Your Time's Up Now [Open]

[Silver Eyes]

Sparks flew from frayed wires, which briefly lit the room. Was it just your imagination, or did you briefly see bodies and pools of black blood before all went dark? Another flash of light illuminated a hooded stranger crouched down by a wooden beam. Metallic talons with delicate-looking engravings scraped against the concrete floor as the stranger curled up to its full height. It was facing a lone man who looked absolutely terrified.

"Wh-What are you?! How did you do that?!"

The shrouded head moved, surveying the scenario, but with passive interest it would seem since it didn't goad a reaction. The taloned hand slipped from the cloak it was hiding under and pointed at the survivor. His body seized up.

"As soon as the police arrive, you are going to try to shoot yourself. But you are going to hesitate long enough for them take you down." A woman's voice demanded in a cool tone, "And you are going to remember killing your friends. You are going to confess to this horrible crime. And you will plead guilty."

The man remained perfectly still until she lowered her hand, "And you won't remember seeing me here."

There was shouting outside. Another flash and the hooded woman had disappeared from the room, leaving the falsely accused to his fate.

---

It was simpler going after their type--the type that cause harm to others in some form or fashion. Had she chosen to target the average, or the innocent, more resources would have been poured to find the culprit. The last thing she wanted was a problem standing between her and her dinner.

From a safe point, and well out of sight, she watched the local authorities discover the shocking, brutal scene and the man who attempted to take his life to avoid answering for the crime. It played out perfectly. Nothing about this was suspicious to them--it was just some psycho who shot all of his thieving, murdering "family". No one would miss them.

Still she remained to ensure everything went as planned. If one person suspected foul play, she'd have to "change their mind", as it were.

[Sparda]

Across the cordon that had been established stepped a tall, violet-clad figure. He had come from the castle to investigate this latest violent shooting in Hallowton's walls - even after all that these citizens had been through, such killings were far out of their general character - and the present police, knowing exactly who he was, let him pass.

Adjusting his monocle, Sparda stepped across the threshold into the room where the victims lay. A small team of investigators were conducting a cursory search for extra evidence; the perpetrator had already been taken away for questioning. One of the investigators, bearing a sergeant's rank insignia on his coat, approached the devil.

"Mister Sparda, thank you for coming. I appreciate your interest in these cases, but with all due respect, this is open-and-shut. My team has the situation well in hand."

Sparda barely seemed to acknowledge the greeting. He was gazing around the room, eyes narrowed in quiet scrutiny, gloved hands clasping behind his back. He seemed obviously suspicious...

"They're missing something."

The sergeant tilted his head. "I beg your pardon, sir?"

"That aura," Sparda answered, stepping into the room. "Of course, a human would have no idea about it. Even I'm having trouble getting a firm handle on it." He looked around, as if this aura of a supernatural presence was all about them, waiting to be discovered. "It's very faint... Recent, but faint. Its owner clearly went to great lengths to conceal their presence, but not great enough..."

"Sir!" called one of the investigators. He was knelt by the body of the perpetrator's wife, with a terrified look on his face.

"What is it?" asked the sergeant. He and Sparda stepped over to take a look. The young investigator, his hands tightly gloved, tilted the woman's neck and brushed away her hair.

"Look..." Two small, rough puncture wounds.

Sparda merely tilted his head up, his suspicions confirmed. "A vampire." A quick check of the other bodies revealed identical puncture wounds on each of them. The devil didn't seem surprised. "Let me guess... This vampire broke in, killed and drained these people, but left the father alive."

"Why would they do that?" the sergeant asked.

"You say he was holding the murder weapon, and tried to kill himself before you took him?"

"That's correct."

"He's been left as a scapegoat." Sparda turned from the scene, with the sergeant following him closely. "The vampire must have hypnotised him to remove their involvement from his memory. Almost the perfect crime..."

The sergeant looked mortified. "This is the second time they've struck, sir. We're going to need your help."

