Death

When we were all ready to leave, Alex led us east to find the Flux, his eyes searching the lifeless terrain in front of us as we travelled. I followed mounted, as did Ulrich. I said little and scanned the horizon behind us frequently. The land was quiet, empty, full of dirt and rock, bare of even the smallest plant or insect. After travelling for about an hour, Alex spotted the distant edge of Flux some ways distant.

I squinted to see it. It was impossible to tell how far away it was without any landmarks. “No more lessons today,” I said, glancing at Alex. “Let’s continue with our travels. I feel the need to put as much distance between us and here as possible.”

Alex sighed, though whether in relief or disappointment it was hard to say. “Right. We walk to my friends and to the Tear. Then we see about gettin’ on ta the next place. This one’s gonna be tough—my feeling is the horses ain’t gonna make it. You wanna leave ‘em, or take the chance of them going south on us?”

I raised an eyebrow. “Going south? I take it you don’t think we’ll remain in control of our mounts? They’re good horses,” I protested, “trained to withstand the stress of battle. We’ll keep them with us.”

Alex shrugged. “Keep on the lookout then. We’re all beat, so it’s likely this trip’ll be worse than the last one. Sing out if it gets to be too much.”

When we reached the leading edge of Flux, Alex stepped confidently out into the whirling energies, a familiar silver ribbon appearing below his feet. We followed. He walked faster this time than he did before, and the Flux reacted to that with stronger sensations than the previous trip. Our skin prickled, whispers came out of the mists almost close enough to hear, and the feeling of being right on the verge of something horrible grew rampant. I found myself startling unecessarily, always looking behind me. Strangely, Flux didn’t appear to bother Alex at all. I found myself envying his calm.

Unexpectedly, the Flux faded away ahead to reveal a small oasis of land. We saw a growth of lush greenery and a footpath paved with crushed white gravel.

“Were you expecting this?” I asked Alex.

He shook his head. “New to me. We need ta check it out, but if I step in and get ambushed, the trail goes down, leaving all of you in Flux. One of you want ta take the chance? I’ll cover with my gun from here.”

I was rather unhappy about the situation. “Very well. I’ll go.” I drew my sword and nudged Holly forward onto the path.

“Whoa!” exclaimed Ulrich, “Not alone. I’m going with you.” He brought up his horse close behind mine.

We rode carefully onto the path and crested a small hill. Nothing untoward occured. I looked down the other side, paused, then motioned to Ulrich to fall back. We walked our mounts back to the others. “There’s a house and an old man down there,” I stated. “I say we avoid him and move on.”

Alex considered things a moment, then shook his head. “If he’s a Wizard he knows about us already and we’re best ta talk to him. If not, he’s likely no harm. And I’m a mite tired from all the Walkin’. You got any reason ta think he’s trouble?”

I was terse. “I find his appearance after what just happened rather coincidental. I don’t wish to be distracted from my goal. Time is short.”

Alex frowned. “Look, I’m beat. Walking when you’re tired ain’t a good plan. You got another option?”

I gave him a thin-lipped smile, frustrated that he didn’t feel my urgency and paranoia. “No, I don’t. My options are rather limited. Fine. Let’s go talk to the wizard and see if he’ll turn us into little toadies.” I turned my horse around and started back up the hill. Alex shook his head and followed me, the others following him. Once the last person was on the footpath, the Flux trail faded away.

We crested the hill and I once again looked down into the little vale below. I saw a small farmhouse and a lone man walking behind a mule and plow. Apparently he hadn’t spotted us yet. Ulrich looked about suspiciously, appraising the hills for signs of ambush, while Michael and Anna glanced down curiously. “You’d think a sorcerer would have better ways of plowing the ground,” Anna commented.

I returned cynically, “My guess is that he immerses himself in the mundane in an attempt to put us off our guard.” Then I looked at Alex. “Your idea. You lead.”

“Hang back if you like, in case I’m fixing ta get fried,” he grinned, then sauntered down the hill as if it were the most common thing to do and these were the most common of circumstances. Anna went with him. Michael and Ulrich stayed with me and we watched from over the top of the hill.

Half-way down, Alex raised his hand and called out, “Morning! Hope I’m not coming at a bad time, but I could shore use some directions. And I wouldn’t say no to a cup a water neither.” His voice carried up quite clearly to us.

