When they arrived a small crowd of concerned citizens were waiting for them. A thousand questions were volleyed at the group all at once. What had happened? Was it the horde? What was that screaming they had heard? What was that stench? Why had a whole patch of trees turned black and why was there smoke coming from the area? Why had Cirrimor told the Sentinals to keep the townspeople in the town and not to let anyone leave until he had returned. What was in that bag? Why had the druids from Stormtalon returned?
Shiawase found himself being pushed and jostled until he was ejected from the mass of upset elves out into the back of the crowd. Stormrage put his hands up and the entire group grew silent.
"This is a matter for us Druids. The danger is taken care of, don't worry yourselves about it. We came here only to make sure that events ended properly. The threat was over by the time we had touched down."
"But what threat was it?"
"There was a corruption in the forest. The corruption is now gone and won't be back."
"It's because of the Lumber camp!"
"The land is turning against us!"
Every inch of Shia's body was exhausted. He couldn't stand and listen to the villager's panicking without growing nervous himself, and so he turned to slip away and get some rest.
"Deeproots!" Cirrimor had spotted the younger druid trying to leave and beckoned him back towards the crowd. "There's something we have to discuss with you."
The druids pushed their way out of the crowd and retreated to the town meeting house. Stormrage turned to them as they tried to press into the building.
"This is personal business. Afterwards I'll explain things to you all in detail, but for now don't get in the way of us doing our jobs."
Before waiting for a response from the crowd he had closed and locked the door behind him.
Shiawase was bid to sit. The three other druids sat across from him. The set up looked too much like a trial for Shia's comfort.
"Now, brother Shiawase, there are some questions we have to ask of you. Out of the four of us here you are the only one who has experienced the symptoms of this madness, and we need to know everything about it."
"I'm not sure if I can inform you much, when I'm in the dark so much myself."
We just need you to tell us what do you know. What do you dream about? Have you noticed changes in your behavior in your waking hours? Have you thought thoughts that later confused or upset you? We need to know everything."
"Well, I've had a number of nightmares."
"Of what?"
"Various things. Usually I'm in the Emerald Dream, going about my business as usual, and I make some sort of turn and the scenery changes for the worse, and there's this gust of cold wind... It's not a natural cold. It's something that shouldn't be blowing. And there's this screaming. I'm not sure if it's one scream or a thousand screams, but it's a constant, high pitched, ear breaking screaming."
"Is there anything else?"
"The trees have attacked me. And my first nightmare, my very worst, I found myself somewhere like an abyss, suspended, and there was a creature there of titanic propotions. It looked like Cenarius, but in basic form only. The body was rotted and dead and the face was warped and demonic. And it ate me."
"It ate you?"
"Yes, it shot this disgusting tongue out at me and swallowed me whole. And then I woke up."
Cirrimor wrinked his nose. "That doesn't make any sense at all."
"No, it doesn't," Thendil agreed. "And it doesn't explain at all what's happening in the Emerald Dream."
"Keeper Albagorm said... oh yes!" Shia clapped his hands together. "I forgot, just a few days ago I came across Keeper Albagorm in my dream."
"You did? Was he alright?" Stormrage looked genuinely worried. Shiawase nodded assuringly.
"He's fine. He told me to tell you that you were probably going to have to remain on Stonetalon Peak for an extended period of time."
"Did he say anything about the situation in the Dream?" Asked Thendil.
"There's something powerful invading it. Cenarius himself has been moved to action. That's all he really told me, that and that I shouldn't be there. He was more concerned with getting me out than telling me what was going on."
"Then we're going to have to go in ourselves and find out what the problem is. And you'll be helping us Shia," Cirrimor said.
A sinking feeling settled itself in Shiawase's gut.
"When the three of us enter the Emerald Dream, we are obviously going to places that remains clean and clear of this 'invasion'. If we're to find out what's causing our brothers to go mad and become trapped in their sleep, we must know where it is that they're being trapped. The place you go when you dream is at least close to this area, so we need you to guide us in our expedition." Stormrage and Thendil nodded at Cirrimor's explination.
"So, you'll be following me when I dream tonight."
"Not exactly. For this it's best not to simply go to sleep. We'll be re entering hybernation at the Barrow in Stonetalon Peak, and we don't expect to be returning until either thihs problem is solved or we decide that we are more needed on this plane."
Shiawase swallowed. To return to the dream like that meant that his soul would drift completly away from his body. There would be nothing that bring the two together again besides a very strong power, his own will, or death. Until almost a year ago, Shia's entire life had been spent in that state, but to return to it when the Emerald Dream was in such appearant turmoil meant he was putting his life in the hands of the three druids sitting across from him.
Stormrage frowned. "We're leaving immediately after I give the townsfolk a quick explination of the day's events. We expect that you'll be coming with us."
Shia steeled himself and nodded. "Of course. My oath is to the nature of this world, and by extension the Emerald Dream. I'm only glad that I can be of service."
"Then pack your things and be ready to leave in ten minutes."
