Exalted Story Hour: The Tale of the Perfect Circle

[Elemental]

Well, here I am, bravely / foolishly trying out a non-d20 story hour. Let's hope I suceed despite that.

The characters are:

Madeka Dershan of the Eclipse caste. A doctor and spirit friend who runs a charitable concern in the downtown of Nexus, she acts as a force for reconciliation and healing, both of the body and mind.

Kashim, the Desert Falcon of the Night caste. Son of a noble house from the South, this man is dedicated to the pursuit of happiness, in it's many wonderful forms. He travels north to seek the crime lord responsible for the death of his brother.

Majin Lorimer of the Twilight caste. A necromancer from the Western archipelago, specifically the shadowland isle of Skullstone. Former assistant to a deathknight, he was forced to watch his lost love forged into a weapon after a failed attempt to call her ghost from the Underwold. Now he hides in the city, trying to forget the past and searching for a way to put things right.

Captain Akilla Felsana of the Zenith caste. A former officer in the military of the great Realm, she survived the conquest of her city by the forces of the Deathlord Mask of Winters due to her Exaltation, and leads a small group of mercenaries, with the eventual aim of reclaiming her city. She is riven with guilt over what she has become.

But our tale doesn't start with any of those four. It starts off with a man in a forest, and three enemies trying hard to kill him.

 

[Elemental]

(OK, here's the first part. Comments welcome.)

Part 1:

The Rising Sun:

The hobgoblins charged across the forest floor. There were three of them, brutal ugly humanoids who made up the armies of the great fae nobles or who lurked in the wild places of Creation, wielding short swords, and shouting curses. The young girl who they were hunting cowered behind a trunk of one of the giant trees that dotted the outskirts of the great Eastern forest, eyes wide. Evening sunlight sends down shafts between the trees that made it seem as if the sun was shining a spotlight on the battle. Their target waited in one of them, seemingly unconcerned. He didn’t look that extraordinary, just a man in the garb of a traveler.

Suddenly, the man burst into action. He drew out his sword and makes a full out rush towards the one hobgoblin between him and the girl, trying to cut it down. Its tough hide absorbed some of the blow, but not enough, and it staggers back, deeply cut, it’s face twisting into an even worse grimace than usual. The other two fae hesitated, and then both attacked the interloper. Their blades darted in, but were deflected by the armor concealed underneath the man’s cloak, leaving only a cut along his side. He winced in pain, and jumped backwards over a root.

He stopped dead in his tracks and wheeled about to face the creatures, "Come now you little bastards, stop trying to pick on young ladies, and try someone who can fight back?" he said in a mocking tone. He jumped back, out of reach of the crude swords of his enemies. Their blades flashed into empty air. The man laughed at the creatures flailing about wildly, "Come now, you can do better than that..." He then stood in a defensive position, but ready to slice the first goblin to rush him. The fae charged in to attack. In a blur of motion, the sword of one of them cut into the trunk of a tree, throwing off chips of bark. Then the sword leapt between them, throwing off blinding shafts of light. When the girl could see again, one of the hobgoblins had lost an arm, one was lying in a crumpled heap on the floor and the third was deeply wounded. The two injured fled.

The girl came out of her hiding place, and hurried over to the man. "Oh! Thank you, I couldn't get away....they were running after me." she said, the surprise and relief apparent in her voice. "My name's Essily. Are you all right?""

Now she could see her savior more clearly. He was a slightly taller than average person with a wiry build. His sharp features and dark, lanky hair lent an air to menace to his appearance, but those are offset by his green eyes that seemed to say it was all right, the danger had passed.

Turning to the girl, Zaokan said, "It's no problem Essily, I've got a nick or two, but I seriously advise we leave as soon as possible. Who knows if they'll attack again?"

"I don't know. They were after me." she said, looking at the ground.

"Alright, but where is the closest village? We should get out of here now."

"The closest one is my home. They can probably help with that cut you got."

"Thank you, we should get on our way then. Lead the way, and don't slow down on my account..."

She nodded, looking somewhat awestruck, and runs through the trees with the ease and familiarity of a born Easterner, beckoning for him to follow. Zaokan followed after her, the pain from the cut beginning to sting, not slowing down until they reach the village.

It was a medium-sized village, established in a clearing. It was built out of the same dark brown wood as the local trees. There were about twenty houses, plus a town hall. The town was behind a wooden stockade, but the gates are open. Zaokan frowned. To his keen senses, something was amiss here. As he walked towards the gate, he pinpointed what it was. There was no sign or sound of the wildlife. Until now, it had been ubiquitous.

Several people came out to meet them. Two of them were presumably Essily's parents, from the way they rushed over to her. One of them was a heavily built man with thinning hair, the other was a middle-aged woman with long brown hair, brown eyes, and an expression that looked weathered by worry. "Are you all right? Are you hurt? Who's that man?"

Zaokan looked around, a tad concerned, "A fine town you have here. I'm dually impressed that you have managed to keep the lesser animals out of here."

The woman straightened up. "Yes, we did...this is a quiet town. We don't get many disturbances."

