Completed The War of The Kinniger Duchy

[Heike Eisen]

They seemed to be vampires of a strain which relied almost entirely upon enthralling hapless innocents. To this end they had sinister magic to enslave said thralls, yes, but perhaps this also meant that the vampires themselves were weak. Weak, as in, not as individually powerful as they might have been were they of another strain, one not so clearly invested and dependent upon enthralling masses of people and employing conventional military tactics. Heike could only guess and hope that her conclusion was sound.

Heike felt the hand on her shoulder. Ferelith. A glance back revealed that she wasn't doing so well since the passing of the three-day journey, the suppression serum losing its effect and with this loss the coming of the abhorrent thirst. Heike reached across her chest and placed her palm over top of Ferelith's hand--a small token of reassurance. It was all she could do.

But, fortunately, Eberwolf had indeed thought about this, and he had a tenable solution.

* * * * *​

The thralls. These poor men and women who had their minds left in ruin from the vampires' sick beguiling. And Eberwolf was right: terrible as it was, this was the practical option, for it was either this or feeding from the soldiers themselves.

It was an awful sight to see these people left ruined like this and caged like animals, and Heike's frown was clear to see with her mask down. It seemed that all that could be done for them was vengeance, the exacting of appropriate justice from the vampires who had brought them to such a sorry state. Necessary, to keep her rage tempered in battle, lest it lead her down the path of wanton foolishness in blinded pursuit of this vengeance.

Heike unlatched the cage. Stepped inside. Looked to Ferelith and said in a low voice tainted with a tinge of regret, "Go slow, alright? Control your..." (She never had to describe it before, and thus struggled to find a suitable word) "...intake. You can feel when you're taking too much--the pulse weakens. Do not kill any of them."

She waited. Watched Ferelith. Abstaining from feeding for herself yet until Ferelith did. This, partly an echo of her time as a Knight-Valiant, allowing the Knights who served under her to eat before she did; partly from a sense of duty to ensure that Ferelith did so correctly, and did not like other vampires drain so much as to kill; and partly from unshakable embarrassment, a delaying of having to feed herself and Ferelith's inevitable witnessing of this--despite all they had been through.

Ferelith Scathach Sir Eberwolf Kinniger

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

Ferelith was gnawing on her left pinky leaving it a bloody pulp as they approached the cages.

She dove on to the first person she saw without a second thought before Heike even finished speaking however as the blood quenched her thirst the clarity that came with it allowed Heikes words to reach her regardless of the euphoria.

She slowly nodded and slowed her feeding. Feeling the pulse and feeling it start to slow she stopped short regardless of every instinct she had screaming to finish it.

To drain them completely.

She tried to drop the neck from her mouth but seemed conflicted. To in control to disobey her loves wishes, but not in control enough to simply drop the throat providing her relief.

 

[Sir Eberwolf Kinniger]

Eberwolf heard Heike instruct Ferelith not to kill the thralls, though he understood her desire to keep them alive, letting them live in their state was worse than just killing them. But he said nothing, he was not about to tell her to kill them, he wouldn't impede on her morals. It had become increasingly obvious to him over the past two and a half months that Heike's code of honor was different from his own, which was to be expected, different peoles have different ideas of honor, hers was to preserve life, his was to prevent and end suffering, and to spare life so long as it does not cause suffering. So his code of honor commanded him to kill the thralls, while her's told her to keep them alive.

When they began feeding, none of the thralls, not even the ones being fed off of, noticed. They didn't even blink, they just stared off mindlessly, waiting for their master's orders. So when the two were done, he latched the gate again, and brought them to their tent so that they might rest.

"I'll see the armourer, and have him make each of you some armour, you'll need it in the coming days, and leather isn't going to do you much good out there."

 

[Heike Eisen]

Concerning.

Ferelith acted in a manner more akin to a ravenous beast than a person with dignity. And with such a sight came an undeniable level of disgust, of revulsion, a blurring of the distinction that separated Ferelith from every other vampire prowling Arethil and so in a fleeting moment joined her to those vile ranks. It passed, but it left an indelible scar on Heike's mind: the thought of what she would need to do if Ferelith could not surmount these bestial tendencies.

Heike stepped forward and placed a hard palm down on Ferelith's shoulder and said firmly, "That's enough. Discipline, Ferelith. You have to foster and maintain discipline within yourself. If you cannot control your thirst, it will control you. This you cannot allow to happen."

Sir Eberwolf was waiting on them. But this needed to be an instructive moment.

Ferelith Scathach Sir Eberwolf Kinniger

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

That look.

Ferelith felt it from Heike as she glanced at her like a dog being told to let go of a toy. It stung to her core as she instantly released the mans neck with a sick slippery sucking sound.

Her hand flew to her mouth as the disgusted look of her love drug the true nature of her condition into the broad light of her thoughts.

Like having a deformity you forgot about until some child would point or someone did a double take when they passed you. Each instance calling to attention the thing you desperately wanted to forget was wrong with you.


The hand covering her mouth was still bleeding where she had chewed her finger to the bone. This was also noticed as she jerked her hand away quickly after placing it there. Her suppression made it easy to forget.

It made it comfortable to be around her love. Easy to forget she was the very thing her love hated. She flinched at the firm hand to her shoulder. After the fierceness in Heikes eyes she held up her hands to defend herself half heartedly.

“D-dont look at me...” She stammered still recovering from her ecstasy of feeding.

