Children of Chaos - Book 1
5th Chapter

“You never feared any ghosts but your own.”

It was hard to say what it was that had awoken you, but there was something in the air, a sense of wrongness that seemed to tingle under your skin. It was early, before daybreak, and the ghostly light that had clawed its way through the night made the world seem cold and grey. You looked over at the fireplace where a soft warm glow emanated from the slowly cooling embers. Nami was standing there, her straight back turned to you. She must have taken over the night shift from Aidan. You slowly got up, wincing at the pain in your right side, and stood next to her, looking out into the forest.

“You feel it too.”

Her voice was cold, detached and far away, but her eyes, for once, were clear and sharp as she continued to stare into the greyness ahead. Yes, you felt it, you just didn’t know what it was.

“What is this?”

You weren’t sure what made you think that the purple eyed girl could give you an answer, but somehow you did. Somehow it felt as if she were a part of this, in some way.

“Shadelings. Those who are forgotten. They wander here, between night and day, in-between the shadows.”

An icy shiver ran down your spine. Shadelings, those who were lost in-between the shadows. You had a vague idea of what she meant. The shadow-world, a place in-between the world of the living and the world of the dead, had many layers, and sometimes, when travelling from life to death, people got lost in the shadows, wandering deeper and deeper, but never reaching the other side. They were called shadelings, for they no longer belonged to either of the worlds.

“They shouldn’t be this close.” Nami muttered to herself, her brow furrowed, her purple eyes confused and a little worried.

“What do you mean?”, you asked, feeling uneasy.

“Their souls yearn for life. That is why they are stuck in-between the worlds because they have not accepted their deaths. They watch us, speak to us, but most can never feel nor hear them. But you feel them.”

She turned towards you and her eyes bore into yours, making your uneasiness grow. Yes, you could feel them and so could she.

You knew why you could feel them, you had felt them before when you had walked through the shadows. You had felt the strange uneasy presence of the lost souls before, but you hadn’t known what it was, and you had never felt them as strongly as you did now.

You cradled your injured arm, as you watched the light grow brighter, warmer, and the feeling of dread started to fade away with the coming day. You had a suspicion as to why they were so close here. The shadow-world, in a way, had been created when the City of the Gods had been sealed away. The seals had split the shadow-world, layering it with the City of the Gods at its centre. And here, up in the mountains, was one of the keys that would open up their prison. With every broken seal, a layer would unravel, until, eventually, they would all come crumbling down. You wondered what that would mean for those trapped in-between.

A loud yawn made both Nami and you jump, and pulled you from your gloomy thoughts. It was Lynn. She sat up and stretched her arms, making loud stretching noises. Her long auburn hair was a mess, and her eyes were sleepy, but she looked fairly refreshed.

“Morning.”, she muttered in a sleepy voice and scratched her head. Then suddenly her eyes widened and she looked up in alarm.

“We were attacked!”

“Yup”, Nami said in a grave voice as she nodded. Then she turned around and walked away, whistling something that sounded a lot like ‘twinkle twinkle little star’. You shook your head in amusement, trying to shake away the uneasiness the girl seemed to emit.

Lynn looked around, growing more and more confused as she took in the sleeping shapes and figures on the ground, which were now slowly beginning to stir. You decided to clarify things a for her.

“We were attacked by a three-headed Zmey. It knocked you out in the first two seconds. Aidan and Megumi kept it from roasting us alive, and Emrys and I ended up taking it out. You slept through the whole thing.

I think you had a concussion, but you healed yourself, so I believe you’ll be fine.”

“Exacto. And Kyra beheaded it. All three heads. In one blow. Very morbid. No really, I thought so.”, Nami called over from where she was sitting. She quickly returned to humming another song. This one you didn’t know.

Lynn gave Nami a strange look and then fixed her gaze on you.

“You’re hurt.” she stated calmly.

“Yeah… Got a mild case of 'hit by a dragon' going on. I forgot about its tail… One should never forget about a dragon’s tail. Although, in my defence, I was distracted by its heads. It had three of them... Did I mention that? Thought you might be able to help me?”

