[h2]Whisper and Shadow[/h2]

Vortigern was caught off guard by Kil'threx's arrival.  It fit the mode by which one might expect the God of Evil to make their appearance, but at the time, he had been observing the brewing tensions amongst his future associates—both to learn more about them, and for some measure of amusement.  The rumbling that announced Kil'threx's presence knocked him from that stupor.

And what a presence it was.  Every person that had gathered there was powerful, of that there could be no doubt, but Kil'threx was on another level.  Beyond what he knew, beyond what he could see, he could [i]feel[/i] the power radiating from even this simple manifestation of the Father of all Evil, and he knew that Kil'Threx was in another class entirely.

And then there were the promises he had made.  Vortigern precisely what it was that Kil'threx foretold; Vortigern's future was one of servitude, however it had been smothered in fine words.

[i]Yet, would the servitude not also be then smothered in something fine?  Even accomplishing one of the things that he promised would be nigh impossible for me to accomplish on my own.  If we free him, then, absent complication, it would mean that he would give me [/i]everything[i].[/i]

And all Kil'threx promised was sorely tempting.  He had made his peace with servitude before his arrival, as he had no delusions about contesting the God of Evil, but now, he thought, servitude may not be so horrible a fate.

Of course, before that could come to pass, they had a task to accomplish.  Vortigern smiled from deep inside his hood.

"I am not truly familiar with any of you, not beyond what stories have reached my corner of the world—pale imitations of reality that they may happen to be—but I would say that between the nine of us, we have more than enough power to destroy Melaron.  I would dare to say the only possibility of failure is if we get in each others' way."  There was an audible tremor of excitement in his voice.  "I propose, thus, that we make some measure of a plan for our assault."