Three flapping cloaks, three hooded individuals, three sets of glowing silver eyes, three particular glares. And all the vampire ANT could do was crawl backwards away from the one who stood before him, until backing right into the tree trunk itself. Elise’s glare upwards to this one synced up with Fen Rao doing much the same, looking at one of the ones on the ground. All the while the two young knights had their own sights set upon the last one.

Elise laid a firm hold upon her katana blade at her side, with the two young knights prepping their own. For Fen Rao it was nothing more than sweat and a low, barely audible gulp.

“F-Fen?” Shree murmured.

“Nrgh… I know, they are,” he spoke low in reply, a slight growl behind his voice as he did so.

Elise turned a quarter step, now sizing up that which stood before her. An ominous aura, unseen to the naked eye, well versed to her. A wafting blood red aura circulated around the individual above, as it did for all others, spreading out and weighing upon the air. A rain of force, a rain of death.

“{No doubt about it… these guys are the real deal,}” she thought to herself.

“Little baby Ant,” the above one spoke, a deep female voice with ice cold perception, “You and Drake have both lost your crews… and yet I find your attempt to bargain your way out of this mess simply repulsive. Lord Soreis would be so disappointed to have turned such a coward, and yet-”

The figure’s eyes shifted, glancing from the cultist down to Elise. That emerald glow in her eyes, that stance- ready to rip forth her sword and do battle. A killer edge no doubt. Below trembled two, with a third in a state of unease though prepared nonetheless.

“Hmph. I will deal with you later, little Ant.”

CRACKLE

“Heghy-” Ant choked.

The vampire known as Ant slammed hard into the bark, the bark cracking and splintering off- fragments of wood piercing through his back as it was drilled into the tree. The cloaked figure stood before him; though not facing him. No, the figure’s gaze was set upon Elise just below, her cloak flapping as the winds from Ant’s impact coursed outwards. Elise’s grip quivered at the prospect, her expression of determination now being replaced with one of wincing rage.

Below, Fen Rao pulled a large ax from between his back armor and his cape, wielding it in one hand, the handle quickly extending just as the weapons of his pupils had. He stepped up, holding it out, the ax head dual ended and nearly the size of his torso as it jolted to life and stature. His teeth gritted, fangs laid bare, and his eyes glistening.

“Heh heh heh heh heh,” the two on the ground chuckled.

Shree took one step back, her left side trailing behind, then moved her right. Another step, and another step- right into Yeager’s side. He in turn looked to her, a hint of surprise crossing his own expression as he looked to her from behind.

“Shree?”

“Yeager, concentrate!” Fen Rao hissed, shocking the young knight back into readiness, “These three are not ordinary foes. They are not human like the rest, and they are not lowly Vampiric like us. These three are without a doubt, true blooded demons.”

As he spoke the word demons, the two on the ground held their hands to their hoods and flipped them back-

The first, a male. A seven foot tall hulk of a man, exceptionally fit by appearance as the cloak dropped off to the ground. Wearing a skintight black shirt, sleeveless, particularly well at showing off his abs and muscled up veiny arms, combat jeans and boots. Upon his back a massive broadsword the kind of which screams big anime sword, and to his sides were twin massive stone sledge hammers. Short buzzed black hair, spiked atop, a jawline that screams handsome, and brown eyes carrying that silver glow.

The second, a female. A six foot nearly six and a half foot tall woman, very slender and curved with a bouncing display for a chest- literally. Adorned by black and dark purple battle mage robes with a bottom skirt. Her arms, visible and thick, heavy duty in the same accord as the man’s. Flowing black hair patterned with dark red throughout as it went down to the middle of her back, bangs all spiked and wild in different directions, bluish violet eyes with that same silver glow to them.

And finally atop with Elise with her own hood flung back. A five foot nearly six foot woman, well toned all things considered and not as robust as the other woman. A black coat hugged her with a midriff that showed abs, lots and lots of abs with that same skin tone. To her sides where the long sleeves of her jacket hung, twin black hooks that seemed sharp as scythes hung loose yet tight to her body. Shoulder length black hair, silver eyes that were purely silver.

“We are of the Demigrah Cult, known by our contemporaries as the Trio de la Muerte,” the one near Elise spoke, cold and raspy.

“{Trio de la- these guys are the ones!}” Elise yelled to herself.

“And you pumpkins are the ones who have been dealing us some serious blows, two squads and loads of our undead-” the other woman added.

“Heh heh heh, well that just won’t cut it Sereena,” the man interrupted, “What do ya say Maja? Should be rough ‘em up and take ‘em whole? Or be done with ‘em?”

“Hmph. Rengard is right, lots of resources have been burned up due to your friends Little Elise,” the woman above, Maja, continued.

“How do you know of me? Or us in particular-” Elise replied.

“Surely by now you’ve heard that we’ve dealt with three of your lowly friends. The Vampire, the Drachen, and the Elf. Though it would appear that the Hunter is not with you… and here you have those three from Galahan. Interesting choice of tactics, Lightonian.”

