*/*/*
Everything Burns
Not able to wait for the others to finish getting their gear, Vesli gave a roar, running out into the burning hamlet as his chains shattered around him and Rir came out. Seeing a group of the typical bandits, both personalities gave a screech, drawing the marauders' attention as burning buildings collapsed around the man and beast. Ducking the gun fire from their enemies' musketeers, Vesli and Rir pounced, their claws ripping through the bandits with ease as the filthy thieves fell in a pool of blood. Rir gave a derisive snort. This was what had the weak prey-thing nest aflame? Weak prey things should be ashamed of themselves to let even weaker prey-things ruin their den.
Not pausing to revel in the victory or comment on Rir's opinionated grumbles, Vesli kept running, focusing on finding the bandits and eliminating any of them. Hearing the sound of gunfire ahead, he lowered his head and charged, slamming through a crumbling wall, sending wood and stones flying. Using the shock caused by Vesli's entrance, Courci fired a bolt into the throat of yet another green clad bandit, the man falling down with a choked gurgle as Brix ushered the Hamlet's villagers out through a gap in the stones and flames. Roaring, Vesli spat up bile into the eyes of the giant whip carrying bastards, making them scream and clutch their eyes, opening the path for the Arbelist to take out the smaller bastards.
Ignoring the flying bolts and bullets, the two personalities lunged, claws and fangs digging into flesh as Rir brought down their front-line fighters. As Vesli and Courci ripped through their ranks, the Antiquarian would dart forward, burying her knife into the throat of the dying bandits while a crowd of civilians cowered behind them, the bandits having blocked the path they'd been using. When the bandits were reduced to blood and memories, Vesli turned to the girls giving a huff as he looked them over for injuries. Thankfully both seemed to be in decent condition, is a little short of breath. "Thanks Horns," Courci panted, readying a new bolt in her crossbow, "We'll get the civvies out of here, you keep being badass."
Giving a growling nod, Vesli charged off, smashing through burning buildings searching for any more bandits. After rescuing a few more groups of civilians, and unfortunately seeing the holy bastards being competent and handling the bandits with righteous synchronicity, Vesli ran into someone who, to him, was arguably worse than the holy trio. There, stood the Bounty Hunter, his infuriatingly jovial attitude and flirtiness gone, replaced by a near silent cold fury with hook flying and axe flashing through the air.
Seeing a red robed dagger-wielding shit – which was a new color for bandits, but that could be thought about later – coming up behind the bastard, Vesli groaned to himself and spat bile at the bandit, Rir protesting saving Pest, a nickname which got Vesli to mentally sigh at the creature. Lunging at the bandit, who took a half step back and got on the defensive, he slammed his horns into the bastard. Growling the man struck out with a knife, cutting into his hide as his own blood was spilt. Roaring in pain, Vesli lashed out, tearing at the bandit who was much stronger than his green clad brethren. It was a tough fight, he and the asshole ending up having to fight back to back as they handled the group of four red-clothed fuckers. Grunting to the Bounty Hunter, and getting a similar reply in turn, they focused on taking out the smaller bandits first, saving the massive whip wielding bastard for last. Mentally thanking whatever being was willing to listen that the big guy was slow, Vesli and Rir focused on the already wounded dagger bandit. Ducking under a knife swing the duo raked their claws through the bandit's gut, warm entrails and thick blood coating claws and fur.
Feeling a bullet hit them in the back the two minds roared, staggering forward as blood trickled down the back of their shoulder. Turning Vesli and Rir saw the musketeer, smoking gun still raised in their direction. Leaving the man gasping and clawing at his insides turned outsides, the duo snarled and charged the musketeer, Pest fighting the other dagger asshole.
Seeing a hint of panic in the man's eyes at the continued assault despite the injury, Rir grinned, the beast feeling particularly pleased that the new prey things felt fear at his and Vesli's might. Roaring, the two minds ducked under a shot from the musket before rushing forward, slamming their horns into the marksman's chest. The gun clattered to the ground while its owner flew towards Pest who kicked the dazed and wounded man into the path of the fat bastard's whip, the tooled leather ending the marksman's life.
