"There is an well-preserved corpse that no one knows it´s origin. It can be found in a hidden crypt, among candles and dragon bones, emanating a special glow. This is the story:

In Teleria there was once a mage, Urost, whose objective was to increase his powers through necromantic techniques: he wished to hide an army in a stone shard and thus be able to secretly hide his army from the dark hordes, to be summoned in the exact moment.

With some fear of  punishment from the Sacred Order that ruled this domain, Urost, hidden deep in the Catacombs of Narbuk, tried hard to master the shard occult arts.
His works showed progress and he hoped in this way to fight the Demonspawn that was starting to invade Teleria, and defeat them.

With the help of his beloved Ursala,  knowing the high risks, Urost delivered her the shard and spell to make this incantation. He himself was the test subject.
Ursala recited the spell trembling and apprehensive, but instead of hiding her beloved Urost in a Mysterious Shard, the shard began to envelop Urost absorving his soul in pain and agony.

Ursala, in tears, sought her greatest power and recited an ancient incantation to resurrect Urost, but to no avail as his soul was imprisoned in the living shard and his body could never be revived this way.
His soul was trapped forever in a shard cage.

UROST, once the mage, now  THE SOULCAGE would forever be known as a specter of the forces he had sworn to fight. His beloved Ursala would be forever doomed to try to revive everyone else, while she would mourn her lover eternally.
Ursala the mourner would be so-called from now on and still today she weeps for her beloved Urost."

note:

Edited to fit the 300 words rule. now it have 299 :D 

"NOOOOOO!!!" A blood-curdling scream came from the distance. "OH, GOD NOOOOOO!!"

Conellia couldn't see the actual blood running from Candleguard's arms, but her imagination ran wildly and for the first time was glad to be blind. She ran directly towards the scream and dropped to her knees and with heavy breathing, "Who's done this to you?!! Candleguard, what happened?!"

Hyperventilating, sobbing, looking down with the blurry vision of tears swelling in her eyes, she sees she's been mutilated. Turned into a monster - her hands, her forearms are severed off of her body - seered off her small but forceful stature. 

She didn't know what happened. It happened so fast - she knew Teleria was at War but hadn't realized how vulnerable she was. She should have known that the Dwarf Faction would be the first under attack. The smallest, weaker warriors were the most easiest to terrorize.

"CANDLE, DAMNIT!! LISTEN TO ME!" Conellia snapped Candleguard out of the shock and replied in a broken voice, "I don't know, Coney, I don't know... I was sleeping and I woke up to the feeling of a what felt like a dozen hands holding me down and then the severing pain...." She goes to move what was once her hand, "CONEY, DO SOMETHING," realizing what's just happened.

Conellia stood up and grab Candleguard's metal sword laying against the bed. Without a word and with two waves of the sword, Candleguard's arms were mended, pain was lifted and two metal cannons were formed.

Within seconds, more of the Faction rushed in to check on the commotion. Within minutes there was an active hunt for the culprits.

Kael puffed cigar and looked out of the window.
Teleria was full of life and action. Heroes fought the Eternal War with no
recess, dying, rising again and again. But he was out of this mess, he was glad
he managed to retire and switch the job.
Though investigating wasn’t a completely peaceful occupation: sometimes his six
stars rank proved useful when things got messy. 

The job was scarce, no cases this month. He got to pay
rent though. 

 Someone knocked the door. 

- Come in, please, - said the dark elf. 

 A gorgeous woman entered the room. She wasn’t dressed
in armor, but he recognized fiery red hair and the bright look of blue eyes. 

The Arbiter herself. It was a great honor, he knew
that, but Kael kept the posture cold.  

- Greetings, mistress, - his voice was
polite but emotionless. He kept examining her. She came in disguise so the case
was about to be delicate. 

  - Good day, Kael, - the voice of legendary
was mesmerizing and bossy, though gentle and kind. – We need your detective
skills. 

  The Void leggo went missing. He had been pulled out a
month ago and last seen on Fraction wars. The name is Jingwon. 

It’s not the single case, there are bunch of leggos
went missing. It’s a disturbing sign. She came incognito to prevent panic.  

- Give me the player’s name and a week,
- said Kael. – I take the case.  

The Arbiter thanked him and gone.  

