by R D Wolfe
The next day proceeded much like the one before it. The group rode on, moving much more slowly than the raiding party had, having to match the pace of the wagons. That night, Darien was selected to watch the new camp. Thankfully, it was a first watch, so he was able to keep himself awake long enough to complete his task of protecting the camp. The next few days progressed much in the same manner, the landscape remaining largely unchanged. The only difference Darien noticed was that it was much warmer beyond the edge of the forest, and he found himself running out of water earlier and earlier.
Darien found himself passing time by thinking of Atreya and wondering if there was some way to help her. Every night, he looked over towards the smaller of the two wagons, where the possessed child was being kept, contemplating whether he should attempt to speak to the wraith controlling her body. Several times, he found himself walking towards the wagon, only to stop himself midway.
This is stupid. You’re no hero. You’re not one of the Four. You can’t be. You were brought here by mistake. You’re just gonna get yourself killed.
Darien had begun repeating this almost every day. If he could force himself to believe he wasn’t one of the Four, maybe when he found his way to Farkland Reach, the real Four would be there, and he could find a way home. But tonight was different. After a full week of traveling, Darien had made up his mind. Whether or not he was one of the Four, the Scillan had said that one of the Four simply needed to talk to the wraith. Darien had already done that once before, twice, in fact, before the Scillan stopped him. Now, he just had to figure out how to talk to it without anyone finding out. The wagon always had at least one person guarding it, so it would not be a simple task.
Evatra!
If Darien could find her, she would almost surely help him. But where was she? Darien hadn’t seen her in the last two days. He decided that he would search for her in earnest the next day, and if he couldn’t find her, he would attempt to gain access to the wagon, alone. Darien went to bed that night feeling like he had a purpose for the coming day, something he’d lacked since being taken by the marauders.
The next morning, Darien began his search before the camp had begun to mobilize for the next leg of their journey. but she was nowhere to be found. He fell into the ranks, and slowly made his way up and down the column of riders. It wasn’t until midday that Darien finally spotted her, riding ten paces behind Totra-Dal, a head covering hiding her face from view. Darien tried several times to get her attention without approaching but couldn’t get her to turn towards him. Several of the other riders looked at him with annoyed curiosity, which made Darien stop and fall into line a short way back, keeping Evatra within his sight.
The group finally stopped as the sun fell over the horizon, the ringless moon beginning to reflect its light onto them as it journeyed beyond their sight. Evatra began setting up her sleeping area, removing her bedroll and supplies for the night from her black horse, before moving off to tie it up with the others. When Evatra had moved far enough into the trees, Darien approached her. When she turned around after tying off her horse, Darien was standing in her path. She stared at him, expressionless.
“What do you want?” she demanded, tying off her horse.
“To try and help Atreya.”
“And why should I believe you?” Evatra crossed her arms.
“Why shouldn’t you? I’ve never done anything to make you think I’m a liar. Regardless of what you might think of me after our last conversation, you can’t say I’ve ever been dishonest.”
Evatra remained silent for several seconds before relenting.
“So, let me try to help.” Darien pleaded.
“What exactly is it you had in mind?”
Darien laid out his plan, incredulity growing across her face as he spoke.
“You’re insane!” Evatra cried out. “There’s no way that’s going to work.”
“I think it might,” Darien insisted. “What other options do you have?”
Evatra paused, pacing a few steps away before coming back, considering Darien’s plan.
“Fine, we’ll try it,” she uncrossed her arms at last. “I can get you into the wagon. All I have to do is tell Totra-Dal that I want to see Atreya, and he’ll let me in. Everyone knows you were part of my raiding party. By now. they’ll all have heard that story. I’m surprised you’re not surrounded by people asking for the details.”
“I’ve been riding near the back,” Darien explained.
“That explains that,” Evatra nodded. “Anyway, people won’t be surprised to see us together, now that the story has made its way around. I’ve already had questions about where you were and why we were riding separately.”
“Why would—?”
“That doesn’t matter. Wait until the group you’ve been staying with falls asleep, then meet me back here, okay?”
Darien nodded and began to get his campsite settled in before coming back to meet Evatra. He went through his normal routine, doing all he could to avoid drawing any attention to himself. The marauders around him were the same ones that he had found himself with in the previous nights, and they mostly ignored him, save for the occasional glances and whispers. After getting his bedroll laid out, he went to tie off his mount with the others. Securing the chestnut horse, he quietly made his way to the meeting place. Evatra hadn’t yet arrived. Darien waited for several minutes, passing the time by counting the number of fires he saw around the camp, when once again, he felt a familiar cold metal press against his neck.
“Completely silent this time.”
Darien breathed a sigh of relief, it was Evatra.
“Why would you do that?” Darien asked, rubbing the skin of his throat. Evatra slid her blade into the sheath in her boot. A devious smile crossed her face.
“I was upset that I gave myself away last time,” she said. “I had to prove that I still had the skill.”
“Yeah, well, find a new test subject next time.” Darien suppressed a shudder at the memory of the cold metal. “Should we do this then?”
