Surface- Crecents Plains Region

Empire of Night- Outside the Village of Bleakriver

Jacob looked down at the small village that straddled a small river that was only about ten feet wide but was apparently fifteen feet deep. "This is the only crossing close by. The nearest shallow water crossing is four days march to the east. The Slavers Union has fortified the town and bridge, they have nearly one thousand troops in and around the town." Nadal reported as they looked down at the small village of a few hundred that was now enclosed in a palisade wall. Fortifications had also been built into the bridge as well.

"Have they rigged the bridge in any way to collapse or destroy it in any way?" Jacob inquired as he studied the fortifications.

"No, not as far as we are aware of. Who knows what a Geomancer could do with a little time though and motivation." Darren replied.

Jacob gave the spy a feral smile, "Got any Mage Hunters that feel like infiltrating a fortified hostile position?" Jacob asked the Rogue causing the other man to return the feral smile that showed his fangs.

Underdark- Unending Abyss Region

Empire of Night- Fortress of New Dawn

Blind Mare

Ailis let her eyes roam over the crowd of the Blind Mare. If this place had been on Earth, it would be known as a dive bar. The crowd wasn't too bad but tight-knit except for an occasional traveler such as herself or the guards for Peter Shortdigger. The merchant himself was somewhere else, where Ailis did not know yet.

"So, there we are in Inefords market and Shortdigger sales this sword to an Immortal and as soon as the Immortal picks it up he frowns and glares at Shortdigger.' the Guard sniggers then continues. 'Shortdigger just smiles and says, 'Sorry, all sales are finale!!' and gestures for the guy to leave. Easiest fifty gold he has ever made for a trash blade!!!" the guard finishes the story and laughs resounded from nearby patrons, all Locals.

Several nearby Immortals were glaring at the guard and standing up, "Yeah my brother bought a sword from your employer. Where is he?" The closest Immortal asked as he cleared his chair.

The guard chuckled nastily, "Why? What are you going to do? Demand a refund??" the Guard laughed while his companions and other guards were more nervous as they counted the eight Immortals. The Locals had them outnumbered, but not by much.

"Oh, I am going to get my pound of flesh and teach him a lesson.' the Immortal responded before throwing a coin purse towards the bartender. 'Bar Room Brawl!!" The Immortal called out right before his fist slammed into the drunk guard's face. Ailis winced as she heard bones cracked as the two sides merge and melt together. Ailis rolled her eyes and sat back waiting for the fight to finish, nothing she could do for now.

Surface- Winding Woods Region

Nation of Loren'thia- Outside the Aratharia Home Tree

Hayley walked through the forest, her eyes scanning for predators as she tracked her query. 'While moving through the forest, do not lose track of your prey. Be on guard though, for even the weakest prey can still surprise you' Aquila had taught her. It was a lesson Hayley had taken to heart. Tracking a Mana-Warped Deer through the forest was a challenge. Hayley had seen a Mana-Warped squirrel as an example of what happened when normal creatures became Mana-Warped. They already hyperactive creature was faster, stronger, and more durable than normal squirrels and had almost ripped into her face before Aquila had skewered it with one of her daggers.

The Mana-Warped Deer she was tracking had allegedly killed one Immortal already and wounded a Sentinal that had been tracking it. Aquila had thought it was an acceptable challenge for Hayley to track and kill it as her graduation present. 'You have everything you need to know and the Skills to kill the animal. Track it and bring back its antlers.' were the Rangers words before sending Hayley off alone.

So here she is deep in the nearby forest outside Aratharia Home Tree hoping to find a single deer in the woods that she had been tracking for the last hour. Taking it slow allowed her to not miss any sign of the beast changing course, but it also slowed her down. However, it had allowed her to track the individual deer that appeared to be following some other deer which led to the current situation.

The Mana-Warped Deer was standing over another dead deer and eating it...Bambi on Bambi violence, what was the world coming to Hayley thought as she made sure Stealth was active as she stalked her query. It was larger than other deer she had seen by a hundred pounds easy as well as nearly half a foot taller and the Mana-Warped Deers rack was large and glowed with energy. Hayley made her way slowly but steadily closer till she was within twenty feet of the oversized Deer.

Powered Shot and Multi-Shot hit the Mana-Warped Deet and dropped the oversized Deers health by forty percent causing Hayley to curse as she dashed off trying to maintain her distance. The deer didn't care and kept charging forward with glowing antlers leading the way. Brush and small branches gave way before the inevitable charge of the large animal as Hayley continued to retreat and try to find a place to make a stand. Hayley cursed herself as she turned and ran flat out through the forest, the deer bleated behind her in frustration.

