Nothing stirred in the warm, still air of a summer's night. Even the trees themselves seemed to hold their breath and pray that the dawn would come without harm coming to them, while the night's animals huddled beneath their roots to escape notice. Not a single light showed in the village, people's shutters closed and their windows and doors barred while they curled up beneath their blankets and pretended that nothing was wrong.

A shadow, a patch of darker black on black, crept through the village. It moved in the darkest patches, jumping from wall to wall, house to house, before leaping up onto the roof of its target and, in a blink, forming into a human shape crouched on the point of the roof. Claws flexed in the thatch and moonlight gleamed off sharp fangs as the vampire grinned to himself and effortlessly climbed down the sloping roof towards the window behind which his intended victim lay. A child, barely more than six, who stared wild-eyed at the shutters as she heard the soft, scrabbling sounds of the vampire's descent just above her head. He purred to himself as his keen ears caught the pounding of her little heart, and he reached out to hook his claws under the edge of the shutter. The wood splintered as he ripped it away, the window glass shattered with a single punch and the child screamed as he climbed through into the room.

By the time her parents scrambled to help she was gone, only a smear of blood on the blankets and the glass across the floor to suggest either she or the vampire had ever been there. The mother wept into her husband's shoulder as a younger child, a boy, clung to her nightdress fearfully. No comfort to her that the village council had sent for help.

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"I may be on the side of the angels, but don't think for a second that I am one of them"

Over the years, he has slain quite a few supernatural creatures (even you would even want to call some of them that, they were that monstrous) who would give just about anyone a shiver down their spine the moment they locked gazes with them. He visited the tavern every night and a lot of people who came through there told tales of their encounters with such beings, exaggerating of course, but it was always somewhat amusing. Drinking a lone was something he was use to ever since a dear friend of his passed away a year ago, and Ivan was placed in exile. A part of him missed those days, but these stories entertained him nonetheless. As for himself, he remained humble, keeping what few stories he had to share to himself. Nobody needed to know about him in his mind; not only that but he simply does not like being an open book or getting too attached to people.

Despite his somewhat anti-social, lone wolf demeanor, the bartender here has taken quite a liking to him. He felt it was because he was once one of the King’s loyal knights. It seemed to be the only logical reason why anyone would show any interest in him whatsoever since he never really thought of himself to be a particularly interesting person.

Tonight’s story was an odd one that was for sure. Two people had wandered in, claiming to be from a town about an hour and a half’s walk from here, saying that there has been a vampire skulking about the streets of the town, and that they heard this tavern was often a gathering for mercenaries. They must have believed most of the rumors the poor souls. The vampire had managed to snatch their only child and a dark pool of blood was all that remained of her. It was needless to say that the entire mood of the tavern had changed completely; it was no longer lively, but almost completely dead silent. Nobody knew what to do, which was a shame since they had been flaunting their bravery around for the past few hours. The couple, still in shock from losing their child, could not cope with this. The mother especially, as she broke down in tears before her husband did.

They explained that they were searching everywhere for the longest time for someone to rid their town of the menace, but their speech was slurred a bit and they talked over each other. It took one of the more sober people in the bar to calm them down and get them to explain their situation a bit more slowly. He was amongst the drunkards here but sober or not he was continuing to listen to the couple speak. Something about this seemed like it would give him some entertainment. He has not seen real action in a few months however he does not meddle in the affairs of vampires. They were powerful creatures, clever too. He has always done his best to live and let live as they say, but not because he was afraid of them, oh no, but because he knew his place. Vampires were not something to take lightly… and he could not help but wonder what they would want with a child.

Other demons have said children tasted the best, but those were demons. Vampires were much different from demons.

“Do you need somebody too… take care of your little pest problem?” He asked casually. He was a bit drunk from drinking so his words were slurred, but there was a hit of interest in his voice. “I suppose I am available for hire, if you wish.”

The taverns mood changed again just then. He could feel the eyes of everyone in the room staring right through him almost in awe. Nobody had expected him of all people to speak up, especially those who knew him as a regular. Even the couple seemed surprised at his offer, they just stared at him, and he soon regretted even speaking up. The regret soon faded, however, slowly being taken over by his drunkenness. This would not be the dumbest thing he has done while half drunk that was for sure and he would not exactly count it as stupid per say either. More or less, the boredom he has experienced the past few days was really starting to get to him and he needed something to do before he completely lost it.

“Are you sure?” The man asked him, looking over him with concern. “I’ve heard there are some tough people that hang around here…” he spoke a little louder. “Is a drunken knight the best you have?”

