by Bryant Reil
After some time, Kyla spotted movement in the distance. It looked like a person. At least it had arms and legs and a head. Yet it was the opposite of a person. It was like a part of the universe had been cut out where a person was supposed to be. It was like a living shadow, but not flat like a shadow. It had the width and height of a person. Only...only it had so much more depth. Looking into the body of the shadow Kyla saw an infinite darkness inside that finite body. It sucked the light from around it, so that it was surrounded by a shimmering dark halo.
In front of the figure was a hole in the ground. It looked like a pond, but there was no water. Instead there was vast darkness, like the shadow being, only the darkness here was flowing. She couldn't see it flow. There was nothing to see, but she could sense it.
It was a few moments before Kyla realized what the figure was doing. He was fishing. A rod and line, also of deep shadow, weaved and bobbed into the depths of the pond. There was a tug and a yank. The shadow being caught something and tossed it onto the side of the pond.
It was a man. Or the absence of a man. It stood up and looked at her, vacant arms outstretched. It was her father. Rather, the negative of her father.
Kyla's knees shook and she dropped to the ground. The figure stood there, still looking at her, arms still outstretched. Another shadow dropped on the bank of the pit. It stood, and it was her mother, who beckoned Kyla over. Then came Bit. And Eunoe and Aspen and Aura and Saul. Even Lili and Ach'vach. Kyla couldn't tell how long she lay in the grass watching the shadows drop on the bank one by one, but soon everyone she knew was standing there. And hundreds more. Or, rather, the vacancies in the universe that resembled them. She could sense, somehow, that these people were being ripped from existence. Subtracted. The universe was now less without them, and void was taking their place.
Kyla closed her eyes. Erebus had won and Chaos had been freed. All the armies of Oberon had failed, and the world was sinking into darkness.
No. Worse than darkness. Kyla had been in darkness. One could still smell, hear, love, laugh, cry, sing in darkness. It was more than absence. More than death. More than nothingness.
Kyla felt something tug on her from inside. She opened her eyes but saw nothing, but she could feel the pull of the thread drawing her through the rushing void. And she didn't care. Her future was gone, her family was gone, her friends were gone. It didn't matter. She wasn't afraid. She wasn't relieved. She felt nothing. Worse than nothing. A subtraction as she was pulled from the universe. But she didn't care. She had no emotion. No love, nor fear, or even relief that she felt no fear.
She stopped moving. She knew there were other shadow beings around her. Her friends, her family. She didn't care. Nor did they. They were prepared for the eternal emptiness ahead.
Then there was terror, and Kyla sat up in her bed screaming.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Bad Decisions
“This is very interesting but I doubt the military is going to take an interest in it, Kyla.”
Kyla slammed her finger onto the page sitting on Professor Ciana's desk. “What if it's true? We could capture Erebus and be done with it!”
Professor Ciana leaned forward. Kyla could tell he was trying to be kind but had no interest in her plan. “Look, I know you're worried about Erebus and you have every right to be. Rest assured all of King Oberon's forces are at the ready. Besides, I'm afraid repelling Erebus isn't enough. He has assembled an army of followers who may continue fighting in his absence.”
“Maybe but stopping Erebus is a real important part!”
“Well, I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to convince the Taxiarch to commit resources to look for rocks that may or may not have ancient people stuck inside of them.”
“Who's the Taxiarch? And I already know where one is! That gnome...the Dean of Admissions! I can't remember his name.”
“He's the minotaur we met with the other day. And you mean Professor Tilvingirlimn.”
“Maybe. Anyway he has a rock with...”
“Kyla, just relax. You've been through a lot. Now you're safe, and your family is being well taken care of.”
Kyla could see she wasn't going to get anywhere with Professor Ciana. As he had been her most likely ally, she didn't see where else she could turn. Well, maybe it was a stupid idea, and maybe the paper was just a story, but she didn't want to sit around doing nothing.
“Thanks anyway,” she mumbled as she grabbed the page from Professor Ciana's desk and walked out. She looked back and he gave her a weak smile. Kyla sighed. Well, she had promised Eunoe she would try to go through the proper channels, but she wasn't going to let a good plan die because no one would listen.
