The Waking Nightmare

By Rhys Clarke

Aldric finds himself deep in a dark, foreboding forest armed with only a spear. As he faces a monstrous creature with huge teeth and cracked grey skin, survival seems impossible. Severely wounded, he drags himself to safety and makes a desperate attempt to escape. His struggle for life intertwines with memories and nightmares, blurring the line between reality and illusion. Amidst the chaos, Aldric awakens in an unfamiliar place, confronted by his traveling companion Jess and haunted by accusations and revelations. As they navigate a world filled with danger and distrust, Aldric must uncover the truth about the monstrous threats they face and the dark secrets of their own past. Will they fight or find another way to survive in a land where the boundaries between friend and foe are perilously thin?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rhys Clarke
• Release date: Jun 22, 2024
• ISBN: 9798227556622

Book preview

The Waking Nightmare

Rhys Clarke

Published by Rhys Clarke, 2024.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

THE WAKING NIGHTMARE

First edition. June 22, 2024.

Copyright © 2024 Rhys Clarke.

Written by Rhys Clarke.

Also by Rhys Clarke

Quest for Revenge: Ralf's Destiny

Ryder's Quest: Descent Into Darkness

The Waking Nightmare

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Also By Rhys Clarke

The Waking Nightmare

Also By Rhys Clarke

I'm in the forest. I've got a spear with me and it's pretty sharp but I don't know what to do next. I can hear something ahead of me. It sounds like an animal. My sword isn't long enough to reach whatever it is so I try and get down on my belly. The thing comes out from behind a tree trunk and its teeth are huge. It has no fur or anything, just hard, grey skin that cracks easily. It doesn't sound like an animal anymore, not really. Its growling gets closer as it charges toward me. It stops a few feet away and snarls at me. It wants to eat me. I have no idea how to fight this monster so all I can do is roll onto my side and hope that somehow I'll be able to get away. I see it coming for me. One of the teeth hits the dirt where I was laying and cracks into pieces. Another one catches me under the chin and tears through my neck. It pulls itself back and lets me fall. I lay there, gasping for air. My eyes aren't working right now. I'm trying to look around but everything feels weird and slow. I feel weak and I can barely move. But I don't want to die here in this stupid forest. So I struggle to my knees and then to my feet. The pain isn't going away though and I can't seem to make any more noise than a dying mouse. I stumble forward until I hit another tree trunk. It knocks the wind out of me again and I drop onto my face. This time it's worse because my hands keep slapping against the ground and every time they do, I hear that awful crackling again.

I wake up and realize I am covered in blood. There's so much of it, it looks like someone spilled red paint everywhere. Then I remember the monster and start panicking even harder. The monster's body is still lying in front of me and I need to find somewhere to hide before it wakes up. I drag myself over to my pack. I take a knife out and shove it into my belt. The other end of the knife is stuck into the ground between two roots sticking up out of the earth. That way when I use the knife I won't be dragging the whole blade along with it. It works great and soon I'm ready to go. If I leave now, I should be able to sneak out before anyone finds out who killed that thing.

I walk off into the darkness and find a tree that looks sturdy enough to climb. Once I've climbed high enough, I sit down and rest. When I close my eyes, I'm not sure if I'm seeing things or if they're actually there. They remind me of spiders. The creatures are moving towards me and getting louder by the second. They're coming up the tree, their legs scraping against each other. As fast as I can think about what to do, I get to work making myself a new spear. I take the branch off one of those spider things and break it apart into a sharp-pointed piece that will fit nicely in my hands.

I stand up and run to a nearby stream. While the others are busy trying to figure out where I've gone, I wash myself in the water. I can't stop shivering but it does feel good after all that blood.

What happened?

Aldric wakes up with a jolt, his heart racing as he sits up in bed. I-I'm fine, he mumbles, looking around. His room is dark save for a little candlelight spilling in from the window. He looks around and sees that he's in an unfamiliar home with unfamiliar furnishings. The walls and the floors are made of wood instead of stone. He notices a large book sitting open on a table next to him.

