The Shadow of All Worlds

  Chapter 7

  Torrin stood alone on the city wall looking out into the world beyond. He could feel the short bladed knife in his hand. Running his other hand over his scalp, he knew the knife wasn’t needed, there wasn’t a single stub of hair that had to be shaved. The knife wasn’t that sharp, he had used it to shave his head almost every day for the last two weeks. It was an act of boredom, because that is what he was, bored and stir crazy.

  To Captain Torrin, the joining of the words didn’t sound right in his mind or on his tongue. He had spoken to only a few about his true feelings. It was a promotion, and he should be happy, but he wasn’t. Only two and a half months ago he was lieutenant Torrin under the command of the great Captain Juruz. Now he was captain of the whole city guard. But he felt no pride in the promotion, because, frankly, he didn’t feel he deserved it. He had only gotten it because too many captains had died during the battle of Ebulon. The promotion was his only because he was able to survive. His survival wasn’t due to anything great he had done either, he had simply watched on his horse as a single figure slew thousands of orcs. He now felt the irony to his promotion now, his only real accomplishment during that battle was the fact he watched a great hero fighting. It seemed fitting that his promotion now led to him just watching as well.

  There was more to it than that. He wasn’t ignorant of the fact that Ebulon was still recovering. He would have to keep a sharp look out on the world. There was a strange kind of conflict inside of him, boredom and concern. Bored because nothing was happening and concerned because anything could happen at any movement. Even though he knew how weak Ebulon was, there was a part of him that wished that something would happen, that an enemy would arrive and he would be forced into battle. He didn’t like the idea of fighting for fighting’s sake, but he just didn’t feel comfortable standing around, doing nothing more than watching.

  He could feel his hand go to his waist, gripping upon something familiar at his side. He didn’t have to look down to know what he was gripping, old habits were never completely done away with. He hadn’t smoked from his pipe in about two months, he just didn’t crave the taste in his mouth like he once had. It was also a reminder of one of the last things Juruz had taught him before he got his promotion. That weed dulled the senses. Boredom seemed to be playing tricks of its own with his mind. The air was always near silent and once in a while he swore that he could have heard the pounding of the orc drums. But they were always an illusion, the old part of him, the part that he truly was, wanted to be on some field fighting, not watching a defrosting landscape. It was with these thoughts in his mind that something did come into view.

  It wasn’t an army of orcs or a horde of desperate refugees, it was a single figure. At first glance Torrin had mistaken the man for an Ebulon solider. He was dressed in animal skins, the way Ebulon soldiers dressed during the heart of winter. But the cold season was coming to an end and the animal furs appeared out of place. Torrin had also been around enough soldiers to know that there was no armor under the animal skins. The man carried several weapons that even from this distance actually appeared more like hunting tools. The man also didn’t walk like a soldier, which led Torrin to think that he was a refugee. As he came closer to the city, Torrin saw that the man was in his early twenties. Brown wild hair covered his head and a short scraggy beard covered his strong cheekbones. He was clearly weary and disheveled but apart from that he was quite normal looking. Save for his eyes, they were a very dark green, darker than any green eyes Torrin had seen before.

  “Someone’s coming,” a voice said in Torrin’s ear. He recognized the voice as belonging to one of his lieutenants. It was obvious someone was coming, Torrin was looking the man straight in the eye, who was staring right back. He now wondered if Captain Juruz had thought the same thing he was thinking now when Torrin used to say such things into his ear.

  “I think this man might be a refugee,” the lieutenant said.

  Torrin had come to the same conclusion, but he knew there was more to the statement. He wasn’t the only guard of the city who was becoming restless. Out of boredom a number of guards would have loved to force the man away from the city, a way to kill a few minutes. But Torrin showed restraint. This man looked rather fatigued.

  He waited until the man was right at the gate before Torrin asked, “What business do you have here?”

  “Is this Ebulon?” the man asked in a weary-strained voice.

  Torrin could tell that wasn’t the man’s regular voice, this was a voice effected by the harshness of winter. He was also surprised by the accent of the voice, which he could only describe as foreign. It didn’t sound like the accent of any city Torrin had visited in his life and he had visited many.

