Cade Mistral/Shroud: Born to a family inherently skilled in wind magic, Cade Mistral is a passionate and highly principled person. After years of wandering alone, he treasures his friends and his job as an armor merchant in Port Arianna. When the town is in danger, he grabs his spear and readies his wind magic, becoming the crime fighter known as Shroud.

Bones/Stoic: Though he goes by the name "Bones" in Port Arianna, Stoic the skeleton has lived through about one thousand years of history. He is a deeply private individual, but shares Cade's quest to keep those around him safe from harm. He also has quite a temper, and enemies tend to fear him a bit more than Shroud.

Finley Donner/The Baron: Cade and Bones's next door neighbor is the ultimate "straight shooter." The combination of his earnest honesty and complete lack of manners can often prove explosive. However, Finley can sometimes display a surprising amount of insight, and may find his true calling as "The Baron."

Auburn Iliaca: A free-spirited bodyguard who catches Cade's eye when she struts into the shop one day. Beneath her charm and confidence lies a warrior's resolve, but she makes no secret of her desire for a less violent lifestyle.

Laurel Hargrove: A young telepath being groomed to lead her hometown of Boreal. She joins our heroes in a battle against the villainous Ember Mages, though her modest dignity contrasts sharply with the loud and strong personalities of the others.

Gino Toro: A local blacksmith who designs weapons for Shroud and Stoic. This gentle lover of nature is the only person who knows their true identities.

Torto: The owner of the creatively named "Torto's Shop," where our heroes make a living. Though rough around the edges, he is a veteran of the business and refuses to compromise the integrity his career has come to represent.

Barry Feron: An old friend of Cade's who runs Barry's Blades, another shop in Port Arianna. Unlike the wealthy Torto, Barry struggles to get by and often makes choices quickly and recklessly.

Rayne Mistral: Cade's older brother. After the death of their father, Rayne fled from the same dark forces shortly after. Cade has no idea where he is or even if he is still alive.

Andau: An embittered vampire who makes a habit of terrorizing Port Arianna's citizens. Shortly after Shroud and Stoic became a team and pledged to protect the town, Andau emerged as one of their first true enemies. He is quite the escape artist, which proves frustrating to our heroes.

Emma Winar: An anxious and fairly sheltered young woman. She and Cade have been periodically involved, but he is often conflicted about his feelings for her.

Rana Amni: A very quiet and mysterious girl who carries on well with Bones. She has a habit of walking around late at night, and an encounter with Andau on one of those ocassions doesn't do much for her already pale complexion.

Bubba: An aging kobold bearing both physical and emotional scars from the days of Gallia. He's a severe alcoholic, which makes him a source of comic relief for his friends, but what cost has it taken on him? His combat skills have not left him, and he is a formidable opponent, sober or not.

Morias and Douglas (TC)*: A young (by elven standards, at least) thief who wreaks havoc with the help of his pet tiger, Douglas. Though mischevious, Morias is actually quite personable and usually willing to lend a helping hand.

Don Kovak: The owner of Equipment King. He moves into a huge mansion on Blue Tide Estates while trying to endear himself to the citizens of Port Arianna. Given the threat he poses to Torto's Shop, Cade and Bones are hardly his biggest fans. Kovak is a master of public relations, however, and will not be easy to expose.

Vec: Kovak's assistant. Many are fooled by his dull personality, but that shows both a cunning mind and impressive battle skills. He also serves as one of the primary mediators between Kovak and The Hand.

Violet Lolian: Emma's roommate. An employee of Blue Tide Estates, Inc, she and Cade frequently argue about the ethics of Equipment King. They consider themselves friends, however, and have much more in common than they know.

Ketsu: The leader of the mysterious cult known as The Hand of Arcadius. He often intimidates others by remaining eerily calm and composed, even while angry. The full scope of his plan is unknown, but for the moment he prefers to remain in the background as his subordinates carry out the early stages of it.

The Nun: Ketsu's personal assistant may be even more mysterious. Though she and Vec are instrumental in keeping a peace between Ketsu and the irritable Don Kovak, she completely dedicates her life to her work...to the point where nobody seems to even know her name.

Dican: This cold and collected monk is at the center of a kidnapping scheme which takes Port Arianna by surprise. He is clearly part of some larger organization, but Shroud and Stoic have a long way to go before unearthing the truth.

Tyranda (TC)*: A bossy elven druid who is also deadly with a longbow. Older than Morias, she tends to scold him like an older sister.

Shadehorn (TC)*: This boorish minotaur is the newest member of the Touten Corps. His capacity to be easily frustrated deviates sharply from the dignity often associated with his race.

Ercello Arja: The lead singer of Daydream, a hugely popular band from out of town. Their visit is big news for Finley, which immediately makes Cade and Bones uneasy. The other members include the immature guitarist Dex and the slow-witted drummer Tobi. Caipen is the bass guitarist, but she rejects the manner in which Kovak uses the group for his own designs.

Gabriella Robin: A proud student of the Sacred River Monastery. She is very skilled in holy magic, but discovered the limits of her abilities after a disastrous battle with Stoic. She and Cade become unlikely allies and her true priorities are revealed.

Sparrow: After a lethal battle at Fort Drake, Sparrow became Shroud's most feared enemy. On the rare occasions that he appears, he strikes quickly and with a ruthless efficiency. His true identity is still unknown, though clues may be found in his strange abilities.

Solik Darmanus: Few necromancers remain in Solest, and Solik is the most distinguished of his peers. Having spent his life intensely studying history, his knowledge is his deadliest weapon of all. Ketsu recruits him to help cast a mysterious spell which has only been accomplished successfully a few times in the history of the world.

Cyneric (TC)*: This towering orc was once a general of his people. Even after Gallia deciminated their forces, Cyneric refused to give up the fight. Now he leads the ragtag group of lost souls known as the Touten Corps.

Pilc: (TC)*: A highly evolved lodite with a fearsome intellect. His exceptional mind allowed him to master the rare and difficult art of transformative magic. Because of his shapeshifting abilities, he is highly interested in semiotics: the study of how people process images and symbols.

Krom: (TC)*: A goblin who often plays Watson to Pilc's Sherlock Holmes. Though he and Pilc are longtime friends, the pragmatic Krom has never been able to understand the lodite's fascination with abstract concepts.

Grinfrak: (TC)*: This ogre's monstrous strength is of great use to the Touten Corps, which is why the other members tolerate his constant belligerence. He takes any disagreement as a personal assault, and has made no secret of his desire to lead the group.

Zala: A fire elemental who fought alongside Stoic and many others in the wars that brought Gallia down. Though admired by many, she has never felt at home in any community and instead prefers to wander the world on her own. Given her explosive temper, this may be for the best.

Evrind: A student at the Sacred River Monastery. He is very gifted when it comes to physical combat, and is always willing to teach others the discipline. However, he is rather secretive and shows his sympathy for Gallian viewpoints.

Selene Endymion: This monastery student is so taciturn that she almost seems unstable. In reality, she is quite kind but often lets her own timid nature compromise what could otherwise be a stellar career as a priestess.

Gabriel Robin: Gabriella's father and the oldest living member of the Robin family, a clan devoted to destroying the undead since before even the days of Gallia. He is also one of the administrators of the Sacred River Monastery, and is willing to work with just about anyone to enhance the school's visibility.

Professor Tyer and Professor Ferril: Tyer teaches the required first-year history course at the monastery, and encourages independent thinking in his students. Ferril is the teacher for the Comparative Religion course, and she often has difficulty reducing the complex material into lectures students will not be intimidated by.

Torin Radney: A low-level operative of the Hand assigned to the dense forests surrounding the Sacred River Monastery. Though not the most polished fighter, his unprecedented abilities shock those he faces in battle.

Danika: One of the Hand's lieutenants and a friend of Dican's. His death puts more responsibility on her, though Ketsu is careful to keep her fierce personality in check.

Cari: A powerful psychic who assists Ketsu in reading the thoughts of those he does business with. She is the only person within the Hand who appears to have known Ketsu before the group's formation.

Lily Ellester: The mayor of Boreal. A young woman when she fought with Stoic in the wars, she is now much older and has succeeded Dasani as the town's leader.

Tanisa Verdire: A childhood friend of Auburn who moved North into Boreal in order to escape their violent past. Unfortunately, trouble has caught up with her and she will have no choice but to call on Auburn for help.

Goma: A ruthless and unstable fire mage who has an unhealthy attachment to the children (including Auburn and Tanisa) he trained years ago. Now a member of the Ember Mages, he uses the group's resources for his own sinister ends.

Chard: The current head of the Ember Mages, he both leads and makes machines. His tampering with guns developed by Finley's family has given the Ember Mages powerful new weapons. Unfortunately for him, his ego can be easily exploited.

King Arthur Bane: The current ruler of the elven kingdom of Relle. Bane beat out a handful of other contenders to ascend to the throne after the deaths of King Terr and Queen Arianna, who had no children. King Bane has won praise among his subjects for spearheading a productive reconstruction of the city of Rellenia, but is often mysterious and pensive. He tends to let Jillian, his chief advisor, manage most of his smaller duties to the kingdom. After the traumatic wars with Gallia, Bane remains conflicted about the spiritual future of Relle.

Wyre: A respected elder statesman of the elves who has committed his life to serving his fellow citizens. During the wars with Gallia, he served as Queen Arianna's primary ambassador to the Rebellion within the city and was instrumental in combining the anti-Gallia forces before the last battle. When Equipment King opened in Rellenia under strange circumstances, King Bane chose Wyre to lead the Rellenia Justice Commission, a committee charged with investigating the matter.

Cassie Casterelli: A merchant in Artagel who doesn't take kindly to possible competition from Kovak and Equipment King. Despite the short temper, she is a remarkably giving person. She constantly offers her home to weary travelers and often becomes highly protective of them.

Cole Marin: A proud, driven historian who has had a life-long love of digging up dirt. A child during the reign of Gallia, he vowed to use his knowledge to keep them from rising again any way he could. To that end, he went undercover within The Hand for a full year, absorbing information that he later printed in a manuscript as yet unpublished. He remains in hiding, but when our heroes finally manage to contact him, he has some very interesting facts for them.

Allie: Andau's older sister. Torn away from her brother when AndauÕs parents abandoned him, she has never forgotten about him. She may be the only hope he has if she can convince him to accept it.

Gloria Heron: A young girl in Artagel and the child of Arshes and Hilda Heron. The Herons met Bubba shortly after his battles with First Sorceress Colter and her Gallian minions during their siege on the kobold settlements. Bubba has remained in contact with the family in the years since, but he is no longer the person Gloria remembers him as.

Voyd: A shadow mage and a high-ranking Hand officer. In addition to the ability to phase through solid objects and travel while invisible, Voyd has mastered a unique teleportation technique. After placing an enchantment called a "beacon" on a certain location, he can transport himself and anyone touching him back to that same spot. He is only able to manage about ten beacons at any given time. Compared to the other Hand officers, Voyd is very easy-going, even friendly.

The Representative from Port Arianna: A fairy representing the town within the Fairy Congress. She has natural leadership qualities, but like others of her species, is often too trusting for her own good.

Yaled the Hammer: A career troublemaker who intends to dismantle the fairy government after years of having his nefarious schemes foiled by their kindness towards adventurers.

