The Dark Rider (Fading Light)

by Andrew Critchell

  ‘What is this energy?’ asked Alex.

  ‘It is a river of power that flows through all living things. It creates life and sustains it. By embracing energy a Warder embraces the very essence of life itself. It is the most powerful thing you can imagine.’

  Alex stared at him, hearing half remembered words from her past.

  ‘We were attacked and Gwen could not complete the awakening. She had to place the key inside you. Now Nicola has the energy flooding through her but she has no knowledge of it, no control. She is flashing like a beacon for all to see and I cannot do anything to help her.’

  ‘Why not?’ said Alex. ‘What is such a problem?’

  ‘There must be physical contact, to transfer something like this. If I leave you to go back, to bring her here, then I can’t protect you.’

  ‘Look,’ said Alex pushing herself up. ‘Why don’t you go off and do your save Nicola thing and I’ll wait here and hope none of the bad guys turn up.’

  He shook his head.

  ‘The risk is too great. All the time we are here they can track us.’ He looked round the clearing as if expecting them to appear any moment. ‘We should be on the move already.’

  He looked back to Alex. She returned his gaze, her eyes burning with intensity.

  ‘If you bring her back, you know, so I can give her the stuff in my mind.’ She paused for a moment, almost too afraid to ask. ‘Will I survive?’

  He dropped his head slightly, masked eyes falling away from her, silence bearing down on her.

  ‘This has never been done before.’

  She paused, taking it in and then inhaled loudly.

  ‘You really know how to screw people up don’t you.’ He stood motionless. She turned away to stare at the frozen tree line.

  ‘So where does my brother fit into all this? I thought he was supposed to be the one being woken up.’

  He watched her, so thin and frail looking, yet he had already seen that there was strength there.

  ‘We were betrayed,’ he said before sighing. ‘Look, this is not easy to tell you Alex.’

  She turned to look at him. ‘Well, you’ve done a pretty good job so far, so why not rack it up.’

  He looked away again, unable to meet her stare.

  ‘We believed your brother was the chosen one, the Warder who would take over from Gwen.’

  ‘I know,’ Alex interrupted. ‘I’ve had to listen to it all for the last five years, but I didn’t realise it was going to be real.’

  ‘Can I finish?’ he snapped at her.

  She held her hands up.

  ‘Sure thing.’

  Falk took a deep breath before continuing.

  ‘The energy is tainted. There is a river of darkness, a force of evil. It is the source of power for those who follow the Dark.’

  He raised his eyes to meet hers.

  ‘Those like your brother.’

  Alex stared at him, her mouth open.

  ‘What the hell are you talking about? Paul is not evil!’

  ‘He was trained in all our arts, told things, shown things, things that should never have been in the hands of the Dark.’ He breathed deeply, anger rising within him. ‘He led them here Alex, led them here to kill us all, to stop the awakening. Look around you,’ he raised his arm to sweep around the clearing. ‘This is all his doing.’

  She stood up, found she was shaking.

  ‘What are you saying? That you fed him all these lies and it was just bullshit?’

  Falk stepped backwards.

  ‘We were tricked Alex. Somehow Myrkur hid the taint within him.’

  Alex felt her own anger boiling up inside her.

  ‘So you drag him into your world, fill his head with dreams and ideas and now it’s gone wrong you just abandon him?’

  ‘There is nothing I can do,’ cried Falk. ‘He is a pawn of Myrkur, of the Dark. It is out of my hands.’

  Alex was incensed. ‘And you seriously think I am going to hang around and play along with you now after hearing this?’

  ‘Alex, please...’ He gave up and began to back away, for he could take this no longer.

  ‘I must search. Look for any survivors, for Serenti.’

  He turned and ran towards the oak and, as he moved away from her his form seemed to blur and then he was gone and in his place a sleek, dark coloured falcon clawed its way into the sky, sharp wings beating furiously and then she lost it from view against the inky black of the night sky and he was gone.

