⚔ 52nd of Glade, Year 123, A.o.S ⚔
Company: Victor, Donivan, & Survivors| Thoughts: What to do from here| Mood: Concerned
Company: Victor, Donivan, & Survivors| Thoughts: What to do from here| Mood: Concerned
⚔ He found himself looking over the masses that had been gathered under the protection of Victor and Donivan, a good twenty or so people, thirty at the most. Alright everyone we need to move as soon as possible, there are some abandoned buildings a few clicks from here, shouldn't take us long to get there if we move now. he encouraged, patting Donivan on the shoulder to aid those who needed it. Dreyfus watched as they gathered themselves, observing the looks on people's faces.
Some were worse for wear, tattered clothes, bandaged, and patched-up injuries. He found himself moving idly through the group as they prepared to move again, coming to where some had sustained injuries that even Victor couldn't mend. Those damn monsters ripped his arm clean off. The best I can do is make sure that it doesn't get infected, but I doubt you'll ever fight again son. he spoke as a matter of factly, feeling Dreyfus as he came to rest a hand on his shoulder.
"May I give it a try, I happened to have gained some unique abilities since my unwarranted absence." he said, kneeling down and placing his hand on Victor's shoulder. Making a fist, Dreyfus punctured his palm, forming several seeds of crystalized blood in it. Taking one he placed it into the wound, the young man reeling from the pain and discomfort. Dreyfus tapped into the seed, funneling his vitale into the man and reconstituting his arm with Innervate. Everyone watched in awe as bone and sinew formed, muscle and blood vessels, flesh returning and forming his sword arm again.
On the man's shoulder, a crystal rose bloomed only to shatter into glittering red dust once the arm was fully restored. How in the hell did you do that? Victor whispered, causing Dreyfus to smirk and look back. "I'll have to explain that later, but for now, bring me all your wounded and maimed. I will see to it that they are healed and restored."
At first, both men looked with bewildered concern, but eventually, they both nodded to each other and began to file the injured toward Dreyfus. "They won't make the journey if they are dying or missing a limb. This way they can at least get somewhere relatively safe while you plan your next move." he added, planting more of his crystalized branded seed into those that were brought to him. As he did his work, he couldn't help but become irritated. Most zaicheari abhorred magic in fear, but these fools were praising him like some god that had come to their rescue. In the vampyre's eyes, they were pathetic, and the words of his aunt echoed in his ear again, that they were beneath him.
It took all his inhuman strength for his facial expression not to reflect his utter and visceral disgust. He did his best to move through each injured person, watching each limb and injury reform and restore themselves. To the masses that witnessed their family members and loved ones become whole again, the atmosphere shifted among them, something the vampyre never noticed, but Victor surely did. Once those who had been healed were ready they began to move to the location that Victor previously mentioned.
All three men led in front, while a few able-body fighters covered the rear. For a while there was silence, but neither Donivan nor Victor spoke up first. It was Dreyfus who noticed the looks between the two before he decided to probe their thoughts. "I suppose you both have questions, now is the best time to ask." he opened, as he peered over his shoulder.
"How are you alive Drey? I watched them bury you. We mourned you, made a memorial and everything for you." Donivan finally chirped, Victor following behind him in his own inquiries. "More importantly what form of magic allows you to regrow limbs and heal wounds like that?" he added. Dreyfus simply returned his fiery glowing gaze back to the path ahead. It was a few more moments of silence before he regarded either man with an answer.
"I don't know if you would believe me if I even told you, but the truth of the matter is, I did die that day, but was brought back. The Red Witch indeed killed me but returned me to life as a means of exacting some form of twisted revenge on me. I did try and stop her on the day of her execution you know, though i learned it was a means of getting back at my mother for killing her sister. She kidnapped me and held me prisoner, turning me into what I am now...............a Vampyre." he allowed that to hang in the air, just loud enough for them to soak it in.
