Family Lineage

        A few days ago...

    Shiruba managed to track down Gabriella Drake and convince her to not chase after her once grandfather, Author Drake alone. This would keep the young woman alive and not doing something reckless that might end to a dead lander or a lander turned vampire.

In this agreement, a party would be formed to help Gabriella track down the vampire wearing her grandfather's face. A man who was once a noble knight and slayer of monsters... who is now a monster himself.

    It would be in the very early morning, the sun has yet to rise. The air was unnaturally cold, and a fog-- always that damnable fog-- was in the air. As the party continued to move forward, the fog would only grow thicker and the sounds of the wildlife would seem to fade into silence.
It was only their footsteps that could be heard moving in the brush. Their breath mixed in with the fog that was before them, and Gabriella Drake, moving alongside the group of adventurers, with her bow at the ready. "He has to be here..." She says softly, "...that damn bastard..."

Before anyone could stop her, she goes to quickly move ahead of the group while yelling loudly, "Come out already! Come out and stop playing these games you monster! I have come to clear my family's name by slaying what you have become! Now show yourself! You coward!!"

    Yet there was silence still around the group, yet those with observant eyes may spot something admist the fog and those with trained ears may catch the sound of something...

Shiruba just sighs and shakes her head a bit as Gabriella darts ahead and starts trying to call their quarry out. She can't really blame the girl, but at the same time, she knows it's not going to work.

Fortunately she's quick enough on her feet to keep up with the girl, and puts a hand on her shoulder. "Gabriella, please. I told you just shouting out for him isn't going to work... Not to mention it makes it kind of hard to try and get an advantage for us when you're letting everything -else- in a mile radius know we're here."

That said she removers her hand, reclaiming her own bow in both to be ready. "Remember what I told you about tracking a foe?" It's probably easier to get the girl back on task rather than try to stop her for long. "We want to find some sign of where he's been travelling. If we can learn a patrol route we can intercept him instead of the monster trampling abruptly on top of us."

Her tail flicks a few times. She really wants to help Gabriella out, but at the same time she can't help but wonder what she's gotten herself into. Oh boy.

Goldenblade has joined the quest, hoping that she might learn a bit more about this undead crisis. She'd hit a dead end investigating the one fellow that got taken over, the least she can do is to protect people here. And maybe they'll whittle down the enemy's strength, though she's not sure how things will go. This will probably be a hard fight.

She's riding along on, strangely, an actual horse. It set her back more cash than she'd have liked, but she's just never liked riding pekos. Normally, the height would give her a better view, but that's not happening in this fog. And a horse isn't as fast as a peko, though it's not much slower over the distance, so she's not keeping anyone back. As the Lander starts shouting, she mumbles, "So, we're here to just fight anything that turns up? Or are we being selective?"

    Merek of course would be about to assist in anything needed, taking a moment while he begins to adjust the potion belt which he wears, the hood up of his dark attire while he nods a bit to the party. The man takes a look to the place and waits.

    Early morning, the bane of many gamers so its no surprise that the look in Setsuna's eyes says he almost isn't there. A yawn would confirm it, the poor guy is feeling a little sleep deprived, and despite the fog and all the signs that they maybe surrounded and in serious trouble it seemed he was a bit bored as well. " So just to rehash this is the big bad Auther we are going after today hmm? Man Queenie is going to hate us after today."
    As the girl begins to scream for her grandfather Setsuna takes a step forward and cups his mouth and is obviously about to shout himself before Shiruba mentions being quiet and bites his lip suddenly as if trying to keep the shouting in. Barely succeeding he looks over at the girl, " To be fair they rarely respond to shouting. However they are vampires so I am sure any noise we make there bat ears pick it up."

Off to one side, Kaydon was sitting in quiet contemplation. His last few attempts at dealing with the vampires and their ilk had not gone well at all. But he wouldn't pretend to understand what was going on behind the scenes, as it were.

"Hey Merek." He says to the other man, "You sure you don't wanna sit this one out? Last time one of them saw you and that sword of your's they freaked out. You know it'll probably happen again."

Truth be told, other than murdering a sizable quantity of undead and running supply-side logistics for the war effort, Prophylaxis has not had much of a hand in the conflict against the undead on a personal level since they were pushed back from the villages. But something has called him back to deal with the threat again. Something that is vaguely Setsuna-shaped and known to have a bad habit of trying to flirt with things that can and will eat him.

In other words, the Doctor of Tolbana is basically just here to make sure a certain someone doesn't get chomped by a lusty vampiress today.

And also to raise the day's chances of success. Nobody wants to lead an escort mission only for the escortee to wander into every trap imaginable without a dedicated healer or two on hand.

"He'll show up sooner or later. Possibly with undead assistance. Vampires in stories are attacted to familial disputes like cats to catnip. They just can't resist the drama." Such a tragic weakness, vulnerability to drama.

"Gabriella, I think we have been through this already. You've just come out from a rather precarious health situation...", Uta states, gentle yet firm. "...and getting this worked up is not going to be good for your blood pressure." She frowns. "Or... whatever we have in place of blood. Weird... glowy... light pressure?" she attempts, while her eyebrows knit in confusion.

She shakes her head. "Anyway, thanks to the wonders of Adventurer Medicine, I think I can give you something that can help." and flicks her menu open. A short navigation, and a crudely sewn leather ball, the size of those used to play tennis, shimmers into existence in the nurse's hand. She squishes it once, twice, to assess its consistency, then, after exclaiming, "Catch!", tosses it at Gabriella. "It is a manually operated stress management device. Whenever you feel an irresistible urge to do something as reckless as leaping around and yelling, just like the episode you have just experienced, just squeeze it with your hand a few times. If you still feel the urge to yell, place it in your mouth and squeeze it with that." Uta nods. "Adventurer Medicine. Trust me. It works."

