Name: Lavinia
Race: Demon
Class: Vampiric
Age: Immortal – 154 days.
Crystal Essence: [Crimson]- Lvl.5— 118.76ESQ
[Available Essence Points— 5]
Faith: 44
Agility: 31
Intelligence: 37
Perk: {Reais Smite}, {Blood Rush}, {Wave Shot}, {Crimson Blink}, {Inspect}, {Blood Art; Kinesis}, {Blood Art; MistForm}
Soul Bond: Curse Marked; Master Henry Vanavil
Bestowed Commandments: 2/10
***
The winds billow Lavinia’s cloak in her face as Ulx soars. Corym lay in just beyond the crop of trees, the swamp stinking around it as usual. The sight of the city after so long has Lavinia’s breath hitched. Even though she knows what’s become of both Seraph and Jonn, a lingering part of her still felt like Corym, the city in all its walled glory, would spawn the friendly albeit reluctant faces of her friends.
Friend. The word has always just meant someone or something in cahoots with another thing, but using it with Jonn and Seraph in mind, with their historically rocky relationship and her fierce desire to devour. Too complicated.
It seemed right but it made her skin crawl and her neck repulse so she settles for the comfy word ‘ally’. Yes, that works fine.
Ulx begins his descent early, setting them down within the forest and several yards away from the start of the swamp. Lavinia doesn’t have to think hard why he’s done this; she didn’t spot any Kimpe or Simak or anything that could classify as an enemy combatant lurking around the city walls or within the swamp but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any.
Flying in would only announce their presence to any of the defenders with the sense to look into the sky and given who they’re fighting she can bet the Kimpe have their eyes trained at it— she would.
Wordlessly, Ulx marches ahead and Lavinia presses her senses outwards, for all intents this has become enemy territory. Besides that, the flight over revealed just how busy the forest has become. Ulx didn’t mention anything about it but she figures the trashing roots and giant walking trees violently resisting the Vatreni were a product of his alliance with the Ruishia forest and the spirit governing it.
The idea of the entire forest having a will to actively defend itself is relatively new and Lavinia isn’t sure what to think about it. In fact, she’s barely thought about it at all, simply grateful to not have to deal with those pesky walking pillars of fire just yet.
It’ll be easier to smash their heads in with the GroveStaff. The thought fills Lavinia’s heart with joy and anxious anticipation. Beyond concerns with fighting yet another human, reuniting with her GroveStaff at long last has been the subject of her fantasies and daydreams even now.
She gladly hastens her pace as Ulx walks with purpose toward the edge but not quite of the swamp. Here she spots canopies and tents set up and occupied by goblins. Some hang within the trees, looking down at them as they approach with spears, swords and a whole lot of spiked clubs in hand.
She waves at a couple she vaguely recognizes but they don’t wave back. She doesn’t take offense, when she knew them she didn’t care much about their presence or if they had names, even now they’re nothing but chaff holding the nail for her and Ulx to drive it in.
A Caldri donning glistening armour steps out of one of the larger tents guarded by two mean looking hobgoblins. Unlike the guard that brought her to the hidden camp this Caldri carried more presence and less legs. Standing on two with a nimble, thick white tail snaking behind it, the Caldri exuded an aura of power but inexperience and at the sight of Ulx, relief.
{T-2/L-7— Caldri}
“Ulx! Things have changed.” The Caldri says, ushering Ulx and Lavinia in. His eyes linger on Lavinia a moment before quickly shifting back to Ulx, “I’m not sure if you could tell as you came but we can’t assault the city any longer.”
“What?”
The Caldri blanches and quickly rephrases, “Uh, I mean, it’s become difficult, counter-productive, yes.”
“Explain.” Ulx demands plainly, ignoring his offer to sit.
Lavinia studies the Caldri and tent some more. Given his tier and level Lavinia figures this must be the Caldri’s best replacement for their Prime that died during the Kimpe’s initial attack. His tent offered none of the glory his elevated status comes with but that’s to be expected at the frontlines.
