that seemed to match the blue sheen of his black, shoulder-length hair. The only sign of age on him was wisps of gray at his temples. He looked about the square, and whoever his gaze fell on sank to one knee. His dark brown eyes looked at David, who lowered his head. This was someone important.
"Has your challenge been satisfied, Rupu?" His voice rang across the courtyard.
Rupu drew his gaze from the ground to glance at David, his face completely earnest. "It has, my Sage."
"Good. I wish to speak with this stranger. Go about your day."
The villagers and merchants got to their feet and returned to their stalls. Rupu and his friends scattered. Soon it was Analara and David standing alone in the square. Analara flinched when the man looked at her, but she stood resolute at David's side.
"Stranger, I am Shalaron, Sage and ruler of Ilinar. What is the name of your own city and its Sage?"
David swallowed, uncertain how to respond. He couldn't risk breaking character and offending Analara, but whatever answer he gave was sure not to satisfy this imposing figure. "My home is very far away, my lord. The city is called Terra, ruled over by our Sage, Vera."
Shalaron's eyes narrowed warily. "I have never heard of such a place."
"It is," David swallowed, "a very long way from here."
"How did you travel so far alone?"
"Forgive me, my lord, but I must confess some uncertainty. There was a…" David thought back to Analara's comments about sages. "I somehow opened a gateway from my home. When I stepped through, I found myself near here." He hoped his explanation would suffice.
Silence fell across the courtyard, and David could almost feel his soul being judged. Shalaron's gaze speared into David's eyes before falling to his bare chest. Even in this light, the scars of the past day's attack could barely be seen. "It has been reported to me that you were brought here last night, severely injured."
David hesitated, then nodded. "That is true."
"What was the cause of your injuries?"
"I was attacked by a wild creature. I am told it is called a feranal."
"You have healed quickly." Suspicion was thick in his voice.
"A skilled healer tended to me." David touched Analara's arm. She glanced at him meekly, then quickly lowered her gaze.
"I recognize you," Shalaron said, looking at Analara. "Nathalion's apprentice. The one who enjoys wandering in the wilderness near nightfall."
Analara's eyes widened, and David thought she might faint.
"Stand up, Analara." Shalaron waited until she had complied, then pinned David again with his stare. "Can you verify the words of this stranger?"
"M-my lord Sage, I…" She squeezed David's hand. "While I did not witness his arrival, I found David in the woods yesterday, badly injured. His wounds were consistent with those made by a feranal. In the short time I have known David, I have found him to be truthful."
Shalaron opened his mouth to speak, but a strange look crossed his face. He frowned, shaking his head and closing his eyes. When he opened them again, he was glaring. "Follow," he commanded in a tone that compelled obedience. David and Analara chased after him through the square.
He led them to the nearest section of the city wall, where pulsing tendrils covered the gray stone. The battlements were full of movement, guards running and stabbing at the large vines that whipped at them.
"It's the Rethkor," Analara gasped. "But it's attacking. Screaming!"
"What is it saying?" Shalaron demanded.
"I don't know! It's so loud I can't make any sense of it."
As they watched, more guards were either swept from the walls or seized by the clinging tendrils and hurled to the ground. A loud shout rang out, and a man dashed up the stairs to the wall and buried his arms within the vines.
"Master!"
Analara started forward, but Shalaron gripped her shoulder. "He is trying to subdue it. Do not interfere. Both of you, stay here!" He ran swiftly toward the wall, his robes swirling behind him. Before he could
"Has your challenge been satisfied, Rupu?" His voice rang across the courtyard.
Rupu drew his gaze from the ground to glance at David, his face completely earnest. "It has, my Sage."
"Good. I wish to speak with this stranger. Go about your day."
The villagers and merchants got to their feet and returned to their stalls. Rupu and his friends scattered. Soon it was Analara and David standing alone in the square. Analara flinched when the man looked at her, but she stood resolute at David's side.
"Stranger, I am Shalaron, Sage and ruler of Ilinar. What is the name of your own city and its Sage?"
David swallowed, uncertain how to respond. He couldn't risk breaking character and offending Analara, but whatever answer he gave was sure not to satisfy this imposing figure. "My home is very far away, my lord. The city is called Terra, ruled over by our Sage, Vera."
Shalaron's eyes narrowed warily. "I have never heard of such a place."
"It is," David swallowed, "a very long way from here."
"How did you travel so far alone?"
"Forgive me, my lord, but I must confess some uncertainty. There was a…" David thought back to Analara's comments about sages. "I somehow opened a gateway from my home. When I stepped through, I found myself near here." He hoped his explanation would suffice.
Silence fell across the courtyard, and David could almost feel his soul being judged. Shalaron's gaze speared into David's eyes before falling to his bare chest. Even in this light, the scars of the past day's attack could barely be seen. "It has been reported to me that you were brought here last night, severely injured."
David hesitated, then nodded. "That is true."
"What was the cause of your injuries?"
"I was attacked by a wild creature. I am told it is called a feranal."
"You have healed quickly." Suspicion was thick in his voice.
"A skilled healer tended to me." David touched Analara's arm. She glanced at him meekly, then quickly lowered her gaze.
"I recognize you," Shalaron said, looking at Analara. "Nathalion's apprentice. The one who enjoys wandering in the wilderness near nightfall."
Analara's eyes widened, and David thought she might faint.
"Stand up, Analara." Shalaron waited until she had complied, then pinned David again with his stare. "Can you verify the words of this stranger?"
"M-my lord Sage, I…" She squeezed David's hand. "While I did not witness his arrival, I found David in the woods yesterday, badly injured. His wounds were consistent with those made by a feranal. In the short time I have known David, I have found him to be truthful."
Shalaron opened his mouth to speak, but a strange look crossed his face. He frowned, shaking his head and closing his eyes. When he opened them again, he was glaring. "Follow," he commanded in a tone that compelled obedience. David and Analara chased after him through the square.
He led them to the nearest section of the city wall, where pulsing tendrils covered the gray stone. The battlements were full of movement, guards running and stabbing at the large vines that whipped at them.
"It's the Rethkor," Analara gasped. "But it's attacking. Screaming!"
"What is it saying?" Shalaron demanded.
"I don't know! It's so loud I can't make any sense of it."
As they watched, more guards were either swept from the walls or seized by the clinging tendrils and hurled to the ground. A loud shout rang out, and a man dashed up the stairs to the wall and buried his arms within the vines.
"Master!"
Analara started forward, but Shalaron gripped her shoulder. "He is trying to subdue it. Do not interfere. Both of you, stay here!" He ran swiftly toward the wall, his robes swirling behind him. Before he could
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