Ambrosia jumps and attacks Melissa from above. She tries to grab her by the neck, but Melissa avoids her by a hair and tries to get some distance. It seems that the whip isn’t the ideal weapon for close combat. I’m at a loss and don’t know if I should help any of them or escape.

“You’re weak, there’s no way you can defeat me. Surrender now fool!” Ambrosia tells Melissa.

Melissa tries to catch her breath. “I think that you are the fool here. You think that my master, Nestor wouldn’t have thought that you or another Vampire Lord wouldn’t try and ambush us?”

Having gained some distance from the vampiress, Melissa takes a gem out of her pocket.

Ambrosia seems troubled now and for a good reason. “A Trap the Soul gem,” the vampiress exclaims. “There's no way you can use this item.”

“Let me prove you wrong,” Melissa tells her, as she lifts her hand and activates the gem.

“Nooo! This cannot be!” Ambrosia shouts now trapped inside the small gem that Melissa holds.

I focus on the gem and a tooltip appears above it with a notification: The gem holds the trapped entity indefinitely or until it’s broken.

“Now, where were we?” She glowers at me, stretching her whip.

This can't be good, I think to myself.

A notification appears: Quest update: Defeat the Vampire Slayer.

Then a second: Optional quest: Free Ambrosia

OK, you gotta be kidding me. There's no way I can defeat a Threat Level 9 opponent. There's something obviously broken with the difficulty level of this game. What's worse is that I haven't been able to perform a long rest, so I can't cast anything else other than Cantrips. Without a second thought I cast Fire Bolt. The cantrip finds its target but fails miserably as Melissa deflects it with her whip.

“Those tricks don't work on me, vampire sorcerer. You better try something else,” she mocks me, while whipping the ground.

I think of my options. Should I release Ambrosia or try and fight Melissa by myself? The way I see it, it will be impossible to fight the Vampire Slayer by myself. On the other hand, there's no guarantee that the vampiress will help me. But what choice do I have?

With excess gallantry, I cast chill touch and try to grab the gem with the ethereal skeleton hand I just animated. My action, most fortuitous. The skeleton hand shutters the gem and Ambrosia is released again.

Optional quest: Free Ambrosia completed!

That was easy. Let's see how things go from this point on.

Melissa curses. “You idiot, do you have any idea what you just done ?”

“Just helped an old friend of mine,” I smile her my sexiest smile.

“Thank you, pet,” Ambrosia tells me with her soft voice. “It’s time I give a good lesson to this fool who tried to imprison me for eternity.”

Melissa seems more hesitant than ever. The tables have turned and now, she faces a stiff challenge. She knows no there's no way she can defeat beautiful Ambrosia only with her whip. She takes her dagger of her belt and points it to her bare neck.

“You will never have me. I'd rather die than become your pet or even worse,” she says determined to end her life.

I intervene, knowing that what I'm gonna do is completely stupid, but hey, I can't allow gorgeous Melissa to die in vain. I like acting the hero when I can.

“Don't be a fool, it’s not your time yet,” I tell her, pointing her out with my forefinger, then I turn my look to Ambrosia. “You should think smarter Ambrosia. Leave her be. There’s no reason to continue this battle. Your army of ghouls has been annihilated and Nestor is stronger than you. If you kill his bride, then he’ll hunt you to the end of world.”

She stares me with her cruel face, “Oh, I'm a fool now? And what should I do? Let them have their time with me as they please and have me killed?”

And then I make another stupid proposal, “You can come with me, the world is vast, or at least that's what I think. Leave this place and build your Legion somewhere else.”

Ambrosia is intrigued by my proposal. “Pedasa has been my home for centuries. Do you think that I should be there one who leaves and let a new Vampire Lord do as he pleases?”

“The board is set, the pieces are in place. You’ve lost and the only thing that’s left is your life. Live to fight another battle. You’re immortal, a new opportunity will arise. Leave your pride behind for the time being.”

The vampiress is actually thinking what I’ve said. “Good, I’ll take your advice for now, but don’t forget that I’m the master here, pet!” She looks to Melissa. “You can keep your pathetic live mortal. I’ll leave this place and don’t forget to remind your master that I still have him,” points at me, then continues “Nestor’s biggest disgrace.”

Melissa gives an empty threat. “I’ll never stop hunting you.”

“You are free to follow us…” Ambrosia provokes her, as she approaches me from behind and licks my ear. “Hm, aren’t you tasty?”

A popup notification appears: A new member joined your Party!