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-----At that point, the men also begin to hear the horrific screams, howls, and other sounds of the tortured animals in the surrounding area.
-----Raven grabs his bow and races to the roof of the keep.
-----Sol stands smoothly and his hand slides down to his sword hilt. Without drawing his blade, he moves forward to stand at the entrance to the keep.
-----Zentil grabs his bow from his backpack and he and Thalog follow Raven to the roof.
-----Raven, Zentil, and Thalog join Goff on top of the keep. From out the front door goes Broactor, Sol and Jon. The Priest of the Hunt and Jon carry torches. From the southeast come the dark forms of riders. As they approach into the torchlight, the men can see eight riders.
-----Six of the riders appear to be guards wearing red and yellow surcoats over chain mail.
-----One of the riders appears to be a girl of slender build. She wears her dark brown hair in braids, coiled behind her head, away from her face. Her skin is lightly bronzed, and her complexion is very smooth. She is dressed in chain mail, and wears a bright red cloak, pushed back behind her shoulders.
-----The last rider, also a female, is a girl a little taller than the other and of slender build with curly blond hair down to her mid back. The robes she wears are a combination of white and light yellow.
-----The Priest of the Hunt quickly crouches with an almost predatory look and with a thundering voice says, "WHO DARES DARKEN THE DOMAIN OF WILDERHAVEN?!" His shout is echoed with a long shuddering howl from the woods to the east.
-----The girl wearing chain mail flinches a little at the man's booming voice, but quickly straightens her shoulders. "Forgive our intrusion. We were looking to escape whatever creature is out there roaming about. I am Amythiel Amberwind, a priestess of Solarius."
-----The blond-haired girl dismounts and walks up to the men, She bows to Broacter, "Greetings Broacter." She then says to Sol, "Greetings to you, Sol Herron, I've been watching you and your companions." Then she turns back to Broacter, "Lord Wizard Zepharon sent me. Is a mage wearing green named Thalog staying with you?"
-----Sol gives a deep bow to the priestess when he recognizes her for what she is. Then when the other girl mentions his name he gives a slight start. He sighs slightly to himself. With a polite bob of his head, he steps to the side slightly and starts squinting his eyes into the darkness in a fairly vain attempt to see traces of any previously mentioned creatures.
-----Thalog listens to the conversation below and when it is finished he calmly leaves the roof for the entrance. He walks slow using his staff in his right hand. Upon reaching the newcomers he says in an icy clear voice, "My name is Thalog and you can see the color I wear. What does the Lord Wizard Zepharon wish of me?"
-----At about that time, Rand walks out the front door and addresses everyone, "Perhaps it would be safer for all concerned to speak inside?" he says, extending his hand toward the door.
-----"I agree," Thalog says.
-----Amythiel nods in greeting to the men, but her attention is focused on Rand. "I agree, it would be better to speak inside. I am Amythiel Amberwynd," she says, looking at Rand. "I've been sent by Jacian Dawnrider to find a priest of Solarius named Rand Al'Thor. Would you perhaps be him?"
-----"Yes, that I am," he replies to her, bowing. He then turns to Broactor. "Broactor, is it all right if we invite these people in?"
-----"Good thinking!" the girl in the yellow robes replies happily, "I'll be glad to get inside, I really don't like those noises I heard earlier."
-----The Priest of the Hunt simply snorts and leads the way into his hall. Jon takes the two women’s horses and leads the guards with their own steeds inside the keep. Sol carefully looks around outside and waits to be the last one inside. The horrendous animal noises continue into the night.
-----A short time later, all the heroes have assembled inside the hall. Raven and Zentil have come down from the roof, leaving Goff to man the watch above.
-----Broactor sits by one of the arrow slits on the eastern wall staring out into the night. Every now and then, a sound like a low growl escapes him as the animalistic sounds erupt from the dark.
-----Rand turns to Amythiel and smiles, "What word does the Sun Lord have for me?"
-----Likewise, Thalog turns toward the young woman in yellow with a raised eyebrow on his cold face.
-----The girl looks right at Thalog, "You have, I believe, ten black gems. Lord Wizard Zepharon wants them. If you don't believe me you can take them to him yourself. If you do, give them to the guards we came here with and they'll take them back for you."
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