The Shadowed Land

by Ryan W. Mueller

  He glanced at Talia. "How are you faring?"

  "Fine. Why do you ask?"

  He couldn't help but notice the tightness in her voice. A lot of time had passed since Graig's death, but no one could fault her for falling into depression. Ander felt a bit of her pain himself. He'd known Graig as a good friend, and a good man.

  "You've been rather quiet lately," Ander said.

  "What is there to talk about here?"

  "Anything," Ander said. "I can't stand the silence."

  "You sure it's wise to talk?" asked Captain Davis. He, too, had been quiet lately. Of course, he'd always been a man of few words.

  Ander peered through the darkness. "I don't know how wise it is, but I feel like I'll go insane if all we do is walk through these dark caves. I feel like the walls are closing in on me, and the silence only makes it worse."

  Captain Davis chuckled. "Never took you for a man who let fear bother him."

  "There are a lot of things I usually keep to myself."

  "I know how that is," said the captain.

  They continued walking, falling into another tense silence. Ander kept trying to make conversation, but he found nothing to talk about. After all the time he'd spent with Talia and the captain, he felt as if he didn't know them at all. He'd always focused so much on the task in his work for the Order. But what kind of leader did that make him?

  How could he forget the human element in all his missions? He needed to learn how to relate to his companions.

  "How are you doing?" he asked Sarah.

  She hesitated a moment, gripping her torch tightly. Its flickering light cast ominous shadows against the walls. At last, she said, "I'm terrified. This place brings up all the memories of that day so long ago. It also brings up something else." She paused a moment. "I want a chance to see my friends. I want a chance to make things right."

  "But they've been taken to the Shadowed Land," Ander said. "They're beyond your help."

  "Not necessarily." She shook her head. "Oh, never mind."

  Ander didn't like the turn this conversation had taken. When he looked into her eyes, he saw the disturbing truth. She had no intention of following this quest to its conclusion. She intended to join her friends in the Shadowed Land.

  "You don't want to go there," he said. "It's an evil place."

  She avoided his gaze. "You don't know that."

  He put a hand on her shoulder, hoping the gesture came across as comforting. "But you can't truly want to go there. It's too dangerous. You might die."

  She rounded on him. "You think I don't know that!"

  "But even if you go there, you probably won't find them. They could be dead. They could be far on the other side of that strange world. It would be a blind and foolish quest."

  Her gaze became more intense. "If you failed your friends like that, would you just abandon them? I didn't think you were that kind of man. A coward."

  "I am no coward," Ander said. "I am a pragmatist." But then he remembered how he'd refused to leave Berig behind on the Red Plateau. That decision had gone against every rational thought in Ander's head, but he'd done it anyway. How was Sarah's situation any different?

  "I understand how you must feel." Talia edged closer to Sarah. "If there were something I could do for Graig, however doubtful, I'd do it without hesitation."

  Sarah didn't meet her gaze. "Thank you."

  "You've made your decision," Ander said. "Haven't you?"

  "Yes. I'm going to let one of them take me to the Shadowed Land. Now that I think about it, I made that decision long ago. I was simply afraid to make the journey through these caves. But with people like you by my side, I know I can do this."

  "You'll be alone in the Shadowed Land," Ander said. "Defenseless."

  "I'll manage."

  Nothing would change her mind. Ander had seen this same kind of determination in Nadia. No one had ever convinced her to abandon her dreams of killing Warrick. Had those dreams killed her?

  No. He couldn't dwell on uncertainties. He had to focus on the path ahead and lead this party to the best of his ability. If that meant allowing Sarah to make a foolish decision, he had to accept that. Once she obtained the essence of the Silver Wisp, she would no longer be vital to the party's success. That reasoning felt cold and heartless, but it was right.

  A low rumble jolted Ander out of thought. He peered into the darkness outside their circle of flickering torchlight, but he couldn't see anything.

  The rumbling intensified, coming from beneath them.

