The Age of Shadow

‘It stopped.’ 

Kamia can still the warmth of Cassia under her blood-soaked hands. She kept the pressure on her wound.

“It’s going to be okay, mom.”

She whispered, her voice raspy and shaking from thirst and the heat of the noon’s sun.

“Kamia,” her companion called to her. “She’s gone.”

“Hold on, Rahil.” She begged, not looking up. “Look, she’s still alive. I can feel her heart beating under my palm.”

But his somber silence made Kamia freeze. She looked down on her mother again. Cassia’s emerald eyes were wide, staring blankly at the canopy above them. Her slightly parted lips were blue. The blood pooled under her hands had turned cold, thickening as it slicked onto her skin. She focused on her heartbeat, only to realize it matched the pounding in her own ears.

She leaned in and pressed her ears against Cassia’s chest.

Silence.

A chill spread across her body. Her face felt numb at the realization. She pushed herself up. Her cheek stained with the blood of her mother. She tried to stand up but her legs gave away under her.

Her eyes were fixated on her mother, lying lifeless on the forest floor. Twigs and leaves tangled in her curly auburn. Her fair freckled face was splattered with blood and dirt. For a second, she tried to convince herself that she maybe playing her a trick. Just like she did when she was a kid.

The Silvan forest was quiet, as if it was mourning with her too. It has lost one of its daughters. Then the cicadas started to sing, louder and louder, filling her ears. Her heart was racing. Her body was cold but she was sweating profusely.

‘It’s just a dream,’ she told herself. ‘A terrible dream. I will wake up in a dirty tavern. Wake up now. Wake up!’

“She’s gone, Kamia.” Rahil’s voice broke the spell.

She watched him quietly picked up a bloody dagger and gave it a quick wipe against his black cloak. He wrapped his fingers around the blade, gently holding it like a flower and offered it to her.

A few minutes ago, that blade was buried into her mother’s chest. Not one part of her wanted to hold it again. Then Rahil slid it in the hilt strapped on her leg.

“We have to go now.” The usual coldness in his voice was back.

“I can’t leave her like this,” she whispered. “She was the kindest soul that walked in Eardyn. She deserves a proper burial.”

“Somebody will find her,” he argued. “We’re not far from Faeldic.”

Far off, a voice echoed faintly through the trees. “Go on back, Dad. There’s a fallen tree here with oyster mushrooms I want to get!”

Rahil grabbed her hand and dragged her behind a tree and pulled her down to the ground.

“Alright, Ren,” said another voice not far from where they hid. “I’m going back to the village now. Be careful.”

“Sure, Dad. I, a full-grown man, will be careful,” the sarcasm was thick in his voice.

His old man laughed. “Say hello to Aster for me.”

The other man scoffed as he walked away.

Kamia knew that carefree voice all too well. She stayed still, eyes following his shadow walk by. Perhaps he’ll understand, she thought for a second. He was her childhood friend. Ren will take care of Cassia.

Rahil’s grip on her hand tightened, as if he senses what she was thinking. When they could no longer hear his footsteps, he released her hand and stood.

“He’s a friend of yours, yes?” Rahil said. “What do you think he will do if he finds you here, with your mother’s blood all over you and her corpse on the ground?”

His dark eyes looked straight into hers, unblinking. “You won’t be welcomed in your home again, Kamia. But if you leave now, you can still avenger her death.”

“It’s up to you,” He ran and disappeared into the trees.

Her heart, heavy with grief, is weighing her, unable to move. But the voice of Rahil kept echoing in her head. He drilled into her that your heart will get you killed. You must use your head.

An urge to hold her mother overtaking her senses. But she knew, if she touched Cassia once more, she wouldn’t be able to walk away.

She straightened her back and cleared her throat.

“In your death, a new life comes forth, daughter of Faeldic. You’ve served the land well, and now, you’ll rest your weary soul in the Land of Eternals,” a sad smile swept across her face as she gazed upon her mother one last time. “But we both know you’ll be dancing around the bonfire the moment you get there.”

She wiped away her tears.

“Goodbye, mom.”

With all the courage and strength, she could muster, she turned around and took one step, and another, and ran after Rahil.

It wasn’t long before she caught up to him. As soon as she closed in, he sped up.

She never liked running. But it was tougher today than she was used to. Her legs felt as if they weren’t hers. It was like running in a dream.

She hated how her sweat and blood drenched clothes clung onto her skin. The rusty smell filled her nose. Her mind was a haze. All she could do was to follow Rahil. She kept her eyes on his back, so focused that she didn’t notice the root protruding from the ground and tripped. She cursed as she wiped the dirt and dried leaves off her face.

“Hey,” Rahil helped her up. His hand wounded tightly around her arm and tugged her forward.“We’re almost there. Focus.”

She nodded in response. When they started again, she followed his tracks, down to right his footsteps. That’s what she has been doing the past two years. Listen and follow.

He finally slowed down and came to a halt. Her lungs were about to burst but his heavy coat wearing companion did not even break a sweat.

“The second Heart of Silva,” Rahil placed his hand on the cypress tree in front of them, disguising itself as something ordinary. “There are only two people alive who knows where it is.”

