps or some one moving around. He placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and took a step back away from the door. It was necessary to take some precaution, he did not want to be caught off guard by some thieves robbing the place or a drunken butcher who mistaken him for somebody else than the actual guard for the city.
The door cracked open slight. “Yes.” He said. “Who is there?”
“Sir Caius Lucius, I’m with the watch and I have some questions.”
“We’ve done nothing wrong here, ands its late I must go back to bed so I’m well-.”
“We do not have time for this.” Caius said.
“Ok, Ok I just don’t want any trouble.” The butcher said and opened the door for the two of them to come in.

As soon as he entered the building Caius pressed the issue. “Do you sell blood? I mean from the meat you tend to?”
The butcher gave him a funny look. “Not really, we usually dump in the street with the sewage.”
“Have you have had any strange requests for blood, and lots of it from any patrons who you did not recognize? In the past month?”
“There was this one man who came that one night before we closed up…”
Caius narrowed his eyes. “What do you remember about him?”
d from the butcher.”

The soldier nodded to her, "Very well." He said then looked around. . "I never heard of the Special Forces Squad. But then again you don't run into many knights of Lomedor these days." He said. She smiled, “Well that is because I am not a Knight of Lomedor. I am a Lunar Knight of Isiltelpe; Crescent clan if you are the kind of person who is technical.” She said then looked around as the rain pelted the ground. "You can always tell the demons from the humans, if you’re smart. Humans are conservative when they fight. One such as myself would never leave an opening in my defenses even with the holy armor.” He said turning to her. She had heard this lecture before many times from her general but still gave the Knight the benefit of her listening to him. “I’ve seen too many good men; if they could be called men, die that way. Demons tend to allow such an opening as their demonic blood seems to usually give them a much better constitution than humans, encouraging such behavior.” He said motioning to where her cloak was torn. She smiled, “Sometimes you have to take a risk to save people.” She said to no one really.

Sir Caius paused for a moment to allow her to think about what he had said then spoke once more. . “They are close but not at this block or the next few intersections. They would hunt close but not too close to give away their position. Vampires hate the light; they would have chosen a smaller building around much larger ones. That way the shade is casted upon the building during the day.” He said. She nodded in agreement. “Yea, or at least most of the day. Remember some of these buildings have cellars. They could stay there but they would choose a smaller over larger buildings” She said remembering how her friend was.

“We’ll go to the butcher next.”

Sir Caius’ words snapped her out of her memories and thoughts and brought her to the matter at hand once more. She paused and nodded. It was not really a problem for her following a human. This was, after all, his town of station and probably his home. While on her terrain of the moon she would be more knowledgeable but now he was the best one to lead. “Sometimes the bloodsuckers get animal blood as a substitute for human blood. This cannot sustain them for long though and none the less they will eventually be forced to use this tactic.” He said. Nodding in agreement she kept her eyes and ears open for any sign of an ambush. The vampires had to be at least somewhat aware of what was going on now. Two people were on their tail. “Lets see if anyone has been buying large sums of blood from the butcher.” He said leading the way.

The butcher shop was not that impressive. It was, after all, a butcher shop. Almost immediately Umbra smelled blood. She gave a small shiver at it and tried to remember to breathe through her mouth. Although, she quickly decided the smell was better than the taste. “This is the night watch! Open Up!” Caius yelled banging on the door. Umbra stood alert as a backup just in case it was a trap. Sounds of footsteps were heard and the door opened up. . “Yes. Who is there?” the voice asked. “Sir Caius Lucius, I’m with the watch and I have some questions.” He replied. Umbra kept her sword’s hilt in her hand ready to attack at a moments notice. Already her dagger was in her free hand making it her very first action should the need arise. “We’ve done nothing wrong here, ands it’s late I must go back to bed so I’m well-.” The man began but Caius interrupted. We do not have time for this.” He said. “Ok, Ok I just don’t want any trouble.” The butcher replied and opened the door.

Umbra followed Caius inside and immediately wished she had not. The place stank of blood. Caius, being human would not be able to smell the faint traces of blood on the newly washed floor and knives but she could smell it. Pig, cow, the occasional sheep, chicken, and something else below all of it.

“Do you sell blood? I mean from the meat you tend to?” the knight asked. Umbra walked over to the equipment careful to be wary of any being that might be nearby. “Not really, we usually dump in the street with the sewage.” Caius did not seem to notice her as she walked around, the conversation slowly turned to white noise. “Have you have had any strange requests for blood, and lots of it from any patrons who you did not recognize? In the past month?” “There was this one man who came that one night before we closed up…”

Umbra walked towards the blades as they hung to dry the conversation becoming a simple drone in the back of her mind as she listened for important sounds of ambush and battle. She placed her hand on the carving knife and the butcher shouted at her, “HEY! Be careful with that! And do not touch it. You want to get my patrons or yourself sick from being around raw blood?” She turned to him her hand on the handle taking it off the hook. “That depends. Have you ever cut yourself on this knife?” she asked. The butcher held up his hand with a few cuts on it, the largest no bigger than three inches. “Yea, big knife so I get cuts. Comes with the territory you know.” He said as Umbra turned back. “Don’t mind me; I won’t touch your blades. I would hate to get your patrons sick.” She said then turned back and knelt on the ground. “Well the guy was kind of pale faced. Came late at night about sunset and ordered all the blood we had for the day. Was not much. We threw most of it out at noon but he paid a lot for it. Never said what it was for, got paid more gold not to ask.” He said. “The man did have on an outfit like a common person but he spoke, well, like a noble. He expected you to treat him as such as well.” The butcher said. “Felt kind of weird around him even though he was nice. Something about him made my skin crawl.” The butcher said then looked at Umbra and then at Sir Caius. “Mind telling me why your partner likes to poke around my shop? I ain’t got nothing to hide ma’am. Unless your looking for something specific I might be able to help you.” He said.

Caius had to try hard not to glare down Umbra. Something had off set her the minute she walked into the shop. At first she thought the place was disgusting but then he realized something was bothering her. He figured that her being a half-demon in all she had some kind of enhanced sense or something. He turned back to the butcher who also seemed offset by her. Caius watched her out of the corner of his eye, trying to make it not so obvious.

