*BOOM* “Holy shit! Okay, you have to explain that to me.” Sariah was beyond ecstatic with Corvin’s magic. She’d just tossed her hammer into a slow lazy spin straight up and activated the spell that she had just tuned with at the hammers zenith. Her hammer went from a lazy 10-foot arc to an astounding line drive. Colliding with the target, a dilapidated cart, left nothing more than splinters and a crater.

“Well, I’m an Energy Mage. When woven right, my spells store potential energy. Releasing the energy does, well, that, pointing at the destruction. Trust me when I say that it’s not safe to use with this force for a mortal or standard armament. I seem to have a bit of control with gravity as well, but that craft needs much more practice before I can use it in any noticeable way.” Corvin was weaving spells onto a rock while talking.

“How many of these spells did you place on my hammer?” She long ago had designed a spell that would return her hammer to her, something she picked up from Erff legends of Thor, and was presently re-activating that spell. I wonder if the humans there ever figured out that Odin and his children were a Mage faction sent to quell evil beasties? She idly thought.

“Hmmm. Roughly two hundred? It’s close to that. I wanted to make sure that any motion that you made could be amplified. I’ve never seen that metal before, but it’s extremely durable. Don’t overdo it though, I haven’t figured out how to completely stop the feedback yet and it will take its pound of flesh from whatever it’s written on.” He’d finished a very elaborate spell on the stone and handed it to her. “Infuse the spell to its limit, not the stone.”

Sariah opened a trickle of energy to the stone. “Wow. I’ve been around for a long time and I still love to see new crafts formed. Why do you keep asking me to infuse the spells?” Her retrieval spell activated on the hammer and it returned to her hand. “You never told me what you figured out with the arrows I sent you either.”

“Ah, yes. Sadly, I cannot activate my own spells. As for the arrows, only the head was imbued with blood magic. When we fired it at targets it acted like any other arrow would. It took a while and we nearly gave up, thinking that the energies in the blood had fully diminished. Arand wanted to test them against armor instead of hay targets and we did. They just bounced off standard armor. They’re not even heavy arrows.” He paused speaking and took the stone back. “We continued testing them against different targets until Kavon arrived. He asked to borrow one for his own tests and we agreed. When his little golem grabbed the arrow, the golem died, energy and all.”

“I see where this is going, these weapons were specifically designed to target magic.” She watched Corvin raise the stone into the air slowly with his gravity spell.

“Yes and no. More specifically, they were designed to taint YOUR magic. Kavon made hundreds of golems for us, each one stronger than the next. Eventually they didn’t die the moment they touched the arrowhead. More powerful golems were able to handle the arrows longer before dying. Fae history says that you often fought Ancients one-on-one. We believe that they made these weapons to kill you. We found records of crusades against magic users, hybrids and even profound inventors being killed by weapons such as these.” Corvin reached out to grab the stone, but it slammed violently into the ground when it’s energy ran out. He sighed and began to modify the spell.

“What do your records say about Ancients in your realm? Every race I’ve visited in the city knows me by their own name and has different legends of my old deeds.” She pulled a throwing knife from one of the pouches and tested the weight.

“Our history pegs you as a hero in my opinion. You’re never mentioned by the name Sariah. Fae are, in large part, made of energy. Unlike Dragons, we are far more in tune with nature. Something that never fit our history were Fomorians, I think that they are what most call “Ancients”. Fomorians were monsters that destroyed and consumed for no discernable reason. Near every Fae here, and in our own realms believes that you were known to us as Nemed. Legends say he was a man, but when those legends were written, they mostly did. It’s said that you killed at least four of the Fomorians in your time with us.” He gave the stone back to her for another infusion.

“I vaguely remember that name. Gah, these memory lapses are horrible. There are so many different versions of history that I can’t figure out which one is true or why I can’t remember things.” She handed the stone back to him.

