Sean pushed Nathan to the side abruptly.  "Get away!" the swordsman ordered, his eyes riveted to the horizon.
    Nathan managed to get to his feet, though he kept his distance.  "What is it?" he asked, more than a little irritated.
    Sean didn't move, instead gesturing his sword in the general direction of the horizon to indicate what he was upset about.  Nathan's gaze followed, and he spotted a group of creatures approaching quickly.  Sean's previously jovial mood was shattered, replaced instead with intense concentration.  To the warrior, Nathan had ceased to exist.
    The creatures moved in with the same rapidity they had displayed the day before, travelling much faster than they could reasonably be given credit for.  They did not attack - instead they stayed out of Sean's range, in a wide circle which Nathan was included in.
    "Get away!!"  Sean hissed, his gaze following the circle of attackers.
    Nathan backed away from Sean slowly, and the creatures let him pass through their circle unharmed - as he thought they would.  Gazing back, he saw Sean gritting his teeth, and waiting.
    Another creature, standing a full yard taller than its fellow monstrosities, walked slowly up the Axis Road toward where Sean had staged himself.  The other creatures emitted a low humming sound, which almost seemed to convey a sense of respect... of...
    ... leader ...
    Nathan found himself taken aback... had they spoken?  He was certain they hadn't....  But he had understood them nonetheless.  Curiously, but with a growing sense of dread, he watched the events unfold.
    The leader stepped through the circle, slowly moving toward Sean.  Low rumbles emanated from it, obviously directed toward the swordsman.  Again, Nathan found he was almost able to understand what was being communicated.
    ... Dark One ...  ... Cannot abide ... ... They Command ... ... Begone From This Place ...
    The other creatures hummed again, this time in assent with their leader.
    ... So Shall It Be Done ...
    With that, the other creatures backed away into a larger circle, nearly out to where Nathan himself was standing.  The leader of the creatures stalked toward Sean slowly, waiting for his response.
    Sean spoke through clenched teeth.  "I will not leave." he declared, springing forward with his sword in hand.  The leader dodged more quickly than anyone present could have anticipated, swinging his tail around and knocking Sean aside.  The swordsman staggered, but managed to stay on his feet, though it appeared that he might not for a few moments.  The leader circled slowly, apparently waiting for his opponent to regain his balance.
    Sean eyed the creature warily, keeping opposite it as they moved.  He had made a mistake, rushing the attack.  Apparently this one was more agile than the others had been.  The circling continued for an extended period of time, when suddenly the leader jumped forward.  Nathan himself jumped back in surprise without realizing it.  Sean dodged to the side, but only barely in time to avoid the behemoth bearing down on him.  The swordsman used his sudden advantage to strike, but only managed a single slice before the creature spun and again attacked with its tail, knocking Sean to the ground once more.
    The warrior struggled to his feet, looking dazed.  The arm not holding his sword hung limply at his side, in all likelihood broken.  If he was feeling any pain, his face did not betray it.  Sean seemed as intent as ever, circling his adversary again.
    It was Sean who attacked first that time, feinting first to one side in an attempt to fool the creature.  The leader was not fooled, however, and dodged Sean's actual attack.  It moved forward suddenly, one of its horns tearing into the warrior's side.  An anguished scream arose from Sean, who was thrown to the ground brutally.
    Nathan felt himself growing numb.  He had to do something!  This was the man that had saved his life, rescued him!  He wanted to move, but felt himself rooted to the spot.  There was nothing he could do.
    Sean coughed raggedly, blood trailing from his mouth.  His hand clenched on his sword, he slowly pulled himself up into a semi-standing position.  Blood soaked the lower half of his body, and was flowing off the road and seeping into the dry wasteland.  The leader watched impassively, and then began to emit low noises, as it had before.
    ... Begone ...  ... Will Be Spared ...
    Spitting blood from his mouth, Sean gurgled his reply.  "Never!"
    Holding his sword before him in both hands, Sean began to chant in a language foreign to Nathan.  "Coreiasan... Talainth... Fresiq... Noren... En Enneniqui Kolith, Ynnil Resen."
    It suddenly seemed as though there was no warmth in the air surrounding Nathan.  The light likewise began to drain from the day, darkness overflowing from the shadows and seeping into every corner of his vision.  Sean seemed to grow somehow, to become somehow more there than he had been before.  The sword leapt from the warrior's hand faster than Nathan's eye could register, and embedded itself in the head of the leader.
    Then all was as it had been.  The light was normal, and Nathan felt heat slowly returning to the air.  Sean lay on the ground, unmoving, next to the leader - also unmoving.  A moment of silence passed as the shock of whatever had just occurred drained from him.
