'Tarkus, you are requested in Thorden's room at once'
It took me a moment to realize the significance of these words, asleep as I was.
I forced myself out of the sleepy torpor and managed to respond
'What does the Grandmaster wants of me?'
'I cannot say, now move!'
Without responding, I prepared as fast as I could, and headed for the Wyrm's Den, the wing where all the highest charges were residing.
I rushed my way, but soon noticed that everyone was lloking at me, me and two other initiates who were now joining me.
In my three years in the monastery I could recall having seen this scene two times already:
We were being tested, as of today, we were not considered part of the temple anymore, unless we managed to complete a hunt.
A rite of passage, and a brutal one, as the hunt can prove fatal even to expert Crusaders.
Wes, an initiate known for its diligence and cold blood, a year younger than me, took the lead and was the first to arrive, knocking at the door.
The wait lasted a moment or two, but it felt like an eternity.
And then a response came 'Do come in, boys'
The Grandmaster's room were befitting his status, huge, with libraries stacked with books - most of them about monsters - and a desk on which maps and books were messily piled in.
Thorden was motionless in front of the window behind the desk, and took a momento to finish his book gazing outside from time to time.
He closed the book suddently.
'By now you should have guessed why you're here'
In his voice we could hear the weight of his many years, over three decades older than us, but today his voice was kinder than usual.
'My purpose isn't to guess, it is to defend the people from the darkness'
Wes responded immediatly, as always, reciting his Mentor's teaching by heart.
'Ah yes, that's what Ivan teaches these days, doesn't he?
Sit, boys, sit, we have important news for you all'
'Time flies so fast, doesn't it?'
We nodded, unsure on what to say.
After a brief pause he continued 'I remember the day each one of you entered this monastery'
As he said so, he stared us in the eyes, one by one
'Wes, you looked like you had something to prove, and still do.
Tarkus, you looked like a stray dog, look at yourself now, so distinguished.
And Jamie, quiet as the day we met'
He took his time speaking, weighting each word.
I couldn't help but feel as if he was trying to prolong this meeting, for what reason I could not say.
'But you cannot stop the flow of time. Today, we all officially recognize you all as man'
He moved away a number of books and scrolls, that fell on the ground, revealing the map of the region.
'But we cannot hold you forever here, that is why, as of today, you three are exiled from this place. A hunt will depart from the monastery this very day, you can join it, and be recognized as Crusaders, or leave this place, and make your own way in this world.
Their objective is Castle Vongraff, recent rumors speak of a Vampire there, who recently started terrorizing the area. I realize this is a scary prospect, Undeads have been the last foe for many Crusaders and initiates'
He paused, muttering a silent prayer for the fallen.
'Whatever your decision will be, know that I'll be proud of you all. Now go, you heard me ramble for far too long'
We wasted no time, turning one last time to each say our thanks to the Grandmaster, who was smiling to us, almost tearful.
By the door we could see three initiates, each with a bag, our bags.
They were forbid to speak with us, just as I had been a year before, when I too gathered and held all the belonging of a soon-to-be Crusader. Roik was his name, a griffon his first hunt. He never made it back.
After quickly checking the contents of the bag; a bedroll, rations for a week, a waterskin and a small bag of coins, plus our personal effects, in my case a ring, we were ready to go.
We headed out, but it was different from before, now we were proud, our gazes held high, our steps confident.
In the courtyard, just between the Main Hall and the gates that led outside, three of our instructors awaited us, each one with our new weapons and armor: a suit of chainmail, the tabard, and our favoured weapon, in my case a greatsword.
A few more steps and we were outside.
The gates closed behind us, this was the moment I had been waiting for the last three years, one last step and I would have been recognized as one of the heroes, the Crusaders who cleansed this world from evil.
Close to the gate, a party of seven, with a single mule was standing still, waiting.
For us.
'And who let this baby take up a sword and armor to pretend he's a full grown man?'
Careg, the eldest figher in the party addressed me as he reached closer
'The same that allow a senile old man to lead a hunt'
He stepped closer, but at this point we could barely contain laughter.
'Ah, I wonder who taught you to treat your elder like so, your instructor must have been a strange one'
'A bit of gray hair, but all I have is thanks to him'
'Hah! If you think you can sweet talk the hunt leader to get better rations, you are mistaken, Udgar is in charge of provisions, go pester him instead!
