“Fear prophets, Adso, and those prepared to die for the truth, for as a rule they make many others die with them, often before them, at times instead of them.”

-Umberto Eco, The Name of the Rose.

Alyssa chanted a few syllables and a brightly glowing firebolt grew between her hands. Tonalla who crested the rim of the small depression with arrow nocked, let fly at that moment. The simultaneously loosed firebolt simply swallowed the arrow and nearly hit the archer who parried the flaming projectile with her bow, which promptly burst into short-lived flames. Tonalla let herself fall backward and beat out the few embers who had managed to ignite her home-spun tunic.

She shouted, “They are here!”

Olaf, shield and mace held before him, advanced and attacked Mireille who met him with her short sword at the ready. The sound of metal meeting metal broke the silence of the night sparks flew from the clashing weapons.

Christina followed by Grossar, wielding his longsword in a two-handed grip flanked them. The former raised her hand high, brown hair flying wildly around her head.

“Banish all darkness!” White light flooded the depression and Alyssas left arm began to smoke and hurt like it was being burned. Asandria flew higher into the sky escaping the radiance.

Alyssa tried to flee but Grossar was faster, hitting her with the longsword and badly bruising her arm as he struck with the flat of the blade. Cyrus who had been agitated by the commotion stabbed him with his stinger hitting the lower leg just above his boots making him cry out in pain.

“Don't kill them just yet. They must tell where the undead is hidden.”

Alyssa stumbled backward. “I don’t want to hurt you, I simply tried to save the village.”

“Likely story. I was suspicious of you from the beginning. You carry the taint of darkness and now we know that you have killed with foul magic. You cannot outrun justice, the men hunting you found us in Sorringen. Surrender and confess so that your death may clean your soul.”

Alyssa was growing angry trying to keep Grossar at bay with a branch she took from near the small fire. “If you are going to kill me regardless, what have I got to lose!?”

Raising her left hand she concentrated on opening the gate to the void and black mist billowed forth, her pale complexion growing even paler.

“Oh, Ielenia Saint of the repentant, cleanse this taint on your fair world!” The white light brightened yet again and forced back the darkness, for even though the void was endless, the wellspring was yet small and could not compete for power.

Forced to her knees tears in her eyes Alyssa parried with the branch, her right arm was still hurting from the blow before.

“Eralasselyanthinar” Mireille spat the word and lightning flared. Olaf quickly retreated and concentrated on blocking her. She spun around as fast as the sparks that followed her and jumped towards Grossar hitting him on the back of the head with a resounding blow, felling him.

She then ran towards Christina, who retreated a bit while throwing a powder from a pouch at her hip towards her. The powder scintillated in the white light from her holy symbol and as Mireille came into contact it, dispersing the lightning harmlessly into the air and the ground leaving her to stumble. With a visible effort, she advanced further but before reaching Christina her lightning-fueled haste ended and she thudded down on her knees, exhausted. “Do you really think that no one ever thought about how to counter your Haste of the Storm?” Christina mocked. “The faithful will always triumph over the heathen.”

She gestured towards Olaf who hit Mireille on the head with the pommel of his mace which she was no longer agile enough to evade. She was out cold, blood running over her forehead seemingly black in the stark glow.

Tonalla had drawn a long dirk and stood by Alyssa's side holding the blade to her throat. “Don't make any sudden moves.” Olaf struck the angrily hissing Cyrus knocking him out.

Christina breathing a bit more heavily but otherwise not showing exhaustion strode towards her. “So. Now that we are alone you will tell me everything. When did you first conspire with the dark creature?”

“I did not!”

“If you don’t speak the truth don’t speak at all.” She hit her with her open hand across the face, blood seeped out of a tear in her upper lip. Alyssas hand involuntarily flew to the wound, which caused her captor to tighten her grip and a weeping cut appeared beneath the blade.

Olaf and Tonalla looked uncomfortable at that. Tonalla said, “Tell her everything, you can't escape and you murdered a noble, at least here we can make it quick.”

“You would not be alive if not for me. I let her go because the undead wanted her, and they would have gotten her in spite of…”

Christina, expressionless hit her again. Shaking her smarting hand she said. “This seems pointless. The dark has a firm grip on your heart. So a final question: Where is the undead.”

“I have no idea!”

“Gag her, we are taking them both to Windkeep Castle where more able interrogators will get her confession, by force if necessary. We should not dirty our hands with them any more than we have to.”

Alyssa and Mireille were bound and gagged.

“Should we destroy her brand?” Grossar asked resentfully after coming to as he rubbed his sore head.

“It's more difficult than you think, only cutting off her arm would do that. And there are methods of making use of them which require the brand to be still intact.” Christina answered distractedly.

“Good thing we had those things of hers left in the tavern, we would have never caught them otherwise,” Tonalla said while tightening the bindings.

