Sorcerer's Shadow

Chapter 39: Encounters



Chapter 39: Encounters

"Do you know for sure?"

"No."

The wolves howled again. "Opal, can you gauge the distance?" I asked.

"In this place, boss? It could be ten feet or ten miles away. It's all strange here. I'd feel more secure if I could smell something. This is unnerving."

"Would you like to fly around and scout?"

"No, I'd lose my way."

"Are you certain?" n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Yes."

"Alright."

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a swift movement to my right. As the adrenaline surged, I saw Drevolan had drawn his sword, and I had done the same. Grey shapes emerged from the haze, launching at us, and after a terrifying burst of activity, everything was still. I hadn't struck anything, and nothing had touched me.

"They couldn't reach us," Drevolan sighed, seeming relieved. "I was hoping that would be the case."

As I sheathed my sword and wiped my sweaty hands, I commented, "If that's the worst we face, I'll be okay." Opal emerged from my cloak.

"Don't worry," Drevolan reassured, "it isn't."

* * * *

Opal informed me that he was now over a year old, and I concurred. He expressed his desire to contribute more as he was nearly full-grown. I pondered his potential contributions. He proposed an idea, and I couldn't think of a valid counterargument, so I agreed.

The next morning, I returned to Fedya's place. This time, I entered and found a secluded corner. After a quick drink of honey-wine, I left. But this time, Opal didn't accompany me.

I navigated to the rear of the building and located the back door, which was locked. After tinkering with the lock, I managed to open it and stealthily entered. The room was a storage area, filled with casks, barrels, and boxes of bottlesenough to keep me inebriated for a year. Light filtered through a curtain, which I slipped past, leading me to a room stacked with glassware, plates, and dishwashing necessities. I deemed the layout inefficient, but that's beside the point.

There was no one in the room, although sounds from the main inn area filtered through the brown woolen curtain. I recalled seeing that curtain from the other side. I returned to the storage room, rearranged a couple of barrels and a box to create a hiding spot, and waited.

After five grueling, cramped hours, Opal and I concluded that Lynn wasn't going to show. If this continued, I would start growing resentful of him. I massaged my legs until I regained mobility, praying nobody would come through the door. I then snuck out the back, even managing to relock the door.

* * * *

Our journey was punctuated by two more encounters; first, a small airborne creature, and then a Ravdra. Neither could touch us, and both departed after one attempt. We also faced multiple branching paths, and Drevolan made confident decisions among them which I hoped were well-founded.

Arriving at another grey stone, Drevolan again opted for the right-hand path after contemplation. I asked, "Is it somewhat as you remembered?" He offered no response.

Then, an old knotted tree materialized to our right, with a branch sweeping across the path around ten feet high. Perched on it was a large brown bird, a Lurivox, eyeing us with curiosity.

"You are alive," it noted.

I asked, "How can you discern?"

"You do not belong here."

"Oh, I see. We must have taken a wrong turn at Invarys. We'll head back then."

"You may not depart."

"Decide, will you? You first say"

"Let's move on, Viktor," interrupted Drevolan.

Perhaps he was engaged in a parallel dialogue with the Lurivox. We ducked under the branch and proceeded. Glancing back, the tree and bird had vanished.

Eventually, Drevolan paused at yet another grey stone. With a sigh, he turned to me and guided us around the left this time, noting, "We must eventually, or we'll never reach where we're headed."

"That sounds a bit foreboding."

"Yes."

A little later, I asked, "Could you give me a clue about what awaits?"

"No."

"Fantastic."

Suddenly, I felt a sensation of plummeting. Before I could scream, I realized that I was still walking next to Drevolan. I turned to him, stumbling slightly, and noticed he stumbled too, his face paling. After closing his eyes briefly and shaking his head, he continued down the path.

I asked, "Did you feel like you were falling back there, even if just for a moment?"

"Falling? No."

"Then what just happened?"

"Nothing I wish to talk about."

I chose not to pursue the matter further.

Later, I felt as though I was stepping into quicksand. For a moment, I thought it would be another fleeting experience as I could sense myself still walking, but this sensation persisted. As Drevolan faltered next to me, he advised, "Keep moving."

Despite feeling as though each step drew me deeper, I continued. Opal's panic was palpable, amplifying my concern as I pondered what he was witnessing.

Considering Opal could likely sense my fear, I attempted to calm myself for his sake, convincing myself the quicksand was merely an illusion. It seemed to work as I felt Opal calming down, which in turn helped me. The illusion faded just as it seemed to engulf me completely.

Pausing briefly, Drevolan and I took deep breaths and exchanged glances. He shook his head once again.

I inquired, "Aren't there any straightforward paths to the Halls of Afterlife?"

Drevolan replied, "Certain books depict easier routes than others."

Half-jokingly, I proposed, "Upon our return, I'll snatch one of those superior ones and set up a business selling duplicates."

"They're impossible to replicate," Drevolan asserted. "Several have tried."

Puzzled, I questioned, "How can that be? Words are just words."

He replied, "I don't know. Let's proceed."

So, we did, and I felt a wave of relief when we approached another grey stone and Drevolan led us down the right-hand path. This time, we encountered an untouchable wild boar, followed by a Pardus later on.

Navigating through more pathways, we eventually came across another stone. Drevolan turned to me and asked, "Ready?"

I acquiesced, "If it's necessary."

He nodded in approval, and we sidestepped the stone to the left.

* * * *


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