[color=A0A0A0][h2]Fleuri Jodeau[/h2][/color]

Fleuri's reaction to the hooded man catching the sword in his teeth was initially bewilderment at the audacity of such a move.  It quickly gave way to a wave of terror, however, as he saw the man's red eyes and bared fangs.

[i]By Reon, this is no ordinary rogue.  This man is a vampire,[/i] Fleuri thought as he stepped back, assuming a defensive posture as his foe let go of the sword.  It was fortunate that the crown knights' helmet hid the look of fear on Fleuri's face, although an astute observer would note the discomfort in his movements.

"Allow me to introduce myself.  I... am Damon Cal," the vampire spoke.  In the span of a few seconds this vampire had gone from an arrogant noble to a vicious, sword-biting predator, then regained his civilized veneer as quickly as he had discarded it.

[i]I don't recognize that name, but it seems that Phoran was not the only member of the Cal family to head down the path of damnation.[/i]  If Fleuri wasn't still shaken from the surprise revelation that he was fighting a vampire, he might have retorted with some stinging banter.  [i]Calm yourself, Fleuri.  If they see you're afraid, they'll be afraid too,[/i] he silently told himself, recalling an old adage: courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death.

"Uhh, we have a vampire here.  Uhh, what do we do?" asked Jarde.  The reaction and worry of his fellow knight made further strengthened Fleuri's resolve to steel his nerves.

"I'll tell you what we do, Jarde," Fleuri said, doing his best to compose himself, although his voice was still a little shaky.  "We reconcile him with the death that he has fled from.  We spill his unjustly taken blood as Reon demands!  And we bring him to justice for his treasonous conspiracy!"  By the end of Fleuri's command, the fear in his voice was gone, replaced by the zeal of a devout Reonite.  He was still afraid, of course, but it no longer showed as much as before.

"Follow my lead, and don't allow him any breathing room!" Fleuri commanded.  Perhaps it was out of line, and perhaps it was a poor choice of words, but now wasn't the time for those concerns.  He rushed forward at Damon, raising his claymore and swinging it down diagonally with all his might.  Fleuri had some knowledge of vampires, and he knew that while stab wounds and shallow cuts were of little threat to them, they would not ignore a potentially dismembering blow.  It would be up to Jarde and Nicomede to capitalize on it, however, but he trusted in the skills and resolve of his brothers-in-arms.

[@PaulHaynek][@Krayzikk]