Free Warrior Priest of Dmon-Li: The Morcyth Saga Book Three by Brian S. Pratt Page B

they move further away and hide behind some
trees. They wait for several minutes in their hiding place but fail
to hear any noise that might indicate it had come their way.
Looking out from behind the trees, Jiron says, “I don’t think it
followed us.”
    He motions for them to remain there as he
gets up and moves back toward where they encountered it. Returning
quickly, he says, “I can’t see it anywhere. It must have gotten
scared when the ground erupted and ran back to the others.”
    “Others?” asks Miko, nervously.
    “Yeah, there were several of them over
there,” he tells him. Looking to James he says, “We can’t go that
way either.”
    “Now what?” asks Miko.
    “Seems we are faced with several unpleasant
choices,” he says as they gather around.
    “East are the rhino-lizards, west is the
river which may or may not have those flesh eating fish in them,”
he says. “South are the natives, and I’m sure they’ll not welcome
us back. Finally, to the north is that odd pyramid of skulls that
feels like it’s radiating magic in some way.”
    “South and east are definitely out,” Jiron
says. “We could never survive unscathed if we take either of those
routes. Not in our present condition.”
    Nodding, James says, “I’d have to agree with
you there.”
    “Not the water!” pipes up Miko. “I couldn’t
go in there!”
    Sighing, James says, “Then we must chance
the pyramid and whatever lies beyond it.” He glances at each of
them before continuing, “This could prove worse than any of the
other choices, you know.”
    Shrugging, Jiron replies, “We don’t know
that for sure. Until we do, it’s our best route.”
    “Alright then,” James says as he gets up and
readies his stick for travel. “Lead on.”
    Taking the lead again, Jiron takes them back
toward the pyramid of skulls. Worry and dread fill their hearts as
they make their way through the dead and withered trees. The ground
around them seems almost grey in the light, the grass and bushes
upon it are twisted and warped, just like the trees. When they can
at last see the pyramid ahead of them once more, Jiron pauses for a
moment. Glancing first to James and then Miko, he gathers his
courage before continuing down toward it.
    When they are but scant feet away from it,
Miko gives James a weird look. This close to the skull pyramid,
even the other two are able to feel the magic of it. Miko stays as
far away from it as the ground will allow him. Any further and he’d
be in the water.
    Jiron reaches out to touch it as he passes
by, but before his hand can connect with it, James cries out,
“Stop!”
    Startled, as though he didn’t even realize
what he was doing, Jiron snatches his hand away and quickly hurries
past. “Thanks,” he says. The others step lively as they too pass
the pyramid. As the pyramid disappears behind them, the vegetation
slowly begins to regain some life, but none of it looks remotely
healthy.
    The telltale prickling of magic subsides,
but doesn’t disappear altogether. Even when they’ve put distance
between them and the pyramid, far enough so he shouldn’t have been
able to feel anything, still the sensation remains with him. James
comes to the conclusion that there may be other sources of magic
here other than just that lone pyramid. Keeping his eyes open, he
follows Jiron as he continues his way north.
    Everyone is on edge while they make their
way through such a desolate locale. “Something’s not quite right
here,” says Miko in a hushed whisper.
    “I agree,” states Jiron.
    James begins to notice that there are no
animals here, not even birds high in the trees. Never in all the
time since being washed upon the shore have the trees been silent,
there has always been a bird or some other kind of animal calling
out. This eerie silence just makes his anxiety grow.
    Jiron suddenly comes to a stop ahead of
them.
    “What’s wrong?” James asks when he and Miko
come to where he’s standing. Looking