The Morning was beautiful in Holsdtat

Baron Ludwig von Schaeffen of Berhagen was not young… 57 years weighed heavily on him. But
he showed no sign of his age this mormimg as he passed the rampants of his castle, inspecting
the fortifications. The usual “Morning,Sir” was heard as he quickly paced reaching an overlook
vantage point. He looked down to his city, smiling…

Holsdadt was built by Anuirean Overlords to look seaward and defend the land but the baron
has reinforced its walls since then. The city endured. It held against an invasion from Rzhlev
driving the Vos back to their forsaken lands.

- It will hold against anything they throw at you my boy. He thought out loud.

He took a deep breath at the morning breeze that came from his forests like it was his last and
he quickly paced back to his war chamber. He couldn’t leave his guest waiting…

He was the 3rd son of a great family. His ancestors battled at mount Deismaar and the paintings
from the foyer reminded him all the glorious descendants. His brothers died defending
Berhagen and he took the throne at only 15 years of age. His wife died giving birth to their 3rd
child Karl. A clumsy maid was to blame. She was hanged the next day. She loved Katrina very
much. He blamed his 3rd son too at the start and that explains the hard time he gave him
through childhood but he learned to love him. And he loved him a lot. Now Karl was all he had
left. His 2 other sons long dead. 1 from the hooves of the Boar, an Awnse that plagued all the
eastern basin and the other from Kelda Auslawsen , former leader of the Mountain Brigands.
They were both avenged by none other than Karl. The boy was strong and he would make a
great Baron one day.

- One day… Not today. He said.

Thinking all that, he passed the giant double doors of the foyer into his War Chamber. He
specifically ordered that none of his lieutenants were to enter today but when the doors
slammed shut as every morning he saw that his guards could not stop Matilend Freiss. The
former High priest of Fortune’s Forethought, the temple of Sera goddess of luck, was there
flipping a coin to the air and catching it.

- Heads. She said looking at him, and then revealed the coin for them to see.
- Damn tails again. She muttered.
- I’ ve been trying this for the past 5 minutes and never get it right. If this is not a bad
omen then I don’t know what is.
- Matilend please… What are you doing here, I was supposed to meet Him alone.
- Yes, yes old fool. The female priest answered.
- You were supposed to die alone. But I prefer our chances together. Lady of fortune
favors numbers. She laughed.

The Baron came closer and caught her hand by force.

 - Leave Matilend. This not your fight.

She caught his other hand with as much force as she could muster.

- In every second that I put myself to danger there could be a chance that Lady Luck will
smile upon me again.

They stared each other for a moment testing Strength. When the priestess was ready to yield
they kissed. It was a passionate kiss, a kiss that marked them as long lovers. Clapping of hands
stopped them and they both turned to face the man that teleported right at the Baron’s throne
like it was his own.

His raven black hair fell to his shoulders and a steel mesh mask covered his face allowing only
one glowing eye to be seen. His black plate armor was reflecting every ray of sun that was
coming from the high windows of the chamber.

- How exquisite… You know, old wise men said that love can overcome everything. They
were right of course. True love has power… Until it is stopped by a hungry blade or a well
placed spell. Or both…

He remained serious for a moment letting his words strike home and then burst out laughing.

- Why the sad faces everyone? This a day of joy! Baron are your troops deployed against
Muden? Is everything in place? Where are the other lieutenants?
- They are master Raven. The Baron replied.
- As we speak half of my forces are flanking the Massenmarch army. Swordhawk won’t
know what hit them.
- Old fool… The raven whispered…
- Haven’t I explained to you what happens to those that defy my rule? The Gorgon is my
juggernaut, a primal engine of destruction. The Magian is my Wizard. And I am the son
of Azrai their General. His voice picked up volume as he spoke.
- You are old I understand. But you forfeit your last sons life so easily? I will crush him
under my boot.

He stood up from the throne measuring 6 and a half feet tall.

- Karl is far away beast. He leads the army to victory as we speak. I endured your vile
words long enough. Draw steel and lets get this over with. I have other business to
attend to.

The Baron drew his long trusted broadsword and picked up his family shield from a stand
beside him. Instantly Matilend uttered arcane words holding tight her coin with one hand
 and drawing symbols in the air with the other. Ludwig was blessed. Lady Sera would guide
his blade.

The Raven slowly unsheathed a long sword with his left hand and the blade went ice cold
instantly. His right hand drew a second long sword which ignited with flames the second it
was out of the scabbard. Other men fled at the mere sight of these weapons, but not the
Baron. The Raven knew that and somehow he acknowledged that his adversary was a fool
but a brave one. He took a slight bow as to signal the start of the duel and then lunged at his
opponent with extraordinary speed.