“Well this is a tavern, mate,” one of the drunkards snorted before he could say anything more. “And you best let him go along and help you, if you know what’s good for you.”

The man looked to his wife, who nodded. It did not surprise him that the couple agreed to let him help, they would have been if that man had not said anything. He was a rather skilled knight, one of the best so he has been told, so it was natural that they let him help. The rest of the people in here only wished they had half the skill he had… but that was thinking a little highly. He does have a sense of pride about him but never does he go around showing off. No, he was more humble about his swordsmanship –this could also be because he was reserved though. When he was drunk he was a little bolder and did tend to be slightly egotistical.

And the next morning, despite his mild hangover and wondering if he would regret agreeing to this, he set out for this town.

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The folk in town seemed reserved, even during the day, and regarded the stranger knight with suspicion and perhaps even fear. Quiet conversations stoppd as he passed and children hid behind their mothers' skirts, their little eyes wide. The day was warm enough, but overcast and muggy. A storm brewing, perhaps? The tension in the air was tangible, a slow, static buildup that reflected the ominous weather.

Nobody quite dared approach the knight though, just turned their gazes aside and muttered darkly, or watched him go by. Finally, a watchman broke the silence, striding out to block the street as the other man approached. "Halt, stranger. What brings you to this town?" If you could even call this place a town; it was barely more than a village out in the country with a tavern, a church and not much else, all surrounded by fields and woodland. It would seem almost an idyllic place, but there were signs all around of people's fear. Crude crucifixes painted above doorways, bunches of garlic strung up outside windows, hands frequently going to the small pieces of silver jewellery that were all these poor folk could afford. Apparently, they did little good.

Sunlight seemed to do the trick though, as there was no sign of the vampire itself. Such a creature lost its advantage during the day, since there were fewer shadows to skulk in and it was half-blinded by the light at any rate.

_________________
"I may be on the side of the angels, but don't think for a second that I am one of them"

He was indeed a skilled knight he would never deny that, yet as he walked along the path to the old town he couldn’t help but wonder if he really could get rid of this vampire for them. Through his ten years of being a knight he has only ever dealt with one vampire and that had not ended well. Since then he just leaves them be, deciding to let someone else deal with them since he didn’t possess the powers of a Holy Knight. Don’t get him wrong, he was a very powerful knight capable to taking down powerful creatures, but he could not use magic; you had to be born of a certain blood in order to use magic. He may have belonged to a powerful group of knights who guarded the king, but he was not born of Holy blood. There were times he wished he could but in the end he found he was perfectly fine just being a physical fighter.

And surely… surely the vampire would sense this. It was said that crosses and garlic as well as Holy magic warded vampires away. He had a cross around his neck but no garlic –garlic smelled horrible, the taste even worse. Appearance wise, he did look a bit rough and could be a little intimidating at times though there was a faint attractiveness about him. The sword he wielded was of very high quality; what good the cross and sword he had would do him, well, he wasn’t exactly sure. However he did know that vampires were nocturnal and only attacked during the night, so it looks like he would be spending the night here. Maybe for a few days…

He was really starting to regret agreeing to this. Oh the stupid things people do after they’ve had a few drinks.

It seems the crosses and garlic hanging in this small as town –if you’d even want to call it that, as it was pretty run down- did little to ward the vampire away and the people were on edge. It seems the two people who came into the tavern the other night were not the only people that were struck. Naturally. They glanced at him with almost horrified gazes, murmuring amongst themselves. He paid them no mind and continued on. They didn’t trust his presence at all and he couldn’t say he blamed them either. He was a stranger to their town so it was natural for them to be wary, however he could care less about their opinions of him. Unfortunately, the one thing he could not avoid was the fact that this was a small tow, perhaps small enough to be referred to a village, and rumors would spread fast. He was sure that by now the entire town knew he was here.

His suspicions were correct he noticed. There seemed to be an increase in curiosity, and soon a local guard stood in his way, inquiring what his business was here. For a place so far off the beaten path it wasn’t surprising that the guard had the appearance of someone who was recruited yesterday. “I was told that there was a small… pest terrorizing this town,” he told the man, speaking in a soft tone; he was always rather soft spoken. Explaining things straightforward rather than being long-winded was something he was known for; he saw no reason to lie, not that he would even want to. And besides, he felt confident that he would not be chased out of this place right away. And just in case he was going to be chased away he may as well at least explain his reasons for being here. “Two people came into my town and requested that I take care of said pest. I have to say, from the looks of things I doubt the rest of you will… turn down any help. Am I correct?”

