Vampire Huntress

The fetid air of newly hatched vampires burned Syl's nose. It went all the way down to her throat.The fog was so thick that the full moon's glare could barely penetrate it. Moisture from the fog makes it easier to track creatures because their scent intensifies. Both the Hunters and Vampires are at risk."They are freshly spawned." Rigel, the new member of their team, pointed out the obvious. Newborn vampires reeks."Makes it easier for us then. It'll take only half an hour." Team Leader Bryce sneered. "Put all of your training loose here. Use every technique you know. It'll be like a training session."This homicidal freak. Syl thought. New vampires may be weak and have no fighting technique, but they are vicious like hungry predators.Never underestimate your enemy, even the weak ones. Syl learned it the hard way."We don't know their exact number, Sir. And from this distance we cannot even estimate how big the nest is." Syl frowned at the team leader.Bryce turned his hateful eyes on Syl. "Are you saying you're incapable of keeping up with us, Apprentice?" He mocked, knowing fully that she was a Huntress, not an Apprentice.Syl bit the inside of her cheek. His hatred and jealousy toward her will get them killed. Even though he was the team leader and older than her, Syl had been a Huntress longer than he.Syl lowered her eyes even though her every instinct was telling her not to. Bryce let out a self- satisfied huff."Put your mask on. The stretch might burn your lungs as all of you are not accustomed to this field. Your breathing technique is weak." Bryce ordered the group, putting a mask on himself too.Hypocrite. Syl rolled her eyes. She already put on her mask before she left the guild."Are we going headfirst to the nest?" A huntress asked Bryce."Yes. Even though these newborns are ferocious, their control is weak. They don't have a consciousness you can say." Bryce led them through the narrow path between the dense alley of trees. There, about fifteen feet away is a cave where the nest is held. The size of the cave was small. But there might be more space underground. She sharpens her senses more. Here the fog is lighter but the contamination aura is stronger.Syl frowned. There was an aura of something else. She hesitated, looking around the forest then shook her head. It seems like there are dozens of newly made vampires clustered together in the cave. That's probably why the aura is so different. It is very risky for vampires to be in a crowd when they are recently made. They don't have control and can end up killing each other. The strong diminishing the weak.Syl kept her hands at the casual reach of her daggers and crept to the mouth of the cave. The others spread out in twos. Adrenaline pumped in her veins. She has been in this type of situation hundreds of times. The fear of failure and death is always there.No sounds were coming out of the cave. But that doesn't mean danger lurks. At her side Rigel gulped, his breathing uneven. He saw her watching him and grimaced, wiping the sweat from his forehead."There's nothing wrong with being scared. You've got to get over being ashamed of being scared, because it will slow you down. You can't afford that. Just don't lose your focus. Staying unalert for a Hunter is an invitation for death." Syl whispered to him with a reassuring nod.Rigel gripped his blades tighter and the Hunter's focus was back in his eyes.Syl made her way deeper into the cave, Rigel following her. There's a vast space inside the cave and a little more walking revealed a small entrance to another cave. Makes sense. If the Master Vampire who made them wanted mass production of vampires quickly, there's no other place than a scheduled location. She could already hear the screeching of vampires and sloshing sounds of blood coming from the inside. Bryce wasted no time.The inside of the cave revealed chaos. Utter chaos. The Hunters were full on unruly fighting mode. Laughing and using whatever techniques they know on the vampires. The vampire were feverishly screeching and frantically fighting with their claws and fangs. The stone floor of the cave became slippery with blood and other organs, Syl was sure none of them was from the Hunters.Some of the Hunters' veins glowed blue. It means they activated their Hunter magic which will make them stronger. Syl cringed. There's no need to use Hunter's magic for easy kills. Hunter's magic drains energy fast. They can't ever be sure if the newly hatched vampires are their only foes. Always be ready for surprises.Three vampires came for Syl. She pulled out her whip and whipped two of them in the face, staggering them and stabbed the other one on the heart with her dagger. The other two gained their balance and hissed at Syl. Drool dripped from their fanged mouths, veins pulled at their forehead and around the eyes, skinning gray skin, and numb red eyes. With unnatural speed they launched at Syl.But Syl was faster.She pulled her dagger