Thunder crackled in the distance as dark clouds rolled in overhead. Torrents of water and rain flowed down from the sky as if Idris himself willed the ocean into the storm itself. Six riders on horseback rode through the deluge of rain; each had a cloak covering their form, guarding them as well as they could from the torrent of rain that was falling from the sky.

The six horsemen rode together, their horse’s hooves clapping down against the ground as they approached the city of Dufast. Leading the riders was a young man, seemingly in his early twenties. His hair was a silver-blonde hue, and his eyes were a golden brown hue. “Come now, the city of Dufast is close. When we get there, we’ll go and see the local lord when we arrive and see if he’s heard anything as of note.”

“Sir Sevantis.” One of the other riders began. He was an older fellow, his mid-thirties. He had a bulky figure, and there was a great sword slung in one of his saddlebags. “Do you think this lord will be agreeable?”

Sevantis looked back at the other riders before nodding. “I imagine he’ll be amenable to our cause. From what I’ve heard, Lord Isgard detests vampires and is one of the many lords who set a decree to outlaw their kind, and if any luck, he’ll have heard something. If our intel is to be trusted--which it almost always is, a vampire was lurking within his stead.”

Within the empire, there were two major factions at the moment. One--the weaker of the two factions--did not wish to antagonize the vampires and their kingdom, and the faction was headed by the Emperor, Emperor Leanor. Emperor Leanor was a pacifist and detested war and conflict--in truth, Sevantis was surprised that such a man had ascended to the throne in the first place. However, he didn’t understand Imperial politics anyways.

The other faction--headed by Lord Tygartus, was staunchly anti-vampire, and Sevantis was currently in service to Tygartus. He, and the other knights, were the closest thing to official vampire hunters within the kingdom. When they got word of a vampire, a group of six were dispatched to the area--and they were to gain the local lord’s support if they could. If not, they were to act on their own. Sevantis’ group had already dealt with a half dozen vampires--almost all of them having had terrorized a village, or two, before being put down by Sevantis and his men.

The half dozen men were able to gain entry into the city fairly easily--and from there, they rode their mounts forward, approaching the castle. When they arrived at the inner gate, Sevantis approached the guards that were stationed there.

“Afternoon--I am Sir Sevantis in service to Lord Tygartus. I bring news and wish to speak with Lord Isgard if he will see me.” Of course, Sevantis was not so foolish to believe he would gain entry with just his words alone. He pulled out a small scroll, marked with the sigil of Lord Tygartus.

After a quick discussion, one of the two guards hurried off inside the keep--and in the meantime, Sevantis and his men waited. After a short while, the guard returned with Sorven.

“Greetings, Sir Sevantis, I’m Sorven, Lord Isgard’s Master of Arms, and Isgard sent me to greet you while he finishes the matters he was attending to.” After pausing for a moment, Sorven glanced at the other guard. “You, take their horses to stables. I’ll show them inside.”

Once the six knights had dismounted, Sorven took the lead, leading them inside Isgard’s castle.

“Sorven--I’ve heard about you. You were one of the captains of the Blacksteel Band, yes?” Sevantis asked, breaking the silence as the swordmaster led the way.

“You’d be correct, but it’s been well over a decade since the band split.”

“Mmm, yes, things have been rather peaceful as of late. At least in regards to large conflicts. Most of the band have settled down and put their weapons aside. Though I have to say, I’m surprised to find you out here in the south.”

“Yes. I’ve quite enjoyed the peaceful times, though if the growing tension between Sanguinium and the Empire is any hint, I imagine there’ll be conflict brewing once more. I guess you could say these past few years have been the calm before the storm.”

“I believe you’re correct. With the recent vampiric attacks, I imagine that there’ll be war one way or another soon enough.”

Sorven let out a small chuckle at that comment before glancing back at Sevantis. “I wouldn’t be so eager for war--it’s a dreadful thing. Though, I suppose the young don’t realize that until they’ve experienced it themselves.”

“Sorven--I’ve seen my fair share of batt--”

“Fighting bandits and renegades are different than open warfare. While there hasn’t been a true full-scale war on this content for quite some time, the Band did make an excursion east, across the seas and on the continent of Stygard, and what we experienced there was entirely different than the small scale bouts against bandits, and the staged battles between petty lords.”

Sevantis let out a small scoff. “It is as you say, but shall we agree to disagree?”

“Very well, there’s no reason to argue about such things. Anyways, please rest in here, and get ready to meet his lordship. Lord Isgard will send for you when he is free. I imagine that won’t be very long--he seems interested in why you’re here. ”

With that, Sorven made his way off, leaving the six knights alone, and they all filed into the room.

