Mages

Every mage could feel it - dizzyness, background sounds slowly fading away, and a voice in their heads. A voice that promised change, hope and a better future. It instructed them to go to the infamous black forest, promising it will not harm them. And just like that, everything went back to normal. Except somehow, even without knowing the forest's location, every mage instinctively knew how to find it now.

---

Paladins

A large group of paladins were sent letters excusing them from any current duties they are currently doing and instructing them to gather at the Paladin Headquarters in Liria - Meldiniar's capital, citizenship papers in hand. The reason for it was not written, though most realized by now that it has something to do about The Azure Covenant and the rumors that they are hiding in The Black Forest.

---

Alicia

Alicia was not surprised by the letter. Her father pulled a lot of strings to start off this chain of events, and she was an important link in this chain. And how to avoid any suspicion better than sending your own child along? It what was Alicia's time to shine, after all these years of training. If she was to be a princess, she would have to earn it. And Alicia was more determined than ever, even though independence from Meldiniar seemed just like wishful thinking, a colossal, impossible task. But Deliah dedicated his life to this, and the main event has started. And she is already a part of this.

Entering her room, Alicia yelled at her maids - her things were not packed. They were nowhere to be found, however, as her father explained that her personal maids are now working for paladins are cooks and caretakers, getting paid both by him and the paladins. The girl, of course, tried to throw a tantrum, but was ignored by Deliah, and told to do it herself. Problem was, Alicia has never done anything like that herself. Trying to remember how her maids did it, she did a rather decent job of packings things, as for a first timer. It was only after she was "ready" that she learned that unlike her days as an initiate, she does not get to take anything - all necessities will be provided by Paladins themselves. A sacrificial lamb for her father's simple amusement, at the very least Alicia got to ride to the capital with her own personal chariot. With nothing but her weapons and armor, as well her papers. It was going to be a lengthy ride.

---

William

When William heard "the call", he was reading a book. "Mass telepathy, sent to only a specific demographic, huh. That needs great skill and power. Might as well check it out." the scholar mumbled to himself. Altea was always known for building on top of lost civilizations and ruins, and Meldiniar was no different. A vast and sprawling literal underworld was beneath it, full of criminals, smugglers and nobles who want a bit more freedom. Even though paladins know of it, they can do little to enforce it - mainly to avoid a political shitstorm in case some noble gets offended. And accusing a citizen of ANYTHING is a hard, let alone proving it. Nobody wanted that mess, figuring someone else would do it.

The main perk of this Underworld was that they had a lot of lost books, lost, as in burned by paladins. William himself was highly renowned, and since this gutter of Meldiniar had it's own fair share of refugee mages, who too heard "the call", it was a good place for him to stay. But the curiosity got better of him, and William, together with many other mages formed a caravan heading to The Black Forest, disguised as scholars heading to study some long lost place. William himself now belonged to Deliah Eternus' Covenant of Scholars, so he had his citizenship. Others did not, however, and he hoped that it will be enough, should anyone ask for their citizenship papers.

The journey gave him time to think, and reflect upon the current events. Deliah Eternus was royalty, well, if his kingdom still existed. He was a known figure in the Underworld, as well as one of "role citizens" well-connected with Paladins and The Inquisition. Rumors were flying around that Paladins are going to march somewhere in force. It was clear that Deliah was planning something big, which involved playing all sides of this conflict. His further motives and goals were not clear however, at least not until they reach The Black Forest.

A chariot rolled through the streets of Liria, going at a modest pace as citizens went about their daily business. Eventually, the driver had the vehicle halt at a checkpoint manned by Paladins. "Public chariots will go no further. Please drop off your passengers here." The Paladin said. The driver nodded as two men in Paladin armor stepped outside. One of which was Varkasan Trenact. The other was a taller Paladin named Aradus Dukevis, wearing his own set of armor. They both had their swords in their sheathes and their shields on their backs.

They approached the guards. "Show us your papers." The guard ordered. They both swiftly produced their citizenship papers and the letter of invitation sent by the Paladin HQ. Scrutinizing the papers carefully, the guard finally let them through.

The streets behind the checkpoint were much less active, but it was primarily because this was now restricted Paladin territory. Varkasan had noticed that security had been increased ever since The Azure Covenant began their activities. He himself had been assigned alongside squads from The Guardians to respond to Mage attacks in various villages. Every single time, The Azure Covenant would claim responsibility. "Whoever these people are, they are very bold. I don't know whether they are powerful, or just plain foolhardy. Still, it is best to assume the worst." Varkasan thought as he and his companion continued their walk.

Eventually, his friend spoke. "So, what do you make of this?" Aradus asked. "I don't know... But I'm assuming it has something to do with that dangerous Mage group." Varkasan replied. Aradus chuckled. "That's not what I meant. I meant: what do you make of the higher-ups personally inviting a new member such as yourself for what could be an important operation?" He explained.

"Oh... Well, I'm not entirely sure myself. I've only been serving faithfully for nearly a year. In comparison to Paladins like you, I'm just a grunt. I guess they see something that I don't." Varkasan replied modestly. In truth, he really was surprised to receive that letter. Even their Covenant Leader was unsure why they would ask him to go, when they could easily ask for another veteran like Aradus. "Well maybe you've been able to impress them in that one year even more than the older ones. You always were the first to volunteer for the tough jobs." His friend responded with a short laugh at the end.

"True..." Varkasan replied, smiling a bit under his helmet. Soon enough, they arrived at the building that housed the Paladin HQ. "This is the place. Time to find out what's gotten the brass all bothered." Aradus said. Varkasan nodded in response. With that, they entered the structure, wondering what new orders were waiting for them.

Sylvestra had already arrived at the Paladin HQ hours before by early morning. She and her company had been tracking the Azure Covenant's moves for months and she too was quite sure they were holding up in the Black Forest, like rumors speculated. Judging by where and when they hit, it was all random when looking on a map, but Sylvestra thought it was only an illusion of random if they all came from the same place. She was already deep in discussion with other commanders about it when more Paladins began arriving to HQ. She didn't pause her discussions with the other commanders whenever she saw a new arrival, but she did look up to glance at them. It was just something she did whenever a person entered the room, so she could keep track of the number of people and their equippment currently.
The other commanders didn't know the reason for the letter either, so Sylvestra knew this was straight from the top, maybe even Grinnoc himself. Sylvestra guessed they would all be called for a meeting soon to explain the situation so she might aswell inspect her troops and hand out orders while she's gone, if there were any orders to give that is.
The company was resting in the barracks but Sylvestra called for her lieutenants and told them of the situation. The men would be on leave until further notice.

Walking back into HQ, Sylvestra nodded at and saluted several Paladins who payed her rank proper respect. Now all she could do was wait until the higher-ups called a meeting. She began wondering how many had received this letter. Ten men? A hundred? A thousand? Judging from the amount of Paladins reporting to HQ, Sylvestra was sure it was at least well over ten. This wouldn't be a small operation if the suspicions of the letter having to do with the Azure Covenant and the Black Forest were true.

Anwen had been lurking in the shadows, her hood pulled over her face in order to prevent anyone from recognizing her--except as the Raven. She wouldn't mind if they noticed her as that, except for the Paladins, of course. She had been sitting on a window ledge in an alleyway, slowly prying at a window in hopes of making it into the lowly jeweler's shop. The man had been scamming his customers for too long, and she intended to put an end to his nasty way of selling his goods. He simply needed a little hubris check and a sign to show that even the Raven knew that he was doing wrong to the people of the middle-class district of Lidia. With a quiet thud, the window finally propped open and she put her hand underneath it and into the small storage room that she assumed was the wife's second closet. She gazed through the dirty window and felt the shadows on the other side become tangible, but only to her. Her body slowly shifted and became flat, becoming a shadow herself. She slid through the crack as one and entered the room before returning to her human form. She shuddered as a small wave of dizziness washed over her, pushing it back as she quietly made her way down the stairs and to the room where she had assumed his safe would be.

She'd made sure to do her research on the man, oftentimes hiding as his shadow and following him around the building, so then she knew the layout by heart. She slipped into the room, knowing that the jeweler's family was having a gathering of merchants in this area of the building; mostly to set up his putrid, stout daughter with the tailor's scrawny son. Just the thought of the two becoming engaged and married made Anwen's lips curl into something that may be considered a smile. But then again, who was she to judge when they had a life so different than her own? Hush... now is not the time to joke and enjoy mocking the plump bitch. She thought to herself as she gazed about the room. Whenever he'd entered it, she had noticed that he had often looked at the self-portrait that hung on the far wall. Of course, a wall safe behind your own portrait wouldn't be THAT obvious. She then tip-toed over and began to run her fingers along the frame and wall. After finding the switch, she flicked open the painting and found the safe. With a small groan, she'd forgotten to check his drawers for anything useful to give her even the slightest clue to the code. Her hand then turned to shadow and she slipped it beneath the door of the safe, sweat beginning to form at the back of her neck and on her brow, as she began to pick it from the inside. Once that was done, she cracked open the door and took out all of the money that lay within--which was a miniature fortune in itself. Probably the girl's dowry, because she's going to need as much help as she can get...

Just then, there was a throbbing pain in her head and she heard a voice shouting at her; demanding her to go to the Black Forest. She tried to ignore the pain as she returned everything back to its natural state and dashed up to the storage room window. Slipping out again and into the night, she merely dropped the fortune off at a tavern, stating that it was for a John Black, a good friend of hers who would take care of returning it to the people, before heading towards the gates. She couldn't stop her feet from following a small group that appeared to be scholars. What am I doing? She asked herself as she trudged alongside them, joining their ranks and blending in with her own cloak and hood. Why must I go to the Black Forest?

