'Use this one,' said Eonan, tossing Dohate a large mushroom with a blue cap. 'Break the top off, the stem has the same properties as chalk.'

'Get me that blood and bones Geat,' replied Dohate as he looked at the twelve foot wide wall and did a mental calculation. 'I am going to triple layer the summoning circle...'

Eonan whistled and he and his hunters headed down the stairs to gather the corpses of the monsters they had slain. He had sent a pair of hunters to the north and south each, searching for a healer or mage at the two gates. Freysguard's forces were spread thin, but that also meant that the gates were the best chance they got for a magic user.

'Kid, help me draw this,' asked Dohate as he broke the stem of the mushroom into two and tossed one half to Gawain. 'I need your help, and I need you to trust me and trust yourself.'

'What monster are you bringing forth Dohate?' asked Gawain as he watched the Druid begin to draw a sigil on the ground. It was vastly different from the one he had used to summon the Caladrius, different in shape and design.

'This is a Triquerta. It is meant to represent life, death and rebirth. The creature I am going to use, represents death and that is its sole purpose in this world. A monster that even the dragons feared.'

'I met a dragon,' blurted Gawain, noticing the look of awe on Dohate's face. 'at least that is what he claimed to be. Locked in a Soulstone and forced to power a giant Golem...I think his name was Carreg.'

'Carreg!' exclaimed Dohate as he and the Caladrius looked at Gawain in shock, 'you met the Great Dragon of Earth? His soul was trapped in a Soulstone you say...is the stone still intact?'

'No...it was split in half by a mysterious warrior. Never saw him myself, all I know was that he saved me from the dragon's wrath,' said Gawain uneasily. Was this something he should not have mentioned?

'So one of the Great Dragons of nature has perished...' sighed Dohate as he went back to drawing the Triquerta. 'A shame indeed for we may not be in this situation had they remained. Start overlaying the sigil kid.'

'What do you mean Dohate?' asked Gawain using the druids name for the first time.

'There were five Great Dragons, all servants of the Dragon King and in charge of maintaining the balance of the elements: Earth, Fire, Water, Wind and Lightning. This was a time before the Great War, long before us humans walked this world. Through this balance, nature flourished and the Faeries were deemed the caretakers of this result in harmony. After the Great War, when Dragons fought the Faeries, nature tore itself apart. The end result was the one known as the Stag-Horned Knight...little is known save that he singlehandedly saved nature and Avalon from becoming a wasteland.'

'That name again, the Stag-Horned Knight. What is he? You have warned me of him, a kitsune in Penglai warned me of him...who is he and what does he have to do with me?'

Looking at Gawain with sad eyes Dohate said, 'I wish I could tell you. The trees speak the will of the Norns and their thread of fate, what it means I know not.'

'Of course you do not,' sighed and exasperated Gawain as he got back to tracing over Dohate's sigil. 'No one ever gives me a straight answer.'

'Instead of an answer, I have a request.' Stopping again, Dohate tuned to Gawain and placed his hand on the knight's shoulder. 'I need you to take Tapco and kill my brother,' he said deadpan.

'What!' exclaimed Gawain, dropping his shroom-chalk. 'You want me to kill your brother on your horse?'

'Once this monster is unleashed, it will not stop until I send it back to where it came from. I cannot leave this place until the job is done, and nothing can outrun it besides a Yesbryd. Tapco trusts you and I do too. ... I am sorry for giving you this duty but only you Sir Gawain Orkney are the only one who can do this.'

Taking a deep breath, Gawain felt something stir within him. Something he had forgotten he had within him, something that he had thought had been knocked out of him by Carreg. He felt something warm rise in his chest, something that made him awkwardly grin. 'I get to save Avalon and get rid of my boredom ... finally something interesting ...'

'Good. Now help me finish this summoning sigil before those Geats get back. It will not be long before the monsters decide to attack again.'

