Zort limps to Zman after freeing herself from Alucard's arm. She places her slender hand on the back of his armor.

"Are you okay?" She asks.
"No. I'm pretty far from okay." He replies, "How can they do this? Nevermind, I don't want to know."
"What should we do?" Alucard asks.
"We'll exact our revenge, and stop their weapon of course, let's split up, you and Zort, me and Eve." Zman says.
Zort nods, "And Katharos should be back with Musette and some reinforcements."
Zman walks to the giant gate and knocks, "Eve jump! I'll catch you."
She peeks over the other side, "Alright, ready?"

He nods. She builds up her courage and hops over the stone castling directly into Zman's arms. She smiles and opens her frightened eyes.

"Thank you." She says.
"Eve…" He whispers, "They killed a dear friend of mine, I must stop the Charr and their fire weapon. Will you join me?"
She nods, "My love, I will go anywhere with you."

She wipes the blood from his lips and kisses him sweetly. Zort coughs gently while Alucard opens his tight man-panties and looks inside. Zman slowly sets Eve on her feet as she pulls out of the kiss.

"So, a plan? " Zort asks.
"Flank." Zman replies, "I look at it like this, the weapon is directly on that road so if we pincer them when the reinforcements arrive we can surround them."
"Alright, c'mon Alucard." She says.
He nods, "Yup, off we go."
"We'll take the East side." Zman says.

The two parties quickly split and rush to their selective sides in an attempt to pincer the Charr and wait for reinforcements to close in and possibly prevent their bizarre attack with a new and unprecedented weapon.

"This is the side that the Charr came from when they attacked the castle, the West side should already show the ravages of their attack, but both sides should be decently Charr free." Zman says, "Are you okay Eve?"
She nods, "Yes, just worried about the weapon. But I know I'll be safe with you."

Suddenly four armored Charr surround them and instantly begin to charge.

"SHIT!" Zman yells, "DUCK!"

Eve quickly drops to her knees as Zman plants his foot into the ground and spins his hammer in a whirling maelstrom. She quickly jumps up and rolls her arms casting a parasitic hoard of locusts to attack two of the four. Zman quickly goes into a frenzy fueled by anger and bashes one of the Charr in the face instantly flattening its nose. He gives another vicious swing and the Charr drops to the ground never to move again. The fourth Charr swings its crude axe in a swirl damaging both Zman and Eve. Zman quickly turns and roars with a mighty jumping blow. The Charr manages to block with his shield but is instantly downed by one of Eve's malicious curses. Zman turns his attention to the two remaining Charr who've fought off the locusts. Both Charr rush at Eve ready to impale her with their swords. Zman quickly jumps in front of her and takes the devastating attacks. He groans as he feels the crude metal slicing his skin. He lifts his hammer as blood drips from his arm. He drops the furious force of the hammer onto the weakened Charr who instantly meets the ground in a permanent encounter. The last Charr wildly swings his sword hitting Zman's shoulder pad. Zman turns and smashes his hammer upward into the Charr and breaks its neck. He slowly turns to Eve. She smiles to him. He quickly notices the flame behind her as a Charr ranger aims its flaming arrow. He quickly pushes Eve behind him and takes the arrow in his chest.

"GRAAAAAAH!" Zman roars as the searing pain travels through his body.

Eve watches in horror and swings her arm up casting a curse on the Charr Ranger. Zman grabs the arrow and jerks it out of his chest. Blood sprays the air as the wind stirs seemingly making time slow down. He grimaces as he endures the horrific pain and begins to rush to the doomed Charr Ranger. The Charr drops its next arrow due to being fainthearted and lifts its head only to see the hammer about to smash into it. The Charr flies back a few feet from the devastating hammer. Zman turns around only to see Eve take a slash to her back. She falls down with a shriek that fuels Zman to overload. He Stomps the ground in a livid charge and tackles the Charr that slashed her. He grips his hammer holding the head downward and begins to mercilessly smash it into the Charr's face. He stops only when Eve places a hand on his shoulder to remind him he is pounding wet chunks of skull into the earth. His frenzy subsides as the terrible pain soars through him again. He looks at Eve but she instantly becomes hazy.

"Eve. I can't see." He whispers. "What's wrong?"
"Charr necromancer, don't worry I'll handle it." She says with a smile.

Zman tries to stand but feels faint. He instantly falls over and looks at his still bleeding wounds. He attempts to heal himself but fails from lack of concentration. He reaches up and grabs his hammer and tries to stand using it as support. Eve shrieks as she is attacked by another Charr. Zman jumps up as he endures the pain once more and swings around bashing the unfortunate Charr Warrior into the ground. Eve stands back up and finishes off the Charr necromancer with a storm of flesh eating locusts. She turns to Zman and smiles.

"We did it, we secured this side!" She says, "Now let's heal up."
"I.. Love you… Eve.." Zman says as his endurance fails.

He falls directly back. He stares at the sky as it begins to darken. Crystalline shards suddenly shoot into the sky and sparkle. Zman watches thinking this is what death feels like, but at least he is facing up, a respectable death. Eve would live on and he would have died protecting her. Balthazar would honor his soul by placing him in the Hall of Heroes for sure. Eve hovers over him. Her mouth moves but no words reach his ears. He stares blankly at the sky as if looking a million miles away. Eve quickly jerks off his armor guarding his chest and places her bare hand over his heart. She splits her health with a necrotic sacrifice and suddenly shoots him full of life and vigor. Zman's stare quickly becomes settled directly on her as her lips quiver in pain and tears drench his chest. He reaches up and embraces her.

"You saved me…" He says as blood covers his mouth. "Huh?"

Blood steadily flows from Eve's mouth as her eyes become faint. Zman looks behind her as he notices a Charr holding a bloodied sword. The Charr had stabbed her in the back. Zman jumps up lacking his armor. He grips his hammer and goes into a frenzy destroying every essence of the Charr who had dared to hurt his precious Eve. The blunt of the hammer dances merrily on the corpse as Zman's memories of Eve and the love they shared race though his mind.

"THE RING!" Zman exclaims

He drops his hammer as he kneels to the lifeless body of the woman he loves. He examines the resurrection signet trying to activate it. He places his hand onto Eve and it begins to glow. It shatters as her eyes open.

"EVE! I thought you had died!" He yells.

She looks at him blankly. He looks back with an unfading smile. She looks at her hands and then gazes around still with a blank stare.

"Eve?" He gulps, "Is something wrong?"

She slowly stands up and looks at all the blood on the ground. She looks at Zman and tilts her head. Zman stands and picks up his hammer. She watches carefully.

"Eve, it's me Zman." He smiles, "D-Don't you remember?"

She looks down still not understanding. She reaches out and touches his bare chest with her finger. He feels a power surge through his body as if his energy was doubled. She gasps as she feels a sting in her body. She looks at her hands and waves them at the dead Charr raising several bone minions. The minions walk around aimlessly as Eve gazes at the horrific looking abominations. They fall over from their natural body degeneration and Eve slowly begins to cry feeling hurt from their deaths.

"Eve. Don't cry. What's wrong?" He says still hoping her memory will return.

She drops onto her knees and looks up at Zman. She smiles to him and gasps as more people approach.

