The Shadowed Land

by Ryan W. Mueller

  I'll miss you, Nadia thought, but she couldn't bring herself to say it.

  "I think I hear something," Rik said. A few moments later, Nadia heard it as well: the gentle clip clop of hooves against the dirt road. She sat up, suddenly alert, and waited for the sound to grow louder.

  At last, the horses came into view, followed by a wagon. The wagon approached from the north and slowed as it neared them, for they hadn't moved out of the road.

  A clean-shaven, middle-aged man with light brown hair sat in the driver's seat, looking down at them curiously. "Is there some reason you're lying here in the middle of the road?"

  At least he didn't sound hostile, and he spoke her language.

  "My friend here is very sick," Nadia said, glancing at Markus, then at the man. "And we're all exhausted. We've been traveling a long time."

  The man bit his lower lip. "How's your friend sick? Is it the plague?"

  "No," Nadia said, getting to her feet. "He was bitten by a snake. Its venom is killing him."

  The man hopped down from the wagon. "Let me take a look."

  As he walked toward Markus, Nadia noted that two other men occupied the back of the wagon. Both were a little younger than the driver, sporting dark beards and carrying swords. They wore leather armor that had seen better days.

  "By the way, I’m Kevin," the man said. "I'm a merchant from Stewart's Mill."

  "Stewart's Mill?" Nadia said. "Is that a large city? Can we find a doctor there?"

  "It's the closest city of any decent size. There are a few doctors there, but with the plague this year, it might be tough for your friend to see them. They're swamped with patients." Kevin kneeled beside Markus and looked at the blackened arm. "Not sure a doctor will do him any good. I've seen something like this before. You have to catch it early, as soon as it shows."

  Nadia fought against tears. "Are you saying there's no way we can save him?"

  Kevin didn't meet her gaze. "I didn't say that, but I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you. I can give you a ride to Stewart's Mill. We're heading there anyways. But I can't say if we'll find any help for him." He shook his head gravely. "I'm sorry to give you bad news."

  "What about Miracle Fruit?" Nadia asked, desperate. "Do you know what that is?"

  "Sorry. I've never heard of it."

  "It grows somewhere in the Empire," Nadia said. "Inside the mountains."

  Kevin frowned. "Are you from inside the mountains?"

  Nadia didn't know how safe it was to reveal this information, but Kevin seemed trustworthy. "Yes," she said. "We just got out yesterday. Markus was bitten a few days ago, while we were still in the Empire. His symptoms didn't show until we'd escaped."

  Kevin rose from his kneeling position. "Then I suppose I should welcome you to the world beyond the Empire. I'm sorry to say you're not gonna find it an improvement."

  "Have there been others like us?" Nadia asked.

  "A few, and most of them realize they didn't have it so bad in the Empire."

  Rik stood a few feet away, swaying awkwardly. "I already don't like this world. So far, we've already seen bandits, and multiple monsters."

  "And survived," Kevin said. "I'm impressed." His gaze settled on Rik's staff. "You a channeler?"

  "That's what those bandits called me."

  "Well, I'll be glad to have a channeler along," Kevin said. "We've had our own trouble with bandits lately." He gestured toward the back of the wagon, where the bearded guards sat among crates and barrels. "Took quite a bit of my wares."

  "Why didn't you fight back?" Rik asked.

  "There were a dozen of them and three of us."

  "Then why don't you hire more guards?" Nadia asked.

  "Don't have the money," Kevin said. "Can't hire a channeler either. Channelers are bloody expensive." He glanced down at Markus. "Now let's get going. If there's any chance of saving your life, we've gotta reach town soon."

  Markus tried to get to his feet, and collapsed immediately. Nadia and Rik attempted to help him, but they were exhausted. After this brief struggle, Kevin motioned for the guards to come down and help, and they got Markus to his feet and then into the back of the wagon. Nadia and Rik followed, finding some straw to sit on and introducing themselves to Kevin.

  Sitting close to the guards, Nadia noted that only one of them was close to Kevin's age. The other looked maybe a couple years older than Markus and Rik, but his beard and the scars on his face gave him the appearance of an older man.

