To succeed in her ambition she would need to earn the trust of the people of Orchidia. It was understandable that she would need to take her time to gain a reputation as a fair and just leader, considering the reputation she had built up in her time as a Disaster. Fortunately the people of Orchidia knew her, and were willing to let actions rather than rumors speak for her. As such the silver-haired vampire was given a request by a merchant who wanted to open a medicine store in an abandoned building.

Standing outside the building Esperia approached the merchant who was waiting for her. "Ah! There you are, morning Esperia!" The man raised a hand in a greeting, a smile emerging on his lips as he spoke. "I can't thank you enough for the help you offered. While they are locked inside the building, there is a pack of rats that have been causing a lot of troubles."

Esperia blinked in confusion as she gazed at the building, seeing the blood veins of the large critters prowling around. "They don't seem to be the normal type of vermin..." Esperia's words made the merchant nod his head, concern on his face. "Indeed, something in the building or the sewer made those creatures mutate, and now they are huge!"

No wonder that they asked her instead of the Rune Knights then. "Fine~ I'll go and deal with them, do keep the door closed till I'm back."

The words made the merchant smile excitedly, watching Esperia walk toward the door, opening it and then closing it behind her, making the merchant wonder what in the world was going to happen next.

Esperia took a few steps into the entrance hall, looking around the area as she heard some type of skittering along the floor, making her more than aware that her prey was nearby.

319/2000 WC

Out of the nearby shadows, Esperia spotted a giant rat lunging at her, thinking it had been more than concealed enough to ambush her. Perhaps it was for that reason it didn't expect Esperia to suddenly lunge a hand upwards and grabbed the rat by the waist. The creature squirmed and snarled in protest, letting out pained screeches as Esperia started to squeeze her prosthetic more firmly, the creature letting out one loud screech as she quite literally crushed its body in her hand!

The screech however alerted two of its brethen, one coming from the nearby room to the left and the other one darting down the stairs leading to the second floor! With one lunging at her feet Esperia nimbly hopped out of its reach, tossing the vermin whose corpse she had crushed at the rat on the stairs, making the beast topple down from getting hit by the corpse. Meanwhile Esperia raised a single fist into the air at the same time the rat on the ground was turning toward her and with a single forceful jab she crushed the back of the vermin with remarkable ease.

She didn't know if it was the result of her vampirism, or her training but she felt much stronger than before. At the same time the rat on the stairs pushed off its kin off its back Esperia lunged forwards, her hand balled up in a fist that struck the rat violently in the face, more than enough to make it no longer move at all.

Her gaze drifting around the area Esperia mused quietly. "I wonder where their leader is hiding. Considering they came from the sewers it must be..."

Gazing up ahead into the darkness Esperia could see a path leading toward the basement, where a much larger rat, almost humanoid in shape was skittering around. "Guess that is where you were hiding~"

WC: 317
636/2000

Esperia started to walk down the staircase leading toward the basement, and once she opened the door spotted that among the darkness several giant rats were surrounding their leader. "Hooman! Hooman invader!" The leader of the rats exclaimed in a monstrous voice, leading to Esperia to hum in amusement. "Technically I'm a vampire~" But as expected the giant rats didn't care about her correction at all. Two of the ones closest to her started to dart toward her, but Esperia quickly snapped her fingers, causing a bloody mist to start spreading around her, shrouding the room and making the rats clearly get confused. Blindly they scurried through the room as Esperia hopped upwards, attaching herself upside down on the ceiling and started to pick off the rats one by one with swift hit and run tactics.

"Tricky lire! tricky lire! fight fair!" the humanoid rat protested, to which Esperia finally dispelled her mist, making the leader's eyes widen in disbelief at the sight of its followers lying slain on the ground. The creature scittered into the direction of a nearby trash pile, and to her surprise the beat withdrew what appeared to be some type of sword? The rat swung it a few times at her, wide threatening sweeps that she could easily dodge, but it was interesting to see a rat having some form of intelligence, no matter how small it might be.

It might be something for her to look into later, but for now she readied herself into a combative stance as the rat screeched loudly, causing more of them started to scitter from the sewers. "O geez, are you kidding me? MORE of you? Are you breeding like horny bunnies or something?"

To which their leader exclaimed: "RATS, not BUNNIES! ATTACK MY BRETHEN!"

WC 300
936/2000

It was slightly infuriating, that even as she punched and kicked through the swarm of rats, more continued to emerge from the sewer. In all honesty, it made Esperia angry. Fortunately her nature as a vampire made it that as long as she continued tearing into the swarm, her body healed faster compared to the damage she suffered from their bites and scratches.

Dashing back and forth among the swarm as she took out one rat after the other, the sight of the giant rats their leader swinging his small sword like a mockery of a army general just started to get on her nerves... very quickly.