But no violence came. Only words. Ferelith slowly nodded as her hand healed and she finally wiped her chin. “S-sorry..” She said unable to meet her lovers eyes. “I..I will do better...The syringe please when your done...” She whispered. Her now pair of glowing eyes and clawed fingers only worsening as she kept slowly resembling Heike more and more.

 

[Sir Eberwolf Kinniger]

(nothing to contribute, pass)

 

[Heike Eisen]

"You're alright," Heike said, sliding her hand from Ferelith's shoulder. A short breath in through her nose, a memory of what was. "We may be afflicted, but we are not like them. And we never will be, so long as we guard against the corrupting impulses of our thirst."

She spared a moment to keep eyes on her a bit longer, offered the faint perk of a smile (for one could not in full manifest during so reviling an act as this, what they were made to do now), and she turned to one of the standing thralls herself.

Feeding. It always felt the worst right before her fangs sank into another's flesh. And then the rush of blood into her mouth and down her throat left a tide of pleasure that warmed her body and shuddered her legs and brought with it the false promise of life in the form of a beating heart. It was easy--very easy--to see how Ferelith could get lost in it, tempted to keep going until there was no blood left in her victim.

Heike drew back from the thrall, her fangs sliding out of his neck. From her belt she produced a vial of coagulating salve--sometimes it was needed, the coagulating effect of her saliva not enough, and this was such a time. With the flat of one claw she dabbed the two crimson bite marks on the thrall's neck. Cleaned the trickles of blood with the ragged collar of the thrall's shirt--a symbolic gesture more than an efficacious one.

And with that, she followed after Sir Eberwolf and to the tent he had assigned to them.

Armor, he mentioned. Normally Heike forwent it--wearing it came with extra weight that required more blood to be spent to move her body faster. Which in turn meant that she would need to feed more; more often than not from the innocent. Being lighter and faster with more efficient use of her blood served her well in short fights and ambushes on the guilty. But these were not normal circumstances--a prolonged engagement was inevitable.

Perhaps it was time to relive another cherished facet of her past. Another memory of what was.

Ferelith Scathach Sir Eberwolf Kinniger

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

Ferelith perked up slightly at the smile but rather than watch as Heike had she turned away politely when Heike did her deed. She knew how self conscious her lover could be. She smiled as she saw her tend to the thralls neck.

Yet another reason she loved her put on display.

It wasn’t her fault she was a vampire and she never really seemed to make it anyone else’s problem.

Like the bearing of ones cross. A silent suffering that refused to allow the vampire to give up her dignity or her morality. However it seemed her love had little room in her mind right now.

Ferelith understood.

Kyla had rarely said a word the entire journey.

Just thinking, and more than likely scheming.

“Umm..I could use one of those needle bottles in my neck please love..” She repeated as she halted Heike following Eberwolf with hand on either of her shoulders and a kiss on the neck. Afterwards they would be following the knight.

Ferelith rubbing her neck.

“I don’t care what they say.” She grumbled.

“There’s no way that damn needle has to be an inch long. They did that on purpose...” She said darkly.

Her features had returned to normal, but her fangs remained as they always had and always would. Her eyes back to their normal blue looked around at the camp.

“I’m not usually one for wearing armor either. Me and my sister just grow stuff back.” She said knowing full well the camps attention was fully on them where ever they went. She was twirling one of her hunting knives when it slipped and cut three of her fingers off. “Damnit.” Ferelith cursed as her knife almost clattered to the ground before she caught it and continued ornately twirling it. The fingers sprang back up in moment. Bones regrowing to be covered in flesh.

“It makes it hard to really move..” She finished “But seeing as how my love is slightly less resilient I’m trusting you to have her a good set Wolfy.” She said with a light hearted smile and tone but her eyes had a deadly serious light in them.

She was trusting him to pick a good set for her love. If she died because the armor failed her some how..

Ferelith was understanding, death happened, but if it was because of a weakness in her chest plate or weak links in her mail her and Eberwolf would have words.

“This was our big back up plan? Why the dukes son had been away from the front? Your telling me he went all that way to get a big red haired barbarian and a short little blonde bandit and a full clawed, yellow eyed blood sucker that could be the cousin of one I just killed this morning.” A small group of younger soldiers stood outside one of the tents as Ferelith passed walking along side Heike.

Her jaw tightened, but she kept walking only taking Heikes hand being naturally mindful of her claws and gave her hand a light squeeze. She said nothing and let the group fall silent as they passed.

“I heard the vampire used to be a knight.”

They began again after they thought they were out of earshot.

Fereliths stopped.

Her ears were far better than most and she heard them like they were right next to her.

“Are you serious? Can you imagine being a knight and then having to devolve into being such a...blood sucking creature..” another chimed in.

The grip around Heikes hand toghtened

“I’d have woken up and seen those claws on my fingers and ended it right there.” Another interjected.

A blush came to her cheeks at the memory of herself trying to do just that. After her first feed. The thought of doing it more..Having to live like that..It had been too much for her..

That struck her hard.

Ferelith released her grip that had been slowly tightening with every word they spoke around Heikes hand, and wordlessly she turned on her heel and began to walk towards the group already rolling up her sleeves.

Her mood already slightly on edge and after feeding and how she had behaved..

How Heike had looked at her..

Regardless of what had been said after...

That was a look she would never forget. Needless to say she felt a good bit of self loathing and her usual amount of general frustration that she was begging to take out on some people.

