Faith Rivin: Looking For Group

Writers Note: These posts stay here at GWGuru’s discretion and Anet and NCSofts mercy but

Guild Wars guru makes no claims of ownership for materials posted in the user agreement of this sight save their right to remove or edit, nor requirements that you relinquish copyright of any story posted. That means I have the right to retain ownership of intellectual property posted herein. I choose to use that right: this story and its characters are the property of me and/or Anet and NCSoft; any attempt to duplicate what’s mine for personal gain or to post it on another site without my permission (particularly a paid to view sight) will meet with litigation. Translation: Reading about Faith and her friends is free and it’s going to stay that way. Don’t steal Faith and try to make money off it or turn her into some trumped up hussy in your own story or I’ll sue you into the ground.

For those interested, the first installment of faith Rivin can be found here:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s....php?t=3000934

Not all battles are fought with swords. And not all wars are won with steel. A tragedy like the Searing would make casualties of everyone. I wanted to talk about them too. Have faith (no pun intended), there will plenty of hack and slash to go along with the more mental bent I take this time. I hope you’ll enjoy reading about both wars, both fights, and the victories and retreats inherent with them.

To those who fight for not medals or glory: to those who fight for the soul.
1
North of the Wall, a good three miles west of Ascalon, there was an area known simply as The Breach. When the Char struck over two years ago, they used powerful magicks of an unknown origin to smash the Wall in several places, letting their troops move into Ascalon for the first time in centuries.

The Breach was a blasted land, as much of sweet Ascalon had become. Little grew in the soil that had been tainted by the magick—come to be known only as “the chant”—the Char threw at the once proud country. Barren rocks with sickly growths of purple weeds had made the Breach their home. Light was dim and dark, the sun hidden by a perpetually cloud laden sky from which no rain poured.

It fit Faith’s mood. She stood with her old friend Kali under a rocky overhang with a young monk and mesmer. To their right, wooden spikes fashioned from fallen trees made a menacing barrier to a potential foe. Surrounding the barrier, human skulls mingled with animal bone’s made tiny shrines decreeing this as a home of Char. Had she the time, Faith would have sat down for a few minutes, marveling in the unlife this landscape presumed.

But she hadn’t.

Black fire streamed out of the Char Fire Caller and he dropped to the ground. Kali panted, momentarily dazed. Obsidian Flame was a powerful Elementalist spell, but it took a lot out of the castor.

“Kali!” Faith roared, summoning a pair of bone minions from the fallen Char’s corpse, “need some help over here!” The bone horrors turned and swept into the fray of Char that had grown like a fog. Most of Faith’s necromancer magicks were geared toward building her army of undead minions and maintaining it; she hadn’t the raw power to blow things up that Kali did.

“Faith,” a tiny monk/mesmer called, swaying slightly with the white eyes of spell casting, “I’m getting tired.” The second group of Char had recovered from Kali’s earlier Eruption and returned to hammer the minion wall. The monk teetered slightly, sending an Aegis toward the minions near the spike barricade. Light flashed from several minions as the protective spell blocked Char weapons.

“Stay with us Melody,” was all Faith could manage as she launched another deadly swarm over the heads of her minions. The mana bugs roared with a magic buzz, tearing down on a group of unseen Char. “We need you.” Faith felt the life spirit turned death mana of the Char her swarm had struck, returning some of the used power of her spell. She struck out again, minions breaking free from the corpses beyond her wall to fight in the center of the Char attackers.

“I try,” Melody whispered, stumbling closer to the minion wall. A pure explosion of healing rocked Faith’s Horde from the small woman and Melody retreated again, spent.

Three groups of Char had descended on the quartet of women as they had scouted The Breach for a lost supply caravan. The speed of the attack—and the fourth group that followed—suggested that this ambush had been well planned by the half-dog/half-man monsters they fought now. Caught out as they were, it had fallen to Faith’s minions and Kali’s powerful nuke spells to thin the Char down to a more manageable size.

But Faith was not the only necromancer here, and she felt a life draining spell grip her as an Ash Walker Char cast through the minion horde at their mistress. As quickly as she felt the life begin to drain though, Faith felt a blast of renewing health followed by a Holy Veil to rip the life siphoning hex away. Melody smiled a silent “your welcome”, squinting as she labored to keep the minions in fighting form.

“Where are the reinforcements!” the plump mesmer screamed from the other side of the minion line, her soft voice strained with the tinges of panic. Mesmer hexes were powerful things, and at first the Char she focused on had stared in blind confusion as the minion horde tore into their comrades. But Tasha hadn’t the Soul Reaping ability of Faith’s necromancy or the shear weight of Spirit Kali could contain as an elementalist. The long battle with so many enemies was proving too much for her.

Too much for all of them, Faith had to admit. Even with the wealth of mana pouring from the dying Char and minions, it was all Faith could do to keep her horde alive.

“Patience Tasha,” Kali called, her own eyes flashing white as a ward against elements shimmered into existence around she, Faith and Melody. “They’ll be,” the elementalist/warrior gasped. “Another group!”

A fifth group leapt from the rock outcropping overhead—overhead? Faith thought, when did they push us back here???—to slam into the minion wall near Tasha. The mesmer turned, Fast Casting letting her throw up a storm of pure Chaos that tore into the Char as they landed. But she was alone on that side of the minion wall, outside Kali’s protecting ward. They were stretched too thin in the need to protect their retreat. Minions fell under the renewed onslaught of fresh troops on the enemy side and Melody ran toward Tasha, another exhausting group heal flaring from her petite form.

“Wrong reinforcements!” Faith snapped, turning some of her minions to intercept the latest Char attack to come upon them here.

Tasha screamed as the combined force of two Char groups overwhelmed her minion escort. Melody screamed in sympathy, doubling over in pain as Char ignored the sympathetic damage Tasha’s hexes wrought in their need to see the mesmer dead.

“Melody. Rez!” Faith ordered, hoping the monk could bring the fallen mesmer back to life.

Tears streamed from the corner’s of Melody’s white eyes, still spamming heals in the midst of her anguish. “There’s not enough left, there’s not enough—“

“Faith; I lost some of them,” Kali warned, brown pigtails bouncing as her head whipped to and fro to survey the line of Char.

Faith looked too, eyes scanning the line that was still pushing her horde back. Several Stalkers had left the assault. She hadn’t killed them, and they’d not been near Tasha when she fell.

“They’re moving to flank us!” Faith replied, silently cursing Grenth’s poor timing. “We have to get out of here; we’ve no chance now.”

“We can’t leave Tasha!” Melody screamed, throwing all her healing toward the minion horde closest to the fallen mesmer.

“Melody! She’s gone!” Kali roared as Faith grabbed the young monk by the arm, hauling her away from the fight.

“We need a distraction Kali,” Faith insisted, dragging a struggling Melody away from the minion wall. Melody had little resistance left, all her focus on remaining upright and hurling her own powerful mana back into the minions that suffered under a savage beating from the Char.

“Faith, I can’t,” Kali managed, shaking her head. “Too tired.”

“I’ll help,” Melody said simply in her own exhausted voice. A wisp of mana flowed from monk to elementalist, and Kali straightened, a curious expression on her face. She seemed refreshed, but vacant, as unaware of the battle as Melody often was.

“Kali!” Faith ordered and the elementalist turned, smiling slightly. “Earthquake! That Char; now!”

“Ok,” the elementalist turned, focusing her mana on the Char Faith indicated. The ground rumbled and Kali rocked, the guise of Melody’s enchantment shattered as her mana struck out in violence.

“Ugh,” Kali managed and the three set off. “Gods; thanks Mel but…ugh! I feel nasty now.”

The three women ran. Moments later, the missing Char returned, finding their quarry gone and the minions still hungry for blood; singular in Faith’s purpose: kill as many Char as they could while the three remaining women ran for their lives.

The march back to Piken Square was a somber one for Kali and Faith. The elementalist bowed her head, obscuring blue eyes from view with the fan of dark brown hair that framed her face.

Probably doesn’t want me to see her cry, the necro thought. Not that I blame her. I don’t want to see her cry.

The other member of their party walked more lightly though, as though no battle had taken place. Faith glanced at Melody, shaking her head.

Except for her near-dwarfish height, Melody was much like Faith had been two years ago. Physically. Her eyes were the same sky grey as the necromancers, her skin a soft brown that Faith had lost in the unholy transformation that left her scarred and ghostly pale. Her hair was different; a sandy blonde shaped into a pair of buns behind her ears instead of Faith’s former black; now also shocking white to match her skin.

But the similarities stopped there. Instead of the competent hardness some monks took as they fought death itself in the heart of battle, Melody remained wide-eyed; naïve. She grinned slightly at a passing moth overhead, soft lips pursed in a rosy smile. Melody glowed—actually glowed—in the soft light of a semi-permanent enchantment.

And she was beautiful. Lyssa had kissed this tiny woman for sure and there was no surprise that Melody had taken Mesmer as her alternate profession long before her…Faith sighed. She’ll forget, Faith mused silently. She always forgets.

Faith had only herself to blame for her own personal tragedy. Once a monk herself, a selfish lust for revenge had driven her to try healing a dead man—her lover Karim—and given her a taste of the Soul Reaping powers of necromancy. She regretted nothing of her own dark past. Karim’s flesh had avenged himself in a battle to save all of Ascalon from the Char’s centuries of scheming, and the power Grenth bestowed was a fitting penance to the lessening of her own monk heritage.

An angel of Death has little use for Dwayna’s wings, her one time teacher, Kasha Blackblood, had said.

Melody on the other hand had done nothing to deserve the fate her God had granted her. Dwayna had a sicker sense of humor than Grenth sometimes it seemed to Faith.

“Piken,” Melody called, pointing to the ruined outpost and new headquarters of Duke Barradin. The monk’s smile deepened. “We’re home.”

“For better or worse,” Faith intoned. As group leader she was privy to more information than these two. And while it had been her long standing policy to share the load with her group, she hadn’t told them how much worse Piken was about to become.

“Come on Mel,” Kali said, nodding to a sentry as they passed. “You and I can swing by the canteen and pick up dinner for Faith while she reports to Barradin.”

“What about Tasha?” Melody asked, her tone as innocent as her expression. “She’ll be hungry too…where is she?”

Kali swayed as if struck. Faith sighed. She always forgets.

“Tasha’s,” Kali began, faltering. “Tasha’s gone Mel. She had to go away. But we’ll see her again some day.”

At the End of us All, Faith quipped silently, squinting.

“Ok,” Melody said, pressing her lips together in a pout of loss. It was all the mourning her therapist for the past eight months would receive. “I liked her. She sang ‘Jole’s in the thicket’ with me.”

“Come on Mel,” Kali said, taking the monk by the hand. “Let’s see about getting some food.”

The two strolled off, hand in hand, and Faith turned back toward the outskirts of Piken Square. Sentries patrolled closer than they had when her group had left, and there were more of them than this morning. A tighter perimeter. Faith glanced back toward the row of tents. No wounded this time. Scouts must have caught this latest Char probe before it hit the line. Or else, the wounded had been seen to by Barradin’s monks already. Or, there were no wounded to tend…she licked her lips subconsciously. No; there was none of the sickly sweet taint in the air that death mana left. No fatality had occurred inside Piken today.

Faith turned back to the camp and headed down a dust hazed street. The clouds above had dimmed to a hazy purple as the sun set in the waning day. During the day Duke Barradin could be found standing near the south gate to Piken Square, overseeing the defense with his own eyes and adding his presence to the defenders. At least that was what most believed. “Duke Barradin the Brave: he stands his watch like the most common footman.”

The truth was slightly different, Faith knew. Barradin stood vigil at the south gate of Piken every day—and any night that he wasn’t needed in the field tent to oversee the vagaries of paperwork minutia—not in a hunger for Char blood but for word of his only daughter. Lady Althea had disappeared early in Duke Barradin’s taking command of Piken Square and the good duke had moved his entire force here in search for her.

Most of Ascalon had come to speak the name Piken Square with reverence. It was a foothold deep inside Char territory. Prince Rurik had applauded Barradin’s bravura—at first—and supply trains had flowed into the tiny outpost while Barradin pressed the Char down in one furious assault after another.

But the thing about footholds is—if you do not take that step forward—you end up finding yourself planted waveringly on unstable ground.

King Adelbern had not pressed with Duke Barradin’s offensive. Supplies had trickled to occasional caravans—lightly armed in the heart of a Char counter offensive—and Faith felt like Barradin must now: teetering on the edge of a chasm with no bottom foreseen from its fall.

Every weapon had a place for a man in such a position. Even a half-crazy monk, a too-tall elementalist with a pension for swordplay or a necromancer with an unhealthy thirst for Char blood.

The trade off was to make Faith, Kali, Melody and Tasha one of his “Elite” teams: the tip of his sword, taking the most dangerous missions on…and reporting directly to him.

Faith rapped on the wooden doorframe to Duke Barradin’s tent, a hasty “Come” barked form the man inside.

Duke Barradin didn’t look up from the field desk as she entered. He scribbled his signature on a piece of parchment with one hand, gesturing her to stand in front of him with the other.

“You took your time, Faith,” the duke said, still not looking at her, “a runner came to me two minutes ago telling me you’d arrived.”

His tone turned cold. “Minus one.

“Four leave and three return. What did Mel do this time?”

Faith steeled herself mentally for the second battle she’d fight today. Now, she had to defend her friend.

It's great to see ya following up with a sequel! Although Faith is quite dark for my liking Good decision by going for the more mental aspect of things - I think that would really show how devastating the Searing must have been for the ingame characters and bring out the intimate qualities of your characters. Keep up the good work!

“Her best M’Lord,” Faith stated succinctly. “We were ambushed by five groups of Char. No monk could have stood up to that much pounding.”

“Was there an attempt to revive the mesmer?" Barradin asked, making a business of the reports before him as though all of this was no consequence.

His nonchalance grated her all the more. “There wasn’t enough left of Tasha for me to make a bone minion M’Lord,” Faith said flatly. “I had to drag Melody out of the fight.

