The Bane of Existence

Published: 5 Jun 2023

“Attack! We’re under attack!”

The harsh, frantic scream rendered nearly everyone frozen with shock after the quiet interlude they had just enjoyed. The most notable exception was Zane who with a thought gathered all his group to him and cast his mind out to assess the attack. He recoiled from the sheer number of assailants rushing towards them.

Zander and Grayson had seen the same thing and they nodded at the action Zane proposed. The group gathered their magic and through Zane cast a shield over the entire group of druids, druidesses and witches present. It was spread thin but would hopefully hold long enough for them all to prepare to fight.

The horde slammed into the shield with such force that a clamor arose all along its length. The ruckus shattered their catatonic state and soon Sean, Fiona and Hecate showed why they were the leaders of their factions. Calls for action and battle strategies rang out strong and loud from all three leaders and their immediate underlings repeated them to ensure everyone heard and understood them.

Seeing that all the people gathered were now braced for battle Zane and his group prepared themselves as well. Before dropping the shield Zane joined with Drew and together they sent a massive wave of magical flames along the shield wall as it withdrew. Although this action only took out a small part of the horde coming against them it gave the defenders a tiny bit of breathing space then the battle was joined in full.

The first volley of spells took its toll on the attackers but still they came in great numbers. A second volley was equally as devastating to the rush of vampires. It didn’t take a third time for the members of Z-Troop to come to the realization that the front fighters were nothing more than ordinary vampires with no magical training. They were nothing more than cannon fodder being used to wear the defenders down.

After a quick mind to mind meeting Z-Troop changed their tactics; they cleared a space around them with a coordinated attack. Then they used their sensitivity to magic to find the Rogues and Super Rogues directing the assault. Zane also relayed their discovery and plans to the three leaders; Sean, Fiona and Hecate.

Zane, Zander, Grayson, Marko, Brigit, and Drew from the Z-Troop as well as the three leaders targeted a Rogue or Super Rogue with one of their best and strongest spells. The result was nine leaders obliterated or burning out of control. But the swarm still kept coming non stop.

Rogan and Radesh naturally kept a watch on Zane and Zander making sure none of the vampires came close to the ones they vowed to guard. Derek didn’t have much in the way of spell magic but was a fierce close fighter and helped maintain a clear space around the rest of their group. Karl also was without spells but used his breath and eye freeze attacks protecting Drew and Brigit.

Although Zach had the use of some pretty good spells he was not as strong as the other spell casters so he kept a watch not only on his own group but also on those nearby. While the other mages and witch went after the vampire leaders Zach stopped three vamps who got too close. One was almost on top of Drew’s father, Sean, one close to the girl his brother danced with and the last was about to bite a young druid in the group beside them.

While one group continued to protect their friends and the others fighting around them the main spell casters each found another Rogue or Super Rogue. Again their efforts were rewarded with the destruction of nine more leaders of the vampire army facing them. A third try did not fare as well since several of the Rogues and Super Rogues started to realize what was happening to their fellow leaders and raised or strengthened their shields.

The nine strongest magic wielders turned their attention to the fighting going on around them, noticing that while the others were holding up so far they were hard pressed to do so. They immediately joined in concentrating on the groups struggling the most.

Zane and Zander blasted a space in front of a group of mostly teenage druids then stepped into the space facing the horde of advancing vampires. Zander pulled his knife, grew it into his usual short sword, turned to the right side and started hacking away. Zane turned to the left side using his magically conjured sword in one hand and blasting out spells with the other. Together they created a huge hole in the mass of attackers but they continued to pour in.

Drew conjured two flaming swords and went to work slashing, jabbing and sometimes blasting fire from the ends of the swords. Whenever his hands were busy and a vampire got too close in front Drew was able to spit fire that consumed the unfortunate leech.

Next to him his husband, Karl used his eyes and breath to turn his attackers into large icicles then whenever he got the chance he would punch or kick the frozen statues breaking them apart. After a few minutes two of the young druids who had exhausted their meager magical abilities grabbed a long piece of firewood each and went to town smashing the vampires as soon as Karl froze them. They would have made pretty good cricket or baseball players with the swings they developed this night.

