@Earnest Evans

Avalai's eyes narrowed at the ancient's words. Her slender, pale hand rose from her side and she snapped her fingers, her long red nails clicking. Immediately, regardless of distance, all the thralls stopped what they were doing to come to her. Their expressions changed from relaxed and happy to stoic and intimidating. It was eerily quiet as they all came to the foot of the staircase and knelt down in neat, practiced rows. They looked up at her, awaiting a command.

The red queen looked with spite at the mummy berating her.

"Motivate my employees?" She spat, her tone filled with venom. "Motivate... my employees?" It was then she walked into the mummys space, and continued to walk so that he may have to walk backwards to stay up. "Were it not already preconceived that I had given my Thralls permission to relax and enjoy their time off except for the select few who begged to stay and remain at my side at all times, I would have slaughtered them all one by one personally. You think you can DARE talk to me about my thralls? YOU think you can DARE talk to me about MOTIVATING, MY, EMPLOYEES?! YOU FAIL TO EVEN SUPPLY SERVANTS YOU CRUSTY ABOMINATION. YOUR TIME IS SO FAR PAST, YOUR RULE SO LONG GONE THAT NOBODY HAS EVER HEARD OF YOUR NAME." She stopped, recoiling and grinned sadistically. "You want motivation?"

She took a dagger, hidden in the fold of her skirt, and sliced her palm without so much as flinching. Below, the Thralls moaned, their long turned state making them lust to taste her blood despite remaining human.

"You." Her golden eyes pointed to a random thrall in the bunch, locking gazes with him. "Kill the thrall to your left."

Without needing any other order, the thrall turned to his left, the other thrall closing his eyes to accept his fate as the first drew the sword from his hip and decapitating the other. The victorious thrall gingerly collected the other's head and going through the crowd, which silently parted, to go up the stairs to his Queen. He knelt down on the stair below Avalai and bowed his head, presenting her with the decapitated one.

Avalai's smile could destroy nations.

She put forth her bleeding hand. The thrall gently but very perversely took it after setting the head down, licking desperately at his queens wound. Her expression softened almost maternally and she ran her long nails through his hair. Her gaze, hardening once more, turned to the ancient's as the crowd below remained stoic. She stepped up to him, leaving the thrall behind as she got into his space once again.

"Ego sanguinum Maria,
Eu sunt Huntress de noapte,
Я каралева усіх вампіраў,
و كنت طويلة ، نسي الملك الملك من الغبار."

"Off with their heads."Like whispered under his breath.
He did little to hide a smile on his princely face.
"Harsh words spat from a mouth so fair." He spoke up, a hint of nostalgia in his voice.
"You crazy monarchs make me feel right at home."

Djedkare's scowl twisted even further, becoming something of a rictus grin. His golden teeth ground together as he clenched his fists until it seemed like the sinews of his decrepit hands seemed ready to split under such tension. A nightmarish rustling sound emitted from deep within Djedkare's bowels, as the colony of scarabs storied away in his guts reacted to stores of ancient magics lost to mortal ken long ago percolated and writhed like a snake trapped in a trap. A dull glow shone from within Djedkare, spilling out of his orifices as a curling, rank fog.

"You... I have given you the benefit of a doubt. I had thought you were merely a poor leader, but now... you have clearly demonstrated your impotence as a ruler. Instead of supplicating and gaining the adoration of your citizens, you control them, like a child toying with their parent's work! You have grown proud, but have not striven to earn your nation. No... you forced these servants to follow you. You have violated the very essence of being a ruler! Such hubris will not stand!"

Djedkare's voice appeared to come from every direction at once, booming throughout the stairway. The glow from within Djedkare's hollow shell of a form increased in magnitude, bathing the area in light as hot and intense as the desert sun. Djedkare began to speak, emitting a foul curse that would plague Avalai until such time as it was broken.

"As you have stolen the minds of your charges, so shall they be regained! I curse you to return to that which you deserve! May all you own and all whom you control return to the dust from which it was torn! Tread lightly, young one; the Plague of Job is upon you."