"I'll answer telepathically to minimise the chance of being overheard," Sparda answered quickly and with authority - in the investigator's mind. They stopped outside, Sparda looking around the street, seemingly focused on something else. "Proceed as normal. Hold and question the father as if he did it. Our vampire will think they've gotten away, and hopefully get complacent. I'll see if I can't set a trap for them and find out what's what."

The sergeant smiled, pleased with this prompt and sound plan. "I'll return to my work. Thank you again for your help, mister Sparda." The devil nodded his acknowledgement as the sergeant returned to his duties. Walking away, Sparda narrowed his eyes again, tugging idly at one of his gloves.

"Why was that aura familiar...?"

[Silver Eyes]

Dammit. Dammit. Damn. Damn. Damn. DAMN!

He was here? Silver's eyes narrowed to slits and a scowl formed on her features. Of course he would be. He always had to be the hero that saved the day or figured out the question to "Who dun it?". Her talons tapped an impatient rhythm against the railing of the fire escape while she glared knives at the "Legendary" Knight. He knew something. She turned her head to the side so she could hear their conversation. She only picked up on one line:

"Let me guess... This vampire broke in, killed and drained these people, but left the father alive."

You fool. You fool! You should have been more careful! But the hunger sometimes made it impossible to think clearly. When one starts to see red, or gain the obnoxious "vein vision", logic was often tossed to the wayside. If she had just kept enough of her thoughts to ignore the itch in her gums...

Silver took in a slow breath, exhaled, and quietly slipped away from her perch. There was no point in sticking around. The plan was blown out of the water, and she had to get away before Sparda put two and two together. Or worse, find her.

There was still a chance she could sneak away from him, lay low, and hope he'll forget about this unpleasant circumstance. He never forgets, idiot. Have you forgotten? But it was a gamble she had to take. That crazy Sazan bitch would fry her if given the chance, and grandpa here could pack a punch. All of this for a midnight snack? Really wasn't worth it. Silver pulled her hood over her head, and resumed slipping along the shadows. There was a place she had holed herself up in. Once there, she can set up the seals that will hide her until she needed to hunt again.

But will she get there in time?

[Sparda]

It was fortunate that Sparda had decided on a whim to take his time walking back to the castle. If he had rushed back, he wouldn't have caught the faint scent that rode the crisp night air. It gave him cause to stop, sniffing at the air for a few moments until he caught it again. It was slightly stronger this time, and familiar in the same way as that aura...

The vampire was nearby - and upwind of him!

He whirled about, facing the rough direction of the oncoming wind, and shot forward through the darkness. Like a bolt of violet lightning he raced to the rooftops, bounding through the night in search of that scent. He was certain he was getting closer, and picked up his pace, seeking out an aura he could lock onto and hunt down. She'd made a grave mistake watching the scene of her latest crime, and so help the Dark Knight, she wouldn't live to regret it.

[Silver Eyes]

He was following. Rage flashed in Silver's eyes. It was time to stop beating herself up for her carelessness and start setting up a means to get away from the Knight. Silver Eyes clenched her hands into tight fists--she had to do it carefully to ensure her identity wasn't given away, or too much of her aura for that matter.

There was a shadow coming up to her right, big enough to swallow her whole, and possibly transport her to another section of Hallowton. But she had to make sure this shadow didn't remain, or at least make Sparda think she went another direction. One second was all she needed.

From her belt, she grabbed a small disc, pressed a red button at the top, threw it to ahead, and dove down into the darkness. The device detonated, sending out a blinding flash of light. Hopefully the distance and angle she threw it at will make Sparda think she jumped into a different shadow.

Silver Eyes jumped out, downwind of him, and raced away. This wasn't good. She was getting farther and farther away from her safe house. This means she'll have to keep running from him.

[Saephara]

She just couldn't believe after almost 4 years she had ended back right where she started. Hallowton. Nothing had really changed since she escaped so long ago from this city. It was still the same gloom as that day. Saephara walked along the road, trying not to make eye contact with anyone that may remember what she looked like at 17. She was wearing a simple black shirt with a pair of jeans and a pair of combat boots to match it all. Over it all was a custom made coat that was long enough to cover her Elven bow and arrows. She had it designed to shorten the time it took to reach her weapon.