The brothers Derek and Zach stayed pretty close to some of the younger druids, druidesses and witches. Zach felt more comfortable fighting alongside them since his magical abilities matched theirs pretty closely. Talking kind of haphazardly as they fought Zach found out that some of the druids were really better with bows than they were with magic. As he was able as he fired off spells Zach told them about what a few groups in America had done.

While the others gave cover the archers retrieved their bows and arrows a couple at a time. Soon arrows that burst into flames just before being embedded into vampire flesh filled the air. They even managed to destroy a few of the Rogues and Super Rogues because their shields were set for magical attacks rather than physical ones.

The fighting continued with no let up in intensity or seemingly in the number of assailants. Nearly all of Z-Troop increased in magical power as the fighting went on. They were all used to feeling for and using any energies that were available and there was a lot available during the battle. Derek was one of the exceptions but since he wasn’t expending much magic it wasn’t noticeable and while Zach wasn’t having a major increase like the others he was maintaining his level of magical energy.

Of the others Sean and Fiona were able to maintain their energies and even increase them a little and Hecate ever so often would swirl a shroud around herself practically disappearing then came out of it at full strength again. Most of the rest of the druids, druidesses and witches were slowly losing energy and it began to show in their fighting.

Despite how well everyone was doing and how well the different factions were able to function together the sheer number of opponents began to take its toll. Seeing this Zane had the members of his troop spread out more to help protect those whose fighting capabilities were waning.

Surprisingly the move actually enabled them to affect a larger area at a time. Karl especially was able to freeze a large number of vampires with his breath then used his eyes to protect the small squad that rushed out with clubs to smash them to bits.

Still next to him but farther away then before Drew had changed his swords into whip-like appendages that he controlled with his mind rather with his hands. Also the more he fought and the more energy he gathered the more flames he could control. Besides the whips he often shot flames from his eyes, his mouth and from his hands.

Marko had become a blur of terror and destruction for the advancing vampires as he would charge through a crowd mowing them down. As soon as they tried to surround him he would teleport out and charge again. The more he did it the stronger he got.

Grayson showed why he was one of the longest lasting of the Dark Hunters, a group of vampires recruited and trained to hunt down and destroy Rogues before they caused enough trouble for the authorities to take notice. Anyone watching would be hard pressed to say which caused the most destruction among the advancing hordes: his magic or his sword.

The sword was a blur of destruction as it moved through the vampires pressing forward, cleaving off heads, hands, arms and sometimes half a torso. With his other hand Grayson fired spell after spell of fire, plasma and lightning. As he progressed and grew stronger Grayson’s spells became more powerful and more complex. Finally he let loose a spell that combined all three; fire, plasma and lightning. It was a fire and plasma mix that went out like a bolt of lightning rather than a ball but didn’t fork out like lightning usually does. When it hit the first of the Rogues it set him on fire then continued on to the next one in line and continued in that manner until a Super Rogue was at last able to block it. He sent this spell again and again each time in a different direction while his blade never slowed.

Zander showed why he was Samhain’s Son of the prophecy and made good use of the training he received from Rinaldo. After the Troop had spread out and realized their power was growing he put away his sword and used only magic against swarming vampires. Much like Grayson, Zander’s spells grew larger and more devastating the longer he fought.

His favorite and most spectacular was a plasma bomb. Instead of forming a ball and aiming it at a single Rogue Zander was making them a little larger than placing them in the middle of a group and detonating it causing destruction in a greater area.

Nearby Zane was showing his abilities and living up to the title of Rinaldo’s Child. Like Grayson he was using both his sword and spells to wreak havoc among their enemies. However some of his spells were actually being sent through his sword since it was created by a spell itself. He would slice through one vampire and then fire a spell through the end of his sword at another before making a return swipe through yet a third. All the while his other hand was in constant motion sending out a variety of destructive spells.

At first Rogan and Radesh tried sticking close to Zane and Zander to continue to protect them as they had vowed to do. After seeing the pure destruction the two were wreaking on the enemy the two werewolves decided there was a better way to make sure their friends were protected.

Switching from wolf to the war form each of them moved to a group on each side of Zane and Zander figuring that as long as the groups on either side stayed safe then their pals couldn’t be flanked by the attacking mob. Using their war form allowed the two to rip apart the vampires with razor sharp claws and still be able to fire off spells as needed.

