She stated that there was no need to do so, and that they would have a servant check, calling on a servant to check the outside. Antoine started to walk away but glanced back, to see the servant disappear only yards from the house. He uttered an exclamation just in time to note that there the servant was again inside. His sword already drawn, he slashed the servant only to see his sword pass through the creature harmlessly. The lady turned, her eyes radiating a green glow.

Antoine yelled to his companions, and those that were around responded. Robert of Parravon drew his sword and struck at one of the daughters, as her eyes had begun to glow. His weapon passed through the creature as well. Antoine thought quickly, he remembered a tale from his grandfather, and swore quickly, “Orcborn! We can’t harm them, but they disappear just outside the house.” He felt a cut on his leg as one of the creatures cut him, and started to head down the hallway and stumbled over something, his dagger went flying through the floor. He blinked, and reached forward and noted that his hand had gone through the floor, as he pulled it back, he felt his arm go brush against the jagged ledge of a hole in the floor, and backed up.

He felt another wound as he was being attacked by the “lady” of the manor. He found the door and backed out, noting that Paul of Bastonne, and Denis of Quenelles, as well as Robert of Parravon, had also made it out. They saw the family start to merge together, in one body, and started to approach. They backed away, recovering all eight horses of the eight survivors of the Forest of Châlons, but four of the survivors had been left in the house. The four Errant knights rode slowly away, knowing that they had lost half their number, and much of their confidence, but not knowing to what.

They camped several leagues further south, setting watches, as they refused to trust any home. The next day they rode on, and continued for several days until they were able to reach the town of Aquitaine and there took lodging at the Golden Sea Inn.

They stayed at the Inn for several days, and learned that the creature that they had run into was called a Derelich, a spirit of some sort that may or may not be associated with the Ruinous Powers.

At the end of their stay, they rode back to Manor Greenfield. Marie understood that three of the Knights Errant had been offered immediate positions under their fathers, citing the experience gained in Châlons.  Sir Gerard had not felt the same way, though. He refused to give anyone a position that he felt was incapable of handling. He would not give up on his son however.

He detailed Sir Bastien to help the young troubled man, and after a few months, Antoine no longer seemed traumatized. On Lily Day, 1490, a group of adventurers from the Empire, well-mannered and well-dressed, guested at her father’s manor, and he strongly encouraged them to join his son on his errantry quest. They seemed to be more than happy to help Antoine, and on the first day of Plough-Tide, Antoine started his second errantry quest.

Lily Day, 1490, her 13th birthday, stood out in her mind though. That was the first day she had ever met a female adventurer.