Evatra’s face flattened, and she nodded. “I’ve already talked to Totra-Dal, he gave me his permission to go see her. The guard should know that I’m coming, and he shouldn’t question that you’re there with me.”
The two of them set out towards the smaller of the covered wagons, its dark interiors obscured by the canvas coverings. As they rounded the side of it, the goblin guard caught sight of the two of them.
“Oh, Evatra, you gave me a scare,” he said. “Totra-Dal told me you were coming, but I didn’t know you’d be bringing anyone with you.”
“Wret, this is Darien, I presume you’ve heard of him by now?”
“Oh yes,” Wret nodded, “the whole camp has heard about you. Nasty business, that raid. Say, think you could teach me a thing or two about using a sword?”
“Sure thing.” Darien couldn’t tell if the goblin was mocking him.
Wret smiled. He was serious. Now he had to worry about teaching a goblin how to fight with a sword.
“You two can plan your sparring later,” Evatra rolled her eyes. “I’m here to see Atreya.”
“Yeah, you can go in, sure,” Wret looked at her solemnly. “Not much good it’ll do ya, though. She doesn’t move, she doesn’t talk. It’s all the same.”
Evatra stepped up onto the small stairs leading into the inky blackness of the wagon’s interior and motioned for Darien to follow her.
“Whoa there, Totra-Dal mentioned you could see her, but he didn’t say anything about him,” Wret said, pointing his thumb at Darien.
“He’s with me. I brought him along to introduce to Atreya.”
“I dunno, I should talk to Totra-Dal about this before—”
“I already talked to Totra-Dal,” Evatra cut in before Wret could consider the idea any further. “He said I could do what I want, and I want to bring Darien in there with me.”
Wret hesitated, his glance traveling between Darien and Evatra, clearly trying to decide
if he wanted to bother the large troll who gave the orders. It was likely that the mouth behind the red beard had taken several sips of freolia by now. “Oh, what’s the harm? Go on, then.”
Evatra smiled brightly at Wret, and Darien swore he saw the goblin’s green cheeks turn pink. Stepping up, she disappeared into the dark of the wagon, Darien following closely behind. Wret handed up one of the two lanterns affixed to the outside of the wagon, lighting up its interior. Evatra took hold of the light and pulled a strap, dropping down the rear of the wagon, giving them some privacy. The cloth was thick enough that their shadows could not be seen from the outside. The two of them looked at the far end of the wagon. There, facing the opening, sat Atreya, her hands tied to a post which arose from the floor of the makeshift room.
“What now?” Evatra glanced at Darien.
“I’m not really sure how to start,” he said. “I’ve never done something like this before.”
Darien looked at the child’s face. He could see a familial resemblance to Evatra. The jaw line and the curve of the eyes around the nose were familiar, but the blank, impassive face was completely foreign. She gave no indication that she knew either of them were there, or even that anything around her existed at all. Darien sat to the child’s left, Evatra placing the lantern on the floor between them.
“Atreya?” Darien began.
“No,” Evatra hissed quietly, “you need to talk to… it.”
Darien nodded, turning back toward the child, trying to keep the fear and doubt inside him from rising to his face.
“Uh, hello? My name is Darien. I want to talk to the wraith inside Atreya.”
The child still did not move.
“Try telling it who you are?” Evatra suggested, desperation creeping into her voice.
“Okay.” Darien turned back to the girl. “Listen, do you know what I am? I’m here to stop the one who did this to you? I’m here to stop Cyprin.”
The young, black eyes, which hadn’t moved at all since they entered the tent, flashed to meet his in an instant. The look on the girl’s face was terrifying. No other part of her moved, save for the eyes, which had been completely lifeless until a moment ago.
Darien looked at Evatra, true fear gripping him for the first time since entering the wagon. She stared back at him, mouth agape.
“I’m here to ask you to let this girl go free,” Darien continued. “She’s innocent in whatever is going on. She’s just a girl.”
“None of you are innocent!” The sound, more of a hiss than a voice, escaped the minuscule body without the mouth having moved at all.
“Th-that may be true,” Darien stammered, “but I’m still asking, would you give up her body? Please?”
The face turned to Darien, eyes darting back and forth. The expression was one of absolute hate, it radiated from her to the point Darien thought he could even feel it.
“Why should I give up my freedom? Once I leave her, the people would attempt to destroy me. While I control this child, I have the upper hand. No one would dare move against me.”
“That’s not true, some people here want to kill her with you still inside,” Evatra said in hurried, rushed tones.
“They would be fools,” the wraith hissed, the simple statement sounding more dangerous than an outright threat.
“What if I could promise that you could go free?” Darien asked, daring to feel hopeful. “You let Atreya go, and no one here will try to harm you. You can go wherever you want, so long as you don’t possess anyone here.”
“While I control her, the opportunity to travel freely is open to me, should I ever find a way free of these chains.”
Darien considered for a moment. How could he convince the wraith it would be better to leave Atreya?