Sevantis let out a small chuckle before nodding to his men. “Alright, even if he says it won’t be long, we know how this goes. Get yourself cleaned in the washroom, and get that travel grim off. We need to look presentable to Lord Isgard.”

It was like this every time they visited a noble without truly urgent news. They were led to a private room and were required to cleanse themselves and make themselves look proper before visiting the lord. It was an annoying matter to Sevantis, but it was a necessary one. The most important thing to these lords was their looks.

As Sevantis predicted, it took about an hour before Sorven returned--and the six knights had cleaned themselves. They were all wearing simple tunics adorned with the sigils of lord Tygartus, a red hawk, all except Sevantis. His sigil was different. On his tunic was a red sun.

Sorven simply eyed Sevantis’ for a moment before nodding. “Lord Isgard has invited you to dinner, and he’ll hear what news you bring from Lord Tygartus there.”

Once again, it was nothing out of the ordinary--the lords who were on friendly terms with their Lord did typically invite them to dinner--as a show of good faith.

The six were then led through the castle’s halls to a large chamber, where a table had been set. There were three seats on either side, and at the head of the table sat an older man--in his late forties. His hair was a dirty blonde hue, cut short, his face was a little wrinkled from his age, but his physique that showed through his clothes showed that the man still kept his strength up.

Sevantis and his men all offered a respectful bow to the lord. Lord Isgard, I am Sir Sevantis. It is a pleasure to meet you. This.” Sevantis referenced the older knight beside him, “Sir Bravor, my second in command. The rest are Sir Zendor, Sir Carn, Sir Andor, and Sir Evenwood.” Each of the knights, when referenced, gave another respect bow. Lord Isgard simply grinned at the sight. “Welcome, welcome. It’s not often I see northern knights this far south. Come sit, tell me of your tales while we drink and enjoy yourself.”

After a short walk, the six men took their seats at the table. “Lord Isgard, thank you for showing us your hospitality. When I return north, I will inform Lord Tygartus of your generosity.”

Lord Isgard simply let out a small chuckle as he observed Sevantis. “Of course. Though you bear a different sigil than Lord Tygartus, if I’m not mistaken, that’s the sigil of Jevera--the royal family of the Kingdom of Livnar.”

“That is correct, Lord Isgard. While it has only been fifteen years since Livnar’s fall, few still recognize my sigil at first glance.”

“Mmm, well, my daughter was wed to one of the lords of Livnar--I imagine you’re one of Princess Sinora’s men?”

“Yes, My Lord, Lady Sinora lends her men to Lord Tygartus when she does not need them.”

“I suppose it makes to give what support she can to her benefactor. I do hope we’ll see her return to the throne of Livnar soon. If only the sun would burn those bloodsuckers up.” Isgard said with a small sigh.

“Anyways, shall we get this meal on the way? We can discuss while we eat.”

With that, Lord Isgard clapped his hands, and a few moments later, several servants walked in from the doors to the side carrying various plates, which they set on the table before Lord Isgard and Sevantis.

“I have to say, you’re what, a little over twenty years old? It’s rare for one as young as yourself to be leading a contingent of knights.”

Lord Isgard mused softly as they began to eat.

“That is very true. While I may be young, I have impressed Lord Tyrgartus with my skill, though I am not so foolhardy to not listen to my peers’ opinions. I especially take head to Sir Bravor, he is many years my senior inexperience, and in dangerous situations, I’ve learned to trust your experience and instincts.”

Lord Isgard nodded, his gaze flitted over to the older gentlemen. “That is an astute observation--I’ve seen many skilled young men who didn’t heed the advice of their elders. If you do manage to survive, I think you’ll go far.”

Sevantis smiled at the compliment before offering a small nod. “Thank you for the praise Lord Isgard.”

“Now then, why are you here within my lands? I imagine it’s nothing good since Lord Tygartus sent you down here.”

“Of course. Lord Tygartus aims to keep the people of the empire safe--and as such, he keeps an ear out for dangers that could cause its people trouble. As such, he heard word of a vampire being spotted down south here and dispatched my men and me to search for it. As long as we get your permission.”

Lord Isgard paused for a moment as he listened to the knight’s words before nodding. “Well, I’ve heard of no such thing. But if there is a bloodsucker in my lands, I would have it dealt with. As long as you do not harm the people of my land, you may search, though I would like updates on the matter.”

