War Horizon city of Jewel

by flaming hunter

Two world have met now they must learn to live and deal with each other

2. Chapter 2

Voice change: Cathy

Her life was boring not in the sense that nothing ever happened, in these times there was always some sort of danger, something wanting to kill you or worse.

Yet for all of life's pain and struggles, she had hardly a memory of anything worth wiled.
So when her family moved searching for a better life she accompanied them, but either they had chosen the wrong time or fate had some sort of bad hummer.

The prospering lands were difficult to get to and more times than not, her family would see people giving up and turning back, the dead lands were cruel and unforgiving.
Tings didn't even when they reached the Jewel town, it was being over run by an ever growing multitude of people, so any chance her family might have had in starting a new fife was lost right there and then.

So they did the one thing they could do, they set up a tent and tried to start their new lives, the lights in the sky some how kept the hot sun away and there was plenty of water.

Knights would patrol both the main town and the outside tent village, but competition was high and her family was having trouble earning enough.
They didn't have to pay any rent for the use of land, but food- medicine and clothing costed money and they needed it.

Then one day a group of children passed telling those that knew how to wright, to write down what needed the most looking into.
For those that didn't know how to write, the children themselves did it for them and then repeated it to make sure they didn't miss anything.

To see a group of children openly respected and even somehow feared interested her, so when saw them sign up for something she did the same without thinking.

After all if children were doing it, how dangerous could it be. ...

Had she known that they were headed to the dead lands she would have never done something so stupid.

Yet, it had only been the first night and already she had seen a noble woman kiss one of her companion's before bursting in to light and the the dead lands themselves exploding with the light of the stars.

She could hear the wiled animals running around somehow keeping themselves hidden even among all of the specs of light,, yet she could hear the laughter of children flow thru the wind, with it were the distant cries for help and sounds of joy.

Everytime a spec of light touched her she could swear she saw people she had never seen before, memories of times already gone.

She looked at her companions and noticed that the knight, the entertainer and the children could somehow gather the specs and hold them in place, while her other two companion's tried to do so and failed.

Infact whenever one of the Adventurers gave then a spec of light it woul pass thru them, as if they or it weren't really there.

On this night alone she had gathered so many memories and experiences that she could simply sit down and live her life without regret, but the job was for nine days and this had only been the first one.

[][]

No one slept for the rest of the night and in all honesty Cathy wouldn't have dared to do so, even if she had been told to do so.

The sun had begun to rise and with it the many specks of light vanished, yet no one dared to move not because there was any sort of danger, but the fact was that even tho no one said it, their lives now depended on one another.

It had only been the first night and all ready something impossible had occurred. Wether it had been a one time thing didn't matter, they had to expect the unexpected and rely on each other.

"Well do introductions as we walk. " said the boy that had been their leader sofar.
"If we stay here we will be easy targets but if we keep moving, we can cover more ground and mark how far we manage to get. " the boy continued as he began to set another iron bar into the ground and tied the rope to it.

One by one the all began to follow him.

[][]

They continued to walk in silence , at least she did, bo in fact the only ones that were truly quite were the team leader, the boy that walked be hind her and herself.

As for the the children, no the small adventures, they were busy talking amongst themselves. Whatever it was Cathy couldn't help to ever know, nor did she dare to, if they were truly Adventures then any form of information they held could be used against them.

Cathy had never seen an Adventurer so she didn't know how they looked like, all she knew was that angering one was something only a fool did.
She knew that despite the town leaders loudly boasting that they ruled Jewel, the Adventures were the true rulers, a simple word was all it took and Jewel was in their control.

Cathy didn't dare approach then any more then she had to, less the difference in customs cause some sort of confusion and she find herself at the pointy side of one of their swords or worse.

She briefly looked back and noticed that the boy behind her was looking straight at the ground, for a moment Cathy though he was looking at her but, yet she noticed that he clearly didn't care about her at all.

"What are you doing." Cathy asked the boy.

"The dirt its wrong, well not wrong but its not right either. I have been keeping a close eye on our footprints ever since we left the safety of the town and the footprints aren't wright. " the boy said.

"What do you mean.?" asked their team leader, from all the way in front of the group.

At that moment Cathy noticed that the others had stopped talking and the way they walked somehow showed that they were listening to every word the boy said.

"Outside the town the ground is moist and we can see that as we walk we leave behind some wet footprints, but the more and more we get away from the town the strange the land gets."

"Stop for a second lift up your foot, see how the ground is wet, bring your foot down and lift it up again." the boy said and Cathy did like he said.

Cathy's eyes couldn't understand what they were seeing, one moment the ground was wet, the next it was dry. She did this again and again and noticed the results were the same, wet -dry-wet-dry.

"Some sort of evil is in these lands, we should turn back." the boy said.

"No, you agreed to nine days, we will stay out here for four and on the fifth we turn around. The knights patrol these lands, I know that because I needed to know what to expect, so I asked them directly.

"We are only walking two more days then they usually do, Im not as arrogant as to believe that we can survive in a place even they don't dare to enter. " said their leader and employer.

"My name. Is Michael, servant of the Adventures Guild known as Log Horizon and as a servant of said guild, I can not stain their reputation by leading the group I formed without their approval, to die out here in the dead lands." Michael said finally introducing himself.

"Guess Ill go next. " said the boy behind Cathy.

"My name is Lucky, Im afraid that I don't have a name as the rest of you, so yeah I named myself. I am a dirt expert in training and I hope to learn what I can about the difference in magic and nutrients in lands so different from each other." Lucky introduce himself.

Finally it was her turn. "My name is Cathy and I am but the daughter of jack he works in the mines collecting the stones used to build the town. " Cathy introduce herself and she felt Lucky hit her shoulder so hard the sound of his hand hitting her made a loud smack sound.

"Ah the second generation, your father must be proud. Tell me will you join your father in the mines, or do you plan to continue to be a land inspector after we're done with this job. " Lucky said to her.

"Indeed I did not expect someone that lived in the tents to be amongst the mine workers and much less choose to carry on her father's work in helping expand the town.
Your family must be one who's honor and tightly bound together that you can rely on one another." added Michael, his words sounded like he was congratulating her.

Cathy had known that work in the mines was rare, for the stones used in the construction of the town were special. So it stood to reason that the lands were the mines were located would be heavily guarded and workers checked so as the wouldn't somehow damage the mines.

Her father had been lucky to geta spot on the working force, but to think that for that reason she would be seen as if she was someone, who was inheriting something special a job a burden that instantly made those around her, respect her.

Cathy didn't say anything she just continued to walk.

[][]

Lucky

He followed closely but couldn't help but lag behind, the dirt here was wrong at one moment it was fertile and filled with life, the next it was dead, dust carried by the wind.

He had sighed up solely for the fact that the sign said . Looking for People togo and check the soil in the dead lands.

Now he was regretting it, the farther they got from Jewel the greater the feeling of them being watched and as soon as the sun set they would reach the edge the area where not even the patrol goes into, the knights didn't even dare take prisoner's pass that point.

The effects of the mist were getting weaker, he knew this because of the draining feeling, something was stealing his strength and it wasn't the hot sun.

The Adventures the little ones at least seemed content with talking amongst themselves, something about an Ogre King and Summer Festival.

Lucky didnt understand there were no ogres here, at least he didn't think so. The older two seemed to be in a world of their own, Lucky knew a Political Marriage when he saw one.

Yet the knight and the mage seemed to like each others company and by the way the woman rode on the knights back, they were very intimate.

However every time he lagged behind, every time someone misstepped, Lucky saw their ears twitch.
They were aware of everything, more times than one had Lucky see, wat looked like a wand, or a sword being drawn.

It was getting late and they hadn't rested in the slightest, yet wen the heat was about to get to them a forest long dead was seen and with out so much as a word they all hurridly entered it.

The trees were strange, almost as if they had tried to run away from something, but ultimately failed, there surrounded by the figures of trees with twisted barks they made camp and awaited the coldness of the night.

[][]

The night was different now, there were some sparks of light, but they were few and far between, the mist barely reached this area and whatever wind carried it was hollow.

There was no cold, no feeling of the escaping heat that was replaced by a quickly enveloping cold.

They should not be here.

The trees were different and Lucky knew that something was definitely wrong, here and there there were dead trees surrounding a larg circle where small bundles of seeds were located.

Lucky knew this because the area they had made camp had at least eight seeds in it.

Michael took three he claimed it was for research and Lucky and the girl, he forgot her name kept the rest.

