The Legion Immortalis: The Bulwark of Heaven (Part 3)

[Faidth]

@Sembas:

   Your awkward, yet somehow comforting, words seem to put Archer at ease, and she affectionately presses her forehead against yours.

   “You’re a good man, Sembas.” She kisses you softly on the lips and presses a warm hand against your cheek. “You possess such warmth and compassion. I am lucky to know you.”

   Archer sighs heavily and reluctantly rises to her feet. “Well, I suppose I had better tend to our affairs. I fear if I linger here with you any longer…” Her gaze drifts to the bed. “… that I simply will never leave.”

   Archer disappears through the doorway and leaves you to gather your belongings in preparation for the coming journey.


@All:

   As the sun washes the borders of Avalon with the first subtle intonations of its rays, Archer readies her party for the departure. It is a small, but functional company, and as Sembas was asked to attend, his companion thought it might be wise to include a few of his comrades.


   Archer had found one of the mages, Fenwick, studying in the library, and the other Depheir, enjoying the sites in Avalon.

   Under the advisement of General Fury, Archer had also sought out Blood, who had been fairly easy to locate. She had been locked in both martial and mental combat with the Chosen of Alviss since their little altercation at the bar. In fact, when Archer had entered the tavern, she found the two with their hands still firmly pressed together as they stubbornly continued to arm-wrestle.

   “Relent, you filthy ox!” growled Blood.

   “And let you best me, you cloud-eyed harpy? Never! A Chosen of Alviss never loses a bet!” countered Sig.

   “I hate to interrupt you two,” spoke Archer. “But I really must speak with you Blood.”

   “If you can’t tell, I’m rather busy,” returned Blood sharply.

   Archer narrowed her eyes. “I assure you, it is far more important than this lunacy.”

   “LUNACY?!” shouted the Chosen of Alviss. “I’ll tell you what’s lunacy! This bloody barwench won’t stop a-squeezing my thumb like a vice! Who taught you how to arm wrestle?!”

   “What’s the matter, Glorrack? If you can’t handle the pressure, you can just quit.” As she uttered these words, it appeared that Blood began to gain some leverage on him. She began to press his arm backward, but the Chosen of Alviss refused to relent.

   Archer shook her head in irritation. “Look, the General just got a report in… Aras went missing.”

   Blood’s eyes widened considerably. “Aras?” She nearly faltered in her manual contest, but was able to catch herself before Sig could fully take advantage of the distraction.

   Archer nodded.

   “Alright. What do you need from me then?” asked Blood.

   “I can only take a small company,” explained Archer. “It will be rather dangerous, but I think it best that Sembas and the Childer come with me.”

   “So you need a babysitter to help you? Someone to herd the cats?” returned Blood simply.

   “Well, if you’re not too busy getting plastered in taverns and arguing with foreign dignitaries, yes, I could certainly use your help.” Archer crossed her arms over her chest.

   “Very well,” spoke Blood. “When are you leaving?”

   “Tomorrow.” 

   “Well, I should certainly be done pummeling this misshapen hobgoblin into the ground by then. I have some other matters to tend to before I can depart, but I am guessing you will have to journey by foot for at least a week as to not raise suspicion.  I do not know if I will be able to see to my business before then, but I will follow shortly thereafter. For now, take Dennan with you. He is a far more efficient scout than I am anyway.”


   Archer looks over the small group assembled before her. Cleo has her arms wrapped around Fenwick’s neck and is reluctantly kissing him goodbye.

   “I may tarry here another day or so, but I think it best I return to my station, at least until you return. If you have need of me… should your situation become dire… you know how to reach me.” She gestures to the Sigil that would summon her, should the need present itself. “Be safe, Fenwick.”


   Nearby, Dethys claps Depheir upon the back. “I hope to have something worked up by the time you get back. This is a rather dangerous scheme we’ve got, and if I don’t get it just right, you’ll be fed to the wolves as soon as you enter Darastae. Be well, Depheir.”

   Dennan stands with his arms over his chest and appears quite a force to be reckoned with. His enormous, silver greataxe hangs upon his back, and his thick, leather armor has recently been tended by Armen Smith. Though it is simply leather, his armor is easily as strong as platemail, and contains several enchantments to keep the mountainous man protected, should anyone be foolish enough to come so close to him.  There is falcon atop each of his shoulders. Faile and Besnik proudly stand vigilant atop their lofty perches, both eager to be going on an adventure. Dennan’s expressionless face warms as he sees his mother and brothers approach to bid him farewell.

   Constancy and Serenity embrace each other, as the former will be accompanying you, but the later will be staying behind. Serenity seems nervous at the prospect of being parted from her much adored brother. The two are rarely seen without the other. However, Constancy assures her that all will be well and that he will return soon enough.

   Archer watches the exchange and glances over to Sembas. “I can hide a great deal of our trail, but Constancy here will be able to give us a bit more added protection.”

   When all goodbyes are said, and well-wishes given, the company is ready to depart. Archer leads all of you towards the main gates of Avalon, and the portal you passed through to get here. Cleo, who has followed behind, mutters a few words under her breath and you see the portal flash in an explosion of vibrant shades of orange and deep crimson. 

   “That should do it. That’s about as close to Il’adoul as I can get you without drawing the attention of the Forsaken,” states Cleo.

   Archer leads all of you into the portal. The journey is slightly less unnerving than your previous passage, but you find yourselves still rather unaccustomed to this mode of travel. It will definitely take some getting used to.

   When you emerge on the other side, the portal slams shut behind you and quickly evaporates into nothingness. You find yourselves in a lush, heavily-wooded area. The trees here are some of the tallest you’ve ever seen, and off in the distance you see rolling fields of tall, green grass. A small, crystal pond glistens in the sunlight, and everywhere around you is the chirping of birds and the minute croaks of small toads.

   There is a worn, dirt path not far away from your point of arrival, but Archer relates that she has no intention of parading you about the main road. Instead, she motions for you to follow her through the woods.

   Every few steps, you see Dennan sniff the air, likely checking to ensure that no harm or other unpleasant surprises have the opportunity to fall upon you.

