Chapter52
Abraxas
I’dfinished the day preparing for our journey into the forest.Itrusted that arrangements had been made, butIhad to see everything with my own eyes before turning in.Ireturned to my tent to findToriwaiting for me there.
“Iseverything to your satisfaction, myDomineeringKing?”Sheknew she could get away with anything if she said it while she smiled like that.
“Yes.”Herface grew serious.
“Abraxas,Ineed you to tell me the truth.Whyare we doing this?Whyare you risking so much for this?”Iwas honestly surprised it had taken her this long to ask.Butseeing the forest had made her realize the danger it held.
Ipulled her to me, and we settled on the cot, her legs lying across my own.
“Thisis something only a few know—Avlynand a few of my other most trusted commanders.AndonlyAvlynknows the whole truth.”Shesqueezed my shoulder and encouraged me. “Youasked whyHadeonfoughtMalech.Thetruth is, he took something from him, something powerful.That’swhat allows him to continue to pull magic from the earth with such strength.Hehas it guarded in his castle by unbreakable wards.Noone can reach it, but with the diadem, we can.Itwas forged when magic flowed freely, and it can break any enchantment.Itcould easily remove the collar on your brother as well.”
Hereyes lit up, but she settled, “OnceIhaveJun,Iwill free him, no matter what.Butif we could breakHadeon’spower, then we could kill him.”Sobloodthirsty, my little bird.
“Yes, and it would be easy.Hehas relied on his magic for far too long.Hewould be crippled without it.”
“Whatdoes he have from theWorldBreaker?” she asked.ButhereIhesitated.Ilied, “Ihave my theories.Butit really doesn’t matter.Whateverit is, we will destroy it.”
Shenodded, “Whatdo you think is happening in the forest?”
“Ido not know, butIam sure we will find out.”
* * *
Istoodat the edge of the forest withToriby my side.Ourgroup spread behind us, two by two with supply carts bringing up the rear.Theair was drenched in fear, but they stood strong as they were trained.OnlyOryxshook, his lips set into a harsh line.Torihad paired him withKaleos, and they stood just behind us, butIcould still hear the man’s teeth chattering.
Butnone of it distracted from the harsh wind that flew out of the forest, like a frozen breath waiting for us.Iunsheathed my sword, andToridid the same.Isaw her wince, her injured arm still hurting her, but she stood strong and determined.
Iraised my sword, and without a word, we entered those cursed woods.Itwas incredible, only a few steps inside the trees, and there was nothing but utter darkness.Twoof the scouts for our party ran ahead now, torches held aloft.Evenwith them lit, we could barely see a few paces ahead.Itwas as if the forest tried to absorb any light that dared enter.
Thetrek was slow as we tried to navigate a path that would allow the supply wagons to follow.Butthis forest was old and dense, and we spent hours just lifting the cart over felled trees and ravines, not to mention leaving waypoints to mark our path out.Ilonged to leave it all behind, to journey on foot alone with justToriat my side, but caution was necessary.
Ifanything lurked in wait for us, it would certainly hear us, as we made more noise thanIthought possible.Thisalso made it difficult to try and listen for any oncoming threats.Wewere ripe for an ambush.
Butafter hours of travel, nothing came for us.Thecohort was exhausted, andIsawToriclutching her arm as she often did when she had pushed herself too far.Wereached a small clearing, andImotioned to stop, “Wemake camp here tonight.”
Torcheswere set around the perimeter of the small space, and everyone went to work setting up tents.Quickly, camp came together, andItook the first watch while the rest ate.Ilooked out into that sea of darkness and saw absolutely nothing.Buteven with the sounds of camp,Icould listen.Thewind whipped around us, andItried to calm it but found it resisted me.
Itseems you have a different master.Iwas annoyed, but still,Ilistened.Soundcame from every direction, but they weren’t the soundsIexpected from a forest.Instead, great creaks and groans met me, and a deep rumbling seemed to permeate the earth.Butnothing sounded close enough to be of concern.
Itwas impossible to tell the time of day, but most of the party ate and quickly crashed into their pallets.
IfeltTorisit down beside me, “Something’sout there, watching us.”Icould feel it too, just beyond my grasp.Butshe slid her hand into mine, lacing our fingers together, “Weface it together.”
Shelaid her head on my shoulder, and suddenly the forest didn’t seem to matter at all.Weremained there in silence as the sounds of the camp settled into the night.Itseemed like everything was calm, until the quiet rumbling of the forest grew deafening.
Snapsand groans from the trees grew closer and surrounded us, but nothing moved within our ring of light.Theground beneath us shook violently, andInearly toppled overTori.Istood, sword drawn, but even then,Icould barely hold myself as the ground moved like a wave under our feet.
Soldiersscampered from their tents, ready for a fight.Butas soon as the noise and motion had started, it ceased, the forest falling into that eerie silence again.
“Everyonealright?”Thesoldiers called out in affirmation.Whathad that been?Torihad walked away from me to check on the others.Ifound her pullingOryxout from under a collapsed tent.Shehelped him stand and checked for injuries when he whispered, “Thewaypoints.”
Ispun to where our last marker had been, just outside the camp.Sureenough, it was gone.Beforeanyone could stop me,Iran to where the next would have been.Nothing.Ihad set it myself, on a very distinct tree with a gaping hole in one side.Butthat was nowhere to be seen either.Iran back to the camp,Torigiving me a scowl and scolding me about running off alone.
Istrode around the clearing, andIsaw it.Thetrees were all different, just beyond that wall of light, as if the very earth beneath us had moved us somewhere new.Ourmarkers were gone, and no navigational devices worked in these infernal woods.Withoutmoving, we had become completely lost.
