'When you cross the Welayta Mountains, you'll find Mandhari–the Elephant Graveyard not too far in the distance. It's a gloomy looking place, named after the massive bleached bones of the elephants who go there to die. So it's no surprise that it's a mecca for necromancers and all sorts of practitioners of the dark arts. But several miles south lies a medium-sized village of hunters and herders by the intersection of two rivers. The land here is fertile, but the riverside banks are full of crocodiles and wild animals who come to feed on the grazers. Normally we'd be across the other side and halfway to Mamjaku at this point, but the caravan was stopped by a group of armed men carrying long spears. Our caravan leader speaks their language, so maybe we'll be able to make some headway. On second thought…that might not be happening. Despite his explaining, they're not letting us go. According to what he translated, nobody is allowed past their village. If we want to leave, we need to leave behind all of our weapons and armor before turning back.' 

After what everyone thought would be a successful negotiation, everybody in the wagon train was taken into the village as hostages. Belen was doing his best to not panic, complying with whatever the spearmen said and avoiding direct eye contact. While he couldn't understand their language, he had this gut feeling that they were thinking of using the travelers as bait or a sacrifice for something. Even with his hands tied, he could just make himself a portal and slip away. But he'd never forgive himself if he ran away leaving the rest of them behind. Besides, he needed to get to Mamjaku and find someone who had successfully journeyed down to the farthest tip of the Moors Peninsula. The captives from the wagon train were huddled together sitting on the ground while the village warriors were sorting through their possessions in the carts. The caravan leader was roughly shoved in, and he fell to the ground, rolling on his side. After the man managed to sit himself upright, Belen scooted over towards him after the guards were preoccupied.

"Hey–what's going on? Why are they keeping us here?!" He whispered. The man looked just as confused as he was. "How should I know? I thought I was on good terms with their previous chieftain! I've never cheated them out of anything, and there's never been problems until now." They both went quiet as the heard footsteps pass their tent, then there was talking among the guards. The caravan guide strained to hear what was being said, then three men came in and began pulling the captives to their feet. To their surprise they were being cut free from their bonds, and a strange figure wearing an antelope skull was standing outside in the open, an eerie looking staff in hand. 

"Now now, I believe you all deserve an explanation. Forgive me, it seems that there has been a bit of a miscommunication on their part." The strange skull-headed man spoke, coming forward. "The people here have been very anxious lately ever since they incurred the wrath of Njoka-Yakuda, the blood-hexer." Through a translator, the witch doctor who called himself 'Kudu' told them why people traveling through the area were forced to leave. For years the village had been plagued by a witch who lived on the opposite side of the river. Njoka was a vain and powerful woman, however she was not immortal. Refusing to accept death and the natural cycle of life, she turned to using dark magic to keep herself alive and young. This was why she would target young people, particularly couples. Using curses, those who came too close to the river's banks would be attacked by crocodiles who dragged victims under. From them she would use their blood to extend her own existence.

At last, the people of the village had enough. They sent their chief to Mandhari to ask for help, and with a suitable price, Kudu agreed to lend his services. To fight a witch, you needed a witch doctor. But even so, it would be hard to kill her. That was until last night. A youth named Ntando took matters into his own hands, and had snuck out after the sun had set with a boat to cross the river to Njoka's domain. With several protective amulets, he managed to hide unnoticed until he saw the one thing that could make her vulnerable–her heart. Using dark magic, she had managed to remove her own heart from her body. Like a lich's phylactery, unless it was destroyed she would never see death. Ntando stole that heart, and managed to race across the river while the witch hounded him with her monsters in blind fury. A snake managed to bite his leg, but he shook it off and was able to make it into the village before he collapsed from the poison.

