Day 17 and Day 18: Vampire and Ghoul

Sir Risker looked down at the village before him, the flames still burning bright hours after the attack. The pale man adjusted his fine clothes, more fitting for a lord holding court than for a person walking in the forest at night, but that was something that was beneath Sir Risker's notice. The bushes trembled behind him and Sir Risker turned to see his servants come out from the woods. Their bodies were ragged and riddled with weapons, their eyes gray and lifesless and the stench of death hung to their skin.

"Well? Was the threat contained?" Asked the pale man, a hint of impatience in his voice.

"Sssiirrr,mmmooosssttllyy" answered the ghoul leader with clear effort, his wounded jaws almost falling to the ground. "TThhheeerree's tttrrrouubblleee"

"You can't even do a simple job, you're useless." shouted Sir Risker, advancing towards the captain with heavy steps. "What could make trouble for a band of ghoul attacking a simple town?"

"Hhheeerrrreerrra." was the only thing the ghoul said, his body frozen with fear.

Sir Risker's eyed widened at the name, bright yellow orbs turned blood red as a shout filled with hate rang through the woods. "THOSE FILTHY HERRERA ARE HERE"

Sharp claws grew from the pale man's hands, twin leathery wings burst from his back while a thick black mist hung to his legs. The ghoul's body went flying the next instant, a tree crumpling upon impact, before the vampire turned his furious eyes to the remains of his entourage.

"You will go back there and make sure those bastards don't escape again. I will take care of them once and for all." not one sound was heard on the clearing, the ghouls rooted in place. "I SAID MOVE YOU USELESS CORPSES OR I'LL TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB,"

The monsters moved into action at once, crashing into one another in their desperation to flee. The silence of the forest is replaced with the march of the ghouls, the vampire shooting glares at any that meet his eyes. Sir Risker goes back to the edge of the hill, his red eyes scanning the horizon until a twisted grin appears on his face. He threw himself off the ledge and burst into a cloud of bats, ready to begin his hunt.

Day 19: Spirit

Pedro took another sip of his dark coffee, the bitter taste jolted him awake. He gave a look to the pile of papers strewn across from him, the letters blurring together. The short researcher let our a sight while his fingers caressed the bridge of his nose and pushed up his glasses. It had been a string of long nights since his boss had sent him on an urgent job to this old mansion and ever since he had spend his days sifting through countless documents in the mansion's dusty library. Pedro had lost count of how many documents he had gone through by now but he still had yet to find the contract his boss had sent him for. There was, however, something that had called his attention while he checked the old documents, a name that repeated often even though it belonged to none of the mansion's former owners: Henrietta Dawson.

Pedro had tried to identify the name on his rare breaks, he had shifted through the family records and even asked the old butler to see if he recognized the name, but all the roads led to dead ends. The researcher let out a groan, the lack of progress in either task frustrated him to no end. He stood up from the table, his legs tingling as blood flowed freely once more, and approached the window. The dark shapes of the surrounding forest met him, haunting and forebonding under the moon's silver glow.

"Perhaps it is time I call it a day." thought Pedro, caressing his goatee as he considered his options.

The man looked out the windows for a few minutes before he made out his mind. He let out a yawn and stretched his arms, the bones popping in his arm; he turned around, his mind set on a good night of rest when his eyes caught sight of something unbelievable.

A woman wearing a heavily decorated dress, the fabric twisting and turning to form roses and tulips along her arms and waist. Her form was transparent with a pale blue glow that came from her. She held herself with confidence and dignity, like the queens they showed in the news. She gave Pedro a glacial nod and placed a thick leather bound tome of top of the pile of papers. Her resolute eyes met his, heavy with purpose.

"The truth is there." she said with a ghostly but firm voice. "Reveal it and all shall be made right."

She gave the short man one final nod before her form faded like smoke. Pedro coudln't move for a few seconds, his legs trembling like wet noddles. His hands sought support on one of the tables while his heavy breaths gave wave to calm ones. Eventually, Pedro found his courage, the whole experience not enough to stifle his curiosity and he approached the leather bound tome. He opened it softly, the off-yellow and brittle pages showing the age of the document. Black ornate letters announced the tittle boldly on the paper and Pedro couldn't give credit to his eyes. He would have to call his boss soon.