She headed straight for the Dean of Admission's office. She had forgotten his name already. She wondered what she might tell the gnome. He seemed crazy; maybe that was an asset. He might believe her. Though she didn't need his help. She needed that stone. What did she have to offer? She could trade it for one of her own stones. Not the tiger stone, of course. Or the great big quartz. Maybe her light orb. No, that was a gift. Maybe she could just steal the stone? No, that would lead down a sticky path.
Kyla arrived at the Dean's office with no plan. The mounds of paperwork had grown since Kyla's last visit. The gnome was rooting through a box of old books which cast dust into the air as he flipped through the pages. Some of the knickknacks on the shelves had been moved or changed out, but the geode with the face was still there. The Dean hadn't noticed her yet. She picked up the geode and thought in her mind what she should say.
“Um...excuse me?”
The gnome spoke without looking at her. “Yes?”
“I was wondering if I could have this geode on your shelf. I need it for...”
“Sure. Help yourself. Take anything you want. Got too much crap in here anyway.”
“Oh. Thanks.”
Kyla felt a little disappointed at how easy that was.
***
“I got it, fellas!” Kyla plopped the geode on the table. “Look at that. There's totally a face in there.”
Eunoe inspected the stone without touching it. “I guess I can kind of see something.”
Aspen was more positive. “Yes! Yes yes yes! I see it!” She picked it up and looked it over before handing it to Saul, who was practically climbing over her shoulder to take a look.
“I dunno.” Saul rotated it in his hand. “Hard to say. You know you're preconditioned to see faces in things, right? Your brain plays tricks on you that way.”
“Maybe your brain plays tricks on you.” Kyla beamed. “My brain and I are a team!”
Saul thought about this. “Ok, clever enough. I'm just saying it could be nothing. Besides, even if there is someone trapped in there, how would you get them out? They're probably dead.”
“Eunoste!” Aspen clapped her hands. “Eunoe, Eunoste could do it!” She looked at Eunoe, suddenly fell quiet, and looked down at the table. “Sorry.”
“You know I can't go back yet, Aspen.”
“I know.”
Kyla could see there was a story here. “What? What's going on?”
Eunoe frowned. “I'd rather not discuss it right now.”
“Why? What's wrong?”
Aspen put her hand on Kyla's shoulder. “Kyla, no. Just...we can't go back. Not right now.”
Kyla could see they didn't want to go home but if Eunoe's leader, Eunoste, could help defeat Erebus then Kyla had to see her. “Don't worry about it!” she smiled. “I'll figure something else out.”
***
Later that afternoon, Kyla pulled out her collection of maps from the library and was able to trace a route to Arkwood from Equinox. She estimated a two-week trip on foot, but she had no access to the portals and didn't think Castor would let her on without Eunoe. She wasn't about to risk upsetting a tiger.
Kyla knew she should be more afraid, but she had been afraid so much lately that it was starting to wear off. She also knew it was stupid to head out on her own as sh
e couldn't leave Equinox without Linkin or Dunkin tracking her down. It was a stupid, terrible idea to seek Eunoste on her own. No one in their right mind would allow it. That's why she couldn't tell anyone.
She folded up her belongings in a blanket, grabbed her light orb, and headed for the gates. Arkwood was to the southeast so she was going to have to walk by Kildath. She hoped Linkin wasn't there. She did a few practice sweeps with her foot in case she had to take out his knee again. Then she looked around carefully. There were patrols and professors and a number of others who might be watching. People who knew she wasn't supposed to leave the campus grounds. She needed to avoid the gate and so sneaked out the west side of the square before heading south. There was better tree cover here, and before long Kyla found herself surrounded by woods. She exhaled deeply and started walking.
“Where are you going?”
Kyla froze in her tracks. It was Aspen's voice, but it was coming from a cherry tree ahead. The tree slowly took Aspen's shape.
“I didn't know you could turn into a tree. Why do you bother to rest inside one?”
“You aren't supposed to be out here, Kyla.”
“I'm just taking a walk.” Kyla took a step to go around. Aspen moved to block her.
“No. You can't be out here.”
Kyla stomped her foot. “Did Eunoe send you to spy on me?”
Aspen said nothing, which probably meant yes.
