Rise of the Fifth
The Hidden College Part 1
Pages 211 to 225

Stripping down to his waist he dived into the lake, the cool water engulfing his hot and slightly drunken body, invigorating him. Karil liked swimming beneath the surface, it was the only place where he could find any form of serenity: peace and safety. Safety from a world he had once loved but now only wished he could leave. He often thought that if he died the next day, then it would not be too soon.

Since he had left Dordover, Karil had become a recluse. He built a hut within the densest area of a forest, up in the hills. Few passed through that way, and those who met him felt that the strange man who dwelt in the forest was not a man to be conversed with, which suited Karil just fine.

He did not wish to speak with anyone, and he had no intention of finding his old friends.

He erupted to the surface, spitting water from his mouth and closing his eyes he allowed himself to float across the surface; he felt for a short while at least an amount of peacefulness which he could not encounter at any other place. He opened his eyes, staring up to the dark night sky, sighing.

A movement on the shore caught his eye and he raised himself to see what was there. A sickening feeling washed over him as he saw what appeared to be a young girl sat on the grass staring blankly into the water. A feeling akin to panic now filled him. The thought of actually talking to somebody made Karil feel physically ill, in fact he had to duck his head under the water to cool himself down from his burning desire to hide.

Looking around for a refuge, Karil noted the spit of land which jutted out two thirds of the way across the lake, whilst trees grew deep within its soil creating a shield for him to go behind to avoid being seen. He turned in the water and began his quiet swim towards the barrier of land. As he reached the shallow water on the other shoreline, Karil leant back into the water, eyes closed and felt himself drift into a sleep of unrest.

He woke with a start, sweat beading on his forehead. Karil hoped that the girl and anyone else that had been lurking around had left. Gradually the dizziness subsided along with his increased heart rate, which had felt to Karil like it had trebled in speed.

“Karil?” the voice was full of disbelief. Jumping to his feet, the former lord stared at the person before him, his heart having returned to its earlier increased speed as he again felt his body heat up from desperation.

“What are you doing here?” Karil could barely get his words out.

“The same could be asked of you,” the person replied, a frown appearing on her forehead; she had clearly not been impressed by his question.

“What I do is my own business,” he said, his voice betraying his nervousness despite his attempts to remain cold.

“Karil ,what’s happened to you?”

“I think now would be a good time for you to leave, don’t you, Joibri?”

“Hey! We all have our problems, Karil. You used to be one of the ones I could talk to. One of the ones who actually gave a shit about what happened to us. Well since that time a lot has changed for us, and by the looks of it, it has for you too.”

“If you say so.” Karil just wanted to lay back in the water, to cool himself from the smothering heat of the humid air and Joibri’s angry gaze. Even without his shirt he felt hot and he was aware of her looking strangely at his attire. “What? Never seen a man without his shirt?”

“You’ve changed since we last spoke,” she replied, ignoring his jibe.

“Are there any who haven’t in this forsaken country?”

“You know what is really pissing me off?” Joibri demanded, anger fuelled by her emotional trauma with Talo earlier flaring as she persisted without waiting for him to answer her. “I have barely spoken to a single person since what happened at the Fifth, and when I finally find someone I care enough to talk to, he’d rather sit sulking in a lake.”

“Excuse me?” Karil’s eyes flashed, his words full of undisguised hate and anger, and Joibri felt herself move back a step.

“You’ve not even asked about the condition of those you once called friends,” she persisted as Karil stormed from the shallow water, stopping before her and glaring down at her, scant inches away, so close she could feel his breath on her face.

“Funnily enough you’re not the only one in this world with problems to think about,” he spat.

“Well then, if that’s the way you feel, how about we share our problems?” She glared back into Karil’s eyes, seeing something that she couldn’t quite place. “A drink, in half an hour at the tavern in the village just West of these woods. I assume you know where that is? I’m staying in Cordelenn to the East but I don’t want to bring your ill temper there. I’ll be in the bar waiting. See you there.” She turned from Karil, who had straightened but was still glaring at her.

“Nobody but you!” he pointed at her.

“Fine, just be there.”

~*~

Joibri sat in the far corner of the tavern, ale ready for Karil, if and when he arrived. Five raucous men sat laughing and staring at Joibri from about four tables closer to the door which suddenly opened, the heads of everybody within the building turning to see who entered. Karil strode in through the entrance.

“Ooh, it’s that weird man from the woods,” one of the men who had been staring at Joibri slurred.

“He’s dark,” another continued. “He’s probably a murderer.” But all turned away when the man in question glared at them, his eyes blazing. Moving farther into the bar he spotted Joibri at the back. Walking over to sit next to her, he heard one man continue his drunken conversation,

“Hey, that’s not fair, he gets the fine-looking girl. What’s he got that I haven’t?”

“A dick?” suggested one of his equally drunken friends. All five men fell about laughing, smacking their fists onto the table. Karil shook his head.

“Though a single person can change in such short a period of time it seems society changes little.”

“How philosophical,” Joibri replied, smirking. “I see you have retained your talent of shutting people up with just a look.” Karil smiled slightly at her,

“It is a useful talent to possess, and I’ve been making good use of it over the past months.”

“If earlier is anything to go by, then I can certainly believe it.” She saw a pained expression appear on Karil’s face.

“A lot of things have occurred, Joibri’dan - many of them I wish had never happened.” He signalled again for the barkeep to bring more ale, which they were both getting through at an astonishing rate. “It appears that you are keeping up with me this time,” Karil commented. As the drink was placed in front of them, and as the barkeep went back to collect the others, Karil placed his hand on Joibri’s arm and felt her flinch. He frowned, “It’s my round.”

