Chronicles of the vile one

lol cant wait for it jow

The day began like any other day. A beautiful sky as the sun rose and the wind blew gently rustling the grass and the flowers in the plains. It was quiet, but on the horizon a foul scourge approached. For days the soldiers had been on guard, expecting the army that even now marched on their location. Scouts had returned just a few days prior warning of the approaching army, and King Adelbern had put all of his forces on guard expecting the worse. As I sat in my little room, a knock resounded at my door.

"Come in" I said to the visitor. In walked a face I wasn't quite expecting to see. It was my sister Relena. The two of us had signed up for combat training to help fight the approaching threat. We had both had experiences with this threat in the past. The threat we were preparing for were known as the Charr. A vile race of creatures that seemed to only care about one thing, eradicating every ounce of humanity in the world. When Relena and I were still young, our parents had taken us to Piken Square for market day. That was before the Charr had claimed the Northlands as their own. To tell you the truth, that was the very day the Charr invaded the Northlands.

I remember it like it was yesterday. We arrived at Piken Square early so that mother and father could set up shop. Relena and I helped them set up our wares and then they gave us each a few gold coins and let us wander around to look at the other shops there. The day seemed to be just like any other. There were a few Ascalonian soldiers there to stop any potential criminals, but nothing more. Relena and I, like most children our age had our own ideas of what was fun, so we split up. That was when the howls began, like the howls of an angry pack of wolves.

The Charr swarmed Piken Square like a horde of locusts to crops. The soldiers were unprepared and overtaken with ease by the battle hardened Charr. Merchants and people scattered as the Charr struck one after another of them down with reckless abandon. I hid under a table and watched in horror as the Charr swept across the plaza, then I heard a scream that I knew, my mothers. I peeked out from under the table just in time to see a group of the Charr strike her and my father down. I opened my mouth the scream when a hand went over my mouth.

"Shh" the voice said to me. I turned and there knelt a woman with pale skin and hollow looking eyes. She had a finger to her lips telling me to keep quiet. Then I saw her mouth something and as I turned I saw the creatures rise from the bodies of the fallen soldiers. There seemed to be a grotesque mix of flesh, muscle and bone. They shambled away from the bodies and towards the Charr surrounding them. Once the Charr had been distracted, the woman scooped me up and ran with me out of Piken Square and back towards the gates to Ascalon.

"Open the gates, Piken Square has been attacked!" The two sentries bowed and opened the gates without any question allowing us to enter. Once we were through, the gates closed back behind us with a dull thud and the woman sat me down. I stared at her with a blank stare as she smiled at me. "My name is Munne, I am a necromancer. Those things you saw back there, they are called Charr, they come from the north." I just continued to stare at Munne until I was able to speak. "What were those things that attacked them?" Munne just laughed and took my hand. "Those, my dear, are called Bone Horrors. They are minions that a necromancer can summon to fight with, or in this case, for them. Come we must see the king."

"You ok sis?" Relena asked as she walked over to where I was sitting. I looked up at her and nodded. "Yeah, I'm ok. Just thinking is all." Relena nodded then pulled a chair over. "You thinking about mom and dad?" I looked down at the paper sitting on the desk in front of me. "Yeah, just thinking about the day that they died." Relena reached a hand over and patted me on the back. "Hey isn't that why we joined he army? So we could strike back at the Charr for what they did?" I considered what Relena said and then looked at her. "Why are you here anyway?" Relena smacked her forehead and then pulled a scroll from her pocket. "Just got this today. Prince Rurik is gathering all of us trainees at the Academy. We're heading out to a suspected equipment outpost for the Charr. Rurik believes we can take out the outpost and slow the Charr down."

I stood from my chair and grabbed the scroll from Relena. "Well, lets get to the Academy. We can't keep Rurik waiting." Before I could say another word, we were headed towards the Academy. Many of the other students had already gathered there in front of a pedestal that had been set up. On the pedestal stood a man that had the appearance of a common knight. The only difference being, he wore a crown and a long flowing cape. "Thank you all for coming. You have all been training hard these past few months in preparation for the potential attack from the Charr." Rurik drew his blade, a blade made from the finest steel and enchanted so that flames burned from the blade with the heat and passion of war. "I have received word that the Charr have established a supply outpost in an old bunker just south of this very academy. Today we are going to go and eliminate that outpost to try and slow the approaching assault."

