Chapter 5
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Daniel could feel the cool touch of leather against his neck and arms. He wiggled his feet in his socks and could feel carpet, the same carpet that was installed since before his mother bought the apartment. I’m home.
He opened his eyes and saw faded, sky blue walls. The television sat dormant in front of him, the screen black once again. Daniel began to stretch but winced anticipating the pain of moving his broken, right arm, but he was surprised when no searing jolt accompanied his movement. He looked at his arm, massaging it with the fingers of his left and realized that it was not broken. Whatever happens in one place must not affect the other.
Anxiety gripped Daniel and he jumped off the couch. Elle, his brain screamed. He ran toward his room and opened the door. Elle was still asleep, her red hair stretching out behind her in beautiful, red waves. The sheet on Daniel’s bed covering her body traced her curves so perfectly. She looked so beautiful.
His entrance startled Elle. She rolled over and started sleepily massaging her eyes with the back of one hand. “Dan,” she asked, her words cutely slurred. Daniel smiled.
“Hey,” he murmured. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No, no, I was just checking on you.”
Elle smiled. “Okay.” Daniel walked over to the bedside. The closer he drew, the more her smile seemed to grow. Daniel closed his eyes and pressed his lips to her forehead. Her head felt warm, her skin smooth.
“Go back to sleep,” Daniel said softly. “I’ll wake you up when Ryan and Ruth come to get us.”
“Okay,” she said again and rolled over. Daniel’s lips were permanently parted to smile; he ducked out of the room and quietly closed the door.
He laid across the length of the couch for about a half hour, his hands behind his head, mesmerized by all that had happened in Acrya. It was all so incredible, unbelievable even. The more Daniel thought about it, Sain the Guardian, Vaelin and Hade, Heseya, the more it made him think of his dad. All of the letters came back to mind. “See you soon…” Could he be in Acrya, too, Daniel asked himself.
He heard a gentle rapping upon the front door. Daniel walked quietly and put his eye up to the peep hole. In the distorted image was a man in a suit. He looked in his late thirties, early forties with dark, black hair that was gelled and parted to one side. He had a little scruff and square glasses. Daniel opened the door and stared at him. “Can I help you,” he asked quizzically.
“Afternoon,” the man replied stoically. He reached into his blazer pocket and began to unfold a piece of paper. “I am under an investigation for the government. Have you seen this man?”
Daniel stared at the hand-drawn profile of a man. He looked about mid-forties with short hair and an emerging beard. He looked rugged and ruthless. He looks like my father.
Daniel began faking facial gestures as though he was trying to study the picture further. The agent’s expression did not waiver. He was being studied, and the man was letting nothing on. While Daniel was acting, his mind was a flurry of horror and curiosity. What in the world could the government want with my dad? Do they know that he has been trying to contact me? Have they been watching me?
“Nope, I’ve never seen him.” Still nothing, Daniel thought staring into the glasses of the man. “Can I ask why you’re looking for him?”
“He is a ruthless fugitive who has been spotted this area.” A fugitive? The man pulled out a business card and handed it to Daniel who began studying it. “Any and all information regarding this man that you might have, if you see him down the street, anything, call this number and report directly to me.”
“Yes sir, Agent…”
“Norwood.”
“Agent Norwood, I will let you know if anything comes up.”
“Thank you,” Norwood replied in his monotone, business voice before turning and heading down the stairs.
The picture of Daniel’s father in the government passport burned into his mind. If he worked for the government, why are they after him now? Daniel was staring down the stairs, watching Norwood leave and realized that the front door to the apartment complex has a lock which only the tenants have the keys to. That guy broke into our building. He came specifically to see me.
Daniel slammed the door and ran to the front window behind the TV. Norwood was walking down the sidewalk on the opposite end of the street. He seemed to be such an intimidating figure. Any passersby walking in the opposite direction would give him the right of way as they passed. Just as Daniel was watching him walk out of sight he stopped, turned and looked directly into Daniel’s window. Terror made his heart drop faster than the elevator in the Tower of Terror. Norwood’s face was emotionless, but beneath his visage was the gaze of a predator, sharp eyes and a strong will.
