"What do you mean, Barbarian, I'm not worthy of trust?"

"Trust is earned… I trust you, though it takes a mighty force of will.  Keseph cannot trust you because of what you are."

"I made amends for that, I recanted it all."

"Words do not redeem you, Necromancer, only actions."

"I have done more…"

"Enough!" Kashya interrupted, "I've heard enough infighting for one day.  Today you enter the monastery for the first time, and you must be united in purpose as Alyssa said."

Malek grunted and walked off, his black cloak sweeping behind him like a bat's wing.  Keseph was sitting on the same rock that Malek had been sitting on prior to Alyssa's arrival, sharpening his sword with determination.  Alyssa walked over to him, sitting down in front of the rock.

"Why do you hate him so, Keseph?"

"He's a murderer, a murderer of the foulest kind.  He's an affront to all that is holy, everything that I stand for." He clenched his fist in anger.

"He's only trying to help us, Keseph, I know he can be a little arrogant and a little tyrannical, but I think he's doing his best."

"A little arrogant, a little tyrannical?  That man is so full of himself, he makes a joke out of humility."

"Keseph, we have to go into this as a team, if there's divisions among us then we are all going to die."

Keseph sighed, looking skywards.  His features were chiseled and well made, but there was a sadness to him that ran like a deep, underground river.  His tarnished armor glowed brightly in the morning sun.  For a moment Alyssa felt something for him, something beyond respect or admiration.  It was only for a moment, then it was gone.

"You're right, Alyssa, you're right."

"The others will be here soon," Charsi announced, "we need to get started."

"Charsi's right," Akara added, "all of you come, the monastery awaits us."

The five warriors gathered their weapons and walked with Kashya, Charsi, and Akara.  All of them felt the pall of fear drop over them as they approached the old monastery, it's gray walls covered with green, creeping vines.  Darkness and evil came off the once-holy structure in waves, a taint that might never be removed.  Gahl and Keseph approached the great double doors, each door standing almost three times their height. 

"So, this is it?" Cassadra asked nervously.

"Yes," Akara answered her; "this is the place."

"It doesn't feel right," Alyssa said, glancing to her left and right.

"What do you mean?" Malek asked her.

"Too quiet, we should've seen something, or heard something by now.  I've got the feeling…"

"… Like we're being watched." Gahl finished as he backed away from the doors.

"Is it a trap?" Kashya asked Akara as she nocked her bow.

"I don't know… there's a powerful magic concealing it."

Suddenly the doors to the monastery opened and a regiment of skeletal warriors ran screaming out of them.  Keseph drew his sword quickly and retreated backwards, striking as he did.  Akara, with Charsi and Kashya protecting her, fled back as well, putting distance between them and the skeletons so they could fire.  Malek and Cassadra stood their ground, each of them summoning their mana for spells.  Gahl got out both of his axes and advanced the skeletons, threatening them with quick jabs.  Alyssa pulled out her spear and went to point between Malek and Cassadra, guarding them until they got their spells off.

Gahl screamed as he laid into one of the skeletons, busting it to fragments.  Keseph created a warding around him, concentrating so he could strike with his magic.  Alyssa threw a spear towards one of the skeletons, expertly taking its skull off at the neck.  With a flash of gray-black energy, Malek was first with his spell.  He took possession of several of the skeletons and had them turn against the others, bony talons ripping and tearing.  Bigger creatures were coming out of the monastery doors now; huge, shaggy beasts that lumbered towards the Barbarian will a murderous resolve.  Gahl saw them and wasted no time advancing towards them, screaming his war cry as he did.

"Gahl, get out of the way!" Cassadra screamed.

Gahl jumped to the side just as a blazing lightning bolt flew from Cassadra's outstretched palm, striking one of the beasts and sending it to the ground a sizzling piece of flesh.  Charsi and Kashya rained arrows into the fray, sending a few of them into the shaggy pelts of the beasts.  Cassadra cast another bolt; this one went awry and missed the beasts.  Malek countered with a poisoned mist that sent it's creeping tendrils into monastery, hopefully killing others before they emerged.  Gahl was locked into combat with one of the huge beasts, skillfully dodging its strikes while hacking at it with one of his hand-axes.       

With a scream Keseph hurled several Holy Bolts at the skeletons, managing to take out ten of them, they exploded in a surge of blue-white divine energy.  There were only two of the beasts remaining when Alyssa, Keseph, and Gahl closed in on the creatures, taking them down quickly.  After its labored breathing ceased a deadly, waiting silence fell over the area.

"You were right, Malek," Keseph said slowly, "we were expected."

"Yes, we were."

"It was wrong of me to doubt you, had we heeded your warning…"

"Don't bother with it, you'll have plenty of times to save my life once we get inside this causeway to Hell."

Keseph smiled as he sheathed his sword.

"Let's go before a second wave comes." Alyssa advised.

"May the Light go with you all, the angels watch over you." Akara said solemnly.

"They always have," Malek interjected, "no reason for them to stop now."

The five warriors walked into the monastery slowly, each one wary and ready for anything.  Kashya, Charsi, and Akara watched them go; each one of the women thinking their separate, private thoughts.  The future of a world hung in the balance, and the beginning of an adventure had begun.  Solemnly the three women stood there, waiting for omens that would come.  The darkness swallowed their heroes, and a terror fell upon their hearts.  It had begun…