Where am I? Where are you? The voice belongs to someone familiar. It's Jess, the young man Aldric had been travelling with for months now.

Aldric stands up and runs out of the bedroom to find the boy standing outside, staring at a large book on a table. Are you alright? Aldric asks, rushing over to him.

Jess shakes his head, his long hair swaying gently. It's all... confusing. He turns to look at Aldric and his eyes widen in surprise. Aldric! Is that you?

Aldric nods. Yes, it's me. We were attacked by some kind of monster while we slept last night and—

We?! Jess's eyes narrow angrily and his fists clench. That was your fault!

What do you mean?

Jess points to himself accusingly. You led them to us.

How did I lead them to you?

The boy takes a deep breath and sighs loudly. They knew you were here. Your name is on this list.

Aldric frowns. This list?

Yeah, there's a big pile of names inside that building back there and you're on it.

Aldric's jaw drops wide in shock. My name is in there?

Yes, the boy says in a tone that suggests he's already figured it out.

Who put me on this list?

Don't know, the boy admits. Maybe that old lady you killed.

She was just a harmless old woman, Aldric insists. But... He shakes his head in disgust. Anyway, I don't understand why she would have done that. She didn't want to help anyone. All she wanted to do was stay hidden in that cave and watch everything that went on.

The boy shakes his head. I guess that's how they do things here. Maybe there really are people who want to live like that.

And who are these people anyway?

Everyone seems to be afraid of something, the boy replies. There are men with guns everywhere. Some of them look like guards, but most of them don't. They all have different clothes and faces and they all carry strange weapons.

Aldric looks up and scans the city, trying to make sense of everything. What's going on? Who's the leader here? What's happening?

The boy shrugs. No idea. This place makes no sense to me. He stops and stares at the two dead bodies lying on the ground. Oh yeah, he suddenly remembers, you got caught up in it too.

Aldric frowns at that. So everyone else is fine then? he asks, turning to ask a few soldiers walking past.

One of them nods. Everyone else is fine.

The soldier looks confused. You got captured by them too? They took us and held us prisoner in a basement until you came along. He glances at the corpses and frowns, shaking his head. Then they told us to kill you.

Aldric nods sadly. Yes, my friends and I were captured by those men last night. And they killed Jess.

The other soldier shakes his head slowly. Well, that's unfortunate. Then he smiles slightly and adds, You probably saved our lives when you killed those guys though.

I suppose I did, Aldric agrees, feeling a little better about what he had done. Even though he'd never liked that kid, it still feels good to have saved his life.

Now we can go free, right? asks the first man, looking around eagerly.

Aldric shakes his head. Not so fast. He takes a deep breath before continuing. First, let me tell you a story, okay? I'm sure you've heard plenty of stories already, but I bet none of them have ever been as real as this one.

The men exchange nervous glances, unsure where the story is headed.

Once upon a time, Aldric begins, a bunch of bad guys came into town. These bad guys weren't any ordinary sort of bad guys. They were worse than anybody could imagine. In fact, they were so evil that nobody in this whole town could stand them for more than two minutes. Nobody could even get close enough to talk to them. They would always run away screaming if they saw someone coming at them with a weapon or if they smelled burning wood. No matter how hungry or thirsty the people became, they could not find a way to deal with those horrible men.

One of the men interrupts, raising his hand nervously. Wait, wait! he protests. We know about them! Those are the guys who stole the gold from the king. Remember? The ones that we told all of the guards to keep an eye out for, so we wouldn't get tricked like last time?

The others nod, looking at each other and exchanging worried glances.

Yeah, those are them, replies another of the men. But why should we listen to anything else you say?

Aldric sighs, taking a moment to collect himself. Because those were just men and this is true. But they got together with their friend, the man who used to be the king, and decided to steal more and more gold, which would give them power and money and everything they could ever want. So they set about gathering more and more gold from all over the kingdom. They stole from everybody; they killed anyone who got in their way. Everyone was afraid of them.

Several of the soldiers look uncomfortable. Sounds like those guys, one mutters.

Those guys aren't very nice people, says a third, shrugging, but it doesn't sound like they're bad enough to deserve all this.

