Fable - Ask Two doctors!? What is with your health!?

[Enca Boralaine]

Cold, biting, rude that's what it's like to be awakened by a cold drop of water running down your forehead. Your crust-filled eyes snap open trying to adjust to the presence of light but find none because everything is pitch black including the puffs of dust floating through the moist dank smelling air. What a horrible feeling that is to be laying there on the freezing stone floor unable to move your limbs as even your inhuman amount of power fails to free you from the silver chains specially built to limit your powers.

You can't even get the scant pleasure of grunting as you struggle as the muzzle tightly bolted into your flesh stops any attempts at getting your voice out there. The way your skin tries to patch itself back together only results in it warping around the bolts embedding them deeper into your body fills you with despair a sense of hopelessness and horror as the sound of corroded metal scraping against the floor fills your earlobes with each shake of your bonds. That's how Enca felt as she was shot from afar like a wandering animal incapable of fighting for its life or even running away as the world faded to black and your body fell to the dirt unaware of what was happening. That's how Enca felt as she awoke to the sound of horrible, terrible wails of pain coming from down a hallway she couldn't see with people sobbing and locked away that she knew by smell alone.

After a while, Enca grew stiff from being so idle and it was showing as her attempts at escape became less intense and further apart. She knows what she has to do but gods is it gonna hurt! That being said the way things are starting to look there's only one place captives like her end up...six feet under. The shimmer of torchlight graces her eyes briefly but Enca does see the occasional body being carried out of the dungeon from time to time...and just from shadow alone.....they aren't pretty.

"Alrighty...here goes...hmpk!!"

Meanwhile at the Legion of doom- Oh sorry I mean, Meanwhile at a meeting of cultists...

"What do mean someone is getting too close to the fortress?!"

"Exactly what I said. There is someone getting close to the fortress and we CAN'T have that!"

"Then why don't you go over there and DEAL with it then! I have important work to do preparing the sacrifices and I can't have you interrupting me every five minutes with some mundane report or another simple task that would take merely an ounce of thought to compute!"

With a huff, the Drow turned around and stormed out of the dark study-like chamber her hands balled up as she seethed on her anger. It wasn't long before she and a few other crimson-robed assailants began creeping through the forest searching for whoever was foolish enough to be out here where death and depravity seeped into the soil.

Asa Renwyk

(Yeah you read all that right it's about to hit the fan)

 

[Asa Renwyk]

The life of a traveling doctor and alchemist was never dull. It was messy. It was filled with invisible dangers. It was chaotic. But it was never dull. Stopping the spread of a plague in a town before it made its way to a city or brewing a new potentially volatile potion were sweaty, taxing affairs. But the challenge of them was worth every moment spent.

Searching for herbs and plants to replenish his stocks for use in both of his professions was the opposite of those things. It was dull. It was time consuming. It was sweaty and exhausting. But it was also vital work that needed to be done to keep him working.

Since his storehouse of goods was lost when Elbion suffered all that damage, Asa no longer could just request to have ingredients shipped to him as he traveled. He was utterly dependent on what was at hand and what he could find. It would be frustrating if he was not to keenly aware of the importance of self sufficiency and use to this being his method of supplying himself from his early decades on the road. Truly it wasn't until he sent out legion of students in the name of hands on training to bring him loads of ingredients that he formed his stockpile. With the state the college was currently in, they needed those hands for repairing floors and walls more now. So the grunt work was once more left to him.

And it was in this pursuit that the doctor had found himself foraging the forest floor not far from a fortress. Nettle was the most abundant resource he had come across. Good for cooking and medical use. But what had excited him was the various mushrooms he had found. Poisonous and edible ones alike. He would just need to dry them out and he would have ready stock for potions and stews both.

Caw!

Asa looked up at the raven in the branches above him.

Caw! Caw!

"Thank you for the warning mother, but I need more information than that to work with."

Asa got his current find of ingredients bundled up in their own little pouches and put away. He stood and dusted himself off. Then he began to look around. Light. Dark. It made no difference. He would see through them both equally. His main concern now was in how friendly these visitors his mother mentioned were going to be. Like they were from that fortress but they could be bandit as easily as they could be escorts.

"How many did you see?"

Caw.

"Ah, you don't know. Most helpful as always."

Caw!

At least he had his saber and cane if they wanted to be trouble.

Enca Boralaine

 

[Enca Boralaine]

"Oh well...that certainly is one for the records." Wracked with pain, Enca made an effort to stand up the injury dealt to her arms matched only by her will to escape and wander through the world once again. She tried not to think about the horrific torture plaguing her body as her alabaster foot wrapped itself around the cell door gripping it as tightly as a foot could.

"Thank the gods they weren't smart enough to use silver!" In a swift kicking motion, Enca ripped the rusting iron bars from the cage door leaving a sizeable hole large enough for her to crouch through and enter the hallway from which she saw so many be dragged to where they presumably died. "How unsightly...I don't even want to mull over what disturbing things we're done to you poor sods." Creaking a huge metal door at the end of the hall opened adding yet another scrape to the already battered and rotting stone floor.

"Right on cue!"

"Stay where you are!" A voice shouted as the presence of torchlight grew closer. Enca raised her arms in the air and stepped further into the shadows tiptoeing the line between the light and darkness filling the chamber. Strangely, Enca was keeping her arms out of the orange shine despite the crimson river running down her face and arms.

"Lower your hands!" The command was replied to with a devilish smile on, Enca's part.

"Sorry...but I'm afraid that's gonna be difficult considering..."

"GODS!! What vile-" Enca slammed her foot down on the robed man's foot the pain of having his toes crushed into bits silenced by an elbow to the jaw an entire row of teeth collapsing on the ground still connected at the gums. Enca wasn't letting up as she kicked the man into the side of the wall a chunk of his hip flying out of his body in a bloody explosion of gore. That time gone without blood had left, Enca in a desperate lust for nutrients a prerequisite for any vampire.

Even her detestable monster of a father had enough common sense to keep her hopped up on blood.

"No way...your... you're mad! You severed your hands?!" Enca shrugged her shoulders visibly amused. "Well, maybe when YOU can regenerate you'll understand where I'm coming from." A stubby arm to the chest was enough to send his heart flying the cultist's final death throws nothing more than a few pained-filled whimpers that rang hollow without a beating heart behind them.

"Now to get out of here..."

Just outside the dungeon...

"Hold true. The interloper is just a few paces from here." A cultist whispered his pearly white robes and boney bird-like mask contrasting the brown and green foliage around him letting the crowd of acolytes stand out to anyone who had even half of a working eye.

