Justice, at long last, justice.

[Rahegalhoff]

Justice, what is it? Is it an eye for an eye? Is it letting go and doing nothing? Is it justice, to merely talk of justice, and do nothing to enact it? For a broken man, bereft of all but the items in his immediate possession, justice was a thing unobtainable.

Such a man was Rahegalhoff Mesquchoku. Justice was the one thing he wanted more than anything else in all the world, and it was also the one thing he could not find. Rahegalhoff was wronged, a fact that ran through his mind several times, as scenes from the past replayed themselves over and over again in his mind.

He had brown hair that day, not the white that now adorned his head. It seemed as though it were a lifetime ago, when he would spend his time working his fields, and raising his son, Corin. He never had an unkind word for strangers, nor did he ever turn any away. Except once, that day the black knight came seeking shelter for him and his men.

The grim pallor of death hung about them, as though they were favored servants of a dark god. Their leader had a look in his eye, there for only a second, that spoke of sinister plots waiting to be hatched in the night. That day Rahegalhoff felt the touch of a truly evil presence for the first time, and bid its source to be on its way.

No was not an answer they wanted, nor something they were going to accept. No one told them no, so this farmer and his family had to pay. Rahegalhoff was no coward, he had to protect his family. With nothing more than his pitchfork, Rahegalhoff tried to face them down. None of them liked a hero, not the knight, not his cohorts. To teach the would be a hero, four of them faced down Rahegalhoff, and disarmed him. Forcing him to watch, the knight dismounted his chestnut stallion, and raped Iola, Rahegalhoff's wife, then after finishing with her, repeated himself on Rahegalhoff's son.

Rahegalhoff continued to try and fight, to save his family, no one else would! Since the would be hero didn't learn his lesson the first time, the knight decided this hero would pay the price for his courage. Thus it was that Rahegalhoff's spirit was first broken when before his very eyes, his farm, his home was torched, and his wife and son were burned alive inside his house.

The sound of laughter filled Rahegalhoff's ears as he held a dagger found on the roadside to his chest. Perhaps he should just end his life. Nothing after that day quite worked out.

Rahegalhoff awoke days after his life was destroyed to find a kindly old monk looking down at him. A man named Brother Albert, the monk wanted Rahegalhoff to find his justice, and so to insure he could, taught him basic fighting skills, and then cast a spell on him to preserve his physical might.

Yet to what end did that do any good? Searching for justice, Rahegalhoff found monks who could travel to the Anti-firmament, and thus allowed Rahegalhoff to journey there himself. He found an otherworldly carnival made of lost souls. Whether it was a trick, or the truth, there he found a maze of magic mirrors all telling him he was the guilty one, he was responsible for his own family's murder.

Not satisfied with the lies of the dead, Rahegalhoff fell in with a Dark God, who promised him justice, but first wanted him to journey deep into a place filled with great horrors. That was what colored his hair white and eyes gray, for that place was The Abyss, a place no sane man ever dares ventures. Deep within the abyss, he found a good spirit that sought to save those on the verge of being lost to the demonic temptations in the abyss. Those very temptations told Rahegalhoff the truth, that fulfilling his own desires will only lead to unhappiness and sorrow.

The sun peaked over the horizon. It was set to be a cloudless beautiful day, but it may as well have been the last day of Althanas for all Rahegalhoff cared. Another night was gone, proof that he was too cowardly to even save himself from his own pain.

“Am I a joke?” he called out to the sky.

“Is my life so meaningless to you gods that you won't even help one insignificant mortal seek some well deserved justice?” he asked of the environment around him, a small, empty, meaningless clearing in Concordia forest.

Silence answered him, and so answered, he donned his leather armor, readied his longsword and shield, then set off for another aimless day of wondering. Wind whipped up around him, and caused Rahegalhoff to pause, look around, and shake his head.

“I must be going crazy.” he said to himself.

He thought he heard a voice in that wind, a small voice that whispered one small question in his ear.

“Are you ready for justice?”

[Rahegalhoff]

Rahegalhoff walked through the trees and stopped short, in the distance he saw a man, apparently made of light, standing there waiting for him. His hair, his eyes, his clothes all appeared to be golden, like a sunrise. His eyes were a mix of blue, orange, and purple. The man had to be waiting for him, there was no game about, and no other people around.

“Are you an illusion, or have I gone mad?” Rahegalhoff asked.

“I am a riddle, and I may yet drive you mad.” the man replied.

“Well, thanks, but I'm not looking for riddles, so I'll just continue on my way. Have a nice day.” Rahegalhoff said.

“Wait, Rahegalhoff. Let me ask you one question. Are you ready for justice?” the man asked.

Rahegalhoff felt cold. He had never introduced himself, nor spoken with this man before this day, so how did he know his name, how did he know what to ask? Rahegalhoff started to speak, but as he opened his mouth to do so, the man disappeared.

“Oh that's fair, disappear right after you get my attention.” Rahegalhoff said.

“I told you once before already, I am a riddle. I am a servant of higher powers. You have been seeking justice, but know that it has been withheld from you for a purpose. Now that you have some experience, what have you to say on justice?” the man's voice asked, echoing from every tree in the forest around Rahegalhoff.

“What have I to say? You tell me I have been wronged once, and then wronged again by delaying justice, and you want to know what I have to say? I have to say that justice is something for other people. I've learned that if someone wrongs you, you're just supposed to do nothing about it. After all, common folk can't do anything without proof. Mages want money, and gods apparently are too far removed from mortal affairs to much care about anything that happens to us. As you have just proven, we're just jokes to them, things to laugh about in places where we can't influence them.” Rahegalhoff said.

“Disappointing, isn't it?” the gold man asked from right behind Rahegalhoff.

Rahegalhoff turned fast, bringing strong right hook to the man's face. To Rahegalhoff's surprise, his fist didn't connect with anything, the man suddenly disappeared.

“What if I told you that you were wrong, that there was a reason all this happened as it did?” the man asked, from right behind Rahegalhoff again.

Obviously he was dealing with a wizard. How else could he know what he did? Rahegalhoff turned around slowly, and getting a better look in the man's eyes, there were no whites, no pupils, just shifting clouds of blue orange and purple.

“Alright, wizard. Obviously you have a plan. How else could you know what to approach me with, or my name? You've got a minute before I walk off and pretend this was just a dream.” Rahegalhoff said.

“I said I was a riddle, not a wizard. Did it ever occur to you that there are powers beyond magic? I doubt it. If you must know, I am in fact, an archangel. I am light based, just as you are carbon based, though I am sure you don't know what that means. I am a servant of The Glorious Light, who has told me about you. You Rahegalhoff, are at a crossroads in your life. You've rejected the path of darkness. Now what? You may go down many paths, some even eventually lead to happiness. All things must have a goal, a purpose in life. That is Karmic Law. It cannot be argued with, or altered. That which has no purpose, dies. Now you must set your own purpose, putting you in a position of great power.

There is no justice in the world, you said so yourself. The chance has come to bring justice, true justice to the world. If the gods are distant and uncaring, it is because no mortal has ever cared enough to go tell them what's happening. Yet not all gods have been distant, some simply are bound by their own rules.” the angel said.