◊◊◊

The Geats arrived by the time Gawain and Dohate had finished the sigil. Three layers of white chalk in a design now covered the grey bloodstained cobblestone. One by one, the hunters dropped vials of rotten blood and broken bones into the center of the massive symbol.

'We managed to find only two mages,' wheezed the hunters, pointing to two robed men wearing a necklace of white orbs and purple robes. 'These two say they are from Scientia.'

'Great...' muttered Dohate as he walked over to them. 'Do you want to start with pleasantries or get straight to the insults.'

'Quite brash for a man with a chicken on his head,' huffed one of the mages, his face concealed beneath his cowl. 'As expected of the barbaric tree huggers.'

'Insults it is,' sighed Dohate as he looked up at the tall pair.

'DID HE CALL ME A CHICKEN!' cried the Caladrius, flapping its wings. 'YOU SON OF A FROST BITTEN GARDEN GNOME! I HOPE YOU DIE THIS NIGHT!'

'Easy Caladrius,' hushed Dohate as he just stared at the mages. 'We can leave our differences for later, right now Avalon needs your help. I trust you understand the concept of Magic Sharing?'

'Do you take us for backwater savages!' exclaimed the other, clearly female in voice, 'of course we understand what Magic Sharing is! Ecne taught us so!'

'Good then I do not have to waste my time explaining it to you,' replied Dohate smugly as he smashed the bones and vials with his staff, sending flecks of blood and shards all across the sigil. 'Bloody Cultists...'

'We heard that Grass-Eater.' The cultist was about to raise his hands against the druid when he felt something cold against his exposed neck.

'Shut the fuck up milk-drinker,' growled Eonan, his hand on the man's shoulder, 'now is not the time for your pettiness. Now help the druid with this plan before we all end up dead.'

'Thank you Eonan.' Taking a moment, Dohate whistled shrilly. The sound carried on the wind like a crisp breeze, bringing ease to the wary hunters as if they were standing amidst a field of flowers. The cry of a Yesbryd broke the illusion, with Tapco rushing up the ramps to the top of the head. Lying on his back was a determined Gringolet, carefully holding on while trying not to hurt the horse. Trotting up to Dohate, Tapco's amethyst eyes looked beyond the wall into the sea of red eyed nature.

'Gawain,' said Dohate. 'Trust in Tapco to get you to the Lich.'

'Can I trust you old boy?' asked Gawain as he lifted Gringolet off and placed him on the ground.

Tapco shook its head and stomped in acknowledgement. It looked at Gawain and gave a war cry, its turquoise mane of flame bursting with light before slowly dying down.

'He is ready,' said Dohate as he looked to Eonan, 'I think Gawain will need your blade. It hums with the skill of the faeries Geat.'

Half-heartedly Eonan drew out his blade, Galatine and held it towards Gawain. 'If we survive this night, I want it back.'

Taking the leather hilted silver greatsword, Gawain looked at the green gem in the cross-guard and his reflection in it. He saw a scared man. He saw a fearful man. But what he saw was himself for the first time in ages. He saw that he was no genius, he was no hero, he was a man. He was a man with a duty, he was a Knight of Avalon and that would never change. More importantly he knew what he was fighting for.

'Master always knew what to say,' chuckled Gawain and he hefted himself onto Tapco. 'Dohate, is there anything else I need to know? How do I kill the Phoenix and the Lich? Do I kill them like a normal undead?'

'I know not what magic he had cast to make himself an undead, but the fact he had no heart when you found the body reminds me of the strange powers of the Bloodlands. If we follow the example of the rangers of the Wall of Gladuil...' said Dohate as he just looked to the east , '...hack his head off. It should undo the magic across the kingdom, even killing the Phoenix.'

'Simple enough,' replied a worried Gawain as Tapco moved under him, 'out run the Wyrm, past the horde of bloodthirsty monsters, re-kill the Bjorn and then slice off the head of the Lich while avoiding whatever strange powers he could hold...yeah, simple enough...'

'No backing down now kid,' said Dohate as he patted Tapco. 'have faith in yourself. Everywhere I went, I heard the tales of Gawain Orkney...now time to live up to your legends.'