  "Run!" Ander shouted. As they sprinted through the dark and narrow passage, the rumbling became so strong they could barely keep their balance. Twice, Ander had to help Sarah to her feet. One of these times, she dropped her torch, so they had to make their way by the light of Ander's staff.

  A massive reptilian head burst from the ground in front of them. Its mouth was large enough to swallow them whole. The party skidded to a stop.

  The monster's head lunged toward Talia. She tried to slash at it with her sword, but it knocked the sword out of her hand, closed its mouth around her, and burrowed back beneath the ground.

  "No!" Ander screamed, falling to his knees. Blood pounded in his ears as he peered into the burrow the monster had left. Maybe if he got down there quickly enough, he could save Talia. He started down the tunnel.

  Captain Davis gripped his arm. "Are you insane? It'll kill you, too."

  "I have to save her." Ander broke free from the captain's grip and raced into the tunnel. The footing was difficult, but he didn't care. Guided by his staff, he scrambled on his hands and knees. Rocks shifted behind him.

  "We're coming too," Sarah said.

  "No, you're not," Ander said.

  Captain Davis barked a laugh. "Sorry, but you're not doing this alone."

  Ander bit back an angry retort. "All right. But, please, try to stay alive."

  "As if we'd try anything else," said the captain.

  They delved deeper into the tunnel. At times, they descended almost vertically. At other times, they had to climb a steep incline. The rumbling had grown softer, and Ander's insides turned cold. Soon the monster would be too far away.

  Already, it had been too long. He knew this logically, but that didn't stop him.

  At last, the tunnel opened into a larger passage. They stopped and listened, but the rumble had disappeared. There was no hope of catching the monster, no hope of saving Talia. She'd died just as senselessly as her husband.

  How could Ander believe in a God that allowed such things to happen? His legs collapsed, and he hit the ground hard, tears streaming down his face.

  "This isn't right!" he said through gritted teeth. "People aren't supposed to die like this!" The tears came stronger than ever. "I've failed her. I'm useless. I'm the worst leader you'll ever see."

  "No, you're not," said Captain Davis.

  Ander rounded on him. "Why not? I abandoned you when I could have saved you. I failed to see Farah's treachery. Now I lost Talia. And why? Because of these stupid Webs of Fate. Why should we let them control us? Why should I go against every logical thought in my head?" He punched the wall and winced as pain shot through his hand. "It's all so damned useless. We're not going to fool Warrick. He knows we're coming. He has to."

  "And what do you propose?" asked Captain Davis. "Should we give up and go home? Remember. We don't have a home. Warrick took it from us. None of us came here against our will. Talia knew what she was getting into, and she wouldn't blame you at all. You can't foresee every horrible thing that might happen. You're only human, Ander."

  Ander didn't care. Deep down, he knew the captain was right, knew it was foolish to blame himself for everything that went wrong, but he was a leader. He'd been chosen to carry out such an important mission, and he had to hold himself to a higher standard.

  Never in his life had he allowed himself to cry like this. He had no idea how long he lay on the rocky ground, bathed in the light of his staff and letting his tears flo
w freely.

  In a way, it felt liberating, as if it were a release of emotions he'd held within him far too long. Every bit of anger, every memory of failure, leaked from his eyes. Sobs wracked his entire body, and he felt as if he'd vomit.

  He no longer cared that the others might see his weakness. Why did it matter? He was weak. He always had been. Now it was out there for everyone else to see.

  After a long silence, Captain Davis said, "We should get outta here. There's no telling when that thing might come back."

  Ander got to his feet shakily. He'd never felt like this before, but now his emotions swirled like a giant maelstrom. He thought of all the people he'd lost, of the comfortable life he'd once known. Thought of Aric, whom he'd probably never see again. Ander couldn't carry out his mission and survive. No one could.

  Sarah spoke in a soft voice. "Now I think you understand how I feel. If there were a way to bring Talia back, would you do it?"

  "I would." He wiped tears from his face. "No matter the cost."

  Captain Davis put a hand on Ander's shoulder. "You've gotta remember what we're fighting for. Talia and Graig died because of Warrick."

