Rush of Blood (Sal, Kat, Iko)

[Rainbowfountain]

((Um, warning. This following reply contains alot of profanity to my surprise.))
"Ah, I see. Creepy place you have here bud." Vira finished her healing and ignorantly scratched at her skin. She glared over at him, "Split personality ain't the word for it Ikovi. It's called 'doppleganger'. We're not the same person, we're two different people...I just live within her and come out from time to time. Don't treat me like a joke. I can kick your *ss without a gun." She spat on the floor and looked away, "Just thinking about your brother makes me sick. That guy has a bad case of gun mania. He can't even count to four and he managed to beat the living hell out of me! That just *isses me off!"
Vira looked back at Ikovi and calmed down, "You need to teach that ignorant *ss how to handle a woman before he dies a useless man."
Her perked leafy ears lowered again, and Vira grew impatient.
"You still haven't answered my question! Don't you know that enemies are closing in on your little hideout here? What the hell are you going ot do?!"

[Beta 112]

Ikovi shrugged, "salanim is pretty stupid, but he sure isn't useless." said Ikovi "Most people don't get a good first impress-" continued Ikovi before he was cut off by Katsumi.

Salanim burst through the door "Brother, Vampires!" shouted Salanim simply.

Ikovi's eyes widened and then he took a deep breath and closed them "Salanim, get outside and intercept as many as you can, as fast as you can." said Ikovi through gritted teeth, Peace is short.

"Yes, my pleasure brother" said Salanim and without any further words he dived headlong out of the window opposite him, shotgun already drawn.

Ikovi looked startled for a split second and then turned to Katsumi, who was just outside the door Salanim had come in through "Katsumi, you too, the lower rank soldiers should take orders from you, I want you to make sure no one gets inside the armory" said Ikovi straightening his coat and turning to Cherie now "I don't know who you are, or what you are, but at this point I don't care, stay here" said Ikovi padding his chest to make sure he had his reliable pistol on him and setting out through the door.

Lichen was level with the Manor now, soldiers were moving about now, they had gotten some warning about his arrival, but not nearly enough, it didn't matter. Lichen drew short blade from a sheath of many and putting it through the chest of a soldier who had tried to block him, he didn't care about the small fry...

[Animebella]

Katsumi nodded and nurried off towards the lower half to round up the lower ranked soldiers as Ikovi had told her to do so. She walked into one of the break rooms and was thankful to find a few longing around. "Everyone gather up, were under attack!" She yelped as she ran around the room tossing lost coats, and weapons to the men as they caught them startled by the young lady whom had just barged in and was now trying to order them around.

"S'cus me miss, but whom gave you the athority to order us around?" Katsumi turned on the soldier who jumped at her glare, "Ikovi himself did. Any other questions?" They shook their heads clearly scared of her now as they rounded up and marched out of the door with their orders to attack anyone on the opposing side, as well as keeping the armory safe and unbreached.

Meanwhile Katsumi made a quick round bout the castle to find anyone else standing around. Only finding a few she rushed outside with her whip in hand. She'd no need for those guns, she would be perfectly fine with what she was used to. "Alright, get ready to die then you dam.ed bloodsuckers." She growled as she plowed through the intruders, taking out a few dozen with her whip that was now scaulding(sp?) hot.

[Kero]

Vira tensed up, "I've been telling you about those vampires for the last five minutes. Why is it that you only listen to them." She put her hands on her hips, as she watched them go. A look of anger and rage filled her face. With a flutter of her wings, Vira changed into her full grown self.
"Vampires eh? Sounds like a tasty fight."
Vira stop this!
"Shut up! I'm not just going to sit around when a good fight is brewing. I hate being named 'useless' and a 'burden'!"
But Vira! Ikovi is looking out for me, he wants me to stay here and be safe! Or he just doesn't want another body to bury...heheh...
"That's exactly why you are the way you are now. Just shut up and watch Cherie. Ever since that winter when that Salanim came along, I've been training you since. It's time to fight."
She summoned a weapon, it was a naginata.
Eh! How'd you do that!
"None of your business."
Oh, and how are you grown up anyway?!
"You'll find out soon enough. Time to go."

With this, Vira opened the door and ventured down the hallways.

[Beta 112]

"Corporal stay back and provide cover fire, hold the doors, if they get inside we loose the range advantage, now go!" said Ikovi as he flung open the heavy main doors of the Manor barking orders to everyone he saw.

