"Wha-what did you say?"
"Apologies Mistress, but the satyr has fallen, and the golem was lost in the swamp." Her attendant had a slight frown on his face as he bowed toward the Noble Vampire.
"Damn. The loss of the satyr is something that can be easily replaced, but the golem…how infuriating." Noble Vampire growled in frustration as she tapped her sharpened fingernails against the right armrest of her chair. "Those fools will be here soon then."
"Then we will just have to deal with them. Shouldn't be too much trouble for us." Wizard Boy smirked as he leaned against the nearby wall with a s smirk on his face.
"And what can a worthless fool like you do? Do you think that because I have bitten you that you're suddenly that much greater than before?" Noble Vampire stood from her chair; her simple scowl changed to a look of rage. "Your magic is still limited to only two uses per day! You may be slightly stronger than before, but you hardly compare to me or any other experienced individual!"
"You dare look down on me!" Wizard Boy now growled as he looked at Noble Vampire.
Noble Vampire effortlessly moved across the room, clutching at Wizard Boy's throat with blinding speed before effortlessly lifting him off the ground. Wizard Boy was now frightened as he looked toward Noble Vampire who hissed as she bared her fangs at him before throwing him across the hall, his body striking the wall with enough force to crack the wall before he slumped to the ground.
"You are only lucky that I might have some use for you to deal with those foolish adventurers. Don't you dare think that I will even hesitate for a moment to kill you." Noble Vampire growled once again before looking up at the ceiling in the grand hall way and shouting, nearly roaring. "Prepare for their arrival! Every beast in this castle serve your mistress!"
Within the ruined castle, the windows shuddered from her cry as the various creatures inside and outside the castle began to stir, each unconsciously ready to serve the mistress.
xxxx
"We arrived."
The group of adventurers stood before the castle with weapons ready, the background the sun could be see quickly setting. Around the ruined castle they could see several stone gargoyles staring out into the forest, many of the statues had been broken and were missing heads or parts of their bodies. However, now was not the time to be so concerned with the architecture but stop the Noble inside and rescuing the infected Wizard Boy.
"Be prepared for her tricks. Once inside, even the castle will act to protect its lord." Dhampir Hunter drew closer towards the door, his sword sheathed until he needed it.
"Those statues, were they used to scare away travelers?" Priestess paused as she looked toward one of the statues and watched a large crow fly away.
Half-Demon Thief looked up toward the statues, then squinting her eyes as she looked at them eyes when she finally noticed one of them twitch its claws.
"Those aren't statues! Gargoyles!"
With her cry the stone figures, eyes flashed open with a red light and nearly a dozen of the creatures took to the air shrieking as they did so. The group looked around nervously as the creatures began to circle above them; Harefolk Bowman let loose one of his wooden bolts only for it bouncy off their stone bodies.
"O Earth Mother, abounding in mercy, grant your sacred light to we who are lost in darkness…Holy Light!"
The area illuminated by the bright light, caused the gargoyles to shriek once again as they turned their bodies away and flew upward. With the distraction caused by Priestess, the rest of the party rushed toward the castle to push open the heavy doors and gain entry into the foreboding castle.
"Quick thinking on that Priestess, our current weapons are not up to par to handle those stone monsters." Half-Demon Thief smiled as she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.
"It as Goblin Slayer would say, we do not have time to waste. Oh my…look at this place." Priestess paused as she looked at the inside of the castle.
Inside the castle, or rather the great hall, was lit with several torches all around them. Dust and cobwebs could seen upon the furniture and armor decorations and in many regards it was very similar to what most of them had seen in the Lich Queen's castle, the only saving grace was it was at least warmer in there.
"Yuck, what a filthy castle. Then again, after traveling to the capital, I imagine that many of the castles we'll see from now will pale in comparison." Half-Demon Thief was quick to remark on their current surroundings while still keeping her hands on her weapons.
"I haven't been in many castles myself, so I don't have much to compare this to." Fighter cautiously looked over the castle expecting a group of enemies to attack.
"Quite the rude bunch you are."
Everyone's attention was drawn to the end of the grand hall where they found a beautiful woman with pale skin smiling at them. Harefolk Bowman raised his crossbow and fired, determined to finish the vampire here and now, but his bolt effortlessly passed through her.
"I…I don't get it. I though and attack to the heart would kill her."
