Fantasy A Contract Made.

[Soviet Panda]

Spoiler: Links

A Contract Made.(OOC)
A Contract Made.(Characters)

Luther, sitting in the seat of his cart, trundled up the road. Rolling green fields stretched for miles to either side of him. They were once fields of farmers, but since the Plague, only a fraction was used anymore. But he could see that small fraction, clustered tightly around a small village centered around a large, by comparison, and glistening white complex. This was the home of the Sacrament of Antioch, perhaps the most glittering of the Orders to have survived. Slowly he approached and entered the village surrounding it. Hopefuls and their families bustled in the street, the influence of the Order being strongly felt here as the common people sought out tasks that needed to be done. But he was not looking for someone of the common folk, so he plodded his Clydesdale along towards the complex. Reaching the pristine gates, he was stopped by Saintsmen, the rank and file of this Order.

"I am Luther Pendragora, First of the High Magus, Contractor to Illumine. I come, having taken the Oaths, and wish for entry and a meeting with the Grandmasters and Overseer Perceval the Just." The guards looked at each other in bewilderment. They were supposed to believe this old man, that they had never seen before, had taken the Oaths and could summon the Grandmasters just like that? Noticing their hesitation, Luther continued. "If you doubt me, go and tell the Overseer who has come, then you will see." A small, almost unnoticeable, smile crept across Luther's face as the two quickly bickered before the younger of the two was sent off.

A short while later, the young Saintman came back, eyes wide with shock and disbelief. "Let him in." he breathed. The smile was not quite clearly visible on Luther's face as he poked his horse once more into motion. It always just tickled him whenever people doubted him.
(( Killigrew ))

The Forest of Izuran was not inherently an evil place. However, the thick canopy that hung overhead, blocking out most of the sun's rays, the large, knobbly roots that sprawled lazily along the ground, and the eerie silence certainly made it seem so. The Spirit of Izuran was always a tricky Order to find, their lake seeming to move around at random. Luther knew he'd find it eventually, he just wish it'd be sooner rather than later.

On one of many nights, with a barrier set up around his camp, he sat idly around the fire, stoking it just enough so he had light to read one of his many tomes by. He was in the middle of reading a theory about the world the demons come from, and how it's actually multiple worlds, when Illumine cooed and shifted where he sat on the cart to face away from the fire, and into the woods. "Well, it's not impossible for them to wonder why I'm still here." he grumbled to himself as he marked where he was with a large blade of grass (not the best for a book but it'd do in a pinch) and slowly stood.

"Welcome. No, don't bother, I don't need to see you, just for you to hear me. If you are one of the Spirits of Izuran, then listen. If not, then off with you. I implore you, travel west of here to the Standing Rocks. I have a quest that may save this world. Now good night." And with that, Luther turned away, and went back to reading his book. If they were offended, let them try to pierce his barrier. He had reinforced it with Illumine's feathers, nothing less than another Greater Demon could get through it, and mortal means of getting through would be nothing more than a waste of time.
(( S StillWinter ))

The magnificent white and red of the Great Tree of the First King spread high above Luther's head as he once more trundled down the road, this time towards the Order of the Undying Ones. He had always thought them, and all like them, backwards. Life had it's beginning, and it's end. To remove that end was to pretend as if there was no beginning. Yet they willingly sacrificed their best, the sacrifices even eagerly going to the executioners block, so that those that wish to be immortal can remain that.

But he was not here to debate them in their belief, he was here to ask the Council, and possibly the Blood Priest, for a favor. It wasn't exactly hard to find him. The man could be in one of numerous places, but at least he never left the city. And the Council was easier still to find, their massive building where they cast their votes visible even in the streets of the city.

