The Code of Chivalry
                              Chapter 3

    Malrick awoke to the sounds of something moving in the distance.  He
sat up quickly, grabbing for his pistol, when he realized the noise was
coming from the main path.  He quickly suited up and gathered his gear,
and moved out towards the path.  As he crawled out of the underbrush he
saw a long column of creatures and supplies moving northward on the path.
Scores of demons and D-Bee's marched, dragging carts piled with weapons
and rations.  He crawled further down the path until he could hear two
of the captains talking together.
    "Come on!  Move it!  We've got to get this shit to the middle of the
Zone before nightfall!"  yelled one of the creatures.  It then turned to
the other and resumed their conversation.  "These damn lazy bastards.
How are we ever gonna take Lazlo?  That city's got tough defenses, I
don't see how we're gonna capture it.  The Boss had better have
something big planned."
    "Oh.. I'm sure he does.  You know how greater demons are.  Probably
more intelligent than anything on this planet!"
    Malrick scrambled back into the undergrowth, his thoughts directed
at the conversation he had just heard.  Lazlo!  The Empire of Magic!
This city had started out as a small community of mages, but now it
was a huge center for all magical arts.  If these demon took Lazlo,
much of the knowledge gained up until this point would be lost.
Malrick decided he had to do something, at least warn the city of
the attack.  But first, he would follow the army and learn more.  He
needed an accurate count of the size and of the armaments to help Lazlo.
Perhaps he could even lower that count...
    Lord Malrick followed the supply train for the rest of the day.  As
night fell upon the world, the train arrived at the center of the Magic
Zone.  He looked out into the center, and saw the Mississippi River
flowing through it. Near the river he saw a large arch, filled with a
glowing void.  The Devil's Gate stood before Malrick.  It was the
largest, most powerful rift in the area.  Several glowing lines of
magical energy, called ley lines ran into it. Malrick waited until the
train had moved on through the trees until he entered the clearing.
He approached the Gate, feeling the power eminating from it. He rode
right up to it, fascinated with the energies it gave off.  Suddenly, two
huge arms shot out of the portal, grabbing his mount and pulling them
both through the Gate.  With a blast of light the clearing was suddenly
empty.

Creeping Death [CHAOS CT] '93