Gallian Empire: Founded by Vincent Gallius, who claimed to have had a vision of Arcadius telling him all non-humans deserved death. Gallia began as a knighthood, but expanded into a full-blown empire that ruled for four-hundred years. It began to decline when chairman Marcus Gallius was covertly murdered by Warrick De Cafer and corruption began to seep into the government. Eventually, a rebellion brewing within the city (assisted by other world leaders) crushed the empire once and for all.

General Lysander Barca: A prodigy who sailed through the ranks of Gallia's military until being promoted to Lord and General of North Gallia at 26. This was a position normally given to aged warriors, and Lysander's swift promotion infuriated the other leaders in the city. They were silenced by his colossal siege and eventual conqust of the elven kingdom and its capitol city, Rellenia. After clashing with Warrick De Cafer and the rest of the current council, he seized power himself. During the final battle with the rebels, his death signaled the final defeat of the empire. Decades later, his name still inspires fear all over Solest.

Queen Arianna Relle: During her early years on the throne, Queen Arianna was much too busy with internal problems in the elven kingdom to worry about the looming threat of Gallia. That all changed after the ferocious attack on Rellenia, which left the city in ruins and scattered the survivors all over the dense forests surrounding the area. After King Terr was slain, Arianna pledged to defeat the invaders once and for all. She reached out to the rebellion within Gallia and sent ambassadors all over Solest to bring the remaining world leaders together. She was slain by Lysander in the battle that ended the empire's reign. Later, the town of Port Vincent was renamed in her honor.

Arius Sherron: The origins of the man called Arius are still quite mysterious. He began as the persona General Lysander developed after he lost his memory in a shipwreck, but when the general's memory returned, Arius appeared next to him as some sort of doppleganger. Arius emerged as a leader of the movement to defeat Gallia and it was he who finally slew Lysander. After the war, he married a water mage named Nova Sherron and sought a quiet life.

Dasani of Boreal: A leader in the wars against Gallia and a spiritual mentor to hundreds of people. She was raised in Gallia, but found she could not reconcile her own beliefs about the nature of Arcadius with the violent crimes of the empire. She traveled to the Isle of Alge, and rallied the people there against the Ember Mages. The area later became the prosperous town of Boreal. Her powerful presence can be mostly attributed to the angelic wings she obtained early in her career. She claimed they had been a gift from Arcadius, but as with so many spiritual matters, proof of or against this interpretation was nowhere to be found.

Sarnath Alleni: Dedicated to bringing down Gallia from within, it was Sarnath who began the rebellion within the city. He recruited as many people as he could, including his carefree sister Shirley. His steady communication with Wyre, an elven ambassador, resulted in aid from Queen Arianna. Once he joined with Arius and other world leaders, the rebellion had enough power to defeat General Lysander the remaining Gallian leaders. Since the end of the war, Sarnath has had the unenviable task of trying to keep the peace between the citizens of the city and non-humans in the area. He has halted the empire's genocide, but retained the city's name and basic government structure in an effort to reach out to the humans who remained. So far he has been successful, but the peace in the city is still tenuous at best.

Ariel D'Eleficent: Feared by the majority of people who met her, Ariel was perhaps Gallia's most powerful sorceress. Though the city's council was too afraid of her capacity for rage and treachery to make her a general, she was designated as one of the High Guards who served as bodyguards for Gallia's rulers. When Lysander usurped power, she sided with him and became so infatuated with the general that she murdered his wife in an effort to keep him to herself. She was slain by Nova Sherron in the war.

Anna Sanora: A woman who held the rare viewpoint that Gallia was not extreme enough in their methods. Formerly an apprentice to Ariel D'Eleficent, she grew disgusted with Gallia and left, stealing numerous documents pertaining to dark magic. With the help of the ancient Altar of the Abyss and this information, Anna was able to master the Forbidden Spell of Rebirth. With this new power, she established the violent Wyvern Fang cult. Eventually, she was killed in a battle with allies of Arius Sherron.

Britsus Konne: A kobold who established an alliance with the warrior Shurikra Kajarian and the elven psychic Ivory Aleska, forming a team to protect the city of Guardia when Arius Sherron left on his mission to defeat Lysander. It was this group who had to face the Wyvern Fang cult, and ultimately they traced the troublemakers back to their lair on a small island. The cult was defeated and the Altar of the Abyss sealed by Ivory. After the war, Britsus wrote a book about his experiences which became quite popular.

Mina Lolian: Born and raised in the town of Harrol, the spear-wielding wind mage Mina joined with the dragoon Seth to defeat the necromancers who menaced the area. After learning that the necromancers were connected to Gallia, she pledged to help defeat them. Along the way, she joined Zala and an elf named Alko. Seth, the last of his race, was killed by General Lysander. After the war, Zala left the group and Mina and Alko returned to Guardia. Currently, she divides her time between Guardia and Harrol, and is rarely seen without the minotaur Galdar De-Naren.

Great Rain of Fire: A meteor shower that changed the very shape of the world and became the beginning of the time period known as the Fifth Age. After this devastating incident, all of the world's races came together to help each other survive the hard time ahead. Years later, the early Gallians exploited humanity's fear of divine punishment by using the Rain of Fire as evidence for their cause.

Solendian Knighthood: Centuries before the Gallians, there were the Solendians. Far less extreme than their successors, this knighthood did not advocate genocide but restricted membership to human males and explicitly forbade any use of magic. It was first established in the late Second Age, but came to prominence in the Third Age during a series of violent conflicts with necromancers. In the Fourth Age, it was torn apart by civil war.

Volrath Blacksteele: The doomed revolutionary who became a legend after his death in the Fourth Age. He rebelled against the Solendian Knighthood for their exclusion of other races and condemnation of magic. A student of everything from architecture to necromancy, Blacksteele used his many skills to gather an army composed of people from all races and challenge the knighthood himself. In the end, he was betrayed by his advisor, the dark elf Sandahar. Though his own campaign failed, he inspired several others and ultimately the knighthood was brought down by conflicts within their ranks. Though centuries later Gallia would condemn him, it is worth noting that their knighthood allowed membership to women and encouraged the study of magic, just as Volrath had suggested. For many reasons, he is seen by historians as one of the most influential individuals in Solest's history.

General Mephesto and Thaniel Mortrus/Thanatos: Mephesto led the Solendian Knighthood's campaign against the Necromancers (led by Mortrus) in the Third Age. Both were slain in the titanic final battle of that conflict. Mortrus was later resurrected as the lich Thanatos, and sought to conquer his old enemy by returning Mephesto to life as a skeleton. After the skeleton fell in combat, Thantaos was able to use the Forbidden Spell of Rebirth to return him to life as a human. After losing control, Mephesto destroyed Thanatos and lived out the rest of his life trying to mediate the new conflicts within the Solendian Knighthood. Thanatos's success with the forbidden spell is the last known use of it up until Anna Sanora in the Fifth Age.

The world of Solest is home to numerous different races. In past times, they all had clearly defined territories and rarely cooperated with one other, but as the chaos of Gallia fades and the world's technology steadily improves, the land is more integrated than ever. Though many races originate from one of the two gods, Arcadius or Perditia, this rarely decides which one the person will ultimately choose to serve. There are also several races whose origin can not be determined at all.

Arcadius

Humans: Humans are the youngest race in Solest, but they have consistently had a huge impact on world affairs. They have divided their time in the world into five ages, which has become the standard way to discuss history even though the other races have been around long before the start of the "First Age." It was not until the Second Age that they hit their stride, creating the Solendian Knighthood. That knighthood saw bloody battles with necromancers (mostly humans themselves) in the Third Age before being torn apart by civil war in the Fourth. The Fifth Age began after the Great Rain of Fire, and humanity became responsible for the Gallian Knighthood, which carried out campaigns of imperialism and widespread genocide for four-hundred years. Humanity is at something of a crossroads since the end of Gallia, and they continue to lack the unity that many other races have achieved. They also have the shortest life span of any major race on Solest.

Characters: Nearly all of MotW's main characters are human.

Elves: Said to be the first and most favored of Arcadius's children. They are industrious people who use their long life span (each lives for nearly a thousand years) to mantain a prosperous kingdom in the forests of Relle. In the Fifth Age, the balance of power shifted dramatically when Gallian armies destroyed Rellenia. A nation of people who once exiled their own for claiming fealty to Perditia is now confronted with a grand-scale spiritual crisis. They are currently led by King Arthur Bane, whose reign will surely be watched closely by historians to see how he tried to help a traumatized population recover.

Characters: Morias, Tyranda, King Bane, Wyre

Dwarves: During the terror of Gallia's reign, the dwarves fled to underground shelters. Though the empire is gone, many have opted not to return to the surface. They have been allied with the elven kingdom throughout history, and used to have a decent relationship between humans in past times.

Characters: None of major consequence.

Minotaurs: A proud and mighty race with a history of dignity and nuance concerning their role in world affairs. They tried to reach out to Gallia to make peace in the early days of the empire, and were repaid with violence. Their major cities were on islands far out in the ocean, and they are currently working to restore those areas.

Characters: Shadehorn

Griffins and Dragons: Two minor races of Solest who have never been huge in number, but managed to avoid Gallia's violence. During the empire's reign, griffins made a tradition of using transformative magic to be able to pass for humans. Dragons, on the other hand, have always been solitary and secretive creatures. However, it is worth noting that during Gallia's reign, they opened their secluded home to humans who defected from Gallia.

Characters: A griffin briefly appeared in a flashback, but none have been seen within the story of MotW.

Perditia

Kobolds: This advanced canine race has been known for a gentle disposition; many will choose to serve Arcadius despite their origins. Like any dog, they are gifted with an incredible sense of smell and are excellent hunters. Their versatility allows them to adapt to most environments, from crowded cities to secluded wildnerness.

Characters: Bubba

Orcs and Goblins: These two races have long been considered the favored children of Perditia, and in past times had a longstanding feud with the elves and dwarves. After many wars, all the races involved agreed to a peace, though there is still plenty of animosity there. Goblins are more like humans, with fairly short life spans and a strong desire to affect change in the world. Orcs are much more warlike and intimidating, and are legendary for military prowess.

Characters: Cyneric (an orc), Krom (a goblin)

Ogres: Massive creatures with unsatiable appetities. Perditia's other races feared the potential damage they could do, so there have been many efforts to subjugate ogres in order to keep them under control. In the early decades of Gallia's rule, armies of ogres dealt tremendous damage to the empire's armies. Like so many other races in the Fifth Age, however, they struggle to reclaim what they once had.

Characters: Grinfrak

Lodites: Generalization is difficult when it comes to lodites, one of the main reasons being that there are two separate "breeds" of them. Some are short and rotund creatures, making their home in rivers and lakes. Though these creatures are intelligent, only a few decide to join society at large. The rest of the lodites live on land and resemble large lizards. These lodites are gifted with a more developed intellect, though they lack the useful survival instincts of their smaller peers.

Characters: Pilc

Undead: Strictly speaking, they are not created by Perditia. However, their origins are in necromancy, which is said to derive from the dark goddess's powers. Necromancers return the souls of the fallen to life as Skeletons. Normally, a necromancer will also use techinques to control the mind of a freshly created skeleton to keep him unquestionably loyal. When left alone by necromancers, skeletons are perfectly capable of thinking independently and functioning as members of society. A Lich is a sorcerer returned to life as a skeleton with all his magical powers intact and with full mental capacity. Dark mages tend to attain even greater power through this transformation.

