Prologue

 All was peaceful and serene within the tranquil town of Stahlberg, which was finally freed from vampires. There hadn’t been a vampire among them for decades. The town, itself, was divided into several villages.

 Our tale begins in one such village. The village of Zurdoh, which was practically upon the outskirts of town. Because of its severe isolation from the rest of the town, its inhabitants rely almost entirely on protection from amongst themselves. Many great warriors had fought for Zurdoh’s freedom against the vampire menace, including Sir Ian Methuselah, General of the Zurdoh Military Coalition. His raven-black hair and fierce blue eyes, as piercing as the glare of sunlight off a block of ice, were his most recognizable traits. Friend and foe, alike, shuddered at the mere thought of his frosty glare. 

He served the Coalition for many years, until he finally laid down his sword to marry and raise a family, where he became a humble blacksmith. Sir Ian was a well-known veteran warrior by the time his first daughter, Anna was born. Anna was 5 years of age when he finally left the Coalition for good, giving his complete, undivided attention to his daughter and wife, Mariel. It was not long after this when Sir Ian and Mariel had their second daughter, Marie.

Anna and Marie grew to become reliable, strong young women, as they helped their parents care for the home. Since their father was working most of the time, and their mother was often busy tending to the family crops, Anna was usually the surrogate housekeeper and mother to her younger sibling, Marie.  Anna looked the most like her father, having inherited his same fierce blue eyes, which radiated the glint of a born warrior—symbolic of the Methuselah bloodline—offset by dark brown hair. She had a soft, pale complexion, like her mother. It was evident that she was a beautiful young woman. Aside from her duties at home, she also started her training as a warrior, from her father. She learned quickly and was always eager to know more, striving to be as successful in the field of combat at Sir Ian, himself.

Marie was more of a pacifist that the rest of her family, a trait she acquired from her mother. She was quite a genuine young girl. Her eyes were the same color as a stormy sky, and her hair was as black as moonless midnight, like her father. Her skin was a light, rosy color, another physical trait from her father.

Anna and Marie got along together very well, but they had their differences. Anna tended to be somewhat adventurous at times, while Marie was always very cautious, disapproving of Anna’s daring and seemingly fearless lifestyle. Though life among the Methuselah family seemed normal and pleasant enough, certain events would follow that would change the course of their lives forever, and challenge Anna’s destiny to become a warrior...
 
 

 Early one morning, Anna was the first to wake, as usual. Without a word, she dressed herself and exited her room that she shared with her sister—who was still fast asleep—to start yet another busy day. Shortly after Anna had already begun tidying the house, her mother joined her.

“Well, good morning, dear”, Mariel said sweetly. “Did you have a good night’s rest?”

Anna nodded as she made her way to the kitchen to start breakfast. “Yes, but a little restless, as always. A good day’s labor tends to do that to some”, she said as she cast her mother a smile.

Mariel smiled back. “Aye, indeed. Anna, don’t worry about breakfast—go wake your father and sister, so we can get the day going.”

Anna shrugged and started off to the bedrooms. “Okay, mother.” With that said, she hustled off to her bedroom, where Marie was still sleeping peacefully. Almost feeling guilty to wake her, Anna sat down beside her and nudged her gently. “Rise and shine, sleepy head”, she whispered quietly. “You’ve done enough hibernating for now.”

Marie came awake with a soft laugh. “Ha! And what’s that supposed to mean?”

Anna sniggered. “It means you snore louder than a thunderstorm!”

Marie burst out laughing. “Nu-uh! I do not!”

Anna laughed out loud. “You do, too! Any louder, and you’d save me the trouble of waking father!”

Laughing a joking merrily, Anna helped Marie get dressed and ushered her off to the kitchen. She then made her way to her father’s room, but he was already awake and getting dressed abruptly. Just noticing his eldest daughter walk in, he smiled joyously. “Ah, good morning, my little buttercup. I trust you’ve been keeping the home busy? Early starts make for productive days, you know.”

Anna fetched her father’s boots from the opposite side of the bed and handed them to him. “True. Mother is already downstairs getting breakfast ready.”

Sir Ian strapped on his thick leather boots and made his way to the door as he called over his shoulder, “Ah, good, good. Anna, my dear, get a coat over yourself, I need you to run an errand for me.”

