"Hmmm well I could attempt to reinfiltrate the castle and investigate the guard situation, but right now the place is swarming, it would be almost impossible...What if we lured out a guard and then captured him? Used him for interrogation?" Isaac said "and I vote we learn more about it before using/destroying it."

"I think we should study it further, rather than forging the blade. It is a dark blade correct? and Kael is a dark wizard, is he not? If we tried to destroy him with a dark blade it wouldn't work very well. I propose we study it as a side mission towards investigating the guard conspiracy." Acadius assured Rat.

"Well im not all opposed to the forgeing of this blade, in fact i could forge the actual blade but you would have to enchant it. The other option is we could study the blueprint to find out what the runes mean, but i doubt we should give it to your father." Jason said to Rat directly. "If you wish for me to forge the blade i will, but i will need to take the blueprints with me back to my home."

"then it is agreed that the blueprints will be studied"Rat smiled and took them back. "I will spend whatever time I can at the Mage's Guild Library, trying to decipher these runes. Now onto the more pressing matter: How do we tackle this guard situation? We cannot simply swarm them, as we do not know their numbers, and we cannot explain to my father, or he will know that we have far greater knowledge than we should."

Jason was kind of dissapointed that the others had agreed on not forging the blade but it was mostly Rats decision, after all it is he who would get in trouble by the Mages if the found he was in possesion of a dark blade. The others had decided that the blueprints should be studied further and Jason had no objection to that. "I know this is off topic but if any of you have a broken weapon, i will build you a new one free of charge." Jason told the group.

"Hmmm excellent idea, Jason...infact, could you make me a new blade? this short sword is of poor quality" Isaac said "If your not busy, of course."

Acadius suggested, "I think we should try kidnapping a guard, attempt to get information from him, and if he won't cooperate..........well, let me take care of that."

"If I may step in Acadius, I agree with your course of action and that shall be our first step, but I also have a proposal. Kael if amassing an army, so should we. I propose that we spread the word, The Resistance is rising, with their right hand they shall fight those that wish for us to be slaves, and with our left shall we liberate our once free land" Rat stood up. "We will recruit all, any able-bodied fighter. Whos is with me?"

"I'm all for recruiting, but, if we're not careful, we could spread it to Kael, or others that work with him."

"I would like to stop this meeting, and rest for the night. I think we've all agreed for; investigating guards, researching the blueprints, and recruiting. Anything you would like to add, Rat?

"How are we to know whether he has stopped at just guards? Perhaps he has perverted mages to his cause already. If we are to assemble an army, we cannot send paupers to their death against skilled battlemages"

Isaac listenned to Rat give his speach, and Acadius' reply. Once he was done, Isaac decided to put in his say. "These mages, they are a powerful group. There is a reason why an army hasn't already risen to kick thier asses. I am all for an all out war, it would make this much easier, but I think we should still need an ace in the hole. How many other powerful artifacts has Kael created over the years? I doubt this is the only one."

"I agree also, that we should rest, and gather our thoughts. Sleep well men, and may the Resistance live on"

A week passed in Geldar, and the city had chenged more in a week than it had changed in a century. Guards now roamed the streets bearing the mark of the dark mage Kael. They took any beggars to the dungeon for interrogation, as the culprit behind the Guild invasion had not yet been discovered. The Guild itself, a once beautiful giant dominating the skyline of Geldar, was scarred beyond recognition. Half of the western quarter now lay at the bottom of the moat, and there were no fewer than four score guards patrolling the perimeter at any time.

The slums, however, had changed more than any sector of the city, unfortunately this was for the worse. Purges now occured daily, in an attempt to anger the Resistance out of hiding. Shops and homes of honest merchants were burnt to the ground and their inhabitants taken for questioning. None were spared from the Iron Fist of the city guard. Men, women and children alike were made example of publicly, and 3 orphan boys had pummeled to death.

Rather than discourage and disband the Resistance, it now thrived in this time of peril. In the past week the number of Resistance members had tripled. Merchants, skill workers and friends of those mercilessly punished now worked in secret for the guild. Miners, blacksmiths and tanners worked through the day and night, outfitting members with armour and weapons. Jason supervised the manufacture of weapons and had achieved the title of master blacksmith. With thanks to his great work, the Resistance resembled less a group of rebels, rather than a small army.

