Delmora: The Lost Quest

Nomads

When Morn woke Biter was licking her paw.

Morn stopped her immediately, waking some of the others. It was still dark out but the Ranger was moving about the camp. Lance watched him,

"We should keep going" The Ranger said, "While the sun is down"

"In the dark?" Lance asked.

The Ranger nodded "Its better to walk through the wind than the sun"

Lance removed his blanket, a thin layer of sand fell to the floor as he moved. He began waking the others.

Lance thought with a pang, how much he didn't want to wake up Edith, she had been walking all the previous day without a word of complaint. He could only imagine how frail she felt.

"Maybe we should wait a little longer, Edith needs rest" Lance said.

The Ranger was already moving the pack pony forward, his falcon cawed on his shoulder, a cloth over her eyes.

Lance with another pang tried doing the same to Gawain. The bird cawed and fluttered until Lance gave up and tied a harness and rope to his feet. Gawain rested on his arm.

"I can wake her" Tyler said.

"For fucks sake I'm already awake" Edith said getting up. "I don't need anymore rest" She said eyeing Lance.

Simone brought out a change of bandage for her arm.

"I can do it" She sighed.

"I know. Just- uh" He paused from the look she gave him "Keep it clean, its, a bit sandy"

"Right" She said. Pouring water over her wound.

They were all on their feet faster than ever but the Ranger was already far ahead of them. Lance quickened their pace until they were caught up. Gawain was already feeling heavy on his arm, but he keep trying to fly off.

Before long looking back at the small bit of forest where they had come was like a dark dream. There was not a single cloud in the sky, and the moon was the only light needed to trudge through the unstable dusty ground. It was as though the very earth was made of a million cracks all filled with bits of sand.

"Theres a legend about the mountains, you know." Tyler started.

"yea theirs a few" Morn said.

"It was said long ago, this place was the home of a great forest and many animals. There were no mountains that divided it from the Delfoil and this was a great lake of lush beauty and vibrancy. They called it Lavadant" Tyler paused "Then one day the human folk came. They were lead by the Pathfinders, the kings of old, who ruled over nature and beast and maintained harmony. The Pathfinders became greedy, they gave more power to humans. The animals  were jealous, they started questioning the will of the Pathfinders and their ability to rule. So the Pathfinders joined together against the animals. They say the Pathfinders were split, some fought for humans and others for the animals. A war was fought in Lavandant until great shadow fell upon the land. The Hikari were summoned to help the animals and trees. The animals agreed that they would rather Lavadant be destroyed than in control of the human so they stretched the mountain until it separated Lavadant from the Delfoil. The Hikari took the mountains and some of the mighty Pathfinders forbade the clouds from leaving the Delfoil. Over time, Lavadant withered but not before the animals fell silent with sorrow for the land. They would never have imagined their home to become so barren. They considered it a cursed land forever more. In fear that all of Delmora would one day become Dezreal they never spoke again."