The children had gone and collected some more, before the older two told them to stay close.

Still, they didnt dare start a fire, fir some reason the sounds of the animals were now few and far between and Lucky had no doubt that the more they walked they would be completely gone.

Still the soil here was perfect for building a settlement, as long as it was heavily defended, again they took turns going to sleep and keeping watch.
This time however they did it two at a time, that night Lucky slept but he didn't rest, something was taking his strength.

For two more days they walked until Michael decided they had walked far enough and decided to turn back, as they walked Lucky swore that the path seemed longer, that each step took longer and it was only the ropes that kept them from getting lost, it was only until they reached the edge of the forest and near the blanket of the mist, that the feeling stopped.

Lucky knew that Michael had felt and seen the same and that was why he had decided to turn around.

[][]

Lucky listened and he listened well, he listened to the birds, to the water flow and to the sounds of the wind, it was a peculiar thing reentering Jewels boarders, he noticed the first time but now, now he could swear no he was certain of it.

The barrier had taken something from him, no it was like it had graved all of the taint and striped it from him.

A slight tug in his pocket made him pause, he could swear he felt something move, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the strange seeds.

For a moment Lucky wondered what would happen if he cracked them open, but rejected the idea, so he just thru them into the nearby water. Lucky was certain that the magic in the water would destroy whatever taint the seeds had or just destroy the seeds, ether way they weren't his problem anymore.

Eight silvers and two gold, a good pay fir just walking around, after all they had done no work however Lucky swore he felt the wind change like if his fate had somehow been altered.

Still Lucky decided to get a drink.

Honesty she was glad that it was over she took her few silvers and her gold and said her goodbyes Cathy swore to herself that she wouldn't do something so stupid again.

She hurried home and found her worried mother hanging the clothes out to dry, her mother took her in a deep hug and eagerlyasked about her adventure.

Yet when she heard about the seeds she had brought back, she made Cathy get rid of them.

The feeling was off, not evil in any way but off, like her fate had been sealed at that moment.

Still she wasn't going to do any more adventuring and swore to stay home, the days of Cathy the adventure were over.

Michael had a head ache he had informed the council and had his ear nearly blown out with a of their screaming.

As it turned out, they had sent scouts out and found that the only place good enough to expand/get rid of people, was the dead forest he had found and the mountains they had hid in and the adventures had laid claim to those mountains so they were out of the question.

One place was covered in stone and it would be used to continue the mining, another was covered in so many dead bodies that it was better to burry them and turn the area into a cemetery, the worst one was the area chosen by the adventures for something.

So that left the forest and it was at the edge of some sort of sinister power, still the fact that they could walk twi days apart in every direction was a bonus.

The decision was made right there and then, the town would lay out the foundations and build outside the barrier, keeping the crops safe while getting rid of so many unwanted people.

The night mist would keep them safe after all.

Michael walked, he w as going to go to his room when he heard them.

"So they handled themselves like professionals?" Shiroe said.

"Yeah, but they need a lot of training." answered Naotsugue.

"Accompany them in their next mission, it wont be for a while, but trust me its coming." Shiroe said.

"Still to think that so many people without experience would go out into those lands, anyway if Michael and his team want to became explorers we should give them some combat training." Naitsugue said to Shiroe, who inturn just smiled.

Michael's hart nearly stopped, they had misunderstood and had now made plans for him and the other two.

Michael just ran and locked himself in his room, the moment he heard the lock he brock down crying.

[][]

A week passed after that and honestly nothing had changed much the only real difference was that, new forms of work had come out of the hole situation.

One was that of grave digger and along with it, those that did the funeral rights, there by protecting the persons soul and body from corruption.

Which ever religion or belief opened up it own business for it, even if it was just a simple tent.

More people went to work in the mines and others took to helping both expanding the water ways and maintaining them. Priest and those with any form of magical knowledge, laid prayers and carved protective runes onto the weird stone, hoping to add just another layer of protection.

People found that as the diggers and engravers worked, they could simply take their products to them and there by earn a profit before any of the workers even approach Jewel.

There was a lot of arguing considering that the way the Adventures had dealt with the spill of water was to build a giant circle made of weird stone around Jewel and if someone opened a pice of it the blessed water could be lost.

So it was decided that the first connection to the main town would be built but it would only open, when construction was halfway done.

Others went to building two new circles one around the very limits where the mist stopped and the other completely encircled the dead forest.

This expansion didn't go un noticed however, even though it was to simply reduce the over grown population and provide everyone with more room.

The inner town that had enjoyed a growing and increasing market now had to compete with the new merchants on the outside.
This wasn't a problem at first considering that everyone went to the inside to be near the pillars, now however, people seemed to head straight for the water.

The kingdom's themselves had finally had enough and decided to see what the fuss was about, so a single representive was sent, just to see if going there was safe.

[][]

The air around Jewel had changed and for once people weren't sure if it was a good thing, there was a feeling in the air one that was both filled with anticipation, fir some reason everyone swore that something wonderful was going to happen.

Yet no one knew what it was, it was like their very beings were announcing this, during the week a simple letter had been spoken to everyone in town.

Supposedly a good friend of the adventures was coming and they wanted everyone to make them feel at ease.

That was it a simple letter, nothing more however what was left unsaid both filled everyone with a sense of fear and excitement.
The fear had been ignored, after all the adventures never did anything without a good reason and nearly everything they did ended up benefiting everyone, if not immediately, then certainly in the ling run.

So among the whispers - the murmurs and the every day gossip, the sound of a carriage being pulled by horses could be heard in the distance.
A long with it the marching sounds of footsteps, few could notice it but distant sound of hammers and shovels that was now common on the outside of the town had briefly stoped.

The only thing that remained was the marching sound, long the horse drawn carriage.

The men for a brief moment took of their hats in a sign of respect to whoever rode within it, never in their lives would they have believed that for a brief moment it would stop and a small window would open revealing a fair maiden with silver hair that waved back at them, before the carriage began to move again.

Farmers attending to their crops and being helped by strange creatures that looked as if they were made of a living tree bowed their heads, the little tree children looked confused not knowing what was happening, yet seeing the farmers bow they themselves imitated the act.

This brought a smile to the people inside the carriage, as well as to the knights guarding them.

Finally they reached the tents, however they did not stop at it, for at the entrance were a group of friends of theirs waiting for them.

They passes the tents and its assortment of people, it was easy to see that even tho life was hard for them it wasn't impossible.

The knight captain and his patrol had encountered the travelers the moment they had reached the borders and seeing both the signatures and the seals of each of the Adventures Houses he had no choice but to escort whoever it was, safely in to Jewel.

The knights handled themselves as professional and didn't bother making any small talk with any of his own men, they showed discipline with every step they took.

The carriage door opened and a man with short blond hair- light peach skin, he wore spectacles and a large heavy armor.

Alarm bells rang in the Knight Captains head, even amongst the Adventures it was said that if an adventurer wore glasses, one should be careful he is not being manipulated.
It was like a brightly colored serpent, its color's warning people not to anger it, the spectacles seemed to do the same.

After him a pair of maids stepped out and stretched out their hands, helping the most beautiful woman he had ever seen step out of the carriage.

She had long gray, no it was a kind of blue long hair- peach skin and a thin figure, yet her gentle grey blue eyes were wat spoke most to him.

An unspoken word was heard by everyone in town.

Royalty.

"Welcome princess" Shiroe said, yet the way he spoke wasnt filled with fear or any form of noticeable respect, no it was like he was speaking to an acquaintance.

The House of the Horizon was all present, as well as that of the Crescent moon and even the other houses, however the knight captain could see that something was off, yet even he could not figure out what it was.

"Princess!" Tetora said completely destroyingthe mood.
"So did you get my letter. " Tetora said with a bright smile on her face.

"Yes, but I must say I am confused. Yourletter said that you had a child and I received one from Maryelle saying the same thing
Yet both letters said Lord Naotsugu was the father, yet I see the three of you standing here without a care in the world." The princessanswered Tetora.

Tetora suddenly grew a wide smile and reached inter her blouse and took out a small tree like child, Maryelle did the same but she had been holding the child in her hands the entire time.

A surprised expression passed over the princess if only for a moment, strangely enough her eyes seemed to harden.

"Has any of you ever had children or has children at the moment?" the princess said to her escorting guard and a single man steeped forward.

"Good, please teach everything you can to Lord Naotsugu about how one acts around their children, make sure he understands that something shouldn't be tought to infants. " the princess ordered the Knight and the man simply bowed acknowledging the order.

