The Bane of Existence

Published: 07 Aug 2017

While six of the battle worn companions peered at the two fast approaching vampires in shock, it only took a couple of seconds for Zane and Zander to identify the pair. Before they could tell the others, Derek broke out of his trance with a growl and streaked down the hill to confront the perceived threat.

“No!” yelled Zane at Derek’s back once again. Zander just shook his head. Neither knew what to do to curb the young warrior’s impulsiveness.

Again Zane had to hold his hand out with spread fingers and call out, “Da hesch!” to stop an unwanted confrontation. Derek’s cougar war form was halted mid-stride ten yards down the hill long before he reached the new vampires.

The pair had slowed their approach after Derek’s growl and when they finally reached where he was detained the younger one stopped to inspect him. The teen vampire reached out to feel the fur when he was prevented by a hand on his arm.

“Marko, look in his eyes. You need to assure him of his safety first,” Grayson said quietly.

“Sorry, dude,” Marko apologized withdrawing his hand. “We’re friends of Zane and Zander. I’ve felt the magic coming from here for a couple of weeks and finally made it here. I don’t want to hurt you. Can I touch your fur?”

Derek visibly relaxed then the guilt hit and he closed his eyes tight while a single tear slid down his cheek. Marko touched his thumb to Derek’s cheek wiping away the tear. Derek’s eyes flew open wide at the unexpected jolt from Marko’s touch.

“Sorry again, dude,” apologized the vampire again. “I don’t want you to be sad or scared. I think you’re interesting. I’ve never met a . . . are you a werecat, a werecougar . . . or what?”

Perceiving that Derek was no longer a threat to his friends Zane chose that moment to remove the spell holding Derek in place. Released, Derek lurched forward finishing his stride right into the young, dark haired vampire. Marko recovered quickly grabbing onto Derek’s arms to help him regain his balance.

This time both boys felt the spark from the contact with each other. Setting the teen upright, Marko promptly removed his hands then tentatively touched the furred arms again. Both vampire and spirit warrior were caught by surprise when Derek practically purred as Marko rubbed his fur-covered forearms.

“Th-that f-feels g-good,” Derek stuttered.

“Yeah! . . . It does,” agreed Marko as he ran his hands up Derek’s arms to where there was bare skin, across his shoulders then down his chest. “Wow! Your muscles are rock hard! Almost like a vampire’s. I still don’t know what you are.”

Derek took a couple of steadying breaths when Marko’s caresses ceased then answered, “I am a spirit totem warrior. The cougar is my totem, my spirit. This is the closest I’ve come to transforming all the way to a cougar.” Derek’s words had a purring effect since he still had the jaws of a cougar.

“Cool!” exclaimed Marko grinning. “But that means I still haven’t met a were creature. I’ve heard of them- well, mostly werewolves- and really want to meet one.”

“I can introduce you to my friends, Rogan and Radesh,” Derek announced grabbing Marko’s hand to pull him up the hill where the others still waited.

As they reached the others and Derek started to introduce the two werewolves who had been training him, Marko whipped out his sword and leapt at the pair. Rogan and Radesh reacted just as quickly and dropped into their wolf forms. Marko sailed over them slashing with his sword as he landed well past the duo.

All eyes had followed the action as it unfolded and the reactions to events varied from relief to consternation. They had forgotten about the Rogue Shayn had rendered unconscious. The Rogue had revived and was quietly building a spell aimed at Zane’s back. He did not see Marko flying at him until it was too late and he lost his head to Marko’s razor sharp sword.

Derek was relieved that his new friend was not attacking his old friends. There was also relief on the faces of Zach, Radesh and Gavin for varying reasons. Shayn and Zander were the ones not pleased because they realized that the group had slipped up once again and could have paid a high price for it. Grayson wore a neutral expression although he was pleased that Marko was aware and took quick action.

Surprisingly, Zane also kept his face expressionless. He was not happy that his friends had dropped their guard while he had not and was very aware of where the Rogue was and what he was up to. The spell would not have been successful.

“Thank you, Marko,” Zane spoke into the stunned silence. “You saved me the trouble.”

“No problem, Zane,” replied Marko with a grin. “Glad to be of service.”

“Let me introduce everyone then I have a question for you and Grayson,” Zane returned. “Shayn, Gavin, you two have heard us speak about Grayson and Marko with Master Kwon. Here they are in person.”

Then he turned to the newcomers, “Shayn and Gavin were students of Master Kwon’s and are Rogue Hunters like you two. The two young ones are my half-brother, Zach and his adopted brother, Derek. I consider them both brothers. I will let Derek introduce the last two since that was what he was about to do.”

Derek nodded and gulped nervously to have to do it in front of everyone. Marko returned to his side and stroked his back in support. Derek sighed, swallowed again and started, “Grayson, Marko, these are my friends and mentors, the werewolves, Radesh and Rogan.”

Grayson gave a nod with a half smile half grimace while Marko announced, “Cool!”

