The Forgotten Land of Myria

ANGUS

Outside the Trenches, shadows brooded and evil lurked. We had been riding in cold silence--not uttering a single word--for what seemed like forever. Long hours of silence that ran to the point where I would only remember I had to breathe when my chest was hammering and my ears ringing. Silence that was only broken by distant howls that penetrated my skin, leaving trails of goosebumps.

That was the deathly feeling of crossing Prisoner’s Alley--one of the most dangerous pathways in all of Myria, according to Alazaar, the Sevarea chairman. Alazaar had warned us that Prisoner’s Alley was enemy territory. In fact, it was why the Trenches had been built in the first place. So that one could blindly squeeze through the two death halls located on each side of the path--Cryptid Valley and the Forest of the Undead. Eleazar had made us all put out our torches--we were riding in pitch darkness, zero visibility and we were only halfway through.

We were, in total, ten days into our journey. My fingers gripped the medallion that hung over my chest--Godfrey helped me make a necklace so it was with me at all times. My fingers traced the empty hole where a ruby should be. I wondered if what we were searching for really did have anything to do with this, like the Chairmen had told me.

Another howl. I felt my stallion’s ears perk up as well, as he fidgeted in fear. Stealthily, I reached for the reigns and rubbed his neck. Majestic in figure, I had named him Sentinel, after the first horse I had ever ridden on a farm in Northern Ireland. It belonged to Harold’s older brother, George. Their father had left it to them, but Harold sold his portion to rebuild an orphanage in Manchester. The better part of my first three years with Harold and Margaret were spent on that farm, so I saw that as a way to honor them.

In the midst of my thoughts, Sentinel had slowed his pace to an almost complete stop. I tried, as quietly as I could, to snap the reigns and nudge him forward, but he wasn’t the least bit interested in my commands.

He flung his ears back and jerked his head like he anticipated something and a second later it came. Yet another howl. This one, however, shredded my ears. It seemed louder, fiercer, it seemed...closer.

I had only just enough time to realize the danger before Eleazar’s yell broke the long hours of silence. “MOVE!”

Sentinel didn’t need a command. A shower of rocks toppled over us, and before I knew it we were off. Off on another chase.

Growls and snaps echoed from above us and I could only hope it wasn’t another band of murcats, but this felt worse. It felt like an army was stomping the walls above us. The howls were deafening, followed by shrieks. My legs shook as I felt something whizz past my ear and I ducked until my head was level with Sentinel’s. Dirt from the other stallions’ hooves splashed in my face and I kicked Sentinel to pick up the pace. I couldn’t think of anything that could possibly redeem us from whatever was up there. And I didn’t dare look back to see what it was. I shut my eyes, wrapped my arms around Sentinel as the bone-shattering sounds overpowered me, and waited for the attack--but there was none.

A long bellow, that sounded like it came from the depths of the earth, shook the ground, crawling up in echoes through the walls, and the howling stopped. Everything stopped. Only a faint whimper was left, like that of a crying pup, that fell distant and faded until it died out.

I still couldn’t see inches in front of me, but I could tell everyone was just as confused. Despite the danger having fled--if, in fact, it had--we didn’t stop for another half hour until we were sure of it. When Eleazar’s torch finally sprung back to light in flames and we regrouped, Roy asked the immediate question.

“What happened back there? Why did they stop?”

Eleazar’s eyes were faded of their usual glow and his apprehensive expression formed wrinkles across his forehead. The rock crags above us had cleared and the starlit sky shone once again.

“That I cannot answer,” he huffed. What I can say is that we are now safely through Prisoner’s Alley.” He flung his head up and squinted. “And we must stop now, to make camp.”

“Why?” Leof was quick to contest. Eleazar pointed up.

“That’s why.”

A drop of water splashed on my nose. I flinched and looked up as another hit my forehead, and in a matter of seconds we found ourselves in a downpour.

We were lucky to have found a cave nearby, big enough to fit all of us, including the horses. If we were to die of anything now, it would be of complete boredom. It had been raining nonstop for two days. I couldn’t understand how so much water could squeeze through the canyon-like walls of the Trenches, but it did. To the extent where we were forced to wait in a damp cave that stank of fire smoke and horse manure.

On a positive note, it provided a good opportunity to rest and gather my thoughts. I had spent most of the time writing things in my journal, recording whereabouts of the journey, and in general, thinking things over.

