Zigzag

It didn't take long for him to catch up with her. "Sarah, hold on. Let me help." She didn't respond, her eyes busy searching for any sign of their fellow comrade. Phillip knew her senses were stronger than his ever could, so he stuck with her, staying quiet while they searched these accursed woods. The atmosphere was turning strange all around them, and they knew why. Somewhere here in this woods was something that didn't belong in nature, and it was something that would kill them without warning or hesitation. "She's close, I know it." Even with her desire to go farther, the horses did not share the sentiment. Phillip couldn't blame the beasts, as any sane being wouldn't willing go into such a dangerous situation. As soon as they dismounted, the horses ran the other way, leaving them on foot for the remainder of their journey. It was starting to seem like getting out was going to be more difficult than before. "Let's go, while the Sun still shines through the leaves." Phillip said, his weapons at the ready. "Hold on, Lancellar. We're coming." She did the same, ready to cleave through this whole forest if she needed to, and Phillip suspected that she just might. Walking forward, they allowed themselves to be fully swallowed by the unnerving embrace of the forest and it's mysteries.

The halls of the Unterholm were covered in blood, the Shields battling it out against the various criminal elements that resided within. Many believed it to be the law coming for them, and would sooner fight than be put back in prison. The cowardly or innocent made a run for it, wishing to keep themselves alive during the fight. Phillip was giving chase, running with all his might towards a man he believed to have information. He fought with the others, but after seeing how quickly his compatriots were being dispatched, he decided it wasn't worth his life. Taking one of his javelins, he tossed it, and it sailed true, sticking itself in the man's leg. Screaming in pain, he fell, clutching the leg while Phillip called the others. "To me! We need this one alive!" "No! Please! Just kill me! I'll die before I talk!" Cragmar and Eric came to his aid, Lancellar and Sarah cutting a path out for them. More criminals were coming, threatening to consume them in their numbers. It was time to go, and not a moment too soon, it seemed.

"I'm going back for her." Sarah said, directing her horse back towards the forest. "Don't be stupid Sarah!" Eric warned, heading her off. "You'll die if you go back in there. This entire mission was a trap, and we're lucky to get out of there alive." "To hell with you, Eric! Lancellar would go back for us, we have to save her." A few of the other soldiers agreed, and were ready to ride out with her, but the opposition was mounting. "You can't kill those things, Sarah. You saw what happened when the Commander tried to stab those things." Cragmar's words cut through to the others, and the idea of having to face off against a seemingly undefeatable enemy didn't sit well with them. Sarah cursed under her breath, but wasn't going to give up just yet. "I'd rather die then before I leave our friend in there with those things. Those of you with the stones to follow then come on, otherwise, get the hell out of my way." Urging her steed forward, galloping headfirst into danger. Phillip began to follow, giving orders first for his men. "Stay around the perimeter of the forest. We may need help when we make our way out." "Commander." Eric said, and Phillip met his eye, knowing what the man was feeling. "It'll be okay, Eric. I'm gonna make sure Sarah makes it out alive, and if possible we'll find Lancellar as well. I trust you, Lieutenant." The sentiment was well appreciated, and they clasped hands in silent agreement. "For Gold" "And Glory." Phillip finished, riding off to catch up with Sarah, and hopefully make sense of this mission gone mad.

Sarah really didn't enjoy being there. It was loud, packed, and she didn't appreciate the way the room was filled with so much emotional energy. Personal agency had always been important to her, and for some pile of brick and mortar enchanted with a few lousy spells trying to make her feel something, it grated on her to no end. My will is my own, and nothing is going to take that away from me. Why am I even still in this shit hole and not with the others? Because she knew there was no other way but this. The club was made exclusively for her kind, those that weren't accepted by society, or at least for those unable to hide themselves in the crowd. Sarah didn't have to try that hard to blend in. As a half vampire, she didn't experience some of the same drawbacks as a normal vampire did, so it was easy for her to fit in with a group of adventurers and travel the land making gold a name for herself. "As long as you stay true to your fellow Shields, we'll fight with you till the very end." She wasn't just some muscle to be used like some tool in the Shields, Phillip actually saw her as an equal, a sister in arms he felt comfortable around, even when the hunger hit. Phillip accepted her totally, and for that, she felt awful for telling him off like that. All she wanted now was a drink, and distract herself from the pounding headache forming in her temples. Shouldering her way to the bar, Sarah caught the attention of the server quickly. "You know how to make a Slit Throat? Good. I want that with mint in it, no ice."

So what happens now?

When you do things right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all. -God

No I think they'd rather take on the poachers.

The Shields of Valor will take this quest.