As the knight captain watched, he saw something that confused him, it was a smile that passed over the princess and the two woman.
It wasn't one used by acquaintances or one used by someone in higher society to someone in a lower status.

No it was the smile of a friend given toanother.

[][]

It was but a moment, yet still the knight captain allowed himself to take in the sight and allow his mind to drift.
It was the strangest of all things, granted he nor his men were present when the town had been first created, yet still they held a deep bond to it.

When they marched thru the dead lands securing the borders seeing the colors in the sky, that can only be seen when one looked a certain angle at night.
He remembered how good the water felt everytime he took a drink and how it seemed to give him straight, not just physically but it was like its cold, yet warm touch strengthened his soul.

He had been present when the building's began to take the new shapes and seem as if they were mearly placed on top of one another.

He had seen the building's of the walls and the creation of both the tent town and now he was seeing the town grow into a small city.

Back in the kingdom he was nobody, his men were so disposable that they had been sent on a mission, that made sure that if they simply disobeyed an order, they would be marked as traitors.

So as he saw the princess whose name still ignored, take into her arms the small wooden form of the adventures child, he couldn't help but feel as this land, this town had truly become his home.

The knight captain didn't know if his men felt the same, no he knew what they felt, it was written all over their faces every time they returned to town or stayed for a single week longer then they normally woul.

They were home and if they could, they would fight to stay in it.

As the princess and her escorts began to walk deeper into the town, the knight captain ordered his men to stop, the adventures were with the princess, meaning that if she or her knights tried anything, they would easily be dealt with.

"Get a scout and have him inform the prison division to return to jewel.
Have the ones that are being punished due several laps around the border before returning to town.

Get the lower dogs to watch them do so. As for the filth, send my apologies to the guard, they are to stay at the edge of the border." the knight captain ordered his men to send out his orders, to the scouting groups.

Things had changed somewhat in his position, his small force now had people that either wanted to join the guard or simply wanted a reason to live.

They were called Dogs, because they were just that innocent and criminal alike were in it and they were given a training so brutal few of them would ever complete it.

The next batch were the Filth, in all honesty he would have preferred to simply hang these people.
No they weren't people, whatever they were less then human or animal, he would call them shit but even shit fertilized the dirt.
They were less then shit, thats why they were kept in the edge of the dead lands, before the dead lands became the dessert.

In that cursed place, simply giving a single step and walking forward was a nightmare, the land stretched itself almost as it it was pulling you in.

His men trained there and that was the reason, the carried entire barrels of water, the holy liquid drove back whatever evil was in those lands.
Yet still they had to be vigilante, for a single person could easily walk into the desert unknowingly.

His men trained with ropes, thats how none of them had been lost, altho the water did drive of the effects of the cursed lands, they were settle and if they weren't careful they could easily fall victim to them.

Already several prisoner's were nearly lost and many even begged for death, the cursed lands cut deep in to their minds and if a person looked closely the moment they drank the water, a person could swear they saw a black smoke leave the bodys of the prisoner's.

Still the knight captain allowed himself to take in the sights and remembered that a festival was being held, a thank you for the good fortune, to whatever god he didn't care.
In all honesty he doubted there was a single one, but several.

Colorful banners were being hung, decorations covered the houses and special foods were being made.

"Perhaps this was the reason the princess had come. Still her presence confirmed a suspicion he had, there was a realm gate in the mountains, that the adventurers had laid claim to.
It was the only place the princess could have come from, either that or there was a castle in the mountains.

It was vital information, unfortunately the group he had sent the letter with, was attacked by monsters." the knight captain though to himself, as he continued to take in the sights.

[][]

The knight captain watched as people put on colorful tight full body suits and strange hats along with plain looking masks that were either smiling or crying.

They danced around to the strange sounds of music, before stopping and doing it again, they wanted to make sure their act was just right.

He watched as children imitated the knight's training perhaps some would become the next generation of guards men, but then he noticed that amongst the boys, there was a blond blue eyed boy, whose matter of speech was most commonly found amongst nobility.

"Tell us a story. " one of the children said.
"Come on, you're an adventurer."a nother added.

This confirmed his suspicions the boy everyone called Rudy a member of the house of the horizon, an adventurer.

"Alright this is one Master Naotsugue told me" Rudy said and the knight captain had to admit, he was curious, so he listened.

"They stood side by side, shoulder to shoulder, they held their sword- axe's - Wwarhammer's- bows and arrows.

The sun was gone and the only thing that gave any light, were the firers of the street lights.
Everyone was quite they knew they were going to die." Rudy said briefly pausing letting the words he said sink in.

The boy reached into his pocket and took out a pair of gold coins and acted as he was holding onto a locket, one which he opened and smiled as he looked at the picture it held.

"... First of all let me say that it has been both an honer and a privilege to have trained and fought along side all of you. " the boy said as he used his magic staff, to light up his face, all the while moving it back and forth, making it difficult to get a good look at him.

"They say that today the world ends, that , that is the reason the sun has vanished.

[][]

The boy stops and looks at the two coins and closes them and immediately puts the locket into his pocket.

"Maybe it is maybe its not. I ask of you to remember how it felt, to hold your baby boy and your baby girl in your arms for the first time.
How it felt to hold onto your lover and the first time you stepped into the training ground."

"...I'm not asking you to forgive our attackers, they dont deserve it. In this time of need, wen we all should join together and stand as one, they choose to attack us instead." Rudy said, as the small shades of ice began to form behind him signaling that it was about to get dark.

"No, I ask of you to remember our heroes, remember the men who held the flag up even as death rained down upon them, making sure it never touched the ground.
All the while, their captured brothers aboard the enemy ship's, prayed to God to not let that flag fall.

Two hundred direct hits, yet it still flew. "

"I ask of you to remember the silent step, that with a single shot, ended the war and along with it ended and empire and gave birth to a nation. "

The many colorful lights brought in for the festival were turned on and combined with the the light of the torches that were the street lights, along side the boys magic staff that moved back and forth, created a feeling of uncertainty.

The knight captain noticed that a young woman was now standing next to him, nex to her was an older woman, no doubt the children's mothers and sisters, it was getting late after all.

"If the sun has truly gone out, then we just have to hold until it lights back up. An impossible task you say, no.

Remember the demon invasion for everyone of us there were a hundred of them, yet we held the line.
Did we break under the weight of the vampires and their undead armies, that poisoned our waters and turned our fallen brothers against us. "

"No we held the line. "

"Wen the world broke and every castle fell into ruins and the people were driven to madness.
Did we break, no we held the line and pushed back the madness, allowing our people to rebuild."

"The hour is dark, yes, but we will survive. Just like the time before and after and after that one.
Now there a lot of monsters out therewanting a good fight, what do you boys say, we give it to them. " Rudy lifted up his staff and slammed it on the ground, the booming sound made some of the children jump, yet there was one that stood there wide eyes, like if he was looking at a hero.

[][]

The woman noticing that Rudy had stopped talking, began to take the children hands, some found who they were looking for immediately, while others had to call out the children's names.

"Did they win?" the little boy asked.

Rudy for his part simply gave the boy a gentle smile and said "Yes, they fought for days, even as their lights went out, one by one.
But when everything seemed lost, the sun finally light up, and lights fell from the sky. Where the lights turned a warier stood. " Rudy said to the boy.

The boy gasped "The adventures." the boy said, his voice in ahh, before his mother took his hand and walked him home.

Rudy smiled and headed back into the deeper areas of the town, it seemed it was time for him to sleep as well.
The only people out now where those cleaning up, or those tending to their displays, other than that it was only the night patrol.

As it became darker the knight captain could hear how his armored books echoed in the quickly emptying streets.

Clank- clank- clank.

The knight captain stopped, it was faint but the sound of metal clashing could be heard and with it the distinct smell of blood.

He began to move carful not to make to much noise and then he saw it, there being washed away by the waters was the stain of blood.

A trail left behind was just barely visible, no longer caring for his presence to be known, the knight captain ran, hoping to catch ether the victim or the attacker.

The blood stopped but there was nothing there, no body- no screams- no murderer and no witnesses.

The sound of something moving on the roof of a nearby house cought his attention, but it was pointless to chase after it.
Whoever it was, knew how to cover his tracks.

"Why now, Jewel was always a peaceful place, regardless of the incidents of the peoples desperation.
So why now?" the knight captain thought to himself.