They held each other’s gaze until Daniel felt a hand against his shoulder. He jumped awfully, and turned to see Elle studying his expression. She seemed concerned as she looked over his face. By now, Daniel could feel beads of sweat trail down the middle of his back and neck. His hands felt clammy and Daniel could sense that all the blood had gone from his face.
“Who was that,” Elle asked.
“It was some detective looking for a criminal. He tried scaring me because he thought I knew something about the guy.”
“Did you?”
“No, he looked like some wack-job. I’ve never seen the guy before in my life.” Her eyes narrowed, her gaze seeming to transform into a lie detector. Daniel tried to hold his own. He did not like lying to Elle, but Daniel did not want to frighten her if she knew that he and his father were being watched.
“I hope they catch him, then.” Elle wrapped her arms around Daniel. He leaned in to kiss her forehead before squeezing her tight, confused as to whether or not his father is a man he could trust or a man that he should turn in.
†Ѡ†
After they ate with Ruth and Ryan, Elle’s parents called asking her to come home. She did not seem prepared or remotely willing to return, as she and Daniel climbed into his car. The drive was spent in silence, and Elle held onto Daniel’s hand the entire way. He tried to think of things to say, to comfort her, but he was vexed by the silver car that was following them. The sun was falling in the sky, making it just difficult enough to not be able to make out the driver, but Daniel knew that it was Norwood.
Daniel stopped across the road from Elle’s apartment and unbuckled. They walked to the front door hand in hand. “Thank you for today,” Elle said as she kissed Daniel before going back inside. He stood facing her door for a moment before walking back to the car. In his peripherals Daniel noticed that the silver car was about six spots behind his own. He climbed back into his car and adjusted the mirror, attempting to see what Norwood was doing. Daniel strained toward his window in vain and decided to just start the car.
Once Daniel arrived back at the apartment he was still on edge. He noticed that his shoulders were tensed and his breathing labored. Daniel grabbed some clothes and a towel and got in the shower. The water helped to soothe his anxiety. He tried to lay down, but mind was still running a million miles per hour. Thoughts of Acrya began to bubble up. Daniel had journeyed into an entirely separate world all its own. His mind drifted through the battle with Sain. He thought of his father, Augsten, and his picture inside the government passport. Who was my father? What did he do? Why is he a fugitive?
Daniel put his clothes on and walked back to his room, stretching out upon the bed. My brain was still a flurry of activity, but my body was sore and overly stressed. It did not take long for my thoughts to become a dull murmur and sleep to overtake me, my thoughts still lingering on Acrya.
Daniel woke in the basement of Heseya’s home. His right arm was heavy upon his chest, still wrapped in the sling Vaelin had made. The candles shined faintly upon the stone walls, the air cooled by the underground insulation. Daniel sat up and felt rejuvenated. He rolled out of bed delicately and ascended the basement steps. Upstairs, Daniel did not hear any movement, so he walked through the main hall and exited the front door.
It was early morning; a layer of fog caressed the tree tops of the forest ahead. The sunlight was still perching over the canopy which left the gigantic moon still partially illuminated in the atmosphere. Daniel was in awe of such beauty. A gentle wind brushed his clothes and Daniel could smell the same intoxicating aromas of nature that he was accustomed to on Earth. He could feel the open air and it was liberating. It reminded him of a time when he and Ryan had hiked a mountain together.
Ruth was away at an art auction for several of her pieces, and so Ryan decided to take him to Mt. Greylock, a tourist attraction for those avid hikers who ventured into the city, but also a serene place during the fall when tourist attraction had died down a bit. Daniel did not take nearly enough provisions, and very soon into the hike they grew overly weary. Some other hikers passing by offered some water and a few granola bars. Daniel was thankful but Ryan seemed rather embarrassed.
Daniel turned back toward the house to take it all in. The house was a humble thing, but still seemed so elegant. There was a staircase leading from the front door, but there was also a bridge that left from the back corner, its stones painted with moss and lichen. Under it ran a small stream, its bubbling soothing as Daniel sat and talked with Heseya the night of his arrival. There was also a small gazebo that spanned out over the creek. Vaelin stayed there during the night, lighting paper lanterns and keeping quietly to himself.
