“Should we try and take over the Rift? It’s got food and the undead probably wouldn’t be able to find us down there.” Silas posed the question to the group of Warriors huddled around the Captain.

They were talking quietly, trying not to let the anxious villagers overhear them from the next chamber. The non-combatants were already panicked enough at the rumours of a necromancer. No-one even thought to complain as the hunters were called back into the protective area of the cave. They desperately needed food, but for now the fear of the undead overrode everything else.

Hiram slowly shook his head, his lips pursed thoughtfully. “It’s too risky. There could be anythin’ in there. I know you two ran across a weak creature, but there would be stronger ones further in. Not to mention the Rift Master. The risk of getting’ trapped in the Rift, or in the tunnels below us, is just too great. If the undead or the necromancer found their way down, we’d lose our only exit and we’d be fightin’ on two fronts. Even the bandits could track us down and then we’d have to fight our way back through these caves to return to the surface.”

“Besides that, even if we took over the Rift, what then? We’d be survivin’ on berries, and whatever water we could find. We’d still need to deal with the bandits and the undead at some point. If we invaded the rift, we might take more losses that would weaken us for the important battles.”

The group silently agreed, some of the Warriors nodding thoughtfully. A silence descended as they tried to think of alternatives, each considering what the best path was for the village. A mistake now would be devastating for the exhausted group.

“What other options do we have then?” the normally reserved hunter Yoto burst out. He seemed uncomfortable asking the question in front of the group, his eyes darting quickly around before settling on Hiram.

Yoto was an older hunter and one of the few remaining Warriors that had managed to advance his class. Sharpshooter was Uncommon and rumour had it he wasn’t far off getting his second class advanced. Katai wasn’t sure what his second class was, having never spoken to the quiet man, but he was sure Silas would know. His garb gave no clues, the few pieces of leather armour he wore were pretty standard for a village Guard, as was the bow slung over his shoulder. He did have a large number of wide-bladed knives strapped to his belt however, an unusual addition that might be related to his second class.

“Well the way I see it, we have two options, but neither of them is particularly good.” Hiram started to explain, mulling over his words slowly as he organised his thoughts, “First, we should post a Guard near the Rift entrance to warn us if anythin’ comes out. That at least gives us some advance warnin’ to clear out from here, or prepare a welcomin’ party.” There were a few cautious nods around the room. “Then we send a rider with two of our remainin’ horses and beg for help from Waycrest. They don’t have a lot, but anythin’ we can get from them will help.”

Hiram sighed then and shuffled his feet, looking uncomfortable with what he was about to say. “The second option we have is to leave a guard here, maybe three or four Warriors, and use the rest to drive the bandits out. We’d have to win decisively, overwhelmin’ them without taking too many losses. Then we’d be able to patrol the area and wipe out any undead we find, making it safe enough to return to the village proper.”

The room was quiet, everyone sombrely considering the options. It was getting close to make or break for them and their families in the next room. They’d either starve in the cave, break into the unknown rift and wait out the bandits, or take back what was theirs. Unsurprisingly, it was Katai who answered first.

“I say we take the fight to the bandits instead of sending a rider to Waycrest village. We could use that extra Warrior and help from Waycrest would take too long. We’re out of food and we have wounded to take care of. We cannot delay for a few days.” his voice was firm and controlled, but anger started to colour his response, “Leave a couple of guards here and the rest of us will wipe out the bandit scum!” His voice could be heard from the next chamber, which quieted with his words. Eyes ablaze, Katai looked around, daring anyone to object.

Hiram sighed internally, looking around with deeply shadowed eyes. The last couple of days had been the most troubling of his life and it was shortly going to get worse. They would lose more Warriors before the day was done. The alternative however, was worse. They had all sworn to protect the village with their lives, he couldn’t shy away from his duty now.

He straightened and nodded at Katai before looking around with newfound determination.

“We will lose more before this is over, but this is our best chance. Are there any objections, or anyone have anything to add to the plan?”

A few of the Warriors shook their heads, but the majority simply stood and waited. They all knew the risks. Their pride demanded recompense after their earlier disastrous failure.

“Very well, Katai you’ll be leading a scouting group. Take Silas, Yoto and… Lariss with you. Head to the village and see if you can get a rough layout of their defenders.”

Katai’s eyes widened with surprise, but he stiffened and nodded at Hiram as the older man finished speaking. Silas met his friend’s eyes and nodded slightly, acknowledging his achievement. He knew how much this meant to him. It was a small group to lead, but it represented a whole new level of responsibility for the young man.

The man named Kelemen double-checked his Amulet of Greater Concealment, noting the dull glow coming from the small device. He tapped it, pursing his lips at the dullness of the metal before letting it drop, satisfied it had enough power for now. He shifted his position and leaned back against a tree, wishing once again that he’d been able to find this particularly troublesome Necromancer before it went back into hiding. Now he had no choice but to keep an eye out for roaming undead while he waited for the next attack. He had gotten closer to his quarry at least, a fact that didn’t quite alleviate his guilt for the newly risen villagers. Maybe if he’d been a little bit faster, or his senses a little higher level, he could have found the Necromancer by now…

Shaking his head, he tried to clear his head of the negative thoughts. He couldn’t afford to engage in self-pity. As Aliz always said, he wasn’t the guilty party, he was just the seeker. The actions of his targets were no fault of his own.

