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WINDS OF CHANGE

In the world of Alestia, where spirits reign supreme...

THE REBELLION has fallen to shambles.

With the recent loss of their leader, SALUS, they were struggling.

But this defeat was not without a victory of its own.

For in his final moments, SALUS secured an artifact of great importance.

This BLADE was paramount to THE TRIUMVIRATE'S leadership of ALESTIA.

And without it, their tyrannical grip on the world would surely falter.

Having no other choice, they gave their GRAND INQUISITOR one simple order:

"Destroy THE REBELLION, and retrieve the lost BLADE OF THE TRIUMVIRATE!"

But DAMEK, the new leader of THE REBELLION, set other plans in motion.

Hiding the blade in VALINORTH, he is confident it will be protected.

This sheltered hamlet became the new custodian to the weapon that would change the world.

And so...it would be met with a gruesome fate by THE TRIUMVIRATE and their GRAND

INQUISITOR.

All Raziya could remember was the rampart destruction. Billows of smoke clouded the evening sky as flames cackled all around the fennec, giving the sky an eerie red-orange glow. Valinorth village was quickly being bathed in flames with a voracious appetite that devoured forest and house alike. But perhaps the worst feeling for Raziya was the sinking feeling that there was nothing he could do about the fires all around him.

He tried to focus his thoughts - What am I doing here?! - but as soon as he did he was assaulted by an intense pain. It was as if his memory was lost in those dark clouds above, including who he was and why he was here. In fact, it almost felt like he just...came into existence at this very moment - but why now of all times? And who started this fire and why?! But he had no time to hang on to such thoughts, as his sense of dread far outweighed his sense of curiosity. A sense of dread that reminded him that he wasn't alone, and as his large ears turned forward he realized someone else was there with him, and this sense of dread radiated off of her as much as it did him.

"Come on Razzle, pick up the pace! If we waste anymore time we won't make it out alive!" the voice belonged to a vixen Raziya was certain he knew - what was her name again?? - and had soft-hued orange-and-cream fur, and was wearing a leafy green tunic with tree-brown trimmings, with both a bow and a quiver of arrows strapped to her back. She also had blue eyes, and long hair that ended in braids.

The vixen continued, "If that happens, or if you die, there's no way the Elder would let me live that one down! Come on!"

"Ah! Uh...s-sorry..." replied Raziya as his large ears slightly lowered. "I'm just..." At that moment it was as if one of the opaque clouds in his mind cleared away, and he was finally able to recall something.

The vixen - Val...Val-something... - gave Raziya an incredulous look. "Are you...are you even paying attention!?"

"Yes...I am The Seer," Raziya said, though more or less to himself.

This only made the vixen angrier, and her ears flicked. "Tch, I know who you are, Razzle! Did you hit your head on a fallen branch or something?!" she shook her head and turned the other way. "Just...come on. We're almost to the Town Plaza."

"You don't need to be so harsh, Val...I'm just...lost..." Raziya mumbled. Before he could take another step, however, he felt a firm hand grasp his shoulder, and his ears perked up and his fur shivered. A hand that he didn't recognize. The fennec turned around with slow uncertainty to see who it was.

They were a rather powerfully built and tall white wolf with a pale yellow-furred midsection. The right half of his body had blue dyed-fur markings in various lines, curves, and swirls, with a blue band of dye around his upper forearm with circles underneath. Both his ear tips were also painted blue, and he had a blue curve around both his eyes. A silver arm guard with a red under cloth adorned his left arm, and a large, well-crafted great sword was strapped to his back. He was wearing some form fitting brown pants with a couple of belts strapping it up in addition to some pouches.

Raziya eyed the wolf up and down, taking special note of his powerful build, and hoped to the spirits that he was on their side - I mean, he's giving me a warm smile. I sure hope so!

"Look Seer, Valessa just has our safety in mind, alright?" the wolf said in a comforting tone.

Raziya's ears shot up - Valessa! That was her name!

"Try to forgive her hot-headedness for me..." Ulric looked up from Raziya and off into the distance, "...our freedom isn't too much farther."

Raziya nodded. "Yeah, r-right! I just...I'm a little disoriented is all."

The wolf nodded. "That's fine, but try to stay focused, alright? We need to stay calm and think this through," the wolf smirked. "Besides, two fellows like us? We should have no problem overcoming any obstacles we encounter. We'll be safe and sound before you know it."

The trio then set about resuming their trek through the burning inferno. They were nearly to the town square, and from there it would be an escape from Valinorth. They walked in silence, weaving between houses and even through a couple that the fire had just barely got to. Normally, it would only take but a few minutes to reach the Town Square from Raziya's house, but the trio moved slowly with trepidation. The last thing they desired was to bring any unwanted attention, which would result in a confrontation with the fire-starters - at least, that's what the wolf had claimed. Raziya struggled to remember who those fire-starters even were, despite the fact that the fennec could have sworn the white wolf had said something regarding that earlier.

The group continued on, passing by houses and areas that Raziya had never even seen before, lost crevices that, until now, had hardly anyone other than their residents visiting. Raziya shook his head as his large ears began moving about, keeping alert for any dangerous sounds or voices. Something about this feels off though...it's like we're going through a different version of this village...but that's probably because I'm lost and disoriented myself. And, well I suppose everything looks different when it's on fire.

The group's silent movements made the surrounding noises all the more prominent, however. The flames echoed in Raziya's ears, and it sounded as if the forest was creaking and cracking in pain and agony. Screams from others burning to death could also be heard in the distance and...did Raziya hear swords? Either way, the young fennec was left with an uneasy feeling of disgust that made him feel nauseous.

