8.

  Faelwen

  The soft thump at the door woke me, followed by Artemis’ signature yawn and stretch, first his front legs, then his back. Before I could react, he leaped onto the bed, his weight landing squarely on my stomach. Air rushed out of me in a pained gasp.

  “I’m awake,” I gritted out, pushing his furry mass aside.

  “Good. We’re leaving. Pack your things and meet me downstairs,” Spook’s voice came from the hall behind the closed door.

  “Okay,” I muttered, barely keeping Artemis from insistently licking my face.

  “What’s gotten into you, buddy?” I asked as he bounced off the bed, tail wagging and eyes wide with urgency. The answer became clear when he bolted the door, glancing back with pleading eyes.

  I really need to go. You know what I mean? I can’t hold it any longer. I heard his voice in my head.

  “Alright, alright,” I said, opening the door for him trying to hold in my laugh. He dashed off, nearly colliding with Jesper in the hall.

  “Watch it, wolf!” Jesper exclaimed, though his smile softened the scolding. His gaze turned to me, eyes widening before he turned away. A big, uncomfortable grin appeared on his face.

  “That nightgown suits you, little lady. You should get dressed.”

  Heat flushed my cheeks. I tugged the hem of my nightgown down and mumbled an apology before retreating into my room. Quickly, I changed and packed my things. It wasn’t much, yet the weight of the backpack still felt oppressive. I cast a wistful glance around the cozy room: the plush bed, the warm hearth, the inviting armchair.

  “I’ll miss this,” I whispered, knowing such comforts wouldn’t be there the rest of my journey.

  Downstairs, breakfast passed quietly. The tongueless maid served us fresh milk and disappeared without a word. Afterward, she handed me a small package of rations for the road, though not enough for two. Confused, I looked at Spook. He avoided my gaze, his posture tense.

  “You’re leaving me alone?” I asked, hurt creeping into my voice.

  Spook didn’t reply, his hood casting a shadow over his face.

  “I’ll lead you out of the city,” he said after a while, unwilling to meet my eyes. And then what? I thought, swallowing the lump of disappointment in my throat. I’d grown to appreciate his company. I didn’t want him to go.

  “Fine,” I snapped, my voice trembling slightly. I forced myself to straighten my shoulders and lift my head. “In that case, let’s not waste precious daylight.”

  Spook nodded, still avoiding eye contact. We exchanged farewells with Jesper as he patted Artemis on the head.

  “May the stars illuminate your path, little elf maiden,” he said, surprising me with a phrase sacred to my kind. According to Artemis, the elves revered the stars, believing them to be homes for departed souls. How much did Jesper truly know about me?

  “I thank you for your hospitality Jesper, and I sincerely hope we’ll meet again,” I answered, meeting his eyes. Jesper bowed gracefully.

  “The pleasure was all mine.”

  I turned to Spook who was already standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Reluctantly I followed him. He led me through winding corridors, eventually entering a lavish bedroom. Jesper’s, probably, with its red-and-black décor and imposing tapestry of a veiled figure wielding a scythe.

  Spook gestured for me to close the curtains. As I obeyed, a stray beam of light hit the tapestry, causing the veiled figures' eyes to glow ominously. A hidden mechanism clicked, and Spook unveiled a secret door behind the tapestry. How did that mechanism work?

  “Ladies first,” he said, gesturing to the darkness beyond as he pulled me from my thoughts. With Artemis at my side, I descended, the air growing colder and damper as we entered the tunnels beneath Westray. The walls bore the same remnants of ancient elven carvings, their meaning fragmented by newer reinforcements. Artemis lamented the destruction, his thoughts brushing against mine.

  Such a shame really.

  I nodded in response.

  The silence was oppressive, broken only by our cautious footsteps. Hours seemed to pass as Spook navigated the maze-like passageways with errorless precision. He moved at a brisk pace as if he had to be somewhere else in time. Why was he in such a hurry? The idea of him leaving me to figure out my path by myself left me nervous. I fiddled with the pendant of my necklace.

  Even if I had just met him. A fragile friendship was beginning to form and I felt anxious to continue on my own with those demons crawling into our realm. We reached a three-way intersection when he froze, tilting his head.

  “What is it?” I whispered, my heart skipping a beat.

  “Shh,” he hissed, his focus sharp. I closed my eyes and let my spirit merge again with Artemis. Through his heightened senses, I caught the faint scent of decay and the sound of something wet and unnatural dragging itself through the darkness. Dread coiled in my stomach as I retreated to my own body.

  “It’s coming from there,” Spook murmured, pointing to the centre tunnel. He turned to face me and saw my trembling body.

