The Hartmann castle was nearly destroyed. The family inside had fled to somewhere else, The Kurgan didn't very much care. After he reached the Outlands he called on the war lords there and three clans pledged themselves to fight for him. They had been tired of waiting around for war and to fight along-side The Kurgan was an opportunity they wouldn't miss. They followed him and his already gathered army and marched to the front gates of Hartmann Castle, the family inside fled through underground tunnels as he would find out later.

With his fury fully behind him, he easily broke down the doors and stormed inside. To his agitation and disappointment the castle was near deserted. The family gone, few servants left, no guards to speak of. It was then that The Kurgan decided that Hartmann had another castle somewhere close by, after all his family wasn't about to go a long distance when escaping him. In a rage he flew threw the castle, tearing down doors and setting fire to every room.

By the time he made his way out of the burning castle the Outland men had ransacked every room and taken what they wanted. The servants were all beheaded, the women given to The Kurgan's men to do what they want with. Their screams were like music to his ears. One of the Outland men had with him a giant beast of a dog, what The Kurgan knew was called a Mastiff in Arielle's world, here it was just a beast dog. It had wandered away from its master somewhere in the castle and was sticking close to The Kurgan. The man didn't mind because the dog fit his taste in animals.

It was this dog that saw another figure creeping closer to the dark haired giant he stood next to, and the animal knew the other human meant harm. It growled and bared its fangs, when the would-be attacker lept from his hiding place with lance in hand he screamed and charged The Kurgan. But he didn't feel afraid and readied himself quickly for the surprise attack but before he could strike the dog launched himself at the attacker's throat, catching the flesh with his saber like teeth. Blood gushed forth and the scream the man emitted turned into blood filled gurgles and he went down but the dog didn't stop there.

It ripped and tore away at the man's throat and The Kurgan stood over them both grinning at the dog's ferocity. He liked this beast, it was just as vicious and unforgiving as him. He snapped his fingers when the man was dead and the dog instantly let up, turning to its new master with a blood covered face and a doggish smile. It went to The Kurgan's side and even followed him when he mounted his horse, trotting to a hill overlooking the scene of carnage. He looked behind him at the land that stretched farther to the north and west, some niggling in the back of his head pulled him that way. It was as if Arielle was calling for help and he could feel it instead of hear it.

He rode back to the burning castle and saw another man, a man who looked to be of higher rank, pulled out of the stables and thrown to his knees in the courtyard. Just as an Outlander man was about to behead him The Kurgan stopped him.

"Stay your blade!" he shouted. "This isn't just another servant." He knocked the man's feathered cap off his head and grabbed his face, looking closely. He chuckled darkly. "I know who you are boy. You're Hartmann's second son aren't you? What are you doing here I wonder. . ." He let go of his face and then swung his gauntlet covered fist and hit the side of his head with a muted thud. The men standing close by smirked and winced at the harsh act.

The Hartmann son shook his head and bloody saliva dribbled down his chin when he looked back at The Kurgan, he spit at his enemy's boots. The Kurgan simply laughed and grabbed his hair and pulled him up close to his face.

"My name, is Angus," he said arrogantly.

The Kurgan brought his hand across the boy's face a second time and blood splattered his boots.

"Why are you here? I thought your family left. What did you come back for?" He growled the words and the other man shook.

"He was with her my Lord," another Outlander threw a young servant woman to the ground next to him.

The Kurgan sneered, "Sticking a servant Hartmann? Ha! And you Hartmanns claim to be pure nobility. I'm willing to think that your real mother was a whoring servant woman as well." He chuckled. When he looked at the woman he did a double take. There around her neck was the pendant he had given Arielle. He surged forward and the woman screamed when he grabbed the chain and yanked it off. He turned back to Hartmann while the woman cried. He shoved the chain in the young man's face. "Where is she!? Where is the other castle!?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about. . ." he stuttered pathetically.

The Kurgan growled and grabbed his jerkin, shaking him until his brain hurt inside his skull. The dog beside him growled at Hartmann. "That is the worst explanation ever said! Now tell me what I demand to know!"

The boy shook his head but his gaze unwillingly flicked from The Kurgan to a path that led west from the castle. The Kurgan turned his head and caught sight of the path, he grinned evilly and turned back to face Hartmann. He looked at the woman that Hartmann had been trying to save and then grinned and chuckled low in his throat.

"Do you love her?" He demanded in his low gravely voice.

There was no reply, only the frightened whimpers of the woman with Hartmann.

The Kurgan answered for him, ""Of course you do. Why else would you come back during a raid to save her?" He stood and turned to the Outlander nearest him. "Make her scream," he began walking away, "And make him watch."

The echoes of the screaming woman comforted him while the men ripped off her clothing and began their brutal assault.

He made his way back to the ring of Outland Clan leaders that were standing by the fire watching their men fight. Themselves were covered in blood and they watched smiling and talking about about the glory of destruction. He reached them and then bowed in respect to the mighty Kurgan.

He didn't even acknowledge the gesture, they didn't mind. "We ride West." He said simply. "There is another castle where my prize is being kept. That is our next target." The dog beside him looked up at him and he reached down absentmindedly to pat him on the head.

The other men nodded and one spoke up, "When do you wish to ride out my lord?"

He looked back at the Hartmann son and the men raping the woman. The others followed his gaze. "A scout will be sent and when the castle is found we will send the boy's body to his father. Then we will march to Hartmann's true gates."

With the castle in full blaze and chaos all around The Kurgan took his newly found dog companion and the two trotted off into the the woods that bordered Hartmann and Von Krohn land. He found a large tree with the roots upraised and let his horse loose to roam and graze. He then settled down and created a small fire, the silence of the forest brought him time to think and all of his thoughts were on his mate. He could feel her emotions and was proud that he felt her fury instead of fear. If there had been fear he would have set off immediately but for now it seemed that she was holding her own battle against Hartmann, where ever they were.

The dog settled down near his feet and was snoring in a matter of minutes, blood still coated his fur and The Kurgan liked having this new pet around. It was a dog befitting him.

That night he dreamed of Arielle.

It seemed more than a dream though as he walked through some unfamiliar forest, he felt that he was meeting someone there but didn't know who. The answer emerged from a clump of trees ahead of him. There she was; his mate perfectly unharmed in the strange woods. He rushed to her and crushed her in his arms. She wrapped hers around his middle and squeezed but her grip was light and he hardly felt it. He scooped her up and smashed his lips to hers in desperation.

There was that desperation she felt before. As he held her she couldn't help the tears that fell and tried to stop them. When he kissed her she whimpered and wrapped a leg around his. She tried to press her body as close to his as she could and filled her movements with fear and desperation. He felt it and pulled his lips away from hers, tilting his head back and groaning. He looked down at her and then growled and cradled her against his chest.

"Where are you?" He demanded to know.

She shook her head, "I don't know my love, I don't know. Derbith forced me to drink this weird thing and it drugged me. I heard something about valerian root." She hurriedly explained.

He looked down at her fiercely. "You must resist them in any way you can! Do not drink it!"

"I'm fighting them any chance I get Kurgan. I won't give in without a fight, I won't!" She shouted and then buried her face back against his chest. "I'm fighting so hard Kurgan. So hard."

She sounded exhausted at it made him furious. She laid he head against his chest and he held her while they sat down together with his back to a tree.

He held her tight and in the waking world it looked like he was holding her.