Treading through the deep snow of the High Mountain, an elderly man rode up the path to Felgarth on his white stallion. His white cape that was attached to his robe moved with the wind as he pulled his hood back, getting a better look at the temple before him. With concern reflecting in his kind blue eyes, he stepped off his mount as he arrived by the stairway leading up to the sanctuary. He was met by quite the surprising reveal as a group of people came out the gate, carrying the wrapped body of Vazayus. Holding onto his staff, the old man rushed over to see the face of the man and shortly after asked with a sense of urgency.
What happened?
One of the women who was helping out with the body shifted her attention towards him and stated in a low tone.
Grandmaster Ferongar, I’m afraid Lord Anarious got away. He escaped the barrier chamber and went after High Elder Uuthar. The temple was overrun by his unit within seconds, there wasn’t anything we could do.
How many were there?
Twenty to thirty men and he also had his daughter with him.
With a surprised glare in his eyes, the old man expressed unrest as he responded with a single word.
What?
It was Lady Errynaya, and from the looks of it, she is already a fighter. She’s but a child, but he’s twisted her mind.
What was she wearing?
What do you mean?
Staring into her eyes with a fearful look as he placed both his hands onto her shoulders, continuing.
The colors, the armor?
Black and red, no plate or mail, just leather with a cloak.
The Sanguis unit… it has already been established then.
Ferongar, there is something else you should know. The Stormcaller boy seems to be involved somehow.
Glancing over at young Archus who stood by the valley overlook, seemingly distraught, Ferongar spoke calmly.
So, they know… Leave the boy to me, I’ll send word to Aethos and find a solution for how to proceed. In the meantime, take care of the dead.
Of course, Grandmaster. We will take care of everything here.
Ferongar gave her a gentle nod of acknowledgment before he approached the boy. Leaning against the railing next to him, the Grandmaster slightly turned his head towards him as spoke.
The time has come, Archus.
I’m so sorry, Ferongar. I thought Elder Uuthar was out of control.
He saw it on the boy’s face, the pain and guilt, it was eating away at him. It became clear once Archus looked up into his eyes with remorse. With a deep sigh, Ferongar nodded and glanced over at Vazayus who were being brought into the Elders Mausoleum as he listened to him explain.
I thought he was a High Elder of the Revelation order; I didn’t know he would go after Uuthar like that. He was just interested in the serpent object or something that Vazayus had.
You’re not entirely wrong. Lord Anarious was an Elder of the old order, but now… Let’s just say he is no longer an ally of ours.
Placing his hand onto his shoulder, Ferongar reassured him that he should not blame himself for any of this. Starting to move towards his horse with the boy by his side, he continued in a more unnerved tone of voice.
Listen to me carefully. You cannot under any circumstances tell anyone about this, do you understand? If the council of Elvanor learns of your involvement in this, they will see it as a betrayal.
Okay, I promise. I won’t tell anyone.
Helping young Stormcaller up on the horse, the Grandmaster explained that he was taking him back to Stormhold. Mounting his stallion, Ferongar began riding with the boy away from the temple of Felgarth.
As the hooves of the horse cut through the deep snow of the mountain path a while after their departure, Ferongar addressed Archus with a firm expression on his face.
When we arrive at the city, remember what I told you, you cannot disclose anything, not even to your father about the events that transpired at Felgarth. He is obligated to inform the council, and when he does, it will stir up problems for all parties involved. I will personally address your father, and I will tell him only what he needs to know.
I understand. Can I ask you something, Ferongar? What is the artifact he was looking for? The ring of serpents and the letter ‘G’ engraved.
Looking down while expressing sadness, the old man remained silent for a while before finally answering his question.
He is trying to bring back an old friend, someone who will turn the tide of this cold war. We can’t let him succeed, even though he has good reasons for what he is doing.
Can you tell me more about Lord Anarious, why he is doing this?
No, this is not something a young scholar like yourself should need to worry about. You have a much greater task at hand. The young crown-prince is coming of age, he will need guidance. Your father and I have already discussed the matter, although it’s happening a lot sooner than expected, you have to do your part.
