Loyalty

by Charles E Yallowitz

  “I can hear you!” Mab shouts from below. Leaping to her friends, she perches on top of her brother’s head and stares in the direction of their enemies. “The traitors are already coming back, which means we lost our chance and might be seen if we don’t get out of sight. Besides, all of us trying to come up with a plan is going to be a disaster. I have an idea as a burglar, Decker has one as a soldier, Luther as a forest tracker, and Titus as a . . . Sorry, but I can only come up with goon, little brother. We need you to give the orders, Clyde. We’re still your gang, which means the final decision comes down to you.”

  Their leader watches the black-cloaked figures sprint over the dunes, a long trail of dust being left in their wake. He notices how spread out they are and considers drawing all of them into a trap that will separate the fast from the slow. Before he can voice such a plan, Clyde considers that they no longer have the manpower of his old gang and the terrain lacks any type of cover. Even his illusions would stand out since there is nothing more than sand and the traitors might be on guard for such tricks. The silence begins to wear on him and he is about to recklessly charge when the tail of Titus’s night cloak is blown into his face. Catching the garment, he notices that the large vampire’s legs buckle from getting hit by the sunlight. A wicked grin crosses the man’s face as a new plan comes to his mind, the joy tempered by the fact that it will force him to be backup.

  “Anyone approaching now will be attacked, so we can’t go until the night,” Clyde says as he turns towards the south. He squints at the faint outline of another campsite, which belongs to the band of nomads. “Bob and I will get some camels. We’ll do it by negotiating instead of killing because we don’t want to cause a scene. Decker and Titus need to rest up because they’ll be backup with me once the fun starts. Bob can stay by that dune with the camels in case things go bad. Keep in mind that this is only stage one and the real battle will happen at dawn.”

  “What about me and Luther?” Mab asks, her excitement barely masked by putting her cloaked head down.

  “How are your sabotage skills?”

  *****

  After crawling across the desert while wearing their night cloaks, Mab and Luther sneak into the circular camp. Barely visible in the shadows, a single guard stands near their entry point and takes a few steps to his right every few minutes. The white tents are small and many of them have tan patches to protect those inside from the sun. Smoke rises from a bonfire that is partially buried, the few pieces sticking up being bones instead of wood. Chairs and benches are scattered about the area, all of them covered in a thin layer of sand. Poles with blood-dripping hooks dangling from the top have been placed around the edge of the trees, which rustle in the slight breeze. The intruders find the silence unnerving as they sneak into the unsecured tents whose owners have left in search of food. Eyes glowing red thanks to a hastily made night vision spell, the pair hunt for night cloaks and cut a hole in the top of each hood. The removed pieces are pocketed to be planted on one person later in case another group of enemies comes to investigate the hideout after the attack.

  Mab quickly realizes that she is moving faster than Luther, so she waits by the last tent that she saw him go into. Watching his shadow move, the burglar is tempted to poke her head in and speak, but knows that they are both on edge and can spook easily. Quietly stepping away to avoid startling her companion, Mab stops when she catches a sour smell in the air. Thinking it came from the nearest tent, she is about to go inside when she steps on something damp and sticky. Creeping back, she crouches and focuses on the sand, which looks no different than the rest of the desert. Inching closer, she slips her fingers under the surface and briefly senses that she is touching a solid object. Digging around, she eventually pulls up a skull that is no bigger than her fist. Part of the spine is still attached and the mouth shows large fangs, which sends a chill throughout her muscles.

  “I was wondering if they executed those who doubted the cause,” Luther whispers as he joins his friend. Taking the body part, he carefully puts it back in the sand and tries his best to make it look like it has not been disturbed. “We’re almost done. With there being only one guard, we can talk softly while we work. This might go faster if we take the same tent from now on since they all have three to four night cloaks. Judging from the amount of gear, I’d say my estimate of their forces was wrong. Definitely closer to one-hundred and fifty.”