Essily said "He got hurt when some of those nasty hobgoblins tried to hurt me. I said he could stay here till he was better." The mother smiled. "Of course he can. We'll take care of him. But he can't stay too long." The father, a large, burly man, spoke up. "He can stay as long as he likes. After all, he saved our little girl." The woman looked about to say something, but nodded mutely.

The woman took Zaokan back to the family house. Inside, it was quite comfortable and a welcome change from the cold and mud of his days on the road. The woman pointed to a chair. “If you’ll sit there, I’ll have a look at that wound. My name is Gahlen, by the way.” She got some herbs out and began to brew a poultice. "You can stay here tonight....if you're sure you want to. I mean, you must be going somewhere, right?"

Zaokan said "Well I was on my way to Nexus to find a job, but I'm in no real hurry if that's what you're asking."

Gahlen nodded at the mention of the infamous city. “What do you do then? Oh, I need to see the wound to treat it.” She took a strip out of the rather smelly mixture it had been soaking in.

Zaokan said "I'm a security consultant, forming, training, and operating small militias for villages and the like."

Essily said, from the doorway where she had silently appeared, "We don't need one of those things! It's nice and peaceful here and nothing bad ever happens." Gahlen started. “I didn’t hear you come in, dear.” Zaokan removed his clothes, noting that she seemed wary, almost afraid of her daughter. Gahlen dressed the wound expertly, her touch featherlight as she tried to avoid aggravating the pain of the cut.

When she was done, she showed Zaokan to an empty bedroom, with just a bed and small table in it. She bade him goodnight in a quiet voice. Zaokan replied "Thank you for everything. I guess I should probably rest now until I can get better." Gahlen hesitated for a moment, then nodded assent and closed the door. As he lay on the bed, waiting for sleep after the exertions of the day, that same quiet descended on the village. It was a bit eerie. In his days of travelling in the East, he’d never heard complete silence. There was at least one forest animal or bug of some description making noise every night before now.

But eventually, tiredness won out over wariness. Zaokan drifted off to sleep and confused dreams of his family, now very far away. But they dissolved when he was unexpectedly woken from his sleep by Gahlen, carrying a lantern in one hand and shaking his shoulder with the other. "Please! They're coming! You must go now!"

"What? Who's coming, what's going on, and what about Essily?" Zaokan leant out of bed and put on his shirt and coat once again.

Gahlen replied, sounding terrified, "Ravagers! And my daughter among them! You were lured here to feed the....thing....that promised to guard us in return for protection. I was hoping you'd go before they struck....oh no!" From outside came the thunder of feet coming up the stairs. ""It's waiting for you in the town hall.""

The door was pushed open. The father and daughter stood there. Essily said "Please, mother don't make this too hard. Gor-sarn doesn't ask much, just a little meal every now and then. And this one took so much effort to bring in."

Zaokan whipped out his Tiger claws, the metal glinting in the moonlight, and attached them to his wrists. "So I take it you weren't in any danger at all, Essily and this was all a ploy to bring me here?" Essily said ""That's right. Sorry, but if we didn't do this, people would get eaten, or killed by the bad barbarians."

Zaokan’s eyes narrowed. Reading his intent, Gahlen cried out "Don't hurt my little girl! It's that Fair thing that's done this to her."

The man hefted a wood axe. “Don’t make this harder than it already is, stranger.”

Zaokan said "Well you did a good job in fooling me, not many can. However, I guess you'll have to tell what ever monstrosity you have that he'll have to go on a diet." He turned around, jumping through the window with one arm extended so the tiger claw could latch on to the edge of the window. The claws dug into the edge, sending him flying in a curve to land, crouched on the roof.

Outside, the village was still asleep, apart from the town hall, which seemed to be lit from within. Zaokan smirked to himself as he set off running across the roof, jumping on to the next house. From inside, he heard a curse, and the man saying. "You shoudn't have done that, love. Now we'll have to offer it one of our own again."

Stoping as he hears the cries, he curses he good nature, and instead jumps off to the next adjacent roof, on a path towards town hall. He landed on the roof with as little sound as a feather. It wasn’t much more than twice the size of a normal house in this place, but more well-decorated, with a pair of double doors at the front, and three large windows down each side.

Zaokan leant down to get a closer look at the boards on the roof. Wood, coated with some kind of organic preservative, "This isn't going to be easy..." he muttered quietly and he began to work his Tiger Claws under an edge and pry enough away for him to slip inside. Piece by piece, he silently made a gap big enough to slip through. The wound twinged unpleasantly.

Below, he looked down on a luxurious hall, illuminated by the light of five torches. Whatever this hall used to look like, now it had been converted into an impromptu throne room for the thing that sat in the chair at the head of the room, asleep, or meditating. It resembled a handsome man from the waist up, but the bottom half was the tail of a giant, green-scaled serpent. It was surrounded by food, valuable items and it's breathing produced a harsh hissing sound. It was about 20 feet below him.

So, this was the member of the Fair Folk that this village had struck a pact with. But he intended to show it, it had picked the wrong individual to sap of passion today.

