What are friends you ask?

I’ve… always thought friends were like team members.

In many ways, life is a game, and those who try to solo it,

do not usually have the easiest of goings.

Having a team, friends, makes things much easier. Ones to rely on. Ones to count on.

It also makes things much more complicated.

People always are.

But there is one complication,

one simple question, that can destroy many a friendship.

A reflexive doubt.

What is it? Why, ‘Are they my friend?’ of course!

Now, you may think you would know if they were already a friend.

And you would probably almost certainly be wrong!

Family is family, because blood is blood. But what about friendship?

What is its point? What is its meaning? Its purpose?

Liking the company of another? Hanging out? Spending time together?

These could be done with strangers! Enemies!

Sometimes, I warn you - a friendly stranger can end up being your enemy.

And sometimes a true friend… can become a great villain.

The worst kind, in fact. One able to injure where no blade can reach.

‘Friend’ is no more than a word.

A casual commitment; easier to break than the ever breaking vows of marriage!

Heh.

How can you truly ever know you can trust them? These ‘friends’?

How can you truly ever know if they are a friend,

…

or a fake?

Or simply an acquaintance?

It’s that subconscious pondering…

That snowballs out of control, until you yourself must decide!

Decide if you are ‘their’ friend.

So… I know my friends are true, simply because I choose to.

Yes, I know because I choose to.

Why?

Because how can I expect to get, if I will not give?

How can I expect a friend to be true, if I myself will not?

How can they trust me… if I won’t first trust them?

I know what it means to me, to be a friend.

And I also know what it means to be betrayed.

As a friend, I will not forget them. I will never abandon them.

I will cry, and kick, and fight to the very bone!

I would bleed all my blood and more.

All this before they are even tested and tried!

At least this is the man I have now become.

My family? They would understand.

For if they did not, how could I call them family?

Through Christ, are we not all brothers and sisters?

Do we not move beyond our own blood, as His washes us clean?

Reality is weak! The soul is strong… The Spirit is stronger.

It even surpasses the simplicity of family.

Making it yet more simple.

In so many ways, the perfect family.

Therefore, are not my friends also family?

I will never betray! And I will always be there!

My family!

May God deal with me ever so harshly, should I not!

And may He and they forgive, should I make a mistake!

Again.

Should I turn my back on a brother or sister, punish me!

Or should I injure a sibling I love…

Forgive me.

Once more.

Accident or not… I am in a unique position to understand why Christ’s forgiveness is so special.

For some things I have done… what friend could forgive? What family… could still love?

Alas, I fear none.

For what I did to her… I still cannot forgive.

Then, on that day,

in her eyes, she looked at me…

Like the brother she had always loved.

Now,

if I am ever in need, I pray for my friends.

I honestly pray that they see my heart! That God himself shows them who I am!

And that they love me anyway.

I will never ever betray, and I will never, ever again, give up on them.

And if I harm by accident, or intentionally…

I will devote all to making amends!

To fixing them! Even if that means leaving them worlds away.

And as I write this, and think over all that has happened…

Everyone I have met since this all began.

I can honestly say, without a shadow of a doubt within my soul…

that I believe in my friends, who are now my family, and trust them more than words can say!

Odd group that they are…

Not that I exactly scream normalcy!

And I believe that not a one of them, not a single one…

Would ever abandon me.

No matter how hard things ever get, I know they are fighting.

I know they are hurting, as I would hurt for them.

What is a friend? Well, if I ever manage to find a proper, simple answer, I’ll share.

Though for now, my answer:

they are the people I love more than I can begin to explain!

My friends, my brothers and sisters, I love you all so dearly!

Each tear I shed, every drop of my blood-

it was worth it all.

If not for them! If not for the ones that had every reason to leave me,

to hate me...

Why, if not for them…

I wouldn’t be alive to write this today.

Thank you, one and all, from beginning to end,

every one of you that has been there, however random you may have seemed.

Thank you.

Now I understand… what friends really are.

~What is a friend -a musing

~Feldyn Goldchord, the Endless Bard

* * *

Reba and John crouched in the trees lining X’al’antra’s property, in view of the guest house. When she saw Rashelle enter the building, Reba still wasn’t sure if their suspicions were right. Though in full view of inside, seeing Masque’s reaction, their suspicions were confirmed.

'Oh my God, Masque, get out of there!' They didn’t have much of a plan, but it should have worked! Get in, get them, get out. Had Rashelle- X'al'antra, been waiting nearby? Reba was quite skeptical that her (she really did need to name her potions) invisibility stuff would work on demons the level of the vampire queen, although it had worked on the imp until Reba attacked her.

X’al’antra was still facing away. Hopefully she wasn't simply ignoring them, since the two had to act or Masque was screwed. And without the element of surprise, they were probably dead. Without a word exchanged between them, they knew what to do. Rushing to the cabin open door, “Teri’kre!” John commanded once within range, and X’al’antra went tense. Not missing a beat, Reba pulled two avenger daggers from their sheaths in her leather body suit and jumped on the vampire queen, stabbing her in the shoulders, near her neck on either side- and failed to pierce her skin. Dropping the daggers, she let her full weight take the immobilized vampire queen to the ground.

Reba rolled clear, coming to her feet as John yelled, “Tek’tiryin’thu!” X'al'antra roared in fury, tendrils of electricity crackled around her body, burning thin lines into her flesh; momentarily held down by the dual restraining technique.

Even still, there was no doubt the vampire queen would break free in short order. The electric restraints hold sis not last long, but were very painful; like being bound by both briers and an electric fence, while also sapping your energy. It was fully possible to force oneself through, just not exactly an easy feat, the pain increasing the more you struggled as did the drain effect. The first psychic spell-like ability, however, crushed weight in at the target from all sides, and immobilized fully, for at least the initial effect. If one wasn't strong enough to force it off, it could last for some time. Combining the two was dramatic, and with both giving diminishing returns, John preferred to not stack them. When stacked however, the restraining power was, well, more than either of them had expected.

“Miss Reba?” Pazely whimpered, startled and confused. Not only was everything happening too fast for her to register, but now Reba was in a skintight, brown, bodysuit; covering feet, legs, torso, and arms, leaving hands partially bare. It had tiny pockets and pouches and straps all over it. The dance teachers hair was pulled back in a ponytail, bound several times along its length. She also had... red paint -wrong color to be blood- splatters on her torso, legs, neck, and face.

Reba took a vial of red stuff from a pocket on her leather suit, quickly uncorked it, and splashed it in Pazely’s face. Which caused her to flail her arms and gag loudly. Reba grabbed one of her flailing arms, and forcibly tugged the girl into Masque’s side. “Go!” Reba commanded him. He may not be able to see Reba or John (or now Pazely), but he could still hear and feel them.

Taking Pazely in his arms, Masque almost swooned when some of the invisibility liquid touched him, his senses spinning and scrambled. Steeling himself and holding Pazely against his chest, knowing he was too disoriented temporarily to make it out the door, he shoulder rushed through the wall of the cabin to his left, in a loud crash, and was gone.

“Teri’kre!” John commanded again, and Reba looked back to see the vampire queen in a kneel, the psychic electricity already fading. “Follow me! Hurry!” Reba urged Caleb and Bryan, motioning them towards the hole Masque had made; not the doorway where John stood in his red-stained robes, plain brown staff in two hand. The boys’ hearts were pounding and their confusion was through the roof. Having recently learned to not think and just go with things, they obeyed her command.

X'al'antra lunged forward, landing on her stomach and grabbing Bryan's ankle. “Teri'kre!” John commanded urgently, stumbling at the rapid use of energy. The vampire queen kept hold of Bryan's leg, though didn't move further. He hurried to stand over X'al'antra, and rose his staff over his head, then thought better at the last moment. The effect it had on demons may cause her to break free of his psionic hold. He had to risk using more energy, and pray Masque could get him out before the terror could break free. “Koh-luhn!” the impact was not enough to make her let go. Dammit! "Koh-luhn! Koh-luhn! Koh-luhn! KOH-LUHN!" The repeated impacts blasted X'al'antra through the floorboard, her hand luckily coming loose of Bryan’s ankle.

Stumbling again, almost falling into the hole atop the vampire queen, Bryan caught the old man by an arm. “I am alright,” John huffed, standing up stronger and steadier than he felt, and led the way out of the building.

