“Lights, shut off!” Cole whispered to the room. “Um, dim the lights, cut the lights, turn them down?” The room ignored him.
The scraping sounded as if right outside the window now. Cole dove into the pile of pillows, covering himself and peeking through the tasseled edges of a particularly frilly one. The scraping came to an abrupt halt as something clanged against the metal bars. Cole sank deeper into his hiding spot, afraid that his pounding heart would betray him. He waited, breathing as slowly as possible so it wouldn’t appear as if there was a pillow breathing by its own volition.
“Hello?” said a little voice.
Cole clamped his mouth shut and held his breath.
The little voice called again, “Naked one, are you in there?”
It was the voice of a child. Cole inched his head forward, daring a glance through the tassels. It was the girl from the trail. Her curly hair poured over the window sill as she squeezed her head in between the bars.
Her eyes searched the room. “Naked one?”
“Y-yes?” Cole lifted the pillow.
“Aha! There you are, naked one.” The girl dropped her voice to a whisper after looking over her shoulder. “Naked one, you are not safe. You must leave this place. Word has spread and things are changing.”
Cole emerged from his hiding place. “How am I in danger? This is the safest place I’ve been in a while. How did you get up here?”
Ringlets of hair bounced as she shook her head. “No, this is not a safe place. No one is safe here. You must leave. Please, naked one.” Her voice took on a tone of pleading. “The Aenerians are talking about you. Bad things are coming. Bad people are coming. They are coming for you, naked one.”
“I’m not naked, I’m Cole. I’m not from this planet, I’ve only been here a little while. I’m from Earth, I mean Terra. Kreed has been the only decent person to me so far and I trust him. You and your friend attacked me at first sight, remember?” Cole crossed his arms, cocking his head.
“Habbad was scared. He thought you were one of the Dark Ones. The Dark Ones are evil beings from deep in the forest.” The girl’s voice became defensive: “Besides, Habbad is my brother and I trust him.”
“Well I’m not a Dark One, whatever that’s supposed to be. I’m just Cole, from Earth.” He took a step closer to get a better look at her.
“That is why you must leave. You came from Terra, that’s important! Bad people are coming for you Cole, they are outside now. Kreed is one of them. Kreed hurts kids. He promises them food and light and soft pillows. He hurts them Cole, he hurts them in this room! But the bad people are worse than him. I don’t want you to get hurt.” She was crying now, but her fear kept her sobs quiet.
A sick feeling illuminated something not quite right with Kreed. It wasn’t until now, after seeing the fear on this girl’s face that he knew he really was trapped.
“What’s your name?” Cole asked, approaching the window.
“Lexy.” She sniffed, rubbing her nose on her wrists.
Cole jumped, scrambled up the window sill, and sat close to her. “Lexy, I believe you. I would leave, but the door is solid and I can’t fit through the bars. Do you know a way out?” He placed his hands over hers, which were wrapped around the bars.
A tiny smile popped onto her face as she nodded. “Yes, Cole! Yes!” She looked over her shoulder again. “Habbad is in there with you. He is coming to get you out. Habbad is going to steal a shaper-stick from the garden. He should be here soon.” She paused, mouth agape as if she had forgotten something. “Darkness, come to me.”
The sourceless light dimmed until Cole could see nothing but the faint blue glow from the street below. He loosened his grip on Lexy’s fingers as he realized he was crushing them.
“How will Habbad get me out of here?” Cole whispered.
“With the shaper stick. Habbad can use Wisdom, though it is not allowed for us. He knows how to use the shaper stick too. You can’t tell anyone he is using it.” Her voice dropped until Cole could barely hear it: “He comes.”
A circle of blue light appeared low in the door, growing larger as if an invisible hand were scooping the material away. A figure crawled through, crouching and holding a blue lantern.
“Naked one?” the figure whispered.
“Are you Habbad?” Cole asked.
“You must leave, naked one. They are here.” Habbad turned on the spot and waved a short staff over the hole in ever smaller circles, filling it in. He patted the smooth door, satisfied.
“Habbad did they see you?” Lexy whispered, a little too loudly.
“No,” he replied, approaching the window.