  …Jingwon, Warchief, Pyxniel, Astralith, Guurda.
Fed to promote epics and some rare heroes.  A terrible crime was solved in four days. The
proofs were solid the suspect cracked. The Arbiter was right – it could rise a
wave of panic among Telerian heroes. But he was a pro and paid well for silence.
 

Breathing gets heavy. The eyes become cloudy and they slowly close.
- It's a pity that I didn't call you with me Sniper. Kael thought.
***
The kind and cheerful Bard Fodbor treated everyone in the tavern to delicious ale, telling how he was able to defeat the Lava Knight alone. Everyone in the tavern raised large mugs in his honor, but before they had time to taste even a drop of delicious ale, the Battle Priestess ran into the tavern and, seeing the Sniper, quickly approached her. Everyone was silent in anticipation of something bad. And so it happened.
Kael is dead. - these were the first words of the Priestess. 

- It's not far from the Spider's Nest. she continued.
- Fool. - Sniper thought with a stone in her heart.
“I told you not to go to the nest. she continued through gritted teeth. - He wanted to beat her.
- Not! exclaimed the Priestess. - It's not a damned spider! He was wounded by some kind of poisonous weapon.
- But who? - going to go asked the Sniper. - Who attacked him?
Jizoh got up from the table, walked over to Sniper, put his hand on her shoulder and said.
- I'll help find this coward! he said proudly and continued. - Yes! That's a coward. Indeed, in a fair fight, Kael has no equal! Come with me, let's find him or them! 

Along the way, the Priestess revealed that Kael was going to go to the Spider's Nest for a good amulet, but something happened and the magical seal that bound him and the Priestess made it clear what had happened. After a hard journey through the dark plains, they came to the place where Kael's lifeless body should have been.
- He must be here! - Priestess said 

- Someone dragged him towards the Dragon's Lair! Josah affirmed, pointing in the direction.
- And that was a couple of hours ago. Sniper said. - the rally is still fresh, you need to hurry.
In less than an hour, our heroes caught up with someone holding Kael's body. It was Calvalax of the apostates. Pulling back the bowstring to a crack with a thirst to kill, holding his breath and taking aim. The sniper decided to punish the traitor in one go, but... 

 Two dwarves traveling the huge lands of Teleria, red-bearded Rock Breaker and Gloril Brutebane, found out about the transportation of trophies to the treasury of the sinister Hegemon. And it just so happened, that the route along which the precious stones and metals so beloved by the dwarves will go, runs through the mountains no less beloved by the dwarves. In which bearded burly men feel better, than fish in water.

 “I have an idea worthy of glorious warriors.” - Gloril said.

“I know what it is.” - answered his red-bearded friend. The stone will help us,” he added.

  As another day wore on, the Cultists and Thralls, led by Pestilus with guardians, brought in the spoils of war that would replenish Hegemon's treasury. And there were no fools, who would dare to attack them. Until the very moment when the seemingly indestructible rock collapsed, separating the guards from the wagons. No sooner had the noise from the roar of stones died down, when our heroes with bags at the ready, examined the contents of the wagons. There was silver, precious stones, rare fabrics, skillfully made armor. All that was missing was the gold, and the inscription on the wagon wall was artfully carved: "Rugnor Goldgleam is satisfied, bring more."

DEATH OF AN ARCHMAGE

The devil of a storm already brewing outside had taken a turn for the worse.  The rain picked up, pelting the windows while the wind ravaged and tore at the shutters.  Richtoff knelt over the
blackened corpse.  “What do you see Detective?” His junior associate, Giscard, asked.

“He's been charred.  Do you know what that means?”

“Hit point Burn spell?”

“Hit point Burn spell.” The senior detective nodded.  “But nothing else is touched with flame.”  He rose from over the dead body of the Archmage Hellmut.  “The Arbiter is NOT going to like this.”

He slowly worked his way around the room looking for any evidence.  Other than the faint green glow of the Spirit Affinity, Hellmut was the only in the room that had been affected by the Burn spell.  No footprints inside, no footprints outside, no signs of forced entry, and no signs of a struggle.  This was truly baffling.  

Later at the morgue, during the autopsy, Minaya, Kaerok's most reknown healer, found a broken
elongated tooth, a Demon's tooth, buried deep withing the Archmage's back. It was the first solid clue they had found.  Little did they know at the time how that one tooth would break the case wide open. 