“And it shall remain that way,” she said in between breaths. After all, knowing where the Hearts of the Forest could lead to its destruction, killing the very thing that gives life to the forest and protects every creature in it.

“Right,” she said as she pulled back the hood of her cloak.

Rahil stepped aside as she made her way to the tree. “Can you remember how you did it?” he asked.

“No,” she said curtly. She placed her hand on the tree and closed her eyes.

“Picture it in your mind,” Rahil said. “The white walls of Caeldig.”

She took a deep breath, but the smell of blood reminded her of her mother, lying alone in the forest. She shook her head, trying to get rid of the memory.

‘Focus,’ she scolded herself. ‘Caeldlig. The city with white walls.’ She kept repeating to herself repeatedly as she slowly placed her hands on the rough trunk of the tree.

“Open the portal, Kamia,” said Rahil.

“If you’d be quiet for a second,” she snapped back.

She shut her eyes tight, eyebrows furrowed. She saw the city once, its white walls crumbled and destroyed. Even from afar, the cries of children and wails of people in pain can be heard. The air stunk with the smell of burning wood and flesh. A lone majestic tree in the middle of the city standing tall on top of the hill.

But with a single flinch of her finger, the image was lost. The blood dried in her hands brought her back to her grief and anger. The storm of emotions was raging in her chest, spreading down to her stomach.

All she wanted right now is to stop. A moment of peace with her mother who she must bury the way she was taught. A place of solace where she could hide away and mourn, and not a single soul to disturb her.

Her nails dug into the dry bark, disintegrating under her touch. And then suddenly, a tingling at the tip of her fingers. It felt warm, like when she held her hands in front of a fire. She heard a gush of wind and when she opened her eyes, there was a large on the tree emitting a faint blue light.

Warmth radiated from the portal, almost inviting her in. She dropped her hands on her side and let the light take her. The sound of the wind got stronger as she was pulled in, it almost sounded like it was calling her name. Or perhaps it was a memory.

“Kamia,” she heard the wind whisper. It was the name her mother and her friends would call her.

This was only the second time she opened a portal. She hoped it would make the travel easier, but it didn’t. It felt like stepping into nothingness followed by a sudden drop into an abyss.

The next thing she heard was thud and the air got knocked out of her lungs as she hit the ground. She opened her eyes and saw the grey sky above them. They were greeted by a gentle rain and muddy earth. She looked around and saw no white walls in sight. Just rows and rows of dead trees covered in mist.

To her side, Rahil was already on his feet patting the dirt off his coat. His raven hair is in disarray, caked with dirt and grass. The disappointment was clear in his face.

“You were distracted,” he said as he looked around trying to figure out where they were.

She looked down at her bloodied hand. “It’s hard not to be,” she said as she wiped them on her white shirt. Despite her effort, her hands are still stained red.

“What’s wrong with this forest?” she breathed. “And what’s that smell?”

Rahil’s face turned pale. “Sulfur,” he breathed. He rushed back to her side, hand on the hilt of his sword, waiting.

“Get up,” he hissed. “Now!”

A loud crackling sound was heard not far from where they were. It was followed by a few more snapping sounds, the rustle of leaves and sounds of birds flying away.

Then, from the corner of her eyes, she saw a set of glowing red eyes through the mist. The tree was slowly coming alive and uprooting itself. It twisted itself, contorting into different shapes. The sound of snapping tree branches echoed. Its low growl vibrated the entire forest. Black saps leaked from its body It branches coiled until it formed into two arms. It slammed on the ground and freed itself from the ground.

Its body split into branches, tangling and weaving into each other until it formed into a shape of beast standing on two feet, arms too long it dragged on the ground. Two long horns protruding from its head and its eyes glowed like embers. It growled so low, almost sounded like a purr. It took one step and the ground shook.

Rahil grabbed her hand and pulled her behind a boulder. They’ve faced many monsters in the past two years, but nothing like this.

“What the hell is that?” she whispered. A cold sweat slid down her cheek.

“It’s a demon,” he breathed. There was fear in his eyes. “This forest is infested.”

The demon screeched as it stretched out arm. A coiled branch shot out swiftly A cracking a cracking sound broke the thick silence as its coiled branch shot out swiftly, followed by a desperate scream. It raised its branch and slowly retracted its arm. It was holding by the ankle. The poor man dangled upside down, screaming for help.

“We have to do something,” she said, her shaking hands reached for the dagger on her waist.

“No,” Rahil protested. “If we attack it, it’ll make more noise and wake up the whole forest. It will be harder to contain.”

She looked at him in complete disbelief. “You convinced me to leave my home to save people and Eardyn. And now you’re asking me to stand down?”

“You’re not ready,” his was voice shaking. “If you die, our chances of defeating the Shadow Queen dies with you.”

“Gods please someone help!” his voice made her raise her head. She could see the silhouette of a man, desperately trying to free himself. Her please drew her in.

Ignoring the warning of Rahil, she slowly approached the demon, keeping herself low on the ground.

“What are you doing?” Rahil protested but followed her still. And when she was close enough to see the prey’s face, her heart dropped to her stomach.

‘No, this can’t be.’Her jaw hung open and she gasped.

It was Ren.