    Uta gets a glare from Gabriella, as she catches it, but seems to fail at that. Her hand fumbles it, and thanks to her other hand holding the bow, it just goes to roll away into the fog.

Thankfully Shiruba's words, while giving a frown to the young woman's already frustration, just as her pulling the hood over her head. "Skeletons, ghouls, vampires... living armor... all under one woman's command... Holding people hostage as slave workers or cattle to be fed on... if you are not turned into a creature."

She then looks over to Setsuna, before looking away, as if wanting to say something but silence finds her.

    There is a low whistling sound. Not from the lips, but something passing through the air. At a moments glance, one can see the fog slightly moving, until at last it becomes clear what is coming; A black arrow.

A black arrow heading directly at Shiruba!

The fog may limit visibility, but it's not so dampening on sound. Not that an arrow hissing through the air makes much noise in the first place, but it's just enough for sensative ears to pick up. Especially good lupine ears that one has been training to listen for just such cues in the environment.

Reflexes kick in, resisting the urge to look. Instead Shiruba immeadiately grabs Gabriella with only a sharp bark of "GET DOWN!" as she throws them both out of the way of the arrow barely in the nick of time.

"I'm not going to say I told you so..." the wolfgirl huffs from the ground. But she did totally just say the shouting would attract more attention than they want.

    "Oh yeah someone trying to control such things like that. How horrible." Setsuna says his mind drifting off the to skeleton locked up in his closet before the whistle of the black arrow catches his attention. Fortunately Shiruba manages to get herself and her friend out of the way. The necromancer suddenly seems more awake as he begins to focus on the 180 degrees where the arrow came from. "I don't suppose since we have a lot of fire happy people we could get away from the old addage about preventing wild fires could we? Asking well for myself because it would be better then being shot by arrows." A ball of eletrical energy and static rises from his staff into the air above them, it should last as long as he remains conscious or someone hits it and it shatters into a blinding light over the party.

    "I don't have the weapon, which I've mentioned in the past," Merek states, then he takes a moment to watch the fog when that arrow sails along and to Shiruba. The man takes a look to the fog while he begins to try assisting with magic, to maneuver all of that away, weaving the spell while he nods to the party.

"Please do not lose precious medical equipment!", Uta gasps. "Those things don't grow on trees!" She looks up and away. "I mean, that would be a really weird tree. Leather fruits, sewn. Squishy as they are, they're probably fermenting alread-"

This is when the arrow hits, and Uta leaps away with a shriek. Her breathing accelerates with the scare, but she's quick to shake her head and hatch a plan. "Give me a second. I will try to locate where that's from."

She closes her eyes, and plants her staff in front of her, holding onto it with both hands. She chants some sort of slow hymn in a minor key, the kind you'd expect people in hoods to sing in a choir, and mysterious tendrils of light and magic emanate from her staff. Part of them envelope the arrow, and part of them disperse in the distance, going transparent, invisibly scanning the surrounding area...

Goldenblade acks as Shiruba's agile evasion and shout to get down is the first hint that she has that we're under attack. She hops off her horse, which being well-trained, will stand around when it's not being led or ridden, and she makes for some cover, and will squint into the fog to try and figure out what's attacking us, and where it is.

She pulls her cloak around her, the darker material giving her a bit more cover, though this time of morning, it's hard to see anything, really. She squints into the darkness, eschewing light for the moment, it'd spoil her nightvision and pinpoint her location more than it'd help her see things. She has her bow out, though she's a poor archer. Well, she can't yet see anything close enough to stab.

"Yes, how terrible. We could only hope that such an individual would not be inclined to lead their undead legions on a conquering crusade across the lands of the living," Prophylaxis says, glancing meaningfully toward Setsuna.

No particular reason. Just...

Staaaaaaaaaare.

A black arrow scythes through the fog and almost lances through Shiruba and Gabriella both. Prophylaxis hisses a curse as his staff whirls to launch a counterattack...!

But there is only darkness and fog.

"We need to clear the air. We're sitting ducks out here," he says with a snarl. "A fireball would help-- unless anyone is packing some hyper-acute senses today...!" The others are beginning to cast light spells, but such measures would only do so much when there's still so much fog clinging to the ground. Prophylaxis raises his staff and whispers words of power. The wind begins to stir, forming a vortex with the intent to physically drag the fog away from the ground in the hope of making their target a little less elusive.

"Yeah? Well you don't pay me to pay attention to what you're up to." Kaydon replies, "But I suppose it's good it's gone."

Then of course casual chit chat is interrupted by attempted assassination. Kaydon rises to his feet, sighing, "Never want to make it easy, do they."

While others begin to use magic or other abilities to locate the archer in the fog, he just walks towards the direction the arrow came from, as if he would dare the person who shot at Shiruba to make an attempt at him.

    Gabriella yelps as Shiruba pushes her down, before her body actually stiffens. The young woman tsks softly. "... He really is a coward..." She mutters softly, but goes to stand back up and goes to help Shiruba as well.

Her gaze does turn over to Setsuna as he lights up the area around the group, "It is horrible! I've seen it with my own eyes. I've seen them drag off people, heard their screams in pain. I managed to spot people chained to walls, with no hope, and barely kept alive... Heavily armored figured that roamed the halls..." She says but her voice grows softer and softer by each explanation, till she grows quiet.

Shaking her head to get the memory quelled and her hand steady once more.

