Don't know if anyone reading this has particular triggers about violence, but we get some rather brutal combat a bit later in this one. This won't be the only time, either. From here on out, any real fight that the gang gets into will carry some real risks with it, and while I don't endeavor to give every gory (hehe) detail, there is some stuff that may upset folks with that brand of content issue. Figured I'd best issue a warning now so that it doesn't catch anybody by surprise.


Izuku waited patiently behind the bush. The others were out scouting the perimeter of Fort Ekko, attempting to find any means of ingress that would allow them to proceed in a manner less risky than the plan they'd devised. He had been told to examine this portion of the wall for potential weaknesses, but it was clear that it was busywork. This was where they had initially approached and where they would rendezvous upon scouting out the various angles of the walls. Assigning this segment of scouting to him was a way to keep him occupied and out of danger while the others, possessing actual skills beyond what's useful in a library, did the real work.

It wasn't that Izuku was angry about it. It was an understandable thing – after all, he was 'only human.' The thought made his heart drop as he once more considered the constant lies he told his only friends. This was made worse by Mina's heartfelt insistence that he not be left. She, too, recognized the assignment for what it was, and argued that he was capable of doing more when Iida had given it. Uraraka had backed their leader's logic; as the member of the party with the least experience in self-defense or woodcraft, he was both the most likely to be seen and the least likely to be able to fight off any assault made on him. This had incensed the nymph further, but Izuku had stepped in and agreed to the posting. He didn't want it, but he also didn't want a fight to erupt and see them detected before their rescue attempt even began.

It also wasn't as though the others weren't correct, but that didn't make him feel any more useful for being given a job to keep him out of the way.

The plan was, as the Godling of Intellect had suggested initially, that failing another way in, Uraraka would use her magic to lift them up and over the wall. If they were lucky, they wouldn't be seen, and if they weren't particularly unlucky, they'd be well defended even if they were. The Godling of Magic seemed confident that she could stop any incoming projectiles while she worked to move them.

He shifted his arm, still trying to get used to the unfamiliar weight on it. As a precautionary measure, Yaoyarozu had created shields for the weapon-wielding members of the rescue party. If an arrow made it by Uraraka's spells, the hope was that one of the three of them would be able to intercept it before it found flesh. While watching them be created from nothing was fascinating, Izuku was nervous about fighting with a shield. He had become much more comfortable with his sword over the past half a week, but didn't know how this would change the way he had to move and fight.

The thought of fighting also reminded him that this was going to be different from anything he'd ever done. Not only was he going to battle humans – real, living people who had lives, dreams, and probably people who cared about them – he was going to do so with a real sword. His actions today would have decisive input on the remaining lives of many people, regardless of allegiance. He might have to kill to protect himself or his friends. The notion made Izuku sick to his stomach. He had realized on some level that this was true when they set out to rescue the Godling of the Forge, but the reality of the situation hadn't hit until he had time to sit down and think about what the future might hold.

He tried to convince himself that it was normal to feel this way. Even though the others had shown none of the unease he felt, certainly, they were experiencing it as well. He couldn't imagine that any of the women in their company had taken a life before. Mina and Uraraka both were far too kind to have done so with premeditation, and even if they had taken a life out of necessity, they would surely have shown some kind of reaction to the notion of attacking the fort and having to deal with the bandits. It was harder to judge with Yaoyarozu, but even though she likely possessed some manner of training (she seemed to understand how to properly handle her weapon), she didn't strike him as someone who had killed before. Even Iida, with all of his training and grooming to serve the people on his family's land, couldn't have actually fought someone to the death. Yes, all of them must have been wrestling with these same feelings.

Flashes of Kacchan and Todoroki's faces flickered through his mind along with, much to his confusion, a wave of guilt. All of the evidence he had indicated that they were remorseless killers. Kacchan had traveled Gods-only-know how far to murder Nighteye and loot his library, and Todoroki had slain his own sister. Normal people didn't do that. Even considering they were Godlings and the concept of 'normal' hardly applied anymore, that was abhorrent behavior. So why did he feel bad thinking of them that way? Why –

"I'm back," came Mina's voice from behind him. He started out of his thoughts, but had the presence of mind not to scream in the current circumstance.

"Oh! Uh... Hi," he said lamely. "Did you find anything?"

She lay down next to him, hands folded behind her head. "Nope. The wall's pretty solid. Since Tenya was so against my idea of melting through the wall, I figure we'll probably have to have Ochako float us over."

Izuku smiled slightly. "I, uh, I suggested that, too, when we were coming to get you guys with Yaoyarozu."

Mina smiled back. "Well, if it was your idea, then maybe it's better we didn't do it. After all, your last plan got you stabbed with your own knife."

