Lord of Shadows: Shadow of Skiamance - Vol. V
Immortus
#pgx0
Lord of Shadows: Shadow of Skiamance - Vol. V
by Immortus
#pgx1
Chapter 26: Jailbreak
#pgx2
The iron bars were tough. Not well made though. The iron was worn and
rusted and tarnished, cheap metal made by rough hands. Byjorn would have
a fit at the state of it. But still, it didn't matter. Iron bars were
still iron bars.
I found that out the
#pgx3
hard way, after several hours of punching, kicking, yelling, clawing, shaking and eventually simply glaring at the sliding iron bars in hope they would unlatch themselves and slide open out of guilt. Gaining nothing but bruised hands,
#pgx4
aching toes and pain in my throat, eventually I gave up.
I still couldn't get over how badly I messed up in that throne room, seeing that stranger in the glass. What bothered me though wasn't so much what I saw in that mirror; what bothered me was
#pgx5
that it was a part of me. That stranger in the mirror was me, whether I liked it or not. Perhaps it was the part of my nature I tried so hard to hide.
Out of sheer frustration I began to pace the cell, having nothing better to do, thinking to
#pgx6
myself over and over; I have to get out, I have to save my friends, I have to get out...
I briefly considered the possibility that someone might rescue us, but quickly ruled it out. Who knew, or cared for that matter, that we were here?
#pgx7
Byjorn? Monetia? That latter was a possibility, but the idea was laughable. Last time I saw Her Who Warned she had been less than helpful.
The ringing clang of boots on metal jarred me from my thoughts. I realised that somebody
#pgx8
was coming my way. A small plan began to formulate in my mind, half a plan really, half an idea. But in my situation, half-a-plan was a lot better than no-plan-at- all. All I needed was a bit of luck. So many spirits existed in Minecraftia. If the
#pgx9
spirit of luck got me out of this in one piece, I'd need to thank them.
It was high time for a jailbreak.
***
Apparently I wasn't the only one enjoying Skiamance's cosy hospitality. The guard had obviously been sent to check on
#pgx10
someone else rather than me, because he didn't spare me a glance and kept his eyes on the cells at the end of the corridor as he opened the door, took a timid step down the corridor, and closed the door behind him. From my vantage point, I
#pgx11
could just about spot the metal door of the prison unlatch.
I went up to the iron bars, gripping them and trying to get a look at the guard, examining his young features.
Light, nervous eyes that never focused on one point too
#pgx12
long. Timid movements. An expression that suggested a deep rooted fear. I recognised the type. I spent a lifetime in Eldolin learning to read those who delivered the law; whether they looked like they would hear you out or if they
#pgx13
would go straight for the swords and the threats, like Gareth. This guy was a rookie. It was clear as day.
The young man seemed to steel himself, taking a deep breath and striding along the corridor, his armour hanging loosely on his wiry
#pgx14
frame. I knew what I had to do. I saw my chance. But he was too far away. I needed the lad closer.
As he passed me, I yelled out.
"Hey! Hey you, yeah you right over there!"
The boy flinched, glancing at me with
#pgx15
barely disguised fear. I had no doubt what I looked like to him- my clothes were singed, torn and frayed, my face covered in dirt and grime. In other words, I looked no better than all the thieves and murderers and perhaps even
#pgx16
innocents that inhabited this place.
I shook the bars, pushing a hand through and beckoning him over.
"Hey, you. Come here. Come on, I don't bite," I promised.
He took a step back, glancing around nervously as if waiting for
#pgx17
somebody to tell him what to do. This proved my suspicions about him being new to go the game; anybody with even a shred more experience would have completely ignored me.
"Come on, damn you!" I growled. "Talk to me. Or can you not?
#pgx18
Did the cat get your tongue? I said mockingly. I realised with a jolt that I heard Evan in my words.
Seeing no help was on the way, the guard took a deep breath.
"I've been instructed not to talk to you," he said in a tiny voice, addressing the
#pgx19
floor. He took another step back, this one not as large.
"Oh I bet you did," I agreed. Sensible of Skiamance. But not sensible enough. I left my arm half out of the bars, resting on the outside. "But nobody forbade you to listen hmm?"
He didn't
#pgx20
answer. The guard risked a glance at my face and immediately dropped his eyes again, unable to meet my intense gaze.
"I bet you don't know how I got here do you?" I went on.
The boy threw me a frightened glance before backing away, towards the
#pgx21
door. I threw myself at the iron bars, reaching out. The iron rattled slightly but gave no signs of yielding. I couldn't let him leave.
"Don't go!" I shouted, my voice amplified by the small space."Please," I added, quieter. The frightened youth
#pgx22
stood paralysed with terror, yet seemingly unable to leave as if something was drawing him to me.
"It's been so long since somebody came down here," I continued in a rough but pleading tone. "And besides, it's not me you should be scared of."
#pgx23
And I started talking. I rambled on about my old life, the one I had before this whole mess began. Part of me still yearned for that old life, though I wasn't quite sure why. Even so, right now I would prefer even obnoxious Gareth to sitting in the
#pgx24
Tener Castrum dungeons.
The young guard was still standing there, frozen in shock, hand resting on the handle of the door leading out of the dungeon. As I talked, his frightened expression turned wary rather than terrified. That was
#pgx25
good. It meant he was dropping his guard.
"Hey," I said eventually. "You want to hear a secret no one else knows?"
He shook his head, taking a cautious step back, that frightened expression returning to his face. I spread my arms and dropped
#pgx26
them by my sides, letting out an exasperated sigh.
"Well," I said. "That's too bad. Too bad that when Skiamance kills me, my secret will die with me and nobody will know."
I took a step back from the bars and turned around, trying to fight the
#pgx27
smile off my face, letting the bait sit. Sure enough, he took it. I heard a stuttering footstep from behind me.
"Tell me," the lad said, his voice the strongest it had been yet. I grinned and went back to the bars.
"Come closer," I
#pgx28
said, leaning forward. "'S a secret isn't it? Can't ruddy well go around shouting it out can I?"
The guard took a large step forward.
"Closer," I said. He hesitated, then took another faltering step.
"Closer," I said, dropping my
#pgx29
voice. The guard stepped forward again, ending up about a foot away from me. He was almost where I wanted him. Almost. Just a little more...
"Even closer," I whispered, forcing him to lean in to catch my words. Our faces were inches
#pgx30
apart, so close I could make out every freckle on his nose.
"First, before I tell you," I whispered roughly, "have some good, neighbourly advice."
I paused, flashing a grin, before smashing his head against the bars. By Notch's grace he wasn't
#pgx31
wearing a helmet. The guard's eyes rolled upwards as he crumpled onto the floor, his face still frozen in a surprised and slightly wounded expression of shock.
"Never let me get talking," I chuckled, now speaking normally.
#pgx32
Crouching, I reached my hand through the bars and searched for the keys. I turned pockets inside out, and patted his belt, but no keys. Damn. I suppose I should have expected that when I made my split-second plan. Nobody trusts the rookie with the
#pgx33
keys. My heart, that had fluttered skywards for a moment with hope, sunk like a stone once again.
Still, he was armed. That counted for something at least. Standard sword and dagger.
Almost by accident, a lazy afternoon
#pgx34
spent with Byjorn at work gave me inspiration for my escape. Excited, I rushed over to the other side of the cell where the bars slid open. Oh yes. For once in my life luck seemed to be on my side.
The iron bars may have been tough,
#pgx35
but the workmanship was shoddy, and this especially showed in the locks. And if there was one thing you couldn't cheat on in a dungeon, it was the locks.
On the other hand, I thought reasonably as I carefully placed the dagger onto the lock at an
#pgx36
angle, a stray rock clutched in my other hand, I was an exception to the rule since I wasn't supposed to be armed. Swiftly, I examined the lock. I was right enough about the shoddy workmanship. Years in damp conditions corroded the lock
#pgx37
from the inside, and, while it was good enough to keep people in, hopefully it was weak enough for me to get out.
The lock gave way after a dozen strikes, which was just as well because the impact of the rock hitting the dagger just about rattled
#pgx38
the bones out of my arms. Letting my tools fall to the floor with a loud clatter, I wrenched at the sliding bars. They opened easily.
I felt a momentary surge of triumph. I was free! But I knew it was far from over. I still needed to navigate Tener
#pgx39
Castrum, and after that, Fortin. Too many things could go wrong now, too many rogue elements, too many guards that were most certainly patrolling the dark castle, too much possibility Herobrine or Raz'iel would find out. I wasn't safe - not by a long
#pgx40
shot. And I still needed to find my friends. And quickly. Because if Skiamance tried to use them against me...
I stepped over the guard's unconscious, moaning form, glancing both ways down the corridor. I was about to step towards
#pgx41
the door when I heard a series of disbelieving hoots and yells behind me.
