Chapter 36. The Crystal Spiders
Against her mother’s wishes, Ileesha followed her lap kitten into the dark earth burrow and suddenly found herself in a strange new land. It was filled with crystal rainbows and dancing springs of apple water and when she looked around she saw a great spotted web knitter hanging from a tread of golden silk. As she watched, it took the ivory smoke-pipe from its mouth and looked at her with its large yellow eyes.
“Where are you going?” It said to the little girl.
“I don’t know” she replied sadly, “I am lost.”
From the Tales of the Underground, Selcarie Home World.
When Andra opened her eyes, she thought she was in the fairyland of her childhood stories, all about were shimmering crystals, of all the colors of the rainbow. They covered the walls and were embedded in the great stalactites that hung from the curved ceiling. As she looked further she saw more crystals on the floor, next to them were the mummified bodies of long dead warriors.
Their shriveled bodies were covered in dark armor and in their clawed hands, they held weapons, war-axes and some killing devices that were unknown to Andra. The workmanship of the armor was wonderful, black metal, inlaid with gold, silver and bronze. The helmets were fashioned to look like fantastic creatures, Rimar, Spike-backs, Sand Dragons and demons of the dark world. The bodies lay side by side in rows and beside each of them were offerings. Bowls containing green crystals and gold and silver trinkets, there were also piles of Rimar horn and Sagar teeth.
Looking at the mummies Andra knew this place was more than a simple cave. This is a crypt; she thought; a resting-place for the dead. She held her aching head and turned to see a shaft of golden light streaming in from a small opening, it filled the room with a soft luminescence. She heard the faint tinkling of water and felt a cool breeze on her face. She thought she might be dreaming but the pain in her head and an overwhelming desire to drink, soon convinced her that she was alive.
“Here,” someone said.
She looked up to see Arn holding a small turtle shell. She took it from him, it was full of clear water, eagerly she drank it down. Nothing had ever tasted so good in her whole life.
She emptied the shell then handed it back, “Thank you,” she said. She still felt thirsty but she knew that drinking too much would not do her any good. She ignored the yearning for more and looked at her surroundings, “Where are we?” she asked.
“We are in the Hollow Hills,” he replied, “We will be safe here.”
The words filled her with relief and the water eased the pain in her head. She motioned to the bodies, around her, “Who are they?”
“They are the fathers of our fathers, Outlanders of the ages past, they were placed here to rest.”
Andra nodded in approval, “Soldiers need a place to sleep,” then she remembered the old man, “Osh, where is he? Did you....”
The King shook his head, “No, he is well,” he pointed to a corner of the cave.
Andra could see the old man lying quietly on the ground, near to a small shallow pool of water, “Well it looks like you saved us, so we belong to you again?”
Arn was about to say something, when he noticed the small grin on Andra's face. He returned her smile, “For now,” he said, then he handed her a small piece of what looked like raw meat, “Eat this,” he said.
Andra took the offering and smelled it, then closed her eyes in disgust, “What is it?” she asked.
“Food,” he said, “Eat it, it will help to get your strength back.”
Andra saw there was no choice and rather than ask where the raw meat had come from, she decided to trust him and put it into her mouth. It was not the worst thing she had ever tasted but it was bad enough. She wanted to spit the horrible flesh out but she remembered the words of her drill sergeant, “Eat what you have, it may be your last.”
She swallowed the bitter food, giving a little shutter as the raw meat slid into her stomach. Arn's gave a slight smile, “How do you feel?” he asked.
“Better,” she replied. So well in fact that she got up and moved over to a rock outcropping and sat down.
Arn watched her then he glanced around the cave, he went to the pool of water, sat down next to it and washed his eyes.
With her head much clearer, Andra took in their surroundings once more. It was not a large cave by any means but it had a tall ceiling and was out of the burning sun. A soft moss like vegetation on the walls and rocks glowed, augmented the light from the opening. It did not give out much light but it was enough to see. The many, different colored crystals reflected the light, making the inside of their new home a wonderland of soft hues and delicate images.
Andra looked at Arn again, he was wearing his armor and she noticed it was stained with blood. She went over and sat down next to him, he continued to wash his eyes, “I don’t remember how we got here, was there any trouble?” she asked.
Arn shook his head, “No, no trouble” he answered, wiping his face clean.
Andra was going to ask about the blood but she held back her question. She had another look round, “How long are we going to stay in this cave?”
