Mercenary Roleplay

[Shadaras]

Hades peered around the final corner, just as Fenrix opened the doors. Is she mad? was the first thought that came to mind, as she announced her presence to the throne room. The second was 'I can't do anything about this'. He hissed, pressing himself closer to the cool stone wall. He wanted to pull Fenrix back and yell at her, but he couldn't. And he couldn't move any closer, either. Not when they would have a perfectly clear view of him if he did. And that would likely get Fenrix into more trouble than anything else.

[Deleted]

Fezor led the way back, pushing the slave quarter doors open. "Mother, we have the messenger. He's in bad shape. Where is the healer-child?" (Referring to Arista)

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Takehiko stood, growling down at her. He was a tall, thickly muscled vampire. His dark hair fell to his shoulderblades and was tied back with a finger bone tie. He had dead gray eyes that bore through Fenrix's. "You came back. After I told you I'd kill you if you did?" His voice was silky smooth, and sent chills up the female vampire's spine. "Perhaps you didn't learn anything after all?" He stepped down from his throne and flicked his hand. His councilors scattered. He turned and looked down at his fledgling, arranging his blood red robes around him, as if he were simply meeting a messenger or a servant. "You always were to bold for your own good. But I could've sworn I beat that out of you. Oh well, second times the charm, right?"

Fenrix smiled and crossed her arms over her chest, putting her lower lip out in an almost childish pout. "But, I thought you missed me! I am your only surviving fledgling, after all. Hello Tank." She said that last part because Tank had appeared behind her, pressing his blade to her throat and leering over her shoulder. "You know you can't kill me. At least not right now. Maybe a little later?" She narrowed her eyes, but didn't even try to push the blade away, even though she could. It was hers, the one he had stolen when he refused to follow her.

Tank sneered and bared his fangs. "Stupid blood tie law. I'll be sure to sever that lovely head from your neck once Takehiko gets rid of that stupid law." He trailed the blade down her throat, then pulled it away and stepped away.

[Shadaras]

Hades didn't dare to look around the corner. Even so, what he could hear (and he heard very clearly) was enough for him to start cursing Fenrix even more. He desperately wanted to be able to do something, anything. But he couldn't. Not with Takehiko and Tank having a clear line of sight to the hallway. His hands were tightly wrapped around his lasers, and the sweat on his right hand only made him swear under his breath. And the words that he heard helped even less. "darn you," he whispered, not completely sure who he was talking about. "darn you."

[Elcie]

Elycien helped Alerid to sit down. He sat leaning partially against the wall and partially against her, only half-conscious. "Water," Elycien said, more sharply than she meant to, looking around her. "He's badly dehydrated, he needs to drink something." Alerid gave a faint moan, moving weakly but not really changing position.

[Deleted]

Hanji nodded and nudged Danli, who raced off and came back with a bucket full of water. "Here my lady." He bobbed his head and handed it to her, then handed her a ladle. "Sorry, we don't have cups. The water's clean." He dipped his head again and looked over Alerid with sad eyes. "I'm sorry." The little boy stepped back into his mother's arms, glancing around the room. Then he whispered something to Fezor, who gasped and looked around.

"It seems Lady Fenrix has dissapeared..."

[Elcie]

Alerid stirred again and tried to take the ladle, apparently ashamed of being taken care of this way, but his left arm was limp at his side and his right hand was shaking. Firmly Elycien helped him, dripping water into his mouth, and looked up at Fezor. "When did she leave us?" Now that he mentioned it, she couldn't remember seeing the vampiress anywhere.

"That's not all, you know," Blizzard muttered, and upon realizing it Elycien swore.

"Hades is gone as well," she said, irritated. It wasn't that she didn't trust him and Fenrix; she felt sure they wouldn't betray them intentionally. But both of them were two of the strongest, and being without them made Elycien suddenly feel vulnerable; not many of them were up to fighting should it come to that. Vyt was incapacitated somehow, and she herself had Alerid to protect. If Takehiko's men became alerted to their presence... they could seriously be in danger, not to mention endangering the slaves who sheltered them.

[Arista~]

Arista nudged Vyt with her nose. She desided not to say anything else on the matter. At Elycien's voice, she poked her head up and asked her in a whisper, "Is there anything I could do?"

[Deleted]

Fenrix shoved Tank away, growling. "Call off your attack Takehiko, don't you have enough land?" She rested a hand on her blade hilt, almost casually. "I'll promise to make your death oh so much easier if you do."

Takehiko laughed, throwing his head back. "My my, you still have all your little barbs don't you. No amount of pain could get rid of it? Did you really think this coming war is about LAND?"

Fenrix didn't skip a beat, though mentally she was confused. She /had/ thought it was just about land. "Of course not, with you it's probably another agenda. Do tell." The wind shifted downwind and she stiffened. Hades. The fool had followed her? Softly she exhaled, thinking. If she kept Tank and Takehiko busy, they wouldn't smell or notice him. {You're dead when I get out of this.} She thought to her fledgling, knowing he would and could hear her.

