The arrival of Anstran, Duke of Warvik, Hyuga, Knight Protector of the West, Dismet and Luther is eagerly anticipated and there are thousands of people lining the harbour walls, crammed along the battlements and thronging the streets of Admund Fort. Their celebrity status ensures a quick journey to the throneroom and the awaiting court of King Mandrigan.

The king greets each one by personally shaking their hands. He introduces them to several of the more important members of his court:- Grimstock, the ageing sorcerer, Unswood - the earl of Viksholme and close friend of Andriath (Anstran’s father), Lombiak - the king’s general and marshall of his armies, Alastor - a young noble sorcerer and Ventrik - Ranger lord and former master of Anstran’s scouts. The court is buzzing with questions and Mandrigan houses the party in a guest wing where they are taken to recover.

During their first night Luther and Anstran share a room where they are experimenting with some of the fundamentals of spiritual combat and summoning. A lone Shield Land knight walks in and immediately the two men realise that the man intends to slay Anstran. The duke’s Ishiaki perceptions can feel the influence of Karamatsu on the poor man but before he can draw the dreaded Blade of Gaxx, Luther hurls a dagger through the assassin’s defences and obliterates him with the power of Torren - the power word of death.

Anstran then decides that if he is to war with Karamatsu then it would be wise to pick the battlefield in advance. He has a good idea of where he would choose and is certain that Karamatsu, being a warrior also, would choose the same point. He takes Hyuga, Solman, and Manic to the general, Lombiak, and instructs them to journey to the mainland to pick a suitable site. They are joined by forty knights and set off that very afternoon.

Meanwhile the lady Dismet decides to remain with Luther in the hands of Mandrigan, who gives them a guided tour of his city over the next two days. During one night Dismet summons Ashavia - her surrogate mother demon - and indicates her desire to possess a sorcerous weapon of quality. The demoness is only too pleased to accept and bids her to summon her within three days.

Upon arriving at the mainland Anstran persuades Solman to use his sorcery so that the two of them can survey the area. Solman turns them into hawks and they fly off. During their wide sweeps Anstran recognises the lone wolf figure of Kyrena - the disciple of Nature - loping across the ground as if drawn by the same unusual urge that dragged Anstran here. Later they spot Xerix - the tiger lord - also roaming the area. Within four hours Anstran and Solman find their battlefield. They return to the group and head back to Admund Fort, leaving Lombiak and his men to study the field.

When they return a day later Dismet summons Ashavia once more and the demoness hands over a long horn, dripping with blood at one end. Ashavia hints that it is a great weapon then vanishes. Anstran confirms that it once belonged to Hornak - the dwarven demon who resided in Gorren’s castle...

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