“Then such gods are powerless. Show me such a god, I shall reason with them, personally.” Rahegalhoff said.

“Reason with a god, are you mad?” the angel asked, incredulous.

“Very much so, yes. I'm mad that there are gods who can help make the world a better place, but because of some arbitrary rule either self imposed, or imposed by another, they won't help. Even if it means my own destruction, I shall face them down personally, and make them see the light. It isn't like I have anything to lose, even my life is worthless.” Rahegalhoff said with a clenched fist.

“Yet, you are alive, so you have a chance. Yet, if you are intent, then I shall show you such a god. My own master, The Glorious Light, the one who sent me to retrieve you. Close your eyes, turn around and face the other way, then open them, and we shall be there.” the angel said.

Once Rahegalhoff had done as the angel requested, despite not seeing the reason in it, he found he was inside a building.

The room he was in was large, with vaulted ceilings. Windows on the wall were lit up, made of stained glass, they depicted more angels all watching the room, guarding the single patron standing in there marveling at his surroundings.

Rahegalhoff walked forward to the pulpit, an ornate gold and silver affair, a cross was emblazoned into its front. Kneeling before the altar, Rahegalhoff felt humbled by this place, and discovered all his depression and despair were gone. It was as though negative feelings simply could not exist here.

“Where am I?” Rahegalhoff asked, hoping someone was there to answer him.

“In my presence. But then, everyone is always within my presence, regardless of where they go, for I exist everywhere. I am The Glorious Light, known also as The Omnisource. I exist in every world, known by many different names. This place is the place that is every place, for this place is but a figment of my imagination. Do not fear, for all things I imagine are real. Did you not know? Reality is an illusion created by the mind. If you alter your perception of reality, then you alter reality itself. It is simple, anyone may do it, if they simply try.” a great voice said all around Rahegalhoff, sounding even inside his mind.

[Rahegalhoff]

The voice of The Omnisource was magnificent. It was as warm and comforting as a loving parent's voice, as wise as a grandparent's aged whispers. It sounded with the strength of thunder yet was as gentle as a newborn's grasp. It was simply impossible to ignore, Rahegalhoff found this out because The Omnisource kept on talking.

“Rahegalhoff, I know why you have come, and I know of the tragedy you have been through. Yet know this, you are not alone in your suffering. Everyday others suffer as well, in other ways, from other tragedies. You rail against the gods and against fate for your troubles, you blame everyone, even yourself, and in the midst of all your despair, you wonder why not one person helped you. Your story is repeated every day, in every country, in every walk of life.” The Omni said.

“Then why don't you do something about it?” Rahegalhoff asked, anger returning.

“We do. We gave you a chance to save your family, even if it cost you your life, and instead you gave up. We gave those who held you a chance to do the right thing, and instead they chose to continue their vile acts. Your wife had a chance to save her own life and son, and instead she submitted, thinking it would spare everything you loved. Your son, seeing his own father give in like a coward, decided there was no point in fighting, and so he never tried.” The Omni said.

“YOU LIE!” Rahegalhoff yelled, tears in his eyes.

“Do I? See for yourself.” The Omni said.

Golden white fire filled Rahegalhoff's sight, he felt like he was floating, falling. A section cleared away. There it was, his potatoes were in the field, it was near harvesting time for them. His simple log cabin stood on one end of his fields, next to his sturdy barn. He had just finished painting it red. It took Corin and him nearly a whole week to do the project. Of course, Corin ended up getting more on himself than he did the broadside of the barn. Boy had terrible aim, but Rahegalhoff loved him dearly.

There was Rahegalhoff, stripped to the waist, in his leather breeches, working the field. He was removing some pesky weeds. Hooves brought his attention to the knight in black armor riding towards him. Some men traveled on foot. Fifteen of them to be exact.

“Why show me this again? I've seen it a thousand times, more even, in my own mind.”

The scene retreated into the fire.

“You said you wanted justice. This is justice, let the guilty be tortured for their crimes. You are guilty for the murder of your family! Instead of showing compassion to a man that needed it, and proving to your son everyone deserved a second chance, you instead turn away an innocent man!” The Omni said.

“ME? GUILTY! I'm not the one that killed my wife and family, the knight is, I'm innocent in this matter. He had an evil feeling about him, how was I supposed to know he wouldn't try something in the middle of the night?” Rahegalhoff shouted at the light around him

Rahegalhoff saw himself walking through town. It was a town he had been in just days ago. Nearby, a child turned to her father.

“Daddy, why does that man seem evil?” she asked, while pointing to Rahegalhoff.

“I don't know honey, I really don't. I just pray he doesn't try anything. Who knows what a wild looking person like him will try?”

The fire returned.

“I'm not evil!” Rahegalhoff protested indignantly.

“You seemed so to them. They judged you by appearances, just as you did that knight. That knight would have left you in peace, had you allowed him and his men room in the barn. How dare you get angry at that little girl and her father for something you yourself did.” The omni growled at Rahegalhoff, the light growing dim.

“I was thinking of what my family had been through. Yet, tell me, if he was going to leave me in peace, why did he kill my family for my refusal. I was polite about it.” Rahegalhoff asked.

“A fair question. Remember the words of your father. In every person's life there comes a point when he has to make a decision. Not an ordinary decision, but a very difficult decision. These are times when there is no wrong answer, when only fate holds you accountable for your actions. Such decisions define a man for who he truly is. That knight made a choice. He chose to believe himself incapable of redemption. He chose to take the easy path. His men chose to follow him down that road. Remember, the right decision is not always easy. This is why there seems to be so much injustice in the world, because not enough people choose to do the right thing, even when it isn't easy.”

“I would do the right thing, even if it wasn't easy, provided I was given the chance again.” Rahegalhoff said quietly.

“What was that, a coward whispering brave words?” Omni asked.

“I said if I was given the chance again, I would do the right thing, even if it wasn't easy.” Rahegalhoff said.

“Even if it cost you your life?” Omni asked.

“Even so, someone must do the right thing, and I shall be that person.” Rahegalhoff said.

[Rahegalhoff]

Rahegalhoff wasn't sure how to handle the situation he was in. First he had been given a chance for justice, and then upon taking it, had been told he was the one guilty of killing his family by an apparently omniscient deity. It was time to speak face to face.

“Why don't you come before me, so I can have someone to talk to, instead of talking to flames?” Rahegalhoff asked.

“But my dear man, haven't you realized? I am the light around you. I am called The Glorious Light for a reason.” The Omni said.

Rahegalhoff paled at these words, if The Omnisource was the light all around him, then that meant he was standing inside a god. All the gods he knew of had physical forms. If this god had no physical form, then either it was too weak to be a god, in which case it wouldn't have servants like the irritating angel that brought him here, or more likely, was so incredibly powerful it didn't need a body, in which case it was all powerful, and beyond Godhood. Something like that was a god in name only, and rarely cared for mortal events.

“Hey, if your so powerful, as to not need a body, why do you care about any of this?” Rahegalhoff asked.

