Location:
Human Village
@Psyker Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR

---

“A pleasure to meet the three of you.” Gilles responded with a small smile. “Wish we could have at a better time, but well…I guess no time is really a good time for introductions these days.” He’d sigh, rubbing his messy head of blond hair, a bit taken aback by Aleksiya’s formality and seeming disappearance of her frightened demeanor but he didn’t question it beyond a mildly puzzled glance.

“Usually, anywhere between ten to twenty.” He’d say, moving to help fasten some ropes to the boxes and anchor them in place alongside Dragan. “All we can really say is that they routinely come from the forest. We’ve sent a few people to scout and see if we couldn’t find anything but the ones that returned said some…well…” He’d frown. “I don’t know if I believe it, but apparently there’s some half dead beast that has something to do with it.” He’d finish tying a knot into the ropes, giving it a firm tug to test its capabilities. “That’s to say nothing from the undead that crawl out of the river nearby. Those only showed up recently. No idea where they come from or what they’re doing.”

Some of the children had taken notice of Luna. Despite the danger of the situation and their somewhat dirty appearance they were curiously gazing at the woman in front of them. A number of men and women too couldn’t help but to turn their heads towards her, even as a few would usher the children downstairs into the basement.

“Personally? Only once, and that was far too many times.” Gilles responded to Luna’s question. “If it hadn’t been for Julene’s quick thinking I’d not be among the living right now.” he’d rub the back of his neck. “As a whole? Too many. It happens too regularly to keep count, really.”

Location:
Forest of Beasts
@Click This

---

The gorebat gave an impertinent sounding chitter as she was flicked, none too impressed.

It was a sound strategy. Trick them into thinking that they were being attacked from the front, by the houses. Giselle’s bullets easily found their mark on the unsuspecting creatures. Two found their way into the torso of a humanoid that screeched, flailing its arms and leaping into the air as blood poured from its wounds, flapping its pitiful wings and gliding to a nearby tree. Another found its mark in the skull of a hound like creature, knocking it to the side while the fourth shot would eviscerate the chest cavity of another humanoid beast, sending it to the ground. The last two managed to tear into the flesh of another, silencing it entirely by almost taking its head completely off.

If these creatures had normal human senses at least.

One of the ones on all fours raised its muzzle to the air, a sickening howl sounding halfway between a painful screech a beastly roar rang out as it’d turn in Giselle’s direction. Leaping on all fours, it’d charge at her with powerful muscles, aiming to tackle and rip and tear her to shreds. The others she attacked had been stunned from the surprise assault, but the others had quickly taken note of the commotion and were quickly converging on her.

Somewhat preemptively, the Gorebat atop Giselles head would flap its wings, screeching at the beasts. The little bat would climb down Giselle’s head giving her a little bite on the neck. Instead of being painful, though, Giselle would feel a sudden rush of energy as the Gorebat shared what blood it had with her.

Location:
Human Village, River
@Pyromania99

---

“Damn it woman, you’ll only get in the way!” The woman hissed. The second rock Akyasha lobbed hit one square in the chest this time, breaking clean through its ribs but not knocking it out. Several undead had now crawled out of the river, shambling towards the village - at least fifteen of the things, slowly making their way towards the village. “I don’t see anything useful on you except them arms, and unless you intend to punch these things to death, get lost!”

The woman still didn’t bother telling Akyasha her name, now wasn’t really the time for introductions as the undead were mere feet from them. She’d load another bolt into the crossbow, just in time for her to somewhat clumsily block a strike from one with the ranged weapon. With her free hand, she’d bring her heavy blade downwards onto the creature, cracking its skull and sending it stumbling backwards but not killing it yet.

Instead of engaging more directly, though, Julene would lob another bolt towards some undead towards the back of the river, running away from Akyasha and the river.

“Oi you wet mop-heads! Over here if you want a taste of me!” She’d shout, taunting the undead however ineffectually as she’d run over towards an abandoned looking house near the rivers edge, not paying akyasha another thought.

Location:
Pirates End
@crimson Paladin

---

Completely and utterly ignoring Argus’ request, Cynthia slammed her spear into ones skull, impaling it on her weapon and immediately grabbing its ribs with her free hand. An elegant spin later, and she’d slam it into a second skeleton, shattering the first ones bones in multiple places and sending the second rolling to the ground. Not wasting any time, Cynthia completely crushed its skull beneath her heel…just in time to see Argus trying to parlay with his crew.

Cynthia let out a small huff.

The skeletal crewmate he had tried to command approached with a groan. Its body held together by little more than magic and seaweed. For a few moments, it stood, as if it was about to comply with the request as it’d raise the rusty sword, and simply proceed to clumsily lunge at Argus, his attempt at controlling them completely ineffective.

Before the sword could reach him, it was promptly sliced off by Cynthia.

“Captain Fellborn.” She’d state sternly. “Your desire to save your crew is admirable, but they have a new captain. In your current state, well…you wouldn’t be able to win a simple game of Liars Dice against it.”

