At the gateway to the Young Kingdoms, the Successor Kingdoms, and the feudal realms of old Primovantor stands the Basilean province of Nova Ardovikio, the hum for trade and with the city of Tarisios the centre of commerce for the region.
All it took was for a particularly harsh winter, blocking access to farmsteads and villages around Tarisios, for the old folk tales to seemingly come to life. Peasents in villages miles apart started to experience the same nightmares, shadowy beasts, tentacle things, slaiviering beings, too many eyes, the nightmares were violent and intense. These nightmares spread from village to village and soon the city itself was screaming out at night due to the nightmares.
Every settlement was unsettled with paranoia and fear, the Hegemon took notice thinking this was some weird influence from the Abyss.
One by one and inky black fog descended on the villages, farms and remote watchtowers of Nova Ardovikio, when riders were dispatched they were either turned back by the impenetrable darkness, or did not return.
The fear grew, cut off, huddled together, the air was thick with fear that enclosed the city of Tarisios.
Shadow seeped up through the wood and seemed to encroach on the city, the city guards also reported that the same odd shadow blacker than darkness, was creeping from the Copper Hills through the trees of Galahir, with squirming, jerking, hideous forms hidden within in it.
The city was surrounded by thousands of pairs of glinting eyes fixated on the city. Fear became panic, due to recognition that these things were the beings straight out of their nightmares. Their nightmares were alive, these night-terrors, this primordial fear rising up through them, and with each sob of fear, the shadow-horde grew larger, stronger, closer.
The garrison commander, High Paladin Ecquitar, knowing his men-at-arms were near paralysed with fear and dread, sallied forth his city guard to face this nightmare.
The shadows parted as his warriors drew close, to reveal black shapes scuttling across the ground, slack-jawed killers shambled into view then vanished from sight, only to reappear in the midst of the Basileans.
Beautiful beings lured soldiers from their ranks, to then transform into skull-faced monsters, with screams that seared the soldiers mind.
Towering behind these were shadow-beasts with uncountable eyes brimming with intelligence and terrible to behold, which then tore savegely into the defenders of Tarisios, till only the Paladins and the Sisterhood remained, pooled in a circle of light fighting against the endless encroaching darkness.
Ecquitar was resolute. Every step forward he took, the creatures before him diminish in strength. Every prayer he uttered, a shadow flickered.
Seeing that courage was the only weapon against these creatures, Ecquitar, ordered his Paladins to form a ring of steel around the Sisters, who he ordered to abandon the fight and instead sing the praises of the Elohi.
One by one the Paladins fell, and the teeth, claws and scythes from the nightmares cleaved into the Sisters themselves, but they showed no fear. Still they raised their voices to the heavens in a choir that surely the arch-angels could hear.
Bringing a brilliant light as of the dawn, the prayers were answered, an angelic host swept over Tarisios. Where their light shone, the people felt courage anew. Men-at-arms rallied.
Citizens with courage born from angels, surged from their city with axes and torches to aid their High Paladin. Where previously the weapons of men had failed to harm the shadow-creatures, they now bit deep, and the creatures shrank away from the stout-hearted warriors.
Ecquitar raced forward, powering though the wailing monstrosities on pure faith, till he confronted the great beast from the void.
Whispering Ecquitar deepest fears, and transforming itself into hideous things that Ecquitar wished he could unsee, sticking at him with blade-like talons of pure dark energy.
Ecquitar was rocked to his core with the assault on mind and body, feeling evil seeping into his heart, Ecquitar struck out with his blessed blade biting the creature deep, causing the thing to scream with such intensity that even the other shadows began to recoil and dissipate, the Basilean fell to a man clutching their heads as a mental assault overcame them.
When their senses came back to them, the creature were gone, sliding shadows on the edge of vision, the first rays of dawn drew over the east, the threat was gone, for now, but at what cost.
Something had changed in Ecquitar, a seed of evil and fear was a darkness gnawing at his faith. Contaminated, in his shame he said nothing.
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