"Just what is to be done with this intruder?" The group knelt down as their quarry drew closer. "We're to find out if they are alone and if anyone will immediately come searching for them. Then we'll be given instructions on what is to be done. Do you have such little faith in our order that we cannot handle such a simple inconvenience?" The mask covered his face but the skepticism in his voice was enough to decipher what look he was probably giving under that mask. "N-No I-" "You initiates are always the dullest of the dull. Now hush up, he's coming."

Emerging from the flora the group stood there clad in white stoic and unmoving as they slowly approached Asa Renwyk their intentions unclear. "Greetings traveler. We would speak with you if you'll have us of course."

Pleasantries. The cards of a man who bears something dire.

 

[Asa Renwyk]

Their rustling was the first give away before the muffled conversation. Clearly this group was up to no good. Bandits, slavers, and raiders were the types to speak in the bushes instead of just engaging someone suspicious they found. Why Asa liked guards and soldiers so much. They always made sure you knew your life was on the line as part of their greeting along with commands to identify yourself.

Then they came out of hiding. Oh look at that. They were attempting to be intimidating by staying all stoic and grouped up. If he had a vial of alchemist fire on him they would make a lovely screaming bonfire. Sadly he needed to prepare more. Too many bandits on the roads lately. Good thing they were suddenly catching fire every time they threatened him.

Instantly he replied to the leader of the group's words. "I will not. Good day to you off."

He pretended to be inspecting his glove, the one on the hand he didn't need to draw his saber. Then he looked up with a slight frown. "Still here? Scamper off. I have no interest in blood spilling right now."

Up in the trees came some rustling then a loud caw from a large raven. If any of them looked, it seemed to be watching them all closely. But not with those eyes of a curious bird. No, it was looking at them with the eyes of a glutton eyeing their next meal. Waiting for it to be served up to them.

Enca Boralaine

 

[Enca Boralaine]

Shocked and frankly quite insulted the leader stumbled backward from Asa as if the man's words had slammed a dagger into his heart. He couldn't believe it, he'd been...shrugged off...of course, this wasn't the first time someone's ignored him but it was uncommon enough for him to be surprised at the very least. All those years studying magic under the cover of night, all those shady deals in the market, and charismatic swindling had produced a man with an insatiable ego. The will to dominate to be number one even the order he followed now he was always plotting, planning, looking for a way to get to the top.

Who is he to shrug him off!? To claim his status worthless? No one! He's no one! And he's...he's everything...everything that is power...

"Kill him." The man hissed before falling back to let his acolytes do the work. "The only blood spiling here...is yours! Send that bastard to the shadow realm!!" Slamming his hands together an Acolyte shoved his arms deep into the dirt his arms glowing green with magical energy they seeped into the earth and hummed in the air like a tune conjured up by a bard.

Wrapping around his arms the ground met to reach the man's shoulders wrapping his upper body in an almost armor-like suit as his influence continued to corrupt the ground. Quickly the young sorcerer began speaking in hushed tones every breath he took every syllable he made caused vibrations in the soil. The world had become connected to his heartbeat.

One could feel the stone break open as a labyrinth of vines and flora broke through the ground rising shrubbery massive and tall the likes of brick walls that put a barrier between Asa and the outside world. He wouldn't be going anywhere soon, not unless he could escape this cage erected for his death.

"Now kill him! Show this interlop-" The raging man caught himself mid-sentence his vision unclouding for just the tiniest interval. "On second thought..." A hand was raised toward the cage. "Take him." "Of course."

Flanking both the left and right sides of the cage two acolytes placed their hands on the vines their hands shining with some sort of power. Out of nowhere, the air began vibrating violently a horrible torrent of high-pitched noise tearing through it, enough to make the ears bleed and the brain dizzy. The racket kicked up dirt and brought pain to anything inside that cage.

It was time to move, either stay there and go mad or find a way outside. That being said humans are intuitive creatures.

Asa Renwyk

 

[Asa Renwyk]

Arrogant fools. Rather sad sight to see every time no matter how often he saw it in his travels. The odd fellow gains a bit of power or knowledge and suddenly believes themself a demigod. The way that this obvious leader of the little group reacted was rather characteristic of those types.

What was worse was in their pattern of attack that followed. A sigh left his lips. Slow. He saw the first one moving to use some form of magic. What kind he didn't know nor did it matter. Clearly they were lacking experience or training in true combat magic as well as combat in general. He might be a doctor and alchemist by choice, but he was first the son of a swordsman.

Asa made up his mind. It was time for a lesson. It was time to go back to the basics of magic and combat.

Moving with his natural cambion speed, before the cage had time to even leave the ground he was upon the first of the two supporting the geomancer. Saber drawn, his blade cut clean through a forearm. Then he turned about and tossed a vial retrieved from his pouch as he moved. The light amber colored liquid inside was oil that he often used in his alchemy. It was completely natural, slick as well as sticky, and highly flammable.

The toss was towards the one that made the cage. With their armor however it would do nothing to them if it shattered against them and was set ablaze. That was why he didn't aim for their chest or arms. He aimed it towards their head. And before the shiny amber oil could hit them, the alchemist flicked his fingers and cast a spell. It was one of the most basic spells taught in Elbion: candle light. A little spark from a distance to light the wick of a candle. Often it was used as a test to see if one could magic, and if so then one had to have it mastered to enter the college to be a mage. It required next to no energy, required little control, and even those who didn't have the potential it took to be accepted had it mastered to the point of instinct in using it to light their homes and businesses.

The spell by itself was as harmless as a spell could be. But he wasn't using it by itself.

A spark ignited inside the vial and set the oil ablaze. This caused it to explode sending flaming oil and heated glass flying in every direction less than a foot away from the casters face and neck. Sadly all of them had made the poor decision to wear cloth that did nothing about the cutting edge of blade and broken glass. Everything the oil landed on it would stick to and burn. The glass would break the moment it hit something hard. Hopefully that would be earthen armor and not bone.

Without a pause, Asa had already shifted his stance. Another flick was directed towards the last of the three who had so far not been harmed. Before he had cast the candle lighting spell in a precise location, the first way one learned to use the spell. This time he was casting it the second way one learned to use it: a general ignition of all wick or flammable structures in an area. He didn't need to see or know before hand what it was he was sparking ablaze. The magic would do so for him and this cultist was about to find out what that meant.

All loose threads of cloth. All splinters of wood. All bits of lint. All of it about the cultists robe and mask was sparked. Not all would catch on fire, but some of it would. And the moment the fire was lit it would be the cultist's problem to deal with. They would become a living room of candles.

The tip of his saber would be thrust next into the disarmed cultist's chest. Aimed between the ribs to impale their heart.

As he pulled the tip out, he directed his attention towards the leader who had sat the attack out.

"If you wished to take me all you had to do was ask."

Asa looked them up and down a bit.

"Although I would have declined. I prefer more feminine lovers."

Asa flicked the blood off his saber.

"It would seem your friends were not properly taught the rules of magic and combat. How about yourself?"

