Remnants

Chapter Seven

| Damian |

--*--

Rhys and I sprinted over to the northern edge of the camp where we met a large crowd of people. They focused on the raging blaze in the distance, their voices melding into an incoherent mess.

"What was that?" someone asked.

"Was it an enemy attack?" asked another.

I squeezed through the crowd and managed to make my way to the front. There, I saw the hulk of a man, Feodor, dressed in a thin, metal cuirass with his trusty longsword hanging from his waist.

"Alright!" His voice boomed over the crowd. "I need everyone to listen up!"

Almost immediately the crowd settled down and gave him its full attention.

"What's going on?" a man asked, breaking the brief silence.

"I kindly ask that you hold onto all questions. The time for answers will come soon enough. As of right now, you should all remain calm and allow us to handle the situation."

"And what exactly is the situation?" another voice echoed from the crowd.

"Yeah, we have the right to know!" another shouted.

Within seconds, the crowd's racket increased. Their voices clashed with one another as their bodies pushed up against each other.

"Everyone! You need to remain calm!" Feodor roared. "Further discord will only make matters worse!" The clamoring gradually died down, just long enough to allow him to continue speaking. "At the moment, we are not one hundred percent certain of what has occurred..."

He was interrupted yet again as a vast majority of the crowd erupted in heavy chatter. The remaining few muttered amongst themselves.

Feodor clenched his jaw and exhaled. I could see on his face – he was becoming irritated. "I assure you that we will get to the bottom of it, but in the meantime, our top priority is dealing with the fire. We ask that a few Fire and Water Divines assist us in doing so."

A brief silence fell upon the crowd. They all glanced at one another, their already frightened expression turning even more horrified.

"You can't be serious! You really expect us to go out into the forest?" Someone shouted out from the rear.

"Who knows what forms of monstrosity lurk about? Only a fool would risk his life going out there after the sun has set!" shouted another.

I felt Rhys push his way through the crowd, joining me at the front. He leaned in close. "Are you hearing this? They're all spineless cowards," he whispered.

My eyes never left Feodor. He tightened his grip on his sword and narrowed his eyes as he glared at the crowd. "Is there no one who would volunteer? Even as the threat is clearly visible to you all?"

"It's the Camp Guard's duty to handle such matters!" a voice echoed. "There's no reason for us to place our lives in danger."

Wow! Unbelievable!

Behind of Feodor stood a small group consisting of three men and one woman. The Camp Guard. They stood in absolute silence, staring at the crowd. I was sure they felt nothing but disgrace as they did, and I couldn't blame them.

I spotted Vince amongst them, and he spotted me. We exchanged a depressed look.

"Is this what we've been reduced to?" Feodor asked as he glared at the crowd. "Have we truly fallen so low that we no longer think of the collective, but only of ourselves?"