Arn gave her a strange look, “Until we wake from our sleep,” he said calmly.
It was an odd reply but she was tired and did not want ask any more questions, so she just smiled, “Well its quiet in here, I’m sure we'll sleep like babies.”
Once again the Nomad gave her a questioning look, “Babies?” he asked.
“Yes, babies, you know very small children, babies,” she laughed. She looked at him and could see that he did not understand. She made a gesture with her arms, as if she was rocking a small child, “Babies, tiny infants that grow up to be…”
Then something in her mind connected, looking back, it all seemed strange that she hadn't seen it before. In all the time she spent with the Outlanders, she never saw a small baby? She remembered boys and girls who looked about five or more years old but she could not remember seeing any babies at all? With that realization, the look on Arn's face, was not so strange.
Her smile disappeared and was replaced by a look of astonishment, “You've never seen a baby before?” she asked.
Arn laughed, “Of course I have, I've seen Trofar offspring and those of other creatures of the Greenland’s. Everyone knows the smallest Rock-worms hold the least poison but the Almadra or any of The Chosen people do not have babies, it would be wrong.”
Andra sat staring at him for a moment, he had to be wrong but the more she thought about seeing a small child in the tribe, the more she realized it was true. He’s right; she thought; there are no babies but how can that be? How do they reproduce?
The Almadra had left the Ergan-Mar behind, now they went towards the Hollow Hills as fast as they could. There was hardly any night now, just a dim twilight and the ever rising heat. There was no singing while they journeyed, they needed to preserve their strength and singing was considered a waste of energy. They did pray however, they prayed for the Gods to ease their journey and carry them into the protection of the Hollow Hills.
Along the way, they lost many of the tribe, some Elders succumbed to the heat and died in their wagons. They could not stop to bury them or perform the usual rituals when an Outlander died, they had to keep going no matter what. So they wrapped their dead in clean robes, then they tied a loaf of Kasha bread to one hand and a small amount of Grana to the other and. Their bodies were lowered to the ground from the moving wagons, left to the mercy of the earth and the sky.
Small children who died were treated the same way but their parents also placed small toys and a few stalks of Meadow-cane to sweeten their journey into the Afterlife. The Wailing Women wept for their loved ones and for their mothers and fathers who must live with the heartache.
It wasn't just the old and weak who died, warriors were also lost. Some died defending the tribe against the hungry Whiptails that were always lurking, waiting for a chance to take a Nomad. The tribe did not stop moving
not, even for a warrior, if they died during a fight, they were left where they fell. They knew the Gods would guide them to the Halls of Isarie, they died with a weapon in their hand and they could not, be refused entry. If their Whiptail survived, it was recovered by the tribe and passed on to a young warrior who was eager to defend his people.
Chanting came for the Holy Mother's moving shrine, surrounded by the ever present Thungodra, the High Priestess led her Handmaidens in prayer. She made offerings to the Goddess for a successful passing to the low mountains to the South east. Handmaidens lifted bowls of burning incense while uttering the ancient words from the Book of Isarie.
They crowded around a strange icon, normally hidden from the tribe, it would be put on show when they had reached the safety of the Hollow Hills. The statue was carved from a massive bluish crystal, it was the shape of a giant spider with a wedge shaped head. It was set with red stones to mark its eyes and had eight delicately fashioned legs. The workmanship was magnificent, it must have taken a long time to cut the hard stone. It sat upon a tall gold plated pedestal that bore inscriptions only the High Priestess could understand.
As the women prayed Obec moved over to the crystal spider and put her thin hand on its smooth back. She wore the white Robe of Rebirth and the gold and silver Headdress of The Chosen. She stood quietly for a few moments then she began to speak in a soft low voice, a voice that only she and the Gods could hear.
“Togasttra emo entralac, give to us your strength.” Then she turned and looked at the Handmaiden's faces. The Burning Time is near; she thought; then Rebirth and the Choosing. A small smiled crossed her lined face; fire and steel, the time is near. She closed her eyes and let the sweet smell of incense fill her senses. Fire and steel.
Agart rode quietly at the head of the Almadra tribe, his body armor was covered in a thin but necessary sun shield to keep the pounding rays from turning his metal skin into a oven. He took regular sips of water, mixed with well-aged Po from the small Burrow-baby skin hanging from his saddle horn. He had been adding Po to his water for some time now. Drinking it seemed to ease his burdens and let his mind free of the visions of his outcast brother and sister. It also stopped him questioning High Priestess' words, when she said his mother would be cared for by the Goddess.
