True deep seeded greed is a strange thing. Not simple normal greed, the desire for wealth at the cost of others, no no, real greed, greed to the point of insanity, the desire for wealth at the expense of anything.

This was the sort of greed that lived with in the mind of Mantella. The mind of the mercenary was sharp, one could not question that. But as sharp as it was there was certainly a lack of stability, he was not a sane man, and that also could not be questioned. He was rich, rich by pretty much any standards. And he had money hidden away everywhere. But he spent, essentially, none of it. It he so desired he could live in a mansion, waited upon hand and foot, garbed in golden robes and eating only the finest of foods. Instead, he lived day to in taverns, or in no shelter at all, eating poor tavern food, or no good at all. The little he spent on food and occasional shelter, and what he spent on equipment for his professional, was all he ever spent. And the rest, all that he earned, job after job, simply accumulated, hidden away in places known only to him and the gods. And when he died, it would probably all still be there, like the hidden acorns of a squirrel.

The mercenary sat in a tavern, a mostly empty tavern at the time, with his feet propped up on the table, his hat tilted down hiding his eyes, and his dagger out, digging out dirt from under his fingernails. He was in some Isonian lands or another, he wasn't entire sure where, and it didn't exactly matter. From what he had heard there was war just about everywhere Isonia had a foothold, and war was what he was looking for. He'd been out of work for quite a while, and he didn't like it much when he was not making more money. And wars were the best place to find work. Or rather, the best place to be found for work, as was generally the way things worked in his profession.

::Sleep...who could sleep...not me...Being on top has made me paranoid...I know that since this war has began I have made myself many enemy's. That is to be expected to some extent but I never expected this amount of hatred toward's myself. And I know that there is a lone Isonia kingdom strong enough to hurt me...This kingdom has been leaderless since the time this war has begun but I knew that the kingdom's leader would return soon...and he did::

"He is back, his lands can be attacked now...and he can attack us also..."

::I've been worried about his return since the start of this war and now that he has returned I am not prepared to take him on...I am set to defend not attack. And even though my defenses are large if anyone could break them it would be him...can he obtain an army large enough to break my defenses...I did not know I didn't think he could but I've been wrong before. One thing I can do is send my spy's into his kingdom and get reports on what he has...and I can alert my allies of his return.::

"Send out the word that a new target is now available. A target with much land to lose"

::It didn't even take a full twelve hours and the once largest Isonia kingdom remaining was nothing to worry about any longer. I wish I could say that it was I that brought him down but I didn't. I had to wait, it took time to change over from defense to offense...time I luckily had. I did get to march my army out against him and claim a couple thousand acres for myself before I reforted for defense to wait once more. It's a waiting game now I sit and wait to see if anyone can find a chink in my kingdoms walls...Its very unnerving...But I have faith in my building and my soldiers waiting in defense I will hold.::

Syphus had returned from his journey to far off lands and saw the eminent destruction of all his friends and faithmates. Isonia seeing his return no longer granted him her protection and his kingdom was free to attack from the heathens.

A great many heathens saw his return. Within moments, not even close to 15 minutes of his return reports of sorcerers wrecking havoc upon his kingdom were returned to him. Quickly rallying his defenses a great many opulents were setup to guard his acres.

After the sorcing attacks the heathens came, wave after wave of attacks were repelled. His kingdom held strong. But to no avail.

Seeing his return the kings armies marched out against him. Fighting for all their worth Syphus's many opulents died the glorious death of battle. Finally the kings armies breached his defenses.

With the defenses cracked the rest of light flowed inward. The acres taken by Syphus in honorable battle against his foes were now in the hands of these dishonorable and villanious heathens. Victory they would be granted this time because of lights greed and win at any cost mentality.

Light would be at the top for now but they would make an enemy in Syphus for the remainder that Light still existed.

Devius's first nation lay in ruins, conquered by a barrage of attacks by an entire guild, every last member and then some from other guilds. It was the disadvantage of being one of the newest realms to the age, only 5 days old, but he was proud of defeating two heathens twice his size before being destroyed, he had done his part in the war so far with shining brilliance and it was quite a feat to defeat anyone after only 5 days of existence. Devius mounted his horse as he looked back on his nation in flames, not a single soldier left alive, not a single peasant, besides those who had fled to the east to live on as nomads, most likely dying within the next month considering their lack of survival skills. Devius's eyes filled with tears, he felt he had let his nation down, his guild had been served well, but it had been a suicide mission from the beginning, and he had known it. The hardest thing he had ever done is to send troops into a battle that he knew they had no chance of winning. But it had been necessary at the time to serve a greater purpose, and besides, his soldiers had died valiantly with honour on the field of battle, for a death in battle is the greatest honour one can obtain. Devius hoped that one day his own death would come on the battle field honourably, and not be a death of old age, execution, rebellion, or the such. He wanted to be remembered for his honour as a general, ruler, and person. He cared very much about honour and his status in the world, he even cared what the heathens thought of him.

Devius was saddened that his best friends, personal bodyguards, and the republican guard, had all perished along with the nation. It was a sad thing that he was the only person left alive by the heathens in his entire nation. He had been shamed before his God. A captain goes down with his ship, and Devius at first felt that he should go down with his realm, but now he had a different outlook. Now he would live to fight another day, he would live to avenge his friends and loyal guards. They had died for him, and he would gladly die for them, but not before taking many a heathen with him.

As Devius set up his new nation, he recieved news from his sentries that a messenger of Isonia had approached during the night before with a rumor of sorts...

"Devius, your sire, do you wish to hear of the rumor from the Isonia heathens? Though it is but a rumor, unconfirmed information as of yet, we will find out if it is true. And, it is quickly spreading through the world, rumor is that it is actually fact, sent from a very respectable Ruler and General of a great nation of Isonia faith. Perhaps we will learn of its truth soon sire."

Devius was intrigued by the news. He learned forward from his throne with must interest. He ordered the dancers to retire to their chambers, and ordered the jesters and entertainers out of the throne room. Only his closest personal bodyguards, the elite republican guards, were allowed to stay and hear the information which he recieved about heathens, battles, and scum reports, etc...

