Darkin: The Prophecy of the Key (The Darkin Saga Book 2) by Joseph Turkot Read Free Book Online Page A

rent with flames,” spoke the druid. Erguile noticed a mysterious quality about the druid’s voice; he sounded like a lullaby, yet projected throughout the entire chamber with ease. Erguile also thought he saw a faint glow, an aura, surrounding the druid—it weaved in and out of focus, but when Erguile concentrated hard, he definitely saw it: a soft hue, the color of jade stone.
    “For those of you who do not know my name, it is Peren Flowerpath. I am a friend to all who would fight the evil pressing in from the north, and a voice of the druid people.”
    “Was the druid city destroyed?” whispered Erguile.
    “There were several. And yes.” Flaer replied.
    “My task is to offer the collective information we have gained about Vesleathren’s war march, which heads south this very hour for Wallstrong.” The audience roared in protest, and many shouted Zesm’s name; some claimed Zesm to be the commander of the Feral Brood, yet others confirmed Peren’s claim. Seemingly aware of the clatter he had caused, Peren immediately silenced the disruption with his soft but booming voice:
    “Friends, I know there is speculation that Zesm , whom some may know as theRancor , is at work in the Feral Brood Army, or may have usurped Vesleathren. I will not dismiss your opinions. I only give you what we are sure of—and no evidence convinces us that Vesleathren has been slain or thwarted as commander of the Feral force. We truly cannot say, but we know that a force such as Vesleathren should not be unaccounted for. If Zesm leads the death march, then so be it. We shall know it when we see his face in battle upon the hills. We will not believe anything has changed until that time is come.”
    Peren’s response seemed to be enough to ease the anxieties of the audience. The chatter died down, and the people patiently awaited his next words.
    “As you know, in the decades since the end of the Five Country War, there has been tranquility in Hemlin, even whilst Grelion turned dark the fate of Arkenshyr with his slave circuit. Our tranquility is now but a vestige of history; three of our greatest cities have already been destroyed.” Again the audience cried out in tumult, voicing their personal disagreement with Peren’s statement:
    “Hemlin forsook its neighbor!”
    “Hemlin is responsible for the treachery!”
    “You had your peace as we rotted under Grelion’s corruption!”
    Erguile noticed the calm aura around the druid flare. It seemed Peren knew the sentiment his statement would rouse, and he soothed the unrest of his audience:
    “Friends, the history of the Five Country War cannot be unmade. We can, however, learn from it and account for this returned evil. As a result of the long peace after the war, Hemlin never rebuilt its militias, nor reformed a unified army. It is no surprise then that we were left utterly helpless to defend ourselves. Thusly, with great speed darkness forsook the whole of Hemlin.”
    “Peace for you perhaps!” shouted a woman in front. “My three children were taken from me, turned to slaves, while I was forced into hiding for fear of death!”
    “As were mine!” an old man spat into the air, harnessing the woman’s hostility and directing it at Peren. Peren’s aura rippled, wavered, reformed.
    “This is not easy. I am not attempting to absolve Hemlin of guilt. I wish to represent the situation as it currently exists. Please, let me continue, so that you may know the state of our country, and the world.”
    “But what of that monster now? Is he to be absolved of his crimes!” shouted a dryad, whom to Erguile appeared like a delicate elfling. Then, to his surprise, he noticed a translucent pair of thin wings neatly folded behind her arched shoulders; Erguile decided to himself that he would no longer be shocked by the strange folk he observed—it seemed anything was possible in the world outside of the slave farm.
    “Yea! We want justice for Grelion! He’s the greatest villain! To think