“So you are back.” Daniel snapped around to see Vaelin climbing the hill leading to the house. “Heseya said that you would not be long. It seems you have better control of your Gift than you knew.”
Daniel stared into his steel eyes. The sunlight cast a shine upon them as though Daniel was staring into a mirror. Vaelin’s face was blank, his eyes unwavering as they were fixed upon Daniel’s. He could not understand if Vaelin was merely curious or if he was truly angered by Daniel’s presence. He did not talk much as we were gathering firewood, perhaps he has a distaste for outsiders?
“This way,” Vaelin motioned, walking passed Daniel and around the house. Daniel followed as they traversed the stone bridge and continued on a path away from the forest. The trees started to thin out the further they walked, but were still as monstrous in size. Their roots were like circuitry jutting out from the trunk in all directions, plummeting into the earthen flesh of Acrya. Daniel wondered how deep the roots ran. In the forest all of the trees seemed interlinked by their canopies, did the roots bind them to each other as well?
The further they walked away from Heseya’s home the more anxious Daniel began to feel. The world was still strange to him, and Daniel was not too keen on venturing out again. A picture of Sain flashed through his mind as he rubbed his arm inside the sling.
“Vaelin, where are we going?” He did not lose pace, his determined step still creating distance between the two of them. Daniel looked at his clawed hands and they were relaxed by his side. He never noticed until now, or perhaps he had never worn them before, but behind Vaelin’s back, attached to his belt were two knives. They were long and curved, the scabbard had an opening on either side that sheathed both blades. The hilts were black with small guards. The scabbard swayed back and forth with each of Vaelin’s steps, but the blades seemed thoroughly fit within their scabbard.
“To the Ormanicai,” he replied, facing forward. Daniel had to strain his neck to try and capture the words as he spoke them.
“Who are they?”
“The Ormanicai are one of the twelve tribes of Acrya. They worship Tsu’ey and aid in preserving the forest.”
“They worship Tsu’ley–but I thought that Sain was the Guardian of the forest?”
“No, Sain has recently emerged and bewitched Tsu’ley. He calls himself the Guardian although he is bringing imbalance to the forest. The Ormanicai believe that Sain is trying to find something, the soul of the forest. That is why Hade and I help fight with the Ormanicai; to free Tsu’ley, but we do not understand how Sain controls him.” Vaelin had stopped along the path and turned to face Daniel. He looked around, not wanting to become trapped again by Vaelin’s gaze once again. The moon was invisible now, the sun around high-noon, if they used the same time as on Earth. There were bird songs in the distance and the faintest of breezes upon Daniel’s skin. “If he is seeking power, Sain must be stopped.” Vaelin’s eyes burned with a visceral pain, it seemed as though his gaze could burn Daniel’s skin.
“But you shot him-twice-didn’t you kill him?”
“It would appear that Sain is not so easy to kill. I shot him several times and Hade tried tearing him open, but he does not seem to feel physical pain. He does not bleed.”
He does not bleed? How could they even kill something that does not feel pain, that shows no sign of dying? “Then, how do you plan to kill it,” Daniel asked.
“That is why we are going to the Ormanicai.”
They walked for some time longer. The trees continued to disappear and were replaced by giant, green mountains. Daniel could feel the wind moving faster here, stronger. Even though they were surrounded by the peaks, Daniel felt so much more freedom than he had ever felt back on Earth. The forest, however vast and large, seemed to feel like a cage. Daniel could breathe fresh air here, no longer stifled by the canopy overhead. He could look up and see the sky, the sun high in its ascent, not guarded by millions of leaves shielding it’s radiance.
Daniel walked slowly, taking everything in. This scene was not something that he could see back at home. For a moment Daniel wished that Elle could be here to share in this. “Vaelin, can all humans dream walk?”
“I know nothing of that,” he replied frankly. “You should ask Heseya of such.” Silence rang in with an eerie chill as another gust caught their clothes. Vaelin always seems on edge about something.
