Continued from S3: Roland, lord-protector of Mistendell (Portrait). The sun had sunk nearly as low as their moral by the time they reached the fourth farmstead, and, even for hardened men of war, the eerie silence was unnerving. Roland had barely uttered a word since the first house, which, like the second and the third, they found empty, with the door smashed in and clear signs of a struggle. But no bodies… not man nor beast… not even a drop of blood! As they approached, something seemed different; the door stood intact, although there was still no sign of life. Roland’s heart rose at the possibility of finding survivors, as he quickly dismounting and lead the others in a rush to the door, but found it bared. Then, looking through the window, his heart sank… inside was no different then before, furniture smashed, and no sign of the residents. Rynard worked the latch free with his dagger and pushed the door open. But the sight from inside was no more encouraging. Standing near the center of the main room, Roland looked up through a large, gapping hole in the thatched roof at the quickly darkening sky, barely containing the tears that welled up in his eyes. It was his duty to protect these people… his people… and he had failed them. Then he noticed Syn kneeling by the door, examining a symbol painted on the floor. “This farmer was clever,” Syn announced, as he swept the debris covering the symbol aside, revealing a triangle which fronted against the door with a different mark inscribed along each of its sides. “The rune of Law,” he identified the symbol, which any Law worshiping person would know on sight. Standing and surveying the room, he noted similar symbols marking the floor under each window and before the hearth. “Every point of entry marked,” Roland observed. “But why?” “No demon or creature of Chaos can cross a rune of Law,” Syn informed him. To be continued on S3: The Beast, demon of Blood Fountian Tower (Portrait). Thanks for looking... Hope you enjoy! Comments and suggestions always welcome and appreciated!