As he slept against the hard brambles, he dreamed of several random recollections: the night his father left and the time he came face to face with a wolf.
The night his father had left had been a stormy one. He was seven at the time, listening to the shouting match that his mother and father had participated in. He barely understood what was going on at the time. When his father left, slamming the front door behind him, he still didn’t comprehend what he was eavesdropping on. As he hid behind his bedroom door, he wondered if his father had gone on an adventure, and if he would let David come with him. Oh…foolish naivety. He didn’t know what had happened, and how that would affect him and his mother.
His mother had bravely explained to him that night that his father was going to explore and go on a journey far, far away. David then had insensitively piped up,
“Can I go with him?” the moment the question was spoken, his mother’s brave façade had come crashing down. He had known then he would never see his father again. He had comforted himself with the wishful thinking of his father’s return. His father wouldn’t forget him. The wooden fish pendant David had made for his father was gone from its usual place on the bed stand. This had surely meant his father had taken it with him and still loved him, right? Surely.
At the time he encountered his first wolf, he had just turned seven. His father had taken him to the Central Peace Havens, where his unfortunate uncle had had his house, possessions and all, mysteriously blown away by an abnormally large gust of wind.
The uncle was now slowly building up his fortune again after resettling in Aarchen, but still hadn’t enough money for food. It seemed like bad luck always befell people who tried to settle in the Central Peace Havens. Because of that fact, it was called Witch’s Canyon. While David’s father was fishing at a stream in Witch’s Canyon, David was playing at Grandeur Chasm, which was close by the stream.
The chasm was shockingly bright and stunning. He was astonished at the myriad of colors and was examining each small rock, each twisted crevice. It was a golden brown and red, a pavilion of shining, fiery colors, and as David was examining the phenomenon, he had heard a kind of curious wailing coming from the chasm. He looked down and spotted a young white wolf. It was standing on a small ledge that separated it from the abyss below. It wailed and howled. To David, for some reason, it sounded like a plea for help. He had gotten his father’s spare fishing basket, looped it with some fishing string, and lowered it down to the wolf. For some reason, he couldn’t leave. The wolf didn’t want to climb in at first, but the ledge started to crumble. It jumped into the basket just in time. With much difficulty, David had hauled the heavy wolf up.
It got out of the basket and growled at David. Or at least he thought it was growling at him, until he saw a dark black shadow behind him. The wolf had gnashed its teeth together, dashing at the bush behind David. The shadow then had disappeared. At that moment, the wolf seemed to have nodded its head to David. He was shocked, not only by its obvious intelligence, but because of its frighteningly beautiful ice blue, starry eyes; noble, yet wild. David had seen packs of wolves howling outside his home, but their eyes were amber and weren’t so brilliant like flames. This wolf’s eyes looked nothing like a wolf’s at all.
With that memory of the blue eyes boring into his, he woke. He then remembered with a rush of all that had happened that night. He was greeted by the sun who was peeping her head out from behind the horizon.
His eyes were red and puffy from the night before. He didn’t even know he had fallen asleep. He didn’t know how he could have with so many people dying. He took one last look at his old home, and remembered what his mother told him: find his father.
He took a deep breath and started to walk away from the ruin, but took a final look. The inn’s red paint had been scraped off and the wood beneath was now black. The mound of carcasses was in front of the horrible scene- the work of the Illia. They were all dead. And none had been spared. But why? David thought. How could so brave a man have fallen to the enemy? He knew in his heart that even if one were brave and skilled, death would claim him eventually.
He started to trudge along at a glacial speed along a road, his heart heavy. He had no plan. He felt empty. He felt like there was nothing good in the world. How could he feel anything when so many people lay dead there on the road? Why was he allowed to live? Why couldn’t they have killed him and save him the task of finding his father? Was Chris, his dear best friend, dead? Everything was gone! Nothing was there anymore. Those ashes felt like his old life. There was nothing left. There was no home to which he could return. He had to find his father in order to find his mother. Couldn’t it have been different?!