"That is not her real self, just a shadow…a projection she's creating with her magic." Dhampir Hunter calmly took a couple steps forward ahead of the group. "Are you that afraid Noble? You don't wish to face us?"
"Foolish Dhampir, what do I have to fear from a mongrel such as you?" Vampire Noble continued to smile though everyone could see she was clearly irritated by the Hunter's comment. "I am a Noble, creatures such as you, the humans, and others are beneath me…like the dirt under my boots."
"Such a bold claim from a false Noble."
"What…what did you call me?"
"A false Noble. I use the title out of respect for the original nobles but try as you might, I can clearly see the bite marks you're trying to conceal." Dhampir Hunter was cold in his delivery as he calmly walked forward his long sword in hand. "You are nothing but a human who was bit by another, possibly a noble, and are now free from him or her and acting on your own free will."
"How dare you! You are unworthy of facing me! None of you are going to leave this castle alive!"
Noble Vampire screamed before her visage vanished from sight, Dhampir Hunter suddenly charged forward toward the other end of the grand hall to chase her down. Before the others could follow him, they heard the cracking of rocks and saw the dust fall from the ceiling; Priestess and the others looked upward to see two large slabs of concrete ready to fall upon them.
"Scatter!"
Priestess and Half-Demon Thief quickly dodged to the right, while Harefolk Bowman and Rhea Fighter jumped to the left as the massive blocks of rock dropped down on either side of Rookie Warrior and his party, trapping them in the center of the grand hall. The trio of adventurers in the center of the two stone slabs breathed a sigh of relief know they avoided the rocks crushing them but the weight of rocks had damaged the floor they stood on and it suddenly gave out on them and they fell into the pit below..
"Damn it, not again!" Rookie Warrior yelled as they fell into the pit below just as his group had in the castle of Lich Queen.
"Damn it." Apprentice Cleric groaned as she and the others landed hard on the ground then finally took in the sight. "Don't tell me were in the sewers of this castle."
"It certainly looks that way. Bah, the smell in here is just as bad as the swamps." Fighter grimaced as she covered her nose with her hand.
"Even when we finally move up in rank were still stuck in these blasted sewers!" Apprentice Cleric growled in frustration as she looked down to see her boots covered in some sort of dark muck.
"Okay looks like we got a path forward and back, which way should we…" Rookie Warrior stopped himself as he heard a familiar sound echoing in the tunnel behind them.
Apprentice Cleric too heard the sound of the creatures, one she wished not to hear again, and a quick look down the tunnel with her eyes she could see them approaching. Fighter raised her spiked gauntlets, not sure what kind of creature was making this odd high pitched shrieking sound while Rookie Warrior raised his sword and shield.
"Can you see them?" Rookie Warrior slightly took a step back as he heard the shrieking sound growing louder.
"I can, we need to move now! Run!" Apprentice Cleric turned toward her group with wide eyes and started to run ahead.
Fighter and Rookie Warrior turned and followed their comrade, Fighter spared a quick glance back and even in the darkness could make out the shapes of giant rats, more than a dozen of them.
"What the hell?" Fighter was terrified to see these giant creatures; the small ones were bad enough but now ones the size of a wolf was even scarier.
"Never mind, keep running until we can get to higher ground!" Rookie Warrior pushed his legs hard to keep ahead of the mass of rats behind them.
"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Why does this keep happening to us?" Apprentice Cleric had no desire to be eaten by these giant rats nor taste their own blood.
xxxx
"The rocks, I can't budge them." Harefolk Bowman pushed against the stone slabs, but they would not give an inch.
"We'd best start moving ahead otherwise we'll never get out of this nightmare." Rhea Fighter placed a hand on his shoulder and turned him away toward the hallway they had entered.
The hallway was spacious with a large carpet that seemed stretch the entire length of the hall, the two adventurers proceeded to run down the hall while it was clear of any visible enemies but once again they heard what could only be described as an inhuman groan.
"What the hell was that?" Harefolk Bowman raised his crossbow, sporadically aiming it in different directions.
"There…there must be some type of creature here in the hallway with us." Rhea Fighter put her back up against his with sword and shield ready. "It may be invisible, keep your eyes open."
"Right." Harefolk Bowman quickly gazed left and right and allowed his ears to try to discern the direction the location of this unseen enemy.
