Chariot stood around in an old village far in the outskirts of Styria, some more patient and in better moods than others. And for good reason. They had weathered no shortage of attacks by the chimeric inquisitors, none any less dangerous than the first. There had been no other scares but some among them harbored frustration at their lack of ability to contribute to the fight effectively.
And in truth, only Shin, Karla, and Kamala had the means to reliably kill the persistent creatures. Yen’s now maxed Explosion could do the job but the sheer sound and impact brought them additional trouble more often than not, so some restrictions were imposed upon her, to her more than significant annoyance.
A gate opened and Johan walked out in the handsome black haired form he had used for the meeting of allied guilds, though he bore little of the composure. “How have you fared?”
“We’re good, tell us what’s happening.” Donny told more than asked.
“The restraints of the inquisitors have been unleashed…” A grim concern took Johan’s expression. “They are free to raze these lands and enact whatever ‘justice’ they see fit. These things are worse than monsters. They would rather have a village of 100 faithful than a town of 1,000 among 10,000 undevoted.”
“Get to the useful part.” Yen pressed.
Johan paused for a moment. “...we are losing too many cultists and dissidents. At this rate, a full scale revolt will be impossible. The otherworlders have retreated from the lands near the capital, leaving them freer to act. Worse still, the house called Pandava has defected from the alliance and taken all of the other groups with them. They now claim to champion the true heir to the former dynasty before the theocracy usurped control.”
“Smart…” Jean lightly praised.
“Is it true?” Yen asked the cardinal.
“It does not matter. People will flock to a beneficial lie in a crisis. If these inquisitors are truly so brutal to the people here, then they will have no difficulties raising an army.” Kamala answered for him, before turning with a question of her own. “Are there any other factions?”
“The aristocracy. One faction as fallen but the stronger, Duchess Lorraine’s is holding out against all attacks.”
“Not surprising…” Yen along with the others had first hand experience fighting the Igarashi, however briefly. “So what now. This is what you wanted, right? With all the chimeras out, we take the capital.
“Not yet… no, I fear the Pope has a deeper hand to play. Our target is the inquisitors. They are many, but also divided all across Styria. As an army it may not have been possible but now they can be eliminated. If the hounds are put down, the Pope will finally be forced to come to the forefront.”
“And?” Yen asked to Johan’s confusion. “While we do all the work, what are you doing? We need a little more value than vague information.”
“I am raising an army-”
“We can get fodder ourselves.” The mage stated firmly. “What are you, Johan von Stein, doing that will actually help us win?”
Johan hesitated, with tension sneaking onto his face as the eyes of the powerful otherworlders before him questioned the need for his existence. He knew, instinctively, that his next words could not be vague. “I have… pawns… hidden throughout the four corners of the map. I can use them to shepherd the inquisitors towards the aristocracy and the rebel army, to deplete the might of your rivals.”
“That’s more like it.” Yen smiled.
“And the might of the church?” Kamala asked.
“They will split their own forces, I am certain. But only when the inquisitors are dead.”
Kamala gave him a brief look, but not because she needed the time to think. “Very well.”
A subtle relief seemed to come over Johan as turned towards his gate. “The Sunlight Company, the rebel army, is currently operating in the south east. Good luck.” The cardinal disappeared through the gate.
“What?” Yen shot back as Kamala silently glanced her way. “I got results.”
“...the duchess is to the far west… It would be best to head north.”
---
Chariot walked through what could best be described as a destitute refuge camp. There were no tents nor shelter of any make at all, only a few lucky enough to have carriage space to sit. Rather than a camp, it was as though a moving mob had stopped for rest.
“What is this?” Yen casually asked a passing man, a mere rare tier class to his name.
“You didn’t hear? Inquisitors about, all over. Some managed to escape them and warn other towns and villages in time… Those damn monsters. Not a heart in any of them. We’re heading east. Heard it’s safer there. Best you do the same.” With that, he continued on his way.
“Sounds like we should go west.” Yen noticed something in her sphere of vision and glanced over at Shin crouching down next to a sobbing child.
“What’s wrong?”
The girl, no more than five or six, glanced up with snivelling hiccups as she wiped her eyes, though on seeing his slight smile the question seemed to reach her thoughts properly and her face scrunched up as she cried again. “My mama… and papa… got t-turnded… the bishop told us… the uhdead hurt all the time…” Crying overtook the words she managed to stutter out.