   Meanwhile, Archer’s form takes on a soft, shimmering glow, and if you are observant enough to realize it, you see that every plant you trod upon, every twig that cracks under your weight and every fallen leaf that is smashed under your heavy footsteps is returned to its natural order as she passes over it. Constancy raises his arms over his head and a small translucent sheet rises into the air before falling over you. As it touches your skin, it feels refreshing, as if composed of tiny water vapors that cleanse you completely. Dennan sneezes and glances over at Constancy.

   Constancy frowns. “Sorry, Dennan.”

   Dennan merely grunts in reply. He looks to the three younger Immortalis, who have not experienced such a thing before.

   “He’s masking our scent and muting the sounds around us,” explains Dennan. “It will be more difficult for the Forsaken to perceive us this way.”

[Depheir Kogthar]

"Well, I join a rescue quest. At last some REAL action"

Depheir arrived to the meeting place and saw a group assembling. There were many friends already. He sat on the ground and was preparing mentally, when Dethys clapped Depheir upon the back.

“I hope to have something worked up by the time you get back. This is a rather dangerous scheme we’ve got, and if I don’t get it just right, you’ll be fed to the wolves as soon as you enter Darastae. Be well, Depheir.”

The mage stood up and, then, he saw an explosion of vibrant shades of orange and deep crimson. The portal.

“That should do it. That’s about as close to Il’adoul as I can get you without drawing the attention of the Forsaken,” stated Cleo.

Archer led him and the rest of the squad through the portal.

When he emerged on the other side, the portal slammed shut behind him and quickly evaporated into nothingness. He found himself in a lush, heavily-wooded area.

There was a dirt path not far away from there, but he had to follow Archer through the woods.

Constancy raised his arms over his head and a small translucent sheet rises into the air before falling over them. As it touches their skin, it feeled refreshing, as if composed of tiny water vapors that cleanse them completely.

“He’s masking our scent and muting the sounds around us,” explained Dennan. “It will be more difficult for the Forsaken to perceive us this way.”

"Right. We're going that way and then arrive at Forsaken's territory. How will it be possible for me to spy them in Darastae after that?"

Then, quietly, he asked Constancy:
"Should I use my spells down there? You know that I'm going to spy at Darastae. If they will remember my fingerprint, the advantage of being unknown to them shall be forfeit."

[john greymore]

Fenwick's walk takes him over to the library, where he decides to pass the remaining time reading a few books. It soon was clear that all that had passed earlier on was tucked neatly away in a corner of his mind as he dwelved deeper into his books.

Yet as his journey into 'Known cultures of the mortal world' is cut short as Archer interrupts him, quickly explaining about the journey they were about to undertake.

He is eventually led to the bar, where Cleo was waiting. They embrace, whereupon he is kissed upon the cheek. Fenwick is quickly reminded of the sigil, lest danger draws close...

"No need to worry, I have the others to watch over me, I think I'll be fine." He replies, accentuating it with a smile.

The rest of the time is spent in preperation, with a last minute check, for the fiftieth time, that his tome was still safely tucked within his robes.

Alas, the road is clear as Cleo opens a portal and the team step through...

The woods were free from human intervention, save for their own footsteps and the occasional sniffing from Dennan. It does not take long for Fenwick to sense that something was weird, but it takes him a good ten minutes more for him to finally realise that everything they treaded upon was quickly restored. It takes him a split second after to deduce that Archer's glow was probably causing it.

Constancy casts a spell which results in a light sheen of water upon their skins. It is explained that it would mask their scent, also demonstrating once again how sensitive and how feral Dennan was.

Fenwick continues walking in silence, head down as he watches his footing. It would look foolish if he were the first to stumble.

[Kitharsis]

Sembas's cheeks are warm after Archer leaves the room.  With a sigh he shakes his head.  "I am lucky to know you too, Gladia."

After a lingering glance to her bed he claps his hands and rubs his palms together.  He finds his spear and straps it to his back.  It is still in remarkable condition after the sparring matches.  His knife is the same, he notices, as he straps it to his hip.  The bow he brought with him from the militia is leaning against the wall.  He plucks the string as he holds it in his hand.  It is slung over his shoulder along with the quiver that archer had given him.  A good number of his own arrows are mixed in with the enchanted ones.  Hopefully he won't pull Archer's out and use them up by mistake.

Faile was already outside somewhere, having left during Sembas and Archer's little moment.  Not like she wouldn't know everything that he was feeling anyway.  He couldn't help but grin when he realizes that she was out looking for Dennan.  That man must keep meat in his pockets, for how much she likes him.

Everyone who iss coming with them has gathered together.  Sembas is standing between Dennan and Archer, watching as others are saying their goodbyes.  She mentions something about Constancy's reason for coming, which is given a nod from Sembas in recognition.


"Walking, bleh."  Faile mutters in his mind.  She still dislikes the sensation of travelling through the portal.

But she thoroughly enjoys where the portal deposits her.  Sembas nearly has to grab her to stop her from taking off into the trees.  She settles onto his arm, giving a huffy chirp as she does so.

They follow behind Archer, Sembas doing his best to stalk through the woods.  He nearly thinks better of it when he sees the effects of Archer's glowing.  The leaves overturned by his feet right themselves, and any cracked twigs mend back together.  Constancy's spell quickly follows, feeling oddly refreshing.  Apparently they were pulling out all the stops for this mission.  Sembas was waiting for an invisibility spell to spring up around them next.

"Hey," he says to Faile through their bond.  "Lets work on an invisibility enchantment for you next.  I think that could be useful."

"And fun!"  She replies.  "Think of the pranks we could pull on that oaf Besnik!"

Sembas sighs and smacks his forehead with his free hand.  Faile shifts her weight and sits smugly on his arm.  They continue following after Archer, wondering how far it is until their destination.

[Faidth]

@Rethagos:

Constancy shrugs in response to your question. “I cannot pretend to know what manner of mischief Dethys will employ to mask your ‘fingerprint’ so to speak. However, I know he is far more capable than some give him credit for.”

