Tomaso del Monferrada stood outside Baldr's Gate and peered down the road that wove through the forests of Eriu towards the Marignon plain to the southwest. By now, he knew, the hordes of Ulm would be occupying Marignon City, and that it was only a matter of time before they would be marching up that road, slowly but unstoppably. Perhaps our exodus is not yet ended, Tomaso thought to himself, and turned to the east where the sun was just rising, hanging cold above the lands of the Caelians. Fighting the Caelians was bad enough before, but now the very grip of winter follows them into battle. Tomaso was reluctant to lead another mortal army into that frozen hell, but what choice was left?
It was true that for every province lost to the dragon god and his host, the angels of Heaven would liberate three, but Garcimor's army yet remained, and Tomaso's ragged army could do little about it.
"Father Tomaso! Father Tomaso!" yelled a messenger as he hurriedly approached the prophet. Tomaso's heart sunk. What had happened now?
The messenger reached Tomaso and fell to his knees panting, holding up a parchment. "Great news, sir," the messenger choked out between breaths.
Tomaso gingerly accepted the message and broke the seal.
Quote:
To: Tomaso del Monferrada, General of the Lady's Army
From: Sir Magnino, Commander, Promised Land garrison
I offer you great tidings, sir. Two days past a Caelian army attacked our position and were repulsed. Caelian casualties numbered at least fourteen, including a blue dragon. Brother Nevelon has studied the remains and believes it to be the Caelian dragon god, Garcimor. ... ...
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Tomaso dropped the message unfinished. Garcimor has fallen? And not only that, but to a mere
provincial garrison? Tomaso took a moment to recover. "Is this... is this true?" he hesitantly asked the messenger.
"I saw the beast myself," said the messenger. "It must have been Garcimor. How many other blue dragons can there be?"
Tomaso stared unbelievingly at the messenger, then again at the parchment. Then he started laughing. "Glory be to Heaven, this is a miracle!" Tomaso gleefully shouted to the sky.