Zaokan slid down onto the rafter, silently, but dislodged a tile. It falls to the the ground in what seems like slow motion and shatters. The faerie immediately snapped out of his trance and looks round. Zaokan hugged against the beam, not moving at all, trying to escape his notice.

Gor-Sarn seized an axe, and looked round suspiciously. He noticed the hole in the ceiling and began looking over the ceiling. However, his back was turned. Zaokan slowly took off his tiger claws and gripped the hilt of the sword. As the faerie thing turned away, he moved to be almost right on top of him and dropped down from the ceiling, sword out to impale.

The blow was true, but the sword was deflected by his scaly skin. He spun to face the assassin, his mouth opening unnaturally wide to reveal fangs. "Impudent mortal!" he bellowed as he lunges to bite.

"Yes, but at least I'm not a gutless weakling that intimidates others to do my dirty work." Zaokan’s taunt was cut off as the fangs bit, leaving a ragged wound along his chest.

"I am no weakling! Prepare to find that out the hard way!" bellowed the fae, and held out a hand, exercising his control over the element of Wood. A cast-over chair exploded into splinters of wood that flew towards Zaokan like a swarm of hornets. He tried to parry them, but was pelted all the same, leaving several superficial cuts. He lunged forward, slashing at waist height, penetrating the fae’s defence and leaving a cut along it’s arm. Gor-Sarn said ""You can at least fight worth a damn. I offer you the chance to leave this place and avoid your death. The villagers here are poor fodder, but they are at least less trouble to subdue!""

Zaokan seemed to relax a bit, "Then why have you come to subjigate this village?!"

“I provide protection, they provide my food. One way or another. Leave now if you want to live. I am sure the fear of the woman Gahlen will be more than satisfying. And after her....there will always be more villagers for my thralls to lure close." It hissed obscenely at the thought, sounding like it savoured it a great deal.

Zaokan glanced to check the position of the door. If he turned and ran now, he could escape. He tapped his fingers along the hilt of his sword, and thought for a moment. "Well, my self-preservation instinct is still working," With that he lunged forward, slashing at the beast, "Of course I don't trust you enough to turn my back on."

The wood fae laughed, and then dived forward to meet him. For a moment, it seemed that it was day again, as a shaft of sunlight flowed through the hole in the roof, surrounding Zaokan. He saw the creature hesitate, and the hall was lit up as if it were day for just a moment. And suddenly, he was moving and fighting faster than he ever had before.

The faerie lunged forward, slashing with it's axe. The two of them met and seperated, neither landing a blow. Zaokan saw nothing but the beast and it's weapon, and he did his best to dodge the thing and hit home with his sword. = It hit, and in trying to dodge, he slipped on the spilt fruit and loses his weapon. The sword bit deep into the scaled chest of the faerie. He looked up with something approximating shock, and did his shattering trick again. Zaokan dodged the blow with a minimum of effort, and then struck back. With Gor-Sarn’s attention wholy focused on shattering the wood, he couldn’t react in time.

He scored another deep wound. The snakeman recoiled, shedding greenish, fragrant blood, and looked back in shock. "This is impossible! No mortal can defeat me!" He attempted to bite, but his jaw closed on thin air.

From the corner of his eye, Zaokan noticed a figure standing in the doorway, but was too focused on the battle to care. He leapt into the air, and brought his sword sweeping around in a furious storm of blows. The snakeman leaft his guard open. He raised his arm to try and stop the first stroke, but it took his hand off. The second one severed his head. The body fell to the floor and thrashed terribly, wrecking most of the impromptu throne room before lying still.

There was silence.

Zaokan stood over his defeated foe and slowly looked up at the person standing in the doorway.

She was a tall woman who looked elderly, though her precise age was impossible to guess, anywhere from 50 to 80. She had wrinkled, weathered, skin, but looked in very good shape, not seeming frail at all. She wore a formal, ornate dress that looks expensive, and some jewellery, including an collar made from some kind of metallic grey substance. She also had a patch over her right eye. She stepped forward and spoke.

"So I was right. I was told you would be here...what name do you use now?" Zaokan slightly raised his katana in her general direction but makes no other move, "I am Zaokan Valner, and who are you? You're not with some Guild Mercenary unit sore of an independant contractor?"

"The latter, though not in the way you think. My name is Gloriana. If you want proof of my intentions, does this calm your fears?" She made a sign with her hand, and a brilliant scarlet shape glowed briefly on her forehead. Zaokan recognised that as the mark of Mars, one of the five Maidens of fate. But he didn’t know how he know that. Also, there seemed to be something naggingly familiar about her face.

Zaokan shook his head and said "What the hell are you talking about? I honestly don't care if you’ve got some glow in the dark paint smeared on your forehead, what do you want?"

Gloriana replied "You don't know what you are? Has it been so long? Look in the mirror of your blade, O Tiger. This weapon has saved your life so many times tonight, do you think it would lie to you now?"