Caw!

The raven flew down to land down upon the cultist who had lost a hand and a heart. Already it began plucking out the eyes of the fallen person to swallow them whole. As it did, it held its mouth raised and made a swallowing motion longer than was needed for a bird to eat an eyeball. One might think it was also ripping out and devouring something invisible along with the windows to the person's soul.

Enca Boralaine

 

[Enca Boralaine]

Blood, death, fire, all so quickly all so...effortlessly...just who was this intruder? The rules of magic and combat? Just what could he mean by that? Was he some kind of soldier a general perhaps? Doesn't matter. Even if he is a skilled swordsman, Even if he does have a firm grasp of his abilities and how to use them it all means nothing in the face of the fabled strategy that saves all people from danger, from death.

"Get ready for the unbridled power of..." The wizard pointed his finger toward the treetops as a shining curtain of glistening green energy washed over his body turning him into a cloud of particles carried by the wind. "My retreat! You will perish in good time interloper!!" Flying high into the air the glowing cloud of dust disappeared inside the treetops obscured from vision and what should be a safe distance away from Asa Renwyk.

I can't attack him right now, I'd be a fool to even attempt such a feat. Besides his presence may prove useful in my VERY well thought out plan. If I can get him to enter the compound then maybe I won't have to do any work at all...

Chuckling to himself the Mage pointed his finger toward the sky once more mana flooding his arm just as he heard the splintering of wood below as if something had dug itself into the side of the tree. Sparing a glance at what he assumed to be a squirrel making its way to a nest the mage found his chest cramping as his heart skipped a few beats as the terrible sight below. An alabaster abomination was tearing its way up the tree it's claws sharpened to climb the bark and its eyes glowing with an unnatural hunger.

It's too late his body was already dust and the wind was carrying him-with frightening speed and agility, Enca crushed the mage's right foot the pain tethering his body to the world as his spell was undone his foot having been caught by this monster pursuing him.

What in the nine hells is this thing!? It grabbed my foot before I even saw it fully! And now it's swinging me through the air, just how strong is this monster!?

With a primal roar, the mage was slammed into the ground below his now fractured back breaking a line of branches on his way down. Shattering the earth the bleeding and comatose man crashed into the ground with a massive BOOM his plan destroyed by an unknown assailant.

Dropping to the ground, Enca mulled over what she would do next. Would she kill him now? Or will she wait for him to wake up just to make him suffer for what he's done? What an interesting choice between practicality and fantasy. Flying in with the air an earthy scent wafted through, Enca's nostrils the presence of another apparent to her insatiable hunger. Even now while her lips were stained with crimson, Enca couldn't help but feel cheated from all the blood she missed out on these past few days.

I wonder...will he investigate all this commotion...

When a vampire has smelled enough the genders of individuals become easy to distinguish even for one considered a child amongst the undead community. If her senses bode well this new person would at least take notice of the crater in the ground and when they do...she will be waiting for them.

"Let us see if you can sniff me out..."

Leaping into the treetops the woman became one with the shadows, hidden from light and those that would search from inside it.

 

[Asa Renwyk]

And the flashy fool fled in a show of wasteful magic use.

Asa watched them leave and did nothing to stop them. Not that he could given they broke their body down into magical particles. A more skilled mage in traditional magics likely could have cast some spell that absorbed such particles and trapped or killed the fool in the effect. But Asa was not such a person. So they would get to li-

A loud boom echoed through the trees from the direction they had fled in.

Where the alchemist was going to let them leave before, this noise fully captured his attention. Some kind of magical beast was no doubt near by and hostile. Or at least hostile towards whomever these expired souls were. There was a chance it might mistake him for one of them.

So with a flick of his wrist, the doctor gathered up the blood spilled by the disarmed corpse to his hand. Blood magic was a heavily disputed form of magic. Was it dark and evil so needing to be banned and forgotten? Or was it just a misunderstood and misused tool? He could not say. His heritage made his opinion bias and unusable on the matter.

But it was one of the few magics he was powerful at.

There was not nearly enough for him to work with, so he just consumed the vitality from the blood he had gathered and used it to strengthen his body and speed up his natural regeneration. Best option for him right now as all he had was his saber to rely upon.

That done, he moved to investigate what had happened. His feathery companion staying behind to feast upon the corpses of the fallen.

The scent about him would be mixed. Blood of the freshly killed. Herbs both pleasant and deadly. Sweat of a traveling craftsman. And under it all something dark and cruel. A scent that spoke of one who would devour not just flesh and blood but the very souls of its victims.

Enca Boralaine

 

[Enca Boralaine]

What a strange peppery smell this individual had. If not for her enhanced senses, Enca had doubts she could tell the herbs he carried from the scent of his body the two were so similar. Most humans don't smell like that, their blood moves it flows and the energy it creates can be felt and smelt in the air. The heart beating, the lungs breathing all can be heard. Give or take age and species causes these sounds to vary but they are sounds their rhythm.

This guy...he sounds more like a log floating down a river. It's hard to describe the way his body sort of smashes against itself when he walks creating a sort of tense aroma most humans don't have. Enca imagined there was some latent power within him the same type mages usually have where their own power can sometimes bump against itself as it flows through the body.

Even then...it's never this bad. No this is a deep-seated issue something that skirts the bottom of the barrel a malfunction embedded into his body itself.

"Freaky..."

Even worse was the presence he carried with him. It was demonic it felt like a sort of voice trapped within his soul. It was dark and cold the longer one listened to it the more depraved and demoralizing it became and yet...she couldn't help but feed her morbid curiosity.

"Let's see if that damned fledgling was onto something."

Shot from the treetops a shining object ripped through the overbrush and stuck itself to the ground in front of Asa Renwyk still shining in the sun. Upon inspection, the object appeared to be a scalpel silver and sharpened from vigilant upkeep.

"Perish."

Reflected in the blade a figure large and alabaster moved its claws in a slashing motion as though attacking prey that didn't exist. Oddly enough this movement seemed to translate into the real world via light as five slash marks cut across his chest seemingly brought about by the reflection earlier.

"Don't you take another step. Or things will get worse."

 

[Asa Renwyk]

Something was off. As Asa advanced forward with his guard up the whole time, his fighter's instinct was telling him that something was not right. There was a large crater in the ground and yet so sign of its source. Things were far too quiet and calm as well.

Asa frowned.

The first action was an object originating from the trees striking the ground in front of him. Instantly his gaze darted around for sign of his opponent as he took up a defensive stance. No trace could be found. Frustrating yet expected. He was more perplexed that a follow up attack did not occur.

So his gaze went to the object before him. A scalpel made from silver. His frown deepened. As a doctor and alchemist he was very familiar with the tool as well as the benefits and hindrances of the various materials they could be made out of. Who in their right mind used silver of all things for a proper medical knife?

