Delmora: The Lost Quest

Sinking Hearts, Sinking Feet

They walked for half the day before Lance made them stop. The Ranger seemed to be the only one capable of walking before they rested.

Thin but tall pines scattered here and there. The Ranger followed a westbound path that was overgrown and hardly traveled. Their energy was spent fast but their desire to leave the thieves village far behind was more pressing on their mind. Often Lance would whistle into the trees Gawain's call in some hope the bird would come to him but the familiar gust of wind from the hawks wings never came. Lance had lost track of him when the thieves blind folded them and took them to the camp. He only hoped he was still alive although he knew his chances of ever seeing him again were slim.

Without eating or hardly making camp they slept the rest of the day. They made no fire, as to conceal their location. Lance suggested they post a watch but the Ranger and Nyam insisted it wasn't necessary. Lance was only too tired to argue and sent a prayer to the Lord they wouldn't be taken for a second time.

What had happened the night of their capture was so mysterious he didn't want to question it in fear of the answer but Lance knew he would have to address it soon. The Ranger made it clear to them before he wanted nothing more than to be their guide and yet he still rescued them from the thieves. Another night like that would be their last.

...

Simone walked through the Delfoil on his morning rout bringing vials of medicine to the people on the outskirts of the great tree. The morning was damp as usual and finally he made it back to the shelter where the Del-folk lay in sickness. He opened the door but the room it lead was empty. Not a thing stirred. The beds were empty and the cabinets cleared. He searched around the back where a small stream flowed gently down the river. In the water the petrified horrific forms of the diseased Del-folk floated and bobbed among the plants. Layla knelt beside the bodies pushing them downstream. She was halfway in the water herself.

"what are you doing!" Simone screamed running up to her. She looked at him, her entire face cracked and fungal. Her features were unrecognizable, her eyes blood shot.

"they were waiting on you! You never!" She screamed.

Never what? If she meant to clarify the words were unheard on her lips, Simone could not decipherer them.

Simone fell backward in horror and she dragged her soaking body on top of him. Her arms became like jelly but her face withered before his eyes, thinning out. She aged decades in front of him until she turned into a skeleton.

"YOU NEVER!"

Simone woke up gasping for air. His body was covered in sweat but he felt cold and clammy. The sky gave little light, but enough for him to see. He poured drops of water on his face and sat with his back to a tree. He was surprised to see the Ranger busy making something. He was tying thin rope to crudely widdled planks of wood. Simone recognized it as a wood collector.

Nyam stirred where he lay and sat up very straight looking into the trees.

Simone followed his gaze.

"Do you see something?" Simone asked.

Nyam shook his head.

Tyler woke from the noise, his hair stuck out from where his head rested and he wiped the drool falling from the side of his mouth.

"Whatz zoin on?" Tyler asked.

"Nothing" Simone said, "we still have time, go back to sleep"

Tyler plopped his head back down and loud snores erupted from his mouth almost instantly. Simone chucked and laid his head down but was unable to get any more sleep.