Guild Wars: Vengeance

by Ewol Navi

Called out of exile, a lone ranger returns home to the Land of the Golden Sun and finds the continent at war. In her quest to save Elona from evil and tyranny she makes alliances, forges a guild and faces the demons of Torment. Joined by an intrepid elementalist, she must end the ambitions of a mad Warmarshal ... before Nightfall comes. (Novelization of Guild Wars: Nightfall)

31. Chapter 30: The Road to Kodash

Ch. 30

The Road to Kodash

It was a long walk from the foothills of the Bahnakor Mountains to the verdant lowlands of the third province. The party tracked through the deep canyons of Yatendi to the beat of several marching songs, voiced by their paragon who insisted that they keep good marching time. Koss too supplied a tune or two when Alendra's supply at last ran dry, and even Margrid substituted an old rowing ballad to help keep their march going. Anorah offered a Zaishen marching tune as well, but it became readily apparent that Zaishen double-time was far too strenuous a pace to keep for long.

Soon, however, the mighty cliff walls of Yatendi Canyons gave way to open plains, and the guild found themselves staring down into the lush fields of Vehtendi Valley. Several deep breaths were taken, as all of them took in the cool, sweet breeze that wafted across the river. Trees swayed lightly in the wind in time with reeds and brush that boarded the river bed. As one of the most fertile areas in Vabbi, Vehtendi Valley was the seat of provincial agriculture. Here golden rows of wheat swayed in the wind while acres wide rice fields occupied the low lands near the river. It was clear that harvest was already well under way, as farmers rolled sheaves and carried baskets away from their fields. The sun had already sunk behind the mountains in the west and in the falling twilight, the valley fields were a buzz as workers brought in the last of the day's haul. With the coming of night throwing deep shadows over the valley, the party began to look for a place to make camp. Their efforts were delayed however when Kehanni urged them to continue but a little further.

"It is only a little ways up the road," the priestess said with a sincere nod, "They have an inn and warm beds! I promise it's not far at all."

"Ugh…" Rakiv sighed as even she rubbed her forehead with fatigue, "What's the name of this village?"

"Jahinur," Kehanni answered, "You can stop there and then continue on in the morning. And I can turn west from there and return to the Basilica. For a bit of extra coin they may even provide you with dinner."

"Supper sounds like a mighty fine reason ta keep rowin'," Margrid put in, "Ah dun think I've quite got it in me ta be huntin' at this hour. Me land legs still ain' use to these kind o' long marches ye know."

"Neither are mine," Anicara sighed wearily, "But if this village is close, we might as well keep going yeah?"

"Yeah…" Rakiv nodded slowly and then turned towards the road ahead, "Alright everybody, keep marching. Anybody got a beat for us?"

"I'm fresh out," Alendra said, "And Anorah's are more likely to run us into the ground than get us anywhere."

"It is but a matter of training and endurance," the dervish replied quietly, "Zaishen are expected to have plenty of both."

"Well since you don't look half as tired as the rest of us," Melonni put in with a weary chuckle, "I may have to see about getting me some Zaishen training."

"Alright c'mon guys, let's cut the chatter and get moving," Rakiv sighed as she put boot to dirt and plodded forward, "Not too far now and we can all sit down and take a nice breather."

There were a few groans but no verbal complaints, as the guildsmen did as instructed. The march continued and they pressed onward, trekking across the bluffs that boardered the river valley. As they went Kydar turned to Anicara and requested her note book for his review. The girl handed it over and the scribe inspected her notes, grimacing as he tried to make out the overly flowery script with which she wrote.

"Not bad," he said with a slow nod of his head, "Try to group your notes under more concise headings. When looking through your report, a reader should know exactly what's going to be in each category. If it's not directly related, find a new category for it."

"Understood sensei," she nodded to him with a weary smile.

"Ugh, and just for that, take this down," he smirked at her as he handed her notebook back to her.

"Awww… meanie…" she whined, but opened the book and drew her charcoal as instructed.

"Hey did you guys know that this valley was actually named after a Tyrian ranger?" Kydar asked.

"We 'bout to 'ave to listen to another of yer history lessons professor?" Margrid groaned.

"It's better than the sound of our own breathing," Koss put in, "Gimme the story. Who was this ranger person?"

"She was a twin actually, and in Vabbi she is known as one of the greatest archers who ever lived," Kydar chuckled, "I don't know how many of you ever heard of Ahvur Dzagon, but he was the second person ever to become a prince of Vabbi. He's the one who began the construction of the Citidel of Dzagon in 1132 D.R. But he became famous for vanquishing the evil ruby djinn Ifrit, and he did so with the help of a handful of mighty female warriors. Two of these women were the Tyrian twins Vehtendi and Yatendi."

"1132?" Alendra asked with a curious tilt of her head, "What were Tyrians doing here back then? Most of Tyrian trade had been cut off by then cause of the corsairs hadn't it?"

"Actually not yet, that would happen almost twenty years later," Kydar shook his head, "But Tyrian trade was still sparse then, due to Cantha dissolving its trade agreements with them. By 1132 it was rare to see anyone outside their native homelands, which is why Vehtendi and Yatendi's travel was so significant. The twins belonged to a tribe known as the Druids, who had sensed the disruption caused by Ifrit's rampage across Elona. The women braved sand and winds of the Crystal Desert to find the source of the disturbance, and they met Ahvur during their travels. Despite being native Tyrians, Vehtendi and Yatendi never left Vabbi and lived here until they died. They both did a lot to help Vabbi recover from the burning Ifrit had caused, and thus Ahvur and Amaki Voss, our first merchant Prince, named these regions after them."

"Wait, wait back up a bit," Melonni scrunched her nose, "What exactly is this Ifrit thing? And how did Ahvur and his friends stop him?"

"Hah, now that's a long story and fortunately for you all, I don't remember it well enough to tell it properly," Kydar laughed.

"If we're lucky though," Tahlkora spoke up, "We may get to see a play of it during the third night of the festival. Prince of Vabbi is one of the provinces most beloved plays, and one of the big theatre troops takes a turn putting on a show of it each year."

"Heh, funny though iddnit?" Margrid chuckled, "Seems like this 'ere province 'as a habit o' getting' saved by Tyrian rangers, eh Rakiv?"

"Far as I know, I was born in Istan," the red head shrugged lightly, "And we haven't saved them yet."

"But we have arrived at our destination!" Kehanni smiled cheerfully, "Welcome to Jahinur Village everyone."

All eyes turned up to behold a tiny hamlet hidden in a cleft of the rock. The rocky bluffs that separated the highlands from the valleys were all but impassable, and would force most travelers to press much farther northward to find a way around. Here, however, a single pass had been hewn out of the stone and in the pass sat the village of Jahinur. It was not a large village, perhaps little more than a rest stop, but it had long been a lifeline of trade that carried goods from the valley to the highlands. Stone and ore from the Vehjin Mines passed through here, as did food and water from the Valley. Upon entering the village Rakiv wasted little time in issuing orders to her group, instructing Margrid and the Apprentice to move out into the village and begin scouting for a suitable inn. As she turned to break up the group into teams to accompany her scouts, Koss moved for an immediate guild meeting, a motion that was seconded and voted for by the rest of the group.

"Ugh, right… I forgot about that," Rakiv sighed and then nodded before turning to her scouts, "Well I guess you two don't mind do you? You're not technically guild members so…"

"Dun need no 'elp findin' beds an' grub, red," Margrid shrugged before jerking a thumb at the Apprentice, "Wouldn't want this one wanderin' 'bout by 'erself though. 'Tain't safe fer the locals if'n ye asks me."

"Please, I was a servant of the Whispers for some time," the Apprentice chuckled lightly, "I know how to be discrete. If it please you guildmistress I shall do what I can to secure rest for you and your men, and I will return post haste with my findings."

"Fine, we'll be over in the town square," the ranger agreed, "See what you can find and then come find us."

"You got it cap'n," Margrid nodded as she turned to head off into the village.

"As you wish, Guildmistress," the Apprentice curtsied lightly, before she too turned and strode away.

Rakiv gave a tired sigh and rubbed at one eye a little tiredly. It had been a long day, but long days seemed to come around a lot for this guild. She strode back to the town square, forcing herself to march rather than shuffle as she approached her gathered guildmembers. The men and women were already murmuring to each other, but at the approach of their guildmistress they quickly fell quiet and turned their eyes to her.

"Alright, so what's this about?" the ranger sighed, "You guys have been nagging me about a meeting since the Chantry."

"Well there's a few things we need to talk about," Koss nodded, "That 'Apprentice' is one of them. We also kind of wonder who Kydar's contact is and what the plan is for tomorrow."

"But really… well, we've all been talking and…" Anicara spoke up, before drifting off nervously.

"Well c'mon, what is it?" Rakiv demanded as she planted her hands on her hips.

"Guildmistress, we're worried about you," Melonni said plainly, "We're worried about what's happening to you."