"He got out, he did it! He actually did it!" The elated, excited hoots echoed up and down the corridor and the cells, spreading like a wildfire. The guy in the cell closest
#pgx42
swiftly turned his attention to me.
"Hey, hey you, amico baceolus!"
I turned around warily.
"Please 'mico, help me," he pleaded. "We don't deserve to be here. Just like you."
"Calling me an idiot friend won't help your case," I
#pgx43
replied, gathering up the dagger and the rock. I might need to break more locks. I turned my back on them and took a step forward when he said,
"A chance amico, that's all I'm asking!"
I froze. And sighed in frustration. A chance. The
#pgx44
guard gave me a chance. Not the one he expected, but a chance to escape nonetheless. So what, even if the guy in the cell was a thief or murderer? What did he steal, a loaf of bread? Who did he kill, a guardsman who threatened him like Gareth
#pgx45
threatened me?
"Dammit," I cursed, and slid the rock and dagger towards the guy. "Get yourself out. And get the others out."
Besides, the criminals might prove a useful distraction, providing us with the chance to get away. I suddenly remembered the
#pgx46
others. Damn, where the heck were they? I could spend years wandering about here in the dark. And I doubted I even had hours. Soon somebody will notice the guardsman who failed to return.
I must have not bonked the guard hard enough
#pgx47
because he groaned and sat up, rubbing the quickly forming bruise on his forehead.
Scooping the sword from the floor, I crouched down next to him.
"Where are my friends?" I asked, calmly as I could. The young man's eyes
#pgx48
cleared and he scrambled away, hitting the wall with his back. He glanced from the sword in my hand to my face. What he saw in my eyes was enough to terrify him.
"I...I don't know..." he stammered.
A hand tapped my shoulder. I turned
#pgx49
around, facing the man who was in the cell. I didn't believe how he got out so quickly. He was tall and lean, agile like a cat. His eyes were a sea green, bright and full of something... something wild. His eyes reminded me of Glane's. Free. Dangerous.
#pgx50
But willing to talk and discuss because he owed me. And yet something about his expression was distinctly merchant. An expression that could put an accurate price on any item.
All along the corridor, locks splintered and
#pgx51
cracked. Tener Castrum was going to have a full prison break on their hands very soon.
"Other side, amico. Tall, rugged northman, with a... scarr?" he drew a fingers down his jaw. "And two girls. One blonde, one pretty."
I nodded, then
#pgx52
scowled. His accent sounded unfamiliar... Or at least, not Minecraftian. Terrarian perhaps. The hidden land in the far east. I heard of trading galleys occasionally coming to Port Sicarus to sell wares such as silver and even rarer things.
#pgx53
Dawn once told me of Demonite, the shadow ore. Rarer than diamond, apparently.
"Can you help me?" I asked. He gazed at me with a strange expression on his face. Almost as if he was contemplating what kind of price to ask for, whether this was a good
#pgx54
deal.
"Me, you, we can do business," he said eventually, pointing at me then himself. "I owe you a life. I help you get out. Then we even."
I nodded again. "Do you know where they are?"
"Yes. I heard guards discussing it. But I
#pgx55
am no good with Minecraftian. I will show you."
I mulled that over. It was a stupidly reckless thing to do, to go off with a stranger from a far away place, one I barely knew. On the other hand, he was in as much danger as I was. Together we
#pgx56
might stand a chance. Sighing, I gave a curt nod.
The man pointed at his chest. "Lysen. You amico?"
I held out my hand.
"Darien Smith."
Lysen looked at my outstretched finger then threw his head back and laughed.
"You are
#pgx57
forgetting baceolus, we are supposed to be mortal enemies. Once we are settled, no more helping. An uncomfortable truce, no?" Lysen chuckled and walked calmly towards the door, an amused glint in his eye.
"Come on Mister Smith. Time to save your
#pgx58
amicos."
I glanced at the cell again, full of uncertainty. There was no turning back now. I couldn't pound the lock together with a rock and make it new again. For better or worse, I was out of the cage, and I was going to have to face the
#pgx59
consequences if Skiamance caught me. Inwardly, I groaned. I hated consequences.
#pgx60
Chapter 27: Saving Your Life or Letting You Die Later
#pgx61
Lysen was agile like a cat. And about as silent and sneaky as one too.
We met almost no resistance as we crept along the stone walled
corridors, and the occasional guards that we did meet Lysen and me
quickly took care of. The guy was unbelievably
#pgx62
quick, incapacitating the guardsmen before they even saw him coming.
Of course, Lysen wasn't perfect. He got frustrated easily. He had bad navigation. Several times we took wrong turns and were forced to backtrack, often
#pgx63
accompanied my some of Terraria's most colourful language. Once, his loud cursing brought a pair guards hurtling around the corner, only to be met with a swift knock to the head and a cosy reunion with the floor.
Meanwhile I was
#pgx64
getting worried. Time was running out. Skiamance said he would kill my friends tomorrow, but what time was it now? Was it midnight? Was it dawn?
It took a while, but eventually though we made it. Lysen turned several twisting turns and stopped, gazing
#pgx65
down the corridor. At the end, there was just a single door, with a letter N stamped into it.
"The North block," Lysen said, in his heavily accented voice. He held up four fingers in my face. "There four blocks. But the tin-heads seemed to think
#pgx66
that Skiamance believed it would be fitting for your Northern amicos"
Striding up to the door, I was about to open it when I heard the raucous laughter. Opening the door a fraction, I glanced inside. There was a table, and around it, three
#pgx67
guards. I glimpsed a flash of cards, and heard the distinct clinking of coins. The light from a lamp glanced green from a coin as the guard tossed an emerald onto the table.
"You idiot," Evan's voice came from inside. "Can't you tell that he's
#pgx68
bluffing?"
After the sharp rebuff, Evan chuckled knowingly.
I glanced at Lysen, holding up 3 fingers. The tall Terrarian nodded, drawing the dagger of the guard he claimed for his own. I drew the sword I found, slowly and carefully as to
#pgx69
not make noise. We stood by the door, silent as shadows. One finger went down. Another. And as I brought the last one down, we crashed through the door yelling and bellowing as loudly as we could.
As expected, the guards were in
#pgx70
shock. It was easy. Too easy, really. One was dealing out cards. Another was yawning, and the third in the middle of drinking. Their weapons were stacked carelessly against the wall. They never stood a chance.
My friends gave a
#pgx71
collective gasp of shock. Nudging a guard with my foot to make sure he was unconcious, I leaned on my sword, grinning in their direction.
"Bet you didn't expect me,"
Evan gave a pained smile as he went over to the bars.
"No, no we didn't."
#pgx72
I frowned. Beside me, Lysen dangled the keys, and I took them, glancing at Evan with a raised eyebrow.
"Not pleased to see me?"
"Oh he's pleased to see you," Ellen said smugly, standing next to him. "It's just he doesn't like losing. We had a bet on
#pgx73
who would rescue who, and the Evandrus thought your natural clumsiness and the tendency to be an idiot put the odds in his favour." She paused, realising what she said. "His words, not mine. Now get us out of here. I've seen enough
#pgx74
cells in my lifetime."
I shrugged and obliged, sticking the keys into the lock and wrenching the sliding iron to the side. Evan grimaced as he came out. Then he held out his hands, which were tied.
"Thanks," he muttered grudgingly, as I set him free.
#pgx75
Judging the face he was making, he must have bet high. Ellen nodded her thanks as she went out, immediately going to the guards and relieving them of their weaponry. The last one out was Dawn. She looked in shock, her eyes unfocused as if
#pgx76
she couldn't quite acknowledge my presence. Wordlessly, she went into my arms.
"I thought... That you were... That we were going to..."
I glanced at Evan, who gave me a thumbs up. I wanted so badly to punch that grin off his face. Ellen was
#pgx77
still looting the guards, collecting anything useful that we could use, and Lysen absently juggling a pair of knives as if it were nothing more dangerous than... say, clubs. After a few seconds, I said softly,
"We have to go,"
#pgx78
Dawn stepped back, taking a deep breath and composing her face.
"I know," she said.
I turned around to face Evan, who was glaring at Lysen as though sizing him up. He was huge; almost a head taller than Evan.
"Well Darien," he
#pgx79
said warily."You sure do have a habit of picking strange friends."
The Terrarian didn't seem particularly bothered. He just tipped his head back and laughed, those sea green eyes sparkling with wicked amusement, standing out against his
#pgx80
tanned face.
"Where now?" I asked wearily, interrupting. "We still need to get out. But we need our things"
The last part was addressed to Evan, who nodded.
"The armoury. We saw it when they brought us here. Let's go,"
Evan was the
#pgx81
leader again, back in control. I couldn't figure out if I felt angry or relieved.
