Several years previous

I looked around the camp, a small nervous wreck of a child. I had barely turned ten the other week, and it was decided that I would be the last one to join this year’s Outing. Every third year Old Klein and a group of hunters would take a much smaller group of children out for a few days camping trip.

“Scared?” Colt teased, bumping my shoulder as he plopped down next to me.

“Am not!” I immediately denied it.

“Pssh. Are too!”

We would have gone on in that vein for a while if we hadn’t heard a whisper coming from between and slightly behind us, “What’s wrong with a little fear? It can help keep you alive.”

“GAAAAH!” We both shrieked, leaping up and turning to see Old Klein chuckling at us.

“Ah, but that never gets old.”

“Klein! You get another kid scared this year?” A hunter called out.

“Even better! Got me a double!” Klein called back before turning back to us. “Sorry kids, I just can’t help myself. Come on back and finish your dinner, and I’ll answer a few questions you might have.”

We both cautiously sat back down, making sure we kept Klein in our line of sight, much to his amusement. As we got back to eating, I tried to think of a good question. Unfortunately, Colt beat me to it.

“Why do you guys take out a group of kids every so often?” He asked with his mouth full.

“Chew and swallow kid. Just because we are in the wilds doesn’t mean you can get rid of good manners. As for why? Simple. We need people who can conquer their fear. Fear of the night, and fear of vampires. So we bring you kids out here, and see how you stack up. It isn’t perfect, but it’s a good way to get a quick read on people.”

I kept eating, getting a smile from Klein. I was sure that he had plenty of answers ready, but I wanted to catch him a bit off guard. Suddenly it clicked, and I couldn’t stop myself from asking, “Why do you wear long sleeves? Aren’t you going to overheat tonight under your blanket?”

He blinked a few times before sitting back and looking at me. “Interesting question. Been years since anyone even noticed, let alone asked. Oh, don’t look down like that, it’s a good question! Anyway, it’s because of how I sleep. I never pull a blanket up past my waist.”

“Huh? Why?” Colt asked, mirroring what I was thinking.

“It saved my life more than you can know.” He said, looking off into the night. After a few seconds, he startled and looked back at us, continuing his explanation, “Had a buddy, long ago. Always cold, no matter what he tried. Always bundled up in his blanket up to his chin. One night, something got by the guards. I was able to fight the vampire off, but Chills couldn’t. See, the vampire used the blanket to pin his arms at his side, and he couldn’t fight back. By the time I got over there, it was too late.”

We sat there, staring into the fire for a while thinking about what he said. “I’m sorry about your friend, Klein.” Colt said, and I nodded along.

“Thanks.” He nodded, and we went back to staring at the fire. Neither of us realized it, but every night for the rest of the trip we would both wear long sleeves to bed and leave the blanket by our waist. Klein would get a sad smile as he ghosted his way through camp on his rounds.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Present day

I never would have thought that how I slept could save my life one day. The ward being breached was the first thing that woke me, but I was a bit groggy. Whispering brought me to awareness much faster, but things weren’t going fast enough. Our barracks were laid out with bunked beds, and I had taken the top bunk. A vague outline was standing to my right, and suddenly the four corners of my blanket were pulled tight against my body.

Power surged as it clicked that I was being attacked, and the figure to my right raised a weapon.

“Hyaaaah!” I cried out, immediately attempting to form a blood blade. In my panic, I had zero mental clarity and the blade failed to form. What saved me was the squirt of blood from my wrist as my hands intercepted the dagger falling toward my chest. Luckily for me, the height of my bed prevented my assailant from using his body weight against me, though I couldn’t get into an advantageous position either, and we quickly fell into a stalemate.

“Brandon, you ok?” I heard James from below me.

“NO! ASSASSINS! AAAAAH!” I screamed in pain, as the distraction cost me. The assailant had jerked the weapon sideways for a second, sending it from a deadly wound in my chest to a weaker, but still debilitating stab into my shoulder. Then everything devolved into chaos. Lights flared as people activated them. The dagger was ripped from my shoulder as someone tackled my attacker from below, pain causing my vision to go white. Bodies surged around our beds, grappling with attackers.

“WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? SOLDIERS, BREAK IT UP!” Came a bellow from the doorway, and I noticed instructors piling in and casually throwing bodies around as they separated people. Within a minute, everything was finally calm. “Now, what is going on here?” Instructor Daniels asked, staring at my bloody shoulder.

“I woke up when something broke my ward and –“

“HE’S A VAMPIRE! KILL HIM!” Screamed a recruit, surging forward with his bloody dagger raised at me. I started to make a blood dagger, but Daniels was faster. He stepped in front and deflected the dagger with the back of his left hand while slamming a quick uppercut into the fool’s solar plexus. The dagger clattered to the floor as he dropped to his knees, gasping for breath.

“Someone bind this idiot, and nobody touch that dagger. If you do, you die. I’m done with this.” He ordered, and two instructors grabbed the idiot by his arms and hauled him to his feet. Daniels turned back to me and gave me a continue motion.

“Erm. Right. They broke my ward, and I felt weights suddenly pull down on my blankets so that I could only move my feet. That guy was standing next to my bed with a knife raised –“

“LIAR! HE LIES! AAAAAAAAH! HE’S ATTACKING MY MIND! VAMPIRE MAGIC!” He cried out, struggling and acting like he was being assaulted. The instructors looked confused, but the recruits seemed to be believing him.

“Enough of this. Brandon is no vampire, and even if he was he wouldn’t have the strength to assault a mind with no contact like that.” Instructor Daniels declared, glaring at the group of doubters. “Now, the instructors and I will be getting to the bottom of this. Until then, it seems we need to step up some of our information about what it means to be Legion. Instructor Amelia will remain to watch as those of you who were not involved grab your scutums and march as you ponder the meaning of the phrase, “We are Legion.” Dismissed.” The rest of the squad headed outside with a few minor grumbles, but nothing definitive enough that someone could be called out for it.

“As for you five.” He said, turning to me, James, and my three assailants. “We will be heading to the library, and you will not speak the entire trip. I will dispatch a runner to the church as well, but don’t count on anyone else attending. This is a Legion matter, and we will handle it in the Legion way. Do you need medical attention to stop the bleeding?” He asked me. I shook my head no, having already used blood magic to staunch my wound. “Very well. Move out.” He ordered, and I noticed that each of the aggressors had an instructor by their side, while Daniels brought up the rear behind us.

Before long we were all in the Library, with Alphonse sitting at the head of the table. I couldn’t be sure, but he seemed to be just a bit paler than when I had left him a few hours ago. “Why do I see my trainee, a handful of recruits and their instructors, and a servant of Solaris in my domain?” He growled out.

“We need your expertise.” Instructor Daniels said. “I want you to cast blood compulsions on these three here, and I need the Church to verify to the authenticity of the questioning.”

“And what is the compulsion I am placing?”

“Answer my questions truthfully.”

“Very well. I shall need to taste a bit of their blood.” Alphonse said with a creepy smile, sliding a needle and spoon across the table after a few seconds of discomfort from everyone except me. “Just a drop will be enough.”

“I want my father here.” The ringleader demanded.

“Who is your father?” Daniels asked.

“Senator Locke.” He said with a smug grin.

“No wonder you feel so entitled. Request denied.” Daniels said, grabbing his hand and stabbing a fingertip with the needle.

“AAAAH!”

“Quiet in the library.” Alphonse hissed, suddenly by the kid’s ear. “We wouldn’t want to disturb anyone, would we?” As the kid cowered away from Alphonse, Daniels finished milking a drop of blood from his finger, which Alphonse quickly downed with a grimace.

“Blah. I hate the taste of spoiled brat.” He growled as he retook his seat, pointing a finger at the ringleader. “By your blood I command thee. Answer the questions Instructor Daniels asks as concisely and truthfully as possible. If you are unsure, indicate so.” A dark red ray shot out of his finger and slammed into his forehead, and his eyes glazed over.

“What is your name and lineage, recruit?”

“Sean Locke, third son of Senator Locke.”

“Did you attack recruit Clayson tonight? And what was your intent?”

“We did. We were going to slay the vampire and be promoted within the legion.”

“Who told you Clayson was a vampire, and how did he acquire this information?”

“I overheard my oldest brother informing my father. My brother is a Hunter.”

