[hr] [center][h1]Sanc Valatir[/h1] [h2]The Tiranine Mountains[/h2] [h3]Kalon[/h3][/center] [hr] [img]https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e4/47/ce/e447ceb50ccab419832f7bf4ae03e179.jpg[/img] [hr] “This is the worst of all plausible circumstances.” “Your grace–“ Kalon silenced him with a wave of his hand. The [i]pendynion[/i], a servant, one of his many hands, his face hidden in the deep recesses of his hooded cloak, responded to the command instantly. “You shall see that Commander Ward is notified of these developments, and Sky-Captain Kalaster after him. Under no circumstances is any of this information to be spread. ” He bowed. “Your will be done, grace.” Kalon turned from him as he departed, and his eyes fell on [i]That-Which-Is-Due[/i], and he mulled over the report now in his grasp. An army of Vilespawn had amassed on the edge of his territory, at what could only be a fortress dating back to the War in the Heavens, about one thousand horrors strong. The inevitable conclusion was that they were being gathered under the command of an abomination from before the War’s end. It may have been a Herald, one of the strongest of the Vilespawn. It may have been another sort of creature, the like of which had not been seen since Azueral was seen inside the moon. Undoubtedly the strongest individual creature in that fortress. But also the its greatest vulnerability. This behavior had not been seen in Vilespawn in centuries, and this element was inevitably the cause of said behavior. If it could be defeated and sealed away, the army would inevitably collapse. Incidents of attacks would likely remain higher than usual, but would return to normal within a decade, or perhaps two. [i]Unless a new leader arises.[/i] Kalon shook that thought from his head. While whatever circumstances led to this particular Herald, or whatever it was, were troubling enough to bear investigation in their own right, neutralizing it, and thus putting an end to both the army at his doorstep, and most likely to roving Vileswarms, was a higher priority. The trouble was exploiting that one weakness. This mysterious leader may be the lynchpin of the enemy force, but it was incredibly powerful. The only means by which a besieging force might approach to fortress—the two options of either a narrow pass or a system of caverns—were suicidal. He could send a much smaller force to sneak in and assassinate the enemy leader, but it was questionable whether or not a small enough force to avoid entering the fortress undetected would have the strength to defeat a Herald, let alone some unknown monstrosity from the War. Their odds would be considerably better if he accompanied them, but whatever it was that commanded the Vilespawn was likely magically sensitive enough to detect his approach., which would allow it to bring the full force of its army on their heads, which he was not likely to survive, to say nothing of whoever accompanied him. No. So long as they were inside that fortress, he wouldn’t be able to attack them. He would need to draw them out. He would need to do it soon, as well, to put an end to the attacks of the Vileswarms. But he lacked any means of forcing their hand, so he needed to offer them something they wanted. But what could that be? What did the Vilespawn desire? Truthfully, Kalon did not know if “desire” was a concept that could be correctly applied to Vilespawn. But he did know what they did. They spread corruption, afixing their horrid essence to the land and its creatures to spread the influence of their masters. Vilespawn taint, it was well known, could not be destroyed. That was why the Priesthood of the Waters sealed it away in their archives. But it could still be released if the containment was destroyed. And if it was released, it would once again take some form. And, he imagined, join the Vilespawn army. “Why,” Kalon’s voice was hushed, as he smiled beneath his mask, “with the Vileswarms about, it would only make sense that outlying stores of taint be brought here, that they might be better protected behind the walls of Sanc Valatir. Of course, such a transfer would need to be under heavy guard by people capable of binding taint in the first place, and several other soldiers to bolster their numbers.” He reached towards [i]That-Which-Is-Due[/i] and plucked it from the wall, and struck the floor with its flat end. “In fact, the process is so great a risk that I should oversee the process myself, should the strongest of them arrive.” In an instant, the blade was alight in ghostly, silver flame. Kalon pointed it west, where he knew his enemy to be. “Do not disappoint me, monster.”