[Raeslyn's Story] Chapter 4.0: Down to the Gorge!

     When I opened my eyes the next morning, I still saw the dimly lit, dingy walls of the inn at Gloamwood Pines and I sighed heavily. I'd had the most pleasant dream about being back at Quicksilver College, joking with my classmates and learning new moves from my mentor. A fond ache developed below my breastbone and I sighed again and rolled over. My eye caught on the pristine white scroll waiting patiently on the nightstand. Oh right, another assignment from Sanctum and the Guardians. Well, best to see what it said. I carelessly broke the seal and unrolled the parchment.

                               "We have heard of your success in Gloamwood and wish to

                               congratulate you on securing the wood once again. You deserve

                               rest after your recent trials but as they say, 'a heroe's duty is never

                               done'. I just received word from Scarlet Gorge that our forces 

                               there are under attack by the Endless Court! I know that as an Ascended

                               warrior of the gods, you wouldn't be able to stand by when people 

                               are in trouble! Since you are our closest asset to Scarlet Gorge, we

                               implore you to aid the Guardians there in whatever they require. You may

                               contact Sir Greg Armex for further instructions. Good luck Ascended.

                               May the Gods be with you!"

                                        Signed Shanik Gunseka

     Well, whoever that was, the letter seemed grim. As much as I wanted to head back to Silverwood and relax under a shaded tree, I knew my conscious wouldn't allow it if I had within my power the ability to save lives. So I guess it was off to Scarlet Gorge with me. I squinted at the scroll again as I tried to recall what I knew about the gorge. Bein a fan of my own beloved forest, I thought it a wasted effort to learn about the other, stranger areas outside of it. I vaguely remember one of the other students complaining about how hot it was there, and dusty. Just great. I jumped out of the bed, throwing back the wool blanket, and proceeded to perform my morning stretches and work out routine. A rogue with stiff muscles and non-stretched tendons could be a dead rogue in combat. Near the end of my work out exercise, I fluidly drew my daggers and spun them between my fingers while still twirling, ducking, and diving around the room. It may look odd to outsiders, but I'd been performing this workout routine since I was naught but an elf child. 

     After I finished, heart beating slightly faster from the exertion, I gathered up my supplies and headed downstairs, making a list of things in my head that I needed to accomplish before I set off for the gorge. First thing was something to eat, as my grumbling tummy reminded me quite forcibly. 

    "20 silver for the rope, 90 silver for the canteen spelled to keep cool, and 1 plat for the three daggers." The merchant tallied it up as I set the items I wanted on the table in front of him. I scowled at him. That seemed like a pretty steep price, especially for someone who had just saved all their ungrateful hides a few days ago. The merchant smiled at me nervously, as if waiting for me pitch a scene. Which I was tempted to do. I wasn't rich by any stretch of the imagination and the commission I received from Sanctum for my efforts in Gloamwood wasn't anything to brag about. With a reluctant nod, I delved into my coin purse and grudgingly pulled out the appropriate amount, not one coin more. Highway robbery, this was. I muttered a resentful thanks as I walked away with my new belongings, but all the same, I was happy that I could cross them off my list. I knew that this tough tanglevine rope would be ideal if I'd be traipsing all over a gorge for who knows how long, and since it was hot and dusty, I wanted a water flask that would keep my water cool as I traveled. Nothing worse than lukewarm, stale water! The daggers, I always needed. No matter how careful I was, there was always the dagger that I'd lose in a body, that would break, chip, grow too dull, or would become brittle from deflecting magical attacks. All my unusable weaponry were always deposited at a runecrafter's shop to be melted down and salvaged into something else. 

     After also securing a package of dried and salted meats, a hunk of crusty nutbread, and filling up my new water canteen, I arranged all my supplies about my person and set off down Deepwood Trail, which the signpost assured me would lead to the far edge of Gloamwood, where Scarlet Gorge could be found. I kept my eyes and ears alert to anything out of the ordinary, as once I passed the border of Gloamwood I would be leaving official Guardian territory and could potentially run into the dread Defiant. I had no wish to start a quarrel with a Defiant, but I couldn't be sure any of them would feel the same and if I saw them doing anything suspicious, I'd no doubt feel compelled to protest. So I kept my hands loosely near my daggers strapped at both hips and scanned the hedges and brush that lined the cobblestone path. Occasionally, I heard the cheerful call of a songbird and it lightened my heart to know that even now, so soon after the defeat of the Hag, the wood was becoming more lively and welcoming. 

     I set a fast pace, eating up fourteen miles* before I noticed any difference in terrain. Gradually the trees grew thinner and shorter, and I became warmer as the thinner tree cover allowed more sunshine through to the forest floor. I stopped to rest under the shade of a sycamore tree, taking a small sip of my flask and was satisfied to discover that the cooling enchantment did indeed keep the water cool and fresh. It was another 3 miles before the forest abruptly ended on a grassy plateau and I was treated to a visually stunning view of the gorge. With the sun setting low in the far west, the entire gorge looked on fire. 

     "Guess that's where the name comes from, huh?" I chuckled to myself dryly. Speaking of dry, I could practically feel the heat leeching all the moisture out of the air from here. Stepping closer to the edge of the gorge, I was quite relieved to see that the cobblestone path extended downward, cut into the side of the canyon with plenty of room for even a cart to safely get down to the gorge floor. A wooden signpost that looked to have seen better days back during the Blood Storm wars valiantly stood against the heat and the dust being blown across the flat rock, proclaiming that several villages could be found ahead in the gorge. Well at least there was civilization down there, although I had no way of knowing if they were sympathetic to the Guardian's cause, or would react in a hostile manner to a Guardian Ascended. 

     I headed down the path, which lost it's earthy, yellow tones the further I descended, taking on the dark red color of the stone surroundings. The air was so dusty that I found myself having to tie a scarf around my head to protect my nose, mouth and long sensitive ears. I already loathed Scarlet Gorge and I've only been here for 5 minutes. After several hours of following the winding path down the side of the gorge, I finally reached what appeared to the bottom of the canyon. I paused and glanced back up the way I came, squinting against the red haze that hovered over the gorge. From here, you could barely discern there was a path up the sheer rock wall. I gulped. I'm so glad that the path wasn't nearly as terrifying as it looked from below, or I may have just said screw orders and went back to Sanctum anyway. A stiff continuous breeze ran through the gorge, rustling dry scrub brush and scraggly blooming plants that stubbornly poked up through cracks in the rock and sediment. I admired their tenacity, but it seemed a lost cause. How could anything living even want to live down here anyway? High on rock ledge jutting out from the side of the canyon wall stood a lone goat, large curling horns pointed majestically at the sky. I gave the ram a jaunty salute before considering my route from here. The road split here, with several paths leading off to the left, carelessly winding their way around large outcroppings of rock and disappearing off into the distance around corners, while a singular, wider path led right, jumping over a small stream and continuing on in a relatively straight line along the length of the gorge. My orders hadn't given any sort of hint of where this Sir Greg Armex guy was, and for all I knew, he could even be dead, murdered by the Endless Court attackers already. The left path seemed the more traveled, and promised to lead to people, so I decided on that one, setting off in that direction after adjusting my gloves and dusting off my leathers. Not that would do much good, since this entire bloody gorge seemed to thrive on dust. I sighed heartily.

     Just when I was beginning to think I was the only sentient being in the entire gorge, I rounded a large tumble of boulders and spotted a ramshackle little house tucked neatly under a shelf of dusty red stone. Two sharply blue banners flew on either side of the doorway and I broke into a grin upon seeing the silver gauntlet symbol of the Guardians. I picked up my plodding pace, unconsciously squaring my shoulders as new energy filled me. Thank the gods I'd finally be able get somewhere on this mission. Several men dressed in the silver and blue livery of the Guardians came out of the shadows as I neared, shading their eyes against the sun to inspect me. 