But that's enough banter, boy, go suit up with the others and join us when ready'
As he said so he gently pushed me toward Wes and Jamie, who were having a similiar conversation with their own mentors.
Wes was stern, always by the book, mirroring his mentor, Carth.
I could hear fragments of their conversation, but from what I could tell, Carth was already giving practical advices to his ward.
Jamie was nervously passing his spear from one hand to the other, chatting lively with his mentor. Ever so shy, it was strange to see him so cheerful, but he seemed to transform around Kobbe.
The mentors departed, allowing us to gear up.
And then we joined our first Hunt Council.
The air was tense as we approached the circle.
Careg, the Hunt Leader for this party by right of accomplishments, led the Council.
'Some of you might have heard the rumors, and unfortunately, it's true.
A Vampire recently moved into castle Basel. Do not underestimate this foe due to his size, those of you who already fought Undead monsters can confirm that they are cunning as they are vile, and size is just one of the layers they use to deceive us.
Our recon team investigated the close area, it seems like Vorakir, our target, has started subjugating the town of Baselica'
As he did so, Careg pointed to the city on the map, and traced the road back to the monastery before resuming
'We can assume all roads leading to the town to be unsafe, secrecy and lies are one of the strongest points of this infernal breed.
We can also assume our foe to be prepared for us, steel your hearts and keep an eye out for ambushes'
The other warrior were murmuring amongst themselves, but there was no sign of fear in their voices.
I could hear someobe, maybe Miles whisper 'A noname vampire, this'll be a walk in the park'
Careg raised his voice nontheless to silence the whole party.
'This means no roads, no horses, concealed camps and to only travel at day, we estimate this to be a two day trip. Every day and night you will all be required to bless your armor and weapons with holy water, and to always carry some garlic around.
Especially you'
He added looking firmly at Udgar, who couldn't help but smile.
'Udgar will be handling our provisions. Carth will be our vanguard. We are also to take in a cleric of the Congregation of Stone along the way, I hope there is no need to say so, but he will be our honored guest and I hope you treat him as such.
Also, Miles, you're in charge of the newbies, show them how a hunting party behaves. That includes no smart comments.
With that said, you're dismissed, you all have five minutes to prepare before we depart'
While the other warriors started going back to the monastery for one last goodbye to their ward, or to pick up their lucky charm, Miles reached out to us.
'Hey Jamie, you finally caught up to ol' Miles! I was so surprised when the Grandmaster didn't call for you last year, but we're finally back together, eh?
As for you two, always the serious types, huh? Come on, cheer up! You don't want to end up like that one!' He said pointing at Carth
The veteran clearly noticed the joke at his expense, but barely reacted, shaking his head.
Miles was a chatterbox and barely gave us time to ask questions, but he was thorough, if anything, in within the first five minutes we had already learned a few tips for the journey. And a few slurs I had no idea about.
After a few minutes the whole party was ready to depart.
We were ten in total:
Careg and Carth were the two veterans of the group, and while Careg was known for its speeches and pep talks, Carth never accepted to lead a party. They were so similiar in terms of achievements and age, but completely opposite characters.
Then there was Udgar, who was quite smaller in build compared to the rest, and looked more like an initiate than a crusader with ten years of experience, but he did have some impressive achievements under his name, and people trusted his foraging and organizational skills above all else.
Kobbe was joining us as well, considered by many the most learned of the fighters, his knowledge rivaled the Grandmaster's, and he had an unhortodox way of solving problems. Soft spoken and quiet, it often felt like the only people he cared speaking to was his ward, Jamie.
Herzo and Edel too were with us, a strange pair, they did everything together, it was as if they were twins, even though they shared no bond of blood. Even their combat styles complemented each other's, it was often joked around that their individual skills were below an initiate's.
Lastly, there was Miles, the youngest of the warriors, just two years above me, he made a name for himself in his debut Hunt, when, if the stories are to be belived, managed to jump from a cliff right unto the basilisk's back, and hacked away until the beast could move no more.
His cheeful and easygoing attitude concelaed a ruthless and merciless warrior.
Once assembled, the party wasted no time before departing properly.
