by C. Gold
The walls began closing in on him. Radcliff tried to block the panic, but he was too frayed. Something was tugging at his mind, a mere annoyance at first, but it was growing stronger the longer he stood there. He needed to get out now. Mustn’t forget the girl. Why was she important? That’s when he realized what this was all about—sunrise was coming. He visualized a solid wall surrounding his innermost memories which made the pain worse. Ignoring it, he grabbed the discarded lantern and limped down the tunnel. He didn’t have much time left before he forgot everything. Maybe he’d already forgotten something important. It didn’t matter. He was keeping a tight hold on whatever was left.
The pain intensified with each step. Radcliff was almost doubled over when he arrived at a fork in the passage. Sounds of fighting echoed past the right tunnel so Radcliff chose the left path, once again using the wall as a crutch. He only made it two steps before sharp claws stabbed the inside of his head and he collapsed. Unable to force his clenched muscles to move, Radcliff huddled against the wall and fought for more time. It was a useless gesture, but he refused to give in. He would remember the girl until the bitter end.
CHAPTER 7
The Nothing in the Void
The large rock sat at the beginning of a gouged out furrow littered with rocks and boulders of all sizes. The ugly scar looked like the result of a tossed giant sliding to a slow stop. Amira hoped that whatever really made it was long gone. The angle of descent started off shallow but quickly grew steeper until ending at a jagged hole in the ground. Huge worm tunnel? She stifled a nervous giggle at the thought. A rope was tied to a nearby tree and dangled into the dark abyss.
While gathering the courage to descend into the absolute darkness, Amira saw a faint light at the bottom growing brighter. Then she heard boots scraping stone and loose rocks falling. Someone was coming! Amira scrambled away from the opening and hid behind a large boulder.
A young man scrambled out of the hole and looked warily around before heading up the scar. Amira waited several heartbeats longer to make sure he wasn’t coming back right away before returning to the mouth.
No time to dawdle. Securing the strange staff between the two packs and their straps, she grabbed the rope, took a deep breath, and slipped over the edge. With the rope as a guide, she slowly picked her way down the almost vertical hole. The absolute darkness made it impossible to tell how deep it was, so when her feet touched bottom unexpectedly, the resulting scraping sound echoed loudly in the tight space.
Amira froze. After a harrowing minute of complete silence, she deemed it safe enough to bring out the light. Reaching into her pocket, she fumbled around for the small mage lamp and raised it to examine her surroundings.
The entrance was roughly made but the central area was cleared of rubble. The rocky debris had been moved and stacked along the edges of the jagged walls. Clearly, whoever was camped here had been occupying the cave for some time.
Amira freed the staff and clutched it tightly. Then she took a deep breath and let it out along with some of her tension. No sense in remaining here. If she was discovered, she’d deal with it. Reassured, Amira crept through the passage which coiled around like a snake. She paused at each blind curve to listen for trouble before continuing. All was dead silence until she arrived at the first intersection.
Amira heard voices approaching along the left tunnel, so she ducked right and accidentally kicked a small rock, sending it scattering across the hard packed dirt with a loud ping, ping, ping. In an awesome display of terrible luck, it kicked loose a pile of precariously stacked rocks which came crashing to the ground with an echoing boom. Amira’s breath seized up as she stood frozen with dread.
“Did ya hear that?” a thin, nervous voice cried out not too far away.
Amira’s heart raced and her hands gripped the staff tighter. A quick survey told her she was in a dead end. Footsteps approached. Fighting was the wrong choice without more information. They were almost here! Spying a large boulder in the back, Amira lunged for it and got herself stuck in the tight gap between the rock and the wall, leaving her boots exposed. Out of time, she jammed the light down her jerkin and breathed into her sleeve to stifle her ragged breaths. She hoped they didn’t have a bright light.
“Bean, that you?” It was the same voice as earlier, but even more jittery. He sounded young.
A heavier set of footsteps halted nearby. “Maybe it’s a biter,” a gravelly voice teased.
“Don’t even say that!”
