Under cover of darkness Louhri - the Ice Queen stretches out with her icy hand to create a mammoth wall of ice between the advancing Mormen and the entrenched Sardinese forces. The wall forms from mist over a period of several minutes, buying the Sardinese time to regroup. Louhri's words echo in the minds of several sensitive people (Bran included) "From one such as I to one such as she" - meaning Liaze.

After channeling for 3 days non-stop, an extremely tired Liaze still takes time to heal a blind soldier called Brandon.

Later that afternoon Bran clambers up on top of the new ice wall to gaze across the stationary army of Mormen, gathered silently in their thousands from horizon to horizon. To his horror Bad Deed begins yelling obscenities at a distant Demon Lord (See Quote on Deed page).

When Deed has calmed down (after several threats from Bran), the Aidin retires to his tent to get some shut-eye. Instead when he gets there he decides to do some Void-search about the Nine swords of Fate. Especially as Atreylu and his guardian (a huge old man) called Ethban Dion are waiting inside to talk to him.

He "reads" about Atreylu Willamire wielding the sword "Dilligence". Izata Kan wielding Hinderence, that Radience is currently not being held, that no one is looking at Deliverence and that Credence is outside of Belam in Beldorn, hanging up in Lord Castian's Hall. He also learns Magnificence is being held by Kurtis Enland in The Lion's army of Eridorn, that Severence is being wielded by Cydon (he gave Cydon the sword in the first place) and that Sustenance is in the hands of Mariah Stowkettle of High Haven (bodyguard and mother of two).

All in all a busy afternoon of Void research.

Alliath finishes using her Void to gather the names and locations of all the Animal Lords and Ladies across Eldahar. She passes all the information onto Preyli who with her Balance bestowed power of Animal Kinship intends on gathering Nature's forces to stand against Chaos.

Early evening.
Mehara Houri returns (the Kaimyrrian rescued by Bran weeks ago). She rides up to Bran's tent with her father Tushan Houri the "Pasha of Tiburke" and 800 men. She dismounts, bows and introduces her three brothers as well - Aham, Masan and Sedeme saying "The Houri's always repay their debts. We are at the Aidin's service."

Fireworks.
8pm. Bran joins Major Manacles fighting by the ice wall. The Mormen under Vath Nirgol manage to breach the wall using fire magic from a distant Demon Lord called Chunga. Bran kills Nirgol but the attack proves to be just a front. Four wagons roll up within the Morman masses. At first a spectacular display of fireworks light up the sky, their rockets launching from the wagons and exploding into a myriad of rainbow colors. But within minutes the fireworks start adversely effecting the men of Sardium. 1500 develop mental disorders or go suddenly insane after staring at the bright prismatic colors in the sky.

10.30pm. The Morman army rapidly retreats, turns and heads east.
11pm. Liaze calls another war meeting. General Leer, General Gaff, General Vasgus, Cheyanne and Coleus attend. She orders the Sardinese army to pursue the Mormen. Where are the Mormen going in such a hurry?

Bran grabs a Griffin and takes to the air with Bad Deed as company. With his Thorn of Tears and Hand of Truth he hopes to tip the Balance and rescue Imryssa before it's too late. En route he engages in some frightening aerial combat (narrowly missing the ground) against some Jebok demons.

A giant black face swims in the clouds before him. It is the face of Xarimog - Lord of Chaos. Xarimog demands Bran hand back what is his. Bran's reply as he flies through the Chaos Lord's apparition is typical of the Aidin -  "Get the fuck out of my face or face or consequences !"

Late afternoon.
Bran crashes out of the sky to Imryssa's aid. Down to 25 men the Saadi Queen is barely able to stand. With his Void embraced, the Aidin fights like a maniac for several hours.

Preyli (using her power of stone-shifting) arrives near Bran and spends the night with him, despite the Mormen regrouping in the distance. She has been busy contacting 3 Animal lords today - A Lord of flies, a Lord of Rats and a Lord of Pigs.

Of Champions and Dragons.
The Dragon Hawk Sacaster and Nadir of Daigyth make a well planned attempt on North's life. Sacaster teleports Nadir (using spiritual shifting) into the Citadel of Sharteyn. Using Manslayer's ability to Pass Unseen to humans, Nadir steals his way to North's room, kills the two guards standing outside and enters.