A couple Soul Crystals litter a table with a map of the city and swampy surroundings. Lavinia looks closer and figures some of their previous attempts to assault the city failed quite badly as the map is scratched with red cross marks even though green arrows point at them.
“I’ve ordered the goblins and some of my demons into the hidden entrances you spoke of but they’re all booby-trapped. I’ve lost good fighters in a flash because of it.”
“And is that why you’re giving up?” Ulx says, every word stained with disgust.
“Giving up? No, if it’s still possible to get past the shield they’ve deployed over the city. They don’t even need the moat anymore with that thing but they still keep the gates locked and drawn.”
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Lavinia glances back at Ulx as she fiddles with a finely tempered sword, she’s brought herself unarmed but a temporary weapon like a dagger or short sword couldn’t hurt.
The Caldri eyes her warily through the corner of his eye but shifts his words to pressing Ulx, “The shield rebukes all attacks with its own. It absorbs strikes and sends back blasts, eats fireballs and sends out an inferno. If you have a way in I’m all ears but I’d like to spare my demons the risk.”
“The risk is unavoidable. Unless you want to abandon the forest and journey the wastes for a new home?” Ulx answers in a heartbeat causing the new Caldri Prime to sneer.
“I have other options.” He says, leaning forward, his tail hooking over his head with the sharpest tip Lavinia’s seen in any demon.
At that Ulx scoffs, “Don’t throw empty threats at me cub. Jelvun would sooner absorb you all than let you in on whatever he’s planning with that human and I bet he’s going to betray him as well. Enough, we’ve both lost significantly, my side more than yours if we count the fact that your predecessor ignored our pleas the first time the Kimpe attacked.”
“It wasn’t clear who was responsible then.” The Caldri drawls, leaning back completely defused from his posturing.
“Fortunate for us it’s clear now, else you’d be dead too. Enough of this, gather your demons, I’ve brought in an extra hand so we take the city tonight.”
The Caldri Prime shifts to Lavinia, “Her? I know she’s a Vampire but she’s only one. And can we even break through in the first place? Do you truly have a plan other than attack?”
Ulx stops answering entirely and walks out. Lavinia catches the Caldri’s questioning gaze and shrugs, unsure what to tell him before walking after Ulx.
Goblins fall out of their trees, climb out of hidden crannies and overgrowths all to fall in line behind Ulx as he makes his way out through the last wall of trees before the swamp. Here the Caldri have themselves spaced and positioned among other goblins and hobgoblins, armed tooth and nail but barely armoured.
The city and its walls look untouched, like there hasn’t been a battle raging for it or an army camping outside trying to starve them out. Lavinia thought about the practical purpose of laying siege on a city of immortal demons who could all very well exist without having a bite. It would be maddening for a demon like herself but even then, entirely possible and more so for others.
She supposed it makes sense in the end. At some point someone will slip up and Ulx will press his goblins in to slaughter and devour them all. While the city walls and its towers— now two instead of three— make a defensible position, Lavinia spots none of the Simak or Kimpe manning them.
Ulx’s goblins spread out some more, their numbers seemingly endless as everyone even the littlest of them is strapped with a weapon and sent to take up position. He hums in thought at Corym and his fellow Prime arrives to stand beside him curious what he’s thinking.
He borrows a bow and a single arrow from one of his goblins and after coating the feeble thing with mana, releases a mighty shot at Corym. The arrow doesn’t make it as far as the draw brigde, it slams into an invisible barrier made visible by the ripple effect of Ulx’s mana dispersing over it as the arrow is grinded to nothing by its own momentum.
Ulx’s mana reinforced arrow doesn’t make it through but does a good job of highlighting the translucent red barrier dome over Corym before fading out of sight.
It’s not long before a presence graces the top of the walls, casting a glare down at the army of goblins and Caldri surrounding Corym. Lavinia activates [Inspect] and with it the barrier becomes permanently visible to her but she keeps her attention on the demon glaring down at them.
{T-2/L-10— Kimpe}
“Ulx! So you’ve come again. And here I thought you’d have learned your lesson.” The Kimpe bellows from atop the high wall, his voice booms throughout the forest so loudly it rustles the insignificants from their hibernatation.