from the dead vampire's heart, and slashed it in an arc so that it slit both the vampire's neck at once. The vampires fell to the floor, spasming and bleeding out. Syl watched as the numb red in their eyes went out, the human consciousness came and then went out. If the vampires were fully transformed, they wouldn't die so easily. The newly made vampires are so fragile, it almost made Syl guilty. It felt unfair to fight something so much weaker than you. Syl shook her head. No. There's no going back for them.Syl got into a rhythmic motion, easily fending off vampires with swift stabbing and whipping. From around her she heard a scared scream and saw that a big vampire had Rigel on the floor and drank from him.The vampire exploded, Rigel and everything around him splatter with flesh and blood. Rigel gagged and sat up, wiping bits of blasted flesh from his face. The Hunters around him laughed. The serum saved Rigel.Every Hunter must drink the special serum before fighting any vampire. The serum makes Hunter's blood explosive for vampires. If any vampire drank that serum infused Hunter blood, they would explode like a bomb. The serum will only work if a person has Hunter's blood. Non-Hunter blood nullifies the serum. And only Head Hunters know where the serum comes from.Soon, Syl and her team cleared the whole cave. The burning smell lessened but the air was sticky. No Hunter was gravely injured, just some cuts and bites which can easily be fixed with bandages. However, the strange aura was still not gone. Syl looked around. She can't even tell anybody about the aura. They wouldn't believe it. Plus Syl's ability of sensing aura is a secret only Syl and Diana, her trainer, knows.Bryce clapped his hands, "Work is not done, you pipsqueaks. We gotta burn this whole fucking cave down." He left the cave, leaving others to do the work. Syl scowled at him.They got to work, spreading explosive powder around the cave. Syl noticed some of the Hunters were slouching. Serves them right for using their powers so carelessly. She smirked.After spreading, they got out of the cave. Bryce handed Syl the incendiary glass orb and motioned her to throw it inside the cave. Syl raised an eyebrow at him. This part is hazardous and apparently Bryce is a coward. He gave her a mocking smile, "Go ahead, Apprentice. Show me your skills."An idea came up in Syl's head. She made a show of accidentally dropping the orb. Bryce let out a squeaky scream and leaped backwards. Syl caught the orb with her foot, before it fell, and kicked it deftly inside the cave. Hot air blasted on Syl's face. She snickered and walked past a bristling Bryce.A shout came from outside before Bryce could do anything. They got outside and saw another team standing."Would you lend us a hand, vampire unit?" The team leader asked. Syl scanned the team. They weren't obviously from the vampire hunter unit as they had more stylish and upgraded weapons and marks on their bodies.Bryce crossed his arms and asked, "What unit are you guys from?""Mixed. A blend of different units. We were ordered to immediately demolish the supernatural inhabited area sighted recently." The team leader paused and then smirked. "We could use some extra hands. And Head Hunter Felix said bonuses for everyone who participates."Greed shone in Bryce's eyes. "Alright. Let's go team. I'll teach you something new today." He motioned his team to follow the other unit. Syl and the other team members were hesitating. They have never fought anything besides vampires. And Syl have no interest in bonuses. Bryce noticed their stalling and laughed, "Stop being pussies. It's going to be exciting, you'll see. Danger lurks beyond the world of vampires. You gotta learn the basics of everything."The team had no other choice but to follow the team leader.Turns out the inhabited location is not that far from Syl and her team's mission. That's why the aura was so strong.They are on a cliff overlooking a small area surrounded by forest. The supernaturals made a small camp in the location. Syl scanned the area and saw all kinds of creatures were there. Some took humanoid shapes and some stayed in their natural forms. The wolves among them began to howl, sensing the hunters approach. The creatures became fanatic and ran. Some took weapons and got ready to fight.The team leader passed everyone some kind of gas bombs. "Throw them at the camp and attack. Do not hesitate. And make sure to clear the entire perimeter around the forest too." The leader took off, others following.Syl tilted her head at Bryce's retreating back. I thought he was going to teach us. Bryce's teaching probably meant meeting danger first and learning later if you survive. Syl scoffed.They launched the gas bombs and the air fogged. Some supernatural creatures see through fog, but Syl guessed the fog was there to harm them, seeing how the creatures and monsters were swaying and coughing.Crying and growling came from all around. Syl's mouth dried and her