18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Z en remembered everything, crystal clear as if it had all happened yesterday instead of vague dreams—even how it had felt when the axe removed his head. It wasn't pain or fear for himself that he recalled, but fear of what Gaian would do. Zen knew the darkness in his love, he had simply always hoped that the goodness they brought out in each other, that was already there, would outweigh any darkness buried deep and ready to rage as hotly as their passions.

Zen blew past the school and reached the more populous areas of the city in minutes, fueled by purpose to combat his weakness, but he didn't know this place well enough to remember which abode he had woken up in, let alone where the others might be.

"My friends." Zen grabbed the nearest passing dwarf. "Where are they?"

"Um…"

"The strangers who arrived last night! Where are they?"

"I… I believe some are resting after their baths."

" Where ?"

Zen sprinted toward the abode the dwarf pointed at, not bothering to call out any warnings or greeting as he entered. There were multiple cots setup with many of Xari's people napping, but a mist seemed to hover over everyone, flowing out of them, translucent the way light could catch a spray of water.

The people were so still, still breathing, but shallowly, which Zen might have dismissed given all they had been through, but this was clearly magic.

He tore through the building, between cots and around pillars of rock, seeking out his friends. He wasn't sure what he was seeing when he found them, for Dante, Morty, and Xari were at the very back, being tended to by healers—only they didn't seem to be healing anything, instead hunched over the others' prone bodies, sucking up the flowing mist into open maws.

And they were maws, not mouths, betraying sharpened teeth. Their bodies seemed almost transparent, like apparitions, and they had long pointed noses and deeply curved ears. No one in the city had looked that way before, Zen was certain, because one of the creatures was a twisted version of the dwarven shaman who had made the others their salve.

" Light !" Zen threw at a hanging rock formation that lit up the back room almost as bright as the day.

The creatures shrieked and scurried from Zen like rats. Foul things, Zen recalled, not as himself but as Zenos. They were Night Hags, who could render their victims powerless in their beds and drain the energy from their souls.

No wonder the people here had a plague afflicting them.

"Wake up!" Zen shook Morty. The mist had faded, back into the victims' bodies as the hags fled. He saw Morty's eyes flutter, and breathed relief, but Zen himself was so weak, he wavered on his feet.

He had to stop relying on abilities that pulled from his inner reserves and remember how Zenos used to fight—with wits and whatever weapons he could find.

"Get up! We're leaving." Zen hefted Morty out of the cot as soon as the gnome looked conscious.

"Wha…?"

"Gaian is here. Now. We have to go. Dante!" Zen Shook Dante next, who roused more swiftly.

"Whadda yer trousers on fire for?"

"Gaian. Move ."

Those were the only words needed to get Dante off the cot. He and Morty both had their belongings nearby and gathered it all to replace on their persons, but Zen's crossbow had been left where he woke up. He'd have to do without.

Xari rose before Zen had to shake her. "What's happening? Gaian, you said? But there were no brides…" She felt at her neck, as if assuming loss of blood was to blame for her weakness.

"Night Hags," Zen told them, and the widening of their eyes proved they were well-acquainted with such creatures.

"That's why the symptoms sounded familiar," Morty said.

"No telling who else in the settlement might be one. Rouse your people and go." Zen turned to Xari. "We'll continue through the mountains."

She nodded, but then stepped toward Zen, as if mesmerized by something in his gaze. "Your eyes, they're… older. Your memories?"

"Clear now."

"Then I suppose I should mention that the reason I know the story of Adel so well is not only because it was passed down with our faith. It was passed down through family."

Zen felt a shiver run through him realizing what she meant, and with his memories strong, he could see it—the resemblance, however diluted through generations.

"You had children ?" Dante balked.

"But you were with Gaian," Morty added.

"I had a sister," Zen said, remembering her now and how strong and capable she'd been, like Xari,. "Zaerus."

"She thrived after mourning your loss," Xari said. "A thousand years, and our family still roams free. I am sorry I nearly struck you down before, but I feared the worst, knowing you had fed from Gaian. I am the last direct descendant of our family, though hopefully not last forever."

Zen thought she might slide her eyes to a likely candidate, but she resisted.

"I would like to tell you what became of your sister," Xari continued. "So please, succeed in your mission that one day I might."

