The pair stood together in the bare stone room as torches threw their pale light into every corner of the spartan chamber.

Kallio tapped his staff against the ground once as he regarded Emeriss, who seemed to be becoming more animated by slow degrees. She was unchanged in appearance as was to be expected, the Dreadwatch did not falter before such trivial things as time. He noted that her armor seemed to have been improved in steady increments to the point where he hadn't recognized it at first, likewise the sword she carried. It had been a heavy chopping weapon last he'd seen, not the svelte blade he observed resting in its scabbard now.

“I'm flattered you remembered our little game."

Emeriss replied with just the slightest hint of sass in her resonant voice, “It served three purposes. Naturally occurring Greater Undead may retain their power but not their memories. If it…wasn't you, that would have been the end of it. Likewise if you had been some imposter or usurper.”

"Prudent as always Emeriss. I suspect the third reason is that you just finished that blade and wanted to test the workmanship?”

"I have ample time to improve my craft.” She replied noncommittally before gesturing at the Darkstaff, “Not ample access to targets that wont break.”

Kallio allowed the weapon to float out of his grip and into the air slightly behind him as they studied each other for a moment. Emeriss met his gaze silently for a moment before inspecting him more thoroughly than she had before. Whatever the machination of his rebirth, it had not been an easy or a pleasant process, his face more skull than flesh with the rest of his extremities similarly afflicted. Kallio returned her cool gaze with his own burning green as she seemed to consider her next words with extreme care.

“Kallio, how did you return? It’s not undeath. I don’t sense any Death energy from you despite your appearance.”

He had been expecting this question since he first entertained the hope that one of his few allies may have continued to survive. It had taken quite some time to adjust to his new body after he had awoken, to adapt to the near lack of sensation and inability to sleep or eat. Kallio had to admit to himself that there were certain benefits to his current form, yet there were some nights where he simply wished he could feel the wind on his skin again and deeply regretted his circumstances. These nights were rare, however, and with that thought in mind he replied truthfully.

“Of a kind. I have no talent in pure Death, and chose instead to modify one of the existing spellworks. It was devised as a failsafe to allow me to simply continue fighting a little longer. I knew I was going to die, I simply wanted to take more of them with me by that stage.”

Emeriss took a moment to absorb that as her eyes narrowed thoughtfully and she made as if to approach before pausing respectfully. He gestured assent and flicked a thread of will to ensure Virax behaved himself as she began to examine the effects. Her face hovered a few inches away as she methodically checked several sectors of his face then moved on to his hands and forearms. She stepped back and conjured a dark silver mist above her right hand and rolled the palm down–flipping the spell towards him as it expanded in the air and slowly cascaded from his head to his toes. Emeriss’ eyes unfocused as she interpreted the feedback from the spell as it dispersed on the floor. After a few minutes her eyes regained their spark as she scoffed.

“The mechanism is crude, and it’s inefficient. In time I may be able to restore some of your function if you will allow me further examinations.”, Emeriss stated bluntly to Kallio’s surprise before continuing, “You require the attention of an Undertaker in the meantime, you are severely degraded.”

“You have my thanks. However, I must cut to the heart of the matter. I must ask a favor. As Kallio, not The Warlock.”

Emeriss halted her turn midway as she made to exit the room with Kallio in tow. She blinked deliberately, and nodded after a moment. Kallio seemed to hesitate briefly before he spoke.

“I have taken an apprentice. I would ask that you shelter her here for a time as I recover the Blade.”

The woman stood utterly motionless for several seconds as she registered Kallio’s words. Reflected torchlight glimmered dully from the angles of her armor when the runic patterns in the metal caught the light and she turned back to face him fully. Her face slowly shifted to disbelief as she repeated her thoughts aloud.

“You. You took an apprentice? You swore–”, she began as her voice rang oddly out of harmony.

“As long as I lived, Emeriss. I swore that as long as I lived I would never take an apprentice. That battle has come and gone, and this is…different, I think, than you anticipate.”

The pale haired woman turned and took a few steps away from him as she stared blankly at the far wall. Kallio waited patiently, allowing himself to become lost in his own thoughts as she considered. He glanced around the hall, taking in the supporting pillars and lack of any real distinguishing features save the tapestries. He studied them for a few minutes before he settled in to wait, knowing that Emeriss would likely take the time to run through all potential scenarios before agreeing to such a request. The only noise in the barren room was that of the torchflame burning merrily on the pillars as the two undead went still.

