7. The Shadow Appears
The Shadow Appears
“ E lasha, would you be so kind as to head to the Eryas Palace and let Vesslan know that I will not be arriving before sunset this evening?” Aquilan asked his niece.
Her eyes flickered between him and Baston as she said, “Uncle, I think I should remain–”
“You should do what the king commands you to do,” Rhalyf cut in with a dark look at her, which so rarely appeared on his handsome face.
He thinks Vesslan has done something against the humans, too, Aquilan thought . Some violence.
Aquilan didn’t know if he wanted to curse his elder brother for abusing his position or himself for letting Vesslan have the opportunity to abuse it.
“O-of course, I w-will! Ah, when will you arrive at the palace, Uncle?” Elasha asked as she took the reins of her horse.
“I do not know,” he answered. “So cancel everything that you and Vesslan have arranged. I will set my own schedule when I arrive.”
Her cheeks burned and she lowered her head. “Yes, Uncle. It will be as you say.”
“Commander Sevren, you and the rest of the Protectors shall accompany Lady Fairlynn. Perhaps you would send your people with them as well, General?” Aquilan suggested the latter to Baston.
Elasha opened her mouth to object, undoubtedly, to say something about how humans would add nothing to her protection, but she wisely shut it without speaking.
“My king, perhaps myself and a few of the Protectors should stay with you,” Sevren began, but it was Rhalyf who stopped him.
“Sevren, I’m here. Nothing will happen. Especially not with the Sun so bright and Tyrael so peaceful,” Rhalyf assured the commander.
Sevren hesitated a moment, but then nodded. He knew Rhalyf’s fighting prowess, having been saved by it many, many times.
“Everything will be fine, Commander Sevren. Please get the Protectors to the palace so that they might rest and recover,” Aquilan added.
While he might have no desire to set foot there at this moment, the Battle Mages were exhausted and deserved to go home.
Home. Is Eryas Palace to be my home? The Shadow will be there…
Another nod and smile from the commander. “Thank you, your majesty.”
“You should join them, Sargent Emory. Bring Lee and Jacobs with you,” Baston said to the three soldiers with him.
Unlike Rohannan’s people, Emory and Lee were women while Jacobs was a man. They all saluted smartly and rode their horses over to where Elasha was hopping up into her saddle. The three of them watched as the others rode off towards Tyrael without looking back.
Aquilan was certain that Elasha was going to breathlessly tell Vesslan what had happened and beg her father for forgiveness. But it wasn’t Elasha who had failed in ferrying him to a place where Vesslan thought he could control things, it was Aquilan’s failure for ever allowing Vesslan to think he had any say over Aquilan at all.
Aquilan lightly mounted Erendiel and Rhalyf did the same with Silveril. The three of them started at a brisker pace towards the city. Perhaps it hadn’t been the thought of politics or the Shadow that had caused him to delay his arrival. Maybe it had been Vesslan all the time. Now he wished to get to Tyrael and sort out what had been happening in his absence.
“General Baston, as I’m sure you’re aware, I wished us to have a plain discussion,” Aquilan said. “Without artifice or the need to shade our words based on who could overhear us.”
Baston nodded. “I did get that.”
“Lord Rhalyf Neres is my most trusted advisor and constant companion. His discretion is unmatched so you may say anything in front of him that you would just to me,” Aquilan told him.
Rhalyf grinned. “Secrets die with me, General.”
“Handy.” Baston’s dark eyes slid to Aquilan as a faint smile played on his lips. “I have to say that I am glad you are open to such a conversation. Your brother has found little call to discuss anything with me. Plainly or otherwise.”
“I have had certain reports from my brother, Vesslan, but as in all things, that is only half the story. Possibly less,” Aquilan added the last with a bitter twist of lips. “I would hear the rest from you.”
“Emissary Vesslan is dealing with various factions whose needs and wants are not perfectly aligned,” Baston said generously. “Hell, some of them are directly opposed.”
“And how has he handled them?” Aquilan asked, then added as he remembered his own stricture to speak plainly, “Has there been violence used against humanity?”
Baston grimaced. “Close, but both sides have backed off. Officially anyway.”
