Looming Shadow: Journey to Chaos book 2

by Brian Wilkerson

  More than the buildings, it was the population of Yebo that put him on edge. Soldiers milled about in places, guarding or gambling, but no civilians or merchants. All of them were one hundred percent human. Not one beastfolk, elf, or quadruped in sight. No one had tails, claws, or even fur!

  Anxiety rapidly built up within him as he tried and failed to spot anything familiar. The air was so thin and all alone and it popped like a balloon and Eric jumped into the harbor. Nolien walked to the edge and raised an eyebrow.

  “This is hardly the time for a swim.”

  “This water is too much like Threa's water! Where's the magic! Where's the monsters! What if I'm dreaming! What if you aren't really standing there!”

  “Ceihan Intoxicosis,” Nolien mused. “But with an added complexity...”

  He placed his staff on the ground, took off his shoes, and jumped in. Tiza watched, baffled, as he swam to Eric and dunked his head under the water. Eric was equally baffled. He didn't struggle until he ran out of air. Then, and only then, did Nolien allow him to breathe.

  “Did that feel like a dream?” Nolien asked calmly, as though he hadn't attempted to drown one of his best friends.

  “No. Never in my wildest dreams would you act like Tiza...Sorry...”

  “It's okay. Ceihan Intoxicosis is a nervous disorder caused by the lack of mana in Ceiha's territory. It causes anxiety, depression, loss of appetite, and some others things.” He gave Eric's shoulder a friendly pat. “We'll finish our mission and get out of here as quickly as possible.”

  The three of them played a number of games to pass the time: I Spy, Rock Paper Scissors, Tic Tac Toe, etc. They would rather have sparred, but the soldiers scowled when they as much as touched their weapons. Eventually, Basilard left the death priest’s temple and rejoined them.

  “There's a rogue Bladi family member loose in this country.” His tone was so light and casual it worried his students. “Keep an eye out for anyone with hair and eyes like mine. Do not try to fight him, Tiza. Run away and I will take care of it.” He addressed Haburt and said, “Thank you for waiting.”

  “You're welcome. It gave me time to resolve any remaining issues at the customs office.”

  The port's exit was the same was the same as the entrance. It was a grim grey gate. Soldiers stood on and at the feet of it. All of them were thin and likely underfed. In his Magic Sight, Eric saw the same shriveled spirits he saw in those of his home world. Instead of guarding, they were gambling, talking, or rough housing until Haburt got their attention by clinking two coins together.

  What followed was a repeat of the naval gate: bring out the paperwork, have them reviewed and then approved, and grease a few palms, but this time, the gate didn't open. The soldiers refused to let them leave. One of them, better dressed and shinier than the others, stepped forward.

  “Customs informed us that you expressed concern about the security of our country,” he said affably. “We want all travelers to know that they are in good hands within our borders. To that end, we have arranged a special demonstration to put your fears at rest.”

  He blew a whistle and directed their attention back to the interior of the port. The door of the jail opened and a pair of soldiers marched a young girl forward. She couldn’t be more than ten years old. Her hands were bound behind her back, her ankles were fettered, and her mouth gagged. As she drew closer, Eric could see her dress was ripped, her arms and legs bruised, and her face tear-stained.

  “Hold still and watch,” Basilard whispered. “We're only mercenaries.”

  However reluctantly, Nolien obeyed and so did Tiza. Eric thought Screw you and called on his inner darkness. Silently, he put his entire mind and soul behind manipulating the shadows. It was difficult under so much sunlight, but with effort, he pulled the shadows of the gallows and soldiers to greater length. One of them slithered onto the girl's left ankle as she was pushed up the platform. What the abyss am I doing? I don't know even how this shadow thing works! The hangman slipped a noose over the girl's head. Whatever, I'm doing it anyways!

  A clerk stepped next to her and pulled a sheet of paper out of a binder. She placed it on top of the closed binder, put on a pair of glasses, and read, “This girl is Zettai Centurion. She has been convicted of the following crimes: stealing forbidden knowledge, conspiracy to create monsters, evading arrest, unlicensed possession of bladed weapons, aiding and abetting criminals, attempting to escape police custody, and attempting to obstruct justice through self-slaughter.”