She nodded and gestured for you to sit down next to her then proceeded to treat your wounds for the next thirty minutes. You sighed as relief washed over your body, taking with it most of the pain. By the time she was done, the rest of the group had gotten up, and Ethan had started handing around the crackers and dried fruit he had packed. After little under an hour, everyone was full and ready to go.

You felt a lot better now that your right side was healed. You could still feel a dull ache, Lynn couldn’t make it all go away, but it was nothing compared to the blazing pain you had been feeling earlier.

As you took in the scenery, you had to admit that this was a beautiful area. It had started snowing during the night, and now the whole world was covered in a white layer. The snow made the world appear pure and innocent. If only it weren’t so damned cold. You hated the cold!

“So, did you get any sleep last night?”

Somehow you had ended up in the front of the group with Aidan, something you weren’t entirely happy about while the others were a little further back. You heard Lynn bickering with Emrys, and Megumi’s soft laughter at something Ethan said. You also heard a faint melancholic tune, hummed by Nami, that made you feel nostalgic, but at Aidan’s words your thoughts turned to the strange dream you had had.

You were fairly certain that the woman, the one who had taken in the boy, had been Morgain. She had had the same long dark hair, the same brilliant eyes, changing from dark to the clearest green. And the boy? Well, he might have had a rounder face, and kinder eyes, but the boy was most definitely Aidan.

You glanced over at the man to your right, wondering if you had somehow dreamt his story. Even when the two of you had been friends he had never spoken about his time before the Reservoir. You had known that his parents weren’t within the Reservoir, but you hadn’t asked many questions. He’d always called the Reservoir his home. You couldn’t help but feel pity for the little boy who had been cast out by his own mother.

Aidan was still looking at you and you realized that you hadn’t answered his question yet.

“Yeah.”

He chuckled in amusement. It was strange. Just yesterday he had been all serious, and now? Now he was back to his carefree confidence.

“Wow, you’re chatty today.”

You rolled your eyes.

“A little short on breath here. Bruised ribs and all.”, you stated dryly, your eyes fixed on the path ahead of you. It was true, the path might not have been steep, but breathing was becoming increasingly painful, and you didn’t feel like wasting your breath on a conversation with Aidan. Sadly he didn’t get the hint.

“What happened? I didn’t see the dragon get you.”

“Zmey. Not dragon. Its tail hit me when I was trying to get to Lynn.”

“Ah sucks! But the way you defeated it was pretty impressive. Kinda scary actually.”

He grinned at you, which you promptly ignored.

“Good.”

He laughed at that and raised his hand to pat you on the back, but seemed to change his mind mid-motion and dropped it again. You were contemplating making up an excuse to go to the back of the group when he grabbed your arm.

“Stop.”

You wanted to protest, but something in the way that his voice had grown serious and oddly strained made you hold your tongue.

“We’re here.”

You looked around. In front of and behind you there was nothing but snow and trees for as far as you could see. You were about to make a sarcastic comment regarding his sense of direction when you felt it too. A warm wind, completely unlogical when considering the icy environment, caressed your cheek, and a surprised sound escaped your lips. The snow, that had been falling heavily mere seconds ago, dissolved in the air, as the white mass on the ground melted away, revealing green grass and colourful blooming flowers. The air was pleasantly warm, reminding you of the first days of summer. You looked around and realized that you were standing in a circular patch of summertime. It felt as if you were standing in a snow globe, only the other way around, with the snow falling on the outside.

“What is this?”, Megumi whispered as she looked around in awe, a smile spreading on her face.

“It’s beautiful”, Lynn said, as she bent down to pluck a purple flower.

The others followed their example, marvelling at the small miracle surrounding them. The tension left their shoulders, and one by one they started putting down their backpacks and casting off their warm coats and sweaters. You felt yourself relax as well, as the warm air dulled the pain in your side.