Sevantis beamed as he and his men were given permission. “Thank you, my lord. We’ll make sure to root out the vampire as quickly as possible.”

“Of course, I’d expect nothing less. Especially given how your homeland is infested with the blight, I imagine you’ll be as glad as I will be to rid the land of their blight. Anyways, let us finish eating and drinking before you head out. I will offer what support I can--though I’ve not heard any word of vampires. You may wish to visit the local villages in the area. They may hold more information.”

Sevantis nodded his head in understanding. “Of course, any help you can offer, even something small, will be greatly appreciated.”

With that majority of their business finished, the knights and Lord Isgard went about finishing their meal--when that was finished, the knights bid Lord Isgard a good evening before returning to their chambers.

“It’s good we’ve gotten the Lord’s support. At least he won’t try and hamper us at all.” Sevantis stated as he took a seat.

“I think we should split up, two head east, to head west, and two head south. We didn’t see any signs when we came here, so I’d say we can rule that out for the time being.”

Sevantis glanced over the other five men before nodding.

“Zendor, Carn, you head west. Bravor, Andor, you head east. Evenwood, you’ll head south with me. If you find the vampire, do not engage unless you have no other choice. Use your communication gems to contact me, and then we’ll all head to your location. We’ll treat this like last time.”

After giving them, their Sevantis retired for the evening--deciding to get some rest in a soft bed before they needed to head out onto the road once more. It was a simple luxury but a welcome one.

When morning came, Sevantis and his men arose, broke their fast with a small breakfast provided by Lord Isgard before making their way out to the stables, where they split off into their groups of two and left the city in the agreed-upon directions.

Sevantis took charge heading south with Evenwood. Evenwood was a younger man. He had dark skin and wore padded leather to keep his mobility, as his main weapon was the bow that was sling on the side of the horse. On his hip, there was a shortsword if he was forced into close combat.

“Let me know if you see anything, Evenwood. Your eyes are sharper than mine.”

“Yes, Sir.” Evenwood responded, his gaze drifting around to their surroundings. Evenwood used a particular form of magic that Sevantis did not understand-- he was able to use magic to enhance his vision, see farther away, as well as see things in a more detailed light. When Sevantis asked about in the past, Evenwood explained that he was ‘focusing’ the light to get more detailed views on things. Of course, the downside was that depending on which version he was using, Evenwood would either not see anything from afar or not see anything nearby. While the trade-offs were dangerous, they were mitigated by working in a team.

For the next several days, Sevantis and Evenwood traveled down the road south, taking their time, searching the woods and the surrounding area but coming up with little apart from the remnants of a few campfires several days old.

“There’s no sign of a vampire. I think there is a village about a day and a half away if we keep following the road.”

“Do you know the name?”

“Ah...lets see...ideswart...no, idleswith? Something like that, it was a minor settlement, so I didn’t pay much heed apart from seeing it on the route.”

“I see. Well, they may be able to provide some information, as well as restocking our supplies.”

The following day and a half journey were fairly uneventful, before as, Sevantis presumed they were approaching the village, Evenwood held his hand upwards, indicating that he saw something.

In an instant, Sevantis paused. “What do you see?”

“I see a cart that’s been crushed by a fallen tree in the middle of the road. It could belong to the who made the remnants of those campfires we saw, though when we get closer, I’ll be to tell how long it’s been there.”

Sevantis nodded as he reached down, placing a single hand on the hilt of his sword. While this region was fairly peaceful, it wasn’t uncommon for bandits to leave a ruined cart on the road to slow travelers for an ambush.

“Do you see anything in the trees?”

Evenwood’s gaze drifted to the surroundings surveying the trees in the forward directions. “Nothing but the woods themselves, but I can’t be sure there is nothing there. The woods are rather dense, so there could be any number of places someone could be hiding.”

Sevantis nodded--this was another weakness of his Evenwood’s eyes. While he could see far and see things in detail, he couldn’t see through objects or sense through them. While Sevantis could use his magic in a sensory effect, it was rather close range--it wasn’t good for revealing an ambush, just giving enough forewarning to dodge an unforeseen attack.

“Well, if it’s a trap, we’ll spring it. I doubt they’ll be expecting two armored knights.”

Evenwood let out a small chuckle before nodding. “Of course, if they’re a bunch of brigands, I imagine you’ll be able to handle it easily yourself.”

Sevantis could tell Evenwood was nervous--while he was a great watcher, he wasn’t so good in close quarters. “Well, let’s get this over with.” Sevantis stated before urging his horse forward.

