1. Macabre Marmalade (COMPLETED; EDITING)

XLVI (20.1)

The vampire took another step back eying Todors sword that was flying in circles around him.

"That might be so, but does that mean we deserve to be extinguished? Our lore goes back to the first steps humans made after getting down from the trees. We were in humanities shadow, learning, recording, analyzing. I have seen your human histories, they just chronicle times after the realms were sundered. We might be just shades of real humans, be we hold the knowledge of the times before recorded time. You never heard of Yazamkon, the Wise King of Nine Hills who reigned over technologically advance kingdom long before your histories think possible. Or Fifty Tribes of Garmonoo who led his people across the endless sea to settle on the island of fire. The birth of House of Merlioth might interest you since you are their legacy. Or Eversailing Fleet of Mitrah, the nation of the waves that sailed the oceans long before your Magellan or Columbus were born. I was there, I saw all those wonders. Should all that just disappear because our leader is a dick?"

Damn it, he has a point. What right do I have to commit genocide upon them? Todor thought furiously in his mind. You are not hunting them, they are attacking the city and you have sworn to protect it. Don't let him draw you into morality debate. They have that red slaver girl that you are fond of, remember that, Ezezu replied right away.

"I am constable of this city. And you are attacking it. More importantly, you have a girl I care for in your custody. Stop all aggression upon this city citizens and officials, release all people you hold against their own will and we might talk about solving this with no further loss of life," Todor said through clenched teeth.

"I don't have authority to do any of that," the vampire said his shoulders drooping. "I have direct command of my bloodkith cabal and you have my word they and myself will stay out of your way. For the rest of the brood? You must convince them directly," fanged creature replied and turned to go.

"Wait, what is your name?" Todor said after him.

"They call me Dark Shadow. I hope you win, kyne, because if you don't my own blood will punish me and they are not so kind to grant me the mercy of death," Shadow said without turning back. Twenty-something vampires followed him and they were out of the sight once they hit the street.

"Wow. You talked the vampire into ignoring orders. He must have freaked out once he saw your freaky eyes," Norman said. Todor ignored the jibe turning to the horde of vampires that still surrounded them.

"What about you lot?" he said loud enough for all to hear. "I will let you live if you turn around and get lost."

Vampires shuffled, some of them laughing out loud, some snickering while others whispered to their fellows.

"Not all of us are weak as him," one shouted. "We don't bow down to food," other added. But some did turn around and followed Dark Shadow. Not enough to make Todor feel better though.

He sighed and gathered mana from his reserves. It was like holding breath, once you grasped the energy of the flowing substance you had to unleash it in some way or it would start pressing upon the mind. Todor didn't know what end result of that would be and he didn't want to find out on himself. So he formed the large cloud of ice needles and with both hands threw them at the vampires without warning.

Screams, curses, and yowls followed by Norman's railgun firing at one that charged and came too close. Todor inhaled the mist remains of the first attack re-purposing the same mana into another wave of deadly glacial spikes. Every needle would go straight through the vampires bringing with it a tiny bit of their own mana which made Todor's job easier. He could keep fighting longer with just initial investment of mana. This thing you are doing shouldn't be possible. You are using their own mana, how? Ezezu protested forcing Todor to instinctively seek his sword with his eyes. The ghost of the girl wielded it skillfully cutting limbs from distracted vampires and every time it bit into their flash a tiny portion of their own mana was transferred to Todor, keeping his magical reserves at the same level.