Cheers of "Yeah" and "For Ascalon" could be heard throughout the crowd of trainees. With a final nod, Rurik stepped down from his pedestal and approached the gates to the academy. The sentries opened the gates and the crowd flooded through. Before long we had reached the southern end of the academy and began out mission to elminate the supply outpost. We met very little resistance from Charr. For the most part, we came across small groups of Grawl. That is, until we reached the very back of the bunker. As we rounded a corner there stood a group of Grawl and one lone Charr. Rurik held his sword up to halt our advance. "There's the cause of all our troubles" Rurik said. He took a step towards the group "Vatlaaw Doomtooth! Your days of harrying the citizens of Ascalon are over!"

The Charr simply looked at us and smiled. "If you believe so, foul insect." His voice was like nails on a chalkboard, harsh and wild. Rurik lowered his blade in front of him pointing it at the group. With a final nod, Rurik thrust his sword forward. "Charge!" We rushed the group and outnumbered them with sheer numbers and force. We cheered and exclaimed at our victory. Then we heard an explosion. We rushed back out of the bunker in time to see Ascalon in flames.

Rurik pushed his way to the front of the group. "Ascalon burns! Quickly to the city." We all ran with reckless abandon to get back to the city, our home. By the time we arrived, the Charr had already shattered many sections of the northern wall and were swarming into the city. Soldiers were yelling orders to other soldiers and trying to usher citizens to the back of the city. Rurik grabbed a soldier that was rushing by. "What happened here?" The soldier stared into Rurik's eyes with an expression of sheer terror. "The Charr! Somehow they breached the Northern Wall. We were unprepared." Rurik let loose of the soldier and he ran off to join his comrades on the front line.

Rurik turned to face us. "If any of you have loved ones, now is the time to go see them. Make sure that they are safe. The rest of you, come with me." A few of the trainees went off to find their loved ones. The rest of us remained behind and followed Rurik to the front lines. The Charr were relentless as they stormed the city, leaving no one standing. Archers were poised at the back of the group raining arrows down upon our heads. I chanted a few words under my breath and before long a small group of Bone Horrors were rushing towards the oncoming Charr. Relena was by my side with her sword drawn ready for the fight. The arrows were almost like a solid rain now as the archers fired one after another. They struck many of the troops there bringing our numbers down substantially.

Then the unimaginable happened. As Relena and I ran to reach the others that were engaging the Charr, a rain of arrows came down on us. Before I knew what was happening, Relena had knocked me to the ground and climbed on top of me to shield me from the arrows points. The blood was warm as it ran from her chest down onto me. The Charr had taken my parents from me and now they had taken my sister too. I hefted the lifeless body off of me and with a single breath assaulted the Charr with a massive explosion as I detinated every single one of the Bone Horrors I had summoned. The explosions were minute but they were enough to bring the charging Charr to a halt and make them fall back some. Some of the Charr had even fallen, fueling my next wave as I summon more Bone Minions.

"This is the end you foul creatures!" I yelled as I commanded the minions upon the fleeing Charr. The energy drain was more than I could handle and I blacked out. When I awoke I was in a medics tent were Monks were traveling from soldier to soldier healing the ones they could. A burly looking monk walked over to where I was laying. "Ah, you're awake, good. You blacked out during the battle due to exhaustion. My name is Chase, they called me Chase of Fortitude. Rurik sent word that as soon as you woke, he wanted to see you."

Chase helped me up from the cot I was on and showed me where Rurik was waiting. I walked into his tent and bowed. "Ah, Passifis, good to see you. I have something I need to ask of you."

That gave me goosebumps :S. I love your style of writing jow hope to see more of your work =)

aaaah man i havent read the 1 about ann yet.....doh...now i got a -----load to read.....but thats the fun of it i gues

As I approached where Rurik was sitting, I noticed others in the tent as well. There was a girl sitting at one side of the tent with what appeared to be a wolf laying at her feet. On the other side was a man with a hood shielding his eyes. He had what appeared to be a scythe laying on the ground next to where he sat.

