The nightmare continued. His limbs flailed wildly, and he found himself awake in the vicious aftermath. Sweat beaded off his face, as he felt the master's influence, his haunting words echoing in his brain,

I'm sorry to leave you. I go now to somewhere dark.

The words were cut short as a guard shook him further, "The master awaits your response." He had felt the pulse and knew in his heart that Valezk was still alive, despite the seasons of nothing.

By the time he crept down to Valezk's quarters, the crystal in the centre of his great laboratory was glowing bright red. "I'm coming, settle down Master Valezk."

Vermier scrambled across the floor before clutching at the sides of the glowing crystal, the red aura gave his face and iridescent glow. "Sire, it is so good to see you. I heard rumours that you'd died but I knew this was untrue."

The communication from the crystal would appear quite ominous to the uninformed eye. A house servant wondered desperately why Vermier looked to be talking to a glowing rock and himself at the same time. In Vermier's head though, the dialogue between master and apprentice was quite clear, as through the pulse of the crystal was emitting the messages psychically into his head and he could hear the voice of his master pierce his brain.

Of course I'm alive, my sweet but idiotic Vermier. Now, report back! What has happened to my army?

"It's still grand, we continue to build. How is the quest for the orb?"

Do not lie to me Vermier. Spare me that. I know we failed at Darctaria. What were the casualties?

"I'm sorry to say but catastrophic. We lost most of the fortress to the North."

Vermier could feel the cursing of Valezk, as though the pulse of crystal emitted a small measure of pain. He winced before Valezk asked further.

And Mes-Celesk?

"Still intact, but we've lost some creatures. There are insurgents on the edges of the city attacking us daily."

Fool, you need to build more.

"But how sire? Treols aren't grown on trees, exactly."

Do not be flippant with me. Mine more gemstones.

"I'm sorry my master, but I do not know all the details or how?"

Morser Vale. Mine more and use the Dark Wizard of Morval. He can build them.

"Of course Valezk."

When will the fortress regroup?

"Sire, the siege was over a year ago. Most of the army disbanded and came back to Mes-Celesk."

Vermier felt the crystal tremor again and could not help but shriek with the pain shooting through his head, as his mentor cursed at crescendo levels of pain.

So that Istentel Yordu was correct then...

Vermier continued to gasp, recovering from the pain while Valezk continued.

Alas, time has been my enemy yet again. Well, it's not all in vain. I am close to unlocking the orb.

"Why that's wonderful news Sire."

Not wonderful, not yet. But there is something else you need to do.

"and what is that, my lord?"

Ensure I have a home and an army worth returning to. Otherwise consider your life forfeit.

The glowing crystal shuddered once more and emanated a piercing bright light, as Vermier faltered to the floor in agony. And just as abruptly, it stopped. The point was made very clear to Vermier. He struggled to lean on his arm before a guard rushed to his aid. He deftly shoved them away. "Leave me, you fool. And send for the dark wizard. I'm in need of his skill."

By the time the dark wizard had ascended the steps, Vermier had already moved a plate of food around ever so nonchalantly with his fork: some delicacies from the local provinces- it was part of their collection of monthly round-ups. Normally a delicious marrafruit would satiate any hunger but he grew more impatient and took tiny nibbles, each crunch of the ripe fruit was exaggerated out of pure frustration. The figure in black took their time narrowing the gap at the end of the staircase before finally barging through the doors to Valezk's private chamber.

Vermier finally addressed the dark figure, "You took your time. The hour is late."

The Wizard ignored him before taking off his hood and plating a meal for himself. He devoured the meat savagely, and Vermier noticed the large scar on the side of his cheek, almost shifting in tremors as he wolfed his food down. It was the shape of a V, and he wondered if Valezk had cut it into him, or whether the wizard had the underlying fanaticism to cut it himself.

"Stop looking at me and tell me why you've summoned me so urgently."

"Our Lord Valezk communicates with us again."

He continued to chew loudly, "And what does the great Soul destroyer want this time?"

Vermier could not tell if his tone was laced with sarcasm before he replied, "Our Lord demands that we re-build the army at once, and a much larger force than we had before."

The man scoffed, "He asks a lot. And I'm sure I'll grow a pair of wings before this all happens."

The wizard finally stopped eating and put his knife down. "I guess that could be considered blasphemous to a welp like you. Well, there is only one thing for it: we need more gemstones."

Vermier nodded, "Morser Vale."

"Well that's all fine and well, but we need many more that what is currently coming out of that cesspool, and the pathetic humans there are not up to the job."

"Just get it done."

The dark wizard threw his hood back on and held his hand out, moving ever so closer to Vermier's neck. The man trembled at the sight. He gulped down hard and could feel his neck about to be choked or severed with but a small burst of the man's raw power. There was a heat growing inside his neck and he raised his hands to it, feeling it rise in intensity.

"Do not presume to think we are equals. You are but a Kuraha sniffing at my boots ..Yes, I will continue my business of reigniting the dead and building a grand army, but it is at Valezk's bidding, not yours."

He moved his hand down by his waist before pivoting on his heel and advancing down that stairs in a blur of frenetic anger. Vermier finally felt the heat reduce on his throat and slumped forward in response. The man may have considered him weak and less then equal, but there were few who lived that underestimated Vermier. His cunning and his ability to both grovel, and assert his intentions were his power, and he had sharply risen through the ranks.

 He gazed out the window into the courtyard below. He looked on as the Dark Wizard barked orders and all manner of creatures fell into line and rank behind him, taking with him a congregation of humanoid warriors, Mani and a few treols lumbered behind. Vermier suspected the latter were to mine the gems than fight, though the creatures were always valuable in a large-scale battle. He couldn't spare them, but he knew he had no choice, as the precious gemstones could be the turning point in the war and would govern his destiny in the days beyond.