'We will provide cover fire boy, just make sure to outrun the monster we are going to summon.' Eonan lifted up a crossbow and a quiver full of bolts, 'they were not planning on using this in the north so we decided to take them.'

'We will make sure to give you as much cover as we can Sir Gawain,' said a Geat.

'Thank you,' said Gawain, his fingers trembling as he looked once again at the insurmountable odds beyond. He watched as the Huldras crowded together, clearly trying to use more magic to destroy the dwarven built walls. They had to hurry. 'Dohate. Do it!'

'Mages, now,' commanded Dohate as he opened his mind to the flow of the life energy of the world; the Yennibwyd. He felt it, he felt it roil and twist in revulsion from the shroud of the death pressing down on the world. He grabbed it like a slimy eel and feed it into his staff, focusing it into the tip. As he did so, he felt something pierce him in his back and a surge of energy flooding into him.

The mages stood a respectable distance away from Dohate, using their bodies as conduits for the magic and feeding it into the druid as he casted his magic. Their eyes turned white as the focused, channeling the magic into the elder.

'O fywyd, daw marwolaeth. O farwolaeth daw aileni ac o aileni daw bywyd. Bod yn angau, y bwytawr i gyd. Rwy'n eich galw i gyflawni'ch natur fel diafol. Rwy'n eich galw o Wyrm. Rwy'n eich galw i wledda a bwyta, i fwyta'r rheini o'r blaen a bwyta tan eich llenwad. Rwy'n eich rhwymo â fy ewyllys a byddwch yn ymostwng. Nawr dewch allan, Wyrm Marwolaeth!'

Dohate's eyes glowed green as he bent the magic to his will, for unlike last time he was not asking; he was commanding. The sigil on the ground glowed a bright neon green, bursting with energy before slowly becoming consumed in a dark reddish black. It swallowed the offering into its maw, swirling like a blackhole. Raising his hand, Dohate lifted the sigil off the cobblestone and into the air. With a pushing movement he shoved the malevolently glowing symbol outwards, towards the attackers. The grey floor where it had been had been scorched with the symbol of the Triquerta, embers slowly dying out.

COME FORTH WYRM OF DEATH!' cried Dohate as he moved his had in a swiping motion. The sigil in the air began to rotate like a top, slowly at first but gaining speed.

'Steady,' said Gawain as he fixed his grip on Galatine. 'Steady.'

The spinning sigil soon became nothing more than a red-black disc in the sky, garnering the attention of the monsters and beasts. With a sound like a heartbeat, it expanded into twice its size Then another beat and it doubled again now around fifty meters in width. They all looked skywards with their red-eyes, entranced by the light. They did not have time to react to the giant grey mass that fell through and flattened everything beneath its mass.

'HRAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHH!'

'I know I should have been used to seeing this,' muttered Eonan as he looked at the monster, 'but that thing...that thing scares me...'

'HRAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHH!'

'That's a Wyrm?' breathed Gawain, a wave of nausea and fear washing over him. He felt Tapco clopping nervously as the Yesbryd's bravado was worthless in the face of this monster.'

'GO GAWAIN GO!' yelled Dohate, sweat streaming down his face as he strained to maintain the summoning circle and control the monster. He was one man completing a spell that required half a dozen.

'RIDE TAPCO!' yelled Gawain, spurring the horse. Holding onto its neck, he braced himself as Tapco leapt off the wall and into the air. As he did so, he looked down at the monster that was the Wyrm.

It looked like a massive worm with large scale plates. Its body twisted and slithered as it crushed the undead beneath it. Like a snake it curled and twisted, the tip slamming against the wall of Freysguard making it shudder. But that was not part that was the most fearsome of the white and grey monster, it was its head. Arrow-headed at the top, it looked similar to a drake but it its lower jaw which was why it was considered so deadly. Within its mouth was a vortex of gnashing and swirling teeth, sucking up and consuming anything in front of it. Its orange reptilian eyes had no semblance of intellect for only one thing drove this monster; hunger.