"STOP FUCKING AROUND!"

Esperia exclaimed in anger as she lunged through the sword, her fist swinging upwards toward the ceiling above the hole, and just as she had anticipated the moment she hit the spot and lunged backwards again, the hole collapsed and closed itself, blocking the reinforcements from entering the sewers.

"o-oh" The rat's leader muttered hesitatingly, causing Esperia to turn around, her eyes glowing a faint red hue in the darkness. "o-oh indeed~"

The few remaining rats lunged in her direction, leading Esperia to slash at the nearby rats, quite literally tearing into them. Once the rats were dealt with Esperia quietly stepped forward, the giant rat's leader growling menancingly at her. "You better start saying your prayers."

Mumbling under her breath Esperia lunged in a beeline toward the giant rat who raised its sword in the air, slashing into her shoulder, but to the rat's disbelief its effort to cleave her arm off got quickly ruined when the girl's arm simply reattached itself.

"You already died the moment you tried to harm me..." and with those words she slashed a hand toward the rat's throat!

WC: 302
1238/2000

It was a sickening sight, how easy her hand cleaved into the throat of the creature, to the point only a minor resistance was given as she finally cleaved off its head with the sheer strength of her blow.

The leader of the rats their body fell sideways on the ground as Esperia held its head in her hand, musing softly. "I have an idea~"

The girl chimed softly as she went back upstairs and after knocking on the door to warn the man outside of her return she opened the door. "And? Are the rats dealt with?" Esperia nodded her head with a cheerful smile lingering on her lips. "Yup~ all the rats are slain and the treasure their pillaged left intact."

The man nodded his head in approval. "Excellent work, I believe you will be wanting your payment next?" Esperia raised her free hand lightly into the air, motioning for the man to wait a moment. "Say, you're an alchemist, aren't you sir?"

The man nodded his head lightly in return to her statement. "Indeed, I am hoping to open up a drug store here in the future to peddle my potions and medicine to the people of Orchidia and travelers alike."

Esperia smiled as she withdrew the head of the rat. "You might be interested in looking into the brain of this fella then, he was capable of speech and commanded the other rats."

The alchemist's eyes went wide as he declared in excitement. "Esperia, that isn't a dire rat, it's actually a Skaven!" A Skaven? What in the world was a Skaven? "They are a mutated species of rats, but not much is known about them yet. Thanks to you delivering his head intact I might be able to discover more about this rat plague that is lurking in the sewers."

WC 310
1548/2000

Esperia shrugged her shoulders lightly, not entirely certain she could understand the excitement of the alchemist over some 'Skaven' brains. But if that made him happy... Handing over the head of the giant rat, ahem Skaven, Esperia watched the alchemist place the head on a nearby table and Esperia inquired with a smile.

"So, what do you plan to do with the treasure?" Esperia's question made the alchemist muse softly. "I am considering using the treasure to repair the building, maybe get some nice furniture and such."

Esperia nodded her head lightly in response to the statement, musing softly in return. "Would you be willing to part with a few pieces of treasure to help fund the restoration of the defenses of the city? Consider it a payment for the Skaven head, and improved comfort for the city will surely lead to more travelers to visit your store."

The alchemist smiled briefly at her, nodding his head as he placed a bag of jewels in her hands. "Fine, I accept your bargain Esperia. It seems like a fair deal, but in return I will be relying on you in the future should I encounter additional rat problems."

The words spoken by the merchant made Esperia nod her head in agreement, extending a hand to the man. "Then you can count on me in the future~"

Esperia couldn't help but smile in appreciation as the man shook her hand, and after saying her farewell she made her way back toward the town center, musing softly. "I guess I can buy Valerie and Hasani a present~ A present to celebrate our new family."

But what in the world should she get them? Idly musing about it Esperia pondered about whether she should ask the caretaker of Hasani about the idea.

Perhaps she could get some ideas for presents from her, and if not she could always figure something out later. For now, she would simply enjoy her walk back toward the Horizon Appartements and muse on the idea a bit further.

Or at least that was the plan, until she passed by a building where a hooded figure was standing, and just as she passed them the figure whispered.

"They are making moves, should you desire to defend the new life you are given, you should get ready."

Esperia's eyes narrowed in a glare. "So soon... I guess it's true about that saying... Evil never sleeps."

A soft sigh escaped her lips, making Esperia reach with a hand to her head, a frustrated sigh escaping her lips. "Guess I'll have to travel soon... But first I'm heading back home."

Walking toward the horizon apartments she was left to take into consideration on what to do. The advice that was given to her made Esperia think on what to do next. Going to war would be dangerous, but she had sworn to protect the people here and make this her new home. She would defend it, no matter who or what she had to deal with.

WC: 500
Total WC: +2000/2000