    The next thing the group would hear is the sound of hooves and it isn't from Goldenblade's horse. It would be shortly after an undead skeleton stallion, with dark armor over its body comes charging out from the fog. Its mane and tail flowing with green flames of light, along with its eye sockets and each hoof beat.

It goes to charge past the group, but goes right back into the fog once more. This may have been a very different story of possible trampling if the group did not light the area up and clear up the fog around them.

Though at the sight of the horse, Gabriella says with a whisper. "... that is his horse..." She tries to reach for her arrow, but nearly fumbles it, saying 'shit' over and over again quickly; It seems this lander has picked up a few Adventurer bad habits!

    Though as the fog is pushed back a bit more, there he is standing there, his long bow in hand, the wind rustling his cape behind him. The dark mix of metal and leather over his body as armor, and his eyes piercing out from the shadows of his hood he wears.

Gabriella manages to at last nook her arrow and then fires it directly at Author while yelling, "Die!", but Author simply turns his body slightly to the side to avoid the arrow, before looking at the group once more.

This time thought, Author Drake at last speaks up. "You," His eyes look directly at Shiruba, "Took away what was /mine/, but it was a mistake..." He then looks at Gabriella, "... to let her live in hopes to peacefully turn one over by will."

He lowers his head. "A /mistake/, I will by correcting today." He then draws out an arrow with speed, firing it directly into the air, which ignites into flames before exploding. Though his gaze turns back to the group shortly after.

    Setsuna looks from Author then Shiruba and says on the down low, " On some level I am hurt that he blames you for all this. " Sighing heavily he takes a moment before resolving to be even a bigger pain to the undead army... he would get recognition damn it. As another arrow is shot into the air Setsuna watches it burst into flames, "So I think he just shot a signal into the air, so we have a time limit now. I suggest we get to work." With out a second thought he smashes his staff into the ground as a large pillar of earth shoots out to strike the guy.

Shiruba tenses up when the fire arrow is brought out, but then it's shot into the air instead. A signal flare, as has been said. Something she does herself on occasion. She snarls at what that implies, but doesn't let it distract her from putting her attention immeadiately back on Author, even as she stays near Gabreilla. This may be more than they had bargained for.

"If you really still cared, you'd allow her to live whatever life she wants," she retorts back, even as she's notching her own arrow into her bow. "But I wager that part of you is long since dead... redead.. whatever! You only care about what you want now."

When the arrow is pulled completely back in the bow it shimmers with a flicker of magic that turns it into two, and the dual shot is sent hurtling towards Author. "No wonder she wants nothing to do with you or what you've become!"

Uta finishes singing, the tendrils dissipate into the fog, and there is silence for a moment. She remains impassible as the horse gallops past, her Zen-like concentration unbroken, unperturbed by anything going on around her, up to and including the appearance of Author and his words, and all the commotion that follows.

It is only after his words, and a few responses directed his way, that Uta, eyes still closed, raises the tip of her staff in a slow arc, and points at Author's imposing figure.

"The attacker is that wa- oh, there he is," she says, as her eyes are finally opened.

Without skipping a beat, she segues into a hurried song that results in an immediate discharge of electricity from the tip pointed at Author.

"Watch out! He's boss level!"

Welp, that sure is a vampire with a grudge. Prophylaxis' brow furrows at the dreadknight, his own staff whirling in preparation for what is surely to come. "Flare, huh? We might want to think about securing a path of retreat. Though they're on a time limit, too. When dawn breaks, the scales tip in our favor." Unless this vampire is somehow resistant to sunlight.

This is probably more likely than Prophylaxis wishes.

"That damn horse is going to be a problem, too. Next time it comes around..." He has a plan. But for now, the only thing to do is to shoot the vampire with magic until he falls over.

This may prove difficult.

"While I can understand the emotions of an overbearing father, I cannot approve of how you're expressing them," Prophylaxis huffs as he jabs his own staff into the ground. Another pillar of stone erupts from underneath Author, aimed right at the ridge of his jaw...!

Oh boy, here we go. Kaydon spots Author coming through the fog on his horse. He wishes he had a mount of his own, but he may have to figure out how to dismount this guy.

"You talk too much."

And then he's off, the were fang gnoll rushing to close the gap between himself and the mounted knight. With that signal arrow being fired upwards, there's no time to waste. The Damascus Blade flashes in the soft light of the early morning as Kaydon strikes, though his aim is for the mount, not necessarily for Author himself.

    Merek looks then to Auther while he takes a moment to think about it, then he nods. The man takes up both hands while he begins to form the spell for fireball. "Auther, it is time to end your own place in this war. That which placed your king into madness is no more, I am here to take away the will of Demiurge." The man then will spellsling the fireball along into that knight.

Goldenblade had been distracted by the mount charging through, but then she realizes Author is here, and close enough to strike. She drops the bow, she can get it after, or buy a new one, it's just a starter bow. Blades come out in a flash, and she's gathering the power of fire inside her. Fire works on vampires, right. Well, then he's not going to like this.

She twirls, the class is called Blade Dancer for a reason, and both blades glowing white-hot as the flames swirl around her like an inferno, striking at Author with blow after blow from the blazing blades.

        [ BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7qOJrT_lUg ]

    Author stands there, his hand only lightly grasps his bow, before he suddenly goes on the move as the ground shakes under him, leaping out of the way as the earth spikes up directly behind him.

As Shiruba speaks her peace, Author responds back with a visible sneer, "The life she has chosen, the life of following your kind, is /death/!" As the wolf Caitsith fires her arrow, Author meets it in kind with his own. The two arrows cancelling one another out, as he continues to move.