Characters: Stoic

Unaffiliated

Fairies: The most gentle and altruistic of all Solest's races. Fairies use their natural healing gifts, long lives and incredible intelligence to help others all over the world. Long ago, they set up a complicated democracy which would help oversee their efforts to provide assisantance wherever they could.

Characters: You will find plenty of them in MotW's dungeons.

Elementals: Rare and strange creatures who fully embody a certain school of magic. This gives them distinct strengths and weaknesses, and many refrain from using their powers for fear of the potential damage. Gallia's reign was perhaps hardest on them....though ice elementals had been exterminated by the Ember Mages long before.

Characters: Zala

Vampires: Nobody seems to know where vampires came from, though a prevailing theory suggests that vampirism is a disease developed by necromancers long ago. This theory is arguably supported by the fact that a vampire's bite will transform another creature into one of their own. Vampires are gifted with natural teleportation skills and a distinct proficency in dark magic, but their many vulnerabilities force them to be extremely careful.

Characters: Andau

Most people in Solest have at least some experience with magic. There are several different schools a budding sorcerer can choose from. The majority of them go with traditional elemental schools of magic, which are fairly simple to master (compared to others, at least) but all have drawbacks. The expectation is that whichever element a person chooses will be with them for the rest of their lives, but truly exceptional mages are known to master multiple schools. Those with greater amibition can study holy and dark magic, the two most powerful schools, said to be derived from the gods themselves. There are also several "fringe" schools of magic, which can not be easily lumped into any of the elements and offer unique benefits to the tenacious sorcerer who attempts to master them.

An important trait of elemental magic (including holy and dark) is that the properties of a particular element begin to augment the user over time. When the school is mastered, these abilities fully surface.

Fire mages will be able to resist extreme temperatues.

Water mages will be able to breathe underwater.

Lightning mages will gain incredible reflexes and the ability to see in the dark.

Earth mages will become very durable, though this tends to slow their overall movement.

Wind mages will obtain a natural lightness, able to perform nimble acrobatic feats and fall a great distance without becoming hurt.

Holy magic can be both offensive and defensive, perhaps both to a sorcerer with enough skill. The defensive side is focused on healing wounds and curing disease, while the offensive side channels the power of Arcadius into powerful attacks. Holy mages can also develop telepathic powers, and this can be a springing point into the very difficult discipline of Mysticism. Mystics are capable of developing tremendous psychic powers and even experience pre-cognitive visions. In very rare cases, an expert holy mage will gain etheral looking wings, which will enable flight and inspire awe all over the world. These extreme cases suggest that the full potential of holy magic has still not yet been reached.

Dark magic's effects are still quite mysterious. The essence of dark magic lies in violating the laws of nature, so perhaps it is no surprise that dark mages are known to lead longer lives than others of their race would expect. Dark magic is also central to Necromancy, the art of returning the dead to life as skeletons. The ultimate achievement of a dark mage is to return someone to their original flesh and blood form. This is accomplished through the Forbidden Spell of Rebirth, which is said to be handed down from Perditia herself. Only a few dark mages in history have mastered this, but information has been quietly passed down about it for ages.

Summoning is one of the "fringe" magical arts. Mastering this discipline requires a full commitment and considerable skill, but summoners are able to bring forth creatures from an alternate world to briefly aid them in Solest. A summoner's level of skill is often discerned by the number of creatures they can call.

Transformation magic allows the user to change shape. Information about these skills are rare, and many mages look down on transformation magic as not worth the effort. Early mages will be able to change their physical features, but true masters will be able to drastically change their size as well. Shadow magic is an off-shoot of this, allowing someone to become invisible and/or inaudible.

Oracle magic is primarily focused on disorienting enemies. Several different kinds of spells fall into this category, including blind spells which daze foes with a bright light, poisonous magic that sends toxins through veins of adversaries, and the expert-level illusionary magic. Illusionists have the power to completely alter the perception of enemies, fooling them into believing all manner of outlandish things. This school of magic has numerous possibilites, and is favored among many....less savory types.

A curious recent development in Solest has been the appearance of mages who can actually copy spells they see used in battle. Though it takes a focused effort, one of these mages will instantly master a technique and be able to use it at their leisure. However, since the mage does not go through the formal training involved with traditional magic study, they are incapable of reaping the extra benefits of any school of magic.

The first thing Mina Lolian noticed as she opened her eyes was that she was in a lot less pain. The world looked blurry for several moments, but slowly drifted back into focus. She was back in her hometown of Harrol now. Her last memory was being struck in the chest by a dark magic spell. She recalled her breath being taken away from her as she fell backwards onto the earth. She looked to her right and saw a hooded figure sitting on a stool near her bed. She was in the infirmary, and this person was a cleric.

"Good," the cleric said, "You're awake." Mina recognized the voice. It was Ancil, a priest from her church.

"What...what happened?"

"Monicon's army ultimately couldn't get past our defenses," Ancil responded, "and after you were hurt, we all fought harder than ever."

Mina intended to ask more questions, but then she saw an imposing dark figure in the doorway. Ancil watched the movement of her eyes and then turned his head around.

"You have a visitor," Ancil said, and then motioned for the figure to enter. As he came into the light, Mina's jaw dropped. It was a dragoon. She had never seen one before, but she had certainly heard enough descriptions to recognize this newcomer. Dragoons were men with the wings and powers of dragons. The guest had been forced to fold his wings in order to fit through the doorway, but now he could let them expand. Dressed in dark red armor and a horned helmet, this dragoon set his sword and shield down on the floor near Mina's bed. She noticed that the sheath was adorned with multiple trinkets and inscriptions.

"I am Seth," the dragoon finally said.

"Hello," Mina said quietly.

"This is she?" Seth asked, looking at Ancil. He nodded.

"What's going on?" Mina asked.

"I arrived here a few moments ago," Seth answered, "I asked to see Harrol's strongest warrior. I was led here." Mina felt some embarrassment upon hearing this. In comparison to this towering dragoon, she surely must have looked feeble. Her face revealed her youth; her eyes were a gentle blue and her hair was the color of a violet. She pulled it back and tied it behind her head, but it did not make her look any more fearsome.

"They tell me this town has been menaced by a necromancer and his minions," Seth continued, "and that you lead the battles."

"I do," Mina answered, "There are two necromancers, not one. The leaders are a human named Monicon and a half-griffin named Torhav."

Seth raised an eyebrow, which to Mina's relief, made him less intimidating. "A half-griffin?"

"Griffins often wander the world disguised as humans for long periods of time," Mina explained, "Sometimes they breed with humans. The result looks like a combination of man and bird. It happens more often than you might think."

Seth chuckled. "It would seem you are very knowledgeable."

Mina smiled. She felt silly for being afraid of Seth when he had entered.

Seth motioned to the door. "Let us talk further outside. I grow tired of these cramped quarters."

Mina looked at Ancil. "You will be fine," he said, "I have done my work. Just don't strain yourself for a while."

"Thank you, Ancil." She placed her hand on his shoulder as she stepped out of bed. Grabbing her spear from against the wall, she and Seth left the infirmary.

As she had countless times before, Mina sighed with despair as she looked upon her hometown. Once a thriving city full of business, Harrol had sadly degenerated into a withered shell of itself. As the attacks by Monicon's army grew worse, dozens of citizens had left, leaving behind homes that were slowly falling apart. Shopkeepers often didn't bother to even go to their stores because traders were avoiding the area. All the money the town did have went towards defending it against the undead.

"I'm told you also know magic," Seth said.

"Yes," Mina smiled, "Wind magic. It's been in my family for generations."

"An honorable school of sorcery," Seth responded, "It makes you light and nimble. Difficult to hit."

"Difficult," Mina said, "but not impossible." The pain in her chest was faint now, but still there.

"You won the last battle, did you not?"

"That's what Ancil said," Mina answered, "I'm sure it was because we saw them coming." She pointed to several watchtowers and the town's gate, which was fitted with numerous arrow towers.

"I take it Monicon does not attack with subtlety," Seth grinned.

Mina laughed. "Not at all! He tends to be fairly theatrical in terms of his battle strategy. He can't resist having us look upon his advancing army as it comes to destroy our town. It's the only advantage we have."

Seth and Mina stood by the gate for several moments. He was slowly taking in the scenery. The town might have suffered, but the beautiful river that ran through town and the stunning mountains in the distance had not.

"This is a beautiful home you have," Seth said, "It is worth defending."

"You know," Mina said abruptly, "I've never met a dragoon before."

"Not surprising," Seth replied, "I am the last."

"The last...you mean?"

"Yes," Seth firmly said, "There are no other dragoons left. Gallia...slaughtered all of my brethren."

"Gallia..." Mina's voice trailed off. She knew of the Gallian Empire. She knew of their violent crusade to rid the world of all non-humans. However, the city of Gallia was far to the west and their soldiers were much too embroiled in fights with closer nations to ever give thought to a decrepit place like Harrol. In her heart she knew Gallia was wrong, but with her own town barely surviving its battles against the necromancers, that evil never occupied her mind for very long.

Seth continued. "For all our history, we avoided conflict. We are born with great power, but we never truly desired to use it. We were never any threat to the Gallians, but that didn't matter. Our very heritage sentenced us to death. When that army attacked, we were helpless. My betrothed and I made it out, and we thought we had found solace in another community far removed from the rest of this wretched world."

Sorrow swept over the dragoon's face. His hands trembled as he continued his story. "However...nobody is truly safe from Gallia. They found us and took my Villea from me. I survived, but it did not matter. Her death doomed us all to extinction. She is gone, and all I can do now is decide how to spend my remaining days before the sun sets on my people."

Mina started to ask a question when Seth suddenly grunted in agony. Crumpling forward with pain, he managed to hold himself up with one arm while the other clutched the edge of his wing tightly. Mina knelt beside him and saw drops of blood stain the grass. Her eyes went to Seth's wings and she saw a deep gash.

"You're hurt!"

"I...will be fine," Seth replied through clenched teeth.

"I'll get Ancil right away!"

****

Standing in the doorway to the infirmary, Mina pondered this strange turn of events. She did not think her life could have any more violence and darkness than it already did. That was before this lone survivor of a genocide had walked into town seeking her out. Seeing the wounded dragoon writhe on the hospital bed, a disheartening truth overtook her. In the past, she had often felt that Harrol was the most miserable place in all the world. Now she knew that the horrors going on outside the walls of her decaying town were likely more gruesome that she had ever imagined.

At last Ancil got up from his stool and walked over to Mina.

"How is he?"

"He is recuperating nicely," Ancil smiled, "He is truly a demon of strength. He remained awake throughout my entire treatment, and he still has not lost consciousness. I think you need to go in there and tell him to rest. He needs it."

Mina frowned. "Don't call him a demon."

"I meant nothing by it," Ancil responded, looking stung.

"Do you know what happened to him?"

"Definitely blade inflicted," Ancil answered, "dealt by a sword of high quality. At least that's what I can gather from how clean the wound turned out to be. I think he must be delusional, though. I asked him who was responsible and he told me it was General Lysander Barca."

