It came from nowhere, yet everywhere at once. It was on one side of Tira, then like lightening it bolted to the other side. Tira snapped her whip at it, but caught only air. It was the fastest, strongest, and most hideous thing Tira had ever seen, and she wished the others would show up soon.

Tira had heard a strange noise in the bushes and her curiosity won out over her instincts telling her to leave whatever it was alone. She gasped in horror when she saw a growling, snarling monster licking its lips as he feasted upon the fresh lifeblood of its victim. The victim, what was left of it, was of a small child no more than 5 years old. The scene almost made Tira vomit and her rage made her transform. She hadn't known then what she was up against.

In fact, she still didn't know. She wondered for a moment why Big Mama didn't have a contract out for this thing. In the moment of thought the monster made its move and sunk its saberlike fangs into Tira's side. It ripped up flesh almost to the bone and Tira almost fainted at the sight. Luckily, Gateau showed up then.

"Tira!" He raced to her aid. "What the hell was that thing?"

"I don't know." Tira said. She was still in shock from the monster's first attack. The blue monster stood laughing at them. He was not the least bit afraid or impatient. Chocolate jumped out of the air and struck the beast with her garrote. It hit him, but didn't even cut its flesh.

"Tira!" Chocolate saw her bleeding sister and rushed to her. Gateau stood up and lunged at the monster, hitting him with all of his might. The punch broke all of Gateau's fingers.

"Oh god!" Gateau yelled in pain and held his broken hand. "Is that thing made of rock?"

Carrot was there now and at Tira's side too. Mad with rage he wanted to take down the monster. He rose to make his own attack, but Tira stopped him by saying, "No. I don't want you to get hurt, Carrot. Please don't attack him." Seeing the worry in her eyes he did as she wished.

The monster was bored with this encounter, so he picked up his lunch and left. The sorcerer hunters stood alone in the forest.

Meat Loaf pulled another dead body out of a house and tossed it on the pile with the rest. He stood in between Steel and Marron in the circle the Kabal made around the pile of victims. "A moment of silence for those lost in this great tragedy." Meat voiced. After a brief moment of silence in respect to those who had died, Marron lit the pile. The stench of burning bodies flooded each member's nose, and they knew they would never forget the smell.

Every member had mixed emotions about the town that had been wiped off the map by a monster of their making. Vash kicked a rock. He would've liked to kick a certain vampire sorcerer.

"It's because of us this thing is loose." Meat said. After Fry's warning he had realized that this was a team effort and stopped blaming Marron for the failure in the mission. Fry was right. They were a team and would take responsibility like a team.

"We didn't make it…" Meringue began, still unable to see why it was their fault.

Marron explained. "We allowed it to be created when we had the power to prevent it. It is just as if we created it ourselves."

"I don't like the idea of the weight of the world on our shoulders." Meringue admitted.

"Then you shouldn't have joined the team." Meat snapped at her. "It's our responsibility."

"Meat…" Marron began. He saw the tears begin to flood Meringue's eyes.

"Sorry, Marron. Didn't mean to snap at your little girlfriend."

Meringue was stunned that Meat was taking such a cheap shot. She knew they were all under stress but that was completely uncalled for. It was true that she and Marron had been spending a lot more time together. They had begun studying magic together in hopes that they could help each other learn. Everyone on the team knew Meringue had a crush on the magician. Meringue then watched Marron's reaction. He neither denied nor confirmed the remark. He merely said, "We are all on edge. Let's finish up here and meet back at the house."

Marron began to walk and one by one the others followed. Meringue was glad to get away form the pile of burning corpses. Steel looked one last time. She wanted the image in her mind to last. She wanted to remember this moment. These are the people she will think of when she finally kills the vampire sorcerer. She will avenge them.

"Tira…" Carrot breathed. He sat by Tira's bed in the cold dark room. They had carried Tira's weak body to an abandoned village and inhabited one of the houses. Carrot noticed a strange pile of corpses that were burnt down to ash and wondered if the monster that attacked Tira was responsible. Putting the pile out of his mind, he tended to Tira.

Tira's skin was paler than it had been an hour before. He held her cold palm in his. "Please don't die, Tira. I can't lose you too."

"Dammit!" Gateau hit the wall with his good hand. His other was wrapped up. "What the hell was that thing?"

