“Well, it’s not perfect,” Zaiporo cautioned, “not to those who don’t look like Turesobei. But it is a lot warmer and safer.”
“And we have tea!” Lu Bei said.
“And if the two of them come along, Kurine wouldn’t be the only one of her kind,” Enashoma said.
“Tea,” Lu Bei said wistfully, “something I shall never again experience, for I shall be trapped here … forever. Woe is me.” He winked at Turesobei who had a hard time restraining a laugh.
“Sobei,” Enashoma said, frowning toward Lu Bei. “What are you going to —”
Turesobei shook his head. “Nothing I can do. I made a deal. I will honor it. I have no other choice.”
* * *
While the others slept after eating dinner, Turesobei worked on his simulacrum ritual. Before starting it, he spent two hours reviewing how it worked, until the text on the pages of his spell book began to blur. Then Lady Hannya gave him advice and a little power throughout the actual ritual. He was absolutely exhausted, but he had no choice. He’d always heard that there was no rest for the wicked, but he was discovering that reality was quite the opposite. After midnight, he finished. Having placed the magic on the amulet, he stepped outside and spoke with the Keeper of the Hearth.
“Could you give this to the Keeper of Destiny … the next time someone goes to him?”
“You can keep the amulet,” the Keeper of the Hearth replied. “Returning it is not necessary. It is powerless now.”
“I insist.”
The Keeper eyed it carefully. “There is a spell on this. A powerful one.”
“It will have faded long before you give it back. And it won’t harm anyone. I promise.”
The Keeper continued to study the amulet. “A simulacrum spell?”
“A spirit mirror, so Awasa and the yomon will still think I’m here for a short while. It should give us a few days head start on them.”
“You cannot leave an item with such magic on it here.”
“It won’t harm anyone.”
The Keeper of the Hearth sighed. “I will take it up with the Keeper of Scrolls, but he will not allow it, I can assure you of that.”
“Then don’t tell him. Just hold onto this for a few days. Hide it if you must. Please. Otherwise, Inatiasharra’s sacrifice was all for nothing.”
“Inatiasharra … how do you know that name?”
“He told me before he died.”
The Keeper of the Hearth studied him contemplatively. Turesobei had learned to wait them out. Minutes passed, then at last he said, “I shall do this in honor of my friend, who represented you so bravely.”
Turesobei handed him the amulet. “Thank you.”
“Is there anything else you require?”
“Can you have our mounts prepared and ready to go in the morning, but without taking them out of the stables? Just line them up inside and have them ready.”
“It is a good plan,” the Keeper of the Hearth said. “A risky one, but clever.”
“I didn’t tell you what my plan was.”
“It is obvious, is it not, given who your new ally is? And the simulacrum does no good if they see you leave. I will see that the arrangements are made. And I will hide the amulet for as long as I can.”
Chapter Fifty-Six
Bundled once again in their many layers of sonoke fur, Turesobei and his companions left the Forbidden Library. The Keeper of the Hearth and Ooloolarra, who was now dressed in a silk robe and sandals, escorted them out. None of the other Keepers saw them off, not even the Keeper of Scrolls. Once outside, the Keeper of the Hearth turned them over to the Keeper of the Shores, who bowed his head in greeting.
“I am glad that you succeeded, Chonda Turesobei. I did not think that you would.”
“Thank you for letting us in and giving me the chance,” Turesobei said.
“You are welcome. Now, follow me. Everything has been made ready for your departure, exactly to your specifications.”
When they reached the steep, ice-covered stairs, Turesobei cringed and groaned.
“Oh gods, I’d forgotten the steps,” Enashoma said.
Ooloolarra cast a spell and waved a hand. The ice on the stairs melted, and the water poured off to the sides where it refroze, leaving the steps dry and ice-free.
“You melted it without using fire kenja,” Turesobei said with surprise.
Ooloolarra winked. “You don’t live for millennia in a world coated by ice without learning a trick or two.”