“HEY! Be careful with that! And do not touch it. You want to get my patrons or yourself sick from being around raw blood?”

Caius turned and shot her a look to cut it out. She was putting the man on edge, something Caius did not want. “Back to the man buying the blood.” He said. “What did he look like?” He asked

“Well the guy was kind of pale faced. Came late at night about sunset and ordered all the blood we had for the day. Was not much. We threw most of it out at noon but he paid a lot for it. Never said what it was for, got paid more gold not to ask.” He said. “The man did have on an outfit like a common person but he spoke, well, like a noble. He expected you to treat him as such as well.” The butcher said. “Felt kind of weird around him even though he was nice. Something about him made my skin crawl.”

Caius nodded. “Don’t worry about her, she is a professional and on an investigation, its her job to poke around.” He said with a hint of annoyance. “We’ll be on our way.” He said to the butcher. He quickly flagged Umbra out of the building. They quickly exited and Caius turned to Umbra.

“What was that all about?!” He said slightly angered. “Do you know how act while being a representation of authority. For crying out loud Umbra. We were in his shop and you were acting like---.”
He stopped and waved his hands around. He shook his head and waited a few seconds. “Can I count on you or not?” He asks.

One of the biggest problems of working around blood is that it gets everywhere; the wall, the table where you are cutting it, the floor, and your hands and just about everywhere you can think of and some places you would not think. But one of the biggest things is that even if you wash blood those who have enhanced senses can still smell it. Something that most humans do not think about when they clean up, especially in a butcher shop, they work to get all the germs and such gone so that the place is presentable and no one will get sick but that still does not mean that the smell is gone. And three particular smells were catching her attention. As she moved around Sir Caius caught her attention with a glare. She merely turned back and continued to place her hand on the ground moving it in different areas to focus on one point.

Umbra sighed mentally as the smells from the other two grew because of agitation. She tried to ignore them as Sir Caius commented about her. “Don’t worry about her, she is a professional and on an investigation, it’s her job to poke around.” He said agitated as well. “We’ll be on our way.” He said as he flagged Umbra. Giving one last sigh she followed him. Stopping just before she got to the door she turned to the butcher. “Does anyone besides you use this shop?” she asked. The butcher looked confused, “No, my assistant does too.” She looked surprised for a moment. “Oh, where does he live?” she asked the butcher rubbed his head like he was nursing a headache. “Two blocks down, second house on the right.” He said as she walked out. “Thank you.” She said and the butcher closed the door behind them.

“What was that all about?!” Sir Caius said turning to her. “Do you know how act while being a representation of authority. For crying out loud Umbra. We were in his shop and you were acting like---.” He began before rubbing his head in agitation. Umbra smiled and let his anger subside and for him to get what he needed to say out. There would be no reasoning with him still having something to say. Finally he looked at her, “Can I count on you or not?” he asked. She nodded then looked away, “I apologize. I had just forgotten for a moment,” She said then turned to him once more. “How poor a human beings sense of smell is.” She said then put her hand up. “Please do not take that the wrong way. Humans are great in their own respects but...” she said turning to the butcher shop. “Had you had the ability of smell like I do-” she began then decided to switch the message a little. “Tell me. How many bodies do the Lomedor Knights know are dead? Those who sent me on this assignment knew of at least fifty, with the very high possibility of their being more.” She began then put her hand up and counted on her hands. “This means there are a bunch of different circumstances that could have happened. One, the victims could have turned into vampires themselves. If that is the case then why risk being seen? Why not simply have the victims lure more victims? This means they are dead. Which brings us to two: They have killed the victims. Which is proven by the beggars never being seen again; what happens then? You cannot, after all, keep fifty dead bodies in one home for countless reasons. So what happens to the deceased? Three: They bury or cremate them. But it would not take long for suspicions to rise if they do it to often so they have to think of another way to get rid of the bodies.” She said.

Letting it sink in she hoped Sir Caius was catching what she had smelled in that shop. “Now this comes to the reason I was poking around the shop. Being a butcher shop of course there is going to be blood smelled, if you were paying attention you would have noticed I smelled it instantly. But you see, each animal: Birds, Cows, Pigs and Sheep have different smells to their blood. Not the most enjoyable experience I can say but I digress. They do however have a different smell than people do. And different races: Humans, Vampires, Half-demons each have their own smell to blood as well.” She said then turned back to the shop. “You probably get where I am going with this.” She said a grim look on her face. “That shop’s floor was covered in human blood.” She said finally. “Too much to be from small cuts. And it did not belong to the butcher. But there were two other smells. Both vampire, on small and one that was all over the place same as the butchers. I would not be surprised if one of those smells matched our butcher friend’s assistant.” She said and sighed.

“Yes you can count on me. And I know how to act as a point of authority. But you have to understand, I can sometimes see things you can’t. There was blood once on that floor that was human. I have a feeling that someone is using that shop as a cover to get rid of the bodies of the beggars. Maybe the assistant...maybe a vampire who broke in, I have no clue but there was human blood there, which I know. So what do you say? We go to the assistants or walk around some more?” she asked.

Caius listened to Umbra as she did make a very good argument. “How many bodies? I lost count…” He said. “We burned a few last week, but whether or not they would have turned depends on the vampire.” Caius caught on quickly, and he was a little freaked out that she could smell blood. He actually had to reframe from asking if she could smell his blood.

“So the butcher shop is not used for slaughtering animals…” He nodded his head. “If you say so then it would be good to check up on his assistant.” He began walking slowly down to the second block where the butcher had guided them to. “And I’m glad I can count on you, but at least try and give me a heads up if your going to something like that back in the butcher shop.

As he walked down the street he continued the topic on the vampires. “Fledglings tend to spread the virus to whomever they bite, unless the bitten’s head is cut off. Yet some vampires have to drain the blood of their victims and then give them their own.” Caius. “Usually those kinds are the most common; vampire clans are more selective on their membership. If they believe they will spread there ‘disease’ they remove the head or steak the heart. The butcher said he talked and acted like a noble. Sounds like one from a covenant to me. This means there will be an elder or an ancient.” He said. “Also explains why the need the shop, the crazed ones tend let their victims just wreak havoc after their done with them.”