Captain Argus Fellborn

Argus' failure to establish any control over his old crew was rather disheartening. For his magic to have diminished so far that he couldn't even control a single skeleton, it cut him deeper than the incoming sword could hope to. He could have parried or avoided the blow, but the shock of his powerlessness had blindsided him. It was thanks to Cynthia's intervention that prevented him from being wounded, her spear literally disarming the skeleton.

Her elaboration of the situation came as a shock- these skeletons were now under someone else's control, someone that Argus couldn't hope to beat in his newly resurrected state. On the other hand, it was something of a relief to know that his magic wasn't entirely useless- just not effective enough to override this unknown adversary's own power. Furthermore, news of this foe gave Argus something else- a motivation. For his very brief existence from his resurrection until this point, he had been letting the current carry him, but now he had a reason to do it, to go along with the Violet Witch's machinations in hopes of the promised reward. However long it would take, he would aspire to regain his strength and rebuild his arsenal, until he had the power to challenge the skeletons' new master.

"So they serve another now," he responded to Cynthia, picking up the sword. "Very well. I'll send them all back to the deep!" He thrust his sword into the skeleton's ribcage, and used it as leverage to throw the undead into one of its fellows. He then charged the nearest skeletons still standing, swinging his newly obtained sword with intent to dismember or decapitate. Perhaps he had some twinges of pointless sentiment, but he needed to put them down. Undead minions were all more or less the same, and he could always mend them later, if it was really that important to him.

@Rune_Alchemist

Undead Princess, de Farry

---

Giselle internally chided herself the moment the humanoid creatures homed in on her, regardless of the illusion. Of course such creatures might react with different senses. In her haste and pragmatic sense to preserve most of her meagre vampiric energy, she had crafted merely a basic illusion. Had she taken the time to create something more comprehensive, then perhaps she would have remained undiscovered for longer…

But that was all water under the bridge.

Seeing the creatures quickly react, she immediately met them with her sword, helped on by the gorebat with the vampiric equivalent of a shot of adrenaline as the small creature injected the blood it had been carrying into her body. Invigorated by the boost of energy, she fell onto the humanoid abominations with the paladin’s sword, slashing and dicing at them, as it once had against other undead in the hands of the fallen paladin eons prior. Despite its legacy, she had no qualms using such a weapon as a practical tool. In truth, had the paladins merely stuck with culling such creatures, abominations that made a bad name for the rest of the beings that shared a moniker of ‘undeath,’ she might even have tacitly approved of some of their actions.

“I suppose it would seem fit to use such silver as it was truly intended,” she mused to herself.

With characteristic elegance and grace that had been her brand, the white-haired vampire leapt out of the way of the charging beast, before using the momentum to turn back in towards the creature and stab it in the back with the holy weapon. Pulling the weapon from its burning wounds, she met the next creature with a great slash, giving little quarter as she advanced on the rest while they were still stunned. If the situation didn’t change, Giselle intended to destroy them all where they stood with the silver blade.

"My arms are probably weapon enough though?" Akyasha said before dashing towards a zombie, delivering a powerful kick towards it's midsection, launching it at at another nearby one causing them to crash together and crumple toward the ground. She gave a jump towards another, her forearm connecting with that zombie's head in a strong swing mid-air. She could probably manage to kill all these zombies in no time at all, however, she didn't want to startle this human with any of her blood magic. For now, she just needed to hold her strength back a bit and not obliterate the zombies in some simple blows.

Still, the blacksmith girl shot another bolt, taunted the zombies and ran off. "If only she'd just give me her sword." Akyasha muttered to herself before shrugging. She turned to look towards the zombies. While not threatening really, she thought on it for a few seconds as one started to close in on her. She gave a sigh before noticing that there were two lined up behind it. One swift kick to the pelvis and the one closing on her would launch towards the two behind it, causing a broken pelvis and three piled up on each other. Then, she followed behind the blacksmith. Well, if there was an abandoned house, there was probably something that could be used as a weapon. A fire poker, ax or even a board from the house. "Does this house have any weapons, miss? If there is, I'm pretty sure the two of us could easily dispatch the lot of these." She asked, wondering if she should be putting on an entertained face or worried.

Dragan shared a look with both Luna and Aleksiya at the headman's words. While he didn't know either on a personal level before the death of the gods, their reputations gave him enough of a profile for him to make an educated guess. Hopefully, he would be correct. But first, there were other considerations to be had.

"I'm surprised you've all held out this long, then. Commendable." Dragan remarked as he shoved the last crate into place. "I suggest you gather up any able-bodied fellows you have, Master Gilles. In the meantime, I need to confer with my associates."

Dragan retreated to an empty corner of the room, gesturing for Luna and Aleksiya to join him. When they did, he removed his helmet, speaking in low tones to the two other vampires so that the humans in the room with them wouldn't overhear.

