All That Is Evil Is Not Dark/Chapter 8

"Move," the undead ordered coldly. "We must press on away from this place."

"For the powers' sake, why? Can't you see I am drained? I have been walking for five hours at least in rocky terrain, and to do so I had to flee a terror no living man should ever face," Myr grumbled plaintively.

"Living?" Delnar responded. "I assure you, no man now living or dead should have to see it... Look at me. I am a hideous violation of all that is life, all that is purity. Nonetheless, we must make distance."

"Why? You said the undead would not follow us..."

"Yes... but they are tireless, and once darkness comes, they will overtake you if you stop. Further, I cannot make any promises about the demons."

"There was something evil in that place. Something worse than the Brilhado and the undead combined."

"Yes."

"What is it...?"

"Don't you already know?"

"I know only that it held me in contempt, in malice."

"He wished to break you down, to wear away your will till you submitted to him. He wants you."

"Me?" Myr asked incredulously. "Why?"

"Because he needs more followers among the living, because you already are a communicant and will take less time to prepare. Only get you to betray your god and he can have you."

"But what is he...?"

"Can you not reason that for yourself, communicant?"

"The only thing I could compare him too is a god, but that cannot be."

"Why?"

"Only the Light Lord would be so hostile toward a communicant of the Lord of Darkness... and that was NOT the Light Lord."

"Since when do the powers fight their enemies and adversaries directly? They have their own politics. No, they leave the mortals to fight themselves. Except this one..."

"He is a god?"

"You doubt that, feeling his power?"

"He is no god I know of..."

"You know, then, all there is to know of the gods and their origins?"

"No, but... who is he...?"

"The Lord of the Void. A power of madness, evil, corruption and venom. A negation of creation itself. The Uncreator."

"The Uncreator?"

"Yes..."

"What is the Uncreator? Why have we never heard of him before...?"

"What could you have heard? When he has come he has been victorious."

"I don't understand."

"The ancient races were crushed under his malice when last he came to our world. Few survived his onslaught, those few either by joining in his wickedness or sheltering themselves from the storm in seclusion. Only when there was naught left he wanted or could conqueror did he leave and did the powers rebuild with the help of the Lord of the Spirit. The cycle continued and for much time his attention was elsewhere, fighting the same battle. Now he has come back."

"For what?"

"To take... To consume."