Anglestan

Janus 17, 1923 A.V

Parker’s Avenue, New Lundun

Olivia Harker

She saw the battle in the skies. How the human skyship blew the invaders to hell. The flying kites with mounted dominas tearing through the enemy’s defenses and taking out their weapons before the spectacular loss of the fleet. The strigoi ships went down one after another, crashing down on some parts of the city. Fire and explosions spread across the already ruined streets.

Olivia was rarely surprised, but even she was left with her jaw wide open from sheer awe of what just transpired. She didn’t know the Angles skyforce had such weapons at their disposal. A wave of relief swept through her as the thought of humanity beating the Crescent back seemed more than likely even with the sudden invasion that had caught everyone off guard.

She continued walking, searching for any survivors she could pick up along the way. So far, there weren’t many. Those she did find however only ran from her as soon as they saw her eyes and fangs. She stopped by to check the university early  only to find it a steaming pile of rubble. She dug out some of the debris to try and find any people who were trapped underneath. 

No one was alive sadly. She removed the bodies as carefully as she could and placed them on the ground, taking IDs, lockets, and pictures, stashing them into her pockets. She had hoped she could at least bring them to the relatives of those she had found today. 

She sighed, shaking her head, touching the back of it. She could feel the wound finally healed, leaving behind crusted dried blood where it once had been. She took a deep breath. The scents were still hitting her like a punch to the face. They were so strong. The smoke stung her eyes and the smell of blood and death flooded her senses, threatening to spill over. She had to admit, it was freeing to be on the surface without her mask, but the tradeoff was just as glaringly obvious. 

Her thoughts continued to race through her mind as she continued walking. Oh, how she thought it would just be another normal day, before bombs suddenly rocked the city and strigoi began invading the streets. 

The Crescent Moon, the old strigoi empire that had sought to conquer humanity during the War of Darkness. Humanity won that war, though, not without great cost. It did last two centuries after all. 

Why would they invade again? They were beaten back badly last time, that’s why the non-aggression pact was created a century ago. What are they trying to do this time? Finish what they started? She thought. 

Whatever the Crescent had planned, it had something to do with New Lundun. Or perhaps it was something in Anglestan. Maybe it had nothing to do with the country at all and was simply another stepping stone. 

She wondered whether other countries were being invaded too. The closest to Italiemagne was Francaisia. Whether or not they were faring better was anyone’s guess, at least until news got around. Still, it was a bold move for the Crescent to come and try to take a world superpower by surprise. 

They must be up to something. 

Her eyes widened as she heard something coming. She dove for some cover, hiding behind some abandoned walkers. Her ears twitched as she listened intently, hearing careful footsteps. There were voices, whispering. Humans. She could smell them now. Everything was so rich and vibrant without her mask. She could tell exactly where they were. Another scent caught her by surprise. She shook her head, trying to push down the feelings of excitement flaring in her chest.

 It was sweet. Fragrant. It was blood. Human blood. 

“Jason, keep it down! You’ll attract them!” one of them whispered, slowly coming into view as a group of five humans crawled out from one of the alleys. Two of them held dominas, while another held a pipe. The rest of them were unarmed. One of them was helping hold up their companion who was bleeding from a large gash on his chest, and had a sprained ankle. 

Olivia bit her lip and inhaled, allowing herself to take a good whiff. She indulged her thoughts just once, greedily taking in the scent. She then exhaled deeply. That was it, that was all she’d allow herself to do. Intrusive thoughts flooded her mind, but she only let it remain as they were. Thoughts. She didn’t really want to harm anyone. 

Perhaps she could try to help the group? That may do more harm than good. They might run away as soon as they saw her, however. Considering how the city was invaded by the strigoi, the last thing they want to see is one walking up to them. Or worse, shoot her. Armed people were difficult to approach. 

“August, Tommy can’t k-keep going like this,” the one holding up the bleeding man said. He seemed as if he was shaking, his eyes wet from the tears forming behind them. “P-please, we need to find some shelter a-and patch him up… he’s lost too much blood already.” 

“And he’ll lose more if we let the strigoi catch up to us. We all will. Don’t you understand? There’s nowhere safe for us to go until we reach the city border. He’s basically a walking dinner bell,” one of the men replied. He was huge. A massive burly mountain of a man standing at nearly seven feet tall—or perhaps he already was—holding a rifled domina, and wore a bloodied suit. 

This must be ‘August’. She thought.  Perhaps he was also heading to work when it all happened.

Olivia eyed their weapons. The ones they carried were no joke. They must’ve taken it from dead policemen. August held a long rifled domina, hunting pattern. Those were deadly. Strigoi killers. They could blast a hole straight through an elephant. The other human had a snub-nosed rotator. It wasn’t as powerful, but still just as dangerous if the human knew where to shoot. 

The injured one groaned. Tommy. He shuddered, still clinging on to the other. “Guys, just… leave me. I’ll just slow you down.” he croaked in a weak voice. His companions looked at him in pity, shaking their heads. 

“We don’t leave anyone behind,” the one holding the pipe said. The voice. He sounded familiar. 

Olivia squinted her eyes at the one holding the pipe, recognition slowly spreading across her face. Her mouth curved into a relieved smile. She knew him. She met him just this morning. 

“But I’ll get you all killed… Mark, please,” Tommy coughed. 

Mark. The tram driver from earlier this morning. He’s the one holding the pipe. I didn’t think I'd see him here, but I’m glad he’s alive. He looks like he’s seen better days. That pipe he’s carrying doesn’t seem like much, if the Crescent were to attack, I doubt it would do anything. 

