The Mists of Sorrow_ Book Seven of the Morcyth Saga - Brian S. Pratt [13]
“The further up the walls of the temple the darkness climbed, so rose my fear. Just before it completely consumed the entire temple, you woke me.” He sits there a moment in silence then turns again to James. “It seemed so real.”
“It may have been more than a normal dream,” states Brother Willim. “There was something while you dreamt, something from elsewhere.” When James looks at him questioningly, he adds, “I can’t really explain it better than that. I feared it may have been a return of the shadows but it felt different.”
“But what could it mean?” he asks glancing first to Brother Willim then back to James.
“I don’t know,” admits James. “But the way you were acting can’t be good.”
“Dreams are often sendings from the gods,” Brother Willim says. Then to James, “The more closely you deal with them, the more likely they will touch you that way.”
“Could my dream have been a message from Morcyth?” Miko asks. “From an actual god?”
Shrugging, Brother Willim says, “Perhaps. However, it’s been suggested in theological circles that when you grow closer to one god, you also become closer to others.” He can see the confusion on Miko’s face at that. “Let me put it to you this way. In a city there are various districts, the rich, merchant’s, poor sector, so forth. You follow me so far?”
Miko nods his head though still looks a bit lost.
“Okay, say you go to visit someone where the rich and affluent live. When you go there, you are also in closer proximity to the others that live there too. And thus, they are able to reach you better. Does that help?”
“Not really,” he replies.
“I think I understand,” says James. “The more you interact with one, the more likely you can be reached by another.”
Nodding, Brother Willim says, “Yes. But it is only a theory, though a favored one.”
“So who sent this dream to me?” asks Miko.
“We don’t know,” replies Brother Willim. “All we do know is that it is more than just a dream and thus should not be dismissed lightly.”
James sits there in thought for a moment then says, “I would guess the temple you saw, the one emitting light represents Morcyth. Either a specific temple or the religion in general.”
“That would make sense,” agrees Brother Willim. “Seeing as how closely you are tied to Morcyth.”
“Then the darkness…?” he asks.
“Is something threatening its very existence I would think,” Brother Willim says. “Considering the way you reacted.”
James can see the worry on his friends face. “We’re not going to figure this out tonight,” he says. “Let’s all try to get some sleep. Maybe a night’s sleep will help.”
“Good idea,” suggest Brother Willim.
Lying down, Miko says to James, “What if it comes again?”
“Brother Willim and I will be right here if it does,” he replies. “Don’t worry about it.”
Chuckling, Miko says, “Yeah, right.” Closing his eyes, he tries to return to sleep.
James glances to Brother Willim who only shrugs. They each return to their blankets and think on what Miko had told them. If James had trouble falling asleep before, it’s nothing like now. Sometime later in the night, he does manage to sink into sleep.
Zyrn stands under the stars at the edge of his village, gazing to the west. Within his village of Abi Salim, there is much celebration. The loot that had been acquired two days ago will go a long way in seeing them through the coming years. Already, plans are being made to send the wagons to the south to sell the weapons and armor at the markets of the larger towns.
But for some, there is no celebration. When they had returned to Abi Salim that first day, a dozen of the younger men had decided to return and collect what had been left behind. They should have been back by this morning at the latest. The fact that they haven’t worries him.
He’s not alone in his vigil, several wives of the young men as well as various other family members stand with him. “What could have happened to them?” one woman asks to