Scyl, Maneater and Geomancer were on a mission to go and defeat the boss of Brimstone Path but they needed someone bigger, someone stronger. Maneater thought about Nethril but he was too weak in Scyl's eyes. Geomancer thought about Kael and then a champion came to Scyl's head 'Arbiter'. She was one of the strongest champions out there. She has Gaze of Justice, Enforced Humility, Destiny's call and she's the mentor of heroes. She is more than perfect she's brilliant. As they went on to defeat the boss he was gone! 

"where is he?"  Scyl and Arbiter said together

"he must of escaped!" huffed Geomancer 

" we must look for him before Teleria finds out" replied Maneater 

They split up and they called more champions to help. Scyl went with Kael, Maneater went with Helicath, Geomancer went with Seer and Arbiter went with Stag Knight. While looking Scyl and Kael bumped into Alika and Sikara, They asked them if they have seen him but they said no. Scyl said to herself 'where could he be?'

They all met back in the tavern to hide away from Teleria. Scyl showed everyone a plan, 2 people will distract Teleria while the rest continue to look for The boss of Brimstone path. They all agreed. First two on duty to distract her was Geomancer and Seer. They were people who liked to laugh about weird stuff. Teleria walked past asking why were they laughing. 

Maneater replied with "the boss of Brimstone Path is missing! Everyone is searching for him!" 

Seer nudged him and then he realised.

" Say that again, who has gone to look for him?" Teleria said angrily.

"My champions would never keep something like that from me!!"

      How will Teleria react to her champions and what happend to the boss?

                     Battlefield Interrogation

"Who did this to you, Saito?" Vizier Ovelis helped the man rise from the gory battlefield.

"I recall a furtive shadow. It was bearing down on me. After that I dunno."

"You're lucky I arrived when I did." 

 "Right, and what brings the Vizier of the Dark Elves down from his woodland ramparts to fight the Undead?" 

"I had to see the horde for myself. My home could be in their path." 

Saito winced. Something dark rode his veins, and necrosis crept along his bones.

"Let me get a look at that wound." Ovelis peeked under the man's shattered pauldron. Ochre pus seeped from a gash on his arm. 

"Is that smell me?" Saito grunted.

"I'm afraid so. And this wound is...unusual." 

"What's wrong?!?" Saito ripped the pauldron from it's hasp and touched his wound. Pus and blood clung to his flesh and webbed his fingers. It stunk like a rotted corpse.

"Calm old friend. This is bad, but at least you're, um, alive?"

"Alive you say?! No, I've become something else." He slumped on a fallen tree.

"What else do you remember?"

The man's eyes clouded. "We formed a Phalanx to repel the horde. A swarm of undead flooded over the hill." Saito scanned Ovelis' face. The elf nodded. "We were overrun. That shadowy thing broke away from the fighting." Saito paused, caught up in a nightmare.

Ovelis clasped the man's shoulder. "Go on!"

"There was a flash of dark steel whirling toward me. It obviously carved this wound. It happened so fast. And...and that snicker. I know that laugh!"

They locked stares...

"BAD-EL-KAZAR!"

Kael had finally found him, the man who had killed his friend months ago.  He had tracked the stranger in the crimson armor to the annual summer festival being held in the Tavern of Champions.  The revelries afforded Kael the chance to sneak up on his prey. Pulling hard on the strangers shoulder, he spun the man around quickly.  As the stranger turned his ornate mask flew onto the floor and shattered.  It was then the truth was revealed.  Kael starred into his own eyes.  His chin.  His brow.  His face.  The face of the stranger in the crimson armor was his own.  Before he had time to ponder the implications of this discovery the stranger raised his hand, imbued with magic, and let loose an intense stream of caustic liquid.  Kael knew this magic.  It was his magic. He dodged the attack, and watched his doppelganger slip into the crowd. 

