A Curse Disguised as a Blessing

[Linwelin]

Vladimir caught the meat with a wistful smile and twiddled with it in a bit of thought, before taking a small bite out of it. Leave it to the big man to have good jerky on him. He thought jokingly. Quickly shaking himself from that tangent thought, he gathered himself and responded to the question at hand.

Vladimir bowed his head slightly and shook it, completely understanding, nay used to, this disbelief. Upon raising his eyes to meet those of Golas once more, he stated, "This is no joke. I am pale and thin because of this status. Specifically, I am a type of vampire, unwillingly so, I might add. Though I may look to be in my forties, I have lived for more than a century by now. Though I cannot prove it to you, I am well under control, and do not have bloodthirst. I will not bring harm to any of you, even if you cannot tolerate my existence. In any case, I beg you, interrogate me on this matter later, for now I desperately wish to save my new companion. And from where I'm standing, I'm one of the only ones that can. Please, with this knowledge, make use of me. Help me plan this out."

With this final statement, through which he was obviously becoming more and more tense, Vladimir made a final, proper, bow. He held this position until someone spoke. Though there was quite the silence. He'd seen their faces as he spoke, the stress and worry growing. The conflicting feelings deepening as Vladimir had explained himself.

All I can do now is wait for their judgement. I imagine they'll allow me to help out of desperation, but I truly hope my companionship with them does not end there.

[Linwelin]

The silence hung heavy in the air as all gathered before the confessed methuselan were both shocked and lost in thought. It was understandable, and their fear even more reasonable now that they were locked in the same room as a vampire. Why should they trust me? I was surprised enough that a paladin did so, but that lulled me into thinking the whole guild was of the same temperament. I was foolish. It was all he could think as he looked at the group before him, their eyes averting from his gaze as they thought.

Vladimir got the hint.

Without another word, he confidently strode out from the meeting room, taking the maps with him. Then I will go on my own...do what I can to repay their kindness by returning Annia to them. And then...I shall leave. It's obvious this is not my home.

His first task was to find the place, scout out an entrance, and then wait until dark. From there, he would let his instincts take over. Though he hated to admit it, darkness was without a doubt his friend. He could still move while remaining unseen, and the moonlit night did not make him nauseous. Yes, he was perfectly comfortable in the dark. Thus at the passing of dusk outside the ruins, Vladimir breathed a sigh of relief. But he was still tense due to the situation; not the situation of rescue, but of 'pest control'. And he was not tense due to lack of confidence, but more from a bloodlust. Rosa had said to clear out the den, and necromancers just happened to be his least favorite kind of person. Mobsters were not much higher up. He would not hold back. It was time to work.

As he approached the passage detailed on the map, Vladimir took in a deep breath, then exhaled to calm himself. It was not often he would fall to his unnatural instincts, but this was one of those rare exceptions. He had to truly embrace his affinity with darkness. He closed his eyes and focused in order to be as silent as possible while he gathered strength. No, that wasn't right. While he unleashed it. His arms and fingers elongated slightly, his teeth became almost hypodermic needles, his eyes changed from the fluorescent green to a prominent red. He had transformed into a creature of the night. A form he loathed, but now had learned to embrace as part of himself. It was in this form that his more vicious instincts awakened. Vladimir did not drink the blood of people, but he deemed those before him, in the depths of the ruins, as the carrion of society. They were not people, but merely trash to be disposed of.

Thus the methuselan entered into the depths, ready to hunt.

Though there were indeed undead minions, they were of a low caliber and easy to avoid. It was obvious the mobsters couldn't gather too many grand necromancers. That meant that the 'life-detecting barrier' was being performed by the powerful ones. This made his scouting incredibly easy. Sure, portions of the passage were well lit, but not nearly enough that Vladimir would have to step into the open. His darkvision made it easy to skirt around patrolled areas, getting into position. Once he understood the nearby area of the first guard post, he began his hunt. The first target was the one that could sound the alarm, as those left in this position were usually quick and perceptive, but weak. He quickly dragged the man into the dark, silencing him, then draining him of blood until the methuselan had enough for healing. Next were the two patrolmen. He waited until they needed to split momentarily to check separate tunnels, jumping one and slicing his throat with his kukri, then running around to silence and skewer the second with his rapier.

