The dark surrounded the campfire as three silent figures ate their meal, a foreboding sense of doom filling the air mixed with the stench of the smoke.
“I don’t like it” one of the figures broke the silence, he took a deep swig from the doeskin container “I don’t like it one bit”. He stood up and looked at the other two who were still sitting.
“Quieten down Bavaal! you want them to hear us?” a snarling voice behind a cowl, the shadow of this ones face shown the delicate face of a woman but a scar from her chin to her neck “Sit down you fool!”
“I’ll quieten down when I kill that bastard Crag, Rhytal and not one minute before” he shot back at her. Immediately a spark flew from the third quiet person and the spark made the great man slump to the ground, silently snoring now.
Rhytal smiled menacingly and turned to the figure “Thanks my zelka, he has been intolerable!”
They nodded at each other.
The figure pulled towards Rhytal and with piercing gold eyes said softly and silently.
“Nom mervai severni o Cutrtha ” The fire reflecting and dancing as if alive in his pupils.
Rhytal smiled “Yes, indeed Pupilo he should be asleep but not in death, we need him for the time being…” her words dragged off as there was a snapping of twigs to the side, instantly the two rose. Rhytal gave a hard kick to Bavaal who woke up coughing and spluttering.
“Why the fuck did you do that?” he shouted.
“Shhhhh you fool, theyre here!” The woman gave him another kick to make sure he understood.
Bavaal turned to face the darkness his sword drawn like the other two. Voices surrounded them. “Who?” exasperated.
“Shouldn’t have come” the voices repeated from all directions “we gonna kill you”
“Cravos Otheos” Pupilo muttered as the magic in his hands pulsed and vibrated waiting for the right moment.
Rhytal swung her sword into the pitch black, catching nothing, Bavaal felt something tug his boot. His arm tingled with fear, these wernt ordinary creatures.
“Shouldn’t have come” the voices repeated “you will die”.
“Magillo!” Pupilo yelled loudly, instantly a bright dome blew up and surrounded the three of them. Bavaal looked through the blue light and could see the creatures, there were 12 of them with the reddest eyes. Half human and half snake creatures baring their fangs, hissing and smiling. They slithered here and there trying to break the magic dome, their claws raking the dome, testing it.
Pupilo looked on without fear, the dome would hold forever against these beasts. They retreated back to the darkness out of view from the blue light. Rhytal put her sword away and looked at Baaval.
“What in the name of Bagorn are they?” he was visably shaken by the sight of these creatures.
“Why! don’t you know? We are in the middle of Morgovia, surely even the great knight Baaval knows what they are” Rhytal laughed at the scared mountain of a man. “Oh put your sword away, we are protected” she sat down with a plump, he was still standing. He annoyed her, just the sight of the oaf irritated her.
She swung her leg fast and before he knew it he was on the ground.
He looked up at her angrily, shook the dust of his armour.
“Just answer the damn question wench” his blood boiling,
“Blodoni” Pupilo answered for her still he was staring out in the darkness.
Baaval exchanged a confused look still.
“And what pray fuck is Blodoni?” Baaval looked from him to Rhytal.
“Vampire” she said.
“I don’t believe you” he said, instantly a screech to his left shattered the peace and Baaval let out a scream of surprise.
Rhytal turned over with the biggest smile on her face, she tried to stifle the laugh as his pride had been wounded enough tonight. The screeches continued into the night but she slept through it, she had had worse nights than this.
The twelve creatures surrounded the dome, silence eventually falling, they glared with evil dripping from their eyes. Licking and smacking of the lips until the sun started to rise and they retreated to their sanctuary.
Dany Slone 