“Did you use Wisdom?” she asked. “You know they can smell it.”
“No one could see me. Naked one, help me up.” He tapped Cole on the leg.
Reaching down, Cole hoisted Habbad up to the window. “My name is Cole. Thanks for helping me.”
“Move over,” Habbad shooed Cole with a flick of his hand and offered him the blue lantern. “Hold this.”
Cole grabbed the oval lantern. It looked like the ones mounted outside, except this one was wrapped in wire and had a handle. Habbad placed the shaping stick against the metal bars, wincing as they groaned and screeched. After a few seconds there was an opening large enough for them to fit through.
“Lexy, go down so we can follow,” Habbad ordered.
Habbad touched the surface of the lantern with a finger, and the lamp dimmed until the blue glow was barely noticeable. Cole shivered as he followed Habbad out of the window. There was definitely some kind of invisible barrier keeping the chilled air out of the room. He placed the lantern in his teeth and descended the ladder, limbs shaking.
“Move faster. They are inside,” Habbad’s whisper called from the roof below.
The ladder wobbled uncomfortably as Cole’s hands jerked from rung to rung. The ladder was clearly not intended for anyone heavier than these children. Once on the rooftop below, Habbad lowered the ladder, hefted it over his shoulder, and lowered it once more at the edge of the roof.
“Lexy, go first.” Habbad placed a protective hand on her shoulder as she hopped light as a feather down the ladder.
“You next.” He pointed to Cole.
Cole peered down the ladder as he planted his feet as firmly as he could. The ground below was pitch black.
Cole whispered into the darkness, “Lexy, watch out. I’m-”
A mournful howl shattered the silence. Cole lost his footing and slipped down a rung. Light erupted through the bent bars of the window.
“They are upon us! Go, now!” Habbad shouted.
Fear dulled his fingers, which slipped haphazardly down the rails. Another howl jarred his teeth. It sounded as if a dozen old men were being tortured, screaming for death from the same mouth. The lantern slipped from his mouth, shattering in a flash of blue light on the ground. The ladder seemed several times longer this time around.
“Lexy, where are you, I can’t see anything,” Cole hissed.
“I’m here Cole.” She found his hand. “Habbad are you- oh!”
Something struck the ground beside them, making Cole jump.
“You dropped the lantern,” Habbad stated. “Here, let me touch your eyes. This will slow me down so don’t run too fast.”
Cole bent his head down without hesitation. He could feel Habbad’s hands walking their way up his neck until a finger planted over each of his closed eyes.
“Open them,” Habbad demanded.
Cole’s eyes twitched. He forced them open as wide as he could, only to clamp them after something like static jolted his pupils.
Cole gasped, “Ah! What did you-”
“Keep blinking. Lexy where are you? Let me do yours.” The words flew from Habbad’s mouth.
Cole blinked several times as he felt the strangest thing in his eyes, almost as if they were growing bigger. With each blink, however, his vision became more and more clouded with smudges. Slowly, he realized those smudge m
arks were actually Lexy and Habbad standing next to the ladder. He could somehow see in the dark.
“Habbad it’s not working!” Lexy cried, “We have to go! They can smell you using it!”
“I’ll carry her. I can see.” Cole stared wide-eyed at Habbad, who replied with a curt nod.
“Follow me,” Habbad said, darting away.
Cole hoisted Lexy into his arms and trotted after Habbad. Another sickening howl pierced the night, followed by a crash Cole felt in his feet. Not bothering to see what had just landed behind them, Cole instinctively bent down and scooped up Habbad as well. He resisted at first, but after feeling the fear and adrenaline that drove Cole’s limbs, Habbad scrambled up onto his back. Instead of slowing, Cole surged faster with the extra weight. He had no intention of letting himself or his new friends fall prey to whatever horror had released that howl.
“Turn right after the barrels.” Habbad’s voice shook with the pounding of Cole’s feet. “Run to the end of this alley, then turn left.”
Cole obeyed without hesitation, acting as the vehicle while the voice in his ear was the driver. A few turns later, they heard another howl. It was farther away this time, though no less mortifying. Eventually Cole had no choice but to slow his cadence as his body refused his will. Panting, he set the two down behind a wagon and dry-vomited.
