The Broken Kingdom

Chapter 18

Connor stared into space, mind racing with mid night thoughts. Varying from
Will we survive this fight to Are my friends going to die tomorrow. Unlike Werewolves and Breadin, the vampires had been prepared, and well trained. Though slightly unorganized each vampire was trained and had strong magical powers. A fight against the remaining 11 would shake each to the core, they had a strong chance of losing. It had taken longer than expected to take out enough that the vampires weren't overpowered. Around 4 days, they had stayed at the camp for awhile. Connor looked to his left, Goat's tent was slightly bigger than the rest, but he was a bigger man, and his feet still stuck out the front. Alex slept with her knees tucked in. And Chance varied from anything your mind can think of. Surprisingly, to Connor anyways, he'd grown attached to each member of his group. He wasn't sure if he wanted to feel that way though, he had blocked such emotions out, from his family to Freddy; Conner had lost to many people in his life for his liking. He shook his head and laid back down on his bed roll and anticipated the next day, until he fell asleep.

Smoke sent shivers down Connor's spine, he sat up quickly, in fear that the vampires had come and burned their camp to the ground. To his relief, Alex had lit a torch and was stacking a couple piles of torch sized chunks of wood. The sun had only just started to come up, leaving the camp in darkness other than the torch Alex had. Connor wiped his eyes and pushed himself up from his bedroll. Alex didn't bother look at him, and kept adding to the pile of torches.

"Connor put some pig fat on there and wrap some linen around it."

Connor did as he was told and grabbed the pig fat, and wraps of linen. He started working on the first chunk, it was easy but time consuming; before they knew it the sun was almost fully up and the other members were working on the torches as well. They finished quick, and than set off to their own personal goals. Connor took off his shirt and chucked it into his tent, slipping into his arm our. He walked behind his tent to shelter his lower body for the second piece of the set. He put on his boots and gauntlets, than walked out joining his friends for breakfast. His hunk of bread had been going stale, though that was why he needed to eat it. Alex handed each member a torch and lit her own with flint, than lit each of the other's. Connor grabbed and extra torch a long with each other member. Alex led them towards the camp, some vampires were up, only 4. Connor smiled to himself and shook his head a little at the vampires, wasting their time. The camp had flat ground for 3 of the core points, but one was on a cliff like mountain. Chance took that one, it would make a good bow point. Once steadied in his own position Connor stared at Alex, waiting for her queue. She smiled at him, and nodded his go. He jumped forwards, leaving his torch behind to burn the bushes. He caught all eyes quickly, though the vampires thought they could handle one man and didn't sound the alarm. Connor distracted the vampires, running and tripping. He smiled as their hay bales lit up in flames and it started to spread to other sides of the camp. Connor pulled out his sword, and took a vampire from the behind. Stabbing the idiot who didn't know to focus on the battle. 10 left. He squared up with a bulky vampire. The vampire summoned some type of dark magic, and shot a blaze of dark fire at Connor. Connor stumbled to the side, he'd never encountered dark magic, only ancient died out races of elves could hold the power to use dark magic, or any type for that matter. Connor guesses having the curse of vampirism gave you dark magic, in stead of any other in exchange for a life time of hunger and pain. The vampire's magic disappeared, and he stopped using his powers. Connor took the chance where the beast had lost his powers, and slashed at it. Hitting it's thigh. The vampire winced sent an ice spike flying at Connor. Connor tried to dodge to the side, but he was stabbed in the calf. Pain surged through him, he finished the beast of with a stab to the chest; and pulled out the spike that had jabbed itself into his leg. He kept it in his hand, and threw it at the back of a vampire that Alex was having a little trouble with's head. Chance was firing flaming arrows at any vampires that weren't to close to Connor, Alex, or Goat. 4 left. Connor met with the next, and faked him out by playing safe, and dodging his dark magic, than leaping forwards and jabbing through it's stomach. Chance ended the last one, with an arrow straight through the head. She ran down the Side of the hill and happily celebrated with them. Connor sheathed his blade and followed Alex back to camp. They made quick work, packing up everything they owned in around an hour. Connor finished the last of his packing, shoving his other boot inside his bag, he hadn't bothered to change into regular clothes. Alex and he waited for the rest of the group, and didn't have to wait long. They began the long walk back, hoping to pack as much walking as possible in the day.

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Connor yawned and finished the last mead in his bottle; his friends looked to be on the same page as he was, all tired and wishing to sleep. Connor put his bottle into his bag and crawled into his tent for the night. The day had flown by, after their surprisingly easy victory against the vampires they'd been walking all day. Connor's eyes clamped shut and he fell into a deep sleep. To be awoken hours later by Alex's impatient voice.