Upon arrival, they explained the situation and Julius reluctantly agreed to come. Anna elected to stay behind at Rochehaut. After asking Julius' opinion about this next step, Umberto left Julius as he prepared to travel and went to the small church down in the valley. He was surprised to find a third crusader in residence, Thomas de la Camargue, a friend of Jacques' and André's from the war. He explained the situation, and asked for their aid. He was primarily interested in Jacques, without a doubt the best fighter in the valley, but was willing to deal with André. André delivered a short speech on the chance to show Christian charity despite the ill-treatment at the hands of the Magi which he had received (or believed himself to have received), and so it was that all three Crusaders prepared themselves to join Julius when he rode past the Church on his way out of the valley.
Umberto saw to the preparations and then raced back to Val du Rillion. After much debate, the entire camp, such as was left, relocated into the wellhouse for the night. (There was some talk of camping atop the wellhouse, but a reconnaissance by Umberto revealed that since the wellhouse butted against the cliffwall, such a position invited rocks to be dropped on one's head.)
That night, all were awakened by a hideous sound and a feeling of impending doom. The remaining dead men were down the valley screeching in a high piercing tone and keening war chants in some dead tongue.
After dealing with this unnerving situation for some time, Umberto could bear it no longer. Holding aloft a crystal of Intelligo vis in each hand, he cast Umberto's bolt, and the miniature lightning bolt sped home. Boosted by the raw magic he had added it actually damaged the leader of the dead. Undaunted they continued their keening. Umberto repeated the procedure, delighted that they could affect the leader who had the night before seemed immune to their most powerful spells.
Although not appearing to be substantially damaged, the leader signalled a retreat and the dead moved down the valley. Umberto persued, even going so far as to attempt a flying attack with a borrowed sword. He abandoned that as too dangerous, though, and instead merely watched them depart. Laurel took on her owl form and followed them the rest of the night. They simply returned to their barrow and remained there.
Dawn came, and the camp wondered how many more days it would be before Julius and the Crusaders arrived?