As the two approached cautiously, it became clear to Evenwood that the cart had been abandoned for a few days. After another cursory check, it was clear to him that there was no one there--or if there were, he’d never spot them.

Sevantis came to the same conclusion after feeling the wind in the surrounding area--there was no one hiding within the woods.

As they got closer, both of them paused for a moment as they smelled the scent of decomposing flesh. Evenwood let out a small gag, but Sevantis let out a small sigh.

“Let’s see what we can find, Evenwood. There’s a good chance whatever that smell is coming from died from the tree falling--I’ll see what I can find on this site. You go around and check the other.” Sevantis stated as he dismounted the horse first and started to check the site. The first he noticed that there was a lot of iron in the cart that had been abandoned--a decent portion was crushed underneath the tree that had fallen.

As Sevantis inspected the cart, Evenwood walked around the tree, only to pause at sight before him. He had found what the smell was--before he was a decomposing corpse that had been left on the side of the road. “Sevantis, come here. I found something.”

After a few moments, Sevantis arrived at his side, his eyes focused on the weather corpse on the ground. “What can you tell me?”

Evenwood had already made his way over and started to examine the corpse. “Well, he didn’t die from being hit with a tree… he began, as he reached down and tugged the corpse to the side, checking for what had killed it. “Ah, here, he was killed with a sword strike to the chest…” Evenwood motioned to the wound on the corpse. “Bandits?” Sevantis inquired as he made his way over after Evenwood, also checking the corpse.

“Maybe, let me see if any tracks linger.”

This was where Evenwood’s magic came in real handle--he could see the minute details that would take the weather more than a few days to wash away. While Evenwood searched, Sevantis continued to inspect the body.

He felt something odd about this--Sevantis’ gut was normally fairly accurate, so he moved upwards, checking the corpse’s face. Sevantis pulled out a dagger and forced the corpse’s mouth open. Whoever this man was, had pointed teeth which were a bit more elongated than the average person’s--but that was no proof. Some people had longer and sharper teeth naturally. He needed to cut the entire tooth out--which Sevantis did. This was something he hated doing--defiling a corpse was not something Sevantis enjoyed, but it was necessary to confirm the truth of the matter.

After a few moments, he’d cut the tooth free and tugged it out. The way to tell a vampire from their teeth was that a vampire’s canines had an awkward growth within the tooth that was hidden underneath the gum--a side effect of the fang suddenly changing shape to better bite--and drink blood from its prey. It was easy enough to see that this fang had that awkward growth within the bone. Sevantis let out a small sigh before tossing it to the side. “So this was the vampire. Evenwood, what did you find?”

Evenwood had been walking around the carriage surveying the entire area while Sevantis did his work. The archer even ventured off into the woods for a short while before returning.

“The vampire was lurking in the woods before it sprung and attacked whoever was driving the carriage.” He began to walk across before stopping at a small spot. “It pinned one of the individuals over here--I could see a lot of blood hidden and mixed with the dirt, so the vampire likely started feeding. Another person in the cart charged the vampire and managed to drive the creature off of their companion. I could see the remnants of their fight, the jumping and dodging before the vampire was finally impaled on the point of the blade where the corpse lays now. The other person then picked up their companion and ran off towards the village, likely hoping to save their life.”

“Unfortunately, we might still have a vampire to deal with. If the vampire was feeding and got a good stab, it’s possible their victim became infected. Come, let’s hurry to this city and see what we can uncover. If we have to, we’ll put whoever was infected before they can cause harm to their fellows.”

Evenwood nodded and mounted his horse alongside Sevantis. “One second, Evenwood, let me deal with the corpse.” Sevantis commented as he turned his attention forwards to the corpse on the ground. He raised his hand and summoned his magic. Arcs of electricity jumped between his fingers before he focused his magic into a ball within his grasp, which glowed a pinkish hue. A moment later, he focused and sent it forwards, floating towards the corpse before signalling his mana to expand, increasing the shape and size of the pinkish ball before it engulfed the corpse, and burning it out of existence.

Evenwood did not know the full breadth of Sevantis’ magic, but the sight of it burning things down in a few mere moments always took his breath away and reminded him of exactly how powerful his commander--and his use of plasma.

“Come, let’s go. We can’t afford to wait.”

It did not take them long on horseback to arrive at the village. It was a small place, surrounding bow low wooden walls. There were a pair of men standing at the front--some kind of local guards.

As Sevantis and Evenwood approached, one of the men stepped forward, a shooter stockier fellow.

