CIRCLE OF SHADOWS Part 1: Shadow Chaser

Loud knocking at the door startles Dallin to his feet from where he was kneeling before his pack, his eyes white with fright at the loud banging against the wooden door.

Scrabbling around behind him frantically with both hands, eyes riveted to the shuddering door, he seeks with shaking hands for his dagger. Twitching nervously, his fingers touch the cool leather sheath and he drags it closer without taking his eyes from the door, draws the short blade from its scabbard and holds it, hands shaking uncontrollably in front of him.

Eyes wide open he inches closer to the door, vision tunnelled and focussed on the wooden panels reverberating with each bang from the other side.

The booms echo and drown out all other sounds, the rapid beat of his heart pounding in his ears. Creeping closer slowly, Dallin frowns as muffled sounds push past the booming in his ears, the fog of fear shrouding his mind slowly clears away.

‘Dallin! Open the door!’

Gawayn’s clipped order finally reaches Dallin’s befuddled senses, and he releases a pent up breath, air whooshing out loudly as he lowers the dagger and reaches towards the door gingerly.

The door swings open and Gawayn bursts into the room, halting

midway into the room as he notices the dagger glinting in Dallin’s hand.

Gawayn scans the room for anything amiss but seeing nothing he dismisses it and continues walking into the room as he asks gently.

‘What is wrong Dallin?’

Dallin turns around as he talks, face screwed up in a grimace, flushed with embarrassment at how easily he had been frightened.

‘Oh...uh... nothing. I was surprised when you started banging on the door like that.’

Gawayn closes the still open door behind him, walks over to the bed and sits down heavily. Picking at a scab on his hand with his fingernails, he looks over to where Dallin sits silently next to his pack, the flushed red fading to a faint pinkish glow, a single tear collecting in the corner of one eye.

Gawayn clears his throat softly, swivels his legs onto the bed and then says, eyes locked on Dallin’s face.

‘There is nothing wrong with being scared Dallin. It is the way you deal with it when it happens to you that makes you stronger.’

Dallin glances up, averting his eyes quickly, mouth set in a small pout.

’What you did was the wisest. Your first instinct was to

protect yourself. Most other people would have been frozen into inaction. You on the other hand grabbed at the first object that could save you if it was needed.’

Dallin’s face brightens up and his lips quirk into a small smile as he sulkily says.

‘I guess so.’

‘No it is true. You were prepared to protect yourself. You faced your fear and that in it self could save, not only your life but those of your companions as well. Be proud of that Dallin.’

Dallin grins widely, pride shining brightly in his face as he gets up from the floor and sits down on the bed.

‘So you are not disappointed that I was scared so easily?’

‘No. Only fools don’t feel fear. It is a whole new experience to be away from the forests, so I understand what you feel.’

Scrunching up his face, Dallin looks worried over at his mentor, a dark scowl across his face.

‘I don’t like that Galen fellow.’ He suddenly blurts out.

Gawayn sits back, lips parting into a small sneer.

‘I know. Neither do I. But for now we have to accept that he is part of this group. We have asked to join them and not the other way around.’

Dallin makes to get up, but Gawayn’s soft voice makes him stop and turn slightly towards him.

’But keep an eye on him, as will I. Sooner or later he will

show his true intent and we will be ready to expose him when he does.’

Dallin smiles grimly, nods his head in silent agreement and then indicates the plates standing on a small table against the wall.

‘That came while you were out.’

Dallin walks to the table and picks up one of the plates, picking up a sliver of meat and shoving it into his mouth.

‘By the way, where did you disappear too anyway?’

Gawayn looks up surprised, mouth slightly ajar as he sits speechless, quickly regaining his composure before talking.

‘I just needed some fresh air, that’s all. These enclosed places get to me after a while.’

Dallin frowns, shrugs his shoulders slightly before he turns and hands Gawayn a plate of food, finally sitting down across from Gawayn as he begins to eat in silence.

Gawayn mumbles past a mouthful of potato.

‘We might as well try and get some rest before we leave. I reckon we have some hard travelling lying ahead of us.’

Dallin nods his head while he eats, hungrily shovelling the chunks of meat into his mouth, barely chewing before he swallows it down, uneasy and troubled by dark thoughts tumbling through his mind.

Thud-thud!

The loud knock startles Dallin from his uneasy sleep and he lurches upright on his bed, his breath caught short in his chest. Heart hammering loudly in his ears he eases himself out from beneath the covers. The faint blush of false dawn cloaks the sky, seen through the partly closed shutters, a soft grey blue that tricks the eye, hiding shadows and illuminating objects in a ghostly manner.