He didn't have a good response for that. Both of their grins faded as the awkward silence settled in. In a desperate effort to prevent it from holding, he said, "So... You, uh, scouted your section pretty fast."

"Uh, hello? I'm a nymph. Being in nature is kind of my thing. I don't need nymph magic to move around the forest without being seen."

"But... Wouldn't your, um..." He gestured at her. "Bright coloration... kind of make that hard?"

"Sure. That's why I got good at moving around without being seen when I was little. Made it really easy to watch humans without them noticing me."

"Oh. I... I guess that makes sense."

Izuku's attempt to fight the quiet back proved unfortunately brief. Before he could make a renewed attempt, however, Mina spoke. "Why do you always let Tenya boss you around?"

He blinked. "W...What?"

"You always just do whatever he says, and you never fight him on it. The only time you disobeyed him was when you didn't run at the revel." She sat up and looked him in the eyes. Something about her gaze was unbearable; he had to look away. "I know he's teaching you how to fight, but that doesn't mean he's in charge of you all the time."

What could he say? That he was trying to lay low and keep Iida from suspecting that he was secretly a Godling so that he could usurp the Throne when the time was right? "I just don't like conflict," he lied. "Besides, Iida has good ideas. Better than mine, anyways."

"So what? All of his plans put you where you can't do anything. He probably would have left you behind if he didn't think you'd just follow us here anyways! I know you're capable of so much more than Tenya thinks you are. I watched you attack a vampire with a broken chair leg and win! That's the kind of advantage we need if we're going to get to the Palace first, and if he just keeps putting you on the sidelines, you're never going to be able to do anything like that!"

The likelihood that Iida would have left him behind was something that had occurred to Izuku as well. She had hit the nail on the head. Rather than attempt to refute that point, he focused on an argument that he felt he could actually gain traction on. "I'd hardly say I won. I hit her once and then made eye contact. The only reason I'm not dead is because you were there."

"Okay, first of all, you managed to hit a vampire not once, but twice. I'm pretty sure that a single time is something that even trained humans would struggle to do. This was also after you managed to distract her from me so I could get free, after you ran from the revel to get to me, after you fought off the zombies and skeletons and saved the people they were going to kill."

"The fight only lasted a few seconds," he weakly protested.

"Yeah, and a few seconds is all a vampire needs to kill someone. Why don't you see that what you did is amazing? And then you hit Tenya in your first practice fight. Even he said that he didn't expect that! You're not a normal human, Izuku! You're extraordinary, but every time you let that ass keep you from doing what you think you should be doing, you let him stop you from doing more amazing things!"

Izuku's chest ached with the burden of the falsehoods he'd woven. They were heavy enough by themselves, but Mina added to the weight with each sentence. Part of him wondered if it could truly be so bad to tell her – just one person. Surely, Mina would keep it secret from the others if he impressed upon her the severity of its importance? "Mina..." he haltingly began.

"What?" Her voice was startlingly soft, considering how fervent she'd been only seconds before.

"...It took a lot to convince Iida to let me travel with him. He almost left me back in my hometown."

She blinked several times. "...Seriously? That's it?"

He shut his eyes and nodded. He couldn't tell anyone under any circumstance. The All Mighty had been clear.

"That's... Izuku, that's so stupid! He doesn't own you! And it's not like he can just leave you behind if you stop listening to everything he says! Ochako and I wouldn't let him! Hell, I'd just take you with me at that point! We could go find the Palace ourselves, and then I'd be Queen and I could tell him it's his own stupid fault and he'd be King if he hadn't been such a jerk!"

"Listen, it's just... the least I can do to support him. He brought me along, he's teaching me how to fight, he saved my life –"

"So did I!" She sounded hurt. Neither of them spoke for a moment after her outburst. Then: "I mean... I know that we saved each other from that vampire, and it's not like I expect you to bow and scrape at my feet or anything, but you don't listen to me like you listen to Tenya."

Izuku's jaw moved, but no sound came out. He too was busy trying to figure out what direction the conversation was headed.

"I don't want to boss you around or anything like that. I just don't like the way Tenya decides that he's in charge and his way is the best way... And I especially don't like that he treats you like you're some fragile, useless mortal. I don't know what it is, but there's something about you that makes you special, and you shouldn't let anyone treat you like you're not." Mina looked away. "I guess I just thought that if you listened to me, maybe that wouldn't happen."

Izuku's face was burning, and his mind wasn't faring much better. He was still new to compliments that didn't come from his mother, or perhaps the occasional mildly validating remark from Wizard Nighteye. His heart beat against his chest harder than a hammer could strike an anvil, and considerably faster besides. But why? Just because she said something nice about him?