    As Uta discharges electricity, he does a back flip, the lightning flashing around him, but none of it touching him. He nooks three arrows at once and then fires them directly at Shiruba, Setsuna, and Uta.

The trouble with avoiding one attack, is trying to set up to avoid the next, it is in this that Prophylaxis gets the advantage in. The stone catapults out of the ground, slamming into Author as he barely gets a boot on the ground.

    This sets him up to be slammed by Merek's fireball, then for Kaydon's blade. The vampire, quickly readies his bow once more and takes aim for them as well, firing off one shot after another in quick succession.

Goldenblade comes racing in with glowing blades, Author uses his bow to parry one of the blades, but the other strikes him across the shoulder, before he tries to get a bit of distance and fires an arrow directly at Goldenblade.

    Meanwhile Gabriella is trying to get another arrow ready, almost loses the arrow in her hand. Her eyes glance up at the battle before her, looking at the others and the back to Author, before muttering to herself. "... get it together..."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            Somewhere in the distance...

    The flare is seen over the mountain ridge and a horn is then blown. Several heavily armored figures come out from the dark corners of fortress, all with spears, and round shields; Phalanx Binders and leading them out as the massive gate opens is The Harvester.

As they march, skeleton like creatures crawl across the walls, moving into place to fill in some of the holes in wall. Workers being struck across the back by whips to keep mining rocks and dragging in material into the fort.

Soon the soldiers on the move sink into the ground, vanishing into the earth below...

The poor girl really has bitten off more than she can true, despite her intentions.

Shiruba reachs into the ground around them with her geomancy and pulls up some stone barricades for her and Gabrellia to make use of. "Don't stand there in the open, use cover when you need to reload or catch your brea--Urk!" Her attempt at coaching is cut off as Author almost literally threads the needle to hit her betweem the jagged tops of the stone forms. Thankfully it wasn't a crippling shot to her arm, but the red injury marks run deep and that was a large chunk of HP.

"She decides her own life. You have no more right to choose for her than I do!" After that Shiruba takes a brief to compose herself, and pulls one of the gleaming arrows from her quiver and nocks it. "But I didn't try to DECIDE for her, I chose to HELP her decide for herself!"

Shiruba stands, aims over the earthen structure, and fires towards Author. The piercing scream is heard through the air as the arrow creates a concussive field of pressurized arrow around it while hurtling towards it's target.

A horn's bellowing note splits the air and reverberates across the hills and plains. Prophylaxis frowns at the sound, knowing that it all but certainly heralds the inevitable arrival of reinforcements. "Gabriella, this situation is rapidly devolving. I understand that you and your father have some issues to sort out, but we must make ready to retreat. He clearly foresaw your attempt to confront him. If we are surrounded by undead, we will not be able to guarantee victory /or/ your safety." As if to prove its point, an arrow buries itself into the doctor's shoulder. Prophylaxis winces, but grits his teeth and braces through the pain.

"I'm not saying that we should stop fighting, only that we must begin moving to safety and put some distance between ourselves and whatever is making that awful racket!" But for now, they have a vampire to slay. Electricity dances around the head of Prophylaxis' staff, before he hurls it forth! It coalesces into a cloud of brightly flashing lights, aimed to land directly atop Author's shoulders. Vampires possess keen night vision... So what happens if his eyes are suddenly overwhelmed by brilliant, strobing light!?

Goldenblade is not where she was standing when Author fired the arrow at her, it passes harmlessly over a set of flaming footprints from where she was just standing. She's taking a circular evasive route as he turns, and will come up behind him, swords blazing, if less brightly, delivering a series of blazing strikes, the fire doing as much damage as the impacts.

She's worried about the arrival of the adds, but she's concentrating on one task at a time, and for now it seems consuming the vampire with fire is her priority.

The arrow from the knight catches Kaydon directly in his left shoulder, but all it manages to do is piss the were fang Juggernaut off, and it shows as he reaches up with one hand to rip the arrow out of his shoulder. Gripping his blade in his right hand, he rushes forward again, but switches tactics as he gets close.

He changes his stance as he approaches the boss, and instead of striking directly, wind whips up around the blade, and Kaydon unleashes a minature tornado around Author, striking with the wind whipped blade to make sure the whirlwind hits its mark.

The arrow shot at Uta finds only a web of lightning bolts to shoot through, the Spriggan has already zigged sideways. An abrupt zag deviates her trajectory, and sprinting in the direction of Author, she vocalizes majestic aria and thrusts her staff forward. A pillar of light butsts forward, shot towards Author.

    Setsuna sides steps the arrow and frowns as his own attack was avoided, and then Prophylaxis speaks up towards Gabriella and his attention is changed, watching her struggle with the bow the unsteady shot. The others seem to have the battle in order so Setsuna approaches Gabriella calmly, it would be a different Setsuna then normal. " Hey there, you want to free him right? " The answer was pretty obvious given her previous responses to him but Setsuna steps infront of Gabriella putting himself between the Author and Gabriella. "Take a breath, find your calm. Remember that which is out there is only a shadow of what he was. Now I will stand here and shield you, take your time and show what you learned from him. The real him, show him that his grandaughter can stand up to the evil of this world. Now take another shot." A magical circle spilling out to cover them both in preperation to cover for any attack in the landers direction and to boost Gabriella's attack.

    Merek begins maneuvering about while he takes a moment and begins to find range away from the party, taking position. The man knows that he needs to take all the battlefield into consideration.