 

[Sir Eberwolf Kinniger]

"Don't worry, our armour is strong and well fitted. If the armor is fitted properly, which it will be, it shouldn't be very cumbersome at all. I'll be getting her a set of mail, and a helm. I would advise that you get one too, it doesn't matter if things grow back when your being reduced to red powder by repetative blows from vampire warhammers. but fret not, your lover shan't be killed easily, especially not with our people's armour." He says before leaving to get her a suit of mail armour, a simple but strong one.

He went to the armourer, and he got the vampire knight some new armour, plus a new sword should she choose to use it. After he placed the order, he returned to the command tent, and began his own plotting.

 

[Heike Eisen]

After feeding and upon Ferelith's prompting, Heike took out the small case of syringes and from it a single needle and used it as Ferelith had previously directed. An inch long needle to the neck. There was something disturbingly vampiric about that.

Sir Eberwolf extolled the virtues of Kinniger-made armor on the way. And it would be a boon in the pitched combat they expected to face, but still the additional weight would force from her more blood for her exertions. Which meant more feeding. Even if it was from thralls whose lives were as ruined as their minds, still the mere act of feeding alone was repulsive, and she did not look with eagerness upon potentially having to do so more than strictly necessary.

Eberwolf set off to arrange for their armor. And Heike and Ferelith almost made to their tent. But it was not without incident.

Heike walked with Ferelith's hand in her grasp and their presence alone seemed to provoke unwelcome remarks from a collection of younger soldiers who viewed their passing.

I heard the vampire used to be a knight.

Used to be. That mongrel of a man, having the gall to say such a thing. Where the Duke's words had stung, the young soldier's words alighted a simmering rage. Yet there was nothing to be done about it: not while in so delicate a situation as they were. Clearly--aside from Eberwolf--those in the Duchy held only the most tepid support for Heike's being here, less so perhaps for Ferelith and Kyla. Giving them an excuse to be rid of the vampires among their ranks would spell naught but disaster.

Then Ferelith stopped. Heike gave a small sideways glance and said quietly, "Ferelith. Let's go."

Ferelith's grip tightened.

And then released.

Hell's fury, she was going to do it. Going to give them that excuse.

Heike had to act. If it did come to blows (or worse), then she would be compelled to side with the young soldiers over Ferelith, and render unto her whatever due punishment was deemed. Certain to be severe, with the wartime environment and Ferelith's own precarious status.

So Heike quickly faced about and hurried to put herself in front of Ferelith, between her and the young soldiers. Smacked her palms into Ferelith's shoulders. Stop.

"No," Heike said. "You do this, and there will be nothing I can do for you."

She could only hope that Ferelith would let it go, and come with her to their tent. Keep her emotions in check and take the high road instead of the road to ruination.

Ferelith Scathach Sir Eberwolf Kinniger

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

Ferelith stopped for a moment at Heikes hands on her shoulders seemingly stunned out of her angered state as her eyes met Heike’s.

Then over the shoulder Of her lover she caught the group still snickering. It could have been at anything but in her mind it had to be at her and more importantly her lovers expense.

“Wait here.” She said darkly brushing past her lover. She then walked right up to the ring leader. A tall man barely out of his twenties. Even with Ferelith puffing herself up to her full height it was almost comical to watch.

“You.” She said pointing at him accusingly.

“What do you want? Isn’t there some innocent village you should be looting somewhere?” He asked with a smug smirk. Fereliths face turned red but not with embarrassment.

Red With rage.

“Yeah, and there’s some spear poles that need sitting on. Quater master sent me to get you. Don’t know why. Said you had experience.” She said finally standing face to face with the young man.

“Me and my sister didn’t come here to earn your approval. I came here to kill shit for a lighter sentence. If it was up to me you would all burn.” She spat looking like she was about to tear him limb from limb out of shear frustration.

“But this woman.” She said pointing at Heike. “She would come here from the goodness of her heart. To risk everything to aid you people for the hell of it and you respond in this way?” She looked incredulous.

“Even a cut throat like me knows an enemy of my enemy is a friend. Your ignorance, arrogance, and sheer bold faced rude behavior makes me sick to my stomach.” She said as the soilder merely seemed to grapple for a response.

Before one could come however she turned to leave. “But after this vampire saves your people and gets brought in the gates carried on the shoulders Of your betters..I expect an apology.” She said before fully turning and walking back to Heike. “To the tent then?”

 

[Heike Eisen]

Alarm spiked in Heike when Ferelith seemed to disregard her warning, retained through Ferelith's approach and sharp accusatory "you" at one among the number of young soldiers. Heike had faced about, brow narrowed by vigilance but eyes pulsing with worry.

Yet it didn't go the way she had been absolutely certain that it would go.

Ferelith's impassioned spirit shined through, strong even while tempered by forbearance. She reprimanded the soldiers harshly and kept a dutiful restraint upon herself all the while. Here she embodied the essence of carrying one's sword but keeping it sheathed, refusing to draw it save only for causes of moral necessity and righteousness--a far cry from the "cutthroat" she had called herself. The sordid chains of her past did not bind her in this small moment.

And Heike loved her all the more for it.

"Yes," Heike replied when she came back, offering up a supportive smile. "To our tent."

And they would go. The battles of tomorrow loomed overhead, but some measure of peace was still theirs to enjoy for a little while longer.

Ferelith Scathach Sir Eberwolf Kinniger

 

[Sir Eberwolf Kinniger]

The following morning, several things happened. The first thing was that Heike found a set of ringmail armour folded neatly at the foot of her bed, coupled with a smooth, fully encasing helmet of steel, with narrow eye-slits and a flat, featureless faceplate. It also had a black, hooded cloak wrapped around a simple but clearly well-made arming sword, broad and thick enough to be good at cutting, but narrow-tipped enough to exploit the gaps in armour.