Arrow and Isaac had spent the past week travelling to nearby cities and villages, recruiting guild members and securing resources. Jason and Acadius had been ind enough to supply Isaac with a new enchanted blade, Retribution, which even at night glew with such an unnatural brilliance that it instilled fear into the hearts of his foes.

Acadius, now chief combat instructor and commander of the agressive resistance squad, had been kitted with new plated robes and a spellsword matched by no other sword in the Resistance. He was now in charge of teaching the ways of battle magic to those members who showed sensitivity to magic.

Rat, although scarcely seen these days, had been hard at work, deciphering the runes on the blueprints for the blade. When he did visit the Resistance Hall, he brought new intelligence of the Mage's Guild and money which he had been able to sneak out of the Guild due to his position as Master of Coin.

On an early Winter morning, the Hall was busy as always. The furnaces were stoked, swordsmen sparred in a corner and many people were talking. As the door swung open and Rat stepped inside the building, the Hall fell eerily quiet.

"My previous assumption appears to be correct. Kael is recruiting Magi to his cause. In the Library today was a mage with the Mark of Darkness tattooed to the back of his neck. How Kael is keeping his recruitment campaign under the Guild's nose I do not know, but I strongly doubt that his army's magical strength is limited to one or two apprentices.
"I also have received word that the sudden outbreak of action by the Resistance has not gone unnoticed. The guards have heightened security and I fear that it is only a metter of time until we are discovered.
"I must now return to my studying. It is no longer safe for a high ranking mage to be sauntering around the slums. Goodbye and safe keeping."

With this, Rat disappeared through the doorway into the snow and the Hall was suddenly filled with conversation once more.

Sometime after Rat's visit, Isaac walked the city streets. Today he had no border town or frming community to visit, so he decided to do a bit of vigilante work and patrol the city. With the increased guards, it wasn't difficult to find someone in need. Even now he turned a corner and saw 2 guards holding a man and a third cruelly beating him. Isaac walked up, and since he wanted to make an example, shouted "You there, guard!" The guards turned to look at him. "What do you want?" the first guard said. "You will let that man go" Isaac replied. Laughing, the guards threw the man aside, drew their swords, and slowly approached. "Yeah who is gonna make us?" The second guard said, laughing. When they came within 3 feet of him, he drew Retribution and lunged at the first guard, stabbing him twice in the chest. He fell to the gorund with a stunned look on his face. The second guard swung at Isaac, but he ducked and then slashed the man at the knees. The man went down, and the Isaac finnished him off.

The third guard wacthed Isaac stand up, and then began backing away. "No, no please, please good sir, no, never again, please, just spare me please!!" The guard rambled on. Isaac grabbed him by the color and held Retribution to his throat. "There is a new power rising" Isaac said coldly. "The days of your terror are over. Now run, and if I ever see you again, I will kill you on sight." With that he let the man go, and he scampered off. Isaac grabbed the bodies and stached them in a near by abandonned shack. He was about to continue his patrol, when he heard a tumpet sound in the distance. "What is that?" He wondered.

After teachings that day, Acadius decided to walk around the city for a bit. He managed to catch the sight of Isaac murdering those guards. He decided to continue walking around, and found a mage with a dark seal on his forearm, at the wrist. Assuming the worst, Acadius jumped the man, he fell to the ground, and Acadius repeadedly stabbed him with short twin daggers until he died.

"STOP!" he heard a voice yell. Before the oncoming guard saw his face, Acadius put his hood on and ran towards the guard. Acadius' hand started to glow an eery red, the guard, however did not notice it and brought his sword down on Acadius. He caught the sword with his hand, and melted it. Forcing the guard to the ground, he begged "Please, n-," but before he finished Acadius slit his throat. Because they were in a small, very dark alley, Acadius thought there was no need to hide the bodies.

Continuing on with his walk, Acadius eventually got to an "alchemy," shop. He purchased his things from the man, who worked for the Resistance, and left.

