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The forest was silent and still, a few leaves tumbling down like sensual dancers in the court of a king. Lord Gefton parted his bearded lips in a smile as the fire light twinkled and danced in his eyes as he tossed another log onto the blaze. The heat from the massive blazed burnt through the chilled night and Gefton stepped back, the flames rising higher and higher into the night. He chuckled and momentarily considered letting the blaze free upon the world but then stopped and remembered why he was here. So he stepped back from the blaze and looked around. All around the shadows twisted and writhed and the inferno danced it’s dance, each tongue of flame gobbling up the air as sparks and smoke rose into the sky. Gefton began to leave the ring of flame and sink into the shadows, his body slowly sliding from visible to invisible as he invoked his magic. He knew the forester post was not far, he had read the signs in the dirt and had caught a glimpse of something other than trees and leaves. But he had a duty to perform and he would do it. He watched the fire rise higher and higher as more wood was consumed. How long until the foresters came to see this? He drew his magic around tighter; making sure his visibility was shrouded in invisibility.

The messenger swallowed as the boy departed and felt the sweat on his brow. The boy, what was wrong with him? Something was not right about him but the messenger couldn’t place his finger on it. But Algren wanted this Jacob for a reason and the messenger would bring the boy to Algren.

“Very well.” Blaise said with finality, “We must be quick. If I don’t get to the Lieutenant in time then we are all in grave danger. It is my fear that the forest has already been set aflame. Glen, you are expected to keep up, stay hidden, and please – if I ask you to do something, you do it, no matter what the circumstances and no questions asked.”

And with that, she turned and ran into the forest to find the Lieutenant and the Foresters.

"Blaise! Blaise, there is something else wrong here... can't you feel it?" Chrono asked as he ran alongside her. "The forest... I think it's already started!"

For being such an object of terror for this messenger, Jacob didn't act like such a terrifying being. It was just his eyes and manner of speech that made him such an unnerving person. He strolled to the front of the horse and gave it a gentle pat on the snout. The beast drew back slightly, only forcing Jacob to grab its snout with both hands and look it in the eye, the horse's movemnts stopped completely as the boy began to mutter something to the beast.

"Four hours is entirely to long to wait for such excitement, don't you agree? This should help quite nicely... if the horse should last long enough." Jacob said, taking the hand up onto the horse's back.

Glen merely nodded at Blaise and said, "Yes mage superior Blaise." After this he hardly spoke a word as he followed Blaise and the other Foresters, quickly passing over the terrain as if there was nothing there.

Galdin and his students moved quickly through the trees, hardly making a sound. He realized that it probably would not be long until the fire started, and if Blaise was right the enemy might use the opportunity to scout out the Forester outpost. He also knew that most of the more experienced foresters were probably sent to prevent the fire from spreading, so it would be relatively unguarded in the case of an attack.

When they got within a short distance from the outpost, Galdin looked back at his students and started giving commands. "Alright, while our main goal is to keep the outpost safe, it would be better if they didn't learn of its location at all, so I want five of you to take up concealed locations in the trees, if you see the enemy, give the call. I want the rest of you to set up traps on paths they're most likely to tread, once your done with that, join the others in the trees. If they're is not to many of them, take them on your own, if there is, just wait for me and reinforcements to arrive, understood?" At this they all replied with, "Yes Superior Galdin!"

Once he had said this, Galdin ran into the outpost and began to call for those who could fight to meet in the middle of the outpost. His plan was to quickly strike out to wherever he heard his students' calls, then when the enemy was dispatched, to quickly return to the outpost and wait incase there was more then one group of enemy soldiers.

Lord Gefton watched in the shadows, magic clouding him from sight, and so he watched the figure of a woman, toying with the flames and he chuckled to himself. He flexed his mouth several times before speaking in his calm, collect tone that had been speaking for nearly seventy years.
“Well, took you foresters a little longer than I expected. More of the forest burned than I would have thought you would allow. But fear not, only a small portion will burn. Look at the ground and you might see the chalk runes that would have kept the fire at bay and prevented a mass blaze. This fire was to get your attention only. I seek to talk with you on behalf of Lord Algren and the Emperor, will you take council with me?” He snapped his fingers and the chalk rune shimmered with a blue light and the fire began to die instantly, the once mighty oranges fading into the nothingness of shadow. “What say you foresters? This is not an attack; this is a meeting before a storm, a meeting that might save both your beloved forest and the lives of those within it. Will you hold council or not?” Gefton’s voice, though controlled, held a frozen edge in it.

Blaise stepped back as the fire died and looked to the man in front of her. She ignored his gibes and instead focused on the important details – now was not the time for an argument. As Chrono shouted, she lifted a hand to stop him.

“Calm yourself, Chrono.” She said softly, but sternly, “Now is not the time.”

Blaise thought about the proposal for a moment, looking the man in the eyes.

“What say I?” She reiterated the man, “It seems like a worthy cause enough. I will only comply should my comrades and I be granted safety during this council. An enemy is an enemy and therefore can only be treated as such if you do pardon the theatrics. Do things right and we won’t have to go through this the hard way.”

Chrono obeyed, only able to muster a cold glare trained on Gefton's supposed feeble form. He couldn't help but find the youthful comment amusing, he none the less kept a quiet suspicion. He couldn't help but wonder what would happen after this night was up.

"I made him better." Jacob answered. He acted as if the man had just insulted him. He continued, sounding colder and angrier as he dictated. "No, go. I don't have the time for you to gawk at my magics. The dumb animal will get there in half the time and you will not complain further. Is that understood?"

Kcoul walked up to Blaise and whispered in her ear. "If you take council with him, then I suggest you take it out of the rune circle. If he can calm the fire, then more then likely he can reawaken it." He then looked at the man. "And I would be careful around him. He may be more then he seems."