Rakiv blinked in surprise as she surveyed the faces of her guild. All eyes looked up at her with curiosity and concern, but beneath it she could see another emotion beginning to bubble up as well. It was not one that she could put her finger on, but it was certainly not one that she liked.

"I'm fine," Rakiv frowned in confusion, "Have been for awhile. What are you worried about?"

"We've seen your eyes, guildmistress," Alendra said slowly, "We've seen how you… change, sometimes. It's like… like you start to become something else… something not really…human."

"In Fahranur, I watched you push back stone doors that were half a ton each, at least," Melonni said.

"During the assault on Gandara, you swam into the fortress by using a drain pipe," Alendra put in, "I've seen the schematics of that pipe. Just to get to that pipe is almost thirty fathoms down, and then the swim through the fort is just… no one should be able to hold their breath that long!"

"And the next time we were at Gandara, you killed that demon in the courtyard without even blinking," Koss said, "The rest of us barely did more than make it angry, but you brought it down just like that."

"And it happened again… when we fought the Hunger," Anicara added lowly, "Your eyes went all yellow… and your teeth looked like fangs. You flipped that thing off of you like it was an annoying throw pillow or something…"

"Guildmistress, we're not accusing you of anything," Melonni spoke up gently, "We're just concerned. It seems as though you are suffering or hiding something… something that you don't like but don't want us to know about."

There was a long silence between them, before Rakiv let out a sigh and pinched her nosebridge. Part of her had always known these questions would pop up sooner or later. A girl couldn't really rip off a demon's mandibles with her bare hands and expect nobody to be surprised. Finally she shook her head and looked back down at her guildsmen as her expression turned stern.

"Your concern is noted, and appreciated," she said slowly, "But it's… not something I can share. You all know that I'm… different, that I was trained to be like Kormir or Yurukaro, a big leader or hero or something. So… suffice it to say that this is something left over from that. I mean, you guys saw Kormir at Gandara, she'd have had the Hunger down if she hadn't been trying to get us out of there. Yurukaro sliced and diced her way through demons in Kamadan during that invasion. It's just… something we were trained to do. My way is just… different from theirs."

There were several skeptical eyebrows raised around the circle, and the expression of her guild made it clear that her explanation was unsatisfactory. Again Rakiv sighed and offered them a tired smile.

"I'm fine everyone, really," she said, "I haven't let you guys down yet have I?"

"No, guildmistress," the answer came back immediately and unanimously.

"Well then just trust me," she nodded slowly, before her brow furrowed lightly as she looked away, "Just… please, trust me."

"In the spirit of trust…" Anorah spoke up slowly, "Might I have the floor, guildmistress?"

"All yours Anorah," Rakiv agreed, all too eager to relinquish the spotlight, "Speak your mind."

"Well… first I want to thank you, all of you," Anorah said slowly, "Even among the Zaishen, I have had few… friends, always comrades-in-arms. I value your friendship greatly… and I want to explain to you why I have behaved so… disturbingly."

"You mean the whole 'quiet as a killer temple mouse' thing that you do?" Koss asked with a chuckle.

"Well… yes, I suppose," Anorah nodded to him, "But I know that more than once, you have seen me lose control of myself. Both against our enemies… and against myself. I would explain it to you but I warn you… my tale is not a pretty one."

"I think we would still like to hear it Anorah," Alendra spoke up softly, concern crinkling her pretty features, "At least, I certainly would."

There were general murmurs of agreement from the group as they settled to listen to their quietest member's story. Adept Basilisk was silent for a moment, and then took a deep breath as she pushed back her hood and closed her golden eyes.

"I was born somewhere off the southern shores of Kourna, to a Tyrian man and an Elonian woman," Anorah began slowly, "Both were part of the infamous guild known as Vow of Zeal. As many of you may know, Vow of Zeal has long been the most feared Assassin's guild in the world. There is no one they cannot kill, and those who have escaped their reach are very few and very far between. However, with the Corsair Wars over and the Tyrian Guild Wars waning, Vow of Zeal found their services in lower demand, and that in this time of peace they were no longer feared nor needed. The anarchist leaders of Zeal could not abide withering into obscurity, and sought to sow the seeds of chaos once more…"

The woman paused as her brow furrowed for a moment, and many of the guilds men found themselves leaning in closer to listen.

"My mother was a dervish and a member of the guild, but my father was a necromancer," Anorah continued, "He had been hired by the guild to find them an instrument of chaos, and my father sought to make one. From the time I was born I was taught the way of the blade, to master combat in nearly all its forms. I took after my mother, and excelled in scythe mastery but my father pushed me to make use of other talents… talents that he had placed within me. By the time I was seven I had killed a man with my bare hands, by nine I had carried out my first assassination contract. Zeal began to assign me tougher contracts, missions meant to test my strength. But before each mission they would… prepare me."

"Prepare you how?" Tahlkora asked, curiosity getting the better of her.

Anorah opened her eyes and turned her golden gaze down towards the young monk. Though the gaze was neither harsh nor disapproving, its intensity made Tahlkora wish she had not spoken at all.

"They fed me," Anorah said as she stared unblinkingly down at Tahlkora, "Before every mission, they made me drink… blood. Human blood. Cups of it… pints of it, however much it took to make me lose myself to blood lust. You see my father… he had all but made me in his image. By drinking the blood of men I became stronger, faster, and I healed from nearly any wound. With enough blood in me I could slaughter my way through a garrison of soldiers, fight my way through dozens of armed men to reach my target… and slay him. Soon my frenzies became a thing of horrified legend in the guild. I learned that the drinking of blood need not end before my mission began, and it was not long before my slaughters became… feasts."

The party was silent as they stared at Anorah, who had finally closed her eyes once more as she recounted her memories to them.

"In truth I do not know how many lives I took… how many men I slew," Anorah said, "When I was not needed I was kept in a room aboard the guild's flagship, The Widow Bride. They tended to my every need, but I was only ever let out of my velvet prison when my… skills were required. I was… thirteen I think… perhaps fourteen, when it finally happened."

Again the dervish fell silent, and raised a hand to her forehead, massaging her temples as if trying to push back a headache. The guild was silent and waited slowly for her to continue. A hand alighted on her shoulder and the Zaishen adept turned her head to find herself staring into the wide brown eyes of Alendra Soleer.

"It's okay… you don't have to if…" the paragon began.

"No," Anorah interrupted quickly, "I must. Just…"

The dervish paused again to clear her throat and shook her head, before resuming her tale.

"The Widow Bride had sailed to Cantha, and I was taken to a dark slum in their capital city of Kaineng," Anorah went on, her words fraught with tension, "I was told that in the sewers beneath the slums, my target had surrounded himself with guards. Anyone who stood in my way was to be treated as an enemy, and I was to let nothing stand in my path. As they spoke to me I drank from the vessel of blood, as I always had, and I answered only to acknowledge that I understood. They pressed my scythe into my hands… and released me into the slum."

Again Anorah stopped, this time grinding her teeth as she closed her eyes tightly. Alendra placed her arm over the taller woman's shoulder and Anorah did not pull away. She took a deep breath, almost shuddering with the intake, before she forced herself to go on.

"It was not as they said… none of it was," Anorah said, "But I could not see it through the blood haze. I carved a path of blood and fire through the night, and battled my way into the Kaineng Undercity. There I found my target, hunted him through the bowels of the sewers… and struck him down. With my mission complete, the haze cleared and I looked into the face of my quarry… and saw that it was my father. My scythe blade was buried in his chest, and he choked in agony as he reached for me. In my horror I cast about… and saw the body of my mother lying lifeless in my wake. I cried… I screamed… but my father only took me in his arms and drew me to his chest. As he slipped away into death he shushed my cries and wiped my tears… and whispered his forgiveness to me."

Horrified shock tainted the silence in the village square, as the guild stared at the dervish. Rakiv's own violet eyes were locked on the woman as her jaw worked against a knot that was forming in her throat. For several moments no one spoke, and finally the Zaishen adept continued.

"I… I formed a stretcher and dragged my father's and mother's bodies out of the sewers," Anorah said, her usually strong, deep voice now trembling and threatening to break, "And as I ascended from the darkness I began to see and hear what I had truly done during my mission. The bodies I had left behind were not all fighting men, but innocents as well. Elderly, women… and even children. I could hear the screams echo back to me, the panic in their voices as they fled. I heard their cries echo through the slums and the sewers as they tried to warn their fellows. 'Vampire', they shouted… 'Vampire, vampire… vampire…'. When finally I emerged from the slum, my handlers were waiting for me. I asked them why but they offered no answers, and only took my parents bodies from me. I struggled against them, but with the frenzy gone I had not the strength to fight them. They tumbled the bodies of my parents back into the tenements… and then set fire to it, burning the entire slum to the ground. When I would not stop screaming, they beat me until I moved no more… and then carried me back to The Widow Bride."

As the dervish came to another pause in her story, all eyes remained on her, all save for one pair. Kydar turned to survey the faces of the group, and stopped when he beheld Rakiv. The expression that covered the guildmistress' face was not one of horror or pity… but of recognition and empathy. Of all those present, the ranger seemed least surprised at the woman's tale, and seemed to nod slowly, as though she had heard or seen such things before. An uneasy curiosity settled into the pit of Kydar's stomach, but he said nothing as Anorah resumed her tale.