I walked over to a seat next to the girl and sat down. Rurik stood and looked the three of us over with a look of half dismay and half joy. "I'm glad that you could make it. As I was saying to our new arrival, I have something very important to ask of you." Rurik placed a map on a table in the center of the tent and motioned for us to take a look at it. The three of us walked over to the table a looked at the map. It was a fairly detailed map of the kingdom of Tyria.

Rurik pointed to the point on the map that had formally been the Great Northern Wall. "That is your target. I have received reports that one of the Charr commanders is preparing an assault beyond the breach in the wall. I have sent a few men to watch the area, but after the attack on the city, there were very few to send."

"I have to admit, it may well be a suicide mission, but I need you three to join up with another person that is already there awaiting orders and find out if the reports are true or not." The man with the scythe clapped his hands and said in a gruff voice, "suicide mission? My favorite kind." the girls wolf whined and looked at it wondering if it knew something we didn't. "Sir," I said "are you sure it is wise to do this? I mean no disrespect, but if the Charr are amassing a force, shouldn't we send more than just four people to check it out?"

Rurik nodded and rolled the map up. "I understand your point, however there is less chance of a few people being spotted. If we were to send a whole garrison to check it out, they may be spotted and may not make it back." I nodded my head and turned to look at the wolf again. "Ah, let me introduce you to your team mates." Rurik first motioned towards the girl. "This is Lumsk Shadowstalker." He then motioned toward the man in the hood. "This is Spice and Dice, a very well trained dervish."

I bowed to each in turn and introduced myself. "My name is Passifis the Vile. Don't ask how I got the name, it is far too painful a memory right now. But regardless, Prince Rurik, shall we be off?"

Rurik nodded and handed us a piece of parchment with our orders written on it. "Present this to the guards at the wall and they will let you through. Within, you will meet the fourth member of your group. I will allow him to introduce himself when you meet him. He, like Lumsk here, is a very skill ranger. Make sure that you complete your mission and report back to me once you have finished."

We all bowed and left the tent. Upon reaching the outside of the tent, the full extent of the Charr attack struck me. The land had been torn asunder and burnt to bare bones. Large crystalline constructs jutted out of the ground all around. Soldiers were on constant patrol ready for any and all potential attacks that the Charr may spring. As I surveyed the surroundings, we walked to the location that Rurik had pointed us to and prepared ourselves for what may come.

When we arrived at the outpost, we were unprepared for what we saw there. The place was in a veritable state of ruin. Buildings lay in total disarray, walls were crumbled like weeks old bread. The few remaining people there, wandered around lost and aimless.

Lumsk looked around at the devastation. "How could these furballs cause such devastation? I've hunted them for years and they never showed this kind of power before." I looked at her. "I don't think they did this alone. I think they had some help."

Just them a young soldier, seemed no older than Relena was when the Charr attacked, walked up to us. "I'm sorry but this area is restricted to Ascalonian soldiers and the few stragglers we haven't managed to clear out yet." Spice stepped up to the soldier. "We are here on orders from the prince himself. Now step aside." The soldier stood his ground. I wasn't sure if he was being brave, or just stupid. I stepped forward handing the soldier the parchment with our orders. "Here, these are our orders from Rurik."

The soldier looked the parchment over and then nodded waving us past. "Your other member of your group is awaiting your arrival, last I saw, he was picking devourers off from the top of the wall." I nodded and led the others to the gate leading to the top of the wall. Once we arrived we saw a few soldiers, all of them just as young, or younger than the one in the outpost. Amongst them, we saw the fourth member of our group wielding a longbow firing arrows off the side at some target.

I approached the ranger and cleared my throat. In the blink of an eye, he had swung around and had the bow aim dead center on my head with an arrow drawn taut on the string. I muttered a few words under my breath and just as suddenly, the ranger fell to his knees weakened by my spell.

"Now that I have your full attention," I say, "we were sent by Rurik. I suppose your the fourth member of our scouting party?" The ranger looked up and nodded. "The names Juriaan" he said. "Juriaan Cuthalion, I'm a member of Ruriks elite ranger force. He said he had some skilled warriors to aid me in this scouting mission, but you lot look like a bunch of pups."

