Calvartem nodded in contemplation, then after a short pause he climbed back on to Shadowmane and gave his reply. "We go together to attack. My undead operate poorly without my direct intercession." He was about to ride off when he sensed something in the sky above him that gave him pause. Looking up, he spotted a glowing red point in the sky. It did not appear to be moving much, but when he looked at it for long enough he realised that it was getting closer. Moments later it became evident that it was moving very fast, as it struck down at the side wall of the crypt, the collision throwing rock and dust everywhere. Shadowmane, normally as calm and placid as a corpse, reared back from the burst.

When the dust settled, Calvartem saw the damage done. The object had landed just beside the crypt which contained his Heart, throwing aside dirt, and also smashing the near wall, blasting stone into the interior of the crypt. The object, a rock of some kind inscribed with a few strange runes, sat there, glowing with a cracking red aura. Already several of the shadowy imps had assembled to curiously peer at the object. Calvartem, on the back of Shadowmane, rode up to it as well, visibly annoyed at the damage made by this strange object but also inwardly fearful of where it had come from and why it had almost crushed his Heart.

"Don't just stand there, move it aside," Calvartem ordered the imps, "When you've done that you can fix the damage. Reinforce these walls too, so they are not as easily breached in future." A few of the imps drifted in over the ground to lift it, but as soon as they touched the aura they jumped back as if in pain and then refused the approach the object again. This act of disobedience angered the Necromancer, who raised his staff and with a blast of black fire disintegrated one of the imps' incorporeal forms. "I said move the rock, that is a direct command!"

Being unable to protest on account of being silent, the imps reluctantly and fearfully moved in again to move the rock, but as soon as they were able to get a grip on it and lift it their shadowy forms faded away, destroyed by the rock's aura. Disgruntled, Calvartem instead raised 10 walkers from the town and had them come over, for walkers had no capacity to disobey him. He made three of them lift the rock and try to carry it over, but as they worked their arms disintegrated to the point of being useless. This was of no concern, as Calvartem merely had then swap out with another walker. Unerringly loyal, and completely expendable. Eventually the artefact had been carried away from the Heart and placed aside in the middle of the road.

With the way clear the imps got to work on repairing the Heart, and now Calvartem merely had to figure out how to deal with this strange artefact. He dismounted from Shadowmane and walked closer to inspect it. He could see that dust was slowly accumulating on the ground around it, except that dust was made as the cobbles deteriorated rather than fall on it. The object also seemed to be made of some form of crystal rather than rock. But most importantly, Calvartem sensed great power emanating from the artefact. Then, without warning, it spoke to those present telepathically, mainly addressing Calvartem.

[i]"I am here with a purpose. I have an offer, one which can bring destruction to any who might dare threaten you."[/i]

The voice speaking with-in his mind, which seemed to come from the stone, made a tempting offer. Calvartem had always worried about security, how if an army, even a small one, were to slip past it while he was away they could easily overrun his Dungeon, or any of his other towns. Aloud, he replied to the message. "Do elaborate."

[i]"I can grant you greater strength so your magic can obliterate your foes. I can make it so your Dungeon itself will lash out at any who dare come close. All I need is a share of your strength."[/i]

Calvartem paced around the stone. "A share of my strength?"

[i]"Allow me to feed from the excess power in your Heart. When you need your power, I shall let you have it and more."[/i]

This offer seemed very lucrative, but it also seemed dangerous. There was no way to tell if this entity would keep the bargain or turn on him. Calvartem decided that, since he had to resources, he would get a second opinion. He turned to Conquest and spoke, scouring his memory for the right words. "Man of flame, what is your... opinion of this entity? Trustworthy, or treacherous?"