The sky was dark, and clouds filled with lightning would rupture and break apart, but with some luck, the violence was kept only there, in the clouds. Instead, rain blasted the land beneath. What could be seen? A city. A fortress. Tall walls of steel and hard stone. Peeking above these thick walls were towers upon towers, pointy ends attached to each of them, and the city itself was sprawled beneath with houses, chimneys, and so much more. In the distance, on a small man-made island, a series of high-rising fortified pyres could be seen.
...A splash of water was made as a leathery boot would quickly step and step, making its way in front of a door, a gloved hand would quickly open the door. Inside, laughter could be heard, along with talking, and different languages being used. The door was shut, as the person who had just entered would uncover the cloak that shielded them from the rain, the hood being lifted off only to show a helmet underneath, a simple bascinet with no visor. Dark armor covered the man under his weather protective cloak, it seemed to be of average quality, easy to be produced perhaps, the pauldrons were small, cheap looking, the boots and gloves were replaced for a mixture of hide and leather, and along with this, the armor itself looked a bit short of beaten up, gashes and scratches visible on it, but, a shining steel emblem still visible in the center, a sun covered in spikes. A weapon could be very clearly seen attached to the man, multiple at that, what looked to be a sword, it was sheathed in a scabbard made of a poor leather, maybe even wood, its length being that of the average shortsword. On his back, a pike was visible, it nearly hit the chandelier on the way in here, but with a bit of luck and perhaps experience, the man managed to avoid any trouble.
He sat himself down at the bar, the tavern keeper slowly approaching him with an indifferent look, as if he was just another customer for the night, the tavern keeps hands were busied up, cleaning a mug thoroughly with a white rag. "What will it be?" He asked bluntly, not even looking towards him, his large bushy mustache twitching slightly from discomfort. "Warm wine, two casks for the night." The man said casually, asking for Mulled Wine, an alcoholic beverage served warm, made to be spiced and sweet from the sugar that is added in. "Right, comin' up; BRING THE HOT WINE!" The keeper shouted out. Shortly after, what seemed to be a dog on two legs with the tail of a lizard walked into the scenery, bringing two hand-held barrels in each hand, they looked like they could hold a couple liters of wine.
"Thanks. Right, there you are." The keeper handed over the wine, his left hand slapping the counter in the process as if he was asking for payment, but soon enough, he would receive it just as fast. The man in dark armor would reach into a satchel, taking out two silver coins, and handing them over. "Pleasure doin' business wit ya, Guardsman." The keeper added on, as he snatched away the coins and dumped them into a satchel below the counter. "Yeah, yeah, whatever mate." The soldier left with his drinks, and headed out, not in the mood to speak with the tavern keeper after that remark, he rolled his eyes, as he left the seat, and kicked the door open, the Kobold quickly hurrying to close it as to not let the cold and water in. The guard however endured the brunt of it. He would shield the two barrels under his cloak, holding onto the two handles that were attached to the frame of the barrels, they seemed to be made out of a dark red colored wood, and the handle hatches were made with regular steel, on the roof of the barrel, a steel casing was placed, used to heat the wine inside by placing hot coals on top, inside a steel coil than ran through the barrel would heat up, and begin warming the wine.
Ebonvale is a country filled with rain and clouds, but filled with men hardened by battle and war. It was a place for outcasts, exiles, criminals, righteous paladins, soldiers, knights, corrupted evil men, and so on. It's a place where all beginnings happen, and ends occur. 'Here be the start of journeys, adventures, tales, tragedy, and prophecies.'
The man walked and walked through the rain, until spotting a group of torch lights huddling nearby, they were held high and moved at a fast pace, the guardsmen made a step, then another, watching his footing until he reached men dressed similarly to him. A dark-colored horse, with a deep neigh to it greeted the guardsmen, as a female voice boomed out from a much more armored helm compared to his. This one had a visor and a mouthguard. He only had the very helm that sat on his head, with no mouth guard or visor. A clear difference in rank. Even her armor looked to be in better shape.
"Corporal Hens, hand that wine over. Me and the squad are about to head on patrol, we'll be gone for a while." Her hand stuck out, a mail glove that was shielded with sheets of thin steel. Her hand was greeted by the handle of a barrel of wine. "Thanks, Finn. Here, make sure to put your squad up to date with this." The Guardsman was handed a sleek oily paper, water bounced right off it, a hydrophobic enchantment applied onto it to avoid being soaked by the constant rain. A seal of black wax with the emblem of their kingdom — a sun with a set of short spikes — in the middle. Finn unsealed the paper, reading through it, his eyes widening a tad bit, out of the sheer curiosity it brought to him.