In his last breath, he told his people what he had done and the importance of the severed heart. His reckless bravery had done what others could not. Now that she knew her heart had been stolen, it would only be a matter of time before Njoka stormed the village with her possessed servants. Kudu had placed a barrier over the entire village that would prevent the witch from entering, however in order to kill her he would have to conduct a ritual that required seven days and seven nights to undo the protective enchantments she had placed on her soul's vessel. "I do not need your weapons, armor, or lives. What I ask of you is a willingness to join the village fighters to ensure that the heart is not stolen and that I am not interrupted until the ritual is complete. Although Njoka herself cannot come to take it away, there is nothing barring her from using her beasts and slaves to do it."

From among the caravaners, one stood out in particular. Covered from head to toe in crimson robes,  face obscured by an hood. He, or at least most assumed that he is a he, never spoke out loud and only made gestures when he needed something. He carried around a peculiar pole-axe, with the hammer head that would normaly be placed opposite of the axe head, being replaced by cog toothed wheel with half of an human skull sculpted into it. Now he stood among all gathered, without his weapon and humched over.

He waited patiently, untill all was explained and when it was, he perked up a little. He moved through the crowd and to the leader of the caravan.
- If you may translate my words for them, please - he asked the leader with an cordial tone, although that was overshadowed by the clearly unnatural and artificial sound of the voice itself.

And then, not waiting for the leader he begun speaking to the tribespeople.
- I shall step up to the task, rest of us can leave for in the coming days my expertise is all you good people will need. - He begun, his voice clearly filled with pride….or mayhpas arrogance?
- For I am not simple travaler or a merchant, I serve divinity itself in direct way possible.
Then he had thrown off the robe that hid his identity from his body, adjusted his own posture and stood straight up, proudly showing of his body. His face made from a skull of an unfamilliar animal with two glowing lights in place of eyes. Two metalic arms, one ending with an vice like grip, the other with an metalic box with an glowing crystal at it's end and underneath it a drill. And althought his upper body was covered by black robes, his legs and sounds his body made when he moved, made it clear that he was  more steel than flesh.
- I am Ferrus Faustinius, servant of Raith, god of Wrath and Heavens, the priest of Machines and Technology and purveyor of the Supreme Logic afforded to us by the Pure Iron and Blessed Steel. I can craft you a legion of made from flesh and steel, a legion subservient to unflinching logic of warfare that will throw itself in the way of coming onslaught without a second thought. All I will require is that my Omnissian Axe to be handed back to me, full cooperation of the local smithy, all the spare weapons and armors this village and my caravan can give and the location of the local graveyard. With those things I can assure you that you will have an army with which to defend this village against the barbaric and degenerate witch Nejoka!

She hated not having her weapons, she felt naked without them. While she liked to be actually naked when given a chance, this was not the kind that she liked, but since her travelling companion had opted to drop his arms so to had the dhampir given hers over. She was a tag along, still new to the coven, Lenora was assisting Ferrus on his little trip. He was an odd one in the ex-hunter’s eyes, and probably most peoples’, but she didn’t have anything against him. When they had taken down her old Order of vampire hunters he had proved himself in a fight and he was pretty damn smart to.

The redhead, clad in black leather and a black cape, Lenora sat on the ground not too far from Ferrus while the skulled masked guy had been talking through the translator. So when Ferrus moved through the crowd Lenora raised a brow and stood and followed a feet behind him, just to watch his metal backside. Better safe than sorry. When he started to speak Lenora grinned, she did like him, despite his arrogance, then again she wasn’t one to judge people on such things either. She had enough arrogance in her already, to judge anyone else on theirs would make her a hypocrite.

When Ferrus was finished speaking Lenora stepped up next to him and, with a grin, leaned on him a bit. ”Come on, big guy, you can’t have all the fun yourself, I’ll do what I can help.” She looked to the skull faced dude and glanced to the translator. ”I am Lenora Victoria, I to serve Lord Raith and would also very much like my weapons back, all of them. I don’t have the fancy words that he does though,” She nodded to Ferrus. ”so I’ll just state simply; I just love killin’.” She grinned, fangs showing a bit, as she waited to see what their reactions would be.