Caius turned down to the second house on the right. “I hope you know how to fight real good.” He said and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword Cutter. “The last time I did something like this I lost twelve men.” When he came up the house he pressed himself against the side of it and motion towards the door with his head. “Why don’t you knock first this time.”

Sir Caius seemed to cringe a little at what she said, “So the butcher shop is not used for slaughtering animals...If you say so then it would be good to check up on his assistant.” He said as he started to the assistants’ home. She shook her head, “It is...just not only animals. There was a bunch of animal blood there too. Human blood is just stronger than animal blood in the sense of smell. Never cared for the scent of blood.” She said as she followed keeping an eye out for anything moving in the shadows. “And I’m glad out count on you, but at least try and give me a heads up if you’re going to something like that back in the butcher shop.” He said. She smiled and nodded. “Sure. I guess I am just too used to working around people in my line of work so I forgot how it is to work with another branch of the guard.” She said Sir Caius continued to talk about the different breeds of vampires that were out there. “Fledglings tend to spread the virus to whomever they bite, unless the bitten’s head is cut off. Yet some vampires have to drain the blood of their victims and then give them their own. Usually those kinds are the most common; vampire clans are more selective on their membership. If they believe they will spread there ‘disease’ they remove the head or steak the heart. The butcher said he talked and acted like a noble. Sounds like a one from a covenant to me. This means there will be an elder or an ancient. Also explains why the need for the shop, the crazed ones tend let their victims just wreak havoc after their done with them.” She thought on this, “Preventive measures, eh? To keep those they have drained from turning by destroying the victims’ body. Why does this sound like some horror story I read?” she asked as they came up to the house.


As they neared she listened to the surrounding world, nothing. Placing her hand upon the hilt of her holy blade she watched the scenery carefully turning every so often to get a good look around her. “I hope you know how to fight real good. The last time I did something like this I lost twelve men.” Sir Caius said. She smiled, “I would not be of a Captain ranking if I could not fight. But I thank you for your concern.” She said. He pressed himself against the back of the house and nodded towards the door. “Why don’t you knock first this time.” He said. Nodding she moved towards the door and immediately froze. “A Vampire was at this door recently.” Was the only thing she whispered as she moved to the door and placed her hand an inch above it palm facing towards the door. She closed her eyes and for two minuets stood there in that position and finally opened her eyes and looked towards Caius, her glance telling him to be careful and on guard. She rapped three quick times on the door. Sounds of someone coming were heard as the door opened a crack. “Yes? Who is it?” a young male voice asked. “A member of the Lomedor Guard and a representative of the Night Watch. We wish to speak with the assistant of the Butcher.” She said. The door opened fully to reveal a man about Umbra’s height with scruffy brown hair and slightly wrinkled clothes. “I am he. How may I help you two?” he asked. Umbra immediately went on guard as the man spoke, she did not hear one hint of surprise while she said that they were members of the guard. “We wish to speak with you about recent happenings, your employer directed us to your house.” She said. “Well then. I invite the both of you into my home. Please come in out of the cold night.” He said and stepped back and allowed the two to enter. She turned to Sir Caius as she walked in waiting for his reply to the entire situation. She thought about his choice on words and a fact she knew from her friend who was a vampire. Any private place such as a home could not be entered by Vampires unless they were invited inside. Saying such words as 'invite' let the vampires know they were permitted inside.

Caius nodded when Umbra told him a vampire had been here recently. He prepared himself and pulled out his Searing Dagger. He waited for a minute or two as she closed her eyes and stood there. Most likely using her senses again Caius realized. He tensed as Umbra knocked on the door and began to prepare for the possibilities of an attack. The door opened and Caius slipped into a fighting stance, ready for anything.

“Yes? Who is it?” a young male voice asked. “A member of the Lomedor Guard and a representative of the Night Watch. We wish to speak with the assistant of the Butcher.”

Caius sighed in relief. He lowered his guard and sheathed his weapons. Yet he still headed the warning Umbra gave him. He rested his hand casually on the hilt of his sword. He proceeded behind Umbra as they were invited into the home. He had heard of some vampires having to be invited into homes, but again it varied on the type vampire. Caius moved into the house and gave Umbra a nod.

“We wish to speak with you about recent happenings, your employer directed us to your house.”

“Lets get to the point.” He said and turned to the assistant. “Were looking for a lair of Vampires. We think they got a den, base, lair, hideout, whatever somewhere on Cowgate.”

Caius turned from the assistant and Umbra and walked further into the house and muttered a few words to himself. He glowed a gold color for a few seconds that dissipated soon afterward. Then he turned back to the two of them. “During an inspection, my colleague here discovered human blood on the floor of the butcher shop you work in. After a quick conversation we were able to determine that the butcher was not involved.” Caius said with confidence and authority, the kind that made the lesser feel guilt and inferior. “That leaves us with two possibilities. One the vampires are breaking in to the shop in the middle of night, or two your letting them in…” Caius said matter of factly. He pulled out his sword and rammed the tip into the floor board.

He could tell by the look on the man’s face that he had spooked him. Caius slowly left his sword in the floor and moved very close to the assistant. “Now you are going to tell us everything you know, or I’m going to feed you to the wolves for lunch.” He turned and winked at Umbra. “Start talking.”

Umbra noticed that Caius was beginning to get the hang of teaming up with her. He seemed to notice her cues quite well and she smiled inwardly as he tensed a little then let up as she took on the conversation starting with the assistant to the butcher. She listened as they walked into the house, the floor was solid as can be, and the smells seemed to be mixtures of different strong smells with weak ones. Difficult to pinpoint what scent was what, but not impossible. She started eliminating scents one by one starting with hers, Caius’ and then the assistants and followed with the stronger smells and went down to the weaker ones. Caius seemed to lower his guard a tad and sheathed his weapon, she however kept her left hand on her holy blade and had her right hand start warming up a little with a sunbeam spell but only kept the heat not the entire attack. A difficult thing to do but she had to try and keep hold of this position or they might be given away to already suspecting something. She noticed that Caius gave her a nod and she just closed her eyes and gave a nod back and then opened them. But what neither Caius nor the assistant knew was that she really had, in that split second, gave a short burst of energy unnoticeable to those without magical aid. She was scrying. She got a small picture of the room directly above them. Nothing of much use, just a bedroom. But there was something in the closet behind the assistant.