"To all Imperial Guardsmen, Honor Guards, and the Imperial Army, the Rogue Artist 'Malvus' has been captured and sentenced to death for heinous experiments and rituals. We have found a collection of animals, people, and monsters he has kept in his dank crypts. A vial of Doppelgangers was broken, we've managed to exterminate the majority but our Deprehender unit reports that traces of Doppelganger 'Ka' have been located within the sewage system. We suspect that the parasite might have already infected someone within the capital, be on the lookout and charge your Deprehender Orbs. By the order of the Emperor." The end of the letter had a sharp signature, a stroke that was shaped like a dagger, and ran down to write the name 'Inquisitor Grim.'
"Doppelganger? In the streets? Have we informed the populous?" The Corporal asked, his fist clenched on the letter as he stuffed it away into his satchel. Finn had heard about Doppelgangers, but never actually encountered one, his years of service in the guard mostly meant occasional bandit raids and every so often 'monster' that was encountered near the city outskirts. Nothing ever so major; Manticores, Juvenile Drakes, Purebred Orcs, and Half Ogres, at times even a GOLEM that spawned in the nearby quarry. "No, but we moved the curfew to be earlier than usual. We also reported a 'sewage leak' and have shut down all home drains for a few hours, until the first light at least. Maybe it'll force the thing out." The Captain said as she moved the barrel onto her mount's saddle, and attached it to what looked like a special spot just for said barrel. The saddle was made of leather, it was finely crafted with a trimmed pattern of floral and blade work. At the back was a large metallic frame that was padded to sit comfortably on the horse. It had just enough space for a liter barrel.
"We'll be on the lookout, no worry. Let's make sure we signal our findings on this thing." The guardsman said as he would take out from his pocket a small but thick metallic cylinder, it was a flare. Flares are magically amped projectiles that signal the findings of the guard. During rainstorms at night, they shoot them out in the sky, and depending on the color a set amount of guards will make their way to the scene. White meant only a few guards should arrive, the most nearby preferred. Yellow meant a squad was to show up ASAP. The same rule applies, that the most nearby are preferred. Red is meant for as many in that sector of the city have to show up for a threat.
"Sound plan. I have to go, Finn, scouts are heading out, dismissed, and good luck soldier." The captain would nod towards the corporal, as she'd put a fist up near her chest, the knuckles of her gauntlet touching onto her breastplate, beating twice in rapid succession. Finn would do the same; This gesture was the ordinary salute the people of Ebonvale use. It is meant to symbolize their warrior hearts, and that they sympathize with another of their kind. A warm gesture, and to be a stranger and be saluted this way is considered a great honor and show of respect.
The guardsman took off, as the riders began to come out from their stables, armed with staffs and swords, pikes and halberds, one even had a greatsword at his back readied for combat. Finn didn't pay much mind to them, instead going straight forward. A clearing could be spotted as above he could see a few lights, and an archway made into a guard post. Taking a left as he arrived at the archway, he entered through a door, a brush of warmth felt immediately, dim torch lights and the smell of burning wood, charcoals, oranges, tea and coffee, and cigar smoke, all took him in, and lured him into the dry shelter.
He took off his cloak, leaving it on a rack near the fire to dry off, his hands had cooled down and he quickly placed the barrel of wine onto a table, the soldier looked around to see nobody, only himself. His hands reached the fireplace, it was stoked and nicely done, orange peels inside burnt to a crisp and wood chips flaring off into little ignited sparks. A haze of smoke was pushed upwards into a chimney, and outside a fog of salty and citrusy smoke let out into the air. He rubbed his hands together to get some semblance of warmth, the cold and moisture disappearing as he could now think straight for a bit. It was the last time he would do this duty again for a week or so, so he was glad to know he wouldn't have to wander off through the storms to gather supplies for his post. The guardsman reached for a pair of heavy cast iron pliers, the ends of the thing burned and filled with charcoal dust, as he'd reached in to pull out an egg of burning charcoal, quickly setting one after the other on top of the wine barrel, the metallic casing beginning to heat up after the final and fourth one was placed, and the sound of bubbling wine could be heard.
