Chapter 30 The Town of Narul
Since Misara’s return from the Temple of Balkir, Beret began to sense that she was avoiding him. He noticed that she had not looked at or spoken to him throughout the journey. He told himself that he would have to find the chance to speak to her soon and learn why this was so.
When evening came, they spent the night encamped by the road. Beret had attempted to approach Misara that evening but she said she was tired and went to sleep immediately after they had dinner. Beret now became convinced that Misara was in fact avoiding him. So, he decided to let her be for now.
They began travelling early the following morning. And after a long and uneventful day’s journey, they finally recognized the Town of Narul from a distance. They arrived just as the sun was already beginning to set.
They could probably find some lodging there, Beret thought.
“It’s been a year since I have been to Narul,” Kort said.
Beret surmised that Kort might be referring to another fugitive he had hunted down.
“What do people do in this town?” Aisha asked.
“The town is named after the vast forest that surrounds it,” Kort said. “People here survive mostly on what the forest provides.”
Aisha appeared to consider Kort’s answer as their journey progressed towards the town.
The trees on the sides of the road became denser. Beret could see a variety of small animals running on the ground or climbing the trees. The smell of the leaves was refreshing, Beret thought.
After about half an hour since they rode into town, they had only seen two people on the road. And both had a somber look about them, Beret observed.
“There seems to be very few people here,” Beret said as he looked at the others.
Kort and Misara exchanged glances.
Then Kort said, “I agree. I am reminded of what we saw in Torinth when we went to the Temple of Balkir.”
“Could the illness have reached this place as well?” Misara asked.
“We will find out soon enough,” Kort answered.
“If it has, then a plague has in fact begun,” Revik interjected.
They all fell silent as they appeared to ponder Revik’s words. Beret recalled the sick woman’s delirious statement. He considered whether to tell them what she had said.
“The shop keeper’s wife when she was sick said something about following Balkir,” Beret said.
Misara’s gaze shifted to Beret briefly.
“She also said that war is coming and that the world would be covered by despair,” Beret continued.
Everyone now looked at Beret as they slowly rode forward. “But the woman was delirious most of the time when she spoke,” Beret added.
“If war is part of the prophecy, then where would this war start?” Kort asked. “The kingdoms have lived in peace for centuries.”
But no one could answer Kort’s question. “Do any of the records say why that period was called the Time of Despair?” Beret asked. “Perhaps because the kingdoms almost lost in the war against Qorath,” Kort replied.
Kort’s answer made sense to Beret. The historical records all mention much death and suffering.
They were now approaching the town center. They tried to find an inn where they could spend the night. Upon finding one, they dismounted, secured their horses at the inn’s stables and proceeded to the inn keeper inside.
The inn keeper was a man whose hair was white with age. He appeared anxious. When the inn keeper saw them, he seemed to be looking at Misara intently.
“Are you here to help us?” the inn keeper said still looking at Misara.
“You are a priestess, are you not?” the inn keeper seemed impatient for an answer. “Please tell me you are.”
“Why inn keeper, what has happened?” Kort asked.
“Many have been stricken by a malady since the sign in the sky,” the inn keeper said. “Some have stayed home while others flocked to the Temple of Inrog, god of the hunt.”
Beret realized that it was a temple of the new gods. He noticed that Misara appeared distressed by what the inn keeper had said.
Revik looked at all of them and spoke, “The plague is spreading.”
“Then I must visit those who stayed home,” Misara said.
Beret became alarmed by what Misara had just said. “You cannot heal all of them,” Beret said to her.
For the first time since they left Torinth, Misara looked straight into Beret’s eyes. It was once again the eyes of the woman she fell in love with years ago, the gentle eyes that revealed compassion. She looked at Beret for a moment longer as if trying to reassure him that all will be well and that he need not worry. His heart felt torn between his concern for Misara and his desire to honor her wishes.
“Then I ask that you rest tonight,” Beret said to her. “And let me come with you tomorrow.”
Misara remained silent. Beret took this to mean that she had agreed to his request.
“I will join you tomorrow as well,” Kort said. Beret nodded at Kort.
“Please show us our chambers,” Beret told the inn keeper.