“Let’s get to the point.” Caius said as he turned to the assistant “Were looking for a lair of Vampires. We think they got a den, base, lair, hideout, whatever somewhere on Cowgate.” Umbra leaned back on the door panel to rest as she watched Caius turn and glowed for a few seconds. She smiled, if there were any beings here that were evil then they would have to fight both them and fear. “During an inspection, my colleague here discovered human blood on the floor of the butcher shop you work in. After a quick conversation we were able to determine that the butcher was not involved.” Caius said with such confidence and authority that she had heard only from two others in her lifetime. “That leaves us with two possibilities. One the vampires are breaking in to the shop in the middle of night or two you’re letting them in…” Caius said matter of factly. He pulled out his sword and rammed the tip into the floor board. Umbra could easily smell fear now, fear on the assistant...And fear from somewhere else in the house. “Now you are going to tell us everything you know, or I’m going to feed you to the wolves for lunch.” He turned and winked at Umbra. “Start talking.” He demanded.

Umbra smiled as she looked behind the apprentice at the door. “L-L-Look...I-I don’t ha-ave an-anything to tell you people. N-now I do admit that the thought of humans being butchered by vampires is disturbing...But I don’t know any-anything.” he said as Umbra smiled and walked past him, her hand now glowing brilliantly with the power of the sun. “Don’t worry. You do not have to say anything. Your friend here can.” She said as she jerked the door to the closet open and grabbed a startled child by the collar and pushed her against the wall holding her hand with the spell a few feet away from her face as the girl tried to claw her way to freedom. “Good evening. I suppose you have been listening in on our conversation, so do you have anything you could add to your friends’ statement? Or should I simply prove you both are vampire and fry you here.” She smiled as the girl went wide eyed her jaw dropped as two long fangs protruded from her mouth. The child tried to kick and claw at Umbra but her leather gauntlets and armor protected her. “Let...Let her go. She has nothing to do with what is going on at the butcher shop.” The assistant said as he held his hand out to stop Umbra. She looked at Caius then at the assistant as he suddenly changed height and shape into a more fit man who stood about a foot taller than Umbra with black hair and grey eyes. Fangs shimmered in the light as he sighed. “Please, I am begging you...Don’t harm her. I-I will tell you everything I know.” He said as he looked at Umbra. Glancing at Caius her expression said that there was more in the background of what was going on at the butcher shop then they knew. Umbra gently let the girl go and ended her spell. The small child ran to the assistant and began crying. "I...I had no choice. They held two innocent people...As well as my wife and son hostage. They kidnapped them both...I could only save my daughter but they came for her twice when I failed to keep up my end. They are useing the butcher shopt to destroy the bodies of beggers. Please believe me. I-I only want peace of mind for my family. I never tasted human blood in my life. Only animal, my family has thrived on animal blood I sneak out of the butcher shop. But...But the coven came and are trying to destroy the city..." he said as his daughter shook in his arms. Umbra looked at Caius, her eyes wondering what he thought of the story. "But...But I-I will tell you what I know." he said. "Well...Start talking." she said as she watched Caius and the two vampires wondering how the night could get any weirder.

Caius watched Umbra open the door and the little vampire girl jump out. In truth he was disgusted at the site of the abomination in front of him. He took a step back and waited for Umbra to unleash her spell on one of the Vampires. But instead she let the little girl go and Caius tried to change his expression in his disappointment. Caius carefully studied the assistant as he changed or morphed and became taller and revealed his fangs. He stomach crawled and he had to resist calling them bloodsuckers in repulsion. He had neither pity nor love for these creatures, they could say all they wanted but in the end there was only one verdict.

As Umbra questioned them Caius eyes darted about the room looking for anything that would provide them information that would be useful to them. Caius listened half-heartily to their story. It was so dramatic and touching like every other story he had heard about why some one had turned to a life of evil and murder, sure they could not help what had been done to them, but they were creatures of the darkness. Caius would rather stand out in the sun and burn to an ash if something like that was to happen to him. Maybe it was because Caius was cold inside, maybe it was because he took to upholding the law and duty very seriously; maybe it was because Caius hated all non-humans and half bloods. Whatever the reason for why Caius did not care about this man and his family, the people of Lomedor had to be protected. He stood there watching trying not to change his demeanor or expression as he listened to this vampire. But the last sentence the freak of nature muttered caught his attention. His eye brows perked up and he lifted his head to study the two of them.

“Destroy the City?” He said. “Something is always going to destroy this city.”
He turned for a moment and yanked his sword from the floor and twirled it in his hand.
“It’s always something, necromancers, vampires, demons, mad gods, pirates, barbarians…” Caius trailed off and paused for a moment. “I don’t care about plans or plots, I just want an address.” Caius said turning his head and looking at the assistant.
“Its… The old abandon house at the corner of Cowgate and the Royal Mile on the eastern side.” The finally spat out in fear.

Caius nodded. “Thank you… You are forgiven” He said. He suddenly snapped around with his sword and the assistant’s head came rolling off his shoulders. As soon as the head hit the ground the body turned to ash and disintegrated into a pile. The young daughter screamed at the sight of her father’s death and turned to her fathers remains. Caius surged forward drawing his searing dagger and thrusting it into her kidney. She went stiff as well, the scream dieing in her throat as Caius ceased her existence. She after a few seconds too turned to dust the covered Caius and the floor.

“The animal blood would not been enough to sustain them, in the end it would drive them to madness and they would recklessly slaughter humans in their insanity.” Caius said not turning to face Umbra. “I’ve seen it happen before, their souls are now at peace in the hands of Loth.” He hung his head. “There was no other way… I’m sorry.”