Once they reached the stable in the tiny village, the Keeper of the Shores said a curt goodbye and departed. Their mounts awaited them, saddled and loaded with gear, and lined up inside the main hallway. They strapped Kurine into the saddle behind Motekeru, and then everyone else mounted up.
“It was my pleasure to represent you,” Ooloolarra said to Turesobei. “I have not had the company of another Kaiaru in so long.” Turesobei let the Kaiaru comment slide. “And goodbye to you as well, Lady Hannya. I wish you well on your journey.”
Hannya, remaining within the sword, made no reply.
Lu Bei gave Turesobei a hug. “Goodbye, master. Take care. Eat your vegetables. Do well with your magic. Get everyone home safe and sound, please. Do it for me! And drink lots of warm tea … in my name.”
Turesobei worked hard to keep a straight face. “I will, Lu Bei. I promise. And I will never forget you.”
“Can’t you please change your mind about Lu Bei,” Enashoma begged Ooloolarra.
“The fetch comes with me,” Ooloolarra said. “That was the deal. It was a fair one. And I have agreed to leave the library for the first time in seven centuries so that Lu Bei may see you off. I think that is exceedingly kind.”
Lu Bei flew into Enashoma’s arms, faking huge sobs. Turesobei was worried the ridiculous dramatics would give their plan away. “Oh, do not cry, dear Lady Shoma, my most cherished friend. You will know many happy years, even without me. I shall live on, and ever shall I think upon you.”
Turesobei spoke the command phrase for his simulacrum ritual. The energies activated. A wave of dizziness swamped him. He stumbled a few steps, but recovered.
Ooloolarra cocked a silvery eyebrow. “That was an impressive piece of magic you just did.”
“Thank you for sponsoring me,” Turesobei said, bowing. “I will be forever thankful to you.”
“It was my pleasure,” Ooloolarra replied. “Come to me, fetch.”
Lu Bei drifted over to her. “Of course, my new together-forever friend.”
“Now for another piece of impressive magic.” Turesobei drew Fangthorn from a sheathe the Keeper of the Hearth had brought him, which he had strapped onto his back. “Lady Hannya, if you would, please.” He spoke another activation command. “Everyone, remain calm.”
The world around them darkened, as if a veil had fallen over them. Ooloolarra screamed and lunged as Lu Bei zipped away from her. The fetch landed in Turesobei’s lap and waved to her.
“Bye-bye, usually-naked, crazy book lady! Sorry I lied about the together-forever thing. In a few hundred years, you’ll recover from this jilting. I promise.”
Ooloolarra reached out to grab him, and her hand passed through Lu Bei. Then she faded away from their view … along with the stables, the village, and the library. The sun overhead was so dim its light could barely penetrate the clouds. The ground was not ice anymore but dust and rock. Eerie mists drifted over the barren terrain around them.
“That was perfect, master.” Lu Bei laughed. “Can’t believe she fell for it.”
“Do you really think you fooled her?” said Hannya, her deep voice vibrating from the sword — surprising everyone except Turesobei.
“You think she was just playing along?” Turesobei asked.
“She was giving you a chance to best her,” Hannya replied. “Otherwise, why not demand you leave Lu Bei with her in the library? She could have done so.”
“You’re probably right,” Turesobei said.
“I kn
ow I am right,” Lady Hannya replied. “Kaiaru such as her love to play these games.”
Lu Bei nodded as he flew over to Enashoma. “Master and she used to do these sorts of things all the time with one another. It was a sign of respect, I think.”
Enashoma planted a big kiss on Lu Bei’s cheek. “I don’t care why or how, I’m just glad you’re sticking with us. Though Turesobei could’ve said something.”
“I didn’t want her to find out by accident,” Turesobei said. “Thought it best to keep it just between Lady Hannya, Lu Bei, and myself.”
“Too bad she didn’t find out,” Iniru replied with an over-the-top, fake scowl. “I’d rather we had left the little jerk.”
Lu Bei stuck his tongue out and blew a raspberry at her.
“Is it just me,” Zaiporo said, shivering, “or is it actually colder here?”
“It’s a mystical cold,” Turesobei said. “Caused by the absence of life and love. No amount of clothing can shield you from it.”
