by M. S. Verish
“You’re not joking?” Jinx asked, crumbs falling from his mouth and into his beard.
“He certainly cannot be serious,” Arcturus said. “This is yet another tale, though I find it less entertaining than the first.” His narrowed gaze rested upon their guide.
Kariayla took a breath. Hawkwing’s request would not be an easy undertaking.
“My purpose is not entertainment,” Hawkwing said. “It is a warning.”
“Lettim tell the story, Arcturus,” Jinx said.
The Markanturian pursed his lips and held his tongue, though he could not look more agitated.
“The demons were heralded by a descending and impenetrable darkness, accompanied by the long and solitary blare of a horn. Clad as Human warriors, they rode horses of wind and flame, racing across the land to snare any who had not taken shelter.” Hawkwing sipped from his costrel. “The desperate villagers called upon the medori for help, and a group of wizards came to remedy the problem.
“The details of the story vary from this point,” he said, “but as I know it, the medori forged a powerful spell that confined the demons to the Plains. A solitary path dissects the land, and that path alone cannot be touched by otherworldly Shadow. The medori who created it sacrificed their lives to enact the spell of protection.
“Today we will reach the Plains of Delmadria, and it will take us a few days to cross them. Were there a way around them, I would take it. We should be free from harm so long as we remain upon the wizards’ path.”
“So you’re not joking,” Jinx said.
“No.”
Arcturus cleared his throat. “Might I have a word with you in private?” As polite as the words were, it was not a request.
Hawkwing nodded and stood. Kariayla stood as well, but Arcturus held a hand before her. “Stay here, my dear. This does not concern you.”
“But I—”
“Kariayla,” Arcturus said, his voice hard.
She hesitated, but Hawkwing gave her a quick, assuring nod. “You can help Jinx gather the supplies.”
They walked a short distance away, and her eyes followed them.
“So, you think he was joking?” Jinx asked.
*
“You are fond of tales,” Arcturus said, pacing before the tracker. “Myself, I am very fond of theater. Everyone needs a diversion from time to time.” He stopped and looked up at the tall man. “But the use of a story to instill fear is unacceptable. You see the nature of our group.” He gestured to the camp. “We have a superstitious and naïve thief, and we have a young girl who had but recently abandoned an arduous and abusive setting. And I—I do not have the time or patience for such attempts at intimidation. I have already been attacked and drugged by thieves, not to mention spending time in a Freeland jail. Do you not think we have endured enough?”
“I understand your feelings, Arcturus,” Hawkwing said. “And they are justified. But you humor my warning as a story, and on this one occasion, I need you to believe the truth.”
The Markanturian’s jaw tightened. “Even now you carry the tale—when I have come to you with sincere concern. You are an audacious man, and I do not care for your antics. I will have no more talk of demons and elves and the like. I feel responsible for this group—as should you. For better or for worse, you are our leader. I expect you to take that role seriously.” He thumped his staff and waited for a response.
Hawkwing stared down at him, his expression grave. “It is your choice to question my decisions, and it is your choice to believe or not believe what I impart. My only motive is to safely take you to Bill. If you truly shoulder the responsibility of your party’s welfare, then you will heed my words regardless of your personal opinion.”
Arcturus stared back as though he would speak, but he did not.
“It’s time we set out,” Hawkwing said. He lifted his gloved hand, and the white hawk came to it. He rejoined the others, Arcturus tailing him.
Whatever thoughts, fear, or doubt walked with the group, they were left unvoiced. Regardless what each one of the travelers thought about the tale of the Plains of Delmadria, a seed of anxiety had been planted, and from it grew the wariness that had been the tracker’s intention. They broke for a quiet lunch when the sun was at its peak, and shortly thereafter they reached the destination in question.
As Kariayla had described, the Plains were like a large, grassy field—only this field stretched beyond what their vision could define. Though much of the landscape through which they had traveled had browned, the grasses of the Plains looked as though they had never had any life to them. Stiff and brittle, the stalks scarcely moved with the passage of the wind, and they made no sound—not even the slightest rustle. In fact, there were no sounds to be heard at all: not wind, bird, or insect.
