War of the Words/Epilogue

The shadowed figure drew his cloak tight around him as he maneuvered through temple square with deft movements designed to deflect attention. He slipped into the temple and down a corridor very similar to that in Sentar deep, into the hidden holy of holies.

"Your plan has worked masterfully, my lord."

"Had you doubts?" the Water Lord asked.

"No, my lord. It is unfortunate Tralin is not one of ours, though. His service has been invaluable to our efforts and will be in the battles to come."

"Indeed," the Water Lord said. "And would he have been as useful if he were my servant? A water caster? I have abounding servants. I needed something more in Tralin, so I arranged for him to leave my service before it ever began. I took a calculated gamble. Tralin's knowledge of undead alone may well prove invaluable in the war that builds. Just when they think it has ended, it will only be beginning, I fear. Alas, Tralin did not arrive before some that might have been aided were lost. The loss of Delnar was most unfortunate."

"Many good men have died, my lord," the figure said. "Many more will die still."

"Does the student suppose to teach the master? I am aware of the cost of war; one might mistake your coldness. It was Darin's single-mindedness that prevented him becoming truly great."

"My lord, I loved Delnar, but I cannot help but remain practical. I need to maintain my wits in light of the current situation. Has the Energy Lord agreed?"

"Yes, at long last. Even she could not deny the seriousness of the problem, despite our longstanding squabbles."

"Who does not join? The Darkness Lord cannot move against his own, of course."

"Oh?" the Water lord asked. "Have you been communicating in his temple, then?"

"No, Lord, I only assumed."

"The Darkness Lord is no fool. If the undead win this battle, he gains a world of ruin, a wasteland. If he loses and they fall, he will be blamed, followers will leave his temple in droves, and he will consequently lose much of his base of power. Faced with circumstances, he does what he must and plays both sides. The undead wander, but dark armor from the deepest shadow mines floods the market and in record numbers. And bands of shadow knights join to counter the undead menace. He hopes to take advantage of either eventuality. In the end, the necromancer or necromancers responsible are either a hero or a sacrifice and the game continues."

"How can he be trusted?"

"Not even he wishes to see an otherworldly evil rule. He wishes to rule himself. Remember, Darkness and evil are very different things. In the short term, he wins should the undead win, but he opens Lore to undue other planar forces."

"It was a masterstroke to bring Darin to Deren."

"I intended to in any case. The arrival of the undead just altered my time table considerably. I intended to tempt him with news of Jano's survival and fears of my own displeasure with him. They merely altered things a little."

"That spell you gave me from the Ice Lord was debilitating, but it worked. Jano fell just at the point of death but the cold actually kept him from damage. He was as good as his word."

"The Ice Lord and I have always been friendly. In some worlds we are considered two sides of a single coin. On others the Fire Lord and the Ice Lord are considered complimentary. Now you figure THAT type of politics."

"I feared Delnar would notice my weakness after two teleportations and that spell. As it happened, he was distracted by the war."

"Well, he did not, and the parties are together, which is the most important thing. They will need to work side by side in the time to come."

"What of elsewhere?"

"I have sent various representatives into the reaches warning of the army to come. Dreams and prophecies come to fruition; the world shall not be wholly unprepared. I still do not know what things attract them to some places over others; clearly, the necromancers seek something. In time, I hope to know what."

"Hopefully, we shall survive that learning."

"Take heart, faithful servant: all is not Darkness."

"Yet," Cerin added and, with a nod, left the holy of holies to return to the palace.