The sun was sinking beyond the horizon and Ikovi gritted his teeth as he looked at the sunset, nobody had been ready for this fight and no one would have time to put thier gear on. Night was going to be a problem, but he wasn't about to lose his defensive advantage and meet the enemy head on, but he still needed a way to fight the darkness.

"Sergeant, I want you to get a few squads to start setting up floodlights all around the Manor" Said Ikovi ordering his last gaurd from his side as he strolled onto the lawn. Katsumi and Salanim were already fighting, along with several of the regular soldiers.

There was a flash of black and Ikovi felt the breath being knocked from, along with a curious sensation that felt vaguely familiar "Ah-" gasped Ikovi as he stumbled forward, the pain starting to hit him as he realized the bloody blade-tip punctured through his right shoulder.

Lichen moved forward and whispered into Ikovi's ear "Evening Adversary" he said menacingly as he rotated his blade in Ikovi's shoulder.

"B*tch." spluttered Ikovi ignoring the pain as he whipped out his pistol and fired it over his shoulder where he had heard Lichens voice.

Lichen let go of the blade and stepped back in front of Ikovi, having just avoided being shot, he's a bit tougher than I thought he would be...

"Brother!" shouted Salanim taking a step to rush towards his wounded brother as he saw him attacked, Ikovi was no weakling, but that didn't mean he was much to be feared in a fight with a vampire such as Lichen.

"You're not going anywhere, psycho" said a vampire as he, and two others blocked his path.

"Get out of my way Sirs!" shouted Salanim bringing his shotgun to bear...

[Animebella]

Katsumi was well on her way worrying about this and that when she had strayed a bit from the manor. She looked around having heard the heartbeat of another vampire somewhere along these lines. Her eyes started to adjust to the darkness as it was beginning to fall. Alright... where in the world.... She looked to the sky, to the trees, the bushes? Nothing... but wait! A movement from beneath that bush. She nodded as she clutched to her whip tightly, "Show yourself!" She growled to the obvious bush, but more movement came from within.

Hanako sat where she was but her feet were cramping up beneath her, she had to move, she had barely breathed in a breath while she was in hiding. Aferaid of anyone seeing her, then she heard movement. She lost her footing and stirred, making whatever it was come to a halt to listen. She gulped in some air as she peered through the bush to see a female, however she was no normal female as she was a devil, holding a whip no less, glowing a weird red in coloring. that can't be good. I..I need to run... that's what Lichen told me.. but can I out run a devil? Certainly not.. but I won't let her get the best of me.

She stumbled a bit, jumping at the noise of her voice as the devil spoke. She shook her head but she had to obey she could see no good would come out of it if she stayed put. "I....I'm not..." She mumbled as she inched carefully out of the bushes free of any scratches however her scar had been revealed making the devil jump at seeing her, then evern more so when she noticed the scar. A shiver as sent down her spine as she Stepped back from the devil. "Lichen told me to stay here. I don't know why he is here, but I'm not about to give in myself to you." She said and turned to run, however her legs were numb and she soon tripped over herself and fell in a heap of dust.

Katsumi watched as the girl appeared, revealing a deadyly looking scar and speaking some nonesense. She crossed her arms and decided to give her a head start, which cleasrly didn't work for her as she tripped and fell. "Heh, well I was told to kill everyone, but I haven't seen anyone like you before. You look vampire, but then again you don't. I'll bring you to Ikovi, maybe he will find a suitable preference for you." She said grabbing at the girl's wrists and yanking her up so she had no choice but to follow. Within seconds they arrived to the bloodly battle scene, Katsumi looking quite proud and Hanako with her head held low, hair covering her grotesque looking scar.

[Rainbowfountain]

Vira (Cherie's doppleganger) steathily walked down the hallways she heard the battle around very clearly, and could here blood being splattered everywhere. She lifted her nose up and took a whiff of the smells that filled the hallways, "He's injured. Better hurry before he gets killed." She gripped her naginata tightly and ran onward down the hallways, appearing before the scene aswell. She couldn't help but smirk at Ikovi getting his butt whooped, but was also concerned for him as well. Seeing Salanim struggle to get past the vampires that blocked his way, Cherie flew over as quickly as possible and summoned magic into her blade. She sliced her weapon right through the vampires neck. She landed right beside Salanim the pair colapsed and blood spewed from their bodies.
"How weak. I expected better."

[Beta 112]

Salanim finsihed the third vampire off with a blast from his shotgun and made to run for his wounded brother again, but this time a far more fierce looking vampire blocked his way "Immortal girl, please listen to Ikovi, and go back into the mansion" said Salanim in a somewhat stress voice as the silent vampire drew a long pick from a sheath on his back.