Mina could not help but chuckle. Even living in Harrol, she had heard of the famous general Lysander Barca. He was said to possess a terrifying level of skill in battle. He was known primarily for his wars in the elven kingdoms, which, as with everywhere else, were quite far from Harrol. Surely he could not have be the one Seth had clashed with.

"Mina...." She and Ancil turned to see Seth reaching his hand out in her direction.

"You must calm him down," the priest said, and Mina walked inside the infirmary.

"I'm here, Seth," Mina said, sitting on Ancil's stool, "but you must rest now."

"Before...I do that," Seth replied, straining to keep his eyes open, "I must...I must tell you why I have come here."

"I'm listening."

"My people....we stood by and watched Gallia's rise...for too long. The time has come...for us to fight. I will have...my revenge on Lysander...and all of the others...but I need help. I need...I need warriors like you, Mina."

Mina was overwhelmed. "Seth, I can't fight Gallia. I can't even think about fighting Gallia until these necromancers are defeated once and for all!"

"You...you are already fighting Gallia."

"What?"

"Gallia's army...is too busy...too busy to come here and take control. They work with necromancers....supply them...give them the gold they need...in order to conquer areas out of their reach."

Becoming more frustrated by the minute, Mina responded. "Seth, necromancers command the undead. Gallia has pledged to destroy all non-humans, including skeletons and zombies and liches and all those creatures. It doesn't make sense. You just need to sleep now."

"They...they are hypocrites," Seth replied, managing to crack a smile. "The...treaty of Thanatos..."

At last the dragoon's eyes shut and sleep overcame him. Mina stood up and put out the torch above the bed. Leaving the infirmary, she saw Ancil wearing a very puzzled look.

"Treaty of Thanatos?" Ancil inquired, "What was he talking about?"

"I don't know," Mina replied, "I suspect we will hear plenty more about it when he recovers." With that, the two went their separate ways. Ancil walked towards the river to the tent which had served as his home for several months. He and the other priests once stayed in Harrol's church, but the building had recently been deemed too dangerous. When Monicon and his undead armies managed to make it inside the city, the church had been their primary target. Now the building was riddled with gaping holes and debris fell constantly from its roof.

Mina herself was one of the few Harrol citizens whose home remained unscathed. On the other side of the river, a small forest separated the town from the mountains overhead. Her father, Vermorne Lolian, had built the family home in a small clearing amidst the woods. It was hardly a secret location; anyone in Harrol could find it if they wished. Its inconspicuous placement had helped it escape the attention of the undead warriors for the time being, however. Everyone in the house was asleep except for one. Mina knew who it was.

Only two years separated Mina from her brother Renn, but the two could not have been more different. Renn Lolian was loud and uninhibited, having been born with none of his older sister's caution. He was taller than Mina, and though his hair was the same violet shade that had always been in the family, it was much darker. Like almost every other night, he was spending time with Raina Rose, a girl who lived on the other side of the river. Mina had never seen a head of hair so brightly blonde, and she often adorned it with flowers. Raina often wore clothes that showed off her slender frame, which always felt like an affront to the modestly attired Mina. The two of them were giggling loudly as they walked through the forest, no doubt under the influence of some form of ale. Mina's face became a mask of irritation.

"Stop all this racket," Mina scolded, "Mother and father are trying to sleep."

Renn and Raina turned. "Oh no," Renn laughed, "Here comes the laughter police!" The two of them laughed so hard they had to lean against the nearby trees to steady themselves.

Mina often reacted to their teasing with only a stern look, but tonight she was in no mood for their shenanigans. She focused her eyes on her younger brother, and placed both hands out in front of her. Within seconds, a large gust of wind knocked Renn Lolian off his feet and onto a bush. He cringed as he felt thorns dig into his back. After a loud shriek, Raina grabbed his hands and helped him back onto his feet.

Mina was surprised at her reaction, but she felt no regret. "What's the matter with you?" Raina shouted, "Are you going to treat your family the same way you treat the necromancers?"

"You speak with such ignorance," Mina replied quietly, "You mock me, and you mock others in the village. Yet you have no idea what they go through to keep you safe. You have never taken a break from your foolishness to truly see what they have given up. Do you even know what's happening here?"

"Who cares?" Raina answered, still wiping brush from Renn's arm.

Mina let out a heavy sigh and shook her head. She had nothing more to say.

"I think it is you who doesn't understand, sister," her brother said, "Harrol is dead. It has been dead ever since the necromancers first set their sights on it. You all fight well, but they will never stop. They will never quit until they get what they want. All those people who fight them over and over again are just wasting their time. They should be packing their things and moving on. That's what Raina and I are planning to do any day now. You should come with us."

"Renn, our family has always lived here," Mina replied calmly, "I can't leave our homeland when it needs us the most."

"You've fought hard," Renn said back, "but sooner or later you need to understand how futile this is. To keep this up would be....it would be suicide."

Mina was now fighting to hold back tears. "I will never give up on Harrol. I will do whatever it takes to keep it safe. I will travel any distance. I will fight any foe. I don't care if I die, because if I can't protect this place than I am of no use to anyone!"

Renn had not expected to provoke this kind of reaction in his sister. Mina was often nervous, but always collected. Now he could see that she was nearly crying. Disturbed, he and Raina walked away quietly. Mina looked up into the sky. Soon the sun would begin to rise. She had to try and sleep while she could. It would likely be several days before the necromancers returned.

****

Seth was on the Tezuka beaches, several miles South of Harrol. Less than ten fight away from him was General Lysander Barca. Despite his reputation, Barca did not have the most intimidating appearance. He was of average height as far as humans go, with hair as dark as night. His features gave the impression of youth, but the general had a wife and a son waiting for him to return to Gallia. He may not have looked like the merciless crusader he was often described as, but the group of fallen enemies around him revealed his frightening power.

After centuries of naval warfare, Gallia had ensured that they were the mightiest force on the seas. Docked at the beach was a single ship, stolen from Gallia's fleet by a band of thieves. Seth knew his chances of defeating Lysander were slim, but he was determined to keep him from using that ship. If he managed to escape now, he would only cause more death and destruction elsewhere.

Pushing away his fear, Seth lunged at Lysander, swinging his sword upward in a diagonal arc. With a smirk, the general threw his head back sharply. The blade missed his chin by mere inches. Lysander placed his hands on Seth's chest. The dragoon suddenly felt a sharp pain as he flew backward. As Seth struggled to catch his breath, Lysander drew his own sword. He walked forward slowly, mocking his adversary. Positioning his blade high above his head, Lysander prepared to deliver the final blow.

Seth saw an opportunity to utilize one of his most effective techniques. As Lysander's sword came down, the dragoon vanished abruptly. The Gallian's eyes widened as his blade went through a billow of fire and smoke. He whirled around to see Seth reappear behind him. Lysander tried to swing his sword again, but a kick in the ribs from Seth sent him tumbling back.

"I will not be felled as easily as the last time we met," Seth declared.

"That's a relief," Lysander returned, "The last time was downright boring."

After having nearly fallen over, Lysander was through toying with his foe. Seth fought to keep his body from trembling when he saw the rage on the general's face. After a short pause, Lysander rushed forward. His speed increased dramatically and he began to swing his sword wildly. The dragoon struggled to dodge each strike, but it was not long before the blade tore into his left wing.

Lysander grinned and prepared to strike again. Desperate to buy some time, Seth waved his other wing into the general's face, disorienting him enough to put some distance between the two of them. Seth leaped backward, but the pain in his wing caused him to tumble.

"You were right," Lysander smirked, "Not quite as easy, but still fairly easy."

The general's laughter infuriated Seth, but he knew he was defeated. He looked around, searching for anything that could inspire a plan. The others who had tried to stop Lysander were still unconscious. Ariel D'Eleficent, a sorceress who was traveling with the general, kept her eyes on Seth in case she needed to back up her comrade. There was not much Seth could do to salvage this fight, but perhaps there was one way to deny Lysander a true victory.

His attention went to the docked ship. A wicked smile crossed the dragoon's face. He shut his eyes and began to concentrate hard. For this plan to work, he would need to call upon the deepest depths of his power.

"What is he doing?" Ariel asked.

"I have heard he is a summoner," Lysander responded, "perhaps he is calling on one of those beasts for aid."

Ariel smiled. "Perhaps this battle will become more interesting, then."

"You have not yet had a chance to participate," Lysander concurred, "I suppose it's only fair to let him finish."

Perfect. They thought he was casting a summon spell. The idea had crossed Seth's mind, but he was still a fairly new student of the discipline. No creature he could summon at his level of skill would be able to defeat General Lysander. He felt more of his strength slip away, but the spell was completed. A fiery rock now hung in the air over the boat. Lysander turned and realized too late what was about to happen. With one final wince, Seth released his hold on the huge ball of fire. It struck the ship with a deafening crash and bright light engulfed the entire area. Lysander roared with fury as the lone ship was reduced to splinters.

Seth's eyes opened. The roof of the infirmary slowly came into focus. A tide of relief swept over him. His battle with Lysander was over and done with. He had managed to escape during the explosion. Though he was grateful for the rest he had been able to find in Harrol, he knew that he could not delay long. He had to continue his journey before his enemies moved out of his reach. As his senses fully returned to him, he heard running and shouting all through town. What was this commotion?

****

"Mina!" She suddenly felt her whole body shake. Her mother had grabbed her by the shoulders, furiously trying to wake her. Mina's eyes finally opened and she struggled to ignore her nausea.

"What are you doing sleeping so late!" Her mother, Greta Lolian, was often scornful of what she saw as time-wasting behavior. Mina could not recall her ever being this incensed, however.

"I..I was up late last night," Mina replied weakly.

"They need you at the gate! Monicon has been sighted!" Before her mother could finish, Mina grabbed her spear from against the wall and rushed out the door.

Mina, wait! You haven't even changed your clothes," Greta's voice trailed off as she realized it was hopeless. "She must get it from her father's side. Those impulsive Lolians...no Mistral would ever rush to battle in a nightgown."

Mina realized her mistake as the brush began to sting her bare feet. She was not willing to stop herself and turn back, though. She needed to assess the situation before she did anything else. If Monicon was in fact leading another attack, she would run into the armor shop and find something there. She was met with a surprise as she finally reached Harrol's gate. None of the townspeople had taken up arms and the archers in the towers looked thoroughly confused.

"There you are, Mina!" Ancil ran over to her, briefly wearing a perplexed look as he saw her current attire.

"What's going on?" Mina asked, "Why is everyone just standing around?"

"Well," Ancil said, "The curious thing is...that Monicon is alone."

As she looked at the landscape in front of the gate, she realized it was true. The solitary robed figure was indeed the town's dreaded enemy, and no undead troops could be seen.

"Should I fire, Mina?" An archer finally asked.

"Wait until you hear my signal!"

He nodded and readied his bow. Mina looked towards the infirmary and saw Seth approaching the crowd.

"Seth, I'm glad you're here."

"Interesting," Seth replied, "Don't your feet hurt?"

"Yes, but now is not the time for such foolishness," she returned, "Can you help me confirm whether or not Monicon is truly alone?"

Seth laughed amiably. "It shall be simple."

With that, the dragoon leaped into the air and took flight. He was relieved at the lack of pain that accompanied this exercise. Ancil's treatment had been very effective. Seth continued to rise upward until Mina and all the others were no longer recognizable. Monicon, alone amidst the wide plains in front of Harrol, still stood out. Looking in all directions, Seth could find no other movement. He returned to the ground.

