8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Z en found the others waiting outside the tavern. There wasn't an inn, but there was a room at the tavern where they could stay—all four together on cots.

"Better than the ground," Morty said, setting out the map and several of his books along the floor.

Zen went to take a seat beside Morty, but Dante stopped him.

"Word of advice, even when playing with children and friendly strangers, while on an adventure, always keep at least one weapon with you." He tapped the dagger on Zen's belt.

Zen nodded, and though he unloaded his pack and crossbow, this time he didn't remove the belt.

Morty revisited the tale of Lord Gaian to see if there were any clues as to how to slay him. "Maybe I missed something." He paged through the black leather book.

"I think it'll come down to sunlight," Khel said, returning Zen's stomach to awful churning.

"But there's no sun here," Dante reminded him.

"Who needs the real thing when we have—"

"I don't know how to cast it!" Zen said in a rush. "I know I should, but… I must confess—"

"You're not a full priest," Morty broke in with his nose stuck in the book. "We know. But an almost priest is better than none."

"You know ?"

Dante snorted like it had been obvious.

Khel just smiled. "We didn't know which prayers you could wield, but did you think we didn't recognize your stole that first night? Too bad you lost your new one. It looked nice on you."

There they went again, being wholly accepting of Zen, even though he'd lied.

But this was life and death!

"What if I can't do it? I won't have you putting your faith in me, relying on me, only for me to let you down."

"So, we'll come up with a back-up plan," Khel said.

"And a back-up plan for that back-up plan," Dante added.

"And a back-up plan for that one," Morty echoed. "Gaian can be killed. The trouble is keeping him dead. Perhaps we get him down to ashes, and then bring those ashes outside the barrier. Then he'll see sunlight." They went right on thinking of solutions, never once stopping to voice concerns or hurl accusations at Zen.

They continued discussing all the spells and dismemberment and other gruesome ways they might rid these lands of the vampire lord that ruled them, never seeming afraid that they might fail.

Zen envied them that, as well as their understanding, and tried to be brave in their wake.

Even so, when they decided to rest, eat, and explore more of the town, Zen snuck behind the tavern, alone with his prayer book, wondering if he could teach himself to cast Sunlight without the help of an elder priest or the title as his own.

" Light ," he cast for practice, a bright beacon in the dark, narrow alley.

Then he simply tried to will it to the next level, reaching deep within to cast a brighter beacon.

" Sunlight ."

The glow from his hand looked no brighter than before.

Zen sagged. He knew it wouldn't be that easy. Once he learned a spell, it could be, but the beginning often relied on careful, guided meditation to find the source for the right spell.

His prayer book said the same, and he tucked it back into his belt to free his hands. He unhooked the high collar of his robes, hoping a few deeper breaths might help, and pulled his amulet from the folds to hold onto it.

Centering oneself could be done even in a noisy city street, and this small village, though alive with kind strangers, only had the faint ambient noise of a few people going about their day.

Zen tried to reach beyond that, to listen for the wind, the trees, the birds—but there was nothing. The mist must keep everything cloaked like a thick blanket.

Surrendering to that stillness, Zen called to mind a radiant image of the sun. Conjuring it behind his eyes meant it didn't burn him or make him feel dizzy. The thought of its heat was welcome, and it was beautiful, whether high in the sky or painting colors above the horizon.

It might not exist in this land of night, but Zen reached for the sun in his mind, keeping one hand on his amulet and feeling his raised palm heat up like warming itself by a fire.

Zen could feel it, the source he needed, and opened his eyes as he began to pray, " Sun —"

A dark elf child burst from around the corner into Zen's line of fire.

He snapped his mouth shut and swung his already glowing hand behind his back. The sun could be a nuisance to darklings like him, but it was deadly to dark elves.

The child stopped when he saw Zen, not one of the ones from before, so he didn't know Zen and looked afraid—only for Enki to prove to be the one chasing him, scoop him up, and send the child into a fit of giggles.

"Zen," Enki said when he noticed him. "I hope you're not lying in wait to pick pockets. Get on back to the others now." He lightly swatted the child's behind when he let him go, and off the little elf went.

Zen quickly brought his hand forward now that the glow was gone. He didn't want to seem like he was genuinely up to no good.

Enki approached but frowned when his gaze dropped to his neck. "I didn't notice that before." As assuredly and unafraid as ever, he reached to trace his fingers along the line of Zen's scar, visible now with his collar undone.

Zen shivered.

"Sorry." Enki withdrew, as if only then realizing he'd acted without meaning to. "May I ask how it happened?"

"I don't know. I've always had it, since I was a babe."

"At least you don't have to remember getting it. I hear you're staying for the festival. Would you like to help me with some of the food preparations? The children can't keep my attention all day. There are many others working on the feast, but another pair of hands would be welcome."

"I…" Zen should keep practicing, but then, he supposed they still had a long journey ahead. There was time to get the spell right. "I'd be glad to."

