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-When I was young I never understood why we hid from them, from mortals. Even the weakest warlock or witch had enough power to summon a storm that could destroy a whole city, we could defy death, our lifespan was of centuries if not more, we were all powerful, beautiful and to the mortal eternal.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvgxpGu8sj3
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Myself and many others back then though that we were at the very least better if not wholly superior to the mortals. A not to small number of our generation openly considered them to be an inferior race that we should rule over, as a master rules a slave.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysMBsVKIBm
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Then came that terrifying night in the Forests of Calliope.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfknGkNGUlM
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There and then I knew why we feared mortals.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Q8bXX9HYF
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- Arch Bishop Philippe 'The Wise' of the Church of Hecate.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdXpH7PBNw6
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Taken from the Documentary 'The Anarchy and the Peace.'193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡstxK5EvyMR
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Book 1-Ch 3-Nevermore beyond my pane193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1VgIjUGpj
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He heard it, smelled it, felt the rotten feeling that warned of its danger before he actually saw the wall of Blue flames.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbD65WZInwO
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Ross did not have a deep knowledge of physics or chemistry but he knew that the more blue-ish a flame was the hotter it burned, this seemed to be Hellfire itself, this was fire so powerful that it felt like it could burn Ross's very soul.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8rpCQOUPSs
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But no matter the universe A is still A.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzhXjaZl8W
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And fire is still fire.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ55TbfnbJJ
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And the blue flames was still fire and any fire needs oxygen, so when Ross pulled out a canister filled with Co2 the flames diminished enough for Ross to jump pass the wall of Hellfire.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTsA0Z5StWV
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Then came the beasts of the forest, more savage versions of wolves and bears, built to hunt across realms and nightmares, built to track their prey to the worlds on the other side of the mirror.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi5EmTWK5or
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Creatures that even those with magic, light or dark, would fear.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGLi2R1JBi
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But they are still beasts, so Ross pulls out a bag of dog treats throws at them and the dire wolves and fell bats all swarm around it, this is not the first time Ross had brought food with him in the forest.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSyIsoNEim
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After the demonic hound affair he always came prepared and had to use his treats a few times to escape the demonic animals in the forest, and these ones where laced with sedatives.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecyHRHIyGi
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Ross was not innocent, but he drew the line at killing animal needlessly.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSId9FFzyYV
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Then came the fell bats, their screeches on the wind and shapes that flew in an out of the little light that Ross had on his person to see through the darkens surrounded him, forming a twister of fang and claw, wing and teeth.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDfZ6pFlg3
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These where the locust of the Demon Realm, a wave of devouring mouth that could swallow all flesh that they swept over.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBxFRVNIKFv
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But they were still bats, still animals, and they had sensitive noses and ears.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHDlQj8dfvB
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So Ross took out a canister that was filled with a substance that had one of the most foulest stenches known to man.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ61N1bC97QV
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The twister of flying dark creatures immediately increased the distance between itself and the scarred mortal.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUsKwQNduvN
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Then came the subsonic flute that was connected to a small hand cranked pump, with that it was too much for the ears and noses of the fell bats as they flew away.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡynz8btN3IQ
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Ross fell to his knees there and then as the terror momentarily overwhelmed him to such a degree that he had to stop and recover, this temporary pause in the horrors ahead gave him the necessary time to recover.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtNNrnvoyd
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Temptation whispered in his ear there and then. Temptation to give up, go back.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI21Yf3o7Qg
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Ross looked back to the path he had walked upon and he knew that all that was behind him was darkness and beasts, in front of him lie the unknown that send shivers down his spine.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVnCyyh3438
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So he continued on, despite every muscle in his body, every brain cell in his head, every fragment of his soul shouted for him to go back as the whispers continued to say the same.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdzhYNy1kAS
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"I'm not stupid enough to listen to the reasoning of a crazy man, especially my own." Ross said to himself as he treated forward.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrYLkYupTS
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His feet like they weighted a ton, his lungs like concrete, his vision blurry as his body reacted trying to protect him.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXE77OMJ6m
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Yet still Ross trudged on, this was the crazy things about mortals. They would march forward in the darkness, and why? Why did they marched into what seemed to be the Belly of the Beast?193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoRqkbcql1
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They did it because it was the unknown, where untold horrors lay, but also wonders.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfv2q6cVhKT
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It could be the biggest mistake of his life, but also the best decision he ever made.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJMg9YHueYA
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And as long as that small threat of hope remained. That single weak ember of a better tomorrow burned, then that ember could light a fire and even the weakest fire could banish the dark.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr1xPiixmyP
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Some say you'd have to be mad to live like that. Fortunately Ross was.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvyRJhbo00F
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So he took his heart in his teeth and marched forward.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ussMouuzP
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So he marched forward, with each step his feet became lighter, his lungs softer, his vision cleared.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuk3DlcEBA
