David
*As his blade slid out of Balar's flesh, he would look at his dead opponent. He would sigh and look at his katana's blade and back at Balar.* 

"My blade has tasted better." 

*As he turned around, he would immediately see Yukine's hand getting chopped off and the swordsman flying into his teammate. He looked around, seeing that there were 4 of us still alive but some injured and 2 of them left. The odds are looking good. Though Yukine is probably unable to fight, her hand just got chopped off. Then it is 3 to 2. He would make his way towards his teammates that were fighting.* 

*'Seems like they won't need my help.. But I'll at least help a little bit.'*

*He would steady his breathing and then pull down his mask. He would gasp when he tried moving his left forearm, that still had the arrow in it. As he jogged east (10m), he would be 2 meters in front of the swordsman. As he sheathed his weapon, he would hold out his hand and the air around him would helix into his palm. It formed a tiny cyclone and a moment later, it would launch. The same spell as before. He too would shoot his projectile into the downed swordsman. It was aimed towards his groin. Oh the humanity!* 

*'I admit, that was not honorable.'* 

*He would step in closer (1m) and take out his katana again, going for the last strike. As his hand glowed bright blue, his katana had been strengthened and the light from his hands would reflect onto the blade. He would thrust his blade already bloodied blade into the swordsman's face.*

```Gale Missile and Empowered Strike Casted, 20 Mana Used, 32 Left. 32/120. Tempest Rush (1 Turn Left)```
Ronald
*Landen would fall, needless to say, and his helmet would take a mighty blow. He doesn't seem out of commission yet.*

*The combination of his arms being restrained and Kenpachi's stab end up killing the swordsman, with a violet flame on his face. Eventually, the beatdown from Akaise's tentacles wreaks havoc on Landen, who, after a long time of getting smacked, collapses, dead from the sheer amount of blunt force he's taken.*

*They were now free to free the man in the cage. He would be shaven bald, with specks of silver hair. He had a normal red tattoo on, not glowing. He was pale, but not what one would expect of a vampire.*
James
*The swordsman also vanishes.*

*Teleports behind Sirdan*

"Nothing personnel kid"
Manuel
*Sirdan grabbed the helmet of Landen, yanking it off violently, looking at the bruised, bleeding face below. Satisfied he is dead, he threw the helmet to the side, and then walked toward the cage.*

*Sirdan placed the hammer on his belt, panting as he calmed down from the rage that overtook him, and then looked at the remains of his burning shield, dropped right next to Mage 2's lifeless corpse.*

*He stared at the prisoner, shaking his head. He didn't recall the description of the hostage well, and backed off into a pillar - the pillar where he was blasted by oil and fire earlier, and then dropped down onto the ground, staring at the prisoner with a blank expression on his face.*

*The elf's breath was steady and deliberate, sign that his supernatural endurance was not close to running out yet, but it seems his mental state was a whole another different matter.*

"Hey. You there... You can speak, right?"
Ronald
*The man would look up. Beads of sweat would be on his brow, his voice shaky.*

"Y-Yes, I can speak."

*His voice does seem odd though, a bit higher pitched than one night expect from a Macen man.*
Manuel
"Good. How did you end up held hostage here?" *Sirdan seems to have recovered some of his nerves - however temporarily, and then stood up, walking over to Mage 1's dead body, trying to pull out the pilum.

As his fingers wrapped around the pilum, it disappeared. Sirdan blinked, staring at the small hole made in his chest, and then walked back again.*
Ronald
"I was invading a temple, similar to this one. Holy magic easily bound me, and rendered me useless. I was then bound and taken here."
Mario
*After making sure that Landen would not get up again, Akaise walked up to the prisoner's cage, inspecting his facial features. The wizard had forgot most of the employer's description, except for a few choice words... Vampire, with glowing tattoo. He didn't seem to have the second, and it was uncertain whether he was the first. Though he did say he was bound by holy magic... They'd have to do a little more talking before deciding what to do.*

"...What's the tattoo for," *She said with a cold voice. If he wasn't the right one after all, she would have to kill him. Nobody could know what they did today.*
Ronald
"Uhh.."

*The man looks unprepared for this question.*

"As a marking for our cult."
Gay
*The elf followed up with his own question, sitting down in front of the pillar again.*

"...Let's see. Do you reckon you are important enough for your cult master to have hired four adventurers to cut through the temple and get you out of here?"

*Sirdan looked around the temples, trying to see if there's any other entrances or exits.*
David
*Kenpachi sat down, listening to the conversation Sirdan and Akaise made with the fire macen. He set his blade down, in front of him and relaxed. He sighed, knowing that they were finally done. There were bloodshed and tough challenges to overcome, just to rescue this macen.* 