Harefolk Bowman could see any direct threat, but soon his eyes noticed the walls around them seemed to be moving. There was a look of utter fear on his face as he turned and ran forward grabbing Rhea Fighter's wrist and pulling her behind him.
"What's gotten into you?" Rhea Fighter struggled to keep up with him when she heard and felt the rumble behind them.
She looked behind her and saw the walls actually moving in and slamming together behind them, a scream erupted from her mouth and she turned to look forward and pushed her legs harder than she ever had before and ran forward.
"What the hell is going on? The walls are closing behind us! It must be the vampire's magic."
"Maybe…though it might be like what the Hunter mentioned earlier. I think this castle is actually alive!"
"For now, just run! I don't want to be crushed!"
xxxx
"Do you think the others are alright." Priestess had a visible frown on her face as she and Half-demon Thief cautiously walked away from the rocks down their section of the hallway.
"I'm sure they all made it away from that okay. We've partnered with them before and we've survived the forest and swamp together." Half-Demon Thief had a small smile on her face but that soon faded as she took in the view around them. "There has got to be some way for us to get back to the others or find that damn vampire and rid of her."
"This hallway itself is quite strange." Priestess commented as she looked around the hallway with a worried look on her face. "I know this is going to sound strange, but I feel as though the walls are alive."
"Alive? You mean as in the Golem we fought." Half-Demon Thief wasn't too sure about all of this but soon spotted fork that led to two branching hallways. "Looks like it splits up ahead, which hallway should we…"
Before she could finish, the hallway on the left sealed itself shut as the walls closed in much to her surpsie.
"What the…? I think you might be right; this castle is alive and responding to the will of the vampire. Which means, it's directing us in the direction she wants us to travel."
Behind them they heard the sound of rocks cracking and a quick turn around and they saw part of the floor cave in. From within this hole emerged more several humans covered his sturdy armor and sword in hand, each had a distant gaze in their eyes and the visible bite marks on their necks.
"Vampires." Priestess cautiously backed away as they drew closer.
"I don't think they're vampires. Look at them carefully, they're thrall of that vampiress." Half-Demon Thief drew out her blades and growled in frustration as she observed the well armored soldiers staggering toward them. "It's going to be a bit challenging to try and take them on here with all that armor. We best fall back until we can find a better spot to fight from."
"Leave it to me! O Earth Mother, abounding in mercy, grant your sacred light to we who are lost in darkness…Holy Light!"
Once again the burst of light flooded the area, the men screamed as if the light was actually harming them, but that distraction was enough for Priestess and Half-Demon Thief quickly turned and ran.
"Nice job. How many spells does that leave you with?"
"Two left." Priestess continued to follow with her friend down the hallway, noticing that the lights from the torches were beginning to fade and the angry cried from behind. "They're coming!"
Half-Demon Thief carefully scanned ahead, her eyes could easily see in the dark what her friend could not but here was no waiting for them in the front, juts the angry shouts from behind. Half-Demon Thief suddenly gasped when she saw the floor ahead of them suddenly drop away.
"Stop!" Half-Demon Thief held out her arms to stop Priestess from running any further and quickly brought herself to a stop before they fell into the large pit ahead of them.
The girls peered into the pit, for Priestess she could see nothing but heard something rustling down below but Half-Demon Thief had a frightened look on her face.
"Gods…it's filled with roaches…roaches the size of large rats."
"How…how do we get across?" Priestess was terrified of the idea of the large roaches down below but as he eyes adjusted to the darkness, she could see the pit was massive, too far for anyone, even their athletic elven ranger, to jump across. "Those men…they're going to be upon us soon. I can use Holy Light again and…"
"Wait. I can see a small ledge on either side of the wall, just big enough for our feet to stand on. We'll use that to carefully shuffle over." Half-Demon Thief knew that these men would not just let them walk away but then again who said they'd be seen moving. "Priestess take hold of my hand, I'm going to use Stealth."
"Ready." Priestess nodded as she took hold of her friend's hand and squeezed tightly.
"Hac…Forma…Celare…Stealth!"
The two girls vanished from sight and carefully inched their way over toward the ledge and with their backs against the wall, carefully began to shuffle toward the other side of the pit all the while the insects in the deep pit below continued to skitter about. The vampire thralls angrily groaned as they continued to run down the hall, determined to kill the intruders for their mistress, but they could not see the pit ahead and fell off the ledge into the pit below.
