Through the twisted cascades of unearthly foliage. Small droplets of blood ran along the thicket of the vines. sloping down the rough curves of the jagged thorns. Hanging up on the tips with only their viciousness, growing heavier as they amass on a singular point. Bobbing up and down, the vine casts off the crimson fluid into the pitch black depths.

Multiple, sporadic droplets rained down into the shadowy abyss within the knotted web of ever twisting vines. Far below, a skeletal corpse, encased in the hedge's desolate grasp. It's inhuman jaw barely hung from it's skull, as the syrupy fluid exploded upon it's toothy grin. The rich redness of fresh blood soaked deep into the marrow of the corpse. It's torn jaw twitched slightly. Then it's head, shoulder, and hand. Soft, low whispers exhaled from it's throat.

A soft white mist fumed from deep within the skeleton's pores. It's empty eye sockets filled with swirls of concentrated essence. It's neck and shoulders creaked and popped as it glanced through the thick foliage. Focusing revived awareness on the presence of the trespassers.

Aes glances down at Gloam. He had been contemplating silently for a moment His expression, and glow shifted gradually. From keen interest and fascination to dismissive acknowledgement.

"What's wrong?" Aes asked. Gloam gave no response. "What are the Knight's of Autumn?" She continued.

"Nothin'...just a...nothin." He snorted, "We need ta git goin." He instructs. Aes lifted the lantern up again to look at the giant, armored corpse one last time, before investigating her surroundings. The lantern's light cast distorted shadows all around as it shined its way through the crevasses of the foliage. Aes squinted as she struggled to discern the small opening.

Her small feet pressed delicately into the damp moss. Wisps of tiny flies ejected from the disruption as Aes lowered herself under the imposing branches of dead and living plants.

Vines, both thick and thin, heavy and light, shifted with subtle tension and relaxation. Creaking of movement, soft snaps of twigs, and the gentle disruption of the shallow puddles. Aes continued her exploration as activity grew all around her.

"I think I see something..." Aes shouted gleefully. Peering through the underbrush. Her exhausted face beamed for a moment.

"Hush, Childe..." Gloam hissed. The human mouthed the word 'what?' Gloam paused before answering. "Listen.."

Faint swirls of blue, wispy eyes peered from heavy binds of the Hedge. Some were above, some beside or behind, some close, while others were distant.

"I don't see anything..." Aes whispered. Watching and waiting. shifting the lantern from side to side. Through a long, unsettling silence.

"Screw this..." Aes turned her attention back to the underbrush. Lowering herself down, she winced at the feel of the slimy moss as it stained her hands and knees. "This is gonna get me home!" She murmured with a deep inhale. Descending upon her belly to crawl.

She shimmed and shifted. One arm at a time pulling herself forward. Occationally blowing or brushing away tiny flies that obscured her sight. Thorns snagged her tunic and hair, scratching and pricking her skin. Gloam's peered from side to side as the two advanced.

"See anything?" Aes grunted, as she squeezed herself through the exposed roots.

"Indeed, I do! A path way is just ahead!" Gloam replied.

"Finally!" Aes smiled.

"Hold!" Gloam commanded. Aes stopped, looking at the spirit for an explanation "...I see movement within the hinterland."

"The what??"

"Vines, Childe.."

Aes huffed with exasperation. "Then just say that!" Attempting to continue on. "Dammit!"

"What would be the matt'eh?"

"My ankle! I'm caught on..." Aes was interrupted by her own high pitch shriek. The Lantern fell from her grasp and she was violently removed from the root system into the darkness on the briars, her exposed legs were sliced. Her nails tore as she clawed the ground.

"Aes!!" Gloam shouted! His blue, radiant light burst out. Aes hung half way in the air. Held up by the ankle by a bony hand. She brushed her black curls from her face. Her eyes widened at the sight of four corpse-like creatures surrounding her. A large one lifted her in the air. A cold mist expelled from it's mouth, like a ghostly tongue, it licked her wounds. Lapping up the fresh blood.

Aes shouted and flailed. Struggling and kicking to free herself. Skeletal arms, and heads emerged from the brambles. Their sunken skin and decayed faces stared at her with burning, ravenous hunger. Their clawed, boney hands reached out as they rose sharp weapons. Aes's voice broke as she screamed for aid.

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A bright white flashed within the area. A sound of low grinding grit and high toned scratch droned slowly. The roots rumbled. The wet soil gulped down the damp air. Limbs cracked, vines snapped. Something rose from the heavy binds of the hedge. The undead horde scattered from the tremors of the ground.

Aes fell to the ground in a wet thud. Opening her clenched eyes, no longer surrounded or held captive by the walking corpses. She brought a hand to her chest and rose to her feet. Panting heavily as she looked around. The sudden disruption had torn several of the corpses part, though they continued to advance, as well as revealing a brightly illuminated pathway that drew her attention.

"Gloam?!" She called out. Watching as the corpses slowly swarm her again.

"Ov'ah Here De'ah!" He called back.

"Hold on!" She shouted, grabbing a weapon one of the undead had dropped. Her eyes beamed with fury, nostrils flaring as she swung feverously.