Even if he was someone who was a bit soft spoke, he sounded so serious. Deep down he hoped he was convincing enough but on the other hand he wouldn’t let it get to him if he was told to stay out of their business. He half expected it. In the past he has been turned down, though it was a stab at his pride, he does have a rather good reputation for being bold, but life goes on. And it only made sense for the guard to allow him to help; he wounded if he has lost anyone because of this pest. Still there was a small part of him that worried about being sent the other way even if it wasn’t shown on his expression.

He decided not to dwell on it and just accept whatever happens. He doesn’t like to dwell on things he found to be somewhat unimportant too much; he found it to be just more unwanted stress and he didn’t need any more of that. He has had a rough life and it showed through a bit even if he was only thirty years old. Well, twenty nine to be exact but close. He may as well be thirty. He has been through a hell of a lot, though through the years he has blocked out a lot of his childhood through all the drinking he does.

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The watchman gave him a look that was only slightly less suspicious and there was a great outbreak of muttering and murmuring from the crowd. He did, however, lower his battered spear and plant the end of it against the ground. All his gear was old and worn, but well cared for and clean. Clearly being a watchman in this town was a matter of pride. "There's been many as tried to take care of that problem, outsiders and townfolk alike." He remarked, looking the knight up and down critically, taking in all the muscle and armour. Another stuffed shirt, perhaps? He hoped not, and a look of pain crossed his face for a moment as he recalled the last person to truly try and vanquish the vampire. A friend, a lover even, perhaps? "You really think yourself up to it, sir?"

There was a low murmur of assent from the other gathered folks, even a quiet sob from a woman near the back. "This isn't something to be taken lightly, Sir Knight!" Another called, an older man with scarred clawmarks raking across his face. "I seen it, this monster. Was lucky to escape with my life. Threw garlic water at it 'n' it fled, turned into shadows and skittered away it did! Not 'fore it took my good looks with it, mind." This last part he growled bitterly as he pushed to the front to examine the younger knight. An old adventurer this one, it seemed. He was strong, gone stringy in his old age rather than fat. "But, perhaps if you do intend to stay I can give you a hand on how to find the beast."

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"I may be on the side of the angels, but don't think for a second that I am one of them"

Every single time he gets called in to take care of a problem, the townsfolk always seem to have their doubts. He didn’t blame them for having those doubts but at the same time he always thought it somewhat annoying whenever they tried to discourage him. The guard was still skeptical of him, it was relatively clear that he and the older man that made his way to the front of the crowd were both somewhat worried about his safety, but whenever he set his mind on something it was difficult to change his mind. He has a reputation of being incredibly stubborn and had a very one-track mind sometimes, when it came to certain things. When he said he was going to take on a job he did it –known for being a man of his word why would he back down? By not turning him away, these people had given him a slight sense of adventure. He was ready to take care of this problem… but not for free of course. This seemed like a poor town but surely they had some kind of money stashed away somewhere.

He didn’t usually work for money, in fact he doesn’t always expect to be paid, but something like a vampire, now that was something that needed payment. Vampires, werewolves, any kind of powerful preternatural creature in general, should he be called to deal with something powerful he usually charged.

Of course he was failing to mention this right now. Then again since this did seem like a poorer town he would hold off on demanding a payment. Right now he just wanted to see the looks on their faces once he takes care of their pest. He knew they didn’t believe he was capable of doing so, and while he was not someone who felt he had to prove himself sometimes his ego does crawl out and do a bit of talking. He wanted to show them he was serious and not just some idiot in over his head. No, the very look on his face should at least tell them that much or so he hoped. He tended to be an easy read for people who knew him well enough, so he had a feeling all those murmurs were more than likely murmurs mocking him. Though he was not someone who took well to crowds, he could not help but be somewhat amused by how much talk he was creating with his presence. Just how many people came through here, he wondered.

“I have dealt with vampires in the past,” he said, speaking to the old man and the guard, as well as the people that continued go gather around him. “I may not have the powers of a Holy Knight but I know what to expect from them, I assure you.” He could feel them all watching him and he would not deny that it was becoming slightly more discouraging as seconds passed. Nevertheless, he remained calm. He was a notoriously calm person in reality and it took a lot to scare him to the point where he refused to do something. In fact the only real fear he has was dying, it didn’t matter if it was a horrible death or not, he just didn’t want to die. He also had uneasiness about completely loneliness despite his somewhat lone wolf nature. Nobody likes to feel completely alone.

He straightened himself a bit more, hoping that they would take him a little more seriously if he presented himself better. It may be a little too late but he was not somebody who would just nonchalantly waltz in and wave his sword around like a buffoon. There was a very professional air about him and that was something he wasn't hesitating to let shine through a bit.

