"Impressive show, Artemus the Awakened." Mykal said in a most cunning manor.

I could only stare into the deepest abyss of the woman who had slain Jeson. I had no more words and, despite my amazing curiosity, I no longer sought to discuss the matter. I groaned, sitting down in the snow beside the fallen pile of bones. Majora made his way over to me in an attempt of comforting me and in return I patted his head gently.

"Jeson is undoubtedly gracious to you in his dreams, Artemus." I turned my head slowly to Mykal. "The transition is a tough one, Artemus. I know from experience." he said solemnly. "Your soul begins to tear into two. The light side: innocent, caring, still holding on to your virtues. The dark side: wicked, tempted, sinful, prone to malicious acts. They battle each other on the fronts of every decision you are forced to make." I rose to my feet, keeping a peculiar gaze on my bony friend. "Do not worry, Artemus. Soon enough, the right side will win, and you will no longer have a need for such an insolent object like the soul. Such annoyances they are, ugh." he snarled. Everything he had described to me about the soul inside of me was as if he had the key to my mind, unlocked it, and read every content. He talked about being soulless and how care-free it is. Was I going to become this? Looking back on my previous deed, it seemed so, much to my dismay, of course.

Mykal plunged his blade into the thick snow, growing tired of holding it. "Behind me is no clock-tower at all." he said quietly, as if there were others around. My eyes widened a bit as I looked back at the tower. Stone tower, check. Clock, check. Whats this about not being a clock-tower? "It is named, among us, the Pinnacle of Acceptance. Everyone who is risen into new life is lead here by the Dreamer, by fate. It is where our kind go to understand what they have become." Seemed logical. It's what happened to me: my curiosity lead me to the tower, and curiosity is geared by fate. But he kept mentioning the act of dreaming, as did the old hag inside the clock-tow...I mean, the Pinnacle of Acceptance. Also, "our kind". It rang throughout the deepest halls of my mind more so than the dreamer. I suppose it was time a really did accept what I am. I am no longer human. No longer humanity. I am an exception.

This whole "being undead" ideal was getting extremely confusing.

I glanced at Majora, smiling, and then to Mykal. "Our kind." We were all the same. I moved my eyes over at the brightly light clock upon the Pinnacle, both it's hands still remaining at twelve. "Ah, yes," Mykal must have taken cue of my interest. "The hands. They are frozen upon twelve. Remember that number forever, Artemus. It is the most important thing you can do. It is the hour of our ascension." I remembered the night before, when I first stepped outside the chapel. The night, the moon. It must have been twelve. Midnight, the hour of our ascension. My ascension.

It was time to move on. I wanted to leave, I wished to stay no longer. The Pinnacle left a heavy presence on me I wished to feel no longer. Giving a nod to Mykal, I said "I must be going now. I wish not to stay here any longer, no offense to the host. Just something inside me is all." He chuckled, obviously understanding my point of view. "Do you care to join us, Mykal?" He held his hand in nonacceptance. "As much as I would love a grand adven..."

BOOM. CRASH.

Too many noises at once sounded, and I lost my vision. I could only hear destruction and rally cries. Something was collapsing, something made of stone.

The tower.

I regained my vision to see the tower toppled, stone slabs abound, as well as cannonballs. I recognized the battle cries too. They were of the Northican nature, many barbaric slangs and vulgarities were used. I could only make out some of the words being said (I learned quite a bit of the Northican native language during the crusades). Undead, zombies, abominations. They were obviously not very friendly towards our kind. Laying in the snow, I looked around for my companions. Majora was fine, I spotted him hiding a bush nearby. Mykal was thrown aback beside me, groaning in pain. The blast was so immense it was able to knock us off our feet and push us about ten paces backwards. I lifted my head slightly to observe. Two catapults and enough barbarians to make a battalion.

A raid group.

The barbarians seemed to be unaware of our presence. They were adjusting their vision from the amass of dust and snow in the air. This was the perfect chance to escape. I shrugged Mykal by the shoulder. He nodded at me as I bobbed my head toward the forest. "We have to go" I whispered. He groaned in agreement. On our knees, we huddled over to the bush where Majora was awaiting us. I rubbed Majora's head to assure him that everything would be fine. The dust began to settle and the attacker became clear. Barbarians, about five of them, cheering at the downing of the tower. I turned to Mykal who, I must say, looked extremely pissed. I posed the question, "Escape quietly, or go in, swords shining?" He, what I could tell, was grinning at this point. Recklessly, he charged towards his sword, which was still stabbed within the snow. One of the barbarians intercepted him with a giant war glaive, but Mykal was impressively swift. He was able to dodge the blow, grab the hilt of his sword and pull it from the snow, and swing around the back of the looming man to deal a devastating uppercut through the spine. I charged in afterwards, rapier in hand. Of course, fate chooses to quarrel me and sends the barbarian with the giant warhammer my way. Flicking the small, wooden buckler attached to my wrist, I snarled, "Great."