They skirted along the boundary of the grasses without a word, following their guide with the expectation of an official entrance to the cursed terrain. They were not disappointed. A stone pillar no taller than a foot stood before a blackened path that cut into the field. Hawkwing knelt beside the pillar and ran his hand over the three notches that had been chiseled into it.
“This,” he said, “tells us that there are three points of rest. We must make certain we reach each point for each day we travel.”
“Or else?” Jinx asked.
“We will be forced to camp without light or fire,” Hawkwing said.
“Oh.”
Kariayla stood before the path, taking in the landscape, though she could not much see beyond the blades and stalks that loomed over her head. Even Hawkwing’s shoulders would barely emerge above the tips of the vegetation.
Arcturus joined her side. “What do you make of it, my dear? Have you spied any marauding demons?”
She did not crack a smile. “The path looks as though it was burned, but it’s charred perfectly so that none of the bordering grass is scathed.”
“Indeed,” Arcturus said, rubbing his chin. “It is a work of magic, I am certain, but to what purpose?”
Kariayla looked at him, her brow furrowed. “Protection. That’s what Hawkwing told us.”
“Or is there some other reason?” he mused. “And say you were to use your wings to fly above this expanse… Would your safety be jeopardized?”
“I don’t want to try,” she admitted.
“You take seriously the story you were told,” he said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
“I can’t imagine he would lie to us about this danger,” Kariayla said. “There would be no cause.”
“Except that I am certain he is hiding something from us,” Arcturus said under his breath.
Jinx walked in front of them, leading the reluctant imp by the hand. “See, Ruby? You gotta stay on the path. That’s where we’ll be safe.” As soon as he reached the threshold of the path, she planted her feet and would budge no further.
Jinx tugged on her arm. “We haveta go in. There ain’t another way.”
“No, there isn’t,” Hawkwing said. “We should start, though, if we want to make the first stop before dark.”
“How many times you gone through here?” Jinx asked.
“Many,” Hawkwing said, looking back at him. “I’ve never encountered trouble, but I’m not one to tempt fate, either.” He did not hesitate as he crossed the threshold. Kariayla and Arcturus followed him, and Jinx tailed them with Ruby on his shoulders.
Sound did not carry as they walked. Their footfalls were silent, and when they spoke, their voices seemed trapped. They physically felt as confined, for the path was only wide enough to allow them to walk single-file. For the first couple hours, their senses were on edge—waiting for the unlikely to happen. On and on they walked with no variation in their sight. Footsteps dragged, shoulders drooped.
“Boring plains,” Jinx mumbled. “Plain plains. Boring, plain, plains.”
“It is monotonous, isn’t it?” Kariayla asked over her shoulder.
“Mountains?”
“No. Monotonous. Ther
e’s no change.”
“Nope. Just grass. Lotsa grass.” He smiled suddenly. “You should sing a song.”
“Er…what kind of song?”
“I dunno. A walking kinda song. One that’s not mountainous.”
Kariayla smiled. “I know one about golden fields.”
“This ain’t no golden field, but that’s alright.”
She started to sing, softly and sweetly, and though her words often became lost amidst the smothering grasses, the sound of her voice was enough to improve everyone’s spirits. When she had finished, she completed a second tune. By then, their attention had turned to the change in lighting, for the sun was descending upon the horizon.
“We ain’t at the next stop,” Jinx voiced his concern, and Ruby clutched at him tighter.
“We should be there soon,” Hawkwing assured him.
“Maybe we can move faster,” the thief suggested, and Arcturus grunted. Their pace did quicken a little, but the shadows were swift to fall, and they were amazed just how dark their world had become. Dark and still utterly silent, without even a cricket or a toad trill.
“I can’t see my own feet,” Jinx said. “We gotta stop soon, right?”
“Soon,” Hawkwing said.