     "Hey there!" I called out, keeping my hands in the open. I really had no desire to be shot by my own side after just recently getting my armor mended from the tussle with the Hag. A young man next to a stone well, who'd been drawing up a pail of water, paused and gawked at me as if I was some strange and exotic creature from one of the planes. Seeing the pail full of clear-and I can imagine cold-water made me suddenly realize how immensely dehydrated I was from traveling the gorge, and I resisted the temptation to run over and snatch the bucket from the man's hands. An older bald man strolled from around the side of the shack, toting a gun loosely in the crook of his elbow. He squinted at me, mouth set in a grim line. 

    "Hello there stranger. What can I do ya for?" He said slowly, while his eyes darted around behind me, looking for any signs of a trick or reinforcements. I resisted the urge to glance behind me as well out of reflex. I cleared my throat, wincing at how dry it felt.

    "My name is Raeslyn Windrose, and I was sent by Sanctum to investigate claims of Endless Court presense in Scarlet Gorge. I am to assist a Sir Greg Armex in his investigations into cult activity and possibly uncover what they are doing here." I said this calmly and diplomatically, trying to sound official. The man blinked at me, his eyes widening slightly in surprise. He focused completely on me, eyeing my dusty form up and down, before one skeptical bushy eyebrow lifted, as if saying 'some little girl gonna do all that?'. I bristled at the implied insult. "I am an Ascended Guardian blessed by the Vigil themselves to carry out their will on Telara. Your name and rank please." I said, more forcefully, opening my vest and flashing my Guardian medallion that I'd been given for freeing Silverwood. All the men gasped, and a few of them knelt. I shifted my feet, rolling my eyes in irritation. Just for good measure, I unwound the dusty scarf from my head, allowing them to see my full face. The bald man shrewdly eyed me a few more minutes in silence, before he grunted, seemingly satisfied.

    "Welcome to Scarlet Gorge then, Ascended. I'm Sergeant Fyvel. I was stationed here at Overwatch to protect the goods that the miners shipped through Gloamwood and on to Sanctum, but there hasn't been anything mined here in weeks. The miners who made their living here are long gone. Scared off or dead. The Endless Court murdered the locals and took control of the mines." He paused, looking grave and sad. I felt my mouth open, but didn't say anything. This was bad. Very bad. If the Endless Court had control of the mining operations in Scarlet Gorge, they must know about the Sourcestone veins running throughout the canyon and how powerful it was here. How could they have gained such a hold on the gorge so quickly? How come no one said anything sooner? I scowled. 

    "That's absurd! How in the hells did the Endless Court gain that much control here?" I demanded sharply, gesturing around me as I spoke. 

     Fyvel slumped, looking depressed. I almost felt sorry for him, all the way out here in this burning hole, far from home. "They came down from the Demon Steps, across the gorge. We're stationed way over here, far from the main events, but I've heard that Sir Armex has already marshalled the remaining forces of the gorge to move against the cult. That was days ago though. We haven't heard anything since, not even a call for aid. We could certainly use your assistance, Miss Windrose if you'd be willing to lend aid to the main Guardian camp." He pointed further down the path I'd been traveling and I gazed that way, as if I could somehow visualize what was happening right now. I wiped sweat beads from my forehead, already gathering from the brief exposure I've had to the sun bleached air. Ugh, I hate this blasted, trapped heat down here! At least it seemed to be relenting slightly as it gets darker. Thank the gods for small mercies.

     "Of course I'll help. I am a Guardian and I would never just stand by when I'm needed." I nodded sharply and Fyvel gave me look of such grateful hope that I felt secondhand embarrassment for him. "You and your men here need to stay on the alert. Who knows what has happened since the last communication you had. When I find out, I'll send a missive to update you on events. Keep sentry, and don't let even one cultist slip by you. You said something about a Demon Steps? Am I assured that these steps, and the path I just took are the only ways out of the gorge?" I asked, narrowing my eyes up at the sheer cliff walls to either side. Sergeant Fyvel rubbed his jaw, smearing a grime track through the dust on his skin. I cringed. "Aye, I believe so. I've not investigated the gorge, but I would say you're right on that. Got ideas?" I grinned. "Of course, I always have ideas. I'll be off to find Armex now. Do you know his last known location?"

    Fyvel nodded earnestly and pivoted to gesture. "He's holed up at Crimson Wash last we knew. Down the gorge. There's a lift down the path that will take ya to the bottom safely. Just tell Private Patril you're on my orders." I gawked at him and croaked out a sound of protest. 

     "Wait, what? The bottom of the gorge? You mean this isn't the bottom?! For Vigil's sake, this place is torture!" Fyvel chuckled at my complaint and agreed with me. After a few more parting words and filling up my canteen at their little stone well, I set off down the path, feeling even more irritated to learn that the gorge went down even further. I already felt like I was inches from the center of the world. I was very much not looking forward to descending further into this pit of hell. I was very grateful for being Ascended as the air grew progressively more oppressive and heated, as my exalted status provided a measure of protection against heat stroke and dehydration. I can just imagine my spirit conversing with the winged being who lifted my soul to safety and allowed it's return to my body. "How'd I die, you ask? Keeled over from heatstroke while walking through a gorge. Harhar...." I snorted. 

     The "lift" that Fyvel explained to me was no more then a rickety set of wooden poles lashed together and connected to a pulley system and a small platform that supposedly lowered you safely to the bottom of the gorge. Supposedly. Private Patil gave me an encouraging pat on the shoulder which I returned with a death glare, as I stood on the uneven boards and tensely waited to be lowered down, trying to assure myself that I wasn't going to fall to my death. My fists were clenched so tight my fingers began to ache as the private and his companion activated the pulley, allowing the platform to jolt and shudder. A loud creaking sound accompanied its slow descent and I stared straight ahead, wide-eyed, praying to the gods that I wasn't going to die. This is ridiculous. There has to be better methods than this to get to the bottom. I swore to myself that there was no way I was going back up the same way I came down. Quicker than I thought, I reached the end, and the platform shuddered to a stop unevenly on a wooden dais. I stepped off and it began it's creaking way back up again. With a last distasteful look, I stepped off onto solid, if somewhat dusty, ground. To my pleasure, the air was cooler and less dusty way down here, and I noticed that at the angle the sun was, its rays couldn't even reach all the way down here unless it was shining directly overhead. Things were definitely looking up. Looking around, I noticed another helpful sign pointing the way toward Crimson Wash. I set off at a fast pace in that direction, imagining I was back at Quicksilver having a nice swim in the cool shady glade out back. 

     As I walked, the sound of rushing water grew apparent, and I eagerly strained my eyes. The sluggish stream I'd noticed earlier was picking up steam and was now verily rushing down the gorge, foaming and surging in its haste. A fence sprung up along the road, lining it I would assume as a precaution against falling into the fast rushing river. The path stopped as it curved suddenly, turning into a forked path. One road led over a neatly maintained little bridge that crossed the river, while another continued along the side of the gorge, hugging the far rocky wall. A sign betwixt the two paths told me the bridge led to Crimson Wash while the other path led to Riverfell. As I crossed the bridge, I slowed to watch the rushing water and was pleased to see silver flashes as fish darted along the shoals. 

     Across the bridge, it was like a village suddenly sprang up before my eyes. I even saw a porticulum nestled among the red rocks. Dozens of tiny, dusty wooden houses dotted the terrain, interspersed among the rocks and scrub brush. I also began to see people, all dressed in muted colors, most with scarves over their heads like I had done. I would guess from their weathered and care worn looks that these must be locals of the gorge, although why anyone would willingly live in this godsforsaken place was beyond me. As I walked, most of them paused and gaped at me, as if not believing their eyes. Travelers must be few here, I mused. Again, why would anyone willingly come here anyway? The houses grew more frequent until I spotted a larger, more official looking building waving the Guardian colors from its porch. Aha, the Guardian outpost. Excellent. I bet I'd find Armex here. I was exhausted from walking all day, dreadfully thirsty again, and now quite hungry. I couldn't wait to get inside that building out of the heat and sit. Just sit. Even for a few moments. And get the dust off me. I bet I've gathered half my weight in sand since entering Scarlet Gorge. 

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*Google informs me that the athletic fit person who walks often can cover from 12-20 miles even in hilly terrain. 