You dropped your bag and started taking off your coat, wanting nothing more than to sink into the soft grass and take a nap. It seemed like the best idea you had ever had. You jumped when a hand firmly grabbed your right arm. Pain shot through you and you winced. The hand was cold, and you wanted to shake it off. You didn’t like the cold! You wanted the warmth. But the hand wouldn’t let go. Angrily you turned around to tell whoever it was to let go. It was a man with dark eyes and dark messy hair. He was handsome, with high cheekbones, a slender mouth, and an intense look in his eyes. There were droplets in his hair, glittering in the light.

He was saying something, but you couldn’t hear him above the song of the birds. Funny, you hadn’t noticed those before, but now you could hear them all around you. Their song was soft, sweet and relaxing. You wanted to lie down and listen to their song as you drifted to sleep. You were so very tired.

The hand around your arm gripped tighter now, and you felt a sharp pain in your right side. The man was hurting you! You looked at him with wide accusing eyes. You wanted to tell him to stop, but you couldn’t remember how. Why couldn’t you remember? His eyes were piercing into yours, and you saw something, an emotion, that you didn’t like. The man looked troubled and upset. Why couldn’t he just be happy and relaxed? It was so nice and warm, and the grass looked so soft, soft and inviting.

He was motioning around you, and you looked at where he was pointing. The others, you couldn’t remember their names, were laying on the ground, their eyes closed, their breathing calm and relaxed, their faces blissful. You wanted to join them, they looked so peaceful. You tried to tear free from the man’s grip again, but he wouldn’t let go. You turned to face him, angry tears in your eyes, when he suddenly yanked you close, his ice cold lips roughly pressing onto yours.

It was this icy kiss that broke the spell.

For a split second you leaned into the kiss, enjoying the soft tingle of his lips on yours, then your eyes opened wide in shock, and you pulled away, slapping Aidan hard across the face.

“How dare you!”, you spat out, breathing heavily, a hot wave of anger coursing through you. You wiped your mouth with your arm, glaring at him with as much contempt as you could muster.

He was holding his cheek, his eyes equally angry.

“What choice did I have? You wouldn’t snap out of it.”

Suddenly you were freezing cold. Where was your stupid coat and why weren't you wearing it? You looked around for it and found it on the ground with your backpack, partially covered in snow. You spun around and saw the others lying there on the snowy ground, their eyes closed and their blue lips curved into blissful smiles. The snow globe had been an illusion!

“Fitnah! How long have they been like this?”

You were shivering and hastily pulled the cold coat around your shoulders. It was wet from the snow.

“It took me a while to get through to you, and you hadn’t given in yet. They were down within seconds after we stopped. I don’t know what happened, you were all acting so strangely. Here let me help you.”

“It was a bloody illusion.”

He put his hand to your back and you a felt a dry heat rush through your coat, drying it and warming you at the same time.

“Thanks”, you muttered. “Can you warm them up?”

He walked over and touched Megumi’s small shoulder. He closed his eyes and concentrated. Nothing happened. He got back up and shook his head.

“Whatever is causing them to act like this, is countering my powers.”

You nodded grimly and headed over to the nearest figure. It was Ethan. He was curled up in a ball like a cat, which looked pretty funny on the broad-shouldered man. You shook his shoulder, which earned you an eye-roll from Aidan.

“You really think that’s gonna work?”

You ignored the comment and shook him again.

“We have to do something. They’re freezing to death.”

“What happened to you guys anyway? You looked like you were high or something…”

“An illusion of warmth and summer, making us sleepy. I couldn’t remember who you were or who I was for that matter… They think they’re in a warm meadow of sorts, enjoying the sun. We have to snap them out of it.”

“How?”

“Well, I suppose you could kiss them all”, you supplied dryly, earning a grimace from him.

“No problem with the girls, but I’m not kissing Ethan or Emrys. You can take those two.”

You chuckled but shook your head.

“I don’t think that’ll work. The reason why it worked on me was because I was repulsed by it. I’m not sure if it would have worked if it had been someone else.”

You hadn’t thought much about the words, but Aidan looked as if you’d just slapped him.

“Wow, thanks.”

You sighed in frustration.

“This is so not about you Aidan! We need to wake them up, now!”

You tried pinching, screaming, kissing their cheeks, anything short from setting them on fire, which Aidan actually suggested. More than once.

