Two days passed by since the party set out to hunt down revenants – and for Eadwald and Azugh’Yrg to prove their mettle – in the vast woodland that was known as Vesgeriath. Leaves of myriad luminous hues bloomed, offering a gentle veil against the cold rays of the spring’s sun.

The thick snow and mud muffled their steps while their plates clanked together as they moved eastward. Other than the eight trampling through snow and mud, nothing could be heard. Not the menacing groans of bears, the howls of starving wolves, the foreboding melody of crows could be heard for several hundreds of meters. Not even the revenants creaking movements echoed between the trees and bushes to reach their ears to give at least a destination to traverse towards.

The Impure Legions were the bulk of the imperial forces protecting the peace of the colonies, while also preparing for the inevitable war with the Host of the Dusk. The name itself formed after some of the kins, like the Szeakrin merfolks, orkhin were pardoned and allowed to pursue martial professions which resulted in the taint of certain legions in the eyes of the Patricii and the magistratoros.

“This is a lot less exciting, isn’t it?” As the party stopped to take a break Priernuss and Ulrich walked to the youth. The two nodded firmly, still in high spirits after two days of almost endless traversal that made their legs ache like they never experienced before. The enchantments in their plates lessened the pain a bit, but deep down they were hoping to reach the next camping point.

“Is it always like this?” Eadwald then asked while reaching for his flask that hanged onto his belt.

“For the most part, yes.” Ulrich answered as he wiped the water off of his mouth.

“The scenery though at least makes it worthwhile. Though it is strange that not even a single beast showed itself.” Priernuss added in as he cast a gaze around the snow blanketed surroundings bathed in the warm light of the season of growth and fertility.

As this was the season of the Deos who refined the maghia of the mortal realms, it was also the season during which the various elements that made up the world thrived. That included nauel energies that weren’t just used to cast nature or hedge magic, but also were responsible for the blooming of flora. That included certain northern flowers that grown under the snow and during this season bloomed white petals and vibrant green stems. Or in this area’s case, tainted green stems and petals of nekrotic blue and midnight black hues that made them easy to spot.

“It is normal here to an extent Priernuss.” Lioba, a maiden with long fiery hair that cascaded down her shoulders from under her helmet of the group and a refined gaunt visage leapt in to the small conversion.

“She is right. The revenants, nekrossok and other horrors scare them away. Better to keep a vigilant eye on our surroundings from this point on.” Ashnan said as he stared into the distance with an uncomfortable, but calm look.

“Break is over. Let’s reach the next blessed tree before the shift of night traps us in the darkness.” Aelfsigior shouted and everyone stood back into their position before they continued their march. The two took a deep breath, and exhaled mist as they took up the pace.

**

As the party continued their track through the woods, the sky slowly painted itself into darker hues. Thanks to Aelfsigior’s experience navigating through the woodland for centuries now, they managed to reach the blessed tree not long before the darkness reached the group. Night itself begun at the center of the world, slowly spreading to all corners within hours.

The Blessed Trees were tall coniferous trees planted by the clergy of the Dawn Father in these parts of the world as a safe haven to the lost and adventurers against the elements and most importantly against the terrors that lurk in the dark. The soft, needle leaves of the tree besides emitting a radiant aura that repels the vile children of the Solemn King also generate a warm light that kept everyone in its vicinity heated during the cold of night.

Ulrich and Priernuss were on duty to set up camp over the grass the blossomed in the tender shadow of the tree all times of the year. The rest were either on watch duty, as one can never be too sure if there is a revenant that could break through the radiant protection of the tree.

Aelfsigior and Lioba were on cook duty, preparing a lamb stew with a spicy paprika seasoning kept the warm body for at least twelve hours. As the two prepared the meal, the others recounted various stories to Eadwald and Azugh whom watched interested – especially when it came to their fathers’ stories.

First, they listened to the tale of Ashnan who recounted the day when his regiment set out to hunt down a lone scylla that nested in the lake Pirofundo located a few hundred kilometers west of Autharsovath. He finished proudly how he pierced the heart of the monster – often found in the north’s waters – that was located in the mesmerizing part resembling the torso of a bountiful naked maiden with long, dark wet hair and dark alluring eyes sprouting forth from the scaled, rotten-scented body.

Gna followed next, recounting how he fought against a war band of the Host that were raiding the settlements. The fiercest battle it was he said as he fought against the leader of the band, a vampyr timeomancer – maguses specialized in fear maghia – whom was capable of sculpting his own pale flesh into indescribably, monstrous shapes that planted the seeds of fear even into his orkhish heart. Yet it was still not enough as Gna’s battle axe severed his head off Gna said proudly.

