THERE ARE FISH WHICH BITE OFF MORE THAN THEY CAN CHEW.
AND WARLOCKS ARE NOT SO DIFFERENT…
A VERVER CIRCLE WRONGLY DRAWN… AN INAPPROPRIATE BOND… IT’S NOT HARD TO KNOW WHAT’S HAPPENED HERE…
THIS POOR FOOL NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHY THE DEMON HE HAD SUMMONED ESCAPED FROM HIS CONTROL…
IT’S NOT DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW THE CREATURE’S TRAIL.
IT HAS TO BE NEAR … JUST…
A MINOR DEMON!
HERE.
CLUMSY AND THICK… NOTHING I CAN’T HANDLE.
COME ON! COME AND GET ME!
5
IT LEAPS ON ME… I ONLY HAVE TO WAIT AND…
NOW!
ONCE HIT, THE DEMON KNOWS I CAN HURT HIM.
GOOD… NOW, FOR REAL.
DO YOU THINK HE MANAGED IT?
WELL? HAVE YOU FOUND IT?
OF COURSE! IT’S BERYL HALFDRAGON, THE BEST DEMON HUNTER IN ALL ANTHAGGAR.
LOOK! HE’S COMING OUT!
HERE IT IS…! YOUR CASTLE IS NOW CLEAN.
TAKE YOUR GOLD THEN.
WATCH WELL THE NEXT WARLOCK YOU HIRE.
OH, AT LAST! WE WERE EXPECTING YOU…
GREETINGS, I’M BERYL HALFDRAGON.
I’M LEAD TO BELIEVE IT’S SOMETHING TO DO WITH VAMPIRES…
MY LORD…
SOME DAYS AGO WE LODGED A TIRED TRAVELLER… THAT SAME NIGHT, MY LORD’S YOUNG DAUGHTER VANISHED MYSTERIOUSLY… AND THE TRAVELLER WITH HER… … THIS WAY.
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… THE VAMPIRE HUNTER HAS ARRIVED.
YES, THAT’S IT… PLEASE, COME WITH ME… I’LL EXPLAIN IT.
MY DAUGHTER… … MY ONLY DAUGHTER…
THE TRAVELLER I TOLD YOU ABOUT… WAS VERY ODD…
… SHE’S ALL I HAVE… PLEASE, FIND HER!
TELL ME, WHAT HAPPENED?
… PALE AND THIN, HE SAID HE WAS PASSING THROUGH AND NEEDED A PLACE TO REST.
SO YOU THINK HE WAS A VAMPIRE AND KIDNAPPED THE GIRL. IS THAT IT? IF IT WEREN’T SO, YOU WOULDN’T HAVE CALLED FOR A HUNTER SUCH AS I.
IT’S THE CURSE…
… THE CURSE OF SOMYR.
DARK LEGENDS ARE TOLD IN THE REGION ABOUT THE DUKEDOM OF SOMYR… LEGENDS OF VAMPIRES AND OTHER MONSTERS. THE LAST DUKE BROUGHT THE CURSE TO HIS LANDS AND NOW THEY ARE A NIGHTMARISH PLACE THAT NOBODY WANTS TO APPROACH.
THE CURSE OF SOMYR?
LOOK, FROM HERE YOU CAN SEE THE RUINS OF THE CASTLE.
THERE IS WHERE MY DAUGHTER MUST BE, IN THE HANDS OF THIS BLOODTHIRSTY MONSTER…
I’LL BRING HER BACK. … I HOPE IT’S NOT TOO LATE.
HERE IT IS.
FORGIVE ME IF I DO NOT ACCOMPANY YOU INSIDE… BUT I CANNOT ENTER THERE, NOT EVEN WHEN THE SUN IS HIGH. I UNDERSTAND.
CAREFUL!
??
WHO SPOKE? IS ANYONE THERE?
I’M THE ONE WHO ASKS QUESTIONS HERE… WHO ARE YOU? MAYBE A VAMPIRE KILLER SENT TO REMOVE ME? AND YOUR STAKE?
YES… I AM!
WHO ARE YOU?
I DON’T WANT TO WASTE MY STRENGTH FIGHTING WITH YOU, AFTER ALL IT HAS COST ME TO GAIN IT…
DRINKING THE GIRL’S BLOOD, ISN’T THAT IT?
YES… THAT NIGHT THEY GAVE ME SHELTER IN THE CASTLE, I WENT TO HER ROOM AND TOOK HER BLOOD.
I HAVE A CHARMED STEEL… IT’S MUCH BETTER THAN STAKES.