Xannon and Gilbert meet at the entrance to the magic room. Gilbert extends his hand.
“I've heard this is your first tournament match. Are you scared? Not about fighting, but about the massive attention you're about to get. Knowing that no matter what happens your fight will be studied and scrutinized? Your every flaw itemized for public view?”
“Actually, I hadn't thought about it that way,” Xannon replies shaking Gilbert's hand. “Honestly, it doesn't bother me that much. I got just as much scrutiny when I was in school.”
“Do have a family yet? Girlfriend?”
“Girlfriend. We met at school. She should be watching right now actually.”
“Okay, then I'll try not to kill you. I make no guarantees though. Calm decisions aren't known to survive in the heat of battle.”
“What about you? Do you have any family?”
“Nope. I'm a one man show. Been doing this tournament for several years. Some years are good, some bad. This one is bad. I've never lost the first match before.”
“Maybe you've lost the edge?” Xannon suggests.
“Perhaps, but I did well against Nalthana.”
“Thirty seconds, gentlemen,” one of the coordinators announces.
Gilbert nods and his entire expression changes, becoming hard and distant. He slips on his gauntlets and grips the hilt of his sword resting in its sheath.
Xannon checks his armor one last time. Being primarily a magic user, he had no training in the heavier armor limiting him to leather. He suddenly feels unprotected against Gilbert's steel armor and sword. Tightening each of the leather straps holding his greaves and vambraces on he finishes his armor check just in time.
The doors to the magic room open revealing the top of Kelmayn Tower. Gilbert runs through the doors toward the other side of the tower. Xannon steps through the doorway and stands ready. The door behind him closes and dissolves into the scenery. For a moment he swears they had actually been teleported instead. A voice cuts through the wind blowing across the top of the tower.
“Good luck gentlemen, may the best man win! Begin!”
Without wasting a moment, Gilbert charges Xannon from his starting position. Xannon reacts quickly, drawing his sword and bringing it up to block the initial strike. Gilbert brings his shield forward and smashes it into Xannon. Blocking with his forearms, Xannon absorbs the impact but finds himself sliding backwards toward the edge of the tower.
Keeping the pressure up, Gilbert again advances and attacks. Xannon deflects the attack and side steps, putting the edge of the tower to his left instead of behind him. He quickly realizes he should have stepped right, behind the shield, as Gilbert's sword comes swinging around. He ducks then brings his sword into an upward strike. Gilbert leans back avoiding the tip of the blade then takes a step back to regain his balance.
Xannon begins casting a fireball but is interrupted as Gilbert charges again. He curses as he realizes he will have to gain distance if he wants to use any decent magic. He counters Gilbert's next attack throwing him off balance and uses the brief opportunity to get a clean shot. With a quick, precise attack, he severs the leather straps holding Gilbert's shield to his arm. As he recovers, Gilbert tosses the shield over the edge and grips his sword with both hands. He does a full turn and brings the blade down hard. Xannon blocks the attack and feel the impact all the way in his legs.
Needing to get distance, Xannon turns to the edge of the tower and jumps over the railing. Catching a flag pole near the top, he vaults himself into one of the upper windows. He crashes through the aged glass and rolls into a ready position. He quickly scans the room and locates the stair way to the top and prepares another fireball. He sends it flying toward the staircase just as Gilbert emerges from above. The flames wash over him, but he shrugs them off and again presses the close combat fighting.
They trade blows for a minute and Xannon begins edging his way back toward the window. Gilbert sees this and moves to block his escape. Undeterred, Xannon counters another attack, knocking Gilbert back a step, and dives for the window. As he falls toward the ground, he casts a levitation spell that allows him to gently land on his feet. He runs away from the tower but keeps the edge of the cliff nearby. Behind him, Gilbert lands hard on his feet after jumping from the same window. Slightly fatigued, he continues his pursuit of Xannon nonetheless.
After figuring he had enough room, Xannon turns and begins casting a powerful wind blast. Channeling as much power as he could and using the existing wind blowing up the cliff face he casts it just as Gilbert begins his charge. The sudden blast of wind stops him in his tracks forcing him to shield his face from the dust and debris. The wind intensifies and throws him into the air. Xannon continues channeling energy into the windstorm allowing him to trap Gilbert in a whirling vortex. The stresses inside the vortex are so intense, Gilbert is forced to release his sword in an effort to keep his arms and legs attached by curling into a ball. One small shift in the spell by Xannon sends Gilbert and everything else trapped in the vortex flying back toward the tower.
Gilbert hits the base of the tower back first, crushing his steel armor and forcing the air from his chest. He frantically tries to defend himself against the rocks raining down on him but fails to see his sword coming at him. The tip of the sword pierces his armor and flesh, puncturing his right lung, and embedding itself into the stone tower. He struggles to breathe and desperately attempts to remove the sword. Xannon runs over and grabs the hilt, tearing the sword from the wall and from Gilbert's chest. The bell sounds confirming the end of the match and the medics pour in through the doorway that appears to their right.
“Guess I have lost the edge,” Gilbert manages to say as blood fills his lungs.
He coughs up some more blood then slumps to the ground, unmoving. The medics continue to try and heal him but they soon give up, his spirit having left his body passed on. Xannon drops Gilbert's sword next to him.
“May the Gods of Life and Death look upon you well and speed you on your way,” Xannon softly prays.
Xannon exits the magic room and winds his way through the temple and out the front door. Loud cheers greet him as starts to walk to where Sarah, Kris and Gatomon were waiting for him.
“That wasn't quite what I expected,” Xannon says as he reaches his friend. “I was obviously way over classed for him, which cheapens my victory, makes it hollow.”
“Nonsense,” Kris counters. “You did great, you saw that close combat with him was dangerous and you turned the tables. Just because he was unable to counter magic with magic shouldn't diminish your win. You also have to remember that he let go of his sword in the middle of the vortex, a bad idea no matter what the case. He made a mistake and paid for it. If he had retained his grip, the fight could have gone on longer and maybe had a different result.”
“He's right,” Sarah states. “You did great. These people are no push overs. Each of them is powerful in their own right.”
“Learn from your fights,” Gatomon adds. “We already know that your next match will be against Ilsanith Dinaithil. She is an elven warrior, which means she will bring the added challenge of being able to use magic.”
“Elven magic at that,” Kris warns. “Elven magic is no simple thing. It works very differently than our own. Most of your protection spells will have little to no effect against their magic. I'd suggest you review the combat recordings and figure out a way to defend yourself. Elves have dominated this tournament for years for this reason. Last year's winner was a full Elven Sorceress, able to manipulate magic however she wanted, not limited to spells and certain elements. She decided not to come back this year, thank Bast.”
“I've been reviewing past battles in the tournament involving elves,” Gatomon reports, “and their only real challengers have been melee fighters, usually the Katta or Dwarves whose close combat skills are exceptional. Only a handful of magic battles resulted in a loss for the elf. You will have to study and learn if you expect to succeed against Ilsanith.”
“Right, I get it,” Xannon says turning toward the temple. “Study, learn and practice. Can I at least have something to eat first?”
“Of course you can,” Sarah says taking him by the hand. “There is actually one place at the carnival that serves decent food. We went there for lunch. I think you'll like it.”
Sarah and Xannon head off toward the carnival followed by Kris and Gatomon.