He kept trudging along the road. He felt a jagged, hot pain as stones tore at his broken sandals. The Aarchen kingdom’s plains were so barren that if it weren’t for the snow, there’d be no water for miles. Sand was everywhere underneath the layer of winter frost and ice. Death was too.
While he had stared at the faces of the dead, he had vowed he wouldn’t ever kill. Oh. The killings. He could have done something, he should have! By why didn’t he?
He remembered the paralyzing fear that gripped his stomach. He was a coward. But he could at least stop this.
Then he had to start walking again.
For the next few hours, guilt gnawed at the teenager’s insides like a living creature. It consumed him with grief. What if his mother didn’t make it out alive? What was the last thing he had said to her? It wasn’t even a promise that he’d love her forever. It was only a command for her to keep on her blanket.
David continued to trudge along the path that seemed too long, in the weather that was too cold, in the weather that seemed too fair- all mocking his loss.
But what was the point to get angry? He should be planning.
He supposed he could go the Oppol, the capital, but he knew his father wouldn’t be there, and no guard of the palace would let him in for food. They were no charity case. In their feudal society, peasants were of the least importance. He continued to walk towards the Haleth Forest
And after the Haleth Forest
It was then that he heard a whinny.
The Officer’s Alphian horse lay in the middle of the road, a deep gash in his side. David rushed to it. He found that inside the horse’s saddle was a bag of herbs. David tended the wound, taking some of the herbs to form a poultice to relieve the horse of the pain, and to stop infection. Chris’s mother was good with medicine and had taught him how to fight infection when he had cuts on his legs from climbing trees. Chris probably didn’t even make it out of the massacre. Tears welled up in his tears. There was nothing to go back to now.
“So…what exactly happened back there?” the horse whinnied. David wished he could have said he was surprised, but he was far more shocked. Not only was the horse surprisingly recovered already to start speaking, but the voice sounded so human.
“Well…um…I-” David began. The voice had caused him to freeze, including his vocal cords. He decided to tell the story from the top. After he was able to get over the fact that horses could sound so human, he began his story. Afterwards, there was a long silence.
After a time the horse spoke. “My master has always been good to me. He mixed goodies into my oats, along with some potions to grow wings and always took care of me. I hope he’s alright. After something hit me, I kind of lost consciousness….”
“I’m sorry.” David couldn’t go on. “I’m sorry, so sorry. I’m sorry for everything! It was stoppable, but then- Almost everyone’s dead!” he fell onto his knees and sobbed. “And I couldn’t do anything! I don’t know if how many escaped!”
“It’s not your fault. How old are you?” David saw the horse’s tears flow down his long nose.
“Thirteen.”
“That’s the year pages finish their training. Even they still can’t defeat one of the Illia. Bravery will come to you.” His animal eyes were sad.
“No it won’t. It never will.”
“What is your name?”
“It’s David,”
“I’m Starlight,” the horse bowed his head to eat some grass.
“They all died while I hid.” To David’s surprise, Starlight trotted over to him.
“It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have done anything. I wager you’ve been allowed to live- by will of the gods. And my officer…probably was not.”
“The gods?!”
“Yes. It means that you have a purpose in life.”
“What?”
“How should I know? I’m not a celestial being!” Starlight exclaimed. But you cannot give up. Do you see me giving up?! In the midst of the battle, my master told me to run a message to Aarchen, saying how the Illia were back. He-he never bothered to mention he wouldn’t live out the night. But perhaps he’s alive. There’s still hope.”
David saw through his tears and perceived the sunlight. What would mother have said to him? To be strong. To hope. But there was none. What was the point? What would she have done? He thought. He knew. He had to stand up and be strong. After he had completed his quest, the officer wouldn’t have died in vain. “I need to find him.” A steel resolve hardened in his stomach.
“Hmm?” Starlight asked.
“Did you know Officer Harold?” At this, Starlight looked even more sad.
“Officer Harold? Of course! He was the life of every victory party we ever had. I can’t believe he wanted to usurp the throne…I always thought he was rather decent and all, never kicking his horse, you know…” Starlight’s sentence wandered off.
“Oh,” David said slowly, “I was just wondering…”
“You would never believe the training we warhorses have to go through,” Starlight changed topic. David could tell that the stallion had no wish to think of his officer. David could see that he was trying to be brave.
