Blood Moon Cycle

Solidus sat at the table containing the model of the country and listened as the generals explained what had been done up until that point in the war. His sharp eyes followed as they pointed out each position of each battle and the outcome. When they had finished, Solidus sat quietly thinking over everything.

A meal was brought and was eaten in silence. Once it was finished and had been cleared away, Solidus went back to thinking. Rielle shifted back and forth nervously, dreading what would come out of Solidus’s mouth the next time he spoke. Finally Solidus stood.

“How prepared are you for a full scale invasion?” Solidus asked. The commander sat up straighter.

“What do you mean?” Solidus looked down at the model.

“The warrior who broke your lines today, was a demon host. You watched as I drew the creature from him, and then sent it back into the void after he had died. They are beginning to seal demons inside hosts to create stronger soldiers. In a single, short month they will over run you and invade. My question is, are your cities ready for invasion? Are they ready to be defended and resist siege?” The grey haired general stood slowly from his seat.

“Are you sure they will attack so soon?” Solidus nodded.

“What do you know of the Blood Moon Cycle?” General Proteus snorted from his chair. He had insisted that he be placed in the tent so he could be part of the planning.

“It is a myth.” Solidus nodded.

“And so am I, General.” General Proteus turned his head away and said nothing. Rielle thought back on all the books she had ever read, searching for an answer to Solidus’s question.

“There are multiple moon cycles.” She recalled. “Storm cycle, Ice cycle, Harvest cycle, and many others. Most only happen once a year or every other year. But I have never heard of the Blood cycle.” Solidus nodded.

“It was never commonly taught, even before I went into exile. The Blood Moon Cycle happens only once every few hundred years, and it is very dangerous.”

“How so?” The Commander asked. Solidus cleared his throat.

“Rielle will remember this, but the world depends on balance. The greatest strengths come from balance. During most time, life is a dominant force in the world. But to maintain balance, every few hundred years, a Blood Moon occurs. During that short period of time, Death becomes the dominant force in this world. Demons grow in strength, even a minor injury can be fatal, and blood can be absorbed to make others stronger. On the night of the Blood Moon Cycle, the Telatian army will become unimaginably strong. If you stand in their way, you will be killed and your blood will be absorbed to make them even stronger and more bloodthirsty. If you wish to survive that night it would be best if you were inside your cities and prepared for the worst.” The grey haired general slipped back into his chair.

“It would take months of preparation and require that we leave the Southwestern Gate untended.” Solidus turned and motioned for Rielle to follow.

“You have close to a month before the Blood Moon Cycle begins, I suggest you make the most of your time.” The Commander quickly stood.

“What are you going to do?” Solidus glanced back over his shoulder as he left the tent.

“I am going to destroy the Great Southwestern Gate.”

Rielle watched as soldiers quickly packed up their camps and moved away from the Great Gate. A short ways away, Solidus stood contemplating the structure that formed the Southwestern Gate.

“Can you do it?” Rielle asked him. Solidus nodded.

“It is not a question of if I can do it. It is a question of how.”

“How?” Rielle questioned. Solidus nodded again.

“Bringing down the Gate is not an issue. I need to bring it down and make it impassable to the Telatians. It would do no good to destroy the Gate and have the Telatians simply climb over the rubble.” Rielle nodded her understanding. They stood quietly, Rielle listening to the army as it moved away.

“Are you prepared to follow me?” Solidus asked suddenly. Rielle looked up at his sad face.

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?” She asked him. Solidus stared straight ahead.

“We will be going into places that are very dangerous and unsavory. You will see things that could drive you to the edge of your sanity. You will be in grave danger and I won’t guarantee that I will be able to protect you all of the time.” Rielle swallowed and took a deep breath before nodding.

“I understand. I will still follow you.” Solidus nodded.

“Then we head into the wastes of Telatia.” Rielle nodded and shakily followed Solidus into the Southwestern Gate. The walk through the gate was tedious. Solidus walked along slowly, looking around at the narrow passage of the Gate.

“It has been a very long time since I walked through here. Almost eight hundred years now.” He said conversationally. Rielle’s jaw dropped in spite of herself.

“Eight hundred years?” Solidus nodded with a chuckle.

“Yes, I walked through here on the way to my exile in the Mercury Mountains.” Rielle counted back, trying to remember her history lessons.

“Eight hundred years ago, that was just after the Purge. The crusade to destroy all Magic users.” Solidus nodded.

