The Truth Behind the Shadows

The elf ran as fast as she could. With barely any room left, she dropped into a slide and slipped through just before the opening closed. But she stumbled on the other side and pitched forwards.

Silas barely had time to react. He caught her, but her momentum dragged him down too.

They landed on the floor with Leyade on top of him.

“Are you all right?” he asked, looking up at her.

“Yes, yes, I’m...”

Leyade raised her eyes and found herself staring straight into his amber gaze.

She fell silent.

Only then did she realise how close they were. She could feel one of his hands around her waist and the other against her back. Colour rushed to her cheeks.

A gentle smile rested on Silas’s lips, and his eyes never left hers.

Leyade’s heart began to race.

For a few moments, everything around them seemed to disappear.

“Leyade, are you all right?” Elindra asked, coming over anxiously after checking that the wall had closed completely.

Her voice brought Leyade back to herself.

“S-sorry, sorry, sorry, Silas!” Flustered and embarrassed, she kept apologising while he laughed at her reaction. “Are you all right? Did I hurt you?”

She bowed her head in apology again.

“No, don’t worry. You haven’t hurt me. Although you’d be doing me a favour if you took your elbow out of my stomach...” Silas joked, wincing.

Leyade sprang up and bowed several times in embarrassment.

“It’s all right. Really, you don’t have to worry so much.” Silas waved it away. “What matters is that you’re safe.”

Elindra watched them thoughtfully, an amused gleam in her eyes. Then she nodded and came closer.

“Yes, exactly. What matters is that you’re safe. Don’t worry about squashing Silas. He’s nice and sturdy.”

She squeezed his arm with a claw. Silas looked at her, trying not to laugh at how little force she exerted.

“I’m not sure whether I’m sturdy or you’re just very small,” he joked, turning away before she could answer.

In her sudden rush, Leyade had forgotten the glowing stone, so Elindra cast her lights again. They revealed a circular chamber with a raised level and a lectern at its centre. Marble columns surrounded the room, their golden decorations glimmering faintly. On the upper level, lines traced symbols across the floor and walls. A book with a red spine appeared to rest on the lectern.

Leyade cleared her throat, regaining her composure.

“I’m fine, Elindra. Don’t worry,” she said, approaching the steps.

Silas stopped her before she could climb them.

“Let me check for wards first, all right?” He held an arm in front of her.

Leyade nodded and stepped back.

Silas cast a spell, concentrating on the area. Then he nodded and glanced at Elindra.

“All clear. You can go ahead.” He smiled at Leyade and bowed, extending an arm to let her pass like a courteous gentleman.

Leyade smiled without realising it and climbed the steps, her footsteps echoing in the silence. She approached the book. It was covered in dust. Taking a small brush from her backpack, she carefully cleaned it, revealing a red cover marked with golden symbols she did not recognise.

Puzzled, she called Silas over.

“This book is...”

Leyade’s stomach tightened at the thought that it might be the one she had been searching for.

Silas closed it and inspected the spine and cover. He took a notebook from his backpack, turned to a sketch and placed it beside the book to compare them. The suspense was killing Leyade. Silas was far too methodical and taking far too long for her liking.

“What would you give me if the legend about this book turned out to be true?” he asked teasingly.

Missing the suggestion entirely, Leyade looked at the book, and a broad smile spread across her face.

“Is this it?!” she cried, throwing her arms around him. Then she caught Elindra as she hovered overhead and hugged her too. “We found it! We found it!”

She bounced on the spot in celebration.

Excitedly, she opened the book and tried to read it, but the contents were just as incomprehensible.

“I can’t read it.” She looked at Silas, then at the book, then at Elindra. “I can’t read it. Why can’t I read it? I should be able to read it, Silas! What do I do now? What do I do?”

Panic began to take hold as she turned page after page without understanding a word.

Silas laid his hand over hers, stopping her. He squeezed it gently, then calmly moved it aside to examine the writing.

“I know some of this language. I can translate it.” He turned towards her. “It’ll take time, but I can do it.”

Leyade, who had been holding her breath, let it all out at once.

“Are you sure?”

The half-elf nodded.

“We’ll work through it as we go. Together, all right?”

Reassured by his smile, Leyade nodded.

“Everyone...” Elindra interrupted anxiously. “I’m glad we’ve got the book, but we’d better get out of here.” She flew towards them. “And quickly.”

“What’s wrong, Elindra?” Silas asked.

Then they heard thuds, scratching and the crash of falling rubble beyond the door.

“Oh, for fuck’s...”

Silas put the book away, seized Leyade’s wrist and ran through the door behind the lectern.

“They’ve found us! I must have missed an alarm spell!” he exclaimed, cursing himself as he sprinted.