“ Officially ?” Rhalyf focused on that word as did Aquilan.
“While there has been no violence between guards and human citizens or the Separatists, there have been growing instances of altercations between humans and other species generally. Further, I’ve heard reports of humans being barred from stores run by other species,” Baston explained, his expression darkening. “Prejudice is growing. These things are done by citizens, not officials of any sort. Yet these crimes are not looked into carefully and I’ve yet to see any of the perpetrators punished by anything but slaps on the wrist. If that.”
“I see.” Aquilan’s hands tightened on the reins. “If such acts are tolerated, they flourish and grow.”
“Like weeds in a flower bed,” Baston agreed with a nod. “I’ve brought those concerns to Emissary Vesslan, but he has not seen it my way. He believes I am exaggerating and that humanity must simply adapt to the ways of this new world where we are on the bottom and others are on the top.”
“Of course, he thinks that,” Rhalyf muttered.
Aquilan knew he had rolled the dice by giving his brother power here. He had hoped–foolishly–that his elder brother would behave differently. But Vesslan viewed even other Aravae who might or might not have “too much” Kindreth blood as lesser beings. What should he have expected Vesslan to view humans as? Mortal and without magic, they likely appeared as grubs to his elder brother.
I thought he would behave differently for me. That is the truth of it.
“This will be addressed. The guilty will be punished and a message will be sent,” Aquilan stated firmly.
Baston cast him a curious look. “Forgive me, King Aquilan, but I’m used to a democracy where leaders have to bargain to get other parts of the government to act. But I suppose as a king you do not. What you say goes.”
“The Radiant Council has some say in limited matters such as war, but my word is law for the most part,” Aquilan said.
“I see. Well, I look forward to witnessing this particular law change,” Baston said. He chewed his inner cheek before continuing, “But there’s more I’m hoping you can assist with, but it might even be beyond a king’s power.”
“Oh? What?”
Baston let out a breath through his lips. “I think it is easy to believe what is best is what is wanted and will solve all problems. But, sometimes, it will just cause more.”
“Meaning we should not reclaim the ruins?” Aquilan guessed.
But Baston shook his head, which surprised him. “They’re going to be reclaimed whether or not your magic hastens the progress. We can’t maintain them. We can’t live in them. To keep them is a waste of land and resources. And, as you so wisely pointed out, the Leviathan anchored many of their rifts in these locations so they are not safe either.”
“So what do you mean, General?” Rhalyf asked.
Baston smiled thinly. “It’s the bigger issue that Emissary Vesslan has been missing. The anger and hurt over the ruins are but a symptom of what’s truly wrong. I believe some of the prejudice that humanity is seeing is another symptom of it. You see, you might have saved humanity from the Leviathan, but you haven’t yet made a place for us in this new world of yours.”
Aquilan frowned. “I do not understand. Are the stipends not sufficient for your people to live well?”
Then he remembered Elasha’s words about Baston wanting human soldiers to assist in fighting the Leviathan. But even if there were enough humans that he could in good conscience risk their lives, Leviathan could only be killed by magic, which humans could not wield or use in any way.
“Somehow I have a feeling that the General is going to tell you that the stipends are the problem, but not because they’re too much,” Rhalyf chuckled sadly. “The humans want to work for their money, right, General?”
“Humans want to be a part of society, Lord Neres. An equal part. That means being able to get a job and make sufficient funds to support themselves without a handout, which is not something many humans are able to do right now,” Baston explained. “My two boys are prime examples of humans having to fight and scrape in order to get even the most basic of positions.”
“You have two sons?” Aquilan asked.
Baston beamed, clearly proud of them. “They’re not mine by blood, but in every way that counts they are my children and I could not be prouder of them.”
“Ah, you adopted them after the war?” Aquilan guessed.
Such adoptions had been a common occurrence as many human parents had died. Many children had died too, but those who had survived had been placed with families like Baston’s.
“My wife and I did though they were already adults when the war broke out. But they saved our daughter’s life. Finley, Declan and Gemma were the only three survivors of the Battle of Lightwell, King Aquilan,” Baston explained.
Iefyr.
