Chapter 18: Bloodbath

"General Santos, you asked for the latest photos."

The General was passed a manila envelop containing satellite images of Vandenberg Air Force Base. For the last week Vandenberg had been under close surveillance. A night time aerial photo sweep was taken viewing heat sources. The base was photographed, showing fuzzy images of bodies. Over the next days the daytime sweeps showed nothing. At night however, the ghosted bodies appeared. This had caught the attention of those watching the quarantined zones. It was a clue about what was going on.

This latest stream of photos had caught multiple explosions and many more bodies. Those photographed had two different body temperatures. Many of the bodies were colder than others. The lens picked up on temperatures that were around seventy degrees, hazy forms considering they were almost the temperature of the air.

"Thank you, Sergeant, you're dismissed?" The sergeant saluted and walked out of the general's temporary office. Santos reached for his phone, a direct line to General Russell's office. Russell has been on the Joint Chiefs of Staff for ten years. He had seen two presidents come and go. It was Russell who had brought this mission to Santos.

"Russell."

"General Russell, it's Santos, I have confirmed reports of Vandenberg insurgents."

"That was quite a sentence Santos, must have taken a lot out of you. Listen closely to me. There is a lot going on right now, too much for you to be mucking around with. All satellite signals out of the zone have been blocked. You have prevented anyone from coming out and spreading stories. I have orders from the highest authority that we are to forget about the area. We will not allow you to go charging in to 'reclaim' anything. Your official orders are to quarantine Southern California and prevent anyone from entering. We are no longer concerned with evacuation."

"Sir, aren't you worried about the public?"

"We are dealing with the public already Santos. It has been 'leaked' that 'terrorists were able to infiltrate Los Angeles and set off chemical weapons. The weapon affects humans neurologically. We are still trying to determine exactly what it is. We were unable to save any of the people beyond the first wave. Those that were infected went crazy and attacked their neighbors. The area is uninhabitable and will remain toxic and quarantined for the next several years.' It's all taken care of."

"What do you mean unable to save any of the people? There are still people inside."

"No, General, there aren't, and you better remember that."

"... You're right General, there aren't any people left. The inhabitants fled or died."

"Good, I knew you were the right man for the job. You make certain we don't have to deal with any surprises and at the next review I will guarantee you another star. The army can always use a good soldier who knows his priorities."

"Thank you very much, sir."

"And Santos, don't screw this up. If something needs containing you do it. I don't want excuses. I didn't choose a man with the nickname 'machinegun' because I liked how it sounded. You do your job. There were no survivors. You understand me?"

"Sir, yes sir."

Hunter scouts had been scattered about the terrain. Those furthest out reported in when they heard the sounds of twenty thousand beating wings. They saw the sources of those sounds moments later, drawing back from the oncoming mass. A swarm of setaros, uncountable in the night air, flew overhead. They quickly overtook the Hunters, not even noticing them.

Thunder and dust bellowed from the mass below the setaros. Running, scrambling feet carried tens of thousands of demons. The night air was filled with the dust stirred up by the throng of demons. The dust was caught in the air by those flying above. Like a thick shroud it blocked out the moon, pitching the night into an even darker blackness. The sheet spread out, blinding anyone unable to see the heat a body produces.

The deafening arrhythmic beating rolled off the oncoming cloud. It carried over the radios and echoed into the base as the Hunters reported their sightings to Drake. Demon and nuishii alike felt the ripples in the Consensus as Kaan's host thundered forward.

The combined armies of Hunters and vampires formed a defense. Drake stood in the foreground with his companions. They stood against the oncoming army knowing they were watching their death approach. Heartened by the thought that their sacrifice would serve the best cause, the gathered clans shifted about, a serious but light feeling through the air. Aaisha had promised her life for Tiro's family. The clans would fight for their empress. They would fight for their future. They would fight for their duty.