“What I’m more interested in was the intelligence you received,” Faith continued. “The Char knew where we were coming from; they knew exactly where to hit us.”

“Rangers all,” Barradin replied, “a little green, but they know their jobs.”

“Respectfully sir, if they did then Tasha would still be here.”

“There’s a line Faith,” Barradin tapped his thick forefinger on teh tabletop as he reminded her, and not for the first time. “Was Tasha being properly healed,” Faith nodded a soft "yes". “And Melody used her protection spells to the best of her ability?” another nod.

“M’Lord, I don’t understand. Why did you go straight to Melody? You know she would have done anything to keep Tasha alive.”

Barradin sighed, looking up at her at last. There was a tired cast in his eyes. His personal strain and the effort of maintaining this camp was growing too much for even his stout spirit. “If she was slack with her training, slow with her heals—Something!—I could throw her out of here and no skin off my butt,” he replied, leaning back in his chair, head in his hands.

Faith stared. This made no sense. “M’Lord; you’re not a man to waste good material. And Melody is excellent. What is going on here?”

Barradin continued as though he’d not heard her. “A monk that won’t group with men is only half the monk I need. I’m sorry Faith but if you can’t get Melody to break this phobia of hers, I will have no choice but to send her back to Sardelac Sanitarium.”

Faith balked. “She’ll die before she goes back there.”

“The other choice is Ascalon,” Barradin pressed, “and you know the mess she made there.”

“M’Lord, I know she has issues but she’s the best monk I’ve ever seen.”

“With women,” Barradin amended.

“Yes,” Faith agreed, stepping close with an air of rage as she asked “Is there a problem with a great monk in an all female group?”

“There’s several thousand!” Barradin roared, squashing any impudence in Faith’s tone. “Half the Ascalon army comes with a penis attached!”

“Tasha was making good progress before today,” Faith pressed. “We just need some more time M’Lord. I know I can get her to group with a man; just give me some more time. She’s worth it; I know.” The words were already out of her mouth before Faith realised it and she gawked at Barradin. He kept his face stony, but there was a crack at the corners of his mouth, a slight smile. He'd baited and bullied her into taking over Melody's therapy so smoothly that she hadn't even realised what he was doing until it was already done. Again. If looks could kill, Duke Barradin would have been a bloody smear on the tent wall.

Barradin ignored the look, shifting through some of the reports on his desk. “I agree; she's good. Thanks to that little spell she picked up while she was in the loony bin. What did the Mesmer call it again?”

“Peace and Harmony,” Faith reminded him reluctantly. “It’s a guise almost like a mesmer illusion; but placed on the self. As long as she keeps it up, she’s fine.”

“With girls,” Duke Barradin amended again. He turned his head to look out the oiled canvas window, each breath a sigh.

Faith nodded grudgingly. “But its part of the reason she won’t,” Duke Barradin glanced back to look at her and Faith amended what she was saying, “it’s part of the reason she can’t smite worth a damn. If she attacks or acts in a threatening way to someone, then the enchantment breaks and…” Faith faltered, lips crumpled in a scowl.

“And she freaks out,” he finished. Faith sighed at last ,slightly resigned. Part of her knew: this had been coming for a while now. Even Barradin’s need couldn’t ignore such an obvious flaw in one of his troops. And part of her knew she'd have taken Melody to task anyway, Barradin's tricks not withstanding.

The duke stood up from his desk, turning to the window as he studied the necromancer out of the corner of his eye. They went back a long time; since the Searing itself. She’d served him well over the years, never pressing something that she couldn’t accomplish. “Two days,” Barradin snapped and Faith started to protest again. “And not another illusionist tricking her into thinking she’s grouping with a woman. I want her paired with a tank before you leave.”

“M’lord,” Faith all but screamed, “you ask the impossible!”

“A warrior, Faith. I’ve coddled that girl as much as I can. In three days I need you and Kali at the Grendich Courthouse with a warrior escort. I have no female tanks to spare. If you can’t get Melody under control by then,” Barradin turned full to face her, his stance grim, “then you’ll be going your way. And she hers.”

“M’Lord,” Faith protested, “she’s waited for us while we went on extended campaigns. I don’t understand why you want to break up a good team.”

“No,” Barradin agreed, “you don’t understand. Prince Rurik sent me word that he has plans to retake Rin and expects heavy loses.”

“I didn’t know we’d lost Rin,” Faith began.

“Neither did I,” Barradin replied. “His message was more than a little cryptic when he asked for reinforcements and I think something has happened within the command structure of Ascalon’s troops.

“I have no way of knowing what kind of situation you’ll be running into at the courthouse nor how long you’ll be taking Rurik’s orders.

“You’re being re-assigned.”

Faith stared, open mouthed. Barradin continued as if he’d said nothing out of the ordinary. “Prince Rurik’s camp is a much more loosely run command than mine,” Barradin continued. “No segregated tents; shifting duty rosters. Group Leaders have a tendency to grab members out of a chowline and just go.”

Faith scowled. “PuGs.”

Barradin nodded, his own disgust apparent too. Faith began to see the problem and Barradin brought it home. “Some man is going to take one look at that perky little monk of yours, test her spirit and watch her start climbing walls. Then it’s straight to Sardelac for Melody no matter what you say.”

Pale grey lips puckered in an angry pout. She’d always known it wouldn’t last. Barradin’s way was the old way: back when the Ascalon army could afford to run hard regulations on its people. The new army was loose, taking all kinds. Any man or woman with a willingness for revenge was welcome now, and skill had suffered as quantity overcame quality in need.

Faith knew she was as much a symptom of this New Way as anyone. Where in the old Ascalon army could someone get away with her almost blatant disregard for authority? She had a pension for pressing the attack when superiors ordered retreats. That she and her undead army succeeded time and again was the only reason Barradin still put up with her.

“Why us?” she asked finally and Barradin smirked.

“Rurik specifically asked for necros and nukes,” he said, the folding chair creaking noisily as he took his seat again. “I can’t afford to send him the numbers he’s asking so I specifically thought of you two.

Because if it works out he shouldn’t need more troops for a while, she considered, and if it doesn’t Rurik wouldn’t be crazy enough to ask for another one of me.

Faith sighed. “As you command M’Lord.”

“You’re damn right,” Barradin snapped. “Dismissed.”

“Thank you M’Lord.” And Faith turned to leave.

“Faith,” the duke called again, more softly than he had spoken before.

“Yes M’Lord?” Faith turned back from the opening door.

Barradin had laid his hands on his knees, a strangely haunted expression on his face. “Give Mel my regards,” was all he said. Faith’s thoughts turned to Althea. It was widely assumed that Char had captured her. But not certain. Anything could have happened to her; anyone could have taken her. Even—

“Certainly M’Lord,” and she walked out.

Faith was late to rise the next morning; unusual for her. Melody and Kali were already gone and the necromancer found herself scrambling through her morning. A quick stop at the south gate found Duke Barradin in his usual place, awaiting news of his lost daughter.

He listened to Faith and Kali’s plan—really Tasha’s—gave his blessing and then it was back to her tent to meet the warrior before Kali and Melody returned. She’d missed breakfast, was angry at herself for such a blatant screw-up.

She wanted to smile as the monk and elementalist returned. Her mood couldn’t be more perfect.

Seeing Faith, the monk sent out a flow of her spirit. Faith accepted it, grouping with the pair. Kali was there too. The elementalist felt pensive through the link, and tired from strain. A mental headshake from Faith. She’d told the nuke to keep it to a light workout.

Melody was not so winded though. She almost hopped into the tent, bobbing on the balls of her feet. “We had the practice yard all to ourselves this morning,” she said with a smile. “I kept a mend on Kali the whole time.”

“Are you actually proud of that?” Faith snapped. She let the anger at herself seep into the group bond, rolling in a slow fire between them.

Melody flinched as if struck, nodding uncertainly. “Mends can be hard.”

Faith ignored the monk’s defense, pressing a hard attack. “Did Kali happen to mention where I was this morning?”

“Yes,” the monk nodded, “she said you went to talk to Duke Barradin.”

“Talk!” Faith roared and Melody jumped back. “More like get my head chewed off! Do you know what the camp—not just Barradin but the entire camp—is saying about me? About my team?”

Melody shook her head, retreating. Faith followed, bending herself down to look Melody in the eye. “ ‘Look at Faith,’ they say, ‘Coddling her little golden girl. Wipe her little bottom, blow her nose.’

“ ‘Special little Faith, her and her little pet,’ “ Faith put so much venom in her statements they came out acid, “ ‘Give her special duty; got to keep it light, don’t want to strain the little baby now.’

“ ‘Don’t want her getting us killed!’ “

“I thought we were elite,” Melody said in a small voice, backing up again.

“We’re a joke!” Faith roared again and Melody was backed up to the tent wall now, leaving an impression in the fabric. “All because some little baby has to have her way!

“You make me sick sometimes, Melody.”

“Faith that’s going to far,” Kali warned, playing her part. Faith was the fury that moved people to do things they thought they couldn’t. Kali was assurance that it wouldn’t be as bad as Melody thought.

And Faith played hers, turning on Kali with a will. “No Kali! We played it soft before and we’re out of time.” Back to Melody. “Stop crying damnit! Are you a monk or a monkey?”

“Faith!”

“No more I said. It’s time for some tough love. I’ve talked to Duke Barradin—you’re damn right I did. He’s as fed up with this nonsense as I am.”

Melody’s lips quivered as she bit back tears. She swooned like a prize fighter after a series of headshots. It was time.

“Melody, if you don’t group with a man by tomorrow the duke is sending you back to Sardelac.”

“No!” and there was a return of fire to Melody’s eyes. A half-crazed light of fear, glistening brighter from the tear-wet grey eyes. “I won’t go back there. I’m not nuts!”

Faith didn’t back down “Then prove it!”

Melody flinched, drawing on her mana. Faith saw the shimmering guise of the Peace and Harmony spell and Melody relaxed a little. Faith sent her own mana out. A Chilblain cut the enchantment from her friend and Melody screamed.

“That hurt,” she bawled, crying again.

“It hurt us both,” Faith replied, swaying from the toxin induced within her by the enchantment stripping spell. “No more crutches Melody. We do this one cold turkey.”

Melody hesitated, turning to Kali in silent plea. The elementalist shook her head slightly; there would be no help for one who didn’t even try. “Well?” Faith snapped.

“I’ll try Faith.” Despite her anger, Melody sent out a shaft of mana. The poisonous touch receded in Faith. The necro stayed close to the tiny monk, ready to cast Chilblains again if she saw another enchantment forming.

Melody didn’t try to recast Peace and Harmony, and Faith nodded curtly. “That’s all I can ask. Come on then; there’s someone I want you to meet.”

“You mean,” Melody balked, “right now?”

“Yes,” Faith replied flatly, not giving the monk time to think—time to realize she’d just been set up. “Right now,” and she grabbed Melody by the arm, hauling her outside. Melody followed, shuffling her feet with stumbling steps. Something big cast a shadow across the entry flap and Melody hid behind Faith.

“Melody?” Kali bent to speak softly in the monk’s ear, pulling her out from behind Faith. “Meet Stephen. He was a friend of Tasha.”

Melody jerked, physically and mentally. Standing outside the tent was one of the largest warriors in the whole camp. Soft brown eyes glittered as he nodded to them with a smile. Blacksmith’s arms hung limp at his sides, ham hands half curled unconsciously as if holding a sword and shield. Faith didn’t even come up to the man’s chest as he bent his thickly muscled neck to look at her and Melody in turn. The monk was even shorter; barely half his height if that.

Melody reached out more deeply with her spirit, mentally clutching the two women present. She tugged on Kali’s hand, but the elementalist held her firm.

“Hello Melody,” Stephan nodded. His voice was a deep low baritone. “I hear you’re having troubles finding a decent meatshield.”

“Shake hands Melody,” Faith ordered.

Melody shuffled her feet, sidestepping back and forth, wiping her free hand on her pants and biting her lips.

Stephan held out his hand, patiently.

Kali found a smile, pushing Melody forward gently. “Take his hand Mel; he won’t bite you.”

Melody inched forward, her hand limp before her. Stephan moved like a man would toward a wounded animal. Waited with his hand barely brushing hers. Melody gripped it for a moment, gasping, and let go.

“See?” Melody said confrontationally. “Told you I’m not nuts.”

Faith scowled hard turning to Melody. “That’s only part of it Melody.”

Melody made a business of studying her sandals. “Can’t I have my spell? Please?”

“Melody.”

Soft with hard, Kali bent to one knee and whispered in the monk’s ear. “We’re right here Mel. You aren’t alone. You know that.”

“I know. He’s scary.”

“I don’t mean to be,” Stephan said softly and Melody looked him in the eye.

Still Melody hesitated. “Do it!” Faith snapped.

He may not have been the sharpest tack in the toolshed, but Stephan showed he could be cleaver. Sensing the reluctance, he gripped his thigh, pinching himself painfully. “Ow,” he mumbled.

The word was like a gong and Melody turned back to Stephan, eyes wide. One of the only things any good monk couldn’t resist was a person in pain. Reluctantly, Melody sent her spirit out in a tentative probe of Stephan’s. Stephan let her in and the grouping formed. Faith and Kali, still firmly on Melody’s side, became a buffer between the two; Stephan: strong, stable, patient and protective. Melody: fearful, uncertain; buzzing around like a bee in a jar.

But she didn’t break the group.

“Hi,” Stephen said, smiling softly again. Faith felt two emotions flow from the warrior above all others; patient/protective, patient/protective, as though he had evolved a personal mantra devoted just for this occasion. Kali had been right; Tasha had spent more than a little time with this man.

“Hello,” the monk said in a weak voice, still fidgety.

“That was a dirty trick I pulled,” Stephan said as Melody bent forward, studying his thigh. She sent a small shaft of healing into the bruise Stephan’s fingers had made in his leg. “I know it was.”

“Yeah,” Melody agreed. She forced a smile. “You’re sneaky.”

