“………………………………………………………….”

“………………………..I……….ov…………..nev……”

“…… and if we……….. but then……….. potassium….”

“In the bread?”

“………….. but then we would be faced with-……….”

Wince. Blink blink

“{Ugh… my fucking head. Where am?}”

Shuffle

“Oh hey look, this one’s awake,” spoke a now distinguishable male voice.

“This one… wait wha-?”

Chains wrapped around the one described as awake, chains binding them to a tree. There were actually five chained to the trees, a group of two, another with the one, and then a big bulky guy double chained and by themselves. Around the trees, about a half dozen small campfires with many people in and out of uniform sat around, a few with blankets around the shoulders, some already asleep on the ground. Stood around those chained up were several soldiers in uniform and holding weapons, melee weapons mostly.

The individual shook in a vain attempt to straighten out, “What the bloody hell is this?!”

“Oh lookie, the bastard is awake. Oi Bakuuva, guess you were right.”

“I told you I didn’t hit them that hard Dante.”

The slightest crunching of grass and scuffled dirt, a figure stepping right in front of the chained up individual. The individual looked up into the emerald gaze of Elise, now kneeling down with her knees not coming close to the ground, held up by just the fronts of her feet.

“Hello there. Drake, right?” she spoke, looking back at the bound man.

“You- you’re that- what is this? What have you done? What are you doing you crazy-”

“Crazy bitch, yada yada, yeah I get that. Look I just have a few questions is all,” she interrupted while moving her right hand out just beneath Drake’s chin, holding it up shortly thereafter and in place, “Only fair that you answer.”

“I ain’t telling you anything lady so go fuck yourself!”

“See now that’s what I was expecting,” she spoke now beginning to rise with her hand taken away, “But lets just skip the dialogue and cut right to it. You’re a prisoner, your people sound like the kind of people that would sooner kill you than let you talk- probably kill you even if you escape. So it’s certainly in your best interest to comply.”

“Pft- it isn’t so black and white as you put it.”

“Well enlighten us then,” Elise began to conclude, the soldiers and Dante now walking around behind Elise who still stood over the captured Drake.

“We chose this, alright? We know the risks. We know what we are up against. Dying is infinitely more preferable compared to what our masters are-”

Elise’s head tilted to the side, “Masters are what?”

“I have nothing more to say to you people. Wasting your time!”

“Miss Bakuuva,” came the call of one of the soldiers, the captain from earlier to be precise, who now was approaching, “With all due respect, I don’t think you’ll get much out of them.”

“No?” she questioned, turning to acknowledge Captain Mercer.

“He seems rather set on not saying a word, fear I suspect.”

“Fear is easy to exploit if you understand it captain. From the bit you told me, Sarzento is nowhere near here and has its own problems. So why was he offering you a deal?”

“Because he… uh-” a soldier began, “He wanted to keep us out of it so he could finish you and then deal with us?”

“He got too specific for that ruse. I suspect he genuinely wanted you to leave and not bring any attention to their little cult.”

Gulp

Elise turned back towards Drake, looking down upon him, “Whoever or whatever he fears ties back to Sarzento. So- how about it Drake? You either cooperate or we can barge out of the Hollow and send you back with them.”

“… I despise you,” he growled, glancing away, “Won’t make a lick of difference. You ain’t getting out of this forest. You beat us but there are many more like us, and some beyond comprehension when compared to us.”

“You mentioned a… what was it? Trio day? Trio… umm?”

“The Trio de la Muerte. Heh, yeah,” he spoke with a wide spread grin, looking over once again, “They are our strongest by far. Your three friends, those were your friends right? The Vampire, The Elf, and The Drachen. The Trio dominated them in battle without our Infernals. I don’t know what you and the other dink can do; but if you were assigned to track down those weakling knights then clearly you are the weaker ones. You haven’t a chance in hell!”

“Far from the first time I’ve heard that, rather bit of a mundane threat if you ask me. Well then, I guess we’ll just have to go and see this Trio de la Muerte for ourselves.”

“You’ll never survive this, they’ll kill you you dumb cow, they will end your life!!”

“… I believe that we’re done,” Dante spoke, walking away with Captain Mercer and Elise both, whilst a few of the soldiers moved in with a mouth guard.

The camp they moved through was rather large with a well cleared clearing. Chopped trees and logs everywhere, tents and lines strung about, creatures resembling deer and coyotes hung from those lines. A few soldiers spent their time swinging away at lumber with mini axes in hand. Others were in the process of heating kettles and meat over the open flames. None seemed particularly on guard, none seemed particularly anything for that matter. It was as if all the troubles in the world were nevermore present here.