            [ Incoming In 4 ]
        [ BGM Change: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bIWfW7iaj68 ]

    Gabriella goes to respond to Shiruba as she watches the arrow hit, then even as the arrows find the others, including Prophylaxis. She /wants/ to correct him on just 'who' Author is, but right now, well, that isn't the time.

Instead she at last steps around the cover and nooks that arrow, trying to take a shot at Author as well! "It is me you want isn't it! Then come and get me you dirty ol' bastard!"

    She fires off that arrow, only to see Author to draw out a short blade from behind his back and cut the arrow into two. His eyes looking directly at her. It was enough of a distraction, that Shiruba's arrow hits its mark, knocking Author back, as he grits his vampiric teeth in a low hiss.

He quickly fires off two shots for both Gabriel and Shiruba (along with Setsuna since he decided to quickly head over that way), the two arrows igniting with dark flames as they fly, exploding with force on whatever the impact with.

    A shot that is fired that Gabriella sees as Setsuna tries to explain things to her, and she yells out to them both, "Look out!"

    Prophylaxis meanwhile, manages to get off an electrical burst, that rushes across Author's face, blinding him for a moment so that Goldenblade coming in from behind and Kaydon coming in from the front can't really be avoided. Their attacks, sending Author almost being flung to the side, as he rolls to the ground, before flipping back up on his feet, where he attempts to have arrows fly try for all three of them.

Author spots the bright light coming his way and with a flare of his cape, he draws out his primary blade. Its edge lights up with dark energy and he cuts the 'light' in half, with its edges being consumed by the darkness.

    The Vampire knight shoves off with his foot and races directly at Uta, swinging the blade around to attempt to strike her with a horizontal slash. Merek for now though, going ignored.

Uta pushes further forward, reaching so close she can smell the breath of Author.

At least, she /thinks/ it's the smell of Author.

One good thing about vampires, Uta thinks, is that their breath doesn't smell like garlic.

She begins to intone a magical tune, but the sword slashes horizontaly right for her face!

*CLANG*

As the sword continues its circular path, so does Uta, being dragged along with the blade head-first. It seems like has managed t=o block damage from sword by... biting into it? I mean, it is an unorthodox technique, but it /did/ work.

She swings her body to give herself the right push, and propels herself away at the right moment, flying around with the added swing of the sword. As she flies away, she resumes her chanting, which surrounds the head of her staff in magical darkness, just before she swings at Author with it...

Shiruba tries to reinforce her earthen bunker and raise it up higher... but Gabreilla yelling at Author distracts her a bit. The arrow slams into her barrier, but she didn't step back as far as she should of, and the explosion blasting her earthen barrier sends her reeling on her back with a yowl of pain. It's followed by a string of swearing that it doesn't matter if it's in Japanese or being translated for others to understand, we're not actually typing it out.

She's not aware of who is buffering Gabreilla but she's grateful for it, just not really time to say anything about it at the moment. She exhales sharply, and despite how much that hurt forces herself back onto her feet and picks up her bow. There's no barrier left, so she just stalks forward as she pulls an arrow back in her bow.

"Enough." That wasn't even shouted like her previous retorts, it was uttered in a grim, almost inaudible tone.

The strings are taunt, and twang with an audible ring of their own as she releases and fires. The arrow zings towards Author, but it might be little more than a plink on the undead knight. Not much of an attack...

Shiruba stops, and points the end of her bow towards the knight as it reachs him. Again doesn't actually raise her voice, just utters solemnly, "Lord of Vermillion."

... Until thunder roars abruptly overhead, followed by the *thwoom* of electricity ionizing air as *Massive Bolts of Lightning* crash down several times, attracted towards the enchanted arrow she shot at Author to help direct the otherwise powerful but erratic storm force.

    Merek looks to the party, and nods a bit. The man knows that it is time to use that spell. That blessing. The man begins to speak, walking forward, "You won't win, Auther! We will save the world! It doesn't need to be like this. I have destroyed the sword which brought this to your king. I call upon the power of the nameless Lost, the one that blesses the poor, who in the time of this world's need brought the power of Light."
    The man draws a circle that begins to expand, shimmering along above the whole of the field, it rains upon the people within it. Like the size of a whole little town that circle begins to appear in the skies. "INTERDIMENSIONAL FIELD CREATION. HEALING FORCE FIELD!" It begins to heal all of the party, indeed it even will bring them the warmth within, like a blessing that seeks to protect and heal the world.

    The magic circle darkens into a mix of gold and purple as bones begins to fly out of the ground, forming two square shapes, both hovering infront of Gabriella. Setsuna's foresight into this was a good thing too as Author's arrows toward the girl pierces the first box and is barely stopped by the second. As for Setsuna himself his own defense is a little lax as he takes the arrow to the shoulder, it burns...in a not so good way. Looking over towards Gabriella still trying to keep a soft voice. "Well, are you going to show him?"

Another arrow fired from the knight sticks in Kaydon, this time hitting him square in the chest as he tries to dodge out of the way. Maybe he should start using a shield. Welp, too late to worry about it now!

He can feel the healing surge through him from Merek. Maybe he'll apologize later. Probably not. For now he needs to keep on mission.

"Enough of this bullshit!" Clearly Kaydon is starting to get pissed off, "You damn vampires constantly coming out, causing chaos. All for some bitch who doesn't have the goddamn guts to face us herself!"

He lunges again, this time the Damascus Blade isn't brought with any fancy strikes, nothing pretty or full of flourish. Just a massive blow with the full force Kaydon can muster behind it, "Maybe if we kill you it'll get her attention!"