"I was left in my room aboard the ship, and was ignored for days save for a plate of scraps that was left to me every night," the Zaishen adept continued, "When at last the guildmaster chose to show himself to me, it was in the darkest hour of the night when all others on the vessel were slumbering. I demanded answers of him and he gave them. My parents had come to fear what I was becoming, a monster that devoured the blood of men. In secret they had begun to work against Vow of Zeal, hoping to undo their mistake and save me from my bloody fate. Many others from the guild had joined them, and had gone to hide in a secret compound, the very slum into which I had been unleashed. They had sought to hide and hide their families there, believing that the guild would not find them. But they were found… and I was the instrument of chaos that Zeal unleashed upon them. The guildmaster had seen my act as a 'rite of passage', proof that I was an uncompromising and unfeeling weapon that he could point in any direction he desired. As I wept he laughed at my tears… and in a fit of rage and pain I attacked him."

"He was, by far, the stronger," Anorah said, after taking a quick moment to clear her throat, "And dealt me a blow with his dagger, opening a laceration along my arm. He scoffed at my attempt, but his scorn turned to horror as I lifted my wounded limb and drank from my own arm. The haze closed over me and I know only that he died screaming, cries which roused the rest of the crew. But I was armed now, and had drunk from my former master's corpse. The rest of the night I spent killing every man and woman aboard that ship, feasting and slaying every thing that bore the breath of life. And even once there was nothing left to kill… the haze did not lift."

"I do not know how long the ship drifted, how long I was lost at sea," the dervish went on after a moment's pause, "But I remember that one day dawn came… and I saw a ship on the horizon. It bore red sails and it approached flying many flags that I neither knew nor understood. They drew to broadsides and called to me, but I did not answer. Finally they came aboard, men and women in shining armor with glittering swords. One of their number bore armor more impressive than all the others, and she found me sitting beneath the main mast, still and silent as the grave. I am told that I was a horrifying sight, a child covered in blood that had dried and turned black, making my visage a ghastly painting of death and gore. Bodies rotted around me, many having been stripped clean by the gulls, but the evidence of my deeds were clear. The soldiers wanted to kill me, and I heard the word whispered again… 'vampire'. But the woman in shining armor refused, and instead asked me my name. I gave it, and she introduced herself to me as well."

"It was Karo…" Rakiv interrupted, "Wasn't it?

"Zaishen War Captain Yurukaro, she called herself," Anorah confirmed, "She asked me my tale, and I related what I knew, sparing no detail. I told her of my deeds… of my sins, and I asked if she had been sent to punish me. She said that she was not a punisher, nor a judge of men, but merely a servant of the war god. She said she could see that my sins weighed heavily upon my soul, and asked if perhaps I would like to alleviate the burden. I answered that I did… and she invited me to join the Zaishen order as an initiate. I…I have been with the order ever since."

With her tale finished Anorah seemed to relax a bit, and finally opened her eyes, allowing a tear that had been held captive by her lids to roll down her cheek. She blinked in mild surprise at the moisture and quickly wiped it away, before looking up into the eyes of her comrades. Everyone was quiet for a moment, before Alendra raised her voice to speak.

"So… that time, at the Zelbahn Garrison… when you went crazy on those soldiers… was that the frenzy?" Alendra asked carefully.

"It was," Anorah confessed, "I… tasted it. It was but a drop but it was enough. The taste drives me to find more… to drink more. It is possibly best described as an addiction of sorts."

"Wait… if it's that bad, then how the hell do you fight?" Koss asked in confusion, "We spill a whole lot of blood in our line of work.

"I am Zaishen," Anorah said firmly, "I have tempered my will against such weakness. The smell and the touch are tempting, but these I can resist."

"Then what exactly happened at Moddok Crevice," Kydar spoke up, staring intently at the dervish woman, "Why did you try to kill yourself?"

"I did not try to kill myself Scribe Raelesin," Anorah answered measuredly, "Though my actions very likely would have ended in my death. When we stormed the waterworks, we were all suffering of thirst and dehydration. In a moment of weakness I… succumbed to my own thirst, and I… drank the blood of a Kournan soldier. I have resisted this sin for nearly four years without incident, so in my remorse and horror I sought to cleanse myself of the blood I had taken by letting my own blood. I see now that it was… foolish, but reason is difficult to see from the depths of despair."

"Hold a moment," Melonni spoke up, "You are asking us to believe that you are in fact a vampire? A blood sucking creature of myth?"

"No," Kydar answered instead, "No not a vampire. I have heard of this… or something like this. It seems akin to a school of magic that is seldom taught at the Academy… I've just never seen it in this form before."

"She hunts men, drinks blood for sustenance… it sounds sort of like a vampire doesn't it?" Tahlkora spoke up a little timidly, her brow furrowed as she tried to understand the tale.

"No, not a vampire," another voice broke in.

The usual jumps of mild alarm accompanied the Apprentice's unannounced approach. The tall necromancer strode out of the shadows and into the light of the town square, her pale eyes reflecting the glow of the lamps that cast their illumination over the group.

"She does not drink blood for sustenance or nourishment, even were she to try it would make for a very poor diet indeed," the woman spoke, her usually calm voice firm and almost commanding as she stared at the dervish in the center of the circle, "No she is something else entirely, something that she and I have in common."

Anorah stared up at the necromancer, her eyes wide as she returned the Apprentice's pale and unwavering gaze. Alendra tightened her arm protectively around the Zaishen dervish as she moved to step between the two tall women. The paragon's fingers flexed as she reached for her javelin quiver, before a command stopped her.

"Easy, Alendra," Rakiv spoke up, "Apprentice, I assume you've done as I asked?"

"I have," the necromancer said as she turned her eyes to the ranger, "And I had little luck. The corsair has, however, succeeded and is negotiating services with a local innkeeper. I returned to bring you the news."

"Good, then I think now is a good time to make yourself scarce," Rakiv said, her voice bearing the edge of a threat, "This business does not concern you."

"Far be it for me to contradict you guildmistress," the Apprentice said with a bow of her head, "But I think you will find that it does. Or at least, you will if you allow me to speak."

Rakiv's violet eyes hardened as she stared at the necromancer and ground her teeth. She couldn't be sure why she felt so aggravated at this moment, so ready to bite someone's head off, but it was not an agitation that was easily ignored. Her focus was broken when Kydar's soft baritone broke the silence.

"We do still need to discuss the Apprentice's involvement," he put forth, "As well as find out who and what she is. I think it best that we not bring any unknown elements into the courts of the Princes."

Rakiv nodded slowly, agreeing with the scribe's council and turned to look at him. She found him staring back at her, but was taken aback by the intensity of his gaze. His eyes were almost accusatory, as though viewing her as the unknown element that required explaination. It was a gaze she had not expected from him, and for a moment she could only stare back. Finally she looked away from him and nodded again as she gestured to the Apprentice.

"Speak your piece then," she allowed, "But I'd advise that you choose your words carefully. I'm in no mood for lies or half-truths tonight."

"But of course guildmistress," the necromancer nodded, "And my apologies for speaking out of turn. It is simply a travesty that this young woman does not understand her own talents."

"I… I understand enough," Anorah said, "I know these talents, all too well in fact."

"Do you?" the Apprentice demanded suddenly, as she turned her eyes back to the dervish, "Do you have any idea? Do you even know what you are?"

"Cursed? Craven? Murderer? Sinner?" Anorah asked, bitterness springing into her words, "There are many words to describe what I am, necromancer."

"And yet those you have chosen fail to do you any form of justice," the Apprentice said, "You are unique, exquisite… and above all, powerful."

"Talk straight, Apprentice," Kydar demanded, "It's late and we're all short on patience."

"Well then let me first try to enlighten you all," the Apprentice said as she turned to the scribe, "You possess power over fire, do you not? It is a gift, a talent with which you were born yes?"

"Among others," Kydar nodded, "But yes, my magic is easily described as innate."

"And you," the Apprentice turned to Tahlkora, "When did you learn to heal your first wound? When did you find that flesh simply re-knit itself at your command?"

"When… when I was young," the teenage monk replied, "I healed a friend's broken finger just by touching it."

"And there are many more like you," the Apprentice nodded, "All of us here are the same. Some of us learned that we possessed great strength of limb, others found that waters moved at our whim. Some found that we could speak the language of beasts, while others learned that our very words could bring power to our allies."

"And what, precisely is your point?" Melonni asked impatiently.

"My point is this, Melonni," the Apprentice stated proudly, "Just as some children control fire or earth or minds or spirits, there are yet other children whose gifts give them control over life and death. Some children raise corpses from the earth, others command plagues and disease. But others… others control blood."

"Blood magic," Kydar surmised, "You're talking about blood magic."