"I don't know." Chocolate said. She looked back at the room where Tira lay. The monster that attacked her little sister would pay dearly.

Dota appeared in a puff of smoke. She was not cheery and did not greet them with her traditional "Hi!!!" Instead she asked in a quiet voice, "Is Tira all right?"

"About as all right as someone losing pints of blood by the minute is." Gateau remarked. "What was it we were up against?"

"It is a vampire sorcerer." Dota explained. "Evidently a vampire kidnapped a sorcerer and changed it."

"Whatever for?" Asked Chocolate.

"World domination. What else?" Gateau said.

Carrot held Tira's hand. He said the things now he wished he'd told her long ago. "I wish that I had told you before how much you mean to me." He stroke her hand trying to warm it up, but it did no good. He looked at her face and could almost see the life draining away before his eyes. That's when he broke down. "Oh god! No!! Not you too! Not you!" He stood up abruptly knocking down the chair he sat on. He pointed at Tira accusingly. "You are not going to die! You hear me? You are going to live and stay with me! You are going to live, Tira!"

Chocolate heard Carrot's words from the room and knew then whom Carrot really loved. She was almost as sad for herself as she was for her sister. She now knew that no matter what, Carrot would never be hers. A wall was built around her heart at that moment. She had spent her entire life loving Carrot and hoping that one day he would return that love. Now she must live every day knowing he loved her sister. She looked out the window and remembered a young man who had treated her with love and respect. A young man who made her feel cherished and important. She wondered where Rei Chi was now and if she would ever see him again.

Dota disappeared, telling the hunters that she would be back with help for Tira. After much waiting there was a knock on the door. "Open up! It's cold out here!" Gateau opened the door to find a familiar Haz Knight.

"Milphey. Why are you here?"

"Big Mama sent me to get you guys. How's Carrot-chan?" Milphey peered into the room and saw Carrot freaking out on the floor. "Hmmm. I may just have to go in there and brighten his spirits."

"Milphey, cut the come on crap and help Tira!" Chocolate yelled at him. Milphey stared at Chocolate in surprise.

"All right, Chocolate-chan. Cool down. Maybe I should brighten yours first." Chocolate repressed the urge to hit the Haz Knight and Milphey recognized everyone's anxiety. "Bring Tira to the Stellar Church. We may be able to help her there."

Carrot watched helplessly as Tira floated in the green goo. The stuff was supposed to rejuvenate her, if it could. It was their only hope now. Milphey stood beside Carrot. "Don't worry, Carrot-chan. We'll take good care of her. You might want to go. Big Mama has an assignment for you."

"I'd like to stay." Carrot said. He didn't waver his eyes from Tira's floating form.

"This could take a long time." Milphey pointed out.

"I don't care."

Vash barged into Fry's office. The old man was sitting at his desk looking at more files. He was in there all the time when he wasn't looking for clues on the vampire sorcerer. Recently, Fry discovered that one of Marron's old teammates was attacked. He wouldn't tell Marron. He didn't want any chance that Marron would leave the group.

Vash said, "About the vampire sorcerer…" Vash had waited all thru training to talk to Fry. It had been a grueling four hours of various martial arts and brawling moves. Everyone had been tired and sweaty, but they were all vastly improving. Even Meringue could flip someone three times her size as she proved today by flipping Vash in a demonstration.

"Never mind that, Vash. I'm taking care of it. I have something else for you to do. It's something you may enjoy. There's been a werewolf uprising."

"Werewolves." Vash was definitely interested. He hated werewolves with a passion.

"Yes. Tell me, how is Marron doing?"

"Just as well as anyone else I guess." Vash understood that Fry had a strange interest in Marron. Vash, himself, couldn't see why. He had nothing but respect for the young sorcerer hunter. He found Marron to be the most logical in the group, except for the vampire sorcerer thing of course. It was true that Marron had been thrown into life and death situations at a young age and was definitely the best team player of the group, but Vash still wasn't impressed.

"Good. I especially want him to gain experience hunting werewolves. Take him under your wing if you will."

"Sure." Vash answered.

"I don't have to tell you the importance of the Kabal members having many different skills. Although, I'm afraid I just did."

Vash nodded and turned to leave, but stopped himself. Turning back to Fry he said, "Your group is still small and it's important you gain valuable members. There is this guy I've worked with before…"