NationStates Jolt Archive

Stephen decided he didn't have a choice.
"She bites me, her head is coming off." Stephen said. He reached in one of his pockets and pulled out a sliver case.
"What's that?" Clarke asked.
"This is a shiny thing, and I love it." Stephen unwraped the medical kit. Stephen pulled out a small glass and looked at the burns. Small first degree. Nothing this can't handle. Stephen pulled out a small vial and a cloth and put some of the clear liquid on it and smeared it on the burn mark he made. She stiffened.
"I said help her!" Alexander said.
"I am, it stings a little bit but it is like a cast to a broken leg. It kills the germs then begins to harden thus protects it the burned area and slowly heals it."
"How long?" Alexander asked.
"Day or two. No missy be nice or I'm not going to help." The vampire tried to move her head to him but Clarke pushed it back down. Stephen took his glass and looked down. "Three holes, no important things hit. Just the meat. A stich or two and some of this sealer and she'll be fine."
Stephen pulled out a needle and thread and carefully stiched each scar then put some of the sealent on.
"I can't tell the exact time it will repair for you undead, but in a normal human it takes about a week." Stephen stood up and packed up his gear. "Just who are you anyway?"
"That does not matter. Get yourself a weapon." Alexander said.

Whiptail approached, still bearing his katana and forty-five. His unsettling golden eyes narrow as he sees the humans begin to heal the vampire.

"Do not waste medical aid on this beast. Interrogate, kill, and leave the body for her fellows. It will send a clear message that we are not to be taken lightly."

Whiptail says in a curt fashion, disgusted by the actions of the human hunters. To him, vampires where naught but deer, something that, if winged, was simply shot again for good measure. Stepping forward, he rips the insignia from her shirt, then drags it through a small puddle of vampiric blood mixed with a bit of liquid silver from the leader's head.

"If you insist on letting her live, send her with this emblem as a courier."


Aexander quickly whipped out his desert eagles and pointed both at Whiptail.

"Beast? This is coming from a walking, talking Lizard?

"Don't patronize us, Argonian, and do not presume to undermine my authority. I believe that I am still the one with all of the information.
on the VRO..."

Alexander ignored the hunters and their weapons.

"Go ahead and send her back to the VRO. Just... don't... touch her again..."

It was at this moment Stephen noticed Whiptail. And at the moment Alexander had pistol at his head. Aw hell.
"Hey! Calm down! Are we going to shoot each other while we're suppose to be shooting vampires? Are we? Lets stop acting like children and act like adults. And I still want to know who you are Alexander."
"That is not important." Alexander said.
"To me it is, who gives you authority around here? Who lets you tell me to save someone who could just turn around and kill me? Tell me right now or I'll shove a scalpel up your ass." Alexander moved in a blur and held Stephen three feet off the ground by his neck.
"You don't know anything about us. So you take orders from me or anyone else. Just do what your told and you might just live."
"Us?" Stephen gasped out. Alexander showed his teeth. Stephen thrashed violently and kicked but Alexander held his grip.
"Okay?" Alexander said.
"Okay." Alexander dropped Stephen onto the ground. Stephen looked at Khan who had his rifle lowered.
"You could have shot him any time you know. Save me a lot of hurt."

Xyorph watched as Skadi and Maximus left the room. Sleep, yes that was a good idea. The Vampires around him were walking off to their own nesting places. He bowed to the Golems and returned them to their place of summoning. After waiting for the room to drain, Xyorph left. They knew how to find him if they wanted.

Outside the sun was just rising over the impressive skyline of the city. Pausing for a moment to savour the delicacy of the morning, Xyorph smoothly changed into his phoenix form. In two beats of his powerful wings he was up in the air and soaring across the city. It took mere moments to find the hotel where he had booked a room. He had considered going out and looking for any vampire hunters around, but decided there was something else he would rather do.

He landed softly on the balcony of his hotel room, and nudged the door open. It was just as he had left it; undisturbed. Good. He didnt want anyone rumaging around. This hotel room was probably the most secure place on the planet. Xyorph's chosen place of residence often was. No being other than him could enter.

He closed all the windows and drew the thick red curtains. Switching on the lamp by the side of the bed, Xyorph walked over and pulled a large crystal model of a pentagram with crosses emerging from it out of the draw. He placed it on the bed, and pushed his hand down onto it.

The room went suddenly cold, and a white outline appeared next to Xyorph. The figure slowly gathered shape, and revealed itself to be a young women. She turned towards Xyorph with a smile on her face.

"Hello my Love".

Stephen decided he didn't have a choice.
"She bites me, her head is coming off." Stephen said. He reached in one of his pockets and pulled out a sliver case.
"What's that?" Clarke asked.
"This is a shiny thing, and I love it." Stephen unwraped the medical kit. Stephen pulled out a small glass and looked at the burns. Small first degree. Nothing this can't handle. Stephen pulled out a small vial and a cloth and put some of the clear liquid on it and smeared it on the burn mark he made. She stiffened.
"I said help her!" Alexander said.
"I am, it stings a little bit but it is like a cast to a broken leg. It kills the germs then begins to harden thus protects it the burned area and slowly heals it."
"How long?" Alexander asked.
"Day or two. No missy be nice or I'm not going to help." The vampire tried to move her head to him but Clarke pushed it back down. Stephen took his glass and looked down. "Three holes, no important things hit. Just the meat. A stich or two and some of this sealer and she'll be fine."
Stephen pulled out a needle and thread and carefully stiched each scar then put some of the sealent on.
"I can't tell the exact time it will repair for you undead, but in a normal human it takes about a week." Stephen stood up and packed up his gear. "Just who are you anyway?"
"That does not matter. Get yourself a weapon." Alexander said.

Whiptail approached, still bearing his katana and forty-five. His unsettling golden eyes narrow as he sees the humans begin to heal the vampire.

"Do not waste medical aid on this beast. Interrogate, kill, and leave the body for her fellows. It will send a clear message that we are not to be taken lightly."

Whiptail says in a curt fashion, disgusted by the actions of the human hunters. To him, vampires where naught but deer, something that, if winged, was simply shot again for good measure. Stepping forward, he rips the insignia from her shirt, then drags it through a small puddle of vampiric blood mixed with a bit of liquid silver from the leader's head.

"If you insist on letting her live, send her with this emblem as a courier."


Aexander quickly whipped out his desert eagles and pointed both at Whiptail.

"Beast? This is coming from a walking, talking Lizard?

"Don't patronize us, Argonian, and do not presume to undermine my authority. I believe that I am still the one with all of the information.
on the VRO..."

Alexander ignored the hunters and their weapons.

"Go ahead and send her back to the VRO. Just... don't... touch her again..."

It was at this moment Stephen noticed Whiptail. And at the moment Alexander had pistol at his head. Aw hell.
"Hey! Calm down! Are we going to shoot each other while we're suppose to be shooting vampires? Are we? Lets stop acting like children and act like adults. And I still want to know who you are Alexander."
"That is not important." Alexander said.
"To me it is, who gives you authority around here? Who lets you tell me to save someone who could just turn around and kill me? Tell me right now or I'll shove a scalpel up your ass." Alexander moved in a blur and held Stephen three feet off the ground by his neck.
"You don't know anything about us. So you take orders from me or anyone else. Just do what your told and you might just live."
"Us?" Stephen gasped out. Alexander showed his teeth. Stephen thrashed violently and kicked but Alexander held his grip.
"Okay?" Alexander said.
"Okay." Alexander dropped Stephen onto the ground. Stephen looked at Khan who had his rifle lowered.
"You could have shot him any time you know. Save me a lot of hurt."

Zakli growled as he stepped forth, his crossbow cocked with two silver spikes and ready to fire. Walking towards the vampire, Zakli unsheathed his blue-obsidian sword and held it in front of him.

"Begone, evil one, whilst I still permit you to live. Your time will come, soon enough... Begone!!!"

(OOC: Tarlachia, you have control over my character for now, since my time on the internet has been slightly curtailed due to the failure of my isp...)

Stephen decided he didn't have a choice.
"She bites me, her head is coming off." Stephen said. He reached in one of his pockets and pulled out a sliver case.
"What's that?" Clarke asked.
"This is a shiny thing, and I love it." Stephen unwraped the medical kit. Stephen pulled out a small glass and looked at the burns. Small first degree. Nothing this can't handle. Stephen pulled out a small vial and a cloth and put some of the clear liquid on it and smeared it on the burn mark he made. She stiffened.
"I said help her!" Alexander said.
"I am, it stings a little bit but it is like a cast to a broken leg. It kills the germs then begins to harden thus protects it the burned area and slowly heals it."
"How long?" Alexander asked.
"Day or two. No missy be nice or I'm not going to help." The vampire tried to move her head to him but Clarke pushed it back down. Stephen took his glass and looked down. "Three holes, no important things hit. Just the meat. A stich or two and some of this sealer and she'll be fine."
Stephen pulled out a needle and thread and carefully stiched each scar then put some of the sealent on.
"I can't tell the exact time it will repair for you undead, but in a normal human it takes about a week." Stephen stood up and packed up his gear. "Just who are you anyway?"
"That does not matter. Get yourself a weapon." Alexander said.

Whiptail approached, still bearing his katana and forty-five. His unsettling golden eyes narrow as he sees the humans begin to heal the vampire.

"Do not waste medical aid on this beast. Interrogate, kill, and leave the body for her fellows. It will send a clear message that we are not to be taken lightly."

Whiptail says in a curt fashion, disgusted by the actions of the human hunters. To him, vampires where naught but deer, something that, if winged, was simply shot again for good measure. Stepping forward, he rips the insignia from her shirt, then drags it through a small puddle of vampiric blood mixed with a bit of liquid silver from the leader's head.

"If you insist on letting her live, send her with this emblem as a courier."


Aexander quickly whipped out his desert eagles and pointed both at Whiptail.

"Beast? This is coming from a walking, talking Lizard?

"Don't patronize us, Argonian, and do not presume to undermine my authority. I believe that I am still the one with all of the information.
on the VRO..."

Alexander ignored the hunters and their weapons.

"Go ahead and send her back to the VRO. Just... don't... touch her again..."

It was at this moment Stephen noticed Whiptail. And at the moment Alexander had pistol at his head. Aw hell.
"Hey! Calm down! Are we going to shoot each other while we're suppose to be shooting vampires? Are we? Lets stop acting like children and act like adults. And I still want to know who you are Alexander."
"That is not important." Alexander said.
"To me it is, who gives you authority around here? Who lets you tell me to save someone who could just turn around and kill me? Tell me right now or I'll shove a scalpel up your ass." Alexander moved in a blur and held Stephen three feet off the ground by his neck.
"You don't know anything about us. So you take orders from me or anyone else. Just do what your told and you might just live."
"Us?" Stephen gasped out. Alexander showed his teeth. Stephen thrashed violently and kicked but Alexander held his grip.
"Okay?" Alexander said.
"Okay." Alexander dropped Stephen onto the ground. Stephen looked at Khan who had his rifle lowered.
"You could have shot him any time you know. Save me a lot of hurt."

Zakli growled as he stepped forth, his crossbow cocked with two silver spikes and ready to fire. Walking towards the vampire, Zakli unsheathed his blue-obsidian sword and held it in front of him.

"Begone, evil one, whilst I still permit you to live. Your time will come, soon enough... Begone!!!"

Alexander looked over at Zakli, and slowly but surely retracted his fangs, bowing slightly from the waist.

"Forgive me... I am a bit irrational tonight.

"However, I believe that you need me as much as I need you. Please lower your bow, and we may talk."

"Who are you. Answer now or our discussion is over." replied Zakli, crossbow still raised.

Alexander glanced over at Daniel, who shrugged and stepped forward, placing a hand on Zakli's bow.

"His name is Alexander Kelsing, of the guild Hyraphore back in Valient. trust me, if he wanted to hurt any of us, he would have moved by now.

"He is not one to hesitate..."

Alexander laughed. "You know me too well Agent Able. It has been too long since we have..."

"Shut Up!" cried Stephen, still rubbing his throat. "What are you offering us?"

"Simple. I am... in need of some well-trained hunters who have the capibilities of taking down some... of my brethren."

"This Maximus?" said Whiptail, "What is your grudge with him?"

Alexander turned and hissed. "Quiet, Argonian. That is my perogative and ones which you not need know.

"Now the first of the VRO officers we need to visit is one named Kain Irenicus. Has any of you heard of him?"

He has a definate point. I propose something. Indeed, the fight would be long and hard if you where to fight. So, fight on our terms. The dmeon whispered into Kain's mind.

Kain agreed to it.

Kain, knowing what to do, began to talk, still in a casual way.

"You do indeed have some interesting points. Your intellegence is rather impressive, your skills in magic are obviously powerful....indeed more powerful than I have seen in a long while. I would see it rather pointless for both of us to fight when the motives may be rather....irrational? I admit, you may indeed better me...but you not better him. My body may die, but the demon blade would cause great damage to you, forcing you to recover which by that time, my own minions of magic would be upon you. It would....be rather pointless for us to both. So, I ask of you this. Why did you attack me, for what purpose? I wish to understand what you hoped in achieving in this act." Kain asked, still maintaining his position, although the Brightblade was by his side.

"-- So, I ask of you this. Why did you attack me, for what purpose? I wish to understand what you hoped in achieving in this act." Kain asked, still maintaining his position, although the Brightblade was by his side.

"But I did not. I only attacked the beasts outside this mansion. Maybe I would have leeched their information, and left for the other place, to their so called head quarters. But then *you* attacked me. You brought me here. And now... Things are different. You made a horrible mistake."

He lowered his sword, and his eyes now glow black, once again.

"And about your minions... They would not stand a chance against the children of the Lord of the Underworld. I would be forced into the Underworld and you would die. As would the one who lives in your blade. The only way left to stop this from happening is for you to surrender the control of the magic in this mansion to me completely. I could then shut the portal to the Underworld. But there is a catch: You would lose control of this place permanently, and I would be its new lord and master. And I cannot promise what would happen afterwards. But I think is better than the alternative."

"This is a lose-lose situation for you, but you must choose. Quickly."

"I defended what was mine! Those vampires where under my orders and my responcibility! You expect me not to look after those who I have responcibility for? Why did you attack them?" Kain asked, getting mroe frustrated by this situation.

"-- You expect me not to look after those who I have responcibility for? Why did you attack them?" Kain asked, getting mroe frustrated by this situation.

"Yes, yes, of course they were, but they still are of minor importance in this situation. If you truly need to know why, I will tell you this: I had no other choice."

He points at one of the crystallic walls. There were visible purple dots in it. They seemed to be growing slowly.

"See? It is starting to turn purple already. Do you know what that means? If you do not, let me tell you. It means that the end is near. Soon the choice has been made for you."

Stephen stood stunned at what Daniel had said. He knows this prick? Why isn't he doing this work himself? What is his motive?
"Naturally I never heard of him." Stephen said. "But a few things I need to know. Who he is, where he is, quality of men, weapons, possiblity of techinicals, lay of the land...."
"I'll tell you everything you need to know later." Alexander said.
"Then if we are going to be briefed I suggest we move before anyone looks down this alley."
"You actually have brains." Alexander said.
"If we're going to assault his place I need an assault rifle or a sub gun."
"Wait, you said you were only going to be a medic." Daniel said.
"When I was on the the front lines I doubled as an M203 gunner. Most enemies gladly target unarmed men, since thier mostly medics. So I carried a heavy weapon."
"Your not a surgeon?" Whiptail said.
"No, I'm the guy up on the front getting the wounded stable till they get evaced out of the hot zone. I can do mild surery. None of the big stuff though. At any rate vampires don't seem to distinguish between medics and grunts so I need a firearm besides my machete."
Daniel smilied. "So you finally belive?"
"Zakli hand me a spike." Stephen put it aganist his skin. "Nothing, but against her it's like acid."
Everyone smilied broadly.
"We'll get you a firearm after I tell you wait you need to know." Alexander said.

OOC: ??? Taking control of another's character is bad etiquette.
It is not wise to aim weaponry at him in close quarters, especially when one or both blades are drawn. You must also consider his tail, which his uses like a third arm.

Whiptail's eyes flared a bright red. Anger welled up within his mind, and he gripped his weaponry tighter.

"Watch your tongue, softskin, or watch it fall from your skull. Beast indeed. I have hunted these creatures for much longer than you have been alive..."

He turns to Alexander.

"Lower your weapons or I will kill you where you stand... That goes for you as well..."

The man with the pistols aimed at Whiptail's head should take heed of his tail, his namesake is tipped with a small silver barb. Whiptail's eyes narrow.

"Undermine YOUR authority? I bear allegiance to none, especially not a softskin like yourself. I recognize no authoritative power in you, or any of your cohorts. This is typical of softskins, when another offers help, they attack the helper despite his assistance. Had I known I would have weapons pointed at me as I approached, I would have mown each of you down where you stand..."

Whiptail's voice is now more of a growl at this point, his the blood hunger was beginning to burn in his veins, once this condition set in, Whiptai would fly into a maddened frenzy, unphazed by injury.

"I known this Kain you speak of. By himself, he is weak and pitiful, unworthy of hunting. His pet sword endows him with powers of great magic, and together they are formidable... I will offer my servies one last time, but if so much as a stray round flies in my direction, I will drink from the skull of he who fires it..."

OOC: Again, don't rile the creature. Anger fuels his blood-hunger, which in turn fuels his anger. Once the madness from the blood-hunger takes him, he will slaughter those around him reguardless of alliances or relation. He will remain like this for several mintues. He is a proud individual, and easy to offend. He is also a mighty warrior. This is a dangerous combination. As the saying goes: Taunt not the wild lion, for there are no bars to contain him. In other words, don't screw with him, unless dismemberment is your objective.

OOC: ??? Taking control of another's character is bad etiquette.
It is not wise to aim weaponry at him in close quarters, especially when one or both blades are drawn. You must also consider his tail, which his uses like a third arm.

Whiptail's eyes flared a bright red. Anger welled up within his mind, and he gripped his weaponry tighter.

"Watch your tongue, softskin, or watch it fall from your skull. Beast indeed. I have hunted these creatures for much longer than you have been alive..."

He turns to Alexander.

"Lower your weapons or I will kill you where you stand... That goes for you as well..."

The man with the pistols aimed at Whiptail's head should take heed of his tail, his namesake is tipped with a small silver barb. Whiptail's eyes narrow.

"Undermine YOUR authority? I bear allegiance to none, especially not a softskin like yourself. I recognize no authoritative power in you, or any of your cohorts. This is typical of softskins, when another offers help, they attack the helper despite his assistance. Had I known I would have weapons pointed at me as I approached, I would have mown each of you down where you stand..."

Whiptail's voice is now more of a growl at this point, his the blood hunger was beginning to burn in his veins, once this condition set in, Whiptai would fly into a maddened frenzy, unphazed by injury.

"I known this Kain you speak of. By himself, he is weak and pitiful, unworthy of hunting. His pet sword endows him with powers of great magic, and together they are formidable... I will offer my servies one last time, but if so much as a stray round flies in my direction, I will drink from the skull of he who fires it..."

OOC: Again, don't rile the creature. Anger fuels his blood-hunger, which in turn fuels his anger. Once the madness from the blood-hunger takes him, he will slaughter those around him reguardless of alliances or relation. He will remain like this for several mintues. He is a proud individual, and easy to offend. He is also a mighty warrior. This is a dangerous combination. As the saying goes: Taunt not the wild lion, for there are no bars to contain him. In other words, don't screw with him, unless dismemberment is your objective.

OOC: ??? Taking control of another's character is bad etiquette.
It is not wise to aim weaponry at him in close quarters, especially when one or both blades are drawn. You must also consider his tail, which his uses like a third arm.

Whiptail's eyes flared a bright red. Anger welled up within his mind, and he gripped his weaponry tighter.

"Watch your tongue, softskin, or watch it fall from your skull. Beast indeed. I have hunted these creatures for much longer than you have been alive..."

He turns to Alexander.

"Lower your weapons or I will kill you where you stand... That goes for you as well..."

The man with the pistols aimed at Whiptail's head should take heed of his tail, his namesake is tipped with a small silver barb. Whiptail's eyes narrow.

"Undermine YOUR authority? I bear allegiance to none, especially not a softskin like yourself. I recognize no authoritative power in you, or any of your cohorts. This is typical of softskins, when another offers help, they attack the helper despite his assistance. Had I known I would have weapons pointed at me as I approached, I would have mown each of you down where you stand..."

Whiptail's voice is now more of a growl at this point, his the blood hunger was beginning to burn in his veins, once this condition set in, Whiptai would fly into a maddened frenzy, unphazed by injury.

"I known this Kain you speak of. By himself, he is weak and pitiful, unworthy of hunting. His pet sword endows him with powers of great magic, and together they are formidable... I will offer my servies one last time, but if so much as a stray round flies in my direction, I will drink from the skull of he who fires it..."

OOC: Again, don't rile the creature. Anger fuels his blood-hunger, which in turn fuels his anger. Once the madness from the blood-hunger takes him, he will slaughter those around him reguardless of alliances or relation. He will remain like this for several mintues. He is a proud individual, and easy to offend. He is also a mighty warrior. This is a dangerous combination. As the saying goes: Taunt not the wild lion, for there are no bars to contain him. In other words, don't screw with him, unless dismemberment is your objective.

OOC: ??? Taking control of another's character is bad etiquette.
It is not wise to aim weaponry at him in close quarters, especially when one or both blades are drawn. You must also consider his tail, which his uses like a third arm.

Whiptail's eyes flared a bright red. Anger welled up within his mind, and he gripped his weaponry tighter.

"Watch your tongue, softskin, or watch it fall from your skull. Beast indeed. I have hunted these creatures for much longer than you have been alive..."

He turns to Alexander.

"Lower your weapons or I will kill you where you stand... That goes for you as well..."

The man with the pistols aimed at Whiptail's head should take heed of his tail, his namesake is tipped with a small silver barb. Whiptail's eyes narrow.

"Undermine YOUR authority? I bear allegiance to none, especially not a softskin like yourself. I recognize no authoritative power in you, or any of your cohorts. This is typical of softskins, when another offers help, they attack the helper despite his assistance. Had I known I would have weapons pointed at me as I approached, I would have mown each of you down where you stand..."

Whiptail's voice is now more of a growl at this point, his the blood hunger was beginning to burn in his veins, once this condition set in, Whiptai would fly into a maddened frenzy, unphazed by injury.

"I known this Kain you speak of. By himself, he is weak and pitiful, unworthy of hunting. His pet sword endows him with powers of great magic, and together they are formidable... I will offer my servies one last time, but if so much as a stray round flies in my direction, I will drink from the skull of he who fires it..."

OOC: Again, don't rile the creature. Anger fuels his blood-hunger, which in turn fuels his anger. Once the madness from the blood-hunger takes him, he will slaughter those around him reguardless of alliances or relation. He will remain like this for several mintues. He is a proud individual, and easy to offend. He is also a mighty warrior. This is a dangerous combination. As the saying goes: Taunt not the wild lion, for there are no bars to contain him. In other words, don't screw with him, unless dismemberment is your objective.


OOC: Sorry, WA. The only reason why I started RPing Whiptail was to keep you up with us. The rest of us have an unspoken agreement that allows us to RP each others characters, if just to make the conversations more real. We do it as long as it stays within character of that character.

IC:

Alexander stood and glared at Whiptail for a brief moment. Then he put down his hands. He smiled and tried to calm the visibly enraged Argonian.

"Alright... we play this your way, Argonian. I still say that we go pay a visit to Kain... I know he has the connections to the right people in the VRO. However, if you have a plan, please let us know.

"This will only work out if we all work together Argonian. I need your strength and knowledge of who we are hunting. Are you with us?"

Alexander then turned to Stephen and tossed him one of his desert eagles.

"Under the circumstances, Stephen, this is all I can offer you. I will see what I do about that assualt rifle later."

OOC: ok, hunters, Kain and company, let's try to wrap the first night up here, so we can get moving to bigger and better things! hehe! :wink:

"Yes, yes, of course they were, but they still are of minor importance in this situation. If you truly need to know why, I will tell you this: I had no other choice."

He points at one of the crystallic walls. There were visible purple dots in it. They seemed to be growing slowly.

"See? It is starting to turn purple already. Do you know what that means? If you do not, let me tell you. It means that the end is near. Soon the choice has been made for you."

"No other choice? How do you mean? If what you say is true, I am already condemned. Stay your hand, indulge me in my questions." Kain asked.

The women next to Xyorph was slowly developing more colour. She had long brown hair and piercing blue eyes. She wore a purple bustier and a long lavender skirt.

"Why have you summoned me Xyorph? You must stop doing this to yourself".

"I wanted to see you" the old sorcerer replied. "And to tell you this; i am close to having revenge."

"But you have had revenge. You killed those who killed me. And the magician that tricked them; you said you buried him alive underneath mount Everest. What more revenge do you want?"

"I mean revenge on the species. This pathetic beings that call themselves humans. The glorified apes who reckon they are the diominating beings on the planet. I have become part of a unit with the purpose of ripping power from them and setting up our own land. We will have somewhere to call home."

"Why are you persuing a blood lust?" the women cried. Standing up from the bed and marching up and down the room. "Freedom is one thing, bloodlust is another. Do not forget you were once just a glorified ape."

Xyorph looked hurt. "I know. But finally people like us can have freedom."

"You forget," she said, sitting down again. "I am no longer human. No longer people." She sighed and stroked the side of his face. "You have my love and support as you always do. Persue freedom for our kind. But do not unleash the animal within you. Not unless it is really needed."

She kissed his cheek as well as it is possible for a ghost to, sending a shiver down Xyorph's back. "Sleep well my love." And she was gone.

Xyorph was left alone in the room. He could sleep. But why take up a bad habit again. Instead Xyorph left the room, and flew out over the city.

Often the best thing to do in this circumstance was to get drunk.

"No other choice? How do you mean? If what you say is true, I am already condemned. Stay your hand, indulge me in my questions." Kain asked.

