Looking at him. His face bears hardened features for one so young. The mercenary band behind him are all scarred and battle hardened warriors. This will be bloody, but I’m in no mood today to deal with gorillas and apes. Death surrounds me of late. Yes today is a good day for it. I scan the crowd of Eisen, picking and prioritizing my targets. The sergeant first. Then the big one. Next will be one-eye. You threaten my companions, on this day, of all days. You want a fight? I will give you a fight. May Theus have mercy on your souls because I will not have mercy on your lives. I start to move forward when Reynaldo calls be back.

Hold he says. He will fight the youth one on one. Rage! I am consumed with my fury. Red! I see blood before me. My hand itches as I fight the urge to draw my blade and charge into battle. Death. Death surrounds me. It feeds my hatred. All the work to lose the hate. All the progress William has made with me. I feel it slipping. I stand on the edge of the abyss. Ready to jump. My sanity on the verge of breaking.

A cheer. The fight has started. I see, but do not see. My mind preoccupied with death. The red turns to black. A face appears. Young, lovely, female. Another face. A valiant friend. A third face. A demon. Legion himself unleashed.

I awake to a pounding in my ears. Oh my head. I think I drank entirely too much. When I open my eyes, I am blinding by light. Pain. The pounding continues. It is as if a smith has set up shop between my ears and is using my head for an anvil. The light slowly fades to clarity. I can see. Where am I? Oh yes. A Freiburg inn. Hello who is this? Olga. Ah lovely even in the morning. A pity I will be leaving her so soon. But to Heilgrund’s we must go. Silently sliding out of bed I dress. On the pillow next to Olga I leave a red rose wrapped in a silk handkerchief. Good by my sweet.

Downstairs I find most of my companions waiting for me, in various states of dress. Jenner looks like he slept upon the table on which he now sits. His head in his hands. Reynaldo, eyes bloodshot, looks even worse. Neither, however, compare to Pietro. Looking at the bandages, I hope he doesn’t remember I tried to play surgeon with that shoulder.

Ah Lia, lovely as ever. She never drinks to excess. Neither does Valliere. Montaigne fop. I see Laurent, as usual has our horses ready to go. Is everyone here? No, we seem to be missing Patrice. El Bruja Destino herself. Where in Theus has she gone off to. Did she never show up last night? No matter we will leave without her then.

Just as we are mounting our horses, a rider approaches. A messenger for Reynaldo. What’s this, Patrice sends word that she will meet us at Heilgrund’s. That’s strange. Reynaldo shrugs it off. He prefers not to question the fate witches actions. William however, seems distracted. Apprehension. Of all the looks I’ve seen in those wild eyes, apprehension is not one I’d ever imagined.

On the road we encountered many peasants and farmers. Mostly they avoided us. Small wonder when you took the sight of us in. A wild Highmarchman, a lovely lady from Inismore, a backwoods Avalonian, two Vodacce swordsmen a Montaigne fop and his manservant, and finally, a raging Castillian. Dashingly handsome of course. Some however were willing to talk. But those that did were of little help. We kept getting warnings about not being out after dark and not to take shelter in any of the burned out farmhouses that littered the countryside. "They" would not like it was our only response.

It was starting to get dark. The sun very nearly gone. Normally I like to watch sunsets, but for some reason this one seemed.....ominous and foreboding. My horse could sense my anxiety and he too was getting antsy.

After what seemed an eternity, we decided to stop for the night. Having no other options we took shelter in a small abandoned barn. Most of it had been destroyed by fire, but it was still some shelter from the biting chill. Pietro volunteered to ride ahead on the off chance their was better shelter. Until then the rest would await his return.

Huddling together for warmth it didn’t take long for people to start falling asleep. Lia, Laurent and Vallierre were the first. They had been up earliest, preparing for the journey. Next was Jenner. He actually seemed quite comfortable. Finally myself, Reynaldo and William, but I’m not sure of the order.

Screams. I awoke with a start. What was that. Listening closely I stood and moved to the doorway. Listening. Nothing. Just the wind. Eh, what’s this. A box and a note. It’s for Reynaldo. I have a bad feeling about this. I wake Reynaldo and William. No sense in disturbing the others. Looking around I notice Pierto is not back yet. Could it be? No, no, I’m just jumpy.

Reynaldo reads the letter, and then opens the box. He doesn’t say anything. He doesn’t have to. His eyes speak for his mouth. He just drops to his knees. Completely in shock. I look over. Horror! May Theus have mercy! I look at William. He too is shocked and speechless. When he finally meets my gaze, nothing has to be said.

Within moments were are riding hard down the road. Pietro, we must find him.

After what seems an eternity we stop for a moment. William thought he heard something. A screech. In human, followed by an horse bursting into our midst. It doesn’t stop. William, who was examining tracks if fighting to get his horse under control. Still mounted I turn and race after the animal. Followed shortly by William. After a short chase I can again see the animal and realize that it’s not riderless as I at first thought. I call my finding back to William. I hear curses in response.

Finally catching the horse. Madre de Dios! A headless body strapped to the horse. The poor beast itself is frothing and terrified to the point of dying of fright. Stopping the beast, I dismount to get a closer look. It’s Pietro. No mistake. I cross myself with the sign of the prophets. Thunk. I hear William scream. Thinking he’s been attacked I turn and draw my blade. Nothing. I look at me feet. Pietro’s head! With a bellowing scream William fires his pistols blindly into the night. He’s answered by an evil laughter.

Placing the head with the body, I remount. Come William we must return. He barely hears me. He is in a rage the likes of which I have never seen. I cross myself again and whisper a small prayer for his soul. Riding swiftly we are again stopped by a grisly sight. Off the side of the road, how we missed it the first time I cannot fathom, was a cross. An inverted cross of the prophets. Upon it was staked a woman’s body. Headless, but the dress was unmistakable. Patrice. I hand the reins of Pietro’s horse to William and go to retrieve the fate witch’s body.

When we return to the barn everybody is waiting. Poor Reynaldo. The look on his face is heart wrenching. We bury the bodies, by the time we finish, dawn is approaching. It breaks just as Laurent finishes his eulogy for our two lost companions. As he finishes I step forward to offer some words. They are not to comfort us for our loss, or to speak kindly of there souls. Instead the were meant to harden our resolve in that we are the righteous and Fellhand, Legionspawn that he is be damned. Our faith will be our armor and our will, our swords.

"For our fight is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." I remembered that from Ephesians 6:12.

The fight is over. The youth, Volker, has lost. Before I realized it I had missed the entire fight. My rage has gone. Replaced by depression and sorrow for our lost comrades, our friends, our family. May their souls rest in peace in the eternal heavens.