Verdunmull by Jared Zakarian

Author:Jared Zakarian [Zakarian, Jared]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Jared A. Zakarian
Published: 2019-05-23T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 18

“The Path of Folly”

“The ground is faithful, but heed your steps. Find understanding. You may have to fall.”

The Ikalreev Prophecies 3:4–6

A raucous commotion filled the old building that served as the medical quarters. Screams filled the air as the injured writhed in pain. Healers ran to and fro by candlelight, scrambling for supplies and tending to the wounded. Dwarven soldiers half in battle dress assisted the healers to the best of their abilities.

Faolan burst through the hall’s front doors and shouted Aili’s name, but he received no answer from the loud room. He then shouted Leith’s name, and again no answer was returned. A frantic look crossed his face as he did not know where the twin healers had gone. He had lost track of them during the battle and worried about their safety as well as Ehreion’s. He had been looking for a while, but to no avail. He figured the healers might have come to the medical quarters to assist the dwarfs. His eyes searched the faces of the desperate healers as they scrambled around the room. The dim candlelight made it hard to discern the identities of others as he squinted through the shadows. He shouted the twin healers’ names over and over again. He searched the length of the large building twice over, but he did not see them. He shook his head in frustration as he could not tell if Aili and Leith were there or not.

“Faolan!” Aili’s voice rang above the noise.

The guardian turned and spotted Aili running toward him. She wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace.

“I am so glad you’re all right. Are you hurt at all?” she cried.

“I am fine, Aili, but Ehreion needs your help. He fell in battle . . . he is an Ikalreev mage.“

She released her firm embrace and saw his straight face. “You are serious!”

“Yes, come with me,” he insisted, holding out a hand.

She glanced down, stunned he had found another. Her soft hand took hold of his and let him lead the way. They sprinted out into the deepening twilight, and she glanced up into the approaching night sky. She was surprised time had passed so quickly in the heat of things. After Leith was no longer in danger, they had helped carry the injured to the medical quarters, and they had lost track of time as the injured streamed in without pause.

She looked at Faolan, and her eyes panned down to their interlocked hands. A smile slowly found its way across her face.

Soon the gruesome scene surrounding Ehreion came into view. Aili’s jaw dropped, and a slight gasp slipped from her lips. She saw the lone dwarf lying in the midst of the three charred dragon corpses. The healer could not fathom what had taken place.

“You were here?” Aili was in awe.

“Yes.”

“What happened?” she asked as she glanced around the scene.

“It was the Ikalreev magic. Fire consumed Ehreion and then this entire area.”

She knelt next to Ehreion and checked him for injuries, though she hesitated after a moment of inspection.

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