The group continued down the road until they arrived at a vast but thin crater. "This is the spot," Jaz announced as she pointed to the fallen trees that lined the road.
"Daggum," Vlad replied as he took in the wreckage. "The monster did that?"
"Yup," Jaz said. "That crater is its footprint."
"Lemme have a look," Vlad announced before tossing the sleeping badger over his head and hopping down into the crater.
Jaz watched in shock as the small animal careened into the road; jolting the badger awake. "Vlad!" She gasped as the animal slowly picked himself up.
"What?" Vlad confusedly asked as he looked back at the princess. "Isn't that what we are here to do?"
"B-but… You… R-Ralph?" The princess stammered, still in shock by the man's uncaring actions.
"You are right!" Vlad exclaimed. "Ralphie, boy, come take a look at this. What do you think?"
Ralph looked at his friend in annoyance before slowly making his way to the crater. With a light squeak, he hopped inside and rejoined his comrade.
"Whatchya think, mate? Seen anything like it?"
Ralph stood silent; his eyes locked firmly on his friend in a burning rage of hatred.
"Looks like those are the toes." Vlad said as he pointed to three round boulder shaped indentations at the front of the crater. "But there's only one print. Suppose he is hopping around on one leg?"
Jaz swayed her head in disbelief by the man's suggestion. "You know what?" She sarcastically asked. "I think you are right!"
Vlad grinned in excitement as he looked down at his annoyed animal friend. "A one-legged behemoth! Hopping around like a pogo stick! This is quite the creature, mate!"
"I don't know what else it could be," Jaz sarcastically continued. "Unless the print was made by a normal two-legged behemoth taking long strides because it has long legs."
"Aye," Vlad agreed. "But there is only one print, love. For that to be true, there would have to be another."
"You mean like that one?" Jaz asked, pointing to a second crater several yards past the forest's clearing.
"Well, I suppose so," Vlad said as he scratched his chin. "Any thoughts, Ralphie?"
Ralph continued staying silent; his enraged eyes still locked on his dense friend.
"I agree, mate," Vlad said as he returned his attention to Jaz. "I'm stumped. Looks like we are going to need some help on this one."
"Some help? Jaz mocked. "You don't say! And who do you suppose is going to be able to help up with this?"
"Dunno, darling," The man replied as he bent down to feel the imprint with his hand. "A tracker. We definitely require a tracker."
"Do you know of any trackers?" The princess continued.
"Nope," Vlad answered as he stood back up. The pale man pondered the question for a moment more before his eyes lit up. "Say, Ralph, think he will be able to help?"
Ralph didn't answer. The small animal's face loosened up, realizing the simple-minded man wasn't going to perceive the badger's anger.
"I bet he will!" Vlad exclaimed. "Clyde always knows what to do in these situations."
"Clyde?" Jaz asked.
"Clyde!" Vlad confirmed. "Old pal of ours. Bit of a war tactician, that one. Clyde's been in five wars. He even caused three of them."
"He caused three wars?"
"Aye," Vlad continued. "Though, he tends to stretch the truth a bit. Claims the prior one was a war. I reckon it was just an indifference of opinions between two hostile parties."
"Isn't that the definition of a war?" The princess questioned.
"Depends on who you ask," Vlad answered. 'But can it really be a war if it scarcely lasts for only a weekend?"
"Good point," Jaz replied. "So, where is this Clyde?"
"Last I heard he was carrying out some work in Inncastle," Vlad continued. "However, that was four seasons ago. He does tend to fritter away much of his time in Hagglespire."
"Hagglespire and Inncastle are on opposite sides of the continent!" Jaz exclaimed.
"Clyde does get around," Vlad explained as he pulled himself out of the crater.
"Well, you can't check both," Jaz huffed.
"I suppose not," the pale man agreed. "What do you think, Ralphie?"
Ralph shook his head as he struggled to pull himself out of the hole and back onto the road.
"You're right!" Vlad exclaimed. "Ravenwood it is!"
"Ravenwood?" Jaz confusedly asked. "Clyde will be in Ravenwood?"
"Unlikely," Vlad answered as he skipped down the road.
"Then why are we going to Ravenwood?" Jaz sighed as she anticipated another stupid answer.
"There is a tavern in Ravenwood," Vlad explained with a smile on his face.
"Obviously, there is a tavern," Jaz mumbled beneath her breath.
"Coming, love?" Vlad asked as he and the badger continued down the road.
Not sure of which way to go (and not wanting to travel alone) Jaz reluctantly agreed. The group continued down the road until the sun began to set. The trio decided to stop and prepare camp before it became too dark to see.
"Alright, Ralphie, go get us some kindling," Vlad commanded. "I'll stay here and set up some seating out of those logs. Why don't you prepare us up some grub, darling?"