[Raeslyn's Story] 3.11: She's Lived Long Enough

      So here I sat, crouched in the bushes just out of sight of the occupants of Tearfall Run camp, watching through strange new eyes as the Waykeepers and Guardian soldiers went about their usual business. Why was I sitting out here in the woods spying on them, you ask? Well, I wasn't exactly sure what the reception would be to a large, shaggy, sharp clawed werewolf suddenly strolling in. I could easily conjure up images of what said reception would be though. Images of swords and arrows and magic missiles. I'd rather avoid being impaled by my so called allies. Brother Jebiah would have a field day with this. Accursed bloody witch. How dare she do this to me, an Ascended! I had been feeling kind of bad for the Hag after Laria's story, but now I couldn't wait to tell her all about how I feel now. Preferably with a few well placed daggers. I realized I'd clenched my powerful fists when I felt little pinpricks of pain in my palms. Curses, I'd stabbed myself with my own claws again. I took a few deep breaths to settle the simmering rage inside. All my emotions were now super heightened due to this cursed transformation, and I had to be careful I didn't let them out of control. That would be disasterous for everyone.

     After some effort, I was able to still use my ability to cloak myself in planar shadows and turn invisible to the naked eye. I quickly made my way to Laria's altar and placed my furry palm on the old wood, hoping it would still work with my new...transformation. I shuddered. I really didn't want to spend the rest of my days as a werewolf. Then I considered a moment. What if I died? Would the curse dissipate, or would it still cling to my spiritual form and follow my soul when I re entered my body? I shook the idea off. First I'll see if Laria can help me, since it's apparently her sister that cursed me. Darn Hag.

     Laria took one look at me and her expression became grave. "That is a terrible curse to bear." She spoke in her ethereal voice. I nodded. I already knew that. "I'm terribly sorry that my sister did this to you. I didn't know she'd grown so powerful. How is she getting such power? But fear not, young Ascended. After she cursed you, she has turned her attention elsewhere." I snorted. That wasn't exactly a good thing.
     "She has teamed up with the Endless Court and she plans to awaken a darkness in Shadefallen Keep that not only threatens our wood, but all of Telara. I'm afraid the curse she placed on you is beyond my magic, but slaying my sister, while regretful, will remove all the evil she has done, including this curse." She looked saddened at the idea of her sister dying, which of course I could understand because no matter what, they were still family. But her sister was out of control and clearly her mind has been twisted to darkness for so long that she's not able to be redeemed. Not that I'd even want to try. I really wanted this curse off me so I could go back to being me again, without all the urges to kill and maim and howl at the moon. Speaking of...I glanced upward uneasily, but as always, the canopy of the dark wood blocked out any light, even moonlight.

     "Okay, do you know where she is now? I will stop her." I stated, hating the growly sound of my new voice. Laria tilted her head to the side and stared off into the wood as if trying to pinpoint the Hag's position.
     "I can sense the power of nature beginning to twist under her spell, although I can't stop the dark tide of magic. It seems to be coming from the courtyard of the Shadefallen Keep. But be careful, Raeslyn. Her power is strong and in your altered shape, yours is diminished."
    I nodded at her and thanked her. You don't need to tell me that for me to know, sadly. I could feel how different I felt. Disconnected from reality, from my Ascended powers. Like a web was placed between me and my new power. For the first time since Ascension, I felt like a mortal being. And I did not like it. Add to that the fact that I had grown fur and felt itchy all over, and my temper was quite short. I hesitated a moment, glancing back at the Tearfall Run camp. I could see Fiona and Jebiah and a few of the others all talking amongst themselves and performing the daily tasks that kept the camp going. Oh how quickly the simple things like being able to walk into town unmolested were taken away. Hopefully Laria was correct and the curse would fade once I'd killed her horrid sister.

     Shadefallen Keep wasn't hard to find. After all it was the tallest and largest fixture in the forest, as well as one of the oldest castle in these parts. The Gloamwood had definitely taken it over, with trees and roots growing out of the walls, and vines pushing between stones to force their way up. Access to the keep, however, was another matter. The uneven, erratic path that led to its gates was so convoluted that I nearly got lost just trying to find the thing. Not to mention I had to cross the world's most ancient bridge, that gave me a splendid view of a very long drop if I missed a step. Did I mention how much I enjoyed heights? Thankfully, being some bestial creature lent me far better agility and balance and I easily crossed the rickety old bridge. To my horror, within the shallow alcove provided by the front gate, I found piles of bodies. They all wore the garb of the town, and the bodies looked freshly slain. The smell was horrid, although I was equally horrified to find that the lycanthrope virus was struggling in my mind to make me enjoy the sight of all those poor slain citizens. I wrenched my eyes away from the sight and uneasily ran past the gate, holding my breath from the smell. By the gods, the atrocities commited here alone was enough to gain the Hag a one way ticket to the Soulstream.

     To my disgust, the keep was crawling with abominable undead minions, no doubt summoned by the Hag in whatever mad scheme she was thinking up now. I let my new transformed reflexes take over and cut a violent trail through the masses. There was just way too many to try and sneakily make my way across the keep's grounds. I could only hope that when I killed her, the undead too would cease to exist and whatever dark magic animated them would die. From the center courtyard of the keep, I paused in massacring undead minions to glance around. Laria had told me to go to the courtyard, but I haven't seen any indication of that wretched witch yet. Just scads of undead. One such zombie shuffled into my view and I quickly pounced on it, ripping its head off with incredibly long claws. A part of me was thoroughly disgusted and horrified at the carnage I was doing, but that part was becoming quieter by the minute. I should probably be alarmed by that...

     Finally I spotted what looked like an ancient set of stone steps hidden by a low wall that led upward to the ramparts. Aha, I bet she's up there. If I was an evil conniving heartless hag, I'd definitely want a nice view of Gloamwood while I destroyed it. Not that I was going to do that, I hastily assured myself. Ugh, I was getting a headache. It's bad enough carrying the weight of all the knowledge of ancient heroes and power that the Vigil saw fit to bestow upon me, but now I have to deal with the effects of this blasted curse. I was not having a good day. 'Not much longer, Rae!' I comforted myself as I bounded up the steps.

     I froze so abruptly at the top step that I nearly tumbled back down when I saw the Hag, and who she was talking to. Raw fury coursed through me. Alsbeth! That traitorous rat who betrayed us all for power to Regulos. Our beloved Zareph, gone because of her. Pinpricks of pain in my palm made me realize I was clenching my fists so hard that my long claws were digging into my flesh. I hated her so much. I wanted to sink my teeth into her neck and crunch down until she stopped moving! I shook my head and tried to get a grip on the rising animalistic rage coursing through me. The two women were speaking and I wanted to hear. It took several moments to calm down enough that I could hear anything over my pounding heartbeat.

     "Regulos commends your faithfulness, Delilah. He has decided to bestow upon you one of his dark gifts." Alsbeth was saying, her high, cold voice causing another wave of anger to wash over me. I hated that woman. To my dismay, a dark mist seemed to waft upward from a brazier by their feet, bathing the Hag in its power. She rolled her head back and looked ecstatic. I felt uncomfortable watching her expression. Eww.
     "The might of Regulos flows through me!" The Hag cried out, lifting her arms. Her grotesque face and figure seemed to pulse, and she grew taller. Her skin sloughed off her arms like melting wax, leaving a disgusting grey sludge behind. I was revolted. What on Telara did she think was worth that kind of trade off? How could either of them have turned their back on the Vigil so thoroughly?

     "Be warned, Delilah." Alsbeth said sharply, pointing a finger at the newly remade woman. "All power has its price." To my horror, she turned her lithe body and pointed directly at my crouched form. "You seem to have an admirer. I see you, Ascended scum of the Vigil. Delilah, kill this being, and your position among Regulos's ranks will be complete." I scrambled to my back paws and jumped onto the ramparts as Alsbeth turned her back on me, as if dismissing a petty threat. I snarled, no longer held back, and charged at her. To my chagrin, I passed right through her figure, right as it disappeared, and barreled into the Hag instead. She hissed like escaping steam and shoved an arm at me. To my astonishment, I went flying, impacting against the low wall surrounding the roof. The Hag stood up and dusted off her tattered black robes.
     "Fool! Laria has sent you to your doom. You would have done better to cower in the forest with the rest of your ilk." She sneered at my new form, and I was acutely aware of my monstrous new looks. I roared.