He rode with his warriors at his side but he felt alone. In the past he had always found solace in the words of the Holy Book, now it did not ease his mind or his heart. Too many dreams filled his nights, too many questions without answers.
Where are they now? He asked himself; where is my brother and sister, are they alive or in the Halls of Isarie? He took a sip from his water skin; and if they are with my mother and father, will they be pleased to see me when I join them, or will they turn away? He took another drink; I promised to help my brother but I chose my people over my kin.
There were other questions but he continued to drink from the skin until he no longer cared.
So with Agart leading the way, they went alongside the great herds of Outland creatures to the Hollow Hills. There they would enter the crystal caves and sleep the sleep of rebirth.
Andra was not sure how long it was since they'd entered the crystal cave. The light through the small entrance grew brighter and then dimmed but it was never dark. There were no nights now only twilight that passed quickly then the sunlight returned.
They had enough water from the underground spring and there was food of sorts, the small entrance to the cave allowed small creatures in but kept the larger dangerous predators out. Twice they heard a hungry Whiptail roaring and the sound of his middle claw digging at the rocks, as it tried to get in, to eat the humans. A few wild cries from Arn and some well thrown rocks from Andra sent the beast on its way with an empty stomach.
With food and water, Osh soon regained his strength, the life of a Nomad was putting a great strain on his already tired body, he would not, be able to make anymore long journeys. Osh knew it too but he put on a brave face and busied his restless mind gathering information about their surroundings.
He told them, “The glowing vegetation was an organic life form that generated light, by a chemical interaction that allowed the moss to grow in an otherwise dead world. This type of light producing plant was known on several other worlds.” He proceeded to name them all and their relationship with the life forms on the different worlds. He stopped when he saw that Arn and Andra were not, showing any interest in his lessons. So he just examined the different rock crystals and kept the information to himself.
Arn never told them about his blindness or the fight with the Whiptail, since he'd survived and he could see as well now as before, he found no reason to tell the story.
They sat near the small water pond eating raw Nightflyer meat. A small group of the flying creatures were using the cave as a home and it was easy to knock them down from the ceiling with a well thrown rock. The taste of their flesh wasn't too bad, once you got over the pungent smell. They had no Washa fire and there was nothing to burn anyway, so they had to eat what found raw.
“It’s not the Will of the Gods, it’s the elliptical path around the primary sun that determines the climate.” Osh took a small piece of the Nightflyer, then waited for a reply.
Arn shook his head, “No, the heat and the cold are the Breath of the Goddess, it is her way of testing our strength.” He handed the old man another piece of food, “But you are a good man, so I will not hold it against you for not knowing any better.”
Osh straightened his back, “I will have you know that I have Mindlocked enough information to fill a complete Info-cast of a Tollacian Datacoms and I can recall Headings in over thirty eight sections of File Banks!”
The Nomad shook his head and just sat staring at the old man; I was right, his mind is frail.
Osh turned to Andra, “Will you help me to explain, why belief in a something does not necessary make it true. There are precise and undisputed facts needed to support a belief. How can he say it’s true and not just a fantasy handed down through the ages, without a scientific investigation?”
Andra looked at him for a few moments as she chewed on a mouthful of Nightflyer, she swallowed and then looked at Arn, “How hot will it get?” she asked, deciding not to concern herself with Osh’s question.
“The Breath of Isarie will kill all who do not find shelter,” he replied, “Those who get into the Hollow Hills will be safe there, they will sleep and be reborn.”
Osh could not remain silent, “You can’t sleep long enough, for Gorn's orbit to take it far enough away from its perigee to Karus for the temperature to drop to a survivable level.”
The King did not answer, his face showed that he did not understand what Osh was saying, “The lurkers in the darkness will give us sleep,” he said.
Now it was Osh's turn not, to understand the Nomad's words, “What are the lurkers?”
Arn pretended not to hear; it is better they do not know, they are not ready.
Andra ate the last of her food then took a sip of clear water, “Well I see no lurkers, I think it’s just a story to frighten children.”
Arn rose suddenly and began to gather up the few things they'd brought with them, “Come, we have to go deeper into the cave now.”