Kyla took a step the other way, only to be blocked again. “Get out of my way!”
“No!”
She seldom saw Aspen so determined about anything. It was more of a Eunoe trait. “Fine. I'll go back. Lead the way.”
Aspen smiled and headed back to the campus. “Don't worry, I won't tell Eunoe if you—”
Before Aspen could finish, Kyla turned and ran. She knew Aspen couldn't get too far from Equinox, as long as Eunoe was back there.
“You brat!” Aspen shouted. To Kyla's surprise the dryad ran after her. She was fast, but Kyla's diminutive height turned out to be an advantage as she found shortcuts under brush and branches that Aspen had to move around. Yet the dryad knew how to maneuver in the thick forest and Kyla wasn't sure if she could keep ahead.
Aspen did catch up to Kyla and took a swipe. Kyla wasn't about to knock out Aspen's kneecap, but she dodged and climbed up a large oak tree. Her childhood years of playing in the forest paid off. The forest here was heavy, and there were enough high branches that Kyla could bound from tree to tree. Aspen, unable to follow, ran along the ground below.
“I know where you're going Kyla! We'll get Castor and hunt you down!”
“You'll never see me from the air!”
“We know where you're going! And you're going to get it!”
Kyla had never seen Aspen so worked up. She looked more frantic than angry. Kyla didn't like doing this to her but the world was at stake. She couldn't turn back. “I need to see Eunoste!”
Aspen shouted something else but she was slowing down and her words were drowned by the sound of snapping twigs and Kyla's feet on the branches. Then Aspen's voice abruptly stopped altogether. She must have given up.
Kyla felt uneasy. She stopped and looked back. She couldn't see or hear Aspen, though she couldn't be that far behind. Kyla dropped to a lower branch. Aspen was lying on the ground, breathing heavily.
“Oh, no!” Kyla jumped to the ground and ran over to Aspen. “Help! Someone help!”
Kyla supposed she must have gone too far from Equinox. It didn't feel more than a mile, which was Aspen's expressed limit, but Kyla didn't know exactly where on campus Eunoe might be.
“I'll get you back. I'll get you back.” Kyla grabbed Aspen by the arms and tried to drag her but Kyla's small size and the rough ground made progress extremely slow. “Come on, Aspen! Open your eyes!”
Kyla felt sick. This was her fault. She shouldn't have run off. She knew it was dangerous.
“Why did you chase me?” she sobbed. “Come on! Wake up!” Kyla gave Aspen a light slap on each cheek but there was no response. She pried an eye open, checked for a heartbeat, listened for breath. She was alive, but Kyla couldn't tell if she was going to stay that way. Again she tried to drag Aspen back toward Equinox. She eventually reached the spot she had first encountered Aspen. Still Aspen didn't wake up. Kyla sat down and cried.
There was the sound of branches breaking followed by a heavy thud and footsteps. Linkin? Dunkin?
Worse. It was Eunoe. Her face was twisted in fury and rage, and Kyla felt she would be better off fighting the dwarfs than dealing with the alseid right now.
“Help me get her on Castor,” Eunoe ordered.
Kyla couldn't raise her eyes enough to meet Eunoe's accusing gaze.
***
Kyla had never been chastised so badly, not even that time she pushed Bit out of a tree and broke his arm. Eunoe yelled until she lost her voice. She was angry about Kyla being so stupid, and leaving, and making Aspen chase her. Aspen, at least, would be alright but she needed tending. There were a few moments when Kyla thought Eunoe was going to hit her. She wouldn't have blamed her if she had.
All Kyla could do was sit quietly and take it.
Aspen recovered, though unlike Eunoe she wasn't angry. Rather she was relieved that Kyla had come back to Equinox. She gave Kyla a hug as soon as she could sit up.
Kyla started crying. “I'm so sorry!”
“It's ok! I'm glad you're safe. That was really a stupid thing to do, you know.”
“Yeah. Eunoe already told me.”
Eunoe was less moved. “You knew it was stupid before you did it.” Her voice was hoarse after all that yelling.
Kyla pulled away from Aspen. “I'm really, really sorry. I had to do something. I can't just sit around and let Erebus take over, and nobody's going to help me stop him.”
