Choice 2. Attempt to flee?

However, there was no certainty that he could win, let alone survive another onslaught.

Feet dug into the sides of his mare, he pressed his head down into its mane, and urged the beast into a dead gallop, hooves clattering against the stone. The horse as though smelling his fear, raced forward in great strides, when he saw a shadowy blur at the corner of his eyes.

The seconds it took to realize it was following him, caused Khorasan to curse aloud as the wind whipped into his face, and he changed direction again, although he knew deep down that would not be enough. A spell of invisibility perhaps, but that would not mask his scent, a fog thick enough to hide in, or a ward spell that would make it seem he had no magic.

(Cast an invisibility spell. 5 Mana.)

Dashing up hills, and into a wheat field where startled orcs leapt out of his path, he began to chant, "Light of the suns, fire of the heart, heed my call, and hide me."

The swirls of energy that enveloped him, camouflaged him into the grass and trees, his mare whinnied with fear. The disembodied shadow that had followed him, gone for the moment as he continued to ride, when something clutched his heart, and squeezed. The black spots that darkened his vision, filling him with panic, when he began to fall.

Death.

(Cast a fog spell. 6 Mana.)

Dashing up hills, and into a wheat field where startled orcs leapt out of his path, he began to chant, "Light of the suns, fire of the heart, heed my call, and darken the land."

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The swirls of grey fog that enveloped him, billowed out as his horse whinnied in fear, and he slowed down. The disembodied shadow that had followed him, gone as he continued to ride through the darkness, when something clutched his heart, and squeezed. The black spots that flew across his vision, filling him with blind panic, when he began to fall.

Death.

(Cast a ward spell. 4 Mana.)

Dashing up hills, and into a wheat field where startled orcs leapt out of his path, he began to chant, "Light of the suns, fire of the heart, heed my call, and shield by spirit."

The swirls of energy that enveloped him, warming his skin as his horse panted for breath, and climbed another hill. The disembodied shadow that had followed him, gone for the moment as he continued to ride through a meadow, and across a riverbed, when he slowed down, and released a heavy sigh. The Keeper, nowhere to be seen.

Heart still pounding in his chest, he slowly circled around, and headed back to the road. Its prey lost, the creature would return to the Darker Plane, and begin it's hunt again elsewhere. Another rule he wasn't exactly sure why it followed.

-4 Mana.

+1 Morale.

(Continue.)

Magic released at last, he let out a heavy sigh, and not for the first time, he wished he knew more about them. Keepers for all their dangers, were far less of a threat compared to the other denizens that inhabited the Darker Plane, waiting for lost souls, and feeding on their own hatred and fear. His one visit to that plane of existence, an enlightening experience, if not utterly terrifying at how far a soul was twisted once it left its mortal coil, but that was neither here, nor there.

Patting his dun mare on the neck who seemed as equally disturbed, he wondered what could have brought the creature here, when he nudged his horseback into a trot. The outskirts of the small farming village that appeared ahead, a quiet haven of peace and tranquility as people went about their business, tending sheep, hanging clothes up to dry, or harvesting wheat for the mills.

Move onto the next Scenario.