A limber finger traced the small protrusion atop his tiny queen. The same finger nudged it three spaces diagonally to the left. Xaviex squinted at the small piece of intricately carved wood, then, with an arched eyebrow, he peered at Magnus through cautious lids. He then moved the queen back to where it previously was. For another moment he lightly fondled the miniature interpretation of royalty, but swiftly stood up and stepped to the side of the table. He crouched there and gazed from table level across the chessboard calculating his next move.<br/><br/>With an exaggerated sigh, he sighed, stood back up, walked around Magnus, and crouched on the opposite side of the table to attempt to recalculate his next move. The sight of another person coming into view was a momentary distraction and Xaviex realized he had been spoken to. "Oh, oh, of course! I'm glad I was able to assist you." His words were as friendly as ever. Before speaking again, he stood and crossed back to the other side of the table. His finger danced atop his leftmost pawn. He moved back and forth three times. "Of course you may watch! This promises to be a battle of great minds." While keeping eye contact with Larteis, Xaviex moved the third pawn from the right and took one of Magnus's pawns. "Blessed be those who fall in battle."<br/><br/>*---*---*---*<br/><br/>Fire and vile black energy rose veratiously over the once holy land. Rivers that once ran with clear blue waters seemed to ooze forward with congealing blood. Leather winged demons were flying through the air, screaming their morbid melodies into the atmosphere. Flashes of lightening cracked across a crimson sky and there was no trace of good at all left in this barren world. Suddenly there was a figure standing beside a river of blood and flame. "Find him..." it said. Its voice was an ominous tenor. "Find him..."<br/><br/>Kale shot up. The blankets that kept him warm pooled around his waist as he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Breath came easier after what felt like an eternity of hell. Getting out of bed, he reached over and grabbed his hammer pendant from off his nightstand. There was something that he needed to do now...