The Shadowed Land

by Ryan W. Mueller

  "I understand," Kara said, but she wanted to beg for his help. She couldn't survive alone and without magic in such a harsh place.

  They walked in silence awhile. Some of the trackers shared quiet conversation, but Kara was lost in her dark thoughts, feeling overwhelmed by the sudden change in her life.

  After perhaps half an hour, she could stand the silence no longer. "What about you, Lena? What can you tell me about yourself?"

  Lena brushed her blond hair away from her eyes. Though she looked stern and muscular, she was also quite attractive, and she reminded Kara of Nadia.

  Kara sighed deeply. Why did everything have to remind her of what she'd left behind?

  "I've always wanted to be a tracker as well, at least since I settled down in Millersville," Lena said. "Around here, it's more of a calling than a job. Those of us who have the talent to do it feel privileged. Unlike Aren, I've never felt any real desire to leave Millersville. I have good friends there, and it's certainly better than the streets of Sierra City, where I grew up."

  "Aren't you worried that you might get killed as a tracker" Kara asked.

  "It's always a concern, but we accept the risks when we take the position. This is a dangerous world we live in, and somebody's gotta keep it safe."

  Kara understood that reasoning all too well. If the trackers hadn't been there, she'd be dead now. For the first time, that thought truly hit her. She'd expected danger when she'd joined the party heading to Woodsville, but she'd always felt invincible. Thoughts of death rarely crossed her mind. But now that she'd come close to death twice, she had to consider it.

  As the party walked, the mist cleared. There was still no sun, but now Kara could see far into the distance in the gloomy, grayish light. Off to the left were numerous mountains. Ahead of them, the rocky terrain sloped downward, revealing a small valley.

  In that valley, the trees were more substantial. Campfires burned, and surrounding those campfires was a massive army. Kara stepped to the edge of a cliff, trying to get a better look

  Aren pulled her back. "That's the Sunset Army. We can't let them see us."

  Kara crouched low, remaining hidden behind a small rock wall. The army below wore bright orange uniforms that contrasted sharply with their surroundings.

  Lena crouched beside Kara. "They shouldn't be this close already.

  "They're right on the path to Millersville," Aren said. "We've gotta find a way to get around them and warn the town."

  "What will they do if they reach the city?" Kara asked.

  "They'll take it over," Lena said. "Using any means necessary."

  One of the male trackers stepped closer. "Don't worry. We can get there before them. They appear to be resting for the moment."

  "I've always admired your optimism," Aren said.

  Kara wished she could fell optimistic about anything right now. That army made her more anxious than she'd ever felt. Even in Crayden, she'd been acting in the moment, struggling to survive. There'd been no time to let anxiety take over.

  What if she'd appeared near the Sunset Army instead of the trackers? Would they have saved her, or would they have killed her?

  In truth, she didn't know anything about the Sunset Army. Life in the Empire had always been simple. She was on the side of good, and Warrick was evil. But now she couldn't be sure. She was in an unfamiliar land, and she had only the trackers' word that the Sunset Army was a cruel enemy. The trackers seemed trustworthy, but Kara always had her doubts.

  No. She couldn't think like that. These trackers were good people. They could have left her to die. They'd sworn to protect their people from the monsters in this place.

  "You coming?" Aren asked, standing a few paces away.

  Kara turned to see that the trackers had started walking while she'd been lost in thought. She jogged to catch up. Every few steps, she peered over her right shoulder, looking down into the valley and praying the army couldn't see them.

  "It would be really difficult for them to see us," Aren said. "Still, we should keep a fair distance from the edge of the cliff."

  The party followed his suggestion, but they did remain close enough that they could risk an occasional glance at the army. They had been only half an hour from Millersville, but now that they had to go around the army, their journey would take a lot longer.

  An hour passed, and their surroundings did not change. Kara felt trapped by the mist drifting across their path. It wasn't as thick as before, but it still swirled eerily.

  "How can you tell what time it is here?" Kara asked.