“Human’s history is completely inconsistent. Dwarven historians in this realm have argued for over a thousand years that the Ancients followers wrote false events to make you out to be the enemy. They have found texts that reference you as a creator, protector and mother figure. According to what they uncovered in long lost cities, you were trying to unify all sentient beings to fight the Ancients destruction. Once many of the Ancients were dead they came to this realm due to its chaotic nature, Humans are always at war with each other and you had already caused massive destruction here. My belief is that you were unifying them by giving them a single enemy. Rarely were you ever responsible for death, only destruction. It was the perfect time for the Ancients to swoop in and claim to be saviors. Nobody knows why they locked you away instead of killing you, they had you dead to rights. You know what they say though, “History is written by the victors”. In this case, I think that they got the drop on you and re-wrote events from back then. I’d do the same if I were immortal and wanting to weaken your stance for future battles.” He activated the spell and they both watched the stone lift several feet off the ground. After a few seconds it fired into the sky causing a streak of fire. “Shit.”

A Pixie zipped from the tree line and landed on Corvin’s shoulder. “Raven, Humans have entered the woods bearing white flags and storing all weapons in a rear cart. Dryads have them halted outside of the city. It looks like the old Mages and that warrior guy are with them. We still don’t know who the third Mage is, so I do know if he’s with them.”

Corvin’s eyes scrunched together and a pained look came over him. “The Three coming here is understandable with the insanity going on in the capital city. Gray though, our last reports pegged him as a follower of the Ancients. He killed all the soldiers sent to investigate the first shrine. Evala, ready everyone for a battle. Lady, would you accompany me? It may provide a good opportunity to test that armor of yours.’

Cully popped into existence in front of the trio. “Hey there, hag.” she laughed and hugged Sariah as old friends should. “I’ve been pulling guard around here while you practiced. Everything that Corvin said is right. Why haven’t you just asked me about this? I was there after all.”

“Corvin, let’s get moving to keep your people safe. Cully, I honestly don’t remember you as well as you obviously remember me. I do not yet know if I can trust you. Corvin and Arand have been blood bonded to me, so they cannot lie to me. I’m sorry.” The spirit wilted a hair but recovered quickly.

“Understood. Kavon spoke of your memory loss along the way to the City of the Dead. I would be slow to trust as well. Delanna is recovering at a staggering rate, I believe that our Gnome has made her his priority. Would you like her to join us on the battlefield?” She directed the question to both leaders.

Corvin looked to Sariah, her opinion of her daughter’s mental stability mattered more than his desire for strong warriors. “Lady, I would love to have her there, but I leave the decision completely in your hands.”

“Bring everyone, if this goes south I want the entire group there to lay waste to them quickly. Inform her that she is only to use Lily as a weapon and refrain from absorbing anymore corruption until we link her to the new realm.” Ending the statement with a brief nod she placed her hand on Cully’s shoulder. “Old friend, I am certain that I will remember you fully one day. For now, I hope that it is enough that I trust you with my daughter, who happens to be the most potentially powerful being in existence for now.”

Cully smiled and vanished without another word.

The trio continued a light jog back to the city, Pixie out front leading. “Corvin, can you stack several of the layers into one spot on a weapon??

“Yes. Your weapon has five stacks of the spell on the rear of the hammer head, you’ve only tethered one so far. Once you tether them all, you can activate them parallel or in a series. Parallel will give you one very large release of energy since they will all go off at the same time. Series will give you a prolonged release of energy.” Pride gleaming on his face.

“What would I need a prolonged release of this energy for?” she was sure that there was a great reason for it and couldn’t wait to hear it.

“Well I just don’t know. You’re the immortal warrior here. If anyone could take advantage of it, I’d put my money on you.” He laughed when she lightly punched him on the shoulder.

Gray

“Raylek, what are they doing? Gray asked the old man.