"Can we rest a minute? I just... I need a moment," said Raziya, suddenly breaking the eerie silence as he placed a paw to his forehead.

"I don't think we can afford that," replied the white wolf. "Valessa, how close are we to the Town Square?"

"At this rate? It's roughly a couple of minutes from here, Ulric. I think a quick stop might be a good idea, though; I want to talk to Razzle about something," replied Valessa. Raziya's eyes lit up - so that was his name. And what did Valessa want with me?

"Ulric, Razzle, over here! There's a small hill with an alcove we can hide in," Valessa waved over her two companions.

As the trio took cover in the alcove, more screams were heard. Raziya's ears perked in surprise at the sudden noise, but then drooped when he realized the source of it.

"Great spirits...those poor souls..." Raziya said.

Valessa took a deep breath and said, "Look...Razzle...they're only dying because they panicked. We need to stay calm and think this through, together. If we freak out? We'll only end up like them, you know?"

Ulric folded his arms as he looked outside the alcove. "She has a point. Our first instinct was to run, but so was theirs. We took things slow, made careful plans, and have been safe so far. We should continue to let the rushers face the brunt of this attack."

Raziya looked at Ulric in shock ­- Attack? What in the hell did he mean? - "Wait, so you're saying we're letting them die to buy ourselves more time?"

Ulric stared down Raziya with a grim seriousness. "What else are we supposed to do? We aren't equipped to take on the fire-starters alone."

"But using them as pawns Ulric!?" Valessa blurted out indignantly. "The creatures of Valinorth deserve better than that!"

Ulric shifted his eyes to Valessa. "Do you have any better ideas? If we try to save them, we'll either die in the fire, or get struck down. I'm here to protect you two, not get us all killed!"

Raziya kept his eyes on Ulric - Okay, he's our protector I guess? But why are Valessa and I so special? What makes us priority?

"Okay...so we're being attacked by someone, these attackers started the fire and...uh, we're in Valinorth, correct? You just mentioned it Valessa," Raziya said aloud with a noticeable uncertainty. But before the other two could say anything, the pain in Raziya's head began to pulse once more, and he stumbled back. But before he could hit the ground Ulric rushed over to his side and helped him stay upright.

"It must be the smoke," said Ulric as he propped Raziya up against the alcove's wall. "When we get back out there stay low; the lower you are the better. Are you having trouble breathing?"

"I'm...I'm fine. But it's not the smoke that's doing this," Raizya answered.

Valessa decided to chime in, "Yeah, something else is going on here. He's been acting strange for a while now. Is there something you need to tell us?"

"I can't seem to remember anything. It's like I have some kind of amnesia or something. Some kind of block clouding my memory."

Ulric gave an exasperated sigh - We don't have any time for games, Seer.

"Did some debris fall on your head back there? I'm starting to think Valessa's right about you being odd. Come on, time to gear you up," Ulric stepped out of the alcove for a few moments before returning with a short sword. "I spotted this when we were coming into the alcove. Take it, Seer."

Raziya eyed the blade up and down, noticing how the flames reflected off of it, making it glisten as if it wanted to be taken up. He also noticed that it was fairly well-crafted.

"I don't care what's going on in that head of yours, Seer. But it's not more important than your survival. We're all overwhelmed by this. It's not just you."

"Yeah, easy for you to say Ulric, your mind doesn't feel like a ghost is whacking it with a hammer. How about we trade bodies and you get back to me on that?" replied Raziya.

"Razzle, do you really need to be giving smart aleck remarks at a time like this?" asked Valessa.

Ulric, however, seemed unphased by Razzle's remark - He's just cracking under pressure. Last thing we need is infighting. - and he held the blade in front of Raziya. "Take it, we won't be standing here forever. Once we leave this alcove we'll be vulnerable. I can't take care of you all the time, you know."

Raziya took the blade, but protested, "I can't fight though! I have no training!"

"You must be mistaken, Seer. This wasn't an option. I can't keep an eye on both of you in the heat of battle. Valessa has daggers; you need something as well. Even if you can't use the blade, you could always try bluffing."

Raziya simply nodded in compliance - I'm not about to sit here and argue with Ulric about this. He seems like the last person in this group I wanna agitate. I wonder if he's more scary than Valessa when angry?

"Good. Now then, it's time to move. Some of the noise seems to have finally died down. Should we investigate the Town Square now, Valessa?" Ulric walked off without waiting for Valessa's reply, as if he just expected them to just follow on default. Raziya began to follow after Ulric, but Valessa grabs his arm, and the look of worry is clearly displayed on her face and folded down ears. "You're confused about all this right? I bet you don't even know what being 'The Seer' means...or that we've known each other all our lives."

Raziya nodded and turned to face her. "Yeah, you got that right. I don't even know what..."

Valessa interrupted him - I knew it. It's just as I thought, "That's normal. We've only got a few moments before Ulric notices we're not following, but please listen. The Seer is special. You can wield spirits to induce prophetic visions."

"...and I take it that severe memory loss is just, part of the deal with these visions?" asked Razzle with a cocked brow.

"Exactly. You're unable to remember anything previous to when the vision began. When you wake up, you might dismiss it as a dream and forget it ever happened. I'm your Scribe, and it's my job to help you take advantage of this."

"That...actually makes sense," Raziya nodded, and his resolve seemed to improve - okay, now I don't have to feel so...out of place. This is normal. Okay. Now if only the headache would subside...

"We have to follow Ulric now, but know one thing. With how you're acting? I'm certain this is a vision. That means you can use it for information."

Valessa stepped forward and grabbed Raziya's hands, hope shimmering in her eyes. "I'm relieved! If this really is a vision that means Valinorth is still fine! When you wake up, use this vision to save everyone. It's your duty as Seer to ensure this doesn't become real!" she let go of Raziya's hands and took off after Ulric.