They did do some really terrible things, Aldric continues, trying to keep his voice steady despite the tension building up inside him. But the worst thing that ever happened was to a guy named Jess, a friend of mine who tried to help out these men. He pauses and takes a deep breath, forcing himself to continue without faltering. Jess was kind of a hero in his own right. He had been a great leader among our people before he left to fight these men and never came back. After that, he started hanging around with these men. You see, he was really sickly and weak and couldn't go out fighting, so he spent most of his time in the tavern drinking, hoping that someday he would be able to join the battle. Anyway, long story short, they got tired of waiting for him to be ready, so they decided to take him hostage and drag him to the battle anyway.

One of the soldiers gasps, his eyes wide in fear. So that's why you attacked them last night, huh? That makes sense now.

Aldric nods grimly. That's exactly why we attacked. If nothing else, we didn't want them to hurt him anymore. He stops talking for a moment. Anyway, after we killed all five of them, we found Jess lying on the floor and we took care of him. We buried him with our honor. Aldric takes another deep breath to compose himself, then continues. And now that there is no chance of him being captured again, it would probably be better to leave him alone and make sure he stays dead, right? Because you don't want any more trouble. Right?

The soldiers stare at him, faces contorted in shock and confusion.

You can't mean that, one soldier whispers.

We're here because we want to be, says another. We want to kill them. Why are you saying this?

Aldric shakes his head sadly. I'm saying what I've seen. And my grandfather used to tell me stories about these guys as well. You think it's easy for us to come here and try to kill them every morning and have to bury them at night? We have to stay alive ourselves, and that takes food and shelter and protection. We're not stupid; we know that if we attack you, your people will fight back against us too. We can't win.

Another soldier speaks up angrily. Then let's kill them! Let's cut them down where they stand and make sure they die in agony! It'll make us feel better and it will stop them from killing our children!

Aldric stares into the soldier's eyes and his voice grows firm. You want to do that? Fine by me. He takes a step forward and raises his sword menacingly. I won't stop you—if that's what you want. Then he steps back again and looks at the other soldiers. What do you say?

No one answers immediately, but they seem less inclined to attack now. Aldric smiles slightly, relieved. Well, then maybe you don't want to fight either. Maybe you want something better than that. So what's it going to be? Do we fight or do we talk?

The soldiers look at one another. One finally speaks up. Let's talk.

Fine, says another. Let's talk.

How do we start? asks another.

The first soldier hesitates a moment. Just tell us what happened to you two, he replies, looking directly at Aldric and nodding his head toward Lira.

It all began when I was just a boy, explains Aldric, still speaking quietly, yet firmly. My father died when I was young, and my mother died when I was ten. As far as I knew, there weren't any relatives or friends who could take care of me. I lived in a small hut outside of town in the forest. He pauses briefly and takes another deep breath. One day, some of the warriors in the tribe saw me playing near the edge of the village when they were passing through and noticed that I was a strong boy. They said that if they trained me, they would give me weapons and food and whatever I needed to survive. Of course, like most children, I thought they were lying. But eventually, curiosity got the best of me. And so they taught me how to use my weapons, and showed me how to hunt animals. They told me that if I kept doing good things and did what they wanted me to do, they would take me home with them when they left and let me live with their families. And so for years, I stayed with those men and learned how to be an adult, though I wasn't really grown up myself yet.

And what did they want you to do? asks one of the soldiers.

They taught me how to fight, to fight with my heart and mind, and to never give up even when I was wounded or hurt. They showed me the way to defeat evil and make the world a better place. That was the last thing they ever told me before we started fighting. After that... I'm sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself. What happened was—one day, while I was practicing my hunting skills with my bow and arrows, I heard someone shouting nearby. A few moments later, three of the warriors came rushing towards me brandishing their spears and swords. They attacked me without warning or reason, and I killed them. I didn't mean to—I was startled by them coming out of nowhere and I shot an arrow at them. But somehow they survived and attacked me. I fought desperately to defend myself, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't keep them from beating me down. When it was over, they tied me up and dragged me back to the village. They beat me mercilessly, trying to find something that would prove that I had betrayed them and brought shame on the whole tribe.

