Bloodsoaked Fort

Main Cavern

Jacob watched as another corpse was tossed on the pyre after being looted. It was one of three such pyres burning currently, every single one was for the slain bodies of their enemy. Most were War Slaves, raised and bred for one purpose, to make war on the enemies of the Sisters of the Damned. They had been veterans, but in the end, they still died.

Sosa's rienforcements were taking care of most of the cleanup outside the fortress while the remains of the First and Second Cohorts were sifting through all the bodies inside the fortress. The Pyromancers were working hard to makes sure all the bodies burned while the bones would be carted back to the Fortress of Midnight to expand the Dead Legion once again. Once again, the Dead Legion proved invaluable at agmenting a living defense force.

Jacob touched the Drows body to loot it.

Alert...

Would you like to loot..LVL 41 Drow Warrior? YES?NO

You have recieved...3 Gold, 57 Silver, 32 Copper

You have recieved...Rienforced Leather Breastplate of the Windwalker (Uncommon)

You have recieved...High Steel Hunting Knife (Common)

You have recieved...Leather Boots (Poor)

Alert...

Jacob groaned as he lifted the body and started carrying it to the nearest burning pyre, blood was dripping from the body, both his armor and cloak were completly soaked in blood. He was pretty sure it had seeped into the cloathing he had under the armor as well.

A group of Dawn Guard encircled his position and they always triple checked every single body he walked up to ensure that they were dead. More than one 'corpse' had screamed as their blades hacked or stabbed into their bodies. More than one body had also tried to run away, but Crossbow Bolts and Arrows were far faster then someone running. Wraiths were also moving inside and outside the walls, checking for Stealthed Drow. Only 6 of those had been found so far.

"You going to stay out here all day Sir?" Brox asked as he walked up. A pair of Legionnaires with him checking to make sure the 'bodies' stayed down and away from their Commander.

Jacob smiled ruefully as he looted a Goblins corpse this time, only 70 Silver this time and a pair of poor daggers. "Someone has got to do it. If we leave the corpses around, disease will spread. Have we sent messengers to everyone giving them the all clear?"

"Yes sir, we sent messages to everyone, the Earth Splitter and Bloodfangs have departed as well. Clan Darguun has chosen to stay for now. The scouts have returned, the enemy force that got away used portals to run. We managed to find over a dozen portal anchors and all of them were destroyed. We also have the finale casualty list if you are ready for it my King." Brox replied as he continued to walk with him as he worked.

Jacob grunted before looting an Orc and picking up its body, "Before we get too that we are going to be rotating the First and Second Cohort out of here. After we get done with cleanup here I am going to port back to Eternal Night. I am going to dispatch 300 Tomb Guardians to relieve them of duty here. Send the Fist and Second Cohorts to the Tomb of Eternal Night for some downtime. Three or four days of rest, then they will take over training at New Dawn and Midnight. Then the Third and Fifth Cohorts will come here to relieve the Tomb Guardians. Sound like a good plan to rotate everyone?" Jacob asked Brox as he continued to loot and move corpses.

Brox nodded while making notes, "Do you plan on training the Tomb Guardians to Legion standards?"

Jacob smiled, "Absolutely. Once the current batch of training is complete the First and Second Cohorts of the First Legion, will remain where they are for now and in charge of training. The other Cohorts of the First Legion will be stationed at the Bloodsoaked Fort, The Second Legion will be stationed at the Tomb of Eternal Night and Blood Haven, and the Third will be stationed at Ineford and Middlebrough. Ironbark will have command of the Second Legion and Tathlyn Hune will have command of the Third Legion. Now, give me the butchers bill." Jacob said as he stopped.

Brox nodded as he continued to make notes before he started talking, "The First Legion lost 83 dead,137 critically wounded, 212 walking wounded, the Dawn Guard lost 18 Dead, 32 critically wounded, 43 walking wounded, the Dead Legion lost 43 Skeletal Warriors, 15 Skeletal Archers, 5 Skeletal Mages, Clan Darguun between the relief force and defenders lost 137 dead, 117 critically wounded, 183 walking wounded, the Bloodfangs and Earth Crackers had 15 dead, 27 critically wounded, 33 walking wounded, and the Death Head unit suffered 2 dead, 3 critically wounded, and 5 walking wounded. This could have gone far worse Jacob, if they would have breached the wall...the losses would have easily been double of what they are now." Brox said the last softly.