We made our way to the armoury. Evan's memory was flawless as he led us through more bricked corridors and turns. Abandoning all attempts for stealth, Evan charged and
#pgx82
knocked down the wooden door.
"Well," he huffed, dusting off his clothes and wincing as he touched his shoulder."Let's grab our things and scram before anybody realises we're missing."
Our stuff was thrown roughly into a
#pgx83
corner. The rest of the room was filled with armour on racks, new and broken alike, and weapons. I had never seen so many weapons in one place. I swiftly examined the racks of swords, but Stormsteel was nowhere to be
#pgx84
found.
"Not here," I muttered.
"What?" Evan snapped distractedly, gathering what things he could. I could see the others doing the same.
"The sword," I said, rummaging through anything I could see. It was hopeless.
#pgx85
Frowning, I turned to Evan. "My sword. It's not here."
If I expected a completely Evan-like reaction, I wasn't disappointed. He rolled his eyes, his tone cynical, his face one of disdain.
"Are you blind? Look around! Take any damned sword you
#pgx86
want. It'll take some getting used to, I'll grant you that, but nothing you couldn't handle."
More looting an ransacking. After what seemed like way too much time, we stood at the door, getting ready to leave.
"How do we get
#pgx87
out?" Dawn asked.
Evan grimaced."We'll burn that bridge when we come to it"
I frowned. "Isn't it cross that bridge when we come to it?
"I like my version be-"
Evan was cut off as a bellow of rage rang through the corridors, the stonework
#pgx88
trembling. A thousand shouts seemingly echoed through the corridors, each more fainter than the last before fading away completely. We froze, tensed tight as a coil. There was a second muffled roar which echoed up and down the corridors, a thousand
#pgx89
Skiamance's shouting a thousand words.
"That amicos," Lysen said, flashing a grin, "would be our cue."
First things first, we had to get out of the underground. If we got cornered down here by Skiamance's personal army of guards, we would be back
#pgx90
where we started. Perhaps worse. For my friends at least.
I was right enough about the prison break; it was simple to follow the elated shouts and yells through the maze of corridors. No authorities bothered us. They were quite preoccupied
#pgx91
enough chasing down the escapees.
"There!" Evan yelled, as we hurtled into view of the stairs. I dashed towards the surface, taking leaps of three stairs at a time. Breathing heavily, I stuttered up the final steps, looking around, disorientated.
#pgx92
We were in the lobby, the one on the way to Skiamance's throne room. Stone pillars held up the colossal weight of the ceiling, and one way led towards the throne room. The other way was a huge set of doors, presumably the way out. Unfortunately,
#pgx93
the way out was not an option. I stared in dismay as a pair of Skiamance's personal guards unsheathed their weapons, their red cloaks swirling as they reached for their blades, their eyes filled with a determined resolve.
I spun around the
#pgx94
other way, but before any of us could as much say a word, half-a-dozen more poured out of the doors that lined the corridor, from behind the pillars.
I stood rooted to the ground, trying to control the fear and frustration. I might have stood there
#pgx95
all day but for Evan, who pushed me roughly to the side in the direction of a small door inset in the wall yelling,
"Go!"
Tripping, I put a hand to the ground to regain my balance and sprinted forwards without any other thoughts.
#pgx96
Then several bolts impaled themselves in the wall, glancing off the stone but thudding into the wood of the door. Suddenly I realised the rules of the game had changed. And that Skiamance didn't care how he won.
The door led to a spiral staircase. A
#pgx97
damp, cramped tower going skywards, lined with cracked bricks and moss. The only light trickled feebly from arrow slits set at intervals along its height.
"No, no way..." I began, glancing up, the but the others rushed in behind me and Lysen slammed
#pgx98
the door, bracing it with his shoulder. Evan shook his head at my dismay, Dawn and Ellen echoing his resolve.
"Keep going," he urged."Don't stop."
"This goes straight up," I said stubbornly.
Still holding the door, Lysen laughed as
#pgx99
something heavy slammed into it. The door gave a few inches before slamming back into the frame.
"I don't think it matter amico, one way or another." He motioned his head in the direction of the door. "Jumping from the tower, or
#pgx100
crossing swords with these baceuli. Pick your poison."
"I'm starting to like this guy," Evan admitted absently.
"They're both right," Dawn pressed. "Up there we might have a chance."
I hesitated, and glanced upwards. Then my head
#pgx101
snapped back around as hammering of the door turned to the sound of splintering wood. Lysen groaned.
"They have axes,"
Lysen abandoned his sword, using it to bar the door, but I knew it wouldn't keep them out for long. My choice had been
#pgx102
made for me. Gritting my teeth, I began to climb once again. It wasn't so bad at first, but about half way up I began to feel the strain.
I thought I had gotten stronger recently. I thought I could equal Evan. But I was nothing. My stamina was
#pgx103
nothing. My strength was nothing. There was nothing. Nothing apart from the stairs, and the pain, and the wall I was leaning on, and my dry throat as I struggled for breath. Everything else faded away, but up and up we went, higher and
#pgx104
higher.
"Go... Without me..." I muttered, lightheaded and dazed from the pain. "... I'll... hold... Them off..."
I wasn't serious. I was simply looking for an excuse to stop, take a moment, to breathe. Evan made a sound between a snort and a laugh
#pgx105
from behind me and I knew he wasn't fooled.
"Don't be ridiculous. You couldn't even lift your arm."
For how much longer we kept going, I cannot say. Up and up we went, higher and higher. But suddenly my feet were on flat ground. The walls
#pgx106
disappeared as the massive staircase slipped under, and we appeared in the chilly, night air. I felt a breeze on my face, a breeze with dangerous edge that suggested great altitude. I glanced over the wall surrounding the edge of the
#pgx107
battlement and flinched, feeling dizzy. My eyes suggested great altitude too.
I took the opportunity to breathe, doubling over and putting my hands on my knees. for a moment aware of nothing else.
Still trying to breathe properly, I
#pgx108
examined my surroundings, illuminated in soft, eerie moonlight. We were on a battlement- a tower, perhaps a lookout- connected to one of the great walls of Tener Castrum. Down the wall, I could glimpse a stacked, sloping roof of hay, perhaps a
#pgx109
barracks. Not far from that was a second wall, a lower wall.
The section of wall we were on now stretched into the distance, far into the night. Shouts and order drifted in our direction from the ground. I leaned against the
#pgx110
barrier, breathing heavily, and almost immediately threw myself to the opposite side spluttering as a well place bolt whizzed past my head, almost nicking my ear. More arrows sailed into the sky like a steel-tipped hail.
"Go go go!" Evan
#pgx111
yelled, motioning with arm and running down the length of the wall, crouching low to avoid stray arrows. A scream cut through the night, cut off quickly, and I realised the prisoners were fighting back. The ringing of steel on steel echoed in the yard,
#pgx112
followed by yells and orders. This was going to be a fully fledged battle. Near the gates, I could just about spot a hazy glow of red. For a second I thought it was sunrise, but then realised it was fire; the warm backs of flames that I couldn't quite
#pgx113
see.
Snapping my thoughts back to the present, I stopped just in time to not plough into Dawn, who was in front of me. Evan was leaning over the wall, judging the distance to the ground. Spinning around to Ellen, he spoke quickly, his eyes
#pgx114
desperate.
"You got rope? Tell me, tell me you do. We can make it down-"
"Yes!" she cried, and unslung the pack off her shoulder, rifling through the stuff. Evan stood to one side, motioning silently with his hands for her to hurry up. Slow, I
#pgx115
thought, too slow.
"STOP!" An all too familiar voice bellowed, distinct in the chaos. Dread heavy as lead in my heart, I turned around. How had he gotten up here so quickly?
Skiamance's face looked livid, mad. The flames had leapt
#pgx116
to the straw roof now, their orange glare reflecting on his face. His black, messy hair fluttered in the wind. I could feel the anger, the rage, the hate radiating off him like the heat from the flames. For a moment we were both silent, and somehow I
#pgx117
found the courage to lock my eyes onto his. The irises burned the same colour as the flames except deeper, stronger. More furious than the fire.
Evan hoisted a coil of rope over his shoulder, his jaw set.
"We're going," he
#pgx118
snarled, the scar on his face rippling.
Skiamance tried to smile, but in his rage only managed a twisted sneer.
"I don't think so."
Without warning, he swept his hand in a fluid motion to one side. An invisible forced yanked me over the side of
#pgx119
the wall, as if the air itself twisted and bundled me over the side. With a yell, I started to fall, landing on the sloping hay roof and rolling at an unbelievable speed. I rolled through the smouldering straw, hoping against hope it wouldn't catch
#pgx120
alight. I kept on rolling, the straw-and-timber roof tearing at my face and clothes like claws. Tumbling off the edge, I fell again, and this time my landing wasn't so soft.