  Alex looked around in disbelief, anger searing through her. The silence was complete and total, the empty clearing mocking her. For a moment she could not speak, but then her anger got the better of her.

  ‘Yep, just run off and abandon me, you feathered freak,’ she shouted to the now empty sky and felt better for it. She looked around again seeing nothing but frozen trees and dark shadows.

  ‘Jesus, what the hell do I do now?’ she said out loud, trying to keep from panicking. She pinched herself hard, twice, but she did not wake up.

  ‘This is no dream Alex,’ she whispered to herself. ‘You’re in it, and in it deep.’

  She began to walk towards the great oak for it seemed to promise at least a sense of security.

  ‘I have to keep my head here,’ she chided herself quietly. ‘Not lose it or anything.’

  She reached the tree and sat down on the platform under its great frozen branches.

  ‘I'm warm, I'm in no immediate danger so I will wait.’

  She rested her back against the solid ice cloaked bark, grateful that whatever he had done and said, at least his warmth spell was working.

  ‘Ok, let’s reason this one out. He's a man, although right now I guess he’s a bird, but mostly he’s a man, therefore, after his little hissy fit, he will probably feel guilty, especially about abandoning me, so will come back. Then he will tell me he has figured out how to get me back to reality to save my brother and this Nicola woman, and therefore the world, and everything will go back to normal.’

  She surveyed the clearing, empty of everything except the twisted, frozen bodies. Now she was alone they began to haunt her for she could deny them no longer. She pushed herself back against the oak wishing she could disappear, that she could hide from the death that surrounded her yet there was nothing she could do to escape. Suddenly she felt very alone and very scared. Her head felt heavy, the pain having worn off to a dull ache behind her eyes. She massaged her temples wishing it would go away. She looked up again, the branches of white stark against the night sky.

  ‘Paul,’ she whispered. ‘What have you gotten me into?’

  The falcon arced powerfully skywards, the land falling away under its frozen blanket of blue white. Above him the stars stretched forever, great bright clusters hanging heavily in the sky. Seeing this he felt his insignificance amongst the vast canvas of life.

  He looked downwards, the freedom of flight cleansing his mind. The ice and snow stretched as far as he could see, its death grip on the forest complete. He reached out with his perception for he had hoped against hope that there would be a sign that some had survived. Now, perched so high on columns of frigid air, he could sense nothing, and blackness held his heart as if in a vice.

  He drifted eastwards in wide circles, constantly scanning, constantly searching but nothing moved, not even a sound could be heard other than the occasional feint ruffling of air across his feathers.

  A white shadow pierced the edge of his perception. Instinct flicked his wings, pushing his body into a grueling turn as the outstretched claws of his attacker tore through his tail feathers. He spiraled viscously upwards and then banked hard. Far below, now almost invisible against the ice, a white cross was turning, arcing back upwards into the sky. Furious now, he pulled in his wings and plummeted downwards, his speed building quickly. The distant shape of white grew larger with every second. The head turned and piercing yellow eyes gripped him. Falk’s talons shot forward, the claw on his heel raking through the frozen air. The w
hite bird turned, its timing perfect, a flash of yellow tipped with cruel black scythes. Then Falk was past and he turned hard. The white falcon was bigger. It bore down on him, cutting across the arc of his movement. He flipped onto his back raising his claws. The falcon matched him, their talons locking, and they became one.

  The falcons tumbled earthwards, spiraling viscously, their outstretched wings fighting to control the rapid descent. Their minds only knew the instinct to kill, to pull the other to their death. Below them the white arc of the land was growing larger and larger. Dizzyingly it grew until it was everything to them. The land filled everything and opened its embrace to welcome them. Their eyes met, cold, alien blackness encircled by yellow iris. Falk felt the question in his mind.

  ‘Who are you?’

  He answered with images of the forest, of Gwen, of the Light. In return he saw ice and snow, the black sky lit by dancing lights. He saw warriors in white, falcons scything through bright blue skies. It was then he knew he was seeing the Kingdom of the Gyr.

