I was 写作 up orders for troop movements to be ready for a new war I decided to inflict on the already war-weakened countries of Black and White, when a familiar, yet dreaded mind brushed lightly against my own.
I set down my pen and allowed the mind to connect to mine.
"Keirrn, it has been a while."
"For good reason, your the one who came up with the plot to kill Alec two years ago. It was you, who got Mephistophiles to mate with Cassandra, my daughter no less, so that I would attack him. He lived and escaped with those two stupid cougars. It was 你 who sent my daughter to die, at the hands of that traitor, Alec, in a jealous rage. It was your fault, yours, and how dare 你 contact me." I snarled at him.
"But it brought HER here. Do not think for one moment that 你 may 问题 what I do. I am the head of the Order, not you. 你 may be King and God, but only at my sufference. The rest of the Order is also here in Hell's Gate, your capital, we are to meet and decide what to do with these new 狼 I hear 你 have, and also to plan a sortie into The Pit.
I felt a stab of fear run through me, "The Pit? No, 你 cant be serious, we will all be slaughtered.
"You will do as your told, I am still head of our Order, Keirnn."
"But-,"
"YOU WILL HOLD YOUR TONGUE," he thundered inside my head, "I am in no mood to be questioned 由 you, Keirrn. 你 WILL attend the meeting, and 你 WILL bring these new pets of yours, and 你 WILL stand with your brothers and sisters of our Order wwhen we descend into The Pit."
Chastened, I said, Yes, my Lord, it will be as 你 command." he was still the only man that could ever make me feel like a child again. Damn him, I thought.
"Indeed it will, 你 will arrive within the 小时 in your proper attire and 你 will present your pets to the Order. 你 know where to go, I presume."
Whenever the Order met in Hell's Gate, we conducted ourselves to a little inn called The Last Rose. It had been the meeting place in Red for eons.
"Yes, my Lord."
"Good, and bring your new wife, I would look upon her and see for myself what could bring the mighty Keirrn's 心 to heel. Your dragon as well, I have not parried words with her in a long while."
I felt his presence leave my mind, when I looked around I found Alec staring at me with concerned eyes.
I waved my hand at him to dismiss his concern and told him what I wanted him to do in a single thought.
As he left the room to gather the others, I stared out the window, deep in thought.
The Orders presense here could only mean one thing...the Lifeless Ones where beginning to awake.

Our little group arrived at the inn, about an 小时 later. As we entered, the barkeep took one look at the sigil on my black velet surcoat, and decided there was 更多 work in the back room.
I walking quickly to the stone fireplace in the back of the room, the others trailing close behind me.
I hit three stones on the mantel of the fireplace in rapid succession and stepped back quickly.
I large grinding sound, rumbled beneath our feet startling all but Serenity. The fireplace turned on its side and lifted itself up into the ceiling revealing a long set of stairs curving to the left, dimly lit 由 torches.
I turned back to the others, "When we reach the bottom, Serenity, Blair, and myself will have to leave. I know I have not told 你 what is happening, but know that no harm will befall 你 as long as 你 abide 由 the restrictions I gave 你 earlier, and above all else, do not respond no matter what 你 may hear." I turned without waiting for an answer and marched down the dusty staircase.
When all of us had entered the fireplace slammed back into position, leaving us in the dark, save the torches.
The staircase seemed to go on forever. Always going to the left and always going down. Hours seem to pass as we walked down that endless spiral staircase, but we finally emerged in a large cavernous room its edges surronded 由 shadow, leaving only a bright spot in the middle. It seemed to be lit 由 a phantom light. It was there I led the others.
"You all must stay here, when we give the room to shadows 你 must not leave this light. Understand?"
They all nodded and looked around.
I let out a deep breath and turned around. As I began to walk towards one of the rooms five corners, Kelly began to follow me along with Blair and Serenity.
I stopped her, "No, Kelly, 你 have to remain here as well."
She frowned, "My Lord?"
"You are under examination as well."
"Why?"
"You are from Jasper as well, plus Alec was a person of interest to the Order."
"The Order?"
"Ive 说 too much, go back to the others."
"Yes, my Lord," she 说 glaring at me.
I sighed and watched her walk back.
I held my hands out to Blair and Serenity and muttered a word when the took them. We slowly floated up to the distant balcony and as my feet touched the ground a mighty horn blow somewhere in the deep.
"We are all assembled," 说 the deep booming voice that had contacted me mind-to-mind, "Draw your swords and recite the oath."
I slid Godslayer from its sheath and placed the edge to my forhead as five voices began to speak, "To the gates of hell we march; into the arms of darkness we march; we are the shield that gaurds the sanctity of life; we are the sword that keeps evil at bay; we are the light that burns enternally in each soul, great 或者 small; we are the torch that burns against the cold; with grace and eloquence we will protect this world; should I die with blade in hand in defense of this world, may the Great Hall of Gods be open to me, an honor no other mortal should ever recieve."
I pressed a little harder with Godslayer along my forehead, drawing blood, and then sheathed the bastard blade. The others did the same.
"We are The Order of the Last Rose's Torch, and we will sacrifice our lives in shadow, and protect the world of life in silence."