Fates of Grenora: Return of the Night

To say that having your senses amplified without any proper preparations was overwhelming. Aldrin's head was on a swivel with each unfamiliar noise, whether it was from a bug singing their nightly song or from an animal bolting away from him. He had estimated he could hear and see up to a mile away, but he assumed that was because his senses were being overloaded. Add to the fact that his new night vision made things look like it was a sunny day made trying to focus an even worse nightmare.

Every so often, the same silhouette of white with a red rhythmic pulse from one animal that was in the distance would draw his attention. He learned that by blinking with the intent to see prey as he resorted to calling them, had activated it. Of course, stalking an animal was no easy feat, since animals could sense when a predator was afoot. Not to mention Aldrin didn't know shit about tracking to begin with; let alone tracking as a Vampire, nonetheless.

"I wish there was a guidebook to this so I at least could survive until I find a cure," Aldrin muttered to himself as his latest attempt to sneak up on an animal resulted in it immediately dashing away from him.

With an exasperated sigh, he slumped against a tree trunk as the burning, gnawing sensation in his stomach grew more intense. He knew if he didn't get lucky soon that he would have another episode of "Vampire Gone Wild," which he knew he couldn't last another round. The mental struggle between him and whatever lurked underneath the surface of his face had been exhausting.

A twig snapped, making Aldrin's head whip in the direction. Squinting, his new eyes zoomed into the area of the sound. Seeing nothing there, he blinked, activating his predatory vision. The glowing white silhouettes of two upright walking beings shimmered into view.

"Well, that's just too lucky, ain't it," Aldrin warily glanced around for a trap.

"Are you sure there are more bodies?" One of them asked as they stalked around as Aldrin picked up the question.

"You mean more loot? Yes, there has to be," the other answered.

"But what could take out five adventurers and just leave all the gear? Hell, something drained one of them to a husk, and I know only a few things capable of that. So I'm just gonna say it! it's a giant spider!" One bandit proudly said.

"Are you joking, Jared? A spider? Way out here in what's supposed to be Undead territory?" The bandit stopped, glancing at his partner.

"Well, what else would it be then, Pierre?" Jared accused, placing his hands on his hips.

"Oh gee! I dunno, a vampire maybe!?" Pierre gestured around the empty woods.

"Like you said, we are in undead territory," He emphasized.

"Fine, let's make a bet then," Jared suggested.

"I'm listening," Pierre stopped.

"Whoever is right gets all the loot on the next body, alive or dead," Jared said, wiggling his eyebrows as he stuck his hand out.

"Deal." Pierre shook his hand.

Aldrin had snuck up on them, which surprised himself knowing how well sneaking up on other animals had been tonight. Staying out of view and in the shadows, he Identified them first.

They were both dressed in mismatched leather armor, attempting to look fearsome, but it was obvious it was all stolen gear. Pierre at least had the decency to keep his blue-black hair pulled back into a small ponytail, giving him the air of an aspiring model turned bandit. Jared still talked animatedly, waving his hands around as he explained his thought process to Pierre, who half listened to him. Jared paused once he figured out Pierre wasn't listening to him.

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"What's going on?" Jared asked

"There is something here," Pierre said, his deep brown eyes looking around carefully as the forest stilled.

Jared ran his hands through his short sandy brown hair, his brown eyes also darting from tree to tree. "Do you know what it is?" Jared asked again.

Pierre tore his eyes away from searching. "No, but stay alert, because something made the woods quiet," he cautioned.

Aldrin clicked his tongue, "Well I have to be careful here," He thought to himself before taking a deep breath.

"Ah, hello?" Aldrin greeted them hidden behind a tree.

"Well, shit a brick Pierre! It's one of them forest spirits talking to us!" Jared said, looking around at all the trees in the area.

Pierre gave Jared a dead look and shook his head. "It is not a forest spirit. It's literally someone hiding behind a tree talking to us," Pierre said, activating one of his skills to pinpoint the general area.

"Come out! I have a Skill to see you," Pierre bluffed.

"I don't think that's wise," Aldrin shouted back.

"And why not? Friend," Pierre drew his two daggers from his back, nodding towards Jared to get his bow out.

Pierre listened, and only silence greeted him. Not even the leaves danced to the gentle breeze that drifted above. No insects made their chittering known and the air around them felt stiff and cold. Pierre's instincts told him to leave immediately and looked behind him to see Jared missing and his bow on the ground.

"Fuck!" Pierre whispered to himself as his eyes scanned everything around him. He picked up Jared's bow carefully to not make a sound.

"I hope you're a bandit, otherwise this is going to be really awkward," Aldrin said behind him, making Pierre whip around with a slash only to be met with air.

Pierre searched around frantically before finally landing on glowing green eyes peering at him from the darkness of trees. Aldrin stepped out, leaving only his face covered in the shadows. Pierre licked his lips as a bead of sweat trailed down the side of his face. He identified the thing in front of him that eyed him like a piece of meat.

Pierre's eyes bulged at the line that read his race. Warily taking a step back, the figure in the shadows narrowed his eyes at him.

"I would not do that if I were you," The figure threatened, "I am still trying to figure out how to get my impulses under control and you making a run for it will not only make things worse for me but make things ten times worse for you so if you could kindly listen to what I have to say we can all leave here without any bloodshed please and thank you," He added, releasing his predatory vision as he stepped out of the shadows into the little moonlight that filtered through the canopy of trees.

Pierre tried to control the slithering feeling that went up and down his spine like a relay race. All the hairs on his body stood up when his heart threatened to burst out of his chest, as the ghastly visage in front of him would haunt his dreams and nightmares for the rest of his life.

Matted, dark brown shoulder length hair framed a dried blood-smeared face with fangs to match. His soul stopping green eyes met him, pinning him in place. What wasn't covered in blood, he could see that the man in front of him had copper colored skin like those who lived in the Sand Sea. The rags of the clothes he wore had dried blood either from wounds or things he killed, leaving little to imagine as flecks of the dried blood dotted his hands and forearms.

"Please, calm your heart down before I do something we both regret," Aldrin subconsciously licked his fangs, unaware of the effect it had on the man in front of him.

"What's your proposition, then?" Pierre asked, trying to sound confident and strong in the face of a predator, suppressing the shudder that tried to wreck through his body.

"All I want is some clothes, a weapon, and for you to forget this meeting afterwards," Aldrin stated matter-of-factly.

"And my partner?" Pierre gauged, tensing every muscle in his body to defend himself.

"Will be returned to you unharmed," Aldrin scratched the back of his neck, unsure if knocking the man out had been considered unharmed.

"Do we have a deal?" Aldrin pressed.

Pierre lowered his weapons, but still kept his guard up as he thought about the deal. "What if I can't do one of those things you ask of me?" He asked.

Aldrin sighed deeply, feeling a little weird that his lungs no longer needed air to function. "Then, I'll have to kill you and probably take your gear and the gear of your partners, but I really don't want to do that even if you're bandits," Aldrin said, taking a step forward.

Aldrin paused and realized that he could accomplish two things at once. He noticed the bandits were not the type who would attack first, so he could negotiate with them and possibly spare them.

"Better yet, take me to your leader as a prisoner," He suggested, as the idea formed in his mind at being brought back to their camp to help feed himself.

"Excuse me, what?" Pierre sputtered out.

"Take. Me. To. Your. Leader," Aldrin enunciated slowly, cackling to himself on the inside.