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“Why?” asks Potbelly.

“I didn’t get the whole tale, but the gist of it is that it’s death for anyone to go there,” he explains. “Also, he says there was a big battle there not too long ago.”

“A battle?” asks Miko. “As in the battle we barely survived?”

“I think so,” he replies with a nod.

They all remember the mammoth explosion and then the fire that coated the outside of the barrier for a time. “What is it that’s killing them?” James asks. Visions of radiation fallout run through his mind.

“Now this is where it gets kind of strange,” admits Jiron. “In fact, if it wasn’t for all I’ve seen and been through since I first met you, I would discount it as the man has lost his mind.” He glances around at the others a moment before continuing. “He says the sand is killing them. That the sand is turning into a shimmering carpet of gray and whatever it touches, dies. He says it’s growing.”

Everyone but James and Miko, who had been unconscious at the time, remember the gray sand they traveled through when they left the battlefield. Which only lends credence to what the man is saying.

James has never heard of anything like this. Though he wasn’t conscious when the bubble exploded at the end of the battle, he’s heard plenty of accounts from various people as to its effect. Could he have caused this? In a world with magic, gods and other planes of existence, it’s possible.

Nodding over to where Zyrn waits with Reilin, Jiron asks, “What should I tell him?”

Sighing, James knows what he’s going to have to do. If nothing else at least go and see for himself what this man is talking about. “Go and ask him if he’ll take us there,” he says.

Turning his horse back toward where the man waits, Jiron hurries back over to him. As soon as he reaches the man and tells him what James said, Zyrn begins shaking his head. Then he kicks his horse and rides toward James and the others with Reilin and Jiron right behind.

“No, no, no!” he cries out. “You must not go there!” He waits for Reilin to come and translate. “It is a cursed place. Too dangerous!”

James waits for the translation then says, “Regardless, we are going to see this thing for ourselves.” The pain on Zyrn’s face is evident when Reilin translates for him. “Where can we find it?”

“Hey, aren’t those Parvati swords?” Scar suddenly asks, indicating the handles of the swords sticking out of the bundle behind Zyrn’s saddle.

“Yes,” replies Zyrn. “After the battle I and many from my village came and scavenged what we could.” He can see their disapproval stares directed at him and adds, “Our lives are hard. This is the only way we can survive.” Lowering his eyes, he says, “Of course, there may soon be nothing left anyway.”

“We’ll see about that,” James states. “Now, will you lead us there?”

Realizing they plan to go despite his warning, he nods his head. “Yes,” he says, “I will show you. But be warned, it has already claimed the lives of many.” Turning his horse in the direction of the grayness, he leads them toward it.

James rides directly behind Zyrn with Jiron and Brother Willim. “Do you think we caused this?” Brother Willim asks.

Shrugging, James replies, “I don’t know. We’ll know more when we get there.” He raises his voice and asks Zyrn, “How far is it?”

Reilin, who is riding next to Zyrn, translates then replies “A little over an hour.”

James rides in silence, mulling over what Zyrn has told them.

When the shimmering grayness appears on the horizon, Zyrn stops. “There it is,” he says. As James begins to continue forward, he stops him. “Do not approach too closely, it sometimes advances rapidly.”

“Thanks,” replies James, “I’ll remember that.” Moving forward with Zyrn and Reilin beside him he’s awed by the sheer size of the thing. It’s immense! He notices the rings of swords standing upright far within the gray mass. Pointing to them, he asks Zyrn, “Marking the edge to see how fast it was expanding?”

Surprised that he would have realized that Zyrn says, “Yes. It’s been growing about six feet a day.” He points to where