“Fae are cautious people. There is a reason that the Emperor never had the balls to take out this faction. Either they will accept us for allies or they will destroy us as enemies. We’ve broken a very old truce by entering the woods. Raven is not known for his patience with trespassers. Worse than that though, these Fae keep mentioning The Wolf.” Raylek currently had a Barguest sniffing his face. Woven in and around the convoy were thousands of Fae, Dwarves, Giants and all manner of non-Human folk. Everyone was being inspected, already told not to move a muscle until the leaders arrived.

Speaking to the gentleman on horseback, sickle less than 6 inches away from killing him, Gray asked a question. “Excuse me sir, when should we expect an audience with Raven?” he managed much more bravado than he felt. This being seemed to want nothing more than to drop that sickle on his neck.

“No Gray, we do not talk to the Ankou. Ankou are widely known as the reapers of spirits. Most likely that’s why he has chosen to stand next to you. Friend, provoking him would not be in your best interest.” Raylek bowed his head deeply to the Ankou in a sign of respect. “Please forgive my friend, he knows little of the Fae.” Fortunately, the Ankou calmed a bit at this and backed the sickle off another six inches from Gray’s neck.

Brownies had checked all the carts and took their weapons away long ago. Gray had never felt so exposed. “I still believe that we would have been wiser to go to the Dwarves.”

“Maybe, but by the time we got there the Emperor would have broken the ward. We needed to go somewhere quickly. Pixies can get to the Dwarves faster than you or I could ever travel to raise the alarms for them. Who knows what is going to happen when that ward breaks.” Raylek seemed to have passed inspection from the Barguest and now was being inspected by a Frost Giant.

“Raylek. I am Karoom. You saved my sister from the crusades against my people long ago. If my Queen commands it, I will destroy you. I will not enjoy it though.” The enormous blue giant said.

“Touching.” Gray said with venom in his tone.

“It is their way. Frost Giants are elite amongst their kind. They are forged from birth as warriors that thrive on the death of inferior beings. Informing me that he will not enjoy killing me is one of the highest honors one could possibly bestow upon someone. Essentially he considers me an equal and does not wish to take my superiority from this world.” He told Gray quickly. “Thank you Karoom. Should I die by your hand today, dishonor will not be spoken of your name.”

Karoom placed a hand lightly on Raylek’s back.

“Raven is a woman?” Gray asked.

“No, what makes you say that?” Raylek looked utterly confused.

“He said “Queen”. Since when did the Fae have a Queen?”

“Not since before Raven. Interesting. I wonder if they are talking about her.” Raylek seemed unsettled by this idea.

Suddenly a new group of people stepped on top of a root that was roughly ten feet tall. Amongst them stood two Fae men, Kavon, a golem being ridden by a Gnome and Blood Elf woman with smoke roiling around her body, a child, a bright blue spirit and a blue skinned elf eared woman. Every being not actively inspecting the Human’s took a deep bow at their arrival.

Kavon stepped forward first, skin sinking to show natural carapace armor, a tail growing over his head. “You stand before the Wolf and the Raven, kings of the Fae and rulers of these lands. Why have you come here Raylek?”

Gray noticed that the Ankou had placed the razor-sharp edge of his sickle against his neck in response to the groups arrival.

“Kavon, the Emperor’s corruption is complete. As we speak he is murdering citizens and attempted to destroy the Mages. We few escaped and found Commander Gray on the run as well. We wish to claim asylum and inform you of current events in the capital city.” Raylek bowed to the two men that had thus far not moved.

“Our last reports said that Commander Gray was a follower of the Ancients and traveled with you. How are we to know if you are here for asylum or to bring us war?” Kavon trusted Raylek beyond any other man. He’d known Kavon’s secret but shielded him from investigation and notice, but protecting Sariah was his duty.

“Both myself and Gray were taken hostage by a Wraith.” Raylek visibly shuddered. “Gray’s son and his son’s best friends gave their life in service to the Artifact powering the ward so that it’s offensive power would activate. The being inside helped kill the Wraith and return us both to our own minds.”

“And how are we to know that you are cleansed?” Kavon asked.