"Once we're finished here, I propose we set out into the forest. Both to recover our other companions, and to nip this beastman problem in the bud. Destroyed settlements pose something of a problem for us." He said wryly, choosing his words carefully on the off chance that they were overheard.

Location:
Human Village
@Psyker Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR

---

“...able bodied men?” Giles frowned at the words, taking a look around his living room. No one here was particularly able bodied. Sure, they were living and surviving but…the only truly able bodied one here, in his opinion, was Julene. No one else would dare to take a step outside and fight those creatures.

He unconsciously grit his teeth as the three vampires convened, but his thoughts were soon interrupted by a scream.

“Giles! Theres-monster-hah-beastmen in the basement tunnels!” A child had run up from the basement, clothes stained in blood, panting heavily. The entire room went silent.

“Barricade it.”

“But-but dad-”

“Barricade it. now.”

The other residents hesitated for only a moment as they’d start trying to find anything to barricade the door to the basement with…and though he had given the order, each vampire present would see Giles just briefly glancing towards the three of them.

Location:
Forest of Beasts
@Click This

---

The leaping creature howled, missing Giselle by a hairs breadth, but before it could react again the tarnished silver of the holy blade impaled itself in its back sending the beast into a fit of pain as the wound burned as it was pulled from the wound, causing it to roll around on the ground in pain, howling all the while but it was not quite dead yet.

The next creature that was engaging was the one that had retreated into the tree, leaping from it and gliding towards Giselle from above. The slash tore into its gnarled talons, but its momentum carried it forwards still as it made an effort to land on her, its wings trying to wrap around her head. The gorebat, understandably annoyed by this thing attacking her perch, leaped onto the things head, immediately sinking her own fangs into its neck. The thing shrieked, losing its grip as in mere seconds the thing had lost half of its blood.

The gorebat saved her from that particular one, but three hounds, and one of the antlered wolf deer things had quickly made their way towards her, one of the hounds going for her ankles while the deer made to charge her, aiming to gore her with its horns.

Location:
Human Village, River
@Pyromania99

---

Julene could only watch, in mild awe, as Akyasha merely started…brawling with the undead. The skeletal undead being quickly dispatched as any of her bolts would have. She furrowed her brow, watching the scene as the woman made a mess of her plan. The undead were now entirely focused on her. She needed them to -

“Oi, what the hell are you?” She’d ask. “There ain’t no weapons or anything here you dummy! This is a trap i had set up for those briny bastards.” She’d respond with a disapproving grunt. “And no human can just punch something like that. You and I are gonna have questions after this, redhead, or your head is gonna come clean off your shoulders. For now, lass,” She’d load up another bolt. “Get your ass outta here before I bow it up with the rest of those undead!”

By the door, just inside of it, was a barrel leaking what was ostensibly oil. The rest of the interior of the house was completely empty, nothing but a charred husk as it were. The plan was rather obvious and simple really and anyone could probably put two and two together. Draw the undead and beasts here, then blow them up and watch them burn. Dispatch the rest once the majority had been dealt with.

Location:
Pirates End
@crimson Paladin

---

The skeletal creature hissed as its ribcage was shattered, being easily tossed into the crowd of quickly growing of those drowned and dead at sea. The others engaged may be undead, but they were still nothing more than skeletal minions. Against a human they may have proven dangerous, but their former captain? His blade easily severed skull from neck, but even so the sheer number that was starting to creep up from the sea was becoming concerning.

“Glad to see your skills are still sharp.” Likewise, Cynthia was having little trouble dispatching the skeletal creatures. Moving with what can only be supernatural grace she’d use her spear to elegantly dispatch the creatures as though she was merely dancing with them. A low spin, severing legs followed by quickly shoving her heel into one of the creatures jawbones with just as amazing flexibility, somehow, while not once getting a drop of water from the roiling sea below on her. “But I fear fighting all of these is beyond us currently.”

As if on cue, the water below them began churning more, rocking the platform they were on just as the sodden, rotten planks below them began to creak and grown, as something slammed into it below.

“Make a path! Head towards the mast hanging from the far cliffside!” Cynthia shouted. It wouldn’t be hard to spot. In the distance, a mast with a tattered sail hanging from it had somehow been impaled into a cliffside some distance to the north. The only path was through more water logged and rotten planks and skeletal creatures that were eagerly convening on the both of them. One, hefting an anchor swung it somewhat clumsily towards Argus, but it was soon followed by two more, one trying to charge with a cutlass to decapitate while the other approached from the side.

Undead Princess, de Farry

---

Giselle mused to herself as she leaned to the side, giving just enough space to avoid contact with the creature before she sunk her blade into its flesh. It was quite cathartic, exciting, almost, to have a bit of action like this. Strange, perhaps, when she had preached neutrality from conflict for over a millennia, but those were more geopolitical goals than anything, and her doctrine of peace had always been the variety of being armed so much that sane people wouldn’t want to annoy the peaceful peoples that also happened to be armed to the teeth.