Once the guard post was disposed of, Vladimir knew he had to act fast. They would soon notice that life was flickering out within the barrier, and Vladimir would be greatly outnumbered. He needed to find Annia, whom he could hopefully arm, and have someone to watch his back once things got messy. He may be one with darkness, but his stealth wouldn't last forever. Thus, until he rescued Annia, he would not kill anyone he didn't have to. The only exception was any necromancers he came across, as they were dangerous entities. Over the course of the next few hours, he weaved through the caves carefully, never killing anyone near a former target, which caused the entire group to have to spread thin. He'd managed to slay three necromancers, which promptly disabled the undead. This was the moment he'd been waiting for, when the bulk of the guards were not near the prisoners. He followed the map to try and see which of the vaguely detailed areas were the stockades, finally stumbling upon a room with two hulking mobsters. They weren't normal hirelings, and Vladimir couldn't fight them head-on or he'd surely die. It was time to get creative.

Vladimir scouted the room while staying in the shadows, looking for anything he could use for distraction or incapacitation. He cursed himself for not having the resources for supplies like he normally would in an infiltration mission, but with his goal right in front of his eyes, he couldn't give up now. But the room was bare, save for a couple barrels and plenty of rocks. So all he could do was throw rocks.

...Huh...

A thought came to him. An incredibly idiotic, long-shot kind of thought. But what else could he do? He quietly picked up five rocks, preparing to rapid-fire them. However, he wasn't aiming at the men, but the walls. Please work...! He pleaded as he quickly pitched them in a lob against the wall. The first hit at the entryway, then immediately after another hit about 10 feet into the room. The last three hit in a line leading to the nearest barrel, with the final one striking against the barrel.

Normally rocks hitting a wall would have you look around...but if it specifically stops upon reaching a 'hiding place' then maybe...YES! The two men carefully approached the barrel in guarded curiosity. By now the prisoners were awake and trying to understand what was happening. Whether any saw Vladimir, he didn't know. But they at least didn't point him out if they did. And he was thankful for that, due to what he needed to do next.

The rogue rushed forward, using the strength of his transformation to lift the man and dump him inside the barrel, catching the other one flat-footed and without time to react. Now that he was in the light, his form were apparent and all, even the prisoners saw him for what he was. Cries of 'monster', 'demon' and 'help' wailed from the cages as the guard went for a cautious attack to slay the sudden;y-appearing vampire. But Vladimir read him.

Strong, yes. But truly foolish and unskilled. Vladimir thought as he danced around the guard's swings, answering back with thrusts and slashes of his own. One-on-one, Vladimir couldn't lose this fight, and due to his opponents' bulk, the other was still stuck in the barrel. But he would break out soon; he had to end this fast. The thug endured like a bull, however, and Vladimir brought him to his knees only barely in time for the other to break free. The methuselan groaned in disappointment. There goes my chance to free them before the other was free...time to fight!

Vladimir deftly parried the other guard's hammer, though he had to use both blades to do so. Ugh...heavy! I can't get hit by that. Vladimir changed from a duelist's stance to one of pure defense, waiting for an opportunity to strike. After a good half-minute, the man finally fumbled a strike by swinging short and hitting the ground. "HA!" Vladimir shouted in an offensive maneuver, stepping onto the hammer and slashing at the wrists of the man to disarm him. The series of counter-attacks made by Vladimir were vicious and well-aimed, leaving the man to collapse from the accumulated wounds. Vladimir used some of the blood he'd pooled from earlier to regenerate from the skirmish, then searched the men for keys.

"There we are!" He stated joyfully, and quickly ran to the cages. But, as per usual, all within them recoiled in horror, begging to be spared. The rogue grimaced, and wanted to right the misunderstanding, but knew talking wouldn't help. So he decided not to address the crowd's fears, letting his actions speak as he unlocked both cages. "I'm unlocking these now, but there are still many thugs in these caves. Be careful as you make your way out. I'd recommend waiting, but I can't guarantee I can come back for you to lead you out. Also, is a woman named Annia here, by chance?" Vladimir surveyed the room, hoping he'd reached his goal and found his friend.

[Throndir]

The survivors were varied. Old men, women, young ones, children, adults, and judging from their clothing seemed to be from most walks of life. One thing similar between all of them were their tired eyes from the many sleepless nights.