But not scary, Faith finished, sighing mentally. “Alright. That’s progress dammit. Why don’t you Kali and Stephan go down to the line and practice some. I’m going to go and speak to Duke Barradin,” Melody retreated slightly at the thought. Faith tapped her own temple. “I’m right here Mel. You need me—actually need me—you call and I’ll come running. Right?”

“Alright,” the monk agreed, considering. Then “Can I have my spell back now?”

Kali’s turn, this time to reward Melody for her efforts “Well, you’re going to be doing some healing, right? I don’t see any harm in using a powerful spell like that. For healing, Melody.”

“Right,” Melody nodded as the shimmer of Peace and Harmony lay down on her. “For healing.” The tension Faith felt coming in waves from Melody eased. She felt like an alcoholic taking a sip after being away from ale for a week. Tasha had been right about this too: Melody would need to break her addiction to this spell.

One step at a time, and Faith let out a gusty breath, watching the three of them walk away. One step at a time

It was a rare sight to see Duke Barradin away from the south gate during the day. He stood now on a rise encirling a low pit the size of a farmer's field with arms folded and nodded slow approval at what he watched.

Stephan blocked two of the blunted arrows fired at him by the trainer. The third he missed, but a shimmering light of protective magicks turned the arrow in time. The warrior whirled on the trainer, swinging the reed-bound sword and the archer dropped as a loud whack! echoed through the yard. A training monk was there immediately, healing the deep welt that Stephan’s strike was sure to raise.

“Looks like it was all much ado about nothing,” the duke said slowly, nodding with satisfaction.

“More touch and go than you may realize M’Lord,” Faith replied. She turned a tin cup half filled with coffee in her hands, watching the liquid swirl. “Let’s not forget: Stephan was hand picked by Tasha over two months ago. She spent more than a little time teaching him how to act around Melody; what to say, what to do, how to think—“

“What not to think,” The duke finished and Faith nodded at the possibility. “I’d hate to think how a female mesmer taught him that. Not exactly what I ordered, but,” the duke smiled sheepishly, “you kept your end of the bargain.

“Only question left,” the duke continued as he watched the mock battle unfold. Stephan circled the shimmering light of Kali’s anti-magicks ward. An elementalist rose from the ground in a grip of mana, sending a small flow of herself into the air. A deep gust blew, pushing into the warrior. He planted his feet firmly, preventing the magick enhanced air from knocking him down. He changed his stance mid-stride, sprinting to the elementalist as Melody’s own eyes went white. The trainer elementalist struck out again, lightning flashing from the sky at the warrior. Barradin gasped, but the protective spirit Melody had just cast caught the lightning with ease, changing it from a nasty wound that would end the practice. The spell used the attack as fuel, and Barradin watched as dangerous mana turned to healing light under the Reversal of Fortune. Stephan was at the elementalist now, swinging his sword in a flurry of blows that knocked the young man down. “Can she do it again,” Barradin finished.

“With Stephan?” Faith considered, “definitely. With other men, probably. With certain people in particular: not yet.”

Barradin sighed. “Will she break in the heat of battle?”

“You and I know there’s only one way to test that,” Faith replied. Though, to Melody, training and battle were one and the same. One just had harder magicks thrown around…and the blades were real. Not that she ever noticed the difference.

Barradin shook his head, sighing as if under a heavy burden. “That’s one crazy little monk you brought me Faith. Been nothing but a pain in my ass since the day you arrived.”

Faith smiled softly, said “Not unlike a certain necromancer with a pension for biting off more than you can swallow?”

“Ha!” Duke Barradin laughed, a barking cough that boomed over the training yard. “Have them break training for the rest of the day. There’s a patrol scheduled for tomorrow; lighter duty than you’re used to but,” Barradin turned to Faith, lowering his arms from his chest as he concluded “I want them killing Char before days end; before I send you four on your way.”

“As M’Lord commands, so do I always obey.”

Another coughing bark boomed across the training yard. “Good work Faith; twas a novel plan.”

“Good work Tasha,” Faith amended solemnly, turning to stride down the hill and into the training yard. She lifted a white kerchief, calling the trainers to a halt. Stephan saw her and shouldered his practice sword, waiting for her to come with the news.

“Aye,” Barradin replied, Faith too far away to hear him now. Melody bounced happily, rushing to the necromancer to tell her how the practice session had gone. The monk gripped her hands behind her back, leaning forward intently as Faith spoke, then nodded enthusiastically in answer. Not at all like the haunted, malnourished—not for lack of food, but because the monk wouldn’t eat unless told to—child who’d been all but forcibly dragged into Piken Square five months ago for “Battle Fatigue therapy and re-assimilation”. Melody giggled, turned as Faith placed a hand on her shoulder and led the two back to the group.

“Good work Tasha,” the Lord Duke Barradin said, turning to walk back toward the south gate.

* * *

Faith’s face was hard as she walked up to the last two members of the group. But through the group link Stephan could feel a well of pride flowing toward Melody and Kali—and him—from the necromancer. Melody hadn’t faltered once when the training started. Her need to keep her group protected had outweighed any fear of the warrior she had.

And she was a good monk too.

“Alright,” Faith boomed slightly, her voice taking the hard tone she had used before to coax Melody into this grouping. “I talked to Barradin and he likes what he hears. We’re on light duty for the rest of the day. Go get something to eat—“

“But I already had breakfast,” Melody pouted.

Faith turned, smirking slightly. “Then go back to the tent and get some sleep. Meditate, relax, whatever. Barradin’s putting us on patrol tomorrow and I want you rested and ready to go full boon protector when we wake. Seems we’ve got a new monk in today, one that’s not so wishy washy as we thought. I wanna take her out and see what she can do.”

Melody smiled, holding her chin high with certainty. “I can heal and prot. You’ll see.”

“And you,” Faith turned to Stephan, “that was sloppy and you know it.”

“I was worried about getting too deep in,” Stephan defended, nodding still that he had messed up.

“You let Kali’s wards and my minions worry about how deep we get into a group tomorrow. Remember your order: healers, hexers, nukes, rangers and tanks last. You went after a ranger and ignored a nuke; lucky Melody was backing you with Reversal of Fortune or that Lighting Strike would have knocked you a good one.

“Right?”

“Right,” the warrior nodded. Faith turned and strolled from the training yard, Melody at her side asking about the patrol. She had a way of bouncing when she walked. A buoyancy that didn’t fit with the repressed feelings Stephan could feel through the group link.

“How old is she?” he asked, turning to Kali. The elementalist looked at him, appraising.

“Early twenties,” she replied. “We think. She might be in her late teens, but I doubt it.”

“She doesn’t act it,” Stephan replied, following Kali to the weapons rack to one side of the training yard. She set her own reed-bound sword on the shelf, picking up the short sword she was never without.

Kali nodded. “Tasha called it selective amnesia. Certain things, she just shuts off. Parts of her past, the reason why she…it’s the same as that spell she uses. Viewing the world through a rose colored cloud. If she can’t remember anything bad happening, then nothing bad has happened, right? That’s why she acts so…naïve.”

“But she’s been in battle,” Stephan pressed as Kali turned to leave the yard. “Not just training, but actual battles.”

“Not to her. I’ve felt Peace and Harmony before; she’s cast it on me. You lose some awareness of what’s going on. All she knows is that something is hurting her teammates and she doesn’t like that. So; she heals us. She protects us from the hurt. Char don’t enter into her thinking most of the time.”

Kali turned and strode from the training yard, Stephan following as he mulled her words over slowly. “Childlike innocence because she’s as innocent as a child?” he concluded quietly.

Kali turned back, reappraising him. “You’re smarter than you look Stephan.”

“Well I’ll take that as a complement,” Stephan replied and Kali smiled lopsidedly. “What happened to her?””

The smile died. “Tasha didn’t tell you?”

He shook his head. “Just told me the girl was afraid of men. ‘A series of very bad groups.’ We didn’t go into much detail.”

Kali stopped, breathing deeply as she made a business of inspecting her short sword. Then she said “I’d tell you that you don’t want to know, but the truth is: I don’t want to tell you.”

“Right. Sorry I pried.”

“Don’t be,” Kali countered, looking up at him and shaking her head. “You’re in the group now and you’ve a right to know. I just…” Kali shook her head again, walking away.

“What about Faith?” Stephan said, changing the subject as he stepped in line beside her. Tall as he was they were near the same height, her long strides in time with his.

Kali chuckled. “Everyone knows about Faith.”

“Yeah, but you know better. They say you were there.”

Kali nodded. “Twas my own earthquake stopped the Char in their tracks.”

“She’s pretty short for a necro. Is it true she used to be a monk?”

“And a pretty good one too,” Kali nodded. “Her betrothed was hit by The Chant during the Searing. She tried to heal him after he was already dead.”

“And got a minion for her troubles,” Stephan whistled softly. “So that part of the story’s true.”

“A lot of that story’s true. Right down to Grenth’s own voice coming out of her mouth.”

“Godspoken,” he whispered disbelievingly. “Hard to believe. Can she still do it? I mean, if we need her to.”

“She hasn’t since,” Kali shrugged. They reached the tents and Kali turned toward the woman’s ward. “Me for a shower. You get some rest; we’ll need you fresh tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Stephan replied, turning toward the men’s quarters.

“Stephan?” Kali called and the warrior turned back, waiting. “Don’t ask Faith what happened to Melody.”

“Why not?”

“She’ll answer,” was all the elementalist said, turned and walked away.

The next day Faith woke up early, well before first light when the camp was still quiet. She squeezed into the masochistic garments of her necromancy profession and slipped out of the tent she, Kali and Melody shared to stop by the canteen and see about some breakfast. Managing to scrounge some hard biscuits and left over meat from the cooks, she walked and munched thoughtfully as she strolled along the line to watch the sunrise.

It was not a pretty sight. The clouds blocked view of the sun, giving the world a shadowy grey haze. Day was as dark as dawn in The Breach, and dawn was a drear affair.

Not far beyond a reach of up-hurled rock she could see dim blooms of firelight from the Char camps scattered around Piken, waiting the human’s out in their siege.

Many blooms. It was going to be a busy day.

The camp was beginning to rouse. Soon First Patrol—her patrol—would begin making its rounds along the outer edge of the dead man’s land between the Char camps and the human outpost. So would the Char.

“Time to earn my Combat Pay,” Faith smiled lightly, heading back into camp.

“Ho,” came a deep baritone from the canteen and Stephan came jogging up, “Faith. Ready for some fun?”

Faith smiled, nodding as she sent a wisp of her spirit into Stephan. He accepted it, forming a two man group. Kali was next out of the canteen, followed by Melody with a biscuit hanging out of her mouth while her hands stuffed provisions into her pack.

“I talked to Barradin last night,” Faith began, grouping with her friends. “Now you two know how much I hate to waste good minions. He’s agreed that if we can build up a decent force we need to do some damage today.”

“Who’s the bunny?” Kali asked eagerly.

“We’re hitting the Char’s eastern camp, out in the sticks. Our escort will hold back until we’ve done enough damage, then we all sneak in.”

“There’ll be reinforcements from the flanking camps,” Stephan warned. He wasn’t worried, just apprehensive. “We won’t hold it long.”

“We aren’t going to try,” Faith replied, an evil smile twisting her lips. “Damn Char have stolen enough of our supplies. It’s time to return the favor.

“We’re raiding their supply dumps today.”

“The four of us?” Stephan asked disbelievingly. Kali nodded. “With just a light a patrol for escort?” Faith nodded too. “And you three aren’t even worried?”

“Why would we be?” Melody asked in genuine confusion. “These missions close to Piken are the easy ones.”

Faith just smiled, reaching up to clap Stephan on the shoulder, said “Welcome to Special Teams Stephan.”

They went out through the south gate, Melody taking a moment to wave hello to Duke Barradin, and swept in a wide arc around the camp. It didn’t take long for Stephan to realize that this was no simple patrol. While the escort shadowed them much closer to Piken Faith ordered the group out; a quarter mile away from camp and deep into the Char held area of the no mans land. She wasn’t asking for trouble; she was actively searching for it.

And they found it quickly and frequently. Char patrols came on them unaware, or they set their own traps. Either way, Grenth was having a busy day keeping count.

It was obvious through the link that Stephan had never been paired with a boon protection monk before. At first he stumbled in fear as heals came slower than he was used to. He took damage on the front line, despite Melody’s protection spells, and she made little attempt to keep his health in mint condition. But he came to notice that the damage he did receive was much reduced from normal, and the strong heals of Melody’s Divine Favor, coupled with her own Divine Boon guise to further increase those powerful enchantments, compensated greatly for anything the Char threw at him.

And with that certainty Stephan stepped more willingly into the fray, a deadly wraith sweeping into and out of Faith’s growing minion horde. Char that tried to focus on him found themselves overwhelmed by Faith’s minions or blasted by Kali’s nuke spells. Char that ignored him found him tearing into them from behind, the side.

The light of a Guardian spell slowed one particular group of Char attacks, making each blow easier for Stephan to dodge. He set into them, slashing savagely at a massive healer who coughed its own scoffing rebuke as the warrior’s sword was turned away. The Char warriors escorting their leader turned on Stephan with a will, and Melody swooned as she sent a solid column of boon enhanced enchantments onto the warrior.

“Officer’s Last!” Faith roared, sending her minions against the five warriors that remained in this particularly large batch of Char. Lava erupted from the ground at their feet and Char screamed. The officer whirled, balking at the massive amounts of damage his warriors began to suffer and ordered them out of the area of Kali’s rebuking spell. Two dropped before they even turned, stone daggers slamming into the sides of their faces and chests and another imploded as Faith’s Deadly Swarm was followed by a minion summoning spell.

Stephan recovered, hamstringing one of the retreating Char to let him boil in the mana-enchanted lava beneath while he chased down one of the warriors that had made it out of Kali’s area of effect. He thrust his sword at another warrior Char, the seeking blade striking through the officer’s hastily conjured Aegis and dropping the half burned Char in a lake of its own blood.

