Prelude: Coming of the Void Gods

They were coming, the denizens of evil and the spectres of death loomed over them as if all they had suffered for was already lost. It was a normal day like any other, yet the fate of the world seemed steadfast in its outcome. Standing as if insuperable bastions of those who they wished to protect, in a place where their lives had already been lost. Each had their purpose for being there whether it was family, or for their own personal gains. The fog on this particular morning was a spectacle within its own right, the lively color of the flowers and grass were dulled to a melancholy gray. It would stay this way for the rest of this miserable day, as though the mountainside wept for the tribulations that lay ahead of them, and the tragedy that was to come.

  The ground shook with great distortion, as though the mountain itself trembled. Risen abominations and monstrosities that weren’t fit for this world headed once again for their camp. These warriors were the last defense, the last hope for their people. These men, no, heroes, took to arms and readied themselves for battle once again. A large horn roared from the distance signaling another incoming invasion. From the ground and air they came, engulfing the camp in relentless combat. Sword met flesh, but these horrors would not be stopped. Taking a limb was but a scratch to these beasts. From the skies rained disease, and from the ground slithered pestilence. The air smelled of melting flesh which was only amplified by the encroaching fog. Their numbers were great, but they were slow and flawless in their drudging march, and in time the threat was vanquished. But soon there would be but more horrors to descend upon them, and for that they needed to be ready, they needed to escape.

  At the center of this camp would stand a powerful mistress, and with her, her protector. Her knowledge and power exceeded everyone of her profession and age, yet she was kind and reasonable. She was given the task to ward off the evil as long as possible, to help ensure victory for her people. The man was to protect her at all costs, and so he did with every new invasion and threat. She was planning their escape, they had spent too much time there, and needed to retreat to prevent them from being completely overtaken. The building shook once again, which would mean another invasion. The buildings shook with such intensity, it would seem as they would fall at any moment. But then, nothing but silence. Then a crash with such power it would tear the building the mistress and her protector were in apart. Both of them flung from the building into the madness. From the skies flew wyrms and all around them bodies raised from the ground, bodies of fallen friends and comrades that had fallen not just a day earlier. In the distant shadows lurked demons more powerful then they had fought in the past. The protector drew his sword and beckoned them over. All he could do was stall time for the mistress to take who she could to safety. Forward he rushed cutting his way through the slew of monstrosities and demons that lay before him. Before too long he was surrounded, as his comrades had fled, or already died to the invasion. The ground began to shake slightly, and as he looked down could see hands grabbing him by the legs and holding him to his position. Looking up again he noticed his vision begin to darken. In front of him appeared a large shadowed figure peering down to him, as though looking through his soul. The demon extended its had out towards him as shadows then began to slowly consume the mans body. The demon chuckled and spoke with a booming overtone, none of which the man could understand. Just as the demon finished speaking a large explosion ruptured behind the protector. Body limbs and broken flesh flew across the sky in a large void of earth. As the dust settled there the mistress stood ready to fight and save the person who had protected her. The man looked back at her the best he could. He knew what was happening to him, and he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it. The shadows were still consuming his body, and he knew he had only a short time to get his message to her.

“Look after my son in my stead. . . Miss Proudmoore. . . this is my last wish. Leave now and live.”

The man turned back to the demon who was smirking at him.

“Wipe that smirk off your face demon, I am Sir Adam de Beaumont knight of The Silver Hand! My order and their paladins will snuff out your very existence!”