by Lydia Deyes
We were very close now, so close that it was rather dangerous to continue, regardless of whether we were above or below ground. How would we get into the dark cliffs without being noticed, attacked, or captured? Exhausted and at a loss for a plan to continue, we built up a blockade of dirt and rocks around the new tunnel and rested there for the night.
Though I was tired, I couldn’t fall asleep. I amused myself by watching Amery and Al in their slumber for a while, then grew tired of it and fell into deep thought. I was so close to the dark cliffs, but I still had no idea whether I was going there for revenge or power. A strong urge inside me pushed me to join Nivek, to have the strength he would certainly provide me and use my position to protect my friends… especially Amery. Yet each time I settled on this plan, a tiny but persistent feeling of hesitation kept me from finalizing it. The feeling was weak, as though subdued inside me, but it refused to give up. Something just would not let me join Nivek, no matter how badly I wanted to. The harder I tried to find its source, the more elusive it became.
Frustrated, I repositioned myself. I tried without success to settle down and sleep. I knew I wouldn’t be able to reach a decision tonight. As I turned around again, uncomfortable and distressed, I noticed Amery was awake. She was watching me from the corner of her eye.
As soon as she saw I’d noticed her, she closed her eyes again and pretended to sleep. It had only been a moment, but I’d seen her, and that didn’t help me sleep at all. I couldn’t understand why she’d been watching me, and now I was even more uncomfortable. How long had she been watching before I noticed?
After hours engrossed in my own thoughts, I must have drifted to sleep. I dreamed of terrible shadow Beasts chasing me through the forest, into the dark western cliffs, straight into Nivek’s lair. I could see a pair of eyes glinting in the darkness, and just as I drew near to where they were, I awoke, trembling.
When I woke, I realized I’d been deaf in my dream again. I hadn’t heard a sound, in reality or a vision, for a very long time now. I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d heard anything, nor could I recall what it was like. That made me sad. I missed the ability, even if it wasn’t normally mine in waking hours. I’d completely forgotten what Amery’s voice had sounded like so long ago, the one sound I’d enjoyed above all others, but now I couldn’t remember any of them. If I could hear one single sound, just once more, it would be her voice. Even a single note.
Why am I thinking of such sad things? I wondered, but at the same time, I didn’t regret it.
I struggled to make sense of what I was feeling; everything seemed to be in conflict. Part of me hated Amery because of it. But part of me wanted to be close to her, in the hopes that someday her voice would grace my dreams again. I closed my eyes as the night waned and fell into troubled sleep once more.
LII
Morning came, and with it, the choking scent of smoke. I wasn’t shocked by it, noting how close we were to the destructive force of Nivek, but it was still a tough thing to wake up to. Amery, Al, and I peeked out from where we’d been burrowed, and no one was in sight. My companions turned their heads from side to side, listening. Al sniffed the air, and I closed my eyes and felt for vibrations in the ground. I could have conjured a vision, but what good would that have done? I couldn’t hear in them anymore, and all it would’ve told me was that Nivek’s power was growing. I could see that clearly, even without a vision.
We all looked at each other; nothing. We were alone. It was the calm before the storm, I was sure. A sense of dread settled in my heart and mind and refused to leave. I knew something was coming, but I still wasn’t sure what to do about it.
Would I try to fight, despite my lack of powers, or even an army, and suffer the horrible death that would certainly follow? Would I turn myself in and hope Nivek was merciful enough to let my friends go? Or would I join him, as he wanted me to and as my own mind urged me to, even though I knew that was wrong, somewhere in the depths of my heart? I didn’t seem to have any other options. We were drawing near, and I needed to make a decision. I looked at Amery and Al. I wasn’t sure why they’d come this far, but I was grateful for their company.
