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[Martin Willow]

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Martin Willow appeared once again before the HoA library near the ruins of Wintermoor. Often of late the building had held his interest for hours as he rooted around, searching for anything that may have been forgotten in the obvious looting of the place. Nothing had turned up, and lately his time had been spent pouring over the two books he had found; the small journals that had, most likely, belonged to Aleph Aeirs.

Looking down at the books as he arrived, Martin looked up to find the door to the library ajar. Knowing full well that he had left the place locked up tight, Martin tucked the two books away within his cloak and replaced them with the broadsword he carried. It would do little good in actual combat, but it offered some aid and he could channel magic through it, so it would not hamper him.

Entering the main hall of the library, Martin immediately spotted two orcs kicking over the benches, searching about for something. Trying to move quietly toward the one nearest him, Martin noted the door to the rear library was open as well. Just as he was almost upon the creature, a squeaky floorboard betrayed his approach. The orc whirled, its axe swinging out toward Martin, who tried to parry with his sword but only succeeded in getting his weapon knocked aside.

A rapid step back brought him out of range of the axe, just as he also brought his left hand up to point at the orc, who was then on the receiving end of a magical bolt of energy to its face. Collapsing in a heap from the blast, the orc moved no more, and so Martin turned in time to see the other orc sprinting out the door as fast as its legs could carry it.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Martin was able to take a single step toward the rear room before a large axe, larger even than the one the first orc had held, protruded from the door. Following it out was an equally large hand, attached to a proportionally correct orc, to match. Before the orc could turn to face him, however, Martin already had a spelled prepared, and gestured toward the beast.

It flinched back, and even seemed to squeeze its eyes shut in anticipation. Nothing happened. The orc opened one eye. Then the other. It blinked once. Then it grinned a disgusting, toothy grin. Martin grinned right back, and hurled an energy bolt at the orc. It was still grinning when it brought its axe up to take some of the damage from the magic. It continued to grin, in spite of itself, when a small ball of fire appeared between the axe and its body.

The orc was no longer grinning after the small ball of fire had exploded in its face, blasting its axe across the room into the opposite wall and leaving the path clear for the energy bolt, which had thrown the orc back into the back room, where a bookshelf had cushioned its fall.

Kicking the orc’s foot, Martin confirmed that it was dead, and started to turn. But something in the wreckage of the bookshelf caught his eye. Two books, lying side by side, where they had fallen behind the shelf. Martin scooped the up quickly, glancing at the titles and, more importantly, the author. Turning quickly to leave, two more possible clues in his possession, Martin glanced briefly at the large orc’s body.

“Thanks.”
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Grand Paladin of THG