“If you stay here, there’s no way they’re going to free you,” he said. “They’ll just kill her to get you to leave. Unless you plan on killing everyone here, you’d just end up a prisoner again. Do what I ask, and I’ll make sure no one here moves against you.”
“How do I know I can trust you?” The hate-filled eyes turned back to Darien, the pitch of the hissing beginning to hurt his ears.
“Listen, I don’t have anything against you. I’m not even from this world. But I’m part of the Four, and these people will listen to what I say. If I tell them to let you leave, they will…” Darien trailed off, hoping that it would be enough.
The eyes began to examine him closely.
“You are… different. I have seen several members of the Four in my time. None were like you. How do I know it's not true?
“It’s not, I promise!” Darien waved his hands in front of him.
“Prove it to me. Let me into your mind, and I will consider leaving the girl.”
“Darien, no! Don’t do it, it’ll possess you!” Evatra shrieked.
“It’s alright,” Darien watched the wraith behind the girl’s black eyes. “I don’t think it will.”
“I didn’t come in here to get one of the Four possessed by a wraith!” Evatra stood over him, her voice rising. “You’ll doom the whole world if you do this!”
“Listen and keep your voice down. The one the wraiths hate more than anything else is Cyprin,” he explained. “Didn’t you see the look in its eyes when I said the name?”
“I don’t—”
“Trust me,” Darien said, sounding more certain than he felt. Something within reassured him that this was the right answer. Somehow he knew.
Evatra looked at Darien for several long moments before nodding. Darien turned his face to the wraith.
“What do you need me to do?”
Without saying a word, the wraith stretched out Atreya’s small hand. Hesitating for only a moment, Darien reached out and clasped the small, grey hand into his own.
Instantly, he felt a shock of cold run up arm and chill his entire body. It felt as though ice was freezing his veins, threatening to split him completely in two. He felt an alien presence moving through his mind, like a stray memory that couldn’t quite be recalled no matter how hard he tried. Visions and memories he didn’t recognize, but which were clearly from his past flashed rapidly before his eyes. Then, just as quickly as it appeared, the sensation vanished, leaving Darien feeling warm. The strange feeling still throbbed in his mind. He turned to Evatra, who gasped as she looked at him, her hand grasping for the knife in her boot.
“What’s wrong?”
“Your eyes!” Evatra exclaimed in a whisper. “They’re black!”
I found what you said to be true. You will now take me to the edge of your camp. I will then leave you and travel back to my home. Keep your word, human. Do not cross me.
“What?” Darien asked, confused.
“Your eyes!”
“No, the other thing.”
“What other thing?” Evatra looked at him. “I didn’t say anything else.”
“Auntie E?” It was a small, soft voice. Darien looked and saw the child, appearing as if she had just woken up from a long slumber. “Wh-where am I?”
“Oh, Atreya!” Evatra cried, scooping up the small child. “You did it, Darien, you did it!” Her joy quickly vanished. “Where’s the wraith?”
Darien looked at his hands, both front and back, and then thought of the strange feeling in his head.
“I think it’s in me,” he said. "It asked me to take it to the edge of the camp and let it go free.”
“Auntie E, you should,” the small voice said. “It was so sad and angry. You should let it go home.”
Evatra looked at the sweet face she held in her arms and then back up at Darien, who nodded at them before turning to leave the wagon. He pushed aside the heavy cloth Evatra had dropped to separate them from the world, revealing Wret, who glanced up at him.
“Sad, isn’t it?” said the goblin, pity in his voice. “Poor thing.”
“Not as sad as you’d think,” Darien smiled at him, being careful not to let Wret see his eyes. “Take a look.”
The goblin’s
face showed an incredulous, confused expression as he glanced between Darien and the wagon. He looked inside to see Evatra holding Atreya, kissing her cheeks over and over.
“By the devil Cyprin himself, how is that possible?” But Darien didn’t answer.
Nearing the edge of the camp, Darien was careful to keep his eyes away from any onlookers. The wraith within him seemingly allowed Darien to move on his own, counter to what it had done to Atreya.
“How are you going to get out of me?” Darien whispered.
When we are far enough away, I will go as simply as I came
The voice was a painful hiss, even within his own mind.
Darien walked past the edge of the camp and made his way into the trees. When he was ten steps into the tree line, he felt a splitting headache, as a mist, black as the night itself, formed in front of him. The pain was gone, and the feeling of otherness was now absent from his mind.
“You kept your word, human. It is not often we find those who would help us. You have my gratitude.”
“No problem,” Darien replied, rubbing his temples.
“I have met five other members of the Four in the past, and touched only one of them. You are different than any who have come before, but you do not yet know it. I give you two promises. The first, that you will come to face Cyprin alone on Mount Olympus, though it will take longer than you expect. The second, that when you need us, we shall come to your aid.”
“What do you mean?” Darien asked, but the mist had already disappeared, leaving him standing entirely alone in the dark forest, the moonlight beaming down, as if in contradiction to the dark mist, illuminating the empty space left behind.
