´Odefin! Behind you!` Tealas shouted in surprise as a stranger, a giant of a man, rushed out and charged towards Odefin from the door he'd been going for.
Odefin twisted around just in time to see the giant's sword glancing off his magical shield. ´What the...?` he exclaimed and raised his axe, ready to fight this new foe.
Glancing in the vampire's direction, the giant almost failed to block a slash from Odefin. Then he retaliated, swung his sword and stabbed and slashed at Odefin. The shield held and he huffed in frustration as his attacks slid off the sides. Odefin roared in defiance and put his advantage to good use. The stranger, probably the vampire's friend, blocked and evaded the incoming strikes from the heavy axe, backing off step by step.
As the big men fought, Tealas turned his attention to the open door. What was going on? Uvin was supposed to keep that door closed and be ready to place new shields around them when needed. Tealas snarled in anger. The blood-sucker's friends had somehow gotten in and ruined everything. Curse them. He started towards the door when a young man appeared in the doorway. Tealas stopped. The young man threw a knife towards him and he darted back behind a pillar with a curse. Of course, he should have expected the boy to come and save his master. Was he a ghoul? He peeked out and found the doorway yawn empty and dark, the boy gone. Where was Uvin, he wondered and hastily covered the distance between the pillar and the wall by the door.
´Stay right there or the mage goes darkside!` a clear voice called from the dark doorway.
Tealas brows came together in anger, his lips pressed into a thin line. The boy wasn't stupid. ´You're making a mistake, boy,` he called back.
´I know exactly what I'm doin',` he retorted.
´You're helping an undead creature!` Tealas shot back. ´It'll end up being the death of you, boy!` He didn't want to risk getting the mage killed, but maybe he could convince the young man to let the vampire go. Or if nothing else, annoy him into making a mistake.
´I don't care. Why can't you leave 'im be?`
Tealas shook his head in disbelief. ´It's killing people and spreading the curse. It's a bloody vampire! Open your eyes,` he bellowed, hoping in vain the boy would see reason.
´He's my friend! An' he's not a monster!` the boy screamed back with conviction.
´Your friend will one day drink your blood and kill you.`
´He already did!` he shouted and burst into laughter.
Why had he said that, Sern wondered. Stupid. The vampire hunter wouldn't see that as a good thing. A sound within the room made him step back and raise the knife. The mage had stood from the chair but stopped moving as Sern glared at him, ready for a throw. ´Don't you dare,` he threatened in a low voice.
The man paled. Sern hurried back to the mage, placed the dagger against his throat and pushed him in front. ´You're goin' first,` he said. ´You'll be a fine shield.` With that, he pushed the mage towards the door. He didn't intend to go out but needed to see what was going on. And he didn't want the hunter to come inside.
´If you get any closer t' the door, I'll waste him!` he shouted.
The blond hunter stood with his sword ready, his pale eyes boring into Sern, unmoving. Sern could almost see his thoughts rushing through his head as he tried to figure out a way to overcome the problem.
Movement behind the hunter drew Sern's attention. A dark figure running towards his back, sword lifted high. Ranloo was in a terrible state; burned, bleeding, and with quarrels sticking out from his chest and back. Sern's eyes widened at the sight. It was all the warning the hunter needed. He twisted around. A shocked yell escaped his lips as he saw the vampire. Like a dark shadow with one eye glowing like a red pit of hatred, he rushed the hunter with his sword raised for a killing blow.
Ranloo ran at the hunter's back. He finally had a chance to kill him. The hunter twisted around with a yell. Ranloo lifted the sword high, prepared to cleave the man in half.
´Ranloo! No, stop!` A woman's shrill voice echoed across the courtyard.
Nothing could make Ranloo obey like that voice. Not even his master could have stopped him at that moment. Nothing but that voice. Instinctively, he tried to stop, without thinking, obeying the command. Even as his feet slid over the cobbles, he realized his grave mistake.
The hunter held his sword up and ready. Thrusting the blade forward, he met Ranloo's charge head-on. The blade pierced through Ranloo's clothes, cut through his body right below the sternum and out his back. Ranloo's mouth opened, but no sound came out. He stared in shock. The cold blade twisted inside him, the pale eyes of the hunter gleaming wickedly with delight as he turned the sword. Pain exploded inside Ranloo, nauseating and terrible. Gasping in agony, his legs buckled. A faint scream behind the hunter made him lift his eyes. Someone, a blurry shape, rushed towards him. His vision darkened, he was dying. Who was that?
Sern yelled as Ranloo went down in front of his eyes. He couldn't deal with the mage anymore. With a quick motion, he stabbed the man in the side of the neck. With detachment, he heard the mage's surprised yelp turn into a gurgle followed by a thud. Sern couldn't think. He screamed and bolted out the door. His knife flew through the air, straight for the hunter's back. It bounced off his brigantine. Sern threw another one immediately after the first and the hunter jerked his head back, grunted angrily, and pulled away from Ranloo to avoid his charge.
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Seeing the long blade slide out from Ranloo's chest, covered in blood, he felt sick. Ranloo gave him a confused look before he fell to the ground, spilling blood over the wet cobbles. Sern shrieked, his throat raw, and hurled another knife towards the hunter who nimbly ducked. Sern cursed the miss, too upset to aim properly.
