City of Blood

Tankred "Don't worry my dear, who'd dare attack us? Some Brigands with nought to lose wouldn't breach the first shield of my vanguard." he says with a laugh.

Hjalmar speaks up from the side "Lass 'as a point though, with all that you've bought I wouldn't be surprised if the remaining Mages tried their luck." he states.

Tankred shakes his head, "My land is one of the only places magic users are free from persecution, I refuse to believe any would attempt such a thing... And even if they do, I regard Miss Merigolds abilities highly!" he says obstinately.

Hjalmar shrugs and slouches in his chair, "Aye, I only hope you don't run int'a trouble on yer' way back."

Roche "The Auction is beginning, we can talk afterwards." he says, sitting up and looking at the first thing Zoltan had Ves bring out.

Elsewhere :

Anna Henrietta sat within a luxuries room in her palace, looking warily out of the window with a sombre expression... Her eyes scanned across Beauclair, or at least, what's left of it. The events that unfolded after the Emperor forced her into trying to capture Geralt and Ciri were horrific. It wasn't even a weak later that the dreaded Beast of Beauclaire had returned with a vengeance...

It seemed that she'd been told lies by the Witchers, they hadn't killed the Vampire, nor had they stopped its return. The vampire, Dettlaff was so bold that he attacked Beauclaire during the day while the sun was highest. It was like he was mocking their inability to combat his army of the night even when at their most vulnerable.

The majority of Toussaint's knights were slain, as well as a large portion of the civilians caught in the crossfire, Anna had watched as those Monsters gorged themselves on her subjects flesh and blood. She'd even tried to stop them, only for her knights to pick her up and retreat towards the tower that held her sister, it being one of the most heavily fortified places in Beauclaire at the time.

Flashback :

Henrietta was horrified when the knight kicked open the door to Syanna's room, the beast Dettlaff was holding her off of the ground by her throat, a scowl etched into his face.

Dettlaff "You did this to us Rhena, I hope you understand that." he states as he rams his claws into her stomach, splattering blood across the room.

Henrietta "SISTER!" she gives a baleful scream as Syanna is killed.

The knight that'd brought Henrietta drops her and draws his weapon, fearfully defending her against Dettlaff...

Dettlaff turns and looks at them, "Hm, the betrayer has come before me?"

Henrietta bites her lip hard enough for it to bleed as she looks up at Dettlaff, "YOU, WILL PAY FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE!" she shouts, the knight defending her trying his best to get her to back up so he can retreat...

Dettlaff "And so will you, I send his regards for attempting to kill his "Woman", you have less terrible enemies than I." he states.

Henrietta gets up and accidentally pushes the knight towards Dettlaff, the vampire swiping his claws and beheading the man with ease... The Duchess doesn't seem to care however, picking up the fallen sword and swinging it at Dettlaff!

*Clank!*

The vampire stops it with ease, the sword colliding with his claws as though they were a steel wall... He grabs the blade and snaps it in two, walking towards the Duchess as she falls down onto her backside again, "Rest assured betrayer, your time will come... But it is not my place to kill someone else's quarry." he says swiping his claws and cutting three deep wounds into Henrietta's face before turning into mist and leaving.

Flashback end :

Henrietta sighs and rubs her face, the deep scars on her face constantly reminding her of her failure towards her sister, and her country.

*HAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!*

A peculiar sound echoes through the area, causing goosebumps to cover the Duchess arms... It minded her of a similar sound that'd recently been heard across the continent, aswell as the loud call Dettlaff would make when he summoned his vampiric kin...

She didn't move from her spot, continuing to watch out the window as the sun started to set over her previously prosperous country... One thing caught her eye however... A cloud in the sky was moving too fast to be natural, that, and it wasn't the fluffy white of all the others, instead looking like a bulging mass of black.

...

She drops her wine and it loudly smashes against the floor, causing maids to run to her aid...

"Duchess, is something wron-"

Henrietta "QUICK, RING THE BELLS, ALERT THE GUARDS!" she shouts, just as the cloud of black approaches the city. She could not spot out different entities within it, causing her heart to feel like it'd stopped.

Thousands of black wings form the cloud, most looking like regular bats but she could see large Gargoyles or other monstrous entities also present.

Her warning was apparently too late however, the cloud sweeps over the city like a wave... A few of the black figures head straight for her window, Henrietta only now realising they were drawn in by the lanterns in her room. "Quick! Turn out the lig-" she shouts, but is too late.

*CRASH!*

A crowd of bats smash through the class, sending shards everywhere as the small creatures transform into humanoids. They don't say anything and bare their fangs at everyone within the room, rushing and biting the neck of the maid as others approach Henrietta.

Henrietta "Back fiend! Or I'll... I'll-"

"You'll what mortal?" one asks, saliva dripping from his mouth as he eyes her neck.

"Stop, look... She's been marked." another says, pointing at the claw mark on her face.

The first growls in irritation and shakes their head reluctantly, walking past the Duchess in pursuit of the other inhabitants within the castle.

Henrietta curls up into a ball as she watches the vampires tear apart the body of her maid, gulping down the blood as if it were the Elixer of life. Her trembling is followed by silent sobs of despair, she knew that her kingdom was gone, and a new race would now rule.