But he was not given much time to ponder this as suddenly the second action was taken. The follow up attack was made. He wasn't entirely sure what exactly was coming, but his centuries of life had taught him it was best to act than think in this kind of situation. So he narrowed his frame while taking several steps back and getting his blade into position to block or parry whatever may come.

The action proved to be ineffective. His chest was slashed by blades of light leaving five cuts across his chest. He winced and frowned. Someone who properly knew how to fight it seemed. Not the actions of a monster or magical beast.

Words echoed forth to his ears. A threat. He adjusted his stance to being a more balanced one.

"I doubt that. Not much worse than a scalpel made out of silver. Too soft a metal. Surprised it holds an edge. How often must you sharpen it? If you are worried about infections just use an herbal balm or potion to cleanse the cut. Simpler and less time consuming. Especially if you are treating a battlefield."

More words than he would normally use in times like this, but he had a purpose for them. It might throw his opponent off and then he could find an opening. Unlikely to happen but little risk for such a reward. The main thing was he hoped they spoke back. He knew his senses were sharper than a human's but his opponent might not. If they responded or moved he might be able to figure out where they happened to be and could adjust into a less intimate fighting style that was his saber.

Enca Boralaine

 

[Enca Boralaine]

I wasn't prepared for that to actually work!? That fledgling was smarter than I gave him credit for! I may not even have to show my face-

A bubbling sound reached, Enca's ears like water boiling in a pot except in this case the pot was her enemy's chest. Blood circulated inside the man's wounds until the scent of blood no longer stained the ground and the flow of blood inside him returned to normal. Already without a hint of fatigue he was visibly searching for her position whilst taunting her about her choice of medical equipment.

"Oh, darling those aren't for humans. I use them for...other purposes. Like skinning you alive."

Faster than before a flurry of knives launched from the treetops a peppered the ground and trees around Asa in shiny silver cutlery. The direction in which the blades took was sporadic yet they all originated from the same side of the forest presumably the place from with they were being thrown.

"You sound like a doctor. Is that why your wounds are healing so quickly...or is it something else. How do you intend to get out of my sights? I hardly believe your movements are faster than light."

Reflected inside one of the scalpels a single alabaster finger long and slender slashed across Asa's leg cutting deep and true unlike before.

"Last time I was testing this new magic. Now that I can be sure it works... you are finished. You can try to find me by listening to my voice but that would only fulfill your place as prey and my place as a hunter. I assure you this...your safer staying where you are now than you are approaching me."

Asa Renwyk

 

[Asa Renwyk]

The words that came from his opponent were a tad off. She seemed to have to particular goal in mind. Well no tactical goal. It seemed more like she was speaking to speak and just took on a taunting tone as that was what was appropriate for the situation. Her referring to them as hunter and prey was a part of that. But what was her goal in attacking him? Him being prey obviously, but was that truly all it was?

Earlier she had attacked him with light from the reflective surface of the silver scalpel. Some kind of mirror magic he imagined. Between her words she had sent out even more of the things flying into the ground around him. Hard angles to defend from and she would be able to tear him apart if it was indeed mirror magic she was using.

Asa decided to do something about it.

Before she could send out her next attack, he gathered up a bit of magic and shot a strong gust of wind swirling directly down at his feet. A thick cloud of dirt was thrown up that spread in every direction. Dirt that would love to cling to the clean surface of a silver object.

But the action was still a tad slow. Her next attack went through and she managed to hit his leg with a deeper cut that the one before. His chest had only seen his skin ripped. His leg had muscle slashed a ways. A wince of pain, but he adjusted his stance to account for the injury right away. Not the first time an opponent had aimed for his legs.

Thankfully the dirt had managed to weaken her attack so he avoided a crippling injury.

Asa kept on throwing up dirt so as to make all of her mirror surfaces unusable. As he did he decided to get some answers to his earlier questions.

"You would have a better time skinning me with a different knife. Dull blades making skinning far too difficult and messy. Ruin perfectly good skin. And yes I am a doctor. An alchemist as well. Was out here gathering herbs for both my professions in fact till that group of fools attacked me."

He paused as he pondered if they could be related to this current assault on his person as well.

"Do you think I was one of them? Despite their leaders instant romantic interest in me, I very much am not. Prefer my lovers to be feminine. How about yourself? What do you prefer in your lovers?"

A bit chit chatty but it was seeming to Asa as if there was no need for them to be in this quarrel of their's. Perhaps a misunderstanding had occurred? Friendly conversation and less aggressive actions on his part may bring a more peaceful conclusion if possible. No need for senseless bloodshed. He was a doctor after all not a wayward assassin.

All while he spoke the wound on his leg was already beginning to heal over. It would still take several minutes before it was healed to a point he could begin normal actions on it however.

Enca Boralaine

 

[Enca Boralaine]

I see. He avoided my attack by preventing most of the light from touching him...judging by his leg, however, I'd say he wasn't entirely successful.

Enca's eyes grew larger until they were almost bludging out of her skull and her pupils burned a bright golden as they focused on Asa his weight having been shifted in response to his torn leg. Already even as the cut had been made the wound began to close and tendons connect. The blood dripping from Asa's leg had begun to harden and if one were to look even closer his cut almost appeared to...steam.

"I prefer my lovers to eat healthily and have loads of stamina...for more reasons than one." Enca charged the light with mana once again her reflection just barely reaching one of the scalpels below. Looks like my blades aren't a viable option any longer...but I get the feeling they won't need to be.

Enca's eyes sunk back into her head their golden gaze remaining as she stalked Asa from the trees watching him in order to see what he'd do next.

"Those are some handy regenerative powers. Inhuman is what they are." Enca spun a scalpel between her two fingers pondering whether or not to continue her attack. "That was not the leader you were speaking with. He was merely an egotistical maniac who was used to serve a greater purpose. As for you...I did not know what you were so I assumed you to be prey." Enca's gaze fell back to Asa's leg the once torn muscle now replaced with a thin layer of shredded skin which continued to heal even now.

"It is my fear...that I was mistaken. You are clearly more skilled than those I killed earlier. In fact...you have the same smell as the blood wafting in from the east. Am I right in this? I am very attuned to these things you know...so don't lie to me. I despise liars, they bend the truth and try to push light into the shadows all so they can hide what is so plain to see. Sickening and even more so what they hide is disturbing. Do you want me to come out? You're going to have to ask nicely then."

Asa Renwyk

 

[Asa Renwyk]

No follow up attack. Well no successful one. The attempt to use that magic from before was felt but nothing came of it. Strange how one familiar or possessing enough magic could sense it. Seemed his strategy with the dirt had worked to stop the stealthy assault. Now if only he could get them talking instead of fighting then things would finally be going in a productive direction....

