Atronos seal ◑.◑

"Maybe it's a threat?" Fabio burst out, before realizing that nobody asked him of his opinion.

"Or a message directed to other Astronos followers is attached, "the tiny one said softly.

"Do you mean to you gnomes, Master Arcimboldo? "poisoned Raimondo.

"Ours hold the commandments of the

Archers in honor."

"Raimondo!" The harsh rebuke silenced the young man instantly. Then the baron continued: "Isn't it possible that the skull is just one Relic of old times, with which someone has allowed a bad joke?

"Does not look like it's very old," Raimondo muttered, holding his head up. "Look carefully, into the eye sockets, there is something glittering. The stuff shines metallic like ... like iron ore. Signore Ludovico, maybe you should take a closer look."

He handed the chain mesh and skull to Ludovico.

He shuddered slightly, when he accepted it.

At the same moment, the skull's eye sockets glowed red.

The old paladin gasped. His eyelids flutter, the red light drew his shadow in sharp contours on the wall, and his face glowed as if it were right next to a log fire. The baron, Raimondo, and Master Arcimboldo cried out in alarm.

Fabio grabbed his sword and sprang over the table to his master and with weapon tip he pushed the chain mesh from his hands. Metal clattered and the skull crashed against the wall and shattered on impact. The red glow

went out.

Ludovico stumbled back and hadn't Fabio

jumped up immediately and supported him, he would be on the ground. The baron and his nephew also hurried to him.

"Everything alright, sir? "

The knight of Order groaned, blinked, and looked around in confusion.

"Signore, are you alright? "The baron repeated anxiously.

"Yes, I miss nothing." Ludovico glared over at the ruins of the skull. "The Treasurer of our Order and the Star Mystics could have safely elicit valuable information from this skill.

This possibility is now irretrievably lost. «

"Be glad he's destroyed!" Raimondo, which had lost its composure for the first time, told him. Fabio shuddered. He never experienced the power of Astronos so near.

Master Arcimboldo, on the other hand, scrutinized.

The scholar looked at the remains of the gruesome object. Then he turned to Ludovico: "You are a paladin and so a guardian of Order. Maybe the presence of one his most bitter opponent challenged Astronos. Fact is: You are the one among those present to whom the skull has responded. Thank your squire. I believe you just had great luck. Whoever left this instrument in the village now knows that your here you are."

"He is welcome to know that "Ludovico cursed and freed himself from Fabio's supporting arm. "And tomorrow, Master Arcimboldo, we'll both entertain ourselves. gnome legends back or forth: For my taste, you know you these things a bit too good."

Raimondo nodded in agreement.

"Please, please," the baron said. "We do not want to break ourself in times of such danger. That would be the most stupid thing, we could do! I am for my part

Glad that Master Arcimboldo has shared his knowledge with us. I take his warnings very seriously. Early as tomorrow morning I will send two messengers to my neighbors, the

Marchese da Pistoia and the Nobile di Lenzi to

to warn her. All the more urgent will be my previous help request to you, Signore. "

The paladin looked at the baron silently.

"Can I count on you in this matter?"

"Of course. If you allow, I'll be the same.

After sunrise, I will put together a patrol of your best men."

He threw Fabio a thoughtful look and then turned to Raimondo. "And I hope that I may count on you? "

"Skull or not. You do not think that I do

sit out the pleasure of killing a few goblins" Raimondo scoffed, turning an empty bowl around and putting it over two wine grapes lying on the table.

"Let's catch these goblins! Let's show them, how we proceed with the henchmen of the Astronos!