On the way passed the alley, there was a cloud of dark smoke, and Acadius could make out two figures standing in it. Horrified, Acadius started sprinting as fast as possible, back towards the Resistance Hall.

The Guild halls were dimly lit as Rat swept through them towards the Grand Hall. When he reached the hall, he found his father at his usual spot at the Grand Table. "Hermes" called his father, beckoning him forth. "Tell me, my boy, why have you graced the hall with your presence? You are not around here so often anymore?"

Rat pulled his hood down and stared his father square in the eyes. "Father, the guard situation is entirely out of control! Innocents are being beaten and killed merely for making an example to others. Who ordered such a dispicable act?" Rat demanded

"Master Strider, he is in charge of city security, of course" repliad Maeth.

"Does the Master of Coin have any objections to my, I admit, strict security measures". Rat spun around to see Kael with his eyes burning into Rat and his mouth curled into a malicious smile.

Rat growled and grabbed Kael by the collar. "You dog! Your time will come very soon" he shouted. He then pulled Kael close and whispered "Tell me, worm, how do you keep so calm when your little weapon is missing?"

Rat then threw Kael aside and ran from the Grand Hall.

Jason had stayed away from the city for the past weeks, keeping busy building weapons for resistance members that visited him for new weapons. He didnt make them extremely powerful, just durable enough so that they wouldnt break. Nothing the type he had made for Issac, and he was now working on a new set of twin blades, much more powerful than his first pair. It was just another scorching day in his home when someone knocked on his house door. Jason slowly put his tongs and hammer down and walked over to the door.
"Who is it?" Jason asked curiously drawing a dagger from his belt ready to use it if it was a mage or guard.
"It is a friend." said a voice that Jason knew was one of his usual customers that always managed to break his warhammer.
"Ah, come in my friend, what can i help you with today?" Jason asked opening the door to see a person wearing a white tunic and pants.
"Well if you have the time i would like to ask you for your help..." he said quickly closing the door behind him, "I have managed to get on the bad side of a few guards and my warhammer has broken again... could you possibly repair it but use stronger metals?"
"Of course, also i had hoped i would see you again soon." Jason said motioning for the man to sit as he walked back to his anvil and grabbed up his pair of tongs. He grabbed a peice of iron that he had been using for an axe-head until he found that the owner had been killed by the guard, "I was wondering if you would like to join the resistance? There will soon be a war and you would do well to help us... Your help would be well appreiciated."
"I have considered this option many times and have finally decided to join, if there is to be a battle i wish to be in it." The man said sitting down on the chair and kicking his feet up onto the table.
"Excellant... do you have armor for this occasion?" Jason asked striking the metal and molding it into the shape of a warhammer head, "If not i could make you some..."
"I have some leather armor, but nothing that would protect me from the sword of a guard or the attack of a mage, although i suppose nothing could save me from that..." The man said pulling something from his pocket. It was a small bag of gold and he tossed it onto the table, "Will this be enough for the armor and hammer head? I also have the hammer handle if you need it."
"No i shall just make you an entirely different handle, a sturdier one that will now break as easily as others would." Jason said picking up the roughly shaped head and placing it into a water bucket near the anvil. It sizzled for a second and then he pulled it back out and struck the metal with the hammer again.
This continued well into the night and when Jason finnaly finished the man was asleep. Jason wrapped the newly made hammer into a peice of cloth and did the same with the armor, which was made with the symbol of a dragon on the front of it. (i like dragons lol)
"My friend it is time for you to leave, you have spent all day here, i thank you for the gold, although it was not needed now that you are a member of the resistance." Jason said handing the bundles to the half-awake man and ushering him from his house.
"Goodbye and thank you for your buisness." The man said before riding away on a brown horse.
Jason sighed and returned to his bedroom, falling straight into bed and falling asleep.

After running from the horrific scene, Acadius went from resistance member to resistance member with his terrifying news. The last one he got to was Jason.

"Jason!" Acadius screamed as he barged through the door. "You must heed my warning, the dark mages have brought the dead back to life! I killed two men working with Kael, and when i walked back by where they died, they were standing up right and looking at me through a cloud of dark smoke."

