We find the temple doors are locked when we arrive. After knocking, a priest opens the door. When we explain why we are here he wants nothing to do with an obviously political problem. I must show my Mark of Vera to get us in. The priest says there are lots of Imperial troops all over the area, but no one is talking. The head priest Bran takes us through a secret door behind the altar down into an underground room containing supplies, two double beds, and a small table with four chairs. We take a seat around the table with Bran, while his apprentice closes the door to the room. Bran says the troops arrived yesterday and split up with half heading to the Starter Glade and the rest staying in town. This afternoon the troops remaining in town poured out of the tavern where they were staying. They took up positions at the gates and started patrols around town. We explain that we want to get to the capital if possible. He says it would be very hard to make it to the gate, but there is a teleport circle upstairs in a room adjoining the main temple.

They can teleport us to another temple in the capital. I will need to chain cast with them to get enough mana. It is already evening, so we decide to stay here out of sight overnight and we will teleport in the morning. We each take a bunk bed, but before I fall asleep Nora says. “Thanks.”

“Your welcome. Good night.”

✽✽✽

While Nora and George were fleeing to the outpost, a different scene was unfolding at the ambush site for the Silver Thorns. Captain Markus looks over the sprawled bodies of the Silver Thorns with a frown while he waits for the other seven members of his team to report. Over the next thirty minutes they report in that there is no sign of their target or the mysterious ninth person that teleported away with her. After considering, he commands his lieutenant to bind the Silver Thorns to the respawn stone.

Captain Markus: We will take them back with us to the outpost and then to the capital.

Lieutenant Howard: Should we kill them?

Captain Markus: No, I want to be able to question them right away when we get back. We know someone was trying to kill Nora. Apparently, they were scared off by our troops. Contact the group at the outpost to be on the alert for anyone entering and hold them until we get there.

Lieutenant Howard: Very well, sir. Jerald, levitate the Silver Thorns and everyone form up in a standard diamond pattern.

Everyone mounts up on various pets, that not only supply transport, but also provide additional combat support. They form up in a diamond formation with the Silver Thorns floating unconscious bodies in the center. It should take four hours hard riding to reach the outpost. Two hours into the run disaster strikes from the trees along the dirt road to the outpost. From the trees on the right a chain lighting is skillfully directed to hit three of the mounts, while on the left a series of green balls of fire strikes two of the mounts. All five mounts throw their riders as they collapse and thrash around in agony. Only the last of the three riders manages to stop his mount before plowing into the downed mounts. As his reward he and his mount are both hit with a hail of arrows, which are covered in a paralytic poison. Markus barely makes it to his feet when an imperial energy web flows over him snapping his arms and legs together as it rapidly constricts around him. He could hardly turn his head enough to see the others on his right similarly restrained. He finds the party chat blocked when he tries to check on the other members of his team.

While Markus lies there a series of shadows emerge from the woods surrounding them to reveal figures in elite armor of the Empress’ own guard. Wild thoughts shot through his head that these are the ones behind the assassination attempt, but that would be crazy, no one can corrupt the Empress’ guard.

“Captain Markus, what are you doing with this party?” Markus could just make out the Captain’s tabs on the armor in front of him, but his face is covered in the shadows of his hooded cape.

“I could ask the same thing, we are acting to protect the Silver Thorns.”

The other Captain gestures to the floating unconscious bodies of the Silver Thorns. “You have a funny way of showing it. Why didn’t you heal them already?”

“We rendered them unconscious as the quickest way to handle the situation and get them to the capital.”

“I see and the ambush we discovered and took care of was not part of your group?”

“I don’t know what you are talking about.” Markus said.

The Captains voice dripped with sarcasm. “There was a group of high-level assassins waiting here when we arrived two hours ago. They were set to ambush you when you passed by. Assuming you were not working together. Open a portal and take these through with the Silver Thorns. Sam, Paul, Rachel are with me. We will head to the outpost and check out the group there and meet up with the other squads headed there.”