  "I know." Ander took a few deep breaths. "Let's get out of here."

  He had no idea how he managed to shove his emotions aside, but what other choice did he have? Too much depended on the success of this mission.

  "Sarah, you should lead the way," he said.

  They made their way back through the tunnel the monster had created. It was a long and arduous process, but they did finally return to the passage they'd been following before the attack. Sarah retreated to where she'd dropped the torch, and Ander relit it with flames from his staff. They traveled in the flickering light, never speaking, never looking at one another. Ander knew that he'd lose control if he looked into their eyes and saw their pain.

  After perhaps an hour, they reached a place where light filtered into their surroundings. Ander's stomach churned as they reached the end of the passage.

  Ahead of them, in a large valley, stood the Underground City. The greenish magical light filled their surroundings, and Sarah extinguished her torch. She stared at the city. "This place looks beautiful, but I can feel the cold and evil in the air. It's terrifying."

  "Is this where we'll find the Silver Wisp?" asked Captain Davis.

  Ander swallowed against the dryness in his throat. "That, and who knows what else."

  They followed a rocky path that spiraled gradually downward, and soon they reached the city. Sarah had to stop a few times, for the evil in the place overwhelmed her so much that her legs collapsed beneath her. She clung to Captain Davis for warmth and support. Ander's skin was prickling, but he couldn't feel the evil here the way she could. He didn't want to.

  The city seemed deserted, but that was no comfort. It had felt the same before.

  They marched toward the giant building in the center of the city. Would the Silver Wisps make an appearance this time? Could Sarah trap the essence of one of them? Could the rest of the party escape once she did?

  Ander stared into her eyes. "Do you still want to let one of them touch you?"

  She nodded, looking so pale she might have been haunting this place as well.

  "But you'll leave just the two of us."

  "I know," she said, "but I have to do this."

  "I understand."

  Ander felt as if something massive weighed down his every step. His feet didn't want to move. He didn't want to think about what he'd lost, what lay ahead, what it meant if he failed. It was enough to make a man insane.

  They reached the giant building and stepped through the open doorway. The cavernous chamber inside smelled old and dusty, but there was something else in the air, a chilling feeling that twisted Ander's gut. Sarah looked as if she'd pass out.

  Ander remembered how Berig had felt in this place. He'd hidden his fears better, but surely he'd felt the evil just as intensely.

  "Let's go up to the library," Ander said. "That's our best chance. Sarah, get the scroll ready. Once you capture the essence and give it to me, you can choose to go to the Shadowed Land. I won't stop you."

  But he did want to stop her. He couldn't bear the thought of traveling with only the captain as a companion. It would remind Ander of all the people he'd failed. Yes, some of them had gone on their own quests, but it felt as though they were gone forever.

  He inhaled deeply, struggling to control his emotions. "After that, we'll head to the teleportation chamber, and from there, we'll teleport to Taylorville."

  "You make it sound so easy," said Captain Davis.

  "Oh, I'm sure it won't be."

  They climbed the stairs and stepped into the library. At first, the massive stone chamber felt deserted. Ander shivered in the chill air, praying the Silver Wisps would show up. That was a strange thought. He would have laughed if he hadn't felt so miserable.

  They walked through the aisles, passing dusty tome after dusty tome. Ander thought of Aric, of his fascination with a place like this. Ander had never quite shared his friend's scholarly enthusiasm, and now Ander felt no desire to read any of these books.

  "I feel them," Sarah said. "They're coming."

  Ander held his staff even though it would do them no good against the Silver Wisps. His legs trembled as he peered around the magically illuminated library, checking for signs of movement.

  It appeared in the corner of his vision: one Silver Wisp.

  Sarah unfurled the scroll and raced toward the entity. It hovered closer to her, reaching out a tentacle. That tentacle touched her, and for a moment, Ander thought she'd vanish like Kara. But instead Sarah somehow grabbed that tentacle and pulled the struggling spirit toward the scroll. Her expression became tense, and sweat ran in thin streams down her face.

