Jeff Inlo - Nightmare's Shad

"I knew they were getting an influx of settlers, but I never expected this," Sy stated as the group broke through the outer boundaries of the city. "Looks like hundreds are coming in. I wonder if it's like this every day."

Ryson moved them forward through the crowd. Eventually, they passed the ancient wall constructed by dwarves that once surrounded the entire city. That wall was part of Connel's history. It survived the passing of the magic and remained nearly intact at the mystical energy's return.

It was at the wall that Ryson noticed movement on the rooftops to their right. They had already passed sentries in newly constructed towers that let them pass without question, but the delver could not release his gaze from the shadowed movements above. Someone was stalking them.

Ryson's sight could normally pierce the shadows and identify a target at great distances, but the silent follower remained careful to avoid detection, as if it knew how to avoid a delver's watch. The shadows also appeared unnatural, enhanced by something beyond the taller buildings that blocked the sun. Ryson's concern only grew as the shadowed form continued to follow them as they moved along the city streets.

They passed several crossroads, moved through crowds and around various areas of construction. Many buildings had been destroyed in two previous encounters. The dwarves had attacked Connel when Yave vowed revenge against all those responsible for her son's death. The serp Sazar then led a legion of goblins against the weakened city. Much had been lost, but it seemed as if the survivors and the new settlers were intent on restoring it all.

Maneuvering through the city required them to change direction several times. All the while, Ryson kept a steady watch on the mysterious figure that continued to stalk them from above.

A delver almost never becomes truly lost because a delver can always find a way through almost any obstacle. Delvers, however, are known to be distracted, and while Ryson lost track of their position in the city, the Captain of Burbon's Guard did not.

"Ryson, we're not making any progress," Sy Fenden called out.

"Yeah," Ryson responded with only a fraction of his attention. "A lot more detours than I expected."

"That's not what I mean. We're almost right back where we started from. The wall is only a few blocks behind us. We're no where near the center of the city."

"What?"

"Take a look," Sy requested as he pointed behind him.

For the moment, Ryson ignored the figure on the rooftops and turned back to gauge their position. The ancient wall was much nearer than it should have been.

"That's not right," Ryson admitted. "We shouldn't even be able to see it. Did we make a wrong turn?"

"No, something else is going on. You've been watching our friend up there…"

"You've seen him?"

"Only a few times. Whoever is up there is using more than natural ability to keep from view. Every now and then I've caught a glimpse of something, but I knew you were watching, so I left it to you. I've been keeping track of our movements. We've had to move around some construction, but we haven't moved in a circle. There's no way we should be where we're at. Something else is at work here."

The delver knew he could trust Sy's sense of direction. Ryson looked back once more at the wall, studied the buildings around them, and did his best to retrace their previous path in his mind. Sy was right, they should not have been where they were. Ryson put the pieces together and came up with only one conclusion.

"We're being tricked… misdirected." Ryson stated with a nod. "It's an illusion of some kind. It has to be."

"Not sure what it is," Sy admitted, "but something, or someone, doesn't want us to get to where we're going."

Sy urged his horse forward and moved to a soldier patrolling the street.

"Can you tell me how far it is to the town hall?" Sy requested.

The soldier paused for a moment, looked up at Sy, but said nothing. He tilted his head in a bewildered fashion, and then focused off into the distance, as if he heard an echo of some far off order. He then continued his patrol.

"How about the nearest guard station?" Sy called after him.

This time the guard didn't even stop. He turned a corner and marched out of sight.

Sy looked over at some of the construction workers. They ignored him completely. He then directed his horse back to Ryson.

"This isn't right."

"No, it isn't" Ryson agreed.

After hearing this, the sorceress concentrated deeply. She could not control the magic with any degree of certainty, but it ran strong within her. Her ability to cast pale magic gave her equal power over all facets of the energy. She sensed the presence of a powerful spell and it filled her with alarm.

"It's a trap!" Heteera implored through a whisper. "They know I'm here and they're not going to let me in. We're in danger."

"Danger from what?" Sy demanded.

"The elf. She knows I'm here."

Sy had fought beside Holli Brances, the elf who guarded Enin. He could not accept that Holli was a source of any danger. He looked to Ryson for further explanation.

"She thinks Holli might harm her," Ryson added.

"We have to get out of here," Heteera pleaded.

"And go where? We have to see Enin."

"She won't let us. I'm telling you this is a trap!"

Ryson could not deny the fear in Heteera's voice. He recalled the phantom form that had been following them and he directed his attention back to the rooftops. The figure had vanished and his own internal alarm rang out with danger.

In a blur of motion, Ryson pulled out a small dagger that was laced to his hip. He did not wish to unsheathe the Sword of Decree as the light of the blade might attract further attention. Normally, he would have bolted up to the rooftops, uncovered the follower, and removed any threat in the blink of an eye, but his first thought fell upon his wife.

"Sy! Get them to cover. I think it's just one on the rooftops, but I can't be sure."

To his credit, Sy didn't hesitate to follow the command of the delver, but he did stop at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Hold your position!" the voice called out.

A very nimble form leapt down from the building in a manner that was almost as graceful as a delver. The shadows that still appeared to cling to her body slowly diminished in the sunlight and they all recognized the elf guard Holli Brances. Her greeting, however, was not so pleasant.

"Stand aside, Ryson."

"Holli, what are you doing?"

The elf fixed her stare upon the sorceress. Holli remained alert, prepared to strike if the woman tried to cast any magic.

"Attempt no spell, sorceress. You are surrounded."

As if to confirm her words, their surroundings transformed. Stores and carts faded out of sight, Buildings in the distance blurred in and out of focus and then shifted in position, as if suddenly moved by an unseen hand. Construction workers, merchants, and ordinary citizens who seemed to previously line the street simply disappeared. In their place, fifty soldiers armed with spears and crossbows surrounded the stunned party.

Sy immediately considered their position. They had no cover whatsoever as they stood exposed at the center of a wide crossroad. The soldiers blocked all paths of escape. Only the delver with his blinding speed might be able to break for freedom, but Sy knew Ryson would not leave his wife. The sorceress was right. They were trapped.

Holli moved forward cautiously, her eyes still fixed on Heteera. The elf guard held a bow steady in her hands, but she had not drawn an arrow… yet.

Ryson remained between the sorceress and the elf.

"Holli, she's with us. We have to see Enin."

The elf guard found no reassurance in these words.

"I can not let you through. The sorceress is very powerful and she is tainted with evil." Holli paused and almost appeared to sniff the wind. She looked deeper into Heteera, as if probing the sorceress' spirit. The elf's eyes narrowed on Heteera with contempt as Holli could not ignore the faint traces of a spell, a spell that she considered profane. "And she has committed evil. She has defiled a legend and she has opened a gate."