THERE ARE FISH WHICHBITE OFF MORE THANTHEY CAN CHEW.

AND WARLOCKS ARENOT SO DIFFERENT…

A VERVER CIRCLEWRONGLY DRAWN… ANINAPPROPRIATE BOND…IT’S NOT HARD TO KNOWWHAT’S HAPPENED HERE…

THIS POOR FOOL NEVER UNDERSTOODWHY THE DEMON HE HAD SUMMONEDESCAPED FROM HIS CONTROL…

IT’S NOT DIFFICULTTO FOLLOW THECREATURE’S TRAIL.

IT HAS TO BENEAR … JUST…

5

HERE.

A MINORDEMON!

CLUMSY ANDTHICK… NOTHINGI CAN’T HANDLE.

COME ON! COMEAND GET ME!

GOOD…NOW, FOR

REAL.

IT LEAPS ON ME… IONLY HAVE TO WAITAND…

ONCE HIT, THE DEMONKNOWS I CAN HURTHIM.

NOW!

DO YOUTHINK HE MA-

NAGED IT?

OF COURSE!IT’S BERYL HALF-

DRAGON, THE BEST DEMONHUNTER IN ALLANTHAGGAR.

LOOK!HE’S COMING

OUT!

WELL?

HAVE YOUFOUND IT?

HERE ITIS…!

YOUR CASTLEIS NOW CLEAN.

TAKE YOURGOLD THEN.

WATCH WELLTHE NEXT WARLOCK

YOU HIRE.

8

GREETINGS,I’M BERYL

HALFDRAGON.

OH, ATLAST! WE WERE

EXPECTINGYOU…

I’M LEAD TOBELIEVE IT’S SOME-THING TO DO WITH

VAMPIRES…

YES, THAT’SIT… PLEASE, COME

WITH ME… I’LLEXPLAIN IT.

SOME DAYS AGOWE LODGED A TIRED TRAVELLER…

THAT SAME NIGHT, MY LORD’SYOUNG DAUGHTER VANISHED

MYSTERIOUSLY… AND THETRAVELLER WITH HER…

… THISWAY.

MYLORD…

… THE VAMPIREHUNTER HAS

ARRIVED.

… SHE’S ALL IHAVE… PLEASE,

FIND HER!

TELLME, WHAT

HAPPENED?

MYDAUGHTER…

… MY ONLYDAUGHTER…

… PALE ANDTHIN, HE SAID HE WAS

PASSING THROUGH ANDNEEDED A PLACE TO

REST.

THE TRAVELLERI TOLD YOU ABOUT…

WAS VERY ODD…

SO YOUTHINK HE WAS A

VAMPIRE AND KID-NAPPED THE GIRL.

IS THAT IT?

IF IT WEREN’TSO, YOU WOULDN’THAVE CALLED FOR A

HUNTER SUCHAS I.

… THECURSE OFSOMYR.

DARK LEGENDSARE TOLD IN THE REGIONABOUT THE DUKEDOM OFSOMYR… LEGENDS OFVAMPIRES AND OTHER

MONSTERS.

THE LAST DUKEBROUGHT THE CURSE

TO HIS LANDS AND NOWTHEY ARE A NIGHTMA-

RISH PLACE THATNOBODY WANTS TO

APPROACH.

IT’S THECURSE…

THECURSE OFSOMYR?

LOOK, FROMHERE YOU CAN

SEE THE RUINS OFTHE CASTLE.

THERE ISWHERE MY DAUGH-TER MUST BE, IN THE

HANDS OF THISBLOODTHIRSTY

MONSTER…

… I HOPE IT’SNOT TOO LATE.

I’LL BRING HERBACK.

HERE ITIS.

FORGIVE MEIF I DO NOT ACCOM-

PANY YOU INSIDE… BUTI CANNOT ENTER THERE,

NOT EVEN WHEN THESUN IS HIGH.

I UNDERS-TAND.

CAREFUL!

??

WHOSPOKE?

IS ANYONETHERE?

I HAVE ACHARMED STEEL… IT’SMUCH BETTER THAN

STAKES.

I’M THE ONE WHOASKS QUESTIONS HERE… WHOARE YOU? MAYBE A VAMPIREKILLER SENT TO REMOVE ME?

AND YOUR STAKE?

YES…I AM!

WHO AREYOU?

I DON’T WANT TO WASTE MY STRENGTH FIGH-TING WITH YOU, AFTER ALL IT HAS COST ME TO

GAIN IT…

DRINKINGTHE GIRL’S

BLOOD, ISN’TTHAT IT?

YES… THATNIGHT THEY GAVEME SHELTER IN THECASTLE, I WENT TO

HER ROOM ANDTOOK HER BLOOD.