As you stand, you are struck by a heavy blow from somewhere.
As you start to move away, you are again thrown down.
And then you feel your invisible attacker grab and restrain you.
Not realizing her assailant is right there, Crystal rises, only to feel a crushing impact on her face as she is struck by the unseen thing. As she swoons, it again pushes her down. As she lands on the ground, she feels the pressure of something on top of her, the invisible thing restraining her.
"Please! We can work something out, I'm sure!" Even as she speaks, she tries to break the grasp of the thing on top of her futilely, her terror robbing her of any real coordination of effort.
However, as it tries to further restrain you, you can feel it slip and roll from you a bit, giving you a chance to escape.
"No, come back here!" the voice hisses.
Seizing her opportunity, she screams in effort as she feels the grip loosening, a copy of herself appearing as she attempts to get back to her feet.
Perhaps to your surprise, you are able to stand unmolested.
However, once standing, you once again find yourself in the clutches of your opponent.
...or do you?
Her copy is destroyed by an unseen blow, and she again feels herself grabbed by an unseen attacker. She tries to clear her mind, attempting to spellcast. She is able to concentrate long enough to get the spell off, waves of flames extending from her hands directly into the assailant in front of her.
Crystal manages to evoke fire at the invisible attacker. As the smoke clears, a tall, pale-skinned man dressed in fine silks under a thick back robe stands before her and attempts to push her to the ground.
He does so, sinking long fangs into her neck and drawing blood.
She kicks and flails fiercely, to no effect, as the thing feeds on her. Tears pour out of her eyes, but she starts laughing madly as she pushes futilely on the beast. Her voice, one of rueful understanding, interrupts her insane laughter, "I...I woke up first!"
As the creature continues to drain her the laughter gets deeper, huskier. She continues to struggle, but each passing second her strength wanes. "He put...put something in me." More laughing ensues, a crazed smile on her face as her heart starts to pound, her blood pressure rising.
She begins to get dizzy, turning sober for a moment, sobbing. "I changed my mind! I want to keep my breath!" After a few moments, her visions starts to fade, and she laughs again. "Breaf, he he he would say breaf." The laughter fades to a chuckle, then she is still as the thing drains the last of her life's blood away.
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Groaning. The very moment of getting up seemed to tell his entire body that it hurt like someone was jamming knifes into his calves.
Getting up and standing, Marcello curse his luck as he notice the absence of Crystal. After a short while of cursing, Marcello starts to stalk back to the Keep. He would need the help from the rest of the group. This night turned bad.
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Fate, hands steepled in front of her mask, turns her eyes up from her chessboard, which now has a very detailed dinner table and settings, with all the heroes and villains seated at it.
"Vat is it, Hellknight? Have the heroes made a countermove against us?"
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Shambling towards Fate, Marcello's armor is blackened by the fire, his entire body still hidden from view due to the bulking metal.
His voice seems urgent and impatient, "Heroes? No, it couldn't be... Too strong, not visible at all!" Sounding madder by the second, the Hellknight didn't look at Fate the first couple of sentences, instead his eyes scanned the room, trying to make sure that there was only her and himself in the room. "Coming from nowhere, using magic... No one with a body for my steel to hit!"
As it dawns on Marcello that Crystal isn't in the room, his shoulders slack. He looks broken, even in the armor. He sinks down on the floor, "Fate... I don't know... There was something that attacked us... And I..." Trailing off, Marcello starts mumbling incoherently to himself.
Victor, having given his bones a good scrub and wash, remains perfectly calm in his throne. "Sounds like you had quite a night, what happened with letting the High Priestess venture there alone? Was that not our original scheme?"
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Looking down at the floor of the Keep, Marcello didn't even raise his armored head to greet the Skeletal Wizard. The incoherent mumbling did stop slowly and it seemed like he collected his thoughts for a small amount of time.
"Complications... Went only as last resort..." He shook his head as he tried to recall the evening... It all seemed so blurry for him.
Marcello rushes in, explaining the situation. It soon becomes clear that Marcello is now undead, Crystal was abducted by some unseen force, and Sarcon is absurd.
