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Juliettes's Diary

Chapter 10 (25th May 2001 CE*)


Armand investigates the font - a column of blue energy flecked with red and green. Suspended within it is a humanoid form.
Father and I send all but the 3 best bottles of wine to Mandor, the 3 bottles to be opened at a dinner in the keep he is invited to (once we've tidied up a bit). This is agreeable to Mandor.
Father prepares himself for battle. He and I and Carsen and Torrez ride out, carrying our standards. The barbarians beat their chests, shields, etc. We go down into their camp. We're taken to where a square of material has been pegged out - the designated area of the fight. The 2IC comes out, 7' tall, solid, dumb , and face-scarred - not pretty. Doesn't say much. He has an offsider who is a paltry 6'2" tall called Rolf who does all the talking. (Carsen said he did before too). Rolf asks Father if he will challenge Irgaad. Father looks down at them both in turn and then flicks back his hood. Irgaad doesn't flinch, but Rolf does. Rolf & Father exchange words. Father knifes Irgaad in the arm, Rolf goes to throw axe at Irgaad, Father spins both out of the way and throws knife into Rolf's forehead. Irgaad and Father then desist and talk. He points out those who answered to Rolf. Father snaps Irgaad's neck/ The lesser of the captains protests and is knifed by his companion, who is called Vain. Father tells me to return to the Keep and make sure it's defenses are ok. I throw him a salute, wheel my stallion and gallop back to the Keep. I find Loki, but can't find Torrez. He says he hasn't seen Torrez. I tell Loki that I have to find Torrez. He looks a bit miffed and rides off; I watch him ride off into the hills. I check the defenses - the repairs are going ok. I ask if anyone has seen Torrez, and say I'll be in the main hall - if he's seen could he be asked to join me there. I go back through the mess hall (where Loki and Torrez had been seen together earlier in the day). No-one is there. There is a dead guard at the door to the main hall who was guarding the font. I go in and see Torrez dead. Looks like his throat had been cut from behind, then shirt ripped open chest opened and heart ripped out and tossed into the font. In my distress I mentally shriek to Father - no reply. I scoop up Torrez' body and turn to carry him out of the main hall.
Father is outside. I tell him that I believe Loki has done it and ask his permission to kill Loki; it is my responsibility. I tell Father about Loki's ambitious questions and about the Fenris-wolf.
I lay Torrez' body down, kiss his forehead, bow formally to Father , turn and get on my horse. I gallop off in pursuit of Loki. I always seem to be a couple of hours hellride behind him. I come to an area of combat - I can't hellride out of it. I feel a familiar presence behind me - Father.

******

Go off towards the ley line.
Approach a forest, go through it about 10 km, down, pale shimmering blue light in the sky, a village, a valley. I extend my Psyche towards the ley line - can do so now. It is a conduit of shadow power. I can sense that this ley line is being drained, in the direction of the hills. I follow to see where it leads.

After about a day I find 2 guys in mask and robes, post apocalyptic style.
Comparatively psychically powerful. They introduce themselves as Lix and Ivan. They are Linewalkers, coming to check on the disturbance in the realm. Power drains away towards this area. Have found other DB's (dimensional beings) that have also been dragged into the area and can't leave. The "Coalition" has reputation for snotting things they don't like (like DBs). Lix is native to the area, Ivan is not - he was using a spell and ended up here. We travel with them for a while.


* Note: CE = Chronology of Earth

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