Captain Zack Griffin took control of the lead car and Seis being his second sat in his passenger seat. They drove far out the city, into the outskirts where they were soon surrounded by the shadowed silhouettes of lone buildings, woods and fields. The hunting force parked up just outside the hearing range of any lurking vampire or any vampiric monstrosities, in a small, flat patch of frosted grass surrounded by the dark outlines of trees. It'd would be a long and tedious trek to the destination, but it was the trade-off they had to make to remain undetected.
Zack and Seis were the first to climb out of the hunter's convey with the rest of the hunter force following in unison once their captain's foot touched the ground. They'd rode in three large SUV's newly owned by the division, of course pitch black. Squads of hunters made their way to the back of their respective vehicles, opening up the boots and unloading their equipment. Firearms and blades of various size and shape where withdrawn along with ammunition and other standard supplies, from vials of Noctrm to medical stimulants.
Zack and Seis were the only exceptions, they were both already equipped with everything they'd need for the hunt before ever setting off. Even keeping their weapons close in the car in case of an emergency. Zack's abnormally large sword sat comfortably on his back inside its glistening black leather and gold sheath. Back in his teenage years when he'd been gifted his blade, Zack had playfully titled the armament 'Excalibur' after the old Arthurian legends for its grand and royal design. The weapon was an enchanted, razor sharp sword of pearl white steel, that glowed in the night air like moonlight. It's guard and pommel were a shinning, intricate design of gold with its handle being the same smooth black leather as the weapon's sheath. With the exception of his sorcery, Excalibur is and has always been Zack's sole weapon, even back at his days at the academy he'd never grown accustomed to another blade or firearm. It wasn't that his skill lacked with other armaments and instead a case of nothing else synergising with him like his sword.
Seis on the other hand was the complete opposite case, and quite similar to Louie. He utilised a variety of weapons, techniques, magic and firearms however, his favoured weapons were a pair of curved short swords, he sheathed in a cross on his lower back.
Together him and Seis kept a watchful eye on the environment, their location should be safe, but you could never be certain in their line of work. They could always be outmanoeuvred or there was always the possibility of an unknown threat lurking in the shadows. Louie's recent behaviour was living proof of that.
'If only he'd fill them in on what,' Zack thought.
After a few moments of no problems, Zack began to feel confident they were truly hidden. He let his eyes wander back to his hunting force. Analysing their attire. It'd had always been an interest of his seeing the outfits that his fellow hunters choose to wear, they could tell you a lot about an individual, from their style of combat to hunting preferences. At the foundation, all hunters wore similar combat attire of black and dark shades of protective (sometimes even enchanted) cloth and leather. However, each individual would make alterations, some barely noticeable while others creating a completely unique look. Whether it be a cloak, coat, jacket, a hat, bandana or even a cravat. An attraction to a more formal or informal attire or even a preference to a more casual civilian look compared to an outfit designed completely for hunting and combat. Each alteration however numerous and of whatever magnitude made each hunter a unique individual and created an insight into who they were.
Zack himself wore what he considered very simple. A black uniform covered by a coat like cape that hung from over his shoulders. Subtle, black steel guarded his shoulders and forearms as well as his boots and shins. It was true he possessed a radiant panoply of white and gold steel armour, but he hadn't worn that since the war over a decade ago.
Being some of the best hunters the division possessed the hunting force was equipped and ready in the under a minute. The hunt began.
They stalked off, following the faded and overgrown dirt path, which led into the sea of shadows which protected the treeline as well as any threats that possibly lurked within. Zack let Seis take the lead, where he positions himself far in front of the pack. Seis was similar to Louie in not only his attire but his style of hunting. A mission like this, he was in his element. The way the cogs in his mind turned, the way he moved and acted he was more of a monster than Valdosk itself.
While Seis paved their way, Zack led the main body of the group. He had the pack organised into four lines of three hunters, all on the highest alert possible. While they were all experienced, skilled veterans a vampire lord was more than a threat for each of them, even if they all fought together the outcome wouldn't be certain.
Soon the vegetation began to overwhelm the dirt path and it vanished. Zack began to keep his eyes on the nearby trees scanning their bark for the engraving's that Seis' knife made to lead them along the scent. Cautiously but still at a fast pace, thanks to Seis's efficiency, their trek through the fields and small woodland only lasted around twenty-five minutes, Zack estimated they'd walked a little over two and a half, close to three, miles.
The woodlands began to open up and the ominous light of the moon illuminated the now sparse vegetation. Seis stood motionless at the edge of the treeline. Before him, highlighted under the nights light, alone in an open grass patch was a rusted steel warehouse. Zack imagined it was once used for the nearby farmland. The entire hunting force assembled behind Seis, with Zack taking his position beside his friend.
"You ready?" Seis asked.
Zack nodded. "Ready to end this mess."
He ordered three hunters to hold a position at the treeline, in case of a possible attacks at their flank, and then marched forward. Uncaring of exposing their presence, it was too late for their enemy to escape now, they made their way up to the warehouse's tall gate doors. They were locked by a chains and a single lock. Zack stood so close to the warehouse he was practically breathing on the steel doors. The rest of the hunting force remained a few metres back. Zack withdrew a vial of Noctrm from his chest pocket and his fellow hunters did the same. However, compared to theirs his unique and augmented concoction possessed no cloudy aura and instead was a pure white liquid, as if moonlight had been captured in the vial. Throwing his head back the contents of the vial, somehow constantly switching between sweet and bitter, trickled down his throat. Instantly, with a familiar and almost comforting slight burst of pain, every muscle of his body tensed and a raw bestial urge consumed his mind and body. He felt his eyes become engulfed with white and black tendrils reach out from around the sockets and his blood vessels pushed up to the skin. With indomitable authority he tamed the beast the drug brought forth in an instant leaving him even further evolved strength, senses, reflexes and combat potential.