As it is quite late, Fate determines to consider these facts in the morning. Victor and Marcello stay up and discuss as they do not need the sleep, and Sarcon does as he does. Crystal does not arrive that night. Soon it becomes Thursday morning, with no sign of Crystal, two undead party members, and a dinner looming on Friday.
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Sitting in his Throne, Marcello seems more at peace with him being an Undead. Victor had talked in high praises about the benefit from being one so and Marcello was starting to see it for what it was worth.
His body... Or the remains of it, did seem lacking in the way of the usual benefits, such as natural healing... But that was omething he could discuss with Crystal when she returned. He was certain Crystal would return. She was most capable and at times... sneaky, something Marcello was not.
Having the helmet of the armor sitting on the armrest next to his body, Marcello's face was nothing but a slightly charred skull, grinning as skulls tend to do.
"Victor... This weakened state of my body... Is it supposed to stay like this for ever?" The jaw moving up and down like it usually does seems slightly jarred, as if it just got a punch on it and tried to regain the feeling after the numb sensation. This whole situation was quite... Peculiar.
The skeletal figure remains slicked back in his throne, his loose-fitted robe giving a clear outline of his rib-cage, he pauses for a moment to ponder, unconsciously running a bony hand over his now non-existent chin. A dry, heaving sound is resounds quietly in the chamber as bone grinds against bone.
His existence had changed so radically, no longer was he burdened down by the tinkering tooth of age, no longer did he feel the weight of his frail body. It was envigorating and had left him almost shocked at first, but after mere hours of adjustment, he had found that this new existence suited him quite well.
Without even turning to glare at Marcello, he replies in the same tongue-less raspy voice he had taken a favor to, despire of the fact that a fair part of the raspyness was due to his teatrical nature rather than that being his actual voice.
"Wintrish, Wintrish. You are quite mistaken. Your body is not weakened, you are merely unaware of the perfection that you have archeived. You no longer endure pain, no longer will the tainting touch of poison be your bane and the pinacle of this enlightening state: No longer will you fall at the hand of our greatest tyrant: Time. You are not weaker, you are simply free! Any temporary feeling of ill ease can simply be chalked down to how you have yet to get used to this freedom."
"Now, we have a few matters we must attend to, due to the High Priestess' absense. We will have to furnish the ballroom, order fitting meals for the living members of their party, ensure that Sarcon isn't plotting to murder them all with his bare hands. We could petetion for the use of a magician for that last part, I hear some of them are capable of ensuring peace through some manner of spell. Unfortunately I have yet to see such a scroll before. We also need manservants, a butler and footmen. Unless you wish to see such matters handled by golems, which would be a horrendous breach of proper manners."
"I will personally handle the food delivery, the staff and the furniture, could you be so kind as to ensure that Crystal is found in the meanwhile? I am certain that she is just blundering in some manner of bed somewhere or praising her deity.
If I, however, turn out to be wrong then summon the rest of us, we cannot afford delay with the dinner coming up.
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No longer having the facial features to show his entire body language, the remains of Marcello stared at Victor with the hollow sockets. He could understand Victor's joy... The man had been more dead than alive when he still had all his flesh, but Marcello knew his body...
Or rather, he once knew it. Now he had to feel his way through it once again.
And he didn't like it so far. His body no longer burned, which was about the only positive thing he think of from the top of his head. Otherwise he felt as if someone had beaten him to the brink of death and let him walk. He felt weaker, but that could still be just because he didn't feel his own breath, the constant beating in his chest from his heart or the fact that when he looked at his bare hands he saw nothing but bones.
"Must I remind you Victor... My greatest tyrant was never time... It was the next battle." Lacking the raspy and theatrical tone of Victor's voice, Marcello sounded a lot like he did alive.
The skull shuddered slightly at the mention of Crystal. "Lady Shalhoume was taken, you know that! I even told you! Deciding not to pursuit the discussion again, he had already done so through half the night.
Sighing, a weird sound considering the lack of lungs, Marcello went to another remark in the speech from Victor. "Dinner? How do you intend to hire people as you are right now?"