As she strolled along, she pushed past the inhabitants with ease and turned the corner, stopping suddenly. There was a citizen that ran into her back and immediately she turned and apologized without thinking. It was how she was raised. She was born here after all. She was born in the two story Victorian home that was in front of her, the bricks darkened with age and the windows darkened as if no person had lived there since she had left. 'Should I go in..?' Sae thought to herself, battling demons inside of her that hadn't risen for several months. After several moments, she shook her head and kept walking, her heels clicking along the road. As she walked, the memories and blame overwhelmed her once more.

'...it's all your fault that they died...' A flash of her dead family appeared before her eyes. 'Why didn't he kill you? He could have finished you off, but he didn't. Why is that?' Another flash of memory, this one of the man that had done the deed, of him impaling her on his sword and not sending her to the next world. 'Why did you have to leave them there?' Yet another flash, this one of him leaving and removing his hood. As she came to herself, she realized she had stopped and leaned against one of the buildings, one hand covering her face and the other hand's nails digging into her palm causing blood to well. She shook her head again and muttered to herself, "No, this is not going to happen again."

In the middle of her shadowy past, a bright light shined off to her right causing her to shield her vision as best as possible. When it disappeared, she pushed off of the wall and cracked her knuckles. "Well then, it's about time something happened in this place." With that Sae took off and jumping into the air, using it as foothold to run up until she reached one of the rooftops where she continued her sprint. Mid-run, she grabbed a hold of her bow and held it at the ready, closing in on the dark aura that was heading this way.

[Sparda]

Elevated as he was, Sparda had a good view of the brief flash of light coming from off towards his right. He stopped for a brief moment, brow furrowing; was that the vampire, or was something else happening? The scent appeared to be coming from there, so he set off in its direction, bounding from roof to roof.

Soon, though, he stopped again. He'd had enough time to tune into the aura he was chasing to notice it cropping up a ways behind him. A distraction, he realised, turning back around. Of course she'd be able to jump between the shadows... He stopped still for a moment, closing his eyes. With a few deep breaths, steadying himself, he reached out with his senses to seek out the fleeing aura. Each tiny alley was inspected, each dim shadow scrutinised as he extended the reach of his vampiric senses across this part of the city...

Found you.

He reduced to a mere blur of violet as he rocketed away across the rooftops, bearing straight down on the aura he'd located with even more speed and purpose. There would be no escape for this murderous vampire.

[Silver Eyes]

How did he figure it out so quickly? It's obvious, she thought to herself with bitter resentment, he's not the Sparda you know; he must be different in this universe. Fantastic! Now she didn't know what to expect from her pursuer. Or was it now pursuers?

There was an unusual aura nearby, and it was moving. No, no this one wasn't actively coming after her. One couldn't detect intentions from sensing someone, and taking chances wasn't on her agenda right now. There was another shadow to her left and she saw an opportunity for a getaway. Silver hopped in, closed her eyes, and resurfaced at another location: an alley. A dead end alley.

There were plenty of shadows to make a quick escape, but she didn't resume running. What are you doing? This will just be a continuous game of 'Cat and Mouse'. Sparda will keep chasing you no matter where you go. But he rarely was one to listen since he always was so hot-headed. What other choice did she have?

But what of the other aura she sensed? Was the source watching her now? Was it even close by? There was no time to think over that since the Knight was closing in on her location. If she wanted to avoid being seen, it was too late.

[Sparda]

Far too late.

In the few scant moments she had spent stationary, the devil had caught up to her. A new shadow was cast over the cobble ground as he stood in the mouth of the alley, barring her easiest route away from him. Luce was raised, the white metal gleaming in the moonlight, and a cerulean eye staring at the vampire from down the sight.

"Got you, you murderous pile of..." Wait... He recognised her... It was that alternate Amoura! "You!" In the moments it took him to process that, his face went from a measure of satisfaction to a black snarl of anger. "I stay Sazan's hand when we find you, and this is how you repay my lenience? I should've let her kick you out of the city in pieces!"