Gawain watched as the creature vacuumed monsters into its mouth, pulled in and destroyed by the blender like cavity. Now he knew what Dohate meant by Tapco was the only thing fast enough to out run it. Looking forward, knew he would find the Lich within the shade of the forest. It must have used up all the bones within the Bjorn's lair and was now sitting pretty.

'Give your all Tapco,' said Gawain as he felt the shock of the horse landing on top of the Wyrm. He felt the balance shift as Tapco tried to gain its footing on the slimy scales that covered the monster, trying to help the horse by shifting his own weight.

'RAWWR!'

Gawain's eyes widened and his muscles tensed as he was about to swing Galatine at a Wyvern that had leapt up at him. As he brought the silver blade, he heard a distant twang. The wyvern fell back down to the ground, now with a wooden bolt impaled into its skull.

'GO ORKNEY!' yelled Eonan as he reloaded the crossbow and fired again. His hunters beside him all opened fire on the monsters below, picking off the more dangerous ones while the Wyrm did the rest.

'Come on Tapco.'

The Yesbryd whinnied before beginning its run down the massive body of the Wyrm, headed eastward towards the forest; and the head. Like a bolt of turquoise, Tapco ran with blinding speed. Its hooves sparked against the few dry rough scales of the Wyrm, a beat that was the sole bit of order amidst the unholy amount of chaos around it. The Yesbryd ran down all two-hundred meters of the monster in a blink and slammed its hooves onto its head before pushing off.

'Oh shit...' cried Gawain as Tapco hit the snowy grass, dashing off at top speed for the forest. Looking back, he noticed that the Wyrm had begun to loose interest in the numerous monsters and was more focused on the bright, fast moving prey right in front of him.

'Doahte!' yelled Eonan as he noticed the monster's movements.

'I...cannot....control...it!' gasped the druid as blood began flow like tears from his eyes, slowly travelling down his wrinkled skin and onto the ground.

Gawain felt this shift held onto Tapco tighter, casting frequent glances behind him at the monster from hell. It had begun to move after them, at a speed betraying its size while inhaling everything from snow to dirt to a random Huldra. Its cry vanishing within the cacophony of its own whirring teeth. The sound rang in Gawain's ears, resonating with every single bone in his body. It shook him to the core, fearful that in front of such a monster he was able to do nothing. All he could do was run and pray it could not catch up to him.

'Run Tapco run!' prayed Gawain as he saw the forest cover was coming up ahead. Would they even be safe within the shade of the pines?

'YRAAAAAAAAAAGH!'

With the howl of an enraged beast, tree's fell and collapsed as something charged from within the darkness towards Gawain. He heard wood snap and leaves rustle, before his gaze was drawn upwards. Leaping high above him, its fur now burnt black but its eyes still glowing red was the Adlat Bjorn. It hurled itself at the Wyrm, slamming into the side of the giant beast and knocking it to the side. It them slowly got to its feet, and with its arms wide open it roared into the sky.

The Wyrm was not pleased as it too coiled up and raised its head at the Bjorn which was clearly smaller than it. Its teeth whirled as it gauged the enemy before it. Rearing its head it went in for a strike to end that which was less than half its size.

The Bjorn was not having any of it. It opened its maw and blasted the Wyrm with a stream of black fire, the crystals on its back humming with dark energy. Its eyes widened as it increased the size of its flame, slowly moving forward on its hind legs as it forced the Wyrm back.

Wyrms lived in the north for unlike their cousins, they hated heat. They burrowed into the frozen ground of Jotunhiem and around the river Ifingr, refusing to leave the icy north. This black flame was more heat than it had ever experienced in its life, and it hurt so much!

'You are lucky I had need of you,' swore Gawain as Tapco ran into the forest. As soon as he entered, he felt the air drop a few degrees and the air became suffocating. It was as if he was being smothered by a blanket, a blanket that tasted and smelt of ash.