Once more the jaw furls and unfurls, as Victor ponders for a moment. Not over such trifles as the difficulties as hiring staff, such matters could be handled through a messenger and a letter. Pure, innocent, efficient above every thing else. Likeable traits, good traits.
"Quite...I doubt we could handle such a powerful creature on our own, it seems that our only logical action is to wait and see what happens. I loath to sound this cynical, however, if she is killed then we could do nothing more than to throw our own corpses unto the pile. As thus, the show goes on as planned. I will take the position as the gracious host, if Crystal fails to show up before friday. We cannot afford to project weakness towards our would-be tormentors.
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The charred skull moved slightly back as in confusion. Who knew eyebrows was such a big part of expressions?
The armor shuffling a bit around on the throne before getting up and walking in a small circle on the plateau. *I don't like this...*
You didn't have to be an expert to see that it concerned Marcello that Crystal hadn't joined up with them again, but he knew that there was not a whole lot he could do about it, even if he tried....
Another Skeleton in the streets... He couldn't disguise himself that well... The Armor did cover up his entire body, so he didn't actually have to conceal that much... Maybe he could do some tracking and checking before the evening... Maybe he cold get Sarcon to help him out. Stopping (dead) in his tracks, Marcello just now noticed how desperate he was for help.
Playing with that idea, Marcello turned the grinning skull at Victor. "Why not let Fate be the hostess? She is the regent, isn't she?" Feeling as if he had participated enough in all of the dinner preparation, he added a quick remark of "Maybe Sarcon and I could go give the place a quick look... At least narrow our search a little bit." Whilst adding a silent, *If he wants to find Crystal.*
Fate returns from her meditations, a clarity of purpose in her form once more. "Fraulein Shalhoume must be found. She is a crucial element of our plans, und her disappearing at this juncture reaks of more than simple coincidence. Ve may have more enemies than Fate originally anticipated, enemies vith far greater resources and far fewer moral compunctions than our more heroically-inclined associates."
Fate nods towards Marcello as she seats herself in her throne once more. "Fate vill take the roll of hostess." She turns to Victor. "You have great skills in the subversive arts, und your intelligence netvork vill be quite a boon in searching for our missing comrade quickly und--most importantly--quietly."
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Lowering his eyeless gaze, Marcello tried his hardest to think of a reason for him to go out and search. He knew that he might spot something, but he had no idea how to follow it... And as it was, he was probably not the one to speak to people.
So what Fate said made sense, but he just didn't like the idea of walking around at the keep, doing nothing. Sighing slightly, Marcello nodded slowly and returned to his own throne.
"You are of course right Lady Fate." The voice did get slightly muffled as he put the helmet back on and concealed the grinning skull once again.
The Magister uses a moment to examine his fingers as he nods quietly, his eye-less eye-holes peers long at Fate.
"I'll see what I can sniff up, your Ladyship. Marcello, would you be so kind as to provide me with some muscle, just in case?
Without another word he rises from his throne and walks towards the exit, only waiting shortly at the door for Marcello to ignore his request or pass after him. As he stands waiting, he lifts his customized mask to his face and carefully fastens it properly. Activating the locking mechanism.
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Turning the head at the Skeleton leaving, Marcello only makes an almost invisible nod before he raised from the throne once again.
"Just in case." He echoes as he follow Victor as the armored figher. Hidden in plain sight as his former self, Marcello felt confident that he wouldn't be seen as anything else... *Hiding in my former shell... I suppose I should get comfortable in here.*
And if anyone were to come too close and ask questions, He would be more than adequate if Victor's words was not enough.
Turning around as a thought struck him, he raised a last question, "So when would be appropriate for us to return?"
Fate rests her head on her gauntlet. Her index finger taps a slow tempo against her mask as she considers a multitude of scenarios. "Appropriate? Proper excuses can be made for any time. Fate vill make do entertaining by herself if need be."
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Inclining his head in a gesture like a quick bow, Marcello turned and started walking away.
"Let's go then, Victor, I will show you where we got attacked..."
