“You lie!” Alex yelled back in anger. “You are full of hate and lies!”
Alex rushed forward, swinging Moon Slayer with all his strength at the last of his enemies. As the sword passed through the last shadow, a terrible shriek ripped through the air, filling Alex’s mind completely. The heat that had been burning inside him went out like a light, and he felt like his insides had turned to ice. He was so cold—so very cold and tired.
Alex tried to remain standing, but his legs felt weak and unsteady. He remembered the dream that had scared him out of sleep in Telous so long ago, the painful cold that had filled him. Struggling to turn back to camp and his friends, Alex stumbled and fell forward with his sword under him. He remembered nothing more.
“Alex,” a voice called from far away.
He was so comfortable and didn’t want to answer,
but the voice kept calling. Maybe if he ignored it, the voice would go away.
“Alex, can you hear me?”
“Yes,” Alex answered reluctantly.
The voice seemed to be coming from the strange light behind him. Alex didn’t want to look at the light because his eyes were tired and the softly shaded land in front of him looked so pleasant. If he moved forward, across that low stone wall, then perhaps the voice would leave him alone.
“Alex, you need to open your eyes,” said the voice, desperate and worried. “Turn to the light.”
“Very well,” Alex said slowly, his brain struggling to remember the words as he spoke.
He turned away reluctantly from the gray lands and the low wall. Facing the light, he discovered it wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be. The light was gentle, soft and warm. Perhaps he would feel warmer if he moved toward the light.
“Alex, open your eyes,” the voice pleaded.
Slowly Alex obeyed, blinking several times to bring things into focus. He saw Arconn’s worried face above him. He looked old and sad, not at all like himself.
“Can you sit up?” asked Arconn wearily.
“I think so,” Alex answered, the words coming slowly.
With a great effort he tried to sit up, but his body felt so heavy. It would be easier to go back to sleep—back to the gray lands, the strange wall, and what was beyond.
“You need to get up,” said Arconn, lifting Alex to his feet. “You need to move around.”
“Very well,” said Alex, forcing himself to think about standing. For a moment he felt dizzy, and then he felt sick. His stomach lurched as he tried to move his feet, and he would have fallen if Arconn had not caught him.
“Come,” said Arconn softly. “Over to the fire, then you can rest for a bit.”
Alex struggled to walk, dragging his legs and feet forward as his stomach churned inside of him. He shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs from his mind, but everything still seemed blurry.
“Drink this,” said Arconn, pressing a cup to his lips. “It will help with your dizziness.”
Alex sipped the sweet liquid and after a moment he felt steadier and less dizzy. His mind cleared a little as he sat down near the fire and wiped cold sweat from his forehead with his shirtsleeve. Things slowly returned to focus, and he could see the worried faces of his friends all around him.
“What happened?” Alex asked.
“We were hoping you could tell us,” said Thrang, looking at Alex in concern.
Alex suddenly lurched forward, his stomach retching and his whole body shaking with cold. The memory of the shadow figures returned to him, and a sudden cold stabbed at his insides.
“Shadows,”
Alex managed to say through clenched teeth. “Shadows of darkness were here last night.”
“Wraiths,” said Arconn, nodding grimly. He wrapped a blanket around Alex’s shoulders, gently pulling him back into a sitting position.
Alex could see that his companions’ faces had gone white when Arconn had named the shadows, and they looked afraid.
“They are gone now,” said Alex, trying to cheer his friends. “They are gone, forever.”
“Can you tell us what happened?” Bregnest asked, deep concern for Alex showing in his face.
“I woke up in the night,” said Alex, shaking so hard his teeth chattered. “Nobody was on watch. I was about to wake you when they spoke to me.”
“You spoke with the wraiths?” Arconn questioned softly, his voice troubled.
“They wanted me to join them,” Alex said, nodding. “They wanted me to bring the Oracle’s crystal to them and join them.”
“And you refused,” said Arconn, looking into Alex’s eyes.
“They said if I joined them I could be great,” Alex stammered. “They said you were not my friends and that they would drive you all away so I could get the crystal from the dragon. They told me that you would do as I said or you would die. When they said that, I reached for Moon Slayer. I was on fire. I knew they were lying to me. I attacked them. They didn’t even try to run away. When I attacked the last one, the fire inside me went out, and I . . . I felt like I had turned to ice.”
“Enough,” said Arconn. “We will not speak of this here. We must press on to the dark forest at once.”
Bregnest nodded, motioning for the others to finish packing up their camp.
Alex remained by the fire with the blanket wrapped tightly around him. He felt cold and weak, and he was having trouble focusing his thoughts. Arconn remained with him, silent and watchful.
