[color=crimson][center][h3]Malveil: Introduction[/h3][/center][/color]

[color=crimson]“Take me to this ‘City of Echoes’, or I’ll ensure that your death is so insufferable that demons weep for your pain.”[/color] 

The member of the “College” sat bound to a splintered chair, her eyes heavy under the dim lantern that barely lit the walls of the cave which surrounded them. Malveil wasn’t a violent man per se, but the limits of his patience were not to be tested. He let out a sigh of frustration and took a knee so he could talk to her face-to-face. Her garments were torn and bloody after days of interrogation, and she herself was in even worse shape.

[color=crimson]“Listen, I’ve only hurt you a tiny bit. Do you remember the pain of a knife digging under your nail?”[/color]

By reflex, the bound College member looked to a table on her left, where Malveil’s ornate dagger laid, fresh crimson coating the needle-sharp point. The nail on her ring finger was completely gone, a bloody pulp the only thing remaining.

[color=crimson]“Of course you do. You’re a smart woman, I can tell. I’ve only removed one. You have nine more left. After that, I’ll move on to your fingers, then your teeth. After that, your eye. If that doesn’t work, I’ll simply work my way down until you talk.”[/color]

As Malveil saw fear creep across her face, he almost couldn’t stop himself from grinning. Of course, he would never do such barbaric things – at least, not for enjoyment. But the mere thought of it would make anyone break, least of all a logical person such as the woman who had the mental capacity of envisioning and imagining the unbearable pain. He gave her a few moments to truly contemplate her situation, and listened intently as she finally gave in and told him about the fighting ‘tournament’ held by the college, and most intriguing, the promise that one’s wish could be fulfilled. 

Processing the new information, he pondered his course of action. Obviously, he would have to make his way to this City of Echoes using the captured College member, but he was not familiar with the location. No map showed its destination, and no one he had asked knew even of its name. After a few minutes, he had made his choice. In his mind, he pictured a lone pawn, and in an instant, he felt the summoning magic take its effect. 

A Silverlocke soldier appeared out of a spontaneous mist, holding his axe above the captive. Malveil then undid the binds around her wrist, letting the rope fall. 

[color=crimson]“You will bring me to the City of Echoes, do you understand?”[/color]

The captive nodded, and Malveil grabbed a hold of her arm, dragging her out of the cave and into the open woods outside. Once they were in a relatively large clearing, Malveil let go, and waited for her to work her magic; albeit with a dagger to her back.

He began to feel woozy, and for a moment thought that he’d been tricked. However, as his vision faded to black, it was reinvigorated with an explosion of sensory information. Bright colors dazzled his vision, and structures as tall as mountains rose around him, all of them harboring signs which called out to him in strange words and styles. Malveil turned to see the College member standing a few meters away from him.

[color=crimson]“I suppose I should thank you for bringing me here and not dropping me into the sea.”[/color]

She shook her head, and an inkling of a smile tugged at her lips. 

[color=89cff0]“I didn’t bring you here to help you on your quest. I brought you here so you could die. You’ll see what I mean; Main Street’s a pretty rough place.”[/color]

Before Malveil could do anything, the woman ducked behind a stack of boxes on the side of the street, and disappeared. 

[color=crimson][i]Well damn, I should start moving.[/i][/color] 

Calling upon his pawns, all five of them surrounded him, protecting him from all sides. In the distance, Malveil could hear the screams of the damned.