The Queen of Shadows

Interlude: The Curse of Knowledge

(CRASH!)

The scout who returned from the Isle of Skye to deliver the bad news stood scared and uncomfortable as his superior destroyed his desk in anger, throwing goblets, candles and weapons all over the floor of his tent. The Chieftain in charge of overseeing the Heralds' affairs in Alba, miles north of the Isle leaned over the remains of his war table as his anger was replaced with frustration. His bodyguards and the scout remained silent as he finally spoke.

"So, not even the Sovereign's envoy could extinguish the witch-girl..." The Chieftain seethed. "And our attempt to take the fortress and the village has failed."

The scout who passed this information eventually worked up the courage to ask:

"Sh- should I send the news to the zealots?"

The Chieftain looked up and glared at the scout, and the lowly henchman thought he might find himself on the wrong end of a blade seeing how his superior was barely restraining himself, eerily quiet save his earlier outburst. The Chieftain then sighed and relented against whatever cruel act he had in mind that would only briefly satiate his fury.

"They have called forth that abomination. Their connection with our Lord in the stars has no doubt alerted them to the Seraph's demise. Get lost..."

The scout wasted no time in complying, leaving the Chieftain alone with his bodyguards. One of them moved to clean up the mess, but the Chieftain motioned him to stop. He stood over the map that fell on the floor; a map of the Isle, showing all the claimed settlements, including the large one that was Alba where they have set up base of operations. In the middle of the map was a circle area still unclaimed; the forest where Castle Dunscaith was situated, remaining outside of the Heralds' control, and in the Chieftain's mind due to no small part by the "witch-girl," Scathach.

"Humanity stubbornly resists the embrace of the Sovereign," The Chieftain says glaring at the unclaimed area of the map at his feet. "Little do they realize their pride and arrogance invites the World's eventual demise. The masses are too selfish to see it!"

He stomps and drags his foot, tearing the map in half before returning to lean over his war table, slamming his fists down. Just the thought of that pesky witch-girl ruining his plans yet again made the Chieftain's blood boil, even more considering that she has now rallied her whole decrepit village against the Heralds in battle. It seemed that Scathach was growing both in power and influence, even declaring herself Dunscaith's sovereign ruler... its queen.

If one of his deity's most powerful warriors could not overcome her, then the Chieftain could see no other way of bringing about Scathach's demise. She was their only obstacle in his way to retrieve the Eye of Odin for his zealots... an indominable wall too powerful for any normal mage.

Scathach's continued existence was a heresy... a grim confirmation of the Heralds' founding beliefs.

"Instead of salvation, they invite ruin... by their own hands! Our teachings may be brutal, but hardly a sin compared to how much Humanity fights against itself... burning lands and extinguishing entire civilizations for even a marginal gain in power... all to reach a place forbidden to all but the highest of Gods... The Root."

The bodyguards stayed silent, mostly out of fear for speaking out of line... for the Chieftain's words held truth, even in anger. It was a knowledge that ALL who serve the Heralds to the Sovereign have been indoctrinated with.

"If they could see what WE have seen... the only safe outcome for Humanity lest they continue down this path. Salvation under the Sovereign..."

The Chieftain slowly looked up at his bodyguards. The two-henchman looked at each other, silently deliberating if maybe one of them should respond. One of them worked up the courage to...