The Dark Path

by James M. Bowers

  "Here." Gen said and laid the package beside Duncan and handed him the note.

  Duncan opened the note and read:

  Dear Son,

  You are to go with Gen and his friends. They can help you. Come back and see me and your mother when you are better. I left last night. It is easier this way.

  The package is for you. Use it well.

  Love,

  Paul

  P.S. I have always loved you like my own son but now its time you knew that you are not mine. We found you on our doorstep when you were but an infant. Please don't hate us for never telling you.

  Tears ran down Duncan's cheeks as he folded the note back up and placed it inside his shirt pocket. He then turned to the package beside him. It was big. He untied the twine and unwrapped the leather. More tears came to his eyes when he saw what was inside. It was a beautiful axe. It had a large head made of a silvery metal and a handle that was a bit short. "Dwarven," Gen said when he saw it. "Very nice. We leave in three hours." Then he walked out of the bedroom.

  XV

  The Forest

  The day was gray and the sky poured down with a constant rain that was a bit more than a drizzle. The group, with the exception of Duncan, pulled their hoods down low over their faces to keep them from the moisture. Duncan didn't seem to mind the day at all. They walked down to the stables and acquired the horses Thomas had purchased the previous night. Duncan found that his father had left him one of the horses and had provided him with some provisions as well. Tears once again came to Duncan's eyes. He wasn't ashamed of them and they joined the drizzle that covered his face. After making sure they had everything, they rode slowly out of town towards the forest that covered the area to the east. Silence filled the group till they reached the trees. Thomas pulled his horse back and rode beside Duncan.

  "So, friend, tell me. Where do you come from?"

  "Would you believe I don't know? Though till this morning, I would have said I came from nowhere, just a small farm a day's ride to the west of here."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Well in the note Dad left me, it said he wasn't my real father. They found me on their doorstep when I was but an infant. It changes nothing though. I will always think of them as my parents."

  "I'm sorry," Thomas said as he found himself at a loss for words.

  "Don't worry about it. He also gave me this," Duncan replied pulling the axe out of the pack behind him. He liked the feel of it. It seemed right for him as though the wooden handle had somehow formed to fit his hand perfectly.

  "Wow! That is very nice. Dwarven I think.

  "That’s what Gen said, I've never met a dwarf but when I do, I shall thank him for his people's talent in making something so beautiful."

  "Well then, let's hope we meet one," Thomas said with a smile.

  They rode on in silence a few more miles when they came to a narrow part in the trees. A man stood in the middle of the path and there was no way around him. He leaned lightly on his long bow. Gen pulled his horse to a halt, as did the rest of them.

  "Hello there," Gen said loudly. "Would you please move so that we may pass?"

  The tall man chuckled a bit and replied, "Sure I'll move, but not till you pay the toll."

  "Toll? I didn't know there was a toll on this road."

  "Oh yes there is. You see, my friends and I, well we have to eat, and eating requires money. So we have a toll."

  "How much is this toll?"

  "Four silver for each person."

  "That is a pretty steep toll. Would you accept food instead?"

  "Depends on the kind of food," The tall man said, coyly as he eyed Meeka like a cannibal dying of hunger.

  Gen saw the look and decided to pay the man and get on their way. "I'll pay your toll, but I have to ask. Are there other tolls on this path?"

  "Not unless we get hungry again before you are through," the tall man said laughing. His laughter was high pitched and got under the skin.

  "Fair enough." Gen got down off his horse and took his katana down as well. He slowly walked up to the man favoring his right leg and using the scabbard sword like the walking stick it resembled.

  "Got a bum leg?" the tall man asked, his hungry eyes going once again to Meeka.

  "Yes. I broke it a couple weeks ago. I still can't put any weight on it."

  "That’s a shame." The tall man managed a very fake look of sorrow.

  Gen reached for his coin purse and opened it. He removed three gold pieces and handed it to the man. "Will that cover us all?"

  The man's eyes glittered at the golden coins in his hands. "Yes that will do fine. Thank you." The tall man put the coins in his pouch and walked into the woods disappearing into the trees.