With an inhumanly fast glance back making sure his fellow hunters had consumed their vials he claimed the warehouse's lock with a powerful grip. Squeezing, the lock crumpled and shattered. Ragging his arm back, he snapped and pulled out the steel chains, completely removing all security from the gates. A small black slit emerged between the doors. Zack peered into the darkness to be instantly greeted by a pair of curious crimson eyes. The gaze of a camaz. The curiosity abruptly vanished from the crimson glows, replaced by a burning, murderous hatred. A guttural growl radiated from within the confines of the warehouse. Zack stepped to the side as a tree trunk sized limb of muscle, black fur and armed with five machete like claws burst through the steel attempting to impale the captain. Before the camaz could withdraw its arm Zack claimed hold of the monster's arm. In a single, swift motion he snapped the arm towards the gate like it was a twig and let the useless limb drop to the ground. An agonized roar boomed throughout the warehouse as the camaz felt its bones break and flesh tear. The steel gates flung open with enough force to kill an ordinary man, but Zack had long repositioned himself outside of danger. Despite losing the use of one its arms the camaz charged with pure killing intent. Unfazed, Zack moved even faster than the beast, he didn't even bother unsheathing his sword. Instead he grabbed hold of the camaz's fang and simply threw the beast behind where it was swiftly butchered by Zack's squadron of hunters. Unsheathing his sword, he entered the darkness of the warehouse, Excalibur's blade beaming like moonlight.
The steel building must've been ten metres wide and about 20 long, it was completely empty not even a bulb hanging from the ceiling leaving it in complete darkness. Zack wandered further in, despite their attempts the camaz couldn't hide their scent nor did the darkness shroud them from Noctrm's gift of night vision. Soon numerous blood eyes pierced through the shadows. The monsters charged.
The lead and largest camaz pounced three metres from him, claws extended. Despite its desperation and bloodlust the beast never got close, like a black blur Seis appeared by Zack's side and thrust a silver blade through the side of its skull. His second sword came up in a silver arc and severed the creature's head from its body. Zack carried on forward as the rest of hunting forced began pouring in, to fight the oncoming onslaught. Three camaz charged towards him.
In South America they were the apex of any jungle they claimed as home, a dangerous threat to any hunter who made them their target, even veterans had to enter a battle with one fully equipped and their skills sharpened to the zenith.
The closets camaz leaping from the right was severed in two with a clean and powerful strike, that to civilian eyes would've seemed like a white blur and would've been missed if they blinked. The two parts of the camaz hit the ground with a gruesome splatter just as the camaz to his left swung its claws done upon his head. Before the beast if came close to touching a blonde hair upon his head, Zack severed the arm at the elbow and stepped in closer avoiding the blood spray and raking Excalibur through its waist parting the upper and lower sections of its grotesque corpse. The third and final camaz charged, showing no fear or hesitation despite the demise of its brethren. Zack raised his hand, his fingers splayed open.
"Flare," Zack chanted. In an instant there was a fluctuation in the air and the camaz's entire body was set ablaze in a bright orange glow of violent and coiling flames. The camaz let loose a bestial scream and was burnt inside and out. Its limbs and body helplessly failed as their hopelessly attempted to put the fire out. In a few moments the camaz's struggles came to an end as its hairless, charred body dropped to the ground with remnant smoke trails floating up from its bare cooked flesh.
Finished with his victims, Zack turned back to aid his allies. He was relieved to see his hunter's had successfully killed every camaz with no casualties and minimal injuries. He imagined Seis played a significant part in that outcome.
Zack turned back to the darkness, they still had to deal with the true threat. He found it a little surprising Valdosk didn't attack with his pets as well as little camaz there truly were here. During their weeks of preparation it was believed he had an army worth of the monsters. As he strode down the warehouse, Zack imagined Valdosk must be sitting at the bottom of the warehouse in some shitty chair to boost his ego, ominously waiting for them in the shadows, with his most trusted pets. It wasn't due to legends or folktales that made him think that way it was due to fact he'd dealt with vampires who'd done that exact act. Turns out living on blood can develop you a flare for the dramatic.
His blade still freshly dripped the crimson blood of monsters, and he strolled across the length of the warehouse, his footsteps echoing against the metallic surfaces. Seis joined him at his side, whilst the others stayed further back, with some remaining at the entrance in case the vampire lord attempted to escape. In all honestly they probably wouldn't be able to stop Valdosk but they'd buy Zack and Seis enough time to catch up. Fortunately for them, Zack didn't plan on letting the vampire get past him and Seis. He raised his hand, ordering everyone but himself and Seis to stop, any further and they might become easy pickings.
Their weapons raised, him and seis approached the end of the warehouse. The final wall of shadows was pulled away.
Nothing.
There was nothing there but empty air. No camaz. And most significantly no fucking vampire lord. Zack and Seis spun around in a sudden panic searching for any clues or hints to Valdosk's location. It quickly became clear he'd once been here but not for hours. They'd been outwitted, outmanoeuvred, completely outplayed.
"Fuck," Seis cursed under his breath.
"Shit! Someone get me Ruthor!" Zack barked.