“Where did you live?”
“...um… umberg…”
“Ulmberg?” Kamala asked to confirm.
“Yes…”
“Near the northwest border.” The priestess informed the others.
“That’s way too close to Dracula’s castle.” Yen spoke up. “Hey, Shin, I feel bad but we should try and focus on one enemy at a time.”
As Shin seemed to acquiesce to the general consensus, the little girl reacted lightly to the conversation and started to take off the amulet around her neck. A cheap wooden amulet bound by string, hard pressed to warrant even a copper coin in value. The girl placed it in the hand Shin opened in response and stepped back with small confidence, emotion starting to quiver her expression again. “I don’t want my mama and papa to hurt anymoooooree…”
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Shin stared at the worthless necklace, a strange sense of depth about him, and he clasped his hand. “Okay.”
The child opened her eyes to his calm slight smile through her tears. “I’ll help them.” Shin rose to his feet and headed off, quickly followed by the others.
“No complaints?” Donny asked Yen.
“I have a heart…”
---
A lumbering ghoul turned to a charging sound and a saber sliced clean through its head. Chariot rampaged through the town overrun by low tier undead, mostly damaged walking corpses. Even without the bulk of their primary skills, the monsters were no match and soon the town fell still even to the dead.
Yen glanced around, their charity quest over in moments after a full day of travel. “Maybe we could try heading further in?”
“What happened to sticking to one enemy?”
“I’d rather fight flammable vampires than those bullshit chimeras…” Yen complained, for fair reason. The party had several battles against squadrons of the things on the way over and although they suffered no losses, it never felt easier. “Would be good to at least find out what the mid boss actually has waiting for us.”
“It probably would…” Jean glanced at Kamala in agreement.
“...very w-”
Dante jolted into action, throwing four knives that shot through the air with impossible trajectory. A large gate opened up in nearby and a figure burst out, only to stop short as a white haired pale skinned boy in regal casual wear caught the knives with slight surprise on his face as he slid back.
[Vampire Prince (legendary elite) - Greater Monarch]
“Unfortunate fools.” Surprise that immediately turned to a mocking smile, and four others walked through.
A burly red haired man with thick sideburns, seven feet tall with a fierce composure.
[Human Amazon (legendary) - Greater Lord]
A calm smiling woman of pale ethereal beauty with something essential lacking within her eyes.
[Dhampyr Seer (legendary) - Greater Lord]
A tall thin aging man in butler’s garbs, standing with an elegant sternness.
[Human Spymaster (legendary) - Greater Lord]
“My, my. What an unexpected boon.” A young pale man exited last as the gate closed behind him. Blond hair dressed in a white suit and top hat of similar victorian fashion though one covered in symbols of playing cards haphazardly, he twirled a gold topped cane as he spoke. “We shall have you enter the fold first then.”
[Human Magician (legendary) Greater Lord]
A thunderous kick landed on the burly amazon’s palm as Karla attacked without hesitation. But the man’s arm didn’t even budge an inch. Knives forced a halt to the vampire prince’s lunge as the amazon pair struck again. Crush landed clean on the burly man’s side but only pulverized the surface of his flesh, as all but the bones in half of Karla’s torso turned to dust.
Vines separated the two and a maximized Explosion detonated on the sudden enemies, only to be dispelled away the instant it began. Walter’s own shadowbolts crashed through Yen’s mana shield and against her armament as she tried her best to dodge. Basem boldly aimed a surging snipe from hidden cover at the old butler, and a huntress aimed at him.
Shin blinked between, knocking the arrow away with pulse and slashing a sword of duality at the blacked haired Shadowhunter, hidden from all but him before now. Her eyes widened only slightly before her body slipped into the shadows and she was hidden once again.
Basem clicked his teeth and fired at the old man anyway, and the magician smiled. A portal opened up in front of the spymaster’s head and the arrow passed through to another right behind the strider’s. A hand pulled him back as Dante acted just in time before Basem’s own arrow pierced his head. Ashley flickered suddenly in front of the spymaster whose wires passed harmlessly through her body as her scythe forced him to dodge, and her assault drove him further away.
