by Alex Raizman
Ossman sighed, heaving his axe onto his shoulder. At least he’d gotten a little bit of quiet.
He opened his eyes to darkness. Pure, pitch black darkness, far deeper than it had been before. He pulled forward his axe again, and even the unlight did not pierce the darkness.
“I think I’m blind,” Ossman said, desperately hoping the effect was temporary.
***
The corpses that had been forcibly reanimated by foul necromancy mixed with unlight exploded into clouds of dust. That lost shadow, bound by unlight chains, dissipated in the surge of power to flow from Clarcia’s hands. It was pure brightness in a way Armin had never experienced before. When they’d been digging the tunnel was the most light Armin had ever seen channeled at any one time, and in those cases, he’d been able to avoid looking directly into it. This time it had been impossible to avoid.
He could see through it without any difficulty.
I’m surprised Clarcia had the control for that, Armin thought. Managing to manifest that might light while still remaining visible for human eyes was advanced Lumcasting, and he’d thought it was far beyond her-
“I think I’m blind,” Ossman said. Armin recognized that voice. It was Ossman trying to fight back fear.
“Me too,” Guiart said in a plaintive tone.
“I think we all must be then,” Aildreda said. Her voice sounded like Ossman’s, tightly controlled. “Clarcia, I’m assuming you can see? Since you manifested the light?”
“Nope,” Clarcia said with what was obviously forced cheer. “I’m blind as a bat that’s had his eyes burned out. And then thrown in a well. At midnight. It’s temporary though. Unless I aim for the eyes, which I obviously wasn’t.”
“So we’re all blind?” Ossman said. There was a low note in his voice, one most people knew anyone else would have missed. It was Ossman’s version of panic. “We’re blind in the lair of a dead dragon and necromantic constructs and possible Alohym soldiers and-”
“Oh, so the possible danger is bad, but the actual danger of the undead that were trying to claw your face open? I don’t get any thanks for removing them,” Clarcia said, her voice thick with anger. “I just did a feat most Masters couldn’t manage. You’re lucky I didn’t burn your skin from your bones! But sure, a little temporary blindness?”
Ossman’s voice was a low growl. “What if there’s more of them?”
“Then at least you won’t be a corpse for them to feast on!” Clarcia snapped.
“It’s flathing inconvenient timing,” Ossman responded, clenching his fists.
Clarcia rolled her sightless eyes. “I’m so sorry saving your life inconvenience you. Next time I’ll make sure to ask permission before I destroy a dozen monsters your axe couldn’t-.”
“I can see,” Armin said firmly before the argument could get more heated. Everyone turned their heads in the direction of his voice. None of them quite managed to pinpoint him, although Aildreda proved closest.
“Why didn’t you say so?” she asked.
“Because I…” Armin swallowed what he had been about to say. The truth was, it was because it was another sign of the fact that he’d become a walking blasphemy. No human eyes should still be functioning after the amount of light Clarcia had unleashed. Armin should have been as blind as the rest of them.
Instead, here he was, seeing clearly when the rest of his companions were standing stock still in their own personal darkness.
“Because I wanted to make sure,” Armin finished, hoping the argument didn’t sound as weak as it was. “I managed to shield my eyes a bit from it, but it still took a bit for my vision to return.”
“Well…what are we supposed to do now?” Guiart asked, his voice trembling. “There could be more of them. If they come and we’re blind…”
“Then I’ll take care of it,” Armin said, his voice carrying an authority that he absolutely did not feel. Blessedly, no one questioned how he intended to manage that when he’d barely made an impact on the first wave of these creatures. “We obviously can’t walk while you all can’t see. I’m going to…everyone stay where you are. I’m going to come and lead you to a spot so you’re all together until your eyes clear.”
He started with Clarcia, putting a hand on her shoulder to gently guide her. Her back was a mass of tension, muscles so corded that Armin could feel them through even this light touch. “I’m not wrong, am I?” she said quietly to Armin. “I didn’t use enough power to…I’m right about how long it will last, right?”
“Of course not,” Armin said. He had no idea if that was true or not, but at this moment it was what Clarcia needed to hear. Only time would tell if sight would return to the others. He pushed the thought aside. If It didn’t…if it didn’t, he’d have to have Guiart walk him through using the Skitterer and abandon the mission. My first mission in command, and everyone but me is blinded in the first fight. “Just you wait. It’s a matter of time, that’s all.”
Clarcia directed a grateful look in Armin’s general direction as he finished walking her over to the corner of the room and helped her to sit down. “I’ll be right back. There’s stone at your back on both sides, so you’re safe.”
