Knights of Anathaeum Delta Dog Days

[Dejan Damir]

"Hmm." A grunt followed as Dejan's boot sunk deeper into the marsh. He was no stranger to the delta but it never failed to surprise him. The landscape proved so different from the dense, often blighted forests to which he was familiar. There were certain similarities to the Vale however. Paths that were once clear were now obscured. Instead of overgrowth, lands had been scythed through by running water. Routes once available to wagons were now a thing of the past. Merchants no doubt saw this as an obstruction; Dejan simply saw this as nature's course.

It was truly unfortunate that foul deeds had brought him to his otherwise fertile locale. Reports of dark magik had come to the Monastery. Rogue mages either captured or killed, their connections spanned the continent. Yet, two transgressors had shown traces of visiting the delta. One may have been coincidence, but two made for a pattern. At least when matters of evil magic was concerned.

One mage had died not far from here, another confessed to having a hovel deeper within.

"I sense nothing untoward," Dejan said as his armored boot came free of the muck. He was not alone on this particular endeavor, and was thankful for it. Their mission was simply to assess if there was any substance to claims made by the fallen mages. Dejan was not eager to find himself amidst a flock of insane cultists yet again. "You may not need the reminder Syr Lysanthir, but the Delta is dangerous. It has a way of obfuscating magiks. Be on your guard."

Lysanthir of Arapat

 

[Lysanthir of Arapat]

"-Be on your guard."

"Not-"

Smack! Resounds as Lysanthir is forced to squash another bug biting at the side of his neck, to his disappointment. Guard indeed. He'd be carried off before they found anything of import, let alone the Magick at play here.

"Not wholly unlike the Falwood, Syr? It had its ways."

Lysanthir follows along in Syr Dejan's muddy footprints, the sludgy brown splashing up his leather boots and gaiters. His hooves weren't made to tread marsh and swampland, and it was one of the only times he'd ever cursed his own body for being the way it was.

Plants shift and trees bow under the breeze rolling around above them. Enough to stir the land, but hardly enough to suit a weary traveller. Lysanthir half expected the sight of prey and predator in equal measure.

Dark magicks. It seemed the biggest predator in their midst lately. The thing that harnessed blight against them. Now mages were running towards the monastery.

Or away from something else.

"Do you expect any fruit from this investigation?" Lysanthir murmured, looking around at the growth intently.

---

Dejan Damir

 

[Dejan Damir]

"Quite right. Though I've only witnessed the strong roots of Falwood thrice." A pang of regret echoed in his words. The land of the Elves was not easily entered, let alone on multiple occasions. There was a begrudging respect for the Order's cause but the distance was great. Memory of what had been done before Dejan was even conceived remained heavy in their minds. The older knight had never made a point to push the matter lest he suffer multiple arrows. Each had their own problems.

He made to push forward and then caught the sworn's comment. Part of him was ready to immediately rebuke the other knight. Yet Dejan remained silent. There was much confusion within the Order these days. Syr Lysanthir had not been among the Anathaeum for long but knew caution was their nature.

"I expect nothing, and everything," Dejan said after a moment. "I hope this is nothing more than a pair of rogue mages who sought refuge." Dejan could not ignore what had spoken at the council. He had seen the power of the Everwatcher, no-just one of its servants. There was nothing wrong with being cautious. "I did not hear your voice at Council? What make you of all that has transpired?" There was still much ground to cover and the old knight wished to give his compatriot a forum.

Lysanthir of Arapat

 

[Lysanthir of Arapat]

Lysanthir smiles wistfully at Dejan's words, humming in acknowledgement.

I'd like to visit home again some day, when the time is right.

Lysanthir moves aside a low-hanging vine before it catches his horn, and sighs deeply.

"I didn't hear much I wished to respond to at the Council. Not without unwarranted opinion on why half of the ideas offered were ridiculous."

He leans to look at a little patch of moss on the way by, innocent and smelling of loam. Some creature, perhaps a bird, calls loudly in the distance, something between a melody and a scream.

"I preferred the brigands and other human denizens. But what will come will come, and we'll handle it together."

Lysanthir inhales slowly, bites back on half of his desire to complain, tries only to voice his concern.

"The investigation Syr Solon recounted has been worrying at me. To be kept up at night by the thought of something other than my own fussy soul isn't pleasing. I usually relish the new or undiscovered, but..."

He waves away another insistent insect. Exhales. Blows away some thread of worry to be swallowed up by the swamp. Hopes he doesn't get swallowed up too.

"What do you think of it all, now?"

---

Dejan Damir

 

[Dejan Damir]

"Well, I won't argue that," the old knight responded with a grunt. The council was not easy, words spoken, many incendiary. Dejan gave his accounting and little else. He questioned the historical context of this near unassailable foe but that was all. There was those among his peers who had been keen to say more and did so with much verve. Cooler heads had eventually prevailed and turned the Knight's focus towards the true enemy. Dejan still could not fathom the form of their foe but he remained vigilant.

Dejan paused his truck through the muck and turned towards his fellow knight. "You are your own person, do not doubt that." His words were stern but they held genuine concern. The pursuant with all his skills still shared the same anxiety. "But your hesitancy is not unfounded."

He looked out towards the expanse of the delta, revelations of Syr Raye and the Council were still heavy on his mind. "I think we have a fight ahead of us. Plain and simple."

The nature of that battle was still beyond Dejan's comprehension. "Focus on the path, what we find here will aid us in the war to come."

Lysanthir of Arapat