  “Hey, little fox, you alright?” He stepped forward and gently put a hand on my shoulder staring into my eyes. I took a deep breath before answering.

  “Yes, I’m fine. I heard the noise too.”

  It was then Artemis yelped and jumped back. A grotesque creature emerged into view, its melted face and torn rags an awful mockery of humanity. It gurgled, its jaw hanging loosely, as though trying to speak. Artemis growled low, his fur bristling. My breath caught.

  “The Underworld has unleashed another demon,” Spook hissed, moving closer to me. He held up one of his daggers, his knuckles turning white with how hard he clasped the hilt. The creature became more visible. And I could see it had no legs anymore, just two weird stumps on the places where his legs should have been. It didn’t look demonic.

  “That is no demon,” I said, reaching out with my magic to investigate further. Faint whispers of a human voice broke through the gurgling; a young man begging for food and release from this pain. Commands in a strange language layered over his cries, blocking my connection. Necromancy.

  Something was controlling this creature through a magical bond, leaving echoes. Echoes I could accidentally hear.

  The creature had stopped moving and looked straight at me. The faint voice in that strange language pulled me forward as if he were someone familiar. I felt drawn to the magic, drawn to the echoes that churned in the creature's mind. Who was controlling this poor thing? Suddenly a familiar force pulled me back.

  What do you think you’re doing?! Don’t send your mind to that creature, Artemis’ voice resounded in my head.

  I—I wasn’t. Was I? Shaking my head, I pulled myself back and looked at Spook.

  “That is no demon,” I repeated. “It’s an undead human controlled by someone.”

  Spook, his eyes still fixed on the creature, whispered through his teeth.

  “Good to know. How do you kill it?”

  “You don’t,” I replied, echoing Artemis’ grim certainty. “It’s already dead.”

  Despair flickered in Spook’s eyes. The creature started to crawl closer, its desperation palpable. His movements were slow and jerky and he seemed disorientated.

  “Where do we have to go?” I asked Spook. He pointed to the tunnel it had come from. The only exit was behind this crawling horror and somebody had to make a move. That somebody was me.

  I took a deep breath. My heart raced as I sprinted forward, jumping over the creature. Behind me I heard Artemis and Spook yell out

  “No!”

  But it was already too late. I jumped over the creature. Its skeletal fingers grazed my ankle, scraping my skin, but too slow to actually hold on to it. A shiver ran down my spine. I reached the other end, bent my knees and rolled back on my feet. Not soon after, I heard Artemis and Spook following and we bolted down the tunnel.

  Not far away from the creature, a strange light beckoned us.

  “There’s the way out!” I yelled in excitement.

  “No it’s not!” Spook responded and grabbed me by the cloak. We skittered to a halt. The light hovered above the ground; a small orb floating within a pentagram etched into the ground. I blinked once… twice. I was seeing it correctly. The markings matched the demon mage’s scroll I found in the cave near Townhaven.

  “Can we go around it?” Spook asked.

  Yes, we can. But don’t touch it. It’s dark magic and it will take you to another realm you’re not ready to experience yet. Old magic from even before the existence of men.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  “Don’t touch that. It’s dark magic,” I repeated Artemis’ words to Spook. Why was this orb here? And what did this all mean? I wasn’t surprised Artemis knew more than he let on, but I’d long since stopped trying to understand why. I had a feeling there was more to his story that he wasn’t ready to share.

  Carefully, we skirted the pentagram, its malevolence palpable. My thoughts churned with questions and theories. The king’s pact with the Fiend, the war between Orion and Edmund, the demon mage’s cryptic scrolls. Somehow it all connected.

  “…Mentor told me about this dark magic. He says that whoever gets involved in the dark magic, will never be able to leave it. You’ll be forever bound to the dark side.” Spook looked back over his shoulder to me, expecting me to answer.

  “What? Oh… ehm..”

  A cheeky grin appeared on his face.

  “You’re far away with your thoughts, little fox. You should be warned, wandering off to places you don’t know brings back evil things.”

  “I would never touch any of that dark stuff, don’t worry,” I reassured him with a smile. “I know the consequences,” I whispered, looking back over my shoulder to the place where we left the creature behind.

  The creature had some magic, I could feel it through our temporary connection. A whisper of his own necromancy clung to him. I wondered how it had died.

  That night, I recorded everything in Barnabas’ notebooks. My theory was taking shape, but one thing was clear; this was more than just the war between Orion and Edmund.

  3E 939 – 13th of the nine moon

  The High King Talron together with Barnabas and a few elves made a pact with the Fiend to banish him from our world. That pact is dwindling. War broke out after Talron started killing all magical beings. The elves left. War continued with Orion sending out his Necromancers to take revenge on all non-magical beings for killing the magi. Even if they unintentionally, or not, also hurt the magi who were in hiding.