And what happened after that? asks a soldier.

The leader of the tribe called me before everyone and explained everything to me. Apparently, they'd been planning this attack for months, but they hadn't counted on one thing—me. Aldric shakes his head. He told me that I had to go away for a long time because I had dishonored my family and the tribe by killing their own people. He told me that if I ever returned to the tribe, he and all the other men would kill me. And that's exactly what they did.

But why? asks another soldier. Why did they kill you? You didn't do anything wrong.

Aldric sighs. They said I had to leave to learn from life's lessons, that my soul needed purification. I guess they decided that the only way to remove my impurities and cleanse my spirit was to torture and humiliate me. They said they knew how I felt about them now and knew that I wouldn't come back. He pauses momentarily. After they finished torturing me, they put a rope around my neck and hung me over a fire to burn me alive. Then they cut off my head and buried it in the earth beneath the village. They took everything except the clothes I was wearing when I arrived and left me nothing.

Wait... begins the second soldier, looking at the others. You're saying they killed you—tortured you and burned you—and then threw your head in the dirt and left you there?

The first soldier nods sadly. Yes, he says. I have seen a lot of bad things in my days, but even so, this still shocks me. This is beyond horrible! These are not men!

How long ago did all of this happen? asks the third soldier.

Aldric shrugs. It must've been more than twenty years. It must be at least thirty years now.

Thirty years... mumbles a fourth man. This was all the work of the Black Hand, wasn't it? Those who seek to destroy us, who try to corrupt our ways with their wickedness and their sorcery. This was all planned by them.

One of the soldiers snorts derisively. If only they had been able to carry it out as planned... There were six of those men, right? Why didn't they just kill the rest of you too? Surely they could have done so easily.

The third soldier shrugs. Perhaps they were afraid. Or maybe they thought that if they had killed you all, then they might have angered God. Perhaps they believed that they would be punished by Him for taking vengeance upon His innocent children. The first soldier shakes his head. These things can happen sometimes. Sometimes evil men will think themselves safe because they think themselves righteous. Even though the Black Hand has been outlawed for years now, there are many who still follow their teachings and believe in their cause. I have seen such foolishness in my day; unfortunately, I have also seen the result of those beliefs. It always ends badly, eventually. He pauses before adding, That's why we're here. To make certain that these things don't happen again. That's what the Brotherhood is all about.

There's no reply. The four soldiers look at each other, and finally a fifth soldier speaks up. What happens if we find some evidence against the Black Hand? Will that convince you that they are behind all this? What if we found proof that proves they were in league with demons or gods from another realm? Would that change your minds?

The first soldier shakes his head. No. We already know that the Black Hand are not human. I saw it with my own eyes, and so did you. Besides, we have already received word from the Order of Magi and from the Church that the Black Hand are involved. All we need to do now is gather the evidence and prove it.

Well... mutters another soldier, clearly skeptical. Even if you do get proof, how will you get past those guards? He points out a group of heavily armored knights standing near the gates.

The first soldier laughs scornfully. We'll just take him.

Who?

His Highness, Prince Aldric. We will kidnap him and bring him back here. Once he's back in our custody, he'll speak. You'll see.

And if he doesn't?

The first soldier shrugs. Then he'll have to answer to the king and queen for his crimes.

But... what crimes? I mean... really? What kind of crimes would they commit?

The first soldier sighs. He killed the last two kings of Lyrix and usurped the throne after murdering their husbands. He took over the nation while the queen was off in some other land, trying to keep the peace between rivaling kingdoms.

Oh... says another soldier. That sounds... bad...

Yes, says a third soldier. That's probably why he's being hunted down by every knight in Lyrix.

The second soldier nods his head slowly. That makes sense... I suppose... It's not like they would do something as stupid as letting some commoner get away with something so important... No one ever got anything done by making everyone happy. That's why I joined the Brotherhood. I want to help my kingdom grow strong and free. I don't want people to live in fear anymore.

