[Abe Sargent]

The evil power that brought Anseng back from the dead is the same fell force that has compelled the Skarada and Chagarashi to attack Vabou this night. By slaying the undead Anseng, you have banished this force and broken the spell that has driven the creatures to assault the town walls. The Skarada that are fighting Quang and the Watchers are devastated by the sudden lifting of the spell and their nerve shatters. Desperately, they break off from the fight and scramble to escape through the hole in the palisade wall.

Quang and the Watchers let them go. They have put up a good fight against a strong enemy, but they have all sustained wounds in the combat. Using your Magnakai Discipline of Curing, you staunch their wounds and repair the gouges and punctures caused by Skarada fangs and talons. Your companions are thankful to have you on their side. As they carry out a makeshift repair on the hole in the East wall, you return to Anseng’s ashes and offer up a silent prayer to God Kai to save the soul of this brave man. You are finishing your prayer when you hear the sound of the bell tolling in the tower at militia headquarters. It is announcing victory; the battle has been won!

You return to the militia headquarters where you are greeted by a jubilant Elder Qinlau and Captain Xing. The enemy are fleeing from Vabou and the town has been spared the massacre that would surely have followed if they had broken through the palisade wall. Quang and the Watchers are exhausted and in desperate need of rest. You resolve to get some sleep here at the headquarters and leave at daybreak. Elder Qinlau provides you all with food (restore 3 ENDURANCE) before you take your leave and go to the stables. The bales of hay stored in the stables’ loft provide you with a soft bed for the night.

You wake shortly before dawn and stretch your weary limbs. Quang gets to his feet and awakens each of the snoring Watchers. A daunting ride awaits you all. You have two days in which to cover the 120 miles between Vabou and the location of the lost tracker gem. Mindful that every hour counts, you forego breakfast and mount your horses. In the grey light of dawn, the old highway that bisects the town is busy with townsfolk preparing to leave Vabou while they still can. They are afraid that the enemy will return and have decided to abandon their homes and journey to the distant town of Hi’joi. It is located south-east of Vabou, on the eastern side of the mighty River Tkukoma. They believe that they will find safe sanctuary there.

The rain has eased off overnight to be replaced by a light drizzle. It makes your journey less miserable than it has been since you first arrived in Chai four days ago. The first nineteen miles of your ride towards the village of Zang pass uneventfully. It is not until you approach your twentieth mile on the highway that your Sixth Sense warns you enemies are close. You signal to the others to stop. You stand in the stirrups and scan the surrounding countryside, but all you can see is rain-swept grassland swaying in the wind. There are no signs of the Skarada and Chagarashi that attacked Vabou last night. Satisfied that there appears to be no threat of ambush, you resume the ride towards your rendezvous point. It is not until you are twenty five miles from Vabou that the situation takes a turn for the worse.

A large group of creatures are spotted in the distance. You magnify your vision and see that they are the survivors of last night’s attack. They are blocking the highway and are spread out on either side for half a mile in both directions. You call your companions to a halt and consider the best way to avoid them. Quang suggests you try to circle around to the south, across the Huzang Plain. Bai suggests you may stand a better chance if you enter the foothills of the Szuchow Range to the north and use the cover they provide to get around them that way. Both routes will delay your journey to the rendezvous point significantly. Moreover, you’ll not be able to reach Zang before nightfall and will face having to spend a night in the open in enemy occupied territory.

You consider both suggestions and realise it is time you must face the harsh reality of your situation; you have no chance of reaching the rendezvous point in time. It is difficult having to admit this to yourself, and even more difficult having to inform your brave companions that you cannot go any further westwards. The risks of being captured or killed are simply too great.

They accept your decision in silence, their faces taut with frustration and disappointment. Having endured so much hardship and danger since leaving Pensei, they are loath to give up now. Chao is the first to speak.

‘My Lord, though it saddens me to have failed to carry out my duty to escort you to your destination, there may be another way to see you safely home. I propose we turn to the south-east and enter the Tviloi Forest. It will provide us with good cover from the enemy. My home village is Jueng and I know the forest well. We could ride to Jueng and stay there overnight. I can assure you all of a warm welcome there.’

Lieutenant Quang turns his sullen head and stares at Chao.

‘And what then? Do you have a plan that will deliver the Grand Master home safely, or do you simply long to return to your own home and to Naar with the vow you made to our Khea-khan?’

Chao begs the Lieutenant’s forgiveness and asks to be allowed to continue.

‘Sir, with respect, I will never willingly break my vow. We will stay but one night in Jueng before continuing onward to Valus. The town has a ferry that crosses the Tkukoma Estuary twice daily. I propose we catch the ferry to Dwala. My comrade Watchers and I are based in Dwala. Our headquarters are in the Tower of Ishir. We are in regular contact with Lord Rimoah’s envoy. Through him we could get word to the Elder Magi that the Grand Master is with us and they could direct Lord Rimoah to collect him there.’

