Surface- Wind Swept Region

Kingdom of Rolling Sands- Oasis of Com'aron

Temple of Osiris- Upper Watches

"What do you know of how Osiris disappeared?" Ashana asked as she studied the Oasis that seamed to be calming and changing since the Temple had been changed.

Alex shook his head, "I know the very basics, that he disappeared over three thousand years ago before the Kingdom of Rolling Sands was swallowed by the sands of the Great Desert of Arakon." Alex replied and Ashana nodded her head in acknowledgment.

"That is all true, and in order for Set to betray Ra and bury the heart of that kingdom, Apophis captured and imprisoned Osiris. He is somewhere out there waiting for his followers to free him. Where I have no idea, but the Fangs of Apophis destroyed the Guardians of Osiris for a reason and I believe its because they found out where he was being kept.' Ashana informed Alex as they continued to walk through the upper reaches of the Temple. 'Now if the Guardians of Osiris found his location, but were destroyed before they could free him, they would have kept that knowledge in the Stronghold of Shadows. As you are now, you are not strong enough to survive the trials. Come back here when you have become stronger and I will personally open a portal to the Stronghold of Shadows for you. When the time comes, use the Ankh of Light and Darkness to return here." Ashana stated as she pointed to the slightly glowing necklace.

Alex thanked her but before he could leave she gave him one more warning, "Know this Guardian, the followers of Set and Apophis will be hunting you now, they will not want Osiris freed. Be on your guard Shadow Stalker and always keep that Ankh of Light and Darkness with you."

Divine Quest Issued: Path of the Lost (Stage 3)

Description: Return to the main Temple of Osiris, in the Oasis of Com'aron, when you have become stronger. The High Priestess Ashana Sa'Arin, will open a Portal to the Stronghold of Shadows when you have returned. Once at the Stronghold, fight past the outer defenses of the Stronghold to get to the Inner Keep.

Difficulty: Legen (Wait for it) dary, Legendary

Success: Travel to the Stronghold of Shadows and fight past the Outer Defenses

Failure: Do not Travel to the Stronghold of Shadows or fail to fight past the outer defenses

Requirement: Level 40 (Current Stage), it would be recommended that you DO NOT undertake this quest alone

Rewards: 10,000 Experience per Stage, 50 Gold per Stage, Unknown

Spoiler: Spoiler

Name: Ankh of Light and Darkness

Quality: Ancient Artifact

Properties: Increase Intelligence and Wisdom by (Level X.5)

Properties: Increase Critical Hit Chance by 3%

Properties: +5% Decreased Chance of being seen while in Stealth

Properties: Increase Poison Resistance by 10%

Properties: Ability Unlocked Piercing Vision

Secondary Properties: Ability Unlocked Portal to a Temple of Osiris

Soulbound: Alex Dumass

Requirement: Honored with the Priests of Osiris, Guardian of Osiris, Level 30

Description: Although it was believed that the Ankh of Light and Darkness were given to the Priests of Osiris, they were merely emulations of this necklace and those like it that were given to the Guardians of Osiris. Where the others are, only time will tell where they ended up.

Name: Piercing Vision

Description: It's not the Eye, but you can still see almost anything.

Benefit 1: +15% Chance to detect Stealthed enemies

Benefit 2: +10% Chance to see through Illusion Magic

AoE: 5 Yards

Range: Self

Cost: Passive, N/A

Cooldown: N/A

Name: Portal to a Temple of Osiris

Description: You can go wherever Osiris is worshiped and revered.

Benefit 1: Open a Portal to any Temple claimed by Osiris and his Priests

Cast Time: Instant

Cost: 500 Mana

Cooldown: 1 Hour

Alex quickly made his way back down to the main floor, the guardians of the Temple ignored him and the Undead were in little alcoves or standing dormant waiting for orders. They were added defenses and servents to the occupants of the Temple and would even follow Alex's orders now as long as they did not endanger the Temple or the Priests of it. Brounom and the others were waiting for him patiently, "Well, you all are beginning to understand exactly what is at stake. If you want to go our separate ways, now is the time to do so, because it's going to get harder from here on out and the next stage requires me to be Level forty to even start." Alex told the others who jerked back as if he dropped out of Stealth.