The moment they reached Reba and Caleb, Masque landed on the ground near Bryan, scooped him into his arms, and jumped away out of sight. Reba cursed. She wanted to apply the invisibility stuff to everyone to lower the risk of being followed. But she guessed Masque was doing the right thing by trying to get them out as fast as possible.

“What is going on?” Caleb panted to the old man in the stained robes. Then Reba splashed him with another vial of the red liquid. Caleb felt like he was turned inside, and the nausea he was hit with was so bad, he lost all sense and thought. But just for a moment. “The fuck!?” he snapped at Reba.

Masque landed nearby, momentarily looking around, confused. “Here!” Reba called, and he hurried over. She grabbed Caleb’s arms, as he coughed and gagged, and pushed him into the approaching Masque. The large vampire in black was trying hard as he could to get used to the substance, and beginning to feel it was impossible. Still, he managed to pick Caleb up and leap away with him in his arms.

The velocity at which Masque moved was suffocating. It didn’t last long however, and Caleb wasn’t dumb enough to struggle. Their breakneck speeds ceased, and his knees felt weak as Masque set him on the ground, next to Bryan, Stryker, and Pazely. Stryker also had the red substance on him. Masque immediately bounded away to get the remaining two of their group.

“Welcome back,” Stryker said, leaning on a tree, appearing quite pale. Caleb blinked. “Should I even bother to ask what is going on?” he mumbled. No one volunteered an answer. When Masque reappeared with Reba, and set her down, she took out a vial, and splashed Bryan even as the vampire leapt away again for John. Bryan gagged loudly, and stumbled, muttering some incoherent curses. “I know, right?” Pazely grumbled.

“Why are you standing outside?” Reba lectured, quickly heading over to a tree stump near a large stone cliff-face (with the red paint-like substance splattered on it), trying not to look as shaken as she felt. Being carried like that was a bit nerve-wracking, let alone sneak attacking a demon queen!

“Cuz my dumb ass can’t remember how you said to get in, and the fucking thing closed while I was out here!” Stryker bitched, and the dance teacher rolled her eyes. Dropping to her knees, Reba reached under the stump, and took out a small pouch. Masque arrived at this point with John. “Why are you all still outside?!” John snapped, looking back the way they had come, and all about.

“Maybe you should give better fucking instructions next time!” Stryker snapped back, sounding more embarrassed than angry. Still, the kids noticed he was rather wound up compared to his usual. Reba opened the small pouch, took a generous pinch of the silver powder, and hurrying to the center of the stone cliff face behind her, rubbed the powder on it.

“Whoa!” all three kids exclaimed, as the boulder soundlessly split in half, revealing a staircase down.

In the woods behind them came worrisome canine howls.

“Let's go!” Reba said, letting them all run past her. She had splashed the red liquid all about before they had left to get the kids, and more than a little on the cliff face. She was hoping it would be enough to conceal their scent in the area.

Masque was the last one in before Reba. He still could not see or smell any of them, and having so much direct contact with the red liquid had made him feel horrendously ill. Being careful not to run into anyone, he heard the stone close behind him, as well as Reba’s footfalls.

Reba began lighting candles as soon as she got down the stairs. The room was so small it was barely large enough for them all to fit. “I still don’t know how you expected me to find this place…” Stryker grumbled, sitting in an old, rickety-looking recliner. “I have told you four times, this is not the same location,” John answered. “That other is a simple shack, and far less hidden or secure than here.” Stryker did not appear to be paying attention.

“We have to go back for Trixie and Miss Terra!” Caleb declared abruptly, before anyone else had a chance to speak. “Wait, Trixie and Terra are up there?” Reba asked, surprised, Masque hadn't mentioned that. That was also when she finally got a good look at her students.

Caleb and Bryan were in the same clothes as when she saw them last. Pazely was running around in a sports bra, as usual, and leggings that did not at all match the occasion. Did that girl ever get cold? Her eyes, all their eyes, looked so… defeated. Scared. Confused. Yet, also… determined. Resolute, even.

“Please tell me we are going back,” was all Caleb replied with. John could tell there would be no argument. Their demeanor and attitude, coupled with the fact they were not even asking the million questions that John knew they had to have, impressed him to no end.

“We are going back, and we will do it right. Otherwise, we all will die," John told him, sitting in a padded rocking chair that had no room to rock. “What is the right way?” Pazely asked. Her voice was strong, eyes unblinking, from where she sat in a tiny metal folding chair. John noticed a strength of spirit in the young girl he had not seen in her before.

“We will wait till nightfall. Yes, we. At this point, all of us are involved.” John looked the kids over before continuing. “X’al’antra is arrogant and prideful. As soon as the sun sets, she will send every minion she has into town to find us. To find you,” he said that last to Caleb. “She and the other two terrors will no doubt stay behind, the lesser troops doing all the work. They will not expect us to strike where they are at their strongest, and that is exactly why they will also be at their weakest.”

It was obvious the teens wanted to ask questions. John then realized they likely had no idea what had even happened in the last couple of days. "The girl you know as..."

"Rashelle," Pazely helped, adding, "Caleb's girlfriend." That got a wave of reactions; John keeping is complete shock to himself. Continuing with a nod, "Rashelle, is really X'al'antra, the mother of all vampires. An ancient demon, and one of the Three Terrors. Why she has been in Castle Rock in the guise of a teenage girl, is anyone's guess. What she wants with any of you, we do not know. The fact she has been playing the role of Caleb's... girlfriend, would say she has something more in mind than prophecy fulfillment. Though anything else on that topic would be conjecture at this point." Caleb's eyes went to the floor, and the other two kids were somber and thoughtful. John was worried they would start asking details he still felt best they didn't know.

“They also have Feldyn," Reba told them, temporarily ending any prophecy related questioning before it could start. Reba looked to Masque, wondering why she dreaded so much to know the status of the bard. She was fearing for his life, like a close friend she had known for years. “He lives,” Masque said, sensing Reba's eyes on him. “Oh, thank Christ,” John sighed, bowing his head in a prayer of thanks.

Masque had said he smelled the Aetherian’s blood when first surveying the area, before making tactical retreat, but had not been sure if the elf was alive. John had honestly feared the worst. As had Reba. “Did you sense, or smell, anyone else?” Bryan asked the vampire. “There are other living humans on the grounds, though I am not sure the exact number. At least four. I also did not smell any blood, other than the half-elf's,” he answered.

“So,” Paze started, “I guess we got time for you guys to explain what’s going on? If we are waiting for the sun to go down anyway…” Pazely, for some reason, right at that moment, broke down and began to cry.

Sitting next to her in a folding chair of his own, and letting her snuggle in his arms, Caleb smiled weakly to John. “It’s been-” his voice cracked and a tear ran down his cheek. Restarting, “It’s been pretty crazy since we saw you last.”

“That’s an understatement…” Bryan sighed, also sitting in an old folding chair. He did not feel the urge to cry, because right now he felt nothing. Which he knew was a bad sign. Bryan always went numb before an attack. Damn his cursed genetics! He didn't have his pills on him, and only by the Grace of God had held it together so far!

“Reba dear, some rations and water for everyone, if you would?” Reba didn’t object to John’s request, and ducked through a low doorway, into a side cubby. “The day you left, when the sky turned red; it was caused by a witchcraft called a blood moon.” John had jumped right into the explanation. No reason to set the mood- he wasn't some flamboyant bard. There were stories, and then there were stories. “This blood moon craft is a ritual that creates a field in the atmosphere which amplifies the effect of crafts cast under it. Essentially, it turns the near useless crafts of this world into something as potent as real magic, without the manastorms. However... something was wrong about this one. It was more powerful than I have ever heard of, than should have been possible, and the stars should not have vanished, nor should the entire sky have altered in color as it did.”

Everyone was listening intently as Reba handed out the military style rations she retrieved. John hated those things, yet the teens seemed thrilled about them. These children were so very strange… “I am going to assume you all had to deal with some… odd entities, and happenings.” Their expressions told him his assumption was spot on. “Witchcraft is an abomination. It defiles, aborts, and corrupts. Witches are pure perversions of God’s creation, and their craft is no different. From what I can tell, at least two main crafts were in effect that night, and somehow enhanced beyond rationality. One was a spell of animation; lifeless objects animated in a mockery of life.

“The second was a type of manifestation craft. Taking the dark thoughts and fears inside the minds and hearts of those under the spell’s effect, and manifesting them into reality.” John sighed heavily. “I am sorry I cannot give more detail, but witchcraft falls far from my field of expertise.” He understood enough, but he did not know specifically how it worked, nor the proper terminology.

