Sol walks into the deep unlit catacombs using his dark vision and the blood scent trail he follows to navigate himself. The figure that disappeared into the darkness hasn't noticed Sol it seems. Keeping its same pace and demeanor.
"Skrt...Skrrrt." The sound of something large scuttling around can be heard. Continuing to track the figure, they approach the sound.
Another Humanoid looking creature moves around in the dark. It's climbing on the roof like a spider with its long stretched arms, far larger than a normal human's. It looks down at the figure in front of Sol and scuttles downward. Moving close as it begins to smell the figure. The eyes it has seemed to have lost life and sight.
"Have you fed, yet?" The figure asks the more beastlike humanoid in front of him.
The new beast seems to have trouble understanding things. Anxiously moving his head around, unable to sit still. After some time it manages to shake its head.
"Then I'll ask father if he will allow you to go. Or at least bring something back next time." The figure pats the less intelligent creature on its head before continuing on.
The catacombs go deep, the sound of flowing water audible to Sol's enhanced ears.
Sol passes by the less intelligent one of the two. It looks confused as it begins to smell around the place as Sol passes by. Sol stands still seeing this, the other figure continuing on its way.
'Does it smell me or does it just do this sometimes to navigate itself?' Sol thinks as he lowers himself to the eye level of the spider-like moving creature. It continues to scurry around slowly but surely making its way toward Secessus.
It now stands before him, the disgusting breath of the creature one of the consequences of its feeding on decaying corpses. Unlike the other figure, the creature doesn't simply have 2 large fangs rather all its teeth are smaller sharpened versions of the fangs. It continues to scuttle about uncontrollably, its body moving in rather unnatural patterns as it seems to be always swaying.
"Skrtt…Skrrrt." The creature seems to be attempting some speech. Unrefined and clearly beastlike.
"SKrrrt!" Its tone changes to something more hostile as the long stretched arms go to grab Secessus. Still using blood magic to enhance his strength, he grabs the creature's neck. The bone is visible just like everywhere else on the either malnourished or naturally frail beast.
Keeping a tight grip on the neck, he makes sure the beast cannot call out for help. It panics in his grip trying to get out with its unnatural movements as it is lashing out with its outstretched arms. Using his other blood-enhanced strengthened arm he grabs one of the two out-lashing arms of the creature and snaps it. Breaking the bone you can see through the skin. The beast tries to scream but can only make gurgling sounds as Secessus's hold on the beast necks does not weaken.
"I cannot be sure if you've already killed or not. But what you tried to do to me shows that you've got no qualms against it."
"…"
"If you haven't killed yet. Well, life isn't fair." Sol says as he creates the blood-bound spear to impale the beast straight through its mouth. Pinning him against the wall. The beast tries desperately to pull out the blood-bound spear with one arm. However, after a few moments of struggle, it falls limp.
Blood slowly flows from the dead creature's mouth creating another scent of blood in the catacombs. Sol continues deeper into the catacombs following the original scent he's tracing. The deeper he goes into the catacombs, how louder the source of flowing water appears to be. Other beings similar to the figures he has already seen pass him by, they seem on edge.
Secessus ignores them using his cloak of darkness as he sneaks past. Only the creatures that rely on scent sometimes seem to notice, but the new scent of blood seems to be more urgent for them as they move upward.
Sol arrives at a broken wall in the catacomb. The source of the flowing water appears to be an underground cave. Now there is the choice to either continue following the catacombs or to follow the scent of blood leading into the cave. Sol opts for the latter as he enters the cave with a small body of flowing water flowing within it. The body of water lessens the deeper he goes downward.
***
Meanwhile, on the surface, a group of mercenaries and the rest of the party arrived by the graveyard.
"You're telling me that he found its lair?" Aryien asks her weapon already drawn. The steel arm sword she wields was recently polished. The 6 mercenaries she brought with her follow her lead and also draw their respective weapons of choice.
"I'm sure, boss. He also asked me if there was a building here, and I pointed him toward the catacombs." The nervous mercenary explains after having to suffer from Sol's bloodlust, he now also has to survive Aryien's temper.
"Are those the exact words he used? A lair?" Tika asks as she looks toward the small building in the center of the graveyard.
"Yes."
"Then he's convinced we're dealing with a beast, commander. We should be very careful when entering their lair."
"Even worse if beasts are truly using humans as scapegoats then they have intelligence. It could be filled with traps." Hellas adds on trying to make sure they don't simply rush in.
"Does anyone have any idea what kind of beast it is?" Aryien asks in an angry tone as she begins to walk toward the entrance of the catacombs.
"A beast that feeds on humans, is intelligent and skillful enough to evade capture whilst manipulative." Cristal mumbles under her breath.
"What are you saying girl?" Aryien asks annoyed that someone is mumbling instead of telling her thoughts.
"I'm not sure as I haven't seen one before. But I was born in the central Holy empire, and we were told tales of vampires and their sort living in the ashen land. The beasts have similarities." Cristal explains believing what the beast might be.
"How so?"
"Vampires are very intelligent and protective of their kin and thus only stay in the ashen land. The unending hunt of the paladins and templars was brutal for their kind, and they can live on scarce food."
"Then it's nothing like this situation."
"However there are exceptions to this way of life. Vampires that cannot control their hunger and become a threat to their own society. These vampires are banished to make sure they do not harm their kind. If we're dealing with a banished vampire then it would explain a lot."
"A banished vampire and a lair. Do they live alone?"
"There are also lesser vampiric beings roaming about. If he has been alive for some time he might have opted to turn some humans with varying results."
Standing in front of the staircase that leads toward the catacombs, Aryien takes the lead of the group.
"Stick close. We don't know what the extent of its abilities is. And you there! Messenger boy! Send word to the other companies. If this is truly it, then I want everything dead here tonight!" Aryien commands fiercely as she walks down the stairs.