It was nearly dark as Beveren led her comrades in the opposite direction of the gate. Anything that could be left behind was including the human's heavy armor. Hoffman and Caron were kept at the middle surrounded by their men while the warrior bunnies were spread out in a perimeter. The cover of darkness provided some comfort, but the leader of the warrior bunnies was frustrated as the humans were slow and noisy. Burmilla was running to and fro throughout the group helping those who were lagging behind. She gave water and checked wounds but as they continued on, she began to get overwhelmed.

Beveren suddenly stopped, something was not quite right. She looked at the trees in front of her but despite her excellent night vision she saw nothing. Then she heard it a slight whisp. She immediately jumped behind a tree and a quick look where she was revealed three arrows sticking out of the ground. Another arrow followed just missing her face as she returned to hiding behind the tree. She heard a scream and then another, it was clear that two of her women had been hit.

The screams carried throughout the group and everyone got into battle formation.

"So La." Said Burmilla.

It suddenly became bright as midday and the position of the elves were soon reveled in the trees ahead.

The cat girl then began to conjure several orange balls of light and upon waving her hand four balls crashed into the trees causing them to shatter killing several elves. More arrows came from the right side and several men were hit through slight gaps in the formation, and they were on the verge of breaking, but Hoffman was able to get them to reform.

"Reform ranks and hold firm. If we are broken, they'll pick us off one by one!"

Burmilla once again took the initiative and the branches of several trees broke to pieces. Human archers finally were able to see the elves and returned fire as well but ineffectively.

As a result of Burmilla attacking the trees the remaining elves took to the ground to regroup but this was a fatal mistake. Beveren had rallied her warriors and they descended upon the elves that had come to the ground. Several were slain right away while others were able to dodge the initial attack. Although the reflexes of the elves were sharp, they proved inferior in hand-to-hand combat to the bunnies.

Beveren herself took the initiative on the more skilled elves. One elf had incapacitated a woman, firing an arrow into her leg but Beveren quickly slit his throat. She then saw two others retreating and quickly cut their ankles before finishing them off too. She then heard another whisp of an arrow and turned back. A warrior bunny had been struck in the eye and fell without a sound. She saw the culprit, the leader of the elves she knew all too well. She was about to engage him but then she heard a sound that stopped her dead in her tracks and she turned and fled.

The other warrior bunnies scattered too along with the surviving elves. The human warriors cheered believing that the women were chasing down the elves but suddenly flame fell upon them and all were killed except the men in the dead center of the group. The fire soon disappeared, and it became black as night again.

Then the ground shook and in front of them stood the great dragon which seemingly glowed red. Then the Apostate appeared on the ground between the dragon and the survivors.

He held up his hand and the humans were forced to the ground. "ENOUGH OF THIS MADNESS!"

The people yelled in pain as his voice pierced their ears.

"You've irritated me for long enough! Where are the treacherous snakes that dare defy me?"

Sir Hoffman immediately stood up and walked seemingly fearless up to the dark foe. "Well, it took you long enough." He sneered.

"The last human lord to defy me. I'm going to take great satisfaction in this."

Hoffman began writhing and screaming in pain. Worms emerged from his nose, mouth and eyes. Then they began bursting through his skin all over his body. He fell to the ground becoming nothing more than a mound of squirming worms. Caron then stood up and was dragged by an unseen force to the Apostate's face.

"Sir Caron. Leader of the Huguenots and the one responsible for the gate being opened. I don't know whether to hate you for all the trouble you caused me or thank you for providing me the bridge to the next world for me to conquer."

"May you be dammed for all of eternity for all the pain and suffering you have caused."

"Oh, but I've only gotten started." He held up his hand, but it was suddenly forced back.

Caron held a crucifix which glowed blue and the Apostate was forced backward. "This ends now!" A beam shot out from the cross and impacted his foe but an invisible shield around the Apostate deflected the attack.

The dragon began to show irritation and its maw glowed, but the Apostate stood up and the creature settled back down. Smoke surrounded Caron but seemingly had no effect and he held up his crucifix again, but nothing happened leaving Caron bewildered.

"Neutralizing magic is one of my most handy tricks." He said mockingly.

The crucifix then turned to dust in Caron's hand. He backed away and began to panic finding himself helpless against the Apostate's power.

His foe held out his hand again and Caron immediately fell to the ground twisting as a glowing flame consumed his body. "A spell I acquired from one of the chattels of the gods. This flame will consume its victim slowly and you'll be alive at least for the next hour and I'm going to enjoy every second of this." His dark face looked up to the survivors once again and he held up his hand. This time it was Burmilla that was dragged out and stood before him. He removed the chain mail from his hand revealing a grotesque skeletal hand. "I always had an unnatural fondness for you Burmilla and I can finally relieve myself of that distraction. I still don't understand why you defied your people and continued to fight on, but you may keep your reason to yourself. I promise you will die quick but first I wish to lay a hand upon your face."

"Please don't!" Burmilla turned pale with fright. She had spent years trying to escape the Harvester but now she stood at his mercy. She was afraid that his touch would cause her to wither away to dust.

He was not discouraged in the least however and reached toward her, but suddenly a flash of light caused him to shield his eyes with his hands. When he looked again, Burmilla and the other survivors were gone. He looked back upon Caron and saw that his head had been severed and both parts of his body glowed in the night.

The Apostate exhaled and something like mist emerged from his helmet. "An Apostle is here in this world."