Spice stepped forward, brandishing his scythe. "For someone calling us pups, you seem to be the one on his knees right now." Juriaan shook his head and stood up. "Only a momentary lapse in judgment. I could have easily stopped your necromancer friend here from weakening me like that, but didn't feel like wasting the arrow."

I grabbed Spice by the shoulder. "Calm down. If we are finished with this display of male machoism, can we get to the task at hand?" Juriaan nodded. "Very well, let us get to the task at hand then. As I am sure that Rurik has briefed you, we will skip the pleasantries. We believe the Charr have set up a camp out in the wastes of the northlands and we have been tasked with finding it and reporting back. Let's get going before it gets dark."

After some time, we came to a bend in the path outside the walls. We had already had to deal with countless devourers and a few gargoyles and grawl. Still there had been no sign of any Charr. As we approached the bend, I heard a moaning sound coming from behind us. I wiped around and stifled a scream. There, not two feet behind us stood a ghost. We stopped and the ghost approached us. "Please help me, my name is Kilnn Testibrie. I was once a great warrior, none across the land as the champion of Surmia. Upon my death, I was buried with a tomb here in the Northlands and it was sealed with the magical armor that I once wore."

"Recently, however, I have been awoken from my slumber by thieves who have stolen the armor that once sealed my tomb. I ask, no I beg of you, please return to me my armor so that I may finally find the peace I deserve." I nodded. "If we find it, trust that it will be returned to you." With my words, the ghost vanished and we continued on our path. After sometime, we came to a small bridge that passed over the path we were on, under the bridge we saw what we were looking for a small group of charr. Upon my command we attacked.

There were only four charr in the group however, not an entire camp. One of them was wearing badly dinged up armor that appeared to be crafted for a man. Upon closer examination, it would turn out to be the armor we were looking for. With a few well placed spells, arrows, and scythe attacks, the charr fell and we were able to retrieve the armor. Once we had the armor, we were preparing to leave when I felt a cold hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Kilnn standing behind me. I handed him his armor and he bowed in thanks. "Thank you, I will not forget this. We will meet again and I will repay the favor."

We his final words spoken, Kilnn disappeared and we turned to continue hunting our quarry. We passed under the bridge and found ourselves in front of a door in the rock wall. The door was blocked by rock so we needed to find another way to continue. Upon inspection, we found another path that led up onto a cliff. As we approached the cliff, we heard growling from below.

Once we reached the cliffs edge we found the source of the growling. In the valley below there was a large horde of charr. I motioned for the others to get down so we wouldn't be seen. "Well well, looks like hundreds of them" Lumsk said. "No way just the four of us could take on that number."

"Well, one thing is for sure, looks like they are preparing for an assault on the wall. We need to get word to the men at the wall." As I shifted to get up, I caused a few rocks to tumble over the edge. They made a quite unpleasant rumbling as they cascaded down the cliff face. The charr turned towards the noise and spotted us. "Quickly, back to the wall! We've been spotted!" I yelled as the Charr charged towards us.

Suddenly, there was an abrupt explosion as the door we had passed earlier flew open and off of its hinges. The charr were coming and they were coming fast. The four of us sprinted towards the wall following a path leading from the cliff towards the bridge we had traveled under earlier. The charr were advancing on us quickly.

As we approached the wall, the gate was being closed in front of us. There was no way we could get there in time. "Lumsk, shoot one of the soldiers. Kill him" I yelled. "What!? Are you crazy, they're on our side." "Just do it." Lumsk notched an arrow in her bow and let it fly. The arrow scarcely made it through the crack between the gates and struck home killing the soldier on site. I began to chant under my breath and within seconds I was within the gates standing amongst the soldiers there.

"Hold the gate, let the others through!" I said as the soldiers looked at me in disbelief. Back on the path, the others were stunned when I vanished in a puff of green smoke. "Ok, well what now?" Lumsk asked. Just then the soldiers opened the gates back up enough for the others to get through. "Quickly, through the gates, I will hold them off" Juriaan said as he drew an arrow and notched it into place. He began to fire arrows at lightning quick speed knocking several of the charr down. Lumsk and Spice ran for the gates and dove in as the soldiers closed them back behind them. "What about Juriaan?" Lumsk asked.