“You know your history, good. Yes, I kept out of sight during the Purge, helping those I could to escape the slaughter. After it was over, I made a visit to many places all over Galbrea so that I could remember them while in exile. I traveled through Gentry, Telatia, Hortaal, and Laytrow before entering the Mercury Mountains and cleansing the evil from the highest peak.” Solidus continued walking slowly through the dark passages in silence. Rielle walked behind Solidus, deep in thought. Eventually, curiosity overcame her and she coughed once before speaking.

“Solidus?”

“Hmm?” Solidus seemed lost in his own thoughts. Rielle toyed with her hands for a few moments before finally asking,

“How old are you?” Solidus laughed.

“Ageless.” He told her. Rielle made a disapproving sound.

“I know that. I meant how long has it been since you were born?” Solidus glanced back with one eyebrow raised.

“That isn’t exactly the most important information at the moment.” Rielle shrugged.

“I was just curious. You told me you had taught High King Hortaal Lyvinius. If that is true, you would have to be at least fifteen hundred years old.” Rielle took a few steps before she realized the gravity of what she had said.

“Fifteen hundred years? Are you really that old?” She asked, her steps faltering for a moment. Solidus chuckled.

“If you must know, I am better than twice that.” Rielle stopped in her tracks.

“Three thousand?” Solidus nodded and kept walking. Rielle stood still for a moment and then shook herself and rushed to catch up to Solidus.

“You are really three thousand years old?” Solidus chuckled again.

“Three thousand eight hundred, give or take a dozen or so years. You tend to lose track when you get as old as I am.” Rielle stared at Solidus as they walked. After a little ways, Solidus spoke again.

“Staring at me won’t make me look any older.” Rielle blushed furiously and looked down at her feet, locking them there until she stepped onto blank sand. Looking up she found they had left the pass and had entered a vast desert. She looked around, expecting to see a thousand telatian soldiers, but found nothing but empty, windblown sand.

“Where is the Telatian army?” She quickly tried to inspect the mountains to either side, expecting to find hundreds of soldiers rushing down to ambush them. The desert was still.

“There isn’t anyone around.” Rielle stated, wondering if she might believe it if she voiced it again. Solidus simply nodded.

“There were not near as many Telatians as there seemed to be. When they returned to attack the gates a second time, their numbers had not actually increased. There were simply Demon hosts among them, which made the army stronger and appear to have more soldiers.”

“Even so.” Rielle said, once again looking around. “We can’t have reduced their armies down to a single man.” Solidus shook his head.

“They sent him to see if a stronger Demon host would be sufficient to break the lines and allow them to pass through the gate. It takes time and energy to seal a Demon to a human host. They sent him, and a few others, to see what would be needed to break the lines. That way they could prepare for a full scale assault with a much higher chance of success.” Rielle nodded and thought over Solidus’s explanation for a moment before speaking again.

“Ok, but shouldn’t there still be some sort of force on this side of the gate? They surely wouldn’t leave it undefended so that the allied kingdoms could gain a foothold here... would they?” Solidus smiled.

“It is good to know you can think things through, and yes, there was a small force here. When they witnessed my arrival, and watched what I did to the Demon after the fight, they retreated to bring the news to their leader. As for why they would leave the gate entirely undefended, there are several reasons. The soldiers from the other kingdoms are not accustomed to the conditions here in the desert. The sand would severely slow their march, the heat would tire the men and horses, and there are... other dangers here. The Telatians know this and don’t consider the other kingdoms as much of a threat in such conditions. Now, does that answer all of your questions? We should move on.” Rielle nodded slowly and followed behind Solidus when he moved.

They walked a few hundred feet away from the Gate and then Solidus turned around and held his arms out to either side of him, the palms of his hands turned up.

Rielle watched in wonder as silver strings of energy appeared in Solidus’s hands, attached to the end of each finger. The strings extended deep into the pass they had just left.

“What are they?” Rielle asked, pointing at the silver strings.

“Energy I have attached at intervals through the entire length of the gate. They are what I will use to pull down the pass. Now please be silent, I must concentrate.” Solidus closed his eyes and began mumbling to himself. Rielle pursed her lips, and vowed to herself that she wouldn’t ask any more questions. As Solidus continued, his mumbling became a rumble and his fingers began to twitch. Back and forth, they moved individually, causing the magical strings attached to them to quiver.