"Devona! Mhenlo!" Zman smiles, "Bout time you guys got here! The Charr are just over this hill, send out some warriors!"
Devona shakes her head, "The battle is lost Zman. The Charr are invading Ascalon. I came to seek you out. A counter attack is being prepared, but it looks grim."
"Dwayna, please mercy us sinful children of Tyria." Mhenlo sighs.
"But, but…" Zman begins.
"Zman, please, we found your friends about to storm the Charr too, but I sent them to gather at Nolani. Alot of mages are there. We must go too." Devona pleads.
"Eve. Eve we must go." Zman says.

She tilts her head.

Mhenlo watches her, "You… You used a signet to revive her?"
"Yes. Is something wrong? Is something wrong with Eve!?" Zman gasps.
"You care for this woman?" Devona quirks.
"The Signets haven't been perfected. Surely her memory will return. May we look after her until then?" He asks.
Zman sighs, "Please take care of her. She sacrificed part of her life to save me."
"I understand, we shall make sure no harm befalls her." The solemn monk promises.
"Nolani… I will go. But I need to know if Katharos is alright." Zman says, "He went to Tydus to inform."
"Yes Tydus told us about a few Elementalists that were going to be tested for battle." Devona says.
"Then he's alright. Good. I hope to see him and Musette in Nolani. Then we will strike these Charr.YOU HEAR THAT FUCKERS!? WE'RE GOING TO SLAUGHTER EVER LAST FUCKING ONE OF YOU!" Zman roars.

Katharos groans, feeling his whole body throbbing in pain. He attempts to open his eyes, but his eyelids refuse to lift and keep his vision stuck behind a black veil. He feels his body has placed itself in fetal position, probably an effect of the lightning earlier. He remains in this position, his mind drifting to Musette, to his failure, to his broken heart. Only for one day he had known this angel, now she is gone, forever…

He hears a shriek, a scared young woman, she cries now… could it be…?

He tries to get up, but he feels something new, he feels himself trapped in a moistly fibrous contraption, he is confused, how could he be wrapped in damp blankets or whatever this might be? He pushes above him, seeking a way to push these blankets away. He pushes harder and hears a rip, he slides his fingers in the crack and rips it wider until he can stand and walk out. The darkness surrounding him turns to a bluish blur and his vision becomes clearer gradually. He looks around him at the blue landscape; blue sand, crystal spikes everywhere and a cobalt blue sky filled with sparks and bolts. He looks down around himself and sees what seems to be a pile of smoking charcoal and burnt cloth, which vanishes quickly into black streaks of vapor. His confusion only grows as questions fill his troubled mind; where is he, why was he wrapped, what really was this pile, why can he see but still feel like his eyes are still shut, why can he only look around himself by moving his whole body and cannot bend down?

He ceases to question himself as he hears the cries once again. He turns to the girl and feels his heart warm up and merge back into a whole, able to beat again. Musette is on her knees, immaculate, unharmed… but crying on his blood soaked coat, which she holds dearly against her breasts.

"Musette… don't cry, I'm here" he thinks, but his words cannot reach his lips, as he realizes he cannot feel them either.
He walks toward her, but feels a tilt in his spine, he worries, wondering how badly he is hurt.
"C…can you hear me Musette? Please… hear me…" he wants to say, but he can only think.

She looks up to him, but instead of joy, or even surprise, she looks at him in fright. He wants to stop walking to her since somehow he is scaring her, but his body refuses to obey him and he continues to approach. Musette jumps back on her feet and throws a Flare at him. He winces to the pain, panicking at his loss of control, wondering how horrible he must look to get such hostility from the one he loves.

"Go away you monster!" she cries to him as she charges up a more destructive spell.

He wishes to run away, to leave her in peace and hide himself, but his body runs to charge Musette. He trusts his arm forward, impaling her chest. He stares at his arm in disbelief, skinless with pieces of bone jutting through his rotting flesh. He looks at her fading eyes, seeing a reflection of his own neckless and faceless head lined with a row of crude fangs. His own heart rots away as Musette's eyes close and her lifeless body slips off his arm, leaving her pierced heart stuck on his long and bloody claws, dripping on the blue sand. The sand turns purple, along with the crystals and the sky fills with red clouds, raining blood all over the desert and the horror he had become. His claws extend in a swift gory motion, ripping her heart into pieces flying around and onto him. He screams inside.

He gurgles and twitches before falling apart on the sand. He feels his rotting body getting sucked by the ground to be buried. Worms and maggots are already devouring his hands, he struggles to free himself of the creeping pain, he… awakes screaming as he sits up.

"My Melandru! You scared the crap out of me!" Reyna says.
Katharos shivers and feels cold sweat dripping off his face. He looks to Reyna, holding his hand to strap a small splint on his thumb. He looks at his free hand, each finger with a splint of wood held on with bandages to keep them from moving.

"I had to pop all your bones back in place, it was long but you can heal yourself safely now." Reyna tells him.
He still stares at his hand, ignoring what she just told him as he is stuck in his own mind.
Reyna thinks the Dork is just pouting at her and she gets offended "Look, all the available Monks are busy healing MORTAL wounds. You just had broken and twisted fingers, I fixed them, you can heal those easy."
He still doesn't respond.
"FINE! Be an ungrateful asshole and let your fingers rot!" she scoffs off and barely makes a few steps before Tydus interrupts her.
"Any news about the lost recruits?" Tydus interrogates.
"No sir, the Elementalist Musette, the Necromancer Claude and the Monk known as The Healer Of Doom are still missing." Reyna reports.
Tydus sighs "I'll send a few more scouts to find them." he looks at Katharos "You're a Monk secondary correct? If so, we will need you to heal the wounded."
Katharos merely gets up and walks away of them.
"What's wrong with him?" Reyna wonders.
"Seems we're stuck with another broken one, better leave him in a room until he gets back his senses." Tydus proposes. "Rurik is still out there?" He asks.
"Yes sir, he was last seen running toward the theater." Reyna says.
"This fool… I'll have to organize a party to go get him before he gets himself killed." he turns to Reyna "Take care of the others, we'll need their skills soon." he then walks off to the fortress section of the Nolani Academy.

Reyna walks to Alesia, who is healing Stefan's bruises.
"Hey, what happen? He got in a fight for rations again?" Reyna asks.
"Don't be so mean, one of those freak crystals fell inside the fort while you were out scouting and Stefan was talking to the Xunlai when it happened, he nearly got killed!" Alesia says.
"What about the Xunlai? Did we lose that now?" Reyna asks.
"Nah she's fine, she ran off over there with her chest before it fell down." Alesia points.
"Wow, those Xunlai are good at surviving." Reyna says.
Alesia nods.

Suddenly, another crystal smashes nearby. Reyna, Alesia, Stefan, Katharos and all the other escapees are blown away. The stone walls collapse over the red rune on the ground, but the biggest slabs smash on the stones arches around the rune while the other slabs fall on the biggest ones, creating a strange fragile dome around the rune. More fright than harm, which is a welcome change in these times of chaos. The people gets up one by one, checking themselves and the others to make sure no wounds were caused by the short catastrophe.

Katharos stands up slowly and looks up at the crystal. It's the same kind, only more narrow and longer than the first ones he seen in Ascalon. He sees small bolts erupting from the crystal, a few going toward the other crystal in the fort. He cringes as tiny blue bolts erupt from his own chest, trying to reach out to the crystal above. He holds his chest with his arms in a vain attempt to conceal his leaking energy and runs off to the opposite wall under the stare of confused recruits, who soon mutter among each others about the freak they just seen.