When Vladimir emerged unlocking the cages, none of the captured survivors made any move to head out. Even with his demeanor as calming and as placating as Vladimir could be, the nerves of the individuals there had seen too much horror to register Vladimir's meaning and words. They instinctively withdrew when the gates opened on their cages. There were a couple who wailed, begging to be spared, and others too who drew back against the further end of their cage, attempting to increase the distance between themselves and the undead thing in front of them.

Their eyes were filled with fear, and even loathing as they stared upon Vladimir. To the frightened individuals, they didn't see a savior. Instead they saw an undead beast open the gates to their cages - like many, many times before. They knew what was coming. Every time those gates opened, one of them would be taken away. They would hear the screams. The muffled cries of the individuals still with them who had known the victim. Then... the silence. It was the silence that clawed at them the most, knowing full well that the anguish would come again.

With Vladimir standing right outside their cages, they looked like frightened cattle, and for all intents and purposes, they probably were treated like cattle as well. Yet even though most of them had fear in their eyes, there was one who stared at Vladimir willfully and with purpose.

"A-are you here to free us?" The girl asked. She looked to be in her early twenties, and by all standards was pleasant to look at, comely even. Her momentary hesitation vanished when Annia's name was mentioned.

"Annia... They brought her in last night." She said. "They've beaten her pretty bad when she first arrived. I did as much as I could to tend to her wounds. But..." She looked away then, hesitantly.

"They took her a couple hours ago. And..." She looked troubled then, leaving her sentence unfinished.

[Linwelin]

Vladimir could only sigh in relief when someone spoke up reasonably. Truly a jewel amongst tarnished pieces. He thought to himself. And it was true, as she was surprisingly beautiful on top of being so level-headed in the situation. "Yes, I'm freeing you all. Though my appearance may make it hard to believe, I am not with those necromancers and thugs. I'm a friend of Annia's and came to free her. Bu had I known so many others were caught, I would have made a more fervent attempt to bring reinforcements..." He trailed off at the thought, but quickly moved past it. Now was not the time to mope.

Vladimir grimaced at the mention of what had happened to Annia, "Damn it all! So much was done in such little time." His thoughts went out to his friend. For such a kind individual to suffer like this was truly depressing. "Thank you for doing what you could. I'm going to continue on and try to get her before something worse happens. Do you and everyone else here think you can manage to escape?" He was worried, especially with how traumatized they all were, and the fact that there were still mobsters about.

Though most of the undead are gone...ah, undead. Vladimir soon began hiding his visage from the group. "I'm sorry, after all you've been through, seeing me must be quite unpleasant. I'll take my leave...be safe, so you can get back home. You're in ruins on the outskirts of Ternadan. Take care." He said genuinely as he began walking out of the room, back into the darkness, and toward his friend.

[Throndir]

As Vladimir left, the others behind were gathered by the girl who had spoken before with Vladimir. They were still afraid, wary of their surroundings, and many of them had already lost hope, but the girl continued to prod them. She had a good amount of presence as she proceeded to rally the others back to their senses, and prepare a plan to get out of the den. One by one the others shook themselves out of their trance-like state, and soon enough They were prepared to move out.

The girl looked towards where their mysterious savior had vanished. Her eyes too curious, as well as worried about their new-found ally.

"Save Annia for us." She said to nothing but the darkness. She moved on forward, towards where she hoped the exit would be, followed by the scared and frightened mob. But she knew this was better, their savior, was something... dead, and his presence alone wouldn't have helped the rest of these survivors. It would have made things worse, with the townsfolk simply too afraid of him.

The girl started humming softly then, enough for those right behind her to hear. The soft sweet sound, as if it was magical, raised their morale and eased their fears if only slightly.

Their savior had given them this opportunity, and she would not squander the parting gift.



Something was wrong, it didn't take a lot to figure that out. Annie's familiar presence wasn't nearby, instead, he felt strangers... Many of them. The same thugs that had brought her down and captured the knight. Not only that, he felt something worse; it was the undead. Some strong necromatic magic pervaded the area, and the magical sword knew that this den they had stumbled upon, was far from ordinary.

He had never encountered other sentient objects like himself before, but from what he knew sentient swords usually only looked out for themselves. However, as Jin continued to scry around the narrow entry ways and halls, he couldn't help but worry about the knight. He regretted not being able to pick himself up and search after the young one. Those days were long gone, he knew that well, but with the change there were also many other things he would not have been able to do otherwise. As he continued to scan the area around him, he noticed a familiar presence that crossed right into his field of sensing; it was the methuselan that they had met just the night before. Vladimir, as he introduced himself.

