Burning

Chapter 17

Vetis casually blocked another strike from Adam's chakram with his sword before shoving the immortal back. "If you want to kill Valac you'll have to be a lot faster with your attacks, do not pause, do not take time to aim, and do not look where you're going to strike!"

            Adam glared back; they had been training on the roof since dawn in the freezing cold air, yet he was still sweating. Ingeras and Slayer were on their own sections of the abandoned apartment building's roof training the others how to fight vampires as well but he could tell Vetis was the most ferocious teacher. He never got a break and was constantly taking hits. The only thing that kept him from just stepping back and taking a break was the image of Valdis' dead form that Vetis had brought back the night before. After hearing how Vetis had failed to save his sister from Master Vampire and Valac, who was apparently just on the other side of the portal with his vampires, Adam had ordered that he be trained to kill the demon.

            A loud clap of thunder broke everyone apart from their fighting and Ingeras' started shout sounded strangely quiet afterwards as the sky darkened. "We're under attack!"

            Vetis looked up as well and was alarmed to see seemingly billions of bats swarming below the darkly clouded sky that was beginning to rain down hail. Surely this wasn't Valac sending someone to punish him, Vetis had told him the plan... He was going to get his own territory down there! Before he could continue trying to figure out what he did wrong however, the horde of bats smashed into him and sent him sprawling onto the ground. He heard the others backing off as he got to his feet only to be forced back onto the ground again as a barbed whip cracked centimeters from his head. He squinted his eyes against the flying mammals but his attacker had once again disappeared within the chaos of bats circling him.

            "Come face me like a true vampire! Only cowards and Lupins hide from a fight!" Vetis shouted, trying to insult his opponent into making a rash decision.

            It partially worked. A figure in a familiar dark cloak came from the cloud and got into a crouched position a few yards away but didn't attack. The bats dispersed and the hail began to come down harder and in larger chunks as the figure casually let the barbed whip, which looked as if it had been partially made out of Holy Metal, uncoil slightly at their side. Vetis growled in irritation at the fact Valac had sent Master Vampire to deal with him, though why the Master had the weapon Vlad had confiscated from Mirena did confound him.

            "Master Vampire, pleasure to see you again, I didn't know you wanted to be killed again so quickly." Vetis grinned still trying to get to his apparent enemy. "Tell me, did you come back because you enjoyed getting decapitated before?"

            The voice that spoke back sounded strange, not like the voice he was used to Master Vampire having, but at the same time familiar. "It was lovely, but I'm afraid it is you who will be the one dying today."

            "So Valac finally found out I was behind planning how to kill him... of course he would send you... or my father, he would've been my choice. A bit ironic, to be killed by one who helped give you life."

            "Vlad is dead." They replied bluntly before stalking forward. "But this will still be ironic... don't worry about that."

            At that point Slayer ran forward and jumped up, preparing to strike a downward blow with a silver dagger, but Master Vampire jumped up as well and kicked him in the chest before falling on his side with a grunt. Vetis narrowed his eyes; that was something new for the first vampire, Master had never jumped up and kicked out like that, he usually used his speed or strength... not that last move. He twirled his sword threateningly in his hand before stepping closer to where the figure was getting up, was there blood on their hand? No one had even touched him yet. Vetis immediately got the sense that something was wrong and tried to go over his memory for who this vampire could be.