“That’s all I need. Was he truthful?” Daniels asked the priest.

“He spoke no falsehoods, not even a partial. He truly believes the recruit is a vampire.” As the priest spoke, Alphonse let the spell drop.

“What? You put a blood curse on me? I’ll have your-“ Sean started, only to get backhanded by instructor Daniels.

“Shut your mouth, scum!” He snarled. “You’ve been found guilty of attempted fratricide, confirmed by a member of the clergy. As of now, you have no rights and will demand nothing.”

“Instructor Daniels?” I asked, getting a glare from him. “What will happen to them?”

“Kill them.” Alphonse immediately replied. “There is no room for mercy here.”

“Isn’t that a bit harsh? Couldn’t we make them swear a binding magic oath or something? Including their family?” I asked desperately.

I felt a gentle hand on my back, turning to see Alphonse standing there with a somewhat sad look on his face. “This is always the harshest lesson, and many don’t learn it until too late. Show no mercy. A binding wouldn’t work, as he is neither heir nor patriarch. It would only bind him, and any children he had. Even if this were an option, there are ways around such a binding. Or they can be broken with enough power. When an enemy shows himself, kill him when you can.”

“It makes no difference; Legion rules leave no room here. He tried to kill a fellow Legionnaire. Normally this would require us to decimate the Legion, but I have a bit of power here as you are simply recruits. Only those attempting to kill you will lose their lives, but it will be done at sunup. Examples must be made.”

I looked around, but there was no help to be found. Sean and his cohorts were pale with fear, Alphonse may as well have been carved from stone, and instructor Daniels and the priest simply looked defeated. Even James sitting next to me looked resigned to their fate.

At my continued stare, James said, “It’s about morale, Brandon. We are supposed to be a unit, and we work as one. You can’t do that if you try and kill a fellow soldier. There are some that don’t care if they would lose their own lives, so they implemented the decimation. Not only would the guilty ones pay, but up to nine innocents would die with them. With that kind of karma on your soul, you would go straight to Tartarus. Hopefully Hades or Persephone will take pity on those innocents who died, and give them another chance at life.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

A few hours later, we were all standing at attention in the yard while Sean and his two accomplices were standing gagged on a small stage. Volgan stood at attention, and spoke just as the sun broke the horizon. “Today is a dark day for the Legion. Though you are not yet full members, I expected you to treat your recruits as brothers. For that is what we are when we go into battle, we are brothers. Anything less than family bonds won’t cut it. Last night, three of your brothers attempted to kill another brother. Had you been anything greater than recruits, there would be seven innocents up here with the three guilty. That’s right, one out of every ten of you would be punished. This is the only time that mercy will be granted. So in the future, be mindful. It might not be just you that pays for your crimes. It may be the innocent brothers you train with.”

He strode forward, standing next to one of the accomplices. “Erin Hunter. You have been found guilty of attempted fratricide. This has been verified by a member of the Church of Solaris. As your motives were found to be not only false, but actively slanderous to a fellow brother, you will not be granted the privilege of last words. By the powers vested in me, I sentence you to death, to be carried out immediately.” Volgan nodded his head, and the instructor next to Erin slammed a dagger into his stomach. As he bent over in pain, Volgan unsheathed his sword and cut his head off with one powerful stroke. Stepping around the body, he gave the same speech for Art Armeen. Finally, only Sean was left.

“Sean Locke. I hope you paid attention to what your ignorance cost. Were it within my power, I would sentence you to three lifetimes within the Acheron, the river of pain. One for the life you attempted to take, and once for each accomplice who shall pave your path to the underworld. Alas, that is not my place. Instead you shall face the three judges, who shall sentence you with impartiality. I only hope that they recognize the lack of honor within your actions, and punish you accordingly. You may at least relax in the knowledge that my own honor prevents me from drawing out the suffering of your execution. Your death will be swift.” With a nod, Instructor Daniels slammed a dagger home and Sean lost his head with one quick blow.

“Let this be a grim lesson to you all. We fight together, we die together, for we are Legion. Take the rest of the day to ponder these words, and search your hearts to make sure you are worthy of them.” With that, he strode off stage and headed to clean his weapon.