Though he normally worked alone, preferring to do so, perhaps for the sake of getting the job done so he could leave he would allow the older man to help him. “Working alone is a… personal preference, however if you wish to show me a thing or two about finding your pest I have no objections.” Then added facetiously: "I supposelistening to a word of advice from my elders is something I should... consider more often." Though he may have sounded a little… well... unappreciative for the lack of better word he really wouldn’t object. After all he did indeed know that vampires were not something to be taken lightly so he might need some help after all, you just never know, in case he ever got himself in some kind of pickle he couldn’t get out of.

_________________

The old man gave him a sceptical look. "As well you should. If you really want to learn, come with me. I'll show you a few things, tell you what you need to know about this beasty." The old man turned and limped off, his bearing proud and his head held high even despite the pain that walking caused him. He was far from his fighting prime, cripped and scarred as he was, but such old warriors were an excellent source of knowledge. The guard watched him go with a respectful look in his dark eyes. Clearly, the elder man was a figure of some respect within this village. Even the vampire surely respected him, else he would have been killed in his bed long ago for the insolence of trying to destroy him.

Slowly, the crowd began to disperse, the people going back to their tasks. They kept half an eye on the newcomer as they went though, curious as to whether he would accept the old man's help or try to strike out on his own. Many had gone, with or without help, and few returned. Better to take advice from one who had, perhaps?

_________________
"I may be on the side of the angels, but don't think for a second that I am one of them"

That old man did indeed have that air about him that said he was worthy of respect, he wouldn’t deny, and perhaps a sense of bravery as well seeing as he was willing to go against the vampire a second time. Maybe the man would prove his worth after all, he thought to himself with a faint grin as he watched the man move through the crowd. He only started following the older man once the crowed thinned out a bit, ignoring the few whispers that were still present, as again he doesn’t particularly care how wary of him they were. He was here to do a job and that was that. After all, why else would he have come here if he was not confidence of his skills? Sure he may have been drunk when he accepted the task but he was a man of his word and he would rid the village of this vampire that terrorized them. Now exactly how he was going to go about doing this was not well planned out, the vampires in the past have given him a lot of trouble and each one was different, which was the main reason he accepted help from the old man.

Who was this man? Was he an ex-soldier like himself, or was he just some mercenary whose only place was this village? Many more questions filled his head as he followed him back to where he assumed was his place of residence.

He continued to keep his guard up while he followed the older man, however. One of the main reasons he worked along was he had a hard time trusting people. He was cynical in the sense that he always expected the worse from people; perhaps this man held revenge in his heart, after all when he spoke of the beast taking his ‘good looks’ he did sense there was a slight bitterness –maybe even a resentment- in his tone though the older man did not strike him as one of those grouchy old farts who always had a stick up their ass about something. And perhaps the man planned on getting even with the vampire, using him as bait to lure the creature before he struck. More than likely, this would not happen but he would be stupid to look away from the possibility completely. It was needless to say he indeed has trust issues.

In all honesty, though they seemed to be accepting of his help, he really did not feel very welcomed here. Especially with how they were all still wary. They had every right to be wary, as he was a stranger showing up out of nowhere, claiming he had what it took to get rid of their pest. They probably didn’t want someone around to help; then again if they didn’t then they wouldn’t have sent people to call out for help. Yet seeing is believing as they say and he would keep his word. As long as they don’t set him up and have him killed, that is.

“Tell me… how many others have fallen victim to the vampire?” He asked the older man suddenly, speaking in a calm, casual tone. Though he wasn’t normally someone who spoke out first you could say, and he really wasn’t looking to get the older man’s trust, he figured he may as well have an idea. Vampire attacks in towns, cities, and villages, seemed to be common lately, have become more common over the past year and a half now, and it was something everyone was concerned with. From what he has heard in that bar (surprisingly a very good place to gather information and even hear some strange things through the grapevine) smaller towns like this were perfect targets. Having witnessed it for himself he knew there was truth to this. However, as to how many people are killed, now that varied. He was no detective, but perhaps getting a better idea as to what was really going on here would help him a little better.

The old man did say he would help after all.

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The old man had known he was following him, of course. An old hunter like him, battle-harded and honed, was always aware of who was around him. He didn't even flinch at the voice, didn't even turn around, just kept doggedly hobbling back to his home near the edge of town. "Countless people. Those who go after him don't tend to come back, you know. But most of his victims are children, maybe one or two a month, usually around the new and full moon." He told him, relaying information in an almost clinical manner. He cared, of course he did, but this newcomer was a professional most likely just looking for a paycheck. He frowned at the thought, though with his back to the knight the younger man wouldn't see it. Damn mercenary sods, never do a good deed for nothing.