Shara startled as the voice began speaking in her head, looking frantically at the other students in the gardens. They all displayed a peculiar calm, considering the disembodied voice that was speaking to them. She searched for whomever the prankster may be until the voice mentioned heresy, and she realized that the others in the room could not hear it as well. Calming, she listened - if it could be called that - as the voice called her to a meeting of magi within the Black Forest. Promising freedom and life for mages, promising a better future, shouting blatant heresy to the world. While freedom to practice her magic would be wonderful, the allure of meeting other mages in safety was almost intoxicating. The opportunity was too great. She simply had to go.

Oddly enough, Shara knew how to get there as well. The message had to have been magic. There was simply no other explanation, especially given the new knowledge of how to reach their meeting place. The message itself seemed burned into her memory, and she was able to recall it with amazing clarity. If only I could find out how to do such things with my studies. Imagine having a whole library available at an instant.

The thought brought Shara back to reality, and the world seemed to come back from a standstill. Ambient sounds she hadn't noticed leaving had returned, and life appeared to be going on as if nothing at all had happened. Looking down, Shara scowled. In her surprise, she had jerked her hand, tearing the sketch of the gardens Loria flowers. She had been utterly engrossed in the sketching earlier, and it had been turning out quite well, but now it was most definitely ruined. Shame. She crumpled the paper and shoved it in her satchel, heading back to her rooms. She would need to make some excuses for her sudden absence. While the magic at the Black Forest was alluring, she would be foolish not to plan some means of returning to Tiena without being murdered by Paladins.

---

The next morning, Shara left Tiena university, which had been her home for the past few years, with doubt plaguing her mind. Will I ever be able to return? She wondered. What about my family? Will they still welcome me home? Will I even survive this....this? She had dispatched a note to her family, notifying them that she would be gone for some time researching something. She hadn't been specific about what. Another note had been left to her friends and teachers, telling how she had received word of illness in the family, and would be returning home for some time. She had left orders that any mail should be left in her rooms until her return, and specified such to any she thought might send her something, yet there hadn't been time to cover much, and there were so many holes in her ruse it felt like a sieve.

Still though, she trudged onwards towards the Black Forest. The fastest route would be to go through Lidia, yet she feared the Paladins would find her there. It would also be an unnecessary drain on the funds she had managed to retrieve on such short notice. As she looked at the city fading in the distance, brilliantly silhouetted by the morning sun, Shara doubted she would ever return there again.

Then she faced forward, and began the journey to the Forest of Magi.

This day seemed to be uneventful for Calista, the half-elf mage who traversed the countryside of Meldiniar without citizenship papers. Usually, her days were never dull, but this day felt strangely… desolate. She had awoke early this morning, rising gracefully from the tattered sheets of the rickety bed that was provided to her by the portly innkeeper of this small town establishment. With enough upfront gold, she was rarely asked for proof of citizenship, at least, in the small villages that she frequented on the outside edge of the country. She met little trouble in places such as this. Currently, she was in the southwest, close enough to the Elven Forest that local folklore made her existence more acceptable. That, plus the fact that small communities such as these, so isolated from the main hubs of human activity, relished visitors, made her easily accepted. Small communities enjoyed visitors because they brought stories and news from places far away, and because a visitor such as Calista not only brought her personal revenue, but the revenue of increased patronage from her presence. The fact that she was a half-elf, and many of her stories somehow ended on the mysterious subject of the Earth Mother goddess her people venerated or some of the feats of magic her father told her about, made people interested in what she had to say.

The day was warm, and so she dressed lightly in a thigh length leather tunic, simple trousers, and simple fingerless gloves. She had lived in this room for just under a week now, but that was long enough for Calista. In her three years on the road, she learned that inevitably, because of her own carelessness or naivety, people found out she had magical capabilities They never hesitated to report her to the closest Paladin sect. Even though people were kind and helpful to her as a traveler, they did not trust mages or their craft. Calista ran her hands through her long black hair as she gathered her things from around the room. She stopped and tied her long tresses into a bun, and then proceeded to force her many trinkets and sentimentals into her traveling pack. She also placed the traveling supplies she had purchased from the innkeeper in her pack, and at last tied her bedroll to the top. She took one last glance, was satisfied she had gotten everything, and exited the room with a light step.

Outside the inn she made her goodbyes to the few friends she had made, and told she was to leave that morning, with open arms and many sad smiles. As she meandered up the path in the opposite direction she had come, she whistled a tune to herself. She turned and waved, and received several waves back. And then, she kept walking, until the last the villagers saw of her was a tiny speck in the distance. They knew she was heading to the next community on the path, the one they knew as the village with the water wheel.

After that, her time consisted of boring traveling. For much of the morning, there was no one else on the path. The farther she got from bigger cities, the less people she saw when she was traveling. On roads such as these, there were always a few local, and maybe so not so local, caravans and the like traveling this time of year. But that was less common here. She wondered if it was because they were close to the Elven Forest here, and saw the roads as less safe because of it. In places such as this, there were almost never any Paladin convoys, roving for one reason or another, that liked to ask travelers for citizenship papers. Closer toward the heart of the land, she had to take care not to be caught by one. The resulting chase was exhausting, as she had learned.

The sun was past its zenith before Calista had heard the call to the Black Forest. She had been stopped, gnawing on rations and thinking about what she had learned about the path ahead, when the reverberating voice had sounded in her skull. Her one hand clutched the small bag of nuts she had been picking from, and the other flew to her temple and pressed against the throbbing divet. She did not know who had planted the message in her mind, or why or how, and she struggled with herself for a moment. She was not far from the Black Forest, and she had known where it was before, but now a clear path to it was ingrained in her mind. Her eyes narrowed at the ground between her feet.

On one hand, Calista was suspicious. Who held the power to project a message into the minds of select people? That message had not just been sent to her, she knew that much had to be true, and was most likely not projected to Paladins and the like. What was their motive? Are we gathering for safety, as the message had claimed, or slaughter? She thought and shuddered. But the opposite prospect was very tempting, and the message stayed with the half-elf as she packed up her rations and got back on the trail. The next junction she came to, she didn’t take the path to the village with the water wheel.

Mages

Those who reached the forest would soon find that vegetation itself would move out of the way, revealing a path deep into this pitch black forest. It could be felt from afar, even more so for the people with the gift, that every leaf, every blade of grass was imbued with magic, and hundreds of red, glowing eyes were flickering in the distance - intruders would not get far. Finally, they would reach a huge clearing, with a massive circular structure in the middle. It's walls were actual trees, grown in a shape of a dome.

Inside all along the outer "wall", there were rooms, hundreds of them, with giant leaves for doors. Everything was illuminated by some kind of giant glowing flowers, acting as lamps. The rest of the structure was a giant hall, littered with tables and chairs. The tables were full of various delicious fruits and berries. In the very middle there was a throne, and in it sat a very old woman. Without a doubt, this was the mythical Witch of The Black Forest, and she was prepared for their arrival. Most likely, she was the one to call them. Besides her were two men, one rather young, and other one older, with a fancy, nobleman attire. The Witch and the young man were arguing about something. But the people who came cared more about satiating their bellies and getting some rest - the witch was waiting for all of them to come.

---

Paladins

After everyone arrived, the hundred or so paladins were lead to the grand hall. After taking their positions in a formation, they were greeted by a giant of a man in an Inquisitor uniform.



"I'll keep this short. We have a reason to believe the mage group only know as Azure Covenant is operating from The Black Forest. As you all know, all of our smaller expeditions that went into that area have never returned. It is a certainty that the forest is enchanted to ward off intruders. But magic is magic, and it will not stop our force. The mages associated with The Azure Covenant are extremely dangerous and more than willing to kill you, as they killed dozens of other paladins. You will be allowed to attack them on sight.

Three of you will also be under my close watch, as you were selected as potential candidates for the Inquisition. That would Alicia Eternus, Varkasan Trenact, Conrad Felden and Sylvestra Wyrmire. You three will ride near me and the other officers. We will be riding through several villages that will be used as rest stops and places to eat. We should arrive at our destination in three days. Direct any remaining questions to your commanding officers, and head to the stables. We will set off within the next hour."

---

Alicia

Arriving near the HQ, Alicia, like everyone else, was asked for papers. Passing by, she heard other paladins say something about "getting to eat real food now, thanks to the Eternus' maids". Not paying much attention to it, she headed to the main hall, where nearly a hundred of other paladins stood. The girl knew some of them, but they weren't exactly close friends. Heck, she didn't have any close friends. But she had no time to screw around, as they were supposed to stand in formation and listen to the briefing.

...

The briefing was just about what Alicia expected, including being a candidate. Many strings were pulled for this, and combined with her skill, she was the prime candidate. She was not too sure why the other three were selected, but did not question it much. A part of her wanted to warn everyone that it was a trap - guilt washed all over her like a heavy rain. None of them knew just HOW prepared the forest was. She would survive, but the majority here would not - that much Alicia knew, and it was necessary step to dethrone Grinnoc, but it felt wrong and bad. A gnawing feeling was also there, as if something will go wrong, far worse than the forest. But it was just the nerves, right?

A little bit shaking and twitchy, Alicia headed towards the stables. The stench of a hundred horses could be felt from afar.

---

William

Finally, William has entered the forest. Falling behind the rest of his group, his pace slowed down to a crawl as he analyzed his surroundings. Brimming with magic, this forest would annihilate intruders, but also would guide and protect it's allies. Such level of enchantment required decades of time, immense power and experience, something far above the scholar's current capabilities. Even the animals of the forest were enchanted, most likely under direct control of The Witch, also being her eyes, noses and ears. Not even a blade of grass would move without alerting the master of this forest.