Lu Bei popped up in front of everyone. “My lords and ladies, and you two.” He pointed at Iniru and Kemsu. “Welcome to the Shadowland. Remain calm and stick together. Do not stray, or you will become lost, and never find your way again. We need only be here for a short while, which is good, because otherwise, we would die.”
Lu Bei’s speech wasn’t really necessary. Turesobei had already explained it to them all that morning. Having never been to the Shadowland before, it clearly unnerved them, though they were putting on brave faces. It should unnerve them. He’d been here through astral projection several times along with Grandfather Kahenan, and in the nightmare with Awasa, but being here physically was another matter altogether. It felt terrible, like half his life had been sucked out of him.
“So this … this is where people go when they die?” Kemsu asked.
“They pass through the deeper layers,” Lady Hannya explained, her voice vibrating from the blade. “Most souls quickly head on to Paradise or Oblivion or Torment, after only a few moments in the Shadowland, though a few do linger for days, sometimes years. Do not think too much on it. I find it is best that way. We are only in the first layer of the Shadowland. It gets less pleasant and more dangerous the farther in you go. You should all get moving.”
As they rode, they tried talking to one another to calm their nerves, but that failed. Their voices were weak, and silence dominated the Shadowland. Even Lu Bei’s chatter trailed off eventually. Turesobei worried about Kurine because she was closest to death, but the stasis seemed to be preserving her well enough.
After an hour of riding at top speed, Zaiporo said, “I really don’t see the point in going back … to the real world, I mean. It’s fine here. I thought it was bad at first, but it’s really not. You get used to all the gray.”
Enashoma sighed. “We could ride toward Paradise, you and I.”
It was the sort of statement that might have made Zaiporo dance with glee any other time. Instead his response was flat. “Yeah, I’d like that.”
“I’d be okay with Oblivion,” Narbenu said.
Kemsu began to stray out of the line, heading toward some random spot in the distance.
“Oblivion, Paradise … all that sounds like too much trouble,” Iniru said. “I’d be happy if we just stopped and took a nap.”
“It’s time to go back, master,” Motekeru said.
Turesobei snapped out of the trancelike state he’d fallen into and noticed his disinterested mount was slithering along at half-speed.
“Oh, right. Lady Hannya …”
Adding in his own power, to the point it nearly knocked him out, he helped Hannya tug them back into reality. He was a little disturbed that she’d been willing to keep them here longer, but he didn’t say anything about it.
With what seemed like a crack of thunder, they returned to the real world. Even the Glass Sea had a vibrancy and life to it that was breathtaking. The snow and ice sparkled a thousand shades of pink and white under the crimson sun. The sky was many shades of deep blue and purple overhead. The sonoke snorted and sped up, playfully racing one another.
Narbenu took in a deep breath and exhaled a laugh of relief. “Really gives you an appreciation of life, doesn’t it?”
“That it does,” Turesobei said.
“No difference to me,” Motekeru said. “But the hounds didn’t like it.” The hounds had, indeed, whimpered throughout their Shadowland journey.
“I can’t believe I wanted to stay,” Enashoma said.
“Worry not, fair lady,” Lu Bei said. “It was the Shadowland tempting you. We all would have fallen to it eventually.”
“Even you?” Zaiporo said.
“Even me, though I would not have died. I would have wandered the Shadowland for ages … until I turned into a demon.”
“He is not joking,” said Hannya. “That is what happens to those who never pass on. When you die and find yourself here, do not hold on. Head toward the Gates and pass on.”
* * *
As sunset approached, Turesobei stopped them.
“Let’s go ahead and make camp.”
“Shouldn’t we keep riding a few more hours under the moon mirrors?” Iniru said. “Avida is rising, and the sea is free of obstructions.”
“Another hour of riding and my simulacrum ritual will start fading, because we’ll be too far away from the amulet. Once we are out of range, Awasa will know, and they will pursue us. So we might as well get a good night of sleep before the magic fades out.”