Aquilan’s heart skipped a beat. The Shadow was the General’s adopted son?! He would meet the young man again for certain. It would not be some chance encounter on the street, but something that would be planned. Baston was the leader of the humans. He and Aquilan would be thrust together many times. And the Shadow–was it Finley or Declan?--would be a part of that. He licked suddenly dry lips.
What will you say when we meet, Shadow? Aquilan thought, but then he answered his own question, He will say nothing. I am making more of that moment than he ever has.
“Ah, yes, I… I recall them. I saw them that day,” Aquilan finally got out.
“Yes, they saw you, too,” Baston chuckled, completely unaware of Aquilan’s surging heart rate, though Rhalyf gave him a strange glance. “Declan and Finley protected my dear Gemma against the Leviathan for twelve hours.”
He remembered that kitchen knife in the Shadow’s hand. How could that have protected them? Impossible!
“Forgive me, General, but the only thing that saved them that day was luck,” Rhalyf pointed out. “As I’m sure you’re well aware, none of your weapons can harm the Levithan. Not to take anything away from those young men’s actions–”
“Yet you would do that by assigning their survival to luck ,” Baston’s voice was crisp. “But I know that they killed Leviathan. Declan did anyway.”
Declan? Declan is the Shadow , Aquilan thought, suddenly sure of it.
“How?” Rhalyf’s brow furrowed, clearly still perplexed.
“I don’t know,” Baston said after several long moments.
“But you said–”
“They haven’t told me and I haven’t asked. I won’t ask,” Baston cut in before Rhalyf could inquire further. “But Declan fought the Leviathan with Finley at his side and kept them all safe until King Aquilan arrived and his light vanquished the rest of them.”
Aquilan remembered Declan standing there, staring at him, with those eyes filled with awe and disdain. Despite what Rhalyf had said–despite what Aquilan, himself, knew about humans and magic–Aquilan was certain that Declan had fought that night. Fought long and hard against an overwhelming enemy until they were all dead
Iefyr , the word echoed in his mind.
“Why won’t they speak of their triumph?” Rhalyf asked, clearly flummoxed by this lack of pride in their kills.
His best friend was often a tad bit overzealous in discussing his. He’d go into great detail, describing his kills with relish. The more dangerous, the more daring, the more zeal filled his voice as he regaled everyone with them. Many were surprised at what they saw as his bloodthirstiness, because he was so easy going in all other ways. Sometimes Aquilan believed his best friend got out all his aggression through these battles so that he could be so easy going. He wondered what would happen now that the war was over and that release would no longer be there.
“They saw all their friends and family killed, Lord Neres,” Baston answered grimly. “Many people have become emotionally unbalanced since the Leviathan’s first attack and the remaking of the world five years ago. Some have even gone completely mad and run into the rifts that randomly rip open the air around them. They’ve embraced the death that they had eluded before.”
“So you don’t speak of it for fear of generating an emotional harm?” Aquilan asked softly.
“Yes,” Baston answered firmly. Then his jaw muscles clenched and released. “Though it would help me in my own quest to prove that humanity can fight that much easier if we did. But I won’t risk my boys’ mental health over it.”
Rhalyf lifted his eyebrows at Aquilan, clearly thinking that this was the General’s fancy and not the truth.
But Rhalyf wasn’t there when I saw the Shadow. I had sent him to lead other Battle Mages elsewhere. So I cannot blame him for doubting the General’s words.
“But back to my greater point, Declan managed to secure a bartending position at the Sudden Dawn Inn, one of the only humans to do so, despite it being a service job that should be accessible to many more of my kind. Granted, he’s able to control crowds better than most, but still, he should not be the only human bartender in town.” Baston was smiling again as he spoke of one of his sons.
“I’m impressed!” Rhalyf chuckled. “Dwarven taverns are not for the faint of heart.”
“No, but Declan can handle himself. If you’d seen him take down six orcs like I did–
“Now, you really are pulling our legs, General! Six orcs?!” Rhalyf laughed, more delighted by the lie than offended.
Humans weren’t strong or fast or anything really compared to other species, especially to orcs who could crush skulls with their bare hands. So Aquilan was lifting an eyebrow, too, but Baston did not even crack a smile.