A precursor to the storm began. The first wave of demons launched themselves against the gathered army. Setaros flew down from the sky like hail pellets. The small demons were shot out of the air by the Hunters bullets. Others were met from below by Aaisha's vampires. Bursts of light from gun fire brightened the darkened night. This was a poor fight for warriors like the Hunters. They were excellent marksmen, trained to choose their shots carefully. Against this swarm where one body was almost indistinguishable from another the Hunters were hard pressed to make clean shots on single targets. Those with automatics were prone to opening fire as fast as they could find a target.

Demons swarmed in from all angles. The second wave, the kulghas had arrived. The Hunters unloaded all of their ammunition into the mass of monsters. Demons fell to ground in every direction, their life draining out. Drake emptied his last clip on the nearing mass of kulghas. He felt the dive of a setaros pack as they attacked. He dropped his rifle, pulling his revolvers out. One shot after another he turned the heads of his attackers into caves. Seven went down. He turned to the left as he felt another near. The setaros was swooping down to grab him. He swung his left revolver, emptying it into the demon. It was moving too fast, the gunshots doing nothing to slow it. Drake jumped out of the way, coming to his feet as it crashed into the ground.

The Hunter looked around the base. Everywhere he looked, demons were fighting. His Hunters fought against demons with blade and gun and belief. They fought beside vampires, against kulghas and setaros. The battle started with a form. The Hunters and their companions had formed a circle where they could protect each other. They fought together against a force out numbering them easily twenty to one. When the original circle of their defense was broken, smaller groups formed. In many places the battle had deteriorated into one warrior horribly outnumbered by monsters.

A spurt of blood splashed onto Drake's face. No more than two feet away from him a body hung in the air. The setaros had been pulled out of its dive, all of its inertia evaporating around the arm sticking through its chest. Sinbad towered over the body of the smaller demon, blood dripping off his hand. Seeing that his action had caught Drake's attention he looked the Hunter in the eyes. Drake's expression said 'thanks'. Sinbad simply shrugged.

"If you two are finished playing, there are more to kill." Aaisha laughed. Drake and the two vampires formed a powerful team. Drake fought with all of his weapons, physical and nuishii. Aaisha plucked the energy evaporating from the dead, forming it into terrifying lances. She spread her wrath in all directions around the battle. Most anything struck by her attack died instantly. Sinbad with his strength and incredible speed moved everywhere at once. He protected his empress from any physical threat, single strikes killing kulghas and setaros alike.

The battle raged around them, demons fighting against the more powerful vampires and the fearsome Hunters. The tide of demons slowed, stopped by the wall of warriors. The storm had more to send. The ground, slick with blood, cluttered with bodies, thundered and shook as the third wave of the assault broke. Kazikaan launched into the fray. Drunk with blood, their savagery was fueled by their hunger. Among them Kaan himself started his feeding.

Waves of power surged off the ancient vampire as he moved about the field. He killed indiscriminately. No one was safe if they were within his sight. Bullet holes appeared in his body as the snipers tried to take him out. His head split open from one round. All of his wounds healed nearly as fast as they were inflicted. With every life he took he regained any power he lost in the taking. He went about the battle aimlessly killing. He was unstoppable in his rage.

Five bodies flew through the air. Tim had a girl under each of his arms. Another two flew slightly behind him, wrapped up in a telekinetic arm. He landed at the main entranceway, releasing the girls. The four girls fell to the ground, barely moving. They had all slipped into unconsciousness during the flight.

Four Hunters ran out from the entrance to help bring in the girls. Tim picked Crystal up, and the others were carried in by Hunters. The fourth trailed slightly behind, making sure that no one had followed. The girls were carried to the third floor and directly to the medical center. Each was set on a bed, the attending doctor moving from one to the next. Tim stayed as the doctor checked Crystal. He made certain she was before he left.

"Welcome back, Tiro." Gina had taken over base operations while the main body of Hunters was away. She was working with Eagle, a respected Hunter from New York. Eagle had brought with him a large contingent of Hunters from the East Coast.