´Get away from 'im!` he roared as he skidded to a stop beside his fallen friend, another knife lifted. He only had two left and didn't want to waste them, but he had to keep the hunter at bay.
Tealas growled at the boy, standing protectively over the blood-sucker. Why did he have to waste his life for a vampire? It was too absurd. But if he wanted to die for the monster, so be it. He grabbed his sun-medallion and lifted it. One last blast of light and the vampire would be sure to be dead.
The boy raised his knife. ´Don't even think about it!`
Tealas sneered and aimed with the medallion, saying the short prayer that would set off the holy light. The boy's hand flicked and the knife flew straight at him. Tealas cried out in pain as the dagger pierced through his glove, lodging itself into his hand. Dropping the medallion, he clutched his hand to his chest with an angry snarl.
´Curse you, boy! It's better that it dies!` he roared.
´If you try n' use that thing again, you die!` he yelled back. ´I'll hit you right in your eyeball!`
Tealas noted the boy's perfectly steady hand, ready for another throw. But he was very stressed. How likely was he to hit, he wondered, hesitant to risk it. He was clearly very skilled with the throwing knives.
The vampire was down and he wanted to finish it off, but the stupid boy was in the way. He glanced up to make sure Odefin was alright. The giant bashed his friend's shield, blue cracks spreading into the air. Curse them, he thought. They were ruining everything. It had been under control, the vampire had been as good as dead. Now, he wasn't sure anymore.
´You're making a grave mistake,` he said and held his bleeding hand well away from the medallion so the boy could see it.
´I'm not, an' you're wrong about 'im,` the boy replied, not taking his eyes off him. ´You don't know 'im.`
´You should leave and let me finish this. It's going to continue killing people, for eternity if it's not stopped.`
Sern knew the hunter was right but couldn't have cared less. ´I know. An' I'll be right there t' help 'im,` he replied, suddenly convinced about it. He didn't dare look down, afraid that if he as much as blinked or glanced away from the hunter, he'd kill his friend. Sweat mingled with the cold rain, and a shudder coursed through him. He wished he could move Ranloo inside. Carefully sliding his feet closer, he shielded Ranloo with his body. He knew what he needed, but how would he manage that in this situation?
A sharp ping rent the air and Tealas jerked his head up, looking behind the boy. The shield around Odefin had broken and the huge swordsman mercilessly charged him. With a sword against an axe, the giant had the advantage now that Odefin didn't have a shield anymore. Cursing, Tealas ran to aid his friend.
Sern almost threw the dagger as the hunter sprang forward but saw that he had shifted his focus onto Listarl. Good, it gave him some time. He bent down and grabbed Ranloo under his arms and pulled him towards the door. He had to get him inside, get into cover. Ranloo needed help, fast. He hoped it wasn't too late already.
Filled with adrenaline and fear, Sern managed to pull Ranloo the short distance to the door and into the house. He didn't even glance at the dead mage on the floor as he hurried to close the door and barricade it with some chairs. He hoped Listarl would be able to handle both hunters until he could come and help.
As soon as he'd secured the door, he hurried to Ranloo's side on the floor, almost falling onto his knees in his haste. He shook Ranloo by the shoulders, flinching at how badly burnt he was. Ranloo didn't respond. The most threatening wound was the deep sword thrust. He didn't even dare look at it properly. Removing the bandages he's brought, he cut long strips from his cloak with his remaining knife. Then he used them all to stem the blood-flow. It didn't look too hopeful. Grimacing, he shook his friend again.
´Ranloo? You alive?`Cold panic clutched at his heart and his eyes stung.
Sern brushed sweat from his forehead and studied the elf more carefully. Ranloo's entire right side was badly burnt, as if from a fire. His clothes were drenched in blood from numerous wounds and a quarrel stuck out from under his collarbone. He had lost too much blood. Jaws working, he wondered what to do. Listarl and the hunters shouted outside. He glanced towards the window, distressed. He had to help him too. He shouldn't have sent Felisei away, he thought regretfully. What took her so long? But there was nothing he could do about that now.
With a frustrated sigh, he rolled up his tunic and placed the knife against his left forearm. He hoped it would work. Without further delay, he cut himself, gritted his teeth against the sharp sting and placed the wound above Ranloo's mouth. He hoped it would wake him up, or at least heal him somewhat.
After a moment's stillness, Ranloo's one working eye flared open and he seized Sern's arm with both hands and bit deep into his flesh. Sern cried out in shock at his ruthlessness. He bit harder and deeper than ever before, and Sern panicked. Instinctively, he tried to get away, but couldn't do a thing against the vampire's strength. But as he often did, Sern calmed down fast, realizing his situation wouldn't get better if he fought. He stopped struggling, even as he trembled with the pain in his arm.
´Don't end me, please...` he said through gritted teeth. ´Please, Ranloo, don't...` Already dizzy, he shook his head. It was too much. He remembered the medallion then. But could he use it against Ranloo in this state? His breathing became fast and shallow as he fumbled for the sun-symbol. Ranloo kept drinking. Sern's thoughts flowed sluggish and slow and he blinked his eyes rapidly against the swimming black dots. Sweat beaded on his forehead and his fingers trembled. Had to get the medallion.
´Ranl...` He hit the floor.