“We cannot stop here. Can you still move?” Habbad crouched, peering around the next corner.
“Yes,” Cole heaved again. “But slower, at least for a minute.”
“Keep up with me. They are very angry.” Habbad disappeared behind the corner with Lexy in tow.
Wiping his mouth, Cole stumbled after them, grateful that their little legs weren’t capable of anything faster than a steady jog. He couldn’t seem to catch his breath and hoped with all his heart that his ragged breathing wouldn’t give them away. Habbad seemed to be weaving them through the darkest alleys, which was a good thing since the blue lanterns were now so bright that they hurt Cole’s eyes.
Though the situation was dire, Cole’s body didn’t seem to care as it gradually began to shut down with every stride. His legs screamed for fuel, which he had none of. He needed food. The last meal he’d had was with Goran before they set out from the cabin.
“I-can’t- run- anymore,” Cole panted. “Have- to- walk.”
Habbad stopped, breathing heavy as well. Lexy on the other hand seemed as if she were only out for a leisurely walk.
“I think we are far enough anyway, though we must keep moving.” Habbad rubbed his eyes. “We can’t go back to our home. They saw me before I jumped from the roof. They know my face now.”
“No Habbad!” Lexy pulled at her brother’s arm. “You said you wouldn’t let them see you. They will punish you now and I’ll be all by myself forever and ever! The others are so mean to me without you Habbad. I don’t want to be alone.” She rubbed her cheeks into her brother’s arm, soaking the cloth with tears.
Habbad’s eyes bored into the ground at his feet. “What’s done is done. We cannot go back. We have to leave.”
Cole slumped back against a wall, wiping the froth from his mouth. “I know a place. Can you get us back to the trail where you found me?”
Chapter 9
Proper Introductions
“We aren’t allowed to leave the village when there’s no sun. We could be punished you know!” Lexy rubbed her eyes and blinked after Habbad worked his trick on them once more. “It worked this time, brother. I can see.”
“If they catch us we’re dead anyway. Well, Cole might not be, they have other plans for him I think. From what I overheard they wanted to bring him to Decreath.” Habbad inspected his sister’s eyes before stepping into the tall grass. “This trail runs alongside the main one here, it’s longer but we’ll be under cover.”
Cole ducked his head as he entered the grassy tunnel. He recognized the grass from the fields they had passed on the way into town. He could see stars through the shoots above, though the constellations were completely foreign to him. A different reality indeed. He suddenly felt very homesick. “So we’re not near Terra anymore?”
“We are in the house of Pastori.” Lexy’s whisper took on a melody as she skipped through the grass tunnel, running her fingers along the stalks. “Terra is gone, gone, until the cycle repeats, repeats.”
“What is the house of Pastori, and what’s a cycle?” Cole asked. The concepts of different realities gave him an unsettling, sinking feeling. He couldn’t wrap his mind around where exactly he was.
“Lexy, don’t touch the grass like that. If they’re in the sky they’ll see it,” Habbad said, falling back so he could walk next to Cole. “You have no idea, do you?”
“I’ve been on this planet for only a little while. How long exactly, I have no idea. I can’t tell how you measure time. My sun was in your sky for what felt like weeks with no nights, and now you tell me we’re somewhere else. I knew nothing about Aeneria until I woke up here one day. How do you measure time here anyway? Kreed said he planted a cypher in my mind so I could speak your language, but I wish he explained a bit more. This is all so strange to me.” Cole kicked at a loose rock, sending it skittering into the grass stalks.
“Kreed touched your mind?” Habbad stopped, gripping Cole’s forearm. “That is bad, Cole. Do you feel well? Does anything feel…off?”
“Well, I can’t figure out if I’m scared to death or starving to death, but other than that I feel about as normal as I can.” He didn’t like how Habbad was looking at him. It made him feel even more out of place.