Slowly his eyes widened, as he came to the realization. "The festival" he said to himself.

It was pointless to attack the Adventures, they were to powerful, however the people weren't.
All it took was one act, arrows- poison - even a small strick force and the security the people felt would be lost.

He turned around and found an adventurer standing behind him, it was Shiroes personal guard.
She placed a figure on her lips, signalling him to stay quiet and reached into her pocket and handed him, the sigel of her house.

He looked at it for a moment, but when he looked us she was gone.

"It seems I've just been recruited."the knight captain said to himself.

[][]

The next morning was strangely quiet from the nearby roofs people could be seen hanging banners, some displaying angelic figures wearing gold armor, others were simply simple flags with no designs, they were meant jut to look good.

The sun had barely come up and all ready Jewel was alive and active.

Figurines of all kinds were shown everywhere a childs toy could be sold and with them all kinds of sweets.
Merchants had begun to arrive, spilling out into the mist filled regions.

So great was their number that even the workers, that dug and laid the stones for the waterways could see them.
The merchants did this, as their confidence in the protection of the mist was all to apparent.

Extravagant tents provided the much needed shade.

Yet underneath all of this, the knight captain could see quick exchanges of gold and silver. The speed in witch this was done, showed that his guard were dealing with professionals.

More times then one, his men had cought someone emptying a brightly colored liquid in to the flowing waters.
Everytime it had been some form of flavored drink, nothing harmful, yet the knight captain knew this was all just a ruse.

The day had just started and his men were already in high alert.

A slight tap on his leg made him look down and the knight captain saw Akatsuki, Lord Shiroes personal guard standing next to him.

He nearly jumped at the sight of her, somehow the small woman could hide her presence so well he couldn't even smell her perfume, at least until she made her self known.

"There are people causing trouble." Akatsuki said, her voice devoid of any emotion.

"It seems that problems from the past have comeback and with them new ones.
You and your men may not have noticed but underneath this town there are a group of tunnels.

The sewers were made using them, unfortunately we seem to have cought the attention of something." she said giving for more information then wat was being said.

They looked at each other, a wordless exchange but a deep one none the less.

"How many." the knight captain asked finally breaking the silence.

"There are two groups, one is the one that brought all of the fruit and gifts.
The other we know little about, what we do know is that both are as dependent of the waters as we are.

Unfortunately ." she continued, before he cut her off.

"One is perfectly happy with how things are and the other wants us gone, or wants to control the waters. " the knight captain said.

"But why would they act now? This would be the worst time. " the knight captain said.

"My Lord and several others suspect that someone or something is encouraging them to do so. "Akatsuki answered him.

The sounds of various small bells ringing cought his attention and the knight captain suddenly knew everyone, down from the smallest child, to the eldest of seniors was now a suspect.

[][]

An uneasy silence set in between them, as the bells of various merchants and dancers moved about joyfully.

The knight captain tried to digest all of the information, yet his mind always returned to the same possibilities, not they weren't possibilities they were theories.

"Should we moved to a more private area?" The knight captain asked.

"That would be pointless, they are already active and aware we know about them." Akatsuki answered him.

"... I see. Miss Akatsuki I know I speack out of line when I ask of you why did the adventures allow the princess." The knight captain stoped halfway through his question realizing the answer.

It made perfect sense, one the princess has come completely un anounce, or this was a political moved to secure trade and strengthen relationships between her kingdom and the town.

This made the prevention of any kind of problem that will undoubtedly rise his and his men's main priority.

He briefly noticed that his small companion had realized he had drawn his own conclusion and was waiting for him to continue.

"Is there anything els that I must know?" He asked her.

"Yes, make sure that your men don't cause to much truble, tho we are in high alert. Most people here are either merchants or people that want to have fun." Akatsuki said before vanishing into thin air.

A screech made him look up if only for a moment, a griffin flying in the sky and along side it a pegasus.

Two animals known by the people of jewel to be controlled by the adventures.

Elsewhere

A man walked into a city an old abandoned place, the buildings that once streched high into the sky were now breaking under their own weight.

The city was once a place where trade and learning was abundant, yet a course caused its people to wither out and die.
Those were the lucky few, others became walking corpses or worse yet their souls were trapped inside a magic glass that was exclusive to the people that ruled the city.

The man reached into his bag and took a large bottle filled with water, even now the bottles contents protected him, as a light mist protected his body.

He opened the bottle and took a deep drink, fully aware that if his action was sensed he would desire to never exist.

With his drink done and with a prayer in his lips he poured the bottles contents onto the ground.
When the last drop fell he turned and ran, yet he didn't even reached two steps when he felt it.

The sensation was similar to that of a heart beat, then another and another, when the third was felt an unholy how echoed all around him and in an instant he saw it.

It started with one, and like a flood lights lifted themselves into the sky vanishing from sight.

Another how stronger and filled with rage echoed and he felt his very being shake, but he was alive.

The man ran knowing that the water he drank wouldn't keep him safe for much longer, he never botherd to turn back and for that reason he missed a young woman dressed in exotic clothing waving goodbye to him.

[][]

[][][]
Speech change

The hot sun was nearly unbareble, yet he soldiered thru, along the way he encountered a large carriband headed towards the town.

According to them they were the late arrivals, drinks were provided seeing that everyone was needed to carry their own weight and no one wanted to be under the people of jewels eyes, because they left someone behind.

It seemed like the towns reputation had spread.

However that was on only half of the group, the other half was a mixture of the old - sic - injured and dying.
Husbands - wives and desperate children hopping that the stories about the water's were not just that, stories.

They walked for several days until they could see the various lights in the sky and it was only then when the strange mist reached them.

It was an odd feeling, if he had to compare it to something, it would be similar to that of going up a mountain when the dessert heat had become to much to handle.

Still he could not deny the reality of what his eyes saw, they had yet to reach the town and already an elderly woman, who had to be carried was up and about triying to make herself useful and her worried grandchild chasing after her, begging her to take it easy.

A man who had his body nearly completely burned had to be tied down when his burnes began to itch so much he pealed his own skin of.

For a witch hunter seeing such things wasn't uncommon and rarely were they anything good in the long run.

The sight of the pillars and the rainbow of lights that connects them all showed that they were close to entering the town.

It would be several hours before they could do so however, yet the sounds of hammering, digging and animals growling cought his attention.

In the distance he could see several men working on something, yet he did not know what it was.

The sight that greated them was one he didn't expect, tents and banners of all kinds were shown proudly, some of whitch from kingdom's that had long since died, do to the drought.

From anyone's point of view they were nothing more then colors to make the place more lovely and add to the colors for the festival.

Yet it was the way they were arranged that caught his attention, one fallen kingdom's colors, along with those of their allies to the left, another kingdom's and their allies to the right and so on.

Yet the carriband had only reached the very edges of the town, it seems that jewel had been infiltrated perhaps from the very beginning, yet people were always welcomed, whomever the town's leader's are, are either incompetent or so over worked they that yet to notice the devision within their own town.

[][]

The people stoped and began to set up shop, they brought out their various trinkets, food and whatever perishables they had on them, as well as the many blankets and jewelry they brought.

Imidiatly the leader's of the various merchants went to to present themselves to the town's leader's and he followed, yet what be found troubled him.

The various crops were unusealy large, the water despite being surrounded by dirt- animal droppings - fallen leaves and discarded objetcs, remained criscal clear and smeled perfectly clean.

The tents were undoubtedly the slums yet even they had various plants growing next to them, not only that the people in them looked as if the sun's heat was of no issue.
The useal dark skin or red face, that came from being under the sun wasn't uncommon , yet it certainly wasn't the norm.

There were woman and children with buckets full of water giving people something to drink, yet water was everywhere.

He noticed that behind him and the men that he followed were all of the sic -elderly and disabled people that had come with them.

Along side them various scholars and they walked about either ritting what they saw as they tried to copy the many designs that were all over the ground and water ways or they talked to the people about whatever they studied.

The walls somehow had water going up and down and he noticed that in the distance several priests laid prayer to one God or another depending on the pillar.

He had been warned about the elves and beastmen that were common in the town, yet he found himself more than once reaching for his sword or pistal and he had to show more restraint then he ever thought possible.

[][]

He stoped for a brief moment and decided to walk around and take in the sights, after all there wasn't any reason to rush, he would meet the town's leader's soon enough.

Oddly enough his clothes weren't recognized, whitch hunters had a reputation about them and for that reason people tended to stay away from them.
Tho considering that the people here lived in the edges of civilization and even when there were kingdom's around, no one particularly cared about them.