The vampire's strike was like lightning, but Salanim was familliar with thiers speed and parried the jab with the forearm of his shot gun, flinging the long wooden spear aside, giving him time to attach his bayonet to the muzzle of his weapon. The vampire brought the blade back towards Salanim as he jumped backwards from a chargeing Salanim, but it was too late, Salanim had done something rather unorthodox and thrown his shotgun, bayonet first, at the vampire.

The vampire only had time to say one thing "Fidels" before the shotgun struck him in the heart.

Salanim wrenched the shotgun from the vampies shest and turned to see Katsumi returning with something, or someone in her hands, Salanim's pupils contracted when he saw who it was "S-sister..."

Ikovi pulled the blade from his back and crossed it along the action of his pistol, leveling both weapons on Lichen "Don' underestimate the Roknish" said Ikovi simply as he fired at Lichen again, the wound in his back already healed.

Lichen moved rapidly, crouching low and moving fast he avoided Ikovi's shots as he followed his first one up with three more fired at him as he moved, one grazed his cheek as he came in close to Ikovi again, he reached up and wrenched the weapon from Ikovi's hands "I didn't" said Lichen menacingly as he hit Ikovi with his pistol.

Ikovi stumbled back and went to throw his last weapon, the knife he had pulled form his own back, at Lichen, but Lichen leveled the pistol on Ikovi's knee and pulled the trigger. Ikovi fell to the ground as his kneecap was blown into tiny fragments by a .45 caliber round. Ikovi tried to turn himself around to face Lichen again, from the ground this time, but lichen shot his other leg and strode over to stand over Ikovi like a master over his dog.

He wanted to say something, anything, before he finished off this bastard, this human who had lasted so long against vampires and all the impossible odds that went with that, Lichen glared down at Ikovi, who was covered with blood but still had a faint smile on his face as he looked down the barrel of his own pistol.

"Brother, sister is here!" shouted a voice and Lichen's attention was drawn away from Ikovi, and he saw some demon holding his beloved Hanako by the scruff of her neck "Y-you!" shouted Lichen and he turned back to Ikovi, this time to kill him immediately.

Suddenly he was thrown off balance as something knocked his leg out from under him, he fell and saw out of the corner of his eye Ikvovi getting to his feet.

Ikovi slammed his foot into Lichens knee, he didn't break it, like he had wanted too, but he did manage to make him fall, and Ikovi took the time to rise back to his newly healed feet "Healing powers you f**k" said Ikovi, And now to have Salanim save my as*, d**n that was close...

[Animebella]

((And it begins! Man this is getting interesting))

Katsumi halted infront of the manor and held the girl tight in her grasp who wasn't even bothering to struggle at the moment. She looked around wondering what al the commotion was when she noticed Ikovi and Salanim both fighting of the vampires that seemed intent on taking them down once and for all. She had to smirk as she cracked her whip in the air, deafening a few vamps that had spotted her and were about to attack. They lay squirming on the ground as they held their ears. The girl in her grasp mearly flinched at the noise.

"Heh, good for nothing vamps, they give us devils a bad name. They should all go back to rot in the Netherlands." She laughed evily as she looked over to the girl for some response, "Hey say something would you? Least struggle to make this interesting. Sheesh." She said as she shook the girl a bit to see if she was even alive.

Hanako was mearly cringing as the smell of blood, as much as she hated it the smell was turning her on. She wanted it... then again she fought against it, making her insides twist and turn... hurting her internally. She bit her lip to satisfy herself and feed her cravings, even if it was her own blood. She heard the girl talking beside her, her grasp was aweful, it was hurting her wrists making Hanako want to bit her or something. However she thought better of that when she realized what he was just thinking.

She was then shaken up but wasn't focusing on the girl as she lifted her head to a new voice. Katsumi looked displeased but just as curious as Ikovi had called the girl his sister. Hanako peered through her hair and over to where Lichen and someone else was fighting. "Lichen!!" She gasped seeing as he was a bit beat up but was still fighting the man. She wonderewd who he was and why he had mistaken her for his sister.

Katsumi blinked blankly at the two as they went at it, "Lichen? Sister? Jeesh what an annoyance.. maybe I should just kill her myself.. however I have to wonder what this whole thing is about in the first place." Her eyes moved from the fight to the girl as she was being attacked once more. She grabbed hold of the girl and jumped into a close tree. Pulling out a few daggers and setting them on fire as she took out two more vampires who fell to the ground as the daggers became stakes to their hearts.