The man looked up from his plowing and regarded them. He wiped sweat from his brow and pointed at a pump near the house. “Help yourself,” he said plainly, neither friendly nor cold. “Directions to where?”

“Anywhere’d be much appreciated—we’re pretty lost,” Alex replied as he stepped over to the pump. “My name’s Alex, by the way, and this here’s Anna. Pleased ta meet you.” He pumped the handle once or twice and took a long drink of water from the spigot.

The man ignored Alex’s pleasantries. “Long way from nowhere. How’d you come to be lost way out here?” He leaned across his plow. The mule, temporarily relieved of its burden, stood and flicked its ears.

“Well, we were following a trail and then everything looked different from my recollection,” Alex explained, all of which was true. After I did whatever it was I did to the Flux, it did look different. “Last time I followed that trail it led somewhere else. Know anything about it?”

“Ayup,” replied the man. “There’s a Maker loose in the Shards. Made new lands, new paths. First time since the Breaking. These’re queer times. Dangerous time for a man on his own.”

I sighed from my hiding place. “See, I told you he was trouble,” I muttered to Ulrich.

“You got that right.” Alex paused a moment before continuing. “Guild been sniffin’ around yet?”

“It ain’t been that long. ‘Spect ‘em soon, though. You’re not a Walker?”

Alex grinned a little, then spat to the side. “Not one o’ their Walkers. I ain’t got no truck with the Guild. No offense.”

“Well, then you’ve got a problem, sonny. There ain’t nothing down this road. It just ends. And I’m willing to bet that the roads on back are in Guild hands by now.”

Alex glanced down at his compass.

“This here’s neutral territory, by the way,” the man said sharply. “No fightin’ or killin’ on my lands.”

“Got it,” Alex nodded. “I won’t start anything. I can’t speak fer the Guild.”

“They won’t start nothing here. They know better.” He peered at Anna and nodded, as if confirming something to himself. “But they’ll come. You should fill up at the pump and go, mister.”

“Thanks for the warning.” Alex took the old man’s advice and filled his water bottle. “Good luck to ya.”

Alex shot a worried glance at Anna as they walked back to us. “Hope we don’t run into much—I’m beat. Compass says keep following the path—I’ll put those two on point with you and me watching out back for the Guild. That sound all right?”

She nodded as they continued up the hill toward us. “Didn’t you want to look for your wasps before we tried the gates?”

“Damn. Forgot about that in all the excitement.” He took a deep breath and let it out. “Yeah, they’re not too far from here, near as I can figure. Might find the place in a few hours, and they’d be useful if the Guild comes along.” He shot a mischevious grin her way. “When we get a chance ta take a breath, remind me that I’m taking you out on the town.”

Anna smiled back, “When we find a town.”

They arrived at the top where we were wainting. Alex glanced back the way they had came as he shouldered his pack again. “Old man says we need ta be moving on. Guild’s likely on the way. I’m heading a bit away from the gate so I can look for my friends, then we’re gonna make a run for it. Ella, take point. Anna and me are gonna be busy watching for anyone following. That suit?”

“That’s fine,” I replied, glancing at Ulrich as I eased Holly into position.

“Oh yeah, the old man asked us ta honor his no killing rules while we’re on his land,” Alex continued.

I looked back at Alex over my shoulder. “I will respect that, but I will kill in self-defense, or in defense of anyone in this party.”

Alex shrugged.

“I’ve no problem with taking the vanguard,” Ulrich piped up, “but it’s hard to do when you don’t know where you’re going. We need you to guide us, Alexander.”

“Yep,” Alex nodded. “Head two points left o’ your shadow for a bit. I’ll call out if we need ta change directions. When we hit the flatlands keep your eyes peeled for some mound—about 40 feet high and brown.”

Ulrich looked at me. “Can you do that? I can’t make those...paths.”

I shuddered, remembering my last attempt to make. “No. Alex will have to provide assistance when it becomes necessary.” I motioned with my head for Ulrich to follow me, then clucked to Holly and headed out in the direction Alex indicated. I kept my sword sheathed and my eyes wide open.

Michael suddenly pointed across the small valley. “It seems we may be too late. Alex, do you recognize those men?” I turned and looked in the direction Michael indicated. There, about a half mile away, a small body of men armed with rifles made its way down toward the farm.

