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Message: <blockquote data-quote="dorgin_malgard" data-source="post: 4602223" data-attributes="member: 39266">Chapter 1 Flune 5 2948 The ground crunched dryly under Luthor’s plated boots. Dry, brittle bones of varying sizes littered the graveyard. Several headstones and markers lay toppled or broken before their respective graves. Luthor’s brow furrowed at the sight. Many of the graves appeared disturbed from the inside out.  He gripped his well-honed sword tightly and unsheathed it from his back. The weight and balance it felt good in his hand. He laid his other hand on the symbol that hung from his neck and offered a silent prayer. Brushing a lock of black hair shot with silver from his face, he glanced back to the small village to the west. The lantern lights from the village flickered like will-o-wisps against the darkness of the night. The light of the full moons, Enoch and Styg, reflected brightly in the sheen of his bastard sword. Cael is with us tonight, he reassured himself. He snapped a nod at his partner and signed her forward. We will end you tonight, Rhynos Maethers. The tall slender woman acknowledged the signal with a double tap on her thigh. She moved into a wide forward arc. Two metallic constructs, their bodies resembling canines, sprang from their crouched positions next to the woman and fell in line with their master. The woman twirled her quarterstaff and caught one end under her arm, focusing her energies into the other. The end of her staff flared with a soft white light before becoming muted once more. “Mother Myr protect us this night. Father Cael give Ix’chel and I the strength and guidance to return those who defy you to your righteous grasp”, the symbol clutched by Luthor glowed softly as he uttered the blessing. Luthor felt warmth flow through him, bringing his thoughts to focus and edging away any hints of fear.He took up the same approach as Ix’chel moving into position around the abandoned shack that once served as the gravedigger’s hut. Luthor stalked toward the left side of the shack. He attempted a peek inside the hut only to find the windows covered in heavy oiled leathers. He grumbled and inched to the front of the shack signaling Ix’chel and her hounds around back. The links of his mithral chain shifted in hushed symphony as he crept to the front door. Ix’chel skulked to the rear of the shed. Her hound constructs, Ixaotal and Mazlan, closed in behind her and snarled an alert with a metallic growl. Ix’chel’s muscled tensed in anticipation of attack. She squatted to scan the horizon with her amber eyes. The hounds growled as the ground shuddered before her. Three humanoid bodies erupted from the earth, their eyes a feral red and their skin a sickly pallid color of green. Flesh hung loosely from their decrepit forms. A horrid stench drowned Ix’chel as they rushed her. She sprang forward into a roll as sharp jagged teeth gnashed and razor claws slashed where she was a second ago. Ixaotal and Mazlan charged forward barking metallically as Ix’chel brought her staff to bear, readying herself for the oncoming fight. Luthor rested his hand on the doorknob of the hut, twisting it to enter. The sounds of metallic snarling alerted him of danger. He stepped away from the door, straining for sounds of Ix’chel being overwhelmed. The slight distraction cost him; a loud crack erupted from the door as it was ripped from its frame from the inside. A man stood inside the door frame, tossing the door to the side. Wearing only trousers and his hair a matted mess of dirt and twigs, he gave Luthor an evil grin. His bare chest rippled with muscle, his skin white as bone, almost luminescent under the twin full moons.  “Brother Maethers sends his regards, Brother Prathius,” the grin became a mouth of fangs as the man lunged towards Luthor with clawed hands. Luthor quickly dropped to a knee bringing his sword around, piercing the monster’s abdomen. The monster howled in pain as Luthor used its momentum against it and lifted the creature over his head and slamming it to the ground. Luthor leapt over the creature in a somersault pulling the sword free. Landing in a crouch, Luthor uttered a prayer and extended his hand toward the vampire; his hand flashed brightly as a ray of white holy light shot from his palm. The monster quickly rolled into a stand avoiding the ray. It burst into laughter as the laceration to its midsection repaired itself as if never there. “Yah gonna have ta do better than tha’. In fac’ why don ya come ov’r here an’ let me have a bite.” The vampire gazed into Luthor’s eyes. Luthor felt the pull on his mind; the lull washing over him dulling his senses. He limped forward dragging his sword behind him. The vampire licked his fangs hungrily as Luthor staggered toward him. It placed its hands on Luthor’s shoulders pulling him closer to him. Baring its fangs, the vampire tilted Luthor’s head to the side. Its fangs grazed Luthor’s neck and then howled in pain.The vampire twisted, throwing Luthor toward the hut. Staggering back, the vampire pawed at the dagger protruding from its side. The wound sizzled and oozed with pus. Luthor rolled into a crouch. “Is that better, Frant? Does the taste of silver give you that satisfied feeling? I know it does for me.”  