Witches were not a big threat generally, and easily killed, if need be. It was only the Lilith's Luciferian Sisterhood Coven, or simple 'the Coven' which caused concern. They were globally organized under the which queen Shuzariel. Witches were cowards by nature, and corrupted from the shadows, their main purpose was living to blaspheme, not destruction or power grabs, which made even the Coven a niche threat.

“What is this red stuff?” Caleb asked, when he realized John was done explaining the blood moon. The old man ended his tales so abruptly. “Vile, offensive, and obnoxious,” Masque complained. Reba rolled her eyes. “It’s something I came up with on the fly. Basically, with just one small vial of this on you, undead or demons can't see or smell you!” Her expression and tone said she was quite proud of herself. Then she frowned. “I’m not really sure the limitations, but it's working for us so far. More or less.” She then grumbled something about wishing she had more tags, shooting her dad a quick scowl.

“How did you and John survive the explosion?” Bryan asked, and Reba scowled again. How dare her amazingness be so easily dismissed! Even Masque had been impressed! Hmph! “The imp let us live,” John answered. “The what?” Bryan adjusted his glasses on his nose with one finger. How did that boy always somehow retain his glasses? “The imp,” John said again. “An imp is basically a child-looking sex demon, who prey on pedophiles and the like.”

Caleb suddenly felt a chill. “What… uh, what do imps look like?” he asked John. “They look like very young Asian girls. Children, really. Weaker imps will have no defining characteristics to identify them, since unlike many demons, they appear almost completely human. Their most common visible demonic traits tend to be their teeth," John explained. “They look like shark’s teeth,” Caleb guessed, and John nodded. Pazely put both hands over her mouth in surprise. Bryan felt a chill of his own. Those two girls at the guest house… Kiki, and the one Caleb chased after… were demons?!

Caleb seemed to deflate as he leaned back in his chair, eyes distant. Iiyni… Iiyni was an actual demon from Hell? A sex demon? He was so taken aback by this news, the voices in his head were pushed to the side. They were loud and distinct, but he didn’t care. What he did care about was the gut-wrenching feeling of emotion assaulting him. He wasn't sure why, or what emotion it even was, only that it felt terrible.

“She didn't look like a child...” he muttered under his breath. “Who?” Bryan asked, confused. Caleb met his eyes a bit blankly, “Those girls. I mean, Kiki was obviously older than Trixie, and Iiyni was twelve at the youngest.” Bryan, and now Pazely, just stared at him. Was he retarded? “Um,” Bryan started a bit hesitant, “Dude, I would have pegged Kiki at like eight, maybe? The other one, whatever you called her-”

“Iiyni.”

“-Iiyni, was obviously grade-school age too. I mean maybe ten or eleven at the oldest? But that's a stretch.” It was Caleb’s turn to stare at him like he was retarded. “Um, no,” he told Bryan. “Um, yes,” Bryan and Pazely rebutted in unison. Caleb gaped open-mouthed.

John cleared his throat to get their attention. “According to what we know, there appear to be at least two imps. Denizens of Hell, they very likely have as much power on Earth as the Vampire Queen. Meaning we have a second set of terrors, possibly more deadly than the first.”

“But, she, the imp, let you live, right?” Caleb asked John, a hopeful, pleading note in his voice. “In a manner, yes," John answered. "She attacked our home alongside dozens of undead, and ignored while setting explosives. Perhaps she saw us as beneath her, or was truly allowing us a chance to escape; I can not be sure." Caleb looked more intensely at John. “Did she say why?” he asked. Pazely looked at him curiously. The shit does he care? “Dad just told you, she ignored us,” Reba answered instead of John.

“So, there's a chance she maybe isn't evil?” Caleb looked between John and Reba. “No, Caleb, she is an imp. A demon,” John told him. “She was more than likely under orders by the strongest of them to let us live. Why? I have no idea.” Caleb smiled confidently, “I say it’s because they're on our side!” That caused more than a few eye rolls and scowls. “Seriously!" he urged, "We talked with them at Rashelle’s. One was… Kiki. She was, uh, short hair, about to her shoulders I think? And had, uh..." he trailed off, realizing he hadn't paid much attention to her. "The other one was Iiyni. Neither of them felt evil at all, I mean Iiyni obviously didn't like Rashelle- or whatever her name really is.”

"The one we encounter was arrogant, and had long straight hair," Reba joined in. "Was wearing a human leather leotard, both times."

“The leathers of the one I am confident leads them, is in two pieces, resembling... a bikini,” Masque said in a quiet rumble, feeling ridiculous saying 'bikini'. “Her hair in a tight braid.” Caleb’s eyes widened, “Yeah, that’s Iiyni! The braid part, anyway.” Masque closed his eyes. “You mean that creepy little bitch that tried to rip my throat out?" Stryker finally chimed in. "Yeah, she is not a friendly.”

Caleb jumped to his feet in anger, hitting his head on the stone ceiling rather hard. He didn’t seem to notice. “If she is so strong, then she must have let you live!” Stryker laughed, “I promise you, Caleb, she wanted to kill me. She may have been half-assing it, and didn't give chase, but definitely didn’t expect me to get away, let alone with Mister Gloomy here,” he motioned to a gloomy-looking Masque, who glowered at the description.

“What is with you? Sit down!” Pazely complained, tugging on one of Caleb’s pant legs. She turned her attention to John when Caleb ignored her. “If they are demons, can’t we just, you know, cast them out?” Her voice seemed to fall a little. “Like, in Jesus’ name?” At her words, Caleb finally sat back down. He didn’t give a crap what they said about Iiyni! He refused to accept that the girl he spoke to at the well was evil! But the topic Pazely just brought up, he remembered what she told him about her mother…

“It does not work that way, I am afraid," John explained, still dealing with the revelation there were three imps. "Only weaker demons, like possessors, can be cast out. Where invoking Christ has some effect on all demons, these would have no problem ignoring the commands. At least long enough to kill us before it could make any real difference.”

Pazely hung her head silently while she thought. Her mom was just possessed? Was it the blood moon that made the demon seem so much… scarier then?

“And Rashelle is the queen of the vampires?” Caleb asked, trying to change the subject, and get some clarity on another what the fuck topic. He suddenly felt very tired. John nodded. “Her name is X’al’antra.” Masque growled quietly, Stryker raising an eyebrow at his newfound friend. “But… sorry if this is stupid, but she was outside in the sun?” This time Caleb sounded a little sheepish. “I mean, can vampires do that? I figured that was why Masque dressed like a ninja, to avoid the sun.”

“You are correct,” Masque answered. “The sunlight burns all but the eyes of a vampire. X’al’antra is not technically vampire insomuch as the demonic source of the Vamp'yiour'ae virus. Sunlight has no effect on her body. And yes, these shadowcloths do protect me from the sunlight. I am also not a ninja.” None paid much attention to the ninja’s complaint.

“Okay,” John said loudly, clapping his hands together. “We can talk about all of this later, right now we need to eat, and focus on the topic at hand. Because, if you will excuse the saying, this operation is going to be a bitch.” None of them laughed, since John did not seem to be choosing his words to create levity. Reba sighed in agreement. “Dad's right. Getting Feldyn out is going to be difficult enough. Now we have more to save…” Reba lowered her eyes. “The risk's involved… It’s such a dangerous gamble…”

Doubt. Doubt rolled through the room. More than doubt. A question of why. If these demons were so powerful that they could not flee from them, what was the point of rescuing anyone? Every one of them in the room was thinking that same thing, while simultaneously puzzling their doubt as irrational.

Well, everyone except for Caleb. He was distracted looking at Reba in her skintight bodysuit. This time, however, the seriousness of the moment knocked him out of his inappropriately timed, err, appreciation. Laughing unintentionally, they all looked at him, and he grasped at what was said last, trying to display he had not completely lost the topic. “A dangerous gamble?” he grinned, cocky. “What are we waiting for?" He popped his knuckles. "Let’s roll those fucking dice.”

* * *

John was wishing the proverbial dice were loaded.

It was not long after nightfall, and they were now all in place. Reba had made as much of her invisibility potion as she could with her limited resources, which ended up being three more vials. She gave one to Masque, and sent him into town to find a vehicle near the outskirts of town, that ran and had keys, to use as a getaway vehicle, having the vial of red stuff spread on it.

Upon their success, Masque would whisk the ones of them that survived back to the hideout, and when the coast was clear, to the truck, which they would use to get as far from town as possible. She gave the other two vials to Caleb for his role in the plan. What they already had smeared on themselves would hopefully still be enough to camouflage.