Raziya found it a little hard to believe everything that Valessa had just told him, but deep down, it seemed to make sense. At the very least, he'd have one reasonable answer as to why he felt so off and disconnected. But there was something else on his mind concerning visions: what happens when the Seer dies in a vision? Regardless, Raziya now felt that he had a goal other than not dying: finding out all he could about what happened, and why. If there was a chance he could stop this attack from ever happening, he had to do it.

Meanwhile in the present day, The Triumvirate was conspiring with their Grand Inquisitor, for the events that led to Valinorth's destruction had yet to be set in motion. Sovy knelt before his masters; the black-furred dragon was more eager to serve than he had ever been before. While the air surrounding him in The Triumvirate's main court was cold and still, the resolve within him was bright and fired up.

The three leaders of The Triumvirate stood before Sovy, each clad in a flowing white robe with golden yellow trims and markings, their faces obscured by some kind of lost, ancient magic.

"Rise, Sovy," they all said in perfect unison. Whenever they spoke, it was always in perfect unison. Three separate voices united for one distinct cause. "But please, assure of us your certainty. We'd hate to act without knowing everything."

Sovy dutifully rose to his feet. "The prisoner mentions Valinorth over and over. The rebels are hiding something of importance there. Along with recent events...with can surmise only one thing."

The Triumvirate touched their hands, which they always kept hidden under their cloak sleeves, to their chins. "The Blade of Exodus...?"

Sovy nodded. "I am almost certain. But if that's where they've chosen to hide it that must mean our other target is also there."

The Triumvirate extended their hidden hands towards Sovy. "Your compliance pleases us, Sovy. Your plan was risky, but it worked out in the end. A final interrogation would influence our decision further."

Sovy quirked a brow in curiosity. "You'd have me interrogate the prisoner once more? If I may be so bold - to what end do you request this?"

The Triumvirate shook their heads. "Not you Sovy; we want your _apprentice_to handle this. It's time for him to prove his worth."

Sovy attempted to hide the irritation in his voice, but it didn't help that his slightly snarled snout betrayed him. "My apprentice? I've told you many times I want to work alone! It would be more efficient for me to do this myself!"

The Triumvirate tilted their heads back, as if they were trying to look down at Sovy. "Insubordination? This is unbecoming of you Sovy. We demand that you obey! The role of Grand Inquisitor is a dangerous one. Were you to fall in battle, a replacement would be necessary. You must train the replacement while you still breathe."

Sovy's irritation subsided, and he responded in a defeated tone, "As you command."

Sovy turned his back to The Triumvirate and spotted his apprentice. He was standing by the door, listening to the conversation. If he'd heard of Sovy's distaste for him, he showed no concern. The apprentice, a male wolf with green eyes, was wearing bright white armor, with golden a golden yellow trim, with two sabers sheathed on his back that had a golden yellow and purple handle, and he had on a purple cape that was turned to cover his left side.

"An interrogation, hm? And what would you have me extract? I thought the prisoner was at his wit's end?"

"Anything to confirm our suspicions about Valinorth," Sovy pointed a claw at Halin. "And if you fail, I will not hesitate to punish you; remember what we are on the verge of!"

"I understand, master. I'll do my best to get you what you need. What are the...." Halin gave a sinister chuckle. "...limits when it comes to my approach?"

Sovy's eyes lit up with an eerie red glow. "Keep him alive, Halin. I find that psychological pain is the most valid approach. He cares more for his rebel allies than he does for himself."

Halin's muzzle curved into a crooked grin. "Then I will threaten The Rebellion's very core! I'm grateful to have this opportunity, master. Things are starting to line up well for me."

Sovy smiled. "They tend to do when you have The Triumvirate's blessing. We should take care of this immediately and catch them unprepared. Every moment we waste is a moment they gain, Halin."

The two began to walk out of the room and discuss Halin's interrogation strategy. Once the duo was out of the room, The Triumvirate began to talk among themselves. Their hidden faces curved into smiles - Our plans are finally coming to fruition. It is only a matter of time. What we have waited for all these years -

"But, do you think we should tell Sovy our true plan?"

Halin entered the prison cell without Sovy by his side. The air in the cell was even colder, and had a feeling of a harsh cruelty. It was made completely out of excavated earth, there was barely any light, and small puddles dotted the ground here and there. Sovy remained outside as a display of pseudo-trust - but to Halin it was evident that no such trust existed.

The prisoner - a male grey and white husky - looked up from where he was sitting, surprised to see a different face. Within the prisoner was a slowly dwindling hope - he was cut off from The Rebellion, and felt that he was nearing his final days.

"So, someone different has finally come? What are you, the executioner or something?" said the prisoner, attitude dripping from his voice. "I figured it was only a matter of time."

Halin smirked. "You seem to underestimate your value, Shane. Sovy said to keep you alive."

The prisoner quirked a brow - Important huh? Fat chance of that."You think I'm important? That's not what I expected to hear."

"Don't take it the wrong way. You must not know what I truly meant," Halin knelt down in front of the prisoner with a sinister smirk. "You're important as a bargaining chip. The fact that I have to keep you alive...that's a curse. When I'm through with you..." Halin let out an evil chuckle, "...you'll beg for death."

Halin stood up, and glared at the prisoner. "You see, I'm different from Sovy; he's passed the bar, they no longer need to test him. But I'm in the position where results must happen. When we give you back, you'll be a broken man. And soon after...the foundation of the Rebellion will crumble. Or do you not know that we're aware Damek is your leader?"