“Tch. You smug bitch. You ripped a lot of intel out of my comrades by the sounds of it,” Elise scowled.

“Naturally my dear. Information is a valuable commodity, and they had loads to offer- including, how to get beyond the gates of that little village. Heh, yes- even if you left here now it would be too late to save anybody. By the time you would return, all you would find is red pulp and new undead forged from your former friends! Yet another failure you will have to live with, Bakuuva.”

“Hrgh!!”

A crackle of energy could be heard, a glow of silky white strands emerging around Elise and soon swallowing up her entire body. That glow of her eyes magnified, becoming steadfast and blazing. Below on the ground both Fen and his disciples looked up, a spot of dread and confusion wafting over. The brilliance of Elise’s glow began to fill much of the arena though not the lower level of the woods yet.

“Rao, go. Take your students and get out of here, I can’t promise that you guys won’t be caught up in this!” Elise spat out.

“E-Elise I-” Fen Rao began.

“GO!”

The trio of knights backed away, soon turning and bolting, All three of them shot out quick as can be as the light around the area only intensified. As the light struck Ant, his body smoldered instantly- smoke bellowing off and into the air with cinders. As it touched upon the three though, it did nothing. And by now all three were now looking upon Elise, all taking stance, all ready to leap into it.

“Well well, now it’s getting interesting,” Maja spoke with a slight grin and a rise in her voice.

“Your kind… your kind are the ones that disgust me. All the death and torment, it’s all just a game to you isn’t it? Well no more, I’m going to burn away you and every one of your fellowship until you’re all nothing but ashes!!”

“HA! Such provoto, yes. You will make for an interesting test subject. Three enhanced Vampires of the Order of Demigrah… against a Lightonian, our natural predator. So show us, show us a good time!” Maja yelled out, her arms flung out, ready to embrace to coming battle at hand, ready to embrace Elise’s own resolve.

CRRRRRRRRRRRACK!!!

In the blink of an eye, Elise’s fist slammed straight into the side of Maja’s face- her cheek morphing, her head side struck curving, her eyes huge with pupils so very faint and ghostly. The crackle of bone, the thunder of the strike. Even as her face moved from Elise’s fist the impact did not fade way, looking as though a face made of putty had just been clobbered with a frying pan- the bit of spit flying from the vampire’s mouth through the air.

KRAM!!

Her arm pulled back, and fist launched again straight into Maja’s gut. Another echo of spit spurted out and all over Elise’s face and torso, the very branch that Maja had stood upon. Leafs twirled and flurried away.

SLAM- CRACK!!

One more blow, a round house straight to the side of the head. Off she flew with a spin, Maja being taken by gravity as she fell from the top. Crashing through one branch, snapping the large limb, and then through another- finally slamming her back and arching in conform to the next. Her arms flopped, a pained howl escaping her in that very moment. Elise herself stepped down where Maja had been standing, her back to the suddenness of the oncoming allies of Maja. Both Sereena and Rengard hovered in the air for a moment above before coming down, the man with his own fist formed and the woman with her leg guillotine dropping for the top of Elise’s skull.

Shrift- down Elise dropped, hands to the bark in evasion of the punch. One single kick in the air, one solid blow sent to Rengard’s gut. As if he had stubbed his toe and drawn blood, his face contorted in anguish. The large man fell back and slipped from the surface, giving Elise an opening. One quick spin and one little hop with her hands and she went. Weaving around the drop kick and slamming an elbow right into Sereena’s throat.

A gargled gag left her mouth with a good deal of saliva just the same as it has for Maja. Only a few seconds in and she was standing in place of Maja, with the two from below ground now falling back to the ground.

“HA!”

Three raging blasts of white light sprung from Elise’s hands, two traveling straight for Rengard and Sereena with the third sent straight for Maja. In the blink of an eye they struck, casting explosions that swiftly engulfed all three vampire cultists. Bark, twigs, and leaves flew with soaring winds from the blasts. As she stood her hair was whipped around violently even in front of her face, her coat trying to rip from her and fly back.

Down she glared, watching. The smoke clouds cleared in no time, revealing the trio. Maja now stood, staring up at Elise as the smoke bellowed around her. Sereena herself was still picking herself up off of the ground, and Rengard himself was coughing whilst waving the smoke away with his arms. Elise’s glare grew more narrowed, more enraged, radiating from her cold dead expression of hate.

“Well well, impressive actually. We finally found one that knows how to fight,” Maja spoke as she reached for the large hooks at her sides, taking hold.

“Yeah, heh, it’s kinda thrilling now isn’t it?” Rengard chuckled, reaching up and over his shoulder, grabbing hold of the broadsword.

“Speak for yourselves, it’s going to take me an eternity to get the damn sawdust out of my hair!” Sereena barked, slipping two black rods from her sleeves and into her hands.

Above Elise continued to glare, once more placing a hand on the hilt of her katana, swishing her left foot forward and crouching slightly, “Well come on then, lets not stop the festivities this soon. Come at me!”