Felmar glanced around, scrutinizing the shadows for any sign of the intruders. Somewhere, he knew, there was a full fledged force of demons trying to hunt him down. But even as he looked down the long street, he saw nothing but streetlamps and houses. Was he safe? Was it possible?
Trusting a hope, Felmar boldly marched up to the door of a nearby house and knocked on the door. He looked down at the old rusty door handle, then back up at the sight of the wooden doorframe. He remembered this house; he had seen it in a dream! The same dream in which he had found himself dead on the floor of Telari's–
But he mustn't think of that! There hadn't been any sign of a disturbance in the shadows for the past several hours. And even if the Umbraren Stalkers did find him, he wasn't going down without a fight! At that thought, he instinctively rubbed the hilt of his sword, clamped securely to his belt. He was one of the old Kings of Men that the Umbraren would never forget!
After some time, the door of the house flew open, and a gray-haired old man roared at Felmar.
"What do you want at this early hour of the morning? Some people sleep at night!" The man put a large emphasis on the last sentence, showing that he was greatly displeased.
"Although I must admit this is not the ideal hour, I was simply hoping I could seek shelter within your home until morning. True, it is no longer a law that there should be any care for poor beggars under the New Rule, but… I am worried I could freeze to death in the cold of the night!" His hatred for the New Rule temporary sidetracked his mind. As he attempted to invent a good reason to seek shelter, Felmar forgot it was the middle of the summer.
"Freeze to death? On a warm summer night? Are you out of your mind?" The man eyed Felmar, seeming worried at such an obvious sign that Felmar did not wish to tell the truth as to why he was here this early. Or perhaps, the man thought, Felmar was just out of his mind.
"Well, you know how some people just feel colder than others… Anyhow, may I stay in your house, sir, or must I find another who will accept me?"
"Come in, come in. I was always a fond believer in old King Philmur's philosophy of equality and good treatment, even for the poor. But, the next time someone stops at my doorstep hours before the first light of dawn, I may just give them a good yelling to and slam my door!"
Felmar graciously thanked the man, and followed him back into the home. As he shut the door, Felmar glanced back, and for a moment thought he caught a glimpse of something darting through the shadows. Perhaps it was a just a trick of the light? Felmar sincerely hoped so.
The man informed Felmar that he was very tired, and said that after he had shown Felmar to a bed, he himself was going to rest until dawn. He led Felmar down a long hallway, pointing left as they reached the end. At the sight of the bed, Felmar pretended to be greatly pleased. Tired as the man was, he didn't notice that Felmar was wide awake, nor that he was almost frowning. The man walked off down the hall, mumbling to himself about King Philmur.
Felmar walked across the room and sat in a relaxing armchair. Before long the man was snoring loudly enough for Felmar to hear him. Paying no attention, Felmar began cautiously peering out the window. Safety. At long last. But just how long would it last?
Not a minute had passed when Felmar saw an Umbrarish Imp through the glass, as it danced along the roadside. Felmar's heart skipped a beat.
The imp was a hideous creature, drooling gray sludge across the asphalt. This particular one was only about three feet tall, but Felmar had seen much larger ones in his past.
"Flee! Flee the house!" Felmar shouted, realizing that by seeking shelter he had simply doomed this poor man. He ran for the door, sorrowfully looking back at the hallway to see the man running to see what all the commotion was about. Felmar knew in that instant that it was too late. They had only seconds, and it would've taken the man longer than that to escape the house.
The instant Felmar had jumped out the door, the entire house burst, spouting flames. Felmar heard the cry of the old man, first a loud, sharp cry, then slowly dwindling away in the fire. And for what reason had this man died? Felmar! It was Felmar's fault! By his own ignorant feeling of safety this old man had died.
"No…! No, it was not my fault but the Umbraren's!" The Umbraren creatures had no mercy, no fear, and left no hope in the minds of those who they chased.
Felmar caught his own blunder. He should not be thinking of the man, he must escape now! A life may have been lost, but he should not be so foolish as to permit a second to be lost as well! He charged away, being sure to stay as close to the streetlamps as was possible.