With the matter settled, the Master now took his leave back through a portal that he carelessly spawned. By the time that the ashes of the cremated dead began to grow cold in the dwarves' ruined hall, the Keeper was already beginning to set in place another of his diabolical plots.

He spent the next several days in seclusion within his inner sanctum. Strange men cloaked in black (and other, stranger beings as well) began riding to the dungeon by night. It would seem that the Master was not as idle nor as incompetent as one might think; he had eyes everywhere in this land, and for whatever reason these spies that had first arrived in small trickles were now becoming an almost constant sight. The Master only allowed his precious solitude to be disturbed by reports from those spies.

Every last blood slave that the Master had in his pen was dragged to the ritual chambers. Soon enough the dark halls began to reek of something foul: there was the heavy, metallic taste of blood spilled from the countless sacrificial victims, but the air was also laden with the sickening smell of sulfur and the infernal realms. Sacrifice after sacrifice were brought down, along with candles, incense, and other reagents for the rituals. What came back up were all manner of horrifying monsters. [url=https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTV_nidLyTkkaTxHg-L3QCU0aPhMn2U2tIUGsXQ-bngEJeUQAS8]Brazen demonic knights[/url] marched forth, their armor dusky and their swords bloodied from the perpetual chaos and fighting of their home plane. They were followed by [url=https://yt3.ggpht.com/-Tv_4Y9o-xBQ/AAAAAAAAAAI/AAAAAAAAAAA/NL3VJxJ0jk8/s900-c-k-no/photo.jpg]winged vanguards[/url] with flesh that smoldered with sickly green flame and all manner of cruel weapons in their hands. Horror after horror was summoned to join the Horde, and it was with an almost desperate frenzy that the Master and his imps worked to tirelessly summon more.

Among all those that surged forth from the infernal gateways was one...more unusual being. He shrouded his form within a thick cloak, a masked hood, and boots that seemed to make no sound as they touched the floor. Concealed within his handwraps were extendable blades if one looked closely, but beyond that he had no weapons save for whatever might be within the strange satchel that he always carried upon his shoulder. His stature was rather humanoid, and indeed he might have passed for some sort of desert bandit were it not for two eyes that glowered with that crimson light that gives any demon away for what they are.

This peculiar being practically radiated power and had a particularly sinister and shifty aura about him, though in all their haste and carelessness none of the summoners paid him much heed. He was quick to take to the shadows and skulk about the dungeon after he was summoned, meticulously analyzing everything and everyone from the comfort of shady corners. The first person to ask his name caught him off guard, and he answered with the first alias that came to mind. [color=FFA500][i]Faeles.[/i][/color]

[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/In5deai.jpg[/img][/center]

In any case, one day the summoning rituals suddenly stopped. At last, just when the Horde was beginning to grow restless, the Master ordered his champions to cease whatever they had been doing to keep themselves preoccupied and convene with him in the depths of the dungeon.

Once they had all made their way there, he began. [b][i]"Those of you with half a mind might have noticed that something is afoot. The human kingdom has begun mustering every soldier that they can to raise an army the likes of which this land has never seen."[/i][/b] While this would have been disastrous tidings and explain the recent flurry of activity, the warlock's tone had not a hint of fear or nervousness. Rather, he sounded gleeful and amused. Perhaps he had at last gone fully insane, for he stopped momentarily just to laugh with some sort of sadistic glee.

He went on, [b][i]"Their little army was even joined by some elves, though our recent work with that outpost has ensured that no aid will come from the dwarves. Oh, but they do not march on us! Rather, a rival Horde of Evil, led by some great brute of an ogre, declared war upon this kingdom. From some stronghold to the east, this rival horde marched through the northern mountain passes with an army in the tens of thousands. It will take every levy that the humans can muster to repel such a force. Naturally, while our rival and our mortal enemy weather down one another, we will move to annihilate them both. Before either of them so much as learn of our existence, it will be too late."[/i][/b]

While this sank in, the Keeper gestured to an empty space on the stone floor and a tendril of flame drifted from his palm to the cold surface. The fire scorched and superheated that small patch bleak stone until it began to glow. As one gazed into the depths of the searing rock, a strange picture of a faroff place became clear. The Dungeon Keeper allowed his underlings several moments to crowd the scrying spell and look for themselves; it flashed back and forth between the vast hordes of monstrous creatures on their unchallenged march through the humans' verdant fields and then to their distant stronghold, impressive in its grandeur but nearly abandoned. The few defenders there would put up a fight, but the Horde would no doubt prevail and manage to pillage that fortress for all its treasures.

Suddenly the pounding of footsteps echoed from down a corridor and a line of demons, fresh recruits for the Master's army, stomped out in formation as they marched to leave the dungeon. [b][i]"Gather your things over the next few hours and then fall in line! We march a short ways north for lands held by the orcish tribes; there are passes through the mountains there. By traveling that way, we will both go quicker and avoid drawing the attention of either of our enemies. It wouldn't do to distract them from killing one another."[/i][/b]

In the back of the crowd Faeles had stood and watched the whole time, shrinking away from the slightest glance and withering slightly whenever the Master's wandering eye lingered too long near him. Regardless, with most of the attention on the Master and so many creatures coming and going throughout the ranks of the horde, he probably was not so inconspicuous as one might think. When the Keeper finished his worthless spiel, Faeles lingered for a short while to let the others disperse. He would not be the first to leave, but neither would he be the last. He would blend in, until an opportunity presented itself...