"I know Brox. I know this is war and it demands payment in blood and lives. It will never be easy for me and I fear someday it will be. We held the line though and kept the Sisters from regaining a foothold in this region of the Underdark. Thank you Commander Brox, see to your duties." Jacob replied. The Orc studied him for a moment before nodding and saluting and moving off. Three hours later, they were finally almost done and Cathrine dragged Jacob away from the battlefield. The Dawn Guard or its remains waited for his bloodsoaked form. Thorgron waited for him, "Between the losses we suffered here and Middlebrough we can field one Century right now. I want to recruit and expand the Dawn Guard, I want a full Cohort, my King. You keep throwing yourself into a dangerous situation, it will take time to replace our losses so if you could avoid any dangerous situations for a month or so I would appreciate it." Thorgron stated as Jacob walked up, after a moment he continued after evaluating him. "We, of course, can discuss this later, I know it has been a long couple days Jacob. Why don't you go home and get some rest lad." The Duergar stated before turning and limping away.

Jacob simply nodded his head, most of the Immortals resent were lining up to leave with the Dawn Guard. Clan Darguun was already going home through the open portal. The two Centuries that had come with them had already been dispatched back to the Fortresses of New Dawn and Midnight. Jacob could see Sosa and Cathrine talking off to the side, knowing her, Sosa would be one of the last through the open portal. While waiting for their chance Jacob checked all the alerts from the battle.

Regional Alert...

Through battle, the Bloodsoaked Fort has earned a new name, Blood-Scorched Fort.

Defenders will deal an increase 5% Fire-based damage to all attackers.

Regional Alert...

Alert...

Through battle, you have gained...32,379 Experience

Alert...

Tarren came up while Jacob was waiting to leave, "We got 6 Elementalists staying here to help finish with the cleanup. Everyone else is heading back to Eternal Night. The Loot Masters will have a final report on everything we took from the camp and from the battle within 24 hours. The Engineers are breaking down the Onagers for transportation back to Eternal Night. That job should be done within the next 12 hours. Darren has the initial report on the new applicants, we can review everyone once we all get settled down. You need a bath and need to clean your armor." Tarren stated before turning and leaving.

Jacob snorted as the portal to Darkfang Hold closed and a nearby mage darted forward to get a portal open for the Tomb of Eternal Night.

Tomb of Eternal Night

House of Remembrance

Jacob entered the House of Remembrance, a couple of Acolytes immediately met me and saw my state ushered me deeper within the building. A squad of the Heart Guard was stationed nearby but they had not come within the building. The head Acolyte met him near the center of the building, "Having a long day I assume my King?" he asked as he walked up.

Jacob simply nodded before telling him that he needed to access the memory contained within the armor of the Blood Lord. The Acolyte studied him before coming closer and gently placing one hand on the chest plate and closed his eyes. Slowly the armor started to glow and pulse with energy, suddenly darkness claimed him. When Jacob opened his eyes he was in a valley, mountains were located in every direction except to the north. To the south, a small ravine was cut through the mountains. A long stream of people were running toward the ravine and to the south. A small village from which they ran burned in the distance, he could hear the distant clash of weapons.

Suddenly a group of riders galloped from the village and toward the fleeing people. The lead rider dropped down and started talking to one of the other riders. Jacob looked closer at them, all of them were covered in blood, the armor was scored and dented in places, they were on their last legs. All of them were Vampires based on glowing red eyes and fangs. Suddenly a younger boy broke from the line of people and ran up to the armored troops. A woman screamed at his running form but did not stop moving. He was crying and grabbing at the soldier that had dismounted.

The armored soldier smiled and leaned down and Jacob moved forward. "You should be with your mother little one." The large Vampire smiled gently at the boy who shook his head and hugged him to his bloody form.

"Daddy why are those people being mean to us?" the boy asked.

Jacob saw anguish within his eyes, "We are too different son. They fear us and what people fear, they destroy. One day, we will have a place of our own, remember this day and never let anyone drive you or our people from our home. Understand?" He asked the boy who nodded before leaning forward and hugging the blood covered Vampire again. The large Vampire whispered something in the boy's ear and red energy suddenly wreathed the Vampire hand before moving into the boy's body, the boy quickly fell asleep.

The Vampire signaled one of the other mounted soldiers forward, "Take him. Get him back to his mother and protect our people. They are coming soon, the remaining defenders are dying. Protect our people until my son comes of age, he will lead our people and my heir. I will collapse the ravine as soon as you are through."

"My lord, come with us." The mounted soldier replied.