We emerged into the forest, ever wary despite — or perhaps because of — the incredible stillness and emptiness. I was overcome with the sensation that I was absolutely parched, and the forest cried for water. It was as if the air itself was drawing moisture out of me. The ground was cracked and hard, the branches were brittle, and the leaves had all fallen and wasted away. The air itself was dry, and the sky was dark with the shroud. The forest echoed the dark times we were in. There was no hope, no growth, nothing pointing towards a better future. Everything was desolate, empty, hollow.
Except for one tree. One strong, persevering tree. Just ahead, I could see it through the mist. It had a few leaves, still green despite the fact that it was mid-winter. How had it survived? There was no water to feed it, no sunlight to bathe it, and spring was still a distant thought. Still, this one cherry tree bore leaves, and even blossoms. Though it was weak, and its growths were few and far between, it was distinctively stronger than the rest.
Drawn to it, we all approached the tree. If the forest was a mirror of Nivek’s terror and reign, who then was the cherry tree? Why was it resisting, even when there seemed no reason or motivation to do so? I wished I were like the cherry tree, I realized — strong despite the cold and darkness, despite the despair all around.
Just then, I felt something. It was cold and wet. I looked up and saw clouds in the sky — real, gray clouds, intertwining with the black shroud of Nivek’s power. They twisted through the darkness like vines, and rain began to fall. I flew up to one of the branches on the cherry tree, unable to take my eyes off the sky. How long had it been since rain had fallen?
Al bounced off in delight, hopping and scuffling around as the sprinkling became a drizzle. Amery flew and twirled, pure happiness in her eyes. Her beak opened in song, and for the first time, I felt no resentment. I only felt sadness, and longing to hear her voice.
It was then that I heard a ringing in my ears. It hurt to hear it, having been accustomed to silence for so long, and I doubled over with shock and pain… yet, a different kind of pain. Soon, the ringing evolved into a buzzing, and the buzzing softened to a strangely familiar sound. The sound of rain. Then the sweetest melody of all touched my ears, ever so softly, ever so gently, and I recognized it at once. The sound of it wiped away all fear of the rain, all distress for my future, all thoughts of anything but the sound itself.
I straightened, opened my eyes, and stared at Amery in disbelief. I was hearing her song. She noticed me and faltered. “No,” I said quietly, stumbling over the words I could now hear coming from my beak. They sounded foreign, weak. “No, don’t stop.”
Her eyes sparkled, and she continued her song. I watched her, no longer in agony, listening with joy and bliss and amazement. Her voice rose and fell in sweet, happy calls. It was such a stark contrast to the times we were in, the sadness, and the despair.
Unable to help myself, and not entirely sure what I was doing, I was suddenly in the air with her. We danced together in flight, oblivious to all around us. As she continued to sing, I locked my eyes on hers; they were filled with surprise and joy. We twirled together in perfect harmony. This moment made the rest of my life seem useless, empty, and dark. This moment of light, of happiness, of joy and peace, brought everything else to shame. Nothing compared to this.
A certain despair I hadn’t noticed before, I noticed now only as it left. I remained behind, even more elated than before, feeling freer than ever. My mind suddenly felt as clear as the clearest waters, as bright as the morning sky, and many different feelings washed over me, coming and leaving like waves.
I felt shock. Suddenly, I knew Nivek had never left my mind at all — until now, that is. He’d controlled me, influenced my thoughts and actions, for far too long. My memories from when he’d tortured me returned, and I knew it wasn’t a dream. I
’d only thought that because Nivek had wanted me to. But now my mind was purged of his evil influence. He had no control over me anymore.
I felt courageous, suddenly determined to do what I could to fight him. I wanted to save this good earth from his reign of terror and allow for more moments like this one. I no longer had any doubt, no lust for power, no lust for revenge. All of those things I now realized had been fueled by him, even if they’d started as seeds from my own mind.
I felt peace, happiness, joy, and for the first time in a long time, I was content. I wasn’t worried about what lay ahead.
I felt strong again — a resurgence of a lovely familiar feeling inside me told me my powers had returned. I acknowledged them, but with caution. I knew how they could affect me now; I knew abusing them could corrupt my mind. Amery had been right. I’d save them for the last possible moment.
