Scurra
'Find the tail of the orange fox, and follow his white tipped trail. Only he will bring your family and kin true salvation.'
The meaning of those words manifested before my eyes when I encountered the Great Fox. His mind was clouded with miasma, yet his guard beat with purity. His actions were violent, but led by tainted instinct rather than malice. A cloud loomed over his head after he overpowered my mate and knocked him to the ground.
However, there was an opportunity for him to end him once and for all, the Great Fox showed his greatness. He resisted the darkness shrouding him. In the place of untamed wrath, mercy sprouted, and in it, I saw a glimpse of the individual the Mistress of Ashes had foretold about.
When events appeared to be appeased, I sensed a pulse of magic burst forth from the Great Fox, and I acted. While it was not my intent to harm the one, the Mistress of Ashes advised me to follow. I hit him with a screech I hoped would be strong enough to incapacitate him until I purged him of the miasma.
When the attack landed, it had done more damage than I had anticipated. His ears were bleeding, and the Great Fox was driven to his knees. That had quickly proven to be a mistake on my end.
The moment the Great Fox was driven to his knees, a hooded figure appeared seemingly from thin air. The air around them warped with a coruscating crimson, which corroded the mana around them. In their hand was the spear the Great Fox once wielded, and before I could react, they pierced the Great Fox in his back.
The point disappeared into his body and pinned the fox man to the ground.
He hadn't seen it coming, but then again, how would he? My screech had not only incapacitated him, but it had also inflicted a critical injury on him. His tail went limp, and the figure twisted the spear further, wounding the Great Fox. The figure's boot stomped onto the Great Fox's head as the spear was dislodged from his body and tossed aside.
"That should do it."
The figure spoke, its voice sharp and using the upperworld's language. It was tall, likely taller than the Great Fox, but smaller in frame. Its hood once shielded its complexion, but when the wind returned, it brushed it open. Light purple skin, bright white eyebrows, with thin lips were in stark contrast to the Great Fox.
Thin fingers pulled back the hood of the figure, and my eyes widened. Bright crimson eyes pulsed with power as its predatory glare locked onto me. It was as if he had stumbled across its next prey. The weight of its aura was enough to make me take a step back.
I attempted to connect my mind with the individual, but the sheer desinity of his power prevented that from happening. Unlike the Great Fox, whose magical defenses were weakened by the miasma, the man standing before me rejected my connection. My attempt at mental connection appeared unexpected to the man, and that caused his head to tilt to his left. Taking this as an opportunity to try again, I attempted to make a mental connection. This time it was accepted.
"You look like an abomination of your kind. Yet, such a lesser rodent can perform spell casting this advanced?"
The voice was masculine, sharp, and confident, reminiscent of the Great Fox's tone. His question was not one directed towards me, but to himself with mirth.
"I'm Scurra of the Talon Tribe. I ask that you cease your attacks on our people," I said after steadying my nerves.
"I'm Drajkovane, Little Rodent, and I refuse your request," he responded sternly.
His eyes moved towards the bleeding Great Fox, and he kicked him in his side. There was a sternness in his features as if he expected the Great Fox to rise at any moment. Drajkovane shifted his attention back toward me and then around at the destroyed environment.
"Drajkovane, I ask why a vampire such as yourself visits our tribal land?"
"Where is your offering, Little Rodent?" Drajkovane hisses, baring his fangs.
The sight of his fangs chilled my blood, and my body raced into action. I glanced around before spotting the Great Fox's allies. I scurried towards them and began frantically searching their pockets. My mate has yet to return with the offering we brought for the Great Fox, so to keep my head, I must commit dishonor.
A minute went by of searching the clothing of the silver-haired male, when I found something of value. He had a small vial of a liquid that had a magical aura around it.
"Apologies, friend, but I must-"
Darjkovane's voice exploded into my mind, "Time is running thin, and so is my patience."
