Karas had arrived in the town of Estolad. He knew this place had some good food and places to sleep. He was on the outskirt of the village during the day. There was smoke rising from chimneies and there were horses placed all over the place. "I can't wait to get some food. This place has some of the best food I know of." Karas went in and found the pub. He walked in and found some of the villagers eating and drinking. Walking up to the bar, Karas immediatly sat down and said what he wanted. "Bartender please, I would like some food and some hot tea." A few minutes went by and then a plate and a tea cup were place in front of him. Karas lifted a fork and dug into a piece of meat that was on his plate. He brought it up to his mout and began to chew it, then he spit it back out. "Oh yuck it is cold. Bartender take it back and..." Just then a butcher knife flew past his head and stuck into the wall. Karas looked at it and then back at the tender and he was holding up a knife. "What the...what are you doing." Karas then heard chairs fall over and when he looked behind him the villagers were all holding weapons. "Why do I think that I just walked into a trap." A villager dived at Karas but Karas knocked him out of the way. "Time to go." Karas ran out side and the rest of the villagers were holding weapons and some were in the air holding weapons. "What is going on here. I must be draming." A villager threw a knife and it grazed his hand. "This can't be a dream that knife felt real enough." Another villager attacked with a pitch fork and Karas killed him with his sword. Looking at his sword there was blood on it running down the blade. "Ok definitly not a dream." Karas put his sword away knowing that he wouldn't be able to use it against the villagers. "I have to hide, I have to figure out what is going on here." Karas began to run through the village and he found a place to hide in a building that was not being used.

Shalura's dove, Aravis, hopped slog the roof watching the man enter the pub, she blinked and looked down as the sounds of some kind of riot seemed to start. The man then rushed out onto the street and looked up seeing all the villagers somehow flying and wielding makeshift weapons, one of them charged but he killed it. Then he ran out of sight from Aravis, she followed him, flapping her wings as fast as she could trying to see what was going on, suddenly a hand grabbed her and held tight. Aravis flapped madly getting extremely frustrated but then the hand let go and the figure tumbled to the ground, Aravis looked up and saw Shalura floating beside her with her own wings out, but her hair had been cut much shorter than what she was used to.

"Thought you could use a hand," she said brightly "after all you only have wings."
Shalura looked about at the other villagers glaring at her, she drew her staff and held it in front of her getting into a mid air stance.
"I think I should warn you," she said "I've defeated my own master quiet recently, so I don't think you stand a chance."
Ignoring her they flew forwards in a mismatched formation, Shalura struck one on the back of the neck sending him to the ground then turned about using the momentum she'd gained to strike one right between the eyes and blinding him before knocking him to the ground too.

Aravis meanwhile was following the man who'd been attack but had lost him, she landed on the ground and looked about trying to find him when she noticed a gang of villagers flying down on street, and reluctantly she followed as close as she dared.

With so much troubles around the land, Sanzen could only spare a few days for rest. He managed to evade countless hordes of villagers asking for assistance, as well as the most-delayed revival of his once great guild. He had meant to get back to things as soon as possible, but with so much going on in such a short span of time, it was going to drive him mad. Taking side routes along the way, he came to the outskirts of Estolad, where the silence seems broken.

Groups of villagers are seen holding makeshift weapons, some holding farmyard tools while others holding anything with an edge or seems hard enough. They had not noticed the figure watching them, and seemed to follow a larger group. Intrigued by the strange events, Sanzen followed from a distance. Upon turning a corner and leaning against one of the small walls, Sanzen came upon a sizeable horde of villagers. A single man ran ahead of the mob, heading towards a building that seemed uninhabited. The thunderous steps of the angry mob filled the entire village, and paid little heed to the watcher that stood by. It was not really his problem to meddle with affairs such as this, but with the odds against the single man, it was impossible to turn away.

Slowly walking towards a small group of three, Sanzen inquired about the situation. "Hail good sirs. What seems to be going on?" Without looking at the speaker, the three blindly charged at Sanzen, knives in hand. The three looked big and tough, but moved as slow as an ox. Their wild swings and reckless movements were easy to intercept, and Sanzen found little effort in moving to the sides and dodging. He tried to get a few words of apology or excuse out after each miss, but the exercise was getting tiresome. As he dodged to the right from a downward slash from one of the three, he placed his hands on the man's back and drove his knee to the chin, knocking him out cold. The other two continued their assault, swinging and thrusting like crazy. With one step Sanzen grabbed the hand of one, then with an open palm, forced a blow on the man's chest, knocking him back. The last one standing followed through with a thrust, that slightly grazed the figure's arm. Fangs baring, Sanzen grabbed the main by the shoulders, then threw him to the side, the huge figure crashing into a nearby wall.

The recent crashing and loud thuds would surely attract more, so Sanzen decided to climb to a nearby hut, and laid down on the straw roof. This could keep him concealed for a while, as well as oversee what is really going on.

Karas hid in the empty building hiding until he knew what was going on. He heard some rustling under his feet and there was a trap door with a person. The person curled into a ball and said "Please don't hurt me." Karas sighed in releif. "Don't worry. I am not going to hurt you. I came here in my travels before and this was the only place I could get some food. Now please come out of there." Karas held down his hand. The person took it. The person was a female figure who looked like she was in her twenties. "Please tell me what is going on here. Why have all the villagers gone crazy." The woman answered with a shudder in her voice. "I don't know, I was out picking some herbs one day and when I came back everyone had gone mad. I was the only one to survive what ever happened here." Karas stood pondering on this entire nightmare going on. "Oh excuse my manners Ms. My name is Karas. Pleased to meet you in in this night mare of a town now." The woman answered him by giving her name. "My name Sango. It is a pleasure to meet you as well." A few hours went by and the two were conversing. Sango told Karas everything that had happened within the past few days. She told him that three strangers showed two woman and a male, but Sango didn't know for what reason. "So strange things started to happen after they showed up...I got a feeling this is an attack to take the village. We will wait until night fall. Then I will take you out of the village and come back and try to figure out who or what is doing this...In the mean time get some rest." Karas let Sango sleep and Karas kept watch out a small window in the building. A few hours went by and nightfall hit. Sango had already awoken and Karas was ready to get her out. They moved quickly to get out and were halfway to the edge of the village when they were stopped. "No we were so close. Sango go and hide." A bunch of the villageers had just came out of no where and began to attack. "Karas why don't you attack them back with your sword." The villagers kept coming and Karas kept dodging them. "I can't they are innocent people being manipulated by something, and I won't kill them just becuase they are being manipulated." A few seconds went by and the village blacksmith came up to Karas and hit him with a beam of wood knocking Karas on his back. Sango ran over to him to help him up. "Karas here give me your hand I know of a way around them." Karas reached up and took her hand. "Thanks Sango but coming out here could have gotten you killed." As he took her hand she began to squeeze it harder and harder. "Foolish mortal I can't belive you fell for such innocence." "Snago what are you doing. Yoour hurting my hand." She then picked Karas up off the ground and threw him into one of the huts nearby. Karas got up holding his head, and when he looked back at Sango she began to change shape. "What the..." "Ha,ha,ha,ha...Greetings Karas, my true name is Yura and all of this is my doing." Yura wasn't real tall, she had black hair, red eyes, was thin, and was wearing a red and black out fit with a katana at her left side. Yura began to laugh again. "I should have known that there wouldn't have been any survivors...Damn you." "Poor Karas, you sealed your fate when you came here. I give you two options join me and my freinds or die." Karas smirked a bit. "I will never join you." "Then dieeeeeeeeee!" More villagers surrounded Karas and began to attack him.