Not that the Paladins happened to be particularly sane or rational, as much as they or their followers might have preached.

Their crusade had been the reason that she had personally picked up a weapon for the first time in an entire age, however. Despite her power then, there had been some growing pains after so much idleness, but she had learned from the experience, even if it had killed her in the end. She had also been reminded of the fact that beating things up was in fact, or had always been, quite enjoyable. Her maids had always said as much. She would have to figure a way to bring back Polina and her sister in the near future.

And from her perspective, that experience was mere days ago. Her power might still be much reduced, but she improvised, that re-honed battle instinct making her move as a second beast descended from above. Recognizing danger of its forward momentum, she palmed the ancient ceremonial dagger that she had picked up with her free hand, even as she slashed upwards with her sword. Twisting as it entered past the blade’s reach, she tore into its wings with the ceremonial blade, giving a glance of acknowledgement towards Akyasha’s gorebat in appreciation for the help… even if it was obviously self-serving.

After all, she had told it to get off her head in the first place.

Returning the ceremonial weapon to its place, she took this very brief respite to craft ammunition in her revolver, just in time for the gaggle of beasts to reform around her. She immediately fired on the hound charging her, before shifting her body and unceremoniously sending it away with a low roundhouse kick to its side. Giselle used that momentum to spin away from the antlered creature, firing twice into its side once she stabilized.

Captain Argus Fellborn

The day they almost caught Captain Argus Fellborn

Cynthia was right, they needed to get out of there. They might be able to fight off the skeletons, but now some variant of sea creature had joined the fray, seemingly assailing the floatsam that they stood on. In his current, weakened state, with only a rusted sword for a weapon, he was not in any position to fight this beast.

The skeletons were determined to prevent the duo from reaching safety, however. One of them swung an anchor at the vampire, and two more were coming. Argus didn't bother trying to parry the anchor- it'd just break his sword. Instead, he dodged the clumsy swing, then stepped up close and punched the skeleton in the jaw.

When the next skeleton came up, swinging its cutlass at Argus' head, the pirate was ready for this. He shoved the anchor-wielding skeleton in the sword's path and simultanously ducked as to avoid being struck. While crouched down, he took the opportunity to wrest the anchor from the skeletal minion's hands and swing it right into the torsos of the two incoming foes before they could ready another blow.

At this point, Argus momentarily considered his next step. He couldn't escape with the anchor, it was too heavy to take along the path of floatsam before him. Part of him wanted to drop the anchor on top of the sea monster currently menacing them, giving it a painful lump to remember him by. The rest of him, however, had a better, more prudent plan.

Argus spun around to build up speed and threw the anchor like a hammer in the direction of their escape- if any skeletons were in the path of the nautical device, they wouldn't be there for long.

"How's that for a path, Miss Cynthia? Let's go!" He took off in the direction of the mast, sword ready to knock aside any undead that hadn't gotten the message to get out of his way. As he escaped, if any undead in his path happened to possess a pistol, he'd attempt to swipe and holster it- even when running for his un-life, a pirate needed to be opportunistic.

@Rune_Alchemist

Welp, Akyasha had tried to watch her strength a bit but, well, she was a bit more suspicious now than she was prior. She was becoming increasingly interested in this human blacksmith girl than she was and one might argue that she was betraying the tenets in a way, but these were desperate times. She hoped that she would be able to make this girl into a beloved servant. That said, perhaps she was showing off a small bit too much.

The girl called her out a small bit but Akyasha tried to just move the comment aside. "Strong and devout?" She replied to the question of what she was. "I don't mind talking, but I think you're somewhat wrong. Anyone could punch one of these things but I wouldn't recommend it. They're filthy..." Akyasha mentioned as she made some distance after noticing the girl's plan. She would say it was a waste of oil but, well, she had no real way to get these undead creatures to leave easily. Well, she'd go away with this human's plan for now. "Fine, I'll do as you say, miss. Let me know if you need help~" Akyasha said, getting herself into a safe and comfortable place, ready to leap at something if her help was needed.

The tangy, alluring scent of blood.

Unfortunately, it was staining the clothing of a child. He still seemed to be on his feet and breathing, so whatever injury may have been inflicted upon him was minor.

Regardless, they was an opportunity for Aleksiya to demonstrate exactly why she was so confident in her capacity to slaughter the beasts that plagued the town.

"That's not going to be necessary," she said as she stepped forward. There was truly no need to hold back at this point. It was time to permit these people see at least something of her splendor, "I believe it's time that someone started to put these beasts in their place, don't you?"

As she spoke, the very temperature of the air around her dropped, moisture condensing over her shoulder, coalescing into the form of a lengthy spear of ice. Its shimmering form almost seemed to emit a glow all its own, vapor rising from its surface as it drifted just to her right.