The guard post was not very complex or incredible, it was made to be efficient and 'cozy.' A dining table for the squad and a gathering spot near the fireplace, along with the archway above being used to watch for anyone who was outside during curfew. They also had an armory, but, the weapons and armor there were just as old and damaged as the ones they were using now, but backup never hurt. The corporal could hear sounds, voices began to close in on him as loud footsteps began to make their appearance, and soon enough, another set of guards numbering three appeared at the scene.
One was an Orc, by the name of 'Brugo'. He was wide and tall and wielded a heavy axe that sat near his thigh in its holster like it was a hand canon, ready to be whipped out and slammed into the skull of anyone who dared battle the guard. His armor was heavy and big, he was designed to be the squad's sole fighter, the juggernaut.
The second one was a shorter figure with a pale skin tone that had a set of spiky short ears, a Half-Elf by the name of 'Lanor'. He had by his side a book, ornated in silver and with imagery of steel, armor, and runes written in the arcane tongue. He also wielded a staff, it was made out of a fair dark wood, finely polished and finished, that had ornaments of silver added onto it, with the similar patterns his grimoire had, and at the top sat comfortably a bulbous crystal. These things were called 'Scriptor Staffs'; Magical staves able to unleash combative spells at a moment's notice. The elf wore a set of silver-colored robes, with dark armor underneath similar to the others, however, he lacked a helmet and instead wore a dark hood with silver ornaments, his blonde long hair escaping the inner confinement of his hood, his face handsome but boyish and young.
The final one was a dwarf by the name of 'Yorsen'. He was of small stature, his hair red-brown, and his beard ginger. His hands were stubby and thick, but smooth, a texture of iron covered them. Some dwarves commonly obtain a non-lethal disease known as 'vitiligo', for humans it might change the pigments of their skin to become albino white, for elves their skin gains a golden hue and their eyes primarily change color; Some obtain very special 'glowing' eyes that allow them to see the unknown; for orcs, they simply turn coal-skinned, and for dwarves, they have the most unique outcome: Their bodies transfigurate into metal. Only the arms however; Speculated due to Dwarves HAMMERING with their fists, metal poison doesn't affect dwarves but it could still infect their pores.
Each of them reached out for the corporal, patting his shoulder.. except Yorsen who patted his back. They poured themselves warm wine, sat down around the fire, drank peeled oranges, and tossed the peels into the flames as they ate away and relaxed. The corporal, however, stood up high, watching as the Orc had taken his spot, the Elf took Finn's favorite cup, and the Dwarf poured himself the heaviest possible cup of wine. Finn sighed, as he took off his helmet, his features revealed as a set of short raven black hair fell from the helmet, a stubble that covered his face, a sharp nose that seemed to be the best feature of his face, and finally the rugged eyes he had, a pure black for pupils, with no other color. He was ordinary, with no distinctive features apart from his rather perfect nose.
"Alright you band of hooligans, enough raiding the wine, it's supposed to last us for the night. Drink slower, eat slower, and don't forget to breathe." As if on queue, Yorsen, the dwarf, would begin to have hiccups. "Like I said, don't forget to breathe." Finn rolled his eyes as he shook his head, the other two chuckling in response to the comedic timing of all of it."We have received orders, I'll need Private Lanor to go and set up the Deprehender Orb, and someone tell the two above us to get sightseeing for anyone out during curfew." The corporal dished out orders, as he spoke, the Half-Elf immediately got up and went after the Deprehender Orb, as the Orc would go upstairs to inform the other two guards that were out on watch to be on guard for anything. The only one left orderless was Yorsen the Dwarf. "Yorsen, I'll need you to find the bestiary." The dwarf nodded, as he took off to look for the request book.
The door of the outpost opened once more, the sound and the invasion of the cold quickly hooked the Corporal's attention away, his hand about to slide for the hilt of his blade but stopping he saw that another of his squad entered the scene. Quickly putting his fist up to his chest, and saluting the man who entered. A word of designating rank escaped his lips quickly, a formal tone applied as he spoke. "Sergeant."
