Thieves! Vampire Faces Toad

The marsh reeked of rotting corpses, blooms with odors unthinkable and soft, muddy ground which carried a most heinous stench. Despite the marshes seemingly doing everything in its power to drive the intruders off, it was at the very least kind enough to offer plenty of space to move through, with trees that stand far apart from one another, making it very easy to carry the casket through. Under the grand canopies, the servants of The Fifth Fang marched, the sun blotted out of the sky through the thick and lush foliage, all while cursing the scorching heat.

The leader of this group, as revealed by his position in the front and his elegant, diamondcluttered ring, were looking ahead and to his sides. Discovered they had been, yes, but how long would it take before they *were found*? The servants, though they hid it, were weary. The assassinations had been quick, the robberies even quicker. The ease of which the theft had commenced had been, by the ingenuity of Lord Allistaire Dracula, perfectly calculated but even though their master had been, in that silent, dark throne room, completely silent on this subject, both Allistaire and Dragul knew that the escape to their beloved, grey homeland, should have not been this easy. As they were nearing the border, Dragul could not help but eye left and right, back and forth, up and down, looking everywhere for signs of a trap or an ambush.

Scent caught. The scent of the desecrators was so very close. Riding atop the backs Horned Fiends, sat a company of eight Sahelian Saurai soldiers along with a company of twenty Priest Guards and ten or so Ceci Javelin combatants. "Stand back. Surround and destroy them." Commanded a deep whispering voice, carrying the weight and unquestionable authority of a god. The riders stalked their way aside before sprinting a far distance, ready to emerge at any moment and charge their foes. The Priest Guards hid behind the trees while the amphibian-like Ceci scurried up into the trees, holding the javelins at the ready for any movement. "What about you, Master?" Asked one of the Ceci with a bowed head. "I shall await them." Spoke their leader, the Sun King Stygian, sitting upon its hovering palanquin, cautiously meditating while anticipating their arrival.

On his neck a black chess piece, of the knight, hanged. It suddenly glowed red. He looked around with narrowed eyes. Panic, yes, he tempered it for if he were to show fear everyone would respond with paranoia. The chess piece glew brighter and brighter. Its red eyes looked Dragul in the eye. "Do not fail me." A voice whispered. "You know the price of incompetence." And as Dragul heard the voice fade his eyes closed.

And then he the terrible truth manifested for Dragul. All the soldiers stopped. Most of them were already afraid but even more afraid to show it. Dragul immediately took one step backward. The soldiers had already prepared their shield magic and shown their teeth. Dragul was the only one who remained composed for before him sat a creature as profound as the sun. Dragul narrowed his eyes. He knew who waited for him.

The foes stood before him. Carnage was soon to ensue, and Stygian reveled in the prospect. A deep and slow guttural growl accompanied his words as his palanquin slowly approached the raiders. "You shalt not pass. You infidels will return the dead to their rightful place, with your bones serving as it's foundation." The grand toad spoke. "You miserable defiers of natural order will reveal your names before your imminent demise." With these words, the soldiers tensed up, the Ceci, Saurai, and Priest Guards ready to assault them at the slightest of signals from Stygian.

"Bah." Dragul spat. The other soldiers readied their claws. "Let's cut to the chase."

Stygian reached down to his side and pulled forth a mace of stone and iron, balling it between his two hands before reaching upwards with it. Time seemed to stand still. Stygian's eye were closed as he muttered something under his breath. Suddenly, at a moments notice, he swung the mace and struck a large circle of gold hanging above him. Stone and gold collided, a sharply pitched, harsh ringing of warped metal rang across the area. "If death is what you desire, I shall oblige." Was all stygian said before javelins began to rain down from the canopies. After two volleys of javelins fell upon the company, a patter of feet against mud and leafs could be heard as the Horned Riders swiftly charged them, and the Priest Guard emerged from the trees and assumed their phalanx as they began to approach them.

The first one to unsheathe his *truefangs* were none other than Dragul. He jumped up towards the first horned rider. Midair his teeth grew and he jumped upon the closest Horned Rider. Instantly as teeth met flesh, the horned rider let out a yelp of pain and immediately fell. During the heat of battle the other covered their bodies with their mantles from the neverending barrage. As Dragul jumped upon one of the soldiers he looked at the cart. Two vampire soldiers were already dead, their heads detached from their bleak bodies. Dragul suddenly felt the tip of a blade come through his heart. Before the blade could pass any further Dragul screamed, turned around and sliced sunder the attacker's eyes.

Stygian looked upon the battlefield with amusement. The vampire lackeys stood no chance against his own company of Sahelians, the vampires slowly and systematically being pushed into corners by the ferocious yet cautious saurai. There was one however that intrigued him. A vampire soldier which appeared to be of particular renown when he lunged at one of his riders and felling him in a quick swoop. Coming to the conclusion that he was the worst of the bunch, he decided to minimize his losses, and partake in the battle himself. Placing a finger upon his brow, he then extended the finger forward, pointing towards the four remaining soldiers. The tip of the finger began to radiate a purple glow as four "bullets" of psychic energy soared through the air and pierced their bodies. One fell dead on the spot, but the remaining three would soon follow as the stagger and wounds made them much easier targets.

Dragul, upon the sight of his comrades weakened, vaulted backwards towards the cart were he, almost instantly, bit off the arm of one of his fallen brethren and threw it with its claws aimed towards Stygian's neck. Dragul then jumped towards one of the struggling vampires and gauged out his target's eyes. The screams were quick. The arrows continued hailing. Dragul pushed his teeth forward further and then leapt towards the archers.

Stygian raised little more than a finger, creating a small barrier to keep the severed arm from getting any closer to him. Looking upwards, Stygian took notice of his foe leaping towards his javelin throwers in the canopies. Raising his arm, he created a barrier of psychic energy which barred the way for Dragul to get any closer to them.