Location: ????? [@Pyromania99] [hr] [hider=The Vermin and a Cracked Moon] “Hungry?” Est picked up the umbrella…and then skewered a nearby rat on the end. The beast squealed and squeaked in pain as the woman would bring it up, holding it towards Akyasha. “Well do eat up. Your kind will need all the strength you can get, hm? Consider it a thanks for at least giving me a small respite from this boredom of mine.” She completely ignored the questions asked otherwise, choosing to instead keep her eyes lingering on Akyasha. As much as she preferred not to feast on such adorable creatures, Akyasha was indeed quite hungry. Besides, it was probably more pure than some human blood she’s ingested in the past… And this one seemed to be dying anyhow, the way it was skewered. “My thanks.” She gave a small prayer for the rat before bringing it to her mouth and sinking her fangs in, drinking up the blood. After she was finished, she set the poor thing down and gave another small prayer for it. It wasn’t often that she did this, but it was her first meal since waking up and the thing was squealing. It was the least she could do, probably. “How bored have you been, Miss Est?” Akyasha asked, looking towards the woman that had gave her a meal. “That you’re entertained to see a Cleric of Ichor?” “Ah? What are you praying over a little rat for?” Est replied, once again not bothering ot answer Akyasha’s question in an amused tone. “Its nothing but a tool for you, hm?” Still the rat was rich with fresh, warm blood, and as Akyasha would sink her fangs into its flesh she would feel even a small part of her power return as her stomach was filled with the warm, life giving blood. Perhaps she could finally make use of her Ichor granted abilities once more. “It only felt right to give a prayer, though, perhaps someone in what seems to be a cathedral to rats dislikes a prayer from a Cleric of Ichor?” Akyasha said, a small edge to her words though it was mostly to see if Est would give a reply to what the cleric has directed toward her. Still, she was happy to get a meal. The blood warmed her body some and she wondered if she would be able to summon some of her adorable Gorebats. It was hard to judge since she was not as strong as she once was. “Huhu, would you go to the temple of another god and pray to a different god? I would! I would find it ever so humorous.” Of all the questions she decided to respond to, it was that one. “Speaking of humor, it was quite funny watching those two attempt to capture me, of all people. Have you run into them? A man that looks like he’s seen far too much and a young girl that swings around dangerous weaponry too much.” “Hmmm.” Was the Cleric’s reply to the woman’s response. Really, it what she should have expected. “And no, I’ve only seen my own two companions, though if they were chasing you, they’re probably not too far from where they are.” Hopefully, the two hunting Est were only hunting her and not on the lookout for Vampires of all sorts. She wouldn’t have to worry too much though. The two that were with her were fairly crafty at the least. “Why were they trying to capture you?” The vampire asked, expecting well enough that she would not get an answer. “You don’t sound worried. Hubirs? Or ignorance? Likely Ignorance.” Est laughed, leaning on her umbrella. “That girl swings around a sword that contains the power of the Old Light. Vampires like you should very much be wary of her. A little rat like myself though? It was quite a pleasant experience when I wasn’t almost cleaved in twain by it, huhu.” A complete avoidance again. Seemed she wasn’t interested in answering probable important questions. “I don’t try to worry. Worry leads to bad decision making when in bad situations. If, at the moment, there were a couple coming to hunt someone, I’d have naught to worry of. After all, it’s you they are after. For now, at least.” Akyasha said, smiling ever so friendly. “But, I still wonder, why is it they are after you? You must be a somewhat dangerous thing if they are hunting you like that.” The Cleric then looked at the woman’s clothing. “Like a thrall of Lord Estime.” She was really hoping to get an answer to one of her questions at least. “...Huhu…” Est smiled. “Why are they hunting me? You ask the silliest questions.” The woman smiled, a wide, full toothed grin as Akyasha would quickly find the womans umbrella being pointed right at her chest. “Does anyone need a reason to do something? I could hunt you - kill you - right now for no reason and no one would even know. You’d just…pop, poof. Vanish. A little feast for my pets, chewed down to the bone unfit for a mongrel to play with.” The umbrella lowered after a few long seconds. “Lets just say those followers of the Old Light and the Serpent have no love of little vermin running around and leave it at that.” “Old Light and the Serpent.” Akyasha repeated back. “I see.” That was a better answer than she had hoped. She didn’t flinch at the woman bringing the umbrella up. No real reason to. If she was brought back by Ichor’s will, then there would be little reason for her to die here. Still, she wondered if it were time to leave. She doubted her two companions were missing her, but she should probably return shortly… Which left her with another question. “Where exactly are we? Are we still in Alavaris?” “I do believe you’re in a cathedral, or do I need to check your eyesight?” “In Alavaris.” “Well where else would you be?” Est replied as if this answer was obvious. “There’s no other city like this, after all! Or…oh dear, oh dear you’re so lost you don’t even know where in the city you are! Its okay, big sis Est will take care of you if you want to stay here~” If Akyasha were a less kind Vampire, she would likely swear at this woman by now. “It doesn’t look like anything that would belong in the Alavaris I know, so of course I wouldn’t think we were still in the city.” The woman said, smiling still. “What Vampire would worship a god of rats when we have a wonderful mother to pray to?” The vampire, looked Est in the eyes. “Besides that, there’s a light much too bright to belong in Alavaris.” “Is there? It looks normal to me.” Est replied with a frown. “Perhaps you’re simply dreaming or seeing things, hm? Or maybe you should go outside and take a look or yourself, hm?” Est smiled, holding her umbrella and pointing towards the large double doors at the end of the Cathedral. “Go on…I might be a savage little rat, but I assure you…I would never lie.” Akyasha narrowed her eyes. Trying to assess this woman before sighing. “Very well.” The cleric said before turning towards the double doors. She hesitated a small bit and took a breath