Twelve years have passed since then and I have been working as a mercenary since I was sixteen. I was currently working at a fat lord’s mansion in the city of Crita. The lord offered me a handsome sum of money and information about what sacked the town of Ashborne. While waiting I looked at myself in the mirror that was hung in the living room. Though I was only twenty years old I had a few scars decorating my face. My hair was a Chesnutt color like my fathers while my eyes were green like my mothers. Thunder footsteps could be heard above me.
“Let us be off then.”
The man had just come down stairs wearing a black vest with a white shirt underneath. His face was pudgy along with the rest of him and he had a great big walrus mustache. He was carrying a chest under one arm. We stepped outside and the atmosphere was very dreary not a sound could be heard coming from the streets. A servant walked up and bowed to the both of us. He had dark black hair, blood red eyes, and a pale complexion, this man was a vampire. Not like in the legends of old where a vampire lord would march his legion of the undead to a city and sack it within a night. The vampire before me was basically just a human who got a bad sun burn outside, though with a few perks, they had a natural affinity to necromancy though not like a lord who could raise an entire army with a flick of the wrist. They could also heal wounds much faster than a normal human.
“I will put this in the carriage for you sir.” The servant said grabbing the chest from under the fat man’s arm.
“Careful it’s a bit heavy, it holds this man’s payment!” he said with a slight chuckle as the servant nearly fell face first into the ground after grabbing it.
The carriage before us was made of wood and iron fittings, being pulled by undead horses. If you hadn’t guessed by now the town of Crita is home to the undead.
“I never caught your name sir.” I said to the fat lord while opening the carriage door.
“ah terribly sorry, Phineas Leary, just call me Phineas.” He said with a happy smile on his face.
My first impression of him was that he was going to be a pompous lord but he turned out to be a bright and cheerful man. After Phineas stepped in and sat down on one side of the carriage I followed and sat on the other side. The servant placed the chest inside the carriage which made it sink a few inches then got in and sat next to me.
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After we were all comfortable inside Phineas knocked on the window behind him and the crack of a whip could be heard and we started to move. Looking out the window I could see only a few people walking around the street many of them were Vampires while some of them were banshee’s and ghouls. The clouds in the sky blanketed out the sun keeping all the citizens safe from being turned to ash. Once leaving the city gates the sun shined through the carriage causing the servant to wince a little but otherwise unfazed.
“Does the sun not harm you?” I asked confused.
“It hurts but it is not deadly.” He answered with an emotionless expression.
“Oh lighten up Claudius, not all humans want you dead.” Phineas chuckled.
Wait if Phineas was calling me human and Claudius seemed to be at ease with him does that mean Phineas is an undead as well?
“I see your look, no I am not human, I am a draugr, well preserved but a draugr none the less.” Phineas said picking up the chest.
“Now if I remember correctly I offered you information on what sacked Ashborne correct?”
“In short, it was a corrupted vampire lord.”
What was the difference between corrupted and just a regular vampire.
“You are confused I can see, a corrupt vampire lord is extremely powerful capable of turning many mortals into vampires and has the ability to raise an army with just a thought. Though they may be powerful they are completely insane killing anything in their path living and undead.”
“How does a vampire become corrupt?” I asked.
“By drinking the blood of a fallen vampire lord.” Claudius chimed in his face showed he was uncomfortable talking about this subject.
I didn't bother to ask anymore questions out of of respect for Claudius and the fact that I felt I could trust what Phineas was saying. We traveled down the dirt road along side a dark forest. Traveling past this forest gave me an uneasy feeling. This bad feeling soon came to be reality in the form of a giant bull like creature standing on his hind legs. It stood in the middle of the road with a massive axe in one hand and a buckler strapped onto the other.
“Stay in the cart, Mr. leary.” i said stepping out of the carriage with my sword in hand.
The creature in front of me is a minotaur, it stood at least ten feet tall with broad shoulders and massive arms. Though they may not be smart their pure strength is alone strong enough to kill dozens of normal soldiers. I stood about ten feet away from the beast gripping my sword tight and getting ready to leap at it. The minotaur grunted and snorted before lowering its head and charging towards me.