Despite the difficulties of being offroad, morale was high: the excitement and the thrill of the hunt was overpowering, and the initiation ritual was also lifting spirits, as the mentors could finally see their wards become full fledged Crusaders of the Order.
Through the journey we had the opportunity to learn a great deal from the others, and Miles was doing a good job prompting the less cooperative ones to share their knowledge.
At the end of the day, Careg issued orders to stop and set up camp.
After a quick dinner, it was time to mount guard, and it was customary for the initiates to hold the first vigil, while reciting the Order's vows. Miles was also supervising us, oddly serious.
The camp had three tents in a triangular formation around the remains of a campfire. We were stationed each between two of the tents, while Miles was at the center, checking on each one of us.
My sword, still wet with holy water, was reflecting the light of the moon, and I found myself gazing at the reflection, as my mind stumbled upon a vow dedicated to the God of Strength and the Sun, Keele.
For a moment, it seemed as if some smoke moved around the trees, I was about to dismiss it as a trick my fatigued mind was playing, when I saw it again, this time distinctly. It was close.
I turned around to say something, a warning, but then I noticed, just behind Wes, a cloud of mist, humanoid in form. I yelled.
'Wes! Behind you!'
He barely had the time to turn and the figure already transformed itself into a human-like figure, armored in black, crimson cloak, and an axe in hand.
He couldn't even turn around, and a moment later his head was falling on the ground, the body still struggling to accept what happened, before crushing down, like a puppet whose strings were cut.
Alarmed cries echoed through the camp, and within second everyone was ready for a fight.
'Hm, I must say, I am disappointed, I was hoping for somthing be-'
Carth cut the monster's speech short as he delivered a lighnting fast thrust with his halberd, his rage burning bright.
But the fiend simply pirouetted out of the way, and then closed in, grabbing the shaft of the polearm directed at him, before kicking Carth out of the way with unbelievable force.
The vampire resumed his speech, checking Carth's weapon.
'Oh, but you did at least come prepared, still, it would be a shame to further soil my weapon with your ugly blood, let me kindly borrow yours'
He even pretended to bow.
We didn't listen to his words, and instead formed, Careg, Miles and Edel being our shields at the front, me and Kobbe at the flanks with greatweapons, Jamie at the middle of the formation with his spear, with Herzo and Udgar at his sides, already aiming their shots.
Carth was behind the whole group, who formed a line just between him and the monster, clutching his torso and breathing heavily, the plate corset had been bent out of shape by the impact.
'Crusaders of the Order of Jendarr, engage the target, let him taint this land no longer'
Careg's voice was clear and powerful, it casted our doubts aside, renewed our courage.
Herzo was the first to attack, his arrow flying straight towards the Undead's heart, by the time the first arrow reached its target, a second one was already notched and ready to fire.
The shield line moved forwards, trying to limit the opponent's freedom of movement, while keeping both the archer and the crossbowman's line of fire free.
Jamie was trembling like a leaf, but he still followed right behind Careg, waiting for the opportune time to strike.
I mirrored Kobbe's movements, closing in on our opponent from his flanks.
A practiced formation, veteran fighters, and knowledge of our adversary, we were sure in our victory.
The arrows connected with the armor, sparks flew, but the vampire barely noticed the inconvenience, his dark metal armor deflecting effortlessly the puny attack.
The second arrow, aimed masterfully at his hungry red eyes, missed by a few millimeters, cutting away some silver hair as the monster barely tilted his head. An instant later he was on us, charging at Edel, he ignored Edel's futile attempt to slow him down with the short spear, and forced the butt of the halberd into Edel's shield. The collision was so hard that both shield and polearm shattered, and the crusader was too flinged a few meters.
With horror, we realized that what whas left of the shaft pierced him right through the neck.
The rest of the fighters piled in, more arrows flew, we sensed an opening on the now unarmed monster.
Careg was the first to land a hit, bashing his shield into the creature, and thrusting with his sword on the connection between armored plates in the shoulder. Lightning sparked as the defensive runes of the armor struggled to contain the magic sword's own enchantments. The sword didn't pierce deep enough, it was nothing more than a scratch, but it was something.
Next, the hail of arrows intensified, as Herzo reached almost inhumane speed, but this was nothing more than a distraction. Even if the fiend was still recoiling from being hit, he managed to dodge all te arrows, but had no time to fully dodge a quarrel, that grazed his head.