Suddenly Gawain felt the world spin and he fell to the forest floor, slamming his nose against a tree, breaking it. Dizzily he got back to his feet, snapping his nose into place and getting rid of any blood. Sniffling, he turned back to see what had caused Tapco to stumble. Curling around the legs of the horse were black vines, twisting and entangling it.

'Wait Tapco,' said Gawain as he approached the horse, slowly patting his pouches for anything he could use to delicately cut the vines. Reaching into his back pouch, he felt the blade of the Kusarigama he had purchased earlier. Taking it out he knelt down to hack the vines when he was blasted in face with hot air.

Looking at Tapco, Gawain saw the horse's determined eyes. Tapco nudged its head in the direction of the Lich, unwavering. It then began to breath heavily, the flames on its back rising and falling with each breath. The turquoise flames began to burn the black plants away, keeping them at bay. 'Go fool.'

'Stay safe,' said Gawain as he got up and began running. He was going to end this! He was going to end this nightmare, this unholy night! The monster was right ahead of him, one shot to the head! That was all it was going to take. Bursting into the clearing, in as soon as he broke the tree cover he charged his armor with magic. The circuits blazed with white light as they covered his armor and descended down Galatine, giving the blade a holy light.

'Should have figured it would not be that easy,' muttered Gawain, feeling his adrenalin desperately fighting his crippling fear. As he ran through pillars and spikes of bones, all emerging from the ground like curling fingers. Joined by rotting muscle and tendons, the Lich had turned the Adlat Bjorn's territory into a veritable fortress.

'You...the one the Stag-Horned one speaks about.'

Still running for the cave, Gawain felt his feet bounce off the ground as if he was running across flesh. The unnerving voice echoed across the clearing, wafting between the spikes and skulls before reaching Gawain.

'Why are you here! You should be at the Green Grove!'

'Sorry to disappoint,' replied Gawain as he felt the earth beneath him shift. Stopping suddenly he leapt back and sliced the bone armored tendril that had erupted from where he had been. It flopped on the ground before going inert, the rest of the tendril retreating back into the ground. 'I have come for your head Lich!'

'You may be liked by nature boy! But you are not safe from the Stag-Horned one's wrath! Humanity has betrayed him long enough, he cannot abide your disrespect any longer!'

'So you decided to kill everyone? You sacrificed your humanity for this Stag-Horned knight?' roared Gawain as he heard unsettling creaking around him. Casting a glance to the side, he watched as the bone spikes slowly began to rise, rising in such a fashion that it encircled the knight.

'The True Queen dictates it! It was she who spoke to the Stag-Horned one, who opened his eyes to the misery of the world. It was she who talked to me and spoke into my mind through him. She who walked this earth for decades, who saw an Avalon beginning to fall into the ruin it has become. My eyes have been opened! The world must be reset, it must be reset to stone! If not stone then blood and bone!'

'Queen?' asked Gawain as he heard the ramblings of the Lich, 'what Queen are you talking about? Rheannon?'

'She who ruled this world before ugly cockroaches swarmed it, who saw an Avalon ruled largely by nature and wishes it back.'

'Now I know you are insane,' cried Gawain as he ran for the cave, trying to outpace the growing spikes. As he reached the end, he slid on the ground as he swung Galatine with all his strength. The faerie blade cut into the bone and flesh, toppling a pillar, allowing Gawain to jump through the attempted cage.

Leaping off the stump, Gawian gagged as something grabbed him by the neck and shoved him back into the cage. It was the Phoenix! Its claws dug into his chest, cracking the magically enhanced plate before throwing him onto the blood soaked dirt.

Tumbling, Gawain gasped as he looked up. Standing on the stump was the Lich, dressed in the clothes he had worn in life. A dirty brown poncho which covered its entire body, a headband with traditional Aagario designs and multiple rings on its hands. It had cloth wrapped around its arms and a single feather tucked behind his ear. Its eyes glowed purple with malice, burning dots amidst a shriveled face. Its poncho covered the gap in its chest which held...whatever it had for a heart.