“Yes, six . By himself. He conked one over the head with a chair,” he recounted, miming some of Declan’s actions. “He disarmed another before knocking that orc unconscious with his own hammer. He snapped the third one’s leg. He smashed the fourth one’s head into a wall. There’s still a mark where it happened. The fifth he slammed with a two-footed kick through the front door.”
Rhalyf’s mouth was hanging open in evident shock and even more amusement. But Aquilan was not amused. He could almost see the Shadow moving just like that. With ease and deadly precision.
“And the sixth?” Rhalyf asked. “You’ve only gone through the fate of five , dear General.”
“Ah, the sixth . Having seen his brethren dispatched so thoroughly, he set down his weapons and asked to join Declan’s clan.” Here, Baston grinned fondly.
“Oh, you tickle me, General!” Rhalyf laughed delightedly. “A human with an orc follower?!”
“I thought Snaglak would be angry–intent on revenge–for Declan’s complete and utter victory over his clan-mates. But Snaglak gave Declan a toothy grin and clapped his hands together in delight at Declan’s martial mastery,” Baston told him. “He called Declan a powerful leader and pledged to join him and do whatever he says. And he has.”
“You actually saw this fight?” Rhalyf goggled.
“I did.” The General nodded. “But don’t take my word for it. Both my boys and Snaglak will be at the Dawn. You can ask them yourselves what happened. Declan will likely downplay his prowess, but Snaglak will detail it for you with sound effects.”
The last had Baston wincing as if those sound effects had been very loud.
“I cannot wait to meet your boys, General!” Rhalyf slapped his right thigh in glee. “They sound marvelous! Don’t you think so, Aquilan?”
Aquilan found himself nodding stiffly. The Shadow– Declan , he reminded himself–would be just the sort of warrior to fight like that, to fight to the end, against impossible odds and not to stop.
Iefyr.
“Well, if Declan is as resourceful as you say, no wonder he is a bartender for Helgrom,” Rhalyf continued in his happy way. “That dwarf has high standards.”
“Yes, and my other son, Finley, is as clever as Declan is strong and fast. He is preparing to take the entrance exam for the Taranth Academy of Magic and the Arcane Arts,” Baston said, puffing his chest out. “He’s learned so much of your history and skills that he has created a role-playing game around it all. It’s quite accurate from what people tell me. He’s the one who is teaching me Katyr.”
Rhalyf was blinking. “Ah, Finley thinks he’s going to be accepted into the Academy?”
“But humans have no magic, General,” Aquilan found himself saying stupidly.
“He will pass the entrance exam, which requires no magical ability, I believe,” Baston answered without doubt. “That is all that is required to attend the Academy. If he is not admitted then it all but prove my greater point that while you saved us from extinction, you have not made a place for us. Prejudice is rampant. As I’ve stated, few people will hire humans for jobs that they can clearly do. None whatsoever have been allowed into your academies. Most are expected to simply do nothing with their lives and simply accept their lot as second-class citizens.”
“Doing nothing is quite glorious, in my humble opinion, General. I’m rather looking forward to all the nothing I shall be doing now that the Leviathan are back in their holes,” Rhalyf said as he tossed his wild mane of dark hair over his shoulder.
“Yes, but when all of your time can be filled with leisure then it loses its spark and people lose hope,” Baston explained. “Humans need to be integrated into the world more, King Aquilan. Not just for our sake, but for society’s. Your brother barely tolerates us and he does not think that humans have anything to offer. But that simply isn’t true. A mortal’s perspective can help some of the gridlock that has developed in your government, among many other things.”
“And you feel my brother is not giving humanity that chance?” Aquilan asked.
“He isn’t interested in doing so,” Baston qualified. “Think of it as mostly benign–and some malignant–neglect. In the human world, before all this happened, we found that diversity of people, experiences, backgrounds and more led to a far more vibrant and successful society overall.”
It was the malignant aspects Baston had mentioned that Aquilan was most concerned about. He knew there was more of that than the General knew or would say.
“I will think about what you have said, General,” Aquilan answered evenly.