"Good god will this ever end." Directing her attention to the men, "Hey, if this girl means anything to you losers you'd better save her." She said wondering if she could stir up the attention as she placed a third dagger to the girl's neck.

[Rainbowfountain]

"Shut the hell up Salanim, I'm still pissed after what you did to me that winter." She glared at him showing that she wasn't Cherie and turned to the stonger looking vampire. "I've played with vamps before, I know how to deal with them. Just go save your brother's butt before he dies." She got ready for the vampire who was drawing his pick weapon.
"Bring it." she hissed as she summoned her magic once again, sliding into her fighting stance.
Cherie was amazed when Salanim called the girl 'sister'.
"*amn isn't that something."

[Beta 112]

Ikovi gritted his teeth as he spotted his sister for the first time in nine years, he didn't feel too hot after using up so much of his power like that, but he had the clarity of thought to know that it was his long-lost-sister. Not that he cared as much as he thought he would, when this war had started he had set out to destroy Lichen's clan, not get his sister back, so weather or not she was killed here didn't bother him that much. But she would make for a nice piece of intelligence on Lichen if his sources were correct, and she was technically still his sister.

"Katsumi! Take her alive, that's the girl Salanim mistook you for the first time!" shouted Ikovi over the crescendo's of war surrounding him.

Lichen looked over his shoulder at the shouting Ikovi with deadly eyes "You little" said Lichen in a furious voice, d**nt hat bastard, he's going to torture her for information, even if she is his sister! "I WON"T LET YOU!" shouted Lichen as he swung around driving his fist into Ikovi's stomach with as much strength as he could muster before taking off for Hanako.

Ikovi felt his ribs being shattered, he didn't even see the punch Lichen threw, So this is a vampires true power. Ikovi went flying, hitting the ground in a vicious roll of powerless limbs flailing in the wind, he came to a halt as he slammed into the Manor's basement wall, feeling his shoulder break with the impact. Ow... I suppose this what you call a near death experience... Oh well...

Ikovi was in a daze, his body not able to feel so much pain all at one time, instead his body re-inflated both lungs with the last of his power and reduced him to a coma-like state while he healed the rest on his own.

"Stand still Miss!" shouted Salanim with a broad smile on his face, This is it, what I've been working for all this time! "Let me kill her!" continued Salanim as he leveled his shotgun on the pair, pulling the trigger the trigger without hesitation.

"You bastard!" shouted Lichen as he tackled Salanim at the last moment, knocking the shotgun out of his hands as he hit him, the shot just missing Katsumi and Hanako.

"Don't get in my way!" shouted Salanim as he flipped Lichen over hous shoulder and fell backwards onto him.

Lichen took no time to get out from under Salanim's massive back and jump to his feet, he clenched his fist and put all of his speed and power into a punch aimed at Salanim who was still on the ground. Salanim rolled out of the way and took Lichen's legs out with a wide kick. Lichen fell, sinking his fist several inches into the ground where Salanim's throat had just been.

Salanim and Lichen stood back up and faced each other, Salanim giving Lichen a smile and a approving nod. Lichen merely bared his fangs...

[Animebella]

Katsumi looked over at Ikovi, "That blockheaded idiot mistaked me for this girl? The nerve, go Salanim you need glasses. The hair color is all wrong and she has this nasty scar on the side of her face! Jeesh, you are an a**hole!!" She growled over at Salanim, but not having much time as Ikovi had hit the ground and Salanim was aligned(sp?) with her and the girl for a deadly shot. Somehow the intruder she so named as Lichen had tackled him at the last second. The shot missing her own head by mear inches.

"That's it you idiot who the h8ll do you think you are!!! If this really is your sister you have no right to kill her! She is a living being!! Er.... so to speak anyways." She added quietly to herself as she looked to the girl in her arms. "Have you nothing to say for yourself? That idiot brother of yours is trying to shoot us down? Nothing?" She growled at the girl who was really paying no attention to her.

In fact Hanako was crying, she did want to see any of this, the sounds and smells were enough to make her sick to her stomach as she fell limp in the girl's arms. Katsumi, tightened her grasp on her and looked around, "You really have nothing to say." She said angered though she was curious as to why she was sticking around to this Lichen guy and not her real brothers.

Hanako lifted her head to the girl and shook her head. "They are not my brothers, I have no idea who they are. Lichen is the only one for me. He has taken good care of me, I have no complants nor do I wish to go anywhere with complete strangers." Though she said it to just Katsumi it had been loud enough for the other four to hear.

