the surrounding areas from the cursed northern wastes of Vemparia — source of the vampire curse. It ran perpendicular to the snow-tipped Palespine mountains resembling the vertebrae they were named after and opposite the coast forming a man-made blockade to keep the vampire menace contained to the lands north. The ruined and abandoned settlements left to the approaching hordes during the last great incursion that necessitated the construction of the Great Wall in the first place. It was a marvel of both human engineering and magical construction methods. Lesser walls sealed off different entrance routes to Vemparia but Kriegsfeld was home to the first and largest.
“Pretty impressive.” She pointed at the Great Wall looming in the distance, in the foreground she could see the upper nobles mansions, Strigoi Castle and Temple of the Four gods. Were it not for smoke-stacks and blackened factories tarnishing the skyline it would have been picturesque. “You were right. It’s like a fortress this place.”
“Or a prison dungeon.” Sevaur interjected, taking care not to say it in earshot of the Night Watch patrols.
“Necessity. Lord Strigoi’s got the right idea. Second you let your guard down that’s when the Vampires are in and turning people left and right. It’s all to protect the citizens from those horrors to the north.” Adrian replied with an uncharacteristic hardness to his voice. They turned another street passing downhill, the shops lining the street closed and their wooden shutters drawn for the day. Textile clothes shops and magic trinket and curiosity shops for the most part, a blacksmiths still lit up with glowing lanterns and smoke billowing out of the foundry chimney.
“I believe you.” Sevaur replied, glancing at Claire. “Just takes some getting used to.”
Adrian continued ahead and glanced over his shoulder and flashed a thin-lipped smile. “I know, don’t worry. It’s a big change.”
Ahead of them a hooded woman, no older than mid-twenties rushed towards them, both hands keeping the rain-hood over her head. Her face flushed with panic as she ran uphill with remarkable speed. Behind her came shouting and the rushing figures of the Night Guard, their leering almost draconic masks flashing in the rain. The woman sprinted past the trio shoving Sevaur out of the way as she brushed past. He flew across the street and smacked into the boarded door of an alchemist’s shop with a wet thud landing hard. Adrian reached for his axe with his right hand and pulled Claire aside without warning with the other. There was a loud noise and the fleeing woman fell towards the floor in an uncontrolled fall and hit pavement with a shriek. A silver-tipped crossbow bolt sticking out of her back. She struggled to rise as the Night Guard closed the distance, spinning around to see her attackers. Another bolt from one of the officers covering the reloading crossbowmen, the bolt struck her dead in the chest and she stumbled backwards. The rich-silk hood fell backwards as she fell exposing her flesh to the constant deluge, the rain water searing into her pale face with another ear-splitting shriek. Steam rising from her face as she tried her best to cover herself from the downpour but hindered by the crossbow bolts and tried to crawl away backwards.
“Get away! It’s a vampire!” A gruff female voice shouted from behind the silver mask as the Night Guard patrols circled the fallen vampire, their silver-swords drawn and their unloaded crossbows slung. Adrian helped Sevaur rise to his feet and dabbed the blood from the back of his head with a rag. Claire watched in a mixture of horror and fascination at the scene before her, her hands sliding across the pommel of her rapier. Adrian tugged at her and lead them down the street away from the scene behind them.
“Come on!” He grunted. Around them they could make out the fearful faces of citizens within the shops and houses watching from the safety of their
“Pretty impressive.” She pointed at the Great Wall looming in the distance, in the foreground she could see the upper nobles mansions, Strigoi Castle and Temple of the Four gods. Were it not for smoke-stacks and blackened factories tarnishing the skyline it would have been picturesque. “You were right. It’s like a fortress this place.”
“Or a prison dungeon.” Sevaur interjected, taking care not to say it in earshot of the Night Watch patrols.
“Necessity. Lord Strigoi’s got the right idea. Second you let your guard down that’s when the Vampires are in and turning people left and right. It’s all to protect the citizens from those horrors to the north.” Adrian replied with an uncharacteristic hardness to his voice. They turned another street passing downhill, the shops lining the street closed and their wooden shutters drawn for the day. Textile clothes shops and magic trinket and curiosity shops for the most part, a blacksmiths still lit up with glowing lanterns and smoke billowing out of the foundry chimney.
“I believe you.” Sevaur replied, glancing at Claire. “Just takes some getting used to.”
Adrian continued ahead and glanced over his shoulder and flashed a thin-lipped smile. “I know, don’t worry. It’s a big change.”
Ahead of them a hooded woman, no older than mid-twenties rushed towards them, both hands keeping the rain-hood over her head. Her face flushed with panic as she ran uphill with remarkable speed. Behind her came shouting and the rushing figures of the Night Guard, their leering almost draconic masks flashing in the rain. The woman sprinted past the trio shoving Sevaur out of the way as she brushed past. He flew across the street and smacked into the boarded door of an alchemist’s shop with a wet thud landing hard. Adrian reached for his axe with his right hand and pulled Claire aside without warning with the other. There was a loud noise and the fleeing woman fell towards the floor in an uncontrolled fall and hit pavement with a shriek. A silver-tipped crossbow bolt sticking out of her back. She struggled to rise as the Night Guard closed the distance, spinning around to see her attackers. Another bolt from one of the officers covering the reloading crossbowmen, the bolt struck her dead in the chest and she stumbled backwards. The rich-silk hood fell backwards as she fell exposing her flesh to the constant deluge, the rain water searing into her pale face with another ear-splitting shriek. Steam rising from her face as she tried her best to cover herself from the downpour but hindered by the crossbow bolts and tried to crawl away backwards.
“Get away! It’s a vampire!” A gruff female voice shouted from behind the silver mask as the Night Guard patrols circled the fallen vampire, their silver-swords drawn and their unloaded crossbows slung. Adrian helped Sevaur rise to his feet and dabbed the blood from the back of his head with a rag. Claire watched in a mixture of horror and fascination at the scene before her, her hands sliding across the pommel of her rapier. Adrian tugged at her and lead them down the street away from the scene behind them.
“Come on!” He grunted. Around them they could make out the fearful faces of citizens within the shops and houses watching from the safety of their
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