"No, you are not. There is still time. I can stop the process, but as I said, I need control. Complete control. But I will try to quench your unhealthy curiosity. I was lied to, in my former, human life. Equality, they said. The process is fast, you won't even see the Underworld, they said. Both were lies. I still remember this, if not many other things. They made many promises. All were broken. But let me say this: There was no equality after my 'rebirth', and time does not work quite the same there as it does here, at least for the ones being punished more harshly..."

He felt the oppressive presence close in as the mansion was turning into a unholy portal.

"Quickly, there isn't much time. Unless you wish to die, surrender this place to me!"

Kain thought about it. He simply turned around and walked up. He got out of the basement....

He snapped his fingers.

"I am afraid not." Kain said simply, as he snapped his talons.

The cystals.....the cystals began moving! They where shrinking! Crumbling under Kain's control! The crimson and diseased cystals rapidly were shrinking, and with it.....mana. The golem began to disintergrate within those walls of cystals, becominging useless glass to which only Kain could reform. The technique was rarely known, and under these conditions, could not be done again for a long time....it needed time to settle again....to settle the balance...

The portal began to flicker, it's stability was going, the power source was too little, and the basement gave a rumble. Without the power of the crystals, the walls could not be held up by nothing!

Kain, as this event occoured, spoke a word and the door to the basement came again, stronger than before. He kept his two palms upon it, speaking words of magic to rre-inforce it, make it stronger than it was before. Kain put all of his being into this spell, the continous casting of it...

There were only precious seconds to make a descision.....without the cystals, the basement would crush him....without the crystals, the portal could not be maintained! And the door could not be possibly opened in that short a time, sure it could be done, but not within those short seconds, with Kain providing additional magic towards the door.

(OOC The crystals will collapse, but of course, you a undergroiund so you could blow your way out. Make a tunnel out or something before you are crushed. You cannot make the crystals again, Kain will have to wait another week or more to be able to do that.)

But then happened something Kain could not predict. Gravechill had known it would happen all along. All he still controlled had crumbled, yes, but the tainted crystals regenerated, sustained by the dark energies of the Underworld. It became horribly obvious that Kain had no true control over them.

A winged figure formed before Kain. It was grinning at him, its eyes burning with an unholy black light. It looked like the Devil himself, but it was... Purple. If Gravechill reeked of death, this one carried an overpowering stench of it. Almost as if his mere presence could bring the dead back to the lands of the living.

"You cannot stop us."

He extended his arm, and restrained Kain magically.

"You will not leave this place alive..."

Gravechill had tried to make Kain give the power of the mansion to him freely, he had failed. But he could have taken control forcibly. Kain's actions had only made the process faster, but luckily, only one of the Princes of Death had been able to slip through yet. It wasn't his time to return to the Underworld quite yet... Not yet... Not like this... Not before he has exacted his vengeance.

He whispered a chant in an ancient language, and the purple color in the crystals started to dissolve. Soon the portal was shut. He casted a spell and the door crumbled. He walked out of the basement with the wights he had summoned.

"Do you not know who I am, Gravechill?! Open the portal! Now!"

"No. You are weak right now. I cannot let you live. Or you will grow stronger."

"Curse you, Gravechill! You will pay for your insolence!" the beast growled, but it was true. It had to use all of its powers to restrain Kain, who was closer to him.

Gravechill extended his arm and pointed his bony finger at the Prince, chanted a few incoherent words and its body was turned into dust. He knew a severe punishment would wait him when he returns, but it did not matter to him.

"You made the wrong choice, Kain."

Kain coughed, wodering what had ococured here. Obviously, something remarkable and the shattering of an alliance between the two. Kain had gazed into that beast's eyes and saw the same look that Rave had....well, not nearly as terrible. He recalled the sythe she carried.

Kain was dropped by that cumbling hand, and Kain spoke a word as he did. Kain faded into fog.....he had been given the oppertunity to escape...but Kain was not willing on giving up so easily....

---

Upstairs, Kain appeared. It was a remarkable feat that kain had done, but it had costed him. He retched and coughed up blood for some reason, Kain was irrated by it. He was within his private study. It was half-finished, but it held all that Kain needed. The door was bound, the floors only allowed him into it. It would take long days of trying to break the enchantments to get in. Kain had ensured of that.

Muttering to himself, Kain walked over to the far side of this dusty room, which only had a desk in. Kain closed his eyes and speok three words of summoning, calling his items.

Kain opened his eyes and looked at his cloven talons. They were covered by that unholy plate mail which Kain had forged with the forbidden knowledge and resources that the demon within the Brightblade had provided. It was a dark black, with a tinge of red about it. It absorbed light it seemed....the entire surface of this armour which covered Kain completely had closed eyes upon it. It was horrorifying to look upon, even without the effect of the eyes. Not that Kain was hoping to inspire fear into his enemies this time. The plate mail did not restrict Kain's movements, he acted as though there was nothing on at all.

The second item summoned, was one of Kain's creation. A golden staff, which had a pale white crystal on top of it. It shone dimmly, the entire shaft of the staff had runes upon it, extremely powerful ones. The staff which resonated good intentions....so offset by the Brightblade. Indeed it was a odd harmony.

Upon Kain's back was a brillaint white, pearly cloak which seemed to bring unparrelled light around Kain. It had the similer runes as were on the staff, but the claok had a different purpose.

"So....this is how it is. Time to show him who they are dealing with." Kain muttered to himself....and got ready to get out.

(OOC You cannot enter that room. Unless you have a week or two to siege it, to break the enchantments.)

After he had said the words, Kain suddenly disappeared. He could see him in his little hideout with the eyes of his spirit. Apparently he was preparing for something. Doesn't matter. If he tried something, he would be... Dealt with.

He had much to do. Now it was his turn to summon defenses. He had to open a gate to one plane much like the Underworld, but still different. Tartarus. A place where dead gods have been chained, forced to live for all eternity in a place worse than Hell. Either way, it would be immensely powerful. He knew they would be eager to serve, as they hate the Lord with vengeance for their state. They are loyal to their retrievers.

He went to the room before the door that takes outside. But first, he had to make the room larger, much larger, but it was a trivial task. After turning the room to sufficient size, he threw a dozen magical gems onto the ground as he chanted an ancient spell of death.

After a while, a gate opened. A vile, purple glow came from inside it. But it was nothing in comparison to the beast that emerged from it. An undead, gigantic skeletal figure of a Cyclops, wielding ancient weapons and donning an armor that once was a sight to behold, but it had broke during the aeons the being had been in Tartarus. The pain it had suffered there cannot be ever fathomed by anyone, but its mind was still intact in a sense, and it was free. Free to serve its new master.

In a cold but booming voice it said, "I cannot understand why... Why you have brought me here, lich... But you... you have ended the pain... I will help you..."

"Stay here, guard it. It should not take too long that I leech the magic from this place."

"Very well..."

He left for the basement, summoning phantasms to keep unwanted guests out of the way.

Even gods could not stand a chance against the Lord of the Underworld. Gravechill felt a strange feeling. He thought he almost felt happiness for his survival.

(OOC Urm....just a slightly bit too powerful don't you think? That even the Gods couldn't stand a chance against the Lord of the Underworld? And why would you want this place in the first place is what I am wondering? A god damn war against everyone? Just something to think about. And plus, your character better be like a demi-god or something, because you are summoning portals as though they are nothing! The power source is powerful, but a portal requires MASSIVE amoutns of power and most importantly, time. I will allow it, but this is turning out to be slightly...out balanced? What are you going to do even if Kain leaves? Start a war? Just something to think about. Your character may be very powerful but summoning whatever that thing is, and I assume it is something like a God that quickly and easily, seems a big Godmoddish. If it could be done so easily, why the hell hasn't everyone done it eh? Think about these things....)


Kain opened the door of his private chamber...he felt it. The massive swing in power here....he could still draw from it. That foolish bastard thought that I could not draw from the energies? Idiot. Those cystals can be drawn by anyone, and also....I have the gift of channeling.

Kain thought many thigns as he walked down the staircase, the golden staff by his side. He came down, his massive white cloak illuminating the area. He step into the chamber....and called upon the guardians.

Orbs of magic, ones which absorbed it. There were countless numbers of these orbs srapng from the ceiling and floors. They were sustained by Kain's own energy, and it was costing him some of his potental in combat. But these things were worth it.

These things fed on magic.

Thier small orb like apperance held absolute terror of any mage. Thier magics would be useless, in fact, beinifcal towards the orbs. They drained magic and grew strong on it's sutaining essance.....they all glowed blue, sparkling. And then....they whizzed forth, like a great swarm of mosquitos towards the portal...which was inside of the cystal area! When they entered it, they would become unbelievably powerful, capable of immense powers of maigc due to thier ability to drain any magic. A very risky ally to take....for if the magic was greater upon your side, they would go towards it...


(OOC These orbs would be destroyable by your sword...but at the moment they are flying towards the cystal area, and going to try and drain the magic from the portal, short circuiting it in essance. They will become very powerful and cast their own spells, like minor ones like lighting bolts and fireballs. Bearing in mind any magic or magical entity will be drained, obviously that creature you summoned would only be weakened very slightly by it....an irritation, but the portal going would mean disaster. And also....if the portal goes, the creatures goes too, unless your character can sustain it...which would require complete concentration I feel....your call)

OOC: Hey Gravechill, Kain? What the heck are ya'll doing? On one hand I like what y'all are doing, but on the other, I feel obligated to remind you all that this isn't a God War. It's a simple vampire-led overthrow of Tarlachian government. Bringing god-like powers into this totally would be strong bait for foreign nations to intervene on Tarlachia's behalf. I strongly suggest you two try to curtail your powers. I was gonna allow the mansion with magic, but I didn't think that this would become a full power struggle. I've deemed the problem centering around the fact that you two just don't know when to allow a little defeat, all in the sake of advancing the plotline for the thread.

(That was precisely what I was thinking. But I am playing my character to this situation, do not worry this is not going to go outside the mansion. Personally, I do not like it , but I will go with it.)

Zakli grunted. Sheathing his blue-obsidian sword and shouldering his crossbow, Zakli turned away from the alley, trudging out into the night. Giving a last backward glance, Zakli glared at the antagonistic hunters.

"Now, what are we waiting for? Let's go. We don't have all night..."

Without another glance, Zakli walked away, bound west, continuing the hunt...

Clarke glanced over at Khan, his eyes communicating an instantly understood message. Things were getting really twisted and weird now.

In a mocking voice, Clarke replied to Zakli, mimicing a thick British accent:

"Right...off we go then!"

A chuckle could be heard from Khan, as the group began to make their way westward. It was an odd looking band of hunters: a vampire, and elf, two hardy hunters, an Argonian, and a recent believer. What could this oddly organized group do? Only time could tell.

As they trudged along, they heard Alexander muttering something about the night coming to an end, that it would be impossible to find the vampires in the daytime, for they hid themselves well when sleeping.

__Double post__

(OOC --Your character may be very powerful but summoning whatever that thing is, and I assume it is something like a God that quickly and easily, seems a big Godmoddish. If it could be done so easily, why the hell hasn't everyone done it eh? Think about these things....)

(OOC: An almost *insane* *dead* god. It's basically a huge skeleton with some magic power left. He summoned the beast so "easily" because Tartarus is directly connected to the Underworld itself. The portal to Underworld was open for a while there and he used, well, most of his death gems (which are the Ermorian edition of magic amplifiers) to make a new one for a small while. It's not like the power disappeared the instant the portal collapsed.

The Lord of the Underworld *is* more powerful than anything in this world, but it can only enter several planes of existence, the Underworld, the Netherworld, Tartarus and... Some others, unless magical concentrations of immense power are formed and then corrupted. That's why everyone who knows of him fears him. You could say that death mages draw their power from him even without knowing it, but it's not like he's really getting anywhere from his own realm. I just used him as a deterrent, to stop you from doing anything... Irrational. But it obviously didn't work, damn it! ;-)

And yeah, I am trying to start a war, but not here. Ermor has a rather grim destiny, and this would be a perfect starting point for it. Sounds better than the alternative.)

IC:

And then....they whizzed forth, like a great swarm of mosquitos towards the portal...which was inside of the cystal area! When they entered it, they would become unbelievably powerful, capable of immense powers of maigc due to thier ability to drain any magic. A very risky ally to take....for if the magic was greater upon your side, they would go towards it...

There were no portals there. The Underworld was sealed off, Tartarus was nowhere to be seen. All that was left was the massive skeletal Cyclops which Gravechill had left it alone. Blades formed before it, and it threw them at the orbs that whirled around it. It screamed an ear shattering battlecry, and Gravechill heard it. But he was close to achieving his goal. The Cyclops would work as a perfect distraction.

(OOC: You seem to forget. You tried to destroy the crystals, which only happened partially when it came clear that the unholy energies sustained the ones that were tainted. That means all the guardians you could bring up are tainted. They would then corrupt your character's body. There's a reason why Gravechill is a skeletal corpse full of vengeance, and it's not because the place he was in is so nice. Nor because using unholy magics on your own body is so fun. Blood magic is "pure", all the other forms of magic are more pure than death (unholy) magic. It is the only form of magic that corrupts your whole being and mind.

This is getting a bit too much to the OOC side, but I'll explain to you exactly what Gravechill is trying to accomplish. He wants to take the rest of the magic in the house, leave for Ermor after a while of poking around to make his being in Tarlachia seem like a success, gain his own freedom and corrupt the center of the Empire of Ermor. Unlike the vampires in Tarlachia, this Demilich wants the utter destruction of all that is living. He considers vampires to be alive as they thirst, so he has no problems killing them. He has a distinct desire not to go back to the Underworld, but he wouldn't mind creating a similar place on Earth. He would be the one on top there. Or so he thinks.(He's not really as powerful as he seems. There's someone "helping" him without his knowledge. But that is all I will say for now.))

[quote=Kain Irenicus]He's not really as powerful as he seems. There's someone "helping" him without his knowledge. But that is all I will say for now.

OOC: Do us all a favor, and don't put the above quote, or any others in such damn small type. It's a pain in the ass to decipher, but there are ways around it :wink: ***coughquotingcough***

And for the sake of this thread, it might be a good idea to "withdraw" that someone helping the Demilich, just to rebalance the playing field here. Kain was originally not going to be so powerful (not outside the mansion), but your Demilch's arrival and disruption of this idea forced him to deal with it. All right? Please, we need to get this thread back tied up again.

OOC: So we're all in agreence that we're heading to Kain's place?

IC:

As the ragtag group finally approached the dark mansion of Kain, Alexander raised his hand and stopped the group.

"What is it? Why have we stopped," demanded Khan.

Alexader turned and smiled grimly. The smile looked misplaced on the vampires face.

"I sense there is another force in that place. One who is equally or even more dangerous than Kain..."

"Who is it?" pondered Stephen holding his desert eagle loned by Alexander. "First vampires, now demons and who knows what..."

"Yes, who knows what..." replied Daniel. "So what do you recommend we do, Alexander?"

Alexander paused, and then drew his Upir sword.

"well, we could go and knock on the door... any volunteers?"

Kain was originally not going to be so powerful (not outside the mansion), but your Demilch's arrival and disruption of this idea forced him to deal with it. All right? Please, we need to get this thread back tied up again.

(OOC: But then again, a (demi)lich ALONE, based on almost any source, is more powerful than a vampire. Not physically but magically. Physically they're crap. So, every time he (Kain) puts on more magic to use than my character, I'm forced to counter it with even more powerful magic even if he wasn't being helped by the unknown one. Of course he's not all powerful, but Kain shouldn't be either.

We should've spoken about this on TGs or something before it started to unfold like this, methinks. I think they should've fought *outside* instead of going inside anyway, but that option went down the drain when Kain threw him inside. This is what we should've negotiated about.)

(OOC Well, nevermind now. I am just trying to get this nasty thing over with. It is going alright at the moment, we will get this resolved....)

The spheres went into the crystal room, and absorbed the power. kain ha dexpected the portal to still be there....but it did not matter now.

Kain walked a few paces forward in this dusty and empty room, his gold staff tapping the floor as he did. His claok ruffled by his feet, shining thier brillaint light, while being absorbed by the armour, nullifying it.

Kain looked in awe of the creature which Gravechill had summoned.

"What in the Seven Hells is that? What the damn hell are you trying to acheive anyway!" Kain asked growing frustrated. He held his ground, his staff banged on the floor for effect.

(OOC Well, nevermind now. I am just trying to get this nasty thing over with. It is going alright at the moment, we will get this resolved....)

The spheres went into the crystal room, and absorbed the power. kain ha dexpected the portal to still be there....but it did not matter now.

Kain walked a few paces forward in this dusty and empty room, his gold staff tapping the floor as he did. His claok ruffled by his feet, shining thier brillaint light, while being absorbed by the armour, nullifying it.

Kain looked in awe of the creature which Gravechill had summoned.

"What in the Seven Hells is that? What the damn hell are you trying to acheive anyway!" Kain asked growing frustrated. He held his ground, his staff banged on the floor for effect.

(OOC Well, nevermind now. I am just trying to get this nasty thing over with. It is going alright at the moment, we will get this resolved....)

The spheres went into the crystal room, and absorbed the power. kain ha dexpected the portal to still be there....but it did not matter now.

Kain walked a few paces forward in this dusty and empty room, his gold staff tapping the floor as he did. His claok ruffled by his feet, shining thier brillaint light, while being absorbed by the armour, nullifying it.

Kain looked in awe of the creature which Gravechill had summoned.

"What in the Seven Hells is that? What the damn hell are you trying to acheive anyway!" Kain asked growing frustrated. He held his ground, his staff banged on the floor for effect.

Even with the alcohol flowing through his system, Xyorph could feel the world around him shifting. What the Hell was going on? Either someone had just made a big mistake, or someone was trying to draw in reinforcements from outside Tarlachia to aid them. Or the humans.

Xyorph stood up, and fell over from the alcohol.

"Bloody hell" he moaned.

Someone ran over to help him, and Xyorph raised a hand and set the man on fire.

"Dunneed help from no stinkin' human!" he roared. The rest of the pub turned to look at him. "Oh, burn in'ell assholes". Xyorph marched drunkenly towards the door. Pausing for a moment in the doorway, he raised a zombie.

"Kill'em all" he commanded. On his way out, he sealed the door behind him. By the time anyone got in, it would be too late.

He fely clumsily around him with his mind. The city was crawling with filth.

"Humans" he spat. "Your time'll come soon. All of you!".

Fumbling around in his mind to a conclusion, Xyorph decided he would head back to where he had parted from Maximus. If he walked, he could stir up some trouble on the way, and hopefully it would be nightfall by the time he got there.

OOC: So we're all in agreence that we're heading to Kain's place?

IC:

As the ragtag group finally approached the dark mansion of Kain, Alexander raised his hand and stopped the group.

"What is it? Why have we stopped," demanded Khan.

Alexader turned and smiled grimly. The smile looked misplaced on the vampires face.

"I sense there is another force in that place. One who is equally or even more dangerous than Kain..."

"Who is it?" pondered Stephen holding his desert eagle loned by Alexander. "First vampires, now demons and who knows what..."

"Yes, who knows what..." replied Daniel. "So what do you recommend we do, Alexander?"

Alexander paused, and then drew his Upir sword.

"well, we could go and knock on the door... any volunteers?"

"I guess I'll go." Stephen said. He held the eagle in both hands and kept moving the barrel from window to window. When he reached several ditches he aimed down and checked the drains. He crouched and moved to the door. He stood aganist the wall and briefly touched the door.
Nothing happened. Stephen put his hand on the knob and twisted. Instead of the door being unlocked or locked Stephen recived what was to him a massive electrical shock. He was knocked down and after laying on the ground for a few moments got back up. Note to self, DON'T TOUCH UNFAMILAIR DOORKNOBS! Stephen retook his position at the door and slammed his fist several times against it. He then noticed that his once straight brown hair was now a semi afro.

"What in the Seven Hells is that? What the damn hell are you trying to acheive anyway!" Kain asked growing frustrated. He held his ground, his staff banged on the floor for effect.

"What... am I...? It does not matter... You will die."

The demilich had not been in the room for a while, the massive undead was the only thing there. The undead Cyclops slashed with its huge sword at Kain. It could not control the blade with the finesse it had been able to whilst alive, but it was still quite strong.

--

Gravechill could see the small things enter the room as he was leeching power from the crystals. Too bad for Kain, he had already drained much of the magic that was in them. He was able to keep the spheres away with his blade, and the ones who came too close were consumed by the blade.

Kain rolled dextrously to the side, even though he was in full plate mail. It was extremely flexible and light. All that the massive sword hit was air. But the blade had come extremely close, closer than Kain would had liked.

Kain responded, getting to his feet andlifting his staff high speaking a word in the langauge of magic. The cystal burst into life, spring forth blue bolts of concentrated lances of magic. They were designed to disturb the fabric of a being not of the realm they were in, in weak targets they might explode, in stronger ones, they would become stunned....usually.

After which Kain charged forward, the Brightblade roaring it's own battle cry, the fiery pits of the skull burning with hatred for this being. He was out of range at the moment...but Kain hoped that his magical attack would stun it so he could get closer out of the monster's range with that massive sword.

(OOC The Brightblade and Kain, just to refresh your memory.

http://images.legacyofkain.net/sr1/captures/intro/kain_11.jpg)

The Cyclops had raised its sword when Kain casted the spell, and it realized that it had to do something quickly. It put its shield arm in front of it. The shield had been tempered with the unholy energies of the Underworld, and it took the hit instead of the Cyclops itself. It was lucky. It had forgotten too much.

It heard the battlecry, and saw Kain coming towards it. As quickly as it could, it touched the ground with the tip of its sword and muttered the words "Earth meld". If everything went correctly, the enemy should be stuck in the ground. It still raised its shield to prepare itself for an attack, looking at the enemy.

[i]I feel... Drained. I cannot remember my days as a living... Was I male or female? I cannot say...[i]

Kain charged forward.....and was unexpected held, he fell over half-way, before the earth grasped him totally in a bitter embrace around his legs. He knew how to deal with it, Qui had used the same attack against him.

Kain closed his eyes and formed into mist, a natural vampiric ability of his, and left the embrace of the earth. Kain spread his being around the great titan, and made himself appear behind this great thing in a matter of seconds.

Condensing fully, Kain lept upwards high, aiming his Brightblade dowawards in a thrusting motion into the titans back, and his staff firing the same blue energies into the back of it's "head".

Zakli snorted with impatience at Stephen's "ineptitude." Walking forward, Zakli placed a restraining hand on Stephen's shoulder, while muttering, "Out of my way, human..."

Pushing the human aside, Zakli proceeded to usheath his blue-obsidian sword. As the blade appeared out of its sheath, everyone gasped at its sudden eerie blue-green glow. Disregarding the weird glow, Zakli swung the blade upon the door...

(OOC: Blue-Obsidian is a type of mineral in my nation that is an excellent conductor of magic, amplifying any magic used by its weilder at least five times. In addition, it glows whenever it senses magic close by, sort of like the elven blades in LOTR which glow when they sense orcs nearby...)

(OOC You are trying to bring down the door of Kain's place right? Sorry if I misinterpret it.)

The door's mouth streached, even though it was part of the wood. It open it's mouth and spoke.

"What do you wish of Kain Irenicus?" The door rumbled slowly. The sword was about to be swung...

Mist... An echo from times past... Something echoed through his dead skull... And he remembered. A fight with something... Someone. It could do the same thing as this enemy. And he remembered how it had acted.

He could see the mist move... Behind him. Low. He started turning, and swinged his sword to the general direction of the enemy. The staff's fire, in the end, hit his shield arm, making it numb for a while, but it was nothing compared to the pain he had felt just moments before. The weapon in the enemy's hand seemed truly formidable, although it was small.

Kain stabbed deep into the creature, his great mane of hair burning a bright crimson now in preparation of his next spell. He stabbed three times, his two cloven feet digging into it's back. Kain kept stabbing and blasting with his staff....trying to cause as much damage as possible which hanging on.

How Kain was able to stop the sword from hitting him, it did not know. It did not even see it happen. But his blade was becoming a nuisance, even if he in reality was just hitting its armor in his strange enraged state. A bone cracked, but it was nothing.

It hit Kain with the tip of its sword's handle. "Blade wind," it screeched, very annoyedly. Apparently its enemy was having hard time finding its weak spots, which was perfectly fine. Even so the discomfort it could cause was considerable.

(OOC: Blade wind = a spell that forms a lot of whirling short swords that fall on the enemy. Works well on lightly armored targets, doesn't work so well on heavily armored ones. The force behind the swords isn't quite as massive as it is when someone actually hits you with a sword. The idea is to stop Kain from continuing his attack, the Cyclops doesn't even think it would decapacitate him. Just to give you something on how to react here.)

Alexander and the rest bounded up to where Zakli stood. The doorway now lay wide open, with the mansion seemingly inviting them in.

"Whoa," replied Khan,How did you do that..."

"No time for that, interjected Daniel "Lets find this Kain."

Alexander stood for a moment, and then walked in.

"Yes, perhpas you are right Daniel... Shall we?"

Whiptail has switched from a katana and handgun to a pair of katanas, weapons he knew better than the firearms that had been introduced so late in his lifetime.

"I will take point..."

Whiptail hisses as he moves into position, his gloden eyes scanning the walls, ceiling, floor, nearly everything. He moves with the practiced grace of one who has done this sort of thing countless times, stepping lightly and keeping his weapons in line with his line of sight...

(OOC You are trying to bring down the door of Kain's place right? Sorry if I misinterpret it.)

The door's mouth streached, even though it was part of the wood. It open it's mouth and spoke.

"What do you wish of Kain Irenicus?" The door rumbled slowly. The sword was about to be swung...

Where in this did I say that you were allowed in????

All I said the mouth spoke, and the sword was about to be swung. You will not be able to get in like that.

Where in this did I say that you were allowed in????

All I said the mouth spoke, and the sword was about to be swung. You will not be able to get in like that.