Zaokan narrowed his eyes a bit, and lifted his sword up into his field of vision. On his forehead was a glowing circle with eight small lines radiating from it. A stylised sunburst. And it didn’t seem to come off when rubbed.

He knew that this was the mark of one of the Solar Anathema, the demonic overlords who had ruled the Realm in ages past. The Dragon-Blooded taught that this was the mark of the Forsaken, the insane, psychotic warriors of that breed who according to the scriptures of the Immaculate Philosophy, were left to perish on their own against the righteous armies of the Dragon-Blooded, while their allies fled for shelter.

Zaokan said "Pht, you want me to believe I'm an Anathema? Please, they are just demons created by the Dragon-Blooded to make themselves feel important and scare little children."

"You are right, but not in the way you think! The Anathema are lies, a glossing over of the past."

"What do you mean, 'not in the way I think'?"

"Once, you were a glorious hero, who fought for the people, who defeated the fae, the demons, even the ancient gods themselves! But you were slain by treachery and your soul imprisoned. For millenia....but now you have returned."

"...I think I was buying the Anathema story more...."

As for what I am....perhaps more direct and benovolent proof of my power will be needed." She jabbed her forehead, throat and breastbone in rapid succession, and then touched Zaokan lightly. He felt his wounds healing as if by magic. She seemed to take the wounds briefly onto her own body before healing them just as rapidly. Zaokan frowned. His knowledge of martial arts was sufficient to recognise that as a Wood Dragon technique, supposedly restricted to the famous monks of the Immaculate Order.

Zaokan said "So you're a rouge priest trying to bring new members into your 'crusade' with this whole Anathema bit?"

"I am nothing of the kind. I know that style because I invented it. I am a Sidereal, chosen of Mars. Long ago, I trained you in your fighting skills and watched over you as you battled, foresaw assassins who would try to slay you in your sleep, talked with you to plan the movements of armies." Zaokan looked at Gloriana as if she just sprouted wings, a couple of tails, and several pairs of eyes. "Your disbelief is understandable. I was hoping you would recognise me on sight, but alas, it is not so. But will you give me a chance to show you what I mean?"

“Well, you did heal me, so I should at least hear you out. Simply out of gratitude, mind you."

"You asked me if I was raising an army. I am. An army of people like you. My pupil already seeks out a Resplendent Sun and a Setting Sun as I speak. Come to my home and meet them."

Gloriana produced a needle dangling from a length of what looks like woven, golden hair. "This will always point to my sanctum. Be careful what you do with it, though, for it will burn to fine ash in any hands but yours."

"So you're just gathering an army of capable mercenaries not already grabbed by the Guild or those Dragon-Blooded bastards. Should have known..."

“My army will consist of five men and women, if that. But they could overturn any force of mortals you could name."

"I honestly find that rather hard to believe..."

"You shall see what I mean. You were a legend in the First Age....Zaokan. But though I long to tell you of your deeds, I must be patient, and let you adapt to the memories at your own pace. I wish I could stay with you, but I must leave. They say a Hidden Sun and Crowned Sun have been sighted in Nexus. Follow the needle, and be wary of showing your powers. The Dragon-Blooded will try to slay you while you are still young and weak if they discover you exist again."

Zaokan hesitated, then went over and took the compass from her gently and says, "That won't be too hard since I have no powers than my usual cunning."

Gloriana sighed and said ""As for the folk of this town....I have laid a simple spell on them to keep them occupied. Now the faerie has been slain, it's hold over the unfortunates of this town will have been shattered too. I look forward to....working....with you once more. I thought this day would never come.” She seemed to hesitate, considering saying something more, but decided against it. “But farewell for now." She stepped back outside and was seemingly swallowed by the dark.

Zaokan blinked at her disappearance. He shrugged, and took the axe, and a few jade coins for the trouble of freeing the town from fae influence, and started out. Some people watched him anxiously from behind doors or windows as he walked. As he went out the gates, he glanced Gahlen holding a crying Essily. The woman looked over her shoulder with something halfway between awe and fear. Zaokan pressed on into the darkness, and whatever it might hold.

 

[Elemental]

(An OOC explanation about this one. Yusuke was a PC, but the player decided to switch characters, having found he didn't like her much in play. Hey, it happens to the best of us. I said she would be written out and his new PC would get a seperate prelude, coming soon.)

The Resplendant Sun.

The legend of Savin Heln was well know in these parts. These parts being the northern shoreline of the Scavenger Lands, including the small coastal town called Starfare. The legend is that he was a powerful sorcerer of the Unclean, who concelaed six of his most powerful spells here, and gave a map to his followers before his death, so he could relcaim his lore in the next life. But they fell out, and tore the map into three sections, each containing the locations of a two hidden spells. Until recently, it was just a legend and cause for treasure hunters to get over-excited. But something unexpected had happened. Recently a pirate by the name of Curzon Demarn had come into port, bragging about having found a section of the map. He claimed it would lead him to one of the great spells that would let him destroy shadowlands and one that would allow souls to be switched between bodies. Surely the Deathlords would pay a fortune to keep the first hidden or the Realm even more to obtain it. And the second would be literally invaluable.