The Vampires face hardened, "Go!!" Suddenly an aura exploded around him and he started to walk back toward the village that more armored beings started to immerge. Dozens if not several hundred had already appeared as the Blood Lord drew a pair of blades and started to walk toward the armored foes. The mounted soldiers saluted him one more time before wheeling their horses around and riding hard toward the ravine.

"Brave but stupid, my people needed me, my family needed me. I should have sacrificed my soldiers, but I had thought I had asked too much already. I should have sacrificed them, too much was already riding on my shoulders. At this point, I was already over 1,000 years old. They didn't like the fact of what I had become, that I was creating more like me. The abomination was procreating as well. The couldn't let that happen now could they." Jacob turned to see the Blood Lord talking to him, but he was watching his fleeing people.

"What are you talking about?" Jacob asked him.

The Blood Lord looked at Jacob in amusement, "I was a failed experiment. I was supposed to live and eventually die alone. They never expected me to be able to create more of my kind, much less procreate through regular biological means. Yes, at a reduced rate, but predators always reproduce at rates less than their food."

"So that makes us better?" Jacob snorted, "That arrogance led to the Empire being subjugated to the Curse in the first place. I will not make that same mistake."

"I am stating facts, I am not being arrogant." The Blood Lord frowned before turning to look as he met the approaching line of attackers. Arrows and magic flew at him, but he deflected or dodged the ranged attacks while closing within range of the weapons he wielded. "They are mortal, we need them to live. Yet the mortal races listened to the very gods that created me, called me a monster and encouraged them to hunt me and the new species I had helped create."

The battle continued, the Blood Lord continued to fight using abilities he had seen others use as well as abilities he had used. Amazing to say the least, and Jacob understood why he was both feared and revered. The attackers were slowly driving him back though, Humans and Elves mainly, but an occasional Orc was a part of the attacking force.

"Fools, they wanted to prove themselves as good as or even better than those that came before them. I was supposed to be their ultimate creation, instead, I became an embarrassment. Did you know the mortal races were created by what you know as the Primordial Powers? The gods had nothing to do with them. The gods were created by thoughts, ideas, and the sheer will of the mortals of wanting to believe in something more. The Primordial Powers didn't care that the gods claimed credit for what they had created. It bothered them though, so they had to create a mortal species as well and imbue them with something of themselves just like the Primordial Powers did." The Blood Lord continued.

Suddenly the Blood Lord broke off from the fight and dashed for the mouth of the ravine. He slammed his blades on either side of the entrance then extended his arms outwards, the attackers stopped and watch to see what would happen. One of those who wielded Magic gave a shout and tried to stop him but it was too late. A pulse of energy emanated from the Blood Lord, the sides of the ravine started to crack and collapse as he destroyed the path his people had taken. He then turned and faced the invaders and smiled as he dashed forward.

"As I said, they tried to create something better than the original mortal races. I was naturally stronger and faster, my flesh healed at an accelerated rate that did not require magic, the price I had to consume the blood and life essence of the other mortal races. They also in their idiocy created me with a Mantle of Divinity. Unlike theirs though, mine was incomplete for some reason and I lacked the power that the gods had. I had planned on passing the Mantle to my heir, obviously, Fate intervened and derailed my plans when I made my stand here to save my people." The Blood Lord continued to tell his story as they watched as one wound after another appeared on his body. He was dying slowly, one cut at a time.

"I am going to give you my Mantle, it will be up to you to decide what to do with it." The Blood Lord stated as he walked forward and placed his hands in either side of Jacob's head. His eyes began to glow but suddenly he stopped and jerked back, "You have a spark of Divinity in you, how did you come by this?"

"To put simply, I ate Hyperion. He was one of the Titans, the fallen gods that were kicked out of the Pantheon before the Pantheon split into two." Jacob replied.

The Blood Lord smiled, "I am aware of who the Titans are boy. In time, that spark would have evolved into a Mantle on its own, with my help and my own Mantle it will take a far shorter amount of time to develop. Before you ask, no I do not know how long." He stated as he once again placed his hands on either side of Jacob's head. Jacob grunted as he felt the energy flow into him, it was similar to what he had felt when he had killed Hyperion, but also so much more.

Once again, light blazed from Jacob's body as he screamed in pain, but he wasn't the only one this time. The Blood Lord screamed as well as he channeled his very essence and all that he was into his chosen heir, "Good luck brother. Take what was mine and protect our people. Remember, Blood and Honor are what matter most. Blood for our families and Honor, the willingness to do anything to protect them." Jacob screamed in pain and rage as the Blood Lord faded and slowly everything faded into darkness.