Archer frowns. “Dethys walks a very thin line between genius and madman. Though he is brilliant, he can be a bit… unstable at times. I doubt the use of your spells will cause you problems later on. My guess is the majority of the creatures we’ll be fighting won’t be strictly Forsaken. There has been a surge of the Adversary’s creatures as of late, especially in these parts. After all, that is why Aras was here to begin with. I wouldn’t give it too much thought. Besides, if you hold back, it may bode ill for all of us.”


@All:

The first day’s journey passes uneventfully. Being Immortalis, you have a certain natural endurance, and continue through the night. During the second day’s trek, at one point, Dennan’s lips curl back into a snarl as he senses something in the distance. Besnik, Archer, Sembas and Faile scout ahead, but whatever was once there has quickly passed and they have no luck tracking the source of the disturbance.

That night, camp is made. As you all gather around the small fire Archer has made, you realize Dennan is taking pains to avoid all of you. You note that Dennan’s behavior is becoming increasingly erratic, as if he is constantly on edge. Any attempt to speak to him is met with little more than a grunt and his attention seems to be entirely elsewhere.

It is not until the third day that the presence of the Forsaken is keenly felt. Fensten lumbers beside his master and Dennan reaches out a hand to offer an affectionate pat to the bear’s head. However, Dennan quickly halts in his tracks as he once again senses something amiss.

Faile and Besnik take to the sky, and report back to their masters that there appears to be something burning on the main road about two miles away. Constancy casts a spell that allows all of you to quicken your steps and within moments, you find yourselves by the roadside.

Tufts of black smoke emerge from the smoldering wreckage of what may have once been a wagon. The two chestnut steeds that once bore the wagon are little more than piles of torn flesh and broken bone. The sight of three human corpses bring a gasp to Archer’s lips and she covers her mouth in disgust.

The party moves closer to investigate the gruesome scene. You note that the first corpse is that of a man, likely in his late 30’s. His dark, brown beard is mottled with sticky, red blood and his torso looks as if it was collapsed by an astonishing weight. Broken bones stick out of his crimson-stained shirt and one of his lifeless hands is wrapped around the hilt of a shattered dagger.

The second body is that of a woman, slightly younger than the man. There is a silver wedding ring upon her left ring finger, and it would be correct to guess this is likely the man’s wife. Her body is covered in multiple stab wounds and you come to the horrific revelation that her tongue has been cut out. Blood pours from her open mouth and you find the discarded muscle several feet away.

The last body, and perhaps the most tragic, is that of a little girl. She was likely about five or six years of age and her pale hand still clutches a crudely made ragdoll. Unlike her parents, it is likely this child met a quick ending, as there is only one wound: an arrow that sticks out of her throat.

As Sembas is standing beside Dennan, the former can see one of the beast-like human’s ears twitch as he picks up on a soft sound. It is scarcely more than a whimper, but within seconds, the rest of you hear it, too.
The sound is coming from a twisted, broken form nearby. Archer moves closer and shouts for the rest of you to come quickly.

   “It’s a little boy!” shouts Archer. “He’s still breathing!”

   As the rest of you move to join Archer, Dennan hangs back.

   The boy, who appears to be around 8 or 9 years of age, has difficulty willing his eyes to focus on your faces. Despite the agonizing pain he is in, he desperately attempts to force out words.

   “Attacked…” he manages to rasp through ragged breaths. “Forsaken… killed… killed mother. It hurts… It hurts!” his tiny hands fall upon a deep wound in his side and the boy cries out in pain.

   “It’s okay. We can help you,” explains Archer gently. “We’ll heal you and get you to safety. Don’t fear.”
   Archer motions for Constancy to come closer. The mage kneels beside the fallen boy and moves to press his hands against the gaping wound.

   Before he can do so, Dennan lets out a feral growl and bounds forward. He roughly pushes Archer and Constancy aside before reaching down, seizing the bleeding, broken young boy by the throat and holding him aloft in the air.

   The boy cannot mask his shock and horror and he weeps terribly as he struggles to break free.

   The glint in Dennan’s eyes is one of madness and his chest heaves as he snarls and growls.

   “Dennan!” Archer struggles to her feet and attempts to intercede on the boy’s behalf. Dennan, his eyes flashing with unbridled fury, shoves Archer aside again. She lets out an “ooph!” as she is knocked from her feet and lands several yards away.

   “KEEP AWAY FROM ME!” snarls Dennan.

        Constancy moves to his feet and readies a spell, but before he has a chance to use it, Fensten tackles him to the ground.

   The boy’s eyes begin to roll back in his head, and his already pale face takes on a sickly pallor. You get the sense that if something is not done soon, Dennan will quickly end him.

[Kitharsis]

Being able to stretch his legs in the wilderness was a welcome change of scenery for the young falconer.  Avalon was a majestic and impressive city indeed, but nothing compares to wide, untouched wilderness.  His caution for Faile was relieved, and she freely flew above them mentioning anything interesting she saw.  More often than not it was a tasty squirrel or rabbit, but she would have time to snack once they stopped for a rest.

He relished getting to scout ahead with Archer and Besnik, yet Dennan's demeanor worried him slightly.  Truthfully he didn't know how the man acted outside of Avalon.  Sembas just hoped there wasn't something to be worried about from his new friend.

The third day came and the peaceful hikers were reminded of the mission at hand.


"Smoke from the road.  No movement over there, but it couldn't have happened too long ago."  Faile relays into his mind. 

Sembas covers his face with his forearm at the sight of the remains.  It looks like a family was slaughtered by something or someone.  The woman wears stab wounds, but the husband looks like he was crushed by a giant boulder.  Sadly, a single arrow pierces through the throat of a little girl still holding a doll.  And two good horses are mutilated into near non-recognition.

"Each killed a different way.  That seems... odd."  His golden eyes scan along the road for untouched tracks, anything that could give away who or what had done this.

But his search is cut short as he glances at Dennan beside him and notices the large man's ear twitching.  Soon he hears the rustling too, and spots the little boy.

Sembas stands next to Dennan as Archer and Constancy tend to the child.  He was uneasy about this whole scene, and the fact that such efficient killers would leave a little boy alive was bothering him.  The boy tries to explain what happened, but he was clearly injured.

