The Shadow Summoner

Stronger

We arrive in Kribirsk a few hours later, and of course Aleksander already has a sand skiff waiting.

Armis exits her carriage and stands beside me, staring into the darkness of the Fold," Are you gonna be okay?"

"Probably."

I look at the ground, a little embarrassed about what I ask next," You're coming with us right?"

She chuckles," Of course, you can't get rid of me now."

I smile, and turn to watch Alina get dragged onto the skiff.

I turn back towards Armis," We should probably load onto the skiff."

I shakily board the skiff, Armis right beside me, steadying me.

I lean on the railing, digging through my pockets, until my fingers finally wrap around the familiar object, the Volcra whistle.

I hold it in my fist as I watch the last of the ambassadors board the skiff.

Aleksander and Alina are at the front, facing all of us. 

The skiff begins to move forward slowly as the squallers, push air into the sails.

I bring the whistle to my lips as the skiff is surrounded by darkness, almost all of the volcra know what the whistle means, 'stay away.'

I don't want any of the innocent creatures to be hurt by their dark instincts.

Aleksander begins a speech about something too boring for me to even try to listen to and i zone out, flinching at every sound.

Other than that, the trip goes smoothly, with Armis reassuring me the whole time.

As I feel the darkness start to wane, Aleksander steps up to the very front of the ship and raises his arms.

I watch as the dock, and the people on it come into view.

I feel at the air thickens around us, and Aleksander pushes his hands forward, guiding the shadows forward.

My eyes widen as the fold spreads towards the dock and all of the people who worked and lived in Novo Kribirsk.

No.

I reach out and try to pull back the shadows, but Aleksander is too strong, though I am able to hold in place for a few minutes, allowing a few families to escape.

I continue struggling to pull the shadows back as everyone watches in shock and horror as volcra, begin to swoop down and latch onto the civilians.

Aleksander loosens his hold as he turns and makes Alina glow, in order to keep the volcra away from the skiff.

That small moment is all I need to pull the shadows a few hundred feet back towards us.

Aleksander looks annoyed and nods to one of the guards next to him, and they grab my arms, holding them behind my back.

"NO, STOP."

I shout but the screams of the people newly consumed in the fold drown me out.

Aleksander turns around, not even glancing in my direction. He grabs Mal and drags him to the edge of the skiff.

Alina cries as Aleksander drops Mal onto the sand. He then turns toward Alina, making her shrink the circle of light, until Mal is just barely inside of it.

Alina's face hardens, at times like these I can see why people admire her.

She glares at Aleksander as the breaks the chain around her wrists and dives off of the skiff, taking her light with her as she grabs Mal and runs toward the newly consumed town.

I hear people around me begin to shout, and the guards hold loosens.

I kick the guard in the shin as I make my way through the crowd of scared people to find Armis.

I grab her wrist and she hugs me tightly.

"It's gonna be okay, they won't attack me so stay close."

She nods and I pull her to the edge of the skiff and we jump into the sand.

I keep her close to me, avoiding the places with a lot of volcra.

Eventually we safely make it out of the fold.

I collapse onto the grass, and shadows surround me again, but this time, I'm asleep.

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longer chapter to make up for being gone.

I've been reading comments and apparently in the beginning a few of you thought that Armis was a bad guy and I thought that was kinda funny, since she's based on the kindest person I know.

:)