Role

Chapter 3

The night air was cool and the ground was speckled in moonlight from the partially
cloudy sky as Bartis leaned against a crumbling wall just outside the gates to the Village
of the BattleRagers. The night was very quiet and promised to continue this way as Bartis
stood at his guard post watching for the enemies of the Village who might try and reclaim
their items of power. He shook his head and sighed at the thought of spending the next
few hours bored out of his mind since he very seriously doubted anyone would try to find
the courage to mount an attack on the Village.

Almost as if the thought of boredom provoked a response, Bartis caught a faint
shimmering out of the corner of his eye. Anticipating magic, he wheeled and instantly
shrouded himself with his hatred for magic and called forth his ability to sense mana.
What he saw, however, was not what he expected. The shimmering was real, but, Bartis'
sharpened senses could detect no magic. As the shimmering began take form a haunting
chill crawled up Bartis' spine as he began to realize what it was he was looking upon. A
spirit!

'Ba- Bartis. Bartis!' echoed a distant spectral voice through the ruins.
Unlatching his flail from his back that struck with divine power Bartis stepped forward
warily as his mind raced to consider what kind of spirit would know his name.
As he stepped forward the moon parted through the clouds and he caught a good look at
the spectral form. It was a pair of figures, though the second was barely detectable behind
the first. The first was very short and Bartis recognized it instantly!

'Boris?!? What in a bloody stone er ya doin' here??!' Bartis cried while holding back a
flood of powerful emotions.

'Help me Bartis! I- I can' be findin' tha strength fer long, so jest listen! That demon who
kilt us- He- He not only kilt us but took our souls! I ain' sure where I be but yer gotter
help me! Set me free!' the shade of his brother hurriedly explained.

'You know ah will, brother! I be doin' anythin' I kin ter set yer free if I be needin ter go
ter tha depths o' hell meself! Who be behind yer? I be seein' another?!'

'What?? No one here- Jest help me! I be in AGONY!!' Boris wearily exclaimed as the
image of his shade began to fade.
Just as his brother faded from view Bartis caught a good look at the figure that was
behind him. It a face he'd never forget. It was the face of the mage that called the demon
forth on that fateful day. But why had he appeared with his brother? Was his soul
captured too? Were they somehow linked to each other? How was he to save his brother?