The Sunset Dawn: Book One - The Sun of Dominance

Prologue

There was once a boy. That is all he was at this point in time, a boy, with simple aspirations and simple dreams. His father was a good man, and his mother a fair and loving wife to him.

He was a page, the boy, to one of the eldest knights of Knighthood in Serpantol, and it's leader, sir Tesalon Gareth. True, he was young, true he was too small yet to even ride a horse, but sir Gareth had seen in this child an ability. The ability to someday lead, someday conquer and serve his purpose with all his heart, to immortalize the virtues of Knighthood in the hearts of every good man even more than Gareth himself had. The ability that could be dangerous someday if not cared for, and nurtured.

Tesalon raised this boy in the ways of Nadrik, though he himself was a firm believer in Austinian, and was rumored to have consulted with that god on a number of occasions. The boy was given page-like errands and all manner of directives, but Tesalon cared for him more than any other child in the world. Quite early, at the age of 10, in actuality, the boy was squired to Tesalon, and this meant that he was a Squire of the Crown, and shadowed Tesalon even to the courts of Serpantol and on personal audiences with the King. He was regal, and served with honor and love for his father. A virtuous boy, without a shadow in his heart. He was as noble as the eldest of paladins, as courageous as the greatest battle-rager of dwarven Wargar, and as courteous as the most loved of gentlemen in the courts of Serpantol.

By the time this boy had become a knight, he was the youngest ever. At the age of 16 the boy had excelled against any knight who was not a veteran, and by 18 he had dueled and defeated any knight in Serpantol but his beloved 'Father' Tesalon Gareth. Tesalon was a good sixty years old by his looks now, though his age is shrouded in legend and legacy as to have been stretched beyond the normal scopes of mortals by Austinian himself. He was none the less old in comparison to the length he had lived, and slowly, the boy found himself caring more for the man, returning the favor of his upbringing. It was truly unimaginable, unbelievable, inconceivable and highly controversial that this boy was once so loving, so honorable.

Many philosophers and great men of good have discarded that thought to inane speculation, but, as it was at the beginning of time; when the High God created in his divine wisdom Austinian, Kwainin and Necrucifer... there was no good, neutral, nor evil. There simply was, and the ends justified the means. This is the most accurate interpretation of the story about a boy who became a man known as San Gohdam, of the Dark Years, and the ideals of the Knights who left Serpantol to found Eclipse.

The story of his life, and death, and the fruits of his legacy, with few details spared, collected from folk lore and actual written history and compiled into this manuscript. This is the first book of the series, describing the founding and rising of Eclipse. Within this tomb is described the quick rise to power of Eclipse, Knighthood's struggle to match it, and the tragic end of San Gohdam's vision: the awakening of the hearts of Malice. The next book in the series, "Honor in Brotherhood" deals with the recovery of Eclipse, and the uniting of various races and peoples, and powerful magicks, and explains through plot how Eclipse evolved away from Knighthood's ideals. Proceeding it is the "Rise of Eclipse" which deals with Targetter's attempt at world domination, dragonfire, and the dark years.

Chapter One: The Stagnancy of Serpantol

There had been one day in his life that he was scorned so far, though it would not be the last. The general of the Lance, Maven Holyfield had caught the boy in his tracks, glimpsing at a report on his desk. It was not that that had caught his anger though, but that the boy had argued with the report's logistics.

"It doesn't make sense," the boy insisted to Maven, "Why are they not resisting them? We should be protecting the whole world, not just the aristocracy in Serpantol!"

"It is the law of Serpantol, boy. We cannot go against the king. If the elves are too proud to ask for our intervention, we cannot do anything for them. There are the Cultists to worry about here. We cannot relent our vigil."

"This is absurd, lord Maven! Will they not be stopped until their hordes are here? What idiocracy do we serve under?"

Maven literally threw the boy out of his office and slammed the door. The documents had been hidden for fear of causing the same controversy that traced back and forth through the boy's mind now as he wandered through the streets of Serpantol. It was a glorious city, unchallenged in the lands, as were the Knighthood.

Gareth was ill, and his knights were becoming stagnant because of it. Or rather, Gareth was ill because his knights were becoming stagnant.