With most elves being disciples of Gaia, the support for Verana, who was a disciple of Kardis, was surprising. Her strength and power on the battlefield was well known and this tournament was a test of that power.
She had already heard of Xannon's success in the Grand Melee and was hoping for a rematch. She prayed for his success in the tournament if only so she could be the one to defeat him, to kill him.
Her first match was over almost before it had started. Mikash Furika, who was fresh out of his elven training, had joined the tournament in hopes of making a name for himself. Using his ties within the tournament, he managed to secure himself a seat. Unfortunately, he was paired against Verana in the first round. He knew of her record and when he learned of their match up he was tempted to forfeit the match. However, forfeiting would bring dishonor upon him and his family.
With the odds heavily in Verana's favor, it was a miracle that Mikash survived as long as he did. However, his inexperience cost him his life when a misstep brought Verana's sword to his neck.
Verana emerges from the temple to the cheers of the gathered spectators. Several priests rush in afterwards to try and help Mikash. She spots Gatomon and Kris by one of the screens and recognizes them from Maerd. As she walks over to them she calls out.
“I see you are doing well after our last encounter. I've also seen that Xannon is doing well. Where is he? Shouldn't he be here learning about his future opponents? Or perhaps he realized his limits and dropped out.”
“Hardly,” Xannon calls out from behind her. “If anything I've learned how limitless true power is. I will succeed in this tournament and I will defeat you.”
“But will you win? Mark my words Priest of Bast, within five years no one will even remember your name. You will be like a firefly, one brief moment of wonder in the infinite expanse of night, lost amidst the countless others. Do well, Xannon. I'd hate to see you lose before I get a chance to face you.”
She turns and leaves before Xannon has a chance to reply. Xannon and Sarah join Gatomon and Kris by the screens.
“I really don't like her,” Xannon states as he takes a seat next to Kris. “How did the first round go?”
“Gilbert Monroe lost to Forrt Ironhammer and Nalthana Naur'ra lost to Pythos Bloodwarden. Meaning you will be facing either Gilbert or Nalthana. The odds are currently in Gilbert's favor based on the first round. The rest of the winners from the first round are Wyntess Sul'luin, Ujarak Stonewarden, Wojceich Deathwhisper, Verana of course, Ilsanith Dinaithil, and Herschie Riverdancer. Opponents you won't have to worry about anymore are Damon Wolfe who had the upper hand against Wyntessa until he tripped into the lava surrounding the stage. And Mikash Furika who lost his head in his battle with Verana. The next round has been scheduled for tomorrow. If everything goes smoothly your first match will be tomorrow night.”
“You said I'll be facing Gilbert or Nalthana, right? What are their styles? Anything I should be on the lookout for?”
“Gilbert is your standard fighter. He did well in the fight, but Forrt's endurance and strength were too much for him. You can either prolong the fight and wear him down or you can push his defense to the limits with constant attacks. He seemed to tire quicker when Forrt kept the pressure on.
“Nalthana will be a much different fight. She will be trying to keep you away as much as possible so she can use her ranged abilities. You'll have the advantage in this fight since your magic is stronger than her arrows. But like I said, the odds are in Gilbert's favor. They don't think Nalthana will be able to keep him at bay.”
“Now that the first round is over, what's to do around here?” Sarah asks.
“There's what amounts to a carnival on the other side of the grounds. They have games with cheap prizes, stores with greasy food, and rides that cost too much. But you're welcome to check them out.”
“Yeah, you make them sound so appealing. Come on, Xannon. Let's go check out the games with cheap prizes!”

After a brief conversation with the general, Xannon and Kris excuse themselves and return to the temple.
“Get some rest, Xannon,” Kris orders. “You're going to need it for your training tomorrow.”
“You make it sound so serious.”
“I just want to make sure my friend doesn't screw up and get himself killed. If anyone is going to kill you, it's going to be me. And let's face it, if I can kill you, you probably weren't ready for the Grand Melee, anyway.”
“Good point. Guess I'll see you in the morning then.”
“Sleep well!” Kris calls out as he heads for his room.
Xannon returns to his quarters and finds Sarah already asleep. He quietly changes and slips into bed, careful not to disturb her. He lays there silently for several moments thinking about the days events and his training with Kris.
“This is going to be a lot tougher than I first thought.”
He closes his eyes and within minutes is fast sleep.



A loud banging startles Xannon from his sleep. The sun hadn't risen yet so he quickly grabs the nearby knife and slips out of bed. The banging sounds again from the door and he cautiously reaches for the handle. With out quick motion he flings the door open, ready to take on his assailant.
“Oh good, you're up. Ready to begin your training?” Kris asks, nonchalantly.
“Geeze, man. You almost got yourself killed you realize.”
“I doubt it. Anyway, get dressed and meet me outside in five.”
Kris turns and heads back down the hallway toward the exit. Xannon rests against the door frame as Sarah walks up.
“What was all that banging? Was someone trying to break in?” she asks.
“No, it was just Kris with my morning wake up call.”
“Oh,” she replies, yawning. “Well you boys go play your games, I'm going back to bed.”