“Oh, thanks,” Joibri replied, her voice sounding genuinely grateful.

“Do you normally order three drinks per person when you go out?” Karil’s eyebrow was raised as all the other drinks were placed onto the table. “Not that I’m complaining,” he added hastily, on seeing her expression.

“No, actually I don’t, in fact I barely drink at all.”

“Then I’m honoured.” They both laughed, and again, Karil downed half in one go, not stopping for breath.

“You’ll be drunk in no time,” Joibri quipped, looking at the increasing number of empties in front of them.

“You know better than that,” Karil replied. “Besides, you’re not doing too bad yourself. Why do you think I have such a reputation for taking my drink, eh?”

“Because you like drowning your sorrows?” His head snapped round to glare at her, his eyes narrowing.

“Oh, I think she pissed him off.” A voice hollered followed by the raucous laughter again. Joibri gripped Karil’s arm, holding him back as he began to raise from his seat to confront the offending drunks.

“Don’t Karil, they’re not worth it.” He looked at her and decided that she was probably right. He drowned the rest of his ale as he sat again and signalled the barkeep to bring more again. “What?” Joibri demanded as the barkeep brought the drink over and stared disbelievingly at the amount of alcohol the two of them had consumed.

“Nothing miss,” he replied, but remained staring pointedly at their table which was covered in enough empties to stock an army, or so the barkeep thought.

Though she’d never had admitted it, especially to Karil, Joibri had been feeling the effects of the drink for some time, but said nothing, not wishing to appear a lightweight, particularly since Karil appeared to be nowhere near finishing yet, as he pushed another pint in front of her. She’d lost count long ago and her head was feeling fuzzy and her senses had been completely dulled. Besides, she wanted to forget, even if just for this night alone.

Karil seemed to have consumed his drink at an impossible speed as he stood to go to the bar, since more people had entered and the barkeep’s attention was no longer on them. As he went Karil stumbled into a pile of upturned chairs, causing Joibri to cackle at his expense before she could stop the noise leaving her mouth.

“Shit!” Karil muttered as he realised his shirt was caught on one of the chairs. Taking hold of it in both hands he yanked his shirt away tearing it almost completely apart.

“Striptease!” Joibri hollered from where she was sat, once again before she could stop herself, and she laughed even more when she received a scowl from Karil. The drink was clearly affecting them both now and the results would have been amusing had the circumstances been different.

As Joibri stared at Karil leaning awkwardly against the bar, his shirt torn to pieces revealing part of his torso she began to feel strangely attracted to the former Lord again. She never normally went for men with facial hair, yet there he was, close cut black beard, torn shirt and completely drunk, and she was feeling ever-increasingly more attracted to him.

“I wonder what it would be like to kiss him,” she daydreamed out loud.

“Kiss who, me?” Joibri turned to see one of the five raucous men flanked by two new men who’d not earlier been there.

“Why not?” she agreed with a drunken, oblivious smile, and standing up she grabbed the barbarian’s head and pressed her mouth against his, breaking off the kiss to screw her face up. “Eugh, what have you been eating today?”

“You little -” The man grabbed her loose hair and pushed her over. Joibri sprawled onto the table laughing. “I’ll teach you to talk to me like that you little whore.” He growled, pushing her back again as she attempted to sit up.

Climbing over her on the table, he pinned her down and continued to kiss her roughly. Her drunken state was proving to be a bad thing after all as Joibri found her body virtually useless in any method of defence. He broke away from her, to grin maliciously down into her shocked face, “You taste good, little one,” he said to the amusement of the others surrounding her. He began to kiss her again and she felt him start to slide his hand up her top. She tried calling out, but with the bastard’s mouth on hers there was little she could do except try to kick her way out, which so far hadn’t had much effect.

Karil picked up the drinks from the bar and turned, walking back to the table he’d been sharing with Joibri. As he neared the table he took in the scene: Joibri sprawled out over the table, several random men stood around her whilst the biggest of the lot leant over her, kissing her all over, a hand under her top. At this point Joibri had managed to get her face away from his and bit his arm, drawing blood. He slapped her face, only to receive warm and sticky alcohol over his head. Jumping from the table he found himself facing a very angry, somewhat more sober mage with a close cut black beard.

“Leave her,” Karil growled.

“Mmm, cider,” Joibri commented from behind the barbarian, licking her lips. It was at this point that Karil received the first of many fists to his face. “Karil!” she yelled.

The other men laughed as they joined in the fight, Joibri’s skills lost to her drunkenness, she stumbled to the bar, pointing in Karil’s direction; the barkeep instantly motioning to several people to aid him as he strode over to where Karil was receiving multiples blows to his upper body, his shirt now completely ripped from him, and his face and torso covered in blood and bruises.

~*~

“I’m so sorry, Joibri,” Karil said as he wiped blood from his mouth, and rubbing his chin where he’d received a particularly hard punch. They were sat in a clearing in Karil’s forest, and once again Karil had brought their lengthy conversation back around to events at the tavern.

“Karil, what are you apologising for?”

“I shouldn’t have left you alone when they were there, not in that state.”

“Gods burning Karil, is there anything you don’t blame yourself for?”

“Most things involving me are my fault,” he replied.

“It’s so beautiful and peaceful here,” Joibri changed the subject. “I can see why you love it so much.” She stared up into the tree canopies above them, the sky, a deep blue, millions of stars shining on them from the cloudless sky. Karil smiled sadly looking over to her,

“I killed him.”