(Teal-Yura
????-Red Bold
????- Purple Bold)

Shalura dropped having had to dodge three attacks at the same time; she landed on the ground keeping a close eye on all the possessed villagers above her.
"Guys snap out of it!" She yelled "whatever it is!"
They ignored her and dived she raised one of her arms glaring at them.
"Rats gnitoohs!"
A small orb of light shot from her palm, the villagers swerved out of the way to avoid it and Shalure flew into the air striking on in the back of the neck and spinning about winding another.

Aravis on the other hand was still following Karas, he seemed to have run into a nearby building, and before the door closed she flew in and settled in the rafters, there was another person there, a woman, who said her name was Snago. She seemed to talk to the man for hours, Aravis nearly dropped off a couple of times but jerked herself awake, she looked out of the window and saw the sun beginning to rise.

Shalura rolled in mid air and grabbed the pitchfork aimed at her and used the man's momentum to hurl him to the ground and then turned about spinning the fork in one hand and deflecting several projectiles thrown at her. She dropped it and flew head on into the crowd; suddenly they all sped past her going in a different direction. She stopped and looked about, then followed; they seemed to be going in the direction that Karas has gone, she followed closely and stopped as she saw the sight in front of her. A great demon in black robes and wielding a katana was facing the man across the street with all the villagers surrounding him.

"Poor Karas, you sealed your fate when you came here. I give you two options join me and my friends or die."
"I will never join you."
"Then dieeeeeeeeee!"
The villagers charged at Karas raising their weapons, Shalura hesitated then dived in landing hard on the ground and raising her arm.
"Thgil!"
A light illuminated from her palm and the villagers, possessed by demons, backed away from it, a smug smile formed on Shalura's face, simple spell, yet effective.

In an instant the figure nested up in the huts looked up, a strange look on his face. His 'observations' seem to be futile, as once he nestled on the warm straw roof, his eyes grew heavy and brought him to a deep sleep. Strange memories of battles with vampires and lupines filled his head, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead as the intensity of the dreams grew. A final image of dark brooding eyes and white bared fangs sinking its teeth into his then scrawny neck awoke him. With a tired look on his eyes he surveyed the area once more, the villagers gone.

Night had fallen over the village, a time when Sanzen was at his peak. Showing his cursed lineage in midday would weaken him at most, but at night he can safely reveal his true nature. It was not one he would be proud of, but it was a power he used much to his advantage. He checked around the area, noticing probably one or two villagers at each hut, standing idly as if awaiting something. Trying to be as cautious as possible, Sanzen leapt from roof to roof, avoiding the streets filled with strange villagers.

Sounds of charging villagers and crashing roofs seem to have caught his senses, and he made quick haste towards the noise. It appears that the man he had watched over earlier was there again, close to a hut. A female figure wearing black and red robes stood over the man, with a look on her face that seemed dangerous. The man appeared to have been injured, and he had to assist somewhat. Preparing an incantation he began to clasp his hands, summoning a visage of himself.

Just then another female appeared close to the man, and cast a brilliant light that drove the horde away from them. It brought the man enough time, hopefully. After her spell Sanzen completed his effect, a replication of himself before him. With simple eye contact he gestured the duplicate to rush towards the horde, in an attempt to drive them back. He awaited in the shadows to see what would happen.

Karas covered his eyes as the bright light came forth. Opening them back up he saw that Shalura was in front of him. "Boy am I glad to see a familiar face around here." Yura began to laugh again as the villagers knocked down arose once more. "Foolish beings...No demons are controlling the villagers. Only one and that is me. Let me explain...my name is Yura...it means controller of hair, and these villagers are my puppets. HAhaha...hahahahaha...Ahhahahahaha." Karas was surprised to hear that. He didn't know there was a demon out there that existed like this. He then saw more figures coming ready to attack the villagers and drive them back. "No we can't attack the villagers. They are being controlled by Yura. I guess she is using her hair to control them." Karas had a look of disgust on his face. "Very clever Karas. You catch on fast." "Yeah I do just like my brother Shadow." Yura looked at Karas with awww. "Your brother is Shadow. Ah...he has color of red hair I would love to get my hands on it, now once i get rid of you and take your hair and everyone elses I will go after him and take his." Karas was more irritated then ever before. "Over my dead my body. You won't even get to leave this village." Karas jumped up at Yura and was repelled by something. "To bad you can't get near me though. My hair will keep you away, and you can't cut it becuase it can not be seen." Karas laughed at her. "Ha you are sadly mistaken Yura. I can see it, and once I cut it all away I will kill you." "Go ahead...and trrryyyyy." Yura moved her hand like she threw something at Karas and she did. Next to Karas a hole formed in the ground. "It is time to kill you..." Karas formed a circle in his hand and closed his eyes. He then reopened them after a few seconds. "Detect the unseen." Karas's eyes went from a red color to a full bluish white color. "Dieeeee Yura!"

OOC:((you guys may control Yura as well. you can have her attack you and all but don't say that when Karas attacked he missed. You control the actions torwards you charcters ok. Don't get mad either please, Yura is going to be a quick demon, so she can change targets very quickly.))

Tanya walked towards the group of people who were controlled. She held a blank look on her face, the hairs that held her manipulated her as she walked towards Yura and the others. She delicately held a knife in her hand, "Foolish beings...No demons are controlling the villagers. Only one and that is me. Let me explain...my name is Yura...it means controller of hair, and these villagers are my puppets. HAhaha...hahahahaha...Ahhahahahaha." Yura had shouted. Tanya walked towards the group, she raised the knife above her head and threw it at Shalura. She then took her staff and held it ready, "Go ahead...and trrryyyyy." Yura said as Tanya stood in front of Karas.

Yura had a smug look as the villagers including Tanya began to croud around the fighters. Tanya walked and hastened her pace towards Karas, "I will destroy all who do not join my master." she said. She ran towards him. Detect the unseen." She heard Karas say as he opened his eyes. She broke into a full run and took and held her staff as if it was a baseball bat and swung to hit him.

