Chapter 51 - Walking the Shadow Realm

Winter continued to stalk forward, her hand clamping Ja’Sessh’s in a heavy unrelenting grip, dragging him along and into the swirls of darkness, struggling, drowning in the black as the last of the star’s light slipped from view.

Swiping at his eyes with his free hand, he tried unsuccessfully to see, “Where are we?” he said at just above a whisper, his voice almost deafening in the paths of the shadow realm, he looked around blindly in alarm as his words echoed and resounded in the blackness.

Winter stopped and glared at him, breathing out her words so they reached him clearly, “Breathe your words if you must speak, the last thing I need is to draw attention to our passage.”

He quickly tapped the side of his head, “Can you speak in my head?” he breathed.

She looked at him for a moment longer, considering. After a short pause, Winter nodded.

“Keep your thoughts under control, just what you intend to speak. Think as if you were going to say them, just not letting them reach your mouth.” she said telepathically, her eyes on his as he nodded blindly, “We keep moving. It is dangerous to delay.”

She dragged him into motion again, the darkness parting subtly before them as she responded to his thoughts.

“Dangerous for you.” she said, her eyes cutting through the haze as she focused.

“Unlike you and others, I can see what hides nearby. I know that you see nothing, as if your sight has been taken from you.” she paused for a moment, looking ahead, “But for me it is another world to be respected, those that reside here fear me and mine, but take interest in those that do not belong.”

She continued to walk on the path only she could see, the pitch-black mists swirling with the ghostly forms of both beasts and those who once walked the mortal and abyssal realms. She watched them with disinterest as they hid themselves from her, retreating to a safe distance, including the most impressive.

“Interest means being torn to pieces slowly until you belong, a spirit trapped between worlds, forever bound to the shadows. As you are, you are vulnerable without my presence.”

For a few moments they walked in silence, their movements the only sound, the brushing of clothing and muffled clink of sheathed weapons echoing alarmingly, magnified as their ears strained.

“What is the Shadow Realm?” she glanced back at him, her eyes observing the raised hackles and wide dark eyes straining and darting for the lack of light, “It is the place between life and death, inhabited by lost souls and spirits of the damned. It is the dark mirror of all realms and of none, a place that exists and yet shouldn’t. In the daylight hours, it is beautiful. But at night the damned hunt the unfortunates who are lost; those who are lost, hide and desperately await the rising of the sun.”

She nodded slowly as she led him, “It is a paradox, yet it is the existence between worlds. The Hall where we were kept resides in this realm.” she frowned, “As is the Ebony and Alabaster’s sanctuary, where you have remained hidden from the comings and goings of the Eld.”

Winter’s eyes glowered, their usual copper-flecked steel flaring with violent ghostly wisps of misty flame that trailed her movements. She levelled her gaze at a hulking monster of the night that approached from the left, immediately it shied away and withdrew as it recognised the threat. She felt the insistence in Ja’Sessh’s thoughts as she continued to guide him.

“No, I can not see The DeKaalenstaad, the bounds of the Shadow Realm are not like the physical world. If you want to remain hidden, then no one will find you. Time moves differently here, slower. Distances are what you make of them when you know your destination. If I were not guiding you, I would have already arrived at the Sanctum of Dagnetheln.” she said while looking into the distance.

“How quickly? Similar to opening a door and stepping into another room. Wherever my spears stand, I stand.” she replied.

She continued to walk, slowing her pace and glancing at the rakshasa from the corner of her eye as his thoughts slipped into a pensive silence.

“Close your eyes and let me guide you, Ja’Sessh.” she said, looking ahead to the path that ran out before them, a thin tendril of silvery thread that led to a particular spear, every step bringing them closer, “I choose the night because there are no shadows in the desert when there is only sand and sunlight. I choose the night so that everywhere is a direct path. In the night even oceans can be traversed by foot.”

She carefully brought him to a stop, the thread of bright silk following a shadow that was only a few steps ahead.

Winter smiled, “Open your eyes, the next step we take will be into the false dawn over Dagnetheln. Open your eyes and see the Shadow Realm as light starts to seep through its boundaries.”

She watched as Ja’Sessh opened his eyes, their pale blue, just rims with his irises dilated. Mottled light was starting to form in the pitch black, patches of light burning bright where the shadows were no more.

