Diggin' My Own Grave [Chapter XV]

[Ayen]

Maricul's mouth was snapped open by Seras' strength, but not before throwing up another serpent out of her mouth who slammed its head into the blond to smash in her face, halting the pillar that would have been sent but Mari was still forced into the ground, crashing into the street and leaving behind a large crater before the darkness catapulted her back up into the air at even level with Seras. The blond's rifle in her hand again, face still ripped in half from earlier and bleeding as she opened fire and sent pikes of her own towards Seras from the broken barrel.

[Seras Victoria]

Seras fell back straight into the ground where the darkness of the shadows swallowed her whole. Each of the rounds penetrated the shadows however they hit nothing more than concrete when suddenly hundreds upon hundreds of thin spikes launched from the ground straight up to Maricul, each of them were still anchored to the ground extending high into the sky from every angle possible. Seras would reappear hunched over on top of the ran down bakery a couple buildings down the block looking up at the chaos she was causing. Her left hand buried in the shadows as she controlled them with ease.

"I warned you."

[Ayen]

"I warned you."

“Just die!”

Maricul managed to weave pass the spikes despite how thin they were, thanks to her own overall agility that was only escalated further in this state but was still penetrated by others due to her lack of experience controlling her speed causing her to run right into some. A couple hitting her main body and others running down her arm and cleaving it off. But she merely replaced that arm with another serpent while still holding the rifle in the other. Speeding down towards Seras position with all the power of a rocket, snake at the ready and unloading rapid fire on her with the rifle.

[Seras Victoria]

"Eat shadows bitch!"

The building collapsed under her as she stood and lifted her left hand drawing every single shadow from inside and on the building into the air crashing with the bullets and eventually it would shatter like shards of glass yet again flying for the serpentine woman. Seras landed on her feet and rolled back into the street.

[Ayen]

Maricul threw everything she had at her. Pikes from the rifle, serpents and even some of her own shadows mixed up in darkness but it wasn't enough. She was blasted out of the sky and fell into the ground a reasonable distance away from the blind while being enveloped by darkness, eyes staring back at Seras before the darkness opened up like a gateway and Maricul came walking out completely healed with the rifle still in hand. The darkness having revived her from the previous damage.

“I'm still standing.”

[Stranger]

Integra had heard the commotion from the moment they had collided with one another. The thundering boom sent the whole mansion shaking causing several things to fall over. Sebastian wouldn't be happy with that. Before she stood up from her desk chair she ordered him to tidy up while she took a little walk. Heinkel met her at the front door and she nodded to her to follow along. Integra was walking on the surface of the shadows by the time she exited the gates.

Finally she came within range of both vampires and she lit a cigar very casually during the roof top scene only to watch Maricul step out of her darkness. Integra took a long drag from her cigar before tilting her head back just as Maricul spoke, "Seras. Fix her standing up problem and bring her to me... Alive if possible. Do not hold back anymore."

[Seras Victoria]

Begin Theme

"Yes master. Full release..."

Her left arm completely annihilated itself once again taking the form of the shadows she controlled. The area began to boil black steam rose from the darkness she controlled. The Wild Geese circled in on both sides of the street one team taking position in front of Integra to guard her, the other taking up the rear position to aid Seras if she needed it. She didn't.

Suddenly Mari would watch as eyes began opening as the steaming darkness rose into the air. Hell hounds roared out as they rose and fell continuously as if the shadows were their ocean. Seras's eyes were completely red now glowing brightly from behind her hair. Her right arm began to pull itself apart taking a similar appearance as her left arm and then the hundreds of hell hounds began releasing from the area and her body circling her and rising up around Mari snarling and lashing out at her.

When Seras spoke this time her voice was hallow and void of emotion, she was exactly like her master when he fully released his power, however, she was only tapping into 75% of her full reserves, "The Baskerville Hellhound." As she said it the massive monster slammed down behind her, twice her size, nearly three stories high, large red eyes covering it's face in two rows, it snarled and then roared as loudly as it possibly could. It was followed by hundreds of howling bone shrilling hounds and then Seras acted her shadows shot from both buildings toward Mari on her left and right as the Hell hounds made their move on her trying to tear her apart.