(OOC: Considering all the fighting going in, and the whole place being corrupted, I think the door might've been affected as well, so don't sweat it. Let them get inside, it's not gonna kill either of us. ;-) )

(OOC Good point there. But the sword would not normally have that effect on it due to the power around it. I will make a decent post later on, too busy right now)

OOC: Sorry, Kain. I saw rumbled slowly, and I must have thought it meant "rumbled slowly open" :oops:

OOC: I assumed the door had been breached successfully.

OOC: Hey Tarl, I think it's time Skadi and Maximus got up.....

Maximus growled slightly. He couldn't sleep, his mind was a hurricane of thoughts, and for the first time in his life, he couldn't simply just dismiss the thoughts until a more convenient time.

Sitting up carefully, after carefully releasing himself from Skadi's loving embrace, he swung his legs over the edge of the bed, and dropped his head in hands. He needed to sleep, that he knew, but what was he supposed to do with all the thoughts that impeded his ability to do so?

He dug his fingers into his forehead, ignoring the blood that seeped out from his wounds. He just wished his mind to be blank, but it kept failing him. The wounds slowly healed over, the blood now ran down his face in angry patterns.

Great...now I'm making a damn mess.

Maxmus got up, and walked to the bathroom, not bothering to close the door, or turn on the light. Walking over to the sink, he stood there, as he simultaneously washed his face, and stared at his reflection in the mirror.

Skadi awoke as Maximus stirred. Their link had passed some of her fledgeling's troubled thoughts onto her. Propping herself up on one elbow, Skadi watched as Maximus moved into the bathroom.

"What troubles you?"

Skadi began to slowly move out of the bed, the sun was sinking. Soon it would be their time once again.

"What troubles you?"

"A lot Skadi...a lot."

Turning toward her, he took a few steps forward, water still present on his pale face. He continued to explain:

"I fear I may not be suited for this job. I have these grand visions of myself, with the reigns of this nation, this government within my grasp, yet as I stand here, realistically thinking of the situation, I cannot see myself as being able to be present to deal with national matters 24/7. I am a vampire for goodness sake! Vampires hide in the dark during the reign of the sun! You know that! I do too! Thus, I feel that perhaps there is one better than I who can take over after we have established order in Tarlachia. But one thing is for sure. This organization will do its damn best to accomplish its goals. Once they have done so, I shall become what I am most comfortable and capable of doing. I shall once again be a roaming traveler, a dealer of death, a drainer of blood..."

It felt so much better now, now that it was all out in the open. He had spilled all on his mind for Skadi, who had patiently listened. She was wonderful in that way, she cared about him, and he, her.

Maximus thought to himself, Maybe I should not have coaxed her into helping me...she does not care about this nation, and she's only doing it for me because she loves me. Hardly a rational explanation..."

(OOC Thank you! Someone is finally trying to pull thier attention off Kain! I just wanted Kain to have his onw mansion so he could participate in the politics as such, but....nevermind now. What is done is done. Let us proceed....)

As the doors boomed open under the force of the blue blade, before them was a sight which few would have ever seen, let alone believed. It was three figures......Kain.....Gravechill....and that beast! Kain was currently stabbing into the back of the creature's back
.

But then, something equally unbellievable happened. Something which irrated Kain greatly while he hanged on for his "life" as such. A numerous and incalcuable number of short swords whirled around, as though within thier own dance with one another. The low lighting of the place glinted off the malicous looking weapons. Kain saw them...or rather heard them. That low pitched, dull whooom as it circled upon itself.

Kain reacted to it....well his armour did anyway. The plate mail opened it's thousands of eyes, and thier eyes were indeed more terrible than any nightmare. Well, no nightmare of slumber at least.

Those eyes opened, bringing the entire room to it's knees, cringing at this new power within the room. Everyone felt it, including Kain. It felt like a suffocating presance draining the very hope from you. But of course, Kain had little hope in the first place, so it did not have the effect it would have.

But the effect was there for a few seconds upon Kain, he was paralysied under his own spell....he had never used the armour before in this way. But he recovered....and regained his senses.

The short swords had become incredibly slow, taking far too long to rotate to do damage. It was odd....Kain was not expecting such an effect. The armour kept it's penetrating glare against the short swords, freezing them in there place.

Kain, satisfied by this, stabbed twice more into the beast's back. He felt lethargic however, the Brightblade continued to peice that beast's hide. Out of the corner of his eye however...he saw the hunters...

(OOC The eyes will effect everyone. They will feel lethargic and loss of hope.)

The hunters slowly made their way through the mansion. Suddenly fighting was heard in an large adjacent room. Clarke and Khan's eyes widened as they saw the massive magical fight unleashing itself before them. Suddenly, the armor on the greenish figure opened its eyes!

"What the bloody hell??!!" Clarke gasped, as he was painfully forced to his knees, the weapons still in his grip. He felt....paralyzed...lethargic... As he struggled to regain control he thought to himself:

"We've got more than just vampires here...we're in trouble..."

A sound of struggle escaped from Khan's mouth as he himself struggled against the powerful spell.

"Big fuckin' trouble..."

Skadi listened attentively, she had guessed this might happen.

"I thought you may have a change of heart. That is perfectly fine though. Better you admit you are not suited for the position as ruler than to go on, doing that which you do not enjoy. I do not doubt your ability to rule this nation though. We fear the rays of the sun, not the sun rising. During the day, a vampiric leader would need to govern away from the sunlight. It is true we need sleep, but much less than humans."

Skadi slipped out of the sheets and embraced Maximus.

"We shall install a stable government of our kind here. One that will rule wisely, creating a permanent safe haven for our kind. Then we can travel.... together."

When Stephen entered the mansion he was impressed. If this nation wasn't inhabited by vampire I could conivince Emma to move here and buy this house. But the sounds of battle broke his thoughts. As he turned to look into the next room he saw something out of a bad fantasy movie. Several combatants appeared to be flying around a room. Hope they don't destroy the house
One of the combatant's armour opened it's eyes. What the hell? Not long after that Stephen felt a shortness of breath and labored breathing. Just tired thats all. But Stephen noticed that Clarke and Khan were already on the ground. Stephen felt as though a massive weight pushed him down and kept him there. You just had to get drunk and make a right instead of a left didn't you Stephen?

Xyorph stormed up to the front of the building and hammered hard on the door.

"Maximus! Are you up?"

The alcohol was slowly draining from his system now. Being drunk was fun for a while, but he may have gone too far.

"There's something going on, and I'm pretty sure it involves your friend Kain. Magical disturbances jumping my senses all over the f*cking place. Oh yeah. And someone may have upset the humans by wandering around releasing zombies all over the city."

Xyorph opened the door and walked in. The vampire had better be up. Something was going on and it needed dealing with.

OOC: Who are you talking about, Kain?

The phantasmal that had looked like Gravechill dissipated as due to the effects of the armor. Gravechill was not there, he was leeching the magical energy from the center. This place was not quite it.

Using a power similar to that of the Underworld had a no real effects on the undead. It knew no hope. Only death and hatred towards the living. The lethargic effect was unnoticiable. Using an unholy artifact against unholy beings is pointless.

"Foolish mortal..." the Cyclops murmured, dropped its shield and took Kain into its skeletal hand. It said the words, "Curse of Stones" and threw Kain into a wall. It kneeled down and took its shield back to its hand. Once it had it, it stood up.

The armor on Kain suddenly became unbearably heavy...

Then one other voice said something, whispering, from a distance. The words were simple: "Rigor mortis." The joints of every living being in the room became stiff and they suffered the fate of the newly dead, also the vampiric beings would be affected. Although they did not die, their moving became much harder. That is, until they leave the mansion.

The voice said, "Come. We have other things to take care of now." As the voice came closer, it appeared to be Gravechill. The wights were still with him, as were a multitude of phantasmals.

The Cyclops answered. "Yes... Lich." To make sure that Kain would not follow them, it kicked Kain.

Thusly they walked out of the room and left the mansion, almost like nothing had happened.

They were outside the mansion and Gravechill looked at the Cyclops. "You are too large to move unnoticed..."

"So, you shall stay close to this place. Try to avoid contact with other beings as much as possible."

"Very well... Lich."

He casted a spell to surround the Cyclops with darkness and it disappeared into it. The Cyclops went into hiding. Well, in the way a giant like it could.

They were ready. They would now go to the center of the vampires.

OOC: I see now.

IC:

Whiptail muttered a quick counter-spell in archaic Argonian...

"Nak'Taral Terric Tral'Khan..."

The spell's effects lessened, allowing him to move a bit better. He stood, and put his hands out in front of him...

"Vac'Let Hortec Kel'Tris..."

Whiptail launched a pair of elemental fireballs from his outstretched hands, aiming for the cycloptic creature...

(OOC Kain is a vampire, even though a extremely warped one)

Kain was hurled like a bullet towards the wall, only a white streak of hair, cloak and staff, mingled with the black of armour as it crashed into the wall. Kain was plastered onto the wall, and slowly fell down from it.

Kain groaned at the pain.....he was on the floor. He felt pain all over his body, he was having trouble getting up. it was most unconfortable, and Kain felt panic. he only felt fear when he did not know what was going on.

kain, trhough a force of will, sat up....but was as though he had marched for a week through the effort. He breathed heavily, not able to move. His back was against the wall, his entire body like lead. Not a boiling lead, a cold lethargic one which oozed through Kain's body like a cancer.

He groaned in pain again, trying to find the source of his discomfort. But...in this state, he could not his hands, he could barely speak. He could not summon the words! And then....to his horror.....he found that he had dropped the Brightblade!

Utter panic spread through Kain, without the blade he would starve! He did not want to die like that, to be tormented forever in the afterlife! He searched for it, in a madman's eyes, and then he saw it upon the floor.....a few feet away from him.

There is nothing I can do....

"No!" Kain hissed quietly in desperation, his body sweating. He excerted another sheer strength of will to get up completely. He could not cast a spell like this!

kain tred to reach out for the blade.....but he could not reach it.....his hand quivered....starvation quickly sweeping over him. He seemed to age completely over, his face becoming sullen and deeply fatigued....with lines of gray within his hair.

But then Kain saw the hunters. He would have cursed if he had the strength.....but then he saw a reptilian.....his vision was blurred.

"Whiptail! He...lp..." Kain murmered as loud as his could in his last act.....his vision was becoming more blurred, his mouth felt impossibly dry....his body was numb. All that Kain could do was keep his eyes focues upon the Brightblade as it lay there...so close to him. His talons twitched in frustration, outstreached as far as they could to reach the Brightblade....

"Thank you Skadi."

He kissed her, but not for long because the booming voice of Xyorph was heard.

"Maximus, are you up??!!"

"Yes Xyorph, I'll be right there."

A few minutes later, Maximus and Skadi had finished getting ready, and were standing in front of Xyorph.

"Damn it man, why are you drunk? Nevermind, as you say, Kain might need our help, let's go."

Without another word, the three headed toward the back door. Maximus had a bad feeling about heading out the front door, and he knew to trust it.

"We're going this way."

Soon they walked out of the building, and Maximus spoke again:

"We need to get there quickly. Skadi and I will use our speed given to us, and I'm sure you can keep up Xyorph."

Maximus and Skadi tapped into their vampiric abilities and soon were speeding down the street, a blur to all they passed, a gust of wind in their wake. Coming upon the mansion, the three slowed down, and they surveyed the mansion, noting the front door wide open.

"Kain would never leave an opening like that for anyone to walk in. You were right Xyorph, something's going on here. Maximus could sense a lot of magical energy emanating from the mansion, and not just the signature energy of Kain's. There was another energy, just as powerful.

Without wasting another moment, the three picked up speed again, bolting inside the front door, and slowed to a halt when they saw the hunters.

"Shit, Kain's been busy...but these men are not the source of the second magical force I can sense.....Kain!"

Maximus rushed over to Kain, his body slumped down against the battered wall. But..something was different. Kain had grown even more pale, his hands appearing old and wrinkly, his eyes sunken in, his voice calling out in a rasp:

"Maximus......help....me....Brightblade..."

Maximus knelt down, as Kain spoke. Kain was strangely weak. That was when he figured out what Kain was trying to say. He reached out toward the Brightblade, and picked it up. An unexpected thing happened, as he tilted his head backwards, his eyes bulging, his hand gripping the Brightblade tightly. A unearthly cry came from his mouth, as the power of the demon filled him...

“GIVE ME TO KAIN! QUICKLY!” The impossibly deep voice said to him within the depths of his mind, the voice could have penetrated any deafness. Abject terror swept over Maximus, and only the primal instinct to get the blade away from him as quickly as possible swept over him. This blade was like nothing he had ever felt before, he could sense it’s ravenous spirit urging him to obey.

Maximus groaned in response as he held the Brightblade to Kain, his hand and arm trembling greatly.

"Kain......Take this....now...."

The Cyclops he had summoned had lost its memory, but for some reason it still could use its magic which was based on the path of elemental earth. But after he had left the being there, alone, outside the mansion to hide, something happened that Gravechill could not foresee: The Cyclops' mind started to recover. Memories surged into its dead mind. Soon it remembered everything.

Instead of hiding like a frightened animal, it chose to enter the mansion again. To end what had already started. Its notion of honor demanded it.

Kain snatched it from him, holding the handle, gripping it tightly. A sweeping sense of peace came over Kain, he cradled the blade within his hands, which were gaining their usual green complexion, his hair restoring itself from that grayness to the familer snow white, his eyes becoming alert and critical. Kain smiled weakly in some sort of thanks.

“Thank….you….” Kain murmured, his eyes closed as the feeling washed over him. His eyes flickered and his face became contorted, his entire body becoming consumed in a fit of coughing. He did so, and rolled onto his front and retched blood. Kain was reminded on how weak he was without the blade…..

Humility before honor hmm?

You almost came close to the fate which you have been escaping for all of these years.

You almost had what you wanted.

Hardly. I would not want to exit one hell only to enter one where I could have no hope of finding respite.

True.

Kain slowly got up onto his feet, his entire body still shaking from the sheer shock of the experience. He swayed a little bit, trying to keep his balance. But his will did match his body, which was still deprived of energy. Kain became held up with the help of Maximus. Kain simply murmered quietly, “Looks….like we have company. I need time to recover….they…might attack…..allow me to raise my defences….” Kain said weakly.

Maximus stood as he released the blade from his grasp. Once again, he gained control of his body, the effects of the demonic blade wearing off. Turning toward the hunters, he growled, and drew Glamdring, and one of his Elven Daggers. Walking up to the two closest hunters he raised his weapons, ready to slash down upon them.
________________________________

Clarke's eyes grew wide as he saw the menacing vampire close in on him, two sharp weapons in his hands.

Time to move...move. MOVE!!!!

He managed to duck low enough to not get killed, but he still lost his hair as the blade shaved his head.

Too damn close!

Khan managed to struggle to his feet, as he watched Clarke barely escaping the first attack alive.

"Damn you beast!" came the cry of anger, as he raised his rifle toward the vampire, and began to fire, the bullets wildly ripping through the air. A shot hit Clarke in the arm, resulting in Clarke cursing him as he clenched his arm, and had dropped the combat knife held in the hand of the injured arm.
_____________________
Maximus was about to second another attack on the human hunter, when he saw the huge cyclops enter.

"What the hell is that??!!"

Not waiting for a response, he instead, kicked Clarke hard in the face, blood splattering everywhere, knocking him unconcious as he withdrew from the hunter, even as bullets from the other one narrowly missed him.

Withdrawing to Kain, he muttered:

"Kain, Xyorph, Skadi......we've got more company..."

As it walked in to the room once again, it saw the two separate groups. Its shield was on its back this time so its left hand was free, although the handle of the sword in its right hand was long enough for it to grab it with both hands.

It extended its left arm and pointed at Kain and the ones next to him, and it boomed, "I remember now. Your kind... I remember the wars against your kind. You are only a shadow of their power, but so am I. Those wars consumed them, just like they consumed us. But now I am here and your kind must be... Exterminated."

It clenched its extended hand into a fist, and murmured "Ironskin", after which it grabbed its sword with its both hands and changed its stance.

"Prepare yourselves!" it shouted.

Kain's mind still was getting ajusted to the presance coming back again, it seemed like years to Kain. He said irritably.

"Set me...down! Give me time to prepare....the defences dammit!" Kain said breathlessly, the Brightblade held loosely within his left hand, his other around Maximus.

Kain set about preparing his spells, one which would call upon what energy he had.

Remember what you can and cannot do.

I frelling know!

Kain looked at the nearest wall.....as he did a thought occoured to him.

"Do not...kill any....of them!" Kain forced out of his dry lips, a raging coughing fit coming over him again.

At this moment, Whiptail's punch-gun was leveled in the direction of the cyclops, his previous fireballs not having much effect. Kain's words reached his ears, stirring thoughts of safety... but he knew better. Others do not always do as others ask, one of his cohorts might indeed try to take his life... the hiss of exhaled breath sounded behind him, and Whiptail lashed out with his right foot and tail, sending a fierce back-thrust to the stomach and a stinging blow to the face from his tail-barb at his newest opponent...

(OOC Alright, who is fighting right now? There is Kain, who could be attacked by anyone once Maximus sets him down, I would suggest for vamps to defend him, but your call. Vamp hunters.....how many and who is fighting? make some decision here, who is fighting who.)

OOC: Here's what's going on Kain: Maximus, Kain, Skadi, Xyorph, any remaining vampires from the guard posts on one side(they're yours to control, Kain)....hunters: Clarke, Khan, Whiptail(who currently is dealing with the cyclops), Stephen, Alexander(vampire pissed at Maximus), Daniel.....and the Cyclops is basically on his own, but aggressive against the first group mentioned.

IC:

Clarke opened his eyes, having expected death to be dealt, but rather noticed that his attacker had retreated back into the other room.

Suddenly, he heard the cyclop's booming voice threatening the vampires in front of him. Picking up his knife, Clarke got to his feet, still clenching his arm from the bullet, and moved next to Khan. He pulled his rifle around on its sling, and prepared it to fire. Although the hunters were here to deal with the vampires, the cyclops was the bigger threat to any of them.

"Men! Fire at the cyclops! We'll deal with the vampires later!" he cried out, and began to open fire upon the cyclops, his and Khan's bullets riddling the cyclops torso.

Bullets aren't going to take this beast down! We need heavier firepower!

Maximus stood as he released the blade from his grasp. Once again, he gained control of his body, the effects of the demonic blade wearing off. Turning toward the hunters, he growled, and drew Glamdring, and one of his Elven Daggers. Walking up to the two closest hunters he raised his weapons, ready to slash down upon them.
________________________________


OOC: Maximus has already engaged a pair of hunters.

With a swift stroke it struck at Whiptail in an attempt to stop him, and it then took a stance to protect its torso with its sword.

It looked at Whiptail and laughed for a while. "Ah, so you are with them. That is not quite enough to strike me down. I do not recognize you, but things have changed I'd wager. But I do recognize our mortal enemies, although these seem... Weak. Small, even. Humans apparently have changed much less, as have elves."

It then started looking at Kain. "And you, who call yourself Kain. Why should I not enter in mortal combat with your 'friends'? What reason might you have to convince me not to?"

"Leave them be! Human and vampire alike, you have no buisness with us! Leave....leave us be. Leave my home....I still have domain over this place! I can....can still call upon my own creations! Consider....consider the fate of Mephisopheles who was beaten by my allies..." Kain spoke in defiance, preparing a spell which would summon his own artifacts.

He held the Brightblade stronger within his hand, the blade glowing dimly within it. The skull leered at the Cyclops. He held out his other taloned hand, crackling energies coiling around the Brightblade. Kain locked his stare at the cylcops.


(OOC For the history books, Mephistopheles (not my character of course) was beaten back by numerous people. Not least of all, Kain. Such people like Ravelyn Shentavo beat him back....so his threat does hold some weight about it.)

(OOC: Bah, and now I'll reply to the human aggression.)

IC:

It had not expected the humans to attack it. It remembered the olden days, when it and its brethren fought in a war against powerful bloodsucking creatures that called themselves vampyres. There are a few differences between these things and the ones it fought during its lifetime. These ones are weaker, much weaker and also of human size. Apparently the blood of giants was lost at some point.

As soon as it realized that the humans were attacking it, it had no other choice but to wield its shield again. They were using rather powerless projectiles, apparently humans had changed inside more than outside. It used the shield to protect its torso. For some unclear reason everyone seems to try to attack its torso.

It shouted with a booming but cold voice, "So now you also attack me?! Such betrayal! In the times of the Great Wars you would have never done this!"

Maximus gently put Kain down, as requested, and turned toward the hunters and the cyclops. He had to do something, something to give Kain time to do as he wanted. Kain had better come up with something to justify the loss of the advantage of surprise.

Maximus searched his mind for something to do this. He touched upon the Elven training he had had years ago, and smiled. This would work. He spoke the words, loud and clear in the Sindarin tongue of his ancestors, a tongue not heard for thousands of years:

"Ram en' ondo!"

A magical wall of stone, somewhat transparent in its view appeared and filled the doorway. It would take more than just physical attacks to destroy this wall, only considerable magic could dispel the wall. It would buy Kain time, time that was necessary.

"Hurry up Kain, do what you must!"

Stephen was confused. Everything was happening so fast. He decided to try and take down the cyclops. Stephen held the Jericho 941 (OOC: The offical name for the Desert Eagle) in both hands and drew a bead on the cyclops. The bulky gun felt strange in his hands, he was more use to the Barretta 9mm and the Colt 1911 .45.
When he had a head shot he fired but missed.
"We are going to need LAWs and M203s to bring that guy down!" He shouted at Clarke Stephen drew the bead again but felt a kick aganist his head. He was flung across the room but still held the pistol. A woman stood there. Hell, I never like to shoot woman but still. Stephen aimed at the newcomer and pulled the trigger. The hammer fell on a dud cartridge. Oh my god. Stephen tried to unjam the pistol but the reciver refused to move.
"Pieace of sh*t!" He cried as the woman began to move him. Stephen grasped by fear turned and ran as hard as he could toward the door.

Kain's vampire guards came around him, obeying Kain's command. They were around him in a circle, not moving from their position. they all held the order Kain had given them, puzzling as it was.

"Do not kill any of them! Do so and you will suffer a far worse fate than they!"

Kain's spell was ready. He held up the Brightblade as it glowed a white, a silent call for his own guardians. The Brightblade gave a low Whomp sound every so often....nothing seemed to happen.

Kain closed his eyes, and held the Brightblade in both talons. It was obvious he was having to excert a considerable force of will to pull this one off.....but he did so....as the sound of clanking came from the far corner of the room, nearest Kain and not the golem.

It came from the stairs, a low clanking and grinding.....and there, from the stairs in far area of the room, they came forth. Kain's creations....some half-complete, but still, extremely powerful.

http://www.wizards.com/leaving.asp?url=/dnd/images/MotP/Inevitables.jpg&origin=dnd_ag_20010908a

http://www.wizards.com/leaving.asp?url=/dnd/images/EPIC_Gallery/Gallery5a/44170_C5_mithralgolem.jpg&origin=dnd_ag_20020726a4

They came around Kain slowly, the angel like one flying, even though it's wings were made of brass. They centered around Kain, and then witha silent command, they set towards the Golem, thier march slow.

Clarke replied harshly back at the cyclops:

"It ain't the damn Great Wars anymore! Times have changed! Your kind has been wiped out or contained to the depths of this world for eons! Your kind had attacked ours, and response we did as we had to!"

(OOC: This IS moving too fast. I was replying to the post by Kain before, and now I have ANOTHER post to reply. SLOW DOWN, if what you do affects the Cyclops, especially since this piece of crap forum works so erratically. I can't reply to everything *THAT* fast. And I POSTED THIS before Kain posted anything, but it didn't post it REALLY. Whee. Fscking great. Anyway, this shall be posted anyway. I'll reply to those newer ones in a second. Growl.)

IC:

"A fate worse than WHAT? What your kind already did was worse than anything you could EVER even imagine. I am... Immune to it now. I AM UNDEAD! You cannot bind me to those realms anymore! And your allies, you could claim that they have killed the Creator himself and I would not care. And I do not know who you spoke of."

It is older than any of the vampires of this era, much older. Aeons ago, it fought in a war against beings that called themselves vampyres, and were immensely more powerful than the ones it sees in front of it now. Apparently the blood of giants was lost during the many millennia and humans have evolved. A mistake, but an understandable one.

"Earth Attack", it whispered, and an earth elemental formed from the ground itself. It was able to move beneath the ground until finding its target, so no walls, magical or not, would hinder its movement.

OOC: I'd love to stay and continue this, really exciting indeed, but I've gotta run, so I'll be back in a few hours.

(OOC Sorry for breifness, I will correct. Ok, the three golems are not as powerful for the Mithril Golem. You hear correctly. It is not fully completed, but it is still damn tough. Each has thier own strengths and weaknesses, and they work as a team. Your cyclops might have trouble in it's state.)

Almost with a reptillian sigh of dismay, Whiptail sheated his katanas, and brought out his pair of PDW's aiming for the cyclops' eye, a flurry of 9x19mm rounds sprayed out of his weapons at a rate of 900 per minute...

OOC: There's also the .50 Action Express, the fifty-caliber version of the Desert Eagle. It also comes in .357 and .44 magnum varieties.

Stephen ran into an adjancent room unsure if the woman was still following him. What the hell came over me? Stephen your a Ranger, act like one. Clear the jam and keep firing. He looked at the Jericho. He began to hammer harder on the reciver until it finally unjammed. He ectracted the dud a threw it on the ground. Stephen walked out and thankfully didn't see the girl.
He drew a bead on the vampire in the circle and fired. The eruption of the pistol comforted him. He turned his aim to the monsters who had arrived and opened up. One shot one kill. You only have one mag.

"It ain't the damn Great Wars anymore! Times have changed! Your kind has been wiped out or contained to the depths of this world for eons! Your kind had attacked ours, and response we did as we had to!"

"You are wrong. We never attacked you. We attacked the common enemy with your kind's help. And even now I did not attack you. You attacked me. Unless, of course, you are vampyres all now. This would change things."

Then it saw the beasts Kain summoned. "Golems? Yes, I remember. It is time for a small change..."

