The small group of riders pulled to a stop in the courtyard of the Dozing Dragon Inn. Where there was once six, now there are only five. A few quiet words from the slender woman in the middle and she quickly dismounts and steps into the dark silent forge. The others hand off their mounts and hers to the stable boy. The pair of Dwarves settling on a bench outside while the others go in to see about their supper. Chauvis watched from the Inn window. Grace had slept little since everyone seemed to have reawakened and he worried about her. Knowing her tenacity and the extreme situation he had let said nothing, especially since his resignation. He wanted to help her concentrate on raising Andrick, he wanted a new future with this woman. He also had found himself more and more drawn to his Druidic roots and teachings and he could deny the calling no longer. Here, in the new Solacia, he would seek a new grove, he would teach Andrick, he would care for Grace.

     Grace didn't light a candle in the forge. She knew the place as she knew her own hands and face. So many hours she and Harithin had spent here. So many hours arguing and making up in this room. A distant sad smile curved her lips as she leaned back against the anvil that had not been touched in almost a year. The pain of her loss no longer weighed her down. She could remember him without crying for some time now. Seasons turned and things changed. And now Grace found her heart turning to Chauvis. She felt the heat rise on her cheeks as she thought about him. A good and honorable man. Andrick her son adored him. She knew now her future was with him. She took off her cloak and tossed it to the dusty bench. She was going to have to find someone to take over this place now. It had been a silent memorial far too long.

     Zessazar was sitting in his tower looking into his magic mirror with his red orbs. Scanning the where abouts of BoR members. His anger grew with each day waiting to reap his vengeance of murder to a BoR member. The Dozing Dragon Inn came into view his hollowed red orbs concentrating on the vision. A smile worked its way across his bright red colored lips. He stood quickly and began casting a teleport spell with no error to the back of the Forge.

     Grace walked slowly among the tools, works in progress that would never be completed. A small child's sword she knew was intended for Andrick someday. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she became lost in memories of the past that raced with thoughts for the future. There were some big decisions to make in the near future. Some very big changes for herself and for the Brotherhood as reports from the border patrols came in confirming their thoughts. Solacia was not where it was before. A great expanse of land reported to the East and North of Storm Haven. More mountain ranges reported from the Northeast. The Harbor Master in New Dunbouri reported that even the tides had changed.

     Zessazar's form appeared near a stand of bushes that went untrimmed until the spring and had began to grow wildly. His form looked very powerful something had happened in the last month, what was it? He cast silence on the old rusty door and his long fingers grasped the handle to pull it open. Stepping inside his red eyes looked about. He moved slowly into the area on stacks of metal iron bars and such his vision captures Grace his attention fixed.

     His mind raced with plans on how to bring this female to her death or maybe capture her and torture her for the rest of her days. His steps made no sound as he moved closer to her, like a wild beast moving in on it's feast, his eyes saw nothing but the female. As he moved closer to the female he waved his hand casting wall of Force on both exits to stop her from running or others helping her. He reached into his robes and grabbed the Abyssral Dagger, a foul weapon of assassination. Stepping closer to Grace his fist tightens and swings in a jab movement at the center of her back.

     It seemed so strangely quiet at the moment. Not even the sounds of the wind could be heard as she was watching the shadowed movements of the tree branches outside. She frowned and turned, still holding the child's sword in her grasp. Grace always had a knack for timing. "Braegor!!!" She shouted even as instinct caused her to lift the small blade to block the blow as she ducked quickly to the side. As she ducked she kicked out with her boot hoping to sweep the would be assassin to the floor.

     His feet tossed up into the air he falls to his back rolls away to his feet and lunges at her, palms out to her, pushing in a strike to slam them to her chest his hands then in a blocking formation.

     She realized that the very air seemed to swallow her shout and Braegor couldn't hear her. She couldn't hear her own breath or worse, the attacks of her assassin in the faintly moonlit room. Grace fell back against the bench with the blow, not quite under his control. She reached up and clouted him in the head with the hilt of her tiny sword. Grim determination etched upon her brow.

     His head shot back with the small hilt hitting him over the eye, he knew he must hurry for the Wall of Force and Silent spells will soon run out. Stepping around her in the darkness his powerful infravision saw her with ease, with a powerful blow he aimed with a backhand at the side of her face anger filled him determined to kill her with his bare hands.

     From the Inn Chauvis looked again out the window wondering what was keeping his lady. It was then that he thought he saw in the shadows of the dark room movement of two people struggling. He called to the Cadre guards and they rushed out to the forge only to find it blocked from entry by magical forces. Gwendollyn raised her hands and began to chant to dispel the wall of force. Sweat poured immediately from her brow at the level of concentration and effort it was taking her.

     The blow clipped her brow just as she was trying to duck. It brought painful stars to her eyes and she lashed out with the small sword into the shadowy figure before her. His hand moved quickly bringing the dagger to block the toy his motion then was a slice at her neck with the dagger trying to slice her throat to make her totally silent. He took the feint and with a well practiced move she kicked the blade out of his and high up into the air. The dark blade spun end of over end almost in slow motion. The momentum of her kick connecting with his jaw.

     The kick sent him to his back he snarled and began to get up the Silence spell gone. Zessazar fell back a bit stunned from the kick. The dagger dropped into her waiting hand and as she gasped it seemed to instantly send a freezing shock through her hand and arm. It took much of her strength to keep the grip and she launched herself at her attacker with a shout. Driving the blade into the chest of the stunned man on the floor as she landed atop him.

     His horrid eyes widen as the dagger slammed deep into his chest his eyes then turned white and then black. He looked deep into Grace's eyes and began to laugh very loudly. At that time the walls of Force spell ends. Grace didn't dare use her other hand to help keep the blade within the beast beneath her. As it was, she could barely feel the hand held the demon's blade. The last of her scream swallowed by his laughter.

     His form began to melt into a pool of black ooze. The air around fill with the powerful putrid rank of death of hundreds of dead bodies rotting. She rolled over gagging and vomiting at the smell. The ooze burned her where ever it touched her and her other hand felt like it was frozen and the that feeling was slowly creeping up her arm. Her eyes burned and she could see nothing. She tried to let go of the dagger but found it would not
leave her hand, as if it was frozen against her skin. The bubbling ooze then seeped into the ground vanishing.

     Grace cried out as the doors burst open and Chauvis came crashing into the room followed by her cadre. Just in time to see the last of the bubbling ooze seeping into the ground. Gwendolyn cast a light spell to banish the shadows and the Dwarves confirmed that none where in the room. But one look at Grace showed she had been attacked and was in a very bad state of affairs. A deep purplish bruise covered her the left side of her face, causing the scar there to stand out even more. Chauvis dropped to his knees reaching out to take the blade from Grace but she held him back with her good hand. "No! Don't touch it." Her voice filled with pain.

     In sickening slow motion the blade melted into her hand loosing all feeling in her hand and she moaned in pain. "The demon Zessazar is dead.." She barely said through gritted teeth. Her eyes bright with a sudden fever that rushed through her body causing her to shake and shudder. Chauvis carefully put his arm around her and lifted her off the ground. She was burning with fever all over her body except for her right hand and part of her arm. "We have to get her to a healer now." He commanded as he motioned for the others to lead the way.

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