“What?” The comment had been so unexpected that it soon snapped Joibri out of her awed state.

“I killed my own brother.” Karil laid his face in his hands - just saying the words made his head swim and he wanted to stab himself then and there. Joibri didn’t know what to say. She was glad that the bastard was dead, but she knew Karil had still loved and cared for him, even when he committed the most horrendous crimes. He and Pen were the only ones who had seen him and what he had been before he’d been screwed up by life. She couldn’t begin to imagine what it must have been like for him to have had to do it.

“That was where you went, to Dordover?” she asked him gently.

“Yes. I didn’t go with the intention of doing it. I tried to persuade him to change.”

“Karil, there was nothing you have done. He was too far gone.”

“He hated me. Detested me for leaving. I should have stayed, looked after him.”

“You were both children. Kids can’t just make that kind of decision easily, especially at your age. He should have seen that as he grew older.”

“NO! He was my brother and I betrayed him!”

“Karil, no.” Joibri’s own eyes were blazing now - even in death the bastard could still hurt people. “That’s Selik speaking now, not you.” There was silence. Joibri was unsure as to whether or not she should ask, but she did anyway. “What happened, Karil?”

“I tried to persuade him. He refused. I had brought with me a bottle of wine, drugged. I gave it to him to drink. Then I stabbed him,” Karil retched at his own words. Fortunately he somehow managed not to bring up the disturbing amount of alcohol he had consumed that evening. “Oh shit,” he groaned. Joibri passed him a container of water she’d managed to acquire from the barkeep at the tavern,

“Here.” Karil took the water and washed his mouth out before sipping the rest slowly. “Gasta’s dead.” Karil turned to Joibri, sympathy written across his pained features,

“I’m sorry I didn’t ask about you all. It was selfish of me.”

“No, you do have other things to think of which I did not previously give you credit for, and for that I apologise.” Again a pause before Joibri continued, “He died saving me because Pen and Talo were too busy doing their own thing. Gasta was, after Youlvi and yourself the one who I connected with, and he died needlessly.”

“Joibri.” Karil placed his hands on her shoulders, turning her to face him, staring deep into her eyes. “If Gasta died to save you, then his death was far from needless.” He could see the tears forming in those lovely pale eyes.

Taking his left hand from her shoulder to steady himself, his right hand moving to caress her face, Karil leant in to her, his lips brushing against hers as he began to kiss her. Suddenly he appeared to realise what he was doing and broke away, moving slightly away from her.

“Gods burning, I’m so sorry,” his face and words were filled with guilty horror. She looked back at him curiously, briefly happy in the drunken haze that obscured all of her problems.

“You seem to be saying that a lot recently. Did it not occur to you, that just once you may have done the right thing?” Seeing the look of confusion on his face, Joibri smiled, and moving up onto her knees she looked down at him and taking his head in her hands to stop him from moving away again, she bent down to continue the kiss. He felt guilty, but he returned her kiss before reason took over again.

“Joibri!” Karil pulled away from her again, as she temptingly pouted at him.

“I always wondered what it would be like to kiss you.” She giggled slightly, seeing his eyes widen in shock, “I meant with the beard.” Before Karil could interrupt her, Joibri continued her hazy drunken banter, “You know I like your body,” she smiled staring at his shirtless torso. “And you have a cute ass. Of course you’re sitting on it at the moment so you wouldn’t know, but-”

“Joibri! You don’t love me, you love Pen!” he reprimanded.

“Pen?” Her eyes widened in surprise as she let out a genuine laugh. “Me? Love Pen? Are you insane? He’s a-” Karil wouldn’t let her finish.

“Stop trying to fool yourself. You’re in love with Pen, and he loves you more than you’ll ever know. You’re both just too bloody stubborn to admit it to each other,” he finished, looking at Joibri before him. Her mouth opened and closed once or twice, unable to make a comment. The hazy veil over her problems had dissolved. “It’s true Joibri, you know you love him, and, well, Pen told me when we were back at Ereth.”

“Talking of Ereth-” Joibri began, but again Karil cut across her.

“Don’t.” On seeing her confused expression Karil sighed, “ Lets just say I’m no longer Lord there.” Joibri leant towards him and he moved away instinctively.

“I was just going to hug you, Karil.” She laughed dryly, and stood up as a nervous smile appeared on the mage’s face. “To thank you, and to tell you that you are, no matter what you seem to think about yourself, a good man. Karil,” she repeated, as if to make sure he took her words in, “You’re a good man and the best of friends.” He merely smiled sadly as her figure moved away into the forest, back towards Cordelenn.

“Thank you, Joibri’dan. You don’t know what that means to me,” he whispered. He doubted he would ever see her again.

~*~

For the third time that day Gailen made his way through the halls of Julatsa. His heart dropped every time he walked through his occupied college. And the looks he got from Xeteskians buzzing around were disgusting - they regarded him as nothing more that dirt they would happily walk all over. But Gailen would not be that, he was determined to keep some control in these tough times. He knew Chandyr's plans were wrong and would get them all killed. Xetesk were always about attack and the glory of the win; they never thought about the defence of what they already had and that is why they had failed so many times in their quest to control Balaia. Gailen knew that they would not succeed this time either.

He walked up to the main meeting room door, now Chandyr's office, and gave a slight knock.

"Enter," came a familiar and somewhat frustrated voice. As Gailen entered and closed the door behind him, Chandyr just continued. He did not stand and barely nodded his head in welcome. He had no respect for others and, if he knew of general diplomacy techniques, he did not let on. "So, it’s the king of disappearing acts," his sarcasm was flowing.

