A few days ago, Broadsword Online Games released the next piece of lore fiction for Ultima Online, written (as usual) by EM Malachi:

As we continue our lead up to the Time of Legends release we are excited to present the next installment of our epic adventure! Check out shard Event Moderator websites and in-game town criers to find out when these events will be held.

Here’s a small sample:

Laughter and music filled Castle Salle’ Dacil, and the drink flowed freely. The younger knights did not appreciate the situation, and the veterans chose to feign high spirits for the sake of morale. Tomorrow, their ranks would join with the armies of Britannia to strike against Mondain’s monstrous legions. Even if the battle was won, many of their number would die far from home.

Keeping the worry from his face, Shamino Salle’ Dacil, the Ranger King, stopped at each table of revelers to share a toast or laugh at a story. They were good people, and while he had only been their king for a few short years, he already owed them everything.

Shamino kept the mask in place until he retired to the royal solar. Seeing him, Beatrix put down her writing and joined him by the window. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. The evenings were cool in the mountains around the castle, and her warmth was appreciated. They stood in silence for a time, looking down at the fields below. The farmhouses that dotted the countryside were dark, but there was light and movement in the small hamlet of Lost Friends where they were preparing the pack horses that would provision the army. From the high cliffs that helped protect the castle, his war effort seemed insignificant. Shamino sighed, “I hope this is the right decision.”

Of course, we all know how that decision turned out in the end.