The boy kicked a stray rock down the cobblestoned Royal Road. There was trouble in the north. Reports were scattered, but it seemed as if the Shalonesti were helpless to stop it. These ferocious hitherto unknown creatures were called the Yinn, and Serpantol would not allow anything to be done about them. The knights, although mostly wishing to, were ensnared in politics and dedication to the crown. Lord Maven was a stubborn individual, and would not strike at the Yinn, interfering in the politics of Shalonesti and this unknown culture. They had after all done nothing to Serpantol.

Carelessly, the young knight bumped into another boy, with dark skin and dark eyes. This swarthy boy ran a few steps away before the young knight apologized. The other boy stopped in his tracks, turning towards the knight again.

"You're not going to scold me, sir?" this swarthy youth asked.

"Of course not, why should I do that?"

"Most of the knights around here either scold or ignore people like me." the boy shrugged. "They're arrogant fools..."

San figured he had thought that to himself, or at very most breathed it in a mutter, but the other one heard.

"My name is Targetter." The dark boy said, extending a hand. The other was momentarily taken aback, but removed his chainmail glove and shook this "Targetter" by the hand.

"San Gohdam, Knight of the Crown." A keen flash ran through the eye of the other, but though San saw it, he chose to ignore it.

Targetter asked whether they could join each other in a nearby tavern for a drink. When San Gohdam said yes, it could have been the most pivotal moment in history.

Chapter Two: Destiny Manifests

The day had turned red, the light of the sun reflected from the red moon onto the surface of Algoron, amplified by the gloom of the clouds in the north. Everything was a dim, rusty red, and the sky a hazy pink color. It was quite disturbing. Targetter and Gohdam sat in the Wayside Tavern for many hours, discussing many issues. They had an awful lot in common, which surprised Gohdam, for he was of the impression that the poor were very different from the rich and powerful in Serpantol. Though a glorious Empire, Serpantol grew stagnant from the lack of anything to do, anywhere to go.

"It's only a matter of time before things can't go any further." "A preclude to disaster is what it is. The Serpantol army hasn't been used in over twenty years, and the knights are rusting in their tin cans, most of them, or getting old and fat..." he briefly thought of Tesalon, who he loved dearly, and could not believe he had said that... but a knight must speak only truth.

"The aristocracy in Serpantol Central won't let the government do anything, they're afraid they're going to lose something. We can't even stop the Cultists, and there's only a few of them."

"I wouldn't be surprised if they were getting help from a few of the knights. Since Lord Gareth has been ill, Lord Maven has become quite corrupt." "With great power generally comes great corruption... except for those who are true of heart, and filled with the purpose of their cause... have you ever had a purpose..?"

Gohdam thought for a moment, but could not answer, for outside there came much commotion. Targetter and the knight rushed to the door. Outside was a potentially fearsome canine-like creature, humanoid, about seven feet. She was surrounded by an escort of vicious guards. Gohdam could not help but notice how regal they all were. She was dressed in fine silks and earrings, and wore a tiara upon her head. They all stood straight backed and noble, as if they had nothing to fear... as if no one would strike out against them.

He glanced at Targetter, who's eyes locked to his. These were Yinn, and they were as civil as the highest aristocrat in Serpantol. And yet, the crowd turned violent, panic stricken.

It was only a matter of minutes before Maven arrived with a small lance of knights. One of the knights by his side began to try to calm the crowd down, but Maven raised his sword and struck at the Yinn who looked female. She fell, wounded. One of the guards near the back swung at a nearby knight as two rushed to seemingly protect the woman, but the action was so quick, so deadly, that in one smooth motion they had drawn the female out of harms way and lunged like wasps into the group of knights. Another Yinn fell back, slipping out of the crowd. Gohdam held his sword sheathed, but anger filled him. Not at anyone in particular, but the 'lord' Maven. Two Yinn had died, but 3 civilians and 2 knights lay with them in death. Maven was bloody, as were a few others, two Yinn had gotten away. The female had bled to death from the slice in her shoulder.

"What have you done, Maven?"