Anna followed Sir Ian out of the room as she spoke. “Oh? Alright. I’ll be right back.” She then hustled to her coat rack and put on her thin, black overcoat. On her way out, she quickly grabbed her traveling satchel, as well, and joined the rest of her family at the kitchen table.

First to notice her walk in was Marie. “Hey, sis! Why are you wearing your jacket? Do you need to go somewhere?”

Anna sat in her chair and helped herself to a hotcake. “Yes, however, father hasn’t yet told me where it is I’ll be going”, she said and she smirked kiddingly at her father.

As if just remembering that he hadn’t told her what he errand is, Sir Ian slapped his thigh with a hearty chuckle. “Ah, yes, yes, you’re quite right m’dear. Erm, I’ll need you to make a swift journey to Coorhagen to buy me another bag of steel rivets. Can you manage that, dearest?”

Anna stood and placed her plate in the sink before speaking “Oh, of course, father,” she answered as she fastened her satchel around her waist. “I best get going if I am to get there by early afternoon.”

Marie stood and placed her plate in the sink, as well, as she spoke. “Ooh! Can I come along? Please? I promise not to get in the way.”

Mariel furrowed her brow scornfully. “I’m not certain that’s a good idea, Marie. These are dark times we live in...”, she said firmly, her voice trailing off slightly.

Anna smiled disarmingly. “Oh, nonsense, mother. She’s welcome to come along. It’ll be quite a lonely trip by myself, you know”, she said as she ruffled Marie’s hair playfully.

Mariel’s dark green eyes radiated worry as she continued. “Well ... I-I understand that, my dear Anna, however ... we must all realize that vampires remain a constant threat, even if Stahlberg is no longer under the plague.”

Anna rolled her icy blue eyes with a heavy sigh as she said dryly “We know, mother. We know. You always tell us this whenever we go beyond Zurdoh’s walls. We’ll be fine, mother.”

Mariel shook her head in dismay. “ I wish I could lay my worry to rest knowing that, but in truth, I cannot. Your father has been at war with vampires before. They are a force to be reckoned with. Especially the brood of Lord Kain’s Empire. Although Stahlberg, Coorhagen, and Avernus are the few remaining towns and cities that have managed to stay clear of Kain’s tyranny, the soldiers of the other six legions venture into the woods surrounding Stahlberg quite often. There, they hunt down, and often times capture, any human who treks through, unprotected.” Mariel paused for a moment to look up at her audience. “Those unfortunate enough to be taken captive by any of the legions are often transformed into vampires. I simply don’t wish such a fate upon my own daughters.”

Marie whimpered fearfully as Anna’s mouth gaped in silent shock. “Goodness”, she finally managed to say. “I never knew they actually ventured as far as Stahlberg...” Anna turned to her father. “But didn’t you defeat the vampire army that used to stalk Zurdoh?”

Sir Ian nodded solemnly. “That I did. Yet vampires never desert their intended prey for too long—especially once their black hearts are set on it.”

Although deep down, Anna could feel her heart trembling with fright at the thought of running into vampires in the surrounding wilderness, she put on a bold front and narrowed her icy eyes fearlessly. “That may be true, but the Methuselah clan have never been a people to cower before anyone; vampire or otherwise. Marie and I will be fine, mother and father. You have nothing to fear.”

Sir Ian beamed proudly, noting within himself how much of a warrior’s will Anna inherited from him. Both parents exchanged looks before turning to their children again. “I suppose our eldest daughter has spoken her peace. Very well. Both of you may go to Coorhagen by yourselves. We trust you.”

Marie laughed nervously. “Um ... I-I think I change my mind. Y-You can go ahead without me, Anna. I’d rather not become a vampire”, she said meekly as she swallowed the massive lump in her throat. “And honestly ... I wish you didn’t have to risk becoming a vampire, either.”

Anna hugged her little sister fondly. “Oh, my little sis, it’s alright. No one is going to be turned into a vampire. Besides”, Anna cast her parents a pleading look as she said sternly “If there were any vampires in these parts, we would have at least heard about it. And as long as I’m here, no vampire is going to harm either of us.”

Mariel sighed heavily at Anna’s massive lie as Marie looked up at her sibling hopefully. “You promise?”

