Through Darkest Knight

[Gredar]

Marten raised an eyebrow, giving Mirado a quizzical look. "Why didn't you say something earlier instead of heading into this infernal fog. I met you guys on the road back from here. I found bootprints heading east from here into the woods, following the main road."  

[Masamune 5.0]

"I hadn't originally planned on telling anyone, exactly..." Mirado looked around nervously. "These footprints... Are you sure they were made by the Knights of Exemplar?"  

[Gredar]

Marten nodded. "Heavy chain mail boots in marching patterns. If it had been town guardsmen running the strides would have been much longer. No other tracks lead out, except for a few trampled ones at the north gate. The west gate was still barred, and we came from the south so we know they didn't go that way."  

[Masamune 5.0]

"Show me these footprints," Mirado said. There was a tone of urgency in his voice.  

[demonofwhite]

Constance had stood up by this point and was looking forward twards what she scenced as a familiar aura. "You can go, but I'm staying right here...Someone familiar..."  

[Masamune 5.0]

"Huh? Why? What's going on?" Mirado inquired.  

[demonofwhite]

"I...don't know." Constance could make out a distinct shadow now. "I rely...can't remember..."  

[Zerith]

Dracquis glided across the decayed earth. Merely being present in the cursed village began to revive him. His shadowy form grew and became more stable, no longer pulsing rapidly. A tiny chuckle echoed through the mist. This was much easier than he had thought. Still, it was not enough. He was still very weakened. He would have to locate the epicenter of the darkness in this village to truly extract its power.

As his strength slowly regained he could begin to sense mortals nearby. There was a small group of them not far off and several others off by themselves. They would have provided easy targets. Still, the Dark One did not wish to test his luck so early. His power was still too low, and so he continued his eerie glide as he searched throughout the village.  

[Demonix13]

"Oh man, this is getting kinda weird. I just expected a burnt down village, maybe a vampire or two, but this...I've never dealt with this before." said Alpheus.  

[Zerith]

The epicenter of darkness! It was near! Dracquis drifted towards it, drawn to it with wolfish hunger. The shadowy figure then stopped. The white mask tilted to the side as it inspected the obstruction before it. The ruins of a collapsed building stood ontop of the source of the darkness.

The right side of his shadow "body" bulged outwards until it appeared as a long black tentacle. The tentacle grasped the ruined building and spread around it, enveloping it in darkness. The darkness then pulled at the debris, which cracked and splintered and decayed all at once, due to the dark grip. Wood, stone, and earth was sent into the air noisily and fell next to Dracquis with a loud crash that rang throughout the mist.

The Dark One spied his target. A red ring was imbued on what used to be the floor of the destroyed house. Several glyphs surrounded the mysterious ring. In the center was a strange emblem of which was unfamiliar to Dracquis. None of this truly mattered to him, though. The shadow and mask moved over the ring.

"Marvelous..." The dark energy surged through Dracquis the Dark One. He fed upon it like delicious nectar, consuming every drop of magic. His mist, which was spread throughout the village, darkened and turned to black. The shadows became heavy and soon enough blocked out the sun. Suddenly, the flow of magic stopped. The well of dark magic was dry. Dracquis the Dark One growled angrily in a low deep tone. It was not enough! He had overestimated the dark power that dwelt in the village. It did not suffice in bringing him back to full strength. Still, it was enough for the time being.  

[demonofwhite]

Constance caught her breath as the mist thickened and wincd at the sickening crack heard from somewhere not far off. She didn't dare breath, for she could live without it. Talking would serve as a problem. She looked questioningly at the shrouded faces arondher.  

[Masamune 5.0]

Mirado's eyes widened. The mist had turned to shadow. He felt some unknown force putting presure on his chest, making it hard to breathe. And although all light had been cut off, he could easily make out the surrounding figures. However, the ground, sky, and distance was all shrouded in darkness.

Mirado ran forward but his movements were sluggish as if time had slowed. Finally he managed to traverse the short distance. "This darkness..."  

[Zerith]

Dracquis the Dark One let out a malicious laugh, which verberated throughout the shadows. It seemed that some flies had been caught in his dark web. He had enough strength now to deal with a few unlucky wanderers.

The Dark One glided through the darkness, only distinquishable as a darker shadow and his pale-white mask. This was his element. He could sense everything that moved. A blade of grass twitched near the edge of the shadows... One of his to be victims had moved several feet... It was close. Within moments they would be face to face. It had been too long since he had toyed with mortals.

Dracquis the Dark One turned a corner and he saw them. There were four. An Etzale, a Vampiress, a Human, and... A boy with black hair and a blue triangle tatooed on his right cheek. The face was the same as he remembered. The Dark One's mood matched the wicked grin on his mask. He chuckled sinisterly in a low, hissing voice. "How unexpected..."  

[Masamune 5.0]

Mirado was fixed upon the malevolent spirit that had materialized from the darkness. Its mask was bone-white with a crescent moon eye and a despicable smile painted on. He had feared this ever since they entered the village, but he never thought it possible.

"How the hell do you keep coming back?!" Mirado gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Now having seen his enemy and having eliminated all doubt, the burden of the shadows seemed less heavy. Anger had replaced fear of the unknown.  

[Gredar]

Marten felt the shadow wards in his bracer come to life, keeping the worst of the mist at bay. He followed Mirado, clutching his staff tightly. Fear tingled in his fingers and feet; he hadn't met anything with this dark an aura since he faced the Brother Leader. "Mirado, where are you going?"

Marten staggered to a stop a few steps before Dracquis, the misty shadow finally piercing the unpowered shadow ward and momentarily sucking the breath from his chest. "What the hell is that thing," he shouted, drawing his staff and ward up for battle.