(OOC: And here comes my late entry, sorry about it, but my weekends are really busy)

Darenimo had been on his way to Angband from Lómedor, really not planning to visit the Village of Estolad, however, as his route had went just past Estolad, he had decided to check if everything was in order there. Casting his only known spell, "detect evil" had brought to his attention that there was great evil in the village, most probably way more evil than the one he was on mission to deal with. This required Darenimo's attention way sooner than some little Demon Minion in Angband, so he had headed toward the village to find out what was happening.

Well, now Darenimo was in the village, and he still didn't know what was happening, villagers were acting pretty strange, he had remained hiding and seen how Karas had been attacked by them, no one said a word, they just attacked and some of them hovered in air. But even if Darenimo cast detect evil on villagers, he couldn't find evilness in them Now this is strange... Darenimo thought, he waited a while in his own hiding place as he saw Karas entering to an empty building. Soon he heard someone yelling "Then dieeeeeeeeee!" And villagers started rushing to recently empty house. Darenimo did not hesitate, he ran from his own hiding place and jumped to empty house trough the window as the doorway was being crowded by villagers.

As he entered the house, he read the situation, he heard Karas yelling "Dieeee Yura!" the mad villagers seemed to fight on a side of this Yura. Karas seemed to be the one fighting against them, or at least against Yura. Suddenly he saw blade coming toward his head, villagers had noticed him too, and some of them was now attacking him, he dodged the blade by crouching, then he kicked the villager to his knees so he fell over, after that he punched one of them to face knocking him over, then he jumped as high high as he could in this house, and leaped over the villagers to attack the demon, but he wasn't aware of the demon's hair's abilities and his attack was repelled by it, he awkwardly fell on the ground on his back. "How great..." He said as he noticed several blades of the villagers surrounding coming down at him.

(OOC: hmmm Inuyasha..)

The shadow Sanzen said made quick work with the villagers, using the blunt edge of his poison-tipped blades to disable the innocents. The shadow then rushed towards the demon girl, but in an instant froze in its place. From the distance Sanzen tried to focus on the figure, and noticed his joints were bound in place, through some invisible force. The binding became tighter, the physical form of the duplicate tightly gripped. Lines formed on the arms and legs, until strange glitters began to appear around the duplicate, forming a sort of web. It was then Sanzen realized that some strings or wires were surrounding the girl, and even the villagers.

The vampire had keen senses at night, but even he could not percieve past the clever tricks of the demon witch. She had the entire village bound with her twisted magic, and unless he found a way to look through her spell, he was helpless. He approached close to the action, towards the man and another figure. More figures came into the scene, a man.

The man tried to rush towards the demon, but was repelled by the same trick that extinguished his duplicate. He proceeded onward, avoiding the villagers and attempted to reach the man. The man who encountered the demon earlier had stood up once more, and began a conversation with her. The last line Sanzen picked up as he came closer was the man uttering in a phrase, "Detect the unseen." In an instant his eye color changed, the effects of a spell overtaking him. He appears to know how to see through her trickery, and is about the only one capable of dealing with her.

It was then that Sanzen noticed a woman rush head on towards the man. She held her staff and prepared to swing at the man. Uttering a series of incomprehensible phrases Sanzen quickly disappeared, appearing just between the staff girl and the man, sword drawn in time to parry her blow. This seems to be another one controlled by the demon, but proves to be more than an adversary. He prepared to draw his fever sword, a fierce battle about to take place.

Rather than bieng imtimidasted however, the demon women laughed, Shalura didn't know weather to groan or roll her eyes; just about every evil bieng did that sooner or later.
"Foolish beings...No demons are controlling the villagers. Only one and that is me. Let me explain...my name is Yura...it means controller of hair, and these villagers are my puppets. HAhaha...hahahahaha...Ahhahahahaha."
"No we can't attack the villagers. They are being controlled by Yura. I guess she is using her hair to control them."
"Her hair? Eew, that's just wierd," Shalura let her light fade seeing as it didn't seem to have any effect and raised her staff again.

She looked about keeping a close eye as many of the villagers as possible, most of them seemed to go for Karas and a few for other people joining in the fighting.
"Good to know I'm not doing this by myself," Shalura muttered.
She raised her staff to deflect an attack when a knife suddenly hit her in the arm, she yelled and dropped her staff and was hit by the villager's own weopon knocking her to the ground, she pulled the knife out and tossed it aside.
"laeh," she muttered and the wounds healed.

She looked around to see who had thrown the knife but the villager attempted to hit her again, she rolled out of the way and leapt to her feet striking the man's elbow with her foot causing it to jolt and force him to let go of his weapon, it wouldn't hurt but it would be numb for several hours. Shalura glided upwards away from the frey and looked about at the battle below trying to find where she'd dropped her staff. Looking at Karas she saw Tanya of all people running towards him raising her own staff.
"Huh?"
Shalura watched in confusion, then Sanzen appeared between them and raisied his own weapon.
"What? Hey!"

Shalura dived and grabbed hold of Tany's arm."tropelet!" She said and vanished before anybody got hurt.
She re-appeared a few feet away from the growing battlescene and let go of Tanya.
"What's going on here?" She asked "and why were you trying to attack Karas? On second thougths just tell me what's happened."

"Thanks whoever you are for stopping her I owe you one." looking at Sanzen. Karas had been calculating a way to attack as he defended himself against some of the villgaers. A group of them had charged and Karas had jumped out of the way of them but was hit from behind with a knife one of the vilagers had been carrying. Yura had pulled back the villager and took the blade. She licked the blood from the blade tasting Karas's blood. "Mmmmm...Karas you are tasty. After I kill you and take your hair I think I will drink your blood." Karas got disgusted with what Yura had said. "Oh that is so wrong. You make my skin crawl." What Karas had said it struck a on Yura and she got angry. "Why you...I am much perttier than these woman here in the village." Karas smirked a bit and thought of an idea. "Hey to tell you Shalura is way prettier than you ever will be!" Yura began to get angry. Her mind got clouded with anger and that gave Karas a chance to attack. Karas jumped at her and was about to swing his sword when his hand was stopped. Karas looked at it and from what he saw she was slowly wrapping her hair around his body and after a while Karas was completely immobilized. "Yura I wil break out of this you can be sure of that." "No you won't becuase I am going to kill you now." Karas closed his eyes as she was about to strike and he said. "Steitsou." A stone wall rose from the ground startling Yura, and as soon as Karas was behind the wall he began to transform into his dragon form. Karas's arms and legs formed into legs with metal scales and claws, his torso got bigger and metalic wings sprouted from his back, his face began to get longer as it formed into a snout with a long mout with rows of sharp teeth. Before he was finished transforming Yura came around the stone wall. "What is going here. What is happening to him?" Yura was there in time to see the color of Karas's hair. A silky silver white hair sprouted from his neck to complete the transformation. Yura looked at Karas with aw. "I want that beautiful hair of yours." Karas had opened his eyes and he was free from her grasp. "I told you Yura, your hair wouldn't hod me for long, and I congratulate you, you were the first one to ever make me transofrm during a fight. I hope you are ready to die." Karas slowly moved forward and Yura pulled the villagers torwards Karas and made them attack. As they attacked there weapons just clanked and made sparks as they hit Karas metalic scales. Yura was frightened. She then called for help. "Berith please, I need some help now." A portal formed on the ground and a red warrior on a red horse appeared from it. "It is about time you called for help Yura, I was getting bored." Berith began to gallop torwards Sanzen. He held up a spiked ball and chain wepon spinning it as he was preparing to strike Sanzen from behind.

