Two days after the men of Cillitran left their city and began their march across the Shyl Plains, three burdened travelers found themselves out of the hills and trees of the Pikes and into a grassy wash of fields. The midday sun shined bright overhead with no clouds around to diminish it, no further trees to block its heated rays.
It had been several hours now since they left Prevost, and he was still a lingering thought that would not soon wander away. They continued northwest, walking without stopping, without talking, without mentioning the words they all felt for leaving their friend behind. It easily could have been any one of them, if not them all, that drank the water. The grim reality left them in sullen moods. Kamen Ode especially. The big man’s face became a mask of anger, grunting to himself and not looking at his companions for support for anything. Qenn and Kandish did not press him. They focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
They traveled for a long distance through the wet lands, a slow and painstaking trek that had them wandering in circles searching for safe passage. The beating sun did little to stop the swarming insects, which buzzed around them in small, irritating clouds, constantly trying to feed off their sweat. Noises of other things living in the swamps grew the further they traveled. Quick glimpses of reptilian creatures were spotted once or twice sinking back into the slime-coated waters, none of them resembling things living in the south. The three trespassers kept their eyes and ears open for them as well, uncertain if they would pose a threat.
“Would be worth it to use my staff and kill these bugs off for good,” Qenn joked. Their non-response kept him quiet afterwards.
It was in the last few hours that Qenn noticed that he was feeling slightly different about things. Angrier, he thought. Even the smallest of irritations were hard to ignore. He first thought it was just the lag of the journey and his hardships. But the more he thought of it, the more it became unclear. He finally ruled it on the stress and obstacles. Neither were things he could change.
Or were they? He stared at his staff and wondered just how powerful it was.
“I can’t wait for this journey to be over with,” he said bitterly to himself.
Kandish spent time watching Qenn, watching his eyes shift to his staff, watching his narrow fingers caress it as he walked. And the small comments he made now all involved him using his new weapon. She thought back to when she first had met him, when he and Tane had set her free in the wagon. He was so innocent then, she thought. He didn’t appear to her as that way now.
“How are you holding up, Qenn?”
Qenn shrugged, and then sighed. “Just tired, I guess.”
Kandish could tell something was bothering him, but she didn’t want to push the issue. “You can tell me anything, Qenn.”
Qenn quickly looked over to her. “Thanks. And you can do the same.”
She kept her gaze on him as he turned his attention back to his staff. She hoped that he would come to her with his problem on his own. Sighing inwardly, she returned to the task at hand—swatting bugs.
The bugs disappeared as the sun began to sink against the horizon off to their left, allowing the wetlands a chance to cool and making Kamen find a suitable place for them to rest. Exhausted, they sat in the dry grass on a small plateau overlooking the swamps around them. Kandish admitted that she had emptied out the water canister after leaving the LifeWaters. Qenn and Kamen understood and did not bother with any retorts. Food would be sparse, they knew. Clean water would be more-so. But Kamen Ode gave them orders to sit and wait for him to return with both. Kandish and Qenn thought that maybe he just needed to be alone for a while, so they let him. As the big man walked towards the sunset, the other two wished him good luck.
Kandish sat across from Qenn. She chewed on a blade of grass. “How do you feel?”
Qenn shrugged. He removed his boots and rubbed the soreness of his feet. They ached. His entire body did, for that matter. He wasn’t well-traveled, and the long journey was starting to take a toll on his body. “Tired, mostly.”
Kandish looked at his staff. “Do you feel any different now, with the power of the LifeWaters in the staff?”
Qenn saw that she was not merely asking to make conversation. Her eyes were waiting to hear that he was fine. But he was not sure that he was. There was something wrong. He stared at her sparkling eyes and wondered how he could tell her. The reassuring smile she sent did little to sway his direction. Qenn smiled in return. He momentarily forgot the putridness around him.
“Honestly, I’m not sure. When I first used it, I felt something inside me. It’s hard to explain, and I don’t know if I can. But it wasn’t like grabbing something and feeling it against you. It was feeling something inside me. That worries me a little.”
Kandish held his gaze. “I know exactly what you’re talking about.”
“Now I feel something else. It gets stronger all the time.” He stared at her, still uncertain of his words. “Sometimes I think I can feel the LifeWaters’ power in the staff. I know that sounds weird, but I don’t know how else to describe it. It’s almost like…it’s trying to break the staff, trying to get free.”
He paused for a second, reflecting on his own words. “I don’t know. But I can feel something.”
Kandish nodded. “I don’t think that is weird, Qenn. That sounds natural. There is a new magic in the staff, probably very powerful. I think you would feel it, in some way.” She stared at him for a second, noticing his expression did not change. “You’re worried about something else, too. What is it?”
