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Barracker had never felt more happy about a victory.  He remembered his first field assignment as a soldier, where he’d been part of a regiment who flushed out a goblin nest that cropped up on the outskirts of Valhiem.  He had felt a surge of exhilaration because of the first kill of an evil being.  But then that feeling was topped later in life as a Paladin, when he hunted his most toughest feat.  A baby Hydra that was not yet fully grown to the creature of legend, but still almost killed him.  And now his greatest feeling was to bring peace back to an entire region, with a band of companions who put their lives on the line for each other, trusted each other and worked as a unit.  Words could not describe how he felt when he joined in with the final attack, led by Fenna’s spear, and made possible by James’ blessing. 

His first instinct was to check the old lich and noticed the tears in the dead man’s eyes.  He only felt sadness for all mortals involved, his anger was reserved for the demonic entity that had caused all this atrocity.  [Color=Green]“May Hades show mercy upon you,”[/color] the Paladin whispered.  

The sight of the Paladin was drawn over to his comrades, not just to check up on them, but the glow of the crystal.  Purple light shined bright, illuminating from the back of their left hands.  He was in awe in his mind at the phenomenon he was witnessing.  [Color=Green][i]Ascension, directly from the source[/i].[/color]  His own crystal did not glow up as it had not reached its limit for this level.   Barracker had taken many years to reach his current level of ascension, but here was a group of people from another world who seemed to ascend every five minutes!.  It reminded him of his favourite boyhood story, Isaac Ferronor, the kid who was a hero at just twelve years old, right in the midst of the mythic age.  [Color=Green]“The short time of this party being here...  Is this the start of a new mythic age?”[/color]  He muttered under his breath. 

Like everyone else, Barracker made sure to check up on everyone and congratulate them on a  hard fought victory.  

[Colour=Pink]"Barracker, you were amazing,"[/colour] MacKensie said to the vampire, who returned the hardy handshake, feeling a spark of joy that she would adopt his warrior's handshake.  [Colour=Pink]"I cannot count the amount of times you carried the way through this mission.  You have been a boon to Second Chance, and it is an honour to call you friend."[/colour]  

He couldn’t help but smile at his comrade, she was the one who saved him, Adam and James at the crucial moment when he had ran out of spectre oil and still had two wraiths to deal with.  [Color=Green]“Well friend, you have my most humble gratitude for it was you saved MY behind out there,”[/color] the vampire chuckled.  [Color=Green]“For someone so new to battle, you have shown your quality, my lady.  We all make a great team”.[/color]

Barracker went up to the leader of Second Chance, a man who he was even more fiercely loyal to, after showing leadership qualities of the finest commanders out there.  [Color=Green]“James,”[/color] Barracker saluted with a fist to his chest.  [Color=Green]“It is still nightfall.  I would suggest that we rest up here until morning.  Either make camp outside on the hill top or use the kitchen and beds inside here”.[/color]  He bows his head slightly.  [Color=Green]“I leave the decision to you.  Until then, if I may be excused, captain?” [/color]
 
Moments later, Barracker was off on the other side of the temple.  Familiar with the layout of temples in general, he found his way to the shrine room.  He put his face mask to the side, then took off his leather chestpiece.  Took out his satchel of blood vials and popped the cork of one vial.  Thankfully to his mother, Anne had spiced the lambs blood with cinnamon and sugar. [Color=Green]“Just like those cinnamon sweet rolls.  I don’t know what I would do without these at my disposal,”[/color] he said before downing the vial.  And then came the part he hated.  The veins in his eyes became more noticeable and a deep red glazed over his sight, his heart pumping faster.  Clenching his wrist to try and control himself, his veins started bulging out of his skin, the feeling was unusual.  Hard to explain but a kick of adrenaline, his blood eventually releveling back to normal. 

[Color=Green]“Forgive me Hades.”[/color]  In the middle of this surge of feeling, it was hard to notice anything or keep a sense of hearing of his surroundings.  Suddenly the vampire turned and felt an overwhelming shame as he realised that someone had noticed him.  [Color=Green]“MacKensie.”[/color]

He turned away and hoped for her to disappear.  He didn’t know how much she’d seen, but he still felt like a monster.