Beneath the Shifting Sands

Beneath the Shifting Sands is the sixty-sixth entry in the Devourer Saga. It requires level 62.

Dialogue
«Scene: A starry night sky.»

''A spaceship appears from nowhere, heading rapidly downward. It explodes and breaks up, but not before launching a dozen escape pods. The ship crashes in a forested mountain area. Escape pods and much debris crashes, but one pod manages to survive and land properly. Fade out.''

«Scene: Skraeling Desert.»

Pan down to the hidden catacombs beneath the shifting sands, where Terul'sith, Thorne Lorin, Culak, & Kendrel are meeting.

Terul'sith: ...and so the ship exited the void into open space above the world of Lore. Some of us were placed in emergency transit to try to seek aid and to find our way back to the Order.

Terul'sith: I was one such. Scakk, Maxwell, Anna, Hollow and the others stayed. The ship was clearly going to crash.

Thorne Lorin: And the baby, Daniel Stoneforge, has been fully affected by the Cold due to the double agent's actions?

Terul'sith: His fate is dire and we are tied to that fate. The Devourer's forces will soon arrive on Lore and...

Thorne Lorin: You are late, Terul'sith. The armies of the Network already move against Lore.

Terul'sith: What?! This is terrible. Our journey and our flight has been for nothing?!

Thorne Lorin: I do not know about that. Culak and Kendrel, as much as I regret to say it, I believe we must part company.

Thorne Lorin: Return to the Ulgathi village of Gulgin Dar in Greenguard and see what happens with Chieften Mardu.

Culak: What do we do after I see my father?

Thorne Lorin: If you village is safe, seek out your cousin Brontus in Augerthorne. And Kendrel...

Kendrel: Yes, Thorne?

Thorne Lorin: As much as it must pain you, you should return to the Elani and seek your sister.

Kendrel: It does not pain me. While I may have more of an Ulgathi Warrior's soul than a graceful Elani's, my sister and I are close. I will seek out Lavistria.

Culak: Where will you go, Lorin?

Thorne Lorin: As a Knight of Lorithia I must answer the imperative of the Sigma Directive. I will aid Terul'sith in returning to The Order and attempt to aid in whatever way I can...

Thorne Lorin: ...though I do not know what good I might offer against The Cold.

''Thorne and Terul'sith exit stage right, Kendrel and Culak stage left. A Brilhado and an ancient-looking Drakel emerge from behind a shadowy rock formation''

???: It is true, then. The work in unison. Cartwright has acted in defiance of Zephyr and seeks to war against them in spite of the signs.

Brilhado Guard: And he is using many of my people in the process. Unfortunately, many would be willing even if the truth were apparent.

???: Did you know that this Ne'eld was once my home?

Brilhado Guard: Ne'eld, Sir, not K'eld?

???: The Silari were desert dwellers. The harshness of the Skraeling and the other deserts demanded that we build beneath the sand. A K'eld is a walled city, many of which had vast domes.

???: Ne'eld means submerged place; they were built beneath the sand and, in the case of our aquatic brethren, beneath the waves.

Brilhado Guard: I see. In light of what we have learned, what do we do now?

???: We teleport to Cartwright at once; he has my people in his present army and it is time to challenge him.

Brilhado Guard: Your will, Lord Xilar.

Xilar: Do not use that honorarium. I do not deserve it. I destroyed your people. I shall not be called Lord.

Brilhado Guard: You may have caused our ancient ancestors to act dishonorably, Lord, but you have served with willingness for a millennium since and always acted in good faith and kindness.

Xilar: That does not make me a lord, nor does it excuse my actions.

Brilhado Guard: You misunderstood the Lord's command.

Xilar: I chose to interpret it as I did. I do not seek to excuse myself. It is that legacy that Cartwright seeks to reclaim.

Fade to white