Ulx doesn’t bother with a reply, since firing the arrow he’s stopped hovering and stands with his toes intertwining with the roots and mud. [Inspect] allows Lavinia to see he’s not idle, mana cuts and forms into volatile energy in specific Pathways as he smashes it against his Essence. The energy bridles within him so strongly Lavinia isn’t certain he’s the same demon.
“I offer amnesty!” the Kimpe, Jelvun yells out with four arms extended to all of Ulx’s forces below, “Right now, drop your weapons, step forward and swear your undying fealty to me, the one and only Prime of Corym and you will be spared!”
Ulx manages a snort at this as he brings his fingers together, the new energy tenses out of his fingertips like silk, threading together into something [Inspect] doesn’t allow her to completely see now that its out of his Pathways. But its presence on the outside makes her shudder. The energy feels familiar but she can’t put a pin on where or who wielded it before or what its called or is capable of.
Still, she assures herself in Ulx’s unspoken confidence.
“I extend the offer to you even, Caldri general. Come and your demons will have a home free of the-”
“We’re only coming in to kill you Jelvun.” Ulx declares at last, eying the young Caldri for a glimpse of stupidity. “You were never as interested in magic as I so I wonder what makes you think this shield will protect you.”
“You can break it?” the young Caldri Prime starts, eyes full of optimism all of a sudden.
“Of course I can, get your men back into the formation I laid earlier and get ready. I’ll need a moment with this.” He says, continuing to fiddle with the energy now forming a tangible hexagon of wisping sigils and symbols.
“Try all you might, Ulx, you will not see success this day or any other.” Jelvun promises, grinning widely atop the walls.
Lavinia studies the demon as Ulx ignores his jests and taunts. Like any other Kimpe he’s matted all over with black fur and all four of his arms are as thick as trees. His eyes which Lavinia makes effort to avoid looking into, are yellow and green respectively. From where she stands it doesn’t look like he has a curly-tail like the rest of the Kimpe and so he stands thick and tall, cloaked in regal looking robes that are left unbuttoned and expose his broad hairy chest.
If she squints Lavinia can make the dangling glint near his head as a pair of earrings she’s sure perform some magical function or another. They’re long and bridged together by knotted metal. Like Ulx he carries no weapons but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have any. Ulx spawned a spear from nothingness to stab her days ago and so she’s cautious of demons calling themselves Prime.
Still, since he was screaming at them for attention she might as well ask, “Where is Promethus!?”
Ulx snaps his attention to her at breakneck speed but before he can answer— “Huh? You…I was wondering what you were supposed to be but I see now. Bwahaha. Is this your plan Ulx? A Vampire barely even past its first Crux? Hahahaha. Now I’m sure you will all die.”
Restraining the pit of rage within her, Lavinia breathes and searches. She finds a hobgoblin several feet taller and significantly wider than her and walks up to it.
“Lavinia…what are you doing?” Ulx calls, his attention held by the complex magic contained in his hands.
“I’m trying my approach; we need to get in don’t we?” Presenting herself to the hobgoblin Lavinia narrows an intense glare at it as she commands, “Throw me at it. Now.”
“Don’t…just wait a moment and I’ll—”
More frightened of Lavinia in that instance that its been of Ulx, the Hobgoblin picks Lavinia, having her feet dig into its wide palms as it hefts, runs and tosses her over the swamp.
She soars but for a moment. The distance between the swamp and forest isn’t large and the hobgoblin not especially powerful. She makes it all the way near the edge of the moat before her descent begins, she’d fall into Corym or rather the angry red barrier covering it, but her instincts command otherwise.
Glaring right back at Jelvun atop the walls Lavinia commands, “Crimson Blink!”
In a disorienting flash she reappears behind Jelvun, within Corym. Her mane sizzles from a burn but otherwise she’s fine and as strong as ever. However, materialized behind the Kimpe Prime she quickly discovers what more there is to him.
His head sports another face.