“Tell me, Asem,” asked Tyler as the party was making its way down the crags of the mountainside to the barren waste below, “will the energies of the Barrens affect us? I mean, change anything in our physical make-up?”
“I don’t believe so, sire,” came the answer, “for one, the bones of the inhabitants of this world have a different kind of magic running in their bodies. The body of the ordinary visitor is incapable of harboring any magic. Of course, if one stays long enough in this forsaken land, it is inevitable that prolonged exposure to strange energies will have an effect on a person’s physical and mental condition. Years, decades perhaps, are needed. As to what changes, I really can’t say. The lore I studied only makes oblique references to the energies of the Barrens.”
“Thanks, Asem,” said the mage.
“Is she right, guys? How about me? My bones and physical structure were altered,” Tyler asked his guides.
“You’re safe, Elder. The powers you see are but wisps of energy, too weak to affect humans. Unless, as the priestess mentioned, you plan to stay here a very long time. Your body is also permeated with the magic of this world and your bones have been altered to accepted only Elder energy,” Hal reassured him.
“Good to know, Hal. Observed anything about this land we’re going to enter?”
“Unfortunately, none. These wisps of energy and the feeble residual energy of the ground make it difficult to sense anything beyond visual range. You could send out a scrying spell, but there’s no assurance it would work. Either the land will absorb it or the vagrant streams will interfere with it.”
“That sucks, Hal. But that’s our situation now. We just need to be doubly careful.”
“But from our vantage point on these heights, it appears the land is deserted as of the present. No animal or creature could be seen, though we can’t speak for burrowing monsters,” voiced X.
“Nice one, X. I forgot about those things,” replied the mage with a laugh, but not without some unease.
“They’re devilishly difficult to anticipate, considering the ground absorbs ordinary magical energy,” added Hal.
“Oh, come on! Don’t make me more nervous than I am now,” protested Tyler.
The two AIs kept their silence as the mage continued down the rocky terrain. His companions were already waiting for him and had adopted their usual defensive formation. As soon as Tyler joined them, Habrok set off in the lead as the morning sun finally made its presence felt.
Water issues again in a day or two, thought Tyler. I hope H can find a water source.
The party trudged on through the day, taking short breaks. Habrok was indefatigable. The ranger only took a rest of several minutes and then took off to survey their surroundings. Tyler was starting to be puzzled by the man’s continuing reports of the lack of animals or bizarre creatures around them.
Even if the party made use of the available cover and any stony ground they found while traveling, and used small mounds as their resting areas, the absence of beasts in their surroundings was making the mage uneasy. Before, Habrok could report on sighting herds or other animals in the distance.
They made camp on a lonely hill on the evening of the first day. Habrok and Astrid strongly suggested not to continue in the dark. More dangerous predators preferred the darkness and the two didn’t believe the rule would be different in the Barrens. As the party finished their evening meal, Tyler asked the group if they had noticed the absence of beasts and creatures. Apparently, everybody had, though Kobu uncomfortably commented that from his experience, the absence of the usual predators meant the presence of a more dangerous one. With that worrying thought, Tyler got ready to go to bed. As usual, he was excused from the watch rotation.
The mage stood in the darkness, gazing at the land around them. The light from the moons of Adar barely penetrated whatever miasma covered the Barrens. The complete silence was unnerving. No distant sounds of animals fighting or even greeting the coming of the night. He looked at his companions. Those not on sentry duty were already fast asleep. Tyler went to his bedroll. Surprisingly, despite all his fears and concerns, he fell asleep the moment he closed his eyes.
Everybody woke up late the following day, a puzzling fact bothering the mage. It had never happened before. He could hear Habrok complaining about finding it difficult to stay awake. The rest were also saying how sleepy they still felt. Uneasy was the common description for the sleep they’d had. Tyler was sufficiently concerned about it to ask Asem to check on the condition of the party but the priestess found nothing out of the ordinary, except that the bodies of the companions demanded more rest.
“But we had an uneventful and, I should say, restful journey so far, priestess. No battles, no extremely dangerous monsters to fight,” remarked the concerned mage.
“It also puzzles me, sire. We all shouldn’t be in need of sleep. The party is not tired, only sleepy,” replied Asem.
“Anyway, it’s strange enough to be a concern. Please watch out for any inexplicable event or circumstance. Something is affecting us,” cautioned Tyler.
The morning of the second day was also uneventful. No predators or strange creatures bothered the party. But their noon break was marked by yawning and complaints from the companions about needing to nap. The priestess objected, noting that continuing physical exertion was required to counteract whatever was affecting them. With that comment, the companions stopped whatever they were doing and looked at each other. With a nod, Tyler gave the priestess permission to voice the concern about the phenomenon.
“Is it magic?” asked Tyndur. “In my previous journey through the lands, I never encountered such a condition. Fear should be the primary emotion. Dread and anxiety. Enough to freeze one’s balls. Sorry about that, ladies.”
“No offense taken, Tyndur. Though my concern would be for Habrok.