“Krupa-pupa!” Banebee slid next to me, soaking wet, and I spread out a piece of cloth for him to lay on. I had learned two of his new favorite things: the rain and me.

My eyes ran over the knobbly walls of the cave. I could hear Livia and Ada chitchatting, something about “charmpowder”, while they fed the stallions, and behind me, loud clatters and sheers came from Jardious’ halberd, as he sharpened it on a rock.

“By my beard! Just get a load o’ this beauty!” he cackled, and his eyes gleamed as he held up his mighty halberd, wooshing it in the air. His slinky mustache was frizzy from the humidity of the cave, and his greasy face was covered in, well, grease.

“You’ve already done it twice,” Roy moaned in boredom. “Don’t you think that’s enough sharpening?” Roy hadn’t been so disruptive lately, so we were starting to get along--a bit.

“Urghh,” Jardious grunted. “You bunch o’ duffers don’t know the first thing ’bout weapons.” He thrusted his mace and halberd, with his tongue between his teeth savoring it.” There’s no such thing as too sharp.”

Most of the others had also taken some time to practice in the first few hours entering the cave, but after two days, the desires had burnt out. I guess for Ada it must have been worse--I heard her mentioning a few nights ago that she didn’t sleep (if only I where capable of such a thing, the things I could get done). If that was in any way true, however--though not likely to be--I wouldn’t wish it in situations like these.

“Blimey,” Jardious moaned hours later. “By the time the rain’s off, that trail’ll be a pile o’ mud.’’

By now, whatever any of us chose to do, we would always revert to sitting and patiently waiting for the rain to show signs of surrendering. All but Leof.

Unlike the rest of us, his patience had died out after only a couple of hours in the cave and, since then, hasn’t been able to sit still for more than an hour without getting up and pacing ardently around the fire.

At time, he would barge out of the cave in frustration and stand outside in the pouring rain with his back towards the cave and his head down. After about an hour he’d march back in and resume his pacing. He’d done that three or four times already and was doing it now.

From the firelight, I could make out his silhouette outside, still as a statue, head down, and fists clenched.

“Why does he keep doing that?” Roy asked Sky scoffed, as he plucked out a dead rabbit from the supply crate and began skinning it. “By now you guys must have noticed just how skilled he is.” We nodded in unison. “Well, that’s just a hint. Leof is the greatest warrior Myria has ever seen. That’s quite a reputation, and, to him it’s a matter of pride.” Behind me, Jardious had grown tired of sharpening weapons and was now cradling them as he snored. Living on the edge was one thing, but I’ve never seen someone sleep on the edge.

“How is that a matter of pride?” Roy asked, showing no interest in dropping the subject.

“Leof was chosen to lead this quest. He has expectations to fulfill.”

“Didn’t you just say he is the greatest warrior in Myria? He doesn’t have to prove anything.”

“On the contrary.” Sky the knit his eyebrows, in suspicion. “Has no one told you about him?”

We didn’t answer. “Very well,” he said. He looked around to make sure no one was listening, as if he wasn’t supposed to say it. “Leof if the third son of the Taiowen Chairman, Tahi Toa.”

“The third?” I asked. Sky nodded.

“Tahi Toa had two sons before him, Aeriti and Tane. They were heroes--true heroes. By the time they were nineteen years old the twins had gallantly fought and won over twenty tournament battles--the ones the Taiowen Warriors hold annually. Anyways, they were chosen to lead a quest not long after that. They set sail with fifteen other crewmen, aboard a heavily crafted ship--the Secret Blade. All of Myria was in deep expectation of the quest, though no one knew its purpose. Three days later, broken pieces of the same Secret Blade washed upon the shore of Blanche Rock in the middle of a Holutu Night--with fifteen people on board.”

“What happened?” Roy nudged him on the shoulder, prompting Sky to playfully thrust the skinned rabbit in his face.

“The ship had been attacked by a sea monster.” Sky went on, “They called it Keleru. It had torn the ship apart, and the crew soon knew they would be no more. However, the leader’s primary job is to secure the safety of its crew, even if it means sacrificing himself. The two brothers did just that.” As he said this, Sky brought down his knife on the rabbit’s head with a thud, sending shudders down my back. “Aeriti and Tane jumped into action and took on the monster, granting the crew just enough time to escape--leaving themselves to a terrible fate.”

“They died.”

Sky nodded.