Qenn sighed. “Something is happening to me. I don’t know how, but I’m changing, Kandish. It feels like everything is spinning out of control and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. The LifeWaters warned me that its power was too much for me, that the staff could not contain it. What if the power is slowly seeping out? What if that’s what I feel?”
Kandish’s heart sank. There was a very real probability that he was right. “I think that right now we need to trust that the Elves made it strong enough, and that you can use it before it escapes on its own. If that’s even possible.”
“I think that is possible, and that’s what scares me.” He paused for a second, looking away from her concerned face. “Do you feel this way with your own magic?”
“Yes.” She said it softly. “I am scared that it will explode on its own will and I will not be able to stop it. I fear that I will be consumed by it. And that I will destroy the ones I love now.”
Qenn saw the worry in her eyes. She was too beautiful to be scared of herself, he thought. “What a pair we make,” he joked. “I’m probably just overreacting anyway.”
“Well I wasn’t. Qenn, listen to me. I’ve seen it happen. The magic calls you into it. It becomes an ally at first, very subtle and soothing, very controlled. You’re compelled to use it more and more. Then before you even realize it, it’s an addiction. You’re relying on the magic for everything. It absorbs your mind until you’ve lost all ability to make rational decisions. You’ll feel like you need to be isolated. And you won’t be able to see just how far you’re drifting. Then it’s too late. And you’ve lost yourself.”
Qenn was thinking of her words. Was that happening? He could feel the staff pulsating even now. Soothing, just as she had said. And he did have the urge to use it.
But it was made so I can use it. And just because others have lost themselves, doesn’t mean I will. The staff is very important. It’s necessary.
“I’ll be careful, Kandish.”
“Qenn, we are in this together. You need to be open about everything, especially when it comes to your magic. I was alone with my fears about it. You’re not, Qenn.”
Kandish reached out and took hold on his hands, removing them from the staff, squeezing them in hers. “We can do this, together. Trust me.”
Qenn nodded. He did trust her. “Thanks for listening.”
She smiled right away. “You did the same for me.”
Kamen Ode materialized out of the gloom the
n, suddenly standing within a few feet from them, carrying large roots. Qenn instinctively grabbed hold of his staff, finding comfort with its warm feel. Kamen Ode told them of little creatures he saw running across the water, small reptiles that scattered with his approach. Some of them made it safely across, others were eaten by something swimming under the surface. He warned them to keep an eye out for everything. The roots were all he could find, but they would be enough, he said. Plus they would give them water, when all around them were stagnant pools, foul and placid. Qenn and Kandish didn’t argue, eating what they could of the strange root before Kamen told them to sleep for a bit. Within the hour, both of them were deep asleep with the big man at watch.
Dawn found the three travelers working their way through the misty patches of the swampland. They had been up for a few hours already, navigating the best they could through the near darkness, the moon giving them enough light to see sparsely. The same problems they faced on the previous day plagued them throughout the sun’s course and by dusk they were cursing the land and all its inhabitants.
As they welcomed the approach of nightfall, Kamen Ode led them to a small stretch of land spurted up between two large pools of water. He stopped them there, looking around to make certain it was a safe area, then telling them to make camp while he left to search for food and water. Qenn and Kandish did as they were told, sitting close to each other, listening to the sounds of the night creatures on hunt. The moon and stars were coming out now as well, giving them the sense that what they were doing was small and insignificant. After a few moments of silence, Kandish asked Qenn about his magic.
“How did you get the staff to work?” she said curiously.
Qenn half-smiled. “I don’t know. I don’t think I had anything to do with it. It just happened. When the staff came to life though, I wasn’t scared. There was no pain, or anything like that.”
“Do you still feel different?” She was afraid of his answer, watching him slowly look away didn’t help matter much either. “Qenn, is what you said last night still true?”
“I feel fine,” he lied. “Don’t worry about me. We have a lot of things more important to be thinking about.”
“Okay. But if things change, you’ll tell me, right?”
Qenn nodded. He wanted to tell her how he felt the staff surge with power, that he saw it light up once for a second, then fade away, that he was not sure he had any control over it whatsoever. But he knew doing so would only increase the worry she already carried. The staff was his burden, his alone. Talking to Kandish had helped them grow close, but he knew she could not help him. “Maybe what I had felt was temporary.”
Kandish looked away, staring idly across the sea of stars. She drew her legs up against her chest, wrapping her arms around them to keep the cool air from stealing her warmth. “It’s not like that with me, Qenn.”
Qenn slid over to sit against her. “I’m sorry, Kandish. I don’t want you to be afraid. I don’t want you to have to do something that hurts you in any way. Maybe when the time comes, you won’t have to. I can use the staff—”
“You don’t even know what the staff will do, Qenn.” She turned her head to look into his eyes. “The Seer told me that you would fail on your own. That I needed to save you.”
“She did?” He watched Kandish nod. “Did she say that you needed to use your magic to protect me? Because you don’t have to. I have the staff now. Maybe she didn’t see that.”