"He is indeed alone, but I would advise you to be wary. Necromancers like him are always full of deception."

Mina was silent for several moments. The others stared at her impatiently, waiting for a decision.

"Let him come," she finally said, "but be ready for anything."

"I don't like this," Seth said.

"I don't either," Mina answered, "but coming here alone is quite a risk. He could not defeat all of us without his minions. For now, the advantage is ours."

After several tense minutes, the necromancer finally arrived at the gate. As always, the majority of his face was hidden within the hood of his black robes. Without saying a word, he held out his hands to show that he had no weapons. When he finally spoke, the onlookers were shocked.

"A few moments of your time is all I ask." Normally, Monicon gave his orders loudly and with a bitter harshness to his voice. Now he sounded almost....relaxed.

"Tell me why I should not have one of these archers end your foul deeds right now," Mina replied firmly.

"Oh dear," the necromancer chuckled, "Did I wake up the village's hero too early?" Mina's face flushed with embarrassment. Here she was, confronting her worst enemy in a simple white nightgown, with her hair falling all over her face and shoulders. She could not let it bother her for long; resolve and strength was what she needed to project in such a tense moment.

"What is your business?"

"I come not to provoke you," Monicon answered, "but to seek peace between your fellow citizens and my servants."

"Lies," Seth said through clenched teeth. The dragoon's hand went to the hilt of his sword.

"Stop it!" Mina scolded. Other townspeople seemed to agree with Seth, and they began to clamor loudly. She turned around and cut off their chatter with an icy cold glare. If Monicon was telling the truth, she could not afford to miss this chance.

"I do not lie," the necromancer calmly continued, "Our last battle cost me greatly. Slowly and surely I have been losing more of my undead servants. It takes a lot of energy out of me to make new ones. I am losing them faster than I can replace them. I know that our conflict has taken a heavy toll here as well. Surely you are looking for a way out."

Enraged, Seth unsheathed his sword. "You scheming ingrate! Don't listen to him, Mina! If he does intend to stop laying siege to Harrol, it can only mean that Gallian soldiers are waiting to finish what they have begun!"

Before Mina could say anything, Monicon had an answer. "I know not what Gallia has to do with any of this, but I can assure you that my intentions are genuine. Not only that, if this dragoon has sworn allegiance to Harrol, that is another reason for me not to do battle."

To Mina's amazement, she saw a smile beneath the shadows cast by the necromancer's hood. Seth was still fuming, and nearly a dozen other Harrol citizens were ready to fight with him.

"If you want peace," Mina said, "you shall have it. We never wanted to fight your undead horde. You are the ones who began this conflict between us. If you truly want an end to this, then simply stop your attacks."

"It is not quite as simple as that," Monicon returned, "My army would like to be able to walk among your people. They would like to use your weapon and armor shops. For my part, I have researched this area and I know that herbs grow around here make effective spell components."

A man suddenly shouted. "We'll never let your undead scum poison our town!" Mina shot another glare and lifted her spear threateningly.

"Come back tomorrow," Mina said, "Come alone as you did today. From now until that time, we will discuss this proposition of yours."

"It shall be done," Monicon replied, "Thank you for this chance, Mina. Now get some sleep." After one more smile, the necromancer turned and began to make his way back across the plains.

Mina turned to Seth and smiled. "If this works out, I may be able to leave with you after all."

Seth stared at her with scorn. "I have no use for you."

Mina's face darkened. "What?"

"You are a fool," the dragoon snarled, "You truly think he desires peace? He wants nothing less than to slay everyone in this miserable little hole and use their corpses to add to his own army. All you did today was help him along."

"Seth, if I see a chance for peace, I must take it!" Mina cried, "The longer we fight him, the more of us are going to die! I must do whatever is necessary to end this violence!"

"Don't you understand?" Seth returned, "When your enemy has no honor, it does no good to hold onto these foolish notions of peace and compromise. You may think you are being noble, but you are only playing into their hands."

"What else do you expect me to do, Seth?!"

"You can do whatever you choose," the dragoon said, "Throw down your defenses and allow them to deceive you if you wish. I see now that you do not have the strength to survive on this journey I must take. I was wrong to ask for your help. You have your own responsibilities here."

"Seth, please wait," Mina pleaded.

"Good luck, Mina," Seth said quietly, "and farewell."

Before Mina could say anything more, the dragoon unfolded his great wings and took to the sky. He changed his direction as he ascended, moving towards the mountain range behind the northern end of Harrol. Mina knew that if he continued on that course, he would eventually come across Nillen Valley. She had no idea what he sought there. Disenchanted, she hung her head and walked away from the gate until she heard a familiar voice.

"Mina!" It was Renn. Mina sighed and prepared for more insults. Instead her little brother rushed up to her and threw his arms around her waist. She shrieked in surprise as he lifted her off the ground and spun her around in a circle.

"You did it!" he shouted, "I didn't think it could be done, but you did it! You made Harrol safe again!"

Mina was thoroughly confused. "Is this your plot, Monicon? To get a clear shot at me by impersonating my brother? It isn't working."

Renn laughed loudly. "Raina and I talked for a long time after you went to bed. You were right. We have been terribly selfish. We just saw no hope for this place. That all changed today, though!"

"That's nice, but we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves," Mina returned, "We're not there yet. Half the battle will be getting the whole town to accept Monicon's terms."

"That's my sister," Renn smiled, "Always worried. You'll be able to talk them into it. They look to you to make decisions all the time as it is."

Mina sighed. "How did I ever find myself in this position?"

"You were the first to stand up to them," her brother answered, "You were the one who urged them all to fight. It worked so well you're going to have to fight with them just to accept peace!"

"I just hope it all works out," she said quietly.

"It will," Renn said, "Now go home and get changed. Once you're done negotiating, I want you to come with Raina and me to the pub. We'll have a great time."

"I can't be out late drinking," Mina cautioned, "I still have to deal with Monicon again tomorrow."

Renn rolled his eyes as he and his sister began to walk home.

****

Mina met with several town leaders for hours outside the town hall. The actual building looked like it could fall any minute and was deemed unsafe. During the course of these conversations, Mina was struck by how much resistance she was getting from some of her fellow citizens. It seemed like nothing but hate for the undead drove their thoughts. Mina never knew any skeletons personally, but she had heard that they were not all that different from humans. They had a consciousness of their own and could make their own decisions. Unfortunately for the people of Harrol, all the ones nearby had chosen to serve the necromancers.

At last they arrived at a compromise. The undead would be allowed to roam around town, but extra guards would be keeping an eye on them at all times. Mina was not very fond of this; she felt it would keep the two factions from being able to trust one another. However, she would never have gotten them to agree otherwise. Perhaps in the coming days, the undead would redeem their reputations and she would be able to further smooth the situation.

She joined her brother and Raina for dinner at the pub, and though the three of them enjoyed hours full of laughs and conversation, her mind was never at ease. Since Seth had left, she had discovered that she had sincerely hoped for him to stay. To give up whatever quest he had imposed upon himself and try to find solace in Harrol. She later internally cursed herself as a fool for these thoughts; Seth's lone war against Gallia was likely the only thing he had left. It was not her place to try and take it from him.

As the three of them left the bar, Mina saw that numerous other people in town had decided to celebrate. In particular, a large group of people were gathered around a small bonfire, laughing and drinking. Perhaps she really had finally brought peace and hope back to her town.

The calm was shattered when a lone skeleton rushed through the gates. He stopped short in front of Mina.

"You are the warrior Mina?"

"Yes," Mina said hesitantly.

"You must prepare your people immediately!"

"What are you talking about?" Renn asked.

"Monicon has betrayed you!" The skeleton was frantic now. "He is on his way now with an army bigger than any you have seen! You must ready your defenses!"

The color faded from Mina's face. She sprinted towards the gate and looked out. The skeleton had been telling the truth. She guessed there were at least two-hundred skeletons marching towards Harrol, with Monicon and his half-griffin ally Torhav leading the wave. To her horror, she realized that the arrow towers were empty. The archers were over by the fire with everyone else.

Renn saw his sister's reaction and knew what she had seen. He turned to the skeleton. "Why have you told us this?"

"Don't you see?" The skeleton replied, "We want peace just as much as you do! We pleaded with Monicon to end this violence! We thought we had gotten through to him, but he was just using it as a way to fool you all!"

As Mina rushed back to the center of Harrol, she recoiled in horror when three skeletons appeared in front of her. They were spies, disguised by Monicon's magic to get inside the gates before the townspeople realized the attack was coming. Perhaps the skeleton that gave the warning had been one as well before his change of heart. Mina did not have any more time to think it over as two of the skeletons rushed at her with their swords ready. She did not have her spear, but her years studying wind magic gave her a distinct advantage. Her body had developed an inherent lightness, and she used it to leap several feet backward as her foes swung their weapons.

As Mina landed, she focused on the two undead warriors in front of her and held out her hands. A powerful gust of wind flew in from the East, throwing one of the skeletons against the other with such force that they were both reduced to piles of bones. She had forgotten about the third skeleton now, who had maneuvered behind her. Mina felt a dagger tear through the back of her shirt. At that point, she was overwhelmingly thankful that she had chosen to wear armor underneath her casual clothing as a precaution.

The next thing Mina saw was a brilliant flash of red, and the skeleton that had attempted to stab her split evenly in two. A familiar winged figure stood triumphant over the fallen attacker.

"You came back," Mina smiled.

"I have seen enough slaughter in my time," Seth replied, "I will not allow any more."

Another group of skeletons had gotten through the gates and targeted Seth. The dragoon took a deep breath, and when he exhaled a steady stream of fire reduced his foes to ashes. Those nearby who saw this were astonished. Seth coughed violently once the smoke cleared.

"Are you all right?" Mina asked.

"Fine," Seth rasped, "but I truly hate that technique."

"The bulk of them are about to get past the gate!" Renn yelled.

"Go to the weapons shop with the others," Mina responded, "Grab whatever you can find!"

"I will do what I can to even the odds," Seth said. He let his wings extend to their full length as he raised both of his arms towards the sky. He shut his eyes and stood there motionless for several moments. Mina's eyes went back to the gate. The horde was almost there. Whatever Seth was doing, he clearly needed more time. Mina shut her eyes and attempted to call up the strength for another wind spell. She had just cast one minutes ago, and the strain was already starting to take its toll on her. Her vision blurred, but she remained focused and finally the wind came.

It came from the top the mountains, glided down through the forests and flew past Mina and the other townspeople. The undead marching towards Harrol were struck with a gale so strong they could not even walk forward. They had already been driven several feet backwards by the winds until Mina suddenly fell forward, exhausted.

"Fear not, my comrade," Seth said quietly, almost to himself, "You have given me the time I needed." A golden light burst forth from the ground right in front of the dragoon, and when it faded a hulking creature stood in its place. Easily twice Seth's height, this creature was composed entirely of rock.

Mina suddenly felt her strength return. She looked up and saw Ancil kneeling on the ground next to her. The cleric smiled.

"We are still in need of your strength," he said.

Before Mina could reply, Ancil suddenly toppled over, smoke rising from his right temple. She placed two fingers on his neck. Her eyes welled up with tears as she saw he was dead. Monicon stood about twenty feet away, with similar smoke coming from his left hand.