Gailen stopped and stood behind a chair near Chandyr. He waited for it to be offered to him, but it never came. So he stood in silence until Chandyr finished signing some papers and started asking questions.

"I want a progress report. And it had better be good news."

"The blacksmith is still missing, Sir." Chandyr sighed,

"You are testing my patience. Where could he be? He can’t have got that far." Anger was brewing in the Xeteskian general, and he was getting more and more frustrated. "You will use our blacksmith," he commanded.

"But sir - we need ours. Yours does not know our horses and I will not send my troops into battle with horses that have been shoed differently and are uneasy. We will find the blacksmith soon, we think he fled to the east when your party attacked the city." Chandyr's face frowned and he started to turn red, anger was filling. Gailen smiled inwardly - that dig was not his usually high level of etiquette but he felt he could have a little fun in the current circumstances. Chandyr stood and raised his voice.

"You will not talk like that to me again, do you hear?"

"Yes sir."

"Now, what of the training?"

"It is going well, my lord. But we have lost so many soldiers in this war that we need more time to train up troops. The good news is that the civilians are picking up sword techniques very quickly."

"Well, at least something is going right." There was a pause, then Chandyr finished with him, "Now go. And I better hear good news tomorrow - if I find out you are stalling me there will be hell to pay."

"Yes sir. Thank you sir." With that Gailen turned and left, a worried look on his face.

Chandyr was not a stupid man and Gailen felt his excuses were becoming a little too far-fetched to stall the Xeteskians much longer; these meetings were getting shorter and shorter. He felt he had two days maximum left and just hoped the Master would attack in that time. At least his constant use of the word ‘sir’ was pampering Chandyr's ego. The Xeteskian felt as if he had conquered a big enemy and revelled in the control of someone as brilliant as the head of the Wolves. Little did he know that Gailen was playing him just the way he though he was playing Gailen.

~*~

Joibri leant briefly against a tree, feeling the drunkenness wearing off. She cursed herself for everything that had happened in the past few hours, rubbing her eyes and breathing deeply. Talo's cries came back to haunt her, but just as she was dispelling them Karil's words found her again, too.

Karil was right. She did love Pen. Her whole soul burned with it, she had just been unwilling to let it consume her thus far, confusing it with the battle-lust and the Fifth mana - it hadn't been mana that was invading her, it had been love, disguised. She walked a little farther, running her hands through her loose hair and looking at the ground.

But did Pen really love her, like Karil said he did? If so - gods burning - Talo did too, and...

Joibri's secret smile fell into an expression of torment as she came back into the hamlet. This was all too much...so much to think about...she really needed to sort her head out. Sort her heart out. That would take time.

Into the shadows she meandered, feeling sober again. Her back met the side of the tavern, at the corner at the back of it, and she sunk down into the cool grass and sad little flowers. As she breathed, she heard another do the same from around the corner, close, as if they were sitting too. She slowly turned her head to her right and saw a male hand pressed against the ground at the corner, but she could see nothing else. She didn't need to - it was Pen's hand.

Staring straight ahead of her, but letting her hand come to rest near his to let him know she was there, she asked,

"Does Karil speak the truth, when he says that you love me?"

Pen considered a moment, nerves tensing and cursing Karil for telling her. What should he say? His blue eyes traced down to her hand, temptingly near his though he could see nothing else.

"Yes, he speaks the truth," Pen finally admitted. Joibri let out the breath she had unconsciously held, mind and emotions spinning at what this meant. "I do love you."

Though the other couldn't see, they both smiled, relieved and joyous and frightened and anxious all at once. Unconsciously, slowly, their fingertips moved through the grass, softly touching one another. Her voice became the gentlest it had ever been,

"And I you."

With those words, giving his hand a brief squeeze, Joibri stood and headed quickly through the grass and chill air back out through the hamlet, knowing what she had to do.

As her fingers slipped from his, Pen suddenly realised what she had said. Jumping to his feet he looked around the corner after her,

"Joibri, wait! You said Karil told you?" She made no effort to turn, feeling slightly like she was about to betray the man who had just helped her. She pointed back towards the lake she had come from, then carried on her walk towards her friend's house.

Pen jogged into the forest, tracking Joibri's trail, but eventually he lost it at a grove. The night was moving in, but Pen felt no need to hurry back to the hamlet - they would still be there the next day. Sliding down a tree the warrior began to drop into a light sleep, a smile on his normally troubled face as he thought of her simple words, the voice of an angel...

"So she told you I was here then?" Pen jumped, his head hitting a low growing branch. He swore loudly, picking himself up and looking at his childhood friend. "I had a feeling she would, and you're not exactly one to leave things be, now are you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. Look, you're not going back to Cordelenn tonight, come and stay at the hut. I'll explain things to you there." Rubbing his throbbing head, Pen followed Karil back into the dense forest.

~*~

Maitane'sha's annoyance at being woken had quickly burned off when she saw the concerned look on the younger woman's face.

"Joibri'dan, it's very late - shouldn't you be resting after all you've been through?" she held the door to her house wide for Joibri to enter, and closed it behind her.

"I can't sleep now, Maitane. So much...I need to go to Calaius," Joibri’s face twisted with the mixture of emotions inside her.

"You want to go back? What aren't you telling me, child?" The two women took their seats on the rug in the dim light of a dying fire, which Maitane'sha began to stoke back into life.

"I need to go where I will not be disturbed, so I can start my training again. War is here, 'Mai, and they're relying on me. I need to learn how to use this new mana, and I will not get the concentration I need with the company I'm with - you heard the argument, no doubt."