He notices a movement to his left and realises Gawayn has already gotten up and was moving quickly to the door. The urgent knocking on the door continues steadily.

‘Who is it?’

‘Virian.’

Virian’s voice cuts sharply through the closed door, urgency lending a shrill edge to her usually husky tones.

‘Open the door!’

Gawayn sighs despondently and pulls the door open slightly. Before he can stand back Virian pushes the door completely open and marches swiftly into the room, her bearing stiff and hurried, broking no interruption to what she has come to do.

‘We need to leave now!’

The tone of her voice sends a chill down Dallin’s spine and he glances worriedly past her and into the hall, only now noticing the others milling impatiently around in the dimly lit hallway. Jumping to his feet Dallin grabs his bag, storms past Virian and Gawayn, and joins the three waiting in silence.

‘Trouble?’ Gawayn looks at Virian questioning as he lopes over to his pack, swings it over a shoulder, picks up his long bow and quiver, and follows her into the dimly lit hallway, softly pulling the door shut behind him.

Virian puts one finger over her lips, indicating silence, and then indicates to Gawayn that he should listen. Cocking his head slightly to the left, Gawayn listens intently at the silence surrounding them.

After a few moments of silent observing he hears, floating in through the wooden planking of the inn, the early morning sounds of a town waking up: soft birdsong trilling in the distant trees, the creak of wood as the gentle breeze eddy past the corners of the wooden buildings, snorts and tramples of shod hooves in a stable not too far off, the gentle crackling of torches burning brightly, pots and pans clanging together as someone prepares an early morning meal.

Frowning he glances at Virian, confused and irritated by her curt manners. Blinking her eyes at him, she juts her chin out, urging him to continue listening.

Gawayn relents and focuses his attention again on listening, lightly closing his eyes as he stands completely still.

A whisper reaches his ears, among the other sounds so soft that it barely registers in his mind as a definite sound. Straining, he turns his head, avidly seeking the source of this new sound.

A whoosh, as material brushes across something.

A soft plod, as a foot stamps the ground.

A jingle: metal clinking against metal, quickly muffled to silence.

The soft rushing of cold air, inhaled shallowly into several chests.

Opening his eyes he looks at Virian inquisitively. Motioning him closer she leans forwards as she whispers softly into his ear, her breath warm against his chilled neck.

‘I believe they are coming to get us.’

‘Why? Who do you think it is?’

‘I believe it is the men that attacked me downstairs last night, who have come back with more of their friends in tow. I injured one of them grievously last night and Galen helped in discouraging the others of trying something.’

Gawayn pulls back, indicates his understanding and then says softly to all gathered around them.

‘I did some reconnaissance yesterday. There is a door that leads into a secluded yard out back. The yard is fenced all around but the bottom end borders on the dense woodland growing behind the village.’

Gawayn glances from one expectant face to the other, finally stopping at Galen, whose eyes have narrowed defiantly at Gawayn’s assumption of leading them. Shaking his head inwardly Gawayn continues talking unperturbed.

‘I believe if we go that way we could escape the notice of the men waiting for us.’

The party nod their heads, then shuffle apart to allow Gawayn to push through them to the front of the group. With a silent hand gesture Gawayn leads on, his long dagger drawn and held tightly in his fist, they head down the stairs in single file, Galen making up the rear, his sword drawn and ready.

Eyes flicking nervously from one side of the common room to the next, they descend. The dimly lit interior lies silent, awash with shadowy forms and figures, the corners dark enough to hide any ambushers from view.

The party creeps silently forwards, each creaking of the aged wood under their feet, a stab of panic shooting down their spines. Breathing shallowly they huddle at the foot of the stair, Galen keeping careful watch from his position at the rear.

‘We have to go that way.’

Gawayn’s whisper seems loud, amplified by their strained nerves and they all cringe. Waving his hands in apology as Virian glares murderously at him, Gawayn points to the wall behind the bar.

Virian nods and she allows the others to creep forward past her. Talli following directly behind Gawayn, Siril close on her heels, his face drawn and pale and Dallin, eyes flicking nervously from side to side, carefully tip toeing behind him.

Virian smiles grimly at this exaggerated show of stealth but, grateful to Dallin for it, does not admonish him. She looks back towards Galen and her breath catches in her throat: broad back straight, dark hair neatly tied back he stands, his body silhouetted against the window by the dawn that was rapidly approaching.

