Surface- Twisting Hills Region

Free Lands- City of Cliphis

Outer City- Imperial Controlled Territory

Jacob watched the sunset on the second day of the Siege of Cliphis. Over two-thirds of the outer city were in Imperial hands, "Casualties have been surprisingly light considering we had to do some house to house fighting. We have shifted more troops to the southern and eastern portions of the city to finish up the enemy troops. We have evacuated portions of the city to avoid any civilian casualties as best as we can." Nadal reported.

"Good, how long until the remaining districts are within our control?" Jacob asked as he ate breakfast.

Nadal frowned and weighed different things in his mind before responding, "Hopefully by morning most if not all of the remainder of the outer city will belong to the Empire."

Jacob nodded in understanding, "Have our scouts or the Tenth reported anything? Has the city of Athesas reported that the siege lifting?" Jacob asked as he finished his fruit and moved onto the eggs and bread.

The Drow shook his head, "Nothing. No nearby troop movements were reported other than ours. No trade, no large bodies of Immortals. Nothing that would support that Cliphis will receive any relief from a friendly army. No change with the siege of Athesas." Nadal reported.

"Then why are they holding out hoping relief will come or that we will withdraw?" Jacob wondered not really expecting an answer.

Nadal snorted, "Would you do any less if you were given the same choices?"

Jacob considered the Captain-Generals words, "If I knew reinforcements were on the way or nearby, yes. If I thought for even a second the invaders would conquer my city before reinforcements would arrive, no I would not fight unless it was for survival." Jacob replied to the Drow.

"All good reasons, the question is why do these people fight when it is apparent that they have no hope of holding us at bay long term?" Nadal replied and Jacob just shrugged his shoulders in bafflement.

Surface- Twisting Hills Region

Free Lands- City of Cliphis

Outer City- City Controlled Territory

Ailis hunted for the current leadership of the opposition in the Outer City. She had found many high ranked enlisted and low ranked officers, but nothing above a Lieutenant so far. She was looking for someone that was ranked Captain or higher, but so far she had found nothing beyond figuring out morale for the common soldier and merc caught outside the Inner Wall was low.

Any time she wondered across isolated soldiers she stopped to eliminate them, but so far she doubted she had affected the course of the battle overall. The few hundred soldiers that survived in the outer city were camped out in four different districts, yet so far she had not found a headquarters or leadership for them. So she followed patrols and messengers hoping to find a central leadership, but as time passed, that hope faded. Occasionally she would come across another Immortal, but so far she avoided them.

Surface- Twisting Hills Region

Free Lands- City of Cliphis

Outer City- Contested Territory

Jacob ducked behind his shield before charging forward and into a line of mercs and city guards. Screams of pain followed as Moonlight cut into their ranks as the Dawn Guard flooded the chokepoint. A second chokepoint was less than ten feet away overflowing with more soldiers preparing for a counter-attack. Jacob jumped back from the press of battle and thrust his hand forward calling Shadow Storm into existence tearing into the packed ranks of opposing soldiers.

Jacob smiled grimly as two mercenaries moved to engage him, but Bruno and Star intercepted them working together they quickly tore the two men apart. Jacob didn't give them a second glance as he threw himself into a knot of other soldiers that were proving troublesome and backed by a mage.

He was like a bowling ball against pins, two guards went down almost immediately as he blindsided them. Two more immediately moved to engage him as the Mage targeted Jacob. Before he could cast any spells though a Rogue type appeared behind him and slammed both daggers into the chanting Mage.

Jacob disregarded the dying Mage and Rogue to concentrate on the two mercs in front of him. Jacob used Shield Bash on one, crushing the unfortunate mercs skull before blocking a slash from the other merc. Jacob's return slash opened the offending mercs throat before he could set himself and ending the current fight.

Jacob quickly scanned the little battlefield, all their opponents were down. "Mop up, any wounded see the healers. We move out in five." Jacob ordered as he cleaned Moonlight before resheathing it. They quickly started looting all the bodies, any enemy wounded were put down quickly. The three wounded Dawn Guard had mainly superficial wounds and were fixed with either potions or the healers with them.

Five minutes later the were pushing further into enemy-held territory slowly. At every building, they would stop and check for soldiers before moving on. Any enemy troops would be detained, if they resisted they would be killed, any civilians were encouraged to leave the area until the fighting had died down.

So for the next three hours, Jacob and the three squads of Dawn Guard pushed forward and managed to capture a few blocks before taking a lunch break. A message from Nadal pulled them back from the front though and away from the fighting.

Surface- Wind Swept Hills Region

Nation of Duran'thia- City of Elleshara

Broken Spire

Master Elajor frowned at Ava as she entered his run-down home and sanctuary. However, it turned into a smile as she lay the three items in front of him. "Well done, perhaps there is hope for the Loranan family after all. Now drink this while I put these materials away." The older High-Elf stated as he placed a potion on the table in front of her.

