The Strength

As the sun started to sink, Garreth De’Zairo and his cousin Lukius De’Zairo rode up to a cluster of standing stones that were covered in ivy. Garreth removed his helmet and ran a hand through his sweaty sliver-white hair. There is no way this is the place, he thought to himself. He dismounted, landing on the ground with a loud thud and the clanking of armour. The feel of his hair standing on end caused a shiver down Garreth’s back. He reached up, working his fingers around his bronze ribbed horns, and flattening his hair back to normal.

Behind them, a dozen armoured men fell into position awaiting their orders. There had been reports of locals disappearing from the area, and the cousins had been sent to investigate. Beyond the cluster of stones, a massive dark stain spread across the landscape. There along the border of the Center and Southern Provinces was the Dead Forest.

The trees were clustered close together and stretched along the border farther than the eye could see. The trees looked as though a fire had consumed them, leaving them darkened but still standing. Somewhere out of sight, the trees returned to their healthy state, and beyond that were the Southern Deserts.

There was no discernable shape or reason to the rocks.

“There is nothing here,” Garreth grumbled as he turned in a circle. “The stones aren’t even really standing. They appear to be haphazardly placed.” Garreth stepped forward before couching down to check for tracks. “Cambions don’t just up and disappear. Men! Fan out, search for clues.”

“Sir!” the chorus of men replied, and the sound of shifting metal quickly followed. Men spread out in all directions, leaving two with the horses.

Garreth stepped toward the circle of stones. Upon closer inspection, they were dark grey in colour behind the green of the ivy as Garreth ran his hand along the rough surface of the rocks. There were old rusted hinges with rotten wood chunks still attached. Stepping through the entryway, Garreth could see similar rotted wood beams overhead. It had been a house at some point. To one side was a fire pit with an iron rod across, which once would have held a cauldron for cooking.

While the men he'd brought scattered across the field, Garreth continued to search through a space in the stones. The ground was hard packed there, and very little grass grew. Garreth heard Lukius step up behind him.

“No, it doesn’t seem there’s any—Garreth, look out!” Lukius cried, rushing forward.

Behind Garreth, sparks of purple electricity arched across the air. Garreth stepped away from the light just in time for the power to spread outward, purple smoke forming into an oval. The smoke swirled in a clockwise rotation, a dark spot in the very center. A moment later, the smoke cleared, leaving a distorted grey shape before him. The purple smoke danced around the edges as if the smoke itself was holding it in place.

“What sorcery is this?!” Bewildered, Garreth took a step back.

From within the grey mass, a young woman popped out. Bright green eyes looked up at Garreth, and a mischievous grin spread across her pixie-like face. Blonde hair curled in soft ringlets around her cheeks. Without a word, her hand reached out with long slender fingers and black-painted nails, wrapped around Garreth's belt buckle, and pulled.