The young girl continued to be manipulated by the hairs of Yura as she fought Karas and the others. She ran full force at Karas and swung as hard as she could but was blocked by a man who used his sword to pary her blow, cutting several hairs in the prossess. She stumbled back and swayed a little before regaining her balance. "Thanks whoever you are for stopping her I owe you one." She pulled her staff back about to attack him when a hand grabbed her arm. She turned and saw Shalura, tropelet she said teleporting both herself and Tanya away from the battle.

Shalura let go of Tanya and looked at her. "I want that beautiful hair of yours." Yura had told Karas as he finished transforming. Tanya who was now occupied with Shalura nodded. "My mistress loves your hair, I will be the one to give it to her." she murmered readying her staff again. "Berith please, I need some help now." Yura called. A warrior appeared from a portal on the ground and ran towards Sanzen. Tanya drew a dagger, its blade glistened in the sun. "What's going on here? And why were you trying to attack Karas? On second thougths just tell me what's happened." Shalura told the young girl but Yura's hold was still strong. "Your hair...Your hair is what I want...What I must get for my master. Join us or perish...those are your only options." she said lunging with the dagger at Shalura, oblivious to her friends demands for an answer.

The maneuver worked, the swing from the girl's staff blocked by his sword. A word of appreciation came from the warrior, Thanks whoever you are for stopping her I owe you one." It was a comfort to the vampire to hear such words, and it somewhat gave him more relief and fervor in continuing the battle. The girl was held back by Shalura, a familar face he had met before. She held the girl from making another swing, and this caught the girl's attention. With no one else to fight, Sanzen focused on keeping the villagers busy for the warrior to attack.

The demon seemed to lose her control for a bit, uttering words he could not recognize from the distance. After performing a series of side kicks galloping sounds could be heard from behind. A slight relief came to Sanzen, thoughts of regular warriors from the large cities coming to aid. He let his guard down a little, and turned to see quite the opposite of what he had expected. A red warrior mounted on a horse charged towards the vampire, a spiked ball in chain on hand. The warrior swung the ball wildly, mount rushing head on towards the vampire.

In efforts to avoid as much damage as possible, Sanzen drew both his blades. Placing them directly in front of him, he jumped to the side exactly where the weapon arm of the mounted warrior was placed. A large swing was made, both blades recieving the force of the attack. The strength of the swing caused the vampire to fly up high, sheer strength keeping him higher. A slight fear overcoming the vampire, he placed two fingers on his mouth then blew hard.

From the distance a long forgotten ally swooped down and caught the vampire mid-air, ash-gray wings flapping over the village. Red gleaming eyes focused on the demon girl, as the winged beast flew over the field. Sanzen composed himself once more, trying to assess the situation properly. He would have to take down the villagers without any deaths, but sooner or later he must deal with the demon puppeteer. He scouted the battlefield once more, and found the red warrior once again. He would find a way to deal with him later, but for now he flew high up in the battlefield, biding his time.

The answer to her question was one that she didn't expect, Tanya appeared to be possessed like the rest of the villagers.
"Your hair...Your hair is what I want...What I must get for my master. Join us or perish...those are your only options."
"Wha..?"
Shalura was caught completely off guard, that definatly wasn't Tanya speaking. She let her guard down and the dagger hit her right in the shoulder, she stumbled back and pulled it out reciting her healing spell again.
"Tanya? You..." She shook herself, like it or not Tanya was possessed like the rest of the villagers and there was nothing she could do about it, and what was with the whole hair thing?

She spread her wings and flew into the air and gazed down in slight horror as another demon charged into the scene mounted on horseback and charging at Sanzen.
"This is getting out of control," she muttered.
Panicking slightly she dived and raised one of her arms reciting what Samarin had taught her under her breath.
"Here goes nothing," she muttered"Lyoh!"
The holy spell wound around her arm and fired blowing Shalura back a little but she got control of it in time, the new demon looked up and threw himself off his hrose as the spell impacted casting an explosion of light and holy energy which faded leaving no mark on the ground.

Shalura descended lightly staying out of the way of the possessed villagers.
"Heh, you honestly think that twig stands a chance against me?"
Shalura glared at him and ran at him raising her staff, Berith raised his mace and swung it smashing her staff in two and then knocking her backwards into a wall and breaking it. Shalura got to her feet a little shocked and turned her attention back to the demon who was charging again.
"No...You...Don't!" Shalura said and drew her sword, golden flames instantly erupted along the blade "Remmah yloh!"

A powerful light suddenly lit up along the blade and she swung it towards the demon breaking his mace and then swung her foot aiming kicking him to the ground, he grabbed her foot and threw her over him and into the ground and she dropped her sword.

Karas could hear what was happening on the ground but he was mainly focused on getting the villagers free from Yura's grasp. "Yura...No more running, no more delaying what you can't fight. It is time for you to perish." Karas went after Yura ready to attack her with his mouth and rip off one of her limbs, but she evaded the attack and was calculating on how to take Karas down. "I am not going to die by the likes of you." Yura motioned for more villagers to attack and this time they were monks and preistesses. They all were carrying enchanted arrows and bows and they could penetrate Karas's scales with ease. Yura let them fire and Karas was weaving his way through the barrage of arrows and was being peirced in the side by a couple of them. As each arrow pierced his scales he rored out in pain but continued forward ready to strike Yura. The villagers had run out of arrows and Karas was free to attack Yura. Swinging his tail Karas made a direct blow on her knocking her to the ground, and casuing her to be unconsious.

Karas the heard as Shalura was attacked. He looked behind and saw that Shalura was on the ground. "Shalura no." Berith pulled out a broad sword and was about to strike Shalura when Karas quickly intervined by tackling Berith in his dragon and form and plowing right through a cottage. The roof on the cottage burst off as Karas went trhough it and the straw covering it was on fire. Not expecting that Karas was hit and he fell to the ground on his back making an imprint in the ground and he reverted back to his human form.