Not far from the towering wall facing north, the one we
#pgx121
were on, there was a lower, wider section running the same height as the straw roof. The walkway led to a battlement in either direction, offering no other routes of escape. That was where I tumbled from the roof.
I didn't have time to
#pgx122
control my landing. Taking the hit of the stone floor on my shoulder, I immediately knew I shouldn't have. Pain shot through my shoulder, my chest, my arm, erasing everything else. I couldn't move my arm. In fact, I couldn't do anything apart
#pgx123
from gritting my teeth and moaning in pain. Get up, get up, you have to get up, come on, GET UP!
Screaming at myself in my head didn't help the pain, but it helped clear my head. Pain was good, I tried to tell myself. Pain meant I was alive. And if I
#pgx124
didn't get up now and stopped feeling the pain, then I was going to start worrying. Most probably because that would mean I was dead.
I put one foot on the ground. Then another. Then stood up. Wincing, I screwed up, my eyes tipping my head back and
#pgx125
tried to stay upright. The battlements. I could get out using those. Rushing to the right without pausing to think, I ran, clutching my left shoulder. The door was open! I could do this, I could escape.
Without warning, Herobrine's coy smile, blank
#pgx126
glowing eyes, hooded robes appeared in the doorway. With a gasp, partly of pain partly of shock, my stride faltered and I span around running the other way. Suddenly as Herobrine, Raz'iel appeared in the second doorway, his face grim.
#pgx127
I was the rabbit, cornered by the wolves.
Like a gigantic bat, Skiamance landed in a crouch in front of me, his black cloak sweeping around him. Straightening, his eyes locked on mine, burning red into stormy grey. When he spoke, his voice
#pgx128
was like brittle steel- sharp and jagged and broken.
"I think I'm going to kill you now, but first, tell me where you got this!" The Shadow Walkers tone sounded murderous.
He lifted a familiar blade so I could see it.
The reflected
#pgx129
flames danced on Stormsteel's honed edge, a perfect choreography of fire dragons chasing each other in the warped metal. Shimmering beasts twisting in the steel. But dragons weren't real, were they? I thought as the heat of the burning hay
#pgx130
roof blazed like a furnace on my face.
"The... The Dark One" I said, trying to keep my voice level, breathing heavily. The pain was terrible. Worse than when I broke my foot. I didn't know if the words would mean anything to him, but Skiamance all but
#pgx131
howled in fury.
"Maximus," he roared, "the traitor. He will pay. They will all pay. But you first..."
His face was a twisted mask of fury, but something else was in his eyes. Reluctance? Taking a breath through his teeth, Skiamance glanced down at his
#pgx132
palm for a second, studying something I couldn't make out. Anguish and agony flitted across his features. Like he was trying to recall a painful forgotten memory, one he couldn't remember, but one that cut him still. When he looked up, his anger was
#pgx133
more controlled.
"You can still join me," he assured. As angry as that voice was, the promise was still there, the temptation, the persuasiveness. "You can rule the world."
I shook my head, the pain in my shoulder flaring.
#pgx134
"You can go to hell." I resisted the urge to say,You're already there.
His face twisted again, the mask sneering with bitter, dark humour.
"Very well. Goodbye, Darien. I hope you enjoy death." The fire in his eyes burned a little
#pgx135
brighter, a little hotter
He didn't even have time to lift his hand.
An arrow sprouted from his chest. Then a second one, it's twin, right where his heart should be. Skiamance bellowed and crumpled to his knees, Stormsteel slipping from his
#pgx136
grip, skittering towards me, forgotten.
Several things the happened at once. Raz'iel dashed forwards to help his master, abandoning the battlement doorway. At the same time, a huge chuck on the timber and straw roof collapsed,
#pgx137
sending burning sparks into the sky and several dark shapes I couldn't make out scattering for cover.
I heard Ellen's yell behind me.
"Come on Smith!"
I spun around. Running, I needed to run.
But then I froze,
#pgx138
only to be met by a smirking Herobrine. I was too shocked to think straight, too shocked to realise it was over, I was caught, done..
Herobrine stepped to one side of the wall and held out a hand in the direction he came from, smiling pleasantly,
#pgx139
making a mockery of the excessive politeness. I should have run. I should have run and not looked back. But I was in shock.
"You... You're..." I swallowed, shaking my head."You're letting me go. You're saving my life." I managed to choke
#pgx140
out.
Herobrine was still smiling pleasantly, a menacing, sinister light in his glowing eyes.
"I think not. The way I see it, I am simply saving you to die another day, for my own intentions rather than my masters'."
Taking a step
#pgx141
towards Skiamance, he gave a tiny cry of mocking indignation.
"Oops," the Lord of Shadows, said, clicking his tongue. "I let the Emperor's godson loose... But alas my duty is to the Emperor, not runaway boys." Herobrine studied me for a fraction
#pgx142
longer, tilting his head to the side."After all... How I am I meant to know how he escaped?"
I staggered back, away from that darkness, those terrible, terrible eyes... Then I turned and ran towards Ellen, barely able to climb down the
#pgx143
rope she held for me one handed.
To Thorian Mines we went, to Thorian Mines we will go. Climbing down the wall, towards the wild, we gradually left Tenor Castrum to the fire, the flames still reaching up at the starry sky as if to hold the icy night
#pgx144
it's warm embrace.
#pgx145
Chapter 28: The Sun Sets for Everybody
#pgx146
Skiamance roared as he wrenched the arrow out of his chest. It came
loose in a torrent of red, staining the stones of the wall and his
clothes. The second arrow was more trouble. It stuck deeper. Gritting
his teeth, Skiamance grasped the
#pgx147
shaft firmly and howled as he wrenched it loose. And then he was back kneeling on the floor, stained crimson hands shaking. Raz'iel was there in an instant, crouching, his eyebrows knitted together in a frown.
"My Lord?"
#pgx148
Skiamance waved him away, staggering to his feet. His eyes shifted back to the drained grey, pain extinguishing the anger momentarily.
"I am fine," he snarled. Turning on his servant, he tried to speak but the words stuck in his throat. Breathing
#pgx149
heavily, Skiamance managed to click his fingers and snap impatiently,
"Rea... Ready the mounts. We ride at dawn."
The head mage nodded and dashed away. Glancing at his chest, Skiamance touched the bloodstained hole
#pgx150
in his dark shirt, wincing. Already the two wounds had healed. He examined the blood on his finger. Dark red. Darker than normal blood should be.
Then he remembered the problem at hand. How could they have let the boy escape? How? And then
#pgx151
there was the Evader to worry about, the damned Northerner. Twice now Evandrus had escaped Skiamance's clutches. He should have been more careful. Now all he had worked for was in jeopardy. Turning to Herobrine, Skiamance growled,
#pgx152
"Take me to the dungeons. I want to see this for myself."
The pair strode away briskly, the pounding of their footsteps fading away into the fire-stricken night. Skiamance swept by the destruction the prisoners left, barely glancing at the mess. He
#pgx153
would deal with it later.
The metal door of the prison slammed into the wall with a crash and the hinges screamed in protest as the Shadow Walker burst through. The scene that greeted him did so violently. Iron bars lay wrecked, strewn
#pgx154
around, ripped off their hinges like they weighed nothing. A young guard was slumped against a wall, in shock. As he saw Skiamance, realisation dawned on his face, quickly morphing into white-faced, fist-clenched terror.
#pgx155
The wretch scrambled to his feet, and Skiamance grabbed his collar, shoving him into the wall. Out of the corner of his eye he glimpsed Raz'iel rejoining them, taking his place beside Herobrine.
"I recall that I gave orders for nobody to go down
#pgx156
here," Skiamance snarled through gritted teeth, "so tell me... Who sent you? Which fool of a Ghast thought it wise to disobey my- direct- instruction?"
The youth stared into the ghastly, terrifying eyes for a second, frozen momentarily with
#pgx157
fear. Then with a shaking arm, he raised a trembling arm to point.
***
How Evan found the horses, I'll never know. It was a good thing he found the stable when he did though, or we would have all been in a lot worse shape than
#pgx158
we were now. And even though I didn't agree with Evan's idea of 'borrowing', I understood it was necessary. One thing I did know was that of all my few skills, horse riding was among the worst. It took all my concentration to not fall off, holding
#pgx159
onto Ellen best I could one handed. The pain in my shoulder dulled down to a low ache, but I couldn't move without it flaring once again.
We rode for hours. It seemed like an eternal blur of muddy paths and fields and fences, shades of black and grey
#pgx160
and brown that invaded every other colour in the night. When we eventually did stop, I was surprised I could still walk.
"You people are crazy," Lysen groaned, staggering away. I found it in me to laugh, which died in my throat as I
#pgx161
glanced around. We were in the middle of nowhere. I wouldn't go so far as to call it a forest. The trees were too thin and young, spread out too wide.