He rushed at me, but he was incredibly slow. Whilst he was aiming for me, a more swift barbarian came from behind me to gut me, but I was more agile. I spun around and sliced his chest horizontally, smirking as he fell. I had almost forgotten that a giant metal hammer was about to smash my face in. In a stylish fashion, a slid between his legs (thanks the goddess Shivara for the ice beneath the snow) and sliced his ankles when I approached his back side. He cried in anger, falling to his knees. Before I could deliver the final blow, Majora decided it was his turn. He jumped at the barbarian, gnawing at his face until he was numb with pain. I left Majora with this one to assist Mykal, who was having some trouble with an opponent equipped with a flail. The barbarian swung the weapon ferociously, forgetting he was leaving himself completely open on the back side. As if Mykal and I had read each other's minds, I slid behind the enemy, slicing his ankles as I had done to his ally before him. The barbarian shrieked in pain, throwing his arms out, allowing Mykal the final strike: a thrust through the chest with a bastard sword, of all weapons. There was no surviving that.

I turned to Majora, seeing that he was successful in downing the humongous hammer-bearing warrior (and receiving a good meal from his face). "Look." Mykal said, pointing into the distance. Within the fog was the shadow of the last barbarian, fleeing the scene. Feeling somewhat triumphant, I found it appropriate to give a simple laugh; a gesture of victory. But Mykal was not so thrilled. I saw him, then, at the rubble of the tower, kneeling down amongst the fallen columns and stones. In his hand, he held the longest hand from the clock, bent and broken throughout. "The Pinnacle has fallen. If this were the only Pinnacle, we'd be in trouble. But regardless, I have failed my duties to the Dreamer..." he said menacingly. I assumed, now, there was more than one of these towers. After fighting Northicans, a undying question birthed inside me.

"Mykal, who won the war? Between Avaris and Northica?" He stood up, glancing at me.

"Neither." he said.

Some sort of feudal tie, I thought. Both sides probably lost too many resources and decided to call it quits. "We did." he continued. We did...? Maybe I misheard. Earlier he said no one...I see now. We did. The dead won. "What do you mean?" I continued to question. Mykal began to make his way to me. "Our army won the war. The Dreamer's army. We are still in a feud with Avaris, many of their kind still exist, but not for long. Northica was easy to wipe out. These citizens are not the brightest." I couldn't argue with him there, but I couldn't help but feel relieved when he said Avaris was still standing. I could escape now, leave Northica behind and travel to Avaris. They would surely take me in, despite my condition. But I knew it was impossible to do that. My soul was still split, I couldn't leave my undead allies, nor could I co-exist with the fleshlings. I was stuck.

"Artemus, I think I'll take you up on the adventure. I know just where to go." Mykal said, obviously tired of the questioning. He pointed a sharp finger at the aforementioned menacing castle nestled within the highest mountains. "Ugh, what could possibly be there, Mykal?" He chuckled at my incompetency. "One of our highest lords live there. He is an acolyte of the Dreamer..." I stopped him mid-statement. I was aggravated. I kept hearing mention of this Dreamer.

"Mykal, who is the Dreamer?" I asked. He stopped abruptly. "You...you truly do not know the Dreamer...?" he said surprisingly. I nodded slowly to emphasize my confusion on the matter. "The...the Dreamer is not a 'who'. The Dreamer is an entity. The Dreamer is the force the chooses who is awakened and who is not. Think of it as a sort of militaristic band. Our fate is the band itself, and the Dreamer is the conductor. But Artemus, I warn you. Do not, under any circumstances, EVER ask questions like that to your allies again. They make you look suspicious, and could very well cost you your life." The Dreamer must have been the deity to our kind, I supposed. I left the topic there. Mykal's stuttered response and gaze given afterwards made me feel weary and untrusted. "So, who is this acolyte?" I continued the conversation for the sake of my life.

"He is a bloodlord, to be precise. In life, have you ever heard the tales of the fanged beasts who snatch common-folk during the night and devour their blood? Well, they are indeed real, and Kofenham is one of them."

For reasons odd, the name was vaguely familiar to me. Kofenham...Kofenham. I delved into the darkest corners of my remembrance to assist me...

Goddess Amel, take me from this world again if you are lying to me, now.

Krauser Kofenham. My friend from Albion, Krauser. Please goddess, let this be a coincidence.

FINAL OF PART I