Its sword and shield crackled as they "changed" shape. They turned into a gigantic bludgeoning weapon, a hammer.

Whiptail's weapons only irritated it. "What are you aiming at, beast? My 'eye'? Do I seem to HAVE ONE?" it lashed out, and tried to pound Whiptail horizontally with the hammer in its hand in aggravation.

Being undead does have its traits.

(OOC Another description of the cyclops for clarification. I think 5CN did not know about that.....)

Khan inched his way over to Clarke and whispered to him quietly.

"Hey...we better up our price for the President...this is more than we bargained for..."

Clarke looked at him and replied:

"You are right, but for now, let's concentrate on what's going on besides our wallets looking emptier for the job."

Clarke's mind ran through the various methods of killing this cyclops:

Head shots?...no, that lizard guy tried that already......grenades?...might work, but we don't have enough to take him down for good.....................Damn it, we've never fought a cyclops before!! How the hell are we supposed to know how to defeat this one? It claims to be immortal in a sense!

Why the hell didn't I listen to Khan's words of concern about taking up this job??

Turning toward Stephen, who had returned into the room, he spoke, loud enough for the other hunters to hear as well:

"We've got to get out of here, we're ill-equipped to deal with this. We can take these freaks up in a fight later on where the field is more level for us."

Khan nodded in agreement, and followed Clarke out the door. Sometimes it was best to run and fight another time. They would get their fight soon, of that he was sure. Just before he passed through the doorway, he called out to the Argonian:

"Whiptail! We must return later! We'll get our fight at its appointed time! Come on!"
____________________________________

Maximus watched as the scene unfolded before him. He was impressed at Kain's skills with magic.

He watched as some of the hunters turned and fled out the door. He growled, he didn't like having his prey escape on him.

"Skadi, look at them go, they run like chickens with their heads cut off!"

Maximus turned his attention to Cyclops, and began to think of another spell, one that would conjur up a guardian to accompany Kain's creatures. His mouth began to form the words, and soon were followed by the quiet whispers of the spell flowing from his lips:

"Yala rauko!"

A demon, one of hideous features rose from the ground, its menacing physique combined with a horrific face proving to be fearsome to all that looked upon it. Once summoned, it began to slowly walk toward the remaining invaders of the mansion.

http://www.wizards.com/dnd/images/mof_gallery/MonFaePG59.jpg

OOC: WHOA!!! I leave for two days and this thing is already up by 4 pages! You guys are fast :wink:

OOC2: Gravechill is on who's side?

IC:

Daniel and Alexander fought hard... hard enough to realize that their battle would end in an impasse. Vampires, hunters and certain demi-gods. An excellent recipe for... what?

"Daniel, do you believe in... Magik?"

Alexander threw him a sideways glance as he attempted to draw a bead on a cyclops. "Of course. You should know that we learn about all that in DEO training."

Daniel turned and saw the other hunters leaving.

"What is your point, Alexander. The others are leaving... shouldn't we?"

Alexander smiled. "Perfect... then this will be mush easier.[/i]

"My friends, keep running. We will wrap things up here and meet you back at THE PUB WE MET ORIGINALLY AT.. Now hurry."

All of a sudden, the room grew colder. Much colder.

The giant hammer construct of Gravechill... stopped in mid-swing...

Kain and his new warriors... stopped in mid-attack.

And Maximus and Skadi, and their new demon... frozen... Maximus in mid-chortle...

All were stopped, save for Alexander and Daniel.

"What... what happened? Alexander..."

"I call it stop-time. Its one of my more potent magik... ugh..."

"What is it?"

"There... there are too many strong forces at work here. Kain... Gravechill even Maximus. Maximus is much stronger than the last I saw him... there is not much time."

"What should I do?"

"Quickly... while I keep the strains of time to a still, squire away the lady Skadi... it is time that Maximus feels what it is to lose a loved one..."

As Daniel ran up to the frozen lady vampire, Alexander stretched out his hands and concentrated... not much time left. He could swear that Kain's lips were moving...

Daniel grabbed Skadi and threw her uncermoniously over his shoulder. He wasn't one to judge, but he could understand why Maximus could feel the way he did for her. she was beautiful.

"Got her!"

"Good, we are out of time. Now, lets go."

Alexander and Daniel, with Skadi along for the ride ran out the door. Behind them, Maximus's demon began to stir once more...

Maximus slowly unfroze, and noticed something wrong, very wrong...

Skadi was gone, as were the hunters and the vampire Maximus had recognized as Alexander. That little son of a bitch had pulled off his time freeze ability. His face twitched in anger, as his grip on Glamdring tightened greatly. He roared, his voice reverbrating along the walls of the mansion, echoing his rage.

"ALEXANDER!!!"

Maximus's body shook with the powerful effects of his rage. Alexander would pay dearly for his actions. Maximus would see to it himself. Growling, he left the remaining members of his group, and bolted past the cyclops, past the gates, and out into the streets. Sniffing the air, he soon caught hold of Skadi's scent, well known to himself, and began to follow it quickly.

"Alexander....you shall pay!!...."

Skadi was about to leap toward an nearby by hunter when she sensed it. The slight tickle on the back of her neck. Even her vampiric reflexes weren't enough to prevent the time-stop. Everything went blank......

As Daniel and Alexander ran, Alexander continued to near-close his eyes in concentration.

"Are you ok, Alexander?"

"Yes... but we must hurry. I can only maintain my magik over Lady Skadi for so long. She is an eldar, and even now she is attempting to fight awake."

Daniel frowned. "And I'm holding her? Anything else I should know about?"

"Yes... Maximus... he is coming."

Alexander and Daniel ran faster.

Skadi regained mental consciousness. But that was all she regained. She couldn't move or even open her eyes. She could sense the source of what hindered her movements, another vampire.

Skadi had no sense of what was going on, just that she was bound within the confines of her mind. Not paniced, Skadi applied a hefty blow of telekinetic energy to the force holding her in place. She would not remain like this......

OOC: shit, I've missed out. Can someone put for me in plain english where we now are. Basically I'm gona have Xyorph with Maximus. Tarlachia, if it happens again that there's a battle and I'm not , logged in, RP Xyorph for me.

Xyorph looked at the demon Maximus had raised walking across the room.

"Not bad" he muttered. "Maybe I'll show them what a real demon is later".

(OOC: as Xyorph is very old his demon has been around a long time, as so is very powerful. I will bring it in later)

He felt the world around him shift with a time change. Instinctively, he formed a bubble around himself making him invisible from whoever was manipulating time. He saw one of the hunters grab Skadi and run. Maximus was not going to be happy.

As the time released, Xyorph lept forward and grabbed Maximus' arm, silencing his cursing.

"Before we deal with that, what about Kain and the Cyclops? Which do you want us to deal with first?"

Maximus turned and looked at Xyorph, obviously comtemplating.

"If you want us to split, you can get Skadi and I'll help Kain. Or you can help Kain and I'll track Skadi. Its up to you."

(OOC: I'm trying hard to keep up. Please bare with me.)

It didn't take Stephen long to relise after he came out of the room they were in way over their heads. He finished the clip but the heavy bullets of the Eagle didn't do anything to the monsters. So he took off after Daniel and Alexander. Stephen nearly turned around and ran the other way when he saw Daniel carrying the same woman who attacked him.
"Dan, why are you carry a possibly conisous vampire over you shoulder?" He asked

(OOC: :shock: I go away for the weekend and what do I find... :shock: I'll try to write a post concerning everything...)

Zakli had instinctively backflipped away from the opening door, his blue-obsidian sword glowing... As his eyes focused upon the situation within the mansion, Zakli watched in amazement. Although, Kain's gaze would have brought him to the floor, Zakli's Eon Star amulet hidden at his breast under his tunic, stopped Kain's assault. Shuddering slightly, Zakli sheathed his blue-obsidian sword and moved back, behind the others.

Unwittingly, Kain's gaze had unlocked one of the special abilities of the Eon Star. The ability of granting its wielder magical powers. In shock, Zakli felt a strange electrical tingling throughout his body. As he stood, magic entered one hundred and five pores of his body, giving Zakli power once unimaginable. As he groaned, a strange power filled Zakli.

Strangely, Zakli felt one with the magic that had filled his body, an aftereffect of the hard training as a Black Watch Royal Guardsmen. As his body accepted the magic, Zakli unleashed upon the the ground, calling forth strange bolts of psionic electricity, which lashed the ground around him...

Gravechill was already at the place he had seen whilst searching for... Things in this city in his spiritual form. He had only found lowly beasts from the place, which were easy enough to destroy. He was bored. He would leave for the mansion, once again, and take the undead Cyclops with him to Ermor.

--

"Weak!" the Cyclops shouted, and shattered the magics attempting to bind it. "You are nothing compared to your ancient forefathers! Are these beasts all you can summon?!"

It muttered a single word: "Invulnerability." Its body suddenly turned into some strange alloy, unknown to the beings who live in this era. "Let us begin!" it shouted, as it changed its stance into a more aggressive one. "Let us see whether your beasts are good enough compared to the power of the earth!"

Gravechill was already at the place he had seen whilst searching for... Things in this city in his spiritual form. He had only found lowly beasts from the place, which were easy enough to destroy. He was bored. He would leave for the mansion, once again, and take the undead Cyclops with him to Ermor.

--

"Weak!" the Cyclops shouted, and shattered the magics attempting to bind it. "You are nothing compared to your ancient forefathers! Are these beasts all you can summon?!"

It muttered a single word: "Invulnerability." Its body suddenly turned into some strange alloy, unknown to the beings who live in this era. "Let us begin!" it shouted, as it changed its stance into a more aggressive one. "Let us see whether your beasts are good enough compared to the power of the earth!"

(OOC: Um, Ermor, your character is a little TOO STRONG, so tone it down a bit, or everyone is gonna start getting nasty...)

(OOC: Um, Ermor, your character is a little TOO STRONG, so tone it down a bit, or everyone is gonna start getting nasty...)

(OOC: Of course it has to be "a little too strong" since EVERYONE and their DOG is attacking it. It has many weak points, but for some reason no one has realized what could work on an undead skeleton... Let me tell you, it ain't swords and poison.)

OOC: Just to let you all know, Alexander, Daniel and Stpehen now are running back to the pub where they all met, with Skadi, Assington's character as a hostage.

Stpehn, I will respond soon. I'm in school :wink:

OOC: And Maximus is quite the pissed off vampire chasing after the abductors heheh! Clarke and Khan are already at the pub...

IC:
Clarke looked up as he saw Daniel and Alexander rush in, with Daniel carrying the body of...wait...oh no...not the female vampire...

"What the hell are you doing? Do you know who that is?" he demanded, as Alexander began to close up the pub, and shoving tables and chairs against the entrance and windows.

Khan stood by, somewhat amused. He understood why they had done what they did almost instantly. A rather good scheme indeed.
____________________
(back in the mansion)

The demon growled, as it stood against the cyclops bellowing its rage against the remaining opponents. It hadn't occurred to the cyclops yet that this demon was not just any demon, but rather a soul-snatcher. Raising it's four arms toward the cyclops, it began to magically search for a grip upon the soul of the giant. Finally, it found it, deep within the bowels of the beast, and began to pull it out. Its grip remained tight upon the soul, as it continued to pull with great strength. The cyclops halted for a moment, surprised at the attack. Although it had invurnerability, it could do nothing against such a maneuver.

OOC: You said you were an undead skeleton of the Cyclops, so I did the only logical thing to do. I'm gonna put the cyclop's soul into a final resting. :wink: :twisted:

OOC: Xyorph, you're still at the mansion, Maximus is quite the pissed off bugger right now, and Kain will need you to stay there and support him, as he is still dealing with the effects of having dropped the Brightblade.

(OOC ALRIGHT! I have had enough of this. This is insanity. I always strive for realism as such in my rps, to have my characters have lives, drives, goals, aims, dreams, hopes, fears, weaknesses and strengths. But I am hating this, I have been disguntled by the entire thing as soon as the mansion was attacked for really false reasons. I forget them, but if I have any character, any "evil" character as such, I have damn good reasons why they are like that. So what if everyone is attacking you? You do not bump up your power level just so you can fight! You run away or something. Kain is a powerful character, but he has his weaknesses. Notice his personality? Notice how weak he was without the sword? Bah enough on that point. All I wanted was for this mansion to be made, Kain to have his own domain where he could affect the nearby area and get into the politics. But this reeks of cliches, and I hate them. A massive duke out! I detest this. When you saw Kain get beaten by your Golem, did I bump up my character? NO. There is a reason for it. Weak characters are better to rp, the reason why I have made mine have a lot of weaknesses (mental problems, past, sword, demon talking effecting etc etc).

Bah I am done with this rant. I am going to carry on, but I want you to know I do not like this one bit. You attacked the mansion for stupid reasons. And also, summoning demons is not that easy....nor freaking cyclopes! Otherwise, I would be bringing my entire fricking army here of the dead army under Kain's command! This leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Personally, I would prefer if we went back to what it was before. THIS RP BEING ABOUT VAMPIRES AND POLITICS ETC. NOT DARK FORCES ROMPING AROUND. But I am done, carry on. :evil: )

(OOC ALRIGHT! I have had enough of this. This is insanity. I always strive for realism as such in my rps, to have my characters have lives, drives, goals, aims, dreams, hopes, fears, weaknesses and strengths. But I am hating this, I have been disguntled by the entire thing as soon as the mansion was attacked for really false reasons. I forget them, but if I have any character, any "evil" character as such, I have damn good reasons why they are like that. So what if everyone is attacking you? You do not bump up your power level just so you can fight! You run away or something. Kain is a powerful character, but he has his weaknesses. Notice his personality? Notice how weak he was without the sword? Bah enough on that point. All I wanted was for this mansion to be made, Kain to have his own domain where he could affect the nearby area and get into the politics. But this reeks of cliches, and I hate them. A massive duke out! I detest this. When you saw Kain get beaten by your Golem, did I bump up my character? NO. There is a reason for it. Weak characters are better to rp, the reason why I have made mine have a lot of weaknesses (mental problems, past, sword, demon talking effecting etc etc).

Bah I am done with this rant. I am going to carry on, but I want you to know I do not like this one bit. You attacked the mansion for stupid reasons. And also, summoning demons is not that easy....nor freaking cyclopes! Otherwise, I would be bringing my entire fricking army here of the dead army under Kain's command! This leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Personally, I would prefer if we went back to what it was before. THIS RP BEING ABOUT VAMPIRES AND POLITICS ETC. NOT DARK FORCES ROMPING AROUND. But I am done, carry on. :evil: )

(OOC: :evil: Kain, you do realize your part of the anomaly in this RP right? Because if Kain Irenicus wasn't here, Gravechill or whatever his name was, wouldn't have come to Tarlachia, and we could have a good RP without all these demons and magic romping around... I rather just have a little fighting RP without any use of magic or chi or whatever...)

As the power surged through Zakli, he gasped in pain, unable to contain all of it... With a cry, Zakli collapsed to the ground, unwittingly immersing himself more in psionic energy. Whimpering, Zakli took up a fetal position...

(OOC I realise that, but I have not brought about a war have I? I very rarely flaunt Kain's powers, only in the most desperate situations. Kain is not a forefront character in such things, because it would be unfair on others. I tried to keep the way I like my rp, fantasy etc, not to dominate the other parts of this. I take your point though, and Kain has been powered down in another thread, and I possibly should not have joined. (Blood Is Thicker Than Water). But other characters are using the arcane....I work Kain in a way (hopefully) that he can fit in wherever really, without dominating. It just pisses me off how everyone centers around him ALL THE FRICKIN TIME! But anyway. Point taken.)

Stephen walked into the matinance room and found what he wanted. He collected several pipes, cords, handles, metal boxs, tubes, and a couple half-gallon propane and compressed air canisters. He grabbed some tools from a chest and set to work. After they tied down the girl they looked at him. Stephen worked for about a hour before he got his incenerator. (OOC: If you want to visualize it it looks like the flamethrower in Alien)
Taking his zippo he turned on the nozzle and got the starter flame.
"I built one when I was a kid. Pissed my mom all to hell." Stephen compressed the back handle and a long sheet of flame came out. "The fire disperese unless it hits something." He slung it over his shoulder and handed the Jericho back to Alexander.
"Thanks." Stephen walked into the kitchen and fried himself some fries and a burger.
"Tell me who is this babe and why did we take her? I could fry her and send the corpse back to them. Send a nice message."

(OOC:Vailent i'm in school too most of the day. :wink: )

OOC: Kain, again. I'd like to say that i respect your writing and all that. However, you set it up so that Kain is a major influence to the story. Your grand posts, your storytelling skills... it is hard to see Kain as simply another chracter. I'd like to say that everyone here has an equal part in this story. However, Kain is somewhat of a first officer to Maximus in this thread. The hunters, as I have RPed, shouldn't go after Maximus first. That wouldn't be realistic. Instead, they go for information and other news from the next best source, someone who is really close to Maximus.

That would be you.

I'm not sure what you mean by how it pisses you off that everyone centres around hium ALL THE FRICKIN TIME. With the way you RP, it seems like you like that just fine...

but I digress. The rest of we little hunters and Maximus are very scaled down in powers. Maxiumus can cast a demon spell sure, but not to the extent of yourself and Gravechill. Just keep things to a reasonable pace, and it doesn't hurt to lose a bit. I am even setting things up so that one of my characters will be "Expendable." Not dead, but expendable. This is how it should be. Put aside your pride and all of your knowledge ladies and gentlemen. This goes for everyone.

Now lets continue this wonderful thread :D


IC:

Alexander looked at Stephen. And smiled grimly. He still maintained a tenious grip on Skadi, but that wouldn't last long.

"This woman is named Skadi... she is... lets us say a lover of our dear friend Maximus. I met her long ago in the city of Tarlachia... where Maximus used my master as a decoy to free her fledgeling Hondur.

"As far as I can see, Maximus took something away from me, so I'm just returning the favour."

Stephen grunted. "So do I fry her or not?"

Alexander bared his fangs and slid out a his single desert eagle. He pointed it at Stephen's head.

"Alexander..." warned Daniel.

"Don't do anything to harm her." Growled Alexander. "She isn't the one we really want."

Khan spoke up just then. He finished placing an upturned table by the window. "So we're using her to get to him?"

"Yes. in fact, he is coming as we speak..."

"What?" Clarke whipped around and drew his guns, watching the entrances with wary eyes. "Do you really think all of this" pointing at the tables and chairs "will stop him?"

"No... of course not."

Alexander placed a hand on his head. "Be ready Stephen. I am releasing Skadi no..."

"Wait," cried Daniel "Where is Zakli..."

OOC: where are you anyways :wink:

OOC: Kain, again. I'd like to say that i respect your writing and all that. However, you set it up so that Kain is a major influence to the story. Your grand posts, your storytelling skills... it is hard to see Kain as simply another chracter. I'd like to say that everyone here has an equal part in this story. However, Kain is somewhat of a first officer to Maximus in this thread. The hunters, as I have RPed, shouldn't go after Maximus first. That wouldn't be realistic. Instead, they go for information and other news from the next best source, someone who is really close to Maximus.

That would be you.

I'm not sure what you mean by how it pisses you off that everyone centres around hium ALL THE FRICKIN TIME. With the way you RP, it seems like you like that just fine...

but I digress. The rest of we little hunters and Maximus are very scaled down in powers. Maxiumus can cast a demon spell sure, but not to the extent of yourself and Gravechill. Just keep things to a reasonable pace, and it doesn't hurt to lose a bit. I am even setting things up so that one of my characters will be "Expendable." Not dead, but expendable. This is how it should be. Put aside your pride and all of your knowledge ladies and gentlemen. This goes for everyone.

Now lets continue this wonderful thread :D


IC:

Alexander looked at Stephen. And smiled grimly. He still maintained a tenious grip on Skadi, but that wouldn't last long.

"This woman is named Skadi... she is... lets us say a lover of our dear friend Maximus. I met her long ago in the city of Tarlachia... where Maximus used my master as a decoy to free her fledgeling Hondur.

"As far as I can see, Maximus took something away from me, so I'm just returning the favour."

Stephen grunted. "So do I fry her or not?"

Alexander bared his fangs and slid out a his single desert eagle. He pointed it at Stephen's head.

"Alexander..." warned Daniel.

"Don't do anything to harm her." Growled Alexander. "She isn't the one we really want."

Khan spoke up just then. He finished placing an upturned table by the window. "So we're using her to get to him?"

"Yes. in fact, he is coming as we speak..."

"What?" Clarke whipped around and drew his guns, watching the entrances with wary eyes. "Do you really think all of this" pointing at the tables and chairs "will stop him?"

"No... of course not."

Alexander placed a hand on his head. "Be ready Stephen. I am releasing Skadi no..."

"Wait," cried Daniel "Where is Zakli..."

OOC: where are you anyways :wink:

Stephen jumped back and aimed his incenerator at Alexander.
"The second your hand moves from her I fry you AND her! At the moment I'm wondering who's side you are on." Stephen kept one eye on Alexander and another on the entrance. "I wish to make one thing very obivious at the moment. I'm in a way scared sh*tless because I might never see my wife or daughter again. And I can just ask one of these nice gents to put a bullet thru the tank. Do you what that will do? Send me, you, the girl, and everyone up in a fireball. Settle your vendetta later. I don't give a damn that you lost your master. I lost a friend, I killed him. I could of saved him but I couldn't. I widowed his wife and left his kids fatherless."

Stephen ajusted his aim and turned a handle that limited the range of his weapon. "I would think twice if I were you. I'm ready and willing to fry you both." At that moment Stephen thought he saw a shadow thru the cracks in the tables outside.

Maximus stalked the street and soon slipped quietly into an alley, and pounced to the rooftop. Crouching down low to the roof, he caught Skadi's scent once again, and finally centered it to be coming from a pub down below on the other side of the street.

This was definitely the place, the windows and doorway were blocked by chairs and tables hastily pushed up to form a barrier. Skadi was inside there...with the hunters...and Alexander....

Using his telepathic abilities he discreetly searched for Skadi's mind, and found her.

<<Skadi...I'm here...just outside...can you hear me?>>

Maximus watched as a homeless man walked past the pub, stumbling slightly from his intoxication.

OOC: Valient, I'm online, IM me on Yahoo....(xxibdan99xx)

OOC: Valient, I'm online, IM me on Yahoo....(xxibdan99xx)

OOC:Sorry man, I'm a tad busy. Yet not enough to post :oops:

Maybe this is why my marks in school have suffered :shock:

OOC: ok then, I don't want to be the cause of any future bad grades lol. :wink: Good luck on it....

Skadi recieved the faint message within the back of her mind.

Skadi...I'm here...just outside...can you hear me?

She could barely make it out. She could tell it was Maximus and he was near, but the time stop was slowing signal.

"I hear you Maximus. I do not know where I am, but I shall soon escape."

Skadi applied another massive thrust of telekinetic power against the force holding her. Her left arm twitched as the time stop resisted the psychic pressure.

Gravechill returned to the place he had left the gigantic beast, only to find out it had left somewhere and it was obviously ripping itself apart in the mansion. It had obviously broken its allegiance towards the demilich, which he had not anticipated.

Instead, he found something... Different there. Vampires. He would have to remove what he had brought to this world, but it was not possible for the moment. For now, he would stay in the shadows.

--

The Cyclops was still there, but it had overestimated its overall power. It felt... Weak. Exhausted. The unholy energy binding it together was weakening. It then knew that it could not survive from this confrontation. Its destruction would be inevitable, its return to Tartarus imminent. Gravechill had leeched the mansion's power to such extent that it could not ease what the Cyclops was feeling.

Its hammer changed back into a blade, but it had lost its shield in the process. Too much magic too fast brought this upon it. And it had defied its summoner. Not even him would help at this point.

Instead of giving the enemy the satisfaction of destroying it, it chose to use one final spell on its own body as it said the word "Shatter". Its body broke down into the finest dust. The alloy changed back into bone. It wasn't there anymore.

--

Gravechill felt the change in power, and he knew the Cyclops was no more. He would now retain from fighting openly, as he had more than enough energy to stay undetected. He would observe, and wait until something happens.

(OOC: Let's say that the Cyclops killed itself *before* everyone left, or it killing itself would be rather pointless. I can't post all the time now, so...)

OOC: Ok. I'm now slightly confused as to where Kain is, so I apologise for the lack of RP etiquette. But Xyorph is now approaching Kain. The Cyclops appears to have gone, so I'm guessing no one else is iin the room.

IC:
Xyorph walked slowly across the room towards the vampire.

"I do not believe we have met yet. I am Xyorph, I fight for your cause. Maximus has gone after Skadi. Not knowing my way around this city very well, I shall have to follow your leadership."

He extended a hand, and waited for a reply.

Stephen thought but he wasn't sure that Skadi's arm twitched.
"You were just using us. Like mercinaries. Well, I'm not a merc. Never have been never will be. Now I'm going to fry her, kill part of the command structure. You can hold her and get fried or let go." Alexander held firm.
"Fine, I'm going to my room." Stephen walked into the kitchen. "I guess noone locked the back door."
"Leave the flamethrower!" Khan shouted.
"No." Stephen walked around the kitchen for a little bit. He then noticed the back door was creaking open. Stephen prepped his incinerator, for who he thought was Maximus but it was just a cat. Stephen left the door opened and kept looking for a beer.

As the power surged through Zakli, he gasped in pain, unable to contain all of it... With a cry, Zakli collapsed to the ground, unwittingly immersing himself more in psionic energy. Whimpering, Zakli took up a fetal position...

(OOC: Zakli is still back in front of the mansion, convulsing from the surge of psionic energy that went through his body...)

(OOC Thank you. Kain is within the mansion.)

Kain looked at this person who wished to see him, and he held up his hand as if to say "Wait a moment."

Kain took his right hand and closed his eyes. He circled a pattern with his hand, in a clockwise motion.

And lo.....his force left, shambling in thier semi-intellegent state to thier dwellings. Kain looked tierd...although relieved. He put hsi full attention to the conversation at hand.