“We are here,” Vaelin spoke, his clawed finger pointing in the distance. There were two peaks cradling the now setting sun, and between them ran a gentle river. They walked along side it as they journeyed closer. Above the river, splitting the gap in the mountains was a stone bridge that led to a series of buildings hugging the southern peak, the village of the Ormanicai.
As they began to traverse the bridge Daniel could see a dozen, small children. They were too far away to make out expressions, but all at once they turned and fled into the village. Daniel smiled as they continued to cross. They reached halfway across the bridge when Vaelin stopped Daniel, his claws digging into Daniel’s shirt.
“What is it,” Daniel asked.
“We must be invited across,” he said with stoic expression. “We wait here.”
Daniel looked up at Vaelin and then stared back out into the village. No one was outside. There was only a faint trail of smoke rising against the blue canvas of the sky, faintly dancing in the wind. Daniel craned his ears but could only hear the gentle rustling of the wind. They waited for some time while no one came.
Just as Daniel was about to speak out three figures began to walk across the bridge. They were tall, about six and a half feet. Daniel could not make out their faces because they were shrouded by masks fashioned from animal skulls. The man in the middle of the three, Daniel supposed to be the leader, had a massive skull with giant antlers. The antlers reminded him of Tsu’Ley. His shoulders were at eye level with the other two. They all had skin as black as coal, darker than any man Daniel had seen before, and around the leader’s shoulders was a sort shroud of black fur covering his entire body. On each of their masked headdresses there was a great mane in the back of some wiry hair. Braided in them were beads and fangs of fallen animals.
Vaelin bowed to them and Daniel awkwardly bent over following suit. The three men leaned ever so slightly to greet them. Daniel went to take a step but noticed that Vaelin did not move. Instead, the three masked men came over to examine them. Vaelin handed over his swords and they motioned for him to continue into the village. He began to walk away but stopped to look back towards Daniel. The darkest of the three was standing over him. Daniel could feel his hot breath gently cascading upon his face. He could see nothing through the mask, almost as if it had become the very man himself. The man reached out with a dark hand through the black feathers of his shawl. His palm stopped inches from Daniel’s chest.
Daniel felt as though the man was searching inside of him. He felt warm, as though the very motions of his body were slowed and brought to sensitivity. Daniel closed his eyes. His heartbeat echoed through his chest like a deep drum, rippling through his skin. His breathing became the motion of the wind, still and resounding.
Daniel felt him, for a moment, as though an electricity came through the man and into Daniel’s body, pulsing with a heat through his veins. Daniel’s memories swam before him, the apartment, his mother, the Stones, Elle. It was as if he was downloading all of Daniel’s memories into his brain. This continued until his mind rested on the government passport image of his father. Daniel felt the hand move away from his body and looked up, again into the mask of the man. A hand rested on Daniel’s back the man gesturing him across the bridge. Daniel stepped lightly, relief washing over his body. He caught up with Vaelin and they continued into the village.
The village was small, cradled in the side of the mountain. Daniel smelled cooking meat and it made his stomach churn, he could not remember the last time he had eaten. The houses in the village were small yurts made out of dead tree branches. As Daniel looked around he noticed that all of the villagers were wearing masks. Even the children, now had oval, painted masks made of wood. They danced around Daniel and Vaelin, eyeing them curiously.
The men with the skulls were leading them to the largest yurt in the center of the village. A pillar of smoke was rising from a hole in the center if the ceiling. Daniel turned and saw that the people of the village were following them, their heads tilting their masks in quizzical gestures. Vaelin stood firm, almost statuesque as he followed behind the the tallest man. The congregation paused as the tallest man lifted a curtain at the front of the yurt and Daniel and Vaelin walked inside.
Daniel could barely breathe, the smoke of the burning fire in the center of the room forming a giant cloud above their heads. He imagined its desperate urge to escape as it clawed through the invisible hole in the roof. On the opposite side of the yurt sat another figure. A hood covered the figure’s face as the smoke danced in small cloud above them. Daniel turned and looked at Vaelin for some expression as to who this person was, but Vaelin remained emotionless. Does he feel anything? They stepped closer, parting round the fire. The tall man instructed them to sit in front of the mysterious figure. Daniel crossed his legs and sat patiently.