Well, to be fair, that was probably an understatement. What she had just said was, at the very least, incredibly kind and affirming. At most... Well, that probably wasn't something he needed to worry about. It was very clear that she cared about him, though. It was probably natural. It would only make sense that someone would grow closer with the person who saved their life.

It occurred to Izuku at that point that perhaps that was why Mina was upset. She had definitely warmed up to him after their shared brush with death outside of Musutafu, but it might appear to her that it wasn't the same for him. Every time she approached him, he got quiet, or stuttered, or ran, and that was on top of her frustration at him listening to what Iida told him, but not her. Did she think that he didn't like her? He hadn't exactly shown any indication that he appreciated her for saving him, while she'd made her own feelings on the matter quite clear.

That had to be it. "It's not –"

"Did either of you find anything?" Yaoyarozu asked as she ducked under a low tree branch.

His mouth clamped shut immediately. The prospect of discussing this in front of anyone chased away even the simplest tasks, like telling Mina that he didn't dislike her. The fact that it was effectively a stranger that would be audience to the conversation made the thought completely unbearable.

Mina's face lit up when the other Godling arrived. "Nope! Izuku and I were just talking about how we're probably going to have to go over, since Tenya is so against me melting us a way through." As she was saying his name, she looked over her shoulder at him and winked, the gesture hidden from Yaoyarozu, who was approaching from the other direction. Its meaning was lost on him. Obviously they hadn't been talking about that for some time, but why the wink?

She sighed. "I turned up much the same. The portcullis is broken, as far as I can tell, but they've got people guarding the gatehouse. If we hit them fast enough, it's possible we could break through before reinforcements arrived, but I'd bet on them having some manner of trap rigged. The gates are the obvious point of attack, so if they're half as competent as we're afraid they are, it's probably a riskier move than having..." She paused. "Uraraka?" When the two of them nodded, Yaoyarozu continued. "It's riskier than having Uraraka bring us over the wall."

With the return of the Godling of Creation, they were just waiting for Uraraka and Iida to return from the far end of the fort. Being that it was the longest segment of wall, it was agreed that two of them would examine it rather than one for the sake of expediency, and those two were among the most able to deal with any danger that may come.

The time was passed with small talk – common questions like where they were from, how long they had all been traveling together, what had drawn them to each other, and the like. Izuku learned that Yaoyarozu was from a noble house in the south of Atara, where she had been quite famous for her artwork. A whole wing of the house was devoted to storing materials, completed but unsold projects, and her workshop. She claimed skill in many forms of art, but especially painting and sculpting. Mina talked about how, before losing her nymph magic, she used to go out to any grassy meadow she could find and grow flowers by the score in all shapes and colors. She would compete against her half-siblings to see who could make the most aesthetically pleasing gardens.

Izuku was surprised when the conversation turned to him. "Uh... I... Didn't really do much of anything before I..." He swallowed to try and force down the sick feeling the well-practiced lie still brought. "Um, before I joined Iida. I mostly just read. I worked for a wizard, and when he didn't have anything for me to do... I was in charge of his library, so I was allowed to read anything on the shelves."

"So I take it that means that you're well-versed in magical theory?" Yaoyarozu asked.

"Not really? I... I wouldn't say that. I've read a few books on it, but I'm not incredibly familiar with it. A lot of what I read were academic or historical texts."

She laughed at him and he felt his ears turn red. "'A few books' is a lot more than most can claim! I think you're probably more educated than you give yourself credit for. That does explain why you knew so much about Fort Ekko offhand, though."

"Well... I had just read about it before I left with Iida. I mean, I guess I'd read about it before, but Recollections on Ataran History goes into a lot more detail than most."

"Still, I can see why he would want to bring you along. If you've got even a tenth of a wizard's library in your head, your insight would be invaluable." She cocked her head. "Actually, do you know much at all about vampires?"

Izuku and Mina both jumped at the mention of the creatures, causing Yaoyarozu to look confused. "Uh... Yeah, I... I know some." He held his hand over his abdomen.

"Was it wrong to ask? I didn't mean to offend, and I can tell I've upset both of you somehow."

The nymph laughed nervously. "A vampire tried to eat both of us last week. I got away mostly unharmed, but she nearly gutted Izuku with his own knife."

"Dagger," he corrected. He unsheathed it from his side and offered it to the Godling of Creation to inspect, though he wasn't sure what possessed him to do so. "I had thrown it at her to try and keep her from getting Mina. It distracted her long enough to break eye contact, I got stabbed with it, and then Mina got her in the face with some acidic Nectar when she tried to suck my blood." He shuddered, remembering the madness in her eyes and the primal terror that had come with his impending doom.