  Gen walked back to his horse and pulled himself up onto the saddle. Then the group continued on down the trail. They rode the rest of they day without incident and when night came they were on the other side of the forest.

  "Let's set up here and get some sleep," Gen said dismounting and pulling his pack down as well. The group went about setting up their sleeping pallets and Duncan started a fire using his newfound spell. He grinned a big toothy grin at Thomas after he did it and Thomas clapped him on the back.

  "You're catching on fast, my friend. How about coming with me to find more wood? You can try out that new axe of yours."

  "Sure," Duncan said, the huge grin still on his face. They walked away back into the woods.

  Aaron got his pallet set up, then went right to sleep grumbling the whole time about there not being a bar nearby or a roof over his head. The rest ignored him. Gen and Meeka set up their pallets side by side and lay down as well. Gen put his arm over her and pulled her close. She pushed back against him and fell asleep when he kissed the back of her neck. She was worn out from the day's riding.

  Gen found that he could not sleep. He lay awake picturing the man they had met earlier that day. He kept seeing the man's hungry look and he kept seeing Meeka looking ravenously back at him. Then they both turned and laughed at him. He awoke with a start and realized he had been dreaming. Then he noticed that Meeka was lying beside him with her eyes wide open, but she wasn't awake. A look of horror filled her face and she began shaking her head back and forth. He tried to wake her up but she just kept on shaking her head. Finally, she screamed and came to. The scream was bloodcurdling and rang back at them from the forest. It woke Thomas and Duncan who rushed over to see what was wrong. Aaron grunted and went back to sleep.

  "I'm fine," Meeka insisted as she became fully awake, "It was just a bad dream, nothing more. I'm sorry if I woke you." She emphasized her claim several times before Thomas and Duncan let her be and went back to their pallets by the fire.

  "Tell me about it. Start from the beginning and tell it to me." Gen said with a piercing look at Meeka. His voice held a tone of command that left no room for refusal. She didn’t like the look in his eyes. It made something deep inside her feel funny.

  "Alright Gen," she agreed solemnly, "I'll tell you, just give me a moment to recover. It just... It seemed so real."

  Gen got up and put on his robes. He was instantly awake. The need for sleep ran away screaming. "I'm still not used to that," he mumbled to himself under his breath. Then he went back and sat in front of Meeka.

  She looked up at him with large eyes riddled with fright. "Okay," she said as she drew in a calming breath, "Listen close, Gen. It was the same dream I had the other night. The one I told the Headmaster about. It begins with you and me in a field of flowers. You know, like the one beside your grove?"

  He nodded, and she continued, hugging her knees to her chest.

  "Well, at first it all seems beautiful. I'm happy, and so are you. You are wearing the blue robes of a teacher and I’m wearing the white of the healer. It's as if it is a vision of our future. I pray that the truth in it ends there, because then everything changes for the worse. An enormous black finger comes out of the clouds above and knocks me down, piercing my heart with its bl
ack fingernail. Now when I say black, Gen, I don’t mean like a burnt elf black. I mean it was like the night, completely devoid of color, or somehow all colors are devoured by it. The pain of it searing through me strikes me quick but then fades to nothing, to numbness. I lay there on the ground, looking up at you helplessly. I can't move, I'm paralyzed, Then you, you change. Your robes drain their color and become black, like the finger. Your skin grows very pale white and your cheeks become gaunt. You age. I watch, terrified as you grow older suddenly in front of me, and then you turn away from me. I try and try to scream at you, but I am still unable to move, and you cannot hear me. Wait! I'm still alive! Don't leave me! I love you! But you are deaf to my cries. You turn and walk away and the blackness seems to spread behind you. Then the darkness covers me and all I hear is laughter. Not the joyful kind... it is laughter that chills your soul." She closed her eyes as tears began to run from them.

  "I'm afraid, Gen," she whimpered, "I'm afraid that the dream is a vision of things to come." She began to cry and clung to him. He held her close to him and ran his fingers through her dark red hair.