[Ayen]

"Seras. Fix her standing up problem and bring her to me... Alive if possible. Do not hold back anymore."

Maricul turned to the woman who had approached them showing no fear or intimidation at the darkness that surrounded the area. Not even the one from Maricul licking at her feet. One thing on her wear stood out the most and to Mari it was probably the most terrifying part about her. The crucifix around her neck.

“Fuck. Catholics.”

"Yes master. Full release..."

“What?”

You mean all this time that wasn't her full release state? Maricul watched in shock as the darkness in the area began to boil as the Wild Geese closed in. Eyes opened up and the hell hounds coming forward teeth bare and surrounding her position giving her nowhere to go.

"The Baskerville Hellhound."

As the hell hounds came down Maricul let out a terrible screech, the darkness behind her exploding and erupting in power equal to the No Life King. Blowing up the road behind her and pulling it out of the ground and into the air. Lamp posts falling and buildings collapsing as the darkness threatened to obliterate everything around it displaying how unstable she was. Seras, Integra, the Wild Geese, and even her own body. Parts of it passed to the Hellsing manor blowing out windows and sending shards flying around everywhere on the inside. It managed to destroy the shadows and the smaller hounds but Baskerville was only pushed back slightly until Maricul tapped all of her power and her body wore out. Leaving her wide open as Baskerville came down to rip her apart.

“Fuck... My life...”

It succeeded in tearing her apart, her torso separating from her legs, arms falling out to her sides as blood spilled over the ground. Her inside starting to fall out as she hit the broken road hard, somehow still managing to hold on to what little life she had left by the time the hell hound got through with her. Looking up at the pitch black, boiling darkness with the eyes staring down on her flesh as she spoke weakly.

“Doesn't count... You god modded...”

[Stranger]

"Integra," It was Heinkel pulling her aside and the Wild Geese moving into defense spots as the eruption happened. Integra was shielded by Heinkel who used her back to stop any shards that may of harmed Integra. When it was all over Integra could see black smoke rising from Heinkel's back who turned back to the scene. Her flesh was pushing shrapnel from it.

Integra snapped her fingers bringing Baskerville's attention back to Maricul. She pulled a match from her pocket and relit her cigar watching as Baskerville tore into his target mangling and breaking her. Integra crossed her arms when Baskerville spat out the remains and rejoined Seras's side.

"Seras. Drag her over here."

[Seras Victoria]

Both of Seras's arms shielded her from any damage intertwining as one shield of darkness. Integra snapped forcing the Baskerville to follow the original ideal of his usage and Seras watched as he did the fine work of mauling and chewing that he was known for in her masters service.

"Seras. Drag her over here."

"Yes master!"

Seras said it rather cheerfully like she normally would before walking toward Maricul and grabbing her by the leg and the arm pulling both halves with two whips of shadows. The shadows in the area began to return to normal and Baskerville sat down scratching behind his ear then proceeded to licking his nether region. Hell hounds of all shapes and sizes began to slowly disappear into the rubble and darkness around them. All the while the second team of Wild Geese followed twenty feet behind Seras aiming at the downed Vampire she dragged.

[Ayen]

Maricul could do nothing but stare up into the sky above as Seras dragged her towards Integra. She had no idea what they intended to do but she thought the worse. This couldn't happen. She still had a job to do. People back in Isafaro that needed her. Dammit! Why did she had to come here? Why couldn't she just let go? Why did she have to be so stubborn? Maricul tried to move anything she could but nothing. It took strength just to blink as water filled up her eyes making it seem as though she was crying.

“Please... I can't die here.”

[Stranger]

Heinkel walked to the side as Seras pulled Maricul in front of her. She pulled one of her two pistols out and aimed it at the vampire, "Hold your fire." Integra took another long drag from the cigar and slowly blew the smoke out, "A wonderful thing freedom is. Like smoke, it is confined to my lungs until I blow it out. It then scatters and ceases to exist as a single mass breaking down and becoming part of the chemical process of life."

Integra placed her left arm under her right elbow bracing her right arm straight up and down as she puffed on the cigar once more, "Seras, lift her up. I wish to look in the eyes of the one who set me back months on developing the area around here."