The Baron stood still waiting for the attack. The Ravens blood boiled and he instinctively
looked up. 3 Warriors smashed the high windows and with long ropes landed in front of the
Baron and the Raven. All of them clad in chain featuring rapier in one hand, main gauche at
the other and long white cloaks.

The Raven smiled and continued his attacks, now against them. The warriors took a step
back and in perfect unity danced around themselves crying out loud: “ CLOAK AND STRIKE”

The white cloak from the first warrior erupted in flames engulfing him whole. His scream
echoed throughout the castle.

The main gauche of the second warrior stopped a long sword attack but in a glimpse of an
eye the dagger froze and broke in a thousand pieces letting his assailants sword cut deep
into him.

The 3rd warrior saw all that and decided to sidestep instead. His move was successful and he
saw a clear opening to the Raven. His rapier aimed underneath the mask of the awnshe. His
aim was true but the rapier stopped before reaching the target. As some unknown force was
protecting him inches away from his armor. A moments thought of awe and his head was
looking from afar his beheaded body.

- Fire! The Baron cried.

Perched from the windows crossbowmen with readied weapons unleashed bolts. The
crossbow is a deadly weapon in those distances. Its strength can pierce through armor like
nothing else. All the bolts stopped in mid air a few inches from the armor and dropped on
the floor never striking home.

The Raven drew a small black pearl from a loosened pouch in his belt and quickly crashed it
under his boot.

- Only Death awaits you at the Evanescence… He whispered… and the pieces of the gem
floated in the air and transformed into black energies that quickly travelled through the
air and into the hearts of the crossbowmen.
 Some twisted men said that their cries of agony were like a black orchestra filling the very
air with dread, despair and music… some fell outside the war room and some inside. Their
fingers diving inside their eyes until their bodies moved no more…

The Baron raced forward. His broadsword in attack. One, two, three swings all blocked with
uncanny precision from the long swords of the Raven.

- Dodge this beast. He said and turned his shield horizontally striking at the Ravens face.
The helmet saved his life as it absorbed the full force of the hit. And the mighty
Awnsheghlie took 3 steps back.

You see…There are boys, and there are men. And there are heroes. Baron Ludwig von Schaeffen
was made from that very rare breed.

Underestimating his opponent no more the Raven took the initiative. His flametongue deflected
from the barons shield but not before destroying t one of the two heads of the depicting white
eagle. The second head quickly was covered with patches of frost as the blow from the
frostbrand landed. The third attack was aimed low and found the left leg of the Baron with full
force. Blood erupted from the wound filling the remainder of his shield, turning the blue
painted sky red. The fourth blow shattered both shield and arm…

The Baron stumbled back wounded but the Raven didn’t stop. Like a fine tuned killing machine
he continued. His blows deflected one by one from the Barons broadsword until one passed and
drew royal blood again. And again, and again. The Baron was bleeding from a multitude of
wounds but he kept defending.

- He is concentrating at all his fighting moves he knows. The Raven thought. But this was
half true. The Awnshe blood boiled and then he knew. But it was a second too late.

The Baron was concentrating to his warrior moves but he listened also to the low hum
somewhere behind him that was Matilend.

- Good will prevail. She said at last finishing her casting.

The Awnshe found himself a little of balance but that was all the Baron needed. He fell to one
knee and clutched the broadsword with two hands driving it to his enemy heart. The
Broadsword glowed as it ripped layer after layer of the black armor. With all his strength Ludwig
pushed the blade until its tip appeared from the other side of the armor…

Raven laughed… And with one hand he gripped the shoulder of the Baron and pushed himself
more, until the blade was full inside him. He saw the terror at Ludwig’s eyes and then he buried
both swords at this heart raising his head to the sky and waiting to be bathed with the energy of
the gods!
But… nothing happened…Ludwig was dead. But… nothing happened. Frustrated the Raven
pulled himself away kicking the lifeless body of his adversary to the ground. Heavy knocking on
the doors caught his attention and the shouts of a crowd forming outside. He saw Matilend
trying to open the barred doors and quickly he spoke a few arcane words of power.

- All went according to plan. He thought as his raven transformed body flew over the
walls of the city…

When the doors opened the guards saw the blood bath. All of them rushed to their Regent and
their compatriots but it was too late. But one young priestess of Sera that entered with the
guards swears that she saw a coin dancing into the air and felling down on the cold bloodied
floor.

- Heads. She said. It was heads.