  “Something about this feels off,” Mab admits before going into the next tent. Wanting to get out of the camp, she rushes through her work and uses her claws instead of the scissors. “They left one person to guard the whole camp? If they really wanted to protect this place then they’d leave more. If they were trying to stay hidden then they’d send out a smaller hunting party and learn to share. Where are they getting people from anyway? That new desert city is too far for them to reach in one night and the nomads would have already chased them back here to have a battle.”

  “I’ve sensed movements in the trees that aren’t caused by the breeze,” the forest tracker states before heading for the next tent. Drawing his sickles, he uses them to carve the holes in a few neat strokes. “Maybe there are birds in there, but we should still be cautious. We can keep talking if we whisper. If we haven’t been found out by now then it’s obvious that nobody is listening to us. So, is Clyde okay?”

  “No, but he’s getting there.”

  “That would explain why he was acting so mellow.”

  “I think there’s stuff on his mind too.”

  “And he hasn’t talked to you about it?”

  “Seems that way, but I’m patient.”

  Luther stops to catch Mab by the arm and pulls her into the shadows, his ears picking up on footsteps in the distance. “I believe the guard has increased his pace and is close, so we have a minute before we can be in the open again. Are you okay with Clyde being back? I know it’s what you wanted, but you don’t seem as happy as I expected. If it’s because he sent me with you instead of coming along himself then I can talk to him about taking solo missions once we get back to Nyte. At least until you and he settle things.”

  “That’s sweet, but I was worried long before today,” Mab answers while sniffing at the wind. She catches the sour scent again, which strikes her with such force that her head spins and she nearly throws up. “These bastards have a lot of bodies hidden around here. It’s definitely the stench of recently burned vampire. Look, I’m as surprised as everyone else about how Clyde came back stronger. It has me worried that there’s a problem we aren’t seeing. Him being unsure of himself during that meeting didn’t help. Can you remember any time in the past where he lacked confidence or made a plan so haphazardly?”

  “Actually, I remember him doing the latter quite frequently when time was short, but I agree about your first concern,” Luther says as he leads the way to the remaining tents. He trips over something moving through the sand and rolls back to his feet in one smooth motion. “Be careful where you step. Felt like a large snake, which isn’t surprising for the desert. Let’s get these done and hurry back. One of the traitors might have vampirized the local fauna and left them as the real guards. I should have expected that, but it never crossed my mind that it could be done in the desert.”

  A whooping shout is enough of a warning for the vampires to jump away from each other and avoid the guard. The gaunt man sends a pillar of sand into the sky as he comes down with his metal spear. Barreling out of the falling curtain, he attacks Luther, who expertly deflects the long weapon. Signaling for Mab to finish sabotaging the night cloaks, the forest tracker runs backwards to draw their enemy away. He lunges whenever the guard turns towards the burglar, his sickles repeatedly curving around the spear to slice the man’s skin. The injuries are not enough to slow the traitor down, but the jolts of pain keep him focused on Luther. Darting to the side, the agile warrior leaps over a tent and comes around to get at his enemy’s flank. As he turns the corner, the forest tracker spots the longer weapon swingi
ng for his legs and jumps to come down on the polearm. Standing between the guard’s arms, he flips in order to knock the spear to the sand and deliver a kick to the jaw. The instant Luther hits the ground, he rushes forward to drive one of his sickles into the guard’s chainmail-covered chest and twists before yanking it up through the body. With a spin, he decapitates the stumbling vampire and cleans his weapons on two rags sticking out the back of his belt.

  “So much for them not knowing we were here,” Mab says as she runs over. Grabbing Luther by the arm, she is about to keep going, but skids to a stop. “Looks like there was some kind of alarm and the others are coming back. They’re swarming over most of the dunes like they were waiting for this. The others are lucky that they’re on the one side that the traitors aren’t coming from. What are our options?”