Both ralph, and Jaz stared at the pale man in disagreement. "Cook up some grub?" Jaz huffed. "With what?"
"I don't know," Vlad said as he shook off the question. "You're a woman. Don't you gals know this stuff?"
"Oh!" Jaz's face ignited into a rage. "So, because I'm a woman, I know how to cook?"
"Well, don't you?"
"That's unimportant!" Jaz screamed.
Ralph shook his head as the pair continued to argue. The badger looked about the camp as he searched for anything edible that the party could eat. A single chirping blue jay gripped the badger's attention. The small bird sat perched in a modest twig nest nestled at the top of an average sized birch tree. The badger undid his cloak and placed it neatly atop a nearby log before rubbing his tiny paws together in anticipation. The furry animal exhaled softly before leaping onto the trunk of the tree. With a light grunt, he shimmied his way up the birch and took a seat upon the branch holding the jay's nest.
"Tweet tweet!" The blue jay warned as the badger inched his way closer to the nest. "Cheep-cheep!"
"Chk-chk-chk," Ralph squeaked as he pulled himself in front of the bird.
A moment of silence passed as the two creature's gaze stayed locked on one another. "Cheep?" the bird chirped nervously as a smile grew across the badger's face.
"Ba-Whooga!" Ralph screamed as it faked a lunge towards the small bird.
"Tweet!" The bird cried out in fear as it shot off the tree.
Pleased with his work, the badger snickered softly before lifting three small eggs from the nest. The furry animal gripped the eggs close to his chest as he slid down the tree and made his way back to the group.
"What was that all about?" Vlad asked as the badger approached him.
The badger pushed past his friend and strutted proudly over to Jaz before plopping the eggs into her hands.
"Good job mate!" Vlad exclaimed with a hearty laugh. "Looks like we have dinner. Now, what about that firewood?"
Ralph turned towards his friend with a broad grin plastered on his face. The furry animal lifted a small finger and pointed towards the forest before picking its cloak from the log.
"Looks like that's up to you," Jaz chuckled as she patted the badger atop his head.
"Fine," Vlad grumbled as he headed off into the forest.
------------------------------
The group sat quietly around the fire devouring their eggs as the last rays of the sun disappeared beyond the horizon. It was a peaceful meal; just enough food for each member to eat their fill.
Once finished, Vlad removed his tinted shades and began to polish the smooth glass. Jaz looked into the man's eyes for the first time; examining the man's blood-stained orbs intently. A slight shimmer of blue broke through the glowing amber irises, hinting at the brilliant color the man's eyes once were.
"What are you?" Jaz asked, concerned for her own safety.
"What am I?" Vlad chuckled as he continued polishing the round spectacles. "You tell me," he replied with a mischievous smile.
"Demon?" The princess asked as she slowly pushed herself away from the man.
"Demon?" Vlad snickered. "Aye!" Vlad looked up from his polishing and locked eyes with the concerned woman. "It is I! The destroyer of worlds! I am the darkness all men fear! I am the almighty Gilgamesh!"
Ralph rolled on the floor in laughter as the frightened woman stared at the two comrades in confusion.
"Relax, love," Vlad replied. "I'm no demon."
"Then why are your eyes stained red?" Jaz asked, still on edge by the man's ghastly appearance.
"Dunno, darling," Vlad answered. "It is possible it's my high blood pressure?" Or perhaps it's because I'm tired. It could be stress as well: you can never forget about that." Vlad finished polishing the tinted glass and placed them over his eyes before leaning back against the tree with both hands behind his head. "But it's likely the vampirism."
Jaz's mouth fell open as the words sank in. Although they were rare, vampires were perceived to be downright savage creatures. They were swifter and more vigorous than any mere man; and held a taste for blood that could never be quenched. The young princess was in grave danger.
"You're going to start catching flies, love, if you aren't careful," Vlad laughingly replied. "It would be best to close that trap."
"Vampirism?" Jaz gasped as she threw herself away from the man.
"Aye," Vlad replied. "That a problem, love?"
"Problem?" Jaz squeaked as she backed herself into a tree. "You're a vampire!"
"Aye," Vlad agreed once more. "I think we already established that."
"But you were in a tavern!" Jaz cried.
"So?" Vlad's brow arched as he tried to follow the girl's point. "There a problem with a man getting a pint ever once in a while?"
"What about the garlic?" Jaz gasped. "They served garlic at the tavern."
"Disgusting stuff," Vlad snorted. "What about it?"
"It's supposed to kill you!"
"Kill me?" Vlad laughed. "You humans with your stereotypical prejudices. Garlic is absolutely disgusting, but it isn't going to kill me, love. Think about it. Have you ever heard of a man killing a vampire by flinging a bit of garlic on him?"
"Well… No," Jaz relied as she tried to think back on the various tales she had heard of men slaying vampires. "I don't believe I have."