“It’s simple, The Destroyer would easily be able to tell if we still carried the Wraith’s energy.” Collectively the Humans gasped. None of them had ever imagined meeting a God, much less meet The Destroyer. There were mixed feelings. Some were terrified, others excited and a few were simply reverent.

Sariah simply smiled at the clever man. “You’re correct Mage. Should I sense that nasty energy on you, I will not hesitate to have these fine people end your life. Approach alone.”

Raylek stood on legs that were stronger than he could remember having in over a hundred years. While the energy was gone, his body had still been restored. He approached cautiously, Karoom never more than a foot from him and ready to bring that massive shield down on his head.

The Blood Elf’s eyes were a deep black. She was eerily beautiful, and terrifying. Each step closer to Sariah that he got caused tension to form on the group and the Elf’s smoke moved faster and faster. Raylek knew that one false step would be certain death for him.

Finally reaching five feet from Sariah he stopped, went to his knees and placed his forehead on the ground with arms extended completely in front of him touching the ground with his palms. Terrified, he felt a soft touch on the back of his neck and peace flooded over him. In over 200 years he’d never felt this wonderful. It was like being rocked to sleep by his mother.

“Your Essence is clear mage. Srit, you can stand down.” Raylek dared a glance up to see an Imp closing a spell. That spell had been ready to vaporize him with Demon Fire if he was lying. This group was so incredibly scary.

“Well shit, you don’t let me slap him around, don’t let me burn him and tell me to leave the uptight prick over there alone. You’re not very fun anymore.” The imp sulked away to stand with the group.

Gray underwent the same treatment, except the backup plan for his lies was an enormous obsidian golem standing over him. All that golem had to do to squish him was sit down.

“All of your people will be tested for their energy. Should any refuse, run or resist we will kill them.” Corvin told Raylek. “Raylek, Vardin and Gray, come with me. Tell that one to get out of the trees and be tested so that we may speak.” Corvin pointed to a young man that believed himself to be completely concealed on a branch. “We will need all of The Three in this meeting to discuss terms.”

“Boo!” a soft female voice rang out behind Shin.

Shin yipped and fell off the branch, caught in midair by a youngling dryad. “Noooo, you don’t die when we play games. How are you supposed to get me back for that if you’re dead? I’m Telara, this is my tree. Thank you for the compliments you gave while climbing my branches! What are you called?” the tiny dryad smiled sweetly.

He smiled back. “Shin. This really is a beautiful tree, it fits you well young Dryad. I don’t suppose you would be kind enough to set me down by my friends over there?”

“Sure! But come and play with me later?” she was already in the process of extending like a growing branch towards the ground.

“If they” he pointed at the two Fae men and Sariah “allow it, I will! I don’t think they like Human’s much.”

“Nonsense, Raven and Wolf are just grumpy old men. The blue lady is nice, she will like you if you tell her that she is beautiful too. But don’t mean it when you say it, you should only have eyes for me, after all.” She stuck out her tongue at him and his feet touched the ground.

“Ah milady, you are truly the most beautiful woman in all of existence. Until my dying day I will remember being saved by the Dryad Goddess Telara.” He bowed and turned to the group. All except for Gray were laughing at the exploits.

“What, she’s crazy sexy.” He made a rude gesture to Raylek and Vardin. Gray, I’m sorry to hear about your son. He was like a brother to me.” Shin placed his right hand over the soldiers left shoulder. They touched foreheads, a sign of family.

“Thank you Shin. He loved you as a brother as well. You are still welcome to claim any home I have as your own and call me father as you always have.” They both parted and turned to face Sariah.

“My Lady…What is your actual name? I’d hate to call you The Destroyer at risk of pissing you off.” He stuck his hand out, palm up, closed his eyes and bowed his head.

“Sariah is the name I prefer. Thank you for asking.” Sariah placed a hand on the boy’s palm, feeling for any of the Ancient taint on his Essence. “You are clean of the taint as well. Telara! Can you leave your tree and come with us please?” Sariah gave Shin an evil grin.