"Can't handle a horse, tough guy like you?" Evan suggested innocently as he tied up the
#pgx162
horses. Lysen muttered darkly under his breath.
"Im'ma pirate amico. I no need horses back home. Just my flint pistols and my silver bullets," he growled dejectedly.
"Hey, eight-legs," Evan called out. Ellen flinched.
"I thought I told
#pgx163
you to stop making arachnid references!" she hissed, sliding from her horse gracefully. Letting go of the reins, she stalked up to Evan and shoved him in the chest.
"Woah," he laughed, holding his hands up in surrender. "I
#pgx164
was only gonna ask you to make a fire. So touchy."
Dawn went up to me, leaning into my side.
"We're alive," she sighed. "In one piece."
"I don't know what's more surprising." I admitted. Dawn put an arm around my shoulder but I
#pgx165
winced and shrugged away. Ellen noticed and raised her eyebrow, striding over with a critical but curious expression.
"What happened?" Dawn asked, concern replacing the momentary hurt.
"Nothing." I shrugged it off.
#pgx166
"A dislocation isn't nothing," Ellen corrected, her arms crossed and her blue eyes still critical. "I can fix it. I've had worse in my time, I tell you." As she reached over and put her arm on my shoulder, I realised what she was going to do and
#pgx167
stepped away.
"Oh no," I said, shaking my head. "You're not doing the pop-my-shoulder-back-in thing. No way."
Ellen rolled her eyes.
"Don't be stupid. It won't fix itself," she snapped, irritated.
"I said, no."
"Fine," Ellen threw
#pgx168
her arms up in exasperation. "But let me at least look at it. You might need a sling."
I stood back, still wary. Ellen rolled her eyes again, muttering under her breath, and marched over to me, turning me around roughly so that I faced the other
#pgx169
way.
"Relax Smith. I'm not going to kill you."
As her fingers inspected the injury, it flared so much that I flinched.
"Do me a favour Smith," she announced suddenly. "Count the horses."
I tried to turn
#pgx170
around but she pushed me back.
"Why?" I asked, flexing my shoulder uncomfortably. There were three horses. Didn't she know?
"Just do it," she grumbled. "Trust me. Out loud if you please."
"One, two- OW!"
#pgx171
I should have seen it coming. For a second it felt like my shoulder was burning, on fire, twisting... And then the pain was gone. Ellen stood back, smug. I rubbed my shoulder, muttering a bristling, "Thanks," in her direction.
A clap of thunder
#pgx172
crashed through the night sky and it began to rain. I glanced skywards, feeling the raindrops streak my face. The moon was obscured by rough clouds. This was getting better and better.
"No fire?" Lysen groaned gloomily. Evan snorted.
#pgx173
"Don't get your mittens in a twist. I've gotten fires started in snowstorms, with wind and rain ten times as bad as this. Relax."
Evan was true to his word, and before long the five of us were sitting huddled around a roaring beast of a fire,
#pgx174
warm and comfortable as you could be in the middle of the wilderness. I leaned back on my hands, Dawn sitting beside me. Opposite us across the fire were Lysen and the northerners. Ellen and Dawn looked tired, Lysen agitated. But
#pgx175
Evan's expression bothered me. He was staring at the flames, the confident bravado gone, with the brooding look of someone staring at their own funeral pyre. His fingers fiddled with something in his palm. A pearl.
"What's that?" I muttered,
#pgx176
frowning and not really expecting an answer.
Evan stayed frozen for a moment longer, before stirring himself from his dark thoughts. He glanced my way, his eyes still unfocused, and held up the pearl.
"This?" He sighed, stowing it away in a
#pgx177
pocket. "It was a gift. From my sister." I didn't ask him to elaborate.
We sat there awhile longer, watching the fire die down to embers. The rain began to fade away. There was a puddle not too far from where I was sitting, water flooding a
#pgx178
dip the earth, nature's mirror. I studied my reflection in the smooth surface of the water.
The Stranger wasn't there. Just me. But something of the Stranger still lingered in my features, a trace of him in my eyes, as if waiting to creep
#pgx179
up on me and jump out when I least expected it. I wondered about that, where my weakness to power had come from. Maybe it stemmed from the fact that to somebody who had nothing, nothing at all, the sudden idea of having everything
#pgx180
distorted their vision of morality.
Across the fire, Evan sighed and clapped his hands together half-heartedly.
"Come on guys. Bed time. I'll will take first watch. Tomorrow we switch around."
The others murmured ascent and gradually went their ways
#pgx181
to sleep, but I stayed. Gazing into the flames, I asked quietly,
"Who are we running from this time?"
Evan glanced up. All of a sudden he seemed old. Very old and very ancient, as if he had been used for the past thousand years
#pgx182
and was getting tired of it. Something about them reminded me of Monetia.
"Same old," he replied bitterly. "Skiamance and his gang."
I shook my head.
"Skiamance is dead." He died in front of me. I saw it, I watched on as the arrows thudded into his
#pgx183
chest, into his heart. He couldn't be alive. It wouldn't be fair.
Evan seemed to age another millennia.
"No," he muttered to the flames after a while. "He is not."
I decided to ask what had been bothering me since meeting Raz'iel in that
#pgx184
street.
"You've been there before, haven't you?" I said warily, gauging for a reaction.
Focusing on my face, he motioned his head to the others, ignoring my statement. "Go on. Get some sleep. I'll watch the fire."
#pgx185
***
It wasn't a surprise I didn't get much sleep. Perhaps it was simply because I was so wired that I dreamed of carpets, which was strange even for me. It was a nice dream, a nice change from the nightmares though. It was when I was rubbing my cheek
#pgx186
against a particularly soft one that it licked me and pushed itself into my face.
"Cut it out already," I groaned, trying to roll away. The soft thing persisted. "I don't even like blue stripes," I mumbled, half asleep. I tried pushing it away again
#pgx187
with my hand. I half opened my eyes.
A muzzle of white fur was pushing itself into my face. Not a carpet. I wasn't imagining it.
"Gah!"
I jerked awake and scrambled away. It was a wolf. She, I assumed it was a she since the wolf was
#pgx188
too slender to be a he, looked at me quizzically. Her snow white fur seemed to glow in the moonlight. The dark, intelligent eyes surveyed me strangely. Taking a deep breath, I glanced around at the other's sleeping forms. Still asleep. It was still
#pgx189
night.
The wolf nudged my face again, then loped off into the darkness. I got the impression she wanted me to follow. It was stupid. It could be a trap. But in the past few days I learned to follow my instincts, and right now they were silent. And
#pgx190
so, shaking my head at the stupidness of what I was about to do, I stood up, and, brushing the dirt from my legs, squinted and followed the white blur into the trees.
I wished I could have put the thing on a leash. Barely able to make out the white
#pgx191
fur in the darkness, I followed her deeper into forest, muttering curses under my breath every time I tripped.
Eventually we came across the tree line. Thorny hedges line the trees, and I shook my head. No way. The wolf gave me a questioning
#pgx192
glance, a low whine escaping her throat, before disappearing into the thicket.
"You've got to be joking," I hissed through my teeth. Standing for a second, unsure whether to go forwards or back, I finally groaned before following
#pgx193
the wolf into the bushes, emerging in another thin forest. Shadow trees, thicker now that we were deeper in the woods, stood like gloomy shadows in the darkness.
"Where are you?" I muttered, stumbling like a drunk in the night, holding out
#pgx194
my hands to check for trees. "Where did you go?"
The moonlight showed a vague path through the young, thinning spruces, and the wolf prints were just about visible in the damp earth. What the heck am I doing? I thought as I followed them. Ducking
#pgx195
through a sapling arch, the two young trees leaning on each other, almost intertwined, I eventually found myself in a clearing.
The pale moonlit grass looked like molten silver beneath my feet. An eerie breeze rustled the forest gently,
#pgx196
ruffling my hair and making me shiver, shifting the grass in waves like ripples in a pond. Several metres away I could make out a creek, the sapphire surface of the water sparkling too brightly for a moonlit night. The stars were out. Glancing upwards,
#pgx197
I had never seen so many, spread out across sky. There was a certain magic to this place. I could feel it.
I gazed around, squinting in the dark. I could just about make out the shape of the pale wolf near the creek, sticking her head into the
#pgx198
water. Still looking as the wolf took her head out and shook it, I didn't even blink as the voice behind me said,
"I wondered whether you would come, Hero."
I didn't turn around. I should have expected this. I should have
#pgx199
known. Watching the graceful snow wolf sit, tip her head back and howl at the stars, I cleared my throat.
"So what brought this on?" I asked, with an attempt to keep my voice light. I was still facing the creek, still keeping my back to her. "I mean,
#pgx200
since when did you start to care?"
"I have no power in that place," she answered behind me. "I couldn't have helped you. You know that in your heart better than me."
I sighed, and turned.