"Thanks," Tiro lifted the headset sitting on the control panel. "Drake, this is Tiro, my family is safe."

"Good, any time you want to come and help us would be great."

"I am on the way... and Drake, thank you."

"I just heard from the Ioshari, he is on the way."

"I was worried he would miss the fun."

"Shut up Sinbad."

"Yes ma'am"

"Drake, let him know that we are full committed and will need his help. Sorry boys, doesn't look like we are getting out of this one easily,"

"Who said we expected to leave, my empress?"

Aaisha was silent, contemplating Sinbad's response. Sinbad had always been at her side. Whenever she had needed anything he was there. He was her Iosage; her informant; her confidant. At times, he was her lover. Overcome by very human emotions, the vampire empress stepped up her attacks. Lances of energy flew from her hands, incinerating anyone they touched. Another second passed, another fifty lives were lost.

The battle had continued to rage around the three as they traded their banter. Wave after wave of demons crashed against the defending groups. The triad of leaders was attacked with the most gusto. Sinbad fought with a deadly jest behind every movement, ripping the tongue from one demon out through its neck while stabbing another in the chest with his other hand. Sinbad wasted no words on taunts, saving them for his companions. He fought fiercely for his empress and her duty.

Drake had long since run out of ammunition and had summoned his sword. He lay about severing appendages or anything else in reach. He had reached out with his mind, demanding a thread of the Consensus to his control. He lashed it around the battlefield like an impossibly long whip. When the strand contacted anything it acted with the Consensus' full force. That demon was disintegrated as the power of all combined human belief demanded its lack of existence. Demons don't exist. The world constantly is rejecting anything that isn't supposed to exist. With a direct link to the Consensus even those powerful enough to resist the repulsion are repealed. Only the most powerful of demons can withstand an onslaught like a direct connection to the Consensus.

Following Drake's example, Hunters joined their power to harness links of the Consensus. Vicious tendrils of energy whipped around the base. They connected to demons, tearing them apart. The lines did more than kill the demon linked. Under the force of the combined wills a demon was completely destroyed. It left no body. There was no blood to show its passing. Male or female, setaros, kulghas, or kazikaan, the lines were indiscriminate.

Kaan himself was struck by a link. He felt its draining force. He felt the will telling him he didn't exist. He felt his body start to dissipate. He felt the pain, and ignored it. Sending his own will against the Consensus he shrugged off the link, passing it on. Angered by the attempt on his life, Kaan launched himself into the deepest part of the chaos. He had killed enough weak vampires. He had drunk the life from enough Hunters. It was time for the main course.

An explosion knocked the three leaders of the resistance apart. Kaan landed in the middle of where they had stood. Sinbad was the first on his feet. He launched himself at the ancient vampire. His arms moved impossible fast as he struck blow after blow. Kaan was knocked back a few steps beneath the onslaught. The punches were strong and carried a lot of power.

Three steps backward, Kaan started moving faster. He gathered the energy around him and began blocking. He avoided some strikes and took the others. None of the ones that struck seemed make any sort of impression.

Out of fear, Sinbad pushed harder and faster than he had gone before. He lashed out again and again. A leg caught Kaan in a sweep, knocking him to the ground. Sinbad formed a spike of energy around his right hand, punching it down for Kaan's chest. He hoped to end everything here.

Kaan grabbed the hand reared for the strike. Forcefully he shoved it to pass between their bodies. It slashed through the air in between them, creating a rift. The rift quickly closed as the rest of Sinbad's hand carried on, making almost a full circle. Sinbad was turned around by the force of the counter. His bracing arm gave way and he fell on top of Kaan.

Sinbad's back was pressed to Kaan's chest. His arm was held outstretched across his neck. Kaan reached out with his right hand, forcing Sinbad's head more closely against his arm. The older vampire leaned in to bite deeply into Sinbad's neck from behind. Sinbad struggled against the demon's hold on him. He couldn't breath. He couldn't break free.

