recruits are congregating around the fire. “They may not be enough in an emergency.”
Giving out with a yawn, James stands up and says, “This might be a good time to turn in. We still have a long way to go.” He then turns and makes his way over to his bedroll. On his way he lets everyone know it’s time for sleep. Lying down, he hears the sound of the rest beginning to turn in.
Next to him, Miko is already asleep. Still worn out from the extensive healings he did back at the keep, not to mention the grueling ride of the last two days, he turned in some time earlier. His now familiar snores disturb the quiet of the night.
He lays there for awhile, unable to sleep despite the fatigue he feels. Staring up at the night sky, he stills his thoughts and begins to breathe deeply. This method of calming his mind has at times aided him in falling asleep. Gradually he sinks further toward sleep. Just before he completely succumbs, Miko’s arm suddenly begins thrashing and strikes him in the side.
Jerked back into wakefulness, he grabs Miko’s arm before it has a chance to strike him again. He can hear him moaning and from the light of the campfire, sees his other arm thrashing slightly.
Sitting up, he takes his free hand and places it on his friend’s chest. Shaking him slightly he says, “Miko, wake up.” But he continues to thrash in whatever dream has hold of him.
Then from behind him a green glow suddenly springs to life and Brother Willim moves toward them. “Do you feel that?” the priest of Asran asks.
“What?” asks James.
“Something…” he says then trails off when he sees Miko there on the ground, thrashing around slightly.
Giving Miko a firmer shake James says a little louder, “Wake up.”
With a gasp, Miko sits up and quickly looks around. Panting and sweating, his eyes finally settling on James. “Oh man,” he says, voice trembling.
The light from Brother Willim disappears and James glances back at him. “It’s gone now,” the brother says. Looking around the camp, he finds they are the only ones awake.
“You okay?” he asks his friend.
“It was just a dream,” he finally breathes. That’s when he notices James has hold of his arm.
“Sorry,” apologizes James as he releases his arm, “you were thrashing about.”
“What was the dream?” asks Brother Willim. James can detect a slight seriousness in his voice.
Taking a deep breath he says, “I was running through a shattered city.” Looking to James he says, “That’s the best way I can describe it.”
James nods and says, “Go on.”
“Well, something was after me though I never saw it,” he says. “I just knew. I raced through the broken buildings toward a bright shining light. When I finally got there I found that it was a temple, shining forth with a light that eased my fears.”
“Then, my fear returned stronger than before. I looked around but couldn’t find the cause of the feeling. Then, the light coming from the temple began to dim. Blackness started to ooze up from the ground, and where it touched the stones of the temple, the stones darkened until finally turning black.” He looks at them, eyes wide with remembered fear.
“The further up the walls of the temple the darkness climbed, so rose my fear. Just before it completely consumed the entire temple, you woke me.” He sits there a moment in silence then turns again to James. “It seemed so real.”
“It may have been more than a normal dream,” states Brother Willim. “There was something while you dreamt, something from elsewhere.” When James looks at him questioningly, he adds, “I can’t really explain it better than that. I feared it may have been a return of the shadows but it felt different.”
“But what could it mean?” he asks glancing first to Brother Willim then back to James.
“I don’t know,” admits James. “But the way you were acting can’t be good.”
“Dreams are often sendings from the gods,” Brother Willim says. Then to James, “The more closely you deal with them, the more likely they will touch you that way.”
“Could my dream have been a message from Morcyth?” Miko asks. “From an actual god?”
Shrugging, Brother Willim says, “Perhaps. However, it’s been suggested in theological circles that when you grow closer to one god, you also become closer to others.” He can see the confusion on Miko’s face at that. “Let me put it to you this way. In a city there are various districts, the rich, merchant’s, poor sector, so forth. You follow me so far?”
Miko nods his head though still looks a bit lost.
“Okay, say you go to visit someone where the rich and affluent live. When you go there, you are also in closer proximity to the others that live there too. And thus, they are able to reach you better. Does that help?”
“Not really,” he replies.
“I think I understand,” says James. “The more you interact with one, the more likely you can be reached by another.”
Nodding, Brother Willim says, “Yes. But it is only a theory, though a favored one.”
“So who sent this dream to me?” asks Miko.
“We don’t know,” replies Brother Willim. “All we do know is that it is more than just a dream and thus should not be dismissed lightly.”
James sits there in thought for a moment then says, “I would guess the temple you saw, the one emitting light represents Morcyth. Either a specific temple or the religion in general.”
“That would make sense,” agrees Brother Willim. “Seeing as how closely you are tied to Morcyth.”
“Then the darkness…?” he asks.
“Is something threatening its very existence I would think,” Brother Willim says. “Considering the way you reacted.”
James can see the worry on his friends face. “We’re not going to figure this out tonight,” he says. “Let’s all try to get some sleep. Maybe a night’s sleep will help.”
“Good idea,” suggest Brother Willim.
Lying down, Miko says to James, “What if it comes again?”
“Brother Willim and I will be right here if it does,” he replies. “Don’t worry about it.”
Chuckling, Miko says, “Yeah, right.” Closing his eyes, he tries to return to sleep.
James glances to Brother Willim who only shrugs. They each return to their blankets and think on what Miko had told them. If James had trouble falling asleep before, it’s nothing like now. Sometime later in the night, he does manage to sink into sleep.
Zyrn stands under the stars at the edge of his village, gazing to the west. Within his village of Abi Salim, there is much celebration. The loot that had been acquired two days ago will go a long way in seeing them through the coming years. Already, plans are being made to send the wagons to the south to sell the weapons and armor at the markets of the larger towns.
But for some, there is no celebration. When they had returned to Abi Salim that first day, a dozen of the younger men had decided to return and collect what had been left behind. They should have been back by this morning at the latest. The fact that they haven’t worries him.
He’s not alone in his vigil, several wives of the young men as well as various other family members stand with him. “What could have happened to them?” one woman asks to no one in particular.
Remembering the ill omen that had streaked through the sky, he has little hope of seeing them again. It was decided that in the morning if the young men haven’t returned, he and several other men would ride out to see if they could find them. Some have supposed the men could have had a wagon wheel break on them, or maybe a horse took lame and they were returning slower than usual. Unwilling to dash their hopes, he keeps his opinions to himself.
Then from out of the desert a movement is seen in the starlight. From its shape it appears to be a man stumbling about. Zyrn and two of the other men rush out toward the approaching man, the women follow right behind.
“Khalim!” cries out one man in recognition. Khalim was one of the young men who had gone to the battlefield and happens to be the man’s son.
Zyrn and the father reach him at the same time. Another man carrying a lantern joins them and they stop in shock at what they see. Eyes wide, a tinge of madness to them, his hair is disheveled and matted to his head. He