"Astute as ever, Scribe Raelesin," the Apprentice smirked at him, "I am indeed. Some children learn that they can inflict great pain by manipulating the blood in another's veins. Some find that just as Mesmer's dominate the mind, they can use blood to dominate the body. And others learn that they can drink blood for strength, for healing and for power. The talent is rare indeed, but one born with Blood Magic can control blood in many, many ways. Adept Basilisk has but scratched the surface of her true power."

"And that's why you've been chowing down on unsuspecting soldiers?" Rakiv asked, "Because you're a blood magician?"

"Ah, I am that and much more guildmistress," the Apprentice nodded.

"Then let's take a break from Anorah and explore that sentence," Rakiv said as she stepped forward, "Starting with who you are. No more of this 'Apprentice' crap. I want a name."

"Ahh, but a name is a powerful thing guildmistress," the Apprentice responded, "Even the Master of Whispers does not part with his easily."

"I know the superstitious mumbo-jumbo about power in names, believe me I've had a half dozen teachers go on about it," Rakiv snapped at her, "And that's precisely why I want yours. You asked to come with us, and I brought you because you've been useful. But I will send you right back to the Master if you don't come clean here and now. Who and what are you!"

Though the rest of the guild did not respond, but it was clear that they agreed with their guildmistress' demands. The Apprentice stared unblinkingly into the ranger's wrath filled eyes, and finally nodded as she submitted to the woman's order.

"As you wish, guildmistress," the necromancer said as she curtsied before the ranger, "In truth I have been called many things. In life I was called the Dark Lady, the Planes Walker, and even the Bride of Death. But you may call me Jedasros. Dawn Jedasros."

Despite the fact that she remained bowed before the guildmistress, the necromancer spoke her name with such force that it seemed as though a cloud of dark oppression settled over the square. Kydar's eyes narrowed at the woman as he chewed his lip thoughtfully. The name registered with vague familiarity, but he could not remember where he'd heard it. All were silent as the necromancer at last introduced herself, and for a moment some felt that they almost wished she had not done so.

"In life?" Rakiv asked skeptically.

"Did you not think it odd that the Master bound me to your young water mage?" the woman replied as she rose to her impressive height once more, "He did so because she was the only capable necromancer you have with you. In order for me to travel with you, I required her energy to sustain me."

"You're… not alive," Alendra breathed with a touch of shock, "You're… you're dead?"

"And here I thought that perhaps my eyes would have given it away," the necromancer smiled sweetly at the paragon, "Yes fair one, I am dead, as a doornail in fact. I was slain only six months ago, when your little war was only just beginning to brew. I fell to the blades of Whispers, and passed from one form of life and into another."

"If that's the case, you're the best looking Bone Minion I've ever seen," Kydar scoffed.

"You flatter me sir," the Apprentice smiled at him, "But technically I believe I qualify as a Bone Golem, or perhaps something higher still. Truth be told, even I do not understand the arts of the Voudun."

"Voudun," Anicara said as she frowned lightly, "Didn't you guys say that Jonah was one of those? Some kind of darker form of necromancer?"

"Yeah," Rakiv nodded and turned to the necromancer, "Care to explain what a Voudun has to do with this?"

"Oh everything really," the tall woman answered, "You see, regular necromancy is rather crude. To raise a corpse the necromancer takes only what they need from the body, materials like bone, sinew and muscle. This gives rise to the hideous constructs of flesh and claws that erupt from a fallen body. But Voudun are more precise. A Voudun can raise the corpse intact, retaining all the functionality and mobility that it had when it lived. A Voudun can even bind the soul of the corpse back into the body, creating an undead being that is exactly as it was when it still lived."

"But with the limitations of any other undead minion," Kydar surmised, "You still need a minion master to keep you alive and moving, and I'm guessing you can't act against their will either."

"And you are right again, Scribe Raelesin," the necroamancer smiled, "No, I cannot do any of those things. I am, in every sense of the term, a slave to my master's will."

"So what makes you so important that they'd go to all this trouble for you?" Rakiv asked, "Whispers aren't in the habit of doing favors for the people they kill."

"Truth be told it was not good will that brings me to be as I am now," the woman grinned, "It was fear. In life I was an enemy of the Order, and a powerful one if I do say so myself. Once I was struck down the Master feared that even death would not hold me for long, and devised to see to my bondage himself. He ordered his follower Jonah, the elder of Ronjok to raise me so that he might bind me, body, blood and soul."

"If you were so powerful as you claim, it seems strange that the Whispers would deal with you themselves," Koss snorted.

"That it would sir," she answered the warrior, "Were it not for the fact that I was betrayed to them. One of my followers, a man who I made the mistake of trusting. He sought only my secrets and once he had them, he fled. To this day I curse the name of Icarus Blackthorne."

"Blackthorne…" Kydar began, before he suddenly bit his lip to silence himself.

"Something to say, First Officer?" Rakiv asked with an arched eyebrow.

"No… nothing," Kydar answered as he shook his head and looked up at the necromancer, "So then, Jedasros, if you were one of the bad guys why are you so keen on helping us?"

"I'm not," she laughed lightly, "Or at least, not directly. Your victory merely happens to coincide with my interests. Whatever I may have been while I lived, all of it will be for naught if the world should meet its end. Make no mistake men and women of Dormant Vengeance, Abaddon is an enemy that is common to us all. Rich or poor, strong or weak, living or dead his demons will overwhelm and consume us all. Though I am bound as an undead minion I would still wish to avoid being destroyed by the mad god's victory merely means my survival, and so it behooves me to do all that I can to see that you are victorious."

"Well you may be creepy, but at least you're not crazy," Rakiv mumbled, before clearing her throat and speaking aloud, "So let's bring this full circle. I'm guessing that your interest in Anorah is because you both have this blood magic thing?"

"I share nothing in common with you, witch," Anorah glowered at the other woman, "Revel in your iniquity if you wish, but I will still seek absolution."

"But you've nothing to be absolved of," the necromancer answered her, "Each of us holds pains, each of us have traversed a hard road to become what we are. And what we are is powerful. This is why demons rise against you, why the Warmarshal seeks your deaths. You have endured pains, some of you have committed crimes, but these marks are the source of your strength. Do not fear them, do not flee from them. Embrace them."

"I will only warn you once," Anorah said coldly, her deep voice hardening further, "Do not try to tempt me again. The next time you do, I will have your head."

"While I'll not have my party members killing each other," Rakiv broke in, "I'm going to have to reinforce that with an order. I need each of you fighting at your peak, without distractions. So Apprent… er, Jedasros, keep your distance from Adept Basilisk. Interfere with her again, and you will answer to me. Are we clear?"

"I hear and obey guildmistress," the necromancer answered as she bowed again and then smiled, "And please, call me Dawn."

"As you wish," Rakiv nodded as she turned to the rest of her guild, "So now that we've laid a few things out on the table, my orders are these. Dawn here is to be considered an asset of the guild. It has been my experience that she has proved useful to us, but I will open the floor to objections to the contrary."

"So long as she makes nice…" Alendra muttered begrudgingly, "I think we can live with having her around."

"I solemnly swear to be on my best behavior," the necromancer smiled, though the expression was hardly a comforting one.

"And not that she hasn't been 'honest' so far," Kydar added, "But no word games. We get straight answers or all bets are off."

"I will answer your every question to the best of my ability," she answered with a nod, "Though I hope you will be forgiving of any imperfections in my knowledge."

"Yeah, be reasonable guys, we need this team to work if we want the Princes to believe we're worth their time and resources," Rakiv nodded, "Is there any other business?"

"Ugh, none that I'd remember in the morning," Koss grumbled as he scratched at his fro, "Right now all I'm wanting is somewhere to crash."

"I'm pretty wiped myself…" Anicara put in tiredly.

"Good," Rakiv nodded, "Then as of this moment, Dawn Jedasros is now an official asset and agent of Dormant Vengeance. Welcome to the team."

"And I am so very pleased to be here," Dawn smiled sweetly.

"Glad to hear it," Rakiv nodded, "Now move out. We need to find Margrid and see about those rooms."

With tired murmurs of agreement the party began to file out of the square, the shouts of a town cryer marking the hour as crickets chirped along to his loud calls. It was a road weary brigade that approached one of the larger inns in town, and soon enough the group found themselves accepting room assignments from their guildmistress. As Anicara prepared for bed she found that her mind would not stop turning over the evening's events. It had been a lot of information to take in, but one piece in particular nagged at her. She too had heard that name before, the one by which the Apprentice had finally identified herself. Yet her memory could not conjure when or wear she'd heard it. Even as she finally began to drift off to sleep the name echoed in her mind.

Jedasros. Dawn Jedasros.

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The crack of dawn was announced by Rakiv's fist pounding on bedroom doors. The guildmistress had woken early and wanted to get a start on the long road ahead. Groggy replies answered her insistant knocks as she moved down the hall, calling for her guildsmen to ready themselves and assemble in the town square. Despite their displeasure at being disturbed so early, the guild knew how to follow orders, and in less than twenty minutes everyone stood ready to march in Jaihnur square. It was here that Kehanni bid them farewell, explaining that she was needed back at the Bascillica. Wishes of luck and blessings were exchanged before the priestess turned away to the northwest and skipped out of town, her bells jingling in time to her song. Following Kydar's instruction, Rakiv turned her guild's path north east and into the long canyons that lead to the dusty hills of the Forum Highlands.

