“Don’t interrupt me!” she shouted in fury. “This is my chance!” With a powerful blow she struck Erste in the chest, knocking out his breath. But she was too late. The Illusionist had gotten away. “Why did you do that?!”
“You would have given away our position,” said Erste as he got up from the ground and tried to catch his breath. “How could you be so reckless?”
While Ing watched the two of them go at each other, he was in utter shock. Never before had he seen Alma lose her temper like that.
“It looks like it’s time to depart,” she said, her face becoming cryptic and unreadable. “Thanks, Uncle.”
“You’re coming with us, right, Uncle?” asked Ing. With Erste there to accompany them for the remainder of the journey, things would be easier.
“I will go no further than the edge of this town: Akram, they call it,” said Erste. “It is not my place to see you through to the end of your journey. I trained you in the ways of the sword like the knights of old in the days of Erdwick. I must return to Dharma. The Mountains of Promises that lie ahead are no place for an old man like me, Ing. I feel so weary as if every day is growing longer than the one before. You understand, right?”
Ing nodded sadly.
They curved through the town, trying to stay out of sight. It was larger than any town they had been to; it seemed to go on forever. When they were getting close to the edge of it, they heard screams. It sounded like someone was calling for help. The three of them ran over to find a woman lying on the ground.
“What are you doing here?” asked Erste in disbelief. “Why are you inside the realm of the Dark Lord?”
Just then, the woman took the form of a relatively small bat, biting Erste’s hand and drinking the blood.
Ing’s uncle cried out in pain.
Before it could cause any further harm, Ing’s sword came crashing down, severing one of its wings, rendering it unable to fly. Now unable to fight, the bat transformed back into a woman, her right arm no longer upon her shoulder.
“An Uncommoner,” said Erste. “I should have known. They ought to be the worst of Slithzalien’s spies. They can walk as ordinary people, and change shapes at will.”
“We can’t just leave her,” said Ing, looking at the helpless body of the woman, who was now crying in agony on the floor, undoubtedly due to her wound.
“We must,” replied his uncle. “She is one of the beings of darkness. And we do not have time to spare. Let’s move!”
“Erste is right,” confirmed Alma. “She may look pitiful, but she is a harbinger of evil.”
“Fine,” said Ing with a sigh. “We will leave her.”
The three of them continued twisting through the streets shadowed in the eternal twilight that watched over the realm from above, the moon looking down upon the inhabitants.
On the edge of the town, Erste spoke up.
“This is where I leave,” he said. “Good luck to you two.”
The three companions said their farewells and Erste sped off, to Ing’s dismay. Now he would be alone with the person that had betrayed him.
Just as they were about to put Akram behind them, their eyes took focus on one of the particularly deadly beasts of the realm, its legs already powering it full speed ahead towards them. They looked in fear upon its razor sharp claws that looked as though they could tear through human flesh like scissors would through ribbons.
Alma was preparing to fire an arrow, but the beast pounced on her before she could do so, viciously scratching at her arms. A thick stream of blood oozed slowly from the wounds, and Alma expelled a shrill scream in her panic.
Fortunately, Ing was able to force it off with his sword. He slashed down at its chest and a thin red line formed upon its thick hide. It charged at him as Alma let an arrow fly, piercing one of its eyes, delivering the killing blow. It howled in pain and slumped to the ground. Out of breath, the two companions let out sighs of relief in their victory, and returned their weapons to their respective places.
Their destination was drawing ever closer and the feeling of anxiousness began to swell inside Ing until he could barely stand it any longer. He was eager to speak with the mysterious witch of the waters.
Chapter 14: The Return of Hector LaBelle
Inside the large, seven-story tower, dark forces were conversing. There was the cloaked figure, General Soren, and three Illusionists. They were standing on the top floor looking over the ledge.
“WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THE GIRL, MY MASTER?” boomed the general.
“We don’t need to worry about her, general,” said the cloaked figure.
“My lord,” said one of the Illusionists, “I believe she possesses a piece of Bolsee’s Rod.”
“And if I’m not mistaken, Hector holds the other,” said the cloaked figure. “They will come to me in time. Salkar will make sure of it. He has taken control of Ganwin through his advisory of King Oxen. The time of darkness is coming again.”
“That would be nice,” said the Illusionist. “Far too long has the world been covered in this false light. The darkness must blanket the light again.”
“And it will,” said the cloaked figure.
Ing and Alma had put a fair amount of distance between themselves and the town. They were busy trudging along through a snow field, boots plodding through the cold flakes. Wind blew across their bodies, painting their clothes in the pure white snow that drifted peacefully through the Mountains of Promises, home to the Lake of Promises. Everything was quiet all around, creating a strange feeling of peace within Ing’s heart. He watched