  With just seconds to impact the two falcons opened their talons. Both birds fell away, thrashing at the air to arrest their descent. Falk flicked his wings wide open, felt his feathers brushing against the ice and for a second he thought it was too late. Barely in control, Falk opened his mind to his human form. His outline shimmered and he tumbled to the ground, rolling hard across the ice before his momentum slowed and he found himself kneeling down, his breath deep and rapid. Quickly he moved into a defensive crouch, his sword raised. The silent forest stretched around him. Then a movement caught his eye and he saw her through the trees, the other falcon. A woman dressed in white, her cloak made of white feathers that shimmered like ice.

  A Gyr.

  Warily Falk watched her approach. Although he existed on the fringes of human consciousness, half remembered through superstition and fantasy, the Gyr were buried even deeper. They were bound to the legend of Arachar, the core of tainted magic buried deep underground in the mountains where the Gyr had now lived for fourteen hundred years. No Gyr had left their frozen home in living memory and it was rumored that they had themselves become poisoned by the darkness that they guarded.

  For Falk it meant he could not trust her.

  The Gyr came to within ten metres of him and then stopped. For a long moment she stared at him, her face unreadable. Then she called to him. Her accent was harsh, yet her voice was melodic and clear.

  ‘Please forgive my attack,’ she said. ‘I have encountered nothing but dark ones since I left the north.’

  She gestured to him.

  ‘May I approach?’

  Slowly, Falk stood and sheathed his sword yet he did not take his hand from the hilt. He nodded and the woman came towards him. As she moved her cloak seemed to merge with the surrounding forest and he had to blink to clear his vision and keep track of her. She came to within a few paces of him and stopped. Her gaze was curious, yellow eyes regarding him from a face of fierce beauty. Her features were Asiatic, her skin smooth and pale. Long dark hair was tied in a single knot that fell down her back. She moved with an easy grace that spoke of speed, agility and power.

  ‘I have never seen a Gyr before,’ Falk replied softly.

  ‘And I, an Emerald Falcon,’ she responded, the hint of a smile brushing her mouth and eyes for an instant before it was gone. It left a hollowness in her gaze that troubled him. Then, before he could react, the Gyr’s hand flashed forwards, grabbing his forearm. He tried to back away but her grip was like a vice. She spoke with a desperate urgency.

  ‘The power has weakened. The magic in the north is gone. I came through Vaardal. It is ice as here. Since then all I find are Serenti and dead forests. Tell me what has happened here?'

  ‘I will tell you what I know when you release me,’ Falk growled.

  Slowly the intensity in her gaze softened. She looked down at her hand and then relaxed her grip. Looking back up at him she took a step backwards.

  ‘Forgive me,’ she said. She bowed her head, staring at the ground in front of him. ‘My name is Sinn. I am a Seeker. Tell me this falcon of the forest. Where is your Warder?’

  Falk’s grip tightened on the hilt of his sword.

  ‘My Warder is dead. She was killed by the Rider.’

  Falk heard her sharp, ragged intake of breath.

  ‘So it is true,’ she whispered.

  ‘Arachar has been reborn,’ Falk affirmed.

  ‘The boy. The one your Warder chose to be her successor.’ She raised her eyes to meet his. ‘It is him isn’t it?’

  Slowly Falk nodded noting the hardness that had come to her gaze.

  ‘It is you who have brought this upon us,’ she continued.

  Falk felt the danger filling the air between them. Imperceptibly he prepared himself to fight.

  ‘It is Myrkur who has done this,’ he said quietly. ‘To all of us.’

  ‘But it was you who let him in,’ she said moving to his left. He watched her, his whole body tensed and ready. ‘Another question troubles me. Yet it is a question I must ask,’ she said as she began to circle him. Falk turned so that he was always facing her.

  'Why are you traveling with a human full of the power?'

  Falk felt the hairs on the back of his neck tingle as her magic swept across him, examining him.

  'That is my business.’

  The Gyr closed her eyes inhaling deeply.

  'Is it?’

