The Shadowvale was one of those places you entered and never left. If you did manage to leave, you were different. You entered the Vale if you were desperate. If your farm was rotting or your family was dying and the only salvation was magic. The Vale reeked of magic. Those people who made it out had lost a part of themselves but had gained something wonderful. Their crops flourished. Their families recovered. They were hollowed out, but magic filled the cracks. It was enough to make some people forget the ones who never returned. The idiots who wanted magic for magic and the feel of the blood of the world in their veins. People like that forgot the danger and the things that lurked under the trees. People like that didn’t listen to the stories of the vix and the reen and the arcanes. People like me.
I peered into the heavy darkness, trying to see the trees around me. I had a lantern, of course, but I didn’t quite need it yet, and I wanted to conserve fuel and matches. Lord knew when I’d get the chance to resupply. There was a path, worn by the feet before me, that I’d followed since entering the Vale. If luck was with me, it would lead straight to the magic.
I’d entered the Vale that morning around ten. After an hour, darkness had crept in. After two, I had trouble seeing. Everyone who’d made it out talked about the dark first. It was never light, and the heart of the Vale, wherever it was, was dark as death.
Oh, magic. Why were you so tempting?
And why did you have to hide in some place so dark? Any sane person would go crazy, though given my reckless adventuring, I couldn’t count myself as one of them. I viciously kicked the rock that had, seconds ago, nearly given me a broken ankle. I was going to find magic, obtain magic, then get the hell out of this stupid forest. Anyone or anything that tried to stop me would get thirty centimeters of steel blade up their nose.
Something snuffled behind me.
I whipped around, my eyes frantically searching for the origin of the sound. As my hand closed on the hilt of my knife, the sound issued again from my right.
My brain ran through multiple strategies. Run? Fight? Climb a tree? I needed to know what the thing was to respond appropriately, but this damn dark-
Snuffle, closer this time. My flight response kicked in and I plunged headfirst into the forest, not caring about my direction or what might be up ahead. My foot landed on a stick with a loud crack, and the thing behind me squeaked. The sound of skittering paws retreated up a tree.
“It. Was. A. Squirrel,” I growled through my teeth. “Stupid little-” I whipped around, panic rising. “Where’s the path?”
“Hello!” A voice called. “Someone there?”
I scanned the shadowy trees for the source of the voice. “Um. Hi?”
“The path’s right over here.” It was a boy’s voice. “Are you lost?”
“What? No.” I struggled through the underbrush in the direction of the traveler. “But thanks.”
I strode out onto the path and stared at the boy. He was about my age of nineteen, with very dark skin and long black hair pulled into a ponytail. I couldn’t make out any more details of his face except a flash of beautiful white teeth. “No problem,” he said. “People have to help each other out, especially here.” He extended a hand. “Pleased to meet you. May I ask your name?”
“It’s-” I stopped. Something felt wrong.
Name- I gasped and yanked my hand back. “You’re-”
“Huh?” he asked, cocking his head quizzically.
“Arcane,” I hissed.
His body became deathly still. “Damn. I almost had you, too.” As he spoke, his voice hollowed out and seemed to echo. His form turned dark with shadows. I frantically scanned every bit of information I had on arcanes: beings of shadow with humanoid shapes that could assume any form. Their danger lay in their ability to control a human using the human’s name. In their natural form, arcanes were already quite strong, but in possession of a human they became very powerful. “I swear you humans are getting smarter.”
My throat was frozen in fear. This monster could kill me right then and there if it wanted. My knife wouldn’t do much against an immortal being. I unstuck my vocal cords “Don’t come near me,” I growled. I unsheathed my knife. “I will find a way to kill you-”
“Ergh.” The arcane crossed its arms. “You come into my home and threaten me with a knife-”
“You tried to possess me!” I shrieked.
“Oh, yeah.” I heard it grin. “Whoops.”
“Whoops?!”
“See you around, human.” The air sighed, and I was alone.
I waited in silence for a second to confirm that it was actually gone, then relaxed my rigid muscles. “Mmmuh,” I whimpered, my weapon hand shaking. I’d never really considered the reality that I’d come in contact with the monsters of the Vale, especially so soon into my journey. I gritted my teeth. I wouldn’t turn back; no arcane could make me. I stuck to my earlier conviction of putting a knife into anything that tried to stop me.
The dark deepened as I continued on. Eventually I was too exhausted to continue, so I tracked down a sturdy tree a little ways off the path and climbed into the thick branches. The hammock I’d packed was lightweight but warm and strong. By sleeping in the trees, I hoped to avoid the reach of some of the nastier monsters, though I was sure many of them could climb. I snarfed down some jerky, dried apples, and water, then dropped into sleep with my knife pressed to my chest.
A bird woke me up.