“Oh, that makes sense then,” Iniru replied. “Assuming it worked and it fooled her.”
Turesobei closed his eyes and concentrated. “I can’t feel her pursuing us, so I assume so.”
“You’re that connected to her?” Iniru said, with a hint of worry in her voice. “I knew she could track you, but I didn’t know you could sense her.”
“It’s not a strong connection. I wouldn’t want to rely on it.”
Motekeru began cutting blocks out of the ice, and the others stacked the blocks to build a giant snow house. Narbenu was back to his old insistence on separate snow houses, but Turesobei managed to talk him into a single snow house with blankets hung down the middle.
“If you end up in my world,” Turesobei told him, “at least your moral standards won’t be a problem.”
Narbenu laughed. “Assuming people accept that we look different?”
“You’re not that different from Iniru,” Turesobei replied.
“The Chonda will accept you well enough because of Turesobei,” Zaiporo replied, “but I don’t think you’d feel at home or welcome. I’m heading to Zangaiden. Hopefully, Shoma will go there with me. But I’m not sure how well you’d fit in even there.”
Zaiporo glanced toward Enashoma, but she said nothing and pretended to not have heard him.
“You’d probably do best among my people,” Iniru said. “The k’chasa would accept you. The city of Dogo Daiyen in the far west would definitely welcome you, too. But something tells me a city of a million people would be overwhelming for you.”
“A million people?” Kemsu shook his head. “I find it hard to imagine your world. Leagues and leagues of trees and fields. Millions of people crammed into one location. Even ten thousand in one spot would amaze me. It sounds wondrous. And …”
“A bit frightening,” Narbenu added.
Turesobei cast the spell of sensing presences to make his regular check before they turned in. As he scanned, he picked up something, but only for a moment. It had seemed almost human, but it was gone. His brow furrowed in concentration, he knelt and placed his palms on the ice.
“What is it, master?” Lu Bei whispered.
Even after doubling the spell’s energy, he couldn’t sense anything. Turesobei shook his head. “Nothing. I thought for a moment that I had picked something up, but it’s gone now, if it was ever there at all.”
“The yomon?” Iniru asked.
“Definitely not one of them,” he replied.
“A reitsu?” Lu Bei said. “We haven’t seen them in a long while.”
“I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure they gave up after the blizzard in the canyon. Haven’t detected one since. And I don’t think they would’ve kept after us on the sea or waited outside the library. I’m not sure what it was. A beast of some sort … or maybe just a mistake. The spell’s not perfect. Hannya, did you sense anything?”
She replied telepathically, “I’m not sensing anything powerful or demonic.”
“Probably nothing then,” Turesobei said. “But I’ll check again before I go to sleep, just to be safe.”
With the snow house finished and the sonoke resting in the trench, they went inside. As the others tapped a couple of star stones to life, Turesobei removed the sheathed dark-steel sword from his back and placed it onto his blanket beside him.
The others glanced at the blade, nervously. None of them had asked him anything about it. They wanted probably to but were terrified. He was carrying around a sword containing the legendary Earth Dragon Hannya. In a way, this was the most ridiculous thing he had ever done. It was almost as bad as turning into a dragon himself.
“Why are you smiling?” Zaiporo asked.
Turesobei touched the ruby kavaru in the sword’s hilt. “The Earth Dragon. Amazing, huh? Would you like to meet her?”
“I’m good,” Zaiporo said. “No offense to you, my lady.”
Turesobei could feel a vibration in the blade that he thought was laughter.
* * *
Over the next three days, they rode until the mounts couldn’t go any longer. Late on the third night, as they set up camp, Hannya spoke to Turesobei.
“You are getting close. We are less than a day’s ride away. You should make it there by midmorning.”
Turesobei relayed the news to the others.
“Good, because our food supply’s nearly gone,” said Narbenu. “Hope we can find food in this Nexus we’re going to.”
There was little game out on the ice of the sea, and they didn’t have time to hunt. They certainly didn’t have enough time to dig holes ten feet deep through the ice for fishing.
Storm Phase Series: Books 1-3 Page 96
