\--==Official Submission==-- FROM: Lieutenant Anubis RE: She Reaches Out... "Easy there boy..." Anubis whispered to his horse Whitey, calming him. The past few nights have dealt strange phenomena in the forest. And each night Anubis would go to the stables to calm his normally fearless mount. The month leading up to this had been uneventful. All remained quiet in Northwood. The Undead presence all but vanished from Yew. And the Stalker of Inethria had not been seen nor heard from. It is times of peace such as these a soldier must prepare himself for the battle that inevitably will ensue. Stepping back into his home he prepared for bed. Storing his armor in the chest at the foot of his bed, hanging his scabbard from his bedpost and slipping a silver dagger beneath his pillow. His nightly ritual complete or so he thought, he knew something was missing but could not place it. He shrugged, laid down and drifted off into sleep. \*\*\*\*\* The voices came, whispers of ancient tongue, cries of the dead. This was his payment for life. One that enters the realm of the undead and returns to the living always pays... the nightmare began... The winds stirred outside the humble flagstone home, howling and shaking the fall leaves from their branches. A heavy fog rolled in pinching out the moonlight. A scratching, clawing, no... a thunderous pounding came to the door. Once, twice, three times... then silence. Anubis lay perfectly still, "It will pass." he said to himself. The pounding resumed. Once, twice, three times... then silence. Closing his eyes tightly he reached for the dagger. The metal warm from the heat of his body. The winds picked up as if a storm had crashed down upon the tiny home, shaking it to its foundation. The shutters flung from the walls outside, the wood splintering away, floating off into the winds. "It will pass he whispered" tightening his grip on the handle of the blade. The winds died, an eerie silence fell upon the house... Anubis breathed a sigh of relief. It had ended quickly tonight... then the door slammed open, a blast of wind and rain shot into the small one room home. Scrolls and books lifted from their cases and shelves, the fire died in the hearth. Casting his covers into the wind Anubis leaped from his bed unsheathing his sword. He stood at the ready shielding his eyes from the derbies. The winds died the room once again silent. The wetted parchment dripped its excess waters to the floor. Anubis took a deep breath, never had he seen this. Always the taunting, but never had they come inside. He was nearly paralyzed with fear. Calming himself he scanned the darkness beyond the open door. Again, the voices came, whispers of ancient tongue, cries of the dead. Then a mist twirled in. The mist wrapped with sparks of light emitting a faint yet distinct crackle, as the tiny bolts flickered and died... The mist began to shift and wrap into itself, taking on an identifiable form... a shade... it hovered at the entrance. Anubis squinted, and focused deeply trying to make out its face... "Death?" he uttered barely able to speak. The swirling mist had assumed the form of a hooded skeletal figure standing over 8 feet in height, its vaporous robes extended throughout the room and out into the night. Its eyes took on a red glow at the question posed to it. "Death, iss absssolute." "I failed to bring you that." It replied its voice rasping and drawn out. Anubis went pale, "Tilakari..." Wicked laughter filled the room. "Not thisss time fool... I have come for your body, the Lady sssumonss me, I require form." it spoke as it hovered towards him. Anubis dropped his blade and reached for the amulet around his nec... it was not there... The laughter once again filled the room. "You were told never to remove it... iss that not what your fiend ssaid?" Anubis dove behind the bed, rifling through his packs, then to the chest at the foot of the bed. Tossing the scrolls and books aside in a fury of desperation. He cursed in frustration... then smiled. Glancing over to the upset wash basin on the table he could see its silver chain. The shade stopped glancing over to the table itself then back at Anubis who now had a cruel grin planted firmly upon his visage. The seconds seemed an eternity... defeat was in the wings. Beams of light shot forth from the tiny home, from the windows and door the light shined for miles. The cry of the ancient dead was finally silenced... \*\*\*\* Anubis awoke, breathing heavily. He lit a lantern and walked to the door, closing it and bolting it tight. Looking around his home, he frowned. He would leave the mess till morning, now he could get a good nights rest. As he lay down to sleep he whispered. "Not this time fool, not this time Goddess, this time you face me as an enemy..."