"At ease, Finn. Just got back from a cruel meeting with the Quartermaster, horrible fuckin' guy, never liked his stupid face or his stupid Avalonian accent. Pigs.." The Sergeant commented, mentioning that the man was not of origin from their homeland, but instead from the rivaling kingdom of Avalon. "Did the Captain give you the letter? She and I discussed procedures at length." Finn quickly replied to the Sergeant. "Yes, sir. I've begun pushing the grunts about, I was planning on briefing them after our preparations were made. We're getting the Deprehender Unit ready, and manning the guard post. I've asked Yorsen for the Beastiary so we know what we're dealing with." The Sergeant seemed pleased, his head giving a nod of approval to his second-in-command. "Very good. So, you talked with the captain, eh?" The Sergeant said with a childish grin on his face, an elbow hit the Corporal's breastplate lightly. "Y-yes, sir. She, uh, seemed glad to see me. But it's nothing short of her professional manner, nothing out of the ordinary." Finn seemed a bit flustered, not wanting to indulge in the proposition that the Sergeant was trying to make here. "Is that so? Is that all to it? You never noticed how soft she acts to you? Maybe you and her should think about a drink at the tavern!" Finn quickly replied with a tone of embarrassment. "S-Sergeant, please!" The man laughed, not being able to hold himself in for long. "Hahaha! I only jest, Corporal.. but maybe you should take my advice!" Finn sighed, his hand going down on his face as he turned away to sit down.
The other guardsmen arrived at the scene, a unified chorus speaking the same lines as they all entered a saluting stance. "Sergeant Krig, Sir!" The Sergeant looked over to them, as he placed his staff against the stone wall, he didn't say anything back holding them in that same position for a few seconds, looking back at them after a bit. "What are you doing? At ease, meatheads." The guardsmen all groaned, unable to deal with their higher-up's antics. "Oh, come on! Cheer up. Well, not for long. We have something serious on our hands here. Come on, gather the hell up, briefing starts now." The men gathered up at the fireplace, Yorsen placing down the book he was requested to find and Lanor letting go of the crystal orb he held in his hands, it glowed a soft blue light, levitating above their heads. The Sergeant spoke up again, beginning the long-awaited briefing.
"Alright, men. The Honor Guard finally captured that insane beast, Malvus. Unfortunately for us, he was even more of a crazed lunatic than we thought. He had a cellar filled with all sorts of messed up things, experiments that you wouldn't want to imagine. Saw some cursed shit in there, but worst of them all, the threat we're dealing with tonight." The Sergeant picked up the bestiary, as he would go through the pages, rapidly scrolling through them as he landed on a chapter titled: 'Parasites.' He slammed the book down, turning it in their direction to see. "Doppelganger. Heinous fuckin' things. They take over the bodies of the living, and if you're not strong enough to resist its mind-fuckery, it morphs inside of you, your bones SHATTER, your organs are SQUASHED and your brain is swallowed WHOLE. You ever fought a Doppelganger, Corporal?" The Corporal turned to the Sergeant, a bit left for words, giving only a short reply. "No. Can't say I have." The Sergeant went back to his briefing right away afterward, not wasting time. "Well, I have. Not only do they instantly kill their targets, but, fighting one is a challenge of its own. Dexterous, ridiculously fast, powerful, claws as long as daggers, venomous, they bleed acid and poison, and they also scream like a man that is being eaten alive by a griffin. Gnarly things." Yorsen raised his hand, as his sergeant permitted him to speak. "Oi, lad, this thing is a bit dangerous for a lone man to take on, eh? A bandit or thief is somethin' else, but this sounds like a death sentence." The Sergeant nodded, as he would begin talking again. "Correct. I don't advise fighting it alone, the big brute we have here, Brugo, might be able to throttle its head into a paste, and maybe Lanor could blast it into ash, but me, you, and Finn? We'd get torn to shreds. The best we can do is locate it, and signal for everyone to meet it. One last thing, if its body is destroyed, a parasite squirms out from it. That's what we need to kill. So no one fights it on its own unless you are sure of your abilities. Understood?" The men in unison replied loudly. "YES, SIR!"
The Sergeant nodded, as he'd look over to each of them. "Alright, it's time to get to hunting then boys. I'll go around on the airship to scout the area and make sure people are safe. Finn and Yorsen, you two stick together. Lanor and Brugo, you two on your own, I am assured you'll be able to kill that thing if you encounter it." And as if on queue, the Deprehender Orb began to shine brightly red. Deprehender Orbs usually have two states. If it glows blue, nothing is nearby to be afraid of. If it glows red, something in a radius of 50 meters has been recognized as a threat. The guardsmen adorned their cloaks and weapons, Brugo setting his helmet on and lifting his visor, Yorsen getting his mace out, Lanor preparing his grimoire as the runes across it would glow brightly, and Finn put on his cloak, getting his spear in hand at a moments notice for combat.