"I bid you humble and loyal messenger, tell me of this "rumor", for you have my absolute attention in this matter. I am quite interested in what the heathens have to say about me and my actions before the loss of my brethen in the recent battles."

The messenger pulled open a rolled up parchment. He had taken the information down as acurately as possible, which was usually very accurate, as Devius always trained his messengers and secretaries with the best of their trade in the world. The messenger seemed tense, all who spoke to Devius knew of his deadly actions of the past. Though Devius stressed that he would never harm someone of his own faith or nation, all those who looked into his eyes saw pain, suffering, and death, and were always frightened to speak unto him. The messenger though overcame his fear as he had to and spoke unto his ruler with a dignified and strong tone...

"Your great and powerful sire, it is reported that on September 11th, 2004 at 3:55 AM, a heathen ruler spoke of your recent actions and messages to the Isonia faith, his name is thought to be Darkwolf. The rumor is that he spoke of your honesty in great respect, claiming that your life was spared during the loss of your nation recently because of your actions and truthful words, and that your life would be spared, at least by him in the days to come in the war. It is said throughout the land that he was quoted to say "I admire this creature" and "I at least admire this DeviusZwei who has the bravery to speak truthfully." It seems you are becoming quite a respected general and leader in the eyes of at least one heathen. Perhaps this will lead to greater relations before yourself and the heathens of the world, at least the followers of Isonia. Your honour and honesty is quickly being realised sire. Though we, your loyal followers, have known of these traits since we have known thee, it seems other rulers like yourself are seeing it now, too."

Devius was stunned, the expression on his face frozen and his face ran white. He could not believe such a rumor, though it was very detailed and supported, he just could not bring himself to believe that an Isonia follower would speak of him with such great praise of sorts.Devius notified the messenger that he would be promoted to his lordship's personal scribe. It was a great honour for a lowly messenger, but Devius felt the messenger had definitely earned it in relaying to him this very important message from the heathens. Devius then snapped out of his amazement and ordered the newly appointed scribe to take a message and get it to Darkwolf as soon as possible, preferrably before the sun rose on the next morning...

"To the honourable ruler Darkwolf. Let it be known that Devius has recieved word of your humbling message, and he will spare your life as you have vowed to spare his, also your family will be spared, if ever we do trade swords in battle. Though we are always enemies, for all eternity of this world, in defeat, you may live to rebuild and fight once again, as I owe you the favor back. I am flattered by some of your words, and I would like to let you know that some of us Dardens do care about our honour status. I do not fight to just annihilate without reason or due to greed. Though I will always follow the orders of those appointed over me within my guild and faith, it is my duty to my brethren to do this, I am simply a tool in the great war. All is fair in love and war it seems, and that seems to be the philosophy of some of the great leaders and controllers of fate in this world. Perhaps this is the beginning of a dark age as some have forseen. but as a loyal fighter of my faith and guild, I will do my best to serve them, whether it is looked down upon by the rest of the world, perhaps not so much in this case, I do not really know, but in any situation, I will serve without question and destroy all those who I am ordered to strike without remorse. I bid you good luck in the days to come, as I feel you and your brethren will need it quite more than my own brothers. Please remember my duty to my faith in the days to come, as you may not agree with my actions, however it is imperative to serve without question, and I feel my leaders are doing what is right for our people. In these times of betrayal, war, death, and plague, you must know how important it is to think about yourself and your brothers first, and worry about honour later. I admit your fellow Isonia followers are being destroyed with little remorse due to the fact that they were seen as a future threat, well sometimes you gotta "get em while they're young" or in this case, somewhat undeveloped. I hope you understand my personal position, and I hope you pass this message on to your fellow faithmates as I fear that my guild's image may be distorted somewhat due to the complaints of your own faithmates. Now let us battle with honour over the control of this world, and let the Light shine upon the lands of all in the battles yet to be concluded. In closing, remember that we do have honour, but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do in this land of survival of the fittest. I will personally be building up my new nation in preperation for my valiant return to the battlefied, but hopefully we will one day meet in a great fight of honour and courage by both sides. Signed, DeviusZwei, the Duke of a great people."

Devius sighed and hoped that the message he was to send would be correctly interrupted by his enemies. He did not mean to make the wrong impression on his foes nor his allies. He merely meant to lessen some of the tension between the two groups brought on by the questioning of Light's honour and tactics. The scribe ran out of the throne room, mounting his black stallion in the courtyard and riding off into the night with the large parchment filled with Devius's own words rolled up and tucked into his shirt pocket. The heathens would soon hear his words across the lands, and Devius just hoped it would put an end to the controversy arising recently surrounding his brethren and recent war on all of Isonia. He would not rest well tonight, worrying about the impact of his messages and the stress of the ongoing war...

DarkWolf had been finally sitting, and resting after all the work they were at late to slavage what was left of his lands. The darkness fell over them, as it was the season for where he was. As he sat, a messenger and come and stood by the door silently. It was quiet his entry, as if he had not wished to disturb DarkWolf. He had ignored him for the moment, as he enjoyed the smell of the lavender coming from the fresh scones that had been placed and lighted. Softly his mind had wandered to days of past, when his 'faithmates' had acted more like faithmates and worked together. My, he was even bethroathed once upon a time. He remembered the family that had escaped him, and the friends he had lost through the years. It was enough to make any man mad, let alone a wolf. Yet, he had finally just recovered form his share of madness as well. His friends Gul'Thrakk and Rael had long since disappeared, now there was the creature that devoured his friend Rael and held all his memories. It was a question in the back of DarkWof's mind if that was his fate? To be a memory? He pushed such thoughts away from him for now, and shook his head. Still ignoring the messenger for now, as he had not wished to hear anything terrible he waved to another one.

"Fetch the generals. We will prepare what adequate defenses we can muster, and survive untill it is time."

"Yes Mlord DarkWolf, right away."