I whipped my horse around. “Back the way we came! Now! Alex, by the Maker lead us out of here!”

Alex looked down at the men, then at me and Ulrich. “Get your horses down below the hill. I want ta look and see what our pals are up to. We got cover and distance.” He reached into his pack to take out some sort of gadget that he lifted to his eyes as he flattened himself on the crest in the shadow of a large bush.

I sighed in exasperation, motioned to Ulrich to lead his horse back over the top, then quickly followed him. “We need to leave, not stay and watch,” I muttered.

“Our friend does not have a strong sense of self-preservation,” Ulrich whispered back.

I hrummphed. “Unfortunately, I need his assistance too badly to leave him to his own devices.” I paused. “Or do I? I think we could travel ourselves, but it certainly won’t be easy. I need to think more on that. In the meantime, we play along. I’ll stay with the horses here. You go back up to the top and let me know what’s happening.”

He started to obey, then looked sharply back at me. “Ellabrynnethys, you are not going to leave me with these people, are you?”

I laughed, little knowing how true that statement was going to become very soon. “By the Maker, you big bear, no!” Then I shifted in the saddle. “I’m tired,” I finally admitted. “I want a bit of a rest before whatever is going to happen, happens. Now, go!”

Ulrich nodded, touched his forehead in a sort of salute to his me, and headed off to obey. Almost immediately after he left Anna appeared, and she was not smiling. “We’re leaving now,” she informed me. “They’re right behind me.”

“All right. Where are the others?”

“That’s who’s right behind me,” Anna replied. “The Guild is still down in the valley.” She seemed very agitated.

“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“We can’t win against that force. I would as soon we leave before they detect our presence. Alex is more of a mind to fight.”

I resisted the urge to sigh again. “I agree with you. I have more pressing matters than to fight a battle where I have no personal stake and where the numbers are against me.”

Anna came close and looked up at me. “It isn’t the same for Alex. He takes the Guild personally at every level. He’s got a death wish where they’re concerned.”

I gazed at Anna. “There is a time for personal revenge, and a time when duty calls you to a higher purpose. I need Alex to lead me to the end of these worlds to combat the forces there of which these Guild members may be a part. Can you not convince him to lay aside his vendetta with the Guild for a little while? He listens to you.”

“Does he?” she asked. “I wonder. Still, I think he’s agreed to retreat for now.”

Just then Alex came over the ridge, Michael and Ulrich following. “Looks like we got too many ta take a chance with. I’ll take point through the Flux and make the path. We’ll be going a mite slower cause I’ll be settin’ a false trail for them ta follow. Unless someone’s got an objection?”

“Lead on,” I said, gesturing.

Alex stepped into the Flux, but this time he remained standing there, just within sight, his arms raised. After a few moments of concentration, the Flux coalesced into a manlike form, although obviously not alive. Alex reached down and drew up the path he was standing on and attached it to the Flux-creature. The creature turned and walked away, the silver line following him.

Alex turned back to us with a grin. “Old trick I learned running from the Guild. Now you all gotta jump ta me without touching that line. If yer horses panic, slide off and we’ll find ‘em later.”

“Watch out.” I nudged Holly up, then gave a low whistle and squeezed his sides, urging him to jump the few feet to Alex. Holly wanted to shy from the silver path, but with some patience and only a bit of difficulty, I coaxed him to leap over it and continue on. Ulrich did the same, followed by Michael and Anna.

Michael watched the simulacrum Alex created with fascination as it disappeared into the Flux. “You called that up out of thin air. I had no idea you were a sorcerer.”

Anna chuckled. “They’re not sorcerers. They’re Makers.”

Ulrich interrupted, “They?”

“Aurelians. They,” she replied, pointing to Alex and me, “and all their kin. What Alex did with the golem is no different than what your cousin did with the new lands. Only she has great raw power, and he has very fine control.”

“I’d call it sorcery,” countered Michael.

“Sorcery is the circumvention of natural laws,” Anna replied. “Making is an application of them.”

“That thing was not natural,” Michael insisted.

“True,” she conceded. She looked at Alex. “I believe our friend here may be dabbling in contradictions.”

Alex chuckled.

I looked at Anna thoughtfully. “You knew Aurelius, right? What was he like?”