Ah hah! His opponent answered his question and responded back. Wonderful! Conversation was much more pleasant than needless violence after all.

"I do try to eat healthy. A strong body enables a strong mind after all. And as for stamina, well you can see I have yet to break a sweat. Imagine what it might take."

They picked up on his inhuman recovery. Easy enough to explain away with his use of magic from before. Wouldn't be a lie either. He had enhanced his natural regeneration after all, although he already did recover at an inhuman pace without the aid.

The important part was the information that followed. Seemed the fools were part of a larger group. He suspected as much. Rare for small groups to take such risks looking for sacrifices. Each member was far too important to the whole to put them in harms way. The blatant disregard for their lives was evidence of being part of a larger whole that was able to lose a few pieces here and there.

But then came their comments about him and the East. What exactly were they referring to? His face took on only a slight twist of his confusion, but for the most part stayed the same. The good part was they offered to come out if he asked nicely. And ask nicely he could.

"I'm not familiar with your reference about the East, so I can neither confirm nor deny if I'm related to it. What I can say is that I have yet to lie to you. I do prefer my lovers to be feminine. I am a doctor and alchemist. I'm not part of those fools cult. And I would consider it a great honor to meet you face to face. In fact, allow me to show you how much I wish to meet you."

Asa gathered up a bit more magic and sent out another gust of wind. This time it was directed around him on all side except down. The dirt still clouding the air was blown away. Now perfectly visible yet again he tossed his saber away from him by her original scalpel. He would need to expose himself to attack just to pick it up.

A slight smile on his face he said, "There. Now why don't I introduce myself? I am Master Asa Renwyk. Who might I have the honor of conversing with?"

Enca Boralaine

 

[Enca Boralaine]

"You dropped your weapon. That's a bold move but much appreciated."

Enca dusted off her dress and rose to her feet as she blasted out of the treetops and high into the air a set of wings sprouting from her back like those of a fly. Glistening in the sunlight Enca's wings began beating against the air as she fluttered toward the ground to meet the person who so kindly asked to see her face. Tipping her hat off to Asa the vampire unveiled the feathery antlers protruding from her head.

"Greetings Asa Renwyk. You have the honor of speaking with Enca Boralaine an...infamous name amongst the undead community."

Enca stretched a clawed hand toward Asa bading him to take it.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance. Though I think it's time I explain myself and why I am here. You see like you I was approached by these cultists and also like you I refused their request for me to join them. They gave me bad feelings and I had stuff to do anyhow...then they decided to attack. The underlings were easy enough to deal with just a strange puppetmaster and some kind of Geomancer. I beat them both pretty easily but...then this...this man he..."

Enca let her sentence trail off as she planted her feet on the ground, she'd rather not get into the gory details of her defeat at the hands of that man.

"A-Anyway I managed to escape after a week but not before they ran numerous rites and rituals on my body. I had no idea what their intentions were or even what the rituals were like but I DO remember having the scars and carvings from whatever unholy things they were up to. You smell of blood and battle I can tell these things. They assaulted you but not with their more powerful members...they clearly underestimated you."

Off to the side, a figure cast in shadow and sticking close to the treeline watched from out of sight as the duo conversed. Every movement, every rigid, robotic movement was stiff and calculated as the thing moved between trees and shrubbery silently listening in on the two.

"Can you see them? Can you hear them?"

"No. What are they saying?"

"They are just talking...but I can't really tell what they are saying..."

"Can you get any closer? Come one we need to record this, but if you are at your limit I don't want you to push yourself okay?"

"No no, I can do this! If I just get a little closer I can-" The womanly voice started coughing violently and drops of blood could be heard splattering from her mouth.

"Stop! Don't go that far! Just keep to the shadows and stay hidden. I'll manage."

Asa Renwyk

 

[Asa Renwyk]

The slight smile remained on Asa's face hearing the statement from the mysterious person. He was called bold but his boldness had the desired effect. They agreed to meet with him face to face. What followed was not anything he had expected. The one who had been speaking (and attacking) him was a woman. But not a normal woman, as if that was not already obvious. This woman had wings like those of a dragonfly or beetle upon her back.

When she landed she removed her hat and revealed another unique trait: feathery antlers. The slightly taller (as well as very well endowed) woman then introduced herself before extending a clawed hand towards Asa. So close to him now, he noticed further unique qualities such as her skin tone and the way her veins could be seen under her skin.

The smile on his face went from slight to rather full. His curiosity was fully peaked now. She was definitely not someone he had met the likes of before in all his years of life.

Ever the polite gentleman (his dad didn't raise him to be rude to women), Asa bowed slightly as he took her extended hand without hesitation. He drew her hand up to his lips and laid a soft kiss upon the back of her hand.

His eye looking over her clawed fingers with a true spark of deep interest, "It is a pleasure, Miss Boralaine? I must say that I am rather enamored with all your curves." A "hnng" sound followed after his mention of her curves.

His grip on her hand was loosened so she could remove her hand from his with the slightest of moments as he listened to her tale. The entire time he drank in all those wonderful features she had yet to rehide from him.

During her pause, his gaze trailed to her face. His smile had become rather ravenous by this point. Less in a way of wishing to devour her. More in a way of wishing to explore every detail of who she was leaving nothing untold. Once she finished speaking, his free hand went up to his chin and a "hmm" sound escaped his chest.

"The ones who assaulted me were not very well versed in proper magic usage. I ended two of them with the candle light spell and a third only required my saber. I would hope they had stronger members or them capturing you would have been the greatest stroke of luck in history."

He eyed her figure over very quickly once more. This time the look was the kind one would see from any doctor worth their salt examining a patient.

"If it would not be too embarrassing or indecent, mind if I have a look at these markings they placed upon your body? I happen to know much about rituals and ritualistic magic as it is one of my side projects when not focusing on my main professions. Perhaps I can decypher what they are doing or were trying to do to you."

Asa was looking at Enca's face as he waited for permission.

Enca Boralaine

 

[Enca Boralaine]

A kiss on the hand? Haven't had that happen in a while! Good to know proper manners haven't completely disappeared from the world yet.

Removing her hand, Enca smiled at Asa a gesture of politeness something she sorely needed after these past few days.

"My appearance has a habit of striking fear into the hearts of men." She smiled wider a row of yellow incisor-like teeth showing as she did. In spite of her decayed exterior the grin was warm and genuine, Asa really had made her day. "I am truly glad to see today that isn't the case."

Annnnd now he was getting weird. Don't get her wrong this surely isn't the first time someone has tried to bring a rosy glow to her cheeks but still...the way he was talking was...off. He didn't feel like a horndog in fact far from it. The way he was talking, the words he spoke with, and the speed with which blood coursed through his veins. He's acting the way Vampires do before a meal...

