Chapter V: Firefly

It was nearly a day's walk to the forest; I was beginning to feel a little nervous about this idea. Druids are incredibly powerful people, able to control the elements, to talk and command the creatures of the wild, not to mention the fact that they have a deeper respect for nature than even we hunters had. I had been running for about four hours now and Elrohinile had yet to catch up, but that was still far on my list of worries, she is as capable as I am of taking care of herself. I move as quickly as I could, but something was amiss, it was the smell, even for a forest, the smell was far too clean. I stopped in my tracks and decided to cast a spell of creature detection, I did not want any surprises from anywhere. The spell was a dumb move; there were far too many creatures in the woods for me to concentrate on. I could feel every animal, every creature moving around within a one hundred foot radius of myself, I tried to filter the spell by filtering out any non-humanoid creatures but normally druids are not alone in the forest.

I cast dispel upon myself to clear my head, I decided that it might be wiser to just keep my guard up. I walked into the forest and then something dawned on me, the sheer size of this forest was going to make finding these druids incredibly difficult and possibly dangerous. I continued to walk deeper into the forest; the trees were tall, old; their age showed on their bark, scars where fire and axes alike had failed to destroy them. It was clear that the druids were very active in this area, axes and saws lie rusting on the ground, some barley visible due to the overgrowth.

As I moved further in the forest, seem to become denser even in the dark I could see fog rolling down from the roof of the trees the smell of nature filled my lungs. Insects flew around me, lights following behind them, the moisture from the mist was being captured and hung in spider webs that seemed to cover the entire forest, no not seemed to they did. I froze, motionless, I watched as the light from the fireflies bounced off the captured moisture illuminating the forest around where I stood. I spun around to try to see if anyone was around but I could not spot a likely target, but I knew that this was the work of a talented druid.

"Love what you've done with place; it seems to have a real back to nature look to it." I was hoping that doing this would get some form of reaction from said druid but no such luck, so I gave it a second try, "look I need to talk to your people about vampires."

A voice came echoing from all around me, "then I am not the person you want to speak with, I am an outcast." Suddenly I saw light come fluttering towards me, it was a firefly, and the voice came once more from it. "I apologize for sending my servants to greet you traveler but you must understand that a druid outcast is hunted by many including his former clan. Please tell me something who are you, and what do you know of the vampires?"

"My name is Zamieon, and I am a hunter."

The firefly's light seemed to explode before me and it transformed into a man dressed in the skins of the beasts. "I heard word that all your kind were dead, how is it that you can claim to be a hunter?"

"I am the last of my kind, the last trained hunter, and why am I wasting my time on you? If you truly are an outcast than why are you still here?"

"I stayed to protect these forests from the corruption that my brethren will betray them too. If it is help you seek you will not find it with the druids that lay within the forest, they have sold their servitude to the vampires."

"What? Why would the druids do that?"

"The vampires promised to leave the forests and all its inhabitants in peace, free from their wrath."

"They bought it?"

"For the most part there are a few who think otherwise and wanted to oppose the vampires. They were taught by my example, those who oppose the decision of the council of the fey."

Expulsion from the clan, for a druid there is no worse punishment."

"That and they will not aid me in anyway, I am dead to them."

"Well that's of no concern to me, if they are helping the vampires than they are my enemies."

"What, you can't be serious?"

"I am, if I cannot convince them to aid me than I will destroy them all. If there is any help that you could give me I would accept it."

The Druid seemed to think over what I had told him, he replied quietly, "there is little that I can do to help you convince them, however if it comes to fighting the vampires, then I will aid you." He held out his hand and a small swarm of fireflies surrounded his out stretched hand, "these are my kindred spirits, they will keep me connected to you." They dispersed as he spoke; seeming to understand the druid's words they flew into the trees, save for one, which landed on my shoulder. "Let their light also go guide you to the other druids, I must ask you though to spare them, tell them who you are, and show proof they should fear you more than they fear the vampires."

"Who is it that I should seek out when I arrive?"

"The chieftain of the tribe, Fjoushtkal-Stonemoulder, he will more than likely be in the tallest spire of the tree community, try to sneak up there it would be easier to speak to him alone."

"Thank you for your aid- uhm; sorry what was your name?"

"I am simply known as the Firefly by my former brothers, my real name has long been lost to be."

"Well thank you, hopefully I will be able to convince them to follow me rather than the vampires, I don't want to have to wipe out an entire colony of Druids." I turned and began to walk; suddenly the firefly on my shoulder flew in front of me buzzing in my face. Then it flew towards the northeast end of the forest and waited for me to follow. When I turned to say my final farewell to Firefly he was already gone, I shrugged it off and followed the firefly's trail of light.

