Earthpne - Kar Vilge, Eurasiaor. 377 AW

  The soft crag of burning wood broke the silen the , two figures sat huddled together on an old sofa by the firepce. A red maned man and a golden haired woman, the two embraced in silence.

  "Valdis, I..."

  The woman began, reag for the other's cheek.

  "Hush now Nora, I know. I know."

  He held her hand firmly in his and o her. The two remaiill for what seemed like hours, with only the sounds of fme to fill the silence. Valdis relutly stood up and began tending to the fme, Nora could only wat silence for a few moments befaining a sembnce of ce.

  "You were supposed to win, I was ready to.... but you hesitated and..."

  The words spoken in a pleading manner, as if desperately attempting to justify herself. She stopped upon gazing at his back, at the hole in his clothing which her st attack had left. Her eyes shifted away to look at something else, anything else. Her mind was clouded with shame and deep regret.

  "It's my fault, not yours. I could n myself to strike you down. Don't worry its okay, it's perfectly fine."

  Nora could almost hear the smile f in Valdis's face as he spoke, a sense of warmth building within her chest. He tinued.

  "You and I have shared near everything ever since we met four years ago. You knew what my goal was with this Cycle. You knew everything about me."

  The sense of warmth began to ebb away and Nora made to stand but found she could not. Looking down she realized why, she had been pierced through by a bde. Only after realizing this did she begin to feel cold seeping through her fingers and toes.

  "Val-"

  He shook his head.

  "Hush now Nora, it's ok."

  He turo see her, the st thing she saw being his tear stri face as he approached her.

  "I will take care of everything."

  Champion Nora died moments ter. Her st thoughts fixed upoual betrayal that led to this.

  "Ah, it is dohen?"

  A soft voice broke the silend with its arrival came an unnatural cold. The fmes seemed to lose their radianot just the fmes; everything dimmed.

  "I have to say Valdis, I didn't think you had it in you to do this."

  A lighthearted chuckle echoed in the . As it did a figure faded ience, as if there all along. A tender aged teenager with pale gold hair and pierg blue feline eyes that seemed to glow as fmes. He smiled at Valdis as it motioo Nora's body.

  "You loved her, I tell. It's the st really, it reeks of... regret."

  His tone was almost mog, though Valdis did not take the bait. He merely shook his head.

  "I regret it came to this. Not the a itself. Take it, a champion's soul and flesh"

  The young man wagged his finger.

  "Tut tut Valdis, you know how these things work. Formalities must be observed my boy."

  Valdis incredulously looked at the young man. He received a wider smile iurn.

  "Fine, have it your way."

  Retrieving the bde from Nora's body, he did his best to avoid her empty gaze. He then made his way back to the young man until he was within arm's reabsp;

  "With this bde stained in the blood of my beloved, I Valdis Ahman offer unto you the soul and flesh of her."

  Extending his free hand towards the young man, he tinued.

  "Let this blood freely spilled act as the ink."

  He sliced the palm of his hand, a fresh wave of pain hitting him as he did so though he did not outwardly react to it.

  "and my as as the pen from which our tract discussed takes form and hold."

  The young man took a deep breath as if drinking in the enormity of it all.

  "Very well Valdis Ahman. Your terms and payment I accept."

  In a single fluid motion the young man's right hand reached through Valdis's chest. this act caused Valdis's to grunt in pain. Sickly glowing green lines emerging from the area of tad squirming throughout Valdis's body as if alive. Then just as fluidly as it begun, the act was done and Valdis was on his knees gasping for air, his body sweating profusely.

  "Don't gretting this my boy, I don't do refunds."

  The figure chuckled as it faded away in the same ma had faded in. Nora's body and blood faded alongside him. Color and warmth returned in the absence of the young man, Valdis still on his knees breathing heavily for a few moments more befetting ba his feet.

  "I thought I told you. I do nret doing this. Only that it had to e to it."

  He began to make for the exit, sparing a few moments to stare at the space whiora's body had id. He instinctively wished for this pce to , and he felt power rise from within him. He exited the donning a cloak for the blizzard outside, while his strides left behind emerald fmes whied the in their wake.

  "The time fret has long since passed."

  Later reports from various gover agencies indicate that the entire vilge passed away during this night. No clear cause behind their passing could be identified. By all ats the people just ceased living at the same time.