Chapter Twenty
Infiltration
Iarion crept through the Shadow Swamp, trying not to gag. The rotting stench was oppressive. When he breathed through his mouth, he could taste it. Even with the massive cloud looming overhead, the air was thick and humid. Only the odd shaft of sunlight managed to penetrate the gloom to illuminate the twisted landscape below.
The remains of dead trees jutted from the murky water. Their trunks were covered with slimy moss. Hardier plants flourished in the warm darkness. They struggled to smother one another and dominate whatever fertile ground was available. Iarion could sense their sluggish whispers at the edge of his awareness.
The journey through the swamp was slow going. Everyone wielded a long stick to prod the ground ahead of them as they walked. Places