While Andra and Osh were busy gathering up their belongings, Arn went to a darker section of the cave. He looked at the strange rock formation and their coloration, then he picked something out of a rock crevasse. He returned with it in his hand, “Here, swallow these then come with me.”
Andra looked at the small brownish fungi that he held out to her. It looked like Brillcap, it grew near her home but they were smaller and had a slight greenish tint to them. She remembered them in a tasty soup her mother used to make but she really did not care for them raw, “Thanks but I'm not really hungry,” she said politely.
Arn gave her a hard look, “These are not for eating this is Boda, it is for....” his voice trailed off, then regained its authority, “Eat!”
Andra did not
want to argue and she knew from his voice that it would be a useless gesture. She took the Boda and ate them quickly, they tasted bitter, not at all like those in the nourishing soup of home.
Arn went to the old man, “Eat,” he said.
Osh took one of the small brown fungi and held it up for closer inspection.
“This is a fungus not unlike those on Carcarus Prime,” he said, “You can tell from the small round dome structure on top and the thin support but this one seems to be of a much more...” Before he could elaborate further, he saw the look in Arn’s eyes and put the fungus into his mouth, chewed and swallowed. Afterwords he washed it all down with as much fresh water as he could drink. Andra picked up her ax and Osh drew the hood of his robe over his head, then they followed Arn into the darkness of the cave.
It grew dimmer as they moved away from the light at the cave's entrance. After a time their eyes grew more accustomed to the pale glow given off by the glowing moss that Arn called Starfall. It allowed them to see where they were going.
The cave became a series of twists and turns but one thing was certain they were not entirely natural. The walls were jagged and there were more stalactites hanging from the shadowy ceiling, the colorful crystal was still abundant. However the configuration of the tunnels were far too precise to be just the work of nature. They were too level and sometimes there seemed to be steps of a sort. Broken and rough now but at one time they must have been smooth and placed with the intention of making it easier to move from one level to the next. Where the walls were not broken or covered in moss, they were upright and made of smooth metal, there were pieces of machinery and conduits. The Hollow Hills were more likely created by some human intelligence than by the will of the Gods.
All this was not lost on the old man's curious mind, “This is some kind of underground passageway, at some time it must have been used to travel inside these mountains.” Then he scratched his head, “Someone built them to escape the sun's heat.” Where are they now? He asked himself, Did they die or leave, maybe they are still here, whoever they were, they had great building skills, perhaps they also built the pyramid cities?
Osh noticed that his thoughts were changing. It was almost unnoticeable at first, just a small buzzing like that of a Dotfly or a Whisperwing. It seemed to be all around him and more than once, he tried to brush the noise away but there was nothing there. Then to his delight, the buzzing turned into soft music, it flowed over him and all his apprehension melted away. He no longer cared if they were in a cave or what may lie ahead, it was all perfectly well with him. Then he understood, the small fungus he'd eaten was not all it seemed.
A sedative; he thought. Then as the light in the cave became a more intense coloration and the rock formations began to move as if alive, he knew there was more. A sedative and a hallucinogenic. He was about to make a long and somewhat complicated explanation of the chemical make-up of mind altering drugs. Then he saw the walls turn a very lovely shade of blue and the rocks began to dance and he no longer cared.
Andra’s mind was also far away, she walked in a dim netherworld, she thought of her carefree childhood and the long summer days in the quiet sunlight near her farm. The cave had changed, there were soft sounds and the smell of freshly cut field grass. The path before her was no longer rocky or hard, it was the green fields of her home world. With it came the soft wind that used to blow down from the red streaked hills to the North. It made the tall stakes of furrow wheat move back and forth, like carnival dancers. She could hear the scarlet sparrows, as they chirped out a warning for others to stay clear of their nests.
She looked up at the once dark ceiling but now she saw flocks of Sky-birds soaring lazily over her. It's strange; she thought; how could there be Sky-birds here? The sound of their cries and the feel of the cool wind on her face made her forget all reason, letting her heart sing. She smiled to herself and thought of the stories her mother used to read to her. How my brother and I used to argue, over which story she should read; she thought. He always wanted the one about Star Pirates.
She heard her mother’s voice, reading to them at bedtime, wonderful stories of adventure and faraway lands. Her mother began to tell her one of her favorites, the tale of little Ileesha and her adventures in the Dark World of the Underground, “Yes that's a good story,” Andra said out loud.