He stalked towards her, Luce's aim unwavering. "Seems I'll have to dispose of this trash myself." The briefest crackle of violet lightning arced across Luce's muzzle, a piercing whine of power rang into the night, and a hellish bark of a gunshot roared forth as a charged shell erupted from the handgun, screaming down the alley straight at the vampiress' heart.

[Saephara]

The wind had picked up slightly as she ran across the rooftops, eagerly rushing towards the aura she sensed. She was as light as a butterfly as the toe of her boots hit the edge of one rooftop and pushed her into the air to run. She had loved running in the air with the breeze, her hair billowing around her. Saephara was truly free when she ran. She giggled slightly and pushed forward, sensing that now she was even closer.

Out of nowhere, a blur of violet sped past her with gale force winds following in its wake. It forced Sae to stop and brace herself against it. 'What in the world....? Who or what is that?' Her curiosity piqued even further and onward she pressed until she felt she was coming up on that particular aura she had sensed earlier. Sae stopped herself slowly until she was staring down into an alleyway where there was not one, but two figures. On the right was the presence she was chasing initially, the left unknown to her. Sae brushed a loose strand of silver hair back behind her ear and knelt down so she would not be seen so easily. Quietly, she pulled the string on her bow taut and placed her cheek upon the string. She was ready and calm, prepared to act.

The one Sae had taken interest in seemed trapped. It was an alleyway with no way out other than up. As the figure looked around, Sae realized it was a female. She was wearing a hood to conceal her facial features but Sae guessed that it didn't help too much since the other figure, a man, was standing there with a handgun raised towards her. She sat with one leg bent and looked on as the man spoke aloud, anger lacing his words as he stepped towards the hooded woman. "Seems I'll have to dispose of this trash myself," said the man as he pulled the trigger on his weapon. Sae's eyes widened and she took a deep breath, releasing slowly and letting her fingers slip from the string before the hammer could slam into the barrel to push the bullet out on the man's weapon. "No person should be executed in such a manner without reason or cause," Sae stated aloud without thinking. She had aimed for the actual bullet from his weapon as it flew through the air.

[Silver Eyes]

[Permission granted from Sparda.]

"I stay Sazan's hand when we find you, and this is how you repay my lenience? I should've let her kick you out of the city in pieces!"

Silver smirked behind her mask, pulled it down, pushed back her hood, and shook out her short mane of black hair. Blood still tinted her pale lips and breath; the proof of her feeding was clear as day. There was no regret in her eyes. If anything, she looked pleased with herself.

"Not if she fell into pieces first." That smug smirk turned into a broad, hungry smile.

"Seems I'll have to dispose of this trash myself."

She barked a laugh, stepped closer to the Knight, and bowed mockingly, "Then take your shot, Sparda. You've got me dead bang."

The gun roared, the bullet spiraled out of the nozzle, and was aiming to rip her asunder. But an arrow of all things became her saving grace. Silver blinked in surprise at this sudden turn of events, looked to the source, then snickered at Sparda.

"Yeah, Sparda, no person should be executed in such a manner without reason or cause."

[Sparda]

Almost the very moment the bullet left the barrel, there came a flash of white - a shrill metallic ping - and the round was split in two. The halves tumbled harmlessly aside, and a long arrow thudded into the brick by Sparda's feet. He glanced down at it only long enough to judge the direction it had come from, then turned a black gaze up at the rooftop, where a silver-haired woman spouting about just cause stood watching him, a large bow clutched in her hand.

"Who in the nine circles are you?" he snapped at her, Luce still trained on the vampire. "I'm here on order of Her Majesty. Stay out of my way." With nothing more to say to this interloper, he turned back to face their murderer. "As for you... You've fed your last."

With a sudden flourish, he waved his arm out to the right and fired another powerfully charged shot into the shadows, where it vanished; only to reappear from directly behind and beneath the vampire, soundlessly aiming up across her back to pierce her heart from beneath her right shoulder blade.

[Saephara]

Her arrow thudded into the ground next to the man's foot and both figures in the alley looked up towards her. The woman seemed surprised then amused at what Saephara had just done. The raven haired one looked back at the man and snickered, saying, "Yeah, Sparda, no person should be executed in such a manner without reason or cause."