Light illuminated the tiny space except where the rock cast its shadow. Amira slowly shifted her feet closer to the wall and hoped they looked like another shadow.
“Don’t see nothin’.” Jitter sounded reluctant to search any closer.
“C’mon, let’s check the entrance. Bean should be there.” Gravel sounded bored.
Sweat trickled down Amira’s back and began itching, but she dared not move a muscle. Jitter and Graval were still standing just feet away, and now she heard a third set of running footsteps growing louder. The new arrival skidded to a halt.
“Bean, where you been?” Jitter cracked with enthusiasm.
“What’s the hurry?” Gravel inquired.
“Boss, we got trouble.” Bean’s overly excited voice sounded even younger than Jitter’s. “The Prime is missing and strangers are poking around up top by the entrance.”
“Go remove the rope,” Gravel ordered.
“Um… you s… sure?” Bean stuttered.
“Ok, I’ll remove the rope, you inform the master.”
“No, no, that’s ok,” Bean replied. His receding footsteps immediately turned into a fast run as he called out, “I’ll get the rope.”
Gravel chuckled. “Don’t blame ’m none. I hafta inform the master. Meanwhile, round up the men and bring um back here. Looks like we get a fight after all.”
“On it.”
As the footsteps receded, Amira sagged with relief. They hadn’t discovered her and the coming distraction sounded like the perfect time to skirt past more of them, whoever they were. She still had no idea who took Radcliff or what they wanted with him. The young man up top didn’t wear anything that could be identified. So far they looked like mercenaries and were non-magical. Not that she was any better off given her unpredictable talent. The only thing in her favor was surprise and a borrowed staff.
When Amira tried to get up, she found herself tightly wedged in. She had to wriggle, push and shove before finally getting free, though not without a few scrapes and bruises. Checking both packs to ensure they weren’t damaged, she slung them back over her shoulders and moved closer to the exit. Wiping her sweaty palms on her pants, she waited. With nothing to focus on, the darkness began to press in on her and all the concerns she’d pushed aside since the moment the wizard went missing came swarming back with a vengeance. She’d be discovered. She’d be killed. He’d be dead. Amira pressed her hot cheek against the cold, rough wall and breathed in the clean earthy smell. She pictured the training field of her youth, the churned earth turned sloppy after a heavy rain.
Instructor Ardham bellowed at them to fall in line and paced before his mud splattered trainees, a perpetual scowl on his face.
“Fear is a two-edged sword. It can make you sharper, faster, and keep you alive. Or it can weigh you down like the heaviest stone and get you killed. You can be the best swordsman in the world but only if you discipline your mind. Sit.” When the trainees were slow to obey, his voice cracked like thunder. “Sit your butts down now! Yes, in the mud. Yes, getting wet and cold. You will train your minds to put aside all distractions.”
Amira remembered feeling just as disgruntled as the other students, maybe more. Meditation, she believed, was for magic users not warriors, and was the least favorite of her magical lessons. To have to do it again for weapons training was extra torture. But here, alone in the dark, she was grateful for that long ago lesson. Picturing all her worries slowly draining away with each exhale, she brought her fears under control and
had nearly fallen asleep when the rapid pounding of running footsteps echoed in the tunnel. Pressed up against the wall she could just see the shadowy outline of men clutching swords as they jogged past. She waited until silence fell before risking a light and stepping out. Seeing no immediate threat, she strode briskly through the tunnel.
The cavern seemed to go on forever as it wormed its way deeper underground. Amira could almost feel the weight hanging overhead as she halted at yet another branch. Once again she carefully studied both paths and picked the one most traveled. When she came to a dead end filled with barrels, she cursed under her breath and had to backtrack. She was still muttering curses at whatever entity created the confusing tunnel system when she turned a corner and was hit with a stench of rot and death so overwhelming she threw up.
Amira wiped her mouth with a shaky hand and covered her nose with her sleeve just in time to stave off another round of heaving. Leaning against the wall while she recovered her strength, she could just see the reflection of light off a puddle of blood and what looked to be melted flesh. She gagged and quickly looked away from the grisly sight. The body, what was left of it, blocked the path and she had no choice but to walk over it.