Amery’s song was one of joy, of hope, and I knew at once it was related to the prophecy of old, the one I was meant to fulfill. She took its words and added to them; she took each sentence and made it its own beautiful stanza. She’d already finished singing of the fledgling sparrow with eyes of gold, broken in a tempest night. She’d sung with serious tones of the darkness, thick of smoke, which incited everlasting blight. Now she sung of the only hope against the scourge, the Silent Warrior, who must brave a battle more than might. I knew, now, what this part of the prophecy meant. I’d already been fighting the battle in my mind. It was time to finish it. Amery stopped, landing on a branch of the blossoming cherry tree to catch her breath. I followed beside her, my eyes still locked on hers.
“You have to finish the rest,” she whispered.
I nodded. “The hero shall restore the light.” At that moment, the strongest feeling of all washed over me, gentle but firm. I knew, with all my heart, that this was where I was meant to be. I wasn’t thinking of my quest, or the forest, or the dark cliffs, though certainly my destiny would lead me there soon. I was thinking of right now, right here, gazing into Amery’s eyes after dancing with her in the rain.
I noticed light coming in through the sky, and I tore my eyes regrettably away from Amery to look. Where the gray rain clouds met the black shroud, rays of sunlight were now filtering through, thin but hopeful. If I looked closely, I could see the colors of the rainbow glistening off the droplets.
After a while, the drizzle lightened to a sprinkling again. I heard and felt a breeze rustle the tree, whispering sweet words of hope. The sound was beautiful and gentle. I heard each and every small sound, new to my ears. The droplets of rain pattered on the ground, and flower petals from the cherry tree, taken up on the breeze, gently brushed our feathers, bringing us closer together. It felt like spring around us, even though it was nearly winter. I leaned my head against Amery’s and spoke through my heart something I’d just come to see… that I loved her.
“I love you, too, Sheer,” she whispered, her eyes full of understanding. She looked at me, without speaking, and her eyes said everything I needed to know. “I always knew there was some good in you. I never lost hope in you. I knew the Silent Warrior would return to save his people.”
“I promise…” I said, pausing briefly at the shock of hearing my voice again. “I promise that I’ll stay with you, and protect you, and love you, as long as I live on this Earth. I won’t ever let you down again. And I’m deeply sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you in the past, Amery. I really am. Would you forgive me?”
“I forgive you, Sheer.”
I closed my eyes and breathed in her words, her sweet voice. I savored the sound and smell of the rain, and the feeling of her wing against mine. Finally, I was at peace.
LIII
While the breeze still encircled us, I heard it whispering to me. It didn’t use words, but rather the language of color I’d grown to know. Cíelen. As I remained still to listen, it told me all nature not yet taken under Nivek’s control would come to our aid, summoned by the wind itself, and strengthened by power beyond my own. Nature itself wanted to help defeat this evil. I felt the trembling of the earth shake the branches of the tree as this already began to pass and animals traveled from far away at impossible speeds.
It was odd to be able to hear all the sounds around me, but not the source of the tremors. Not yet, anyway. My sense of the vibrations was far more concentrated than my hearing, thanks to the time I’d spent without use of my ears. I looked up and saw the rain clouds slowly drifting away. Right before the shroud took their place, I got a glimpse of sunlight. It was enough to tell it was about midday.
Amery shivered in the cold as darkness settled back in and the rain stopped. I held her close, listening to the beating of her heart and wrapping my wing around her. I knew these few hours may be our last together. I was thankful for her presence and perseverance despite all I’d done.
Al came back from his wandering around sunset, his eyes wide. Behind him, the first of the other animals were arriving, too. I watched them, sensing the duty of being their commander — of being the Silent Warrior. I was ready to live up to the status that had given me that name. I was ready to be the same Sheer that had led all of the thirteenth floor in the battle against Spike, the same Sheer that had led Samuel’s family into battle against Finsternis. We would now face our greatest enemy yet. The wind had given them miraculous speed to arrive from all corners of the Earth, and it was now my job to lead them into the dark cliffs.