It is then that Dennan lunges forward and lofts the boy in the air by his throat.  Archer tries to intercede but is gruffly shoved aside.

"Hey!"  Sembas yells as he runs to Archer.  He quickly makes sure she is ok, knowing that she would be fine without him either way.  Extending his hand to help her up he stares a hole into the back of Dennan's head.

"Dennan!  Explain yourself!  I'm just as uneasy about this scene as you are, but thats no reason to finish the job that the forsaken failed to do!"

Faile lands on a branch above Dennan, her piercing gaze meeting his.

[Depheir Kogthar]

Depheir calmed his mind as he was walking through the wilderness with the rest of his friends. The lush, untouched forest was much different to his senses than the city of Avalon, but that wasn't very important to him.

Nothing was happening for the first two days, but Dennan sensed something in a distance. The scouts, unfortunately, had no luck tracking the source of the disturbance.

Second night, at the camp, Depheir sensed that Dennan was acting somewhat strangely, but he didn't care about that. He didn't know how Dennan acted outside Avalon.

The third day came and the scouts noticed a smoke from the main road. Constancy casted a spell and, suddenly, Depheir found himself by the roadside.

Black smoke emerged from the wreckage of a wagon. Two horses were little more than pile of flesh and bone. A family lied nearby, slaughtered by something. Woman's body was covered in multiple stab wounds. The man looked like he was crushed by something heavy. The little girl had the throat pierced by a single arrow. Depheir turned his head to cover the sight of the remains.

 “It’s a little boy!” suddenly heard Depheir. “He’s still breathing!”

Archer was standing near a twisted, broken form nearby.He moved to join her and saw a heavily injured boy, which tried to explain what happened, but he wasn't able to express. Archer and Constance were tending the child.

Then Dennan lunged towards the boy, with unbridled fury inside his eyes, clearly willing to end him. Archer tried to intercede but was shoved aside.

"KEEP AWAY FROM ME!", snarled Dennan.

Depheir decided to act swiftly. Raised his hand and aims it at Dennan's direction, with magical energy gathering inside.

"STOP. RIGHT. NOW.", he shouted and launched the energy towards Dennan as a white, glowing missile of his Confusion spell.

[john greymore]

Dennan had been acting strange lately, but with the presence of a lumbering bear and surrounded by a forest, it was not entirely surprising.

Yet, he had taken it a bit far. He held a dying boy by the neck, his blood still clearly trickling down from his wound. The rest were forced to back away, or at least freeze where they were. Fenwick did not want to believe it, but he did not doubt that Dennan would kill the boy, even though he had no reason to.

Sembas tries to be diplomatic, appealing to the immortalis within him. But any hope of this working is instantly dashed as Rethagos is worked up, firing off a spell of his own.

Fenwick had only a split second to think. The spell most likely would not affect Dennan, but interfering with the spell would most likely give Dennan enough incentive to break through his hesitation.

In the end, he decides to brace himself, ready to cast a protection spell on the boy if required...

[Faidth]

"Dennan!  Explain yourself!” demands Sembas.  “I'm just as uneasy about this scene as you are, but that’s no reason to finish the job that the forsaken failed to do!"

Veins bulge in Dennan’s arm as he continues to hold the child aloft. He clenches his hand fast around the squirming child’s throat, and the boy looks as if he will lose consciousness at any moment. Despite the fact that the child appears to be at death’s door, you all come to the realization that it is Dennan who appears to be in an excruciating amount of pain, so much so that the single word that escapes his lips seems to be a combination of both whimper and snarl.

“CARNIS.”

The child’s mouth opens just as Depheir’s spell reaches Dennan. However, as the feral man has phenomenal Willpower, the effect is nullified. Unfortunately, it is in that instant that one of the powers of the Carnis is revealed. It absorbs the power present in Depheir’s spell, reflecting it back at the unwitting mage and causing Depheir to be hit by his own spell. In addition, it finds itself invigorated by the magic and seeks to renew its escape from Dennan’s grasp.

“RUN!” shouts Dennan again.

Reflexively, Archer seizes Sembas by the shoulder. “RUN!” As her celerity is exceptionally impressive, she manages to flee the area with great speed, dragging Sembas behind her. Beznik, recognizing what is happening, urges Faile onward. Fensten whines at his master, but Dennan urges him to escape.

“GO FENSTEN! LEAVE ME!”

The bear grasps Constancy by the robes and hurtles in the opposite direction of his master. He barrels towards Fenwick, knocking the mage off his feet, and forcing him onto the bear’s back. Fensten speeds forward, and it would be advisable for Fenwick to hold on or he may lose his perch on the massive beast.

Once the party is safely out of range, Archer stops and gathers everyone around her.

“What was that?!” shouts Constancy.

“It was a Carnis,” responds Archer. “It is a being created by the Adversary himself. They are masters of deception and will always prey upon a sense of sympathy in its victims. Truth be told it likely sensed our nature and knew we were of the Ageless. It made it appear as if the Forsaken had attacked a caravan. Dennan does not think or sense as we do. The Carnis are often only recognized by creatures of the wild. It is possible that Dennan sensed it days ago, and simply could not recognize what it was. The man, the woman, the children... all illusions... and we... we were fool enough to fall for it.” 

In the distance, Dennan’s ear-piercing screams of agony can be heard. Fensten roars and moves to return to his master’s side, but Archer seizes his fur and attempts to calm him. An immense explosion, bathed in washes of scarlet erupts in the distance. Whether this signifies the destruction of the Carnis, Dennan or both remains to be seen.

Constancy's eyes widen. "Archer! Depheir! Depheir is missing!"

[john greymore]

Pale-faced, livid, unusually stiff, Fenwick holds on to the fur of Festen. What they had thought to be a boy had turned out to be a Forsaken. How fortunate that Depheir's spell reflected off first, for his own protection magic may have given the 'boy' enough incentive to kill them all on the spot.