Acknowledging what the Grandmaster was saying, Archus was listening carefully and agreed to do his duty. The road ahead was long, but from what they had recently experienced, nothing seemed further away in their minds.
The Ruins of Al'huran
A few days had passed since the two vanghouls arrived at the Stormhold camp. The palisades around the base had been upgraded with a wooden wall on the backside, allowing archers to have the high ground. However, morale was dropping rapidly as the source of nourishment had come to an end. General Galeran and Admiral Fowler stood inside the commanders’ tent, debating the plans ahead. Walking back and forth with his hands resting on his back, Galeran spoke as he saw the blank look on the Admiral’s face.
Terrence, are you still with me?
Aye, sir. I’m just wondering if we made the right decision to send half of our men back to the coast.
We’re not getting off this island anytime soon, we need food. If we send more people out on hunts in these lands, chances are we’ll pay dearly. We have no idea what awaits in these woods.
Aye, but even though this place offers the best protection, there is no clean fresh water either. The waterfall by the coast and the fish in the ocean supply our needs, but the journey back and forth is a considerable risk. Have you learned anything from those beasts yet?
Taking a deep breath, Nathan squinted and waited a short moment before replying to his question.
He has shared some insight into where the vanghouls reside. The Captain confirms it as well. They’re holding up in an underground city just northwest of here.
Do you think he wants the truce?
Of course not. This is just an elaborate scheme to lower our guard. We got to play our cards right, Admiral.
Stepping into the tent, a guardsman saluted his leaders and informed the General that a woman was here to see him. Allowing her access, Nathan asked Fowler for a moment of privacy, which he granted him as he left with the guard. Walking inside, Fraya approached General Galeran and bowed her head formally before addressing him.
Thank you for letting me have an audience with you.
Of course. What can I do for you… pardon me, I didn’t quite catch your name?
It’s Fraya, my Lord.
A name of the north, huh? How long have you been living in Arkanvail, Lady Fraya?
She kept eye contact with him and clearly understood he was digging for information. Galeran was a suspicious man by nature, he didn’t leave much up to chance. Maintaining his stance of formality, Nathan continued.
Well? How long has it been?
More than ten years as part of the upper-class nobility.
Yes, you do not seem like a peasant.
Looking at her long fingernails, her soft skin that hadn’t seen much combat or hard labor, but her attire was off. Her jacket was in the same teal color as the Arkanvail palette, but the markings and layout were foreign. He was walking around her as he studied every detail. Feeling quite uncomfortable by his constant stare and stern facial expression, Fraya tried to retain her confidence as she asked.
I wanted to know what you intend to do with Arthouras and Malisha.
Who? Oh, those beasts. Nothing you need to worry about.
You have them under strict guard even though they’re here to help you. If you try to listen to them, there is a real chance here to create a lasting peace between the two races.
Races? You speak about this as if it was a matter of These are not men, even calling them animals is too kind.
Her eyes showed annoyance and sadness as she listened to him. Getting through to the General wasn’t anything like Captain Feregreth. Even though the Captain had his doubts, he was at least willing to give it a shot, but Galeran was completely cold. There was no point in arguing with him any further, so she excused herself and turned around. However, as she was about to leave the tent, Nathan raised his voice and ordered the guards out front to block her path. As she halted, the General approached her and gazed into her blue eyes as she turned towards him. Galeran got up in her face as he spoke in a low and bothered tone of voice.
Why are you sympathizing with these creatures?
I don’t judge anyone based on what they look like.
Is that so? Appearances can be deceiving, that much is true.
Yes, exactly.
But also, those who look innocent, who walk and talk like us, who wear our colors can be the real enemy in disguise.
Starting to see that he was turning the conversation against her, she began to prepare herself as she became nervous. He walked around inside the tent for a bit before he glanced back at her, stating firmly.
“Through struggle comes perseverance,” the Arkanvail coat of arms. You know what it means, don’t you?
I do, yes.
Who taught it to you?
My… father.