  “It is,” Torrin replied, noticing the great sense of relief in the man’s eyes as he bowed his head and took a long sigh. “I must insist that you state your name and what business you have with the city?” Torrin asked, feeling a little sorry for the man.

  “My name is Edo Volis,” the man replied, clearly struggling to raise his voice. “A voice, identifying itself as one King Yadi called to me. It said that a kingdom called Ebulon was in desperate need of my help…” Torrin exchanged a quick glance with his lieutenant, neither had received news of this. “The voice said that Ebulon was under attack from an army of something called orcs?” Torrin and the lieutenant exchanged another glance of confusion.

  “That battle was over three months ago?” The lieutenant said, more out of confusion that accusation. Edo Volis shook his head, seemingly in embarrassment before he answered. “I apologize for how late my arrival was, I got lost in the mountains and only recently has the snow weakened enough for me to come to this city.”

  Torrin took a long breath before he said, “You survived all by yourself in the mountains for three months?”

  “Barely,” Edo Volis replied.

  Torrin understood now why he looked so disheveled.

  “Open the gate,” Torrin commanded in a raised voice.

  Silently the lieutenant followed him as he descended the stone walkway. When the gates opened Edo Volis didn’t go inside. He had never been to another city, outside of the Denarchia capital. The sheer size of Ebulon, the impressive architecture of its walls and buildings amazed him. Even from outside the gate he could see a tower, a massive great white structure that dwarfed anything his humble homeland had to offer. He wondered if the capitals of Sonnep and Opacon were this grand?

  He put his own daydreams to an end when the bald headed man and his follower came into view. Edo Volis did his best to stand at attention, but his back was sore and weak. He wanted to make a good impression on the Ebulon soldiers, hoping his gestures were respectful.

  “Welcome to Ebulon, Edo Volis,” Torrin said.

  “Thank you…” Edo Volis replied.

  “Lieutenant…Captain…Torrin,” Torrin explained, old habits really were hard to do away with.

  “Thank you for welcoming me captain.” When the captain nodded all Edo Volis could think about was a comparison between this captain and Commander Namil. They were both proud and powerful looking, but this Torrin didn’t seem as sure of himself. It was subtle, but he didn’t seem all that comfortable with his own title.

  “Lieutenant, send word to our king about Edo Volis here, make it clear that this man survived winter in the mountains by himself in order to come and aid this city.” Torrin said.

  “Yes Captain,” the lieutenant replied, a little disappointed that he hadn’t been ordered to force Edo Volis from the city.

  Before the lieutenant had taken a single step Edo Volis stopped him. “Please wait a moment!” The desperation of his weary voice was enough to make the lieutenant abide the request. “Look I am not sure how important this is, but I think you should know that I saw a number of monsters in the mountains.”

  “How do you mean?” The captain asked after sharing a concerned glance with the lieutenant.

  “T
he only way I can describe them is giant flying lizards, one of them even breathed fire.”

  To this the lieutenant only looked perplexed.

  “I believe he is talking about dragons,” Torrin said, now having no doubt this Edo Volis had come from another world, everyone in this world knew what a dragon was. He understood the confusion that his lieutenant had, it was the same confusion he felt during the battle of Ebulon when Cada Varl didn’t know what an orc was.

  “How many of them were there?” Torrin asked.

  “I couldn’t tell for sure Captain,” Edo Volis replied. “I could only see them from a distance, there was at least three but there could have been more, I might have been able to get a better look if I had gotten closer…”

  The fear in the eyes of Edo Volis only strengthened his claim. Dragons imbued a certain kind of fear in most people, regardless of what world they came from.

  “Were they heading in this direction?” the captain asked.

  “I don’t believe so,” Edo Volis said. “They seemed to be heading deeper into the mountain ranges.”

  To this both the captain and the lieutenant nodded.

  “We have nothing to fear from them then,” the lieutenant said for it sounded like normal dragon behavior. The lieutenant was about to go to the king when Edo Volis asked. “Are these dragons normally ridden?”

  The question sounded strange in their ears. “What makes you ask that?” Torrin asked, half confused, half concerned.