“Tell me of this apprentice. Why do you wish she remain here in our care as you go into battle? Is she to be a prisoner you fear will betray you? ”

“She is a girl of perhaps 11 winters, who recently Contracted her first ally in the old way. She is a kind child and a diligent student. However, I cannot risk leaving one of my servants to guard her in my absence as they will be required to undo the Seal. She will be safe here in your care, the Dreadwatch does not break its word once given. More than that I trust you with this matter.”

Kallio’s voice was even and he spoke truthfully. Emeriss whirled on him in consternation, arm raising to point an accusatory finger as she stomped forward. Kallio simply met her eye as the tattered fringe of his robe began to flutter; a chill wind stirred by the woman's ire. She stopped a few feet away from him still holding the gesture as she seemed to suppress the urge to strike him.

“Zeptik instructs her on runework and spellframes; he has begun to teach her his own designs, of his own volition. Mirriana ensures that she knows how to act appropriately around other humans and has companionship. Mirri has actually become quite possessive of her, though her urge to sequester her away like a delicate egg is becoming an annoyance.”

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Emeriss seemed to falter as Kallio continued to speak. He registered her eyes widen at the information that the greedy imp had begun to teach his apprentice his own designs. Leyla’s Talent in the field of runes and arrays nearly matched Zeptiks own supernatural inclination to the magics. The creature was vengefully stingy with even the basic functions of how his creations worked and Kallio himself knew only those Zeptik saw fit to teach.

“I myself oversee her handwriting, reading, tabulation, as well as fundamental magical theory and instruction in the Warlock’s arts. The girls first contract the brood of Isk’aal, called Iskra. A hybrid with potential to match my own servants.”, the Warlock said boastfully, “She pets him like a cat.”

The woman seemed at a total loss for words as she suddenly dropped her arm and straightened up. In a rare demonstration of personality she planted her hands on her hips and laughed, the sound barely above a chuckle. Even Kallio was taken aback, momentarily stunned into silence before he could continue. Emeriss openly regarded him with wonder as she realized the truth of the matter and made her decision all at the same time.

“You genuinely care for the child.”, she stated.

“...I had forgotten what it was like to enjoy simple things. As I once did. She is a worthy apprentice.”

“We accept the girl as our ward. She will be well treated. I will guide you to the Undertakers, we shall speak more on this later.”

“You have my gratitude, Emeriss.”

The two slowly left the room behind and fell into comfortable silence as the woman led the way through the labyrinth of corridors within the Ziggurat. The stone was dark grey throughout, lit only sparsely with flickering blue fire. Though largely featureless Kallio was aware of the subtle markers and indications that the Dreadwatch used to navigate the shifting halls. It was a fools errand to trespass in this place, and the dead did not suffer intrusion. The Warlock doubted that he could penetrate the heart of its defenses as he was now, but the structure was a single part of a larger whole and much diminished just as he was. Kallio was silently impressed as he always had been when within the massive fortress.

Emeriss indicated to a to a narrow stairway cut into the wall as she retrieved a torch from its bracket at the entrance. She entered the doorway and began to descend the steps as Kallio followed close behind, taking his staff from the air as they went. They traveled downward for some time before Emeriss spoke again.

“You have retrieved a seed.”

“Yes, Virax located it with some difficulty. I have need of it in the coming conflict.”

Emeriss turned to look at him over her shoulder without slowing, “Be wary Warlock, the powers of this age do not strut about in front of the peasantry upon fiery steeds to the blare of trumpets and the pounding of drums. Our Riders are few but we know enough. Greystone, Tellura, the isle…you strike only at the fringes of civilization.”

Kallio nodded as they exited the stairway into a cathedral like room whose ceiling vanished into the darkness above. Six figures in grey robes stood solemnly in wait around an obelisk of dark metal that flickered and pulsed with malevolent energy.

“Repair what you can.”, Emeriss commanded as the figures moved to obey.