The messenger had quickly bowed to DarkWolf, showing his respect, before quickly exiting the room in the direction of the Generals rooms. They had since moved from private homes to his own, as it was easier to muster them for plans than to fetch them from the barracks or from their respective estates. Silently DarkWolf had waited, before he finally sighed and looked upon the messenger.

"Yes, messenger, what news do you bring?"

"M'lord, I bring a message for one known as DeviusZwei. Shall I read it?"

"Yes, of course. He didn't seem so bad, with his honestly in his last notice."

"Yes M'lord, he is of Light, and here it is."

He began speaking, reading the words that he was given.



DarkWolf had stood for a moment, thinking as he had heard the words of the "Duke". of "a great people". He nodded to the messenger, and motioned for him to sit and take leave whie he decided upon a response. It was only proper to answer letters, no matter who sent them. Fortunately for him he had not to reply to it, as his generals had finally shown. With a faint thud thud thud upon his door the voice rang out.

"M'lord DarkWolf, we're here."

"Good, then come in, we have much to discuss."

As if on que, they had entered before he even finished his sentence. This would normally be an iritant to him but it was not a time for such behavior. He motioned them towards a table, and motioned for the sent messenger to leave for the moment for sensitive information to be said. Once assured no one in the room was someone he couldn't trust, IE his generals and him alone, he began pointing to the map.

"I have noticed we have not begun making alot of progress on the capital's walls. We need these refurbished now. Devote one thousand soldiers of our armies.." he was interrupted.

"But M'lord! That will weaken our defense, by reducing our armies so drastically!"

"Yes, I know this. But how long will our capital hold if they reach our walls damnit? Not very long. These walls are not to hold the armies at bay, it is to give the people a chance to escape. I will remain here to the last, and be reborn if that is my fate. No citizen shall stay, our troops will soley dedicate themselves to helping them escape then fighting. Is that understood?"

"Yes M'lord, it is."

"M'lord, it may be prudent to deploy unit shields on the west wall as our soldiers build upon it. By this I mean, have our shamans conjure what they can, to protect from spells in that area or perhaps even attacks of arrows. As well perhaps if we pull an illusion spell, we can make it seem we have twice the men defneding at any hour so that the enemy may delay their attacks. If nothing else, it will provide time, that will allow our citizens to escape."

DarkWolf had nodded to the general.

"Yes, very good. We shall do what we can. Do not shelter them, let the citizens know they are free to go anytime they wish. It may have a panic made, so be ready to open the gates and allow them to leave. Instruct them to the south, if they do as only allies border to our south and we hope their lands are still joined. As well, I want all troops from the borders pulled except scouts to keep an eye. We have little villages left outside of these walls, but keept regiments of one hundred men in each of them. Again, instruct them to stay long enough to get the citizens out."

DarkWolf had nodded to the generals, releasing them to complete their orders in the best ways possible. With any luck, his people may escape this hostile situation without being killed in a terribly un needed fashion. Finally he decided he shoudl respond to the man who sent a message, and called for the messenger.

"Come back in now, take this to him."



"Send it."

"Yes M'lord, I shall."

The sheer scope of the war was amazing, breathtaking and if truth be told, heartbreaking. How many innocents would die under the hoofs of battle steeds, how many innocents would die in the magically created inferno's of mage battles?

War was hell.

Bran had fought beside his comrades for days now, one strike after another with only a small chance to gain much needed sleep for himslef and his men. THe armies of LIGHT had grown huge, as numerous as the stars, is how he had heard one man put it.

Bran knew that death waited for each man, or woman, and no one could know the exact time or place of that death - they could only strive to earn it honorably.

Wearily he climbed upon the back of his horse and signlaed his men to advance upon the heathen once more. It was tiresome, he was weary, his men were weary - but they where not dead yet. They had not earned that honorable death.

Looking around at the carnage that lay around in the ruins, a look of disgust and appaled manners took over. The time and the energy to try and reeducate the peasants that had lived in this area was all for naught because now they were all dead, carnage of the wars. I turned to my scribe and had him record the family names he could and record them for the histories.

Then walking out into the light, I could see the explosions getting closer.The sorcery was great and it was over powering what could one do but fight best he could. i kicked over one of the remaining stones in the street that had been blown there and continued walking down the road, slowly my men that remained joined in step.

~~~EARLIER~~~

the battle had raged fro hours and the smoke was choking. i called forth the Kraken Regiment, my honor guard, they were all that remained of my once powerful army. Surveying the mess around us, I directed with my drawn sword to several vantage points and areas of military strategy...

"See that these places are taken, spare none. Kill them all."

the brutal years of fightign within the Feargahal lands within TAL had reared its ugly head. The mission I had invisioned for myself and the others to reeducate the masses to help in the rebuilding of a beautiful civilization had ended. Now all that remained was the desire to dominate and to see us through, to do that one had to be ruthless this was indeed war. The blood lay in pools gathering like the runoff of the eastern mountains in spring. great mounds of flesh covered the battlefield as scavengers,, the human kind had already decended on the boundries where the fight was moving away from them to steal the jewels from the dead.

I stood myself and reined my steed toward the tower that stood int he middle of the field. It was one of my sorcery towers that we had built to help augement the spells to help propel them further faster. It was the last bastion that held my flag, that held my honor, that would be my down fall. Riding toward it I had a few close advisors close behind, then the balls of fire started falling.

As I reached the door I went to dismount and as I slid off the left side, a fireball blasted on the right side of the steed, killing it instantly and pinning me underneath it.

~~~~~~~~~

I had woken up in the hovel that I was walking away from, my guards or the last of the Kraken Regiment all five of them, had drug me away after the battle. I was considered an unworthy lord, death would nto find me. i was not destined to die with my soldiers. They had created a monster, now i dreamed of death adn vengence, denied a death on the field of battle would not be forgiven.