"Is this Seaforged?" Yaoyarozu asked as she turned it over in her hands. Upon his affirmation, she said, "It's very nice. I've never had occasion to see a weapon like this before." She ran her fingers over the hilt. "How did the bone get charred? I mean, I'd imagine it was fire, but it seems like an odd thing to happen to a weapon like this."

"I was in a burning building," he said simply. An idea struck him. "Could you make more like that? Maybe something bigger, like a sword?"

She pursed her lips. "Possibly, but I'd need to know how it's made. To create something from nothing, I have to know what is used in the creation of an object and in what proportions. It usually isn't a problem, since my tutors gave me an excellent education in the natural sciences, and the artistic mediums I worked with gave me ample opportunity to learn the composition of various materials." Yaoyarozu handed the dagger back to him, and he sheathed it. "The Sea Nymphs have guarded the secrets of Seaforging for as long as they've had them, as I'm sure you're aware. It's not exactly easy to steal them, either, since they live on the ocean floor. That said, if –" She shook her head. "When we rescue Mei, she can tell us what the metal is comprised of. One of her abilities is to know the composition of anything that comes out of a forge, so long as she can lay hands on it."

"That's amazing," he breathed, making a conscious effort not to be loud. By itself, it was of untold value, but when put in tandem with Yaoyarozu's power, they could make just about anything without having to worry about actually having the resources on hand. A military could be armed and armored in scant hours, and that's completely ignoring the Godling of the Forge being able to work magic into anything she smithed. Put together, they could create an army unparalleled by any on the face of the Earth. The civil uses couldn't be –

"It's normal," he suddenly heard Mina saying. "You said something that got him excited, so he started mumbling about it. You usually can't quite tell what he's saying, but it's harmless. He's probably just going on about how great of a power that is. He started rambling under his breath when he learned about my Nectar, and I assume that was what he was saying then, too."

"Sorry," he said. "Iida always tells me I need to stop that."

An odd look passed over Mina's face, but before she could say anything about it, the guest in their party spoke. "It's no trouble. But you were about to tell me about vampires, before we got sidetracked?"

"...I mean, sure, I just... what do you want to know?"

"I suppose I'm curious how best to defend myself against them. I've heard tell of one in the area. Since you had previously encountered her, I'm assuming that she'd be more interested in taking revenge on you for harming her, but in the event I run into her I'd much rather be prepared."

He nodded. "Well... You don't ever want to look a vampire in the eyes. They've got a... I guess I'd call it hypnotic effect. As long as you're making eye contact, you can't move, no matter how much you want to. Some of the tomes I've read have said that older vampires can make you do things you don't want to do if you make eye contact with them, but I don't think she can do that. I know she can also do necromancy; she had a lot of zombies and skeletons with her when she attacked us. She's got to be pretty good at it, too, there were... I didn't get a good count, but definitely more than forty."

"I'd say closer to sixty," Mina offered.

"That's worrisome. A vampire alone promises a great challenge, but one with the advantage of numbers seems impossible to overcome."

"It... Definitely wasn't easy. The only reason we were able to drive her off is because Mina led her away from the undead, and then she was so distracted by, um... Trying to eat me that she forgot to pay attention to what Mina was doing." He thought for a moment. "Vampires can usually fly short distances, and they're stronger and faster than humans. Obviously, you don't want to let one bite you, because then they can suck your blood out, and if they want to, make you a vampire yourself. Other than that... Pretty much all scholars agree that vampires are inherently magical, but what kinds of magic they can actually use is debated. We know this one is a necromancer, but she might have more than she can do besides. Really, the best thing is to not get caught by her."

"It sounds like. I know that silver and garlic are traditionally used to ward them away, do you know if this is true?"

Before Izuku could answer, a rustling of leaves announced the arrival of the Godlings they were waiting for. His anxiety flared as he noticed Uraraka's uneasy expression and pale complexion, as well as Iida's grim stare. "Hey, is... is everything all right?"

"We were correct, there is nowhere around the wall for us to infiltrate, and any gaps we created would likely be immediately plugged with bodies. Going over is the safest way to proceed. As for the somber air that invited your question, we had to kill a sentry. We were noticed on our way back. Uraraka thought quickly and pulled him from the wall while also somehow silencing him to keep him from alerting his comrades."

"I just... I panicked and clamped the force down around his neck." She sounded sick.

"Nonetheless, I finished him once she had him before us and we stashed his body in the brush. I don't believe his abduction was noticed, but time likely works against us. We should begin immediately."