I followed the firefly for about ten kilometers, until I came to a large grove of Wailing Willows, the tallest trees known to exist; the trees had many homes of moss and vines. Unsurprisingly the grove was protected by some fifty treants, along with hawks and wolves, sneak in was going to be difficult. I decided that it would be easiest to fly up to the highest tree, so I cast both a flying and invisibility spell upon my self to sneak up to the top. As I progressed higher I looked down, the wolves sniffed the air, growling loudly their heads facing the sky, searching for where the smell was actually coming from.

When I arrived at the tallest spire I peered in between the vines and moss, a candle dimly lit the room, to figures stood talking with one another. The first was a slender male elf, his golden hair shone in the soft light; he was dressed in animal hides as most druids did. The second I quickly recognized though I was unsure why she was there, it was Elrohinile and it seemed by their conversation that they knew one another.

"When did he die?" The male elf asked her.

"It's been nearly five years, since the vampires finished off the last of the hunters camps."

"I am terribly sorry for your loss child, so tell me more of this Malanchite, is he like his father?"

"Very much so, strong, honorable and holds nearly as much hatred towards the vampires as his father did."

"That is all fine and good but what does he have that makes him able to stand against the vampires by himself, why should we fly his banner into battle instead of the vampires?"

"He, unlike them is incapable of dying, a true immortal, and chosen by Orlaendric himself."

"That's fine, but of what good does that do to us, can he protect us from the vampires, will be able to protect our forests?"

"I'm not giving you a choice Fjoushtkal-Stonemoulder; Orlaendric has given me the order to make this simple for you, either you take Zamieon's side or he and I will kill each and every one of you." Her voice came out angry, nearly shouting at the elven male.

"How dare you threaten me, what makes you think that you can do anything to us, the hunter maybe immortal but you will die." He said as he drew his sword and pointed it at her. I tried to move but something inside me told me not to, my instincts told me to wait a little longer.

"Try whatever you want, I'm already dead, that sword will do little to hurt me, I won't even bleed."

"You're immortal as well?" He said shocked lowering his sword, my mouth fell open, and my thoughts followed the elves, it seemed impossible.

"You're not listening to me, I am dead, have been for more than four years, and beyond that I am a Valkyr of Odin."

I jumped through the top of the hut, vines and moss fell to the large branch flooring. "So you just chose not to tell me about your being dead Elrohinile?" I was angry my tone made that extremely clear.

Elrohinile seemed completely surprised by my showing up, "Zamieon, how did you get here?"

"Why did you do this, why the hell did you lie to me?"

"I never-"

"You made me believe that you loved me, that you actually cared why would you do that to me? Have you any idea what this is like for me?"

"I had to have you believe that I loved you so that you would have something to hold onto, a reason to continue fighting to keep living."

"Kind of don't have a choice on the living part, and if I want to die I have to kill all the vampires. I have all the reason to fight them; I have hatred and vengeance to drive me to kill them. What ever you were doing here it was unnecessary." I turned around and grabbed the druid throwing him against the wall. "As for you Fjoushtkal I am only going to give you one chance at this, where are the vampires?"

"Zamieon take it-"

"Leave here; I have no use for the dead!" I shouted cutting Elrohinile off in mid sentence. "If you have nothing else to offer me here than get the hell out!"

"But Zam-"

"GET THE HELL OUT!" I shouted turning my face to hers, I could feel the lines of rage running across my face, and Elrohinile was starring at me, her face white with fear. I threw the druid to the floor, he landed hard on the ground, his air escaped him as he hit, and I drew my blade and walked towards Elrohinile. "Why, why the hell did you do this?"

"I already answered that, to give your mission purpose."

I was now standing directly in front of her my blades edge pressed against her throat, "not that, why did you come back from the dead?"

"I wanted to help you for eternity."

"Than why not do what I did, Odin would have done this for you as well."

"He gave me the choice, I chose to die than live forever, plus it gave me more power to use as I would."

"Leave me Elrohinile, I ask this of you as a friend, if you don't I will go back to Karod'Zileah and get Dawnslo's sword to kill you with."

"But Zamieon, why?"

"Because I love you Elrohinile, knowing that you are dead, do you have any idea what seeing you everyday till the vampires die would do to me? What kind of pain that would put me through? Please leave me; this is for me to do myself." I could feel the tears running down my face; the anger had turned to pain and sorrow. I sheathed my sword as I leaned closer to Elrohinile and kissed her on the cheek, "goodbye, I hope to see you when I can die."