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He conquered his fear and used it to fuel his resolve.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjVSAYkUG5v
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Ross walked past the beasts and now before him stood a golem made of earth and rock, with a skin so thick that no blade or bullet could pierce it.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvBl6nEYwr
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Yet unlike the curse of before, or looking at the deep dark woods, or the hellfire and beast that he faced, it's not fear that grips him193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0w4e7fRAK4
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"Turn back now or suffer my wr-" The Golems words where cut of as Ross, used not a blade or bullet, but threw a small bag of salt into the Golem's opened mouth.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErxBAu4aFW
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The Golem collapsed to its feet as Ros moved to run past the now coughing construction of rock, soil and magic, but a great caught his leg and hoisted Ross upside down.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6fUbKwccp
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The Golem growled at him, but like before when it wasted time with words or deeds it was struck by Ross's quick counter.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkKIYFg3vG
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This time Ross threw the bell from his belt right at the Golem's face.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwpax3hz20
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BANG.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFPvoqV9lBc
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The golem let go of Ross as it cradle it's head both from the force of the blow but also from the bell's holy sound.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIYTBTGDRym
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Ross fell to the ground and quickly grabbed the bell and attached to it a rope that he had for climbing and then swung the bell around and over his head once to gain momentum before striking the Golem once more with the bell.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjyrFY116x8
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BANG193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP8I4yb65lk
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The Golem now shielded it's face and crouched down against Ross who was half the Golem's size, yet was now Ross was the one on the offensive.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZUprSIsf34
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BANG193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8Tk6AlxGA
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Another blow from the whip like weapon as this time Ross aimed at the Golem's right leg, making the creatures topple down, then Ross struck again.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWxM3QWfmx
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BANG193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF47z4GM7F2
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The Golem disintegrated into a flash of energy as Ross took a breather to regain his strength and vigor. His leg ached like it had been a slightly stronger squeeze away from being broken, Ross was certain it would swell like crazy and be as purple as an eggplant tomorrow.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ml9bStXeQ
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Only the painkillers he took in advance before entering the woods helped. For not he managed to avoid using the stronger ones like opioids and he hoped that the worse was behind.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrPIlBzPvQs
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A man can dream can't he?193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKp0dKfiSz
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"Needs something sturdier, perhaps a chain and something on the handle if they get into close range." Ross said out loud as he studied the whip like bell tipped weapon and it's surprising effectiveness.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tsLNSNn7H
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When the flash dissipated in the Golem's place was a great red orb, one that Ross looked at in disbelief.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsPlst1vyti
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"Well now, here's hoping that brute strength is the answer here." Ross said as he instinctly whipped the red orb, smashing it.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcOmY6AOiDM
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Immediately in front of him a curtain of energy flashed and reformed itself like the image of waves crashing into white foam on a beach.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAlCZQYU3K
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It seemed like the forest, reality itself, was distorted in front of him as an illusion was broken.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWE883xFxt
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And in front of him was Hexen surrounded by other witches and warlocks and standing over a bound and gagged woman, with a knife at her throat.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhDuy5VzjDs
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There, Ross's closest friend, a flawed yet kind and caring person who had come to his aide many times before despite danger, stood over another ready to kill her in cold blood.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuiRXHbw13I
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Yes, truly an illusion had been broken tonight.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdoMdCRmXlJ
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Ross froze at that, he was tired, scared, lost in the woods, exhausted and from the brief touch of the Golem his leg was close to making him limp, only the shock of the sight before him was what made his brain ignore all of that and focus on the image of Hexen.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtLPPS4VeQC
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Kind Hexen, sweet Hexen, always there for him Hexen, who called him so many wonderful things and made him laugh so often, brave and noble Hexen who always rushed to protect him when this mortal was in mortal danger.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd9ZP83o6cb
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That Hexen was a step away from committing a murder most foul.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAkeWQZhwxt
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"Ross, there's something I have to tell you. I'm a witch." Hexen said awkwardly and gave a smile belonged on the cat that caught the canary. Which in Hexen's case was the poor struggling girl at her feet that was the same age as Hexen.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡduknkvAEG8
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Ross still speechless then and there realized why the Myr had affected Hexen for that Hexen was not just a witch, but a dark witch.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr2dRs8tHaG
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A very, very dark witch. Dark enough to be affected by the Myr like full blown demons and Ross had just interrupted a human sacrifice.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjk0w3uBUlY
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Yes, an illusion was broken tonight indeed193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fWR0tqRne
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"I always thought you to be an elf." Was his reply as a confused Hexen and the other witches and warlocks presented looked at him in surprise.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuKvLCdTZ31
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"What?" She said, the knife still at her sacrifice's throat who also looked surprise by the events.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjvSY2ZIfpc
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And with that the clock struck 3.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnC1AFfqPaU
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The witching hour, a bell whip, two illusions shattered and confusion reigned supreme now.193Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ttMoaREbO
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Just another night in the town of Calliope.