When they exited the tent they would find a great deal of men on the move, the standard legionaires of the fort, those armed with the long halberds, were the most numerous of the soldiers. The second most numerous were the crossbowmen, armed with four-armed crossbows that were quite large, and they each carried a large quiver of bolts. Then there were the skirmishers, armed with roundshields of white with the black depiction of a three-headed dog, spears, and arming swords, they were likely used for flanking and defending the flanks. Lastly there were a total of thirty four three-headed dogs, they appeared to like the soldiers quite well, but since they were each the size of a small horse, and they had three heads, they would likely be one of the most frightening weapon that the army had.

They marched out of the fort and down into a broad valley, where a camp was visible, a camp flying a grey flag that bore the depiction of a coiled snake, this was an enemy encampment. Of course, they were also in the process of readying their forces. Eberwolf had Heike, Ferelith and Kyla stand with him behind the first row of halberdiers, with the second row behind them. The Skirmishers were on either side of the first row and the crossbows were up in front with the dogs.

The vampire's arranged themselves slightly differently. They had spearmen up front with axe-users on the flanks and archers behind. Most of the enemy were thralls, which was how they fough army-scale battles to begin with, but as said before, every hundred thralls there was one vampire, wearing partial plate over mail and cloth.

It started when the front line of the enemy began to advance. They marched forward in an orderly fashion, being sure to preserve energy for the actual fight, it was almost as if they were one organism with how perfectly sinchronized their actions were. When they were a about fifty feet away, they charged, and that was when the crossbowmen loosed their bolts, one row at a time. The first row loosed, then jogged back behind the halberdiers while the second row fired. There were four rows of crossbowmen, so there were three rows of bolts that slammed into the enemy ranks. After that, the dogs were unleashed, and the enemy line was swiftly broken by the vicious jaws of the three-headed warhounds. The skirmishers were stuck in combat with the enemy skirmishers, and the vampire knights were faring better than their soldiers, and the vampire archers were loosing clouds of arrows into the Kinniger ranks. Overall, it was an eavenly matched battle, and it looked like either side could come out on top.

"Remember you three," Eberwolf says to his companions, "You're the reserve, you fight only if the enemy breaks through, not before. Understood?" The last words were directed at the to Scathach sisters, because he had a feeling that they would want to charge right in.

 

[Kyla Scathach]

“Reserve?” Kyla asked with a raised eyebrow. Her hand had already been tightening around her massive claymores handle. releasing it indigently she looked as if she was about to protest before deciding to slip back into her icy silence.

Already being one to wear armor she had refused Eberwolfs armor offering due more to tradition and personal attachment than a snub due to inferiority in design or strength. “I wish Mimi was here...” Kyla muttered.

But after looking at their numbers and the fierceness of their foes she immeadietly felt selfish.

Mimi was not the spring chicken she once was..Though Kyla yearned for the tactical advantage she brought to the table she was glad the Terror hawk was looking over the young ones in her absence.

If she didn’t make it back to them...She shoved the thought from her head aggressively. These sorts of thoughts had never been such a pest to her ever calculating brain. Perhaps because eventually it really hadn’t mattered.

If her plans and calculations were off she would die and go back to the earth. Therefore thinking of things like “will I die or not..” we’re useless to her. The children...The fact she still had ones that relied on her...It mattered now.. She placed a hand on Eberwolfs shoulder.

“Ferelith and I will be prepared and ready..” Kyla said after a moment. As much as her hand itched to begin the carnage she saw the strategic value in his words and plan. Whichever part of the line that broke first would be the exact spot they needed the most aid. They could counter pretty easily without too much exposure and plenty of reinforcements.. She turned to Ferelith.

“Shak lea nah meh Val. Cal bel ke sey mah.” She spoke stretching her arms to Ferelith who simply nodded and took her offered hands. “Sela mes keh almec neh sheall ja gekwea.” Ferelith said looking to the ground. Kyla nodded before releasing one of her sisters hands and raising her face by tilting her chin. Their eyes met.

“Ak meh nah ja gen dea Gunhild. Malle shek neekah.” Kyla said with a tenderness that was a far cry from the cold silent demeanor she had been exhibiting from her arrival at camp to the present.

She then planted a kiss on her forehead and patted her smaller sisters cheek. Kyla then gestured to Heike and Ferelith glanced at her before giving an understanding nod and approaching her lover. Kyla nodded and turned back to the conflict standing next to her knight handler.

“So..When this is all over I suppose if you would like to come with me..to my home...I..” She began. Her cold deamenor failing her once more as a blush and small smile poked through the cracks. “I would gladly oblige you sir knight..” She finally managed to say.

“And should I fall in combat...Please..help Ferelith take care of the children..To think my death could lead to them losing the second chance I bled to give them is too much to bear..” Kyla added. Offering the knight her hand.

“Take my hand and swear to me they won’t suffer for my failure to survive.” She said. Her tone and confident smirk gone for the true nervousness she felt as this massive battle looked over them like a specter.

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

Ferelith nodded at Eberwolfs words drawing closer to Heike as she glanced about. After her ritual with her sister she turned and approached Heike as her sister had indicated.

“A ritual of our people is we...” She began “We join hands and thank our loved ones for the love and comfort they provide us. So if we fall in battle there is nothing left unsaid..” She said offering the vampire her hands. Should she take them Ferelith would look into her eyes.