“Oooohhhhhh. Mater Wolf, may I?” she asked in a pouty voice that a child would give their father.

“Telara, you’re always welcome by my side. Do not tease the poor boy without at least telling him your true age, it is rude.” Arand spoke to the Dryad.

“Aww, but that’s part of the fun Master Wolf. When they think they’re older than me they try to play tricks on me. I like to see what they come up with. Humans like to brag about their deeds or how strong they are. It’s pretty funny when you grow up with Giants and Fae.” She pouted. “Shin, I am one hundred years old. For a Dryad, that makes me young, but I’m what you would consider…” she paused to think.

Shin spoke up for her. “a teenager. Your tree is a Great Elm, which means that you age slower than most Dryads but are of a noble chaste. Your bark grows heavier to the north of the tree, you are a Celestial Dryad. I am honored.” He laughed, looking around at disbelieving looks of the others. Even Telara seemed a bit taken back by the boy’s knowledge.

“How do you now such things?” Telara was now completely enthralled by the boy. Nobody outside of Dryads had this much knowledge of such seemingly small details.

“The Three have always kept up with non-Human races. We’ve hidden refugees, defended your lands and homes, studied your cultures and sent you aid in times of need. Plus, I grew up with a Dryad in my home.” Shin pointed to Gray, who seemed confused.

“Wait. What Dryad?” he asked.

“The tree in your back yard was tended by a Dryad, Gray. Your own life was saved a few times by her healing. When you were impaled through the lung and got the rot, she removed it while you slept. I applied a false paste and called it a healing salve. You’ve carried her seed for two years. Her strength is most likely what allowed your survival of the Wraiths presence.” Shin suddenly turned bright red. Everyone had seen the Dryad reach behind him and pinch his ass.

“Do you have any other secrets to waylay me with? Why did you never tell me?! What do you mean by, “carried her seed”?” Gray fostered Shin since he was born, he couldn’t believe the kid capable of keeping such a thing from him.

“Your oath was to the Emperor, a known hater of anything non-Human. You’re a good man, and you would have chosen to protect them if the choice was your own. Pallus’ decrees were to have non-Humans killed on sight though, and you would not have broken that oath. Telling you would just have pained you and made you kill them.” Shin hugged the big man.

“And carrying the seed?” Gray was surprisingly accepting of the reasoning and seemed to be comfortable in his new surroundings.

“I figured out that your headaches, muscle twitches, seizures and changes in how things smelled to you was a brain tumor. I asked her if she could heal them. She told me that she could not heal them from without but could within. To my surprise she offered her seed to implant into your head. She healed every bit of your affliction overnight if you remember.” Gray’s mouth was open wide.

“What is her name?” Telara asked as she moved to Gray and placed both hands on his head. She closed her eyes and focused.

“Pyro, she liked the irony of being named after the thing Dryads fear the most. “It’s like a Human being named Spider!” She told me all the time. I never thought it was funny when she’d prove how afraid of spiders I was. I miss her, pranks aside.” Shin’s face fell a bit, but he continued walking.

“I think he’s right Gray. I can feel her presence in your mind right now. With your permission I would like to remove her and allow her to form a tree of her own again. It will not hurt you at all. She seems very pleased to have been a part of you, though she’s very weak and cannot recover without natures touch.”

“Please, do what you must to preserve her life. I wish to know the woman that I owe my life to.” He quickly spoke. With no hesitation, Telara pulled a small seed from Gray’s ear causing him to collapse into her arms. She placed the seed in her palm and it absorbed into her skin. “I will plant her later. Way to faint and make this a very dramatic affair.” She laughed at Gray as his cheeks burned red with embarrassment.

After a minute or so of laughing, Corvin and Arand opened the door to their home. “Telara, you have permission to enter.”