The final destination brought everything up to 11. Even though William has never seen elven nature magic, it couldn't be anything else but that. Not even the Grand Archons of old could manipulate nature in such a way, without destroying or twisting it. The people he traveled with quickly rushed to the tables, as they haven't eaten in quite a while. Hunger gnawed William's stomach too, but he was too distracted by this literally magical place to care. After wandering around for a few hours, and not really learning anything other than "it's amazing", he finally sat down to eat. Or try to - he wasn't a fan of fruits.

At last, the hundred or so Paladins were called to the great hall and stood in formation. Sylvestra stood close to the front due to her high rank, but was in formation like everyone else since the one speaking to them was top brass, straight from the Inquisition. When hearing that there was "reason to believe" that mages held out in the Black Forest, Sylvestra could only mentally roll her eyes. Of course they were in the Black Forest, she had been telling her superiors for months, but they wouldn't listen. They said Sylvestra lacked proof, that she simply saw a pattern that didn't exist in the random attacks from the Azure Covenant. But she couldn't complain, of course. Now that they had "reason to believe", action would swiftly be taken no doubt. For all the inefficiency of bureaucracy, the Inqusition sure was quick to respond to mage threats, and that made Sylvestra quite glad.
When the three prime-candidate names were spoken, Sylvestra was both quite happy that she would be honored with such a thing, and somewhat insulted that they named her last of the three despite her higher rank and experience. She didn't know each and every one of the new Paladin recruits, but these two she knew, for they had caught her attention. Appearantly Alicia was the daughter of some noble and had passed the Paladin rite with excellency. She showed top score in all trainings and tests, but Sylvestra knew she lacked experience. This would be her defining flaw. No matter, she thought. She'll get plenty of experience what with the Azure Covenant around, and with being a prime candidate, whatever that meant. Then there was the young man, Varkasan. He too showed promise among the recruits, and his loyalty to the cause was without question. Finally, Sylvestra guessed that she would be leading these two in one way or another, with her being the ranking officer. Time could only tell, the real mission briefing hadn't started yet.

When the meeting was adjourned for now, Sylvestra went off to the side with two of her lieutenants, Danas Tarfield and Hugh Highwielder. Appearantly, they were the only two from her men that was also called to this meeting. With reason, she thought, since they were good men. They greeted her with a salute when she approached them, as they stood conversing off by the wall at the western end of the room."At ease, lads. I must say I didn't expect anyone from the company here." she said, a cold smile on her face to assure them that she simply wanted to chat. "Well we're quite the opposite. We expected to see you here, ma'am, what with the secrecy and high priority mission this seems to be." said Danas. "Aye, straight from top brass, the Inquisitors themselves eh?" added Hugh. They both returned the smile. They would normally talk lighter but they were still on duty and this was a military meeting. "Well I'm glad to know I have two friendly faces with me on this mission. What do you think boys? Assaulting the Black Forest isn't a small deal." Sylvestra said, her smile coming off as she assumed her regular, serious expression. "Well... Ma'am, I wouldn't want you to think less of me..." Danas began, and exchanged a glance with Hugh. "But what, lieutenant?" Sylvestra said, eyeing him. "It's just... It doesn't feel right, ma'am. How many Paladins are here, 'little above a hundred? If we're gonna assault the Azure Covenant's base of operations, wouldn't we need a battalion at least?" he said, and Hugh shared his concern. "Yeah, ma'am there's something fishy about it. And what are these prime candidates the Inquisitor spoke of? It doesn't make any sense to me."
Sylvestra listened intently and nodded, her hands behind her back. "Well I wouldn't think about it too much if I were you. There's a reason for it all and I'm sure we'll be enlightened soon. Carry on."
She saluted and left, not because she had important things to do (even though she probably did) but because she didn't want to stand around talking about that for too long. Any inquisitor hear that they're bound to inspect Sylvestra or her lieutenants. Maybe even investigate her entire troop. No, she had to get this out of her mind.

Walking over to the stables to get her mind off of things, Sylvestra noticed the new Paladin, Alicia. She could tell the girl was wound-up, probably nervous or scared. Maybe she was thinking the same thing that her Lieutenants were thinking. Maybe they'd all die assaulting the forest with just a few hundred men.
She continued walking, but didn't pick up the pace to catch up to Alicia. Rather, she just walked and eventually she'd be at the stables. The girl seemed like she was heading there as well.

Well... I was right. It was certainly about the Azure Covenant. Though are we really just going to walk up and knock on their front doors? No, surely not. That is a foolish move against this kind of enemy, even with these numbers. I trust the Inquisitor has a better plan than that. Varkasan thought to himself. His train of thought was broken however when he heard his name as one of the candidates. He certainly did not expect that.

Aradus chuckled. "Well, this answers the question of why you were called here." He said. Varkasan nodded. "I'll do my best if I am given such an honor, though this is very sudden considering my time in service." He said. He wasn't entirely sure if he deserved the title of Inquisitor so soon, but he would try not to let them down. "You'll figure it out. You're a fast learner." Aradus assured him. As Paladins began moving around them, some leaving and others remaining to chat, their conversation was interrupted by a familiar voice from behind him.

"Would you two care to explain what form of sorcery this is?" The annoyed voice said. Turning around, the two greeted another Paladin wearing a set of extravagant golden armor. "Ah, Kagax. We were wondering where you and the others were." Aradus said. "We weren't far. Janus and Reginald are back there. But getting back to the point... How did new blood like Varkasan Trenact be the first of our unit to become a candidate for the Inquisition?!" He said, turning towards the younger Paladin. Varkasan did not know how to reply, but Aradus answered for him. "I don't know. Perhaps he spent more time fighting Mages than trying to kiss the asses of his superiors, like a certain someone we know..." He replied jokingly. "Ngh... Very funny..." Kagax said bitterly, clenching his fists.

Varkasan knew that to be true. Kagax was their squad leader, and he often made sure that every feat he performs is known by others, most especially those above him. The man had quite a thirst for glory, and so seeing Varkasan surpass him suddenly was sure to shake him up. Despite his shortcomings though, he was a very capable leader in the field, and was never satisfied with anything less than victory.

"Cheer up, old friend. You know I didn't mean it that way." Aradus told him, more gently this time. "I know..." Kagax replied. He paused for a moment and released his fists before continuing. "We'll talk later at the stables. We don't have long to prepare. And I want my squad in top shape for this mission." He continued. "Of course, although Varkasan here will be riding with the Inquisitor and the other candidates." Aradus replied. Kagax nodded and left towards their other comrades.

Turning back to Varkasan, Aradus spoke. "Anything you still need to do before we set off?" He asked. "No, I believe I'm prepared. I was expecting a swift departure anyway." Varkasan replied."Alright, you head on to the stables then to meet up with the candidates and the Inquisitior. Best to make a good first impression. I'll go with Kagax and the others. We'll talk to you again at the first village." Aradus instructed. Varkasan nodded. "May the light protect us all in this journey." He said, before leaving to follow the crowd heading towards the stables.

On the way, he thought about the other candidates. Alicia Eternus was a familiar name. Though, almost everyone was familiar with her. He remembered being in the same recruit batch as her when he first started his Paladin training. They weren't exactly friends, but he knew her to a degree. Most people who never saw Alicia in action would doubt her ability to survive without her servants, but Varkasan did, and he knew that she was someone who could beat him in a duel if she really wanted. And that was saying something, considering his own exceptional skill with a blade.

The other candidate, Sylvestra Wyrmire, was a name he had only heard of. But he heard a good deal about it. She was a high-ranking Paladin among the warriors of The Vanguard Covenant. A group who (true to its name) led the battle against the Mage threat by attacking and intercepting them, stamping them out relentlessly wherever they dared reveal themselves. If that wasn't enough, she had a reputation for rapidly ascending the chain of command, as well as a battle-record consisting of numerous victories against Mage uprisings and even clashes against The Azure Covenant's members; her experience surpassed many Paladins. Out of the four candidates, Varkasan thought she was the one who was most likely to be taken in by The Inquisitors.

And the last candidate, Conrad Felden. Varkasan was unfamiliar with him. But he had heard rumors. Some have said that he was some sort of "experiment" by the Inquisition; someone taken in from a young age and indoctrinated with nothing but loyalty to The Inquisitors. He had also heard Aradus speak highly of him before, as they had went on a joint mission together before. His friend had said that he "had never seen a man be able to take so much punishment and still keep fighting, let alone stand straight". Whoever this Paladin was, Varkasan believed he would be a force to be reckoned with.

As they walked, he noticed Alica Eternus ahead of him. "Her white hair is certainly hard to miss even in a crowd like this." He thought amusedly. However, he noticed that she seemed to be stiff and on edge. He had seen that look among the recruits during the first days of his rigorous training; nervousness and fear. "But nervous for what? The Black Forest is still a long way away, and she's rarely shown such fear during training. What could possibly have her worried?" He wondered. He decided to ask her about it, and perhaps calm her down.Even if they weren't acquaintances, they were still brothers and sisters in arms.

"Hey!" He called out as he approached her. "You look troubled. Is something the matter?" He spoke through his helmet. Partway through greeting her, he decided now would also be a good time to get to know the other candidates he would most likely be working with for a while.

The black forest seemed to loom above Shara, yet despite that, she felt oddly at ease. She was far from home, in a place that seemed to leak magic from every pore. The journey had taken some time, and left Shara exhausted with little coin left. And if I ever see another horse it will be too soon. Thankfully, she had been able to sell the mount at the last village - brining a horse into a supposedly dense forest hadn't seemed wise, and the money had granted her a brief reprieve from the weeks travel. The roads had quite safe, likely due to the exorbitant number of paladins that seemed to be milling about, especially near the capital. They were both a comfort and a source of fear for an unarmed mage like Shara.