He turned, sighting the officer—alone now. It was running west, away from the minion horde that followed and Stephan burst forward with a will, sprinting to the healer as it tried to overcome the weight of Kali and Faith’s focused magicks. The healing Char turned on Stephan, calling another powerful aegis to aide as Stephan stepped close inside, slashing savagely to drop the Char in a heap at his feet.

“Gurgle!” roared from the officer and a large bone minion burst forth.

“Officers Last Stephan,” Faith repeated, coming to stand beside him. “They’re always tough when they heal, but they’ve better armor than anyone they lead. They may heal as much damage as you dish out to a warrior, but its better to fight one officer alone than to fight him and his escort at the same time.

“Thin the herd; then kill the shepherd,” Kali rephrased simply and Stephan nodded, panting slightly. “I don’t recognize him Faith,” she said, taking in the mangled corpse before her. “I think this guy’s newly raised.”

“You need to rest?” Faith asked the warrior, coming to inspect the consumed corpse. She scrounged around the fallen Char, collecting spare items that might be useful. Stephan shook his head that he was fine.

“I do,” Melody called, the tiny monk winded from her spell casting. A burst of mana exploded outward, her own healing area several times more powerful than Faith’s as she helped keep the horde alive.

The warrior began to sit, but Faith turned them northeast, saying “Alright then, we’ll swing back toward Piken and make the going easier.” Melody smiled appreciation.

“Wait a minute,” Stephan called as he followed the line Faith started them on, “that’s not back toward Piken. That’s toward the supply dump.”

“Yeah,” Kali replied. “But if we go straight from here we swing closer into Barradin held territory. We won’t have to fight as much.”

As much, Stephan balked mentally as the three women broke into a slow trot, this they consider rest?

They kept the pace, Faith only stopping occasionally to refresh her horde, and swung up east. Soon they were even further from Piken than they had been before and Faith slowed again

“Hold up,” Stephan called and the pace slowed again.

“What wrong?” Melody asked, probing him gently with her spirit. She didn’t cringe at all from her inspection of the warrior.

“Won’t they know we’re coming?” the warrior asked. “All that ruckus we made a while back making this army of yours. The Char will be on guard.”

It was Kali who answered. “Yes, they’re on guard. But we were fighting in the southern area. Now we’re closer to the east camp. South camps are going to huddle in, expect an attack with all those missing patrols. They’ll also be slow to respond when the supply dump calls for reinforcements, thinking we mean to bait them out, a feint.”

“So,” Stephan pondered quietly as faith sent a flow of mana inward and out, sacrificing her own health for the health of her minion horde, “we’ve spent the morning securing our retreat?”

Faith shook her head with a knowing smile. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to be south of here when they figure out what we’ve done. No. We’ll head straight back to Piken Square with the supplies we get.”

“You’ll see,” Melody chimed from within Faith’s horde. White light flashed from Melody’s healing area and the decomposing minions stiffened, more healthy. “Eww,” she said, her face scrunching up in distaste as she stepped out of the horde, “stinky.”

“Shh,” Kali hissed softly, turning her head. She pointed to a rock crevice with her sword and Faith’s minions—hardly silent—sprang forward. Stephan followed, breaking into a run as a Char screamed.

A small patrol had meant to sneak up unawares on the four but instead found themselves in the midst of an undead wall. The minions gurgled—birth cry and victory—and four Char were overwhelmed before they even knew it. Several minions fell but were replaced by more as Faith used the Char to rebuild her army.

“Alright,” she called, turning them around the rock. “Let’s get to it.” The Group Leader pulled a small mirror from her backpack, flashing a weak light signal back to their west. A twinkling light responded moments later.

They swung out to the rocky terrain, following a dry streambed the Char had been using for a road. No subterfuge now; Faith wanted her group to be seen.

The streambed opened out into a wide pit, probably a small pond before The Chant had destroyed this land. The pit was ringed by spikes and small mounds of rock, a makeshift wall surrounding ill-kept tents and round huts poorly thatched.

Char patrols couldn’t help but spot the army marching toward them, but didn’t dare attack. Instead, word would be sent with swift runners that an assault was on the way.

It didn’t get their in time. As Faith’s group turned the last corner in the stream bed, she could make out a single Char runner waving its hands in roared warning. “NOW!” she roared with it, her minion horde breaking into a run that barreled into the Char’s outer defensive spikes. And it kept moving, pressing through a narrow hole in the fence the Char used for a gate.

Inside the camp, Kali was hell. An Earthquake shuddered the ground as Char mustered a defense. Char fell to the ground, finding worse waiting as another eruption scoured them with mana heated lava. Stone daggers flew like a hailstorm, all this amidst gurgling birth cries as Faith used the death around her to fuel her own power, summoning even more of her army. The Soul Reaping power delighted in the death before her, life turned mana streaming out of the camp like a mist over a pond. Like breaking rain, the minions added their own killing touch, stabbing into the scattered Char as they broke from huddled defense to broken attack.

The ravenous angry/hatefully merciful power called out, roaring for her to send it somewhere. It was a trance of ecstasy, power in pain, love in loss and hungry for all. Even her if she let it take her.

Kali retreated, momentarily spent, and it was down to Faith and Stephan to cull the Char further.

Faith didn’t even bother casting deadly swarm spells; her minions gave her more than enough corpses in the chaos of the supply camp. She’d expected them to be disorganized; probably only just rallying a defense, but this was…

“It’s a rout,” Kali called, smiling grimly as she slashed at a Char that made it through their minion escort. “Mel; little help.”

Melody nodded, her eyes white. The Guise of Peace and Harmony lowered atop Kali and her grim smile turned mellow. Her feet left the ground and two wards dropped, one atop the other. Stephan took her share of the sword work with ease, the anti-melee and anti-magicks wards she’d placed protecting the group in the eye of the storm.

Melody sent her own protective magicks onto Stephan and the minion escort, Char blades flashing futilely as they tried to hit something other than the ward’s magick and the Guardian spirits she placed there. The Char retreated, meaning to wait out the ward and the monk spells.

But there was nowhere to run. Faith’s escort was certainly the largest part of her horde in the small camp, but not the only one. The minion group that had formed where Kali caused the eruption gurgled savagely, laying into the Char attackers from the right. The eruption group swung out at Faith’s silent command, squeezing the Char force like a nut in a vise.

Stephan was a perfect buffer for the damage from the Char. Exposed at the front of the line, Char turned on the only human they could, intent to squash at least one of them. But hexes were slow to cast as Melody threw a Holy Veil atop him, and he still stood within the wards from Kali, making him nigh-impossible to kill.

Suddenly there were no Char in the camp, and Faith turned the horde outward, searching for stragglers, patrols, anything that breathed. More a small voice in the back of her head screamed. MORE!

“Whoa!” a heavily accented voice called and Faith called off one group—barely in time. “We’re just here for the goodies.”

“Did you see any Char get out?” Faith snapped, the fury of her Soul Reaping powers making her see red in the wealth of mana released from Char death.

“Naw darling,” the warrior replied, stepping slowly toward the gate—cautious. The minions let him pass…but it was an effort. “I’m pretty sure you got em all.”

“That,” Faith replied, shaking the vestiges of her personal insanity away, “I doubt.” She called the horde back. Stretched out as they were, many fell before they reached her; weakened from the battle and Faith’s hunger for more minions; not necessarily healthy minions. She sent a wash of her spirit through the horde. Most would die if another battle began; some she could salvage and she called them closer to receive her unholy brand of healing. Melody helped too, much of the horde swelling as the healing area of the monk absorbed their wounds.

Two groups of warriors had descended on the supply dump. There was sign that they too had fought. Vestiges of a Char patrol were scattered along the rocks on the west side of the camp. Faith licked her lips unconsciously as she looked at the unexploited corpses.

Kali shook her head as Melody’s enchantment waned and she gasped as she surveyed the damage without the guise of Peace and Harmony on her.

“Damn Faith,” Kali called. Minions crumbled from lack of care; there were just too many to keep alive. “Did you have fun?”

“I had help,” the necromancer swooned. She had grown used to the dying spirits turned renewed mana around her. Without that crutch, she wavered physically.

“Ok you,” Melody said, propping Faith up slightly. “Overdid it again.” Stephan looked a curious glance at Faith but Melody waved him off. “There’s more than just health and spirit that come from spell casting,” she said knowingly. “Faith just needs to let her brain idle for a minute.”

“Quartermaster Aada warned me you weren’t one to leave things half finished but,” one of the warriors said, grabbing a crate from a ragged Char tent, “dang folks, you do some damage.”

Faith grunted, sitting on an empty crate as melody inspected her. “Just be quick. This was too easy.”

“Easy?” Stephan balked again. It was becoming a habit. “We—you—there’s an entire camp of Char lying dead around us and you think that was easy?”

“Too easy and easy aren’t the same Stephan,” Kali replied. “Faith thinks that most of the camp was out on patrol already. And I’m inclined to agree with her. There should have been more here.”

“Then,” the warrior said, turning to the two groups of men and women hastily grabbing crates, “it’s not over yet.”

“No,” the necromancer shook her head. “It’s the greater of two evils. I was hoping to catch most of them here; put pressure on them while those guys,” she pointed with her chin to the encumbered warrior groups grabbing supplies, “snuck in with the distraction and cleaned the shelves. This way will be harder. We just turned into an escort service, instead of a fast retreat, and you can bet the Char are going to hit us a few times on the run back.”

Faith stood, casting a Blood of the Master spell across her minion horde. Then she turned to the last of the eight men who had shadowed them. “Drop that,” she ordered, and the warrior set the supplies on the ground. “Run back to Piken as fast as you can; tell Barradin what happened and that we’ll be needing help.”

“Alright,” the warrior nodded and was already sprinting away. Stephan moved to take up the crates he’d dropped but Kali stopped him.

“We’ll need your sword arm,” the elementalist said.

Of the horde Faith had amassed only twenty remained. Faith set the pace again, slower than before with seven heavily laden warriors in tow now. She split her army into two groups; one walked in front, scanning the area for anything edible. The other stayed in the rear, encircling the warriors and their supplies. “Keep close to the minions,” she ordered. “If things get hairy, use them for a shield. Don’t stop and try to help.”

They didn’t take the dry streambed this time, instead turning on a more direct line straight for Piken Square. While this meant it would be easier to track them, it also meant reinforcements—if they came—would have an easier time finding them.

They were still deep in Char held territory when the first roar sounded to their left. Another answered from their right and the warriors slowed.

“Don’t stop!” Faith snapped when one warrior bent to drop his cargo and fight.

“They’re going to encircle us,” Kali cautioned as a third roar boomed east of them from the direction f the camp

“You ‘eard the gurls,” the heavily accented warrior snapped, breaking into a run, “theirs none of em west yet so our ways clear; kick up the pace!” and he started to run.

Faith scanned the rock shelves to their west. There was no sign of Char movement but “No!” she snapped, countermanding the warrior. “Go north!” and her minions turned north at the thought.

The warrior balked. “There’s Char there!”

“There’s more west!” she countered. “It’s a trap; they’re trying to herd us into another group we can’t see—a big group!”

“Damn,” Stephan swore, his head whipping to and fro as he tried to watch all sides for the attack. The three women remained calm though, like this was not the terrible situation it was. Kali walked erect, scanning the foreground with a slow, methodical gaze, unconcerned. Faith: cold and commanding, a hungry squint to her eyes. Melody: the calm center, clutching the staff in her hands as she strolled slowly between her companions, ready to protect them with her spells.

The thought struck Stephan like an unblocked lightning strike. They’re all nuts! And just as quickly another thought came and he shook his head So am I, I guess.

“I’m going to scout ahead,” he said, hopping over a small boulder. Faith didn’t stop him. “I’ll see if I can’t draw them out.”

“Don’t go so far that we can’t get to you in time,” was her only warning and the warrior sprinted around a rock shelf and out of sight.

Kali snorted, shaking her head. “I was wondering when he’d catch up.”

“Some people have to learn on their own,” Faith replied. It had been Stephan’s job to take the brunt of any assault. That he fought so well inside her minion horde was good; it showed discipline. But too much discipline dulled thought and Stephan was not one to show initiative.

Around another rock outcrop, Faith and company could see a small hill. But no sign of Stephan. “I hope he didn’t go too far,” Melody pouted with a tinge of worry. Then she perked. “There he is.”

Stephan came running back over the hill, his eyes wide. A char roar snapped behind him “And there they are,” Faith smiled, turning her minion horde forward.

“Two!” the warrior shouted as twenty Char crested the hill. “Two groups!” and he skidded to a stop as the minions passed him, turning back to the attack.

“Break west now!” Faith ordered and the confused warriors turned with their cargo back toward Piken, leaving the four fighters to their task.

Faith saw something thin streak into her horde, summoning another Blood of the Master spell to heal her army. The thin projectile struck and exploded, fire flashing across the minion line. “Archers,” she snapped, the word coming out a curse.

“Aegis,” Melody replied, eyes white as she crouched low to avoid another arrow.

“Ward,” and Kali almost panicked as an arrow streaked by her hear.

“Get closer to the fight first!” Faith ordered and the elementalist jerked, breaking the spell’s cast. She nodded, sprinting to the minions who had crested the hill and were beginning to hammer the Char. Faith and Melody followed slower, guardian spells flying from the monk as she paused every other step to protect her friends and Faith’s army.

“Watch Yourself!” Stephan snapped as Faith and Melody reached the fight and the necromancer ducked her head behind her arms, the black steel gauntlets blunting an arrow that had been aimed at her face. “These guys are smart.” Kali grunted a response, her anti-melee ward shimmering on the ground. It wouldn’t be much good against archers but it was better than nothing.

Stephan was a whirling dervish, sword swinging in a frenzy as he turned on the Char archers nearest him. Strong leather armor turned Faith’s minion attacks, but it did little to stop her deadly swarms and satisfying gurgles sounded on the hill in echo to minion death cries that followed. Fire was not a minion’s best friend, the decomposing flesh catching quickly despite Faith’s efforts. Melody’s healing area dropped like a bomb on the horde; repairing what Faith couldn’t.