Day 20: Haunted Armor

Gabriela had been ecstatic when she got accepted as an apprentice by the old knight, she had heard tales from him since she was a child and those legends, those stories of virtue and wonder had been the reason she had trained so hard through her childhood. That happiness didn't last long into the training, for the old knight might be kind and gentle when they talked but whenever a sword was in his hand, he became an outright demon. To Gabriela, seeing the two faces of his hero was the first dose of reality she got from the knight, and also his first lesson.

"Appearances can deceive." he would say with his gruff voice, pointing his sword at her. "Many a rogue take advantage of that, as well as many creatures out there."

His second lesson was much more deadly, but all the more important. She learned it with every time his sword almost put an end to her and every thrust she parried.

"Embrace your fear. A battle is a dance with death, one error can mean death. Your fear will keep you alive longer than confidence."

His final lesson was given on his deathbed after Gabriela had become a knight. The old orc had grabbed her hands with his cold rough one, the light fleeing from his eyes.

"You're... never... alone." he muttered before his soul joined his ancestors and tears ran down her face.

Gabriela had handled the funeral by herself, the only student to the famed knight. A thousand faces had offered her empty words of condolences but none could reach her broken heart. She broke down again during the reading of the will, where her master left her his enchanted arms and armor, with a sizable sum to adjust them to her size. A few more days passed before she could go back to the field and a couple of weeks before the armor was adjusted for her. By then, the death of her master didn't sting as much, though it left an aching hole in her heart. One of those days, she took out the armor, cleaned with loving attention and donned it for the first time in her life. It was then that she heard it, the voice of her master spoke in her mind, reminding her of her last lesson.

Day 21: Rakshasa

Tae'ran cursed his own luck, kicking a rock he found along the way. All around him were trees that rose to touch the sky, their thick trunks looking the same for the old Rakshasa. No matter where he looked, the tiger man could find no trace or hint of the path he was told he could find, let alone anyone he could ask for help. A frustrated roar left Tae'ran, his claws slashing the bark of yet another tree before he kept on walking aimlessly. This deep in the forest, with threes as tall as the ones surrounding him, Tae'ran was left without the guidance of his stronger ally, the sun. Left without any other choice, the frustrated Rakshasa kept walking in a straight line, digging his claws into the nearby trees so he could know which way he had gone. The tiger man wore a smug smile as he advanced, confident the exit couldn't be that far away.

Half an hour passed in this manner while the tiger man cursed his rotten luck, a growl constantly on his throat. His mind was focused only on leaving the forest, so it took him a while to notice the change in the trees. The sharp horizontal lines that now adorned every tree in front of him. A gasp left the tiger man as he fell back on his butt, his body trembling all over. His heart gripped by dread, Tae'ran turned his head to look back, his muscles hard as rock. There, on the tall threes behind him, the same claw marks he had left not so long ago were closing before his eyes, a sinister white light coming from the trunks as they did so. Tae'ran didn't have to look at it twice, his body springing to his feet and bolting the way his instincts told him too. A cruel laugh reached his scarred ears, the creaking of wood following until his feet touched earth no longer and gravity took its due. The tiger man only had a few seconds to see the hill he had run off from before his body hit the water, knocking him out cold.

Day 22 and Day 23: Aasimar and Drow

Taelan had always felt something inside him was different from all his siblings, but when he was young he didn't have any better name for it than "The Warmth." It had taken him twenty years to understand what it really was and as he watched his friend bleed out in front of him, he dearly wished he could be ignorant once more. The young man breathed deeply once more, letting his lungs feel with foul air while his heart prayed to The Warmth, the divine essence within him, to heal his fallen friend. Fire ran through his veins as he exhaled, pure golden light shone from his blood covered hands and went into the purple skin of his elvish friend. The cleaved skin knit itself in front of his eyes, closing the fatal wound that had come to pass due to his stupidity. Treive had warned him about him countless time, he had told him how dangerous it was to show off his blessing and that it would attract the wrong sort of company. The cold bodies of his would-be captors were proof enough of the drow's misgivings.