Anna smiled, but it was without warmth. “The truth? He was a devil. Handsome as a devil, as charming, as strong, as talented, and as ruthless and cruel as a devil. He gave you everything, and took the one thing you wanted. He built a prison for his children, and told me to smile when he locked me in, too. A free piece of advice, dear. Never love the devil. And if you do, always watch your back.”

I let my breath out, perplexed. “Why? Why did he do all this? What was the point?”

“You’re asking me?” Anna said, incredulous. “He certainly wasn’t given to exposition. He just did what he did and you either liked it or got hurt.” Then she sighed. “Maybe that’s too harsh. He could be very charming when he wanted. It was normally only his enemies that got that kind of treatment. But I knew something was up when I saw him that last time, and he didn’t stop to explain what was going on, but it was clear that something was driving him. I think he felt he had no choice about what he was doing.”

“Doing? Are you refering to creating the worlds he dropped us all into? Or did he create the worlds, and then we were born there? Or were the worlds already there when we were born?” My mind spun with the different permutations possible.

Anna smiled a crooked little smile. “There was once some debate on that subject. The creation, I mean. But in any case, the worlds certainly predate your births by millennia, if not billions of years, depending.”

“If that is truly the case, then there is no debate,” I countered. “He couldn’t have created the worlds millennia ago—he wouldn’t have been alive.”

Anna just smiled at me again and said nothing. Ulrich shrugged. I frowned, feeling as if I was missing something. I let the conversation go and rode on in moody silence.

We travelled on in the misty Flux, the only noises the sighing of unfelt wind and distant, half-heard echoes. We rested on occasion, and it was during one of those times that we heard the approach of hoofbeats from behind us. I cocked my head. By the sound, it was a single horse. I stood up and mounted quickly.

Alex whirled, bringing his shotgun to bear. “We either got Flux things ta deal with or someone better’n me. Either case, get ready for trouble.”

I drew my sword. The metal scraping against the scabbard sounded strange and hollow. “Behind us, anyone who doesn’t have a weapon,” I suggested softly as I squinted into the fog. Anna was the only one that moved, and she took a place behind Alex.

The hoofbeats became louder and suddenly the horse and rider were within view, the mists parting before them in a strange way, as if the rider brought a different bubble of reality with him. The horse was massively muscled and the color of old bone. Twin trails of steam curled out of its nostrils into the suddenly chill air. The rider was tall and gaunt, covered from head to toe in articulated plate armor the same color as his horse. He bore a naked sword with a hilt of bone.

“My God,” commented Michael as he shouldered his musket. Great Maker indeed, I thought. My sword was no match for that armor.

The voice from the rider echoed as if from the bottom of a chasm. “Behold, I am come. Your journey this way has ended. Turn back.”

“No,” I said firmly, my jaw clenched. I laid my sword across my lap, my left hand resting lightly on the sharp blade. “We will not. What authority have you, to order us?”

“The authority of death. Turn back, or die.”

“I do not recognize your authority,” I continued, although a more rational part of my brain was telling me that I should as I gazed at his sword. “We will go on. If you try to stop us, you will regret it. I suggest you turn and go back the way you came.” Bravado on my part, I thought. We’ll see where it gets us.

“I reckon it’s the way the lady says it is,” Alex called out. “We’re headin’ that way all right. I got friends ta look after and no time for the likes a you. So outta the way, stranger, cause my patience ain’t what it used ta be.”

“Fools,” came the reply. “For sake of thy blood I offer you this one chance. Scorn it at thy peril. You shall not pass, for Death guards the way. Go back and breathe the sweet air of life.”

“Thy blood?” I repeated, wanting clarification. “What is our lineage to you? Who are you, and what bars our way if we advance?”

“Death. Your lineage and I are old companions.” The Rider provided only one answer to my three questions. Which question did he answer? One, two, or all three?

Alex snorted. “Your history ain’t all that important ta me. We met yer friend the demon the last time we headed out a here. Guess it’s time ta see what ya got.” He gestured, and a gleaming curtain of power like a shield sprung into being around the rider. The bone-colored horse reared in surprise and the Rider was forced to calm it.

“Impressive,” the Rider admitted, “but pointless. I cannot be stayed so easily, as thy sire was well aware when he set me here.” He dismounted and slashed out at the shield with his sword. It visibly weakened.