  The spirit came closer and closer to the scroll, but now it must have sensed the danger, and it fought with everything it had.

  But Sarah must have found a reserve of energy deep within her. Eyes closed, she directed the Silver Wisp into the scroll. Bright, silvery light filled the room, then vanished. Sarah closed the scroll before collapsing.

  Ander and Captain Davis rushed to her side.

  "Are you all right?" Ander asked.

  She struggled to her knees and handed the scroll to Ander. "That was exhausting, but I think I'll be fine."

  "We need to get moving," said Captain Davis. "I see more of those damned things."

  Sarah glanced toward the approaching creatures. "Leave me here. Please."

  It went against everything Ander believed, but it was the right thing to do. Sarah could make her own decisions. Ander tugged at Captain Davis's arm, and they turned to flee from the creatures.

  Ander stopped. "Wait, Sarah! How are you going to let them take you to the Shadowed Land? If you're immune to their touch, it won't work."

  "I'll have to hope it works."

  Despite everything his common sense told him, Ander stopped and watched. All the Silver Wisps had focused their attention on Sarah. A circle of them closed in and touched her with their tentacles.

  Nothing happened.

  "No!" she shouted, sounding almost hysterical. "You have to take me there!"

  "It's not going to work," Ander said, surprising himself with how calm he sounded. "Come with us. Maybe you'll find another way."

  She pushed through the Silver Wisps and rejoined the party. Ander had never seen such a determined look in a person's eyes. It was almost terrifying.

  "I need another scroll," she said. "I'm immune to their touch, but maybe I'm not immune to the magic once it's stored within a scroll like this."

  "I know where we can find another scroll," Ander said. "Follow me." They raced out of the library with the Silver Wisps close behind. More were at the bottom of the stairs. Ander sent a burst of lightning at them, but it had no effect. He took a turn to the left, dragging Sarah and the captain with him.

  This was the stupidest thing Ander had ever done. He would probably get hims
elf sent to the Shadowed Land, but he had to help Sarah. She deserved a chance to find her friends.

  They darted into the room Aric had found so fascinating the last time they were here. Ander grabbed scrolls from a nearby shelf. It didn't take long to find an empty one, which he handed to Sarah.

  "Thank you," she said, unfurling the scroll. "I'll miss you two." She peered toward the door. "Now get out of here while you still can."

  Ander and Captain Davis sprinted toward the door. They made it through moments before the Silver Wisps would have blocked their escape. The Silver Wisps barely paid attention to them. It seemed as if the entities had sensed someone with magical talents, and they directed all their attention toward her.

  Ander stopped a few feet from the doorway and watched as Sarah captured the Silver Wisp more easily this time. She closed her eyes and twirled the scroll in her fingers, and for a few tense moments, nothing happened.

  Then silver light burst forth from the scroll, enveloping her. A moment later, she was gone.

  "There's nothing we can do for her now," said Captain Davis.

  Ander turned to race toward the teleportation chamber, then stopped dead. Dozens of the Silver Wisps had gathered around the entrance to that room, as if they knew where Ander and the captain intended to go. The evil creatures didn't pursue them. Instead, the wisps stood guard.

  "Dammit," said Captain Davis. "What're we gonna do now?"

  "I have no idea."

  Chapter 18: The Path Out

  Ander stood in the chilly building, waiting for the Silver Wisps to move, but they remained where they were, watching, their malicious presence chilling the air. He couldn't blast them with magic from his staff. There was only one choice, and he hated it.

  "We'll have to find the normal way out," he said. "There's still enough time to reach the Prison City before Nadia needs us. It's the best we can do." He turned to Captain Davis. "Ready?"

  The captain nodded, and they turned away from the teleportation chamber. Ander felt as if something heavy had settled over him. He couldn't dispel the guilt he felt over losing so many people he'd sworn to keep safe. Graig and Talia had died so senselessly. That wasn't how death was supposed to be. Death had to mean something.