The next two weeks were pretty much the same. Every morning Kris would come to bang on the door. Some days Xannon was already ready, others he was woken out of a deep sleep and met Kris at the door with his knife. Regardless of how the morning started, it always ran the same way, calisthenics, swordsmanship, and counter magic training. By noon, Xannon was worn out both mentally and physically. Most days the training ended there, but there were some where Kris felt that Xannon wasn't trying hard enough and put him through another round of training in the early afternoon.
With only two days till the Grand Melee, Xannon was as prepared as he was going to get. Kris had made sure of that.
“How did you get to be such a hard ass trainer? I don't remember you being a trainer of any kind before you joined us.”
“Remember how I mentioned that back home I was the only one who really stood a chance against Janus? Well, I was also the one trying to teach the rest of the village how to counter it. So I have plenty of practice teaching people fighting skills.”
“Well, you are doing a pretty darn good job. Let's just hope it pays off in the next couple of days.”
Xannon sits down on one of the benches next to where they had been practicing. He stretches his tired muscles and stares at the sky.
“How people are going to be fighting in the Grand Melee again?”
“The maximum allowed into the Grand Melee is fifty and they hit that mark shortly after you submitted your entry. Your number 46, remember that because they will be calling you by your number.”
Registration for the Grand Melee was full every year, some years they had registered their fiftieth the same day they opened. The top four of the last five combatants standing were allowed a spot in the Midwinter Tournament, a one-on-one competition that pitted them against one another in various environments. They enter the magic room of the nearby temple and the action is displayed in real time on several outdoor screens. All safety mechanisms inherent in the magic room are disabled for the competition.
Over the past several years, the generated locations for the tournament have included a high plateau overlooking a raging river, a barge on a river of lava, a boat in the middle of the ocean surrounded by sharks, and a canyon in the middle of a earthquake. The operators of the tournament will shut down the environment once a winner is decided. There has, however, been deaths, either due to the environment or the combat itself.
There are no restrictions in the Midwinter Tournament. Only the best choose to enter and they do so knowing all possible outcomes. Those that survive the Grand Melee are not required to enter, and in the past very few have chosen to do so. Those that did were usually knocked out in the first round. So far, none of those that entered from the Grand Melee have been crowned Tournament Champion.
“By the way, are you planning on joining the Tournament if you win?”
“Haven't thought much about it, actually,” Xannon responds. “I'm more worried about the first part at the moment.”
He stands up and readies his weapon against Kris.
“Anyone participating in the tournament that I would know?”
“I only saw one name I thought you would know. Verana mia Sotanden D'Lefin.”
“That's that elf girl I fought in Maerd, isn't it?”
“Yes. She already has a solid record in this tournament and the odds are heavily in her favor. She's deadly. Half of her challengers didn't make it back this year. Half of those didn't make it out of the magic room. You realize it was luck that kept you alive back there, right?”
“The thought has occurred to me, but I don't believe in luck. She may have left the fight early, but luck had nothing to do with it. I could see it in her eyes, she was scared. She'll never admit it of course, but she was. Eyes don't lie.”
“Whatever keeps you going. Now focus on the training at hand. You need to be top shape if you expect to survive in the Grand Melee.”
“Don't I get any break before the competition?”
Kris thinks about that for a moment.
“No.”



“Okay, first we are going to try the Spell Disruption. I will take an extra long time to cast giving you plenty of time to practice.”
Kris slowly begins gathering the energy for a low power Fire Dart spell.
“Can you feel the energy from the spell?” Kris asks.
Xannon concentrates for a moment before replying.
“Barely, the distance seems to be a limiting factor. The more power you build up the easier it is to feel.”
Xannon uses his skill in the magic arts to mentally reach out and observe the structure of the spell. The intricate magical matrix of the spell controls everything about the spell like a blueprint. Once complete the matrix acts as a magical storage device. The more magic stored in the matrix, the more powerful the spell.
The Fire Dart matrix was relatively simple and the holes in the matrix would start to leak magic if too much was trying to be stored.
Xannon plucks at a few of the strings connecting the matrix and it starts to vibrate. A few more strings and the matrix collapses sending the stored energy back into the environment.
“Fairly simple concept, right?” Kris asks. “Now let's try again. This time I will be actively trying to counter you.”
Kris begins casting another Fire Dart and Xannon again concentrates on the spell. He watches the matrix start to form and begins cutting the strings. As he cuts more, the first ones begin to reform as Kris begins countering the Spell Disruption. Xannon starts going faster but the faster he goes, the faster Kris counters. He quickly learns to cut the main supporting strings which cascade around the rest of the matrix taking several other strings with them. The main strings come back quicker but with the cascade effect, Xannon is able to successfully disrupt the spell with a few more well placed cuts.
“Excellent. You are a quick learner, aren't you? I highly recommend studying the spell matrices especially their weak points. You could even try disrupting your own spells to see the effects. Ready to try Spell Manipulation?”
“Ready as I'll ever be,” Xannon replies.
Kris once again casts a simple Fire Dart spell. As he casts it, Xannon begins adding and removing strings to create a different matrix. He is half way to converting the spell into a Flame Eruption when his changes begin to revert themselves back to the original design. He starts again, this time remembering Janus' subtle changes. He notices that the fixes Kris makes aren't exactly where they were originally. With repeated cuts to the same strings, they shift just enough to alter the spells properties. Xannon waits till the spell is just about finished then quickly adds the remaining strings, successfully changing the spell to a Flame Eruption.
The spell goes off and erupts right in Kris' face sending him stumbling backwards to avoid being burnt.
“Holy crap! Are you trying to kill me? I figured you would follow my example and convert it into a Firewall or something, not a spire of fiery death.”
“I felt keeping it an offensive spell would be less noticeable. Apparently it worked.”
Kris gets up and dusts himself off.
“You feel like trying Spell Stealing?”
“Might as well give it a shot.”
“Okay. Now remember, you want to wait till the spell is finished before trying to steal it. Skilled magic users who are aware of the possibility of having their spells stolen will sometimes purposely leave the matrix unfinished to prevent a successful steal until the last minute. Unskilled or unaware users will finish the matrix first and then commence to charge the spell, giving you plenty of time to steal it. I will demonstrate the second method to give you plenty of time. Also remember, normally you would build your own matrix and add in the magic from around or inside you. When spell stealing you have gather the magic energy directly from your opponent’s spell as fast as possible. It will be difficult due to the distance issues, but since I'm making this as easy as possible for you, you should be able to get it right.”
He casts another Fire Dart and Xannon mentally watches the spell. Once the matrix is complete, he begins to siphon the power the gradual loss of energy destabilizes the spell and it collapses.
“Faster. As you can see if you go too slow the spell dies in transit. Again!”
Xannon again watches the Fire Dart form. When the spell is complete, he summons the energy from the spell and the matrix is pulled across the space between them. Unable to grab all the energy the matrix stretches and breaks, sending the energy free.
“Make sure you get it all, leaving some behind will distort and destroy the spell matrix. Again!”
He watches the spell form once again and using all his will grabs the complete spell. It arrives in his control intact and undamaged. He quickly casts it back at Kris who dodges out of the way.
“Very good! You are now the second person I've seen to accomplish that task. But remember, if you cast your stolen spell in the Grand Melee, you will be disqualified. Have you ever tried to uncast a spell?” Kris asks.
Xannon shakes his head, “Never had a reason to.”
“It's not as easy as it sounds. Once the spell is in that state, its usually pretty stable. You can't just let it go. An uncontrolled spell could careen off into the crowd, or blow up in your face. You will have to use the skills from the previous tricks to unmake the spell in your possession while simultaneously drawing its power out of the spell. You can either release the energy back into the world, which is the easiest, or try and store it in yourself, which is faster. Also, depending on your situation, you could use that stored energy to quickly cast another spell if things go bad.
“Enough of that for today though. Let's go get a drink at the local bar. We might be able to meet some of the other combatants.”
Xannon turns to Sarah who had been patiently watching the proceedings from the sidelines. Amazed at the many different things you could do with magic.
“Did you want to go with us?” Xannon asks.
“No, thanks. Bars aren't my thing. I prefer the cafes. I'll see you tonight. Try not to get into any fights, you need to be in top shape for the tournament.”
“I'll do what I can.”
Xannon and Kris head off toward the city, while Sarah returns to the temple.