“Heike my love..You have brought me peaceful nights and happy days..I thank you for the love you so freely give and hope this blessing will protect you.” Her grip tightened and her hands shook slightly as she spoke. Her eyes held fear in them. Deep fear. But not for herself. She looked at Heike as if she would vanish from her very grasp.

“Y-you don’t have to do this..You know that..” She gestured around. “You don’t owe these people anything and I know it isn’t for that. You hate them..You even hate me sometimes it’s how I know how powerful what burns inside you is...” She said after she finished breaking eye contact and dropping her eyes to the ground. Her hands continued to shake now more violently. “And yet through this you still look at me kindly..your smile..your eyes..windows to a beautiful soul. The soul I fell in love with the first time I saw it..”

“You can stay here..Coordinate the fighters..You can collect me after...or maybe..you..maybe could..” Ferelith stuttered mentally grasping at straws before finally simply wrapping her arms around the taller woman.

“I can’t lose you Heike..” She whispered as she clutched her like a sailor grips the mast of a ship in a massive storm. “You make me want to be...better..” She finished stealing a kiss before seeming to finally be able to release her love.
“I don’t want to go back to a life with out you..With out a reason to be better...”

 

[Sir Eberwolf Kinniger]

“So..When this is all over I suppose if you would like to come with me..to my home...I..” She began. Her cold deamenor failing her once more as a blush and small smile poked through the cracks. “I would gladly oblige you sir knight..” She finally managed to say.

“And should I fall in combat...Please..help Ferelith take care of the children..To think my death could lead to them losing the second chance I bled to give them is too much to bear..” Kyla added. Offering the knight her hand.

“Take my hand and swear to me they won’t suffer for my failure to survive.” She said. Her tone and confident smirk gone for the true nervousness she felt as this massive battle looked over them like a specter.

When she offered him her hand, he clasped her forearm by the elbow, whilst her hand clasped his. "I give you my word of honor, that should you fall and I remain standing, your children shan't go uncared for. I swear to you on my life, my blood and my soul that they will not suffer. Should we both walk away alive, I would be overjoyed to see you home."

Once this was said he released her arm, and stood ready, his own zweihander resting on his shoulder, and ready to cut deep and viciously from wrath guard. His white armor gleamed excitedly in the early morning sun, the purpose for it's color becoming clear, it was white, so that all the blood he spilled would be seen clearly agains't it's surface. Though a man of honor, he was also a man of war, and therefore cruel when the situation demanded.

As the enemy line, broken and weakened but still strong, crashed against the wall of poleaxes, bodies dropped and blood soaked the grass. There were injuries and deaths on both sides, though most of the damage was done by the Vampiric Knights, their superior armour and training making them a greater threat. Though this was often countered by the dogs, the three headed monstrous beasts that ravaged the enemy ranks. Eberwolf signaled to the hornblower, who blasted twice, and the dog handlers ordered the dogs to attack the enemy archers, who were the second biggest threat beside the knights, but the only ones that weren't under serious pressure, an issue that was changed by this order. This brought to light a mistake on the vampire's part, they had no reserves to protect the flanks and rear or archers behind the first line. The archers were swifly dealt with, and sent into a hasty retreat, after which the dogs were called back into the rear of the enemy line. At this moment, the enemy broke through in five places, each place was broken by a group of enemy knights, this was when the four companions were meant to jump in, while the reserve forces handled one of the breaks.

Eberwolf went to face one such break, whilst Kyla, Ferelith and Heike would need to face the other three.

 

[Heike Eisen]

Heike did don the armor Eberwolf provided. She did not take the arming sword; this, for the same reason she did not use any weapon. She simply couldn't. With the elongation of her fingers into claws by her affliction so too came the lengthening of the space between joints. The hilt of the weapon--like all weapons made for human hands--was too thin for her to tightly grasp without raking her own arm or puncturing her own palm with her claws.

So it would be.

* * * * *​

A line battle. It had been some time since Heike had last been engaged in one, and even these relics of the past paled in comparison to this which now played out before her. Yet at Sir Eberwolf's behest they were to be reserves: this, certainly, vexing Ferelith and Kyla to some appreciable degree, seeing that they the two of them had vested interest in contributing as much to the battle as possible.

Heike remained stalwart as the battle was joined and the dying commenced. It was not so much death in battle that she feared, when compared to the fear of failure. A fear that had already been realized with the fall of Reikhurst and her helpless witnessing of it all. Here, at least, if and when the enemy broke through the Kinniger line, Heike could have her chance at that wished upon measure of redemption for her failings in Reikhurst's defense.

And that is when Ferelith came to her.

Heike blinked. Surprised. Ferelith spoke and over the clashes and clamor of the battle before them she heard her. She carefully took Ferelith's hands once offered--deadly claws kept from harming the woman she loved--and listened. It was touching, this small ritual of Ferelith's people.

And Ferelith's own fears were given voice after. Heike let her say them with a receptive regarding and embraced her fully. Knowing her answer even as Ferelith spoke sweet words to her that wrenched the still heart in her chest.

I don’t want to go back to a life with out you..With out a reason to be better...

Behind the steel of her helm a slight smile. Heike said to her, "And yet I am compelled by my duty and my word."

The horn was sounded twice, and soon thereafter the so reckoned upon breaking of the Kinniger line occurred: the accursed monsters clad in their armor--twisted mockeries of true knights--the real foes that Heike had come to slay.