  “Fight, hide, or die,” Luther replies, the enemies’ red eyes glowing in the distance. Spinning in a circle, he tries to find an escape route aside from the one that would lead the approaching army to their friends. “There’s more of them than before, which means they’ve been going out to turn mortals instead of feeding on them. Still doesn’t make any sense since the amount who left was the same when they returned every other night. That’s a problem for later though. If there weren’t those snakes then I’d suggest we burrow.”

  “Then we rush the line and break it,” the burglar declares while bending down to take the dead vampire’s spear. Unused to the long weapon, she struggles to find the most comfortable way to hold it. “Once we get to the dunes, we can split up and hide until dawn. Unless you want to try for the trees. You said getting too close attracted the guards, which isn’t really a problem now. I doubt there’s anything dangerous in there since it would have attacked us already. At the very least, we can get into the trees, cast our invisibility spells, and sneak away once we get an opening.”

  Luther is about to agree when a blast of lightning erupts from a dune to their right. A booming voice from behind the enemy army can be heard, but the words are too guttural to understand. Streams of fire arc over the camp from the direction of a mysterious figure who stands atop a growing dune, his giant swords held high above his head. Glowing warriors loom out of the horizon to stand around the stranger, many of them floating through the air to land on the backs of snarling camels. Snorting and hissing, the ethereal mounts spit blue globs of acid that leave steaming holes in the sand. Forgetting about the two intruders, the traitors rush for the new threat and drown out the opposing general’s voice with a chorus of howls. Instead of meeting the charge, the ghostly warriors back away to lead the vampires over the dunes. Their movements eventually become too obvious and the army begins to see through the complicated illusions, the mental effort causing all of them to bleed from their noses. By the time they have convinced everyone that the phantoms are a trick, Mab and Luther have disappeared into the shadows.

  *****

  “We see you!” Bob shouts while waving at the camp. Standing atop the dune, he hurls rocks at the tents until the other vampires take notice. “You’re surrounded and should give up! Unless you want to die fighting, which would be seen as more honorable. I prefer that too, so put on your night cloaks and come at me. I’ve been waiting for a fight since I’m a fearsome warrior with an army waiting for his signal. What are you weaklings going to do about me? I know you can hear me! Your makers drink cockroach blood!”

  Instead of rushing across the sand, the traitors take their time coming out of their tents and gather on one side of the camp. They refuse to move forward even with Bob making rude gestures and dancing in a circle. A few take a single step when he removes his cloak and swings it over his head, the flamboyant display ending when he feels too weak to continue. Several of the vampires turn to the trees and cock their heads to the sides as if listening to a voice that only they can hear. Minutes pass before they begin to disperse and ignore the distant elf’s incessant taunting. Some go so far as to remove their night cloaks and head back into their tents for extra sleep. Those who stay in the open go about cleaning the poles that are dotted with dry flesh and flecks of splintered bone.

  It is a faint rumbling that brings their attention back to the dancing vampire, who waves while he sinks into the dune. As Bob’s fingers slip beneath the surface, a herd of thirty camels comes charging into view. Large cloaks of various colors have been put on the animals, which are barely able to see from under their hoods. The grunting and slavering beasts rush the camp, their crimson eyes and ivory fangs revealing that they have been vampirized. Working off instinct and bloodlust, the recently fed creatures increase their speed and strength as they smash through the tents. Anyone inside gets trampled and impaled thanks to the undead camels having grown spikes on the underside of their wide feet. As the herd begins to lose its collection of night cloaks, they are weakened by the sun, but possess enough natural power to maintain an advantage over the surprised army. Within minutes, the camp has fallen into chaos and both forces have spread out among the tents.