Izuku looked at Mina for the briefest moment. He flushed slightly when he noticed that she was looking at him as well, but he swallowed, stood, and said, "No, we can wait a few minutes." Ignoring the shock on the nobleman's face, he walked up to Uraraka and put a hand on her shoulder. "Are... How are you doing?"

She looked as surprised as Iida at his defiance, but recovered swiftly. "I'm..." The Godling shuddered. "I've never watched someone die before. Or... not from that close. Even at the revel, the people who... who didn't make it... they were already gone when I got to them."

There was an awkward pause as Izuku tried to figure out how to respond to that. "Yeah. It's got to be... I've... Most of my time here was..." He took a bracing breath. "I've been worrying about that. The only things I've ever fought for real were already dead. When it's people, it's... different."

"I don't take life lightly," said his blue-haired companion, "But these are bandits. They're the lowest of the low, people who have chosen to prey on the innocent rather than be part of society. Whether we are the ones who kill them is immaterial. The same would happen when the city guard mobilize against them. It's simply a matter of time and how much havoc they can cause before they are deemed too much of a problem to ignore."

Izuku turned his head to say something, but his mouth opened to no avail. Fortunately, Mina had his back. "So? That doesn't mean it's easy for the rest of us." She got up and threw her arms around Uraraka. "You don't have to kill anyone, Ochako. I wasn't planning to, either. Just gonna throw some Nectar at them that'll put them to sleep once it absorbs through their skin."

"Me neither," Izuku said. "It's... it'll be hard, but I'm planning to knock out everyone I fight."

"That seems an admirable goal," Yaoyarozu said, holding her free hand over her heart. "I'll endeavor to do the same, and as soon as the area is clear, I'll make manacles for all of them to prevent them from rejoining the fight if they wake."

"Even if all you do is use your magic to protect us from their arrows," the green-haired Godling continued, "You'll have done more than your share of the fighting."

He couldn't see her face, since it was buried in the crook of Mina's neck, but her sobbing gave him a good idea of the state it was probably in. While she cried, all other eyes went to Iida.

Their leader pinched the bridge his nose, shut his eyes, and sighed. "I will likewise seek to stay my blade. Regardless of my personal feelings on the matter, if it causes you this much distress, then an alternate solution is preferable."

Uraraka managed a choked, "Thank you," in between sobs. Mina stroked her hair, waiting patiently. The rest of them waited awkwardly, the moment of solidarity passed, but the moment of action not yet arrived. They were stuck in the time never discussed when stories were told, the quiet minutes where all that one could do was wait.


Izuku stood shoulder to shoulder with Iida and Yaoyarozu. Mina and Uraraka were pressed up behind him. Their tight formation was an effort to ease the burden on the Godling of Magic; her task already required great concentration. She had to maintain a stable platform to move them from the ground to the wall while also projecting a dome over it to ward away incoming arrows. He didn't doubt her ability to do it, but the suggestion to crowd in and therefore require less surface area to be created and managed was a wise one nonetheless.

Being lifted off of the ground honestly wasn't even the most unsettling thing about the experience. While flying wasn't something Izuku was used to by any means, it was less concerning to him than the large area he normally would have vision over that was now obscured by the shield strapped to his left arm. Slightly longer and more rectangular than a traditional heater, it had been specifically made so that the metal rim would leave no gaps when pressed against its siblings wielded by the other melee combatants of the rescue party. The three of them made a paneled wall to serve as a second layer of defense in the event Uraraka's concentration failed and an arrow slipped through her magic.

"Deep breaths, Midoriya. Calm yourself."

At Iida's direction, he forced himself to think about his breathing. Shouts were rising from the wall, now that they'd cleared the treeline around the fort. The first of the arrows, fired by a pair of men patrolling the wall that they had chosen to begin their assault from, splintered in midair. Izuku flinched despite himself, and a small whimper slipped out from Uraraka, interrupting her quiet chanting.

"It's okay, Ochako," Mina whispered kindly. "You're doing great."

"The arrows didn't make it to us," Izuku said. He hoped it helped her feel more confident about what was happening, or perhaps less afraid. It was hard to tell what provoked the noise from her, but whichever it was, he thought no less of her. Truth be told, he was terrified himself. He was about to engage in a fight that may very well be to the death for some of those involved. It was nothing like the revel. Then, he'd hardly had time to think about what he was doing before rushing in to fight the walking dead. The time he spent chasing Mina and Toga had been scary, but he had been afraid for the nymph. Perhaps it was similar, then? He was afraid for her now. In fact, he was afraid for everyone present. The fear for himself was the new experience. Izuku decided that must have been the deciding factor in why this moment felt so different.