Grunting to Pest, Vesli and Rir nodded at the musket and charged, getting an acknowledging snort in return as the usually chatty man scooped up the weapon and provided covering fire at the bandit. As the duo ran around their larger and slower adversary they rent open bleeding gashes alongside those already there and would launch blighted bile into the wounds, helping spread the disease as the behemoth slowed further and further before finally collapsing.
Looking at the ass as the four bandits lay cooling on the ground, Vesli grunted, getting a snort in response before they went off their separate ways. Running into Courci and Brix again he helped them against some of the weaker green-clad bandits. Apparently, the colored cloths denoted strength, something to keep in mind for later as he went about attempting to rid the Hamlet of this menace. Vesli didn't think he could handle a pack of the red ones by himself. Thankfully, after the weak lot were dispatched, Courci patched up Vesli's injuries, Brix fretting over him as she did so. Nodding his thanks for the assistance, Vesli roared and charged off again, his work far from done.
*/*/*
Scowling, the Heir looked down from the large opulent window as the city burned. Aides gathered possessions from the office, the Caretaker making sure to grab the good brandy from its place on the nightstand by the crackling fireplace that echoed the embers floating outside the glass. "We must leave," the aides insisted as the Heir grabbed a sword and pistol, just in case, though honestly expecting someone to dare attacking this party was laughable, and followed to a safe house just outside the Hamlet. Looks like they would have to start saving up for repairs and renovations along with some new hires. The Abbey in particular looked to have lost one of its recent renovations to the flames. The Heir was not planning to let this one go unanswered, but there was little else to do but wait the attack out.
*/*/*
"Keep moving!" Aela yelled to the throng of civilians, her glaive flashing as she tore through the green clad bandits that kept swarming the mass exodus trying to escape the burning village. Screams filled the air as ethereal tentacles grabbed those closest and threw the bandits at trees, bones snapping on impact as Caillot appeared at her side.
"Any sign of Vesli?" the Occultist asked worried about their friend as Veci kept throwing grenades and bombs into the bandits left and right. Screams and choking gasps filled the air as the men dropped.
"None yet but he's strong, he'll be fine," Aela insisted, even as the Spirits wouldn't stop wouldn't stop hounding her. Veci looked up, as if sensing the Hellion's agitation, her lenses reflecting the fire as she watched for him. Vesli had better hope he was unhurt after all this. The Doctor would be most displeased with him otherwise. Finally, she made a decision.
"I'm going to look for him," Bird tossed another grenade into a bandit's face without looking.
Aela nodded, the Spirits agitation too great to ignore "Not by yourself you're not."
"Sometimes I wonder if the greater gamble was my deal with the Beast or coming to this Hamlet," Caillot murmured but followed after them.
*/*/*
Rounding a corner into the main courtyard, Vesli froze, seeing Face going toe to toe with a massive bandit with a giant shield, a belt axe, and a barrel full of bombs. He had run into many green bandits who posed no threat, some red ones who were a challenge especially by himself, and after seeing the grey clad bandits massacre some of the other mercenaries of the Hamlet he steered clear of them. Then there was this guy. Clearly the leader of the grey clad mercenaries. And Face was going up against this guy? Why in the Light did Face think this was a good idea? He circled the fighting duo, looking for an opening.
"Your skills have weakened old man," Vvulf chuckled darkly at Face, blocking a mace strike with the massive tower shield, "As has your body."
"Ma skills an' mace are sharp 'nough ta beat ma up'ty ol' 'prentice." Face growled, batting away a slash from the bloodstained axe.
"Ah, when we last met you were my commander, and me your apprentice, but now things have changed. Look around at my legion!" Vvulf laughed savagely as the Hamlet burned around them.
"A legion o' cowards an' murderers, jus' like their master." Face hit Vvulf's shield, forcing the massive bandit back a pace from the sheer force of the blow "An army o' slaves is tha mos' you could eva hope ta have."
