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Location: Shores of Astrya                                                       Interactions: None yet [/center]
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It was the middle of the night when the sentry bells began to toll. Loud rings sounded out into the cold, midnight air, rousing Light Bearers from their sleep within the mighty walls of the Dogfalls Stronghold. Older, more experienced fighters bounded from their sleeping arrangements and grabbed the weapons stashed at the foot of their beds. Armor was quickly thrown on before they moved to make their way out into the courtyard where a gathering was beginning to form. 

The newer, slower moving Light Bearers took some time to awaken from their sleep before they finally realized what was happening around them and quickly got suited up for battle. They, too, eventually made their way to the courtyard. Up upon the walls stood the sentries and an older woman with greying hair and even greyer eyes. She held onto a staff for support as she gazed out to the crashing waves of the sea just beyond the cliff face. 

Silence seemed to engulf the night as each Bearer waited for the commands to go defend. It was as if the night itself were holding its breath, the only sound being the crashing of the waves on the rocks. Then, quietly at first, there was a rumbling. The very ground began to shake before up from the sea rose a wave of darkness. It crashed onto the shores, engulfing the water and rocks in black soot before continuing along the land. Creatures of various sizes and forms began to claw their way out of the darkened sand, their eyes a glow of hellish fire and their screams filling the night air. 

The older woman straightened as she watched the creatures spawn from the abyss. She clenched her jaw and her grip on her staff turned white from pressure. “Dogfall will not be overrun tonight! We shall prevail!” And with that scream of protest, the woman raised her staff and slammed it down onto the top of the wall. Suddenly, a dazzling bright sigil illuminated the night as it blazed to life on the exterior of the walls. Any Grim creature that found itself before the light screamed in anguish and fizzled out of existence but still more came as the wave crashed into the protection of the sigil. 

The woman turned from the outer walls and gazed down upon the large crowd of gathered warriors. “Light Bearers! Tonight we fight within the abyss! May Aleathen bless us all with swift victory!” A cheer rose from the crowd as she raised her staff, a large gate directly behind the blazing sigil opening up to let the Light Bearers through. War had found itself upon Astrya’s shores. 
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Location: Stronghold of Mistmoor                                                      Interactions: None yet [/center]
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The sun was just beginning to set upon the mountains of Mistmoor. It was mid spring, so a pleasant time to be out during the twilight. It was comfortable and quite warm, a short lived reprieve from the long, harsh winters of the mountains. Terrain Kar sat upon a bench, gazing out at the sky as the stars began to make their appearance. Her thin tunic and pants were more than enough to keep her comfortable while she watched the sun set. 

With a flick of her wrist, she pushed her blonde hair out of her eyes. She had been training most of the day and her body was quite sore from the workout. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the swordmaster’s frustration with being cooped up inside the mountain stronghold for so long, or that he had a vendetta directed solely at her, but that day’s training had been rougher than her typical ones. She found herself on the defensive far more than she would have liked and when he smacked her so hard on her side that her ribs quivered, the man had called it quits. She was thankful for it to be over and when she took a peek at the hit location, a purple bruise had already begun to develop. It was unpleasant to say the least, but she had learned a grave lesson. Never leave your side open for a misdirect if you’re not willing to take the blow and she only learned after being stuck, that she was very much not ready to take that blow. 

She let out a loud sigh as she rested her arms along the back of the bench, allowing her eyes to close as her head hung back, exposing her face to the last of the sun’s dying rays. She would have to talk to that man. If he had a vendetta against her, for whatever reason, she would have to find a way to sort it. She couldn’t take many more hits like that. Of course, she could simply learn a better tactic for her fighting but that would take time and she wanted to make sure she didn’t end up with a bruise on her every time she attempted a new flourish or technique. Her mother would take the man apart if she learned what had happened that day. Even being a blessed Light Bearer didn’t bring that woman’s overprotectiveness to a mild simmer. 

Terrian released a low sigh as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “Please,” she quietly begged the gods above, “Please don’t let my mother learn of today’s training.” She peered up at the darkening sky. “Please”