Taelan kept channeling the fire-like energy into his friend until his vision was consumed by blackness and his fingers trembled. He would have kept going all the way into unconsciousness if a rough hand hadn't taken hold of his own, giving it a weak squeeze. The young man collapsed on top of the drow, his skin dripping with sweat. The drow's hand combed through the Aasimar's golden hair, dark blue eyes appreciating the magical glow that seemed to form a halo around his best friend. Treive had a whole speech reserved for the reckless Aasimar, starting on his blatant use of magic, pointing out how pushing himself to death was the last thing the drow wanted and ending with a well deserve "I told you so." But that all could wait until his body stopped crying in pain and his brave but short sighted friend woke up from his nap.

Day 24, day 25, day 26 and day 27: Minotaur, Gnoll, Harpy and Yuan Ti

A bright light pierced the darkness, falling down on a pristine-horned minotaur on the stage, the large bull man's midnight black fur shone while the silver linings of his equally dark shirt gave him a solemn air. Meaty finger danced across his bass's strings, each pluck evoking a low and sad note that joined together to form a sad a mournful tune. Only the minotaur's song could be heard across the room, every patron frozen in place as they listened to breathtaking spectacle.

"Guilty of no charge, we're blamed for all, judged without trail." sang the bovine with a deep voice, silver eyes thick with emotion. "Shackled by our past, we're falling down, we're falling down."

A drum roll followed the minotaur's lament before the low sounds set a calm nostalgic rhythm. A second spotlight revealed the drummer, a thickset gnoll with fur gray as ash and a look of total concentration. The two acted in concert, their song carrying an air of tragedy and solemnity.

"Then one day, monsters came into town. They stole our lives, stole our lights." the bull man sang, his voice raising in power. The shrill of an electric guitar joined them, giving a bite to the minotaur's final verse. "They put us through a nightmaaaaarrreeeee."

The last word became a bellow of repressed pain as the bassist rose his muzzle to the sky, his eyes misted with tears. The spotlight widened them, revealing the last members of the band, a half serpent half human woman, whose bronze fingers flew across the strings an electric guitar, and a short blue feathered harpy whose golden eyes were clouded with pain. The shrilling notes rang with haunting strength, like echoes of the bull's bellow; at the behest of the drum, they dropped in pitch and quickened their pace, as if desperate running away from danger. The harpy softly grasped the microphone, her feathered hand forming a dome that made her look like she was praying.

"Blood is seeping through my hands, the light is fleeing from his eyes." the harpy sung with a delicate voice and a smokey timbre that captivated the whole room. "Father please don't leave us, father please don't diiieeee on uuusss."

The guitar wailed in protest, the yuan-ti swung passionately on her coils with every beat of the drums, her yellow scales glinting like gold under the spotlight. The gnoll picked up the pace, building up the tension before with one strong beat of his drums he made way for the pair of vocalists.

"Oh Gods I beg of thee, listen to this monster." sang the pristine-horned and feathered monsters, their voices contrasting and supporting each other. "A second chance is all I ask, for the one who saved me! Shine your light on our father, grant him life please."

The last note lasted until both vocalist rang out of breath, their chest panting with exertion. Sweat running down their faces while the room grew darker, the spotlights gathering of the serpentine musician moments before the guitar's melancholic solo took center stage. The melody rose and fell in a delicate melody that felt light like air and yet hid a somber truth. The yuan-ti's body moved with nimble waves, enticing the audience with her movements as much as her tune. The solo reached a peak, the snake human hybrid lifted herself with her coils, her guitar clear for all to see as she strung the final chords of her solo. The minotaur's bass and the gnoll's drums took over, setting a solemn rhythm to guide them; Light bathed the band once more, giving them a mystic air as both males bobbing their muzzles in time with the music. Every eye in the room was set on the monstrous band and the captivating music they made. The whole of the audience leaning in their seat, so they could be closer to the source of such a tragic song.

The harpy took hold of the microphone once more, her golden eyes firm with determination. A drum roll announced her entrance, her voice raising in a beautiful wordless call to the divine.

"Oh divine light. You bless our eyes, you bless our hearts!" she would sing moments later, her wing-like arms raising in the air to form an arch while the light put in evidence all the shades of blue hidden in her feathers.

The minotaur cut in then, his heavy voice demanding to be heard. "Breaking my chains, I rise to the fight, I cry out my heart!"

"Evil minds you hear me well, by my sword you will be fell." sung the minotaur, his bass forgotten by his side as he clasped the microphone with large hands.