Another soldier nods. And that's why I chose to join. I want to make sure my family lives in a better place when I'm gone. I don't want my kids to be scared and living in poverty. I want them to be proud of where they come from.

There's silence for several minutes. The soldiers continue to march through the forest, passing more and more trees and brush, but nothing interesting catches their attention. Finally, they stop walking, and the first soldier turns around to face the others. It's strange, isn't it? I never knew any of this stuff about my country until I joined the Brotherhood. Now I can hardly wait to learn more. I feel like there's so much more to life than what I've seen so far. Why don't you guys think about it too?

After some discussion, they decide to split into teams. One team will go north to the border with Lyrix and another will head west toward the coast. They leave their horses behind in case they have to travel quickly and start out on foot. When they reach the border, they'll cross into the next kingdom and find someone who can point them in the right direction.

They pass several small villages on the way, but none of them seem willing or able to provide much information, except for one old woman who asks questions that are too obvious or leading and gives them the wrong directions anyway. Finally, they reach a small town that seems a little larger than most of the villages they've visited along the way. After searching the village for nearly an hour, they manage to find a man who knows a thing or two. He suggests a route that leads them to a castle that is supposedly home to a noble family. They're hoping the son of the house might be willing to help them, although they're not sure why.

As they approach the manor, they notice many armed men wearing black uniforms moving around inside and outside. Several more guards stand at the gate. At least one of them is clearly familiar with the soldiers; they exchange brief conversation before the soldiers pass through the gateway without further incident.

Inside, there is a large dining hall filled with people seated at long tables eating dinner. As they walk past, the soldiers notice that all of the people they see are dressed in robes of varying colors. Most of these robes appear to have been purchased from shops in Lyrix. Each time a person finishes a plateful, they leave it in a pile by their feet, waiting to be served again. A few people seem to recognize Aldric and nod respectfully before continuing with their meal. Aldric tries to stay unnoticed so he can ask questions in peace. However, Lira stops at the edge of the room and waves at a young man sitting alone at a table near the window. She motions for him to join her.

She walks up to him and smiles. Hello, my name is Lira. My friends and I were wondering if we could talk to someone about our mission.

The young man stands up and extends his hand. My name is Jess. If you'll follow me, I'll introduce you to my father.

Jess leads them into a small sitting room, where he gestures for them to sit down. Would you like something to drink? I just had some tea brewed this morning.

Aldric thinks briefly and answers, No, thank you, I was actually just looking forward to your father's story. Can I ask who you are, and what kind of work you do here?

Well, that's a long story, replies Jess. I'm the youngest son of Sir Thomas. He used to work for my mother, Baroness Alissa, but now he runs the estate while she's away on business.

Jess pauses for a moment as if to gather his thoughts. After a few seconds he continues, Sir Thomas and the Baroness married about four years ago. The wedding was quite extravagant, complete with a full orchestra and dancing girls. The Baroness has always wanted her own vineyards, so my mother bought several plots of land in Lyrix. She sent both Sir Thomas and myself off to study viticulture at the University of Vaelinheim so that we would know how to run it when she retired and returned home.

At this point, another man comes into the room. This newcomer is older than Jess, probably somewhere in his late fifties. His hair is gray, and wrinkles are clearly visible around his mouth and eyes, even though he doesn't look particularly wrinkled otherwise. There is a slight stoop in his shoulders and an aura of age about him.

He greets everyone as he enters, although his attention remains focused on Jess. Welcome back, son.

Jess looks a bit uncomfortable as he responds, Father, Mother, please meet Aldric Daven, and Lira...and this is Jess's friend, Jess...

The old man shakes Aldric's hand politely. Good to meet you, sir. He turns to address Jess and his mother. This is my wife, Baroness Rella. I assume you're staying for dinner?

Yes, Father, answers Jess. We will be happy to stay for dinner.

After a pause, Aldric decides to take advantage of his current situation and speak up. Sir, may I ask a question?

Of course, Aldric, what do you want to know? asks the old man.

Well, first of all, how did your father end up here?