With a parting look to Ferelith, she said quickly, "Go. Redemption awaits."

For both of us.

And Heike ran toward one such grouping of Vampire Knights and with a burst of inhuman speed charged and engaged them.

Sir Eberwolf Kinniger Ferelith Scathach

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

“Heike!” Ferelith ran after her drawing her blade in the same motion. “Ferelith!” She heard her sister call, but she was unconcerned. Her love was fighting and she would be by her side.

She went at the break like a beast. Her sword a dancing arc of light, blood, and viscera.

A thrall managed to plunge a dagger into her side.

She had simply cut his arm off. Another tried a swipe with a spear. She rolled and countered making him plunge the spear into the thrall creeping up behind her. “These guys are easy..No wonder they need so many..” She called out when she found herself next to her love.

Bleeding, stabbed and beaten in so many places that the only thing keeping her together would seem to be her sturdy armor curtesy of Eberwolf.

That was when the war hammer caved in her chest. A hulking figure in the armor of the vampires weirded it through the fray like a giant through a field of wheat. Ferelith hit her knees her chest plate now having a rather large dent in it. A mixture of blood, bile, and pieces of flesh flowed from her mouth like a faucet as she hacked and spluttered.

“Still alive?” The massive monster asked kneeling slightly with wicked amusement and slight surprise. The first to ever receive a blow from me and not come to pieces. Impressive.” He said in a deep gravely bass as he brought the hammer down once again shattering her spine as she screamed in agony.

Her body working into over drive healing everything it could. The pain was indescribable. She screamed even as reality flickered in and out before her. Whether Heike had seen the fight yet or not the behemoth turned his attention to her all the same

“Another of our kind turned against us? Come little vampire, join your friend in the afterlife. Jhorn the Behemoth shall unite you as a parting gift.” He chuckled evilly as he turned away from the bloody pulp of a heap he left Ferelith in.

“I will..” He paused. A hand had gripped his ankle. It’s grip tightening by the minute.

“You...”

Words seemed to meet his ears as the pulp knit itself back together.

“Will...”

Ferelith began to pull herself back to her feet. Against every agony screaming in her brain she stood.

“Not touch her! EVER!” She screeched as she launched herself at the mountain of a man. Her sword glistened in the sun. His head came off in one moment.

Plunging the blade into the stump Ferelith hung onto the blade and carried it down his middle splitting him in half and obliterating his heart.

The sword sparked but carried on as it slide through his armor. Clearly their craftsmanship was not nearly on grade with the duchy. Unsurprising.

“Stupid blood sucking maggots!” She screeched. Stomping his dismembered head and helmet into a mixture of scrap metal and gore.

“Who’s next!?” She growled kicking some of the red gunk off her boots.

 

[Kyla Scathach]

“Ferelith!” Kyla called after her sister as she took off after Heike. Damn that girl. All heart and no plan. She moved to another break in the line. Her sword drawn finally.

It felt good to be in battle again.

Every movement calculated for maximum damage. Every dodge a strategic move to cause more death. She quickly closed one break.

Then a second.

Rarely did anything stand in front of her for more than a few seconds as she carved a path of death and destruction to the next break and with the help of the knights still standing drove back the enemy knights and their thralls.

A knight seeming to be above the rest blocked her strike suddenly. She blinked. She had guessed what the vampire would do but they seemed to have guessed what she guessed and countered it.

“Know a bit more than your friends eh? I was waiting for a challenge.” Kyla said with a smirk swinging her sword expertly with a flourish. “It can be a blessing to have a spark of intelligence. Let’s whatever you kill know you outsmarted it. That look of surprise before they meet their end is so..” the female knight paused.

“ Satisfying.” She said with a glimmer of indulgence.

“Oh please.” Kyla said with an eye roll. “Save your speech for someone w-“ Kyla began before in a flash a sword had appeared in her middle.

The female vampire driving it in with massive amounts of speed and force. It sank up to the hilt and the vampire smiled. She removed her helm so her victim could look her in the eyes. She was beautiful in a sinister way. Her face was neat and perfectly kept, her body a sturdy, but curvy build. Her eyes were what showed the ugly within her.

They were cold, unfeeling, and full of hatred and malice. Like how a single fly could ruin an entire soup, her eyes ruined her beauty and set her in the ugly light she deserved. Kyla tensed. Gasped for breath as blood flowed to her lips.

“You humans. So cocky and bold...” She gave the handle a cruel twist forcing Kyla to yelp and lean on her driving the blade even deeper. “But your a pretty little human. I’ll give you some comfort as you pass on into your afterlife..” She said with a cocky smirk that matched how Kyla’s had been. Yanking the sword free.

“Now you die.” She said with a flourish. Moving to sink her fangs into Kyla’s neck. “P-please..n-no..” Kyla said as the vampire fed with gusto. Then she laughed? The vampire literally stopped feeding As she felt the movement of the laugh. she was so taken aback.

“Please...? No no..That’s not right..” Kyla said with a sigh. “Sorry..You seem very powerful and all so I thought I’d practice what it would be like to die. It was fun for me.” Kyla said seizing the top of the vampires head and ripping it away.

Her throat came with it. Bits of flesh still stuck in the vampires teeth as a fountain of arcane infused crimson flowed from the warriors neck.

“More importantly. YOU dropped your guard.It was a win win.” Kyla said.

“Win win for me anyway. Your about to be dead.” And she hacked her head clean off.