"Yes, I confess I did."

"But before I can do that, I need to calm my mind. There's so many things - so many emotions...eating away at me, that I can barely think straight. Calaius was always a sanctuary for me."

Maitane nodded to herself, watching the fire as she thought. Joibri looked to the embers, waiting patiently with her hands folded in her lap. Maitane had been, in a small way, like a mother to her - one she could always go to in her mercenary days. It had been her whom had persuaded her to go back to her father....only to find him dead...

"I believe," the older woman broke Joibri's gloomy thoughts, "I know someone who can help you." Joibri looked interested, her pale eyes lit up by the fire. "His name is Joalanar. He can escort you to the coast, from there sail with you to Calaius. Joalanar is in fact only here temporarily anyway - he belongs where you wish to go."

"Joalanar," Joibri repeated the name.

"Yes. Now, go and sleep child. I'll send him to wake you before dawn arrives. Be ready to go." Joibri nodded, and gave the older woman a hug.

"Thank you, 'Mai."

~*~

Before the birds even started the dawn chorus there came a soft knock at Joibri's room door in the tavern. But she had been awake for a little earlier than that, her scant belongings with her. A succinct note to the others, and another for Pen, longer, were in her hand.

Joibri recognised Joalanar as the male elf whom had fetched Maitane'sha right when they first arrived at the hamlet. He smiled,

"Ready?" Joibri glanced at the notes,

"Yes...just let me..." Joalanar nodded as she slipped past him, quiet as a whisper as she pushed one note under Unliore's door and the other under Pen's.

Then, a small bundle of clothes, her kichida, and last but not least Gasta's sword, in her arms, she followed Joalanar out of the dark inn out to the edge of the hamlet, where Maitane'sha stood waiting with two patient horses. Joalanar's horse already had supplies strapped to it. He took Joibri's bundles from her as Maitane handed her a riding cloak.

Joibri slowly put it on, looking back to the inn where she knew the heartbroken Talo slept, and then around her into the misty shadows of the trees in the moonlight, searching instinctively for Pen. She didn't want to say goodbye, but still she looked. Maitane smiled at her.

"I shall see you again, I hope," she said. Joibri turned to her,

"Of course. I'll send word when I am to return."

"I'll keep you informed as much as I can." Joalanar had mounted his horse, and Joibri did the same.

"Thank you again."

"Any time. Keep well, the both of you."

The horses trotted off into the night, Joibri's pale eyes matching the moonlit mist as she searched...

He had to see her go, though he'd probably never forgive himself if Pen found out he'd known and not told him. Karil stood on the edge of a pathway in the growing mist, leaning sideways on a tree trunk, but standing up to his full height as he heard the sound of hooves approaching.

Joalanar, his chestnut steed a few hands taller than Joibri's, sat straight-backed speaking kindly to her - a strange expression, though, on his young handsome face. Karil hoped she'd be all right with him. He wasn't a fan of the elf, but he'd made him give his word that he'd look after Joibri in any situation that may arise.

As they passed him, Karil wondered if they might not actually notice his presence. But just as he thought to turn away, Joibri caught his eyes, and keeping her glance, the wordless promise was passed. He would stay by Pen, ‘til she returned.

~*~

His anger knew no limits in the hour since the escape. Shadows had searched the office adjacent the ManaDais and reported an exit, hidden in a similar fashion to the main College entrance. Talo had evidently been preparing for this day for a long time.

‘I won't underestimate him again,’ the Master thought to himself, in between dicing a few Shadows with DeathHail and turning others into ash with black-tinged FlameOrbs. He rid himself of a few more hapless incompetents, and then realised that his mana stamina was wavering slightly. Not seriously, but enough to mean that he would not be able to complete the Summoning and bring the Skalah and their Drakoor to Balaia. He was so close now; he could not afford to slip up.

He ordered the remaining half-dozen captive mages be brought before him. They had been rendered unconscious before they had expelled all their mana so as to save some for him to absorb. He woke the first, a female who had offered stout resistance but had been let down by the other two in her trio. Her eyes betrayed her feelings instantly as she realised she could not cast. He smiled, finally, as he drew the small dagger across her pale skin, the base of her neck scored with a thin red line.

Shadows held her fast as she cried out as the sudden pain, her body jolting in her attempts to break free. The Master placed the dagger on a small table, brought in by one of his minions, and turned back to the still-screaming female mage. Blood trickled down under her clothing in a wavering line as she struggled, wide eyes focusing on his as he neared her. He placed a palm across the wound and instantly she went still, body frozen by his SoulDrain. He uttered a few words and instantly felt mana surge out of his prey and into his body, recharging his reserves. She whimpered once as the light in her eyes went out.

When he finished draining her cold lifeless body of all its mana reserves, his Shadows threw the corpse to one side and moved to the next. This male had little to offer, the Master knew, for he had almost depleted himself as he had tried to flee the College under a CloakWalk only to be halted by one of the mage teams used as sweepers. He suffered the same fate as his colleague.

"As will you all," mused the Master...

He only needed to drain four of the six mages, and saving two for after the Summoning, he turned back to the centre of the room, to his "altar". He lay down, just as Joibri had done only an hour or so before, and entered his own ManaForm. He became quickly aware of the strained passageway in the gap between Balaia and the Skalah dimension, heard the cries of his armies beyond the scope of his red vision. His hands began moving slowly but fluidly, as if underwater. His eyes closed as his mouth moved slightly, constructing the spell required to slice through the fabric of space.