Akilla Felsana wandered into town with a smile on her face, escorted by two men armed with scimitars. She was a tall , athletic woman. She had blonde hair, brown eyes, pale skin, and full, red lips. Her nose was slightly crooked as if it had been broken and had never quite healed. She would be undeniably beautiful by Eastern and Blessed Isle standards, were it not for the many scars that crossed her face.

The market was in place, and Starfare was open for business, as quite a few people attempted to sell her various fabrics, foodstuffs, mind-altering substances, rooms for the night, someone to share a room with, and similar luxuries. It was midday, and the air was refreshingly warm for this region, with a faint breeze keeping the air....not really clear, but certainly mixing the smells in interesting ways. Akilla thanked each of the vendors for the offer, but politely refused each one as she continued on her way to the Wavecutter.

The ship was docked between a yacht and a large boat unloading siaka meat (the smell was dreadful) and a large vessel, with sails currently trimmed. There was a skeleton crew on board, the rest of the crew having gone off to blow their pay on ale and whores, but they looked like the sort of men you wouldn't want to mess with, and they were armed. A couple of them were loading barrels of something onto the ship up a ramp. The docks weren’t as crowded as the rest of the town was.

Yusuke emerges from the crowd, leaving cries of "Ow, my shin!" behind herself and marches across the docks towards the gangplank. She was a young, grim child of about 14-15. She has large dark eyes and shoulder length black hair that looks like it was hacked off with a sword.

Yusuke looked up at the sailor coldly "Where is Curzon Demarn?"

"In his cabin. Sorry, but the captain din't request any whores.”

Yusuke twitched "What. Did. You. Say."

Akilla approached one of them. "Um, excuse me, sir. Are you the crew of Captain Curzon Demarn? You remind me of my stepfather. He was a sailor, too. Are all sailors as muscular as you are? I know Shkald was built like an ox, too."

The girl drew back her foot and kicked the pirate between the legs. He's wasn’t expecting it, and fell over in a heap. That got the attention of the other ten pirates rather quickly who looked at the two of them. Some of them started laughing at their fallen comrade. She drew a sword and levelled it at his prone form.

Akilla says "He fell like that, too, when I did that to him when I was a little girl."

"Did you call me a whore you bastard? Did you?"

"Ow....yes....I'm sorry....put the sword away."

"You better be sorry. Now get out of my sight, or by the Dead Gods you'll loose your sack while your friends watch."

Rather than helping their brother in arms, the pirates seem to have decided to enjoy the entertainment. They issue some choice ridicule as he crawls out of there. Yusuke looked around "Anyone else feel like slinging petty insults, or can I go find the captain now?" Akilla looked at the sword with some indifference and turned back to the tormented sailor. "Ah, right. In his cabin, you said?"

Curzon said ""No. Right here." He walked to the head of the plank. He was big man, bald, scarred, and dressed in a hodgepodge outift with bits of over half a dozen different navies in it." Curzon said "Get out of here, Rade. Now, who are you and why such an impolite entrance?"" Yusuke said "Yusuke Canton, and I'm looking for something supposedly in your possession." Akilla eyed Yusuke. "We're not together. I am Captain Akilla Felsana of the Wyld Hounds. I have come to confirm some rumors."

“The map, right?” asked Curzon, with a smirk. “Heh, I was wondering when the first buyers would show up." Akilla met his gaze. "Yes, captain. I do not think you would enjoy the consequences of offending my superiors by refusing their offer, but that is purely friendly advice." She smiles warmly.

They went into his cabin. It was quite well-furnished, though the furnishings seemed to have come from half a dozen different styles. He took a seat behind his desk.

"You're not the first one to ask about this. I had a man who called himself Typhon come up here this morning, asking about it. So, what have you got to offer me?" asked the pirate.

Akilla said "Whatever he offered and more, I assure you."

Yusuke shrugged "The standard buried treasure. However, I'll gladly pay quite a bit for the map, if thats what you'd rather."

Akilla glared at the girl and then smiled and watched events transpire.

Curzon said with a laugh, "That's all? I could sell these secrets to the Realm or Deathlords and never have to work again!"

Yusuke sighed and said in a bored tone "Magical artifacts? Pet spirits to serve you? Nymphs? A palace? My master is quite generous." Curzon grinned, showing his missing teeth. "Now, that's more like it. Who is your master?"

Akilla smiled at the captain. "You did not recognize the name of the Wyld Hounds, captain? Have you been out of port that long?"

"I've heard of them. A small mercenary company."

Akilla said with a shrug "We do what we must to survive after the fall of Thorns, captain, but I have my orders to find ways to liberate that city at any price from the Realm itself. If you can provide me with that map, I will see to it that you never need work another day."

Yusuke glanced over at the window, momentarily noticing motion outside. But her attention was distracted by Curzon taking out a glass case containing a fragment of some kind of yellowed paper. "I will need proof, of course. I'm not a stupid man, you know, nor am I unobservant. The man's not yet been born who can take me unawares."