I had never seen Monetia's form before, only
#pgx201
heard her voice. At first I thought she was a ghost. Pale white skin, glowing, almost translucent. Dark hair, not quite as sharp a coal black as Skiamance's, but a softer shade of polished onyx. Plain white dress. It was like seeing a painting in black
#pgx202
and white, except for her eyes. Eyes that shifted colour from green to hazel to brown and back again. Old eyes. Ones that have seen stars collide and realms burn. What was this godlike creature doing here among mortals? From what I knew, angels
#pgx203
stayed in the skies. Unless they were fallen angels.
"Things are graver than you imagine," she began.
"Well it hasn't exactly been a picnic," I agreed, interrupting. "Let's see... In the past few days I have been chased half way
#pgx204
across Minecraftia, had almost gotten killed by endermen twice, gotten involved in a war, marched into a heavily guarded capital of the South..." I paused, taking a breath. The repressed anger started to creep into my tone. "Then I find out I have an
#pgx205
oh so affectionate Godfather, help a Terrarian, break out of a prison and almost die... for the fifth time. Now I realise we are heading to a place that even Evan is refusing to discuss, all in search of a mother-of-all evil object that has
#pgx206
the power to destroy the world should it fall into the wrong hands."
I shook my head, my voice heavy with bitter sarcasm. "Yeah, I'd say things were pretty grave."
"What is grave is that it is just the beginning."
She Who Warned
#pgx207
stood quiet for a time, studying me with those ever-changing eyes. Earth colours, I thought, studying her eyes. Forest colours. Natural colours.
"So tell me..." Monetia started lightly. I could hear concern in her voice. False concern, most
#pgx208
likely. "How have you been?"
Waving my hands in exasperation, I turned my back and stalked away.
"Enough of the banter," I growled, whirling around. "From what I know of you, you're not here in concern of my general well being
#pgx209
so will you cut to the chase!"
Monetia gazed at me long and hard.
"I come with warnings. And advice. How you put them to use is up to you," she said. Her gaze turned critical. "Some of which concerns your next destination."
"Oh really," I said
#pgx210
sarcastically. "And what would that be?"
"Perhaps if you shut up and listen you could find."
I nodded, glancing at the grass by my feet. Fighting the sudden urge to sleep, I took a deep breath, deciding to voice the question I had been to scared to
#pgx211
ask Evan. He wouldn't have answered anyway.
"What is in Thorian Mines?" As I said the name, a colder wind blew through the clearing. The wolf's ears pricked. Suddenly the night didn't seem so warm anymore.
"Shadows," she
#pgx212
answered, something in her tone I couldn't decipher. A dark undertone. I frowned, shuddering involuntarily.
"Care to elaborate?"
Somehow part of me knew the answer. A natural instinct I noticed in the Birindor's woods, but dismissed as soon
#pgx213
as I felt. Perhaps because I didn't want to acknowledge it.
"What lives in the dark," Monetia answered, her voice falling to barely a whisper. I could hear just fine- the place had gone unnaturally quiet, the forest in the grips of a terrible silence.
#pgx214
"What always lived in the dark. The shape you glimpse in the corner of your eye. What you think you see. And yet you never, ever want to look."
A shiver crept up my spine, cold fingers tracing my back. I heard the words and felt the fear they
#pgx215
triggered. The pale shape of the wolf moved in the corner of my vision, and my head snapped around.
"Oh he is here too," Monetia went on. "He is everywhere, but the Mines especially. After all, why do you think all rational creatures fear
#pgx216
the night?"
"What is it?" I managed to say. "What's down there?"
A stronger breeze swept by me, more persistent.
"The Mountain Lords dug too deep, wanted too much," Monetia whispered. Leaves rustled in the darkness. "They
#pgx217
had no knowledge of what they created in the shadows, what they awoke from the terrible slumber. I cannot say his name, not here, any more than I can say the events that will come to pass."
"You know then," I murmured evenly, breathing out
#pgx218
through my teeth. "You know what happens to me. To us." I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. Tilting my head to the side as I glanced back to the creek, I asked curiously, "Why can't you tell me?"
"The more one knows about a future,
#pgx219
the more one tries to change it," the goddess of warning answered. "If you knew you were to meet death, would you not attempt to avert your future path as to not collide with his cold embrace?"
"You're saying I'm going to die there?" I guessed. For
#pgx220
some reason the concept seemed more amusing than frightening.
"Did I say anything of the sort?" Monetia chided smoothly. "Must you take my every word so literally? It was an example. Nothing more."
A tense silence
#pgx221
followed.
"How do I fight it?" I asked eventually.
"Find yourself," Monetia said simply. "The creature in Thorian's mines feeds on self conflict and... doubt. You are more crucial to the group than you think. You are, after all, Courage."
#pgx222
I had the feeling she had a different word in mind than doubt, but changed her mind about letting me know. Courage. Right. Shouldn't that be Evan? I thought to myself bitterly. I crossed my arms and waited.
"What other warnings did you need to
#pgx223
give me?" I asked eventually, just to break the gloomy silence.
"That depends," said Monetia.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded. Suddenly I was sick of it all. Sick of the riddles, sick of the unknown, sick of the secrets and
#pgx224
the lies.
"Such anger..." Monetia murmured, lifting her head a fraction. "Still no acceptance I see,"
I didn't argue with that. I was still half hoping this was some insane dream, that I would wake up home, safe. Or at least, safer. That hope
#pgx225
slipped a little further away each day, and rage and bitterness filled that space. I wasn't proud of it. But then again, I was only human.
"You have seen what anger did to Skiamance," Monetia warned. "You would do well not to follow in his footsteps.
#pgx226
Hate is like a fire; let it feed on you for long enough and eventually it burns away the soul."
I cursed under my breath. Would these damned spirits stop with the philosophy talk and tell me something useful?
"At least you don't see me murdering my
#pgx227
wife," I replied coldly.
I heard a sharp intake of breath. "Skiamance never had a wife," Monetia said suddenly. I shook my head, frowning and turning away, towards the creek.
"Max said-"
"Damon had a love, that is true," Monetia interrupted, as if
#pgx228
I didn't speak, as I wasn't there. "They were to be married. But they never got the chance. Damon's love perished in the ashes of Ruiten, along with the rest of his family. Along with the rest of his humanity."
I paused, half-turning
#pgx229
back. Fur brushed my leg, and I flinched back, startled. But it was only the white wolf. She pushed her muzzle against my leg again, curving around my side, like a friendly cat might greet an owner back from a long working day. Absently, I stroked her
#pgx230
soft fur, scratching behind her ear as I thought over what was said.
My voice was strained as I muttered, "Why would Max...?"
...Lie? I finished in my head. Especially about something like that? Knowing him, he had a reason. The Dark One knew
#pgx231
about my father and godfather and stayed silent. Monetia's voice warmed, softened when she spoke. Snow cold rather than ice cold.
"Sometimes men twist the truth, or enlarge it, or mask it, to make something easier to hate. A
#pgx232
prejudiced man may find it simpler to kill Skiamance the Shadow Walker than one who understands the full truth behind his choices. What many do not realise is that Skiamance is a being to be pitied, not hated."
"Pity? You've got to be joking," I said
#pgx233
in disbelief.
"You tell me," Monetia replied. Tilting her head to the side, she studied me with those curious, shifting eyes that have seen so much. I could see scenes, the future and past reflecting in the irises. The colour of her eyes shifted to a
#pgx234
dark grey, then obsidian. Dark future indeed.
"I have a riddle for you," Monetia said. Another one? I thought wearily. Her eyes stopped changing colour, settling on the black. Suddenly the fallen angel looked very sinister.
#pgx235
"A man embraces a great evil. His worst enemy calls him selfish because the man did it for vengeance. His best friend calls him selfless for by embracing the evil the man rid the world of a greater one. Tell me, which one of them is right?"
#pgx236
My mouth opened as I was about to answer, but I closed it just as quickly. I needed time to think.
"Do not answer yet," Monetia warned. "The answer will depend on who you truly are. I have a feeling not even you know that yet."
"Fine," I said,
#pgx237
spreading my arms and letting them drop back to my sides. "Now, do you have anything useful to tell me? Or can I go now, having wasted my night with ambiguous answers and riddles?"
"Almost."
Monetia broke off. Her gaze shifted from
#pgx238
me to the creek, and she strode towards it, brushing past me. I realised that her bare feet hovered an inch above the ground. Heading over to the spring, she scooped some of the water and let it flow through her fingers, studying the glistening drops
#pgx239
on her hand.
"Water magic is a strange thing," Monetia murmured. "Only one truly at peace with themselves can even attempt to learn it's ways."
She clenched her fist, and the water seemed to obey, the liquid morphing
#pgx240
into a hand and rising out of the pool. A second later, it collapsed back with a splash. Monetia glanced at me again.