The translator eventually was able to allow both sides to understand the situation. Kudu was quite pleased at the eagerness of these strangers, a welcome sight when there was little time to be spent sitting around. Turning to the armed spear-bearers he waved a hand. "Return their weapons and armor to them. Once night falls, they will certainly need it." When the hooded man revealed his unnatural form, the villagers were aghast and began to whisper. The witch doctor however found him rather intriguing. He was no stranger to the obscene and occult, perhaps this oddity was a kindred spirit in the occult arts. And although the deities from across the oceans were now well known, most still adhered to their worship of the Great Tree. He was a powerful ally, and that was all Kudu cared for. "You have free reign to do as you please, my bloodless brother–provided it is a contribution towards keeping the village and the heart safe."

The red-haired woman with the complexion of polished ivory was the occult priest's companion, a capable fighter as well. Her bestial fangs told of strength and primal power which was necessary to quell Njoka's servants. When through translation she told of her lust for violence, the necromancer let out a chuckling laugh. "Excellent! There will be plenty chances for killing come tonight, rest assured. When you see the menagerie of thralls that Njoka possesses, you will not be disappointed. I have great expectations of all of you, now it is time for me to begin the preparations for the ritual." It would seem the spirits of the dark were smiling on them today. The caravan the village men had stopped held a handful of useful individuals.

The necromancer then retired to a large tent heavily guarded by armed soldiers on all sides. As he walked away, the eye sockets of the skull carved into his ebony wood staff lit with violet embers, flickering as the bone chimes rang with each step. Belen was relieved at the current turn of events, and was glad to get his things back. Fortunately the guards were honest and didn't take anything. The villagers were hesitant when it came to willingly relinquishing their dead, but they reluctantly gave in. If the witch doctor believed it was necessary, then it was a sacrifice they would have to make. There were plenty of protests from the elders of many families, but their children and grandchildren hushed them and led them back inside their houses. Most of the locals kept a wide berth from Ferrus and Lenora, preferring to not be involved.

The caravan leader became the de facto line of communication between the village defenders and the volunteers. He was forced to hover around everyone whether he liked to or not, to prevent any misunderstandings. Nabez, as the man was called, was coming back from explaining the finer details of Ferrus' requests when Belen pulled him aside. "Hey, how about we all have a meeting to discuss our battle plan? You'll get worn out going back and forth all the time, so it'd be better to have everybody huddle up and set things straight on who does what and when." It'd be the more efficient method, frankly. Once everybody knew that their duties were, they could hop to it. "That's a good idea. We don't know what we'll be up against come dusk, so it's better we use all the time we have as best as possible." It took about half an hour for Nabez to round up the village defenders and everyone who was participating in tonight's defense mission. Standing around in a circle beneath an open tent, Nabez opened the floor for discussion.

"It is just past midday, that means we only have a handful of hours before dusk falls. We have gathered here to discuss our course of action to prepare for tonight's battle. The men of the village are preparing barricades and hunter traps to lay around the the barrier to slow down attacks on the ground. There are several hundred spear-throwers and skirmishers who stand ready to fight. Because they are people of the savanna, they are better at fighting in open areas with little to no cover in melee and ranged combat. They have few practitioners of magic, and those they do have are only healers. Do you have anything you wish to ask these people?" Nabez asked everyone from the caravan.

When Lenora spoke up Ferrus almost jumped out of his own skin. Oh how he could've forgoten about his travelling partner? What an absolute disgrace, thankfuly the dhampir didn't seemed to mind, which was some manner of consolation to the Tech-Priest. Still it was quite uncooth of him so it would be best to apologise as soon as possible.

- Lenora - he begun when they were alone for a momment - I would like to apologise to you for my little outburst at the beginning and my flagrant ignorance towards at the time. It's just excitment of an chalange go better of me and well I tend to forget things when I get too excited, will you forgive my rudeness? - he asked, his voice, although artificial sounded sincere.