As an eastern wind rushed past me, it told me the tales of the western cliffs: that Nivek’s army was massive; it was larger than ours, and more powerful. But we had nature and the wind on our side, and we were driven by hope rather than fear. I spoke to the great crowd of animals as it gathered; a few I knew, but most I’d never met.
“Greetings,” I began. As attention drew to me, I heard many murmuring amongst themselves. My own ears heard the language of Montin as I knew from what Amery had spoken, though with several different accents. I listened for a while, just appreciating the intricacies of each animal’s way of speaking, and from it I guessed each animal was hearing my words in their own language.
“Is zat ze Silent Varrior?”
“He can speak my language?”
“Ssh, I’m tryina listen!”
I waited for them to settle down so I could have their undivided attention, then continued. “As you probably know by now, we are on the brink of war. Nivek is strong. His armies are massive. But we must not let him win this. We must show him that we are not disposable creatures. We have hearts and minds and souls, and we have strength in hope and in each other.”
After hearing several murmurs of agreement, I went on. “We will fight. We will win this war, and we will show Nivek once and for all who really has control of this Earth. We will show him that we are not afraid of him!” After the outburst of howls and calls of excitement, I ended my speech. “I have a plan.”
I split the multitude into five groups; one to attack directly, and one on either side. The remaining two groups would come in after the battle had already started, as fresh reinforcements; one from behind, and one directly into the middle. I made sure each of the five groups had some animals who’d been trained to fight. Hope was powerful, but training was more effective. I trusted those who were stronger to look out for those who were weaker. Meanwhile, I’d have to find Nivek and defeat him. I knew I had to fulfill the prophecy, and I had to do this alone.
The wind called on the might of nature and provided new sprouts from the ground that satisfied us all. It may have seemed impossible, but the cherry tree was alive, wasn’t it? I accepted that I didn’t understand the might of nature and was grateful it was on our side. With full bellies, we rested to gain strength for the fight. I noticed this elusive force hadn’t tried to prove itself to us; rather, it provided for us when we put our faith in it. I would no longer doubt this world was good at its core.
At the earliest break of dawn, the sun was barely visible past the shroud. I sent the first three armies silently on their way and n
uzzled Amery one last time. I left her behind with Anna and a few other members of Samuel’s family, who’d traveled from afar with the help of the wind. She would be part of one of the reinforcement troops. It was time for me to seek out Nivek.
As a group, we were all headed west, into even deeper darkness, directly into the sharp cliffs. I decided not to use my powers yet. Now that Nivek was no longer in my mind, he wouldn’t know I’d recovered them, and I could use that to my advantage. I’d have to preserve myself, though, to last until I actually reached him. Instead, I’d do my best to guide my armies to the weakest points in the enemy’s ranks as I made my way to Nivek’s lair.
We didn’t last long undiscovered. Soon, the great shadow of Malvador passed over us, raising a screeching cry to alert the others. Shortly after that, the battle began. The morning sun cast a glow over my first armies as they attacked from three angles. Now that I had an overhead view of what we were up against, I knew there was no chance we’d surround Nivek’s massive militia. They easily outnumbered us ten to one. I cried out to the wind, asking it to help carry the message that we needed to change our formation to a more conservative one. It whipped around me in response, then rushed off to the two side groups I’d arranged. From my vantage point, I could see them shift more towards each other so they weren’t as spread out. Still, even with a better tactic, I needed to find Nivek and end this war as quickly as possible.
I heard Malvador screech from behind me, and dove just in time to avoid its fiery talons. It swooped down into the crowd, snatched several of my troops in its grasp. It ripped them limb from limb, tossing burnt halves back with an ear-splitting shriek. I shuddered in disgust.
Forest animals and birds were clashing against their own kin, plus Nivek’s accumulation of humans and Beasts. I noticed all the creatures under Nivek’s control had completely black eyes… not even a hint of white or colored iris.