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| Whisper of a Demon's Shadow | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Eye of Light | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A web of dreams | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The land will die | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The dead will scream... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ...The Prophecy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chapter Nine: to the east | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At the base of a tree - Thomas was reading over the prophecy and everything that had happed thus far - as well as some things that had yet to happen but sounded grim. A short distance away he could hear Tia and Gnar bantering back and forth. True to what she had told him as they were leaving the mine - the quiet times were over. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I do not care what you say little girl. You will not be telling me how to manage my affairs," the dwarf grumbled. Tia pointed a finger at him and scowled. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Your affairs I could care less about. But you stink! Traipsing around like some stinky animal might have been fine when living in goblin infested squalor - but among civilized people," she began - Gnar belched. "Ugh! Take a bath - wash some of that stink off you or I won't go any further," she protested. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then stay behind and work on trapping yourself some near-sighted husband," the dwarf retorted. Thomas dropped the scroll as he rushed over and stood between the two that were about to take the argument to the next level. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I am sure we can resolve this without resorting to," he began as they both glared at him. "Can't we be reasonable?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I am," they both replied as one. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You don't hear the lad complaining about my manly scent," Gnar stated slapping Thomas on the shoulder - knocking him clear to the ground. Tia looked over at Thomas - almost daring him to speak. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He - is a farmer. He is used to working around animals," she retorted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "And you are a grave-robber. You complain to me of stink?" the dwarf rebutted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Enough!" Thomas shouted from the ground. Both looked over at where Thomas was. "There is a whole lot that must be done and we won't get anywhere squabbling like children," he added seriously. Both were taken aback by his tone. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The little cub has a bit of bite to him," Gnar commented. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So it would seem," Tia added. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If you both are insistent on making this an issue - there is a river just north of those trees," Thomas stated pointing in that direction. The dwarf and necromancer scowled at each other. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So help me - if you try anything," Tia warned. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Don't flatter yourself missy. You're nothing but skin and bones. You look barely more alive than the beasties you play with," the dwarf mocked as he began to walk away. Tia began to conjure a spell to cast at the dwarf when Thomas stopped her. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Please?" he requested. She jerked her hand free and made her way towards the river. Thomas sighed and shook his head. He picked up his belongings and looked at the dirt and dust that was on his arms and hands. "It has been a while," he remarked as he too made his way to the river. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A short while later - Thomas was in the river - watching the fast waters wash by. He listened for any sounds of his traveling companions but could hear little over the sounds of the water. He let his mind wander a bit as he swam out a bit. He looked around at the picturesque scenery around him. It was so perfect that he could almost forget the troubles that they had faced - the prophecy and the dangers they had yet to face. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I didn't think that such places still existed," he remarked. He dived under the water and swam out a bit more. As he opened his eyes as he broke the surface of the water - he found himself face to face with a more than startled Tia. "I - I uhm," he began awkwardly. Tia quickly covered her chest that was barely hidden by the dark waters with her arms. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You pig!" she muttered as she slapped him across the face. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm sorry," he muttered looking away. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If you so much as look at me," she warned as she quickly swam back to shore. He turned to apologize further but was rendered speechless as he saw her quickly leave the river. He could feel himself blushing as he instantly looked away. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I never meant," he began but stopped. He heard her groan. Just then something banged into his head and splashed into the water in front of him. It mildly stunned him but looked over and saw her getting ready to throw another rock. He quickly swam away. "I am so dead," he muttered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A short while later - Gnar was whistling contently as he walked over to where Tia and Thomas were. Both were sitting a fair distance apart from each other and both were doing their best to ignore the other. The dwarf sighed and put his axe down. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I can't leave you kids alone for a second. What happened? And why are you rubbing your head?" he asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She nearly took my head off with a rock," he muttered throwing her a nasty look. She snapped her head over and glared back at him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Wouldn't have happened if you weren't such a pervert," she retorted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I never meant," he began but stopped. "What does it matter - you won't believe me anyway," Thomas muttered as he got up and stormed away. Gnar looked over at Tia who groaned and shook her head. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I am not in the mood for it," she warned. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That may be lass. But you'll get it none the less. Did the boy try something?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No of course not," she retorted. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do you think he intentionally did - whatever it was that he did?" he asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No," she muttered - looking away. The dwarf sighed and nodded. "What?" she asked suspiciously. The dwarf smirked - leaning on his axe. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You aren't just with him because of this prophecy - you - like the boy," he stated pointing at her. She blushed and looked around to see if anyone heard what he said. "I can see it all over your blushing face," he added. She was instantly to her feet holding her hand over his mouth. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You breathe a word of any of this to him - and I swear you had better sleep with one eye open," she hissed. He laughed as he stepped away. "I mean it," she added - but it was clear that it was not a threat he was taking seriously. She groaned and shook her head. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You might want to talk to the lad though - you might have hurt his feelings along with his head," the dwarf commented casually. She muttered a quiet curse at the dwarf for being right. She reluctantly made her way in the direction Thomas had gone down. She saw his standing by a tree - looking back in what had to be the direction of his village - and the life he left behind. She cleared her throat. He looked over his shoulder and saw her standing several yards away. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I come in peace - no rocks," she humorously remarked showing her hands to be empty. The joke didn't bring a smile to his face. She sighed and looked over her shoulder. "I - I just wanted to say that I'm sorry I overreacted. I - I just wasn't expecting you to be there," she said sincerely. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I - wasn't thinking clearly. The place - it was just so peaceful - so perfect. I - completely forgot that anyone else was there," he said in a distant voice. She looked over and saw that he was still looking to his home. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You miss them a lot - don't you," she asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "There was so little there. I thought - I couldn't wait to get away - but now," he began but stopped. He looked over and smiled at her. "Sorry for popping up like that. I can only imagine what must have been going through your mind," he stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Why don't the two of you just kiss and make up and be done with it already," Gnar teased from a short distance away. He laughed as the two looked away from each other. Tia hid her face from Thomas with a hand and glared at the obnoxious dwarf. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Shut up," she muttered under her breath. The dwarf smirked as he walked over to where Thomas was. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "There might be hope for you yet lad. All we need do is get you some descent armor and a manly weapon like Bertha here," he said - proudly displaying the axe to Thomas. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That thing must weigh as much as a cow," he remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Perhaps a little more - this is pure tempered iron - forged by Tirinon - the Master Forge Smith - go on - feel the way she almost floats in your hand," he offered. Tia closed her eyes. She heard Thomas cry out as the axe flipped him over. "Ah - huh. Maybe we need to find you something more befitting one your - stature," he remarked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Quit picking on him," Tia muttered. Gnar picked up his axe and stepped back. Thomas slowly got up and took out the Tear of Darkness. "What are you doing?" she asked curiously. Gnar looked over and saw the chosen one looking at the black diamond. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Something - tells me - that you should hang onto this," Thomas stated - handing the diamond to the dwarf. Gnar looked at it for a few moments before plucking it from his hand. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The Tear of Darkness. You trust me with this?" he asked - seriously surprised. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It will do me little good. Its power is clearly more suited to a fighter. If we have any hope of succeeding," he explained. The dwarf concentrated on the jewel. Seconds later a bright flaming aura surrounded him and his weapon. He closed his hand on it - the aura faded. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Your trust in me - will not be regretted lad. If we happen by the Keep - where my people dwell - I will hook you up with some descent armor and weapon that will be more to your liking," the dwarf reassured as he walked away. Tia walked over to where he was and looked over at Gnar who was still admiring the Tear. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Are you sure that was wise?" she whispered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If we are to get anywhere - we will have to trust each other. I trust you," he pointed out. She smiled at the statement and then returned her attention to the dwarf. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I hope you are right," she began. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I've been wondering though - what exactly does the Eye do? For the life of me I haven't been able to figure it out," he asked - taking out the dagger and looking at the glowing pearl. Tia sighed and took the weapon from him. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The Eye - allows you to see things - that others might not. Like things that have yet to happen - or how people," she began as she looked into the pearl. There she saw an image of her and Thomas passionately kissing each other. She blushed as she handed it back to him. "Can also show some things that you might wish remained hidden," she added modestly. Thomas looked at it then over at her. "What - do you see something?" she asked hesitantly. He smiled and put it away. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So - if I concentrate - I can see things as they as they truly are?" he asked curiously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Yes - and if we are to go against Rubius - that - will be most important. Otherwise we won't be able to survive his traps. His powers over dreams - the mind - he can cloud what you think is real," she replied with a distant voice. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How pleasant. So where do we go from here?" he asked hesitantly. The dwarf cleared his throat. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If you are looking for the rest of these bobbles - I heard a rumor that one such toy was in the possession of a high priest at Tal," he stated - still admiring the Tear. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Tal?" Thomas asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The capital - or I should say - what's left of it," Tia answered. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You know that place?" Thomas asked. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "It was where I lived - before - I had the misfortune of falling into the company of the count," she began. "It used to be my home," she added. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I will admit - it isn't exactly the pearl it used to be," Gnar stated. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "The place is a pit! The people that live there call it the ruined city," she retorted emotionally. "I'm - I'm sorry. I shouldn't have snapped," she quietly added. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Sounds like you haven't too many pleasant memories of home. I'm sorry to hear that," Gnar stated in a surprisingly sincere tone. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You didn't make that city into what it was - the high priest and the rest of the zealots did. My kind won't be all too welcome there now," she replied seriously. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Then - we will do what we must - get what we seek and then vacate before they have time to do anything about it," Thomas reassured. She smiled at him and then looked in the direction of the place she once knew as home. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Let's get this over with," she muttered as they began to walk away. As they did - Lia slipped out from the shadow of a tree and then vanished into thin air. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||