"You may run and you may hide, you may plan and you may lie." chimed in the harpy, her smooth voice filled with cold anger.

"But your plague of darkness won't." sung both vocalists, their voices weaving into a single cry of defiance. "Corrupt our hearts, infect our souls."

Both vocalist rose their first high in the air, their voices holding the note for long seconds before the drums paved the wave for the guitar to guide the melody to a final reprisal of the chorus, the notes sounding more hopeful and stronger than in the beginning. The vocalists shared a look, a smile appearing in their faces as the final chords of the guitar rang through the room. The room grew dark once more, the only spotlight left shone of the minotaur, a slight cloud of vapor rising from the furred man. His deep rumble reverberated clearly across the room, his wide shoulders set proudly at his side as he sung the chorus on last time.

"Guilty of no charge, with steel in our hearts And blood of fire.

Family together once more

We'll vanquish our foes

And bathe in triumph!"

The last note was bellowed with power and conviction, the pristine-horned bassist holding it for a full on minute before his lungs demanded their due. A heavy silence fell upon the room for a few seconds, the audience too captivated by the last notes to move. The lights came back on, shining at full strength over the tired band, all the member wearing a shy smile on their faces. A single clap from the back of the room broke the spell and soon a deafening wave of applause fell on the band. The band's smiles grew wider and more honest, breaking into a full on laugh as they bowed to their audience.

Day 28: Gryphon

Petro woke up with a stiff back, a groan leaving his mouth as his muscles complained loudly against every move; his muscles burned and any attempts to bend his back was met with sharp currents of electricity that froze him in place. He laid there for a while, waiting for the pain to leave, but after ten minutes without change, the young man decided to bite the bullet and face the day, he had an important duty to keep after all. Slowly, he inched his body towards the edge of the bed. He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth and grunted when he jumped to his feet. A wave of dizziness when through him and his hands sought the support of the wall; he could heart the pounding of his heart on his ears while a bitter taste spread through his mouth. Minutes later, the pain was gone but the lesson was learnt, there would be little bending of his back today and that thought brought a frown to his face. He shook his head, banishing the dark thought before he quickly changed into his clothes for the day.

Petro was already thirteen minutes behind schedule when he left the little shack he called home; it took him another half an hour before he reached the large wooden stables were his master waited for him. It wasn't a typical set of stables though, for one, there weren't any large doors on the ground floor, instead, a wide set of double doors laid opened near the top, squawks and chirps coming from inside. A smile twisted the young man's lips at the sound and he sprinted towards the single white door on the ground floor. He didn't get far though, a loud cry came from above. Petro's eyes only saw a blue blur before a heavy weight pushed him to the ground. a hard hiss left the young man's mouth as the impact sent burning pain coursing through his body. Sharp claws kept him at his side while a large beak caressed the side of his head. Petro whistled loudly, the claws at his side let him go instantly, landing only a bit behind. The young rider cursed his luck as he looked at the blue heavyset gryphon that was his to tame, caught between the bulk of adulthood and the fat of youth; the bundle of feathered energy vibrating with pent up energy while he waited for his rider to get up. Petro let his head hit the ground once more, sure that sentient beings or not, he didn't look forward to the teen years of his gryphon and neither did his back.

Day 29: Manticore

Lia looked down at her tail, the quill like tips vibrating with nervous energy while the sound of breaking glass reached her ears. She looked around the room, golden feline eyes open wide, her rounded ears taking every sound from the trespassers. The manticore picked up her spear, clenching the hardened wood tightly in her hands as she waited for her attackers. Shadows moved on the side of her vision, disappearing behind the walls in a flash. Lia breathed deeply, her natural magic coursing through her body and enhancing her sense, she wouldn't be taken by surprises. A trio of steps reached her ears, light and orderly, clearly professionals but they weren't careful, running towards hers without a care. She smiled darkly, her tail poised to strike.

A trio of elves appeared in from of her, clad in a bright green armor that glinted like metal. The elf in the front didn't have time to send a warning before her spikes dug deep into him, paralyzing his body and bringing him to the ground. The other two jumped back, taking out their swords and parrying the second wave of spikes. A third wave flew threw the air, metal ringed as they stopped the spikes but the second elf failed to notice the tip of her spear dig into her leg, her scream cut short with a blast of electricity straight to her chest. The second elf crumpled to the ground, her body twitching as the poison in the spear worked its way into her bloodstream.