The reason was simple, they were kingdom's in name only, their only wealth was a few gold mines and crops, whatever political power they had was minimal at best and their armies, well all one had to do was look at the town's defense force to know just how many they numbered.

Still it was odd, seeing everything children of different kinds mingling together. From what the organisation's spys had said there were elven children running around with human and beast children as equals.
Not only that but none of them worshipped any particular God and if they did no one knew it's or their name.

Still his eyes cought sight of the various runes carved into the stones that made up the town, and he noticed that in order to do whatever they did, they had been carved onto a combination of wierd stone and natural occurring rock.

There were butcher shops here and there yet he couldn't figure out where the animal were, sure the various farms had them, but the land that was fertile was un eaven. So how dis these people feed their livestock?

Still he decided to look a little more and noticed that the temperature seemed to change whomever he passed under one of the light's connecting to the pillars.

For briefest of moments his eyes locked with those of a small girl, who wore a strange flowered dress, that seemed more tide around here than anything else.
Yet it was her strong gaze that intrigued him and her long purple hair convined with her light colored skin, made her look exotic.

Perhaps she was from one of the dead kingdom's?

Still their eyes met only for a moment and the instant a group of people passed between them, she was gone.

It seems that he was now being watched, if this was a good thing or not would show itself later.

However he didn't dowel on the situation, right now he was only observing and even if he somehow managed to leave the town alive, if something did happen, from what little he had seen there would be little he could do to stop anyone near the town.

A strange sight greeted him as he approached the area where one of the pillars stood, a small girl with long black hair wearing a long white dress, was happily dipping her feet in the water that the ice pillar had around it.

Her deep black eyes were odd, but she none the less gave him a warm smile when she noticed him looking at her and he did the same.

No dought she must be the daughter of someone in the town.

Yet as he walked deeper into the town he noticed that the architectural of the buildings changed, unlike the area where the tents were the area he had just left was opened to let the light of the sun in, the next are had its building so close together it was simple to walk on top of them.

Not only that, the buildings seemed to be built to each have a purpose, no doubt the main market.

He walked only a few steps when a light tap on his shoulder cought his attention, he turned and noticed a knight standing near him.

"Papers" the knight said.

There was no reason to argue or put up a fight after all the man was just doing his job, still he had shown disrespect to someone in the organisation and couldn't be tolerated.

In the span that took a person to blink he found himself thrown into the nearby wall of a certain shop, the pistal he had drawn had fallen to the ground, long after he hit the wall.

His bones felt as if they were made of dried wood and with every passing second he swore they would break.

"So want to explain why were you going to kill one of our guard." A man said to him, yet try as he might he couldn't see who it was, all he could see were two burning yellow flames.

"To tuch a member of the organisation is a crime punishable by death and he did so." He strugled to answer.
"My name is Sir. Mathieu of the Witch Hunters and if you kill me then the organisation will bring its might against this town" he said and truthfully he was at the verge of screaming in pain.

"Your order has no power here and if I let you go, it's only because we don't want to have to kill anyone.
So don't do it again." The man said before dropping him and walking away.

[][]

The sound of armored boots getting closer cought his attention, yet he hardly cared the combination of pain and disorienting feeling of being flung like a rag doll had taken their toll on him.

"You really have bad luck, to get one of then to attack you. Anyway, Mathieu I'm going to need your papers, any form of investigation as well as trade must be properly documented within this town." The knight who had tapped his shoulder said, as he spoke down to him in an amused manner.

It was odd but he found him self drinking whatever water passed near his lips, it was almost as his instincts had taken over.
For someone such as himself to literally be kissing the ground, was beyond shameful, yet the more he drank the more his body and mind felt relieved.

A light grunt escaped his mouth as he reached into his bag and showed the knight his documents.
To be looked down upon felt disgusting and humiliating, yet the knight simply looked at the documents and knotted.

"I see, so you were sent out here to investigate any wrong doings by the people. Well the only things that cause truble around here are the wiled animals, still you should report imidiatly to the main house." The knight said to him.

He struggled to get up, yet he found that despite the pain his body responded allitle bit faster then it should have.

Almost as if reading his mind the knight spoke again. "Stop drinking the water, what you are feeling is every scar and injury you ever received be heald.
Heck I'm sure you even feel lighter, so much so that moving is an issue, a step or to wide, perhaps."

" Where is the main house?" He asked.

"Just follow the line of people with document's, they will lead you there." The knight answered him, as he returned his papers back to him and walked away.

Mathieu looked down examining his clothes and exhaled, it seems he would have to deal with walking around wearing, wet armor and wet cloths.

[][]

The line was helleshly long and more then once had he been tempted to simply walk away, still this needed to be done and so that meant he had wait.

Still he had a job to do, so he chose to simply listen. The sounds he heard were mostly merchants selling their products and people conversing with one another, they the sounds of hooves and wheels turning was more then evident.

Finally it was his turn and from what he saw an elf was receiving the papers, he handed his documents to the man and the man read them, he pushed his spectacles closer to his eyes and handed him a stamp note, that said he was approved to perform his investigation, with limited power.

That last part irritated him, yet he could simply ignore it and say that the letter did not specify what plummeted power was.

Still he had waisted to much time, he needed information about the town's layouts and what places the people could and couldn't go, plus whatever information there was from the area sorrounding the town.

After he managed to get whatever he could, he would search for one of his contacts and move on from there.

He saw a sight that brought an un intentional smile to his face, a low level knight from the gold engagement on his eight sholder he was a captain.
A low level one at that, most likely his mansion back in the Empire was nothing more then a simple shack, with a few servants.

That was the most likely reason he was here, one of the ones the politicianscould do without.

The people of Jewel might not have a reason to fear a witch hunter, but the knight and his men did. After all their families were not safe from the organisation's reach.

"You there tell me about what is in the outside of the town, what lies away from it." He said in a commanding voice.

The knights eyes widened for a moment before he recomposed himself.

"And to whome will I be giving this information to Witch Hunter?" The knight captain asked.

"That would be " he answered.

"I suppose you will want the standard places, very well, tho why you didn't reed the signs is beyond me." The knight captain said before taking a deep breath.

"The sorrounding dead lands are devided like this, you will need to write this down... there is around nine to twelve days of green if you head down the direction where the water dlows, it's in that area where you will find the majority of the crops and live stock.

It's no surprise that the constant flow of water keeps the plants growing."

"Near it however at the edges is the cementary, several religions have set up shop near it.
They perform the last rights according to their beliefs, the dead lands are covered with the corpses of those that failed to reach the town

That is the reason the entire section is one massive grave yard."

"From the direction you came from is the Empire and the remaining kingdoms."

"Finally there is the dead forest that is where the town is expanding to. However rather than waist resources in circleling the entire area between the new town and Jewel, the people decided to simple create a road leading to the new one.

The land in between would be paved and settled once the forest was completely incircled."

"Beyond all of that except where the Empire is, there is the dessert, if you follow the water you will find an opening where our suwars end and you can imagine the rest.

No one lives out there so who cares."

"Also there is a huge mountain close to there, stay away from it various animals live there. The place is a perfect shelter from the sun."

As for the town don't go down the alleys at night, we don't want to pull you out because you got yourself stuck in a drinking contest." The knight captain finally finished his explanation.

"Much appreciated." was all he said before he walked away, still it was faint but it was there. The knight was hesitant about something either he paused more than one, or he spoke far to quickly.

Either way it was more than obvious the man was attempting to hide something.

He needed to find one of his contacts.

[][]

A simple red stone building, with a large blue sighn that had the words Sowing written on it and a picture of a ball of string attached to a needle underneath it.

He pushed the large black wood door in and heard the sound of a small bell ring, instilantly Mathieu felt himself snees the entire place was covered in strings, strings of all colors- sizes and thickness. Along with them, dresses- trausers and gowns hung by wires on the ceiling.

Yet despite the room being full, it all had a certain order to it, the colors were a ranged in a way pleasing to the eyes and the cloths that hung, almost seemed as if they were always meant to be there.

"Coming." The voice of an old man greated him, somehow it seemed as if the man voice carried his body.

Mathieu felt the wooden door leave his grip and close behind him, the sounds of the bells could be heard from within the shop, yet they seemed to give an a red boost to the atmosphere within the building.

A small girl emerged from somewhere and looked at him, she had long black hair and a laced dress that seemed to get more and puffy as it one looked down.