"I'm sorry Zamieon; I had no intention of hurting you like this, though Odin warned me that this may happen." She turned and walked towards the door of the hut, she opened the door, and before she left, she turned to me, "I do love you Zamieon." Suddenly there was a burst of pure white light, nearly blinding me, Elrohinile was now in her Valkyr form, and she wore a golden breastplate and held a long spear in her right hand. "Farewell, I hope to see you again," with that, she disappeared into the night.

I turned my attention back to the druid on the floor, "so where are the vampires?"

"I-I don't know none of us do, they just gave us protection in exchange for our services. There is nothing that I can tell you of use."

"Let me make something very clear to you, anyone who would ally themselves with my enemies then becomes them, now do you want that?"

"Look, I will do what is in the best interest of my people and this forest, if it means allying my people and our services to the will of the vampires than so be it."

I looked down at him as he still lay on the floor, "you truly are a fool aren't you? Do you actually think that the vampires will leave you and this forest in peace simply because they said they would? Allow me let you in on a little something, in a thousand years the original vampire will return here and destroy all that exists on this world. In case it didn't register with you that includes your people and this forest."

His eyes grew wider, in fear, "how did you come to know this?"

"I tortured it out of one of their kind, mind you that it is not the vampires should fear, but me. I am the only one that can change the way things are for you and your people."

"I can't, though I wish I could, the vampires have operatives working within our ranks. I have been trying to find out who they are but it seems that we have no idea who they could be." He stared at the floor seeming somewhat embarrassed, "normally I would have no dealings with an outsider but since I do fear you more than I fear the vampires I will ask for your help. If you can find the vampires, and kill them then our services will be given to you." I chuckled, it was easier to do than he realized. "What is so funny Malanchite?"

"Well for starters, what Elrohinile doesn't know is that vampires can easily change forms, especially if they are newly turned. Another thing is that we hunters have a little spell to test whether or not a creature is a vampire." I cast a spell similar to cleansing hands called cleansing spirit; the blue light flowed from my hand to the face of Fjoushtkal.

"AHHHH!" He screamed in agony grabbing at his face, his body convulsed as he turned over to lean upon his knees. I could see the blood running off his face. "You bustardous hunter, you will pay for that!"

"I think not Vampire scum," I drew my sword and sliced the head from the vampires body, the blood flowed freely onto the ground, even though it was cut off the boils and blisters on the face continued to grow and burst. Then I heard a loud rumbling coming from below me, I then realized just how much trouble I was in. I ran to the door of the hut and looked down onto the surrounding area, to find a large army of vampires. What was worse was that all these vampires were once druids, I would be fighting them within their element and now I did not have the advantage of surprise. "Come and get me you lifeless sons-o-bitches!" They began to take animal form; falcons, eagles, bats; some even powerful enough to transform into magical creatures. I could make out an owlbear, several gryphons, two angmour and even a wyvern flying at high speeds. I leapt into the air off the tree branch; I outstretched my arms and began to chant the secret spell of my people. "In the name of Vilondri, I call forth the power of those who have fallen before, may their strength and desire for revenge bring me the power to smite my enemies. Light of the heaven burn away the cursed ones that lay before me, burn away their flesh and bones, may their souls forever wander in darkness!" A beam of pure light ripped through the night sky and passed into me, the memories of my ancestors coursed through my mind, pain shot throughout me, but it would be worth it. A moment later the beam left causing a cone of light to come coursing from my hands, it struck the ground engulfing nearly one hundred feet of the forest below in light, as it struck the ground it send an enormous cloud of dust into the sky. The Screams of numerous vampires came ringing through the night. I could see some of them being affected by the spell, their bodies latterly bursting into flames; the smell of burning flesh, fur and feathers filled the night air. The spell lasted only a few seconds and when it was over, I could see charred corpses falling to the ground.

However there were still many more vampires alive than dead, and they were all coming for me, I quickly cast a spells of agility, speed and strength on myself followed by a flying spell and not a moment to soon for I nearly hit the ground. I turned to see the vampires had surrounded me, and then a small number of them began to cast a spell that I was unfamiliar with, when they finished the vegetation around me quickly leapt out at me, entangling me within it.

"We have him."

"Kill the hunter!"

"Our enemy will now be crushed beneath us!" Their voices echoed through the forest, their bloodlust rang through their voices.

I began to panic, there were too many of them for me to handle alone, not to mention the fact that I was unable to move. The vines tightened around me beginning to cut off my air, and the vampires were closing in on me. I struggled to free myself but it was proving useless and I could feel the earth below me rumbling with the footsteps of my enemies, I could think of only one way to escape this situation but it was going to be excruciatingly painful. However, as they closed in on me, I realized that I had no choice; I closed my eyes and focused my mind to become intertwined with the spirits of flame. I could feel my skin burning, raw heat began to flow in and out of me, and I opened my eyes to find the first group of vampires beginning to raise their weapons to attack me. "INFERNEISQUE!" A pillar of flame twenty feet high engulfed me and quickly spread to cover an area of over a hundred feet in diameter.