He paused outside his own door, finally bothering to look back and acknowledge his young shadow. "I'll tell you where to find it, and what's more important, I'll tell you how to hurt it." He said, reaching over to lean on the door handle so he could catch his breath a little. "I almost got the bastard, but now... well," He laughed humourlessly "I can't go chasing after monsters when I can barely keep up with snails, can I?"

_________________
"I may be on the side of the angels, but don't think for a second that I am one of them"

He was a very observant person, insightful at times as well, so he could easily pick up on the slight disappointment from the older man though he couldn’t read his mind. It’s been something he’s been able to do since he was little, pick up on minor things that people never really paid attention to. It was probably one of the reasons he was good was his profession though he never really considered himself a hunter. By the tone of the older man’s voice, he could tell he was concerned, still skeptical even if he did show he truly did want to help. Normally he would brush such a thing aside but for some reason there was something mildly unsettling about this. Not that he was worried about being unwanted of course, not if they didn’t want him here perhaps they really would have said so when the guard questioned him.

In silence he listened to the older man speak when he replied to his question. It wasn’t as helpful as he had hoped, but nonetheless it was something he should consider and would prove to be a nice tip when he finally confronted the vampire. The new moon was about a day away from what he heard. What threw him off a bit however, was the fact that children seemed to be the victims. Did vampires not feed on human blood in general and not just children? That was somewhat unusual, yet it also made sense since children were considered to be ‘fresh blood’ by some other demons and beasts he has come across. Apparently the blood of children tasted better but he wouldn’t know since he’s never exactly thought of drinking blood. A demon he had killed a few years ago had once suggested it to him and he politely refused, the thought was not appealing at all even as he thought of it now. Yuck.

“Since you are… determined to see that the beast is taken care of, and you are willing to aid me, this shows me the vampire has not gotten the best of you quite yet,” he said softly, not really having much of a sense of humor himself. “Just ensure that determination does not turn into revenge, or malice for that matter.” He was sure the older man, being older, knew this but he figured he would voice what was on his mind anyway. You just never knew with some people… Especially when they got older, sometimes people grew hostile, often broken, and sometimes cynical towards most things. Some people when they get older lose their spirit and become nothing but hollow shells filled with hate, fueled by revenge whenever something happened.

This man was not like that, at least from what he gathered. Instead he was willing to share his knowledge with him, or else he would have told him to go off on his own. He respected those people at least, because they showed him that they still had a fighting spirit even though they may be incapacitated in some way.

“I do not plan to stay here long, I assure you. I just wish to finish what I came here to do and take my leave.” He likes to keep himself on a bit of a time limit. “I cannot make any immediate promises, but can say that once I leave here the vampire shall no longer bother this place.” The moment he arrived here he did tell himself he was only going to stay for a few days depending on how elusive the vampire is. They could be sneaky creatures but he was not going to let it get the best of him. The last time he was face to face with a vampire he was still a teenager, he was much smarter now. And he was sure now that he had the help of someone who had much more experience than he did this encounter would not be like the last one. God help him if it was, but he was not about to get ahead of himself or rush in blindly. He took his time with his jobs and even when he wasn’t hunting down a demon they took a few days.

However, everyone has their fears. Although, while he did not show it, he was deeply afraid of dying; he knew there was a chance he could be killed. He wasn’t naïve. What he said was more to give himself courage than show off. He was not going to let thoughts of death slow him down at all. He refused to have that slow him down. Being a man of his word, he simply felt that by telling the man this he would not falter nearly as much once he confronts the vampire.

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The old man turned to him and and glared as he shoved the door open, revealing the dim interior of the cottage. A few candles saw to the gloom, and the flickering light highlighted the man's mangled face. "Don't you preach to me lad. This isn't about revenge, it's about protecting these people and don't you go thinking otherwise." He growled, sounding almost offended. Young upstart, who was he to tell him what to do or how to feel? Even if he did want revenge, it wasn't for his ravaged face. It was for the mothers and fathers who'd lost children, the children whose fathers had never returned from facing the monster. He settled himself into a chair and shifted his leg into a more comfortable position to ease the ache in it, then gestured to the other chair. "Come inside, make yourself at home. And shut the door. It doesn't matter how long you stay around, if you're trying to help out of the good of your heart these people will accept you." His tone suggested that he didn't think that was the case and he eyed him critically, the clawmark through his eyebrow making the look even more discomforting. "This is a poor town, thanks to the vampire. There aren't many as'll trade with cursed men. If you're doing this for money, you might as well turn around and leave now."

_________________
"I may be on the side of the angels, but don't think for a second that I am one of them"