There were other rashly thrown equipment around him, possibly from all the other captives that their enemies had taken. But if Vladimir kept going forward, he should run into here. And hopefully, just hopefully, Jin, the katana, would be able to catch Vladimir's attention enough to have the man take of hold him. His alternative was manifesting a physical form that could easily catch Vladimir's attention, but Jin knew that that would drain his powers too much even if temporary, and the amount of uncertainty in the short future soon to come had let Jin decide that the former course of action would be the best scenario.

And so Jin waited. Holding still as the katana waited for the savior to take back his dear Annie.

[Linwelin]

With the increase in undead and ritualistic objects, Vladimir was sure he was getting close. As he was not equipped to deal with the risen creatures, he instead continued to focus on striking down the necromancers. With how easy it was becoming, he almost pitied them. Not that I blame them, but they really do rely on their life-detection too heavily. Just one uncontrolled undead can do so much... But pity was not the same as sympathy. They would receive no mercy from his blades, which he skillfully plunged into the spellcasters' backs as he continued down the tunnel.

After dispatching a pair of guards and drinking their blood to recover, Vladimir realized he had stumbled upon a room filled with supplies. A depot? Armory? No...none of these items are standardized. They're so various...AH! He barely kept himself from speaking aloud. This is where the prisoners' belongings are held...which means Annia's gear is here somewhere...If I remember, there was mention of golden plate...and she had a katana? Truly an oddity for a paladin, but not a bad choice. He shook himself from his martial musigs about Annia's tastes and began searching for her belongings. The gold plate was easy enough, which he promptly tied off to his bags. The sword...where is that katana...! There, across the room. Upon closer inspection, it certainly was a fine piece.

Thus Vladimir picked up the blade, preparing to head further into the den. He could always pick up the rest of her belongings after they routed the cavernous ruins.

[Throndir]

The moment Vladimir laid his hand on the sword, Jin immediately spoke to him.

You, who calls yourself Vladimir. Jin said, keeping his senses trained on the creature that wielded him. Vladimir's current form wasn't something Jin had seen or encountered before, but he still kept himself wary. Vladimir's mind, at least, still seemed intact. He would have paused to gauged closely Vladimir's reaction to his speaking, but time was short. There was a sense of urgency in the air, and after spending nearly a decade with the knight, always nearby, the seeming emptiness felt strange to the old warrior.

We must make haste. Jin kept his tone even and neutral. He wasn't entirely sure if he trusted this undead being, even given the fact Annia seemed to already trust the man. None the less,  he was his only chance in finding her. Foolish or not, he would abide by his decision.

I can only sense a limited direction from where we currently stand, but at least I can help navigate through these catacombs and underground ruins. The katana continued methodically. Avoid fights unless necessary lest they sound some sort of alarm to our whereabouts.

[Linwelin]

Not a step after picking up the katana, Vladimir froze in place. The voice echoed in his head, which at first put him on high alert, but after listening a while he realized it was the katana. His worries of a mage infiltrating his mind washed away. But his shock did not.

Vladimir responded back through the now-established telepathic link, "So you have an ego...Annia seems to have hidden that well, as I heard no mention of it. How should I call you, blade?" While answering, Vladimir had already begun to move. "Do you have any idea where they took her? Also, I agree with the aversion to killing. They can seemingly sense life within the area, so if too many are dying, they will pinpoint our location. The only ones I slay are necromancers. Once they're gone, these outlaws will have no eyes and we can properly route them."

Just as he announced his methods, a patrol came running by in pursuit. Vladimir quickly hid, and after confirming they were all muscle and no magic, stayed out of view behind some rocks. It'd been around 30 minutes since the release of the prisoners, and Vladimir desperately hoped they'd gathered their wits enough to make it out. Otherwise that squad of bandits would cause more than just trouble. But now was not the time to think of that, as there was nothing he could do. Instead he pressed onward, and soon the duo came across a pair of necromancers standing guard by a makeshift doorway. The presence from behind the door sent shivers along Vladimir's spine. "That must be the place." He stated mentally to Jin.

Overall there were four enemies, as the mages were accompanied by two resurrected skeletons. It would not be an easy fight, let alone simple to keep stealthy. He couldn't drag out the fight like normal, as they were right outside a main door, and who knows what reinforcements were behind it. "Four versus one...not good odds. Any ideas?" He could only hope the soul within the blade had enough experience to aid him.