  As the wagon rolled along the dirt road, Nadia pointed at the glowing blue crystals. "What are those things? We were a bit scared to go past them."

  "Those are wards," said the older guard. He was a stern-faced and muscular man. "They keep monsters from getting onto the road—well, at least when they're working."

  The younger guard barked a laugh, but his expression looked friendlier. "And they stop working all the time. Luminian sorcerers don't give a damn about common people like us."

  "Are we near Luminia?" Nadia asked. "They might know how to heal Markus."

  The younger guard laughed again. "Luminia is far to the east, on another continent."

  "We'll get no help from them," Kevin said. "There's a Luminian ambassador in West City. Some say she's a bit more than an ambassador, that she's really the one in charge, not King Richard." He chuckled. "We're in the Westland Kingdom by the way. I bet this is all a bit confusing for you."

  "Perhaps a little," Nadia said. "Just how big is the world?"

  "The Empire is a very small place by comparison," Kevin said.

  Rik leaned back against the wooden railing, looking weary. "You said it's terrible out here, worse than the Empire. Apart from monsters and bandits, what makes it so bad?"

  "There's also the clans," said the older guard. "If you go too far to the north or south around here, you'll run into 'em. They control most of the territory around the mountains." He almost smiled. "Well, control might not be the right word. No clan controls anything for very long. They're always fighting each other." He spat over the side of the wagon. "Bunch of worthless savages."

  "Sometimes they band together," said the younger guard, "and that's when they're the most dangerous. We've been fighting wars with them for centuries. You'd think we could take over their land, but nothing gets them to band together like an army marching against them."

  Kevin kept his gaze forward as he led the horses along the road. "In all, the world outside the Empire is not in good shape. We're constantly at war. Sickness and poverty are rampant. I'm doing pretty well, but as you can see, I can only afford two guards." He paused a moment. "The more you see, the more you'll realize Warrick ain't that bad."

  "I'm sorry," Nadia said, "but you don't know anything about Warrick. He killed my mother. He burned an entire city. He killed countless children. He's evil."

  "I never said he wasn't evil. I'm just saying he isn't the worst evil in this world."

  Nadia found that hard to believe. If Kevin and his guards were any indication, there were decent people out here. Surely Kevin was exaggerating the state of the world beyond the Empire. It's a common aspect of human nature, Nadia thought. People always covet what they don't have.

  To Kevin, an Empire without war had to look like paradise, but Nadia knew better. Warrick's tyranny was worse than any war. In war, at least there was a chance of victory.

  Nadia leaned against Markus, worried because he hadn't spoken in a while. "What do you think of everything out here?"

  His voice was feebler than ever. "I don't really care. I feel so weak."

  "Please, stay with me. We'll find a cure for you. I won't let you die."

  He looked into her eyes. "It's okay, Nadia, you can let me go. I won't blame you. What happened to me was my own fault. If I hadn't been so clumsy"—

  "I don't care," she said. "I'll find a way, even if it kills me."

  "I love you, Nadia."

  Nadia stroked his burning forehead. "It's not time to say goodbye just yet."

&n
bsp; Chapter 6: Clan Mountain Eagle

  Berig's legs trembled as the riders came closer, aiming bows at the party. Even from a distance, the riders looked like savages. They were all men and sported long beards of varying colors.

  Klint pointed his staff at the archers. If Berig hadn't known better, he'd have thought Klint was trembling.

  One of the riders moved ahead of the rest. He was a large man with a dark beard, the ends of which he'd braided. His gaze was stern and unyielding.

  "Why are you trespassing on our lands?" he demanded. "These are the lands of Clan Mountain Eagle. Which clan do you hail from?"

  "We are not from any clan," Aric said. "We came from inside the mountains."

  The man gazed at them in silence for a long time. Berig couldn't read the man's expression, couldn't determine how hostile these men were. What the hell was a clan in the first place? Was it just another name for groups of savages?

  "I believe your story," the man said at last. His hard gaze settled on Klint. "Lower your staff, channeler. I won't tell you again."

  Klint obeyed.

