The Rite completed, Lili nodded to Radulf. He picked up Odvir, stepped into the circle of the Ward and, reaching its centre, he gently laid Odvir down. He slowly counted to five - his heart was hammering too fast for a reliable count - and then picked Odvir up again. Reaching the edge of the Ward, Radulf began to step over it, when the resistance that Lili had predicted almost pushed him over. If he had not been warned, Radulf was certain it would have knocked him over.
Pushing through the resistance, Radulf saw the ghostly form stripped from Odvir as the Ward forced it to remain inside. As Odvir exited the Ward, he drew in a huge breath and then buried his face in his hands and began crying. Handing the lad to Lili and Sigrid, Radulf picked up his Hammer-of-Charun and turned to face his foe. It was racing around the perimeter of the Ward, trying to escape. He heard Lili and Sigrid behind him taking Odvir to a back room so he would not witness what was to come.
A prayer to Charun upon his lips, Radulf stepped across the Ward.
Enter the Fray: Formidable foe, facing off; +Heart; 5 +2 vs. 7 & 1 => weak hit => take initiative
Strike: +Iron +1 Masked; 2 +3 +1 vs. 7 & 8 => miss => lose initiative, -3 Spirit, now 2; progress 0/10
Mark Failure Track, now 2.25/10
Clash: +Iron +1 Masked; 3 +3 +1 vs. 4 & 2 => strong hit => take initiative, 2 harm +1 strong hit; progress 3/10
As he crossed the Ward, the Haunt barrelled through Radulf and he felt the coldness of its touch upon his soul, seeming to strip away 'layers' of his very core. Doing his utmost to ignore the feeling that the Haunt had taken part of him, he swung his Greathammer at the creature. The blessings upon the Hammer-of-Charun allowed it to touch the insubstantial form and stopped its flight toward Radulf, parts of it drifting away into nothingness.
Strike: +Iron +1 Masked; 3 +2 +1 vs. 7 & 6 => miss, burn momentum, now 2 => strong hit => keep initiative, 2 harm +1 strong hit; progress 6/10
Strike: +Iron +1 Masked; 3 +3 +1 vs. 10 & 8 => miss => lose initiative, -3 Spirit, now 0, 1 overflows to -1 momentum, now +1
Mark Failure Track, now 2.50/10
Clash: +Iron +1 Masked; 3 +3 +1 vs. 3 & 2 => strong hit => take initiative, 2 harm +1 strong hit; progress 6/10
Again Radulf struck at the Haunt and again he was rewarded with more of it vanishing, but then it reached its hand into his chest and he felt its hand wrapping around his heart. Its coldness, its desolate emptiness seemed to reach into his heart telling him that he was alone. Charun did not stand with him, Vanth had abandoned him ... no-one would help him ...
But then, as he fell to his knees, black desolation beginning to seize him, he heard Lili's strong, resolute voice calling out to him,"Radulf! You are Charun! Vanth and Charun are with you!"
His faith re-affirmed, Radulf rose and with a shout of "CHARUN GUIDE MY HANDS!", he launched a mighty swing at the Haunt's head.
Turn the Tide: steal initiative and +1 on next move
Strike: +Iron +1 Masked +1 Turn the Tide +2 Thunder-Bringer asset (reroll any dice, +2 harm strong hit, but weak hit is a miss); 4 +3 +1 +1 +2 vs. 5 & 2 => strong hit => +1 momentum, now +2, inflict 2 harm, +1 strong hit, +2 Thunder-Bringer; progress 10/10 (max)
End the Fight: progress 10 vs. 8 & 6 => strong hit
Charun did guide his hands. The Hammer-of-Charun struck the Haunt square in its face and the evil spirit slowly dissipated into nothing. Then Radulf collapsed to the floor, totally spent.
The defeat of the Haunt is:
Reach a Milestone: formidable vow "I will end the villain that created the Chimera", progress now 5/10
Develop Your Relationship: with Lili; 'formidable', progress now 3/10
Develop Your Relationship: with Woodwatch; 'troublesome', progress now 3/10
Lili rushed to Radulf's side and helped him to his feet. Together they stumbled to the closest pew, where Radulf collapsed and then he managed to croak, "Give me a moment, please."
By the time Radulf was able to walk, Lili and Sigrid had brought Odvir to join him and they all left the temple for the council hut. By no means recovered, Odvir was at least aware of his surroundings and there was life in his eyes now.
Dawn had come, the snow had stopped and the sun was shining as the group left the Temple-of-Vanth. Entering the hut, Erik leapt to his feet at the sight of his son and rushed to take him from the ladies of the temple. Erik looked questioningly at Lili.
"He is back in command of himself, Ragnaid is gone," she told the Captain-Warden. "I advise sending a rook to Shashkya at Highfall for advice on how best to care for him," she finished. Turning to the council, Lili said, "We killed the Varou's mystic last night, so I believe that they will withdraw now that their link to the great evil that Odvir encountered is broken. For now, though, Charun Radulf must rest, so we will meet later."
Lili's conclusion was news to Radulf. Odvir must have told her something that he hadn't heard, but honestly, right now he didn't care. He was bone-weary and Lili was right, he needed sleep more than anything. But there was one thing that he must do first - his vow was complete, he must discharge it. As they returned to the Temple-of-Vanth, he told Lili that; she made as if to protest, but seeing the resolve upon his face, agreed.
In the temple, Radulf knelt before Lili and grasped her Holy Sword. "I swear by the Iron of my Faith and the Iron of this Holy Sword, that I have investigated the Varou that attack Woodwatch."Fulfill Your Vow: progress 9 vs. 8 & 2 => strong hit => 1xp, +1xp from Bannersworn asset, 2 total
The vow lifted from Radulf and Lili declared, "Holy Vanth concurs," and replaced her sword in its sheath upon the altar. Radulf managed to reach his bed, before collapsing upon it and allowing the oblivion of sleep to claim him.