Then Miles was on him, pressing on the advantage, while Jamie followed him and delivered a powerful strike to the beast's left foot, further impairing his mobility.
Seeing the opportunity, I charged in with all my might, no concerns about my own safety. My hit landed with enough force to break through whatever magical wards the armor had, shattering itself on the shoulder guard, but not before delivering a powerful blow to the monster.
Kobbe delivered the finishing blow, swinging his maul right into the vampire's face, and sending him flying away
We reformed our formation, waiting to see the effect of our continued assault.
Carth managed to steady himself up, having drank a few healing potions, and clutched his spare weapon, but was still struggling to breath.
Our enemy remained on the ground for a few seconds, before slowly getting up, arrows and quarrels immediatly flying at him, but he simply became smoke once more, and the shots connected with nothing but vapors, while he retreated into the woods.
It addressed us once more.
'I recognize your skills, you really are worthy of the title of "Monster Hunters", it is only fair that I introduce myself properly. You stand in the presence of Lord Vorakir Causiel'
Careg was still tracking the voice, never losing the direction it was coming from, and taunted it
'Come out in the open, Abomination, and finish this, or did your sense of honor died along with your body?'
'But you see, a Lord would be not such without his subject, would he not? And the honor of my subjects is my own'
Herzo cried out a warning
'Boss, we're surrounded, I count five behind us'
He just unsheathed his arming sword when Kobbe responded
'Bad news, Sir, there's a few this way as well'
Like a pack of hungry wolves, slowly came out of bushes, trees and the surrounding zone, a number of figures, around twenty in total. Some looked like mindless zombies, shambling forwards, while others were dressed like commoners, improvised weapons in hand, but my instinct told me they would put more of a fight than regular townsfolk.
Lastly, two figures emerged from where Vorakir retreated, they wore the same blood red cloak, and the same eyes.
'At my mark, we break through, frontal assault, and we kill the leader, if we're lucky, they will disperse'
Careg spoke with a low voice, hoping that maybe the monsters wouldn't hear them, and then he suddently charged with a battlecry
'For the Civilized Races!'
We rushed forwards, but what ensued was nothing short of a massacre.
I managed to pick up Wes's greataxe from the ground and charged right into a zombie-like creature, using the impetus of my charge to maximise the power of my blow. It hit the undead cleanly between neck and torso, but I was unable to power through, and the axe was lodged in the lifeless body.
A lifeless body that still had the strength to grapple onto me, as another attacked me from behind, cold claws piercing through my mail and sapping my strength.
I called out for help, but elsewhere the situation wasn't better:
Jamie was too slow to charge and got overwhelmed by the enemy reinforcements at our back, two lesser vampires happily fighting to see which one would drink on him first.
Miles crashed right into one of the two vampires, but fell on the ground as he went through an illusion, and then got hit by a ray of dark magic coming from above a treetop. He stopped moving.
Herzo managed to slay one of the ghouls before two more were over him, ripping at his flesh and dismantling the armor.
Kobbe was destroying anything that got into his path, but the creatures were recovering from his blows too fast, he managed to crush the skull of a pair of ghouls, but then tried to help Herzo, stopping and turning back to try and save his friend, but more and more enemies were closing on him.
Udgar shot his last quarrel at one of the lesser vampires, making it fall, then continued charging with his mace in hand, just to find himself in front of the remaining vampire.
In order to allow Careg to follow through, he engaged the undead. His enemy toyed with him with a rapier, delivering minor wounds all over.
Enraged, Udgar managed to land a lucky blow that struck his opponent's left shoulder, but it wasn't enough, as the monster grabbed Udgar's mace with the very arm that had been struck by it, before severing the crusader's arm with a swift cut.
The creature then used Udgar's own mace to deliver the killing blow, then threw it at Herzo, who was still surviving, someway.
Carth dind't even get to charge, he died as the charge order was given, a quarrel appearing as if by magic right between his eyes.
Careg managed to push past the two vampires, escaping the encirclement, and gave chase to the leader.
After the initial massacre ended, the vampire who killed Udgar calmly followed Careg into the woods.
The other monsters stopped toying with their victims, and silently followed him.
They left me on the ground, bleeding out.
I started counting my last breaths.