CIRCLE OF SHADOWS Part 1: Shadow Chaser

Silence hangs heavy in the small room. Staring inquisitively at each other Gawayn looks at Virian, a small smile brightening the dour look on his face.

‘So Gawayn, what is this trouble that you need to tell us about?’

Virian’s cool tone of voice erases the small smile and Gawayn’s face turns hard, eyes cool and indifferent.

‘After you lot broke out of the village, Beril took over completely. He incited the villagers against you and then he had the Elders imprisoned.’

Talli gasps softly and their heads turn her way momentarily, annoyance flickering in their eyes.

‘Sorry.’ She mutters under her breath and drops her head to avoid the cold glares.

Virian indicates Gawayn to continue and taking a long deep breath he begins to speak again.

‘I am not sure what has happened since we left Reishod, but it did not look to good when we left. The three of you must have really done something horrible to make Beril that mad.’

Shaking her head Virian looks at her father and Talli, before returning her hard gaze to Gawayn’s smooth face.

‘Beril is a two faced liar and a vile, disgusting man. He has always harboured ill feeling towards my family and then he had them charged and locked up because it suited his needs. I had to rescue them before Beril had them killed.’

Gawayn nods his head slowly before saying in a soft voice.

‘I understand that. But having an outsider help you do it? Was that really necessary Virian? What if he is a spy? He could put all our friends and the other families at risk’

‘Galen is more then just a normal outsider, Gawayn. And he is not a spy.’

‘Really? He looked like a normal human to me, and I saw the hate in his eyes when he looked at me!’

‘Stop! I am not going to argue about him, Gawayn! What is it you want from us? Why have you followed us this far from the forest?’

‘We want to join you if you will allow us too.’

Virian sits back, eyes darting suspiciously from Gawayn to Dallin.

‘Join us? Why would you want to do that?’

‘Four extra arms could come in handy while travelling. None of us have ever travelled this far from the forest, we do not know the dangers it could hold in store.’

Siril clears his throat and says softly into the silence following his intrusion.

‘I came this way once long ago, on my way to Feesh.’

‘Feesh? What is that? Where is that?’

Virian interrupts Gawayn rudely, holding her hand up as he

tries to ask more questions.

‘I am sorry Gawayn, but we cannot trust you or your friend with that information. How do we know that you will not run back and send word to Beril?’

Virian clamps her mouth shut tightly, her cold eyes locked unwavering on Gawayn’s face, whose mouth had quirked up into a sneer.

Gawayn snorts loudly and in a disdainful voice says loudly.

‘I have no love nor do I owe allegiance to that snake. We were told to catch you and report back if you left the forest. We have done neither. You can either trust the sincerity of our request to join you or you can deny us that and we will leave you to your own devices and return to Reish.’

Gawayn pauses, looks over at Dallin as he indicates with his hand in his direction.

‘Dallin over here is learning from me how to be a Protector, he is an inquisitive man, but he learns quickly. Virian,’ Gawayn pauses, leans forwards on his knees and looks imploringly at the three Greylarks across from him.

‘We ask that you give us a chance. Let us join you. We will follow you without question.’

Virian turns her head from his wide eyes, looks at Siril for support. After sitting thoughtfully for a moment, Siril nods his head almost imperceptibly, his shoulders shrugging slightly.

Flicking her glance at Talli, Virian bites her lip, waiting for her to agree or not.

Glancing between Virian’s face and Gawayn’s, Talli scratches her arm lightly, feeling queasy under their scrutinizing eyes.

‘I don’t mind.’ She says hastily as she swallows loudly, ‘but we should ask Galen too.’

‘Yes we should.’

Virian glances around the room quickly, turning a questioning glance towards Siril and Talli.

‘But where has he gone?’

Dallin’s soft voice finally joins in the discussion as he says.

‘He slipped outside a while ago.’

Virian swings her penetrating gaze in his direction and then suddenly jumps up from the bed and moves quickly towards the door.

‘You all stay here and discuss the smaller details surrounding our trip. Father, you decide how much you want them to know. I will go and try to find Galen.’

Siril looks around the room slowly, nodding his head as she continues talking.

‘You should also try and figure out what that disc is and who put it there and why.’

Siril lifts his hand, waving it gently as he says.

’Yes yes. Go now. Find him. The food should also be here soon.

All will be done before you get back.’