"I am sorry I cannot shake your hand.....the results tend to be messy. And might I ask what cause that would be?" Kain asked testingly. kain had cloven talons for fingers....three in fact. He had them for feet too. He asked because he wanted to know what he believed they were fighting for. He wanted to know what someone else had been told....if what he had been told was truth.

Stephen thought but he wasn't sure that Skadi's arm twitched.
"You were just using us. Like mercinaries. Well, I'm not a merc. Never have been never will be. Now I'm going to fry her, kill part of the command structure. You can hold her and get fried or let go." Alexander held firm.
"Fine, I'm going to my room." Stephen walked into the kitchen. "I guess noone locked the back door."
"Leave the flamethrower!" Khan shouted.
"No." Stephen walked around the kitchen for a little bit. He then noticed the back door was creaking open. Stephen prepped his incinerator, for who he thought was Maximus but it was just a cat. Stephen left the door opened and kept looking for a beer.

Alexander looked back at where Stphen had left to, and then turned back to the other assembled hunters.

"Regardless... of what was said, I am, and will work with you all to bring an expedient end to this... madness."

The Alucarde pendant around Alexander's neck pulsed deep. "And it appears that our friend Maximus has decided to join us. Let us not keep him waiting.

"Khan, if you will go and convince Stephen to rejoin us. We could still use his expertise, regardless of hat he thinks of me. Clarke and Daniel, if you will, please train your guns on the Lady Skadi. I will release her from time-stop now."

Daniel shook his head. "I can't help you right now, Alexander."

"Why not, agent?"

"Zakli... I think he is still at the mansion... one of us has to go and see if he's okay. That will be me. I've known him the longest out of all of us."

Alexander paused, and then nodded. "All right, but be careful. I'd hate to think of what the DEO would do without their prized agent.[/i]

"They'd probably go to Hopkins. No matter."

OOC: See http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2718889#2718889 for more info :wink:

IC:

With that, Daniel fled out the back door, not seeing Stphen as he passed.

"Well, then Mr. Clarke, if you may..."

Clarke pointed his weapon at Skadi, still tied up in the chair. HE closed his eyes.

Her arm twitched again...

OOC: On the note of magic, Whiptail has the knowledge of three spells...
Chameleon:Blends in with surroundings
Dispel: Counter-Magic spell
Fireball: Self-Explanitory.

I follow the story, not one single character.

What has happened since I last posted? I read through it all but it is mostly childish bickering...

The cat slinked silently over to stand behind Stephen, and watched him carefully as it began to quickly morph into a larger body, the body of Maximus.

Suddenly, with an incredible speed, Maximus shoved Stephen up against the counter, the barrel of the flamethrower pressed hard into Stephen's jaw. Stephen's other hand was pinned between his body and the counter, useless.

Maximus's eyes burned into Stephen's, rage filling them, coloring his eyes red. He whispered very low, but menacingly.

"You have been a bad boy tonight, you have crossed the line. And for that, you shall pay..."

The sound of the man's arm being crushed under the powerful grip of the vampire, the bone snapping just below the elbow. Stephen winced in pain, but managed to keep his mouth shut.

Maximus bares his fangs, and nears Stephen,

"Now....where is she? And you better tell me quickly, lest I kill you where you stand..."

He pressed the flamethrower deeper into the man's jaw. His eyes filled with murderous intent.

OOC: Wandering Argonians: Well, we've sorted out that mess at the mansion, and now the hunters have kidnapped Skadi. Maximus is pissed, and has given chase. Zakli, Kain, Xyorph are still at the mansion, doing who knows what. Most of the attention right now is at the pub, where the hunters have holed up in wait for Maximus. And he's not a happy camper (hardly the words I'd use, but you get the idea)!

A voice whispers behind the pair...

"Killing is not the answer..."

Whiptail seems to have materialized out of thin air, probably due to the use of a chameleon spell. His arms are crossed across his broad chest, his golden eyes glaring at Maximus... Rage was an emotion he knew well, too well for his tastes, it had turned him into what he was now. He would let no-one, not even a sworn enemy, make the same mistake...

OOC: It seemed like a opportune jump-in point. I'm steering clear of the other hunters from now on, as they seem to disrupt the story at in-opportune moments. Whiptail will now do as he has always done: Hunt alone.

OOC: Daniel is on the way to recover Zakli, and Alexander has just released Skadi. WA, I Rped it so that you are still with us.

Let us wait until Skadi posts please. She is still tied up and is under watch by Alexander and Clarke.

OOC2:

Hey tarlachia, Khan is supposed to be finding Stephen. What you gonna do with that :wink:

Stephen heard Whiptail's voice. Thank god. Stephen decided to keep quite but when the vampire squezzed harder on his broken arm Stephen talked.
"In the main area, Alexander has her under some voodoo stuff. He was going to let her go. I said no and turned to leave. I don't know where everyone else is. Christ. Dear God." Stephen felt the butt of the flamethrower aganist the back of his head. Stephen fell to the ground and saw Maximus bend down close to his face.
"Looks like I have my own hostage to take back."
Stephen was slowly blacking out. I'm thankful you weren't here Emma. Lord, if I don't live look after my wife and daughter. Stephen tried to claw for the exit but collasped. I'm going to be a godda** POW again. He saw a snubnose .32 revolver under a counter and grabbed it with his good arm. He tried but couldn't pull the hammer back. Stephen finally blacked out.

Maximus didn't look at the Argonian but spoke to him:

"Believe me. I do not want to kill this one. He is not who I want. I'm going to take him with me, and you will not stop me."

Picking up the unconscious Stephen with ease, he strode out the door once again, and bound to a rooftop across the street from the pub, the front entrance still blocked by the furniture. He set the body down, somewhat carefully. Snarling, he turned back toward the direction of the pub, as he drew Glamdring, its blade reflecting the moonlight brightly. In his other hand, he held the flamethrower. He smiled wickedly. The heat was about to begin. Sheathing Glamdring once again, he reached down, ripped the shirt off of Stephen. He found a loose brick from the wall on the roof, and wrapped the shirt around it, and lit the shirt with the flamethrower. Turning back toward the pub, he tossed the bundle toward the entrance, and watched as the flames quickly caught fire with the wooden furniture. Soon, the hunters would be forced to leave the pub, and Maximus would be waiting.
________________________________

Khan nodded to Alexander.

"Right."

He walked through the doors leading to the kitchen and stopped dead in his tracks. His eyes frantically looked around the kitchen, noting Whiptail's presence and the various disturbed objects. Stephen was gone.

"Shit! Where the hell did he go?" he demanded of the Argonian. The Argonian didn't reply, but looked toward the open back door.

"He didn't did he?...oh, no...Maximus got him...." Khan muttered. This was bad, very bad.

"Alexander! Clarke! We've got a serious problem! Stephen's gone!"

Khan thought he heard the sound of fire crackling, but dismissed the sound, as he kept his eye on the Argonian. That Argonian hadn't stopped Maximus.

He's a traitor! he thought to himself.

Skadi felt the force of the spell weakening, it was drawing off, but not completely. She would soon fix that. Drawing from her telekinetic resources, Skadi unleashed a wave of power so intense the spell was completely seperated and she sprung to life once again.

Regaining her physical senses and the ability to control her body, Skadi quickly assessed the room she was held within. She was bound, but that was of litttle importance, her ancient strength was easily enough to break through. Returned to sharp awareness, Skadi glared at the men within the room, obviously her captors.

"I suggest you release me....... willfully."

The cool, calculated malice of Skadi's demand echoed around the room.

Khan turned cold at the sound of her voice. He turned, his eyes getting wider as he realized what his ears had already told him.

"uh....guys....why isn't this working to plan??!!" Khan asked, as a trace of fear filtered its way through his voice.

Clarke swallowed the lump he had noticed grow in his throat quickly. Keeping his gun level with the lady vampire, he maintained a look of determination upon his face.

"Not until we say, lover girl..." he replied to her, before being interuppted by large billows of smoke flowing quickly through the pub.

In between his coughs Clarke commanded for all of them to get out, and began to shove some of the tables out of the way as they all made for the back door.
_________________________

Maximus watched intently as the fire consumed the pub. He had already reloacated to view the back door, and soon was rewarded with a view of the hunters stumbling, gasping for air. Skadi was nowhere to be seen.

Growling, he grabbed the body of Stephen, still unconscious, as he prepared himself to launch down toward the street, the moment he saw Skadi.

Thoughts of torture and pain being dealt to Alexander raced through his mind, as he silently cursed the other vampire's existence.

Skadi watched as the hunters fled the bar. Fire. The idea was effective, yet fire was not friendly toward vampires. Breaking free of the bindings, Skadi stood and examined her exits.

The door the men just passed throuh was suddenly cut off by a flaming beam, spreading more of the intense flame throughout the building. Smoke now filled the building, Skadi was running out of options. Then she noticed it. The skylight. Calling upon her mastered ability of flight, Skadi levitated through the black smoke, leaving the inferno behind.

Speeding up as she continued to ascend, Skadi smashed through the skylight with ease, glass shattered everywhere, creating small cuts upon Skadi that quickly healed. Now atop the building, she took some time to brush off the dark soot from her already dark clothing.

(OOC Thank you. Kain is within the mansion.)

Kain looked at this person who wished to see him, and he held up his hand as if to say "Wait a moment."

Kain took his right hand and closed his eyes. He circled a pattern with his hand, in a clockwise motion.

And lo.....his force left, shambling in thier semi-intellegent state to thier dwellings. Kain looked tierd...although relieved. He put hsi full attention to the conversation at hand.

"I am sorry I cannot shake your hand.....the results tend to be messy. And might I ask what cause that would be?" Kain asked testingly. kain had cloven talons for fingers....three in fact. He had them for feet too. He asked because he wanted to know what he believed they were fighting for. He wanted to know what someone else had been told....if what he had been told was truth.

Xyorph laughed, looking down at Kain's hand.

"Yes, fair enough. The cause I am fighting for. An interesting question. Last night I was sure, but now I am a little confused. I thought what we had here was an attempt by a group of Vampires to overthrow the human government. I thought we were going to create a state for beings like us to live in, free from persecution.

But after having seen recent events I am not so sure. From across the city I could feel the disturbances here at your mansion. Why dont you tell me what you think is going on?"

He had little patience, and with Stephen within his arms, he leaped down, landed on the street on both feet, and glared at the hunters in front of him. Glamdring was pressed into Stephen's neck, as he began to slap Stephen's face to make him conscious once again. Stephen's eyes fluttered as he attempted to gain his bearings.

"Where the hell is she? What have you done with her?! Speak up or I'll kill him where he stands!" he demanded of the hunters. Alexander stood behind them, watching Maximus. Yet his presence did not go unnoticed.

Venom poured from his words as he spoke, fury lashing out at the men in frnot of him. Toward Alexander he challenged in a clear voice:

"Alexander...your time shall come..."

"Now. WHERE IS SHE?! May your gods help you if she is injured, or I'll personally kill each of you here, one by one, and torturing you as you die. That is a promise....."

Stephen spotted the other hunters a few feet away. Maximus stood just behind him with a sword to his neck. What to do? Can't buy him with..... SILVER!? Stephen twisted the star on his belt buckle with his hand and pulled out silver coin. He hid it in his hand until the moment was right. it came.
Stephen decided not to go for the face, he was too tired and might get killed too. So he pressed it against Maximus's free hand. The vampire howled and Stephen tried to escape but Stephen got only a few inches before he felt the sword cut along his back. This time Stephen fell with another wound to add to his set.

"So now you all are here..."

The darkness around Gravechill dissipated as he spoke to the group. Maximus was holding a badly injured man in his hands.

"I saw you before. I saw you all. But I know you, beast," and he glared at Maximus with his glowing red eyesockets, "are at the center of this... Problem. Tell me everything. Now."

"Now. WHERE IS SHE?! May your gods help you if she is injured, or I'll personally kill each of you here, one by one, and torturing you as you die. That is a promise....."

Alexander smirked and looked at the fallen Stephen again, rather than maximus.

"You know, hunter, I should let him finish you and be done with it. You've done me no favours... but since I am a gentleman...

Alexander looked at Clarke and Khan. "Keep an eye on him, i'll be back..."

Alexander took a running leap and jumped upon the pub's roof. In one swift motion, he drew his sword and pressed it up against Skadi's throat. She was still brushing herself off and was caught unawares.

"Your lover is here, Lady Skadi. We should not keep him waiting..."

Though she was more than capable of fending off Alexander, Skadi relented. Perhaps this would be for the best.

"Take me to him. NOW."

With another leap, Alexander and Skadi jumped back down to street level. Alexander kept the sword pressed to Skadi, and looked around at the assembled hunters and Maximus, still cradling Stephen.

"Well now, Maximus, it appears we are at an impasse... what shall we do?"

Suddenly a dark mist appeared, and then dissapated. Gravechill was all that was left.

"So now you all are here..."

"I saw you before. I saw you all. But I know you, beast," and he glared at Maximus with his glowing red eyesockets, "are at the center of this... Problem. Tell me everything. Now."

Alexander laughed, his eye turning a psychotic sheen.

"This is priceless... so what now, Mr. leader of the VRO?"

"A problem? You see this as a problem? I merely see this a necessity to begin a long-overdue change within this nation to better suit creatures such as you and I, lich."

Turning toward Alexander, his black eyes narrowed. His fangs bared at him, then slid back inside his mouth as he calmed himself down enough to speak.

"A clever ploy you have used, Alexander. You and I shall have our duel in due time, mark my words... Fine then, we shall exchange captives, what do you say?"

Toward Stephen, whom he had picked up once again, his fangs merely inches from his ear, he whispered:

"Try that again, and you will suffer a lot more than I have already dealt you. For your sake, you do not want to know of the torture I can deal you. Now, my patience is dangerously limited. It would be in your best interest to remain still or you will die next time, I promise you."

Xyorph laughed, looking down at Kain's hand.

"Yes, fair enough. The cause I am fighting for. An interesting question. Last night I was sure, but now I am a little confused. I thought what we had here was an attempt by a group of Vampires to overthrow the human government. I thought we were going to create a state for beings like us to live in, free from persecution.

But after having seen recent events I am not so sure. From across the city I could feel the disturbances here at your mansion. Why dont you tell me what you think is going on?"

Kain sighed.

"Let me show you to my office. I am tierd." Kain said, and turned, going towards the spiraling staircase accross the massive hall.

The dust still was falling everywhere, the foot prints of the various peoples still remained. Kain left his own three footed print in the dust which covered the floor like a strange snow. The lighting was dim....the light was simply there, it sprang from no-where.

Kain entered a doorway, which held a spiraling stone steps upwards. Kain began walking up the darkened passagem a runes lit up upon the stairs, glowing a faint blue as he walked upon them, lighting the way.

"I attract attention. Too much of it. My very presance brings about mages, hunters, demons, bastards and traitors to my door, pestering me constantly. Hence, the building of this place. I am so very tierd of being bothered. As for the reason I am goign to be commanding, is for my own beliefs. You are correct in what you say. I believe this organisation should indeed respect mortals and target persecution. Humans and vampires should work in symboisis, but sadly, such a thing has rarely been acheived due to the rigidity of the concept within todays society." Kain said rather sadly as they walked up.

Stephen couldn't tell where they were. He didn't give a damn. He turned his head to Maximus.
"I thought you liked silver. Give it to your lady friend." Stephen felt pressure against his neck from Maximus's hand. "All I know of vampires is what the movies say, and as I remember only werewolves hate silver." Stephen felt more pressure.
"Kill me, my wife will raise hell with the general. Emma is a major in the forgien intel section. The General of our army is her dad. My father in law. He raises hell with the joint chiefs, they raise hell with the defense minister, he goes to the forign minister, right up to the president.
He'll be pissed. He'll raise hell with this nation's president. You, your girl, you orgainazation will go up in flames. You are treading on thin ice my friend." Stephen turned to Alexander.
"Stop calling me "hunter", I'm not. I'm a Ranger. Sargent Stephen Malone 1/1/A4. 1st Ranger Regement, 1st battalion, Alpha company, 4th Platoon. Retired." Stephen's hand felt his blood drip from the sword wound. Stephen also started to feel weaker.

Whiptail arrived at the buring pub, anger slowly rising in his mind... A mini-PDW was in each clawed hand, each loaded with silver bullets, which would kill both vampires and humans... Whiptail stepped between the two opposing groups, aiming a PDW in the direction of each. His dark form is silouetted by the flames of the buring pub, the firelight dancing across his black scales in an eerie dance of out-of-place joy...

"I have seen acts of dishonor on each side of the conflict, and side with neither at this stage. Hostage-taking is considered a grave offense among my people, and I will not tolerate it among my own comrades. I bid that each group release their captives.

Anger clouds the mind, and many will die in this street without honor, whose antithesis is anger... release your hostages, then you may die with honor, and each kill his enemy to his content... Do not heed my words, and I will kill all of you, even though I may die myself... I assure you, I will be the last to fall. You have a single minute..."

Whiptail's eyes glow with a hint of crimson, the hands upon the small sub-machine guns unwavering and steady as stones. Honor is something never to be violated among the Argonian people, and his Warriors' Code compelled him to act in the current situation...

"A problem? You see this as a problem? I merely see this a necessity to begin a long-overdue change within this nation to better suit creatures such as you and I, lich."

The red glow in his eyes became more intense. "Of course you are a problem, beast. You lurk in between, never embracing either side," he said with a cold, whispering voice. "You and your kind are a plague, one to which we are the cure."

"-- ... Do not heed my words, and I will kill all of you, even though I may die myself... I assure you, I will be the last to fall. You have a single minute..."

Apparently Whiptail did not see Gravechill, standing alone, facing Maximus, but it did not stop him from replying. "Great words from a beast of blood like yourself. But you are mistaken. I have yet to 'dishonor' myself."

He let out a chilling scream, and suddenly a group of wights appeared behind him. The same group that had been with him in the mansion.

Whiptail arrived at the buring pub, anger slowly rising in his mind... A mini-PDW was in each clawed hand, each loaded with silver bullets, which would kill both vampires and humans... Whiptail stepped between the two opposing groups, aiming a PDW in the direction of each. His dark form is silouetted by the flames of the buring pub, the firelight dancing across his black scales in an eerie dance of out-of-place joy...

"I have seen acts of dishonor on each side of the conflict, and side with neither at this stage. Hostage-taking is considered a grave offense among my people, and I will not tolerate it among my own comrades. I bid that each group release their captives.

Anger clouds the mind, and many will die in this street without honor, whose antithesis is anger... release your hostages, then you may die with honor, and each kill his enemy to his content... Do not heed my words, and I will kill all of you, even though I may die myself... I assure you, I will be the last to fall. You have a single minute..."

Whiptail's eyes glow with a hint of crimson, the hands upon the small sub-machine guns unwavering and steady as stones. Honor is something never to be violated among the Argonian people, and his Warriors' Code compelled him to act in the current situation...

Alexander looked at Whiptail and laughed again.

"Dishonour? My friend, your kind places too much on this notion of... honour.

Alexander looked at everyone there, and then directly at Stephen.

"All right everyone, enough of the pretense. I don't care at all if this city falls to the VRO. take it, and burn it down for all I care.

"Stephen... Hunter, Ranger, whoever you are... you can rot in hell."

With one smooth motion, Alexander threw Skadi to the ground, put away his Upir and drew his desert eagle.

He quickly squeezed off three shots at Whiptail. Before anyone could stop him, he leapt upon the pub rooftop.

"You all can rot... Maximus, I will see you soon. Bet on it."

Alexander ran off, disappearing into the shadows.

********************

Daniel ran up to the Mansion... he spotted Zakli's still form on the ground.

"Zakli! What happened? Are you okay?"

Hmph. As he had thought. Those beasts have no backbone, they would flee whenever they see danger. That is one of their faults. Doesn't matter. He would leave soon anyway, but he just wants to know more about this attempt, to tell it to the human mages in his home nation. It would give him more time, as they would think their control over him is supreme. How wrong they are, how wrong...

"Now, vampire, tell me everything you know about this, or I shall rip what I need from your mind."

It became cold, very cold, although Gravechill had not casted anything. It soon became evident that the wights emitted an aura of extreme cold, but Gravechill seemed unaffected by it.

OOC: Tarlachia, check your tgs :D

OOC: I thought I'd just point out..... there is no way your character could manhandle Skadi like that..... but I'll let it slip this time..... :P

IC: Halted in midfall by her sheer will, Skadi glided upright and continued brushing the soot off her clothing. Cleaned to her satisfaction, Skadi remained completely still. Things were different within her mind, reaching out to Alexander, she took hold of him within her telekinetic grasp. Hurtling him into the wall of a nearby building, Alexander came crashing down at her feet.

"Explain to me why I should not kill you immediately?"

Maximus sent a message out to the city, heard only by specific beings.

Addressing Whiptail, he spoke:

"Your obvious code of honor is admirable Argonian. I myself am also honor-bound. My actions thus far have been in response to these hunters' own actions, which I dare say are honor-less."

Maximus growled at Stephen,

"You government does not concern me. You are worthless to even these hunters. You cannot hold your own in a fight against immortals! Now go!"

Maximus shoved him toward the hunters, watching as Stephen stumbled and fell, smacking his face onto the ground. Such a useless mortal.

"Do yourself a favor ranger, go train yourself in the skills of fighting immortals. Then you will have your odds up for your survival."

Turning toward Gravechill, he spoke:

"I do not know why I waste my time explaining myself to you, but considering you yourself are an immortal being, you are granted some of my attention. The VRO and I will sweep the government here in Tarlachia for only one purpose. We shall implement a government that promotes cooperation between immortal and mortal beings alike. To ensure this, we will penetrate into the upper echleons of the government, and therefore, legitimizing our movement. Once this is done, Tarlachia will stand as a peaceful nation accepting of all races. Too long has our kind suffered under the weak and foolish hands of mortals. Too long have we remained silent. You heard me correctly, I did say a peaceful nation, we do not wish to incur the anger of foreign nations for unnecessary reasons."

Maximus stopped speaking, as he sensed the approach of many beings. Turning toward the hunters, he spoke:

"I will give you one last chance to stand down and let us do what is necessary. Surely you can understand the logical argument presented here. Refuse to do so, and consequences will come."

Skadi, keep your guard up...and keep Alexander alive...he is mine alone...

Toward the unseen vampires surrounding the group in adjacent streets and alleys, he commanded telepathically:

Hold your positions, remain out of sight.

"I have no intention of killing him. At the moment...... but he shall pay for his actions against myself."

Skadi withdrew her own blade and levelled the tip at Alexander.

"Would you care to explain your actions?"

"You heard me correctly, I did say a peaceful nation, we do not wish to incur the anger of foreign nations for unnecessary reasons."

"And you think anyone would believe what you just told me? Such childish idealism. Forming a nation that is safe and peaceful for all through bloodshed sounds as possible as forming an empire without conquest. Especially... Considering your lust for mortal blood."

Gravechill sensed the presence of many beasts of blood near by. This could end badly, unless...

Maximus noticed Gravechill's attention slightly diverted.

"Yes...you sensed them as well. They are being held back until further command. Should these hunters fail to disperse quietly, things will get bad, quickly. Perhaps, instead of accusing me, you would try to convince these men to listen? I do no wish to see them die, but if provoked, I will unleash the others. Take my word for it, I am an honorable one.

As for the nation, even you know that there are nations out there that rise out of chaos and bloodshed, to form themselves into a safe nation. Yet, to create a nation through peaceful means is also feasible. This is the path we seek, for the most part. I know that the VRO had changed many a mortal into their immortal selves, but that was before I took control of this organization. My first action was to halt this morbid activity, upon pain of death for any violators. These vampires of the VRO, although strong, are not all that smart in regards to dealing with national matters. That is why I stepped in, someone needed to keep these fools from destroying what little freedom we vampires still have.

Now, if you don't mind, I do not wish to duel with you nor these hunters. The only one who owes me a battle is Alexander. He committed an unhonorable act that must be met with justice."

Stephen turned around and eyed somethig shiny behind a trash can. He crawled for it and with his good right arm picked it up. His medi kit. Must of fallen out when Maximus threw my shirt. Leaning against the wall he pulled out a needle, thread, and two stoppers that would hold the stich in place. It took him a while using one arm but he was able to thread the needle and put a stopper in.

The hard part was stiching himself up. Blood made it hard to tell where the wound was. He put the thread down and pulled out a small vial of alcohol. He poured it on his back and felt were the gash was. It was small, only from his right shoulder blade to just under his left. Thru trail and error Stephen managed to stich up his back. He pulled out a already made sling and with great pain put his arm in.

He spotted Maximus had left his flamethrower on a trash can. Stephen stumbled over and picked it up and slung it over his shoulder. Maximus and Skadi growled at him and went for thier weapons. Stephen paid no mind to them. He turned to Khan and Clarke.
"I'm going home. When I heard of a paramilitary/terriorst group I never expected something from the scifi channel. Your the pros here. It's you fight, not mine. I'm going back to my hotel room. Then I'm going back to my wife and daughter."
He looked at all of them. Each one of them had murdered more people than he had helped. Butchers.
"Damit, damit all to hell, damn all you butchers."
Stephen turned around and stumbled out of the alley, waist up naked riddled with scars from his four hours in Mendez's private hell and his flamethrower slung over him. He turned and started to head for his hotel.

Kain sighed.

"Let me show you to my office. I am tierd." Kain said, and turned, going towards the spiraling staircase accross the massive hall.

The dust still was falling everywhere, the foot prints of the various peoples still remained. Kain left his own three footed print in the dust which covered the floor like a strange snow. The lighting was dim....the light was simply there, it sprang from no-where.

Kain entered a doorway, which held a spiraling stone steps upwards. Kain began walking up the darkened passagem a runes lit up upon the stairs, glowing a faint blue as he walked upon them, lighting the way.