"A lesson in their place in this world, shall we say," she added with a smirk, as she stepped forward towards the basement. Certainly, she expected her companions to follow, but at the same time she hardly required them to do so. The diminutive vampire was perfectly happy to dole out a punishment on her own.

@Rune_Alchemist@Psyker Landshark@Asuras

A breach in the tunnels? Dragan furrowed his brow from beneath his helmet, considering the state of the room they were in. As it stood, the villagers had used too much of their available materials barricading the front already. Any patchwork blockade they'd try to block off the basement door was doomed to fail.

"Enough of that." Dragan hefted his hammer up in his hands as he advanced on the entrance to the basement alongside Aleksiya. "Master Giles, we both know there isn't enough left here to secure the other door. We will secure the lower levels."

He glanced back towards his two fellow vampires for a moment, considering. Any tunnels below would likely be narrow enough that all three proceeding down would be more of a hindrance than a help in close quarters, and there was still the concern of the front door's barricade breaking down. However, these were his peers, not his armies. They would do as they will, regardless of his wishes.

"I will take the van. Do try to watch your range of casting." He said, throwing the door open and proceeding down into the basement.

@Rune_Alchemist @VitaVitaAR @Asuras

Location:
Human Village
@Psyker Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR

---

“...I knew you three were…different, but this…” The moment Aleksiya formed a spear of ice in her hands, the room collectively grew quiet, aside from the distant sounds of someone fighting outside and the very near howls of beasts below. Some murmured to themselves. Demons. Witches. Monsters. Beasts. It seemed that such an action may have put the already distraught humans on edge a bit.

Could they do anything about it? No, not really.

“...If you go down there, I’m still barricading the door.” Giles replied coolly. “Do what you want, but if so much as one slips up here…I refuse to let them reach us.” The man said, stalwartly standing his ground in front of the others. Supposing they didn’t say anything to the contrary, Giles would do exactly that, order the rest of the people to use what they could to strap down the door as the vampires who went, slowly descended into the houses’ basement.

The smell of blood quickly met the two’s nose.

The basement, while it was likely once a simple storage room or perhaps a small club or rec area in ages past, had been enlarged by what was likely years and years of work. Once wooden walls had been dismantled and the room expanded to allow for more people to comfortably be down here. Many boxes for storage could also be seen here, as could some of those silvery lamps that seemed to hold some sort of off-putting holy light. Many bedrolls and mats had been in the process of being laid out on the wooden floor and several tunnels had been carved, leading elsewhere under the village.

Curiously, off to one side there was what was ostensibly some sort of farm growing scraggly, somewhat unappetizing but still edible vegetables in the ground. A large silver lamp had been hung over it like a chandelier.

But of course, all of this was likely just background noise to what the vampires were witnessing currently. A large humanoid looking beast with fleshy, weak looking wings was currently feasting on the corpse of a human. Another one, looking some mix of wolf and deer was standing at the start of the soil field, hissing and growling at…a handful of people that were fear stricken, hugging the back wall tightly.

The beast didn’t seem like it wanted to go further into the field.

They could hear more shouts coming down from the only tunnel that extended off, along with the roar of beasts.

Location:
Forest of Beasts
@Click This

---

As the gorebat would drain the large creature, it was occupied for the next few seconds of Giselle’s fight. It would likely not be getting up again - gorebats could drain a being of blood in mere seconds.

The hound charging her would go down, howling in pain as the bullet would lodge itself in its head, though not out completely as it’d follow through, hoping to latch onto her leg but would, in a way that it hadn’t quite intended. Giselle’s foot slammed into its head, sending it flying away with a sickening crack, breaking whatever bones it had. Thankfully, it didn’t after.

The momentum would carry her to avoid the creatures main charge, one of her bullets finding its mark but merely seemed to agitate the creature as it’d dig its hooves into the ground, immediately pivoting, using its own momentum to turn itself immediately back around, continuing its charge towards Giselle.

This was about the time the first creature had gotten back to its feet, burned, half dead, but still very much a danger. It shrieked, leaping to the side, trying to flan, swiping its claws in long, fast, sweeping motions in an attempt to grab her. The hounds remained an annoyance, aiming to pin her bite her ankles it seemed.

Location:
Human Village, River
@Pyromania99

---

“There aint nothin’ to be devout to!” Julene shouted back as Akyasha would leave through a back door. “Lights, that lady is more suspicious than them ‘society’ folks…” She’d grumble as she’d make sure a bolt was loaded inside her crossbow. Julene, indeed seem to have this. The shambling undead seemed more than eager to rush towards the singular living being they could see. They’d shuffle and shamble into the old, burned out house. Juele smirked as she’d climb up to a second floor, the old, creaky stairs barely holding her weight.

“I almost wish ye freaks were edible.” Julene laughed as she’d watch them make a beeline towards her. Instead of waiting around though, she’d leap off an old railing, grabbing a conveniently tied rope as she’d use it to slide to the ground floor once more…and as she did so, she’d fire another bolt at a barrel sitting on the second floor.

