Where God's No Longer Tread
The Pageant in the afternoon transitions to a world that is currently at dusk. The world is evidently a desert world, lots of sand. The Pageant arrives at a point in the center of a huge depression or crater. The encampment is in disorder and people are upset. Rambert tries to go to Bekhet to ask what is going on. She won't see him, and doesn't trust him to come into her tent. She sends him away. Those who are armed move about the camp with their hands on swords. The whole camp goes to watch the first moon rise, followed by the second. It is a moment of dread and fear. The name Erdach Kodesh ripples through the crowd. Theodoric tells the characters where they are and why they should be afraid.
Aegon rides to the edge of the crater, nominally "East". He sees a faint trail and bones of strange creatures.
When he returns to report to Theodoric, he sees and hears Theodoric making a pledge of truce with Zhu Zan.
Aegon talks with Giulia after trying to see Cosette of Paris. Aegon walks her to her wagon.
The wagons are loaded and begin to travel east to the road going out of the bowl.
The first night gets colder and colder, with the wind coming up and throwing sand. Wagons are loosely "tied" together.
As the first sun prepares to rise, Theodoric warns Aegon that they must reach the Wall by "mid-day", or they will most likely fall prey to the Dearc Magra. As the sun rises, despite the climbing heat, the wagons are pushed harder. By the time the wagons can see the wall, Dearc Magra are prowling the land behind them, making short runs at the wagon train, scaring the horses. The wagons are pushed to as near running as they can be as the Dearc Magra begin to attack in earnest, the Pageant slips through the wall, with the Brotherhood of the blade getting them through last. Aegon's men cut flesh from the Dearc Magra, thinking they will need it to eat.
Mauritanis is able to speak to the men guarding the wall, even though no one else seems to speak their language.
A sand storm begins to blow in as the Pageant leaves the Wall. It gets worse and worse. After four more hours or travel the Pageant stops, huddling together. The sand storm comes to a terrifying intensity, out of the gloom come zombies with metallic spiders in them, spinning pillars of flame with women in them, and putrid acid fleshed zombie creatures. Aegon loses two men to them. Aegon determines that the flaming women are from the yellow tents.
The Pageant then proceeds to Dlo Siskirit. Once traveling Aegon sees that Fedelmid is dead, laying near her wagon, her body ravaged. Once everyone in the Pageant arrives at the oasis, everyone but the vampires sleeps after drinking and caring for the animals.