"I attract attention. Too much of it. My very presance brings about mages, hunters, demons, bastards and traitors to my door, pestering me constantly. Hence, the building of this place. I am so very tierd of being bothered. As for the reason I am goign to be commanding, is for my own beliefs. You are correct in what you say. I believe this organisation should indeed respect mortals and target persecution. Humans and vampires should work in symboisis, but sadly, such a thing has rarely been acheived due to the rigidity of the concept within todays society." Kain said rather sadly as they walked up.

Xyorph looked at the vampire as he followed him through the mansion. He could empathise quite a lot with what this being had gone through. He didn't know if this was a good thing.

"I understand what you are saying. It is a pity that a peaceful resolution cannot be found.

As for being pestered, I must say my story is the opposite. For years now I have remained in the shadows hiding from the world. Yet I feel we have both ended in the same situation. We are both lonely, and both find ourselves fighting for a cause that we hope will end our problems without feeling too strong about the cause itself."

Xyorph reached forward and caught the Vampires arm.

"We both know that if we really wanted to be alone from the world we could be. We both have the ability to seal oursleves in and hide. So why haven't you? I cannot honestly explain why I haven't.

I will be blunt with you Kain. I join this cause less for the need for somewhere to live, as I can make myself a home anywhere. I do it for company. Real company. Not someone who is simply an enemy or someone who wishes to use me for my power."

He turned Kain to face him.

"I understand some of what goes through you. I know what magic does to a person, I know how deeply it affects you. But I also know that we can make a difference and help. And right now, there are beings in this city that need out help. We cannot abandon them Kain. So give up this despair that rips through you, and lets go help a cause. Lets give ourselves purpose."

He let go of Kain's arm, and stood up straight.

"How long do you need to recover? And can I help in anyway?"

(OOC: *walks around whistling, waiting for Tarlachia's character to find mine* Zakli is lying prone in front of the mansion...)

OOC: 5CN, you're waiting for Valient's character, Daniel Able, to find you. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, he already has done so...

"-- I do no wish to see them die, but if provoked, I will unleash the others. Take my word for it, I am an honorable one."

Gravechill felt amused. A beast ultimately created with the blood of innocents preaching him about honor and peace. Humorous.

"-- These vampires of the VRO, although strong, are not all that smart in regards to dealing with national matters. That is why I stepped in, someone needed to keep these fools from destroying what little freedom we vampires still have."

"Most nations built on death by others than those who live in it crumble through the very same thing they are built on. Empires fall. Civilizations die out. Corruption is inevitable. Of course, if you succeed, you will be able to keep things together for a while, but mark my words. It will not last. It never does. Unless..." but he stops speaking before finishing the sentence.

"The only one who owes me a battle is Alexander. He committed an unhonorable act that must be met with justice."

"You have an unhealthy lust for 'honor', considering what you are. But your kind are different from mine, yes... You would never go as far as we already have."

He had sent a black servant to observe Xyorph and Kain. Obviously they are weak. Weak and inferior. But then again, they are both alive in ways Gravechill is not. He has no human needs unlike vampires and the like.

OOC2: Assington, I know that Alexander couldn't manhandle her. I did say that if she wanted to, Skadi could escape. However she wanted the most expedient way to rejoin Maximus :D

OOC2: Zakli has already been found by Daniel.

OOC3: Didn't Alexander run off into the shadows? :o

IC:

"Would you care to explain your actions?"

Alexander looked up at Skadi, taking care to keep the blade in sight and away from his throat.

"My... actions need not be explained to the likes of you, Lady Skadi."

Alexander pointed at maximus with a wavering hand. "If you are looking for answers, ask your lover. Perhaps he is not at all what you think he is."

With a furious swipe of his arm, Alexander bashed aside the sword, cutiing his arm deep.

With deep red staining down his arm, Alexander ran off, not stopping but to call out, "You want to take over this country, maximus? That means you have to take over the presidential office. I'll see you on the roof of the White House..."

Alexander ran off again into the shadows, clutching his arm lightly.

********

Daniel shook Zakli's still form. He still wasn't moving.

"Zakli, c'mon. get up. We have to get back before they are all dead..."

Stephen had come thru the side entrance of the hotel so no one would notice him. His arm was giving him hell but he decided to contact an old friend. Taking his phone book his found the name, Arthur "Ginger" Mitchell. Stephen dialed the number of Ginger's computer company. Only Stephen and a few other people knew Ginger also dealt in firearms.
"Hello Arthur Mitchell here."
"Ginger, it's me Stephen."
"Stephen! My god! It's been ages! How is Emma?"
"She's fine, I'll get right to the point. Ginger I need a big favor."
"Name it."
"Get a pad and pencil and write this:
1. One Heckler-Koch HK G36 with 20 spare magizines loaded and in the holders
2. One Uzi twelve spare mags loaded and in holders
3. One Colt 1911 five spare mags loaded and in holders
4. Two M-72 LAWs
Got that?"
"Stephen that's a lot of hardware. What are going to use it for?"
"For your own saftey mum is the word. What is the dope on those XM-18s I've heard about?"
"I have one or two laying around. Why?"
"Send one instead of the LAWs. Enough shells for three full loads."
"Stephen please, that'll run high."
"Suppose I tell my father in law how Mendez's men were so well armed." It was a shot in the dark but Ginger's voice told everything.
"Okay, Steve. Look I didn't know that was Mendez. I'll do it, mum is the word. This is the last favor Stephen. I'll load and ship everything and where are you?" Stephen told him.
"I'll have it at your hotel in lets say seven hours. God speed Stephen." Ginger hung up.
Stephen hung up and left the room. Now to find someone to fix my arm. I'm going to blow Maximus's operation into the spotlight if he likes it or not.

Gravechill chuckled. He said in his cold, whispering voice, "I think I have seen enough. You are like a human. All of your kind. I knew it already, but this confirmed it beyond any doubt. You are not like us. Not even close. The only difference between you and any human is your lust for blood and 'immortality'."

Gravechill waved his hands, whispered something and he and his undead companions suddenly vanished into the darkness.

Whiptail glares in the direction of Maximus...

"Then you will duel with this Alexander..."

He faces the others...

"This is no longer your fight, depart or spectate, but do not interfere..."

Skadi watched as Alexander ran off. She would not pursue for the moment. She could always find him again. Instead, she communicated with Maximus.

"That one will create trouble for your cause. We should probably deal with him before he does so."

Finally Skadi allowed her cold eyes to move over the others present. Her deep glare pierced into their very minds, sending a chill of despair down their spines.

Stephen sat in a chair in the third story of an abandoned building across from the last warehouse he knew of. Getting him arm fixed was easy. Instead of putting it in a normal cast the doctor placed it in a sturdier plastic one. He had purchased a small pair of high optic binoculars before heading back to his room. Stephen killed more time by figuring out that the VRO's HQ needed to be big and out of the way. He had checked every warehouse he could think of, none. This one was on the edge of town and it was large enough, he had remembered passing it when he had arrived to get his car repaired.

Ginger's weapons arrived like he had said. The G36, 1911, and Uzi Stephen were familiar with but it was the XM-18 that grabbed him. The XM-18 grenade launcher had not one chamber, but eighteen 30mm chambers like a revolver. Stephen had loaded the XM-18 with a full load of fragmentation grenades and took it and the .45.

Stephen eyed several people walking out of the warehouse. He picked up the biocs and zoomed in. They paused long enough for Stephen to see, they each had fangs. He had found it, or a branch of it. From the light inside the building Stephen saw many other shadows. The group of people headed back inside. Stephen pulled up the XM-18 and took aim.

The shells punched thru the metal roof with no problem and exploded inside. Stephen fired the whole chamber before exchanging the 18 for the .45. When he ran outside a vampire emerged from the warehouse stumbling. It saw Stephen and jumped for him. At the last minute Stephen put a .45 slug into the vampire and pinned him on the ground.
"Tell Maximus this. I know where you guys are, you are going to be in the center stage very soon. It's going to get psychological now. You hear me, tell him every word. From a certain Ranger."

The vampire nodded and Stephen clubbed him over the head enough to make him stunned. Stephen went back to his hotel and switched the 1911 and XM-18 for the Uzi. He put it under his jacket and headed to the downstairs resurant for dinner. If he flinched first he would end up on the dinner table, if Maximus and Skadi flinched first, they would be on center stage.

Maximus continued to stare at the hunters, waiting for a response. Stephen had disappeared. His dark eyes penetrated the hunter, visibly making them uncomfortable.

"Well? What will it be?"

Clarke glanced over at Khan and nodded slightly.

"We're leaving, but don't think we'll be gone for good..."

The two walked backwards, keeping their eyes on Maximus, before they finally turned about and made their way quicker into the night.

Toward Skadi he communicated:

I'm glad you're safe now...I almost lost complete control..."

Sirens from the firetrucks could be heard in the distance, making their way toward them quickly. It was time to go.

He stepped over to where Skadi was, his eyes locking with hers. Nothing was needed to be said, the two understood each other well.

Maximus turned and led the way down the alley. He sent out a message to the vampires surrounding the area to meet him at a specified location.

His thoughts centered around Alexander for the next few minutes, as he thought about the conflict between the two of them. He growled slightly, his muscles tensing in his body, as if he wished to strike out at him.

Skadi nodded in reply. She was not happy with this situation. Giving the remaining hunters one last, cold glance, Skadi departed in quick movements.

"They may cause more trouble than was expected."

OOC: Do you know how big of a chamber something would need to have to hold eighteen 30mm shells? The RGB-6 is a more compact weapon, the very same concept with the standard 6 shell loadout.

IC:

Whiptail returned his small SMG's to their hip-holsters, and departed the scene...

OOC: Do you know how big of a chamber something would need to have to hold eighteen 30mm shells? The RGB-6 is a more compact weapon, the very same concept with the standard 6 shell loadout.

IC:

Whiptail returned his small SMG's to their hip-holsters, and departed the scene...

OOC: My dad had told me when he retired from the paratroopers he was offered a job to train Nigerian paras. He also said he meet with someone who had the contracts to get those. He said it had eighteen shells in a revolver like chamber but he couldn't remember the mm. He said it was 10mm,20mm, or 30mm.
I argee the chamber will be a big sucker but I personally think 30mil sounds a bit more mean. Hey, vamps and manges got voodoo. I got my 30mil grenade launcher.

OOC: Try the 20mm, that might actually work, although it'd still be cumbersome. MS' reality-check seems to have rubbed off on me. The 10mm is a pistol round, packing a bit more stopping power than a 9mm, obviously. Myself, I compensate for magic and such with specialized ammunition. If you'd like, I'll T-gram you a list.

IC:

Whiptail arrived back at his run-down apartment, barring the door with a chair. He laid his weapons down on the table, as he did every night after a hunt. Whiptail disrobed and got into the shower, something he rarely did, as Argonians didn't sweat much. Not surprisingly, the apartment didn't have hot water, but he didn't care, he just needed to get the soot off of himself...

His shower completed, Whiptail settled down in a threadbare chair with his portable CD-player and a copy of Dracula , a book he hadn't read in a very long time...

Alexander leapt surrepticiously over the gates of the presidential estates.

"Hmmm, the security is tighter than usual... wonder what happened?"

Without a backward glance at the guards, Alexander jogged, sprinted and then ran full out towards the large building.

At the last second, Alexander leapt...

And landed without a sound on the rooftop. He turned back around and looked out at the skyline of Tarlachia.

Without a word, he sat down on the ledge of the roof, his legs dangling off the edge.

President Marshall looked up quickly as the Secret Service moved in.

"What the hell is going on??" he demanded.

"We've got a security breach sir, we need to move you to a safer location."

"What the hell? I thought I ordered for security to be stepped up to highest level? Why the hell are you boys not doing your goddamn job??!!"

The men didn't respond as they quickly ushered the President into the safe bunker underground. At the same time, military forces began to swarm out of seemingly hidden rooms, as they made their way to the rooftop. A pair of military helicopters swooped up to the White House from the direction of the military compound nearby. Over the loudspeaker from one of the helicopters, a voice blared:

"Freeze! Do not move! You are on government property. Do anything rash, and your ass is grass!"

"Freeze! Do not move! You are on government property. Do anything rash, and your ass is grass!"


Alexander did not look up. Ratherm he looked down, at his wounded arm. He had sliced it open on Skadi's sword, and though it had now stopped bleeding, it was still stained red.

He grimaced. "Maximus..."

Without a word, Alexander flung up his good arm... with it holding his desert eagle. Alexander leapt straight up and into the open cockpit of the helicopter.



[i]Alexander turned towards the pilot. He pressed the gun to the back of the pilots head.

"You... shoot down that helicopter there... NOW!"

Oddly, Whiptail's Regge CD stopped playing...

'Arise hunter, and aid one who is in danger... The leader of this land...'

Whiptail recognized the voice, that of Makaal, the Argonian diety who spoke to him from time to time. Whiptail had never welcomed his words, always offering cryptic advice, or placing yet another curse upon his head... Almost reluctantly, Whiptail gathered up his equipment and set off for the presidential residence...

OOC: I'm not posting, but just wanna say...

Bring it, Wa :twisted:

OOC: Whiptail welcomes your challenge...

The man began to sweat greatly, as he felt the gun pressed into the back of his head. Without making much movement, unnoticed by Alexander, he slipped his hand down, as he grabbed the pistol from his leg holster, all while turning the helicopter to face the other hovering nearby.

The comm burst into activity as the second pilot alarmingly yelled at him.

"Jones! What the hell are you doing! You've got a damn terrorist on board!"

"I know Mark....I know..."

Jones grimaced as he felt Alexander's gun press harder into his head, shoving his head forward. Using the movement as a mask, he pulled his head back, and fired the gun back at the vampire. The helicopter jerked erratically at the same time, as he tried to maneuver the chopper to drop the vampire out of the open doorway.
_________________________

Maximus turned the street, and stopped dead in his tracks as he watched a hectic scene upon the rooftops of the Presidential compound.

"What the hell?"

He began to sprint toward the compound, Skadi close behind. Around him, Maximus could sense the large number of vampires swarming in the same direction, some having already reached the compound before Maximus and Skadi, and were taking out the guards by the gates, and just outside all the exits.

A deafening alarm could be heard as it began to blare, summoning the remaining military units stationed at the base near the compound.

"Damn it! Let's move!" cried Maximus as he darted for the front door. He needed to find the President...and fast...

The VRO vampires continued to battle the military. Guns fired in every direction, as more and more fighters from both sides arrived, escalating the massive fighting occuring.

It was going to be a fight that would gravitate toward the strongest...

Whiptail reached the presidential residence, finding a suitable nesting area, he assembled his R93, loading fragmentary silver ammunition. With the amount of targets in the area, each shot had to be a confirmed kill.

Taking aim at the vampires nearest the gates, Whiptail sent a fragmentary silver .308 into the unfortunate victim, the flash and sound muffled by a surpressor on the end of the barrel.

Halfway through his first clip, Whiptail noticed an erratically moving helicopter. He took aim at the attempting hijacker and fired, his round blowing through the plexiglass canopy of the machine, filling the cockpit with silver shrapnel...

Skadi's vampiric eyesight immediately noticed Alexander within the chopper, causing some sort of trouble. Before she could act, a silver frag grenade arced through the air and into the chopper, unleashing hell within the cockpit.

Leaping over the presidential fence, Skadi spoke.

"Alexander needs to be taken care of before he causes us anymore trouble."

OOC: I'll turn down the mm on the grenade to 20mm for reality.

IC:

Stephen jolted up when he had heard the first burst of machine gun fire. He grabbed all the ammo and weapons he had and made his way to the sound of battle. He left the hotel via the main entrance and got a look of fear from the manger.
"Get everyone to a safe and secure location okay?" The manager nodded and Stephen headed out the door. He found the battle. Machineguns were trading fire and there was some hand to hand combat. Out of the corner of his eye Stephen spotted a vampire trying to sneak up on him. The 20mm grenade left only the stump of his neck.

Stephen darted into a nearby building and took to the roof. He aimed the XM-18 and opened fire on the units advancing towards, what Stephen guessed to be the president's house. He finished his second load of grenades and started on his third when he began to recive fire. The closest round fell five feet from him. Stephen took aim and continued to fire.

Maximus turned his head, but continued moving quickly toward the entrance.

"I'm sure Alexander will survive, he isn't a fledgling after all. Nor does he care about what happens to this government, so with that in mind, we shall take care of him afterwards..."

Skadi nodded as she stepped to the side, dodging sniper fire. With a quick wave of psychic power, the man collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"Let us worry about the President then. Although I doubt his capture will stop the fighting."

Stephen fired half of the grenades before slinging onto his back and picking up his G36. He held it with the butt in his arm pit as he made his way to the building. Almost immediatly he began to recive fire from behind and too the right.
"I'm human you a**holes!"
"KILL HIM!" Stephen relised that he had shouted at a bunch of vampires.AK-47s, at least they don't have RPGs Stephen fired another grenade that flung them into the air. He ran towards the building and was nicked by an incoming round. He didn't notice.
Stephen blew down the door of the building with the last few grenades and aimed his G36 down the hall. Maximus will go after the president, time to repay him for my arm and back.

OOC: Fragmentary bullets splinter as the impact solid objects, like bodies or helicopter windscreens. A fragmentary grenade would have been difficult to lob from Whiptail's distance without some sort of launcher... even the it would have been extremely difficult. My objective by shooting the windshield was to have the bullet fragment, the shrapnel would be more of a bother to Alexander than a lethal threat, like an intact round would have done.

IC:

Whiptail reloads quickly, adding another load of fragmentary .308's. This time, he targets the advancing vampires as they attempt to breach the compound walls. His special rounds were effective, tearing large holes in his targets as the rounds fragmented on impact. Whiptail had enough ammo for about two more clips... then he'd enter the fray...

Alexander felt the pilot move his head forward. The action succeeded in throwing the vampire off balance. Lucky, he concluded after, considering that it made the pilot's shot miss his left arm... his wounded arm.

Without looking back, the pilot threw the helicopter into a tailspin, trying to dislodge the vampire from the cockpit.

Alexander grabbed the back of the pilot chair. With a growl, Alexander wrenched the gun out of the pilots hand.

"Fool, do you think that..."

Suddenly, a flashing object arched towards the helicopter. Without another word, Alexander grabbed the pilot and leapt out the open bay doors.

A second later, the helicopter's cockpit exploded in a flash of furious fire...

Down below, Alexander landed roughly, stumbling to his knees. He managed to keep the pilot, who had fainted, safe in his arms.

Carefully, Alexander layed the pilot down on the rooftop. A few feet away lay the other guard, who had fell out initially. He too layed still, but by the slight rising of his chest, he would live.

Alexander stood up and looked to the sky. As if in slow motion, the flaming military helicopter spun, and collided with it's twin in an embrace of finality. Intertwined, the wreckage spiraled down into the White House, taking a large part of it into oblivion.

Alexander turned around, unable to watch any longer...

"Why," thought the vampire, "This is all Maximus's fault, yes... his fault."

From his vantage point, he could see that the VRO forces had already broke through the line of defence the government had thrown up hastily. Screams and gunfire cut through the night. Alexander smiled.

He could see beneath him Maximus and Skadi enter the residence. He decided not to do anything about it: he noticed Stephen - the hunter, the ranger - follow shortly thereafter, certainly for revenge.

Alexander knew that Maximus would be fine. After all, Stephen was just human. Still, if he could weaken Maximus before their inevitable battle, well, all the better.

Besides, he had another issue to deal with.

Whiptail.

Alexander sent out a mental-message. Rather, a mental challenge.

"Argonian, if you do have honour, you will accept my challenge to combat. Make your way to the rooftop... I'll be here."

Maximus and Skadi made their way quickly further into the White House, using their psychic powers to sort out the immense flood of mental thoughts coming from all over. Soon they began to home in on the thoughts of the President, the most quiet one of all...

The two arrived within the President's office, looked about and noticed the absence of the President. The coffee mug had shattered upon the floor, spilling coffee everywhere.

Maximus growled and hissed to Skadi, "He's not here, let's go search elsewhere."

Glamdring was swung about, a whoosh heard from the blade as it beheaded a statue that stood on a small table by the door, the torso of the statue rocking back and forth, but eventually stopped without falling over.

Skadi looked around the office, searching for clues. The President was close, no doubt about that. Upon closer inspection, Skadi noticed the coffee was spread out over the floor, much further than merely dropping it.

Her vampiric eyesight made out the tiny imprints of shoes leading toward a blank wall.

"Maximus, look at this."

She indicated the prints and the wall.

Maximus turned and walked back over to Skadi's side and looked where she pointed.

"Looks like you've got something for sure. I'm surprised I had not noticed it. What would I do without you?"

Maximus walked over to the wall, sheathed Glamdring, and felt along the wall, searching for the edges of the now obvious hidden doorway, searching for a way in. Soon his hand slid lighly across the edge of the door. He smiled and soon the two had found out the way to open the door.

Drawing Glamdring once again, he crept downward in on the stairs, as Skadi followed. Th door behind them slid shut with a thump. Their eyes instantly adjusted to the dim light present.

Skadi withdrew her own blade and followed Maximus down the dark tunnel. The coffee tracks would have gone unnoticed if she did not possess her vampiric senses. Already, Skadi could hear soft voices as she drew closer to the hidden chamber.

Stephen carefully made his way down the hallway. Every corner could house a trigger happy friendly or a blood thirsty boggie. So far there was noone. Stephen heard voices nearby. Maximus and his girlfriend Skadi. Stephen poked his the barrel of his rilfe thru a door and noticed them walk thru a secert doorway. Got you you SOB
Stephen learned that he couldn't go toe to toe with them but he could ambush them when they came out. Stephen went behind the president's heavy wood desk and took some containers to cover his left flank which was exposed to the outside. Stephen inspected the windows. He found a latch opened the window and quickly left.
Stephen located some friendlies and was able to get a grenade from them. Stephen returned and went to his defensive postition. He pulled out the picture of himself, Emma, and Jessica. They've always brought me good luck. Stephen aimed his rifle at the entrance. He felt the grenade in his pocket. Come on out you SOB. I got a little suprise for you. Stephen told himself if the vampires were about to kill him he would pull the pin and threaten to blow them all up unless they release the president. Foolproof

Xyorph looked at the vampire as he followed him through the mansion. He could empathise quite a lot with what this being had gone through. He didn't know if this was a good thing.

"I understand what you are saying. It is a pity that a peaceful resolution cannot be found.

As for being pestered, I must say my story is the opposite. For years now I have remained in the shadows hiding from the world. Yet I feel we have both ended in the same situation. We are both lonely, and both find ourselves fighting for a cause that we hope will end our problems without feeling too strong about the cause itself."

"Lonely? Well....not really. I long for someone who I lost, who can never return. But you are strangely correct about ending the problem...although the alternitive of me existing onwards for eternity is far worse...." Kain trailed off, allowed him to make his own conclusions upon the matter. They walked further.[/quote]

Xyorph reached forward and caught the Vampires arm.

"We both know that if we really wanted to be alone from the world we could be. We both have the ability to seal oursleves in and hide. So why haven't you? I cannot honestly explain why I haven't.[/quote[

Kain gave him his full attention. His eyes harrowed into him, not nastily or with agression, only a harrowing for the truth. What he was.

"We could be. I could remain upon my own, I have no need to feed. The reason I do not is that people need me. Or rather, they need my actions. In the past I did great deeds of "good", although I hate using the word in such a context. It has the unmistakable stench of matyrdom. But anyway. For all my terrible rigged choices I made, I can still make better ones. I am begining to believe that every choice I make is rigged to cause death and pain to everyone around me. A creature of death only attracts death. And I do not refer to the vampiric "race"." Kain stated, again leaving mysteries about his past and who he was.


I will be blunt with you Kain. I join this cause less for the need for somewhere to live, as I can make myself a home anywhere. I do it for company. Real company. Not someone who is simply an enemy or someone who wishes to use me for my power."

"Well there is no shame in that. I myself have had many experiances, recent in fact, of having no home. Times can become rather bitter and full of distrust for one's own brothers within the world. As for company...you are welcome to hold me in it, but remember....people who get close to me tend to die. Just a warning...." Kain said, he meant every word. It was rather brutal in the way he said the last part, as if knowing him alone was a game of chance....


He turned Kain to face him.

"I understand some of what goes through you. I know what magic does to a person, I know how deeply it affects you. But I also know that we can make a difference and help. And right now, there are beings in this city that need out help. We cannot abandon them Kain. So give up this despair that rips through you, and lets go help a cause. Lets give ourselves purpose."

He let go of Kain's arm, and stood up straight.

"You understand only of the surface. It is not magic which does this, but another being. But I have already spoken far too much upon that particular point. I seem to constantly give out help....only to rob it from them much to my dispair....To give up my sorrow? You do not know the nature of it, I cannot discard it. If only you knew....if only you knew. You might understand then...." Kain reached the top of the stairs and before him was a large wooden door, bound by silver strips. Upon the door was a plate of silver, with the Irenicus symbol upon. Kain placed his cloven hand upon it, and Xyorph expected Kain to wince in pain from the silver, or be harmed from it.

"I will take only a short while to recover. While in this room, say nothing, do not act strangely, no matter what you see or more importantly feel. My guests come and go, I do not know who is in today." Kain said rather quietly and crypically.

He was not harmed by the silver....most strange.

Kain talked to no-one, the words coming out of him, as if he was talkign to someone on the other side.

"Greetings. My apologies for being late in the construction of the Sancurary, but I was occupied. I bring a freind with me, do not be alarmed. I wish to have some private time. My apologies to you, but I am tierd. The constructions will begin soon." Kain said rather quielty and respectfully.

He waited a moment, as if receiving an answer.

"Thank you."

The door melted, revealing complete blackness. There was no lights within the place. Utter blackness. Kain gestured for him to follow, and Kain stepped into the blackness. There was a feeling that someone...many people were in there watching thier every move.

When he walked into the room, every step he made seemed to light up the room a little. The room gained features, a wall, a floor, a ceiling, a desk.

The room soon became fully lit, although it was rather dark, you could walk in it without any fear of falling into some chasm.

Kain walked towards his own desk and placed a hand over the intricate woodwork of the oak piece of furniture. It had various mytical creatures ingraved into it's surface, all noble and good. Four dragons were at each corner, and at the top of the desk were runes around the edging. Nothing else was upon the desk.