“What kind of training did you learn?”
“Oh,” Starlight shook his tail seeming he enjoyed the attention. And the temporary release of pain. “We learned to thrash out at our opponents, how to carry your master off the battle field. Our whole regime of Alphian horses were then given and distributed to all the important officials.” Here Starlight grinned. “I was given to the most important official. I had dreams of being the best.”
“Sounds interesting,” David said, being polite. Really, it wasn’t interesting at all to someone who was only concerned with nature.
“Yes, when we were colts, we were starting to learn the basics. All of us had to have that wing-making potion every morning so we could grow wings.
“I was so excited at my first battle. My master fought bravely, and I assisted him in any way I could. At that time, Harold was the Kan
“Do you think you’ll be able to walk?” David asked, eyeing the deep gash on the stallion’s side.
“I’ll be fine.” They started limping along, with David supporting the horse. After a while, Starlight asked, “Where are you going to go?”
“I have to look for my father. He’s….well….well…” David said. He knew there would eventually be the time for truth. He wondered if his mother ever escaped the Lenain.
“Hmm…” Starlight mumbled. He didn’t seem to know what to say either. What was there to say when both had lost loved ones?
“Do you see that?” Starlight asked faintly.
“See what?” David replied.
“It’s time to rest! I’m bone tired, and I think that this noble warhorse deserves plenty better than to keep trekking on mile after mile!”
David smiled. “Well, my dear “noble steed,” where do you suppose we rest?” David asked, humoring him.
“Well, my jolly, good fellow,” Starlight replied, his voice an exact imitation of Robert, “right here.” He gestured to the clearing they were standing in.
“Right here?”
“Well, there’s a cottage, but I don’t think it’s safe.”
“Where?” asked a completely stunned David.
“Over there, of course,” said Starlight, exasperated.
“I don’t see it.”
“Really? Is this some sort of fatigue resulting from an empty stomach?” Starlight asked.
“No, I think you’re just tired.”
“I think there’s a cottage over there.”
“That’s not possible. There hasn’t been a single structure in miles! Why would anyone want to build their home in the middle of nowhere? I think that’s just plain silly. Who in their right mind would do that?”
“A loony. Obviously,” said Starlight. David started following the eager Starlight who was heading toward an empty clearing.
“Where is it? Is it close by?” David asked, peering from behind some branches.
“Come on,” Starlight beckoned. The horse went up to what looked like empty space, and knocked. At Starlight’s touch, bursts of color rushed from the place Starlight had knocked, and a whole little cottage appeared, with a cute thatched roof, and a quaint little garden. The door’s sides were ablaze with colorful rays of lights; pink, orange, gold, and white. There was a sign next to the door that said: Welcome.
David rushed forward.
“There’s bound to be food in this house.” He said, unable to contain his excitement.
“But we can’t just help ourselves to people’s food!” That’s-” Starlight protested.
“You’re hungry, aren’t you?” David asked.
“Yes, but-”
“Then come on! This house’s owner is obviously friendly.”
On the sign by the door, the myriad of shining colors shone brightly, that for a moment, David couldn’t see the words on the little wooden sign. When the lights subsided, David saw the words now etched in the wood: Help yourself to anything you want.
“Do you hear that?” Starlight asked.
“Hear what?” David replied. He was greatly puzzled. Horse ears were able to pick up sounds better than humans’. Then, as if the devil were stroking his spine, he felt his heart stop. He slowly turned around as he heard the soft padding of paws on the dry ground. He hardly dared breathe.
Face to face with him was the largest puma he had ever seen. The cat’s body was lean, sinewy, and muscular. It was a frame that commanded respect and admiration. David didn’t know why, but felt that this beast was somehow indirectly familiar. How?
Then, as if for the first time seeing them, the cougar pounced on David’s body. David tried desperately to throw it off, but its claws dug into his flesh. David could feel the blood seep from his deep wounds.
