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Chapter 15

Author: M.J. Ryder
last update Last Updated: 2022-06-22 14:05:33
It didn't take long for them to eat their makeshift breakfast. As soon as they'd gathered their few possessions they set off at pace on towards the Lake, pushing hard despite the protests of their aching legs. While Aaron's sight had been rather worryingly hampered by the recent turn of events, knowing where Phae was headed made things somewhat easier.

They continued on for much of the morning until their path brought them to the edge of the forest that marked the Lake's surrounds. As they drew nearer, they saw the first of the withered trees.

Lena gasped. "Oh my goodness!"

"What is it?" Aaron asked.

"That tree: it's dead!"

"It's worse than dead," Callum added. "It's like it's had every last ounce of life sucked out of it."

"And there's another one behind it look," Lena pointed, "And another. It's a trail!" She gasped and turned to face Callum. "You don't think Phae's responsible for this do you?"

Callum struggled to keep a neutral expression. "I don't know," he said. The cold
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  • The Darkest Hour   Chapter 16

    In the long dark of her endless half-sleep, Phae drifted helplessly on her way.The countryside rushed past beneath her feet. Up ahead the dark mage rode swiftly onwards, a long thick piece of rope trailing from his horse back to where she floated behind him, the rope tied with a thick knot round her waist. Wherever it was the dark mage planned to take her next, he sure was in a hurry."Don't look so miserable girl you should count yourself lucky I'm not making you walk!"Phae remained silent. She didn't know what to say. She never knew what to say anymore. She had already learnt that the mage knew her father. Of course, she knew the stories of how her parents had met and had defeated the evil schemes of the dark mage Varrus, but this couldn't beHer thoughts trailed off as up ahead the dark mage allowed his horse to slow and she found herself drifting closer towards him.The dark mage drew to a halt. As he did so, Phae floated past him only to be jerked back by the strong rope.

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  • The Darkest Hour   Chapter 17

    The weeks passed slowly. With each day Phae slipped further from their grasp. They travelled further than they'd ever travelled together as a group before from the first rays of dawn through each day and then well into the night. Fortune favoured them slightly at least on their journey south they made a brief detour back to Keln where Callum borrowed a cart and a pair of horses from the generous village folk. But however hard they pushed, and however far they travelled, Phae still seemed to be slipping away. Her trail was now almost impossible to follow, and with each passing day Aaron found his task that much harder than the day before. They barely spoke as they travelled each member of the party lost in his or her own thoughts as high above them a black spot stained the sky, masking a small part of the sun. They made camp that night just as they always did; Callum wandered off in search of firewood while Aaron arranged their meal and Lena tended to their horses. All of a sudden,

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  • The Darkest Hour   Chapter 18

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  • The Darkest Hour   Chapter 19

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  • The Darkest Hour   Chapter 20

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  • The Darkest Hour   Chapter 21

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  • The Darkest Hour   Chapter 23

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  • The Darkest Hour   Chapter 46

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