With his awareness tapped into the flux of aether around them, he could sense and feel Victor grip his sword hilt, attempting to remove it only for the vampyre's fiery gaze to cleave into him from over Dreyfus's shoulder. "I can assure you mentor, even if you managed to cleave me in two, I would simply reform from it. It would only serve to stall me, and add to my growing irritation." he added. Looking back onto the road ahead, the silhouette of structures in the distance began to peak their way over the horizon, as sighs of relief could be heard from the weary refugees.
"As for how I am able to restore those to their former selves, the answer lies also in the means of my return to the realm of the living." he concluded, stopping and opening his shirt to reveal his Rune of Vitalis that was hidden just beneath a few buttons of his button-up shirt. Continuing on, he shepherded the group to the location Victor had mentioned. Crimson eyes watched as they settled in for the time being. He could see many huddled up with loved ones or crawled into fettle positions trying not to think of the bleak situation they were living in. Donivan came to Dreyfus's right, tapping his shoulder and motioning him to come to where Victor was.
"I know we didn't say it back then, but I want to say thank you for your aid back there. I don't think we would have been able to kill that damned thing on our own and keep those people safe as well." he praised, causing Dreyfus to nod in acknowledgment. "It will be great having someone with your skills and ability with us. Im sure we can find a safe haven if we stick together." Donivan added, patting Dreyfus on the shoulder. Unfortunately, that was not in the cards for Dreyfus.
"I hate to burst your bubble Doni, but I am unable to continue on with you and your tagalongs. I must return to the Monteliyet estate, reclaim my home and see about how to restore Zaicaher." he began, giving both men a bow before turning and taking a step to leave the group. "I can't afford to stay and play nursemaid or defender for mere mortal men, not when there is so much more at stake." He left both men standing there with those words.
Not even thirty or so paces away he felt something coming, moving through the aether flux at an alarming speed. Turning he caught the edge of Victor's blade as it slid through the palm of his hand. "So that's it Dreyfus? You would just up and abandon your people? This is not the actions of one of my former students." he flared, trying to press his advantage with his blade, slicing it free from Dreyfus's hand and unleashing a flurry of attacks on the vampyre. "Where is your honor? Your pride as a Zaichaeri warrior?" he pressed, his blade dancing against the unique steel of Blood Thorn and Rose Edge as Drey used both blades in defense.
Using both blades was an interesting test of his skill as Victor was clearly demonstrating why he was a profound master swordsman even now. That being said Dreyfus would not be strongarmed into submission. "My people? These are not my people, these are not mages. I have spent my entire life under the heel of those who are ordinary and frail and offer mages nothing more than discrimination and suspicion of these people you so desperately protect. I refuse to be anyone's leashed attack dog or aid ever again, you hear me!" he roared, tapping into his vitalis rune to increase his reflexes and reaction time, his strength that was already above that of an average human.
He was able to now able to counter Victor move for move, keeping pace as they fought across the open field, the survivors and Donivan watching with eyes of awe and amazement. Both warriors clashed once more, but Victor clearly had the upper hand as he was also a reaver, and used an ability to call forth duplicates of his sword, cornering Dreyfus by the neck by four of them, each one locked with one another to hold Dreyfus's head in a box that would take his head clean off if he moved even an inch. "Be there hope then. You have given them the one thing we never thought we would be able to regain since this whole shit show started a year ago. You have given them a reason to live." he noted, pointing his sword in the direction of the diralect building where the survivors watched.
Dreyfus's enhanced vision showed many of them in a praying position, something he never thought he would ever see Zaicheri people doing, but there they were, kneeling and bowing in his direction. Clenching the handle of his blades he took a deep breath, before letting it out in a long sigh. As much as he didn't want to do this it didn't seem as though he had a choice in the matter, and Victor wouldn't have allowed him to refuse. "Once I retake the estate I will come back for you. Hold out till them." he growled begrudgingly. Victor smirked and nodded as his blade returned to his scabbard, his magic blades dissipating into silver ash.
Dreyfus only smirked as he sheathed his own weapons and made his way from there to the city.⚔
"Silandris Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"