Not yet a day past Liria however, she had seen a large company of Paladins camped beside the roads. That they were gathered in such numbers - it had seemed a massive host at the time, yet couldn't be more than a few hundred - was somewhat worrisome on its own. Shara had quickly taken alternate paths. The sight of so many had spurred her to hurry to the forest and it's promise of safety. So many Paladins couldn't possibly face all the mages of Meldinar, even if they knew where they were. And if that was their objective, certainly more force would have been used. The inquisition wasn't known to take many chances. Still, the safety of the forest would be welcome.

Now, no longer smelling of sweat and horse, with the sun beginning to set, that safety seemed far less guaranteed as the shadows lengthened in the already dim forest, dancing eerily in her illusory lights. There were lights in the distance as well. They almost looked like eyes, and stories of will-o'-the-wisps guiding people to their doom in the dark places of the world seemed far less ridiculous. This was a magical forest, after all. Thankfully, the path Shara had been following - strange, it only seemed obvious as a path after she'd left it - lead her into a clearing, lit by elvish lanterns and housing a large tree in the center, that appeared to also be a building. Shara looked back at the path she'd taken to find it was no longer there.

Amazing. She thought, looking at the dense forest she had come out of. These paths must be magical. Guiding mages here and unwelcome ones... She remembered the eyes she had seen in the forest, and shuddered. Anyone who isn't invited likely wouldn't make it far. The fear she had once held gradually subsided, along with the exhaustion of the trip as Shara took in the wonders of the grove. She eventually began sketching some of the wonders she saw - strange plants, which seemed unique to the forest, the elvish lights and the tree, which on closer inspection appeared to be many trees somehow grown and shaped into rooms. Little seemed to be going on at the moment, but that suited her just as well. Eventually though, tiredness set in and she took to one of the rooms in the tree. As she passed through the central chamber, she noticed an old lady, with two other men beside her, one of whom looked oddly like..but it couldn't be, and so putting the thoughts from her head, she slept.

Conrad Felden

It had been a trip, but he had made it alright on foot. Living on allowance from the Inquisition for a few days had left a sour taste in his mouth. His job wasn’t to be a pull on resources, it was to be a guardian of peace. Even so, his expenses had been at a minimum. Some innkeepers considered a Paladin guest as good as security, so the room prices hadn’t been so high. Who would dare start a bar fight with a Paladin sleeping upstairs? It would be a brave thief who got within ten steps of one. Maybe their magic wasn’t effective on the common man, but their reputation and combat training was.

Conrad shook the thoughts from his head, moving quickly down the street towards headquarters. There were worse issues than living costs and typical street riffraff, like mages. Today was the day designated, he would be there. The crowded streets showed little sign that a grand meeting was about to be held, but excitement could be felt all the same. Paladins roamed everywhere throughout the city, and now were converging- that had to draw attention. He reached the first checkpoint. A flashed invitation gave the first requirement, but as for citizenship papers, he had none. Instead, Conrad had to unlace the top of his shirt and turn, pulling down the neckline to expose his shoulder. The brand was a bit more effective than the papers may have been. Property of the Inquisition, and a Paladin to boot, not much to question there. All the same, he surrendered his traveling bag. It represented a security issue, and would be inappropriate to have in an official meeting. A salute to the guards, and he was past. He didn’t bother with relacing his shirt until he got past the guards at the designated meeting building. There though, it was important to collect himself. Hood down, chin up, cloak arranged, shirt properly tucked and top tied, weapon sheathed and at proper angle. This was headquarters. He pushed open the door and entered with a careful step, neither submissive or arrogant, but relaxed.

There were a lot of higher ups in here, so many that, following proper protocol, he should be just holding a constant salute whenever someone passed- which was constantly. He moved to a side of the room and waited for the meeting to start. He gave a start when he spotted Aradus, and yet another when Sylvestra entered the room. Her presence alone provoked a wave of respect where she passed. This must be important, last he had heard she was still out hunting mages. Whoever had delivered that letter must have had a hard journey. Though she may have returned early, news travels slowly. The talking stilled, it was time to assume formation.

---

The speech was short, sharp, and to the point, like any decent blade. However, leaving in an hour left little time to prepare. As for the Inquisition’s choices for candidates, they generally made sense, for the most part. Conrad recognized Varkasan’s name, and Alicia’s. She stood out a bit more, but no one would question Varkasan’s strength, or intentions. Nothing had to be said when questioning Sylvestra’s candidacy either, her reputation spoke by itself.

As for questions, he had none. Being raised, he had learned some simple things. Questions made no difference, as you would be following orders anyway. Questions may anger superiors, and bring about punishment. Questions could bring moral and personal issues to mind when following orders. In short, better not to question. Conrad returned to the entrance to regain his pack, and poured onto the street with some other Paladins. Many were discussing what little information they had. As for himself, getting a decent horse before they set out was a more important matter than gossip.

After a few days of traveling, the Black Forest stood before the half-elf, menacing and welcoming all at once. The magic she could feel radiating from the flora and fauna that resided within the forest's shadowed borders was intense yet strangely familiar, and her large green eyes closed for a moment in veneration to the Earth Mother. After a moment of silent, motionless prayer, Calista opened her eyes to once again look upon this manifestation of Cybele's power. The same magic than ran through her veins ran through this forest, in much greater intensity and potency, of course, but she none the less felt more willing to traverse its depths. She took a deep breath to steady herself, and then slowly approached the brush line. The plants parted as she neared. With no more hesitation, she breached the forest and immersed herself into the Black Forest.

Calista had visited many different areas of unchecked nature in her travels, but none compared to the Black Forest: not in magnitude or magnificence, but none were nearly as memorable. She examined many of the plants there, recognizing some but not others, and seeing plants she thought she knew all about reacting in strange ways to the magical leylines that undoubtedly ran through this forest. The eyes of animals were not menacing to her but comforting: she knew she was accepted here and would not be harmed, but protected. She somehow knew that the guardians of the Black Forest would not have allowed her ten feet past the treeline had she been unwanted, as well, and smiled as she remembered the message that had been magically broadcasted. It would be easy to find peace behind these walls of verdant greenery. She wondered briefly if it was a trap, but she felt as though she could trust this forest and its original inhabitants because she felt physically close to the Earth Mother here, and that comforted her greatly.

The only reservation she had about the forest was that she couldn't explore it. Whenever she tried to leave the constantly revealed path, the glowing red eyes would flash in warning, and creeping vines would appear at the edge of the forest's path barbed with insidious looking thorns. After her first few attempts, Calista figured it would be better to stay where she was instructed. She could not see the sky, but the Calista's elven nature made her much more agreeable to the earth either way.

When she came upon the grove of peculiarly growing trees, her face brightened into a radiant smile and a joyful laugh fell from her lips. To her, this was surely a construction of her people! Warm memories of her father's storytelling graced her mind as she slowly made her way to the omphalos of the grove, turned around in circles several times to get the entire panoramic view of the area. The forest went unchanged, except for its new lack of horribleness. This grove made the entire forest much more special and endearing to Calista.

She entered the large dwelling with excited anticipation. Looking around, she spied many doors, but peering into a few close to her she noticed they were not that large, and mostly congruent. In the center, surrounded by tables laden with fruits and berries of all types (some of which Calista recognized both as edible and medicinal), was a wondrous throne upon which the oldest woman the half-elf had ever seen sat and conversed with two standing men. She knew who she was immediately, and wanted desperately to see if she was an elf, but her roving eyes told Calista she was preoccupied with other things at the moment, most likely her called meeting. Calista walked the dwelling slowly after having grabbed a large orange from the table and was eating it, rind and all. She peeked into a few of the rooms, which seemed to be occupied by the visitor mages. She could tell they did not belong here because their faces held emotions similar to her own. She walked into a smaller room on the ground floor with an exit to the outside and put her pack on the bed inside. Sitting on it, she found it was quite comfortable, and she felt a soft hide blanket. As she left the room, smiling at the large leaf that served as a door, she smartly looked to note where her chosen room was in relation to the throne, and then made her way into the center mass of tables. Having finished her orange, Calista grabbed a stem heavy with blueberries and began to pick them off. She sat at the next empty seat she came to and finished her meal. The rest of the day conversing with other mages, though she met no elves. She went to bed in her chosen room.

Having gotten there mere days after the call, Calista watched as the dwelling's population swelled to fill its interior. She wasn't there for long, and she didn't learn much about the witch, but communion with the Earth Mother had revealed to her the basics of some of the magical incantations used here. She did not dare attempt them, for she knew she was not strong enough to channel so much, but she did come to bear a strong respect for the old woman on the throne in that short time. The woman did not engage her visitors yet, but Calista was looking forward to her words.

The moment that the small group of mages made it to the Black Forest hideout, Ansen immediately broke away from them before they recognized her in their ranks. She looked around in awe and, despite herself, anxiety. There were so many mages that had swarmed like ants to honey, only to be greeted by the Witch of the Black Forest. She had assumed that she'd have influence over mages, but not to this extent. That made it obvious how much the Mage population had grown subtle and weaker in order to keep a low profile. In a way, it saddened her, but she was no exception to this note.

Allowing her hood to rest on her back, she slowly walked over to where the tables were and sat down at one, unaware that there was another already sitting there. She was so exhausted that she didn't notice much else other than the food on the table before her. Reaching out and grabbing several of the juicy fruits, she took a cautious bite of one. She still was paranoid of poisoning, but then she knew that the witch wouldn't bring all of the Mage population here only to poison them with her food. There would be no point in that.

Finally, Anwen noticed the boy that had sat down at the table first and quickly stood up, as if afraid. "Sorry... I didn't notice you here already." She was going to look for somewhere else to take her meal, but when she glanced around the main hall, she. Noticed that there was hardly any room anywhere else. She sat back down and sighed. She'd always hated crowded areas.

Mages

The argument between the young man and the witch raged on, those closer to them could barely hear their conversation. Before teleporting out, he nearly yelled one last sentence out: "You cannot change my mind, Master. This is all for her, and you know it!". Shrugging, and with a deep, loud voice The Witch instructed: "Listen!"