Afterward, they made camp in that same depression. In the morning Mireille and Alyssa were dragged to the horses and rudely thrown over the saddle. And with those horses in tow, the group traveled towards Windkeep.

Thirsty and in pain from the highly uncomfortable position and the beating Alyssa drifted in and out of consciousness. Mireille fared not much better, her hands had lost all sensation after being tightly bound, so that she feared to lose them should not the bindings be loosened soon. After some discussion, they bound Cyrus and threw him into a sack where he squirmed angrily before settling down.

At midday, they were watered under the watchful eye of their captors, Tonalla helped them follow nature's call. Red from embarrassment, Alyssa more than Mireille they were then thrown over the horses again and the journey continued. No one tried to talk to them. Asandria stroked a cool spectral hand over Alyssa's hot face and whispered sadly ‘I will see what I can do’

Never was the setting of the sun a more welcome sight, all muscles and joints hurting, nauseous from lying on her stomach, Alyssa felt thoroughly ill and was worried sick about Cyrus and concerned about Mireille who hang still and unmoving over the leading horse.

The bindings were loosened a bit and they got more water, but no food. Asandria had vanished around the middle of the day. They even let Cyrus have a bit of water, Christina had identified him as her familiar and thought to use him to extract the confession at their arrival.

They had a short discussion about forcing her through threats against the wyvern, but Christina was worried she would let them kill the beast for her to die too, not being quite sure how the bond truly worked.

Still bound they were thrown on the ground near the campfire and watched in turns. Alyssa succumbed to exhaustion and slept until…

In the middle of the night.

Grossar stood leaning against a young oak whittling a bit of wood into the shape of a flute. Holding it up into the firelight he regarded it critically while turning it this way and that.

A light wind, never really absent so near the mountains, rustled leaves and shook the branches. Far out of sight an owl hooted thrice.

Unseen by the sentry Asandria drifted into the small clearing her features grim and colder than usual.

Grossar shivered put down the knife and wood piece and rubbed his arms.

One moment there was only the silence of the woods, the next a small white figure, clothed in tattered rags appeared behind him, blue-white hair swaying without sound. The small girl stretched a bit and then gently, with something akin to gentleness in her demeanor, she slit his throat with claws of ice. Black lines shot from the deep cut outlining the veins of his face and the grimace of pain and fear that remained on his slowly slackening features.

She took hold of the now bonelessly sagging body and laid him on the ground.

Asandria floated beside her and whispered ‘Thank you, my lady. The priestess is the most dangerous one, but also the most likely to notice your approach. She is lying over there.’ She pointed.

The glowing eyes regarded her for a moment, then she went towards Tonalla resting in a bedroll near the fire, turning restlessly. Weaving a spell while whispering softly, the words lost to the wind, sleep deepened into unconsciousness.

Then towards Olaf she went, who also laid in his bedroll to the other side of Christina as if shielding her. The horses were agitated, stamping and snorting wildly. And as she whispered the same spell a bewildered-looking Christina woke with an involuntary groan. The spelled fighter went limp just as the priestess jumped from her bedroll brandishing her symbol.

“Foul fiend! Creature of darkness, flee the light of purity!”

The small vampire retreated a bit into the shade of the trees and looked at Christina, waiting. A bit of smoke wafting from her still features.

Then she spoke “We have the same enemies. But I knew of your kind before there were humans worshipping the White without Stain and I don’t think you will listen. Will you let me take my friends and go? I will leave you and those of you I could spare, alive. I don’t want to deprive those fighting the Heartstealer of your abilities.”

“I don’t know what you are talking about, but I will not let them escape their just punishment!”

“I thought not. So be it.” The vampire vanished into the woods. After a short while, a stone thrown with considerable force impacted Christina on the back of her head forcing her to her knees. In short succession, more stones flew hitting her in various places.

“Show yourself and fight! Cowardly foe of light stand and receive the wrath of purity.”

Another stone hit her in the temple and she wavered falling down unconscious.

The small girl appeared out of the darkness of the forest and cut the bindings on Mireille and Alyssa loosening the sack containing Cyrus, freeing him too, and nearly got stung for her troubles. Cyrus hobbled and rushed to Alyssa screaming piteously and rubbed his small head against her chest. Waking groggily she stroked him softly sending calming thoughts through their bond. She winced at the pins and needles in her hands and feet.

Mireille woke much less calm. “Ungrateful bitch. Aaaah. I should have used my lightning bolt instead of the haste, then she would have something to complain about." Turning she cursed at the fallen priestess. "May Nirileth steal the last coin from your pockets and the luck from your life. When I get to a temple I am going to pray for your misfortune. If you die I will go and spit on your grave.” It was distracting her nicely from her pain and so she continued her tirade.

“I feel you don’t mean half of that, and that is interesting, she would have had you tortured and killed you know?” a voice spoke from behind her.

