(Flashback to January 16, 795 TR)

Shard and Aphiron wheezed as they walked the last few steps to the top of the hill, then collapsed. They lay still for several minutes, panting with exhaustion from many days of walking with little rest. After a few minutes, they managed to catch their breathes and sit up. Shard studied the ground before them at the bottom of the hill. The tracks clearly stood out, as innumerable undead trod this ground days ago, heading northward, from what Shard could tell. He had found the trail a week ago, appearing out of nowhere, as if the army just materialized or teleported to the spot and began marching. It head eastward for a ways, then, here, at the border of Loebar, it turned northward. Shard stood up and approached the tracks wearily. He kneeled and examined the footprints more closely, and determined that they could only be a couple of days old. He shambled back up the hill and sat down next to Aphiron.

"Yeah, the tracks are only a few days old, maybe two or three. We may be catching up, but those undead probably don't stop to rest, sleep, or eat. So we probably won't be able to catch up with them until they reach the first town they plan to destroy..... Damn, I wish we could've left a few days ago, then we might've been able to catch them before they began their assault..." Shard said tiredly.

Aphiron replied, "Yes, but think about it, my friend. Who knows how many undead there are? I mean, look at those tracks. There has to be at least a few hundred of them, if not a thousand or more! How are we supposed to stop them all? We may need the help of some city's militia or something. And even then it'll be a miracle if we can stop all of them!"

Shard sighed. Then he said, "Yes, it may be difficult, it may even be impossible, for just the two of us to take on the entire legion. But maybe if we can just destroy the leaders, the rest of the undead will stop, or become deanimated? I don't know. But we have to try. At least if we slay the leaders, or just a few dozen or a hundred of the lesser undead, maybe it will be enough for Necronis' intended victims to handle, and maybe they will be able to pull through. We need to at least try. That is what we were ressurrected for, anyhow. If we don't at least try, then we're no better than cowards, and we'll be going back on our promises to /\/\yste, and he'll probably revoke our reincarnation. So we must at least try. And besides, if Necronis' army succeeds, this entire world will probably end up a huge cemetary. There wouldn't be much point in living anymore then, now would there? So let's at least try, and hope that the defenders of whatever city Necronis sieges can handle the rest of the undead."

The two sat there for a while longer before deciding to move on and continue northward.

~ /\/\ist Phantom ~
Arkhandus, Blue Mage
Shard, Sword Mage
Aphiron, Novice Warrior
Necronis, Lord of Undead
Traug, Troll Mage