Ulrich chimed in cheekily mentioning that when Gna returned, he was trembling for three days and nights after the fight as the residual energies remained on him. Then he started his own proudest valorous moment when he faced against a waendiir – an intelligent nekrossok – and as he went into great detail describing its large, bony body and disfigured humanoid like visage, Azugh and Eadwald felt a chill run up their spine as they envisioned the deathly creature.

Aelfsigior noticing the two twinge a little urged Ulrich to quickly divert the story to its end. After Ulrich finished by describing how his blade ran through the creature, its radiant flames evaporated its at least three meters tall body.

Lastly as they started handing out the bowls filled with steaming hot stew with still fresh bread thanks to the enchanted bag carried by Ashnan – Aelfsigior started his own tale of valor. A tale rooted in sadness as he was part of a small company set out to hunt down a possessed boy not older than Eadwald or Azugh themselves.

To save the two from the sorrow, he cut to the chase where his battle-brethren surrounded the boy – or as he corrected the monstrosity. By the time they caught up to it in a small hamlet, the possession reached into its final stages. He described the foul smell of rotten flesh, the boy’s body elongated and widened, his belly split open from top to bottom with large teeth and a collection of misshapen tongues bared at them. In the erect maw, the tortured visages, torn body parts of the villagers mixed together – though he lightened on the details himself.

“So that’s why the spear.” Ulrich chimed in as realized why Aelfsigior chose a spear to be his weapon as he listened to the old aevhe describing how five of his battle-brethren stepped too close for the tongues to wrap around them and pull them into the maw where they met their grizzly end. For a moment, he went silent as he recalled the grinding of armor and bone merged with the distorted, guttural laugh of the infaerni.

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“Could be. Or it was my master who taught me how to handle one.” Aelfsigior said as he laughed out heartily, masking the pain and disgust and cursing himself to recounting this tale just as he was about to eat his stew. But he still forced the steaming hot meat and broth filled with potato and various vegetables imported from the south.

“How did you defeat it Uncle?” As Eadwald asked with golden eyes clearly brimming with respect Aelfsigior continued by leaping to the end – to save himself from further memories. He continued with him leaping at the infaerni who turned its back to him as it faced the praetiir that led them. In that moment, he felt the will of the Dawn Father course through him, and his sword’s blade lit up in radiant runes and flames as blinding as the sun’s light. Followed by the ear-bleeding deep scream as its body dissipated leaving only the mound of chewed and torn body parts behind.

The overwhelming relief and joy that washed over him back then filled Aelfsigior in that moment as he continued eating his stew. After the warm meal he gave out his orders regarding watch duty and when will they set off in the earliest of the morning.

**

A few hours, and at least seven kilometers later, the party led by Aelfsigior ran into a dozen or more revenants feasting upon the cadaver of a large bear. Within seconds of them taking up position and battle stances – their round shields in front, and swords or spears readied to thrust forward – additional revenants numbering the same more or less burst forth from the snow blanketed ground as if they laid trap to them.

They quickly formed into a circle as the revenants surrounded them like a pack of hungry wolves. Most of the revenants were folk-like with a few animals amongst them that they hunted down while searching for food.

The moment between the revenants throwing themselves onto the shields in hopes of breaking through and them watching and waiting felt like hours to Eadwald as sweat flown down from his temples. His breathing was heavy, and he inhaled in short doses as he could not stand the stench of undeath oozing from the revenants.

His eyes popped out and he felt his arms freezing when he noticed the two small revenants, two boys whom ventured far from their settlement. He gulped and closed his eyes at the absolute worst moment – the moment when the revenants begun their relentless assault against the party.

“Athveryne in to your shields!” Aelfsigior yelled – his deep, soothing voice calmed Eadwald – and everyone’s shields enveloped in a transparent golden aura. Revenants shrieked in pain as a few of them dropped to the ground unmoving. The stronger, older ones backed off and hissed like provoked felines in their warped voices.

“Those who can – thrusts your blades forward.” Then followed the next command and a few of the revenant that remained close to the party quickly joined their fallen brethren into the eternal sleep. As the fear still mingled within him, Eadwald thrust his recently crafted sword deep through a large orkhin revenant and straight into the tree that was behind it.

He pulled it back as swiftly as he could and waited for the next command. “The bear.” Priernuss pointed at the bear the revenants feasted upon slowly rising. It emitted a deep, warped bellow before it charged at the party.

“Plant the feet!” At those words, Eadwald felt a bit confused but then he understood the meaning of them when he felt himself sinking a bit into the ground. He took a short peek around and noticed the faint flow of mana coming from Priernuss.

Yet this still proved ineffective when the undead bear crushed into them and broke their line. Eadwald fell onto his back with his shield still in hand. Pain coursed through his limbs and panic set in moments later. He raised his shield over himself, while he thrusted his sword through the side opening and into the frozen, decayed chest of a revenant that was impossible to tell what kin it belonged to once.