It was obvious to Umbra that Caius was not quite pleased with her letting the child go, but maybe it was because she dealt with Vampires on pretty much a daily basis; the term “vampire” was loosely based on the definition of “Those who drink blood of any kind”. It was also obvious that Caius could not control his expression of disappointment as she let them go even though he tried. She looked at him in the eye, there was not one bit of care for these beings, no mercy, not a single strand of urged to keep the balance. Caius never really seemed to like the Vampires, granted she did not either but there was a balance to be kept. She knew well what might happen if there was an imbalance and it happened on either side. Nothing would be left.

Caius perked up at the notion of what the Vampire said “Destroy the City?” he said with little surprise or notion of what was truly going on.” Something is always going to destroy this city.” He turned and grabbed his sword from its resting place in the floor boards of the assistants’ home. “It’s always something, necromancers, vampires, demons, mad gods, pirates, barbarians…” he said trailing off and pausing. Umbra could smell something on Caius, and she did not like it. The smell came off of him and it reeked and stank to her even though she showed no true notion of it being there. She smelled hatred. Not just hatred for vampires, but hatred for the realm of the night as well. And deep down, a hatred against her. “I don’t care about plans or plots, I just want an address” he demanded. “It’s… The old abandon house at the corner of Cowgate and the Royal Mile on the eastern side” he said finally.


Umbra knew she should have seen what was coming but something then told her to stay put. That there was something greater at work right now. Caius nodded at the assistant. “Thank you… You are forgiven” He said. Suddenly Sir Caius snapped around and took his blade and with one smooth slash he cut the assistant’s head off and it went rolling on the floor and soon the entire body turned to ash and covered the floor. The young girl screamed and ran towards her fathers remains as Caius also bestowed the same fate upon the young child “The animal blood would not been enough to sustain them, in the end it would drive them to madness and they would recklessly slaughter humans in their insanity.” Caius said with his back to Umbra without facing her, although he could probably feel her icy stare of anger on his back as she turned and looked out the window “I’ve seen it happen before, their souls are now at peace in the hands of Loth.” He hung his head but Umbra could still smell that hatred. “There was no other way… I’m sorry.” He said.

She wanted to yell and tell him some things but she instead looked up at the ceiling, she was a Captain and as such she was expected to hold her temper even in the most compelling of situations to lose it, even with good reason. “Did you know that there are exactly three hundred codes of behavior on a mission for the Special Forces? They range from how to dress on a mission, to behaviors when interrogating a suspect, to treatment of captives all the way down to how to fight. But one little known fact is this; our code can be compacted into one phrase. This phrase is also our motto it is this: nourac shepouna catruo marack shepouna dourna earak irehgo.” She began. “That is demonic. It means this: The worlds of night and day cannot exist without each other, so do not allow yourself to destroy one while protecting the other.” She said. “You see...In this situation the world of the day is being threatened by the world of the night. Or in better perspective, your world is being threatened by mine. Vampires, werewolves, and such always threaten the world of the day, just as people like you Sir Caius; threaten the world of the night. The Special force was created to keep this balance. We do not simply kill every vampire we see until the threat is gone. No for that weakened the world of the night, and if the world of the night is weakened then the world you know Caius, the world of the day would weaken as well and all would fall into Chaos shortly after that.”

She did not expect Caius to understand her point, She said walking by him. “Do not think I cannot smell hatred on you. It pulses from you like blood from the heart. I am not your enemy. And I will not say that you were completely wrong in killing them. For, yes, in time they would attack humans. But as you humans like to say, if it is not broke do not fix it.” She said walking by him towards the door and placed her hand on the doorknob. “Maybe there was no other choice; maybe there was...but please note Sir Caius Lucas that you cannot kill every evil being in the world without putting the very light you are trying to spread into the world in danger of going out. Do not try and eliminate a threat when there was none in the first place.” She said then turned and opened the door for him.

“I believe you have a city to save.” Was all she said to him.

Caius rocked on his heals for a second letting what Umbra had to say set in. “Your Absolutely Right.” He said after she had finished. “I hate your kind with a passion.”
He moved to the threshold of the door. “But you do not understand humans; we do not see the world as light and dark, but as old and new. The darkness is the old world that threatens the new or light as you call it. Even I am of the old world and in time they will get rid of me too. You see where demons, angles, elves, dwarves, fairies, mermaids, and the rest of the old establish an equilibrium with their world around them and seek to conserve and preserve it. Humans do not; they see only the future and profit and continued to expand and grow. I see only the future and profit, and your kind is in the way. Humans do not find balance or peace, their drive is but for a new world only they can control on their terms.”

Caius turned back to face Umbra. “You see the darkness as you call it treats us like cattle. They would see us controlled and have a balance maintained between the light and dark to ensure their world remain safe. Just like you Special Forces, if we become to powerful you come and put us back into our place and make sure we are under control. But humans don’t like to be controlled; we would not have come out of the caves as animals and built cities such as Lomedor if we did. We would not have progressed in centuries to level your kind is at now. No.” He paused for a moment. “Its almost just like you said. The worlds of night and day cannot exist without each other, so do not allow yourself to destroy one while protecting the other. But you are wrong! There is only one world, and one cannot exist with the other. Even now I can see it in the way you look at me. I don’t need enhanced demonic senses to see your anger... Its in your blood demon, you can cover it up with titles like captain, knight, special forces for the moon, and pretend to serve the generic term of the ‘greater good’. I can feel that urge you have deep down in your blood to strike me and my kind down, every one of your kind has it. That’s how I could tell just by looking in your eyes you’re a demon.” He stopped and before Umbra could say anything he walked out the door.

“But it does not matter; I have a job to do.” He said as he walked out.

And it really did not matter, if he failed to kill the vampires they send would ten more knights like him to do the job he failed to do. They would burn this district of the city to the ground before the vampires had a chance to make a move. Caius proceed up the street to where the Royal Mile met Cowgate. He sighed for a moment looking at the run down building that occupied itself on the corner. “And I though this was going to be easy.”