  "Which of you owns the woman?" asked the man.

  "Nobody owns me," Danica said.

  The man narrowed his eyes. "That is unnatural. Maybe we should kill you. We don't normally kill women, but your woman doesn't know when to hold her tongue."

  "I'm sorry for her behavior." Aric stepped forward. "She belongs to me. She has an independent streak. If anyone should be punished for her tongue, it's me."

  The man turned to the other riders with a strange smile. "Kill him."

  Klint pointed his staff at the men. "If you attack us, I'll fight back. You might kill us, but I'll take out a few of you. So why don't we settle this peacefully?"

  The man let out a hearty laugh, and the rest of the riders joined him. These people seemed insane. Was this the kind of world that existed beyond the mountains? Was Warrick telling the truth about the Empire's prosperity?

  Once the man stopped laughing, he said, "You can lower your staff. We were just testing you, seeing how much courage you possess. Luckily, you seem to have a great deal. Not many people would stand against us like that."

  "Then you're not gonna kill us?" Berig asked.

  "Not today." Silence. Then he laughed again. "You should have seen the looks on your faces. I've forgotten how fun it is to scare people senseless. If I needed any proof that your story is true, this is it. Everyone from the Clanlands knows our reputation."

  "And what is that reputation?" Berig asked, feeling as if something were clutching his throat.

  "We're known as one of the more honorable clans. We'd never kill you for any of the things you've done in our presence. Can't say that holds true for every clan, but that's the code we live by." He smiled. "Now if you'd failed our tests, we might not have been so forgiving."

  Berig felt as if the pressure on his chest were easing. He glanced at the rest of his party. They looked pale and shaken, but their expressions had relaxed.

  The man rode his horse toward them at a slow trot, then dismounted. "Which of you is the leader of this group." His gaze lingered on Klint and Aric, as if he already knew Berig wasn't the leader.

  "I am," Klint said.

  "Figured as much." The man held out a hand for Klint to shake. "I am Darek, chief of Clan Mountain Eagle. You should be glad we found you instead of Clan Seagull. They aren't known for their hospitality toward strangers."

  "Or toward us," said one of the other clansmen.

  Darek chuckled, seeming much friendlier now. "True. Very true."

  At last, Berig could relax. These clansmen seemed a fierce lot, but they also looked like men who'd keep their word. He still wasn't sure about some of their beliefs, though. Did they really consider women property, or had that been part of their test?

  Berig glanced at Danica, who looked pale. Blood had seeped through her bandages.

  Darek stepped toward Danica. "You're injured."

  "We fought this bearlike monster," Aric said. "It injured her."

  Darek's voice was gentle now. "Do you think you can travel on your own? If not, we're certainly strong enough to carry you. Our settlement is less than an hour away."

  "I can still walk," Danica said. She winced as she tried some experimental movements. "I'd rather not be carried." She narrowed her eyes at Darek. "Do you actually think I'm property? Where I come from, that kind of attitude wouldn't earn you many friends."

  Darek laughed softly. "No, we don't consider women property in our clan. We've even had women as chief before. Some of the other clans would view you as property, though."

  "Why are all your riders here men?" Danica asked.

  "Men fight and hunt. That is the way of things. Women are better at keeping our settlements in order and raising the children. You don't have to fight to be chief."

  Berig figured some women could handle the hunting and fighting. He thought of Talia. If Darek had called her property, she probably would have challenged him to a battle. The same went for Nadia, though Berig had known her only briefly.

  "Let's get you back to our settlement," Darek said. "We have some gifted healers. They should stop any risk of infection." He got back on his horse. "Can any of you ride?"

  As it turned out, only Berig couldn't ride. He'd never had the money for a horse, and he'd never considered stealing one. Horse thieves faced stiff penalties in the Empire. Berig had been a thief, but not a stupid thief.

  "I'm fine with walking," Berig said.

  "No, you'll ride." Darek dismounted, grabbed Berig as if he weighed nothing, then tossed him onto the horse. Berig nearly slipped off the other side, but he grabbed the reins at the last moment and steadied himself upon the saddle. The horse was enormous, meant for someone large like Darek.

