The Counterattack

Although the rain was little more than drizzle, fledglings fell in their thousands, wailing as their skin burned away. Turel's legion was still engaged with Audron's thralls, however, so there was nothing to halt the retreat of those adults unable to Teleport. Wishing to fell at least one Vampire captain before dusk fell, Moebius threw his staff like a javelin, aiming for a fleeing Ancient. He missed, but his target dropped like a stone as soon as it came into range of the staff's incapacitating effect, where it was hacked to pieces before it could rise. But Moebius was now bereft of his staff, and had merely a dozen guards. Seeing this, the two surviving Ancients flew at him like arrows. They struck him in the chest, knocking him senseless, and one proceeded to maul him to the best of his ability while the other killed all who came near. With incredible vision and accuracy, Mortanius impaled one on a lightning bolt from across the battlefield, who was finished off by the two survivors of Moebius' guard. The other Ancient, seeing this, teleported away, his work done.

Realising they were losing, all vampires capable of teleportation did so. The adults incapable of such fled on foot. Turel's legion, now free of the Thralls that had been attacking, flowed down to block their escape. Malek's legion, was the most damaged, and thus it returned to the others and began slaughtering fledglings wounded from the rain. The other charged the survivors, greatly outnumbering them. But the vampires knew that there was no quarter in today's battle, and fought with savage desperation which, coupled with vampire strength and agility, could yet win the day.

Raziel's legion reached Moebius first. With two shield bearing Sarafan holding off the vampires, Raziel retreated from the front line of his legion and knelt next to Moebius and his two guards, flinching as he surveyed the damage. Several of his organs and bones were visible through mangled skin and flesh. The damage was completely irreparable, even for a vampire, never mind an elderly human. The fact that he was still alive, never mind conscious, was a miracle in itself.

Moebius smiled up at him weakly. "Have you ever...heard the term, time heals all wounds? Help me sit up." Raziel obliged, wincing as vital organ pieces shifted. Moebius closed his eyes. The wounds vanished. It wasn't the accelerated healing of a vampire, no wound closing rapidly, but actually vanishing, instantly replaced by unbroken skin. Moebius subsequently collapsed, and Raziel told off a bodyguard to take him back to the fortress, knowing many of them would die as vampires attacked Moebius while he was vulnerable. Tasks done, he brought his legion back into combat, running at their van.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Zephon moved three ranks deep into his legion, allowing others to kill the surviving vampires. It wasn't cowardice. They had just won a decisive victory today, and if a Sarafan General died unnecessarily, it would result in a huge loss of morale for their legion that they didn't need. He could see Raziel running ahead of his troops foolishly, bearing down on a familiar banner. A very familiar banner...

Him.

"Hold!" Zephon screamed suddenly, over the sounds of battle. "Hold, Raziel! That one is mine!" If Raziel heard him, he gave no sign, and probably wouldn't care if he had. In the Sarafan, they had no time for personal grudges. It was the first thing you were told. It was a good rule. He couldn't just abandon his legion.

Raziel might not have heard, but the subject of the call did. The vampire looked up, saw Zephon, and smiled, veering his legion towards him. Raziel, not wishing to leave a huge gap in the Sarafan lines, was forced to remain where he was. Finally recognizing the banner, he caught the eye of the other General and gave a 'Good luck' salute. In spite of his own earlier thoughts, Zephon began pushing through his legion to reach the battle line, but good sense held him back behind the front line, in the second rank from it. The vampire he knew gestured, and suddenly the air was full of telekinetic projectiles, and then he stood alone. The leading vampire walked out in front of his troops and began circling, fangs bared. It was customary to exchange taunts before engaging in single combat, but Zephon had no desire to bandy words with this monster, and by the time the vampire started to speak he was already skewered. His face a picture of disbelief, the vampire tried futilely to remove the blade from its chest, still trying to speak as his fledglings charged to save him. Standing his ground as his own legion charged to save him, Zephon locked eyes with the vampire, not caring if he died as long as his opponent died first.

"You...you...cheat!"

Zephon laughed, pretending calm. The nerve of the creature, accusing another of trickery! "You shouldn't have massacred that village, Zarlin. You knew I'd find you."

"The fault...lies with you...for...leaving them...so unprotected. Killing...me will not alter that."

"No...but at least it grants me some measure of satisfaction." And with that he withdrew the blade, spun, and neatly removed the head with a single stroke. Then the fledglings reached him, and in the desperate fight for his life he could forget the guilt that was ever present in his heart. Not for failing to protect them, but for what came after.

- - - - - - - - -

With their best generals dead or fled, and with Zephon's defeat of a legion in a pivotal position, the vampire resistance began to crumble, slowly condensing until legions were fighting each other in an attempt to flee, clawing at each other. Their resistance completely collapsed as the clouds suddenly drew together over the main knot of vampires and increased in volume in a way that was not natural, and Turel suddenly realized what the missing Pillar Guardians had been doing. A single shower of rain had turned an impossible situation into the single biggest victory in the history of the Sarafan order. The few surviving vampires knew that no quarter would be given, and some even managed to escape as Sarafan soldiers were reluctant to risk their lives unnecessarily. So Raziel, Turel, Dumah, Rahab, Zephon, Melchiah and Malek led them in one last victorious, exhausted charge, massacring the last few terrified, desperate, doomed creatures still standing. Then the cry of victory rose, and the exhausted Sarafan armies trudged back to their fortress, and except for a handful of unlucky guards, fell into long, deep, recuperative slumber.

For future reference, what exactly are the Sarafan Generals weapons? I can't remember, which was why I was vague on their weapons in the story so far. Please review. More on what happened to Zephon later.