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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0uw7ZqzssA
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70SM58aght
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Then came that terrifying night in the Forests of Calliope.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJV0NlICwW
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There and then I knew why we feared mortals.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQa9aDk6IQ3
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- Arch Bishop Philippe 'The Wise' of the Church of Hecate.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrGiZ9wHrRZ
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Taken from the Documentary 'The Anarchy and the Peace.'103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzZdhiGeTE
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Book 1-Ch 3-Nevermore beyond my pane103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcjobeUFq4R
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOKQZkMf9IO
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqJLX7AItGs
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But no matter the universe A is still A.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH2OENblaPX
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And fire is still fire.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHbHPCSPQRy
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYFtQ6VBVF
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHT2I1wlfo
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Creatures that even those with magic, light or dark, would fear.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7XiabI7vT
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyvUmL7FJQ5
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Pzko4okeb
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Ross was not innocent, but he drew the line at killing animal needlessly.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp1VdjzTOFe
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡImUA3KsHcO
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwYby6G4CNE
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But they were still bats, still animals, and they had sensitive noses and ears.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzuaCcbHZ9z
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRXcVluBKAr
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The twister of flying dark creatures immediately increased the distance between itself and the scarred mortal.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡindhvOEqnc
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqfBkYRW69
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrSrfzyUs4
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Temptation whispered in his ear there and then. Temptation to give up, go back.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM15mUVdO0s
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZM2fnkZei3
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuouffWMRZI
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp3Fc1VZ1Ps
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEECKlXm104
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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?103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEP681T1zFm
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They did it because it was the unknown, where untold horrors lay, but also wonders.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMNkmJXMtA
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It could be the biggest mistake of his life, but also the best decision he ever made.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWPOwKWpqY
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRTyCEP31kt
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Some say you'd have to be mad to live like that. Fortunately Ross was.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaBliFIkFf0
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So he took his heart in his teeth and marched forward.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFilFqOpM3a
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So he marched forward, with each step his feet became lighter, his lungs softer, his vision cleared.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5rOEnupe3
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He conquered his fear and used it to fuel his resolve.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrgnH34J2x
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4HzBdb0ejq
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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 him103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eK65nZlnm
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MaZTFVsOH
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd8MDxKWquO
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMvAIHrVzJo
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This time Ross threw the bell from his belt right at the Golem's face.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEn3d452at5
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BANG.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtZR1hXykl
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJZBak0IY2M
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMpzWO1G0O
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BANG103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR1rbIuzCzH
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Yj1bYfaRc
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BANG103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu4Lw6EX27s
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9zkAUBvGiy
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BANG103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvI84Gr9Oxb
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8i1IfW93gQ
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUrII6IuYE
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A man can dream can't he?103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJlnBBVS4iA
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgSAMqJtT5N
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBExafIuRZ
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡybM0bfUF4J
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3ysBi40j6m
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It seemed like the forest, reality itself, was distorted in front of him as an illusion was broken.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvpnj2SLoiz
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0KTlYzsqw
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCg32xdgUSL
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Yes, truly an illusion had been broken tonight.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqPL2yIs8u
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHGScrSe40
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJuSyIJUYKI
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That Hexen was a step away from committing a murder most foul.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSz3SsYW2sP
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhV68WTUTS9
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfmB8CWS1u
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRerQx6wY9E
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Yes, an illusion was broken tonight indeed103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxJlqHZ2z1
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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.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEclNagUAn
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"What?" She said, the knife still at her sacrifice's throat who also looked surprise by the events.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡciuXYrBnf0
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And with that the clock struck 3.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYchvZz6G7r
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The witching hour, a bell whip, two illusions shattered and confusion reigned supreme now.103Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlADKEYEYWM
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Just another night in the town of Calliope.