The moment the men fell in, the roaches swarmed over their bodies, Priestess closed her eyes and did her best to ignore the screams of the men while Half-Demon Thief paused and looked on in horror. One of the men, clawed at the side of the wall, whether he could see girls was unknown, but he appeared to lock eyes with Half-Demon Thief, he screamed in pain as he reached up until the large roaches swarmed over him muffling his screams. Half-Demon Thief found herself trembling as she watched the last of them men finally stop their struggling and their cries came to an end, all that could be heard was the sound of the insects still swarming over the bodies and tearing into the flesh.
"Ok…ok…let's just keep moving nice and easy…and get the hell away from this place." Half-Demon Thief tightly squeezed her friend's hand for reassurance before they continued to shuffle along the ledge.
xxxx
"I think you struck a nerve with that vampire their Dhampir. You already knew she wasn't a true Noble from the start didn't you?"
"The minions that she keeps directly beside her are of a low level. With the exception of the Archne and the Saytr, the rest are lower demons who respond to her magic ability, but she lacks the real power of a Noble."
Dhampir Hunter continued through the castle, knowing this vampire, she would use her minions to weaken the group down and make them work to reach her. The castle itself continued to move in a futile effort stop him as multiple vampire spawns descended the walls to attack him. Dhampir Hunter could see these creatures were a mixture of creatures, including the missing Harefolk he was told, but none of this mattered to him.
"I need to finish off these creatures and reach the vampire before she has any chance of fleeing."
xxxx
"What is that green glow ahead of us?" Fighter continued to run as the sound of the rats was growing louder and closer behind them.
"Not sure, but it can't be any worse that what is behind us. Keep running."
Rookie Warrior and his party ran as the rats drew closer but as he and the others got closer to the green glow they could see what looked like a large moat full of green water. The room was a large round room with a stone walk way that bordered the moat, in the center of this room and moat was a large stone platform and upon it was what appeared be a large red stone pulsating like a heart.
"Now where the hell are we?" Rookie Warrior looked around the room where he could see another entryway. "On the other side over there, we can hopefully get out through…"
"Look!"
Apprentice Cleric pointed toward the stone walk way, the others followed her gaze and watched as the stone began to drop into the green liquid below one by one. To them, it appeared that the castle was falling apart and they would either drop into the strange green liquid or be consumed by the approaching rats, but then Fighter saw them.
"Above us."
Above the group were chains dangling from the ceiling, there one chance was to jump and reach for the chains overhead. They leapt for the nearest chains, but Fighter knew the rats could jump towards them and they needed to move further towards the platform.
"Use the chains to swing towards the other chains. We got to get to the platform."
Rookie Warrior and Apprentice Cleric nodded and followed her lead and began to swing back and forth on the chains and when close enough reached for the next set. Rookie Warrior and Apprentice Cleric thankful for all the extra training they had undertaken, as well as Apprentice Cleric's vampire powers helping her. The group continued until they had finally reached the center platform and turned to see the rats finally reach the area they had been standing only moments ago, four of the rats immediately fell off the ledge into the liquid below, screeching and shrieking as the liquid, acid in fact, began to eat away at their flesh and bone. The others rats hissed at the adventurers but continued to keep their distance, that is until the walls behind them started to close and pushed the rats into the moat.
"What…the walls of the castle moved on their own. It pushed the rats into the moat…does that mean this castle is also alive and were in the stomach?" Fighter was horrified to see the rats screech in pain as they were dissolved in the acids below.
"If this is the stomach, does that mean the tunnel we just came through was…"
"Don't you dare say it! I just want us to get the hell out of here. Monster insects, man-eating plants, vampire curses, and now a living castle…I've had just about enough of this adventure." Apprentice Cleric groaned as she worried about how they were going to get to the other entryway.
"If the castle is alive, then is thing here the heart?" Rookie Warrior looked toward the pulsating stone, then raised his sword to stab it. "Time to end this."
Rookie Warrior stabbed his blade in to the stone, a fountain of blood erupted covering him as he gritted through the unpleasant act. The castle shook and seemed to groan in pain as dust fell from the ceiling, the moat of green liquid drained away and the stone began to rise upward forming a bridge to the opposite entryway.
"Okay. That was disgusting." Rookie Warrior grunted as he drew his sword out of the stone and moved to join his comrades.