A rumble sounded from deep within the gate, and Rielle’s eyes widened as the sound grew louder and louder until it had become an earth shaking roar. Solidus raised his hands above his head, as if he were a puppet master, controlling a puppet on the end of its strings. His voice rose and he spoke a few words that were foreign to Rielle before gathering all the strings into a single tight fist and pulling down and back.

A great groan issued from the mountain and then a gigantic crack, as if the world itself was splitting apart, as the mountains and the Gate collapsed. Dust and sand rose into the air, blinding Rielle and causing her to cough and quickly cover her face with her cloak. Rielle could barely make out Solidus in the sudden dust storm as he continued to flick his fingers, guiding something with the silver threads in his hands. After what seemed like an eternity to Rielle, the roaring and the groaning eased to a stop and Solidus placed his hands at his sides, the silver strings vanishing.

With a slow breath, Solidus made a downward motion and the dust quickly settled. Rielle stood in shock, staring at the scene before her. The Great Southwestern Gate was gone. It was almost as if it had never been there at all. In its place stood a massive rockslide of boulders the size of houses that piled up nearly as high as the mountain itself.

The slide was steep, like a cliff face, and the boulders were wedged so tightly together that Rielle didn’t think they could ever be moved. Solidus took a few slow, deep breaths and then opened his eyes.

“The Telatians should find crossing the pass to be difficult now.” Rielle nodded mutely. Solidus placed one hand on her shoulder and turned her to look at him.

“This is what can be done with study, practice, and balance. Remember that and you will grow strong in your skill.” Rielle stared blankly at Solidus.

“I could never…” Solidus nodded.

“Probably not, but you will never need to. Magic on this scale is not something that should be done lightly. The balance of the elements can be broken if it is not done correctly. A wrong move could cause imbalance and would have to be compensated for elsewhere.” Rielle slowly started to recover.

“Elsewhere?” Solidus nodded and steered her away from the gate, walking towards the open desert.

“If the elements had been thrown out of balance here, somewhere else the elements would have to change to keep the world in balance. If I had not been careful pulling down this mountain, another might have been thrust up out of the sea to compensate. Performing magic, any magic, on a large scale can have cataclysmic consequences. You must remember that and always bear the consequences in mind when using your power. Balance must remain.” Rielle nodded as they walked away from the devastated Gate. Solidus nodded in return.

“Good. Now, you need your rest. This journey will be difficult on you.” As Rielle started to mutter a reply, Solidus waved one hand across her face and her eyes fluttered shut. Solidus led her along as she slept, keeping her upright and walking towards the Northeast as the sky darkened.

Rielle was more confused than she had ever been in her entire life. She stood before the gates of an enormous tiered city constructed of black stone. She had no memory of traveling to this city. She remembered speaking with Solidus at the Southwestern Gate after it had been destroyed. The next thing she knew, she was opening her eyes to see the massive desert city laid before her.

“Where are we? How did we get here?” She asked. Solidus answered from beside her. “We have arrived at Tyr ’anon. The capital city of Telatia.” Rielle shook her head.

“We cannot have made it here so quickly.” Solidus chuckled.

“You have been asleep for three days.” Rielle turned to Solidus.

“Three days? How is that possible?” Solidus looked on with seemingly little concern.

“I placed you in an enchanted sleep that has lasted three days. You needed rest and we could not afford to delay. I simply led you along as you slept.” Rielle was suddenly angry.

“But for three days? Couldn’t you have let me wake up and carry myself under my own power?” Solidus shook his head.

“For now, all you need to know is that there are things in this desert that it is best to avoid. Ancient things that recognize me and would have harmed you, had you been conscious for the encounter.” Most of Rielle’s conviction drained away.

“I would still have preferred to have the choice.” She tried to sound angry. Solidus shrugged.

“Traveling with me means you will have to endure a great many things you would not otherwise choose to experience. That is the choice you have made in following me.” Rielle resisted the urge to stamp her foot.

“You started to teach me magic, and I accepted you as my teacher. I am not going to leave until you have fully trained me. I accepted the fact that I can use magic and now I am going to learn to do so. I don’t care if I enjoy it or not.” Solidus half smiled.

“That will have to wait until we are done here. Most of the people here are very… zealous when it comes to magic. Should they even begin to suspect we are magic users it will become very difficult to get out of the city without casualties. The few who are not against magic users are magic users themselves or demon hosts. In either case, they already know we are here. And in both cases they are not happy we have come.” Rielle turned back and looked at the city. The black stone made it look dark and foreboding.

