[center] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [IMG]http://i64.tinypic.com/2nl8fpv.png[/IMG] ------------------------------------------------ [code]Mayor's house[/code] ------------------------------------------------ [sub][@Trainerblue192][@Achronum][@Kazemitsu][@Rultaos][/sub] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [/center] [center]“[i][b]Duly noted[/b][/i],” S’venia spoke towards all the commanders as she made her way towards the table. The images that River had brought forth were very disturbing yet somehow familiar to S’venia. [i][i][b][b]“The soldiers were seemingly trapped by some form of magic, River if you have any spell that can protect us from it, I advise you use it, and Beatrix if you have any wards that could do the same, I’ll welcome the protection,[/b][/b][/i][/i]” she finished as she placed her hands on the table and looked. While their army was small, they had the formation of something solid. “[i][b][b]As we travel, we will be able to recruit soldiers from the town guards of the places we visit, I have granted the authority to do as much,[/b][/b][/i]” she paused, “[i][b]though I’d rather not wrest away more bodies than we have to,[/b][/i]” she finished. The group would start to notice the temperature abruptly dropping even further as the sounds of a sudden and vicious wind lashed against the sides of the house. Something about this cold felt unnatural, unearthly even, and the magic users in the group would feel a sense of dread wash over them. S’venia stopped moving as she once again placed her hand on the hilt of her sword, slowly spinning to face towards the door. She focused her ears and listened. The howl of the wind was powerful and everlasting. It reminded her of countless nights in the deepest part of winter, huddling for warmth with her soldiers around a fire or in a cave. The wind would pierce through every layer of cloth you wore, and turned even the hardiest of soldiers into weak-willed men. On a few occasions, she had to fight soldiers who attempted to remove their clothes because he felt he was too hot. The cold lies. The cold wrapped her icy talons across your mind, promising you sweet relief but it lies. The cold spoke of warmer pastures if you’d let it in but it lies. This cold offered you her warm embrace if you just fall asleep but it lies all the same. This cold that had now crept into the village was an evil cold that had taken countless lives up in the mountains, what was it doing here? She listened some more, hoping to hear the sound that she was searching for. “[i][i][b]The soldiers,[/b][/i][/i]” S’venia started, her breath visible in the air, “[i][b]they’ve gone quiet.[/b][/i]” Indeed, what once was a standard military encampment had fallen eerily silent outside. Whether it was the cold forcing them indoors, or the wind sucking the words out of their lips, S’venia did not guess. She listened and listened some more hoping to hear just once voice over the gushing winds. Yet there was silence. She listened and listened some more hoping to hear the closing of doors and windows. Yet once again there was silence. And as her grip tightened even further against the hilt of the godly weapon, she felt like something caused their silence; and it was not something that she expected to face so early into their journey. [u][i] *zaaaaaaaaaaaap* [/i][/u] A thunderous noise emanated as a blue colored light emerged above the table. Initially, it appeared as just a simple orb. Quickly, however, it shot out and adopted an appearance that looked like a lightning bolt. It crackled there for a few seconds before it erupted outward forming an oval above the table; the edges forming tendrils that crackled in various directions. The interior of the oval seemed to be flowing upward. S’venia quickly drew her sword yet she left it hanging down and to her side. Something seemed familiar and a confused expression quickly spread over her face. [u][i] *thump* [/i][/u] The book groaned as it fell from the portal and onto the war table, knocking over the figures as it landed. In a second, the portal pulled itself back out of existence. The book had a black binder with pure white face with no markings nor any words. S’venia slowly approached the table, placing the sword back in the sheath as she did, before eyeing up the book itself. She watched as blue letters began to slowly appear on the cover before they spelled out one ominous name. “[i][b]The butcher of Seven Fields,[/b][/i]” S’venia spoke quickly and with a subtle surprise in her voice. “[i][b]The soldiers,[/b][/i]” she quickly added, “[i][b]they are in danger,[/b][/i]” she finished.[/center]