At those words, Vvulf's countenance darkened further still, going from cruel to outright murderous. Vesli and Rir saw the bandit reach for a bomb and throw it to the cobblestones before Face, the explosive sending dirt and stone flying up into their teacher's face, the veteran warrior forced to block the debris with his shield. Capitalizing on the moment, Vvulf roared and charged, bashing Face with the massive tower shield. Giving a stunned yell of pain, Face spun with the blow, leaving him open for Vvulf's axe, the blade digging into Face's leg near the hip.
"What was that old man?" Vvulf growled, twisting and digging the blade in deeper as Face yelled out in agony, "I must have misheard you."
Seeing that Vesli and Rir's vision went red. Enraged, they charged forward, letting loose their greatest roar yet, the primal cry rattling the loose stones around them in its fury. Calmly, Vvulf turned and held the shield ready, not seeming to have a care in the world as Face lay on the ground behind the bandit, clutching the axe left embedded in the Man-at-Arm's leg.
Seeing the bastard's blasé attitude, Rir's demands for vengeance became even more enraged and for once Vesli was of no mind to deny his primal companion. Lowering their head, the duo rammed their horns against the shield… which barely budged.
"Wow," Vvulf scoffed in amusement, "I actually felt that. I must admit, I'm surprised." Lazily, the massive bandit gripped the handle of his axe and wrenched it from Face's leg, making the older male cry out in pain. "Dealing with you shouldn't take too long," Vvulf drawled, belting the axe, as if saying Vesli and Rir weren't worth using it.
Eyes blazing with fury, man and beast shot to their feet, claws flashing through the air, bile sizzling, roar shattering the night. But no matter how much Vesli and Rir did, no matter how furiously they fought, or how hard they hit, Vvulf remain unaffected through it all. The bastard's expression grew progressively more bored. Eventually, getting tired of the farce of a battle, the bandit chief sent two flying back with an uppercut as they landed in a heap next to Face, the sheer force of the blow enough to stun Vesli into transforming back into his human self.
The bandits had finished their raid and were making off with stolen goods and the flames climbed ever higher. One of the grey clad ones stopped nearby with a cart. Vvulf looked down at the defeated Vesli and Face, reaching for a bomb. His hand paused, then returned empty. "You're not worth the powder. The fires can claim you two. After all, 'heroes'," he started loading up his gear into the 'requisitioned' transport, not even bothering to look at the two men on the ground, "You couldn't stop my men, let alone me." Vvulf climbed into the cart, grabbing the horse's reigns and finally looked at them again, a mocking smile on his face. "What use are shepherds that can't even keep wolves away?" With that, and a flick of Vvulf's wrist, the bandits were leaving the Hamlet, having done their worst.
Vesli's vision was blurred, and the blood in his nose combined with the smoke in his lungs was making it difficult to breathe.
Then there was a hazy white thing that filled his vision. He found himself looking through glass lenses with the smell of herbs in his nose, the sensation of something too small and tight on his face. Vesli knew what this was. But his mind couldn't quite make the connections. "In through the nose. Out through the mouth. Slow, deep breaths." Bird's voice. Was he hallucinating?
"Aela, can you carry them both?" That was Caillot.
There was the sound of panting, and the thump of a stick-like object that was being leaned on for support. "Yes, but only one of them." Aela? All of these voices sounded so exhausted. No like his team at all. "You two will need to take Vesli. I'll take the old timer."
Then the world moved, passing by the lenses as Vesli felt himself pulled to his feet, weights on either side of him. "Blow to the head. Senses not fully functional. Can you walk?" Bird again. He found himself nodding in answer to the hallucination, having to focus on the ground to just put one foot in front of another. "There is a safe-house nearby. Can rest there and regain senses."
The party of five, two of which were little more than dead weight, dragged and limped to one of the few intact buildings remaining in the Hamlet.
A/N: Friendly reminder that this is Darkest Dungeon. For those curious, the closest in-game equivalent of this would be to lose an upgrade by not doing the quest. But that doesn't a good story make does it?