"...I shall not remove myself from this point." The spirit replied.

Aes swung the club wildly with a fierce growl. Her overt aggression pushed her off balance, missing the walking corpse and falling into it's boney and ungodly strong grasp. It wretches her hand towards it's gaping jaw. Its ghostly tongue reaching out to inhale dark red wisps from the cut on her palm. The second leans in to join in the feast.

Aes shifts her weight to pull away. Her weapon connects hard to the walking corpse's head. A strong crush of bone and shattering. It's maw hangs off it's shriveled face. Aes twists, turns with frantic movement. Barely escaping their grasp, yet evading the ghostly tentacles.

With a desperate parting shot, and bad footing, the terrain trips the human into the mossy waters. Held by only by the wrist, the undead inhale deeply from the pulsing wound. A thick mixture of red and white mist fume from Aes's palm. Fueling the undead attackers. Flush color quickly fades from her hand, to a pale, icy blue. Veins darkening as the flowing blood stagnates. Aes gasps deeply as her face becomes whiter.

Her eyes drooped and glazed for a moment. With a sudden feminine roar, Aes pulled in a foot to stand herself back up. She slipped again, pulling the clumsy corpse down into the puddle. Her eyes lazily look at the two, weakly raising her left arm to assert another attack, only to miss.

"G...Gloam.." She called out. "...Help."

"Aes! Come ov'ah to me!" He called back. Aes sat back, tearfully panting, as she watched the strange red mist flow from her palm to the mouth's of the skeletal assailants. They paused a moment. Savoring the taste of her life force. Their bodies plumped and thickened, dry skin swelled as they began to speak in a strange language. One slowly rose a bladed weapon over it's head at her.

It paused as a heavy shadow blotted out the moon's rays. A firm gust of air pushed loose debris. A large form landed hard and heavy behind the undead. Aes lazily looked up to see the body of the knight standing before her.

It's massive, four-fingered hand rose in the air. Aes flinched hard. Her black curls waved with the force of the swing. The two undead were cleaved into pieces. Their upper torsos soared into the night.

The armored hulk peered down upon her. A single radiant eye gleamed from the partly illuminated silhouette. Aes feebly scooted back through the puddles, desperately trying to make her way to Gloam. She groaned loudly, turning over to crawl towards the trapped spirit. More of the shambling corpses made their way towards her.

Her hands shivered as she clawed herself towards Gloam. Her eyes drooped and rolled from side to side. Gloam pressed his face against the lantern's stained glass. A tense expression as he gestured for her to hurry.

The revived knight, opened it's large hand wide, reaching down to Aes. She had just laid her hand on the lantern, pulling it closer to her chest. Weary from the fight, she watched in fear as the shambling corpses drew closer.

"The'ah!" Gloam cried out. "The arch-way!" Panting heavily, Aes glanced up at a new path, freed from the rising of the knight's corpse. "Brace ya self de'ah!" He said. Yet before he could use his powers. The heavy hand on the knight seized the young human in it's grasp.

Aes let out a weak scream. She was lifted up from the ground. In cased in the knight's grasp from the shoulders to the knees. Several of the cackling skeletons latched on the the knight's hand. Other's scaled it's armored body. Each staring hungerly for Aes.

The knight kicked and crushed several with it's long bird like talons. It's off hand slashed and clawed the small hoard. It held Aes high out of reach. She groaned and gaged. Struggling to free herself.

"Deep breath De'ah" Gloam called out once more. The duo vanished in a plume of black smoke. The quarreling corpses ceased in their struggle. chattering bones clicking and popping as they searched for their prey. Unaware, the fight had not stopped.

The area thundered with aggressive strikes from the knight. Tossing, smashing and stomping the undead back into their mossy graves. Most idly wandered, their heads slowly turning in search of the human. Their brittle bodies were pummeled into power. Three, however, those who have fed upon the red mist life essence of Aes, slipped away unnoticed.

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

Off in the distance, the trio of gnolls chasing their hounds come to a halt. Their feral noses wince and wolfish ears twitch at the echoing commotion of battle. Each one grinning menacingly. tightening his grip on his weapon. The hounds howl and charge towards the same location. Their prey was close.

Their bulking frame carried them through the thickets. Powering through the jagged thorns and thick vines. Over rocks and cold waters. One gestured to a strange elevation. Remnants of ancient structures hidden within the consuming hedge. The hunting pack climbed up with primal agility. Their eyes glowing with a strange haze of lust for battle.

"Wha' is 'at?" One gnoll asked. Staring down at the armored knight.

"Ya fink I know?!" Another answered. "Fight's good though..."

"Is 'em deadies?!" Byrn asked

"Looks like it!"

"Where 'ey come from?!"

"Dunno. Maybe dat f'eif' did some'in..."

High above the lone knight. The three gnolls Watched with bated breath. The burning desire in their feral eyes to leap into the battle. The hounds however, paused, sniffing the air again. Their ears twitched, heads looking around as if they lost the scent. Only for a moment before they abandoned their master's to continue on in the blood hunt….