::Another day, well this war has been good to me. But now the Isonia heathens have been beaten down so low that they aren't worth my time. It's lonely on top, and I no longer worry about any Isonia being able to hurt me, but now my paranoia turns to Foret...Will they hit us while we are hitting Isonia still. They might we hit Isonia while some of them were at war with Foret, so why not. If Foret does go after us while we are still at war with Isonia will I cry and bitch and moan like the Isonian's...No. Even if they take me out in the first strike and my beautiful kingdom is destroyed I will be sad but I will not whine like a baby. This war is a crazy one and I think that the craziness will only continue. Everyone wants to be on top and sometimes you have to be a little less honorable to get there is that a bad thing? Does the ends justify the means, or is how you get to be the best important also? So many questions. It's funny I have been very happy these past couple of days since this war started. I left my Isonia to join Light because Calis told me he would make me king if I joined them. I knew Calis was a great leader of guilds and at the time I was losing my faith anyway building and waring just wasn't bringing me happiness under the goddess of Isonia. So I switched faiths and took up arms with Calis. And he did not disappoint, Calis is an excellent strategist and he lead us to victory after victory. And now I am a prince. But my friends from Isonia now all hate me for my success and for my allegance to Light. I've been called many names since this war started, I've been threatened, I've been told that when Isle cleanses it's self and we all start over again with new lands I will be hunted. Such anger toward me. Is it undeserved...I don't think all of it is. I think the reason a lot of the name calling and speak of unhonorable tactics has been directed toward myself because I'm so vocal...even though there are others that could be called the same they are not because they remain silent. I don't care though let the heathens direct all there anger toward me, that is my goal thats what I want. I'm a no-body in the Divine Light just a strong warrior. There are stronger than I and there are more important to guild, so if the heathens direct there attention to me then that could save someone more important in my guild. Ohhhh thinking, waiting, wondering...what will the future hold for me and my guildmates? This day has been too long I've been thinking too much about this war, I must find sleep now...Sleep...Sleep my only friend.::

Wide-eyed with disbelief as their own gates were shut to them. They had no choice but to die where they stood. This is what we saw as we were watching the borderlands of the conflict where the numbers of Darden casualties were the largest. Not all of the Dardens marching under the Light banners were victors this day. Those who had not secured their positions were left to the onrush of angry Isonians, avowed to slaughter those who dared threaten their homelands for no reason but to sate the appetite of a few. The mighty walls erected to protect the nobles were shut to their very own people, lest those riches already plundered be reclaimed.

We ordered the armies this day to rush the helpless Dardens, crushing them against their walls. They were left undefended despite the monstrous armies of their very allies. Unfortunately this was not a new story. Among bigger guilds competition could become fierce. The rich landowners would do almost anything to protect their vast lands. Even if that meant waging war against already war torn acres so long so long as there was as little chance as possible for the defender to retake their lands. Even if that meant sacrificing those followers of the Light that were not strong enough. Those noble princes of Darden were not stupid, for they knew they could let the heathen take the land from their own weakest, and then add it to their own easy enough…

Greed is the lowest common denominator among the small. Those who vie to be King can become blind to everything and everyone else. I had witnessed even the holiest churches, with their vows of poverty and humility succumb to the hunger for property, riches and armies believing that to be Power. I look up at the towers of those Princes who pretend all is well and then to the bodies of their comrades crushed below. And I see the sorrow of Darden.

It was interesting to see. Ford Prefect whom had once been Isonian now bitterly fought his once-faithmates. What had the purpleclad people done to ignite such ferocity?

Nagash had sent spies over to Fords kingdom and made them bribe some of the Prefect's servants. They had said that Ford had not slept for days. He seemed to be afraid to lose his "pretty kingdom".

Twas such a pity to see a friend going to another guild, aligning himself to another god.

But it was sad to see this 'friend' of old times go along in the devious acts of his new leader. Acts that were against the unwritten rules of the land.

It might be worth shedding a tear for Ford's loss of own will. For his newfound opportunism...

Jacqueline was angry.

This was a most normal state for the vampiress. She spent most of her time almost entirely consumed by the white-hot fires of rage that burned within her. Often it seemed as though it was the anger rather than the blood that was responsible for keeping her alive, or rather for keeping true death from reaching her. More than once she had been faced with situations that should have resulted in her death and had been saved from them by the terrible anger that welled up from within her. When her sire had thrown her to the hunters, thinking to preserve his own unlife by doing so, it had been her rage that had seen her safely through the night. Her anger at her sire, at those that intended to kill her, at the world in general, had given her the strength necessary to keep her head firmly rooted to her body.

Currently her anger was directed at the faceless men who had set the barn on fire. She had stalked across the land away from the burning barn, seeking someone or something to take out her anger upon. In her mind she had imagined over and over what she would do to the ones who had almost caused her final death in the barn. She had grinned ferally in the darkness at the images of what she would do to them when she caught up with them. But in truth for Jacqueline she would have quite gladly taken out her rage upon the bodies of the first mortals to cross her path.

The lack of mortals was beginning to stoke her anger to a point where she could barely think clearly. A situation that had caused Jacqueline to move away from merely enjoying the images of what she planned to actually wanting to go through with them. How dare the mortals not be within easy reach. She supposed it was always that way, there was never a mortal about when she needed one. It was easy enough to imagine three turning up just after she had given up hope of finding any.

In the distance the night sky was glowing, not with the arcane fires of sorcery but with the light of fire. The little hamlet was burning quite merrily when she came across it. Usually the presence of much fire would have urged Jacqueline to be cautious and avoid it, but her unleashed temper was past the point of caring for her safety. Above the crackle and spit of fire she could just hear the sound of clashing steel and battlecries. The vicious grin painted itself once more upon her face, finally she would be able to take out her anger on someone. They were most likely not the same people who had set her hiding place on fire, but they were near to hand and that, to the vampiress's mind, was good enough.

She ran towards the sounds of fighting, throwing off her cloak and not caring if it burned. The sounds of fighting proved to be little more than a skirmish, a handful of peasants battling against men, battling and losing. She bared her teeth and let the rage descend, leaping towards the nearest soldier without thought to her safety or well-being. The man fell as her weight collided against him, falling to the ground and not having the time or presence of mind to raise up his hands in self-defense. Jacqueline tore at the man's armour with her own hands, toughened leather giving way under her unnatural strength, leaving his flesh bare to her fangs.