“I believe her, Qenn.”
Qenn stared into her eyes with a burning passion. “I would do everything I could to protect you. I don’t care what the Seer said.”
“Qenn, it’s not like that. Don’t be mad. But something might happen that you and your staff will not be able to prevent. That’s all.” She could see the hurt in his eyes, hearing it in his words as well.
“The only thing that could stop me from saving you, is if I die. I don’t know what else to say, Kandish. That’s just how I feel. I would give—”
Kandish kissed him. The feeling came over her and this time she did not fight it. She acted on her love, pressing her lips against his, feeling his tighten in surprise before relaxing. She never thought anyone would care for her the way he did. It was overwhelming to hear his words spoken out loud, with undeniable sincerity. She squeezed him close to her, wishing the moment was held in different circumstances.
Qenn’s heart pounded so hard against his ribs that he thought for sure he would simply die. It was so unexpected, and as he tried to calm his breathing, he thought how wonderful the moment was. He opened his eyes as he felt Kandish slowly backing away. He stared at her smooth face for a second before her eyes opened and he locked on them.
“Thank you, Qenn.”
“I meant it. Every word.”
He sat closer to her then, putting an arm around her, keeping them both slightly warmer. They were quiet then, both staring out across the swamps to the darkening horizon, both lost in separate thoughts that raced back to their conclusion. The road ahead was scary and uncertain for both. Qenn was thinking that the Seer had told Kandish something about their journey that she did not want to reveal, but he was confident that he could protect her from anything. Almost as confident that her magic could save him, if need be.
“I’ve been thinking about something,” Qenn said quietly. He waited for her to look at him; he wanted her to see that he was serious about it. As their eyes locked, he continued. “I’ve been thinking ever since we left Prevost, that maybe we should leave Kamen, too.”
“What?” Kandish was dumbfounded.
“Hear me out. This is a very dangerous journey. Kamen’s been through a lot. I don’t see how we can ask him to continue. Look what happened to Prevost.” Qenn turned away from her, staring at his staff. “We have magic to protect us. Kamen is a good fighter, the best I’ve ever seen. But the evil we are fighting can only be defeated by magic. I think we should leave—”
“Qenn, Kamen is here—”
“Kandish, I know. I know why he’s here. I know that he would never leave us. I know he would die to protect us. I just don’t know if I can ask him to do that any longer.”
Kandish looked away. She could not believe what she was hearing. A lot of the reasons they were even alive now was due to Kamen. “He has lost everything, Qenn. I think this is giving him a purpose. I think he needs to be with us right now.”
Qenn sighed.
“We’re all he has, Qenn. I think you should reconsider.”
The sounds of something moving through the grass came abruptly. Qenn and Kandish stood suddenly as Kamen Ode walked out of the night carrying the water canister and a dead animal. “Let’s eat,” he said, tossing it to the ground at their feet, offering them water.
“He stays,” Kandish whispered to Qenn.
Qenn agreed, knowing already that his mind was made up.
Kamen Ode butchered the fawn he killed and told them that he found a narrow stream a ways back that had drinkable water. He convinced the other two that cooked meat was necessary to keep their strength. Qenn and Kandish agreed and a small fire was made. Kamen rotated the meat on sticks balancing between flat rocks. Normally they would not risk it, but Kamen told them that all the Takers were gone from the area, traveling south for the war. Qenn and Kandish both asked how he could be so sure. Then he told them what he found.
“A mile or so west there’s a trail. The ground is trampled. It was at least a half-mile wide and runs straight north. To their home.” Kamen Ode looked away, back to where he had saw the trail. “I would say there are thousands.”
Qenn and Kandish looked at each other right away. Thousands. The word echoed through both their minds.
“The good news is, that is the way out of this swamp. We follow their trail.” Kamen seemed unaffected by his own words and began eating. “We should rest a bit. A few hours, at least. We’ll leave again after dark.”
The other two were quiet. Qenn’s thoughts of leaving Kamen began to change then. Now h
is mind was running off with a new plan. They ate their small meal in silence, watching the sky overhead, watching the stars slowly brighten as the night lengthened. When they were finished, Kamen suggested that they try and rest. So they did, lying close to one another on their backs, trying to block out all their worries so sleep would claim them.
Qenn tried for a long time but could never settle his thoughts. Once, he looked over to Kandish, only to find her eyes shut and her breathing peaceful. Good, he thought. As he stared at her, he began to think even harder on his new idea, how important it was. He noticed then that Kamen Ode was staring at him. He closed his eyes and tried not to think about anything. But he couldn’t. He gave in finally and sat upright.
He turned to Kamen. “It’s pointless. You should sleep. I’ll watch for a while.”
Kamen Ode did not appear to have heard the elf. He sat with his eyes focused on the dying embers and his fingers slowly peeling a blade of grass in strands.