Mercer and a few of his aids walked with the duo of Elise and Dante, both of whom seemed as relaxed as the Sarzentans around them. The campfires illuminated the clearing pretty well, exposing mountains of crates and supplies far off near a raised section of earth. Exposed as well were strands of a white powder, perhaps a chalk or sand unclear at a distance. These strands did in turn run around the entirety of the clearing, possessing a slight glow about them.

“Arrogant bastard now aint’ee?”

“Those certainly aren’t the immortal stab-them-in-the-heart Vampiric we had heard about. I’m willing to wager that these Meurte people are though if they captured Blake’s group.”

“Captured? Are we sure that they’re actually alive yet there Bakuuva? I mean thinking ‘bout it now-”

“It doesn’t change things for us Dante. If we want out of here we need to find that building, meaning we’re going to be running into those things rather we like it or not.”

“I hate to interrupt your discussions but we have an accord as well.”

“Captain Mercer, I am very much aware of that fact; but this is a huge forest. It will take time to find your Princess, if she hasn’t been captured already.”

“Agh, an’ I hate to say it but we really could use that Fen Rao bastard’s help if we’re going to be chargin’ into enemy turf. We should get back to hunting those guys down.”

“We should get a move on soon either way. The allies of those five will be on the lookout when they fail to report back in most likely. We’re better moving as two, while Mercer’s men hightail it for Lox Town.”

“Captain Mercer,” one of the aids began, “Are you sure about this?”

“… no son, not at all. What more can we do on our own though? Unless the homeland sends in a new Code we won’t be good for much. We can only hope that Princess Adalaine’s personal guard have kept her well, and we can then only hope that those guards with these two can capture this ghost town they’ve talked about.”

“And with that, lest get a move on Bakuuva, while we have the element of surprise yet,” Dante broke in.

“Agreed. We will meet again Captain. Just follow the directions and get there as soon as you can.”

“Very well. Happy hunting to you both.”

With a flicker of the shadows, both Dante and Elise vanished without much trace. Only a swirling cloud of dust danced behind where they had once been, leaving only Mercer and his aids. The captain looked to their former positions and ground to a halt, a sigh leaving him, his stare soon adrift out into the darkness before them all.

Mercer’s attention soon shifted back behind him, “Alright, ready up to move out! We’re bringing these cult pricks with us!”

Mercer moved from the boundary of the clearing back towards the camp, a flock of birds scattering behind… a flock of black birds, birds with red eyes. From the flap of their wings like a cloud of ash, a figure stood out among the trees. A figure in black, a figure of dark green eyes with the slightest of glows to them. This lone figure stared out at the camp, their focus LOCKED to Drake and Vamu. With a tilt of their head ever slightly to the side, a wave of rings washed through the pupils like flames erupting outward, pulsing to life within the eyes.

“Vamu’s team has been captured, Lord Soreis.”

What stood now was none other than a vast chamber, complete with decorative glass windows in color, broken and smashed wood benches, large columns around a vast rectangular room, statues erected all around covered in growth. Vines reached around the chamber and up to the balconies. It was at the end of the chamber, beneath a large Rose window, where a pedestal sat.

Before the pedestal, or rather behind, a single man cloaked in a pure black vestment, torn and ragged. This figure, a figure of darkness with only eyes of flaming orange, looked up across the way to another figure. This one was transparent, dark in nature, eyes green and radiating. Upon the balcony above sat a black bird with red eyes, staring right down at the pedestal.

“Captured? By who? Speak Feng!” the orange eyed figure demanded.

“Not sure… a squad of Sarzentans hold the five now; but it was a girl who defeated them just a little while ago.”

“A girl? Alone??”

“Seems to be… there are two of them, allies with those three that Maja’s team captured just a little while ago.”

“Damn it all, seems as though Maja was right about there being others. This may prove troublesome for us.”

“The girl has left the custody of the Sarzentans, along with her partner. They are seeking knights from the Vampire Kingdom for aid against us… and there is another thing- the Princess.”

“Princess Adalaine? Mmm yes, she is still loose in these woods. It would be good in our case if we were to find her proper before anyone else, a valuable bargaining chip against Zaraka’s forces she would make… very well. See what you can do for Vamu’s squad and get them back. I will dispatch another group of Hunters to tend to this duo that you speak of.”

“Yes sir, right away sir-”

The green eyed shadow vanished with the squawk of the bird atop and the flap of its wings. This left only the figure of fire for eyes, their head lowering, a low growl escaping.

“How hard is it to destroy a damn- GAH! If we don’t wrap this up, no- no it’s probably too late already for as many platoons that’ve been sent. No doubt Zaraka’s spies know, which means they may come searching- oh if that happens. GAH!!! Rokral, prepare to activate the tower, the time has come for us to leave with our forces. But first- we shall put that puny town out of business once and for all!”