Maven was furious, still. "Defended the citizens of Serpantol from these monsters is what."

"These were not monsters! They attacked no one until you did!!"

Maven's eyes flashed with the error that he knew was his, but his words did not admit it. "I did what had to be done. Stand aside."

Gohdam's chainmail glove slapped Maven across the face, and landed in the bloody dirt. Fear filled the General's eyes. No one had beaten Gohdam in a duel for almost two years.

"We have no time for this, idiot boy!" Maven seemed to desperately want to hunt down the other two Yinn.

"NO? You're bloodthirsty enough! You haven't protected Serpantol from Evil in over ten years, Maven! You're despicable. You want something to fight, something that can make you a hero or saint?"

 "You don't know what you're talking about. He doesn't know!" Maven assured the nearby knights.

"What about the Cultists then, Maven? Why can't we seem to defeat them? Why are they always one step ahead of us? THEY'RE YOUR PAWNS!" Gasps from the crowd.

"I read the reports, Maven. You're a traitor to the name of goodness!"

Some more knights arrived, many who were of the Lance, coming from the street behind lord Maven.

"NO! I am General of the Crown, and you'll show more respect than these unbased accusations."

More knights, they were coming to where the commotion had been reported. A man, a knight of the shield came to the arguing Maven and Gohdam.

"Lord Tesalon was leaving the Crown to San, I thought.." said one of Gohdam's friends, Jaymes.

"Times of war are approaching. It is only appropriate that the recently deceased pass on his title to the general of the Lance."

"That's unheard of."

"You're talking of Gareth as if he's already dead!" Gohdam was furious.

"Lord Tesalon Gareth died this morning, soon after you left my office, boy."

The spite in his voice was too much. Whether or not this filthy man had finished Tesalon off with word of his plans to take the knighthood into his own hands or not were irrelevant. The implication was in his tone. Gohdam drew his sword angrily. There was fear in the crowd. This was unheard of as well, and deeply troubling. Then something that could only have been destiny occurred.

The sky became bloody as the red moon flashed, and slowly began to cover the above. The crowd was in awe, and Gohdam was fundamentally moved. The sun, burning high in the sky, was being overtaken by a small silhouette. Despite all of its power and strength, a radiant giver of life was easily overcst by something that was simply closer.

"Knights of Gareth and Serpantol hear me!" Gohdam said as the sky darkened under the lunar eclipse. "The knighthood is outmoded, made up mostly of men so stuck in their armor that they can not see people," he motioned to the poor crowd, then to the dead, civilized Yinn, "as they truly are! The empire of Serpantol is unchallenged, the people so afraid that they will not defend other realms against invasion, they scavenge for evil like stray cats through back alleys."

Various knights who were with Maven tried to stop Gohdam, who had climbed onto a tipped over stall on the side of the road. Jaymes, for one, defended him, and then others drew their swords in a motionless standoff.

"Those of us who tire of the laws of Serpantol restricting the growth of the world, restricting the very virtues of knighthood, join me, in true Brotherhood. If they want something to fight against so badly, we shall give them something to fight, and may their gods have mercy upon their souls! I wouldn't count on it though, Austinian let Tesalon die, and then this is the honor that his death is given? I renounce him! I follow no god who would let this happen to Serpantol! We shall unite under a new banner! The banner of an eclipse!"

Gohdam flung his sword and it stopped dead, pointing at the now full eclipse. The sun was but a brief rim around the moon, and the sky was dark. A chill wind blew from the previous gloom and the crowd was sent into panic by Gohdam's last cry before Maven broke through the ring of his defenders and arrested the lot of them for blasphemy.

"I RENOUNCE YOUR GODS!!!" "I RENOUNCE YOUR GODS!!!"

Chapter Three: Waxing Tides

It was the day of the hanging. Gohdam, rightful General of the Crown, was to be denied his place, and hung for heresy against the gods of goodness, along with Jaymes, and a few other of the knights who had testified against Maven's claim.

"Let be the souls of the wicked unscathed as they progress towards divine judgement, and may Austinian have mercy as he gives them retribution for their sins..." sir Walter Shimmerston, the cleric of knighthood, recited monotonously as the 'criminals' were led to the scaffold and the nooses placed around their necks.