“While all of this happened, Leof was a newborn. Tahi Tao’s grief over his lost sons turned to the baby, as he wanted him to be like his brothers. As a result, Leof did not see a father growing up, but an obsessive instructor who pushed him too far past his limits. Training sessions were his only form of interaction with Tahi Toa. That is why he is what he is now.

Sky scoffed at the irony and absurdity of the story, as he stuck the sliced meat on sticks and placed them over the fire.

“The poor guy never had any other option except being a warrior--being like his brothers--being the best. And that’s why he’s standing out in the rain like an idiot right now.”

As soon as Sky finished saying this, Leof stormed back in.

“Eleazar,” he bellowed. “I’m not going to allow my quest to go delayed by rain. I won’t wait any longer. We are all leaving right now!”

There was a brush of silence as Eleazar’s eyes ran through the cave before he let out a hearty smile.

“As you wish,” he responded.

Even Leof was surprised with Eleazar’s response. None of us spoke, in hope of relieving the tension between the two. Leof eyed Eleazar like he was a few thoughts of clocking him for making him look like a fool, but instead he deflated his chest and began to gather his things like the rest of us were doing.

The rain still poured heavily as Sentinel’s hooves sank knee deep in the trail. One by one, we each lead our horses out of the cave. Eleazar--who was the last one out--trudged by each of us with a satirical smile, and took the lead; we all followed quietly in a single file line. As large splotches of water splashed against my shoulders, I wondered why Eleazar had made us stop at all. The rain itself wasn’t unbearable. There was obviously something else to it.

A few horse-lengths in front of me, I could hear Eleazar humming a familiar tune--like always, way out of tune--having heard it sung properly a few times back in Musgrave Pen. It was quite catchy. So catchy that in a few minutes, I found myself humming it as well, not sure if it was because I enjoyed it or wanted to correct Eleazar’s interpretation of it. Safira, who rode in front of me, shot me a daring look but I continued. Sentinel’s crooked stride pressed on, and as I hummed, I noticed that the raindrops refrained from impersonating needles and stones and began acting, instead like mild tickles and soothing strokes, running smoothly through my hair and down my shoulders.

I also realized that two others were droning the tune as well-Roy and Ada. In fact, Ada, who knew the lyrics, practically arrested me with her other-worldly belltones. Livia joined in, obviously familiar with the song as well. It was a simple verse, so I easily caught on. The rain pit-pattered on the rocks almost like it was keeping tempo, as the singing gradually increased, and I could hear the rest of the voices creep in until, soon enough, we were all singing. Eleazar lead the choir with sporadic waves of his hands and the singing voices were now indulged in laughter.

A strange, unknown happiness took over the sodden walls of the Trenches and, little by little, the rain began to fade. I didn’t even stop to think about whether we should be doing this or not--openly singing tunes while we were in hiding--because the truth is, it was gratifying. I had also come to the sure conclusion that, no matter how insane he usually sounded, Eleazar always knew what he was doing.

Sure enough, as the harmonious song rang on, we barely noticed the thin ray that begun to shine on the path ahead of us. It gleamed like a light at the end of the tunnel and I knew what it meant--our journey through the Trenches had come to an end. Eleazar raised his hands to the sky and we cheered as our stallions eagerly picked up the pace. The walls next to us gradually shortened, and the light brightened, as we galloped through the last few feet of soggy trench. I saw the path ahead slope slightly up, as Eleazar’s stallion disappeared into the light and Leof after him, then Jardious, Safira, and me. Heat warmed my skin and the sunlight that I hadn’t seen for days blinded me as I slid off the saddle. My hands skimmed through the soft surface I had landed on--sand. Relief flowed by along with what felt like a warm summer breeze. I took a deep breath. We had made it. I heard Ada, Roy, Livia, Eulisses and Sky’s stallions ride past me as two of them did the same as I’d done.

“Five minutes to rest and summon some strength,” Eleazar called out. “We have a climb ahead of us.”

I finally opened my eyes, now accustomed to the sunlight, that wasn’t actually as bright as I’d imagined. I slowly removed my fur coat, picked myself up, and brushed the sand off, and finally looked ahead--and my heart sank.

“Wh--wh--what’s that?” I asked, pointing a shaking finger to the string of mountains that lay ahead.

“The Blood Dunes,” Sky answered, in an obvious tone.

You’ve got to be kidding me. Is this some kind of joke? I thought.

I gulped a dry lump of fear down my shuddering entire body. Covering the sky and spiraling up the mountains ahead, thick and tormenting as ever was a cluster of blood-red clouds.