Having registered for the Midwinter Games, Xannon begins an intensive training regiment. Daily workouts, frequent duels with the other priests and even some simulation training in the Temple's magic room. He faces off against Kris who wields a pair of short swords. The rules of the Grand Melee allowed almost any weapon into the fight as long as the combatant could carry it. The purpose of this particular match was to prepare Xannon for dual wielding opponents. They begin slowly allowing Xannon time to analyze Kris' attacks and counter them. As the slow motion fight goes on the speed gradually picks up.
Sarah watches from the sidelines and cheers for Xannon. Gatomon, who had learned of Xannon's entrance into the games, relaxes next to Sarah.
“Why did you convince him to do this? From my point of view, the only thing he is gaining is more training time, but that could have been accomplished without entering the Grand Melee.”
“Because its important to have a goal to work towards. He could have just started training harder, but it would only be more of the same. Because he is training for the Grand Melee, he has a direction with his training. He knows he will have to defend against all different kinds of weapons very quickly. In our normal training, its always against the same people because that is who we fight. The forces of Kardis are all armed the same. Very rarely do we encounter anyone with a different fighting style.”
“Like the elf,” Gatomon adds.
“Exactly. He managed to hold his own against the elf even with a gushing wound. Imagine how he would do at full health.”
“Who all is going to be in the Grand Melee?”
“Champions from all over the world. Katta, dwarves, elves, humans, even a few Kitsune will make the trip from the other continent to participate.”
“Anyone famous?”
Sarah grabs the sheet of paper sitting beside her.
“General Emerson from the Southern Army, Priest Kalies from Gryphia, Go'dern Shadowmire, Silvia Luna, Adam Lightwalker, Mongo Darkslayer...”
“Mage Knights? This will be interesting since the rules forbid them from using magic. Who else?”
“Let's see. J'Kanto Flamedancer, Hugh Chiller, Captain Robert Cross of the Gaia City Self Defense Force, Priest Wagnard from the Temple of Kardis.”
“What?!” Gatomon bursts out. “How can they even think of letting someone like him into the arena?”
“You've heard of him?”
“He's only next in line to become High Priest. He's not the most honorable person either. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he broke the rules about using magic in the arena. Make sure Xannon is prepared in case that little weasel does use magic.”
“When I was looking over the rules, it stated that anyone that uses magic is disqualified.”
“Well, then we will have to find a way to defend against magic without using magic. Any other surprises we should know about? Did they let any orcs or trolls register?”
“Not that I can tell. I wouldn't think orcs or trolls even cared about these games. They are still such primitive races.”
“Perhaps, but you can never tell what's going to happen these days. If you'll excuse me, the wind is picking up and giving me a chill.”
Gatomon gets up and starts to head inside.
“I'll be cheering for you Xannon!”
Xannon hears her but keeps his focus on his training. Kris was fighting at the normal speed for a battle. Despite his greater fighting skill over Kris, Xannon was beginning to have difficulties against the dual swords. He was forced to move twice as fast to be able to block all the attacks which wore him out much sooner. Still he kept going, his muscles beginning to burn and scream under the stress.
He watches Kris' eyes, trying to decipher his next move when his expression begins to change. The attacks begin to come quicker and stronger. Xannon fails to block one of his attacks and is forced to dodge to avoid being stabbed. Kris presses his assault, forcing Xannon back a few steps. His expression has changed from casual to determined. Xannon's adrenaline begins to pump as the training turns serious. The boost gives him a second wind and he executes a series of maneuvers that puts Kris on the defensive. With Xannon now having the upper hand, he regains his lost steps and forces Kris back.
By now, a crowd had gathered. The quick, loud clanging of steel on steel drawing spectators from as far as the sound could carry. They begin cheering for the combatants and bets are made over who will win. Neither Xannon or Kris even take notice of the spectators. As long they weren't a threat, they didn't even exist to either of them.
They continue to fight, neither one gaining any respectable advantage over the other. As the battle drags on, they begin to show signs of fatigue. Unsteady blocks resulting in weak counterattacks. Weak counterattacks lead to deflected attacks, leaving them open to attack. However, because they were both wearing down, neither of them could take advantage of the openings. They lock swords for a moment, their stern faces inches from each other. They push off and back away.
Panting heavily, they face off, each one waiting for the other to make the final mistake. Xannon brings his weapon down and behind him. Kris immediately charges in, swords ready. In one final quick motion, Xannon brings his sword into an upward strike catching both swords, sending them flying out of Kris' hands. Kris dodges at the last second, but the tip of the sword catches his jaw on the left side and puts a long gash up the side of his face and across his eye. Kris stumbles back a step then collapses to the ground, his strength finally gone.
Cheers erupt from the crowd for Xannon and they both stop and look around, seeing the crowd for the first time. Xannon sheathes his sword and holds his hand out to Kris. He takes it and Xannon helps him back to his feet. More cheers greet them as turn to face the crowd.
“Is this what it's going to be like at the games?” Kris asks.
“Pretty much. Only more people.”
Sarah rushes over to them and begins healing Kris' cut. He takes her hand after she had stopped the bleeding and repaired the eye.
“Leave it. It will heal on its own now.”
“But it will leave a scar,” Sarah states trying to continue her healing.
“I know,” he says pulling her hand away from his face. “It's alright though. I don't mind. At least I can see again.”
Kris smiles, then turns to Xannon and bows.
“I put everything I had into fighting you today. No matter what I tried you were right there waiting. I don't think I ever told you this, but my hometown had their own version of the Midwinter Games. I was the best of the best. You, my friend, are the best of them all. I'd be surprised if you didn't win the Grand Melee, even against generals and Mage Knights. If you'll excuse me.”
Kris bows again then turns and heads off through the crowd, several of the spectators pat him on the back as he passes. Xannon watches him disappear in the crowd then looks back at Sarah as those around them settle their bets and return to what they were doing.
“You were amazing, Xannon! I couldn't believe how fast your attacks were. And that final strike seemed to be instantaneous. You'll definitely win the Grand Melee.”
“I hope so. But right now I just want to sit, that fight took everything out of me. I sure hope the Grand Melee doesn't take that long.”
Sarah walks him over to the sidelines and sits him down on one of the benches. She then begins a renewal spell to sooth his muscles. As the spell begins to work it's magic, Xannon relaxes and within moments, falls asleep.