By pure luck (or fate) North resist's Manslayer's power of the Unseen Rune and hears Nadir enter. Without armor or many of his magical protections North rolls out of bed grabbing Need on the way.

The two best swordsman in the northland confront one another. They begin exchanging lethal blows and special attacks with Nadir enhanced by Sacaster's magic and wearing enchanted armor. Nadir's sheer skill at parrying is enough to thwart North's superior strength making the men evenly matched in all respects.

North is wounded 3 times but each time resists the Heart stopping magic of Manslayer's Slaying Rune. After 13 seconds of furious exchange North severs Nadir's head.

Sacaster senses Nadir's death through the sudden ending of his rituals. Without pausing the Dragon Hawk continues onto the second stage of his Assassination plan - transforming himself into a medium sized Black Dragon, Sacaster soars up from a nearby hill and descends upon Sharteyn raining fireballs down upon its unsuspecting army.

North hears the commotion outside just as Red turns up at his door. Sent by Ischandi to warn him of the Dragon (but arriving a little late - all part of Ischandi's politics and plans) Red accompanies North out into the bailey. Without having time to don all his armor or items North again finds himself faced by imminent death.

Need hums with energy, gleaming with the light of the Eternal Flame and weaving spells of protection around its wielder. With scant magic around him North runs out to meet Sacaster in open combat - calling for a face to face confrontation.

Sacaster accepts and descends in a black cloud of smoke.
Activating the Cygnet of Ellesar (an elven artifact that amplifies all magic in a radius by x 2 INTENSITY - making 20 AP protection = 40AP etc) North wades in surrounded by Star Armor so bright it can be seen for miles in every direction!

Coming closer to death than he has ever been, North manages to impale Need into Sacaster's hide and spill the Dragon Hawk's internal organs. But as the Sorcerer dies and his dragon form evaporates, a creature of smoke rises up from his corpse and steals Sacaster's black ring.

North is too exhausted to stop it. Instead he stumbles over to Sacaster's naked body, takes the Sorcerer's head and sticks it on a pole for his army to gaze up at. Cheers boom out of Sharteyn for the remainder of the morning.

More Mormen attack Sharteyn.
Red and Mirabore collect stones from Dagrand, Arkynlor and Black Shear so that Preyli can use her Balance power to "shift" Bran and herself from place to place.

Tarquin of Sardium is slain in the fens. Lyesin grieves.

Bran "reads" information about the City of Kaladon in Andor. He discovers the entire city is trapped in Yulasha's astral web; the population all wrapped up in webs ready to be eaten.

Lyesin (resurrected Queen of Esia) leads an assault on the Mordarkian stronghold of Mordemel. She separates from the fenlander's to engage a Black Giant priest called Neden. Neden (wearing a black thorny crown) paralyses Lyesin to the stronghold's bridge. She waits until the giant looms closer and then calls upon the Power of Need, unleashing a 20th level Transformation to Magma spell. The entire stronghold (including Neden) falls into a bubbling lake of molten Magma that erupts from the World's core.

The fenlander's flee, unsure whether Lyesin has survived or not.

When Danae wakes up she finds she can sense Immortals, Gods and the World Mind. What's more, they can all sense her.

