"About what we already knew," said the tamer.
"Not that it cost me much time," said Ess. "I came by Agrathor's request."
"The bone man?" Deathgripz said. "How sweet."
Ess turned to Sugar and asked, "Where will you go?"
"Not many cities up in the Flood Rush, right?" Sugar answered. "We figured we'd head up that way, set up camp in the wilderness, hope it all blows over."
"Or Gorgonbane puts that sicko Underlord out of his misery," Deathgripz added.
"We will do our best," said Ess. "Please, take care of yourselves. If you can send a message, do, and I will come and see that you are okay. Be ready for anything though. Something substantial may be changing in the near future."
"Well that's cryptic," said Sugar.
"It will not be if you see it," said Ess. "Farewell."
Flaila's end was still on Ess's mind, and she wondered how some of the continent's more far-flung lands had fared thus far. Not that their current state spoke reliably to their impending future. Her curiosity demanded that she check.
Ess focused inward, felt the pull toward Konta in the northeast, and collapsed into an endless tunnel.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
The Road to the Chasm's Verge
"By the Chasm's shadow, boy, don't you ever tire?"
Axebourne had dropped back to check on Pierce, his raptorion side-eying the younger man as they loped along through a sparse forest.
"Not yet, sir," Pierce answered. He was hungry, but far from fatigued. He might seriously consider giving up a finger for one of Sugar's meat pies right about now.
Axebourne grunted. "Well, I don't want to imagine what it smells like under all that plate."
"I bathe when I can, sir. A good warrior always maintains his weapon," Pierce said.
Axebourne laughed, his thick red beard shaking.
"Well, I just wanted to check in on you. We'll be coming up on Shiv soon, but I don't want to stop there unless it's absolutely necessary. If you don't need the rest, can we grab you a bite to eat at least?"
Pierce was tempted to say yes - he could always eat and run. Still, it would be better to get to the First as quickly as possible. Any moment, another city could be overwhelmed. He shook his head.
"I'll be okay, sir. Thanks for checking."
"Good man," Axebourne said. He slapped Pierce on the back before pulling up ahead. Pierce missed a step, but caught his balance.
Not long after, the members of Gorgonbane at the head of the column slowed to a halt and moved to the side of the road. Pierce caught up, the Grondellian riders close behind him.
"What is it?" he asked Scythia.
"Caravan, evacuating from the south," she said, pointing down the road with her chin.
A line of covered wagons rumbled up the road, wheels throwing up dust that wafted between the scattered trees. When the lead wagon reached Gorgonbane, the driver waved and came to a stop.
"No sense going that way," he said. The driver was a rotund man with a bald pate and a long, narrow beard. "Shiv'll be emptying out soon too I reckon."
"Hail, caravan master," Axebourne greeted. "From where do you come?"
"Just the old farm," said the man. He scanned the large group halted at the roadside. "You might as well turn back. Ain't none of us down here can afford mercenaries. Just the First, but he don't need 'em."
"Can't afford to brush their teeth either," Agrathor murmured.
"Agrathor," Scythia said.
"Thank you for the news, caravan master," Axebourne said. "We will see what there is to be seen. Why are you evacuating?"
"I guess you ain't heard yet," said the man. "Big band of gen come in from the west. They sacked Ruska and the Palatoi farm, squatted there and haven't moved since. No one wants to wait around and see what they do next."
"Gen you say," Axebourne mused. "No Monstrosities?"
"Smith's beard, no!" the man cried. "My heart might have burst in my chest at that news. Just gen."
"Do they fly a banner?"
The man nodded. "The Unified banner, as the tales go. You come to root 'em out?"
"Well," Axebourne seemed to think on it. "Yes."
The caravan master looked impressed. "You have our gratitude then. But you'll forgive us for going on our way."
"It's probably for the best," Axebourne said. "More may be coming. Listen, do you have any rations to sell? We could use some supplies."
After a hasty transaction, the caravan passed on up the road, and Gorgonbane resumed their journey. Axebourne joined Pierce at his side again and tossed him a small burlap bag.
"Fuel, lad. Enjoy it!"
Pierce was pleased to find it stuffed with jerky.
Pierce was still chewing when Gorgonbane came to the fork in the road that split off toward Shiv and Ruska. They took the latter fork.
They had discussed the plan before starting out again, and agreed to put some fear at least into the squatting band of gen. If they could be eliminated, all the better.
Ruska showed signs of life when it came into view over the crest of a hill. Its chimneys smoked, and the dust of movement hung in the air. Gen were out working the fields of the nearby farm. Kash's Unified banner flew from a single post at the center of town.
"It's not sacked at all," said Scythia. The gems at her temples flashed. "Nothing is amiss - no one's been killed. They simply scared everyone off and moved in."
"What's the point?" Agrathor said. Pierce could see the ire in his green flaming eyes.
"I think they mean to be here to stay," said Axebourne. "The Underlanders aren't just attacking us, they're colonizing."
"So these aren't killers?" Pierce asked. "At least not yet?"
"It doesn't appear so," said Scythia. "But there is still the question of how they got up here. I see no signs of rising Monstrosities."
"Could be a convergence in the area," said Axebourne. "We'll have to ask Ess when she returns."
"Doesn't matter," said Agrathor, starting forward. "Let's move. They'll never see us coming. I can fry half of them before..."
"No," said Axebourne quietly, and Agrathor fell back