Xannon sits outside the office of High Priestess Celeste. He and the others had only arrived back at the temple a few hours ago but he needed to talk to her as soon as possible.
The door opens and another student leaves the office. Celeste appears in the doorway and motions for Xannon to enter.
“What seems to be the trouble, Xannon?” Celeste asks after they had settled down in their chairs.
“Have you ever talked to an angel?”
“I have, yes. Why do you ask.”
“I had a dream while I was unconscious from my fight with Verana, the elf from the battle in Maerd. In that dream, I saw a angel figurine, and it spoke to me. It knew my name. Then Sarah tells me she had a dream that an angel came and carried me away. That combined with my unexplainable increases in power on the battlefield makes me think that I have a spirit of an archangel inside me. I assume that all the High Priests and Priestesses are the same way and are carrying the spirits of the archangels inside them. If this is all true am I destined to be the next High Priest of Bast?”
“Slow down there, Xannon. Let's start from the top. Are you sure your increases in power isn't just a stronger connection to Bast?”
“Yes. I thought about that but when looking back on it, I remember feeling her power flowing through the amulet then another, stronger power that seemed to come from inside me. But it didn't feel like me at all.”
“How many times has this happened to you so far?”
“Three I believe. Once when we took out the enemy encampment by the river. Once when we fought against their group of priests. And then again while I was fighting against the elf.”
Celeste looks into his eyes for a moment before continuing.
“You are right that the High Priestesses have the spirits of the Archangels inside themselves. When Rachana was killed fighting Bram, the Archangel inside her fled to the safety of Arcadia. Once a suitable host is found she will return and sleep inside that host waiting for the right moment to make herself known.
“You will also remember,” Celeste continues, “that there has never been a High Priest of Bast before. Only females have been called by Bast to serve there. Yehova calls the men to serve him. That's not to say what you believe isn't possible, it just means it would the first time anything like this has happened.”
“Is there a way for you to find out for sure?”
“There is. But you must promise me and Bast that what you see here will not be discussed outside this office. The mysteries of the Archangels are theirs to reveal in their own time and in their own way.”
“I promise.”
“Then stand up.”
Xannon stands and Celeste comes around the desk to stand in front of him. She places her hands on his cheeks and warmth begins to spread across his body.
“This will feel a little strange at first. My office has wards placed around it to keep prying eyes and ears from eavesdropping. Feel free to cry out if you must, but try not to struggle. The more you struggle the longer this will take.”
“I understand.”
“Let's begin.”
Celeste's face begins to glow white as a pair of wings begin to unfold behind her. Her eyes turn pure white as a second pair extends toward the ceiling. They both start floating above the ground as a third pair of wings appears and curve around Xannon.
The room flashes white and Xannon finds himself standing on a field of grass. The sky is bright blue without a cloud to be seen. Before him, standing in the grass, is the small white figurine.
“Who are you?” Xannon asks.
His question echoes across the open landscape, each time being spoken by a different voice.
“Are you an angel?” Again the question echoes across the land.
“She is sleeping,” Celeste's voice speaks, seeming to come from all directions at once. “Wake up little one. Tell us your name.”
The figurine looks up at Xannon. It's wings spread wide and it stretches.
“Sister? Is that you?” the figure asks.
“Can you tell us your name?” Celeste gently asks.
“I am Penelope. I was the first of the chosen of Bast. Who wakes me from my slumber?”
“I am Omphale, last of the chosen of Bast, watcher of mankind. It's good to see you again, sister.”
“It's good to see you too. It's been far too long since Rachana left to be with Bast. Why have you awakened me?”
“I was curious. This is the first time you have decided to sleep in the soul of man before.”
“The guardian of creation chooses the strongest among Bast's followers. This is simply the first time a man has filled that roll. But he is not ready for me yet. His soul is too weak. Soon through.”
“What about the times before?” Celeste/Omphale asks.
“This one likes to overestimate his abilities. He is indeed strong, and his faith in Bast equally as strong, but without my help during those times, he would have surely have fallen. Bast watches out for her own and by extension, I watch out for her own.”
“He questions whether he is destined to be a High Priest of Bast, the first High Priest of Bast.”
“His priestly rank with Bast is entirely determined by his devotion to Bast and his ability to follow orders, both from Bast and his superiors. Destiny is not gift. You will need to consult Seifer for his destiny, but I can tell you that if his devotion to Bast is as strong as his love for Sarah, he will be the next High Priest.”
“Thank you, Penelope. I will let you rest now.”
“Farewell, Sister. May we meet again soon.”
The figure folds its wings back against its body and bows its head in prayer.
“Are your questions answered, Xannon?” Celeste asks.
“Yes, thank you. This has given me a lot to think about.”
The world around Xannon goes dark and he finds himself back in Celeste's office. Her wings are gone and her eyes are normal. Her hands rest on his shoulders.
“You have great life ahead of you Xannon. I can tell you are destined for great things. But you need to learn the limits of your abilities. What Penelope has done for you so far should not be counted on in the future. When an Archangel makes themselves known it is very obvious. Be careful Xannon. May Bast watch over you.”
“And you as well, Celeste,” Xannon bows. “Thank you for all your help.”
“You are very welcome.”
Xannon smiles and exists the office.

Xannon wakes suddenly and the pain from his fight with Verana hits his senses. He winces and turns to see a priestess casting a healing spell on his arm.
“Where's Sarah?” he asks her.
“She's fine. A lot better than you in fact. She is resting comfortably in the next tent.”
“Are we back in the city?”
“Not yet. You were in too critical of a condition to move.”
Xannon looks around his tent and realizes it's actually one of the enemy tents.
“It's amazing you survived your fight with that elf. From what I've heard she was the reason we lost so many in their first attack.
“I've managed to stop the bleeding but it will be a few more minutes to fully heal the wound. It was very deep. I'm surprised it didn't take the whole arm.”
He sits up and rubs his head with his good hand.
“What about the others?”
“Gatomon managed to rescue your two friends. She is currently talking to one of the Priests of Yehova that showed up while you were out.”
“How long have I been out?”
“Only an hour. You had us worried when you collapsed. With all the blood, we thought you were dead for sure.”
“Has an angel ever talked to you?”
“Not that I'm aware of. Why do you ask?”
“No reason.”
Xannon looks out the open flap of the tent. Several soldiers pick their way through the camp checking the tents for supplies.
“All done. You still need to get cleaned up but at least your wounds are healed. Your arm may be a little stuff but it will work itself out.”
“Thanks,” Xannon says as he stands and rolls his shoulder around.
“It feels really good. You did a great job.”
“Thank you,” the priestess bows and exists the tent.
“You can find Sarah in the tent over there.”
Xannon leaves the tent and looks around the encampment Most of the enemy tents had already been checked and taken down. Only the tent being used for the wounded were still set up. Xannon picks out the one the priestess said Sarah was in and enters the tent.
Sarah lies sleeping on the bed while Alex sits in a nearby chair. He looks up as Xannon enters.
“I'll leave you two alone. She's just resting at the moment. You saved our lives, Xannon.”
Xannon watches Sarah sleep for a few moments before lightly kissing her on the forehead and sitting down. He rolls his shoulder around a few more times to loosen it up.
“Xannon?”
“I'm here, Sarah. Everything's going to be all right now.”
“I dreamt about you. I dreamed you were carried away by an angel. I didn't know where she was taking you but I felt scared and proud at the same time.”
Sarah sits up and looks at Xannon.
“Do you think it has something to do with your recent increase in power? Perhaps what you thought is actually true.”
“Perhaps, but, like I said, I want to talk to Celeste before I go any further,”
“Sorry to disturb you,” Alex says, walking back into the tent, “With the Priests of Yehova and our sneak attack, the forces of Kardis have abandoned their siege of the city. Maerd is saved!”
Sarah hugs Xannon with excitement, “Thank you again for insisting I come along, Xannon. It means a lot to me to be able to save my home.”
“You're welcome. Alex, has Gatomon said anything about us heading back to our temple?”
“Yes, we are heading out tomorrow morning. She wanted to give the watch one more night of our help and Sarah another night with her parents. She also said we are free to do what we want, but listen out in case she needs us. We will be meeting at the front of the temple tomorrow.”
Alex bows his head and exits the tent.
“What do you want to do now, Sarah? We have all afternoon and tonight to ourselves.”
“Right now I just want to go back home, make sure my parents are OK. We can discuss other things later.”
Xannon helps Sarah to her feet and they head through the remains of the enemy camp back toward Maerd.