….
Before the council gathered Ferrus would walk through the village, making mental notes as to what was where, what kind of resources they had at their disposal. The number of dead in the graveyard. What weapons and armor was most common. The materials that were most common. All that would make or break his work.

When time of council came, after beforehand predicted time came to pass,Ferrus stood next to the fire, Omnissian Axe in hand and listened in to what Nebez had to say and when question was prompted he took the lead.
- From the fighters of this village, I have naught to ask but to do their duties as they see fit. 'tis is their home afterall and they know it better than I. As to the village itself, a layout of the graveyard, locations of those who left this world recently. Shovels and sturdy hands to handle them, with steely hearts and strong guts to do what must be done and of course help of local weapon and armorsmiths, not to mention place to work my craft. While today I might not get much done, this will be imvaluable in the days to come. The logic dictates that the Witch will not go with her full might at us, she shall probe our defenses and test our mettle. However no doubt she will try something to end this quickly, be vigilant and protect the Witch Doctor at all costs.

The reaction from Ferrus was delightful to Lenora, though she kept her amusement about if from her showing on her face. After regaining her weapons from those that had taken them, which took a minute because Lenora was nothing if not armed to the fangs. Between her twin tabar-shishpars, the twin hand axes that were her secondary weapons, and the multitude of smaller throwing knives and daggers she carried, she was surprised she didn’t rattle when she walked. Her twin tabars were hidden under her cloak, axes strapped to her hips and other blades held tight against her leather outfit.

When she had Ferrus were alone for a moment and he made his apology the dhampir grinned and shook her head. ”I will accept since I know you are being sincere, Ferrus, but truly there was no need for an apology. I am excited to, haven’t had a good fight since that night,” She chuckled. ”be good to get some much-needed practice. Though, I’ll admit, I will have to find something to fit into the straps where I used to keep the wooden stakes I used in hunting. I have to work into my routine not to reach for something that isn’t there anymore.” She explained with a shrug. ”Bah, I’m rambling though, and we have to work to do. Just let know what I can do to help your work, it’s not exactly something I am versed in.”

Lenora stuck with Ferrus before the council, going over in detail the weapons types and how well things were made. Once the council had started Lenora found a place to sit not too far from Ferrus, though with people giving him and her a wide berth that wasn’t very hard. Once he was finished speaking Lenora spoke up next. ”I don’t know what kind of thralls the witch might have, but if they are at least human I can feed on them to heal myself and regain my strength. If, however, they are too beastly, or undead, I may require someone willing to allow me to feed off of them. I won’t drain them and I can’t turn them either, so aside from feeling a bit tired until their body replaces the blood they will be unharmed.” She explained. ”The sunlight doesn’t affect me either, so I can fight during the day, but when it’s dark is when I am at my best.” She continued, just so people knew what they were working with, and she had noticed a few people had paled when she had mentioned feeding on them. Better for now to let them think she was a full vampire, better chance they would leave her alone for now.

Nabez painstakingly translated Ferrus and Lenora's responses into the local language. There was understandable resistance, as the villagers were wary at the thought of allowing a stranger to drink their blood. The Lingala had an infamous reputation, and quite a few began to believe that the red-haired woman was one in disguise. And as for their dead, it was mostly the elders who were strongly opposed to exhuming the bodies. An argument broke out between the two age groups, with the younger men and women desperate enough to do anything if it meant Njoka would be dead for good. Negotiations were going sour, and at this rate they wouldn't be able to get even the basic defenses done unless somebody pacified the elder members of the community. Nabez's words fell on deaf ears, as he wasn't a part of the tribe and was an outsider. Belen figured it was time he tried to do something, even if he wasn't able to pitch in for a specific role like the metal man and the dhampir woman. "Psst, Nabez. Is there anybody who can convince the older members of the community to let this slide just this once? I know dealing with the deceased is a touchy topic in a lot of places, so maybe they can have a religious figure or a leader to override them?"

