Maxwell’s mother is wounded from the fall and Ashera’s horse.

Mitch carefully gets her out of her bonds and calls for Ashera to get back. Ashera hands out potions and healing berries for the whole group and heals most of the wounds. Dagar questions the old woman about the bandits. She tells him that a man named Gil was behind this plot, to punish Maxwell and use her to get a necklace from the village’s stable master. Fearing more enemies they mount the horses. Then a wolf howls. Timor’s ears prick up. Looking at Ashera he snarls “Challenged” and runs off into the forest. Ashera turns her horse and follows Timor into the forest. Seeing Ashera run off every one turns their horse and follows Ashera.

The horses have trouble following Timor through the dense forest. Maxwell’s horse, now carrying two people, keeps getting stuck.

Then they arrive in a glade. Hackles raised, Timor faces off a pack of wolves. The alpha male howls again when he sees Ashera. Timor growls that this is the one that has challenged her. Ashera, remembering her dream, breaks off one of the teeth from the necklace Gru Fasot gave her and she transforms into a small wolf. The alpha attacks. Being a lot bigger than Ashera in wolf form he pummels her to the ground. The two attack each other with ferocity. Hair and blood stain the ground. Because he is bigger the alpha is slowly winning the fight. Seeing this Mitch and Dagar are preparing to step in. But with a growl that shakes the earth Timor stops them.

Getting beaten by the big alpha makes Ashera really pissed off. Hearing Timor growl she changes tactics. Instead of the direct attacks she uses her speed to keep out of his reach. With the change of tactics the alpha overreaches his attack, giving Ashera the perfect opportunity to end the fight. While he tries to pound on Ashera she nimbly steps aside and grabs him by the throat, biting as hard as she can. Feeling his pulse getting slower under her tongue she demands his complete surrender. But the proud wolf doesn’t want to give up and keeps struggling. Clamping down harder on his throat he finally surrenders. Timor howls in victory. The pack comes in to greet their new alpha. At that moment Maxwell enters the glade, but gets stopped immediately by Dagar to not to interfere. If they try to reach Ashera the pack acts very aggressively.

While the packs greets their new alpha, Ashera feels her ring getting warmer. The same feeling as with Timors bonding overcomes her and in that moment she can hear the pack communicate. She learns who is who in the pack and that the pack has a litter of four pups. She picks up their worry that the red birds form a danger for the pups. And that there are soldiers close. She can even smells their stench in the wind.

While Ashera is connecting with the pack Kat uses her ring to inform Mitch that a group of soldiers has arrived and with them the Grand Duke. Dagar needs to get back to the village immediately because the Grand Duke is asking for him.

Riding through the gate Captain Stompen, captain of the company that guards the Grand Duke, informs Dagar that he need to visit the Grand Duke as soon as possible. Dagar informs the captain of the coming danger.

Stompen is not really convinced and tells Dagar that his security reports tell him everything is fine. But Stompen is no fool and seeing the bloodied clothes of the group and Maxwell’s wounded mother, he doubles the patrols and the men at the gate. He asks Mitch to stable the horses and Mitch in return demands that the soldiers clear all the horse’s dumpings before the festival begins. After Mitch has found room for all the horses he goes home to find it empty. Getting some snacks and a glass of Kronor’s beer he sets up a table in front of his house and starts to study The Power of Black Powder.

Maxwell brings his mother home, where Holand takes care of her remaining wounds. Ashera returns homewards to clean up and stock up on extra potions.

Villagers are still busy for the preparations of the festival. While Mitch is setting up for an afternoon of studying, the villagers prepare by setting up tables for the festival.

When Dagar gets home he gets reprimanded by Cyra for leaving unannounced. Trying to explain the situation she shuts him up and while hugging him tells him she was worried. Being dead tired Dagar demands some privacy, but gets none when Baraskur visit the house to complain about the Grand Duke and his retinue. The Grand Duke’s cook is about to take over the kitchen, against the promise of the Royal Chamberlain that the villagers could still use the kitchen for the festival preparation.

Ashera joins Dagar when he goes to visit the inn. At the inn Dagar finds out how much of a pompous ass the Grand Duke is. Ashera makes his job al lot harder when the Grand Duke says something that angers Ashera. With all tact and dignity Dagar tries to keep all sides calm. Loudly complaining Ashera gets thrown out of the inn anyway. At that moment Maxwell is trying to enter the inn but gets stopped by two soldiers. When he is trying to pull rank, he gets reprimanded by Captain Stompen.

With a little bit of help from the Royal Chamberlain, the Grand Duke is willing to let his cook share the kitchen with the villagers. Problem solved, Dagar makes his exit. Opening the door a young man quickly steps out before Dagar. Maxwell and a still complaining Ashera stand in front of the inn. The young man, Prince Harrol the 4th, recognizes Maxwell. For years Maxwell and Harrol have been sparring partners. Dagar takes them all to Mitch where they drink some of the Kronor Beer. After some conversation, Harrol takes Maxwell back into the inn and an evening of drinking ensues.

While Kat who after a day of working in the kitchen goes to bed, Mitch, Dagar and Ashera return to the mountain. Mitch is worried that the thieves broke into the Kellijns Tomb. When he inserts the portal key they oversee a glade with very old trees and all kinds of unknown flowers. In the middle of the glade lies a stone slab with an inscription, but it is not visible what it says.

Ashera feels that they are being watched. Searching the glade she sees a pair of eyes blink out in the underbrush. Mitch finds it all a bit too dangerous and pulls out the portal key before anyone can step through.

Expecting the tomb but finding a glade they inspect the key. On top of the key they find six little markings. Mitch repositions the key and when he opens the portal they see the entrance of the tomb. Entering the tomb they find it undisturbed. Still expecting robbers they open the tomb door to find themselves on the graveyard of the city of Rosecourt. Dagar closes the door quickly when he sees that Mitch and Ashera ready themselves for combat when somebody approaches. Still feeling dead tired and expecting an attack Dagar urges the rest to get back to the village. Before they return they visit the Crowsnest to check on any enemy movement. Seeing none they return to the village and their beds.

 

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