As he entered the building, which was easy to do thanks to their willingness to allow the common folk to also decide their policies, he strode into the middle of the room. This was where those that wished to speak would be placed, so all knew who was saying what. Which was perfect for Luther. Most of the elderly Council members, having nothing better to do really, were already sitting in their seats and lazily talking to one another. Clearing his throat, Luther straightens his thoughts, and plans what he was going to say carefully. Again, he came here to ask for a favor, and he really didn't want to make it sound like a demand.
(( Reis fuil ))

The camp of the Remnants was neat and tidy, as one would expect of a knightly order that so often fought. This small Order was the hardest to track down, for while they still technically served their lord, they went wherever they so chose whenever they felt like doing it. Surprisingly they had let him enter the camp with ease, either mistaking him for one of the many camp followers or deciding he simply was no threat.

The tent of Jawn the Axe-Lord. It was much larger than any of the other tents and had guards stationed outside. As he approached, the guards reached for their swords, and Luther stopped. "Jawn, I'd like a word with you." he said loud enough to be heard inside. After a brief moment of silence, the voice of Jawn the Axe-Lord replied. "Let him in."

There was that look of disbelief again. Oh, how he did like seeing that look on people's faces. Entering the tent, he sees it littered with maps but otherwise very spartan. "On a campaign, I see."

"No, I just need a way to get my men from here to there with what I have before I run out. What is it you need, Luther Pendragora. It's not often that you come to visit me. And it's rarer still when you simply want to chat."

"Ever the perceptive one. Take a seat, I think I found something."
((@Rainx Aurus))

The nation of Graeca, or what was left of it, was rotting from the inside out. Even he could see that. But there were things Luther knew for certain. One was that they had a Mad King. And the second was that his Order of Gladiators knew how to fight the monstrosities that roamed these lands. If he could convince King Vanrasil Gaeleath IV to send even one of it's members, their task would be much easier. But, of course, the problem was in convincing the King to release one of his Gladiators, and keeping his head in the process.

Approaching the gates to the castle, Luther took up a new tact. "I wish to speak with your King. I am Luther Pendragora, Contractor of Illumine. If you would be so kind as to inform your master of my arrival and return with his response..." Hopefully he'd let him in this instant. But that was simply so he'd have a comfortable place to sleep for the next few days to come. This would not be a one day ordeal like the rest had been, he would have to be careful around this one.
(( Sacrosanctus ))

The day had finally arrived, and Luther had arrived at the Standing Stones, the destination he had asked the Orders to send their chosen champion. He was eagerly looking forward to who they had sent. He also wouldn't be surprised if other Orders, having heard through word of mouth, had sent a member of their own to bolster their reputation, if only slightly. For if the rumors were to be believed, Luther might have found a way to end this accursed Plague once and for all.

 

[Reis]

"We're almost there."

Nikolas woke to the sound of Sefia's voice, which barely reached the back of his dark, well-wrapped carriage. Blankets and curtains alike were carefully placed to block all sources of sunlight. His rather new vampiric nature, giving him a severe weakness to the sun, made it convenient to spend mornings fast asleep, dwelling only in the night. Although his sleeping pattern would not match that of normal humans for some time, it would all be worth it once he finally arrived at the Standing Stones.

Nikolas sat up, his drowsiness countered by the excitement coursing through his veins. The journey outside his hometown was made all the more thrilling when he heard that, not only would he finally travel in search of glory, but he would also get to meet the strongest humans in recent history. Mortis was barely convinced to let him join such a high-stakes quest, his mind swayed by both Nikolas' persistence and his natural talent for learning.

While the Blood Priest of his Order was quite reluctant to send him off at this level, he was not sent alone. His poor Mentor was ordered to go with him, and though Nikolas knew that the old knight sought a long, relaxing life, Bob would make a powerful and reliable ally out here. Of course, he was also accompanied by Sefia, the demon he summoned only 5 years ago. Sefia was clearly pissed at having to drive the carriage this whole way (though Bob, who was slightly too large to fit in the carriage, accompanied her) and oftentimes scolded him for being weak enough to need her help. But he knew that secretly, Sefia cared for Nikolas as if he were family, and her presence would, as usual, be imperative.

Nikolas knocked on the black, iron wall of his carriage thrice to indicate that he was awake. He adjusted his jacket and donned his gloves, preparing himself to depart shortly. Next to him lay his sword and umbrella, leaning on a brown sack full of the spoils from this trip. The cloth emitted the sweet stench of rot, which he had grown used to after spending five years hunting rodents and vermin for his food. Their blood was rarely fit for royalty, but it was enough to sustain him.

