Jaha was dead tired when he returned the next day. It had been a longer journey than he had anticipated but he felt he had something to prove to his friends and he felt confident he had done just that. Not only had he made his way to the quarry and beyond but he now knew where the prison camp was. He cleared his throat and continued his report, still parched from the dry sand that seemed to be everywhere in this forsaken land. “Aye, they force the prisoners in and out of the quarry but it isn’t to a separate camp, it is to a Char city. The Char are using the stone mined from the quarry to build a great temple there; it looks just like the ones Albertus showed us in those old books back home.” Albertus had taken great interest at this point and sat up very straight with a very anxious tone to his voice, “You are certain it is of the same design?” “Yes, just the same with the strange runes and all build on what looks like the base of a pyramid. Only they hadn’t lowered that big bronze brazier into place yet” Jaha answered in reply. “Oh dear,” Albertus said softly, “Oh dear” he then repeated. “What is it Albertus” Freedom asked with a troubled glance in the direction of the sorcerer. “If what you describe is true, then the Char’s strange knowledge of the forbidden and lost arts of magic is now explained. You see, those ancient incantations that shook the very foundations of our reality drew far too much power for any mortal body to summon alone. Even a group of men, no matter the number, would have been unable to survive conjuring those spells; such were their immense power.” “Yes, I am familiar with this” Ragdinolin said with an affirmative nod of his head. “I don’t understand” said Freedom whom Jaha silently agreed with. He was a man accustomed to the wielding of instruments of battle; things he could touch and feel the weight and texture of. This magic mumbo jumbo made little sense to him and had never seemed appealing to him to begin with. “Well basically every spell you cast takes from your very essence. Any person, some more or less than others, will experience some degree of fatigue and has definite limits to what they can do with magic based on their own personal stamina.” Ragdinolin explained obviously happy to be talking about his arts. “Some great scholars of the past have concluded that some spells simply cannot be cast without the help of something to channel that power and build on it without killing the caster who would in effect exhaust him or herself to the point of death with the casting.” Jaha tried to wrap his mind around this concept. It was similar to fighting in some ways, what Ragdinolin said, for he too used the stamina and strength of his body in fighting, but the idea that one could draw on themselves to the point of death seemed the utmost level of stupidity. When you get tired, you rest. When you get too tired, despite your will, you eventually cannot lift your sword any longer and must rest. But after that rest you would be fine. The idea of doing things that did not afford you this opportunity to rest, that could tax you beyond what you were able to bear just confirmed in his mind the good sense in leaving magic well enough alone.

“Well indeed. There were, however, those who discovered a way around this impediment though and they discovered that certain elements could enhance any power that might be channeled through them.” Albertus continued as he built upon what Ragdinolin had said. “This is where the study of minerals becomes important to us magic users. Certain rocks, jewels, and even sand can be used to great effect in this way. Many ages ago, after this was discovered, men began to experiment and further discovered that the placement of these stones coupled with the use of different elements could build even further upon this concept. It is believed that when this was discovered is when the construction of elaborate and highly mathematical temples were first built.” “So you believe this temple that Jaha saw the Char building is in fact being built for this purpose?” Dennizon asked with a look of understanding beginning to cross his face. Albertus nodded eagerly, clearly pleased to see the others beginning to understand of what it was that he spoke. “I think it is inevitable that it is for exactly that purpose.” Albertus confirmed. “You see I have theorized that the Char might have accidentally stumbled upon their own brand of casting such spells since the night we first saw what they were capable of. I even thought that perhaps they had been able to do so due to their larger size and therefore larger reserves of stamina and energy. But this news confirms a far worse truth I had not dared consider. The description Jaha has provided of this temple is exactly the same as those described in the ancient manuscripts I once read that describe the temples, commanded to be destroyed. I have no idea how the Char would have come across such knowledge, but it seems unlikely that they would have reconstructed it in the same manner just by chance. No, I fear they may have stumbled across just such a forgotten temple or some piece of knowledge and they employ the very magics forbidden and thought to be forgotten that nearly once destroyed the world.” The entire camp grew deathly quiet as what Albertus said sunk in. Jaha couldn’t’ believe what he was hearing. He had heard fairy tells growing up that spoke of earth shattering events long past but had never really believed in them conjured by evil men of the past. It seemed impossible that the primitive looking Char could also master such deadly magics. Jaha shifted uneasily waiting for Albertus to continue, looking for some sign of his trademark confidence. The scary thing was he didn’t see it at the moment. Albertus looked just as perturbed as he felt and that bothered him. Not much bothered Albertus yet this thing did.

“So, we face an enemy that not only outnumbers us, as shown their mastery of devastating spells, but apparently has tapped into ancient knowledge forbidden and thought forgotten and now we know they are also constructing a new temple. Tell me Albertus, does the distance of the temples matter to us?” Dennizon listed their situation methodically, clearly starting to try and work out a plan of action. “I fear that it must. We have heard of no evidence of one of these temples to date and the Char were able to cast their dastardly spells on the whole of Ascalon. Now they are constructing a new temple. One can only assume that they reached their limitations in terms of distance and are constructing this new temple in order to reach their hands further across the lands.” Albertus replied thoughtfully. “The question of course is what would be their next target.” Albertus’ last remark hung in their air and Jaha could sense the dread of his companions. The Char had decimated an entire Kingdom, but that Kingdom bordered their own lands as well. They had tried to march on Kryta as well but had been repelled by the White Mantle. It was widely rumored that this was made possible by the fact that Kryta had not suffered from the devastating effects of the meteors as Ascalon had done. A new temple, and a new target, led to only one logical conclusion. Kryta would be the next logical target. Or perhaps the Deldrimor Dwarves in their mountain home. Apparently Freedom was following this same line of thought for it was he who spoke next.

“But that means they could be planning to target Kryta. We are in Kryta!” Freedom said excitedly the nervous tinge to his voice not disguised at all. The party was quiet and made no immediate remark but everyone was thinking the same thing. The Republic was now established in an area previously under the rule of the Krytans. Where the Char near to be able to rain down the same devastation there they had on Ascalon. Was the clan in danger from these beasts yet again? Jaha thought of the peaceful home he had left behind. The serene waterfall and lush trees, wild flowers swaying gently in the breeze carrying the scent of the ocean to the towering Great Hall. He thought of Kitana, his loving wife, dutifully training the new recruits of the Council Guard and the children running through the village playing their innocent games; their innocence protected from the cruel world outside. Somehow it seemed so unfair. Would peace never rest long in their presence? As he sat in thought Jaha slowly felt his resolve steel and knew he could not allow this danger to rear its ugly head. He would not let his home, his people, his beloved Kitana suffer; not while there was still breath left in him. All around him he sensed the same sentiments in his friends. Albertus looked deep in thought and Dennizon as well. Ragdinolin tossed a ball of magical light back and forth between his hands. Ledocteur rummaged through his packs checking and rechecking his spare bandages and various tinctures and herbs Jaha had seen him use in the village on cuts and bruises suffered by the people. Freedom had stood and was pacing back and forth while Phoenix simply sat sharpening his blade on a whetstone apparently trying to make the razor sharp blade even more effective. Suddenly Albertus broke the silence.