"Exactly!" Vlad continued. "The sole way garlic would kill me would be if I choked on it. And that vile stuff isn't coming anywhere close to my mouth, darling. Not to mention, if anyone was stupid enough to throw bits of that smelly spice in someone's face, they deserve to have their throats ripped out. That's just bloody rude!"
"What about wooden stakes?" The princess added. "Aren't wooden stakes supposed to kill you as well?"
"Well, duh," Vlad snorted. "You ever been stabbed with a stake and live from it?"
"N-no," Jaz stammered. "I can't say that I have."
"Well, there you go," Vlad continued. "Those pokey sticks are just as deadly to you as they are to me. I tell you what: If you won't stab me with one, I won't stab you with one."
Jaz's face turned morbid as a grim thought entered her mind. "What about blood?" She asked; her voice lowering to a serious whisper.
"The blood?"" Vlad's left brow raised as he observed the concerned woman tense up in freight.
"The blood?" Jaz asked once more. "Don't you require it to survive?"
Vlad stayed silent for a moment as the girl surveyed the man's face closely in anticipation. The pale man's complexion stiffened as he directed his attention towards the crackling fire. "Require? No. Desire? Yes."
Jaz's muscles tensed up further as she tried to comprehend what the man suggested. "What do you mean?"
"Vampires don't consume blood as a necessity," Vlad explained. His eyes locked upon the dancing flickers of red and yellow flames. The words flowed from his lips like a silent hiss of a snake flicking its tongue. "We drink to fill our thirst. A never-ending thirst yearning for the dark thick liquid red iron. It haunts us. It consumes our thoughts and dreams." The man pulled a small silver flask from his breast pocket. He slowly loosened the lid and raised the bottle to his lips. "It screams in our ears; demanding we devour every… Last… Drop."
Jaz stayed poised to move as she listened to the vampire's words. She observed the man's face as he sucked a monstrous gulp from the silver container. The pale man lowered the flask slowly before returning his gaze back on the girl. "Nasty addiction, that is," he smirked. "Rum tastes a hell of a lot better."
Jaz's muscles relaxed as she realized the man was no more of a threat than a drunken buffoon. "That's rum?" She asked in disbelief.
"Aye," Vlad replied with a hearty chuckle. "The darkest rum you can find from here to Vermuth." Vlad took another large swig before fastening the lid on the flask and placing the canister back in his breast pocket.
Jaz inched her way back to her seat as Vlad returned his gaze towards the fire. "So, who is this tactician person?" She asked, trying to change the subject.
"Ahh, Clyde," Vlad exhaled. "Remarkable guy. One of the best battle tacticians I know."
Jaz's face lit up as she was intrigued by the man's knowledge of war strategists. "Really? How many battle tacticians do you know?"
"Just one," Vlad replied as he kicked a rock into the fire.
Jaz's face soured as she realized how little the man understood of the subject. "You merely know one battle tactician? How can he be the best you know?"
"Well, there was another," Vlad added as he scratched his chin.
"So, you know two?"
"I'm not so sure he counts, though," Vlad continued.
"And why is that?" Jaz sighed.
"He's sort of dead," Vlad explained.
"Sort of?"
"Well, his head is however going but the rest of his body isn't attached. Can someone really be alive if they're missing a torso?"
"I-I don't… What?" Jaz stuttered in utter confusion.
"Some mage placed the bloke's head in a jar," Vlad explained. "Dubs it his 'oracle;' whatever that means." Vlad continued to ramble on as the young princess tried to piece together the vampire's insane story. The group was so focused on the pale man's tale that no one noticed the light shuffling of feet rustling in the grass behind them. "Not sure what happened to the man's legs. However, my friend Phil says he has one of his toes on a necklace. Not sure why someone would want another man's toe around their neck; but more power to you, I suppose."
Thump! The crack of hard wood bouncing off a man's skull reverberated along the small clearing. With an oomph, Vlad slumped forward; falling face first into the dirt.
Jaz stared in shock as Ralph jumped to his feet. The badger ripped a large burning stick from the fire and leapt towards his fallen friend.
"Ahh!" Jaz screamed as a dark burlap bag was thrown over her head. Her screams muffled slightly as the bag was secured and the girl was pulled into the dark forest.
Undecided of whether he should defend his fallen friend or chase after the kidnapped girl, Ralph danced nervously around the campsite; swinging the flaming rod wildly as he searched for the unknown foes.
"Drop it, furball," A raspy voice called out from the shadows. "You're surrounded."
Ralph jumped around to face the voice, his teeth clenched in a snarl. The badger's fierce complexion faded as a circle of goblins forced their way out of the somber forest, surrounding the lone fighter.
"Like I said, drop it," the voice repeated as a single grey-haired goblin approached the badger.