Krig stepped up first, as the Deprehender Orb hovered into the air around them, following Lanor primarily. Outside was a long plank that hovered in the air, it was made of a grey wood, and it glowed sharply light blue, the Sergeant got onto it, and his plate boots stuck to the surface immediately, in his hands his very own Scriptor Staff. He would give over a look to
his men one more time, opening his mouth to speak, as he lowered his visor. "I'll be in the skies, the moment one of you signals I'll be there right away, until then, stay vigilant." The men nodded, making the usual salute, two taps to the chest with their knuckles, a hardened fist visible. The Sergeant dismissed them with a hand sign, as he'd launched off into the air, a trail of hazy gaseous mana left behind, thick smog similar to a cloud.
Lanor looked towards his fellow guardsmen, beginning to speak, a High Elven accent piercing through their ears. "I suggest that me and Brugo take the east and west, then spin around, and come back through north and south. Corporal, you and Yorsen should scout through the innards of the perimeter." The Corporal, nodded, placing a hand onto Lanor's shoulder and patting him. "Very good, soldier. That's what I like to see. Alright, you heard the wizard, let's get to it, Yorsen with me." The Corporal seemed proud of his underling for speaking up, he was very supportive of men who took initiative during situations like these. Lanor himself, only smirked to himself under his ornated dark hood, as he took off running through the rain, his staff in hand as he kept his senses keen. Brugo ran off in the opposite direction, his axe in hand, his nose opened up, his nostrils flaring, trying to get the smell of monstrous mana in his brain.
Even Yorsen himself, who was blessed with arms of steel, could break through a stone wall and pummel a man to death without the need for weapons, even the dwarf was blessed, and yet, you could smell the fear oozing off of him. The one who held up his head, however, was the plain and ordinary human — Finn Hens.
The Corporal concentrated on his surroundings, gripping his spear tightly. The water that fell around him, the crackling of the lightning, it didn't bother him. He moved diligently through the streets, his eyes glancing inside of alleyways, spotting them to be empty, with no sign of life. Yorsen tried doing the same, but each time he did, his mace was held close to him, always ready to swing at whatever was in front of him. The Corporal eventually got a hold of the dwarf, his gloves grasping him by the shoulder. "Calm yourself, guardsmen. You reek of fear, we need the element of surprise on our side." Yorsen skipped a beat when he felt the hand touch his shoulder, but he listened on carefully as his eyes glanced up to Finn, replying with a question. "How do you do it, mate? You're no magician, or brute, just a man. Don't you fear death?" Finn looked off into the distance, the darkness in front of him magnifying, as with each lightning strike, the city lit up in front of him. He replied to the dwarf in his normal rugged voice. "I'm not here to fear death. I'm here to do my duty. Maybe I'll look back at this moment and wonder.. 'Why do I always try to act so brave when I could've died?' Then I remind myself, that it's not bravery. It's duty." The Dwarf listened on, the words he heard putting a bit of sorrow into him, but, also motivating him a bit. "A tad bit sad, don't you think? But, your words always hold truth in them, Corporal."
The Corporal raised an eyebrow at the remark, questioning the dwarf. "Thanks for saying the obvious, Yorsen, but, what do you mean 'a bit sad?'" The dwarf replied, stumbling a bit over his words. "I.. It's.. hard to explain exactly, uh, when you explain it like that it just.. sounds a bit.. lifeless." Finn nodded, letting an audible 'Ah' out, finally understanding what he meant. "I see. I suppose you are right, it is quite the macabre view of things, eh? But, it helps. In moments like these, panic and fury don't help. You have to be focused, alert, senses sharp, and keen." The Dwarf nodded along, getting the message here at long last. The Corporal had one thing that made him different: He was good at adaptation.
The Orc wandered the streets like a wild dog, his nose was flared up, and he finally had a trace of something. He had to sprint another 10 meters until he could cut the corner and reach what he was looking after. Quickly snipping from his pocket a small cylinder, he would press the bottom and then fling it off into the air. It flew off, as a bright red light appeared in the sky. The other members of his squad were immediately alerted by this. As Brugo cut the corner, he saw his target. A man with a long beard turned around, with a frightened look on his face, his old skin and white hair apparent. But, the orc didn't care, he quickly tackled him, a shoulder charge put in motion right away, as he was sent flying away, the body landing on the cold hard rock 6 meters away from the Orc. "Show yourself, beast." Lightning flashed once more, as light engulfed the two figures that were placed in the rain. The guardsman reached for his holstered axe, as another array of lightning bolts appeared in the clouds, electric blue light would glare off of the weapon's blade. The tackled man's face was showcased by the light reflected from the axe, as cracks began to appear in his skin.