Father, brother, grandfather, whatever! It doesn't matter. There's an angry undead overlord slinging powerful attacks at them seemingly without end. At this rate, they'll tire and fall long before that undead army is even within spitting distance, let alone holding off until the sun rises. "At the very least, we should find some high ground. It'd buy us at least a few more seconds..."

More arrows. This time, Prophylaxis is ready. At his bidding, a slab of stone shoots out of the ground and absorbs the barrage. As the stone cracks and breaks apart, it suddenly... explodes! A rat's nest of snake-headed vines lash through the air and go to sink their venomous thorns into the vampire's armor before ripping away at his exposed flesh. If Prophylaxis can't poison him, he'll exsanguinate him. If he can't do that, he'll strip Author's armor!

Just then a wave of healing energy seeps into him. Warmth grows in his heart and knits shut his wounds. Prophylaxis looks toward Merek with a grateful nod, then turns his attention back to the fight.

That tilted the engagement ever so slightly in their favor. But now... They have to seize upon that opportunity...!

Goldenblade's luck has run out, or is at least tapering off, and she's struck, her HP falling even as she stumbles and tries to regain her composure quickly. A wave of healing energy flowing over the party counters it nicely, though. The flames on her blades have gone out, looks like she's going to have to fight through on her own strength. But she can do that, and she does, slashing down with heavy blows of each sword, beating on Author like he owes her money.

            [ Incoming In 3 ]

Author watches Uta closely and as the young woman, swings her staff covered by darkness back toward him, he draws his short blade around and goes to counter it. Then with a twirl of his cape he brings his other blade to bare back down toward her once more.

This does not give him much time to ready for Kaydon however, who brinsg his blade down hard against Author's backside. The vampire growls, before he turns one of his blades around on the Werefang. Then to only get his arm slashes by Goldenblade, which he too turns and aims for her as well.

    Gabriella meanwhile brows furrow as she watches the healing light. Everyone fighting to help 'her' and getting injured because of /her/. She looks at the bow in her hands, to Shiruba, to Setsuna.

Then the young woman ducks out from under Setsuna's protection, as she tries to line up a shot on him. As she is doing this, she watches Shiruba's arrow 'tink' into part of Author's armor. Then observes as the lightning strikes the side of the vampire /hard/, sending Author back a bit and having to go on his guard, giving an opening to Prophylaxis attack.

    The thorns shred into Author's armor, but the vampire turns himself around on one of the vines. He nooks his arrows and sends them flying between the thorny vegetation at several of the members in the party.

It is here that Gabriella attempts to attack, only to find her arrow getting lodged in one of the vines, "Damnit!" But when she sees the arrow coming, she is quick to duck back behind the cover that her two protectors are /trying/ to give her.

    She winces a little at hearing Prophylaxis' words, "He is right... we... we should get out of here. I, I can't shot an arrow to save my life and he," She looks at the group once more. "He is wearing you all down.... Because of me. Because of this /damn/ war!" What Gabriella can't see, that the adventurers can see, is that Author is close to either 'death' or 'retreating'.

    Merek nods a bit while it looks like what he's doing will keep the party safe. Then he maneuvers forward, like before taking another hit while his HP bar begins to shimmer. The man takes an explosive from that potion belt which he wears, then he throws that into Auther, exploding it into flame while it begins to shimmer.

    Setsuna is making choices today left and right and antoher is done as he throws a wall of air around the girl tossing away the arrow from Author that was about to hit Gabriella, only after trying to manage some half hearted shield for himself. It doesn't hold up and thats an arrow in his side. He is hurting, there is some bleed status effect. Even Merek's heal last turn seems to have already been wasted. Turning his head he looks at Gabriella again, " Gabriella look at the abomination that was once the man you know. Now knock an arrow and pull it back, and focus...focus everything into that one arrow. Your rage , your emotions all of it into the point until you yourself become numb. When you shoot , shoot with your heart. Shoot with the love for the man he use to be."

The warmth and comfort of Merek's healing washes over Uta, as it does over everyone else. Her health was already pretty high to start with, but the feeling is refreshing and appreciated. "Thanks, Merek," she manages to say while-

One, two, three sonic booms erupt, and Uta remains unscathed by the blades swung her way.

One, two, three sonic booms provide accents for a rhythm of a surging melody Uta vocalizes during her parrying, dodging, punching and kicking. Her voice, just like her melody, gets stronger and more intense; she's launched into a crescendo that seems to go on forever, creating and breaking expectations over and over again while the notes create an upwards spiral of pitches. Louder, stronger, harder, and then... then the actual, final note hits.

A blast of air and magic and music that ripples the foggy air all around while a shockwave is shot at Author...

There is a some zip yet left in Goldenblade's stride, she skips aside from the attacks against her with a bit of effort, panting hard, but smiling, if grimly. She knows it's serious business, but it still looks doable, though it's getting harder. She changes tactics a bit, hoping the change will hurt Author more than it goofs her up. She slinks in from a shadow amid all the fighting going back and forth, or rather, screened by another attack, she strikes just after it goes, only barely slipping past his defense to strike.

Kaydon actually manages to deflect the attack from Author when it comes in, but his own return strike is just as ineffective. He's trying to advance on the guy, but considering the sheer number of insane attacks coming in now, he's unable to get in close enough to strike. He backs off instead, to prepare for Author's next blow, because if he can prepare a defense he should be able to withstand the attack.

"Actually, I'm not here for you. The others are, but I'm here for another reason entirely," Prophylaxis answers with a gruff huffle of breath as yet another arrow goes screaming through the air and embeds itself into his shoulder. Again a shock of pain blasts through him, through the shield of air that materialized just a second too late to intercept the shot. "I'm here to make sure a certain someone doesn't get himself killed-- and to slay a vampire, but truthfully that's just a bonus in my books. Whatever guilt you feel, young lady, do not count my presence and my suffering among your sins. I am here because I have chosen to be. As are the rest of us. But now that I /am/ here..."