“If they do not want us here, what is stopping them from trying to drive us out of the city?”

“Because those of us who know what you are also know who you are.” Called a voice from the shadow of the city gate. A tall, thin man with tan skin and dark hair stepped out into the open. He was wrapped, head to toe, in sand colored cloth to protect him from the morning sun. The figure spoke again.

“No one in his right mind would challenge Grandmaster Solidus, The Silver Mage. Not in the open, and especially not anywhere near Tyr ’anon. Not even the High Priest would risk that.” Solidus nodded slightly.

“I would see your master. We have something to discuss.” The man looked at Solidus. “I’m afraid my master sends his apologies on that point. He cannot meet with you right now as something of great importance currently holds his attention.” Solidus fixed the man with a solid gaze.

“Then tell your master he had better find a moment that his attention is not occupied. I will speak with him. If he refuses, He will not have to worry about risking a confrontation openly in the city, because I will.” The man met his gaze for a few moments and then turned away.

“I will speak with my master.” Solidus nodded.

“Good. I will be waiting for his reply in the inn on the third tier, below the temple. He has until sundown to find the time to meet with me, Or I will make time for him.” The man nodded, then swept around and back through the way he had come. Solidus motioned and Rielle followed him through the gate and into the city.

As she followed Solidus through the city, Rielle noticed that it had been designed specifically for war. Each building was built at equal intervals around the city, and each successive building was higher than the one before it to allow for archers and soldiers to stand and fight. The streets below were narrow with no places to hide from sight.

Each tier of the city was thirty feet higher than the tier below and had a wall that spanned the entire length of the raised section. The only way up to each tier was a slender staircase that led up the side of the wall and would be easily defended from all directions.

By the time they had reached the inn Solidus had mentioned, Rielle was feeling very depressed from looking at the black stone and worn from the long walk across the city.

“How was a city like this ever conceived?” She asked, as she sat down at a table in the corner that Solidus motioned to.

“Tel’a Gromai Shia, the empress who founded Telatia, did not trust the leaders of the other five kingdoms. Though the deities had commanded their followers that there should be peace, Tel’a could not bring herself to trust that the peace would last long. She created the city so that any number of soldiers could defend it from any of the three tiers, and then commanded that any other cities be built adjacent to the capital.

Her initial intent was to protect her people, but her advisor, Borsa Kera Moradon, killed the empress in her sleep and took control of the kingdom.” Rielle stared at Solidus for several moments in silence as he ordered some food and drink from a maid.

“What did the counselor do after he took control?” She asked him, after the maid had left. Solidus cleared his throat and leaned back in his chair.

“To gain the support of the people, he claimed assassins had attacked the empress in her bedchamber and killed her. Then he ‘humbly’ took control of the kingdom and named it after the empress. Tel’a-Shia, or Telatia. He then converted the palace into a temple and became the first priest, and demon host, of the Chaos Order.” Rielle shook her head.

“I never cared for Telatian politics. And their names are far too complicated for my taste.” Solidus chuckled.

“Don’t tell that to a Telatian. Their names hold great significance for them. Each part of their name has a different meaning and honor attached to it. But right now I haven’t the time, or the desire, to try and teach you their complex naming system. As for their system of politics, the more complicated they are, the more likely they are to get what they want from others. Especially so if they can claim dishonor because of a broken rule or custom.” Rielle sat back as the maid returned with two plates of steaming meat and vegetables, and two tankards of spiced cider. When the maid had once again departed, Rielle sat forward and spoke as Solidus began to eat.

“Then how is it you got the man at the gate to go and speak with the priest to gain you an audience. You didn’t even come close to Telatian protocol.” Solidus chuckled and then took a drink of his cider to wash down a mouthful of food.

“The Priest and I do not stand on protocol. The priest, because he rules the kingdom and city, I because I have power and knowledge. That gives me weight to throw around. The man at the gate simply does not wish to get in the way of either me, or the priest.” Rielle stared at her plate with a puzzled look on her face.

“How is it that so many know who you are?” Solidus shrugged and wiped his mouth.