Suddenly, the window shattered as an iron projectile shoots through it, impaling Curzon right through the chest. It was withdrawn just as quickly. A strange thing becames visible. It looked humanoid, but seems to be made out of iron. It moves with surprising nimbleness as the projectile withdrews into it's fingers, and it somersaulted into the room

Yusuke made a grab for the case, seizing it and shouting to Akilla "Get it away from the map!"

Akilla dropped the bow from her shoulder in an instant and has an arrow on it immediately. She stepped between Yusuke and the iron thing and fires at point-blank range. "Wait in line with the others." The arrow lodged in a joint, and it recoils. It looks about to attack, but then seems to change it's mind. "Murder! They have slain the captain!" it calls, and jumps back out the window. A second later, the door was flung open, and the pirates rushed in.

Yusuke cast a spell and became invisible. She scrambled out of there as Akilla removed two arrows from her quiver and stuck them behind her ears while she danced out of her opponent's reach. "So, where can I find your next of kin? You know. For when I have to deliver the bad news. Or would one of you like to volunteer to take dictation?" The pirates didn’t seem to be inclined to listen.

Akilla sighed as she removed the first arrow from her quiver. "I hate to make you an example, given your clear confusion, but..." She does not bother to dodge. The pirate’s sword comes down, but glances off of her chain shirt. Akilla doesn't flinch as the blow strikes her. She fires an arrow at her assailant and then one each at the nearest two other attackers. "I didn't kill your captain, actually. My cause is a worthy one, though. I can give you a life of purpose and glory."

Not expecting a range attack, the pirates were caught by surprise and they were quickly felled by the arrows. The ones coming in behind hesitate, reluctant to face her.

Akilla notched another arrow and said "I offer you a choice. You can join my crusade to liberate Thorns, leave the room quietly and disturb me no further, or..." she glances at the corpses on the floor. "...or I arrange it so you never have to work another day..." She smiled sweetly. "I'd rather make friends than lose ammunition." She calmly retrieves those used arrows within her reach, wipes the blood off on her pants, checks them, and returns the good ones to her quiver before she departs. The surviving pirates fell back slowly, unwilling to threaten her or her men directly.

Akilla frowned, looking into the crowds for the girl. "I don't know how she did that, but she won't get far on foot. The nearest settlement must be weeks away. The town is small enough that we can keep tabs on people leaving on horseback or ship. You two watch the docks. I'll check the roads out. “

After a few minutes searching, Akilla found the girl and accosted her. "Going somewhere?" Yusuke looked up at her confidently "Yeah, I'm hungry so I'm going to eat. You?"

"Sounds like a plan. I think I'll join you, if you don't mind. There are matters we should probably discuss."

"If you insist." The sat down at a nearby resturant. Yusuke found an empty table, plunks down and orders a huge meal and a quantity of mead. Akilla followed. "That was a very clever stunt you pulled back there. Do you mind telling me how you did it, or is it not something we can discuss in such immaculate company?"

Yusuke says "What trick was that?"

Akilla ordered a simple meal, complete with cheap beer. "Drawing lines in the air and disappearing. What use do you have for the map?"

Yusuke tore into the meal and downed the mead like water. She looked up, wiping his mouth with the corner of her smock and belches "Sorry. That? Just a trick I picked up in school. Surprisingly useful. As for the map, I need it to find something. What do YOU want the map for?"

" I think you heard me mention my business with Thorns? That map might be the key to banishing the undead there."

"Hmm.. Really? A shame."

"A shame? Why is that?""

"You didn't know what I did worked, can you even use the spells?"

They discussed finding the spells. It was proposed that Yusuke take them both to their hiding place, with Akilla and her soldiers providing protection. An hour later, they met up outside of town.

Yusuke said "Before we go, do any of you know this symbol?" Yusuke scratched a symbol into the dirt. One of the soldiers speaks up. "It looks like the High Realm symbol for "Move." but not quite." Akilla looked at Yusuke suspiciously for a moment. "Which of the Five do you serve? Mela? Hesiah?“

"Five what?"

Akilla nods. So she was ignorant of the Five Immaculate Dragons. "That's what I thought. Shall we go?"

Yusuke took a deep breath and begins to turn in a slow, stationary circle, raising hands over her head and calling out Words of Power to the winds. As she spun faster and faster the winds mimic her actions, gathering around the four in a wailing wind storm. Yusuke said one final thing and stopped dead. The winds contracted into a funnel, gripping everyone and swiftly drawing them north. Yusuke remains in the stable center, but the other three are whirled around the perimeter at alarming speeds.

It was about ten miles north, leaving a trail of blown leaves, bent grass and startled wildlife behind them. They come to a windswept, seaside cliff. It was considerably windier and chillier up here.

Akilla 's eyes twinkled as she smiled. "Fascinating. How does someone so young know so much?" Yusuke growled "Unfortunately, in this case, appearances can be decieving."

