What The Catacombs Holds

The group of ten that continued on their way through the catacombs have been making progress slowly but surely. Aryien and her bloodied hand have served well as bait. The lesser vampiric beings charging against ten men with little tactic in mind. The party hear a blast echo somewhere in the distance.

"What was that?" One of the mercenaries asked rather shaken by the new unusual noise. Cutting through vampiric creatures already draining enough for their mental wellbeing.

"Keep focus." Aryien goes and turns the mercenary around, forcing him to look forward.

"We're nearing the end. Don't fucking waver." She marches on leading the group.

Another figure appears in Tika's mana made light bubbles. It looks like one of the more humanoid vampires they've fought before. However, his presence is different the figure doesn't rush on sight. No rather it appears to have been waiting.

"There they are the visitors and here I thought Liala would be the most interesting thing of the day. But truly you all take the crown." The vampire begins to clap loudly an unusual event in the catacombs.

"Are you the leader?" Aryien asks the steel sword stained with vampiric blood already pointed toward the more intelligent vampire.

"I do look quite capable, don't I? Unfortunately not that would belong to the mad Xarayis who's probably eating right now. Quite the inconvenient timing for you to show up. But then again these days he's always eating." The rather talkative vampire happily chats away in this tense atmosphere.

"If you surrender, I could consider sparing your life."

"Really now? What would you do so that I can't create any problems?"

"Your tongue and teeth will be cut off and your mouth sealed except for a small part so that you can still feed on soup. Of course for your crimes you'ill be imprisoned until you stop breathing." The unfavorable offer has quickly broken down the short negotiation of surrender. The vampire's little smile showing that he no plan to surrender.

"I should introduce myself, I am Yri or smile for my friends. A lesser vampire turned by the before mentioned Xirayis. I like pa-"

"I don't care." The introduction is shut down by the leader of The Silver Sons, the suspicion that he's stalling for time a possibility.

"Okay, fine. Last proposal before I flee. What about you let me go? I will go to the ashen land and join them there. As you can see I'm quite capable of controlling myself."

"What types of crimes have you committed. Don't say none. You wouldn't be here if it was none."

"Well, euhm while I was alive I was a beggar. So you know all thievery and stuff."

"Did you kill, rape or torture anyone since turning vampire?"

"Sparsely." The vampire replies truly trying to calculate if sparsely is the correct term with how long he's been alive and how many he has killed. "Hey, I'ill have you know that I've primarily killed those who deserved it."

"I don't believe you." Aryien replies as she walks closer ready to kill the vampire.

"It's true! I killed Hikkel, who was murdering the merchants and causing the panic. He came crawling here all bloodied up, so I thought to apprehend justice myself. We only truly kill those who've done bad things. For example Lhedo, he apparently killed someone's son by accident but still. Doesn't she deserve justice for her son's dead?" Yri replies in a last ditch attempt to convince the mercenary leader.

"What are you on about?" Gunnir asks as his friend's name is suddenly brought into topic. "Lhedo has never killed anyone unnecessarily. And surely not by some accident." Gunnir's voice turn more appalled the more he deconstructs the sentence.

"So it was on purpose? Even better." The talkative vampire says in a snarky manner.

"You use people's grief as a cause to fuel your own murders. It just makes you even more despicable." Aryien walks even closer getting in range to strike the lesser vampire.

"Well, I tried." The vampire casts magic as he hastily waves his hands before running off. Aryien goes to chase until Hellas screams.

"The coffins! Look out!" The pink haired ranger draws his bow readying his shot.

Before the party could completely turn to focus on the coffins, creatures have already jumped out of them. Whilst they conversed this things lied in wait readying to strike. These things are very small creatures, with the head a mix of a rat and a child. Their teeth are small and sharpened just like the creature pinned to the wall. Around twenty of them jump out of the coffins as if awaiting their chance.

The not yet focused party gets jumped as the small vampire creatures try to eat them alive. Two of the mercenaries are quickly killed as each of them had three of these creatures jump on them. Quickly finding the neck as they tear in. Aryien dexterously manages to dodge the few trying to jump her whilst the rest suffers a more grim tiding. Hellas the only other that's not jumped as he immediately shoots the one that tried to jump him. Especially Gunnir the largest one in the group had the hardest to endure as five of the small rat child creatures jumped him. Using his pure strength and endurance he rips off two and crushes their small heads.

In this stressful and unexpected situation Cristal's armor begins to shine brightly infusing divine power into it. Something that causes the small creatures to immediately let go of her giving her the chance to cave in their heads.

With the surprise now largely over the remaining members of the group begin to easily cut through the small creatures. The creatures were not strong but simply used their numbers in a surprise attack. If they were smart they would have retreated as soon as the tide of battle shifted but alas it doesn't seem that concept has yet developed in the creatures. The battle ends with only one more mercenary ending up wounded as the small vampiric creatures started to eat away at his face ripping away part of cheek and nose.

"Fuck, fuck. What's going to happen boss?" The mercenary begins to panic as has been bitten by a vampiric creature.

"Focus, you're fine. You hear me? There are enough healers above. We just have to get you there, understood?" Aryien says in a commanding tone as she physically shakes the mentally shaken mercenary.

"These are not true vampire, and they alone are able to transfer their curse. If you don't bleed out you should be fine." Cristal adds on as temporary expert of vampires, successfully calming down the man fearing for the worst.

"Guide him above." Aryien commands to one of her few remaining mercenaries. "And tell those bastards to hurry up! Because if I somehow turn here just cause their lazy asses are late then there is no amount of money or prayers that will stop my rage."

"Of course boss." The mercenary immediately goes to help her wounded comrade as the group of 6 now moves deeper. Warned that the deeper they go, the harder the battle will be.