He had no time to contemplate this development.  He couldn't let Tallia's murderer get away, and so he gave chase.  The drunken revelry of the festival ensured chaos but Kael managed to maintain view of his quarry.  The crimson stranger had made his way to the back entrance of the tavern and escaped out into the night.  Kael followed hastily and found the stranger at the edge of the back alley staring into the distance.  The doppelganger began to step back as brilliant blinding purple lightning crackled out from a budding ethereal doorway and licked the ground.  Sparks ignited where the electric tendrils touched solid matter.  Through the brilliant purple shimmer stepped an imposing figure clad in sharp demonic armor.  His glowing green eyes accompanied a face familiar to both Kael and the stranger.  The dark warrior smirked, "Neither of you are leaving here alive".

It was strange; the tower seemed much taller in his dreams. Kael continues to clamber over rocks and debris as he approaches the Doom Tower. 

"So many discarded artifacts here. Imagine how many failed before me," he thinks.

Stopping at the immense stone doors, he breathes deep, channeling a spell. A few arcane words and a wave of his hand release a shimmer of dark purple energy toward the entrance. The doors crackle with the same violet fire and begin rumbling open. The magically compelled stone grating against stone echoes up through the tower. 

"There goes the element of surprise," Kael chuckles. 

He pauses to listen for any immediate reaction to his presence. The stagnant ambiance is off-putting, but satisfied that he has at least a moment before the denizens of the tower descend on him, he steps into the enormous atrium before him. 

The air is thick with rot and mildew. His normally silent footfalls become a comedic squelching, some form of moisture on the stone beneath his boots that he was not expecting. 

Being in the tower and looking up, his criticism of its size from outside is quickly stifled. There is a spiral stair winding up for what seems forever.

"This might not be as much fun as I thought it would be," he mutters aloud.

"Fun?" calls a familiar, euphonious voice. 

His elf eyes can't see where she is, but he knows the source. He taps his staff and it emits a teal phosphorescence. A flash of white-gold armor and crimson hair recede into the darkness farther above. 

"The rumors of her disappearance... I'm going to find out where she's been... what happened... but first, " Kael muses to himself setting about his ascent of the tower.

"Which one of these rooms is it in?"

"Let's start with your name." Inquisitor Shamael said.

"You know, kidnapping is a crime." The woman in white armor replied.

"I know you're Corrupted, you know who I am. Stop acting a fool! Name!"

"Whisper, and for the record I'm not Corrupted."

"So, you're what, A freelancer?"

"Yup, Who-ever pays me the most, gets my services."

The Inquisitor retrieved his crossbow from the bed.

"Where was that cart headed?" 

"I'm going to tell you jack. Then I'm going to escape. It's a fun game. Sure you want to play?"

"You may not be corrupted, but you can lead me to them. And you will...."

"Look, I'd love to help you out, but business is business. Nothin' personal."

Shamael Cocked his crossbow. "Really?" He fired a bolt into the floor inches from her foot.

"What the hell are you doing?" Whisper shouted.

"Nothing personal? They have my partner! Now where was that cart headed?"

"I have no idea!" Whisper's voice strained.

The Inquisitor glared at whisper. He held her gaze longer than she liked. He spun about and stormed from the room. While passing through the door he said, "Get ready to sit a long time."

Whisper tugged at her restraints and wriggled free. She slipped through the window and dropped to the street. Still got it. 

She was at large again.

******

The inn room door swung open. Inquisitor Shamael, with Armiger beside him, peered into the room. He chuckled.

"Sir, why are you laughing? She escaped."

Shamael stared through the window across the room, grinning. "Armiger."

"Sir?"

"Pack our bags. The chase is on."

The battlescars wore heavy, the old and the new. The opponent's helmet glistened in the sun, the moisture from the mist forming droplets on the shiny surface. Although it was blinding she was not affected,
the morning sun carried a warm glow which caressed her scarred face.  

A moment of calm.
 

She was all alone, no one left standing but the enemies slowly surrounding her. Perhaps it was her time now, finally after all these years. She fell to her knees, her sword still in her hand was slowly leaving her. The cool morning breeze whispered of the battle that had been fought but it was the silence that brought her peace, no one screaming or dying anymore.  

She closed her eyes.  

Feet moved clumsily towards her, she could hear the sword being raised, quick steps to end her. What a foolish assault, like all the others that had fought her during the night. Even though she expected to die, her body just couldn’t let this fool be the reason.
 