Anna smiled warmly. “I promise”

Marie pondered her choices for a moment before finally making up her mind. With a nod of her head, she made her way to the door. “Okay, I’m coming. Let’s go!”

Anna smiled at her parents with a sly “I told you so” wink. Following Marie out the door she called back at her parents, “We should be back before lunch.”

“Take care, my dears!” Sir Ian shouted back.

Anna saluted in a joking manner. “Aye, aye, General!”

Deep within the dark forest, a group of armed vampires were slinking through the dense undergrowth with lithe solicitude. The largest of them, a gruff-looking male, craned his head around to the side, listening intently. A smaller female vampire at his side began look around. “What is it, Krull?”, she hissed hushly.

Krull ignored her for a brief moment before answering her. “Footsteps, my dear”, he said amid a sinister grin. Not taking his savage green eyes off a particular group of trees, he rasped through clenched fangs, “Janis, rally the other four! I think we shall have some captives for Lord Raziel today...”

Marie struggled to keep up with Anna’s hurried pace. Looking around uneasily, she called after her older sibling, “Anna, are we a-almost to the main road? This place gives me the creeps.”

Anna was uneasy, as well, and hesitated a bit before answering, attempting to hide the shakiness in her voice. “I-I think so. It shouldn’t be far now.” She looked over her shoulder at the antsy Marie lagging behind. “Put some hustle in your steps, will you? And stop worrying so much.”

Marie jogged a little until she was walking beside Anna again. “Sorry. It’s just all those things mom and dad said about the vampires...”

Anna got a bit snippy as she retorted, “Yes, but don’t forget what I told you—there aren’t going to be any vampires in these woods. They have better places to go. Why waste their time here?”

Marie glanced around fearfully. “But dad said—“

“Don’t worry about what dad said. Everything’s going to be fine. The road to Coorhagen is probably right up ahead.”, Anna said flatly.

“Pity you’ll never reach it.”, a deep growly voice added, ominously.

Marie yelped with fear and clung to Anna tightly. She quickly stole a brief glance up at Anna to see that her face was blanched with terror.

For what should stand in their way, but a large, fearsome-looking vampire. His only clothing was a tight pair of black leather pants, bronze armor reaching from his two-toed feet up to his knees. A thick belt was strapped diagonally across his muscular chest, an odd symbol encrusted upon a metal pendant in the middle. His eerily lifeless green eyes cast a faint glow upon is porcelain-white skin. In one of his three-fingered hands, he held a large scimitar with an elaborate cross-hilt. Upon the steel blade, itself, was carved the same odd symbol on the vampire’s pendant. Resting the flat of the blade in his other hand, he sneered evilly at the two girls, baring his long, curved fangs. “Aren’t you two a little young to be trekking this far away from Stahlberg all by yourselves?”, he taunted. “You never know who ... you just might run into...” As his unearthly voice trailed off, it tapered into an evil laugh.

Anna finally regained her wits and stood protectively in from of Marie. “What concern is it of yours, vampire? We don’t have time to be meddling with the likes of you.”

Ignoring Anna’s remark, the vampire pressed on further. “So you both are headed to Coorhagen...? Ah, a lovely vampire haven, if ever I saw one.”

“That’s none of your business!”, came the quick retort from Anna. Marie stared at her sister with evident panic towards Anna’s behavior. The vampire was loosing his patience.

“If I wish it to be, then it shall!”, he snarled.  Calming himself again, he continued in a low, threatening manner, “You may be bold, mortal girl, but your bravado won’t get you to the main road.”

Anna narrowed her fierce eyes hatefully. “And whom, pray tell, is to stop us from leaving this very instant? Come on, Marie!” That said, Anna grabbed Marie by the wrist and broke into a full run. As the other vampire watched the two girls run, the female vampire, Janis, appeared at his side. Not taking his eyes of the escaping pair, the male vampire whispered, “Track them.”

Janis nodded obediently and whispered back, “Yes, Commander Krull.” Then, as swift as a puff of smoke on the wind, she vanished into the foliage of the dark forest...

The two sisters continued fighting their way through the dense trees and low shrubbery as they ran blindly away from the dreadfully frightening vampire. Barely able to catch her breath, Marie gasped, “I-I thought ... you said ... there were no ... vampires here!”
Her heart pounding in her throat, Anna stammered back, “I t-thought so ... too!”