Virian adjusts the dagger on her belt, checks to see that it slides easily from the scabbard before she opens the door and steps into the noisy hallway outside.

Closing the door behind her she heads to the stairs and begin to descend the creaky wooden planks hesitantly.

Galen looks around the inn, sour looking faces surrounding him, cold eyes glaring in his direction, keeping close watch on his every movement.

With a sigh he picks up the wooden mug standing on the small table in front of him, lifts it to his lips and swallows a generous draught of luke warm ale, the sharp tang of hops and barley burning down his throat.

Smacking his lips, satisfaction burning brightly in his eyes as the heady flavour tantalizes his senses, he wipes the frothy white head from around his mouth with his hand and slams the mug down hard onto the wooden table.

‘Ahhh! Finally a decent drink.’

Leaning back in the stool, arm flung casually over the back, he surveys the room, eyes flicking from one patron’s face to the next.

Amazed at the anger and blunt dislike burning in all the faces and eyes of the people sitting dotted around the common room, he shakes his head.

Red Bear stands silently behind the bar, eyeing the building tension in his inn, a look of disinterested concern occasionally flicking across his features.

Bear’s eyes flick to the stairs leading into the room and Galen follows his gaze, interested into what has piqued Bear’s interest all of a sudden.

A slight hush descends over the room as Virian comes into view on the stairway, her long legs leading her lithe body lower.

A glint catches her long black hair, casually hanging over her shoulder and Galen swallows back a lump building in his throat.

Sitting as quietly as he can, he follows her progress down into the room, and realising she has not seen him he lowers his half raised hand, savouring the few moments he has to inspect her without her realising.

For a moment he regrets that they had rescued her family, for he had begun to enjoy their time spent alone, but then he shrugs the feelings away and steels himself internally.

‘She is not for you. It can never work.’

Having resigned himself to that he raises hi hand into the air, waving his arm casually till she catches sight of him sitting in the dimly lit corner.

A small smile flashes across her face, her green eyes burning brightly as she winds her way towards him, slowly closing the gap as she moves between the haphazardly placed tables and chairs.

Galen watches her progress, entranced by the supple ripples of muscles under her clothes and graceful strides, effortlessly guiding her through the tightly packed throng of people.

Virian yelps angrily and swivels around, head flicking left and right, eyes flashing murderously.

A hand snakes through the packed throng, the stubby fingers dirty and fingernails caked with dried mud and dirt, unseen and getting closer and closer to Virian and then pinches her firmly on the ass.

With an indignant yelp Virian slashes out with her hand, grabs the filthy arm and yanks the man attached to it from the packed table behind her.

The short man sneers up at her, the stubby beard grey and dirty. Grinning widely, teeth black and rotten, the man licks his tongue suggestively and giggles insanely.

‘Fancy a dance lassie?’

Virian pushes him away roughly, and the man stumbles to the side, crashes into a packed table behind him, mugs and plates flying into the air and landing all over the men sitting at the table.

Disgruntled the men stand up from their chairs, forcefully push the small man away from them and then sidle towards

Virian, their eyes flashing coldly.

‘What do you think you are doing?’

The loud voice rips from the biggest one of the three men, mean eyes bulging from his square face, large muscles rippling under his cream coloured shirt, now heavily stained with ale and greasy food.

Virian glares up at him, points to the dirty man lying at the table whimpering and says coolly. ‘That man was disrespectful and acted wholly inappropriately.’

The big man laughs loudly, the sound bursting through the noise in the room casting it into silence. All eyes turn to the scene and watch the interchange closely.

‘Seems to me that you need to be taught where your place in life really is.’

Grinning widely the big man looks at his friends, heads nodding in support, eyes glinting wickedly as they regard Virian standing before them.

Reaching to her dagger she sneers at the three, teeth glinting viciously in the dim room.

‘I would love to see you try.’

The soft snick of metal, as she pulls the dagger free from the sheath, echoes through the room and those sitting closest to them move rapidly further back.

The big man surges forwards, his bulky body blocking Virian from Galen’s view, but then suddenly he stops short with a shrill yelp. He turns around slowly, his eyes stretching wide open in amazement as his big hands clutch at his throat. Blood well up and slowly begin to seep through his fingers, coursing down his shirt front and across his arms.

His friends gasp, grab his arms as he slumps to his knees and lower him slowly to the floor.