"You filthy betrayer!" Mina shouted. "I gave your people a chance to find acceptance among mine, and this is what I get in return?!"

Monicon laughed loudly. "All is fair in war, my dear!"

"Mina, take this!" She turned around. It was Raina, carrying a familiar spear. While Renn and others had been gathering weapons in the shop, she had returned to the Lolian home.

Mina nodded and caught the spear. Monicon held up a stick and grinned as it morphed into a massive scythe. The two foes rushed toward each other. Monicon swung his scythe in a wide arc, aiming for Mina's midsection. She effortlessly leaped above the weapon and raised her own spear high in the air. The necromancer struggled to dodge the attack, but his own weapon was proving to be quite cumbersome. Mina had aimed for his head, but instead had pinned his cloak to the ground. Seething with anger, Mina punched her foe squarely on the jaw. Monicon reeled backward as Mina dealt another blow with her other fist. This second hit knocked him on his back. Wasting no time, Mina kicked his scythe aside and grabbed her own spear. Pointing it at Monicon's neck, she was tempted to end the battle right there. However, there was one thing she needed to know.

Meanwhile, Torhav's minions had managed to get past the gate and into Harrol. The townspeople rushed from the weapons shop, brandishing a myriad of different arms. Renn dodged a blow from a skeleton and crushed its head with his new mace. The dissenting skeleton also came to the aid of the townspeople.

Furious at this betrayal, the other undead immediately targeted him. Expecting to be cut down in seconds, the skeleton was shocked when the people of Harrol rushed to his defense.

Torhav was about to join this battle when he heard what sounded like a rolling boulder. He turned and his beak fell open in horror.

"A...a stone golem!"

Seth could not contain his excitement. "Crush that feathered miscreant!"

Dozens of skeletons rushed to aid their master. With one swing of its massive arm, six of these warriors were hurtled off into the distance. More skeletons hurried to try and stop the golem, hacking at its rock show wildly with their swords and axes. The summoned creature continued to hold its own, but cracks were already forming in its armor.

"The Treaty of Thanatos," Mina said, "What is it?"

"So you know your history," Monicon replied, "The necromancers guild signed that document along with Gallia's council thirty years ago! They wanted us to take control of lands that were far beyond their borders, and we were tired of having our minions exterminated by their fanatical soldiers!"

"I can't believe it," Mina responded, "He was right all along. But the Gallians have pledged to kill all undead...how do you explain this alliance to your servants? Or to Torhav?"

"Torhav and I have no real use for their nonsense," Monicon sneered, "We follow the ways of the old necromancers. Our loyalty is to Perditia alone. We partnered with Gallia because it was what we had to do to survive."

"As repulsive as I find the idea of serving Perditia," Mina said, "it isn't nearly as disgusting as your decision to simply cast those beliefs aside to save your own miserable show. Seth was right. You have no honor."

"Quite the idealist, aren't you?" Monicon asked, "I suppose that is why you will ultimately fail."

"You're in no position to make a claim like that," Mina smirked. Monicon said nothing but made a small gesture with his left hand. The necromancer's scythe suddenly levitated off the ground and rushed back to the hand of its wielder, sweeping Mina's legs out from under her in the process. She sprung back to her feet and dived to the right, narrowly dodging Monicon's attack. The two enemies faced each other, both hesitant to make the first move.

The stone golem finally gave way to the assault and shattered into fragments of rock. Seth did not mind; the damage was done. Surrounding the fallen golem were huge piles of bones. How many skeletons had been crushed by it would be nearly impossible to discern. Seth met Torhav's gaze.

"We shall decide this battle," Torhav grinned, "not our minions."

"Indeed," the dragoon replied. The two of them took to the air, Seth's sword clashing against Torhav's bejeweled staff. Remembering his battle with Lysander, Seth burst into a cloud of fire and smoke and appeared behind his foe. Torhav let out a loud squawk as Seth slammed the half-griffin's face with the front of his shield. The necromancer flew downward and crashed into Harrol's gate. Torhav tried to get back on his feet, but balance eluded him. He fell backward and lost consciousness.

Monicon attempted to stab Mina with the bladed back end of his scythe. She called upon a small gust of wind to nudge it aside. Seeing an opening, she ran forward. The necromancer brought down the heavy end of his scythe, hoping to slice Mina's skull in half. Reacting quickly, Mina pushed her spear upward sharply, slicing through the wooden midsection of Monicon's scythe. The huge blade that would have punctured Mina's head clattered to the ground, harmless. Dropping the scythe, Monicon attempted to call upon the same dark spell he had used to dispatch Ancil. Mina did not give him the time. She drove the spear deep into his chest. The bladed end of the weapon burst from the back of the necromancer's neck. Mina shut her eyes as blood splattered her face. Monicon let out a sickening wheeze.

Finally, Mina withdrew her weapon and the necromancer fell forward. A wild cheer erupted from the Harrol citizens who had witnessed the battle between the two. More incensed than ever, they began to drive back the remaining undead.

"Monicon has fallen!"

"We must retreat now!"

"Fall back! Fall back!"

With their master dead, the skeletons had no more reason to fight. They swiftly fled Harrol and scattered in numerous directions. As Mina's eyes turned back to the town gate, she suddenly saw Torhav flying towards her. She readied her spear, but the necromancer had no intention to do battle. He grabbed Monicon's corpse and took flight.

Deafening cries of celebration rang up. Mina fell to her knees. Seth distanced himself from the townspeople and walked over to her.

"You were right," Mina wept, "You were right about everything....about their treachery...about their alliance with Gallia...and you were right....about me."

"They manipulated you," Seth said, "They took your desire for peace and threw it back in your face."

Mina's body shook with sobs. "I'm such a fool."

Seth knelt beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I was wrong," he said, "to seek peace is not foolish. If we give up on what we believe in, than there is nothing left to fight for. Monicon was willing to betray his ideals in the face of adversity. His is not the example to follow."

"How can you say that?" Mina asked, her tears dotting the dirt in front of her, "I trusted them and it was nearly the end of Harrol. Ancil is dead...and it's my fault!"

"We have to believe in people's capacity for goodness," Seth said back, "Assuming the worst of others is part of what got our world into such sad shape. I had lost sight of that...until I met you."

Mina stood up and wiped her tears.

"I want you to come with me," he said.

"You...do?"

"Yes," Seth replied, "You see, you remind me of an old friend of mine. A friend I should have listened to more often. I will need you to keep my anger in check. I need your faith in peace to help guide me...or I fear I will lose my way."

"I...I can't leave," Mina answered, "We have to rebuild now."

"Let's take a few days," Seth said, "Help fix the damage your enemies have done. However, you must realize that Harrol will not be safe forever. It may take some time, but Gallia will find more necromancers to replace the ones we defeated today. The only real way to keep everyone safe....is to defeat Gallia."

"Defeat Gallia?" Mina nearly laughed, "Just you and me?"

"Oh, we will find others," Seth smiled, "We will recruit the most fearsome group of warriors they have ever seen. There are many out there who are like us. They possess great skill, but have nobody to guide them."

Mina had always known that Gallia was wrong. She had never imagined that she would have a chance to help take a stand against it. At that moment, she knew she had to. For Renn and Raina. For all of Seth's slain brethren. For Ancil.

She dreaded breaking the news to everyone, but was surprised by the reaction she received. Nobody blamed her for being misled by Monicon's treachery. Her victory against him that day more than made up for it. Her family encouraged her; her father claimed that he had always known that she was destined to fight for good in the world. It was the reason Arcadius had blessed her with such powerful magic skills.

Seth and Mina left Harrol about a week later. After saying their final goodbyes, the two of them walked away from the gates of town one last time...and into history.

The End

Mina Lolian could not believe her eyes. On a day with perfectly clear skies, a massive bolt of lightning had surged to the earth and was following by a deafening boom. Seconds before that, enormous shards of ice had ripped through the nearby trees. It became clear that someone nearby was using extremely powerful magic.

It had been five days since Mina left her hometown of Harrol with her new friend, who could not be seen at the moment but was surely nearby. She had been confident in her decision when they had first departed, but in the days since her thoughts had been turning to doubts fairly often. As Mina saw these freakish sights, she knew it was no longer the time for those worries. She ran through the small forest and emerged in a large clearing near the coastline.

The area appeared to be a small settlement, but nearly all of the crudely constructed tents were on fire. As Mina took in the entire area, it appeared to her that a small war was being fought. When two hulking hairy creatures ran by, Mina's eyes widened in surprise. She knew that the creatures were kobolds, but it was the first time she had ever seen any.

Kobolds looked like dogs, but like most of Solest's major races, they walked upright and each had a fully-developed intellect. Compared to most of the other races, however, they often kept to themselves, preferring to live in isolated forest areas. This area was clearly a kobold settlement under attack. Mina followed the two kobold warriors and eventually saw the source of the disturbance. About a dozen humans were engaging the kobolds in battle. The Gallian crest on their armor was recognizable immediately. The two kobolds tore through three Gallian warriors. Fangs clenched, they looked all around the settlement.

"Where is Colter?!" One asked.

The other pointed towards a ship anchored nearby. "There!"

"Wait!" Mina shouted before they ran off. The two kobolds whirled around.

"Who are you?" One growled, "What is your business here?"

"These Gallians that you face are my enemies as well," Mina answered, "but who is this Colter?"

The kobold snarled in anger. "She is the wretch who leads these barbarians."

Mina looked out at the ship and saw the woman they were referring to. Colter wore a bulky hat with a huge brim and a long point at the top. The hair that poked out from under it was actually quite similar in color to Mina's own violet shade. Colter's flamboyant cape and staff made her look like a character from a child's bedtime story. However, if she was the one who had been casting the spells Mina had seen, she was a force to be reckoned with.

"Gallia has put her in charge of eliminating us," the kobold continued, "None of us kobolds are foolish enough to settle anywhere near the city, so she sails all over looking for us. Ask any kobold that still lives, and he will know her name."

"I will do what I can to help save your home," Mina responded, "Gallia menaced my friends and family for years, and I learned how important it was to fight back."

The kobolds were stunned. "Who are you?"

"I am Mina Lolian."

"I am Teluci," the kobold said, "and this is my comrade Burick. We are grateful for your assistance."

Mina nodded. "I will distract her. I doubt she will expect to have to battle a human."

"Yes," Teluci concurred, "While you occupy her, we shall regroup with our allies and finish off the soldiers."

"Good luck," Mina said, and promptly ran towards the ship. With another snarl, Teluci and Burick ran off towards the rest of the Gallian soldiers. Using the natural lightness that came from years of using wind magic, Mina built up speed and then leaped from the edge of the shore to the deck of Colter's ship.

As she landed on the deck with a loud thud, Colter whirled around in shock.

"What is the meaning of this?" she asked.

Not saying anything, Mina put her hands out and called upon her magic. A gust of wind blew in from the ocean and struck Colter. She staggered back, but to Mina's surprise, she did not fall over despite how powerful the impact was.

"Another traitorous human," Colter spat, "I am discouraged by how many of you have abandoned the wishes of your god."

