My Wounds Smelled of Earth and Foreign Magic

There was a path beaten into the fallen leaves and dirt of the forest floor. My brother and I had found it when we'd first moved into this house and had used it ever since as a gateway into the forest. Elbrane was easy to shake, as I'd expected. We got him far enough along on a game to where there was a lengthy battle sequence and little opportunity to save. From there, we just had to be quiet when we snuck out the back door.

The forest was flat for several yards until it fell into a ravine, a crumbling rock wall traveling along the border and finally slipping down to the bottom where a small creek ran through it. The best way to get down there was to just hop over the edge and slide down. It caused a small cascade of mud every time we did and we had dug a small trail down the side of the hill to the bottom over the years. Daniel and I would often travel along the creek until it reached the river that flowed past the old sawmill, hopping from rock to rock. I led the way down there, keeping my balance with a walking stick from an old birch tree branch I'd found. It was quiet and cool at the bottom, the few shafts of light catching on the stream bottom and turning the sand into gold. I splashed some water at my brother and he shrieked and threw some in return at me. We ran across the rocks for a bit, continuing this game, until I got bored and wandered towards the far bank.

"Want to go down to the old sawmill?" Daniel asked.

"Nah, not today." Besides, the place had an electric fence we had to crawl under to get to it. I always managed to get shocked at least once trying to get in.

"Fine. The old house?"

Further long in the woods was an old stone house with a collapsed roof. I always imagined it was from the early settlers of this area. Mom warned us not to actually go inside it on account of snakes or old nails. I never did, because it was creepy and dark and cobwebby inside. But sometimes I found interesting things on the outside.

"Sure."

There was another stonewall between the ravine and the house. Settlers used these to mark territory. I crawled over and started in a leftward sloping path. I was so used to the terrain that even a strangely bent tree could become a landmark. There wasn't anything scary or unfamiliar out here.

When the house appeared, a squat shape of stone and shadow, Daniel tugged on my shoulder.

"Do you hear that?" he asked.

"Just a squirrel rooting for something under the leaves," I said.

"A really big squirrel."

I stopped and sighed. Listened for a moment. There was rustling, steady and growing closer. It wasn't the sporadic sound of a squirrel digging through the leaves. And it sounded like multiple creatures. Moving towards us.

"Uh, maybe a dog," I said, backing up, "Uh, we should go."

"Yeah."

There reaches a point where panic overrides common sense. I suppose a braver person would have stayed and seen what it was, laughed at their fears, instead of fleeing at just a strange sound. But I'm not that brave. And my fear wasn't unfounded, for as soon as we broke into a run, whatever was following us did as well.

Daniel tripped as he was going over the wall. I slid to a stop and turned to help him up. And I froze when I saw the thing that was pursuing us. It was like a dog's shadow, given substance and made much, much larger. The thing slipped between the trees like light escaped it and I could barely track its movements. Just the sound of it.

"Daniel!" I screamed, finding my voice, and the creature leapt over the wall, over my brother, and straight at me.

Then Elbrane was between it and me. He spread his hands to either side and shouted something, and fire arced between his outstretched palms. The creature hit it face on, screeched and for a moment I could see the flame and shadow become one, then the beast fell back and lurked just out of range, circling us. Daniel was crawling away, eyes wide in terror. I stayed huddled behind Elbrane.

"It's a shadow," he said softly, "Creatures that don't belong to any world and shouldn't exist. They hate all living kind."

He brought his hands together and a ball of flame appeared between them. This he threw, and the beast leapt aside and vanished from sight. Elbrane said something that was like what the highschoolers said, but in a different language.

"Behind you!" Daniel yelled.

We both turned. Elbrane was far too late though, for the black shape hurtled over my head and hit him in the chest, carrying him back to land hard on his back. He cried out and pushed it away, his arm seeming to sink into the beast rather than move it away.

"Bailey, run!" he cried and I could see him trying to conjure flame, waving it at the beast, which backed away for a moment before lunging forwards and clamping its jaws on Elbrane's forearm. He hissed and tried to kick at it.

I stood. Picked up a stout branch.

"Bailey…" Daniel whispered from behind me.

I walked forwards. Closed my eyes and swung. The branch slowed when it hit the creature, like it was passing through water, and then something cold and heavy wrapped about my shoulders and chest. I opened my eyes and saw the black nothingness of the shadow, felt its jaws against my throat, and felt it sinking into my chest, making it hard to breath.

Then incredible heat, I screamed, and the weight vanished and left behind only the smell of smoke. Elbrane stood in front of me; one hand stretched forwards, and smoke curling about his fingers.

"That never works," he panted, "I can't believe it worked."

I sat up, breathing hard. Daniel ran to my side and stared up at Elbrane.

"You were throwing fire!" he cried, "How'd ya do that?"

The half-deer shrugged and looked around nervously.