Being dropped off a ways away in the woods, to avoid Masque being detected, Reba and John had made their way to the edge of the treeline at the base of the hillside the property was mostly focused upon. It was cold, and cloudy enough that there wasn’t any starlight to help them see.

John was not happy. This was by far the most foolish fight they had ever picked. Their plan was all guesswork and assumption. And it was about time to commence, by his count. He had learned long ago that one could not always rely on having a device to tell time. So in the total darkness he waited, as Reba went ahead, and he continued to count.

Thirty more seconds… twenty… fifteen… five...

Panic and dread flooded him, a clarity of confusion shining brightly. What were they doing?! This was suicide! Why had he ever entertained the idea?!

... three...

Too late.

'Please, Christ, let my daughter survive.'

... one.

“X’al’antra!” Reba called loudly, standing at the base of the steep hill, that would eventually lead up to the mansion. “You want the Dragonheart? Well, I know where he is, you fucking bitch!” Reba was terrified. She held a silver-colored cylinder in her right hand, and thanked God for the eyes of a homunculus, allowing her to see in near total darkness.

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When the vampire queen was standing on the hillside without ever seeing her approach, Reba impressed herself by not starting. No longer a need to disguise her appearance, X’al’antra looked a bit different. Reba almost laughed when she felt a tinge of jealousy at the beautiful demon’s newish appearance.

The Queen's hair was the same length and color, but unlike Rashelle, it was thick and wavy. Her eyes held no whites, or other color, but were pitch black, and radiated some type of mist or smoke, much like Masque’s. (Reba made a mental note to ask Masque about the phenomena later...) The vampire queen skin was so white, it almost glowed in the darkness. Decorating that unnatural skin, was a skimpy -assumed human leather- outfit that showed off a slim and perfectly toned physique. Reba didn't pay too much attention to the design, as it was obvious the vampire expected it.

“If it isn’t Miss Reba,” X'al'antra said in a genderless voice that made her stomach turn, and the grass around the demon turned brown and died. “How nice to see you again. My compliments on surprising me before. Even now, approaching so closely without detection… That cursed chemical truly does distort you.” She grinned wickedly. “I am curious though, so tell me, just how are you here when you are supposed to be DEAD?” The ground at her feet began to smolder at the outburst that crusted the air in wrongness. Reba didn’t flinch. “Rhetorical, of course. Don't hurt yourself trying to form words. Unless those words will tell me where the FUCK you took my Dragonheart?!” Tiny fires now burned near her, as she began to walk towards Reba.

“You know, that voice really kills your sex appeal,” Reba judged defiantly, and pressed her thumb and index finger into the side of the cylinder in her right hand, which then extended both ways and into a silver staff.

X'al'antra bared her fangs and growled. Reba rolled her eyes, and tried to appear calm. She had to keep the bitch queen's attention! It had been a long time, after all, since John he had attempted white magic, let alone something so powerful. Who knows how long it will take him? If X'al'antra had detected his presence, she was ignoring it. 'Please God, let her keep underestimating us!'

“Must you make it worse?” X’al’antra asked, voice like a human female’s again. “How many of those that you love and protect must I slaughter until you get it? Have I not already killed enough? I promise I will kill you and those remaining quickly, if you tell me where the fuck my boyfriend is!” Her anger changed to a look of puzzlement at the expression on the homunculus’ face. Then it dawned on on the vampire queen that Reba had no idea what she was talking about. “You don’t know,” Xal said, her lips curled up in a grin, and she began to giggle. “You really don’t know! Wow, this is priceless! I thought for sure that was why you were here, being gutsy enough to confront me head on!” X’al’antra was laughing in earnest now.

Reba was suspicious, though a sense of dread was growing in her. What was she talking about? Who had she slaughtered? Everyone was currently accounted for- Reba gasped, and went pale. There was no way. “Now she gets it,” Xal said, stopping her laughter. “I had my newbloods gather them for me. Some lived a good distance away. They really drove far for their favorite teacher.” Her mocking smile became one of carnal hunger. “The blood of children has always been my favorite. And when they scream, it makes it oh so much better.”

The look in the vampire queen’s eyes… Was X'al'antra lying? Please Jesus, let her be lying! The ice cold burn of emotional horror flared. The local kids, Reba had been praying survived, though she expected the worst. Trixie having survived, and Miss Terra, that knowledge almost broke her. How many people she cared for had she lost over the years? Left behind? Had she ever cared for any us much as those in her current life? The one hope that kept her from losing it, was almost none of the kids lived locally, and the ones who did were outside city limits. All but Trixie. Or, at least the kids she taught...

No, no, no, no- Her vision began to turn white at the corners, until all she saw was this evil’s laughing face. Her dread turned white hot. Her fear changed to an irradiating blaze of judgment -no, no, no, no! Her mind was forced to accept what her heart denied. Her soul focused on that compelled truth that her body rebelled against.

Reba saw their faces. She saw them smiling. She saw them bleeding. She saw them crying. The vampire queen’s wicked face. Her smile. Her darkness and cruelty. Reba’s heart burned, and raged, and blanked out all things in her subconscious, her conscious mind still frozen on those smiling faces.

Then, in her subconscious, a white fire overtook all, spreading to the conscious, engulfing it in an instant, and her body knew: X’al’antra must be judged.

Something inside Reba, that no one, not her nor her creator knew was there, surfaced. As heart and mind broke from the agonizing pain of a truth accepted against her will, a new truth surfaced- in a blinding flash of pure white, illuminating the hillside.

* * *

He had still been blissfully unconscious when Lance started clawing painfully at his shoulder. The little stabs and tearing pains were too much to remain unconscious to. Then his heart began to slam when he focused his eyes, and saw the zombie king in the dimly illuminated room, his situation and potion coming into full clarity. Why had Lance woken him?!

How long had he even been here? By his count, it had been at least two cycles of daylight. But who knew if that light was from the sun rising or setting. He could not see much outside the door from this angle, though it very much appeared to open to the outside. The occasional light filtering in through cracks in this ramshackle building when he was conscious, also hinted to not being within an indoor facility nor underground. Though, that could all be a ruse. Feldyn was at his limit.

The clawing and nipping at his shoulder -that quit once he regained consciousnesses- felt almost like Lance had been excited. A rescue, perchance? Hah! Bloody unlikely. Not here. Not in the middle of the Terrors. He may have discovered the Dragonheart, met two members of some secret Order, and sort of befriended an ancient vampire, but who were they, really?

The Dragonheart was a teenage human male, not yet a hint of the power he was to come into.

The two Order members were an old man, and an artificial human. True, Feldyn could tumble naked around this small planet with that artificial human, and never get bored – but facts were facts. She wasn’t even real. Reba was hardly more than a machine. A machine that he could accept, in this case, probably had a soul. God was not so cruel as to deny such a creature life. But how powerful could Reba be, when all was said and done?

And the old man? Old fool, was more like it. Did John really think there could be links here on Earth? Or even shards? What a fool’s fool! And his combat skills must be quite subpar; if, in his younger days, he could not kill this mad alchemist, what good was he now in his old age? If it wasn’t for being surprised, and the help of the witch, Feldyn could rid the world of Larry the Zombie King himself! Without magic! Preferably with the aid of a weapon or two... And Lance...

Then, there was Masque. The only one with any hope to succeed in a rescue attempt. Feldyn was sure he was lying about being there at Babel, he just didn’t know why. Surely, if he was that old, his power would be… would be as great as these infernal terrors! Not that it mattered either way, since Masque had not burst in here, killed the enemies, and spirited him to safety. Feldyn figured the vampire was long gone. As anyone with common sense would be.

The situation was so hopeless, there was naught even Lance could do, or surely they would be even now fleeing through the woods. Though... after this torture session, Feldyn would plead with his friend to blink him out, and leave. The escape attempt may be fatal, but it was better to go out swinging. All that was left was to die. There would be no rescue. Not tonight, or ever. He didn’t have that kind of luck. And as much as Lance may be willing to hold out hope, or be waiting for a window, Feldyn was done. It was over. He hoped God would grant him the Purgatory he deserved over Paradise.

