Sword first, then spear.
Arthur was up first among the trio, not wasting a moment after awakening. Dany was close behind, though she was frustrated haven been slain first yet again.
"Without you we'd not have a proper sword," he said, patting her shoulder. "Skewer it when Arthur gets an opening."
She made a half smile, then looked at Al.
Alone, Al stared into the fire, a firm hand on her dagger. She shook her head before standing up, though still flustered. William offered her a hand though she refused, readying her quiver for the long walk.
"You seem confident," Nathan said, picking up his scabbard. "May I-."
"No," he said, forcing a gentle tone, "not yet. Just a little longer."
Nathan frowned but sat against a tree facing the road regardless.
On the march to the square Arthur suggested he swing his flail the moment the shade fires.
"Can you take a hit? Just one?" Arthur wondered.
"Don't see why not," he said, patting his shield. "Hardly feel it on the other side of this."
"Perfect!" Arthur said, growing a wide grin. "That ought give you the clearest opening, Allison might not even have to shoot. We can save arrows for it's true form."
"Fine," he said, looking back to Al.
She was a few paces further behind everyone else, Dany and Arthur eager to make for the square. Not as witty as usual, she was almost like Dany, though not quiet with uncertainty. There was rage within her, and he knew it'd nock itself on her bow.
Clouds filled the sky, blotting out the array of stars against the violet sky.
Instead of grey, the square appeared black, as did the walls to Eldreth's Palace.
Dany stepped in first, then Arthur, and he made his way in side by side with Al.
Fire raised, sealing off the entrance, and the altar shook.
Into the air soared a shade of four swords and blood red eyes. Its gaze ignited at once, and all the Embers dove behind him. Against his shield burned hot beams, magma seeping between hard black silver ironite.
Al loosed several arrows, landing three within its belly, and it hesitated mid-air.
Over head he swung his flail, lashing it as a steel death whip. One crack brought the shade down. It landed upon the altar, black smoke bursting in all directions. Upon recovering its eyes beamed, body solidifying, and the true vampyre's form shined with blue glimmering armor.
Al loosed again, though the vampyre swatted every arrow away with its blades.
Four arms against two, Dany stabbed and pivoted. She was loose, feet nimble, arms hanging low, head tucked. Not one sword touched her, and the vampyre hissed as Arthur thrusted for its belly.
The spearmen drove through the vampyre's breastplate, no more than an inch deep.
Winds spun, the vampyre leaping back, blood leaking from its chest. Dany and Arthur dove behind him, bright red eyes emitting smoke. Fire beams erupted against him, stumbling him back. Flail up, he moved his shield, getting a good reach.
Molten fire cut through his breastplate, scorching his belly. His flail rained down, bashing the vampyre, knocking off half its plate body.
It flew in circles, unleashing fire, beams against his shield. Dany and Arthur stayed close, though Al hung back by a few paces. She loosed two arrows at a time, on landing in the vampyres chest. It wailed, eyes shooting fire towards the sky, then slammed to into the square.
Arrow in its chest, it countered Dany and Arthur. Sword against sword, repelling spear, though backing itself into a corner. Arthur drove his spear through its chest. Dany sliced at its throat, then cut again severing its head.
"Curse ones," the vampyre whined, "mark my words, y-."
He stomped its head like a pile of red berries.
White smoke rose from the altar, and all the square's torches burned white. It was a silent fire, a suitable for a battle well fought.
The Embers rested, Al falling asleep the moment her head touched rested upon her quiver.
"She puts so much pressure on herself," Arthur said, the only one awake. "Comes with the territory of being a public defender."
"Defender?" He asked, sipping on a canteen full of ale.
"In our world there are laws, all rolled into one place where one's fate can be decided should they engage in criminal activity," Arthur explained, refusing a few sips. "She would stand with anyone unable to purchase their own defense team. Sort of like, a knight defending folk without a lord."
"Hell kind of way is that to make a living? Risking your life for peasants?"
"Well, her life wasn't on the line, more so her reputation. She had a damn good one, a seventy percent acquittal rate."
He raised an eyebrow.
"She won cases more often than not, granting people their freedom who otherwise would've, so to say, found themselves on the wrong end of a noose."
"That explains the eyes."
Arthur grew a puzzled look.
"She's sharp," he went on, "like she can discern what's right or not."
"Right," Arthur said, reaching out for a quick sip of ale. "First time I've seen you so perceptive."
"Let's end it on that note," he declared, unsure of what the last word meant.
While the Embers slept, he stayed awake for a bit longer.
His shield was damaged, though still intact. Nothing worth returning to Hector for, though he was curious about the vampyre with four arms, and a fighting style with limited openings.
Had the Embers not been at his side he'd have failed.
At least he tried to convince himself he wouldn't, and he fell asleep as Dany woke up, a small grin on her face.
A blue sky.
Smoke filled the air, sudden bursts, explosives, like the firebombs. Though they were small, it was enough to rattle his chest, and he stood at attention facing three holes in the ground.
He wore blue pants, a yellow stripe down the side, a black light jacket with ribbons and tiny medals, and a blue woven string was slung through his shoulder. Women weeped, as did other men wearing similar clothes to his own. Explosions rocked the air, a trumpet blew, thin and wiry as if a bird were dying.
Three men on either side a black shining casket walked towards a hole. Another group men were behind them, then another, all wearing similar clothes to himself. People sat in rows within a field, green grass far as he could see, as though they were in a church. Behind the rows were men lined up, carrying sticks which emitted smoke.
All three caskets were laid beneath the ground, and he saluted.
A priest dressed in all black made a sign of the cross, then started giving a sermon.
"We gather here today, to honor three valiant young men. As it is said in the book of John, 'There is no greater love than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends….'"
Death's hand touched him.
He knew he'd awaken.