At that, she turned to go, offering an affirming nod to Dante, and a lingering glance at Morty.

"Come on," Zen said. "Even if we have to carry Khel, there's no time to waste."

The streets were too quiet when they got outside, but Zen ignored whatever that might mean and hurried to recover Khel. He expected to find Shar hovered over Khel's body, but she merely sat beside his bedside, looking troubled.

" Reveal ," Morty cast as soon as they got close to her, but Shar didn't lose any guise to reveal a hag beneath.

"What was that for?" she sneered.

"Your fellow shaman are Night Hags," Zen explained, while simultaneously trying to rouse Khel. "They fled, but we must leave."

Shar looked stricken to finally know what had been draining her people, but she didn't try to stop Zen or counter his assessment. "Clea was here before me. I thought it strange that Khel looked so much paler…"

Hearing that made Zen fear Khel wouldn't rouse at all, but then he did, however sluggishly he blinked at them, and little needed to be said for him to agree it was time to go.

Khel looked to Shar with weary gratitude that she was not like her fellows, as Dante aided him with Khel's arm thrown over his shoulder, and Morty carried Khel's sword and shield, while Zen claimed Khel's bow. "I knew you liked me."

Shar scoffed with obvious fondness. "Don't get yourselves killed. You may have just saved this city."

Zen could only hope.

"What of Guardian?" Khel asked when they trudged toward the exit. "Someone came to give him food and water."

It pained Zen to say so, but, "We don't have time to look for him. He'll find us."

The streets were even quieter as they left, not a soul anywhere, other than Xari's people starting to head out. Zen and the others dared not break the silence by calling to them a safe travels and merely gave parting waves.

Zen knew Gaian was biding his time, some trap waiting to be sprung, but they could do little more than push on, past the school, past the springs, where Zen almost expected Gaian to be waiting, naked at the pool's edge.

He wasn't, but as they passed, Zen stared in longing at the spot where they had made love.

One thing was sure, Zen felt clearer, more confident, like he had faced insurmountable odds—because he had. As Zenos. The hesitations he used to feel were gone. He was an experienced adventurer who had defied death and consequence time and time again.

Until he hadn't.

Even so, when the axe failed to drop, as it were, he wondered what horrors Gaian had in store for them.

"We must rest," Morty said after what felt like hours.

There were no crystals anymore, only darkness. There were many smaller winding paths, but only one large path heading out, and Zen knew it well from his past life.

"Khel looks positively green," Morty went on, "and I'm exhausted. Those hags did a number on us."

"We can't stop long," Zen warned.

Dante leaned Khel against the rock wall, and they all sat to eat and drink. A quick spell from Morty deemed the provisions they had acquired from the settlement safe, and so they took nourishment, all only at half strength, even after they'd finished, and Khel with drooping eyes.

"We're a sorry lot," Khel said. "Do you think… the only reason we've made it this far… is because Gaian knows we're no match for him?"

"We have to try," Zen said.

"To what?" Dante asked. "Kill him or save him? I know my preference." He wrung his hangs along the shaft of his axe. "You have to choose. I know that's not what you want—"

"I know. I know what I must do. I'll end this, we just need to get to the castle." Zen didn't elaborate, but his friends nodded in solidarity.

"My tongue feels fuzzy," Khel said with a loll of his head.

"Have more water," Morty offered.

"Here, let me—" but before Zen could reach to touch Khel and heal him, Morty snatched up his hand and shook his head.

"We can't waste strength—especially not yours. Unless it's life or death, best to save everything you have."

Zen hated to admit that was true.

"Stop tapping your foot," Khel huffed at Dante after downing more water. "Or is it your fingers? It's grating."

Dante stared at his hands, and then at his very still feet. "I'm not tapping."

"Then what's that skittering sound…?"

They jumped to their feet, all save Khel, who used the wall to brace himself and stand more slowly. Morty kept close eye on their surroundings as he started to gather up what little they'd unpacked. Dante hefted his axe. Zen nocked an arrow.

Eyes—red eyes, dozens of them—started to glow out of the dark. At first, Zen feared they were more of the beasts from outside, but then one of them scurried into clearer view.

"Cave spiders!" Dante cried.

"Khel, can you run?" Zen asked, as they tightened their formation closer to Khel.

"I won't make it. Leave me."