“You're a lucky guy tonight,” Larry said, startling him. That was an awkwardly coincidental choice of words. The big man stayed facing away, filling syringe after syringe and attaching them to the large ring he hung them on like keys. “Well, depending on your perspective and personal taste, I ‘spose.” The zombie king shrugged. “Shuzariel convinced Xal to let her have some one-on-one fuckin’ time. Horny bitch wants a good, solid humpin’. Well, probably a riding as she can’t unchain you.” Lance could be a bit of a perv, but somehow Feldyn doubted this was what he was excited about… “She was supposed to wait till I am all done with ya, but that will probably take a while still, and she is quite annoyingly inpatient. With Xal in an especially bad mood right now, I thought, what the hell? Good opportunity for me spend time in my lab. All I need is to cross paths with the bitch before she gets lover boy back. Can't say I feel bad, after what they pulled on me."

Feldyn was hardly listening to the lunatic. A witch was planning to rape him! Shuzariel was exceptionally attractive... Even the night they abducted him, he could remember being impressed by her appearance, nicely sculpted... assets. Oh, being a man was a wonderfully shameful thing! Looking was a far cry from actual intercourse, however.

Shuzariel was a witch! Feldyn had ignored school as much as the next youth, but some things stuck with you. In reproductive studies, the witch stood out as a topic for jokes, quips, gibes, and all around bad taste for most boys. A true witch’s girl parts were lined with rings of snake-like teeth, which would stay retracted until right as the male was to… pull out. They would then extend in a passionate fury, ripping his masculinity from him. And, err, swallow it with same fanged orifice.

Adding insult to injury, the nearby orifice could -or any orifice, according to textbooks- occasionally house a mass of tentacles, which had been known to rip off the remaining… jewels. The tentacles have even been documented feeding them to the hungry fanged – aye, ye get the point! The shit they teach children in school! Basically, having sex with a witch didn’t ride high on most males’ priority lists. If anywhere. Not to mention that a witches true form was arguable wore than the rotting alchemist before him. Or how researches acquired the information...

Feldyn had to admit, if he was to die anyway, and she stayed in her human form… No! He couldn’t just go with it! Witches lived to blaspheme God by warping and corrupting Creation! Forced situation, and enjoyable or not, he had quite enough to account for Judgment Day! Once the zombie king left him alone with the witch, Feldyn would force Lance to blink them out of here!

Perhaps... that was why Lance had been so excited? He saw this as an opportunity to escape? Was there hope after all? Had his friend truly been waiting for the right moment, trusting in his ability to endure?

“X’al’antra!” he heard a faint voice yell from outside the walls of the small torture shack, and his heart seemed to stop, adrenaline surging anyway.

“You want the Dragonheart? Well I know where he is, you fucking bitch!” The way Larry reacted to the voice was priceless; dropping what he was holding on the table, and looked all around at the walls, as if he was going mad. Feldyn began to laugh, and gave a little cheer; Reba may be about to die, but by God, he wasn’t going to not at least cheer her on!

The zombie king stormed out of the shack, flustered (Feldyn still laughing, unmolested), leaving the light on and not even closing the door. Lance started to claw at Feldyn’s shoulder. Before Feldyn could be irritated, he heard some type of commotion outside the door, and his lingering laughter choked itself silent, when Pazely ran into the shack.

Spattered in something too red to be blood, and definitely not dressed for the occasional, the small girls twintails flew wildly, as she took in the situation, visually searching the room. “There is no key!” Feldyn said, guessing right in what she looked for. Without hesitation, she grabbed a hammer off the table, and a stool, setting it next to the hanging half-elf. 'Well, shit,' Feldyn thought, and closed his eyes. “Oh yeah!” Pazely remembered, and he opened his eyes in time to get splashed with something. His world turned upside down and rightside up more times than he could make sense of, though he still heard the crash over his head, which dropped him to his stiff and sore legs.

“C’mon, dumbass!” Pazely urged him, already in the doorway. Feldyn’s hands were still bound, and he struggled to not only stand but think. Dammit legs, MOVE!

Pazely wasn't paying attention, focusing on outside. When the fat guy they figured was the zombie king came outside, Caleb had charged doing some flying kick thing that wasn't as cool as he probably thought, but it did make him trip and fall over. While Pazely was getting Feldyn, Caleb managed to get the red stuff on Ted's face and chest.

The fat bastards smell was so bad, both teens could hardly breath. It didn't help that while he seized violently, liquid coming out of his eyes, mouth, and nose, he was also, somehow, shitting everywhere. Not sure why his reaction was so intense, Caleb was pretty sure the zombie king wasn’t getting up anytime soon…

Still, wanting to make sure the evil bastard that hurt Reba, John, and Feldyn, stayed down for good, Caleb kicked him in the head hard enough to cave it in. Twice. It instantly repaired both times! He then kicked the stinky fucker in the side, to no avail. It was like trying to destroyed a rotten pumpkin that kept regenerating! And things (as in unidentifiable organs, feces, and other organic materials) were leaking and falling out of the holes Caleb was rupturing with his blows. The smell! Oh God, the smell! Gagging, “We need to go!” Caleb called, backing to Pazely that stared in horror at the mass of nasty having a fit on the ground.

Leaning past her into the shed, he saw Feldyn was barely on his feet, and stumbled, falling to the table, grabbing the ring of syringes. “Help!” he said to the tall boy. Pazely moved out of the way, Caleb quickly to Feldyn's side, who leaned on him when he got close, without shame or hesitation, to help him get out the door.

Feldyn did not know why, but this horrible red liquid had Larry disabled. Shoving away from Caleb, bard stumbled to the prone alchemist. Falling on his knees, he stabbed four of the needles into the left side of Larry’s face, pushing the plungers all the way down.

Larry squealed like a stuck pig, as his face, and even his left arm, began to bubble and warp. Feldyn had to dodge back since the zombie king’s arm began flapping around so hard that it hummed, pounding a rut into the ground.

Caleb grabbed Feldyn and manhandled the half-elf into moving forward. Feldyn was still in shock as they rushed towards a rise in the hill. They were heading downhill though, a large house up the hill to their right, the second story and balcony visible from here, the rest obscure from their vantage. Caleb turned on a small flashlight he had in a pocket. It definitely didn't do much, but it was better than being completely blind for the two humans. They just needed to clear distance until Masque retrieved them anyway.

When they cleared the tiny rise in their descent, the night sky lit up a bright white, and the three finally hesitated, shielding their eyes. Much farther down, at the base of the property near the treeline, Reba stood, eyes blazing pure white.

* * *

As soon as the light faded, X’al’antra, blinking and squinting, watching the alchemist, eyes illuminated as if they were light bulbs, spinning her staff with one hand, fast as a fan-blade. Common appliance comparisons, for a creature that was little more than. However, as her sight now fully cleared, X'al'antra could make out a mark. A soul mark. The Mark of Christ. Interesting...

“Yhi,” the homunculus with a soul spoke said, a burning white symbol appearing in the air before her - and she slashed it with her staff, sending a white ball of energy flying through the sky to slam into the the vampire queen.

Foolish as it was of X'al'antra to not dodge, she had been curious. the attack inflicted a good amount of pain, but no real damage. Reba took a step forward, “tyhm,” another symbol appeared, she slashed it, another burning ball of energy shot out, hitting the vampire queen. “Fgo,” she said, continuing her advance and pattern. Xal grinned, leaning into the attacks. They were doing no real damage anyway, and this was an obvious trump card on the homunculus' part. What better way to crush the bitch even more than taking everything she had to give head on, without even an attempt to avoid or guard?

“Ghti, nontu, kyembic,” Reba spoke faster, sometimes saying several words at a time, before slashing through them. The balls of energy were slamming into the vampire queen hard enough now that her grin had turned to a snarl, and she was needing to lean into the impacts.

Each symbol written in the air didn’t just vanish when struck; they shrank, and were forming -what appeared to be- a page of text in front of Reba’s, as if a projector was emitting them the exact same distance from the girl, onto an invisible screen, regardless of how she moved. They burned white hot, and left blurred tracers in their wake.

The assault continued until Reba was almost in melee range of the vampire queen. X'al'antra, furious and in great pain, kept eye contact, waiting until the artificial bitch was close enough to touch. Then she would rip out her heart, and see what the blood of this abomination tasted like!

The page of text abruptly changed position to chest-height and grew in size. “HEISTOREIACA!” Reba shouted, and spun, slashing her staff two-handed through the blazing wall of text before her. A beam, taller and wider around than the vampire queen shot straight into the demon, blasting a hole into the hillside behind her so cleanly, the ground didn’t even rumble! And it continued to shoot in one steady beam from the air in front of the dance instructor, who held her staff before her in two hands, eyes white as the beam itself.

