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A sudden rustling in the undergrowth shattering the silence of the camp, Trevor's hands shot to the whip at his side. "Did you hear that?" he said, Elizabeth immediately standing and moving towards her sword that poked out from the back of the wagon.

Alucard didn't move, "Animals humping in the undergrowth?" he mocked. A low growl hummed through the field, closer this time. "Wait, no," the vampire said cautiously and began getting to his feet.

Sypha still sat there, unsure of what to do. Elizabeth shuffled the snow onto the fire with her foot.

"The nearest town? Is it still Gresit?" he asked, looking to Sypha.

"Arges is closer to us," Sypha said in a low tone. Elizabeth put a finger to her lips and crept close to a row of bushes, she could hear the footsteps of something getting closer.

She searched intensely out into the open path; she could make out the taunt skin of a night creature. They seemed different; unlike the ones they'd fought in Gresit. Some of them were malformed, chimeras of different species muddled together in a patchwork soldier.

She looked back to Trevor and nodded to him; a signal for him to get higher. Alucard took the hint and marched slowly in the direction of the beats, his sword close in hand. Elizabeth readied the blade in her hands, readying to jump out at the ankles of the night creatures.

Alucard drew their attention, placing himself in the open space. Trevor was sneaking above, ready to pounce like a cat on prey, Elizabeth could hear his heavy breath from her position. She was making mental notes of the position of her companions, she feared she'd swing out at one of them by accident.

Elizabeth looked back to check where Sypha was, but the woman had vanished. Elizabeth stood up from her hiding spot, a little panicked. "Sypha?" she whispered loudly, cupping a hand to her mouth to aim the sound at the wagon. There was no reply. She gave a confused look at the wagon, calling in hushed tones towards the woman again. No reply. Shit

Her attention was drawn back to the open field, Alucard brandished his sword. The ringing sound cut through the quiet. She could see the beasts looking at each other as she had with her brother, they were conferring between themselves. She paused for a moment; she had never seen beasts react in this way before. Were these beasts somehow capable of higher though or had she just never thought to look before? She'd fought many creatures; lycanthropes, ghouls and even had an unfortunate encounter with a cruegle but they were savages, brutish monsters with no purpose other than to kill, right?

Elizabeth's focus was drawn back to the field as Alucard sliced his way through two bipedal monsters, his blade making quick work of their oil-slick skin. His tremendous speed made him a difficult target to follow, even Elizabeth was having difficulty keeping track of him and the monsters. The sword was enwreathed in bright blue flames as it went through a beast's jaw and skull, its curdling shriek echoed, and Elizabeth couldn't help but wince. As soon as they were dispatched of, two more took to the air. Alucard hadn't seen them, he looked back to see where Elizabeth was hidden. Elizabeth watched them get closer. Alucard still hadn't turned.

"Alu-!" her shout losing power almost immediately after leaving her lips. A shape flew through the air at them. She recognised her brothers form as he attacked them. The pair separated, one caught in the spiral of Trevor's whip as they crashed into the frosted earth but the other stayed on course. Alucard met the bird-like creature's staff with his sword, the blades clashed with a ringing sound. Small embers flittered in the air with each clash of metal.

Elizabeth glanced between each fight simultaneously, flitting with each landed blow. Trevor yelled to her, but it was too late, something flew at her, knocking her away from her sword. She leant forward into her assailant, so she wasn't thrown onto her back. Her feet skidded across the fresh snow, leaving a trail of upturned earth. Her sword was flung off to her right, she cursed a little. The creature dived again, swooping quickly towards her. Elizabeth rolled to avoid it outstretched claws. Her hair was pulled slightly and cut at a jagged angle by the razor-sharp talons. She ignored the chunk of hair that landed on the floor.

The creature let out a slight giggle which made Elizabeth grit her teeth. The woman glanced and grinned, the roll had put her closer to her sword, one more roll an she'd be able to grab it. The beast dived, oblivious to her plan.

As she had before, she rolled as the creature descended upon her. Her small hands curled around the hilt of the sword and she swung outwards, screaming as the muscle in her shoulder gave way. The sharp snap sent pain radiating through her arm. But Elizabeth was determined. The swing had clipped the beasts wing and flung it to the floor.

Elizabeth's eyes followed the trail of blood and upturned dirt that it took with it as it crashed. Elizabeth was forced to abandon her sword; her arm was too weak for her to support it with both arms and she doubted she would be able to swing it with one. Elizabeth cradled her shoulder and sprinted towards the monster. It limply tried to lift itself, its wing had been shredded by the blade, blood gushing out of the ripped membrane. It shrieked as it saw her approaching, flailing its tail at her to stop her approach. Elizabeth quickly dropped and slid under the tail, the breeze whipping up her hair as the tail passed over her. She snatched up the knife from her belt and began stabbing mercilessly at it's soft underside. The beast kicked out at her, each kick growing weaker as it bled out from under her knife. The blood splashed across her face and she sharply moved back. The beast wheezed. Elizabeth looked towards its gnarly face and saw the fear in its eyes. She looked in horror at the reflection of herself in its dying orbs. The blood was splattered across her face and clothes, the knife raised high above her head. She would have been terrified in its place. Guilt rolled her stomach. The beast let out a deep sigh before going limp, its last breath swirling in a vortex through the cold air. Elizabeth dropped the knife. She looked down at her hands and wiped them on her cloak. She couldn't stop her hands shaking.

Elizabeth sat there, holding her arm and staring intensely at the beast she'd murdered, unaware the fiery orb that rapidly approached her. She was oblivious as it raced towards her face. A figure stepped out in front of her, a blue cloak flapping wildly at their back. Sypha grunted as she caught the fireball between her palms, her brow furrowed in concentration as she held it there. The woman quickly sent it back, her arms moving in perfect circles as she sent the projectiles back towards their sender, she even drew the fire away from Trevor and Alucard who had been forced to dance frantically across the field to avoid them.

The fireballs collided with bat-like creatures on the far-side of the field. Each of the beasts shrieked as the flames singed their skin. But they didn't fall. The largest of them howled. The red glow growing bigger and deeper in its chest as it readied another attack. Sypha huffed. Elizabeth slowly turned, still trapped in her daze but aware enough to realise what was happening. Sypha held the flames with the monster's body, it twitched and writhed as the glow deepened. The beast whimpered. A smirk grew on Sypha' face. Her palms were growing further and further apart, the distance causing a greater mass of fire in the creature's belly. She let out a hearty battle cry and slammed her palms together. The beast imploded, flames bursting out of its charred body to set its comrades on fire too. The men shielded their eyes from the light. Sypha's body protected Elizabeth from the blazing red hue. All of them were too engrossed in the fire to see a small demon flying away from the carnage, heading east.

The men rushed over to Sypha and Elizabeth. Sypha was already helping Elizabeth to her feet. She pulled on Elizabeth's good arm and steadied her before letting her stand on her own. Alucard had retrieved her sword on the way.

"Nobody is going to Arges tonight," he said with a hint of pride. He eyed up her shoulder, seeing her cradle her limp arm with her hand.

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