heartbeat quickened. She had a bad feeling about this.Someone pushed her inside the fog. Her vision blurred. Needle-like pain pricked at her throat and she coughed. Her senses tingled and she saw a bear-like creature with large horns leaped at her. She rolled away and stood up. The pricking at her throat was still present. Her insides went cold when she saw the creature rubbing one leg on the ground, preparing to finish Syl with one jump. She gripped her weapons. She doesn't know how to fight this creature.She exhaled shakily. Syl, you've fought vampires far more terrifying than this creature. She consoled herself.The creature ran, leaped, and swung its deathly claws toward Syl. She blocked the claws by crossing two of her big daggers. The creature put its weight on her daggers. Syl's arms tremble. Shit it's strong.It snapped its jaws on Syl's face and quick reflex saved Syl from getting her head ripped off. The creature took off its paws from the daggers and slapped Syl's on her side. She flew and landed hard on her other side. Her breath left her and pain blazed on her sides. She shakily got up and launched at the creature. She looped her whip around the creature's head and tugged. The beast roared in pain, Syl felt the sound reverberate in her chest. She got close and stabbed the creature on its neck. The creature jumped and threw Syl off, her hand slipping from the whip. It swung its head downward then up, tearing Syl's leather and skin with its horns. Pain surged and Syl saw blood coming out of the pierced skin on her stomach. Okay, enough stalling.Syl concentrated on the area between her neck and back. Cold and warm sensations rushed through her and her veins glowed blue. Energy and strength surged through her whole body. She sighed as her pain lessened. Her Huntress magic activated.She launched herself on the creature's back and again looped her whip around its neck, tightening and holding it firmly. It howled and moved aggressively from side to side. Syl gritted her teeth and held on. She repeatedly stabbed the creature on its neck, ichor sprinkling her face and hands. It finally stopped moving and whined, falling to the ground. Syl got off as the life drained off of the creatures.A slimy thing jostled Syl aside. She regained her balance just as it threw rocks at her. She dodged them and saw a bony, blue and tall creature. Its skin is slimy and nearly transparent. Oh give me a break.Syl had no idea what kind of creatures she was fighting but she avoided touching them with bare skin. This creature was easy to kill as it damages easily. But it's incredibly fast. Syl's hunter magic helped to match its speed.Syl lost track of time as she continued to fight creatures after creatures. Something inside her was getting excited as she killed, killed and killed. She felt herself grinning and stopped. She hides aside to take a break. She scanned the area and saw that many hunters and creatures were dying, but growls and sounds of fighting never stopped. Even though the creatures were weakened by the grey fog, their number seems to be never ending. She coughed again. Is this a plot to eliminate the weak hunters? Syl wondered. Why did the Head Hunters send so many types of hunters but none of them were special grade.Syl knew she was injured in a lot of places. But she'll feel them after the hunter magic wears off.She made her way to the edge of the forest and heard a child crying. What the hell? She ran to it and saw a green humanoid creature rocking her baby. They had pointed ears. Low Fae.She approached them carefully and saw the mother's ankle was twisted. The mother sensed Syl coming, "Please, spare us. Spare my baby at least. He's just a day old. Please, we had nowhere else to go." The fae mother cried.Syl's heart squeezed. What are we even doing? Killing innocents?Syl raised her hands and came close to them. "I'm not going to hurt you." She said shakily. "Let me get you out of here before others find and kill you."The mother nodded and held her baby close to her chest. Just as Syl was about to hold the mother, a small wolf tore at Syl's hands. She screamed and pushed the wolf away. Syl shielded the faes from the wolf. She was about to throw all of her knives at the wolf when suddenly a gun went off and made a hole in the wolf's head.Bryce came from the shadows, gun raised. He frowned at Syl's direction and shot two times. Syl froze. The sound of crying stopped. Syl couldn't stop her head from turning. The mother and child both had bullets through their body. No no no no. NO!A hysterical scream bubbled inside her throat. Bryce slapped her and slammed her into a tree. Her head bounced off but she couldn't feel the pain."What the fuck are you doing? Protecting these monsters?!" Bryce yelled and slammed her again.Syl can feel her tears building. "She was helpless. She did nothing. And the baby...the baby." She hiccupped.His face twisted into a snarl. Syl found it more monstrous than any of the creatures she