Brugo got in a battle stance, his axe held in front of himself, as his two hands were placed on the long handle. The man got back up on his feet, unnaturally so, and as he did, his entire front side burst open, shards of petrified skin and dark red liquid cascaded out, as from within, a monstrosity emerged. Its claws were long, sporting three mouths placed across its body, and the noise it made.. guttural screams. "GYAAAAH!" Brugo and the Doppelganger charged for each other, a jump was done by the monster, as it tried to plunge into the orc with its claws, only for him to slide underneath it, causing it to miss, however, making sure to lift his axe as he slid onto the wet ground, a long gash made across the beast's body. The orc spun around on his torso, as he pushed with one hand up from the ground, standing tall once more, and running back in.
The Doppelganger crashed to the ground but skittishly picked itself up as it slid across the watery surface. It charged straight for the orc, running on all fours, and then, as they were about to meet, the creature leaped off the ground onto a nearby house, then rebounded, going straight at the orc. However, Brugo was the squad battle master he did not allow himself to lose or be outwitted by anyone, and with his right arm, he unhandled his axe, and swung it at the beast's face, not allowing it to get the attack off on him. The doppelganger fell onto the ground, as it tried getting back up, a metallic boot came to its head, slamming it onto the pavement below. The beast writhed about, unable to stand up anymore, its claws covering its head, and as the orc was about to deal the finishing blow, a splash of its acidic blood was thrown directly onto his armor, the acid tearing right through his breastplate, and staining his gambeson. The orc tripped backward, catching his footing but groaning in pain. "Cunning.. monster.." The Orc smirked, as he'd tear off the entirety of his upper half, the armor and gambeson being torn off by pure animalistic strength. The orc's body was wide and tall, his torso unreasonably muscular, and a round burn mark left on his chest by the acid. However, he was still standing.
They charged once more at each other, and the creature slid to the left, trying to deliver a slash of its claws to the abdomen of the orc, only for him to deliver a swing of his axe, the doppelganger's right hand slashed clean off. It writhed about in the rain once more, screaming in pain. The sounds were not made by a beast, they were made by a man, a woman, a child, someone's screams incorporated into the biology of this wretch. The orc quickly turned to face it, as, despite its slashed off-hand, the doppelganger didn't give up, getting itself back up as it leaped in anger again, bearing its fangs at the orc. With some tactful movement, the orc went to its left side, ensuring that the claws weren't there anymore for him to be hit with, and then his still encased in armor-glove grasped the beast by the neck he glided through the air, spinning around with it as he'd swing his axe directly into it's back. A splash of acidic blood covered the ground, as guts and bones would fall out from the beast. The orc let out a warcry, crushing the beast's head in his hands and then tossing it aside. "THAT ALL YOU GOT!? MUCK-BLOOD?!"
Soon enough, darkly colored armor began to swarm into the area, Yorsen arrived first, grabbing onto the orc as he fell to the ground. The Sergeant arrived soon after, quickly kneeling to the soldier. "Gods.. You were careless, Brugo! Did you not learn from that battle with the drake?!" Krig scolded the orc, the brute hissing with anger as he spoke. "It spat venom at my chest, it didn't get through all the way." Brugo pushed his head back, his dark dreadlocks cushioning his little bang against the rocky surface. "The world feels.. upside down... It never got through my skin, yet, it's still so potent.." The orc commented, Krig looked at his eyes, the usual vibrant almost glowing yellow became a dark muddy green instead. "Hang on soldier, I'll chant for you, you'll be up in no time." As he hurriedly took to his grimoire, the sergeant said, beginning to scroll through it. The other two arrived at the scene, a crystal orb closing in on them. Lanor looked around, seeing the orc on the ground. "Did you do it? Did you kill the parasite?!" Krig's eyes dropped wide open, shaking the orc awake as much as possible. "Answer us, damn it!" The orc eventually held onto his hands, stopping the sergeant. "NO!I-I failed, the poison took over before I could finish it off. It went off into the alleys, north of here.." The orc dropped once more, drifting in and out of consciousness.
