Evanescence

Prologue: Farther Away

They attacked without warning.

It wasn't supposed to go like this. It was supposed to be a normal patrol, nothing out of the ordinary, just standard protocol to make sure the borders were in line. The main conflict was northward, this was just a routine check to make sure things were still secure and there was nothing abnormal.

They weren't supposed to be ambushed.

Maybe that's why things went from bad to worse in seconds. Feng Xin's platoon was versed in battle - they weren't a bunch of rookies still green behind the ears. No, they'd seen war, they'd seen bloodshed. They'd each killed their fair share of vampires and had watched as the bloodsuckers tore out their comrades' throats and drained them dry. Yet they'd been completely overwhelmed within minutes, the barren land stained crimson and decorated in entrails as the vampires gutted Feng Xin's soldiers.

Screams echoed out, a cacophony of death and despair. Feng Xin dug in his heels amongst the chaos, his bow held tight in his hands, firing arrow after arrow until his quiver began to grow light. Still the vampires persisted like a swarm of unrelenting locust, all sinewy appendages and hard, chitinous exoskeletons that caught in Feng Xin's throat - suffocating. Besides him, the other General of the platoon swung his long, radiant saber, his movements elegant and graceful. Every time Mu Qing was in battle, he looked as if he was performing some intricate dance, his movements poised and practiced, his saber polished and pristine, his every movement a desiderium of effervescent starlight - even amongst the ensuing chaos.

Teeth glistened and Feng Xin released another arrow, a vampire plummeting to the ground before it could sink its fangs into Mu Qing's pale throat, a strangled growl leaving the bloodsucker's lips. Mu Qing's eyes flashed towards Feng Xin, briefly leaving the fray before them, his eyes narrowed, as if to convey: I could have handled that on my own.... But whatever.

Always a reluctant thanks, only whispered upon waves of the purest of sapphires, phantoms in the darkness, of what was and what was lost.

Feng Xin merely huffed, another arrow leaving his grip as he refocused on helping his subordinates, their ranks becoming thinner and thinner. Mu Qing eventually disappeared from his side, delving deeper into enemy lines in hopes to break through or rescue any of the fallen. Soon Feng Xin lost sight of the rest of his comrades, nothing but gleaming red eyes and glimmering fangs filled his vision, the eldritch night descending upon him, cleaving and riving. Merciless. His quiver was near empty and his body was fatigued, the strain in his shoulders growing with every draw of his bow, completely enervated. Blood stained his fingertips, sluicing down like sticky, sweet pomegranate juice, making his grip on his bowstring fragile. Before he could aim properly, his grip loosened and an arrow was sent spiraling through the heavy air, digging into an approaching vampire's shoulder, but not killing it.

Feng Xin stumbled backwards as the vampire slashed at him with outstretched claws, its nails long and jagged, like the talons of a falcon. Bodies were strewn about the battlefield haphazardly, and as Feng Xin stepped away, his foot collided with one, off balancing him, and sending him plummeting to the ground. His head struck something hard and suddenly his vision blurred, fuzzy black dots danced in front of him. He felt a dull ache in his chest, but it was distant as his head pounded.

"Feng Xin!" He swore he heard a voice call, although he had no idea who could be calling his name. All his soldiers were dead. He was the only one who'd survived...

And then he was falling as the pain receded and his vision completely blacked out.

He fell through empty space, his mind finally coming to as he caught a glimpse of hardened steel and long, sleek, black hair. Feng Xin righted himself, finding his feet were under him and he was running - heart in his throat - and arm stretched out to the back of a retreating form, the man's high ponytail swinging back and forth, akin to a pendulum ticking down, as he fled from Feng Xin.

"Mu Qing!" Feng Xin cried out, his arm reaching for his co-general, yet his feet were weighed down, as if he was running through sludge. Glancing down, Feng Xin almost collapsed as disgust and horror filled him. At his feet.... Spreading all around him, was a sea of blood and death. Bodies of his slain comrades littered the ground, packed so close together, Feng Xing couldn't see the actual ground underneath them. It was just blood and viscera, Feng Xin's boots wading through their rotting bodies. The putrid scent of decay filled his nose and Feng Xin gagged, almost retching on the spot at the macabre scene.

Glancing up, Feng Xin gazed at Mu Qing's back as he fled from the repulsive scene, fled from the battle, leaving him and his comrades to waste away. "Mu Qing!" Feng Xin shouted, vocal cords shattering, not understanding what Mu Qing was doing. He was too proud and stubborn to run away. Taking a step forward, Feng Xin ignored the squelching noise of flesh and organs under his boots. Instead he focused on Mu Qing, on trying to catch him, even as the gore and rot slowed him down, making his movements sluggish and painful; horror suffused down his vertebrae, icy - leaving pinpricks of dread nestled into his marrow.

Reaching outwards, Feng Xin cried out to Mu Qing again, his form starting to meld into the darkness of the night, a mere shadow. However before Feng Xin could call to him, he felt fangs clamp down on his neck, a sharp pain shooting through him. Blood gushed from the protrusions and he felt his body freeze as strong hands held him in place. Mu Qing's name died on Feng Xin's tongue, a forgotten promise.

Yet it was then that Mu Qing stopped in his hurry to get away, his head whipping around to look Feng Xin in the eyes. The breath left Feng Xin's body as cold, glowing red orbs met his, the bloodlust evident in them.

The eyes of a vampire.

They disappeared in an instant, swallowed by the shadows and Mu Qing finally faded from view. There one minute, gone the next.

Evanescent.

__________

I know what I said, I was going to take a break from writing after my original work, but well.... here I am starting a new fanfiction.  Listen.... I adore Fengqing and I've been craving something with vampires so eventually I got to the point were I was like, ok I got to take matters into my own hands.  So here I am.... 

Since I decided to title this fic Evanescence, and I love the band Evanescence, I was like, I'm going to title each chapter after a song of there as something fun for me.  This fic is going to be highly indulgent for me, although it's a little darker than I initially intended.  After working on my original piece and plotting out the future instalments of that I was like I need to write something that's happy.  Well apparently I can't do happy, so there's going to be a bit of trauma in this.  But!  It will end happy.  I can't handle it not ending happy.  I need to write a happy ending to recover. 

So yeah, I hope this interests someone and thank you for checking it out!