“The fog?” Rhada asked with curiosity, suddenly remembering the fog she and Mayvard had spent nearly two weeks inside.
“First the fog comes in from the lower half of the city then the shadows come. They do not go where the fog does not touch.” Merek turned away from the window and looked around, as though he had forgotten where he was.
“You will have to sleep in here. There is no room anywhere else.”
“That will be just fine.” Rhada said, feeling the weariness of their travels catch up with her. She felt that she could fall asleep standing on her feet.
Just then, Myra reappeared to announce to Merek that dinner was ready. He followed her into the dining room and Rhada and Mayvard followed as well. She tried her best to ignore the stiffening of the other survivors as she entered the room.
“Everyone.” Merek announced, getting their attention. “This is Rhada, High Protector and Captain Mayvard Stoneward. They are here to aid us.” Rhada had expected a little more enthusiasm from the troubled people of Tyos but they only stared at her in silence with wary and sullen eyes.
Rhada cleared her throat before speaking. “Merek has explained your situation to me. If there is anything else any of you think I should know, please tell me now.” She waited for someone to stand and speak but was met only with silence.
Finally Myra, who stood in the back corner of the room holding a slab of meat with one hand, meekly raised the other to get Rhada’s attention.
“You there, child. Please, speak up!” Rhada said encouragingly.
“We have tried to escape before. But each time we walk outside, the fog comes in and we run back to the safety of the lodge. Without horses, we cannot outrun them.”
Another woman stood, old, gray and frail. “I go outside sometimes for the air and I cannot hear the ocean anymore. I lived, not far from here, and each morning when I walked outside I could hear the sound of the waves as they crashed upon the shore below. But now they are gone. It is too quiet out there- too silent. Even the ocean seems to be afraid of this fog.” The old woman sat down.
Rhada recalled what Myranda had said, that the Blood Sea was no more. She smiled but did not repeat it to anyone. She could not bear to tell the old woman, who seemed to love the sea, that it was from the sea that the fog had come.
“Anything else?” She asked.
“Yeah!” An old man shouted. He stood and glowered at Rhada with small, black eyes and pointed an accusatory finger at her. “How are you going to help us? Are you going to set fire to what’s left of our city as well and be on your way? Is that how you deal with all of your troubles?”
Rhada inhaled deeply, trying to calm the anger that began to boil beneath the surface. She narrowed her eyes at the man but did not comment. She could feel Mayvard tense next to her as well, not knowing how to respond.
It was Merek who answered, making a feeble attempt to loosen the tension. “The High Protector has not come here to do more damage to Tyos. She can aid us. She has Bloodbinder!
‘Tomorrow, at first light, she will lead us away from this cursed city and to safety.” Merek smiled at his people but they did not return the sentiment.
Rhada waited for the old man to take his seat again before speaking. Though she knew they would not like what she was about to say, she would not withhold the truth from them.
“Do not pack your bags yet.” The already heavy silence grew thicker and she saw Merek spin in surprise to stare at her in disbelief. “I am going into the village tomorrow to investigate these strange occurrences.”
“You’re going into the fog?” Myra asked, bewildered. Rhada could see the young girl begin to shake with fright, nearly dropping the lamb she was serving to the others.
“Yes.” Rhada confirmed.
“But… but why?” Merek asked. His eyes were wide with fright.
“Because that is what I was sent here to do. All of you will remain here until I have a full report to return to the King with.”
“Why must you do this?” Merek asked between exasperated gasps as he tried to follow Rhada down the long corridor and into the kitchens. Though she walked at a moderate pace, Merek had become weak and feeble and struggled to keep up. “I thought you came here to rescue us!” Rhada stopped suddenly, causing Merek to stop as well before he ran into her. No one was ever allowed to touch the High Protector without her consent and he was not about to break that rule.
As he stared into her eyes, he saw the darkness that lurked there. They were gray and foreboding and seemed to hold some deep, dark secret that no one could ever know. He understood why the realm hated her- why they cried out for vengeance. But the time had come when he needed her aid more than anyone and when he saw her on his doorstep, his heart had leapt for joy.
Now, however, his heart beat with anger and he knew she could see it in his face. Her eyes narrowed at him, causing a chill to run up his spine. She took a step forward and Merek, instinctively, took two steps back. She was menacing in that moment, like an unpredictable predator ready to strike.
She stood still when she noticed Merek’s fear of her and stared harshly into his eyes. She wanted to tell this man not to worry, his suffering would end soon enough but the fear in his eyes told her one thing- Merek was just like everyone else. Suddenly, her desire to console him fled and all that was left was her insatiable anger towards the world that despised her. She grasped the front of his tunic and pulled him close- making certain that his fear grew.
“I came here for answers.” She said in a hiss and she shoved Merek aside. Suddenly, it was fresh air she needed and she hastily made her way to the front door. She unlatched the locks and pulled the door open, slamming it shut behind her as she stepped out onto the porch.
