Land of Shadows. The Northlands. Xarcabard… Strong westerly winds blew over the desolate landscape. A heavy gloom hung over the horizon, giving everything a poisonous purple hue. Dotting the unlovely snowy terrain were several watchtowers and ramparts made of mythril-veined darksteel. The fortifications were unmanned at first glance…

"Tch.. so these are what the ruins have been converted into." A rough, stony voice rang out unheard to all but the speaker. "Darksteel.. and…it can't be..! That's adamant or I'm an opo-opo." The voice rang with a tinge of femininity, marking the speaker as a woman. On a high mountain several malms from the most outlying tower, a figure in black armor knelt down looking out into the distance through some type of elaborate spectacles. "This warrrants further investigation." With a wave of their hand, the stranger threw particles of prismatic dust into the air. The dust clung to the dark armor, rendering the figure invisible

"Fantastic… this craftsmanship never ceases to amaze me." Heavy plodding footsteps approached. *Damn it.. I was too loud*, thought the woman. Going quiet, she pressed herself against a wall, all her muscles at the ready to flee or fight. Within moments a figure approached. It appeared at first to be a walking suit of armor made of darksteel or some other similar black metal. But as it approached, it was plain this was no enchanted pile of iron, it was a creature of demonic visage clutching a massive scimitar in one hand, a spiked buckler on the other. The beast's eyes glimmered with feral intelligence and malice as they darted about, searching for the soft noise it detected seconds ago. After what felt like an eternity to the hidden intruder, the creature mumbled something to itself in some unknown tongue. With a hiss it turned around and plodded away. *Dreadful monsters…who were you talking to..? Who's pulling your strings?"

Several minutes later, the woman was back on her cliff observing the landscape. A lithe furred tail swung slowly behind her, half its length covered with thin flexible sheets of metal. She held up a hand to the left side of her head and spoke sharply. "Yes. ..most likely adamant. What? No no, of course not… One heard me but that was all. Ulugeurand Range is still beyond my reach, but I will make my way therrre as soon as possible. …Understood. Kjorla O, Out." She lowered her hand and struck a thoughtful pose. "I know not what sin took place here…but I will find you.. oh.. yes I will.Obi