Olivia’s ears twitched as she heard a sound. A soft gasp escaped her mouth, prompting her to immediately cover it with her hands. She ducked behind the walker, only to peek again a few seconds later. 

“So be it. But we’re not leaving anyone behind. We just have to keep moving. We need to stick tog—”

The large human’s words were cut off as a figure suddenly dropped in front of them. Olivia felt her body tense as she watched the scene unfold. Her hand gripping the steel body of the walker she hid behind. A strigoi stood among the humans. Then another. And another. They dropped from the apartment building above them, surrounding the group. 

I have to do something. I have to help them!

The strigoi backed the group into a wall. There were four of them now. The humans had their dominas trained on them. The one with the injury must’ve attracted them. They couldn’t fight them all off. They knew it in their bones. 

“Why hello there livestock, where do you think you’re going?” One of the strigoi snickered. They were soldiers. Officers. Wearing dark uniforms with the symbol of the Crescent Moon on their chest. A red band on their shoulders, bearing the same crest. “Do you really think you could walk out of this place? With your friend leaving a blood trail? I knew humans were stupid but this is just ridiculous.”

“One more step, and I pull this trigger. You’re not faster than a round,” August spat. 

“Oh, you’re quite right. But…” The soldier suddenly closed the distance and snatched the domina right out of the human’s hands. “I am faster than you.” 

The strigoi grinned, showing his fangs. He threw the domina on the ground a few feet away.  

“Y-you won’t get away with this!” the one helping up Tommy said. “Angles Army will push you back!” 

Olivia watched intently. She was a bit surprised the human had the guts to talk back to a strigoi officer. Though, he might have just signed his death warrant with that remark. The officers turned to the young man and his bleeding companion. 

“Really now?” Another officer replied. She was suddenly beside the human in a second. In a flash of movement, the human wheezed and gasped for air, dropping down to the ground with Tommy falling on top of him. It was too fast. The officer had slammed her fists into the young man’s stomach. 

Olivia winced. Every fiber of her being told her to step in and fight. Still, what could she really do? Those strigoi were officers. Soldiers. Trained to take down even other strigoi. Even if she could tip the scales for the humans, it still wouldn’t do much. She bit her lip. She needed to think of something. 

“You may have taken out our skyships. But this is only the beginning,” the officer spoke. “We will conquer your cities, break your will, and slaughter your children. The Crescent Moon cannot be stopped. The New Strigoi Empire shall rise and put you, humans, in your place. Nothing but livestock and slaves.” She stepped on the human’s head, applying pressure. 

August gritted his teeth and took a step forward, twisting his body. He swung his fist at the nearest officer, the one holding his domina. He used the weight of  his body paired with all his momentum, transferring the power to his other side. In half a second, his fist connected with the officer’s right cheek, the force of which made him stumble back a few feet. The strigoi turned to the human, stunned. 

He actually did it? He landed a hit, against a strigoi?! 

The other officers growled at him, taking their positions to pounce. 

“Stand down,” said the officer whom August punched. “Hersha, get off the kid’s head.”

The female officer clicked her tongue and shook her head, taking her foot off of the human on the ground. 

“That was a really good punch. I must say I never expected a human to land a hit on me, and to catch me off guard as well? That actually hurts, you know?” The officer grinned. 

“That was the point, fucker.”

“Well, you are a big bastard. Point made.” He snickered. “Tell you what, since you impressed me, I’ll give you a chance. Care to accept?”

“Chance to what? Be your fucking dinner? I’d rather freeze in hell.” August scoffed. 

“Such vigor! Alright human, I have a proposal. Here’s the deal, if you could beat me in a fight, I’ll let you and all your friends go. No tricks, no strings attached. Sounds fair?”

“As if I’d believe the words of a leech.”

“You have my word, human. On my honor as a high officer of The Crescent Moon. Beat me, and you leave. Fail—we’ll kill you all where you stand. Understood? I’d suggest that you take the deal, human. I don’t like waiting. You have until I count to ten.”

“A-August. Don’t,” the human on the floor said, slowly picking himself and Tommy up, with Mark helping them to their feet.

“Nine.”

Olivia watched as August turned to look at his group, then back at his enemy. He isn’t seriously considering it, is he? He can’t win! This human must either be really brave or fucking crazy. She bit her lip, looking on with worry as August started to take off his suit jacket.

“A chance to bloody a leech’s face, aye? I’ll take that deal any day,” August said darkly. He pulled off his suit jacket and folded it neatly, setting it down on the ground.

The officer’s face lit up with glee, flashing his fangs. “Splendid!” he exclaimed. “Now let’s begi—”

“But since you’re asking me to fight, I have conditions,” August spoke, cutting the officer off.

“Well, let’s hear them then,” The officer smirked. 

“No claws or teeth. No weapons. Bloody each other with fists or any other body part. Winner is decided by the one that surrenders, or if they’re incapacitated. Cheating immediately forfeits the terms. Do you concur, leech?” he huffed.

“I concur.” The strigoi gave a confident smile. 

“Good.” August folded up his sleeves. He started to take a stance, prowling about the space. He cracked his neck and shook his fists, keeping his eyes on the officer who watched him with an air of arrogance. “I’m going to fucking enjoy this. Let’s go you bloody bastard,” he spat. 

Both the officers and the human group backed away, giving the two a wide berth. Olivia couldn’t believe her eyes. The hu—August had fucking balls! An all-out brawl against a strigoi might as well be a death sentence. Yet, she couldn’t help but watch it unfold. It was surreal. She gripped the steel of the walker she hid behind, bending it slightly. 

Maybe August had a chance. He didn’t look scrawny at all for a human. Even with his suit on earlier he was massive, and he was able to land a hit on an officer. Humans never cease to surprise me. She thought.