Caius rocked on his heals for a moment, she wondered what was going through his mind as she spoke. “Your Absolutely Right.” He said for a moment. “I hate your kind with a passion.” He moved to the door, well...at least they were getting somewhere in the whole team thing. After all, in order to be a team one must know where his teammates stand while they are working together. “But you do not understand humans; we do not see the world as light and dark, but as old and new. The darkness is the old world that threatens the new or light as you call it. Even I am of the old world and in time they will get rid of me too. You see where demons, angles, elves, dwarves, fairies, mermaids, and the rest of the old establish an equilibrium with their world around them and seek to conserve and preserve it. Humans do not; they see only the future and profit and continued to expand and grow. I see only the future and profit, and your kind is in the way. Humans do not find balance or peace, their drive is but for a new world only they can control on their terms.” She understood what he was saying.

Caius turned to face her finally. “You see the darkness as you call it treats us like cattle. They would see us controlled and have a balance maintained between the light and dark to ensure their world remain safe. Just like you Special Forces, if we become to powerful you come and put us back into our place and make sure we are under control. But humans don’t like to be controlled; we would not have come out of the caves as animals and built cities such as Lomedor if we did. We would not have progressed in centuries to level your kind is at now. No. Its almost just like you said. The worlds of night and day cannot exist without each other, so do not allow yourself to destroy one while protecting the other. But you are wrong! There is only one world, and one cannot exist with the other. Even now I can see it in the way you look at me. I don’t need enhanced demonic senses to see your anger... Its in your blood demon, you can cover it up with titles like captain, knight, special forces for the moon, and pretend to serve the generic term of the ‘greater good’. I can feel that urge you have deep down in your blood to strike me and my kind down, every one of your kind has it. That’s how I could tell just by looking in your eyes you’re a demon.” He said to her. Her expression did not change, in fact it hardened. She did not expect anything less than that comment. She knew those words well, and the tone as well. Needless to say contempt was a common feature in her life. Even now she lives with it each time she walked out the front door.

“But it does not matter; I have a job to do.”

Umbra closed the door and waited a few moments as she just stared at his back. Sometimes she wondered exactly what people saw when they looked at her, sometimes a demon, sometimes a human. But one thing was for certain, the world of light saw her as a demon. The world of the night saw her as a human. And neither wanted her to be there. After Caius got to the next house she sighed and teleported behind him and followed him. Umbra had to force her mind to return to the present. ‘He has no clue how wrong he is. But perhaps saying something now would ruin it. Besides, I am here for my mission.’ She thought.

She stood in front of the building behind Caius “And I though this was going to be easy.” She turned and looked at him. . “I really regret saying this sir. Things are never ‘easy’. I learned that the day I was born. After all, having neither the world of the night nor the world of the day to live in does make things hard on a person who is accepted by none and considered cattle to all; but maybe that’s just my point of view. I am, after all, part human as well. And humans have the tendency to look towards the future and do not like to be controlled. Maybe I am just a fool to try and create a future where half demons have at least one world to call home and are accepted by both races instead of being seen as something that should be killed.” She said as she placed her hand on her sword, her voice not full of anger or pain, but of understanding to what Caius had said. She made no motion to advance anywhere on the building. Instead she lowered her head and took a stance where she stood at attention and gave a smile. “Waiting for your orders...Sir.” she said.

Caius was about to press forward into the house alone and take on the den by himself. But yet to before he could move a few feet he heard Umbra call from behind him. He quickly turned a was bit surprised to see her now; he figured she would not follow him after their little discussion back in the assistant’s house.

“I really regret saying this sir. Things are never ‘easy’. I learned that the day I was born. After all, having neither the world of the night nor the world of the day to live in does make things hard on a person who is accepted by none and considered cattle to all; but maybe that’s just my point of view. I am, after all, part human as well. And humans have the tendency to look towards the future and do not like to be controlled. Maybe I am just a fool to try and create a future where half demons have at least one world to call home and are accepted by both races instead of being seen as something that should be killed.”

As she smiled so did Caius and he looked at her with approval. “Waiting for your orders...Sir.”

“Very good captain.” Caius said. “Now how about we pay our new quest a warm visit tonight?” He turned and motioned her to follow. “Oh… And its good to have you with me.”

And with that said Caius turned and walked up to the door to the abandon house that was the vampire den. He reached for the doorknob and just as his figures touched the knob a loud bloodcurdling scream came from inside the house. There was silence for a moment or two, and then the scream was answered by many others, some coming for within the house, others from around them in the darkened alleys and streets. “Oh crap.” Caius said and looked back at Umbra. As soon he did the door burst off it’s hinges and on top of Caius who toppled to the ground under it. A dark figure leaped from the darkness inside the house at Umbra before Caius could even get up.

Caius rolled out from under the door and got back onto his feet. He drew his sword and quickly looked up at the roofs of the houses around them. Vampires stood atop on every roof looking over them. “Tell me that they were not onto us the whole time.” He said, realizing at some point that Vampires caught onto them. One jumped down from a roof top and charged Caius. He quickly brought up his sword into guard and as the vampire closed he swung and caught the abomination in the neck causing it to incinerate into dust. But more vampires jumped down from the roof tops and surround him and Umbra.

“Ah… Hey! Tell me you caught some crazy spell that can get us out of this, because all I got is a lightning bolt!” He said.

He clenched his left hand into a fist and muttered some arcane words. A bolt of lightning came down from the sky striking another vampire preparing to charge him, and burnt him to a fine crisp. “Can you fly by any chance?” Caius asked as another vampire attacked him, this one tackling him to the ground. He unsheathed his searing dagger and thrusted it into the beast’s kidney which promptly caused the vampire real off of him in agony.

Sir Caius smiled at her with approval. She had apparently earned the respect of this human, after a very bumpy start they were definitely learning to cooperate. “Very good captain. Now how about we pay our new quest a warm visit tonight?” he said as he turned and walked to the door motioning for her to follow. “Oh… And it’s good to have you with me.” Caius turned after saying these words and moved towards the house that was now a den of bloodthirsty vampires. Slowly reaching for the doorknob he went to open the door. Just as he touched the knob to open the door a scream that could have woken the dead came from inside the house. Umbra shuddered at the sound that was quickly silenced. Umbra suddenly felt eyes upon her as more screams coming from everywhere answered the first. “Oh crap.” Caius muttered as he looked at Umbra her searing dagger already drawn and ready to attack. As soon as their eyes met the door burst off of its hinges and landed on top of Caius who toppled under the weight. Umbra ran up to help when a dark figure leaped from the house and jumped over Caius at Umbra. As he did the door burst off its hinges and on top of Caius who toppled to the ground under it. A dark figure leapt from the darkness at Umbra. Holding her stance he pushed her down as her dagger went into his chest. Using her feet she catapulted him off of her and her blade as the vampire turned to ash. Looking around as she got to her knees she saw vampires on every roof. Caius got up as well and drew his blade.