I ran my palm along the blade of my sword and drew blood. I’ve never really gotten used to the sting and burn of it, no matter how many times I’ve done it. I closed my fist around the welling blood and concentrated, focusing my desire through the crystal around my neck into strengthening Alex’s shield, solidifying it, turning it to stone, hard and unpenetrable. Nothing happened.

A second slash of the Rider’s bone-handled blade cut a rift in the Flux energies of the shield, which he widened for his mount. “Foolish immortals,” he intoned. “I am the guardian, the Pale Rider. You cannot pass me any more than you can outrun the sun. Return to your sheltered lives and do not come this way again.”

“Guardian of what?” I yelled, flustered at the failure of my power in this place when it worked before. What did I do wrong? Perhaps I was trying to get the blood magics to do something they were not meant to do? If only I had listened better to my father.

I spent the next few seconds bringing my nervous mount back under control. Difficult to do with one fist full of blood and the other holding a sword, but I managed well enough with my legs. Something suddenly occurred to me, something Ewan had said to me in his garden, and I decided to test it out. “What is this Way you are guardian of? The way to the ends of the worlds?”

My comment brought the Rider’s head up to face me, though his bone-white helmet still obscured his face. “Enough. Go now. Your blood will save you no longer.” He mounted his pale horse.

“Five of us, one of him,” commented Urich, “and two of us sorcerers. No one’s that good.”

Alex snorted, whether agreeing or disagreeing with Ulrich’s statement, I couldn’t tell.

“We will continue on,” I said softly. “The fate of my world depends on it. You say that death lies before us. Death lies behind me, should I turn back.” I clucked to my horse to move forward.

“Your doom, then.” The Rider moved to intercept me.

A prickle ran down my spine. Too late now, I thought. Too late to turn back. Father would admonish me heavily for doing what I was about to do with the blood magics, but I felt I had no choice. I had to continue travelling forward! I released the power of the blood in my fist. Unheal! I commanded mentally, focusing my intent through the crystal around my neck and reaching out with the resultant energies to touch the Rider...
Alex brought his gun to bear on the Rider, but paused and did not fire.

The Rider was enveloped in a pale, blood-red aura for a moment after I spent my magic against him. In that brief moment, a heraldic sigil became visible on his breastplate. It showed a white unicorn rearing on a green field. Written words were also present, but the moment was too sudden and brief for the words to be legible. The aura died away, revealing twisted and black grass around him and his mount.

“So, you are the one then,” the rider said, meeting my eyes. “Death meets Death. But not today. Thy sire knew full well thy power when he set me to guard the way, oh queen, and I am more than equal to thy power.”

Stunned, I withdrew my hand. The blood and the cut I gave myself were both gone. I stared at the Rider in awe. “I will ask you once more, and I beseech you to answer,” I said, barely over a whisper. “What way do you guard? And why?”

He returned my gaze without emotion, his dull white visor masking any reaction. “It is the Road of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This road alone is denied thee. All else is thine to grasp as ye may. Are not all the worlds of the Garden enough for thy purposes?”

I continued to stare. “Perhaps. I don’t know.” My, that was a clever response on my part. I paused, unsure. Holly stamped the ground and mouthed the bit nervously. I reigned him in and explained, “I only wish to protect and preserve my world, not grasp and possess the others. May we pass, then?”

“None may pass.”

My jaw set. I wasn’t used to being denied. “I’ve no need to travel your ‘Road.’ I was reared knowing good, and then spent more years than I can count on two hands knowing evil. I only wish to travel to the end of the worlds, that is all.” I nudged Holly forward to pass him.

Alex held up his hand. “Stranger, I got ta agree with the lady. We’re gonna pass here or we’re gonna die trying. My feeling is you don’t want it any more than we do. So why not step aside? Or do we need a secret handshake?” He grinned, but his eyes were hard.

“No.” With that, the Pale Rider charged. He was lightning swift and descended on me as a lynx on a hare. Although usually unmatched in the saddle, I was no match for the Rider. Our swords rang only once. Then the Rider reached across and touched me just below the throat. I dropped from the saddle as if struck by a bolt.
I blacked out before I hit the ground.

Next Journal

Return to Brynn's Journals