“Kamen? Do you want—”
“Qenn,” his deep voice began gently, “when I was a young boy, my mother told me of her power. She could see things before they happened, she explained. Later, she told me how she was going to die and why. I told you before how I felt, and how I ran, hoping it would change things. In Skadar Port, she told me something else.”
Kamen tossed down the grass and stared over to Qenn. He neither looked sad nor at peace, but someplace in between. “She told me that no matter what, I stayed with you. You would need me to help find the evil. She told me that it might kill me, but I could not run anymore. I did not want to believe her. I did not want to believe that she was going to die that very night either. But she was right, Qenn. She was always right.
“After losing Prevost, her words stung. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about everything she has told me. I spent so much time running, hoping that I could change her visions. But not any more. I don’t want to prove her wrong, Qenn. This time, I want her to be right.”
Qenn said nothing. He didn’t have the words. Kamen Ode just admitted that the trek further would kill him. He wished that Kandish had been awake to hear it. She would see things his way then. “It’s late, Kamen. You should try to get some rest, too.”
“I will get you there, Qenn. After that, you’re on your own.” Kamen Ode turned away and laid next to the small fire pit he had built. He was asleep in a matter of seconds.
Qenn stared at him for a long while. His thoughts drifted from everything in his life, to all he knew of Kamen Ode’s. Sometime during the process, his mind relaxed and sleep overcame him.
It was a few hours before dawn, when Kamen Ode brought them out of their deep slumber and led them out to the trail he had found hours earlier. Qenn and Kandish both thought that Kamen’s description of it was undervalued. The trail was unmistakable, muddied to the point of believing there had been no grass to begin with. They followed it north with no hesitation, but with no real burning desire to find what awaits them at the end of the road.
It was just after the sun had risen, pushing away the darkness across the sky and land and shedding a yellow and purple haze in its place, when Kandish asked Qenn if he had changed his mind about leaving Kamen behind. Qenn thought about it for a moment, then nodded to her. “I could not leave him alone.”
They spent the remainder of the day swatting bugs, talking little, and thinking of the road ahead. Kamen walked a few yards in front of them, one hand with a fist, the other with his long sword ready. His eyes were sharp and focused; he was already accepting the death he knew was coming. But it would not claim him easily, he swore.
Kandish and Qenn walked together, and yet so far apart in their thoughts. Kandish drifted ahead to what she thought would be the end of the journey. What it would be like. What it would cost them. Qenn on the other hand kept his thoughts focused now on the plan to leave them both. Leave them, he thought, before they both die. It was the only way to make certain that they were kept safe. Kandish had her power, he knew. But she was afraid to use it. It was too high of a risk to let her carry on into the darkness awaiting. The staff would be power enough to finish the journey. He could manage alone.
He tightened his grip on the staff, feeling slow throbs against his palm and fingers. He enjoyed the sensation. It was the staff communicating with him, he knew. It was the magic within the staff affirming his premeditation. It was looking after him, he thought.
It wouldn’t let anything happen to me.
Midday passed on into evening with no further sights of birds or anything else for that matter. The land began to dry, though there were several small swamps littering the area. As nightfall came they turned off the beaten path and found a suitable place to rest. As Kamen went off to do his usual scouting, Qenn laid on his side and announced that he was tired. Kandish sat down next to him, stating that she would wait for Kamen to return, when she caught the look Qenn was giving her.
“Qenn, are you alright?”
Qenn closed his eyes and tried not to think of the terrible ache in his heart. He remembered the vision Shadox showed him and Tane. He was carrying Kandish, who looked lifeless. The image terrified Qenn. It haunted him.
“I love you, Kandish. I would do anything for you.”
“Qenn, are you alright?”
“Yeah,” he said unconvincingly. “Just tired.”
“If you want to talk about anything…” She stopped, watching the elf shake his head and roll away so he was not facing her.
“Get some rest, Kandish.” He said it with deep regret. It hurt saying the words. He knew what she wanted. But his mind was made up.
It’s for the best. You’ll see.
Kandish stared at him in the dim light, unable to see his tears. She couldn’t get rid of the feeling that something bad was happening to him. But she couldn’t help him if he didn’t let her. In the morning, she thought, she would do what was necessary to help him. She would not let him simply slip away.
“Goodnight, Qenn.” Kandish said softly. “I love you, too.”
When Kamen Ode returned, Kandish fell asleep next to Qenn. Kamen said nothing, resting down next to them. He would wake one of them in a while so he too could rest. They were close to finishing the mess, he knew. The air was thick with decay and a foulness so plagued he could not begin to imagine the darkness that created it. But soon he would find out. Good, he thought bleakly.
A few hours later, Qenn sat up and relieved Kamen Ode.
Minutes after, he walked away into the night.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX