Season Two: Into the Darkness / The Light of Hope

**Astari Saga Volume 2: Chapter 2**

**Into the Darkness / The Light of Hope**

With the help of the Elduri the imprisoned Astari were spirited away to the protected city of Pendlebrook. It was here that the groups formed prior to their departure reformed and the fight for the world of Tohlvast truly began. Astari scouts ventured forth from Pendlebrook in hopes of finding some safe haven on the surface of Tohlvast. To little surprise they found nearly none, the land heavily patrolled and guarded by all manner of constructs and monsters.

It was some time before the Astari were able to locate any sort of avenue of attack against the Tyrant they had come to slay. With the help of the Vizzerati Ewan, the Astari were lead to assault a Tohlvasti dig site. It became clear on arrival the Tohlvasti were digging down toward the ruins of an ancient crypt. Quickly however the Astari lost cohesion of command and went in several directions of attack. This lead to the alerting of Tohlvast air support and the bombardment of the sight. Another entrance to the crypt was found in their escape, It was here the Astari were able to recover the Axe made from the Realm Soul of Astoria, the weapon meant to kill Tohlvast. Valgerd was quick to take the weapon and prevent any further in fighting between her Astari. However the crypt and any other secrets it may have held were lost in the bombardment.

Several days past while the Astari licked their wounds and cursed themselves for their failure. Soon Elduri spies reported the temple of the celestial Nashti was no under Tohlvasti occupation. It was said that the temple contained a Dragonstone well, and a sword containing the last piece of the celestial Nasthi, the two together capable of producing new Singing Stones. Fearing the Tyrant may learn to use the Dragonstone Well and the sword inside the Astari along side Elduri allies assaulted the temple. With little stealth and with little more strategy than frontal assault however the Astari were pushed back. When they advanced again they were met by a great Tohlvasti general and were once again forced to flee. During their escape it was the Astari Commander Chagatai that took the sword. He quickly discovered that the shard of Nashti inside had the power to take over his mind. It was only through great effort that he was dragged away from a mindless charge of vengeance into the Tohlvasti undead. In this effort however the sword was lost. It took only moments for the Tohlvasti to destroy the temple and escape with the sword.

Finally content that he had sewn enough strife and discord among the Astari, their once ally Ewan revealed his true identity. Not the estranged brother of the traitor king but King Graewald himself. Ewan Graewald assaulted Pendlebrook, the city once thought impenetrable with an army of undead. Driven by desperation, rage, and the will to survive the Astari pushed Ewan back. The traitor king escaped however through an ancient portal in an Elduri ruin. Chasing him through the Astari found themselves in the Vael'Victis, the home of the last of the Twelve Dragons Victis, the Aspect of Hope. Ewan had not come alone however and a great army stood between the Astari and the last being the could bring hope to Elomar. Victis saw in these Astari the hope he himself represented and so blessed them with the use of Balefire. In the form of sword the Astari wield this ancient and terrible weapon against the traitor Ewan, reducing him and his hordes to cinder and ash. For their victory, the Astari were granted the Vael'Victis to use as a base of operations. Among the remains of Ewan and his hordes were the sword lost at the temple of Nashti as well as nearly all the other artifacts supposedly lost by the Astari on their arrival.