The old man chuckles softly. When my father met Baroness Alissa, she asked him to come and work for her. He was living in Lyrix at the time, so that made things quite convenient for us both. When the marriage took place, the Baroness offered my father the position of steward to her estate.

And he accepted? asks Lira.

Not right away, no. It took him some time to get comfortable with the idea of being a house servant. But in the end, my father realized that if he refused, then the only thing he would lose was the title of steward, which is hardly worth much. So he agreed.

Bane nods. I understand completely. The same happened to my family.

The old man smiles knowingly and looks over at Bane, who nods again.

Jess continues, My mother was furious, as you can imagine. Not many men want to become servants to a woman they just married. And the fact that my mother already had several estates of her own didn't help matters any.

But in the end, states the old man, she decided to forgive him, and now my father is a very valuable asset to her business. He pauses to let this sink in before continuing. My father tells me that if it wasn't for you three, I might not have ended up in your place. I'm not sure I really understand what happened, but it must've been bad if you were forced out of your homes by armed men.

Well, I can tell you that we got into some trouble when my brother found out about our relationship, replies Lira. And that it's going to cost us a lot of money to get out from under the debts we incurred during the war. That's why I've taken to working at a brothel to earn enough money for a trip to Lyrix.

What kind of trouble? inquires Aldric.

You wouldn't believe me if I told you, so I suggest you don't pry further. Suffice it to say we are involved in a very lucrative enterprise, something which requires secrecy and discretion. My brother is the main factor behind everything. He's an incredibly gifted thief, and if he finds out that his sister was in a brothel he'll kill us. And if he does find out...

She stops talking and stares intently at Aldric.

Aldric realizes that he has made a terrible mistake. His curiosity and desire for revenge have clouded his judgment, and now he stands at a crossroads where he either has to lie to the old man or admit to the truth. His decision is made in an instant.

My brother is dead. He says.

Lira starts shaking, as though her heart could no longer take the strain.

Bane and Aldric rush over to her, placing their hands on her shoulders. She leans against them, tears running down her cheeks.

Haldorin sits silently, looking at them, unsure of how to react to such an extraordinary statement.

Jess watches the scene unfold. It's clear that his friends aren't entirely shocked by the news, but also that they are still reeling from the shock and pain of the revelation. For himself, he isn't particularly surprised since he knew about the connection between Jess and Lira, but he feels guilty that he hadn't thought about it. If Jess hadn't killed his brother, then they could have avoided this whole mess. It's possible that none of it would have even occurred had he not stolen his brother's identity in the first place.

His guilt turns to rage, and he begins to curse and yell at Jess. How can you be so selfish?

Shut up, Jess! snaps Lira. It doesn't matter. We're going to Lyrix. That's what matters! Now stop whining like a child about your brother, and help us make preparations to leave this night.

After another round of arguments, Jess and Lira decide to go through with the plan. They spend most of the day gathering supplies while Haldorin stays behind and prepares the horses.

At last, all is ready. The companions gather on the porch where Aldric will give the signal for the attack. They are all wearing disguises, including Jess. He wears clothing similar to the ones worn by servants. Lira has chosen a dress that hides her figure and is covered with long sleeves that reach the ground.

Aldric stands in the middle of the group, his hand raised. Everyone is silent for several seconds. He lowers his arm.

Tonight we begin our journey toward Lyrix. We will travel south until we come to the town of Ballyhoo.

That's in southern Lyrix, interjects Lira, far away from our destination.

Yes, but there's a reason for it, responds Aldric.

And that is? asks Jess.

We need time to recover from the shock of what happened tonight, states Aldric. The last thing we want is for my brother to learn of it before we have a chance to escape. He might send others to kill us, or perhaps he'll try to track us down once we arrive in Lyrix. So we have to wait for some days, maybe weeks, to allow ourselves to heal.

I understand, says Lira, but we really need to get moving sooner rather than later.

Jess glances around nervously. If anyone sees us traveling northward, then they'll know who we are.

Exactly, answers Lira. So we must disguise ourselves, at least temporarily. In order to do that we're going to change direction and go northwest instead of southeast. We'll travel for four or five days before turning south again.