The vampiress bit down hard on the man's throat, feeling the hot, hard pounding of his blood in her mouth. He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled but gained only a few curling strands for his last efforts. Under her his body went limp, consciousness leaving him only a little before life did. She raised her head, blood dripping down from her mouth and gleaming brilliantly crimson in the reflected firelight. Her pupils had shrunk to mere pinpricks in the light, tiny black dots that seemed to hold nothing more than rage within them.

The dead soldier's fellows looked at her in fear, backing off slowly as if she was some wild and untamed animal that could be startled into a further attack by a sudden movement. The peasants who had been fighting for their lives were rooted to the spot, too terrified to run. Jacqueline rose with liquid grace to her feet, drips of blood running down her neck and dripping onto the ground below. In the firelight she was a monster from their darkest dreams, a creature not concerned with the wars of faith, one that simply killed because it satisfied some need within her. She didn't care who's soldiers were in front of her. Were they Isonian? Were they Dardenite? What did it matter, rich blood flowed through their veins all the same.

The soldiers broke and ran before Jacqueline made even the slightest move towards them. She switched her gaze towards the peasants and smiled unpleasantly, I'd run if I were you, I'm in the mood for a hunt tonight.

They watched as the squad of Dardenites carrying the banner of Light marched past. So proud. So full of themselves. So without honor, thought Jyim. I was once like that. The group was in high spirits; they had just taken much of this land from his faithmates in Isonia. Bain was intent on taking it back; or, at the very least, making sure no one of Light would ever be able to use it.
The Dardenite Squad's celebratory mood would be their undoing on this day.

He waited until they moved to the ambush point, and watched at the ground came alive and swallowed the squad. Their boastful stride became a wailing scream of horror as they realized too late that their god would not protect them today, nor ever again. Jyim knew this all to well, for he once served Darden. It ended badly. Darden was mad, and one day, Bain was sure, he would drag all of his foolish servants down with him.

He nodded his approval to the Droben ambush team. They had other work to do. Celebration would come when Light had fallen, and they were a long way off from that.

*****************************************************

Due to a bit of luck, some of the lands they had managed to take and hold so far had held the cave homes of some Droben who followed Darden. Those Droben were long gone now, either dead or marching against a far off Isonian kingdom. Regardless, Bain's forces had made it their temporary base, as their original one had burned still with the fires of Daren's hatred. These caves were quite an efficient network, supplying alternate routes to some of the more powerful Light kingdoms. Not quite the King himself, but close enough for Bain. His time will come as well, he though.

He sent a messenger back to Arnek's forces to let them know they had moved into position. They had found a weakness in one of Light's larger holdings, and they meant to liberate it in Isonia's name. The plan sprung into motion.

With two armies marching against him, the Dardenite forces grew confused, and began a series of retreats. They lost much this day.

Some time later, another of Light had fallen. Not quite dead, but merely a shadow of it's former self. Jyim smiled, but he still would not celebrate.

There was still much more work to do....

::Another night coming will I sleep tonight...maybe some. I have been sleeping a little lately yet I keep having nightmares of attacks in the night that I will not be able to defend. I go and sit down at a table and pull out a piece of parchment, and ink well, and a quill. I begin to write to a letter to anyone of the Isonia faith that will read it.::

~Dear Isonian's,

The days have been long and the nights have been restless since our faith sweep on you has begun. If you didn't know I was once a worshiping member of your faith and a guildmate to many that have fallen by my sword during this war. I did not pick this war but I did not disagree with it. I had no problems with the war choice and I was given the privilege of leading my army at Isonia first, and for that I thank Calis for his trust in my abilities on the battlefield. But do not think that I have forgotten my friends. You can call me honor-less, greedy, wrong, and many other names. But I will not call you names other than heathen, you are all still my friends and I do not march out to kill you, I only march out to take your land. I do not hate Isonia or its members I have just found Darden to be the true god. The god who smiles down on me and my guildmates and protects us while we dominate the Isle of Maxim. If we could all live in happiness that would be grand...but we can't so we go to war against each other. Did you expect me to not attack Isonia during this war because I was once like you. All Isonia did for me was get my army killed and my kingdom destroyed, thats what happened when I followed your leadership. I just hope you don't take this war personally. The lands will be cleansed soon and when we start anew and you may find me as your ally, I hope you will be happy knowing that you have such a warrior as myself by your side helping your cause. I do not ask for your forgiveness because I have done nothing wrong. Darden commands the death of all heathens he does not care how it is done as long as his followers are the strongest in the end. Don't be mad at me for taking your land cause if you could you would take mine.
With hope that friendship can withstand war!
Prince Ford Prefect~

::With that done I give it to my trusted aid::

"Copy this and send it to all those of Isonia"

::I get up and from my table and go back to bed. I wonder if I will sleep tonight? I don't mind being disliked by people we are warring that is to be expected. But some of these people are my friends...or well used to be some I think don't want to be friends anymore, and that is there choice. I would like to sit down with some of them and have an ale at a tavern somewhere...I wonder if any of them could look past this war and want to still drink with me. I lay down and close my eyes...sleep comes but not quickly.::

Places, many places.

Some of them are dark, the last rays of hope long since snuffed out of existence within them, leaving but barren lands torn by war, touched by His grace, stripped of Her glory. And there were places of Light, filled with the pleasentness that came from peace, the long summers of joy, the loves, the lives, living without fear.

And then there was here.

A cavern, carved from the earth by a day-fearing droben tribe, long since usurped from their holdings, long since cast to dust and memories. A place of dust and stinking, ancient memories, filled with the dead of the earth creatures, filled further with the skeletal remains of more fearsome beasts - a higher culture, gone from the world forever.

This is a place of eternal night. Or would be, save for the ring of candles, lit and flickering in the perpetual darkness of the subterrenean world. A figure, swathed in black cloth as though to keep the chill out, stood outside this circle.