A voice from the top of the wall called down. "Get up here and you'll see." We sprinted up the stairs to the top of the wall and saw the fate of our teammate. He had been surrounded by the charr and was being mauled. His body lay limp and bloodied on the path as the charr continued to advance on the wall. They reached the wall and began to assault the gate trying to break through. "We need to report this to Rurik" I said. "No need, he has already been informed of the current situation."

I turned and there stood Prince Rurik with a few of his elite guard. "As soon as I heard what had happened I rushed here as fast as I could." Rurik surveyed our group. "What has happened to your fourth?" I motioned towards the ground outside the wall. "He sacrificed himself so that the rest of us could make it."

"Very noble" Rurik said. "We will hold a proper funeral for him back at the camp. Come we have much planning to do." With that Rurik and his guard turned and left as Spice, Lumsk, and myself followed behind him.

to be continued

Wow....
Can I be a electrified vapor-breathing dragon?

Why in the world would you want to be an electrified vapor-breathing dragon??

After the Charr had taken the wall, Rurik had ordered us to fall back to the camp. Once we arrived, we held a burial service, without a body, for our fallen comrade. We had only known him for a short time, but it felt like we had lost a lifelong friend. Most of us were used to loss, but that didn't make it any easier.

The funeral service went without a hitch, and afterwards, we were right back to business. Rurik had a plan and he was sure that it would work. "We will make our stand here, but I want an advance team to slip through the Charr lines and retake the wall." Spice just glared at Rurik, not being from Ascalon originally, he had no qualm with Rurik, but no true sympathy towards the kingdom either. "Are you insane? That's a fools errand, a veritable suicide mission."

Lumsk stepped between Spice and Rurik. "Spice, it may seem that way, but I'm sure that Rurik has thought of every eventuality. Sure that he has thought of a way to pull this off without putting anyones life at risk." Spice fumed. "Yeah, like no one was going to get hurt outside the wall? Juriaan is dead Lumsk, we nearly were ourselves. If it hadn't been for Passifis, we would have been."

Rurik sighed and pulled a map from his bag. "Yes, the loss of Juriaan was an unplanned occurance, and believe me, I hold myself fully responsible. That is why I have called for help. As we speak, there is a master tactician and his team on the way here. Once they arrive, we will begin planning this mission."

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The next day came with the rising of the sun. News had come from Fort Ranik, that the people we were expecting were on their way. By breakfast, they had arrived. Amongst the group of four, there was the teams leader, Spell Shard, the master tactician, Dunkoro, an unlikely ally in these times, Pyre Fierceshot, and Ogden Stonehealer, the diminutive healer.

The four strolled into the camp as if they owned the place. Lead by the seemingly headstrong and arrogant Spell, they walked right to Rurik's tent and entered without a word. Within a few minutes we all were gathered within the tent around a table with a map of the area spread on the table.

Dunkoro had drawn lines on the map showing potential routes to proceed with the mission. "It should be fairly easy to accomplish the mission as long as you stick to the path I have laid out. Me, Pyre, and Ogden will stay behind to hold down the fort, as it were, whilst you four will proceed along this path." Dunkoro points at one of the lines he had drawn. "Whilst we were in Fort Ranik, we heard talk of some ballistae positioned along the path. If you can procur these apparatuses and use them, they should come in quite handy."

Passifis looked over the map, memorizing the lines and the marks that Dunkoro had made. Spell stepped forward. "Now wait a minute. I didn't sign on with you lot to be sent right into the fight."

Dunkoro chuckled. "Spell, your unmistakable talents are needed for this particular mission. Your control of the very elements of Tyria will be extremely valuable to our new friends here." Spell grunted and stepped back away from the table. "Now, we rest for the day and night and we make our stand tomorrow. Report to Fort Ranik at sunrise. I will be awaiting your arrival. Come Pyre, Ogden, we take our leave." With that Dunkoro, Pyre, and Ogden turn and leave the camp headed for Fort Ranik.