Next up was Aildreda. She was every bit as tense as Clarcia had been, although there was a bitter edge to her tautness that Armin couldn’t quite place. “I should have spotted that,” she said, her voice low and angry. “If I had realized…Clarcia could have done that without having awoken them. I should have warned you to stay back.”
“No, that wouldn’t have changed anything.” Armin smiled at her, then remembered she was blind. He continued with the lie, it falling easily from his lips. “The best thing that would have happened is they would have woken up as soon as Clarcia started lumcasting. It’d still be worth trying next time, but I’m almost positive that would have been the outcome.”
Aildreda sighed, and some of the tension faded from her back. “You’re…probably right.”
“Of course I am. Haven’t you learned by now that ‘correct’ is basically my title? Why do you think de’Monchy chose me for this role? Because of my winning smile.”
Aildreda snorted a laugh. “Well, as far as I can see at this instant, the smile is phenomenal.”
Armin blushed at the compliment, then remembered her predicament. He burst out laughing. “That, my dear Aildreda, has to be the finest backhanded compliment I’ve ever had the pleasure to receive. Like expecting wine and taking a deep draught of pure horse piss.”
Aildreda was smiling when he helped her sit next to Clarcia. She put one arm around the younger woman.
Next was Guiart. Armin wanted to go to Ossman next, but Ossman would punch him for not tending to the others first, and Guiart looked like he was at his wits end. He shrieked when Armin’s hand touched his shoulder.
“It’s me, it’s me!” Armin said.
Guiart drew a deep, ragged breath. “Oh, Light. You must think I’m a coward.”
Armin started to lead him over to the corner with the others. He could feel Guiart shaking under his hand. “Absolutely not. I don’t know how badly I’d be frightened if something happened to my vision in a place like this.” Armin was relieved to be able to tell the truth in this instance. After lying to Clarcia and Aildreda to comfort them, a chance to use the truth was-
Guiart was shaking his head. He wasn’t tense. His shoulders had slumped, and his head hang low. “Not that. I mean…my hands were shaking too much during the fight to aim. You never missed a shot, and I was shaking like a leaf. I’m worse than useless – I’m a liability. If we get our vision back, I should wait here.”
“You ever faced and Alohym?” Armin asked.
Guiart frowned. “I don’t see-no, I haven’t.”
“Well, I did. Once. At the Collegium Rebellion. Do you know what I did when that thing rounded the corner?”
Guiart shook his head.
“I pissed myself,” Armin lied. “Like a child with a bad dream. Promise you won’t tell Ossman – I was able to conv
ince him it was water.”
Guiart looked in Armin’s direction with eyes wide from shock. “You jest.”
“Often, but not about this. I make jokes at other’s expenses, not my own.” He clapped Guiart on the shoulder as they reached the corner. “Bravery is something you forge, like a sword on an anvil. You have to take a beating before it’s strong enough to be useful.”
Guiart nodded thoughtfully and sat down on Clarcia’s other side under Amin’s direction.
One more left. Ossman. He walked over and put a hand on the big man’s shoulder.
“So,” Ossman said, his voice lower than the others had been, “any pretty lies for me?”
Armin nearly stopped cold. “You heard all that?” He asked.
Ossman nodded. “I don’t think the others did, but you walked past me which each of them. You really do have the awareness of a cat trying to find a treat – only able to stare at the pointing finger, not the food. So. What’s my lie to make me feel better?” His voice didn’t sound angry, like Armin had first thought. Ossman sounded more amused than anything else.
“I’m glad I didn’t send you back,” Armin said.
Ossman’s amusement began to fade, “You-”
“-am not going to waste my closest friend’s time with a lie. I’m glad I didn’t send you back. We’d be dead if I had, and I’m sorry I doubted you.”
Ossman walked a few more steps in silence. “I see why de’Monchy chose you for this,” Ossman said when they reached the wall.
Armin chuckled. “Because I have such a winning smile?” he asked.
“You’re already repeating jokes,” Ossman said, settling next to Aildreda. “You used that one already.”
“Well, I’ll figure out some new jests while you all remember how to see. Talk amongst yourselves if you wish – I’ve got first watch. And the rest of them, as well.”
Ossman made a rude gesture, and Armin turned back to watch the hallway the undead creatures had come from. He was glad Ossman understood why the Duke had put him in charge of his operation.
He just wished he could understand it himself.
Chapter 30
The fall into the darkness had been far longer than Tythel had expected. She’d managed to dig her talons into the side of the hole, slowing her descent.
Tellias had not been so lucky. She’d heard him hit the ground below with a clatter of metal on stone. His armor was still glowing at the bottom. Tythel climbed down as quickly as she could manage. If Tellias was unharmed, any sound he was making was hidden by the roaring fire above. Please be alright, please be alright, Tythel thought frantically.