Krig looked back at the rest of the squad, he was focused on casting purifying spells. Drawing on the burned areas with mana and runes, and praying, as the light began softly burning into the orc's skin, a haze was seen being pushed out from his burns. "Purifix, Purifix — You two, Lanor, Corporal, head out and kill it. Purifix, Purifix." The chants continued, as the corporal quickly took a hold of the private, and ran off with him. Yorsen remained behind as he took his cloak off, and covered the orcs head, shielding him from the rain. Boots of leather and plates slapped onto the water, as they ran through the alleys, finding at long last a clearing. Inside it, a small girl stood idly by. She looked at the pair of soldiers with intent. "Is that it?" The Corporal asked as Lanor looked carefully at the kid. "Yes, foul thing sneaked inside of the poor girl." The Elf said, the Deprehender Orb behind them glowing a very bright red as they neared the girl, the elf lowered his staff, aiming for the orphan, his hands shook however, not knowing if he could bring himself to do it. But before he could make up his mind, a spear flew through the air, piercing through droplets of water, something akin to a ballista bolt being fired, quickly hitting the girl directly in the chest. "Irvine's Womb— Corporal, what the hell?!" The Corporal shushed the private, as he unsheathed his blade. The girl wasn't pierced by the spear. She held the sharp tip in her hands, crushing the metal with ease. Lanor's eyes widened, an orange hue emanating from them, and without a second thought, he FIRED his Scriptor Staff. Runes lighted up around the staff, as a bolt of fire shot in the form of a laser. The girl inhumanely leaped from the ground, avoiding the attack, the mage quickly following along with his staff, shooting again, and again, each time the Doppelganger avoided, until it jumped up onto a balcony, then the next, an attempt at an escape being made.
"I'll cast Enhanced Physicality on myself to catch it—" Lanor was stopped, his corporal speaking in his stead. "That won't do, not now. Give it to me, I'll go after it." Lanor was surprised, unable to respond immediately, after a few moments saying something in stutters. "I-I, that's not a great idea sir, you can't take that thing in a duel of sword and claw!" The elf commented, worried for the human's safety, but he was given back a shout. "That's not a SUGGESTION, Private. It's an ORDER. Get to it already!" Lanor reluctantly nodded along, as his grimoire shot open. He drew upon his body a rune that spoke the words 'Strength' 'Speed' and 'Stamina'. In his elven tongue, he spoke the incantation, the Corporal's body soon enough glowing brightly with newfound power. "Synar, thimar, virinoar." And with the final chants spoken, the Corporal, leaped off the ground, following in a similar pattern the doppelganger took, within a few instants he reached the height of the rooftops, running off into the direction of the moving silhouette his eyes saw in the rain. He charged at incredible speed, he felt faster than a stallion, than a manticore, than a babe dragon learning to fly. He leaped into the air, with a sword in hand, he crashed directly onto the girl's back, his sword plunging through her back directly, his right boot hitting her head as he'd put the doppelganger down onto the ground right away.
The creature squirmed violently onto the ground, even the magically enhanced guardsmen had no chance of handling its strength. He'd grab onto the handle of his sword, quickly moving off of it, in the next instant the Doppelganger rose back up, erupting out of the girl's body. Its many limbs and mouths were gone now. Instead, they had fused into a more humanoid shape, muscles redefining their silhouette, long claws visible, this time, they seemed almost identical to a curved blade. Its head was smooth, and the grey skin glowed as lightning struck, highlighting its large dark bulbous eyes. The guardsman gripped the leather handle tightly, his eyes fixated on the creature in front of him. One mistake in this battle could be deadly for each combatant, and worst of all, Finn could feel the enchantments wearing off, he was back to being just a regular human. He had to somehow win this battle, stalling would result in his death or the creature leaving, fleeing would result in his death or the creature leaving, there was only fight. Which would result in his death, the creature fleeing.. or... "My victory.." Finn said with a hiss, his eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes hyper-fixated on the beast, if he had not worn gloves, the tight grip would've begun to make his palms bleed. He looked mad, as if fear and stupid bravery had gathered in his head.
It didn't charge wildly this time, instead, it circled Finn slowly, examining him, with its claws prodded forward, ready to attack at any point, but, it did not do that. Instead, it chose to stay quiet and calm, it watched the guardsman, and the guardsman watched it. They circled each other, Finn holding his blade out in front, making a careful step, his eyes directly focused on the creature's own eyes. With a quick step forward, he approached the creature, and as he did, so did the doppelganger. With less than a few instants given to react, the beast suddenly blurred in front of Finn, with its long claws already lifted in the air. The guardsman put his blade, quickly blocking the hit, but the force behind the attack pushed his blade down immediately, his armor being slashed open, as his chest was gashed thoroughly, blood splattering wildly. Finn's gaze however was stuck onto the beast, a smirk appearing on his face as blood pushed out of his mouth, the creature met his eyes again; He looked crazed, insane even. The doppelganger tried to back away, only to see that Finn had profited from the situation he was in by gripping the wrist of the beast, his sword slapping into the beast's arm. A long slash went down the bicep and into the brachialis, splitting its right arm with a clean strike. "GAAH!" The doppelganger cried out in pain, the voice of man, woman, and child mixing as it backed away, scurrying onto the wet rooftops. Finn quickly reached for his belt, as he'd take out a small vial. His teeth sunk into the cork, taking it out and spitting it, placing the vial onto his lips. A red gelatin went down into his throat, sliding down with no effort. His wounds began to close in, as the long sharp gashes made into his chest went away, replaced by new skin and muscle.