The man with fine, noble-like clothes steps forward, revealing a huge stack of papers in hand:
"You were all gathered here for an opportunity of the century. I can offer you all citizenship, and a purpose, a goal in life. By joining my Covenant of Scholars, you would be free to travel across Meldindiar freely, well, as long as you don't toss fireballs around randomly.

As members of the covenant, your duty would be to search for things lost to history. Meldiniar is built upon the ruins of old kingdoms, which, in turn, were built on some other ruins. There are so many things lost to history, and paladins make sure whatever remains benefits them and the history they write. But you must be wondering what's in it for me. My great great grandfather was a king of Eternal Kingdom, sadly, that eternity ended with paladins taking over everything for the "greater good".

So this is what offer: help me to overthrow Grinnoc. A world where you are not persecuted. A world where you would given your own land to manage as you please. A world where you would be heroes. A world where you would free to seek knowledge and wisdom. You do not need to fight Grinnoc alone. Meldiniar has a huge sprawling underground of crime, vice and occasional resistance. Grinnoc does not have as much supporters as he things he does, I assure you of that. Moreover, any lost knowledge, any old, powerful artifacts can be used to further this cause.

As an up-front reward, you will get citizenship and a place you can call home - Velstrach Fortress. It was abandoned over five hundred years ago, and now we found where it is. It also formally belongs to me, so no one should bother you there. I do warn you, however, it must be in shambles right now, but it was once the main hub of trade in Altea. It will be yours, forever, should you tell me your name and join my cause."

...

After everyone who accepted those terms, the man bid farewell. The Witch created a dimensional door for him - a portal, presumably leading home. "I hope she will be OK." he said to the witch before leaving. "You prepared her for this, Deliah. Have faith in her," After he left, The Witch created another portal, far larger, leading to the long lost fortress.

...

They were transported near the gate to the main courtyard. The fortress itself had two sets of thick walls, now overgrown with vines and moss. They also had huge dents in them, some completely broken. The main perimeter walls were surrounded by moat on the sides, a huge cliff leading down to a huge fall into the waves below, and a raging river in front, with a huge drawbridge, now in shambles. The second, inner wall, separated the industrial area (smithies, bakeries, tanneries and so) from the keep, armory and barracks, as well as the main square. It still had various practice targets left over. Cracked walls and floor indicated a fierce battle has raged within, but there were no corpses, no skeletons. Nothing at all.

Though everyone could feel it - an ominous, powerful, otherworldly presence. Entering the courtyard, it was littered... with rocks? One rock was especially huge. As they approached it, the rocks literally sprung to life. "Demons!" the witch shouted. At the very least, the mystery of battle became clear.




This huge square courtyard now became a battle arena. Without waiting for anything, The Witch conjured up huge thick vines which constricted the big one. The vines started to tighten up, and it almost seemed it will simply crush the elemental, but some kind of barrier appeared all around, protecting it. Faint lines of energy connected to the smaller ones - the mages that got possessed during the battle with the demon somehow, now deformed and mad. "Destroy the husks so I can destroy the demon. I can hold it place, but it will require my full concentration." The objective was clear. But the husks were powerful still, a few unlucky mages who got hit by their slow but deadly blows got either turned to paste or thrown back a few dozen meters. Their rock-like skin did not help either.

---

Paladins

It was getting late when the paladins reached their first stop. Leaving the horses in the nearby pasture, the villagers led them to their elder's house, all prepared with simple foods for them to indulge before the night. The villagers were extremely helpful and polite, which caused some paladins to became suspicious. Some hesitated with eating their food, some gulped it down instantly. Alicia, one of the candidates, silently conjured her Sword of Light, aiming to use it for Shadoweater, just to feel more at ease - there was nothing wrong here after all.

As the glowing sword of energy exploded into small dust particles, the illusion was quickly broken. There was blood everywhere: on the walls, on the floor, outside. Whatever "food" it was, it certainly was something sinister. The villagers, losing their glamours, were robed men and women - mages, without a doubt. Those who've eaten the food started coughing blood violently, falling to the ground and dying in a grotesque show, as the mages prepared to fight the rest. The Inquisitor himself, who taken a few bites, was resisting the poison, as well as trying to cleanse it, but unable to fight as of yet.

...

It was a blood bath. But eventually, the paladins prevailed, and the Inquisitor recovered. Just to be sure, Alicia casted another Shadoweater. The imagine of one of the paladins was distorted, revealing another mage. He was quite different from the others, and his attire was unlike anything else seen on Altea.



"What a bother you lot are. Now we will have to do it the hard way." the mage sighed before teleporting away. Just as he did, faintly visible "strings" appeared above all the fallen, in a marionette-like pattern. Long, sharp bones sprung out of their fingers, as well as every other bone "jumping" outside, creating a bone armor of sorts. One corpse, however, was glowing all black, with it's eyes glowing red. It could also talk: Oh how I loathe this technique, directly controlling a goddamn corpse just so I could command the others. Let's get this over with."

The empowered body, directly controlled by that mage, was far tougher, faster and had much more tricks at it's sleeve. And any time it fell, another corpse would get empowered. But Levran was finally able to fight, and what a fighter he was. Creating solid lances from light - a feat no paladin has yet saw or imagined, he was cleaving through the puppets. Light would also eventually burn away the reanimation spell, along with the rest of the body, so it could not be reanimated again. This was going to be quite an eventful night for the paladins.

---

Alicia

The march was boring - it took half a day, and everyone was getting tired. Eventually they reached the small village. Peasants never really liked servicing paladins like this, so their politeness and helpfulness was odd. Even more so that most peasants know only simple words. Something was off, but Alicia just couldn't find out what. Seemingly some other paladins felt this way too.

Eventually they were lead to their elder's house, which was quite big, with the main hall having enough seats for everyone to dine. A relic left by some ancient noble who liked feasts, it was now the heart of this village. The sinking feeling that something was wrong did not abandoned Alicia, and she just could not force herself to eat the food, though it looked delicious - paranoia was gnawing at her. Trying to tell herself that everything was fine, she conjured up a Sword of Light above her, to explode it for Shadoweater - a skill she devised to break through illusions and various other lingering magical effects. Everyone gave her a stern look once they saw a glowing sword of light above her shoulder, only to be horrified when it exploded - a broke the illusion. The walls, the floor - everything was painted in red. Whatever was on the table, certainly was not food. And the "villagers" were hooded men and women - quite obviously mages. Those who ate their "food" quickly died in a horrific death. Alicia cleared her mind, for the only thing that mattered now was battle.

Some mages carried melee weapons of their own, supplementing their magic style. Some flung spells from afar. It didn't matter. Using her Swords of Light Alicia would intercept and destroy projectiles. Anyone trying to hit her in melee would simply miss and quickly be cut in half - Alicia's blades were made by masters of the craft, far superior to any standard issue weapons other paladins received. Most of them could not even afford a single, regular sword on their own.

If there is one thing Alicia learned through all the years - is focusing on the task at hand. In battle, there was no time for any kind of worries. Her mind was clear, ready to process the scene. Every projectile, everyone nearby, their position, their movements, their momentum as well as her own, all had to be considered. Her combat style, had little to no defence, Alicia had to simply not get hit at all. A fireball shot down there, a throat cut open here, Alicia was "flowing" through the battle, spinning and twirling around, painting her trail with blood and ashes. A mesmerizing, deadly dance Alicia performed. Once that was over, she even received quite a few cheers and ovations - for all it's worth, at least she has proven her worth to her peers, no longer just a "spoiled, bratty princess playing a soldier".

It was not over yet, however, but everyone was quite exhausted at this point. Casting another Shadoweater, just in case, the real mastermind behind it appeared, reanimating EVERY fallen body and empowering it. Fortunatelly, Levran had recovered, and was just moving them down in droves. The very few who did not go after Levran were rather easy to deal with, but still much tougher than the mages before them.

---

William

It all made sense now. Deliah Eternus still held on to his long lost title. His promises would tempt many, and considering his position, he would be forced to fulfill them. As a bonus, they would all gain citizenship and a home of their own. A home that needs serious repairs, but still a home. Deliah's cause benefited everyone, except paladins. And knowing that his daughter is a paladin, his underworld connections, as well as having The Witch of the Black Forest as an friend - he was planning this for a long time, and setting all the gears in motion right now. William had to admit, the noble had thought this through, except for one variable he could not predict - The Azure Covenant.

The huge portal was finally open, and they've found themselves near the inner gates of a huge fortress. It was battered and overtaken by nature, but it was built masterfully, and could serve the mages well if it were to be repaired. And with William's expertise of nearly everything, this could be a great new start for them. Unfortunately, the hundred or so mages quickly found out what was the cause of abandonment - a greater earth demon. However, the husks - the mages possessed by lesser elementals/demons. As far as everyone knew, you can only get possessed if you let it in, usually unknowingly. And would the majority of castle's residents would just choose that when facing a greater demon? Something was amiss, but there was no time for investigation. The Witch, displaying her immense power, bound the Greater Elemental, which in turn made it to tap into the husks nearby, creating an impenetrable shield. The goal was clear - to destroy the husks.

Unfortunately, William did not yet know much offensive magic, but his Exhaust proved helpful - the possessed still seemed to require oxygen, and one by one, William neutralized them, making them easy targets for more... destructive brethren. A few weren't as careful as they should be, and got smacked around and/or turned into paste - far beyond any healer's help. Slow, sturdy and extremely powerful - not something you would want to be hit by.