"What the? What's up with this guy?" Reyna wonders.
"Maybe it's some energy sickness Eles got, Tydus told me he was found straight next to a crystal and had to carry him all the way here." Alesia says.
"Orion was found nearly dead nearby one too, but he's not spurting sparks like that guy." Reyna tells.
"I carried Orion." Stefan declares.
"And you dropped him, twice." Reyna says.
"He's all bony! He slipped!" Stefan defends.
"Nah you're just clumsy." Reyna says.
"He's not! He can stay up even during an earthquake." Alesia says.
"That's cause he's FAT" some Necromancer recruit declares.
"WHO CALLED ME FAT!?" Stefan jumps up with his crude sword and shield in hand and a red face.
"Ooooh shit." the Necromancer runs off.
"CHARGE!!!" Stefan shouts and runs after the bad-mouthed recruit.

Katharos kneels down, still holding his chest and facing the wall. The bolts reduced in intensity and now appear only as small sparks, merely flashing through his shirt. He looks down at himself, watching the sparks die down slowly.

"W…what's wrong with me?" he asks himself in a whisper.
He closes his eyes, then reopens them slowly and looks at his bandaged hands.
After twirling his dark thoughts around in his tired mind, he whispers softly in grief and guilt "I let her die…"

“This is Nolani… Or more aptly, what’s left.” Zman says to himself as he enters what used to be a great archway door.

The sky rages as if there were a large thunderstorm with no signs of letting up. The walls crumble as another large, crystalline shard smashes into the ground.

“No place is safe.” He mumbles.
“Zman!” Tydus yells, “Alright, now that you’ve made it here I’m going back to Ascalon and prepare a counter-offensive.”
“Why now that I am here?” Zman asks.
“Well, either you like it or not, Rurik likes you and you’re a… well… volunteer general for his army.” Tydus coughs.
“How’d I get into this?” He sighs, “This is a complete and utter travesty.”
“Luckily though you’re a high ranking officer now.” He smirks.
“But I don’t even like Rurik! I tried to blackmail him on several occasions!” Zman roars.
“Unfortunately Rurik sees those incidents as jokes. However you’ll have a lot of help. Devona, Mhenlo, Aidan… and a few others were also of Rurik's volunteers.” He says.
“Ooh, Devona eh?” Zman smirks.
“And you outrank her!” He smiles.
“Well, this is getting better.” He admits.
Tydus points at a caravan and nods, “Alright, we’re taking these weapons to the front, good luck General Zman.”
“Good luck Captain Tydus.” Zman salutes.

Zman smiles to himself as he turns around to overlook his new refugees and potential recruits under his service. Reyna walks by obviously filled with anger.

“Excuse me, what’s wrong?” Zman asks.
“That Elementalist! I helped him and he just… He just won’t even say thank you!” She says holding back tears.
“I’ll have a word with him.” He says.
She sniffles, “Thank you.”

Zman walks towards the room Reyna exited. Katharos is sitting against a wall, cradling his broken hands.

“Katharos!” Zman exclaims.
“G-huh?” He grunts.
“Well! Aren’t you glad to see me?” He smirks.
“Uh.” He groans.
“Where’s Musette?” Zman asks.
Katharos’ eyes immediately shrink, “She… She…”
“No… No. No, no she isn’t. No, please tell me.” He gasps.
“I was… just about to kiss her when… a… crystal…” He sobs.
Zman shakes his head, “Say no more.”

Zman watches Katharos cry for a moment, then exits. Reyna looks at the mortified look on his face. She rushes to him and stops in front of him.

“What happened?” She asks.
“His girlfriend was killed in front of him. That’s why he seems a bit out of it.” Zman says.
“He had a girlfriend?” She jolts, “Oh I mean. Oops. I’d better just go.”
Zman nods gently, “Yeah.”

Reyna walks towards the back but quickly jumps out of the room when someone screams. She points inside for Zman. He quickly sprints to the door.

Mhenlo holds up his palm, “Please, please relax, Eve is okay.”
Devona looks at Zman as he enters, “We didn’t hurt her, but we have found out she doesn’t like to be touched.”
Zman quirks, “Who touched her.”

The two point to the Ranger next to her. Aidan stands calmly with a smug look on his face.

“I was just going to put some salve on the cut on her face.” He says to his defense.

Zman walks to Aidan while popping his knuckles. He pushes his crude gauntlet up tight against his hand and punches Aidan square in the jaw. The ranger drops to his knees from the skull crack.

“Put some salve on that then. Don’t touch her. Mhenlo is in charge of healing her. Not you. And if you even get near her again you’ll be bringing body parts back to Mhenlo to reattach.” Zman growls.

Eve watches Zman as he strikes fear into the Ranger she thought was trying to hurt her.

“Zman aren’t you being a little harsh?” Mhenlo says.
“I always am. I’ve been volunteered to command some recruits for Rurik. I don’t like Rurik, but unfortunately we’re all in this together.” Zman says, “So let’s at least try to make the best of it.”
Devona kneels, “I will serve Ascalon by following you, Zman.”
Mhenlo bows his head, “Oh Dwayna, please help us.”
Aidan finishes rubbing the salve on his face, “Alright, so what about the people we brought with us?”
“Zort and Alucard are already working on clearing some debris from the main room. We’re setting up a shelter.” Mhenlo says.

A messenger enters the room.

“I have a message for a… Z… uh… Zman?” He says unsurely.
Zman holds out his hand, “That’s me.”
“Oh sorry. Here. It’s from Rurik.” He hands over the message.

Zman opens it up and begins reading as the messenger makes his speedy escape. Mhenlo and Devona crowd over his shoulders trying to read.

“Well?” Devona asks.
“It’s about Althea, she’s missing.” He says.
“Oh Dwayna…” Mhenlo sighs, “I’m sure Rurik is losing his mind.”
“We’ve been charged with finding her, she was on a caravan between here and Piken Square.” Zman says, “Well we’d better get going.”
“Piken Square is a few miles from here on open road, short distance by wing.” Aidan says.
“I don’t see us sprouting wings anytime soon, so I believe it’d be best to find the caravan to see if it just got lost, or attacked.” Zman says, “Let’s gather the able bodied and go.”
“Alesia can heal the wounded here in my stead. I’d like to go with you.” Mhenlo says.
“I will go with you Zman.” Devona says.
“Alright, let’s rally some more people.” Zman says.

A female scream sounds from outside. Zman bolts out of the room followed by Devona, Aidan and Mhenlo.

Zman and his party charges outside Nolani Academy and soon find a crowd of Gargoyles slashing and sending lightning down at the unfortunate girl in the middle of the pack. Zman charges ahead and smashes three screeching Gargoyles in one blow, causing most of them to turn around a cast their multiple illusions on him. He swings his hammer mercilessly despite ghostly phantasms and imaginary burdens assaulting him restlessly as Aidan fires his fiery arrows to the ones far back. Devona joins Zman in his slaughter with an earth shaking stomp, making the nearest Gargoyles trip and easily crushed with low blows, which more than once made their skulls pop out their bald ugly heads. Mhenlo stayed far back, casting his healing spells on the Warriors and the girl in the middle he cannot see, until he ran to Zman to touch him. Zman swiftly turns around to grab Mhenlo's arm.

