They say it rains twice in the forest, and Eclipse had known this to be true ever since the days of his childhood. With a welcome rush of pure, clean air, he felt the refreshing sprinkle of crystal clear droplets fall upon him from the wind-rustled leaves above. The storm had passed hours ago, and the light of the sun was once again filtering through the canopy above. As he rode over the trail below, Eclipse inhaled a deep breath that smelt of water and wood, taking it within himself to feed his spirit. He exhaled with a smile. The serenity of nature was joyous. 

There was still plenty of daylight left and a good chance that he and his steed could dry out somewhat before they had to make camp for the night. He'd be at Legon Pass soon, if the gradual upward slope of the ground was any indication. Reaching it would provide the advantage of an easy shelter and a dry place for a fire, assuming anything was dry enough to burn by then. Even still, the peak of biting insect season had passed for the year, and the cooler temperatures brought on by a good rain would render them lethargic and few in number. A fire wasn't entirely necessary just yet. 

With no one to hear him, Eclipse sighed heavily. He had insisted on traveling alone, so his lack of physical company was entirely his own fault. He had grown used to immersing himself in society, being surrounded by people, his people, and so this sudden silence stood out to him, making him acutely aware of the attention paid to him by the divine. Then he smiled, finding amusement in his own folly, and looked up somewhere above the trees. "Ah, but you are always with me." His voice was soft and reverent as he spoke personally to entities unseen and rededicated himself to his mission. 

Legon Pass was a fantastic structure, a quarter mile of road cut through the mountain itself by Dwarven hands in ancient times. It allowed travelers to skip the treacherous elevations above at their worst points, making the journey into Ralda not only possible, but far more quick and efficient. There were several such Dwarven wonders in Thralreth, such as the ancient city of Valandar, who's gates even to this day, have never been opened by human kind. Eclipse had passed Valandar's giant doors upon entering Legon, seeing them on the side of a mountain-cliff high above him to the east, taunting him, as they did to all who glimpsed them from the path below. With the doors remaining impassable, one could only wonder at what treasures lay inside... Gold, jewels, art and artifacts, and Dwarven steel. Thralreth prided itself on having more of that precious metal and those who knew how to work it than any other realm. It was rare, and powerful indeed. Only the most noble houses 'might' have had any, and usually passed it on as a precious heirloom. Eclipse listened to the footfalls of his grey gelding and absentmindedly dropped his left hand posessively over his sword. 

Eventually, the path widened, and the trees seemed to fall back where rocky earth took over in their wake. It was here that the reflective knight took pause before the oppressive portion of the ascent began. It was here, that Eclipse's memories still lived. His gaze drifted down to the west of the path where there was a wide clearing. Trees were already growing around the several mounds of rocks and headstones. Legon Pass had a centuries-long history of being contested, even before humans partook in the battles. His steed's nostrils flared as it huffed a few breaths, catching up. Eclipse dismounted and walked over to the area, parting brush with his legs. He came to a large stone, withered text etched deep over its surface, and stopped. "Sir Garwyn, Swordless Knight of Jykher..." The stone read. Eclipse knew this stone, as he knew the man that lay beneath. 

"So dedicated you were to Othys and Jykher, brother Garwyn. You were my inspiration." Eclipse knelt and touched the stone, as if knowing so few would ever read it. "In a way, your life ended as my life began. Sisneas has you now. May you rest in peace with all-gods' blessings." A wind blew, making the leaves of he nearby trees rise in a clatter like the sound of a thousand tiny clapping hands. Having made his observance and given his prayer, Eclipse returned to his horse. The light of the lowering sun was turning orange, and he put his mind to getting through to Ralda. From there, he would turn East to Sypius Plains and Nyhem, where the weight of so much chaos awaited him. 

The church of Thralreth had been privy to disturbing news from the old capitol. Grand Cleric Mildred was dead, innocent mages were being burned at the stake, and heretics were running rampant, accusing prominent clergy members of corruption and denouncing the church entirely. It was as if the forces of evil itself were sweeping across the land, infecting the people's hearts with malice and hysteria. Nothing had been right ever since the mysterious deaths of the Remonnet royals. Eclipse reflected on the recent past. Long ago, he had left his family and his country to fight under Andrew Manshrew. The man was noble of soul, if not of blood, and although it had been a long time, Eclipse knew him to be honorable and righteous. The fact that Manshrew stood up again now to resist the De Reimers meant something, and Eclipse felt compelled to investigate. Darkness reigned over the people of Formaroth, and only the light of the holy gods could clear their vision. Eclipse felt it was his duty to bring this light in any way he could. Through faith, hope, and mercy, as a Knight of Klebirthy, he would see it done.