Parasitus Castle...again.

Herbert looked to him simply, no disdain or hatred upon his face. "Pops?" he said with a raised eyebrow. "I may no rise to the bait, but a little respect will go a long way." He wasn't as young as he used to be. Back in the day a wound to the leg would have been nothing, the kid would have been on the ground by now. But he knew he had to take his time these days.

---

Hazari tilted his head to the lycan. "Angry are we?" he said with a light smile. "Good." he said with a dark smirk. He moved behind the archers. He looked to them, still having the arrows trained on him. "Fire." he said simply. To say he had just given a death order, he was so casual about it. Without a second word, the arrows flew from the crossbows, slamming into every inch of Marcus, ripping through his flesh like it was tissue. Forcing him to collapse onto the floor, out of cheer pain and blood loss. "That's enough." he said with a laugh.

Zephyrus started to circle Herbert. He figured that he must be a relative of Edgar, and his fighting style would be exactly like him. So he wouldn't underestimate him. "To those who deserve respect, yes." He said, his eyes narrowed as he darted forward and knocked the man off his feet. Quickly grabbing his staff as he did so.

---

Marcus snarled as the arrows hit him, he let out a slight grunt as he was forced to the floor. He glanced over at Amelia, who was starting to come to noe. She rubbed her head slightly as she looked over, and she immediately started to get up. "No..." She said, glaring at Hazari.

Herbert shook his head slowly before being knocked to the ground. He smiled at the theft of his staff. "It seems cowards do not deserve respect." he said looking over his glasses to him. He then reached up his sleeve, pulling out a curved wooden stick. He then proceeded to throw it at Zephyrus, slamming it into his head, forcing him to throw the staff. Herbert caught the staff, pulled himself up and caught the stick as it span back to him.
"I'm nothing like Edgar." he said simply, as if knowing what he was thinking.

---

Hazari looked over to Amelia as she woke up. "This is your fault. Not only will you lose your brother, but you'll become much better acquainted with Zephyrus." he smirked darkly to her. "If only you'd have taken my offer girl." he said tutting under his breath. "No matter." he said as the guards unlocked Marcus's cell door. He was clearly too weak to move. Hazari circled him, poking at him with the tip of his sword. "I think this dogs lived long enough."

Zephyrus rubbed his head a little, easing the pain of the blow. He quickly grabbed a dagger and sprung at Herbert. Slamming the blade into his side, just below the ribcage. He quickly flung Herbert to the floor and took a step back. "The weak do not deserve respect." He spat.

---

Amelia continued to glare. "And lie with you? Never." She said, her voice dark.
Marcus pinned his ears and snapped at the blade. Amelia shook the bars of her cell, trying to find a way out so she could help her brother. He looked at her and for the first time she saw sadness. She stopped what she was doing and looked back at him, he let out a slight growl.

Herbert looked to him simply. "Which is why you receive non lad." he said with a slight laugh. He then felt the dagger in his side. He gritted his teeth through it before he was thrown to the floor. "Not as young as I used to be.." he said through the pain as he struggled to pull himself up. "Still better than a child though." he said before he flicked the stick to him blatantly. He then darted forward, sliding on the ground on his good side, sweeping his legs so he landed face first onto the floor. He then slammed his staff into the back of his neck, knocking him unconscious.
He then tried to get to his feet, but collapsed back onto the floor. He breathed heavily through the pain.

---

Hazari watched as they looked to each other. "A touching family moment." he said with a nod of his head. "Makes me sick." he said as he drove the tip of the sword into the back of Marcus's neck. It ripped through the flesh, cracking his spine. until it reach the floor on the other end. Hazari pulled the blade from the dead lycan, wiping the blood off onto it's fur. "Get this mess cleaned up." he said as the guards came in and dragged the corpse out. "I'll be back for you momentarily." He said before he followed the guards out.

Zephyrus scoffed and was about to go after him again before he was swept off his feet. "You will have to-" He was about to say "better than that" but he was out before he could finish. His last thought was of how he was going to make the old man suffer.