Black fire answered kindled arrows as Kali joined the fight, her Obsidian Flames ignoring the light armor of the archers to crisp the Char within. More gurgles sounded and the Char fell back, retreating as Faith’s numbers grew. As their numbers lessened.

“East!” Kali screamed and Faith ducked again. Another group of Char had crested the hill to reinforce the beleaguered first groups. Kali sent a wash of mana outward, dropping the deadly combination of earthshaking ground followed by mana heated rock turned lava underfoot. The second group stumbled, the ground itself becoming their enemy as it threw them down and burned them.

“South!” Stephan echoed, pushing through the Char archers and running around outside the fight. He came to a stop—alone—and stood en guard to face down the next assault by himself. “Blade Warriors!”

“Not again,” Faith murmured, a sense of déjà vu haunting her mind. Stephan stood exposed outside Kali’s protective wards with no minions to protect him.

Thought turned to her horde and she looked for anything she could send to support him. The minions were scattered, fighting one on one against the groups that had already come upon them. She had nothing. Kali—hands on knees—panted weakly in the after wash of exhaustion her spell spamming had caused. She had nothing. Melody rocked, sympathetic to the horde and Stephan as her spells flashed out to reduce damage, to prevent damage, to repair damage.

But here was too much damage.

The Blade Warriors met Stephan and the Warrior roared. They slashed at him, hard steel finding chinks in his armor, tearing into the man inside. He ignored the wounds, enduring the pain the Char inflicted as he struck back savagely with a flurry of sword swings.

But here were too many. Even with his balanced stance, the char pressed him down. A wall of warriors crammed into him, shoving with blade and shield, forcing him back. “Stephan!” Melody screamed as the Char pushed him to the ground. The warrior disappeared under the mass of furry bodies.

A roar sounded from within the mass on Stephan. Another roar, more triumphant and the mass began to move. The blade warriors slackened, easing away from Stephan, the muffling of their bodies gone.

And Faith could hear the human voice as Stephan roared again.

Fire burst from the Char, hot orange flames curling atop their bodies as they screamed in agony. Stephan rose, sword swinging in his fury to press the advance back, the light of protection spells flashing as the Char attacks swung and missed him in their retreat. Their own swings did more damage to them than Stephan’s, empathic hexes slashing the Char warriors when they dared to strike.

“Wasn’t me,” Kali and Melody said in unison, shaking their weary heads.

“Hi! Hi!” boomed from the west as a fourth group of Char ran past—ran past—the fight. A firestorm rained down on the remaining north group, followed by a flash of lightning from the sky, striking several foes at once. Faith felt her life refreshed as monk heals flowed through her from several sources—none of them Melody—and a wealth of dying mana answered as Char crumbled to the ground.

“Barradin!” Kali roared, raising her sword high. Hammer swinging, the Mad Duke of The Breach toppled Char with a crude swing, slamming the heavy weapon down on one as it rose. Elementalists, monks, rangers and warriors boiled out behind him; Mesmers and necromancers threw hexes like a storm from the sides; half the Piken camp seemed to pour from the western reach, slamming into the Char like a wave beating sea grass. The Char regrouped, snarling as officers issued counter orders and the fight redoubled again.

“Fortress!” Faith roared and her minion wall regrouped, swinging around the four in a protective circle as the Char swung back to the attack. The walking wall of minions slashed out, Stephan diving into the protective formation for a break after expending himself in the counterstrike.

Barradin ran into the minion horde, stopping for a breath himself.

“What kept you,” Faith griped as Piken Square rallied to her defense. The lopsided smile said it was a jest.

Barradin smiled too. “Had to cut out an escort for your caravan,” the duke replied, “Now. Lets see about killing some Char!”

Faith nodded grimly to her group and whirled, casting minion summons of her own to echo the other necros as they tore into the fight.

With the second rout of the day a resounding success, Faith and company made their way slowly back to camp.

Stephan stretched lazily as he walked, yawning. “That was a tough one.”

“Me for bed,” Kali said, shuffling her feet as soon as she crossed the gate into Piken.

“Me for a drink,” the warrior echoed, turning toward the canteen.

“Don’t overdo it,” Faith warned, “We’re heading out at first light again, and we probably aren’t coming back.”

“I could go for an ale myself,” the elementalist said, looking up at the sky. There were still a few hours of daylight left but Barradin had been generous to the group, giving them the rest of the day semi-off. “And it’ll be nice to talk to someone I don’t have to bend over to look in the eye,” the tall nuke smiled, glancing at the short necro and dwarfish monk. Melody pouted, confused.

“I don’t drink,” was all she said. “I’ma take a shower.

“What are you going to do Faith?”

The necromancer looked at each in turn, separating her spirit and leaving the group. “I’m going to take a walk.”

The four dispersed, Faith turning back south and strolling slowly along the broken stone wall surrounding Piken.

As they always did after a hard fight, her thoughts turned to Karim. Cozy Karim, with just a little too much smiter in him for his own good. Crazy Karim, who had this loony idea that he could heal anyone and keep the monsters at bay with Zealots Fire. Lover Karim who’d held her on a rainy night in Ashford Abbey while she cried herself to sleep after hearing her father had passed.

Faith stopped, staring at the brown smoke of polluted fires from the Char camps scattered outside of Piken. He’d been so young. So full of life. There’d been no reason for him to die; no reason for the Char to continually invade her country. The Char were a pestilence; a dirty stain on the world, taking what they shouldn’t; leaving lives shattered.

I will avenge you, she swore again, scowling at the smoke blooms beyond. I’ll kill them all for you. Then they’ll know, when I chase down the last of them, that what they have done was not just wrong, but utterly stupid!

Gravel crunched underfoot and Faith whirled with a snarl. Melody was walking toward her on tiptoe, her eyes down to watch the ground as she snuck toward the necromancer. At Faith’s movement the monk looked up, biting her tongue and forcing a smile.

Melody pouted, giving up on stealth, and came to stand beside Faith.

“I thought you were going to take a shower,” the necromancer scolded.

Melody shrugged, taking a seat beside Faith. Faith watched her sit, wanting to leave. It wouldn’t make a difference. Melody would probably follow. Faith sighed, kneeling down beside the short monk.

“You were thinking about your beau again, weren’t you?”

“That’s none of your business,” Faith snapped defensively. Then “What do you mean ‘again’?”

“You always think about him after making a lot of minions,” Melody replied.

Neither spoke for a long time. Melody scooted closer, leaning her head on the necromancer’s shoulder.

“I can’t,” Melody began, floundering for words, “remember,” and she scratched her ear, almost giving up on what she was going to say, “why Tasha left.”

“She died Mel,” Faith replied, no rancor in her voice. “Char killed her two days ago. You tried to rez her but there wasn’t enough left.”

“Oh,” the monk said, lowering her head. “I miss her. Stephan’s nice, but,” Melody shrugged again.

“She’d be very proud of you,” Faith managed, suddenly at a loss. “What you’ve done for the last two days.”

Faith turned more serious, looking at Melody as she said “I saw something amazing happen today Melody and I don’t want you to forget it.”

“Yeah,” the monk nodded, “you guys were really something.”

“I was talking about you, idiot. I saw a scared little girl face her fear time and again. I saw all Tasha’s hard work come together today, and a real life monk step out of the kiln.

“You remember that, and you’ll remember Tasha had a big hand in it. Tasha’s with you—every day—because of what you can do now.”

Melody breathed heavily, a racking sob that shook them both. Silence stretched between them as the sun lowered to their left behind the clouds.

“You tricked me,” Melody accused. “Stephan was waiting outside the tent. Duke Barradin wasn’t going to send me back to Sardelac.”

Faith shook her head. “He was thinking about it. But he doesn’t have a reason to anymore.” Melody shivered under the setting sun, a cold shiver that had nothing to do with the chilling air. “But, yes, I did trick you.”

“I was a little scared.”

As she often did, Melody’s spirit reached out in the gathering night. Faith accepted, the two grouping for no reason. There was no emotion in the bond, no flow of thought or energy; just two souls grasping for something to brace them lest they fall.

“Alright,” Faith said, her voice hard again. “You stink and so do I. Time for that shower.”

The necromancer rose, holding out a hand for the monk. Melody smiled, accepting it. “I love you too Faith.”

“Shut up.”

Stephan was sitting on a crate at the end of the women’s tents waiting for the three of them in the morning, his large backpack filled with provisions for the trip to Grendich Courthouse. “‘Early Moa Bird gets the squirrel’, my pa always said,” and he smiled.

Kali chuckled, wincing slightly. She gripped her head.

“I told you not to overdo it,” Faith scolded for the third time that morning.

“S’not my fault,” the elementalist almost whined. “Talk to that keg-swillin-hollow-legged boozer over there.”

“Hey,” Stephan drawled, standing and slipping his backpack on his shoulders. “I told you to go easy too.”

“Yeah yeah,” Kali griped. “‘Do what I say and not what I do’. I bet your dear ole pa pulled that one out of his bag of quotes too.”

“Enough,” Faith ordered loud enough for Kali to wince again. “Say goodbye to Piken and let’s get moving.”

“Bye Bye Piken,’ Melody said. She waved to a passing pair of women heading back down the row of tents.

“Alright,” Stephan replied, turning to the south gate and the no mans land, “but how’re we getting to the courthouse? I mean, the Breach isn’t the most hospitable place to go tromping through.”

Faith held out a small map covered with Xs and different colored lines. “Well,” she said, unfolding the map so Stephan could see. Piken was one of the Xs, a sloppy ring of lines circling it to indicate patrols, “believe it or not rangers and runners make it through all the time. Its larger groups that have trouble sneaking in and out.”

“Like supply caravans,” the warrior concluded.

“And reinforcements,” the necromancer agreed. “Char are nasty, vicious little fur balls, but if we don’t kick up too much fuss, they’re also pretty lazy.

“We should be able to punch through this area here,” she pointed to an area in the no mans land that had the fewest lines in the large circle surrounding Piken Square, “use any minions I make on the way out as cover while we make a run for this point here,” she pointed to another set of lines and Xs showing a small group of Char patrols and an outpost, “and do some damage while we graze by this group. Then we swing south for a while and clear some of the riff raff that’s been softening up our supply trains—“

“Wait a minute. I thought we were just going to the courthouse,” Stephan protested, taking one edge of the map. “Quickest way there is to bust through where you suggest and keep moving. We make a beeline for the bridge into Diessa Lowlands and all we have to worry about are some rock heads and lightning bugs. You’ve got us fighting where we don’t need to.”

“Welcome to Special Teams Stephan,” Kali smiled. “We never do just one thing when we can do ten.”

“But,” Stephan balked, “That could take days!”

“One day if we don’t hit any snags,” Faith replied. “And if we do, we’ll have to give up on something...probably this south group but I really want to hit their healing teams if Taag Relicbinder is really there. Barradin expects us to be in Grendich Courthouse in two days time, and I intend to.”

Faith folded the map and slid it back into her pack. “Everyone ready for it?” she asked and Stephan glanced around, bewilderment touching his face. As if for the first time, he realized they had not stopped walking as they inspected the map and discussed the plan. Piken was already dwindling behind and the plumes of Char cook fires rose ominously before. They were in the no mans land again, out of the range of any support from Barradin and walking straight into Char held territory.

Stephan sighed, cracking his knuckles. “I’m no ranger, but I guess I should scout ahead again.”

Faith nodded, keeping to a brisk trot as the Warrior sprinted away.

The morning was chill and crisp, clouds a grey sheath of swirling ever-present mass as the sun warred to bring light to Ascalon. The only sounds were the steady crunch of gravel and rock under foot as the three women loped slowly along, sometimes the crunch of dying brown dry grass struggling to survive in a world without sunlight.

Ascalon was dying. Here, in the heart of its cancer, Faith could almost feel the pulse of the land around her fade and slow, taste the ending of life with her Soul Reaping power.

“Faster,” she ordered, her slow stride breaking into a brisk run. Kali shrugged as Melody pushed on beside the necromancer in a bouncing gait to keep up. Faith scowled at the dying grass and sickly purple shrubbery, the leafless trees that bore no fruit. The land might have surrendered, but she wouldn’t. No one she led would; she wouldn’t let them. Not until she had finished her task.

A flurry of motion ahead and Faith called a halt, waiting as Stephen rushed back to the trio. He was a lather of sweat and Melody turned her gaze to him, a blast of pure health exploding from her mana to him.

Stephan straightened like waking from a long nap, nodding thanks. “Ash walkers,” he snapped, pointing to a rise of rubble beyond and the ground just out of sight behind a bend in the road. “More than a few. And a couple Fire Callers behind. They saw me, but didn’t chase.”

“Could be expecting reinforcements,” Kali mused.

“Or expecting us,” Faith retorted. “Good work Stephan. Can we get around them?”

The Warrior shook his head. “Not without climbing an hour out of the way, and there might be worse than what we avoid.” He shrugged, palms out. “Sorry, I’m no ranger.”

“We don’t need a ranger,” Faith replied, trotting toward the rubble. “We need you.”

“You’re going to make minions again aren’t you,” Melody said. She sounded sad.

“Oh yes,” Faith replied, her voice steel sliding across silk. “Many many minions.”

“Then lets get you started,” Kali eased her own sword from its sheathe, stepping up her own trot to stand beside Stephan and winked at the Warrior. “She’s no good to us without a few corpses on the ground.”

“I wouldn’t say that,” he chided back, the two forming up as a protective shield for the monk and necromancer.

“I would and do,” and the slim elementalist glanced over her shoulder with a wink. A shimmer of light surrounded the elementalist warrior, the robes around her stiffening to rock hardness. “Keeps her humble.”

Faith could hear the Char before she saw them. Grunting orders were being passed among the group Stephan guided them to and the scuffle of feet warned of an enemy in the readying. ‘Hit em,” she snapped, taking her staff in both hands and Stephan all but leapt forward in a sprint. Melody threw a Guardian spell on him as he disappeared around the bend at the top of a hill, short legs scrambling to keep up.

Char barked and human roared. Fire rained as Faith heard the first savage slashing of a sword out of sight. Then she was atop the hill, staff swinging to point at the mass of Char before her.