Eyes flashing madly they face Virian, faces flushed they creep closer, circling slightly to try and hem her in.

With a soft sigh Galen stands up, pulls his short sword out and moves up silently behind the two circling men.

Unaware of Galen coming up behind them, the two men continue to creep closer to where Virian stands crouched.

‘Uh hmmmm!’

Galen clears his throat loudly as he halts behind the two circling men and they spin around, catching sight of the sword glinting evilly in the dim light.

‘I suggest you fellows pick up your friend, get him some help if it can still save him and leave.’

Galen’s voice rumbles menacingly from his chest, his eyes glinting steely as he looks from one man to the other.

‘Or we can have it out right now. You decide.’

Glancing quickly at each other, the two men nod and then move closer to their fallen comrade, then bend down and hook their arms under his shoulders.

Heaving and muttering curses they drag him stiffly across the

floor towards the door, as Virian turns and follows Galen back to his table.

‘That was fast! I have never seen someone move that quickly.’ Galen’s voice sounding awed as she sits down across from him.

Virian looks shyly into Galen’s face a small smile playing across her full lips.

‘We were looking for you. We wanted to ask you what your thoughts were on the plan and on Gawayn joining us.’

‘Why should it matter what I think?’ Galen’s voice sounding pinched and sulky, as he reaches for the mug, takes a swig and then passes it to Virian.

‘What do you mean? You are part of this company now. It does matter and it certainly does concern you. Stop trying to be the victim here Galen.’

Galen glances up into her face, her green eyes flashing as she regards him coolly.

‘You are right. I am just tired of feeling lost and confused. What am I doing here?’ With his free hand he waves through the air, indicating the inn. ‘I have not told you yet I left the island, have I?’

Virian shakes her head, folds her arms on the table and leans closer, listening intently as he continues.

‘I left the island... I left the island to find the Tome. Not traipse around these hills and forests.’

He pauses as he drinks deeply before continuing, his voice

strained.

‘I understand that you need to find a place to recuperate and possibly find some allies but time is of the utmost importance. There is more afoot here then even you realise. If the Tome falls into the hands of the wrong person it could mean the end of our entire world.’

Virian looks at Galen in silent amazement, but seeing the seriousness displayed in his face, she suddenly stops smiling.

‘You are not kidding are you? This Tome you mean to find holds terrible powers doesn’t it?’

Galen shakes his head sadly.

‘You have no idea of the dangers we face. The entire art of Necra has been written down on those pages. The one who holds that book has the power over death in his grasp.’

Bending closer to Virian he whispers softly.

’If we were correct, the book is currently on its way, or has already reached, The Order of Red Mages.’

Virian gasps shocked, her eyes widening in disbelief.

‘Now do you understand why it is imperative that I find the Tome and stop that from happening?’

Shaking her head she looks around the room, heart thumping anxiously in her chest as she thinks of the peril they could be facing.

‘But how? How can they actually use it? All sources of power have some kind of protection placed on it.’

Galen sighs, laughs nervously at himself and then ashamed, whispers softly.

‘The person who stole it was initiated into The Necra. He has been allowed full access to the book.’

Galen pauses, winces slightly as he speaks.

‘But he was once a Red Mage. My father came to trust him, as did we all. We never suspected duplicity or deceit from him.’

Virian shakes her head and dumbfounded slaps her palms to her face, mumbling incoherently through her fingers.

‘What?’

Galen shakes Virian gently by the shoulder, but lets her go as she looks up into his face, her eyes flinty and cold as she speaks softly to him.

‘We will find this Tome you seek. But first, we will go to Feesh and enlist what aid we can. Let us pray it is not too late by then.’

A small tear spills down her flushed cheek, a glittering path running down to her trembling lips.

‘Curse you and your kind Galen Aiks, for the danger you have placed us all in. Curse you!’

Without another word she gets up, turns around quickly and pushes her way through the crowd as she makes her way to the stairs.

Galen sits silently staring after her, his mouth slightly ajar, a stinging retort to her outburst stopped half way with her abrupt departure. Watching her as she recedes from his sight he sighs, swallows the last of the ale down and then slowly follows Virian upstairs, his heart leaden and cold in his chest. A sense of foreboding fills him, weighing on his stomach like a brick as he climbs up the wooden stairs one by one.