  Eric paused to marvel at the list of transgression and wonder how they were committed by someone that looked so frail and helpless. Then he renewed his efforts to manipulate the shadows.

  “The sentence for the first crime by itself is the death penalty. Thus, by the power vested in me by the High Council of Ceiha, I authorize this girl's execution. She will be hung until dead.”

  Nolien bowed his head, clasped his hands, and recited a prayer to the Goddess of Life for the girl's rebirth. Tiza wished she'd taken her dagger-throwing lessons more seriously. Haburt averted his eyes. Basilard read his dirty book. The hangman reached for the lever.

  Dredging up all his willpower and heroic desire, Eric thrust the shadows up and folded them over the gallows. In the ensuing panic, he whispered the Dark Veil, Lupine Baffler, and Wind Cutter spells in quick succession. He didn’t have time for the full chants, so he increased the mana for each and forced them through on willpower. Inside the shadows, a second veil of darkness wrapped around Zettai and a sphere of air masked the sounds of her breathing and heartbeat. Then a blade of air severed the noose and the Lupine Baffler masked the sound of her footsteps. The sunlight quickly dispelled the shadows, but by then, she was gone. The gallows themselves were invisible as well because it wouldn’t do for a cut noose to give away Eric’s deception.

  “Wow!” he exclaimed. “You can invoke Dakool and he'll show up for executions! I had no idea you could do that here! No wonder your crime rate is so low compared to Ataidar! I can't speak for my teammates, but I for one feel much safer now.”

  Without missing a beat, the clerk said, “Yes, Dakool has a special affection for our country. His gate alone is open to us. Stay on your best behavior and you will come to no harm.”

  “Absolutely, ma'am!”

  Then, without warning, his eyes rolled back and he blacked out.

  Chapter 10 Journey to the Lair

  It was Nolien who tended to him first. Basilard took a second to snap with both hands and renew Eric’s spells. The young mage was pale and shivering. His breathing was rapid, shallow, and irregular. None of the soldiers or clerks moved a muscle and, for that, Tiza gave them the finger and accompanying curses.

  After the mages examined him and conversed with each other, they decided upon a solution. Basilard reached into his pack and pulled out a bottle of Mana Juice. After unscrewing it, he placed it in Eric's mouth. He gulped down the glowing green liquid and settled.

  “He has a severe case of Ceihan Intoxicosis,” he explained to the guards. “He's the mage of our group, so your atmosphere affects him more than the rest of us.”

  The clerk on the gallows nodded and the soldiers relaxed. Basilard hoisted Eric over his shoulder and waited for the gate to open. Tiza closed her eyes, moved behind Basilard, and subtly grabbed something. Nolien casually fell in line next to her.

  The port’s exit led to a paved road that extended into the horizon. The area to both sides was unobstructed for exactly one mile. The land was also brown, barren, bumpy, and spotted with craters. The paved road was cracked, potholed, and otherwise in disrepair.

  Team Four and its client followed this road and it grew rougher the further they tracked from the port. There were other military installations along the way, but all of them were on side roads branching off the main one, and these were in even worse condition. They walked slowly until they were out of sight of both Yebo and the other installations. Around this time, Eric woke up and he gasped like he was coming out of wate
r instead of unconsciousness. Basilard set him down and asked, “How do you feel?”

  “...Mana...Juice...”

  “I already gave you some.”

  “....Mana...Juice...Please...”

  “Why? This is an opportunity to develop –” A bare foot kicked his shin. “Very well...”

  The novice mage received one gulp before his mentor pulled it away. He still felt like shit but now he felt strong enough to stand up. Knowing what Basilard would say, Eric didn’t ask him to drop the spells. Instead, he turned on Magic Sight and looked for the keystone in their spell diagrams. Then he stabbed each one with the tip of his crystal, breaking them and dispelling the enchantments. It was only now that he could take a good look at her.