Nikolas eagerly looked at the curtain-covered window. He was ready to explore new sights, meet new people, earn glory for his family and save the world from the Plague. In fact, he was so ready that it emphasized his naivete, for the world would return his kindness with cruelty and danger unknown to man.

***

Sefia forced out a long sigh. She tried to recover her long-lost patience with reins in hand, listening to the rhythmic taps of horse hooves and the occasional bump on this endless road. Why would Mortis agree to send that child on such a dangerous mission? He knew that this day would come, and the brat was impressive for his age, but she still could not understand why the spectre's actions were justified. The newly-made vampire begged him to leave town even before he was a knight, but when he asked to be sent on a suicidal quest to stop the Plague, the mask-wearing fool actually let him do it.

What motivated Nikolas to seek glory in the first place? It's not like their peaceful town was particularly threatened by the Plague. Sefia asked this to herself, but she knew that he was born a blood-thirsty creature even before he was turned into a vampire. He was sweet enough to his allies, sure, but when faced with the enemy, Nikolas could hardly hold back his ferocious battlelust.

This is what concerned Sefia the most. She knew that the boy would want to befriend those knights who doubted his people and felt threatened by his presence. What would he do if he provoked those same men, seasoned in battle and eager for justice? Would she be enough to defend him?

She sighed once again, and glanced to her right. Bob, a kind old man who was Nikolas' Mentor, reassured her. The few moments she got to know him was enough to expose his undying loyalty, and she could travel safely knowing that more than one "person" was there to protect Nikolas, if need be.

 

[fuil]

Bob was currently tinkering with an explosive bolte and huming an upbeat tune that was until they hit a bump and he nearly dropped it. "Holy moly, you mind being more careful there. We almost where goners, it may not look like much but these babies are my pride and joy, and I was fine tuning the triggering dodad and that bump nearly turned us from 'undying' to 'really dead'." He quickly finished up his maintenance and put away the bolt and called back to his student. "Remember kid these guys don't like us much so be on guard, that being said you should still try to friendly after all these are the people we'll be fighting along side." He then looked over to the kids demon and smiled. "Lets see what these young'uns got shall we?"
Reis

 

[Sacrosanctus]

Catherine never felt so inconspicuous. She had been riding her demonic mount, Ark, throughout the hectic streets of Graeca’s central plaza with both her legs dangling from one side. She held the horn of Ark’s ram head with her right hand, her upper body twisted in the same direction, and her left hand was resting on the chimera’s back. At first, the beast went unnoticed despite its intimidating size. The streets were crowded with peasants and commoners, their Arena looming endlessly high above their heads. Perhaps on a normal day a few decades or so ago, before the plague started, these men and women would have been gathered together in the Arena, watching whatever new show of gore the king had in mind. But that was the old Graeca.

Now, Catherine couldn’t cross a single street without coming across some kind of mob. They shouted words of salvation from their mad king and made speeches about the freedom of slaves or their families’ illnesses from the plague. She frowned in disapproval at the growing rot of the once great city. Its alleys visibly held dead bodies and pleasure houses alike. Slaves walked in single file lines behind their masters, chained together so that they couldn’t escape, and they could see the very heads of their brethren mounted on spikes. Catherine’s frown of disapproval grew stronger at this particular detail; she remembered the kind of torture that her own master put her through.

But that was a long time ago. Now, she had to focus on her mission as one of Vanrasil’s Gladiators: to reach the Standing Stones. No one bothered to brief her on the reason she had to go there, but it was a relief simply to get some fresh air. After all, her king’s growing paranoia kept her as a close guardian inside his castle walls for a long time now. Eventually, Catherine felt a bit less invisible than before. Things quieted down in the city’s slums, where filthy children in tattered clothing gave her contemptuous looks. Every building was incredibly close together, yet they were all filled to the point of extremity. The Black Plague hit the peasants especially hard, as there was always someone sitting on their deathbed. Even the once radiant gardens on the city’s outskirts were losing their color, reflecting the same gloom that was present throughout the rest of the city.