Near the desk, there were chairs, each with engraved creatures upon them. They looked extremely confortable, they were warm to the touch.

The room seemed peaceful, with great chests in places, shelves of unfathomable numbers of books, of all descriptions. Behind Kain's desk were special books, ones which had lighting blue bindings, and the symbol of Irenicus upon them. One...only one had the Shentavo symbol, a heart with a sword within it.

Kain sat down behind the desk and closed his eyes, as if he had just returned home from a long days work. He did so for long seconds, and he said softly and calmly to others within the room still.

"Yes, yes of course. My apologies, I will begin that soon."

Kain then opened his eyes and gestured for him to sit down within the chair in front of him.

"Please, sit."

(OOC SORRY. I have been having problems with getting onto the internet, my network went down. Please, someone tell me wtf has happened.)

OOC: Well after the incident at the mansion the hunters got Skadi and went back to the pub. Daniel went back to the mansion to find Zakli. Maximus followed the group to the pub. Stephen and Alexander nearly went to fist over what to do with Skadi, Stephen wanted to torch her, Alexander wanted her as bait. Stephen was leaving when he was captured by Maximus. There was a standoff noone hurt. Well, Maximus broke Stephen's arm and cut him along the back. Stephen burned Maximus with a siliver coin he had.
Alexander ran off to the presidential compound and then the VRO attacked. All hell is breaking loose at the pres. compound. Maximus and Skadi are trying to grab the president, Stephen is prepearing to ambush them, Whiptail is in the middle of the fray. I don't know about Clarke, Khan or any of the other hunter.

(OOC Well I am staying out of it. Kain is just resting for the time being, he is remaining secluded. Plus, I might foul it up because I do not know what exactly the situation is. I will remain as I am, plus I want to get Kain's mansion finished.)

The tunnel soon opened up into a straight walkway with various other walkways connecting to it from unknown destinations.

Without looking at her, Maximus spoke silently:

"It's a freaking catacomb...all right then...start sniffing"

Maximus smiled as he thought of Skadi and the two of them like bloodhounds, searching for their game.

Suddenly they heard voices very close, just in the next tunnel.

"Nobody comes in, nobody comes out you hear me?"

"Yes sir!" several voices cried in unision.

Maximus pointed toward the tunnel, then made a gesture to use mind manipulations to fool the men that were there. She nodded, having understood.

With Glamdring drawn and held close, Maximus searched with his mind to find the closest man. He began to instill in the man's mind a most sudden need to find a toilet, making him believe that if he didn't go soon, he'd crap his pants.

A slight groan was heard as they heard the man speak to the others.

"Guys, I'll be right back, I've really got to go to the john..."

"Dammit man! Orders were to stay here! For goodness sake man! The president is in danger!"

"I'll be back in five minutes, I promise."

"If something happens, your ass might as well be kissed goodbye..."

The victim didn't reply as he turned and jogged toward the unseen vampires. Maximus beckoned for Skadi to take care of him as he himself would move in on the remaining four men.
_________________________________

Clarke and Khan finally reached the presidential compound, after having stopped at a gun shop to gather more ammunition and some pistols. They could see the remains of the helicopters crashed into the building, the grounds covered by so many vampires...maybe too many...

"Damn it! We missed the Grand Opening!"

The two bolted toward the compound and entered, immediately shooting at any vampire they saw.

Khan looked back to the outside of the compound, and groaned, feeling a heavy weight press upon his mind.

Hordes of vampires still seemed to be coming out of the bowels of the city, their faces snarling as they spied the various hunters.

"Clarke...." came the warning cry from Khan, as he turned and began firing upon the approaching vampires.

OOC2: Assington, I know that Alexander couldn't manhandle her. I did say that if she wanted to, Skadi could escape. However she wanted the most expedient way to rejoin Maximus :D

OOC2: Zakli has already been found by Daniel.

OOC3: Didn't Alexander run off into the shadows? :o

IC:

"Would you care to explain your actions?"

Alexander looked up at Skadi, taking care to keep the blade in sight and away from his throat.

"My... actions need not be explained to the likes of you, Lady Skadi."

Alexander pointed at maximus with a wavering hand. "If you are looking for answers, ask your lover. Perhaps he is not at all what you think he is."

With a furious swipe of his arm, Alexander bashed aside the sword, cutiing his arm deep.

With deep red staining down his arm, Alexander ran off, not stopping but to call out, "You want to take over this country, maximus? That means you have to take over the presidential office. I'll see you on the roof of the White House..."

Alexander ran off again into the shadows, clutching his arm lightly.

********

Daniel shook Zakli's still form. He still wasn't moving.

"Zakli, c'mon. get up. We have to get back before they are all dead..."

With a start, Zakli Estaria sat up. He felt the same, yet was very different. As he glanced about, he found Agent Daniel Able crouching next to him, relieved.

Shaking his head, Zakli stared at Daniel and asked.

"Who am I? Who are you?"

(OOC: Slight case of amnesia... He'll be fine after someone hits him on the head...)

Alexander felt the pilot move his head forward. The action succeeded in throwing the vampire off balance. Lucky, he concluded after, considering that it made the pilot's shot miss his left arm... his wounded arm.

Without looking back, the pilot threw the helicopter into a tailspin, trying to dislodge the vampire from the cockpit.

Alexander grabbed the back of the pilot chair. With a growl, Alexander wrenched the gun out of the pilots hand.

"Fool, do you think that..."

Suddenly, a flashing object arched towards the helicopter. Without another word, Alexander grabbed the pilot and leapt out the open bay doors.

A second later, the helicopter's cockpit exploded in a flash of furious fire...

Down below, Alexander landed roughly, stumbling to his knees. He managed to keep the pilot, who had fainted, safe in his arms.

Carefully, Alexander layed the pilot down on the rooftop. A few feet away lay the other guard, who had fell out initially. He too layed still, but by the slight rising of his chest, he would live.

Alexander stood up and looked to the sky. As if in slow motion, the flaming military helicopter spun, and collided with it's twin in an embrace of finality. Intertwined, the wreckage spiraled down into the White House, taking a large part of it into oblivion.

Alexander turned around, unable to watch any longer...

"Why," thought the vampire, "This is all Maximus's fault, yes... his fault."

From his vantage point, he could see that the VRO forces had already broke through the line of defence the government had thrown up hastily. Screams and gunfire cut through the night. Alexander smiled.

He could see beneath him Maximus and Skadi enter the residence. He decided not to do anything about it: he noticed Stephen - the hunter, the ranger - follow shortly thereafter, certainly for revenge.

Alexander knew that Maximus would be fine. After all, Stephen was just human. Still, if he could weaken Maximus before their inevitable battle, well, all the better.

Besides, he had another issue to deal with.

Whiptail.

Alexander sent out a mental-message. Rather, a mental challenge.

"Argonian, if you do have honour, you will accept my challenge to combat. Make your way to the rooftop... I'll be here."

OOC: Honestly, do you people read anything with the letters 'OOC' next to it? I've stated twice that there are NO grenades headed for the chopper, unless TGS fires them from his weapon. Fragmentary BULLETS, not explosive bullets.

Fragmentary is not a term used for anything that explodes, it means anything that breaks up into smaller pieces, called 'fragments'. Hence the term 'Fragmentary'.

IC:

Whiptail heard the challenge, and he would accept, after he had emptied his clip...

When finished, he disassembled his sniper rifle and made his way to the rooftop...

"Do you wish to die before you face this Maximus? If you are the victor, return and I will end your un-life then. I will wait here."

Whiptail seats himself on the rooftop...

"And for future reference, never challenge the honor of an Argonian warrior... it often leads to a slow and grusome demise. Think on my words as you battle your foe..."

Stephen was growing impatient. Where are they? The battle appered to be shifting in the vampire's favor. Stephen got up and inspected the wall where he had seen Skadi and Maximus disapper. He stood there for a while before he began to rip books off the wall to find the button or what ever opened the door. In the flurry of book throwing Stephen managed to open the door.

It was a black void and Stephen was afraid they would be waiting for him. So he pulled out the grenade and pulled the pin. He grabbed a chair and put it next to the door and wedge the grenade at the top crack. The openning the vampires would have to leave was too narrow for anyone to get through. They would open it and the grenade would fall, arm, and blow up. They wouldn't know it was him and it would kill them.

Stephen looked thru the window and spotted a Jeep at the far end of the compound. He shot out the glass and took off for it. But as usual he ran into trouble. A young vampire girl attacked Stephen with her knife but Stephen dogded and held her against him with his bad arm while pointing the G36 at her comrades.
"If you want her to live, f*** off." Stephen felt a sharp pain in his arm. She was BITING HIM. Stephen cried out, he felt a slight suction and struck her head. She fell like a stone. He shot her comrades and clutching his arm climbed into the Jeep. The keys were in and the tank was full.

Stephen threw the Jeep into gear and tore across the compound. He thought he saw Clarke and Khan and steared for them. The Jeep hit a bump and it went airborne. The bumper hit a vampire and the rear wheel crushed it's head while it was on the ground. Stephen looked at his left arm. It was covered with blood. He could faintly see two little bumps. He swung next to the hunters and flung open the passanger door.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR GET IN!"

Stephen was growing impatient. Where are they? The battle appered to be shifting in the vampire's favor. Stephen got up and inspected the wall where he had seen Skadi and Maximus disapper. He stood there for a while before he began to rip books off the wall to find the button or what ever opened the door. In the flurry of book throwing Stephen managed to open the door.

It was a black void and Stephen was afraid they would be waiting for him. So he pulled out the grenade and pulled the pin. He grabbed a chair and put it next to the door and wedge the grenade at the top crack. The openning the vampires would have to leave was too narrow for anyone to get through. They would open it and the grenade would fall, arm, and blow up. They wouldn't know it was him and it would kill them.

Stephen looked thru the window and spotted a Jeep at the far end of the compound. He shot out the glass and took off for it. But as usual he ran into trouble. A young vampire girl attacked Stephen with her knife but Stephen dogded and held her against him with his bad arm while pointing the G36 at her comrades.
"If you want her to live, f*** off." Stephen felt a sharp pain in his arm. She was BITING HIM. Stephen cried out, he felt a slight suction and struck her head. She fell like a stone. He shot her comrades and clutching his arm climbed into the Jeep. The keys were in and the tank was full.

Stephen threw the Jeep into gear and tore across the compound. He thought he saw Clarke and Khan and steared for them. The Jeep hit a bump and it went airborne. The bumper hit a vampire and the rear wheel crushed it's head while it was on the ground. Stephen looked at his left arm. It was covered with blood. He could faintly see two little bumps. He swung next to the hunters and flung open the passanger door.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR GET IN!"

Stephen was growing impatient. Where are they? The battle appered to be shifting in the vampire's favor. Stephen got up and inspected the wall where he had seen Skadi and Maximus disapper. He stood there for a while before he began to rip books off the wall to find the button or what ever opened the door. In the flurry of book throwing Stephen managed to open the door.

It was a black void and Stephen was afraid they would be waiting for him. So he pulled out the grenade and pulled the pin. He grabbed a chair and put it next to the door and wedge the grenade at the top crack. The openning the vampires would have to leave was too narrow for anyone to get through. They would open it and the grenade would fall, arm, and blow up. They wouldn't know it was him and it would kill them.

Stephen looked thru the window and spotted a Jeep at the far end of the compound. He shot out the glass and took off for it. But as usual he ran into trouble. A young vampire girl attacked Stephen with her knife but Stephen dogded and held her against him with his bad arm while pointing the G36 at her comrades.
"If you want her to live, f*** off." Stephen felt a sharp pain in his arm. She was BITING HIM. Stephen cried out, he felt a slight suction and struck her head. She fell like a stone. He shot her comrades and clutching his arm climbed into the Jeep. The keys were in and the tank was full.

Stephen threw the Jeep into gear and tore across the compound. He thought he saw Clarke and Khan and steared for them. The Jeep hit a bump and it went airborne. The bumper hit a vampire and the rear wheel crushed it's head while it was on the ground. Stephen looked at his left arm. It was covered with blood. He could faintly see two little bumps. He swung next to the hunters and flung open the passanger door.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR GET IN!"

Stephen was growing impatient. Where are they? The battle appered to be shifting in the vampire's favor. Stephen got up and inspected the wall where he had seen Skadi and Maximus disapper. He stood there for a while before he began to rip books off the wall to find the button or what ever opened the door. In the flurry of book throwing Stephen managed to open the door.

It was a black void and Stephen was afraid they would be waiting for him. So he pulled out the grenade and pulled the pin. He grabbed a chair and put it next to the door and wedge the grenade at the top crack. The openning the vampires would have to leave was too narrow for anyone to get through. They would open it and the grenade would fall, arm, and blow up. They wouldn't know it was him and it would kill them.

Stephen looked thru the window and spotted a Jeep at the far end of the compound. He shot out the glass and took off for it. But as usual he ran into trouble. A young vampire girl attacked Stephen with her knife but Stephen dogded and held her against him with his bad arm while pointing the G36 at her comrades.
"If you want her to live, f*** off." Stephen felt a sharp pain in his arm. She was BITING HIM. Stephen cried out, he felt a slight suction and struck her head. She fell like a stone. He shot her comrades and clutching his arm climbed into the Jeep. The keys were in and the tank was full.

Stephen threw the Jeep into gear and tore across the compound. He thought he saw Clarke and Khan and steared for them. The Jeep hit a bump and it went airborne. The bumper hit a vampire and the rear wheel crushed it's head while it was on the ground. Stephen looked at his left arm. It was covered with blood. He could faintly see two little bumps. He swung next to the hunters and flung open the passanger door.
"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR GET IN!"

Whiptail heard the challenge, and he would accept, after he had emptied his clip...

When finished, he disassembled his sniper rifle and made his way to the rooftop...

"Do you wish to die before you face this Maximus? If you are the victor, return and I will end your un-life then. I will wait here."

Whiptail seats himself on the rooftop...

"And for future reference, never challenge the honor of an Argonian warrior... it often leads to a slow and grusome demise. Think on my words as you battle your foe..."


OOC: Alexander and Maximus will duel at the very end, WA. I'm afraid I have to duel you first. :wink:

Alexander did not move from where he stood. He gazed down upon the seated Argonian and laughed.

"My dear Argonian, Maximus... is a tad busy at this moment. I will deal with him when the time comes..."

"You... are simply an appetizer. Now fight me, right here, right now, lest your honour be damaged."

Alexander threw his trench caot down to the roof top and drew his Upir sword. In the background, the roof of the presidential estate still burned...

The two hunters continued to empty their clips at the numerous vampires still charging them.

"Shit, I'm running out of ammo Clarke!"

Suddenly they heard a voice yelling at them from behind. The two wheeled around, bearing their guns, before they realized that it ws Stephen.

"WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR GET IN!"

The two jumped into the jeep, Khan taking the passenger seat, and Clarke jumping into the back. Clarke's foot smacked hard into something under a tarp, causing him to cry out in pain. Removing the tarp, his eyes began to glow excitedly as he realized what was underneath. An anti-infantry machine gun, specially made to mount onto the back of a jeep...this jeep. What was also in the Jeep pleased Clarke even more, as he saw the numerous boxes of rifle and pistol ammunition. It was a damn tank, without the shell armor around them!

"Whoo hoo! We're not gonna die so quickly boys!"

Stephen floored the Jeep, and soon they were hurtling through the masses of vampires. Stephen deliberately aimed to run over and kill as many vampires as he could.

Grabbing the gun, he quickly fastened it to the mount, and quickly fed the first bullet of the chain into the gun. Standing up he looked around at the overwhelming vampires and crowed,

"You sons of bitches!!"

The machine gun rattled its throaty cry, mowing down the beasts. Khan was also firing with his rifle, firing as much as he could. Reaching back, as his last clip emptied, he grabbed one of the boxes of ammo and yanked out some more cartridges, and quickly refreshed his rifle. A large grin was upon his face. He looked over at Stephen, who also was smiling, but clearly trying hard to concentrate on his driving.

"Don't get us killed kid! Just keep driving about, we'll kill as many as we can!"

Skadi nodded as the soldier moved toward her. The mad was too concerned with the consequences of him not reaching the toilet in time to notice Skadi's powerful arms reach out and grab his neck. Pulling the man back into the shadows, Skadi twisted until she heard the soft snap of broken bones.

Dropping the man quietly to the ground, Skadi picked up her sword once again and began to move towards the wall as she followed Maximus.

Maximus slipped quietly toward the remaining men, Glamdring held close to his body as he slinked along the wall silently. Skadi was close behind.

Coming around the second corner, Maximus peered around, and quickly counted the number of men. Pulling his head back, he held up his hand, with five fingers extended, indicating the number of men. Skadi nodded, and quickly followed Maximus as they used their vampiric speed to charge into the unsuspecting men.

"What the?!!!" cried the men, as they fired their machine guns toward the vampires. But they were too fast for them to catch. Jumping up, Maximus crawled the ceiling quickly and dropped behind the men, trapping them in between Skadi and he. There was no way out.

With a roar, Maximus swung, and watched as one of the men's head flew off, and the torso toppled to the ground, the finger still pulling on the trigger. Some of the stray bullets caught one other man, and killed him with a shot to the side of the head.

Grabbing one of his Elven Daggers, Maximus chucked it toward a third man, lodging into the man's shoulder. A cry of pain penetrated the tunnels, as the man watched as Skadi closed in. He slumped to his knees. His eyes grew wide with fear, as his fingers attempted to find the gun he had dropped on the ground.
_____________________________

"What the hell is going on out there?" demanded the President. He was beginning to show great fear, as his personal bodyguard and he stood in the back of the room, guns drawn, as they listened to the tortured souls outside the heavy door.

"I don't know sir, but it's not looking good!" replied the other.

Skadi barely gave the wounded soldier a glance as she launched her boot into his unprotected throat. The force crushed his windpipe immediately and the man flopped to the ground, gurgling to death.

Another soldier took clear aim at Skadi and prepared to unleash his clip of metallic death. He never got the chance. In a graceful movement too fast for the human eye to see, Skadi swept up and across with her curved blade, slicing open the man's gut and spilling his internal organs. Immediately he fell to the ground, attempting to hold on to the blood and guts.

There was only one left.

The man quickly turned his head in both directions, as Skadi and Maximus closed in silently, a rabid look upon their faces.

"P..P..Please....don't kill me!" he begged, as he dropped to the ground, tossing his gun away. His eyes fearfully begged for mercy.

"I...I don't want to die...I have a wife and three kids at home...please...what will they do without me?"

Maximus bared his fangs as he prepared to swing his sword toward the man. A firm grip held his arm back before he could swing. Maximus looked up, a look of confusion upon his face at Skadi.

"Do not kill him. Do you not remember your noble character?"

Maximus's mind flashed through the first encounters with Skadi, and farther back to his own ex-wife. With a sigh, he nodded and lowered his sword.

"You are free to go. Stand against us next time, and you shall die."

The two watched as the man muttered his gratitude and tore off down the tunnel and around the corner.

Turning toward Skadi, he spoke quietly, "I'm sorry...I should have known better. It is difficult at times to remain noble when one is a vampire. Lead the way please."

Skadi nodded.

"You must remember, one cannot be wreckless with our abilities. Always consider the consequences of your actions."

Without another word, Skadi approached the door leading to the President and his few remaining body guards.

"How shall we go about this?"

Maximus looked at Skadi, her eyes reflecting an odd, yet beautiful change in color, as was the case during battles. He wondered momentarily on his own eyes, but then replied:

"We kill all bodyguards, they will only attempt to stop us. We keep the president alive. With your permission, I'd like to turn him, so he will be that much more pressured to rule the government in favor of the immortals. He will serve in my place, as you know I do not truly wish to be cooped up in this compound. Thus he will be a puppet for us."

As a second thought, Maximus murmured quietly,

"He will be the first..."

Skadi nodded.

"This shall be your first fledgeling. Since he cannot be trusted, only give him the bare minimum amount to change. And do not inform him of his abilties besides strength and speed. If he discovers them, then so be it, but one that is not trustworthy should not be given such power."

Skadi wiped her sword clean on a nearby corpse and prepared to enter the last room.

"Understood."

With a powerful kick, Maximus broke the door from its hinges, and watched as it fell with a heavy thud upon the ground in front of them.

He darted in, Glamdring held high, as he charged toward the two men who stood terrified in the back of the room. Gunfire erupted from the guns they held, but missed the advancing vampires.

Reaching the men, Maximus snatched the gun from both of them, and slit through them with a powerful slice from the sword, and rendered them useless. Grabbing the bodyguard by the throat, his fingers buried deep into the man's neck. The man struggled for survival with all his strength. Maximus simply growled at his pathetic attempts and tossed the man to Skadi.

"Hold onto him, I will need to feed after doing this."

Turning toward the President, Maximus stood over the terrified fallen man. Hoisting the man up by his arms, Maximus growled in his face,

"You're a lucky man tonight. Now stay still, or this will hurt worse..."

The President let out a sound of questioning fear, but didn't have time to do anything else.

Maximus tossed his sword to Skadi to hold onto as he turned back to the President. Baring his fangs, he neared the man's neck, and with lightning speed, he bit, his pearly fangs instantly plunging into the rich artery. A scream came from the President, but soon halted, as he began to go limp in Maximus's arms. The sweet plasma coursed its way down Maximus's throat and bloodied his mouth and chin. Finally, he forced himself to stop, barely leaving the man alive.

Maximus held his arm out to Skadi, and she instantly slid the sword over his wrist, opening the veins. Maximus brought the wrist quickly to the man's mouth, and commanded him:

"Drink, and live a life in the darkness..."

The President rolled his eyes, trying to focus upon Maximus, but complied. He gripped the wrist with trembling hands, and began to drink, sucking harder and harder as the blood flowed down his own chin and throat. Maximus began to feel lightheaded, and decided that this was enough. Pulling his wrist away, he watched as the wound closed up quickly.

"Now listen to me. As a vampire you have special abilities. They are increased strength and speed. You are my fledgling, you WILL do as I say, lest I kill you on the spot."

The president looked up at him, as he began to fall asleep, his body quickly working through the process of vampirism. The president's body lay on the dirt floor, slightly shaking from the effects.

Turning toward Skadi and the horrified man, Maximus spoke again:

"You on the other hand, are not so lucky..."

Maximus gripped the man, as Skadi held him up for him to feed upon, and plunged his fangs into the man's neck, quickly drawing the precious blood out. Energy began to flow back into Maximus, as the blood revived his strength. A few minutes later, the last drops were drawn, and Maximus let loose of the corpse, and stood in front of Skadi.

"That was...interesting."

Skadi smiled.

"That was easier than expected. We shall have to wait some time for him to recover enough strength to come with us. It should not be too long."

Skadi sat on a crate and made herself comfortable as she handed Glamdring back to Maximus.

"It seems your plan has succeeded.

Maximus smiled as Skadi pointed out the success.

"You are correct...we have done it."

And with that, Maximus leaned against Skadi, holding her close, as the two waited for Marshall to gain enough time to be awakened.

As they waited, they suddenly heard the powerful blast of a grenade going off, its explosion echoing down into the catacombs.

Maximus commented to Skadi:

"I'm willing to bet that was the guy we let go, caught in a trap meant for us..."
________________________

(An hour later)

"Marshall, get up, it's time to go."

The President opened his eyes, focused them upon Maximus as he got up.

He suddenly became aware of the fangs that now protruded from his own mouth.

"Oh my God...I'm...I'm.."

Maximus finished the sentence for him,

"A vampire. A child of the darkness. My fledgling."

Maximus led Marshall and Skadi out the doorway, and back to the secret door. There, they saw the bloodied remains of the guard, devastated from the grenade detonated.

"My bet was on the money Skadi."

Skadi nodded as she stepped over the mangled corpse.

"Unfortunate indeed. Yet again, you were correct. So what are we to do with this one?"

Skadi sheathed her blade and withdrew her Berettas and downed two incoming palace guards. The battle was reduced to a few patches of violence as the vampires flooded the white house.

"That battle should soon be over."

"Keep an eye on him, I've got an overdue battle with Alexander. After this fight we shall demand all fighting to cease, as Marshall himself will speak to the nation."

Maximus began to make his way to the rooftop, moving through the many hallways. Soon he would be there...and Alexander would finally get what he had coming for him...
_________________________________

Clarke and Khan were screaming at the top of their lungs as they fired upon the vampires.

None of the three saw what came next.

Before any of the three realized it, they were caught in the aftereffects of a powerful explosion nearby.

The Jeep lay on it's side, it's wheels blown, and its body charred by the unseen weapon.

Clarke's and Khan's body had flown up and out of the Jeep. Khan's body, thrown awkwardly, landed with a sickening crunch of his head upon the concrete, instantly killing him. Brain matter oozed out of the dead corpse.

Clarke watched horrified, as his best friend died before his eyes.

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! KHANNNNNNN!!!!"

Several growls sounded from behind Khan, instantly freezing his cry of agony and his tears. He turned slowly, his eyes terrified. As he saw the vampires, his face changed to one of defiance, as he cried out,

"Come on you a**holes! Come on! Eat me! Spare me of this God-forsaken world!"

His screams of pain and agony penetrated the air as the group of vampires jumped him, and sucking all the blood out of him quickly. A minute later, they finished, blood ran down their chins and bloodied their clothes. They all turned their attention to the last fallen man...Stephen.

The group fanned out, and began to surround the man as they closed in on him, angry faces fixed upon the Stephen's face.

Stephen looked into the president's office. Skadi, Maximus, and another stood there. The grenade had gone off before he had intended it to. Stephen knew he was finished. He opened a latch on his belt buckle. A small photo fell into his hand. It was himself, Emma, and Jessica. He knew he probably never see them again, he started to cry. Just barley visalbe on his uniform in the photo was a purple heart and bronze star.
Stephen stepped on a dead soldiers hand and pulled out the phosphours grenade he held. Stephen backed towards the Jeep.
"Any of you f***ers who come any closer I'll blow us all to hell." The vampires backed off. Stephen went to another Jeep and started the engine. He pulled up next to Clarke and Khan. Never leave a man behind, dead or alive everyone comes home. He put them into the back of the Jeep and covered thier bodies. He looked at the vampires. They hesitated then backed off. Stephen drove out of the compound and started to head out of the city.

