Into the cave they went and down into the cold earth. The sun's light soon faded behind them and was replaced by a sphere of light. Varsus and several of his men were trained to wield the sun spirit, and orbs of light appeared in their hands. They illuminated the passages ahead of them and allowed them to move on. Even so, it was bitterly chilly, and Relma didn't like it at all.

"Why are there so many in your group with a connection to the Sun Spirit?" asked Estela. As she walked, she adjusted her cloak.

"It is a useful trait to have in war," said Varsus. "So I give higher wages to anyone who can wield them. William has always had a head for that kind of thing."

"All of you stay close to the lights," said Ajax, at the head of the group, voice a light growl. "And don't look too deeply into the darkness. The Road of Ancient Stone is connected to the world of turmoil and hells. Passages change and shift.

"Keep on as you go." Something moved in the dark, and Relma looked after it. Then she remembered Ajax's warning and looked away. She wished she weren't so curious.

"We may be followed," said Aunt Pan, falling to the back, her staff tapping little echoes against the floor. "Give me a moment; then, we'll continue." As the last of their company passed them, Aunt Pan raised a hand and channeled something. The passageway behind them shuddered and blurred, and there was a grinding noise. A moment later, all light from the sun was gone. They were now in utter darkness, save for the spheres created by the power of the sun spirit.

Aunt Pan turned back to them, her face a bit white.

"Aunt Pan, what did you do?" asked Relma.

"I shifted the passages around a little," said Aunt Pan. As she spoke, she shuddered and nearly dropped her staff. "We should not have to concern ourselves with them." They walked back to the front, where everyone had halted.

"You shifted the passages?" asked Ajax, sounding impressed, having. "I've never been able to manage that."

"You have," said Aunt Pan, leaning against a wall. "Walking through the Road of Ancient Stone is as much a spiritual journey as a physical one. You've probably been carving your own path unintentionally. You just did it so long that a routine was created, and you made the same path by reflex."

"I found my way through the first time just fine," said Ajax. Then he led them on.

For a while, they walked in the dark. None of them talked; it didn't seem the kind of place where talking was wise. Varsus made sure no one fell behind as Ajax led them on. Eventually, they came to a crossroads, and he kneeled to touch the ground. He sniffed.

"What is it?" asked Relma.

"A large contingent of satyrs passed through here," said Ajax. "The stink of them is still here. No one I know, though. These are of a different kind."

"Ajax, you know the satyrs, don't you?" said Relma.

"Yes," said Ajax. "Why?"

"That army we killed was huge, and we've killed more of them outside," said Relma. "And now there are more roaming these halls. How can there be so many?"

"Satyrs have a short lifecycle," said Ajax. "They are physically mature at the age of ten and most rarely see fifty. Satyr women are expected to have as many children as possible. And those who are barren become priestesses of their gods and perform sacrifices.

"They don't have marriages or mates. Children are conceived in ritual orgies."

"How did you learn all this?" asked Estela. "I mean, do you know satyrs?"

"I've known the clans in this area for years," said Ajax, continuing his march. "But that's all the moot point. I've never smelled any satyr clan like this. Most of them use distinctive forms of makeup that I can tell them by.

"Not these."

"This is absurd," said Reginald suddenly.

"What is?" asked Relma.

"Why has Gel Carn let these animals grow up repeatedly?" asked Reginald. His hand was on his sword, and he looked furious.

"What would you do, Reginald?" asked Varsus.

"Invade the Black Marshes and purge them all," said Reginald. "Wipe them out and take the land for humanity. Our forefathers did that in Antion, Escor, and Haldren."

"That is all easy to say, but I expect it would be far more difficult than that, Reginald," said Varsus. Reaching out, he grabbed Reginald's hand and drew it away. "Besides, the land is a disease-ridden cesspit."

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"Permanent solutions are better than stop-gap measures," said Reginald. "And the marshes could be filled in."

"The satyrs came to the Black Marshes after the death of Anoa IX," said Aunt Pan. "In those days, Gel Carn was in absolute chaos. While Harlenor was tearing itself apart, the satyrs grew in number.

"Gel Carn is not as strong as you think, Reginald. It is still recovering from the devastation of endless war. And the Demon Lord Adrianeth is a threat to the south.

"And genocide is never something to be sought."

"I think I like the idea," muttered Fayn, which was pretty typical for her.

"Fayn?" asked Relma, feeling horrified more out of habit than surprise.

"We could get the armies of Antion down here and move in," said Fayn. "Ajax and his wolves could act as our guide, and we could root them out once and for all."

"I wouldn't help you, even if I thought it would work. No offense," said Ajax.

"They're just animals," scoffed Fayn.

"So are you," noted Ajax.

"I wouldn't support it either," said Estela. "It wouldn't be right to kill children."

"What do you think happens in war?" asked Reginald. "Every time a village gets burned down, children die. Plenty more get separated from their parents and sold into slavery."

"Just because it happens doesn't make it right," said Estela. Relma wondered if she'd say the same thing about her hated enemies in Escor. People weren't always consistent, after all.