"Are you here to pick up?" She asked her smile her leaving her face. Her cream colored skin along with her deep black eyes and hair somehow made her a noble while she wore her red colerd puffy laced dress.

"No, I'm here looking for a man named Rafael. Mathieu answered her.

" Grandpa is working right now and be working until this afternoon. So want to come back later or do you want me to weight down a message." She asked him.

"Simply he him Matheiu is here looking for him. He will know who I am." He told he, the and ran off, in the distance after a door closed Mathieu could hear her say.

"Grandpa a crazy person is looking for you."

"This must be the luxury of living away from truly civilized people, no one knows who they should respect behind closed doors."Mathieu thought to himself.

It didn't take long before foot steps began to draw nearer by the moments and what seemed like a minute an old man was standing in front of him.

A simple with dress shirt, as for pants a nothing more then blue jeans similar to those miners wear.

"You are late, now where are the rest of yah." The old man said, his thin but strong body suggested battle experience, tho his elderly face showed he was near the end of his life.

"Its just me, I'm here to see what's going on." He answered the old man.

"A war that's what. The adventurers have been keeping it away ever since they first showed up, but things are different now.
People ain't leaving and those that leave take barrels full of water.

How long do you think is you g to take before someone wants it all to themselves." The old man said.

"Tell me why do you think this?" He asked.

"Simple, the adventurers are up at night here and there, you can't see them but you know they're there.

Things are moving from place to place on their own, a person would leave a cart next to him and turn for a moment and when he turns back the carts gone. It will show up somewhere else."

"Their is talked about purple or blue people seen walking around, they have hoved feet with long ears. Them the nice ones, you've seen the adventurers, you know they can be mutants two.

But there is another group, something ain't right about them. No one know what it is, but they seem to hate us, unlike the pointy ear ones, they just plain cruel." The old man said stoling only to catch his breath.

"None of that proves that their is a war comming." Mathieu answered the man.

"Something been making cracks in the water ways. Everyone knows the waters flow where ever they dam please, but someone been forcing the stones to breaker and spill it." The old man said.

"Isn't that why they're people working outside of the town?" Mathieu asked him.

"No, to many people not enough room. Adventures and the council decided to expand so they could build a nother wall and for the people to not be living so tightly together." The old man answered him.

" Any idea where the culprits might be hiding?" Mathieu asked the old man.

The old man paused for a moment to rhink before he answered.

" The mountain' a long way from here tho, but no where else, dessert does weird things to people, but get in deep enough and you will never know something happened." The old man said before stoping completly.

"I see." Was all that Mathieu said, before tiping his long black hat and walking back out of the shop leaving the old man behind.

[][]

"Cracks in the water ways." Mathieu said to himself as he left the store.

From what he knew Jewel was a town built around a particular type of blessed water, it's properties were known to many, so much so in fact that people were devided in two because of it.

Those that belived it and made their way to the town just to be healed or have some evil removed. The people that had come to town with him proved it, in fact they were so desperate that they risked falling dead somewhere, for a small chance that the stories were in fact true.

He of course belonged to the later, originally.

He believed that some sorcerers were up to no good and were just healing people for some reason or another. Yet after experiencing the effects of the waters himself, he was forced to be live the stories.

Like a fool he stood in the middle of the road and took out a small water bottle he carried with him and he kneels down and filled it with the oddly clean water.

He looked at the small water bottle and felt his heart nearly stop, there as a light mist began to envelope the water bottle he saw a lightly placed form of ice, ice that almost resembled black clear glass.

"Nagash." Mathieu said almost instinctively.

No the ruler of the dead didn't rule here but his presence was none the less there, yet at the same time it was denied. Almost as if some sort of power similar to his own was here on this land.

His mind remembered the old man's words the water flow where they dam well please, but someone has been breaking the stones.

The words themselves contradicted each other, if the water flows wherever it pleases then of what importance was the stone.

He looked at the designs carved into the road and recognized several of them, they were wards against corruption and plague, yet others were depictions of ancient battles and some he plainly didnt know.

"The stones keep the waters safe from corruption and the waters keep the people safe." Mathieu said as he looked at the ground.

Mathieu suddenly felt as if he had a small piece of the puzzle. There wasn't enough water anyone that saw the land could see it plain as day, somehow whatever had caused the drought had been bolted here.

Yet if by some reason whatever kept the water clean were to disappear and the water were to vanish or become to weak...

Realizing he must look like a mad man he got up and began to walk, officially the festival would begin tomorrow.

One could find out more about a town and it's people by doing the one thing most d idnt do, simply get some poor fool drunk and listen to their idiocy. Amongst all of the stupidly spoken words truths would slip out and it was those he had to hear.

Another way was to simply ask children.

Mathieu felt his stomach move, he hasn't eaten in a while, it seemed it was try some of this places food.

A small in, no not an in a small shop that sold food. A restaurant? No it couldn't be that only nobles ate at restaurants, those places were much to fancy for the common fok.

Mathieu almost felt disgust at the sight of a small girl with cat ears serving the clients, yet he remembered that mutants were a common thing here, even if they were beast men, they were surprisingly human in appearance and character.

Atleast that's what the reports said.

He listens to the usual chatter and realized that something was a miss, amongst the many loud voices he heard several merchants saying that someone had emptied their water barrels.

Barrels they had filled with the town's special water, whoever the culprits were, they had targeted only the ones with the special water.

It seemed that jewels people didn't want to have their water stolen, no that wasn't it he had seen people filling entire barrels in wagons and leaving.

In fact that was a common sight.

The realization hit him, they were merchants and the people that took the barrels did so openly, these men however had his their actions.
What the people of this town d idnt like was that someone used their water for profit, something that was free for everyone would be made exclusive to only a few.

He ate his meal in silence and listens to the world around him, the cat girl brought him a thick stew that had a particular taste. For the briefest of moments Mathieu smiled remembering how his mother cooked.

Finally he ordered a drink and waited for night to arrive, with the many merchants and people getting prepared, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary if he was seen walking around at night.

[][]

Beams of strange blue light were sent into the sky, interconnecting in such a way, that one could almost call them a net.

It was dark now, the only people out and about should be the guards and a few drinks.

The temperature lowers significantly here and a strange form of ice seems to cover the buildings and streets.

He could hear an infant criying in the distance and what sounds like a woman singing him to sleep.

The ice cracks and breaks with every step he makes, yet somehow it reforms almost instantly every time he lifts up his boot.

He walks and appreciates the quiet night, the town really was a wonder, nobles would pay highly just to live here, but from what he had seen the locals had little care for gold.

The sounds of whispering catch his ear and he reaches for his pistol, he moves as quietly as the damm cracking ice let's him. His eyes catch a glimpse of several candles placed near a pillar, next to them a bow of fruit and a woman kneeling praying.

Several children are with her, they do their best to follow the woman's example, yet just as children are known to do, they can't help but get bored of such things. So they began to play and chase after one another.

A sword was suddenly placed on his neck, it had only been his training that prevented him from reacting and slicing his own neck on the sharp blade.

It wasn't the sword that had surprised him, no such things happened more times then he could count it came with the job. No what surprised him, was the way he hadn't sensed any danger, that meant that this was only for show and get him to obey.

Yet still, someone had been able to sneak up on him and had they wanted to, they could have killed him.

"Drop it." Said a male voice, one he recognized, yet he knew that the owner of said voice was not the one holding the sword next to his neck.

No that honor belonged to a small girl, that dwass dressed in an odd stile tight form fitting cloths.

"To threaten a Whitch hunter is a serous offense." He said.

The man just chuckled until he let out a small laugh, careful not disturb the woman praying.

"Your order means nothing to her kind whitch hunter, put the pistol down so we can talk." The knight captain said.

He reluctantly did so.

"See that wasn't so hard, so why were you going yo shoot at someone who was praying?" The knight captain asked.

"Why would someone pray at this hour?" He asked.

The knight captain exhaled as if expecting his question. "They can't stay out in the sun for , so they live bellow in the tunnels. You've seen doors that go down here and there, we they go down"

"Don't go down there without an escort, we're expanding the town so even they haven't marked the new tunnels yet." The knight captain answered him, tho he barely gave a true explenation.

"So they live underground?" He asked.

"Yeah, we first ran into them when we investigated several things showing up at people's doors. Turns out that they were thanking us, they protect us from things that move bellow and we protect them from things that move up here." The knight captain answered him.

"Why are you really here whitch hunter?" The knight captain asked him.

