The Shadow of Death

by Timothy Smith

  Ira: "This will do nicely!" He proclaimed proudly before turning to ask Obi.

  Ira: "And another thing. Obi, your staff has been a spear the entire time that we've known you?" Obi just shrugged.

  Obi: "Well, it's not like anyone here has ever asked before. Besides, if you knew it was a spear at first glance, it would’ve defeated the purpose of the disguise." After hearing him out, Ira tilted his head in slight contemplation before agreeing as Obi certainly had a point.

  As Cherise was bandaging Theo, she overheard the two talking. And having her curiosity overcome her, she decided to ask Obi another question.

  Cherise: "Uncle, you said that this Aijin was over twice the size than any other you've ever heard about. But since it’s in the Forest of Giants, it’s bigger…-“ She drew out her statement, trying to find the words to ask a peculiar question, “-So just out of curiosity, whatever it is making everything larger here, would a person also become taller if they were to live here in this forest?" Her question was intriguing to the others, who eagerly awaited for Obi's response.

  Before answering, Obi started laughing, most likely at the thought of them returning to the Order noticeably taller.

  Obi: "Well, I’ll tell ya! It’s believed that the animals grow so large by eating a fungi only found here in the forest. The predators here also get this unique trait by eating those very same animals. And I know what you're thinking. Problem is, the fungus itself is a deadly poisonous substance in even the smallest doses to not only humans, but dwarves, and elves alike. Fortunately, I know what the fungus looks like, so I can find a few safe and edible plants, which are a fair distance away from its poisonous touch that we can scrounge up to eat later.” After seeing the disappointed faces of both Theo and Ira, Obi couldn’t help but have a mischievous grin on his face.

  Obi: "Why? Were you all hoping to grow a little bit taller?"

  Ira: "I don't know, I wouldn't exactly be opposed to the idea of returning to the Order, having gained a few inches… Or feet for that matter." Which brought a little bit of laughter to the group.

  The conversation served to be a suitable distraction for Theo, as he was dealt with the sharp pains of his leg while being bandaged up by Cherise. As soon as Cherise had finished doing all she could for Theo for the time being, the group went back to their camp.

  ────────

  Giving time for Theo's injuries to properly heal, the four remained there in the forest for two whole weeks. And it was all made possible due to the ridiculously huge amount of provisions Theo had brought. Once his leg healed up well enough, the group started on their return journey back to the Order. Making their way up the cliffs, and back atop the mountain heights, they passed the life giver tree once more. Almost back at the Order, as they were traveling, Theo couldn’t help but feel like a pack mule, as he once again ended up carrying the largest load, the Aijin’s head.

  During the time the four were in the Forest of Giants, tending to Theo's injuries, they were blissfully unaware that the Aelaan Empire’s plans were already set into motion.

  CHAPTER 18 – RISE OF THE WICKED

  On the outskirts of one of the greatest cities of the alliance of the Free Peoples of the West, Ol’Nowen, the Aelaans Chosen was on horseback, watching from a distance over his great army. Grinning confidently, Razkaul reveled in the sight of his newly assured victory, as the gates of the mighty city were cracking, and buckling under his magic wielders continued bombardment. He continued looking on as the great city’s gates came crashing down, only shortly to be followed by his legions of men flooding into its walls. With their defenses broken, the battle was virtually over. And with a triumphant smile, Razkaul turned to one of his most loyal captains to boast.

  Razkaul: "This is where it all begins, Khenir. The fools of the west thought that if they combined their military might between their nations under one banner, that they’d be able to oppose the will of the gods’. And what has their alliance gained them?!-” Razkaul sneered, as he gestured to the fallen gate, “-With the sacking of this city, their efforts will have proved to be in vain. Long has Ol’Nowen been known as one of the west’s greatest cities, with walls said to be impregnable. Only to have been overcome in a matter of hours, pathetic." He said, sneering in delight.

  Feeling compelled to respond, his captain replied.

