Act IV: The Disappearing Act

[Hale]

Adamus Christoverus was seated in his office, a room entirely without ornaments, decorations, or creature comforts apart from his expansive desk and high-backed chair. He was poring over the latest reports when a knock came at the door.

"Enter." Adamus stacked the reports and put them aside.

The wooden door swung open and admitted a large man who was Lucas Tibbs, one of his Field Commanders. More specifically, he was the man in charge of keeping the Orda from moving in on Tor. If he was here in person, that meant that something had happened.

Tibbs marched sharply up to the desk and stood at attention. He was a stickler for military discipline and adhered strictly to protocol down to the finest details. It got tiresome, but he was a good man and a better commander.

"At ease, Tibbs. What brings you personally to my office?" Adamus folded his hands on his desk and looked expectantly up at the other man.

"What else, sir? The Orda. They're gone," Tibbs said plainly. Adamus blinked a couple times, taken aback.

"I'm sorry, come again? They're gone?" He wasn't quite sure he heard right. What time was it anyways? Maybe he was just tired.

"Yes, sir. They packed up their gear and left their lines. We pursued them carefully as they returned to Sepultra, but we did not engage for fear of some kind of trap. After they entered the city some kind of magical web spread across the walls and over the top of the city. It's entirely impenetrable. Their walls aren't even manned." Tibbs shifted uncomfortably. He'd always disliked magic of any kind.

Adamus looked down at his folded hands for a moment, processing. Gone, he thought to himself, just gone? What are they up to?