✽✽✽

After we wake in the morning and wash up with some well water we sit down with Bran and have a cold breakfast of bread, cheese, and apples. He says the head priestess in the Capital is Christine Wilmore. She should be able to supply a lot more help than Bran can. Bran says the original group of soldiers left last night to be replaced by an even larger group of imperial elite forces. He talked to one of his friends at the tavern this morning and heard there was a very heated argument before the original group was escorted through the portal. Nora and I look at each other, but there is really nothing we could add that isn’t pure speculation.

After breakfast Bran walks us up to the teleport chamber. We both thank him for all his help as we take our places in the teleport circle. I am going to contribute 500 mana for the teleport. Usually a visiting priest or priestess would help supply the mana for a return trip from the outpost, since Bran and his apprentice’s mana pools are not large enough. We stand in the middle of a rune covered circle as Bran and his apprentice start to chant. I feel a draw on my mana pool while I channel mana into Bran. The rune gradually brightens with a deep blue glow until the teleport spell activates with a sudden jerk and a cracking sound.

Instead of arriving in another temple’s teleport circle, we appear lying on a cold stone floor with a large grinning demon standing fifteen feet in front of me. My body throbs with pain and I have a 30% movement speed penalty as well as a negative five to strength and constitution. Nora is unconscious beside me. I pick myself up and am violently nauseous. I turn my head to vomit on the cold granite floor. The demon seems to grin wider as I turn and Inspect him.

Name: Crackos

Title: Demon Lord of the Veil

Hidden Title: Suit 49 of the Deck of Fate

“You are part of the Deck of Fate?” I rasp as I wipe my mouth as my stomach seems to settle.

His grin now reveals a double row of shark like teeth as he speaks. “So, you are the holder of the Deck. Too bad for you, my master will rip the deck from your soul.”

“You should be serving Garth and Poth, who is your master?”

The demons face turns stormy saying. “The God of Fire is my master now that Garth and Poth are no more. I was taken when their champion perished.”

“But Poth may still live.” I object.

The demon waves dismissively. “I saw their dead bodies before the God of Fire destroyed them utterly.”

“Then why do I have this quest, which I received after talking to Vera?” As I say this I mentally focus on sharing my quest to find Poth.

The demon curses and says. “How can this be?”

“Well we are dealing with Gods, right? They could make us see what they want us to see.”

The demon’s face flickers between different expressions as he stares at me. Suddenly I get a notification.

Crackos Demon Lord of the Veil has rejoined the Deck of Fate.

New Quest received, reunite the other missing cards with the Deck of Fate to restore its full power. Missing cards:

Ralth Demon Lord of Shadows, Suit 47 of the Deck of Fate

Salazar Demon Lord of Pain, Suit 48 of the Deck of Fate

Mathias Demon Lord of Fire, Suit 50 of the Deck of Fate

“Pick her up, we need to hurry.” Crackos moves to a pillar on the right side of the otherwise featureless room. He gestures and runes begin to light up over its surface. Then a swirling portal begins to open on my left.

“The God of Fire had me watch for the Deck of Fate moving through gates or portals to track its location. You moved through a personal teleport however, which was easy to divert to here. If you move through any teleports or gates they will track you. I could conceal you, but to do that you would need the complete deck and be the holder for at least of year to bind the deck to you. I am opening a portal to the first church of Garth and Poth in the Dunvar mountains. This is on the edge of the Domain of Light. Be careful, the level for this area is in the mid-twenties and you are very low level, but we don’t have much choice.”

“What will happen after we leave? Will they be able to follow us?”

“No, I will overload the portal, which will explode. I will be joining the Deck, but until you get the other missing cards we will not be able to speak again.”

“Thank you for your help.”

“No! Thank you! You have given me hope.”

Crackos makes a final gesture and the runes flare with a deep ruby light before he transforms into a streamer of blue light that hits me in the chest. I just know he is now back in the Deck of Fate. Moments later the runes pulse and the room around us vanishes.