[sebastian]

The moment the sounds had been heard, and the slight tremors began; the cup of tea which had been on Integra's desk was suddenly picked up by the butler, his gaze irritable as he avoided the spill. Integra, of course, was on her feet in an instant; and Sebastian could easily hear the sounds of misplaced items falling at various points within the mansion. At her order, he bowed; and said that he'd join her at the scene once he was finished. Then he'd swept from the room; in a rush now to tidy everything with had been affected so as to minimize the length of time that he was separated from his master's side. He started from the top floors, and flashed through the countless hallways and rooms as he rapidly worked his way down. But whatever was going on outside... It seemed determined to to postpone his return to Integra. The moment he'd stepped outside, a huge explosion shattered the air; and he heard the many sounds of splintering glass.

The crimson gaze flashed up to fix on the windows which were facing in the direction of the conflict, narrowing as he caught sight of the shattered windows and mess within. The butler sighed, and sprang up the sides of the mansion; using decorative carvings as footholds as he worked his way across the face of the structure. He broke the remaining shards of glass which had stubbornly stayed in their frames; and tossed bits of glass which had fallen inside back out. He was finished soon; and piles of glass shards were stacked neatly against the lower walls of the mansion. There was a total of 11 now empty window frames, and he planned on replacing the glass after this situation was handled. Inside; the floors which had become victim to flying shrapnel were cleared and looked untouched, though there was a separate pile outside which consisted of the damages. Right now, rejoining his master was at the top of his priority list; the repairs and clearing of rubble would have to wait.

The demon's frame blurred into motion as he ran at unnatural speed toward the scene; leaping over the Hellsing gates with the grace of a cat. This part of town had been relatively unharmed before; but now he could see evidence of the conflict. A good number of buildings had been downed or imploded by that recent explosion, and debris still clouded the air. Sebastian sprang up to the roof of the nearest building which was still standing; his eyes flickering to their demon pink as he gazed through the dust until he saw the group. He leaped into the air again, his eyes back to their normal red as he descend toward Integra. Just as Integra ordered the perpetrator to be brought before her; he landed soundlessly at her left side in a crouch; straightening up as the tailcoat billowing around him fluttered back into the way it normally rested.

At least Integra was unharmed. But when he caught sight of Heinkel's back, he knew at once that the female had defended the master from the shrapnel. That was enough to make his blood boil in rage at this perpetrator's actions. The eyes once again flickered between pink and red as he stood sentry-like at Integra's side, a sense of cold fury rolling off him in waves. This bastard had nearly harmed Integra, damaged the manor, and had even almost spilled the tea... The blue-clothed woman, who smelled like a vampire, was in pieces, and he felt a surge of satisfaction. His eyes rested upon the huge shadowy canine, and wasn't quite sure what he felt about that. It was safe to assume the beast was of Seras' creation, judging from the shadows the vampire was manipulating. But it was a dog... He disliked those creatures... Ah well. He nevertheless felt a trace of admiration for what Seras could do. Sebastian looked cooly at the being brought before Integra, his rage subsiding into a serene sense of calm as the eyes resumed red hues. Now... What would Integra do with this monster?

[Seras Victoria]

Seras halted in front of Integra and the black shadows wrapped around Mariculs neck lifting her torso half up off the ground presenting her to Integra. Her left arm tossed the bottom half of Maris body backwards and the Baskervillie lunged forward devouring them.

[Ayen]

"A wonderful thing freedom is. Like smoke, it is confined to my lungs until I blow it out. It then scatters and ceases to exist as a single mass breaking down and becoming part of the chemical process of life."

Funny. She could have used a smoke right about now. Or some painkillers.

"Seras, lift her up. I wish to look in the eyes of the one who set me back months on developing the area around here."

Mari began to choke as the shadows took hold of her neck and lifted her up, forcing her to look into the one eye of Integra as she noticed the eye patch on the other. Her legs being devoured as death appeared to be more and more likely with each passing second. Her gaze reaching passed Integra to see the man at her side now. Appearing no more human than she and Seras were. Was this woman just surrounded by monsters 24/7 or something?

“L... L...”

Maricul had even more difficulty speaking now that the shadow was wrapped firmly around her neck. But she managed one word.

“Legs.”