"So...it has finally begun." It said. It was a womans voice. Haunting, and lovely...it echoed through the vast network of passages, playing on the ears of the dead. Dust, disturbed from its centuries old sleep, drifted slowly down from the recesses atop the caverns and tunnels.

The figure was definetly female, if looked at in the right light - and this light was poor, augmented only by the faintly glowing lines upon the cracked stone that was the floor. Lines....a circle.

Magick. The air seemed dead and lifeless...but also greasy and tasting of tin from the faint aura of power that had coalesced here, focused to a task. Above the circle, faint but visible, was a scene, three dimensional, depicting the lands above.

"Darden seeks to sow his own seeds of destruction. A foolish god, for a foolish people whoms' basic grasp of life is feeble at best. I wonder...if they know their doom is spelled out in bright colors for them, in the here and now. That they have worked towards Dardens ultimate goal..." The voice carried on, to herself, for there were no others in this chamber buried so deeply beneath the soils of Maxim. A beclawed hand reached from the dark robe, talons gracing the edge of the image, and it changed.

She was viewing the world, so distant and so close to her. And all there was was destruction.

How to describe it? A hundred million may have lived upon the isle once upon a time....but the number now, after the breaking of war, had most likely dropped down to only a shade above a million. She could hear, in the dark recess of the earth, their tortured screams as they passed on from the living to the Shadow Lands, bound in eternity to the chains of Darden. The sounds were sweet. She could hear them when she slept - if she ever truely slept, mind.

Millions of dead. And the land showed the marks of it - past encampments of vast armies, the earth tortured and left barren and bereft of greenery. Cities reduced to rubble, the corpses so numerous that the grave diggers could not keep up with them, and the outbreaks of plague among the largest of these centers of civilisation, if war made civilised people anything more than barbaric. Forests burned and torn apart. Rivers clogged with bloated corpses, various experessions of death writ across their fish eaten faces, river bottoms choked with the bones of the dead.

"Ah....but when this is over...there shall be nothing left of this island but the dead and the sick and wounded. I do so love how Darden works.. If it were that he did not work against me.. The shadowy shape nearly added, but thought best - because even gods have ears, and drawing attention would be unwise, at this point.

And when this is over...when this is over, it thought - and only those few of Darden whom remained most loyal and greedy remained....then the task she had thought long and hard would be so easy to achieve. The key to everything, she reasoned, was to achieve the most amount of effect for the least amount of effort. Divine Light would tear itself apart, at that point, when there was nothing left to fight because they had killed everyone, even those of their own faith however indirectly.

Or perhaps not. She liked the Light, as she had observed them from this quiet place. They were selfless in their crusade to rid the land of the heathen. They thought like she did - why wait for an enemy to clear out of another land and grow strong again, when you could charge in, and destroy them while they were still weakened, and profit greatly? Why, in a holy war, should one be forced to abide by certain unspoken rules? After all - history is written by the victor, not the defeated. No one would care how the war was won ten years from now.

It would be the same old line: They were an evil people, and deserved the righteous puniushment of God, and so we descended upon them and liberated their souls.

Souls that she fed on and kept, snatched from the jaws of the hungry pantheon of Maxim, without a trace of awareness on the gods part.

Yes. Well, honor and fairness meant nothing in war. The only thing that meant anything at all was winning - if the heathen could not fight back at great odds against them, then they were weak and pathetic. If they complained and cried tears at the wrongness of an action, then they were whiners, and deserved the death due them. The only thing that meant anything - anything at all, during a war, was defeating your opponent. Done right, you beat them so hard that they could never, ever threaten you again.

She wafved a clawed hand airily at the circle of candles and the glowing magic circle, and the light vanished as surely as if it had never been there.

She turned from the circle, and paused before walking away.

"My only prayer to you, My Lord, is that in the end - not a soul of this land, not a single air breathing beast ofthe Above lands, beast or man, lives. With your blessing, I hope that all lives of this isle end this day...so that I may find my peace, at long last, by hunting the pathetic survivors." She said, and then calmly walked away into the darkness.

Retribution for a thousand years of this dark prison....yes, let them kill themselves over their petty ideals. Soon enough...ideals will fade, and nothing but death will rule..."

The darkness became absolute, ancient night unending.

In the vast darkness of the continent...a glimmer of light shown through the cracks and crevices, into the darkest corners. This was imperceptible at first, but as one took the time to notice, the faintest traces touched all. So, upon looking into the darkness, one saw that the darkness only existed in the minds of those who could not see.

For a fallen brother.

Tekmet had not slept in days. He stared hard into the fields, fens, and glades. His men swept every corner of enemy lands. They walked as giants do, noticeable and yet inescapable. He saw the bloodshed; he kept the full weight of his hand from falling again and again...without mercy...for that was the heathen's way. He followed orders and those who crossed his path were dealt with harshly. No redress of grievances.

He heard the talk and the rumors echo through the land...but he didn't care. Light had been denounced as land-grubbing war mongers. Funny that should be said: in looking at the annals of war kept by the sages, divine light did not show up very often. They struck strategically and harshly. Other guilds warred for a living (or dying). This was not the way of light.

So he would sit in his tower, waiting. He knew not for what, but he knew whatever it was would come, regardless of his waiting or watching...

(OCC: Ford, don't take this personally, it's RP'd from the characters POV!)

Jyim Bain waited impatiently. It had been many hours since he had heard from any of his allies; he feared they may have met their death. Stop thinking like that, you know better, he thought, and sighed. A cold cloud of breath appeared and dissapeared just as quickly. The minutes ticked by slowly. Too slowly. It had seemed like ages since their successful ambush just two days ago. Ever since, they have made no headway against the heathens. Bain was getting frustrated.

A messenger ran in the cave with a parchment. Bain jumped to his feet with excitement; finally, they would be on the move again!

But it was not to be, for the letter was not from hit allies, but instead from the heathens of Light. The messenger informed him that it was being passed to all of the Isonians. Bain began to read the letter:



"Blah, blah, blah. I guess we hurt his feelings, heh!", he spoke out loud. The messenger merely smiled back. "I think I know what to do with this," Bain spoke again, and turned his back to the messenger. He threw the heathen letter on the floor of the cave, and proceeded to relieve himself on it, laughing the whole time. "That's what I think of that."