Immediately, the entire upper floor of the building caught on fire as a holy explosion rocked its upper floor. It’d quickly spread to the bottom floor, too…there was just one problem Akyasha could see from outside, that Julene could not.

A gargled, harrowing roar came from not far away. Akyasha could see it - it looked like some sort of large…amalgamation of seaweed, skeletons, and fish parts. One skeletal hand grafted onto a fleshy body covered in fish scales, hunched over and in one hand what appeared to be an old ship cannon while in its skeletal hand was grasped what could only be described as an old ship mast. Its face was smooshed, looking something like a mix between a humanoid and a fish.

It made a beeline towards the now burning house just as Juelne was heading for the exit.

Location:
Pirates End
@crimson Paladin

---

The anchor was launched, hurtling through the air - and through the waterlogged undead. It careened towards the group, and one of the few available paths one could take. Unable to avoid it, the skeletons were crushed under its hefty weight, completely knocked their torsos from their legs as the makeshift weapon would ultimately end up crashing through a waterlogged ship hull before disappearing far beneath the roiling sea.

If Cynthia was impressed or thought anything of Argus’ show of throwing an anchor about, she didn’t show it. It was good timing, if nothing else. The moment he’d clear a path, the creature below slammed into the wooden planks once more, throwing some skeletons off balance and into the briny depths below.

Cynthia herself was right behind Argus, using her spear as a polevualt to launch herself over a group of skeletons, landing right next to him and without missing a beat, broke into a sprint.

“Watch your step! That thing is getting closer!” She’d shout, cutting through a skeleton that useless tried to fire one of its waterlogged pistols - conveniently allowing Argus to swipe it as his own as the creature would fall, and true as Cynthia had said, another solid thump came from below - almost as if whatever it was under them was testing the waters, trying to keep track of them, perhaps?

The thump was quickly followed by one of the platforms under argus and Cynthia being grabbed from below and pulled under water.

“Keep moving!” She’d shout - they were about halfway now, towards that fallen mast. As Argus would keep moving, another platform directly under him would be yanked under the water, as more undead would be still chasing and congregating around them. One would attempt throwing a net over Argus, and more would go in with their swords to aim to both decapitate and maim.

Cynthia would heft her spear, launching it towards a group - impaling several on it before the spear would impale itself and the skeletal creatures on a nearby mast that was sticking up out of the water.

Argus could see just barely a hint of a somewhat smug smile on her lips as she’d run to retrieve it.

Undead Princess, de Farry

---

“Persistent little monsters, aren’t you?” Giselle declared to herself, even as she wrote off another hound as dead as it landed off to the wayside. The white-haired vampire had a little less luck with dispatching the antlered creature. The shots from her revolver hadn’t done in the beast, although considering its size, it was not surprising that the weapon didn’t have the stopping power to put it down for good. It was an annoyance, but not something that Giselle couldn’t deal with as the creature wheeled itself back towards her. The head-on profile leant itself towards easy shooting, but she held her fire, instead taking advantage of its inability to quite turn on a dime to dodge the creature at the last moment.

Deciding to be a little more proactive, she flipped herself upwards, landing and mounting the antlered beast as she took hold of one of its antlers.

Coincidentally, it put herself out of harm’s way of the apparently not dead enough clawed creature and the other meddlesome hounds… but just in the right position for Giselle to swing down at it once more with her silver blade to hack at. She quickly turned her attention back to the beast she was momentarily riding, though, as it would soon realize what she’d done. Changing her grip slightly, she moved to plunge the blade into the back of its skull to end its thrashing and charging for good.

Dragan said nothing in response to Giles's ultimatum, only nodding in response and proceeding downward. With the limited information available to the headman, it was only logical for him to take such an action in defense of his people, plus he didn't know that a barricaded door had very little effect in the face of vampiric strength. Dragan wouldn't begrudge him that.

As the three vampires reached the bottom of the stairs, Dragan scanned the situation in an instant. Two beasts: one feasting on a human and the other threatening more. While Dragan was curious as to why the latter seemed unwilling to cross the field, he didn't have the luxury of having the time to question such. Target prioritization came first. However reluctant the second beast was to advance on the remaining humans, that might change once they began their assault. That one would have to go first.

Blood pooled in Dragan's veins, flowing to his limbs as he raised his hammer and leapt towards the beastman snarling at the humans in a lunge. The Death Knight took the beast from the flank, aiming to smash his weapon into the side of the creature's head and smash its brains in.

The moment that Aleksiya's magic was made manifest before the mundane lives of the villagers, Luna stood promptly, and attempted to placate the concerns writ upon their silence. Whether they believed her or not, or if they cared at all about the voice of a 'witch' was no matter.

