All That Is Evil Is Not Dark/Chapter 32

Darin inhaled sharply at the Drakel's proclamation but Tralin maintained an impassive demeanor.

"You have given us much to consider. Please retire to your provided lodging. We shall consult with our advisors and get back to you promptly."

The Drakel looked as if they wished to argue, but the caster merely nodded and led them from the council chamber.

"They wish to give us land in their walled city?!" Darin blurted. "It is a trap!"

"No," Cerin responded. "There is no benefit in them trapping us in that way; they have our land already. They have the advantage."

"Indeed," Tralin said, looking to the two of them. "Though the enforcer likely would like to see me dead. No, the offer is genuine, which is considerably more disconcerting."

"How so?" Darin asked.

"There must be something that my people value in the countryside of Deren very much to throw years of tradition away for it. Further, they have already asserted we have no chance of reclaiming our land. We can take that as fact. If so, that they still wish to negotiate means they do not want to spare their men to defend the land and want as many as possible working on their discovery..."

"So do we cooperate with them or try to discover their real motives?" Cerin asked.

"Those pathways are not mutually exclusive," Tralin responded. "Though you shall be doing neither. You are obligated to take the next ship to Stone Deep and present yourself to the First Knight of your order for further direction. In doing so, I wish you to carry several messages to them as well. One to Xander, one to Myr, and one to Delnar himself."

"Who are Xander and Myr?" Cerin asked.

"Stone Deep's military commander and their religious commander respectively. Xander is a Shadow Knight and Myr is a communicant for the Shadow Lord... Where is Nel? I sent Jano to fetch him nearly 15 minutes ago..."

The others shrugged and silence reigned for several moments before Nel and Jano finally entered the chamber.

"We need to... " Tralin began, but was silenced by the seemingly odd way Jano and Nel were interacting. "What is it?"

"Hmm," Jano responded evasively.

"Come out with it. What is it that you know? Reveal it."

"I have to go, Trae...." Nel said anxiously.

"What? Why?" Tralin asked.

"It's my village. We have joined with Moglin Forest...."

"And?"

"And Moglin Forest is at war with the people. I have to go aid my family."

"How interesting," Darin said and chuckled.

"What is interesting?" the moglin asked, clearly distressed.

"We have just been offered admittance to K'eld Ner," Darin responded. "We are debating allying with the Drakel..."