For What Comes Next

Malika nodded slowly. "Very well." Her voice hardened. "What be next... Reliath?" She stumbled over the holy man's name, unaccustomed to addressing one of the clergy so casually.

"That... what did you call it? Malylech? That Malylech. Why were we unable to defeat it, despite the power of our weapons? Why was it able to injure me so? And what happened to you when you faced it down? Morduth called it a Gorgon, but I know not what that means. All I know is that we had no effect on it, and it nearly destroyed us."

She looked at Reliath expectantly, but the holy man himself appeared troubled by her bombardment of questions.

Mistress, Morduth spoke up. It is entirely possible that the Orthael himself does not know what happened. I certainly do not. Never have I faced a foe I could not vanquish in battle. I am as troubled as he by the outcome of that fight. There is more at play here than we know -- and the stakes may well be higher than we realize.

Malika could only sigh and wait for Reliath to answer.