Sariah had tested all the people in the convoy before heading out. She left Kavon and Karoom to handle integrating them into the village. Karoom sent his brother Kareem to guard Raylek, claiming the old Mage as an honorary Frost Giant. Gray was fitting in quite well for a man that was considered an enemy not long ago. Tom had checked the man’s mind and found large amounts of damage, mostly just deep sorrow and a need for vengeance. Tom eventually had given him the “go”.

“Please be seated everyone. We have much planning to do. When Roknar arrives, we will begin.” Arand had informed everyone that he had a plan to attack the capital and overthrow the Emperor once seeing Kavon’s work with the shard he’d been gifted. Though it was not as powerful as Delanna’s glove or even the half of a piece of armor that Sariah had re-bonded, it was an amazing thing.

As if on que, Roknar stepped through the door. A stocky fella, even for a dwarf, completely covered in shadow silk and leather bindings. The dwarf moved in complete silence, thickening the air with his presence.

Sariah could feel power emanating from Roknar and thought, this is not a Dwarf to be trifled with. Srit, we must keep our eyes on this one.

Srit said nothing aloud but sent his agreement to Sariah.

Corvin stood and began the meeting. “First things first, where exactly is the third temple?”

*Pallus*

“The ward is nearly shattered Emperor. We have broken most of the weapons in the process.” Bardin, the newest Commander of the military reported. Pallus had four Commanders executed since the start of this insane mission.

“Finish the job Commander or join your former Commanders. Leave me.” Pallus waved off the man and continued his own mission. He was combing through every record that could be found referencing the third and final Artifact Temple. Sadly, The Three seemed to never write about the temple without using some coded language. Spies had been trying for three days to decode the language with no success.

“Bring in the Mage.” Pallus yelled at the door.

Less than two minutes later a gangly old man was carried into the chamber, feet dragging and covered in wounds.

“Mage, I tire of your resistance. Tell me what you know about the temple and I will allow you to live out your days in a cell. Your other option is torture for your remaining time.” Pallus waved and one of the guards sent a devastating blow to the old man’s kidney.

Blood spewed from the man’s mouth. Once recovered enough to speak he looked up at Pallus. “I’ve told you. I don’t know anything! I was not selected to be one of The Three. Why would they tell me anything?!”

“Mages covet knowledge. You are telling me that you not once overheard talk of the temple? You never knew when they were leaving and how long it took for them to return? I can’t believe that anyone in your order would be able to resist trying to follow them.” Pallus’ eyes had turned fully insane by this point, murder emanating from the man in an aura so thick that it made the Mage’s skin crawl.

“Here is what I can tell you. If you break that ward we will all die. Whatever is locked behind it is no friend to Humans. Can’t you see what it’s already done to you?! You were always a twat, but you’ve been changed completely by it! Torture me, I wouldn’t tell you anything even if I knew.” The old man spat on the ground at Pallus’ feet.

In a rage, Pallus stood and grabbed the Ancient’s prize weapon. Swinging the spiked ball over his head fast enough to make a whirring sound, his face twisted into something that wasn’t quite Human. In a voice that registered in multiple octaves he yelled loud enough for the guards to fall to the ground grasping their heads in pain. “YOU WILL ALL FALL AT THE FEET OF MY MASTER! I AM BUT THE HARBINGER OF DOOM!” The Emperor shifted his weight and slammed the spikes down on the kneeling man’s head, cleaving his entire body clear in two and spraying blood across every inch of the room.

Both guards witnessed the inhuman spectacle and tried to flee the room. Pallus, or whatever had taken over him. Grabbed the first one by the ankle and flung him across the room, splatting his body wetly on the far wall.

“My…My Emperor, I’ve served you my entire life without question! Please have mercy!” the guard shouted behind a pained and terrified face. The stone under him wet with his own piss.