Sighing, he looked around, eyeing off the surrounding bushes. The main problem he had now was the possibility of the undead seeing through his amulet’s protection. If they were a high enough level, their natural magic negation could interrupt his camouflage and then he’d have to fight his way clear. Not a pleasant prospect, given his aptitude for Imperial power.

“Cursed Void magic.” he muttered sourly. This is what I get for being the ‘new recruit’, he thought, even after four years. They definitely need to recruit more.

Shaking his head, Kelemen went back to watching the cave mouth. He could sense the villagers within, his tracking skills marking each one of them as they moved in and out of the cave.

He perked up as he saw movement, more figures appearing in the darkness of the cave. Perhaps their leader, the grizzled veteran, was finally leaving? He would like to speak with the man without alerting the rest of the villagers. If they had been exposed to the necromancer’s powers, there was a chance they might have unlocked a Void-based class and the old man would have to be extra vigilant.

As he watched, four Warriors scurried out of the cave. All of them seemed to be on high alert and in a hurry. The Warrior in the middle pointed at a spot in the forest and the group broke out into a fast trot.

Brow creasing thoughtfully, Kenemen’s eyes lost focus. The splash of blue on his forehead, a circular blob of colour on the otherwise unremarkable man, started to glow. The man’s eyes, still unfocused, moved over the group, pausing for a second on each individual. When his gaze reached the Warrior in the centre, his mouth dropped open and a spasm of shock flashed across his face.

A Blood Mage! Here of all places, he thought, eyes narrowing as he considered the ramifications. This certainly complicated things. Was this village a part of the attacks? Hmmm, no that doesn’t make any sense, they’ve suffered too much. If he wasn’t so concerned with the spread of necromancy, he’d have helped them recover. It pained him to watch them struggle, but his mission was crucial to the safety of the Empire.

The presence of a Blood Mage didn’t paint the village in a very good light however. Were they sheltering a secret blood cult here, or was the mage operating in secret? Did the Blood Mage attract the attention of the Necromancer? Or, even more importantly, were there more forbidden classes hidden deeper in the cave?

Kenemen was thankful now that he hadn’t revealed himself to the group. He’d only been able to examine a few of the villagers since he arrived, following the muddy trail up the slopes. There could be an entire nest of Blood Mages here for all he knew.

The slender man rose to his feet slowly, careful not to rustle the bushes he was sheltering in. The amulet did provide some noise muffling, but not enough to completely silence his movements. Carefully, he moved off in the direction of the group that had just left, following their trail at a distance. He could afford to be cautious; the Warriors were marked now with his special brand of tracking.

As he started to move through the forest, keeping a careful eye out for roaming undead, he lifted his hand to his mouth and muttered a command word. The ring he wore, adorned with two large diamonds, gave a short pulse of light.

“My Lord, Questor Kenemen with an urgent report.”

He continued walking as he waited for a response, his alert gaze flitting from side to side.

“Kenemen, report.” Came the abrupt reply, the voice brusque and to the point.

Getting his thoughts in order, Kenemen reminded himself to keep it simple and direct.

“My Lord, there’s been a complication with the apprehension of the necromancer operating in the Western region.”

He swallowed, still nervous when it came to talking to the head of the Questors, a woman that reported directly to the Emperor himself. He still found it hard to believe how high he’d risen since he’d taken his oath only a few years ago.

“Yes, yes, will you stop with the titles already, you know how it annoys me Kenemen. Once per conversation is quite enough.”

He always forgot her dislike of formality. It was an unusual trait for someone so high up in the court. Personally, he thought it was because she’d inherited a title with a masculine name, one attached to her position rather than any real dislike of formality. Well, perhaps in addition to that. She was much more concerned with getting things done than she was on acknowledging the social standing of herself or her peers. Of course, if he made a mis-step then it might mean the end of his career, whilst her lofty position practically guaranteed she could speak how she liked.

“Uh, sorry Aliz.” He took a moment to clear his throat and then began his report.

“The village of Tiaston was attacked and decimated by a band of rogue Warriors sometime early yesterday morning. They seem to have at least one Fire Mage, based on the burn patterns on some of the buildings. I couldn’t find any signs of raising in the village though. Following the trail of some of the surviving villagers, it looks like they buried their dead in the woods and that’s where the Necromancer raised some low and mid-level undead. There may also be at least one high level revenant.”

He heard a loud sigh on the other end of the connection. “Very well. I know you’re going to ask for reinforcements, but we have nothing. Every Questor is tied up with controlling the riots, or tracking down more outbreaks. The necromancers are getting bolder, and we don’t have the resources to tackle them without calling in the army.” The voice that came from the ring had an edge to it, the usual snippiness missing.