     A burst of golden light to my right revealed the form of Laria and I flinched in surprise as she appeared. I had no idea she was powerful enough to will herself into existence without the altars. Laria gazed at me with proud eyes and I straightened up under her soft gaze. I was Ascended, and I should never have forgotten that! Laria then turned her gaze upon her sister, and her eyes glistened with disappointment and sorrow.

    "I'm so sorry, sister, that you've come to this. But you're wrong! Your reign of terror must come to an end." The Hag cackled loudly and shook her head, wisps of long dry hair falling to the stone around her feet. Disgusting.
     "You worms can't destroy me! The power of the death plane is within my grasp. I think my pets would like to feast on your bones." Uhh, that didn't sound good. I shifted slightly away and glanced at Laria, who seemed to be concentrating on something. She lifted her glowing arms up and a golden light grew around her, reaching outward toward the Hag's darkness.

    The Hag uttered the words to a spell and to my horror, the immediate area grew darker. It instantly became harder to breath and a quick glance off to the side proved that it was only right here where we were that was affected. The rest of the keep seemed to still look normal. Lucky me. From the unnatural darkness in the sky, large ropey tentacles thrust downward and dug into the stone of the parapets. I gasped. By the gods! Images of that horrifying day on Thedeor Field came back to me, where I confronted Aedraxis and helped to stop him from becoming the next Avatar of Regulos. Oh gods, is that what was going on here? But not....only a specific being could become the Avatar, and I doubt it was the Hag. But something incredibly wrong was happening.
     As if to accentuate my thoughts, Laria shouted above the sudden wind, "We have to close this death rift as quickly as possible! She is trying to harness it's power! I will aid you if I can, but this death energy weakens my grasp on the material plane." By this point, I could barely make out the golden glow that indicated Laria's position. The whole roof was so dark, all I could make out was the pulsing, glowing tentacles that connected the rift to our plane. But I couldn't let that prevent me from doing what I'd been created to do. That's what we Ascended were made for. We had the unique ability to see the rifts in a light that no one else could. We could see their root in Telara, and we could force that root out of our plane. Narrowing my eyes, I looked for that particular root that would allow me to unravel this rift. It was proving impossible with my altered state, and I snarled.

    The Hag shouted several more words, and I caught the word "vampirica". Just great. Sure enough, out of the rift stepped tall, slender, monstrous fiends with glowing red eyes and pale skin. Mindless undead husks were an easy task, but vampires were a bit harder to take down, since they retained some measure of intelligence and cunning, and were motivated by the smell of blood to fight as viciously as possible. Thankfully, I was pretty confident that being bitten by one wouldn't cause any lasting effects since I was already a cursed monster thanks to the witch. The vampires immediately spotted my large shaggy form standing out against the swirling darkness of the void and hissed, showing mouths full of teeth like jagged glass. My fur was thick and created a strong barrier against their nails and teeth, and my own fangs and claws made such great weapons that I didn't even need my daggers this time. I wasn't even sure if I'd even have the kind of co ordination to pull off the moves and abilities I'd been trained for anyway. I met the vampires halfway, and we became a blur of snarling fangs and claws. I felt a hank of fur being forcefully ripped out of my shoulder and the pain momentarily took over my rational mind. I reacted blindly, throwing my arm around in a wild swing that met air as the vampire quickly darted out of reach. I felt like a big lumbering beast and was growing so frustrated. I vowed after this that I was going to learn what I could about magic curses so I could avoid this problem. I may even, grudgingly, force myself to learn a few tricks myself if it could compliment my own arsenal of dagger moves.

    One unlucky vampire couldn't avoid my claws and I ripped into his chest, sending black blood flying. I pressed the advantage, leaping on the cold creature and continuing to claw at its flesh until the red eyes dimmed and grew dull. Satisfied, I turned to the other, which eyed my warily. Somewhere in the background, I heard Laria speaking to the Hag and I knew I was running out of time. I had to stop the witch before she unleashed more monstrosities on unsuspecting Gloamwood. I may not be impressed with the people who lived here, but I didn't wish this horrible fate on them either. The remaining vampire hissed challengingly at me, but it kept giving worried glances to its dead companion at my feet. I grinned, and I'm pretty sure it didn't look inviting on my furry snout. I was beginning to think that the raw power provided by this werewolf form was a fair advantage despite the side effects. The sheer raw power flowing through my veins made me feel invincible like nothing before. I wondered if this was how warriors felt, with their giant shields and their larger-than-life swords. I stepped around the discarded corpse of the vampire body and caught the other one in my long claws at it made to flee. Not so fast, bloodsucker.

     I think my mind blocked out what happened next, because after that, things became kind of a blur. I should probably be grateful for that, because when I saw the carnage after, I was pretty shocked. I remember that I finally found the hole in reality that the Rift was creating and had used my Ascended abilities to close the rift in the planes, cutting off access from the dark plane. The tentacles flopped to the roof like cut strings and I remember the Hag wailing in fury and agony. I guess she had been caught mid ritual when I performed the deed and with her mind so connected to the rift, when I closed it, she died as well. At least, that's the theory I'm going with. I'm pretty sure I didn't eat her. Like...reasonably sure.

     Suddenly I found myself standing in the middle of the roof that was mostly empty except for the scattered gruesome remains of what may have been some vampires. I didn't look too close. I was so overjoyed to look down and see my own delicate fingers that I spent several moments flexing my hands in disbelief. It felt so incredibly strange to be me again. I felt shorter, and lighter, and....I can't even explain it. It's like a great weight had been lifted off my mind. I actually could think again. Although some part of me missed the raw physical power and savage yet simple thoughts that the werewolf gave me. To the side, Laria's golden form lay sprawled. I quickly darted over to her, marveling again at my lightness and quickness. It was so good to be me again! I sent a quick thanks to the Vigil for looking out for me. I knelt by Laria and reached out a hand.

     "Laria? Are you alright? It's done now right, we stopped her?" Laria stirred under my hand. She looked confused for a moment, before her eyes widened and she beamed at me with love and pride. "Raeslyn! You are yourself again! Thank the Vigil you were able to stop her in time. Well done!" I grinned and gave her a wink as I helped her to her feet. The spirit glanced around, and her smile grew bittersweet.
     "I mourn for my sister, but now I can start lifting the dark curse that stains this forest. Every living thing in Gloamwood is in your debt, Ascended. You truly are chosen by the gods." She gave me another radiant smile and I felt a surge of pride and happiness at her praise. I didn't usually like compliments or excessive praises and all that, but after the trials I'd gone through, I'll take it. A great weariness descended on me as Laria minced over to inspect the vampire bodies. I felt so tired, in mind and body, that I just wanted to collapse right here and sleep for a year. It felt like ages ago that I'd come to Gloamwood, when in reality it can't have been more then a week.

     I couldn't even bring myself to show surprise when a Messenger of the Vigil appeared a moment later, hovering several feet off the ground as its great snowy wings beat the air. The sheer majesty and beauty of the creature brought tears to my eyes and my exhausted mind was so overcome with emotion at the sight. Ugh, I'll just blame my sentimental mushy moment on the day I just had.

     "Protecting Gloamwood need no longer be your burden, dear Laria." The Messenger said, with the strange double voice I'd come to expect from them. Laria froze in shock at the sight and fell to her knees, hands pressed together in supplication. I guess to others, seeing one of the holy messengers of the gods was a shock. I'd been seeing them every since my Ascension so I'd gotten better at my reaction. Or so I'd thought...I secretly wiped a tear out of my own eye. The radiant being smiled gently at Laria. "Your descendant, Gwyddon Duskenleaf, is ready to take on mantle of forest protector. The Vigil honors its debt to you. Rest now, Laria." I blinked, absorbing that. Wait, what? That annoying apothecary was Laria's descendant?! And she didn't tell me? If I'd had more energy, I'd have gotten offended. As it was, I grunted to show my annoyance at being left out of that loop. The Messsenger turned to me, as if reminded of my presence. "You have done well, Raeslyn of the Ascended. You honor us with your bravery and loyalty. A great victory was struck here. The Hag has ever been a dark spot on our wood, and you have ultimately thwarted the plans of Alsbeth as well. You have affirmed the Vigil's wisdom in calling you to the ranks of the Ascended." I shrugged, feeling uncomfortable with all this praise.