"If you must feel guilty, then do so after you've survived today. Let your guilt drive you to action, to do /better./ If you have arrived here because vengence has driven you down a dark path, then remember that lesson, and never let it overwhelm your better judgment again. If you must repent, then live." Prophylaxis lifts his staff...

And plunges it into the ground. The land shakes, trembles, cracks. Raw power courses through his limbs. With a sudden shout, the wizard surges forward to strike the vampire across the skull with the head of his staff. Wood snaps as it breaks, but he turns and gathers the fragments to shove through Author's chest, aiming to pin a stake directly through his heart...!!

"I am a /doctor/!" Prophylaxis declares, struggling to hold the bastard still long enough for the others to land a final, decisive blow. "What would I be if I did not do everything in my power to preserve the lives under my watch!? So that she may live, I will give it my all!"

This time Shiruba has gotten her head back into the game, and taking some satisfaction in Author getting bombasted by the lightning barrage. Doing that has put a serious crimp in her MP reserves, it was worth it. She's taking more thorough stock of the situation and their surroundings as she hears Gabreilla muttering. "You're right about this War, Gabreilla," Shiruba replies, "But the War isn't your fault, and neither is this. I, we all, willingly came to help you be who you want to be." She nods in agreement with Setsuna as she reachs over to put a hand on the young lady's arm. "I have faith in you.. But you need to have more faith in yourself." And with the other hand pulls one of the arrows from her quiver and hands it to the girl with a reassuring wink.

And back to the fight. This time instead of taking defense action pre-emptively she waits until Author fires his shot, and then dives to avoid the arrow screaming past. The maneuver puts her low to the ground, which she uses to dart off into the vegetation of the area. She only had a few minutes to consider, but that was long enough. Keeping low while Author was dealing with the others she circles around a bit, then moves to creep up behind him using the natural environment to her advantage. Nimbly she reachs down to pull the large hunting knife from the sheath on her thigh, stalking like the wolf she was part.

Then finally leaps out of the foilage, the blade of her knife gleaming with the energies of the earth itself as she tries to plunge it somewhere deep between the seams of the undead knight's armor!

            [ Incoming In 2 ]

    The sun was starting to come up. Hints of its rays starting to slowly show up on the horizon; Something that Author was becoming clearly aware of as well, as his eyes narrow to near thin slits.

He quickly leaps back as the explosion from Merek's alchemy goes off. Gabriella meanwhile hears Setsuna's words, along with Shiruba's. She goes to take the arrow she is given and make another shot toward the vampire knight, while it seems like he is distracted.

Her arrow flies /far/ more true than it has, but it is quickly caught by Author, as he turns around and nooks that same arrow and aims directly at her; There is a pause there as he says, "... You actually would have pierced my heart, grandchild."

    Gabriella narrows her eyes as she yells back, "Don't you /dare/ call that! You are a monster wearing the face of a legend! You are not and never will be the /true/ Author Drake!"

It was enough of a distraction, that Goldenblade gets a jab in with her sword, which sets up for Uta's powerful attack. Author slides back and is blind-sided by Prophylaxis own attack. The stakes from his broken staff driving into Author's body.

    Gabriella stands there watching, and gets another arrow ready, she hears what the doctor has to say, but doesn't respond, instead her hand shakes a little. The nerves of battle getting to her, but she tries to calm her hand.

It is only then does she see Shiruba sneaking for a brief of moment. She watches as Author tries to yank out one of the stakes, as the sun starts to rise on the horizon.

    Author yanks out another of the stakes before he goes to actually /punch/ Prophylaxis square in the face with a battlecry of a roar; Only to pause short.

There in his neck, is Shiruba's blade. The wolf woman holding it there, as the sun at last rises. Author grits his teeth and then goes down on one knee, as Shiruba continues to hold that blade, then down to another. He coughs out blood, and his hands dig into the ground.

When she pulls out the blade, he can only hiss out his next words, "... this... is not... over... you damn... mutt..." Before he sinks directly into the ground.

    Gabriella lowers her bow, "Did-- did we get him? Is... is he dead?" Then looks toward the rising sun. "... Is he going to pop back up like some damn weed?" Then she looks around the area quickly. "I--" She furrows her brows. "I almost had him..."

    Setsuna lets out a sigh of relief as Author runs away, to live to fight another day." We won today, he will be back. " Setsuna takes a moment to take his current stock of his current state and is impressived with how many arrows he still has in him. This was likely a sign that we need to get out. " You did have him. You got him to acknowledge you. Take that as your victory for the day and lets get out of here." Looking at the others before looking at the doctor, " Any guess which direction is safe to retreat in?"

The earthen attunement enables the blade to dig deep, like a root pushing through rock and soil to find nutrients. Even so, Shiruba did not quite expect it to penetrate deep and hard enough to actually get into his neck, she had hoped to maybe cripple his arm from using his weapon. But when she realizes she did get through, she pushes down with all her strength.. she is actually quite strong for her size, thanks to the force it takes to draw a bow properly. Though it's a little surprising that he coughs up blood. Undead do that?

Author sinks to his knees. When her feet are back on the ground Shiruba pulls the knife out and steps back, ready for a retaliation. But that only comes in the form of words.

Her ears flare up. "I am a wolf, goddammit!" That seems to have really gotten her hackles up. Maybe because 'mutt' hits a little close to how Cait Sith were originally created by others. Who knows. But by that point he's gone.