For a moment, Pallus’ face flickered and returned to normal. Suddenly the insane visage re-appeared, and a grin spread across his face. “Mercy? You beg mercy of the God of Suffering? I am just a grain of sand in a desert while in this pathetic body and your kind explode with no more effort than a twitch of my hand. The only mercy that Human’s will get from me this time is the mercy of ending your failed race and consuming your realm. I will wake the other Gods and consume this universe! Mercy. Here is my mercy!” Pallus grabbed the man’s neck and lifted him high. Very slowly he poked his fingers through the man’s skin below the sternum. Anguish consumed the guard, he could feel the Emperor’s fingers rooting around in his chest cavity, playing with his organs and puncturing holes into his lungs. Finally, Pallus extended his grip around the man’s heart and squeezed.

I cannot believe we allied with these weak ass mortals before. It’s time to be free!

Pallus…no, Suffering kicked the door with enough force to break it off the hinges. His chain wrapped firmly around his body and fused with his Human-shell skin, burning off all his clothes and leaving the skin with a pestilent and rotten appearance. He was not totally free, but the barrier was thin enough to possess the weakened Pallus’ mind. Attacking the barrier kept the guardian too focused to notice the tendril of energy leaking out and attaching firmly to Pallus, now the guardian would pay.

Of the 40 guards in the antechamber, only two had the Ancient’s taint in their bloodlines. Thirty-Eight of the finest warriors this realm had perished in a wave of plague, acid and horror, and it had happened before the door had stopped tumbling from Suffering’s monster kick.

“Your choice is to serve or die like these fools. You’re of my blood, so your pain for betrayal will be greater and stretch for eternity.” Suffering stood calmly as the dead men’s bodies smoked.

Both men fell immediately to their knees and professed service.

“Wait here for my return. Until I am fully released, I cannot grant you power.” He strode past them and descended the stairs to the ward.

Dead bodies were laid out in rows all down the hallway leading to the wards Artifact.

The guardian has already began creating my army. Suffering grinned at the thought.

Too busy to notice the monsters approach, the remaining men attacking the ward continued to do so. Suffering made his way to the Artifact’s door, stood for a moment to study it and took a seated position. Immediately a barrier of popping ooze, red lightning and orange fire sprouted around him. He was syphoning as much strength as he could from the crack in the ward, knowing that the guardian would sever the link as soon as he noticed Suffering’s presence.

Minutes later the link was severed, Suffering had time to syphon close to twice the strength he’d already had when the possession of Pallus occurred, he knew it would be enough.

Unexpectedly, the door to the wards Artifact swung open. Suffering figured that destroying the door would be the only way in, this just became much easier for him. He strode confidently into the room, sure of his own power.

Sometime during his meditation, the solders attacking the ward had seen his disturbing barrier and the twisted version of Pallus that sat before the door. They had all fled in terror, dropping the Ancient’s weapons where they stood.

Eyes set upon the Artifact in the center of the room, Suffering spoke. “Face me guardian. You’ve tormented me for over a thousand years, I will return that favor shortly.” Suffering flicked his wrist sending font of power at the pedestal housing the Artifact.

A rune shaped light flared to life and redirected the energy back to him. Instead of trying to absorb the energy he just moved away from it.

“Old tricks will not save you Alvarak. Do not forget that we’ve done this dance in your place of power for a long time. I will not fall as easily as that stupid Wraith.” Suffering pulled the chain from his avatars skin causing the skin to stretch and break, leaving behind puss filled gashes.

Alvarak, the once mighty dragon, didn’t even give response to the threats. His spells had been defensive in nature, so he was incapable of attacking the Ancient directly. Ceville and Yaro, however, had given their lives to be the sword.

Blinding gold light spouted from the Artifact, heading straight for Suffering and forming into a young man with shield and sword. Another form shaped inside of the inner defenses, Ceville, weaving spells quickly. Around the room golden ice spike shapes began to form.

Yaro crashed into Suffering with a downward swing, immediately moving his shield in place to guard against Suffering’s counter attack. Ceville let loose one of the ice spikes behind suffering at the same moment. Suffering blocked Yaro’s attack with practiced ease, grabbed the shield and spun him around to take the blow of the ice spike.