As he got up onto his feet, the ground trembled as a bony tendril wrapped around his wrist as he tried to free the tip from the earth and pulled him out from the group. “Eadwald.” Ulrich seeing him being dragged further away from them broke the reforming circle and cut down any revenant that leapt in his path.

“Channel your athveryne matter into your wrist.” He yelled when three further revenant wolves leapt in his way. Followed by two more humanoid revenants behind him swinging their aged weapons down at him. Before they could lend their killing blow though, the two erupted in golden flames that devoured them in a blink of an eye.

“Thanks!” Ulrich thanked Priernuss as he finished off the last of the revenants front of him.

“Keep close to each other! Let’s finish these then go after them!” Aelfsigior’s voice echoed through the area while the sounds of battle became distant as Ulrich tracked after Eadwald.

**

By the time he managed to channel his athervyne infused mana into his wrist, the sounds of the party fighting with the remaining revenants were nothing more than a muffled noise smothered out by the high pitched warped scream. Before Eadwald could took a look at its source, he forced all his limb muscles to get on his own feet. His face draped in his own red blood with a tingent of ethereal hue when the sun shone on it. The cold air breezed his head as the wind started blowing while he looked for his helmet that got lost along the way.

“At least I still have you.” He said while clutching his blade and taking a short peek at the necklace made by Sigi. Then as he raised his shield, he felt something cold and fluid drop onto his scar adorning his left cheek. He groaned as the black fluid started burning his skin and flesh.

As he tilted his head upwards slowly, the same high-pitched warped scream echoed through the thick woodland. The revenant – a highly evolved one at that – resembled a skeletal rodent the size of a great bear, with an elongated skull, two horns that resembled the ears of squirrels, the damaged tail that still sizzled in golden after the athveryne matter severed its segmented end. Ribcages that moved as if it was still breathing, between them a dark mass of rotten meat covered in an even blacker ooze that was the source of his corroding pain.

Eadwald reflexively pumped mana into his legs’ arkhaine points as he felt the Rodent Revenant leap at him while bearing its sharp array of teeth from which the spherical mass ejected towards him. The tree eroded within a blink of an eye, nothing but a memory left of it as the dark fluid evaporated into the air.

He kept his eyes on the Rodent Revenant even when he heard the approaching footsteps coming from Ulrich, who also witnessed the swift end of the towering tree. Without saying a word the two stood on opposite ends. Eadwald felt his father’s gaze from instinct and peeked at him for a short moment. Just enough to know what his father planned in the short time since his arrival.

The two charged closer to the tree into which the Rodent Revenants’ claws were dug into and swung their blades horizontally through the trunk. Both went through it like slightly melted butter, and it screeched loudly as it leapt down from the tumbling tree. It bared its fangs at them while on all fours, then lunged at Ulrich.

His already muscled arms tensed even more and visibly gained muscle as he held his shield over his upper body, while his feet dug into the frozen ground. Eadwald ignored the pain of his ear after experiencing the heavy ivory body of the revenant clash against the strong, metal shield. His aim was towards the mass of flesh encased in the ribcage, while channeling athveryne infused mana into his sword and shield.

The Rodent Revenant screamed as the shield glowed in a radiant light and it leapt away in fear. Ulrich pushed himself against it, while Eadwald followed with his sword’s tip pointed at the belly of the revenant.

The runes on it lit up, and as the it sunk into the putrid flesh and dark fluid, the Revenant screamed from the proverbial throat as the radiant energies poured into its macabre body and tainted being. Before its body lit up in warm, golden flames it swung its damaged tail at Eadwald and sent him through a thick three.

“Eadwald!” Ulrich yelled as his heart and throat became heavy with worry. He thrusted his blade into the skull of the Rodent Revenant that finished off the agonizing undead. Its exoskeleton part shattered into myriad pieces while the burning rotten flesh turned into dazzling ash.

“I’m fine.” Pain assaulted every fiber of his being as Ulrich reached Eadwald down on his back with arms spread out. “Or at least alive.” He added as Ulrich collapsed down on to his bottom and leaned his back against the trunk of the destroyed tree.

“Good. Rest for now. I’ll keep watch for now.” He said while watching the fleeing revenant children meeting their second end. One by a radiant sphere launched by Priernuss, the other pinned against the tree through its small head by Aelfsigior’s spear before flames burnt its decayed corpse into ash. “Priernuss will mend the pain.”

“I don’t feel like that.” Eadwald added as he wrestled with taking breaths while the taste of blood permeated his mouth. Darkness creeped in the corners of his vision, as he watched the myriad luminous hued leaves disturbed by the wind.