The prisoner's eyes lit up in shock - "What?!" How did they know?? Who betrayed us??

"You'd be stupid not to think we have inside men. I could order his execution in a matter of seconds. You don't value your life; but you do value his."

The prisoner folded his ears and looked down at the stone ground.

"Good. Now I expect you to answer my questions. The Blade of Exodus...is it in Valinorth Village? And the one that can wield it? Do they reside there as well?"

By the time Raziya and Valessa caught up with Ulric at the town square it was too late, the enemy had found him. His huge great sword was in dreadlock with the blades of one of the enemy soldiers. Like Halin, they wore gold and white armor, except this soldier had an armored face covering and no cape. They were also wearing a white hood with a golden trim. Raziya feebly readied his sword in front of him, and Valessa drew her daggers.

"We order you to cease your resistance!" shouted the soldier as he struggled against Ulric's mighty sword. "Those who support the Rebellion must perish!"

To break the deadlock, Ulric kicked the soldier in the gut. They stumbled back a couple of steps, but regained their composure and readied their blades with a flourish. He began to charge at Ulric.

"Valessa! Your dagger!" shouted Ulric. Valessa, however, was frozen in shock. This...this is real. We're actually fighting.

Ulric rolled out of the way of the soldier's charge towards Raziya and Valessa, and pried one of the daggers out of her hand. His ears quickly rotated to find the location of the soldier, and without looking he threw the dagger behind him. He closed his eyes and looked down at the ground, and his ears folded back once he heard the sound of the dagger's impact. Raziya noticed that, for once, Ulric looked sad. Resentful, even.

"Spirits, please forgive my misdeeds. I acted only to protect those under my watch."

Raziya found this odd - Ulric cares about the spirits? I didn't expect that - but before his thoughts could proceed any further, he and Valessa noticed something happening with the armor that left them utterly shocked.

Ulric looked up at Valessa and Raziya, taking note of their faces. "Huh? What's going on?" he rose to his feet, and looked at the enemy soldier's remains, soon wearing the same shocked expression as his friends. The soldier had fallen...but there was nothing inside of the armor. Almost like it was empty inside the whole time. Scattered pieces of armor littered the ground, much to the confusion of the trio. They now knew that this was no ordinary attack - something along these lines was downright impossible. Or so they thought.

"What's going on?!" asked Valessa, panic in her voice. "Ulric, what are those things?!"

"I - I don't know! Stay close you two, this doesn't feel right. Empty suits of armor with a hatred for the Rebellion?" This can't be good.

Valessa shook her head. "Only those who've mastered the spirits could do this. I'm afraid this is much larger than we thought."

Raziya's ear tweaked. "What do you mean?"

"No Valessa, that can't be true," Ulric shook his head. "The spirits are pure, they aid us."

"Sure looks like they wanted to help!" retorted Valessa.

"Well...wait a second," said Raziya, looking down at the empty suit of armor. "You said that only someone who mastered the spirits could do this, right? Well, it's possible that the spirit was just...forced into causing harm?"

"And that's just not my only concern," said Valessa as she kneeled down and pulled out her dagger. "Look at this," she indicated the suit of armor. "Do you recognize these colors Ulric?"

"Now why would I..."

Valessa cut Ulric off, "Gold and white. The Triumvirate's standard. I would have never made such a deduction but...only they can wield spirits in such a fashion."

Raziya's ear tweaked again. "The...Triumvirate? Who were they again?"

"Our supposed protectors. And to some, the creators of Alestia. I have no idea why they would want to do this to us."

Ulric peered down at the armor. "It wouldn't be the first time they attempted an occupation. They hinted that the Rebellion was involved here," Ulric looked over to Valessa. "Do you know anything about that?"

Valessa shook her head slowly. "I don't. There's been so much that's changed lately...with the last Elder gone, Mylus has been in charge. Maybe he has something to tell us?"

Ulric nodded. "It's worth a shot. We need to see if he's still alive. Protecting you is my top priority, but now I want some answers. If anyone would know about this, it would be him."

Raziya nodded as well. "Count me in too. We gotta find out why this happened. That information may be very useful."

Valessa looked over to Raziya. "To the Elder's house then?"

"Right!"

Ulric nodded. "Yeah."

The trio then began their trek to the Elder's house, walking around the massive circular water tank that was at the center of the town square.

As they walked, Ulric's muzzle curved into a self-assured smile. "Aren't you glad we waited first? If we rushed in head first we'd be dead," the wolf indicated the empty suits of armor that were littering their path.

Valessa, however, had other questions. "Then where are the other villagers' bodies? I only see suits of armor lying around."

Raziya looked over to Valessa. "You know what? That's a really good question. I don't even see signs of a struggle - where's the bodies of the villagers, or blood for that matter? All I can see is the fire and the glistening of the suits."

"That could be a good sign, Seer," said Ulric. "That means they won, and fled to safety. Are there any safe havens in Valinorth?"

"I'd say the Elder's house and the Grand Tree," replied Valessa. "The fire may not have even reached them yet."

"How many people can fit in the Grand Tree?"

"Hundreds, easily."

Ulric's ears folded slightly down. "Not as good of a sign as I thought, then. The enemy could be trying to round everyone up. Put them all in one place before killing them."

Valessa scowled. "Tch, that's dirty!"

"I can't imagine what those poor souls would be going though," said Raziya.

Ulric shrugged. "But it works. We still don't know what they're after. It can't be genocide. It must be something else. Does Valinorth have anything The Triumvirate would want? Did the change in leadership bring anything with it?"

"Like I said," began Valessa. "We'd have to talk to Mylus. But I doubt he'd be at the Grand Tree."