His magical aura appeared to be maliciously manifested. The chill produced from Drajkovane's cold, crimson gaze was enough to freeze me in place. My limbs locked in place as a shadow crept over my body. Without turning around, I knew what was transpiring. The deep stench of miasma warped my senses, sending my head into a spiral.
His shadow drew closer as his arms moved past my head. Drajkovane snatched the vial from my grasp, and I was carelessly knocked aside onto the ground. Grass cushioned my fall, but it was not the ground that brought me discomfort or pain.
I had encountered a few vampires in my lifetime whenever one visited our tribal lands, but Drajkovane was different. His presence was toxic, almost as if he didn't exist in our realm. His presence brought sweat from my pores, and my tail curled around me.
A part of me dared me not to look in his direction, and his lack of acknowledgment told me that I was making the correct decision. My mate warned many moons ago that he had encountered a vampire such as this one in the domain underneath our tribal lands. He said that the vampires were close if not greater than those of the upperworld, such as the Great Fox's friends, when it came to violence.
When I dared to catch a glimpse of Drajkovane, I fully understood what he meant. The crimson gaze of the vampire was focused solely on the allies of the Great Fox. He was crouched underneath the wooden structure that the Great Fox created with his magic, and loomed over the unconscious beings. His attention seemed centered on the female, and his reasoning was revealed soon.
Drajkovane reached for her collar and pulled the woman so that she could sit upright. He was focused on her bloodied nose and dragged his thumb across her face. His magical aura flickered briefly before he sampled in her blood.
"I will take this woman and man as your offering," Drajkovane said with finality.
His words made my heart skip a beat, and I hesitated to respond. I couldn't believe my eyes as Drajkovane began to drag the woman out by a leg into the sunlight. He disregarded my presence and only focused on collecting what he believed was owed to him.
'But... The Mistress's orders... The Great Fox... He won't lead us to salvation...He can't...'
I wanted to step forward and deny his request, but as I stared into his silver hair, I found myself hesitating even more.
"Great Vampire Drajkovane, I must-"
"Tribute must be paid, and the lives of upperworlders would suffice to stave off my wrath," Drajkovane responded coldly.
The vampire stood, and his crimson gaze shifted in my direction. His fingers were bathed in the blood of the woman as he sampled from each finger. With a taste of her blood intertwined with his saliva, there was nothing I could say to dissuade him.
As the vampire grabbed the woman by her clothing and pulled her over his shoulder, I found myself staring into my eyelids. Darkness was a more comforting sight compared to the betrayal I was witnessing myself commit. The scent of the Great Fox and his allies' blood sickened me, but nothing sickened me more than the slurping of Drajkovane's lips.
'Forgive me, Mistress... I know I should intervene, but... I can't... I...'
I opened my eyes, and my heart skipped. The crimson eyes of Drajkovane stared back at me, his tall, slender frame crouched to my level. His lips were slick with saliva, and on his breath was that of predation.
"Little Rodent, you will tell me what I want to know," he said, his gaze hardened. "How did these upperworlders enter this realm?"
I hesitated to answer, not because I didn't want to, but because I had no idea of the specifics. It was my mate who had brought the Great Fox and his allies to our tribal home.
"I do not-"
"An explanation or death," Drajkovane warned. The miasma surrounding the vampire intensified, taking my breath away.
My gaze was diverted, and I found myself looking at the Great Fox instead. He remained lying on his stomach in an ever-growing puddle of his own blood. I do not believe he had moved since Drajkovane had impaled him. I had witnessed his strength, and my mate mentioned his encounter with our larger kin in the forest.
Had I not foolishly turned my magic against the Mistress of Ashes's Chosen, then perhaps, he would not have been slain. Maybe that is why my mistress has forsaken me. Ever since Drajkovane appeared before me, I have not heard her voice.
'Mistress...Please... guide me. Your humble servant needs your assistance...'
There was no response. Drajkovane leaned forward, and our noses nearly touched. Within his expansive gaze was a promise. A promise that if I didn't give a response he deemed adequate, this situation would become worse before it became better.