I couldn’t see it very well, but I made out the little shadow a few meters above me. Its song was unfamiliar but sweet. I fervently hoped it wasn’t carnivorous and about to eat my face.
There were light fluctuations in the Vale. Night was pitch, but during the day it lighted to dusk. I was fairly sure it was morning, though it might’ve been noon. I sat up, my hammock swaying slightly beneath me.
And came face to face with the arcane.
“Yagh!” I yelped, nearly tumbling out of the tree. I gasped as the ground loomed at least seven meters below. “Jerk! You nearly made me fall!”
It snickered. “Whoops.”
The handle of my knife was warm from my palm on it all night. “Are you following me?”
“Maybe.”
I growled. “Don’t.”
“Why not? I haven’t seen another intelligent being in ages. Humans are getting too smart to come here and all the other beasts are mostly staying away. Besides-” It grinned and folded its arms. “-it’s not like you can stop me.”
“Watch me.” I plunged the knife into its chest. It screamed and tossed me back into the hammock with surprising strength. My knife tumbled to the forest floor. “Hey! My knife!”
“Ouch.” The arcane rubbed the wound as it slowly closed. “That hurt.”
“You goaded me into it. And now look what you’ve done.” I gestured at the weapon, lying seven meters down. “Go get it.”
“No. You stabbed me. I don’t have to do anything for you.”
“Murgh,” I grumbled, struggling to take down and pack my hammock.
“You make the strangest noises.”
“Shut up. Go away. Leave me alone.”
“Do you have food? I wouldn’t mind not having to catch my meals.”
“Did you hear what I just said?”
“Sure, sure-” Its stupid voice cut off as I swung my pack at its face. It tumbled gracefully off the branch and lit upon another further down. “Hey!”
I stuck out my tongue. Then I began my descent. The arcane was already on the ground by the time I got there. I picked up my knife but didn’t sheath it. “What do you want?”
“What do you think?”
I tensed. “My name.”
“So you’re not as dumb as I thought you were.”
“Give it up. You’re never getting it.”
It grinned. “Just keep telling yourself that.”
I gripped my knife and stalked back to the path. The monster followed. After five minutes it was still drifting leisurely behind me. I whirled around. “Stop following me!”
It slowed. “You can’t make me.”
“I said I’d find a way to kill you. I still plan on doing that.”
It laughed, sending a trill of fear scraping up my spine. “We’re very hard to kill.”
I grinned. “Just keep telling yourself that,” I said, turning back to the path.
“Oh- you said what I just said- ah ha ha, you must think you’re very funny-”
I bolted down the trail, running as fast as I could in the dark. My eyes had begun to adjust to the blackness, but I still had to be wary of loose stones and eye level sticks. Soft footfalls thumped behind me. The arcane sprinted to my side. “What was that all about?”
I was surprised. I hadn’t expected to be able to hear the footsteps of a being made out of shadow. I remembered how my knife and my pack had connected with its body. It was more solid than it looked. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad one.
The arcane kept pace with me as I ran, then jogged, then slowed to a walk. I must’ve been traveling for an hour by the time I stopped and slumped on a rock. The thing beside me showed no sign of exhaustion.
“You’re never getting my name, you know,” I told it. “Hanging around isn’t going to make me give it up.”
“It’s worth a shot,” it reasoned. “Besides, all I’ve seen for decades is darkness and little furry things. You’re the first creature I’ve met in ages that can hold a conversation.” It cackled. “All those years alone have made me soft. I should’ve just killed you when you found me out.”
I shrank away from the arcane. For a second I’d forgotten it could easily kill me. “I feel so blessed you’re bored.”
“You should!” it agreed. “If I wasn’t I would’ve gotten rid of you. Humans are always messing things up here.”
“Messing things up?”
“Yep. They kill the beasts. I’m not alone because the others up and left, you know.”
I swallowed. “Oh.” Then I mentally slapped myself. Why should I feel bad for these things?
It smirked. I got the feeling that it knew exactly what I was thinking. “Mmm-hmm. Now all that’s left are the stupid ones.”
“Stupid ones?”
“Vix, mostly. Dumb things. Deadly, though. I’d watch out if I were you.”
I glared at it. “I’m already watching out. It’s hard not to when an arcane is hovering around, reminding you of the fact that the only reason you’re still alive is that it’s been bored for the last few decades.”
The arcane’s shadowy face twitched. Even in the dark, I could see it grimacing. “He, if you would. I’m male.”
I choked. “Um. What?”
“I use the pronouns he, his, and him. Practically all animals, plants, and insects have male and female genders. It’s not out of the question that I could be a male arcane.”
“It’s just- I thought- I didn’t know arcanes were-”
“Yes, yes. Humans rarely take the time to understand other creatures. I get it.” It- he- crossed his arms. “But- moving on. Why did you come to the Shadowvale? I’m assuming you’re looking for magic.”