“The fuck you think you're doing!?” Zman growls.
Mhenlo says confused “I was about to give you a healing touch to...”
“Don't touch me and go back.” Zman says coldly before receiving a lightning bolt in his shoulder and turn around to smash the pesky Gargoyle in the chest, ripping the skinny creature in half.

Reddish light in the middle of the crowd glows stronger and stronger as the battle rages, causing all the closest Gargoyles to stumble shrieking in agony only to be stepped on by the next row of bloodthirsty and suicidal Gargoyles. Suddenly, the core explodes, sending the last remaining Gargoyles flying off as burnings masses, more or less alive. Those still alive run off screaming and waving their arms trying to shake off the immolation.

The explosion caster stands tall with a pissed look and crosses her arms ”Mph! Traveling here after burning all these Charr just to get ambushed by stupid Gargoyles! I should have stayed home! ”

A flaming Gargoyle runs back to the girl and raises his bony claws to strike her in the back.
“Watch out!” Zman yells as he charges forward.
“What?” The Elementalist girl says as the claws hits her, but instead of ripping her flesh, the Gargoyle's strike bounces off a blue flash appearing upon impact.
Zman takes the opportunity to skull crack the Gargoyle, then bashes it with his hammer until it is almost flat on the bloodied ground. He then turns to the girl, who is now scowling at him.

“Are you alright my lady?” Zman asks suavely.
The girl looks up at him. She is tall, but only above average, yet seems to have the confidence of a giant from the glow of her stare. She wears an unusual pale blue and lilac dress which accentuates her feminine curves, but covers more of her skin than the common jeweled cut, thus giving her a less slutty look than a normal female Elementalist recruit. Her blonde hair is held in long bouncy pigtails, except for her long bangs surrounding her face, and two long dark streaks protruding from the pigtails' bands ornate the sides of her golden head. She taps in impatience the head of her twisted bulky wooden wand against the side of her boot repeatedly.
“I would be alright if you came sooner, or if SOMEONE came to escort me!” she gives the evil eye to a suddenly scared Mhenlo.
“Bu... but Cynn, you know well I had to come here to heal the wounded, I trusted your capacities to come here unarmed without assistance...” Mhenlo says unsurely.
“You think just because I blasted those Charr out of my ruined home that I don't deserve a damn break!” she bitches stomping closer and closer to Mhenlo.
“B...but but.” A backstepping Mhenlo says.

Zman, Aidan and Devona look at Cynn and Mhenlo arguing in front of them, amused by the sight.
“Good old cranky Cynn, I almost missed her bitching, almost.” Devona says.
“She should be thankful sometimes though, Mhenlo did save her life. Again.” Aidan says.
“Ungrateful bitch.” Zman mutters.

“And since when do you use Protection Magic!? And WHY didn't you use it while I got clawed and zapped each second huh? I HATE bleeding even if you fix it!” Cynn continues bitching.
“Whu... what? I never brought Protection, I only use Healing remember?” Mhenlo says, covering his face with his hands in case she feels like throwing a Fireball in his general direction.
“If you didn't then why did that blue thing made that slammed metal sound huh?” Cynn questions.
“Well... uh...” Mhenlo looks at something behind her.

“...you okay?” Someone says.
“Eek!” Cynn jumps and turns around to punch someone in the face as everyone else turn around as well.
“Don't creep up on me you freak!” she yells as someone blinks while rubbing his nose.
“Katharos? What're you doing out here?” Zman asks him.
“I heard her scream... I had to help...” he says while rubbing his bandaged hands.
“You're still wounded, let me heal you.” Mhenlo approaches.
“Don't bother, I healed before casting.” Katharos says as he rips the bandages and splints off his now clean hands.
“Wanna come along? We're gonna go save Althea.” Zman smiles.
“A... Althea!? She got attacked!?” Katharos asks as he sparks back to life hearing her name.
Zman shakes his head and says more seriously “We don't know yet, all we know is she is missing. Rurik asked me personally to go find her.”
“Rurik asked you? But you hate him!” the Dork exclaims.
“I know! But he made me General anyway!” Zman announces.
“General?” the Elementalist scratches his head.
“Anyway you wanna come or not?” Zman asks again.
“Of course I'm coming!” Katharos says.
Zman claps once “Great! Put your gloves on and let's go!”
Katharos looks at his hands and looks around “uh... I don't...”
“You don't know where they are? Oh, Reyna probably got them, I'll be right back.” Zman rushes back to the Academy.
Cynn places her fists on her hips “He went back for GLOVES? If he asked me to come we would already be off now.” she pouts.
“He never goes somewhere for only one thing.” Katharos says looking back to the Academy.

Zman rushes inside Nolani and enters a room. “Eve?”
She looks up to him, smiling, but still with the ignorant gaze of a child.
He walks to her, then gently places his gloved hands on her shoulders “Eve... I'll be gone for a while, I'll be back very soon, just for you... my love.”
He traces his fingers on her soft pale cheek, she shivers to his touch, but gazes at him peacefully. He closes his eyes and kisses her softly, while she keeps her eyes open, letting his warm lips touch hers. He unlocks the kiss slowly and slides his arms around her in a sweet embrace, he breathes deeply as he listens to the soothing beat of her heart.

Zort looks inside the room. “Oh Zman, I came here to move Eve to a tent, some rooms already collapsed... Zman?”
He slowly releases Eve from his grasp. She still holds his arms with her slender hands, not wishing to see the sweet Warrior go. As he still gazes at his Eve, he orders Zort “Please take care of her while I'm gone and tell Alucard to join the party outside, we need his necrotic skills.”
“Yes sir!” Zort salutes then grabs the confused Eve by the hand “Follow me, we have to move to safety.” then scampers off with Eve following.

He exits the room, then rubs his chin, certain that he forgot something. Reyna runs to him.
“The Elementalist left the room. I tried to ask him where he was going, but he ran off without telling me. He's an asshole, but if you see him again give him this. I don't want to make Tydus mad at me for keeping those ugly things.” she says as she hands the Warrior a pair of bloodied gloves then leaves in a hurry.

Zman smiles “Got everything done here, time to go.” he tells himself and runs out of the Academy.

He rejoins the party waiting for him. Everyone is sitting calmly, cleaning their weapons or meditating, except for Cynn and Alucard. Cynn is crossing her arms with a mean red face while Alucard is rubbing his nose.
Alucard points to her “Bitch!”
Cynn growls “YOU tried to touch me!”
Mhenlo defends “I think he wanted to practice his Blood Ritual.”
Cynn fumes “By grabbing my BUTT!? You clueless idiot!”
“Okay okay, settle down, we got a Mesmer to find! Oh Dork, here.” Zman throws the gloves at Katharos.
Katharos catches the gloves and slips them on.
“Everyone's ready? Yes? Then let's go!” Zman beckons and runs ahead.
Everyone rushes after Zman, except Katharos, staring at the dry blood on his gloves.
He murmurs to himself “I won't let you die... I can't... not again...” then jolts as he notices he's lagging behind again, then rushes after the party before anyone notices.

The path is mostly Charr free, which doesn't strike as a surprise. Unlike the Ascalonians, who are moving to find shelter and save their beloved, most Charr are waiting patiently in the Northlands for the cataclysm they created to subside before going on with their plans of conquer. Plenty of frenzied Devourers, opportunist Gargoyles and scattered Grawls litter the way, delaying the group in their research. The burning crystals continue to fall to the south on the desolate dying land, deformed by the sudden magical decay that began as soon the crystals crashed into the earth. Only small blue shards fall from the sky around them, yet tension runs through everyone in the search party as each of them fear their quest to end under one of the giant crystals. They march on and on, killing insane monsters on their way, until..