The surprise on the young man’s face when her sword went through his chest was one more memory
she had to carry. He fell off, feeding the grass as all the others had done.
The rest of them moved in to end her, all of them equally foolish. Being this dumb, would not be the end of the godseeker. Perhaps it was time to help them search for their own gods instead.  

Aniri stood up, grabbing her sword firmly, it was time for judgment, it was time to punish the foolish.    

"I know da clan don't believe me half da time," Maneater risked a glance at the Warlord. "But I swear, Boss."

"You're saying someone found my stash, popped da lock and made off with my axe? My Clan's axe!"

Maneater scratched his head. 

Warlord roared. Orcs and Ogryn ducked into their tents and hunkered down. They would not emerge until morning.

"We gotta find dat axe!" Maneater nudged his friend Chopper.

"Right, let's get after it."

"Hey, maybe someone close to da boss?"

"Nah, nodody is dat dumb." Chopper walked ahead of Maneater.

"Yeah, but suppose dey was dat dumb?"

"What are you gettin' at?" Chopper glanced over his shoulder.

"Da boss ain't never in his tent. And he got dem' girls all over camp. Maybe one of dem?"

"Maybe, but who 'asides da boss knew da stash wasn't in da tent?"

"Mmm. Split up and search da clanhouses."

"OK, you dat way and I dis way."

The pair split. Chopper started toward the gates.

Maneater hesitated. He set his mind to saving his neck, literally, but an epiphany snapped him back. He took off after Chopper.

"You callin' me stupid?" Maneater shouted after him.

Chopper stopped and drooped his head. "How'd you know?" He mumbled.

"You was right. Nobody knew da axe wasn't in da tent. Not even me." 

Chopper kicked dust into Maneater's face and split. He navigated the familiar maze of tents, reached the gates and fled before any guards were called. 

Maneater shook the dirt away. He did not pursue Chopper.

The following morning Maneater delivered Warlord's meal. A task he despised. Outside the tent, impaled neck to crown, was Choppers head on a crude spear. Fresh blood dripped to the ground.

 "Ohh...Chopper." Maneater shook his head. He finally understood irony. 

 “Mysteries in the Hydra” 

The warriors of Teleria: Kael, Elhain, Athel y Galek, entered "the great
temple of the serpent" where they found interesting artifacts and fought
fervently against the hidra, upon defeating it, they saw how the water lit up,
one of them swam to the brightness and when he came out he brought with him the
key that would open the door to "the great void"; location where the
next clan boss is. What will our heroes find in that place? Will they be able
to defeat the creature that is sheltered there? 

Some say that "the great void" is the place where the key to open the
"sky peak" tower is found, in said tower it is rumored that several
bosses live the more you climb the greater the difficulty, but in said tower
they hide incredible artifacts you will need for the "Overlord". It
is said that to defeat him, it is necessary to find a new character, for this
it will be necessary to return to the campaign mode and venture into new lands,
which will open once the new "clan boss" has been defeated. Everyone
wonders: what this new character will be like? What powers will he have? 

Galek gets mad because Kael, Elhain y Athel think they need this new character so he
decides to leave the group and go alone to face the "Supreme Chief"
while the rest venture into the new lands in search of the new companion who
will help them to fight in the final battle and thus save Teleria from darkness
or at least that is what our warriors hope. 

During the journey our heroes will meet new allies who will be willing to help them on their
journey. These allies will have new fighting methods, which until now they were
unaware of, but which will be very useful for the new battles they will have,
they may even merge with each other to become more powerful and obtain new
attacks. 

Raid's friends, enjoy the game. 

#RaidDetectiveContest  

There was a King in Telaria who had two little twin daughters.

His names: Conellia and Drengalia.

Their parents feared the war outside and to keep them protected they taught them a spell that they both could recite and thus fall asleep in hiding, becoming invulnerable to the dangers that surrounded them, since this sleep made them immune to all misfortunes.

The years went by and together the little princesses developed new powers with this spell, soon both were able to put their enemies to sleep, trapping them in a deep dream.

Drengalia went even further and managed to make her power not only make her completely immune to all dangers, but also rejuvenate her while she slept. When she was trying to teach her twin the dangerous technique, Drengalia fell into such a deep sleep that she never woke up, remaining motionless on her little throne.

Conellia wept as her twin was buried in the Catacombs of Narbuk, on her grave they wrote only her name: Drengalia. Her sister swore to always wear the same clothes with the little pointed hat she loved so much and with which she was buried.