Lieutenant Quang considers Chao’s proposal and his stern expression softens.

‘My apologies, Chao. I should not have been so sharp with you. It is a good plan. I approve of it. What say you, Bai and Deng?’

The other Watchers are heartened by Chao’s proposal. It offers them the chance to keep the solemn vow they made to Lao Tin. Deng is especially pleased for his home and family are in Valus and it raises his hopes of seeing them again.

‘So be it,’ says Quang. ‘We shall turn towards the Tviloi Forest and make our way to Dwala from there.’

You are relieved that your mission may yet be completed and you agree to Chao’s plan of action. But your sense of relief rapidly evaporates when you look towards the distant enemy. While you have been listening intently to Chao, you have failed to notice that several dark shapes are loping across the open plain towards you. Swiftly you magnify your vision and your heart skips a beat. At once you recognise the approaching creatures and you can hardly believe what you see: doomwolves!

‘Hurry, hurry,’ you cry, ‘we must go now, and quickly!’

(I take the hills there to our new location)

Your mind is reeling as you spur your horse to the gallop. What are doomwolves doing here in Chai? These loathsome creatures rarely venture far from the Darklands of Northern Magnamund, the Nadulritzaga Mountains of Ghatan, and the Ogshezar Mountains of Northern Skaror. It is unheard of them ever being seen in Southern Magnamund. You come to the rapid and chilling conclusion that Zashnor must be responsible. Only the sorcery of the evil Nadziran could spawn these creatures so far from their native lands.

You glance over your shoulder and are shocked to see how rapidly the doomwolves are gaining ground. In less than a minute they are among the horses, racing alongside, snarling and snapping at their haunches. You see Lieutenant Quang unshoulder his kirusami and stab one in the throat as it attempts to leap up at his horse’s head. The sharp blade slices deep into its greasy black fur and the doomwolf tumbles head over tail, mortally wounded. Another doomwolf draws alongside your horse with its fearsome jaws agape. Your frightened mount veers away and cuts across the path of two more of these loathsome creatures that are racing along to your right.

(I use AM)

You draw upon your advanced Discipline of Animal Mastery and command the doomwolf alongside you on the left to fall asleep. The creature is in a highly excited state and it resists your psychic order, but the power of your command is strong enough to fill its mind with a fog of confusion. It stumbles and nosedives into the grassland, snapping its neck as its head sinks deeply into the soft ground. Startled by its sudden death, the two doomwolves on your right ease back and you are able to quickly outpace them.

Quang and the Watchers skilfully shake off and outdistance their pursuing doomwolves and together you plunge through the tree-line of the Tviloi Forest. At first the pines are widely spaced and you maintain your fast pace with relative ease. However, this sparse border also makes it easy for a determined handful of doomwolves to maintain their pursuit. The rumble of distant thunder and flashes of sheet lightning herald the return of heavy rain. This sudden change in the weather works to your advantage, dampening the scent of your horses and making it harder for the remaining doomwolves to track you. At length you come to a denser part of the forest that forces your mounts to slow their pace. It is criss-crossed with several narrow but deep gullies. You work your way around these fissures until you arrive at one that is much longer than the others. It stretches across your path and, at first glance, there appears to be no way to traverse it.

‘Over there!’ shouts Quang, pointing along the gully towards the east. He has spotted a dead pine that has fallen across this narrow ravine. Its trunk spans the yawning gap and provides a natural bridge to the far side.

Quang takes the lead and you follow him in single file as he steers his horse safely across the fallen pine. When you reach the far side, you hear the ominous growl of a doomwolf close behind. The pack leader and three of its foul brothers are in hot pursuit. They have already reached the middle of the tree bridge and will soon be upon you unless you can do something to halt their swift and determined advance.

( I use Elemenalism)

You draw upon the power of your Grand Master Discipline to loosen the earth beneath the fallen pine at the edge of the gully. It crumbles and the top of the tree trunk sinks with it, falling away into the deep ravine. With a chorus of terrified howls, the doomwolves tumble off the trunk and plummet to their doom at the base of the ravine, one hundred feet below.

Quang and the Watchers are greatly impressed by the way in which you have dealt with the doomwolves. They punch the air and shout in unison: ‘Paizar!’

You smile and nod your head in acknowledgement of their generous praise. As the echo of their cheer fades away among the surrounding trees, you feel a sudden wave of weakness coursing through your body. It makes your stomach churn and leaves you gasping for breath. Once again, the Eye of Agarash has activated and this time it drains you of 5 ENDURANCE.

Wiping a trickle of cold sweat from your brow with the back of your trembling hand, you swallow hard and quickly reassure your companions that you are fit to continue.

(Again, no damage!)