Lightning struck from the dark sky, splitting a tree somewhere further away, but the lone figure standing in the storm didn't even turn to look. He stared towards a mansion nearby, indifferent about the rain that soaked his coat and made his hair stick to his face, and the stormy wind that made him shiver. The only thing he cared about at that moment was that the gunshots had stopped.

Hugue calculated the situation quickly. If Tres had stopped shooting at the vampires, there were four possible scenarios. First, the enemies were all dead. Second, Tres was unable to fight. Third, the vampires had managed to escape... and forth, Tres didn't need to shoot anymore and Abel had taken control of the situation. Given his experience, Hugue selected option four. It was highly unlikely that all of the enemies were eliminated already, and it was even more unlike that Tres was somehow out of the picture.

He looked around, then silently swore in his mind, wishing he had been more than just a backup on the mission. Being around and available to be used as 'backup' wasn't what he wanted. He could have taken on a couple of vampires, but the order had been for him to watch. To guard that none from the rogue group of vampires, who had taken over the small town in the countryside and were holding the mansion as their headquarters, would get away. Still - backup or not, none of them would go past him, that was for sure.

A sharp cry of pain, so clear that even the storm around couldn't suppress it, came from the mansion a moment later, and Hugue turned to look back at the direction of the building. His guess had been correct. Abel was more than capable of taking down a couple of vampires, and Tres had no reason to shoot at anything anymore.

"...Huh?" His gaze caught something from the side of the mansion abruptly - and that's when flames engulfed the entrance of the building completely. He frowned and gripped his sword while he raised his left hand to wipe the hair from his eyes. One of the vampires had apparently escaped from the power of the Kresnik after all.

As if to mock them, the rain calmed down while the wind picked up speed. The fire was spreading inside of the building, Hugue gathered from the windows exploding from the heat. It certainly wasn't a natural fire, and he ran towards the mansion, unable to just stand there.

He made it to the edge of the yard then froze when he saw the door of the mansion being kicked open and someone running outside. He was about to raise his weapon but then recognized the someone as Tres and realized the redhead was carrying something - or rather, someone draped over his shoulder. From the black cassock and silver-white hair it wasn't too hard to notice who it was. Tres had gun in one hand; it was likely that he would have rather carried Abel properly, but there was no time.

Tres called out to him but the wind made his words unclear. However, something in the way the gunslinger waved at him made Hugue spin around. He hadn't heard anything, but the message was clear enough. One of the vampires had made it out.

"Where?" He yelled to Tres but then just settled to look around. Tres made his way across the yard a moment later, his gun pointed at the trees near where Hugue had been guarding just moments before.

"Two targets escaped," Tres stated matter-of-factly. "One is wounded; hypothetical escape route is through the woods. The location of the other one is unconfirmed."

Hugue glanced at the unconscious Abel then gave Tres a short nod. "I'll chase them," he simply replied then turned away.

"Positive," the cyborg answered. "I will take care of Father Nightroad." Tres then started dragging Abel towards some smaller building away from the main area, but Hugue wasn't paying attention anymore.

He thought he saw something trying to sneak towards the trees right then and dashed through the short grass after his target. The vampire noticed him and stopped, turning to look at his direction. Hugue noted this one appeared to be the wounded one, as the vampire held his right hand to his side - or, what was left of his right hand, rather.

"Back off, priest," the vampire hissed. He was looking past Hugue, however; the blond guessed that he was scared of what had been in the mansion. "Or I'll kill you."

Hugue didn't answer but stepped closer, his sword raised. The rain started pouring from the sky again and obscured his vision slightly, but he could see the vampire as lightning flashed somewhere dangerously close, the loud sound of thunder suddenly ripping through the air.

The vampire glared at the blond through the rain and dove at the trees. Hugue followed and reached the edge of the woods at the same time as his prey. The vampire turned and yelled something, then suddenly leapt at him. Hugue saw the vampire's left hand turning into a blade and quickly sidestepped. He brought his sword up and sliced the vampire, his sword cutting a deep wound on the vampire's chest.

Lightning struck again then, hitting the trees behind them. Time seemed to freeze for a few seconds; Hugue's eyes widened as he saw the power of the lightning lit up the vampire's body, electrocuting him. He didn't even register the sudden pain when the moment passed and the rain returned to normal. The vampire slumped to the ground in front of him, and he raised his hand, realizing the bone blade of the vampire's had impaled his wrist.

He stood there for a few more seconds, then dropped to his knees and fell down, unconscious.