Tanya picked her staff back up and prepared for another attack. The red warrior had also joined the fray and begain to attack Shalura and Sanzen. "Wha..? Tanya. You.." Shalura said when she stabbed her in the arm. She withdrew and grabbed her staff to attack again. "I will get your hair." she said as she went to attack but Shalura evaded and ran to attack the warrior. She and the warrior exchanged blows when Shalura was knocked into the ground. The warrior went over her but Karas as a dragon attacked him. Tanya walked and stood above Shalura dagger in hand, "Your hair is mi..." she said but dropped the dagger and fell unconsious to the ground as Yura was also knocked out. The hairs that manipulated her became too tight and snapped as she hit the ground near Shalura, long black hairs covered her body.

Karas got up from the ground with blood trickling out of his mouth. Berith as well got up and began to walk torwards Karas and Shalura. Karas slowly walked over to Shalura. "Shalura get up...come on we have to move." Karas lifter her up and began to carry her away from the fight. "What is wrong you fools. Afraid to fight....You should be. None of you stand a chance against me." From what Berith said it struck a nerve in Karas but Karas new thay had to regroup and find a way to fight Berith and kill Yura befoer she woke up. "Shalura wake up...Now is not the time to take a nap." Karas kept moving and looking behind him to see how close Berith got to them.

(OOC: I'm assuming I can control Berith, but not mess him up yet, am I right?)

Hovering above the air, Sanzen avoided all manner of conflict and trouble. He witnessed how the man knock out the demon girl with a tail swipe, her unconcious form on the ground. The girl whose attack he parried earlier also fell to the ground, the grip on her loosening. Most of the villagers are down as well. It appears that the demon girl requires great concentration to maintain a hold over her puppets. She is the key to stopping this problem, and finding a way to drive her away is of high priority. Sanzen whispered small commands to his ash dragon, who let out a small growl. The gray beast descended into the village, but stopped short of another scene.

Farther ahead he could see Shalura, who seems to be slightly beat up. Alongside him is the man, who is making good efforts to help her up. She must have battled something fierce in order to be placed in that position, and decided to assist the man in aiding her recovery. But as he approached the two he saw the red warrior earlier. The demon had been unscathed, and seems to be heading for the man and Shalura. Urging his mount to dive faster, Sanzen held on to the scales as the beast dove down in seconds.

The demon warrior was almost a few feet from the two when Sanzen landed his beast in between their paths. The mount of the demon never flinched, even at the presence of a dragon. It only uttered a small shout, and then went back to its blank face. The demon warrior switched views, now eyeing the vampire and his dragon. Sanzen turned to the two and shouted to them, "I'll hold him off as long as I can. Run and seek shelter, I will find you later!" He tried to sound reassuring, as confident one can be in situations like this. Turning his attention once more to the demon warrior, he managed to duck in time just to evade a furious charge by the demon. His mace had been disabled earlier, now he was wielding a broadsword.

Drawing his fever sword and poison blade, Sanzen stood on the dragon. The dragon gave out low breaths of smog, creating a screen of deadly smoke around them. The demon warrior disregarded the poisonous smoke, and pressed forward towards Sanzen. Swinging his sword side to side, Sanzen parried blows, using one sword to take the blow and another to try a counterattack. But with each attempt he only managed to place small chinks in his armor, which was useless. While holding off the demon, he could only think of what the two behind him are doing. He can manage to escape, just fly away again. Hopefully the two are long far away.

Karas looked at the man and shook his head in agreement, but Karas was going to come back to the fight. Karas put Shalura over his shoulder and began to run to a safe area. He looked around until he found a small hut big enough for two people to live in and set Shalura down in it. "I hope this will keep you hidden long enough until you awken Shalura." Karas closed the door and put a small thin wall over the door way to keep it blocked off. He then ran back to the fight hoding his Raku's Bane in his hand. As he was running he was leaving a trail of dust behind him from his great agility. When Karas had ariived back at the spot he left is was covered in a smog. Nothing could be seen in it and it couldn't be seen through. "Well here goes." Karas ran into the smog and as he entered he left a clean trail behind him and the trail filled back up with smog again after a few seconds. Karas didn't know where he was going but he ran straight through to the other side. "This might be a bit difficult." Karas ran back in and out the other side. He did that a few more times and got frustrated. He then decided to run in a circle causing the smog to spin and form up into a cyclone 20 feet in diameter and 12 feet high. After doing this he stiall wasn't able to see anyone but he could hear something big breathing. Karas figured it was the one who helped him earlier and went to the side of him. "Ok, let's take this guy down. This village has been put through to much already." Karas then cast his frozen axe spell on his bane and then pulled out his main weapon. Before Karas arrived back at the fight Berith just stood there breathing heavily, and assesing the situation on how to get rid of Sanzen, then when Karas ariived he had to figure out how to get rid of Karas as well. Berith finally spoke. "You two don't stand a chance together. Give up now and I will grant you a mercifull death." Karas sighed at what Berith said and looked at Snazen.

(((( <_< And no one sees the unconcious girl on the ground next to Shalura? *eyes Karas*))))

Tanya groaned as she opened her eyes, her head pounded like hundreds of tiny hammers hitting her head in certian spots. Her vision was blurry as she saw Karas pick up Shalura. "Shalura wake up...Now is not the time to take a nap." said the stranger. Her vision slowly cleared as she got to her knees. She saw her dagger on the ground, she picked it up and looked around seeing the red warrior fighting someone. She knew this was dangerous and turned stumbling after the man. He layed Shalura down and Tanya hid behind a cart as Karas left. She ran inside after he went past. Her vision finally cleared and she sat by Shalura afraid. "Please Shalura wake up...There is a freaky barber lady outside with a big evil knight with him." she said holding her knees in fear.

Tanya looked at Shalura and touched her cheek lightly. Shalura is unconcious and that man brought her here to stay safe....Well looks like I am going to have to protect her. She protected me once.." she thought and got up her dagger in hand and stood in the doorway. No matter what, no one would pass. Not even the freaky hair-cutting lady.

Shalura stirred and looked up noticing the cieling above her, she blinked trying to clear her vision. Suddenly she remember what had just happened and she bolted upright.
"Tanya!" She looked up and saw her standing nearby inside the room, she blinked confused "oh, you're over there. What happened anyway?"
She got to her feet slowly and wondered over to a slightly boarded up window and peeked through it.
"So, you're okay now right?" She asked.

((Sorry, writers block and extreme courswork stress. ARGH!))