With one final strobe of burning light, Djedkare returned to his normal self. Still scowling, he forced his way past the bemused crowd of thralls between him and headed back to the bar in search of something to soothe his stomach. As he left, his curse proved to have little effect, merely making Avalai's collar feel a bit tighter and giving the thrall closest to her a somewhat-dry throat. Poor Djedkare's cursing skills weren't quite up to snuff, it seems.

Like watched the light show stunned, with eyes and mouth wide open.
"Beautiful." he stammered.
Swiftly he intercepted Djekare before he could walk away.
Like looked him in the eyes like a magpie would a shiny jewel.
He held the decrepit old mans head in the palms of his hands.
"Such clarity. Wisdom beyond what I've seen in eons." He whispered.
"It's a rare sight where I'm from. I know it's mad to ask, but that's my role so:
If you ever get to a point where you'd want to sell that magnificent sanity of yours.
I am a buyer!"

Djedkare wrestled his way out of Like's hold on him, and responded proudly. If Djedkare still had eyes, there would be a gleam in them.
"Young man, all the treasures in the world would not compare to the value of a strong mind and a willful soul. You'd do best to stop tryin' to barter for one."

At that, he turned on his heel and headed right back to the bar. With purpose in his voice and determination in his step, Djedkare reached the bartender with little incident.
"Bartender, another Shirley Temple, please. The little ones are all riled up, and I don't want to have to find some honey at this time of night."

"Didn't think so. But I had to ask." Like muttered disapointed.
"How about you?" Like turned cassually to the red queen.
"Don't suppose your pride is for sale?"

<snip>

Cain looked up from his empty glass at Alcaeus, appearing to be genuinely surprised to be spoken to by someone that wasn't screaming at him whilst brandishing a weapon or acting otherwise strange. "Yeah, I got an invite. I mean, it cost me my television and only god knows how much cash at this point, but I got it." Cain stated as he set his glass down. Cain was prepared to introduce himself when he picked up the sound of a particularly long winded argument from somewhere outside of the bar. Not long after that, the mummy from earlier returned to the bar with an expression not nearly as jaunty as the one he'd had before. The wendigo paused and considered asking what had happened, but thought better of it and instead returned his attention to Alcaeus, "O...kay. Anyway, i'm Cain, Cain Carmine.", he said before extending his right hand to shake.

There was an awkward pause after the mummy's show of light and when had left.

Avalai turned to the nearby thrall. "Am I keeping you here against your will?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

The thrall shrugged. "I mean... it's my job. Pays my bills. Plus we're all kinda mad thirsty for you anyways. And we go on vacation ON the job so..."

"Oh."

"Yeeeahh."

"Well then, it comforts me to know that even if his curse had worked it truly would have no affect anyways." She cleared her throat, looking to all her Thralls. "Carry on, but do help with the clean up once you're done. Leaving a mess is rude." The thralls scattered to resume their activities before as if one of their coworker didn't just die at the hands of their employer. At long last, the Queen turned in for the day to her quarters.

Like felt ignored. That didn't set well with him. It tended to awake a crueler side of him.
"You know my dearest queen..." He said with a pestering tone as he followed Avalai up the stairs.
"You know the old coot is right. You know it's the blood that makes them say these things.
Their words are not their own, that is a testament to their slavery, not their freedom."
Like laughed. He stalked Avalai, playing tag with her shadow.
"You must also know they don't love you, just the blood. Give me a glass of your blood and they'll follow me like puppies till I run out."

Like's words stung like a song stuck in your head for days.

"In fact, the only thing you don't know for sure. Did the curse fail? Or does it take time to take effect?"