“I am the source of all things. I am older than Althanas, older than Tanthanas, and older than the Thayne, older even, than Althayne. I am beyond the reaches of space, and untouchable by time. Life, Death, Good, Evil, Law, Chaos, Creation, Destruction, these things do not apply to me. You ask why I care? It is because of what I am, that I care. It is because I desire to see all things attain perfection that I attempt to help. Yet such things must be done with care, for free-will is essential to happiness. Without it, one can only attain a mockery of such a thing.

Yet now we must turn our focus back on you, and your quest for justice.” The Omni said.

“No, I give up. You have proven to me that it was my fault. I must accept that. You are right, I should've taken a chance and let the man in. Do as you will, I will not stop you, not that I could.” Rahegalhoff said.

“You are guilty, yes. You are guilty of ignorance and uncaring, and the punishment for that is to learn the consequences of your ignorance. You have lived that. The knight still made the choice to kill. Not one factor forced him to do so. As such he is still guilty of murder, many times over, for yours is not the only family he has killed.” The Omni said.

“He has killed others too?” Rahegalhoff asked, not in the slightest bit surprised.

“Indeed. He has killed before, and after you. Before you, he killed his lord over a wage dispute. Painting his armor black he ran off, and made a deal with N'jal to keep the law from capturing him. Her presence lingered about him, and then he went to your farm. After your farm, he went to a monastery, where in return for the monk's kindness, he was swayed by his fellows to rob them blind. The monks protested, and were killed. From there they set up an encampment in the woods, hiring themselves out as mercenaries. Yet they never were honest in their dealings. After finishing the contract, they would kill their patron, and rob them blind. They have robbed villages and slaughtered many. The people cry out for a hero, yet because of the war, none in Corone can save them.” The Omni said.

Rahegalhoff realized he was at one of those points, he had a decision to make that would define who he was. He never thought they would be so easy. When he consorted with a dark god, all he got were empty promises, and sent on a quest to a place full of nameless horrors. Rahegalhoff renounced his affiliation with that dark god quickly.

Here was a chance to do something, and it was something he wanted to do!

“I'll save them. I can't fight them all by myself, but if you help me, surely I can succeed. A holy knight on a holy quest to bring justice to the people.” Rahegalhoff said.

“I, help you? Tell me, why should I help you? What makes you so inferior, that you cannot do this on your own?” The Omni asked.

“Do you not desire justice? Let me be your tool in this. If you cannot intercede in mortal affairs directly, then do so through me. I have desired justice for so long, that to wave it in front of me then snatch it away is tantamount to cruel and unusual torture!” Rahegalhoff said.

“Do you think I have no methods of intercession in mortal lives, so as to not negate free will?” The Omni asked.

“I'm sure you do, but do any of them have personal experience that allow them to sympathize to the degree that I can, and do?” Rahegalhoff returned, earnest to convince this god to help him, so that he could finally achieve all his hopes and dreams.

“Well put. Very well then, I shall help you, but know this, if you align yourself with me, you do so for life. Do you, Rahegalhoff Mesquchoku, wish to align yourself with me, and become a Paladin?” The Omni asked.

“Yes great Omnisource, I do.” Rahegalhoff said.

“Very well then, leave my cathedral, and go north towards Radasanth. I shall test you to see if you are worthy of such.” The Omni said.

Rahegalhoff found himself in Serenti, at the southern tip of Corone. Leaving the town he headed north, wondering what tests would come his way. He never once noticed the familiar gold man following along behind him. The Gold man knew what was to come. There was only one test, and even he thought Rahegalhoff would fail it. How could any man ever pass such a test?

[Rahegalhoff]

Rahegalhoff walked for all of a day, and spent the night under a tree roasting a fat deer he had caught. A weary traveler could be seen in the distance. The man slowly approached, and halted just short of the firelight.

“Well, don't just stand there neighbor, come, sit, I have plenty, too much infact, and the fire is enough to keep away the chill.” Rahegalhoff said.

“I have friends.” the man said.

“Well, bring them too, and we shall make a meal of this deer.” Rahegalhoff said.

The man, and several others entered the firelight. They were all wearing Steel plate mail armor, emblazoned with the crest of The Knights of Dawn. Rahegalhoff marveled that such men could be incapable of catching a deer and setting their own fire. All were strong, agile, young men.

“So, what powerful force has prevented the mighty Knights of Dawn from gaining the security and comfort of civilization?” Rahegalhoff asked.

“Oh, we're not actual Knights of Dawn, not yet. We were sent out on a test before we could be knighted. A foul witch stole our supplies and cursed us to wander the woods lost. I guess we'll never catch Gildrem the foul. He's an evil knight that wears black armor.” the leader of the band said.

“What a coincidence, my friend and I here are on a holy quest to catch that very same man.” the gold man said appearing next to Rahegalhoff without the slightest bit of ceremony.

All the knights jumped to their feet and backed away. They had never seen anyone simply appear without any sort of a sound, or visible effect. The gold man smiled and motioned for them all to sit back down. Slowly, one by one, they all did, and continue to stare at him. Rahegalhoff, though startled, was unsurprised that Mr. Riddle would be back to irritate him.

“Allow me to answer your unasked questions. Yes, I am made of gold, but that's because the gold I am made of is actually light. I am an archangel, assigned to watch this man. Say, he could use some backup, and you fellows could use someone like me to break the spell on you. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Aridle, which if pronounced slowly sounds like 'a riddle'. If you agree to work with us, I'll break the enchantment on you young men, provided you let Sir Rahegalhoff here get first crack at Gildrem the foul.” the angel said.

Rahegalhoff thought back to their first meeting. He had said he was a riddle, Rahegalhoff didn't realize that was his name, he thought it was merely a joke. He was still irritating, but very helpful. Rahegalhoff had stated he couldn't take down Gildrem alone, mostly because he was sure to have his friends with him still. He didn't know if Gildrem had more friends or not, but there were twelve Knights of Dawn. Well, Squires of Dawn, if they were being completely honest. With him, numbers were evenly matched.

He looked over, Aridle was holding hands with everyone, they had all clustered around him. One by one he would grip their hands, and stare into their eyes, as though each were his intimate lover. The squires seemed put off by the whole affair. Yet, after walking away, each seemed to glow slightly.

“The glow will be gone with the dawn. I will admit, that curse was most difficult to break. What ever did you do to get that curse put on you?” Aridle asked.

“Well, we had decided to ask locals for advice, that's when we learned Gildrem consorted with a witch named Lady Jalia. We went to confront her, thinking it would make us look even better in the end. She didn't like being taken down, and cast a spell making all our supplies vanish, and then cursed us to wander the woods blindly forever. We're just lucky we have our weapons and armor. That was three days ago.” another squire said.

“Well no wonder it was so hard. I had to draw strength from Omni just to break it. That makes sense though, because Lady Jalia is a well known Avatar of N'jal, at least in the circles I fly in. I guess I'll be doing more than spectating on the sidelines. If she tries to intervene, then I'll have to intervene as well, to cancel her powers out. Yet, I think seeing that Gildrem is losing, she's just as likely to abandon him. This is assuming they have an actual relationship of some sort, and he's not just one of Lady Jalia's many clients who don't know the truth about her.” Aridle said.