Giving her a quick nod, he raised his hand and gestured for the guards to move out of the way. Watching as she left, Nathan stared out into the camp for a while before turning back inside. He walked over to a table and sat down in his chair, looking at a scroll before him. It contained details about the original mission, but what his eyes were locked at was the slogan below the symbol of Stormhold, which read, “Through struggle comes perseverance.”
Down the road from the commanders’ tent, Declan Lowe strolled alongside Feregreth on the muddy path through the camp. Despite all the recent tragedies, Declan seemed happy to have his young prodigy back. As they were looking at the men walking around, the former Admiral continued on the conversation they were having about the future ahead.
I’m sure that once we return from this assignment, coming back to the city will make us long for a situation like this.
Chuckling in good spirit, Feregreth shook his head at his mentor as he replied.
You really can’t stand a simple life, can you?
Oh, you know me, lad. The world is here for us to explore. You have to promise me that you grab every opportunity to see what the world has to offer. Aewyth is a beautiful country, but what you see around you right now, what you experience, these are things that you’ll have with you for the rest of your life. And between you and I, you don’t find the exotic ladies back home in the city.
Laughing as he took his left arm around his back, Feregreth caught Fraya coming out of the commanders’ tent up the road. As he got lost in her for a moment, Declan smiled amusingly as he leaned over, stating in a jokingly manner.
Perhaps you don’t need to travel any further, lad.
Turning his sight away from her as Declan was chuckling to himself, Feregreth shook his head with a given smile on his face. As they continued their walk towards her, Lowe asked curiously as he glanced over at Fraya.
How did you find her?
She found me as a matter of fact, actually saved me, to be honest. I had stumbled into a situation I couldn’t get myself out of, and then she showed up, just like that.
Well, look at that. If that’s not a sign, I don’t know what is! Don’t you let this one slip through your
We’re in a war, Declan. There is no time for such things.
Placing his wrinkled hand onto the Captain’s shoulder while looking into his eyes, the former Admiral replied in a serious, but calm voice.
There is always going to be a reason not to do something. The occupation we’ve chosen doesn’t come with a long-life guarantee. Every moment, no matter what the situation may be, there is always room for…
Yeah, yeah, I get it.
Looking over at his friend, Feregreth squinted and asked in an amused tone.
Why are you so soft all of a sudden? Don’t tell me you’re dying?
I’m just trying to knock some sense into that thick head of yours, lad.
The two were chuckling as they saw Fraya coming up to them, seemingly annoyed. Leaning slightly over towards Feregreth, Declan stated lowly while scratching his ragged beard.
And that’s my cue, good luck, lad. M’lady.
He gave her quick nod as he walked past and left the two to speak privately. Seeing the look in her eyes, the Captain expressed concern as he asked gently.
What’s wrong?
The General won’t listen. He’s not going to let them go when he gets all the information he needs, and he is most certainly not going to fight for any type of union with them.
Ah… I did not imagine he would, no. Galeran is a proud man, his interest is to protect the kingdom at all cost.
Then why did we bring them here if there was no chance? We just marked them for death.
She was struggling a bit with the situation. Both annoyed and saddened, she stared into the Captain’s eyes. Placing his hand on her back, Feregreth spoke calmly as he tried to reassure her.
Listen, the General might not care what we have to say, but I’ll try to get through to Declan and Terrence. They have some leeway with him and also influence when it comes to decisions like this.
Thank you, Feregreth.
Of course. I do believe in what you’re trying to accomplish. Besides, if it weren’t for you, there wouldn’t even have been a discussion about this.
A little smile appeared on her face as she asked if they could go and check on Arthouras and Malisha. She felt they deserved to know what could potentially happen in the coming days. Agreeing, the Captain began to walk with her through the camp towards where the vanghouls were being held as the sun peeked through the darkening clouds.
The Forsaken Mountain
Walking into a dark chamber deep within the Forsaken Mountain, Gathon angrily approached a human in a black robe, standing in front of a pool of green liquid. The ambient lighting created from this substance cast a very ominous atmosphere around the entire room. Bending his knee before the elderly man who was removing his hood, Gathon spoke in a harsh and hasty tone of voice.