____________________________________________________________________________

Nari had been the one to find it, his huge eyes giving him the edge they had required to spot the cleverly disguised gap in the cliff face, the entrance entirely obscured by a thick screen of woven branches. Dirt and grass had been expertly heaped atop the construction to give the appearance of a small landslide from all but the closest angles. They had entered the small crevice quietly, everyone defensive and on edge after the stress of battle and the journey through the dangerous wilderness.

“Hello?”, Blackstone called out softly as he maintained a small magelight in the palm of his hand to illuminate their surroundings.

The cave was surprisingly dry, with a slight uphill slope that they followed until the tunnel abruptly curved to the left and they were greeted by the warm orange flame of a small fire that glowed from a large bed of coals which suffused the curved chamber with warmth. A dozen skewers of thickly cut meat lay on a pile of folded leaves neatly positioned next to the man who glanced up at them as they entered. He was a tall and thickly built man, with powerful arms and legs that gave him a rough appearance to match the wild hair that peeked out from under a wide brimmed hat upon his head. He was dressed entirely in leathers, and had a short horn bow leaning against the cavern wall alongside a bastard sword in a simple scabbard. He ignored the weapons as they entered and pointed to six large bundles of dried grass fashioned into beds between the coals and the cavern wall with an encouraging grunt.

Blackstone advanced into the room keeping an eye on their guide and his weapons until all six of the group had come inside. Gawin made a dramatic sound as he saw the beds and stumbled to the closest one before collapsing on it a bit heavily against the floor as the grass did little to absorb the impact. Uncaring, he simply lay there for a moment as the man in the hat watched silently while he began to use a few sets of stones to prop the skewers over the fire.

Selda watched him hungrily before remarking, “Gonna dampen the coals and lose a lot of the grease that way.”

He glanced over at her and nodded absently in agreement before lowering himself to sit from his crouch and taking off his hat, placing it on the ground oppose of his bow and sword. He took a moment to examine everyone turn by turn in the light provided by Blackstone’s orb before speaking.

“You can call me Guide. You’d do well not to use too many names out here, some things can learn ‘em. You got here pretty quick, thats good. We’ll be resting here for the night. You’re welcome to the meat, if you’re still hungry the rest of the elk is farther back under a pile of Stoneleaves.”

The mans voice was deep and pleasant, if only mildly friendly. He didnt appear hostile to Blackstone, just wary and tired. He found himself in the same position and decided to give the man the benefit of the doubt.

Blackstone gratefully accepted one of the already cooked skewers of meat their guide produced and tore into it as he simply sat on the floor next to the man and ate hungrily. Roland and Gaius joined him immediately, all three men having burned a considerable amount of mana in the last few hours and ravenously hungry. Selda snatched two for herself and simply stumped over to a bed before tossing her bedroll atop it. She tapped a symbol on her breastplate twice and the armor simply vanished with a pop, leaving her wearing a slightly sweat stained gamberson and breeches. She flopped onto the bedroll and began to sleepily eat her food while scratching furiously at her helmet-hair, brown curls frizzing angrily everywhere as she continued.

Nari simply ignored them all to sit upon his own bedroll close to the curve in the tunnel, his back propped up against the wall as he ate from his own supplies. Moments after finishing the elf was dozing with his eyes open, glaive under one hand. Gawin had long since fallen asleep, barely moving at all since he landed.

Guide met Blackstones eyes as he ate and then looked meaningfully at the magelight and then back to the entryway. Blackstone extinguished the light with a nod and licked his fingers clean. The man spoke quietly as he finished his own meat, leaned back against the wall and retrieved his hat. He placed it over his face as he got comfortable.

“It’s gonna be slow going from here. The farther we get the worse it’s gonna be. Some days we aren’t gonna be able to move. Some days we’re gonna be running. We might die, I’m not gonna bullshit you. This is a lot of people in a place like this. I have a family, and I’m not gonna die heroically to save you. If everything goes tits up I disappear, it ain’t personal.”, the man addressed the room seriously, “Just listen to what I say, follow directions, and don’t do anything stupid. They didn't tell me why you wanna go that far past the lakes, and you’re not gonna tell me either. We’re gonna get there, get back, and I’m gonna spend my mountain of gold on making my wife and kids fat. We got a deal?”

The remaining group members still awake glanced at eachother briefly before Selda interjected on everyones behalf.

“I can respect that.”