A Struggle Against Storms - True Adventure Time

Vralestra

Chapter 7 – Vralestra

Flames of scorching heat did nothing but beat down upon the world around her. Nothing but the thin piece of fabric she held over her shielded her from an agonizing torture, though even with protection she was feeling over heated. She flew swiftly, passing low over green fields, thick stones and bubbling streams and he cursed her luck, it was another one of those flawlessly cloudless days. No matter how she looked at the situation she was cornered. There was no obvious, likely way for her to escape or turn the tables at the moment.

The Vampire Queen had only narrowly delayed her demise back at the tree house and was now being relentlessly pursued by two Command Agents with annoyingly accurate aim with a crossbow. She'd already been hit on the outer edge of her left shoulder, it grazed her but it was deep for a grazing. She was determined not to be brought down by two measly Agents, the possibility of that repulsed and enraged her. She needed someway to gain some footing and then she'd rip those condescendingly superior heads off their shoulders. She'd teach these upstart mortals to know their place in the food chain. If she could just find some thing...

Marceline's thoughts gave a little hesitated surprise that comes with a newly found lead to a solution. She recognized this area, the familiar layout of hills and streams. Jake's barn house should be nearby... A plan began to formulate in her mind.

She needed to hurry, she could hear the pounding of the Agents' steeds closing in behind her and she was tiring. It was hard enough trying to out distance a horse without having to serpentine to avoid any incoming projectiles. What she was about to do was going to be really tricky though, and it would definitely hurt. She took a deep breath and gritted her teeth.

The Agents closed the distance on their target, the expression on their faces tightening with focus. In unison they raised their weapons and took aim from the jolting and rocking of their horses. The twang of their crossbows burrowed through the air and they hit their target dead in the back. Reeling in their steeds, the look on their faces changed to that of astonishment and confusion, the bolts had pierced through the fabric to reveal that there was no one there!

Marceline gasped and exerted all her will to keep from falling on the ground and writhing in pain. She just flew straight ahead, faster than she could ever remember going before. She could feel her skin shriveling and sizzling as the sun burned it away. She was nearly blinded from the torture, which made it a miracle that, after what seemed like forever, she even reached her destination.

The vampire collapsed under the shade of the eaves of the barn and released the hold on her invisibility and the spell she'd put on the robe. She just lied there for a moment breathing rapidly and unevenly, waiting for the pain to subside just a little. She pushed herself up to sit leaning against the dull red siding of the barn house, wincing when the rough wood grated against the raw skin and the back of her neck. She closed her eyes and gingerly felt out the burns on her neck, face and arms. Her hands were mostly unscathed so she used their cold to try and draw out the heat on her burns. Vampires usually healed fast but, of all the injuries they could sustain, sun burns were the slowest by far to heal.

C'mon Marceline, get it together already. This event has been going on long enough for you to get a hold of the situation. The hunted vampire quickly switched her attitude back to that of the hunter. Those worms have already noticed my deception, and they'll know Jake lives around here too, no doubt about that. She looked back over her shoulders to get a glimpse assessment of the building structure. There'll likely be some kind of rafters or something that'll be easy to hide in... so better avoid that. She had to remind herself that these two thought a little ahead of most people. The little mailbox by the front door caught her attention. That's perfect, I'll have to change form though...