The scene within the village was of hustle and bustle as the tired troops straggled in from their various patrols. Each column was led by one or two forms on horseback, most of whom seemed to exude power and control, not being wearied like the footmen from the day's exertions. Upon entering, the footmen would march away to their barracks, whilst the knights made their way to the command center that had been set up.

Sir Danil was dismounting in front of the building where he and his comrades took their counsel when he was hailed by an armor-clad figure on the board covered walk. "Aye, we see. Is not the great returned from their endeavors; and how many falls shall we attribute to thy fame this even?" The great bold laugh came, as the now dismounted knight near scowled at his fellow. "Not too well? Pray, come ease your complaints with a bottle of vintage." Amlius the Strong was known for great boastings; he unfortunately had the wherewithal to back them up.

"Save fair words for the morrow. As for the day, come inside and we shall all know how it has passed; for all." The heavy stamping of all the knights as they entered the doorway and took their seats disallowed any further comments at this point. Each man as he came through the doorposts received a goblet filled with spiced wine, the effect of which was to keep the body awake. Then each would proceed to a prior assigned seat, and the knight commander or Lord would take charge. This evening as always, a quiet hum seemed to settle over the group whilst they waited for the beginning of the meeting.

A slow methodical step filtered through their scattered converse, silencing the room by scales as the knight commander took his place at a rough podium in the front. With studied deliberateness, he turned and all converse ceased. Stern eyes beneath the whitening hair kept many men doing their duty when all else failed, and by example, he was a fell warrior, though perhaps past the prime of his youth. "What, good sirs, do you have to report."

One by one, a half a dozen of those seated arose to report nothing out of the ordinary on their respective hunts. A sighting by Lendard, although he had been unable to make contact. Amlius' group had run into an ambush and managed to kill one and maim a second. Duragon Trollbane's archers had brought down one at level for the footmen to finish off, though he had lost several men in the process.

At the last, Danil stood himself to make his report. His hardened gaze swept over the gathering before returning to rest on the commander. "My tale for the day amounts to two in hunting, and three whence returning." Immediately there was a murmuring amongst the others and two knights started to their feet. A silent raising of the commander's hand stilled the confusion and he gestured to Danil to continue. Bowing silently the knight continued his tale.

"My rangers, which all of you have despised, flushed out the trail of the demons from the start of the morning. We swept southward and eastward, coming to a portion of the forest where it seemed the air was ill at ease. There we found the first demon, and it was killed by several flights that we loosed upon it. In it's dying throes, it screamed and we found ourselves suddenly under assault by a second, perhaps it's companion.

"Indeed, I lost three men in its first pass, but for the solid bearing of the footmen, even in the face of the terror, we might have had more loss. But they withstood it, and it was shot down by the rangers.

"Coming on the way home at the end of my hunt, we came upon a small group of orcs, fleeing northward from an ambush. Retracing the path, we found the three demons, one of whom was previously wounded in the fray with the orcs. There I nearly lost several men, as well as my scouts, and indeed have brought back wounded with me. The orcs I released to go withersoever they desired, as I held their pledge of honor.

"That ends my account."

Danil sat back into his seat.

Near chaos broke out. Several men stood again to their feet, and Amlius spoke for them. "Why did you let the foul creatures go?" His voice was deadly serious, and Danil felt that the matter would not rest, no matter what explanation were offered. The knight commander slammed his gauntlet down upon the wooden podium that he stood before. "Enough!" he roared. Silence immediately returned, and most of those standing cowered back into their seats. Grey eyes flashed from beneath his stern visage, and anger visibly constrained burned from their depths.

"Ware against judging of another! Know ye not the import of your accusations?" The deep thunderous voice seemed to echo among the simple depths of the room. "You assault the very honor of the one who speaks, which is to be held dear above all else, even the life of the holder. Ware, ware! Do not speak of that which you do not know!"

Turning his gaze upon the rugged knight who gazed in defiance of all the accusations, he continued in a quieter tone. "Orcs, though perhaps valuable prize at one time, are not prey; except there come some rogue band burning and killing. Honor is above all to be prized, and we will honor the binding word which you have sworn." Danil bowed courteously, and the commander dismissed the assembly.

As the crowd filtered out to their respective lodgings, Danil found himself joined by Duragon Trollbane. A troubled silence fell over them, as they trod the way, being lodged together near their men. Danil first broke silence. "Well cousin, dost blame an old fool for his actions?" The other looked up sharply. "Say not so! Wouldst I not have done the same if placed thus? T'is only those who hold glory and deeds of war in high esteem that decry thy nobility in dealing thus."

"Then thou wouldst stand by me?"

"Aye, and moreso; even as thou wouldst do thyself."

"Then my heart has been lightened. Come, let us mend our pace. I fear that victuals have long been delayed for both of us."

Turning onto the level side street, they entered the door of their dwelling.

Valia Riversong, elf maiden of many summers turned herself upon the cot inside the shelter of boughs wherein she dwelt nigh unto the village. Though wounded in the battle, she nonetheless had the endurance of her race. Her hair flowed freely now, though most oft hid under the shade of her hood when hunting. Near seventy years of men had she lived under the sun, and yet her beauty grew upon her instead of diminishing.

Now her glance lay upon the other cot, where her charge spent time in the evenings. A hand strayed without thought to the place of her wounding. Momentarily a soft glowing, one that would have been unnoticed by a commoner, then she straightened and left the confines of the dwelling. The wood held healing not known by the commoner by virtue of its creation. The peacefulness oft drove cares from the mind, and where the peace was disturbed; there was a creature of evil. Ah, tonight the caroling trills of the birds filtered down from the branches, contemporary to the trickling of the brook nearby.

Eyes closed, the elf sat at the edge of the tiny waterway, taking in all the sounds of the growing evening. The nightbirds began their daily hauntings, as the sun set itself on the horizon. Sudden silence in the glade awoke her out of her meditation. Something evil was on the prowl.

And then he was there; not the incarnate form of evil, but one of those that wander about. The elf stood suddenly upon her feet. Evil washed from the dark shroud covering the man-form that stood but a little away. "I have come."

She drew back and stood against him, weaponless though she was. "T'is obvious from the first. But why dost thou this thing? Knowest thou not that all such are accursed to bondage in their wanderings from place to place till destruction?"

"Yea, and so all would have believe. But for the moment we of the darkness have great power and will take what we will."

Wary with premonitions, the elf stood for a moment before continuing questions. "What dost thou desire then? I canst see naught in such an sleepy hamlet that wouldst concern such as thee."

A dread wind unseen burst forth from the figure, and a deep laugh came from within the shroud. "Certainly not 'in' the hamlet, as thou so aptly named it. What I have before me is not inside of the hamlet. Your kind are needed; for study as it were. So I have come, since my wanderlings have detected you within our domain."

"You and your protégé will take up permanent dwelling within our residence."

"Nay! Study thyself, if thou seest such need in thy evil designs, but leave those fair to be untarnished by thine darkness!"

"Nevertheless, I take thee, and thy pupil."

A dark flash of thunder resounded, then the wood cleared leaving no trace of the previous inhabitants. Ripples in the background betrayed a presence, a tall figure stepped from the background, stepping lightly to the place of the conversation. A glint of grey flashed, as though anger had taken inner light, then vanished again into the darkness.