---

Marcus was about to give her a reassuring grunt before he felt the sword penetrate his neck. He yowled slightly and gave his sister one last look before his wolrd went black. "No!" Amelia said, giving the bars another shake. "You bastard!" She hissed at Hazari as he left. Her mind went into overload as she again searched for a way out.

Herbert closed his eyes as his hand went to the wound. He breathed deeply as he pulled himself up on his staff with all the strength he could muster. He then pulled open the door, staggering down the hallways. He managed to duck around corners as the guards went by. He found the door to the dungeons, pulling it open he slowly made his way down the stairs, wincing wiith every step that he made. He finally reached the bottom and looked over to Amelia with a light smile. Before he collapsed onto the floor breathing heavily.

Amelia looked at him, relieved that he was still alive. "You need to get out of here while you still can. Don't worry about me, go!" She said, her eyes widened as he fell to the floor. "Where did he get you?" She asked, her tone a lot more calm and gentle. Her eyes moved to the door before back to him. "You really need to get out of here." She urged again.

Herbert breathed deeply, rolling onto his other side. "I'm fine my dear.." he said, grunting slightly through the wound. "Where's.. Marcus?" he questioned as he pulled himself to his feet with the help of his staff. He limped over towards her cell, holding onto the bars with his other hand to steady himself. "Let's get you out of here, shall we?" he said with a light smile.

Amelia looked down. "Marcus is...dead." She whispered before looking back up at him. She reached out through the bars to steady him. "That wouldn't be such a problem if we knew where the keys were." She said, looking around. "I think one of the guards must have them." She said, looking back at him.

Herbert hung his head slightly. He shook his head slowly. "Poor lad." he said lifting his head to her as she steadied him through the bars. He breathed through his nose. "I don't need a key." he said as he reached into his pocket, tucking the staff under his arm. He pulled out two metal pieces. "Right." he said as he passed her the staff through the bars. "Hold onto that for me." he said as he leaned himself into the bars, he then began to use the metal pieces on the lock.

Amelia sighed lightly. "And I still barely knew him." She said, then grabbed hold of the two metal pieces. "You still amaze me...just like Edgar." She said with a light smile. She then looked up to the door leading in. "I'll keep watch but we better hurry." She said, glancing back at him before up to the door again.

---

Zephyrus finally came to, and when he did, he hit the floor hard with his fist in frustration. "She will be mine!" He hissed and got up, but slowly for his head seemed to swirl. Once he got to his feet, he put his shirt back on and grabbed his sword. Then headed out the door, slamming it shut behind him.

Herbert looked to her with a smile. "I barely knew my own brother when I lost him. The love is still the same." he said with a nod before he went back to work on the lock. "Yes, he should be waking up any time now." he said as his tongue stuck out the side of his mouth through concentration. The pain in his ribs and legs was unbearable. Because his immune system had deteriorated due to his age, he couldn't recover as fast as he could in the past,

Amelia kept watch. "Almost there." She encouraged, her eyes moving down to what he was doing. She heard the door rattle and her head snapped up. "Uh oh." She could hear feet scuffling about and the door was rattled as well. "Hurry." She said quietly.

Herbert looked to her with a shake of his head. "It's delicate. If I rush it the metal could easily break.." he said before he heard the noise. "Take the picks." he said making sure her hands were on them. "I'll buy you some time." he said as he took his staff back from her, leaning into it slightly as he stood between her and the door. His lips parted slightly as he licked them. He then turned over his shoulder. "You've learned all you can. The rest is up to you." he said before his head turned back to the door. "As soon as you're free. Run."

Amelia took the picks an immediately started with what he left off. Being very careful as she did it. "What about you?" She asked without looking up. She knew the outcome but still asked. "Your wounds are deep." She said, almost done with the picks. Zephyrs slammed into the door with all his weight, nearly breaking it. The hinges were tearing throuh the wood like it was nothing.