Perched on its shoulder was the Fallen Phoenix, a massive bird the size of an eagle. Its dark plumage burned at the edges, its eyes black and lifeless. Its claws looked sharp, such that it carved into the Lich's clothes even when it was not trying.

'So you show yourself,' spat Gawain, spitting out dirt as he licked some blood off his lips. Slowly getting to his feet, he felt blood seeping out of his nostrils. 'Brother of Dohate.'

'He never understood and I sense neither will you. It is not my place to end you, that is the Stag-Horned ones, so sit quietly while I send you to him.' Clicking its hands, bony spines swum beneath Gawain just above the surface as they formed the Triquerta. The bones lay inert as the Lich looked at Gawain with an unreadable expression. 'Do you know what the Triquerta means?'

Gawain did not answer as he lunged forward. His feet flew as he dashed for the exposed Lich, getting within striking distance.

'So barbarous...humanity is indeed doomed.'

Gawain felt himself blasted back, slamming against a pillar of bone. Groaning, Gawain fell to the ground and looked up at the Lich. Its hand was outstretched with a orb of wind within. It swirled and howled, but despite how ravenous it looked, it maintained its orb like shape. 'The hell is that?'

'A spell I learnt from her Majesty. She has shown me much boy. Now sit.'

He is treating me like a dog!' thought Gawain as he got once more to his feet. What were his options here? He was trapped in the completed dome of bone, the only opening guarded by the Lich and its pet. He could cut open the dome again, but that left his back exposed to whatever madness the Lich had gained from this 'Queen''.

'Come on Orkney luck,' muttered Gawain beneath his breath, 'do not fail me now.' Looking down, he saw that the Triquerta had begun to glow as the Lich began to use magic. In order to use druidic magic an offering had to be made, what was the Lich using? Then it hit him, the offering was him! This Stag-Horned, the one whose name had plagued him for so long wanted him so badly. But why? What was so special about this boy from New Camelot? What made him special?

'Your face speaks volumes boy. Why you? Why are you the one he wants to meet? It is your fate boy, the Norns whispered it in hushed tones but the trees always listen. You are meant clash with the Stag-Horned one, and you are meant to die by his hand.'

'I make my own fate,' replied Gawain, mustering what bravado he had left. His hands trembled, not only from fear but the pure anger and hatred seeping out from the Triquerta. It had begun to link with the Stag-Horned one, its emotions almost suffocating. 'And no one dictates that!'

'THEN YOU ARE A FOOL FOR FATE DICTATES EVERYTHING!'

'I am a fool,' replied Gawain as he took a deep breath. He focused, he focused harder than he had ever in his life. In this moment he was not a genius, he was not a carefree wanderer, he was not even a knight. In this moment he was Gawain Orkney, a human against a monster. Adrenalin coursed through his veins as Gawain exhaled, his breath steaming in the cold of Odinsvollur. 'I have always been a fool. I have been a coward. I have been an idiot. But you...you who follow this 'Queen', are a bigger fool than me. Because you forgot one thing.'

'And what is that?'

'HUMAN TENACITY!' roared Gawain as he slashed at the Lich, a blade of magic rocketing from his arc and right towards it.

'FOOLISH!' screamed the Lich, using his orb of swirling wind to dissipate the energy blade. As it looked at Gawain, its eyes widened at what it saw. 'YOU!'

'Yeah,' grinned Gawain as he hefted Galatine and began swinging it from the chain of the Kusarigama. 'me.'

In the moment of distraction, Gawain had tied the chain around Galatine's hilt and cross-guard and unwound the chain fully. Grasping the hilt of the blade part of the Kusarigama, he began to swinging the magically enhanced chain and blade. Groaning, the force felt like it was going to rip his arms from his body as he slammed the blade into the side of the dome.

Shards of bone and flesh flew as the red moonlight seeped in, filtering in through the gaps. As he swung the Gawain turned and used his full body to send Galatine in an arc for the Lich. Like a halo of white, it carved a gash into the dome on a beeline for the Lich's head.