    "I'm honored myself, Messenger." I replied, and bowed low. "Thank you for the gifts I've been given."
     "None of us can stand alone against the might of Regulos. Remember that, Ascended. You must work together to save Telara." The Messenger continued. "As a gift for your deeds this day, I can teleport you out of this unclean place if you so desire?" I nodded eagerly, then turned and inclined my head to Laria.
     "I wish you well on wherever your journey takes you next, Laria." I called to her. She smiled warmly at me and waved. I had a feeling I wouldn't be seeing her again, but I knew she would happier where she was going. I stepped up next to the angelic creature of the Vigil. The Messenger's form was so bright and holy that it almost hurt my eyes, even as a devout follower of the Vigil. The snowy wings beat down and seemed to cover my eyes, and before I knew it, I felt a strange weightless sensation. I felt like I was being whisked rapidly through time and space, and suddenly, before I could even process this feeling, I found myself on solid ground again. I blinked my eyes a few times and beheld the sight of everyone in middle of Gloamwood Pines town square gawking at me in shock. I grinned and waved, inwardly cringing. Way to make a scene.

     A woman detached herself from the shell-shocked crowd and ran toward me. I stiffened, and then recognized her. It was Fiona Leone. I was kind of shocked myself to see her, since last I'd known, she'd been holed up at Tearfall Run, trying to create some kind of device to repel death magic or something. Fiona was flushed and smiling, looking excited and proud. Without waiting to see what I'd say, she thrust something into my hands. I stared down at it a moment, then gave her a quizzical look.
     "Oh hi Fiona. Thanks for the present...but what is it?" Fiona laughed.

     "I fixed it! It works!" She exclaimed, and snatched the device back. She held it up, and beamed at it like a proud parent. "I was able to modify the calibration of the death array, and by adding and changing some of the runes, as well as balancing out the energy with water planar energy of all things, I was able to actually create a successful purification device! This spell will do much to protect the citizens of Gloamwood!" I glanced over the device. Color me impressed. I wasn't sure if she'd actually be able to create a working prototype of her invention.

    "That's amazing Fiona. Good job. You better get to work making a lot more of those things though, cause last I saw, it didn't cover much ground." I chuckled as her face fell and she frowned at the device. She waved at me and began wandering off, muttering calculations to herself. I stood there a moment, considering what I'd like to do now. With a tired sigh, I made my way to the Inn. I would really just like a bath and a nice long nap. That sounds heavenly. I smirked.

     I got maybe two feet when I accosted by someone else. This time to my surprise, it was the mayor himself. How honorable, he came down from his tree fort just to see little old me.

    "Hello Dragomir." I greeted in a neutral voice, remembering our last encounter. Hopefully I wasn't about to be arrested. That would end badly. For him. I just wanted some sleep, I felt like whining. To my surprise, he stuck out a hand to shake.

     "The reports are true then? You defeated the monster that has been terrorizing our poor town? I don't know how you did it, but it feels as if a great weight has been lifted off the wood. The people of Gloamwood are in your debt! The name of Raeslyn the Ascended shall not be forgotten in these parts!" He exclaimed this quite loudly, as if making sure everyone in the town square witnessed as he praised their savior. No doubt for his own benefit rather then mine or theirs. I yawned and waved a hand at him.

     "It was no trouble. Just doing my duty to the Vigil and to the Guardians. Maybe next time they send infantry to aid you, don't kick them out of town and hinder their every movement." I suggested mildly, thinking of Marshal Oakheart and his men, banished to the outskirts of town because the townsfolk didn't like outsiders messing in their business. The mayor had the good grace to look abashed. He rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, sticking up his short dark hair. "But hey, it all ended alright so no hard feelings I'm sure." I finished. "Just glad that your town is safe and I didn't have to kill you all for being deranged werewolves." Dragomir looked suitably horrified as I sauntered away toward the Inn, daggers clanging against my hips. I smirked. I was definitely glad I was me again, and that I was successful in my first official mission given by the Guardians. All in all, a job well done. I couldn't wait to get some sleep.

    "A room please, for two nights." I told the Innkeeper, who knew me by sight at this point. He nodded at me. "Sure thing, miss Raeslyn. Oh by the way, ye got some mail." I lifted one eyebrow. Mail? Me? Way out here? The Innkeep turned around, grabbed a scroll off the grimy counter, and plopped it down in front of me. It rolled to a rest by my hand, seal up, and the crest of the Guardians and Sanctum stared innocently up at me from the wax. I groaned out loud. Now what? Well, whatever disaster they need me to fix, I'm doing it tomorrow. I've earned some sleep, I should think! I snatched up the scroll in one hand, swiped a mug of wine from a table, and headed up the stairs for a good night's sleep, hopefully without any strange dreams. Gloamwood was safe, at least for now, and the threat of the Hag had been successfully neutralized. The werewolves had all either been cured or killed, and the people of the wood were now as safe as anyone else in this crazy new age. I'd even heard a few amusing whispers around town of the kids calling me "Raeslyn the Wolfbane". The Wolfbane. I kind of liked my new title.
     I fell asleep with a smirk on my face, the empty wineglass perched precariously on the edge of the nightstand.

[Raeslyn's Story] Chapter 1.4: Army of Regulos

Location: Mathosia
Time: Early morning, 2 days after resurrection
Date: Year 1489, 8th Moon
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     I woke to murmured voices nearby. It wasn't the slow, leisurely type of wakefulness, where you become aware, than your eyes slowly open, and than your brain kicks in. Nope, I was asleep, than I was awake. For several seconds I felt confused and disoriented. I had the feeling of being in several different places at once, doing several different things. Okay, that was odd. Must be another one of those lovely side effects of being a vessel of godly powers. Oh joy.   

      "Oh, you're awake! Thank goodness Ascended!" I groaned and slowly turned to glance at the speaker. It was a tall blond woman wearing a long cloth dress. What did she want?

     "We can use all the help we can get, repelling these undead from our defenses. We most hold until more reinforcements come through!" I had the urge to ask her what kind of reinforcements she was obviously expecting, but held my tongue. Who was I to dash someone's hope? Instead I nodded as I climbed to my feet, stretching out the stiffness of lying on hard ground. Nevertheless, my body felt refreshed, new, healed. I felt like I had had weeks of relaxing sleep and lounging. Silently I sent a thank you to the ever benign Vigil, who were always looking after me. I may not be a blind and devoted follower of everything the Vigil tells us, but I do adhere to their code and I look to them for guidance in life. So I am always grateful for any evidence of their continued faith in me. Of course that could just be because I've found myself in a position of power, but I'd like to think that they'd care about me no matter my status.

     I stepped outside the small tent and glanced around. In the early morning light, weak and reddened from the unusual sky, I could see that activity hadn't lessoned from last night. In fact, the camp seemed even busier. There were soldiers and couriers running all over, people shouting, tents being set up, food being prepared, weapons being crafted and sharpened. It was so....full. Of everything. I hated it. I longed for the quite, tranquil steadiness of the wood. The peace of nature. But alas, I must do what I must to make my -our- homeland safe.

     "Master Kalmar, Ardenburgh is still under attack. If they don't get reinforcements soon, they will be overrun!" The rather frantic sounding voice drew my attention to the central area, where Cyril Kalmar was still standing receiving updates on the war and other news, as well as issuing orders.

     I almost felt sorry for him. I don't envy him that job. At least he gets a nice tent out of the deal. And it was a nice abode. Large, royal red, with gold tassels. Rather a bit of an obvious target though, if you ask me. Oh well, not my problem. I strode over, wanting to offer my services. When he had finished giving orders to the courier, Cyril turned and noticed me. He looked so relieved that I sighed.

     "There you are Raeslyn! Did you get a good night's rest? I'm glad you are awake, we could use your legendary might to stop Aedraxis!" I gawked at him. Legendary might? He's not serious surely? I've only just come to terms with my...affliction. And now I'm considered legendary already?