The valleys here were lush and verdant, the trees and foliage fed by the waters of the Jaihnur Oasis. Proud palms swayed in the wind, waving their wide boughs back and forth as if paying homage to the beauty of the clear blue sky overhead. Breakfast was had on the go, as the guild munched on fruits and cheeses and chatted lightly as they marched behind their guildmistress. For her part, Rakiv only listened to her guildsmen as they discussed the coming events of the dance, the feast and the plays. Koss eagerly contemplated the many kinds of food they would be provided, while Anicara lamented that she had nothing to wear to a grand ball. Kydar did his best to keep their wild fantasies grounded, but many mouths still watered every time Koss named a new dish that might appear at a feast. The ranger chuckled to herself and shook her head, before half-turning to take note of an unusually quiet member of their party.

"No marching songs for us today?" Rakiv asked her resident tactician.

Alendra Soleer looked up from her revire and blinked at her guildmistress. After a moment she gave a small smile and shook her head.

"No, I think I'm all out of songs that you haven't heard," the castellan chuckled lightly as she toyed with the object that hung on a thin piece of twine around her neck.

"What've you got there?" Rakiv asked with a nod towards the paragon's hand.

"Oh, this?" Alendra asked, "This is the Whisper's secret that you asked for. The demon slaying thing."

The girl held up the signet ring for Rakiv to see, and the thick silver band glinted brightly in the morning sun. Rakiv gave a slow nod of approval and raised her eyes back to Alendras questioningly.

"Still not sure how it works?" Rakiv asked curiously.

"Oh well, we know that it has to like… choose you or something," Alendra responded, "We just don't know how to make it do that. Kydar asked me to hold onto it until we can figure it out…"

"I see," Rakiv nodded and then tilted her head, "But that's not what's on your mind, is it?"

Alendra was quiet and averted her gaze from the red haired archer and gave only a small shrug in reply.

"Oh c'mon Alendra," Rakiv chuckled lightly, "It must be something pretty big if it's got even you down. Sure you don't wanna talk about it?"

"Well…" the paragon contemplated for a moment, "I've just… been thinking… about some things that were said last night."

"A lot of things were said last night," Rakiv replied, "Anything particular that's got your attention?"

"Well I'm just wondering…" Alendra said slowly and then gave a sigh, "I'm wondering if I'm really supposed to be here."

"Whaddaya mean?" Rakiv blinked in surprise, "You've been with us from the start of all this mess. I seriously count on your support in a fight. Save for Margrid, you're the only other ranged fighter I've got."

"Yeah, yeah I know, and I'm not saying that you don't need me or anything," the paragon chuckled, "I get that you value me as part of the team. But it just kinda seems that I'm sort of the odd girl out."

"Odd girl out?" Rakiv queried.

Alendra sighed a little as she glanced back down at the signet as she twirled it between her fingers and finally just gushed.

"It's just that… you're all so strong!" Alendra blurted out, "And you've all done these amazing things, and gone through so much. You're an awesome archer, Kydar was trained by the Academy, Koss and Melonni have so much history with fighting and struggling against things that are bigger than them… even Ani managed to beat death a few times and she's the youngest one here!"

"So?" Rakiv tilted her head, "You're just as strong as we are Alendra. Wouldn't have you on the team if you weren't."

"Begging your pardon guildmistress, but no I'm not." Alendra shook her head miserably, "When we were having that meeting last night, the Apprent… er, Dawn said something. She talked about the things that you all have been through, the things you've overcome and she said that those 'marks' were 'the source of your strength'."

"I'm… not sure I follow Alendra…" Rakiv replied.

"I don't have any marks!" the paragon exclaimed, "I don't have any horrible pains in my past, no terrible forces that I've had to overcome. The only thing I ever had to get past was a few age barriers in the Shore Watch. But other than that I'm just a silly little rich girl who picked up a spear and decided she was gonna 'rough it'. I've never made any big mistakes, never done anything really wrong. I'm just a goody-two-shoes who thinks she can play soldier."

"Wait… wait hold on," Rakiv responded with a small chuckle, trying not to laugh, "Are you telling me that you're jealous of us because of the crap we've been through? I mean… some of us have been outright tortured. You're jealous of that?"

Alendra said nothing and turned her eyes back down to the signet.

"I'm sorry," the ranger said as she waved her hands, "I'm not meaning to make light of it but… I've never heard anyone honestly be envious of pain. Some of us have been through some horrible things Allie. Some of us have done some horrible things. And as one of those who did horrible things, trust me… you don't want that."

"But Dawn was right," Alendra protested lightly, "Those marks made you strong. All of you! I mean, you guys are the real power on this team. You guys are the ones that smash fortresses and strike down demons. I don't have any special strength, no hidden power and no killer ability. I'm just a cheerleader with a shield and a pointy stick."

"Okay now you stop that right now soldier," Rakiv responded a little more sternly, "You do good work on this team. Half of our rescue missions in Kourna wouldn't have been possible without your planning and strategy. Dunkoro may have overseen a lot of things, but your tactics kept our defense forces on the move and helped get a lot of people out of harms way. And you've saved lives more than once with a well placed javelin throw."

"Yeah but…" Alendra began.

"But there's more than that," the ranger went on, "Alendra you inspire us, you know that?"

"You're the leader here, isn't inspiration your job?" Alendra chuckled lightly.

"In a way, but I just give the gung-ho, let's-charge-in-and-do-this-thing kind of inspiration," Rakiv responded with a smile, "But Alendra you keep us going when we're ready to quit. You give us the strength to fight harder when we're being overwhelmed. And yeah, maybe you are a rich kid from the high districts of Kamadan, but you know what else? You remind us all of what we're fighting for. Few of us here had what you had, family, a home, security, and a normal childhood. You remind us that those things still exist, and that if we don't keep fighting then those things will be lost."

"So what, I'm your poster girl for the war effort?" Alendra arched an eyebrow a little cynically.

"In a way, but I also think that all of that gives this group a little sanity," Rakiv chuckled, "You have a sort of… ugh, I don't know a better word for this but, purity I guess. The rest of us are a motley crew of torturers and manslayers, and we were made that way by the things that were done to us. But you… you remind us of what it means to be normal… to be human, in a way. You have the mercy and the compassion and the optimism that we all sometimes lack. I can't speak for everyone, but I know that I personally rely on you Alendra. Having you around reminds me that we can't just go at this thing hoping to win at all costs. You remind me that there's a balance between doing what's necessary and human compassion. Without you around, I'd have probably led this group on a rampage a long time ago just to show Varesh that I can be every bit as mean and ruthless as she is. But you give us hope, hope that we can save this world, and not lose our souls."

When Rakiv finished Alendra was quiet again and gave a slow nod of acceptance. She raised her head and opened her mouth to speak, but Rakiv raised a hand and shook her head.

"Just… think about it, kay?" the ranger chuckled, "And let me know what you think 've got a few slow days ahead of us, so there'll be plenty of time to talk again."

"Alright…" Alendra nodded and then gave a small smile, "Thanks, Rakiv."

"Heh, thank me if I turn out to be right," the ranger chuckled.

"Well, on a more official note," Alendra said as she lightly cleared her throat, "As your tactician, I'd like to point out something in our immediate plan. If I read Kydar's maps right, it's going to take us the better part of the day just to get to the highlands from here. Even if we make it to the nearest city by tomorrow morning, that leaves us a little less than two days to figure out how to get into those parties. That's… not a lot of time guildmistress."

"No, no it's not," Rakiv shook her head, "But Kydar seems confident that his source can get us in. I agree it'll be cutting it close but… we've had closer calls before."

"Well you're certainly right there," Alendra laughed a little, some of her normal cheer returning, "I just wonder why he's being so secretive about his contact. Usually he's more forthcoming isn't he?"

"Eh, you know journalists," Rakiv shrugged as she turned her eyes to the road ahead, "They never want to divulge their sources."

"Raki… I gotta ask," the paragon tilted her head, "Did something happen between you two?"

The guildmistress immediately stiffened, but forced herself to quickly relax as she turned her violet gaze back to Alendra.

"Why do you ask?" the ranger asked, keeping her voice as even as possible.

"Well cause it just seems like you two have been oddly distant from each other," Alendra observed with a casual shrug, "And c'mon Rakiv, you know me. I'm nosey and I pay attention to these things. Usually you two are thick as thieves, which is actually what lets the rest of us know that you guys know what you're doing when you lead us into danger and peril. But tell ya the truth, I haven't seen you two this stand-offish with each other since you ditched him in Kamadan and he had to come save our asses at Gandara."

Rakiv coughed a little awkwardly and Alendra giggled lightly at the memory. The ranger finally shook her head, setting her crimson tresses swinging as she waved a hand dismissively.