• The Eldar Battlemaster is dead. He was slain while fighting a demon of the infernal realms that had the might of hell behind its hammer. (Half True - Quiverin was struck down by the Titan Hammer and banished to one of Eldahar's other IDS)
• The People of Zemestan have been boiled into a steaming cloud of death. (Half True - the Kiero Tribe were wiped out by a Pit Fiend called Turgertos.)
• A Lord of Mordark fell into the River Breen near Khurdir after being shot through the heart. The river froze for 12 miles in either direction. (True - Lord Turas Dorn was slain by Eldar Haletha using her incredible bow skill and an Arrow of Law. When he died his ice heart shattered turning the water to solid ice.)
• A demon crawled inside a simple farmer's ear who then cooked his wife and children for dinner before an altar to Rouse. (False although very plausible).
• A husband in Eriostel hung his wife saying a demon had possessed her and made her seek out other men. (True - any excuse)
• All fires went out around Erehese and no fires could be started for six days afterwards. (True - a Chaos spell thrown by Minantias to disable a Grand Fire Elemental protecting the city from Mormen.)
• An army of strange creatures recently appeared near Mount Eldahar but then abruptly vanished. (True - a botched Mass Translocation chaos ritual, foiled by the Heart of Rouse).
• A Seer gouged out his own heart after looking into King Korwyn's future. (False - just another example of hysteria surrounding the war.)
• A Living Citadel has eaten the city of Khurdir in Khur and destroyed the Lanthian army. (Half True - The Citadel Mormeldin did undulate over a patrol of Lanthian soldiers before arriving at Khurdir. But at Khurdir Mormeldin was defeated by the Homé Iana and Yan.)
• A group of Eldar Qual have come through the Homeland Gate bringing promise of a new army to support Korwyn against Mordark. (Half True - Some Qual have arrived from Eldahar's blue realm of Europa. However they are neutral and refuse to help.)
• A group of wolf men are abroad - rutting the wives and daughters of Elandia's soldiers. (False - Rumor springs from a group of Buggabun sighted in Sardium during 2601.)
• The Heroes Ausner of the Eagles and Bathacus of the Pendulum have been sighted at Mount Eldahar - 500 years after the Battle of the Snakes. (True - Both men have been retired and living together on Mount Eldahar and just undergone rejuvenation using Bathacus' Rod of Time.)
• Strange things are happening at Mount Eldahar. Things are appearing and disappering. No one can get within 5 miles of its base (True - Temportal displacements are effecting reality around Mount Eldahar. The Titan Vorshim is trying to simultaneously suck Mount Eldahar and the Citadel of Souls into Eldahar's IDS but failing due to the alien nature of Law and Chaos.)

By using her new power over the Voids she contacts "Heartland" - another of Orion's Mental Archetypes. Heartland locates a nearby ID. She shifts herself and Bran down a few realities. They then step forward and teleport back up through the IDS to find themselves standing inside the impenetrable Titan Towers. Inside they meet Helena, Fran, Quincy and Chrisa (all amazed at how Danae gained entrance).

Exploring the Titan Towers, Bran locates a large green Titan Portal. When he steps through he enters a Dream Reality where the war is over and he is living in Arkynlore with Preyli, a group of Law warriors called the Ronown and a son and a daughter called Shadan and Saadi. Strangely he appears to have lost his silver hand and received a scar on his face, his sword Deed no more and Mourn buried nearby. The hand was supposedly lost in the fires of Mount Kûmra whilst trying to save Cullyn. The Dream reality is so convincing that Bran begins experiencing strange mental fits caused by using the Tessaract of Time from Pang's lair - disjointed in some way from the normal flow of Time Bran begins seeing images of his own past and future, quickly becoming confused as to what is real and what is dream.

Eventually the green Titan portal releases him, even more confused than before. (Typical of anything Titan made). He has come away with one interesting fact - he now knows he is one of The Lost and that in a past life he was called Kable of the Brand and Herald of the Lost.

The dwarf Dunkan Spitz arrives at Citadel Tone in Aegis to meet Elbar of Loren, Brodwin and Tinagion Alfar the Fey.

8pm. Bran shares a meal with the Peacebringer Cymbalin. He is impressed by her sincerity and strength of character.

In "reading" more about the brothers of Rothwyn of Loren, Bran discovers Roreth (the eldest brother) is near the Howling Gorge, at the edge of the world, searching for the Lost citadel of Drift.

Bran learns there are 2000 Mormen at Bethlam. Even though Mormen do not show in his Void, humans and animals do. He manages to learn a great deal about the Chaos army through such sources.

Some stats and figures from the battlefield...
North singlehandedly kills approximately 421 Mormen!
Torquil kills 29. Red kills 84. Bran kills 118. Mirabore kills 33. Lyesin kills 14.
Of 500 in total, 294 Wilders are slain and another 79 injured.
Myka the Fey archer kills 90 Mormen with arrows aimed to the head.
Tredir the Wise prepares a ritual on a nearby hilltop. He projects himself as a spirit to do battle with Math'ma'da'madray - Familiar of Minantias.

Tredir defeats the Black Raven.