Valessa looked over to Raziya. He could tell that she was trying to nudge the group towards checking out Mylus' place - But she knows this is just a vision. Ulric doesn't. Does that mean there'd be no clues at the Grand Tree though?

"But what if there are people in the Grand Tree? Is Mylus more important than all of them? It would be cold to let everyone die," said Ulric.

Valessa became flustered. "Ulric, this is larger than Valinorth! Especially if it involves the Rebellion; any information we find could save entire villages!"

Ulric stopped and crossed his arms. "I don't like what you're suggesting."

Valessa balled up her fists and put them up near her muzzle in anger. Raziya recognized this as a sign that she was getting even angrier. "Like it's any better than what you suggested! Using the people as pawns to buy us time?! How is this any different?!"

Raziya looked at Ulric and shrugged. "Gal's got a point."

"This is a matter of Valinorth's future. Such things are under the jurisdiction of the Seer. So I stand by his side, and you stand by both of ours...unless you want to abandon your job, but that wouldn't look good on your perfect record."

Ulric gave an amused smirk. "Hmph - I guess you can fight dirty, too. I don't like this, but you have me by the throat. I can only hope the Seer makes the right choice," Ulric turned his look to Raziya, who then felt like he was being put on the spot by the wolf.

Well, if this is my role, I'd better start filling in the shoes!

Valessa looked over to Raziya, "What are we going to do?"

Razzle touched a paw to his chin - I don't care if this is a vision. I can't just indiscriminately let innocent people die. I should be treating this as if it were real. Besides, there could be clues at the Grant Tree we can find...

"We're going to the Grand Tree," Raziya said, with a definite firmness.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Valessa. "There could be some vital clues at Mylus' house! Remember what we talked about."

"And there might be some clues at the Grand Tree as well! What if we find something or if one of the villagers has information? Besides, we can't just let innocent creatures die. That's not how I'm going to do things. We're doing the Grand Tree."

"Good to know we're on the same page," said Ulric, who put a paw on Raziya's shoulder. "Mylus can't be the only one with information."

The trio then changed their course and headed in the direction of the Grand Tree. While Raziya felt bad about potentially leaving Mylus to his vision-doom, as well as missing any clues he could potentially have, he felt good about his decision. Either way, he would be using the future this vision presented to cheat the present.

At a time before fire had been set to Valinorth, Damek found himself lost in thought. He was in the underground tunnels of Mazeo, which was not uncommon for the fox to retreat to when he needed some alone time. He knew that there was much to plan, but for once, the Rebellion was finally getting the upper hand. He was wearing a leather cuirass that had a hood - which he often kept up, his fox-ears poking through slits on the top - and also lacked a midsection, with matching leather pants and boots to match.

"Valinorth..." Damek said aloud to himself. Valinorth...and the Blade of Exodus...there must be something the spirits aren't telling us. Something that we could use to take down the Triumvirate...but what could it be...? When I touched the blade, I saw our victory. But I'm not trained to interpret such things. I can only pray for the cooperation of Valinorth.

Just then, Damek felt as if there was someone behind him - and in response, he let out a soft yawn. Ulric smiled as his friend turned around.

"Another one of those sleepless nights, eh Damek? It's been the same with me. Did I hear you say something about Valinorth?"

"Oh did I? Sorry, I was thinking out loud," Damek shuffled in place. "You see, in Valinorth there's a person who can peer into the future. That's why I had Pro bring the blade there last week."

"Yes, I'm well aware of their culture, Damek. But their Seers use spirits, not blades. Do you think it will be that easy to get one to use such a thing?"

Damek shrugged, and smiled. "It's worth a gamble, isn't it? It's not my place to wield knowledge of the future. But Seers...well, they're experts. They've been conditioned from birth to do this."

"Okay then. Any word on what Valinorth's current Seer looks like?"

"Yes, actually. I have Pro stationed over in Peregrino, and he's been able to pick up some information from others there. The current Seer is male, some sort of green fennec," Damek sighed - And I wonder why it took him so long to figure that out if Seers are a staple of Valinorth's culture? - "But his investigation is progressing slower than I'd like. We need to pick up the pace, and fast. The Blade being in Valinorth will make both that place and the Seer a target. Once they find out, if they haven't already, the Triumvirate will be planning their attack. That's why I'm going to send a more...experienced fighter to help."

Ulric crossed his arms -Of course Pro would be slow to deliver information. He's probably screwing around at Peregrino - "I guess that's me."

Damek nodded. "I've also had the Mayor of Mazeo write up a decree. It will allow you entry into Valinorth, and with that the ability to complete what Pro was supposed to finish. To us, it's the retrieval of the thing that will turn this all around. To everyone else, it's a simple export."

"That's one way to make the job easier."

"Only Mylus, their Elder, knows the importance of the Blade. All you have to do is deliver it from Valinorth back to me...with the Seer at your side, of course."

"You seem to think it'll be that easy, Damek. It's not likely they know the truth of what's going on in Valinorth. I can bring the Seer, but they'll most likely just decline."

"There's a simple solution around that, Ulric. Just present yourself as a mercenary, not a Rebel. Tell them a meeting of importance is happening in Mazeo, and that we need their ability in order to help with some...'important decisions.'"

Ulric frowned. "Dishonesty. Great way to begin a partnership."

Damek, however, smiled. "But it worked for us, don't you remember? And look at how invaluable you've become."

Ulric stared down at Damek for a few moments before he laughed. Turning his head upwards, the wolf looked into the dark depths of the tunnels. Everything does seem bleak and uncertain...an ally that can cast some light down these dark tunnels would be a tremendous boon. "So this is it, isn't it? With the Seer at our side, they can direct us. We can finally secure the victory you witnessed."

