Deception

8 ¦ The Trek to Castle Halcía

Horrific tales had spread of an acidic rain that charred human and animal flesh on impact and turned even the most fertile soil to dust. I'd never dreamed that the stories were true.

Until now. 

My body gave an involuntary shudder. Images of firestorms, lightning bolts, and magical poison rained upon my consciousness as we walked the ruins of Kratvach. My mind replayed the horrific massacre in front of me as though I'd witnessed it. I almost heard the villagers' frantic screams. 

The fabricated sounds and images morphed into the real memories of my parents' deaths. My memory replayed how Papa's body slumped to the ground. I heard my mother's dying cry as her soul crossed the heavens and entered the ephemeral plane for all eternity.

I would never forget that sound. 

The pain pressed upon my chest, making it hard to breathe. An unknown force seemed to suck all the air out of my lungs.

It had to be him. It took every ounce of strength not to cry out in agony.

"Release me from your cruel magic," I said to the Rider as I pressed my fist against my chest.

"I haven't caused the pain," Darius said in a low grumble. "It comes from deep inside you."

Was that true? I'd never known anguish like this. My chest felt hollow. As though someone had carved out my heart and lungs, leaving only the skeletal husk behind.

Would I always feel this way?

"I can't take away your pain," he said, "but I can teach you how to channel it."

"You'll never turn me into a Shadow Rider," I said. The thought of succumbing to the forces of evil made me shudder. "I can't cast magic. Light or dark."

"Not yet."

With a scowl, I folded my arms across my chest. "Even if I could manipulate matter or energy, I'd never use my anguish to fuel it. That path leads to darkness."

"It also leads to strength."

"At what cost?"

If my parents had respected Darius, he must have been a good man in the past. Now he seemed like a monster. I shivered at the thought of all the heinous acts he might have committed as a Shadow Rider. 

He was my only ally, though. I decided to bite my tongue and remain civil. 

"This place is eerie ... unnatural," I said. 

"After the massacre, the Shadow Riders imbibed the raw energy to fuel their dark magic."

Near the gravel track, I saw the bones of a small child and those of an animal. The skeleton of a pet dog lay beside the human child.

They didn't even spare the animals.

My heart clenched when I grasped the true horror of Kratvach. In silent shock, I wiped away the tears that streamed down my cheeks.

The Shadow Rider cast a cursory glance at me. "Your parents would have felt no pain."

"Why do they do this?" My voice trembled as I pointed back towards the skeletons we'd passed. "I just saw ..." I paused to fight back more tears. "How many more have to suffer?"

"Such things happen in war."

"How much longer will the Gatál keep fighting?"

Darius drew me closer, lifting my chin. It bothered me not being able to see his face. His eyes. They could reveal so much about a person's soul.