coming at you fast, midnight

[cosmiccon]

Comments

[matriarchate]

It rammed the boat because it doesn't like its' neighbors? So much for a carefully built ecosystem.

( She relaxes then, keeping her eyes forward. )

[imnot_likeyou]

It rammed the boat because we were the disturbance. But it's not going to follow us because it doesn't like who lives next door.

[So Sam is going to slow down, to the point where they're inching forward, trying to disturb the water as little as possible.]

[matriarchate]

I don't know what's worse, two things working hand in hand at bringing our boat down or one not liking the other one enough to leave it alone and going toward that one.

( Equally, she decides, finally turning her attention back to David. )

After we do this for you, what comes next?

( Will this determine the scale of this oncoming witch war or will it stop it altogether? )

[maleficum]

I have a dinner date with the other potential participants in the Gauntlet, and we decide how we're going to do this.

[Ezra says Sierra's agreed to show up and he hasn't actually seen her in almost a decade. He doesn't know if he'll be able to convince her, but he hopes that he can.]

If it all goes to plan, we kill our parents, take over the day to day running of the Colony and try to make it better than it was before. Or we burn it all to the ground. Whichever comes first.

[matriarchate]

If your parents die, will that bury the Gauntlet?

( Or, if they burn everything to the ground. Will that bury the Gauntlet? )

[maleficum]

It will certainly end the Gauntlet.

[But will they be able to get to them before things get started? Hard to say.]

I don't know how timing is going to go though. Things still might get messy before they get better.

[matriarchate]

I would argue things already are.

( Her boots, for that matter, and this swamp. )

I'm not going to judge you. I don't know what I would do if something possessed my father. A trickster spirit calling itself the Nogitsune possessed a friend of mine. It sought and wreaked chaos. We were able to save him. ...Are there no loop holes for your parents?

[maleficum]

Oh, there probably are. But my parents aren't people that are worth saving, and it would probably do more harm than good. They'd want to be in charge, and from what I remember growing up, they're not interested in making the changes needed or reducing harm.

[It's a much cleaner solution to the problem if they just end the old guard entirely.]

This isn't a problem to be solved by heroes. And as much as I respect what you're trying to say there, my hands are already dirty. A little more won't tip the scales too far.

[matriarchate]

( The Colony really makes collateral damage a calling card. )

Some things are unavoidable.

( Or, they're believed to be unavoidable. )

Are you worth saving?

[maleficum]

Don't know. Not really sure I'll be able to say until I actually succeed or fail here.

[He isn't sure if he wants to be saved, or if he's okay with being one of those people who did what he had to do, and he's willing to live with it. That's something for him to figure out and maybe atone for when the Colony is in better hands.]

[matriarchate]

Well, you have someone, maybe two someone's - when you get to the other side.

( Maybe three or four if Dean and Elena are in. But, she wants him to hear he isn't alone. )

[maleficum]

I'll think about it.

[But he's also not sure on his odds of survival at the moment. At that break in conversation, however, they come up on a what looks like an old stone building, that rises up like a tower on an island in the middle of the swamp.

Unfortunately, sitting on the island, back resting against the door, is a man. Is clothes are rotting and torn, his posture casual, but as the boat gets closer, David moves past Sam to completely kill the speed on the boat.]

Great. Pretty sure that's a vampire.

[Almost as though to answer that, the person's head snaps up, as though they've been heard.]

[matriarchate]

( It's far, and Allison doesn't have her scope up. (2) )

Against the door?

[maleficum]

Yep. You brought a machete, right?

[That question is directed more to Sam.

"Yep. How fast are they in the water?"]

I'm going to hedge our bets and say very?

["Great." But he's going to inch back and try to have that machete ready. Meanwhile, the vampire just waits and watches.]

[matriarchate]

( Allison tip toes back again, reaching into her back and producing one, and then a second ring-dagger. )

One against three. I like our odds.

[maleficum]

[David nods, and braces himself against the boat and meets the vampire's eyes. And with a glint, he rises off the island and charges forward.

Sam braces himself as the vampire charges, taking a swipe with the machete once he sees it close enough (6 vs. 12), but despite being feral, the creature is fast, and is able to duck under the blade.

David comes up behind, casting a spell designed to echo in the vampire's ears and debilitate it with the senses some (17 vs. 5). The vampire screams, dropping to it's knees in the bed of the boat.]

[matriarchate]

( Allison slides into the fray, attempting to stab it in the back with the ring dagger in her right hand (18) )

[maleficum]

[The vampire manages to regain it's awareness just in time to zip out of the way of Allison's knife (20). It targets David first, in revenge for the spell, grabbing him from behind (17 vs. 15) to pull him back to bite.

Sam winces, waiting for David to get out of the way before he takes his chance to swing. David attempts to twist away (20 vs. 20), and while it is a struggle, eventually he slams his foot down on the vampire's instep and ducks just enough so Sam can take his swing (17 vs. 17) and the machete sinks into the vampire's shoulder rather than it's neck.]

[matriarchate]

( Allison twirls the ring daggers in her hands while her friends tangle with the vampire she'd missed with her first attack. She comes around from the other side, attempting to a front flip. She intends to smack it's head with her foot as she comes down, but Sam and David are still in such close proximity. (3) )

[maleficum]

[The vampire twists away from Allison (13), but that causes the machete to slice through, spilling blood. It doesn't matter that it's it's blood, rather than human blood - the scent hits him and he goes into a frenzy, twisting around to grab at Allison and bite into the nearest part of her he can find (16).

Sam knows that his position to Allison means he can't just slice clean through. But he holds his attack, flipping the machete down in his hand if he can get a clear shot.

David tries to duck out of the way and attempts the noise spell again (20 vs. 15) but while it angers the vampire, it only seems to feed the frenzy, doubling his efforts to get his fangs into Allison.]

[matriarchate]

( Allison isn't fast enough, too close to the action to avoid being bitten (4). She cried out as his teeth sink into her flesh. She tries her best to stab at him again, flying blind (7). )

[maleficum]

[The vampire doesn't dodge (2), but he also doesn't seem like he particularly cares, given that he's now being fed. He's just going to sit there and drink, completely oblivious to the boys behind him.

Sam's jaw sets and he glances over at David, and David nods. The witch charges forward grabbing the vampire by the shoulders and yanking hard (13 vs. 7), pulling him away from Allison and flinging him back towards Sam. He moves to then catch her, placing a hand over the bleeding wound, trying to keep her blood in her body.]

Easy. I got you.

[In the meantime, Sam's hunter reflexes are ready, and he slices the machete across the vampire's neck, severing it's head from it's shoulders (16 vs. 6), before tossing the head and the body into the swamp.]

[matriarchate]

( This is a familiar feeling, the damsel in their arms, substituting a sword for a vampire's fangs - but it's not nearly as fatal - just painful.

She seethes, sucking through her teeth. )

I'm okay.

[maleficum]

[Sam's panicked face relaxes some when she speaks, but there's still worry there, watching as David's hand remains clamped over the bleeding wound. "Is there anything I can - ?"]

In my bag. Peppermint and lavender, make a paste.

[He glances down to Allison as Sam obliges.]

Not only will it prevent infection, but you'll also smell great.

[matriarchate]

Just what I was wor-worried about.

( There's something about being bitten so deeply and violently that really brings body temperature down, but, she's not going down without a fight - or apparently peppermint. )