Is that what he is? A vampire? That would explain his preternatural qualities but not to the extent she hoped. Perhaps he's a fledgling going through the early stages of transformation. No...that isn't right either he smelled too...alive...he had the glint in his eyes that glow in his skin. He's no mortal but...Asa isn't really undead either.

"Why aren't you scandalous!? Why if my blood still flowed I'd be blushing right about now!" Enca gave him a playful wave. "Shame! Shame on you!"

"If it would not be too embarrassing or indecent, mind if I have a look at these markings they placed upon your body? I happen to know much about rituals and ritualistic magic as it is one of my side projects when not focusing on my main professions. Perhaps I can decypher what they are doing or were trying to do to you."

"Unfortunately I cannot. You see...I'm a Vampire...I can regenerate. I believe you can see where I am going with this. I can say that my strength was sapped after they had concluded...whatever they were doing. The undead are said to have unlimited stamina and while this does not apply to me I can say that my endurance FAR exceeds that of any mortal. It's entirely possible those cultists needed me for my power. It would at least explain why they didn't simply go after normal prey. "

Enca eyed over Asa his gaze less intruding than before but still examinatory.

"Besides I'm not entirely sure if I can even trust you to be...objective. But I do appreciate the offer. There is something you CAN do to assist me, however. You see I wasn't exactly sure where I was a few days prior but I can safely say it was nowhere near here. These cultists specifically came after me so if I just allow them to live...they'll simply come after me again and again. And now that you know of them the same reasonably goes for you too."

Enca broke away from Asa and began picking up her knives from off the ground clearing the dust and dirt splattered on their shiny surface.

"If you help me you'll be helping yourself...and as an added bonus...I might just let you examine all of my curves..." Enca mimicked the hnnng sound Asa made earlier smiling as she did so.

 

[Asa Renwyk]

As the voluptuous lady began to speak several things caught the doctor's attention. The first was that she claimed to be a vampire. Interesting. He did not doubt it given some of her physical features, although it made the question of her wings and antlers all the more mysterious. Her regeneration was the next. Vampires tended to have rather weak abilities to heal unless they had a source of blood to consume. A trait he contributed to being similar to his own ability to draw the magical essence out of the stuff to bolster his own natural healing or those of others.

But ultimately it was the last thing that was the more important detail. It would seem this organization or cult (it had to be a cult given how they operated) was trying to perform a particularly nasty ritual and targeting special targets for it. Her vampiric nature and regenerative powers got her on their list, and it would seem she was likely to stay on it.

Even before she requested his aid, Asa was already planning to offer it. A cult such as this was far too dangerous to let live. If they succeeded in likely summoning whatever thing they worshiped then there was going to be chaos and death in the area. And he still had business here. If they failed then it likely would lead to the same result just by chaotic energies seeping in unchecked and mutating those too heavily doused in them. Either result was unacceptable.

The doctor went about helping gather up her scalpels off the ground, dusting them off on his own clothing, and then handing them back over to her before he even considered picking up his own saber off the ground. As he did this he gave the woman a smile. His gaze had shifted a bit. Now it was a mixture of the analyzing doctor and the obsessed scholar.

Then she said her last bit followed by that hnnng sound. Not always the most emotionally expressive or invested person, it did have the effect of getting his mind on the subject of more carnal delights. The look in his eye and the smile on his face both twisted into more predatory states.

"Careful now my lovely lady. I was already planning to assist you in this matter. Offering me such a reward is sure to get me overly enthusiastic."

Asa eyed Enca up and down slowly as he took in all her curves from the tip of her antlers to to tip of her toes.

"Mmmm. A beauty like you making such an offer might make a gentleman think less innocent thoughts."

With that said, Asa picked up his saber. He dusted it off himself then slide it into its sheathe. After he held out his arm for Enca as if he was about to escort her properly to a gala or fancy establishment for a date. The smile on his face had lost most of its lustful edge and settled into in more casual state, the swell of emotions having past.

"Shall we be off to give our hosts a most vigorous greeting?"

Enca Boralaine

 

[Enca Boralaine]

Maybe she was just reading into things but it seemed like her mention of being a vampire just made Asa MORE interested in her. Sure the supernatural are interesting by definition but to romanticize her in such a manner.

That settles things...he is DEFINITELY unnatural! He could just be lustful but that combined with his other quirks makes for a very shady individual. Eh couldn't hurt to ask...

Enca smiled as she wrapped her arm around Asa tilting her body slightly to make the cut. Her touch was gentle and cautious as she did so as her golden eyes began bulging out of her head veins forming around the eye sockets. Her visual prowess heightened the woman took on the role of 'hunter' once more her eyes searching for life and her ears listening for breath other than Asa's.

"Mister Renwyk? Seeing as you got more than an eyeful of me I've been wanting to ask you something." Enca continued her sweep of the forest quickly running a double-take over a bird leaping from its nest. "What are you exactly? I know you're no mortal so don't tell me that lie." Enca moved close to Asa's ear the acidity of her breath almost as creepy as she was. "I don't like liars. So don't you dare fib."

By the time Asa had given his answer the two would be standing outside a stone fortress, run down and worn from what seemed to be a battle lost to the ages. "That's the place. We won't have to worry about the small fries they were easy enough to dispatch...it's him I'm worried about." Enca almost found herself gripping Asa's arm but stopped quickly enough.

"I wasn't able to find out the secret to any of their abilities things were moving too quickly...sorry. But what I do remember is this man showing up and suddenly I was defeated... all my limbs were destroyed somehow."

Asa Renwyk

 

[Asa Renwyk]

The lady did more than simply take his offered arm to escort her. She wrapped her arm around Asa and then leaned into him. A more intimate embrace than he had intended, but one he was happy to let continue. After his words of warning before it certainly was leading him to believe she did indeed intend to let him examine all of her curves when this was over. Those pesky carnal emotions flared up for a moment again.

The way her eyes bulged and the veins popped out did not escape his notice as the two took their stroll together. This woman was proving to be a rather endless series of fascinating quirks. If she gave him a chance to study her and get her story later on then this would shape up to be a rather good day.

But the pleasantries proved not to last. She noticed his own quirks and asked him what he was. He could have sighed. Should he try to keep his secret? By this point with her it might prove more of a hindrance to keep it a secret, but hiding it had been rather key to his survival all these centuries. The moment demons were brought up people tended to have rather extreme reactions in one direction or the other.

Asa made up his mind.

"You are correct. I am no mortal." A smile was on his face. He glanced about them as well for a brief moment before continuing on.

"What I'm about to tell you must remain a secret. You see I'm not human. Well not entirely. I'm a being that has often been referred to as a cambion. A child born of three parents. Two human and one demonic. I am certain you have no doubt picked up something sinister from me already. That would be my mother's essence. It clings to me more tightly than she does."