(sorry Tanya, you were being controlled by yura, so didn't feel he should help you. but since you are no longer controlled by yura he can help any one who needs it. oh and sanzen everyone controls the enemies but like i said in a previous post; you can make then change target and have them attack different people...now back on topic)

Karas stood in the smog cloud trying to find the man that helped him earlier. He was walking and Karas had bumbed into a big scaly object. "Good I found you. Tell me vampire, can you see Berith because I can't see a thing in the smog." Karas turned to his left and faced the direction the ash dragon was. Berith stood there slowly walking forward and then he got into view. Once Berith could see Snazen and Karas he held up weapon and made a fire sheild out of magic and charged at the two. Karas had a bit of troubled keeping a good eye on him becuase of all the smog. "Where is he I can hardly see in this smog. Which side is he coming from." Karas looked but couldn't see then in a split secon Berith got behind him. "Looking for me warrior." Karas froze and Berith took Karas by and arm threw him out of the cloud and then he crouched down and aimed a powerful kick to the ash dragons underbelly.

Xoco watched the chaos below from the shadows of a nearby alleyway. He wore no guise now, and appeared only as the black, hooded specter of his true Wraith form. He wondered which side he should join. Obviously this demon was powerful, and a difficult match at best. He wouldn’t want to wind up on it’s bad side. On the other hand, the unfortunate travelers fighting the other demon had the advantage in numbers. Xoco observed the battle as a strange fiery light came from inside the dragon’s smog. Leaning moreso to the left, he saw a previously unconscious victim being helped to her feet by another man. Villagers lay in various crumpled forms on the ground. Xoco scathed to himself about how gutless and pointless it was to allow the villagers to live. After all, he might have been able to loot the town after it was deserted anyway. But not now. He sighed, trying to find some other way to work this scenario to his own advantage. He might be able to collect some weapons if any of the warriors fell, and then pawn them later for some extra gold. The one riding the dragon had some extremely valuable blades. But, then again, he was a capable fighter and his death seemed unlikely.

Making up his mind, he shifted out of the shadows of the alleyway, not bothering to deviate from his Wraith form. It might win him some horror points in the end, despite the side that he was taking. The demon couldn’t really hurt him, but being sent back to the Netherworld unnecessarily was an unpleasant experience that he prided himself on avoiding. Only Blessed weapons could kill him permanently, and it was unlikely that the vampires carried those. He would probably be able to fend off the less-capable fighters if they produced any nasty blessed blades. He crept into the fog, allowing the noxious gases to swirl around him as he went. Finally he came to a scene where the dragon and the vampire were battling the powerful demon. The demon emanated a powerful aura from his being that only other spirits could sense. Attempting to take him on seemed more foolish by the moment. He held a nasty-looking sword in his hand.

Thinking fast, Xoco drew Ice, his broadsword, and bowed his head to the demon. “What are your orders, my great and powerful master?” he asked. He prayed that the demon couldn’t sense his deception.

“Destroy the vampire, minion,” said the demon. Perhaps it was denser than it looked. Xoco pretended to obey the orders, Making an advance towards the vampires. The demon raised his sword into the air to make a killing blow to the dragon. With a quick, prescision strike, Xoco turned Ice and stabbed into the demon’s chest, piercing it’s heart. The demon instantly began to deteriorate, swirling into a cloud of essence bound for the Netherworld. Xoco winced, almost sympathetic of the demon’s pain, having experienced this unpleasant process several times himself.

Karas got up from being thrown and shook of the wearyness he had from the toss. "Man this guy is really getting on my nerves." Karas went back in and saw that Berith was stopped before he could hit the underside of the dragons belly. Berith began to laugh. "Hahahaha, my death only means that someone stronger will take my place. I gaurentee you that you deaths will be quick when she arrives." After saying that Berith completely vanished. The smog form the ash dragon let up and Karas could see someone he has never seen before in arda. "Ok, shadow creature looking thingy...who are you and why did you help us?" Karas waited for an answer and while waiting Karas began to twist and turn causing the bones in his body to crack so that he could move properly again.

Shalura reached up to her back and grabbed at thin air, she blinked and turned her head about.
"Oh great," she muttered "my staff smashed again."
She peeked outside again and noticed that her sword was lying on the ground, that is she did see it until a stranger smog suddenly clouded over it.
"Great," she gritted her teeth "hold on, I won't be a minute."
She opened the door, knocking down the fake wall, and dashed out. She looked up and saw the smog clearing, Beraith was gone and a different creature had taken his place.

Shalura ran over to Karas and the stranger and picked up her sword, wiping of a bit of dirt that had stained the blade, gold flames were still licking along it probably activated by the Wraith.
"Ok, shadow creature looking thingy...who are you and why did you help us?" Kara asked him.
"Huh?" Shalura looked over at him, slightly confused "wait, he helped us?"
She put her sword back in her scabbard, seeing as she didn't need it at the moment.
"Okay now what?" She asked "wait for the next demon?"

After the demon had gone, Xoco turned to face the new arrival. Ice was still smoking in his hand, heated from contact with the demon. "Ok, shadow creature looking thingy...who are you and why did you help us?" came a voice from the smog.

“My chances of getting out of here alive were increased by taking on one demon instead of 5 or 6 of you,” returned Xoco, sounding callused. “And I would prefer to be called Xoco, not ‘shadow creature looking thingy’,” he added.

Xoco felt stupid now. It had been a foolish, reckless decision to fight against the demon. And according to his chilling last words, there was about to be more trouble soon. Xoco knew that there would, quite literally, be hell to pay the next time he got sent into the Netherworld himself. He thought all of this over as a slight calm set in over the town.

Xoco kept Ice in his hands, not caring to part with it’s comforting weight until he was sure that the demon had bluffed. Or not, as the case might be. He exited the smog and took in the scene of aftermath. All of this destruction, caused by two demons, and apparently there was another one on the way? It seemed like a mad fight, and now that he had thrown himself into the wrong side, there was no way out. Except to fight.

Xoco sensed the demon’s aura before he actually arrived. It was powerful, almost overwhelming, and very intimidating. He could feel the chill in the air as the powerful essence carried into the town and finally materialized out of a large cloud of black magic. IT appeared to the humans that the demon simply popped up out of nowhere, and it was probably better for them. Xoco already knew that this was going to be a tough battle at best, and suicide at worst. The demon exited the small cloud of black magic, sending small, nearly undetectable vibrations through the air. He held a nasty-looking blade in his right hand, and a large shield was strapped to his left arm. His skin was bright red and his hair white as snow. Xoco backed away a few steps, waiting for someone to make the first move as an unnerving stillness settled in.

Tanya turned and saw Shalura was alright, "Shalura!" she exclaimed happily and went by her friends side. "So, you're okay now right?" Shalura asked her. Tanya nodded. "I am alright, just...I can't seem to figure out why I was not at home sleeping but instead was on the ground." She said. Suddenly Shalura grabbed at the open air. "hold on, I won't be a minute." she told Tanya. She nodded as Shalura went out to see the other people who were there. Suddenly Tanya felt a dangerous sensation and snuck back away from the door to the wall and slunk down. "Be carefull Shalura. I do not like the way the clouds are looking so black." she whispered and hugged her knees close to her body.