*Note - Having discovered Louhri is an Eldar and responsible for events in his life, North's behavior has become erratic as he tries to deal with it *

Bran visits Saintaira in her hut in Whailin. She refuses to help him on what she calls "a suicide mission" into Louhri's kingdom. Something she and Ischandi would agree on.
Bran isn't keen on the idea of visiting Louhri anyway. He returns to North and tries talking his friend out of it. But North remains adamant - he will visit Louhri and will discover the truth!

Later that day Bran heads up to the Dream world again and tries locating the mysterious Garden of Beantil - lair of Sorshen Veil the Black elf.

Citadel Blackshear
Lt. Ruddrick, Major Brunden, Major Peter - RIP

Citadel Dagrand
Lord Gire, General Talon - RIP, Major Reffer - RIP

Forest of Mythisin
Myka Ankhael, 450 fey archers, Tirisarn of the Staff - RIP, Eonin of the Arrow, Lady Fannen - RIP, General Eladas, Iskenya - RIP, Theoris the archer - RIP

Citadel Vulnir
Lord Vardin, Major Bray, General Dulan, Major Tyrand - RIP, Master Toby (fey), Master Lyle - RIP

MISC
Alac Champion from Whailin - RIP
Coribrynn the Blood Dog of Esia - RIP
Shel - daughter of Lord Dower of Doomwaith - RIP

Citadel Lorgyth
Lord Talisman, Lady Elistra, General Chire - RIP, Major Merrin - RIP, Sgt Mark.

Citadel Sharteyn
Major Brisik, Lt. Gard - RIP

Citadel Kandath
Major Markson - RIP, General Kellin - RIP, Merin the master swordsman, Sgt A'rin - RIP

Though Bran cannot "read" Mormen in his Shada void he bypasses this handicap by "reading" the elves following the mormen and the humans inside the army instead.

Cymbalin arrives in Karnath. Myka brings reinforcements through the magical mirror.

Bran later takes the Arkysancture back to Arkynlor. He enters the Aegis Ship and places the great DNA crystal inside its high-tech housing.
Afterwards Bran practices staying in his Void - completely at one with his surroundings. He lasts about 3 minutes before having to stop.

Bran meets himself and gets confused
When he goes to sleep, he awakens on the dreamworld faced by the Spirit of the Lost - Cabal. As Bran is actually the reincarnation of Cabal, he is actually experiencing an Echo of the Past. Cabal mentions the "Chaser's of Time," - people who are trying run time down and bring it to a stop... (*Note - Cabal is hinting about North and the Evermore Vault... only by turning back Time or putting it on hold can the Fate of the World be judged fairly.)
Again, cryptically, Cabal says "Vashmarren is going to fall." This refers to the ancient city of Vashmarren that existed on the Homeworld of Eondahar. (*Note - Another hint that Cabal is speaking "out of Time," and that this conflict will ultimately be resolved by fiddling with Time and reality.)
Completely confused, Bran tries asking Cabal questions but the Echo proves uncommunicative. Instead Cabal goes on about Skoefell the Lord of the Pale and the Coming of the Winter Host. "Beware Vathna Gan the Pale man," Cabal intones.

Eventually Bran wakes up and mumbles on of his catch phrase's, "Fate is sometime's cruel." Quite freaked by the meeting with Cabal, Bran has some minter and sits by himself singing the Song of the Chaos sword Mourn... "Soul suck away, soul suck away, soul suck away..."

North commands the Eternal flame. He brings the war between Law and Chaos to a standstill, putting both powers on hold so that Moorum and the Eldar fall into an eternal loop but the rest of the world goes on. In effect, he creates a duplicate Eldahar without the powers of Law and Chaos using the "Wishing" power of the Heartstone and Eternal Flame.

North's reasoning;-
He believes that humanity deserves a chance to work things out itself - without cosmic powers fighting for possession of the World and destroying everything. He gives Red and the others time to prepare. When the Door opens again and he emerges, they must be ready to stand against Law and Chaos for once and for all.
In order for this to be possible, certain people need time to grow older and develop their abilities. They could never do this if the war ran its course - Eldahar would be destroyed. This way, these characters will discover themselves and be ready to take on Law and Chaos.