Chapter 394 The Missing Piece (1/2)
Arran rushed through the rough landscape in ahis injured body to its lier The th, and he had no desire to discover the full extent of this new enemy's power
As he ran, htning that tore through trees and rocks alike, and seething balls of fire that set the very ground aflaration, however, relying on his Sense to dodge the attacks before they hit
He did not glance backward as he ran,the destruction behind hith had increased over the past month, he still had no delusions about the outcoht someone as powerful as this
But while he couldn't er in battle, he could outrun the e, after all, but a ether with his coave him a speed that few others could h that a gap soon appeared between hiic to cross, the stranger seeration behind Arran finally cah of relief when he heard the thunderous roar of destruction fade away, but noShadoeapon's Sense that the stranger was still in pursuit, and even without that, he wouldn't be so foolish as to assume he was out of harm's way yet
As the sun fell below the horizon and the harsh landscape was covered in darkness, Arran continued to run as fast as he could, his figure no ht as he cut his way across the wilderness
He paused for neither rest nor thought Both those things could wait until he was truly safe Instead, he ran through the night, relying on his Sense to guide the way
Twice during the night, he Sensed Blightspawn in the distance — s under a dozen of the creatures Though these groups posed no threat to Arran, he avoided the to waste even the moments it would take to defeat them
Only when dawn arrived and the sun bathed the wilderness in its golden glow did Arran finally co shelter a the air as he inspected his injuries
His wounds weren't as bad as he expected Although he had suffered several broken ribs and bruises covered much of his body, it seemed that between the protection of a Shadow shi+eld and his starh to do no serious dah to cause hiic, even a Grandle attack Yet the stranger had done so, and he had done it with apparent ease
ThatGrandth, and likely surpassed even that An Arches ran wild in the Desolation…
Arran frowned, then shook his head
He could not believe that Archht in the Desolation If they were, the Iers and co ons — as futile as it was cruel
And while he could believe the cruelty, the futility was a different hts on the Imperium, he did not think the Darians would waste their people so carelessly Not if the sacrifice would be for naught
Yet Arran did not believe that the encounter had been h just to find norer was the only of its kind, then the coincidence was one that stretched credulity
There had to be a different explanation, he thought But for all the thought he gave the question, he ca an answer
Whatever the case, he had no tih he suspected that his attacker had long since given up the chase, he had little desire to put that suspicion to the test
After he finished inspecting his wounds, he ate a hurrieddown more dried meat and fruits in a matter of minutes than most people could eat in half a week
As he finished the last of the bland food, a wistful smile crossed his face when he reh most of the luxury there had been wasted on hi his own cooks
But there was no point in longing for the past, and he set off again soon after, traveling at a pace only slightly slower than the one he'd kept while fleeing the stranger
Tih the wilderness with its endless crags and woodlands, but for all the htspawn Frorew rarer the further one traveled from the Desolation
Arran briefly wondered why this ht be the case, but he'd only barely asked himself the question when he stumbled upon the answer
Shortly after noon, when the sun had just passed its highest point and was starting its slow descent toward the horizon, he Sensed a s in the distance
That alone would barely be worth his attention, but he knew iroup counted half a dozen Knights, andtheir nunized the sheer power of the group in the distance These people, though they nuh to ion, then it was a shtspawn at all
After a quick thought, he decided not to avoid them His presence in the wilderness was no secret, and he had already abandoned the idea of hiding his strength Instead, hethat it wouldn't be long before they discovered his approach
As expected, barely a e directions, their pace picking up as they moved toward him
Arran acted as if he didn't notice this, continuing forward until the Darians were alned a look of surprise — an easy task, given the power of the men and women before him
As he caned apprehension Heading the group were the two Lords, both dark-haired and rough-faced, their appearances siht be brothers Behind the Lords followed the Knights, half a dozen of the expressions that told they were ready for battle at any ht of Arran, one of the two Lords stepped forith a curious frown
”These are dangerous lands for a lone traveler,” thein a voice that ary but not unfriendly ”What brings you here?”
”I hoped to find ene,” Arran replied truthfully He shrugged, and continued, ”What I found exceeded ht's Watch”
”Hah!” The Lord laughed sharply, his expression one of a Blightspawn outside the Desolation? You're lucky to have escaped with your life Outside the Desolation, even a single Reaver is a er”
Arran frowned, then shook his head ”Reavers weren't what caused me to flee” He produced the two amulets he'd taken from the Reavers he'd slain and tossed the different out there Soerous”
Amusement fled the Lord's face in an instant, and after inspecting the arave ”What did you find?”
”I encountered a creature,” Arran began ”Or rather, a er, straying from the truth only where necessary to hide his secrets As he told it, the stranger's first attack had narrowlythe roar of destruction behind him as he ran
When Arran finished the story, the Lord gave a forceful curse ”A Warlock,” he grunted ”A damned Warlock, beyond the Desolation When did you ? And where?”
”Yesterday,” Arran said He described where he'd er — the Warlock, apparently — then asked, ”But what difference does it make whether it's in the Desolation or not?”
At this, the dark-haired Lord gave hier, you should—”
”I'er,” Arran interrupted him ”Not yet, at least”