"It's fine, I'm just making…adjustments," Rakiv chuckled lightly, "Normally I have good knowledge of the land and where I'm going. I've never been to Vabbi though, so it's kinda weird having to really follow his lead I guess."

"Uh huh…" Alendra arched a brow, giving the ranger a small smile.

"Whaaat?" Rakiv blinked with confusion.

"Nothing, nothing," Alendra finally laughed, "But hey, next time you guys decide to trade stories let me know. You two have led some fascinating lives."

"You know you could just ask one of us directly," Rakiv chuckled, "Would save you the trouble of having to evesdrop."

"Not as much fun," Alendra giggled, "Besides it's cute how you two trade off tales like that. It's like you're getting to know each other little by little and starting to understand each other better."

"Okay I may be many things but I don't do 'cute'," Rakiv shook her head with a chuckle, "Puppies and children and baby moa chicks are 'cute'. Hunters of men are not 'cute'."

"But you aaare!" Alendra laughed, "You two are so cute together!"

"Oh good grief, why do you paragons keep saying things like that!" Rakiv exclaimed, "You talked to Kormir, didn't you!"

"Maaaaaybe," Alendra grinned broadly and then burst into giggles, "You know I honestly didn't see it before she said anything but…"

"Nope! Stop!" Rakiv waved her hands in protest, "I will walk away!"

"We're already walking!" Alendra cried through laughter.

"Well then I'll walk faster!" Rakiv responded, "Eesh, I need some guild business. Tahlkora!"

From the back of the column the young monk perked up and hurried to the front of the group.

"Yes guildmistress!" the teenager responded.

"About these parties," Rakiv began, "In the case that we do get in as guests or whatever, what would we need in order to blend in? I imagine we'll need new wardrobes. I doubt that Kydar's street-rat look will be acceptable."

"I heard that!" Kydar cried from somewhere near the back of the party.

"Well yes, we'll probably all need to find some new clothes," Tahlkora chuckled with amusement, "I know a tailor or two who could do a rush order for us, but it'd be pretty pricey… we might have to dig into guild funds for it."

"Ugh, fine hopefully we've got enough for the ten of us," Rakiv sighed, "What about things like ettiquite and stuff? I imagine a Vabbian party is different from a Kournan celebration or a Sunspear rally."

"Well there's really only a few customs you need to know," Tahlkora said, "I guess we can start with the basics though."

"Alright," Rakiv nodded and then looked up to wave her hands for the party's attention, "Everybody listen up! Tahlk's gonna make sure we don't make idiots of ourselves, so pay attention!"

"Okay uhm…" Tahlkora nodded thoughtfully before she raised her voice, "So, when you first walk into the room, they'll have to announce you. So make sure you come up with the names and titles you want them to say. We'll probably also need to pair up… usually one brings an escort to these things. But we can figure that out later. Now when the music starts…"

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For the next several hours the party marched and talked, pausing only briefly to take a small lunch beneath the shade of a grove of palm trees. The day was spent with many questions and answers being traded back and forth as Tahlkora educated the party on the finer points of temple and court ettiquite in Vabbi. The group found that accepted behavior in the Vabbian palaces was indeed different than in the higher eschelons of Istan and Kourna, and even Alendra found herself learning a thing or two. At Kydar's direction Anicara was again put to work taking notes of all that Tahlkora said, though she did so with minor grumblings. By the time the sky began to darken from blue to purple and gold, the party had made their way through the lowlands and the rocky bluffs of the Forum Highlands loomed ahead of them. The sound of flowing water filled the air, as did the scent of fog and mist. As the column emerged from the sparse palm forest they released a collective gasp as they beheld the verdant oasis before them.

"Welcome to the Jahinur Oasis," Kydar announced, "We are now at the foot of the Forum Highlands, and only a few hours away from the Grand Forum itself."

"It's beautiful…" Anicara breathed lightly.

"Aye, me weary feet couldn't wish fer a better sight," Margrid put in.

"How many hours is a 'few'?" Rakiv asked.

"Uh, well it'd take the better part of the morning to reach the Forum," Kydar answered, "And that's if we get an early start. Do you mean to push on guildmistress?"

"Oh please no," Tahlkora said tiredly, "This oasis is so pretty and my feet are killing me."

"We're running out of time…" Rakiv muttered as she chewed her lip.

"We won't be in much shape fer partyin' if'n we be run inta the bloomin' ground first," Margrid drawled, "Not ta be questionin' ye aboard yer own boat reddie gal, but I think this crew be plumb tired o' rowin' fer t'day."

"Yeah…" Rakiv said as she wiped the back of her hand against her forehead, "Yeah, you're right. I guess this is a good place to make camp. We're gonna have to have an early start tomorrow though. Two days til the festival guys, remember that."

"Melandru be praised," Melonni breathed a sigh of relief as she dropped her pack and slumped to the ground at the base of a acacia, "Koss, if you're going down to the lake, fetch me some water," the dervish said as she lazily tossed her mostly empty canteen at him.

"Should get it yerself woman," Koss grumbled, though he picked up her canteen nonetheless, "I look like a water mule to you?"

"Do you want me to answer that?" Melonni asked as she arched an eyebrow at him.

"Let's just make camp," Kydar broke in before the warrior could reply, "There's a grove of palms over there that look pretty shady. Let's just throw down some tents and get cleaned up."

"I will start the fire," Anorah offered as she unslung her scythe and strode back into the forest in search of firewood.

"I'll see if there are any fish in the lake," Alendra said as she drew a javelin from her quiver, "Be nice to have some meat tonight."

"Sounds like a good idea," Rakiv nodded, "I'm going to quickly scout the area, don't want anything nasty sneaking up on us. I'll take the southwest if Marg will take the northeast."

"Righto skipper," the corsair captain nodded.

"The rest of you," Rakiv said as she turned to her guild, "See if you can get the tents up. After that you're all free to do as you please but remember, early start tomorrow so plan accordingly."

"Yes, guildmistress," the remaining four answered.

"Butter, you go help Alendra fish, kay?" the red head instructed her crocodile.

The reptile gave a croak and turned to waddle away towards the water's edge.

"See you guys in ten," Rakiv said as she dropped her heavier packs and weapons and tightened her quiver belt across her chest, "Relax and have fun, cause we got a lot of work ahead."

With that the ranger turned and disappeared into the foliage.

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The scouting mission proved to be an uneventful one. The Oasis was calm and peaceful, save for the constant pouring of water that filled the desert lake. Rakiv's trail brought her to the top of a set of ancient ruins that overlooked the desert waters, and offered her a commanding view of the area. It really was a beautiful land, so different from the harsh deserts to the southeast. The ranger plucked a coconut from palm tree and, after much stabbing and cutting, ate from the open shell while she walked. Her scouting was interrupted only once when she ran into a beast sworn Heket scout, who was patrolling the perimeter of his tribe's territory. Both rangers locked in a lengthy stare down, but once it became apparent that neither wished for a confrontation they each backed away and returned the way they had come. The discovery put Rakiv on alert, but with her party's camp well outside the frogmen's territory she decided that they need only be watchful during the night hours. By the time she returned to camp the smell of roasting fish was drifting over the waters and her party welcomed her to a place by the fire.

Dinner was a quick affair, and as darkness closed in over the Oasis the party members retreated to their tents one by one. It was not long before Rakiv excused herself as well and disappeared into the darkness, leaving Kydar, Dawn and Koss sitting 'round about the fire.

"So do we have to actually… ya know, dance?" Koss spoke up, breaking the silence that had been left behind in the guildmistress' retreat.

"Well it is a grand ball commander," Dawn smiled at him, "My guess would be that we will need to make our way to the dance floor at some point."

"We're gonna have to engage in the festivities," Kydar nodded, "The Festival is a big thing for us Vabbians, it's why the Princes wouldn't miss their parties. Plus we're probably not going to be able to just walk up to the Princes. It's gonna be a sort of social game, gonna need to rub elbows with a few people before approaching the Princes and their entourages. But don't worry, Tahlk and I will probably do most of the hobnobbing. The rest of you just need to look like you're having a good time."

"Never did like these big hoity-toity affairs," Koss grumbled.

"I was under the impression that you grew up on an estate," Dawn chuckled lightly, "Surely you've had to attend such things before."

"I left that stuff to my sister and my old man," Koss shrugged, "If it's a party with good music and plenty of ale, then count me in. But getting dressed up just to waltz about really ain't my thing."

"Well then just remember the manners Tahlk gave us," Kydar chuckled and shook his head, "And you'll be fine. There'll be plenty of food at these things anyway, so I'm sure you'll be amused."

"Food is good," Koss grinned, "I can do food."

"I only hope the royal chefs will be able to keep up with your appetite commander," Dawn laughed lightly.

"I aim to put 'em to the test," the warrior chuckled and gave a long yawn, "Well I'll see you all in the morn. Gonna get me some sleep. Takes a lot of rest to stay this pretty."

"Alright Koss," Kydar laughed and shook his head, "Later."

"Good night commander Dejarin," Dawn tipped her head.