Finally, Hayley jumped and used her forward momentum to swing up onto a low hanging branch. The Mana-Warped Deer charged through where she just had been. Before it could turn around Hayley launched Powered Shot into the deer hindquarters crippling one leg and dropping another fifteen percent health from the oversized deer.

The Mana-Warped Deers squeals of pain filled the air as Hayley continued to launch arrows at it until it stopped moving and its Health Bar zeroed out. Hayley took a deep breath and jumped down, hopefully, no Sentinals were nearby, but if Aquila asked she would report her fuckup, otherwise 'mum' was the word she thought as she approached the corpse.

Underdark- Unending Abyss Region

Empire of Night- Fortress of New Dawn

Ailis followed the bloody and bruised caravan guards through the streets as they limped along. Ailis had picked her target, a human that was struggling along in the back of the pack. After their confrontation with the other Immortals, when his corpse was discovered it would be assumed one of them did the killing.

The next time the man stumbled she dropped on him and slammed his head into a nearby building dazing him before shoving him into an alley. The man tried to fight, but the bar fight had weakened and injured the man. Ailis's fists punched forward aiming at ribs, kidneys, and the man's nose compounding the man's damage. Within twenty seconds the man was a bloody blubbering mess curled up on the ground. Ailis drew one of her daggers but kept it hidden, "Where is your boss?" Ailis asked and the man spat on her.

Ailis gave the man a feral smile and slammed the hilt of the dagger into the man's temple dazing him and drawing more blood. "I will ask again, then I am dragging you somewhere more private where I will start cutting pieces off you. Where is Peter Shortdigger?" Ailis prompted and the man gave her a forlorn look.

"He is in Oblivion acquiring more stock. From there he plans on going to the city of Gahlin." The man wheezed out. Ailis smiled at the man before slamming the dagger forward into his heart and twisting it killing him instantly. The man's corpse was found less than an hour later, but Ailis was already long gone by then.

Surface- Winding Woods Region

Nation of Loren'thia- Aratharia Home Tree

Training Area

Hayley slammed the oversized rack down onto the table causing Aquila to look up and assess her. "Well, what did you learn and what did you fuck up girl?" the old Ranger ask causing a nearby Sentinal to snigger but it cut off when Aquila glanced at him.

"Patience, tracking an animal or anything takes time. I did not choose a fallback position or ambush point, as soon as I saw my query I went for the kill. I did not scout the area or prepare for my fight. I was lucky." Hayley replied grugingly.

Aquila frowned but nodded, "Hopefully the lesson is well learned because next time you will be responsible for a life. Sentinal Pat'nel has graciously offered to accompany you. He will be unarmed and have no armor, his life will be in your hands. A rabid Forest Wolf Alpha has been making kills in the eastern Vale outside the Training Area, kill the Alpha and bring back its canines." Aquila stated.

Quest Issued: Rabid Rewards

Description: Your instructor, Ranger Aquila, has tasked you with killing a rabid Forest Wolf Alpha that has been killing animals in the east vale outside the Training Area. You will be accompanied by Sentinal Pat'nel who will be unarmed and have no armor. His safety is in your hands and he must survive.

Success: Kill the rabid Forest Wolf Alpha and Sentinal Pat'nel survives, bring back the wolfs canines as proof of success

Failure: Fail to kill the rabid Forest Wolf Alpha and/or Sentinal Pat'nel is killed

Rewards: 250 Experience, 1 Gold, Unknown

Note* This Quest is Mandatory and cannot be declined!!!

"Go, rest. Your new friend will meet you at the east gate of the Traning Area at dawn." Aquila dismissed Hayley who ground her teeth in frustration. Snickers and laughter filled the air as she departed, but Hayley was fairly sure they were not aimed at her.

Surface- Crecents Plains Region

Empire of Night- Village of Bleakriver

The clash of arms, magic, and screams of the dying filled the night as the Empire assaulted the small village. The defenders did have six Geomancers, but Darren's Mage Hunters had hunted down and killed them all. Four Cohorts from the Seventh Legion backed by a Century of the Dawn Guard and one hundred Seekers of the Dawn assaulted the fortified village soon after. Their number one priority was to secure the bridge and keep the villagers safe, killing the defenders were secondary to that objective.