  “I could see at least two creatures riding them, the biggest dragon, one covered in golden scales had a strange harness, there was something odd about it.” Edo Volis could tell something major was wrong by how the two of them were now looking at each other.

  “That isn’t normal,” Torrin said. “Be sure to inform the king of this as well lieutenant.”

  “Yes, Captain,” he said before turning and walking away.

  “Come,” Torrin began. “It looks like you could use a bit of a rest.”

  Edo Volis nodded, much appreciating the gesture. “Thank you…Captain.”

  “Feel free to call me Torrin,” Torrin replied, now that they were alone and he didn’t need to be so professional.

  Following his gestures Edo Volis walked under the gate and accompanied the captain as he moved around the nearest corner. Once inside the courtyard Edo Volis took a better look at the many stone walkways, more impressed by each one he saw. The city was wounded without a doubt, a hellish battle had occurred here. This part of the city wasn’t too bad off, but even from this courtyard he could see damages only war could bring about. While Edo Volis was embarrassed that he hadn’t arrived in time for the battle, a small part of him was relieved. This city was absolutely enormous, what kind of army would ever be willing to attack it?

  “Have a seat,” the words broke Edo Volis out of his daydream as Torrin patted a simple stool for him to sit on. Before the captain sat on an identical stool he poured liquid from a jug into a large cup that occupied the top of a simple table. “This is Vaas,” he said, offering Edo Volis the cup. “Our local ale, not much in terms of taste but it will help to warm you.”

  Edo Volis had never been much of a drinker and in truth he would have preferred a large jug of water; but not wanting to be rude, he took the cup without complaint.

  “Thank you,” he said.

  “Be sure to drink it slowly,” Torrin added to which Edo Volis obeyed. Torrin was right, it wasn’t great tasting, but already Edo Volis felt warmer.

  He lifted his head, resting it against the stone wall. It had been three months since he had gotten a good night’s sleep. Even the stool felt like a throne, considering he had spent the last three months on nothing but snow and rocky stones. Torrin could see his weariness, but boredom was a beast he had been struggling with for a number of weeks. This man, this Edo Volis was a window for him to look through, a window that he might not have gotten a chance to look through if he waited for his lieutenant to return.

  “I must say it is quite an impressive feat for someone to survive alone in the mountains in the harsh of winter.” Torrin said helping himself to a mug of Vaas.

  “More luck than skill, I feel,” Edo Volis said. “But I thank you for your words.” He added remembering his manners.

  “Being trapped in the mountains for three months isn’t something I consider a lucky occurrence.”

  “That’s a good point,” Edo Volis said, his eyes as heavy as stones.

  “So you’re an archer?” Torrin asked before taking a swig of Vaas, needing to keep this man awake.

  With only one eye open Edo Volis stared at the captain before he replied, “I am decent with the bow on my back, but I wouldn’t call myself an archer at least not a good one.”

  Torrin nodded quickly studying the many knives on the Volis’s belt.

  “Knives are more your weapon of choice?” Torrin asked. The question was like another arrow, helping to subdue the beast known as boredom further.

  “These aren’t really weapons,” Edo Volis replied, fighting the urge to drift off. He knew himself a better conversationalist than this, but the months of isolation and drain on his body had rid him of such ability. “These are tools, I am a tanner and skinner by trade.”

  Torrin nodded again, he had a suspicion the knives weren’t forged for battle.

  “I take it those are the skills that helped keep you alive in the mountains?” Torrin asked, finding much interest in this man from another world.

  “That they are,” Edo Volis said, taking a long breath, not meaning to be rude, but weariness was getting the better of him. Torrin could see this, but he was keeping him awake for more than killing his own boredom.

  The truth was Torrin wasn’t sure what the king’s orders would be. Ebulon was facing a time of uncertainty and hardship and the only certainties seemed to be discourse, hunger and frustration. There was a chance that Torrin may yet have to remove Edo Volis from the city. A cruel notion, one that would’ve been crueler if he had allowed Edo Volis to enter the desperately needed slumber for only a few moments before waking him up again. Not liking such a chance Torrin decided to distract his mind with a question he always wanted to ask someone from the other worlds.

