Systems In Chaos: Dissention

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Vrik pushed aside some large fern leaves as he entered the small makeshift camp that they had set up. He walked in to find that Sura was cooking something for them all to eat and it was a good thing too because none of them had had anything to eat all day and it was almost dinner time, also if they were going to sneak into, the Hadi, Dalen’s, camp tonight it would be best if they didn’t do it on an empty stomach.

Sura looked up from the small cooking pot that was hanging over a small fire and smiled at him. The one good thing about the jungle was that it was so dense that any light the fire would give off couldn’t be seen unless it was very dark, and well into the night, and it was quickly getting to the point where they couldn’t have a fire flickering away but its purpose was just about fulfilled. The stew was sizzling away, bubbling and spitting little drops of thick spicy broth.

Vrik looked over to Karem whom was sitting on a rock with his back turned to them, he was awaiting Baron’s return from yet another scout of the Hadi base camp. He had his head resting in his hands; he hadn’t had much sleep the last night. He and Baron had arrived back to the camp about two hours before dawn broke. Vrik had still been on watch at the time, he didn’t want to wake Sura to take over and Teran was out like a light, in fact he was still sleeping. The two of them had talked for quite some time last night, mostly about this and that, pretty much about things they usually talked about, just random stuff. But, there was one topic that had concerned him as much as it did Teran. Teran had expressed his doubts that they could win the war, not the one here on Kalorin but in general, on the larger scale.

 “There will always be people who are seduced by the raw power shadowfeed can offer,” Teran had said.

“How do you know that? After this, perhaps people won’t use it,” Vrik had replied optimistically.

Teran’s response had confirmed what Vrik thought he had felt when he had helped him up after his fight. “I know, because even I have felt that power. I mean besides that shadow-scream, and it is very hard not to be tempted to use it. But, I’m doing my best.” All Vrik had done was nod, after all there wasn’t much he could say. Knowing this, however, didn’t change anything between the two of them and he was glad that Teran had confided in him.

Vrik looked over at Teran as he sat down near Sura; he was still sleeping away with his head resting on one of their packs, using it as a pillow. “He should be all healed by now, right? So I wonder why he still recovering?” he asked out loud, which hadn’t been intended.

Sura sighed and looked over to the sleeping Zeuti, “I’m not sure, he seems much more worn out than I thought he was. Perhaps the battle is finally taking its toll.”

“Mmm. Maybe. Hopefully he is alright and good to go by tonight or tomorrow though, the sooner we make our move against Dalen the better. I just want to get the Queen’s daughter, drop her off and get back to the men.”

Sura just nodded quietly and stirred the pot some more. They both noticed the rustling from the bushes a little ways from the camp and when Karem quickly stood up as he thought he may have seen an enemy scout, the two of them became a little concerned, but, out from the palms and ferns, Baron walked casually into the camp.

Karem nodded and shook his old mentor’s hand. Baron smiled and looked at everyone, “Well, the situation hasn’t changed much. Everything is surprisingly quiet at the base, for the moment anyway.”

“What do you mean? What’s going on?” Karem asked curiously. Baron walked past him and sat down near the cooking fire and placed his hands near the flame. Karem quickly followed him and took his place on a log to Baron’s right.