She shuddered and summoned her courage. It was just a body. She took a wobbly step forward and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. Something wasn’t right. The area above the body looked darker than the rest of the tunnel. Amira took a calming breath and carefully kept her eyes on the wall ahead. Stupid nerves. She managed two steps this time before her feet refused to move. Her entire body was shaking and her sweat stank of fear. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the body was right in front of her. Just one long step over it and she’d be past. One step had never been so hard to make, but finally she did it.
Darkness imploded around her and she screamed but no sound came out. When she became aware again, she was floating, without body or form, in an empty black void. Where was she? As soon as the thought crossed her mind, a narrow jet of absolute emptiness shot forth from a ripped hole in space right in front of her. If she’d thought there was nothing around her before, she knew now how absolutely wrong she was. The thing writhing before her was the very definition of Nothing and she knew deep within her bones that a single touch would render her gone as if she’d never existed.
The Nothing bellowed its anger. RUINED! THWARTED BY A CRIPPLE! ALL OF MY WORK WASTED! It writhed and twisted in agitation until Amira felt ill, body or no body. Without warning it stilled and wave after wave of intense malice pulsed out from its center. NO MATTER. I WILL REAP THE HARVEST EARLY AND TAKE ONE MORE FROM HER.
A different type of pulse shot out from the Nothing and zeroed in on Amira’s location. She tried to move away, but had no idea how. If she had a body, her heart would be hammering an exit out of her chest. The Nothing’s full malevolent attention washed over her like a wick drenched in oil before the coming flame. AT LONG LAST I HAVE YOU ENSNARED IN MY TRAP. A surge of foulness brushed against her as the Nothing shifted closer. She struggled harder to break free and something stretched but then it snapped back in place. “No!” she shouted in growing desperation. YOU ARE WEAK NOW. I TAKE MY REVENGE. The Nothing was almost touching her! Beyond panicked, Amira shoved with all her strength, letting loose a mental scream as something tore and pain ripped through her.
The silent scream morphed into an audible shout as Amira’s knees slammed into the hard earth of the tunnel and her body pitched forward. Using the momentum, she rolled onto her back and crab walked away from the corpse as fast as she could manage. Her back slammed up against solid rock but she kept pushing against it anyway, not comprehending her lack of progress. Fear kept her eyes locked onto the pulsing blackness hanging over the body. A pair of red eyes formed, spotted her, and flashed in anger. She cowered as an oily, black tentacle coalesced and stretched to reach her. “Noooo,” she wailed and slammed her back against the wall in a frantic attempt to escape the certain doom. The thing absorbed the light in the tunnel until only a small glow was left shining from the lamp clutched tightly in Amira’s fist. When it was about a foot away, it paused, uncertain.
WHERE DID YOU GO? The angry voice shrieked and bellowed, shaking the floor beneath her. The appendage whipped around but couldn’t pinpoint her location. Finally, the void snapped shut with an audible pop, cleanly slicing through the mutated limb. It dropped to the floor with a solid thud and began to pulsate violently, releasing obnoxious, foul smelling smoke. Amira shrank into an even tighter ball to avoid being touched. When the air finally cleared, it was gone, but it left a message burned into the packed earth—THIS ISN’T OVER.
It was a long time before Amira was composed enough to stand. Checking to make sure all her valuables were still with her, Amira realized she’d dropped the staff next to the corpse. The thought of getting near it made her shudder and she seriously considered leaving it behind, but that would leave her with just the dagger which she wasn’t as skilled with. Not wanting to be near the corpse any longer than she had to, Amira lunged, grabbed the closest end, and then took off running down the tunnel. Somehow she still had a death grip on the light and used it now to put some distance between her and whatever that was. She ran in a blind panic until a strangled cry of agony cut through her terror and brought her to a stumbling halt. A dropped lantern dimly illuminated a crevice where she saw a shockingly familiar face.