"Then maybe you can tell me more about these thieving hands of yours." Enki took one in his own to lead Zen out of the alley, but even once they surfaced onto the street, this time, he didn't let go.

"I suppose the best place to start would be with Jorgen, who I have thoroughly enjoyed torturing for many years."

Enki was sweet and charming and so warm—his touch and his presence. He cast magic as second-naturedly as Morty did, though without ever consulting a book. It was simple things, like levitating vegetables from one table to another or having a carving knife chop them on its own while mid-conversation, but he did so as easily as breathing.

The village was small, but Zen was still amazed how Enki seemed to know everyone by name. He had no family and didn't say how that had come to be, but given the nature of these lands, Zen could guess. He didn't understand, however, how someone so wonderful wasn't already married or claimed by a lover.

At least, Zen didn't think he was.

The feast was mainly being prepared in the shops and homes around the town square, to make it easier to bring it all out onto banquet tables later. If not for the daytime darkness and mix of races, Zen could have believed this was any normal village back in Aerie.

His friends found him eventually, each having gone off on their own. Khel had caught up to the hunting party to practice with his bow. He'd managed to catch the largest of the wild boars they'd tracked for the feast. Hunting parties were the only people who left the village. Traveling between towns was almost unheard of. The chance of being attacked was less likely during the day, but since there was no day , it wasn't impossible. The hunters returned calling Khel good luck, because they hadn't spotted a single monster while he was with them.

Dante had initially gone back for more pastries—ones he didn't share—and investigated the local blacksmith. Her craftsmanship was good, but she had very little stock, since metal was scarce. Dante sold her a few alchemy bottles to make the most of what she did have.

Zen told himself it was out of kindness and not merely excitement over flaming weapons.

Morty stuck with Degnan, learning everything he could about the village, the lands of Nightfall, and what might await them at Lord Gaian's castle, but it didn't seem there was much more to learn other than what they already knew.

It was nearly time for the festival when Zen finished catching up with them all. The whole party was recruited to bring food out onto the tables, so Zen was finally able to introduce them to Enki.

"Sounds like you've had a full day," Enki said as they set out the many wonderful smelling dishes. "But I hope you'll leave more talk of your adventuring for tomorrow. It's time for you to see why we call this land Nightfall."

"Isn't it because it's always night?" Morty asked.

"It's always dark ." Enki pointed up at the sky. "But night is still night."

Almost as if he'd cast a spell, the haze above them dissipated. There was no daytime, but there was night—and it stole Zen's breath as much as toppling upon Enki had earlier.

Zen had never known the night sky could hold so much color. The stars were in clusters like swaths of fairy dust, backed by midnight blue fading into emerald that swirled into purples and pinks. The moon was full, and it was all so close, as if they had climbed the tallest mountain and could touch the heavens if they simply tried.

Like a dream.

"Wow."

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Enki said in his smooth melodic voice.

Zen turned to answer but found Enki's eyes were not on the sky.

"I almost like this place." Dante startled Zen with a clap on his back. "Good food, good people, and a damn good view. Let's eat!"

The village felt larger with everyone packed into the square, eating and drinking, with music playing and people dancing. The children had not lost any of their energy, and the endless sweets they were allowed meant they wouldn't for quite some time.

The bustle of it all meant Zen lost Enki during the feast. Villagers kept coming up to him and his friends, curious about the strangers. The more people drank and made merry, the more they insisted that Zen and the others be drunk and merry too. Zen was glad of it, he'd never known such welcome, but the only merrymaking he really wanted included sweet smiles and warm eyes.

Finally, when the tables were moved to the edges of the square, Zen spotted Enki again, forefront among those filling the space for dancing.

And oh, what a dancer he was, such elegance and rhythmic motion for a purported klutz. He was mesmerizing, all Zen's attention going right to him amid the wild affair of people of all ages and races switching partners at random to swing each other around.

It would have been easy for Zen to join in, but just when he was about to, the music changed, and Enki was swept up by a young man, tall and handsome and human , who held Enki close.

Maybe Enki did have a lover.

Maybe he was only being nice before.

"What crawled up your ass?" Dante asked when Zen flopped down beside him at one of the bonfires. There were four, one in each corner of the square. Dante had chosen the one closest to the table of sweets and held a full mug of ale while munching on cake.

"Too much food and drink. I need a break."

Dante grunted acknowledgment.

Morty and Khel were there also, further spread out around the fire. Morty was in mid-magical history rant to a gaggle of villagers too inebriated to possibly follow him.

"It's an ingenious spell. The swarm of rats means there's no cleanup. They devour everything!"

"What about weapons and gold?" a less glassy-eyed half-elf asked.

"They eat that too, but when the rats disappear into the earth as clay, anything that wasn't alive is left behind, and as clean and shiny as brand new. I believe it was the great wizard Prismo who—"

Khel was surrounded by some of the hunting party again, showing off the craftsmanship of his bow. It had beautiful elven carvings along it, whereas the bows of the villagers were plain.