“Do you think it’s still behind us...?”, Marie trailed off as she quickly glanced over her shoulder, to see nothing. Suddenly, Marie tripped on a low-lying root, sending Anna tumbling to the ground with her. Shakily picking themselves back up, Anna scanned the surrounding trees for any sign of the vampire they had encountered earlier—there was nothing. A relieved smile snaked across her face as she mustered a nervous giggle. She then turned to smile at her trembling sister.

“There, you see? We managed to outrun it. It probably never even gave chase! And all that running for nothing!” Anna burst out laughing.

Finally seeing the humor to their situation, Marie started laughing, too. Unbeknownced to the two sisters, the rest of the vampire soldiers were closing in around their quarry...

Suddenly, Anna stopped laughing. Her face growing serious and panicked, she scrambled to her feet. Marie felt her blood run cold as she barely summed up the nerve to ask, “Anna ... what is it?”

Her eyes wide with fear, she turned to Marie, a single word forming her lips: “Vampires...”

At that exact moment, the soldiers burst out from their cover in the trees and low bushes, pointing their weapons, as they completely encircled Anna and Marie. From among the other four vampires, the large, gruff-looking one, Krull, stepped up to the two girls, pointing his scimitar at them, mere inches from their faces. His bright green eyes narrowed, he bared his fangs in a wicked snarl.

“You should have stayed where you were”, he growled. “You would have made this a lot easier if you had.”

Anna stepped up to the large vampire, meeting his rigid stare evenly with bright, narrowed eyes. Speaking in a low, husky tone, she said, “What ... do you want with us?”

Krull pointed his sword tip at Anna’s throat, growling deeply as he spoke. “You will find out soon enough, once we take you back to the prisoner chamber.”

Anna risked a quick glance around the circle of soldiers and found an opening among them. Glaring back threateningly at Krull, she started backing away. Moving back to where Marie was kneeling, she finally shouted out, “Not if we can help it! Marie, run!!” Wrenching her younger sister to her feet, she took off through a space amid the soldiers, supposing that Marie was right behind her. Indeed, she would have been ... if she hadn’t been seized from behind by Janis...

Anna ran furiously through the woods until a shrill scream stopped her dead in her tracks. She realized that the scream she had heard was uttered by her sister. Nausea-inducing horror washed over her as she realized that Marie was left behind and captured. Suddenly, her fear was replaced by another feeling. This feeling made Anna’s limbs tremble and her head throb. Her heart began gaining speed as it pounded faster and faster. As the blood of her forefathers boiled in her veins, her warrior spirit took over. A crimson haze enveloped her vision as she suddenly took off running—the opposite way she came. As she streaked through the trees, jumping clear of roots and shrubs, she pulled out a rope from her satchel. Her keen eyes caught the glint of metal and she realized that one of the vampires had dropped a spear. Snapping off the metal end, she tied a thick knot in one end of the rope, the spear point lodged deep within it, creating a deadly weapon. Cracking the rope like a whip, a sound like thunder echoed through the forest. Spinning the bladed rope around her head in a dizzying blur, she drew in a sharp breath and gave a blood-curdling cry as she charged onward.

“Methuselaaaah!!”, she howled, emerging back into the clearing, where she had been ambushed with her sister. 

Before her, the soldiers had already bound and gagged her beloved sibling, just about to carry her away. Her limbs trembling with fury, she charged into the ranks of the six vampires, swinging the rope above her head threateningly. The vampires suddenly dropped Marie and faced the returning Anna, drawing their weapons, which were all adorned with the mysterious symbol.

Anna narrowed her bloodshot eyes as she rasped, “Release my sister this instant, or you’ll have the skin whipped off your backs!”

Janis snarled and drew her battle axe. “What have we to fear from a hum— “

She was silenced instantly with a swift crack of Anna’s bladed whip. Glaring coldly at the remaining five, she barked, “I won’t ask you again! You will release her this very moment, or you’ll all be excoriated on the spot!”

The vampires stared at Janis’ lifeless body for a moment before another soldier lifted his mace. “Enough! Get her!” The others apparently agreed to this, as they began to close in on Anna, weapons ready.