Katsumi gasped, as she looked from her to the two brothers, then back to her once more. "You look just alike those two though, are you saying you are really not related? Salanim sure seems set on killing you and Ikovi, well he seems more passionate on saving your butt. I have no idea why that jerk mistaked me for you but ic an tell he may have seen me as a threat no less. You are vampire no?"

She could tell by her scent as she smelled vaguely of blood, and she was sure the girl had a set of fangs worth barganing for in that pretty little mouth of hers. So why was she not fighting? Was she really the prise this was all for and about? If that was so why would this Lichen bring her along? Had he not thought ahead to the mear possibility of her being found out and all of this happening? Was he really that fond of this girl?

Katsumi blinked and looked over at this Lichen man and wondered what his deal was. Before speaking however she looked back at the girl, "How long have you known this man?" She asked as Hanako smiled a very small smile, "All my life."

[Rainbowfountain]

((>_< Sorry! Didn't realize Salanim killed the vamp!))
Vira watched as Ikovi fell almost to his death. She made her naginata disappear and ran over to Ikovi's side. To her surprise, he was almost completely healed. She placed her hands over him, healing internal wounds that he missed over.
"You're like a cockroach." she muttered. All of this vampire talk was confusing to her, "Now I understand your brother a bit."
She finished and propped Ikovi up against the wall. Intently, Vira watched the battle raging on with Lichen against the desperate Salanim.

[Beta 112]

Lichen and Salanim charged each other, Salanim caught Lichens fist in his left hand and thre a punch with his right, but Lichen caught it just as Salanim had caught his. Both Salanim's and Lichens arms were shaking with the effort of pushing the other back. Lichen lowered his head and stretched out his neck so that he was as close to Salanim's face as he could get.

Lichen took a deep breath, and he smelled nothing but human blood and sweat, there was no magic in this man's blood and he was definitely all human, but then how was he as strong as me? There's more power in Ikovi's blood than there was in his brother's, could you really become this powerful off of just human strength?

Lichen gritted his teeth and spoke in what was almost a whisper but sounded more like a growl "Just what are you?!"

Salanim licked his teeth as he felt Lichen's strength wavering, slowly sliding back against his weight "Salanim Roknish" said Salanim as he drew his won head back, he slammed it into Lichens and felt Lichens strength give out as he fell over, Salanim on top of him "Now Die."

Salanim wrapped his arm around Lichens skull, a little of his blood soaking into his sleeve where his forehead was bleeding from being struck by Salanim. He grabbed the wrist of his hand and tightened his grasp on Lichens head.

Lichen struggled in vain, Salanim was too heavy, and he could think straight after being hit in the head so hard, What is going on...? This pressure, feel like it's going to crush my skull... Wait! He's going to crush my skull, no!. Lichen lost control of his own thought process and he did what his primal urges told him to do. Lichen opened his mouth and bit into Salanim's bicep, feeling the potent blood pouring into his mouth. It tastes like... Death...

Salanim threw Lichen from him in a violent contortion and clenched at his arm, where he had been bitten "Why you little!" shouted Salanim as he looked wildly around for Lichen, who was already back on his way towards Hanako.

Ikovi stirred in his sleep as he was set against the wall, vomiting a little blood as Vira healed his remaining internal injuris, he muttered a little in his sleep "...Digging my own grave..."

[Animebella]

Hanako had stirred when she heard the pained growls and such coming from Lichen, she turned her head towards the two, cringing at the sight of blood and fallen soldiers. "Lichen noo!!!!!" She cried out seeing as he had been taken down and was about to be killed. She lunged forward somehow escaping the girl's grasp without her knowing. Sending her spiraling down off the branch and towards the ground. She screamed a high pitch scream before realizing she had landed the fall on foot and knee. She caught her breath and started towards Lichen in a full out run, her hair billowing around her revealing her grotesque looking scar.

Katsumi was still biwildered by the two going at it, the tables turning every which way as it seemed the intruder has met his match in Salanim, which was all around weird for her to admit he was quite good. She shivered and shook it off, "What the h8ll do I care if he's actually good. He's fighting to kill the girl is all." She muttered under her breath as she lost her grip on the girl without noticing until it was too late. the girl was airborn and landed the fall. She blinked down at her, "Hey! You (w)itch! Who the h8ll do you think you are!" She growled as she launched off the tree, landing ontop of the girl, pinning her to the ground and knocking the air out of her as she was knocked to the ground. "No moving unless your told. Jeesh, you think someone would freakin listen to me around here." She growled as she lay there over the girl who struggled to escape once more.