  Falk watched her warily.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘There are many Gyr who would feel differently if they knew.’

  ‘Then perhaps it is best they do not.’

  She opened her eyes again.

  ‘You do not trust me?’

  ‘I saw the Key,’ said Falk ignoring her question.

  The Gyr warrior stopped in her tracks.

  ‘Is this possible?’ she whispered in the frigid air. Her pupils had dilated, becoming black pits encircled in a thin line of gold.

  ‘Where did you see it?’

  ‘In the world above. A child had it.’

  Her gaze fixed him, filling his vision with black and gold. ‘Why did you not take it emerald falcon? Why can you not give it to me now?’

  ‘There was no time.’

  ‘No time?’ She was in front of him now, her breath crystallizing in the air between them. ‘No time to save us from him?’

  ‘You do not know the truth of what happened,’ he said forcing the words through clenched teeth. ‘You were not there.’

  ‘Then perhaps you should enlighten me.’

  Falk regarded her knowing that time was running out, that he could not risk fighting her. Realising he had no choice but to trust her Falk began his story, from the moment they were ambushed and Gwen killed to when he took Alex from the world above to escape the wolves. When he had finished she met his stare, her eyes full of sadness. Reaching out she touched his forehead, her fingers tracing a scar above his left eye.

  ‘You have seen many troubles emerald one,’ she whispered. Falk’s vision was filled with gold, her eyes drawing him into her.

  It was then that he sensed it, for there was nothing else. A faint tremor of energy, a taint of darkness on the edge of perception. Falk blinked. The two warriors looked at each other with recognition on their faces.

  ‘Serenti,’ Falk muttered grimly.

  ‘The human?’

  Falk stared up into the night sky.

  ‘I have to go.’

  With that he turned and ran forwards, his body shimmering into the falcon’s shape. He banked sharply and climbed upwards on rapidly beating wings sending his awareness outwards, dread rising, tugging at him for they were coming for Alex, for both of them. Behind him the Gyr was airborne too. She flew next to him, a white shadow in the night. He opened his mind to hers.

  The two falcons headed eastwards searching the forest. At first they saw nothing but then a distant movement caught Falk’s eye and as he focused in he saw a column of black shadows moving quickly like an
ts through the frozen trees.

  The Gyr’s thoughts came to him then.

  ‘There are too many of them. I am a Seeker emerald one. I must find the Key above all else.’

  He turned his head. Already she was moving away and he watched as she spiraled upwards and then turned back west in a long arc. Faintly now he felt her.

  ‘Stay alive falcon of the forest. I will search for you again.’

  He cursed as she disappeared from view for with the two of them perhaps there had been a chance. Now he was alone again. Grimly he scanned the Serenti column. There were at least a hundred of them heading towards the clearing, towards Alex. Tucking his wings in, he dropped like a stone towards the ground, leveling out just above the treetops. He flew fast and hard and within a few minutes had reached the clearing. He flashed across the open ground while in his mind he embraced his human form and in that instant his body changed and he was running towards her.

  ‘Alex,’ he called.

  Jumping out of her skin in fright, Alex poked her head out from within the recess of the tree and saw Falk running towards her. She stepped out, mouth already half open to chastise him for leaving her, but when she saw the look on his face she froze.

  He stopped in front of her, grabbing the tops of her arms. His eyes burned with an alien intensity.

  ‘Alex, you must listen to me.’

  She nodded mutely, suddenly scared.

  ‘There are creatures coming for us. We call them Serenti. They are evil and will kill us if they find us.’

  Alex simply stared at him, her mind refusing to accept it.

  ‘If we can outrun them we may be able to lose them. You have to follow me and do anything I say immediately, without question, do you understand?’

  She nodded again for what else could she do?

  ‘I am going to ask everything of you now. We must run, and run fast. Whatever you do, you must keep going.’

  He squeezed her arms tightly, trying to use the force of his will to save her.

  ‘Okay,’ she said in a half whisper. He released her, taking a step backwards and turning.