Stephan was a sooty mess already. Fire heated his chainmail, leather smoking as he pushed the group of fire mage Char into a mass near their bonfire. It was a textbook agro; the enemy squeezed close to a heavily armored ally for spell castors to pound from afar.

Kali’s Earthquake followed Faith’s Deadly Swarm by a fraction of a second. The Char who had started to retreat from Stephan at sight of Faith were thrown to the ground in a bone cracking cluster. The mana bugs did the rest.

Then the world screamed.

Faith felt it in the air first; pure mana creeping with deceptive slowness to encircle her. The mana wrenched her back, toward more mana and the ground shook. Shook, trembled and broke.

It was an Earthquake on a massive scale, the air roaring in sympathy to the quivering earth. The Fire Callers howled in pain and confusion as Faith was thrown to the ground.

The air hummed in a deep low buzz, the Char continuing to wail with it, even in their death throws. “Kill them!” she roared and her group recovered itself. Stephan’s sword flashed in a frenzy, black fire blazing from a kali on her knees as Faith called minions as she tried to stand. In the distance the world continued to groan.

One minion rose from the chaos before Kali’s spells and Stephan’s sword finished the group of elementalist Char. It had taken only seconds but Faith felt as though it had been ages since she stood. The staff in her hands

“Ow ow ow ow ow,” Melody mumbled from behind her, crawling on hands and knees to check the necromancer. The monk had a long bruise on the side of her face and a scrape on her forehead. A healing blast issued and Faith felt hurts eased that she had not realized she carried.

“Grenth and Lyssa at a ball!” Faith swore. “Kali!”

“It wasn’t me!” the elementalist said, hand to heart. “Can’t you feel it? There’s mana in the air. A lot of mana.”

Faith turned to Kali, ready to tear her a new one for losing control of a spell, and stopped. The elementalist shivered slightly, clutching the short sword in both hands. Eyes cast about, franticly searching for something.

“Where’d it come from then?” Faith asked.

Trembling in sympathy to the mana around her, Kali’s hand rose to point west and south, wavering slightly as though searching.

“If I was a bird,” Stephan stepped in, his own balanced stance keeping him level through the quake, “That’d be the way to Rin.” He bent to help Kali up, concern quavering from him through the group link.

“Alright. It wasn’t you; so what was it?”

The ground trembled again, a second low buzzing roar echoing through the air and Faith’s blood ran cold. It came from everywhere and nowhere, growing to a crescendo of deep mournful agony. The elementalist trembled in the wake of the mana she felt.

Faith sighed, answering Stephan. “It’s a snag.”

16

Days stretched long in Grendich courthouse. Kali managed to barter a group of three beds together in the back of the women’s dorms, a large cramped tent that was a town in itself. Neither as cozy or private as the private tent they had shared in Piken, Faith forced her displeasures aside. The elementalist had done all she could. Still, other necros might love dark, dank, dying places. Faith had been a monk long enough to gather a taste for clean and well kept.

One bright spot to the transfer was found in Colin Trueshot. Sharp witted and—perhaps more important for Faith’s group of “strangers”—impressed by the quartet, faith had no trouble confiding melody’s peculiar situation to the ranger. Brother to a legend and a man of known rank in Rin, Colin had been made a Group Leader his second day and taken the little monk—partly—under his wing.

Group Leader seemed a possibility before long as well. A steady stream of groups had impressed her abilities as a minion master and there was no shortage of opportunity to advance.

Faith sighed as she strolled past a smaller field tent, her nose twitching with angrily as her Soul Reaping powers tasted the air around a monk field tent. Death mana wafted from the tent in tiny waves.

No. No shortage of openings to advance. Far too many she felt.

Gaban and Adelbern had worked out a moronically simple plan. Using Stormcaller once every hour, the Char were forced back to the northern regions of the lowlands. With Grendich courthouse “secure” as a foothold, Gaban would strike out with several groups at the sounding of that powerful relic. Some groups would stay outside after the first offensive, nipping at the Char from the outside and charge back an hour later.

Faith had been “assigned”—assignment here meant being grabbed by the arm and told to hurry up—to one of those patrols yesterday. The memory of it made her quicken her step away from the tent her Soul Reaping was snacking on.

Adelbern’s strategy had two major flaws as she saw it. First; this far away, Stormcaller’s power was greatly reduced. Instead of leaving the Char dazed for several minutes, they remained disoriented for only a period of seconds. Hardly enough time to mass and launch an offensive.

Secondly, the Char had advance warning of every attack the humans planned. And they exploited that edge ruthlessly. Like clockwork, swarms of humans raced out of Grendich. Every hour on the hour. Like clockwork, they managed to slaughter the comparatively small number of Char that ringed the courthouse to keep them locked inside.
And like clockwork, every hour several large groups of Char would descend on the human troops as they fought. With the nearest groups of Char keeping Gaban’s force too busy to do anything else—large enough they could not be ignored yet small enough the Char were willing to lose the numbers—a second slaughter ensued as the humans tried to disentangle themselves from battle and retreat to the defenses of the courthouse.

Faith shook her head disgustedly as she bent to enter the women’s dorm. The Char outnumbered the humans by an impossible amount. Both sides eating away at each other like this…numbers won this tactic every time.

Smiles greeted her as she made the long walk to the back. Faith took a firm grip of her belt pouch. With this many mouths to feed, the little chits handed out every day by the QM were more precious than gold. Kali had lost hers once already in the last four days. Anyone could turn cutpurse when their belly rumbled loudly enough.

If you ignored the part about desperately trying to stay alive, the day’s routine was, well, routine. Sign up on the large roster every morning for the group you wanted to run, hope the leader didn’t bump you to something else, and take your day’s meal chits. Then it was back to barracks to wait for the call or breakfast, whichever came first.

“Hey!” came a shout from behind and faith turned to see a commotion starting at the front. “This is the women’s quarters. No men allowed.”

“I’ll have her head!” a man’s voice roared from the tent front and someone squeaked in fear. Faith had barely time to turn full around before melody burst from the crowd, Peace and Harmony a beacon around her as she bolted between people toward Faith and safety.

Oh yeah, Faith thought to herself, her mood souring further. Yesterday.

Yesterday Melody had run into the kind of group Faith fretted over. All male and all too bold, the monk’s link had shattered in the heart of combat. No one seemed to notice except the warrior that had been thinking what he shouldn’t have anyway. Melody had continued to heal them, unlinked, and everyone had come home safe and alive. More than too many groups could say.

But the warrior had been blinded, crippled and bleeding heavily as he limped his way back to camp. To hear Melody tell it, the feel of him had grown so—‘ewwey’ was the word she used—so bad that she couldn’t manage to cast anything on him toward the end.

It had not been a pleasant situation for a man with no healing skills of his own, and he’d had no shortage of choice words for Melody when he chased her through the courthouse.

This must be him now, Faith decided as Melody skittered behind her friend, using Faith as a shield as a man nearly as large as Stephan pushed his way inside. Faith felt Melody probing desperately and linked, the grouping sharing Melody’s panic, fear and…bewilderment. Faith forced down a sigh. Melody didn’t even know why the man was mad.

She’d forgotten again.

“That damn monk almost got me killed!” the warrior roared. Melody eeped weakly, pulling Faith further back.

Faith’s tone was cold as she stared down him down. “Your mouth is about to do the same.

“Get out of here. Now.”

The Warrior scowled, looking as if he wanted to say more. Faith sneered, almost willing him to. She had gained a slight reputation over the last four days. He stomped off angrily. Melody clutched Faith from behind, trembling slightly.

“Melody,” Faith said trying to keep her voice soft. It wasn’t easy. “Melody; let go. He’s gone.”

The tiny monk peeked out from Faith’s right side, straightening slightly when she saw the warrior had indeed left. “You wouldn’t have let him hurt me would you?” she asked, still trembling as Faith pulled away.

Faith sighed, slightly annoyed. This happened every time a Warrior snapped at the monk. It was growing old, even if Faith knew the reason. “No,” the necromancer replied. Then for Melody’s ears alone. “You remember what Kali and I promised when we left the Sanitarium. No one’s ever going to hurt you again.”

Melody looked up to Faith, a wide smile spreading slowly across her rosy lips. Faith felt the monk reach out, grouping more deeply with her. The sudden change from repressed terror to sugary sweetness made Faith’s stomach turn. Melody lurched forward, gripped the necromancer in a firm hug.

“Get off!”

“You love me,” the monk sang sweetly.

“Shut up Mel,” Faith snapped, disentangling from the monk.

“You do,” Melody sing-songed, smiling ever more broadly.

“I said shut up Mel,” Faith fumed. “Go…go get us our breakfast already,” she handed over one of her chits to the monk. “Kali can get her own.”

“I love you too Faith,” and the monk skipped away toward the tent flap.

“Merciful Grenth why won’t she die!”

17

“Still wearing the GL pin I see,” an all to familiar voice called as Faith stepped out of the women’s tent to follow Melody.

“I earned it Wallace,” Faith replied, turning toward the canteen.

“Uh huh.” The elementalist was leaning on a tent rain barrel beside the door. He hitched exaggeratedly as she stood up and followed her. “You’ve been earning a name for yourself as a Death necro the last couple of days. I’m impressed. Maybe you were a GL back in Piken.”

“You calling me a liar you stubby legged toad?” Faith wanted to ask. She forced her mouth to stay closed, forced her hands to stay at her sides instead of polishing the GL pin. He was trying to bait her. His rank was recognized. Hers wasn’t. yet. It was that simple.

“You need something in particular?” she asked instead. “I’m hungry.”

“You know death magic,” Wallace continued. “What about Curses?”

“I’m a necro. I know it all,” she said, more than a little heatedly. “But I’m best as an MM.”

“Good,” the GL smiled beside her. It made Faith’s skin crawl. “I need a proper necro for a deep patrol today. You’ll be running a curse build of my own design.”

It took every ounce of will not to wince at that. “I ran one of those yesterday. I’m off hard duty rotation because of it GL,” Faith said simply. It was fact. No one wanted to kiss Grenth twice in two days; that’s how good material was ruined. Even Gaban knew that. “Besides, I’ve already signed the roster to run with GL 6 Ruthgar today.”

“Ruthgar has enough people on his sheet,” Wallace snapped. “I need a good necro to run a curse build. You’re it.”

Faith stopped where they stood, turning a glare at the elementalist. “If you’re going to insist I run a heavy rotation again, fine. But at least let me run what I’m best at.”

“Curse build, noob,” Wallace sneered. “I need a Render.

“Or are you not up for it?” he pressed. “I can tell the QMs you disobeyed a Group Leader. You know how much they love feeding slack-hands around here. Maybe I should ask your big friend Kali. Rocks for brains, using earth when everyone knows its fire or nothing, but I’m sure she’ll come around.”

“What do you want?” Faith growled.

“You’re not in Piken any more newbie,” Wallace answered in the same tone. They were of a same height; standing on tip toe, he did manage a credible loom. He stood, nose to nose with her, said “I’m goanna show you that today.

“And I’m goanna show you how a real GL operates.”

* * *

“Real” group leaders didn’t need to think about their groups, Faith decided as she followed Wallace to the front gate. A tired looking elementalist ranger and a monk warrior with an all too blank stare looked her up and down, appraisingly. Faith sighed. Wallace insisted on spinal shivers and a pure curse build. No self heals; it was a waste of energy with a monk. She would be their interrupter, staffing enemies as they “nuked the world”.

Faith sighed again as she looked at their “tank”; a Moa bird three days past dead and as exhausted as its master. The ele ranger smiled apologetically, patting the bird on the head. It flinched.

“Hi,” the monk said. “I’m Jules. I heal.” Faith regarded the monk again. If he did heal, he hadn’t been for long. The boy—he was a boy—couldn’t have been out of training for more than a handful of weeks. “This is gram. He’s a fire ele.”

This is going to hurt, Faith thought, but kept it to herself.

“Alright,” Wallace said in a “voice of command” that was really just shouting at his people. “We got another necro Gram.”

“Hi,” Gram said sleepily. “Just stay in the back and let Frisky get their attention.” The Moa squawked sleepily too. If Gram was a regular in Wallace’s groups, the man didn’t appear to get much chance to rest. “We keep em hurting while you shut them down,” he concluded.

Faith considered the skills Wallace wanted her to run. It wouldn’t take many runs for her to be swaying the way Gram was now. The man pressed his team too hard. They walked out of the courthouse with the first groups of the morning.

“It’s almost time,” Wallace said in a voice anything could hear. “Stay close and rush through. We’ll turn around and nuke them when they pass.

Faith felt the tingle and braced. The blast was followed by a singular roar—Char and human in fear for their lives—and faith’s group ran for the bowl.

“Past!” Wallace screamed. “Run past them all! We have to get to the other side!”

You think we don’t know that? but Faith ran, silent.

The group turned, following their leader. Wallace stopped them on a hill well away from the main fight. Several clusters of Char waited here; searching for the patrols they knew would be coming through. He pointed to the largest, a group of ten coming straight at them. “Rend that Shaman!” Wallace screamed.

Faith focused and fired on the Shaman just in range, rocking from the burning power as the mana of his enchantments tore though her.

“Shower!” Wallace commanded and Gram winced beside her. Above, the sky dimmed further in patches as balls of fiery rock rushed to meet the ground.

“See?” Wallace scoffed. The Shaman dropped to a burning heap before them, crushed under one of the rocks. “Rend doesn’t hurt you nearly as much as it hurts your enemies.”

He turned to the rest of the group, a triumphant smile on his lips. “Now that we’ve a proper necro, lets see about killing some Char.”

“You okay?” The monk asked quietly.

“I could use a heal,” Faith replied, eyes crossed in the aftershock of Rend’s price.

“Right,” Jules nodded, thinking. “Here you go,” and she felt the familiar touch of an Orison spell soothing her. Faith almost baulked. He’d had to think about sending her an Orison?

“Come on Gram!” Wallace shouted again. The idiot was a beacon for every Char this side of the field. “Grenth take you Gram, I said Meteor Shower!