"Quiet, all of you, we're coming to a place where the passages intersect," said Ajax. "And I smell many other passages. Varsus order the men to hold up.

"Only a few of us should go ahead."

"Hold," said Varsus to his men. Then he dimmed his sphere. "Who would you recommend?"

"I'll go ahead of the group myself," said Ajax, rolling his shoulders as if working out a kink. "Pandora, come with me."

"When did he start giving the orders?" muttered Reginald.

"He does know the terrain," said Varsus.

Relma suddenly had an impulse. A sense that she had to do something very important here. So she stepped forward. "I'm going with you."

"Fine, come on," said Ajax.

"No, you will not," said Aunt Pan. "I sense... something. A terrible presence."

"Please, Aunt Pan," said Relma. "I feel I have to see this."

Aunt Pan met her gaze and held it for a moment. At last, she sighed. "...Very well."

So, the three of them crept forward through the passages. Aunt Pan used a more subtle light to illuminate their path this time so they could barely see outlines. Soon enough, they found other passages, joined this one, and found broken shoes and bits of leather. At last, they came into a vast open chamber, and before them, down a slope, was a vast army of satyrs. They stretched out on and on, and Relma was stunned.

Ajax pulled her down beneath some stones, and they looked out over the silent army. They stood deathly still, so Relma wondered if they were statues. And yet more were marching from other passages. They were shorter than those Relma had fought and thicker of the body with paler skin. Their beards were cut short and were neater. They wielded spears to the man and had huge shields.

"I've never seen so many satyrs in one place," said Relma, feeling a sense of awe. She'd never seen this many people of any kind in one place. "How did such numbers gather?"

"I remember that some small clans went into the mountains some years ago. They said they were obeying the will of Lucius in some pilgrimage," said Ajax, sniffing the air. "I led them a way in but parted ways once we crossed into Smyngoth's Mountain. I won't go in there, but they did.

"I'd always figured they'd died off."

"How long ago was this?" asked Relma.

"Seventy years, I think," said Ajax.

"They are different from most satyrs," said Aunt Pan. "They are shorter and broader of body. Like dwarves." Her tone was concerned, and she seemed to be afraid of something.

"Not nearly so small," noted Ajax. "They walk with a stoop instead."

And then, something appeared atop a great stone at the far end of the cavern. It was hard to describe. It was like a void with a cloak wrapped around it. Nothing could be seen beneath the hood, but not in the sense that nothing was there. It was Nothing in a very final sense.

"What is that?" asked Relma.

Aunt Pan had gone white. "Lucius."

The cloaked nothingness raised a single-robed hand, and a gauntlet emerged. As he did, the satyrs broke into howls and cheers. Their spears were raised in a deafening noise.

"My children!" called Lucius. "You have given your lives in the name of the unborn god! You have sent your children into the fire in the name of Melchious! You have slashed and killed in the name of the Withering!

"For generations, you have bred within the underworld, preparing for the day of return!

"Now we stand upon the threshold of a great opportunity! The last domain of the Dust Elves in the west now lies above us! They know nothing of our coming, and we will give them no time to know!

"Go now! Rise above the ground! Bring forth the wrath of Lucius upon the Dusk Lands!"

"Blood for the unborn god!" called someone, perhaps a leader. "Blood for Zigildrazia! Blood for Melchious! BLOOD FOR THE ANCESTOR!"

"BLOOD FOR THE ANCESTOR!!" screamed the satyrs.

"We've got to get back to Varsus," said Aunt Pan. "This army cannot be allowed to reach the Dusk Lands."

"How could we stop it?" asked Ajax. "We'll have to go through here. They'll just set a rearguard and keep us back while they head on through." So, even if they fought them, they might not succeed. And it would be a death sentence.

And this was it — the critical moment. Relma felt she was about to do something incredibly stupid, but it was the only way to draw off the army. And she knew that her chance to act would be gone if she did not act now.

"Ajax, go back ahead to Varsus. Now," said Relma.

"Why-"began Ajax.

And then Relma stood up and raised Lightning Trail into the air. It flared to brilliant light to engulf the entire chamber, so the satyrs drew back. Relma took this to be a mark of approval. Lucius, however, stood still, looking on what might have been bemusement. "Hear me Lucius, I am the Heir of Kings, and I set my will against you!"

Dead silence. If this worked, they'd all charge after Relma. These passages were all chokepoints, so Varsus would be able to stalemate them. And Fayn's abilities would be that much more effective. If they dragged the battle out long enough, the satyrs would probably lose cohesion. At the very least, they could beat a fighting retreat and delay the invasion.

Lucius raised a hand, and the light of Lightning Trail lessened as Relma felt a terrible chill. The satyr's eyes seemed to glow as they advanced. Then Lucius motioned, and all light from the sword was quenched. Only the light of Aunt Pan's sphere remained. "...Send a contingent after them. The rest of you carry on with the march."

There was howling, and part of the force broke off to charge at them. Relma, Ajax, and Aunt Pan made a run for it.

"Relma, you idiot!" said Ajax.

Relma was not sure what she had accomplished. But she hoped it would work out for the best.