Rahegalhoff didn't care if she was involved or not, he was determined to get Gildrem, even if it was the last thing he did. His gaze was drawn to the squires, there was some shuffling in the back. Three got up, walked to the edge of the light, and gazed into the darkness. It took him a moment to realize they were standing watch. Good disciplined soldiers, who hoped to be knights one day. He couldn't think of any better assistance. Truly the providence Omni had blessed him with thus far was amazing.

“So, he called you Sir Rahegalhoff, you're a knight then, is that your armor?” another squire asked.

“Actually that was mostly a joke on my part. A Dark God fooled the man into believing he was a knight, then sent him on a quest into The Abyss. It prematurely aged him. Like you, if he brings in Gildrem, he will be knighted, and made a Paladin.” Aridle said.

“Thank you, but I can speak for myself, you know.” Rahegalhoff said.

“A Paladin, wow. I am impressed, you don't hear about those anymore. The Knights aren't paladins per say, though we are devoted to the well being of the general public. All things considered, I think you should be the leader of this little adventure. Do you have any experience with Gildrem that would convince my friends?” the squire asked.

So Rahegalhoff spent the rest of the night recounting the fate of his family, and his adventures in seeking justice afterward, which effectively silenced any objections to him leading the group.

[Rahegalhoff]

The time it took to get to Gildrem's fort passed peacefully. In the two days that passed, Rahegalhoff learned each of their names, but communicated mostly with Richard Chandestroy, their leader. No one knew a thing about Gildrem's fort, beyond the fact that he had one, and it was located deep within Concordia where few people ventured on a regular basis.

“So, Sir Chandestroy, you know nothing about this fort, but you're going to attack it. Now, I admit I'm not a tactical genius, but that strikes me as rather poor planning, on your part, and on the part of the knights. Even for a test, they should have provided you with something.” Rahegalhoff said.

“They did, but we decided not to review it until we got closer. It was stolen by the witch unfortunately. Perhaps Aridle will assist us there. Oh and ah, I appreciate the confidence, but I'm not a knight yet, so please, just call me Richard.”

“Not a snowball's chance in the pyre, on either account. For starters, I've already asked Aridle to help us, and he said he can't interfere with mortal affairs, unless it's to directly counter magic or an opposing god. Secondly, if the enemy catches wind none of us are actually knights, it'll give them a boost of confidence. It might not seem like much, but sometimes confidence is all the difference there is between victory and defeat. I learned that much from the monks who trained me. Therefore, until we have Gildrem in custody, we will all refer to each other as though we were knights, Sir Chandestroy.” Rahegalhoff said.

“Fine, fine. But how are we going to do this? I mean I'm glad the boys and I have a second chance, but without information, it's hopeless.” Sir Chandestroy said.

“Your optimism is overwhelming. A word of advise, if you think you're defeated, you are. Have faith, it's a simple command. Also, great generals have to be able to think on their feet. After all, just because you've planned, doesn't mean the enemy hasn't. The key is to form a plan, and then adjust it as you go along. This of course is the beginning of tactics, and it gets terribly complicated from there. But what do I know, I'm just older than all of you put together and multiplied by 12.” Aridle said, drifting by on a breeze.

“He's irritating.” Sir Chandestroy muttered.

“Thank you Captain Obvious.”

“No I'm Sir Chandestroy.” Sir Chandestroy protested.

But finally they arrived, and huddled together some ways away behind a thick grove of trees. Having just been all the way around the castle, they met to discuss a plan, Aridle had disappeared saying they didn't need him. Kneeling, and in whispered voices, they hoped to have this whole affair over and done with shortly.

“We've been around the perimeter, the moat blocks us on all sides.” Sir Pent said.

“I passed rather close to a couple of people appearently out on a break from kitchen duty. They said they were expecting a supply wagon later.” Sir Reele said.

“Did they say when?” Rahegalhoff asked.

“Appearently, when Drogan gets off his fat lazy ass and drives the wagon out, whomever Drogan is.” Sir Reele said.

“I was close to the others, we're never going to have a better chance beyond that supply wagon. We look to much like the knights of our order.” Sir Chandestroy said.

“Agreed. If its a Wagon, they'll be getting their supplies from Underwood, there's only one trail a wagon can cross that leads here. We'll go down the trail and see if we can hide in the wagon.” Rahegalhoff said.

With that, they moved off, unaware their entire conversation had been overheard. In a dark room in his fort, Gildrem sat with an old witch who gazed into her crystal ball.

“See, I told you there would be an attempt to nab you soon. But these are not knights, merely squires out on a test. That old one, he is strange. He looks as if he is wizened and old, yet seems young and fresh. There is something wrong about that one. If I were you, I would have Drogan get out of his wagon when he drives it in later, then unload the supplies outside the gate, but keep it closed and the drawbridge down. They won't get past that defense.” the witch said.

“Yes, I know, Lady Jalia. However, I find it insulting that after all I've done, they would only send squires after me. I'm going to let them in, then have my knights dispatch them and return their heads to The Knights of Dawn, as a token of my appreciation for all their fine work. If things get out of hand, you can wiggle your fingers and make it all better.” Gildrem said, lounging in what was his favorite chair in the entire fort.

“Don't be so insulting, lest I remove my protections from you.” Lady Jalia hissed.

“Don't forget who it is that keeps the angry mobs off your back either, witch.” Gildrem said, smiling.

He sighed, and got up to go give his orders, and await the show.

[Rahegalhoff]

Gildrem stood atop a rampart watching Drogan drive the cart in. The old man was surprised when Gildrem's knights surrounded the cart and before Drogan could make a sound, removed any possibility he could make a sound. The headless body was thrown off to the side, the head landed face down in some manure in the corner.

In the cart, Rahegalhoff and the knights got the sudden premonition that they were known, and should immediately prepare to defend themselves. So they each grabbed a box and jumped out of the cart, beginning to unload it. The Gildrem's men looked at each other in confusion, and then at Gildrem, who sighed, rolled his eyes, and cleared his throat.

“What are you idiots doing?” he asked.

“Oh, Drogan purchased our help to unload the cart. Along the way we ambushed some knights of dawn and took their armor for a laugh. We're lead by this tough old bugger here.” Sir Chandestroy said with his best smile.

“Right, and I'm the Emperor of Corone. That has to be the most pathetic ploy I've ever seen. You're all shaking in your boots like leaves in a brisk wind. Guards, kill the old one, before he soils my courtyard, and then kill the rest.” Gildrem said.

“Crap, the didn't buy it, get them!” Rahegalhoff shouted, and threw his box and an oncoming knight.

The box crashed into the knight and knocked him over. Rahegalhoff dodged an attack and punched its source in the face, as he fought to free his own sword. Meanwhile, Sir Chandestroy had his out and in the belly of an attacker in one fluid motion, which brought a look of surprise to Gildrem.