Anwen had listened to the proposition and sat there quietly for a long time, thinking about this. For the most part, it didn't sound like that bad of a deal, considering that they would be given land and they wouldn't have to worry about hiding their powers ever again. Despite the wonders that he offered to them, something was terribly wrong. She didn't know why she felt this way, but she knew better than to simply go along with it without questioning anything. I've got to play this smart, then. If he thinks that he's going to play tricks on us, then I may as well throw him a fast one in return. She stepped forward, like so many others, and signed the contract. She would do as he wished by hunting down ancient artifacts, that much was for sure, but otherwise she wanted little or nothing to do with the rest at hand.

Then the portal was summoned and they were herded through like sheep. That's all we are to them... sheep that are going to take the blows before they get all the glory. But the moment that they were there, she felt the energy in the air begin to stir and tremble. Her ears began to ring as she felt something tugging at her spirit. Demons began to appear, even taking on some of the mages around here as hosts to their vile spirits. She felt one ripping and tearing its way through to her very core, but she fought back enough that she felt it give up and attempt to find another host. As soon as she returned from her blackout, she saw that the battle had already begun. The boy that she had sat across from earlier seemed to be neutralizing some of the husks and various demons with his own powers. Of course, like him, she had very few offensive spells that would aid her in such a bloody fight. Drawing her small rapier, she ignited it with a simple fire spell and rushed forward, her swiftness making her cloak appear to be a giant raven soaring into the fray. She then began to slice and hack at anything that came forward to prevent her from the immobilized possessed mages and husks.

She hacked and slashed, twisted and turned, doing whatever she could in her power to move as swift as the shadows that she manipulated. She felt a demon slash through her cloak and leave deep, bleeding trenches in her left shoulder. She gasped in pain and stumbled back, clasping her rapier in her right hand. She held it forward, daring the creature to continue its attack. That's when the demon rushed at her again, but she was ready for it. With a parry and a spin, she twisted around to its back and pierced it through the back of its neck.

She stood there panting as it disintegrated before her eyes. She was losing energy and her rapier had lost its spark.

"I don't like this one bit." Sylvestra said as she watched the all too kind villagers bring food to all the soldiers. She refused to eat, resulting in quite an angry scowl from the villager, which only deepened her suspicion. Then, the illusion came apart. Blood everywhere, with men dying left and right from poison. Mages!
"AMBUSH! On your feet soldiers! To arms!" she yelled, lunging for her halberd. She spun around, Halberd in hand, cleaving a mage almost in two before facing her lieutenants, scrambling for their own weapons. "TARFIELD, shieldwall with your men, clear the front! Deflect their spells! Highwielder, bring your men around, get outside and call for reinforcements!" Sylvestra yelled, commanding men left and right. "Ma'am! There's fighting outside aswell! The whole village is an ambush!" Hugh said as he returned with a dozen men from outside. "Then protect our flank, we'll root the mages out piece by piece!" she responded, running up front with Danas Tarfield. Raising a fist in the air, light sprung forth like a beacon, and Danas' men's shields began glowing faintly. Sylvestra was empowering them so that the mages' spells would deflect or have lesser effect.

Then she saw her. Alicia, spinning through the fray, flowing like water. Her blades cut true, her light-spells striking with precision. It was beautiful, in a way, Sylvestra thought. To her, war was all about the tactics, the strategies, how to outmanouver your opponent, but watching Alicia... She almost forgot that it was actually throats being cut open and just watched the dance for but a moment. It was like Alicia wasn't even noticing, like she had forgotten about everything else than the dance. Finally, Sylvestra had to wrench her gaze away to continue ordering her men around to outmanouver the mages. The battle wasn't won yet.

Eventually, all that was left of the mages were bodies, and quite a few paladin ones too. Wiping blood from her forehead, Sylvestra drew a heavy breath. Danas and Hugh came up behind her. "All clear, ma'am." they said. She turned and nodded. "Well done lieutenants. What are our casualties?" she asked. Danas spoke first. "Five from my squad, ma'am. They were good men, but I hardly knew them. They aren't from our company, after all." he said. Sylvestra nodded, and turned to Hugh, who cleared his throat. "Only two from my squad. But it would've been more if Danas hadn't had his men up quick in that shieldwall, ma'am. We worked well together."
The two lieutenants nodded at each other. Sylvestra eyed them. "Very well. We'll have to--"
One last mage appeared in the building. He was unlike any mage Sylvestra had ever seen, and she quickly ordered the men back into formation. The mage spoke. "What a bother you lot are. Now we will have to do it the hard way."
Suddenly, he was gone, and the bodies started rising like a nightmare. Their bones protruded, creating disgusting and horrifying figures of the people they once were. This, Sylvestra thought, this is the reason mages should all be eradicated. This is an abomination to life itself. But it was when she saw the Paladin corpses rising that she clenched her fists. This time, the magi-scum had gone too far. Levran seemed to share her thoughts, for he had recovered and was dispatching of the husks in quick pace. Quickly she ordered two squads of men up on Levran's flanks to take care of the stragglers, and protect him as he went for the mage responsible for this. But seeing as the bodies were everywhere, she didn't have time to stand around. Her Halberd was heavy and large, so she threw it aside and drew her sword to be able to move easier when fighting the husks. They were proving to be tougher opponents than the mages had been. Empowering her sword with light, she blinded the husks with the glow. One strike, and the mana holding them together burned away, and so did the body. Striking down the corpse of a Paladin, Sylvestra quickly knelt down and picked up the dogtag left in the dust and armor that had fallen to the floor. She wouldn't let any soldier dead go without honor to the afterlife.

Heading into the dining hall, Varkasan was surprised by how kindly the villagers had taken to them. Travelling around different towns as a member of The Guardians, he was often used to people simply being scared of Paladin presence instead of welcoming it. He noticed that Sylvestra had a stern look on her face and was examining the area. Alicia was also looking uncertainly at the food on her plate. Other Paladins were doing the same.

"Something is definitely wrong here... I hope Aradus, Kagax, and the others can feel it too." He thought. On a side-thought, he remembered how Alicia had simply ignored his greetings back in Liria. Not that he expected her to be friendly with him. Though he thought that maybe she was simply too nervous to notice him.

Just as he was thinking that, Alicia conjured one of her swords of Light. Varkasan wasn't sure what she was going to use it for, but he kept his eye on her all the same. "Everyone has a reason for doing something..." He thought. His questions were soon answered when Alicia's sword exploded into dust, and the room around them changed.

Bloody walls and floor panels, the structures losing their pleasant looks in exchange for more ruined ones, and the friendly villagers shifting into robed men and women. "By the Light... It's an Illusion!" Varkasan announced as other Paladins began speaking the same realization. Meanwhile, all of the ones who ingested the offered food began coughing violently, and spitting blood out of their mouths. "Poison...!" He thought. With that, he drew his sword and shield, immediately coating them with his Shield of Light. "It's a trap! Defend yourselves!" Varkasan shouted as everyone began screaming battlecries and orders.

One of the Mages approached him with some kind of sword made of pure fire and tried to stab him. Varkasan blocked it with his shield, causing the fire to pop like a firecracker and made the Mage stumble backwards. The Paladin quickly followed up with a slash to the Mage's stomach to end him. A few more approached him with Magical weaponry. Too many to counter all at once. Thinking fast, he picked up the poisoned food using his shield hand, and empowered it with Holy Flare. He then threw the glowing piece of grub into the middle of the group as it exploded into a ball of light, effectively scorching the Mages. Other enemies had began coming towards him. As long as they were only one or two, he could easily take them down with swift sword movements and timed shield blocks. If there were three or more, he would use the leftover food on the table as Holy Flares to disable all of them at once, as well as assist fellow Paladins by giving the other Mages burns with the aura from the balls of Light.

Eventually however, Spellslingers began hitting Varkasan from afar, forcing him to duck behind his shield as he was peppered with attacks of different elements. "Damn! They have me pinned down!". Turning around from behind his shield, he saw Aradus cutting down Mages on the far side of the room. Besides the table, there was clear space in between them. Varkasan had an idea.

"Aradus! When I give the word, hit me with a salvo!" Varkasan shouted towards his friend. Aradus looked at him for about a second before he understood the situation and nodded. Varkasan waited until the Mages rested momentarily with their spells. Once they stopped hitting his shield, he gave the order. "NOW!" He shouted. He quickly spun around as Aradus began conjuring and shooting arrows of Light at him. The shield got hit with all of it, and the Light arrows seemed to have stuck onto the shield. Varkasan turned back to face the Mages.

"Reflect..." Varkasan thought. The tail ends of the light arrows began shining, and then morphed into the sharp points of the arrows. His grip on his shield tightened, and all of the arrows latched onto his shield began launching towards the Mages at an even faster velocity. They would have no time to dodge, and if even one of Aradus' arrows so much as grazed them, their magic in the bodies would start burning up. None of the Spellslingers were missed, and they all fell down shouting and groaning in pain before they died.

And before anyone realized it, the battle was over. Once all the Mages were dead, Varkasan regrouped with Aradus and Kagax. "Are you two alright? How are the others?" He asked. Kagax spoke. "We lost Reginald... The poor kid ate a tiny bite. He was in no condition to fight. He was struck down before any of us could save him..." He said solemnly. "By the Light... May his soul depart in peace." Varkasan said quietly. "Thankfully we took no other casualties. However a lot of comrades have fallen as well. We should get to work on sorting the bodies." Aradus added.

However, before any of them could do that, Alicia summoned another one of her light swords to make sure there wasn't another illusion. Unfortunately, there was. One of the armored Paladins suddenly shifted into a strangely clothed man. "What a bother you lot are. Now we will have to do it the hard way." He said. And with that, the man disappeared with a teleportation spell. However, he had something else planned as strings seemed to begin protruding from the dead bodies of both Paladins and Mages. Not only that, but their bones were forcibly wrenched out of their system, and used to make some sort of distorted armor.

"This is just wrong..." Kagax said in disbelief. "Nay... This is an atrocity..." Varkasan said in anger. He believed reanimation of dead bodies to be the highest form of offense to any dead man. This Mage had to be purged.

