Armand picked up the pace as he traveled the familiar streets of his hometown. He didn’t realize how much he missed the sounds in smells of the plateau. After about fifteen minutes of traveling the main street at the top of the Ascend Road, Armand turned right heading toward Desentes Keep. He could see the ramparts of his ancestral home from here and it filled him with memories of his childhood. Sneaking into the stables to ride his horse after hours. Getting caught in the kitchen sneaking extra sweets. Weapons practice in the courtyard with his two brothers Fenris and Eobard. Eobard is next in line to his father Lord Antonio Desentes of Iron Mountain Plateau. Fenris is captain of the guard for the city. He can usually be found at city hall, the main seat of government and the old Temple of Ryan, God of Bureaucracy and Order. Armand hoped they could all share a meal like the old days when their mother was still alive. While lost in his thoughts, Armand came upon the gates to his home. The guard at the gates bowed and welcomed him home.

“Michael, it is great to see you. I have so much to tell you of our adventures.” Armand said clapping him on the shoulders.

“My lord, I would love to hear all about it, but your father insists you go straight to him. I got the feeling its very important.” Michael replied obviously disappointed that he couldn’t hear Armand’s tale.

“Very well, another time then.” Armand retorted as he stepped passed him and onto the grounds proper.

Within the walls of the keep he could see there was new construction projects going. The stables were gone, and another gate was up in its place. It led back out through the wall presumably to where the stables had been moved. As Armand got closer, he noticed wagon and horse tracks solidifying his assumption. Why would his father move the stables after all this time? A question he’d have to ask later. There was also what appears to be a storage warehouse being built within the grounds of the keep. It was overlapping one of his mothers gardens. That would not stand. Armand picked up his pace and made it to the front door where he was greeted by a servant.

“Welcome home my lord.” She said.

“Where is my father? I must speak with him.” Armand commanded.

“He is in the study on the first floor. Would you like to bathe and change before attending him?” She asked.

“No, propriety will have to wait until words have been exchanged.” Armand replied as he stomped past her.

Shortly he came before the door to the study and knocked on it briskly. He heard a sharp, “Come”, as his only reply. Armand opened the door to see his father and both of his brothers standing around a table with head of the King’s Knights pointing to a map.

“Oh, good it is you, Armand.” Lord Desentes said.

“About time.” Eobard said.

“How was the guild mission this time?” Fenris asked with light in his eyes.

“No time for that. Armand come look at this and tell me what you see.” Lord Desentes said.

Armand walked over to the table and noticed it was a map of the Plateau and its surrounding settlements. It had Everhart far to the south with an X through it and several other distant settlements. Most of the settlements south and west had x’s. To the north were several small griffin statues converging on the plateau and to the east were some small hammer statues heading west.

“Looks like we are writing off the settlements to the south while calling for reinforcements from the Crystal Cascade and Shattered Sky.” Armand said with alarm.

“Good summary, you always had a mind for battle.” His father said.

“What is going on? I just came from Everhart not a several weeks back.” Armand said.

“Nothing to be worried about yet. Right now, this is just games and theory. We have received word that those Vasilly bastards are starting to move. Some grand new strategy from their Emperor, that slithering bastard.” Lord Desentes replied.

“I have several questions. Would anyone like to get me up to speed?” Armand Asked.

Armand’s father nodded to Fenris to take him aside and explain. Fenris pulled away from his side of the table to bring Armand to a map on the wall.

“You see we have received word from the Griffin King that Vasilly has made pacts with monster races to destabilize the Griffin Kingdom. The Adventurers Guild has been getting an abnormal amount of job requests lately to deal with monsters and goblin attacks all south and west of here.” Fenris said as he pointed to an area roughly two days away from Everhart.

“That makes sense, we spotted a Vasilly translator in a Kobold den when we went to rescue the town of Everhart. But there was also a marauder camp nearby.” Armand said as he stroked his chin looking at the map.

“What?!” Fenris asked with shock in his voice.

“What’s wrong?” Armand asked.

“Tell father everything you just told me.” Fenris said all but dragging the much larger Armand back to the central table.

“What has happened Fenris?” Lord Desentes asked.

“Well as I was telling Fenris we ran into a Vasilly Translator dealing with some Kobolds south of Everhart. Then we stopped a group of Marauders just north of Everhart. Finally, about 5 hours ago we captured a Vasilly scout on our way here and gave him to the town guard. I’m leaving out huge chunks of my journey but I’m sticking to what is important for this conversation.” Armand quickly explained.

“You brought the scout into the city?!” Lord Desentes asked with alarm on his face. He then pointed to Fenris and told him to go.

“What’s happening?” Armand asked.

“I must return to the Crystal Cascade at once and inform his majesty of this news.” The King’s Knight said.

“Knight Captain, I urge you to wait. If we can secure this scout, we may yet find out what their plans are.” Lord Desentes said.

“What do you mean secure? I had him sent to the cells for questioning.” Armand said clearly confused.

“Everyone we have captured to date ends up missing or dead. Right in their cells.” Eobard said with a defeated look on his face.

“If I’m to stay I must send a runner at least your Grace.” Said the Knight Captain.

“Fine, but more information would only help his majesty to make the decision. A call to arms among the three races hasn’t happened since the signing of the accords.” Said Lord Desentes.

In a dark cell within the city hall in a wing used exclusively as a prison, the captured Vasilly scout lay beaten and bloody. The guards took the liberty to “welcome” him to the Griffin Kingdom. No matter how badly they hurt him, he didn’t say a word. Even after they broke all the fingers on his right hand, he looked those sadistic city guards in eyes and said nothing. Luckily, they had no idea had badly they hurt him. He would bleed out in this cell as a hero of the great Vasilly Empire. As he was about to close his good eye for the last time, he felt a cold chill in the cell. He ached as he brought his ruined arms and legs closer to stave off the cold.

“Would you like to escape from here?” came a strange voice.

“Who’s there?” He said frantically looking around.

“Would you like to escape from here and punish those who hurt you?” said the same voice again.

“Yes.” He said weakly and with all the fire he had left in his soul. The soldier then felt a sharp pain in his neck followed by the sound of sucking. Then blissful nothingness.