A light appeared in the gathering darkness of the void, quickly moving in a jagged circular pattern to form what appeared to be the mouth of a tunnel. As the light completed the opening, his eyes flashed wide open, mouth agape and arms outstretched. He unleashed a huge burst of red and black mana at the centre of the tunnel entrance, and the opening flew open as if a door had been burst open with a ForceCone. Darkness remained, black as obsidian, and then the Shapes began pouring through. Smiling, the Master exited his ManaForm and returned to the real world.

He drained the last two mages without waking them. He would soon have enough fear to look upon without the need for those two. He almost ran out of the College, such was his eagerness to look out upon the destruction his armies would bring to the colleges. When he reached the exit and stepped out next to Triverne Lake, his eyes gazed out on a field of tall powerful bodies - the Skalah, and all around them, rippling with colours, lay their pets, the Drakoor, each twice as big and more as a horse and infinitely more dangerous.

He was pleased as each head turned in his direction, every eye looking directly at him. General Kaynel stood by his side, unmoved by the sight before him as always. The Shadows however, remained inside the College, not daring to venture out into the space now occupied by their only predators. After what seemed like an age, the Master finally spoke out, his voice amplified by a SoundBell casting from one of his support mages behind him.

"This land, and every creature in it, will now belong to me. Any that resist will be destroyed. Now go! The College forces, the only meaningful threat to my domain, lie in the city of Julatsa. GO! Bring fear and destruction upon this world as never before seen!"

~*~

Karil sat opposite his friend inside his home, a huge feeling of guilt hanging over him like a storm cloud. Pen was eating some fruit and smiling, babbling on about the previous day and how he and Joibri were finally going to have a good life after everything had been sorted, as though what was going on in Balaia was just a slight smudge inside a much larger picture. After a while Karil turned his thoughts to other things, trying to drown out his friend's happiness which he knew would be short-lived.

Without warning he felt the most disturbing sensation. Something was not right at the fifth, and Karil had the nasty feeling it had something to do with the Master. Pen stopped his 'dreams for the future' plan in mid-sentence, staring at the mage who now stood and walked to the window.

"We must get back to the tavern, now!" Pen had never seen Karil appear so urgent before. The mage had run straight from the hut and to the horses outside. Mounting the steeds, the mage and warrior rode for Cordelenn tavern, Karil explaining what he had sensed all the way.

When they arrived at the tavern, Talo and the others were waiting outside, sombre-faced.

"You too have felt it then?" Karil spoke to Talo.

"Of course. But there are also more pressing matters."

"What?" Karil seemed angry.

"Joibri, she's gone."

~*~

The eyes shifted ever so slightly, so as to keep the Prey within view. Other Half had been wary at first, unsure of the enemy's abilities, but soon the warm feelings came and the Hunt had begun. Other Half sent a mental picture from the opposite side - one of Prey was carrying a stick with something attached at either end, and had a pouch filled with smaller sticks on its back.

This Prey was different from the others. The protrusions on the sides of its head were not the same as the others - these were more pointed than round. Ears, they had been called by the Master when he had first communicated with them. This Prey also smelt different, as though it was not native to this land. Its eyes scoured the landscape all around, but still never upwards. Not as efficient a hunter as it thought.

"The Prey are noisy again," pulsed Other Half. "They bark and shake limbs at each other and the land around them. Not one of them looks up. None of them know that their deaths are so very close. You shall have this pleasure. I shall watch, for now."

The Drakoor pulsed a contented feeling back towards its Skalah owner. Both waited until the Balaians had moved around the corner out of sight before the huge animal dropped silently to the ground, its fifteen-foot long armoured body making little impact on the earth as its six clawed limbs spread the weight. It stalked the scouting party, three humans and an elven archer, spiked tail flicking lazily behind it until it had them in sight once more. The group had stopped in the middle of a small rocky outcrop, where two of the humans were arguing again over who would take watch. Once more they settled for the elf, who merely shook his head with a bemused expression on his face.

The elf stood and began gazing about the landscape in front of them while the humans, two from the college of Xetesk and one from that of Julatsa, sat down to rest. It had been the Xeteskians making all the noise.

‘As usual,’ thought the elf. As he turned to face the way they had just travelled he thought he saw something moving, something large, coming towards them. But he was tired of the noise coming from the men of the Dark College, and giving no more than a second glance over his shoulder he passed the movement off as stress-induced, a trick of his fatigued and irritated mind. It was a mistake he would never live to regret.

The Skalah stood impassive, its tall powerful body rippled with muscle, and it clicked its talons together in a rhythmic manner. The wind blew over the top of the crags within which the Prey had come to a stop. It gazed back at its Drakoor pet, hidden perfectly in plain sight thanks to its camouflage ability. It had closed the gap considerably, moving almost too fast - the camouflage began to fail. The Skalah pulsed a warning to slow down, and the great beast obeyed immediately. Now almost within striking distance, it would be a shame for this first Hunt to go amiss.

"Another bag of dried fruit? Why don't they ever give us any meat when we go out on these damn scouting runs?" one of the Xeteskians grumbled to his college-mate. "It’s bad enough we have to share it with the Julatsan, but an elf as well?"

"Shaddup you numbskull! Those ears aren't just for looks you know," came the sharp reply from the colleague. "Where's the Julatsan anyhow? Don't take that long for a bloke to take a piss."

The other man had no time to spit out his answer as something hit him from behind. The force of the blow knocked him flying through the air, landing in a crumpled heap twenty feet away. The elf was already firing arrows before the other man had turned, but when he did he wished he had never woken up this morning...