Caius pushed the door off of him and got up drawing his sword looked up at the roofs as well. “Tell me that they were not onto us the whole time.” He said to her. She gritted her teeth, “Hard to say. The rain has stopped but the entire city is washed clean of all smells they could have been watching us in hiding at any point after the assistants house. From the moment we left to now is the only time I have not been scrying.” She said as the vampires jumped down from the roofs to attack them. “Ah… Hey! Tell me you caught some crazy spell that can get us out of this, because all I got is a lightning bolt!” he shouted. She smiled as she placed her searing dagger back in its place on her belt. “I do...And something better.” She said as a vampire jumped at her. She held out her hand as a glowing aura appeared on her arm as a glowing yellow ball swirled in her palm. “Allow me to show you why you do not mess with a Captain of the Special Forces.” She said as a sunbeam blasted from her hand and fried the vampire and three behind him.

Caius used his lightning bolt spell as he turned and called to her, “Can you fly by any chance?” Caius asked as he took down another vampire. She smiled at the question. Most people who were not of Moon Demon bloodline did not know of Umbra’s nickname. A name that her holy blade had given her a few months back, she was known as the Angel of the Rising Moon. And that title would always become infamous around whoever was her enemy. She reached back and smiled, “I guess it’s time to show these Vampires who they are messing with.” She said. Suddenly a vampire leapt towards her with sword in hand, the rapier went through the air and touched her chest...And went right through her as the vampire followed through Umbra’s form. The vampire turned confused as Umbra’s figure faded away. “An illusion.” He hissed. “That’s right.” Umbra’s voice said as she stood on a roof. The full moon appeared through the clouds as she drew her holy blade. Two brilliant blasts of silver light erupted from her back. Moving her sword to the side the light shattered into two beautiful white feathery wings. She smiled as the vampire across from her stepped back. “You...You’re...The Angel of the Rising Moon?!” he said as she chuckled. “Yup. And guess what? You just got on my last nerve.” She said as she flew towards him and slashed him with her holy blade. The vampire shrieked and burst into dust. “So what is the plan Sir?” she said.

Caius watched Umbra a little surprised as she unleashed her sunbeam on an unlucky Vampire and his cronies standing behind him. “Well now then, that’s some serious firepower.” He said. Caius turned to another vampire who’s sword came sweeping at his neck, he quickly parried the sword with his own and then counter-attacked by throwing a shot the vampire’s head. The embedded itself in the creature’s skull and he quickly turned to dust. As he glanced back at Umbra he noticed a vampire jump forward with a Rapier. It was at this moment he realized she would not be able to parry the blade in time and she would take the blow to the chest. He opened his mouth to shout but his voice was caught in throat, the blade went straight through her… along with the vampire. It was at this moment he realized it was an illusion that she had created, he had not even notice the switch himself.

Dang she is good…

A shrill cry came from behind him, and Caius turn to see the vampire leap and tackle him as he was caught off guard. He collapsed under the creature’s weight and he felt cold steel enter into his side. His muscles tensed and he feel parts of his body lock up. “Mother fracker!” He went to thrust his searing dagger into the abomination’s neck, yet the vampire caught his hand before he could finish the blow. His sword had been knocked from his right hand during the fall and was just out of his grasp. Thus Caius resorted to the only thing he could do, punch the vampire in the face. His fist smacked the creature hard in the cheek, which his enemy just seemed to shake off as soon as he did, the vampire had a vast advantage in strength. The vampire opened his mouth and drove his fangs towards Caius’s neck. “No you don’t …” he said grabbing the vampire by the hair on the back of head. His hands surged with electricity and the vampire began to convulse and shake. His eyes exploded from their sockets all over Caius’s face and then the vampire turned to dust.

As soon as he dispatched the vampire on top of him, another charged forward bringing an axe down towards his skull. Caius quickly rolled back out of his way and the axe missed by an inch when it made contact with the ground. He had managed to roll closer to his sword which now was within reach of his dominant had. The vampire renewed his attack and swung his axe down at Caius. Caius managed to get a good grip on his sword and swing it in a wide arc, cutting the head of the axe off before it reached it’s target. He then through an offside shot with his sword at the vampire which caught him in the neck. The accursed creature’s head slid off his body as he turned to dust.

Caius quickly returned to his feet, yet his balance faltered because of the wound in his left side. His hand reached down and covered the cut, yet he could still feel warm blood run between his fingers. “So what is the plan Sir?” He heard Umbra call. Yet more of the vampires seem to occupy the places of the fallen ones. The assistant was not kidding when he said they wanted to destroy the city, with this many of them they were definitely up to something.

“Go to Lomedor Barracks! Get the whole guard, or get help!” He said. He turned to face another pair of vampires who pressed their attacks. “Be quick about it, we’ve forced their hands.”

Umbra smirked as she fought the vampires, she knew that they were really in it this time and odds were severely set against them. But they had to win this match, for everyone. “Well now then, that’s some serious firepower.” Caius said. She gave a chuckle. “You have yet to see anything.” She smiled. Caius was doing well, she rarely ever saw a human work this well against a thousand something vampire opponents. But she could see that he was wearing down. Every being had a limit, and sadly, he was nearing his slowly. As was she. Watching Caius battle a vampire bare handed definitely impressed her but she was quickly changing topics as two other vampires quickly attempted to take her down. She dodged them and rolled to the side shooting off another holy attack from her blade. Her wings were also becoming useful as she spun around hitting three of the vampires and knocking them over. She looked over at Sir Caius to see how he was fairing.