“Just a second,” Gram called hoarsely, exhausted. “Just a second.”

“Run back!” Jules squeaked and Faith gapped at Wallace. He was pressed out as far as Frisky. “Gram! You took too long! No! The other way Jules! Run on! We can’t go back to the courthouse now!”

The group ran, dozens of Char fast on their heels. Faith felt something graze her shoulder. Arrows from the hunters. If we keep running, we could keep this lead. The Char would stop following soon and we can circle around, take them out piecemeal. Maybe…

Wallace, however, had other plans. He turned just as the thought came to her. “Now dammit!” Wallace roared in his command voice/petulant shout. “Cast it now!”

“No! Run on!” Faith commanded. “There’s too many on us to take all at once!”

“I knew it!” Wallace cried victoriously. “I heard you and your little friends talk! I know about your secret letter! Coward! Rurik lover! I’ll see you swing girl!”

Faith stared in shock at the mad man before her. He stood on the rise, triumphant in some petty bait in the middle of what had to be the worst tactical disaster she had ever seen.

And Faith realized-- with total certainty--that Wallace didn’t care. His whole team could die; he’d just go and get another. That’s what a “real” group leader was to him.

Gram screamed, clutching his chest. Faith turned, pain for the young man deep in her soul. Life spirit turned death mana from the arrow through his chest and Gram fell dead beside her.

“Rez him Jules! What is wrong with you noobs!?”

“That is enough!” Faith roared, turning to a corpse nearest her. Gram shivered—sorry Gram, she thought—and a bone minion lurched free.

“I told you no minions you idiot!”

“Shut up,” Faith wanted to say but her mouth was clenched shut in a silent rictus as her horde began to form.

“Gurgle!”

“Jules!” Wallace screamed, “heal me!”

Faith forced Wallace out of her mind, concentrating on Death. It took time to change the skills you used, like changing the rhythm of your stride mid race. It was deeply frowned on to try, dangerous even when successful. But she had to do it. She had to, or they’d all die. “Jules!” she screamed. “Wallace!” a reluctant afterthought. “Get close inside my horde; let them take the damage!”

“Shut up noob!” Wallace roared from beyond the mass. His voice was growing more distant. “Forget her Jules! She’s an idiot; get out of there!”

“I can’t!” the monk screamed. “I can’t get to you Faith!”

“Gurgle!” Faith panted, a pair of bone minions turning to the fray. It was becoming easier now. Soon…”Hang on Jules, I’m coming!”

“Come to me; forget her!” Wallace roared.

“I can’t Wallahhhhhurtsss!”

“Gurgle!” Sorry Jules…I should have stopped this in the courthouse. Should have found a way to save us there…

“We have to get out of here!”

“Gurgle!” Sorry Frisky…

“Help MEEE!”

“Gurgle!”

Dead, Faith could feel it. All dead…but me.
The minion wall buckled and heaved, a wave of undead undulating as the Char tried desperately to reach their Master. Faith felt Death mana all around; the horde was stretched out, trying to reach her. The few around were scant protection, but the ones outside were dealing a deadly price.

“You,” she gritted, willing her horde to fight, “will,” the horde rocked, pressed tighter back by the Char.

“PAY!!!!”

The horde buckled and Faith felt pain. Deep in her abdomen, a tightening pinch. Something foreign inside. Hard and sharp.

A sword, she concluded, surprisingly calm. I’ve just been stabbed in the stomach.

Fire raced from the wound and Faith fought to breathe. Fought to stay alive. They have to pay. They have to pay.

But she couldn’t move. Her arms were suddenly rubber. Her knees buckled as the horde collapsed atop her, minions crumbling to ash or flailing wildly out of her control. She knew it was happening, refused to believe. They have to pay.

Then nothing. No pain. Her stomach didn’t feel better. It felt nothing. Like it wasn’t there. Strange. Too strange to feel nothing. Too wrong, feeling nothing. Faith didn’t like feeling nothing. Still she fought.

“Faith?” the voice behind her was kindly and familiar. She had dreamed of that voice for two years now; yearned to hear it just one more time. But now that she did, dread crept into her. “Stop now sweetheart. Its over.”

“Karim?”

“Yeah.”

“Am I dead?” Faith opened her eyes. No; the dead had no eyes. But she “saw” fog in green light. The world she was in seemed a soft glow. It wasn’t comforting. It wasn’t anything. It was like her stomach now; nothing where there used to be something. Faith wanted to shiver. She was afraid.

“Yeah.” Karim said.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah Faith. I’m sure. You just died.”

“Is this the underworld?”

“No. This is a waiting place. It’s between.”

“Then…you’re an envoy?”

“No. Just me. They thought you might like some company while you wait.”

“Wait? Wait for what?”

“I don’t know. They won’t tell me. They just said you were dead and asked if I wanted to see you while you wait,” a laugh. “How could I refuse?” Faith “turned” to the voice at last, looking at the man behind her. Karim smiled sadly. He was as she remembered in her good dreams: face smooth, head freshly shaved with a twinkle in his eye just for her. But the twinkle glistened, almost a tear. He touched the fan of shock white hair covering a dark red burn forever etched on her left cheek. “Gods Faith. What did you do to yourself?”

“I tried Karim.” And she did feel. She felt grief. She felt love. She felt impotence for a price not paid in full. “I tried so hard.”

Karim took her into his arms. Squeezed her tightly to him. But as much as she squeezed back, as much as she wanted to, Faith could feel nothing.

18

Melody giggled. “I don’t believe you,” she said, smiling. Leaning closer to Stephan, she buried herself in his side like a daughter would with her father. The warrior let her, pausing from his sharpening to pat her shoulder.

Colin quirked an eyebrow, his grin mischievous. “It’s true. I was a regular Wintersday pig before Idiot found me. And that’s really how he got his name.”

“Uh uh,” she laughed again.

Colin raised his hand as though swearing the Oath to Serve. “Every night for a solid week he followed me home. And every night just before dinner you’d hear Pa Trueshot shouting at the top of his lungs ‘git off mah table ya idiot!’ and Idiot would barrel out the front door with our dinner between his teeth.”

Stephan could feel Melody relaxing through the group link. Colin had been very frank about his needs in the monk but had proved as patient as anyone could hope. Tomorrow was to be her first sweep patrol—something no one could avoid here if they wanted to eat—and the ranger was doing what he could to set her at ease before the big day.

“After almost a solid week of him sneaking in at dinner time,” Colin continued, “Pa said ‘alright. You want that moron Colin, you can keep em. But whatever he eats is comin outa your share!’

“And I’ll tell you one thing sure if nothing else. Half rations in the Trueshot house will skinny a boy up right quick!”

Despite himself, Stephan snickered. He forced his mind back to his sword and his whetstone, honing the edge back to razor sharpness. It was easier to concentrate on that than anything else when he was alone with Melody. Stray thoughts were a hazard when you were getting her used to someone, so he forced his mind to stillness, reciting the mantra Tasha had him memorize.

I’m here to help. I’m here to protect. No one hurts here; no one is afraid. I’m safe, I don’t hurt people, and you won’t hurt me. I trust you. I know you can trust me.

Over and over with each pass of the whetstone, Stephan recited his litany of the mind. On Melody’s other side, Idiot, turned to regard the warrior. She turned and scratched his ears, getting an affectionate head-butt in return.

They were waiting for news. Ruthgar’s group had left at lunch time and returned, but Faith had never returned to the dorms. Lunch had passed, and dinner was starting. Kali had gone out to find Ruthgar; she should be back any minute—

Melody shifted again, shivering as if cold. She pulled away slightly, both mental and physical.

No. I’m here to help. I’m here to protect. No one hurts here; no one is afraid. I don’t think about Kali when I’m alone with Mel. I’m safe, I don’t hurt people, and you won’t hurt me. That part was weird, Stephan thought. Melody couldn’t hurt a fly. Why had Tasha insisted it was so important?

“You know he never did again?” Colin answered a question Stephan had missed. “He never did jump on the table again after I started to feed him. I think maybe it was his way of introducing himself to the family and me.”

The ranger laughed, concluding “And he’d never answer to another name I’d give him so—”

“That’s why we call him Idiot,” Melody finished with him, giggling.

“Think of Lyssaa and there she is,” Stephan mumbled, waving a hand as the elementalist strode past. “Kali,” he called. “Over here.”

The elementalist warrior strode on as though she hadn’t heard.

“Kali?” Stephan stood, calling her name louder. Kali stopped—jerked as if struck, and turned to his voice. She moved like a minion…or an invalid just out of bed. Her face was slack, her eyes glazed and glistening.

Stephan felt Melody’s fear and concern through the link; felt his own compound on hers. No one hurts here; no one is afraid. No one hurts here; no one is afraid…

“Kali?” Colin asked as the three of the reached her together. “Kali; where’s your sword?”

“What?” the elementalist jerked again, glancing down at her hand. “I must have lost it. Dropped. Somewhere.”

“Kali?” Stephan took her shoulder, shaking her gently when she turned away. “Kali what’s wrong?”

Kali stared ahead, her face blank.

“Kali?”

Her voice was hollow; rushed. “Faith didn’t go out with Ruthgar. Wallace had him switch her out for a sweep.

“They left before breakfast. That’s why we couldn’t find her.”

“Did Faith go away too?” Melody stared at Kali, shivering again as she buried herself in Stephan’s side.

“She’s not in camp,” Kali finished, staring at Stephan with dead eyes. “The QMs just took their names off the roster.”

Stephan felt confusion and fear in the link. I’m here to help. I’m here to protect. No one hurts here; no one is afraid.

But it didn’t help, and his heart wasn’t in it.

19

The dead are in stasis. Life moves on. The next day’s dawn saw men coming out of the courthouse, fighting for survival. One group broke away from that fight followed by a stalker, running swiftly. Char gave chase, stumbling under the disorienting power of Stormcaller’s blast. But the humans had a safe lead and kept it; the Char gave up—let them go, there are more to kill—and out into the lowlands four people wandered.

They moved quietly, skirting the edge of the Char held land around Grendich courthouse and the ruined landscape ruled by gargoyles. One man broke away from the quartet, the stalker following as she came to perch on a rock outcrop high above a small valley of tar and ruined buildings.

Colin Trueshot took a chew from the beef jerky and placed the salty stick back in his pack. It was his first time running as group leader for a sweep and the patrol had been largely uneventful until now. He turned from his perch, walking back to his team.

“Looks a mess down there,” Grad said, unslinging the bow from its hoop. “Want us to check it out.”

“Naw,” Colin said, shaking his head. “Nothings moving. I’ll do a quick sweep though. Grad, take Frasier around the other side, see what you can see. Stay close just in case; Melody: with me and Idiot.

“Ok.” The little monk said sullenly.

“You ok kid?” Colin asked, slipping down into the valley.

“Yeah,” she lied, following. It was a dumb question to ask. She’d lost a friend yesterday; that was always rough. Stephan and Kali had wanted to follow this sweep. Knowing that pair, they’d have tried to shake off and find Faith no matter what. Colin had put his foot down—he’d had to, he was a GL—and spoken to all the sweep teams, warning them to keep an eye on that pair for the next few days. Good men and women were inshore t supply at the courthouse. They couldn’t be wasted on chasing ghosts.

“Well, keep an aegis ready in case.”

“Okay,” Melody said hollowly. Colin tried to recite the litany Stephan used. I’m safe and you are too. No one’s scared here and...uh…Aww look girl; I’m not going to do anything bad to you and that’s that. You can believe it or don’t. Never was good remembering things like that anyway. You just stick close and I’ll watch out for you when I can, okay? Colin sighed when he saw Melody shiver from the corner of his eye. Maybe he should have tried to get her the day off. She was a great monk when she was on top of things, but yesterday had shaken her. Hard. Unstable as she was, she might do anything.

“Careful,” he cautioned, the battlefield coming into view. He kicked a pile of bones, watching them turn to ash as his boot touched them. “Minion husks. Whatever made these might still be around.”

“Okay,” Melody replied. Colin wondered if she’d actually heard him. Nope; not stable. Things got dicey when people stopped thinking.

“Looks like a warzone,” Colin mumbled to himself. He paused next to an ash pile, Char bodies scattered as they died. Minions lay scattered around the pile, crumbling to decay.

“Okay,” Melody replied. “Here?” Nope, Colin decided. Not hearing and not wanting too. Probably in her won world. He’d have to cut this sweep short; get her back to the courthouse and talking to a mesmer.

“O my Gods!” Melody cried, diving into the ash pile face first. Colin grabbed her arm, then saw what she was doing.

Girl hadn’t gone nuts. She was digging.

He made out the shape of a nose in the ash, saw a head tilt slowly back as Melody grabbed shoulders and heaved. The monk smiled—she actually smiled!—at the day old corpse. “Hello Faith.”

* * *

Karim took her into his arms. Squeezed her tightly to him. But as much as she squeezed back, as much as she wanted to, Faith could feel nothing.

It wasn't that bad, feeling nothing, Faith decided. She could still feel love. That was enough for anyone to feel.

She didn’t know how long they stood like that. Time had no meaning here. Eventually, he pulled her away—she clutched him to her, but strong hands became insistent and they parted—smiling again as he said “You were always stubborn.”

“What do you mean?”

“Just,” Karim shrugged, “you’re not one to let go.”

“I never have to let go of you again,” she said, a teasing reminder.

Faith saw mana flicker in the fog. She smiled at it. Mana was always pretty. But this was beautiful. Familiar. The smile faded and she looked at it closer—no; it was coming closer. The mana was more than familiar. She recognized the spirit behind. Someone…but who? Who would come here looking for her? Who could, for that matter?

“I love you Faith,” Karim said softly. He squeezed her gently, nuzzling her hair. “I’ll always love you.

“But its time to go.”

“What?” even as the question passed her lips the mana grabbed her and she gasped. It was surprising, the gasp, as though she had not breathed air in a long time. Then again, what use had the dead for breathing?