“Why don’t we take this into the cave and unwind?” offered Zander gesturing with his arm toward the opening. “We have some injuries that still need to finish healing.”

“Come on!” urged Derek to his newest friend taking him by the hand and pulling him toward the cave. They leaned on and bumped each other’s shoulders as they walked.

“Follow my ‘little’ brother,” smiled Zane knowing there would be a response.

“Hey! I heard that and I’m bigger than you now” retorted Derek with a giggle.

“Yeah but I can still take you nine times out of . . . . . NINE!” Zane chuckled in response. Several in the group laughed lightly as they all entered the cave.

Just inside Zane pulled Zach aside, “Is Derek gay?”

Zach glanced ahead where Derek and Marko walked still touching constantly in one way or another. Then chuckling quietly answered, “Derek will hit on anything with two legs. Maybe even four now. I think he may have met his match with this one and I mean that in more than one way.”

“Okay, thanks,” Zane said letting Zach proceed then sidled over to Grayson. “Do you know if Marko is gay? Him and Derek seem to be getting very close very fast.”

“I have noticed that,” Grayson replied seriously. “However, I have no clue to Marko’s orientation. He’s never seemed interested in anything sexual before. He does have a deep infatuation with weres. I wonder if that is what it is?”

“Could be. Let’s keep an eye on them. I don’t want either of them to get hurt” spoke Zane decisively.

“Agreed.”

With everyone gathered in the common room Zane looked them over trying to decide how to begin. Several items ought to be addressed today but Zane was loathe to harp on the main problem again. Instead he chose to start with a practical matter or two.

“Do any of the injured need anything to speed their healing along? A magical boost or nourishment?” asked Zane scanning the room with his eyes and his mind in case someone was trying to conceal how badly they were hurt. Everybody replied in the negative.

Satisfied that all his friends were on the mend Zane broached the next topic. “I am happy with and proud of the way all of you worked together during this fight. Our training seems to be working. I want us to continue to train with different partners, learning from one another. We may have two more to add in if they plan on hanging around.”

“It would appear our causes are intertwined,” intoned Grayson in his deep voice. “I think it would be advantageous for us to join with one another.”

“Good!” exclaimed Zane. “Now, I have a question. I noticed Marko looks to be eighteen when he should be more Zach’s age. I didn’t think you planned to turn him. What happened?”

“Would you like to answer that, Marko? Or shall I?” Grayson peered at his son who motioned for him to continue. Grayson nodded grimly and told the tale, “Your brother, Derek, is not the only one who rushes in blindly.

“As soon as he turned eighteen, Marko thought he was ready to hunt on his own so he slipped away one evening. As you know, Zane and Zander, Marko is very sensitive to magical ability and to when it is in use. It’s how we found you here actually.

“Anyway, he had detected magic use and went to investigate without telling me. The Rogue thought he had found an innocent victim and intended to drain him but Marko fought back. Physically, even with the training I put him through, he was no match for a vampire but magically he was far and above the Rogue. He knew enough to cause the Rogue to secrete the venom to create the change or he would have died from blood loss.

“Once free Marko used his new strength to burn the Rogue alive before collapsing. I found him just after that and fed him the blood he needed to recover. So, I didn’t turn him but it happened anyway and now we hunt down Rogues together.”

“Okay, with my curiosity satisfied let’s move on to the next topic,” Zane proclaimed brightly. “Did anyone else notice a difference in four of those Rogues?”

“The one I faced had better magic than before,” answered Shayn.

“And was physically tougher,” added Gavin with agreement from Zander.

“They were harder to burn too,” joined in Zach.

“So, that’s why four of you were joined to finish that one when we arrived,” commented Grayson rubbing his chin. “I wondered why it would take four mages to burn one Rogue.”

“Does anyone have any guesses as to how they got to be tougher than the Rogues we’ve been dealing with for years?” Zane sent his question out into the room.

All the various members of the group looked at each other, scratched their heads or whatever they did to help them think then looked at Zane with blank expressions and a shake of their heads in the negative. During this time Grayson persisted in rubbing his chin deep in thought as silence pervaded the room. Finally, with a grim expression he shared his thoughts, “I hope I am wrong but I can think of one way. Assuming these Rogues were from the Bane . . .”

“They felt the same to me,” Radesh spoke up. Others echoed his assessment of their recent foes.

Acknowledging them with a nod Grayson finished his thought, “Then there is at least one Ancient helping the Bane and that is not good.”

“What’s an Ancient?” queried Zander. “I’ve never heard of them before.”

“I’m not surprised even with as old as you are, Zander,” Grayson explained. “They are vampires that are much older than you, Zander, or even me. They had already withdrawn from the world for the most part by the time we were turned. Not much is known about them anymore.”

“I’ve not come across a mention of them in any of Rinaldo’s writings either,” interrupted Zane.

“I don’t think Rinaldo knew about them,” Grayson countered. “As I said they had withdrawn and most went into a type of hibernation.”

