War of the Words/Chapter 15

Darin retreated quickly into an alcove and listened carefully to the voices within the chamber.

"He is not here," said a voice, its tone low and raspy.

"Clearly. It appears that the commander of the guard spoke the truth before he met his end. Darin has gone to Deren."

"No matter; he is inconsequential. Without access to this chamber, he cannot communicate with the Water Lord. His plans have been disrupted..."

"What do you suppose the fool was planning..."

"Treachery. There can be no doubt. He brought this destruction on the armies. You were wise to have us watch him."

"Little good it has done... half the army lies in pieces on the battlefield and most of those who remain have joined the wandering hordes."

"Most unfortunate; if Darin is discovered, he will feel the pain of having brought us to this."

'Just what have I become their scapegoat for?' Darin wondered, recalling the state of the city as a whole.

"Indeed, if Darin is discovered, he shall wish the undead had gotten to him..."

Darin turned rapidly and fled from the temple. Undead? What in the names of the gods had occurred here? Could what was said about the front lines be true? How was he to blame for this?

Darin's mind reeled. Something dark and sinister was at play and Darin was not in control of it. He was filled with dread; his own people had targeted him as the cause of this new plague for reasons entirely unclear and his sacred space had been violated.

"Oh well," Darin reflected sadly, "all things come to an end and I planned on ending my alliance with Feldar sooner or later anyway."

Darin moved as fast as he could back to the docks. "The entire city is dead. I found multiple signs of a struggle but not one living being. Some great evil came here, captain. We must flee at once, for it is likely to return."

"But sir? The men need rest; we need to restock; we cannot..."

Darin smelled sulfurous smoke in the distance and looked out toward the horizon and saw a deep black cloud billowing from the nearby mountain.

"Captain, if the advancing undead armies do not kill you, then I most certainly will. All aboard NOW."

"Where do we sail for? Delkirk?"

"No, Captain," Darin said matter-of-factly. "On the contrary, we return to Deren."