The years passed and although Conellia managed to rejuvenate herself with each sleep, Drengália's sleeping body was being consumed by the elements and slowly petrified until it was almost impossible to understand who the tomb belonged to.

Conellia grew up and with perseverance discovered a new spell taught by the Crypt Witch, with this new power she tried to revive her sleeping twin. To no avail: her powerful spell awoke the giant tomb, and with it her sleeping sister, forever seated on a throne behind him.

Part of Drengalia's name, "DRENG", can still be read on the back of the giant walking tomb.

"Another petty rivalry"

One peaceful day on telerian, the arbiter was going to get to work. It was time. She had to reconstruct all the shards of the fallen, bringing them back to life for another chance. The arbiter was part of the order of the high elves and was given this position by the top of the chain. As the arbiter held a sacred shard in her hand in front of the portal, she began working. Her beautiful art of reconstructing shards to bring back chapions of all races and sizes back into the world. It was hard for her. She did it day in and day out. Most of the time, the champions don't even acknowledge her. They just brush it off and walk away as soon as she revives them. The arbiter didn't make a big deal out of it, but she would have liked to get some thanks every now and then. Things started to slow down halfway through the reconstruction of the sacred shard. The arbiter's best friend, Elhain, was standing beside her to show some support, and was waiting for the revival of Deliana. The arbiter was currently working on the Delianias shard, but then the lights for the portal started to fade out. The shard was halfway rebuilt and then everything dropped. The shard shattered more than it started out. "What is wrong, arbiter? What happened???" Elhain quickly got up to see what was going on. "I don't know. My powers still work. I still feel everything. It's just the portal. It just turned off. " Arbiter replied, trying out her powers, shooting sparks from her figure. "Well, what the heck happened??? I'll look around the portal to see if i can find anything. "Elhain began to frantically search around the portal for an answer, only to find Galek trying to pull his axe out of part of the portal. "GALEKKKKKK! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!!!!!!!!" Elhain angrly started to approach the big orc, who was way too big for her size to handle. "You're lucky the arbiter is here. Otherwise, when I'm done with you, she'll have to rebuild your shard." Galek replied, not even batting an eye or flinching at Elhain. Now Elhain was really angry. "What DID YOU SAY, BIG PIECE-" Elhain couldn't finish. "Stop this nonsence. Galek what are you doing???" The arbiter injected before there was a fight. "I was just practicing my axe throwing, definitly not trying to aim at a certain someone on the other side of the portal." "Look, if you two can't get along together im not going to reconstruct your shards next time you die. Am i understood???" Both Elhain and Galak nod in silence... 

#RaidDetectiveContest   

Geomancer and the Beast

Geomancer plunged his staff into the frozen earth and drew a deep breath. 

As the dwarf greedily gulped the thin air, he gathered his bearings. The six-day hike to the tippity-top of Teleria’s highest peak left his stout legs aching. The grey sky belched a thick fog of snow that had already begun to cover the boot-prints he patterned on the trek up. 

He motioned with his short arm to brush crystallizing icicles from his beard, but something halted him. 

That sound. A dull, hollow, haunting chorus that penetrated the night air, slicing it into a million eerie shards. This time, closer than ever. The supernatural cacophony crooning from atop the mountain terrorized the village below for weeks, convincing them a horrible beast resided at the peak, plotting to pillage the humble dwarves’ defenseless mining town. 

And so, they sent Geomancer to investigate the mysterious sound. Surely, Trunda and the others were laughing at the pub tonight, thinking they whisked away ol’ Geo to his death. 

This unpleasant imagery emboldened Geomancer. His bravery surging, he put one boot in front of the other, beelining for the noise. 

The bizarre crooning led him to a cavern maw. It was pitch-black, but he didn’t need light. As he pushed onward through the wide passageways, drawing closer, the sound bounced and boomed off the shapely cavern walls, distorting its original tune into something pleasant, almost musical. 

At last, the hallways opened into a massive, perfectly spherical room. 

Standing dead center, the creature had its back to Geomancer. It crashed its instrument on the ground again and again, the sound reverberating through the cavern’s acoustics. 

Sensing Geomancer’s presence, the creature turned. 