The vampire prince burst forward with a laugh and shredded his claws over Mujin’s scales as the dragoon just barely managed to react in time. The residual lightning spasmed the prince’s body just slightly, so Mujin fired a lightning palm blast as he took to the air. And the prince appeared right beside him in an instant, speed twice as fast as Ashley’s.
The urge for survival and rejection of failure swelled within Mujin and the prince’s claws scraped down the plate scales that spread over Mujin’s whole body like draconic armor. Mujin held back his spear and the prince sent him crashing into the ground. The earth cratered further as Mujin shot back up, draconic energy surging around him, and a clawed hand pierced him from behind.
“How did it feel? So close to hope.” The vampiric seer whispered calmly to him as she pulled her arm from his chest. “Intoxicating?”
Vines surged forth, forcing the two away as golden light enveloped Mujin, rapidly healing his wounds. A sneer found the prince’s face again as he burst towards Kamala. Rage empowered Donny as he shot forward with a cleaving swing, one the prince effortlessly dodged with glee and swiped off the blood knight’s head.
But that time paused his actions just enough. Half a dozen mantis puppets appeared around the prince in an instant and swiped their scythed blades from all angles. And in another instant, all six puppets shattered apart. The prince shot forward and splattered Jean, his creeping smile falling as the blood and flesh around him turning to splinters.
Three knives soared towards his back and a portal opened in their path. But at the same time, Basem sniped at the magician’s head and Yen rocketed a firebolt along with it. Portals bloomed and Chariot’s eyes widened as their own attacks fell on them with insidious haphazardness. The dust settled and by ward or shield the damage was weathered, but they were no closer to victory.
“Ramsay. Adelaide.” The magician called, and the vampire prince and shadowhunter flickered by his side.
Shin flashed back to the group, no longer needing to stand guard against the silent huntress, joined by Donny and Mujin fully recovered. The magician Pierre raised his arms and nonsense fell on the land. Strange objects and beings bloomed into existence within a backdrop of fantasy. The dangerous vampiric pair shot into action, the shadowhunter’s form melding into shadows that oddly lingered in a deformed state as clones of the vampire prince appeared one after the other.
A trick mine detonated on the real Ramsay but did no damage as he changed his target. Shin blinked in front with prismatic eyes but blinked away just as fast sending a wave at the soul emerging from the shadows that slipped away again having done her job.
Vines lashed out but struck nothing but illusions, Kamala unable to see through the mirage of the magician. Vines covered her for a brief moment then shot out in deliberate perfect reconnaissance, but a light shone from a floating top hat and the vines turned to stone.
Ramsay attacked relentlessly and ruthlessly, forcing them all to defend without break, but neither could he find success in his attacks either, with Dante’s unsurpassable Foresight. Still he charged, and the prince and magician smiled at the same time. Greater Protection around Kamala shattered and her ophanim summon died in her place from the residual impact, but Dante blinked elsewhere, pulling Mujin away from a bloodred clawed hand that sliced right through his Dragonplate to sever an arm. The seer thrust her hand again , this time through Kamala’s heart. She started to open her mouth but froze as the priestess’ form flickered to that of a puppet, the tangible morph around it faded with its destruction.
And Shin had enough. Sacred Fire surged over the ground like an inferno as black and white flared within, viciously targeting all souls not with him. Ramsay burst forward despite the seer’s warning, and the flames burned his flesh and soul. She severed his leg and jumped away as the rest of him turned to ash, his body regenerating in the next instant, but a smile nowhere to be seen on his frustrated face.
“Return.”
A woman’s voice spoke to the minds of the sudden enemies and the mirage disappeared. The old spymaster Walter returned at the same time as a smiling Ashley, with guarded inspection and a red furred werewolf did the same, shifting back into his human amazon form, as Karla’s broken body regenerated in the distance.
“Our time is up, it seems.” Pierre spoke as he held a charging Karla in place with invisible force. “But do despair not! The gates of Nostravania will always welcome you.”
Gate swirled around them as the six enemies vanished as quickly as they arrived, leaving behind a Chariot worse for wear and with a reignited urge for greater power.
---
Ash and mana within empty butler’s clothes dissipated into the air before Renzo. Katherine stood in shock and grief at the sight of her closest confidant, slain like the vampire he was. Renzo took notice of her state of mind, but he could not spare her any time to console her. The prosperity of the clan was at stake and it was he who needed to act.
“We will need to inspect everyone in the city.”