“Do not think too long, King Aquilan. Our lives are brief compared to yours and any delay can impact generation after generation,” Baston counseled.
They had passed into Tyrael’s outskirts when the discussion had started. Now, the General had them turning down a broad avenue, graced with many large trees that had been magically quickened after the war. They now looked like they had been there for 100 years. Still terribly young, but settled .
While the avenue was lovely and spacious with the scent of flowers perfuming the air, Aquilan found himself tensing up the deeper they moved into Tyrael. He knew they would reach the inn at any moment and inside would be the Shadow. Declan , he corrected. But such a normal name didn’t suit the Shadow.
Unless it does and I have built him up into something he is not. I must be rational about all of this, he chided himself.
But he found his eyes constantly roving around as if looking for the young man and that was how he actually found him.
The Shadow was collapsed on the ground near a keg that was opened and draining its contents into a sewer. He was mostly covered with a long hooded, black jacket. But his face was turned to the side and Aquilan would recognize that visage anywhere. It was not the meeting that he had imagined in any way. For the Shadow–for Declan –was crawling towards the thin shadows cast by the nearby trees. His fingers dug desperately into the earth as he dragged himself forward.
“Declan?! My God, what’s wrong? What happened?” The General cried as he leaped off of his horse and ran to the young, slender figure. “Are you injured? Are you sick?”
“L-light. So… so bright . Need… darkness,” Declan wheezed weakly.
Declan cried out in agony when the General tried turning him on his back and exposed his face to the light. The young man turtled in on himself, seeking darkness above all else.
Aquilan jumped off of his horse and moved to join the General. He’d been so stunned by seeing the Shadow that he’d been shocked into immobility for a moment. But now he felt almost as much alarm as the General was experiencing. To his surprise, Rhalyf made no such move.
As he rushed past his best friend, he glanced up and saw the strangest expression on Rhalyf’s handsome face. First, there was shock, utter and complete shock, and then… Rhalyf’s lips writhed back from his teeth and he was glaring at Declan as if his sheer existence angered him. Enraged him. The expression was gone so quickly though that he believed he must have been mistaken. Why would Rhalyf be angry at a young man he’d never met? But the thought fled as he crouched down by Declan’s side.
“What is the matter? Has he ever been ill like this before?” Aquilan asked as his hands glowed with golden light.
“No, never. Declan’s as healthy as a horse! I’ve never even seen him catch a cold!” Baston explained as he gripped one of Declan’s shoulders.
Concern was carved into his ebony face. Death and loss had been so severe during the war for humanity, Aquilan guessed that to see someone even ill was to be thrown back into those dark times.
He moved his hands swiftly over the curled up form of the young man. His magical senses detected no wounds, but Declan’s whole body was convulsing. He was suffering that was clear even if Aquilan couldn’t identify the cause.
“The light,” Rhalyf’s voice rose up behind him, deeper than usual.
He glanced over his shoulder at his best friend. “What?”
“He mentioned the light,” Rhalfy answered, his expression so studiously neutral as to be alarming. “Looks like he was draining that fairy cursed beer when the… the light became too much for him. Get him inside and he should be fine.”
“Light? Why would that…” Aquilan frowned as he turned back to the young man who was literally hiding every part of his skin from the sunlight. Whatever the reason, Declan clearly was light sensitive and suffering from exposure. “Let’s get him inside.”
“Declan, can you walk?” Baston asked.
“No need for that, General. I can carry him,” Aquilan said as he easily lifted the young man into his arms.
Declan was not small, but he felt light to Aquilan. Declan didn’t unturtle himself, but cringed further down into Aquilan’s arms, turning his front so that he could bury his head against Aquilan’s chest. If he could have crawled inside of Aquilan’s armor, the king guessed, he would have.
“The inn is just there,” Baston said as he jumped to his feet and pointed towards the low, dark wood building a block away.
“Rhalyf, take care of the horses. We’ll meet you inside,” Aquilan said as he briskly started carrying Declan towards the homely dwarven structure with Baston racing after him.
As they neared the entrance to the Dawn, he realized that the Shadow was murmuring something over and over again. He caught part of what Declan said, “... you . Of course, it would be you .”