Inquisitor Levran was the first to charge. "Amazing, considering he was poisoned not too long ago." Varkasan thought. Aradus cojured more of his arrows and let them barrage the corpses. However, the bone armor stopped them from touching the skin, which prevented it from burning up immediately. "My arrows aren't going to cut it. We need to break through their bones before we can vanquish them!" Aradus said. "Easier said than done!" Kagax said as the new battle begun. The corpses seemed to move as if they were alive, using the dropped weapons and clashing against the Paladins with impressive skill. Varkasan re-applied the Shield of Light to his equipment, and did the same for his squad.

He spotted Sylvestra and Alicia nearby, and gave them some amounts of the spell. "Don't let that go to waste!" He said after casting it. He would've given it to Levran as well, but the man was already deep in the fray. "What's the plan here?" Varkasan asked his squad. "Get in there and fight them. If you can break their armor, I can launch arrows to embed themselves inside." Aradus said. "Go with Janus, his spells have much more punch than mine or Vark's. I'll go with him. He can reflect my Flying Cleaves" Kagax said.

Varkasan nodded. Janus, with his heavy plate armor, spiked mace, and conjured battering rams of Light would be suited to shattering their armor. While he himself could reflect the long-ranged slashes made by Kagax's sword. "Understood. But stay close together and watch each other's backs!" Aradus replied as the squad rushed into the fight.

Janus opened up by launching a large Light battering ram into a group of corpses to scatter them. Kagax slashed into Varkasan's shield, to empower it with Burning Reflection, before Varkasan launched it at the group to cut them up. Some of it got inside the breaks in the bone armor made by Janus' attack and caused them to start burning up into an ash pile. However, the remaining ones raised their weapons and began to fight back.

Then, it was all a frenzied blur of Steel, Bone, Flesh, and Light....

Shara woke to a shift in the calming aura of the glade. It seemed to invigorate, to call "Wake up! There will be a meeting in the central chamber!" In fact, given how they were called here, it could just as well have been a similar message. Reluctantly leaving the marvelous bed that seemed to be some sort of shaped moss. Shara marveled at the room once more as she gathered her possessions. She had never dreamed that magic could be used for such things. Most tales of magic seemed focused on it's destructive powers, and the evils wrought by them. Likely had something to do with centuries living under Grinnoc. An author writing the merits of magic and the wonders it could make - like this haven in the forest - would likely be treated rather harshly by the Inquisition.

The meeting didn't seem to have started yet, but there were still quite a few mages seated at the large tables in the center, eating or chatting or reading or practicing whatever magicks they had. Suddenly hungry, she sat at one of the tables and began enjoying the strange fruits until the lord - evidently it really was Deliah Eternus, harboring a centuries old grudge - gave his ultimatum. Many mages eyes lit up at the proposition of citizenship. The power and protection alone would likely turn most of the mages here into his willing servants. As the daughter of a noble, even an obscure noble, Shara had that protection already. What won Shara over was the aspect of the hidden knowledge and artifacts. The fortress they were headed for couldn't have had it's libraries purged of magical thoughts either, which seemed good enough reasons to go along.

As a queue formed and people began joining Deliah's cause, Shara thought of the other things the lord had said. It was also meant to be a fight, and while the end result was desirable, what unintended consequences would there be? Deliah had mentioned that he had underworld connection, what had they been promised for their aid in making this new Meldiniar? So when Shara came to the front of the queue she gave her name as Danicia Alera, hoping to prevent becoming beholden to Deliah Eternus. Having two conflicting citizen documents could cause issues if searched, but she could worry about that later.

---

Shara entered the portal to Velstrach fortress in the middle of the line of mages. They were quite excited as they surged through, but then the crowd hushed at some motion towards the front. The cry of 'Demon' came and was echoed through the crowd. Then it seemed as if the ground itself was rising up to fight them. Shara stood rooted to the spot watching with a mixture of amazement and horror as the beast rose. As it reached its full height, a massive rocky humanoid sporting occasional shrubbery, it was restrained by the Witch who had called them here. The two locked in a power struggle, magic against magic.

"Destroy the husks so I can destroy the demon. I can hold it in place, but it requires my full attention."

The call shook Shara from her reverie, and she now noticed other things rising. They were smaller, looking almost human but deformed, and seemed to be feeding the larger one. The battle was already raging, the mages throwing their might at the beasts. A brown haired mage flew past her, the remains of spectacles dangling off his face as he hit the ground with a sickening crunch. What an odd detail to notice, spectacles. Yet she could recall the image so clearly.

It's just a cadaver. She thought to herself, breathing quickly to try and calm her rising panic. Heavy impact to the upper torso, multiple ribs and neck appear broken. At least it was a quick death.[i] Someone screamed in the distance - it seemed miles away, yet so close - and then suddenly stopped. [i]That was not a quick death.

Something roared to her left, and Shara turned to see one of the husks charging towards her. Someone screamed again. Very close this time, as instinct took over. She felt herself channelling her power, far more than she had ever dared tap back at the university, and a blinding light shot outward in a cone towards the husk's head. It reared back, blinded by the light. When it came down, an unnatural darkness was covering it's face. Shocked by the sudden light and now blinded with an illusion, the beast flailed around, attacking madly at the air, or sounds. Eventually it found itself attacking another husk - it's victim was blinded in a similar fashion. A mage was fighting a husk with a rapier, - that had always been Jerem's favourite weapon - a gash in her shoulder. That husk was blinded as well. Then another after that, until blinded husks raged on all sides.

Finally, that drive fled Shara, and she was left standing, her hands shaking uncontrollably and a horrible, burning taste in her mouth and throat. Odd, she didn't remember puking. And why was the world spinning? The ground shouldn't be that close. It seemed almost like it was rising up to meet her.

Then the cool embrace of unconsciousness took hold of her, and all worries melted away.

After a few days of living in constant wonder of this outstanding grove, while the half elf was busily munching on fruit, the first actual contact was made between the powerful forces that inhabited the throne. Calista looked up, startled and having not quite heard what had happened, and saw the nobly dressed man stepping forward to speak to the assembled mages. She leaned forward eagerly as he spoke, his voice carrying over the amassed people easily. As he continued, however, Calista's visage grew from elated and excited to serious and slightly grim.

Calista's motivation, above all else, was to travel the country. She grew restless so easily that she felt more comfortable on the ever-changing road than a stagnant house. The few times she tried leaving the fertile countryside, she was dangerously and frighteningly taught and reminded that Paladins were ruthless and merciless when it comes to citizenship papers, which would be expected as they were looking for people like her. Normally, she got out of it by blaming her race and leaving without any disrespect to the Paladins, though she had to fight on rare occasion. She ached to see a bustling human city and get lost in the miasma that was city odor, sound, and activity. She had never thought she would be able to get citizenship papers before, and that prospect alone enticed her. As he went on to discuss the purpose of the members of the covenant, she smiled. To travel and look for lost glories was already planned in her future, and she realized that being supported like this could make her a very happy elf. Nodding and smiling along with the man's speech, she was enraptured by possibilities.

The only drawback was that she had no wish to involve herself in human politics. She was worried that this agreement would bring her into conflicts she did not understand. She knew the gist of what was happening in government, anyone who lived in this country did, but if she was honest she would say that she knew very little about anything like that. As much as that dampened the appeal of the offer, she didn't completely comprehend the severity the drawbacks for such treasonous actions. She still felt the opportunity was more positive than negative. When the time came, she pledged her name and stepped through the portal.

As soon as she saw the fortress, Calista thought she made the right decision. It was regal and immense, and she absolutely loved the overgrown look of the place. She knew they would renovate all those traces away, but this was a perfect first impression. She didn't feel as close to nature in the current condition of the estate as she did in the grove, but it was stronger here than any human establishment she had ever felt before. She was saddened to think her new home would lose that quality.

As they advanced on the structure, a feeling that seemed to reverberate within the elf's bones settled in her marrow, and she looked around with the hair on the back of her neck raised in apprehension. It was old and magical, but it did not resemble the warm comfort of communion with the Earth Mother. As the boulders that littered the grounds collected into a roaring, rearing monstrosity, Calista felt a hot rage flare inside her. All living creatures, and plants, and dirt, and even stone were the creations and children of the Great Earth Mother, and to see them defiled left a bitter taste of bile in the elf's throat. When the witch heralded the danger with a loud cry, Calista didn't hear her. All she could hear was blood throbbing in her ears. She whipped her staff to bare, other hand gripped around an invisible and intangible leash that figuratively wrapped around the stone at her feet, sectioning off large slabs as she prepared for battle. Having traveled lands without secure roads, she was used to defending herself in a way, but never from something of this magnitude. Fueled by fury, Calista sneered at the tainted stone before her.

The witch restrained the major beast from barreling through their amassed force and more tainted stone rose from the ground. More enemies came to bear against her, so Calista's prayer to the Earth Mother was raised to a spoken whisper, her voice sounding reverent and pleading. It would not be understood, however, by any of the humans gathered here, for in prayer Calista spoke only in Elvish. As she channeled deeper, the ability graced to her as an answer to her beseeching words, she could feel the stone she planned to wrench to her call that lied below her. But she could also feel the disgusting sensation of the tainted, possessed stone beings that lumbered toward her. The very material that comprised the beings felt wrong; stone was normally strong and heavy, and pounded with a steady rhythmic beating as though singing with the heartbeat of the earth, but the stone of the abominations felt as though riddled with holes that made caverns filled with acidic, organic puss that dripped and infested them further with each passing moment. She shuddered, the feeling almost overwhelming her, and she withdrew her perception as to not draw the attention of an unwanted visitor. She shook herself, still furious at the desecration of the Great Mother's Earth, but now more composed. She thanked the Mother for the quick reality shock, and finally hefted her staff and gripped hand as though they bared a great weight. The crashing sound of wrenched stone tore through the cacophony of battle.