Nabez thought it over, then he found an answer. "Good thinking." He turned to the metal priest and the warrior woman. "The locals are currently split fairly evenly when it comes to complying to your demands. The younger people are more willing to go along provided it holds effectiveness against the witch, but the elders feel there is no reason in desecrating the dead. I will ask one of the young men to call the head shaman and see if I can have her assist in gaining the elders' cooperation. They might hold grievances against their chief, but they will be more willing to hear it from her." The talk took some time, about two hours before the elders were willing to let the strangers enter the tribal burial grounds. The shaman was able to convince them by explaining that Ferrus was simply calling forth the spirits of their people to help protect them in this time of need. And for Lenora's blood, a few select individuals agreed to make the sacrifice. They would stay out of the fighting, and undergo purification rituals to guard against hexes and evil influence before they would allow themselves to have their blood taken.

Progress was slower than expected, but with those cultural issues now out of the way, they could get to building the defenses. For the time being, Belen was working with the people who were reinforcing the village walls. With the help of Nabez, he was able to assist with the shamans as they showed symbols to paint on the outside to ward off curses. The witch doctor's barrier would still be doing the brunt of the work, but it was just an extra precaution. At intervals from the village walls, pitfalls and spiked obstacles crafted from sharpened wood and bone were arranged so there was no clear line to the main entry points. New spears and weapons were being crafted as fast as time could allow, but supplies were limited. A settlement like this was equipped to fend off small raiding parties, not for an all-out war. 

The palisade wall was completed before sundown, and watch towers were ready. Spear throwers lined the top the the wall while fire pits filled with animal manure were lit to provide better visibility once night fell. Whatever preparations they had managed to make would have to hold out until dawn. As the sun began to dip below the horizon, one of the spear throwers blew a ram's horn to signal the beginning of Njoka's onslaught. "THERE–FROM THE RIVER! HERE THEY COME!" The village defenders took their positions, allowing Ferrus and Lenora to go on the offensive. Any other volunteers who had suitable protection for close-range fighting would go along with the vanguard while the majority of the village forces remained to prevent the witch's thralls from getting in. And tonight, the first creatures that slithered from the dark were beasts of the wild. 

Crocodiles with a sickly green light in their eyes crawled from the water, making their way towards the palisade walls. Their thick hides meant weaker projectiles would be useless, and they would have to be killed in direct combat. Water buffalo, lions, rhinos, and even a partially rotting elephant carcass were now making the charge towards the front line. Every single one of them had the mark of the witch by the sinister magic in their eyes. What they lacked in intelligence, they compensated in brute force.

After the meeting concluded Ferrus took to his task with incredible vigour. He would dig up the graves, sort out the bodies held within and carried them off to an more discreet part of the village with staggering speed and efficieny. The bodies he took were all sorted away into specific groups based on the build, level of decay and certain others more esotheric categories.

Bare skeletons would be used for parts for other of his creations, spares to be used when necessary. Exception to this were skulls. Skulls would be used for his very first creations, namely so called servo-skulls as he called them. He in a process that took but few minutes would afix arcane machinery to a skull and then bring it back to life. Skull would then float about, fly and would do whatever Ferrus would need of them. He could see through their "eyes" and hear through their "ears". Perfect scouts and sentries. In the end he managed to create 10 of such skulls. 5 of lesser quality he would use as suicide bombers, runes of lightning and fire etched on them. 5 others were of higher quality equiped with small arms to carry small objects and wands capabable of firing magic missiles on his command.

Next were semi-decomposed corspes. Those he used to create truly monstrous things. Legless torsos with their spines elongated with artificial means and made into tails that could lift said torso into the air. 4 arms, two original two artificial, all ending with sickle like blades. Their heads equiped with metalic jaws with dagger like teeth. Those he named Rippers and he would use them for hit and runs, jumping on and off their targets, every time cutting deeper than before untill target was too weak to stand, then they would all jump on it and finish it off. Ferrus managed to create 8 Rippers.

