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The first to sprint toward me is the black three-headed dog. She is taller than me, with paws that are larger than my head. Three long snouts with glowing yellow eyes, sharp elongated canines, and pointed ears atop muscular necks that merge into one powerful body make for an intimidating creature who turns into a puppy at my feet.
Each head greets me with a wet, sloppy lick across my cheeks, which I wipe away with my sleeve. I rub each head affectionately, being sure to scratch each neck like she loves.
“I missed you, too.”
Next to approach is the serpent. Iridescent scales trail her body, creating a distractingly beautiful creature. She’s at least twenty feet long in this form and has a girth wider than a tree trunk. If her size doesn’t send a wave of terror straight through you, her multi-spiked morningstar tail will finish you.
She coils around my legs and up my body, putting the slightest hint of pressure on my skin. Her head comes to mine, and we touch our foreheads together. I place my hands on each side of her gigantic head, and I feel her deepen the embrace around my body. A tight hug letting me know she’s happy I’m finally home. I pull back to look into her yellow eyes.
“I’m happy to see you as well.”
The serpent rejoins the circle, and the hare is up next. Her round body, with gray and black fur, hops over to me. The top of her head reaches my chin, but her antlers extend three feet above her head, with prongs jutting out in all directions. She looks up at me with her yellow eyes, then leans into my chest to nuzzle softly while carefully avoiding taking out my eyes with her antlers.
I stroke her head tenderly and whisper to her, “I’m sorry I was gone so long.”
Instinctively, I know she’s missed me the most. My connection with her is stronger than with the others, causing my quests to affect her the hardest.
She hops away to rejoin her siblings, and I expect the final one to come to me. But she doesn’t. She stares at me with the same glowing yellow eyes as her siblings. They’re the distinct eyes of the Cypres. She has always been the most standoffish of the four beasts, but from the flicking of her curved scorpion tail, she, too, is happy to see me.
“Stop pretending you didn’t miss me and get over here,” I say.
She hesitates for a moment, wanting to continue the charade. She’s always overdramatic. She strolls over to me, circling my body while rubbing her head along the way. She’s the same height as the hare, and her black fur tickles my chin as she brushes against me.
I wrap my arms around her neck, pulling her close into a hug.
“You don’t always have to play hard to get,” I say playfully.
She leans into me, and my chest vibrates with her purr for a fleeting moment.
I release her and she saunters back to the other three. I smile at my creatures and give them a nod to show they are free to return to their shadow forms. They bow to me, and in the blink of an eye, they’re nothing but black shadows.
Returning to Hiram and the horses, I climb back atop Midnight and take the reins. We return to our journey with the wind no longer chilling us. The Cypres remain on the edges of our vision until we are out of the forest.
On the other side is the spectacular sight of Umbra’s realm-renowned waterfalls. The horseshoe falls form a semicircle in the onyx stone. A black stone bridge spans the width of the vast pool. Clear, blue water glistens in the moonlight as it descends from the brink high above.
The stars shine bright on this cloudless night, their twinkling reflected in the pools below. The smell of fresh water and rich earth permeates the air, warming my heart and calming my soul.
We approach the pool from which silvery-white, pupil-less eyes stare back at us, just above the surface. The nobu act as security to The Keep, safeguarding it from any would-be intruders.
Their large, scaly heads barely crest the water to peer at us. I walk to the edge, noticing the small ripples from the creatures vibrating with anticipation of a snack. I allow the shadows to seep from my hand as I place my palm on the surface, not breaking the tension. My dark power stretches out along the water, allowing the nobu to know I have returned. Through the black tendrils, I can feel their rough hide, abrasive and cool.
With a distinctplop, their beady eyes disappear under the water. Recalling my shadows, I watch as they disappear into my skin.
“I’m sure the long day of travel has exhausted you. Same with Midnight,” Hiram says. Midnight lets out a loud whinny and moves his head in agreement. I smile and nod my head as well.
“I’ll take Midnight back to the stable so you can head in to eat and get some sleep,” Hiram says.
Climbing off Midnight, I pet his snout before handing the reins over to Hiram. Before taking them, he reaches an open palm out to me, revealing a simple dark metal ring.
“Welcome home, my queen,” Hiram says with a bow.
I slide the adveho ring of Umbra back onto its rightful spot on my left hand. The lore states that the gods created the rings to allow their divinus to travel quickly between two locations. They act similarly to the portals by creating doorways to the location the wearer chooses. They are very powerful trove items, giving the wearer access to any place they can picture in their minds. I often leave mine with my general in case something happens while I am away, opting to travel like a viator on the back of a horse. I know how dangerous the item can be in the wrong hands.
The metal of the ring is warm against my skin. King Oren was notorious for collecting and destroying trove items. He ensured he was the only mortal who could use the adveho power to appear anywhere he wanted. He claimed that he did this for Umbra’s protection, but I know better. He used this item as a bargaining chip to hold over anyone he wanted to control. Now that he’s dead, King Asher and I truly use it to protect our kingdom. I warn Midnight to behave and thank Hiram as he leads the horses back to the stables. I turn to admire the powerful and beautiful waterfalls that tuck The Keep safely away within their stone. A secret castle, hidden from outsiders.
The path into The Keep’s front entrance is down a tunneled walkway on the other side of the pool. The onyx stone glistens in the moonlight as I make my way inside.
A black door hides within the stone. The etchings along the frame are only visible up close. Pushing it open, I step inside for the first time in a week.Home at last.