'Did you really...' began the Lich raising its hand to create another orb of air. As the blade reached within his grasp, he smiled before it vanished from his sight. 'What?'

Gawain had pulled the chain back, his muscles tearing from the action. Dashing forward, he grabbed Galatine by its hilt and leapt up into the air. Reaching the Lich, it confusion still plagued it up until the point Gawain drove the curved blade of the Kusarigama into its head.

'GAAAARRR!' it howled, before feeling its face smashed in by Gawain's knee, sending it reeling back.

'Get over here!' roared Gawain, as he grabbed the steel chain and pulled the Lich towards him. Through bloodied eyes, the Lich saw the gleam of Galatine awaiting it and saw nothing but death ahead of it. Crying aloud, it screamed for its pet to heal it. Where was his Phoenix?

'I will end this nightmare,' promised Gawain, reading his stance, 'once and for...'

Gawain stopped mid sentence, his jaw dropping down as his knees hit the floor. His eyes wide open, they were glassed over as he stared at nothing.

Breathing heavily, the Lich's eyes glowed red as it panted. A psychological reaction, it heaved as it inhaled nothing and looked around. The Phoenix was in a corner, screaming silently as smokeless flames burned it. Its head was sliced apart, possibly from the remnants of the ethereal slash.

'Once again the Queen has helped me,' it muttered, concentrating its efforts to complete the summoning spell. Raising its voice it began to chant, the glow of the Triquerta reaching a fever pitch. Its eyes turned back from red to purple as he raised his hands high and completed the spell. Yet something was off? The magic did not flow as it was supposed to.

Looking down the Lich's eyes widened as it saw that the Triquerta of bones had been sliced into pieces. The sigil was fractured! The magic will be wild and uncontrollable! As these thoughts ran through its mind, the light of the Triquerta burst and its vision soon became colored red.

◊◊◊

Opening its eyes, the Lich saw that it was no longer within its fortress of bone. Instead lush green forest surrounded him, enveloping him in its embrace. Its pet lay dead next to him, twitching as its body slowly decomposed. The portal had not been kind to it. Getting to its feet, a feeling of familiarity reached the Lich's heart. The feeling of both anger and balance, peace but at war. Only one place had ever given him this feeling; the Green Grove.

'It had worked!' it exclaimed, slowly walking through the foliage. Its head throbbed as it began to feel the emotion of the Stag-Horned One seep through the ground he walked on. Looking up, it could make out the Red Moon over head. Smiling he knew that as long as he lived, the purge would continue. The world would be reset and nature will once again reign supreme.

'Druid,' came a voice behind the Lich. The forest rustled from the power, the leaves swaying as the voice echoed from within its viridian depths. 'Why are you here, setting foot within my kingdom?'

'Oh Stag-Horned lord of nature, a small complication has occurred. I was brought here along with your fated enemy, the fledgling who is fated to be the greatest wielder of the Faerie Queen's blessing.'

The forest stopped rustling, as if the creature within was in thought...or searching for Gawain. Then a blast of hot wind bore into the Lich as he was pushed of balance and fell to the ground.

'I do no sense him. If he is truly here, then he is within the fortress of my once-liege's knight. The warrior is not here, he is fighting my children amongst the Dragon Graveyard. You did well to plant seeds there...even if they are nothing but skeletal puppets they will do good work.'

'Soon humanity will end and nature shall rise again,' laughed the Lich before he laughed no more. His body split in half down the middle and with a spurt of rotten blood, fell to the sides silent.

Hefting the giant wooden sword, the Stag-Horned one looked at the dead body from within the shadows. Its blood red eyes stared at the body of the human which had done its bidding for years without any affection. It had merely been a tool, a tool to carry out the twisted plan of the True Queen.

'You did your part human...now it is time to listen to fate. Come to me Green Knight, knight of my former liege. Come to me and face your destiny.'

Disappearing into the forest, the Stag-Horned one headed for the one place he could not enter...yet.