Now at the fortress, Enca began to inform him about the place and some vague details about this mysterious man who had captured her. The detail about the limbs had him curious and the detail about her shaky memory had him concerned. Perhaps some kind of mentalist with very powerful destructive magic? A deadly combination if true.

She had gripped his arm then stopped. He placed a reassuring hand on her arm and squeezed gently himself. An action that seemed to calm his patients, although he didn't grasp fully why. It was purely emotional and held no practical function in the healing of wounds outside of easing their nerves. But easing nerves was still important. A frustrated or anxious patient always took longer to recover.

"If you think it would help, I can perform a quick ritual and place some protective wards upon us. Given my lack of time and resources they could not withstand much, but even weak protection is better than no protection at all."

And with that Asa just smiled at Enca while waiting for her permission yet again.

Enca Boralaine

 

[Enca Boralaine]

"What I'm about to tell you must remain a secret. You see I'm not human. Well not entirely. I'm a being that has often been referred to as a cambion. A child born of three parents. Two human and one demonic. I am certain you have no doubt picked up something sinister from me already. That would be my mother's essence. It clings to me more tightly than she does."

Enca wasn't honestly sure of what she was expecting but...yeah that sounds about right. The Cambion are a sort of folklore shared amongst parents to their children as a reminder to stay away from strangers. Many a soul has been burned at the stake or drowned in a river when the hatred of the demonic overrides the value of life. Whether it's true or not merely being suspected of demonic origins is enough to have one's skull split open.

And here she was...talking to one who seems to closely guard their secret. Still, it's odd he'd so readily share this with her. Guess Enca was on to him already so there's that.

"I figured as much. No mortal could have regenerative powers like yours. Not without the assistance of magic. But YOU are different. The powers you possess are centered at the biological level...I wonder..."

Enca's tongue ran over her fangs and for the slightest moment, she could feel herself moving toward Asa his neck caught in her sight. The thought was quickly banished from her mind. The timing for this was all out of sorts.

"A Ward? Can't say I have many fond memories of wards but...I don't see why not. Just make sure you don't screw up. I've consorted with mages before and I can name more than a few times I've suffered due to their blunders."

Meanwhile at the legion of- NOPE not making the same mistake twice!

"I knew I was smart not to engage him...a Cambion? Well, that complicates things."

"Isn't this good? If he's magical then we need him."

"Not if he's coming to MURDER us! We need to report back, get yourself back inside I have to do something."

"Be safe." A dark figure slithered back into the shadows the creaking of wood and turning of gears muffled as the object scaled the side of the fortress skidding along the brick wall as it stayed close to sources of darkness keeping away from the rays of light that pierced the treeline.

"Come on...almost..." Agile the wooden figure reached an opening in the stone an opening that was quickly sealed shut with a stack of bricks.

"Close one..."

Steering clear of the duo preparing outside the fortress the blue-skinned elf rapidly made her way through the bushes focused on getting to her destination as quickly as possible. She didn't want to spare a look back lest she is overcome with fear of what might be behind her. Should the Vampire choose to pursue her it's not as if she could evade anyways.

Lying in a crater dripping in his own blood a white-robed man laid writhing in the dirt and dust. His back was demolished that much was assured but with the proper medical help...he'd be alright.

"Looks like you white robes are just as vulnerable as us red robes. I guess you didn't have an ounce of thought to complete such a mundane task now did you?"

"You're not going to help me unless I say it are you?"

"Nada."

"You're a child."

"I know have you looked at me? Now get up. We still have to deal with those two."

 

[Asa Renwyk]

A chuckle escaped Asa as Enca mentioned his regenerative prowess. She was not wrong, but perhaps the whole story would be appreciated least she overestimate his capabilities.

"My body does recover from wounds faster than humans, but I also was under the effects of magic boosting it during our misunderstanding. Certainly my body is superior to any human's corporeal form. There is further quirks to it than just the powers of recovery I possess."

As he spoke Asa didn't notice the way she was eying his exposed neck.

She gave the go ahead for him to place the wards. He smiled as he said, "Worry not. The ward shall be simple so very little chance of failure." He paused a moment as his eye drifted down towards her chest. "And I will need to place it over your heart."

Instead of starting with Enca's ward, Asa took a step away and exposed the skin of his own chest above his heart. He pulled out a charcoal pen and began to draw a magic circle. As he did he chanted under his breath. Steam began to sizzle from the markings he made until it was finished and he finished speaking. Then he took a pinch of ash and salt from his pouch and sprinkled it over the mark. It glowed for a brief moment before becoming mundane.

Then he turned towards Enca. "See? I will do the same for you now. No need to be embarrassed."

He repeated the process over her own heart. As the ward was being placed she might feel a tingle sensation like something warm was sewing itself into her skin. After it was over it would quickly cool off and leave a rather soothing sensation behind like ice being placed on a swollen ankle.

As he put his items away he said, "The ward is now in place. It will protect you from minor effects and wounds. The condition of the marking reflects the condition of the ward. It will flake away when the ward is spent. Keep an eye on it. You will not know if it is gone unless you look."

Then his attention went to the fortress. A bit of a frown crossed his face as a thought came to his mind. A cult was in there performing rituals. It was highly possible that meant the place was no longer normal.... Potential for something very dangerous for him.

"My dear would you be so kind as to do me a favor? When this is over if I will not leave this place with you then will you remove me by force? It is related to one of those quirks I mentioned before and would be a great help to me."

======================================

The bloody one in a white robe and the blue skinned elf were not alone. A raven with fresh blood around its beak was watching them. It even cawed as they spoke with each other. It even made what sounded like a laugh at one point.

After the mention of the bloody one getting up, the bird flew down. It landed on him and began to peak at him. To the elf it would just seem like a bird trying to take advantage of the situation. To the bloody man he could feel it trying to pull his soul out of his body with each and every peak.

Enca Boralaine

 

[Enca Boralaine]

He paused a moment as his eye drifted down towards her chest. "And I will need to place it over your heart."

"This had better work then. I guard my heart rather closely..." Enca stood quietly as the rune was marked on her flesh the warm sensation that followed a rarity she saw in Wards. Normally her encounters with wards were with ones designed to keep her kind out. Rarely does someone erect a ward to protect the undead.

"My dear would you be so kind as to do me a favor? When this is over if I will not leave this place with you then will you remove me by force? It is related to one of those quirks I mentioned before and would be a great help to me."

Enca raised an eyebrow at this. By no means did she doubt his word but that wouldn't stop her from at least questioning this.

"Oh really? Just how far would I need to go? I won't have to hurt that handsome face of yours, will I?" Enca opened the door to the fortress a massive well of stairs leading to what appeared to be the top of the tower. "Don't you worry about a thing! I'm sure I'd have no trouble throwing you over my shoulder and carrying you outside." Enca gripped the metal railing and began her ascent up the stairwell a row of emerald torches decorating the way up. The walls were made of grey bricks laced with moss and each step of the stairwell was chaffed and decaying.

