This isn't how it's supposed to end... Victor collapsed on a log near the campfire he'd just set. He rested his war ax atop his legs, and stared into the warm glow of the fire. Somehow its warmth didn't comfort, and his furrowed brow shown dimly through the blaze. How could he explain the events he had witnessed? He felt the burden of bad news as it weighed deeply on his shoulders and hung over his thoughts like bad curse. How could he report to Kiona that her sister had succumbed to the terrors of the undead ... that she had forsaken the virtues and betrayed her sisterhood vows? This was not how it was supposed to end! He closed his eyes for a moment and let his head droop sleepily, sleep had eluded him the last two nights. He had barely dozed when he started with a gasp - the horrors of the undead siege he had beheld in Skara Brae were almost more than he could handle and which surely would have claimed his soul if not for the brave warriors who stood with him as they unraveled the lamentable tale of Kiara. Victor reached in his pocket and retrieved the bloodstained and burnt scraps of paper. He read them once more and stared in to the flames which now clearly revealed the strain of the internal struggle within him. Would it have been better to allow this tale to vanish into the annals of silent requiems? Perhaps Kiona would be better off considering that her sister counted among those who were lost. He crumpled the notes and made to toss them in the flames, but instead of being engulfed within the fire's bosom, the paper hit the metal tunic of Proletarian. "Victor, come now, you cannot abandon your quest now," Proletarian looked upon the broken man and then motioned to the others who stood beside him ... Nina, Johari, Aeritas, Officer Kane, Gareth Greycliff ..., "we were all witness to the deplorable state of affairs in Skara Brae. It is a testament to Kiara that she lasted as long as she did! These undead things tested our band of highly trained warriors, and yet she alone with some depraved man and a few children managed to get as far as she did?" "You speak truth Proletarian, and for this I thank you. I am truly relieved I do not have to bear this burden alone," Victor spoke as he collected the pages that had fallen short of the fire which licked at them hungrily. "This tale must be known, so that others may know just how terrible the consequences that follow necromancy. I only wish there was more we could have done." "But we have done just what you set out to do," the voice of reason now came from Johari, "we found the maiden and recovered her story that may have otherwise been lost forever. And despite how you see it, I am of a firm belief that we have saved her soul from an eternal torment. Her last journal entry revealed she had broken her sisterhood vows, no? If she had been forced to live eternal as a vampire, knowing she had broken sisterhood vows, that would have been a curse far worse than death." Victor nodded and tried to allow his heart to accept Johari's interpretation then exclaimed, "But this is not how it was supposed to end. Heroes are supposed fulfill their quests and save the innocent!" Aeritas, had stood quiet until now, but corrected Victor, "A hero's burden carry well the banner of life, and defend it at all costs. And you are quite right; this is not how it is supposed to end, because this is how it begins!" Gareth raised a spear in answer and roared "I shall send word to Godric Greycliff and Stormhold will purify the catacombs of the land!"