Then her foot caught empty air, and Tythel started to fall as well. She twisted her body in the air, catching herself on her hands and feet. The twisting path that Catheon had dug into the forest floor had punched through to a small cavern beneath the earth. The light provided by Tellias armor was just enough to illuminate the caverns walls, covering them with twisting shadows. A few points of the cavern were beyond the reach of that weak light, and Tythel had no idea how far they stretched. It could be a few feet. It could be miles.
It also wasn’t important right now. She scrambled over to Tellias. “Please be alright,” she said out loud, finally voicing her internal monologue.
Tellias’ response was a low groan of pain. “Did we make it? Is this the Shadow?”
Tythel sobbed out a laugh. “You absolute jerk. I thought you were dead!”
“So did I,” Tellias said. “But the Shadow is supposed to be without pain, without suffering. If that’s true, I definitely am not in the Shadow.”
Tythel shook her head and took a moment to look him over. His armor was, against all odds, mostly intact. There were cracks and dents along various points in it, but the armor hadn’t really lost any of its integrity. “Well, the suit’s fine.”
“Oh, that’s just…that’s just flathing wonderful. The suit is fine. Light forsake us all, so long as the suit remain fine.” Tellias groaned again.
“And if you are feeling well enough to be sarcastic, you’re feeling well enough to stand up.” Tythel said, not bothering to hide her amusement. Even though the situation was dire, at least he was joking.
“That,” Tellias said after a moment of silence, “has to be the worst logic I’ve ever heard. I can absolutely employ sarcasm with two broken legs.”
“Something my father used to say,” Tythel admitted. “I think it was just a way to get a smart mouthed child to not impose on him more than she had to.”
“Oh,” Tellias said. “I…I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to insult-”
Tythel let out a huff of air. “Tellias, you did not insult my father by pointing out the logic he used against me as a child. I’ve heard some of the things parents tell children to get them to behave. They’re all equally, if not more, absurd.”
Tellias nodded and held out a hand. “Still, should think before I speak more often. Want to see if you can help me up? I’d like to be on my feet if something comes flying down that hole.”
Tythel wasted no time taking the proffered hand and helping Tellias stand. She kept the weight as much as she could on her good ankle. The bad one groaned in protest at even the light pressure she was putting on it.
Once Tellias was upright, Tythel sat on the floor and folded her legs into a lotus, the injured ankle on top. She poked it gently. The pressure didn’t hurt, confirming her earlier suspicion that it was just twisted, not sprained or – worse – broken.
The light pressure did, however, make her aware of the other aches and pains across her body from the earlier fight. She’d been cut, battered, and was overall just sore in places she hadn’t been aware could get sore. “I think we’re safe,” Tythel said.
Tellias looked over her. “Why are you certain of that?”
“I made sure their Umbrist saw me walk through flame. They won’t suspect that we’d dive into a hole to survive. They’ll be more worried we’re hiding in the fire, ready to strike the moment they enter.” Tythel sighed. “And with that many dried leaves, the fire will spread far.” She couldn’t help but keep the bitter edge out of her voice with those last few words.
“You’re worried,” Tellias said, sitting down next to her. Tythel nodded in the darkness. “That they’ll find us?”
“No,” Tythel said. “I…I had to set some fields ablaze so we could escape. Before I met you. Now I’ve set an entire forest on fire, not knowing how far it could spread. People could be in those woods. Animals definitely are. And I…torched the whole thing to ensure we survive.”
“Forest fires happen. Animals are good at evading them. A dragon unleashing flame is probably no more surprising than a flash of lightning igniting it. They’ll be fine. And Alohym regulations require that no buildings be built within thirty spans of intact woodland for that exact reason. I think you’re morally in the clear this time.”
Tythel scowled at one of the patches of shadow, just to avoid looking directly into Tellias’ eyes. “I suppose,” she admitted. “I just…”
“Worry that our fight against the Alohym is a pointless struggle over who gets to rule the world, when we should be seeking peace?” Tellias asked.
Tythel snapped her head towards him. “Of course not,” she said, her voice harsh. “They’re murderers and monsters. Why? Do you think that?”
“I wonder sometimes,” Tellias admitted. “The Alohym…what they’ve done is terrible. But they aren’t a monolithic group. Different Alohym have different goals, and different desires. We’ve seen it in their action. You pointed out the fact that they fight amongst themselves. Isn’t it possible there are some among them that could live peacefully among us, if we could get them to the negotiation table to talk terms? That even among alien invaders, there might be some good Alohym?”
