Lina and her remaining Krimlond members gathered on the dusty road, their path leading back to Nuri’fon. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows as they walked, a quiet determination in their stride. Runner walked alongside them, his presence a silent testament to their shared mission.

  “Gauge, are you still a member of the Necro guild?” Lina asked, breaking the silence.

  Gauge raised an eyebrow, glanced at Flynn, and turned back to Lina. “Uhh, no. Not anymore. Why do you ask?”

  Lina’s gaze was steady, her expression serious. “I need you to escort Runner to the Necro guild hall. I know Talich. I know he was once a member of the guild. I also know they have a resurrection hall there.”

  Gauge nodded in agreement, his face reflecting a mix of nostalgia and apprehension. “Yeah, I know of Talich. He was a higher-up in the guild. I can’t resurrect there anymore. I don’t know how we will get inside unless Runner here knows how to cast necromancy.”

  Flynn shook his head, his expression one of concern and frustration. “Are we really going back to the old ways? You know I am allied with the druids. I learned their magic, and now I must report to them about any necromancer.”

  Lina shrugged, her resolve unwavering. “We are doing what the queen asked. We need to find Zavet, and Runner needs to keep his eye on Mah’nethotep. I suggest that he join the guild, become an inside man. If he successfully joins, we will consider him joining the barony.”

  Flynn rolled his eyes, a mixture of resignation and annoyance in his voice. “It seems like Krimlond is always destined to be necromancers.”

  Gauge laughed, the sound a rare moment of levity amidst the tension. “Almost every single barony has a member in the Necro guild. The funny thing is, the Necro guild leaders always try to get them to betray their baronies. It never works. The barony members are always on the side of their barony.”

  As they continued walking, the gravity of their mission settled over them like a heavy cloak. The road ahead was fraught with danger and uncertainty, but their determination was unshakable. The prospect of venturing into the Necro guild, steeped in dark magic and ancient secrets, loomed large in their minds.

  Lina turned to Runner, her eyes filled with hope and urgency. “Runner, are you prepared for this task? Joining the guild won’t be easy, and maintaining your cover will be even harder. But it’s crucial for our mission.”

  Runner nodded, his expression resolute. “I understand the risks. I’ll do whatever it takes to help us succeed.”

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  Guage and Runner head north while the others head to Nuri’fon to Rendezvous with the rest of the kingdom

  Flynn turned to Lina, his expression a mix of frustration and concern. “The High Druid planned to destroy the Moon of Undeath. I think the druids caused this to happen.”

  Lina raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Yeah, I think we put that together. The druids are so short-sighted. They’ll be lucky if the queen doesn’t outlaw druids like they did with necromancers.”

  Flynn’s face twisted in disgust. “The kingdom could not win that war. We would cause all the crops to die, and we would cause all the animals to relocate. The balance of nature is our domain, and we have more influence than you realize.”

  Hoat stepped forward, anger flashing in his eyes. “The druids caused the war with Wispeneth because of their extremist beliefs. Now they’re dragging us into another conflict. These druids aren’t even part of our kingdom, yet they’re always causing us to go to war.”

  Before the situation could escalate, Lina stepped between them, raising her hands to separate them. “Let’s focus on what’s important right now. We need to get Teric, Scarlett, and Harley back safely. Once we do, we’ll bring this issue to the queen. I don’t know if the kingdom has officially discussed it yet, but we all assumed the druids were behind this.”.

  As they walked, Lina continued, her voice steady and resolute. “The druids’ actions have thrown our kingdom into chaos. If they truly destroyed the Moon of Undeath, they’ve unleashed forces beyond their control. We must gather as much evidence as possible to present to the queen. The fate of our kingdom depends on it.”

  Flynn, still simmering with anger, nodded reluctantly. “I’ll do what I can to help. But know this, Lina: if the kingdom turns against the druids, it will be a long and bitter conflict. Nature itself will rise against those who seek to control it.”

  Hoat shook his head, his expression grim. “We need to prevent that. We’ve already lost too much to senseless wars. Our focus now should be on protecting our people and restoring balance.”

  After three arduous days of travel, Lina, Flynn, and Hoat finally reached the rendezvous point. The journey had been grueling, their path winding through dense forests, over rocky hills, and across swift rivers. Despite the physical toll, their determination remained steadfast. They knew the importance of their mission and the urgency of meeting up with their allies.

  The rendezvous point was a secluded clearing near the eastern side of the city, close to the Razlond Embassy. As they approached, they scanned the area for any signs of movement. The dense foliage provided ample cover, making it an ideal spot for a clandestine meeting.

  Lina took the lead, her eyes sharp and alert. Flynn followed closely, his senses attuned to any natural disturbances that might signal danger. Hoat brought up the rear, his hand never straying far from his weapon.

  Upon reaching the clearing, they were greeted by a small contingent of their allies, who had arrived earlier and set up a temporary camp. The relief of seeing familiar faces was palpable, but the gravity of their mission quickly reasserted itself.

  Lina addressed the group, her voice firm and clear. “We’ve made it. Now, let’s prepare for the next phase. We have much to discuss and little time to waste.”