The draugr’s massive form charged, its blade swinging like a hurricane. Erik swung his longaxe to intercept it. He was so fast that Keiko only saw a blur. Even Beauregard and Lenora had trouble keeping up.
Erik parried a blow with the haft of his axe, bits of wood flying off from the draugr’s strength. The vampire struck back. His attack returned with blinding speed. The impact cut into the draugr’s shield. For a normal person, this blow would have trapped the axe in the shield; however, Erik yanked it out, bringing a large chunk of wood with it.
As Erik swung for his legs, the draugr jumped over the axe and slammed his sword down on his opponent. Erik leapt back from the attack, the reach of his polearm saving him from taking a sword to the face.
Haru extended his arm and uttered words of power, “Veter Dut!”
Wind blasted the draugr, pushing it towards a rock. It dug its legs deep into the sand and withstood the attack. Erik moved in a blur and swung his longaxe twice in succession. The draugr’s shield turned into splinters, and shards of wood stuck into his body.
Hisa proclaimed, “My turn! Spear dropkick!”
She used her spear to pole vault into the air, and then she lashed out with her legs. The draugr’s sword was tied up defending from Erik’s axe, and Hisa’s feet slammed into its face. He barely felt it as Hisa bounced off.
“What?” the draugr said.
“Time to die!” Hisa punched and kicked her opponent.
It was confused, “Is this supposed to hurt me?”
Erik stated, “She’s not very strong and has no training.”
“Then it’s useless,” the draugr chuckled. “Still, I acknowledge your courage as a warrior, even if it is from stupidity.”
Keiko sighed and pulled her kanabo out from its box.
“Are you ready, Haru-kun?” she asked.
He answered, “I am.”
“Hisa, duck!” Keiko shouted.
Pulling the kanabo back, she threw it with all her strength at the draugr. Haru cast a spell.
“Veter dut!”
His wind pushed the club forward. It combined with Keiko’s strength, driving the weapon at the draugr. The monster pulled its legs out of the ground, sending sand flying up; however, he wasn’t fast enough.
The kanabo collided with his chest. He flew backwards, snapping its spine and colliding with the sand as the kanabo landed on the ground. Then the draugr lunged at it with a grasping hand; however, Haru was ready.
He said, “Veter Vozvrashcheniye!”
Just as the draugr grabbed it, wind pulled on the kanabo. The draugr found himself in a tug of war with the air. Erik used this opportunity to swing his axe at the draugr’s legs. One of them caved inward from the force of the blow, the mail stopping it from being cut off. Another axe-strike and the draugr’s other leg was disabled.
He drew a rune in the air with his finger, “Face my power of my magic!”
Keiko felt power flow into her, and then…nothing.
“Hah! You have measles now,” the draugr laughed.
“Measles?” she said. “I was vaccinated for that.”
“What’s vaccinated?” it asked.
Erik answered, “It means she’s immune to it.”
The draugr drew another rune, “Then face this disease! You have polio now!”
“I was vaccinated for that too,” Keiko stated.
“Cholera? Dyptheria?”
“Are all your disease curses for things that have been vaccinated?” she wondered.
It said, “Hey, give me a break! I died a thousand years ago and haven’t left my crypt until recently!”
“Honestly,” Haru sighed. “You should have done some research and learned some curses for other diseases.”
“Damn you!” the draugr drew another rune and smiled. “Face this powerful spell.”
“A primitive dream curse. How quaint,” he shrugged and waved his hand.
“What?” its smile faded.
Haru explained, “I learned a similar spell when I was a child, and if the diseases you sent after Keiko-chan weren’t vaccinated, I’d have easily dispelled them.”
The draugr’s eyes widened, “How…how did you learn such powerful magic?”
“Because it isn’t powerful by today’s standards. You’ve been hiding in a crypt for a thousand years. Magic evolved since then. You trying to beat me with magic is like a guy with a spear trying to take out a nuclear submarine.”
“Then why don’t you come here and fist fight me like a real man?” it challenged him.
“Wait just a moment,” Erik slammed his axe into the draugr’s unarmed hands, cutting them off. “Alright, Haru, punch the shit out of this guy.”
“Damn you…I’m lucky that I don’t feel pain,” the draugr groaned.
“Let’s bring him back now,” the vampire chuckled. “We don’t want his friends to find us here, after all.”
Later, in the beach house, they had the draugr on a chair. He was tied up just in case he had another trick up his sleeve.
The draugr said, “I’m not talking. There’s nothing you can do to make me.”
“Hey, boy, I don’t suppose that you have any mind control spells or anything?” Beauregard asked.
Haru answered, “I don’t.”
“That’s a gosh-darn shame, it is. That thing doesn’t feel pain.”
“He was lying when it said it didn’t feel pain,” Erik spoke. “That was a bluff.”
“Hah! If I didn’t feel pain, I’d be crying right now, wouldn’t I?” the draugr smirked.
The vampire stated, “You don’t feel pain from most things; however, there are some things that will make you cry in agony.”
He pulled out a lighter and flicked it on. The draugr flinched.
Another smile came over its face, “You’re bluffing. The morals of your allies wouldn’t allow you to torture me.”
“Ummm…are you?” Keiko got worried.
One look at her face told everyone that she was against it. Haru was uncomfortable as well.
“Hahahaha!” the draugr burst out laughing. “See? Your comrades won’t allow it!”
“Alright,” Erik said. “Then I’ll just kill you.”
He replied, “If you kill me, you won’t get any information.”
“There are other draugr out there. I’m sure one of them will give me what I want.”
“My comrades will never give in. We’re Norse, after all!” the draugr spoke.
Erik smirked, “I’m Norse too. I went viking with many parties and fought in many wars. Let me tell you, you’re overestimating our courage in the face of death.”
He placed a sword at the draugr’s neck.
“Fine! I’ll tell you,” the draugr nodded. “What do you want to know?”
“Who are you working with? How many of them are there? Where are they located?”
“We don’t have any one location, just the sea in general. I’m part of an alliance of yokai and Norse monsters. Our leaders are a snake woman and a nokken. I don’t know our exact numbers, but there are a lot of us.”
“What supernatural creatures are among your rank?” Erik asked.
He answered, “I don’t know the names of the Japanese ones, but there are turtle things, a giant sea human, some wet woman, and a bunch of other water monsters I didn’t get a good look at. We have a kraken on our end.”
“I see. No further questions.”
“Then you’ll let me live, right?” the draugr spoke.
Erik said, “How many people that you attacked begged for mercy?”
“A lot of them,” he replied
“Did you grant it?” the vampire asked.
His prisoner answered, “Why would I grant anyone mercy?”
“And my conscience is assuaged!” Erik cut the draugr’s head off in a single strike. “Those without mercy deserve none.”
Ved'ma Story 