As the cleric finished, Maven approached as well, and stood up to San Gohdam. He arrogantly spat in his face, and named him evil.

"You never accepted my duel, coward."

"I duel no evil, my wrath undoes and destroys it." Maven boasted. "I am a Higher Evil the likes of which shall toss you about at nights and haunt you during the days. And I shall duel you in hell, when we are there together."

San Gohdam spat back in the face of lord Maven. "And I shall someday send you there, myself."

"Hang them!" Rang Maven's voice, and the execution raised his axe to cut the ropes that held the trapdoors in place. As his axe fell onto the first one and one of the knights slipped to his death, so did the executioner to arrows in the neck. An arrow passed through Gohdam's rope and he had slipt one of his wrists out of their bindings which flung towards Maven's sword sheathe. He drew the sword out, slicing Maven's waist as he did, and sliced the rope of Jaymes's noose as the trapdoor beneath him opened.

Jaymes was sent hurtling to the ground under the gallows, where a few men waited for him, friends from the knighthood, who were dressed in armor but bore no insignia of Serpantol. Gohdam fought atop the scaffold as the Brothers of Eclipse joined him. They had horses down the road, and nothing could stop them, for there were more of them than the stangant knights of Serpantol could handle. Gohdam's words had moved them. Targetter came to his side, with his bow and an arrow knocked, and winked an eye.

"I liked your speech, I thought I'd rally them together and help you." Targetter replied to Gohdam's curious visage, which turned into a smile.

"I thank you, friend." He said and struck down a soldier.

Maven was still on the gallows, the cleric standing over him, and in Gohdam's wrath, he almost went after him.

"There will be time to deal with Maven, San. For now we must go, for it is you who these Ecliptic knights shall follow, and you alone." There was a strange ring to the boy's voice, a ring that knew much more than his age would permit. His wisdom was undeniable, and he and Gohdam got onto horses, and the renegade knights of Serpantol rode from Serpantol quickly, into the countryside, heading southward towards the duchy of Verminasia, where a modest manor surrounded by a small township awaited them, for it was a friend of Gohdam's who was the duke of this place.

"They want evil to fight, we shall give them just that. Though they shall call us filth, call us vile and foul in history, let us always know that we were in the right this day, and the days after. Let the Ends justify the Means, my brothers. Let the darkness of their foolish ways be their ends! Let reign the Brotherhood of Eclipse!" And the galloping knights cheered and rode forward into the southern horizon, where both the moon and the sun was setting. And from good was spawned the higher evil of Eclipse, and their legacy would spread far and wide, like a plague upon the world.

Chapter Four: For the Honor of the Crown

Historically, approximately a year and a bit have passed since the Eclipse had been growing in strength, and quite rapidly.

"The township of Pahn'Tol is ahead, San." The man named Targetter spoke over the galloping of hooves.

There were nearly a hundred armored knights with them, virtually nothing could stand in their way.

"Very good. Targetter, take two thirds of these knights and arch north to cover any resistance from Serpantol, and cut off messengers, then join me in Pahn'Tol. We'll have them open the gates for you. Remember, we are still knights..."

"Well... you are, at least. I -was- a peaceful assassin, as hard as that is to understand." Targetter winked. "But I know what you mean. We still have our honor." Targetter made a shrill call, and his division arched away from the 25 knights left, who rode on through the forest towards the village.

Pahn'Tol was but a small farming town, and Gohdam's knights quickly sacked the gates of the city. There was little to no resistance, and not a single one man or woman was killed needlessly. The gateguards were about the only people who took any injury at all. The valuables of the town such as silverware and money were taken, as well as grain and wheat from the silo's, but only what the Eclipse needed for it's growing army.

"Almost too easy, my friend." San commented when he reunited with Targetter at the northern gate. "Almost too easy."