"Even I cannot use it properly,"
My foot tapped the floor impatiently. I didn't have time for this. "Your point?" I pressed. She Who
#pgx241
Warned sighed. She fixed her eyes on mine, the irises shifting to a forest-floor green.
"My point, Darien, is that someday you may well have to use the magic of the water. Should that day come and you do not defeat the demons in your heart..." She
#pgx242
trailed off, but I could imagine what came next. All would be lost.
"What are my demons?"
"Demons are creatures of the dark," she carried on, evading my question. "They come when the night comes. Listen to
#pgx243
my warning carefully Darien Smith the Stormbringer. Dawn, like hope, does not last forever. The sunset will come and you will despair. You must not let it take over."
"Thank you, little miss ray-of-sunshine," I muttered. "But I think it's here
#pgx244
already."
"The sun sets for everybody," Monetia warned. "Someday it will set for you."
"Has it set for you?"
She didn't answer.
"You will find magic in Thorian mines," she continued in a somber tone.
"Magic? What kind of-" I started, but then
#pgx245
it hit. Magic. The Magic, the one that, according Videntus, would complete our group. "Ah..."
"And one last thing," Monetia added. "Your friend Evandrus has better instincts the enemy gave him credit for. You are being tracked."
"I figured that one
#pgx246
out for myself, thanks," I muttered, disgruntled. I looked up. "But by what?"
"Something you thought you left in the shadows of Istenmire," Monetia suggested. Would I ever get a straight answer? But it wasn't all that hard to figure out.
#pgx247
"The Enders..." I breathed.
"I must leave now," Monetia said abruptly. "My brother senses my presence. Remember the words that were said this night. Do not fail me."
"Wait!" I cried. "Don't leave yet. What about me? What do I do?
#pgx248
You haven't said anything!"
Monetia's expression turned hard as stone.
"The world rests on your young shoulders Darien Smith. Do this, if not for me, but for the world. As flawed as humanity is, it deserves a
#pgx249
chance to learn."
With a wave of her hand, the spirit of warning disappeared in a flash of white.
#pgx250
Chapter 29: The Enders Make a Point
#pgx251
I traced my steps back to our camp fairly quickly, so my friends had no
knowledge of my nighttime wonderings. I tried not to think about her
words. In fact, I tried not to think at all. Collapsing onto the grass
by the ashes of the fire, I fell
#pgx252
into dreamless sleep. The morning came all too quickly, bringing with it the ever looming threat of Skiamance and the ever increasing pressure of finding the Spawner. We were running out of time.
"But look on the bright side," Dawn said with forced
#pgx253
cheerfulness. "Now we have horses. We're faster than on foot." Dawn, always the optimist.
"We aren't the only ones," Evan replied darkly.
Glancing up at the sky, I started to gather my things. I figured it was perhaps an hour
#pgx254
till dawn, which meant we should probably get moving. We didn't leave straight away though. Some goodbyes were first in order. Lysen took a spare dagger from Ellen gratefully, then turned to me.
"Many thanks amico," he said, holding out a hand. I
#pgx255
shook it without hesitation. "Perhaps we will meet again. Good luck on your suicide mission. Much as I would love to join you I prefer life." He winked then addressed everybody else. "Maybe you will get tired of the war and decide to visit
#pgx256
Terraria. Send me a letter the moment you do, and watch out for the sharks."
With one final blinding smile and a laugh, he saluted and set off the way we came, the opposite direction we were heading.
"You think he'll be alright?" I murmured
#pgx257
uncertainly.
Evan snorted, shouldering his backpack.
"He'll be fine. He's from Terraria for Notch's sake. I expect he'll head in the direction of Port Sicarus, then take a ship home. Maybe then he'll have the sense to stay out of
#pgx258
trouble."
That was more sense that we had. After a quick breakfast, we were ready to go. Swinging onto his horse and turning to face us, Evan jerked a thumb into the distance.
"C'mon, I don't have all day."
We covered a lot
#pgx259
ground much quicker with the horses. On foot the journey would have taken us weeks.
Soon I began to spot the mountains in the distance, mighty peaks standing strong, unmovable, eternal. The mountains crept steadily closer,
#pgx260
the landscape fading from woodlands to rough grass and shrub. Even from a distance I could feel the power of the huge, towering monsters made of rock and stone and ice, the jagged peaks jutting out from the horizon and reaching impossibly high
#pgx261
into the sky.
"The Mountain Province," Dawn said, in as much wonder as me, riding by my side. "I've always dreamed of seeing the mountains." I could understand her awe. The most impressive thing the pair of us had seen back home was that valley by
#pgx262
the woods. Perhaps it wasn't so bad destiny dragged me out of that place after all. And anyway, wasn't that what I always wanted? To be free? Granted, I wasn't free now, but certainly after this business was done and over with, I could go North maybe.
#pgx263
Working for Max would be so bad, long as he paid me decently and didn't send me south too much. I could live with that. At least I wouldn't have to be around Gareth anymore... now that was a bright side anywhere, anytime.
"Well you're in luck," Evan
#pgx264
called from behind us, jarring me from my thoughts. "We'll pass right by them. I reckon we might need to cross onto Province land to get to the mines, but that's alright." He turned to face Ellen and winked. "Somebody here got friendly with
#pgx265
Thordor Prince a few years ago, so I doubt they'll call a war for us trespassing,"
Dawn's eyes widened as she struggled not to laugh, and Ellen's ears turned pink. I got the impression I was missing out on a private joke.
"Prince," I said, nodding.
#pgx266
"Interesting surname. Sounds almost like royalty."
"Can we please change the subject?" Ellen demanded, shifting uncomfortably.
Evan considered, then relented. "Oh alright," Evan laughed. We rode in silence after
#pgx267
that.
It began to get colder too. Wind was the main culprit, swirling around us and shouting in our faces. Thunder boomed in the distance, lightning flickering briefly in the clouds before once again being engulfed by the
#pgx268
heavy grey. The air sparked with the building tension of a storm.
* * *
Herobrine walked out into the yard, papers in his hand, and strode briskly to his master. Skiamance was readying his horse; a monstrous, towering thing
#pgx269
coloured an even grey.
"My Lord!" Herobrine called out, holding up the papers. Skiamance turned reluctantly and frowned.
"What?"
"I require you to sign a document before we leave," said Herobrine,
#pgx270
snapping his fingers. A magnificent quill materialised in thin air, followed by a pot of ink. The two items floated towards Skiamance and froze, suspended in the air. The Emperor's frown deepened.
"Usually Raz'iel would deal with such
#pgx271
things,"
How grateful you sound that I'm here in his stead, Herobrine thought. "He betrayed you my Lord. Perhaps it is better that he is no longer in your service to deal with important things such as this."
It was after the
#pgx272
young guard told them the head mage sent him down, that Skiamance dismissed him. From Herobrine's view, Raz'iel was lucky to escape with his life.
There was a pained look in Skiamance's eyes as he plucked the ink and quill out of the air. His hand
#pgx273
froze an inch above the paper.
"Damn whatever trust I gave him," Skiamance murmured, eyes skimming swiftly through the text.
Fool, Herobrine thought to himself, damn whatever trust you give to anybody. In this game you trust no one.
#pgx274
You'll learn that lesson eventually, and it will hurt.
"You did what was necessary, my Lord," Herobrine said, faking sympathy.
Or at least what was necessary for me. Raz'iel suspected. They all did, but he was the worst. Now he was out of the
#pgx275
way.
Skiamance finished reading. When he spoke, his voice was deadly.
"My will?" he managed, eyes flashing red.
"Something Raz'iel neglected to sort out," Herobrine said calmly in a placating tone.
Skiamance shook
#pgx276
his head, flicking his wrist. The paper flew over Herobrine's shoulder, and the Shadow Lord's hand reflexively flicked out and caught it.
"This is pointless," Skiamance growled, turning back to his horse. "I cannot die. Why do I need a will?"
"Just
#pgx277
formalities," assured Herobrine, handing him back the now crumpled parchment. "Necessary. I do not abandon certain aspects of my duties. Unlike some."
Skiamance hesitated, then said,
"I disagree with a particular point. I leave my position
#pgx278
to the councillors of Magorum, not to you."
Of course you do. Not as stupid as you look, Herobrine thought with a twinge of annoyance, as Skiamance placed his intricate, looping signature upon the paper.
"As you wish my Lord." He waved his hand
#pgx279
and the letter morphed, changing into the desired sentence.
"Now seal it," Skiamance commanded. Well played. And here I was, thinking you were a total fool. Both Shadow Lords knew that once a letter had been sealed by
#pgx280
magic it could not be changed, nor opened by any other than the recipient. Never mind, I will find a way. Herobrine had no choice but to place it into an envelope and utter,
"Solierus,"
A fiery line appeared in the air and wrapped itself
#pgx281
around the envelope, before morphing to a flaming seal and cooling into red wax. The sigil was a flame.