* * *

Things were not going well for Masque. The moment X’al’antra answered Reba's call, he had intercepted the witch queen, who was also responding. Just as predicted. Not as predicted, she was quite martially skilled. Witches, by nature, were rather weak. Unable to use true witchcraft due to the storms and angelic intervention. More powerful witchcraft had to rely on rituals, combinations of crafts, and demonic or spiritual assistance. Such options were not viable in combat, taking time, team work, and preparation.

He was not to kill her, but to keep her distracted, unless an opening arose for a kill shot. Which he had been sure would. He did not even have his netherweave extended, fearing if pushed too hard she would imbue her crafts with mana, causing storms. That was an extra danger they did not need. This was a rescue mission, not an assault. Too many variables, too many unknowns.

Like how they still were not sure where or what the hounds were they had heard howling. The hope was that whatever canines X’al’antra had were in the surrounding area trying to track them.

Witch and vampire fought near the southern side of X’al’antra’s large house on the top of the hill. And Shuzariel was worthy of being the current queen of the witches. Masque simply could not hit her!

He was at least managing to keep her on her heels. Masque not not have much martial training, but he was fast enough, it shouldn't have mattered. Shuzariel dodged and deflected his next round of punches - and backhanded him across the face. Ignoring the slap, Masque tried another quick jab – blocked. Faster than he could dodge, she hit him with the heel of her left hand in his chest, hopped back, and sped into a leaping knee, which he also took to the chest. The blow was impressive, though not hard enough to stun the large vampire, which made how fast she dodged him trying to grab her leg all the more impressive.

* * *

As Masque was distracting the witch queen, Stryker and Bryan were to sneak into the house, and get the… hostages? Still splattered in the red crap Reba made, they hurried past the two combatants, unnoticed.

The valley girl was kicking the vampire’s ass like she was a born slayer or something. 'Good luck, man!' Stryker wished him in his mind. Fight behind them now, Stryker and Bryan went inside the unlocked side door near the front patio.

Going through a small utility room and down a hallway, before entering the living room. There were people sleeping all over the place. Bryan almost panicked, but no one jumped out to get them. In fact, no one even woke up. Stryker noticed Trixie and hurried over to her. Checking the pulse on her neck, he sighed with relief to feel it strong and steady. She opened her eyes, blinking up at him, and her face changed into one about to scream.

Stryker quickly covered her mouth, shushing her, as he leaned in close. “It’s Stryker, Trixie. It’s Stryker!” he urged, and felt her calm. A sudden brilliant white light illuminated the windows. Sarah, the other girl Caleb saved during the blood moon, chose that moment to wake, and screamed when she saw the two males. The other sleeping girls quickly roused.

Miss Terra, Trixie, and Sara were there, as well as Rashelle’s two teenage cousins.

As Bryan surveyed the room, the fact they were all in pajamas like it was a big slumber party was odd. When he turned, and finally noticed the imps together near a large bay window at the front of the house, he froze. Two were sitting up, looking at him and Stryker, the third passed out on her back under the window, mouth open wide in a silent snore.

He knew the one on her back was the one Caleb called Iiyni. Looking at her, he didn’t know why the adults seemed to think she was so powerful. Caleb thought she was a good guy, but he was a moron of epic proportions, where girls were concerned especially. The naked one, with the short, almost bob cut hair, that was blinking, bleary-eyed and sleepy-looking, sitting on her butt, he remembered as Kiki.

She had been hanging out with them… yesterday? Today? Well, whenever it had been. She had seemed so… clueless. So ditsy. Was she, also, really dangerous?

The third, Bryan had never seen. He didn’t know, nor remember her name being mentioned. She also seemed grade school age, but on the older side. Her hair was long, straight, and black as the other two imps. The leotard she wore looked like the same material as the small two-piece Iiyni had on.

And now that he noticed, the top and bottom of Iiyni’s bikini armor were more than small. They were so ridiculously skimpy, he hardly saw the point of them at all. The top was cut flatteringly, and so were the bottoms. But from this angle, he could tell the bottom barely covered her private area. It also didn't look like a G-string or T-back or anything creepy, though it was so small, how was it not always all up in her butt?

… Bryan seriously needed to get some male friends, Caleb not exactly counting.

“Calm down, it’s Stryker and Bryan! Calm DOWN!” Miss Terra commanded, and everyone complied. Only, Bryan was currently getting glared down by the leotard wearing imp, so panicked or calm, the girls behind him were not his immediate concern.

Stryker might be a dipshit, but when he saw the imps, his mind went to full alert. And when he noticed the one that had landed on the hood of his car, he knew for sure these were the imps.

“You gonna just ignore us, ya big bad imp?” Stryker asked in a pissy voice to the fake-sleeping Iiyni’jeari’eea. She knew the blond cop was talking to her. “Tch,” she sneered, and without opening her eyes rolled over to face away from them. Bryan noticed that she did indeed have quite a wedgie, but didn’t seem to care. “Roaches are roaches,” Iiyni mumbled, “they’ll still be there when you wanna squish ‘em later.” She shooed him away with a hand.

Stryker didn’t relax, but was confused as to what was going on, and a bit taken aback by her voice. Was Caleb right about her bein’ a good guy? Both of the other imps seemed to relax at their leader’s words. “Ziiiiiit….” Iyni whined, reaching her arm back behind and above her. Kiki (or Zit) crawled over to her sister’s call- and Iiyni grabbed her arm, yanking her over like a stuffed animal. It looked quite painful. Iiyni proceeded to snuggle her sister to fake fall back asleep.

Jenta sighed. Sister Nini apparently wanted to let them cause their havoc for now. With a shrug, she lie back down, not truly sleeping either, but resting well enough.

Kiki peeked over her sleeping sister momentarily to grin at the teen and wave, mouthing, ‘Hi, Bryan!’ before being tugged back out of sight, forced back into cuddle mode. Not that she actually minded.

Befuddled, the teenage boy in glasses had started to raise his hand to wave back. These were… evil demons?

A white light again lit up the night sky outside the windows, only this time it remained steady.

“What is going on?” Miss Terra asked, standing in the center of the room, hesitation in her voice. Bryan finally turned, still confused by the imps, and light, to see she wore a negligee that completely traumatized him worse than anything else so far this night. More so for Stryker and Trixie, as they got quite a view of the teacher’s butt cheeks from behind her; cheeks which should have remained covered. “You are all in danger, and need to come with me, now!” Stryker informed the girls. “Like hell, you creepy boomer!” Leslie bitched.

Boomer?! Stryker wanted to point out the near-naked woman by him, to compare the fucking difference! Luckily, he realized that would have been more than a bit rude. Miss Terra was an amazing lady, after all – she didn’t need to know how badly she was scarring their psyches with that teddy thing.

Kendra was crying loudly now. She had one of the saddest faces you could see on someone when they cried. Young teenage-girl (with the boobs of a porn star…) or not, Kendra cried a lot. Stryker was about to try and explain more when he heard the dogs, the white glow now gone. They sounded monstrous and big. His fear was confirmed as some things, he thought may be dogs, briefly ran into view of the front windows, and out of sight over the hill.

Then he noticed something else, and finally started to feel panic. When had it started raining?! 'Holy shit, it was downpouring!' This rain was going to wash the red stuff off of not only them, but the getaway vehicle and the entrance to the hideout! Why the fuck hadn’t they factored rain into their plan?!

* * *

When the sky lit in a bright flash of light, Masque had been concerned. When he felt the first raindrop he knew they had a problem. No longer could his battle with the witch continue to go on. He needed to end it. Drawing his blade would no doubt cause the witch to take even further measures to defend herself. And if he killed her, it could cause their fiercer enemies to engage. So far the imps were not involving themselves. Would it remain so if one of the terrors were killed? No, he needed to disable the witch queen quickly while things were still in their favor, and get the others out of here. Time was up, if they were ready or not.

Going on a full defensive, he avoided all of the jabbing kicks and fists the witch queen was throwing at him. Trying to think of how Gigi had almost dodged everything by instinct, he shut his mind off best he could, and just moved. Trying to anticipate, instead of reacting. Instinct over incite.

Suzie was hissing in irritation now, almost literally throwing her punches and kicks. Her fighting style relied mostly on speed, jumps, and thrusting strikes. Five jabbing fists and eight stabbing kicks, to every backhand, knee or elbow. The vampire’s movements had changed so drastically, so suddenly, now she couldn’t even graze him! Had the bastard been toying with her the entire time?!

