The Dark Edge Chronicles - Clan War

Enter the Vampire

Lash hissed with pain as he stepped around the final corner and a flash of something more than absolute darkness hit his stygian-adjusted eyes. Dark Father protect him, was that the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel ahead? Hand close to the Kali hanging across his chest, he eased forward.

As he drew closer, he saw it was the access point from the sewers into the dungeon level of the Old Castle and felt a trickle of grim satisfaction. At least the explosion that had torn him apart hadn't affected his memory. He had indeed been right about the old sewer leading him into the equally old underground fortification.

Consisting of an iron-wrought ladder set into the stone with just enough of a gap to get one's fingers around the rungs and an access hatch in the ceiling, the access point was both ancient and utilitarian. Stopping for a brief moment at the foot of the ladder as slimy water continued to sluggishly move around his bare feet, he stared up at the hatch.

As head of security for the trial, Lash had detailed plans of every access point into the old castle. And he knew he had stationed a Silver Legion unit at this particular access point. So, being this close to a well-guarded entry point should've had him hearing his guards communicating with each other as they made observations about their surroundings and conditions. Not to mention, the current status of the castle's defenses, now that the White Flames had breached the outer perimeter.

And yet, there was only silence. A silence that sent a chill through the big vampire. And coagulated a decision. He needed to go through that hatch now and find out what was going on up there.

A surge of strength and speed and he was at the top, pushing the hatch up enough to peer through the crack. And he felt a flush of anger rush through him to find dark uniforms laying on the ground all around the hatch. Including being partially draped over it. In fact, as he had lifted the hatch, a sift of greasy ash had wafted down into the resulting space.

Lash didn't need to touch the ash, or taste it to know it was the remains of his guards, ashed out by White Flame sundogs. Even as his eyes scanned the space, human voices became audible from nearby, confirming the White Flame operators that had killed his team were still close.

That was enough to send a surge of vengeance-fueled strength through the big vampire. It was good that they were close. Because mundanes will pay for their arrogance this day! Starting with these fools!

Pushing the hatch open enough for him to slip out, he did a quick scan of the empty uniforms and equipment packs. Then he was quickly harvesting more jumpstarts, ammo packs and other sundry supplies that would help him make a rush for the chamber where the trial was being held. Like a pair of moly knives he found, a favorite weapon of the Silver Legion. And him, if he were being honest. Holding one up, he thumbed the activation stud and smiled ferally when it hummed to life.

Yes. This would do just fine!

Now armed and equipped as best as the situation allowed, he took one last look around the rough stone chamber and silently counted the number of uniforms. Then he eased to the heavy metal door that warded the chamber's entrance.

There he paused, eyes narrowed as he listened with his enhanced vampiric hearing at the closed door. There were at least six humans just outside the door, if his hearing wasn't deceiving him, talking in one of the human languages in short, tight bursts. Status checks and reports; just like he had expected to hear from his Silver Legion unit that had been guarding the hatch.

They would be the first to die.

The sergeant looked over at the soldier that had just made the perimeter sweep on the area they had been ordered to hold while operations were taking place higher up in the vampire-held fortress. Catching the non-com's eye, the soldier, armed and geared in heavy black tactical equipment including a ballistic helmet complete with built-in face shield and visor as they all were, threw a thumbs up to indicate all was good.