Anna snorted contemptuously. “You all wish to die? Very well, I’ll fare you back to Hell, if that’s what you want!”, she shouted angrily. Issuing forth her battle cry again, she began mercilessly cracking her makeshift whip at any vampire who dared come too close. Secretly, Krull, another female, and the mace-armed vampire broke away from the fray to carry off their prize. Krull began giving out orders to the other two. 

“Gyron, you carry the captive. Silth and I shall flank you, in case the ‘scourge-bearing avenger’ decides to come back for her ‘dear little sister’.” At this, the other two cackled evilly as they took to their tasks.

Anna’s limbs were tiring from swinging the heavy rope without falter. Still, she had held the injured soldiers at bay, and they were now loosing their willingness to attack. Suddenly her crimsoned-veiled eyes darted to the escaping three, noting that they were making off with Marie. A low growling-type noise emitted from deep within her as this angered her even more. Despite the fact she was tiring, she pursued the three vampires.

Krull and Silth suddenly came on the alert when they saw Anna giving chase, her bladed rope-whip whirling above her head. Silth attempted to reach for her spear, but realized that it wasn’t there. With an indignant hiss, she snarled at Krull, “That little wench is using my spear tip!” 

Krull drew his scimitar. “Forget that! We need to hold onto this captive! No mortal is going to steal our hard-earned catch. Drop the girl, Gyron, and aid us!” Gyron tossed Marie heavily to the ground and drew his mace as he joined them. Just as he approached his other two comrades, the blade of Anna's rope caught him fiercely in the head, slaying him. Silth snarled as she unsheathed her other weapon. She swung at Anna with her three-pronged pike, only to hear a loud crack and find Anna’s whip wrapped tightly around the handle of her weapon. Tearing it from the vampiress’ grasp with a hard jerk of her arm, the cord of her bladed whip unwound from the pike, dropping it to the ground. The unarmed female attempted to reach for her hidden dagger, but the scourge-like rope found its mark across Silth’s shoulder, sending her to the ground, yowling in pain. 

Silently cursing his misfortune and Anna, Krull sheathed his sword and attempted to retreat with the bound Marie. Before Krull could take another step, the whip cracked across his back, sending him to the ground, as well. Silth was now clambering back to her feet when a swift kick to the gut, rendered her helpless again. Anna then tied the whip around the agony-stricken vampiress, ensuring she would stay put. Unarmed, but determined to rescue her sister, Anna leapt upon the stunned Krull, clamping her fists around his thick, muscular neck. Krull’s green eyes bulged from the sudden pressure as he fought and squirmed for breath. Anna’s hand tightened around his throat, in her unbreakable death grip. Suddenly, Anna felt a hefty blow delivered to the back of her head, sending her to the ground in a dazed heap. One of the other soldiers cut Silth free with his sword tip. 

Panting heavily from Anna’s attempt to snuff the unlife out of him, Krull pulled himself back to his feet, drawing his sword again. Pressing the sharp point against her heaving chest, the large vampire curled his lip in disgust. “Your little ‘outburst’ shall cost you, my dear.”

Anna spat in Krull’s face. “I don’t fear you, nor can you make me, you blood-sucking monster!”, she retorted.

Krull growled with impatience. “Silth! Bind and gag her, will you? And you, Bloodbane! Make sure they don’t give us anymore trouble...”

Silth carried off the wriggling and struggling Anna for her to be tied up like her sister, while the one called Bloodbane followed her, pulling out a small, black vial from his belt pouch.

As Krull watched them leave, the remaining soldier, almost as well-built as his commander, stepped up beside him. “A lively pair, aren’t they, Krull?”

Krull smirked inwardly. “Aye, that indeed, brother. Let us hope Lord Raziel is pleased with our catch.”

The other furrowed his brow scornfully. “If that older girl gives him the same treatment we received, I certainly think he shall not tolerate that one.”

Krull patted the other vampire on the back firmly. “Ah, Nightfang, I think she will behave ... Especially when she sees her sibling on the torture rack...”

Nightfang laughed mirthlessly. “You were always the conniving sort.”

With a low chuckle Krull walked off, calling over his shoulder, “That’s why Lord Raziel appointed me as Chief Commander, brother. Aside from the fact that I am his first born!”

Nightfang watched his brother leave, narrowing his red eyes dejectedly. “Hmph! We shall see about that, brother of mine...”, he mused to himself. “We shall, indeed, see...” With a growly sigh, Nightfang followed his commander.