Is the plague ready, Lord Gorethorn? Nekada has brought the troops to their encampment and will attack any moment now.
Patience, Overlord. I have seen what is to come, and it’s glorious. When the plague consumes the heir, the elder will fall.
As you wish. When will you depart for Serony to meet with ‘him’?
As soon as the injection is complete. You will have your selected few elite beings, even one would be enough to wipe out every last one of them. The plagued beasts were a success after all. They still linger in the ruined city after so many years.
Getting back up on his feet, Bloodfist stared into the pool that reeked with the stench of putrefaction. Turning around and withdrawing from the chamber, Gathon lifted his hammer up onto his shoulder and reached for the door. However, when Gorethorn continued, he glanced back and listened.
You can begin to line up the ones you believe will survive the corruption long enough. Be aware that they will never walk this ground again after consuming the Elarikan.
Elarikan?
It’s the name of the plague, the controllable substance of it at least. I’m working on a way to weaponize it without needing to wait for the bodies to rot. You should go and ready your group, the time is almost here.
Giving him a quick bow, Gathon left the room and went to select the warriors that would receive this life-altering change. With the green flare of the liquid dancing in the old man’s eyes, a subtle smile crept across his face.
The Ruins of Al'huran
The vanghouls, Arthouras and Malisha, were kept under constant guard at the east side of the camp. Those who were in that area were armed to the teeth and ready to engage at any moment should things escalate. As the Captain and Lady Fraya approached, they were stopped by a guardsman clad in steel armor with the mark of Stormhold on his tabard and cloak. Speaking in a clear tone of voice, the man addressed Feregreth.
Sir, I can’t let you go any further. This area is restricted.
Restricted? By whose order, the General?
Yes, sir. You need officer clearance to approach the prisoners.
So, they’re now prisoners of war, huh?
Glancing around the camp in search for Declan, Feregreth closely watched the paths between the tents and the men walking by before he eventually noticed him. He was carrying a woodpile over to a nearby campfire when the Captain whistled for his attention. Seeing him next to the guard, Lowe gave him a quick nod and dropped off the firewood before joining them. Halting before his young prodigy, Declan asked curiously with a little smile.
What can I do for you, lad?
We need to have a word with the vanghouls. This man won’t let us pass by Galeran’s orders.
Slightly squinting over at the guardsman, Declan ordered them to stand down and give them a few minutes of privacy. Accepting the command, the guards stepped away for a moment as the three of them approached the vanghouls. Arthouras was sitting on his knees in a meditation pose while Malisha was leaning against a wooden crate. The former Admiral gently cleared his voice to let them know that they were here. Opening his eyes, Lord Vordrath saw the familiar faces of Feregreth and Fraya before him. With a respectful nod, he addressed them.
What news do you have?
Fraya replied without regards to Declan, informing them that the leaders had no intention of heeding the call for unity. Hearing this, Malisha stepped up with an angry look in her eyes but were quickly shut down by Arthouras.
Malisha, control yourself. We knew what we were going into. The humans have no reason to trust us when it was our people that attacked them first.
The former Admiral asked the vanghoul Lord with a suspicious stare as his hand rested on the hilt of his blade.
Why did your people attack us? You seem so adamant to stop this war. You don’t strike me as cowards who attack and flee from a battle.
I do not know why the Overlord went after you; it makes no sense. Our quarrel is with the ancient order of the Elven Covenant.
Not following what he was referring to, Lowe expressed confusion as he asked what he was talking about. Shortly after, Fraya intervened with a saddened stare at the old vanghoul.
He is talking about my people. A long time ago, the vanghouls attacked and burned down our cities, killing countless in pursuit of power. They came from this hellish place to conquer and destroy.
Becoming enraged, Malisha stepped up in front of Fraya and nearly shouted.
Is that what your elders teach you? You don’t know the real truth, do you, elven girl?
I think there’s more to it, which is why I’m here. Your kind is revered as demonic entities of the underworld by my people.