Starlight came to his aid and reared on his hind legs, larger than life. The puma, instead of being afraid, boldly lashed out at Starlight’s stomach, aggravating the horse’s stomach wound. Starlight neighed in pain. David felt his heart go out to him. He tried to rush to the wonderfully courageous stallion, but the cat barred his way.
It hissed, spat, and advanced on David, all at once. David kept backing up, not noticing that he had nowhere to run behind him.
“Go!” Starlight cried. David saw the Alphian horse twisting in agony. David knew that if he did, Starlight would be left behind and would die. He started to climb the tree behind him and heard the puma climbing up after him.
“David! What are you doing?!”
“Saving your life!” David screamed back. He reached out in front of him and grabbed the next branch. Then, after he was on, he clambered farther up and up. The cat kept advancing. Then, David almost overbalanced to his right. He righted himself, but not before realizing that somehow, there was a precipice that wasn’t there before. If he moved into a certain position, the cliff was hidden from view. He then knew what to do. It was slightly risky. He pretended to slip and caught the branch with his hands before he fell. His heart had risen to his throat. He didn’t want to think what would have happened if he hadn’t caught the branch. He checked his position. It concealed the view behind him perfectly.
As he was dangling there, the puma had caught up with him, despite all the dirt and leaves that David had kicked (though accidentally) into the animal’s face. It yowled loudly and sent chills down David’s body. The beast lunged at David’s dangling body. At that moment, David swung himself backward, out of the cat’s reach. The boy could smell the rancid breath of rotting meat coming from the beast’s open mouth. He could feel the hard body barely touch his as his heart skipped a beat.
The puma seemed suspended in mid-air as time seemed to slow. Then it dropped at an alarming rate, plummeting to the valley below. David looked at the animal and felt overwhelming relief.
David quickly climbed down the tree and went to Starlight’s side. The horse moaned. David rebound the herbal poultice, producing a sigh of relief from Starlight.
But the strangest thing happened. Green light flared around the puma’s body, slowly lifting him back up in the air. David couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Hazel eyes stared into his. They were not an animal’s eyes. They looked human.
“Starlight! Get to the cottage!”
“David! I can’t walk. I’ve got a bad feeling about this…”
“We’re going together! Now come on!” David dragged Starlight to the cottage door.
“David! Look out!” Starlight yelled. The cat was almost level with them. David tried to go faster, but the cat kept coming, pursuing them relentlessly. What kind of demonic magic was this? David was almost at the threshold of the cottage. Despite the horse’s protesting, David hauled Starlight in. But the puma was now on the ground. Starlight’s body was halfway through as the cat pounced, paws in midair.
Then David felt adrenaline rush through his veins and strength flow in his blood. Although David hadn’t been able to lift Starlight, let alone drag him a few feet, suddenly, he and Starlight were making steady progress as the cat kept pouncing where their bodies had been. David made one final haul, as the cat’s paws just missed Starlight’s hooves by an inch, and dragged the horse inside. Then, David tried to get the door, but he broke out in a cold sweat and his hands were shaking. He tried grasping the door handle, but it wouldn’t come into his sweaty palms. The cat pounced, closer and closer each time, and David finally kicked to door shut, and heard a resounding thud as the animal’s body hit the wood door frame.
“That was too close for me.”
David rushed over to the horse and attended his wounds. But blood kept seeping through.
“It can’t be,” murmured Starlight. David stroked the stallion’s nose.
“What’s wrong?” David asked gently.
“I- I need some rest. I must be dreaming. It can’t be. It was an animal- not human. Besides…it doesn’t make sense…” he fainted.
David sighed. Should he wake him up? Probably not. The horse had been through so much, and he needed rest for his many gashes to heal. As David looked on the horse’s body, he knew the stallion was likely come out of the scrape with multiple scars on his once glistening, perfect coat of blue-grey. Then David looked around, feeling idle, but knowing he couldn’t do anything to help the horse. Starlight needed rest.
On the shelves were jars of airy substances. The walls were thick and grey in appearance, and gave a cozy feeling. Then, he caught sight of a portrait on the wall.