Feigning a stumble, Masque let himself fall and rolled, vanishing in a pop of black smoke, coming out of his roll in another pop directly behind the witch queen. Shuzariel, reflexes fast, spun in a backhand slice- and was surprised as Masque let it hit him- grabbing her arm, and vanishing in another pop of black smoke.

Taking her right arm with him in a gory explosion.

A human can not be taken through the nether, their body would explode as surely as hitting the propellers of a plane at a high speed; making it impossible to even attempt. Shuzariel only being part human, her soul corrupted by the demonic, Masque hadn't been sure what would happen. It was possible it could have hindered him from stepping at all, or yanked her through it safely alongside him. Or something else entirely. He really had acted more on a whim than thought.

As he reappeared to see the witch stumbling forward, bloody stump squirting dark blood – he smiled. The resistance of trying to drag her in had been minimal, so another quick shadowstep and he was on her left. Grabbing her other arm, he left her with another bloody stump.

A manastorm split the sky, and several (over two-foot-long) spikes erupted from her torso, staying extended and creating an effective shield to keep him from grabbing her, if he had so intended.

Shuzariel was now beyond furious. She was done FUCKING PLAYING WITH THIS JESUS-COCKSUCKING JACKASS IN THE RETARDED NINJA SUIT!!! One of Xal’s original thralls and a weave wielder or not, he was DEAD! Prophecy, and the fucking plan be damned! THIS VAMPIRE WAS GOING TO FUCKING DIE, RIGHT HERE, RIGHT FUCKING NOW!!!

A brilliant white steady glow was now vividly lighting the night sky, and the rain had become a downpour. Suzie whistled shrilly, and another manastorm split the sky. Masque suddenly sensed the dogs at the same moment he heard them. They had been concealed? The stench of rot and sulfur was almost overpowering.

Masque barely dodged as several of the spikes in the witch’s chest shot like projectiles at him. She smiled smugly, forcing him to keep dodging, firing spikes at all angles from her body in a three hundred and sixty degree directional spread, regrowing them as fast as they shot. When the large group of otherworldly and undead hounds ran into view and past them, going towards where their real master fought. Suzie’s grin fell. She had expected them to help her, and Masque saw this brief distraction.

With a flipping shadowstep, he was in the air above her, grabbing her hair, and with a roar, continued his flip, taking her with him, and spinning her a full 360, to slam violently into the ground. He stomped her head into the dirt for good measure, before retreating.

* * *

John needed to calm himself! He couldn’t risk trying to cast white magic this full of anxiety! If he failed, his death would be quick and painless, as he would quite literally explode. But it would also most certainly spell the doom of everyone else!

When Reba suddenly flashed a blazing white, John had been stupefied! He had seen her go berserk before, her strength far surpassing any human, at times accompanied by a flash of light – but this? He hadn’t the slightest idea what this was! As she began to pummel the vampire queen with some type of energy bolts, he was even more baffled.

There was no time to be anxious over his daughter! Reba was playing her role, and John needed to play his! However absurd it all was!

With a deep breath, he exhaled, letting all worry and concern leave his body. Right hand gripping his staff, left held by his side, eyes closed. No doubt. No fear. John allowed his mind to drift, like one were preparing for slumber. Here goes. ‘My Christ?’ his single thought asked, and he pictured a black line in the depths of space, and plunged himself inside. Thoughts changing to inertia, inertia to vertigo – yet his body did not move, his pulse did not speed as he was pulled deeply within the current of the channel.

‘My Christ, here I request; by the Spirit – cleanse this one before you that is so unclean, and seal whom it is requested. This defiler of your Will, this corrupter of your truth, may her power be bound!’

John felt as sin itself raked his soul. It pinged, and scraped, and tested, crashing with him in this river of the cosmos, everything and nothing; his all immersed deeply within the consuming tides.

John's robe and hair started to move. Time lost, meaning gone, awareness damned - madness consumed his everything. And he clung to that thread. The unbreakable bond he had to his Christ. His God. And his body rose to tiptoes, hair and robes moving as if caught in the some unseen waters.

That thread grow thicker than the trunk of a redwood tree. The darkness was gone in an instant, and all was light. Bright. Everything. Open. ‘IT IS SO GRANTED.‘ The answer boomed in John's mind, and his eyes snapped open.

* * *

The energy beam Reba had been blasting subsided, bright white light vanishing. Standing where she had been previously, X'al'antra fell to a knee. Her leathers burnt completely away. Much of her skin was gone, or had charred black - though the injuries were rapidly healing.

Rising back to her feet, X'al'antra was no longer playing. It was her own arrogance that brought her to this point. She should have simply killed this homunculus cunt immediately.

“FROM THIS WORLD, WE REJECT AND BIND THEE!” a male's voice commanded from the treeline, his tone adding a heavy weight to the air. The homunculus was back-peddling from the witch queen, looking up the hill at the sound of the approaching hounds. X’al’antra, overcome with rage, had at first ignored the old man's words – then she saw it. Several yellow and white gleaming shards of light now spun around her midsection, circling her body like a hoop, preventing her from moving.

Realization dawned on the vampire, her gaze moving in horror to the old man she had been ignoring all this time. The mark of a priest blazing on his soul, he levitated several feet off the ground, staff floating in front of him, hands to his sides, eyes locked on hers. No! Impossible!

And in that moment, her focus snapped back to the homunculus, the mark of the priest triggering something in X'al'antra's mind she only now realized. There was another mark on the white eyed-bitches soul other than the mark of Christ. And X’al’antra had no idea what it was.

John’s entire body suddenly flared a bright yellow, “SEAL!” John shouted, this time sounding like a normal, exhausted old man, and feebly clapped his hands together. His hallowing glow and buoyancy were gone at once, and he fell rather ungracefully to the dirt.

X’al’antra screamed, the circling light constricting closed in an instant, knifing into her from all sides, multiple waves of a dim yellow appeared in its wake, crashing into her, over and over. When the sealing spell finished, her eyes, no longer a smoking black, stared straight ahead blankly, and she fell face down into the dirt.

At the same time, the hounds reached Reba.

Reba set her feet and swung her staff two-handed, catching one pony-sized undead hound -(created from the parts of several rotting four legged beasts) in the head, knocking it to the side, tumbling it yards away. With her staff’s momentum from the two-handed swing, she continued it around and cut upwards in a swipe, under a leaping hellhound under the jaw, knocking it into violent spinning backflips.

John got to shaky legs, gasping, watching his daughter fight beasts that should be tearing her to shreds, batting them aside like nothing. Before every great impact, there was another flash of white light; she shouted, snarled and growled fierce as the creatures assaulting her.

During one such flash he saw something approaching to his right, and gave a groaned sigh of relief when he could make out the forms of Caleb, Pazely, and- and Feldyn! Praise God, he was still alive! “We need another way out of here!” John shouted over the rain to Caleb when he was close enough. “What about the plan?” the boy called back. “Time for a new plan!” was the reply. “They park guest vehicles down here,” Caleb yelled, almost to him now. “That way! Down farther!”

“Let's go!” John replied, and turned to run into the darkness, the way he hoped Caleb had been implying.

The three hurried after the old man, as Reba flashed and fought behind them. Feldyn was hardly needing Caleb’s assistance to move anymore, his strength having all but totally returned. Adrenaline so strong, he was not even cold in the frigid rain!

John, much faster than most teenagers, got to where several vehicles (including the now normal looking bulldozer Bryan had driven the other night) were parked. Choosing a nice extended cab pickup, he knocked out the driver’s side window with his staff. Unneeded, as it the door was unlocked, as well as having the keys in the ignition already. That was… Never mind. Not wanting to doubt his blessings, John climbed into the driver’s seat, starting the vehicle. Pazely got in the passenger’s side, while Caleb and Feldyn jumped into the bed of the truck. Were they really going to try and escape this way?

It was so dark now that they couldn’t see at all, and Reba’s flashes were diminishing rapidly. John turned on the headlights, and floored the gas, racing out of the grass they were parked in and onto the mud and gravel of the long driveway, which would lead through the woods, zigging and zagging, out of X’al’antra’s property. Not even questioning the plan, Pazely put on her seat belt and prayed. This was going to be a hell of a ride.

>?>?