Archer explains what that thing, a 'Carnis' was. He had never heard of one, but maybe they could have been the ones that killed his family, not 'humans'. Who knows, it could have been one, or several. Fenwick decides that this information is important, and tucks it away in his mind for future reference.

Dennan screams in the distance, causing Festen to try to return to its master, but Archer is remarkably able to grab onto his fur and stop him.

In retrospect, a protection spell on Dennan before leaving would have been beneficial...

But they had other things to worry about now, such as finding out where Depheir had disappeared to.

[Depheir Kogthar]

"Dennan!  Explain yourself!” demands Sembas.  “I'm just as uneasy about this scene as you are, but that’s no reason to finish the job that the forsaken failed to do!"

Dennan continued to hold the child aloft. The boy looked as if he would lose consciousness at any moment, but Dennan appeared to feel an excrutiating pain.

"CARNIS."

"Uh. That's not good..."

The trap has sprung. Boy opened his mouth wide, absorbed the spell and reflected it back to Depheir.

As the Confusion bolt reached the mage, he began to feel a weird numbness and stopped to care about anything around him. He glanced at the boy, which seemed invigorated by the spell and reattempted to escape Dennan's grasp.

Dennan shouted something and everyone began to run away.

"Where are they going?"

Depheir slowly realized that he is in danger, but still didn't know, what to do. He glanced at his comrades, fleeing away, then turned his sight on Dennan, who shouted in agony. Finally, he saw a crimson explosion and everything around blurred and darkened.

[Kitharsis]

"CARNIS."

The word escapes from Dennan's struggling form.  The pain and struggle in his voice confirms Sembas's wariness of the situation.  Depheir's spell launches at Dennan, only to be shrugged off by the elder Immortal.  The Carnis, on the other hand, absorbs the spell and flings it back at Depheir.

"RUN!"

Without time to react Archer grabs his shoulder and takes off.  He can barely move his feet fast enough, and it is apparent that she was dragging him more than he was keeping up with her.  Faile takes off with a slight nudge from Beznik.  The wind catches below her wings and she is soon very high in the air above the forest.  Her and Sembas's thoughts are running rampant through their bond.  Confusion and fear run rampant, but worry and anger for their friend are also present.

At a suitable distance away Archer explains what, exactly, a Carnis is.  The danger of the situation weighs heavy on Sembas.  They walked right into a trap, and now Dennan was stuck alone with such a foul creature. 

Dennan's screams ring out through the forest.  Sembas, for a moment, mimics Fensten and takes a step towards his friend and the Carnis.  The scarlet explosion stops him in his tracks.  Feelings of shock and anger pour forth from Faile high above in the air.

"Archer! Depheir! Depheir is missing!"  Constancy panicedly reports.

"Faile, can you see any signs of Depheir?  His confusion spell was turned on him.  And also, what of Dennan?"  He asks over the bond.

With a moments pause, he adds, "And don't stay out in the open too long, we don't know what else is watching us.  I'd have you here with me."

"Faile is looking for Depheir.  It might be difficult with the thick forest around us, but her eyes are far better than ours."  He says to everyone.

"What is our next move, Archer?"

[Faidth]

   Archer looks to Besnik who is busily hopping to and fro as he attempts to investigate Faile for injury. She squawks in annoyance, as she has repeatedly indicated to him that she is fine, but he still pokes at her wings and feathers with his beak as he insists that he check for himself.

       “Bes. I need you to go back to the site. We need to know if Depheir and Dennan…” There is a slight quaver in Archer’s voice when she speaks Dennan’s name. It is obvious, as the appointed leader of the party, that she feels guilty for allowing all of you to blunder in to such a trap.

   Archer’s lips become a tight line as she tries to take on a more resolute composure. “See how they fare, or if the Carnis has succeeded in punishing us for our stupidity. I do not doubt that as a creature of the Adversary it is in league with the Forsaken. I would like to think I could sense the Forsaken if they were close, but just as we have ways of masking our presence, I'm sure they do as well.”

   Besnik gives a nod before taking to the skies. He heads in the direction of the explosion, leaving the rest of you to wonder over the fates of your companions. It is about ten minutes until Dennan returns. In the distance, Archer can just barely make out a large, lumbering shape. Atop its shoulder, Besnik is perched. He waves a wing to Archer and you all manage to make it to Dennan before he collapses upon the ground again.

   “Dennan!” Archer crouches beside him, a look of intense worry present on her face.

   Dennan grunts in reply. He is bleeding from many wounds, the worse of which is a gaping, bloody mess where his abdomen should be. His hands are badly burned and dark, crimson rivulets pour from a deep cut upon his forehead.

   “Constancy! Help him!” cries Archer.

   Constancy, his face ashen at the state of his friend, kneels beside the human giant’s side. He presses his palms against the worst of the wounds to accelerate the healing process. Dennan’s eyes are scarcely open, but he seems coherent enough.

   Archer shakes her head in disbelief. “A Carnis… I’ve never seen one up close, and I pray that I never will again. If it wasn’t for you, we’d all be as injured as you right now. We’d make easy prey for the Forsaken then.” She puts her hand on his and gives him a mock scowl of disapproval. “You foolish boy. Why would you go and do such a thing? Blowing yourself up like that! Your mother will have my head.”

   Dennan chuckles weakly. “What mother doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

   “She could probably bloody well hear that explosion all the way from Avalon. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was standing in our midst within moments.”

   “You’re right… she likely already knows. But she also knows that I will be fine,” assures Dennan.

   Archer frowns and looks to Constancy for affirmation.

   Constancy nods. “We’ll be able to piece him back together in no time. Honestly, if anyone was to be blown up by a Carnis, we’re lucky it was Dennan and not any of us. He regenerates far faster than the rest of us. I’m honestly surprised that he’s managed to stay conscious through all this. I’ll need some time to work on him though. We should find somewhere safe to make a camp.”

   “We still need to find Depheir,” reminds Archer. “Dennan, was he not with you.”

   Dennan frowns, his expression grim. “If he was, he would be with me now. I was out for a few moments. When I came to, no one was there. The Carnis has moved on… there is no trace of it at the site.”