*'Sirdan is right. Is he __that__ important we had go through that amount of hardship?'*
Mario
"...The tattoo. *Does it do anything else?*"
Ronald
"I-I think I am, at least. The tattoo doesn't do anything else."
Mario
"*Right.* Is there anyone else held captive here? We aren't leaving until we get everyone out."

*She's lying. He definitely wasn't the right one. The tattoo was a dead giveaway... Its magic inscription made it glow, but this tattoo was not glowing at all.*
Gay
*Sirdan shook his head, and then paced around the back of the temple. It appears this is the only one here.*

*He paced around, the scent of burnt wood and blood permeating his senses, looking at every nooks of the temple. Surely there must be someone else held here?*
James
"Oops wrong temple, I told you to go to the other one"
Ronald
*Sirdan would notice that one piece of a wall was not quite right, in the northeast section. It would shimmer ever so slightly, but it would.*
James
Don't tell me you saw it ans

The one with the red outline
Gay
*Sirdan walked to the top right corner, blinking at it. He felt a bit... Afraid of such a shimmering thing.*

*He backed off, and then remembered his comrades was wounded. He would proceed to cast healing touch on them and reattach their wounds. After tending to his comrade, he would head over to Akaise.*

"That wall to the northeast doesn't look right."
Mario
"Hold on, I'll head over."

*Akaise walked towards Sirdan before seeing what he was talking about. The wall... It didn't seem real, with those shimmers. Almost like a mirage.*

"Huh... You're right. Should I push it?"
Gay
"Too dangerous."

*Sirdan thought about cast war dart. But the idea there might be a hostage behind him was very very uncomfortable.*

"I'd cast a dart, but if I hit the hostage in the face that would be troublesome. Cast your uhh... Fireball with an angle so it hit a wall and stop behind - if there's anything behind it."
Mario
*Positioning herself at a sufficient angle from the strange section of the wall, the wizard fired her Plasma Shot, hoping to discover whether it was fake or not. Shimmering and sparkling like that...*

"It could be an illusive wall... Only one way to find out."
Ronald
*As soon as the fireball hits the shimmering wall, it disappears. Behind it would be an iron cage, held in place by a small padlock. Inside said cage would be a man. Long, black, unshaven hair, and a red, unnatural tattoo, glowing ever so slightly. Around his mouth was an iron muzzle, and his hands were bound by iron caps and chains. Iron spheres were connected to his feet by chains. They all would have padlocks though, which would allow the man to move if they were broken.*
James
The quest is already cursed
Gay
*Sirdan walked over to the hostage, looking at the man. Muzzled and bounded. Must be a mage.* 

"...Muzzled and bounded you huh. They must've thought you were a mage." 

*He turned toward Akaise,*"I might need your help in freeing this man."

*If Akaise walked by him, he'd whisper,"See if he is a powerful mage. I am afraid of them."*
James
Sirdan is afraid of powerful mages
Ronald
*The man in the other cage would whisper.*

"Shit..."
James
*As the elf whispered to Akaise while she walked by, Sirdan's unintentional slight to her magical capabilities was apparently enough to bring her back to her original mood.*

"Hey! I am a powerful mage too, you know..."

*As she didn't have Arcane Sense, the only thing she could do was make sure to keep him protected as he attempted to free the hostage. The wizard casted Arcane Armor on herself, leaning close beside Sirdan as her tentacles curled slightly around him, ready to guard from any magical attack at a moment's notice but making sure to not restrict the elf's movements for this last job.*

"Try and break the padlocks around him. Don't worry... I'll keep you safe."
Gay
*Sirdan giggled as Akaise made her reply, smiling back at her as he turned back to the mage. The reply also brought him out of his bloodlust - temporarily, and back to the business oriented attitude earlier.*

"Right. Give me a moment." 

*Sirdan looked at the new warhammer he bought. Would be a shame if it broke. He cast stone skin on himself, and then carefully aligned the padlock, using the hammer to break them down carefully - realigning them to avoid hitting the mage, himself, or the floor.*

*He glanced at the man everytime a lock is broken, observing his eyes keenly.*
Ronald
*The man's red eyes would look back at him. He looked quite confident for someone who was bound, or in general for that matter. Once his chains were loosened, he would shake them off, and begin to stretch, letting out a groan.*

"Oh, it's been a while since I've been able to move! Nearly half a year! Thank you, adventurers. I presume a woman in a mask sent you?"

*He would smile, seemingly thankful, then look at his fake.*

"Ah, clever! Tried to make you take back the wrong person eh?"
Gay
"...Half a year huh? I am not sure what crime you were guilty of, but that is not treatment befitting a proper prisoner unless you tried to blast them with oil at every turn, eh?" 

*He stood up, looking back at the "Fake" Hostage.*

"I don't know why they would chain a fake hostage unless they knew ahead of time we were coming, however."