What felt like dozens of arrows had broken on the magical shield while he spent time with his thoughts. Over his shield, he watched as men began scrambling up the walls, armed with all manner of weaponry. Some looked scavenged and old, others seemed worn but well cared for. None looked new, which was a blessing. He didn't know what they would do if Mei had already provided them with enchanted arms.

That raised an interesting question, now that he thought about it. She had offered to make them equipment in return for not harming the rest of the caravan. Volunteering to sacrifice her freedom to protect others was a good and noble thing, but wouldn't it cause more harm in the long run to give them magical equipment? Their ability to raid and kill would –

Izuku's thoughts were interrupted as Iida and Yaoyarozu stepped forward. He belatedly realized they had set down on the wall and the two men – no, five men, they had gotten reinforcements while he wasn't paying attention – the five men were wielding shortswords and axes in place of bows, now, with two of the newcomers bearing ratty, rimless shields. He swallowed as much of his fear as he could stomach – which wasn't enough, incidentally, there was still plenty to go around for the rest of his body – and followed his companions.

The bandits moved first. The two with shields moved forward before the others, displaying at least a rudimentary grasp of tactics. The other three fanned out to try and wrap around their front line. Izuku suddenly worried for Mina and Uraraka, but pushed the thought away. He needed to focus, not be in his head. Ironically, thinking about how he needed to not be in his head nearly cost him a felling blow as a hand axe swung down to cleave his skull in two. He realized before it was too late and raised his shield to catch the attack, but Iida had clearly noticed as well, shouting Izuku's name right as he avoided his death. Unable to see in front of him clearly, Izuku blindly stabbed out from under the rim of his heater. He felt it bite flesh, which made him feel a little sick and reflexively say, "I'm sorry!" to the bandit he'd just stabbed.

His face burned as he heard Mina snort behind him, and even though he couldn't see the man's face, Izuku could feel his incredulous stare. The axe pulled back from the wood it had lodged itself in, and he lowered his shield in kind to gain a better view of what was happening. The bandit in front of him had a red stain the size of a small melon where Izuku had apparently planted the entire breadth of his blade. The bleeding was almost excessive compared to what he had expected it to be for how light the blow had felt. To his left, Iida swung his sword upward, landing a heavy blow and cracking the sorry excuse for a buckler his opponent bore in half. Two of the others were trying to get behind them, but one was quickly discouraged as his friend got a thick glob of purplish Nectar in the face and promptly broke his nose with an unfortunate crunch when it collided with the ground. Yaoyarozu had turned to engage one of the bandits that was trying to flank them, and he wasn't faring well against her lightning-fast strikes, instead bleeding freely from no fewer than ten shallow cuts across his body.

Izuku's direct opponent attempted to utilize his distraction to engage the Godling of Creation while she was distracted with his comrade. In a brief moment of panic, he pulled back to stab again, but then realized that another blow like that would likely kill the bandit. Even the singular wound he had now threatened his life as uncomfortable amounts of blood pooled at his feet. Instead, Izuku lashed out with his shield. The force of the blow staggered the other man and made him slip in the puddle he stood in. He broke his fall without ringing his head on the ground, but only just. As he struggled to get up, Izuku kicked his weapon, causing him to lose what little progress he'd made when the arm came out from under him. Another kick dislodged the haft from his hand and sent the axe skidding over the edge of the wall and down into the fort interior.

"Put both hands over the wound," Izuku said, his sword pointed at his fallen enemy. "It'll slow the blood loss until we can seal it up. D-don't try to get up or attack us again, we don't want to kill you!"

A splintering sound drew his attention and distracted him from any reply that may have come. A small cloud of broken wood drifted to the ground mere inches from him, following an arrowhead and the remains of a feathered shaft. A bandit on the far wall nocked another arrow. It was comforting to know that Uraraka was still protecting –

There was a sudden pull on his leg, and the stones slick with blood did not make for solid footing. Only a quick turn to his left prevented him from hitting the ground on his back; his heater made a loud clap as it collided with the ground instead of him. The man he had thought defeated had pulled his leg out from under him and was crawling forward with murderous intent and a knife.

"I don't want to kill you!" Izuku said, trying to draw his leg back to kick the man in the face. Before he could, that same purple Nectar hit him where his neck met his shoulders. His eyes widened for a brief moment, pupils dilating, before slumping over to sleep. The Godling of Strength scrambled to his feet, tossing a grateful smile back towards Mina as he did. She returned it with a smirk.