* * *

Reba cried out in rage again, her staff thudding against the spiked head of a hellhound. Then she stumbled, dizzy, and confused. What am I doing? Startled when one of the large, fetid, demonic beasts came out of nowhere, she reflexively swung her staff, and it did about as much good as hitting a charging bull with a stick. She barely dodged, the monster skidding past.

Suddenly, Masque was behind her, catching a leaping red and black hellhound by the mouth, two-handed. The black tongue inside its bulldog-like spiked head had small, sharp, barbs all over it, and its breath reeked of infected mucus. He tore the beast’s jaw off, then kicked a leaping undead hound in the side, crippling it.

Masque had been eliminating the beasts Reba was knocking around, when he noticed the girl stumble, super strength appearing to vanish. "The fuck is going on?!" Reba asked him, her voice was controlled, though Masque heard the tiniest bit of panic.

What was going on was the others were improvising an escape plan. Masque agreed they had little other choice. With the rain washing away their only option for concealment, defending a single vehicle, and fleeing the town all together, was their best chance at survival. Slim as it was.

Their priority now was to put distance between themselves at the terrors. With X’al’antra face down near them, Masque knew the old man had miraculously succeeded. To what extent she was now sealed was yet to be seen. But with her currently unconscious, and Shuzariel at a minimum slowed – an escape may still be possible.

However... X'al'antra, prone, unmoving, weakened... this may be the only chance he had to kill her. A fear outside himself forced its way into his mind. What if she was faking? What if his blade could not cut her? What if he succeeded, and inadvertently killed the being keeping the imps in check?

Reba gave a surprised squeak as Masque made his choice, and scooped her up in his arms, speed away and into the back of the pickup.

“Oh, holy fucking shit!” Reba cursed loudly, bouncing hard in the truck bed, dropping her staff, which retracted as she lost contact with it. “Welcome back, sailor!” Feldyn greeted her with a smile, from where he sat, holding on to the side of the speeding vehicle. They hit a bump and Reba was tossed into the air. Caleb and Masque both grabbed her so she didn’t fly out.

Thunder rolled loudly, and the alchemist reflexively caught her retracted staff as it bounced past her in the dark of night, putting it back in its sheath pocket on her torso. “Right back at’cha,” she casually shouted back, louder than necessary. “Well, this wasn’t part of the plan,” she observed, “where’s everyone else?”

Before anyone could answer, the lycanthropeire howled in the distance.

Great.

* * *

Stryker and Bryan were having their own issues. “Stryker, what is going on?” Miss Terra demanded, turning on him, as this entire situation was freaking them out. Stryker scooped Trixie up in his arms without explanation. She yelped in protest, as she only had on a t-shirt. Her mermaid panties were plainly visible, and she kept futilely trying to pull her shirt down to cover them. Not that anyone noticed, or cared.

“You want to know?” Stryker wasn't happy with this set of circumstances, and he couldn’t just tell them nothing, yet they didn’t have time for anything less than crazy! So crazy is what they are going to get! “Okay, fine. Them over there? Those are sex demons from Hell that want to kill us,” he motioned with his head to the sleeping imps. Zit rose an arm from where she lie out of sight, as if to agree, and it was quickly pulled back down by Iiyni. “Rashelle is really a vampire queen, and there’s also a zombie and witch queen or king or something here too.” Miss Terra didn't budge. He sighed.

“I don’t quite understand all the details either, but just understand this – we need to get out of here. Now!” Stryker’s eyes weren’t lying. And from the look Bryan gave her as well... Miss Terra was thinking hard. The other night when everything had turned red and those… things were everywhere, she had been trying to convince herself it wasn’t real. That it had never happened. But this current atmosphere, the white lights, those things running by the front bay windows... It had been real, hadn’t it? Those odd lightning storms had something to do with all of this, didn’t they? And crazy was happening again, wasn’t it? But what finally sold Miss Terra – was the look in Trixie’s eyes as she listened to Stryker. She believed him too.

Trix didn’t believe in anything easily. She always reprimanded the other young kids for foolishly believing everything they heard. Yet, right now, her eyes said she believed Stryker one hundred percent. Terra had done exactly what she had never wanted to do, acted exactly like what she had never wanted to be. She was one of those adults that couldn’t fathom or imagine the unimaginable. How, when did she became that way? Honestly, she still fully didn’t even believe it now. Not even close. But she decided she was going to anyway!

Looking into Stryker’s eyes, Miss Terra simply asked, “What do we do?” Unfortunately, all Stryker could think of was to trust his friends and hope they came up with something. And that trust was seriously tested, as several of the hounds were now outside the front windows, glaring in at them. The screams from the other girls said they finally understood the gravity of the situation. When the dogs of nightmare starting barking and snarling, Trix and Terra joined the screaming.

'God, if you exist, don’t let me get this girl eaten, okay?' Stryker prayed, making a split second decision, running up the nearby staircase, Trixie still in his arms, containing her terror well, biting back furthing screams and not struggling. Bryan ran after him, the females following suit.

“What are you doing?!” the teenager asked the adult who didn’t bother to explain dick. “Follow!” was all a panic-stricken Stryker could manage as he got to the top of the stairs.

And follow Bryan did, all the way outside, into the rain and onto the balcony, immediately soaked. “Stryker, what are we-” Bryan was half shouting to be heard over the dogs and rain, when suddenly Masque appeared beside Stryker and Trixie, picked them both up in his arms, and jumped away. Oh! Use the rain to wash away the invisibility stuff so Masque can find them! Genius!

Turning to see if Miss Terra and the others had followed, his heart skipped and stuttered. In the doorway of the sliding glass door and in front of Miss Terra and the girls… was a woman with no arms, and covered in what Bryan was guessing was dark colored blood. It was the blonde in the pigtails Masque had been fighting! She grinned at Bryan, and one whole arm suddenly burst from the bloody stump. The girls inside screamed anew at the sight. Even Bryan was startled. Spontaneously regrowing her other arm, and stepping out the door, Masque was there and scooped up Bryan. The mind-bending roller coaster sensation overcame the boy, as Masque moved at inhuman speed.

The sensation was soon followed by a hard impact to his ribs, and hands grabbing him to keeping him from bouncing out of the -he assumed- fleeing pickup.

“Let me drive!” he could hear Stryker shouting over and over, again in the darkness, tossing in some curses here and there. Trixie near him too, and crying. Bryan felt like he couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t think! No light, rain crashing around, thunder rolling, and -normal- lightning flashing; he wanted to scream like the girls had back at the house!

As John seemed to hit every pothole, Masque agreed with Stryker. Shadowstepping into the backseat, “Driver change, or I throw you out of the vehicle,” he informed, and the priest didn’t say a word as he skidded to a halt. 'Fine, let the cop drive. Not like I wanted to, anyway…' John complained to himself, exiting the vehicle.

Stryker was quickly in the driver’s seat, John climbing in the passenger’s side, and Pazely scurrying into the back of the cab. Reba had quickly hopped out of the bed with the sobbing Trixie, and was handing her to Pazely. “Where is everyone else?” The Asian girl asked Reba, while she cradled Trixie. Reba shrugged, slamming the door and hopping back in the bed of the truck.

Pazely opened the window partition behind her to talk to the ones in the back. “Miss Terra?” she said loudly, though quiet for Pazely. “The witch showed up right before Masque got me,” Bryan answered through the window. “We can’t leave her here!” Pazely exclaimed, while Stryker managed to have already reached a speed higher than John had, and with less bumps – but still more than enough to make riding in the bed beyond hazardous.

“I’m afraid we have bigger concerns,” Masque informed them, still in the backseat by Trixie and Pazely. Trix shrieked when she noticed him, having never seen him before, and not getting a good look when he picked up her and Stryker. Ignoring the scream, Masque shadowstepped into the bed of the truck, and handed Bryan a large flashlight that had been in the cab. The headlights may be illuminating things in front, but the rain still made it hard to see. Behind them? The red from the taillights were all but useless. In fact, Caleb had long since closed his eyes, for they were doing nothing but complicating the situation, his other senses much more helpful.

“We are being pursued, and about to be forced into combat. Most of you need light,” was the only explanation Masque offered.

The vehicle sped and bounced down the driveway and through the deep woods; the rain and wind freezing them, thunder and lightning fraying their nerves. The ones in the bed were barely managing to not fly out as it was, and now they were going to have to fight? Impossible! Bryan turned on the powerful fog light, and when they saw what was chasing them, they shared one collective curse.

Yup. They were going to have to fight.

“Stryker,” Feldyn called, wishing he had a weapon, “you need to drive faster!”