Startled Mireille turned and saw the small vampire girl. “Ah, it's you. I was wondering who managed to free us. You won't, you know, eat us or something? We rescued you, that has to count for something, right?” She was a bit worried by the otherworldly being.

“No, I have enough to really drink my fill right here.” The vampire gestured towards the fallen priestess and her attendants. “And even if not, I would ask before I take from those who are not enemies- emergencies aside.” She smiled, it looked a bit forced as if unused to such expressions. Her canines looked small, long, and very sharp.

Alyssa hugged Cyrus kissing his head. “Thank you, thank you so much for rescuing us. I was worried sick about Cyrus and Mireille, and me of course. Thank you Asandria- You brought her here, isn't that right?” She looked towards the ghostly form. Nodding slightly the specter floated into her shadow and vanished. ‘It cost me a lot of strength, let me sleep in your shadow.’

Feeling a chill travel through her she nevertheless retorted. “Anytime.”

Mireille, hearing only one side of the conversation, said. “Thank you Asandria! And thank you, unknown vampire girl.”

“My name is Vanessa’ellariel Erellathiel formerly a princess of the orchid palace.”

“Ah, that's a mouthful. Got it. Vanessa, it is.” Mireille nodded.

Somewhat exasperated but with a more genuine smile Vanessa nodded. “That might be for the best. I would not like for you to butcher my name every time you called.”

Drinking from flasks and eating rations they found while feeding strips of jerky to Cyrus, they began to regain a bit of their former vigor.

“What now?” Alyssa looked at her companions.

“We take what we need, especially the horses, then bind those three, loosely, so that we gain a bit more of a headstart?” Mireille proposed.

“And what about Vanessa are you going to accompany us? Why did you even free us? We can't thank you enough, and you are very welcome to come with us. We would be dead or worse without you.”

Vanessa pondered for a moment. “I think I will travel with you. I can hardly accomplish anything here. I need resources and allies, and those are in short supply in this region. The Heartstealers influence lies thick on these lands so that is another point in favor of venturing farther away. And to your other question- You helped me. That is reason enough to free you, and my enemies tried to catch you because of me. I felt partly responsible.”

“You are nothing like the stories, or perhaps not wholly, you know the evil monster part at least.” Mireille stuttered.

“Yes, I know what you want to say. I was cursed, my whole land was cursed when the Heartstealer did her foul deed, and after that, I slept for a very long time. I had tried to alleviate the curse and had some success in keeping my sanity and morality mostly intact. So I won't eat you in your sleep, you can rest assured,” Vanessa looked amused.

“That's a relief.” Mireille looked serious saying that, then giggled a bit. “It's a somewhat surreal situation.” Sighing, she continued gesturing towards Christina and the rest. “Come on let's tie them up at least, I don’t want to be stabbed or captured again. And then we should leave here. Can you accompany us in the day? There was talk of sunlight burning vampires. What's with garlic, or was it onions, what about water? Not that I ever knew one or knew one who knew one, if you know what I mean?”

Vanessa laughed once at that looking a bit surprised at herself. “No, I will catch up to you once evening falls. I can't stand the eye of Gesserach, but it will be no hardship, you will be much slower than me. We will talk more when night falls. You probably have many questions.”

Alyssa used her healing spell on her face and neck, it was a strange sensation she had not often experienced, as if the water was washing into her skin carrying a hint of cold taking away pain, blood, and last the wound itself.

Binding her erstwhile capturers they then took what they could use and threw the rest into a nearby ravine.

“That will keep them busy when they get loose.” Mireille gloated.

Mounting two horses while leading the others behind them with a rope they then broke camp at dawn leaving three securely trussed adversaries behind and one stone cairn covering the remains of Grossar.

Alyssa sadly looked at the last resting place of the warrior, what might have been if she had not been forced to kill the noble, what if they had met without her being touched by the void. She imagined an adventuring group of friends with her as a fledgling mage under Adrian's tutelage. She rubbed at her eyes. Mireille looked questioningly.

"The cold wind got into my eyes."

The light of dawn painted the mountains in a rosy hue while clear skies proclaimed the start of a warm day.

Vanessa vanished like the morning mist as the sky was still grey.

“Do you think this will be an epic journey and we will be heroes?” Asked Mireille out of the blue. She seemed none the worse for wear.

Alyssa answered seriously: “I don’t think you set out to become a hero. Most who do, end up dead, at least that is what my father told me long ago. And my mother said you get to be a hero by doing heroic things, and a part of that is that you do them for the right reasons. Perhaps we will even get to be heroic. I would like that a lot, beats being a wanted criminal by far.”

“Or a deserter.”

Cyrus hissed after an escaping rabbit.

“And you will be the hero's trusty mount.” Mireille looked fondly on the little wyvern.

“Aint it a bit early to say this?”

“Can't be too early planning your heroics.” She lifted both her hands stretching while rocking with the movement of the horse.

“Onwards to glory, and far, far away from here!”