Arnold didn't know why exactly they were being targeted by the ghosts in the cemetery, but he knew one thing:
The Vampire Rose party was a part of the guild. He refused to leave them to their fate.
"More holy water!" The guild master yelled as he dipped his arrow in a washing basin yet again.
"We don't have anymore! That was all Father Sam made before he died!" Lily yelled as she blasted a ghost with holy light.
"What do you mean, all of it?" Arnold roared. "There should be more! He wakes up at two in the morning! What did he do until he…"
"Oh, I don't know," a voice came from his left. "Maybe I know a thing or two about meditation. Maybe I just can't sleep. Arnold, holy water won't cut it."
The guild master blinked at the priest's ghost. The man was wearing his robes, his neck a bloody ruin.
"Father Sam! What are we supposed to do?" Arnold asked as he dipped more of the arrows in the holy water.
"Well, salt and burn. Just like I have been doing for the past twenty years," the father told him, as he looked at the skies. "You have enough salt, I hope?"
Arnold nodded.
"Why didn't you tell us that the graveyard has turned unholy again?"
The priest looked him in the eyes. There was something eerie about the ghostly blue orbs.
For a second, Arnold felt the chill of Death on his body. Only for the ghost to smile a gentle smile and the moment to pass.
"It has been like this for the last month. I already called with the priesthood, but they didn't have people to send. Now, just take my salt storage from the church and go and salt the land. It is not too big of a deal. You do have a druid who is going to undo your efforts quickly enough."
Arnold nodded.
Already rushing towards the church.
****
"Hold the line!" Nate yelled as he blasted yet another ghost with holy light. "Hold the bloody line! We need just a bit more time!"
He had gotten his orders. He was supposed to be luring the ghosts to the graveyard. Letting his healing mana give them the illusion that they were following a town's worth of living people.
"I found it! The cornerstone!" Agatha yelled as she took a package with salt and dumped it on a glowing black marble.
A skeletal hand tried to grab her ankle, only for her to smash her morning star against it with the same level of pity one could have towards dog poop.
It cracked as soon as the salt landed on it.
The ghosts vanished into the morning mist.
"I don't get it," Agatha said as she looked at her party member. "Why did the ghosts attack the priest? Normally, they get along well?"
"I have no idea," Nate said as he looked around the graveyard. "But I think the guild master would like to find out."
****
Nikola and the rest were still trying to sleep off the food coma they were in.
The good thing about having enough food to last a siege was that you didn't go hungry. The bad thing was that people overate when they were stressed.
The fact that Nikola could do wonders with a cooking pit didn't help matters any.
"Niki?" Dimitri asked as he pulled him in his arms. "How do you feel?"
The blonde vampire knew that Nikola would be able to talk about it all now better than a couple of hours ago. The barrier was strong around the training hall.
They were safe.
"Better," Nikola said, as he blinked his eyes open. "I should walk some more."
He tried to stand up, only to be pulled back down.
"Is it dark outside?" Dimitri asked as he snuggled into his husband.
"Yes, but…!" Nikola tried to protest, only to be pulled even closer.
"No buts! The sun doesn't shine, so you won't shine either!" Dimitri told him as he pulled him into a lying position. "But, you know, I would like to come with you on your walks."
Nikola nodded. He had figured as much.
"And not just that," Dimitri told him as he kissed him on the neck. "I would like to go see how far along the building of the house is."
Nikola nodded, his smile blinding.
"I hope it is almost done with. Or, at least, that we could shop for furniture now," the brunette told him, as he turned around to look Dimitri in the eyes.
"You know, I think I would like some wallpaper in Timmy and Vera's room. With teddy bears," Nikola murmured as he reached out and brushed a strand of blonde hair out of Dimitri's eyes.
The vampire smiled.
"And what should the wallpaper in our room be?"
Nikola hummed, giving it a thought.
"It has to be something we both like," the brunette said.
"Well, in that case, we can make a wallpaper where you pose with the children. I can be painted to the side, taking care to pack them lunches."
Nikola giggled.
"We can have a picture of a picnic, sure," he said, as he closed his eyes once more. "But I was thinking maybe a picture of the mountains? With a ceiling painted so as if it were the sky?"
Dimitri nodded. Nikola began to let out soft puffs of breath soon after.
"If I could give you the sky," Dimitri began, knowing that Nikola wouldn't be able to hear him. "I would have. But the only thing I can give you is myself. And my dead, cold, heart."
He got no response. Lavishing in each poof of air that came from those soft lips.
He spared a look at Jack and Jean, who were heaped next to one another. Then at Andrew and Bleda, who were spooning.
He even spared a glance at Rocky, who was hugging the stroller, where Timmy and Vera were giggling quietly.
Dimitri smiled.
All was well.