John Doe watched as the thrall non-caringly decapitate the other right beside him he wasn't sure if they were supposed to do that since everyone disapproved of it, Grabbing a Bronze beer the Scaley creature broke of the top, his miniature head started draining the beer away from the glass

After a bit John Doe Wiped the foam off his mouth Sooooo do "thralls" normally kill each other like that? He asked

<snip>

Alcaeus took the hand with a friendly smile and shook firmly, radiating friendship and joy. "Name's Alcaeus, call me Al." He looks around with a sarcastic look and a matching tone, pointing out toward the other patrons with a thumb. "Crazy crowd huh? Not quite my speed if you ask me. Give me a herd of cattle anyday. I can stomach that much easier than this lot." He looks over to Marie with a quirked eyebrow, before pointing to her just as he pointed to the rest. "For example. This gal right here. Doesn't look to be of age to be in her cups this early in life."

@KawaiiOshiri

He turns to Marie with a swivel on his stool, spraying rainwater from his body all over as he spins. "Say there, girl. Exactly how old are you? Because I'm not sure they allow minors to hit the hard sauce."

"Pleasure to meetcha Al. I take it you're a farmer or some sort of rancher then. I can get where you're coming from man, i've dealt with plenty of crazies in the past, but these guys beat out the ones i've dealt with ten fold." Cain snorted before craning his neck a bit to see who Alcaeus was referring to. At the inquiry of Marie's age, Cain piped up again, pointing out that the legal drinking age in most parts of europe was somewhere between sixteen and eighteen. Still, he had to admit that a margarita was a bit more potent than just an average beer for someone that appeared to be just passing the cusp of adulthood.

The big scaly creature gotten up after listening to everyone, He sulked over to the shinigami who amazingly wasn't related to death note in any way shape or form and Stood infront of her, Towering a meter above her head, Intimidatingly

The scaly creature opened its mouth realizing a horrible shriek again, and then went to a vicious voice, one that sounds like a midget goblin from a video game Hi my names John Doe, nice to meet ya

He held out his right hand, which was more like a claw, so it was a Claw-hand basically, No wait that doesn't make sense wouldn't it be a paw Shut up and write Jezz don't be mean to your creator like that. I could write you off at any moment Then do it ............... ugh..you win this round John

@akje
"Silence... I implore you." Avalai murmured, for once making a request and not a demand as she kept her eyes forward and fanned herself. Her display had left her a bit spent. Keeping up appearance was ever such a bother. But as the changeling spoke, she could feel his words like nails hammered into the back of her skull as each insecurity was spoken aloud. However, as she was the favored pet of the Count himself, it could not be shown.

"The ancient's curse will not affect me now. Not after so many years since his heart stopped beating. He was a great ruler... once upon a time. But all stars fade and die in an explosion of dust and sparkling mist. Just as his abilities have."

After her words, the Queen became unusually quiet as she made her way upstairs, only her handmaiden and the changeling following now. Perhaps her thoughts were on what the shadowy creature had said, perhaps it was on different matters. Nothing could be said for sure with the stoic expression on her face.

"I thought you seemed familiar," Avalai suddenly spoke, breaking the silence that waited beside the echoing of their footsteps on the staircase. It had grown dark, and the handmaiden had lit a candle to see better. "You... lived in a mirror in one of my manors many years ago, did you not?"

Reacting to the magic word Like changed shape, and as Avalai turned to him he was once again the large mirror.
Like shot her a warm ceramic smile.
"I almost thought you wouldn't recognise me. My dear queen."
The clay mask that made his face showed flickers and shadows in the light of the candle.
"It has been a very long time hasn't it?"
Like faded and he showed Avelai her own reflection.
"I must say not either of us has changed.
Don't you agree?
Red Queen, Mistress of Night, Vladimir's Favored.
Why don't you ask me the question that you hold dear to your heart, the one you always asked. Knowing the answer."

Lord De Gravee
@MonsieurShade@Horrid
The Lord sealed both letters after exhaustingly writing them with an eloquent language and hand writing, he tried to write in words only the two it was meant to be read by could understand. He whistled and two shabby, cranky birds entirely void of flesh, flew in from atop the bookcases. He attached a letter each to every bony bird, they were more like vultures, at least three feet high and two feet wide. Some feathers crowned the jagged edges of their bones. They had black eye sockets with tiny red emeralds for eyes.