   “Sembas and I will look for Depheir,” states Archer. “Fenwick and Constancy will tend to a making camp and putting you back together. Fensten will help to stand guard. In the off chance that the Carnis is still near, you and Fensten should be able to sense it.”

   Archer, Besnik, Sembas and Faile make their way back to the place where they encountered thCarnis. Depheir is nowhere to be found, but there is a set of tracks that leads in the direction of Il’adoul.

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   When Depheir comes to, he is keenly aware of a sharp pain in the back of his skull. His chest throbs and several small cuts mar his hands, but miraculously, he seems to be little worse for wear.

   “Well… It’s about time, meatbag.”

   Depheir is not sure of where the voice may be coming from, but it seems amused at its own little joke. Depheir looks down and comes to the shocking discovery that he is walking, and given the tracks behind him, has been for some time. How he managed to do so while unconscious remains to be seen.

   “Maybe now that you’re conscious again we can move a little faster. I was having difficulty dragging your sorry ass along, you stupid slab of pork.”

   Without consulting Depheir, the mage’s legs begin to move of their own volition. His pace begins to quicken substantially and Depheir aches as he realizes his ankle was likely damaged in the blast.

   “Come on! Surely you can go faster than that! You must be resisting. Stop it. It’s annoying. I have a very important appointment to keep, and you’re going to ensure that I keep it. So quit trying to slow me down or I’ll blow you up like I did the large human.”

   Depheir’s legs move faster and faster, and it appears, like it or not, the mage has become an unwilling vessel for a very impatient Carnis.

[john greymore]

Fenwick dismounts the giant bear and takes a moment to recover from the shaking in his legs. Besnik had been spent to search for Depheir. The atmosphere was tense, unsurprisingly. None of them had expected such a rough encounter this early in their journey. Fenwick curses himself silently. The Immortalis can be damned for not informing and teaching them of such dangers, but it was ultimately his failure to actively prepare themselves better.

It is not until ten minutes later that Dennan manages to find his way to the group with Besnik's help. Constancy goes up to heal the wounded man, who seemed to be bearing his exploded abdomen pretty well considering his conversation with Archer. Then again, when one can't die, one doesn't fear much either.

Shortly after, Fenwick is grouped with Constancy to bring the man back to shape as best as they can. Fenwick clears a space on the ground around a tree and together with Constancy's help attempts to make him as comfortable as possible.

The damage is great, but it seems that Constancy's skills along with Dennan's natural regeneration has stemmed the worst. Attempting to help, Fenwick casts a spell of his own. (WISDOM: LIFESAVER).

"Are you okay?" Fenwick asks, "What I've casted will take too long to have an effect, and it might be that you're too badly wounded." He turns to Constancy. "What can I do?"

[Kitharsis]

When Besnik finally finishes inspecting Faile for the umpteenth time she gives a shake and hops onto Sembas's outstretched arm.  There is a silent exchange between man and falcon as they look into each other's eyes.

Faile nearly takes off into the sky after Besnik as he flies away.  Sembas places a gentle hand on her head to stop her as she spreads her wings.

"We don't need both of you featherheads clouding up the skies right now.  Sit put."  He says to her out loud.

The ten minutes pass ever so slowly.  Faile paces across his shoulders as Sembas paces back and forth himself.  He has checked and readjusted his weapons numerous times.  The thought that the Carnis might be lurking nearby is enough to set him on edge.

Faile chirps up, causing Sembas's head to snap in Dennan and Besnik's direction.  The group charges towards them.  Sembas stands back as the large man collapses and is tended to by the others.

After a brief exchange Archer and he make their way back to the last sighting of the Carnis.  Sembas was sure to pat the large man on the shoulder, and Faile gave a few chirps of encouragement before they made their way.

At the site, Sembas crouches to get a better view of the tracks.  He frowns slightly before clearing his throat, finding it tight from the suspense of earlier.

"Something bothered me about this place before all of... that happened.  It wasn't just uneasiness feeding off of Dennan's demeanor.  Not all of it.  None the matter, though.  It didn't help the situation at all."  He seems to be just talking for talking's sake.  Coming back to the place where Dennan was torn to shreds is a tad unsettling.

He pokes at a footprint with a gloved finger.  Faile lingers on his wrist and leans over to get a better look at it also.

"Do these match Depheir's shoes?  It seems like something he would wear."  Sembas's golden eyes squint at the tracks ahead of him.  "These steps are odd.  Heavy."  He looks up at Archer.  "He casted a spell as everything was happening.  I don't know a lick about these Carnis things, but I don't think it turned out well for him."  Sembas points the way the tracks lead.  "I think this might be the way he went?"  He says as more of a question than a statement.

[Depheir Kogthar]

When Depheir regained his consciousness, he felt a sharp pain in the back of skull and noticed few small cuts on his hands. Then he looked around. He found himself far from the place where he met Carnis. It seemed like he walked all the time he was uncoscious.

“Well… It’s about time, meatbag”, Depheir heard from somewhere. “Maybe now that you’re conscious again we can move a little faster. I was having difficulty dragging your sorry ass along, you stupid slab of pork.”

Depheir's legs began to move with their own volition and a sudden, sharp pain in his ankle made him sure that he suffered more damage from the blast than he thought before.

“Come on! Surely you can go faster than that! You must be resisting. Stop it. It’s annoying. I have a very important appointment to keep, and you’re going to ensure that I keep it. So quit trying to slow me down or I’ll blow you up like I did the large human.”

Depheir realized that Dethys won't help him in spying Forsaken, because he already was going to Il'adoul, which was obviously controlled by them. He had to improvise to fulfill his role.

-At last some of you found me... - Depheir told to Carnis. - I'm not willing to slow you down, but my ankle hurts and it's annoying, too. Can't you do something with that?... Of course not. You are here to destroy, not heal. Anyway, nice explosion.

Hopefully, with his broken ankle, the rest of the party will get him before he arrives to Il'adoul.

[Faidth]

   Dennan gives an appreciative grunt as Fenwick attempts to aid in healing him.

   Constancy raises an eyebrow and shakes his head.  “You haven’t worked with healing arts much, have you?”