(OOC: I forgot to say I have an abrupt leave, sorry. Hope I can still catch up)

Sanzen tried to battle the demon, blows exchanged as the duel ensued. The human-dragon he helped earlier returned to the fight, although slightly at a disadvantage. The smog breath his ash dragon released was producing quite an inhibition for everyone, not letting anything move effortlessly with the exception of its master. With this advantage Sanzen had a means to defeat the demon horseman, but a surprising turn of events would proceed.

The demon was unscathed from the vampire's well-placed attacks, and his stance didn't waver as the ally erturn. But as he was about to make a clean strike towards Sanzen, he stopped. The smog from the ash dragon cleared, revealing a shadow wielding a broadsword. The weapon pierced through a weak point in the demon's armor, his essence evaporating into the realm from which he was called out. "Hahahaha, my death only means that someone stronger will take my place. I gaurentee you that you deaths will be quick when she arrives." were his final words, before vanishing completely. Mixed feelings of relief and doubt clouded his mind, as the potential danger of more trouble brought both excitement and a small sigh from the vampire.

The shadow and the dragon human exchanged introductions, the shadow revealing himself as Xoco. His timing was unbelievably convenient, but his suspicions were dismissed by another fearful aura emanating. In a twisted magic circle another demon made itself known, a large blade wielded with his right hand. A large shield was strapped to the demon's left, which offered excellent protection from him. This was going to be a difficult battle, but not impossible. After all Sanzen had more friends, the other one appearing to be lost.

As if on cue multiple heads appeared on the horizon, red gleaming eyes gazing on the demon. The ash hydra he had recently come upon has finally arrived, and was preparing to strike. Uttering soft-spoken commands to the dragon mount he has, Sanzen jumped off the beast. Both creatures would strike from both sides, a move which most likely wound the great demon. The demon would have to prove himself quickly, unless his appearance was merely for show, and would simple serve as food for the great beasts.

A small smile flickered on Xoco’s face, not that the others could see it under the darkness of his hood. The ash hydra gave them slightly better odds, but that didn’t mean that the demon wasn’t going to destroy them before it destroyed him. The demon turned to face this unexpected challenge, and Xoco took the opportunity to sweep to the right. He ducked low, ready if the demon made any sudden, unexpected moves.

“I’m impressed vampire. Very impressed,” he called to the dragon rider. This vampire was quite the warrior, and siding against him might have proved to be a worse idea. Xoco tried to comfort himself slightly with that thought. He watched as the vampire jumped off of his mount and began to see what he was planning. A two-sided attack with two powerful beasts. Xoco kept low, trying to let himself blend into the darkness. He knew it was a futile effort, as demons thrived on darkness, but it made him feel better.

The pale moonlight shimmered on Ice’s long, slender blade. It’s weight in his hand felt comforting, but he knew that it was no match for the large shield carried by the demon. Xoco began to formulate plans of attack in the event that the monsters failed to take him down. It was unlikely, but planning for the worst was one of Xoco’s strong suits. The only chance they would have would be a concisely orchestrated group attack, with the swordsmen attacking close-in and the rangers trying to pick him off from further away. Xoco knew it was a slim chance, but hey, so was the chance that the demon would survive the hydra battle in the first place.

Xoco watched as the dragon and the hydra stared down the demon. The demon’s unfettered appearance troubled him deeply. His power was great, and he knew it. Xoco felt a flash of fear run through him as he waited for one of the monsters to make the first strike.

(guys the demon is a female not a malen and this demon is nor ordianry one, she is a princess.)

Karas felt that Berith wasn't bluffing about a more powerful demon approching them. "Guys this may be a battle we might not come back from. Stay on gaurd." Karas looked around and a big hole opened up in the ground and fire began to shoot out of it. "Here she comes. I feel great power coming from with in. More than I ever have felt before here in Arda." Karas watched as a figure slowly rose out of the hole. The figure was wearing black battle armour that had a aura emminating from it. "Well, well, well. So this is the bunch that has beaten Berith. From the looks of it they don't seem to be that strong. One is trembling in fear and the other two are thinking they can't win this fight...Well you are right you can't win against me." Karas got the courage to speak up. "Don't count on it, whoever you are." The demon smiled a bit. "Oh how rude of me, my name is Persephone. I am the princess of hell, and it will be so sweet when I take your souls down for an eternity of torture." Karas didn't know what to do, his arsenal was small, so he wasn't sure if they could defeat this demon.

(can someone please control yura. she is only unconsious, so she will eventually wake up and help the demon princess)

OOC: On it Karas. Oh and a slight note, if you go to find out about the scream Tanya is going to be on the ground unconsious. How Yura looks in reference to that is your call.

BIC: Tanya sat in her little hut clinging to her knees for dear life as the demoness burst through the ground. Tanya looked in fear as the Demoness, her eyes growing wide at the sight of her. Tanya was unable to feel "power" like most of the beings she knew but she knew that what she was feeling right now was "power" it was the first time she felt it and it scared her. She pressed herself against the back and saw an overturned table nearby. Eyeing the demoness who was currently occupied with Shalura and the three other strangers she shuffled and crawled like an infant behind the table and hid.

However while the others were occupied with the two other demons everyone failed to notice that the place where Yura once laid was now empty, black hairs caught inbetween rock and stone were all that was left. Yura had awakened and snuck off. The hair-demon followed the scents of two sorces of blood, Tanya's dagger which bore the blood of Shalura when she had attacked and a small cut on Tanya's shoulder which had gone unnoticed because of its minority. The cut was only about a centimeter long and was not very deep but it was forming a red line where blood was quickly filling it to prepare to make a scab so time and the body could heal it. Yura still held the dagger that bore Karas' blood on it as she followed the scent. She crept behind the shack and peered through a broken window. She saw the small human girl who had kindly refered to her as the "Freaky barber lady" before she had gained control of the girl. She easily snuck in with all that was going on and crept up behind her. Tanya soon got the feeling that she was no longer alone in the shack and in seconds a dark shadow loomed over her, the light that cut through the window made a strong shilloette against Yura's body. Suddenly after Persephone made her introductions a peircing scream was heard from the direction of the shack Tanya was hiding in.

OoC: (Dude, I think we already established that the demon is a guy… meh, whatever, I’ll roll with it.)

The ash dragon and the hydra were close-by now, ready to go on the offensive. Xoco held Ice tight in his grip, waiting for the demoness to make the next move. "Oh how rude of me, my name is Persephone. I am the princess of hell,” Xoco’s eyes widened. It was impossible… to vanquish this demon was a fool’s task. He had heard tell of the powers which she held, the dark magic which she could conjure at the slightest whim. It made his essence run cold. He suddenly felt bad for the two great beasts who had no idea what a match they were getting thrust into.