Shocked by the news, Jason replied "Have you told the others? Are we doing anything about it?"

Acadius simply said, "I've told the others, and i propose we call a meeting immediately!"

Arrow returned to Geldar late in the afternoon, the sun setting before him and casting the city in an eerie silhouette. He had a letter for some member of the Mage's Guild or other and a wagon of rations for the Resistance Hall. There were plenty of weapons and armor in the Resistance, yet no one truly appreciated the effort it took to feed these soldiers.

He turned to the man pulling the wagon and told him, "Go to the Archer's Tavern, tell the bartender: "Arrow has pierced my wagon" and nothing more than that. Take care."

He turned down the street and rode off to deliver the message, trying in vain to ignore the amount of guards. Trying in vain to not flinch as he recognized more and more of his friends with dark tattoos on their necks. After his delivery he returned to the Resistance hall to sleep and eat. These new days have become so much more tiring.

It was late ofternoon when Rat burst through the door of Jason's house. "I have been terribly foolish" he said, looking at his own feet. "I got angry and told Kael I have the blueprints for his weapon. I fear this will only accelerate his progress as he prepares to attack me"

Jason was shocked by both of the news from Acadius and Rat, the most disturbing he found was Rat's information however and he reacted to it almost immediatly. Jason pulled on his black cloak and equipped his bow and twin blades. He also shoved a dagger to his boot again, and began to leave his house speaking very quickly, "Okay, by both of you coming here it has hastened the guards on finding my whearabouts and capturing me." (im assuming both of you are still here)
"I will head North to one of the remains of my families house... they always said of something being able to be used there to help the Resistance, but i never bothered looking for it. Also if they mages really can ressurect i will need to stay away from this city for a while to work in peace. I have a safe house high up in the mountains that we blacksmiths always use when we wish to get away from all the bustle of the cities. There i will forge all new weapons for Myself, Acadius, you(rat), and Arrow. You will need to enchant them to your own will though, i will just make them unbreakable by sword or sheild." Jason said quickly turning around to grab some blacksmith's tools and his unfinished blades, "Now this meeting has never happened and if anyone mentions this house it has been deserted for many years."
Jason quickly mounted his horse and rode North, away from the city and the mages guild.

After hearing Acadius' dark news, Isaac stumbled back to the Meeting hall, deep in thought. "So the can ressurect?" He said to himself "Maybe Rat will know of an enchantment to bannish them for good."

Rat, contemplating on his next course of action, grabbed a sword from Jason's collection and began his journey to the Resistance Hall to tell the others of the news, Kael knew of Rat's possession of the blueprints. As he passed through the slums, he felt a large hand grab him and spin him around.

"Lord Kael wants you to come with us" the tall guard said, grinning menacingly. Rat reached for his sword but another hand grabbed him.

"No, you will come with us" a second guard said as they began to drag him through the filthy streets of the slums.

Acadius went back to the Resistance hall in search for Rat, to determine our next course of action. He waited in the hall for days before he heard the news about Rat.

"Why was he captured?" Acadius asked a random Resistance soldier

"Kael found out about the stolen blueprints." he replied

"How did he find out?" rumor is that he is a double agent

"NO!" Acadius yelled and slapped him across the face, Rat would not double cross anyone

"Now get out of my sight!" and the man ran out of the hall, Acadius then put his hooded cloak on and went into the training area to start classes.

Kael strode through the cold dark dungeons of the Guild, holding his nose in protest of the smell/ He reached cell 13 and let himself in. As he entered, he projected 2 balls of light which illuminated the cell. A filthy Rat covered his eyes against the sudden light. When his eyes adjusted and he spotted Kael, he attempted to lunge at him but the chains around his arms and legs restricted him. Kael laughed at Rat's pitiful attempt.

"Now now Hermes, don't struggle, you need to conserve your strength. Food and water don't come often round here. And I'll think you'll find those shackles have drained your magical power, a handy invention of mine."

