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Every wound he had received before the darkness came to life He could scarcehim up

"He needs sleep; time to heal," the blond man said

"Aye, and there’s time," the other man said "I am Lucian, self-proclaimed power of e are, if you will A monster, perhaps But there are rules to survival, and I have ers and lusts of the others, but there is a law, as well, far er existence, and those who do not accept that laill dooe power, or do we pack you back in a tomb of stone and ash and the crisscross of swords where you should have perished long ago?"

Ragnor leaned on hiht had seereat after the darkness of his entoht it day Now he looked around, and saw that these tere acco, they were Scot, they were Irishthey were froht He looked back at the one called Lucian "You’re not monks," he murmured

"Far from it, I’m afraid," Lucian told him "But we like to think that we are htenment"

"We are the rule," the other offered, and stepped forward, clapping a hand on Ragnor’s back that nearly sent hiar Do you join us?"

"Why did you come for me? How did you knoas here?"

"In the worst of havoc, rues no rule; yet there are those who say that he lives in his oorld of fear as well, knowing that his brother ar said

Ragnor stared at the one called Lucian "I have free rein to destroy e of hinor said

Lucian shook his head "Entombed, as you were But for eternity We do not destroy our own Nor do we create more than two per century, lest we create the unbalance in the world that has occurred now"

"Now?"

"How long has he slept, Wulfgar?" Lucian asked

"Near to a hundred years, if ruh ti hiain He needs sustenance, and proper rest"

"I need to find Hagan?and Nari"

"A tiar said

"And then a tiht deepened, but due to the monk’s insistence, they were all within the church, and the door was barricaded with rough hes

Ragnor had eaten With the woman Nari at his side, he rested near the door to the church, back against the wall, eyes closed He had learned to sleep in nearly any position and to wake at the first whisper of sound

It wasn’t a whisper, however, that woke him There was a terrible noise, like a burst of thunder, a roaring, that went on beyond the church

He stood, drawing his sword Around him, others awoke, and leaped to their feet The noise faded; then a slow, steady sound grew A shrill sound, like the call of a hundred birds, or a fluttering of a thousand pairs of wings

Ulric strode across the church floor, staring at the door "What in the name of Thor?" Brother Peter was at the altar, on his knees

Ragnor strode over to hi thethe interruption Ragnor waited, knowing that he could not sway Peter from commune with his God even if he were to put his sword to his throat Peter rose after a ht"

"If it’s evil, ill fight it!" Hagan roared

"You cannot fight this evil with your sih

"And you can fight it?" Hagan mocked