The tower smelled of mold and must and dust could be seen floating around in the dim limelight. "Spooky isn't it? Sort of weird though...it's just that I swore I...I swore this wasn't here when I left. Maybe I came out of a different exit? Who knows?"

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

"GET OFF OF ME YOU STUPID BIRD!!" The white-robed man frantically swatted at the beast pecking at his shoulder taking bits of his sanity with each and every bite.

"It's not that serious. You should be happy that you found something that likes you for a change!"

"THIS is no bird! I don't know how but I feel like my life is being ripped out of my body and I've had ENOUGH!!" The man rose from his defeated position and began a boxing match with the raven...one he was sorely losing. Evidently, years of reading and smugness didn't account for martial might.

"This is just...sad...You can't even beat a bird!! Just make yourself impermeable and-AUUGH!" The drow woman found her eyes watering as a searing pain slinked up her wrist like fire being stitched into her body.

"Oh no..." Grabbing her wrist and choking back a flow of tears the Dark elf rolled up her sleeve and felt her heart sink at the serpent-like tattoos slithering up her arm in an infectious manner.

"Zar'haina you better not be...no she wouldn't!! No...that's a lie she definitely would."

The mage turned toward her superior and simply sighed at the sight of him on the ground his arms and knees tucked in as the Raven made an attempt to gouge his eyes out. "They've gone inside the tower we NEED to strike. My powers are active already and my trap has ensnared them but we need to finish them off before..."

"Before Zar'haina kicks the bucket I get it!" The cultist wiggled his hand for the drow to take it. "Alright, let's go! I'd like to leave this century." The touching of hands brought on a wave of magic that washed over the duo turning their bodies into a green sparkling mist that traveled in the wind and deprived a poor raven of its feast.

 

[Asa Renwyk]

The wards were placed and didn't care if the ones they were placed on were alive or undead. Their hearts beat (kind of) and so they would shield that life to the best of their minor abilities.

Asa smiled to Enca as she made her comment about his handsome face. A bit of playful teasing never hurt anyone, and it had been far too long since he could have any conversations with another being that wasn't his mother. So it was a refreshing moment.

"A quick, strong strike to the back of my head or any other method to incapacitate me should be fine. You are aware of how quickly I can recover and I don't know how much I will struggle. Better to just take that choice away from me."

The door was opened and what greeted them was rather odd. A staircase in the entrance of a fortress. The doctor was rather familiar with the insides of all manner of buildings and had seen a diverse number of forts. None of them had a staircase built so close to the entrance. Generally they kept either a wide open space to corral their invaders or a narrow path to bottleneck their numbers into a more manageable size. This was neither. It already began to make him cautious, but there was no obvious danger so he pressed on with his curvy companion further inside.

He paid as close of attention to things as they climbed, but nothing was sticking out to him. Perhaps the odd design was part of the reason the fort had been originally abandoned? He was going to ask some questions from Enca, but was stopped when their feet touched what should have been the top of the stairs but wasn't. A tug from his mark made him stop. He opened up his layers and looked down. A faint glow was coming from it. A slight frown came from him.

"Enca my dear, may I have a look at your ward please?"

He hoped the same was not happening to her own. If so it was a warning of some form of mental magic, such as an illusion, was being performed upon them. That was the best protection the ward could offer from such magics: a simple warning.

================================================

The raven was upset when its prey flew away and escaped it. A more ravenous, tenacious hunter might have followed. But it was neither. It still had corpses to enjoy and so went back to them.

But the damage had already been done to the bloody man. Pieces of his soul had been plucked out and what remained was no longer whole. Perhaps it would even begin to fray or tear apart? The raven didn't know and didn't care. It depended on how strong willed the man was and how aware of his own true self he was. If he was strong in both then he would be fine, but if he wasn't then madness would be greeting him in the near future.

Enca Boralaine

 

[Enca Boralaine]

He opened up his layers and looked down. A faint glow was coming from it. A slight frown came from him.

"Enca my dear, may I have a look at your ward please?"

Peeling back her top Enca had a look at the ward a dull green glow burning at its edges. "It's the same with me...are we in danger? This means we're in danger right?" She knew something was up with those stairs! And now because she had refused to trust her instincts the duo were in danger. "Shit! Should have guessed something like this would happen...stay on guard! We may be-"

Suddenly Enca broke out in a cold sweat and the veins on her body began swelling as blood needed to serve the muscles as quickly as possible. The hair's on Enca's left side all flared up and her ears twitched as a faint whistling sound kissed her ears. Danger.

Instinctively the Vampire's hand went in front of Asa as the sound grew closer and something could be heard...reeling? SPLOOSH!! Blood erupted from Enca's open palm a metal object stuck in her now cut hand. A thin metal string followed behind the assailing object. It vibrated and moved with whatever had shot it and its original point seemed to be about two flights upward.

"Whatever this thing is...it's clinging to the wall up there." Enca took a closer examination at the object impaling her hand and found herself perplexed at what it was. It was curved and sharp and every time Enca moved to free her hand she found it caught even further on..."Is this a fishing hook?"

From out the darkness, three more lines came this time aiming for Asa. "I've got this!" The woman's free hand managed to catch another one of the hooks but the other two lines stayed on course still pursuing Asa. The lines began wrapping around the Vampire's palms as whatever shot them started moving around the 'staircase' apparently getting a better vantage point.

"Damned thing is strong...Come on!" Enca wrapped her fingers around the lines and gave them a tug careful not to break them opting to instead hold her enemy in place. "It's getting hot in here...ASA! Do something about this thing I'm holding it down!"

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

Gingerly the Drow Woman applied bandages to her superiors back his complaints for her to be gentler falling silent on her pointed ears. The bleeding wasn't anything serious but his spine was definitely broken...it's a miracle he can even think straight.

"Okay I've closed your wounds for the most part, but if you move too much they'll reopen." The cultist made an attempt to stand up but found his drow companion forcing him back down. "Did you hear what I just told you? REST. You shouldn't be in any hurry to get your ass handed to you again anyhow."

The man began scratching at his peck wounds a sort of hollowness to them that he didn't understand. He felt...empty, like not just his body was injured but his soul and mind were damaged as well.

"Estel. Can you...hit me with the restoration again? I don't think you covered everything...I feel...broken...but new..."

"Oh, I didn't know you were leaking spinal fluid too! Sit down. Your delusional-" The pain in Estel's wrist flared up and with it the onyx tree from before. "ZAR'HAINA!!" Estel charged out of the room and began storming down the stone hallway emerald light leading her to the source of her fury. "You had BETTER not be fighting!"