Aldric nods. Sounds good. But why do you think my brother will follow us to Lyrix? Why didn't he simply cut off the road when he killed you, assuming we ever left?

That's a very good question, Aldric, but I don't have an answer. Lira looks thoughtful. Perhaps we can ask him if we run into him.

They discuss other details of their plan, but finally decide to keep going as originally planned. They continue south for six more days without incident, then turn east, heading north and away from Ballyhoo.

For the next ten days they continue to travel along the eastern edge of the forest without seeing any sign of life. Eventually they cross over a ridge and see a settlement ahead.

Look, says Lira, pointing ahead of them, it's a town. There should be plenty of people out walking about. Let's approach it in groups of three. That way we won't attract too much attention.

The four of them walk in different directions, approaching the town from multiple points so no one will suspect anything unusual.

What now? asks Jess. Do you suppose my brother is still here?

Let's find out, replies Aldric.

When they reach the town they discover that it is deserted. No guards patrol its walls, and no one appears to be on guard duty. As they draw nearer to the center of the town they realize something is terribly wrong. All signs of life—the noise of a busy market place, the clanging of shop shutters as merchants prepare for the day, and the voices of the citizens—are gone. Instead of the bustle of activity, there is only silence and emptiness. The only signs of recent existence are a few broken carts, a collapsed roof, and some toppled trees.

I don't understand, stammers Aldric. Why would everyone leave their homes without warning?

You said it yourself, counters Lira, they probably left to flee the battle against your brother. But where did they go? And why isn't anyone guarding this place?

Maybe they ran away, suggests Haldorin. But where could they have gone?

It doesn't make sense, says Aldric. There aren't many places to hide in these hills, so even if they fled in a great number it wouldn't take long for someone to find them.

Then it makes sense that they were taken by surprise, states Lira.

Aldric turns toward her. By whom?

Lira shrugs. No one knows, but perhaps we can find some clues. Look closely.

Aldric does as she commands, examining the remains of the town. What he sees sickens him. A wagon stands in the middle of the street, overturned with all of its cargo spilled. It has been smashed flat by a large boulder that lies nearby. On each side of the wagon stand two bodies, their heads crushed by the falling stone and their blood mingling with the dirt of the roadway. Aldric feels faint as he stares at the carnage and realizes that he recognizes one of the dead men—a peddler from the nearby village of Harken.

This must have happened yesterday morning, states Lira. And that means that we missed our opportunity to meet up with your brother. She pauses and takes a deep breath. Let's try again.

She leads them in different directions, searching for signs that might indicate which direction they took. After several fruitless hours of searching, they agree to split into pairs and reconvene at dusk.

Be careful, cautions Lira before leaving the town. It would help if we found some indication of what direction to head.

Haldorin agrees, but adds his own advice. Don't go far enough into the woods that you can't find your way back. We want to find your brother before nightfall.

The first group, consisting of Aldric and Lira, soon discovers that the trail leading out of the town does not lead south toward Ballyhoo but instead goes northwest into the hills. At first Aldric thinks the trail was cut intentionally, but eventually realizes it is the natural result of the terrain. He decides to follow the trail for a hundred paces or so. When he looks back, he notices that Lira is following him at a distance.

They move steadily through the hills for the next eight days, never straying far from the trail. They find little trace of life other than birds, insects, and small rodents, and they are constantly plagued by biting flies and mosquitoes. In addition to food, they collect water from pools and streams, but when they stop to rest they are attacked by a swarm of biting midges, so strong that they cannot sleep even after dousing themselves in repellent. One evening, they spot the lights of another campfire ahead and decide to investigate.

As they approach, they discover six people huddled around a fire. Two of them have bows drawn and ready; four more are crouched behind a fallen tree, hidden from view. Aldric and Lira exchange startled glances, then rush forward to confront the intruders.

Who are you? demands Haldorin, stepping in front of Lira.

The archer answers, We're just travelers looking for a place to spend the night. Why don't we see if we can help each other.

Lira steps between Haldorin and the archer. What do you mean by 'travelers'?

The man ignores her question. If we can work out a trade, I'll tell you everything I know. You seem like nice folk to me.