"This vision of Arcadius that you see is my vision's most hated foe," Mina returned. This infuriated Colter, and suddenly Mina saw huge chunks of earth rip themselves from the surface of the beach. Three of them flew through the air towards her. It was clearly an earth spell, but what shocked Mina was how quickly Colter had cast it. She swung her spear in a horizontal arc and reduced two of the projectiles into clouds of dirt and grass. The third struck her square in the face, knocking her onto her back.

A large rock flew right into Colter's hand. The sorceress walked towards Mina, who struggled to overcome her weakness. Colter grinned and prepared to drop the heavy stone on her adversary. Suddenly a brilliant flash of red came from the sky and struck Colter, who tumbled backward. Mina grinned.

Seth, the last living dragoon, had Colter pinned to the ground with a sword to her throat. The sorceress wore an frenzied expression of outrage. Seth decided that he might enjoy melting this Gallian wench's face off with his fiery breath. After a menacing chuckle, the dragoon inhaled deeply.

"Seth, look out!" Mina managed to shout.

It was too late. A bolt of lightning from the heavens struck Seth in the back of the neck. His whole body tensed in agony and the dragoon's fire escaped his mouth harmlessly as smoke. Colter grabbed her staff and used it to push Seth away and back towards Mina.

"This has gone on far enough," Colter said. Mina could not believe the magical skills of their adversary. She had cast several highly advanced magic skills within minutes, with no sign of fatigue. Mina frantically tried to think up some kind of new strategy, but with both she and Seth overpowered, things did not look good.

Seth lurched forward and grabbed Mina's wrist. Shutting his eyes for a few seconds, Colter put out her right hand and prepared to cast what would be the final spell. The two fighters vanished in a cloud of fire and smoke. Seconds afterward, ice crystals surrounded the area. The sorceress was shocked. She turned to look at the battle on the shore.

"Damn!" In the minutes she had wasted fighting those two interlopers, the kobolds had taken back control of the area. The majority of her squad was dead and those who remained were now running for their lives. Colter brought her staff down hard on the ship's deck in rage. The dragoon and the girl had cost her the battle. They would pay.

****

Mina and Seth found themselves surrounded by trees and bushes.

"Where are we?" Mina asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," Seth replied, "Normally when I use that technique, I have some idea of where I would like to go. That time I was just desperate to get away. I suspect we are not too far from the kobold settlement, though."

The sun was going down. Both of them knew that it was time to find some place in the forest where they could spend the night safely. They were tired, but managed to maneuver their way around the rocks and brush. After several minutes, they found what appeared to be remnants of a campfire.

At that moment, Mina and Seth were overcome with a blast of incredible heat. For an instant the whole forest appeared to be on fire. As Mina narrowed her vision, she was able to make out the source of this disturbance. The oncoming fiery creature bore a striking resemblance to a human female. Clearly a fire elemental.

"This is our showout!" The flaming creature shouted. Mina saw that one fiery hand was holding something like that looked like a small staff. Too late she realized it was a wand, and a jet of fire burst forward. Mina leapt aside, and the flame left a straight line of singed brush and ashes. Seth was looking curiously unconcerned.

"Stop this!" Mina shouted, "We mean you no harm!"

The fire elemental responded by unleashing another attack. Mina dove to the ground. As she stood back up, she knew how to halt this rampage. A strong wind spell would completely disorient their new adversary. She prepared to reach out her hands and cast the spell, but her arms now refused to move. An unseen pressure was now holding them in place. Mina's mind raced. What could be responsible for this? Had the fire elemental cast some paralysis spell?

"Well done, Alko!" the elemental laughed, "Now to finish this!" Mina braced herself for the flames, but instead found herself staring at Seth's wings. The dragoon had stepped in front of her and was blocking the stream of flames with nothing more than his right hand. The fire elemental's mouth fell open in shock.

"Fool, I am a dragoon! You can no nothing to harm me!" Seth walked forward defiantly as the flame continued to try and burn through his red armor. The dragoon grabbed the wand and tossed it to the forest floor.

Meanwhile, Mina had finally figured out what was holding her in place. She leapt backwards, which confirmed her suspicions. There was a curious amount of weight on her as she jumped. With a second jump, she slammed her back into a nearby tree. Mina herself felt no pain, but she heard someone else cry out. The pressure holding her arms faded, and she turned to find a young man on his knees with one hand against his sore back.

"A shadow mage," Mina said. This young man had a curious appearance. At a quick glance, he looked human. Upon closer examination, there were a handful of characteristics that suggested otherwise. His hair was the color of the green leaves all around them, and it was a hair color almost never found in humans. The ears were also strange. They were too pointy to be a human's ears, but the point was not nearly as defined as in those of an elf.

"I'm a half-elf," he said quietly, as if reading her mind. He made eye contact with Mina briefly, and then looked away. He struck Mina as an awkward adolescent, but if he really had elven blood in his veins, he was likely already much older than she was.

Infuriated by the ineffectiveness of her attacks, the fire elemental swung her left fist at Seth. The dragoon caught her arm and tossed her onto the dirt. The aghast fire elemental stared up at her adversary.

"Enough!" Seth finally shouted, "We are no enemies of yours! Now let us all calm down and I will explain to you why we are here."

****

Seth noticed that the fire elemental's flame had finally faded. Her name was Zala, and she now looked like a normal human girl. With her white dress and blonde hair, she looked almost too normal. The dress appeared to have been worn for quite some time, but the outfit was probably made to be immune to her fire. Elementals had always been rare in Solest, but Gallia's mission had made it even more difficult for them. Despite their great power, they also had distinct vulnerabilities. Zala, for example, would be rendered almost helpless by contact with any large amount of water. A rainstorm would surely send her diving for cover.

As the night sky darkened over their heads, Seth found himself surprisingly amused by Zala's coarse and rude behavior. Her frequent and unprovoked insults were making the perpetually dignified Mina struggle to keep a hold on her temper. She acted like a petulant young girl, but elementals led long lives. Like Alko, it was possible she was already decades older than either himself or Mina.

The half-elf was so timid it was painful. For most of the conversation, he had lingered in the background, and when he did make a comment he always tensed his body as if he was going to be reprimanded for merely speaking. Seth was less interested in what he had to say as in the unique manner in which he moved. As he made his way around the forest, Seth was shocked to discover that he was totally silent. Shadow techniques such as these originated within the necromancer's guild, and were taught to Gallian sorcerers after the Treaty of Thanatos made the two groups allies. How had this young boy with elven heritage come to become so skilled in the discipline?

Whatever the explanation was, Alko was a mage who could move about without being seen or heard. He would be invaluable. They both would be. The way the current conversation they were having ended would ultimately decide whether their trust could be earned. Seth was not about to let this chance slip past. He turned the topic to one that he knew would get a strong reaction.

"We planned to continue down the road towards the coastline until we were drawn into a battle with that woman Colter."

"Colter!" Zala shouted. "I hate that miserable wench! I'd like to burn her alive and then let the kobolds roll in her ashes! It would serve her right!"

"I'm surprised you're still alive," Alko said, "She's a terrible woman. She has no problem with killing anyone. Human or not."

"We were lucky to escape," Mina replied, "I could not believe her level of skill as a sorceress. Not only did she cast them one right after the other, but I saw her use almost every element out there."

Zala snarled at Mina. "That's cause she's the best sorceress in the whole Gallian army, stupid!" Mina did not reply, but her eyes were a clue to her swiftly fading patience.

Seth raised an eyebrow. "She is?"

"She's not quite the best," Alko corrected, "Ariel D'Eleficent is probably the strongest sorceress they have--"

"Ariel," Seth clenched his teeth and tightened his fist in rage. He was not surprised that even these outcasts were familiar with the name of that despicable witch. He had clashed with her several times in the past.

"Colter is the current First Sorceress of Gallia, however," Alko continued, "Definitely no slouch."

"How do you know this?" Mina asked.

Alko looked at the ground, clearly uncomfortable.

"Just tell them, Alko," Zala said irritably.

"I used to live in Gallia," Alko explained, "I lived with my mother, who was a human. Nobody realized that I was part elf. I was there for a long time....but then people realized that ten or so years had gone by and I still looked the same. That's not normal for humans, and finally they figured it out."

"Ah," Seth replied, "So that is how you learned shadow magic. You were being trained as a young sorcerer, am I right?"

Alko nodded. "I was very grateful that I had been taught that magic. It saved my life. I ran out of the city and hid in the forests. I don't know what happened to my mother....I don't really like to think about it."

"You couldn't find safety in the elven kingdoms?" Mina asked.

"Have you seen Rellenia lately?" Zala snapped, "The whole place is a big pile of rubble! There are more Gallians there than elves! That's where I was when I found him. It was a miracle that we both made it out alive."

Seth's hands were shaking in anger. "There is nowhere left on Solest that is safe from those monsters. Not even these kobold settlements in the middle of the wilderness."

"Zala and I have been staying in these forests a long time," Alko said, "but it is only a matter of time before Colter finds us. I don't know what we will do then."

Seth suddenly had an inspiration. He stood up. "What we shall do is defeat Colter! The four of us will strike back for all those she has wronged!"

"You're insane!" Zala shouted back, "She could annihilate all of us without even exerting herself!"

The dragoon would not be dissuaded. This had to work. Not only would defeating the foul Gallian sorceress be a great victory in itself, it would surely lift the spirits of these two enough to make them into allies.

"I hope you have a plan," Mina added, "We attacked her head on and nearly got killed as a result."

"Of course," Seth answered with a smile, "It was foolish for us not to have a strategy. A good enough battle plan can defeat any foe, no matter how much raw might she may have."

"What shall we do?" Alko asked. He knew the awful risks more than any of the others, but for some reason was now excited.

"First we must find out where she is," Seth returned, "Alko shall determine this with his ability to travel undetected. As for you two girls, prepare yourselves while I make a quick stop at the beach."

Not wasting any time, Alko immediately vanished from view. Seth leaped into the air and took flight. Mina and Zala exchanged glances, still rather unsure of exactly what they should be doing.

****

First Sorceress Colter walked swiftly down a dirt path where a group of her soldiers were waiting for her. She could see that they captured some human man and were now holding his arms tightly behind his back. The man struggled violently, but he was woefully outnumbered. The guards let him towards their commander.

"Who is this?"

"Lady, this man is a traitor," a guard answered, "We saw several fleeing kobolds rush into his home there." Colter tilted her head in order to see the house behind the guards. It was a typical home, clearly constructed from the wood of nearby trees. Amidst the modest tents that the kobolds made their homes in, it stood out like a sore thumb. Did this man truly believe he would escape Gallia's justice forever?

"We attempted to enter the house," the guard continued, "but this ingrate barricaded the door and it took several of us to finally break through."

"I'd do it again, you lunatics!"

"I see," Colter said calmly, "Where are the kobolds now?"

"We found none of them. They must have escaped through the back door."

Colter fumed. "You had nobody guarding the back door?! Imbecile!" She struck the guard across the face with the head of her wooden staff. He dropped to the ground.

Another guard stepped forward. "What shall we do with the traitor?"

"He will be executed at sunrise," Colter looked up at the dark blue sky, "A few hours from now."

The guard was suddenly very nervous. The council of Gallia was very strict in their orders that soldiers kill no humans in their missions. It was not good for the city's morale. "Are..are you sure, Lady? The council--"

Colter cut him off. "The council can do what they like in their own city. We are far from Gallia now, and you will follow my orders!"