Skiamance mounted his horse, and looked down upon his servant. He was tall to begin with, and sitting on the huge grey he towered
#pgx282
over most others.
"Prepare. We leave now. And next time, leave trivial business for when I am in the castle, and not about to leave. Understood?"
"Perfectly." Who said there would be a next time?
Behind Skiamance assembled the
#pgx283
party, a gangly tail of a dozen soldiers including Flynt the Crimson. He was easy distinguishable among them by his huge bulk and towering height, even more so than Skiamance, and by the blood red cloak sweeping around his shoulders. Crimson indeed.
#pgx284
Herobrine clambered onto his own animal and steadied the horse, before cantering behind the others, flying past the gate and out of the castle.
And so they had ridden. The chase was on. Hooves thundered down the narrow path as
#pgx285
the day broke, the sun gradually creeping timidly from behind the horizon. Heavy, dense cloud quickly obscured it from view. It wasn't too long before they stumbled on the campsite, ashes easily distinguishable from the crooked grass. Skiamance
#pgx286
swung off his horse and stalked up to the fire pit. Crouching down, he scowled.
"We did not miss them by long."
"Can we find out how long?" inquired Flynt, following.
Skiamance nodded, standing up, still looking at the fire pit. Sucking a deep
#pgx287
breath, he closed his eyes and held out a hand. He began to chant in Ancient Minecraftian.
"Fire, fire,
Burning, dire,
Raise the ashes,
From the pyre,
What I must see
Let flames set free,
And show the things
unseen to me,"
#pgx288
Skiamance opened his eyes. They seemed troubled as he crouched again, rubbing ash between his fingers.
"They went several hours ago." Glancing at a separate set of tracks leading the other way, he shook his head, mystified. "Why in Notch's
#pgx289
name would they split up?"
"Perhaps the Terrarian," said Herobrine smoothly. That would make the most sense. Skiamance nodded, looking troubled. With good reason. Lysen Emerald-Eye was not a force the wise reckoned with. The
#pgx290
last thing they needed was a Terrarian army on the river shores of Port Sicarus. But the pirate was the least of their concerns, Skiamance and Herobrine knew.
"We need to find them. Now. Or at least slow them." Skiamance muttered,
#pgx291
standing up and brushing ash of his hands.
A small smile played on Herobrine's lips.
"Perhaps my servants would be of assistance?" he offered.
"Perhaps," was Skiamance's curt reply, as he glanced away into the
#pgx292
distance.
Herobrine clicked his fingers, reaching out mentally. In an instant, two waves of purple sparks flickered into existence as the Endermen materialised at his side. Their lean, dark bodies loomed over him- they were in
#pgx293
their true Ender forms, the forms in which they were strongest. The purple eyes, which remained whatever form they took, flickered menacingly with demon fire.
"What do you propose?" Skiamance asked, glancing at the Enders
#pgx294
sceptically, his interest overcoming his sourness momentarily.
"Slowing them down," Herobrine said. "They have a guide do they not? Then why not kill him, so they have no idea which way to go? A shame. What a terrible shame if something were to
#pgx295
befall Evandrus Pendracin the Evader, Lieutenant of the Resistance," Herobrine paused. "A shame he won't be evading for much longer."
* * *
We had been riding a long time. Time soon began to lose meaning, as the
#pgx296
epic scenery, which had seemed so beautiful before, never seemed to be getting closer at all. We all sighed with relief as Evan called a break. Deciding to rest near a boulder, we sat down beside the huge rock, glad to be out of the wind.
Trying to
#pgx297
take my mind off the more pressing matters, I tried to sound upbeat.
"At least It'll cover our tracks right?" I said hopefully. The others groaned, and Evan rolled his eyes.
"Not that easy, stupid," muttered Evan. "If he wants to find us, he's got it
#pgx298
easy because he's got magic."
"Can you please get along for one day?" Dawn asked wearily.
"A break from the bickering would be welcomed," Ellen echoed grouchily.
Evan snorted. "Course we can, if Darien stops being such a-"
#pgx299
Evan broke off suddenly, glancing behind me. I felt it too. An abrupt heaviness in the air. Something dark. Something...
Something we thought we left in the shadows of Istenmire.
Ellen came to the realisation at the same time as me,
#pgx300
which was half a second too late. As she leapt to her feet and cried out a warning, they materialised in a shower of purple sparks, one to our right, one to our left. Enders. Oh great, now they decide to reveal themselves.
"Monetia was
#pgx301
right. She told me in the night. She knew," I muttered, shaking my head as I drew Stormsteel. Evandrus looked beyond angry as he glanced my way. He looked enraged.
"I suppose you forgot to mention this?" he growled in my direction.
#pgx302
I didn't answer. The first of the Enders lunged in my direction, clawed hands scything through the air. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the second take on Evan, Ellen and Dawn. Dodging out of the way, the claws brushed my clothes, tearing
#pgx303
gouges into my shirt but missing drawing blood by millimetres. I slashed clumsily at the thing but it faded away, appearing behind me.
Grabbing the back of my shirt, it threw me head first into the rock. Ouch. Somehow I managed to twist in midair so
#pgx304
that I took the hit with my side rather than my head. Smashing into the boulder and collapsing into a dazed heap on the ground, I watched with blurry vision as the Enders split, one of them gradually pressing Evan away from the group. The creature was
#pgx305
incredibly quick, even for him.
Getting unsteadily to my feet, I blinked and tried to clear my head. I swayed, then, shaking my head started running painfully to help Evan. A flash of purple and a foot flicked out, causing me to trip. The
#pgx306
Ender attacking Dawn and Ellen flitted back to it's battle without so much as a break. They were toying with us.
I scrambled to my feet again, trying to ignore my hurting side. My dislocated shoulder felt sore and stiff. With a loud bang, like in the
#pgx307
alleyway, Ellen and Dawn flew in opposite directions. The two Enders ganged up on Evan who stared back defiantly.
"Apologies. Orders are orders," said one. A dagger materialised into existence in his hand. It was a menacing thing;
#pgx308
the blade midnight blue, the hilt black and undecorated. A tool made purely for killing. The second snapped his clawed fingers, and Evan's sword glowed red with heat. Yelping, he flung it away.
Time slowed. Somehow I knew what was about to happen, but
#pgx309
I was too far away to stop it, helpless to prevent it.
"Goodbye Evandrus. Nightflame sends his regards,"
Nightflame? But this wasn't time for mysteries. Evan was about to die, and we were too far away to help. The only person even remotely
#pgx310
close was Dawn.
The dagger left the Ender's hand, it's aim perfect, and spun towards Evan, who was frozen and unable to move...
... Before Dawn tackled him and the pair toppled to the ground.
The second one bared his teeth
#pgx311
and summoned a dagger of his own.
"Hey!" I yelled. Without hesitating the Ender turned and hurled the thing at me. I reacted instinctively, throwing my hands out as if to push it away.
The dagger froze.
It hung suspended in the air, an inch
#pgx312
away from my nose. I was as frozen as the knife from shock, hands still outstretched. What the heck? The Enders seemed as startled as me, purple eyes losing their vigour for a moment, the fire quenched with astonishment. I stared gaping at
#pgx313
it for a moment before sprinting forward and seizing the knife out of the air, throwing it.
I had thrown knives several times in the past and I was never a good shot, but somehow my desperation lent me aim. The dagger hit the Ender square
#pgx314
in the chest, sinking into his torso. He looked at the spike protruding from his front, then burnt up in a wave of purple flame with a scream.
His friend gave me a look of loathing. With one last glare, the Ender shimmered away in a burst of violet
#pgx315
sparks.
"Coward," I heard Ellen mutter. To be honest, I didn't mind he decided to retreat.
Breathing heavily, I glanced at Ellen who was studying me warily, gauging for a reaction of what I just did. Magic. It had to be. There was
#pgx316
no other explanation. But how?
Evan and Dawn were still in a tangled heap. All of a sudden I felt tired, drained, the energy I had moments before fading away. Taking another deep breath, I walked over to Evan, putting out a hand to help him
#pgx317
up.
"You alright?" I asked.
"Yes," muttered Evan.
"No," groaned Dawn. Her voice made me pause. Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. I crouched. Beside me, Ellen helped Evan get painfully to his feet.
"Dawn, are you
#pgx318
alright? Can you stand? Are you hurt?" I asked, worry creeping into my tone. Dawn grimaced then winced.
"No, possibly, yes."
That was when I noticed the colours. Red. There was so much red. Why was there red? Oh no no no...
#pgx319
"The knife..." Evan murmured, guilt in his voice fresh as the day, fresh as my guilt that began to drag me down lower and lower as I realised just how much my secrets had cost me. "Oh Dawn I am sorry. I am so very, very sorry."