Catherine breathed a sigh of relief once she exited through the city’s gates, guarded by a pair of slave knights trained from birth to take on any trial of combat the king demanded. She had about twenty minutes of pleasant silence, disturbed only by the rhythmic beating of Ark’s claws against the ground, and during this time she pondered the reason for her summoning to no avail. Eventually, she was alerted to the sound of a woman’s scream, and she quickly jumped into action. Dismounting from her chimera, she crept silently towards the direction of the scream, which brought her a ways from the main road. After reaching a clearing in the forest, she came across a more subtle path that led towards the direction of Graeca. In the clearing, she saw a small group of shady individuals, one of whom carried a small pouch of what could only be gold coins. The group of thieves surrounded the woman on all sides, and they looked as though they weren’t finished with her. Before anything could happen, Catherine acted immediately. The sound of her swords coming from their sheaths drew their attention, but they couldn’t make a single move before she was onto the man with the gold. He only had time to draw his own weapon before she quickly disarmed him, slammed her knee into his gut, tightly held his hair and promptly cut off his head. The blood spurted from his neck and directly onto the bare flesh that was revealed by her armor. She didn’t even pay any mind to the now closely approaching group of thieves, as they dropped their weapons and fled the instant they saw her demon. A fireball went flying from its ram head and set the clothes of one of the men ablaze. Ark had time to get one more target, as before he could escape, the beast pounced directly onto him and began to eat him alive. Beyond the screams of the one who caught on fire, there was only the squelching and ripping of flesh, and the chimera had devoured the corpse beyond recognition. The blood-covered monster returned to its knight and curled its body halfway around her.

Catherine gave the woman a cheeky smile as she dropped the head she was still carrying and in place of it, held up the gold. “Here you go.” The woman’s only response was yet another scream, this one even louder than when she was robbed, and she desperately ran away. “Uh...hey, lady! You forgot something!” Catherine pouted at her lack of appreciation. “My hero! Thanks for saving me, I’ll always remember you…” She sighed and proceeded to stroke her chimera’s back. “Don’t worry, Arkie. I’ll always think you’re adorable.” The beast’s only reply was an indifferent yawn. “Well, this will serve me well at least.” She attached the pouch of gold coins to her belt and promptly mounted her demon to continue her journey.
Soviet Panda Reis fuil

 

[Ranix Aurus]

"Sir? That's Standing Rock. That's your destination, right?"

A nervous voice awoken Aledolf from his slumber. The man was sleeping on top of the pile of hay, his hood pulled down to block off the sun. After the assignment from his Knight Lord, he had been traveling by going along with various carts. This latest one was also his final; it seemed that the good merchant had pulled through.

Why would the Knight Lord sent him now of all the time? They were in the middle of an important campaign, one which he wouldn't dare to miss. But no matter how much he protest, the Knight Lord had a clear order. He had to join up with a person called Luther Pendragora in Standing Rock, and follow his instruction. He was sent both as champion and scout. If he deemed Luther's circumstances to be of importance, the Knight Lord would sent reinforcement.

Even if Aledolf harbored great doubt in his heart, the Knight Lord's order for him was absolute. If that was what Jawn the Axe-Lord asked of him, then he will see it dutifully executed, with his life if needed.

A cooing sound came from beneath his arm pit. An animal popped out, a raccoon. It affectionately rubbed its face on Aledolf's chest. In return, he stroked its back.

"Is that your pet? Funny that a warrior like Sir would keep a pet by his side. With the Plague ravaging the land, it's already hard to feed our family, lest we spare more for animals. Ah, perhaps it's for emergency ration?"

The merchant tried to strike a conversation. Aledolf merely replied with a hearty laugh.

"You can think of it that way."

He went back to silence. Only a few miles until they reached the destination. For now, he should rest.