  Zettai was thin and scrawny, likely from a lack of food. Her head only reached his stomach. Pale blonde hair reached her waist and hung over her eyes, ragged and unkempt. She wore nothing but a thin, sleeveless mini-dress. It failed to preserve her modesty because it had holes in places. The cuts and burns to her limbs were on full display, and her wrists and ankles were chafed from the ropes.

  He pulled the gag out of her mouth.

  “Thank you for saving me! You were amazing! You really must be Dengel’s ves-emph!”

  He put the gag back in her mouth. Her eyes welled up, her shoulders shook, and she muffled so pleadingly he took it out again.

  “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to compare you to Dengel. I’d be upset too if I had to measure up against such a –”

  “Shut up and turn around.”

  She gasped and stepped back quickly, which led to tripping in her fetters and landing on her butt. Eric knelt and grabbed her ankle so he could the cut the fetters, but she kicked his hand and scooted away. Nolien sighed and stepped forward.

  “Eric, you have to be gentle with trauma victims. She’s obviously gone through a tremendously stressful experience that involved a great deal of pain. You can’t say things like that and not expect her to behave defensively.”

  He pushed his fellow mage aside and addressed Zettai directly.

  “Hello, Miss Centurion. My name is Nolien Iteleh. As you’ve already guessed, his name is Eric Watley. I apologize for his brashness; he’s irritable because of the atmosphere and other factors like Dengel’s shadow. He’s not going to hurt you; none of us are. All we want is to remove those ropes and heal your injuries. All right?”

  She hesitated. For some seconds, she simply stared at Nolien and his smile. Then she nodded.

  “Good. Now if you’ll just hold still, you’ll be free in an instant. Okay?”

  Zettai nodded again and Nolien brought out his dagger. He cut through the rope on each ankle and took care not to accidentally cut her. Then she rolled over so he could saw through the mesh lashing her hands together. All the while, he softly chanted basic healing spells to ease her pain, reduce her burns, and close her numerous cuts.

  As soon as he was done, Zettai turned around and kissed him full on the lips. Tiza’s jaw dropped, Eric moved away from the danger zone, and Basilard read his dirty book. Nolien himself removed her arms from around his neck and pushed her away.

  “Your gratitude is appreciated but unnecessary. I’m just doing my duty.”

  “Duty? Does that mean you guys are superheroes?!”

  “No,” Eric said. “We’re just mercenaries.”

  “But you’re the one who saved me! And you summoned Dakol to do it!”

  “That was a lie. I used darkness magic to make it look like Dakol came.”

  “If it wasn't for heroics then... it must have been defying authority for fun!”

  Her eyes lit up and the happiness spread to her entire face. It was quite charming.

  “You really are the Trickster's Choice!”

  Eric’s eyes narrowed. “That's worse.”

  She tilted her head. “What other reason could there be? Do you think living in this country is a fate worse than death and want to prolong my suffering by saving my life?”

  “For the last time, no!”

  “Then why?”

  “Because...I...I have a mission to complete. Go home!”

  He turned his back on her and walked away. She stepped forward and grabbed his hand.

  “My home is far away and I'm a wanted fugitive. Someone as noble as you wouldn't leave a helpless little girl all alone in the wilderness without food or water and –”

  Eric tried to free his hand, but her grip was remarkably firm. “You are hardly helpless and I'm not noble.” He pointed to Nolien with his left hand. “He's the noble one.”

  “I'm not a noble!” Nolien protested. “I'm a commoner.”

  “I meant noble the character trait.”

  “That's not fair! This is about you and your trickster-style heroics!”

  “Which were obvious, by the way,” Tiza injected. “You were concentrating so hard it looked like you were constipated.”

  “Miss Centurion,” Haburt stated, “as you state, you are a criminal and I don’t want your status as such to interfere with my mission.”

  She smiled harmlessly. “Oh, that? Lots of people want to learn magic and who could blame them? It’s so useful! I help spread it around to put food in my stomach.”

  “What about your parents?” Basilard asked.

  “Those assholes!? They don’t give a rat’s vomit about a screw-up like me!”