Darkness surrounded her on all sides. The snow that blanketed the ground made it possible to see the silhouettes of the remainder of the city but nothing more. She stood still for a moment, listening to the silence that had engulfed Tyos. She stepped slowly to the edge of the porch and placed her arms on the banister, leaned over and stared into the night. A slow and light snow fell and she could see each breath as it escaped her lips.
She reached down to her belt and pulled her pipe free. She filled it with a small amount of tobacco and lit it, taking in deep puffs to ensure that the leaves would burn. When the smoke billowed freely from the end of the pipe, she focused her eyes out towards the surrounding city once again.
It was then that she saw it- black on black, moving slowly from behind an adjacent house. She pulled the pipe away from her lips and leaned forward, trying to get her eyes to focus on the object. She held her breath and could hear its footsteps shuffling through the soft snow.
Rhada, though already cold, felt a shiver run through her as her skin grew clammy. She hesitated- then stepped forward. She still could not see the object but there was no mistaking the outline- it was a man, or what used to be a man, walking towards her. Its arms were outstretched and suddenly she heard a sound escape its lips.
“Rhaaada.” It called her name, quietly at first but as it drew nearer, its voice grew louder. “Rhaaada.” It called again and she found herself taking a small step back. Her hand reached down to find the hilt of Bloodbinder and just as she was about to pull it free, something from behind made her jump and spin around.
“They came during the night.” It was Merek, standing on the porch behind her. She took in a small breath of relief and when she spun back around, the creature was gone.
“We had no warning,” he continued, “no way of knowing. Everyone was so exhausted from their horrifying day that most were asleep. I, of course could find no rest and so I began to patrol the streets, assuring those that I passed that we would make for North Fort in the morning.” He stepped out farther onto the porch so that he stood right next to her and rested his arms on the banister. His gaze was fixed on the darkened street before them and Rhada turned her head in the same direction, replacing the pipe in her mouth and loosening her grip on Bloodbinder.
>
“That is when the shadows came. We ran through the streets shouting and waking those that we could. I fought as bravely as I could but I saw the faces of the men I was fighting- the faces of my people.” He looked down at his shaking hands and knew that his voice shook as well but did nothing to hide it. “How do you fight against something that has already died?” He asked quietly.
“I ushered as many as I could into the safety of the lodge here but when it came time to lock the doors, I hated myself. I knew that I was locking out some who were still alive and we were forced to listen to their pained screams that night. By morning, everything was silent again.”
When Merek spoke, he turned to Rhada and looked deep into her eyes, no longer afraid of her. “I have heard the stories. I have read the histories. If the shadow walkers have returned then it can mean only one thing- he has returned and he is here in Tyos.”
Rhada lowered her gaze away from Merek and stared off into the distance. She did not know why she found it so hard to look at him then.
“Do you think it could be so?” He asked with panic in his voice. “Do you think that Amag’mar has come back to rebuild his forces and claim his revenge?”
Rhada sucked in a slow and steady breath before answering. Her hands felt on the verge of shaking as well but she hid it to the best of her abilities.
“I do not know.” She replied in a soft voice. “I do not have the answers you seek, Merek. But that is why I am here. That is why I have come- to find out.” She stood tall now and placed both her hands on his shoulders. She looked him directly in the eyes to give her reassurance. “Give me one, two days at the most to find out what is going on here, and then I swear it, I will get your people to safety.”
“You promise?” He asked unsurely. “You think you will survive?”
Rhada, disconcerted by that question, nodded her head. “Just do not mention the name ‘Amag’mar’ to your people. They have suffered enough.” Merek nodded in agreement.
“They have suffered much.” He replied. “Thank you, Madam Protector.” He said before turning and walking back inside. Rhada smoked the last few puffs of her pipe before turning to follow Merek but as she turned, she thought she caught a glimpse of what seemed to be a pair of glowing red eyes staring at her from the darkness.
The next day, Rhada and Mayvard wrapped themselves in their cloaks, pulled their hoods over their heads, made certain their blades were sharpened and began heading out the front door. Merek raced up to meet them and Rhada saw that he had wrapped himself in his fur cloak as well and carried his sword in hand.
“I wish to go with you.” He told Rhada in a proud voice. She thought she could decipher the smallest of grins on his face and knew that a chance to get out and use his blade once more lifted his spirits.
“It could be very dangerous.” She told him. He nodded and held his sword up in the air for her to see.
“That is why I have brought this.” Rhada glanced to Mayvard before turning and walking out the door first. She was immediately greeted by the chill in the air.
Mayvard and Merek followed closely behind as she began to make her way through the deserted streets of Tyos. The clouds still darkened the skies but the early morning glow that shone through gave them enough light to see clearly.
As they ventured deeper and deeper into the upper city, they began to see a disturbing sight- blood streaked snow where bodies had lain, barely covered by the newly falling snow, discarded weapons and the footprints of hundreds, running through the streets in a panic. The one thing they could not see, however, was the bodies.
As they continued on, Rhada could hear the faint sound of Merek’s panicked breathing from behind. She stopped, turned and saw that his face, which had been so proud a few moments ago, was now pale and rigid. His eyes were wide as he stared down at the scene at his feet.
“Mayvard,” Rhada began and both the men stopped, “take Merek back to the lodge. He should not have to see this.”