"I almost don't believe it, but it's true. Though, I do have to be honest with you, Ulric. There's a reason why I'm sending you instead of asking Pro."

"And what reason is that?"

"He...may not be strong enough to face what's coming. It's not just my own hunch that Valinorth will be attacked. In my vision...I saw its death and destruction. So I ask that you protect the Seer and his allies at all costs. And when you come across Pro, have him join you as well. I'll make sure to prepare an exquisite welcoming party."

Ulric nodded - I'd have to agree. I don't know how well Pro could handle seeing an entire village destroyed­ - "I'll leave first thing in the morning, then. But, what did you see exactly?"

Damek put his hands on his hips and struck a confident pose. "Nothing that you can't fight your way out of. But trust me, it will show the Seer the truth behind The Triumvirate, and they'll be ready to fight when you get back. But promise me one thing, and one thing only. Along the way, the Seer must touch the Blade. If he can wield it....we'll have our greatest weapon."

Meanwhile in Raziya's vision, the trio had finally made it to the massive Great Tree, and the cave that was underneath it. The inside was huge, with plenty of space that could easily fit hundreds, even as tree roots made their way throughout the area. Grass, moss, and other assorted greenery grew here and there, giving the place a green tint, with a shrine off to the side that rested on a large, upwards-curving tree root.

Raziya sighed in relief - _Thank goodnesss this place isn't set ablaze! But...something's wrong. There's no one here... _

_ _ Ulric looked around along with Valessa and Raziya. "Empty...just what the hell is going on here? Where is everyone?"

Valessa looked about the cave with worry on her face. "I can't believe what I'm seeing right now. Where are all the villagers..?! There must be something here!"

"Like what?" said Ulric, with mild irritation.

Raziya took a step backwards - uh oh here they go again.

"Ulric," began Valessa, "The Triumvirate is literally burning down Valinorth! They seem to think we've caught up with the Rebels. Thinking there's no evidence? That's stupid!" Valessa started pacing around the Grand Tree - There has to be something here. A villager, a clue, something that the Seer can use! - Raziya and Ulric could tell she was looking for something, but they had no clue as to what. The two looked at each other and shrugged in confusion.

Valessa took a deep breath, and gathered her mind. "Look...maybe Mylus knew we'd come here! He must have left something behind right? There's no survivors here, so we're back to looking for other forms of evidence."

Ulric sighed and looked around, then back to Valessa. "None of this is helping, Valessa! It's a tree, nothing more, nothing less!"

Valessa shook her head. "No! There has to be something here! Come on Razzle give us a hand already!" the vixen took off to search her own corner of the Grand Tree.

Raziya looked over to Ulric. "So uh....you notice uh...anything yet?"

Ulric shook his head. "No. There's not much here. But I guess if we spread out we might stand a better chance of finding something. Not that there's much ground to cover, though."

Raziya cocked one of his large ears to an odd angle. "So uh...any idea on what I should be looking around for then?"

Ulric walked over to a tree root that looked large enough for two creatures to hide under. "If I knew we would've found it already. Valessa seems to think that there's something Mylus left behind. I don't think he'd be that dumb. He wouldn't leave stuff out in the open like that."

"I mean I suppose..."

"If it were up to me? We'd all be long gone by now. I can't fight your choice though; this is your village. Let's just do our best to exhaust the search as quickly as we can so we can get out of here," Ulric looked the root, then frowned when he found nothing underneath it.

"Where even are we going though? You have to have some kind of safe haven right? Wherever it is that you come from, anyways."

Ulric looked back at Raziya, seemingly surprised at the question. "What, do you mean today or in general?"

"I mean today, silly. I remember now that you found us during the attack."

The big wolf relaxed. "Oh. I'm a mercenary from Mazeo. I was actually hired to come bring you back there. A summit is happening and they need your input."

Raziya quirked a brow. "And...they send a big strong warrior as an escort rather than say, someone more...official looking (no offense)."

"Would you like to fend off some bandits or other ne'er do wells yourself?" Ulric crossed his arms, folding his ears slightly down.

"Er...point taken. But ah, what kinda summit is this? Don't Valinorth usually sit these things out? Us being y'know non-partisan and all."

"Well, it's the same annual meeting between all of the nations' leaders, including Balteus and Alarinthia. I figure they want to get Valinorth more invested in Alestian politics; they didn't really go over the reasons with me. Just that I have a job to do - pick you up and escort you there."

"Mazeo sounds pretty interesting, actually."

"It is; it's full of strange people, given that it's essentially the central hub of Alestia. It's also full of pirates, crooks, and folks who would stab you in the back. That's what puts people like me in business. To help protect others against such threats."

"Speaking of protection, it's pretty convenient that you got here when you did, really," Raziya smirked.

Ulric glared at the young fennec. "Is that an accusation of some kind? Where I come from, you don't insult the guy with the bigger sword. I'll pretend I didn't hear that and continue looking around."

Raziya gulped - well excuse the hell out of me, slappy. Just seems so odd that his arrival lines up with this attack...hm, maybe I am just imagining things. - "I'll just...go see what Valessa is up to!"

Raziya scurried over to where Valessa was searching. She was still in full frantic mode, seeming as if she was fighting a desperate battle and losing. The vixen was quite literally looking under every ledge, nook, cranny, and overgrown tree root.

"So uh...you find anything useful Val?"

The vixen sighed. "I wish. This whole place is one giant mess. Honestly, I don't even know what to look for. Mylus isn't stupid though...he'd leave something."

Raziya shrugged. "Ulric seems to disagree."