I gulped and again pushed my voice into his head to respond, "I have no answer to your question, Great Drajkovane. These 'upperworlders' appeared near our village."
My blood went cold as the crimson gaze of Drajkovane washed over my body. The muscles of my legs went tense as his figure cast a shadow over me. He was massive, larger than any of our kin in the forest. His fangs peeked from behind his lips as he glared down at me. His fingers twitched, and with it, my breath caught in my throat.
"Is that right?" Drajkovane asked. His voice was thick with condescension.
The vampire stood straight and pushed his fingers through his silver hair. He began moving his heavy gaze around the devastated grassland. Twisted wooden spires and shattered root debris littered the once tranquil lands of our tribe. Now, the Great Vampire's dark malice tainted it. His presence was overwhelming, much like the miasma pumping through the Great Fox's body.
'The miasma...'
Realization hit me hard. The miasma pumping through the Great Fox's body, which tainted him. It belongs to Drajkovane. My eyes widened as the vampire began facing the direction of my village. In the direction of my mate. Nabu would be returning any moment now with the offerings we had planned to present to the Great Fox.
Offerings that Drajkovane would take for himself if he laid eyes upon them. With the damage from his battle with the Great Fox, even a powerful Kick-Rat such as my mate would struggle to deny the vampire's claim.
"He isn't so great. That abhorrent fox that you held in reverence," Drajkovane hissed. "He struggled against your mate in combat. So, I am not surprised to see that a spear to his back ended his life. Since I am here, and I have dealt with the invader on your lands, I demand further tribute, Rodent."
Drajkovane's hand went outstretched, and with it, a haze manifested around it. A pit opened in my stomach as the grass underneath his feet began to wither into dirt. The magical aura around the vampire manifests with his chant, "Iarus, Grant me the..."
Drajkovane grew silent. The posture of the vampire stiffened, and I quickly understood why. Before either of us could realize, the Great Fox was standing behind him. Whether it was due to his speed or something else, it was as if his presence had vanished and then manifested over his shoulder.
The Great Fox clenched his fist and struck Drajkovane in his face, dropping the Great Vampire to a knee with a single punch. My heart skipped in my chest as the tail of the Great Fox swayed peacefully behind him. Blood stained his chest, and his clothes were torn from the previous attack. However, that wasn't what surprised me. It was when Drajkovane's eyes widened as the Great Fox crouched to look him in his eyes that surprised me.
"Purple skin, white hair- You must be a vampire. I wouldn't consider you a brilliant one either," The Great Fox said, poking Drajkovane in his forehead.
Drajkovane scoffed at his words before vanishing into a crimson haze. The act flustered the Great Fox, who stood straight immediately. His eyes wandered, but Drajkovane appeared before he was prepared. A fist appeared behind the Great Fox, striking him promptly in the back of his head. He staggered forward, but before he could turn around to face him, that fist vanished again.
It would appear again, striking the Great Fox from his left, and then his right at blinding speed. My eyes couldn't keep up with the flurry of punches that struck the Great Fox on repetition. To my dismay, it appears that even the Great Fox was struggling from the constant barrage.
Each attack left a mark, and several left gashes across the Great Fox's face and torso, promptly tearing more cloth from his body. An elbow to the face knocked the lens off the Great Fox's nose and bloodied it. The impact was powerful, dropping the Great Fox to his rear. He held his nose and grimaced in pain.
"Alright! Alright! Ya made your point! You have an IQ above room temperature, asshole."
Drajkovane reappeared from his crimson haze with his fangs peaking from his lips. He began rubbing his wrists and, with long, elegant strides, walked over to the sitting Great Fox. His hands were dripping with the Great Fox's blood, and he brought one of them to his lips.
"That was never up for debate, Fox Man. Frankly, the opinion of a dead man carries no value to me."