“And the heart.” She said plunging her hand into the stump and pulling out the heart crushing it in her grasp. “Eberwolf..” She said to herself her eyes roaming about for the knight, and her sister as well for that matter. She tried to survey the battle but from her vantage it was simply chaos.

 

[Sir Eberwolf Kinniger]

Eberwolf wasn’t quite a simple easy to catch off guard as any of the others, and he was less inclined to engage in dialogue and more inclined to butcher everything that looked like an enemy. Blood, guts, limbs and heads were the only thing that was behind him, soon joined by his line of men as he fought his way into the enemy ranks, slaughtering everything without pause, his armor doing most of the defense work for him. Soon his blade collided with another, a longsword in the hands of a vampire.

“If it isn’t the infamous Butche-“ he didn’t get to finish, as Eberwolf had slammed the hilt of his sword into the vampire’s helmet with vicious intent, and followed up by cutting the mans legs out from under him, and quickly switching to a murder-stroke he sent the crossguard of his zweihander through the mans helm and into his skull. Pulling it out he returned to carving a bloody murder canyon through the enemy forces, while the reserves plugged the gaps in the line.

The sound of pounding hooves reached his ears, a vampire, mounted atop a pitch black horse with glowing red eyes, clad in plate armor and carrying a lance was charging him. It doesn’t matter how strong his armor was, a full force blow from horseback would take him out of the fight even if it didn’t kill him. So he did the only smart thing and charged right at it. Sweeping his broad-bladed greatsword in low, horizontal arcs, he cut the horses legs off, and sent the rider tumbling down. Of course, this had to be one of the few actually competent and serious knights the vampires had to offer, because he wasted no time in getting up, drawing his sword and buckler, and attacking him. Thus began a duel amongst the fray, usually duels didn’t last long, because both were meant to kill the other as quickly as possible, but this being a rule, had exceptions. So it was possible that the duel could outlast the Now one-sided battle.

Kyla might have difficulties spotting him thanks to his white armor now being blood red.

 

[Heike Eisen]

Claws both were and were not good weapons against the heavily armored. Their effectiveness obviously poor in direct strikes against the metal itself, but against the weak joints they took after the humble dagger, the "knight killer." And Heike had ten of them at her disposal.

Yet she would have to be careful: the early morning sun drenched the battlefield in its oppressive glare. As well as attempting exsanguination of her foes she could try exposing them to the sun, ripping off their helms--and she knew all too well the same could happen to her, the hood under her helm the last line of defense.

Heike fought with agility and speed, leveraging her habits from having turned rather than her training as a knight. Suitable. Two thralls fell, and she engaged the vampire knight behind them. Disgusting still, that these monsters behaved and fought as if they were still human, as if they could hide the truth behind the armor of a bygone time.

The bastard was well-trained. Keeping his guard up with his greatsword and wasting no motions with his swings. Heike had to take a strike to her helm just to get past the reach of his weapon, a screech of metal as she slid through and grabbed hold of his helm and with a great exertion of blood tore it from his head and shredded the cloth skullcap underneath. The sun caught the vampire's bald head and a fire burst from his skull and the spark of sentience went out from his black eyes and he fell forward to the ground.

Another vampiric knight came through the breach at Heike. Another, from behind, calling himself Jhorn the Behemoth, actually taking the time to speak to her for reasons unknown. Ferelith, down on the ground, rousing herself up to attack the Behemoth.

Heike, tied down with her own fight, lost track of Ferelith. Her focus squarely on her foe, dodging and shifting her feet.

And that's when it happened.

When Heike's back had been forced to face the fighting line of Kinniger men and thralls, the knight she fought held out his left hand and from it came a powerful blast of mist like a thin tunnel of gale force wind. It slammed into Heike's chest and sent it off of her feet and crashing over the heads and shoulders of Kinniger footman and vampiric thrall alike until she had landed firmly on the enemy side of the line.

She heard the battle around her but only saw the sky above through the slit in her helm.

Heike mouthed a wordless curse and pushed herself up as some of the thralls of the line took notice and their swords struck at her armor as she stood and they were all around her. Yet through these mindless soldiers, past their bodies as she was standing, she saw him. There. Simply there.

Jürgen Kaiser, the Third King, the Bloodstone in his clawed hand. Watching her.

Heike's eyes widened.

And as the thralls surrounded her and she began to fight against them, he was gone. Vanished in the fog of battle.

Sir Eberwolf Kinniger Ferelith Scathach

 

[Sir Eberwolf Kinniger]

Eberwolf saw the enemy fight harder, so the enemy was determined to do as much damage to them as possible, this could mean that the enemy commander had entered the fray. As he had observed, the enemy commander rode in on his vampiric horse, calling "Trial By Combat!"

He wanted a duel to settle this battle. Very well. But he wouldn't stop the battle for a duel, he'd butcher this monster like a pig, and take his head as a trophy.

 

[Ferelith Scathach]

“I hate this.” Ferelith cursed as she continued to hack at the deaths of enemies that continued to attack her. Heike had been separated from her and there seemed to be no finding her at the moment. A club smashed into her back as she was launched into the air to land on a spear a thrall had been carrying. Accidentally, it appeared her in the middle as the surprised thrall dropped the spear and soon Ferelith found her self under a heap of bodies as they piled on top of her. Each trying to be the one to kill this devil woman.

She tried to speak but blood flodddd her throat as thousands of wounds and injuries were inflicted on her. Each seeming to heal before the other was dealt. It was like she died 1,000’s of times over as she seemed to simply give up and let the gang take her. “I really hope this isn’t how I die..It’s so boring...” her one clear thought as the pain and misery seemed to pull everything around her into a warped blur of slowed motion.