"You okay?" Fighter asked making sure to keep her distance from him.
"I'm not sure how to answer that, but we can at least get out of this area." Rookie Warrior then turned his attention towards Apprentice Cleric and saw her wide eyes. "You alright?"
"Ye…yes, just…such a shame to waste the blood." Apprentice Cleric found herself licking her lips at her friend drenched in the blood.
"Just try to focus for a bit more, we'll get rid of that vampire and free you of her curse. Now come on."
xxxx
"Protection."
Priestess used her miracle to seal the entrance they had come from as a flock of demonic harpies shrieked and screeched while clawing at the invisible barrier. After escaping the human thralls and giant insects, the duo was assaulted by the demonic harpies who were eager to tear them apart with their sharp talons. Thankfully they had escaped into a new area of the castle and in the center of the pulsating red stone.
"What the hell is this thing?" Half-Demon Thief quickly yet carefully examined the object in the center of the room before looking back to her comrade. "The door on the other side of this chamber is locked, I'm not sure I can get it open. How are you holding up?"
"They…they continue to beat against the barrier but I will hold them. Could that thing be what controlling the castle?"
"The castle?" Half-Demon Thief once again turned her attention to the pulsating stone and came to a quick conclusion. "Priestess, I think this thing is the castle's heart? If we kill the heart, hopefully we kill the castle."
Half-Demon Thief actually jumped on top of the stone and taking both daggers, jammed them deep into the stone. Feeling the stone shake, she quickly jumped back as what could only be described as a geyser of blood erupted from the stone, splatting upon the floor with a disgusting sound. The girls heard the castle groan like a wounded animal before the entire structure shook, within the hallway where the demonic harpies were, the stone above fell upon the frail bodies crushing them as if they were nothing. The castle was steady once again, and once Priestess's barrier finally disappeared, they heard the door unlock.
"I guess that got the door and took care of the harpies." Half-Demon Thief went to retrieve her blade and grimaced at the slight of her blade covered in the rock's blood. "I've killed plenty of people over these past few years, but this has to be the first time I've ever killed a rock…and rock that bleeds no less. They're just drenched in blood, getting a little hard to hold them." Half-Demon Thief gave her blades a shake to remove as much of the blood as possible.
"We better hurry, hopefully this will lead us to the others."
xxxx
"Damn demons, I'll be damned if I let you get go any further." Harefolk Bowman fired another bolt at the approaching lesser demon.
Now away from the moving walls, he and Rhea Fighter then found themselves assaulted by a large force of lesser demons. They now found themselves in a large room, with enough fighting space but the number of demons didn't seem to be getting any smaller as they continued their attack.
"There's no end to them and the door on the other side is locked. There has to be something we can do to get out of here." Harefolk Bowman swung the butt of his crossbow into the jaw of one of the lesser demons as he quickly went about reloading.
"Wait, above us…what is that?"
He spared a quick glance upward to see what could only be described as a glowing red stone breathing, it was carefully wrapped in chain with one large chain used to dangle it from the ceiling.
"What in the name of the gods? It that…is that a rock…a heart? That must be the heart of the castle, we have to destroy it." Harefolk Bowman raised his crossbow and fire a bolt into the red stone.
The bolt incredibly pierced the stone and the two could see what looked like blood running from it, but the stone itself was still breathing, the single bolt would not be enough to stop it.
"We need to something else to destroy that thing? Can your sword cut it?"
"If your wooden bolt can hurt it, then my sword should work, but how are we going to stop it with these demons still attacking?"
Harefolk Bowman readied another bolt and fired at the closest demon, but she was right, they were not about to give them the opportunity to fire at it as much as they would like when suddenly an idea came to his mind.
"Do you trust me?"
"What…you're asking that now? Yes, you're helping me save my comrade and helped me in the swamp, so yes…I trust you."
"Give me your sword. Use your shield to push them back for a bit."
Rhea Fighter was not sure what his plan was, but nodded her head as she passed him her sword and used her shield to push the demons back. Harefolk Bowman himself was not sure if this would work, but he was going to take that chance to help her and his village. With the string drawn back in his cross bow, he instead loaded the sword on top of it rather than another one of his wooden bolts and took aim for the chain above the stone heart.
"Gods let this work!"