The combo was used with devastating results as the werewolves stepped in whenever a vampire enemy threatened to break through their group’s efforts. Beside Zane Radesh ripped the heads clean off two Rogues who nearly grabbed one of the druids in the group he was protecting. Then he used a rapid succession of spells to create a small space for the group to restore their defense.

On the other side of Zander Rogan fired spell after spell to give his group a breather. Still one vampire slipped through and grabbed one of the stronger witches. Before he could take a bite Rogan pulled him off then with his sharp nails ripped the enemy’s throat out then finished him off by ripping off what was left of the neck decapitating him.

Drew’s mother, Brigit, had been a gifted witch and slated to become the head of the witches before she joined Zane’s group. With the extras she learned while training with them she was growing in power and shelling out some devastating spells mostly fire based. Often she held out her hands like claws and fire erupted from every finger tip causing massive destruction in a wide arc in front of her.

Drew’s father, Sean, was also very gifted magically and was laying out vampires with some pretty spectacular spells of his own.

Zach and Derek stayed near one another and continued to help the groups they had started out with. Zach taught some of the others how to feel for and gather extra energy. Not all were very successful at it but it did help them remain in the fight longer. Many were using their bows while friends supplied the fire spells and those with the best defenses guarded the group.

One of those was the young girl Derek had danced with earlier; she was one of the ones who had trouble picking up extra energy, was getting very tired and her spells began to falter. One of the Rogues noticed and targeted her coming in to feed. Zach heard her cry out but couldn’t fire a spell without hitting her so he ran toward the pair.

When he was close enough to send a spell without hitting the young druidess Zach let one fly. However, since he was still running at full tilt his aim was off and the spell wasn’t as strong as the ones he had been firing. While the vampire was knocked away from the girl it was only slightly injured and majorly pissed.

Before Zach could release another spell the rogue slammed his palm into Zach’s chest sending him flying backwards. If he hadn’t maintained his shield Zach’s chest would have been caved in. His cry from the blow and again from hitting the ground caught Derek’s attention.

Seeing both his brother and the girl he had taken a liking to on the ground with a foul-tempered Rogue approaching them sent Derek into a rage and he raced toward them. As he ran pushing himself to go faster Derek felt a strange sensation pass through his body then he suddenly found his head closer to the ground and his speed doubled.

When he was in range Derek leapt at the Rogue striking out with one paw and slicing the vampire in two. Before his rage subsided Derek had beheaded, disemboweled and destroyed about twenty vampires. Standing there panting as he calmed, Derek realized he had fully transformed into a mountain lion for the first time.

While Derek took stock of his new found ability Zach got to his feet and cast two healing spells. One for himself and one for the girl. Then they all got back into the fight which hadn’t let up in the least.

In fact, Zane and Zander as well as the three leaders, all came to the conclusion that they would not be able to hold their position much longer. There were just too many opponents for them to handle with the group they had.

Zane gathered himself together then cast a large time freeze spell on the hordes of vampires facing them. Even as strong as he had become, Zane knew the spell wouldn’t last long due to the number he was trying to contain. But it would give them time to get an evacuation plan in place.

As soon as the spell took effect Zane called Z-Troop and Sean, Fiona and Hecate to him then laid out what he proposed to do to get away. After some discussion they were all in agreement and set about getting ready. Since fire was the most effective weapon against the vampires, Drew volunteered to stay back and give the others time to get away and of course there was no way Karl was leaving his husband by himself.

They had barely completed preparations when the time freeze spell wore off. Karl stood behind Drew with his hands on the fiery man’s shoulders and as the horde of vampires surged forward Drew cast a blazing wall of fire between the two groups.

With Sean providing the visual guidance of where they were going Zane gathered the magical energy needed to transport the entire group of druids, druidesses, and witches as well as his own group. Within a few minutes of when Drew threw up the wall Zane had moved everyone to the coast where they could recuperate and hold off the rogues better if they were followed.

Drew with Karl’s help continued to keep a wall of flames thick enough and high enough to hold the swarm at bay. As they finally began to tire, an occasional vampire would slip through only to be frozen by Karl. Dozens upon dozens of rogues had thrown themselves at the wall only to perish but at last Drew and Karl could hold the wall no more.

Just when the wall collapsed completely and they were rushed by hundreds of vampires and they thought it was the end, Drew and Karl felt themselves pulled away.

Are you enjoying Jeikor’s tale? Let him know you are reading: Jeikor at CastleRoland dot Net

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