Kyla, finally able to look at Eunoe now that Aspen was awake, told her about her dream with the shadows. “I think that's what happens if he wins. I can't let him win. I don't want to stop caring about my family. Or you guys.”
Eunoe stared at Kyla, and Kyla couldn't tell if she was still angry. “I'll go see Eunoste.”
Kyla hopped out of her seat. “I'll pack. We need to leave at night though because—”
Eunoe grabbed Kyla's arm and pulled her down. “You aren't going anywhere.”
“But—”
“No. You wait here.”
“But it's my—”
Eunoe's eyes bored into Kyla. Kyla wordlessly pulled the geode from her bag and dropped it into Eunoe's hand.
***
Eunoe was silent, but Aspen could feel how fast her heart was beating. Eunoe was terrified. They had never discussed going back, but both knew it would happen sooner or later. At least it would be a short visit.
“We should move to Aspengrove, after we're done school,” she said.
“That would be nice.” Eunoe's voice was meek. She was the strong one, but her Charm had broken her, and Aspen hated them for it. Except for Eunoste. Perhaps Eunoste would relocate with them as well.
Aspen held Eunoe tightly as Castor swooped and turned in the air. She wasn't afraid of heights; not compared to her fear of fire, anyway. It was like swimming in a cold lake. It was scary before you jumped in, and a relief when you got out, but invigorating while you were in the water. That's how Aspen felt flying on Castor. She was always nervous until they lifted off, and then there was a rush and smiling and laughter, and you never wanted it to end but at the same time it was somehow draining and you couldn't wait to set foot on the ground again. She looked down now. There were too many trees to count, and it was getting dark. She didn't know how long it would take to get home. It had been a two-week trip on foot. Aspen wondered that Eunoe hadn't thought to make Castor sooner.
***
Aspen woke up with a start. In that moment of disorientation, she forgot where she was and shrieked as she looked down at the trees below.
“You're crushing me!” Eunoe gasped. Aspen's arms were wrapped around Eun
oe's waist and in her frightened state Aspen had squeezed her in a most terrible hug. It was dark but the moon was full. The sky looked naked without any stars, and the threat from Erebus sank in. All those stars vanished in a single night. That was some power. Dark and terrible.
“I think that's Eunoste's right there.” Eunoe leaned right and Castor began to descend. Singing and raucous laughter drifted into the sky and Aspen could see lanterns in Everin's Hollow. Many of the nymphs would meet with satyrs there, and laugh and carouse all night. Eunoste seldom went to those affairs. Sure enough, there was a light in her window. Eunoe guided Castor gently through the treetops and as near Eunoste's home as she could.
The area was well lit. Some Charms made use of fairies and enchantments for light, but here floating lanterns illuminated the small wood with flickering fireflies. Canaste, the only redhead in the Charm, was leaning against a tree trunk and talking to Solsimir, one of the satyrs from Rava Glen. Canaste sneered at Eunoe and Aspen, but then ignored them and continued with her conversation. Aspen put her hand on Eunoe's shoulder for support.
Eunoste's home was the only one with two storeys. Most of the nymphs lived in small huts; a few amounted to no more than a hollowed mound of dirt covered in flowers and leaves. None of the nymphs spent much time indoors anyway, and few were given to housekeeping. Eunoe had been an exception and had a larger wooden hut that she had kept tidy and simply decorated. Eunoste's home, in contrast, was made from worked wood. It had been here longer than any of the local nymphs or dryads. It was adorned with ferns and flowers, and though it wasn't built into the environment as well as the Elvish homes of Aspengrove, Aspen loved the intricate woodwork. Eunoste had once told her the home had been built from bonded wood by dryads long ago; yet Aspen couldn't believe dryads would be inclined to work together on a common task, or to donate so much bonded wood that could never be returned. And Eunoste had never told her why they would have given her such a gift. Of course Eunoste was older than the Arkwood itself, and perhaps dryads were different millennia ago.
Eunoste's door was open so they walked right in. This was an Arkwood custom: an open door meant welcome. They had learned the hard way that other cultures found this intrusive and threatening. Indeed, Aspen could think of many people she wouldn't want wandering into her home uninvited. Well, if she had a proper home. No one but another dryad could get into her tree.