  Aren lifted his left wrist, showing her what looked like a small clock. "I don't know if you have these where you come from, but they're called watches. They tell you exactly what time it is, and that's necessary in a place like this. There's no sun to help us tell the time."

  Kara stared at the watch in awe. "How does something like that work?"

  "You'd have to ask the people who make them in Sierra City. All I know is I have to wind it to keep it working properly." He shrugged. "I'm not all that concerned how it works. I just like that it does what it needs to do."

  Kara could appreciate a man like that. He was more like her than Nadia. Nadia would be fascinated by how the watch worked. While Kara did have some interest in ideas like that, she considered herself more of a practical person. Let others come up with the ideas.

  The party continued to skirt the cliffs surrounding the valley in which the Sunset Army had camped. At last, Kara and the others moved past the point where the army might see them.

  Up ahead, through a thin layer of mist, Kara could see the outline of stone buildings.

  Aren led the party forward. "Welcome to Millersville, Kara."

  Millersville was a small city, and only a few people walked the streets. "I expected this place to be bigger," Kara said.

  "This is a harsh world," Aren said. "There are many who can't survive in it."

  They passed a row of crystals that glowed blue.

  "What are these crystals?" Kara asked.

  Aren led her into the city, the rest of the party following behind. "Those are wards. They were created by sorcerers from Sierra City. Most of the time, they keep monsters from getting into the town, but every once in a while, they fail. That's why Millersville needs us."

  Kara stared at the crystals for a while, then followed the rest of the party into the narrow streets, passing stone buildings. "Are we going to warn somebody about the army?"

  "Yes, we're headed to the mayor's home," Aren said.

  A few moments later, he knocked on a stone door. Kara stood awkwardly until the door opened. An older man with a neatly trimmed beard stood in the open doorway, scanning the party with keen eyes. "Have you brought us anything today?"

  "We have grave news," Aren said. "May we come in?"

  The mayor gestured for them to step inside. Kara hesitated, then followed the others into the building. Most of the furniture was made of stone. Only a couple small pieces featured wood. In a land with so few trees, wood had to be a luxury.

  The furnishings were warm and inviting—a major difference from what she'd seen thus far in the Shadowed Land. She took a seat on a red-cushioned chair.

  Some of the trackers remained standing, but Aren and Lena took seats near Kara and across from the mayor.

  "What is this grave news?" the mayor asked.

  "The Sunset Army is less than an hour from the town," Aren said.

  The mayor nodded as if he'd expected the news. "It was only a matter of time."

  "There are too many of them for us to fight," Aren said. "We didn't get too close, but we saw hundreds, maybe thousands, of soldiers. If they want to take the town, they'll have little difficulty."

  The mayor looked weary. "What do you think we should do?"

  "I'm sorry," Aren said. "It's not my place to tell you what you should do."

  "Aren, you're one of the best thinkers I know. You would have made a hell of a general for the Sierran army. I want to kn
ow what you think."

  Aren ran a hand through his beard. "Well, I think there's only one choice if we want to keep our people alive. We'll have to surrender."

  Lena gave him a sharp look. "Surrender? Are you insane?"

  "We can't stand against them," Aren said. "Surely you can see that."

  "I know that, but in some cases, it's better to die fighting than surrender to evil." Her look became distant, as if she were recalling something from long ago. "These are the people who tortured and killed my parents, who left me as an orphan to find my own way. I struggled to survive on the streets of Sierra City because of them. I know what they're capable of. Even if we surrender, they will make our lives miserable. They will enslave us and make us serve Krinir."

  Kara still didn't understand who Krinir was, but she didn't like what she'd heard of the Sunset Army. She stood up and leaned against the stone wall, feeling out of place.

  The mayor ran a hand through his graying beard. He looked as if he'd aged a few years since the beginning of this conversation. "She's right, Aren. Surrendering may be the logical course of action, but I'd rather die fighting than live as a slave to Krinir." He glanced at Kara, as if noticing her for the first time. "Who are you? What's your role in this?"