    The creatures' heads raised up toward the sky as one, humming loudly.
    ... Our Leader ... ... Slain ...
    Then, slowly, one by one, the creatures' heads lowered, touching the ground.  They folded their legs up underneath them, as their humming began to trail off.
    ... Leader Has Gone ... ... We Shall Follow ...
    Silence once again spread throughout the wasteland, as though nothing else had ever been.  Nathan felt his initial numbness and shock change rapidly into panic as he saw the carnage around him.  He ran over to Sean, trying to not see the blood that pooled around the body, trying not to see the brownish ocre that leaked from the dead creature.  He bent down, fighting off his panic, his surety that something horrendous had occurred, looking over Sean quickly -
    Sean was not breathing.
    Something inside Nathan snapped, and he screamed suddenly, standing up and backing away from the body of the swordsman.  His screaming continued, louder, and he found himself unable to stop.  The volume of his cries increased, shutting everything else out - desperate yells to keep the madness away - his voice escalated until it seemed his throat would burst, his voice deafening, like the sound of the ocean roaring in his entire consciousness.
    The sound of the ocean rushed everything away.

    (Entrean Forest)
    "David, wake up." James said, shaking Nathan abruptly.  He awoke almost immediately, disoriented at the sight of this stranger.  Then his memory returned.  This was no stranger - this was James.  Which would make the sleeping lump concealed by blankets Eli.  His companions from the tavern in New Janoris.  Such disorientation unnerved him - and it had been happening a lot lately.  Slowly, he began to get to his feet when James objected.  "No, sit, sit.  It's not time for your watch just yet."
    "Then why am I awake?" Nathan inquired, still trying to shake the sleepiness from himself.
    "I need to talk to you about something." James said, sitting next to his weary companion.
    "Yes?"  Nathan said, unable to shake a feeling of dread.  Whatever this was going to be, he probably wasn't going to like it.
    James hesitated.  "I suppose there's no subtle way to ask this... who are you really?"
    Nathan felt a heavy weight in the pit of his stomach.  Obviously his cover story hadn't been inventive enough.  His mind raced for a moment to try to think of a way out - and then he made a decision.  He wasn't going to lie.
    "My name is Nathan Tallows.  I suppose it's obvious where I'm from." he said, hoping for the best, but tensed for the worst. His sword was three feet to his left, and if he needed it, he might be able to get to it before a strike was dealt....
    James breathed a sigh of relief.  "That's what I thought.  Gerald, the disagreeable man back in Janoris, told me as much the night I met you.  I didn't believe him at first, but I've been watching you these past few days.  You don't carry yourself like someone who's been on the road all his life."
    "So what will you do now?"  Nathan said, not willing to believe that all was going to continue as normal.
    "Well, nothing."  James said.  "I'll share the news with Eli in the morning, and that will be that.  You're a good man Dav- Nathan.  Aside from keeping your identity from us, you've done us no wrong.  You even fought alongside us when the brigands attacked...."
    That had been an episode that Nathan remembered - thieves had come upon them in the night, and Nathan had been the one to alert the rest of them to the threat.  It had unnerved him, but nobody had actually been killed.  They had frightened the thieves away, and had posted watches ever since.
    "But tell me"  James continued, after a moment of silence.  "Is what Gerald said that night true?  Were you sent out in search of the Spire?"
    Nathan nodded.  "Yes.  After we arrive at the Scholar's city, I'm heading onward... toward the Near Zone."
    "I thought you would.  That is what Gerald had told me, and that is what I had heard myself, on many an occasion.  It was a cruel thing for your father to do... to send you on this quest."  James commented, looking at the campfire instead of at Nathan.
    "My father did not do this.  I decided to take the pilgrimage."
    "You decided it?"  James looked incredulously at his companion.  "It's suicide though... everyone knows that.  About that part, Gerald was right."  He stopped considering.  "You must have a pretty strong reason."
    "I do."  Nathan said flatly.  His mind turned toward Whitney...  who had by now found herself in the arms of Nathan's ogre of a brother Donovan.  He shuddered to think of it.
    James merely nodded.  "You don't need to tell me about it... I can see it in your eyes.  You're doing it for the oldest of reasons, but still the best of reasons.  Love."  James smiled and stood up.  "I have no such noble aims, my friend.  I would journey with you to the Spire, if I did not have a life here to lead.  I will go to the Scholar's city, and then I shall return to my homeland and tell them what I have learned."  Here he paused.  "But you... you're the real hero.  I'm going to do nothing.  You're going to save us all."  With that, he walked to the other side of the fire and laid down in his own bedding.  Moments later, he was asleep, leaving Nathan to his watch.