The slabs were not large: they were each approximately four feet long and 3 feet thick. They were jagged, having been torn from the larger building blocks of the courtyard's floor. There were three of them, suspended equidistant around the small elf a few feet from the ground. As she moved, the slabs swirled around her, and she kept up her guard. If one possessed cairn would come too close, it would be pushed to the ground by a barrage of flying boulders. Looking around, Calista knew she should get to where people would need healing. Her spells could save lives, and she knew that healing her downed allies would be better than draining herself trying to destroy the formidable hulks. The mages had begun to form different configurations, and many of them were working in conjuncture; one group would weaken, the other would kill. She passed by the configured groups and looked for stragglers that sill needed help.

She moved briskly, trying to conserve energy and choosing to avoid enemies rather than engage. It wasn't long before she found someone. A hulk fell before her, revealing the sight of a woman collapsing. With practiced precision, the slabs that hovered converged in a shield-like structure above her as she crouched next to the woman. After a quick look, Calista saw little wounds and figured the woman had exhausted herself by channeling. Reminding herself not to do the same, Calista raised her hand over the woman's forehead, closed her eyes, and muttered a soft-worded prayer. A soft green glow surrounded her fingertips and the woman's temples, and after a moment of the elf slightly straining the woman took an easy breath. Calista stopped, her own breath coming in small pants, and looked around her hovering shield. One hulk was looking at her through the gaps, and another was caught by the first's attention. She cursed under her breath and stood on weak knees, hoping someone would see her and the prone woman's plight.

Conrad Felden

Night had almost fallen by the time they reached the village and it was a relief to dismount. The horses had done the work, but travel still took a lot out of the riders. Despite this, he stayed back to take care of his horse himself. The animal deserved a good brush down and some care after a long ride. Possibly some villagers would be out later to care for them, but Conrad was glad he did it, just in case. A villager even came out and offered to do the job for him, and then stayed by to make sure he knew where to go later. Very kind. He followed the woman back to the large home of the village elder gratefully. Another villager, male this time, invited him in with a smile. Conrad smiled and nodded, and moved past into the great hall. The woman who had accompanied him even brought back a plate of food and a small cup of... something. Likely whatever passed for alcohol in this small village. The thought made him feel shamed. The people here probably were getting paid for this, but at the same time, what they were giving to the Paladins was likely the best they had. The wine served here may be the only such in the village, and even with the money they may receive in recompense, if any, they probably wouldn’t spend it on such a luxury as pleasure foods.

Conrad shook his head with a smile and put down his pack next to a bench.
“I brought my own food, no need for you to strain yours resources so much.” He gestured, “Go ahead and take a seat, we are Paladins, but we won’t harm you.” She laughed as if he said something funny, but still forced the drink on him. Conrad took it gratefully, and unloaded some food. Being prepared was a simple thing, he had brought enough staples- raw potatoes and hard bread- to last a day or two without outside support. He would have expected the same of all Paladins- relying on those you are protecting for support is a bad policy. He was about to take a long gulp when Alicia’s blade appeared, floating for a moment- and then exploding. The smell of the liquid rolled over him at the same moment that the true image of the room did. The woman disappeared, replaced by a robed figure, and all around him men died with food still in their mouths, choking and coughing blood, some even forcing themselves to vomit before dying- there appeared little one could do to save themselves. Even the Inquisitor was heaving, despite being better off than the others. It appeared a substantial number hadn’t eaten the food quite yet, but only a few had escaped a horrible death in his vicinity. Across the room from him, Sylvestra had assumed command immediately, forming a shield wall on one side and sweeping back the mages to create a battle line, with wounded and dying (mostly dying) to their backs. Highwielder, quite a fighter himself, followed her orders meanwhile and crashed through the mages directly to his front to report. Meanwhile, Conrad sprung into action, standing and flipping the heavy table on its side, turning with it to his back and tackling the mage who had guided him here, who had just begun some sort of fire spell. Obviously she hadn’t begun casting fast enough, because her neck was broken before he even could feel the heat. It wasn’t enough though, he was surrounded by the ranged mages. It appeared almost all of the weapon wielders had congregated towards the shield wall and... And explosion lifted him off his feet and into a wall. Conrad was surrounded by slingers. There was little choice but to roll forward and shelter against the table, letting the heavy-but splintering wood take a barrage. Nearly across from him, Varkasan and just a few others were shredding mages left and right. The man’s sword seemed almost invisible to Conrad, despite the flashes of Light emitting from it and the shield. Aradus was further away from Varkasan and closer to Conrad, even so, it wasn’t close enough. The light arrows were all too familiar- they had saved him years ago. The table behind him suddenly slammed into his back and knocked him forward with a wave of heat, the table itself disintegrated under that last shockwave. Hiding was over. A brief lull in the shots allowed the fire to die down and reveal ten mages facing him from across the burning wreckage of the table. None of them seemed interested in a peace talk.

Three. Five mages released spells, each varying in style, but all intended to kill. Glowing spots of light appeared all over Conrad’s outstretched arms and chest.
Two. The other mages release spells as well, and the other spells are almost on him. The glow intensifies.
One. Death.

Blazing beams of pure light exploded out from every glowing spot on Conrad’s body, hitting spells and mages indiscriminately as the barrage completely swallowed the spells cast at him, and then struck the mages behind. The beams themselves did little physical damage to the mages, but all of them created extreme heat, burning straight through clothing and blackening skin where they struck- and the light magic burned straight into their bodies, igniting like a grease fire wherever the beams struck the mages. The air itself was traced with smoke and steam where the beams had passed, and the ten died rolling in agony, mana burning along with flesh. Around them, parts of the wall and floor were burning and charred in perfect circles where beams missed.

Conrad was kneeling, screaming at the ceiling as his own flames burned at his flesh. White fire seemed to envelope his entire body, focusing on his arms and chest where the beams had begun. It licked his skin, not physically burning him, but burning all the same. Mages that had ducked the blast initially had already began a rush at him while Conrad was still leaning on the wall, standing with gritted teeth. Flames still danced across his body. The first to approach had a short sword, which smoked some sort of black aura- the air itself seemed to dim a bit where it swished past. Conrad stumbled back from the first swipes, and then the mage charged, pushing his advantage. Unfortunately, Conrad charged as well, roaring as if to frighten a bear. A big one.

He swung up an arm guard, snarling at the man, who desperately parried Conrad’s arm- the sight would have been laughable if it wasn’t life or death. The blade spell numbed Conrad’s arm to almost uselessness upon impact with the blade, even through the thick metal armguards. But Conrad’s was already on top of him, and his good hand pressed against his opponents forehead long enough to send a blast of light magic straight into his skull. The resulting blast sent another scream rolling out of Conrad’s lips, but he didn’t give in to the pain, it was just one burn. Instead, he grabbed his numbed arm with the burning hand and gritted his teeth, hissing as the fire banished the magic plaguing him and then lit a small fire on arm. He stood slowly, facing the remaining mages just feet away. They all had began casting, and he knew there was no chance of blocking these spells. And then there was Alicia.

She came seemingly out of nowhere and simply shredded them all, not even pausing in movement, cutting through spell and mage alike as if they were nothing. One of her blades passed just an inch in front of his face before gutting a mage within arms reach with perfect control, and then she was gone again. Though he wanted to drop to his knees, Conrad stood, the burning in his hand had abated very slightly, and he was used to it at this point anyway. The initial burn always was overwelming- but just the initial. The following sting, flesh melting sensation was nothing much in comparison. He moved carefully across the room, to Sylvestra’s shield wall, and even paused to help up an injured-but-alive Paladin who had been struck in the leg, letting the other man lean on him until they got behind the wall of men. In truth though, they were using eachother. So many beams at once had been excruciating, like having a bucket of coals from a smiths forge poured over his body. Sylvestra was already taking a casualty count, and Aradus had survived, thank the light, uniting Varkasan and another Paladin. He let the Paladin down in the safety of Tarfield’s men, and moved closer so he could hear her further orders. She was a ranking officer from the Vanguard, after all. There was another flash of light from across the room, and Conrad missed what was said, nor could he see what happened. What he could see though, were all the dead and dying the shield wall had protected on this small area of the room. They were moving. All the dead rose slowly, lines fainter than the traces his own magic left behind seemed to connect them upward, dragging corpses to their feet, mage and Paladin alike. They arose seemingly everywhere- people had died everywhere. Bones shifted with disturbing sounds as armor seemed to grow out of the undead, leaving revolting abominations in the places of honorable and treacherous men alike.

With this, everyone was immediately rushing to action. Sylvestra sent men to cover the Inquisitor, forming almost an arrow head- with the monster of a man at the forefront. Last Conrad had seen, he had been struggling, but now the man was shredding the undead, his support was doing little more than guarding his sides and back. But even as that group moved easily through the room as a killing machine, it left plenty behind, and the Paladins were instantly beset upon again. Conrad retreated into a corner of the room, dragging the injured man with him. A few of the dead charged, their distorted forms moving oddly with displaced movements. As the first mage corpse reached him, Conrad lashed out with a strong kick, knocking it back- spewing a roaring blast of Light from his foot to swallow not only the dead, but the other corpses behind it as far back as eleven feet, creating a burning wall of fire pushed out in front of him. Conrad himself dropped to the ground with another gasp, more white flames burning all the way up his leg. Conrad's entire body glowed slightly, burning like a horrible sunburn. He trembled, but still stood and managed to take a firm stance. Conrad would defend this wounded man to the death.

The afterlife would have no hold on him. Conrad grinned savagely, taking up a blade discarded on the ground. How could death be frightening? He would face hell fire every time he had to kill one of these things.