" I would be glad to give you an explanation, if your friend here would remove her sword." He answered the knight captain.

Slowly the small girl removed her sword and walked away. He was about to stop her when the knight captain stopped him.

"Don't, she may not look like it but she's one of the most dangerous adventurers around." The knight captain sasi, like if his word were supposed to hold some kind of significant meaning.

"Adventurers are nothing but mercenarys -outlaws and merchants." He said tho for some reason he felt as if he had spoken wrongly about something.

"Are they? or did we take the words and leave the true meaning behind?" The knight captain said as he piled up the pistol and handed it back to him.

Tho the knight captain d idnt elaborate on his words, he did give more then most would catch up on. The adventurers here weren't just highly skilled mages and swordsman, but something more, something unnatural.

"Walk with me." The knight captain said and he did so, not because the man said so but rather he had no reason to deny the man's petition.

They walked thru the town and he found that as they walked only his boots broke the ice, the knight captain however d idnt.

"This expansion is more dangerous than many care to believe, it's the entire reason why this festival is even being allowed to happen... To allow people to relax and enjoy things in case things go wrong."

"If the town fails to grow then there will be to many people and alot of people will be sujected to the heat of the dead lands. Not much to worry right, the mist will keep them safe.

Wrong tell me did you see any animals or grass on your way here? Did you see people? No this expansion will place a lan in the sand and should it fail our defenceswill fall with it and whatever is causing the drought will be allowed to pass." The knight captain said.

"Why are you telling me this?" He asked the knight captain, tho he already knew.

"Sombody has been toying to sabotage it, the adventures haven't told anyone this, but why else would the stones that protect the water way be broken where they shouldn't break.

The ones bellow speak of hands that reach thru the dirt until they throw water on them and they stop moving. He'll they live underground and they refuse to dig unless the dirt is splashed with water, dozens of skeletons are being found day after day"

"So much so that there is no way that these many people lived in this near of an area. The mist acts as a shield, but when the wind blows whispers can be heard, few know of this but the farther one gets into the dessert the more they age, until they are not but dust." The knight captain said.

" How do we know the town isn't causing this and acting as the lands savior just to gain power?" He said tho truthfully he didn't belive what he had said, still even the most farfetched possebileties couldn't be ignored.

"The adventurers have no reason to gain more power, they don't care for it. In fact they want to leave or simply live their lives, it's the people that keep forcing them to stay." The knight captain said, as he looked at the ice that seemed to move on it's own.

"... Something's coming witch hunter, I don't like you and I don't like the fact that you're here... but by Sigmar we're going to need your help. I only wish you monsters never return to this town ever again." The knight captain told him.

The man was foolish to say such words out loud, anyone else would have killed him because of it.

Anyone else would have dealt with him for his arrogance, it was a good thing he wasn't anyone else for he could see in the distance a tiny figure looking straight at them.

It seemed as the small girl had been keeping an eye on them and the moment she sensed his I'll intent, she allowed her self to be seen.

Yes this town was interesting.

[][]

Mathieu watched as the knight captain walked away, his purpose for speaking to him now complete, the man had no reason to even be near him and by the man's movement he didn't want to be anywhere near him.

For a brief moment he stood there looking at the town and wondered how can a place have so many mysteries in such a short time.

Again he remembered the notes and the documents sent to him by the organization.

The town was made by various kingdoms or at least what remained of them, plus the savages and small villages that had come together out of desperation.

He remembered the various Gods the people worshipped and recalled that the Adventures worshipped none of them. Perhaps it was old age or he had simply been a witch hunter for to long, but the people here seemed to treate the adventures as Devine beings.

He mentally went thru every page and found something interesting, the pattern, everything revolved around the pillars, pillars that didn't exist before...

He found himself walking almost mechanically, until he stood in front of one of the pillars, he noticed how the waters seemed to carefully leaves the object's side.

He reached out and touched the cold peace of ice and to his surprise he was proven wrong. He had suspected that some sort of power was manipulating the people and using their energy to sustain itself.

Yet the power he felt, was more of a kind to that of a person exhaling, meaning that the power was giving and didn't take. There was no exaustion or any form of weakness, in fact he could swear he felt younger.

His mind remains as suspicious as ever and he hadn't changed in his form of thought, so mental manipulation was out.

There was nothing in the food, despite how well prepared and full of flavor it was. So perhaps it wasn't the town itself or any of the object's in it, from what he had seen the various marks, were all dedicated to fending off evil and keeping the town- the waters and the people safe.

So that only left three things the people those above and those bellow, the animals, something could have infected an animal and had begun to spread and finally his mind drifted to the outside.

Something or someone wanted the town destroyed, if not destroyed then it wanted it's power for it's self.

He quickly eliminated any form of deceas, the waters here would instantly cure or destroy it.

From what he had heard, those bellow either wanted the power for themselves or wanted to destroy the town. Conflicting stories, considering that the ones bellow had gifted food to the people and walked around the town at night.

... That only left an outside threat. ...

He placed his hand upon his forehead and wished he could just burn down everithing and be done with it.

A line had been drawn and the sand could not pass, so if the line was destroyed the sand would kill them all.

Mathieu sat down and let his thoughts grow, there was no way any kingdom could lay claim to the town. The people here would rather destroy it, then let it's power fall to the wrong hands.

The destruction of the barrels that the merchants had were proof of it.

Then there were the adventures they were as part of the town itself as they are seperat from it.

Like a distant parent that has to let it's children make mistakes, in order for them to grow as people.

From what both the documents said and his interaction with the people, the adventurers had shown up during some form of disaster- helped with the problems people had and were going to leave after everithing had been stable.

Only that for some reason or another, they were forced to stay... It was most likely guilt, the people must have used the feeling of guilt to force the adventures to stay put and help both the town and the people grow.

However from what he understood, the adventures had seen this coming or had thought of a solution and this lead to their distance from the people.

A measure that helped the people live withought ever having to rely on them and now that the town was expanding, when the expansion was complet, they would leave.

Even if the people tried to stop them.

He needed more information, to much made sense, yet at the same time it didnt... perhaps he needed to look bellow and see who dewelled within the tunnels.

Still he needed to sleep so he simply layed down and closed his eyes, no one would dare kill near a pillar of that he was certain, his blood could contaminate the water.

[][]

Elsewhere

There was a sensation in the air, it wasn't evil nor was it good in any shape or manner, rather it was in interesting, almost as if it was both apart and separate from everithing.

The smell of decay came with it, yet for some reason or a nother it seemed alive, like a fungus that decays a still living person.

A plague had come and for what seemed like a minute, many within the town's guard thought that they might have to burn the very people they bad been sworn to protect.

However a woman dressed in white came, she wore but a simple gown and covered her eyes with a simple cloth.

She offered to deal with the plauge, if in exchange she would be allowed to light a fire and tend to it, so that it never go out.

She explained that the fire was meant to die in time, but it would only remain for the time it was needed.

Candles burned away at the balls of puss that covered the people, while a strange water was poured on them, somehow this both cleansed those inflicted with the plague and completely restored them to health.

The woman asked to see the dead and the dieing, including the cementary, again she poured water on all of them and if one looked closely, they could swear they saw something move inside the dead, before it to died.

The graves shook only slightly, almost as if thanking her, for returning them back to rest.

Finally she light her fire and people swore that for a moment a black sun light the sky and next to it a white moon hung high.

Yet this was only for a moment, for both images vanished destroyed when water was poured into the fire.

The woman smiled- turned and walked away, her job had been done, even as she walked a man stood watching her. Someone who the guard had never seen before, he did not move, not even as the woman walked right past him.

However the moment the woman reached five steps away he spoke.

" The dead, do not belong to you. He will reclaim what belongs to him."

The woman relaxed and somehow the guard knew she was smiling even tho ahe had her back turned to them.

"How? He can not reach us, nor can he see us. Those that belong to him, will go to him, yet those that want or have earned their place will go to us." The woman said, as she simply banished from sight.

The man did not move, but he to banished from where he stood

Tho the guard would not speak of it and if they ever did, they would only claim that the Maiden and the Lord of death had buiseted them and had left empty handed.

[]]]

Mathieu woke to find himself laying in a pool of water, a golden star hung in the sky, yet he felt no fear or uncertainty. This was obiusly a dream, nothing to be worried about.

All of a sudden the world moved on its own and he found the he was now face down in the watter, yet he felt no shortness of breath or the desperate feeling that acompnied, being denied of air.