“They’d probably wake up”, he mumbled crossly.

“And burn to death. We’re not setting them on fire.” But in truth you were considering it. If they stayed like this for much longer they were going to freeze to death, or at least lose body parts.

“I wish there was a way to shatter their pretty illusion, without me kissing them.”, he quickly added and you perked up.

Of course! You should have thought of it. You had to shatter their illusions. You weren’t a child of Ereb for nothing. He was the personification of darkness, chaos, fear and destruction. Most nightmares were brought on by him. You had never tried this before, but perhaps you could infiltrate their pleasant illusion, with an unpleasant thought, something so horrible they would want to wake up.

You knelt down next to Ethan to try it out when a wave of hot air washed over you. You looked up and let out a cry of surprise. Aidan was standing in front of you, his arms outstretched, barely holding back a solid wall of fire. The snow around you evaporated, for real this time, sizzling in the heat, and you felt sweat run down your forehead.

Aidan’s arms were shaking with the effort and you prayed to Shinehah that he would hold up. Well, if he failed, at least you wouldn’t have to worry about the others freezing to death. Actually, even like this they seemed to be warming up slowly. Slowly the fire pulled back, shaping a tall humanoid looking form. It was hard to tell whether it was a man or a woman, and perhaps it didn’t matter. Whatever it was, it was not human.

“Aidan Mayor, child of Esh, you have summoned me.”

The voice was surprisingly soft, but it brimmed with power.

“Who are you?”, Aidan called out, his voice wavering ever so slightly.

“I am Lo'cin-po'gil, guardian of the seventh key. I serve the flame of Esh, for it was he who created me.”

“I am the heir of Esh, and I have come to claim the key.”

His voice, unsure mere moments ago, rang out firm and true. You looked up at him in wonder. There was something regal about him as he stood there, his back straight and confident, facing the creature before him.

“It is yours to claim, and it is mine to give, but I must warn you child of Esh. The key will demand a price, all great things do.”

This was Aidan’s test, but you wished that you could take his place, or force him to accept the conditions, but it was his decision, and his alone. You were entirely dependent on him and you hated it. But then Aidan nodded and relief washed over you.

“I am willing to pay the price.”

The creature made a motion that you interpreted as a nod, then it turned towards you, and its fire seemed to burn just a little bit hotter, just a little bit brighter. You squinted your eyes, and slowly it dimmed down until you were able to look straight at it.

“And you Kyra Thaemsis Bomani, child of Shinehah, daughter of Ereb, are you willing to pay the price?”

You felt Aidan stiffen at Ereb’s name, but you ignored it for now. You would have to deal with that later. You didn’t hesitate for even a split second before answering.

“I will pay the price.”

The being nodded, and then, with another wave of seething air, it disappeared, leaving behind a charred black hole in the ground where it had burned the earth. The icy cold came crashing down on you an instant later, and you felt as if all the warmth in your body had just been sucked out of you. You crawled over to the hole in the ground, your eyes gleaming with an eager light.

The key, it had to be in there. You ignored the heat as you poked through the ashes with your fingers, looking for the invaluable object. Finally, your fingers touched something smooth and cool, and you closed your hand around it, pulling it out of the ashes. It was a smooth oval stone, about as big as your palm. It seemed to glow from within like a softly gleaming ember in a fireplace. Unbeknownst to you, an eerie smile crawled over your lips.

You could barely believe it! You were holding the first key in your hand. Before now, it had all been plans and ideas, hopes and dreams, but you held the first physical proof in your hands that this was more than just plans and dreams. This was real. You were going to succeed.

You turned towards Aidan, only to replace him staring at you, an uncertain look on his face. The glee you had felt at replaceing the stone was quickly replaced with weariness as you thought back to the words of the fire demon. Aidan knew what you were.

You wanted to say something, anything, ask him to pretend that he hadn’t heard that, but before you could open your mouth the others began to stir and Aidan quickly summoned a fire to warm them up. You watched in silence as they slowly came out of the illusion, wondering what would happen. Would Aidan tell them?