The mana tugged, insistent, pulling her away. Faith felt fear and pulled against it. Petulant, the mana tugged again, pulling her with stubborn firmness away from where she was.

Another gasp, painful and harsh, and Faith slipped from Karim’s arms. Cold air inside her lungs; hardness where there was nothing. How had she never noticed how much breathing hurt? She reached out, back toward Karim, but he made no move to help. Unbelievingly, he looked happy. “Karim?”

“I love you Faith. Live and know that. But live on.”

“Karim?” a third breath; easier but no less alien. “It hurts!”

“Living does sometimes,” her lover said. Through his smile Faith saw tears. Not tears though—the dead didn’t cry—loss. Yearning for something he could no longer have. “But it’s worth it. Trust me; I know.

“Live your life Faith. Let the dead go.”

* * *

“I don’t want to…”

“What’d she say?” came a voice from above. Faith winced, a jarring spasm that made her want to faint. It hurt. Gods, living hurt so much. Still…she forced another breath.

“Faith?” another voice, loud and insistent with concern. Faith opened her eyes, seeing sunlight for the first time in too long. It was too bright and she closed her eyes again, turning her head away. “Faith?”

“Mel-o-dy?”

“Uh huh.” The little monk said more softly this time. Faith felt warmth around her hand, someone squeezing gently. “I thought I lost you. I was scared again.” The fearful voice turned slightly reproachful. “You don’t go away anymore, okay. You stay with me, okay? Please?”

It hurt so much to live. Death held no pain. But… Live your life Faith.

“Ok. For you…”

“You’re a lucky necro,” the first voice said from above. “Another monk might have given up on you. Mel’s just too stubborn for that though.

“Alright,” the voice called again, far too loudly for the newly raised. “Grad! Frazier! Rig a stretcher and lets get her back to the courthouse.”

Awww that was really well written. Poor Faith, but at least she got to see Karim again..

On with the story need more

I had to wipe away a tear with that whole "life hurts sometimes" thing. Seeing Faith's vulnerable side was quite moving... more so than I would have expected.

And in order to get that kind of effect takes a brilliant author. Keep going, my friend, this is good stuff.

Love the story. I Couldn't stop reading 'till I got to the latest entry

20

Being famous had its perks, Faith decided as she lay on a cot in a small private tent. She hadn’t been dead for the whole day, the masses had decided, but for quite a long time.

Over the last week and a half—and many times during the three days she could remember—a constant surge of people had been in and out to check on her and explain the miracle. Mesmers checking for signs of possession. Necromancers wanting to ask questions. And monks. How many monks she couldn’t count, but it seemed every monk in Grendich from master healers to newly raised had popped in to “check on her.”

Questions had been easy to answer. When asked, she answered—quite truthfully, even though it left out a world of detail—that she remembered “nothing”. Mesmers had finally relented that Faith was Faith; no hitchhiker’s from the Underworld. Necros had given up—though they’d been the most stubborn of her visitors—were beginning to accept that she hadn’t sat down to tea with the God of Death.

And the monks, begrudgingly, had accepted that Faith was Melody’s patient. Any questions they had about her condition they could ask her monk, instead of “popping in” to check on her at all hours.

But such attention required a quiet place, away from other patients who needed their rest too. Melody had seen to that, finagling a private tent for Faith to recuperate in. Sometimes it was private. That was a surprising relief for Faith—she should have known though; when it came to the health of her groups and her patients Melody had an iron will—as the solitude gave her time to think.

And much to think about once she could again.

The tentflap parted and Faith steeled herself for another barrage of questions.

“Good evening,” Melody chirped, bouncing in. Peace and Harmony crackled freshly in the air, and whatever had made her apply the enchantment was already dimming to lost memory as she smiled at her “patient”. Faith wanted to howl. The monk was falling back on bad habits. Easier a doctor than a patient, Faith surmised. “Are you up for a few visitors?”

NO! “Yeah Mel,” Faith said, sighing softly instead. “Who wants to pick my brain today?”

“We do,” came from the tentflap as Kali bent nearly double to walk through. Stephan followed, the two of them having to hunch uncomfortably to stand in the small tent. With just her and Melody Faith often forgot how small it was.

“Was wondering when you two would find some time for me,” Faith teased. Stephan chuckled. She knew they’d been as near as they could during the first few days. That she’d been asleep for all their visits wasn’t their fault.

“I did see you when I was coming back from my sweep,” Kali said, forcing a smile. Faith took another look at Kali after hearing the weariness in her voice. It wasn’t just the tent that made her hunch over. Stephan pushed her toward a chair and the woman nearly fell into it. “I would have come over, but you looked a little busy.”

“Terrance Hexbiter.” Faith said sounding like a lemon was wedged between her cheeks. Melody had authorized Faith's second excursion from the tent today, and the necromancer had waylaid her in the canteen. “That man won’t be satisfied until my voice starts shaking walls again. He’s convinced me being Godspoken had something to do with my ‘miracle’.”

“I don’t like that man,” Melody said, earning a raised eyebrow from the trio. “He keeps asking you too many questions and he keeps asking me creepy ones.” She mumbled under her breath “I’m not nuts.”

Faith smirked but let the slanting tone slide. “How many’d you lose?” she asked and Kali blanched.

The elementalist shook her head wonderingly. You don’t miss much do you?” Faith waited, silent. “Two,” she replied at last. “In my group. I don’t know how many more; that’s when they ordered a withdrawal.”

Kali coughed.

“You don’t look well Kali,” Melody said. “You ok? Have you been eating?”

“She’s running ragged,” Stephan said and Faith heard strain from the warrior as well. Not the bone cracking tiredness of Kali. Mental strain; concern for his friends. Sometimes, that could be worst of all. “They’re starting double rotations Faith. Each person in Grendich is expected to run a sweep every two days. Those that aren’t on a sweep run in at least two offensives a day.”

“I’ve just gotta stop using Obsidian,” Kali replied, fending Melody off. “Don’t know what else I’ll use but,” another sigh; resigned. “Too much exhaustion; not enough sleep. This pace is just…”

There was pain in her voice as she looked at her old Group Leader. “It’s insane Faith.”

“I know,” the necromancer replied, her tone ominous. “That’s exactly what it is.”

Sorry guys. I got sucked into the Nightfall event, same as everyone (grin).

TY for the comments everyone

@Ristaron & huwbie: you must be psychic; knowing exactly what I'm worrying about and telling me its working. I was afraid Faith was too 'mushy'. that part only stayed in because I couldn't bring myself to edit it out.

21

“The king’s lost it,” Faith continued. “We stay here like this we’ll die.”

“What are you talking about?” Stephan snapped, fire in his eyes. Despite herself, Faith pulled away from the heat of his gaze. “King Adelbern is fine. Fine!”

“Wait a minute Steph,” Kali joined, gripping his hand familiarly. “This isn’t like you Faith.”

Faith kept the sneer from her face. “I’m not possessed Kali.”

“Then what have you heard?”

“More than I wanted to over the last few days,” Faith replied. Yes; being famous—being wounded and forced to stay in camp and listen to gossip—had its perks. “Rurik found Stormcaller; not Adelbern. He used it in Rin; he saved the cities populace.

“Adelbern disowned him when Prince Rurik declared Rin too dangerous to rebuild. He didn’t run from the fight. He and his teams saved Rin; fought and died to protect the refugees that wanted to flee into the Shivrpeeks.”

Stephan shook his head, disbelieving.

“Adelbern did nothing,” Faith pressed. “Nothing to help the civilians, nothing to aide in re-taking Rin. He’s just been puffing his chest for the last two weeks; blowing Stormcaller like it were some sacred ceremony and all the while letting his brain soak up whatever the Royals tell him is true. The man’s got no control in Grendich. The orders he is sending here have been countered twice by Gaban.”

“Then we should tell King Adelbern,” Stephan retorted. “He won’t stand for this sort of treason once he knows about it”

“I’m glad they were countered,” Faith snapped, trying to appear commanding in her sickbed. “They were idiotic in the extreme.” She stared Stephan down, ready for another explosion. “You’re worried about two offensives per person a day? Adelbern wants us in all of them.”

Kali gasped beside him and Stephan jerked. He looked to her and Faith saw fear in his eyes. She’d seen that fear too recently for comfort. He knew what she had said.

“Grendich is expendable Stephan. As long as we’re killing Char, the man doesn’t care how many of us die.”

“Faith,” Kali spoke quietly, sounding forced. “I don’t have to tell you that, well, coming from you calling a man Char hungry is a little,” the elementalist fumbled, searching.

“Hypocritical?” Faith supplied, forcing the smile back in place. Kali sighed, nodding. “You remember what Mhenlo said to us once? ‘I don’t have a problem dying so long as it’s for a reason.’ I know sometimes I seem overzealous when we were in a push, but I’ve always tried to live that way. I’ve always been willing to die that way too Kali.

“We stay here, the way this place is going, we won’t get that chance.”

Silence stretched in the tent; only the labored breathing of the enraged and the desperate filled their ears. “I’m scared,” Mel said, clutching Kali’s other hand in a firm grip.

“I know Mel,” Faith said. “Look; Rurik is west of here with his defectors. We make a break for it, these guys probably won’t raise too much stink and we can meet up with his men. He may be brash, but he’s not gone crazy.”

“What about Barradin?” Stephan countered. “Couldn’t we try to get word to him first? See about getting some help

Faith sighed slowly, pointing to the stack of parchment she had managed to get hold of. “Piken fell six days ago. Reports are sketchy still, but it looks like the Char hit them from the south gate and managed to break through.

“Without Rurik King Adelbern has no one left in line of succession. Without Barradin, the Royalists can’t hope to supplant him. None of them are popular enough to hold Ascalon together.”

“Then why even mention them?”

“Because Rurik is ‘disowned’,” Kali replied. “When Adelburn dies—and he’ll die if he keeps pressing us the way he is. If someone on his own side doesn’t stick a knife in his back soon, the Char will do it for us—there’s no one left to hold Ascalon together. That leaves only the wealthy landowners; Royals.”

“And they couldn’t stop their squabbling during the Guild Wars,” Faith finished. “That’s why Adelburn won the throne.”

She looked to the tent flap, searching for a way out. “This country can’t handle a civil war and the Char at the same time. The country will split into small territories and the Char will devour it one Royal state at a time.” Faith could see it in her mind. Roaming bands of Char supplanting the human patrols that held Ascalon together with twine and treesap. Humans scattering into tiny hovels; little more than caves. Death, destruction. Then…nothing…Faith shivered at the thought. Not for herself. For her home. For her people.

“Faith,” Kali called her back, “what are you saying?

Faith looked them in the eye, each in turn and said “Ascalon is lost.”

Stephan stared back, his eyes hollow. “You’re talking about defection. What makes you think they’ll take us anyway?”

“I’m talking about following orders,” Faith said, forcing a smile. “The last order Barradin gave us was to report to Rurik’s camp.

“But you destroyed that letter,” Kali replied, shaking her head. “I thought it was too dangerous to keep.”

“Too dangerous for me to keep,” and Faith's smile was genuine. “Melody?” the monk perked out of her fog again. “Can I have my paper please?”

“Okay,” the monk replied. Tugging the buns on her head, Melody pulled her hair loose. Hidden inside one and tied to the clip she used, a small roll of parchment fell out. “Remember,” the monk chirped “it’s a secret.” she put a finger over her mouth and made a shhh sound.

Kali and Stephan looked from monk to necro in shock as Faith took the small piece of parchment from Melody and unfolded it. The wax seal was bent in a curve and slightly cracked, but showed the lightning strikes and hammer of House Barradin.

“You both could have been flogged for hiding that,” Kali rebuked halfheartedly.

“Who would have thought to look?” Faith asked and smiled. Melody saw her humor—if not the cause—and smiled too. “I’m still your GL Kali, if you’ll have me. Sometimes, I may have to take a risk to avoid a bigger one later.”

“Alright,” Stephan said. ‘that might get us to the dissidents.” He shook his head, his mind racing with everything that faith had said. She really did wish they had found time to come by sooner. Dropping everything on them as she had…it hadn’t been fair to them. The warrior took a claming breath, forcing the next sentence out. “But what about getting out of Grendich? They may not ‘kick up a fuss’ but I doubt they’ll take kindly to us trying to walk out on them.”

“Probably not,” Faith agreed. “And that’s exactly what we’re going to do. You two try to set accept evening sweeps for tomorrow. Tomorrow afternoon, I’m putting my GL tags back on and we’re walking out with the after-lunch offensive.”

“Uh uh,” Melody said with a firm headshake. She pouted prettily with an admonishing finger toward Faith. "You’re still too weak to be going outside and making minions. I know you; you always make minions when you go outside and you’re not going out until you’re better.”

“Mel,” Faith said, keeping her tone calm, “I’m talking about going to a place where I don’t have to make minions any more. A place where there aren’t any Char or things that hurt us any more.”

Melody looked skeptical. “No more minions?”

Faith nodded.

“And none of us would get hurt any more?” Faith nodded again and the monk beamed, ecstatic. “ That’s great! And it doesn’t have to be just us. We can take Colin and Alia and Grad and Frazier and—

“Mel,” Faith’s snap was whipcord, cutting the monk off. Melody jerked and Kali raised a hand out, only now realizing the little woman had been walking happily to the exit to tell all her new friends about “the great idea where no one gets hurt any more”. “Barradin’s orders were for us. Only us to meet Rurik. I know it’s sad when people go away, but sometimes…it happens. This time we have to go away. We have to follow our orders.”

“But they’re our orders,” Kali injected, taking Melody by the shoulder and turning her around. “Not everyone else’s. They wouldn’t like it if we tried to get them to do our work for us would they?”

“You’re being sneaky again,” the monk accused. “I know you are.”

“Maybe a little,” Faith admitted. “But I’m also being honest. We can only take ourselves. The rest…can follow as they may…”

damn this story's good, havent checked Lyssias for a while but this story made me glad I did.

Wow your last piece of writing was amazing it kept me amused through business studies every friday but this this is amazing keep up the good work

Very good minus i love it i still think faith should be able to animate a flesh golem now and again