Arn looked back to see her smiling, he knew he'd done the right thing. It will be better for them; he thought. Then he continued leading them into the darkness.
Andra moved forward carefully, she listened to her mother's words, about dancing blooms and singing Carol-birds that lived in the Underground. She looked around at the shimmering crystals and the glowing moss, it seemed like, she had become the heroine of a fairy tale and all around was just a dream. Maybe I will wake soon? She thought.
There won’t be any caves or nomads or war, I will be back on our farm and my mother and brother will be alive, waiting for me. The thought that her family was still alive lightened her heart. Although her mind told her, there was nothing to go home to, her heart wanted to believe it was true. As she walked along, she thought more about the fairy tale. Will I end up like the girl in the story and run off with the Gentlemen Frog and live forever in the Emerald Forest. It was a silly story but it made her forget the darkness, around her.
Something crossed her mind. Maybe I'm dead? She looked around once more, she saw the tunnel ahead and many, different corridors leading off into darkness. This could be the Home of the Life Sinners; she told herself. Maybe I died in the Outlands and was sent here for my failures, now I will spend eternity in this dark world. She looked at the Nomad she was following; maybe he isn't Arn, maybe it's a trick of the Soul keeper?
Her mind filled with images from her childhood nightmares, she saw the Souls of the Dammed being led into a silent world by Orin, the Trickster God of that black painful world.
If I am dead and this is the land of the dammed then it’s right, I should be here. Suddenly her thoughts made her feel better; this is the punishment I deserve, it is where I belong. The war-ax she carried seemed very heavy now, she considered throwing it away. Why do I need a weapon here? Orin is already dead and you can’t kill a dead man. Her mind moved on, the nightmare changed into a world of soft light and peace. She let herself fall into the soft dark land; I belong here, she continued walking.
Maybe it was just her human instinct to find out what lay ahead, the drive to see what lies over the next mountain. It had driven humans to look up at the stars and wonder what lies beyond and to travel to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. Maybe it was just plain stubbornness. Whatever the reason, Andra wanted to see what was waiting for her in the dark tunnels ahead. She stiffened her back and trusted to her instincts but she still kept a firm grip on her ax.
If this is the black world and that is the Soul keeper, then I will fight, I will fight.
Next to her Osh wasn't thinking about the tunnels or trying to calculate how far they had come or how far they might have to go, he was thinking of Endo. What will become of him when the fires come; he mused. Will he survive, or will he die, maybe he's already dead? The image of the green Sandjar lying dead and forgotten made his heart ache. He tried to reassure himself that Endo's species were born and bred to survive the harsh conditions of Gorn. The Sandjar would be able to hide or dig into the soft sand to escape the Burning Time. He is still alive, he is smart, he will survive. No matter how much he told himself, a nagging thought was still there. He had left his son to die, he was to blame and he would never forgive himself for that. Something sticky touched his face.
Osh gave out a girlish shout and pulled the substance from his face, “What is this?” he asked.
Arn stopped and spoke in a calm voice, “We are here.”
They all stopped and looked around, light from the Star-fall was very dim, it seemed that the walls and ceiling were ghostly images without sharpness or defined corners. Andra strained to focus her eyes on the vaulted ceiling, she realize
d why the underground room seemed indistinct, it was covered in a thin gossamer like substance hanging in great curtains from all surfaces. There was a slight breeze in the darkness, it made the thin veils move slightly, making them look eerie. As Andra and Osh stood looking at the weird hangings, Arn broke the silence.
“We will sleep here,” he said. Then he began to take off his armor, laying the metal plates neatly on the ground.
For a moment Andra did not understand, then she remembered what Arn said at the cave's entrance. Lurkers in the darkness. She looked at the soft webbing above her and the walls that seemed like a mist shrouded world, then the words hit her. Lurkers in the Darkness. Spiders! She heard her mother's words, “Don’t let them bite you.”
Time seemed to stand still now, it could have been a day or a week or an eternity. She found herself standing naked and looking up at the flowing strands of webbing. She thought she saw movement in the darkness, glowing creatures moving stealthily towards her. She saw Arn's face looking into her's.
She saw the Soul Keeper lifting her hand, she saw the flash of a dagger and a pricking at her hand. He is taking my blood; she thought; I cannot fight him, it is where I belong, “Are you the Soul Keeper?” she asked, “Have you come to take me to the Dark World?”