  "Don't worry. I love you. I will never turn away from you. I will be yours forever," Gen said and kissed the tears from her face.

  "I pray to the good gods every night for that to be true." Meeka said and kissed him softly.

  "Go back to sleep," Gen said to her and pushed her back onto her pallet and covered her up with their blankets. "I'll stand watch now and make sure no finger of some dark god shall touch you." He grinned upon saying this last bit. She merely shuddered and looked up at the sky.

  XVI

  The Crow

  The night passed and with the coming of dawn, Gen woke the group. Meeka still looked troubled as she roused. Aaron was once again difficult to wake up. Thomas woke himself before the dawn. Duncan woke fairly easily and was the first that was packed and ready to continue. Gen packed their belongings and was about to mount his horse when he saw a big black bird in the tree above them. It was staring at him. The eyes felt as if they burned through him. Gen mounted the horse and called to it. "Do you want something?" The crow cawed three times then flew over and landed upon the saddle in front of Gen. "Are you here to show us the way?" Gen asked the bird. The crow cocked its head to one side then made a slight nodding motion before flying off down the trail. Gen looked around and laughed at the surprised look on Duncan's face.

  "Did that bird just nod to you?" Duncan asked.

  "Yes," Gen stated and rode off down the trail following the crow.

  "One of the Crow Order's familiars," Thomas said quietly to Duncan.

  "Familiar?"

  "An animal bonded in a way to a magic user. They can communicate through them among other things," Thomas answered.

  Duncan shook his head baffled. All this seemed like one big dream. His hand gently stroked the handle of the great axe he carried. It was soothing and made him feel strong and powerful. He nudged his horse to follow Gen and the party continued on its way.

  The party traveled in the hazy morning for a few hours before Gen called a rest to eat lunch. The crow, astonishing Duncan again, flew back to sit on a nearby branch while they ate. Their lunch was quick and no one spoke. There seemed a lull on the party's mood today. Meeka seemed withdrawn and hadn't spoken at all. Gen stared at the nearby crow and tossed it pieces of bread from his lunch. Aaron still hadn't woken completely and took the lunch break to sleep again. Thomas ate while reading his spell book. The group finished eating and quickly resumed their journey. By the time evening was upon them, they saw a great temple in the distance. Duncan stared wide-eyed at the building as it kept growing bigger and bigger as they approached. Their crow companion, at the site of the temple, flew off toward it cawing a farewell. It took them another hour to reach the outer walls of the temple and by then night was almost upon them once more.

  The gates to the temple loomed before them. They stood black, ominous, and ancient. Gen dismounted and walked calmly up to the gate. "My name is Gen Hothman." He called aloud. "I have come from the mage Schola to the south. Headmaster Nethaf has sent me and my friends to deliver a message to the elder of your temple." With that said, Gen walked calmly back to his horse and mounted it waiting. After a few moments, the gates swung slowly and silently open. Gen took off without hesitation and the others followed slowly. Duncan was the last to enter and the gates closed with a clang behind him. The sound filled Duncan with fear. He panicked and felt trapped. His hand slipped to the handle of his axe and a peace fell over him. He felt strong and powerful, as if nothing could harm him as long as he held it.

  The party traveled along a path between two tall out buildings. Suddenly, a figure dressed in a stark white robe stood before the party. Gen pulled his horse to a stop and dismounted. The figure was short, his head met Gen's chest and his skin was very pale. His eyes were almond shaped and his hair was black and had crow feathers woven into it. Meeka gasped a bit at the site of his ears. They were small and came to points at the top. The man bowed low before them and walked over to the horses. Grabbing the reigns of Gen's horse, he looked back to Gen expectantly. Gen frowned for a moment then turned to the party and motioned for them to dismount. When they did, the man gathered the reigns of the remaining horses and then pointed to the huge temple at the end of the pathway. Then he walked off down a side path leading the horses to the stables.

  "What a strange man," Thomas stated. "Why didn't he say anything?"

