Dham

This is completely the writing of my friend.

Niqi led the way along a forest path, staying at a walk so Ambree could keep up. "Do you even know where you're going?" Ambree asked.

"Yeah, actually." Niqi responded. "I think we're getting closer. Before, I couldn't feel it, but there's this... aura up ahead. It feels like I'm being drawn to it.."

Ambree rolled her eyes. "You'd better not be leading me into the vampire version of a bug zapper or something."

"It's not that." Niqi said, her eyes turning red and her face becoming feral as she scanned her surroundings. Off in the distance, standing out against the red haze that cloaked everything else, was a pulsing white aura. "It won't take long to get to him." The haze lifted, the wolf girl's eyes and facial features returning to normal.

After a few more minutes of walking, the girls came to a mossy stone archway. The familiar scarlet-eyed vampire hunter, Micah, was waiting for them there, hanging from the archway. "My my, aren't we slow..." The hunter smirked.

"Blame her." Niqi muttered.

Micah dropped from the archway, landing gracefully on his feet. "Your friend's been informed of your arrival. He's waiting for you on the second floor of the Demon's Tail, the... tavern-slash-inn in the center of town."

"... Who the hell are you, anyway?" Niqi asked.

Micah shrugged. "Does it really matter?"

"Yes." Niqi growled. "Spill it."

"Easy there, kid." Micah laughed. "Relax, you'll live longer. Name's Micah. Micah Seraphi."

Niqi rolled her eyes. "That's not very much information."

"In the right paws, it can be." Micah replied, tilting his hat and walking past Niqi. "Ask around, you'll find out what you wanna know."

"... At least we have as much time as we need." Ambree said. "I mean, we can take our time, get any info we need..."

Niqi smirked. "As Glide would put it, 'complete any side quests'."

 

...

 

Niqi pushed open the door of the Demon's Tail, eyes scanning the large tavern, paw gripping her sword's hilt. The place was filled with round wooden tables and expensive-looking chairs, though there were no signs of life, apart from the bartender, a tall and thin old man with a short gray beard and dark eyes. After a moment, Niqi relaxed, releasing her grip on the sword and motioning for Ambree to follow her inside.

"What was that about?" Ambree asked, raising an eyebrow.

Niqi shrugged. "Force of habit."

"Been a slow day." The bartender said, leaning against the bar. "In fact, been a slow week... What can I get you girls?"

"Information." Niqi replied. "We're looking for a gargoyle kid. Heard he was here."

The bartender nodded. "He's here. Upstairs, third room on the right. Drank until he passed out last night. I had to carry him up those stairs m'self. Haven't heard a peep out of him since; he's probably still asleep."

"He's a very quiet guy." Niqi said, heading toward the stairs. "I'm sure he's already awake."

The bartender chuckled. "I doubt that very much, miss, but you're free to go up there and wake him if you want to."

Niqi didn't reply, simply ascending the stairs and knocking on the appropriate door.

Dham opened the door, greeting Niqi with a nod. "I suppose it's time?"

Niqi nodded. "Yeah, it's time to get moving." She replied, heading back toward the stairs, Ambree and Dham in tow.

The door closest to the stairs opened, Micah standing in the doorway. "I wouldn't go that way if I were you."

Niqi jumped. "How the hell do you keep doing that!?"

"I'm Ninja Ninja." Micah smirked. "The point is, an old... friend... of yours is down there, and she's just dying to get her talons into you."

Niqi scratched her head, thinking for a moment. Then, suddenly, it dawned on her. "Sylpheed..."

"Yup, that's the one." Micah said. "Listen, you three get in here, I've set up an escape for you. Take the window, I'll keep the ol' buzzard busy."

"Not a chance." Niqi growled. "She's after me, and I'm not going to run from her."

Micah leveled a glare at her. "You go, right now, or I'm sending you out that window myself! If you're worried that I'll be too much for her to handle, don't be. I can stall her, but she'll get away alive, I'm sure."

Niqi gave a hesitant nod, stepping around Micah and into the room. Dham and Ambree followed behind her.

"Follow the glowing marks." Micah instructed, closing the door.

Niqi looked back, her eyes turning a deep scarlet. She watched through the walls as Micah headed toward the stairs.

"Come." Dham said, climbing out the window and grabbing the roof shingles with his hindpaws. "We have to go."

Niqi nodded, sliding out of the window and dropping to the ground. "S**t, that didn't go very well..." She muttered, propping her body between the tavern and the next building, steadily climbing until Dham could help her onto the roof.

Ambree simply stuck her hand out the window, allowing Dham to grab it and pull her onto the roof.

"... You think you're so damn smart, don't you?" Niqi scowled.

Ambree smirked. "Don't blame me because you didn't think of going the easy way."

"Escape now, bicker later." Dham said, rolling his eyes. "You two came from Lys, correct? It looks like the marks will lead there. We should be fine, as long as we don't stray too far... and as long as that wolf can be trusted."

 

...

 

When Niqi, Ambree and Dham arrived at Lys' docks, Micah was lounging lazily on their ship. "Took your sweet time getting here." The hunter commented, tilting his hat up and revealing the long gash across his nose. "That buzzard put up quite a fight. I didn't think she'd be that tough."

"She's a demon." Niqi stated. "What did you expect?"

Micah shrugged. "I didn't expect her to be able to slash me. She's pretty fast."

"Sounds like somebody got a little overconfident in his own abilities." Niqi smirked, ushering Ambree and Dham onto the boat. "Now that Dham's here, who else is close by?"

Micah got to his feet, dusting himself off and adjusting his hat. "There's an Arcadian kid on an island in a general... 'that way' direction." He said, gesturing toward the east. "I think he's one of yours."

Niqi paused, thinking. Arcadian kid...

"You mean T.K.?" Ambree asked.

Niqi's eyes widened; after ten years, T.K. couldn't possibly be called a 'kid' anymore. She looked from Micah to Ambree, then back again. "How old did he look when you saw him?"

"About fifteen." Micah replied.

Niqi shook her head. "It couldn't be T.K." She stated. "He looked about fifteen ten years ago, when we met him. How could he not age?"

"Maybe he's a vampire." Ambree suggested. "Y'know, like you."

"A vampire, eh?" Micah smirked. "Well, isn't this a surprise."

Niqi snarled at him, her eyes shining briefly before Dham's paw dropped on her shoulder. She calmed herself after a moment; the hunter could still prove useful, and hadn't shown any signs of hostility yet. "He couldn't be a vampire. I would've been able to sense him by now, or at least Dham would've."

"Maybe it has something to do with his... condition." Micah said. "But that kid's a part of your little group. I caught your leader's scent on him."

Niqi raised an eyebrow. "Glide's scent? On T.K.?"

Micah nodded. "It was pretty strong, too; they crossed paths recently."

"Looks like we'll find him next, then..."