The second leg of their journey quickly bogged down. For the first couple days after leaving Bankheim, they rode without problem. It was when the main road split in three that their problems began. At the fork they were forced to answer the question of whether to swing to the north, swing to the south or go directly through the forest that y before them. That middle road was far less used compared to the ways around.

  “We shall go through!” decred Lord Venning.

  “What of the wizard?” asked Ayunndrilsadil. “Should we not avoid him?”

  “Nay, he must surely help us!”

  “Ask his reasoning,” whispered the hammer. “Surely the little lordling has a good reason to believe that?”

  “On what basis do you believe that?” asked Josarl.

  “Our cause is just!” decred Lord Venning. “Come!”

  “The fwless logic of the self-deluded. Are you willing to follow this one to the end?”

  With Lord Venning at their head, the Order rode into the forest. Trees were sickly, twisted and warped. The air seemed stale in a way Josarl could not quite pce. Even the few animals they caught sight of suffered from missing fur, discoloration and small deformities.

  “What evil has this wizard wrought on this forest?” decred Lord Venning, whose mood had begun to grate on Josarl.

  An explosion directly in their path halted their movement. In that spot the smoke cleared to reveal a tall man wearing worn old robes, an expansive beard, and a pointy hat whose point had colpsed to dangle limply on his shoulder. “Who dares bring such power into my forest!” bellowed the wizard with supernatural resonance.

  “He senses me,” whispered the hammer.

  “I do!” decred Lord Venning.

  “You? A nitwit?” said the wizard. “Hand it here or I shall not let you pass.”

  “He is one who studies. This one is wise but selfish. He knows of my nature and studied my effects. Show me to him and he shall let us pass, for he fears my message.”

  “Very well,” said Josarl. “You may have it.” He held the hammer out as an offering.

  The wizard recoiled. “That? That is what you bring into my forest? Take it and begone! I dare not touch it lest it take me!”

  “Surely you could help us!” said Lord Venning, his earlier mood now repced with uncertainty. “Your duty to the nd-”

  “Is to fuck off lest it surely consume me!” With that the wizard disappeared in an explosion.

  The party stood dumbstruck. Less than a minute had passed, giving the wizard’s appearance an unreal quality in their minds. It had surely happened, and yet it didn’t happen in a way.

  Once again they carried on unhindered. The forest grew increasingly sickly and warped as they traveled east. When they broke free of the trees, Darkgate was in view and they easily traversed the rocky pin leading to a mountainous barrier. The city was small, constrained by the mountain pass it occupied. One thick wall rose above the buildings, blocking the view of anything beyond. Every building was stone and shingle and crammed together so close many shared walls.

  At the city limits, a man waited for them. He was the spitting image of Keeta apart from being taller and bald. He said, “I am Vroll Kall. Welcome to Darkgate.”

  Keeta walked up to Kall gave him a sp on the chest, which he returned.

  “I see you brought strangers,” said Kall.

  “Met them on the road. Father’s going to want meet them. It is here.”

  “I’ll make preparations. In the meantime I can show them to the inn.”

  “The foreigner is a friend. He assisted me. He will come with us.”

  Kall nodded and waved to indicate the group should follow. As they walked, Josarl noticed that much of the city seemed run down. The only locals that were not dressed as soldiers were the children, a generally rare sight from what he could surmise. They were taken to the north end of town, where the boundaries of the pass turned the streets into slopes. Here they found what served as the town square, with the nicer buildings in the city congregating around the actual square. Here an elderly, but still quite fit duplicate of Kall and Keeta awaited them. He was their father and the chief. As they entered the square, Keeta drew Josarl to the side with her and Kall.

  “What’s happening?” Josarl asked.

  “Worry not,” said Keeta. “You will still receive what you want.”

  In a few seconds, warriors had surrounded his former companions.

  “Surrender,” said the chief.

  Josarl did not see how the double-cross turned out because he’d been led away by Keeta.

  “Look,” she said, “I’m arranging for some orks to pick you up. They’ll take you to your belongings and then you can go on your way. As insurance and a show of good faith, we are letting you keep hold of the hammer. You can negotiate with the Dark Lord yourself. I’m sorry you were caught up in all of this.”

  Josarl looked back briefly. “It doesn’t feel good, but my mandate demands that I stay apart. Thank you for your assistance.”

  “Of course. Come, I will show you to some quarters and make sure you are taken care of. You will be leaving tomorrow.”

  “What will happen to the others?”

  “Depends on if they come quietly or not.”

  Josarl thought he understood the meaning of that.