"Messenger," Jyim handed a scroll to the man after adjusting his trousers, "take this to the other Isonian leaders. If you are captured along the way, you are to destroy this by any means necessary. It is NOT to fall into enemy hands. Do you understand me?"

"Y-y-yes, M'lord" the messenger replied. Lord Bain seemed volitile, and the young messenger did not want to be on the receiving end of that rage. He took the parchment and ran off without looking back.

An attendant came and cleaned up the heathen letter and urine mess while Bain sat back down upon a cold rock in this cold cave. He would wait longer.

He just hoped he wasn't waiting for his death.

The time for attacks in the open were over. My men and I were tired, we were hungry, and we were running out of supplies. I paced the column of vagabonds and wagons that followed what little of an army I had still. I stopped at a small wagon that had a little boy perched on the back of it and smiled as I placed my hand in my pouch and retrieving a gold coin from inside tossed it to the boy.

Turning back toward my own encampment of small tents that housed my left over leadership, I was remineded of what my orders had been a few days ago when I had ushered out the remaining forces under my command....total war. The onslaught that was Light and its armies continued to chip away at great amounts of land and holdings that my bretheren had freed only rrecently. The armies marched almost unapposed through land and farm. That was a great moral killer in itself, but there was little we could do to stop the heathen and his might.

My men and I were sent on Guerilla Raids, our mission had been to aguire supplies for the rest of the Isonian contengent that still fought on these fields. We had been successful on several and had even succeeded in destroying a patrol or two of the enemies. That made less fighters for them and a better chance that another of their great kingdoms might fall any night.

I arrived at my tent and sat at the improvised desk that I had made out of one fo the destoryed wagons that had been part of my great war machine.....

Fellow leaders of Isonia,

I find myself at the mercy of the elements and my kingdom is all but gone. I have read the messages from those who say that we are weak, but let me remind you of the spirit of our GOD. She is a warrior queen and she will have her blood. I am contiueing the fight as is in my blood right and all that I know to do. See that you look favorably upon my minions that might find themselves in your lands, for I may be among them. I am going to be taking the fight to the lands of the enemy in stealth as best as I can, and I beseach you for what ever small force of expeienced warriros you can send to my aid if you can spare any.

yours in Isonia's eyes,

Thevisen Feargahal
Commander of the Kraken Regiment

Having penned the letter I handed it to my scribe and commanded him to copy it and place it where he would so that others might see it in the villages that are within Isonia's graces. The man departed and gave his orders to his small staff of monks. They would see to its distribution. I turned and removed my sword and placed it beside the pallet that Ihad made for myself on the gorund, and laid down as i blew out the candel. Tomorrow woudl be more raids and more bloodshed.

The wolf rises from the ashes of a long forgotten world. A long and restless slumber had it been. The howls of those lost and gone from this world haunting the caves and what remained of the pack. An unearthly sound....calling for the hunt. Calling for the newest victims. The scent of blood in the air.

The moon, with a ghastly red glow, rises into and above the clouds. The predators of the night slowly and quietly move into the shadows. And the wolf departs the caverns that had provided long solace and hibernation. It was time to satiate the calls for blood. A new victim would be needed. New death must occur.

The woods opened up to a meadow. A dead wind blowing through the tall grass concealing the movements of the night's beast. One by one, the remaining members of the pack emerged into the night....the pack growing stronger with each passing minute. It was time for the hunt.

Isonian riches lay within the hunting grounds. Peasants farming, towns springing up from the packlands. The long forgotten wolves no more than just a nighttime story to frighten the children from roaming too far away from their mother's watchful eye. No great hunts had occurred for many a year. The peace and quiet apparent everywhere. It was to end this night.

The wolves slipped through town after town, incensed as the blood flowed deeper. Bloodlust some would say....the rust of an ancient slumber shaking from the pack as the night grew on. Until by dawn, none of the peaceful night remained. Towns destroyed, the children's story a reality. But these were not Isonian lands. Land could not be owned by usurpers. These were the once great hunting grounds of the mighty pack.

And this night....the pack had come to reclaim what was rightfully theirs....

The light of the morning brought with it the justice of regaining the hunting grounds. Never again would Isonia reduce such beasts to a mere story for frightening its children.

The scent of blood was in the air yet again....

Lord Iblade and his men were camped for the night, when out on the plains a Wolf howled his bloodlust. Lord Cougar smiled and looked to his men.

This old coat is a little worn, why dont we go see if we can get ourselves a nice new Wolf coat?

Then smiled and went to gather thier weapons. Lord Cougar smiled, The Wolves should have stayed in thier own hunting grounds tonight.

Lord Cougar and his men slowly crepped through the tall grass and the Wolves bayed once again, and Lord Cougar smiled as they showed thier location to him and his men.

Lord Cougar waited until all was set and then gave the signal. All at once hundreds of Arrows were let loose. Within seconds the Wolves were howling in agony. Some manage to get away, but not all

Lord Cougar walked through them. He laughed a loud and hearty laugh.

Ok men lets take these back to camp and see what kind of coats we can make of these miserable curs.

DeviusZwei yelled in rage as his nation lay in ruins once more... The Isonians riding off as they had vowed not to take his life, but they had decimated all that he cared about, so what was worse, to be dead or alive and everyone you love slaughtered, he did not know...

"Once again, I ask for allies to help me, I strike in just the second day of my new nation's existence in order to help my guild, and what do I get in return? Do I get allies, a squad, any help whatsoever? NO! This is surely not the guild I had come to love before. The leaders do not involve the members in any chats, discussions, anything... It seems I am merely a tool in their plan of personal conquest, power, and popularity. No more! I would sooner serve my enemies, the Isonians, then fight one more day for these Hitler-like Tyrants! Bah!"

