"Well?" asked Melovar.

"He's dead," the scout said. "His skin glows with runes and his eyes are white. There is the stench of corruption about him and he stands still as though frozen. He doesn't answer when I speak."

The Primate nodded. "The rest will be close. Very close. Stay silent."

The scout nodded and moved away. The column continued to advance.

When the Akari finally showed themselves, they openly walked out of the forest rather than materialising out of thin air. These were just men after all, Melovar reminded himself.

Melovar looked out of his window, seeing them on both sides, edging slowly forwards, encircling the carriage and the men the Primate had brought with him. The Primate heard the shouts as his captain formed the templars up, and swords were drawn. Melovar's bodyguard formed a close ring around the carriage. The Primate's personal guard all had the taint, and he idly wondered who would win in a fair fight between one of his templars and one of the Akari.

Melovar had never seen an Akari, and he looked at them with fascination. He quickly divided them into two groups. There were the white-eyed silent warriors, men and women both, who wore swords and armour and seemed neither angry nor scared, but simply waited. Then there were those who stood behind them, also armed, but eminently more aware of their surroundings.

The Akari were tall and pale-skinned, with broad shoulders and narrow waists. They were an attractive people, with almost universal blonde hair and blue or grey eyes. The white-eyed men and women wore their hair long and loose, while those behind had their hair in braids, the women in a single, thick braid at their back, the men with multiple braids entwined in their hair. Many of the male warriors had forked beards, and all warriors regardless of gender seemed to prefer axes, maces, and hammers to swords.

One of the men at the back walked forward. Taller than the rest, with a height that must have measured close to seven feet, he had white hair but his face was unlined. His brow was cruel and his lips were turned down in a perpetual scowl. He wore clothing of bleached leather and a mantle of silver fox fur on his shoulders. At his belt he carried a two-headed war hammer and the muscles of his arms and legs rippled as he walked.

The big man halted, his right hand on the war hammer, and called out. "Your standard says that the Primate of the Assembly of Templars travels with this group. Show yourself, Primate, otherwise we'll destroy this column."