11. Southern Crusades

PROLOGUE | STOLEN MOON | WANING CRESCENT | SACRED SANDS | FALLEN SELENE | EPILOGUE

Southern Crusades

The group follows the canyon to Estakher where it leads to a secret entrance at the base. The Madjai soldiers have already met in front of the Gates of Estakher. The Veiland soldiers will join them as reinforcements and with the Farsee's attention occupied, this allows John, Sam, and a small group of soldiers to enter the city undetected. The entrance leads to a passageway and, John, Sam, and Ardavan find themselves in the Palace. The entrance to the cavern that leads to the Chinvat Bridge is in a temple near them and Ardavan runs off toward the temple.

John Noble improvises and will follow Ardavan while Sam and the soldiers go to extend the drawbridge to the city. This will allow the rest of the Madjai forces outside the wall to enter and reclaim it from the occupying Farsee force. John Noble intends to rescue the Sultan and the Prince and attempt to stop the Djinn from reaching the Bridge. Upon arriving to confront the Djinn who holds the Sultan captive, John Noble finds several bodies that the Djinn had killed strewn about the Temple. He finds Ardavan at the entrance and stops him from entering before two guards almost see them.

Sam goes to lower the drawbridge to the city while the soldiers fight the Farsee forces that have occupied it. This, however draws the attention of the Pyromancer. Sam defeats the Pyromancer by turning stone pillars to wood which break from the fire, dropping a platform on him. Madjai troops enter the city to reclaim it from the Farsee. Sam succeeds in lowering the drawbridge to the city while the Madjai and Veiland soldiers overwhelm the Farsee force and retake the city.

The Djinn

John Noble silently disarms the two guards and takes a dagger from one. He then calls to the Djinn and throws the dagger which hits the cloaked man in the chest as he turns. The Djinn falls from the altar as Ardavan runs to his brother and father. The Sultan is surprised and proud of the young Prince's resourcefulness. John informs him that Veiland has come to help reclaim the city. The Sultan asks if he is the High Champion of Selene. John was checking to see who the Djinn was and before he can answer he sees that the body is gone.

The Djinn has come up from behind and grabs Ardashir telling the Sultan to open the entrance to the cave. The Sultan tries to convince him that opening the Chinvat Bridge will release a great evil. The Djinn explains that the Farsee call it the Chinvat Bridge and it is known by many other names. He refers to it as the Ouroboros Gate and he has no investment in the Madjai or the Farsee. He will open the Ouroboros Gate for his own reasons.The Sultan opens the entrance to the cave and asks for the Djinn to release Ardashir. The Djinn then throws the dagger from his chest at the Sultan. John Noble tackles the Sultan out of the way as the The Djinn disappears into the entrance with Ardashir. Sam shows up as it is revealed that the Dagger that the Djinn threw, hit Prince Ardavan in the shoulder.