The figure removed its hood and Daniel looked into the eyes of a very old man, the folds of time drawing lines upon his face. The man stared at Daniel with deep, brown eyes, like Heseya, that pulled a part of your soul out of you every time you made eye contact. Daniel tried averting his eyes but found himself caught in the old man’s stare. The tall man waved and a boy Daniel’s age came and sat next to them all. The amber light of the fire danced on the boy’s ashen skin.
The old man spoke with a deep, raspy voice. His words came very slow and slurred, but the language was almost melodic. Like a gentle roaring wind, Daniel felt himself at ease amongst the man’s words. “Chieftain Ro’ha says,” the young boy began, staring at the floor, “that Heseya has a new student.” The old man reached out his hand, gesturing Daniel to sit in front of him. Daniel looked again to Vaelin, but he was still as austere. Daniel got up and kneeled before the Chieftain. Ro’ha held out his hands, gesturing for Daniel’s and he placed his own inside the Chieftain’s, palms up. The Chieftain’s hands were calloused and hot, he studied Daniel’s hands for some time before drawing Daniel’s fingers into two small fists.
Again, the Chieftain spoke, and Daniel felt lulled by his gentle roar. “Chieftan Ro’ha says that he sees very much power in you,” began the boy. “But, the path you choose to take will choose your power.”
Chieftain Ro’ha looked up from Daniel’s hands, his gaze now fixed upon Daniel’s face. Daniel stared back quizzically and saw something in the Chieftan’s own eyes. Concern.
Finally Vaelin spoke, “Chieftain, we come requesting to aid in the destruction of Sain. We ask how we might destroy him.”
The Chieftain continued staring into Daniel’s eyes for a long time before he spoke. “The Chieftain says that the Half Breed and the Beast Child have tried killing Sain’s body. What they do not know is how to kill its spirit.”
Daniel severed himself from Ro’ha’s gaze and looked at Vaelin. Vaelin’s eyes shifted momentarily to Daniel before returning to the Chieftain. I have never heard of destroying a spirit, Daniel thought to himself.
“Tell me how we might destroy Sain’s spirit,” Vaelin asked with austerity.
Ro’ha sat back against the wall of his hut and closed his eyes. The young boy reached into a leather bag and pulled out some type of plant leaves which he stuffed into a wooden pipe and handed to the talk man who took a stick of fire and lit the contents. An amber glow lot the end of his pipe. Ro’ha inhaled deeply and exhaled smoke which joined the cloud above his head.
“Sain,” the first word Daniel had understood him say. It reverberated off of the walls with a solid tone that rattled Daniel’s bones. “Sain is tu’etlah. Made spirit. Only place made, place of rest can be killed. Must be burned.”
“So we must burn Sain’s place of origin,” Vaelin repeated in a tone of reassurance, a refueled confidence building in his words. He bowed and Daniel followed his example. The Chieftain lowered his head in return as Daniel and Vaelin rose and left the hut.
The walk back to Heseya’s was a silent one, but Daniel’s mind was swimming with questions. The sun was fading across the sky, the giant, turquoise moon illuminating their path with sapphire rays of light. Vaelin seemed rigid as he walked, his right hand wrapped around the holy of one of his swords.
“Is everything alright,” Daniel asked, feeling foolish about the crack of nervousness in his voice.
Vaelin did not respond. He only tightened his grip on the blade as they continued to walk. Daniel could feel his heart racing in his ears. He wondered why he did not have a weapon, himself, but realized that he would have no idea how to use one. Sain had dispatched him so easy and with little effort. Daniel did not even see the blow coming.
Their pace quickened and Daniel’s breaths grew louder. He scanned their surroundings and noticed the forest growing thicker. They must be getting close now.
Suddenly, Daniel felt a hard shove from Vaelin as he began to sprint. “Run,” Vaelin yelled and Daniel tried to catch up. Vaelin slowed to match his strides, eyes trained on the forest. Neither of his blades were unsheathed, but Daniel noticed Vaelin’s knuckles turning white.