“At what age does a vampire become an Ancient?” asked Shayn. “I know Zander’s been a vampire more than 400 years and you said you’re older than him.”

“It takes roughly a thousand years of being a bloodsucker to be considered an Ancient,” replied Grayson. “I think Kwon is close to it now.”

“Just how much trouble are we in if they’re making these new and improved Rogues?” asked Rogan sitting up straighter.

“Not a whole lot depending on how many Ancients are assisting her,” answered Grayson with a tight smile.

“How come?” questioned Derek. “Seems like we’d be in a crap load of trouble with vampires that are harder to kill.”

“To make Rogues like these takes a tremendous amount of training compared to the ones we’re used to,” Grayson answered. “They are also harder to control so not as many would be made else the maker could lose control.”

“What would happen if they lost control of one of these Rogues, Dad?” inquired Marko taking an interest in the discussion.

“Possibly nothing or the Rogue could turn on them,” responded Grayson.

“Is there any way to tell these new Rogues from the old ones?” Zane wanted to know for practical reasons. “Could any of you who dealt with both during this attack notice a difference?”

The cave went quiet as everyone searched through their memories of the recent encounter. Most were shaking their heads no but Zach tentatively raised his hand.

“Yes, Zach? Do you have a way to tell them apart?” Zane encouraged his brother to speak. “You don’t have to wait for permission. Let us know.”

“Okay. I didn’t want to interrupt anyone else” Zach supplied bashfully. “Uhm, I’m not sure how to say this. But something like their aura only it wasn’t an aura was different. It had to do with their magic. They had more than the other ones.”

“I think he’s talking about their magical field,” inserted Marko. “All magic users have one and it’s based on the strength of their magic.”

“Yeah! You have one, Zane. So does Shayn, Grayson and Marko. Zander’s is getting stronger but Gavin’s barely registers, at least for me.” Zach spoke more excitedly.

“Hey! What about us?” asked Radesh indicating Rogan and himself.

Zach studied the two werewolves a moment then answered, “Yeah, you do when you’re human but most of the time you’re switching back and forth so much I hadn’t noticed before.”

‘Can you mind speak?‘ sent Grayson to Zach’s mind.

‘Yes,‘ Zach thought back to him. ‘It’s one of the first things I learned to do with my magic.‘

‘Good,‘ Grayson replied to Zach then to everyone he broadcast, ‘Zach, if you can remember the difference in the two Rogues and bring it to the front of your mind. The rest of us will read your thoughts to learn how to tell them apart.‘

‘Alright,‘ Zach agreed. ‘Give me a few seconds to get set.‘ Zach closed his eyes, took a couple of deep breaths to clear his mind then brought up everything he could remember from his encounter with the Rogues during the battle. When he was ready Zach gave a mental nod and opened his mind to the others.

Even though he knew it was all happening at once Zach could feel each individual’s touch as if they were going one at a time. He was amazed at how each mindtouch reflected some part of the owner’s personality. The last one he felt was the comforting caress of his brother Zane’s thoughts that were twinged with pride and congratulations for a job well done.

Silence settled over the room and cave as they mulled over the information each had picked up from Zach. The vampires committed it to their memories and would be able to recognize the new type of Rogue almost instantly. The two werewolves took a little longer before they came out of their trance-like state with the data assimilated for use. Zach, who had tucked the facts into the area where he felt his magic, and Derek were the last ones ready to continue.

Zane started to broach the next subject on his list, “Has anyone come up with any ideas about housing and supplies?”

He was barely past halfway through his question when Gavin interrupted talking over the top of his query, “Aren’t you gonna address our lack of focus at the end of the fight?”

“I had thought to . . .” began Zane when Grayson stood and said, “Allow me.”

Zane bowed his head slightly and offered the older vampire the floor with a hand gesture.

Grayson stepped forward and grabbed everyone’s attention with eye contact as his gaze swept across the room. With attention fully on him Grayson began, “Let me start by letting Marko know how proud I am of him for keeping his focus in spite of a distraction.”

There were several light chuckles and one giggle at the mention of a distraction. Once the titters had died down Grayson got serious.

“Marko ought to be able to keep focused on his surroundings with the number of years he has trained with me. He can tell you it is my main concern and the topic I harp on the most. A half-second slip in concentration can be disastrous. Isn’t that true, Marko?”

“Yes, dad,” Marko acceded. “A tiny lapse cost me my humanness.”

“With Zane’s permission I will test everyone on their ability to remain aware of their surroundings regardless of circumstances while you are training.”

“You have it of course,” Zane consented with a nod. ” Now to the subject I had started to address. Anything new on the living space and supplies issue?”

“Oh, yeah!” Zach and Derek spoke at the same time. Derek motioned for Zach to finish. “Our dads are coming tomorrow to talk about that. I think they may have a solution for you to consider.”

“I think that covers everything for now let’s relax and unwind but without letting our guard down too much,” Zane added the last with a glance at Grayson.

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