It seamed that the amulet that Elrohinile gave me was working, the flames that surrounded me did not so much as singe my clothes, however the heat was causing my skin to peel however it was only a little more painful than a sunburn. Luckily, for me, the spell had accomplished what I had hoped that it would, the vines had completely burned away along with a large number of the vampires. Then as quickly as the pillar appeared and waved out it drew all the flame back and whiffed itself out. Small fires burned throughout the forest, if they were not dealt with soon, they would burn the whole forest, but I had little time to worry about the forest for more vampires still lived and were starting their charge on me.

I quickly ran in the opposite direction, as I ran I heard the rumbling of thunder. I looked up to see thick dark clouds overtake the night sky, flashes of brilliant white light erupted throughout the clouds, and without warning one of the worst downpours I have ever been in was beating down upon me. I glanced over my shoulder and noticed that the storm had put out most of the fires that were burning and the rest would probably smother themselves out, with that, the rain stopped as suddenly as it had started only moments ago.

"Want a hand?" A friendly and very welcomed voice called out to me.

"Any time Firefly," I replied breathing heavily as I continued to run.

"Thought you'd never ask," as he finished speaking a large swarm of flying insects rose from the ground and off the trees, they flew together and formed a very thick, very high wall. It was a thick wall that hummed loudly with the fluttering of wings; but something told me that, this was only the beginning. Then from somewhere high in the trees that same bright light came sailing gently down and as it landed it took the familiar shape of the male druid. He turned and smiled at me, "Don't think that little wall will hold them back do you?" He raised his hands and the ground began to shake, the earth began to spout out all sorts of different insects. The ground seemed to come to life; I began to notice larger ones coming out of the ground. A very large group of arachnids began to come crawling out of the ground the first three were massive, about ten feel tall and six feet wide. They were followed by about twelve sword spiders and thirty adult acid- spitters. "This is why the druids are feared my friend, not for our control of the weather or our understanding of the elements, but our power over the creatures of the wild. Though I do not understand why it is the vampires are unable to control them thus."

"That's not surprising," I said, beginning to relax a bit.

"Oh, and just why does that not surprise you?" Firefly asked raising an eyebrow.

"Animals can feel their evil energy better than mortals, unlike your kind to whom they have grown to trust the animals both loath and fear the vampires. The can feel an evil that would over shadow that of a Drow community, no respect for nature, that is the problem with vampires."

"Well whatever the problem is it won't matter soon," his arm raised and pointed to the wall of insects, red light shone from the other side, the vampires were burning their way through. "I think we should fall back to the forest, try to lose them, maybe our best chance of survival." I thought for a moment then decided against it, I drew both my scimitars out and widened my stance. "What are you doing we have to get out of here, they'll kill you if you stay."

"You mean they can try to, remember I'm immortal I can't die." I smiled the clouds above parted and the moon shone through reflecting its bright light off the drops of rain that clung to me. "I will not allow these creatures to poison these forests; their kind took almost everything from me, I plan on taking my vengeance out on all their kind. I am going to make this a preliminary run." The sad part is the few things that these creatures did not take from me the gods took away or I allowed them to take away, in either respect I had lost everything. I really had no reason to live or fight, other than revenge; I was going to have to let that be enough for even if I wanted to I would not be able to die.

I cast a few more burst speed spells on myself; the world around me seemed to slow down, I was beginning to better understand the spell, it did not speed you up or slow things around you down. Instead, it pulled you away from this reality, and created a pocket dimension around you, one that was just a few fractions out of synchronization with this plane. I could see insects, every flutter of their wings, and every drop of rain that fell from tree branches seemed to pass by at an inch a minute. I could see the Firefly begin to turn away, his voice speaking too slowly for me to understand.

I turned and charged through the wall of insects, they had a delayed reaction to my passing by, to them I would have appeared as more of a blur than a man, they scattered behind me those that I touched with my body seemed to be sent flying in all directions, like I had hit them hard with a stick. As I came out the other side of the swarm I was met with a fireball, actually a series of them, the red light was near blinding, but I moved quicker that the heat or force of the fireballs. I past through the flame, trails of it followed me, dancing at my heals, then I saw them, vampires about twenty in total. My blades glowed crimson with the light of the fire, I smiled and let out a hell worthy battle cry. My blades found their first victim a female vampire, about my height, my blades sliced clean through her abdomen, I had made a "V" shaped cut just under her breasts, the blood sprayed out slowly, I could have stayed to watch the fountain of it flow if I truly wanted to.