     "Those Defiant cowards have somehow snuck past our lines and established themselves in Bloodmurk Grove." Cyril continued grimly. I nodded. That I already knew from my own encounters in the grove. "But before we can deal with those traitors, we need to first deal with this undead problem on the front. Aedraxis defeated us when we were mortal, but he will not defeat us now that we are Ascended. Chosen for our might, not even Regulos can stand in our way!" He sort of softly shouted that last bit and I blinked, not quite able to help my knee jerk reaction of stepping back a bit. I'm not comfortable around loud folk. And jeez, he's making some pretty boastful claims. I hope Regulos doesn't hear that...wherever he is now. Hopefully still trapped beyond the Ward or we're all probably screwed. I chuckled at my own word choice.

     "This field is where our armies were slaughtered by Aedraxis when he opened that Rift; Thedeor Field. Aedraxis's fleshless minions erupted from our fallen friends and now weaken the Ward further by birthing Regulos's loathsome brood at our holy altars." Oh yum, I thought sourly, wrinkling my nose. Not only are they violating the sacred altars to the gods, but they are using them to summon dragonkin from beyond the Ward?! They must be stopped!
     "Here, place this Warding Orb at one of those tainted altars and disrupt their rituals. Be warned, the spawn of Regulos will not be pleased." Why do I always feel like I get the short end of the stick with these tasks? I nodded and accepted the Warding Orb, a rather large, brightly glowing ball made of a glass-like material. Like I was going to pass unnoticed out there toting around a miniature sun. This should be interesting.

     "Oh, don't forget, you are Ascended!" I rolled my eyes. How could I not, what with everyone reminding me every two seconds. "But there are specialists in the ways of combat that you excel in that can teach you new skills and how to better survive in this world. Go visit Rovena Karn when you are finished out on the field and have her teach you a few moves. Perhaps you'll find a style of fighting that will compliment your present skillset." Cyril said in his booming voice. I winced and nodded. Although, the idea of meeting another rogue, one that is experienced in the field and knows a lot about combat, seems incredibly promising. I look forward to meeting this Rovena Karn! But first things first, my mission.

      I snuck out of Valor Hold by squeezing between some posts on the far side and set out in search of one of those tainted altars. I've not been to Mathosia before so the by now famous Thedeor Field was quite foreign to me. I stumbled around the front lines for a few hours, blindly looking for an altar. I did come across many undead scourge and abominations though. One such, a sorcerer, actually gave me a bit of a hard time. I've not come up against an efficient caster before it was a bit of a challenge to slay the creature. He kept dodging out of the way of my dagger strikes. Finally I delved into the knowledge of the other souls inside of me and lit my blades with flames, burning the sorcerer from the inside out with one blazing strike of my daggers.

     And ironically, it was at that point that I found one of the altars. After the sorcerer collapsed to the ground and ceased smoking and twitching (a rather disturbing visual trust me), I was able to make out what was behind him. The altars were tainted indeed. They were coated in foul smelling blood and had profane and obscene items littering the offering surface. Filthy beings! How dare they defile a sacred space! Gingerly walking over the corpse of the sorcerer, I placed the orb in the center of the offering plate and stepped back, not sure what would happen when holy light met corrupt death. There was a blaze of bright white light that stung my eyes so much I had to turn my head. Suddenly a roar had me clutching my daggers and rolling to the side to avoid being skewered. A skeletal, red eyed caricature of a man had apparently appeared out of nowhere while I was entranced with the altar's transformation. I quickly brought my two daggers up crosswise to block the skeleton's downward stroke of his sword. The resulting clang vibrated clean up to my elbows. I stumbled back a few paces to give myself distance and almost ran into another undead minion.
     Well, what the hell? That's just great. Now they were ganging up on me? I bared my teeth in challenge. I hope I'm up to this fight!

     "I've got your back, Ascended!" Huh? I turned by reflex and was nearly gutted by the skeleton I had been facing. The creature's rusty cutlass sliced into my side and I barely deflected it away from me before I got to find out if I really was immortal! The pain didn't register at first, but than I suddenly gasped and doubled over, holding my side. A pair of steel boots came into my limited view and I glanced up while still bent over. I couldn't even keep the surprise off my face when I beheld my apparent savior. It was Carwin Mathos, the man I'd fought with in Ardenburgh! How'd he make it out here so quickly? Never mind, I was grateful. Carwin quickly swung his large shield at the creature's face to get it's attention and I scrambled out of the way. Holding my breath, I was able to stand up. Ye gods, the pain was intense. I wonder if I could suddenly develop the skill for healing spells? I snorted at my musings. Ya and perhaps I'll grow wings and fly too! The pain slowly ebbed as Carwin kept the two skeletons off me. Unfortunately, although he was really good at keeping their attention, he sort of lacked in the slayage department. While the one skeleton skipped around, it's broad boney back presented such a tempting target that I couldn't help sticking a dagger in it. Hey, I am a rogue after all. Despite not having any flesh or organs to speak of, the thrust of my dagger to where it's heart would have been made the skeleton falter and seize up. It fell to the ground with a final thump and I grinned. Carwin raised an impressed eyebrow. Oh ya, who's the big bad rogue now huh? I smirked cockily, before forgetting that my side hurt and groaned. Although, the pain seemed to be diminishing by the minute. Another perk of being Ascended. I silently sent a prayer of thanks to my patron goddess Tavril. Still one skeleton to go though.

      I tried sneaking up behind this one, but for some reason Carwin chose that moment to shift position, thus forcing the skeleton to shift position. I guess it had some form of rudimentary intelligence. So I attacked it head on, alongside Carwin, feeling a sense of giddy, little girl shyness for being next to someone so famous and esteemed. Everyone's heard of Carwin Mathos!
     Our double assault seemed to throw the skeleton off kilter and it swung wildly from me to Carwin, not sure who to attack first. Carwin fixed that by bashing it in the face with his shield. I heard bone crunch and winced. Ouch. The skeleton flopped onto it's back, where it struggled to come to what senses it had. I didn't give it the chance, stabbing a dagger in one eye socket. I know, violent work, but these things did not deserve the mutated half life they had been given. They were no longer who they were in life, and were merely empty shells strung on a thread being pulled by Aedraxis. Best to dispatch them and move on. Carwin nodded at me and I smiled gratefully.

     "How're you doing?" He asked, concerned. I flexed my arm, and although my side muscles pulled with the movement, the pain had mostly ebbed by now. Three cheers for Ascended. Still, I could feel the wound, still fresh, and was afraid that any heavy movement would tear it open again. I'd best be careful for the next few hours.

     "Come on Regulos, is that all you got? Bring it on, I'm ready for you!" Carwin's sudden angry shout made me jump, than wince. I glared at him. What the hell? He's asking for battle? Obviously something wrong with that chap! Carwin seemed to either not notice my glare, or was ignoring it, for he didn't even look twice at me. I was just about ready to demand to know what he was doing when I heard a keening shriek. I sighed, now what!?

      A large, leathery, milk white beast materialized out of a hazy sickly yellow light that seemed a mockery of the beautiful golden light I'd witnessed earlier. The beast, the size of a large horse, with the bonus of having a mouth full of teeth, swung it's heard and seemed to hone in on me. Not Carwin, who had been the one bellowing for trouble, but me, the poor defenseless wounded elf girl. Okay, not defenseless, but still! It's just not fair. The beast was wrong on many levels. It had dead fish eyes, sagging reptilian skin, and large bat like wings folded along it's back. It also had a long whip-thin tail that would probably cut your head off if in the right position. Just what I needed!

     I crouched into my familiar fighter's stance and gripped my daggers tightly, roving over the creature for any sort of weakness. Sharp teeth. Sharp claws. Long tail. Heavy wings. Ya, this will be fun...

