Smoke swirled in the sky above, rising up from the burning village below, ravens had already become drawn to the area, as a monstrous horde was pillaging the remaining buildings, looting the corpses or desecrating the dead. All stopped as the towering figure in armor spoke a simple command, his aura of power was enough to control the varied servants under his command, evil emanated from the figure the likes none had seen before, his presence drew fear from all his gaze fell upon. He was an awnsheghlien.

The messenger had rode hard; his village was about to be attacked. The residents would put up a fight to defend their community, but they knew they stood little chance, they hoped they could buy time for the women and children’s safety, while the messenger brought word, and hopefully the next village word be spared a similar fate. His mount fully lathered and broken, he rode hard up the hill and across the wooden bridge that spanned the chasm below. The watchtowers alerted the guards posted at the gate, and had the portcullis already raised. Quickly the messenger was ushered into the walls of the keep, where he would find safety. Led to a great hall he recanted his tale quickly to soldiers that had gathered.

Within minutes horns resounded off the walls, and an army unto itself rode out of the keep, red and black banner’s streamed in the sky, soldier’s wielding assorted tighmaevril checked their weapons as they rode for the upcoming fight. Blood was going to flow freely this day; the pact was going to be upheld. As they neared the scene of the upcoming battle each of the warrior’s blood burned with fire as the call of Taarnak or Axiom sang to them, one of Azrai’s minions was nearby; an evil being with tainted blood led the monstrous horde.

The awnsheghlien heard the thunderous approach of the army as they let out their battle cry, " Blood Will Follow Blood!" And he knew fear, quickly he ordered the horde to attack, as he prepared to take the lives of those blooded and tied to the land gaining more power before he made his escape with their deaths. The horde charged the oncoming force.

"Blood Will Follow Blood!" As one the army charged into the horde.

"For the Pact!" In a military precision unrivaled, the army broke into their respected units.

"ABK!" Steel rang on steel as the forces joined in combat. The ground was soaked in blood. Archer’s in the rear fired volleys of flaming arrows into the rear ranks of the monstrous horde. Wizards' unleashed powerful spell’s bringing down bolt’s of lightning from the sky above or lobbing magical balls of fire into large concentration’s of the horde. Mounted soldiers in full plate atop heavy war-horses broke through the ranks and spotted the leader, quickly they charged him.

The awnsheghlien saw his forces being routed, he himself surrounded by the forces of Blood Keep, faced with death, opening a magical portal, he began to step through when the lone lancer appeared at his side.

"I challenge you to one on one combat, win and leave freely."

The awnsheghlien laughed, and hurled a spell at the lancer, engulfing the lancer he charged, the lancer’s tighmaevril bit deep into the awnsheghlien's chest and pierced the heart. The awnsheghlien screamed out in death as he fell to the ground, the soldier slaying him, drinking in the bloodtheft, forever severing this awnsheghlien and his minions from the land.

The Army of Blood Keep victorious, the pact upheld once more, they returned ...

The lancer who had slain the awnsheghlien promoted ...

And the tales continue...