"Vestiges of the blessings an old god yet remain in our grasp, Mister Giles," she began, "Consider it a windfall that we have come in the nick of time to your home." She wasn't lying, per se, though the deeper truth of the matter was something to keep hidden still. One shock at a time, Luna thought. Better to assuage one fear of the poor mortals before delivering another. Luna fell in line with the others into the basement, quickly lamenting the sorry state of their produce. Still, it fed them... perhaps not fully.

With initiative taken upon the distracted beasts, Luna set upon the feasting creature with her magicks while Dragan fell upon the other. An extended hand shot towards the beast whereupon a moonlit silvery glow emanated. It coalesced and bound together into a set of glimmering chains that wove and bound about her target in an attempt to immobilize. Her other hand would flow to her sabre, and therein charge the beast with deft slashes and cuts.

"There are plenty of things to be devout to, even in the darkest of days." Akyasha mentioned, though she didn't figure that the blacksmith girl had heard. She stood by and watched as the girl had ran into the house and had all of the undead follow her. Akyasha stood back and watched, curious when this entire incident would cease she stared on feeling almost tired. That is, until some creature caught her eye. A behemoth of a half-skeletal fish man of some sort. It looked almost like some weird flesh construct that amused the cleric a small bit. "Haa... And I was just starting to enjoy the thought of almost idle chit-chat me and this girl were going to have."

It was heading toward the house that was set to go off in some short time. More specifically, it seemed intent on the blacksmith girl and Akyasha couldn't have that. Oh no. This blacksmith lady was hers. At her fingertip formed an axe from blood magic. "Fine, she didn't tell me to handle this one." With that, the vampire cleric dashed off towards the odd creature, slamming the sharp head of the axe into the thing's leg closest to her. She just needed to break the bone enough so the thing toppled in on itself and if need be, she'd pull the axe out and chop again. That would give her free reign to hack at it as she needed from that point, notably? Remove the cannon from it's hands.

Captain Argus Fellborn

It was clear that this sea monster wasn't fooling around, Argus observed as one of the pieces of floatsam was pulled beneath the waves. Argus pressed onward, wanting to stay ahead of the beast.

As they got closer to the mast in the distance, another platform beneath him was pulled under. Fortunately, he still had both his reflexes and sea legs, and was able to avoid losing his balance and falling into the water. Unfortunately, there were more skeletons coming. One of them came at him with a fishing net, intent on immobilizing him. Argus would be impressed with the creativity of it if he weren't the target.

He probably could cut his way through the net, but that'd still slow him down, and he couldn't afford even a momentary delay with that monster practically nipping at his heels. But just as a ship could sail against the wind, this could be used to his favor.

"Thanks crewmate, I need this," he mockingly spoke as he caught the edge of the net and threw it into the water behind him, hoping it might be able to slow the beast down even for a moment. Just as he began to parry and cut his way through those in his way, Cynthia's spear came hurtling forward, impaling several skeletons as it hurtled into a mast.

She's got a bit of a competitive streak, Argus noted as he took advantage of the strike to resume his flight forward. She'd make a poor candidate for a thrall- it'd be a great waste to suppress such a spirited, defiant personality with a surrender of one's will that accompanies enthrallment.

Perhaps he was jumping the gun- they still needed to escape these skeletons and this sea monster before he could think about rebuilding his crew.

@Rune_Alchemist

Location:
Human Village
@Psyker Landshark@Asuras@VitaVitaAR

---

Whether Giles had much to comment on the vampires words, he didn’t speak it. He’d merely order the rest of the villagers to do as previously ordered. Quickly they’d clamor to grab anything they could, barricading and sealing off the door to the basement as the vampires made their descent…

Dragan was the first to engage, the beast hearing him approach as he’d rush towards it, hammer raised and poised to smash its face in. The creature, quickly turned its head towards the vampire knight in response and with little care for its own wellbeing met Dragan’s charge with its own. Dragan’s hammer met flesh, slamming the creature's face against his hammer with a sickening crack.

Whether through its own momentum or power though, it didn’t have the intended effect of smashing him through the ground. Instead, it would carry through, its antlers slamming against his armor as the beasts claws, in a frenzied, gluttonous rage tried to rip and tear at his armor, trying to find anyway to get to the fleshy bits within as it gnashed its teeth and howled.

Luna’s assault was as elegant as she was, it seemed. The beast, upon feeling the magical restraints on its flesh, chains attempting to bind it, shrieked, looking up from its meal just in time to see the vampire launch her assault upon it. Her sabre slashed its flesh, right near its neck, the blade cleanly cutting through it as blood oozed from its wounds. It struggled against its bonds, arms flailing and shrieking, wrapping its gnarled claws around one of the chains, pulling and wrenching the chain as another cut was delivered to its head, right through its eye.

Finally, with a hiss and a loud shriek, it managed to break the chains, flapping its weak wings and leaping into the…well, it tried, only to bang its head against the ceiling, and then promptly fall upon Luna, still aiming to claw and otherwise injure her in a somewhat admittedly unconventional manner.