Habbad frowned and continued walking. “Then it is true, you really are from Terra.” Habbad was silent for a moment, apparently deep in thought. He shook his head. “I don’t know much about the other planets. Learning about them is forbidden so I don’t know what your meaning of time is. We measure time by the passing of houses, or local planets. That is as specific as it gets for us. The Aenerians like Kreed have other ways of measuring time, though that too is forbidden for us. They keep knowledge from us. It makes us easier to control.”
“So how long will it be dark?” Cole asked. The prospect of weeks or months of darkness was unsettling.
“Until it is light again,” Habbad said. “We won’t see a sun again until we enter the house of Cigni, which is a few planets ahead of Pastori. Even then it won’t be bright here like it was in the house of Terra. Cigni’s sun is low in the sky from here.”
“So what is a cycle then?” Cole asked.
“A cycle is complete when this planet, Aeneria-,” Habbad slapped his hand on the dirt as if he were explaining to a child, “-passes through all the houses. It repeats itself over and over. We just left Terra’s reality and now Aeneria is passing by the planet Pastori.
“How long until we are in the house of Terra again?” Cole was afraid to hear the answer.
“There are twenty-one houses total, so twenty more including Pastori.” Habbad replied, unconcerned.
Cole pondered for a moment, trying to do the math in his head. “So it’s going to be…a long time before we are back in the house of Terra?”
“A full cycle, yes. That is a long time for you, is it not?” Habbad asked.
“It’s a very long time,” Cole’s voice broke as his vision blurred. It would probably be years before they saw Earth again.
Habbad remained quiet, ignoring Cole’s sniffling.
Cole broke the silence after collecting himself: “Habbad, how is it that you made me see in the dark and you can use that staff? Can you use magic?”
Habbad hefted the staff in both hands. “It is forbidden for most Underkin, but I have some skill with Wisdom.”
“What is Wisdom?” Cole asked, taking in Habbad’s wrinkled face and tiny stature, “And I’m guessing you’re an…Underkin?”
“Yes, all the smaller people that you’ve seen are Underkin. The ones bigger than you are Aenerians. Wisdom is one school of magic. There are others, but I don’t know what they are. Wisdom is the
physical manipulation of the world around you. If you are skilled enough, and truly understand something, you can change the rules of how that thing works.” Habbad sounded as if he were reading directly out of a textbook.
“How did you learn to use the Wisdom?” Cole asked, zealous curiosity taking hold. Maybe while he was here he could figure out how to use magic as well.
“Kreed showed me.” Habbad’s voice became quiet and morose. “Not everyone has the disposition. He sensed it in me and tempted me with many promises. Kreed is a master liar, but he is very skilled with the different magics. I learned quite a bit when I was with him. Some things I wish I could unlearn. He trapped me in the same room you were in. That’s how I knew where to find you.”
Cole changed the subject: “Do you know if there’s any way I can get back home? Back to Terra?”
Habbad’s wrinkles deepened on his brow. “You should never have been able to cross over in the first place. That’s what makes you special. No one for a very long time has Traveled between the local planets. That is why Kreed was so interested in you. He wants to know how you did it so he can Travel too. He uses the worst kind of magic to hurt people, even when it’s not necessary. If anyone breaks the law, he punishes the family instead of the lawbreaker.”
A morbid curiosity itched its way to the fore of Cole’s thoughts. “How are the families punished?”
Habbad slowed and spoke in a whisper so that Lexy was out of earshot: “There is a woman who lives under the markets. She is many lives older than she should be. She would have died of old age many cycles ago, but Kreed put a curse on her, granting her everlasting life. She was caught telling stories of what it was like before the war with the Dark Ones, telling secrets about the Dark Side, which is of course forbidden. Kreed used his magic on her, forcing her to murder her children right in the street in front of everyone. He also cursed her with fertility so that every cycle she can repeat the process as a reminder for everyone to obey his law. He doesn’t even let her use any weapons, just her hands and teeth. I’m confident Kreed is working for the Dark Side. It’s not right, what he does to people. Kreed was going to turn you in to Decreath, he’s one of the leaders of the Dark Ones. The howling thing that chased us down the alley was one of Decreath’s minions. By the sound it was making I think it was a Corpulant.”
Saving The Dark Side: Book 1: The Devotion Page 13