“The sun rising over the Eld is burning though the shade of night, each bright patch a hole in the realm and a place where the mortals can find safety from its denizens.”

She glanced at him, “We have walking the Shadow Realm for half an hour or more. Four, maybe five hours have passed. Every moment spent here, almost eight pass in the mortal realm of the Eld.”

Winter drew him along again, walking between the motes of light, the darkness pierced by the increasingly sharpening glare. She smirked to herself as she felt his fear, he could finally see what was hidden in the pitch black as they retreated and concealed themselves from the light of day. Her eyes glimmering, the inky darkness roiled around them, chasing their movements and grasping at their arms and legs until it suddenly swallowed them before explosively dispersing allowing colour to flood back into their world. They stepped back into the Eld and the edge of dawn as it’s light flooded over the dark forest that surrounded the Sanctum of Dagetheln.

She released her grip on Ja’Sessh and watched calmly as he stumbled, retching and leaning heavily against the nearest tree as he tried to gather himself. Winter turned and waited as she heard distant faint footsteps crackling dried leaves and twigs.

“I will only remind you once, Ja’Sessh. Those that guard this place may be my subordinates, but they are my sisters also, remain respectful.” she said with hard eyes as she waited, “Jesseline already has her claim on you.”

Ja’Sessh coughed roughly and looked at her over his shoulder as he still leaned forward, “Claim? How can she? What are you talking about?”

“You wear her brand. I suggest you let the remains of your shirt slide low on the neck and right shoulder when we enter the Sanctum.” she raised an eyebrow, “Or better still, no shirt at all since you have your own coat.”

His eyes widened and he reached for the back of his shoulder.

“There is nothing to feel, it is a brand that marks you. Only visible to our kind, if the others see it, they will respect her first attempts at winning you. She is a smart one.”

“Are you saying that your succubus underlings are treating me like a piece of meat?”

Winter chuckled, “You are a piece of meat, Ja’Sessh. Just look at those shoulders of yours.” she said with humour.

He stared at her in shock.

“My underlings are not succubus either, similar in form, but not function. Our maker insisted on some subtle differences than those sex-starved vixens that lure both men and women in the night, both physical and in nature.” Winter turned away, “You should be thanking her. She is saving you a lot of trouble. Walk proud, if any so much as asks, tell them your best impression of Jesse.”

Ja’Sessh’s ears twitched as he stared at the back of her head, “I do not need such… Protection.”

“You do, in your own words, you are just a piece of meat. You are about to walk into a den of predators, all of which are respectfully curious and hungry.” she chuckled darkly, “And all of them like meat.”

He looked at her, suddenly realising that she had positioned herself between him and the distant valkyrie. Giving Winter’s back a final glance, he quickly tore his ragged shirt off and stood tall, his eyes glowering.

“To borrow a close friend’s words: ‘Good kitty’. Now follow.” she said before stepping through between the trees.

“Why did you bring us out in the forest?” he said under his breath, a step behind her.

“I wanted to talk to you first before making another extraordinarily embarrassing entry as you did in Escorath.” she said, stopping, “I do not think you quite understand. When I stripped those powers from Vira, I also took them from those she provides a tether for. You included.” Winter met his eyes, “As I am Vira’s enabler, you are under my command if I desire it to be so. My husband and the Three have plans, and as the Conservator of Escorath, we are considering having you recommence the role. From the look in your eye, Jesse has hinted such a possibility, she knows of our intent.”

Ja’Sessh’s whiskers twitched in distaste, “That place is not the way it was, it’s a desert.”

Winter glanced at him, “For now.” she said.

He met her eye momentarily, his curiosity piqued as he watched her walk ahead. She led him along an animal trail through the trees until they met the remnants of a once overgrown, but recently cleared stone-lined roadway. Standing in its middle in the warm light of dawn was a valkyrie with tumbling, rich brunette hair that shone in the light. Her brown and black dappled wings tucked to her back and warming in the sun. Her metallic bronze eyes caught the sunshine as she turned, her gaze meeting Winter’s before she respectfully bowed her head.

“Mistress Darkfall.”

“Kenda.” Winter acknowledged, “Keeper of Dagnetheln, I did not expect you to come out to meet us.”