From further down the hallway, the shouts of more humans, cut short. They likely weren’t going to be able to save many unless they hurried. There didn’t seem to be an obvious way that the beasts had gotten in down here.

Location:
Forest of Beasts
@Click This

---

Landing on the beast, it struggled, throwing its head and bucking its body as it’d slow to a halt, trying to throw the vampire off as she’d plunge the silver blade into the creatures arm as it made an attempt to grab her, earning another pained shriek as it’d recoil, but still not down as it’d clutch the injured arm, giving her just enough time to plunge the blade into the skull of the antlered beast, having a near immediate effected as it bucked and tried to remove the pest from its back coming to a near complete halt and almost throwing her off - and it would have, had it not been for the first creature that had finally managed to grab her.

She’d feel pain in her stomach, the beasts claws having impaled her as it’d pull her from the beast, slamming her into the ground where it’d pull its claw from her stomach, proceeding to try and maul her.

Location:
Human Village, Riverside
@Pyromania99

---

Akyasha engaged the beast, bloody axe sinking into the creatures knee as it hadn’t even seen or acknowledged her presence up until it was too late to avoid it. The beast howled, gurgling as it’d immediately tur blood oozing from the wound but the cut was far to shallow to reach bone, cutting through what seemed to be nothing but fat, making the beast more agitated then anything. Immediately, it’d turn, making a wide sweep with the ship mast in its arm in an attempt to slam it into the vampire nun.

Inside, Julene made it back down to the first floor, the building quickly lighting up with fire, but the undead were not so easily deterred. Not caring for their own unlife, and still burning they’d leap from the upper floor, trying to accost and drag her down with them, while the ones on the stairs and lower floor still made their way towards her.

“Tch, just die already.” She’d growl, managing to block a strike from one of the undead creatures, shoving it back into a wall that was on fire. She had to get out of here before the other barrels ignited - but the things were being awfully persistent in slowing down her escape from this place.

Location:
Pirates End
@crimson Paladin

---

Perhaps, Argus better be glad even considering making a servant of the Violet Witch a thrall was not considered some form of treason.

“Not far now captain!” Cynthia called back, retrieving her spear from the wood that it had found itself resting in as argus tossed the net into the water nearby…whether or not it had some effect for the moment. More skeletal undead would pull themselves from the water around them, earning an annoyed growl from Cynthia as she’d quickly engage, slicing through more and leaping through an open hole on the ships hull that she had pulled her spear from.

“This way! Hurry! That thing-!”

Too late.

Whatever it was, slammed its bulk into the ship hull, cracking its weakened frame, splintering it and sending it sinking into the waves, Cynthia disappearing further within. In the same instance, the platform under Argus was slammed into with enough force to completely shatter his already unstable footing! He’d need to act fast unless he’d want to find himself swimming with the undead and whatever creature that was.

The beast was more durable than he'd expected. Even factoring momentum into play, Dragan's strike should have done more damage to its cranium than this. Enough to disable or disorient it, at least. Or perhaps the beastman just wasn't cognizant of pain. Either way, he didn't have time to waste with this one any further. The sound of screams down the hall told him as much.

As the beastman began to claw and tear at his armor, Dragan took one hand off the haft of his hammer and gripped the creature by the throat, bodily lifting it up with one hand. A sickly green glow started to emanate from his gauntlet, and the Death Knight's necrotic magics began to slough the beast's skin off its bones, rotting its flesh away. Moments later, the process was complete, and Dragan released his new skeleton minion down to the ground, where it obediently fell in line at his side. With that done, the armored vampire turned his helmet's gaze towards the cowering humans off to the side.

"Flee upstairs! Your headman is ordering the door barricaded! Let him know of our progress, we will go to aid the rest." He commanded before tearing off at a sprint towards the other set of screams, his skeleton matching his pace.

Captain Argus Fellborn

"Cynthia!"

Argus lost his footing as the unseen leviathan destroyed the wreck. He did not want to take his chances in the water with that monster swimming around- he needed to stay on the platforms. As he fell, he managed to guide his fall forward, and stabbed his sword into the nearest wooden wreckage.

Using the sword as a handhold, he scurried up onto the floatsam, not wanting to present any part of him as a target for that monster. Judging by the way it was ramming the wreckage to try to force them into the water, Argus guessed it was either a whale or a shark. With how it was completely ignoring the skeletons in the water, it was probably under the control of their master.

Most importantly, did it have blood?

If it weren't for that monster lurking down there, Argus would use this debris as a makeshift raft. But with that thing actively hunting them, he didn't want to stay in one place too long. There wasn't much in terms of footing, but he might be able to move across the debris field if he moved quickly enough.

The pirate attempted to make his way towards where he last saw Cynthia, jumping from platform to platform like a frog on lily pads. He'd strike at any skeletons that might be in his way, but he couldn't afford to fight them- he'd have to settle for unbalancing them or knocking them into the water.

He was hopeful that Cynthia had survived that attack. After all, if something happened to her, he might not get paid.