The portrait showed a graceful, tall woman, who wore clothes fit for a queen. Her eyes were a sea green, and her hair was silver, though she looked young. She could have been a few years older than himself. But what had entranced him about her, was not her radiant beauty, but how she moved against the grey backdrop of the painting. Her eyes roamed hungrily over his, and her hair seemed to blow in different directions as if there was a wind blowing from behind her.
But then, David saw a horrible face replace the woman’s. Although their faces were one and the same, the new face looked proud and haughty. The new expression was so clouded by hate, rage, and (not a trace of) the girl’s former beauty. Suddenly, an icy feeling made its way to David’s stomach.
“Starlight! We need to leave right now. Starlight?” David called out. He saw the stallion peacefully snoring on the rug. “Starlight! Wake up!”
But the Alphian horse did not wake up. In fact, he did not stir. David started to feel panic rising in his chest, and put his hand on the stallion’s chest, and sighed with relief as he felt the strong heart beneath beating strongly, and the chest heave up and down in gentle motions. He was merely asleep.
But he still wasn’t waking up. Why? David attempted to shake and shove the horse out the door, but his muscular frame proved to be too bulky for the thirteen year old.
When he looked back at the frightening portrait, the woman inside had disappeared, only leaving behind her gray backdrop behind.
There was something very wrong with this place. Something wasn’t right. His library books had mentioned strange magic that explorers had found, something like this. And when David turned around, he saw a different girl staring into his brown eyes. In front of him was a white-blonde girl. Her cold gem eyes bore into David. David felt guilty to be standing in her house, despite all the friendly signs outside the door.
“I am David. I’m sorry that we came in your house, but-” and then David went off in a feeble and jumbled explanation of the past events. “What is your name?” he asked, though now the question hung in the air, it seemed a feeble thing to say, and unimportant to know.
“What would you give me if I give you my name? Such things cannot be given freely.” This answer took David by surprise. Her voice was high-pitched and cut the air around them like daggers. And David didn’t know that you couldn’t give your name to anyone freely. “A memory, perhaps?”
“Umm…”
“I will give you the cure for your horse if you give me your true name,” she stated. David supposed she would have been shockingly beautiful had it not been for the haughty look he saw in her face.
“What cure? What’s a true name?” She ignored him.
“Poison.” David then realized that the puma’s claws had been dipped in poison. That’s why Starlight seemed so unwell and so baffled. But why hadn’t it affected him? He had been clawed as well. He peered at the deep gashes. “Just your name. That is all I desire from you. While the poison runs through both you and your horse’s veins, it will have…effects on one who is not human,” she stated. Just then, she seemed to have suddenly warmed and she smiled. David didn’t know what to think of it.
“Why don’t you tell me?” she asked, smiling, and fluttering her eyelashes. “Please. Tell me your name.” she started to edge closer to him.
David could see that she was trying to charm him. You can lure more flies with honey than with vinegar. But he was no fly, and she should know that.
“Umm…I should be going now.” David said, and he got up with a hurry.
“But what about your horse?” she smiled as he turned around. “Stay awhile. Have some food. You look famished.”
“Thanks, but no thanks. I must be going, and I’ll wake up my friend and we’ll find the cure elsewhere.” David didn’t trust her for this “cure”. What if it made Starlight feel worse? She didn’t seem to be a considerable person, for a sharpness made her eyes glint with cold.
“Surely you care more for your animal,” said the girl. This made David’s eyes widen.
“Starli-” he cut himself off. Didn’t the girl just say such things “could not be given freely”? What if that was Starlight’s “true name”? “He’s not any animal.”
“Is your name…Yarry? You look like a Yarry.” She asked, teasing.
“Why…” David asked, “…is my name so important? “Just tell me.” David was starting to lose his patience.
“I would only like to know who I have the pleasure of having in my house.”
“If I give you my name…” David began cautiously. “…you will give me my friend’s cure?”
“That is right.”
“But why is a name so significant?” he asked again.
“Sorceress!” David turned. Starlight was conscious again! The meaning didn’t completely sink in, but when it did, he backed away towards a wall. He wondered what kept her from taking his soul.
Again and again, David had read about fearless adventurers that had ended because of some sorceress taking the adventurers’ souls. He wasn’t sure why the sorceresses took the souls, only that they needed them for survival.