“Will he be able to ride?” Bregnest asked in a worried tone.
“I think so,” Arconn replied. “And I think the rest of us have little to fear from Aunk now. The darkness that I felt has gone.”
“Where has it gone?” Tayo asked from behind Bregnest.
“It is simply gone,” answered Arconn. “I believe that Alex has driven it out completely.”
Alex wanted to ask what Arconn meant, but he couldn’t remember the words. His mouth felt dry and empty. His stomach continued to turn and twist inside of him. He couldn’t seem to focus on anything. He was so tired. So cold.
“Drink a little more of this,” said Arconn, lifting the cup to Alex’s lips again. “It will help with the cold.”
Arconn carefully helped Alex onto Shahree’s back, wrapping the blanket tightly around him. Even though the sun was bright and warm, Alex shivered under the blanket. He thought Skeld and Andy rode next to him, but he couldn’t be sure. He wanted to tell them not to worry, that Shahree wouldn’t let him fall, but the words disappeared before he could speak.
The day passed in fits and starts. Every time Alex managed to look around, the landscape had changed, his vision blurring and all the colors turning to gray.
As the sun began to set, Alex felt his insides growing colder. The blanket was an icy weight around his neck, and he could feel his legs shaking wildly. He wondered if he would ever be warm again.
“The forest is near,” said Arconn as darkness covered the land. “We must press on quickly and hope to find my
kinsmen.”
“If they are there, we will find them,” said Bregnest, sounding determined.
Alex felt so tired. All he wanted to do was sleep. Sleep so the cold would go away. Maybe he would dream of the gray lands, the shadowlands that beckoned. It would be nice to sleep, to dream, to be warm.
He didn’t know when the dream took him away into darkness.
A soft breeze blew and Alex turned slowly, standing high on a hill, looking out over the soft gray lands that spread out in front of him. The low stone wall stood at the bottom of the hill, promising rest and relief.
Slowly he made his way down the hill, the wall growing larger before him as he studied the land beyond. How pleasant it would be to explore those lands, to find a spot to rest and leave all of his troubles and worries behind.
“Alex,” a voice called from behind him. “Alex, please stop.”
Alex turned to see who had spoken. To his surprise, the most beautiful woman he had ever seen was walking down the hill toward him.
“Who are you?” Alex asked as the woman drew closer.
“I am Calysto. I have come to call you back to the land of light.”
“Why would I want to go there?” Alex asked, turning to look at the wall. “The land beyond the wall looks so nice. The light isn’t very bright, but you can see for miles and miles just the same.”
“It is the land of shadows, Alex,” said Calysto. “If you go there, you can never return to the world of light.”
“If I go there, all of my troubles will be forgotten,” Alex answered.
“All the good that you may do will be lost,” said Calysto in a worried tone. “Come. Return to life. There will be time for the shadowlands another day.”
“No,” said Alex. “I want to go beyond the wall. Come with me. Let’s explore this new world together.”
“I do not belong there.”
“Come with me,” Alex repeated, turning to look back at Calysto. “Together we will find a peaceful place to rest.”
Slowly Calysto moved forward, her feet dragging across the ground as if reluctant to do as Alex asked. Calysto looked beyond him into the shadowlands, and he could see the fear crossing her face.
“Come,” Alex commanded.
Calysto took a few quick steps toward him and then slowed once more.
“I . . . I do not wish to go there,” Calysto said as she finally came to a halt. “If you will not return to the world of light and life, then please, do not ask me to join you in the shadowlands.”
“Light and life.” Alex considered the words. “Warmth and friendship as well.”
“Yes, those as well.”
“The lands beyond the wall look so inviting,” said Alex. “So restful.”
“It is not your time,” answered Calysto. “You have things to do in the world of light. You have promises to keep.”
“Yes. I do.”
“Then come,” said Calysto. “Please, return with me.”
“I . . . I will come,” replied Alex, suddenly tired. “I have promises to keep.”
Alex slowly climbed up the hill toward Calysto. When he reached her, he paused and looked back over his shoulder toward the shadowlands. Calysto reached out and quickly took his hand in hers. At her touch, he felt stronger and warmer as well. He knew he had made the right choice to return with Calysto, and he didn’t look back at the shadowlands again as they climbed the hill toward the light.
“Return,” Calysto’s voice said softly. “Return and find
happiness.”
And then the light swallowed the dream.
When Alex woke again he was lying in a soft bed covered with a warm, green blanket. Looking around, he saw he was alone in a low-roofed room, his sword and his magic bag sitting on the table beside his bed. Pushing back the covers, he tried to sit up, but his body was too weak.
“Not yet,” a soft voice said from the doorway. “You do not have your strength back.”