Rhistmaege

Fine Points

Dovi awoke to the Monster kneeling at his side. "Time to go. Magnillion says the swamp is closing in on us. Get up and move, unless you prefer swimming laps in a bog frog's belly."

"It's still light," said Dovi, as he pushed himself to his feet.

"If you want darkness, linger around and hang with what stalks us," replied Monti.

They ate a quick, sparse meal of dried beef and hard cheese, then gathered up their belongings and set off after the Greigenharre.

Not long after they began moving, heavy splashing echoed in the distance. Choruses of croaking cries sent shivers down Dovi's back. I don't like how large those things sound. Dovi squinted towards the deep throated trilling, but saw nothing but clogging grasses and squat, bushy trees. He hurried up to Magnillion, deciding to ask the old man about the Greigenharre. Better to know your enemy.

"The Greigen, as they are also known, are one of the most violent species in all of Avrenhalde. Most cunning, but not because of their high intelligence. They're actually somewhat slow witted. It's their controllers that make them so devious. An overseer or master if you like, shares all senses, as well as thoughts. The controller is linked with the creature by submerging oneself in a Brimstonian tank. Take any container and fill it with foulwater and rock sulfur. Foulwater, if you're not familiar with it, is holy water transfigured by dark orders into a black abomination. Understand?" asked Magnillion.

"Somewhat. Who controls them?" asked Dovi.

"All kinds covet control, but few are actually willing to give up so much. They lose all chance of personal salvation. I know little of the finer details. Just that it's so wicked, I fear to delve into it more deeply." Magnillion shivered and rubbed at the back of his neck.

"These dark orders? What are they?" questioned Dovi.

"Pockets of evil men doing evil deeds. Some covet greed and power. Others are pulled towards savagery or lack sanity. Your father fought a few groups: the Barrow Knights, the Fist of Brutality, the First Order of Bloodletting, and the Knights of the Atrocity. Countless others are scattered about the lands. Each serves one of the Shadow gods."

Dovi stopped in his tracks at the words "Shadow gods."

"Move it boy. We've already lost enough time with your wild goose chase," said Wulfgen without trying to hide his displeasure.

Dovi was tempted to turn and let loose on Wulfgen. Calling the prince a wrinkled wart on top of a wart on the crusty, cracked backside of a sludge-troll might have been crossing the line. He bit his tongue and pressed onward. Rabby is out there. Somewhere. Have to keep moving.

They circled a deep pond Longbeard called Merscum Mirror, then stopped dead in their tracks at the sound of splashing, fast-moving footsteps. Men shouted not far up the trail. Longbeard led them forward, creeping from high-stalked, black pitcher plants to downed buttonwoods.

The splashing stopped. Fear-stricken voices grew silent. They scanned ahead, but saw nothing.

Two men shouting broke the solitude. "Lost it. You see it?" called one. "No, I-I lost track. Got Jittney. Saw it pull him down," said the other shakily. "Which way now?"

Wulfgen lifted his hands with open palms. His eyes begged for direction.

Monti shook his head and put a finger to his lips.

Dovi sank to a knee and froze. A gargantuan figure moved in the distance off to his left. It was human-like but towered over twelve feet tall. It was covered with a glistening brown skin that reminded Dovi of a Horned toad. Feral eyes sat high on a protruding cranial ridge. Even from this distance he could see large spiked incisors hanging down over its bloody mouth. Arms like tree trunks tickled the ground as it walked.