I’ve never heard Aliz sounding stressed before. Things really must be getting bad.

“Ok, I’ll see what I can do… but you know I can’t take on a group of undead as well as the necromancer. Especially if they’re high level.” he said, his voice strained with worry. He knew he didn’t have to remind her of his weakness, but the situation was not looking good. He would need to be cautious when he finally caught up to the Void Mage.

“I know, just do your best Kenemen. Is that all? I need to report to the Emperor.”

Kenemen gulped, knowing his next piece of news wouldn’t be received well. This was the main reason he’d contacted her early.

“Uh, that complication I mentioned? It’s not the bandits or the necromancer raising more undead. I’ve just discovered a Blood Mage amongst the village survivors.”

“Fuck! Seriously Kenemen? How did that happen? There shouldn’t be a Vampyre anywhere near the Western region.” The voice was suddenly fierce, a hint of anger coming through, “unless there’s a rogue element that’s broken the Accord—” her voice was cut off when Kenemen interrupted.

“—I don’t think there’s any Vampyres here Aliz. They’re a pure Blood Mage, low level and young. If it was a Vampyre bite, they’d be a vamp variant and half wild. This one is working with the villagers. I’m not even sure if they know he’s a Blood Mage.”

A long silence grew between them, as Kenemen continued to travel through the forest. He kept a wary eye out while he followed the faint sense his skill gave him, following the small group of Warriors.

Finally, Aliz broke the silence.

“It’s very unlikely they’re a true Blood Mage…but there’s no harm in finding out more. Kenemen, you’re authorised to question him with all due force. If he’s working with the Vampyres, or even more unlikely, the Necromancer, you know what to do.”

“And if he’s a natural Blood Mage?”

“Requisition rights are also authorised.”

Kenemen’s eyebrows rose in surprise, his eyes widening with sudden understanding.

“Are —are you sure Aliz? The Emperor would approve after all these years?”

“The situation is… grim in the Capital Kenemen. I’ll tell him if he needs to know.”

His face went slack. So, he was basically on his own and there were more important things happening in the Capital. That had to mean civil war, or something close to it – there was nothing else that could distract the Emperor from the increasing threat of the necromancers. Grim situation was an understatement!

“I have to go now Kenemen, just… look after yourself out there. We can’t afford to lose any Questors right now.”

He smiled, appreciating the thought, even if it was tinged with a hint of desperation. Aliz was tough, but she was a caring soul underneath the business-like demeanour.

Lowering his hand after ending the connection, he considered his next steps. He’d have to separate and capture the Blood Mage and use one of his more intrusive skills to get the information he needed.

Returning his attention to his active tracking skill, he frowned—

A rustle of bushes was his only warning before a young, dark-haired man appeared before him, stepping out from behind a cluster of thick bushes.

Kenemen stifled his surprise, his distracted thoughts still caught up in what must be going on in his home city.

Keeping his breathing steady, he started to slowly make his way behind a nearby tree, hoping to put some distance between him and the Blood Mage. He still had his Amulet of Concealment, so he should be invisible, so as long as he didn’t make any loud noises.

Looking up into the eyes of the Blood Mage, he was surprised to see the young man looking right back at him.

Katai tightened his grip on the sword and kept his eyes on the clear space in the woods where he could sense the outline of a human body, slowly moving behind cover.

He’d sensed it after he left the cave with his scouting group, suspiciously crouching out of sight of the guards. Without slowing, he’d kept his focus on his Blood Sense as they moved down the slopes and deeper into the forest, the figure following behind them. Quickly informing his mystified comrades that they were being followed, they’d waited until Katai had given them the signal before quickly backtracking, hoping to catch the bandit by surprise. Yoto in particular, the most experienced hunter in the village, had given him a funny look when he told them they were being followed.

“Show yourself! I know you’re there.” he said, calling out to the seemingly-empty forest. He adjusted his position, moving around the tree that was now between him and his invisible follower, his body tense and ready to react to an attack. Hearing a crunch of leaves, he glanced around to see his comrades in a circle around the tree. Keeping his blade pointed at where he sensed the body, he said “If you don’t show yourself, I’ll start swinging. You have three seconds!”

Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to relax and started counting down. “Three…”

In the small pause between numbers, a man suddenly materialised. Like a curtain being pulled up, his boots were revealed, the edge of the invisibility effect glittering with a band of silver light as it travelled up the man’s body, quickly rising to show more and more of the person in front of them.

The man was fairly average looking. He had short, brown hair and a sun-browned face, with a narrow nose and a thin face that gave him a half-starved look. The only distinctive feature he had was the large blue spot on his forehead, right above the centre of his brow.

There was a glint of intelligence in the man’s eyes as he looked around, noting the others that had surrounded him. Seeming to consider his options, he tilted his head and looked at Katai.

“So Katai D’Castro, how long have you been a Blood Mage?”