Xyorph looked at the vampire as he followed him through the mansion. He could empathise quite a lot with what this being had gone through. He didn't know if this was a good thing.

"I understand what you are saying. It is a pity that a peaceful resolution cannot be found.

As for being pestered, I must say my story is the opposite. For years now I have remained in the shadows hiding from the world. Yet I feel we have both ended in the same situation. We are both lonely, and both find ourselves fighting for a cause that we hope will end our problems without feeling too strong about the cause itself."

"Lonely? Well....not really. I long for someone who I lost, who can never return. But you are strangely correct about ending the problem...although the alternitive of me existing onwards for eternity is far worse...." Kain trailed off, allowed him to make his own conclusions upon the matter. They walked further.

Xyorph reached forward and caught the Vampires arm.

"We both know that if we really wanted to be alone from the world we could be. We both have the ability to seal oursleves in and hide. So why haven't you? I cannot honestly explain why I haven't.[/quote[

Kain gave him his full attention. His eyes harrowed into him, not nastily or with agression, only a harrowing for the truth. What he was.

"We could be. I could remain upon my own, I have no need to feed. The reason I do not is that people need me. Or rather, they need my actions. In the past I did great deeds of "good", although I hate using the word in such a context. It has the unmistakable stench of matyrdom. But anyway. For all my terrible rigged choices I made, I can still make better ones. I am begining to believe that every choice I make is rigged to cause death and pain to everyone around me. A creature of death only attracts death. And I do not refer to the vampiric "race"." Kain stated, again leaving mysteries about his past and who he was.


I will be blunt with you Kain. I join this cause less for the need for somewhere to live, as I can make myself a home anywhere. I do it for company. Real company. Not someone who is simply an enemy or someone who wishes to use me for my power."

"Well there is no shame in that. I myself have had many experiances, recent in fact, of having no home. Times can become rather bitter and full of distrust for one's own brothers within the world. As for company...you are welcome to hold me in it, but remember....people who get close to me tend to die. Just a warning...." Kain said, he meant every word. It was rather brutal in the way he said the last part, as if knowing him alone was a game of chance....


He turned Kain to face him.

"I understand some of what goes through you. I know what magic does to a person, I know how deeply it affects you. But I also know that we can make a difference and help. And right now, there are beings in this city that need out help. We cannot abandon them Kain. So give up this despair that rips through you, and lets go help a cause. Lets give ourselves purpose."

He let go of Kain's arm, and stood up straight.

"You understand only of the surface. It is not magic which does this, but another being. But I have already spoken far too much upon that particular point. I seem to constantly give out help....only to rob it from them much to my dispair....To give up my sorrow? You do not know the nature of it, I cannot discard it. If only you knew....if only you knew. You might understand then...." Kain reached the top of the stairs and before him was a large wooden door, bound by silver strips. Upon the door was a plate of silver, with the Irenicus symbol upon. Kain placed his cloven hand upon it, and Xyorph expected Kain to wince in pain from the silver, or be harmed from it.

"I will take only a short while to recover. While in this room, say nothing, do not act strangely, no matter what you see or more importantly feel. My guests come and go, I do not know who is in today." Kain said rather quietly and crypically.

He was not harmed by the silver....most strange.

Kain talked to no-one, the words coming out of him, as if he was talkign to someone on the other side.

"Greetings. My apologies for being late in the construction of the Sancurary, but I was occupied. I bring a freind with me, do not be alarmed. I wish to have some private time. My apologies to you, but I am tierd. The constructions will begin soon." Kain said rather quielty and respectfully.

He waited a moment, as if receiving an answer.

"Thank you."

The door melted, revealing complete blackness. There was no lights within the place. Utter blackness. Kain gestured for him to follow, and Kain stepped into the blackness. There was a feeling that someone...many people were in there watching thier every move.

When he walked into the room, every step he made seemed to light up the room a little. The room gained features, a wall, a floor, a ceiling, a desk.

The room soon became fully lit, although it was rather dark, you could walk in it without any fear of falling into some chasm.

Kain walked towards his own desk and placed a hand over the intricate woodwork of the oak piece of furniture. It had various mytical creatures ingraved into it's surface, all noble and good. Four dragons were at each corner, and at the top of the desk were runes around the edging. Nothing else was upon the desk.

Near the desk, there were chairs, each with engraved creatures upon them. They looked extremely confortable, they were warm to the touch.

The room seemed peaceful, with great chests in places, shelves of unfathomable numbers of books, of all descriptions. Behind Kain's desk were special books, ones which had lighting blue bindings, and the symbol of Irenicus upon them. One...only one had the Shentavo symbol, a heart with a sword within it.

Kain sat down behind the desk and closed his eyes, as if he had just returned home from a long days work. He did so for long seconds, and he said softly and calmly to others within the room still.

"Yes, yes of course. My apologies, I will begin that soon."

Kain then opened his eyes and gestured for him to sit down within the chair in front of him.

"Please, sit."

(OOC SORRY. I have been having problems with getting onto the internet, my network went down. Please, someone tell me wtf has happened.)[/quote]

Quoted to remind peopel of my post, respond to it dammit!

OOC: Vampires won. Maximus "sired" the president, Khan and Clarke are dead. Stephen put their bodies in a Jeep and is heading for the border. (Never leave a man behind, dead or alive everyone comes home that's the GS's Ranger motto.) Maximus, Whiptail, and Alexander are about to go at it I think.

(OOC: Umm, and you Kain destroyed the base of power you had in the mansion already and Gravechill leeched the unholy magic from it, so it's *drained* AND practically destroyed, or did you forget? Or was that one of those OMG MIRACULOUS FIXORATION OF A BUILDING (tm), huh?-) )

IC:

Gravechill had continued following the events from the shadows, but he had no reason to do anything about it. Let those beasts take control of this forsaken nation, he would have his vengeance against the living. He would return to Ermor.

But not before leaving a "gift" for the beasts, to roam their lands for all eternity. With the power he had gained here he had summoned a vile monster, an Eater of the Dead. It was a small one, but thanks to the ways of the vampires, it would grow... Slowly, yes, but still grow. By every passing day it would consume more dead and become stronger, until it would be almost unstoppable.

All it looks like is a growing pile of dead beings.

(OOC The physical foundations are still there, and you did not mess around with the second floor now did you? And you assume that there is only ONE power source. True you got rid of the main one, but you assume that Kain would be that stupid. The place is straining, and Kain is tierd from all this. The place is in its raw form, so to speak. The main enchantments are in place (as in the basement being held up, that is pretty much all of the major enchantments) I is operating on ts own power. Like magical items with charges. The place is pretty ruined on the first floor, none of the original magics are operating because they could not be powered. If the place still had all of it's original power, the first floor would look VERY different, and Kain would carry on. Kain cannot really do much at the moment, the place will not collapse, but Kain will not be able to rebuild the place for a few days.

The place is still fragile, but Kain cannot really do much about it at the moment. He is acting in character. Did you see the mansion collapsing when Kain did not have the power source? No. When Kain moved the walls in the basement, he kept them up, if staining himself in process. He is doing the same now, with some help from what remains of the power source (other areas).)

OOC: I'm just waiting for WAs response to Alexanders challenge :D

Three pairs of eyes watched the Jeep drive out of the compound.

"Let's get him." spoke one.

The three stood and began to sprint along the rooftops, parallel to the Jeep. Soon, they kept pace to the Jeep, and pounced through the air, with three separate shrieks of anger. The Jeep lurched heavily as the three vampires gripped onto the Jeep, and began to attack Stephen. One knocked the grenade out of his hand, and reached quickly for his throat with its hands. An explosion was heard behind them as the grenade exploded harmlessly.

The Jeep swerved while still traveling at high speeds as Stephen fought to keep the vampires off himself.

The second vampire then turned his attention to the bodies covered up in the bed of the Jeep. He yanked off the sheet, and smiled as he saw the dead hunters that had been at the compound.

The third vampire had almost completely missed the Jeep on its leap from the rooftop, and now was hanging onto the back of the Jeep, as its body helplessly beat into the asphalt, preventing it the chance to get into the Jeep.

OOC: I'm gonna hold Maximus downstairs in the White House, until Whiptail and Alexander start their fight, assuming there's gonna be one...

Stephen jammed his cast between the wheel sections. Stephen grabbed a SPAS-12 shotgun from the floor and blasted the first vampire off him and onto the asphalt. He turned the barrel at the other one.
"Get off them you f***er!" The vampire was trying to get Clarke and Khan's bodies off. He too recived a 12 gauge slug. Stephen picked up a grenade and armed it. He waited till the last possible moment before he threw it behind him. It landed on the last vampire. Stephen heard a deafing scream as the blooded animal fell.

Stephen kept the pedal to the metal. Many other vampires came to see what was going on, but seeing the damage that the "worthless" (in Maximus' words) human did they backed off. Stephen kept moving. He looked at his watch but in the clash it was damaged. Stephen hoped that there were only a few more hours before daylight. He passed a sign, but all he got was BORDER 5MIl. He knew that the border wouldn't be that close but he saw that it was only two digits, that comforted him. Almost home Stephen. You'll be with Emma soon. He turned to his comrades. He wouldn't let the VRO get thier hands on them, or him.

Whiptail heard the challenge, and he would accept, after he had emptied his clip...

When finished, he disassembled his sniper rifle and made his way to the rooftop...

"Do you wish to die before you face this Maximus? If you are the victor, return and I will end your un-life then. I will wait here."

Whiptail seats himself on the rooftop...

"And for future reference, never challenge the honor of an Argonian warrior... it often leads to a slow and grusome demise. Think on my words as you battle your foe..."


OOC: Alexander and Maximus will duel at the very end, WA. I'm afraid I have to duel you first. :wink:

Alexander did not move from where he stood. He gazed down upon the seated Argonian and laughed.

"My dear Argonian, Maximus... is a tad busy at this moment. I will deal with him when the time comes..."

"You... are simply an appetizer. Now fight me, right here, right now, lest your honour be damaged."

Alexander threw his trench caot down to the roof top and drew his Upir sword. In the background, the roof of the presidential estate still burned...

Whiptail rises...

"Very well."

Whiptail draws his own weapons, discarding his firearms and extra ammunition. The twin blades 'Wind' and 'Thunder' taste the open air, the fires of the burning estate glimmering eerily off their black blades... the hilts end in the heads of dragons, their red tongues curling wickedly up the center of each...

"I stand ready to deprive Maximus of the satisfaction of killing you himself. Come..."

Whiptail reverses the katana in his left hand, assuming a low stance. One must beware of his tail, for it stings like a whip and ends in a small silver barb.

Whiptail rises...

"Very well."

Whiptail draws his own weapons, discarding his firearms and extra ammunition. The twin blades 'Wind' and 'Thunder' taste the open air, the fires of the burning estate glimmering eerily off their black blades... the hilts end in the heads of dragons, their red tongues curling wickedly up the center of each...

"I stand ready to deprive Maximus of the satisfaction of killing you himself. Come..."

Whiptail reverses the katana in his left hand, assuming a low stance. One must beware of his tail, for it stings like a whip and ends in a small silver barb.

Zakli Estaria unleashed a pulse of psionic energy, sending Agent Daniel Able sprawling. With terrible pain, he rose and clutched his pulsating head. Taking slow halting steps, Zakli began to walk away, slowly disappearing into nothingness...

As the Agent watched, Zakli became ethereal and disappeared. He will be back...

"I stand ready to deprive Maximus of the satisfaction of killing you himself. Come..."


Alexander watched as Whiptail lowered himself into a ready stance. The Argonian flowed like the wind... and Alexander laughed again.

"You think. That I. Am afraid...

"I... am Alexander Kelsing... of the guild Hyraphore... I can... do anything, include destroy you..."

Alexander swung his Upir in a single wide arc, and then leapt straight at Whiptail, Upir set in a downward stroke.

On Alexander's neck, the Alucarde pendant flashed. He did not notice.

OOC: Alexander is becoming a tad psychotic and megalomaniacal. He is in a weakened mental state, but a bit stronger phsyically.


************

Daniel watched as Zakli disappeared...

"Well if that don't beat it all... I come back to save him and he tries to kill me." Daniel whispered aloud.

Before Daniel blacked out, he pressed a single button on his trench coat. Back in DEO, a homing beacon would pick up the fallen agent's position.

OOC: Anti-climatic compared to the other plot thread, but, ah well :wink:

Skadi lead Maximus and the President into a room within the centre of the building, away from any windows.

"We both have issues with that one. A safe place must be found for the fledgeling."

Stephen kept driving befor finding a secluded spot. He spent about an hour making graves and burying Khan and Clarke. He looked at his Jeep, unlike the one that they used to shred the compound this one only had the SPAS as a weapon. It did have radios. Stephen took one and pulled a freqency/number booklet from a bag that was in the backseat. He found the freqency. THE WHITE HOUSE. He radioed in.
"Hello?" a heavy drunken voice said.
"I need to speak to the president ASAP, it's about the fight last night."
"Hold on. Crap." Stephen heard a long line of swears as the other person on the line fumbled with the set. He heard walking then he heard the person stop and Stephen heard two familiar voices. Maximus and Skadi.
"HULLO YOU TWO!" He shouted on the phone. "HERE'S STEPHEN!" Stephen heard a rush of air and a gasp as the operator was shoved to the ground. "I think this is Maximus. Well it doesn't matter. In a little while I'll be over the border and you will have all the publicity you ever wanted. Unless, you fatten my wallet. $250 million to my account. I'll let you think about it. Call you later."
Stephen hung up. He took the booklet and put it in his pocket. He took out anything that would link it to the goverment. He took the shotgun, radios, and everything else and hid them under a pile of leaves. He drove the rest of the way to the border. He pulled out his credit card size passport was was waved through. He was free.

-- Did you see the mansion collapsing when Kain did not have the power source? No. When Kain moved the walls in the basement, he kept them up, if staining himself in process. --)

(OOC: Actually, that's exactly what you said happened when he destroyed his part of the power source. You said the place started to collapse and that Gravechill would only have a few seconds to get out of there. That is why he sort of started to dislike Kain. He tried to "kill" him, but didn't know that the unholy energies would hold it all together instead. And yeah, I would expect him to be "stupid enough" to not make many power sources at this point as it would slow the overall process down, and somehow I think he didn't exactly expect Gravechill to happen. Yeah, I can see him making more of those sources AFTER the place is done, but not whilst it's still in the making. I guess he's paranoid, that's the only way I would understand why he did it.

And then there's the thing about him not taking any damage from trying to control the said raw unholy energy. It should've at least caused him some either mental or physical damage as itself. And by this I mean he should've been corrupted a bit by it.

But this doesn't matter so much, so let's leave it at that. The thread is closing its end and all, so this is rather pointless anyway. He could always plant new... Power sources to the place... And maybe he's already corrupt enough not to see any difference... Oh, and I posted a reply to this yesterday too, but the damned server failed me so I posted something now.)

IC:

The beast had found its way into the sewers of the city. It oozed through the maze-like structure, consuming corpses hidden there by the vampires. That place was for it almost like a paradise. It was able to move within the drainage and it did not hamper its movement at all. Only the corpses that protrude from it could give it away.

-- Did you see the mansion collapsing when Kain did not have the power source? No. When Kain moved the walls in the basement, he kept them up, if staining himself in process. --)

(OOC: Actually, that's exactly what you said happened when he destroyed his part of the power source. You said the place started to collapse and that Gravechill would only have a few seconds to get out of there. That is why he sort of started to dislike Kain. He tried to "kill" him, but didn't know that the unholy energies would hold it all together instead. And yeah, I would expect him to be "stupid enough" to not make many power sources at this point as it would slow the overall process down, and somehow I think he didn't exactly expect Gravechill to happen. Yeah, I can see him making more of those sources AFTER the place is done, but not whilst it's still in the making. I guess he's paranoid, that's the only way I would understand why he did it.

And then there's the thing about him not taking any damage from trying to control the said raw unholy energy. It should've at least caused him some either mental or physical damage as itself. And by this I mean he should've been corrupted a bit by it.

IC:

The beast had found its way into the sewers of the city. It oozed through the maze-like structure, consuming corpses hidden there by the vampires. That place was for it almost like a paradise. It was able to move within the drainage and it did not hamper its movement at all. Only the corpses that protrude from it could give it away.

Noted....I have messed this one up. Gah, I do not usually have this trouble, is because I forget what I have said in the past (at least with the building). My apologies)

President Marshall led them to a panel on the wall, which opened up into a safe room.

Maximus turned toward Skadi.

"All right. You shall come, but I call dibs on first fight."

Maximus grinned slightly as he saw Skadi's slightly exasperated look upon her face. Turning toward the President, Maximus spoke:

"Remain here. We will be back soon."

No one would ever find the President. He was in Tarlachia's biggest secret held within the White House. Not a single soul knew of this room, except for Maximus and Skadi, as well as the President. The only other one to know of its existence for sure was the personal bodyguard, and he now lay dead within the catacombs below. The dead never talked.

Maximus closed the door to the safe room tightly, and he and Skadi began to search for an escape stairway to the rooftop.

Skadi nodded.

"You should be safe, but if you are found, remember your new strength and speed. Use it well."

Skadi followed Maximus down the hallway as the secret doorway was sealed off.

"As long as you leave some for me."

Skadi's tone was rather indifferent, it was hard to tell if she was being serious or humourous.

OOC: I go away for A few days and miss so much. Ah well. Thats life. It almost seems pointless carrying on the line with Xyorph and Kain as they seem to have missed everything, but we might as well finish properly. Unless we plan to have some humans rebelling...?

IC:
Xyorph sat opposite Kain in the dark room. He liked it. It was very peaceful. He studied the dragons. Beautiful. It had been a while since he had summoned his own. Maybe he should do that.

"I'm going to enter the city and find Maximus. I want to know what's happening outside. Are you ready to come with me?"

The city appeared remarkably deserted. He kept driving until he reached a gas station. There he filled up and took some paper towels and cleaned the vampire blood from the back of the Jeep. He took the bloodied towels and put then in a plastic bag. He spotted a sign that made his stomach feel sick. WELCOME TO TARLACHIA.

Stephen ran into the gas station and looked at a map. The "border crossing" was merley a roadside checkpoint. Son of a. He was now stuck in a nation full of blood thirsty vampires. Stephen was thankful that it appeared all the vampires were at the presidential compound. Where the hell is the border?

Stephen drove through the city till he found a science lab. He took the vampire blood and looked at it. It looked like a regular blood cell execpt it was withered and thin. It had several thin tubes attached to regular blood cells and then several of the human cells became like the vampire's. Their blood absorbs ours, it's like an infection. Then ours becomes like thiers. Does that make a human a vampire? Stephen locked the door of the lab, grabbed a cola from a refidgerator, and sat down. If it's an infection, maybe it has a cure. Maybe I can do something to stop it. His arm still burned where the vampire had bitten him. He hoped that the VRO had forgotten about him to let him work.

OOC: In this rp.... to be turned into a vampire you must be drained, then drink a vampire's blood. So there's no need to create an anti-vampire solution. :P

OOC: In this rp.... to be turned into a vampire you must be drained, then drink a vampire's blood. So there's no need to create an anti-vampire solution. :P

OOC: Okay you got a point. I'll make Stephen's work go down the drain, in action movie way. :wink: (I usually only get to post in the early morn 5:30 EST to 6:50 EST and afternoon 3:00pm EST to 10:30 EST on weekdays. I'll do the science down the drain when I get back from school.)

OOC: I go away for A few days and miss so much. Ah well. Thats life. It almost seems pointless carrying on the line with Xyorph and Kain as they seem to have missed everything, but we might as well finish properly. Unless we plan to have some humans rebelling...?

IC:
Xyorph sat opposite Kain in the dark room. He liked it. It was very peaceful. He studied the dragons. Beautiful. It had been a while since he had summoned his own. Maybe he should do that.

"I'm going to enter the city and find Maximus. I want to know what's happening outside. Are you ready to come with me?"

Kain sighed in fatiue. He closed his eyes, and was going to rub them when he remembered his talons. He tutted and spoke softly.

"No...I am too tierd....and this place might collapse without me being here. Be on your way if you must....just follow your way down and close the doors on the way out.

--Somewhere...--

Out of the darkness comes the light... Thus was prophesied eons ago...

But never came true. And now, maybe a glimmer of hope shall appear and the darkness will create light...

--In the City--

In the middle of the city, a massive explosion of darkness occurred, sucking in the light. It was a portal of darkness... Within seconds, a figure stumbled and the portal closed. The figure tumbled into a crouched position, his diamond-obsidian sword drawn and stabbed into the earth. The figure was none other than one former known as Zakli Estaria...

OOC: Wandering Arogonian... where are you? :shock:

Stephen came out of the bathroom after ridding himself of several pints of coffee. As he walked past the entrance two lights appeared to be moving closer. He looked at them and finally heard the engine. He jumped out of the way as the Jeep came barreling thru the glass doors and into the back.

It collided with the machines Stephen had been using to try to find the inner workings of the vampire's blood. The Jeep caught fire and as Stephen rushed to get his work, the one thing that he would turn over to the media to fry the VRO; machine gun fire ripped through the building. He dove behind a desk and pulled out the .45 from his pants.

Stephen looked and saw a half dozen figures firing from the entrance. He returned fire but the fire from behind him forced Stephen to move. He darted into an air duct and began to crawl as the Jeep blew up behind him. Damn it! The one thing that would keep him safe if the vampires chased him was now engulfed in flames. He kept crawling. He smashed out the vent to the outside and crawled out. As he got up he saw an AK stock move towards his face.

Stephen felt a blast of cold water rush down his body. He looked up and found himself hung by his wrist to a metallic tube. Water poured down from an opening.
"He's up boss." Stephen noticed he was in a basement and surrounded by vampires. One of them walked forward.
"Hello. You must be the only hunter left alive. Well, we've been shadowing you since you got out of the capital. I think we deserve to have a little bit of fun before we turn you over for "proper" interrogation."
"Why don't you kill me now and be done with it?" Stephen asked.
"I'm mighty hungry but sorry. Hold on. Look here boys, this fella is already claimed." He pointed to the bite mark on Stephen's arm. "We'll have our fun and go back to the capital to see what to be done with you. Please tell me, were are you from and how did you get mixed up in all this?"
"F*** you" At that moment Stephen felt a massive electric shock up through his body. One of the vampires backed off carrying two sponges on jumper cables.
"Let the fun begin." The leader said.

Stephen tried to move but the sponges made contact again and again. He knew he could take this; he had three years ago, but for how long. The sponges touched again. He opened his mouth to scream.

Whiptail nimbly sidesteps the reckless top-down hack, swinging 'Wind' in a swift slash that would cut across Alexander's back, bringing 'Thunder' in for a stab at his kidneys and lower abdominal region...

OOC: This weekend I will have a bit more time to post, Valient.

Alexander knew... could feel and see Whiptail move aside.

He knew... could feel the Argonian's sword cut a swath along his back. Alexander barely had time to swing his own to block the other from slicing into his abdoman.

Alexander rolled and knealt on one knee.

"Two swords... two directions... I love a challenge."

Alexander pressed a hand upon his back. It came black blood red.

He wiped it on his white shirt, staining that red. With another growl, he launched himself at the Argonian, sword held low.


***********

Daniel Able woke up to a sea of faces that he recognized as fellow DEO agents.

"Don't move... you're alright now son."

Daniel recognized the voice as Lee Natarin, head of the DEO.

"Sir... thank you for coming. Where are we?"

"We're still in Tarlachia... but we're leaving soon. Why?"

Daniel lunged and grabbed Lee's shirt.

"We can't leave now... we have to go back..."

"For who?"

"For the others: Khan, Clarke... Stephen."

OOC: Where is Stephen, TGS?

OOC: That's a good question Valient lol :lol:. IM me please.

OOC: Stephen is now in an unknown city/town a few miles, north of the capital. When your on the run you don't pay attention to city ID signs. He did not make a clean getaway, some of the VRO followed him. Several VRO members have him in a basement of one of the buildings torturing (mostly by MASSIVE elctro-shock treatment) him for:
1. Getting info
2. Having fun before they take him back to the capital for "proper" interagation

Calm and cool, Whiptail waits until his opponent had come within range, then launches himself into the air, aiming a pair of kicks at Alexander as he flips overhead...

Alexander tried to block the kicks aimed at his head, but succeeded only in deflecting them. One caught him sqaurely in the side of his skull, and sent him sprawling.

"You... think you're so good, don't you... Stand your ground and fight with HONOUR!"

Alexander got up, spitting his words. He warily approached Whiptail, his Upir in a ready position.

He was Alexander Kelsing. He could destroy this Lizard. He knew he could.

Daniel Able got up off the makeshift stretcher. He winced, but continued to move towards a map of Tarlachia.

"Are you mad, agent? Who knows where those men are... Clarke, Khan and Stphen, as you said, are?"

Daniel turned towards Director Natarin.

"I have triangulated the last known whereabouts of the VRO. I believe that the hunters have either been compromised, murdered, taken hostage.

"If the latter is true, then they would be taken either, here, here or here." Daniel pointed to three spots on the map.

Lee nodded. "All right, agent. you know whats going on here, I'll defer to your knowledge.[/i]

Alexander tried to block the kicks aimed at his head, but succeeded only in deflecting them. One caught him sqaurely in the side of his skull, and sent him sprawling.

"You... think you're so good, don't you... Stand your ground and fight with HONOUR!"

Alexander got up, spitting his words. He warily approached Whiptail, his Upir in a ready position.

He was Alexander Kelsing. He could destroy this Lizard. He knew he could.

Whiptail lands with a short roll, coming up in a high stance. The blades weave around each other in slow, graceful figure-eights...

"Rein your anger, it will consume your mind..."

Whiptail suggests, his eyes filled with cold contempt...