"Errr, magic. But I'm not so good at it. Usually there's a lot more fire and lot less control." His ear twitched. "But let's get out of here. You weren't supposed to go into the woods for a reason."

We didn't say anything on the way back to the house. Elbrane walked behind us, glancing back often, and he didn't relax until we entered our own backyard.

"They stay where there are lots of shadows," he said, "and they don't enter houses. So the yard should be safe, but let's get inside anyways."

He sank into one of the couches in our living room and I sat down on a chair, sitting on the edge. Daniel curled up in the loveseat.

"I was so scared when you wondered off," he said, "even more so when you went into the woods."

"How'd you find us?" I asked quietly.

"Oh, Bailey… we hunt for our food in Lastille. We don't have… grocery stores, where you get your chicken or whatever in nice little plastic-wrapped hunks. I know how to track quite well and two children in a forest are very easy to follow."

"Is that what hurt you earlier?"

He hesitated, and nodded. "I was bringing ill news to your mother and they tried to stop me. There were three then and I had to run for it. Thankfully I lost them and got to the house before they caught up. They're fast and deadly but not very smart at all. Almost mindless."

"What are they?"

"Shadows of things given life. They're quite rare in our world and nonexistent in this one. I suppose they followed me through."

I was quiet for a while. Daniel finally filled in the silence.

"You're going to tell mom, aren't you?"

We both got sent to our rooms as soon as she got home. I lay on the floor with my ear on the vent to hear what was being said downstairs.

"The shadow I can handle," my mother was saying, "I've dealt with those before. But Elbrane, you don't use magic for a reason!"

"It was fine, m'lady. This world dampers magic. I didn't blow anything up this time."

"This time."

"Well, ah…"

"Fine, fine. I appreciate you saving my daughter. But tell me why it was going for her?"

"Well, she is your daughter. Your eldest, I might add as well."

"I don't want her involved in this."

"I'm sure you own mother would have said the same thing."

There was silence after that. I stood up and sat on my bed, amazed. If I wasn't mistaken, Elbrane had just won an argument with my mother. That didn't happen very often. Soon I heard her footsteps on the stairs and she entered my room. Sat down at my desk. I just waited. I was either going to get an explanation or a punishment.

"You're not grounded," she said, "because I did something even dumber when I was a little older than you. But I am going to tell you what is going on so you know why I'm trying to keep you out of this."

"What about Daniel?" I asked softly.

"He's not in danger. They're after my eldest, my daughter, because that's what poses a threat." She took a deep breath. I had never seen my mother so nervous and it frightened me. "Shadows are not a natural thing. They have to be created and they have to have a master. There is someone in Lastille that has uncovered the forbidden magic needed to do this and he has long harried the peaceful lands of that world. When I was seventeen I fell into that world and helped drive off the shadows and exile the mage responsible for them. Now it seems he's back and is trying to take control again." She frowned. "What's even worse is that to break free of the place we exiled him to he had to have help. There's a traitor in Lastille."

"And this is what Elbrane was here to warn you of?"

"Yes. Elbrane is the student of an old friend of mine, from when I was in Lastille. He taught me much of what I know and now he's teaching Elbrane."

"And Elbrane can use magic?"

"Not very well."

"Can you use magic?"

She laughed and shook her head.

"No Bailey. Humans cannot use magic anymore. We are strong in other ways."

Again, I was oddly disappointed.

"I'm going to call your father once his flight lands. He needs to know what is going on."

"Was dad ever in Lastille?"

She shook her head and walked for the door.

"I want you to stay inside and close to Elbrane. The shadows have seen you. I don't know what's going to happen next."

We played video games until dinner. My mother was oddly disquieted and didn't talk much. After we finished she went upstairs and was gone until we got done cleaning the kitchen up. When she reappeared it was like I had never seen her before. Her hair was pulled back into a braid and she was wearing armor. It was of some green-silver metal, ornately decorated with twining leaves, and under the breastplate I saw a shirt of chainmail. At her side was a sword.

"Elbrane, stay here with my children," she said, "I'm going out."

"It's dark," he said quietly, "They'll be at their strongest."

"And that's why they'll attack. I want to finish this before they grow any bolder and come closer to the house."

"Very well." He bowed to her and she walked over to me. Knelt and put a gloved hand to my head.

"If anything happens," she said quietly, "go to the pond. You know where it is, at the edge of the woods? Throw rocks."

"I don't understand…"

She just smiled and kissed me. I put my hand on her armor. It was cold.

"I also want you to have this."

I looked down at what she pushed into my hand. It was a sword, a short one made for someone my size.

"That was the one I found in Lastille. It'll take good care of you."

Then she stood and walked over to Daniel. Said something to him, kissed him, and walked off towards the front door.

"Lock it behind me. Elbrane, keep them safe."

"I will, my lady."

And she was gone.