That was when Zen realized that Morty and Khel weren't merely being friendly with the locals; they were eyeing the woman and men around them with interest— equal interest, no matter the race or how feminine or masculine the partner.

Returning his attention to Dante, Zen noted that while there were villagers around the half-giant as well, he seemed more focused on food and ale.

"You're not interested in… that kind of chaos?" Zen pointed to a nearby couple, who had already fallen prey to their passions, kissing in the glow of the fire.

"A pretty face is a pretty face, but this," Dante hefted his drink, "and this," he patted his axe that remained at his side, "are what stir my passions. And a good confection!" He swiped another piece of cake from the table behind him. "Morty and Khel have their fun when they can, and good on them for it. Obviously, you want the same. So why aren't you over there?" He gestured with a slosh of his mug at Enki—who was still dancing with the handsome human.

"I… wouldn't know where to begin."

"Are all priests virgins?"

" No ," Zen was quick to reply. "Some choose to be celibate. Most don't. The Sun God encourages pleasure within reason, as long as its shared."

"You can't wank?"

Zen was glad the noises around them meant their conversation stayed between them. "We're not supposed to. Never stopped me though."

"You have girl priests, don't you? What if they get pregnant? Never saw anyone in your robes carrying a babe."

"There are spells to prevent that, but if it happens, they can choose to leave the order or turn their child over to become the next generation of priest."

"Not something you have to worry about, so why not let him do the beginning."

Zen thought he had. "He's dancing with someone else."

"He is. But he keeps looking at you."

When Zen finally let his attention shift back to Enki, he was passing the man he'd been dancing with to another partner—and motioned for Zen to fill the space.

"It's a celebration," Dante reminded him, "but it's obvious who he wants."

What an untested fool Zen was for jumping to conclusions.

He stood, legs hesitant, which kept him from moving right away, but Dante gave him a helpful shove.

When Zen reached Enki, he tried to say, "I don't actually know how to—" but Enki touched a finger to Zen's lips, and then took his hands.

"Trying too hard takes all the fun out of it anyway. Just move. I'll make sure we don't fall."

There was a boisterous and roaring beat, everyone cheering, stomping, and spinning with impressive control given the state of them. Enki kept hold of Zen and urged him to move as he did, which Zen wasn't completely hopeless at, and Enki was soon twirling him and getting Zen to twirl Enki right back.

Once Zen was successfully mirroring the correct footing, Enki swooped in to loop an arm around Zen's waist and stretched out the other to take his hand. They bent and galloped and spun until all of Zen's breath was gone, so exhausted that they tripped over each other's feet, laughing as they fell against each other.

Still, they didn't topple, because Enki kept Zen steady.

"Your clumsy feet again?" Zen asked.

"Maybe clumsy on purpose."

They were as close as they'd been when Zen fell on Enki, though standing didn't give them the same excuse for shared breath. Zen had to wonder if the clumsiness in the barn had been on purpose too.

Before he could lose his nerve and pull away, the song changed from a lively one to a ballad, and Enki didn't let him escape. Zen found himself encircled by the well-muscled arms he'd admired, and as he slid shaking hands around Enki's waist in turn, he felt the powerful strength in Enki's back as well.

Over Enki's shoulder, Zen saw Khel and Morty still tipsy and flirting, Khel having settled on a woman now and Morty a man, while Dante, alone with food and drink, raised a glass at Zen.

Zen buried his head in Enki's shoulder, nuzzling into the warmth of feeling the whole of someone else's body against him.

"Are you all right?" Enki asked.

"I've never done this before."

"Danced with a stranger? Attended a festival? Held someone close?"

"Any of it. I've led a lonely life."

Enki lifted Zen from his shoulder and touched a palm to his cheek. "You don't have to be lonely here."

The light from the bonfires made the pendant beneath Enki's shirt almost seem to glow. Zen's cheeks were flush, yet Enki's breath was refreshingly cool against Zen's skin as their lips neared.

A scream cut through the music, and Zen tensed like the night in the tavern.

The music stopped with a stutter and everyone hushed, looking for the source, but it didn't seem to be among them. Slowly, heads began turning in one singular direction.

Through the crowd, the girl who had screamed could be seen outside the square, standing before the protective circle—where one of the blue lights had gone out.

A monstrous shadow snatched her into the darkness.

More screams erupted as everyone scattered, a few brave souls running for the broken part of the circle, Zen thought to try to save her, but they cast quick spells to light the post up again, closing the circle and leaving her to her fate.

"They're here! They're already here!"

Zen spun toward the voice, his hands still clutching Enki's back. People were retreating from where they'd tried to run, fanning out away from specific townsfolk—who weren't townsfolk but monsters lying in wait, writhing and changing beneath the light of the full moon.

"Werewolves!" Enki cried.