“You assume correctly. You wouldn’t happen to know where I could find some, would you?”
“I would happen to know.”
I blinked. “Really? Where?” I had my suspicions of where it could be, but a definite location would be fantastic.
He grinned. “How about an exchange? I’ll tell you where to go, and you’ll tell me your name.”
I peered into the heavy darkness, trying to see the trees around me. I had a lantern, of course, but I didn’t quite need it yet, and I wanted to conserve fuel and matches. Lord knew when I’d get the chance to resupply. There was a path, worn by the feet before me, that I’d followed since entering the Vale. If luck was with me, it would lead straight to the magic.
I’d entered the Vale that morning around ten. After an hour, darkness had crept in. After two, I had trouble seeing. Everyone who’d made it out talked about the dark first. It was never light, and the heart of the Vale, wherever it was, was dark as death.
Oh, magic. Why were you so tempting?
And why did you have to hide in some place so dark? Any sane person would go crazy, though given my reckless adventuring, I couldn’t count myself as one of them. I viciously kicked the rock that had, seconds ago, nearly given me a broken ankle. I was going to find magic, obtain magic, then get the hell out of this stupid forest. Anyone or anything that tried to stop me would get thirty centimeters of steel blade up their nose.
Something snuffled behind me.
I whipped around, my eyes frantically searching for the origin of the sound. As my hand closed on the hilt of my knife, the sound issued again from my right.
My brain ran through multiple strategies. Run? Fight? Climb a tree? I needed to know what the thing was to respond appropriately, but this damn dark-
Snuffle, closer this time. My flight response kicked in and I plunged headfirst into the forest, not caring about my direction or what might be up ahead. My foot landed on a stick with a loud crack, and the thing behind me squeaked. The sound of skittering paws retreated up a tree.
“It. Was. A. Squirrel,” I growled through my teeth. “Stupid little-” I whipped around, panic rising. “Where’s the path?”
“Hello!” A voice called. “Someone there?”
I scanned the shadowy trees for the source of the voice. “Um. Hi?”
“The path’s right over here.” It was a boy’s voice. “Are you lost?”
“What? No.” I struggled through the underbrush in the direction of the traveler. “But thanks.”
I strode out onto the path and stared at the boy. He was about my age of nineteen, with very dark skin and long black hair pulled into a ponytail. I couldn’t make out any more details of his face except a flash of beautiful white teeth. “No problem,” he said. “People have to help each other out, especially here.” He extended a hand. “Pleased to meet you. May I ask your name?”
“It’s-” I stopped. Something felt wrong.
Name- I gasped and yanked my hand back. “You’re-”
“Huh?” he asked, cocking his head quizzically.
“Arcane,” I hissed.
His body became deathly still. “Damn. I almost had you, too.” As he spoke, his voice hollowed out and seemed to echo. His form turned dark with shadows. I frantically scanned every bit of information I had on arcanes: beings of shadow with humanoid shapes that could assume any form. Their danger lay in their ability to control a human using the human’s name. In their natural form, arcanes were already quite strong, but in possession of a human they became very powerful. “I swear you humans are getting smarter.”
My throat was frozen in fear. This monster could kill me right then and there if it wanted. My knife wouldn’t do much against an immortal being. I unstuck my vocal cords “Don’t come near me,” I growled. I unsheathed my knife. “I will find a way to kill you-”
“Ergh.” The arcane crossed its arms. “You come into my home and threaten me with a knife-”
“You tried to possess me!” I shrieked.
“Oh, yeah.” I heard it grin. “Whoops.”
“Whoops?!”
“See you around, human.” The air sighed, and I was alone.
I waited in silence for a second to confirm that it was actually gone, then relaxed my rigid muscles. “Mmmuh,” I whimpered, my weapon hand shaking. I’d never really considered the reality that I’d come in contact with the monsters of the Vale, especially so soon into my journey. I gritted my teeth. I wouldn’t turn back; no arcane could make me. I stuck to my earlier conviction of putting a knife into anything that tried to stop me.
The dark deepened as I continued on. Eventually I was too exhausted to continue, so I tracked down a sturdy tree a little ways off the path and climbed into the thick branches. The hammock I’d packed was lightweight but warm and strong. By sleeping in the trees, I hoped to avoid the reach of some of the nastier monsters, though I was sure many of them could climb. I snarfed down some jerky, dried apples, and water, then dropped into sleep with my knife pressed to my chest.
A bird woke me up.
I couldn’t see it very well, but I made out the little shadow a few meters above me. Its song was unfamiliar but sweet. I fervently hoped it wasn’t carnivorous and about to eat my face.
There were light fluctuations in the Vale. Night was pitch, but during the day it lighted to dusk. I was fairly sure it was morning, though it might’ve been noon. I sat up, my hammock swaying slightly beneath me.
And came face to face with the arcane.
