Valen stood upon yet another battlefield, much like the one where he had banished the darkness from his soul and entered the light, but unlike that field of battle he stood uneasy.  For this time he had been forced into battle.  He looked over the peaceful glade where soon enough the bodies of both sides would lay waste to the sanctity of this place and wished he knew what his fate and that of his men would be upon the coming dawn.

His Allies sent word that there was a massing of Chaos outside the city of Britain and that their forces there had been crushed.  Valen had immediately sent forth the call to arms for all his forces, and rushed to meet the darkness that threatened to consume the Order stronghold.  For if Britain fell nothing would stop Chaos from laying siege to the Order Capital of Trinsic.

As the Knighthood reached the gates of the city.  A messenger greeted them and said that Lord Bortog of the Knights of the Amber Falcon had already broken the siege.  Valen had known Lord Bortog for quite sometime, but thought his forces were outside  the city of Moonglow fighting a losing battle against minions of Chaos.  As Valen looked again towards the city a feeling of great foreboding engulfed him.  He could not quite place it but knew the Darkness was not yet vanquished from this place.  Valen then looked towards his second Lord Dector to see if he had felt this same foreboding, but Lord Dector seemed oblivious to it.  So he motioned to his men to enter the city and let the feeling pass.

Lord Bortog greeted them as the ranks of knights passed over the mighty bridge that spanned the river beneath it.  When Valen finally passed, Lord Bortog greeted him and welcomed him in the name of the Knights of the Amber Falcon and the city of Britain.  As Valen dismounted and returned the formal greeting the feeling of foreboding again returned.  Valen quickly looked up to see Lord Bortog's sword coming down.  With speed born of many battles Valen raised his shield and barely managed to block the blow.  Knocked off balance, he was forced to take steps backward to regain his wits and draw his sword.  Valen quickly looked at his men who were all engaged in battle around him.  He saw his long time friend Lord Barak fall, slain from a sword thrust to his back.  Valen's rage could no longer be contained, for this was an act not of a man but a dog.  His battle cry pierced the evening sky like a clap of thunder.  Valen then turned towards his one time friend turned foe and fought with a fire born of Vengeance.  In moments he had disarmed Lord Bortog and knocked him senseless with the flat of his blade.  He then turned to his men and shouted the call for retreat, a command Valen had never let cross his lips before.  Before mounting his fiery white charger he grasped Lord Bortog's unconscious form and threw him across the saddle.  For his death would not be a quick one

Valen and the remnants of his once proud knighthood found refuge a hard days ride south of the city.  The betrayal had been devastating.  Over a third of his force had been murdered at the hands of the traitors.  Among them Lord Barak and Sir Devrosh Karn.  Valen's gaze cast down upon the shackled prisoner as he was brought toward his command tent.  After Lord Bortog was interrogated, he was then drawn, hung and quartered.  His death screams were heard from miles away even to the very city of Britain.  Valen then had his disembodied head stuck on a pike for all to see, a grisly standard to remind those of what a traitors fate would be.

Valen learned that The Knights of the Amber Falcon had changed allegiance and broken there sworn oath.  Chaos had used Lord Bortog's men to lure the his allies into a trap that cost not only their lives but the city itself.

With the knowledge gained before Lord Bortog's  demise,  The Knights of the Black Rose again turned towards Britain.  For only there would they avenge there fallen comrades.  Valen knew not what his fate would be as he rode forth over the dusty trail.  If this path would lead him to his destiny or to oblivion. If indeed it did lead to oblivion and this was a fight to the finish, he vowed to himself that he would not make that journey alone.

Chronicles written by Quivalen Soth.

 The Chronicles