     Before it could hurtle itself at me, Carwin charged it first. With an overly dramatic shout, he launched himself at the beast like it was Aedraxis himself. I must say, it looked rather impressive, if you were into the whole overly dramatic battle charges. I'm not. I'd much rather sneak in, decimate the foe with a series of strikes and slices, than dart away. As soon as the creature seemed fully occupied with Mathos there, I put action to thought and darted in wherever there was an opening, scoring multiple tiny cuts along the creature's hide. It may have seemed insignificant at first, but I know how effective many shallow, fast bleeding cuts are on slowing a foe down. I didn't have the best mentor in Silverwood for nothing, after all.
     Carwin got in a lucky jab with his sword when the beast swung to attack me. Infuriated, it roared it's frustration. I ducked to avoid a nasty tail swipe and leapt in again, this time slashing along the front paws. After what seemed an eternity, I noticed the beast slowing down. It was becoming more sluggish, and slower to defend against Carwin's sword strikes. Carwin feinted a low strike to the chest and when the drake bent it's head low to get it's horns in the way of the jab, he swiftly took the opportunity presented and quickly flipped his sword straight up through the neck. Thankfully his sword was quite sharp and cut right through, for I'd hate to see the beast suffer, despite what it was.     Breathing heavily, I leaned over and poked a scaly shoulder, jumping back, daggers raised when it twitched. But than it was still and I relaxed. I glanced at Carwin. He glanced at me. I shrugged. Not much to say after that. I sheathed my daggers and turned to regard the altar. To my pleasure, the Orb had done it's work, cleansing the tainted aura that had surrounded the altar. I grinned. Things were looking up!

     Despite my suggestion to come back to Valor Hold, Carwin parted ways with me there at the altar, which sounds odd now that I write it in my journal. Perhaps we'd meet yet again before this was over? Third time's the charm? That time I couldn't help giggling. I made my way back to Valor Hold, where I took the time to clean and hone my daggers, as well as find a few ingredients to form a few vials of poison for them. I was forced to use a small crystal vase for the last poison sadly, as the camp didn't have the kind of materials I'd required. After that was done, it occurred to me to seek out that Rogue specialist. So I wandered about camp looking for this person, who I assume is a female due to the name.

     I was right. Rovena Karn was a small, slender woman in dark leathers sitting in the shadows carving wood. I hesitantly approached and she didn't even glance up.

     "So you're a rogue eh? Come here to learn a few tricks from Rovena? I might be able to teach you a thing or two."     I spent the next few hours having my butt handed to me by this diminutive woman who looked better suited to the roll of a priest or a mage. After being thoroughly trounced time after time while sparring with her, I had to change that view. She was definitely a rogue of some skill. After she'd defeated me for what felt the hundredth time, she called it off and walked me back to her dark shadowy corner, where I sat exhausted and listened to her lecture about rogue ethics, ironically enough, as well as certain stances, dagger weights, the art of weaving planar magic into your weapons, and many other things. The time passed oh so quickly as I sat and listened and watched. It was so fascinating!
    
     Eventually my eyes began to droop and with amusement, Rovena sent me on my way to catch a quick nap. Apparently the enemy was becoming bolder and more desperate so I should nap while I could. I took her words to heart and was asleep instantly.

      Later, after a quick bite to eat, I was again summoned to Cyril's side, where he informed me of another important task I needed to do.

     "I hope you are well rested, Raeslyn, I have another task for you." Cyril boomed, looking down at me. By the Vigil, he's tall for a human. I think I've said that before, but it bears saying again. I grinned to myself.

     "Orphiel, the leader of the Defiant in the Grove, has been spotted up at Vigilant's Rise. We've seen him using the undead to steal the remains of our gallant heroes from the battlefield. We can't let Orphiel use our own soldiers to fuel his foul work. Slay these abominations that defile our fallen heroes and return their remains to Valor Hold where they may have a proper burial."
     I nodded at Cyril. I gathered my things, strapped on my daggers, and headed out into the field again. In the distance one could hear the shriek and boom of canon fire and magical missiles still, as well as the cries of the wounded and the moans of the undead. I recall what Cyril said to me before I left Valor Hold: "The flood gates of evil are opened, Raeslyn, and we are the ones chosen to slam them shut." Well, I hadn't agreed to be chosen, but I was glad for this opportunity to exact justice and vengeance.

     Time to go investigate what this Orphiel was up to here. To the far right of Thedeor Field was the path that led to Vigilant Rise. According to rumor, it was at the Rise that the Messengers had taken the bodies of us fallen and imbued us with the strength and power of the gods. In essence, it was here that we had been reborn as Ascended. I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with going up there, but what choice to I have. As I came to the base of the path that wound it's way up to the high peak, I stopped and glared irritably. The entire path was crawling with undead. And they were scary looking undead too. Incredibly tall and thin, they were wraith like and carried long ghostly chains.

 

     I stood back against the rock face of the Rise and considered the best way up. Unfortunately it

seemed I would have to break my way through. As I studied the abominations, I noticed that Cyril was indeed right. The wraith creatures were toting around sacks of grisly remains that dripped blood now and again. Yuck. When one undead came too close to my shadowed position against the rock, I suddenly sprang into motion. I called up fire along my blades and felt the thrill of the flames light up my pale features. I laughed, a short, abrupt sound. The abomination whipped its chain at me, but I thrust a dagger through one of the links and held it fast at my side, putting the creature off balance. Using my other dagger, I hacked off the hand I held pinned, wrinkling my nose in extreme distaste as I did it. Thankfully the undead's flesh parted easily and the hand fell to the ground with a soft thud. The abomination made a sort of long keening groan and I hoped to the gods that that wasn't some sort of signal for help, because I'm quite prepared to take on multiple foes yet.
   I twisted around, dancing out of reach of the second chain, and sent a flaming dagger flying at the creature to distract it. It would be tricky getting in close again to score a hit, what with that second chain flailing around in the air. Despite being wraith-like, I'm pretty sure the chain would still hurt if it lashed me. Let's not find out. I circled the abomination, trying to find out how quick it's reflexes are, and keeping an eye on activity further up the path at the other creatures. I did not want another one crashing the party. Thankfully the abominations appeared rather dim witted and didn't seem to realize that their comrade was being attacked. Either that, or they didn't care.

     Watching the creature swing the chain, I noticed a pattern in its movements, and on the next downward stroke of the chain, I darted in and planted a dagger in its hollow chest. Than I spun around and kicked outward, hitting the dagger squarely and driving it all the way in. The creature fell back, stunned, and the chain fell to the ground, limp. I grinned. Ascended 1, abomination 0. I quickly moved past the downed creature, making sure it wasn't going to get up again before I turned my back to it.

     I slowly inched my way up the shallow incline to the top of Vigilante's Rise. The abominations weren't too difficult to kill but I found myself spending a lot of time dodging those chains. And there never seemed to be an end to the creatures! At the top of the Rise was a flat plateau. There were fewer of the wraith creatures up here and I avoided them easily while I made my way to where a stone platform extended out from the natural plateau of rock. Large carved pillars arched overhead on either side of the stone platform. If I had had more time, I'd have liked to study the work of those pillars. That's some interesting history, right there. As it was, I eyed them enviously.

     My main objective was just sitting out in the open in the center of the stone platform. There was no one else on the windy platform, let alone an Eth scholar who may or may not be named Orphiel. Instead, there was a tall, odd looking metal thing connected to some cables. It looked remarkably like what I'd seen in Ardenburgh. The machine connected to that poor woman that was sucking her life out. I glared at the metal creature. A travesty, this was! It was obviously designed for something horrible.

     Upon cautious approach, the metal construct didn't even twitch, so I assumed it must be offline or disconnected or something. I've not much knowledge of Magitech, which is just how I'd like to keep it. I considered the small control panel that the wires all connected to, and glanced around. I should probably find a way to disrupt this machine. Can't be a good idea that it's up here like this. I knelt down in front of the small control panel and swiftly glanced over the intricate surface of switches, controls and buttons. A large red one on the left caught my eye and shrugging, I depressed the button. Instantly there was a zap of electricity that ran through the cables behind the panel. I jumped, startled, and fell on my behind. The electricity snaked up the wires and hit the construct, and next thing I knew, it had come to life. Uh oh. 
     "Master Orphiel would not approve!" the creature actually spoke.
It's voice was smooth and metallic and sent chills down my spine from the unnaturalness of it. So I had been right, this construct had something to do with the Defiant's leader. The construct straightened up and I realized it was even taller than I had thought previously. This can't be good. Perhaps we can come to some sort of peaceful compromise? The construct roared and advanced on my prone form. Or maybe not. I swiftly leaped to my feet and rolled past the construct, to come up behind it.
      Drawing my daggers, I held them ready before me, blades sparkling with planar power. No way some hunk of metal was going to get the best of me! The construct knew a weak form of magic, and cast a sparkling net of power at me, though I was able to easily dodge the spell cast. Moving in swiftly, I parried one of its metal claws and tried quickly searching for vulnerable parts. Unfortunately, what is vulnerable on a giant metal thing?! I was forced to retreat again, panting. The construct threw another net of magic at me. This time I barely dodged it, feeling the electricity raise my hair up as I dodged out of the way.