*Sirdan grew a bit suspicious about the circumstances they found themselves in.*
Ronald
"Ah, blasting oil. Funny."

"As for the fake hostage. It's obvious they want to keep me hidden from the world. They'll do anything in their power to prevent me from coming back into the light."
Mario
"Hm... To go through such lengths to prevent the real hostage from being taken... It would have been much easier to create a fake corpse. Though if we brought back the fake, our employer would probably have known. She did describe to us in full detail what you looked like, after all. Didn't include 'handsome' anywhere in the description, if you're asking," *Akaise joked. A soft smile appeared momentarily on the wizard's face, though she knew what they still had to do later. If they heard their names, the fake couldn't be left alive.*
Gay
"I wonder how much they've chained up the fake for. But it certainly isn't a comfortable position. If the fake knew any better, they might've stopped us by unchaining him and having him join the fight.."

*Sirdan commented as he turned toward the fake, walking next to him and kneeling down.*

"So, who are you?" *He asked, staring at the fake carefully.*
James
Did I just have Akaise say that

To someone who is already a father
Ronald
*The fake would simply be backed into the corner, in fear upon seeing the vampire exit the cage.*

"Ah, a sense of humor. That will get you far in life. As for this man..."

*The vampire would walk over to the caged elf, who has now backed into the corner in fear. His hand glows red, and so does his tattoo. A crimson war dart of red energy would appear in his hand, and would be easily thrown into the elf's neck.*

"He's a member of the temple, most likely. Tried painting a tattoo using berries. Didn't shave him well."
Gay
*Sirdan jumped a bit in surprise as a dart of red energy moved toward the elf's neck. Dead for sure.*

"Hmph..."

*Well, he has been spared the dishonour of murdering more than one captive in cold blood today. He glanced at the other member of his party. Especially Akaise, and then himself.*

"My shield's burnt, my clothes are stained with blood and so is my sword. I'll need to wash these off. I'm interested in my employer, but I am sure if I were to ask, I would be obliged to divulge my own identity - so perhaps I shall not impose that question on you." 

*Sirdan said as he kneeled down next to Landen's body, examining his corpse and armour.*

"A shame, our employer want to claim the loot for herself."
James
Especially at akaise
Ronald
"Ah, yes. I feel like that armor won't sell for much at all. It's all beat up, burned. Better for the employer's use. I personally wouldn't try to fight her for it. Just leave it, and you'll get plenty to buy some of your own."

*The man would let out a yawn.*
Mario
*Upon hearing what Sirdan had said about himself, Akaise took a look back at her own armor; it wasn't so much covered in blood as covered in ash and other flame residue. If not for the flame magic, one could say that it was almost clean; after all, none of her attacks involved cutting, or drawing blood. The wizard looked back at Landen's corpse before realizing what she had done just a few moments earlier.*

"Yes... A shame... I... Uh..."

*Akaise immediately looked away, placing a hand to her forehead. Did... Did she do that?*
Gay
"Hmm. With magic and a good hammer, I could see this armour being good... But this man's too much of a shortie for me." 

"So, shall we return and trust the cleanup to you? I imagine the guards from nearby town and a garrison will be here in a day or three." *He said, and then paced around the battlefield. He looked at the burnt up kite shield, and then picked it up. Then, he looked around for any other possibly incriminating evidence left here. Satisfied there's none, he would return with the kite shield in his hand.*
Ronald
"Ah, don't worry about that. Let's head out, shall we?"

*The man would then begin to lazily walk out, almost as if he expected them to follow.*
Gay
Sirdan naturally followed, and then pulled Akaise asides - if she didn't refuse, that is.

"After this is over, we should have a bit of a talk. As for the other two - I don't have much of a liking to them."
Mario
*Akaise dispelled her tentacles, causing the thousands of runes comprising them to flicker slightly before vanishing completely. She walked out of the temple, the others most likely following the escaped vampire mage. He... Reminded her of someone she knew. His personality, his mannerisms... The mage was quite similar to someone the girl once held dear. The young wizard gazed down for a moment, a small tear escaping from her eye. She would be pulled aside a few seconds later, a bit worried about what Sirdan was saying.*

"A... Talk? Sure... Should we stay behind, then?"
Gay
"No, we should get our rewards before going our separate way - we'll talk afterward. I would rather not reveal our identity like that... Idiot we has the misfortune of fighting together with." 

*He went back to following the vampire mage to take their reward.*
Ronald
*The woman would be waiting outside the temple. 4 bags of gold would be held and distributed.*

"Excellent job. We'll take care of the rest."

*A snap of her fingers, and several more figures come out. They seem to be mages as well.*

"Best to take your leave now."