 

[Soviet Panda]

Luther sat patiently atop his wagon-turned-library, with one of his many books on magical theory open on his lap. This particular one stated that it was possible to quickly teleport between two locations. Two options where available, making one spot so like the other that it became a rift to that spot, or by bending reality itself so that the two places touched before simply cutting a hole and walking through. The ideas were incredible, but with one glaring drawback. The caster needed to know the exact detail of both their desired location, and current one, or risk going somewhere unexpected like inside a mountain.

Absorbed as he was in his book, Illumine had to hop onto his shoulder and lightly hit the elderly man with his wing. Slightly over reacting, Connor swivels his head to glare at the phoenix, who simply pretended like he hadn't done that and pointed with a talon-ed foot at the first of the approaching knights. Well, it looked like two knights, possibly more. It was hard to tell with the carriage. "Hm, Order of the Undying. Yes, I know it's from them. Look at the sigil there, and no Order would let someone as old as that man in, unless that man was Bob. Well why don't you just look then? You can see them much better than I can. What do you mean you can't see them, weren't you the one to so rudely point them out to me?"

As Connor argued with Illumine, a chimera appeared from the direction of Graeca. And from where he had met with the Remnants, a farmer with his cart that had a knight in it's back approached. Yet perhaps the most attention drawing came from the south. It sounded like three iron shod horses, with a fourth one but going at an impossibly quick pace. Then there was the loud guffawing of one man. Connor Mckinley, the Champion of the Order of the Maple, with his Demon Tystag to his right, was laughing at something apparently hilarious. To his left sat a large armored knight atop an even larger horse that oddly gave off a distinctively feminine air, though few features could be seen beneath the heavy armor. And to explain the smaller, quicker sounding horse, was the satyr Sul, who was eagerly bounding ahead of the other three.

This cacophony of noise drew Luther's attention. And seeing what was making it, let go a smile. So word had gotten around, good good. Order of the Maple and Hedgehog Sentinels, if he wasn't mistaken. He wondered who they had sent, but had to first introduce himself to the rest of the party members. And they had to introduce themselves.

 

[Reis]

Sefia let out a strained laugh at Bob's comment, tempted to roll over another bump. The old man always did love his jokes, although she tightened her grip on the reins just in case he was serious. It would be unfitting for knights worthy of stopping the Plague to die from an accidental explosion, after all.

Her iron grip didn't last long, however, as she and her party had finally reached the Standing Stones. From a gradually shrinking distance she saw the renowned Luther Pendragora, sitting on a pile of...books? Well, it wasn't very surprising, considering that half his fame came from his unrelenting pursuit of knowledge. Still it was quite strange that a bird as powerful as a phoenix would hang around such a nerd...

Sefia's pondering ceased when she saw the large creature point directly at them, perhaps to indicate their arrival. She snapped into focus when she saw the old man turn to speak with the demon. Who knows what the two of them were plotting? If he knows how to stop the Plague, why didn't he tell them his plan before calling these elite knights from all across the land? Was her group just drawn out, carefully baited and about to fall right into his clever trap?

Time seemed to slow as she made her way to the stones, and at last she stopped the two horses pulling their carriage. She looked around, noticing all the different knights who approached their gathering. If Luther truly did intend to draw out their Order out of malice, it would be difficult to escape his grasp. But Sefia knew that she would get Nikolas safely away if the need arose, even if she had to comb through every last knight to do so.

***

Yeah, yeah, old man...

Nikolas thought his response to Bob's reminder. He was told several times that their Order is of the least reputable, for they dabbled with the undead. But he lived with these people for his entire life, and to be honest, he couldn't imagine a more principled group than his family. Not only did they live their entire lives devoted to becoming pure, but they even sacrificed themselves knowing that their tribe would live on. How could one not admire their endless resilience and dedication?

As Nikolas thought, he began to restlessly tap his foot. It had already been several minutes since Sefia told him they were leaving. Why hasn't the carriage stopped yet? But just when he was about to give in to the impatience, the carriage finally stopped. Nikolas eagerly grabbed his umbrella by the handle and hopped out of the carriage. He then pressed a button that made the runner slide up the pole with a sssss, and open up with a snap. The umbrella was black, and on its canopy was the words Order of the Undying written in white script. Next to the fancy words was their sigil, a white tree with blood-red leaves and the face of a skull in the center.