  Khenir: "It is a fantastic victory my lord. No one could’ve predicted such a grand success in so little a time. Truly, it will be a day to be remembered in history!" Knowing that Khenir was trying to find himself in the Chosen’s good graces by his continued flattery, the Chosen replied flatly.

  Razkaul: "Yes it is…” He paused, finding himself only slightly annoyed with his subordinates forced flattery, but not minding the exaggerated praise so much that’d he’d stop.

  Razkaul: “And in time, it will be written that I, the chosen of the gods, was the one who led our armies in this glorious conquest for our empire. This victory will be considered the beginning of the coming of the new era, where the Aelaan Empire will reign supreme.” He said before reminiscing for a moment.

  Razkaul: “It was a great honor to be chosen by the gods to bring about their will…-“ He paused for a moment to look at Khenir inquisitively before speaking again, “-Not many are aware of the exact way in how I gained this position. Are you among them, captain?” Whether he knew it or not, the captain seemed to read the mood that Razkaul wanted to share.

  Khenir: “My lord, I’ve only heard bits and pieces here and there. Only rumors, nothing so concrete to be so sure of.” The man’s intuition proved right, as the Chosen grinned in return.

  Razkaul: “Then let me enlighten you… It all began when the potential of my alchemic arts had finally been realized. Word quickly spread across the halls of the palace, and in time, the Prophet knew what great heights my works could achieve. Through trial and error, I finally learned how we could match the elven magic.” The captain was somewhat shocked when he replied.

  Khenir: “My lord, I heard rumors, but I never thought…” The genuinely shocked man stopped before continuing, seeing that the Chosen didn’t exactly appreciate the interruption.

  Razkaul: “Your suspicions are well founded, captain. It is as you suspect. Do not forget that I am a servant to the will of the gods, their Chosen, so when you hear that our divine warriors are wielding powers given to them by the gods, it still remains true. And by extension, this gift they received was by the blessings of the gods.” He said while glaring at Khenir, after seeing his surprised reaction to the truth of their selected soldier’s powers, a truth that was deliberately misrepresented to the multitude of their army.

  Razkaul: “I trust you know your place, and that you’ll hold your tongue on the matter.” He said firmly, with a slight bit of malice behind his breath, making it abundantly clear it was a demand.

  Khenir: “Of course, my lord. Surely you and the Prophet had your reasons.” He said quite visibly worried.

  The Chosen seemed content with the response, so he dismissed the matter to finish where he left off earlier.

  Razkaul: “As I was saying, the divine warriors are the result of my alchemy. Through trial and error, I enhanced volunteers with newfound heights of powers, and abilities. Each of them ended up exceeding anyone else’s expectations.” Impressed with his own feat, Razkaul stopped for a moment to marvel at the results of his own accomplishment, as he looked on at the city.

  Razkaul: “Who would have thought that It would only take the sacrifices of slaves to achieve this?!" He said while displaying his magic blue flame.

  Finding the notion hilarious, Razkaul tried to contain his laughter after what he said. Although the topic was unsettling to Khenir, along with a few others of his subordinates who were around, they dared not interrupt their Chosen. With a proud grin, Razkaul then continued to speak.

  Razkaul: "It doesn't matter how much of their blood needs to be spilled! It will have been put to better use! In six years’ time this world wil
l be ours! Every man, every woman, every rock and stone, every blade of grass, the dirt, everything! Nothing on Ehya will be an exception! It will all be under the dominion of Aelaa, under the gods!" And cackling aloud for a moment at the thought, Razkaul caught himself laughing, as he stopped to say something silently to himself.

  Razkaul: "And when it's all said and done, when the Prophet dies of old age, I’ll personally see to it that the Emperor is dealt with. With them out of the way, there will be none left to challenge me, none left to oppose me, as I make my claim in this new world order… After all, who could be better suited to see to the will of the gods in the coming age than I, their Chosen?" After Razkaul said this, he grinned a fiendish smile that stretched across his face that none of his subordinates dared ask of.

