The moon hung high over Velthar City, casting a pale glow over its shadowed streets. In the city's outskirts, where merchants and travelers rarely ventured at night, four warriors crouched behind a cluster of withered trees, their eyes fixed on the road ahead.
Aisha adjusted the grip on her sword, her sharp eyes scanning the dark path where their targets were expected to pass. Beside her, Abel twirled his twin swords lazily, his girlish face betraying no hint of nerves.
"You sure about this?" Sunny whispered, his saber resting on his shoulder.
Aisha nodded. "The information was solid. The bandits are bringing the merchant's son through here. This is our best chance."
Scorpion, the massive warrior with skin as dark as the night, let out a low grunt. His war hammer rested in the dirt beside him, heavy enough to shatter bones with a single swing.
"This better be worth ten thousand gold coins," he muttered.
Aisha smirked. "Just don't hold back."
A soft rustling broke the silence.
The four warriors tensed as shapes emerged from the darkness. At first, they saw only human figures, ten of them, all clad in ragged armor, their swords and axes glinting under the moonlight. But then, Aisha's breath hitched.
Three more figures followed, moving with an unnatural grace. Their pale skin reflected the dim light, their crimson eyes glowing with hunger.
"Vampires," Abel whispered, his playful tone vanishing.
The mission had just become much more dangerous.
At the center of the group, a young boy with bound hands stumbled forward, his face pale with fear. The merchant's son, Kal.
One of the bandits, a burly man with a jagged scar across his nose, shoved him roughly. "Keep moving, brat, or I'll let them have you." He nodded toward the vampires, who simply smirked, their fangs glinting.
Aisha clenched her jaw. This wasn't just a kidnapping, it was a deal between criminals and the undead.
The leader of the bandits, a broad-shouldered man with a red bandana, suddenly raised his hand. "Hold up."
His men stopped, their boots crunching against the gravel. The vampires sniffed the air, their expressions darkening.
"They know we're here," Aisha whispered.
No use waiting.
She gave the signal.
Scorpion was the first to charge. He moved like a battering ram, his massive hammer swinging in a deadly arc. The nearest bandit barely had time to react before his ribs shattered under the force.
Abel darted forward with his twin swords, his movements almost too fast to follow. He weaved through the bandits like a shadow, his blades slashing tendons and throats with deadly precision.
Sunny clashed with two bandits at once, his saber ringing against their weapons. He ducked, twisted, and countered with a swift cut across one man's thigh, sending him to the ground screaming.
Aisha sprinted toward Kal, determined to grab him before the vampires intervened.
She never made it.
One of the vampires appeared in front of her in a blur, grinning wickedly. "Going somewhere, human?"
She barely dodged as its claws raked the air where her head had been. She swung her sword in retaliation, but the vampire was fast, too fast. It vanished and reappeared behind her, striking her ribs with inhuman strength.
Aisha gasped, pain exploding through her side as she stumbled forward.
These weren't just ordinary vampires.
They were trained killers.
Scorpion roared as he swung at one of the vampires, but it dodged effortlessly, hissing as it lashed out with razor-sharp claws. Scorpion barely managed to block with his hammer's handle, but the force sent him staggering.
Abel and Sunny had cut down three more bandits, but the vampires were their real problem.
One of them lunged at Abel, claws aiming for his heart. Abel twisted, using one of his swords to deflect the strike while the other slashed across the creature's arm.
Black blood splattered the ground, but the vampire only grinned. "You'll have to do better than that."
Aisha regained her footing, breathing hard. She locked eyes with the vampire who had struck her.
Then she smirked. "You're fast, but let's see how you handle this."
She suddenly lunged forward, not at the vampire, but at the ground. She kicked up a cloud of dust, momentarily blinding the creature.
In that instant, she struck.
Her sword found its mark, stabbing straight through the vampire's shoulder.
It shrieked, but Aisha wasn't done. She twisted her blade and kicked it backward, sending the creature stumbling.
"Sunny! Fire!"
Sunny, having anticipated the moment, pulled a small flask from his belt and hurled it at the vampire. It shattered, and the oil inside splashed over its body.
Aisha flicked her fingers, revealing a small flint.
She struck.
The spark caught the oil.
The vampire screamed as flames engulfed it, thrashing violently before collapsing into ashes.
"One down," Aisha panted.
But there were still two more, and they were angry.
The last two vampires unleashed their full speed, attacking with terrifying precision.
Abel and Sunny struggled to keep them at bay, forced on the defensive. Scorpion, bleeding from deep gashes, refused to fall. He swung his hammer wildly, keeping the creatures from closing in.
Aisha knew they wouldn't last long.
She locked eyes with Abel. "Go for the head."
Abel gave a weak smile. "Way ahead of you."
With renewed focus, he feinted a strike, baiting the vampire into attacking. The moment it lunged, he sidestepped, his twin swords flashing.
The vampire's head left its shoulders.
Only one remained.
Scorpion saw his opening.
Ignoring the pain in his side, he lifted his hammer high and brought it down with all his strength.
The final vampire had no time to dodge.
Its skull cracked like an eggshell.
The battle was over.
The battlefield was littered with bodies, the scent of blood thick in the air.
Aisha sheathed her sword, glancing at Kal. He was unharmed, his wide eyes filled with terror.
"You're safe now," she told him gently.
Scorpion grunted, using his hammer as support to stay standing. "That… was not fun."
Sunny wiped sweat from his brow. "We better get our damn gold after this."
Abel chuckled weakly. "If we survive long enough to collect it."
....