I continued to hack my way through the creatures until only one remained standing, the ground around us was slowly being covered with blood, I could spin around and see each vampire still dying slowly from my attacks. The first one had nearly hit the ground, her intestines spilled onto the forest floor, a look of pure agony washed over her face. The other bodies were still sending fountains of blood into the air, painting the trees and ground deep red, horrified eyes stared in all directions, the creatures never had a chance against me. I walked over to the last one remaining, I released my blades they fell to near my hips at normal speed, once they reached that point they seemed to stop, but they didn't stop, they merely left my pocket dimension and entered the normal world. I began to beat the last vampire, every time my fist collided with part of his body that part past into my pocket and moved just as fast as I move.

I decided that this was getting old after a short time, I had hit him enough for it to become boring, I cast dispel on myself and wound up reentering normal space and time, it was a disorienting experience to change dimensions that quickly. The vampire I had been beating on screamed in pain and fell hard to the ground spitting up blood; repeating that I had broken his bones. I picked up my scimitars, holding both hilts in one hand I used my free hand to pick up the vampire and throw him into one of the trees, he moaned briefly. Then I heard his bones snapping back into place, his body's regeneration was working, he drew an arm back with which to strike at me, but before he could finish I drove my scimitars through him and into the tree. Blood gushed out from the two wounds between his ribs; he screamed again, I grabbed his face with my hands squeezing his skull tight. "Tell me where your master will appear in one thousand years," I screamed at him, anger ringing through the forest.

"Never hunter," the vampire replied cockily, his silver hair falling over his face covering my hands.

"Fine, we shall do this my way, CLEANSING HANDS!" The vampire screamed and wailed in pain, his legs flailing wildly, it would do him no good. "Tell me and I make this stop, were will he come?"

"F-Fuck You!"

I squeezed harder, I could feel his skins blisters bursting, puss and blood covered my hands, and I could feel its warmth over them and the sickening smell that came with it. "How about now? No? Fine maybe a little more," I released his face, the wetness left strands of the blood/puss mixture attached to both his face and my hands. I ripped off the furs that he wore as a shirt and gripped his armpits; I cast cleansing hands again with much the same result from the vampire. However, this time I continued casting it, muscle and sinew began to fall from his arms, unimaginable screams of pain echoed through the forest. "Tell me, and I will kill you quickly!"

"All right, I'll talk", he screamed. "The master will come to the Drow kingdom Kel-tholas."

"Thanks, that's all I needed to know," I said smiling, Grabbing both the vampires arms I put one of my feet to his chest and pulled, he screamed in pain; I continued to pull until his arms came ripping out of place.

"You said you'd kill me," the vampire cried in pain and discussed.

"I have every intention of doing so; I just plan on doing it slowly." I grasped the vampire's throat, I cast cleansing hands once more, and this time so that the neck was not strong enough, then I pulled his head off. Blood covered both the tree and myself; I put my boot on the chest of the corpse and pulled hard to get my blades out, the vampires skin had already healed around them. "Well Fjoushtkal its safe for you to come out now!" I called out loudly.

"So you figured out it was me then?" Came the reply of a very surprised Firefly.

"Come now, the legend of the greatest leader among the druids, the man who could summon insects to fight wars, and have them win. It was easy to guess that it was you. Not to mention the fact that you have the tattoo of a druid chieftain on the underside of your jaw."

"Well since you obviously made up that thing about the legend I will just assume that you hunters have a lot of druids in your ranks."

"Had, remember I am the last."

"Right forgive me, I had forgotten, but if it is any consolation; for what you have done for my people I thank you and will say that from this day forward should you Zamieon Malanchite ever need aid in battle then me and my kin will aid you."

"Thank you Fjoushtkal, have your people ready in a thousand years, I will send a summon out to your people to aid me in the final battle for this world."

"We will fight by your side with honor." He bowed and disappeared again, turning into a firefly as usual.

I looked around me, then I turned my attention to the sky, found the North Star and gained my bearings, I decided to continue west, I would train with the monks of Hirogroul, the most renowned school for the body, mind and soul. I began to walk alone through the night, screams echoed in my mind, the screams of the battle five years ago, and the screams of the vampire I had just killed. After about three hours of walking I felt fatigue coming over me, I stopped walking and chose to sleep on the spot. My dreams that night were nightmares, filled with death and horrors, my mothers cold lifeless face was the last thing I saw, blood soaked her hair the scream of pain forever etched upon her face.