The gaze of every Xerith in Aerie was on the east, fixed on a place they couldn’t physically see. Every one of them could feel the tremendous magical energies that were unleashed, and thus, all of them felt the need to kill whatever unleashed it. It was the singular reason for their creation. In a dark chamber far underground, two of the shapeshifters considered their options.

  “We’ve failed if we allowed a sorcerer of this power to live,” the High Executor said.

  “How did it evade us?” the First asked.

  Knowing that this was a rhetorical question, the High Executor waited silently in the dark room for the orders of its superior.

  The weight of the First’s consciousness settled on the High Executor. “Recall all our brethren in Aldon except those most vital to maintain our interests. We will convene here for the hunt. You will lead the Executors to Stonekeep and destroy the sorcerer responsible for this.”

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  “Yes, Our First,” the High Executor said confidently. Its confidence was born of experience and cunning. It had never failed.

  “Also, dispatch a swift messenger to our temple in Mithram. Tell them to accelerate our plans there. The church in Mithram is exempt from the recall. They will need their numbers to remain high,” the First hissed out.

  “As you command, Our First,” the High Executor said as it quickly turned and left.

  The First seethed with malice. Maybe it had erred in its manipulations for all these years. It considered carefully. No, it had not erred. Aldon was finally within its grasp. Yes. It was time that the Xerith took steps to replace the men of power in this world. It finally had the numbers and the right placements to do it, and now was the time for bold action.

  “We will rule all of Aldon as soon as the sorcerer is crushed.”

  Only the darkness witnessed the threat.