The warrior gave a wave as he tromped off towards the palm grove, leaving Kydar and Dawn to stare at one another across the flames. For a moment neither one spoke, and Dawn's half-smile never left her lips.

"Why do I recognize your name?" Kydar finally asked her.

"I really couldn't say," the necromancer replied smoothly, "But I understand that you researched many a cult in your day. Perhaps you spoke with a colleage of mine somewhere."

"What cult did you say you were a part of again?" Kydar squinted at her.

"I didn't," the necromancer laughed lightly, "But I have been a member of many a secretive sect. I once knew the grand master of the Cult of the Stone Face, and was once a close personal friend of the would-be-lich Verata. I really couldn't tell you from whom you might have heard of me."

"Hmph, I guess you do seem like the kind of woman who gets around," Kydar responded.

"Ah, now methinks that was uncalled for Scribe Raelesin," she smirked at him.

"And yet you don't deny it," the scribe responded with a quirk of his brow, "But I have another question for you."

"Ask and I shall answer," the necromancer responded.

"What can you tell me about Icarus Blackthorne," he inquired directly.

"Ah, a craftier and more treacherous man you could not hope to meet," Dawn answered him, "I met him only a few years ago, and we learned much from each other. He too was a student of many secret sects and orders."

"Where did you meet him?" Kydar interrupted.

"In Orr," she replied and then tilted her head, "Well, in the Enos Archive to be precise, a small city not far from Ahrah. Granted this was before the nation sunk, terrible pity that was."

"I'm sure you're quite distraught," Kydar replied, "Did he come with you when you returned to Elona?"

"My, my you are an inquisitive one aren't you?" Dawn smirked at him, "Why the interest in my old betrayer?"

"Because traitors tend to have a lot of enemies," Kydar responded, "I don't suppose you have any idea where he went after he handed you over to the Whispers?"

"None what-so-ever," Dawn admitted, "Once I thought I knew his intentions, but I discovered that I was quite mistaken. All I really know is that Icarus Blackthorne was after a great secret, one that eludes even my understanding."

Kydar clicked his tongue thoughtfully as he stared at the woman who for once seemed lost in her own thoughts. The scribe finally gave a shake of his head and gave a grunt as he rose to his feet.

"Well I'm going to go wash up," he announced, "I suppose you'll be our night watch?"

"The walking dead do not sleep First Officer," Dawn responded with a smile, "But I am glad to see you trust me to watch you while you sleep."

"It's not me I want you to watch," Kydar chuckled lightly and then shrugged, "But you made a good point last night. Abaddon is an enemy common to us all."

"Indeed he is," the necromancer responded with a nod, "Never fear Scribe Raelesin, for I will be vigilant. Be well."

"Yeah," the scribe nodded, "Same to you."

With that Kydar strode away from the fire circle and made his way towards the sound of falling water. The oasis lake was even more beautiful at night, as its rippling surface reflected the myriad lights of the sky above. A waxing moon shone down upon the desert oasis, bathing all in its silvery light. The elementalist sighed as he pulled off his vest and kicked off his shoes as he stopped at the shore of the lake. He peered out across the lake's surface, toward where endless streams of water crashed down into the center of the lake. The waterfall was produced not by a river or a stream, but by a great tree that floated unsupported in mid-air. Moss and ivy hung from its roots, the streams of water spilling down their vines and splashing into the lake below. After hopping out of his pants the elementalist waded into the water, and was surprised to find that the lake was only waist deep. The water was cool yet warm, having not yet relinquished the heat of the day, and drew a sound of refreshment from his lips. The scribe waded his way past a large rock that jutted up out of the water and rounded the boulder as he approached the falls. Immediately his progress halted and he suddenly stood transfixed as a vision rose from the water's surface.

It began as a pool of crimson, spreading out beneath the water's surface at the foot of the falls. The moonlight played over the cloud of red as it spread and expanded, growing wider with each passing moment. As the crimson halo spread wide it suddenly pushed upwards, and the waters parted as they gave way to the lithe figure of a woman. Pale skin glittered in the moonlight as rivulets of water ran down her curves, and droplets of water glinted like jewels in the night as they were flung from her out stretched arms. The cloud of crimson conformed to her, drawing in to her as she rose, seeming to transform into deep red tresses that slicked over her chest and back. The woman rose high, her lips parted as she breathed deep of the night air, and then gracefully collapsed backwards into the falls. Just as quickly as she had risen, she was suddenly obscured by the rushing water, leaving only a shadowy silhouette to stand behind the liquid veil, illuminated by the silver light of the moon.

A snort at his side broke Kydar from his trance, and he looked down to see the eyes of a large, freshwater crocodile staring up at him. Butter gave a chuffle and a rather amused glance at the elementalist before he slipped back beneath the water and swam towards the falls. The reptile's shadow moved to the woman's silhouette, and immediately the woman looked up and gave a gasp of surprise.

"Who's there?" came the unmistakeable voice of Rakiv Maelstrom.

"Dah…!" Kydar exclaimed as he quickly shuffled back behind the rock, making a great deal of splashing as he went.

"I said who's there!" the red-head demanded.

"It's me! It's me!" Kydar exclaimed, rather quickly realizing that Rakiv was not the sort of woman one wanted to sneak up on, "Sorry I-I…I didn't know you were out here!"

"Kydar?" the voice came back with mild surprise, "What… what are you doing out here!"

"I was gonna wash!" he called back, and then chuckled, "Ya know, long day on the road and all, figured I'd take a quick shower in the falls. Guess uh… guess you had the same idea."

"Yeah.." the woman responded, "Well… I'll be done in a minute and then it's all yours," she called to him.

"Right, I'll just uh…" Kydar began, and then paused.

For the first time in two days he suddenly had her cornered. There was nowhere for her to go, no orders for her to give, and no guildsmen to watch him if he ignored her demands. It was an opportunity he'd been waiting for, and the scribe immediately seized it.

"Actually Raki, I've been meaning to talk to you," he said as he edged a little closer, though he kept the rock between the two of them.

"What!" she called from the falls.

"I said I've been meaning to talk to you!" he responded louder.

"Can't it wait?" she exclaimed.

"I've been waiting," he responded, "And now is as good a time as any before we get busy with the Princes."

"Ugh, Kydar this really isn't the…" she began.

"I'm not leaving Rakiv," he interrupted.

An exasperated sigh came from behind the falls, and Kydar could almost picture the ranger shaking her head in frustration.

"Fine, then at least come over here where I can hear you," she responded.

"O-over there?" he balked.

"You wanted to talk right?" she asked.

"Well yeah," he answered.

"Then come over here," she replied, "Just stay on that side of the water."

"Fine…" the scribe nodded.

With much swishing and splashing the scribe waded back around the rock and approached the water fall that poured from the tree. The ranger's petite silhouette came into view once more and the scribe cleared his throat a little awkwardly as he stopped in front of the watery curtain.

"So what's up?" Rakiv asked as she scrubbed herself behind the falls.

"I was going to ask you that," Kydar responded as he turned his back to her, dipping down to draw water over his head, "You've been avoiding me lately."

"I have not!" she exclaimed.

"You have too!" he shot back.

"Have not!"

"Have too!"

"Have not!"

"Have! Too!" he cried, "Rakiv you realize you haven't consulted me directly about anything in the last couple of days?"

"That's not true!" she retorted, "I put you in charge of that ring thing that Alendra has. That was consulting."

"That was delegating," he said with a wave of his hand, "And that was just cause you didn't want to walk into that chapel."

"Where did you get that idea?" she snapped, immediately bristling at the comment.

"Look, I didn't come out here to fight," he said, giving a small sigh as he lowered his voice, "Rakiv I just wanna know what's going on. I mean, you've hardly addressed me by name in the last two days. Every time we've talked it's been stiff and official, hell I haven't heard a word out of you that wasn't straight up orders in over 48 hours!"

"I'm the guildmistress, you're my first officer," she replied, "What's your point?"

"My point is that...!" he began and then paused to lower his tone again, "My point… is that we were… or at least, I thought we were friends. Ya know, having late night talks, watching each others back, doing the whole 'getting to know you' thing."

"… we are friends Kydar," Rakiv replied, "And don't take that lightly. I'm not in the habit of making friends."

"I don't take it lightly," Kydar said as he raised his hands, "Not in the least. Which is why I don't get why you're suddenly just… not talking to me. Tell you the truth, this is kinda how it felt that night before the attack on Gandara. You went all business like on me and next thing I know, I'm catching my own ride to the mainland to save your reckless ass."

"I'm not about to ditch you again, if that's what you're afraid of," Rakiv said as she dipped down to swish her hair in the water.

"Well I hope not, you kinda need me right now," he chuckled, "But I just wanna… ya know, get back to how it was. I feel like you've been stiff with me ever since…"

The scribe paused and an awkward silence hung in the air. For her part Rakiv listened quietly, not daring to ask for the end of his sentence. She combed her fingers through her hair as the only sound between them was the steady splash of the waterfall. Finally Kydar closed his eyes and willed himself to give voice to the issue.

"Ever since you kissed me," he winced lightly.