Yaoyarozu had dropped her blade and was currently shackling the wrists of her opponent behind his back. He struggled against it, but it was clear from his own widening pool of blood that his strength was leaving him. Iida's now shieldless first enemy was unconscious and drooling on the ground, a dark purple bruise on the side of his head, and the blue-haired man was pushing the second flanker steadily back with a torrent of attacks. Izuku recognized that offense well, having been on the unfortunate end of it several times during their spars. He could also tell that it was similarly restrained; true to his word, Iida was not trying to kill the bandits. As Izuku ran to assist him, he saw Mina running to Yaoyarozu, the purple sleep-inducing Nectar in one hand and the familiar brown Nectar she used to seal wounds in the other.

He came up on the bandit's left side, since his right had his sword. The outlaw noticed him approaching, but couldn't risk moving his weapon away lest he invite in a lethal strike from his bespectacled attacker. Izuku pulled his arm back and flung his fist forward, narrowly missing his target as he ducked his head. In response, the Godling swung his hand back, digging the pommel of his weapon into the back of his enemy's skull. There was more of a cracking noise than Izuku had hoped for or expected, and his gorge rose as the man fell. Blood seeped from the wound, but Iida quickly pressed his fingers against it.

After feeling for a brief moment, he said, "It doesn't feel broken. Cracked, maybe, and he'll likely feel that long after it's healed, but I don't think he'll die of it."

All Izuku could do was nod breathlessly. With the final fifth subdued, he took a moment to assess the situation and find why they hadn't been joined. The answer was quickly evident – a half dozen men pounded their weapons against the air on each side of them. Their strangely silent struggle was the work of a sweat-drenched Uraraka, holding her staff out in front of her with her eyes screwed shut. Her hands were trembling and her breaths came heavily.

Mina left the bandit Izuku had stabbed and left in a pool of his own blood, having smeared the life-saving brown Nectar over both his wounds and those of Yaoyarozu's opponent. She gathered a dark blue Nectar in her hand now, which vaguely reminded him of what she had served Uraraka at the revel, though it was deeper in hue. "Open," she commanded, and wizard obeyed. Mina clapped her hand over her friend's open mouth before pulling it back as the other woman swallowed.

After a few more ragged breaths, the trembling lessened. "I'm sorry, everyone. I can't... All the pounding on the walls, it's making them hard to keep up."

"If you were to let one group in, do you think you could hold the other until we finish them off?" Iida asked.

"Maybe? I'll try, but if I lose my..." She flinched. Izuku noted that this coincided with a larger bandit on the right side throwing the whole of his body into the invisible barrier. "If I lose my concentration, the archers on the other wall will be able to hit you."

"Then we'd best be swift. Let in the group on the left. Midoriya, Yaoyarozu, form up. Miss Mina, please try to put as many to sleep as you can, and let us know the moment the situation with Uraraka changes." The Godling of Intellect moved and took up position in front of the gaggle of bandits, with his shieldmates joining him in short order. Mina followed behind, grumbling about the continued use of 'Miss' before her name.

Izuku spared a nervous glance to the far wall as he walked. There were four archers there, steadily sending shafts to their doom against Uraraka's magic. He wondered when (or, with an uncomfortable knot in his stomach, if) they would run out. If the barrier were to fall, there could be four bandit Godlings before they even realized what was happening.

"I would caution you against restraint," Iida said when the three shieldbearers had lined up. "While the hesitation to kill is admirable, we're outnumbered nearly two to one. Your desire to spare them may cause the end of your own lives."

Izuku looked to Yaoyarozu. She looked as sick as he felt, but gave a grim nod of affirmation.

"Let them through!" their leader called.

Several of their enemies nearly fell over at the sudden lack of resistance to the all-out attacks they had been throwing into the force obstructing their path. Iida took the initiative and moved forward, startling the Godlings he left behind. His sword flashed out and was only barred from the neck of one of the stumbling bandits by the sword of another with the speed and presence of mind to save his friend. Left exposed and having failed to eliminate one of their foes early, Iida quickly found himself having to fend off blows from both sides.

His isolation didn't last long. Yaoyarozu slid her blade clean through the upper arm of one attacker with a heavy stab, causing him to cry out loudly. The distraction this caused saved Iida from a blow that was made clumsy by its owner turning to see what the noise was, but also nearly foiled Izuku's charge. Fortunately, he had stepped off using his mantle and was moving faster than his target could fully dodge. A meaty thunk rang through the air as his shield slammed into one of the outlaws, knocking him clean on his back. Izuku took another step forward, sword raised to deal a finishing blow, but he saw the fear in the man's eyes and hesitated.