After tasting the Great Fox's blood, Drajkovane shuddered. His head tilted as if he had tasted something peculiar. The sight of the vampire tasting his blood made the Great Fox burst into pained laughter. He held his chest and began wheezing profusely. He attempted to stand again, and his sudden movement made Drajkovane disappear into his haze. He would reappear several feet away from the Great Fox.
"You're being cautious now? Did you not like what you tasted? Some might say that your own medicine might not be ideal for your health," Great Fox said.
Drajkovane's body began to shake, and his gaze hardened. There was something off about his magical presence after he tasted the Great Fox's blood, and he knew that as well. He began swiping his hands, removing the blood that stained his fingertips onto the ground.
"My own medicine?" Drajkovane remarked, brushing aside a silver bang.
The crimson eyes of the man lit up as the mana around the vampire began to stir. Fangs peeked behind rising lips as amusement molded Drajkovane's features. The air around him began to warp, but as quickly as it had begun, it settled. Confusion replaced amusement as Drajkovane stared at the Great Fox, who grinned with mischief.
"My own medicine," Drajkovane repeated before laughing to himself. "You are no simple Fox Man. I can see that now."
"I would assume as much. Vampires were renowned for having a great sense of determining the strength of others. Have you come to the correct conclusion that you can't stand up to me?" The Great Fox asked, flashing his sharp canines.
"I have. My calculation tells me that I should kill your friends rather than keep them as trophies," Drajkovane replies, tilting his head.
The Great Fox laughed in response, which infected the vampire, who chuckled. They continued like that for a moment, and the breeze between tightened like a rope. The first to break their peculiar, somewhat friendly exchange was Drajkovane.
"Now that I've considered another variable, the solution is clear..." His face tightened into a frown, which stopped the Great Fox's slowing laughter. "The success of my plan today hinges on how quickly I remove you from the equation."
"You have plans today? Then, how about you turn in mist again and take the wind out of here and call it a day?" The Great Fox asks. His face stiffened as he quickly became serious.
"No."
Drajkovane's singular response was all that he offered. Undeterred by the vampire's tone, the Great Fox began walking towards his allies. Drajkovane watched with disregard, but clenched his left hand in front of his chest.
"Well, I, too, had a plan today, Vampire, and I can't allow you to kill my associates. That goes without saying," The Great Fox started as he stood between his allies and Drajkovane.
I found myself waddling near him, but neither he nor Drajkovane paid me any heed. Once I arrived behind him, a sense of relief crippled my dread. A familiar pressure washed over me as the tail of the Great Fox swayed with agitation.
'This power...it's...'
"Careful, Great Fox..."
The hand of the Fox Man raised, signaling for me to cease my warning. My words caught in my throat, and on instinct, I obeyed. My chest began to rattle as the Great Fox's gaze rested on me. In that confident gaze, I saw another familiarity, one that made the power within me beg for release. He moved that same gaze, those odd eyes, away from me and glared toward Drajkovane.
He began holding up a single finger from his raised hand as he spoke to me, "I entrust my allies to your care, Scurra. Take them and meet with your friend."
"And what about you?" I asked without realizing it.
"This man seems keen on taking what tributes. I'm offering a can of whoopass for consideration."
'A...what?'
I wanted to deny his request and fight alongside him. Drajkovane oozed a miasma far more powerful than the Great Fox's aura. However, my mind harkened back to the mismatched eyes of the Great Fox. I turned to look at his allies, and then his back. He cast a shadow over me, blocking the great light in the sky.
"I will," I said, and the Great Fox took a step forward toward his opponent.
When I turned away from the man, I dedicated myself to following his request. I did not like leaving him, but I must do as he requested.
'Find the tail of the orange fox, and follow his white tipped trail. Only he will bring your family and kin true salvation.'
I must trust in the Mistress of Ashes' words and follow the Great Fox's orders. For they share the same eye, and with that same eye a power that likely goes beyond my feeble comprehension. Yet, still within my heart, I felt that something was wrong. I could only hope, but believe in the Great Fox and see this through to the end.