When that was settled and he attached his sword to his side, Nikolas turned his attention around him. He was impressed by the Standing Stones, as this was the first time he's ever seen anything like it. He then looked ahead and felt goose bumps rise across his body. It's him... the Luther Pendragora!!

Nikolas had read stories about him and how his quests for knowledge led him into all but the most legendary crypts in search of long-lost grimoires of ancient power. Oh, he was so hype to meet him! With a fang-filled grin that could probably give adults nightmares, Nikolas sprinted at full speed towards the old man...

"Mr. Pendragora, I'm Nikolas Vayne! It's so nice to finally mee--"

...and promptly tripped on a strangely placed white root, falling face-first onto the floor and sliding a great distance towards Luther. His umbrella flew from his hand and fell to the ground on his right.
fuil Soviet Panda

 

[fuil]

Bob smiled as he grabbed his axe and jumped off the carriage to meet with this Pendragon person he'd heard so much about. As he approached he watched as his student rushed ahead to try and greet the man but fell in a spectacular way. Bob rushed over and helped the young vampire up and made sure he was fine before he chuckled and said. "So you having a nice 'trip' so far?" He then picked up the kids umbrella and gave it to him with a pat on the back before we walked over to Luther and offered a hand in greeting "Well it's nice to meet you, the names Bob. I heard you know something bout a cure?"
Reis Soviet Panda

 

[PastelBeauty]

The large central upright stone, maybe twelve feet high, has cup and ring marks all about the north surface, indicating that this stone had previous ceremonial function before being raised, as cup and ring marks are always found on horizontal slabs. There are two sets of paired stones that stand to the northeast and to the southwest of the central stone. Over the course of 6 weeks of travel, Nadia had rode her blue roan gypsy vanner to Standing Rock. Malen, or Hope, was her only constant companion. He had been making this journey ungodly, sense there was only eighteen hours in the day and she refused to travel during the night she only made about 40 miles a day and Malen was always whispering in her ear. Today he happened to be in a poetic kind of mood which only irritated her further as she had set out in the wee hours of the morning and it was now mid-day.

"Who am I, then? I am the worst of your demons, but you see me as a friend. You turn to me when you have nothing else, because I live in your heart. I am the one who forces you to endure. The one who prolongs your torment. Oh not you dear Nadia. Never you, for you are my contractor, my friend, the one that I have bound to to escape that unholy Lake of Izuran."

Nadia grit her teeth and tightened her hold on the reins which caused her gypsy vanner to raise its head and look at her from the corner of its eye. She sighed and relaxed her grip her cloak hood drawn up to cover the Greater Demon mark on her forehead and the two markings on her cheek. She took her water skin and drank the cool refreshing water that she got earlier that day from a little spring. Malen sighed and laid across her right shoulder, his pale, waxen, wings brushing along her chin and jaw meant to soothe and calm her, which surprisingly enough it did.

Nadia saw many more people come upon Standing Rock to meet Luther Pendragora. From her mounted position she saw this before her eyes; A dark, well-wrapped carriage, blankets and curtains alike were carefully placed to block all sources of sunlight. A farmer and his cart that also pulling its way down the bumpy road, an incredibly large man approximately 7ft 5in tall and very muscular. A half-elf, half-dryad, and another male with an umbrella that was black, and on its canopy was the words Order of the Undying written in white script. Next to the fancy words was their sigil, a white tree with blood-red leaves and the face of a skull in the center.

Nadia spurred her blue roan vanner into a trot and came upon the group within mere minutes and came upon Luther Pendragora and his demon Illumine, such a magnificent pair the two of them made. A wizened, elderly man and a phoenix that was much to big for the poor gentleman sat on his shoulder. Her sable, inky colored lips drew into an amused, small smile as she rose from her saddle to only dismount and stand next to her horse, her own demon floating by her shoulder. The demon of Hope recognizing Illumine as a Greater Demon like himself. Malen giddy with excitement tugged at Nadia's ghostly, white hair that was in a thick braid that draped down over her left shoulder and down to her chest.