“The caravan! HURRY!” Zman shouts as he charges forward.

The caravan is getting ripped apart by Charr, the refugees stuck inside attempt to run or protect themselves with the shields and pieces of armor they found in the supplies, but most are pulled out and carried like ragdolls or torn apart by the pillaging beasts.

“Please help me!” a young woman begs as an axe is about to strike her head, but the Charr drops its axe beside her as an arrow pierces its brain through its now bleeding eye, she stands and runs off before it gets knocked away by a devastating hammer blow. Zman then rushes to another Charr about to bite off the arm of a helpless elderly man. He punches it in the face to force it to let loose then, as the man quickly crawls off, bashes its head into the ground, shattering its skull and brain in the dirt. Devona helps the man up and swings her hammer into the chest of another Charr trying to harm him, then she moves to another refugee to rescue. Aidan shoots burning arrows at the arms and hearts of retreating Charr to make them drop their captives. Cynn blasts away the Charr trying to approach the caravan while Mhenlo, beside her, concentrates his magic on saving the wounded. Alucard and Katharos stand where Zman first seen the caravan, unneeded in the middle of battle. Alucard floods the Charr with curses and swarms of locusts, while Katharos throws fire on the beasts and casts his few shielding spells on the endangered refugees until they are saved by the others.

“Damnit! They're coming from everywhere!” Alucard rages.
Katharos activates his glyph to save his remaining energy. “I... I can't hold on much longer.” he says as he casts a Fire Storm on Charr charging at them, then refreshes his own Aura of Restoration.
“DIE NOW!” he growls as he casts another swarm on a particularly resistant Axe Fiend.
The Elementalist throws a Lighting Javelin at a charging Charr that survived the previous spell. It falls down with a loud clanking metal noise.
“Ah-ha! Good shot! Fried brain! Right Dork? Er, Katharos?” Alucard looks to his side, only to see Katharos face down on the ground and being pulled by his foot.
“FUCK!” Alucard yells sending a swarm at the Charr pulling the knocked out Elementalist. “Don't fuck with a Necro's frienAGH!” he says as he gets knocked by another Charr, then gets pulled away as well.

Alucard finally awakes much later on the shoulder of a stinky Charr warrior. He immediately curses the unsuspecting Charr that drops to its knees. The Charr ranger drops his unconscious Elementalist and shoots an arrow to the Necromancer, who quickly jumps off the other Charr, causing the arrow to hit the Charr's shoulder. The Charr warrior growls loudly and rips the arrow out, making it bleed and get weaker, only to be eaten away by another swarm while being fainthearted. Alucard picks the dropped shield up and deflects the next arrows being fired by the Charr ranger a few feet away of him before it runs back to get a better range. He runs after it to flood it with curses. “How'd you like that BITCH!” he laughs while finishing off the Charr ranger. He runs to the corpse to kick it, then notices a long staff and picks it up, not caring why a ranger got a staff to start with.

“AHAHA! Necro for the win!” he gloats in victory. “Oh yeah right, Dork.” he recalls.

He jumps next to the Elementalist, picks him up by his shirt collar and starts slapping him around “Come on! Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP!”
Katharos groans as he awakes “...ugh my face... “
“We're fucking lost, we gotta find our way back to the group, this way or this way?” he points to both directions where multiple Charr footprints cover the ground.
Katharos gets up and rubs his head “The steps go in both directions... let's try this way, then if we find too many Charr, we go the opposite.”
“Whatever, we can't really do anything else.” Alucard shrugs. “Oh yeah, take that, I noticed you didn't have one all that time.”
Katharos takes the staff and blinks “This... this is a Gold Fire Staff...” he pulls out an Identification Kit quickly and taps the staff “…Insightful Fire Staff of Fortitude... maximum damage?”
Alucard blinks at his incredible luck “Huh, yeah, I found it on a boss a long time ago ahaha... let's fucking go.”

They walk and walk, unable to run the whole path as they feel weakened by their last encounter.

Too many Charr.

“Well, it's the other way around, let's get the guys.” Alucard says.
Katharos stares at the marching Charr “Althea...”
“What!?” Alucard looks down the hill.

A few Charr are carrying unconscious prisoners, but the one catching their attention is a Flame Caller carrying the purple Mesmer in his arms like a fragile treasure.

“Goddamnit! We gotta get the guys right now!” he runs off in the opposite direction, then stops as he feels someone missing. “Katharos! Eh... dude?”
Katharos is trembling with his fists clenched at his sides, still staring at the Charr holding Althea.
“Go without me... I have to follow them... I'll place markers on the way.” he says.
“Dude, you're not a Ranger.” Alucard tells him.
“Do you see any around?” Katharos retorts without turning, or even moving.
“I get ya... good luck.” Alucard says going off to get the others.

Katharos immediately gets to work by picking up a piece of charcoal from a burnt tree, then draws a strange symbol looking like a horizontal “3” with the middle extended and the tip pointed like a sword's blade. His symbol... Zman will recognize it. He jumps down the small cliff of the jagged hill to have a closer look, then jumps down the next cliff once the Charr passed by. He draws another symbol on a dead tree down the hill, big enough to be seen from the top, then runs after the Charr, keeping a safe distance until he can figure out what else he could do.

Alucard continues running, getting some hope back when he sees a tiny caravan in the distance, sparks and tiny blue flashing dots showing the battle still rages. “Goddamn they sure wanted that caravan badly...” he thinks, remembering how few there were before they got at that point.

A few Charr appear on the path ahead and charge up to him with one more unconscious prisoner and wounds all over them. The Necromancer grins seeing another easy victory for him. He sends a swarm to the closest.

“AAAAUGH DAMN!” he growls as he feels pain coursing through his arms and his whole body, as if ants crawled inside him to devour his flesh. He sees black smoke around his feet and an unfortunately familiar purple symbol spin around him.

Backfire.

He runs away. He catches a glimpse of a floating roach with tentacles nearby, which spits another hex on him, conjuring purple ghosts to eat away what's left of his sanity. The Charr quickly catch up on him and one of them pushes him down on the ground. Alucard turns on his back and tries to stand up, but a clawed Charr foot presses him back down.

He looks straight up, to a Charr holding the tip of its sword over his throat “Oh shi...”

*SHLIT*

Katharos continues to follow, getting less and less confident in his choice. He should have went back with Alucard, but then maybe he would have never found her again, he thinks while drawing another symbol. He marches on, but makes a fatal mistake.

He steps on a Crown of Thorns, which shrieks loudly under the Elementalist foot before popping up. The Charr carriers continue their march, but the free handed ones at the back split from the group to charge and throw spells at him. Katharos is quickly overwhelmed and pushed down, outnumbered, he loses consciousness once again.

A Charr runs up to pick him up, but suddenly an army of skinless creatures jump on it to tear it apart. The others attack the undead army as well, but are slain one by one as the number of horrors only grows in their defeat.