  I cursed softly when my ink ran dry. With the water I added, I was able to write my final thoughts down for the night.

  Demons coming to this world, probably because the humans and magi were so busy fighting each other that they didn’t realise the Fiend was trying to take control of the Ancestral Region since its curse is fraying.

  My writing halted for a second. A portal in the tunnel through which that creature had come, had to be created by someone. And since someone controlled that creature... A dreadful feeling creeped over me.

  “Guys, I think we need to keep moving,” I whispered to Artemis and Spook. They had settled close together in the dark, sharing warmth and looked up at me, seemingly annoyed by the interruption.

  “Why?” Spook grumbled, his voice low and irritated. I hesitated, carefully explaining my theory while omitting parts I didn’t think Spook needed to hear. As I spoke, Artemis gave me a knowing smile.

  I knew you’d figure it out. You’ve always been sharp, his thoughts brushed warmly against mine. I fought the urge to smile back, trying to keep my expression serious and focused. Spook frowned, still mulling over my explanation.

  “May I see your notes?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.

  “We have no time,” I said quickly, tucking the sketches and pages out of sight, knowing that if he skimmed through my notebook he might find some paragraphs about my thoughts of him.

  “We have to go.”

  He groaned but got to his feet, stretching stiff muscles.

  “Fine. We’re close anyway, just another mile or two.”

  Reaching out, I let my fingertips graze the cold, smooth wall, activating the ethereal moonlight glow that lit our path. We moved forward cautiously, the oppressive quietness of the tunnels pressing down on us again.

  An hour later, we stopped abruptly at an intersection.

  “This should’ve been the way out,” Spook muttered, staring at the rubble that blocked the tunnel. Rocks had collapsed from the ceiling, sealing off the path.

  “These tunnels are ancient,” he added grimly. “Cave-ins happen. I’ll have to report this to my mentor later. For now, rest here while I figure out a new route.”

  Without waiting for a response, he turned down the left-hand tunnel to explore. I leaned against the wall near the collapsed tunnel, staring at the cracks where faint traces of fresh air wafted through. The scent was maddening. It carried the promise of freedom.

  But here I was, trapped underground. The weight of the walls seemed to press in, and the darkness gnawed at my thoughts, eating away at my courage.

  Don’t close your eyes, I told myself, aware that somewhere in the endless blackness a servant of the Fiend might still prowl. Every faint noise from the tunnels sent jolts of fear through me, though no creature ever emerged.

  Beside me, Artemis was dozing softly, his rhythmic breathing a small comfort. Slowly, I succumbed to sleep as well, unaware that Artemis was guiding my dreams.

  ?? ? ?

  I was eleven again, running through the forest with a wooden sword at my hip and a makeshift bow in my hands. Leaves blurred past as I sprinted ahead of Barnabas, his voice calling out behind me.

  “Hey! Slow down!”

  I ignored him, delighting in the speed and the wind rushing past my face. My legs pumped harder, pushing me toward the edge of the forest where the trees thinned and the hills overlooking the sea awaited. But I didn’t see the hole in the ground. My foot caught, and I tumbled hard onto the forest floor. Pain flared my palms who’d turned raw and were bleeding. My bow lay abandoned in the dirt.

  Look what you’ve done to yourself. Reckless, aren’t you?

  A voice, clear and unfamiliar, echoed in my mind. Startled, I sat up, my heart racing.

  “Who’s there?” I demanded aloud. From the hole, a small wolf emerged, sleek and silver in the sunlight. I froze, knowing enough to fear wolves, but too young to know how to handle one. My instincts screamed, danger! And I reacted with a sharp, terrified cry.

  “Barnabas!” I shouted.

  Hush! The voice scolded. You’re hurting my ears.

  My trembling hand reached for my fallen bow, knocking a bent arrow.

  “Stay out of my head, or I’ll shoot!” I warned him. The wolf tilted its head, almost amused. You’ve got spirit, little one. What do they call you?

  I hesitated, my bowstring taut.

  “Faelwen, daughter of Eyela.”

  Wen, the wolf mused. I like that. I don’t have a nickname yet. Would you give me one?

  The question threw me.

  “Why would I name you? You’re not mine.”

  The wolf stepped closer, his grin toothy but not threatening. I stepped back, lifting my bow defensively.

  We share a bond, you and I. Can’t you feel it? You’re special, Wen. Gifted. Few mortals can hear me, and those who can… well, my kin would call it a curse. I think it’s a gift.