The Soul Keeper did not answer, so she looked over at the old man who had made the journey with her, “Will you help me defeat the Marchers of Darkness?” The old man did not answer either. She looked down at her hand; he has given me his ax, I can battle the Black Soldiers with it and save my world.
She tried to lift her weapon but it seemed to fall from her hands, then she saw glowing orbs moving closer. How lovely they are, so warm and inviting, they want me to touch them, they want me to hold them. She put out a hand and one of the glowing orbs came to her.
How warm it feels, how warm. She watched more orbs come to her, they climbed up her body and touched her face, they filled her body with a warm sea that seemed to move into her very soul. How warm; she thought; how deliciously warm.
She felt her naked body, being touched by gossamer fingers. She looked down to see that the orbs had given her a white garment to wear, so soft and so light it seemed like nothing at all. it went up her arms and legs until it touched her face, she felt herself falling, falling into a warm pool of light and peace, she had never been so sleepy. Closing her eyes she let her mind go to the place of childhood dreams, where all is possible and all is safe.
Osh lay back and let the soft glow from the walls cover his thin body, he did not think of his childhood, there were no stories to fill his head. That did not matter, to him it all seemed unnecessarily foolish, he did not try to understand the creatures that were slowly covering his worn frame in thin strands of webbing. He no longer tried to record their intricate movements or the way they worked, cocooning him in a shroud of soft filaments. He did not feel them as they sank their fangs into his flesh, it all did not matter, he just let it happen. Much better to forget and sleep, yes sleep. Warm forgetting sleep that would hold him like the mother he never knew. He did not feel the small cut to his hand or notice when Arn smeared his blood over his chest, he was too far away and other things filled his mind.
It is strange; he thought; I hate spiders, yet they seem so friendly, so intelligent, perhaps they know the answer to all things? If that is so, then they can tell me everything, all I have to do is ask but it’s strange, so strange, I've forgotten the questions. Then he closed his eyes and forgot everything.
Arn stood looking down on his companions, he watched as the Crystal Spiders wound them in the webbing that had held him so many times before. He watched as they moved out of their hiding places to swarm over them like a sea of jewels. He stood on the hard ground and waited, he was about to whisper the ancient prayer to Isarie but then he remembered his words.
No more Gods, I am free but as he stood there naked and alone, he saw the sleeping woman. He looked at the face that had driven him from his home and his people. He watched it slowly, disappear under a soft veil of white, then he remembered the words of his people.
“Togasttra emo entralac, give to us your strength.”
Suddenly his heart felt a great loss, he had given up all he knew and loved, for this Off-World woman. He had forsaken his people and forgone the laws of his tribe, he had spoken out against the Gods and led his warriors to their deaths, he had done all this for one woman.
He went over to her and picked up the battle-ax laying beside her, if felt good to have a weapon in his hand again, it felt right. He smiled as he let it swing through the dark and listened to its soft voice calling to him.
He looked at Andra again. She has done this to me; he thought; I gave up everything for her, slowly he lifted the heavy blade; how easy it would be to end this all, to no longer see her face, to be free.
As he stood naked, he thought he heard a voice, it was not his mother or father or anyone he had ever heard. It spoke to him alone, moving about him like a mock leaf in the wind, “Who's there?” he called out, holding his weapon ready to strike. He tensed like a steel spring but he saw nothing, he called out once more, “Come out and fight if you have the courage.”
There was no enemy or dark demon or God to face him, he was alone with only the glowing spiders at his feet. He thought he heard the voice once more but he didn't hear any words, only a sudden yearning in his heart, he lowered the weapon.
It was not Andra who did this to me, it was my own hand that changed my life. He looked up at the hidden sky above him, “Hear me Isarie, if you truly exist then know this, I am my own, I no longer see your face.”
He stood letting the echo of his words, fill his soul. He took the ax and made a cut across his chest, he rubbed the blood over his body and face. He laid down beside his love and put one arm around her, he held the ax in the other. He let the Crystal Spiders climb over him and let his veins be filled with their gift. He did not close his eyes but continued to keep watch lest a demon of the darkness came for him and the woman who he held.
Let the demons come; he told himself; together we shall slay them all.
Then he felt the warm embrace of the darkness and the last thing he saw was Andra's sleeping face.
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