He saw a world, no several kingdom's being overwhelmed by goblins- orks and Daemons of all kinds. His eyes saw the people sacrificing their human forms and turning themselves in to a type of beast man.

Yet despite elves- human's and beast man convined they could not turn the tide, each kingdom was overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Every death experiences by the enemy, was meaningless, for they simply rose once again.

Great champions rose to defend the people and despite their near God like power they could not stop the enemy, great victories were wine, but they came with an equally high price.

Finally in an act of desperation, the people gathered every mage and those that could see in to the realm of souls and called out for aid.

If their Gods had abandoned them, then perhaps another would take pity on them.

Mathieu, smiled as he saw the lights rain down from the heavens and warriors emerge, each capable of defeating an entire army alone.

He saw them fall and rise for death meant nothing to them. He bore whitnes to legends so great, that if he were to ever speak of them, he would be called insane and promptly be dealt with.

He saw them fight of against the demon king, in the ice palace at the edge of the world. There by setting free the ancient phoenix, that in turn sent them to revive the great dragon that came from a time long forgotten.

He saw them face of against, the rulers of the sea and the twisted creatures that now lived in it.
How the ocean became coated in blood, with the sheer numbers, of the creatures they had to kill.

The world moved again and he was now standing, he stood at a greate hall surrounded by children and adults. He saw the sky turn red and blood rain down from it and a mad God, joyfully declare his dominion over their world.

He saw them rise to the occasion and battle their way thru demonic and near God like guardians.

The world moved again and wide eyes and gasping for air Mathieu awoke, to the sounds of children playing.

[][]

Mathieu knew instantly that he was still dreaming, there was no conceivable way that he would be otherwise. Not unless Sigmar had forsaken him and tossed him into the warp.

He saw towering masses of flesh- machine-living and not, charge at a fortress and the people within the fortress fire their strange muskets, cutting away at the abominations.

However, the abominations cared not.

More and more the charged at the doress, as their twisted masters laughed at the sight of the screaming defenders, the look of terror and the men's screams somehow invigorated the creatures.

Mathieu felt a cold chill run down his spine and he saw one of the creatures masters look directly at him.

Mathieu felt his breath cought within his chess and found himself completely unable to speak, much less scream.

A hand reached out to him and Mathieu found himself standing bear a simple fir, the world was dark.

No the world had ended.

This place was but a memory, a place where everithing that was gathers and leaves it's mark for whatever feature generation to learn from them.

Next to him Mathieu saw a woman dressed in white, pouring water onto the fire. The water put out the flames but not the embers.

She was dressed in white and use cloth to cover her sokets, even tho the only real light was the embers, Mathieu could clearly see the woman had no eyes.

She smiled and spoke.
"You shouldn't be hear. I can't see you but I can sense you and so have others, unlike me. Many don't have your best interest... I know you may think it's your duty or what you must do, but Gods must kill Gods and champions must carve the way.

Don't venture to far deep or else you won't help anybody and in fact you might doom them all. " the woman spoke and Mathieu felt his heart nearly stop.

The world had changed again.[](]

[][]

Mathieu found himself standing in a room that held nothing, no that wasn't right the ticking sounds of several clocks could be heard at a distance.

All of a sudden a creature that looked like some sort of gorilla stood in front of hi.

"Are you here to cause problems?" The creature asked.

Mathieu reached for his sword, yet he stopped himself for the creature had not attacked even tho it was but a step away from him.

The creature was about the size of two full grown men, however it's body showed that it was pure muscle.

"No." Mathieu answered the creature.

"Come with me." The creature ordered him, yet even as the creature gave it's first step, Mathieu had seen his soroundings change.

"The intention to comply is all that's required, therefore even if you don't move, you will follow." The creature said.

"Tell me if all of this was a dream, then how do you know what you did not know befor? Yet you are nother awake, nor are you asleep." The creature said.

Mathieu thought about it for a moment but failed to answere, no it was more like he knew the answer but refused to speak it.

"The answer is simple, someone wants you to know." The creature said as they passed by a city where the animals had killed all of the Humans.

"Listen boy for we do not have much time, beware your eyes. We have kept you safe but even we have our limits, the enemy senses you and your untrained eye.

Stay clear of things you do not fully understand for if you don't, then you will dome all." The creature said as a fireball made of lightning struck at a massive hand reaching into the world.

Mathieu awoke, to the sounds of bells and spices, mixed in with the fresh sent of water. He knew instantly that he was truly in the waking world.

[]][]

Mathieu sat there for a moment gathering his thought, was it a vision or did something play tricks with his mind.

The light sound of water being scooped out by something reached his ears, not surprising everithing here seemed to revolve around the water...

"Here" she voice of a small girl reached his ears and Mathieu saw that it was the same girl he had seen the day before playing near one of the pillars.

She was handing him a tin cup filled with water. The girls long black hair nearly touched the ground and her deep black eyes nearly seemed like pearls.

Mathieu took the cup and drank it all in one gulp, he needed the drink.

" If you sleep near them, you get nightmares." The girl said as she pointed at the pillar.

"What do you mean?" Mathieu asked her.

"No one knows why but, everyone dreams of fights that never happened. Mommy says not to sleep near the pillars, but I dont ever have any dreams not even when I take my naps." She answerd him.

Mathieu looked at the girl for a moment, so the dreams were a common thing. No if what the girl said was teue, then they were like visions of a time passed, perhaps of this land or another.

The sounds of wings flapping in the sky made Mathieu look up and he noticed several gryphons flying in the sky.

They circled around and chased after one another before flying towards the direction of the distant mountains. The way they moved was almost like the animals were dancing.

Mathieu looked down only to see that in his moment of distraction, the small girl had chased after a group of children who happily talked with one another.

He needed to see what was inside the mountains, however first he needed to see the lands underground and talk to another of his informants.

Mathieu listened to the town and tried to focus on each of the ever growing sounds, he did this so as to distinguish each noise, a kettle hitting a pot, a merchant announcing he was open for business and several preachers saying morning prayers.

"You there quit standing around." A man yelled at Mathieu as he made had jestures signalling him to follow.

Mathieu would have just ignored the man had he not noticed the odd garments the man wore. So with nothing better to do he did what the man asked/ordered, simply to calm his curiosety.

"Good I was worried you wouldn't listen. Listen you look like you don't have a lot to do right now, so how about you help us down at the cementary.

Hold up, I know what your thinking, but all you have to do is stand around and Waite for the stone builders to mark the land. No digging- no fighting- just stand there and signal the workers where to put the stone." The man said as he made hand gestures like if he was building something.

"I'm busy right now." Mathieu said to the man.

The man's expression became serious and his eyes seemed to almost hurry themselves into Mathieu.

" The place you have to stand in and look after, is at the edge of the cementary..."The man's words hung in the ai, he was telling Mathieu something.

They walked in silance, last all of the sounds of merchans- laughing children and angry animals, until they arrived at a maze made of decorate stones, each displaying a name and the time when people were born and died.

Mathieu noticed that the amount of graves that were unmarked for outnumbered those that were marked.

Finally they arrived at the edge of the cementary and Mathieu knew why the man had called him here.

Dozens of skeletons called their way to the top of a wall that only went straight up, until it stopped directly where he stood. However they seemed to vanish every time the dripping water came in contact with them.

"They're growing in number witch hunter, soon we won't be able to keep this hidden from the Adventurers and much less the empire." The old man said.

"Explain."Mathieu ordered.

"What's there to explain, the dead walk the cursed lands and the water keeps the dammed away." The old man said.

"Except that isn't happening now, no something's changed ." The old man said as the sounds of bones hitting each other began to fill the nearly quiet graveyard.

"What about the bodies in the graves?"Mathieu asked/demanded.

The old man simply smiled.

"Don't have to worry about those, the waters keep them down until there's nothing left of them." The old man said as he pointed at small lines of water that seemed to be going up and entering the graves.

"What do you know about those down bellow?" Mathieu asked the old man.

"Not much they keep to themselves. They can't come up during the day and no one wants to go down there. They stay on their side, we stay in ours." The old man said.

"Where is all of the water going." Mathieu asked .

"Who knows, no one has ever seen where it stops." The old man answered.

"Where do the Adventurers comefrom?" Mathieu asked.

The old man pointed at the direction the mountains were.

"One of two things, they come from there or there's a realm gate located at the mountains." The old man answered.

"Anyway I have to get back to work, the Sri e and the workers will be here soon, just point and they will start working." The old man said as he turned around and walked away.