Lady von Erwenhest gazed at the battlefield before her. The beastkin warriors had been shattered and driven back. Now the city's defenders were using some strange magic to fight back. The shells arcing into air burst spraying holy water onto her undead minions. Iron cannonballs whizzed through the air faster and stronger than what should have been possible. She knew some magic was at work here, but what it was she could only guess.

Her mouth twisted into a scowl. How dare they fight back. The beasts should know their place. The beasts should lie down and die for their transgressions.

"Take the city! Bash down the gates! Kill everyone inside!" She screamed above the din of battle. Her vampiric attendants rushed to fulfill her orders.

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In the middle of the battlefield, Neva, Brenn and Ada fought for their lives. The blonde beastkin smiled to herself as she reveled in her glory. The vampiric knights were worthy foes. Their skill and speed were impressive. Untold years of martial mastery showed itself in the way they carried themselves. Ada could barely land a hit. She was learning so much, and soon Fritz would praise her for saving the city.

"If you are still alive by the end of this, I'm gonna kill you myself!" Neva roared. Parrying a skeleton's spear thrust she moved closer punching its skull clear off. The skeleton collapsed instantly into a pile of bones, as Neva snarled at it.

Brenn teleported around the battlefield, cleaving off legs and removing heads. The ratkin was impossible to pin down. Her form fluttered and disappeared in the chaos like a diminutive reaper. Her axe glistened in the light of burning napalm.

"We need to leave!" Brenn shouted. "They're shutting the gates!"

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"Ada!" Neva yelled.

Ada's gray eyes were wide with excitement. As she scanned the battlefield. Her next foe was out there, waiting to be conquered.

"Ada!" Neva yelled again trying to get the blonde beastkin's attention. "Ada we need to leave, before we get cut off!"

"Blood! Feed me!" Ada's onyx rapier screamed in her mind. Ada stabbed absentmindedly at a slow moving group of zombies. Their legs were burning. The sticking napalm residue burnt flesh and muscle. Ada's blade pierced their skulls with ease severing the necromantic connection and collapsing their bodies. The challenge was minimal. There was no glory in killing the chaff. She needed a greater foe.

"Ada!" Neva yelled.

"What?!" Ada yelled back, annoyed. Her eyes looked around for her next opponent.

"We need to leave before we get locked out of the city you fool! They are shutting the gates!"

Ada looked behind her. The gates were starting to close. The sudden realization of her situation hit her. Ada held her rapier valiantly aloft as she sprinted back towards safety.

"No! No! No! No! Not yet! Not yet!" Ada yelped. Brenn laughed as she teleported behind her.

"Finally get it, girlie?" She taunted. Neva cursed to herself before running after the other two.

"Do you have absolutely zero battlefield awareness, girl?"

"Shut up!" Ada responded.

"Don't tell me to shut up! We just jumped off the walls, trying to save you. Learn some manners!" Neva quickly caught up to Ada, slapping her on the shoulder with the flat of her blade.

"I was handling it just fine." Ada yelled. Brenn couldn't stop laughing. She almost fell over laughing as she trailed behind the two.

"Sure you were!" Brenn teased. "That's why you almost got locked out."

"Fritz is gonna keep them open for us right?! He wouldn't kill us, right?" Ada yelped. The undead were advancing behind them. The gates were rapidly closing. Time was slowly running out for Ada.

"If he doesn't, I will!" Neva yelled.

"Fritz! Don't kill us! Don't let us die!" Ada screamed.

The three warriors ran for their lives. Brenn laughed at the panicked Ada. Neva glowered in rage. Behind them the undead vampires slowed their pursuit. Dismounting from their skeletal steeds they disappeared into the swarming crowds of the mindless dead. The undead were reforming. A new attack was readying. Brenn, Neva and Ada barely made it through the closing gates. They jumped through the crack one by one. Ada landed on her face, the stone streets of Hueryss never felt so good. In her hand, her rapier screamed for blood and conflict as she appreciated her ephemeral safety.