Over the months, the villages became townships, and through either fear or longing for something greater than the Knighthood, knights who had heard of Gohdam's preachings in Serpantol drew steel beside him. The few confrontations that the greatly unprepared Knighthood had with Eclipse ended quickly, often in violence, though prisoners were taken and ransomed back to increase the coffers of Eclipse. When finally, after another year of hard raiding and recruiting, the Day of the Bull, month of the Great Betrayal, San Gohdam made his formal ultimatum known to Serpantol by messenger. What the Knighthood did not know, was that this messenger was the infamous Targetter himself. Targetter, had a passion for doing the unexpected, and he took pride in his nearly mystical ways.

The man was full of confidence as he strode into Serpantol. Knights from Shinalstin had been allocated here, and he smiled and bowed to them. They did not recognize him, for it was as hard then as it is now that anyone knew the man by face -and- name. Knights had been allocated, but not enough of them. The man drew from an inexplicable force, and warping the fabric of space and time, appeared before the King of Serpantol. The king and his imperial guards were quite taken aback by his appearance, but when Targetter told them to hold, they did.

"I come bearing message from the Knights of Eclipse." He pronounced.

"The Knights of Eclipse do not exist, sir," the king denied. "they are but simple renegades."

"Call them what you will, your majesty, but whoever they are, I bear message from them, none the less. The Knights of Eclipse and their supporting army have decided in their infinite wisdom that the Crown should yield approximately one half of it's treasury to Eclipse, and the food needed for their number for one year."

The king was not at all pleased by these demands. He laughed aloud. "The kingdom of Serpantol has no intention of submitting to a band of highway brigands--"

"I have not finished! The knights of Eclipse did not expect you to be wise enough to pay this, so we have therefor shortened the deadline for these demands as to not waste time watching you act like you are considering our ultimatum. You have twenty four hours before your crown belongs to us."

"GET HIM!"

But with a sharp upright gesture, Targetter had lifted the hand containing a canister of corrosive material and slammed it against the ground before the two guards could think of capturing him. When the smoke was gone, so too was Targetter, leaving the king to wonder how far these 'renegade' knights had come. He immediately sent a pigeon to the Knighthood in Shinalstin, who drafted and recruited all the way north to aid Serpantol. The Knighthood had been doing some recruiting of their own, and picked up the tossed gauntlet.

Chapter Five: The Battle of Serpantol

The armies of Eclipse had come earlier than the strategists of knighthood had expected, from the west, with the setting sun at their backs, to let Serpantol see the silhouettes of their enemies as they rose in hundreds over the rolling horizon. Because of the cultists, witchcraft was outlawed in Serpantol, and magic distrusted. Eclipse did not have that prejudice however, and had recruited a few of the mages that conclave had missed.

Fireballs were the first thing to hurtle over the walls of the city, incredible fireballs. From the east came the clouds, clouding the stars as the sun set, and the field was lit by the lightning that crashed into the city, and the fire that flew overhead. Despair inside Serpantol accompanied the darkness as the scales of the battle began to tip.

From atop a palace spire, Lord Maven, General of the Lance and the King stared morbidly over the scene below. The 'renegades'.. these Knights of Eclipse.. could not be held out of the city for much longer.

"I fear what shall become of this world if they overthrow us, Maven."

"Fear not, my king. I am soon to join the battle myself, and the knights from Shinalstin will soon arrive.. -must- soon arrive. Austinian.."

"Austinian have mercy on our souls, Maven."

It was not even midnight by the time the armies of darkness swarmed through the breech in the western gates of the city, and the battle was fought in the streets. Lightning still crackled harmlessly above, but the mana of Eclipse's mages had been used, so the magical portion of the battle was over. San Gohdam fought at the front of his lines, with the uncanny man known only as Targetter.

"It seems that the battle is in our favor, my friend." Gohdam said.

"Shall I order the looting of what we need to commence, Lord Gohdam?" Gohdam nodded, and Targetter's pre-assigned men broke into nearby households and warehouses. The Eclipse were not truly after the treasury, that would be a massive undertaking, as the main city walls around the palace and high quarters were still unbroken and defended.

Midnight struck, on this day of Deception, month of the Great Betrayal, the Knighthood from Shinalstin arrived from the south, only to be met with extreme force on the highway through the valley by knights of Eclipse. A great flare was launched into the sky, signaling Eclipses tactical withdrawal as the southern branch of Eclipse slowly gave the Knighthood way, purposely.

