by John Migacz
CHAPTER 3
It was past dusk when Dieya sensed the node. He glided through the forest, silent as the mist created by the falling rain. A small jewel on the side of his right temple pulsed bright red. Occasionally pausing like a creature catching a drifting scent, he would close his eyes and spread his arms wide. He moved silently forward, gradually becoming aware of the dwindling sounds of the night. As the sounds of the insects and nocturnal creatures faded toward silence, he knew he was near. The rain dripping from his black cloak fell soundlessly, as if it too were fearful. A break in the forest opened onto a small meadow – a meadow even the rain seemed to shun.
A frown creased his forehead as his intense blue eyes narrowed in concentration. He slowed his pace, spread his arms and stepped forward cautiously. He jerked suddenly like a blind man sensing a cliff before him. The node couldn’t be seen with the naked eye and would stay invisible until it gained power. Lowering his arms, he moved sideways. Several times he approached the meadow to gauge the node’s proportions. It was oval in shape and approximately fifty feet across. He grunted. It wasn’t as large or as strong as he had feared. In the daylight he knew it would look like a commonplace meadow, but all living creatures would instinctively avoid the area.
He stood in the darkness and considered his options. Then, with the assurance of a man who has just made a decision, he strode quickly away from the clearing. When the sounds of the night returned, he removed the gem from his temple and replaced it in his amulet. He glanced back toward the meadow one last time.
A dark node here on Ravar. There would be more.
He clenched his fists with foreboding.
Shaking off his anger, he fingered the jewels on his wrist amulet. A blue glow surrounded Dieya for a moment, then he vanished.