Sae simply huffed as she lowered her bow marginally. The man named Sparda snapped up at her, "Who in nine circles are you? I'm here on order of Her Majesty. Stay out of my way." Sae smirked slightly at his attitude and cracked her neck. She loved those that served under that woman, all cozy and situated in that damned fortress of hers. They had sat idly by as her family... A quick glimpse of her broken family flashed before her sapphire eyes and she shook her head quickly to rid herself of the image. She glanced back down to the alley to see Sparda had dismissed her presence and was looking back at the woman.

"As for you... You've fed your last." Sae jumped down into the alley in front of the woman as the man named Sparda flung his arm to the right, firing his weapon into the shadow.

Sae was livid about how this man had dismissed her like she was nothing just because he thought that he were of a higher status than she. Whatever he had just done, Saephara was not worried in the least now about the woman. When she had removed her hood before Sae fired her shot, Sae noticed the blood upon her chin. It the unmistakable crimson splash of a human's blood. This woman was a vampire at least, and they were known to be swift on their feet.

Sae was a solid 5 foot 10 inches as she stood in front of the man and bore into his eyes with hers. "What makes you think you are better than everyone else here, jerk? This woman was only doing what she needed," Sae spit out at Sparda with hate in her words. She crouched slightly to prepare for a fight. He seemed strong and his description reminded her of something that she had read in her mother's leather books. But now was not the time to ponder such things.

[Silver Eyes]

"As for you... You've fed your last."

Silver Eyes' grin took on a maniacal form, "I think not." She crossed her arms in what appeared to be an attempt to shield herself, but she had something else in mind. The moment Sparda's gun roared, her body collapsed into a colony of bats. The explosive rounds took out a few unfortunate ones, and the results showed when she reformed: a chunk of Silver's shoulder was blown clean off. Fortunately for her, it regenerated, but damn did it hurt. The vampire grimaced and rolled her healed shoulder, "So that's what gunshot wounds feel like. This'll be a bitch to adjust to--"

"What makes you think you are better than everyone else here, jerk? This woman was only doing what she needed."

Right, that woman was still here. But, what's this? It would seem fate was on her side this night, for she was currently in favor of protecting her. The corners of her mouth twitched into another smirk, "Yeah, I was just doing what I needed. No one was going to miss a bunch of thugs anyways, right? You were always about justice, Sparda." Silver paused, laughed, and then said: "Oh, that's right, you weren't. You don't exactly have a clean history, Knight."

The vampire crossed her arms, popped her hip to the right, and gave him a grin that could easily translate to: "Yeah, I said that. What are you going to do about it?"

[Sparda]

The vampire would soon enough find out what Sparda was going to do about it. The shadows around her came to life and four mighty tendrils of living darkness sprang forth, their surfaces shot through with rivulets of violet light signifying the demonic power infused into them as Sparda took control, using them to grasp at each of the vampiress' limbs with almost crushing force and pin her in place.

"I don't suppose you've seen that crime scene a dozen or so blocks over?" he answered this intruder. His eyes met hers, boring straight back with a barely bridled anger and the weight of ancient demonic power. All of a sudden, she would feel his vast aura flare forth massively in a single mighty surge of might that utterly dwarfed the power he sensed from her; a display, more than anything, intended to scare her away from any consideration of doing battle with the immense power before her.

"This woman's not only massacred a whole family back there, she set up the father to take the fall for her and get the police off her tail. That isn't necessary feeding, it's premeditated murder! Nothing but animalistic butchery!" His voice dripped with venomous hatred as he fixed the vampire with a stare that would've burned through the soul of Yahweh himself with its harrowing intensity. "And she hasn't a shred of remorse to show for it... Well, at least now I know you aren't her."

He strode forward, his aura roaring back to the heights of that previous flare. His eyes returned to the archer, and Luce turned to bear down on her, while Ombra was drawn to face the vampire. "Final warning, child. Stay out of my way, or I'll take you down too."