Takehiko stalked up to her and slapped her hard across the cheek. "The council is about to name a new Sovereign. If I am elected, I will rule all. That is the reason. The lords of the other villages and fortresses around here are vampires. If I kill them, then I will be the only lord up to the challenge." He shoved her against the wall, hard enough to splinter a shoulder bone.

Fenrix cringed at the sickening sound of bone breaking. "But you left out one thing. The mercenaries. There are many of us. We will stop you."

Tank laughed. "Not any more. I'm about to go kill them." He smiled wickedly and drew his blade again. "And you will stay here, my bold but stupid sire." He slammed that blade into her shoulder, pinning her to the wall. "I take my leave sire. I will bring back the mercenary leader's head. He slipped out of the hall, leaving a smirking Takehiko and a wincing Fenrix.

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

Fezor shook his head. "I am sure Lady Fenrix is safe and unharmed." He bent his head to look over Alerid's wounds. "I can dress some of these. Danli, that pack with the jars of salve, bring it to me." He knelt by the cot, smoothing the bed sheets so they did not get in the way of his work. "Who is the Lady's newest fledgling?"

[Shadaras]

The cracking sound was enough. Hades only held still until Tank passed him by, not looking as he quickly moved down the hallway. He drew his lasers, and slipped around the corner. He didn't mean to just charge in. Well. Not until he saw Fenrix, that is. You're dead once I get out of this, she'd said. That only applied if she got out of this. He fired two quick shots at Takehiko, not really expecting them to hit, or, if they did, do much damage, just give him enough time to get to Fenrix's side.

And he could get there, vampiric speed working to his advantage. Holstering one of his lasers - the one in his right hand - he yanked the blade out of Fenrix's shoulder, keeping hold of it as he turned to face Takehiko. "What were you planning on doing to her, my lord?" he growled, prepared to guard against anything he could. Admittedly, that wasn't as much as he should be able to, but even so.

[Deleted]

Fenrix gasped as the blade left her shoulder. The blade was stone, one of the few substances that could hurt the vampires of her line. The ancient stone was laced with posion and magic. "Thanks." She murmured softly, pressing her hand to the wound to stop the bleeding.

Takehiko snarled and neutralized the laser blasts before they even got two feet from him. "Oh, a little of this and a little of that. It's complicated. There are hundreds of ways to play with a vampire without actually killing them." He smiled then raised a brow. "A new fledgling Fenrix? Tank will be so jealous. What is your name little fledgling?" He drew his sword, a claymore, and held it at defense rest. "I guess I can kill you instead of her, since you aren't my fledgling. The blood tie law doesn't apply to you in this case." He bared his fangs.

[Vyt: Down, but Not Out]

"Bzzt... We got visual. They're all inside now. Over."

"Bzzt... Good. Kill them all, along with the slaves who are helping them. Clear?"

"Bzzt... Clear. Over and out."

The wall beside Vyt and Arista suddenly exploded, leaving traces of corrosive powder on its wake. From the hole it created, several men dressed in the same way as Dum's emerged, their weapons hoisted up and aimed towards everyone in the room.

((Feel free to control the random men))

[Deleted]

Tank smiled, pushing the men away. "Hello lovies." He glared at the slaves. "Naughty, very naughty. I suppose I'll have to punish you after I finish with the mercenaries." He turned to the men. "Fire on my command only. Got it? Or I'll turn every one of you into blood martinis."

[Elcie]

Elycien jumped to her feet immediately, drawing her blade while keeping her free hand on her hidden pistol. "Touch any of them and die," she snapped, and stepped forward to shield Alerid with her body. Blizzard, Blitzkrieg, where are you? She sent a quick telepathic message to her two Gathow familiars. Get in here! She could sense that they had received her summons, but who knew how long it would take before they arrived.

A quick look confirmed that the odds were not good. Herself, Arista, Dum, Clint and Jernath... those of the slaves who were fit to fight weren't armed.

[Shadaras]

"Why should I tell you my name?" Hades asked, holstering his other laser. "You have done no kindnesses to us." His left hand began to spark, and Hades smiled. "But, in all honor, I should tell you my name before we fight. I am Hades." His left hand raised in a guard, along with Tank's blade, Hades took a step closer to Takehiko, though he didn't try to attack. Takehiko had the advantage of reach, and probably knew how to fight better, too. Best to stay on the defensive until he saw an opening.

[Deleted]

Fenrix hissed to him. "darn your honor. Takehiko doesn't care!" She drew her sword with her free hand and held it loosely.

Takehiko laughed. "Bold, just like your sire. Well Hades, it'll be a pleasure to kill you." He raised the blade and swiped it down along Hades' left shoulder. "Or maybe...maybe I have a better idea." On the downswing he took a swipe at Fenrix's injured shoulder.

She blocked it just barely, and stepped out of reach. "Hades watch Takehiko's right side. An injury from two hundred years back weakened his elbow joint, making it hard to maneuver. But it made his left side much stronger, so keep out of range of that."