Finally, Rahegalhoff had his sword out, and parried a blow from the knight he had first knocked over. Back on his feet, the man wanted revenge, but a kick to the chest from Rahegalhoff sent him back on his back. A short distance away, a knight was closing in on Sir Reele, but the man wouldn't be able to defend himself, he was engaged with a knight, and a staffer hoping to make a good impression. Rahegalhoff concentrated, and swung his blade. An arc of fire flew from his blade, drawing gasps of amazement from both sides. It slammed into the knight and knocked him off his feet.

“What in Haidia was that? LADY JALIA!” Gildrem exclaimed.

With a roll of thunder, the old witch appeared, and surveyed the scene. She pointed at Rahegalhoff, and a bolt of lightning began to fall from the sky, with enough force to not only fry the man, but split him in half. It stopped, inches from Rahegalhoff, and just stayed there. Aridle appeared on top of the cart, watching the witch, his hand held toward the sky like he was catching something in his hand. With effort, he redirected the attack at the witch.

“I'm dreadfully sorry old hag, but this is between the knights. Don't make me dispel you.” Aridle said.

“Young fool, stop pretending to know powers beyond your ken.” Lady Jalia said.

While blows were traded down below, Lady Jalia threw a ball of green fire at Aridle. Aridle's eyes went white. The fireball flew at Aridle, and at the last second, the ball of fire turned white as well. It exploded over Aridle and enveloped him in its flames. He gathered them all into his hand, and threw the ball of fire back. Lady Jalia squeeled in fear and summoned a shield to block the hit.
“The sacred fire, Fieros. No ordinary man can do that.” Lady Jalia breathed.

Rahegalhoff was back to back with Sir Chandestroy. Knights were pressed in on them from all sides. They couldn't catch a break, Gildrem's knights were too well trained. He wasn't about to give up hope. He used his Multi-strike, and successfully brought down a knight, the second ghost strike slicing his neck open. He had room to do something, so he turned and stabbed another knight in the side.

Gildrem couldn't believe this was happening. He was actually losing knights, and his witch couldn't seem to outcast the imitation angel on top of the wagon. He didn't know what Fieros was, other than some sort of holy fire, but when Lady Jalia watched her opponent use it, she seemed to become almost afraid of the man.

“Enough of this, Lady Jalia, I call in my last favors. Cause a star to fall from the heavens, and destroy this place.” Gildrem ordered.

Lady Jalia snuck a look at Gildrem out of surprise. Sure she could do it, but that took a lot of effort to accomplish. Her opponent wasn't attacking, only counter-attacking and blocking. But would he realize what she was doing in time to stop it? She would risk it, she had too, if he could use the legendary holy fire, how could she beat him otherwise?

She concentrated, and pushed her senses out as high as she could get them. Finding a large loose boulder on the moon overhead, she grabbed it, and pulled it toward her with her magic. It accelerated quickly, until it became too fast for her to stop. If her study of magical theory held true, the force of the impact would destroy the fort and the surrounding environs.

Aridle quivered atop the wagon, not out of fear, but out of joy. He could feel what she was trying, and was excited by it, because it meant he could show off. He slowed time down for the rock, until by the time it reached Aridle, it was frozen in mid-air. He pointed at Lady Jalia, and pulled. She fought back with all her strength, but to no avail. She began to tremble in fear.

“You're not pretending are you? I'm sorry, I really am, please don't harm this old woman, I won't trouble you or anyone else again, I promise.” She begged and pleaded as she felt her magic vanishing in his grasp.

“Woman, if you truly know who I am, you know I do not harm unless I have no other option. As Hromagh did to your mistress, so I shall do to you, and seal you inside this boulder. But just to show you I'm not without compassion, you will never hunger, nor thirst, nor tire while you're in here. Also, because I believe no punishment should last forever, eventually, after about five thousand years or so give or take a few thousand, this rock will return to Althanas, and when it does, you will be freed, safe and sound.” Aridle said.

With that, his eyes went completely black, and Lady Jalia screamed as she turned into energy and flew inside the rock. Seals and sigils appeared on the rock, sealing her inside until the rock should be broken. With a flick of his wrist, he turned the rock's course off towards the depths of space, and using more magic, caused it to fly off never to be seen again for a very long time.

“Lady Jalia's been defeated, initiate defense plan B.” Gildrem shouted, and ran inside.

As the knights ran off, Rahegalhoff and his men gave chase. Meanwhile, Gildrem looked at the dead bodies. Tears fell from his eyes, as he knelt and prayed for the spirits of the departed. His work finished, he looked at the sky, as thunder rolled in a cloudless expanse.

“Yes master.” he said, and casually strolled inside, whistling a jaunty tune.

[Rahegalhoff]

Rahegalhoff was exhausted, Sir Chandestroy was weary, they were all worn out from their struggle. Gildrem's knights had run inside. Knowing the layout better than Rahegalhoff and his men, they knew they would have the upper hand, forcing battles in locations of their choosing. They chased a trio of knights down to a dead end.

“Alright, we surrender. But we must ask, how are you going to keep us contained? Three of you are going to have to stay to watch us, any less and we'll surely overpower them.” One of the knights said.

“Oh, I think I can do well enough by myself. I mean its not like anything I'll do will kill you.” Aridle said from behind Rahegalhoff.

The knights gasped, the last action they took before they became encased in diamonds. Rahegalhoff and his men nodded their collective thanks, and took off looking for more. Rahegalhoff idly wondered how Aridle could have so much energy, and then realized a second later that due to his position, he probably had enough power to match Xem'zund. The knights split up, to search more effectively.

Most of the staff weren't fighting. They had fled the castle for their own safety. This was much appreciated, because it narrowed down who they had to neutralize. Some were, but these were inexperienced youths who were hoping to make a good impression, their sole hope laying in a lucky strike. Aridle did some quick math in his head. There were sixteen enemy knights total, Gildrem had taken on a few more in the time since Rahegalhoff had encountered him. This meant there was now one knight for each squire. Rahegalhoff had to encounter Gildrem alone, that was what Omni wanted. He couldn't interfere in that part. All he could do was insure Omni's wishes were fulfilled, and that any captured enemy knight was neutralized to prevent surprises. He was just glad N'jal abandoned her witch and this whole project when she sensed what was up against her.

He spied Sir Chandestroy going towards the storage room. That was where Gildrem was hiding, waiting for the first unwary soul to enter. One of Gildrem's knights was in a nearby room, staging an ambush. With a flick of his wing, he sent a small current of air past Sir Chandestroy, and into the room where the knight was hiding. It knocked a glass vase off a table, and it smashed to pieces on the floor. It was enough, Sir Chandestroy turned aside, looking for the source of the noise.

Sir Chandestroy peeked through the doorway, he spotted the broken vase, but no one in sight. Thinking there might be a trap, he dived through the doorway and rolled to his feet. Unsteady, he stumbled back into the wall. The knight that had been waiting by the door to behead whoever stuck their nose in recovered from his surprise at being outwitted, and rushed Sir Chandestroy before he could recover. Sir Chandestroy brought his shield up just in time to deflect a strike to the chest.

