Her back to the wall, her arms crossed, one foot backed and pressed against. Eyes shut, head lowered, hair flopped to the sides of her face. Around Elise stood several, various lengths and builds. Among them as well were Destiny and Thomas, both standing with arms crossed, both looking invested to what was before them.

The first a tall man, bulky, shaggy brown hair, green eyes, a huge grin spread across his face. A torn sleeve long-sleeve shirt with patches in it, ripped up jeans, black combat boots, spiked shoulder guards, piercings, even a few tattoos.

A small girl, still a middle teen like Elise, stood next to him. Green eyes, flowing silver hair, a petite face, square lens glasses. Dark red coat, blue tank top, green jeans, socks, and half battered sandals. She cowered back a smidge, appearing little before the group.

Two stood at the same height, just over a meter and a half. Both in dark blue coats, black red pants, ruffled shoes. Their faces were also the same, both well shaped, both with amber eyes, both with black hair. The differing factor: one had half green hair on their left, the other orange on their right side. Their arms crossed, casual stance, both grinning.

Finally was another, this one in a dark red Long Coat. A black tank top, cargo pants, swords holstered to both her sides below holstered pistols. Her hair long and flowing red with a flower centered above her face. Eyes hot pink, lips painted green, a dash of blush. She held back at half attention with a smile.

“So… how about that Rust, eh Elise?” the first bumbled out.

“Mark, I’m not in the mood to talk about him,” Elise grumbled.

“Yeah I know but come on, really? You’re going to have to talk about him sooner or later.”

“Mark you just need to know when it is best to shut up friend,” the half red-head laughed.

“Right right, I agree with Scott. How about you Samantha?” the half green-head retorted.

“Drake, I don’t see the problem. She can choose not to talk if she desires,” the red head concluded.

“Uh, I mean, mmm- if she wants to stay quiet she should,” the silver haired girl replied.

“Glasses, shush,” Mark laughed, “Oh I’m joking Elen, get back here.”

“Seriously guys? Pipe down. It’s not Elise’s fault that she has a dickhead for a brother,” Destiny barked.

Elise’s eyes opened to the comment, drifting over towards Destiny, “Honestly, I know I shouldn’t listen to him but every time he calls me out for being worthless or a burden, I- I just can’t help but feel that he’s right.”

“No way!” Mark spat.

“Yeah, M-Mark’s right Elise. Y-you’re no burden, y-you’re pretty awesome,” Elen murmured.

“I appreciate the thoughts everyone but still,” she sighed back.

“Seriously, that guy can get screwed. You’re, you’re great Elise,” another from behind Mark spoke up, another girl.

She walked around finally as Marked moved behind Zoey. This one was of the same height as Elise, black hair, silver eyes. Half black and half purple jacket divided down the middle. Pants the same only swapped around, then shoes that were simply red. She looked at Elise, firmly.

“Zoey, you need ta quit gawkin from behind me,” Mark grumbled.

“Sorry Mark, not my fault you’re a giant,” she replied.

“Guys, I appreciate this but come on, there are other things you could be worrying about,” Elise shrugged off, her head turning to the right with her eyes closing slightly, “The clan is all that matters anymore anyways. What I face is meaningless.”

“Bullshit. Without us there is no clan. People are the clan. We matter and so do you!”

“Hell, if that were the case then Sven would be here right now,” Samantha grumbled.

“I remember that, that was just bitter and pointless. Could’ve been saved,” Mark growled.

“I remember that too. I was the one who he died beside after all,” Elise sighed, her eyes shutting completely.

The main hall, crowded with the people of Vulfax. Some stood in corners, chewing into the raw flesh of animals. Some tore the heads off of birds and shoved the bodies straight in. Some even devoured human limbs, Vampiric of course. To one corner stood Elise with Zoey, Mark, and Elen.

Marked chomped on a hove and the leg attached to it, while Zoey picked cooked flesh off of a whole chicken. Elen sat, holding herself, hair covering her eyes, a human arm on the ground in front of her. Then there was Elise who stood with a stone bowl of berries. She looked up, speaking to those around her.

“Yeah so, what you need to do is avoid that plant. Hemlock is super toxic,” she spoke, looking at Mark.

“But you said-”

“Yeah I know, it has other uses. It can be used to make medicine. Still if you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t.”

“Latoma taught you a lot, didn’t she?”

“Yeah.”

“T-that’s cool Elise,” Elen murmured, glancing at Elise.

“Thanks Elen,” Elise replied.

“Huh?! Uh, y-yeah,” Elen replied looking away for a moment.

“Medic!” came a shout from behind Elise.

Her bowl dropped to the ground, as did the meat her friends chewed upon. All turned in the room to one of the entrances where there stumbled a man. He fumbled, bleeding from the head. His right eye shut with blood flowing, blood from his left hear and his nose.

A woman leaned on him, hunched over. Her eyes shut, her head bleeding bad. Her right arm was torn off with strands hanging. Her throat slashed, a blood soaked white cloth wrapped around. Several puncture wounds in her gut, one of her breasts bit clean off.

Elise moved forward, “Sven, hurry and set Grace down-” she began, pulling a hair pin out of Zoey’s hair.

She halted not more than twelve steps towards them at the sound of a man barking, “Stop!”

Elise turned to her right, as did many other. The injured man looked with quivering eyes, a face of dread. A man in black approached, his hair white, his eyes red. Fangs were laid out, “You know the rules brat. In this clan you die on the battle field or you pull through without help. Let the girl die Sven. Drop her.”

“B-but sir, she’s my friggen wife, I can’t let her!” Sven screamed.

“The code of this clan is the code, now drop her!” he barked, looking and nodding to two standing beside Sven.

They at once moved forward, both grabbing onto Sven shoulders while another approached Grace. The third ripped her cloth off, exposing a gash in her throat. From it blood washed out quickly, the wound opening. The first two yanked Sven away as the third pulled Grace from him.

“No- no no no!” Sven screamed as Grace dropped to the ground.

Elise turned quickly, “Phil, I can help her, let me please!”

A fourth walked up in front of Elise and swung his arm, slamming her back and onto her butt, the hairpin sent flying across the room. Phil shook his head as Grace’s own head struck the ground, “Code is code. If you’re going to die, you die in battle. You don’t get fixed. You two, drag this traitor before Lord Azala. Drag him to the ravine if he is to be banished, or send him to Rusty to be killed. I care not which it is that our lord picks.”

“Phil, please, I can he-”

“You can not do a thing. All you’re good for is gathering for this clan. The injured are of no use and so healing is of no use. You’re useless beyond your assigned task! You three, get her out of her, throw her into isolation!”

Three approached Elise, all grabbing hold of her. She struggled, yelling as the three took her away. Sven yelled out, crying as he was drug through the halls. All this as Grace lay there, dying on the cave rock.

“I’ll never forget that,” Elise growled.

“I know as Drachen we’re supposed to frown upon the weakness of others, by nature, but that… that was just being heartless,” Mark mumbled.

Elen turned away, taking a few paces back. Her eyes glimmered as she gazed upon the ground, her right hand over her heart clenching at her clothes.

“Ha, well what have we here?” came a voice from the left of the group, catching attentions from everyone, “A couple of gays hanging out with some freaks!”

Elise turned her head last, glaring down the hall where an older woman stood. Wrinkly, pasty skin, glowing orange eyes, silvering hair. “Belama,” Elise muttered.