[b]Team Zouyu is banned from using triple maximize[/b] Upon hearing the call from Graft Kladora stumbled and then halted her careful stride though the field of crustaceans to listen to the message, holding up a hand to halt the other’s advance along with hers. [color=Crimson]“Oh dear. Well that does [i]not[/i] sound good.”[/color] she said quietly to herself before raising a hand and gesturing for the party to return to solid ground. One hurried explanation later and the hunting party were all racing back to the chateau at full pelt under the influence of several rider and beast tamer movement speed buffs. As they did so Zouyu looked for reassurance that everyone back at the chateau was going to be alright. [color=Crimson]“They’ll be fine,”[/color] Kaldora replied, but considering communications had been interrupted via double explosion only moments ago it was hard to be reassuring [color=Crimson]“I hope”[/color] “And if they canny win without us, what in the blazes are we gonna do when we get there to turn the tide” Arthanar asked [color=Crimson]“Then we’ll have to act as the cavalry. Our progenitor’s collections, our home, our kin and comrades are in danger. We must do what we can to protect them all.”[/color] She replied before doing what she could from far away [color=Crimson]“Now somebody get me a bird so that- No wait. We have Graft.”[/color] she started ordering for their rather mundane form of communication before realizing she, probably, still had an open line to the director and the others. [color=Crimson]“Hello darlings, this is Kladora speaking. Zouyu, the Hunt and I are racing back as quickly as can be, but we are still a ways away. However, if one of you can get a hold of Agathina, or just get her on the line, and advise her of the nature of the threat we may be able to pull something out of the pens to help counter the invader. Just be aware that the higher level the beast we bring out the harder it will be to control.”[/color] she said to anyone listening, silently praying that that wouldn't be considered necessary. [hr] [b]The Beast Pens[/b] “Secure the cages! Unleash the hounds! Uh. uh. Prime the traps! We can't let anyone who comes down here survive for more than a second!” Agathina, the plate armored Vampiric Beast Tamer who had been left in charge yelled as chaos engulfed the Beast Pens in response to the alarms. Thralls and Vampires scrambled to get the underground pens prepared for invasion. Some precious beasts were locked away from sight to protect them, others were let off their leashes and various traps were primed to drop invaders down into the pens from the surface grounds of the manor. The ones leading down into the aquatic section of the pens were particularly nasty for anyone wearing heavy armor, but most would lead down to kill zones or particularly nasty pens. The sound of frantic activity died down as everyone got into their designated positions and was replaced by a weary silence as they watched the drop points. And waited. And watched. And waited. “Nothing?” Agathina finally said as she peaked up from behind the wall of the crude command center built at the center of the Pens. She glanced down the long halls to the other watch posts and, after exchanging a few chains of hand signals and messenger animals, verified that none of the traps had been triggered. “Either they got lucky or it’s a very small group?” suggested Dominique, who was the highest level hunter left in the chateaux, “Either way. They’re onto the climb by this point, so should we stand down?” Agathina scratched at her gauntleted arm agitatedly, and then shook her head “I. I don't know if they’ll just leave if they win like they should do? Or that they’re heading up at all? What if they come down here instead?!” she said, becoming increasingly agitated about the prospect of the invaders not following the rules of invasions. Dominique frowned, then grabbed her musket and waved a few other hunters over “Then I’ll go find out what’s going on” “Oh? Yes. Good idea. Take a messenger bird with you and, uh, don’t get in trouble,” Agathina replied, before getting one of the scouts a messenger pigeon to report back. “We won’t. See you soon,” Dominique promised, before she dashed towards one of the ways up to the surface followed by three other vampires. “Stay safe!” Agathina called out after them before sighing and hunkering back down in the command post with one more thing to worry about.