Sir Chandestroy brought his sword arm up, and with a mighty heave, forced the knight away from him, bringing his weapon to bear, he closed the distance before the knight could recover and delivered a broad slash across the chest. The knight fell over backwards, hit the door frame on the way down, and by the time he hit the floor, he was conscious no longer. With a flash, Diamond encased the knight, and levitated to join the others. Meanwhile, Aridle stood in front of the supply closet, leaning against its door. Sir Reele came running by and stopped.

“Are they in there?” Sir Reele asked.

“Not one of Gildrem's knights hide in the supply closet. You should check elsewhere.” Aridle said.

Sir Reele nodded and ran off, never suspecting that although Aridle had been completely honest, he had also neglected to mention Gildrem himself hid in the closet, hoping to avoid detection. Sir Reele ran down to a dining room, where he found Sir Pent engaged with two knights. Without a word, he joined in the fray.

One knight turned on Sir Reele, a look of grim determination complimenting the scar that ran across his cheek. Black armor struggled against polished steel. A lucky stroke from the knight's sword forced Sir Reele to take a seat. He was tired, but he wasn't going to give up. A kick to the groin brought the man down, gasping for air.

Meanwhile, Sir Pent and his knight were up on the table facing off. Blows were traded and a shower of sparks fell on the table. Sir Pent swung from the right, cutting across the man's mid-section. The knight stepped back to avoid the floor, then closing the distance again, went for a vertical strike on Sir Pent. Sir Pent couldn't move fast enough to avoid it, and though his helmet protected him, it wasn't enough, with a sickening plot, and a clatter of steel, Sir Pent fell off on both sides of the table. This knight had an enchanted sword, for he was Gildrem's second in command.

Sir Reele turned in time to see his buddy cleaved in half. With a roar of anger, Sir Reele turned and upended the table, causing the knight to fall off. Sir Reele rushed around the table, and by the time he got to the knight, the man was already on his feet, and grinning evilly. Sir Reele also went for a reverse vertical strike, going from the floor to the ceiling. This caught the knight by surprise and knocked him flat on his back. Anger had taken Sir Reele over, and this in turn made him desire vengeance over victory.

Sir Reele stood over the fallen knight, and raised his sword to kill the man, but the knight moved his own shield and wacked Sir Reele in the kneecaps with his shield. With a crack and a scream, Sir Reele fell to the floor, his kneecaps destroyed. The knight got to his feet, and chuckled to himself. Only Gildrem could beat him, this had always been true. Sir Reele quietly removed a dagger from his belt, and hid it. The knight bent low, knowing his enemy's sword was abandoned to the side. In a flash, the knight's assumptions were proven false, when Sir Reele sliced through the small gap between the chest plate and the helmet, cutting his neck open. He was bloody, and no longer able to walk, but he won.

Rahegalhoff stormed through the halls. Knights were running about, looking for the enemy knights. But the enemy knights seemed to have gone into hiding. His men were looking for them though, and he was certain they would be found. Sir Reele was dragging himself through the halls, appearently unable to walk. The room he came from was a bloody disarrayed mess. An enemy lay dead on the ground, and so did Sir Pent.

“I'm sorry, friend. How bad are you hurt?” Rahegalhoff asked.

“I felt my knees shatter. I'll never walk again. He killed Sir Pent, my friend. Go, search for Gildrem, I'll be ok.” Sir Reele said, putting a hand on his sword.

With that, Rahegalhoff moved off. He caught sight of Aridle, and met up with the angel, still standing before the supply closet.

“Sir Pent's dead, Sir Reele's injured by the dining room. Where's Gildrem?” Rahegalhoff asked.

“Inside, waiting for anyone. However, of everyone here, he's wronged no one but you. It's only right that you get to take him in.” Aridle said, moving out of the way.

The angel moved over to Sir Reele, and laid a hand on his shoulder. Aridle let a single tear fall to the floor as he viewed the body of Sir Pent. He decided to put Sir Reele out of action, and encased him too, in a shell of Diamond. Then he knelt over the two halves of Sir Pent, reassembled the fallen knight, then prayed for his spirit.

Rahegalhoff meanwhile entered the storage room...

[Rahegalhoff]

Rahegalhoff entered the storage room, and was immediately impressed by it's size. It had to be at least ten thousand square feet. Boxes were stacked along the perimeter of the wall. He surveyed the room carefully. A creak of wood was the only warning he had that Gildrem was lying in wait at the top of the boxes. Rahegalhoff ran into the room and turned around, just as Gildrem landed. He wore no armor, just fine clothes worthy of a nobleman. His shirt was white cloth, and over that a black silk jacket with a gold sash over the right shoulder. His pants were also black silk, and in his hands was a longsword, glowing with unknown enchantments.

“Gildrem, your under arrest for murder.” Rahegalhoff said.

“Oh come now old man, you don't think you can beat me can you? Look, I'll tell you what, I'm rather impressed by you and your fellows. So I'll give you a chance, join me, replace my old knights, we have a comfortable life here.” Gildrem said.

“You murdered my wife and child, Corin was just a boy, seven years old. How could you do that to a child!” Rahegalhoff demanded, his rage coming to the surface.

“I don't know, depends on where I killed them. Look, I'm awfully sorry about that, how about I give you ten thousand gold and we call it even?” Gildrem said.

“I WON'T BE BOUGHT OFF!” Rahegalhoff shouted, barely restraining himself.

“Then die.” Gildrem said as casually as if he were ordering breakfast.

Gildrem swung at Rahegalhoff's head, seeking to remove it for a trophy, Rahegalhoff blocked with his shield, then pressed forward, bringing the spikes close to Gildrem's chest. Gildrem swept with his right foot, to kick out Rahegalhoff's feet. Rahegalhoff fell, and landed on the floor. Not waiting to see what Gildrem would do, he dropped his sword and grabbed Gildrem's other leg, and pulled Gildrem's feet out from under him.

Rahegalhoff grabbed his sword, then got to his knees. By that point Gildrem was getting to his, so Rahegalhoff hit him in the face with his pommel. Gildrem fell back, and Rahegalhoff finished getting to his feet. Gildrem hit the ground with the hilt of his sword. The ground shook, causing Rahegalhoff to lose his footing. This gave Gildrem a chance to get to his feet. As Rahegalhoff regained his footing, Gildrem brought his sword his sword around, and knocked Rahegalhoff's out of his hand.

Rahegalhoff was forced to witness this man kill his entire family. He had gone to the Anti-firmament and faced the accusations of dead spirits while seeking resolution, he had ran into the arms of a dark god seeking vengence. He journeyed into the depths of The Abyss and faced horrors beyond human imagining. He even aligned himself with a god of light to bring this whole sordid affair to an end. As Gildrem brought his sword around, glowing with the power to slice through all but Adamantine, Rahegalhoff knew the outcome of this battle was decided from its very start, the day his family was killed.