“Yagh!” I yelped, nearly tumbling out of the tree. I gasped as the ground loomed at least seven meters below. “Jerk! You nearly made me fall!”
It snickered. “Whoops.”
The handle of my knife was warm from my palm on it all night. “Are you following me?”
“Maybe.”
I growled. “Don’t.”
“Why not? I haven’t seen another intelligent being in ages. Humans are getting too smart to come here and all the other beasts are mostly staying away. Besides-” It grinned and folded its arms. “-it’s not like you can stop me.”
“Watch me.” I plunged the knife into its chest. It screamed and tossed me back into the hammock with surprising strength. My knife tumbled to the forest floor. “Hey! My knife!”
“Ouch.” The arcane rubbed the wound as it slowly closed. “That hurt.”
“You goaded me into it. And now look what you’ve done.” I gestured at the weapon, lying seven meters down. “Go get it.”
“No. You stabbed me. I don’t have to do anything for you.”
“Murgh,” I grumbled, struggling to take down and pack my hammock.
“You make the strangest noises.”
“Shut up. Go away. Leave me alone.”
“Do you have food? I wouldn’t mind not having to catch my meals.”
“Did you hear what I just said?”
“Sure, sure-” Its stupid voice cut off as I swung my pack at its face. It tumbled gracefully off the branch and lit upon another further down. “Hey!”
I stuck out my tongue. Then I began my descent. The arcane was already on the ground by the time I got there. I picked up my knife but didn’t sheath it. “What do you want?”
“What do you think?”
I tensed. “My name.”
“So you’re not as dumb as I thought you were.”
“Give it up. You’re never getting it.”
It grinned. “Just keep telling yourself that.”
I gripped my knife and stalked back to the path. The monster followed. After five minutes it was still drifting leisurely behind me. I whirled around. “Stop following me!”
It slowed. “You can’t make me.”
“I said I’d find a way to kill you. I still plan on doing that.”
It laughed, sending a trill of fear scraping up my spine. “We’re very hard to kill.”
I grinned. “Just keep telling yourself that,” I said, turning back to the path.
“Oh- you said what I just said- ah ha ha, you must think you’re very funny-”
I bolted down the trail, running as fast as I could in the dark. My eyes had begun to adjust to the blackness, but I still had to be wary of loose stones and eye level sticks. Soft footfalls thumped behind me. The arcane sprinted to my side. “What was that all about?”
I was surprised. I hadn’t expected to be able to hear the footsteps of a being made out of shadow. I remembered how my knife and my pack had connected with its body. It was more solid than it looked. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad one.
The arcane kept pace with me as I ran, then jogged, then slowed to a walk. I must’ve been traveling for an hour by the time I stopped and slumped on a rock. The thing beside me showed no sign of exhaustion.
“You’re never getting my name, you know,” I told it. “Hanging around isn’t going to make me give it up.”
“It’s worth a shot,” it reasoned. “Besides, all I’ve seen for decades is darkness and little furry things. You’re the first creature I’ve met in ages that can hold a conversation.” It cackled. “All those years alone have made me soft. I should’ve just killed you when you found me out.”
I shrank away from the arcane. For a second I’d forgotten it could easily kill me. “I feel so blessed you’re bored.”
“You should!” it agreed. “If I wasn’t I would’ve gotten rid of you. Humans are always messing things up here.”
“Messing things up?”
“Yep. They kill the beasts. I’m not alone because the others up and left, you know.”
I swallowed. “Oh.” Then I mentally slapped myself. Why should I feel bad for these things?
It smirked. I got the feeling that it knew exactly what I was thinking. “Mmm-hmm. Now all that’s left are the stupid ones.”
“Stupid ones?”
“Vix, mostly. Dumb things. Deadly, though. I’d watch out if I were you.”
I glared at it. “I’m already watching out. It’s hard not to when an arcane is hovering around, reminding you of the fact that the only reason you’re still alive is that it’s been bored for the last few decades.”
The arcane’s shadowy face twitched. Even in the dark, I could see it grimacing. “He, if you would. I’m male.”
I choked. “Um. What?”
“I use the pronouns he, his, and him. Practically all animals, plants, and insects have male and female genders. It’s not out of the question that I could be a male arcane.”
“It’s just- I thought- I didn’t know arcanes were-”
“Yes, yes. Humans rarely take the time to understand other creatures. I get it.” It- he- crossed his arms. “But- moving on. Why did you come to the Shadowvale? I’m assuming you’re looking for magic.”
“You assume correctly. You wouldn’t happen to know where I could find some, would you?”
“I would happen to know.”
I blinked. “Really? Where?” I had my suspicions of where it could be, but a definite location would be fantastic.
He grinned. “How about an exchange? I’ll tell you where to go, and you’ll tell me your name.”
Comments
Log in or register to post comments.