He squeezed the trigger and watched as the sword flew upward just before one of the lesser demons tackled him and clawed at his back. The sword flew with incredible speed and cut through the chain, the heavy stone heart dropped to the ground and with a sickening splat, shattered spilling blood everywhere. The castle once again groaned in agony and the entire structure shook as dust fell from above, the demons terrified by the sight shrieked in terror before running away back down the hall they had come from. Rhea Fighter found herself trying to catch her breath as she then rushed to helped the injured Harefolk Bowman back up.
"Are you alright?"
"It's a minor injury…it won't slow me down." Harefolk Bowman hissed in pain as he reached to touch the injury on his back. "Anyway, let's get your sword."
The two started to walk forward, but Rhea Fighter paused at the sight of all the blood on the floor and did not like the idea of walking over it with her barefeet.
"Oh very well, I couldn't have saved us without your sword so…" Harefolk Bowman sighed with a smile as he crouched down and invited Rhea Fighter to hop on his back. "You hated the idea of wet feet, I can't even begin to imagine how you'd react to blood on your feet. Hop on, and we'll get you sword."
Rhea Fighter had a visible blush on her face before she carefully climbed onto his back, with a light grunt he was back on his feet carefully walking through the blood to retrieve her sword on the other side of the room.
"Wait, what about your injury?"
"I already told you, it won't slow me down besides…I'm trying to act cool for a pretty lady."
"Idiot." Rhea Fighter thought the blush on her face couldn't get any brighter as she whispered her comment.
xxxx
"No…how could they have gotten through my castle's defenses!"
Noble Vampire was visibly worried as she now heard a third groan of her castle, the group inside had destroyed the stone hearts thus killing the castle and returning it to a simple stone structure.
"Mistress, calm yourself." Her Attendant was calm in his speech as she looked toward her. "They will have been worn out by the time they reach us here atop the castle. We and the gargoyles shall deal with them."
"Right…of course. Both of you, be ready for them!"
"Humph, for a powerful vampire you seem pretty worried." Wizard Boy smirked as he looked toward Noble Vampire.
"You insignificant pile of waste! Obey your Mistress! You're only lucky that you still serve a purpose otherwise I'd kill you here and now!"
She then heard one of the doors to the rooftop of the castle actually shatter, she and the others turned to see a figure in a wide-brimmed hat and black coat step out with long sword in hand.
"Dhampir." Noble Vampire was surprised and slightly afraid to see him here.
"It is time to end this Noble." Dhampir Hunter raised his sword and pointed it toward Noble Vampire.
Before they could begin their attack everyone heard the other three doors slam open and from within were the other adventurers.
"What the…how the hell did we end up on the roof? We were in the basement a second ago." Rookie Warrior was confused as he now saw the sky above and the vampire ahead of him.
"No time to question it, we've got company to worry about." Fighter grunted as she raised her spiked guantlets.
"Good to see we're not late for the festivities." Half-Demon Thief smirked as she raised her blades while Priestess stood be her side with sounding staff in hand.
"It's him! He's here." Rhea Fighter smiled when she laid eyes on her comrade then quickly realized that she was still being carried by Harefolk Bowman. "Ah…quickly, please put me down."
"You…all of you! How dare you anger a Noble such as myself! I shall drain every last drop of blood from your body." Noble Vampire drew out her own sword and hissed at the group around her.
"The only thing happening here is we're saving our colleague and curing my friend!" Rookie Warrior tightened his grip around his sword and raised his shield.
"Foolish boy. Did you forget who you're speaking to?" Noble Vampire chuckled before her eyes began to glow.
As this happened both Wizard Boy and Apprentice Cleric growled in pain and dropped to their knees, what the others could not see was their eyes were also glowing red just like Noble Vampire's.
"Hey! Are you alright?" Rookie Warrior quickly rushed toward his friend and crouched down beside her.
"Kill them all!" Noble Vampire began to laugh as the gargoyles took to the sky and began to circle the group below.
Apprentice Cleric turned her face toward the surprised Rookie Warrior and with scowl upon her face hiss before tackling him to the ground.
Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay everyone, with school starting back up for my 6th graders, I've been a bit busy working with them and these virtual classes. I'm hopeful to get the next chapter out within a week like my normal schedule then I can go full force with the Necromancer Arc. Thanks again for all the support and patience. Oh yeah, be sure to check out GrimmBear's Dark Avenger story for an alternate take on the source material, there will be some interesting details coming up in the future with these characters and mine.