They ran harder, the breath coming to Daniel’s lungs in small inhales, never enough to slate the burning of his chest and legs. He pushed on harder, each impact sending jolts of electricity through his adrenaline-pumped body. His heartbeat was racing twice as fast as he could run, pounding in his ears and temples.
Daniel stared into the woods and he could see it, something was crashing through the forest, snapping limbs off of trees and brush. With an accumulated swiftness, Daniel managed to catch up to Vaelin. “What is it,” Daniel shouted, but Vaelin remained silent, his eyes attatched to the figure in the woods. He turned and saw Heseya’s hut in the distance. From the side of the house, Daniel also saw Hade galloping toward them with incredible speed. He was upon the in seconds.
“Hade,” Vaelin spoke, “get him out of here. Take him into the woods.”
Daniel stopped next to Hade and stared at Vaelin. For the first time he noticed something sprawled across Vaelin’s face, fear. Vaelin unsheathed his swords and poised himself between Daniel and the figure in the woods. Daniel noticed the silence of the forest, and an ominous chill ran up his spine.
“But brother,” Hade growled, “you always said that the forest was–”
“I know what I said, brother. But that is the only place he will be safe.” Hade grabbed Daniel and hoisted him upon his back. Daniel’s heart was still racing with the intensity of the unknown transpiring around him. Hade began to leave before pausing to turn back towards Vaelin. Daniel could feel the tension in Hade’s muscles. He did not want to abandon his brother like this. “Go,” Vaelin shouted. It took a moment more, but Hade finally began galloping toward the forest where Daniel first encountered Sain and Tsu’ley. Daniel watched Vaelin for as long as he could until he and Hade were finally surrounded by trees.
Hade ran hard, the wind and branches whipping passed Daniel’s face, scraping his skin. His hands wrapped tightly around the fur of Hade’s back in tussles. He held on for dear life, his body wracking against Hade’s with every leap. After some time the world began to blur and Daniel only felt his breath and the pulsing rhythm of Hade’s steps. He worried for Vaelin, that perhaps whatever was coming might have killed him, but he buried the thought as he realized where he was.
Hade stopped within the clearing where Daniel had seen Sain. His stomach grew into a knot as they searched the perimeter for any sign of a follower. Daniel’s breath remained caught in his lungs until Hade had finally convinced him that it was safe. He climbed off of Hade’s back and rested upon the rock in the middle of the clearing. Hade was staring back towards Heseya’s house, towards Vaelin. It was as if his very soul was connected to his brother’s, aching from the pain of separation at such a dire moment as this. Hade’s chest was heaving in and out as he tried to catch his breath, his exhales escaped as gigantic, arduous growls. Tension and fear was a thickening cloud blocking Daniel’s thoughts.
Daniel stood and began to walk around, the giant, blue moon casting off its azure rays into the trees. There was no sound, no chirping of birds as had welcomed him on his first journey to Acrya. There was an ominous chill, an ambiguous lifelessness in a forest filled with beauty. Hade’s head suddenly snapped towards the easternmost part of the clearing, his ears perking up. Daniel stared off in the same direction, trying his hardest to catch whatever it was that had so suddenly drawn Hade’s attention.
It was almost non-existent at first, but then Daniel could hear a gentle whirring like a traveling rainstorm. Daniel could feel Hade’s body pressed into his own, shoving him out of the way. There was a loud crash and Daniel rolled through the grass. He struggled to try and see passed Hade who was standing sentient between Daniel and their attacker. Daniel stood, barely noticing the throbbing from his right arm that had not fully healed. He walked around Hade slowly and stared into the bright, crimson eyes of Sain. He was now holding a giant rock, just like the one that was now cratering the ground where Daniel was just standing.
Sain reared back his arm once more and all at once Daniel felt himself riding Hade once more through the forest. The sound of snapping wood accompanied their retreat at the rock landed several yards behind them. They ran forever, it seemed until they found a place in the woods. The light of the sun was beginning to add amber rays across the blue night. The last thing Daniel remembered before falling asleep was Hade standing, staring into the wood like a gargoyle. Daniel’s solemn protector.
Augury and Memory 