"Luther Pendragora. We, one of the Spirits of Izuran, heard your call about this quest. My name is Nadia Bruhise and this is Malen'kaya Nadezhda, the Greater Demon of Hope. We are...intrigued as to your plan on saving the world and decided to come along to your aid."

Malen smiled and nodded once, he had no discernible face hidden by his white cloak hood, it was like merely staring into a endless void, his wings once more brushing against Nadia's pale cheeks to comfort. Nadia bowed low then rose to stand before him. Luther was legendary and it was Malen who had told her of his feats and accomplishments whilst Malen had been around to hear of them from travelers that came from all walks of life and different kingdoms. Nadia had introduced herself to the group who had appeared before Luther and she awaited for all the others to introduce themselves or to arrive.

Soviet Panda fuil Reis Sacrosanctus Ranix Aurus

 

[Sacrosanctus]

After hours of boring riding, Catherine grew alert once she arrived at her destination, the Standing Stones. The place was odd; it had an air of mystery about it, as though it were enchanted by some ancient, forgotten magic. She saw that there were a lot more people than herself who had conveniently arrived at the same time as herself, which was a surprise. Her mad king annoyingly didn't mention the fact that she would be working with other people, let alone why she was summoned in the first place.

The important part was that the others seemed to all come from different factions. Mounted on her chimera, she observed a notably loud group of three. The one with green armor could only be the Champion of the Order of Maple, and the hulking knight beside him could only be a Hedgehog Sentinel by the look of his armor. The two men traveled with distinct companions that could only be their demons; she knew from what she had heard that her knightly order wasn't the only one that encouraged demon contracts for their strongest warriors. In a different direction there was a cloaked woman riding a blue horse, but there was no way for her to tell exactly where she came from. She would have been able to say the same of a shady carriage headed towards the Standing Stones from yet another direction, if not for the sudden emergence of a boy with an umbrella that clearly displayed the sigil of the Order of the Undying. This particular detail intrigued her; she felt no spite for the legion of "undead", as she personally believed that anyone should be considered as equals regardless of their origins. She had been born a slave, after all. But she knew that the Undying Ones were widely disliked, and the popular opinion contradicted her own. What could they possibly have been summoned for if such a hated faction was going to be involved in it as well?

Before she could contemplate about her situation any further, she watched as the white-haired boy ran excitedly to an old, cloaked figure sitting atop a pile of books. Catherine was shocked to see Luther Pendragora, a man famous for his vast amounts of knowledge about the world. She approached the rest of the group and dismounted from her monstrous demon, and the moment she stood before the famous man she bowed deeply on one knee. "Luther Pendragora! It's truly an honor to meet you. I have heard of your expeditions into the unknown, but I never thought that I would see you in person. My name is Catherine, and I was sent here in service of King Vanrasil Gaeleath IV. My lord did not give me any details regarding my summons, but I will serve you the best I can in any endeavor, in the name of my king." She sat with one knee on the ground and her head bowed low, and her chimera watched on with a permanently menacing look etched in its eyes.

 

[Soviet Panda]

Luther laughed, a booming laugh at odds with the otherwise thin man, as the young vampire tripped over a white root that had not been there a moment before. He was still laughing as he clasped Bob's hand with a grip unlike that of his age. "A pleasure it is to meet you, Bob. And a pleasure to meet your young companion. Let me guess, vampirism? And..." He tilted his head slightly, as if listening to Illumine, who remained on his shoulder. "Elf? Dryad? Bah. Demon, there. A pleasure to meet you, miss."

Luther went around, shaking the hands of those he talked to in the Order of the Undying. The next to reach them was a Spirit of Izuran member. "A pleasure, Nadia Bruhise. A pleasure, Malen'kaya Nadezhda, Greater Demon of Hope." Nodding to the two, his gaze lingered Malen, studying him with one part curiosity, and one part wariness. But his worries seemed to be assuaged, for he nodded once more, but this time as if something had been settled, and patted Illumine on the belly. Illumine, meanwhile, went as if to peck at the old man's offending hand.