  “A girl your age shouldn’t use such language.”

  “That’s the same thing they said, right before they hit me!”

  “A young child from an abusive home that wants to learn magecraft and that my trickster student rescued from lawful execution.” Basilard did a double face-palm. “Ancestor, give me strength.”

  “Have you made a deduction, Mr. Bladi?”

  Basilard dropped his hands and placed one on BloodDrinker. “Yes, Professor. I believe The Trickster used us as tools to overturn this girl’s fortune. If we leave her behind, she will follow us and odd coincidences will make sure we can’t lose her.”

  “You make me sound like a parasite!”

  “You will attract attention and consume our supplies without contributing to our cause. That makes you a parasite.”

  Zettai’s eyes welled up again and, this time, the well broke. She cried loud and long before him. All three of his novices and his client stared harshly at him. He dropped his shoulders, patted her head, and apologized for insulting her. She ran to Nolien and wiped her face on his chest. Nolien comforted her while checking Tiza’s mood. She was mildly annoyed but not mad like he feared.

  “Eric, why don’t you discuss magical theory with Miss Centurion? I’m sure she would appreciate your skill and expertise.”

  Eric was about to refuse, but then Zettai faced him with her bright eyes and wide smile. It was too adorable to resist, and he had nothing thing better to do, so he agreed. This raised her spirits further and such happiness from a cute girl was just the tonic he needed for his Ceihan Intoxicosis. Walking side by side, they discussed all things magical for the rest of the day.

  She had a startling amount of bizarre misconceptions about magic. For instance, that it could only be performed during a full moon, required materials such as “hair of ewe,” or that one had to draw runic circles, clap their hands together, and shout, “Who are you calling short!?” It got to the point where Eric told her to forget everything she knew about magic because it was all hogwash.

  “But…but…Dengel’s manuscripts…”

  Eric brought out his own well-worn copy of Introduction to Magecraft and put it in her hands.

  “This is the real deal. That other stuff was likely made up by whoever told it to you because neither of you know any better.”

  Eric started with the basics: Chaos, Order, Noitearc, and the struggle between them. This led to the “Straw Theory” that pulled mana into their world fruit. This led to the Eleven Mana Gates that supplied mana and color based on the element. Zettai was giddy and hung on Eric's every word. Then he started the top
ic of mana mutation.

  “If magecraft were common in Ceiha, then monsters would appear.”

  “Really? I thought that was a lie.”

  “Nope. If it were a lie, then people like me would have a hard time making a living. Regular guilds’ members are frequently on monster hunts to keep the population under control.”

  When night fell, Team Four set up camp and cleaned up their newest member. First, Nolien cut her hair into a manageable and fashionable style. When asked, he said that his sister found it more convenient to burst into his room than make an appointment at a salon. Afterward, Tiza gave her a set of clothes and kept watch while she changed behind a rock. When she stepped out, she looked cuter than ever. Eric had to remind himself that this was no fragile maiden but a criminal with a long list of crimes. However, when she asked him insightful questions about magic with an earnest look on her face, it was hard to be guarded.

  She became progressively more engaging with each question. Each answer turned into another question and soon she made him pause to think before answering. By the time dinner was over, her understanding of the basics was good as his and they moved into debating theories as equals.

  In the morning, Zettai woke up and stretched, feeling refreshed and energetic. Her companions crawled out of bed with the energy of a sick person and the attitude of a hangover victim. They left their tents slumped over like hunchbacks. Even Basilard didn't move as easily as usual.

  “Is this what your homeworld is like?” Tiza asked.

  “Trickster, no. Despite its lack of mana, Threa is closer to Roalt than this place. This place is closer to a dystopian novel.”

  The countryside as a whole was depressing. Team Four+ walked for days along the broken main road and didn't see any sign of life other than a rest station every few dozen miles. Aside from small and scattered farms, the land was brown and barren. Even weeds didn't grow here. There were tall hills and mountains, but no clouds gathered at their peaks. Occasionally, they came across ponds, but none of them supported fish or other forms of life.