They landed just outside the old woman's hut. She was standing at the door way as if she was waiting for them.
"One hell of a storm coming." she said.
The mountain range to their south began to blow itself apart. Esie watched the explosions with a dark look on her face.
"It's alright, you made the right choice." The old woman said. "I couldn't stand those bony heads around. Vampires at least know manners."
Kain looked at the old woman. She laughed. "People will get over this in time. Soon it will be nothing but stories."
"Lowell is still out there." Esie said darkly.
"I could find him for you." Turel offered.
"No, I should." Esie said.
"But who will try him for treason?" Kain asked Esie.
A second wave of explosions rocked the mountain range. Esie turned away.
"My people won't. After this they will think he is a hero." Esie said. The old woman went back into her cabin.
"I don't expect you to fulfill your promise now," Kain told Esie.
"I have to." She said.
"No you are a vampire now, only a human would be a servant." Kain said.
Esie didn't answer.
"You are welcome to the Sanctuary." Kain told Esie.
Turel surprisingly touched Esie arms then. It was such a tender gesture, from one of the more brutish lieutenants.
"After I find Lowell. For his sake I hope he is dead under that rumble." Esie nearly spat out the words.
"Then we will help you," Turel said.
"Yes, Lowell started this. We will finish it." Kain said. "We will take you to the Sanctuary, first. Then return to find your brother."
"I think it would be safe to try a Dark Gift." Raziel pointed out. "With the energy field destroyed, we might be able to pass through the Neiblebald Mountains."
They waited until Esie successfully turned into a cloud of bats, Then the four bat forms flew towards the Sanctuary. The closer to the range of mountains, the worst the destruction looked. There were strange dark shapes swarming over the landscape. Kain saw Esie dip lower to look. Then she solidified and began to fight with some of the shapes. Kain followed. Esie was fighting with some Anthrophagites.
Kain dispatched with them quickly. "We have no time for this." he hiss at Esie.
"Look," She pointed to the western end of the crater. In the middle of the rubble stood stone structures. An ancient city had been uncovered. The city may have been covered, but it had not fallen silent. The Anthrophagites had taken it over. There were thousands of them. Most were screaming in pain, exposed to the weak sunlight for the first time in centuries. Others took advantage of the fresh corpses to have a feast.
"How many are there?" Turel asked as he joined the group.
"Thousands by the looks of it." Raziel said.
"Some are heading to Coorhagen." Kain noticed. "It's not our concern."
Turel felt his shoulder where the Anthrophagite had bit him. "I don't think they care where they get the flesh."
"We can't kill them all." Raziel pointed out.
"They are easy enough to kill." Turel snorted.
"We just have to stop them." Esie said. She was looking further south. "They like the cold. If it gets too warm, they can't function. There is an active lava flow. Too bad we can't reroute it.
"Half the mountain has been blown into the air." Raziel observed. "The sky will be darkened for days. This will open the daylight hours to us however..."
"With the sun blotted out for so long it will become colder." Kain admitted. "Then perhaps it is our concern after all. Turel, whisper the others, and tell them Kain orders their cohorts to this area with all possible speed. Get the fledglings mustered in reserve as well. Then I want you to direct the battle in my absence. Do your best to contain them. Make sure our enemy does not leave this area."