There wasn't any time to think, to consider the best course of action, or the right strategy. All they could do was fight, fight for their lives, or else be taken by the unforgiving claws of these strange, faceless monstrosities. Paper white skin was pulled taut over bone, with little flesh to speak of. Only the barest resemblance to a Humanoid figure rushed at them, shambling with surprising speed, misshapen heads twitching like birds, dented, but otherwise smooth. Phillip struck outwards at the nearest monster, his sword thrusting at it, but instead of piercing the hide of the silent assailant, it stretched to nearly impossible lengths, pushing it backwards, but was unharmed. "Retreat! Don't try to fight them!" Using his shield to push away one of the other monsters, he vaulted onto his mare, hurrying away, leading the Shields as fast as he could from those woods, away from those things. In what felt like hours, they were out, having found themselves at some road, but nothing seemed familiar. In all his life, he had never encountered something like that. Every cell in his body was screaming at him to run, his hands shaking, thinking they hadn't run far enough. "Is everyone all right?" He called, and heard everyone's voice call out, everyone, except for Lancellar. "Did anyone see her?" "She took that thing and ran the other direction, deeper into the forest." Cragmar looked pale as he spoke, almost as white as those monsters. "I think they followed her instead of chasing after us."

Would it be all right to volunteer for this? I know we're already doing something so if not that's okay.

Every inch felt like a battle, her body demanding she succumb, while her mind resisted with everything it could muster. His words cut through the thick blood lust, hitting her hard. "Because I..." She took a long, shuddering breath, feeling her fangs jutting through. "I don't want to be like him." The memories came flooding back to her, tears coming down her cheek as the pain ripped it's way through her once more. "Mother...mother can you ear me? Mother what's wrong?" "She can't hear you anymore, Sarah. I'm afraid she's been under my spell for too long." Her mother, Ellesia, simply sat there, smiling, but not responding. She was a doll, a husk that had no soul left behind those sea blue eyes, a fate she felt, even worse than death. It was then that she learned of how her father, Baron Hugo "the Beguiling" Bouchard had hypnotized her mother into being his little plaything, not even aware of the life growing inside her until she gave birth, and then taking her in as his own, having made her into the half vampire she was today, from the constant feeding he enacted upon her. He was a monster, and so she vowed never to be anything like him. Sarah had rejected everything that her father tried to instill in her, wandering the lands, becoming a mercenary, all of it just to spite him and his wishes to make her into his ideal heiress. He had sent men to retrieve her, but after sending back so many heads, she figured he must have given up. "Are you okay, madame?" One of the crewmembers asked, visibly concerned. "I just need a little bit of blood." Looking towards them, her fangs were now almost jutting past her lips, her eyes filled with a mixture of pleading and hunger. "I'm too weak to make it to the animals...please I promise I won't..." "Dear gods, you're a vampire!" The man stepped back, both parts distressed and disgusted. "Get away from me monster!" Shaking with rage and hunger, her hand reached back to herself, clawing deep gouges into the wood. All she had to do was let down her defenses, and she could tear him apart with ease, but was that the right thing to do? Would she be any better than her father? Could she ever come back from such a decision?

When they discovered the body, they knew they were in over their heads. "The guy's been torn to shreds." Sarah observed, looking through the torn remains of the Hellfang courier. Dipping her finger into the blood, she tasted it, closing her eyes as she thought about what came to her mind. "Whatever did it, it scared the hells out of him." Lying on the ground next to him was the package, wrapped in a tough burlap cloth, splattered with blood and gore. Everyone was looking to Phillip, who was feeling more and more unsure about this mission. "I'll take it." He said, getting off his horse and moving towards the item. "Wait." Warned Lancellar, moving off her stag. "Let me take it, Commander. I'll be able to handle whatever magical properties are contained inside this item." "Are you sure, Lancellar?" She nodded, but Phillip could see how nervous the fae was around it, like she could sense something they couldn't. Just as she was at the spot where it lay, muttering a foreign language under her breath, a twig snapped, turning their attention towards the noise. And that's when they were attacked by faceless monsters.

They chose an entrance large enough to allow them entry as a group. Wasting no time, they had their weapons drawn, and knew they would find themselves in the midst of battle before long. "Keep your senses on high alert. There's no telling what will come to face us." Phillip's words were heeded, the group keeping watch to keep from being ambushed. High ceilings and large braziers held burning coals that illuminated their surroundings. With so many kilns filled with flames, the area was much warmer than one would imagine. An arrow whizzed past, nearly taking Eric's life as it missed his head by mere inches. "Defend yourselves!" Lancellar cast a protective spell upon everyone, strengthening their armor against any other projectiles, Sarah screaming out her battle cry as they charged. The battle was on, with enemies coming out of the wood work to challenge them. Now they had to survive this encounter, and find the information they need to stop the kidnappers.

Sorry about slow posting. Will try to get some done soon.