Across the field Gatomon and Aaron have a similar issue where they can’t attack for having to defend themselves from the numerous attacks.
“This was not a good idea!” Aaron yells over the explosion from another fireball. “I don’t know how long I can hold out!”

“Sarah! I need you protect us both while I channel my spell!”
“I don’t know how long I can hold it, against this kind of barrage! I’ll do what I can.”
Xannon nods and drops his barrier while beginning to channel magic into his Fire Bomb spell. As he concentrates harder on the spell he begins to feel the flow of magic through him. The sounds of battle fade away, replaced by the rhythmic beat of his heart and his quick breathing.

Grey, Roger and Kris face off against the six guards. The guards slowly form a circle around the three priests.
“This will be interesting…” Roger states.
One of the soldiers starts to attack but finds himself quickly wrapped up in thorny vines. As they pierce his skin, he cries out in agony, his blood feeling like it was molten lava. Roger quickly jumps in and attacks one of the others but is deflected by his opponent’s sword. With flashes of sparks from the contact, the two battle it out while the third watches Kris for the right moment to attack.
Grey quickly casts Acid Blast at his first target, which splatters across his sword and shield. With a hissing sound, smoke begins to rise from the metal. Immediately the soldier drops his shield and within moments the shield is nothing more than a pile of smoking ash. The sword doesn’t fare much better, sizzling and melting in half. The other one rushes in and begins his assault. Grey does his best to defend against the attack but doesn’t know how long his strength will hold out. He was trained in magic, not physical combat.
Kris faces his two targets with his sword drawn and ready. He waits for one of them to make the first move. Seconds seem like hours until one of them brings his sword up to attack and immediately finds Kris’ sword thrust through the soldier’s chest.
“How did…” the solider doesn’t finish his sentence as he collapses on the ground, lifeless.
The other combatant uses the opportunity to strike, catching Kris’ shoulder as he struggles to remove the sword from the dead man’s metal chest plate. He finally gets the weapon free just in time to block the next attack.

Sarah struggles to maintain her protection spell while Xannon channels his Fire Bomb, seemingly in a trance. She says a quick prayer to Bast and her amulet’s eyes glow green.

Xannon concentrates on the flow of magic in the world around him, directing it through him and into his spell. He senses the fights going on around him and knows how outnumbered they are. He can feel Sarah’s prayer to Bast and the magic flowing from the amulet into her barrier. He says his own prayer to Bast asking for guidance and power. However, instead of gaining more power from his amulet, he feels something deep inside him come alive. Something that was alien, yet very familiar all at the same time. A gentle breeze caresses his face for a moment before becoming a raging wind from deep inside his soul. The wind turns to power which flows directly into his Fire Bomb spell. Shocked and amazed, Xannon casts the Fire Bomb into the middle of the surviving mages.

Gatomon and Aaron struggle to maintain their spells when they sense a giant power boost from across the field. For the briefest of moments, Gatomon senses, more than sees, brilliant white wings around Xannon. He fires his spell and the mages immediately cease their attacks and try to put up their own defenses. Gatomon feels the immense power of the spell and knows that none of the mages would survive it.

Gray, Kris and Roger battle their respective targets when a brilliant, blinding light erupts from the direction of the mages. A massive fireball envelops the field. They shield their eyes from the light and are blasted with a wave of heat. They each respond by casting a barrier around themselves. The soldiers cover their faces but the heat wave is too much and their skin begins to burn and peel off. Cries of agony echo through the explosion. Almost as quickly as it appeared the light and heat fade. The sudden darkness makes them wonder if they went blind, but slowly their eyes readjust and they can see the smoking remains of their targets. They head for the source of the explosion and find a massive crater where the mages used to be. They all stand shocked at the power of the attack and turn to Xannon who seems to be equally surprised.

Gatomon runs over to Xannon and Sarah who simply stare at the crater the Fire Bomb had left.
“How did you do that?!” Gatomon demands. “You should not be able to draw that much power, even with Bast’s help.”
“I…don’t know,” Xannon stammers. “The power didn’t come from me… at least not that I know of. But yet…”
“Next time, learn to control whatever that was! You nearly got us all killed! That was beyond overkill, and twice now that you’ve demonstrated power beyond your normal ability. When we get back to the temple, I want you to see the High Priestess. Perhaps she can help you figure out what is going on.”
She turns away and watches the other approach.
“Come, we need to return to the city quickly. The Town Watch must be told of what we have accomplished before the forces of Kardis find out.”
Gatomon heads off toward the city leaving the others behind. They each look at Xannon, both shocked and scared at the same time. The guys turn and follow Gatomon leaving Xannon and Sarah alone.
“What happen?” Sarah asks, gently.
“Something inside me… something…familiar…yet unknown.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“I think… No. Never mind, it’s not possible.”
“What is?”
Xannon pauses and looks over at her.
“Nothing. I want to talk to the High Priestess before I make any assumptions. Come on, let’s go before we lose track of Gatomon.”
Xannon turns and heads off after Gatomon. As he leaves, Sarah feels something different about him. She shakes her head to clear it then runs to join up with him.