“Radcliff!” She was never happier to see another person in her life. He sat on the floor with his hands wrapped around his legs rocking back and forth. When he looked up at the sound of her voice, Amira gasped at the swollen bruise on his face. She knelt before him and reached out to touch him but paused, unsure if it would make things worse. “Radcliff?” she gently prodded.
He stopped rocking and shot his hand out to grab her tunic and pull her close. “The girl,” he rasped. “You must save her.” His pleading eyes stared into hers.
Amira looked around but didn’t see anyone. She shrugged it off. Better imaginary girls than… she shied away from thinking about it. “I need to get you out of here before we are discovered and killed.” Or worse… She mentally cringed. Nope, still not thinking about the thing she encountered. She tried to lift the wizard off the floor.
Radcliff gripped her tighter, resisting her pull. “She’s important,” he hissed through clenched teeth.
“Why?” Amira asked, genuinely confused. Why was he fixated on some girl?
“I don’t remember, she just is,” Radcliff shouted in frustration. Another spasm racked his body, and he gripped her so hard his knuckles turned white.
Amira sighed and decided to just placate him so they could get moving. She really needed the sun on her face so she could forget what she saw back there. “Ok, if we find her on our way out she can come with us. But you’re my only responsibility and my only concern. Now let’s get you up and moving.”
“No!” Radcliff growled and shoved her back.
Amira’s eyes widened in alarm when she saw him holding a dagger to his throat. She looked down and saw the empty sheath. How did he get it without my noticing?
“Swear on your power to find the girl and keep her safe or I will end your responsibility.” Despite the obvious pain in his eyes, Amira also saw intense conviction as well as a touch of madness. He’d do it. Part of him wanted to do it. She recalled his bouts of depression and grew chilled.
“Ok,” she choked out the words, “I swear by my power to find the girl.”
“And keep her safe,” he prompted. A tremble in his hands caused the dagger to dig into his flesh.
Amira rushed her words when she saw blood beading around the blade. “And keep her safe!” she shouted. “Can I take the dagger now?” she pleaded and held out her hand.
Radcliff dropped the dagger.
Amira wasted no time scooping it up and sheathing it. Only then did she exhale with relief. One battle fought, more to go. As she knelt to help him up, once again he resisted.
“Memory…” he choked o
ut.
“What?”
“Only council can fix—” Radcliff broke off as another painful spasm wracked his muscles so hard his back arched. His hoarse, agonizing scream was mercifully cut short when he passed out.
Amira caught him before he hit the ground and held him in her arms. Settling with his head in her lap, she wiped the sweat off his brow and tried to convince herself he was the enemy and deserved his punishment. It didn’t work—she was responsible for his pain and was beginning to feel guilty about it. If only he was the same uncaring, arrogant asshole he’d been in that council room so long ago. That man she still hated. But the man without his memories was innocent and far too likable. Then what he did hit her full force, and she grew ill. She knew for sure it was well past sunrise and he hung onto two pieces of information until he could pass them on. His pain wasn’t just from the transition, it was also because he was fighting the obliviate spell.
Amira’s admiration for this man was growing. The same man who murdered thousands of innocents. Horrified at her conflicting emotions, she looked at his sunken face, etched with centuries of suffering, and could barely see the man he once was. She absentmindedly caressed his unbruised cheek. What might have happened in his youth to turn him into such a villain? Because surely, how he was without his memory was the way he could have been. Should have been.
Once, shortly after the wizard’s sentencing, Amira searched out information on Radcliff but the council was very quick and thorough. No mention of his name or deeds survived the purge. And this council was the only hope to restore his memory? Amira hoped Radcliff was wrong despite the pain he suffered in getting her that information, because she couldn’t see that happening. One problem at a time, Amira.
“Hello beautiful.” Storm gray eyes looked up at her in blatant admiration and he smiled at her as if she was the most precious thing he’d ever seen.
I am the only thing he’s ever seen today. The thought squeezed at her heart and she had to look away to collect herself. Taking a deep breath, she shoved aside her feelings and tackled the immediate problem head on.