Valessa scoffed in response. "Ulric doesn't know what he's talking about. Mylus had to know there'd be a chance we'd come here..."

Raziya screwed his eyes upwards and to the right as he struggled to remember details. "Mylus...how long has he been Elder again?"

"Honestly, only a few months. Something happened to his father, the previous Elder, so he was thrust into this position against his will."

Seems odd that the old Eder dies, and then Mylus takes charge and shortly after this whole mess happens.

"But he's doing such a good job though, it's crazy! The leadership of Valinorth didn't skip a beat. Maybe he was training under his father?"

"Whatever happened to his father? Did anyone say?"

Valessa shrugged. "No one knows. Only that he went to Mazeo and never came back. Search parties found nothing - it's like he vanished."

There's Mazeo again. Wait, didn't Ulric say Valinorth stayed out of Alestian politics?

"In that case we'd normally hold an election, but things were crazy. That, and Valinorth favors familial ties and tradition, so everyone just expected that Mylus would take over."

"But what if Mylus is helping out the Rebellion?"

Valessa turned to face Raziya. "I'd want to get to the bottom of it, then. There's a lot more going on than we can take at face value. He'd have his reasons, and I want to hear all of them."

"Yeah, but could any of those reasons excuse what's going on now?"

"That's the thing though - it's not actually happening. If he can explain himself, and we can prevent this? Well, we can deal with it in a more reasonable way."

Yeah, but his actions would still lead to us being targeted by the Triumvirate. And that's a scary thought even if we can just "deal with it reasonably."

"We can't condemn him on a vision like this. That's like hating on someone for something they did in a dream. We don't even know if it is his fault."

Raizya held up a paw. "And you're certain this is a vision?"

"It's an educated guess, but I'm certain that's what's happening. I'm trained to detect this stuff. But it's so weird...it feels like reality. Like, what would even happen to me? Technically I'm not real, right? That's hard to take in when it feels real to you."

"I'd just...not think too hard about it."

"In any case, yeah it makes me certain. It's very rare that I'd become lucid in a vision, but with the evidence at hand, I'm very sure." Valessa peered over to Ulric. "Better not talk about it too loud though. Wouldn't want Ulric to realize something's up - the rules state only you and I can know."

"Why not? What's the harm in him knowing?"

Valessa sighed. "Trust me, it's better for him not to know. He'd act recklessly and be really confused - it is just a dream, after all. These are gifts, blessings directly from the realm of spirits. We're not in any position to harm or play games with what they've given us."

Raziya nodded. "Alright, that makes enough sense I suppose. Don't want him mucking up our recon attempts. But how much time do we have? How long does a vision last?"

"As long as any other dream, I'd guess. Or maybe when the Spirits decide you've had enough. That's one of the things we don't really know for certain. Maybe something traumatic? Like your death? Given that our minds aren't fit to comprehend what would happen next. Let's just make the most of the time we do have, Razzle."

"Yeah, you're right..." Raziya turned his gaze to the altar, and noticed something sitting in front of it - a small little book, with its pages spread wide open. _Now this is a curious thing. Who would leave a book randomly here? Let me just see..._Raziya climbed up to the altar and picked up the book, and as he lifted it up, a folded piece of paper slipped out and fluttered down to the ground. The fennec picked it up and unfolded it, and his ears shot straight up.

"Uh...Valessa, Ulric! You might want to see this!"

The two made their way over to Raziya, and the fennec relayed what was written on the page: It was a note from Mylus, detailing how he eventually worked with the Rebellion as they knew some kind of shocking truth about his father, and that Mylus' father was in the middle of an important task; Mylus, as his son, saw it as his duty to complete this task, and was given a blade to keep watch over.

"This is it! This is just what we needed!" Raziya said excitingly.

"So he was working with the Rebellion!" said Valessa. "And he was sheltering a blade...? Could that be why they attacked us?"

"Doing all this for a blade? Let's be realistic Valessa!" exclaimed Ulric.

"It's got to be some kind of important blade. Mylus must have taken it with him. I don't see any blades lying around here."

"Yeah but a blade?" Raziya was dumbfounded. "Unless this was some kind of sacred artifact? You know how those religious types can get..."

"But he also mentioned an envoy...and a supposed 'special person'..." Valessa looked to Ulric. "Why did you lie to us?"

Raziya looked at Ulric as well, who closed his eyes in defeat, almost as if he didn't want to face his allies. He sighed. "We didn't think you'd come if you knew, given Valinorth's non-partisan policy. I tried hiding it, but I guess there's just no point anymore. After seeing this attack, I need to request your help."

Raziya slowly shook his head - I had a feeling he was up to something. Everything just seemed to line up too well...but what do we do now?

"This is far from the first village they'll raze. They're up to something much bigger. That's why you wanted to come here, right?"

"Yeah, you're right," Valessa touched a paw to her chin. "There's little time to argue, and nowhere else to go. It looks like you got what you needed, Ulric. Let's head back to the town square - we can exit through Main Street."

The trio immediately headed out of the Grand Tree, and Raziya was now certain of two things: who caused this attack, what The Triumvirate was after, and what Mylus had to do with things.

_ Invaluable information. I'll make great use of this_.

The flames were still spreading around Main Street, but it wasn't any worse than before. As the group walked, one thing plagued Raziya's mind: was this blade worth all of this trouble? Destroying an entire village and its culture?

"Also, where is everyone?" said Raziya. "It's so...empty."

"They probably fled, Raziya," said Ulric.

Valessa was not buying it. "But we heard people dying, Ulric. Not only were they getting burned up, but cut down as well! There's no body, no blood, no...no anything!

"So what, they stole the bodies then?" replied Ulric.

"There'd be blood, and more signs of a struggle then."

