“You are now, what I am, a vampire.” Mai looked into Lahn’s eyes, “I am so sorry I dragged you into this, it is entirely my fault.” Lahn pushed Mai away and looked around. His senses were alive and his vision was so enhanced now that he had no problem seeing in the low light of the evening. He could hear the heartbeats of the men still alive inside the medical tent, and he could smell the pile of rags caked in dried blood, the scent that had attracted him back to the tent.

“I killed people,” Lahn looked remorsefully into Mai’s face.

“And if you are to survive you will do so again,” Mai quickly replied. She hated doing this to him as he was obviously still in shock, but it had to be done. “Now you must run.”

“What! What are you saying?” Lahn looked like a dear caught in headlights. He was on the verge of collapse and did not understand what was going on.

“Lahn, if you don’t start running, they will catch you, and if they catch you, they are going to destroy you,” Mai turned him around and leaned against him, and whispered in his ear. “I don’t want you to perish, just run, I will look for you in a few years, I promise.”

“I don’t understand,” Lahn started to turn back around, but Mai held him fast.

“The hunters are already on their way, and you have spilt the blood of the innocent, your death has been ordered, so you must run.”

“No, I want to stay with you,” Lahn protested.

“Stop being foolish and do as I say!” Mai screamed out “They are almost here!” Mai shoved Lahn and he began to run, though he did not know where to. He found that his speed and agility were greatly improved; he reached the edge of town within seconds. He did not stop and continued running. Back at the medical tent Mai fell to her knees and wept the last remnant of her tears.

“You gave him the best chance to survive,” Buun quietly emerged from the shadows.

“He will be dead by morning, won’t he?” Mai asked as she stared in the direction Lahn had fled.

“Probably” Buun walked up to Mai and placed a hand on her shoulder. “I am truly sorry, but this needed to be done.”

“It was my fault, the moment you saw him, I knew you would kill him.” Mai stood back up and faced Buun. They both looked up as five hunters bounded over them, and began their pursuit of Lahn.

“Yes it was,” Buun agreed. “I will not report your deception, as he would have been found eventually, and I would be held responsible for your actions. Remember, you asked for this life.”

“I know.” Mai and Buun stepped into the medical tent and finished off the rest of the wounded.

Lahn was amazed at his speed. He was running faster than any vehicle known to him, and his senses were awake and getting better every second. He could hear a battle going on as if it were right next to him despite it being miles away. He stopped for a moment to listen more carefully, and began to wonder if there was any wounded in need of medical attention. He closed his eyes and remembered what he had done, and tears began streaming down his face. His moment of sadness was swiftly interrupted. He could hear them, at least five, moving at incredible speed in his direction. Lahn was not sure how he could hear them, but he was sure that they were coming for him. He began his run once again.

Lahn ran as fast as he could through the thick jungle but he could tell that they were closing in on him, soon enough they would be upon him. Through the foliage he spotted a light, it looked like campfire. Lahn ran towards it, hoping maybe they could help him. When he entered the clearing he was appalled by what was revealed before him. On the ground were seven bodies. The men had been killed in horrendous fashions. Their internal organs had been ripped and pulled out of their bodies leaving only empty chest cavities and an incalculable amount of blood lay everywhere. They were strewn about, and it was obvious to Lahn that the men had tried to escape their inevitable fate. “They were rapists, murderers and thieves.” Lahn turned around to see a tall, olive skinned man standing behind him. The man was garbed in a red cloak which covered most of his body. Lahn had not heard him approach and immediately assumed a fighting stance.

“You don’t have anything to fear from me,” the man uttered as he grabbed a plain looking bronze spear that was resting on a nearby tree. “Now I cannot say the same for the others that are approaching.”

“They are hunting me, they want to kill me, and I don’t know why” Lahn quickly uttered!

“I would assume so Foundling,” the man uttered. Lahn did not understand the last word he said. Before he could utter another word, Lahn was covered in a net and knocked to the ground. A moment later four additional vampires entered the clearing, they were dressed similar in style and fashion as Buun; a sort of uniform, but unlike any worn by any of the nearby armies. The men’s expressions over the massacre mirrored his own after he entered the same small clearing moments earlier. As they cautiously entered the clearing Lahn looked around, the olive skinned man was gone.

“How far did you think you would get Foundling?” The obvious leader of the hunting party asked as he knelt down beside Lahn.

“Did he do this?” A subordinate asked as he looked around in horror.

“No,” The leader stood up and began looking around scanning and then sniffed the air. “His hands are free of any blood, these men were torn apart.”

“What then, a wild animal, a bear perhaps?” another subordinate asked.

“These wounds were not cause by claws,” the leader replied. “Claws and teeth tear and cut; it looks like they were ripped open.”