Seeing one of the mercenaries hold a knife at a woman's neck threatening to slit her throat if Jacob and the other Imperials didn't let him leave was becoming a common occurrence. The Shadow Bolt to the face surprised the merc and allowed the woman to roll free of his grip Jacob quickly removed his head before he could do anything else. Jacob quickly dragged her kicking and screaming back into a nearby house. "Ma'am settle down, is this your home?' Jacob asked her and although terrified she looked around and nodded. 'Ok, stay here. The fighting will be over soon enough. The Legionnaires have no wish to bother you or anyone else in the village, just stay inside and away from the fighting." Jacob told her before leaving.

Stepping outside Jacob signaled two Legionnaires to keep an eye on the house before heading back to the fighting, a squad of the Dawn Guard shadowing him as the entered the fray. The problem was, half a Cohort had looped around the main fighting and had secured the bridge. The few remaining mercenaries stuck on the south side of the river were desperately fighting to get through them, while those on the north side of the river were fleeing the village and only putting up token resistance. Jacob launched Shadow Storm into the packed ranks. The shadow magic wouldn't touch the Legionnaires on any friendlies, but it tore into the mercenaries leaving them vulnerable and crippled as they launched the final assault. Before Jacob could join them though it felt like an icepick was shoved into his brain leaving him woozy, in pain, and vulnerable. The squad of nearby Dawn Guard swarmed him and dragged him off as Jacob passed out.

When he opened his eyes, Jacob was lying on a bed staring at a ceiling until he turned and threw up into a nearby bucket. "Let it out!!" the woman said patting him on the back. Jacob scowled as he pulled a water skin out of his inventory and washed out his mouth.

"What the fuck is going on Jacob?" Darren asked as he leaned back against a nearby wall.

"We can talk about it later, we have too much to do. Nadal, get the cavalry on the north side of the river and have them capture or kill any of those damned mercs. I want..." Jacob started but Nadal cut him off.

"The cavalry is already on the north side and they ran down those fleeing. Supplies and the Legions are already crossing and making camp on the north side of the river. The Seventh and Eighth Legions will be on the north side, the Ninth will camp on the south side of the river. Our supplies are being stored within the confines of the village on both sides of the river. We managed to sweep the mercenaries out of the village, the locals had five casualties though. We lost forty and double that wounded. Anyone with critical injuries has already been sent back to Uldon. You have been asleep for three hours Jacob." Nadal reported.

Jacob nodded his head in acknowledgment and tried to get up, but the woman shoved him right back down. "I don't care if you are man, emperor, or a god. Until I say you can get out of the bed, you will stay in it. This is our guest room, and my husband has no problem with you staying in it. He says it is the least we can do after you saved our lives and got rid of the slavers."

"What's going on with you Jacob? Immortals do not get sick." Darren pointed out.

"We will talk about it later, I am fine. Ma'am, I have responsibilities including making sure my people are ok and safe, I assure you that I am perfectly fine with getting up and checking on my men." Jacob told them and the women frowned.

"Jacob, the Legions are perfectly fine and the wounded are being seen too, there is nothing you can do for them. You need to see to yourself, perhaps you should portal home tomorrow night?" Nadal proposed earning him a snarl from Jacob.

"My soldiers are going to war and you expect me to stay away. General, I do not take needless risks and I do not command my people and put them in danger when I am unwilling to face the same danger. This is nothing to worry about, I will be fine and we will continue the march tomorrow night. Is that understood?" Jacob asked the two men who acknowledged his command grudgingly.

Jacob let his eyes travel to the woman that was standing over him and frowning. The pendant that was prominently displayed around her neck caught his eye though. "Which god or goddess do you worship ma'am?" Jacob asked her.

The woman frowned before bowing slightly, "I am Samantha and I am the local Priestess of Hera, mother, and wife."

Jacob frowned, "Hera, goddess of family and home. Sometimes known as Juno, also a Sentinal, watcher, and the first into battle for the Pantheon. Are we going to have a problem, ma'am? I am a Vampire."

The woman snorted, "I am well aware of that. You are a guest in this house. That makes you family until you leave. Now relax I will scrounge up some food for you then I expect you to go back to sleep and I will brook no argument!!" Samantha stated before leaving Jacob with Nadal and Darren who snickered at him.

"Assholes, get out of here and go get some rest. We will have a long night tomorrow, we will be pressing the men hard because we lost so much time tonight. Don't tell my wife!!" Jacob told them as they laughed all the way out the door. Bastards!!