Walking through the streets, Marcello did his best to remember where he last saw Crystal... Shouldn't be too hard, considering the damage he might have made on the street.
Arriving at the spot, Marcello gave it a quick look around.
Sarcon wanders in, having been gone all night, right around the time that Victor and Marcello are leaving. Some undead business to attend to, no doubt. Fate appears to be pondering something, as usual. Crystal is gone, but who can really say why? She's probably doing something important.
Marcello finds the location of the attack, chipped paving stones from his sword and a notable amount of dried blood still present at the scene.
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Pointing out what was spotted, Marcello moves as well as possible along the trail of blood. Sadly it only takes him 2-3 steps to realize that he doesn't own the skills and that he is just lucky that the trail is as damn lucky.
Stopping after the first 3 steps, he turns and look at Victor in his mask. "So... What do you get out of this? This attack that is."
Marcello wasn't a great thinker. He didn't see much further than the next couple of days... He might have to change that considering that he had all the time in the world now...
But Victor seemed to think more ahead, in several tracks and everything, maybe he would see more in this attack than Marcello did.
Looking down on the tracks again, Marcello crouched down and tried to follow the tracks again.
Victor runs a hand over his mask; his eyeless glare starring at the scene of the short-lived battle. He doesn't seem to learn much from it, beyond the fact that blood had been shed and swords swung violently around.
In a vain attempt to preserve the very carefully prepared reputation he has gathered, he looks to Marcello and continues:
"A point, my dear Wintrish. It seems evident, from the lack of Crystal's corpus on the ground, that the creature has had some desire to either hide his activities with her or has had some desire to inflict a benevolent fate on her.
It might seem strange to consider, however, my rational goes like this: The vampire could easily have terminated all the witnesses, that being the lot of you and as thus lower awareness of his presence in the city. The fact that he not only let you live, but also took Crystal with him, makes me believe that it is the work of benevolent creature. If it had been afflicted with a streak of cruelty then you would no longer be here. As for the blood trail; let us fetch Sarcon."
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Looking up from the tracks, following them as far as he could before the distance was too much the cobblestone covered up for the blood, Marcello could barely believe what he heard.
Standing up in full height, he turned towards Victor and walked a bit close, just so that no-one would overhear them.
"I wouldn't be here anymore?" The voice boomed from Marcello. He was pissed, but then remembered that his voice wasn't the most subtle or quiet one, so he toned it down.
"I am not here anymore. He set fire to me!" He hissed out the last part and stared into the fake eyes of Victor. "When he set fire to me, it was mot likely to remove me... You, I and the rest of the group. That is the people we know, know about me. Know about the powers we have been granted."
He stopped, took a deep breath... Then stopped. Why did he take a deep breath? He didn't need the air, he didn't have the lungs to hold it in... Was it just for the effect? Victor was not a good influence when it came to being less theatrical.
"He came, he struck me down. That much is certain. The fact that Crystal isn't here can mean everything between her running away, all the way till he burned her to ashes." Once again he stopped, no deep breath of air this time. Instead he made a hand gesture towards the blood.
"But the fact that there is a trail of blood for us to follow, could instead mean that he brought her somewhere else..."
He turned and chose deliberately to stand with his back to Victor. A moment of silence went. Then he turned around and looked at victor again. His voice wasn't angry or loud... Instead he seemed wondering "I might only have survived because of our deal with De Wesnu, right? So what if Crystal also survives because of that?"
"Fine, fine. Impatience in youth. I'll fetch our sharply nosed companion. Remain here, alright? Do not follow any strange persons, right?"
Victor's minor agitation is rather evident as he strolls off towards Sarcon's location, which is hopefully the keep.
Victor fetches Sarcon while Marcello remains in place. A few gawkers arrive to survey the scene, with light mumblings about perhaps someone being murdered. However, the sentinels seem to pay the scene no mind, so the people don't stay long with their conjectures. In fact, the sentinels rather appear to be searching the City, but for who or what is anyone's guess. So long as they're not being rounded up or taxed again, the citizens seem content to let well enough alone.
Sarcon smells vampire headed towards the east gate of the City. However, past that, the trail is a bit iffy.