Devius arose, his eyes now open to the real cause of this war. He was sickened to think how he had ever defended his guildmates, mainly those in charge. He had two nations destroyed for a selfish cause by those in charge of him within the guild. Never again would he fight a battle merely to help a few in a guild of many. Light had lost its place in the world. They would soon crumble, Devius was sure of this. They had become the hate of the world, and no one guild can withstand so much hate over time. Sooner or later the whole tower of light would come tumbling down...Maybe one day at Devius's own hand. For now, Devius headed off, to the East, where he knew Isonia realms to be found. He would have a proposal for the ones he had fougth valiantly, now that he had seen through the "Light."

"How sad it is to see how much a guild can change in such a short time... And to change for the worst I have seen here... That is allright. though I have been wronged by the Light, one day I will have my revenge, one day Darkness will come over the Light, and all will be held accountable."

Toby shivered, was it excitement, was it fear, or was it the cold? It couldn't be the cold he bought himself new clothes since arriving in Callineb. The stipend he received wasn't much and after he sent most of it home to his mother he put the rest away for the things he needed. He was grateful that he didn't have to feed and house himself that was provided already.

So it must have been excitement or at least that is what he was telling himself, for it wouldn't do to be afraid. Or at lest not admit to fear even if this was the first war you had been involved in since you arrival. He new his training had been limited but at least he had been taught how to care for the long sword that had been his fathers. The blade was now bright and shiny and the edge honed so sharply it would split a hair length ways.

Toby was surer now that this was where he should be, what he wanted to do, but that didn't dull the feelings clawing at his stomach. Standing at his post at the West gate, the main gate he strained his eyes as he surveyed the land watching for movement of any kind. The night was still and sound travelled over distances quite clearly. All seemed quiet even the sound of wolves away in the distance was quite normal.

Toby heard the pitch of their cry change and wandered vaguely what might have caused that. He didn't dwell to long on the thought when off in the distance he thought he saw some movement. Jack, he whispered barely daring to remove his eyes from where they were locked. Jack he hiss a little more loudly this time. Finally Jack responded and he pointed in the direction of the movement. They waited and watched.

Then when it was almost too late to warn anyone else warriors leapt from the darkness CHARGE was the cry that could clearly be heard over the melee of sounds. Make shift ladders were thrown against the walls as the warriors bearing the crest of Divine Light assault the University City of Callineb.

Glave was at the helm of another attack towards the enemy stronghold. They have been sieging this land for days. Light put up a staunch defense that was able to hold them and drive them back from the walls. This realm they have encountered though largely decimated from the sorcery attacks have been greatly reduced in size for the defender cannot cover more ground hired mass armies of opulents. This formidable army of defenders are so big and so strong that it would take a lot strength to break them. Especially now that his armies are so little like everyone else his aliies has surrounding this realm.

Glave did not lose hope that day and could already see a small breach on the wall. He wondered if his force is enough to break it open. They have been relentless in thier attacks for the last few days that he cannot deny anymore the fruits of his labor. The wall now is starting to crumble but around this area his army is too few to break much less take this side of the wall. He might as well wait for the opportunity along with his allies to start the heavy assault on that fortress.

::I wake to the sun shining brightly in my window. I go to the window and look out taking a deep breath of fresh air in::

"OOOOHHHHhhhh I feel great"

::I stand there letting the sun shine on my face. Listening to the birds sing...and whats that I hear its the sound of building going on. I look down to see my men building happily on my large kingdom::

"What a wonderful day the heathens of Isonia don't bother me. The heathens of Foret haven't decided to bother us yet so its a glorious time to be a Prince"

::I go off skipping around my kingdom helping with the building of new forts and the training of new troops. Everyday I become a little stronger than I was the day before. And every night I sleep just a little better knowing I'm that much more safer than the night before::

...and the war dragged on.

Despite it's longevity (or so it seemed!) and the nigh impossible odds they faced, Bain noticed that many in Isonia's ranks held on to their hope that they would be victorious. Bain's own armies fought with that spirit. There were days when they took back what was theirs from the heathens, and there were days when all they took back was their dead.

Still, many rallied to the call, and reinforcements were always available. There was no mistake about it; Isonia herself wished to make a stand against these Dardenites.

In perhaps the most interesting development of the war, Bain had heard of a defector from Light who was reportedly joining the followers of Isonia. That is all that Bain had heard, but he wondered, was he converted, or is this some sort of trick? Darden was devious, Jyim was well aware of that, and he did have more than some concerns about this latest development. Still, he had also been able to find out that Darkwolf of the OAFS had some limited contact with this person, so perhaps it was legitimate and Bain was just being paranoid.

The newcomers actions would speak louder than any words, so we shall see, he thought.

And on the note of actions, it was time for his forces to march into battle once again. They had been launching a series of attacks upon one Artanis, and they were finally starting to have success. His forces launched into battle with the same ferocity they have had from the beginning. Many of them died. Many more Dardenites died. In the end, it was another victory, however small, for Isonia.

Still, something bothered Jyim; there were lands they had yet to march on, lands held by the leaders of Light. We must cut off the head to finish this, he though.

That thought occupied his thoughts for the rest of the day....

::I daily sit down at my war table with my advisor's to discuss how the war and my kingdom is fairing. I look around the table at all the people sitting there::

"So how goes it, hows the war"

::My adviser that handles how the we are compared to the other Light kingdoms speaks up::

~Well sir we are still in the top five of the largest and strongest kingdoms in Light. We are not the largest because others have taken more land we still have the largest army. Isonia seems to be picking on the smaller kingdoms of Light and have left us alone~

::I sit and think for a couple of minutes::

"So Isonia takes out our weakest kingdoms the ones that are more than likely run by people who don't spend much time strengthening there kingdoms and they leave the strongest kingdoms that have leaders that are more active in this war alone"

~Yes sir well Isonia is in such bad shape right now even if every member of the largest Isonia guild attacked us they wouldn't be able to break our defenses, we are just that strong~

"Well then we shall continue how we have been then there is no need for change we will let the weaker Light kingdoms use our armies to take back there land from the heathens while we build and continue to grow even stronger as every day passes"