The guard nodded swiftly, hoping to avoid becoming the second person to receive a blow from the famously irate sorceress.

"Besides," she continued, "We need to execute people like this coward in order to physically intimidate these weak-willed humans, by making them realize that they can be killed too. Otherwise they will all turn out to be outright traitors!"

"It shall be done," the guard said. The prisoner was led off while Colter crossed her arms with a small grin on her face. There was nothing like sentencing someone to death. If she had turned around, she might have noticed the blades of grass shifting as an invisible observer left the scene.

****

Seth loved flying at night. It offered the kind of quiet solitude that was growing increasingly rare in the world. Nobody had yet conquered the skies. He looked below him and saw the ship he and Mina had battled Colter on. The whole squad have moved further down the coastline, so the vessel was empty for the time being. After landing on the ship's deck, he briefly looked in all directions around him. He grinned when he saw the cannons on each side of the ship. They had given him the idea to return here, after all. Feeling no need to be discreet, he kicked down the door to the cabin. A big grin crossed his face as he saw what he had been looking for. There must have been dozens of barrels all lined up inside the cabin. Thankfully, for this plan, only one would be required.

****

As the sun began to peek over the horizon, the human who had dared to shelter the kobolds was led before Colter. A guard pushed him down to the ground and his head was pressed against a slab of wood constructed for just such an occasion.

"What is this ingrate's name?" Colter inquired.

"Sutlin Kurr," the guard answered.

"Well then, Sutlin," Colter grinned, "I trust you know why you're here."

"I am here because I dared to help those who share this land with me," Sutlin spat back, "I showed compassion, a concept you may have never heard of. Do your worst, you deluded whore. I will not apologize for what I have done."

Rage surged through the sorceress, but she contained it. "That will not be easy to fit on your tombstone," she said. She gestured and a hulking soldier with a massive axe shuffled forward.

"Oh, silly me," Colter added, "You won't have a tombstone."

Seth and the others waited at the edge of the forest. The dragoon had asked Alko to remove his backpack and was now opening the barrel he had stolen from the ship. His allies wore perplexed looks on their faces when they saw the black powder inside.

"This is what cannons use to fire," Seth explained as he filled Alko's backpack with the dark dust.

Alko strained as he picked up the pack. "That's heavy!"

Seth grinned. "It will get lighter." He handed Alko a small knife. "When you get clear of the forest, use this to poke a small hole in the pack. Then run a circle around Colter before you run out of powder. We'll do the rest."

"You got it, Seth!" The half-elf grinned and was suddenly gone. While the huge executioner held the axe high above Sutlin's head, Colter began a long speech. Alko wasn't especially paying attention, but from what he heard, it sounded like she was attempting to call upon scripture from the notes of Vincent Gallius, the city's founder, to justify the killing of treacherous humans.

The shadow mage did not make a sound, but the trail of black powder was quite noticeable. Alko grimaced when he saw a guard raise his eyebrows sharply and open his mouth to speak.

"Uh, First Sorceress--"

Colter was furious. "Quiet! How dare you interrupt me!"

"But--"

"Another word and your head will be on this rock next!"

Alko struggled not to laugh as he completed his circle around the sorceress. The reprimanded guard shook his head in astonishment as he followed the trail of black powder with his eyes. Once the pack had emptied, he rushed back to the forest.

"Good work," Seth said as Alko came back into view. The dragoon looked over at Zala. "Do it."

The fire elemental nodded and pointed at the trail of powder. The end facing them suddenly caught on fire. The powder hissed and crackled as the line of fire rampaged towards Colter. The guards nearby jumped back in shock, irritating Colter. The sorceress turned around and gasped. Within seconds, the fire had her completely surrounded. Laughing, Seth immediately placed his hands on the ground. Concentrating for several moments, he grinned as a bright light shot forth from the dirt.

"What are you doing?" Zala asked.

"You'll see," Seth answered, "Now we attack."

The executioner prepared to finish off Sutlin. The prisoner grimaced and prepared for the end, but was shocked when a powerful gust of wind knocked the large man several feet away and onto his back. Mina rushed towards the rock while another guard attempted to drive his sword into her stomach. She parried the blow easily with her spear and clubbed the guard with the back end. As her foe stumbled backward, she sliced the bonds around Sutlin's hands.

"Go!" Mina urged, "We'll handle things here!"

"Thank you," Sutlin said. Mina nodded and the former captive ran off.

Colter prepared to cast a spell which would help her escape the circle of fire, but jumped in shock when Seth leapt through the flames. The sorceress narrowly dodged a swing of Seth's sword, which tore off the top of her pointed hat. Colter swung her staff low, hoping to sweep the dragoon's legs out from under him. He was ready for that maneuver, though, and leapt into the air. Seth put his hands together at the wrists. One final fire attack would finish off this wretch.

The sorceress drove her staff into the ground at the center of the circle of flame. A massive geyser burst forth, making quick work of the fire around her. The pillar of water struck Seth while Zala, who was also preparing to attack, shrieked and ran for cover in the woods. Seth did not have the vulnerability that the fire elemental had, but dragoons were born with fire magic skills, and getting hit by that much water was no picnic for him either. He became too disoriented to fly, and spiraled downward, landing on the ground with a loud thud.

The remaining guards were frantically trying to pursue the fleeing Sutlin, but Mina had so far managed to keep them all at bay. She had cast numerous wind spells, and was beginning to tire. At the moment, four more Gallian soldiers were rushing towards her. She doubted that she could defeat them all, but she grasped her spear tightly and prepared to give it whatever she had.

Loud snarls tore through the air as a pair of kobolds rushed in from behind Mina. The four soldiers were dispatched in seconds. They turned around and smiled. Mina's face brightened. It was Teluci and Burick, the two kobolds she had met the previous afternoon.

"We meet again, Mina Lolian," Teluci said.

"You came just in time," Mina smiled.

"We were not about to let our ally Sutlin fall prey to these wicked killers," Burick said. Mina turned and saw about a dozen other kobolds advance towards the area. Sutlin was among them, and waved to her. Upon seeing the group, the remaining soldiers immediately surrendered.

Still soaked, Seth coughed violently. He was infuriated with himself. How could he have been so incapacitated by a single spell? He struggled to stand up, but his strength had not yet returned. The smirking Colter made her way towards him. She pointed her staff at the fallen dragoon and prepared to cast another spell, but was shocked when a lashing vine wrapped itself around her wrist.

"What in the name of Arcadius?" She turned around to see a lurching mound of dirt emerge from the forest. It slowly twisted and heaved until it took on a distinctly feminine shape. Seth breathed a heavy sigh of relief. His summoned creature had joined the battle just in time. Several more vines emerged from the creature's dirt form. They careened ahead, grasping Colter's other arm and one of her legs. Wincing, she clenched the vines holding her and set them afire. They crumbled into ashes in seconds.

The earth nymph changed tactics, and began using the vines as whips. Colter dodged several lashes, but was finally struck on the cheek. The thorns dug into her face and left bleeding scratches. To the sorceress, this was the last straw. This creature was now beginning to truly irritate her. She gestured at the gushing tower of water she had created and then pointed at the nymph. To the amazement of all who watched, the water changed direction and began to stream towards the summoned creature.

Driven back by the attack, the soil composing the creature's body began to crumble. Seth cursed and pounded the ground with his fist. His minion was losing, but he did notice that Colter was visibly weary. It was about time. Casting that amount of spells would have caused most other mages to collapse with exhaustion. It would not take much more to finish her. Seth began to stand, but gasped when he saw the executioner holding his huge axe high above the dragoon's head. Seth searched frantically for his sword. It was several feet away.

The executioner abruptly cried out in agony when a knife mysteriously flew through the air and buried itself into his side. The huge man took one hand off the axe and lashed out wildly, striking something he could not see. Alko suddenly came into view and fell backward. The executioner's axe dropped to the ground, but he managed to keep his footing. Seth put his two hands together, interlocking the fingers. The dragoon struck his foe with the remaining strength he had. Thankfully, it was enough.

Behind a nearby tree, Zala shivered uncontrollably. She cursed herself for being so afraid, but the geyser had nearly drenched her. She looked around and saw that Colter would soon defeat the earth nymph Seth had summoned. The dragoon himself looked to be in no shape to fight anymore, while Alko's skills in close combat left much to be desired. Mina was occupied with the kobolds. It was up to her. She suddenly noticed the barrel of black powder and examined it. There was still a large amount inside. Knowing what she had to do, she found the lid Seth had removed and placed it back on top of the barrel.

Willing the flame surrounding her body to retreat from her hands, she was now able to safely pick up the barrel. Though half of it had been put into Alko's backpack, it was still quite heavy. She hoisted it above her head and emerged from the forest.

Alko was confused. "What is Zala doing?"

Seth looked over and a mixture of dread and excitement swept over him as he realized her plan.

"Get down!"

Filled with new confidence, Zala shouted at her foe. "Hey Colter!"

The sorceress turned.

"I got a present for ya!" With that, she hurled the barrel forward. As soon as she tossed it, Zala pointed her index finger at Colter and shot a small blast of fire from her fingertips. The sorceress caught the barrel and her mouth dropped in horror as she realized what was about to happen.

Zala's small fireball struck the barrel in Colter's arms. A tremendous burst of flame erupted with an epic roar of sound. The sorceress was propelled through the air faster than anyone's eyes could follow. She landed hard on the ground and skidded for several more feet before finally coming to a stop near Mina and the kobolds.

The once proud sorceress was now covered in burns and cuts. Her robes were torn all over while smoke rose steadily from her body. Yet despite all that, Mina was shocked when she saw that Colter was still breathing.

Teluci gaped. "How in the name of Arcadius could anyone survive that?!"

"She's tough," Mina answered, "Studying that many disciplines of magic strengthens your body to all sorts of threats. Still, she won't soon forget this day."

Colter's eyes finally opened. She pointed up at the sky. The others looked up and saw several bolts of lightning surge towards the earth. They surrounded the fallen sorceress. By the time they faded, she had vanished.

Seth and the others had walked over. "Incredible," the dragoon said, "Even after all that, she managed to cast a spell to help her escape."

Alko trembled. "If we ever have to fight her again, it will be too soon."

"That day may come," Seth answered, "Hopefully when it does, we will have advanced enough in our skills to decisively defeat her."

Mina was intrigued by the comment. "Does that mean...."

"Yes," Seth answered, "I would like you all to join us on our travels. Together we will teach Gallia the same lesson we taught their First Sorceress."

"I accept," Zala said, "That was the most fun I've had in years!"

"I'll come too," Alko added, "if that's okay."

"Excellent," Seth grinned, and looked to the kobolds. "I invite you all to join us as well. You fought bravely."

"We are honored that you asked," Burick replied, "but our duty is to our people. We must keep this land safe for as long as we can."

"I understand," Seth returned, "Good luck to you, then."

The dragoon was beaming. His plan had been risky, but it had worked. Yesterday, he only had one ally. Now he had three. He felt more inspired than ever to continue his personal war against Gallia. Ahead of them was Nillen Valley, and then past that lay the famous town of Boreal. No doubt many more warriors made their homes there. The four bade farewell to the kobolds and continued down the dirt path. Colter would not soon forget this eclectic group of warriors. Neither would Gallia.

The End