     "So, what's a girl gotta do to shut you down eh?" I asked the construct rhetorically as I dodged a metal fist. The construct didn't answer, and I didn't think it would. Than I remembered those constructs in Bloodmurk Grove. The only way to disable and destroy them had been a small paneling of wire at the base of their metal heads. Perhaps it would be the same here. But how can I get behind this thing long enough to look? I hardly think it's going to stand still while I analyze it for potential weaknesses. Still, I had to try. Calling up my Ascended power, I planar shifted through different dimensions and transported myself behind the construct. It was very quick to react, and almost sliced me open with one of it's metal arms, but I did get a good look at the back of the head.

     Indeed, there was a wiring panel attached to the construct, with a small blinking green light in the center. I just had to find a way to deactivate it. Permanently if I could. I took stock of my inventory, and was depressed to realize that I didn't really have anything to work with here. Perhaps one of my small throwing daggers would work. I unsheathed one and rolled to the side, tossing the dagger as I dived. The dagger struck true and the construct eyed me suspiciously, obviously more intelligent than your average undead, trying to figure out what my angle was. I thought for sure that it didn't work, but than when I approached again, the construct was disabled and couldn't move to attack me in time. As quick and agile as I've ever been, I launched myself at the construct's back. I had to pull myself up slightly as the metal creature was taller than me. I felt it stiffen under my hand, and I knew I had seconds before it tried to dislodge me. Working fast, I stuck a dagger blade under the panel covering and pried it off, not paying attention to where it landed. I than jammed a small explosive device into the panel and leaped clear, landing on my feet some distance away. Good thing I took the time to learn new tricks from Rovena because the ability to craft little bombs and incendiary devices was pretty handy.

 
The construct turned around remarkably quick and glared accusingly at me. And that's when the device went off with a muffled boom. The construct's glowing red eyes flickered, than faded, and it slumped to the ground, a pile of metal parts. I stood, holding my daggers loosely, and glanced around. Something felt off here. I'm not sure what it was but something--A man materialized out of thin air behind the fallen construct. He was tall, human in appearance, and wearing the strangest clothing I'd ever seen. He stared down at the remains of the construct with such a sad and despairing look that I had to repress the urge to apologize. But than he glanced up and his gaze landed on me. I gulped and couldn't stop myself from instinctively taking a step back. That is one scary looking expression.

     "What have you done, foolish child! Ethect would have allowed me to siphon off the Vigil's power and create my own Ascended! You will regret this!" I scowled, not liking being called foolish, but the man was already muttering something and I felt now was not the time to protest. When he finished, he flung out his hand and a stream of ice blue mist raced toward my position. Woah, what the hell is that? I barely ducked in time and the mist hit a pillar instead, causing the entire pillar to become encased in an impenetrable sheet of ice. I stared, wide-eyed. Uh oh. Undeterred, the man was now weaving his hands together. A jet of white arced from his staff at me. Darn he's good. And here I was so proud of my own paltry abilities.

     I dived to the side to avoid the white colored magic, but it followed me. The second the white mist hit me, I felt frozen. My breath caught in my throat and I immediately began shivering. What magic is this? I've never actually fought someone who was adept at the magic arts before and I made a mental note to find someone to spar against, because I was completely unprepared for this guy's magical assault. When he started muttering the same words as before, I admit I panicked. My mind just went blank. And that's when someone else took over. I don't know who, or how, but one of the other souls seemed to slide into my place. They guided my hands, expertly wielded my daggers, and knew such advanced techniques, I would have been in awe if my mind wasn't half frozen.
     As if from a distance I watched as I manipulated the shadows, weaving through the half seen
planes that layered over our own on Telara. My daggers began glowing a vibrant blue, and my whole body thrummed with power. The man, who I assume, now that I had time to think, is Orphiel, the leader of the Defiant, hit me again with a spell, this time something swirling and clingy. I found myself slowed down to a crawl for a few precious seconds, before shrugging it off and continuing on. I was within a few paces of Orphiel when he hit me with another spell. This one froze me in place, but I did fling a dagger at him. I can't say if it hit him or not, because my vision suddenly went white from all the spells being cast on me.

     "I can't die like this. One day I will replicate Ascension and destroy you all!" I heard Orphiel shout, as if from a distance. I couldn't reply even if I wanted to. Suddenly, the feeling of being a bystander in my own body faded, leaving me bereft of the power I had felt previously. I slumped, held in the magical casting, and shivered violently.

     Eventually the wan and distant sun did manage to thaw most of the ice from my form, and I used my daggers to shatter the rest. That was one powerful mage and I hope I never met another until I had been sufficiently trained. My body still felt weird, stiff and cold, and I moved with a sort of jerking motion. At least I could still move, I guess. I must have hit Orphiel with my dagger or I'd probably be dead right now. Thank the gods for small miracles. Speaking of gods, glancing up, I caught sight of the telltale white wingspan of a Messenger of the Vigil, hovering at the very tip of the stone spire. When I had recovered enough strength to walk properly, I hesitantly walked out to meet the messenger. A warm and soothing presence filled my mind as I came closer, and I felt my shivering cease.

     "You have done all as the gods have asked, Raeslyn. We are very proud of you. Alas, now they must ask for more. You must be prepared to give your life to push Regulos back through the Ward. To become strong enough for the coming trial, you must make use of the ancient power that lives and breathes inside of you!"

     The Messenger's soft, multi voiced words echoed in my ears and I felt a chill of a different sort. All this work I've done, everything I've accomplished, and I still hadn't even laid eyes on Aedraxis, let alone defeated him. And the Messenger says I must be prepared to give my life? Again? I don't know if I'm ready for that. It's different to lay down your life in the heat of battle for the sake of a comrade or your faith, but to be told, flatly, that you may be forced to give up your life to combat an evil...it's a bit much to take in. Especially after what I had just endured. I realized that I did not want to die again. Ever. And I would do what I could to make sure it didn't happen.

     I gazed into the Messenger's eyeless face and said nothing. I wonder if they can pick up on my thoughts. The Messenger's bell-like laughter sounded in my mind at that, and I felt lighter. My stress melted away like the ice that had coated me earlier. I couldn't help but smile. All hail the Vigil.

     "This place is a nexus of power, where the gods met and reached out their hand to bestow souls upon the chosen of Telara. Walk the path of the Vigil and you will never walk alone. If you wish, I can send you back to Valor Hold very quickly using the power emanating from this place."

     I nodded eagerly. I had no desire to traipse all the way back down that hill. Not to mention that I hadn't killed every abomination on the way up and I was in no shape to be fighting anything right now. I was exhausted, physically and mentally, and had drained quite a bit of my Ascended power. I needed something to eat and perhaps a quick rest, but I had a feeling I wouldn't get it. Things were coming together rather quickly now, and end game was almost upon us.
     The Vigil's winged messenger lifted up her arms and a soft white glow descended upon my shoulders. I felt weightless and warm, my mind encased in a web of light and love. I felt myself float off the edge of the spire, to where the ground was some hundred feet below, but felt no fear, for I knew the Vigil looked over me. My body floated gently but quickly along the currents of power and arrived safely in the center of Valor Hold, where I stumbled upon regaining my normal mass and physical shape. There was a sharp gasp behind me and I whirled, tiredly going for my daggers. It was only Cyril though.
     "You truly are illuminated by the Vigil, Raenyn!" Cyril breathed with awe, gazing at me.