In Hiding

Loud slams on the villa's front door echoed through the empty estate as Richter rushed to the door. "Yes, yes, hold on…I'm coming." He opened the door. "Who are--" With a flash of steel the figure at the door took Richter's clean head clean off. The old halfing body crumpled to the floor as his shocked expression rolled across the clean tile leaving a trail of blood. Two figures stepped over the halfing and into the main hall of the Sweetbrier Estate.

Rothox watched Vorthas and the Leader enter and shortly after a dozen Golden Brands marched into the estate. From under his cloak at the back of the room he fought back all his urges to not attack.

"Find them," The leader commanded.

The soldiers began to spread out through the estate, tearing it apart searching for Trixia and the Silver Sect. Searching for anything they could use as information of their whereabouts. Everyone else had left the night before, only Rothox remained. The night they had broken Trixia out they had only gone back to the estate to gather their supplies before slipping away over the wall and into the mountains. Richter had decided to stay back, this was his home and he wasn't going to leave it. Rothox's eyes fell on Richter's body, he had not deserved that fate, he was a good man; loyal. He would be avenged. A few soldiers were nearing his hiding place, he backed away into a side living area where he had opened a window. He slipped through and closed it from his side, as gently as he could to not make any noise.

There were more soldiers in the street but it was easy to move around them with the cloak. He had lent his grapples to others two get over the wall so he had to scale it the manual way. He climbed that same tree, the one he had used to meet the Infernos the first time. Now he was using it to flee from the leader. He scuttled to the top of the district wall and from there he turned back and watched for a few minutes as the Brand began to filter out of the estate. Vorthas was last to leave, he turned to the entrance, extended his hands and gouts of flame shot out of his palms igniting the home. He walked away as the fire crackled and spread throughout the structure. Another thing to add to the list of powerful abilities their enemies have. He pulled the cloak tight and lept off the side of the wall, he would have disappeared from sight if he wasn't already invisible.

Dark smoke filled the Cratertop sky. Trixia watched, from their hideout, what she could only assume was her family's home burning to the ground. The small plateau on the side of the western mountain offered them a view of the city and the growing smoke. Trixia felt the saltiness of a tear hit her lips, she licked it away and went to wipe the other droplets on her cheek with her sleeve. Erigos stopped her and handed her a handkerchief. She forced out a smile as she accepted it and wiped the tears.

"That was my home for years, and now…"

Erigos wanted to say something but he just placed a hand on his aunt's shoulder. She grasped it with her other hand and squeezed. "I am grateful for you, I would have died if not…"

"You are family, the only family I have left," he said. They stood there a moment watching the smoke drift higher.

"Rothox will be back soon, we should get ready to move on," Harim returned from scouting further ahead. "I found what appears to be a safe way down the mountain, from there we should be able to head straight for the ocean and get Trixia back to Viviar."

"Back to Viviar?" She asked.

"Yes, we are going to get you home."

"I am not leaving," she said with sudden ferocity. "I did not lose my family estate, rot in prison and nearly die just so that I can return home. I was a part of this from the beginning and I want to finish it. I want to see...that monster destroyed."

"Trixia—" Erigos said.

"No, don't. I know exactly how dangerous this will be…I need this."

"Where will we go?" Harim asked.

"A friend of mine lives in Myrona, we could go there," Trixia said.

"Can you trust them?" Harim asked.

"Do we have a choice…?" Erigos said.

She looked at them both. "I trust them, and we do have a choice but I feel this is our best option."

Before any of them said anything more they watched Julius fly back to their camp. He had explored another potential area down the mountain. They waited for him to land.

"That way is impassable by foot, Harim, did you find a route?" Julius crunched into the snow.

"Over there is safe and has a fair bit of cover too. The issue is getting to Trixia's friend," Harim said.

"I thought we..." He noticed a slight tension in the group. "Where is she at?" Julius changed his question.

"Myrona," Trixia said.

"Isn't that across Sa'vour and more specifically past Zarcum?" Erigos asked.

"It is but we can go south and follow the mountain range before cutting across the Emperor's Road," Harims said.

"I'm in." Rothox appeared from beneath his cloak startling the others.

"Damn it Rothox," Erigos swore as the demonblood startled him.

"My bad, I'm getting too used to this thing. I forget I even have it on." He turned to Trixia. "I'm so sorry…they came with a large force and the demon Vorthas ignited the building."

"There isn't anything you could have done. It's just stuff. Richter, did he get out?"

Rothox stared deeply into her eyes and shook his head. Trixia forced her tears down, took a deep breath to center herself.

"He was a great man, a best friend…I will miss him dearly." She looked out at the city again. A single tear trickled down her face. She used the cloth to clean it up.

They didn't stay long, just long enough for Trixia to begin to process her grave losses. Using the remaining hour of daylight they worked their way down the tricky mountainside, reaching the bottom just after sunset. It wasn't safe to camp so close to the city so they continued on following the range south.

With Zarcum a day behind them they made for the open plans between the capital and the town of Odelhall. Traversing the road turned out to be easier than they had thought, there wasn't a lot of travel to Zarcum these days with word getting out of the strict conditions. However, in the next month travel would pick up as people would begin the pilgrimage from around the continent to the Isle of Champions

Garrok saw the smoke rising from the Cratertop district. He had asked Ottothal if he could go down and face them but Ottothal insisted that he was needed at the palace, that they weren't worth his valuable time. The Champion should only focus on one thing, on winning the Trial, which was only a couple of months away. Reluctantly he could only watch from a distance, he knew his chance would come soon. He kept his vigil for a few minutes, at one point he swore he saw figures moving on the side of the mountain.

The smoke was fading as the fire had done its work consuming most of the structure. He put his back to it, left the balcony, and returned to his training. Since dawning the red armor he had seen his strength in combat grow exponentially. It felt as if the armor wanted to fight, to do battle. There was one occasion where he pressed Ottothal too far. He hadn't meant to but the armor had wanted it. Since then he had been training with Vorthas and the other demonblood both of who were incredible fighters. Garrok had thought Ottothal a strong opponent, he was nothing compared to the ferocity and strength of Vorthas. Not that Ottothal wasn't an experienced fighter but he was a better politician and master of tactics. The leader of the Infernos had techniques like no one else. His speed and ability to dual wield were unmatched. Garrok had never come across fighters like these two. With the three of them combined training him he was confident nothing could stop him.

Ottothal leaned back into his large black chair. He rubbed his fingertip and thumb together as he thought. The criminals had escaped, yet again. He was being to lose his patience, with the Trial so close. Fortunately for him, he knew where they were headed and would make sure Vorthas would be there first. It paid to be the future Emperor, many people would do anything to appease him. The light tapping of something hitting the floor outside his room drew him from his thoughts and a man entered his chamber.

"Lord Cragxan, welcome."