Finnaly the freshest corpses got the best treatment. They were remade to be terrifing warriors such that would prove the superiority of blessed steel to weak flesh. Legs sawed off and replaced with new legs that allowed them to perform incredible acrobatic feats, in addition to making them into weapons by turning their feet into collection of steely talons. Arms augmented, made stronger with metalic implants that made each of them into a living weapon. Razor edged claws replaced fingers, swords and other such blades were garfted unto the arms as well as wands that allowed them to cast basic spells, such as magic missles or gusts of fire. Armored plates were bolted down unto their bodies, their heads covered up by helmets of foreign design. Eyes replaced with optics, organs replaced or made redundent all for the sake to create machines of war. And best of all they could operate by their lonesome, for their brains were not yet completly rotted away. They would be his frontline combatants, his Vanguards.
Sadly he only managed to create 5 of them before the attack.

When the attacked commenced Ferrus' creations jumped over the pallisade and rushed their foes. Suicide bomber servo-skulls would fly in and detonate themselves against elephant's legs as Tech-Priest deemed it would be the most dangerous target, and therefore one to dispatch first. Sentry skulls would follow but remain in the air, only to then open fire upon their foes down below. Rippers swarmed the lions, buffalos and rhinos, jumping from to the other, biting, slashing, carving and dicing all in the effort to weaken their advance. Meanwhile Vanguards jumped around crocodiles, peppering them with astral arrows, stomping their heads in with their talon feet and setting many of their number on fire all the while avoiding deadly jaws of their opponents.

All of this directed by Ferrus, who stood and watched with growing pride.

Lenora wasn’t blind to the hesitation people had when she mentioned that she would need their blood to heal and keep in the fight. So when Nabez spoke with her and Ferrus about getting the corpses that Ferrus needed, Lenora added in. ”If none are willing to allow me to feed off of them directly, then at least someone could put some of their blood into a cup, I suppose, as that will work to if it’s still warm from the body.” She informed him, she would not debase herself by drinking cold blood or animal blood, not anymore anyway. That was about all she could get when she was with the Order, as none there wanted to have her feed of them. But warm blood was just so much better, and blood from a sentient creature was better still. She would not go back to living like she had with the Order, she was happy in the Coven and she wanted it to stay that way.

It still took another two hours before the elders related and allowed Ferrus to do what he needed to do with the dead. But at least she would have a few individuals that she could feed off of if needed, though she could still tell that they were nervous about her. That was fine, as long as they didn’t try and attack her she had no issues with how they thought of her.

Lenora helped where she could, with Ferrus mostly, but also in checking on the weapons and the construction of the defences. It was all going well, or at least well enough, so Lenora could leave them to it and go back to helping Ferrus make… whatever it was he was making the corpses into. Honestly most of what Ferrus did was over Lenora’s head, she just did what he needed her to do and followed the instructions.

Things were well underway when the horn sounded and the call came that the attack had begun. ”Right, let’s do this.” She nodded to Ferrus and went to take her place on the palisade and watched as the beasts came out of the woods, glowing eyes with a sickening magic that even Lenora could feel crawling along her skin from this distance. ”Now that is some evil magic right there. Last time I felt magic in the air that evil I was up against a nasty vampire lord, old fucker to, thousands of years old. Should have seen his lair, smelled terrible, it was all I could do to not throw up while in there. That asshole was up to some nasty shit, corpses everywhere just left rotting. Damn near got me to, but, well, I’m here, he’s ash, so…” She trailed off with a grin and looked to Ferrus. ”This should be interesting. Watch my back.”

With that Lenora slipped over the palisade wall and dropped to the ground, with Ferrus’… things, attacking already, Lenora got in on the action. Her twin tabar-shishpars would come in hand, the blunt end for thicker skinned beasts and the bladed ends for the fleshy ones. She avoided Ferrus’ creations to let them work, while she made a dance out of moving between the beasts doing whatever damage she could while never staying in one place for long. She trusted Ferrus to keep her back clear, and she had to trust in the spear throwers and archers on the walls to not shoot her by accident.