Kenda straightened and let her eyes slip to Ja’Sessh before they narrowed, “I would not dare let another, Mistress. I am sure you are aware, Talessia and the Emissaries from Knocht and Meliandra should be returning between mid-morning and midday.”

She walked purposefully to Ja’Sessh, her bronze eyes hard as she looked up him, “The spears sent to protect the entrance to the den of the White and Black did not expect to be attacked on sight. Lucky for you, Ja’Sessh of the Rakshasa, it was our kind and not the Emissaries.”

Ja’Sessh looked down at her, “It was my order that they were carrying out. I do not believe I have had the honour.” he rumbled, slowly dropping to one knee and bowing his head.

Kenda stared at him, her eyes flashing in the morning light, “You had the honour an eternity ago. Will you cause trouble within the Sanctum of Dagnetheln, like you did then in the Halls?”

Ja’Sessh kept his large pale eyes averted and on the ground, “I give you my word, Kenda, Keeper of Dagnetheln.”

She continued to stare at him, meeting his gaze as he moved to stand, “I shall hold you to it.” she said threateningly.

Quickly turning back to Winter she gestured with a smile, “Finally, a number of days ago we finished with restoring the interior. It is only the four of us and the contingency from Meliandra. And we were hoping that maybe, Antrandis and Sian could…”

Winter smiled, noticing the look of anticipation on Kenda’s face, “After we have dealt with the happenings out of Escorath we will be returning here.”

Kenda smiled broadly before glancing at Ja’Sessh as he stood over her.

“We will be leaving tonight for The DeKaalenstaad. The den.” Winter said, gesturing for Kenda to lead.

Kenda nodded as she took the lead along the road, “You will be wanting us to host the Emissaries and…” she said, looking at Winter with a sharp expression.

“Yes, things are going to move fast. Expect a small retinue, one or two of Ja’Ekavira’s advisers and a few aids to arrive tomorrow to discuss passage with Eira Lin and Aleenastra.” Winter said.

Kenda nodded, “Both Eira Lin and Aleenastra will be arriving tonight. Passage?” she said with a curious expression.

Winter glanced at Ja’Sessh, “Yes.”

Ja’Sessh looked back at her confused, “I have no understanding of whom you speak of.”

“Eira Lin is the Ruler of Knocht, Aleenastra is Steward of Meliandra.” Winter said quickly, “You would do well to remember their names. They will both be vital to Ja’Ekavira’s plans for her people.”

She motioned for Ja’Sessh to keep moving as the forest rapidly thinned around them, the abandoned road opening up before the once majestic walls that led up into the arms of the mountains. The overgrown forest that clung to the slopes and grew up over the ancient fortifications was in the process of being cut back and away as the restoration of the sprawling fortress continued. The sounds of the sanctum coming alive with the rise of dawn.

A small number of dwarven artisans stood outside the gates discussing the plans for the day grew silent, their eyes on the Rakshasa in curiosity, quickly commenting among each other in their gravelly tongue. Winter nodded to them and traded pleasantries before they walked through the heavy stone gates.

Inside the walls was an intricately carved and shored stonework arched tunnel that bored into the mountain, cavernous beyond the entrance. Within that cavern was a pit, similar to Escorath and Scarosant but conical in its tiers and walkways as it cut deep. An underground river cut across its deepest level, rushing through and under an elaborate bridge made of stone, silver and magic. The centrepiece, a large smooth egg of glowing creamy light that spilled out and across the cultured, magnificent gardens that grew on either side of the river.

Kenda and Ja’Sessh followed Winter as the mountain swallowed them, the large arched and vaulted ceiling far above.

“Have you ever been here in the past, Ja’Sessh?” Winter asked as they walked.

“No, I only visited Scarosant.” he said, taking in the sight around them in the slightly damp and chilled air, “Though I can well imagine what it would have looked like.”

Winter nodded, “Do you know of which dragons were here?”

He shook his head, “No, my duty was to Escorath.”

Winter glanced at him, “The Golden, and the dragon that attempted to take Sian’s life, she who conspired with the Jade.”

Ja’Sessh frowned, glancing over at Winter in concern.

“Yes, rakshasa. The Violet Dragon.”