With a cry of determination, he bent his knees, ducking below the swing, and launched himself at Gildrem. Gildrem lost his sword in the attack, and it clattered to the ground, losing its glow. Rahegalhoff drove the man back into the crates, and smashed his head into the nearest box, causing yards of spare rope to fall to the ground. Gildrem retaliated, and smashed Rahegalhoff's head against another box. Both men were bleeding from facial wounds. Rahegalhoff punched Gildrem in the chest, then grabbed his head to bang Gildrem's head into his knee, but Gildrem gave a fierce left hook to the face. Rahegalhoff let go of his grip, and stumbled back a foot. Gildrem pointed at his sword, and it levitated, glowing orange. It pointed at Rahegalhoff, and flew forward. Rahegalhoff saw it coming out of the corner of his eyes, and leaned back just enough to avoid a direct hit, however it did slice through his leather armor and score a deep wound in his chest. His sword embedded in the wall, Gildrem bent over and grabbed the rope. He was going to strangle Rahegalhoff to death with it.

Rahegalhoff knew he couldn't keep fighting much longer. He saw Gildrem with the rope, and formed a plan. Unsuccessfully ignoring the pain in his chest and the ringing in his head, he grabbed the rope and kneed Gildrem in the groin. Rahegalhoff found the end while Gildrem was catching his breath, and held it in his teeth. Then he grabbed Gildrem and threw him against the crates in the middle. Rahegalhoff wasted no time then, he grabbed Gildrem's arms and tied them up, then he threw Gildrem to the ground, and kneeled on his gut. He grabbed the other end and tied Gildrem's feet togther. He was captured, Rahegalhoff had won. He bent over and grabbed his sword to sheath it. A wave of dizziness swept through him.

“Kill him. He deserves it.” A ghostly image of Rahegalhoff said nearby leaning against a crate.

“No, that would only make you as bad as him. You've accomplished your goal, don't ruin it now by murdering a helpless man in cold blood.” another ghostly Rahegalhoff said standing over Gildrem.

“But, I want to.” the real Rahegalhoff said.

“Who can blame you? Think of what he's done to you. He's the one that torched your farm. Surely if anyone should be the one to end his life, it should be you.” the first ghostly Rahegalhoff said.

“This isn't the way to bring justice to your family. You're talking about murder here.” the second one said.

“That's right, and he's going to die for his assorted crimes anyway, so why should it matter to anyone else how he dies.” the first one replied.

“Because its wrong. What possible justification could you have for doing this, that would somehow make it right?” the second one asked.

“What Justification? HE KILLED HER! Have you forgotten that he killed our wife after forcing himself on her? Worse yet, he raped our son, he did things to Corin that should never even have entered his mind. He's not a man, he's a monster. His life is forfeit. We deserve this kill, we earned it. We've gone to places and faced things no ordinary man ever faces. Why should we haul him in just so some idiots can talk it over for longer than is necessary?” the first one asked.

“Wrong is wrong, regardless of how it personally involves us. This man has a right to a fair trial, who are we to impugn upon his rights?” the second asked.

“We swore we would seek vengence for the wrongs done to us. You speak of justice as though it exists. There is no such thing, only contesting wills. If we haul him in we'll never have true satisfaction.” The first replied.

“You speak of justice as though it doesn't exist. It is only when man forgets his higher nature that justice ceases to exist, when we reduce ourselves to the level of wild animals that it becomes impossible to obtain. There is a higher law that exists, and its demands cannot be denied for no entity can escape its grasp. The scales will balance. Don't make a mistake you'll regret for the rest of your life, I beg of you. Your family would never want this.” the second said.

“And yet, if you don't do this, you will fail them. There's no one around, no one to tell you what to do, no one to tell you this is wrong. No one will ever know what you've done. Just remove the ropes and tell them he died an honorable death in combat.” The first said.

Gildrem was terrified. This man was speaking to himself as though he were two different people urging two different fates for him. He knew he was going to die, that much was certain. Dimly he remembered this man's face, only his hair and eyes were brown. He remembered what he did, and knew there was no way this man could not resist killing him. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable. Rahegalhoff relieved his nightmares one more time, the images of his wife and son standing before him.

“Iola, Corin, I'm sorry.” he whispered as tears fell from his eyes.

With a bellow of rage born of frustration, he swung his sword and smashed a box with it to release his emotions. He bent over and hauled a surprised Gildrem to his feet, and dragged him outside, where Aridle and the others were waiting. They cheered, and Aridle embraced him. Every knight of Gildrem had either been captured, or killed. Six lived, Gildrem lived. Their mission had been accomplished.

“I'm sorry you had to go through that, but rejoice in that you've passed a great test.” Aridle said.

“Compared with what I just went through, I do not think any other test could be worthwhile at this time.” Rahegalhoff said.

“Then let it be known from this day forth, that no longer shall you be known simply as Rahegalhoff Mesquchoku, but by universal decree of the gods of light, you shall be known as Sir Rahegalhoff Mesquchoku, The Holy Paladin.” Aridle said, his voice taking on a quality that seemed to make it reverberate within the very environment around them.

[Rahegalhoff]

Sir Rahegalhoff, a title he had earned. As Aridle drove the cart back to Underwood disguised as Drogan, Rahegalhoff enjoyed the feeling of accomplishment he had earned. He was free of his sorrows and troubles. He had given rest to the spirits of his loved ones, and brought in their killer. Sir Pent lay in the back of the cart, wondering how he came to be alive. Aridle had been given permission to give the knight a second chance.

“So, now you're a Paladin. What's next?” Sir Reele asked.

“Well, first I testify against Gildrem and his bullies, then, I don't know. I honestly don't know.” Rahegalhoff said.

“You'll be traveling to Scara Brae. If conditions remain as they are, you'll be needed there. Otherwise, you'll be traveling to Dheathain.” Aridle said from the driver's seat.

In a short amount of time, they arrived. By the time they arrived, the diamond casing around each prisoner transmuted into simple rope bindings. Their weapons had disappeared. Gildrem was a wanted man, and everyone wanted to buy a round for the man that had brought him down. Rahegalhoff was a local celebrity. But they didn't get to chat with him for long. Aridle jumped out of Drogan's body, leaving a live confused man in his place.

“Come, you must visit with The Light.” Aridle said, promptly causing the world to disappear into a sea of golden white light that seemed to extend from his body. It swallowed him and disappeared. Rahegalhoff felt rejuvenated, and ready to battle Gildrem again. The light solidified into ground beneath him. It was still light, but he could stand upon it.

“To make your new position official, you must swear the oath. It is an oath you will find you innately know and understand. Speak it aloud, swear it truthfully, and all will be finished.” The Omni said.

Rahegalhoff knelt, it seemed only proper after all. He thought long and hard, and realized he did know the oath he was to swear, and it was a lengthy one too. He hadn't realized one was necessary, but then appreciated that without one, he would be free to run a muck. So he bowed his head and swore the oath, knowing his words would be binding for all time, and beyond.

“In Becoming a Paladin, I, Rahegalhoff Mesquchoku do hereby absolutely and completely abjure and renounce all fidelity, allegiance, and faith in any and all other deities, rulers and magi; promising that in all my actions I shall always preserve the true image of the paladin.

I Shall seek to right wrongs wherever they might be. I shall protect and serve the weak in their time of need. I shall bring comfort to the sick and those who have been robbed of those they love.

I Shall fight to oppose all those who propagate and spread evil, lies hatred and destruction wherever they may be, chasing them down to the very ends of creation if I must. I shall instead seek to turn evil to good, lies to truth, hatred to love, and destruction to creation.