Haldorin shakes his head. We're no traders. Who are you?

The stranger chuckles. My name is Jess, and those others with me are Bane, Lira, and Aldric. I'm guessing that we've already met. We saved you from whatever horrible fate had befallen you.

Haldorin's face hardens. So we've already seen who you are, friend, and we won't forget what you did to us in a hurry.

Jess chuckles again. Oh, please, I hardly think that my actions can be held against me. I only tried to help you.

Bane asks, How much will you pay for information on your brothers' whereabouts?

I don't want anything from you, replies Jess. In fact, let's make a deal—you help me get off this road, and I'll tell you where your friends are headed. What do you say?

Bane laughs. You want us to help you escape from here? It sounds crazy to me.

Haldorin answers, We need your help, but only because you helped us. How can we trust someone who doesn't even want something in return?

Look, says Jess, if it's money you want, I don't have any. But there might be something else that I can offer. Something of value.

Aldric nods to himself and turns to Lira. He says, I think he's telling the truth. Let's give him one chance.

Lira shrugs. One chance isn't going to kill us.

Jess responds, I suppose that's true. If you're willing to take the chance, we'd be happy to trade with you.

Let's hear him out, then, says Aldric.

Jess explains, I can get you to a place called Tazmilya where you'll find plenty of men who will pay good coin to have you killed. I'll arrange a meeting with these killers, and when it's time, I'll guide you to them.

Aldric and Lira nod.

Jess continues, But before you get to Tazmilya, we're going to have to travel across a large stretch of forest known as the Barrowlands. This territory is infested with demons and monsters, all of whom want a piece of you. I'll lead you safely past them so you can reach your destination safely.

Aldric replies, We've heard about the Barrowlands, and we're ready to go.

Good, says Jess, but I'll warn you that you should expect some hardships along the way. I'll provide provisions and shelter from the elements, but there's no guarantee that you'll be able to sleep at night.

Aldric asks, How will we get to these men? Do you know which path we need to follow?

Jess tells them, No, but I'll take care of that. I know how to get in and out without being detected or followed.

Bane mutters, This makes no sense to me. Why would the gods send us here if not to find our friends?

Jess smiles. That's a good question, friend, but I've never really thought about it. Perhaps they sent you here for other reasons, perhaps they didn't intend to have you rescue anyone. Maybe they wanted me to find you.

Bane asks, Why would the gods want you to come here and bring us with you?

Jess replies, Perhaps we'll find out the reason soon enough. Now, I've got more to say, and then I'll leave you alone. If you want to join me, fine; if not, that's up to you. Either way, be ready when I return tomorrow.

Jess leaves the clearing and walks toward the trees where Aldric has hidden his supplies. He quickly gathers a bundle of food and clothing. As he finishes, he glances back at the group huddled together.

Don't worry, he whispers. Everything is going according to plan.

Aldric and Lira look at each other and shrug. They continue their discussion until the sun sets, then they lay down to rest. The three of them are tired after a long day on the road, and they fall asleep in moments.

The next morning, Jess appears with the promised supplies. He hands each of them a loaf of bread and a waterskin filled with water. Then he says, I'm taking the lead now. If you need anything, just call my name once and I'll stop so you can ask. Be ready though; we have quite a journey ahead of us.

He walks away without waiting for an answer. Once he gets far enough away from the others, he stops and looks back. His face reveals nothing of the turmoil within. After a moment, he resumes walking northward.

A few hours later, the terrain changes drastically. The woods become more densely packed, and the forest becomes more impenetrable. The underbrush grows taller and denser, the trees closer together, and the ground is covered by a carpet of vines and branches. Soon, they can see no way through. They stop and try to figure out what to do, but they can't think of anything that will work.

They debate for several minutes, but eventually Aldric gives up. We're stuck in this hell, he says.

Well, let's see if we can't find some way to survive.

Jess pulls a knife from his belt and begins to cut through the vines around them. It takes him most of an hour to break through. Eventually he manages to slice the thickest parts of the foliage so that they can crawl through onto the other side.

When they