before cautiously opening the doors. The doors creaked open, their old, creaky hinges swinging slowly as the vampire would push them open. A stream of light filtered through the crack, slowly illuminating the area immediately within. It was oddly not hurtful to Akyasha, even as weakened as she was. As the doors would finally swing open fully Akyasha would find herself stepping out on a balcony. And below her? Was the city of Alavaris. As pristine and flawless as the day it fell to the Hundred Paladins. Above, a moon broken thrice, hung high above illuminating the land below with a bright light. Est would follow slowly behind her. “Now, I wonder whose dream this is?” Est said with a chuckle. “Mine? Yours? Or perhaps neither? Well, it doesn’t matter, little vampire. You should leave, this place isn’t for your kind. You’ll find the exit back in the Cathedral. Just pray to your goddess in front of the statue and you’ll be back.” “Whose dream?” Akyasha questioned herself. She had many thoughts but, really, she didn’t really think she wanted the answer. She gazed upon her city. It’s splendor. But, really, she knew this wasn’t real. There was no way. The darkness was the real world. “Alright. Perhaps I should be going.” The Cleric said as she entered the Cathedral again. Her stride brought her in front of the statue. “We shall see each other again, I feel. Perhaps we can chat over a tea, or something of the sort?” With that, she started a prayer to Ichor. Est was gone by the time Akyasha would find herself speaking. Where she went to was unknown…but perhaps, to the city below. As Akyasha would kneel in front of the statue, she’d begin a prayer. As she’d close her eyes, darkness would once more envelop her, and in the distance she could see a faint, red colored star acting almost as a guide of sorts. Should she follow it, Akyasha would find herself back in the same alleyway she had been in earlier. The body however, was gone. And in its place was two rats, recently deceased. A little note was left behind scrawled in neat handwriting. [i]For my new friends friends.[/i] Akyasha took up the note and read it. She wondered if she had mingled with someone or something she shouldn’t. Still, she had a meal for her companions. She took the deceased rats in hand. She remembered where they went at least so she took her steps in that direction and pondered on those two the Est had mentioned. “A man that looks like he’s seen far too much and a young girl that swings around dangerous weaponry too much, was it?” The cleric recited Est’s words from earlier. Perhaps they were people to be wary of. [/hider] Location: Alavaris Gatehouse [@VitaVitaAR][@Click This][@Pyromania99] [hr] “Humph.” The man smiled faintly at Giselle's reply, seeming if nothing else amused by her ssass as she’d parrot his own words. “Rikard, if you must have a name to call me by. As for our quarry…well, your offer is appreciated but I fear the vermin has already slipped from our grasp and has fled the city to elsewhere like the coward it is.” He’d stuff his hands into the pockets of his coat, frowning perhaps, over their request of the vials. “So unfortunately, I do not believe there is a deal to be made here.” He’d say, glancing towards the direction the two vampires had come from. “Unless there is perhaps some other information you can spare for me…say like where the vermin may have escaped too?” And this, would be where Akyasha would find herself stumbling onto the small group of vampires and a human, catching just the tail end of the conversation of Rikard asking about where a ‘vermin’ escaped too. His eyes landed on the Cleric of Ichor with a mild disinterested stare, at least, until he saw the rats she was carrying. “...and it seems as though you might have some information indeed.” Location: Alavaris Cathedral [@Psyker Landshark][@Asuras][@Erode] [hr] Rest at last. As the vampires took to making themselves at home in the cathedral, the fresh blood from the vials were as sweet as any candy from the old era. Dragan would find his wounds mending from the boost in power, even if it was simply a small amount as flesh knit together and wounds closed. Illena would find her spent power returning and Luna would feel her own powers strengthen. The heart before Illena was a mystery. It smelled not of beast, man, nor otherwise. In fact, there was a faint [i]divine[/i] scent coming from it. Curious. The dagger itself too, was equally as mysterious. Curved multiple times, the blade was reminiscent of waves but colored a sickly green. The hilt was otherwise plain, save for an inscription in some language Illena was not familiar with. It too, had some sort of latent power but it was either too spent or faint for her to gauge beyond the fact it was not Ichor’s power. Luna cradled the thrall in her arms, and once doing so they could finally get a decent look at the weakened thrall. [url=https://i.imgur.com/rgK9U6W.jpg]Long, black hair and a cloak that covered most of her body.[/url] Her dress was otherwise a simple, if somewhat form fitting suit with pristine white gloves. As the vampire did so, she’d feel the woman’s body shudder just slightly, eyes opening weakly as she’d gazed up at Luna. “Ah…it worked…” Her voice was raspy, tired. “Oh, thank Ichor…ah…at least this…cowardly, masterless Thrall…could be of some use…” A coughing fit. That was unusual. Usually the moment a thrall’s master died they too, would shortly follow unless picked up by another vampire. Either that, or turn into simple, mindless ghouls unless they could find some manner of otherwise sustaining themselves. A gentle hand reached up, touching Luna’s cheek. “Please…the heart…Ichor has…use for it…it belonged to a great serpent…find the other lords…use its blood…bring them here…” This also meant that no, without some other intervention this Thrall was likely to die very shortly. It was a wonder she was still alive in the first place. It would be a trifle for one of the three to take her in. But perhaps neither wanted too. Dragan knelt and prayed as this was happening, and it seemed Ichor would deem fit to reciprocate communication, at least in a small way. Above the sermon hall they found themselves in, above was a second floor with a balcony that overlooked this one. Opposite of the statue, above the door that led out of the cathedral and onto the main road, a red light would blink into existence, filtering into the sermon hall from between the cracks in the door just right to illuminate the Ichor’s visage. He would remember that it was a balcony that overlooked the main Cathedral Yard, though the fact there was a light coming from there would be odd, considering their situation.