"What importance is it though? We need to just make it to Peregrino. I'm sure we'll find survivors - and Mylus - there as well."

Just then laughter began to fill the air, nearly maniacal in nature, and rich, deep voice filled the air.

"Such loyalty to the man who condemned you all! If you really want to know where Mylus is, I'd love to show you. I can even reunite you with the rest of the villagers."

The trio stopped in their tracks and looked up at the water tank. Another creature stood atop it, a rather exotic looking sword in his hands. It was a blade that was silver-white on the edges, but golden on the inside. Three golden circles had a white border along the middle of the blade's flat sides. The handle was a deep blue color, with a silver and sky blue hand guard with an edge that looked like gear teeth. Its hilt was a regal gold color, with a pinion-like design in the center. Some sort of silver and golden gear-like object served as the blade's pommel. The flames augmented the mystical look of this blade, giving it a majestic, if otherworldly, glow.

The man sheathed the blade on his back, and jumped from the top of the water tank and landed with a roll. Raziya stepped back, and Ulric took the lead, and became fearful at what he saw.

It was Sovy.

"What a pitiful little village. It's no fun when they don't put up a fight! Do you know what they did in their final moments?" Sovy chuckled. "They called out to you, Seer. They wanted your help...and you let them down. I guess the stories I heard about you were wrong."

Raziya eyed the blade on the dragon's back, and then looked at the dragon himself. Why does he sound so...disappointed? What do I have some kind of secret powers of some kind? Maybe I can stop time in this dream. That'd be really handy.

Ulric put a hand on his own sword's handle and stood his ground. "Sovy, you already have the Blade. Let us leave, we don't have to fight."

Sovy glared at the big wolf. "No survivors! Don't you remember the rule? Like a garden we have to pluck all the weeds."

Ulric raised his voice. "Is that all these villagers are to you?! Sovy, they have a culture! They have a history, dammit!"

"Yes but it's not theirs that I'm interested in. In fact I'm only here to claim the Seer's soul. Everything else was just for fun. For sport."

Have these two fought before? Raziya looked between Ulric and Sovy.They seem to know each other quite well. And why would Ulric know the Triumvirate's "rules"?

A look of surprise spilled onto Ulric's face. "You don't mean...."

"My orders had nothing to do with burning down this village. I wasn't supposed to kill anyone unless I had to, either. But you know, my apprentice isn't fun to train with."

"How disgusting..." Ulric looked back at Valessa. "...take the Seer and run! We'll meet up at Peregrino!" The wolf unsheathed his massive blade holding it in both hands, as did Sovy, who held his in only one hand, and their eyes met in deadlock. Valessa began to take off, but for some reason, Raziya couldn't tear himself away from what was happening.

"Razzle! What are you doing!?" exclaimed Valessa.

Ulric and Sovy circled around each other for a few moments, both looking for some sort of opening, with a light magical hum coming from Sovy's blade. Before long, Sovy closed in on Ulric and swung his blade, an ethereal whir being heard as it cut through the air and struck Ulric's blade. The strike hit with an unexpected force that caused Ulric to stumble back somewhat. The big wolf quickly regained his composure, and Sovy soon attempted another swing, which Ulric instead evaded. He attempted to swing back at Sovy, but the dragon parried the blow with ease, causing Ulric's blade to once again be deflected away, as if there were some sort of power imbued within the Blade itself. Before Ulric had time to recover Sovy pulled back his blade and drove it into Ulric's abdomen, and the wolf screamed out in pain.

"ULRIC!!!" yelled Raziya.

"Razzle! Razzle snap out of it come on!" Valessa tried urging her friend once more. But it was to no avail; Raziya was frozen in awe.

Sovy looked back at Raziya, and then to Valessa. "Where do you think you're going, you two? It would be rude to leave before I'm done with you. Watch...and see why you can never win!" the dragon twisted the blade as blood oozed out from Ulric. The gear at the base of the sword began to spin with an ethereal whirl as a blinding flash soon came from the blade.

"Please, run..."

Ulric's last words echo as the light subsides, and the big wolf was nowhere to be found. Even the blood from the wound was gone. The only thing left was Sovy standing tall with pride.

"Wha...what did you do to Ulric?!" said Valessa.

"I put his spirit to good use..." Sovy looked at Raziya. "Like I plan to do with your little friend."

Sovy pointed to the ground, and the scattered pieces of armor began to reassemble into whole suits of armor again. They started walking around stiffly, but within a few moments they began to move with more natural motions. They moved to block any possible routes of escape.

"You..." Raizya began.

"You're using their spirits to power the armor...does that mean we're fighting our own?" a frightened expression spilled onto Valessa's face, and she took a step back.

Sovy smirked. "Now you finally understand. The force of life _itself_bends to the Triumvirate. There's no way that you could hope to stop us."

The dragon began to take slow steps towards Raziya, and the fennec stood his ground, even though he was overcome with fear. So this is why they needed the blade. It's so powerful as a weapon...and it builds their army. I'd say that's worth razing a village over...

"As soon as I harvest the Seer's soul I'll leave," Sovy says without taking his eyes off Raziya. "Valessa, if you behave, I might let you go. Visit the Rebels. Tell them what's coming."

Raziya looked to Valessa and gave a grim nod - This is it. I've got the information I need. Don't worry Dream-Valessa, a nightmare and some phantom pain will be worth saving this village. Do your worst, dragon.

Sovy thrust the blade through Razizya's abdomen, and he cried out in pain. His vision began to fade, but before he completely blacked out the fennec found the strength to say one final thing.

"Sovy...Valinorth will never fall to you, or the Triumvirate!"

Raizya blacked out.