  Kara opened her mouth to respond, but Aren spoke first. "She's from Terra. She was touched by the Silver Wisp, and we came across her out on the plains."

  The mayor's eyes took on a sad look. "I'm sorry to hear that, and I'm sorry that you've become involved in our struggles. I'll understand if you don't want to fight alongside us."

  Kara paced near the stone door, trying to get her thoughts in order and keep a flood of emotions from overwhelming her. "Aren and the trackers saved my life. They seem like good people. And if this Sunset Army is even half as bad as they sound, I'll be glad to fight them."

  "What about your hopes of getting back home?" Lena asked.

  "I think I'm coming to realize how dangerous this place is. I would have died out there without your intervention. If I tried to go alone, I wouldn't survive. Maybe I'll die in this coming battle. I don't know. But at least I won't be running away when you could use my help."

  "You shouldn't fight alongside us," Aren said. "What skills do you have?"

  "I'm good with a sword. That has to count for something." She leaned forward, staring at him intensely. "Maybe I didn't do so well against that monster, but I have trained to fight against human opponents. As far as I can tell, the Sunset Army is human, right?"

  "That they are," Aren said.

  Lena narrowed her eyes in disgust. "That's debatable."

  The mayor rose from his cushioned chair. He no longer appeared so old and weary. He looked ready to fight, ready to die for his people if need be. Kara had no idea how her life had come to this situation, but she knew she would fight alongside them.

  It was the right thing, and Kara had always believed in doing the right thing. She pulled her sword from her back. "Let's get ready for battle."

  Chapter 5: Dwindling Hopes

  Nadia and Rik had to support Markus as they traveled through the night. Beneath Markus's weight, Nadia felt ready to collapse, but she couldn't stop. Markus was growing weaker with every step. His injuries, wrapped in bandages, were bad. His sickness was even worse.

  "Maybe you should go on without me," he said.

  "Friends stick together," Rik said. "You're going to live through this."

  Markus looked down at the ground, his face pale in the moonlight. "I wish I had your confidence. But look at my arm. Even in the dark, I can tell the blackness is spreading."

  Nadia marched forward, ignoring her fatigue. "You're not going to give up, Markus. We haven't made it through so much just so you can die now."

  "But I thought you said the world wasn't fair."

  "I don't care." Nadia fought against a sudden upwelling of tears. "I can't lose you."

  They marched through the night, crossing flat ground. No more monsters threatened, but exhaustion was a fierce enough enemy. Nadia had never felt so weary. She'd had no chance to rest and regain her strength after their imprisonment in Warrick's dungeons.

  No night in Nadia's life had ever felt so long. It was a battle of determination. They spoke little. There was nothing to say, or at least nothing pleasant. Every time Nadia looked at Markus, she felt like crying.

  At last, the sky lightened to the east. Before the sun could rise, however, a chorus of bone-chilling howls rang out. They sounded vaguely like wolves, but there was something different in the sound, something monstrous.

  The more Nadia saw of the world beyond the Empire, the more she wondered if Warrick was telling the truth. The Empire, despite its problems, seemed a much safer place.

  "You think those are normal wolves?" Markus asked.

  Nadia kept walking forward. "I don't think so."

  They tried to ignore the howls as they sounded again and again, growing closer. Nadia felt overwhelmed in this new world. Back in the Empire, she'd always known what to expect. Her books and training had prepared her for everything, but nothing had prepared her for life beyond the mountains.

  Nothing could ever prepare her for losing Markus.

  When the sun rose, the howls stopped. Nadia thought she should feel relieved, but instead she could only dwell on her worries, her doubts, her failures. As much as she presented a strong mask, as much as she told the others she was happy with the way things had turned out, she still felt bitter over losing to Warrick.

  For the last four years, she'd had one goal: kill Warrick or die trying. She'd never prepared for a situation in which she accomplished neither of those outcomes.