“AHAHAHA! They're all DEAD!” a mad Necromancer declares. “Hrm, except him.” he says looking down at the only unblackened body.
“What the hell, I'm bringing him back home. Minions!” he yells at the minions, which pick him up as gently as their sharp claws allow them to, only to gurgle, slam the Elementalist body back down, fall, and vanish.
“Okay, bad plan, only the most fresh this time!” he orders the most recently summoned Minions to do the same.

Zman draws his hammer back as he looks over the remains of the burnt caravan. The Charr and human limbs are scattered about the area. He looks up at the blackened sky in question. Devona holds her hammer upright and meditates as her signet heals her body. Mhenlo spams healing spells on the refugees who are bleeding and suffering from deep wounds while Aidan climbs the rocks to scout the area. He rubs his chin in anguish from the blow he suffered earlier. Cynn yawns and presses out her white dress.

“Vey victus…” Zman mutters gently, “Suffering to the conquered.”
“Those words!” Devona remarks, “What language is that?”
“Orrian. I’m from Orr.” Zman says.
“The Charr! They are going west!” Aidan calls out, “Direct west, seems as though they are done here.”
Mhenlo quirks, “Done? You mean now that they got through the wall, they are just rampaging?”
“What do you expect from mindless beasts?” Cynn smirks, “They have no sense of style, no sense of strategy, and no common sense.”
“But they have a sense of direction.” Aidan says, “And it’s west.”
“That must mean… Piken? Grendich?” Devona gasps, “Are already…?”
“We must make haste.” Zman calls, “Katharos! Alucard! We’re leaving without you if you don’t hurry up!”
Cynn nods, “Now he understands what a rush is.”
“Please Cynn, it is a trying time for us all.” Mhenlo smiles.
She flicks a tiny fire at his nose, “Look, just because you’re so cute doesn’t mean you can calm ME down.”
“Huh?” He blushes.

Aidan jumps down the rocks and skies down quickly until he faceplants into the ground. Cynn cringes after watching. Mhenlo casts a healing spell on him before he gets up. Aidan stands and spits out a rock.

“I meant to do that, of course.” He smirks, “I believe that if we head to Piken Square we can group with others and make a more efficient search and rescue party.”
Zman sighs, “I hate to say it, but I agree with you. Let’s hurry up. KATHAROS! If you’re out there! Stay put till I get back!”

Zman quickly rushes down the still razing mountain path followed be the troupe of Ascalon's finest. Crystal shards litter the surrounding area while the wildlife scurries about looking for shelter from the disaster. Aidan watches as the large Melandru Stalkers flee from the area.

“I hope this attack doesn’t devastate our wildlife that much.” He says.
“We’re all going to die, Althea has been kidnapped, and you’re worrying about CATS?!” Cynn growls.
“Charr!” Devona yells.

Zman rushes into battle and firmly plants his feet into a battle stance as the Charr rush up to him. A heavily armored Charr begins to exchange blows with Zman as Devona charges to his side. Zman vanquishes the first Charr and two more armored warriors take his place. Aidan makes a call which shocks all of the Stalkers around, the cats go feral as they pounce surrounding Charr Chaots and Shamans. Cynn rolls her head as she levitates and with a quick thrust of her arms massive drops of molten lava begin to pummel the Charr and set them a blaze. Mhenlo busies himself by healing Devona and Zman as they fend off the warriors. After a few moments of intense battle the charred Charr flop down and smolder. The surviving Melandru Stalkers prowl the area to make sure it is secure.

“Good girls.” Aidan smiles, “Quick find refuge!”

He kneels to a hurt Stalker and carefully and skillfully comforts her.

“There, there darling, it’ll be okay.” He says soothingly.
“Am I the only one who finds this CREEPY?!” Cynn asks.
               
The Stalker jolts and runs away.

“You scared her.” Aidan says while looking back at Cynn.
“You, you. Whatever.” Cynn says walking by.
“C’mon, we haven’t much time.” Zman says.
“Why do you say that?” Mhenlo asks.
He points, “The Charr seem to building effigies.”
“What’s that supposed to even be?” Devona asks.
“I don’t know, but it doesn’t bode well for us.” Zman says, “Let’s sneak around.”
“Sneak around? I’ll blast them all to Oblivion!” Cynn croons.
“Not now.” Zman says, “We must make haste, the caravan had no sign of Althea, she must be lost and hungry by now.”
“Alright, fine, let’s go save little miss princess.” Cynn scoffs.
“You’re just angry because you’re jealous.” Aidan smirks.
“JEALOUS? Of having that cradle robbing, no good, pitiful excuse for a prince…” Cynn barks
“Please!” Devona interrupts, “Zman is leaving us, let’s follow so we don’t get split up.”
“He’s not even from around here how does he know where to go!” Cynn roars.
“Good navigational skills perhaps, I hear those Orrian are quite unique.” Aidan says as he rushes along.
Mhenlo places his hand on Cynn’s shoulder, “Come now, I’ll sooth your nerves.”
Cynn punches him in the stomach, “Ooh, much better, thank you.”
He grips his belly, “Ugh, you’re quite strong.”
“You like a woman with a punch, don’t you?” She smiles.
He quickly casts Pacifism on her, “How about now?”
“What? I’m sorry I hit you. Please don’t be angry.” She says under the spell.
“Wow, if only that could last for hours.” He says as he rushes along, “Come come, Cynn!”
“I am coming Master Mhenlo!” She says as she bounces along.

Zman swiftly leads the party to avoid any further confrontation with the Charr bands. He quickly rushes along the still peaceful valley and towards a sign. He stops and looks at the sign and quickly rushes down the correct path directly into Piken Square where the Duke is already waiting.

“Boy, if you don’t get some armor on those Charr will rip your head off!” The Duke yells as confused farmers rush around in a panic, “Fat-body, get off that armor, you aren’t fit to be a warrior.”
Stefan looks, “But, But I am a warrior sir!”
“Boy if you were in my brigade you’d be the cook, you sure like eating don’t you?” The Duke yells, “You there! Get off that statue you’re going to get yourself killed. Necromancer, yes you, get the hell out of here this place is for my elite warriors! Nente, is that you? You need to hurry down to the Valley before we lose everything!”
Zman rushes to the Duke, “Excuse me, could we perhaps borrow a few Rangers, or anyone not busy, you see Althea was…”
“ALTHEA!? EVERYONE! You will now follow Zman here to rescue Althea!” He yells.
“Wait, not everyone, just a few scouts you know?” Zman smiles.
“Nente, scratch that Valley, it’ll be better to pull out and attack later anyway, go help look for Althea. Vereta, you aren’t doing anything go help them, and stop scowling, it’s frightening people.” The Duke yells.
“I want to KILL!” Vereta screams, “And raise the DEAD!”
“That’s my boy, go help Zman.” The Duke points.
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” Mhenlo mutters.
“I think we can handle him.” Nente says, “Good to see you Aidan.”
“Hello Nente, nice to have you with us. Let’s rescue a princess, and see if we can help the Stalkers along the way.” Aidan replies.
“Yes, the land wouldn’t be the same without our gorgeous cats.” He agrees.
Cynn rolls her eyes, “Another goofball.”
Devona looks at Zman, “Where shall we embark to?”
“Well I haven’t quite figured out. One second.” He says.
“Zman what are you still doing here?” The Duke jolts, “Go rescue ALTHEA!”
“Duke, my humble apologies, I do not know the land all to well. Where was the caravan heading?” He asks.
“Grendich. Northwest of here, more north than west, along the path you came, but north, now GO! If you saved the caravan that means Althea probably tried to make it on foot, she’s in danger! Go NOW!” The Duke screams.
“Yes sir.” Zman smiles, “Let’s move out!