  "This is not like a town or the Schola. People are different here. They devote their lives to study and prayer," Gen responded, then walked off toward the black temple before them.

  When they reached the huge obsidian doors, Gen reached up and, using the huge door knocker, knocked three times. He then stepped back calmly and waited. A long moment passed and then the door on the right opened just wide enough for them to enter. Gen strode boldly into the opening and disappeared into the darkness inside. Meeka hesitated a moment then followed. Duncan was last in and the door clicked shut behind him. Once again his hand went to his axe and he felt comforted. The party entered a great hall of obsidian. It was lighted every six feet by torches that burned with a blue fire. Gen didn't seem fazed in the least and he kept walking boldly forward. Meeka lagged behind until she was walking beside Duncan.

  "I don't like this place," Meeka whispered to Duncan.

  Duncan grunted in agreement and unstrapped his axe from his back. It felt good in his hands and the blue fire of the torches played beautifully off the runes engraved along its head. Meeka stared at the weapon and was filled with a sudden dread. "I hope you won't have to use that." Meeka breathed in a voice barely audible. Then she walked back toward Gen. She reached his side just as he reached another door. This one was a normal sized door and made of dark wood bound with iron. Gen stared straight forward. His eyes looked glazed for a moment then he shivered a bit. He walked up and opened the door. The group followed into a small room with five over sized pillows on the floor. It was well lit with the same blue tinted torches.

  "We are to wait here until we are sent for," Gen said as he sat upon one of the pillows.

  "How do you know?" Meeka asked uneasily.

  "I've been speaking with the elder here."

  "What do you mean? We haven't encountered anyone but the strange, short man outside."

  "The elf," Gen corrected. "He has been speaking to me mentally. His people are in a time of silence right now and cannot speak. The silence period ends tomorrow. The elder will see us tonight when he is done with his duties."

  "Why didn't you tell us that earlier?" Meeka asked him. She didn't like the smug way Gen was acting. She wondered what had gotten into him. Or was she just still paranoid from her dream last night? She shook her head to clear it of those thoughts.

  "I didn't want to break the silence these people here have been under for the past four months. It seemed rude. We are allowed to speak, as is the elder, but the followers must not be distracted. The elder comes now," Gen r
eplied. As Gen's last words were finished, the door to the room opened silently. A white robed woman entered the room and closed the door silently behind her.

  "I am elder Llynanyn. You may call me Lyn," the woman stated and sat down cross legged on the bare obsidian before the group.

  "Excuse me," Gen said awkwardly. "I thought you were a man. I heard a male voice in my head."

  Lyn laughed a bit. The sound was nice and lifted the lull that had been over the party. "Oh that. Well you see I'm so used to using a male voice when talking to strangers that come here. Most won't listen to a woman telling them to leave. So I must use the deception. I had forgotten that the spell was still altered when I spoke to you." Her smile remained and her amusement seemed to emanate from her to the rest. Gen felt himself grow happy and smiled himself.

  "My name is Gen Hothman, Let me introduce you to my companions," Gen said through his grin.

  "This is Meeka Arata." Meeka bowed low. Her face did not smile.

  "My good friend, Thomas Aranus." Thomas bowed low, a silly grin across his face.

  "My fellow student, Aaron Glormad." Aaron nodded slightly, looking a bit intoxicated.

  "Our new companion, Duncan Kerridwin." Duncan bowed his head slightly. His eyes never left the woman's and his knuckles grew white on the handle of his axe.

  "A pleasure to meet you all," Lyn said and then turned back to Gen. "You said you had a package for me?"

  "Yes. Just a moment." Gen removed his shoulder bag and withdrew the package and letter from it. "Here you are."

  "Thank you," Lyn responded. "I hate to end this, but I must get back to my duties and I am sure that you are tired. Rooms have been cleaned for your use. I ask you sleep here tonight and join us in our great ritual tomorrow night." With that said, she got up and quickly left the room. After a few confused moments, the same elf from before entered the room and bowed again to them all. Then he motioned for them to follow.