Yaro yelped in pain but grew a bit larger. Apparently, these spikes would only recycle the power put into them. Suffering dropped low and swung his chain the opposite direction of his spin while throwing a hand out towards his opponent’s leg. Yaro managed to block the attempt on his legs but was caught in the back by the spiked ball at the end of the chain. His form blurred as the energy was being destroyed and he screamed in pain. Ceville launched three spikes from opposing directions, but Suffering dodged all three of them by mere inches. In the process of dodging he’d thrown the chain over Yaro in two loops. Now facing Ceville, Suffering pulled, and the chain tightened around his friend. Hooks jutted from the chain links, firmly embedding into Yaro’s form, his shield exploded into fragments and the energy dissipated into nothingness, leaving only the pained Yaro.

Ceville retracted spikes in front of him, forming an enormous and deeply powered arrow. He’d realized that their only hope was to launch everything he could muster into a single attack. He’d doubted that this attack would kill the creature, but at least he could wound him. Yaro was still able enough to see the arrow form, picking up on the tactic immediately. He strained for all he was worth, ripping his form by fighting the hooks and providing him enough reach to grab Suffering. Yaro locked his arms around the Ancient’s waist and willed chains of energy into existence. Chains embedded into the floor, attached to Yaro’s form, locking him firmly in place. He melded his hands together firming up his grip around Suffering’s waste.

Ceville finished his spell and jumped into a spin kick trailing power behind his feet. Suffering condensed his energy into a shield, focused on just the point of impact. Ceville’s foot collided with the spinning arrow and runes etched along the shaft and into the arrowhead as it fired with an incredible boom. Mid-Flight the arrow split, one aimed for Suffering’s head, the other for his stomach.

Suffering moved his defensive barrier to block the head shot, but took the stomach shot full on. Impacting the soft tissue of his avatar caused an earth-shaking scream to let loose from the Ancient. His stomach split open and the arrow tore out of his back. Contacting Yaro, the arrow amplified consuming what energy Yaro had left. The resulting explosion knocked Suffering forward.

Ceville was now on his knees, quickly wilting into nothingness having spent every bit of energy he could muster on that one shot. “Alvarak, it has been my honor to serve you for this brief time. May we one day met in The Afterlife.” The specter smiled one last time and vanished.

Suffering had pulled his entire being into Pallus’ head right before the shot impacted, completely preserving his form at the expense of the avatars now missing stomach. He’d not anticipated the explosion from behind him and it shoved his energy out of the avatar. Pallus’ body was officially dead, but that didn’t matter to Suffering, he had two more witless humans upstairs that he could inhabit just as easily.

In the center of the room, the Artifact shimmered, now much weaker than before. Alvarak popped out of the Artifact as a tiny bead of light energy and spoke to the Ancient. “We have battled for many years Suffering. Did you think to just waltz in here and not be harmed?” The bead let out a deep, hearty chuckle.

Suffering couldn’t speak in this form, but his anger pulsed like a drum beat around him. He condensed himself into an orb and blasted straight up through stone and floors, slamming his being into one of the two tainted soldiers that had been waiting on him. Alvarak’s laughing could be heard the entire way.

Alvarak needed the Ancient to leave so that he could execute his final act of defiance. Until this point his defenses had prevented him from leaving the small circle that they were drawn in, less he break the spells and forego their protection. Now he did not possess the power to even activate the spells, they were useless. He could, however, send a message to one person. He quickly scribed the runes used to turn Ancient’s powers against them, noting that the spells would be far less powerful without a Dragon’s spirit inhabiting them. He’d etched this message on the Artifact, though it would be dead the moment his energy was used to send the item, it would show where the message came from. Lilith would be able to read the language and verify its validity.

Alvarak took a second to reflect upon his long life and afterlife spent battling, creating and protecting. He allowed himself to finally feel an emotion that Dragons were not naturally accustom to, Pride. He molded the last of his energy that wasn’t currently in the ward and sent the dead Artifact along its way.