Targetter flinched. Something was not all right. "Gohdam," Targetter said.

"Yes, Targetter..?" "Theres something wrong here.. come with me." The steel clad man followed his swarthy friend, and they entered one of the nearby warehouses. There was a flash of steel and a definite slice as a tortured knight was executed. Two more were subdued, severely beaten.

"What in the name of Gods is going on?" the leader of Eclipse shouted, and the two men who were doing the executions stopped. They were former knights of the Serpantol Knighthood, Gohdam had grew up with on of them, Slough, and the other was about five years old, Klyrr dAstaroth. A few other drafts from Shinalstin stood nearby, and San saw that Targetter was committing their faces to memory.

"Forgiveness Lord Gohdam," dAstaroth replied snidely. "We were under the impression that this was a war."

"We do not kill mercilessly, without motive. These men can be held captive, for ransom. There is no honor in slaughtering the prisoners of war!"

"As my lord commands." Friends of Gohdam arrived, drawing him out of the warehouse to speak. Sir Lokgrim and Lord Jobe. "My lord, the Shinalstin are about a league south on the road and closing while our forces step backwards. Shall I raise the signal?" Gohdam glanced at lord Jobe, who nodded in agreement with Lokgrim. Jobe was a fine magician and warrior, he was the first mentor of the anti-paladins, a recent development in combating the knighthoods ranks.

"Give the signal to retreat, and set fire to a few of these buildings.. the ones that shall catch. We want to give our enemies something to do other than chase us through the countryside. "As my lord commands," smiled Jobe and went to his work. Fire poured through the dark sky, and the black forms of the knights of darkness disappeared like the shadows to daylight.. though it was little past midnight.

Chapter Six: Hearts of Darkness

Raids continued through the countryside the next day, leaving a firm, yet undisturbed path leading to the Knights of Eclipse. No one would be following, the knights would repair the damage. About five hundred thousand golds worth of goods had been taken from Serpantol, and there was much victorious celebrating amidst the ranks. It was not all good though, as the months slowly passed. Gohdam had discussed it with Targetter, the situation that was developing. There were the knights who were truly loyal to him, and to honor.. then there were the others, the suspicious.

There was something rising from the depths of Eclipse that lay within the darkest portion of a mans heart and soul, and they were helpless to quell it. Day by day, reports grew from Gohdam's loyals of animals dead in the forest, skinned only for their fur, or sometimes nothing at all. Gohdam knew who some of his friends were, Targetter definitely, as well as Lokgrim, Jobe, and his good friend Jaymes, who had been the first to stand by him. But day by day, the sentiment of grew inside his ranks.

As Targetter surveyed the camp with Gohdam one gloomy day, they were speaking of this in hushed voices. Almost every face could be attached to an unhealthy soul which is how Lokgrim referred to it. As they passed one of the tents, Targetter stopped and drew Gohdam back to the side of it. They listened on to the inside, but were too stricken with fear and apprehension to do anything but that.

"Kill all those who stand against you, Look into their eyes. Drink their blood and laugh aloud, No truth within your lies. Piss upon their graves, Then cast a final spell; We shall never serve in Heaven, But one day Rule in Hell."

There was a ripping sound from within the tent, and then someone intoned: "The Horned God shall walk again upon the world".

It reminded them both of the terrible legacy of the Cultists in Serpantol, and they could not believe that they had unwittingly dragged that aspect of that place with them. It was quite believable, but totally unwanted.

"The Eclipse must have the sun in order to block it.. this, though.. this needs nothing of the sun nor night. It is truly.. malicious." Targetter whispered. "We can but pray that.. Necrucifer guides our path away from this, my friend.. I hope he's a better listener than Austinian."

Chapter Seven: A Violation of Sanctity

The town of Bannersend was their next target. They were to draft the men from adolescence to middle age to join their army, and leave the youth and the aged with the women and girls. They would take a year's worth food for the new drafts. Gohdam and Targetter rode at the front of their procession, it was glum, and they were silent. Gohdam could feel every slow beat in his heart against his chest. Something within him was beginning to realize the value of it. Not simply the value of life, not to kill needlessly, but the value to him of his own beating heart.