She wondered where all these vampires were coming from, they would have to have filled the entire sector if there were this many. As a vampire came towards her she swung her blade and sliced the vampire’s arm off quickly moving to the next before it turned to ash. She moved quickly and destroyed two others. “There are too many of them.” She whispered under her breath. ‘What are they up to? What could they gain by taking Lomedor. There is sun here; any travelers would soon stop coming here. Why come to Lomedor. What are they planning?’ she wondered. She leapt from the rooftop and flew up as two vampires followed her. She used her sunbeam to fry one as she shot three magic missiles towards the vampire sending him packing as she landed and sheathed her sword as she went to Sir Caius’ side. “Here, let me help you.” She said as she put her hand on his side and healed him. “Go to Lomedor Barracks! Get the whole guard, or get help!” Caius said to her turning to find two vampires heading to attack them. “Be quick about it, we’ve forced their hands.”

She shook her head, “Not happening. I am not going to leave you here alone. You won’t last much longer if you are fighting these guys alone.” She said as a vampire leapt at them. She fired three magic missiles at him and he dodged them. “Too bad. You missed me.” He said as she threw her searing dagger into his skull as he disintegrated into dust. Three vampires soon took his place surrounding the duo. “Any last words?” one asked. Umbra shook her head and crossed her arms. “Yes. You three better hope I don’t start feeling like some endurance and speed training when this is all over. You all need to get faster." She said as the vampires exploded into dust and in their place stood three demons with the same uniform as Umbra. The two to their left and right were male and wore emblems of sergants while the female in front of them wore a badge that signified she was a private. “Sorry Captain. We had to finish off sector 5.” The female in front said as she turned. “Sector five? That’s where the trade center is. What the heck are these people thinking? No matter. Tirana, I am not going to leave Sir Caius here alone. Go to lomedor guard, wake everyone you can find. Bring them here ready to fight. Go with her Marin.” The female demon and the male to the groups left nodded and ran off towards the guard using blur. “You okay Caius?” she asked as the last demon stood ready. “Sure it was a good idea sending those two?” he asked. “Yes Cain, the three of us have to hold off these vampires until the guard gets here.” Cain smiled widely, “Then let’s get it on. I’ve been waiting for an actual challenge. Sector five was pretty quick to clear.” He said as he moved to fight. “What about you Caius? Can you handle going on or do you need to pull back? Cain and I can handle it for a little while until the guard comes.” She said.

Caius looked down at his wound as Umbra healed it. He winced for the pain shot through his side. It was effective but suddenly painful. “Not gonna leave me behind then.”
He turned to face more vampires that seemed to just keep coming and at this point he realized they were at loss. One surged forward and Caius stepped behind Umbra and met the challenger head on. Yet before the two could clash there was a flash and their enemies turned to dust. Caius was shocked he turned and looked at umbra and then looked past her to see three demons.

“Oh no.” He said silently. Umbra seemed to know them well and he could tell by their badges on their arms they were from the same outfit. Yet as they rambled about the vampire incursion in the city, Caius could think about what would happen if their kind was found here, at night, by the pro-human watch the cared for the city. Umbra was half blood and could be passed off as a resourceful outcast Caius had found. But full fledged demons operating within the city? He paid no attention to their conversation but instead wondered ho he was going to explain this to the council?

“What about you Caius? Can you handle going on or do you need to pull back? Cain and I can handle it for a little while until the guard comes.”

Caius cringed. Those who’s rank and class was higher up in the guard would see them as Demons instantly. They could take arms against them if one of the more prejudice captains was on duty back at the barracks. That wa the last thing he needed

“Yeah.” He said a bit nervous. “Yeah… I’m ready.”

He noticed the vampires had retreated for now. At least that problem had been postponed for a later engagement. He played options in his head on the course of action he should take.

“Umbra.” He said finally. “Umbra, if one the other Knights of Lomedor sees your friends they could attack them on sight regardless.” He coughed up. “Your not safe.”

Umbra turned to Caius as he spoke, “Yeah. Yeah… I’m ready.” She looked at him; she could hear as well as smell the nervousness in his voice. She wondered what was wrong then realized how silly the thought would be. She had sent demons to get the rest of the guard. But she knew what she was doing; all she hoped was that Caius trusted her to do the right thing, as she trusted him. The vampires were moving on, the question was, where? And why? She pondered this as she waited for the others to return.

Umbra could only imagine what those two would do, for them nothing was beneath them for attracting attention: tossing over barrels, yelling at the top of their lungs, she hoped they didn’t try to kill anyone for it. Well, actually, THAT would be beneath them. Things like that were not really meant for thoughts connected to those two but it was possible that they would end up doing something like that. She looked at Caius who turned to her. “Umbra. Umbra, if one the other Knights of Lomedor sees your friends they could attack them on sight regardless.” He said as he coughed, “You’re not safe.” She looked at him, “I know that much, but I have a feeling those two are going to play on the fact that the moment a guard sees them they will follow. I met those two when they first joined. Nothing save killing an innocent is beneath them. They have no shame, they know a guard will follow them and if it is to protect this town they will sacrifice their lives for it. They are that kind of people.” She smiled and winked at him. “But if it makes you feel better. I’ll go with you when you give your report for tonight.” She chuckled. “I know its going to be hard to explain, but that’s what happens I guess.” She turned.

“Calvary is coming, guess we better figure out what we are going to do.” Turning to Cain she tilted her head. “Get the other two and get out of here. We are going to have enough problems explaining why I am here without you three.” Cain nodded. “Yes ma’am.” He said as he took off into the sky. She sheathed her holy blade and stood behind Caius with her arms slightly outstretched at her side, “I’ll try to stay still while you take care of orders. Best way of diplomacy for now that I can see.” She said as a large group of soldiers ran towards them being led by the two young demons. They nodded at each other and saluted Umbra then disappeared. The guards looked around as one who was probably a general walked forwards, “CAIUS! What the devil is going on? First we see two juveniles toppling over barrels and making a ruckus then we find them to be demons an after chasing them we find that they are leading us to you!” he said walking up to him and suddenly his eyes grew wide and drew his sword, “And a half demon stands before us! I would not be surprised if she is the cause!” he said. Umbra made no motion to move only stood still, “Sorry Caius but if I say anything right now I am certain it would cause an even bigger problem. It’s up to you right now.” She said making herself relax.