Only one elf remained and he didn't wait for invitations, throwing himself at the manticore before it had a chance to react. Lia smiled at this, her tail shot like a whip, aiming for his head, but the elf dove below and cut her leg with his sword. The manticore hissed in pain and jumped back, taking out her kukri with a fluid move. The sound of metal on metal ringed across the temple, the two combatants exchanging blows for a few seconds before it all stopped. A body fell to the ground, blood pooling around them. The victor approached, lifted their weapons high and knocked out their rival.

Lia breathed out a sight of relief, the wounds all over her body burning at the open air, even so a smile made its way to her face. She had won, defended her temple one more day and had lived to tell the tale. She couldn't wait until the others heard about it.

Day 30: Hellhound

Dane chugged down a shot of tequila, the liquid burning down his throat and leaving a pleasant buzz in its wake. The steppe-wide canine set the glass on the table with a theatrical band and a contagious laugh. The patrons around him laughed and whooped, a few of the more adventurous one stole quick gropes of his fuzzy butt. The large brown furred dog didn't miss a chance, grinding his butt against the crotch of a patron while he pushed the face of another between his exposed pecs. Dane licked his lips, the sweet scent of lust mixing with the earthy scent of desire, the sins of the patrons were thick in the air, enough to keep him going for the whole night but the hellhound wanted more. Dane let the patrons touch him for a bit longer before his arms caught two of them by the waist and, in a feat of dexterity and strength, lifted them until they were sitting on his shoulder. Both humans let out a scream at the sudden change in altitude, but their touchy hands soon set to work on exploring the thick forearms while the rest drooled at the sight of his bulging biceps.

Dane smiled at the reaction, his tight shorts barely containing his excitement. He could never get enough of this, there was something so pure and primal in being worshiped by the humans, their secrets desires all there for him to consume and realize, so many eye set on his body with a starved gaze. It was addicting and something Dane knew he would keep doing for a long time yet. After all, what better job was there for a being such as himself that draining humans from their sins on a daily basis. As far as he was concerned, he would be a heavenly hound by the end of his tenure.

Day 31: Djinn

Izas stared down at his human, the fragile little thing usually wasn't that impressive without his flames adorning his body or without wearing the heavy gauntlets where Izas lived, this time however, he had reached a new low of misery. His clothes were torn, his face covered in bruises and a black eye was well on its way to forming. The djinn breathed out yellow flames, knowing his human most likely got in a new set of problems, or as he liked to call them, "adventures." The obsidian horned being scoffed and leaned on his side, baring his muscled furred body for all to see, he had never understood the human concept of shame or restraint. A bowl of fire nuts appeared in from of his and with a smokey voice he said:

"So what was it this time Abdud? Did you try sneaking into another brothel or were you trying to 'loan' a few items? Perhaps you decided to challenge another guard to a fight and forgot you can't use me without a proper sacrifce?"

The dark haired adult glared at his partner, his puckered lip eliciting a grin from the dark furred creature, and threw a bunch of sand at the son of fire. No sand hit Izas as a wall of fire stopped it in its track and a bigger grin sent the point home.

"It wasn't like that." said the human defeated laying back against the sand, a thick tent forming in place with a flick of the djinn's wrist. "I didn't get in trouble with the ladies or the law this time."

"Then, did you get in trouble with the sages or maybe the priests?"

"Worse."

"What could be worse than--" The djinn started laughing, red sparks coming out of his body in a shower. The human stood up, his renewed glare lacking in bite due to his bruised face.

"It isn't funny, my sister's husband did try to kill me this time."

"He tries to kill you every time Abdud."

"But he called for his guards, even though I only wanted to give Ari a new necklace."

"That you stole."

"And then take her out to eat at a restaurant."

"With the money you scammed."

"You aren't helping, you know?"

"My apologies, your majesty, for I must point out that...you're an awful example for your nephews."

"I did defeat the Demon of the Crimson Desert." said the human as he posed heroically.

"By accident." Izas was quick to point out.

"And I returned the golden egg to the Sultan."

"After you stole it."

"You are horrible."

"Yes, yes I am."