```Quest complete. 20 gold awarded to each person. 4 UP awarded to Sirdan and Akaise, 3 UP awarded to Yukine and Kenpachi. Reduction was due to suboptimal actions.```
Mario
*Akaise would take a bag of gold, silently nodding in response to her employer. Reflecting on what had happened earlier, the wizard realized something. She... Wasn't able to spare anyone. Everyone was dead, just like what the employer said would happen. She killed three innocent people in cold blood, all without managing to save at least one. It wasn't a success... It was an utter failure. On her way to the nearest town, as she realized this Akaise stopped in her tracks. She could only ignore it for so long.*

"I.. Why did it have to be like this..."
Gay
"Of course." 

"One do wonder why they don't send those mage in." *He said,*"Perhaps the temple has some sort of warding magic that stopped vampires." *He stopped himself as Akaise stopped, realizing something,*"Akaise, we should have our weapons cleaned before we head to the nearest town, he said as he took along his courser,*"In fact, it might not be the best idea to head to the nearest town - we should take a detour to this one instead.."

*Sirdan was still in his mood of escaping from his crime, rather than confessing his crime... For now.*
Mario
*Akaise looked back up at Sirdan, almost startled at how he had changed the subject that quickly. It was something that would have to be unpacked later, although it would become increasingly difficult for her to pretend as if nothing had happened. She had never killed innocent people before. It wasn't exactly justified in self defense, either.* "I suppose it *Would* Be pretty suspicious for us to head back there like this... You lead the way."
Gay
*Sirdan headed along a less trodden path to a nearby river. A bend that was very slow flowing., perfect for washing object without losing them. He untied his breastplate and then washed it, and did the same for his armour, and then his sword. As he washed his weapons and armour, he would start to chat.*

"In my whole life of adventuring and fighting, I've killed and wounded plenty - but this is the first day I've had to kill an innocent man. And the first day in my life I've came so close to death." 

"I prided myself on always winning a fight, always sparing my enemy if I can. It is fair business, you know, if both man were hired to fight eachother, and one of them injured the other such that the other die. That is the way of the world.."

"But to execute a captive... The look on the guard's face. It haunts me." 

Sirdan said as his hands brushed across the breastplate, cleaning off the blood stains from the mage earlier.*