In front of them, with the Julatsan scout hanging from a set of mandibles that fed it into a mouthful of teeth, was the biggest creature they had ever seen. With blood pouring from the body it held up without any difficulty, it stood at least seven feet tall at the shoulder and had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Arrows struck its hide but bounced off the armoured scales. A few struck the head and the creature dropped its prey and roared, a guttural, alien sound that seemed to shake the very earth on which it stood.

The man fumbled to draw his sword and picked up his shield before one of the six limbs thrashed out, cleaving through the man's armour and flesh from right hip to left shoulder, blood exploding from the wound. The movement had been so fast even the elf hadn't seen it, and he turned to run as far away as possible. He didn't get far though, for as he ran something dropped down from above.

The Skalah rose from its crouched position, a wicked creature around seven feet tall, with massively powerful limbs in comparison the his own. The elf drew his short sword, and moved to attack only to find that he was pinned. He felt a sharp pain in his back, and as he struggled to turn he saw the tail from the creature he had tried to flee. It was long, and was spiked at the end. A viscous substance dripped from the spike, and it was then that the elf knew he had been poisoned. All movement began to cease as he felt the paralysis take over his body. He dropped backwards onto the floor, and the last thing he saw was the great beast enter his vision and raise one of the clawed limbs to strike once more...

He raised himself slowly, dragging his body along the ground, every bone in his body seemingly broken from the impact he had taken. He looked over the top of the rock in front of him, saw the elf dispatched in a shower of blood and gore. Saw the beast bend its head, a forked tongue flicking out to lap at the blood as a cat would a saucer of milk. He shivered. It was the most brutal attack he had ever witnessed. Three men taken out without ever hearing their assailant approach.

It was then that he saw the second creature, this one almost human in shape. He stared for a short while, taking in details as much as he could before he realised it was looking directly AT HIM. He tried to stand, but the pain from his left ankle was immense. Broken, most likely. He looked back, seeing only the big one still feeding. He panicked then, trying to look everywhere at once but seeing nothing in the end.

The Skalah approached him from behind, razor-sharp talons extended. It plunged forward just as the Xeteskian turned in its direction, and sank both clawed hands into the leg muscles, crippling the soldier further. Blood showered the rocks and soaked into the ground around them as the man wailed in pain. The Skalah grinned mirthlessly, the pain it had caused satisfying. It withdrew one of its hands a claw at a time, turning the last one in an arc before pulling it out through undamaged flesh. More screams, more pain. More pleasure.

As the body before it quietened, and the wild thrashing of its forelimbs subsided through massive blood loss, the Skalah pulled out its other hand, seeing only a slight flow of blood exit the gaping wound. The creature's skin had paled to a sickly grey, and the breathing had changed to ragged gasps. The Skalah was slightly disappointed that they had not put up more of a fight, but then this was only a small number. The Master had told them the armies of this land would number into thousands. More than enough pleasure awaited it and its Drakoor pet. Almost casually it stood and rammed a foot through the man's ribcage, crushing the internal organs and splintering bone. The man died instantly without making a sound. The Skalah started towards its pet to wait for it to finish eating.

There was more work to be done.

~*~

The Shadow could sense the emotions of its brothers as it travelled through the dark night - thousands more had joined the hive following the Summoning, but they brought distressing news. The Skalah had been summoned to this plane, hundreds of them and there Drakoor slaves. Now fear was rippling through the hive connection, fear and panic that had to be controlled.

"The Master protects us, we must serve and obey well," he pulsed to his brothers.

"But can He control so many? They will come for us!"

"The Master won't allow it - now we must serve. Have you found a way in?"

The communication turned to a sharing of thoughts as the Shadows shared knowledge from their scouting. It took a mere few moments for the hive to fully understand what each of them had seen.

"The city is ready, they have blocked the Way in many places. It seems they have forgotten a large labyrinth beneath the keep itself however," pulsed the effective leader.

"Strange that they have left such an obvious place of attack?" another queried.

"They are stretched thin and the labyrinth is large, how many do we have?" the leader responded.

"The General has allowed us one thousand," the hive replied.

It could not be helped, but many of the Shadows let out a feeling of disgust. A thousand of them could wipe out the city five times over; it was an offence to underestimate them so. But the General was the Master’s favourite and therefore would not be doubted.

"Half will travel to the labyrinth where the Way is open, and target the keep. The rest will stalk the city and destroy the pockets of defence. We move now!"

~*~

In the wine cellars of Blackthorne a dark figure appeared from behind a large brewing barrel. It moved towards the torch-lit wall, noting the unusual smell and damp stone floor. Placing these thoughts away for consideration later, the Shadow went about its task and set about extinguishing the torches in the cellar. Moments later the cellar began to fill with Shadows as they readied themselves for the signal. The leader made an expression similar to a smile as it emerged from a large shadow. Tonight they would prove to the Master just how useful they were.

And Blackthorne would fall...

~*~

The small barracks was barely large enough to hold the joint forces of Julatsa and Lystern, let alone a further thousand recruits. How could Chandyr expect them to train in these conditions when his own army languished in the largest barracks in the city?

Gailen quelled his anger with practised patience. He focused on the positive in an attempt to cool his rage.
The recruits were good, no doubt spurned by their worry for their homeland. The joint forces had also welcomed them and the morale of the army was higher then could be expected. Furthermore he had delayed Chandyr for weeks now, allowing time for his hidden blacksmiths to further armour the new recruits, as well as more time for training.

But the time had finally come, Chandyr would be delayed no more. A knock sounded at the door.