"Leave my Iosage alone." Aaisha's stamping foot smashed into Kaan's head. Teeth were shattered and a skull was broken. The cement beneath the struggling vampires cracked beneath the blow. Kaan's grip went slack and Sinbad leapt away.

Aaisha wasted no time. She created a powerful burst of energy, sending it directly into the cavity her foot had made of Kaan's head. Flesh sizzled and burned as the bolt ran its course. Kaan's body shuddered and lay still.

"Thank you, my empress. Again I owe you my life."

"What would mine be like without you Sinbad? I was saving myself from boredom."

The two fondly looked at each other, sharing a smile. They stepped back into the fight. Without Kaan driving them the kulghas started losing heart. With enough pressure they would flee. The two vampires knew just how to pressure them.

Drake gathered himself to his feet. He made his way back to Aaisha, his battle senses at their peak. Drake tried to keep track of everyone around him. He watched their movements, seeing trails behind them as the bodies moved and changed places. He predicted movements based on those paths he saw in front. The nuishii was fully joined with the Consensus. He was the first to notice Kaan's movement.

Kaan's head came back together. Bones mended. Burned skin regenerated. Hair grew back. The vampire stood to his feet, focusing on the woman who had just tried to kill him.

Drake turned as he felt Kaan move. He watched in slow motion as the vampire launched forward. The demon glowed with life energy, stolen from those nearby. Kaan picked up speed as he charged.

"NO!" Drake yelled out. He acted without thinking, his instincts leading him. He reached out with his mind and grasped the nearest strands of the Consensus. He pulled them tightly together and strengthened them with his own energy. The Consensus was weaker here than in a large city, there were fewer humans to muddle everything up with their beliefs. The web had been strained considerably lately. He forced the threads to take in more energy, filling them with life energy.

Kaan reached Aaisha as Drake was working. She had turned when she heard Drake's yell and was partially prepared for the strike. Kaan's fist slammed into her stomach, breaking two ribs and bursting a lung. She hit the ground a few feet away, gasping for breath as she healed.

The Betrayer didn't allow her to recover. He created a spike of glowing energy in his hands one step and he stabbed it into Aaisha's chest. The spike didn't get close enough to Aaisha to hurt her. Sinbad slammed his body into Kaan in mid-strike. The two of them tumbled to the side.

Kaan rolled the two over as they fell. He landed on top of Sinbad, his right hand plummeting in. The bones of Sinbad's rib cage shattered at the first hit. Kaan didn't stop there. He kept pounding into Sinbad's chest, — five, six, seven — after ten strikes all that was left was a bloody mess of flesh, much like pounded dough in character.

Aaisha struggled to her feet and charged at Kaan. She kicked at him to dislodge him from Sinbad. He took the hit in the stomach and folded around the leg, grabbing it with his hands. A sharp tug brought Aaisha to the ground. Instantly Kaan was on her. His hands were everywhere, breaking bones, clawing at flesh. He broke both of her legs in multiple places. Her arms were pulled out of their sockets before they were broken.

When she stopped struggling he picked her up and threw her twenty feet away, smiling at the sound her ruined body made when it squished into the ground. She moved a little, struggling to heal, catching his eye with the motion. Kaan laughed, "You ready for round two empress?"

Kaan charged the quivering body on the ground. This time he would make certain she wasn't recognizable. She still had a lot to pay for before he killed her.

The shield Drake had been building became complete. He had finally gotten it ready. Drake threw the shell around the empress, strengthening the point in front of Kaan's charge. Drake hoped the shield would be enough to give Aaisha time. He focused his energy into it, making certain it would remain strong.

Kaan reached the shield as it finished settling around Aaisha. His fingers were outstretched, his nails hardened and sharpened. His stabbing hand touched the shield and it held him back. Air exploded around the two powerful vampires from the power behind his strike.

"This pitiful shield will not save you bitch. Lilah killed you before. It's my turn. I will not be denied."