[Throndir]

My name is Jin. The sword responded to the first question. Annie had always kept me a secret. Especially with the priests and tutors during her training days. Even with her companions to this day. I manifest into a shadow, and to the people on this world, Annie seemed to tell me that that was enough to brand me as something evil. Know that I would have not reached out to you normally. That young knight is in danger, and even though she intends to continue to keep me as a secret, I'll not let that foolish notion get the better of her.

There was a pause as Jin seemed to start laughing, but warm and softly.

Forgive me that I've misjudged you. In some ways, we are similar. It's more our actions that show our true character. Annie had decided this for herself long ago, which was why she had chosen to accept you, even knowing what you are. It surprised me as well, knowing full well the sort of teachings and training she had undergone both under her tutors and the knights of her order... But yet at the same time, it surprises me not.

I know not your true nature Vladimir, but the very fact you are here quells whatever demons haunt you. That knight had seen this even before I did, though, always she had been too trusting.

As Jin considered the enemies in front of them, letting the silence draw on for a few more long moments.

I do have an idea. Jin said as he broke the silence. It will be draining on you... say the word if that is fine.

[Linwelin]

Vladimir smiled with Jin's words. To hear the reason he'd been accepted was because someone managed to look past him condition to see him was more of a relief than he'd ever realized it would be. He'd pleaded with fate to deliver him to someone like that, for the peace of mind. His determination grew with these feelings. Though an odd match, he finally had a true friend once more. He would not let such a bond get destroyed before it had a chance to grow. He'd not even had a chance to show his gratitude before Annia was whisked away.

The methuselan continued to nod with Jin's words, but at the mention of a risky plan, Vladimir paused a moment. That pause was not to think or consider, but simply to steel himself. There was no question to be asked, if it was to save Annia, then he'd do it. "I'll do whatever I must. What is your plan?"

[Throndir]

To give rise to my physical form, at least, as much as it can be in how I am now. A shadow of darkness, seemingly evil to some, yet, this is what I am. It was the first form I had shown Annie when she was still but a young girl. A dark silhouette, without any features or details, simply... form. It's a shade of my previous self. Though it is mainly incorporeal, it has enough physical substance to act as a distraction and fool them to think that it's actually there. At the very least, we'll have it pull their attention, while you can leverage that opportunity, when their eyes are on the shade, to your own advantage.

It requires the wielder's own strength, and only then can I will it forth when one is wielding the blade.

What say you?

[Linwelin]

I don't even need to say, do I? Vladimir responds as he brandishes the katana. Use my strength as you need. I'll make sure it's not a wasted opportunity.

Let's begin.

[Throndir]

The process began. As soon as Vladimir finished his words, energy started flowing from Vladimir into the katana he held. Jin felt the power surging into him from the hilt of the katana, spreading out to the rest of the weapon. The katana aimed for only small amounts of energy at a time, not knowing full well what Vladimir's capacity was. But even as the sword sent the first tendrils tapping into Vladimir, the energy began to surge all at once. There was power, a lot more power than Jin would have thought possible. This was already past the point that Jin had ever consumed from Annia at once, yet it was still flowing. Even the old warrior wasn't sure how Vladimir would have handled it. His attention drew back towards Vladimir, using his senses to get a feel for the man's physical state. Vladimir was weakened, but he still stood, offering up as much as he could spare. Jin didn't know if the man was simply holding ground for appearance's sake, but he expended a lot of energy, more than Jin expected to drain.

Jin cut off the tap, as if turning off a faucet and continued using that built-up power to will forth the featureless shadow that represented his being. But something felt different. Something felt off as he began to reconstruct the form that represented him. The same familiar shadows crept from the ground, cascading into each other, twisting and turning as it continued to get larger and taller. Soon enough the dark shadow had appeared, but instead of simply forming into a featureless mass of darkness, the shade had started to change.

Color started to slowly appear, as blobs of darkness formed into what looked to be straps of leather and cloth. Well-built hands and arms appeared then as well, and soon enough the entire body was created. There, in the darkened ruins and den of necromancers, standing by Vladimir's side looked to be a warrior clad in leather. He had square jaw, with a stubble of a beard, along with a ponytail that tied his long dark hair together. If one were to guess his age, it would be in his forties. Yet his physique was muscular, and the tight fitting leather only accentuated that fact. In his hand he held a katana, one in the very same likeness as the weapon Vladimir still carried with him.