Kael waved his arm and a chair materialised. He sat down and pulled out the blueprints. "You know what I think Hermes? I think you led that Resistance attack against the Guild. And it was no mere terrorist attack, you were after these" he said waving the blueprints. "For theft from another high-ranking Guild Official, your father sees it fit that you be held here for quite a lengthy sentence. I have not convinced him yet for a warrant to open your mind and find the Resistance's location... but it is only a matter of time"

Rat spat at Kael's feet and raised his head. "I will die before I give you anything"

"No, or you won't be any use. You will die after you reveal to me your secrets" Kael walked closer to Rat and kicked him in the stomach. "you will rot here, boy" he said before extinguishing the light and leaving the cell.

Jason had just finished making a sturdy two-handed axe for another resistance member when he heard the new of Rat being imprisoned. He had half a mind to travel back to Geldar and rescue him, but he knew it would be to no avail... he too would be captured and thrown in the dungeons if not interoggated first.
"I need for you to bring me another bar of steel." Jason called out behind him, knowing that an eager blacksmith in training would respond in quick time. Sure enough in about five seconds there was a bar of steel sitting in the forge heating up. Jason had started the construction of new blades for Issac, Acadius, Rat, Arrow and himself, but had stopped when resistance members came to the foot of the mountain seeking Jason's blades.
The Metal heated up and Jason brought it out of the fire and struck the hot metal with a hammer, sending sparks flying up into the air.

Isaac heard the news about Rat's capture. Stunned, Isaac sat still for a moment, and then regained his thought process. "Send the word out to Jason, Acadius, and Arrow. Tell them to meet at the Hall as soon as possible. We need to decide what to do about Rat's capture, as one can only guess how long it will be before Keal uses his power to crack him." Isaac commanded a squire. "And God's haste boy. We have no time to waste."

Rat stood staring into the darkness seeing only varying shades of black. He strained his ears to listen out for any noise from outside the cell but there was none. Concentrating all of his will, he focused on producing any light. his shackles emitted a shock pulsing through his body and he growled in agony as he focused. Just before he gave in there was the dimmest and briefest of flashes. Triumphant, he fell to the floor, smiling.

"This place will not break me"

Jason had finished building all new blades for everyone except Issac, who Jason remembered had already been given a blade. Jason admired his work and gazed at each blade sperately. Rat's blade was long and curved slightly, the hilt was shaped like a pair of rats scuttling towards the bottom of the blade from either side. Each of the Rats eyes had been replaced with emeralds.
Arrows blade was very short but sharper than any other blade Jason had made, it was meant to be used as a finishing weapon in combat that could cut through even chainmal. The hilt of the blade was just like any other hilt except that at the bottom of the blade their was a topaz that looked like it was being grabbed by an eagles talons.
Acadius' blade was larger and broader than the other two swords, but still meant to be held with one hand so he could use his other hand for a sheild or casting a spell. The hilt had a lions head right below the blade that was opening its mouth in a roar. Each eye on the lion had been replaced by a saphire.
Jason's blades were made almost exactly like his other pair, red in color, except on the hilts of each their was a skull with four fangs that appeared to be swallowing the bottom of the blade. The eyes on each skull had been replaced with rubies.
Jason sheathed his new blades in their sheaths and placed them on his back along with his quiver. The other blades he each sheathed and wrapped in seperate cloths so they wouldnt be damaged. He stowed them in his horses saddlebags and mounted his horse who had been sitting in a stable for almost a week now. He started riding away back to his home when a messanger came running up the mountain path and stopped before him, panting for breath.
"What is it my good sir?" Jason asked, still mounted on his horse, "Take your time, i am in no hurry."
"It is Issac... He requested a meeting and asks for you to be there." The man said, now finally having caught his breath.
"What is this meeting about?" Jason asked now starting his horse to a slow trot down the mountain.
"He said something while i was leaving about the blueprints being taken when Rat was arrested." The man replied.
"What?!?!" Jason said in shock, not excpecting the plans to have been stolen, "This means that Kael can forge the weapon... but how he will enchant it i do not know..."
"You should hurry..." The man said now turning away from Jason and heading back up to the forge.
"Yes i will..." Jason muttered to himself, making his horse bolt down the path and onto the open plains leading to Geldar.