Marcelle's long hair hung like a cloak over her glowering face. Her arms hung limp like noodles as she slouched forward. Her long purple tail swished back and forth menacingly as she slithered through the back alleys of Hueryss towards a far-away section of the walls. The bandolier of potions slung over her shoulder swayed with her tail.

"How dare those idiots command me!" She hissed. "Do they not understand who they are speaking with? Do they not understand the sheer brilliance of my mind? Do they not understand my higher purpose? Of course not. Those morons are barely sentient. All they wanna do is drink, fight and ...." Marcelle shuddered to herself as she thought of Brenn. "Fuck. Zola is too cruel. I should have never been sent away like this."

Smoke was rising in the city. Marcelle turned her head to look back towards the central avenue leading to the gates. The distinct snap of musket fire popped in the distance. Her sharp ears twitched as she caught the sound of battle. Faint hints of scraping steel and death wails rose in an irregular chorus. Battle cries were silenced as a distant cannon boomed. The sound reverberated through the maze of buildings searching for Marcelle.

"It is a stupid invention. Fit for these imbeciles I am surrounded by." A sudden pang of anxiety and anger hit her head like a sledgehammer. The psychic damage of her situation was too much. Marcelle screeched to herself. Her hands shot to her temples. She pressed the palms of her head hard into her temples as if she needed to fight the pressure within her head. "If only he listened! Why won't he listen! Why?! Why?! Why?! This was a moronic waste of my talent and time! Aghhh! I could be in Fehrenn by now! Not in a doomed city surrounded by leeches and morons! Agggh!" Marcelle screamed like a tortured prisoner as she clutched her head.

"There is truly no end to Freyes' mistakes. Look at you!" A strange voice called from the roof's above. Marcelle's screaming was cut short. Her hand moved near the potions attached to her bandolier. "Half woman. Half snake. All mad. A failure of beauty from the start. Why bother with such a monstrosity? And to call such her divine creation? Such narcissism."

The vampire was tall. The icy blue eyes of the blonde vampire regarded her with a malicious grin. Fresh blood dribbled from his lips. He held the long bloody spear casually in his left hand, leaning it upon his shoulder. Blood pooled down its length trailing down to his armored shoulder. Marcelle's bloodshot purple eyes scanned him quickly for weaknesses.

"Who are you?" She asked. "I want to tell everyone about the disgusting wretch I am about to kill." Marcelle hissed as her purple eyes narrowed in anger.

"Hah?!" The vampire laughed. "I am Lieutenant Llewelyn. Warrior without peer. The most beautiful vampire in all of the land." The vampire flipped his long locks in dramatic fashion. "Perhaps if you prostrate yourself before me, I will spare your life."

"Warrior." Marcelle spat the word out of her mouth like it was bitter poison. "I hate warriors. Blustering fools, all of you. Begone, stop wasting my time you revolting leech. Go die as you have lived, sucking on filth." Llewelyn smiled. His fangs scraping against his bloodstained lips. He hefted the spear towards Marcelle. The lamia responded by grabbing a potion from her bandolier.

The creature was fast. Far faster than he should have been. The clay tiles of the roof buckled and broke as he lunged for Marcelle. The spear was aimed for her stomach. She barely had enough time to pull her human torso out of the way as the vampire's thrust sailed past her.

"You should be more careful with your words." The vampire spoke calmly. "You aggravate your betters."

"Do not speak to me as if you are above me." Marcelle hissed. She brought the potion to her lips. Yet as she did the vampire went on the attack. The stoneskin potion would take a moment to take effect. Yet Marcelle barely had a second. The spear flashed like lightning in a flurry of blows as her assailant kept up a barrage of thrusts. Throwing her head forward, she barely dodged Llewelyn's spear in time. The vampire pulled back spinning his spear and slammed the weighted butt into her head. The world dimmed as Marcelle's human torso travelled with the blow. Clenching her teeth hard around the bottle, she refused to give it up. Righting herself she looked towards her opponent. The spear was thrust into her. Dull pain radiated from her stomach. Her dazed eyes beheld the spear sticking from her guts. Looking up she saw the same stupid smile on the vampire, as she tilted the bottle back. Rage and adrenaline mixed with her mounting panic. Flicking her heavy tail at the vampire, she tried to create some distance.

Lieutenant Llewelyn was quick. He jumped back with ease, dodging her strike. The same stupid smile wrapped around his lips as he started licking the blood from the tip of his spear. Her skin was hardening. Magic synthesized with her body creating a layer of protection. Grabbing another potion, Marcelle took a drink. The spurting wound on her stomach closed, leaving a ripped crimson hole around her midsection.

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"Where's your weapon stupid ugly girl? Are you planning on drinking me to death?" The bastard laughed at his own joke. Twirling his spear, blood flicked across the streets of Hueryss.

"Once I grab you it will be over." Marcelle hissed.

"Please. You're slow as the day is long. You'll never grab a hold of me."