Xoco looked around to gauge his odds. He had hoped that he might be able to slip away unnoticed, leaving the others to get destroyed by the demoness. But now that seemed unlikely. If he tried to desert and they lost, he would be hunted down. If he deserted and they won, he would still be hunted down, simply by a separate group of people. It seemed as though he had sealed his fate. And all he’d wanted was some drink from the pub when he had entered the town. Then everything had erupted into this chaos.

Suddenly, a piercing shriek came from one of the huts. Xoco looked beyond the demoness to see that the hair demon was no longer lying vanquished upon the ground. He turned his gaze to the source of the scream, but left his body facing the more powerful adversary. Right now, the hair demon was the least of his worries. Quicker than they had strayed, his focus snapped back to the new arrival. She had turned to find the source of the scream. Taking her distracted, Xoco muttered a dark incantation under his breath. Bringing his hands up, he completed the incantation and sent a crackling bolt of energy sailing into the demoness. The Enervation spell smashed into her, and for a moment he prayed that it was going to have some effect. She instead turned, as if he had just thrown a pebble at her instead of a powerful blast of dark energy. She cackled softly, and then did something completely unexpected.

With a single word, a single terrible word, he was suddenly compelled to her will. It was spoken in the tounge of demons, a tounge which the humans did not know. But Xoco knew it all too well. “Go forth, minion, and destroy these troublesome fools!” she said. Xoco could do nothing but obey. She had used his name is true name, and then ordered him to obide by her will. He was bound by his name to defend her every whim until she was vanquished… or he was, whichever came first. Turning, he started off towards one of the vampires, twirling Ice threateningly in his grip. No smile adorned his face, as he knew he was now bound into the outnumbered side of a no-win situation. But all he could do now was fight, and hope that by some miracle, he would come out of it alive.

Karas stood there, afraid like nothing before, but he didn't show no fear. He looked at Persaphone. Then thinking to himself. "We can't win this fight. She is too powerful, there is no way we can win, we will most surely die if we tried to fight her." Karas began to tremble and shake. He then saw as Xoco was sort of twitching. "Xoco are you all right?" Then a horrifying shreik came from a small distance. Karas turned to see what was going on and out of the blue Xoco attacked Sanzen. (i am not a vamp) "Sanzen lo..." Karas was smacked in the back by a dark mace that Persaphone had from dark magic. "You all have sealed your fate." Persaphone attacked again at Karas and before she made contact Karas raised a stone wall and got back up. "That was close. I might not win but I can still try and beat her." Karas pulled out his bane and cast fronzen axe on it. He then jumped over the stone wall and when he was about to attack the she demon was gone. "Where did she go?" Karas landed on the ground and looked around for he but he could not see her. Then out of the blue he was hit from behind again and was sent flying into a thick stone wall face first.

Chaos. This was what could describe what was happening. The two great beasts Sanzen set out to the demon did not seem to perform well, their attack cancelled at the last minute. The state his allies were in were beginning to worsen, and the situation has begun to take a turn for worse. The shadow that assisted them earlier had began to perform strange movements, actions inconsistent with what was seen earlier. Sanzen noticed his strict but fluid movement, contrary to the twitching actions seen at the moment. The ally he had that could transform into a dragon was in the middle of declaring his concern for the shadow when an unseen force knocked him away. Whatever was happening was not good for the group, and Sanzen had to think fast.

Jumping away from the shadow, Sanzen landed on the ash dragon. In a slight whisper, he commanded the dragon to once more perform a move. Standing on top of the dragon's head, Sanzen took out both his swords. Swaying them to the left, he tried to perform a gesture that would make the ash hydra move away as well. As Sanzen encouraged the other great beast to steer clear from the village, the ash dragon once again inhaled deeply, then exhaled a cloud of gray smog, covering most of the area. This could probably help his allies clear the battlefield, and regroup at a later time. The battle was unfavorable for them, and luckily the dragon was there to assist in the retreat.

As the smoke started to get thick, steel began to fade and clear figures became apparitions in the distance. The great demon stood stalwart, though does not seem to perform any actions. This could be a sign of the smog working, or probably the demon playing a bluff and waiting for the vampire to make a mistake. Sanzen cautiously blended with the smog, concealing his weapons. He then placed a hand on his mouth, to prevent the intake of fumes. Though the air was from his own beast and the effects on him were minimal, the pose he would take would be similar to what the others in the field would be doing, which would help mask his identity. He would carefully sneak away from the battlefield, and wait. Hopefully this would clear things a bit, and somehow help his allies as well.

Xoco wrestled with his own mind to try and gain control again. It was slow going, to say the least. He needed a distraction, something to break the demon princess’s hold on him. He really wasn’t counting one, and for now, decided it was best if he tried attacking the vampire first. He was at least the most capable warrior, and the battle would be won quicker with him out of the way.

As Xoco approached, he saw as the vampire waved two swords in the air, apparently calling off his ash hydra. He was obviously afraid, and to tell the truth, so was Xoco. This was a losing fight if ever one existed. Even if they did manage to defeat this demon, chances were good that another, more powerful one would simply take her place. It was time to make a quick, sudden exit from the fight and then possibly re-group later.

Xoco’s mind ached with the force of the demoness’s spell. He was trying to fight it, but to little avail . He turned his head to see that the demoness was concentrating hard to maintain her hold, and all he needed was something to break that concentration. Then, to his luck, the ash dragon let out another breath of noxious smog. Xoco felt the spell weaken on his mind as the cloud enveloped the demoness and all other things faded from view. Finally, with a release, she let go and he was free to do as he wished.

What he wished was to get out of here. He called to the vampire through the smoke, “We’ve got to get out of here, there is no end to this fight.” Xoco started walking in one direction, assuming that he would eventually find his way out of the smog. Finally the smog began to clear and he broke the wall of the cloud. Ice was still tight in his grip. He slipped quietly back into the shadows, where his black cloak blended well. Quietly, discreetly, he began to back away from the fight and into the safety of the night. He kept a careful watch on the band of warriors, hoping they would have the sense to the same.

Karas got up from being hit and the area was covered in smog once more. "This may help or this may make things worse." saying to himself. Karas sheathed his katana and began to slowly move about. The smog didn't treally affect Karas due to having his face covered by a thin armour that he has been wearing. While moving around in the smog Karas was seeing dark blobs in the smog but wasn't sure if he should attack or not becuase he didn't want to hit his allies. He then remembered the scream and Karas quickly dashed out of the smog leaving a small trail behind him. Karas arrived to where the scream came from and when he did he ran strait through a thin wall. There he found in the small shack Yura with Tanya's knife. "Yura...!" Yura turned to her side and looked. "Karas." Karas looked at Tanya as it seemes she trembled with fear.