268
Gwynian ushers you through into an adjoining chamber where floating bulbs of light illuminate a stone table covered with charts and scrolls.
‘What news have you of Sommerlund?’ you ask anxiously.
‘Grave news,’ replies Gwynian, with an ominous tone. He picks up a chart from the table and traces a finger across the intricate lines and calculations that embellish its ancient yellowed surface.
‘The Dark God Naar has opened a Shadow Gate in the Durncrag Mountains, a corridor between our world and his. By means of this corridor he has sent a host of winged creatures—the Lavas—to assail your monastery. It is his plan to destroy the young order of Kai warriors while you are not able to lead them. The Shadow Gate opened at the time of the last full moon and, since then, the Kai Monastery has been attacked many times. Naar’s servants have your stronghold encircled and cut off from the armies of King Ulnar, who has repeatedly sought to break the siege. Your Kai have withstood the attacks well, Lone Wolf, but they are weakening. Only you can save them now.’
‘But how?’ you ask, shaken by Gwynian’s account of the events which have occurred during your absence from the monastery. ‘If the armies of King Ulnar are powerless to break the siege, how can I hope to save my brethren?’
‘Do not despair, Lone Wolf,’ replies Gwynian, reassuringly. ‘All is not yet lost. You can save your brave order by closing the gate through which Naar sends his Lavas minions.’
You are about to ask how you could possibly achieve this, how you could close the Shadow Gate, but your urgent question is forestalled when Gwynian raises his hand.
‘Patience for just a moment, Lone Wolf,’ he says and he allows himself a smile. ‘I, humble Gwynian, possess the means by which you can thwart the Dark God’s murderous plan.’