Now they knew the symbol, they could see the pattern of the symbol, reproduced on the cliff. It was above a patch of flat cliff-face, which now they noticed, seemed unusually smooth. It looked to be possible to climb down there. Yusuke said "Right, why don't we go down there, and you three try pushing it?" Yusuke clambered down the cliff face and waits for the other three. Akilla and the soldiers cautiously followed.

They made it down to the relevant section, just. It was hard to get a grip in the loose clods of earth, and it was at least 100 feet down, though they manage to find a ledge in the right place that was big enough to support them. "What are we facing?” asked Akilla. “I need to know which arrows to use." "Damned if I know. I'd probably vote for traps, guardian demons and the undead." Yusuke replied "If this is like the last place, there’s probably something nasty in there. Now, push."

With a single push on the symbol, the rock face shimmered and vanished as if it had never been there. Inside, there was a passage winding into the cliff face. It was small, but big enough to pass through.

The four of them went down the tunnel, looking for traps. The passage wound through the cliff. Illumination, faint blue light, was there, though it has no obvious source. Eventually, the tunnel opened into a stalactite and stalagmite-encrusted chamber, with a pool of pure water in the middle. There were two plinths in the middle, with a scroll resting on each of them. Yusuke said "Don't. Touch. Anything."

One of the soldiers stepped forwards. "I volunteer to try and get them, ma'am."

Yusuke sighed "Don't move, ok?" She cautiously entered the room and examined each pillar, then peeked at both scrolls, without touching anything. Akilla shook her head at the request. "Stay here, for now. She clearly has more experience with this sort of thing than any of us do."

Yusuke looked round. "Allright. I need two volunteers to grab each parchment at the same moment, and then we get to run like hell. I don't see any traps, but you'd be surprised the lengths some people will go to."

The soldier frowned. "No, I insist." He steps forward, and grabbed one of the scrolls. His face shimmered, and changed, and they were then looking at a handsome young man with a cruel smile and spiky black hair.

"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Typhon, representing the great Mask of Winters. Your real minion is actually unconscious in a Starfare alley right now. I do not want to fight you--"

Akilla knew that name well. This man was one of the Abyssal Exalted, the death-tainted Exalts who were the elite warriors of the mysterious, godlike Deathlords, of whom the Mask of Winters was one. The Abyssals had been instrumental in extending the hand of the Mask over the city of Thorns and now one of them was here? She didn’t hesitate.

He was cut off as Yusuke grabbed the other scroll. Akilla nocked, drew, and fired in one smooth movement, aiming to knock the scroll out of his hand. It went flying. Typhon stepped back, drawing an axe as she aimed another arrow at his heart. "I apologise, but you cannot be allowed this spell. The Shadowlands must remain as they are. Now please get out of my way. I don't want to hurt you."

Yusuke said "Well, yeah. But there were two scrolls. There was only a 50 percent chance you guessed right."

“Indeed. But will you take that risk? Once the Daybreak witch has surveyed it, you will have it back if it is the one you want. But fighting would only damage it." As he spoke, Typhon recovered the scroll.

Akilla nocked another arrow. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that. I suggest you surrender the scroll to us. I'd hate to get your blood on the parchement. Thorns will be free from the reign of death."

“And risk sealing the one you want in the Shadowlands? We are at an impasse."

Yusuke said "That we are. You know, I could check them both now.."

He recoiled in fear as golden light billowed from Akilla. A golden disc burned on her brow. The mark of the Zenith, high priest of the Exalted, and enemy of the minions of darkness.

He quailed, but rallied, and readies his axe. "Or I could take yours, and your hand with it." His axe flew out. Yusuke leapt backwards nimbly, attempting to quickly roll away from the attack.

Typhon recovered his composure, but his voice was unsteady as he asked "What are you?" The good humour had left his voice. His axe flew through the air and returned to his hand. "Plainly, I will need to hope I have the right one. I must leave now."

Yusuke slashed at him with her sword. Though the heavy armoured jacket Typhon wore absorbed some of the blow, it still drew blood. He began to speak the words of a spell.

Akilla shot at the plinth behind him, attempting to ricochet the arrow off it and into the scroll, knocking it forward into her hands. The arrow shot forward, glances away, and struck. Having not seen the attack coming, Typhon was unable to defend. The scroll tore, but most of it went flying away into Akilla’s hand.. Typhon tries to grab it futiley. Typhon shrank back. He seemed to be showing real concern, and completed his spell.

Typhon exploded into a flock of midnight-black crows, and they hurtled past the two. The flock headed out of the cave and away.

Yusuke nodded to Akilla, then ran, with one of the scrolls.

Akilla sighed, took the damaged scroll and headed out. At the entrance of the cave, she noticed a knotted rope dangling in front of the entrance, from above. Akilla pulled on it experimentally. "Who's there?" she called up. "Call me Crane. Don't worry, I'm a friend." came the voice from above.

Ariand followed her. Holding the rope, wrapped around a rock, was a young man with dark skin and curly black hair, He wore the robes of a scholar, but seemed quite well-built and not discomfited by the chill at all. Crane said ""Good day, Akilla. Your friend went off chasing birds before I could find her, I'm afraid. She'll be back soon, don't worry. I gather you ran into some trouble down there?"