Its amicable expression melted Geomancer’s hesitation. 

“Hi,” it said. “I’m the Bellower.”  

Telerian's Unlikely Murders

First responders arrive at the scene. Apothecary gets out of his vehicle and runs over to Arbiter, lying dead on the ground. "Who could have done such a thing?". Apothecary attempts to heal her with his soothing chant ability. Kael quickly interrupts him. "Apothecary, wait! I think the murderer is still in the vicinity." The pair sight a trail of red fluid leading towards a pile of broken shards.

The pair head towards the shards and stumble across a rotten flesh odor. "Apothecary, please tell me you have showered." "Excuse me! I come from a line of high elves that respect ourselves and our hygiene. Unlike you and that awful stench of a brew, you keep drinking, dark el...". "Go on. Say it."

Kael turns his head to find Apothecary standing in awe. Apothecary points his finger in front of him. "The murder weapon?". Red fluid drips from a rusty sword lying on the ground. "But how could a rusty sword kill Arbiter?". Kael picks up a piece of paper next to it. "It's a note. It reads - Don't worry, she's still alive. I think. She slipped and fell toward me. I thought she was attacking me and my instincts kicked in. I counterattacked, and I'm 35% positive she is asleep. My human player put a full set of accuracy on me as well, so... that should help. Smiley face.".

Kael and Apothecary look at each other with a confident grin. "I think we know exactly who it is, right Kael?". Kael scratches his head. "Yeah, yip. Yip... yeah no I don't... who is it?".

The Arbiter gently laid her shiny new sacred shard in the summoning portal, hoping to add a new warrior to her ever growing Elven army. She stepped back after paying the summoning toll from her pouch of silver, patiently waiting for the new champion to mysteriously appear from the shard, but only a dense cloud of smoke saturated the portal. How could the summoning portal be down? It never goes down!

She slowly strolled back to the portal, surveying the contraption up and down with perceptive eyes. Everything looked normal as far as she could tell. She took a deep breath in, the beginning of a sigh caused by the perplexing conundrum, when she caught the unpleasant aroma of sulfur. She traced the pungent scent to its origin, discovering something unusual along the bottom left corner of the portal. She knelt down and brushed her index finger against the blackened soot, and rubbed it between her finger and thumb. "This is not ordinary soot," she thought to herself, "this is from a bomb."

"Who's bombs could wreak such havok on our glorious portal? Better yet, why? The portal serves all of Teleria!" she exclaimed excitedly. Surely not Astralith - while not an ally, the Dark Elves generally stick to the forestland and don’t incite violence unprovoked. Could it be Souldrinker? Highly unlikely, the Demonspawn rarely even venture into Teleria as they are forbidden to. That's when she heard it - that psychotic, unsettling, guttural laugh. She knew immediately who it was, someone she should have expected immediately. She quickly turned around, thrusting her sword up to deflect a sickle hurling toward her head, and caught the contorted grin of Gaius flash by her.

Of all the Yoshi-brew joints in all the towns in all of Teleria, she walks into mine.

She asked me. Of course, she asked me. She knew I couldn't, wouldn't, say no.

She handed me a blue rose, "They know something. The Knight's know what's coming."

"They're telling the others that I'm bringing this about. I don't know anything about it. Please believe me. You're the only one I can turn to."

"You're the only one I can turn to." 

That's what was running through my mind as I crept into that ancient library.

It took me a while to trace the blue rose back to Siphi's curse. 

Even longer to find the graveyard where the rose was from. 

After talking to the townfolk to no avale, I, literally, stumbled across the town drunk.

I almost dismissed him. He looked at me noticing the rose.

His face paled. With terrified eyes, he looked at me, "You seek the Unholy Couple."

I crouched down before him.  

"What do you know of this rose?"

He went on to explain about Siphi, her tragic end and the aftermath.

What he told me next will stay with me for the rest of my days.

I dare not utter more of that but the events this mad man spoke of lead me to this library.

I pray that... that towering hulk does not notice me. I think that shriveled thing it carries saw me but, if it did, it did not warn the monster.

I listened for the scraping and thumping to quieten. Only then did I find the courage to light the torch and view the book I found. I opened the legendary tome, poured over the pages, examined the plates. Each page sunk my heart further.

They are coming.