   He puts his hands over yours and presses them against a piece of bone protruding from Dennan’s side. The rib has been smashed pretty severely, but as Constancy presses his palms against the backs of your hands, and further presses your hands against Dennan’s side, you see the bone begin to fuse back together and mend.

   “See?” Constancy removes his hands and allows you to practice this new skill again on Dennan’s broken collarbone.

   After some time, Dennan appears more himself as opposed to a broken, bloody mess. His regenerative abilities, coupled with the efforts of yourself and Fenwick, ensure that he is only a little worse for wear. Though his injuries may still cause him a bit of pain, the less severe have been easily healed, his bones have mended, and even his humor has improved.

   Fensten presses his muzzle into his master’s outstretched hand and Dennan smiles reassuringly. “It’s okay, old boy. I’ll be just fine.”

   “You should get some rest… lunatic,” says Constancy with a frown. “Your mother would have skinned us all alive had the Forsaken used the Carnis to take you. I suppose it’s a good thing you have such a solid head on your shoulders.” Constancy looks to you. “Oh, right… I suppose you know little else about the Carnis than what you’ve already been told. As spirits of sort, they don’t really have their own physical bodies. They can create convincing illusions, even make it so you can see, hear, smell or feel them… but they are most powerful when they have a host body. It’s a wonder it didn’t try to take one of us.”

   “It tried,” responds Dennan quietly. “I could feel it knocking upon the door of my mind, but I shut him out. I think he was afraid that he encountered such resistance, because that is when it fled.”

   “Thank the Divine for that!” replies Constancy.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Archer follows Sembas’s gaze to a set of heavy footprints in the ground. “These could scarcely pass as footprints. See how the pressure on the foot is uneven. There is a step here…” Archer moves forward, following the tracks. “But then the opposite foot just drags along in the dust. Depheir could be injured, perhaps limping.”

   She presses her hand into the ground and mutters something under her breath. Ahead of you, the tracks illuminate, creating a glistening path of footprints that are exceptionally easy for you to follow. “Given the footprints, the injury is likely a break of some sort.”

   You and Archer trace the tracks across the dirt road and to another large patch of dense woods. Archer frowns and shakes her head. “I don’t think that Depheir is moving on his own accord. Perhaps I’ve been spending too much time with Dennan, but I can practically smell the Carnis here. I’ll need Dennan to confirm it, but I’m almost positive that the Carnis and Depheir are acting as a single entity right now. It is possible for a Carnis to possess a living being. However, as Immortalis are generally strong of will, they tend to avoid us unless they are accompanied by other agents of their Master. Despite this, you are all Childer Immortalis. It’s possible the Carnis took Depheir. Come. Let us inform the others.”


   After some discussion you return to the edge of the woods. Dennan moves stiffly, his hand still pressed upon his tender side. He sniffs the air and his gaze drifts to the illuminated tracks before you.

   “He’s injured. I smell blood… and weakness. He is fatigued as if moving against his will. The stench of the Carnis is heavy here.”

   “He’s taking him to the Forsaken! To Il’adoul!” exclaims Constancy.

   Dennan grunts and looks to Archer. “No.”

   “No,” echoes Archer. “Because this is not the way to Il’adoul.”

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   “Some of you? What are you talking about?” snorts the Carnis derisively. “You Immortalis like to think you know everything!”

   Depheir’s ankle throbs terribly and with each step he takes the searing pain shoots further up his leg.

   “Ugh. You’re so slow!” grumbles the Carnis.  “And for your information, I do know how to heal… I just happen to like the sound of your whimpering. Besides! I need all the power I can get right now and I’m not about it to spend a bit of it on helping your sorry ass along. So… MOVE FASTER.”

   Your legs move even faster and the pain in your ankle becomes almost unbearable. The injured foot drags behind you at an awkward angle and you stumble forward and collapse to the ground.

   “Argh! This is ridiculous. I should have just left you back there. I wanted the big man! He would have been useful. But no! I got you! A whiny little wench who cries over a little booboo!” The disgust in the Carnis’s voice is evident, but it seems he realizes you won’t make a very useful vessel if you can’t move naturally.

   You feel a shock in your ankle, as if you’ve been struck by some electric force. Your ankle numbs and the pain begins to subside.

   “There! But that’s all I’m giving you!” grumbles the Carnis.

   It pulls you to your feet and you begin moving forward again. Your ankle is far from back to normal, but the pain isn’t nearly as excruciating.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in Avalon, Sigurd Glorrack wakes up with the worst headache of his life. As a Chosen of Alviss, Sig has an incredible tolerance to spirits. However, the sheer amount of drink he had imbibed the previous night far surpassed any amount he had managed before.

   As your eyes flick open, you find yourself in unfamiliar surroundings. Gone is the tavern of the Ageless, and in its place, a soft, comfortable bed with dark brown blankets and a song of fulfillment in your heart. You go to move, but quickly finds that you will be going nowhere. Thick, sturdy ropes are tied around your wrists and your eyes follow their paths to the bedposts above you. A glance towards your feet reveals that your legs are in a similar position. Not only that, but it seems you are stark naked.

   “What the bloody-” Sig looks around the room for some sign of what transpired the previous night. The walls of the room are adorned with numerous weapons mounted upon the walls. A complete set of plate armor stands in the corner of the room and a look upward reveals a dark, cranberry red canopy that adorns the immense, four poster bed where he is currently confined.

   “Ah. I see your big, hollow head has finally managed to leak out the last bit of alcohol,” comes a female voice from the doorway of the room.

   Blood’s armor has been replaced with a red, silk robe that hugs the curves of her body. She looks quite different outside of those pounds of armor and her typically grim expression bears the subtle marks of a smirk of amusement. Her light brown hair (usually tied up) cascades over her shoulders and her gray eyes, typically intense and intimidating, have a certain levity to them now.

   You feel strangely affected by her appearance (or maybe you just have to pee.)

   “Ugh,” remarks Blood, her face twisting into a look of disgust. “Really? It’s not enough I had to carry you back from the tavern and had to give you my bed because you kept falling off my couch, but this is how you greet me?” She reluctantly comes towards you. “I suppose I can cut you loose… That is… if you are done trying to show that empty suit of armor ‘who is boss.’”