Jin hummed in confusion and questions. There was still a sentience in the blade that Vladimir carried, yet at the same time, the 'shade' if it could be called as such, stared in confusion at Vladimir. Jin spoke, but instead of using his telepathy, it came from the man that stood beside Vladimir.

"Vladimir... what have you done?" Though his words were questioning, there was a hint of wonder and a sense of elation in his voice.

[Linwelin]

As soon as he had mentioned it, Vladimir began to pour whatever excess strength he had into the blade in his hands. "I'll keep only what I need to fight...if I need to recover, I'll drain the blood of these two before me." With a determination that showed almost reckless abandon, Vladimir practically forced Jin to take the energy, until the sword forced him to stop. At that very moment, to avoid collapsing, he used the remaining bit of reserve blood he had welled up inside him to begin regenerating. It was the only thing that kept him from collapsing on the spot. If it's only this much...I'll be fine. He completely disregarded his physical state in the face of his task. There was no time for concern.

He watched as the shadows began to gather beside him. For some reason, it was a rather comforting sight; this was a thought most likely due to his affinity to darkness. He understood Jin, despite not really knowing him. It was an empathy shared between those you suffered the same difficulty. At that moment, the shadows began shifting unexpectedly. They were obtaining a defined form, as though responding to his thoughts. ...He's no longer just a shade...was this even possible? Vladimir continued to watch as the humanoid form continued to gain color and definition until he coalesced as a well-built warrior. The warrior that was Jin.

"Vladimir... what have you done?"

"I...don't know. I just gave as much strength as I could. I take it this is a first for you?" Jin's expression alone answered that question. "Well with that form, forget distraction. We have the advantage, let's ambush them. Let me just gather my strength for a moment." It took about a minute for him to compose himself with the regeneration, and he took that time to study the duo. Their minions, though fearsome looking at first, seemed to be slow to respond. That'd lead him to believe that the mages' grasp of their magic was only rudimentary. They were mere novices compared to whatever was behind those doors. With Jin covering him, it should be a swift assault.

Finally, he took a deep breath, "Alright, I'm going in, you circle around and prepare to attack the other. I'll signal." Vladimir careful crept along the wall, avoiding the undead and getting within lunging distance of the first caster. With that, he picked up a small rock, lifted it so Jin could see what he was doing, and pitched it from where they came from. The clatter from its impact immediately stole the caster's attention, which was just enough to allow the two assailants to get a little closer. The sound of steel piercing through flesh was quick and clean, as Vladimir's rapier thrust just next to his victim's spine, piercing their heart. To replenish himself, as he was a man of instinct now, he sank his teeth within the prey's neck, draining the man of his constitution as he bled out from the wound. He was dead within seconds, and Vladimir promptly dropped him to the cave floor.

He looked to see how Jin fared, confirming with him when they were ready to enter the next room before carefully pushing it open.

[Throndir]

When Vladimir raised the signal, Jin followed through. Everything felt different but in some ways it was the same as when he controlled and moved the shade. It was a unique state of having his consciousness in two places at once, both in the katana that Vladimir had with him, as well as in the shade that he also inhabited. Yet how he was now felt different. He could feel the ground beneath him, the feel of leather that wrapped around his body, the familiar grip of his katana that he remembered wielding for decades through countless battles and duels. It was reminiscent of times long past, in a far away world, now gone except through his memories and stories.

It didn't take him long to close the gap to the second necromancer, and he began thrusting his blade straight in the man's chest. The necromancer too, saw that the end was coming, his eyes filled with fear and a look of hatred aimed towards Jin. Yet as his sword reached its target, it should have pierced fleshed. But there was no impact. He felt his body's weight tumble forward, yet his blade simply phased through his intended victim. Before he fell off-balance, Jin quickly reversed his direction with a quick angle change with his legs. Using the momentum, he swerved his sword horizontally, having it arc wide behind him as the warrior twisted his body a full circle, with his blade leading the way.

This time, Jin put forth the energy required to physically manifest the impact, and soon enough he felt the sickening sound of metal slicing through flesh and crushing through bone. In that fluid movement the second necromancer was beheaded. He met Vladimir's gaze not a second later.

"In some ways, I still am... a shade." Jin said certain that Vladimir would have realized the reason for his second maneuver.