Suddenly the pile was broken. She was pulled by an almost smoke like substance by her throat from the depths of the now massacred bodies. She was dropped and landed in a panting heap at the feet of a woman in black. Her long raven hair hung in braids and flowed out of the edges of her dark hood.

“College?” She asked as the woman simply nodded silently. In the chaos around them it seemed this woman instilled such terror that both enemy and ally seemed to subconiously give them a wide berth. “No way I’m going with you bitch. You can go tell your superiors they’ll..” She began to stand readying a punch. “Have to do..urk!” She froze as the woman caught her fist in a soft pale skinned hand. The black nails, long and sharp to points duh into the back of her fist causing her to cry out.

“What..” She struggled before a punch to her gut sent her breath from her once more and she was left a gasping fish. The woman was a good foot taller and then some on the small mercenary and easily lifted her by the fist she still held clutched regardless of Ferelith’s massive strength. “So many flaws...What were they thinking when they made you..” The speakers face still shrouded by the shadow of the hood. “Not...very nice to...stare...” Ferelith panted as the woman sighed. “Ahh Gunhild..must you always have the last word?” She asked as Ferelith’s eyes went wide. “Who...Are You..” She panted.

The woman laughed. “Don’t you recognize your own sister?” She said pulling back her hood to reveal.. “Bryn?” Ferelith breathed her-eyes remained wide. So much in so many minutes. A tattoo that matched Ferelith and Kyla’s decorated the arm she held Ferelith aloft with.

She truely looked like a mixture of Kyla and Ferelith. Her own look but clearly one of the Scathach brood. Her tattoo glowed a light, almost sickly green. “But it seems the vampiric sickness has contributed to aiding your shortcomings. Interesting...It seems it may be time to take you....but where would the fun be in that...” She said with a giggle that made Ferelith’s blood run cold.

“No...Bryn..I don’t know what’s going on here but please don’t take me back to-.” Her words were cut off as her sisters grip tightened. The whisps of darkness curling from her sister seemed to suddenly change their aimless course and flow into her her through her nose , eyes, and mouth.

“I have the antidote and it will only get worse. By the end of The week you’ll be dead.You know where to meet me.” She said letting Ferelith fall to the ground clutching her throat with wretching spasms on the ground.

“Tell Kyla I said hi Gunhild.” She said as she seemed to vanish into the very smoke of her essence. Ferelith lay on the ground twitching in agony. She seemed in such a sorry state Even the enemy passed her over thinking already her dead. “Sister?...Heike...?” She called out.. before finally slumping and allowing the darkness clouding her vision to finally fill it.

 

[Crows Call]

The blade materialized into a small pile of the dead, drinking in the blood of the dead, and becoming empowered, it eagerly awaited one who could change fate to wield it, so that it may enter battle again, and in this battle, this bloody dance between man and beast he might see true carnage... this made the blade glow brighter with power and joy.

The blade caught the eye of a dying soldier, one who came from a life most humble into a battle he had little hope of surviving, "Come damned warrior, grasp my hilt, wield me high, and let my wrath replenish your body and soul. Let us change fate together!

The dying soldier crawled to the blade, up the bodies leaving a trail of blood in his wake. The soldiers mailed hand clasped the hilt, and his wounds began to seal, but the swords power again depleted. The chain mailed soldier stood up holding Crows Call in his clasp. Tears of rage in his eyes, the soldier asked, "You can help me change fate?"

Armored vampires began to appear around the lone soldier, Indeed, damned warrior, become my vessel and let us send these abominations to oblivion! The warrior clutched the blade tighter and forfeited his free will.

The warrior poet looked upon the foes that surrounded him, one abomination leaped at him confidently, and he slashed it causing it do dissolve into reddish ashes. The other vampires seeing this charged him all at once, but he cut through them all, avoiding their lunges and strikes, chambering and cutting into them.

The warrior poet walked up the small hill of bodies, peering over he could see the current skirmish. He smiled at the sensation of battle once again. INTO THE MAILSTOM ONCE MORE! GRAAAAAAAAH!!!

 

[Sir Eberwolf Kinniger]

A soldier, still clad in standard armor but definitely different than the rest. Most interesting indeed, and using a greatsword, not something that the soldiers used. He was definitely different, and apparently on their side. So when the now undead, not entirely undead soldier began cleaving his way through the enemy, the enemy was in the process of being thinned out. Ferelith was facing a hooded woman who noone else there knew save maybe Kyla. Heike faced a shade, someone from ancient history returned for the purpose of killing everything. And Eberwolf, a knight of now red armor, faced the enemy commander, and lived up to the nickname he had earned in battle, those in his army simply called him Wrath, the enemy called him Butcher, and both names were well earned as he carved his way through the enemy.

The enemy commander wasn't a challenge, and his head rolled across the ground before long. But his battle was far from over, because as he turned he faced a woman, her black cloak falling over her black leather armor, a curved sword hung at her waist. He didn't recognize her, but he saw her fnags and the glowing red eyes, and didn't hesitate to strike her down. But he didn't, she blocked his greatsword with her hand, and simply said, "interesting", before launching him back through the air to the line of soldiers in his army. He rolled to his feet after having crashed through the entire line.

His anger grew, and he struggled to contain it.

Ferelith Scathach, Kyla Scathach, Heike Eisen, Crows Call