"Are you sure we can trust the furrball?" Lumsk asks as she vigorously pats her animal companion on the head. "I would stake my life on his loyalty. I met him on an expedition to the north to try and halt the Charr advance. He was being held by his own people for denying to follow some 'false gods' that the Charr were worshipping" Spell said. "I don't know, once a furrball, always a furrball. If there is any hint of deceit, I'll be the first to put an arrow through his skull."

Rurik stepped forward. "That is enough, if Spell says we can trust him, we can trust him. I do not take lightly the thought of allying with a Charr myself, but in times of war, any ally is better than a hundred enemies." Rurik grabs the map off the table and hands it to Passifis. "Now you lot should get some rest, you have a mission to accomplish tomorrow."

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Within minutes the majority of us had taken to resting within any number of the tents scattered throughout the camp. Spell was the only one not resting, he flipped through a book reading over archaic and mysterious text. With each word, he seemed to glowing with more and more fiery power.

Suddenly, he burst alight and flames shot from his eyes and hands, encompassing him in flames so furious, not one person would approach for fear of being scorched by the flames. Just as suddenly as the light show had begun, it ended. Spell sat back down and flung the book on the ground. "I'll never master that blasted spell. I've gone over the text time and time again, and no matter how much energy I put into it, it just doesn't seem to be enough."

Passifis walked up and picked up the book, placing it on the stump next to Spell. "You can't give up that easily. If you were truely meant to learn the spell, you just need to trust that when the time is right, you will be able to cast it without problem." Spell snatched the book up. "Who asked you anyway? I brought my friends here on the request of that prince of yours and now I have to get my hands dirty. This is utter insanity. You lot should just give up and head for the hills if you ask me. Whats so great about this charred and dessimated land of yours anyway."

Without a sound Lumsk appeared at Spells back with an arrow notched and aimed right at his head. "You want to know what is so important about this place. This place is our home, regardless of what it looks like, we live here, and if we must, we die here as well. Now, unless you want to be one of the first to die here, I'd change your tone."

Spell smiled, snapping his fingers the arrow in Lumsks bow burst into flames, causing Lumsk to relinquish her hold on, letting it drop to the ground. Spell chuckled. "Your meager threats are of no consequence to me, ranger. I have dealt with worse in my time. Now if you'll excuse me, I must get some rest." With that, Spell stood taking his book and himself and headed off to one of the vacant tents.

Passifis glares after him, then turns her gaze to Lumsk. "Was that really necessary? We're going to be relying on him tomorrow, if what Dunkoro says is true, and you have to go and put an arrow to his head." Lumsk turns to leave. "If I must be the only one defending the honor of my home, then so be it, but know this necromancer. I know things about you that would startle even the headstrong elementalist back to reality. We are at war here, casualties are to be expected on both sides. If some of those casualties are caused by 'friendly fire' then so be it."

Lumsk turns back around. "You should know all about loss during war Passifis, you lost not only your sister, but your parents as well. Hell, you lost your adopted home to the Searing. The catacombs were completely sealed off. No one even knows what happened to Munne, she was within the catacombs at the time."

With the mention of Munne, Passifis's adopted mother, she snapped lunging at the ranger with wreckless abandon. "You take that back. Munne is alive and you know it. There was never any sign that she didn't make it."

Suddenly a shout came. "STOP!" The two quarreling team mates turned to see Spice approaching. "Here we are on the eve of a mission and tht two of you are bickering like school children. I don't know, nor do I care to know, what you two are fighting about, but be assured. We need to rely on each other more than ever out there tomorrow. If we can't even co-exist in a 'peaceful' camp, then how are we to be expected to survive tomorrow?"

With Spices words ringing in their heads, the two seperate and head to seperate tents. Spice as well heads for a tent of his own. All sleep restlessly that night aware that the next day may be their last.

To be continued...

That was great!! I am so awesome in your story. I snap my fingers and the arrow bursts into flames. TAKE THAT KIMMY!!!!!

where am i ><

Don't worry adrian, I have a place for you. You should be showing up within the next few chapters. Not sure which yet, but you will be there as will several others along the way, just be patient and give me time.

Mo, I'll get the next chapter out soon, maybe this week, maybe next. Gonna be out of town this weekend and not sure if I'll have access to a computer or not. Guess we'll have to wait and see.

can i get in? just as some ba chick if u have room

Finally getting around to reading all these stories.