She stares at the ground for a moment, then lets out a growling sigh as she turns away. "He's -hurt-, but I doubt that was enough to finish him off for good," she admits. "But... it proves it's possible. They're not invincible."

Shiruba turns and walks back to the others, particularly Gabriella. "It's okay! You're here. You survived! Even if unsure of yourself you got help from others and endured. That's pretty brave." She glances over a shoulder. "But sometimes brave is also knowing when to withdraw to fight another day. I don't really want to find out -what- he was summoning with that flare." She gives Gabriella a pat on the back. "You just need some more practice, and some work on keeping your focus in a fight."

Uta frowns in moderate disgust at Author's reaction.

"...Ew," she states, at the sight of the regurgitated blood. "That thing chucked up its lunch. Gross."

When, however, the monster begins to sink, she rushes over to him, in a desperate attempt to touch the body for a medical inspection before it disappears.

But she arrives too late. "Dang," she exclaims with a snap of her fingers.

Uta looks around and shrugs. "I'm fresh out of Arcane Eyes. I fear we'll just have to wing it." She points her staff in a direction. "Earlier, /that/ way would have been safe, but... things might have changed during our battle." She shrugs. "But since we have no other choice..."

...She starts in the direction she pointed at; if nobody follows her, she'll disappear into the fog.

Prophylaxis is mere moments from being grievously punished for the impudence of trying to stake a vampire before waiting till it's asleep and filling its mouth with garlic bulbs. His eyes flash with momentary panic as the fist rockets dangerously close to his face...

And then stops.

Shiruba has him by the throat, metaphorically speaking as well as literally. The doctor staggers back and falls onto his backside, watching as the blood drains from the vampire's veins. Immediately, he begins channeling a spell to finish the job-- but with his staff in pieces, it's painfully slow going. Too slow, in fact.

Author escapes... But so do they. "Strictly speaking, he was dead before we even began," Prophylaxis huffs, picking himself up off the ground. He retrieves the fragments of his shattered staff and looks to them with a deep frown. "...Well. Good thing I've got another in the works. Mmn."

"You did well," he says to Gabriella, then. "You charged headlong into an encounter with an undead ancient and came away with your life. That's worth more than any vampire's severed head. Come, let's get out of here before his reinforcements show up. With any luck, he'll bleed out underground."

Prophylaxis pauses as he watches Uta begin skipping off into the fog. He makes a noise of distress and races off after her...!

A moment later, he's dragging a certain nurse out of the mist by the scruff. "Come on," the doctor sighs. "The last thing we need are vampire slimes."

    Merek nods a little bit to the party, "Alright, it looks like we did what we can," the man notes. Then he takes a look to the place, while he begins to walk along and away from the place with any guidance.

Goldenblade watches as the bad guy sinks into the Earth. "And that's it?" she asks, incredulously. "We need to fight them on asphalt next time," she complains. She looks around, wonders, "What about the skeletal horse, did it vanish also?"

Shiruba points off in the direction with her knife... then realizes she's holding it still, and ews softly as she wipes the undead blood and viscera off of it. Then points. "One of the planned escape routes I had is in that direction...." she pauses, and lowers from the point to put the knife back in its sheath. "But with the fog, and how many times I've been turned around in this fight I'm not sure on the exact direction...", she admits.

But it looks like the Country Doctor has a means of seeing the way prepared, as well as retrieving Uta before she strays too far. Good. "Let's roll."

    Gabriella smiles gently at the words of encouragement, then gives a firm nod to whatever is going on in that lander head of hers. "I agree, lets get going. I'll get better at this and one day... I'll be as great as you Adventurers." She says with a warm smile on her face.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Later on at the old castle among the mists...

    Helena Lethe is looking over the old tomes in the old study room. Her claw gently tracing over the old books with faded text and cobwebs that have attached themselves to those very books.

Till she hers a clatter, the queen of the undead, known as The Forgotten, turns to find Author falling to the ground. His claws digging into the stone of the old floor. Helena's eyes go wide, "Author!" As she quickly runs over and lowers herself down.

Her hand coming to touch the knife wound, before she then conjures fire around her hands and uses it to sear the flesh. Author gritting his teeth tightly. From there she starts to sing a soft melody, as the flames turn to dark energy.

    Watching from above on the rafters as the queen attempts to save her knight, is a ghost with flowing hair. Her eyes observe, before her own brows furrow. She then asks from above. "... Will he live?"

Helena doesn't look up, her focus is on Author. There was a frustrated look in her eyes, but when she talks, there was a bitter sound in her voice. "Why do you care, child? Your pet adventurers continue to slaughter everything near and dear. One day, they will come here... and kill you as well."

    The Queen rises to her feet, and uses her magic to lift up Author's unconscious body. "Everything I have done... I have done for you..." She at last peers up at the ghost girl. "... I may not been your real mother... but I loved you. I /loved/ you as if you were..." She then looks away. "One day, you will understand the true face of the enemy and maybe then you will stop your childish ways." She then inhales as she walks out of the room. "... and yes, he /may/ live yet..."

"But go back to your land of fantasy, little girl. Go back to dreaming of your heroes, when the real ones die around you."

    The ghost watches Helena leave, before she goes to stand up, then floats directly up to the very roof, where she looks up at the sky above. Her hand extending up, as if trying to touch the clouds. Then she lowers her hand to look at it. Then she floats down to sit on the rotting roof tile and sighs softly. "... I..." She looks over to a skeleton raven picking at the tile. "I... don't know what to believe anymore..." Before hidng her face in her knees.