Frant snarled pulling the silver dagger from his bleeding side. The wound remained, oozing and steaming with black ichor. Frant lunged again, coming in low. Luthor sprang to his feet setting them for the charge. He leveled his sword for impact at the last moment, throwing his shoulder into the blow. Frant accepted the sword fully into his chest; the tip erupted from his back. The force of the blow lifted Luthor off his feet hurling him backwards into the hut. He felt as time was standing still as he flew through the air until smashing into the back window. Ix’chel swept her staff low catching a ghoul at his ankles knocking it to the ground. Ixaotal quickly pounced on the newly prone creature clamping its iron jaws on the ghoul’s neck. Mazlan followed suit with a second ghoul, clamping tightly to its leg.The fourth ghoul twisted with a howl, launching itself at Ix’chel. A clawed hand ripped through her cloak. Splintered nail and broken bone was the only result. Ix’chel spun catching the ghoul in the side with the enchanted end of her staff. A light flashed and the ghoul’s side was nothing but ash. The ghoul ignored its missing ribs and continued its attack. Ix’chel gracefully dodged each blow bringing the staff end up across the ghoul’s chin. Its head exploded in a puff of ash. Its body slumped to the ground and moved no more.  Mazlan dragged the leg of its ghoul. It crawled slowly behind attempting to retrieve its leg. Ix’chel cut its chase short with a quick thrust of her staff. She gracefully maneuvered to dispatch the ghoul held by Ixaotal. The wall of the shack shattered behind her. Ixaotal spun around to see Luthor on his back amongst the timber and shattered glass. Ix’chel flung herself toward Luthor, her destination suddenly blocked by the vampire.It stood over Luthor, its eyes wild with hate. Luthor’s sword protruded from its chest, black ichor dripping from the point that exited its back. Ix’chel shifted to a defensive stance as the hounds finished off the ghouls. The monster stared at Ix’chel pointing a twisted gnarled finger at her. “Stan’ back, wench. Yeh’ll ge’ yers soon enough. Dah is gonna have a lil’ snack before da main course.” The creature laughed deeply bringing his full attention to Luthor. Luthor held a vial in his hands prying the stopper out with his thumb. “Wha’, yah think a lil water is gonna hurt me? Really are stupid ain’t yah. Huntin’ vampires at night. Drop it, Brother, now!” Frant reached down grabbing a fistful of Luthor’s chain shirt. Luthor flipped the stopper out spilling the contents onto the ground, “This? Oh, this isn’t for you, Frant. It’s to water the silver Ix’chel dusted the ground with earlier today.” Frant stared at the ground as the liquid was quickly absorbed by the earth. A blue aura washed over the ground etched with runes he clearly recognized. Frant dropped Luthor and ran. The aura glowed bright stopping Frant in mid stride. Pain coursed through his body. Frant howled in pain; the body of the ghouls disintegrated into ash. Luthor sprang to his feet. “Now, Ix’chel!” Ix’chel focused her energies into her hand and lunged toward Frant. She reached out and touched the tip of Luthor’s blade releasing the built up energy into it. The glow washed over the tip passing further down the sword and into Frant’s body. As it flowed, the flesh around the sword burned and turned to ash. Frant screamed in agony, trapped in the holy aura that circled his home and impaled with Luthor’s now enchanted sword. Luthor stepped around Frant grasping the hilt of his sword. “Cael calls you home, Frant” Luthor twisted his sword and with a hard thrust upward, he cleft Frant in twain. The two halves turned to ash as they fell to the ground. Ix’chel stepped next to Luthor placing a hand on his shoulder. “I am sorry he is not here, Luthor. We will catch him soon.” Luther only nodded pulling two more vials of holy water. “We have graves to bless.” ******************************************************************** The next morning, Luthor woke to the sound of knocking. Still groggy from the long night, Luthor pulled the covers back and swept his feet off the bed and to the floor. He had contemplated last night’s events. Something bothered him. Was there a spy in the church? Had this been just a setup for him? Could it have been just Caevari tossing him a break? It was sloppy in either case. The rapping came again. “Yeah, yeah. I’m coming.” Luthor stumbled to the door, cracking it slightly. “Beggin’ your pardon, sir. I have a message for you, delivered just this morn.” The maid held the sealed parchment out to him nervously. “Thank you.” Luthor exchanged the parchment with a silver coin. The maid’s face brightened, “Thank you, sir! Thank you kindly!” She hesitated, “And thank you for saving our town.” “Yeah, Myr bless you.” Luthor absently shut the door preoccupied with his thoughts and retreated back to the bed. Luthor played with the polished bone and silver hanging at his neck while thoughtfully staring at the scroll. The seal matching his necklace told him it was from the Church.He sat up in bed and twirled the scroll in his left hand. He cracked the seal and rolled out the parchment. After reading, Luthor rolled the parchment bringing a lit candle to one end. He watched as the flame greedily devoured the scroll.Luthor placed the burning remains into the wash basin allowing the flame to finish its meal. Dressing himself in his travelling clothes, he walked out of his room and down to the next room. He knocked twice before the door cracked. “We have been called to Salex. We leave within the hour. I’ll be having breakfast.” Inside he could see the glowing embers of Ix’chel’s amber eyes, the mithral glittering on the unnatural composition of her skin made of metal and wood. She stepped out of the room placing a hat on her head. As it rested upon her brow, it shifted to a hairpin and her skin and clothing morphed from the metal and wood to that of a dark skinned woman in a modest blouse and pant. “I am ready. So are Ixaotal and Mazlan.” She adjusted her pack. “Right, I forget you don’t sleep. What do you do all night?” Luthor turned and headed to the common room. “I think about my past. I am still having problems remembering moments of my past since the day you found me.” Ixaotal and Mazlan snapped at each other playfully. The common room was already filled to maximum with people eager to greet their heroes. “Don’t worry, I’m sure something will come back sooner or later.” Luthor stared at the sea of villagers and sighed. “Maybe I’ll skip breakfast.” </blockquote>

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