PnP:Liberation of Osoerde Turn Twenty six

Campaigns » PNP:The liberation of Osoerde » PnP:Liberation of Osoerde Turn Twenty six


So the final battle with Jaison has begun. William has finally decided that he has the forces he needs and that his hated foe has been confined within Moriel long enough. He began to marshal all the allies and forces we have gathered over all this time, prepared them for the trip south and what will hopefully lead to his family's return to rule. But despite all the preparations he needs to make, he still seems very focused on his mistrust of me. If he knew my true story, it would confirm his feelings about me. And I am sure he would attempt to exact revenge for the deeds I was hired to do all those years ago. And it would probably be justified.

He called me into his war room and asked to see Soulreaver, claiming he needed to examine its properties to make sure the legends were true. But I saw him watching me out of the corner of his eye, saw moments where I swear he would last out or run away with the knife to keep it from me. In the end reluctantly he passed the knife back to me and told me to get ready. Perhaps I should tell him the truth. But I think he would lose focus on the real task at hand, and on who he should really seek revenge on: the man who hired me in the first place. And I gave him my word to serve him, and even with my true self returned my word is my bond and I will aid him till he is returned to power. Plus Jaison withheld that I would need to kill an infant in my contract, the same action that caused my self to shatter and all those lost years as Harker. I owe him some pain.

We set off the next morning with an army at our backs, passing through Peracain's mighty wall of fog and into Moriel. Our band broke free and moved ahead of the main force to scout, but it was very obvious the bonds we felt before were now frayed. William's concerns about my loyalties were only part of it. Varg was joining us later, and Cerin made it clear that he no longer trusted the mighty warrior because of his bestial half. In his frank elven manner, he told William that he was not concerned about me but he really felt Varg would turn against us or lose control. He and William could not find common ground on that matter. Rena has been more ill at ease of late, and I think she is growing tired of this war dragging on and its effects on her forest home. I think if she had her way, she would be rid of Jaison and William and build a mighty wall of fog around the Aerenwode to keep everyone out. Torrin is the only one who seems himself, but I think he is a soldier at heart. He follows his orders and fights well, but does not concern himself with the petty conflicts and tensions that arise in any group. He also was given the magic elf killing blade that Varg had previously found on William's orders.

As we walked, we noticed a flock of birds overhead suddenly veer away as if they noticed our party. Luckily the difficulties we have within our company did not dull our alertness and we were soon aware of a band of men approaching us on the road. They appeared to be mercenaries of some kind, although they bore no obvious sigil. They called back down the road behind them and two creatures forged of nightmares strode up towards us. I have never felt such pure evil in all my lives, although I felt a twinge of a smile from Rudolph. One was slightly taller than a man, covered in ruddy skin and jagged horns. The other appeared as a huge malformed skeletal thing with the long, snapping tale of a scorpion. William called out that they were devils from the bowels of the Nine Hells, and they were powerful foes. It also showed what Jaison was willing to do and who he would ally himself with to stay in power. As this horrors marched towards us, we readied ourselves for battle.

Torrin and I rushed forward, but it seemed like the warrior was struck by some unnatural fear of the things. Its a testament to his will that he still struck out at the devils. I felt the own chill on my soul, but I think my dark half helped me overcome it. My blades truck true into the skeletal thing, but it seemed to ignore the wounds. Cerin's arrows flew past us with their usual deadly precision, and William conjured powerful lightning to rain down on the things. Rena brought about a hoary frost that coated the ground with slick ice, and if the situation were not so dire I would have laughed when I saw one of the horrors slip and fall as it tried to move. But the devils were not alone, and the mercenaries shifted into wolven forms like so many of Jaison's men. The battle with the devils was tough, especially knowing the werewolves were lurking out in the trees around us. But our combined efforts managed to slay the horrors, and our prior battles with shapeshifters had taught us good tactics to fight them. Our first challenge on the path to Jaison was overcome, but I am concerned what other horrors lurk ahead. And the voice deep within me whispers always, coaxing me to make a decision about my very soul.