“What’s this resting place look like? I mean, is it—”
“We’re here,” the tracker said, and they filed into a circular opening, at the center of which stood another stone marker. This one had two notches, but it also had a lid. Hawkwing slid the piece away and dipped his hand into the marker. He sprinkled the contents around the stone, and it ignited in blue flame.
“Magic,” Jinx murmured, and he and Ruby watched the flames as though entranced.
“Wizard’s Fire,” Arcturus said. “How clever. But it will offer light without heat. How are we to cook our meal?”
“I’m afraid our next few meals will be cold ones,” Hawkwing said. “And there will be nothing to hunt.” He began apportioning some of their provisions.
“I will make certain that William compensate us with a grand feast,” Arcturus announced, though he seemed to take the most comfort from the thought.
“So this Wizard Bill knew we were gonna be in danger?” Jinx asked, passing his finger through the flames.
“First, we are not in any danger,” Arcturus said, already packing his pipe. “Second, I am certain he knew exactly what we would encounter on our journey to see him.”
“Ya know what I wish?” Jinx asked. “I wish we’d meet a demon. Not the ones Hawkwing talked about, but the White Demon.”
“James—”
“Yeah, I know he was caught.” Jinx flicked the dirt with his knife. “Still wish I could meet him. You guys got to see him.”
“Trust me when I say that what little we saw was unimpressive.”
“It was kind of small,” Kariayla added.
“’Course it was. It can change its size,” Jinx said. He stretched his arms above his head. “It can be taller than Hawkwing or as small as Ruby.” He patted the imp’s head.
“And you attest he can turn people to ash,” Arcturus said, humoring him. “What other marvels can the White Demon achieve?”
Jinx narrowed his eyes. “You’re just trying to make fun of me.”
“I am legitimately curious. If our guide can tell a tale of demons, one good tale should deserve another.”
“I guess if you put it that way…” Jinx looked at Hawkwing and shrugged. “Way I hear it, the Demon comes from the Land of Shadow. In the Land of Shadow, there’s monsters, and dragons, and all kinds of evil beasts with dark powers and magic. Ruby—ow! Get off.” He tried to unhook her little fingers from his arm. “It’s not that scary.”
“The Land of Shadow,” Arcturus reminded.
“Yeah. Well, the Prophet wants to punish the rich folks for being so greedy. So he finds a book with spells, and he reads one that opens the door to the Land of Shadow. He goes in and sees all the terrible monsters, and he’s starting to get scared, but then he finds one that’s in trouble. It’s the White Demon, and it was being chased by some big, ugly dragons. It asks the Prophet to hide it, and the Prophet agrees to protect it if it would help him.
“So the Demon agrees, and the Prophet takes it back to our world. The Demon keeps its promise by helping the Prophet steal from the rich folks. It can spit fire, ride lightning, and fly with its huge white wings. It’s got sharp teeth, glowing eyes, and great big claws on its hands and feet—”
“A fierce creature of Shadow,” Arcturus summarized.
“Yeah.”
“Allow me to pose this question: how do you know the White Demon is not evil?”
“’Cuz it’s not,” Jinx said, folding his arms. “It helps the Prophet and his thieves, and the Prophet’s not evil.”
“Shadow itself is not evil,” Hawkwing said quietly. “Just as the Light is not necessarily good. Order and life can only be balanced by chaos and death. One cannot exist without the other.”
“I find these two opposing forces an archaic notion,” Arcturus said. He yawned and laid down. “In Mystland, there are few who acknowledge, let alone study, magic of Light or Shadow. Even the great elemental mages have all but vanished, leaving wizards and their cantalere.”
“How does magic disappear?” Kariayla asked. Everyone looked at her, and she blushed. “Why are there no mages? What happened to Light and to Shadow?”
Arcturus rubbed his chin. “That is a very good question, my dear. Though I do not have a definite answer, I believe that such forces evolve. The mages’ ability to wield the elements has changed to favor the wizards, who are magical generalists. The old magics are primitive and no longer applicable to our world.”
