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[h3] Hunting Mission [/h3]

Lia wanted a silent approach, a calculated entry to map out just what they were up against. A coven could span from a small group to a literal army equaling that of a king. Even then, experience would play a vital role. An undead creature could easily accumulate generations of knowledge, know the workings and inhibitions of man, as they, too, were once mortal. Time was not against these creatures, maybe even for them.

With how small their hunting group was, Lia hoped for the former.

What little Lia had gathered before, she spoke to the group. [color=a0410d]"We must think of our strategy properly."[/color] She whispered. [color=a0410d]"We are better off to think carefully before we--"[/color]

[b]Ha! About fucking time![/b]

Lia's solemn warning was ignored. Completely. The hunter couldn't work with chaos; she wasn't able to perceive threats as easily as others, and the crashing of a wooden door, followed by the immediate clanging of metal, shouting and gashing was a sensory overload.

[b](You rash creature!!!!!!)[/b] A passing, annoyed thought. However, now was not the time to sulk at the circumstances. This mission would have to lack the finesse of a clean hunt, so Lia nocks a silver-tipped arrow: an untested (for her) method to eliminate a vampire.

She walked in and tried to make sense of everything. Everything was just an approximate location. This skirmish was too risky to go making blind shots, and her arrows were limited. When enemy and ally were so interlaced in sound and scent, Lia feared to take a shot. This was also considering her arrows could be retrieved after, a wrong shot against a wall or through bone would easily break her arrows, rendering the rare metal at the tip useless.

Lia was useless in a group fight, and decided not to intervene. 

[color=a0410d]"May fortune favor the fools.."[/color] She whispered, now trying to go deeper. She does so by following the path close to a wall, until she felt the feel of a door and the metal knob. The hunter tread carefully, turning her ears towards the little disruptions along the corridor. A creature that equals man's thinking would also know how to slink; they would know how to use stealth, as she did.

Her adrenaline spiked, her heart was leaping. This dulled her ears as every beat rushed to her hearing. However, every bump, every drip and footfall didn't go unnoticed as the fighting above dwindled. Until there was silence again. Perfect. Lia breathed slowly to calm herself, bow and dagger clutched on her right hand, ready to strike anything that passed her. Her blade was wrapped in thin cloth, an attempt to hide its glinting. The soft light of the wall scones already gave her away: an advantage for the blood-addled monsters.

Still, she pursues forward, watching her steps: a light tap on the ground, followed by a footfall on solid ground. As she enters the next room (Area 4), the unmistakable sound of presence filled her ears. It was a resounding sulk-like sound. Almost crying. Then, rattling of chains.

[color=a0410d]"What are you doing here?"[/color] Calmly, she asked the caged... human(?) Lia was well aware what this being [i]could[/i] be, and chose to keep distance.

No response, however the sulking stopped. "Please.. h--help me. I don't want to--" The being growled like an animal, a guttural sound from his throat, immediately followed by snapping of the teeth. "I can-- I can feel myself turning... Please."

[color=a0410d]"..."[/color] There was a shared moment of quiet. Each passing second affirmed her suspicion, and she just nodded. [color=a0410d]"I understand."[/color]

"There should be a key by the table th---thh---grrrrrr--there!" There was a slight gurgle in his words, a viscous liquid spurted from his mouth by the sound of it.

Lia nodded again, extending her hand to find a wall. She made careful stride as to not knock anything over. This little fumbling, and her ever unchanging gaze gave it off. "Y--you.

you're.." The captive rattled his cage, incredulously pointing out the now-obvious

[color=a0410d]"blind? I know."[/color] Lia interjected. [color=a0410d]"am I near the table or not?"[/color] Sharply, she followed up. Her mercy was well above her patience, so she continued to 'help' this prisoner avoid turning.

Finally, she reaches the table, now feeling the surface. She tried to make her search quick, as any moment a fully-turned vampire could swoop in and catch her unaware, with only a dagger to protect herself. This would spell the end of her quest, and probably life. After some light taps, a small piece of metal touched her fingertip. Lia picked it up and studied the form. The ridges at the end only confirmed what the object was. She crept over to the cage and lay her hand on the lock, feeling the keyhole to open the cage. She held the dagger tightly with her other hand.

[color=a0410d]"You will be free soon.."[/color]

Everything happened so fast. "I--I'm so sorry..." 

As soon as she turned the key, the creature pushed at the small door and burst out of the cage. It kicked strongly, the brunt of it felt almost like a horse's kick! This caught Lia off as she stumbled back briefly, rolling on the dirt. "I'm really-- really...s---sorry."

A weight fell on top of her chest as cold hands cradled her head and shoulder, then pulling the two apart to reveal Lia's exposed neck. She tried to buck him off, thrashing now and fighting against the firm grip on her form. This clash went on for some few seconds until Lia surrendered her fate. She clenched her jaw and prepared for the inevitable. Even with the dagger in her hand, the creature could easily make use of what little life it still had left.

"I can't help it. I'm just so hungry and you looked so delicious. Your blood.. your.." He said nothing else, now plunging his barely-sharp fangs against the hunter. Lia made a last effort to push him off, having the vampire miss her vein completely, instead biting at the muscle near her collar bone. He gulped and slurped hastily, messily, unconcerned as the life from his prey dwindled with every intake. And in turn, Lia, too, thrust her dagger at the creature. The vampire wouldn't relent as Lia fought back. 

It was able to take two gulps before its end came. She stabbed him over and over and over, each one weaker than the last. Until the vampire stopped feeding and fell to the floor, stiff. 

Her fate has been sealed as she rolled forward to prop herself against the table. She fumbled, disoriented by the blood that spurted from her side. Lia was somewhat drenched in her own blood as she now pressed her palm against the bite wound, applying pressure to stop the bleeding.