Land of Shadows

by Jeff Gunzel

  * * *

  The palace was bustling with life early this morning. Servants scurried about cleaning floors and washing windows. Some had the unenviable task of cleaning every glamorous piece of art hanging on every wall throughout the palace. Delicate silk tapestries were cleaned with the utmost care. Pictures had their frames daintily dusted and shined using a fine cloth. The maids in the kitchen climbed over one another like ants as they hurried to prepare the morning meal.

  Queen Ilirra was up early this morning, as was Jade. The two of them strolled through the palace together before entering the dining hall. They partook in the large breakfast set out for any who were up. At first Jade felt a little guilty about not waiting for the boys, but the feeling faded quickly as the smell of eggs and thick-cut bacon filled her nose.

  Ilirra went on to explain how she had indeed been able to buy out Morcel’s contract, but he would be forced to compete one last time, that time being today. She tried to talk Jade out of attending this round of the games, but she proved to be very stubborn on the matter. Ilirra finally gave in, but insisted the three companions take an appointed escort. This was sure to be the roughest group of people they had been around since arriving in Taron.

  Eric and Jacob sprung from their beds, unable to remember the last time they had slept so well. They each took turns using the mirror, scrubbing up using the flower-scented water supplied in the large wooden washbowl. They brushed their teeth with the salt and soda paste provided for them and began to get dressed.

  Jacob in particular had a real spring in his step this morning as he spoke of how many serving girls there must be roaming the halls. More importantly, how many were single and lonely, living a sheltered life in the palace. Eric had no idea how his friend could fit the words “sheltered” and “palace” together in the same sentence. Sometimes it seemed like Jacob would see whatever he wanted to see, but that was what made him such a great complement to Eric—the way they kept each other grounded by having such different personalities. Jacob’s job seemed to be keeping Eric from taking things too seriously.

  When a light knock came at the door, Jacob leaped up, hoping it was either one those lonely serving girls he had been talking about or someone bringing breakfast. As he threw open the door, he couldn’t hide the disappointment on his face when it seemed neither of his desires had come true. In the place of his temporary fantasy stood a short, bald man with a long, thin, gray beard.

  “Good morning, boys,” came a scratchy high-pitched voice.

  The two young men just leaned against either side of the doorway, giving slight hand gestures they hoped would pass as formal greetings, not knowing exactly what to make of this little fellow.

  “Now then, if you’re both ready, we have lots of work to do. If you boys would just follow me and—”

  “Whoa, wait a minute, old man,” said Jacob as he turned away and strolled back into the room. “We have important business with Her Majesty this morning. We have no time for—”

  “Apologies, sir. We’ll be ready in a minute,” said Eric as he tried to speak over Jacob quickly. “Please, have a seat while we finish up here.”

  “That will be quite alright, Eric,” the man said, sure of which boy was which now. “I’ll wait in the hall for the both of you, but don’t dawdle, mind you. This is important.” The old man backed out of the doorway as Eric closed it behind him. “What is wrong with you?” Eric spat out before Jacob could say a single word. “Do you really think the Queen is not aware of who that man is? She obviously sent him here to get us. Then you treat him as if he is here to clean the room! Why, oh why do you always speak before thinking?”

  Jacob was stunned by the onslaught and started to protest before getting cut off yet again.

  “Look,” Eric said with a touch more calm in his voice, “we are guests here, and we need to start acting like it. You need to put the old Jacob on hold for as long as we’re here. Use your eyes and ears first and your mouth second, alright?”

  Jacob was more stunned than hurt. He saw the truth in what Eric was saying. His friend was right. Jacob needed to understand they weren’t in Bryer anymore. It was just that the old Eric wouldn’t have said anything; he would have kept it to himself. Jacob just shook his head in agreement and began putting on his shoes.

  They finished dressing in silence before heading out into the hall. The two followed the old man down the hall, not exactly sure where he was taking them. They continued on, down a flight of stairs and into the cellar, down one more flight of stairs and into a brown room lit with oil lamps flickering away with their orange glow. When the three of them marched through the lone wooden door, there sat Jade with the Queen, sitting and talking like old friends. Both their faces tightened as the men entered, as if they had interrupted their private girl talk.

  Berkeni turned to Eric with concern in his eyes. “I’m afraid there is something here you need to see,” he said in that high-pitched voice. “I know you have your doubts as to who you really are, doubts of your own destiny.” He placed a skinny hand on Eric’s broad shoulder. “Doubts are what make us human, my boy. Only the truly ignorant believe blindly without expressing some wariness.” His voice lowered and became hard and steady. “However, the truly ignorant don’t know the truth when it bites them in the face, either. Now please, have a seat. I warn you, all of you...this will not be easy to watch.”

  The five of them sat around the plain wooden table with the white pearl at its center.

  Jacob looked around nervously. His eyes settled on glass jars containing little weird creatures submerged in clear liquid.

  Eric, however, kept his eyes fixed on the white pearl. He didn’t look relaxed exactly, but seemed focused. Jade and the queen both shared looks of concern as well.

  Berkeni rubbed his hands together in quick, rapid strokes, then turned them palms up as he began chanting. “Nopida... gorina... opritta... judicia.” His chanting continued as the pearl began to swirl with a light milky fog. However, the mist did not stay contained; instead, it seeped from the pearl and floated upward. The soft, gray mist began to form a mini tornado that swirled above the table.