They raced along narrow passages lit only by Elindra’s lights as she tried to guide them safely. The maze forced them to leap over fallen columns, squeeze round impossibly tight corners and turn back when something on the other side blasted a door apart. Sometimes they found dead ends; elsewhere, a fallen column was the only bridge across a gap.

“There’s a draught this way! Quickly! It might lead outside!” Elindra veered sharply round a corner.

They emerged into an open space surrounded by ruined walls. The night was beginning to pale, though the moon still shone overhead. A figure waited in the middle of the empty courtyard.

“Elves. Always the same, aren’t you?” A deep voice reverberated around them. “Everything you touch rots or becomes corrupted.”

A tree-like being dressed entirely in black turned its yellow eyes towards them.

“But this time, I won’t allow it.” It raised a hand that looked more like a branch and pointed at them. “You will not leave this place.”

Leyade’s eyes widened in horror. Hundreds of creatures were approaching from behind, while before them stood one whose mere presence brought back all their earlier unease twice as strongly.

Silas studied it. Releasing Leyade’s wrist, he glanced sideways at her.

“This is going to be difficult. Be ready to give it everything you have.” He pointed to one side. “Elindra, stay out of this. Go over there and wait for us.”

Startled, Elindra looked at him, about to protest, but he cut her off.

“Elindra, no arguments. Just do as I say.”

His voice was unyielding. He would not give way. Elindra looked at him and nodded.

“Please be careful. May the moonlight guide you back.”

She touched each of their heads with a claw in blessing before flying away.

Leyade nodded, drew her bow and nocked an arrow. Looking straight at the creature, she spoke.

“Why do you say we make everything rot?”

The being paced slowly. Its presence was crushing, the pressure like being submerged in deep water. It looked at Leyade.

“Tell me, elf. Who do you think did this to us?”

“I don’t know, but you shouldn’t blame us without reason,” she replied firmly, raising her voice and stepping forwards.

The dark being gave a deep, unsettling laugh.

“Without reason?” It paused. “I have more than enough reason. You elves corrupted it. Your thirst for power brought ruin upon this land. Our land.”

It spoke slowly, each word heavy with anger.

“Because of you”—it pointed at Leyade—“we lost what we loved most. And you mages...” It pointed at Silas and grimaced in disgust. “You did nothing to stop it.”

“I know elves have made mistakes,” Silas said, “but we would never have stood by and done nothing.”

“Are you certain?” It reached towards a rock, touching it with the tips of its branching fingers. “You shouldn’t defend something you don’t believe, half-elf. That would make you a hypocrite.” It smiled maliciously. “Though your kind always are.”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Leyade retorted. “He isn’t a hypocrite. He believes what he says.”

The creature laughed again.

“What an innocent girl. People lie, little one.” It sighed with a smile. “They lie, manipulate, conceal things, tell half-truths... And I’m certain your friend does too.” Another pause. “Or am I mistaken?”

Leyade turned towards Silas. He stood silent, staring at the creature in anger.

“I thought as much. I can see inside you, half-elf.” Its sharp fingers drummed against the rock. “I can see how they failed you too. How they touched your land, and it suffered the same fate as ours.”

Its fingers scraped the stone. Smoke rose from it and gathered before them, forming an image: a burning village, ash, smoke and houses engulfed in flames.

“They came, but no one did anything. No one had the power.”

Silas clenched his teeth as he watched. Leyade looked between them, confused.

“What is it talking about, Silas?”

“Such a waste, wasn’t it? They knew where one was, yet they didn’t use it.” The creature looked at Kalindra hanging from Leyade’s belt.

“What are you talking about?” Silas demanded. “Go on. Tell me.”

“Well, well... Didn’t you know?” It laughed. “When that happened, they...” It pointed to his medallion. “They knew where one was, but chose not to use it.”

Silas clenched his fists.

“That’s a lie! They didn’t know where it was!” he roared.

“What did they tell you? ‘We don’t know where it is.’ ‘They’ve all been lost.’ ‘There are none left...’” The creature mimicked the voices mockingly. “If that were true, tell me, why does she carry one?”

It pointed straight at Leyade.

“Her situation is different...” Silas replied more quietly.

“Oh, is it? How? What’s different? Two elves, two lives, two paths... What makes her special and you not?” It met his eyes. “Be honest, half-elf. You wonder that too, don’t you? Why her and not you?”

It took a step forwards.

“That isn’t true!” Leyade protested. “Silas is a good person. He has a kind heart. He wouldn’t think that.” She turned towards him with a smile. “Would you, Silas?”

Silas looked down, avoiding her gaze.

“Silas...” she murmured in surprise.