  "Is this horse safe?" Berig asked, slipping a bit to the side. "Is he gonna throw me off."

  "Depends on how bad a rider you are," Darek said.

  Feeling queasy, Berig found a comfortable position on the horse. The others got on some of the clansmen's horses. Those clansmen would walk back to their settlement. Darek, as chief, had taken one of the other horses, a smaller horse than Berig's.

  Was Darek playing a cruel joke on Berig? The chief had a strange sense of humor.

  They rode slowly, going perhaps a little faster than walking. With every movement the horse made, Berig thought he'd slip off. He clung to the reins, gritting his teeth and giving himself a headache.

  "Why are there all these monsters out here?" Aric asked.

  "That's the way it's always been," Darek said. "The monsters show up at random. Doesn't matter if it's day or night. Doesn't matter what kind of terrain you're on. If a monster feels like showing up, it's going to. Out here, you learn to kill them, or you die."

  "We don't have monsters like this in the Empire," Klint said. "Or at least Warrick's barriers keep them in certain places." He shook his head. "That's strange. I always thought Warrick did that to be cruel to us, or to prevent resistance. I hate to say it, but maybe he's protecting us in his own twisted way."

  Berig wished he could believe that, but he remembered the way Warrick had burned his village. He remembered the screams in Crayden. The terror. The ring of fire. A man who could do those things had no interest in protecting his subjects.

  "Your empire is probably the safest place in the world," Darek said. "You're not the first people I've met who escaped. Most of 'em find life out here is a lot harsher."

  "At least we have freedom out here," Berig said.

  Darek barked a laugh. "Freedom? I suppose you could use that word. But it's hard to feel free when you've gotta worry about monsters popping up in the middle of your campsite while you're asleep. All thanks to those bloody sorcerers in Luminia."

  "What about them?" Aric asked.

  "They don't bother putting up wards in clan territory. We're not important to their petty power struggles, so why should they care about us?" He spat to the side. "Useless if you ask me."

  "
We need to find some of those sorcerers," Aric said. "Weeks ago, I was bitten by a giant lizard. The only cure for its poison is in Luminia."

  "Then I wish you luck," Darek said. "I doubt they'll help you."

  Berig felt hollow at the thought that their quest might accomplish nothing. He'd come to like Aric. Right now, Aric looked strong and healthy, but how long would that last?

  Berig glanced to his right, where Danica looked steady atop her horse. She grimaced every now and then, but it appeared her predicament was less serious than Aric's. She smiled at Berig, and he felt as if his insides had turned to water. He wanted her to return his feelings. It was a desperate ache in his gut, like nothing he'd ever felt.

  Pushing these thoughts aside, he kept riding. He was getting used to the horse, though it still sent him off-balance every now and then.

  After a quiet ride, they reached the clan's campsite. Berig had expected something like the cities he'd known, or at least like the village where he'd been born. Instead, he saw a small settlement of animal-skin tents. The smell of cooking meat filled the air, and Berig's stomach rumbled. He hadn't eaten a decent meal since leaving Mountainside.

  At one time, he would have thought nothing of eating dried meat and stale bread every day, but recent events had changed his luck in life. It was strange to think that his life was better now, however much pain he'd suffered along the way.

  He still grieved for Graig and Captain Davis. They'd both been good men, and they'd died because of Berig. He'd convinced himself neither death was entirely his fault, but he'd never banished the guilt, and doubted he ever would.

  The party dismounted, and Darek led them toward a large tent on the campsite's eastern side, where he pulled aside the flap. The tent was spacious and furnished with animal-skin seats filled with feathers. Berig sank into one of these seats. He'd never felt so comfortable in his life. Lying in this seat, so close to the floor, he imagined he could drift off to sleep easily, but Darek had other plans. He reentered the tent with a dark-haired, middle-aged woman at his side. She approached the seat where Danica had collapsed.

  "Let me see your injuries," the woman asked gently. Danica stood, and the woman removed the bandages and examined Danica's injuries before saying, "This is nothing a little healing shouldn't fix. Our warriors have survived much worse."