  And now she might lose Markus. He was the only thing that kept her going, kept her from dwelling on everything she'd lost and how futile her efforts had been.

  The morning sunlight revealed just how dire Markus's situation had become. He looked as pale as the white sheets she'd had back in her castle. Sweat poured down his face, and he had to take frequent drinks.

  She was amazed he hadn't collapsed already. "Markus, do you need to rest?"

  "Yes, but if I stop and rest, I don't think I'll ever get back up."

  She felt a rush of tears. "But you can't keep traveling in this condition."

  "It doesn't matter. I have no choice."

  No choice. Two words Nadia despised more than any others. She hated feeling as if she weren't in charge of her own life, or the lives of those she loved. All through her quest to defeat Warrick, she'd considered that Warrick might be manipulating events. Only now did she realize that he truly had been. She'd never had any chance of defeating him.

  Had vengeance blinded her that much? She should have seen that she was opposing a man whose talents far surpassed hers. She should have realized that even a spell like White Fire couldn't kill him, that he'd intended for her to find it.

  In truth, she'd considered it at the time, but never seriously, never enough to cast aside her foolish dreams. And she was a fool. That was clear.

  "Look!" Rik said, jolting her out of her thoughts.

  Nadia glanced ahead. In the small valley ahead, a narrow dirt road twisted through the green landscape, and at the edge of that road, something glowed blue.

  The sight of the road gave Nadia a newfound sense of energy. Even Markus moved more quickly. As they approached the road, the blue glow became clearer, emanating from small crystals secured firmly in iron holders, almost like candles.

  "What do you think those are?" Rik asked.

  "I have no idea," Nadia said as they stopped just beyond the crystals.

  Rik squinted at the blue glow. "You think it's safe to pass them?"

  Markus broke free from Nadia and Rik and stepped onto the road, nearly collapsing from the effort. "Yeah, looks safe to me."

  Nadia glared at him. "That was foolish."

  "Somebody had to do it. If I'm gonna die anyway, it might as well be me."

  Nadia shook her head, unable to think of a kind response, the
n stepped onto the road. Rik was the last through, eyeing the crystals nervously. Now they stood on the dirt road, and nothing horrible had happened.

  If only that could have reassured Nadia.

  Narrow runnels ran along the road, and Nadia felt as though a great weight had left her. If wagons traveled along this road, then surely they'd run across people soon, and surely they couldn't all be as inhospitable as those bandits.

  "I can't stand any longer," Markus said. He collapsed to the dirt road, covered in sweat. Exhausted, Nadia settled down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder. Heat radiated from his skin, almost as hot as a plate straight out of the kitchen.

  How much longer did he have?

  As the sun climbed higher, they rested in the middle of the road. Now that Markus had collapsed, he would not get back up. He would die here on this road.

  No. She couldn't think like that. He wasn't dead, not yet, and maybe he never would be. Even if she had to venture off to find a cure on her own, she would do it. She owed Markus that much. All those weeks ago, he'd saved her from that Imperial Guard. Since then, they'd saved each other countless times, but that first meeting still hung in her thoughts.

  He'd been so brave, so strong. Well, a little foolish perhaps, but she liked that about him.

  The air warmed, reminding Nadia that autumn had only just begun. It seemed like ages ago that they'd set out on their journey, but it hadn't been that long. The quest had simply felt that way. Now, without that quest, she had no direction in life. What was she supposed to do outside the Empire? What purpose did she have beyond keeping Markus alive?

  Well, ordinary people didn't live with much of a purpose beyond surviving. Perhaps she could find that kind of life with Markus and Rik. She was a skilled archer and a well-educated young woman. Surely she could make something of her life out here.

  But only if she had Markus by her side.

  Once again, she remembered why she'd tried to keep love out of her life. It had brought her joy, yes, but now it was bringing her pain worse than anything she'd ever felt.

  She wrapped an arm around Markus, fighting against tears. "I love you."

  His voice was barely a croak. "I love you, too, Nadia."