  “What kind of gift?” I asked cautiously.

  “Magic,” Barnabas answered, appearing behind me. He greeted the wolf with a nod. “I see you’ve met my friend. How are you doing, buddy?”

  The wolf yawned, lounging nonchalantly. I wouldn’t say no to a hot meal and a warm fire, he teased. Barnabas chuckled.

  “Don’t you always?”

  “Can we take him home?” I asked, toying with the idea and suddenly feeling less afraid of him. Barnabas considered, then nodded. The wolf’s tail wagged as he fell into step beside me. I followed Barnabas down the hill, the wolf trailing close.

  Why don’t you call me Artemis as a start? The nickname will come another time, he said.

  “Artie,” I repeated, testing the name. The wolf looked up, his eyes bright.

  Not bad.

  I smiled. This felt like the beginning of a long friendship.

  The dream shifted, dissolving like smoke and then I was seeing through Artemis’s eyes. I saw Barnabas’ home. Artemis lay dozing by the fire until Barnabas entered, shaking him awake. Why was Artemis showing me this?

  “What I’m about to tell you is important,” Barnabas said, his tone serious. “But she must never know. She needs to find her own path, without being burdened by her past. Do you understand?”

  Artemis stretched, nodding solemnly.

  I’ll listen, he said. Barnabas started telling. The words blurred as and I couldn’t hear what was being said. Artemis’ worry seemed to grow. The next moment the dream shifted again and I saw Artemis standing next to my small bed.

  I’ll protect you, little one, he promised. As a wolf guards his pack. The dream faded. Cold stone returned and I opened my eyes.

  ?? ? ?

  I woke to the icy darkness of the tunnel, Artemis’ reassuring presence beside me.

  We are pack, I sent him realising he wanted me to remember our bond. I felt his quiet joy in response. Suddenly, a faint noise stirred the silence. My breath caught, heart pounding. I froze, straining to listen.

  “Little fox? Can you turn on the light?” Spook’s whisper reached me, and relief washed over me knowing it was just Spook. I placed a stiff hand on the wall, summoning the cool glow that filled the tunnel.

  “I found another way out,” Spook said. “Follow me.”

  Muscles protesting, I rose and followed Spook with Artemis close at my side.

  “How far is it?” I asked in a soft whisper. “Not far, trust me,” Spook answered.

  At last, we reached a door, dim light seeping through its edges. Spook pushed it open, and brilliant daylight spilled through, momentarily blinding us. But as my eyes adjusted, I realized we were not outside. We were inside a building. Daylight fell through the arched windows and the smell of incense hung in the air.

  “Spook…” I started, uneasy. He raised a hand.

  “It’s fine. If I’m right, this is the Temple of Herdus.”

  I wanted to reach for my map, but Spook turned to me, his face unusually serious.

  “This is where we part ways, little fox.”

  The words hit harder than I expected. I opened my mouth to protest but couldn’t find the words. He saw my distress and hesitated before placing a hand on my shoulder.

  “I’m sorry, but I have to go. I belong to the Basilisk and cannot just leave. You’ll be fine, little fox. Trust me,” he said, softly squeezing my shoulder. I lunged forward and pulled him into a hug, pressing my face against his chest. He stiffened at first, but then put his arms around me and hugged me back. After a moment Spook pulled away. Reluctantly I let him go.

  “Okay,” I managed. He looked me in the eye one more time and I scanned his face as if to remember every detail; His bright blue eyes locking with mine, the scar on his face and his wild auburn coloured hair hidden beneath his hood.

  A cold pinch tightened in my chest. Would I ever see him again? He seemed to scan my face as well before he let me go. He smiled one last time, then turned to exit the building, never once looking back. I stared after him. I don’t know how long I stood there.

  The emptiness hit like a wave. Tears burned, but I fought them back. I wished Spook would come back, see my tears and change his mind.

  “I can’t leave you behind like this,” he would say. His words sounded in my head, even though he was long gone. One tear escaped and rolled over my cheek. I quickly wiped it away. It was stupid to cry over someone you just met. I had learned the hard way in my childhood, not to let your tears flow over something small. That could be seen as a weakness.

  It’s not a weakness, Artemis sounded in my head. Tears are the words you can’t find to describe how you feel. Besides this is not just about Spook leaving. It’s about being alone again. It’s okay to be scared.

  His words broke through my defenses. I sank to the floor, holding myself tightly as the tears fell. Artemis stayed beside me, silent and steady, his presence a lifeline. No one knew how much I cried that night. I knew Artemis would always take care of me, but a familiar feeling of grief and loneliness ate at me. In the end, all I had to learn was how to be strong even with these feelings.