The darkness of the tunnel was strangely deceptive. It seemed, on the face of it, absolutely. To a human eye, it would be. But to a rahken, darkness was just a different kind of light.
Feloth ran as swiftly as it was able. He was a mere messenger, but he was as gifted as any young rahken. It saw much, and where darkness was at its heaviest, it used scent to guide its path.
The message was too important to dally.
It ran on, onto the fifth of the caverns it was to visit. Since the battle at their ancient home, home once to Roth, and its parents, messengers had been sent to every corner of Lianthre, warning the rahken nation of the war to come. They would be prepared, and Feloth would not fail in its duty.
It knew nothing of the geas. That knowledge was reserved for the elders. But it knew of duty, and love. It had love for Fenore and Ludec, Roth’s parents, the elders of its home. The ancient pact with the wizard, the red wizard, whose name is lost to the ages, but perhaps not to the rahkens, would remain a secret until the end.
But a war could not be fought in secret.
The rahkens would rise.
Kull, Baanth and Ulrioth ran the eastern, western and northern passageways. Feloth ran the south. So far, there had been few obstacles of import, some cavern dwellers to be dealt with, and twice falls in the passages that necessitated overland detours. But the rahken messenger had not been detected.
In the meantime, the rahken had discovered that the Protectorate had not moved against the nation while they remained in their caverns. How long that would last, Feloth did not know. But no rahken would die surprised. Soon, they would all be ready.