"What would a vampire know of daylight? You're an ugly idiot."

Lieutenant Llewelyn spun his spear, as he started approaching Marcelle. Stopping in a guard stance, he waited as Marcelle pooled her tail around her. Lunging forward, the vampire was quicker than Marcelle could keep up with. Even with skin made of stone the steel blade hit her like a hammer. The pain radiated through her where the tip of his spear struck. Llewelyn's eyes flashed with surprise as he looked at the spearhead. Fighting through the pain Marcelle counterattacked ineffectually with her tail.

"If I can't cut you, I shall just tenderize you until that potion wears off. What do you say?"

"Shut up and die, leech." Marcelle hissed.

Even if it couldn't pierce her flesh, the spear hurt. Its force was concentrated into a single point that crashed into Marcelle's unmoving flesh. The beginnings of bruises peppered her body. The potions along her bandolier had been smashed one by one. The vampire barely gave her any room to breathe. Yet Marcelle was only becoming more determined. She was more and more compelled to watch the vampire die horribly. His smug smile kept flashing as he struck. Her potion would wear off soon. Could she keep up with a potion of haste? She threw the idea out immediately. Her opponent was far quicker than the others. Another potion of stoneskin? Ridiculous. The situation was not improving. Her experimental elixir? Wonderful and mad. Perfection incarnate.

"Enough!" Marcelle shouted as Llewelyn backed off.

"Surrendering? Good. I was growing tired of this. So much more killing to be done."

"I am ending this! How dare you make me use this! It is not ready yet." Marcelle hissed. Reaching into her bag, she withdrew an experimental elixir. Black as night, and bubbling even at stable temperatures. The liquid stank like death as she uncorked it.

"Poison?" The vampire asked. "Are you seriously taking the easy way out?! Hahaha." Llewelynn doubled over laughing at the lamia.

Ignoring the pain in her bruised body. Marcelle brought the tar like liquid to her throat. It tasted like the worst thing imaginable. If she had to place it, it was close to raw sewage mixed with rotting meat. It burned like dragon fire as it went down, coating her throat in a tar like acidic mixture. Immeasurable pain shot through her as she fell forward to the ground. Her body convulsed, as she forced it down into her spasming stomach.

"What an ugly way to die. Perfect for a mistake like you." Llewelynn spoke with disgust.

The skin on her back burst open. Wings sprouted like a flower flapping with their new found freedom. The bones within her hands broke, reworking into claws. Her nerves and muscles ripped apart rearranging themselves for Marcelles' new form. Her stomach burned as if a pool of lava sat within her.

"What the?" Llewelyn asked as Marcelle looked up from the ground. A singular purple reptilian eye peeked out between her messy black hair. Marcelle screeched as she launched herself forward. Her wings flapped, as her claws dug into the cobbled stone of the alley dragging her faster and faster towards her enemy. Mastering himself, Llewelyn jumped up to a nearby building to avoid Marcelle's mad charge.

"What the hells are you?" He asked. Fear and surprise twinged his voice as he held the spear defensively.

"Dragon!" Marcelle screamed. Flapping her wings she launched herself up to the rooftops.

Her claws struck and slashed at her opponent with abandon. The pain in her body clouded her mind, forcing her to focus on killing. The purple scales upon her claws caught her opponent's spear forcing it out of the way. They jumped from building to building in a frenzy of pursuit, before landing underneath the eastern walls of Hueryss. Dead beastkin littered the ground. Vampires and ghouls watched from atop the walls as the two dueled.

Llewelyn's footing faltered for a moment. Marcelle's bloodlust got the better of her. Sensing an opportunity she lunged forward with abandon. Llewelyn smiled as Marcelle fell for his trap. Sidestepping he easily dodged her frenzied swipe before stabbing her throat.

"Guh!" Marcelle gurgled.

"Victory is mine!" Llewelyn declared triumphantly.

He pushed harder trying to place his weapon deeper into her throat. It wouldn't budge. Panic hit him as he felt Marcelle's tail wrap around his ankle. His spear shot back and forth striking into the lamia. Unable to pierce her body, Marcelle weathered his strikes. His blows grew faster and faster. Frenzy and panic made his attempt to slice off her tail laughable. Nothing would break her dragon skin. Marcelle pulled him closer, wrapping the vampire into a bearhug. His armor groaned under her newfound strength. His cries for help were silenced. Leaning over him, she felt something stir within her.

The pure rot of a black dragon blew from her breath onto Llewelyn. He screamed exactly once before his jaw fell off disintegrating into black mush. The rot ran through his skull destroying his brain and fell down his esophagus unmaking everything it touched.

"I am a dragon. The most beautiful creature." Marcelle smiled as she tossed the rapidly rotting mass of flesh and armor away. Her reptilian eyes regarded the lesser creatures around her with disgust and hatred. Her muscles burned with the desire to revel in senseless destruction.