“As thorough as the Purge was, it did not utterly destroy all magic users or texts on magic. As I mentioned before, I helped many escape myself. Those attuned to magic can sense my aura and can, thus, identify me. They know of me either by word of mouth, by the teachings of their masters, or by reading texts which contain my name and description. That or they are demon hosts. All demons remember me well, there are no secrets in the chaos. Though some may know me, there are also magic users here who only know that I hold great power and they will not risk their lives trying to steal knowledge or attack. They know better.” Rielle nodded. She suddenly found herself ravenously hungry and quickly began to eat.

They didn’t have to wait long before the Telatian who had met them at the gate returned. He whispered a few words to Solidus, who nodded, then he turned and left. Solidus let Rielle quickly finish eating and then motioned for her to follow.

They left the inn and made their way through the few people who wandered the top tier of the city. Moments later Rielle found herself standing at the bottom of a long stairway that led up to the temple entrance. Two guards stepped in to block their path.

“What business do you have at the temple?” One of the guards asked gruffly. Solidus kept his eyes downcast.

“We have been summoned to see your high priest.” He told the guard. The guard scoffed. “I have been ordered by the high priest himself not to allow anyone to disturb him today.” Solidus kept his eyes firmly on the ground.

“We have a matter of great importance to speak of with the high priest.” The guard shook his head with a growl and placed one hand on a sword at his side.

“And I have told you, I am to let no man pass.” Solidus stood silently for a moment and then raised his head and fixed his eyes on the guard.

“If I were you, I would not risk the ire of both myself and the high priest by barring our passage.” The guard flinched back from Solidus’s piercing gaze.

“If the high priest commands it, we will let you pass.” The guard replied, and both guards quickly stepped aside. Solidus quickly led Rielle past the guards and up the long stairway. Rielle was still amazed by the air of command that Solidus seemed to hold over everyone they met, but she was careful not to let her amazement show on her face. Solidus all but marched up to the temple doors. The guards there hurriedly pushed open the doors and scrambled to get out of Solidus’s way. Rielle almost grinned until Solidus spoke.

“Stay close.” He grumbled. Rielle jumped and found herself trying to crowd closer to the mage. Inside the temple, the stone seemed even darker than it had been outside. Sputtering torches lined the walls but did little to light their way or warm the chilling air. The air itself felt dirty to Rielle, like oil on water, and she wanted nothing more than to scrub away the filth. But the deeper into the temple they went, the stronger the feeling became.

“It is the taint of the Chaos brought here by summoning demons and binding them to hosts.” Solidus said as they walked. Rielle shuddered and then promised herself she would stop shuddering. They walked through winding hallways with other halls branching off in seemingly absurd directions. Eventually they came to a tall door with strange symbols etched into its surface. In front of that door stood the tall Telatian man who had met them when they entered the city.

Solidus stopped before the door and glanced at the man. The man nodded and quickly entered the room beyond. Several seconds went by and then he returned and motioned Solidus through the door. Rielle followed quickly behind and cringed as the doors banged shut behind them.

The room was large and richly decorated. Expensive furniture from every part of the world sat expertly positioned around the edge of the room. The center was empty save for a wide circle, with symbols all around it, drawn on the floor. At the other end of the room was an altar and before it stood a man of medium height and strong build. He had black hair with streaks of gray beginning to show but he stood as if he were still in his prime.

“To be visited by such a powerful guest as you, Grandmaster Solidus, it defies the imagination.” The voice was silky and quiet and Rielle felt strangely drawn to it.

“I didn’t come here on a social call, Borsa, and you know that.” The man sighed and turned around. Rielle was stunned. The high priest was possibly the most handsome man she had ever seen. His face was strong and well defined, his eyes a pale blue almost as clear as Solidus’s silver eyes, and his smile seemed to cut into Rielle and make her want to smile too. Solidus remained passive, seemingly ignorant of the priest’s looks.

The priest, to Rielle’s satisfaction, seemed a little nervous and unable to maintain eye contact with Solidus for more than a few seconds at a time. To Rielle’s dismay, however, he chose to look at her instead.

“Who is this one you have brought with you Master Solidus? She seems very young, and somehow familiar.” Solidus nodded.

“Perhaps. She is a high ranking Ambassador of Hortaal.” The priest nodded as if he had expected no less. “She also has the potential and is under my tutelage.” The priest’s eyes widened almost unnoticeably for a moment and then returned to normal.

“I see. So she is not here to negotiate for the Allied kingdoms then?” Solidus shook his head.

“No, she is not. She is simply accompanying me. But there has been enough of this stalling already.” The priest nodded, almost reluctantly.