  CHAPTER 19 – THE SPARK

  Back at the Order, when the four were just entering the temple grounds, they noticed an unusual gathering in the courtyard. A small crowd of the others in the Order were huddling near the entrance of the temple grounds. As they went to investigate, upon closer inspection, they saw that they were surrounding a dwarf merchant, who was sitting atop of his cart. The dwarf seemed to have just arrived, on account that he barely was through the Order’s only intended entrance, which led straight to the path down the mountaintops. After Obi had noticed the merchant, he spoke with an exasperated voice.

  Obi: "Oh great, a dwarf." To which the other three didn't offer any comment, as they've heard the stories of how dwarfs could be quite troublesome folk, but they had never actually met one for themselves.

  Even though dwarves do have this reputation, it was obvious from Obi's grumblings he had plenty of history with their kind already.

  Curious to see what the commotion was about, the four joined in on the crowd surrounding the merchant. In particular, Cherise eagerly wanted to meet a dwarf first hand.

  One of the members of the Order noticed the four had returned, and scoffed before he asked them bluntly, "What on Ehya took you so long?" To which Obi responded smugly.

  Obi: "These two were refusing to settle for anything less than a prey that was worthy of their skill, something they could really brag about upon their return. So these past two weeks we kept searching, and searching, until they finally found a worth prey… A massive Aijin." He said with a cocky grin, and letting Obi have his fun, the three ignored the half-truths in his story.

  With unbelieving eyes, the others in the Order looked back at Obi, with the first man who spoke up continuing with his questioning, "You’re saying these two bested a Aijin?! And a massive one you say at that no less! I know you're known for your tall tales Obi, but you should at least try something a little more believable."

  After the man had said these words, Theo turned his body to show the unbeliever, and others around the truth. There was no mistaking it, Theo was carrying an enormous Aijin's head on his back, and much to Obi's delight the doubters were speechless. After seeing their expressions Ira couldn't help but grin.

  Ira: "Now that you all know we successfully completed our first trial, I want to know what's happening here."

  One of the other members of the Order gestured towards the merchant before answering Ira’s remark, saying, "It's a lot to take in, it’d probably be best if you heard it straight from the dwarf’s mouth yourselves. He came speaking of news from the East."

  Shortly after Ira heard the man say this, he started anxiously making his way through the crowd to hear the dwarf better. As a whole, most of those there who were gathered around had been listening intently to the dwarf, until Ira started abruptly making his way through. Now having their attention, Ira spoke to the dwarf aloud.

  Ira: "What news did you hear?! What's happening in the East?!" His questions being an obvious annoyance of the Dwarven merchant, who responded in irritation.

  Dwarf: "By the stone! I should start charging for all these repeated questions! It’s like I said the last ten times already, the Aelaan Empire is back at their shenanigans again. They've already sacked several villages, and the great city of Ol’Nowen, and are continuing their conquest heading westward. At the rate things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if they should pay you all a visit in the next couple weeks."

  They’re back at it?... When are they going to stop? Haven’t they done enough already? Will it be like last time?...

  Cherise’s heart sunk after hearing what the dwarf had to say, and as thoughts flooded her mind, she looked to Ira and Theo who were visibly troubled.

  I wonder what the others are thinking right now. With all that’s happened, it’s probably too much to hope for them to be unaffected by this news.

  With what was just told to them starting to sink in, both Ira and Theo were becoming angered. Clenching his fist, Ira exclaimed with disgust.

  Ira: "I see those monsters are at it again! At what point will they be satisfied?!-" And after realizing he was creating a scene, Ira then continued speaking in a much more calmer and lowered voice, "-Someone needs to stop them." Ira’s outburst led to an awkward silence among the crowd until the dwarf spoke up again.

  Dwarf: "Soooooooo.... -" The dwarf dragged the word out as he was reaching into sacks at the back of his cart, and one by one he pulled out some weapons before continuing to speak, "-You lot outta stock up your supplies. There's no telling what would happen if the Aelaan Empire actually sets its sight ere’. Well, if in that happens, you don't want to be left unprepared! If not to defend yourself, think of the women and children!" The dwarf said while pointing out Cherise in the crowd, who suffice it to say, was unamused at the gesture.