Swallowing quickly she motions him closer, averting her eyes shyly as he sidles up next to her.

‘We will need to stay close together in case there is an ambush. Can we count on your assistance Galen? I have seen the way you look at Gawayn.’

Galen shakes his head, eyes glinting excitedly as he whispers.

’I do not trust him. But I give you my word I will do all in my power to protect your family.

Virian blinks, a grateful smile briefly parting her lips.

Forcing his mind to the work at hand Galen asks, his voice uncomfortably thick at the small show of gratitude.

‘How many do you think there is?’

Virian thinks quickly before she says softly.

‘No more than six or seven I hope.’

‘Let us hope not.’

Smiling assuredly down at her, Galen motions his head in the direction the others had gone.

‘Shouldn’t we go?’

Virian nods her head, inhales deeply as she pulls a bolt from

the quiver tied to her belt, draws the nock into place and slots it into the crossbow held in her hand and then sets off at a loping pace.

Galen follows her example and crouches down as well, following silently behind her as they near the door behind the bar.

The soft grey light of early dawn greets their eyes as they push the outside door open. Gawayn glances quickly around the yard and not seeing anything amiss, motions the group forward as he head into the cool morning air, not even looking behind to see if they are following.

Treading softly on the hard packed ground, they creep past the wire chicken coops placed along on wall, careful not to wake the sleeping chickens.

A rooster, somewhere in the village, crows loudly into the silent morning air, and all of them halt, startled by the sudden noise.

Smiling grimly, Gawayn pushes on hurriedly, his nerves coiled into a tight ball, aching for release. Talli’s racing breath, so close behind him he can feel the warm moisture and smell the nervousness in it, distracts him from his vigilance ahead and he looks quickly behind him, noticing relieved that everyone had followed him outside.

Annoyance flickers deep inside as he sees Galen and Virian

following a little bit back from the others, their weapons held comfortably before them.

Shrugging the feeling of, he resumes his steady advance towards the end of the yard, eyes dancing from heaped wood pile to the disjointed shed standing to the left of them.

A sense of unease begin to creep into his mind, a hollow gnawing, eating at his stomach.

Waving his hand in the air he stops, crouching as low as he can behind the heap of wood, piled roughly on top of each other.

The group, bunched up close together, hurries forward, Virian arching an eyebrow in silent question as she moves closer to him.

Galen hangs back, crouching at the back of the small group, his clear blue eyes surveying the yard circling them in steady silence, his short sword laid across his legs in readiness.

‘What is it?’ Virian hisses, her voice barely audible.

Looking around the yard Gawayn shrugs, lifts his hands and whispers.

‘Something’s wrong.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Something just does not feel right to me.’

Exhaling exasperated, Virian looks around the yard, her eyes narrowed in concentration as she studies their surroundings.

‘Can we make it to the woods?’

‘I don’t know. Something seems wrong about this. We should...’

Galen’s sharp intake of air draws their attention back to him, and seeing where his eyes are focussed they try to follow his gaze. Gawayn frowns irritably, glances at Virian but sees a mirror image of his frown on her face. Sighing he motions her to move to where Galen kneels stiffly.

Virian creeps silently up behind Galen, sensing the tightness in his muscles rather then seeing it. Feeling a shimmer of wrongness surrounding him, she inches as close as she can before gently touching him on the elbow.

Jerking at her touch, Galen swings his head around and looks at her, his eyes a completely dull and lifeless indigo.

Gasping frantically, she shuffles backwards, but then forces herself to stop retreating as his eyes change from the dead indigo colour back to its natural sparkling blue hues.

Galen bends his head closer to Virian’s ear and whispers urgently into her ear.

‘Do not move. Tell every one to stay where they are.’

‘But why?’

Anger flushes red across Galen’s face, and he growls viciously.

‘Just do it!’

Virian regards Galen coolly, taken aback by this sudden change, but then turns her head away and looks behind her.

Siril has begun to creep closer with Talli following close

behind him, concern etched in their faces as the look towards Virian.

Seeing them approaching she waves her hand wildly to stop their progress and at the gesture, the others stop moving to look questioning at her face.

The three interchange silent gestures and silently mouthed words, but she convinces them to stay where they are. With faces set stubbornly they reluctantly accept her judgement and sit back to wait.

Once she has satisfied herself that they will stay where they are and remain quiet, she returns her full attention to Galen, who kneels silently, body trembling with anticipation and pent up frustration.