Excellent story Jow ... you can feel the tension and emotions which really pulls you in

Looking forward to the next chapter.

It didn't take us long to get within sight of Fort Ranik. It was unbelievable, I had been here as a child, I still remember that day.

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My father and mother had been given orders by Sir Tydus to travel to Fort Ranik and check on the progress of the new recruits there. Me and Relena were still quite young then so they didn't want to leave us behind.

We awoke early in the morning and traveled with a caravan of supplies that was bound for the Fort. We arrived early in the evening and enter through the main gates. As soon as we enter I noticed that the place was thriving. There were a few merchants and traders there, but most obvious were all the recruits and the soldiers that were patrolling. As we walked in a stately looking gentleman approached us.

My parents apparently knew the man as they approached him with hands outstretched. "Ah, Lord Darrin, it is good to see you" my father said as he shook his hand. "Yes, yes it is very good to see you as well Arthur, how fairs the front?" "Very good, I should say, the soldiers are doing a very good job of holding off the invading Charr." Lord Darin nodded and then turned and took my mothers hand in his, kissing it lightly. "Ah, Gwendolyn, it is good to see you again as well." My mother smiled. "It is good to see you too my lord."

After some more discussion Lord Darrin led us to his main hall and motioned for us all to take a seat. "So, how are two of my best recruits doing?" My father, sitting next to me smiled. "We are quite well, my lord. Oh, let me introduce you to our daughters. This is Relena and this little one here, this is Pasenthia." A smile spread across Lord Darrin's face. "Ah, such beautiful young ones, I assume they will be attending the Academy?" My mother laughed. "Of course they will, once they are old enough that is."

Lord Darrin smiled and then sat down across from us. "Now to the business at hand. I received word that you were coming to meeting some of my new recruits." My father nodded and Lord Darrin snapped his fingers. Almost instantly, two young students approached from the back wall. "These are my two newest, and if I may say, my finest since you two left. Jidahlo Stormarrow and Ever Wind Pro. They have quickly risen through the ranks among the others and have been chosen to be members of my elite guard."

My father clapped. "Very good." He stood and bowed to the two and they bowed back. "It is an honor to meet you two, we need all the strong soldiers we can get."

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That of course was a long time ago, only a few days later, my mother and father were slain in the Charr attack at Piken Square.

"Passifis!" Came a harsh voice, ripping me from my memories. I looked up to see Spice staring at me. "What is it Spice?" Spice motioned towards the gate. "We are here, you nearly walked into the gates." I laughed and then headed into the fort through the gates.

The place had changed so drastically. Walls were crumbled and where there were once only recruits, now stood battle hardened soldiers. Only a single weary merchant remained and he seemed quite skiddish, to say the least. He seemed to jump every time someone merely walked by him.

As we walked into the Fort I spotted someone that looked somewhat familiar. Dunkoro, Ogden, and Pyre were talking with an old man. As we approached Dunkoro turned to greet us. "Ah, you have arrived. Allow me to introduce Lord Darrin, he has been quite gracious with helping me with my planning." Lord Darrin looked over our ragtag group of soldiers and stopped on me. "Pasenthia? Is this the daughter of Arthur and Gwendolyn?"

My face felt hot, I was blushing, for lack of better description. "It is I my lord, though I have not used that name for years." Lord Darrin smiled and patted me on the shoulder. "You may no longer use the name, but you will ever be that little girl sitting in my hall. Come we have work to do. Dunkoro here has quite an exquisite plan laid out."

Lord Darrin led us to the very same hall I had been in all those years ago, yet now it had been converted to a war room. As we entered a couple of battle ready rangers approached. "My lord, the preparations are in order. We can move out upon your word." Lord Darrin nodded. "Very good Ever, Jidahlo. I am very pleased that you two, of all my elite guard, have remained by my side. These are the people you will be assisting."

I was astonished. All those years ago these two were just recruits, young and free spirited, ready to take on the world. Now they were battle hardened, aged, and appeared to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders. I approached Ever Wind. "Passifis the Vile is what they call me, we met years ago, you are Ever Wind Pro, correct?" The ranger nodded. "And you are Jidahlo Stormarrow, if I am not mistaken." Jidahlo nodded as well.