Declan and Feregreth were listening carefully to the conversation between the two, albeit with a hint of concern. The old vanghoul got back up on his feet and gently moved Malisha to the side as he continued to explain their side of the story.
Our kind is your kind, Fraya. The vanghouls didn’t originate from any deep hole in the ground. The Elven Covenant back then was quite You know about the Stryth elves, I presume? The ones that linger in the shadows of the world. There is a reason they’re no longer part of your covenant. Your kind and theirs mixed, resulting in the birth of a hybrid. In order to ensure this newborn was a product of nature, the elders conducted experiments on it, but something went wrong. He mutated into something different, something that was twice as large, twice as deadly. The boy had to be terminated in the eyes of the elves. However, he escaped with the help of an elven woman. Eventually, they brought a new hybrid species into the world. These are the vanghouls you know today. The original hybrid was ultimately killed by the covenant, but by then the species had begun to reproduce. We were banished and exiled by our own race, and we’ve been hunted ever since. A lot of us are angry at the world and at your people for making us into what your kind so elegantly refer to as abominations.
Speechless and with tearful eyes, Fraya fell down on her knees. Placing his hand on her back to comfort her, Feregreth gently asked if she was okay. She was taking it unusually heavy as if she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. Gazing into the eyes of the old vanghoul, Declan replied curiously with an overprotective tone of voice.
So, you want to kill her, is that it?
No, far from it. She had no involvement in the sins of her That’s the point I’m trying to convey. We can’t hold entire races accountable for the actions of a few.
I agree. I’ll talk to the General about this.
Giving him a bow of gratitude, Arthouras went back down on his knees and closed his eyes again. Fraya and Malisha were keeping their eyes locked at each other for a while before the Captain helped her back onto her feet, asking her to follow him. With the guards moving back into position, Declan took it upon himself to reach out to the General with the latest news. As Feregreth walked with his elven friend, he looked over at Declan who was about to walk away and asked concerned.
Keep her secret, will you?
Of course, lad. You have my word.
As he was thanking him, light rain started falling from dark clouds that were beginning to cover the sky above. Closing her eyes as she felt the raindrops going down her cheek, Fraya mumbled a short phrase in an unknown tongue. Stepping up in front of her, Feregreth looked at her with a sense of concern as he uttered.
Are you okay? What happened back there?
She didn’t reply, but something seemed off about her. The sound of thunder echoing in the horizon came closer at an unusually fast pace. Looking up, Fraya seemed slightly uneasy about the now torrential downpour. When she heard the faint sound of metal hitting the ground, she immediately turned towards the palisades and spoke in a low tone of voice.
Something is going on. Come!
What?
He ran after her through the camp and came upon a soldier on the ground next to the wall. An axe had been launched into his armor, piercing through it. The rain was masking the sound, and no one had been alerted by this. Looking back into the camp, the Captain shouted at full capacity.
We’re under attack!
The shout fell on deaf ears as the downfall was too intense to break through to the nearest soldiers. A dense mist had started to enclose the encampment along with the storm, which made it much harder to signal anyone. Beginning to run into the camp shouting, Feregreth looked back at her and waved for her to follow. However, she had something else in mind. Pulling an arrow with an engraved head out of her quiver, she drew her bow and fired it straight up into the air. As it flew upwards, it started to faintly glow blue before it exploded mid-air into a bright light, cutting through the fog. The entirety of the basecamp looked up in utter confusion at the slowly falling particles, and as they descended, the people noticed vanghouls climbing over the palisades into the camp. Readying themselves, the soldiers charged into battle to defend the base at all cost. Coming downhill from the northside, Nekada ran towards them with a small army of warriors on his side. One of the vanghoul soldiers jumped down next to Fraya, engaging her in combat. Amidst the fighting, out of his peripheral, the Captain caught sight of this and sprinted to her aid as fast as his feet would carry him.