Things did not go as planned. For the most part, it was so however, but there was resistance in the town, behind the walls. A small band of local heroes stood defiantly against them, and there were an uncanny amount of casualties. Not on Gohdam's army, but a little too many on the civilians' side. Gohdam glanced at Targetter, a miserable frown upon his face. The looting had commenced.

Suddenly, Targetter jolted back and nearly fell from his horse.

"What is it!?" Gohdam said, immediately thinking he had been struck by a crossbows bolt. He swung from his horse, but Targetter was physically fine. The man spoke low, only to Gohdam.

"A girl's sanctity is being broken. A mother is dying, her family dead save the daughter, who screams.." How Targetter could know all this was beyond the aging knight, Gohdam, did not know, but the two proceeded on foot to a house. Neither of them knew what force guided them there, nor whether or not that force was intended for their benefit. The door was locked, and Gohdam, the leaden man he was, kicked the frame in. A man lay killed in the foyer, Gohdam drew again his blade, Targetter his half- sword.

Two smaller children, boys, lay broken on the side of the room that they passed through towards a woman's screams and sounds of struggle. In the bedroom an older woman lay slain, gruesomely cut. This other, a blossoming woman by her looks, her clothes torn, struggled against one of the former knights of Serpantol. 'Sir' Hilloch stood over, watching, and another toyed with a dagger at the mother's gut. A head rolled. This of course, only caused the girl to scream more, being attached to a corpse, and she scrambled weakly away to the corner between the bed and the wall. Hilloch did not move, and the man with the dagger's jaw broken by a swift movement of Targetter's stiff hide boot. De Astaroth came from behind them, feigning surprise and apprehension. There was a moment of silence (save for the panting and whimpering of the girl) as Gohdam stared de Astaroth in the eyes.

"You will hang." He said to the men who were in the room, still staring at de Astaroth. Targetter was gazing slightly awestruck at de Astaroth, as if he had just seen a thought inside his mind.. or been given one. Of all the shame that could be said to the three rapists, not one of them did d'Astaroth let fly, but smirked knowingly at the Knight, San Gohdam, a chilling twinkle in his eye.

Chapter Eight: In the Name of Misery and Sadness

Some of the Knights had erected gallows, although most had been unwilling to hang any one of their Brothers'. It was the memory of these people that would save lives later on, and possibly Gohdam and Targetter as well.

"I was always convinced our numbers would be torn apart someday by a well planned attack from Serpantol.. I did not picture this." The swarthy man muttered to himself, watching Gohdam on the gallows, as the criminals of war were marched up.

There were four in total, for a few  others were caught doing unseemly things in Bannersend. Gohdam thought that making an example might solve the problem. Targetter was often less optimistic than the ex-knighthood.

"We are gathered today to witness the execution of these four offenders of morality. Most of us have worked our entire life to maintain virtue, and although we abandon the laws of Serpantol, and renounce their gods, we must maintain our vigil for Honor, and Higher Evil, not petty nonsense. Why then, do you press my leniency, my mercy?" Gohdam spoke like a king, and even the less enthusiastic 'knights' of Eclipse listened to him, and heard his message.

There was a crowd near the back of the gathered knights which Targetter suspected. Slough and d'Astaroth stood at their front, eyes ablaze with hatred.

"These cruel and heartless warriors who are among you spread misery and sadness for the sake of spreading misery and sadness.. and not necessarily for any good reason. For that, these ones who were caught, and any other who chose to lower themselves to this degree, and be on the same level as dung, shall be hung by the neck until they are dead!" Gohdam motioned to the man who stood near the lever, and the trapdoors opened.

There was little sound but the cracking of four necks and the creaking of ropes. The procession broke up. The glum, and the vengeful all went to their separate tents. Gohdam retired also to his tent, and before doing so, gazing back at the bodies that were being piled into a bonfire. Animals such as those did not even deserve proper burials. Targetter met his eyes for a brief moment, then they each entered into separate tents. It was the last night San Gohdam would be seen alive.