Next to arrive was the chimera riding Gladiator. "Get up, get up. I'm neither a king nor royalty. I'm simply a mage with some secrets to the world." There was that twinkle again as he offered a hand to the kneeling gladiator. "And I'm about to share with you one of these secrets." He opened his mouth wide to begin, but was interrupted.

"Did you forget about us, old man?" Shouted the green knight, his Demon companion looking like she wanted to kick him to remind him of his manners. His human companion actually did it. And with a resounding clang, armored fist met armored shoulder and nearly sent the green knight toppling from the unexpected blow.

"Apologies, Luther Pandregora." said the massive armored knight, a distinctively feminine voice at odds with the large and heavy armor said. Taking off her helmet, it is clear that the Hedgehog Sentinel is a woman. "I, Leoni Blum, along with my Demon, Sul, have been sent by Grand Master Heinrich Von Kliest. We await your orders."

"Didn't you just hear him? He doesn't like to be talked to like that. 'I'm neither a king nor royalty.'" The green knight retorted, having recovered from the sudden impact and removing the ridiculously plumed helmet from his head to reveal a more than averagely handsome face beneath. "I, Connor McKinley, Champion of the Order of the Maple, alongside me my Demon Contract Tystag, have decided to join you, Luther Pendragora, on your quest."

"Well met, Champion of the Order of the Maple, and Leoni Blum. Now, as I was about to say before I was so rudely interrupted. Ahem. I have called you all here on a task to rid the world of the accursed Plague that has, well, plagued, our lands for a decade. I have found a tome that I am certain holds the secret to it's defeat. But first, we must find someone. Evyyna of the Great Tower. I do not know of anyone better suited at scrying than she, and she will tell us the location of what we seek. Her tower is located in the city of Alderheim." He let the name of the city sink in. A place, once so grand, not sat like a rotting corpse upon the land. Festering with the disfigured and mutated corpses that the Plague shambled about in an attempt to spread. Of how it's putrid darkness had acted like a siren's song to monsters the world over to roam it's wide streets, once filled with market stalls and citizens.

"I do not know how she has survived for so long, or if she yet still lives. But I need to get to her tower. If worse comes to worse, I will perform the scrying ritual myself. Now prepare for the journey. It will not be a long one, but it will be a grueling one."

 

[Reis]

Sefia watched as Nikolas fiddled with his umbrella, his normally paper-white face a bright shade of red. Thoughts of his enormous blunder flooded his mind. I can't believe it...The first thing I did was get laughed at by the Luther Pendrogora...He must think I'm stupid now...I can't go on with a reputation like this! and so on. Sefia sighed, walked up to the young fool, and flung her arm around his neck.

"Didn't I just tell you not to draw attention to yourself?!," she vigorously whispered in his face. Her eyes bore into his skull with a glare of pure disappointment, and Nikolas couldn't help but look away, his face growing even redder. The young vampire distracted himself by staring at the other Knights. He was particularly curious about the chimera: although it wasn't as impressive as Luther's magnificent phoenix, it was rather entertaining to see such a strange mix of lion, goat, and snake all in one animal. When Sefia had been staring at Nikolas for a good while, she sighed again and backed up.

"You need to be more reliable. Avoiding the root I made should have been simple for you, and yet you tripped on it and made a fool out of yourself. Learn from your mistakes and grow stronger, young Knight." Nikolas mumbled an excuse, something about demons taking advantage of their contractors, and Sefia left him with his thoughts. It was rather tough love, but her words were spoken true. The journey ahead would be unforgiving, and Nikolas would risk both his and others' lives if he made such basic mistakes.

Sefia studied her surroundings, particularly the other knights gathered around Luther. She would need more time to find their strengths, see which ones would be the biggest threat to their group. But for now her fears of betrayal were suppressed, as the phoenix-human pair had finally revealed their plan. Although the destination of their journey was isolated from any on-lookers, making it perfect for an ambush, she also knew that the area was flooded with Plague-ridden monsters. An ambush seemed unlikely when all the knights present were risking their safety by delving into the depths of Alderheim. Still, the half-elf kept an eye out, waiting for something to go utterly wrong.