The fight began with an explosive clash of beast against metal. The sophistication of the metallic man of a priest's creations was something that these lands had yet to encounter, giving the defending forces an overwhelming advantage. And with the red-haired dhampir on their side, the first incursion of Njoka's unearthly forces was soon quelled. The battle lasted well over an hour as the quickness and efficiency of Lenora and Ferrus made short work of the animals–dead and living. Soon, the last dregs of the blood hexer's forces began to slink back into the river in a pitiful retreat. The last few possessed crocodiles slid back into the water, their glowing eyes the last things anyone saw in the darkness. An astounding victory! There were no losses on the village's side, and most of the spears used could be reclaimed from the corpses. With the tech priest's flesh and metal amalgams providing suppressing fire this round, the tribe's archers could save their remaining arrows for the next night. There was a triumphant celebration, though it did not last long. The grim reality of what they would begin to face had started to sink in and the night watchmen continued their duties with vigilance until the light of a dawn broke.

The first day and first night have passed. Only six more remain.

As the morning sun rose higher and higher above the horizon, the state of the previous night's battle was on display for all to see. Before the main entrance to the village was a field of corpses, either caught in traps, dismembered, or riddled with artillery. Now that there was daylight, the warriors of the village ventured out to clear the way. Used weapons were salvaged, traps were repaired, and the animal corpses were left for Ferrus to do as he saw fit. The people of the village had already relinquished their dead, and they would prefer that the priest use the beasts than any more of their deceased ancestors. Those who had been designated to provide Lenora with their blood should she need it were waiting and on standby when Kudu came out from the tent where the witch's heart was being held. Having heard the reports of last night's battle, he applauded the outsiders as the bone chimes on his staff shook.

"The men have informed me of the fruits of your labors, and what a wonderful sight it is to see! Not a single loss, and none of the beasts were able to reach the outer walls before they fell to their knees. I praise you, however know that from this night forward your efforts will be nothing now Njoka knows of your presence. She may be near-immortal, but she is not all-seeing. If she had been aware that the people here had brought in more forces, the battle would had been far more difficult. We must endure until the end of the seventh night before the battle has been truly won. May the spirits of the earth and sky empower you. We still have six more nights to contend with."

The witch doctor then returned to the great tent, and the rest of the village began preparations for their daily activities. The atmosphere was somewhat less tense than yesterday, the locals' spirits having been lifted with last night's victory. Belen was lucky to be watching in the back with the bulk of the archers when it happened, and for once he was glad that he wasn't needed. So far everything seemed fine, but he couldn't help but wonder just how things were going to get worse. Old Antelope-head wasn't kidding when he said he needed seven days and seven nights. If they had managed to pass day one without breaking a sweat, how hard were things going to be? Everyone was allowed to do as they pleased provided they would be ready come nightfall. The watchmen changed shifts and new people were placed in the towers, and a couple of archers were with them just in case. 

Belen mostly followed Nabez since he didn't know the language and he didn't have any specific jobs to do. Most of the village people didn't need help and preferred to do their work themselves. He was mostly sitting around until he noticed one of the archers in a nearby tower fired an arrow at something. From their reaction, they didn't seem very anxious–however they were alert. There was chatter in the native tongue as a couple of people went outside to bring in an antelope with an arrow pierced through its heart. It didn't look any different from the herds of animals roaming the savanna, but the village hunters weren't so convinced. 

"Hey, what's going on? They've been talking a lot while standing around that dead animal." Nabez gave him a summary of what he heard: "The hunters say it is a bad sign. One of the watchers shot the antelope when they saw it was grazing close to the barricade-walls." The brunet scratched his head and shrugged. "What's wrong with that?" The caravan guide explained. "Antelope are herd animals and they are extremely wary of predators. This one was all alone. They suspect that it might have been a scout used by the hexer to see our current defenses."