"Enter," he said while hastily rearranging his expression to appear placid. It was Mikadun who entered and Gailen allowed himself a sigh of relief.

His respect for the Captain had soared over the past weeks. The man had a spirit that was contagious! Where he walked, men visibly straightened and pushed themselves harder. At night he was often the centre of attention as he recalled stories of battle and tips on how to slay the Shadows. Where the men in the army held Gailen in awe and respect, Mikadun was held as their chosen champion. A man just like them who had become a hero.

"Sir! You are requested at the wall," said Mikadun impatiently. Gailen nodded grimly,

"Well Chandyr will have to wait. I can't mobilise a force this size in just an hour!"

"No sir! It's one of the scouts, he says there’s something outside the walls. It’s huge sir! I've never seen anything like it!" Gailen was confused,

"Calm down Mikadun! What's outside the walls? A Shadow?"

"No sir! Something else, but it's definitely not human. Sir, please come and look!" Gailen felt his heart race - all this time he knew the demons would come, but he had always held a small hope that somehow the Master would fail, that somehow that Joibri girl would combat him and this would all be nothing but a bad memory.

"Go to Chandyr and tell him to call off the mobilisation and take up defensive positions. Rally the group leaders and call the Wolves together. Have them meet me at the gate.....and Mikadun, do it quickly!"

The large warrior nodded and hastily left the office. Gailen turned to his armour tree and drew one of his enchanted swords.

"It's time," he whispered to no one in particular. Moments later he strode from the barracks in his shinning armour and made for the city gates.

~*~

Lena was pacing the small study that she had been given to use by Baron Blackthorne. She knew she had to get outside and start preparing for the battle that was to come later that evening, but her thoughts were distracted - had been for a long time - and she knew that until she cleared the mess in her head, she wouldn't be able to help anybody much later on.

So now she was pacing her study, working up the nerve to contact Talo. As she realized that she was acting like a love-struck adolescent, she decided that now it was time to reach out for him. Nothing gained in delaying. She sat down and concentrated on Talo, his voice and his mana signature.

"Talo?" she thought. "Are you there?" Suddenly, she felt a tiny jolt and knew that he was aware of her presence.

"Lena!" she heard his voice in her head. Her relief at hearing it, and knowing that he was well enough for a communion at least, nearly made her loose the connection.

"Are you all right? What’s going on? How are the others? What has -"

"Lena, please slow down," he interrupted her questions. In that short sentence Lena heard so much tiredness, but most of all so much pain - she could hardly believe it.

"I'm sorry," she answered. "It's just that I've been so worried about you." For a moment she couldn't hear anything anymore but then she heard his voice again, quieter and gentler then ever,

"I appreciate that. And I know that for you the danger is not over yet. Things have been difficult here...for me," there his voice was nearly inaudible before growing in strength again, "And I fear, more is to come... But we will see each other soon, there is much we must discuss. But for now, I must... concentrate on some other matters."

And with that he broke off the connection, leaving Lena feeling confused, anxious and elated all at once. But for now, knowing that he was alive and in reasonable health would be enough - the rest she could ponder on later. So she bound her long hair back, straightened her robes and left the room, feeling prepared for what was to come this night.

~*~

Talo leant back against the wall where he sat on his bed, running a hand through his hair. Lena would understand, she always had, even in the short time he had known her. She could help him... He hadn’t realised how much he missed her company.

He just wished there had been time for him to pour out his troubles - he didn’t exactly feel comfortable doing that to Unliore, for some reason, even though he had known her for longer than Lena. Maybe it was because Unliore had troubles of her own.

But Talo wasn’t sure if he should make his way to Blackthorne just yet. He didn’t think he could keep himself together long enough to reach Lena. In that case, he would have to break alone, and return to her afterwards if he survived long enough to do so. He did wonder if she would come to him.

“If,” he murmured sadly, “She survives long enough to do so...”

~*~

The sun set on Blackthorne and left the city in darkness save from the few defensive positions and the keep itself. Veygan had watched the sunset as if it was the last he would ever see.

‘Indeed it could be,’ he mused.

He had positioned himself at the town hall, the largest of the defensive positions in the city and the one which would suffer the strongest attack. The building was shining from the light of mage LightGlobes and torches - in any other situation the Wolf soldier would have found the building comical. Instead he scrutinised the building for defensive weaknesses and possible Shadows.

Veygan had with him some five hundred men and fifty mages. No more could be spared from the keep, which held over half the city population. However, the keep had a far greater defence. Blackthorne’s elite guard, half the standing army and well over two hundred mages would man the vast structure. Not to mention Kane and Lena.

Veygan smiled at the thought of the Fifth mage - he thought of her more and more these days. He had often found himself gawping at her like a fool, something Delenar was quick to mock him for. What he would give to have Delenar's skill with women.

'Face it Veygan, she does not see you in that way,' he told himself again and again, each time bringing a new wave of depression, 'Now focus.' The soldier scanned the dark streets in front of the city hall, this time focusing his attention on the task.

Shock and fear shot through him and he barely managed to leap back from a set of metallic claws. The darkness before him sprang to life as Shadows leapt from every direction. Veygan hastily drew his sword and expertly parried aside a blow while backing up to the brightly lit hall entrance.

"Shadows! Form up!" he shouted as guardsmen set up a defence in front of the entrance building. The sounds of battle grew in Veygan's ears as the lines clashed and the first spells fell into the darkness. He fell into the fluid calm state he used when in battle and began to deal death to the attacking demons. As safe as anyone could be for the moment he took time to reflect on his mistake,

'That girl will be the death of me,' he thought.

~*~

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