“Indeed. Why have you come here Master Solidus? It is unheard of for you to leave the Mercury Mountains.” Solidus nodded.

“Yes, and I would have been content with staying there and letting events unfold. But you changed that.” The priest took on a curious look.

“Oh? And how, pray tell, did I do that?” Solidus’s expression did not change.

“Five days ago you made a choice. A decision that could have very dangerous, and very far reaching effects” A dark expression flashed across the priests features. If she had not been trained to spot such things, Rielle thought she might have missed it.

“What manner of choice do you think I could have made that would have such repercussions?” The priest asked, a little too calmly. The corner of Solidus’s mouth twitched, almost as if to smile.

“You think you have found a demon worthy of having you as a host.” The priest’s false smiled turned into an angry scowl.

“Who is to say I am not already a host?” Solidus laughed emotionlessly.

“You have made a connection, Borsa, but you don’t yet have the strength to tear the demon from the Chaos and seal it within your body. That is why you wait for a Blood Moon Cycle. You can guess at its timing, but you cannot know. It could be hours or years before the Blood Moon comes.” The Priest’s scowl deepened.

“I will wait as I must. And who are you to tell me I am wrong? Who are you to tell me that destroying this world will not bring me glory in the next?” Solidus also scowled and his gaze, much to Rielle’s surprise, seemed to sharpen further.

“You do not understand what would happen if balance was lost. Your body itself is balance. A body made from Earth, willed to life by Fire, and sustained by Water and Air. Losing that would destroy you, not take you to the heaven realm. Your body would join the chaos and you would not be your own to command anymore. You still have a chance to undo what you have done. You are not yet completely under the demon’s sway. If you break the connection now you can save yourself and avoid the senseless destruction you plan.” For a moment, Rielle almost thought Solidus had gotten to the priest with his words. But after a few moments the scowl returned.

“You are not one to judge me. One who nearly severed the bond between the elements of the world. One who nearly broke the world and sent it spiraling back into chaos.” Solidus saddened visibly and suddenly Rielle could see a great burden weighing him down, though what that burden was she could not say. Solidus looked back at the priest, the sharpness in his eyes returning.

“Had I not risked breaking the world apart, the Chaos order would have done so without remorse. Had your predecessor made the choice I have warned you to make, and severed his connection with his demon, then the demons would not have come to overrun this place and I would not have been forced to act.” Even the priest now visibly flinched from the power in Solidus’s voice and gaze, and Rielle could only stand and watch, in awe of the struggle of power going on before her eyes. The priest only partially recovered.

“Your words will not turn me from my path. My way is set and I will not deviate.” Solidus sighed and removed his gaze from the priest.

“So be it. I still give you the chance to turn away. Make the choice and sever your connection before you destroy yourself. If you do not make the choice before the Blood Moon Cycle, I will return, and the choice will be made for you.” Solidus motioned to Rielle and they turned to leave the room.

Had Rielle chanced a look back, she might have seen the anger building in the priest’s face. Had Solidus not had an incalculable weight on his mind he might have sensed the attack before it came. As it was, he could only turn as the priest hurled a dagger from beneath his robe. The dagger flashed through the air and met Rielle in the center of her back between her shoulder blades. She gasped and fell forward, dropping to the ground, unconscious before she struck the black stone floor.

With supreme effort Solidus clenched his hands and then turned back to the priest. The priest fell back against the altar in fear as lightning flashed in Solidus’s eyes and the air around him warped and cracked.

“It would have been better for you if you had controlled your anger. Now you have set in motion something that cannot be undone. Something only the oldest of us remember. Now you have only time before the struggle for balance ends. Remember the words I speak, Borsa Kera Moradon, tenth High Priest of Telatia. What you started here with bloodshed will end in a way you cannot even begin to imagine, and it will determine how the world ends. You have made many deadly enemies this day, and you will not soon forget it.” Without another word he pointed at Rielle and both disappeared with a sound like a thousand thunder claps.

The priest slowly pulled himself off the floor, his fear being replaced by awe and greater anger. After only moments he shouted for the man outside.

“Yes, your grace?” The man asked as he quickly stepped into the room. The priest growled.

“Gather the army and march at once. I want the gates taken by week’s end!” The man hastily bowed and left the room. The priest turned back to the altar, shaking with uncertainty and rage, to make council with the demon that would call him host.