I shall always seek to obey the commands of the deity that I believe in, knowing that they may not always be joyful or cheerful commands. I also understand that the quest to oppose hatred, evil lies and destruction take precedence over the commands of any god, and thus, may have to act against my own order in order to more faithfully serve my deity.

I Shall always seek to be truthful in all my ways. My Powers stem from my faith in my deity, and if I lose my faith, may I also lose my powers. My home is with the broken and scarred, those whose lives have seen no joy, and no fortune, that I might bring them joy and fortune. I shall hold the lives of my companions above my own.

I shall not seek to make gains off the protection of others, and for all the wealth I come into, I do solemnly swear to give it straight away to my Deity, that he might use it more wisely than I for the benefit and protection of others. I shall not seek an alternative means of support, for the goodwill of others is my meal, and the faith in my deity is my wine.

If at any time I break my oath, may all things be stripped from me.” he swore.

“In return I give you gifts. First the code of the paladin, which I shall seal in your heart. Secondly, I shall outfit you as befits your station, and give you equipment forged of my divine essence. Third, I give you a gift I shall give no other. You are the first to serve me, so I shall give you that which brought you to me in the form it finally manifested. Behold The Blade of Justice. A longsword like the one you now use. It too is forged of my essence, but remember this one thing: Justice cannot harm the innocent. No innocent being shall therefore be harmed by that blade. Not even in the pursuit of hunting. Finally, I shall fill you with my light, that all may know you for what you are.” The Omni said.

Rahegalhoff saw the light all around him rushing into him, filling him. It filled his every sense, and within it he saw more than Althanas and its associated planes. He saw the multi-verse itself, and appreciated for a brief moment, just how vast it was. His visions faded after the briefest of seconds, and he found himself kneeling in the dirt next to the wagon, everyone looking at him in awe.

“Did you see that? It just appeared on him, out of the light itself. I've never seen metal like that.” A nearby townsperson was saying.

“Rahegalhoff, you feel, different, holy somehow. You jumped out of the cart, swore an oath we had never heard before, and then a chainmail shirt appeared on you, accompanied by a skull cap.” Sir Chandestroy said.

Rahegalhoff wasn't quite in control, he reached into the air, and the light grew bright, manifesting into a sword of the same material as his chainmail and skull cap. While the armor was plain, the sword's hilt resembled a pair of angel wings, the grip molded to Rahegalhoff's hands exactly. Along the flat of the blade on both sides was inscribed the word Justice.

At last came Gildrem's trial, and his execution, victims and witnesses coming forward to testify. Rahegalhoff watched as he was hung for his crimes, but alongside the sense of vindication, Rahegalhoff felt a touch of sadness, that Gildrem did not ever truly repent of his crimes. He wished he could've helped Gildrem make resolutions for all he had done. Eventually, he would've even forgiven him of his crimes. His business in Underwood finished, Rahegalhoff left Underwood, accompanied by Aridle, who would appear and disappear every so often.



Spoils:

Equipment of the Paladin: Grows as Rahegalhoff's faith and favor grow. Currently, it is only a chainmail shirt, The Blade of Justice, and a basic skull cap. It is made of the essence of The Omni, so it appears to be white, with gold seems. It matches Steel in all things.

Special: Rahegalhoff's paladin armor slowly repairs itself over time, with small scratches and dings repaired over an hour, thirty minutes to bring a good polished shine to itself, twenty to clean itself. Medium damage such as small holes take a day to fully repair, and major damage of any kind takes several days to repair. It can be destroyed.

Special 2: The Blade of Justice is not affected by the damaging effects of Fire Arc.

Holy Aura: Rahegalhoff has gained a weak holy aura. Evil creatures stronger than Rahegalhoff notice it, but aren't effected. Creatures equal to or weaker than Rahegalhoff are quicker to flee but aren't driven off. Good and neutral creatures notice it, but aren't effected. Rahegalhoff's holy aura cannot be felt beyond a distance of ten feet, with its strength weakest at ten feet, and strongest right next to the man.

All spoils will immediately be cleared with RoG via a mid-level update, immediately pending approval here first. I will surrender all gold and exp rewards if necessary to gain these spoils, as well as additional gold and exp from my character.

[Duffy]

Justice, At Long Last, Justice Judgement

Apologies for the workshop not working out Rahegalhoff, unfortunately this might happen sometimes, due to fluctuating activity levels or maybe because you’re thread is that awesome! I have outlined one or two brief comments and assigned scores as below. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me or any member of staff, we will be happy to help or address any concerns you might have.

Story: (17/20)

Continuity: (6) Everything was set within itself and referred to correctly.

Setting: (6) Good grounding in physical description, but significant room for improvement. You achieved a six through describing components of the setting well, characters, attire and use of colour. Consider the senses, as ever, and expand on the bigger picture – where are you, why are you, the reaction and smells and movements of the scenery to your character’s actions.

Pacing: (5) Heavy dialogue is often tiresome to deal with as a reader and likely as a writer. There were no glaring errors, except perhaps the slightly quicker pacing towards the ending of the thread.

Character: (19/20)

Action: (6)

Dialogue: (7) Although a good score, as the dialogue was fitting and well written, try to avoid real word anachronisms and words such as ‘wow’, and especially swear words such as the F word. The captain obvious joke in post 6 was worth a 7 on it’s own!

Persona: (6) I got a good grasp of who your character is but it feels like arbitrary development. Paladins are a somewhat clichéd and overplayed caste of warriors pious and devout, whilst you portray this effectively, be careful not to fall for the trappings of the gods so to speak. Shake it up, be overbearingingly good and use anger to get your way. Most disciples of the gods turn out to be evil sheerly through enforcing their will on others. Playing on the concept of free will as a technique and a character trait would be a good place to start.

Writing: (18/20)

Technique: (6) Good use of colours and an impression rhetorical debate opens the thread, and sets the tone well.

Mechanics: (6) Strongly written, but use of elision in non-dialogue and capitalisation in abundance lets down the score. If it’s shouted, say that it’s shouted, or use it very sparingly or bold/alternative and suitable text to suggest an otherworldly voice.

Clarity: (6)

Wild Card: (6) An enjoyable read and certainly a vast improvement on much of your previous writing Roy. I look forward to witnessing his development further, well done!

Total Score: 60/100


Spoils & Experience:

Your requested spoils are approved for immediate use with the following amendments:

Equipment of the Paladin: It cannot grow more than one metal tier per level-up.

Special Armour Enchantment: It can repair damage from mundane sources, but damage inflicted by magical weapons or from spells must be repaired in the normal manner.

Blade of Justice: Can resist the effects of Fire Arc, allowing you two uses of the spell before it deteriorates by one level. You may improve this to three, four and five as you level. Can be made immune in future updates.

Holy Aura: This will require further clarification with the Realm of Greeting once you reach level 2. You may use it outside of battles until then as described.

Experience:

Rahegalhoff receives 1185 experience and 50 gold (gold deducted to fund the material for the armour).

[Taskmienster]

EXP and GP added.