"You foolish foolish boy..." a sweet teasing voice whispers.

The haze clears, revealing a pale woman beneath the cerulean blue sky streaked with long wispy clouds. Eyes shining like crystals, threads of pure icicles as hair, glowing skin of ivory white. White mist surrounds the uncovered body of the maiden. Her pale eyes are watery, gazing into the soul, yet her lips curl into a charming smile. Her face suddenly blurs as her hair darkens and rises into long pigtails, held with rings of shining mist. Her new face gazes with dark shining eyes of innocence.

"Your life is worth more than this! Why do you throw it? Are you nothing?" she giggles drawing nearer to tease with her hanging hair whips, before they fall down turning from charcoal to hazelnut while her face blurs once again and reappears more mature and seductive.

"Never you grasped your desire within reach, until you were about to lose it." the mesmerizing new shape said mournfully, closing her eyes as tears rolled on her immaculate cheeks. As she reopens her eyes, she already returned to the maiden of ice.

"Prince Charming was never seen, for you never came before the end." the sweet teaser spoke, before changing into the darkness of innocence.

"But is there even a Prince beneath the shell? Is there only a Beast? An Abomination?" she tilts her head cutely, smiling despite the grim words she spoke in a childish tone. She giggles, then, as she changes again, she raises her hand delicately to her mouth as the giggling becomes a reserved yet confident laughter. The woman is quiet, staring with weary yet dominating eyes.

"Hide in your solitude, refuse the world, deny yourself." she whispers coldly. Her face blurs, but disappears as her body loses its human shape.

The figure turns into a gray haze, while the sky darkens into a starless night streaked with gashes of red clouds. The three feminine voices echo as one "AND YOU WILL LOSE IT ALL!"

Then, the haze darkens and agglomerates as a black hulking mass, which rises as a giant. The horned shadow grips a colorless hammer tightly and lifts it over its shoulder, ready to deliver an irresistible blow.

With a deep unnatural voice, the demon says "You will never learn. Dork." before striking down.

He gasps as his eyes bolt open. He's still laying on the ground staring up at a bloody sky, but without a woman or a demon to look down on him. He can't seem to remember who he is or why he's wherever he is now. He sits up and looks down at his chest, where a fresh bloody clawed footprint shines in the flickering light of a nearby campfire. He looks to his side spotting a track of similar prints and at its end he sees a dual tailed, armless and headless skeleton of an unknown beast. The skeleton runs in other directions until it lays down facing the fire, still waving its tails.

"Hey! You're awake! Too bad, a little longer and I would have dinner!" the Necromancer at the fire laughs madly.

He gulps and shivers before putting a hand down to lift himself up.

The Necromancer raises his hand "Hey! Calm down. You Elementalists have no sense of humor." he snickers before ripping black meat off a bone with his pointy teeth. "Get some if you want." he points to the various slimy chunks of monsters impaled on sticks left to roast in the middle of the fire. The Elementalist sits back down and shakes his head.

The Necromancer is ghastly and disturbing in appearance; his skin is pale gray like a corpse and covered with intricate and sharp patterns of purple scars, his eyes are dark sockets inhabited by malicious yet tiny spots of white light and rows of large and spaced worm-like braids of brown hair cover his partially shaved head devoid of eyebrows. He only wears red boots lined with jagged metal and a black speedo as armor, which only amplifies his already creepy appearance.

"So..." the Necromancer rips another piece of meat "what the Hell are you doing in the middle of nowhere on your own?" he grins widely, baring the ivory needles sprouting from his dark gums "If you want to be dead, I can fix it now."

The Elementalist gulps "I... I was... " he rubs his forehead as he digs in the haze of his brain.

The freak rolls his eyes "Oh great, another dramatic amnesiac. Just tag along and blast stuff on our path. I've got my own mission to do." he kicks the fire and gathers his rotting minions "We're leaving now!"

The Elementalist hastily stands grabbing a wooden staff at his side and runs after the lunatic and his putrid army.

After raising a new army two or three times from corpses laying around his path, the Necromancer finally stops on top of a hill and looks down at the swarming Charr below. The Necromancer grins at the sight. The Elementalist walks beside him and pants as he looks at the furry demons running around. He feels hatred for these beings, but he can’t seem to recall why, he looks at the Necromancer hoping to get answers or at least directions.

He cackles “Now here comes the fun part. You, the Ele, once you’re done panting like a dog, follow me down there and blast them to get their attention, I’ll do the rest.”

The Elementalist looks down again “The rest? What do I do after…? Hey!”  he sees the Necromancer already taking the curvy path down to the hairy crowd with his minions. He sighs and follows the fastest he can.

They walk in a valley, careful in their steps, avoiding the branches and other cracking bits of nature. The Necromancer looks back at the Elementalist with a frown, as if to remind him not to do something stupid again.

The Elementalist is completely clueless.

The Necromancer halts at a safe distance and beckons the Elementalist, then points at a nearby patrol of Charr, which looks around grunting and completely oblivious to the two pale skinned humans and the army of undead barely hidden behind a collapsed stone gate. “Fire!” the Necromancer whispers.

The Elementalist charges his Flare quietly in his palm, then hurls it in the middle of the patrol. One Charr gets flared directly on the head and turns around roaring as all the Charr of the area get alarmed to the call of fury.

“RUN!” the Necromancer shouts with a dangerous grin before running away with his army. The Elementalist dashes a few steps, until he hears a scream of agony.

He freezes and kneels as the Charr rush past him, most not seeing him behind the pile of stones and the others preferring to destroy the undead minions before finishing off a Pyromancer. The Necromancer laughs maniacally from afar as the Charr restlessly chase after him.

The screaming becomes louder as the Elementalist holds his head. He shakes his head, yet he can’t shake off the urge to seek out the provenance of the voice. He stands and rushes through the now vacant fiery temple. His vision slides up a gargantuan fleet of stairs, until his eyes settle on three Charr chanting around a winged effigy in flames. His mind is suddenly flooded with images, smells and voices as he sees the screaming figure tied to the blazing angel. His reason leaves him as soon as he regains his memories.

“ALTHEA!” he screams as he charges up the stairs, charging fire in both of his arms. He hurls his fireballs to the Flame Keepers, startling them long enough to allow him to flood himself with protective spells and rush into the fire to free the burning Mesmer, but before he can even reach her, a clawed hand grasps him by the collar and pulls him out. The Charr holds the struggling Elementalist tightly and muzzles him with its paw. He watches, trapped and helpless, as the two other Charr carry on their cruel ritual, chanting as Althea’s life fades from her blackened burning body. A small brown Charr with a bow runs up to the Flame Keeper holding a human captive and speaks in a guttural language with an alarmed tone. The Flame Keeper turns his head to the small Charr and replies calmly, then it throws the human on the ground who is quickly tied up and muffled with bandages by the two beasts. They walk down the stairs and outside the temple, the small brown one grunting with curiosity and the big one grunting back to it with a hint of irritation.

