Part Five of The Lost Children of Guérande 
As Reginald expected a man was sent to the surrounding farms seeking volunteers to hunt the troll. A detailed description wasn’t forthcoming for those men gathered just outside of Guérande. A wise withholding of information, given the peasants would return to their fields if they knew the truth.
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By Jason Zapata
This says I is the truth
Or let the Saints forsake me.
The night was distressed.
And the moon peered warily
Through a veil of clouds.
Trudging home from the inn,
I heard a chilling scream.
It echoed across the fields,
Filled and rattled my bones.
And I felt cold. Terribly cold.
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Part Four of The Lost Children of Guérande
Reginald pursued his quarry across a farmer’s field. The troll’s towering form was a dark blot in the distance. It’s long stride rapidly covered ground towards the darkness that was Brière. Reginald had wanted to intercept his foe before it reached the marsh.
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Part Three of The Lost Children of Guérande
“Hello, monsieur. My name is Clemence.”
Reginald whipped his head around and spotted a young girl beside him. She was a frail and filthy thing. Her blonde hair was uncombed, half of which hung to one side by a single pigtail. She gave Reginald an impish smile, more than aware of how badly she had startled the knight.
“How did – What are you doing here?” Reginald growled.
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By Jason Zapata
Past the guarded port of Varna I would sail
Where enemies awaited having arrived by train
But their efforts to ambush me were in vain
Relentless Helsing followed by mountain trail
Driven by his indomitable will to prevail
The brave men of the west invaded my domain
Once more blood covered this scarred terrain
And all my powers and minions were to no avail
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Part Two of The Lost Children of Guérande
Things seemed to move slowly at that point. Reginald could see Andre’s outstretched hand ready to accept his sword. The knight stepped around him – knowing how the Frenchman would react. An affirming rasp of the sheriff’s sword leaving its scabbard warned Reginald. (more…)
Part One of The Lost Children of Guérande
Reginald stared into the polished metal hanging over the basin. Its dull reflection captured his troubled image. A man of 24 years stared back at him. Unkempt brown hair and several days’ worth of stubble covered his face. It had been seven months since the events of Bern and his arrival in Dijon. Reginald had sought a quiet retreat within the city’s walls. He was utterly disappointed.
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By Jason Zapata
Armed with stakes and rituals Helsing brought
Morris, Steward and Holmwood entered the fight
Filled with resolve these men attacked forthright
The demise of all vampires Van Helsing sought
So across London our secret war was fought
My strongholds were exorcized and set alight
In pyres that illuminated the fog swept night
As I reveled in the chaos our battles wrought
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By Jason Zapata
In Mina’s loving company I became immersed
Felt the pulse of her blood as I held her hand
A temptation I intractably fought to withstand
What remained human of me feared the worst
So her friend Lucy served to quench my thirst
Fearful men strived to disrupt what I planned
Knowing nothing of the power at my command
They failed I feasted and Lucy became cursed
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Part Seven of The Necromancer of Bern
Albrecht Von Zähringen crawled through layers of loose cemetery soil until he was finally free of the suffocating earth that buried him. The Necromancer’s right arm was all but useless. The knight’s blade had cut deep into his bicep and forced him to claw at the cold earth with only one arm. Albrecht had been compelled to retreat. As the manor started to collapse around him, the Necromancer had fled down one of the tunnels leading to the cemetery. (more…)