"One for the Wendigo, the other for the Multi-Armed Guest." The Lord then gestured them to fly out and down into the bar. The bony birds were able to drop both letters into the bar, just close enough for the Wendigo and Al to grab them.

Snazzy however noticed the subtle slip of letters in the midst of the niose the Queen was making, alongside her thralls never simmering down. He looked through one of the envelopes without touching it, he was able to see through mere paper. One of the letters said:

"Dear Honorable Guests, The Lord humbly and joyfully invites you to a sport of blood later this evening. There will be flesh, blood, of humans. I selected you because I sensed your thirst to extinguish boredom from the poor uneventful lives of farmers, people begging for excitement. Fear. Please be prepared to silently leave through the kitchen and meet me in the Staff room there at 3:00 A.M for a most wonderful hunt.

Your lovably evil Host, De Gravee.

P.S Amongst most guests, avoid alerting a second class Grim Reaper that fancies calling itself 'Snazzy' about this secret hunt. He is a dipshit."

Snazzy held his nerves together, controlled his emotions and held a tear back. He instead thought of something far more sinister.

"Later tonight, when the Lord goes out for some dirty games, we gonna do some coupe up in this house. I am taking over this Hotel." It was a loud monologue, but only the preoccupied zombie bartender heard him.

<snip>

Alcaeus almost leapt from his stool at the sound of the vulture's skeletal wings flapping past him. A letter fluttered down slowly, a strange spectacle for any watching. It fluttered until it reached his lap at which point he decided that the spectacle was over and it was time to get down to actually reading the letter. He saw that Cain had received one as well and waved it at him with a smile, happy that he wasn't the only one to receive an ominous message. Opening the message wiped the pearly white smile from his face almost immediately, turning it into more of a worried frown. He looked back at Cain again, holding it up at him as if to say 'what the fuck is this?'

Sport of blood, flesh of humans, sensed your thirst, poor uneventful life? None of this made sense to him. He hadn't engaged in a manhunt for decades, maybe even a few centuries. Not an organised one anyway, not since the days of Alcibiades or Darius III. Or Hannibal Barca. Maybe he HAD been involved in a few too many of these, but what would one more hurt, right? Still, he wondered, were there criminals afoot? Was this some sort of supernatural team of crime-fighters that this Lord was putting together? Was this going to end up being a Super Sentai kind of thing, where he'd have to wear a tight costume and strike poses?

He would just have to go along to see what he could do, he guessed. Though he was still rather confused, at least there was one thing he understood.

That Snazzy really was a dipshit.

(sorry guys i havent bee on lately it was spring break last week can we start over in the bar from where i greeted myself@ReaptheMusic)

As a skeletal bird whizzed overtop Cain and dropped something towards him, the wendigo reflexively tilted back a bit and plucked the object that came at him out of the air. Having seen Alcaeus receive something as well, he turned and reciprocated the look that he himself had been given. Cain unfolded the letter and began reading, his frown deepening momentarily before he felt a shiver of excitement run up his spine from the realization of what he was being invited to. It had been well over a month since he'd been able to hunt, and as with every hunt, he could only ever take one or two people without fear of being seen. As much as Cain hated to admit it, two people just weren't enough to scratch that itch that nagged at the back of his mind. The letter in his hand wasn't just and invitation to hunt, it was an invitation to finally run rampant. It meant that he could chase, dismember, and kill any and everything that he could get in his grasp. Cain did not realize it, but he had started to breath heavily, a twisted and rather cruel looking grin had returned to his face, curving so far up that it started to turn inwards slightly, and his once weary looking eyes now radiated malice and bloodlust in spades. "This sounds like it's going to be fun." Cain said as he gripped the paper a bit tighter.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Cain knew that this was horribly wrong, and that what he was about to do was terrible. That part of him wanted to stop this, to return to his room and book the flight back home in the morning and to go to sleep. That part of him however, had no say in the matter. The wendigo would have his fun, and all that remained of Cain's humanity could do was try to turn a blind eye and hope that the people he caught did not suffer long.

-sits in corner all by himself in the bar-