The trip through the night back to Maerd was eerily quite. No one wanted to broach the subject of their last fight, mostly because no one, not even Xannon, had an explanation for it yet.
Sarah looks over to Xannon who stares ahead but appears lost in thought, all but oblivious to the world. She reaches out and touches his hand. Instinctively, Xannon grasps her hand tight, the feelings of fear and worry flowing into Sarah. In the back of her mind she can sense something different about Xannon. This was not like him at all. He was supposed to be strong, confident, brash even. Whatever happened had scared him.
Sarah looks back up and sees that they have finally arrived back at the town watch command post. Gatomon strides up to Commander Mala while the rest hang back. Xannon walks over to one of the collapsed buildings where he leans against one of the remaining walls before sliding to the ground. Sarah follows him and sits down next to him.
“What happen back there?” Sarah asks in a whisper.
Xannon looks at the ground for a moment.
“I’ve been going over it in my head since it happened. Right now, all I know is that I asked for help from Bast, but somehow managed to do it myself.”
Xannon looks up to the still dark sky as he searches for the words to use.
“Imagine you were in your room, where you knew where everything was, knew what everything was. Everything that was there had always been there and nothing had ever changed. Now imagine that somewhere in that room something moved of its own will. You didn’t make it happen. It did it by itself. It was alive somehow, and it had been there the entire time, watching, waiting.”
Sarah gets chills and rubs her arms to try and warm back up. She tries to imagine what that something could be.
“I can see why you’re so scared. But I’m sure that the High Priestess knows what’s going on.”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” Xannon looks back down at Gatomon talking with Mala. “Wait a minute…”
“What is it?”
“Something I read back in school…about angels…”
“You mean the ones that watch over us, Guardian Angels?”
Xannon leans forward searching his memory for the one piece of information that might hold the answer.
“That’s it! The High Priestess! She’s one too!”
“One what?” Sarah asks.
“An Archangel. From what I remember, select people are born with the spirit of one of the first archangels sealed inside them. Only ever one at a time, meaning the existing archangel has to die before another can be born.”
“If that was true, and the High Priestess was an Archangel, then the other High Priests and Priestess would be one too. And from what I remember Bast only has four Archangels.”
“Right, and how many High Priests or Priestesses do we have currently?”
“High Priestess Celeste, High Priestess Rima, High Priestess Cybele and… Hmm…guess only three.”
“Exactly my point, High Priestess Rachana was killed a few years before I was born fighting against High Priest Bram of the forces of Kardis. Since then we have only had three High Priestesses.”
“There is a problem with your logic though. There has never been a High Priest of Bast, only High Priestesses. Plus you and I both know that Gatomon is the favored of Celeste. If anyone is going to be the new High Priestess, it’s her. Perhaps it’s not an archangel inside you. Perhaps it was just Bast giving you a sudden boost of power.”
“Perhaps, but there was something different about it. It didn’t feel like Bast at all.”
“Xannon, Sarah,” Gatomon calls out to them from across the way. “Don’t just sit there, go help the others attend to the wounded.”
“Yes ma’am,” Xannon says as he stands up.
He turns back to Sarah and helps her to her feet.
“I’ll think on this some more and let you know if I have any other ideas.”



After healing several of the wounded soldiers, Xannon and Sarah were beginning to show signs of strain. With no real rest since they left the night before, everyone, including Gatomon, were tired and in need of sleep.
Gatomon walks up with Commander Mala and calls everyone over.
“Word has reached the main group of our attack last night. Initial reports show no immediate plan for retaliation, but we can’t let our guard down. The Temple has been checked out by the engineers and reinforced, but the majority of the living quarters have been destroyed. Only six rooms are deemed livable and they are being reserved for this temple’s priestesses.
“Sarah, do you think your parents will let us stay in their house for the remainder of our operation here?”
“I’m sure they would,” Sarah replies. “They will do whatever they can for the Temple of Bast.”
“Excellent. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to rest just yet. Their reluctance to take action against us has left Kardis’ forces vulnerable to a surprise attack. Commander Mala has more details.”
“Our spies have confirmed that without their major spell casters, the rest of the soldiers are about ready to turn and run. Only the threats of bodily harm from their commanders are keeping them here. If we can take out their commanders, we can end this siege.
“We’ve just learned that they are planning a strategy meeting in two hours near the back of their camp. We need to get a small strike team around their flanks and into position before then. Gatomon has volunteered you all for this mission. In order to increase our chances of success we are going to need two groups, one for the left flank and one for the right. Once you have divided yourselves up meet me back at the command tent.”
Commander Mala salutes then turns and heads back to the tent. Xannon turns to Gatomon then to the others.
“Did you have a plan for dividing us up, Gatomon?”
“Yes, you are coming with me and Sarah. I need to keep an eye on your new power, make sure you don’t do something stupid again. The rest of you will be together. I will take the group around the right flank while you guys take the left. We have to move fast if we want to keep our cover of night at all. As long as we don’t run into any trouble, we should reach their meeting before sunrise.”
“This sounds very dangerous. What happens after we attack the camp?” Kris asks. “Everyone will know where we are, there will be no cover of darkness and there will be three thousand of them and only seven of us. Even if they do decide to retreat, they will kill us in the process.”
“He has a point Gatomon,” Aaron states. “Commander Waterdeep is sending us on a suicide mission.”
“Correction, Gatomon volunteered us for a suicide mission,” replies Grey.
“Quit complaining, all of you!” Gatomon snaps. “I volunteered us for this because I knew we could do it. Don’t forget that while we are working our way around their camp, Commander Waterdeep will be preparing for a full on assault.”
“Oh good, then it will be five hundred and seven against three thousand. I feel much better.”
“If you don’t like it, Kris, you are welcome to stay behind. But this kind of cowardice will not look good on my report to the High Priestess.”
Gatomon storms off back to the command tent. Xannon turns to the others.
“She has a point. She wouldn’t have signed us up if she didn’t think we could do it. And don’t forget that she’s going too. She has just as much at risk here as we do. Now let’s go.”
Xannon turns and follows Gatomon. Sarah quickly follows as well. Reluctantly, Grey, Aaron, Roger, and Kris head for the tent.