They stared at each other long and hard. It seemed like it took an eternity for one or the other to make a move. But rather, it was merely just three seconds in which this occurred. One on one battle most of the time comes down to a lightning speed duel. The first to land a serious blow wins, though, despite his disadvantaged position, despite being poisoned and his vision blurring out each moment that passed, Finn had landed the significant blow. The beast couldn't take into account that he could heal himself from a mortal wound. But Doppelganger poison in such high quantity being placed directly into his body would make its effects known soon, Finn had to end the fight quickly, and with no other potions or tricks left up his sleeve, it just came down to his sword.
The two charged at each other, the Doppelganger reaching him first as it sent out its left arm like a spear. But the attack was too telegraphed, Finn swayed to the right, a punch that looked more akin to a slap sent into the monster's face, dazing it for but a mere instant. But it was more than enough for Finn, as he had already sent out another attack, a hit from the hilt of the blade directly onto the doppelganger's face once more, dazing it again, another punch, another slap in the face with his sword, then another fist. It was a chain of stunning attacks until he could finally see an opening, instead of punching it, he gripped the beast's left shoulder and pushed its whole body, as with a knee he struck into its scrawny legs. Both of them went down, crashing into roof tiles as the Doppelganger tried to lift any of its limbs to strike the guardsman, it was too late, Finn stuck his blade out and hit the beast right in the face with it, going clean into its skull. It stopped moving. So did the guardsman. He rolled over, panting, the poison working in his body.
His vision blurred in and out, unable to focus on one thing. The effects of using magics on his body to enhance himself, chugging down a potion, and using the last bits of power he had left to catch the Doppelganger into a continuous chain of attacks had taken out any sort of life left in him. However, he was still conscious. It was a matter of time before he died, and with his last act, the Corporal would lift his hand slowly away from the corpse and move it to get out a flare. Flsh, blursh, trush. A sound could be heard. It was so low, but his position near the body of the doppelganger gave him the prompt to hear it. Something was.. digging.. it's way out of something fleshy.. meaty.. Realization struck the corporal, as he looked horrified to see a bulge appearing on the monster's chest. Without hesitation, his freehand went to the bulb, and grabbed it, as a parasite squirmed out, his fingers gripped it tightly. "Just.. die already!" Finn cried out, feeling the teeth of the worm dig into his thumb. He tried to take out his sword once more, but it got stuck into the corpse's skull.
His grip tightened, but his vision was becoming more and more blurry, and with nothing else lift in his arsenal, the Corporal lifted the worm, as he'd then bring it to his mouth, and bite into it. A splash of poisonous blood splattered onto his face and inside his mouth, he quickly spat it out, but it was pointless. It entered his system completely now. The corporal swung his arms out, laying on the wet stone roof, his vision was gone, but he could see streaks of lightning clear up in the sky. At best it was just a sharp glow and fading colors, then a return to blackness. This is it. I'm dead. He thought to himself.
Many things had appeared in his mind. The things he could see were memories, faded as they were, he had fond feelings for them. He thought about a barn on a rainy day, huddling in a warm blanket with another next to him, the two of them paired in straws of hay. He thought about a warm dinner, and a good drink, paired together with the voices of familiar men he had spent many days with, all dressed in black armor. He thought about.. one that wasn't a memory. More like a dream. He dreamt about being surrounded by tall figures, all dressed in steel and black. Long blades, sharp axes, and hardened maces, all around him. Kneeling, as he was saluted by all of them. This was the right to brotherhood, the ceremony made for those who graduated from the Imperial Guard to the Imperial Army. Now it made sense.. it was a dream because this was my dream.. The thought of that day coming comforted him, but, brought to him grief, knowing it will never come now.
All things faded to black, and the feeling of cold droplets disappeared, the pain in his body numbed away, and his senses did so too. A final time, he breathed air, as the guardsman fell.