  Whooping and cheering, Bob bursts from the sand and lands on the back of the largest camel. Wielding a polished lance, he knocks enemies away and swings around his steed’s neck to stab people in the head. With less fanfare, Titus and Decker drop their invisibility spells to go after the vampires who are proving to be the most dangerous. Making their way through the scrambling army, the pair effortlessly kill any who come within reach. It is not until they get closer to the trees that challenging opponents appear, the damaged night cloaks not having as much of an effect as the gang had hoped. Even with their best warriors gaining ground, many of the weaker vampires attempt to retreat in the opposite direction of the initial attack. Leaving trails of dust in their wake, Clyde, Mab, and Luther come sprinting over the dunes to intercept the escapees. The agile warriors zigzag around the outskirts of the area at top speed, which forces the surviving traitors to remain in the camp and fight.

  “I expected them to be braver,” Mab mentions as she darts through the tents. Stopping at Titus’s side, she eviscerates a vampire with her knife and whirls around to slice another enemy in half. “Damn it, that broke my weapon. How are you doing? I know your swords have durability enchantments, but these guys are pretty dense. Not talking stupid, but it’s like I’m cutting through dread boar hide.”

  “Haven’t really noticed, but I am stronger than you,” her brother responds before slashing a vampiric calico through the shoulders. He takes a moment to watch Decker set two warriors on fire and pursue a squad that is chasing Bob. “I’m more concerned with how they fell into chaos so quickly. Some are organized, but the rest are either retreating or going wild. Maybe this was a recruiting post, so nobody here really knows each other. One thing I can tell you is that there aren’t any nobles here.”

  “Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing,” the burglar admits with a smirk. Diving at an approaching enemy, she steals the woman’s sword and spins to lop the stunned vampire’s head off. “Running out of tricks here. How about we set fire to everything like Decker is doing? I’m sure those trees will go up fairly quickly. At the very least, it would be a lot easier to figure out what they’re hiding if they’re reduced to ashes.”

  “Somebody is impatient.”

  “I’m no longer happy about choosing the desert hideout.”

  “Told you and Bob that sand would get everywhere.”

  “I know . . . Why is Luther waving his arms?”

  “Bob and Decker are leaving the camp too.”

  “Duck!”

  Enhancing her strength, Mab swings her leg at the back of Titus’s knees and knocks him to the ground. The taller vampire feels a gust of wind rake across his face as a barbed branch sails over his head. Rolling away, the siblings struggle to get to their feet and figure out what is going on. With a powerful leap, they clear several tents and get a clear view of the moving trees. Root-like feet pull themselves free of the sand, which flows into the holes and makes it difficult for the enormous creatures to advance. Tendri
ls sprout from their toes to burrow through the ground and erupt to coil around the dead, injured, and any camels that are not quick enough to escape the surprise attacks. Growing fanged maws on their trunks, the trees devour their prey and their leaves turn red as they absorb every drop of blood.

  The clump of living forest abruptly turns toward Mab and Titus, who are nearly at the edge of the camp. Roots slither beneath the sand and send anything they come across into the air, including the buried skeletons of those who were executed. Coming within reach of the siblings, the trees roar and have the woody projections explode from below. The thick wall of debris makes it difficult for the vampires to see the danger and the chaotic barrage comes close to snaring them. Titus slashes at the thick roots while Mab skillfully avoids their barbed ends, but both of them are quickly stripped of their night cloaks. Steadily sapped of strength and speed, they are unable to defend themselves and get knocked to the shifting ground. The projections rise high into the air and twist before lancing toward the exhausted pair, who struggle to crawl out of the way.

  “What kind of freak turns oakind into vampires?” Clyde asks, his weapon cleanly slicing through the roots. He continues swinging his buzzing sword while kicking his friends clear of the camp. “Surprised you guys are so strong since you’re exposed. Do those leaves act as night cloaks or maybe vampire plants are powered by the sun? Pretty sure I get the plan now. This is some kind of secret arbor where you guys are made and then you’re snuck into the forests around Nyte. I’d be impressed if it didn’t put my friends in danger. Where is the end of these damn things?”