Forty-five minutes later, with the morning light already starting to fill the sky, Gatomon, Xannon and Sarah hide behind a small rise at the far back of the enemy camp.
“Do you think they got caught?” Sarah whispers to Gatomon.
“No, they probably encountered a patrol and had to hide out for a moment.”
“Look there,” Xannon interrupts, pointing toward the camp. “It’s an elf. I thought they all served Gaia.”
“Most do,” Gatomon says. “Only a few bloodlines serve the other gods. This is most likely one of the D’Lefin’s, the most famous family serving Kardis. I don’t think either of you have ever faced an elf, but whatever you do, do not underestimate them. They don’t cast spells like we do. They use magic as freely as we use our hands. That one there is most likely at least one hundred and twenty years old already and well versed in all manner of fighting.”
“I could take her,” Xannon states matter-of-factly.
“Let’s hope we don’t have to find out.”
“Someone’s coming!” Sarah whispers.
Gatomon and Xannon draw their daggers, ready to pounce on whoever comes around the rise.
Kris stumbles around the corner and collapses on the ground. A massive gash covers his back. Blood soaks his shirt and pants.
“They saw us!” he rasps out through uneven breaths. “Grey and Aaron escaped. They captured Roger. I swore I was going to die before I made it here.”
Sarah begins healing him as best she can.
“Not too much, Sarah.” Gatomon cautions. “We can’t draw their attention. Not yet.”
“If I don’t, he’ll die!”
“They’ll find us!”
“Too late!” Xannon warns. “The elf has detected the spell. She’s coming this way!”
A war horn sounds from across the field. The forces of Bast have begun their assault. The rest of the army grabs their weapons and head for the front. The commanders try to quickly rework their plans.
“Now!” Gatomon yells as she leaps over the rise, releasing two well aimed Freeze Darts.
The darts scream across the short distance to the tent striking two of the commanders in the head, killing them both. Xannon jumps out next and fires of a volley of Fire Darts at the tent and the elf. The commanders burst into flames and being trying to put out the fire but a quick shot from Gatomon ends their lives. The elf deflects the attacks and squares off against Gatomon and Xannon.
“Gatomon! Go find Roger! I’ll handle the elf.”
She nods and heads off in the direction Kris came from. Xannon sends another Fire Dart at the elf to keep her attention. She blocks the attack and laughs.
“Surely that’s not the best you can do, little man. I was hoping for at least a little challenge.”
“Well bring it on and let’s find out how challenging I am.”
Without warning the elf sends a blast of dark energy at Xannon. With quick reflexes he dodges out of the way and fires a Flare Arrow at the elf. Before the arrow reaches her however it veers off course before impacting the ground several yards away.
“You have no idea what you are up against. I am not just another mage for you to play with. I am Verana mia Sotanden D’Lefin, heir to the D’Lefin bloodline and your worst nightmare. No human who has fought me has lived.”
“Then prepare for some firsts. Flame Explosion!”
The ground underneath Verana bursts upward in a fiery pillar. From high in the air, Verana begins her counterattack sending dozens of black darts at Xannon. He quickly throws up a barrier and calculates her landing. He readies his spell and casts it as soon as her feet touch the ground. Thorny vines burst from the ground and wrap themselves around the elf’s legs. The poison tips fail to penetrate her thick boots.
Xannon draws his sword and charges the trapped Elf. She quickly draws a short thin bladed weapon and blocks his attack. She sends a burst of energy radiating outward, knocking Xannon backwards and turning the Hell Ivy to dust.

Sarah finishes healing Kris’ major wounds and helps him to his feet. He winces a little from the pain still in his back and looks over to Xannon.
“You have to help him! She’s the one that attacked us! She’ll kill him!”
“We have to get you out of here. He can hold her off for a little while longer.”
“No!” Kris says pushing away from Sarah. “If he fails it won’t matter how far we’ve gotten, she’ll find us!”
He stumbles a moment before regaining his balance.
“Save him!” He yells, pointing to Xannon.

Xannon is panting heavily from having to defend against her constant attacks. Her skill with the sword was amazing. No one he had met before matched her skill. He fails to block one of her attacks and it clips his shoulder putting a deep gash down to his elbow. He winces in pain and immediately beings a healing spell to at least stitch the wound closed. He senses another spell being cast on him and glances over to see Sarah casting a healing spell.
“No interference!” Verana screams, sending a blast of dark energy at Sarah.
Xannon tries to throw up a barrier around Sarah but only manages to block half the attack, the rest of the wave washes over Sarah. She screams in pain before collapsing to the ground.
“Stupid girl. Her skill was no match for—” Verana’s words are cut off by a powerful fireball from Xannon.
“I will cut you to pieces and burn you to ash!” Xannon yells as he bursts through the fireball’s explosion, his sword pointed at Verana’s throat. She dodges out of the way and comes back up to find Xannon’s blade slicing through the air at her. They begin a frenzied battle of metal and magic with neither one gaining a clear advantage. Soon the landscape is reduced to a charred wasteland from the effects of the spells. They lock swords and stare at each other across grinding steel. The righteous fury in Xannon’s eyes catches Verana off guard and he uses the opportunity to knock her weapon out of her hand. She sends several blasts of energy at Xannon while flipping backwards, away from Xannon. He deflects the attacks and prepares to charge when a horn is heard, then another. Word of their commanders’ death had reached the front and the forces of Kardis were in full retreat. Within moments, dozens of soldiers being racing across the field toward the south east. Xannon fixes his eyes on Verana through the growing dust cloud.
“This isn’t over Verana!” Xannon yells over the growing din of retreat. “I will find you!”
Verana retrieves her weapon and joins the retreat. Xannon watches her leave then turns and fights his way through the flood of soldiers to where Sarah lays on the ground, barely out of the path of the flood. He picks her up and looks to see Kris caught in the retreating mass. Xannon fights his way to Kris and escorts him over to a small tent. Once inside they rest and hope the soldiers avoid trampling them. Within moments the stampede fades to the sound of only a few soldiers then a mighty cheer from the remaining soldiers of the town watch.
Xannon exits the tent and surveys the enemy camp. Dozens of enemy soldiers lie face down in the dirt. Several of the town watch pick through the fallen men, hauling in the survivors for treatment and questioning. One of the soldiers of the watch sees Xannon standing there and calls out for a medic.
“Priest Xannon! Thank the Goddess you’re alive!”
The medic arrives and begins to treat Xannon’s wounds but he roughly brushes him off and points to the tent.
“Take care of them first.”
“But sir, your arm…”
“Them first!” Xannon demands.
The medic nods and heads into the tent.
“You really should get that arm looked at sir. I’m actually surprised it’s still attached.”
Xannon looks over at his arm, remembering that he never got a chance to finish his healing spell. Blood pours from the open wound, his arm and sword covered in his own blood.
“Really, I’m fine. I don’t feel a thing.”
Blackness begins to eat at the edge of his vision and his head starts to spin. Tiny lights begin flashing in front of his eyes before it all fades away to darkness. The last thing he hears before hitting the ground is a female voice calling out his name.

It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart
Without saying a word you can light up the dark
Try as I may I can never explain
What I hear when you don't say a thing

The smile on your face let's me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall
You say it best, when you say nothing at all

All day long I can hear people talking out loud
But when you hold me near You drown out the crowd
Try as they may, they can never define
What's been said between your heart and mine

The smile on your face let me know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall
You say it best, when you say nothing at all

Oh, the smile on your face let's I know that you need me
There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me
The touch of your hand says you'll catch me wherever I fall
You say it best, when you say nothing at all

You say it best, when you say nothing at all
You say it best, when you say nothing at all
(The smile on your face)
You say it best, when you say nothing at all
(The truth in your eyes)
(The touch of your hand)
You say it best, when you say nothing at all
(Let me know that you need me)
You say it best, when you say nothing at all (nothing at all)
You say it best, when you say nothing at all (nothing at all)
You say it best, when you say nothing at all (nothing at all)