"No trouble. Just a scum-sucking minion of the undead is all."

"I hope neither of the scrolls were damaged in the fracas? Placing them there and making them look adequately old was not an easy task, I can tell you."

Akilla frowned. "Placing them there and making them look old?"

"Yes, I set this up. I had not counted on the deathknight's intervention, though." He paused. "My familiar says he's found the Twilight and she's coming back. That's a relief."

"Ah, one of the Unclean. I suppose that makes sense." Akilla said "She would recognize the counterfeit."

"The scrolls were bait. Expensive, irreplacable bait, but my mentor felt that they had to be genuine. She said the spells in them were perfect to lure a Twilight and a Zenith here, and she was right. Such a relief. If only that pirate we hired had been able to keep his mouth shut...."

"Bait. Are these scrolls real or aren't they? Well, not THESE scrolls, but the witchery they contain. I have a bone to pick with this...Mask of Winters..."

"Yes, they are....but damaged, I see. Hopefully, it can be repaired."

"Sorry. I should have used a fowling arrow, but I was expecting combat, not a fancy trick."

"You misunderstand me. If I said I spoke as a Chosen of the Maiden of Journeys to a Resplendent Sun, would that make you feel any easier for you? I am not here to hurt you."

"Chosen of the Maidens, I can understand. Resplendant Sun sounds like a polite name for one of the Blasphemous." The word was what she had always been taught people like her were, the demonic demigods who had forced the people of the First Age to bow down and worship unclean gods. "I will not be turned against my Empress by demonic tricks. I exist to serve one purpose, and I will seek the Immaculate Order as soon as my quest is complete. I know my fate."

"No, you do not.” said Crane, stepping forward and holding his hands out. “Your fate is greater than the petty politics of empire. There are others like you. Two of you sent a deathknight running. Imagine what a proper group of you could do. The Sidereal Exalted guided your kind in an age gone by, and we wish to do so again."

"My kind tore down the Old Realm with our madness. Once I have tasted that insanity, Crane. I dare not think what evils I might commit as it tightens its grasp. Thorns must be liberated, and I will not rest until I see the faces of my children again without the palor of death upon them."

"But cannot sin be purged? The Immaculate Order teaches that a soul attains perfection and is absolved of sin through many incarnations. Would not the millenia of purgatory be enough to remove the taint from even the worst soul? My mentor knows the truth about those times. You see, she was there."

Akilla shook her head. "I am a soldier, not a theologian. I know what I have been taught. The Anathema are the spawn of demons like Mask of Winters. I have fought them for nearly a decade and can only guess they have given me a taste of the maddening power in the hopes I will turn against my faith and betray those to whom I owe my loyalty."

"I can see your faith is rooted deep. But will you not at least speak with her? What do you have to fear? After all, the Balphemous are supposed to be the ones who seduce with honeyed words."

"I will fight for Thorns unto my dying breath. I will raise an army to terrify even the dead. But do not ask me to believe I am not condemned for using the dark gifts I have been granted. My speech is plain, is it not? Where is the honey lure in my tongue, Crane? I will speak to your mentor, though. First, I should tend to my incapacitated ally, though."

Crane nodded. "A worthy goal. And one we share. Overthrowing the Realm, even if it were possible, would be a disaster. And why do that when there are so many more deserving targets? I will find the Twilight, and talk to her too. Meet me here tomorrow, and I will show you the way to her abode."

Akilla said "Very well. I will see what she has to say."

Crane smiled broadly. "That pleases me. A new day has come, Akilla. And I hope you come to realise how glorious it could be one day. Fare well." He headed off into the woods, leaving Akilla alone on the clifftop.


Elsewhere, Typhon dismounted from his horse on the edge of a shadowland, in the shade of a cluster of dead trees, and exhaled a gasp of relief as he enters the border where the Underworld merged with the real world and began to draw Essence into himself once more. But suddenly, he spotted something, and draws his axe. "Who's there?”

“Just me.” said a woman, as she suddenly became visible. “They sent me to meet you.” She was petite, with cropped black hair and a beautiful, if pale face. She wore the garb of any traveller, but carried a pair of ornate wind-fire wheels at her side and had a pale orange gemstone in a jade periapt around her neck, which glowed faintly. Like Typhon, a pale grey, empty disc glittered on her brow.

“Madchen. Why are you here?”

“The Mask wishes to see you. He’s very unhappy about your failure.”

“You were watching me?”

“Yes, Mazikeen was letting all four of the Grey Sisterhood watch. It was quite funny, in a sad way.”

“They were lucky. Had I known I faced two Solars, I would have—“

“Save your excuses for the Mask.” Madchen turned to leave, but turned back. “One other thing. He says he’s very interested in the identity of the Zenith you fought. That might yet save your hide.”

“You will not be so contemptuous when you are the one to face them.”

“That will soon be put to the test, it seems.” Madchen smiled happily to herself, and in an instant, was gone from sight again. Typhon muttered a curse to himself, and prepared to ride onto the dark city of Thorns.