Return to Jorgaldur Volume IV: Reunion

Assault on the ruins (I)

Goldmi moved around the ruins, until she was within range of a vampiress who was guarding the place. She was hidden behind a half-ruined wall, but the goshawk had previously located her.

One after another, her arrows disintegrated upon reaching the shield that protected the place, although she didn't stop shooting. She wasn't worried about being found out. In fact, it was part of the plan.

Each one of the projectiles hit exactly the same spot on the weakening shield. Thus, the tenth arrow got through it, along with the eleventh. The twelfth was slowed down by the shield trying to close again, so the hole was enlarged once more.

It only took her a few seconds to shoot those twelve arrows, and more followed after. That vampiress was bored, and focusing her attention ahead. Therefore, the arrows that were coming with great speed caught her completely off guard.

Her level was similar to the archer's, so the arrows didn't have much trouble piercing her neck and arm with great precision. That arm became pinned to her body.

They were normal arrows, though enhanced with Piercing Arrow, Accelerate, and Purifying Touch. This last spell caused the vampiress intense pain, as if she was burned from inside.

The wounds were severe, but not as severe as other arrows that arrived just moments later. Some carried Light Overload, so they exploded in a burst of light. It didn't take long for her to be killed off.

Krovledi frowned. As she had lost one of her watchers earlier, she wasn't surprised that another might fell. However, the one who had fallen was watching the ruin, inside the shield.

"How did they get there so fast and undetected?" she wondered.

They had sent more troops to that area, in addition to the fact that there were many traps. However, the intruder, whoever they were, had made it this far.

"Damn it... FANGORM!" she called him.

The reptilian vampire came instantly. He was somewhat concerned about a small distortion in the outer shield, which he was on charge of, and wanted to investigate it. However, a call from his mother couldn't be ignored.

"Mother...?" he wanted to ask what was happening, but he was immediately interrupted.

"The Northeast watcher is dead. Send a team to investigate. Can you tell me what has happened to the shield?" she ordered, and asked with an authoritative and upset tone.

"Northeast...!?" he was surprised. "I've just felt a distortion in that area, but it was small. It can't be that in such a short time..."

"Investigate it NOW!" the visibly upset vampiress ordered.

The reptilian vampire's bluish skin paled as he gave a quick bow, and telepathically sent a small group of vampires to investigate. He himself decided to inspect it, although he had to go up several stairs, and cross some protections.

Krovledi watched him go, and turned to the elf who was tied up and unconscious. She was making progress to corrupt the blood of her victim, she was almost done. After completing it, the elf might barely live for a few hours, but she didn't care. It was more than enough time to absorb his blood. It would transform her, and presumably free her from the contract that tied her to her father.

"I'll finally be free from you. Wait for me father, your life belongs to me," she whispered in a threatening tone.

Goldmi hadn't moved from the spot after taking down the vampiress watcher, but hadn't been idle either. With Ethereal Arrows, along with Slow Arrow, she had been enlarging the hole in the shield. Also, thanks to Billiards, she could make the arrow return after hitting the stone, thus utilizing it a second time.

Gjaki had used the hole to send in some Bats, which had found that there was a second, even more powerful barrier. They wanted to attack it too, but a door opened. A group of five vampires crossed it, and reached the place where the vampiress had been killed. Three of them crouched down, and touched a small pile of dust.

"They're her remains. The sun doesn't reach here, it doesn't make sense that she ended up like this. Someone has to be behind it. Be alert," one of them warned.

However, the warning came late. Three arrows went through the hole in the shield at once, separated, and created a Light Trap. It enveloped the crouching vampires, to the surprise of the other two.

Without giving them a break, two more groups of three arrows created a Light Trap and another of Wind, which overlapped the previous one. The first added its power, and the second threatened to cut their clothes. After the third Trap, Light Overload arrows began to arrive. Some towards the vampires that had been left out, to blind and burn them, as they were vulnerable to the purifying power. Others arrows fell into the Traps.

Despite the chaos, the two vampires outside had only superficial burns on their arms. They had shielded themselves from the bursts of light with them, and soon covered them with their cloaks. The arrows aimed at them were being repelled by a Blood Barrier, if not dodged.

Also, though the light was blinding, they were equipped to counteract daylight. Therefore, the effect was lessened, especially after the first few that had taken them by surprise. Light-repelling white robes covered their bodies, while their eyes were shielded by what looked like dark diving goggles.

However, the elf's arrows caused them to be under heavy pressure, so they breathed a sigh of relief when two figures escaped from the Light Traps. Although, when they saw their state, they couldn't help but swallow saliva, and feel how fear invaded their souls.

Their heads were riddled with burns, and even some of the flesh looked as if it had fallen apart. At the same time, several sections of their clothes had been torn by the cutting wind, thus they had ceased to protect them. The parts of the body visible through those openings were also burned.

Although that wasn't the scariest thing. Their goggles had been broken, so their eyes had lost their protection. Where they should have been, there were only holes. Perhaps, one part of them was empty, and the other part burned.

"H... Help!" one of them pleaded.

The other one crawled towards the second vampire. She grabbed his pants with her half-melted hands, as if trying to get up. He was terrified, and unable to think straight because of what he was seeing and the smell of burning flesh. That made the vampire pull his leg away. The next instant, the battered vampiress was pierced by three arrows with Purifying Touch. It didn't take more than a few moments for her to turn to dust.

The other dying vampire didn't have much better luck. Unable to dodge and without the help of his terrified companions, he too was pierced by several of those arrows. The purifying power turned him to dust too.