The phrenic nodded, greeting Andr with a clap on the shoulder and a smile before turning to assist the next body up the narrow staircase. Two phrenics were the next to mount the palisade. The first nodded subtly as it passed, bow at the ready with an arrow nocked. The second clapped him gently on the shoulder with its left hand, sure to keep its tattooed right arm far away from his body. Crackling barks of sharp white lightning rippled along the marked appendage held safely behind its back.
They moved several paces to the south, kneeling in the shadows of the palisade’s walls, awaiting the approaching troops. The flickering lights of the torches grew closer. The silhouetted forms of the soldiers who charged in their direction resolved into view.
Paasek was the next to mount the palisade, though his body required assistance as he was hoisted over the stone railing. Andr greeted the phrenic with a brief embrace as he topped the great wall. The sturdy man was gasping for breath. His chest heaved as he struggled for air. Andr felt for the usually stalwart phrenic. Having experienced the near debilitating fatigue that resulted from utilizing his newfound powers firsthand, he understood the disturbing ramifications. The phrenic was a giant when compared to most men. He doubled over at the waist, his hands on his knees as he gasped for air.
“How are you here?” Andr gasped in amazement. His mind was rampant with questions. “I thought your skills were in the physical sect alone?”
The twang of bowstrings snapped a hasty response. The flickering pinpoints of light from the approaching guards’ lanterns faltered. One sparked wildly as it bounced off the stone walkway. The other vanished over the western side of the wall.
“As you can imagine, your silent departure from Vim spurred much debate among the citizens and councilors,” Paasek intoned. “Within days, the Horde, which had massed along the edge of the woods since Ryl’s appearance, departed.”
From the crude stairwell, another phrenic hopped stealthily over the wall. The hooded warrior nodded at Andr before turning to assist another over the wall. A second phrenic landed silently on the narrow stone walkway.
“I’ve lived a long time, my friend, yet the wonder of the alexen never ceases to amaze,” Paasek added between breaths. “To an extent, they have a will of their own. All have experienced the agitation since Ryl’s departure. The alexen has been disturbed. Frantic at times. Elemental work is a gift new to me.”
Andr was startled by the admission. By human standards, the phrenic standing before him was ancient. He’d been raised with the powers of strength and a fortitude with the massive blade of his choosing. The addition of a second specialty was astounding. He felt for Paasek as the phrenic labored with the use of the new skill.
From over the wall sounded hushed commands. Andr witnessed the forest come to life with activity as shadowed bodies streamed from the forest. He stared with amazement as one after the other they ascended the stairs.
“How many?” Andr gasped.
Paasek grinned as he replied. “Five phrenics and one thousand of the Vigil have come,” Paasek announced.
Andr failed to hide the astonishment on his face. Also, the worry that quickly overtook the reaction.
The phrenics at the wall helped the first of the Vigil over the stone railing. The soldier was short and stocky, yet powerfully muscled.
“So many … what of Vim?” Andr inquired.
“Vim will be well cared for,” came the commanding tone from the newcomer atop the wall. She strode quickly to join them, inclining her head to Andr. The long vertical scar that spanned her face, the seemingly permanently impassive scowl—he recognized her instantly.
“Councilor Lenu,” Andr gasped.
The councilor smiled, her gaze darting to Paasek. A knowing look passed between them. Though her face flashed an uncommon grin, Andr could see that it lacked any real substance. It was a hollow look, more for his effect. It was a pained response. Though he was sure nothing would be said of it, he could see the weight she carried in her frame.
“Councilors no more,” she acknowledged. “As it was, our cycle was nearly at a close.”
“We abdicated our seats,” Paasek interjected. “Those who joined us, the phrenics and the Vigil, did so willingly, yet not without careful consideration. We came with the understanding that many may never again step foot within the safety of Vim. Nonetheless, the city will be safe. The city will still thrive. There are enough to tend the fields. Enough Vigil to defend the walls. Enough phrenics to sustain the population.”
Flashes of lightning in the distance lit the terrain with increasing intensity.
“What of the Horde?” Andr asked, curious about their disappearance from Vim.
“Their movements were peculiar. They fueled, in part, our decision to come.” Paasek sighed. “In the past, the demons moved without any subtlety or discretion. For ages, they skulked in the shadows. We’d see fleeting glimpses occasionally, a careless scout. Today they move without fear of discovery and in numbers not witnessed in a millennium. They forsake all else as if they’re drawn to a singular focus.”
Lenu turned her gaze back to the southwest. The lightning flashes illuminated the terrain for a moment. Outside the remnants of the Erlyn Woods that ran alongside the base of the mountains, the rumpled hills were only dotted by occasional copses of trees. The fertile land had been considered lost, left to the wild grasses and shrubs.
“They move for Damaris,” Paasek added. “As they were drawn to his presense in Vim, so too do they seek him out now. They come for Ryl. Look closely.”
The mercenary strained his eyes into the dark, studying every feature he could distinguish. A massive bolt of lightning crossed the clouded sky, jumping through the billowing clouds parallel to the ground before vanishing as quickly as it had come.
The subtle changes, to that point, had gone without notice. The ground along the horizon undulated like waves upon the sea. Far too distant to distinguish details, the sheer