Climbing over the wall, the vanghouls rushed into the camp and killed anyone in their path as well as destroying tents, objects, and whatever they could get to. Standing outside of the commanders’ tent, Declan, Nathan, and Terrence were witnessing the terrorizing destruction of the vanghouls as they pushed forward. Admiral Fowler shouted at the General as he saw the men being massacred.
There are too many of them, we have to push back to the coast! Our remaining units are held up there. Signal the retreat now, General!
Nodding at the guardsman next him, Galeran gave him the order to sound the retreat. Hearing the horn, Nekada noticed the officers up the road and targeted them. He cut through the soldiers in his way with the Vanquished Cleaver as if they were nothing but a nuisance to him.
Evading every slash and attack the vanghoul threw at her, Fraya tried to maneuver him as opposed to fighting back. Running around the tent next to them, Feregreth managed to come up behind and stab his sword into the spine of the beast. As it fell down on the ground, the Captain rushed over and grabbed her hand, leading the way back to the commanders. As they were running up the road, they saw Nekada making his way to them as well. Speaking with an assured tone of voice, Fraya let go of his hand.
Go with your people back to the coast, I’ll lure Nekada away. He wants me more than he wants you.
What? No!
She began sprinting faster than him and managed to get up in front of the officers before Nekada, and fired an arrow that got him in his shoulder. The rage filling his eyes as he saw her made him change focus from Stormhold to her, just as predicted. The Stormhold soldiers ran down the slope in the direction of the coastline while Nekada rallied most of the vanghouls to follow him into the forest after the elf. Seeing Feregreth coming up next to him, Declan listened as he addressed him with concern.
I have to go after her, I can’t leave her alone out there.
I know, lad. Be careful, and don’t you get yourself killed, you hear?
Giving him a quick nod, the Captain began to follow Nekada into the woodlands.
After a while, the survivors from the camp reached the coast where the rest of the men were located. However, there were several vanghouls on their tail, which were picking them off one by one. As General Galeran came out into the open, the soldiers on the beach regrouped on his position momentarily. One of the men approached him with grave concern as he spoke.
General, I’m afraid I got dreadful news.
He pointed out into the ocean at three large vanghoul battleships that were preparing to launch an attack. The ones that were following through the forest halted at the clearing, just watching the men of Stormhold gathering. Walking up to Declan and Nathan, Fowler stated in an annoyed tone of voice.
We got pushed into one of their traps. Damn these beasts…
Maintaining his stance, the General raised his sword into the air and shouted to his men.
We’ll hold this position as long as it takes. If we’re going down, we’ll take these bastards with us!
The artillery of the battleships was aiming in at their position, preparing to launch their attack when suddenly all three ships went up in flames. Their masts fell over on the side, and two of them exploded on the middle and began to sink. Staring in confusion out on the horizon, Nathan squinted at the ships. As soon as the smoke cleared up, the cobalt blue sails of Stormhold’s Pride appeared in the distance. King Marcus Fall had arrived with an entire armada from the Stormhold navy.
Onboard the pride, Aethos walked over to Marcus, who stood at the helm with the Captain of the ship. He felt the strong ocean wind upon his weathered skin as his confidence rose. Speaking in an assured manner, the old man pointed at the wreckages as he addressed his majesty.
A glorious strike, Marcus. The outlook confirmed that it is indeed our people on the beach, but there are more vanghouls not far from their position.
Turning his attention to the crew, the King yelled out to prepare for another attack on the forest border at the coast. As the cannons were adjusted in range to strike at the vanghouls that were waiting in the trees, the Pride turned slowly into position.
The General noticed that the majesty’s ship was aligning itself for another barrage, so he signaled the soldiers to take cover immediately. They rushed southwards and hid behind rocks and debris as the sky lit up with cannonballs flying through the air, striking down at the vanghouls who were now fleeing back into the forest. The losses were grave, but with the assistance of the King, the tide had turned in their favor. A clearing from the storm appeared as the fleet sent boats filled with armed soldiers towards the coast. With the vanghouls divided and left on the run, the armies of Stormhold arrived at the Vanquished Island under the King’s command. The time had finally come for the vanghouls to answer for their crimes.