"What!" she exclaimed as she turned around, "Oh you are soooo not pinning that on me, mister! If anything, you kissed me back!"

"Rakiv you grabbed my head and told me to shut up!" Kydar burst into laughter, "I was hardly the initiator there!"

"Yeah, well… don't read too much into it," she responded with a grumble, "It was only a kiss."

"Don't read…" Kydar blinked and then laughed, "So you don't make friends often, but kisses mean nothung huh?"

"A kiss is just a kiss," she shrugged, "No big deal."

"No big…" Kydar began and then narrowed his eyes again, "Stop running away."

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"You always do this Rakiv," he said, "Always. Whenever something comes up that you don't want to deal with, you pull back, you retreat. You do whatever you have to not to have to deal with it."

"That's not true at all!" she retorted, "I didn't want to fight this war in the first place! I didn't even want to be on the mainland again! Do you know that there's an ascent tournament taking place this month, and that I was gonna win that thing? I could be enjoying another big winners purse but instead I'm here!"

"I'm not talking about conflict Rakiv," he responded, "You do great with conflict. Hell, I'd say you thrive on it. I'm talking about the other things, the personal things. Anything that you can't hit with your fist or shoot with an arrow, you run away from it."

A low growl came from the other side of the waterfall, but Kydar continued before she could respond.

"You did it when you left us at Gandara, cause you didn't want us getting close to you and then getting hurt," he said, "You do it every time anyone so much as mentions the gods. You did it when we asked about your weird eye change thing, and you did it when we were going to go into that temple at the Chantry."

Rakiv remained quiet as she pushed her hair back over her shoulder and listened quietly as the scribe went on.

"In truth Rakiv, I understand that some of that is just your business," he continued, "I get that, I really do. But c'mon, this is me we're talking about. I don't know what's going on with any of that other stuff but… don't run away from me."

Still the ranger did not speak and for a moment she was not even sure that she could. Finally she swallowed and forced a single word out.

"Kydar…" she began.

"Please Rakiv," Kydar entreated, "Don't run away from me."

The guildmistress paused as she chewed her lip and slowly closed her eyes as she gave a small sigh and a shake of her head.

"Look… I'm sorry if I've been… distant," she said, "It was just… I was kind of afraid I'd screwed it all up," she chuckled lightly.

"Screwed what up?" he blinked.

"Having a friend?" she suggested with a shrug, "I didn't… I didn't really mean to kiss you. I was just gonna… hug you or something, I don't know. We'd just killed another big demon, I'd gotten revenge for Kormir, and then you did that thing you always do… pull some big flashy move out your ass and save us or whatever…"

Kydar chuckled and shook his head as Rakiv laughed for a moment as well.

"So… I was kind of on a victory high," she laughed a little, "It was an impulse thing… a weird one, I'll admit but… yeah."

"I see…" he chuckled, "So… that's all it was huh?"

"Why, what do you want me to say?" she asked with a quirked eyebrow, "Cause if you're expecting some kind of romance novel confession, you have got the wrong girl."

"Oh gods no," Kydar laughed, "No if you did that I'd be wondering what kind of demon had possessed you and where the real Rakiv was."

Again both burst into laughter that chimed out across the lake, mingling with the music of splashing water. After a moment of chuckles and giggles the ranger turned and waded through the water, lifting a hand to part the waterfall curtain as she stepped through. Kydar immediately balked as the red head stood before him, her hair and the water level conveniently protecting her modesty.

"Just to be clear, you are my friend Kydar," she said matter-of-factly, "And I want us to stay that way. We work well together, you and me, and we usually get along pretty well too. I'd like to keep that going so… friends?" she asked as she offered him a hand.

"She says as she stands naked in front of me," Kydar replied with a touch of obvious confusion.

"Well, don't tell anyone else this…" she laughed a little sheepishly, "But I'm really more at home in just my skin. Easier to get my nature thing goin'. Hell, that was how I met Butter. Wrestled him in a swamp when I was hunting for food. He tried to steal my kill and I had to fight him for it."

From behind her Butter gave a snort and a croak as his tail slapped the water with a note of indignance.

"I sure am," Rakiv laughed to her crocodile companion, "And don't you forget it buddy. I'll arm/claw wrestle you any time."

The reptile gave an insolent snort before he sank back beneath the water.

"I see…" Kydar chuckled lightly as he reached forward and took her hand, "Right uhm… friends then."

Rakiv smiled as she shook his hand and then blinked at the odd texture of his naked digits. She twisted her wrist to turn his hand over and blinked as she stared at his scars.

"What the hell happened to your hand?" she blinked curiously.

"It's a bit of a story," Kydar chuckled, "Better told once at least one of us has some clothes on," he added with a laugh.

"Prude," she snorted with a smirk as she released his hand, "It's late anyway and we've got an early start. Tell me about it later."

"Will do," he nodded, "I'm uh… I'm gonna get back to camp now."

"Fine, fine," she responded with a nod as she turned away and sauntered back towards the falls, before looking up at the tree that hung above them, "Ya know… I've never seen a tree like this before. I didn't even know trees could float, much less pour out water like that."

"It's called a Seborhin tree," he said with a nod, "Named after a wise and ancient dragon that once dwelt in Vabbi. Legend is that these trees are blessed, and if a leaf of one falls on you then you'll have good fortune."

"Huh… we could use some good fortune these days…" she said thoughtfully and then gave a small shrug, "See you tomorrow Kydar."

"Heh, that we could," he agreed as he turned to wade away, "Night Rakiv."

As the scribe sloshed away he listened to the sound of soft humming come from behind him, as Rakiv slipped back under the falling water. A small chuckle left his lips as he made his way towards shore… and then stopped as another sound reached his ears. For a moment it sounded like splashes in the water off to his left, but when he looked nothing met his sight. The moonlight played over the lake waters as they rippled and ebbed at the shore, undisturbed save by his own movement. The scribe gave a shake of his head and shrugged it off as he continued on his way to shore, splashing up onto the sand where he gathered his things and made for his tent.

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Rakiv's early start came before the sun had even begun to peak over the horizon, and the sky had yet to shed its dark cloak of navy blue. The guild groggily assembled themselves at Rakiv's command, and after filling their canteens and breaking camp, they hit the road once more. Their spirits were lifted as Alendra selected a few new songs to sing for them, having spent the night before scraping the depths of her memory for new marching tunes. The party kept pace and time as they sang along with her, watching as the sky shifted to gold and then blue-white as the sun rose over the plains to the east. The road into the highlands was a rocky one as they ascended out of the oasis and into the dusty bluffs. Finally they emerged upon a sandy plateau that shone like gold beneath the morning sun. The Forum Highlands stretched out before them, marred only by the odd bluff here and there. Hemmed in by the Vejin Mountains to the north and west, the Highlands stretched from the feet of the mountain range to the steps of the Grand Forum itself. To the west the party could see the high spires and towers of a mighty city rising out of the desert, its blue and gold trappings shining brightly in the sun.

"Behold the city of Kodash," Kydar announced proudly, "Capital of Vabbi, home of the famous Bazzar and the Grand Forum as well."

"It's beautiful," Alendra breathed, "I've heard stories about the cities of Vabbi but… this is amazing!"

"It's like a storybook…" Ani agreed.

"Must be quite a lot o' loot in a city that size," Margrid theorized, "Prolly take three or four fleets jus' to raid the damn thing."

"Is that all you think about corsair?" Melonni inquired.

"Not all, but just mostly," the pirate grinned.

"C'mon, stay focused people," Rakiv said, "We can sight see during the festival days. For now we're on a mission. Kydar, where are we headed?"

"Straight west of here," he said, "Into the Forum estates. It's not far now," he assured.

"Take point then," Rakiv responded, "We're following you."

The scribe gave a nod of acceptance and struck out across the sands, leading the party west towards the city walls. The gate guards proved to be surprisingly amicable and admitted Kydar through after only a short wave of his passport and Academy seal. The guild party followed Kydar in, whilst Rakiv and Margrid remarked about the surprisingly lax security. They soon found themselves striding across cobblestones rather than sand, and the going became smoother as they took a turn down an avenue. All around them grand estates and houses rose up around them, many sporting their own towers and turrets as they sprawled across opulent acres of land. Many oo's and ahh's came from the group as they pointed out particularly wealthy estates on all sides, and many were surprised when Kydar stopped in front of one very large house.

"Here we are…" the scribe said as he dug into his pocket and retrieved a key, which he inserted into the estate's front gate, "Hopefully they're at home."

"Wait… why do you have a key to this place?" Koss blinked in surprise.

"Is it not obvious commander?" Dawn blinked and then laughed lightly, "Ah well, I shall allow you to work it out for yourself."

"Kydar… where are we?" Rakiv asked, though she suspected she already knew the answer.

The scribe didn't answer as he strode up the front walk with the party in tow. He stopped on the front step of a large pair of hand carved mahogany doors, and raised a fist to knock on the wood.

"Well I can't speak for you guys," Kydar chuckled, "But as for me… well, I'm home."