The decision is quickly taken that Dismet must reach Curevar at Niole Dra and retain the Crown of Loramas. This item will give her primal and sorcerous maturity and will also aid in the discovery of her mate. King Mandrigan and Solman decide that their direction lies south and back to their shattered capital. Their parting is brief but friendly.

The party push west through the broken land. The world groans upon the verge of extinction - only the birth of Dismet's child can save it. The responsibility hangs heavily around her shoulders, despite assurances from Anstran and Hyuga about her safety. Luther experiences the disturbing affects of the previous events as his power words cause disastrous side effects to the surrounding area. As they move they experience Greyhawk in the throes of agony.

Two days later they reach a grove where the bodies of ten druids lie in a perfect circle. Apart from a small hole in their chests there is no indication of violence. They move on to discover fields of cattle lying dead. Some of the deaths are the result of showers of meteors whilst some show no signs of disturbance. Dismet soon discovers that the very earth itself has been changed during the catastrophic slaughter of the Primal Battle. The immediate area around the battlefield is a hideously contaminated primal nightmare and they hurry away as fast as they can.

One morning the party are startled by Hyuga's loud gasp. Skarvik's sword - a trophy from their past duel - and a portable temple to the god, suddenly turns to dust and vanishes. They all feel the terrible implications. Skarvik's plane - like all the outer planes, has been consumed by the Maelstrom and the god is dead. Soon, they surmise, it will be Isulan's turn. Anstran leads the party onwards, the sound of his ironic laughter punctuating an otherwise miserable morning.

Before long they come upon a wayside tavern. The scene is horrific. Twenty dead horses litter the ground and within is an even more gruesome sight. The floor is drenched with blood and the heads of the inhabitants lie upon each table. A small boy sits outside, his face tortured with madness. A bloody cleaver lies beside him and he repeats a phrase like a litany: "I am the reaper - I am death - I am Hyuga..."

The party continue onwards.

Two more days pass and they wander into the ruins of a Skarvik temple. Priests lie dead in all directions, flung out by some massive explosion. It confirms their theory concerning the fate of the god. Hyuga grins with grim satisfaction as he discovers each priest bears a facial scar identical to the wound he delivered in the copse before the Primal Battle.

Later they reach a desolate village. A large earthquake scar lies down the centre of the main road and there are no villagers to be seen anywhere. A lone figure is spotted in the main square. It is an old sorcerer who kneels as if in prayer. Closer inspection reveal the old man's eyes and tongue to be burnt out and he whimpers in his own private madness. Hyuga cuts him down mercifully.

Outside the village, along a quiet leafy lane, they greet a young Shield Land knight who cradles his dead Skarvikian wife in his arms and sobs inconsolably. They leave the poor man and head further west. Luther doubles back and comes upon the knight from the shadows. His demonic torture has changed him and he drinks the soul of the unfortunate man before he can react. The problem of contamination is a problem so Luther slices up the young man, prepares the flesh and offers it to his companions. Although suspicious of the meat's origin they all eat heartily...

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