encountered in her eighteen years of life. "Nothing?! Oh, I didn't know the Great Head Huntress Diana's protégé is so pathetic and dumb. Wait till Diana hears you've gone soft." He laughed at her face, his revolting breath made Syl gag.Syl's blood boiled at Bryce's taunts. She knew that speaking up against him would amplify her punishment, but she couldn't shake the fear of what her mentor, Diana, would think. Diana had trained her, believed in her, and Syl couldn't bear the thought of disappointing her even though she was scared shitless of Diana.A horn blasted and red sparks illuminated the sky. Retreat."I'll make sure you're dealt with sternly." Bryce released her.The journey back to the guild was tense. Many Hunters died from all units. The vampire Hunters who activated their magic earlier were all dead. Rigel died too, a hollow in his chest. Syl willed herself to stay indifferent to this massacre, comrades died all the time.The moment they arrived at the guild, Syl went straight to Diana's office, ignoring Bryce's shouting.She kept her hunter magic on as she stride through the modern concrete guild building. Syl needs to be on her full energy for this talk.She pushed the urge to slam open Diana's door. She knocked softly."Come in, Sylvia." Diana's assertive voice answered.Syl strode inside the pristine office. Diana sat behind her desk, keeping her eyes on the paper she was reading. Syl cleared her throat but Diana still didn't look up at her."I want out." As soon as those words left Syl, Diana stilled and slowly looked at her. Her black eyes flashed in shock as she met Syl's navy blue ones.Syl leaned back on the door and observed her teacher. Diana has black hair which she kept in a pixie cut, Syl also copied the hairstyle from her. Diana's build is of a fighter, who has years and years of experience. Her face is oval shaped with high cheekbones. Diana is in her late forties but she doesn't look a day over thirty."Do you know what you are saying?" Diana gritted it out, her hardened eyes glared. The scars on her forehead and cheek made her look more terrifying.Syl swallowed and crossed her shaking arms. "I want to leave hunting. I'm done with the cynical systems of the hunters. Release me of my oath.""Not possible." Diana scoffed. "A Hunter's oath is sacred and life binding. We don't take it lightly.""It is possible. I was a minor when I... no you manipulated me, to take the oath. It shouldn't bind me for life, Diana."Diana's face remained stern. "The oath is a solemn promise, regardless of your age."Syl's eyes flashed with defiance. "Then you can release me of my oath on your will, Head Huntress." She emphasized Diana's title."I will not do that. The oath ties your morals into protecting humanity against supernaturals and their darkness." Diana's stern gaze reminded."What if humanity is doing something wrong?" Syl released a frustrated huff. "What of the darkness against my own ranks? Today proved that superior humans destroy everything that doesn't match with their power. Killing innocent and helpless creatures? Killing one's own kin for the sake of easy elimination?!" Her voice rose in the end. The grief in her heart for the faes thickens.Diana stood up so quickly that her chair fell. Syl flinched but held her ground. She's not taking back her words, even if she faces severe punishment."Don't be swayed by these. This is the way things work in our world." Diana marches towards Syl. "This is no excuse to leave your duty." She stopped a few feet away from Syl.Even though Syl is taller than her, Diana's posture makes Syl look meek. "You knew Head Hunter Felix sent us on that mission, didn't you?" Syl asked, studying Diana's face. When inscrutable, Syl's heart pained. "What if I didn't make it, Diana?" Syl croaked out. Diana was closest to any emotional relation Syl had.Seeing Syl's vulnerable expression, Diana's eyes flashed with disgust. "You're here now, aren't you? I didn't train and cradle you all these years to die so pathetically." She shook her head. "What about catching your parents' murderers? Don't be a coward after all these years, Sylvia."The words were equivalent to punch in the gut. Syl took a breath. "I'll find another way.""Illegal way, you mean. You'll be hunted as a rogue if you forcibly leave. Think of the consequences and stop acting like a brat."Syl suddenly felt dizzy. "You made me a vampire huntress. Not some all rounder. This could be a violation of my rights, if I dig hard enough.""Are you sure that it was vampires that killed your parents?" Diana ignored Syl's statement.Syl didn't flinch away from her mentor's cryptic gaze. The tension in the room was palpable as Syl and Diana locked eyes. The air seemed to crackle with unspoken frustration and disappointment.Syl turned away, her shoulder tensed with determination, "I'll find a way, Diana. You better start searching for a new helpless child to be your next pupil." She closed the door, dodging the dagger that came for her head.