[center][@Zool][@Calle][@Dark Cloud][@Saiyan][@Teyao][@Crusader Lord][@Goblinguy][@Zapdos][@Eviledd1984][/center]

The Heroes from the Sky did well to get back on the move early.  They moved ever north through the light woodland terrain.  The path ahead was littered with potential dangers and delays.  Knowledge, skill, stealth, a little luck - all of these things would help them.  The wild was unforgiving, even for adventurers, and the creatures to be found there were nothing to scoff at.  There were no undead skeletons that might drop their weapons once their leader was down.  And there was not 42 townsguard to act as a safety buffer.  These were intelligent, ferocious animals whose homes the party would have to pass by or travel through.  And without the experience and Source to power their crystals to the higher heights of veteran adventurers, their ability pools were limited, as was their resistance to fatigue and damage.

Today would not be easy.

[center][h1]***[/h1][/center]

Zigmund Mugba-Zarak - elite unit of General Saladin's scout force - sprinted throughout the night.  Non-stop, enhancing his stamina through magical means.  This would come at a slight cost to his overall power, but it would make no difference if he could catch the heroes from another world out in the wild.  They would be no match for him, that much was certain.

One battle under their belts?  Not enough to ascend in strength,  not enough to even call themselves a Silver Tier party.  This would be comically easy.  Had the mission not been so important, had delicacy and accuracy not been required, he'd be tempted to play with his food.  Savour the moment.  But no, the control core must be apprehended if the Witch Queen's armies were to maintain that one of many advantages.  The skeletons were only a portion of the forces, after all.  One aspect of the Undead Legions.  There were other undead who were not slaves to the control cores.   And beyond undead, there were sentient creatures and races in service to Her Majesty.  Zigmund himself was human.

Well... he was once upon a time.

Bushes and branches wobbled and swayed with the slipstream draft of wind created by Zigmund's speed.  He was gaining on them.  He could feel it.  Smell it.  Soon they would all be his.