“Wait a moment. Did you just say ‘sorceress’?!”
“Yes!”
“Wait! And she-”
“Don’t tell her your true name! And don’t ask me to repeat myself! You know what I said. Now, let’s LEAVE!”
“You cannot go! You cannot leave here!” the girl’s arms were spread like an eagle soaring in the sky. At first, David thought she was blocking their way, but saw that the door was behind them. In between her hands there was a pulsing blue light. Her hands closed upon the ball of light and her arms suddenly flew away from the source of energy, the light spreading from hand to outstretched hand.
“Agwere!” she yelled. David suddenly felt short of breath and a sharp, ripping pain that made him gasp. The last thing he saw was something silvery escape from his body. Then, everything went black.
David was sucked into a dream where he could only see fire. There was a sweet, yet sad music in the background, yet he hadn’t the faintest idea where it was coming from. The smoke came into his eyes, and he saw no more.
He was still in half dream state, half awake stage, where he couldn’t see anything. He felt a sharp tugging urging him forward, and felt himself be dragged forward, yet there was some resistance that he could not shake off. He gave a sharp twist, and the resistance relinquished its grip.
He awoke and found himself in a metal sphere in a metal, thin framed chair. There was no sadness, no anger, no jealousy or hate, no resentment, and there was no more happiness. Nor was there any more hope left in the world.
He felt empty. Why should he care anymore? It was all hopeless, this task he was assigned, he thought inwardly. Besides, why would he care if people died? They were all going into death’s willing arms eventually. Why not sooner?
What was the point of trying to stop this war? There was no point. None at all! He looked around himself, and didn’t feel the slightest bit of surprise.
David had no idea that the reason there were no more tears or joy in the world was simply because he was now an empty shell of a boy. A boy without a soul.
“David?”
“What?” David asked, not bothering to look around.
“David?” the man said again. His voice was calm and soothing, and didn’t have any timbre in it.
“What?” David asked, bored.
“I’m here. I’m right behind you.”
“I don’t care.”
“I’m here to help.”
“How do you know my name?” David asked.
“David, relax and let me help,” the man said calmly.
“What if I don’t want your help? What if I’m well enough now? What are you supposed to ‘help’ me with, anyways?” He said.
“You just had your soul taken from you. I’m here to help you get it back. And for that, you must walk along with me.”
“Really?” David questioned the old man, sarcasm dripping from his voice.
“You need my help, and you just don’t know it just yet,” the man said. He was being extremely patient.
“I’m not going with you. I’m not going anywhere.”
“You must. You must come with me. Starlight needs you. Without you, he is like a child, unsure of what to do. You must guide him, and assist him. Isn’t that what friendship is? The very core of friendship is selflessness and affection. Don’t you believe that it is a worthy thing to save? You are in the danger of losing yourself for eternity. Let….me…..help.”
David didn’t really know who this person was, yet felt the benevolence of him. He didn’t know what it was that compelled him to do so, but he followed the man obediently, like a small toddler following its parents.
David walked behind the mysterious man, while he led David into room after room. Some rooms were filled with little bottles with the same airy substances he had seen in the cottage, and some whole rooms were filled with gems. It was very strange to be strolling around these caverns.
“What’s inside those bottles?” David asked as they passed through another entire room filled with the airy substances.
“They’re souls, David.” As they continued walking, David couldn’t help wondering if his was among them.
After several rooms, the man stopped. They were both in the cleanest room yet. And again, this one was filled with souls. The souls kept moving and swirling around like vapor, like smoke. They curled into shapes, and one even formed into a single flower.
“Now, all we have to do is find yours.” The man said. Elegantly, he waved his arm, and the bottles soared off their shelves, neatly rearranging them in a line in front of them. “Now, put out your hand, and whichever appeals to you the most, yet it hurts you the most, pick it.”
“How does something appeal to you, yet it hurts?” David asked, slightly puzzled.
“You will see. The pain…is fleeting and momentary. I think you have nothing to fear from pain.” But David wasn’t so sure.
Nightshade Chronicles by Phoenix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
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