Chapter Nine: The Sons of Malice

Targetter rose before even the sun. The faint simmer of morning lay just below the eastern horizon. He had risen to see dawn, for he knew somehow, another one of these cursed intuitive hunches, that this day would symbolize great change. He walked slowly through the shady camp, for the tents cast long shadows from the rising sun, heading towards Gohdam's tent. His eyes caught some movement, and he averted his course, heading instead towards Jaymes'. Two men lurked in the shadows of a nearby tent, one watching Gohdam's the other watching Targetter himself. Something felt empty and dark within Gohdam's tent, and the usual beat of life from the tent was not there.

The swarthy man hastened his pace and slipped into Jaymes' tent. There was a sudden aggressive movement as he entered the candle lit tent.

"Woah woah! Hold! It's a friend, not foe.." Targetter said, but he had none the less drawn his half-sword in defense.

Jaymes nodded, hands shaking as he gripped his own sword. Lord Jobe was here as well. "I thought for a minute you were them.." "Two of the generals are dead, Targetter. We saw them, throats slit in their beds for wake up.."

Jobe even, feared his life. "I fear that San may too have been murdered. His tent was being watched for those who might go in. I did not risk it."

"What do we do..! What do we do?" Jaymes frantically whispered. He was nearly panic stricken.

"We have to calm down. There's more of them then there are us. If we lose track of our logic, we'll die too. Find Lokgrim. We have to get the hell out of here. All the True Knights of Eclipse know that we have friends and shelter in Verminasia. Malice does too, but they won't risk a venture there, at least, they won't care enough to go there. We have to get to Verminasia and send a team to move the gold though, so that they can't find it anymore. That might be their first directive .."

"I'll sick the Knighthood on them," Jobi offered. "I can send a message of magic to Maven that will alert him to our weakened condition.. at least parts of it. He will take the opportunity I think.. I pray."

Targetter nodded. "Get the hell out of the camp, and don't get followed. Make sure you reach Verminasia. I have something to do." It was deathly quiet outside, there was a strange hum to the air, resonating like a migraine through the skull of the world. There was cautious movement through the camp. The True Knights knew that they must flee or be killed. It was starting to make sense though, to Targetter. Someone on the enemy's side knew who's hearts were and were not true to the cause of Eclipse. They could read mind and emotion, just as Targetter seemed to be able to do. A manatonic. And from the incident in Bannersend, he had a good idea of who that would be. D'Astaroth.

Once he had killed the man, he would sort through his mind and get the information he needed to stop doubting every man who spoke to him. He would know who the True Knights were, and be able to save them.

-Only a matter of time before the Knighthood get here.- came the thoughts of Jobe, and Targetter steeled his resolve, slipping into d'Astaroth's tent. It was poetic justice that the heartless man lay sleeping in his bed. After Targetter had disposed of him, his thauma, the energy that compromised his soul, seeped freely into Targetter's possession. He did not understand these powers, but could use them. Slipping through the ethereal now with little threat of being discovered, Targetter gave a message to every knight that was still true of heart: -The Brotherhood of Honor shall flee to Verminasia from the Sons of Malice, who this day, have defeated us from the inside out. God have mercy on our souls.- Thus the Eclipse fled to Verminasia in a small number. The ranks of Malice inflated quickly as those who were tired of being limited by the beliefs of the Eclipse changed loyalties.

This, however, gave the Knights an even more evil target, and Malice found itself in a position of unwanted attention as the Knights and the magi of the Conclave centered their might on Malice. With reprieve from conflict, Eclipse set about to licking its wounds, and slowly regained the nobility and respect even of the Knights, remembering always the values of the murdered San Gohdam.

Thus ends that tale, of the first book, of the formation of Eclipse, and of the spawning of Malice.  The Sun of Dominance, Gohdam's rule terminated most unfortunately. The next manuscript 'Honor in Brotherhood' is an epic in itself filled with the recovery of the knights of Eclipse, under Targetter's rule. Targetter grows to be the most fearsome man to ever have walked the face of Algoron. Tales of the Demon Horde, the Ka'tath, the Dark Alliance, and the reincarnation of Death Knights. Darkness builds, virtually unchallenged in the world...'