Herbert leaned off his staff, balancing his weight on his legs. He then spun his staff around his body, preparing. He looked back to her with a smile at her question. "Me? I'm going to see my brother." he said before turning his head back to the door. "My wounds are fine." he said before he pressed a button on his staff, two blades flicked out, one at either end. His eyes were trained on the door. "I'm in no rush."

Amelia smiled lightly. "Tell him I am glad that he trained me." She said, looking up for a brief moment then back down to her hands. Just as she finished, the door slammed open and Zephyrus entered, along with five guards at his side. "Time to pay up, old man." He said with a glare. Then he looked at Amelia. "I will have you soon enough." He said with a smirk, pulling his blade out as he looked back at Herbert.

Herbert nodded his head. "That I will." he said with a smile. His eyes moved over the guards before landing on Zephyrus. He lowered his head so he was looking over his glasses. He then leapt into the air, slicing down the guards with ease as he swung his now bladed staff around his body. He slammed the blades into different parts of the guards bodies. He then slammed his foot into Zephyrus's face. Landing on his bad leg with a slight limp. He steadied himself slowly before turning his head to look at Amelia. "Run!" he shouted.

Amelia darted out the door and down the hallway. Zephyrs reached for her but missed, he quickly turns to face Herbert. A snarl came over his moth as he whipped his sword out, cutting through Herberts arm. He then quickly pulled back only to attack again, this time, he kicked Herbert in the stomach, forcing him to bend over. He then drove his elbow into the old mans back.

Herbert looked to him with plain eyes. His teeth gritted as the sword hit into his arm. He coughed blood onto the floor as he was kicked in his stomach. He then fell into the floor as the elbow hit his back. He rolled onto his back as he looked up to him with a smile. "How does it feel to be nothing more than a lap dog?" he asked as he coughed more blood onto the floor. He looked to the door, smiling lightly as Amelia had gotten away.
"Keep the change son."

Zephyrus laughed. "How does it feel to be on the losing side?" He asked, Beijing his sword up. "Say hello to Edgar for me." Then, he plunged his sword into Herberts heart, twisting it as he did so. He then pulled t out and wiped the blood on Herberts clothing. Amelia sprinted down the hallway, looking for a way out.

Herbert looked to him with a raised eyebrow. "You tell me." he said me closing his eyes slowly. "Say hello to Hazari when your neck deep in his backside." he said with a laugh before the sword was plunged into his chest. He coughed up yet more blood as he kept his eyes closed, not giving him the pleasure of looking into his eyes. As he drew his last breath, his last thoughts were off Amelia's escape.

----

Hazari slammed his fist into Amelias face, knocking her into the floor. Several guards then grabbed her once more. Hazari tutted under his breath. "So noisy." he said with a slight smirk. As he made his way back towards the dungeons. The guards dragged her along behind him. "Such a pitty. You were almost out." he said with a laugh as he stopped at the dungeon doors. He folded his arms over his chest. Allowing Zephyrus to make his excuse before he gestured for Amelia to be put into the other cell where Marcus had died.

Amelia grunted as his fist slammed into her face, but she didn't say anything. As she was brought back, Zephyrus looked at her with a slight smirk but then it disappeared as Hazari came in. "Your highness." He began, giving him a bow before straightening. "It won't happen again." He said, referring to his mistake. He didn't even bother with an excuse for he knew it would do no good in this situation.

Hazari looked to him with a laugh. He then struck him across the face with the back of his hand. One of his rings cutting his cheek. "Make sure that it doesn't." he said simply, as a trickle of blood ran down his cheek. He then moved over to the cell as the guards through her in. Hazari looked to the old man on the floor with a slight smile. "You really are a bad luck charm." he said as he looked back to her. The door then slammed shut before it was locked. "Do you plan on taking out the entire family, generation by generation? Or is it just the people that help you?" he said with a tilt of his head. "All the people that have helped you have wound up dead. You're a curse." he said simply.