  Really? He’s using me as part of his sales pitch?

  Ignoring her reaction, the dwarf continued speaking.

  Dwarf: “I have a short supply, so get it before it's gone!" And now displaying a sword, he said, "This fine item can now be yours for only twelve gold talents!" And Obi had to respond after hearing the dwarf’s remark with a suspicious glare.

  Obi: "Twelve?! That sword is worth no more than three talents." He said condemningly.

  The dwarf raised his hand up defensively as he spoke in return.

  Dwarf: "I’m but a humble Dwarven merchant that’s gotta make a livin’ somehow! I have a short supply, and everyone knows weapons sell better during times of war.-" He said with a smile on his face as he continued, "-I'm just being opportunistic!"

  Reasonably so, the crowd looked amongst one another, puzzled, and wondering to themselves if that display from the dwarf was supposed to be some kind of an excuse for his unscrupulous raising of prices. As strange as it was, Cherise was the only one who seemed amused at the dwarf’s obnoxious behavior.

  Giggling to herself, she alone found the dwarfs straightforwardness in his sales pitch to be surprisingly refreshing. She was somewhat glad to see first-hand that all the stories she heard about the dwarves were looking to be quite accurate. In a much friendlier demeanor than the dwarf warranted by his rude behavior, Cherise replied back to him.

  Cherise: "I have to thank you for letting us know about what's happening in the East, but I don't think we'll be needing your weapons here." The dwarf was clearly puzzled as he asked her back.

  Dwarf: "And why the bloody not?!"

  Cherise: "As you can see, we have plenty of weapons here already, and there's another reason… There’s already a long standing agreement between all nations, including the Aelaan Empire that the Order of the Light is never to be involved in outside conflicts. So it just so happens that you’ve found yourself in one of the safest places in the world from any possible attack." The dwarf was clearly upset as he started grumbling and complaining.

  Dwarf: "Oh bollocks!! I spent several days getting 'ere!" Seeing the dwarf pout after he went through all the trouble, she replied sympathetically.

  Cherise: "Maybe we can get you something for your troubles?" Raising an eyebrow as his interest was piqued, the dwarf was clearly intrigued after hearing his efforts weren’t completely spent in vain.

  But before Cherise could
continue, Ira jumped into the middle of the conversation.

  Ira: "Sounds like a fair deal! Dwarf, I'll give you a gold talent if you can tell me where the Aelaan army was last seen." He said while displaying a golden coin up high to tantalize the dwarf.’

  Cherise looked at Ira when he spoke up, and to her dismay, she saw a thick black essence emerging from his back. The dark presence was slowly taking the form to mirror Ira’s own appearance. Upon seeing this, Cherise knew immediately that she needed to get involved before things could take a turn for the worse. With a concerned expression, she hastily spoke to him.

  Cherise: "Ira, why do you want to know so badly?-" And only giving a second for his reaction, she continued speaking, "-Don't tell me you're thinking of intending to fight them." Refusing to answer Cherise’s question, Ira's determined expression back was the only response he gave her in return.

  Worried that he might soon lose his prize, the dwarf intervened, exclaiming aloud.

  Dwarf: "Wait! I'll tell you young man! I've heard rumors an Aelaan regiment was headed towards the town of Kings Height. They're expected to arrive at the cities gates in just over two weeks’.” Feeling compelled to explain as to how he knew, the dwarf flicked his nose with his thumb before speaking further.

  Dwarf: “You see, to make sure I don’t go runnin’ into any trouble per chance, I’ve been keeping tabs on this whole war. So I thought it important to know about this Aelaan regiment, since Kings Height is only two day’s walk east of 'ere. Now, I told you whatchu wanted so..." The dwarf said with wanting eyes, and an outstretched palm like an experienced panhandler.

  Tossing the dwarf his prize, Ira spoke to Cherise once the dwarf caught the coin.

  Ira: "I know you’re worried Cherise, but we can talk about this later." He said before starting to walk off.

  The dwarf shortly inspected the coin, and looking well pleased in himself, he said.