“Hello there, we don’t see many individuals such as yourself around here. How might I help you, good sirs? I’m Estin--I guess you can say I’m the captain of the guard, though we’re not organized like that.”

“Hello there, good sir, I’m Sevantis, a knight under Lord Tygartus. This is my compatriot, Evenwood.” Sevantis paused for a moment referencing back to his companion. “Lord Isgard has permitted us to conduct our investigation in his lands. I was hoping you could answer a few of our questions.”

“Of course, I’d be happy to help, though there hasn’t been anything too out of the ordinary, ask away.”

“On my way here, I noticed a wrecked cart with a tree having toppled over onto it.”

“Ah, that? You needn’t worry about that. It wasn’t bandits or anything. Tyrius, our blacksmith, made his way back from Dufast a little less than a week ago when the storm hit and blew the tree over. I heard his sister got caught by the tree since he came hurrying into the village on foot mighty fast. Ran straight to Lady Lera in the church. From what I heard, Lera couldn’t fully help the young lady, so Tyrius set off with her early the next day to seek better aid. He was always a doting brother, especially after their parents' past. I pray to the gods that they’re alright, and it’s a dangerous world out there.”

“Is that so?” Sevantis mused softly before glancing over at Evenwood. “See what you can find in the surrounding area. I’ll visit the church and see what I can learn.”

With that, Sevantis turned his attention forward again before nodding. “Which way to the church then?”

“It’s over there, the only stone building in the town. Though might I ask what this is about? Is Tyrius in trouble or something?”

“His life may very well be in danger. Your words might help me save them. Sevantis stated before making his way into the village. It didn’t take him long to find the church--it was, as he was told, the only stone building in the village.

On his arrival, Sevantis dismounted and made his way inside. When he first entered the church, he didn’t see anyone there. While he was in a hurry, he had no intention of being disrespectful in a worship place, so he made his way over to Etuna’s alter and offered a small prayer to the goddess of fire and rebirth, leaving a small donation in the tin.

When he was finished and turned, a woman was standing there, her teal hair marking her as a follower of Idris. “Ah, I assume you are the priestess of this village?”

“Yes, I am. It’s not common that we have someone of your ilk visiting our village. Pray, tell me, what is it you need sir knight?”

Sevantis looked her up and down, sizing her up. He never got along with their priests of Idris--he especially recalled how the church of Idris cared little about the vampires taking over his homeland.

“Yes, I was wondering what you could tell me of your patient? It shouldn't have been a girl, a little less than a week ago.”

As Sevantis inquired about the girl, Lera’s face hardened before a moment before she nodded. “Ah yes, Leanna was nearly crushed by the tree that fell on their cart. I did not have the full powers to heal her. Being crippled as a peasant is practically a death sentence, so I advised Tyrius to take his sister to find a better healer in one of the larger cities.”

“Is that all you noticed? And are you certain the wound was from a falling tree?”

Lera nodded respectfully before responding. “Of course, good sir. Are you saying it was something else that attacked them? I’m certain that it was simply a falling tree.”

“I see...very well then. I do hope Idris’ winds carry you far.” Sevantis stated before offering a small bow and making his way out.

He noted that Lera did not bid him farewell.

With that done, Sevantis left the village and met up with Evenwood.

“So, what did you learn?” Evenwood asked, his attention shifting to the side.

“They’re heading east, if I could guess. The damnable priest knew she was a vampire and let them leave. She likely told them to head to the east in hope they’ll eventually reach Draconia. We can’t assume she told them exactly what was going, so there is a possibility they’re unaware of exactly what happened. This is why I hate the Church of Idris. They’ll never recognise those bloodsuckers for the monsters they are. At least Zendor understands they need to be put down. The storm heralds of Idris are a bit better to work with.”

Evenwood nodded in understanding. “I see some tracks heading east, and they’re a few days old, so I’d guess your assumption is at least partially correct.”

Sevnatis nodded before reaching upwards and grasping the amulet that would let him contact his fellow knights. “Everyone, head east towards Steelwallow. The vampire had been killed, but its blood infected a young girl, Leanna. From what I can guess, they’re fleeing east to Sanguinium. Zendor, see what you can learn. If you find them, you can engage if you feel you can win. They’re only children, but the one, the boy, did manage to kill a vampire, so don’t take him lightly. It might’ve been a fluke of the weather, but be careful nonetheless. See if you can reason with him before anything else. We don’t want the blood of an innocent man on our hands but kill him if you have to. We can’t let the vampire escape.”