Between the grind, fighting their way in, and completing a stage of the Quest chain, Alex had gotten too Level thirty-five. The others were all over level forty, so he was the one dragging the group back. "Well, we need to head back to the city and get some supplies then we can stay in one of the small villages near Sholand after." Rol put in quickly and the others shrugged disinterestedly in where they were going.

"I think I can speak for everyone here in saying we are here with you, at least until the Quest chain is complete," Brounom added and Alex nodded his head and waited for someone to open a Portal.

"Anyone got a Portal scroll back?" Alex asked and Mozil blushed, a Berserker blushing in embarrassment was amusing to say the least.

"I forgot," Mozil stated and Alex rolled his eyes as he brought up his Ankh and accessed the Portal features on it and activated the Portal to the Temple of Osiris that was outside the city of Sholand and activated it.

Surface- Jagged Coast Region

Kingdom of Rolling Sands- Outside the city of Sholand

Alex sprang through the Portal and scanned his surroundings, no one was present in the room and a few braziers were lit providing illumination for the small room. The others quickly followed Alex as he told Brounom that they could come through the open Portal. "Room is secure, don't see anything or anyone," Alex commented from the nearby shadows.

"Push forward, we will wait here," Brounom replied as the others spread out to secure the room. Alex ghosted forward as the others set up in a defensive posture. Alex followed the corridor out of the room and quickly scoped out the rest of the Temple. It was a small side with no people within it, but it was well kept. After scouting out the main temple and the sorrounding area, Alex quickly sent a message to the others giving them an 'all clear' so they could join him.

Within ten minutes they joined Alex and they quickly left the temple behind as they pushed on towards one of the many small villages outside the city of Sholand. Mozil was trailing behind their group and Alex was keeping ahead of the others looking for any ambushers. They didn't notice the fleeting shadows watching and slowly pacing them as they moved down the road.

Surface- Jagged Coast Region

Kingdom of Rolling Sands- Village of Thistle Wood

The Bloody Dagger Inn

Alex's eyes snapped open and he scanned the room, between the fight to the heart of the Temple of Osiris and the long talk with Ashana, Alex had been exhausted and had eaten quickly before heading to his room for the night. The others had quickly followed his example. The question was what had woken him from a dead sleep.

Alex quickly activated his Rogue's Eye and scanned the room before moving to the window and peering out. A half dozen Stealthed figures popped out under his sight glowing bright red causing Alex to curse as he canceled Rogue's Eye. He quickly created and sent off a quick message to his companions as he made his way over to the wardrobe to equip his armor and then to the door and hesitated. As good as the Rogue's Eye was, it could not see through wood and stone. He had no idea what was on the other side of the door...

With a deep breath, he dropped into Stealth and slowly inched the door open and peered outside into the hallway. He didn't see anything or hear anything so he moved the door fully open before moving into the hallway and softly closing the door behind him. The stairs leading down or up were at the opposite end of the hallway with doors lining it on either side. Alex quickly moved further from the stairs and deeper into the nearby shadows increasing the odds his Stealthed form wouldn't be noticed and activated one of his new abilities, Shadow Mask followed by Shadow Flames.

It was an odd feeling as if his face was just below the surface of a pool of water, yet he couldn't tell there was any difference too him other then that. Black and grey ethereal flames wreathed his daggers from hilt to points but did not break his Stealth. A quick message from Brounom let Alex know that the others were ready to rush out of the rooms as soon as everything started. Alex didn't send a reply just continued to wait patiently.

The slight creak of the stairs caused Alex to frown as he activated Rogue's Sight, five Stealthed figures appeared within his sight highlighted bright red. Alex triggered Ambush then Dash as he blurred forward, his daggers lashing out. Two of the Stealthed figures were sent reeling backward as Alex activated another new skill, Obscuring Shadows. Darkness covered the hallway and two other doors exploded outwards as the four other members of his party joined the fight.

Whoever these guys were, they were good. Just not good enough. Within twenty seconds they were all dead by blade or magic, Alex quickly moved to his room to check outside once again, but the figures out in the yard were gone. "They were followers of Set and Apophis. I don't know how they tracked you, but they did. We have to move, we cannot stay here. Ros stated from the doorway.

"Ok, I will pack up a few things, we will have to bribe the innkeeper to forget our part in this mess," Alex replied as he started gathering his few belongings.

"Mozil is already taking care of it," Ros responded before leaving. Alex looked outside one more and sent off a message to Brounom as he left through the window and into the night.