  Jacob had to use every ounce of self-control not to do or say anything as this mystic scene unfolded before his very eyes. He gave careful consideration to Eric’s words and kept his mouth shut.

  Eric, on the other hand, continued to watch with emotionless calm. It surprised even him how unruffled he was by the freak show.

  Suddenly, their bodies seemed to fall into the illusion, as if they were floating into the projection while getting a skyward view at the scenery below, even though they were still physically seated within the safety of the palace.

  A dense, green forest came into view far below them. The view zoomed in closer and closer, and their vision, unencumbered with physical bodies, seemed to penetrate the thick vegetation. Deeper and deeper it went, until the magical view fell upon a small village in the middle of the forest. Small huts assembled from some sort of black rock were scattered about the immediate area. They seemed rather primitive due to their small square shapes and green and brown roofs which appeared to be made of some sort of bamboo.

  In a flash, the image propelled them forward once again, deeper into the heart of the village. Everyone in the room gasped as the view became clearer.

  Large humanoids walked the dirt pathways between the black huts. The humanoids wore very little clothing, exposing many large dark spots all over their bodies. Most had no hair whatsoever, although a few had long, white, thin hair flowing down from nearly completely exposed heads. Humanoids... No, crytons. They lived!

  A bright blue flash radiated from the floating image, consuming everyone in the room for a split second. Everyone let out a sharp blast of air as the feeling of being dunked in ice water flowed through them. They all began panting in short bursts, trying desperately to catch their breath. The jolt of energy that cascaded from the image was a magical sense of understanding. Their very thou
ghts had just been implanted with a knowledge that was not there before. Each one attained a full understanding of the images they had just witnessed.

  The magical images floating above the table began to change once more as they were sucked back into it against their will. Everyone, still trying desperately to catch his or her breath, was forced to fly across the desert sky. Skulls and rocks blurred past them down below as they flew at an unbelievable speed. A small speck off in the distance came up on them in a heartbeat. They jolted to a sudden stop. Up close, the small speck turned out to be a dark crystal tower, somehow existing in the middle of a beautiful oasis. Colorful birds flew around and through a raging waterfall. Then, in a flash, the image changed once again, as they were now viewing the crystal tower from within. They appeared to be floating above a room filled with filthy naked men and women, all rocking back and forth with a strange, constant sway. Their eyes were completely white. Nearly invisible golden threads seemed to float off their bodies, giving them the appearance of animated puppets. Standing right beside them was a terrifying sight: a towering demon with a nose like a pig and the eyes of a cat. He was commanding the humans and preparing them for war.

  As the image faded from their artificial view, the bright flash consumed them once again. The feeling of falling into a frozen lake flowed through each one, and they all gasped at once; each one was breathing heavily, unable to pull enough precious air into their lungs. Jacob actually fell out of his chair. It was hard to tell if it was from the intense feeling of cold or the surge of knowledge related to the magical image, the sickening understanding of what had happened to those poor souls, and the knowledge of what the puppeteers were capable of.

  Ilirra and Jade both began to weep softly at the pure sickness of what they had just witnessed.

  Jacob finally got to his knees, but didn’t stand right away. Although he made no sound, his eyes were no drier than either of the girls’.

  Eric remained seated still as a statue, wearing an unreadable expression, but not his eyes—they burned with pure hate. Eric had always kept his emotions in check, never overreacting to anything, but what he had just witnessed was truly unforgivable.

  Berkeni pulled back his chair and slowly stood up. “I’m so sorry I had to show you that,” he said with his hands spread wide and his voice full of sadness. “But you see why I had to do it this way? Words themselves could never describe the level of evil that has fallen upon us. It had to be experienced.”

  He walked behind the queen, placing his hands on her shoulders as she softly wept. “The only ones who can stop this madness are in this very room. You three must go to the dead forest and show the crytons,” he paused for a long moment before pointing at Eric, “who this man really is!”

  The old man released the queen and continued to pace around the room. “They are not animals, my friends. Far from it. They are aware of the prophecies. They have also awaited the coming of the Gate Keeper.”

  Normally, Eric would have protested. This was the sort of attention he had been trying to avoid, always deflecting the subject every time it came up, but this time he said nothing as he stared at Berkeni with eyes full of savage hate.

  Berkeni walked over to him and put his hands on Eric’s cheeks before moving in close. “I promise you, my boy. They will see exactly what everyone else sees,” he whispered in his ear. He released him and went to stand by the door. “Now you have all seen what I needed to show you. If you will all excuse me, I must rest. I will need all my strength to prepare the gateway you will need to make the journey.” He motioned towards the door and said, “You must all prepare to leave by tomorrow.”

  The queen and the three companions walked from the room in a solemn mood. Ilirra barely made it to the hall before vomiting on the floor.

  Jade rushed to her side and began rubbing the Queen’s shoulders. She whispered in the Queen’s ear, “We will not fail you, I promise.”

  After doing their best to shake off the supernatural experience, there was one order of business left: To attend the games and see this warrior that had haunted Jade’s memory for so long. The three friends had mixed feelings about attending such a thing, but it couldn’t possibly be worse than what they had just seen...could it?