“I disagree,” Hawkwing said. “I think we have lost our connection to such power. We have forgotten the most basic forms of magic, and there will come a time when we will need them once more.”
“Now why should that be true?” Arcturus asked, sitting up. “Time favors change so that we better adapt to our world. My people are such an example. The Great Welling bestowed upon us abilities that we use to this day.”
“The Cataclysm had many effects upon our world,” Hawkwing said, gathering the unused supplies. “The results may have been arbitrary. Had the Torrgarrans been the victims of the great struggle, they would have the same abilities of which the Markanturians boast. It was, however, the combination of Light and Shadow that imprisoned Ocranthos.”
Arcturus shook his head. “You confuse myth with fact. There was no conflict of demi-gods. That story was created to explain the upwelling of magic. Arbitrary or not, my people are known for their abilities to heal through the blood. They have created a name for themselves because of their success. Tell me, master tracker, of what the Falquirians are reputed. Until your acquaintance, I have never met one.”
Hawkwing had turned away from the fire, his gaze distant. When he spoke, his voice was barely audible. “That for which we are known is better left to obscurity. You will not find another like me, but it is not because the old magic has failed.”
“You are hard-pressed to argue,” Arcturus said, triumphant. He lay back again. “Such discussions I have missed since I left Markanturos.”
Kariayla and Jinx exchanged a glance. “Dunno what any of that was about,” the thief said. “Don’t really care, either.”
“Hawkwing,” Kariayla said, sensing something was wrong. “Is everything all right?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said. “Though you should get your rest. We have a distance to cover tomorrow. I will take the first watch.”
11
The Second Marker
Snap.
Kariayla spun at the sound. Jinx walked casually behind her, pulling at the dried stalks along the path. “Ya know, Ruby,” he said to the imp on his shoulders, “I’m thinkin’ Arcturus is right. There ain’t nuthin’ dangerous ‘bout this place.” He broke off another stalk and tossed it to the ground. “This is the most boringest place in all of Secramore.”
“Jinx, I don’t think you should do that,” Kariayla said.
“Do what?” he asked.
She gestured to the grass.
He looked at her, humorless. “Really? It’s just old grass.” He broke off another piece and tossed it over his shoulder. It landed in Ruby’s hair instead. “Ya gotta relax. We’ve been walking for hours, and I’m still on the path. We’re all safe, though it’s not like somethin’s gonna happen anyway.”
“How do you know?” Kariayla asked.
“’Cuz it was just a story. Hawkwing likes to tell stories.”
“Maybe he had a reason for this one,” she returned.
He stared at her. “Kinda surprised at you. I thought you’d take Arcturus’s side on this.”
She blinked. “His ‘side’?”
“Well, you guys are friends, right? We didn’t meet Hawkwing ‘til later. He’s a good guy and all, but he’s just here to lead us, right?”
Kariayla’s brow furrowed. “Friends can have differing opinions.”
Jinx grabbed a handful of grass and tugged on it, some of the blades coming free in his grasp. “Yeah, but you listen to everything Hawkwing says. Even I know some stories are for kids. You shouldn’t believe ‘em all.”
She could feel her cheeks begin to burn. “I do not believe everything I hear, Jinx.”
He shrugged.
“And I’d like it if you stopped pulling the grass.”
“Fine.”
She turned back around, agitated. Maybe we’re all irritable because of this place. I will be glad when we’re through the Plains. The sound of brittle vegetation breaking behind her made her bite her lip.
“Arcturus,” she said, walking faster so that she could tug on the Markanturian’s cloak.
“Yes, my dear,” came the weary voice.
“Does Hawkwing know if we are close to the second marker?”
“If we are, he has not indicated as much,” Arcturus said testily. “Is something the matter?”
Not yet. She thought of Jinx and frowned. Arcturus will see nothing wrong with his actions—not if he doesn’t believe in the demons. “I…I was just curious if we were close.”