After walking for quite a while, the two Charr join a small group of furry warriors patrolling around a small bonfire. The armored Charr greet them and exchange grunts and growls. The Flame Keeper throws down the human and points to him, grunting with severity, then leaves the group alone to return to its own duties. An axe fiend grabs the human by the ropes and pulls him to a tent with crude and sharp bars. It opens the cage, throws the human inside and cuts his ropes carelessly with its axe. Once finished, the Charr leaves the bleeding and weakened human alone in the dirty tent and closes the barred fence before returning to the bonfire.

Time passes… then suddenly, clashes of battle erupt outside the tent. Katharos doesn’t move, exhausted and broken. What happens next doesn’t really matter anymore. His tent rips. A soldier in red armor runs in, grabs him hastily and runs back outside to join more soldiers escaping with partly alive prisoners with the Charr on their tail. Many soldiers fall by the blades and spells of the raging Charr. The soldier carrying Katharos turns swiftly to a thin valley with a few others as the Charr divide to catch the humans. The soldier settles down the Elementalist and bandages him quickly, while his comrades in arms take care of their own wounded and fend off the Charr squeezing into the valley. The soldier shakes him gently “Come on, stay awake, you’ll make it with us…” his words are cut short by an arrow piercing his throat. Katharos gets up panicked and runs away as the remaining soldiers stand for a hopeless battle to defend the wounded and give time to those who could still escape.

Soon, Katharos ends up alone, losing sight of the Charr and the other survivors. He walks aimlessly, lost in the world and in his mind.

“HEY! GET BACK HERE!” a voice thunders, causing his panic to peak and him to run away from life.

Zman shakes his fist. Althea walks up beside him, still in her immaculate purple dress. Mhenlo, Cynn, and Devona are behind them trying to order the rest of the battalion into shape. Zman looks back at Aidan and Nente and motions them to chase. They quickly jump down from the rock and sprint to the Elementalist’s sides as he rushes away in his panic.

The sky isn’t quite as red as it was and the clouds seem to frown upon the area threatening rain. Althea looks up and holds out her hand almost hoping rain would come.

“I SAID GET BACK HERE DORK!” Zman yells, “Wonder what’s wrong with him.”
“Is he alright?” Althea says, “He saw my wonderful performance. Surely he thought I was actually being burned.”
“About that.” Zman says, “Care to explain one more time?”
She laughs, “I’m not some pitiful, helpless girl. I’m perhaps the best Mesmer in all of Tyria. When the Charr took me, they held me free, giving me all the time I needed to wrap myself in images and enchantments. When placed on the altar to burn, I quickly escaped leaving an image to burn. I hid behind a column and the actress in me took over, I screamed and wailed as though being burned alive.”
He laughs, “Wow, quite impressive.”
“After I heard the brave Elementalist approach I hexed each Charr and ran away before being spotted. It was perfect with his help, if only he knew I wasn’t actually killed.” She shrugs.

Zman points and motions. Suddenly Nente and Aidan pounce the running Elementalist. He struggles with both of the Rangers until finally laying flat and giving up entirely.

“He seems to have fallen unconscious!” Aidan yells, “What should we do?”
“Bring him back of course!” Zman yells, “Durr.”
“You make a good leader Zman.” Althea says.
“Yeah, sorry I couldn’t make it to actually rescue you, though, but rescuing all those other idiots was kinda fun.” He smiles.
She nods, “Don’t worry about me, I promise I can take care of myself.”
“Well, at least my first mission was a success.” He says.
“I’d like you to tell Rurik that you rescued me, I don’t want him to know I was in danger. He’d go mad.” She says.
“Well, if that’s what you wish, but I don’t want to be made out to be a bigger hero than I already am.” He says, “I’ll give a report that is straight to the point.”
Cynn walks up, “What’re those idiots carrying?”
“Remember Katharos?” He says.
“Yeah?” She looks, “That guy with the bloody gloves.”
“Him.” He says.
“My savior.” Althea whispers, “Without him, I’d have been caught for sure.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” Cynn says, “Let’s hope he won’t freak out on us again.”
Mhenlo quickly joins, “Oh! I’m sure he won’t, but just in case I think I’ve perfected a mind restoring spell.”
“A spell to control sanity?” Zman asks, “Sounds far fetched.”
“Oh, actually that was a clever attempt to make a joke. Perhaps I have a lot to learn before I can be funny.” He says, rethinking his punch line.
“Here’s a joke.” Cynn sneers, “What’s bald, and bloody?”
“Hmm, I don’t know.” He says.
“YOU!” She roars.

Cynn punches Mhenlo in the nose. He smirks as he is untouched. She retracts her fist and rubs it slowly.

“Reversal of fortune.” He smiles.
“Like hitting a rock.” She grimaces.
He holds out his staff and heals her hand, “Better?”
She smiles, “Much.”

Aidan and Nente finally bring the fallen Elementalist to Zman and drop him.

“HEY!” Zman roars, “Treat him with respect!”
“But you don’t...” Aidan says.
“Look, you got any salve left?” Zman smirks.
“Oh yes, plenty.” He says.

Zman coils his arm back and decks Aidan in the face with his gauntleted hand. Aidan falls back and lays down for a moment while Nente hovers over him.

“If you hadn’t stopped every time you seen an injured cat or struggling bush, we’d have saved Althea AND Katharos before any of this mess happened!” He roars, “YOU’RE lucky that Althea was so crafty, otherwise I’d have hung YOU out to dry. I do NOT like you, you want to save EVERYTHING, you need to realize that this is an emergency situation and I need my team to act fast and TOGETHER without one Ranger off looking for cats and grass that’s a little burnt so you can stamp it out and feel so goddamned good about yourself!”
“I understand.” Aidan says as he calmly rubs salve on his face.
“Master Aidan, I agree that the flora and fauna of our beloved Ascalon are important, but I also know that nature always finds a way to survive.” Nente says.
“Thank you Nente, I just hate to see this senseless destruction, and I know I am a bit careless about humans who sit back and ruin nature.” He says.
Cynn scoffs and sends a bolt to a tree, “Oh no! Quick! Lightning just truck that tree, Aidan, nature is harming nature what should we do!?”
Mhenlo waves his staff at the tree, “Hmm, Dwayna, why is it I cannot heal nature as if I were healing a person?”
“That’s because it’s a tree. Genius.” Cynn smirks.
“Melandru guards and heals nature.” Nente says, “It’s not in Dwayna’s power to interfere.”
“In that case, we shouldn’t worry.” Mhenlo says.
“But the Stalkers! Your magic can heal them! We should treat them just like people!” Aidan yells.
“But they won’t help us like the people will.” Devona says as she returns from the group of soldiers behind them.

Zman looks back at the rallied soldiers. He smirks and kicks at the Elementalist at his feet.

“Alright. I guess we should wake up sleeping beauty here.” He says.
“Then work on a story to tell Rurik.” Althea says, “I want no part in heroic praise, I want the full time to help and train upcoming Mesmers to deal with this new struggle.”
Devona nods, “I don’t blame you, besides if Prince Rurik knew of your endeavors he’d surely go insane.”
Cynn scoffs, “He didn’t seem to care how much danger I blasted my way out of.”
“He doesn’t love you like I do.” Mhenlo says.
“WHAT!?” Cynn blushes, “Huh? What did you just say little man?!”
He turns quickly, “Oh! Nothing, I um. Here!”

Mhenlo’s hand glows as he touches the Elementalist to revive his senses.

“Welcome back Dork! We’ve been waiting!” Zman smiles.

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