Unto the Shadow (Completed)

(Ch.43) The Decision

Once Ryder and Tairin were inside the house it was easy to locate most of their group, despite all being scattered. Pierce and Lane were in his study, pouring over some papers. Eva and Siena were laughing in a front sunroom passing an ancient arrow head back and forth, clearly a normal thing for two warrior's to do in a sunroom in Esera. Everyone acting as if nothing life altering had happened the night before, most not even acknowledging Ryder as she walked by. She had to admit it was nice to fade into the background for a moment, or should she be insulted?

As for Graynin and Jade, there was no sign of either of them. Ryder wasn't exactly sad about that. She didn't know how she could act normal with Graynin and Tairin in the same room right now.

As for not seeing Jade, Ryder felt she might be ok to never see her again. The way Jade had lashed out at her when they ran into each other in the maze had been downright terrifying. Ryder had felt Jade's emotions before she had even rounded the corner. The air had become cold and thick with moisture, and Ryder could feel the hum of power. When Jade's blazing eyes met Ryder's, they seemed as if they would ignite. Ryder had frozen in her tracks, a very real feeling of danger rolling off Jade. Jade had closed the distance between them coming within inches of Ryder's face. Jade stared hard into her eyes, as if looking for something hidden inside.

"I don't understand it. What do they see in you?" She scathed.

"What are you talking about?" Ryder asked, finding her own indignation boiling to the surface.

A vicious smile bloomed on Jades pink lips, and she gently stroked Ryder's cheek. Ryder felt the heat in her chest begin to press out at the antagonistic gesture.

"You don't deserve him." Jade said, and before Ryder could say anything, Jade swept past her and vanished into the winding green maze.

Why didn't Jade think she deserved Graynin? Ryder didn't even want him. Ryder shook her head, chasing away the very cold memory. She had to focus on her goal to find Izalon. Turning up no sign of the old woman, Ryder's nerves began to prickle at the notion that Izolan might have left without her.

As her fear grew, her feet began to move faster. She burst out the front door, and in doing-so nearly ran Izalon over.

"Careful child, it's not as easy for me to recover from being trampled anymore." Izolan said jokingly.

"I want to go with you." Ryder blurted out, her frazzled nerves getting the best of her.

Izalon looked at her through narrowed eyes, skeptically. "And you accept my terms that only Graynin can come?" Her eyes darting to Tairin standing behind Ryder in the doorway.

Ryder nodded . "I accept your terms, if you swear to allow the others to come as soon as possible."

Izalon gave Ryder a broad smile, her bright blue eyes oddly vibrant and youthful compared to her weathered skin. "I agree child."

Finding new strength in her decision, possibly even hope, Ryder asked, "When do we leave?"

"We leave as soon as the horses are ready. I'm just getting back from informing the stable master of our departure."

"Should I go tell him to get my horse ready too?" Ryder said, ready to run down the street.

Izalon shook her head dismissively, "Already done. All three horses will be saddled and packed by the time we are ready to leave."

It was Ryder's turn to look suspicious. "Is that so? You already knew I would say yes?"

"Of course, I did." Izalon said with zeal, "I know you Ryder. You may be struggling to understand everything, but you're not stupid. I knew once you processed the truth, your reason would win out."

"Huh, I'm glad someone has some faith in me."

They both chuckled.

Then Izalon became serious again, the deep wrinkles setting in her tan skin. "Remember Ryder, this is no easy path we are heading down. You will be tried more than you ever thought possible. Your limits pushed beyond what you think you are capable of. Once you start there is no turning back. Are we clear?"

Ryder nodded, "Yes, I understand." She felt Tairin's hand come up and grasp her shoulder in support.

"Then go grab your things child and say your goodbyes. We leave as soon as you are ready." 

Epilogue: The Darkness Lives

Convulsing ripples of sand and stone, sporadically arched from the scorched earth. Burnt wood begrudgingly rolled. Everything fought the unnatural command to move, but none could ignore its power. The burnt wood and sand began to stack, forcefully being woven together, until Ikla felt his red eyes spark to life once again.

His pained consciousness looked around the scorched field, the sun in the sky suggested he had been unraveled for hours, probably the longest he had ever endured. He sat on his haunches and waited. Hours passed by before Gauza's body reassembled from where she had been incinerated by the female Souladeux's fire. He hadn't even been sure his fellow Dakawolves would come back, the purity and strength of the girl's fire had nearly been all consuming for him. Which it seemed it had been for Trist, his time of respawning had come and gone. The girl's fire had reached the depths of Trist's enslaved soul, and had snuffed out what remained of his existence.

Gauza fell-in silently behind Ikla as he began making his way back to the woods. A terse voice called out to them. "About time you dogs woke up."

Ikla turned his large woven head back to see Kaska sitting against a tree, whittling away at a stick with a bronze colored dagger. Kaska's eyes never leaving his work. Kaska's hands and the left side of his face were burned. The pink oozing skin seeming an after-thought as he focused on his work. "I was thinking you might actually be dead, but I guess the dark spirits weren't ready for you to join them."

Ikla stared unforgivingly back at the battered, burnt Kaska. His patience beginning to fray. Kaska finally looked away from his work, his eyes coming up to meet Ikla's. They both stared relentlessly, neither afraid of the other. They both had defied death more times than they could remember. This defiance, however, the closest they had both come to losing the battle.

Kaska sheathed his new Tekana dagger in his boot, and tucked the odd shaped stick into a pouch on his belt. "Hows about we head back to Searian and give him the good news?" His dark eyes narrowing, a gruesome smile spreading across his burnt face.

Ikla tilted his head slightly in question. He didn't understand Kaska's meaning, they had no good news. They had lost their Master's prize and most of the soldiers they had been sent out with.

Kaska's eyes seemed to sparkle with the enjoyment of seeing Ikla's confusion. "The good news that I got him a name, a very important name." Kaska paused letting the importance of his words sink in, thickening the tension of the moment.

Ikla let out a low growl, showing his annoyance with Kaska's theatrics.

Kaska's smile deepened. "Graynin Rathem."