“No!” Merek protested. “I am the Protector here! I wish to help. It is my duty to search for survivors.” Rhada gave Mayvard a sideways glance and she saw in his face that he was thinking the same thing she was- there were no survivors.
The first building they entered showed no sign of any inhabitants or struggles. The second building looked as though a massacre had ensued between its walls. Furniture was strewn across the room and turned upside down, blood splatters littered the walls and floors and when Rhada stooped down to examine them she noticed something else disturbing- claw marks. They were all over the floor, running throughout the length of the room. Those who were still alive had been dragged out.
Suddenly, Rhada heard a loud clank from behind and she spun quickly around and unsheathed Bloodbinder in one, solid movement. She found Merek kneeling on the ground with a look of sheer horror on his face. He had carelessly dropped his sword and it lay next to him. He reached a hand up and ran his fingers along the line of scratches that littered the floor.
Then he wailed- louder than any wail of pain and torment Rhada had ever heard. She re-sheathed Bloodbinder and stood before him. “You must not make such noise!” She said but he could not hear her over the sound of his own cries. Rhada gave Mayvard a nod and he stooped down, grabbed Merek by the shoulders and lifted him to his feet.
“Come now. Let us take you back.” Merek shook his head but Rhada would not change her mind.
“That is an order.” She said flatly and she lifted his sword off the ground and shoved it back into his hands.
Once outside again, Mayvard kept his hands on Merek’s shoulders and guided him back towards the lodge. When Rhada did not follow, he turned and looked to her with confusion.
“I am moving on.” She told him. “I must go down to the Blood Sea and see what I can find there.”
“If you just wait a moment…” Mayvard began but Rhada shook her head.
“Get Merek back to safety and meet me down there.” And before he could respond, Rhada turned and headed down the road towards the lower faction of Tyos.
Chapter 23
Rhada stood motionless on the road between the upper and lower factions. In her hand was Bloodbinder, unsheathed and ready to attack at any given moment. Her breathing was heavy and her eyes narrowed as she looked at the sight before her.
As the road descended, the clouds around her had begun to thicken and all she could think of was the fog that had surrounded them in the swamp. This fog carried with it the same eerie coldness and silence- no life could survive where the fog idled.
She had stopped suddenly when she noticed it. It stretched before her as an ocean of cloud shrouding the city below from her view. It was as though from the heat of the flames, the sea had evaporated into a great cloud but the cloud did not float. Instead, it hovered over the ground like a blanket, covering everything around it in darkness.
Rhada knew she had to enter the fog. She knew all the answers to her questions lie within that abyss of uncertainty. It was her duty to enter. If she did not, then no one would. So why then, she wondered, do my feet refuse to move? She looked down to Bloodbinder and shuddered. It had begun to buzz lightly again in her hand, telling her to be on her guard. When she looked back up, all she could see was the fog that lay before her and her breath escaping her lips in short, rapid puffs.
Then slowly, as if by a will all of its own, her foot took a fearful step forward. Then she took another and another and before she knew it, she was surrounded by the chill of the fog.
Rhada stood for a moment at the bottom of the hill and allowed her eyes to adjust to the new darkness that surrounded her. As she stood, she listened for any sound but still her ears were filled with silence. She knew the shiver that ran up her spine then was not from the cold.
After a moment of gathering her courage, she continued walking through the deserted streets of Tyos. Small cottages and shops began to come into view and she knew she was on the outskirts of the lower-faction. She had expected the buildings to g
row taller the farther into the city she traveled but as she moved deeper into Tyos, the destruction of the wave became more prevalent. There were no buildings that remained standing. Everything had been reduced to rubble at her feet- wood, stones, and brick, anything a home could be made from. There were times when she was forced to climb over the rubble to continue on. As she went, she did not even bother to look for survivors. It was obvious to her that she would find none.
As her feet carried her on, her eyes darted all around, making certain that nothing could catch her unaware. She walked swiftly through the deserted city until suddenly, her eye caught a glimpse of something and she stopped.
It moved from behind a pile of rubble. Its skin was pale and looked as though it would fall right off the bones. Its eyes were dull but full of life where there should not be any. The clothes that hung off its ragged body were torn and Rhada could see where they had been burned on one side. The hair and skin had also been burned, revealing half of a skull.
The two of them stood and stared at each other for a moment without moving. Rhada found she could not take her eyes off the shadow walker that stood before her. It was the first time in her long life that she had encountered one and she was frozen in fascination.
They had been named shadow walkers long ago by the first armies that fought them. When a person died, their soul was carried to the Shadow Realm where they would be held prisoner. Somehow, Amag’mar was able to return the soul to the flesh. When the soul was returned to the body, it was returned with a sour appetite for vengeance. They lashed out at anything and everything around them. Amag’mar had created a legion of horrifying warriors who wanted nothing more than the world around them to suffer the same fate they had suffered. Men were forced to watch their loved ones die and when they returned, they were forced to kill them all over again. And the more people Amag’mar’s legion killed, the stronger his army grew.
Shadows of Men (The Watchers Book 1) Page 25
