Chapter 3:

The Beginning Embers

"Salaman, by decree of the Church, you, and your daughter, are to come with us and are accused of crimes against the church!" Father Diaru, the Elite Cleric Hunter, commands to the two pyromancers across the small room in the small house. The first, a tall middle aged man with a close trimmed beard and angry grimace on his face and wearing a black cloak over his six foot thin form, named Salaman stands in front of the second, named Kaita. Salaman, a look of outrage on his face, raises his pyromancy Flame at the group of three battle clerics across from him. His flame, its fiery tendrils snapping and crackling in the air, flares into a large and bright flame. This makes the two clerics on either side of Diaru take a step back and a grimace appears on Diaru's face. Diaru, in his black clad leather and steel armor, raises his Divine Estoc, Dius, at Salaman and his left hand clutches at his blue talisman, Anima, strapped to his waist and undoes the latches holding it to his belt. "Salaman, do not make this harder than it needs to be. Jaceyn, Jerom, ready yourselves!" He barks at his two apprentice battle clerics. They raise they're shields and ready they're Blessed Claymores. These two clerics are dressed in the Elite Hunter Cleric Armor, given to them by the Church of The White, the elite who are trained to hunt down the most dangerous and wanted undead that the church decrees in need of capture of or to be killed. "You threaten me, my daughter, my honor, my home, and to take me and my daughter into custody and you talk of making this easy?! Bah! Your nothing more than a arrogant, religious zealot fool!" Salaman then, to the clerics amazement, slams the flames into the floor, causing the wooden flooring to catch ablaze while also forming a wall of fire between them.

The two clerics stumble backward, but Diaru, his face locked into an expression of anger mixed hate and respect. He holds his talisman Anima to his chest, and a white light emanates from him in a small circle around the clerics. This white light circle begins to keep the flames that are now engulfing the house at bay. Diaru now takes the initiative and lunges forward and is upon Salaman within three strides and slashes at his legs. Diaru's Protection Miracle now gone with him, the other two clerics could do nothing but watch in apprehension and fear for their Master. Salaman quickly pulls a longsword out of his black cloak and parrys the attack and twirls around and feigns an attack on Diaru's left shoulder and then spins around and goes in for the kill on the right shoulder. Diaru jumps back, a calm and controlled expression on his face, Salamans blade only inches from hitting him. Diaru then attempts to plunge Dius into Salamans shoulder but Salaman is quicker; he parries the attack and jumps back and takes his daughters hand and begins to flee out the back exit of the house.

Diaru then watches as the two pyromancers begin to flee from the home, and out the back door. The larger and more powerful flames prevent any chase to these two, he notices. He also notices, to late, as Jerom pulls out a Blessed Dagger and whirls it at the back of Salaman. Diaru jumps to catch the thrown knife in a sudden burst of desperation but it flys centimeters from his hands. He then looks back at Jerom with seething rage and is about to yell the young and foolish cleric, when a howl of pain erupts as well as a feminine howl of sorrow. The knife that had been thrown was now impaled into the back of Salaman, and Kaita carrying him out, tears of rage and distress streaming down her face, and then she runs as fast as she can with the now wounded Salaman limping under her arm. Jaceyn starts to run after them but Diaru holds up a hand and holds him back. "It's no use, the fire is to great and she has lived here for years. She'll know every place to hide and every place to run. Going after her will be useless and could end in your death. Now, go outside and do a quick sweep of the area to make sure no other locals decide to come take a look." Jaceyn sighs and nods and jogs out of burning house, weapon and shield at the ready. Diaru then looks at Jerom and the young clerics shoulders slump. Diaru grabs Jerom by the collar and holds him up and nearly drags him out of the burning house and when he get's outside, throws him to the ground and points down at him with a look of disappointment and contempt. "You Knew Your Orders; Capture the Pyromancer known as Salaman ALIVE. Yet you persisted by throwing a knife into his back!" Jerom licks his lips nervously under his face plate and stammers,"I-I meant to hit his legs or shoulder to slow him down an-" Diaru cuts him short with a wave of his hand and the apprentice falls silent in shame and hangs his head and stands up. Diaru sighs and places a hand on his apprentice's shoulder and picks him up on his feet and looks him in the eye through Jeroms thin visor. "Your heart and intention was in the right place but think more before you act, or I have taught you nothing." Jerom pauses and nods and crosses his arms over his chest and bows slightly. "Yes Sir, It Won't Happen Again." Diaru nods and Says,"Good, now get Jaceyn and let's leave this foul place. I shall decide your punishment when we at safe back at camp." Jerom nods and runs off to find Jaceyn. Diaru then takes a look around his surroundings and notices a single figure alone on a hill, seemingly talking to a rock. He knows this is Kaita, the daughter of Salaman talking with her dying father. He then see's her fall forward and hugs something Diaru cannot see, but knows it's Salaman. He lowers his head and nods toward her direction and murmurs,"Peace child, our mission will be postponed. I Will Allow You To Mourn."

Jaceyn and Jerom are not long before they return and bow to him. He then nods and waves his hand to his apprentices and the three charred and burned clerics begin jogging off into the distance, as a Lone Figure buries her father in the distance, tears streaming down the poor girls face. As the the three jog, Jaceyn looks over at Jerom and sighs and looks back in front of him. He pitted poor Jerom in a way, although he knew that he will deserve whatever punishment he gets, Diaru's punishments were known to be harsh and unforgiving. He also couldn't shake the look of pain and hatred on the young female pyromancer's face when she saw the knife in her fathers back. Jaceyn sighs and looks up at the now shinning stars and begins to distract and turn his thoughts away from these depressing feelings and rehearse battle positions and fighting styles and teachings in his head. All the while, Jerom is dreading the moment they return to camp and when he has to face his punishment. In short, each of the three clerics had much on there mind as they departed from the burning home and on the worn foot trail in the hills, almost completely unaware that their actions this day will have dire effects in the future. That they pushed Kaita into finding something forbidden, something... Ancient.

End of Chapter 3