"Like hells," Dante growled and threw his axe to the ground to heft Khel over his shoulder.

"Run!" Morty called, as the spiders took that as their cue to pounce, and they took off running as fast as their tired feet could carry them.

Dante lagged, but his strength and determination aided him, enough that he was able to take one of the alchemist's fire bottles from his belt and toss it blindly behind him.

Zen risked a glance back, watching it explode and spread, causing several spiders to screech in pain as they were engulfed, but still, there were more, as fast as the beasts of the wood had been, though in place of rows of fangs were two, dripping poison.

"We're almost free!" Morty called, and indeed, an opening out of the mountain appeared not far ahead. Zen knew they had been close, and if they could just make it out, he also knew that cave spiders hated to leave their homes.

Every one of his muscles ached, and he knew it was the same for the others, being pushed so hard, when they had so little reserves, the brief rest of food and drink the only reason they managed to sprint as fast and hard as they did.

Surely, Morty would be searching for a spell, or at least hurling a fireball if he had the strength, but even he remained silent and ran. Zen too, though he kept glancing back to be sure Dante was on his heels, didn't dare waste a spell or the one arrow he had ready unless he had to. They just needed to reach the exit.

They were close, Zen could almost taste the sweeter air from outside, when one final glance back showed a spider launching itself from the stone wall at Dante and Khel.

Zen fired, his arrow striking it square between the eyes, and it fell without a squeal.

Almost there.

So close!

Morty crested the exit first, and Zen was right behind him. Zen whirled, just in time to see another spider leap to grab Dante and Khel, but Zen didn't have another arrow ready and not enough time to nock one, though still he tried—only for a black figure to slam into the spider and slam it to the ground right out of the air.

Dante made it, winded though he may be, and as the four of them panted, a couple meters clear of the cave, they watched, fearful of spiders following, but what emerged was the black figure that had saved Dante and Khel.

Guardian!

He trotted triumphantly to Zen and licked his hand.

"Never doubted you," Khel said from Dante's shoulder.

Dante put Khel down, and they all took a moment to breathe relief. They were free, and on this side of the mountain, Zen remembered what a different world it was with a breathtaking view.

He turned to take it in, remembering it clearly even before he saw it. The rolling hills, a field of flowers to their right, purple like the amethyst crystals at the settlement, and the river to the left that led to the waterfall that sparkle like diamonds, even more brilliant than stars.

It was day now—what Nightfall had for day—but still the view was beautiful, even of the looming castle at the top of the hill beside the waterfall that overlooked it all.

Zen felt another lick at his palm and looked to Guardian with a smile, who trotted around him, as if he too wanted to look at the castle.

"Guardian?" Khel said, but when Zen turned, Khel wasn't looking at the wolf beside Zen, but at the mouth of the mountains.

Where another black wolf was trotting out of the dark.

The new wolf didn't quite reach them, before Khel, Morty, and Dante, all doubled over in pain.

Dante clutched the bite on his arm from the first wolf in the woods.

Morty clutched the side of his neck where the bride had fed.

Khel clutched his throat, as if inside his mouth and down past his tongue where a Night Hag might have drained him was what ailed him now.

Of course they had been allowed to leave. The others needed time for their transformations to complete, held at bay before by who knows what magic, for this very moment.

Dante howled as he changed into a werewolf, elongating into a monstrous beast with deep, reddish brown fur sprouting that seemed to tear his skin from his body.

Morty hissed and snarled as his eyes flashed red, with fangs growing from his eyeteeth, and he looked around as though filled with a terrible hunger.

Khel's cry was more like a squeal of wind, with razer teeth filling his maw, his nose growing longer and his ears more curved, as he became an almost transparent creature that could devour a person's soul.

For what else would a creature made of mist be if not a Night Hag?

Worse was there didn't seem to be any sense of themselves when they turned to Zen. Guardian didn't look friendly either, eyes glowing red, going to Khel's side, all of them forming into a terrifying line.

But that was Guardian, the real one. The wolf behind Zen was someone else.

"Come, my love." Gaian's arms encircled Zen from behind, causing him to drop Khel's bow.

They lifted, Zen's changed companions left behind on the ground, with the sound of flapping filling the air and all hope draining from Zen's heart.

"It is time we ended this."