Even a momentary pause proved harsh in the brawl. A sword bit into his shield arm, evoking a cry of pain. He clumsily parried an axe coming in from the other side, but the momentum of the weapon knocked his own from his hand. To kneel and retrieve it would be to invite further injury, so Izuku drew back to buy himself a moment of respite while he drew his dagger. A bandit followed him forward, hammering blows onto his heater, each one sending a spear of agony through the injured arm. He cut out with his dagger. His assailant didn't see it coming; the sheath was hidden by his large shield, and even the hide armor he wore split like bare flesh under the Seaforged edge. A long line of red decorated the man's chest from hip to shoulder, but the man didn't have time to consider the wound before a splatter of purple Nectar was applied directly to it. Within seconds, he fell.

"Thank you!" Izuku called out without turning. He rushed back into the gap he had left, shoving the tip of his short blade into the flank of a woman who had tried to press the advantage on Yaoyarozu. He swiftly followed it up with a heavy strike to the side of her head using the rim of his shield. She fell before she could even properly respond to his assault, and his stomach twisted as he prayed for her body to yet hold life.

The fight was looking favorable. Iida had removed the hand of one of his adversaries, who now wept openly while lying on the ground clutching the stump, and he was pressing the other back steadily. Yaoyarozu was now down to two attackers and faring considerably better for it, especially now that Izuku had joined her. He did note that her right forearm was much redder than he had last seen it and hoped that whatever wound she had endured wouldn't cost her later in the rescue.

Fighting with the dagger was very difficult due to the disparity in length between his weapon and his enemy's. The bandit whose arm Yaoyarozu had impaled had the disadvantage of, well, the hole in his arm, but Izuku had to abandon multiple attacks to prevent himself from taking after the man rolling on the ground without a hand.

"Izuku, duck!"

He didn't hesitate to obey, holding his heater over his head to protect him. After hearing Mina curse and feeling two heavy blows hammer on the shield, Izuku backpedaled and rose back to his full height. His opponent still came at him, and Izuku noticed several puddles of purple Nectar on the ground behind him. Taking a deep breath, he cried out and rushed forward, bull rushing his opponent. The bandit, having been in the middle of winding up for an attack, was caught off guard by this. His axe flailed as he fell back, glancing off of the back of Izuku's leather armor and clattering out of his hand. Now possessing the longer weapon, the green-haired man plunged it into his enemy's leg and bore him down over the nearer collection of Nectar. It wasn't a clean landing and Izuku wasn't sure if it would take effect with however much would make it through the back of his enemy's thick clothing, so he dropped his dagger and hauled on the bandit's ankle. When his head was level with what Nectar hadn't smeared under him, he lunged forward and forced his cheek into the viscous liquid. The outlaw began to catch his breath, but the struggle didn't last long before sleep claimed him.

He went to take a breath of relief, but something hammered into his back at the same time as a woman cried out behind him. Izuku vaguely realized he was now laying down and desperately needed to breathe, because whatever had just hit him knocked all of the air out of his lungs. His brain wasn't quite able to place whose voice had called out or what she had said before his eyes crashed shut with the weight of anvils.


This one ended up being way long, so I'm doing what I did in Chapter 4 again. This'll be split out into two chapters that are roughly 8k words apiece. What will become chapter 9 isn't quite done, but I'm about 75% of the way there. Plus, this is just a delightful place to leave off.

Vampires

Nobody is quite sure from whence vampirism came, but the immortal undead have stalked mankind in the night since time immemorial. Most scholars agree that vampires originate from The Great Devourer, citing their destructive tendencies and eternal hunger for the blood of mortals. Some fringe groups argue that they are instead related to Nosferatu, as ancient legends mention him drinking of the dead before he takes them to the afterlife. In truth, neither of these groups are correct, as vampirism is an affliction predating both of the aforementioned Gods, but the knowledge that the Gods that be are not the only ones that have ever been is uncommon even now.

Vampires possess a host of abilities. Physically, their bodies lack many of the limitations that the living suffer. Their strength and speed are unmatchable by man or nymph, and unless they are struck by sunlight, a vampire can recover from nearly any wound dealt to them by consuming blood. They require neither rest nor any sustenance beyond the blood of the living. Most vampires possess some magical talent as well. Those who lacked it in life gain access to potent blood magicks. By expending consumed vitae, they can work spells that they gain an instinctive knowledge of upon infection. If a vampire possessed a talent for the arcane while they walked among the living, it is carried over into undeath, often becoming a more powerful, but twisted and dark, version of how it manifested in life. Finally, vampires are well known for having unparalleled manipulative abilities. The most commonly exercised of these are the ability to paralyze their prey by locking eyes and the ability to make a thrall of a mortal by mingling their blood together within the living person's body. However, it has been recorded that particularly powerful vampires can develop techniques entirely unique to them and, thereafter, those they turn.