After introducing Spell, Lumsk, and Spice, we sat at the same table I had so long ago with a map of the region spread before us. We were preparing to do the unthinkable, the unimaginable, and we were going to succeed. Dunkoro had added more marks to his map since last night, but he explained each in turn. Our objective was to reclaim the trebuchet's and use them to reclaim the wall.

Once we had reclaimed them, then Lord Darrin's elite guard would move in to secure them and we would advance on any Charr that managed to break through. Dunkoro, Ogden, and Pyre would remain at the Fort to handle any straggler Charr that managed to slip past us. Sounded simple enough to accomplish, we had our marching orders, we just needed to pull this off and we could rest easy with the Charr safely secured behind the wall.

We decided to make our move in the morning since it had already become quite late in the evening. Lord Darrin led us to the barracks that, in the past, had housed hundreds of recruits, but now was used for the soldiers stationed here. I sat on one of the cots and pondered the next days mission. As I sat there Lumsk walked over. "Pasenthia? Such a beautiful name, why did you change it?"

I looked up from my pondering and thought long and hard about how to answer. "That name died with my parents. When Munne took me in and trained me to be a necromancer, I chose the name Passifis. I chose it because I no longer wished to fight, I had lost all my will to fight the day they died. It was only later that I learned that no matter how much we wish for peace, it doesn't come easy. One must fight for what they want, not sit on their laurels and hope that peace will come looking for them. That was a very hard lesson for me to learn, but one that I will keep with me until this war ends, or until the day I die, whichever comes first. Now, if you will please, we have a lot of work to do tomorrow and I must rest." Lumsk nodded and after some time she turned and walked away.

After she left, I lay on my cot for several hours thinking about what I had told her. How much of it was true, was I really ready to continue fighting, even if it meant I may loose more people to the Charr, even if it meant I may loose my friends to the Charr? They had already taken my home from me, my peace, my parents, my sister, my teacher. How much more would I allow them to take before enough was enough and I finally started practicing what I preached? Was I really ready to fight, even if it went against everything I felt inside? It had to be now, it had to be here, that I finally made my stand and ended this for good.

to be continued...

Sorry it took so long to get this up, had to work out all the "finer" details. Hope you all like it.

good story nice details

I will now do as everyone else does....

MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE MORE!!!!!!!!!!!

Jow I don't mind the wait when the chapter is that good!

Keep up the great work mate!

Hey guys, I know it has been a little while without a new chapter but worry not, it is in the works.

WOOHOO!!! About time!

That reminds me, I need to get to work on mine.

I know it has been a while, work has kept me busy. The next chapter should be up before the end of the coming weekend if all goes well. Cheers.

The next day came a lot sooner than any of us were prepared for. We were awakened by the furry visage of Pyre Fierceshot as he leaned over us to wake us each in turn. Within minutes we had all gotten our armor on and were gathered in the war room. Dunkoro ran over the plan with us again to make sure we were all prepared for the mission we were about to partake in.

"We have received word that Siegemaster Lormar has located the best trebuchet to be used against the Charr. He awaits your arrival. We have also received word that a group of soldiers have been taken by the Charr and are being held captive. It is up to you if you choose to help them. However, keep in mind that time is of the essence, any time wasted is time given to the Charr. Now, when you are prepared, we will begin."

I looked at Lumsk, Spell, and Spice who all nodded. "We are prepared." Jidahlo and Ever Wind lead us to the gates that would let us through. "Let these people through" ordered Ever Wind. The guards at the gate nodded and lifted the large restraining bar that held the gate closed. As we walked through the archway of the gate, I looked up to see Ogden, Pyre, and Dunkoro standing above it on the battlements.

Once we had passed through, the gates were closed firmly behind us and we began the arduous task of making our way to Lormar's position. Little did we know the opposition that we would be facing.



Sorry this chapter is so short, just want to get it posted so I could get back into the swing of the story...I promise the next chapter will be better.

and sooner...or else...we will have to w8. And that would be no fun.

had to get in the story 2. nice re-entrance in the story.