The potion was black and sickly green that glowed. Ava considered her options before popping the stopper off of the top and downing the potion. Although it looked disgusting it tasted like mango and banana.

Quest Complete: Path of the Necromancer

Description: You have returned to Master Elajor, with all his required...ingredients. Now your path is unlocked and you can now gain real power over life and death.

Minor Lich Skull: 1/1

Warriors Arm Bone: 1/1

Mages Thigh Bone: 1/1

Success: Collect the materials for Master Elajor and return them to him without being caught

Failure: Do not collect the materials and turn them over to Master Elajor or report Master to the authorities of Elleshara, Necromancer Class will be locked too you

Immiediete Reward: Mage Skill Tree Unlocked

Reward(s): 500 Experience, Primary Class Necromancer Acquired, Necromancer Skill Tree Unlocked, Robes of the Dark Acolyte

Alert...

Primary Class Acquired...Necromancer.

Alert...

Spoiler: Spoiler Primary Class: Necromancer...Master's of Death and Destruction, Necromancers can command the Dead, send Plagues on their enemies, and master Death Magic. The Following branches are a part of the Necromancer Skill Tree...

Plague Lord Branch...Using disease and insects, spread death to your enemies

Bone Lord Branch...Command the Dead to fight by your side

Death Lord Branch...Master Death magic to destroy your enemies

Ava dismissed the information as Master Elajor turned back to face her. He was carrying a set of robes in his hands. "These robes will protect you as you start your path. Be careful, Necromancers were once accepted within High-Elf society, but after the Loranan's fall, we lost our most powerfull patrons and we are now looked down on by our people." Ava nodded at the other Elfs words as she threw the robes into her inventory. She would check them out later before she went to bed.

Surface- Twisting Hills Region

Free Lands- City of Cliphis

Outer City- Contested Territory

The City Guard and mercs had launched an assault from the Inner City, but the attack had been blunted and turned back. They had lost fifty Legionnaires, but they had killed between two and three hundred enemy troops and they had almost captured the gate, but with mounting losses on the Imperial side, Nadal had called a withdrawal.

"I do not disagree with your orders Nadal, if I had been there, I would have given the order. Was it a good opportunity to gain a foothold on the Inner City, yes, but the price would have been too high." Jacob stated as the Drow finished his report on the defenders' counter-attack.

"Well, the fighting for the Outer City is almost complete. We have evacuated most if not all of the civilians from the areas that are still contested. We have them still within the city and under guard so they do not cause any mischief. The remaining district they hold is turning into house to house fighting, good thing you required training for it, otherwise our casualties would increase even more than they already have." Nadal informed Jacob as they walked among the wounded.

"How many casualties do we have?" Jacob asked as he stared at all the men and women being tended by various healers.

"Roughly between the Fourth, Fifth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth Legions we have almost five hundred dead, seven hundred more critically wounded, twice that with minor injuries. The critically wounded and dead have already been sent back to the city of Uldon. The Trebuchets have been moved closer to the city and are in range to start bombarding the Inner City." Nadal finished reporting.

Jacob nodded his head as he considered his choices. "Can they still target the district of the outer city that is still under the control of the defenders?' Jacob asked and Nadal gave Jacob a grim look but nodded his head. 'Target the last district, until they surrender or are dead, do not let up. Make sure our people are pulled back enough that they do not get hit!!" Jacob commanded as he looked at the wounded around him. Nadal saluted and ran off.

Surface- Twisting Hills Region

Free Lands- City of Cliphis

Inner City

Ailis watched as the southeast most district of the city burn and collapse as wave after wave of bombardment hit it. Ailis frowned before looking at the bound guard next to her that was staring in stunned amazement as part of his city was demolished, "You see, this is why the Emperor wanted you to surrender, but your people had to be stupid and prideful and now part of your city is being destroyed. You see, initially, his orders were to allow you City Guards to surrender and if you wanted, you could join the Legions. The mercenaries from the Slavers Union would have been arrested and given punishment for their crimes.' Ailis whispered in the man's ear as she pulled a dagger from its sheath and lined it with the guard's right eye. 'For your pride and turning this battle into a battle of attrition, the Emperor's command has changed to kill you all." Ailis stated as she plunged her dagger into the guard's eye socket.

Ailis watched as the guard kicked spastically as his health dwindled and disappeared. Ailis frowned before kicking the Sergeant off the Archer tower and into the plaza below. Ailis quickly looted the three other bodies before activating Stealth and disappearing into the night.

Later generations would know this night as the Night of Blood, where over one hundred City Guards and mercenaries were systematically hunted down and executed. Their bodies displayed grotescly in a public manner as a warning. Word would eventually spread throughout the Empire and beyond of what the Emperor's Fangs had accomplished that night. The Night of Blood was credited with ending several sieges early in the coming years and it was a warning that no matter where you were, the Emperor's reach was long.