   From your limited vantage upon the bed, you see your lute upon the ground near the suit of armor. Several of the strings have been broken, likely in an unsuccessful attempt to teach that suit of armor a lesson.

   Blood reaches over you so that she may take a dagger from its mount upon the wall. In doing so, you find that her breasts are dangerously close to your face.

   “Don’t even think about it, Alviss-Spawn,” speaks Blood quietly. “Or I may just miss when I attempt to remove your binds. Given your resilience in battle and the fact that you refused to relent in our contest, you have managed to garner a bit of my respect, I would not dash it so soon.” You can’t tell if she is serious or just toying with you.

   At any rate, she moves to the task of cutting your binds. You see that the blade is exquisitely made, and the inscription on the hilt is in some strange, foreign tongue. You see one word, “Blut” and given your KNOWLEDGE are able to discern that its meaning is “Blood.” Perhaps the dagger is a trophy or some small token gifted to the woman before you.

   Within moments you find yourself freed, but still very naked, with a woman who wished nothing more than to kick your ass yesterday.
   

[Kitharsis]

Sembas grunts in recognition as Archer examines the tracks.  One foot is indeed dragging along the ground.  Whatever Depheir is doing, he isn't trying to be sneaky about it.  Archer mutters something and the tracks illuminate, making them oh so easy to follow.  He feels something, watching her create the glow.  A sort of tingle.  With a small smile of satisfaction, Sembas realizes how the trick works and notes to practice it later.

"The Carnis is possessing Depheir?"  His eyes narrow with worry.  "I hope he doesn't meet Dennan's fate.  That could be... messy."  Faile nods solemnly.

They meet up with the others, and it appears Dennan is up on his feet again.  He is a bit worse for the wear, but Sembas is relieved to see him walking again nevertheless.

"Do you have any idea where his tracks are leading?  If these Carnis are as devious as they seem we could be following Depheir right into a trap."

[Depheir Kogthar]

-Smart boy - replied Depheir sarcastically, when Carnis attempted to heal his broken ankle.

   It was still broken, but not as much as before, and it was much easier to walk.

   Despite the favor, Depheir automatically disliked the Carnis, while not being sure, why. It could be because the fact of possessing, or personality of the Carnis.

   "Such a poor creature. It seems like being polite is beyond his mind capabilities..."

Then, he continued to deceive Carnis:

-You know, Smartie, that you messed the whole action? From beggining to the end. Well, almost. The illusions you made were quite impressive, but, as you saw well, it didn't work on the big guy and that bear. Good for you, I was there. I attacked him and gave you an opportunity to free yourself from the big guy's grasp. Didn't you wonder, how did I get there? I'll tell you - Depheir began to separate words from themselves, seemingly to make Carnis understand. -I joined that group only to meet the Forsaken at the battlefield and join their ranks... - Depheir made an angry sigh and started talking normally. - I hoped I'll find somebody MORE competent, but I've found an idiotic suicide who makes illusions to be perceived by the perfect host, then blows him up, only to cry over himself unable to possess him!

Depheir stopped talking for a moment, made another angry sigh, and continued.

- Really, it must be horrid to work with your kind... Very well then, Smartie - Depheir attempted to look around the scenery. - What are you intending to do now? Can you enlighten me with your marvelous plan? Let me guess... more illusions? More explosions? A successful suicide this time? Or you will just drag me like that further and further?

[Cameron]

"Well, I... um... er..."

Sig finds himself uncharacteristically at a loss for words as he is lowered to the ground. Something is wrong. Instead of his normal over-confident self, he finds himself feeling shameful and more then a little bit fearful of the woman standing in front of him. He can't even bring himself to make eye contact with her, which ends up with him staring at her chest for a few seconds longer then most would consider appropriate. He suddenly realizes his error and looks away quickly.

Sig takes a few hesitant steps towards his lute. The strings appear to be hopelessly broken. he tries to imagine what would need to be done to fix them but the very actions he would need to take are muddled in his mind. He nervously hums a few bars to one of his favorite melodies and finds that he is extremely off key. Looking down at his hands, he notices that they are trembling slightly. His fear mounts as he realizes what has happened. When he speaks, his voice cracks, making him sound like an adolescent going through puberty.

"By the father... I'm SOBER."

Sig checks for his flasks, but of course he is naked. Why is he naked? Sig can't remember. The whole situation is like a bad dream. The only piece of his property that he can see in the room is his lute. Breaking into a sprint, Sig dashes to the fallen instrument and collects it. He rummages around inside the hollow of the lute until he grasps a small hidden flask strapped to the inside of it. He pulls it out and drops the lute with an unceremonious jangle of notes as he rips the lid off the flask and takes a giant swig...

...of air. The flask is bone dry. He must have drank it the previous night and neglected to refill it. Panicking, Sig tosses the flask to the ground and runs around in circles, trying desperately to remember-

Wait! The emergency elixir! Of course he knows where that is!

Sig stops suddenly and reaches into his own thick beard, groping around. He finally finds what he's looking for buried in the thick folds of hair. Sig produces an intricate clear glass vial. The contents appear to be glowing with it's own unnatural light and Sig regards it with wonder and awe before pulling the stopper. A powerful smell permeates the chamber, bringing with it visions of good food, full kegs, song and dance, laughter and merriment, joy and elation. Sig allows himself the smallest sip from the vial before replacing the stopper and stuffing it back into the safety of his beard.
A visible change takes place almost immediately. Sig's hands steady. He closes his eyes and sighs deeply as the fear and nervousness leave him, replaced by confidence and peace. He hums his tune again, and the pitch is perfect. The warmth of the small sip of drink shoots to his extremities, and he feels completely invigorated. He lets out a loud belch, and a small jet of fire actually escapes his lips as he does so.

"Ahhh! Now THAT'S more like it! Now then!"

Sig regards Blood, making full eye contact, a slightly amused expression crossing his features.

"if ye could be so kind as to direct me to my clothes? There's a slight draft in here."