  “May I ask why did you answer the call? Please don’t misunderstand me I am grateful that you came when King Yadi asked for help, I am just curious as to why?”

  “You wouldn’t help someone when they asked for aid?” Edo Volis asked.

  Torrin chalked up his frankness to weariness and thought about the question.

  “Truth be told, Edo Volis,” he began. “I wouldn’t really know what I would do if I heard a voice from another world asking me for help. There is a part of me that thinks I would, but there is a part of me that questions it. Until it happens to me I cannot give you a true answer.”

  Edo Volis nodded, still with heavy eyes. “So this is actually another world? Not just a far away land?” Edo Volis asked, his own curiosity fighting through his sleepiness.

  “Yes it is,” Torrin replied with a nod.

  Edo Volis took another sip of Vaas, not particularly enjoying its taste but embracing its warmth. “Well I don’t feel so foolish about getting lost then. Still I wish I had arrived in time to help, but I am glad to see that the city survived.” Torrin could tell that his tired words were genuine, which only made him hope more that he wouldn’t have to force Edo Volis out of the city. “Knowing that, it just makes my own homeland seem all the smaller,” Edo Volis added.

  Edo Volis yawned with a mouth as wide as a hungry snake’s, his eyes were heavy and glazed yet he forced them to widen and concentrated as best he could. “It was the tone of King Yadi’s voice…” He paused trying to think of the best word. “It wasn’t so much the desperation, it was more the genuineness behind it. I could tell that your king wasn’t a man who often was desperate. The voice kind of reminded me of Commander Namil, the commander of Denarchia’s army.”

&n
bsp; Torrin didn’t press him more, realizing that Denarchia must have been his homeland, plus clearly Edo Volis was so tired he didn’t realize that he had already answered the question. “But more than that…” Edo Volis began. Torrin noticed that he took a longer drink of the ale before he continued, clearly an uncomfortable memory was entering his mind.

  “I know what it feels like to have an enemy at your door, an enemy that is greater than any you have ever faced…” His eyes then appeared distant, the memory consuming him. “I liked to think that if I had the power to call for aid, people would’ve answered it.”

  He took another long drink, but his eyes remained distant, something was troubling him.

  “Even though you didn’t arrive in time, I am grateful that you made the effort as I am sure King Yadi will be. Your bravery and strength deserve to be admired.”

  “I thank you captain,” Edo Volis said, now seemingly concentrating more on the conversation at hand. “But to be honest with you I don’t know if my strength should be admired…”

  “What makes you say that?” Torrin asked, taking another swig of Vaas, getting lost in the conversation.

  Edo Volis licked his lips, keeping his head resting on the wall. “May I ask do you have wolves in this world?”

  “Indeed we do,” Torrin replied.

  “Do you have tigers?” Edo Volis asked, realizing a better analogy.

  “Yes,” Torrin said listening carefully.

  “What would you call a tiger that only hunted rats? Sorry do you have rats?”

  “Indeed we do, I think they are a plague in just about all worlds.”

  To his clever response Edo Volis just nodded. “A tiger that goes only after rats, isn’t a brave beast.”

  “Maybe, rats are the only things for the tiger to eat,” Torrin replied.

  Edo Volis nodded, “I suppose…but still you wouldn’t know if that tiger was brave or not…”

  “Are you saying you had only had rats to eat?” Torrin replied, adding to the analogy. At first he thought that maybe Edo Volis didn’t understand, but the look of that memory returned to his eyes, devouring the weariness like flame to spider web.

  “Only once did I face something other than a rat…” As he said this Torrin noticed how his hands shook slightly. “…I once had to face a dragon…”

  Torrin noticed just how quickly Edo Volis took a long drink of Vaas after saying this. “Not a dragon like the ones you have in this world, but something as terrifying as a dragon, something that would make even a tiger shiver in fear.” His hands shook slightly as fear slowly filled his eyes. “My dragon wasn’t of scales, but his skin was just as corrupt…” Clearly he was afraid and Torrin sat in silence, watching as the fear crept over him.

  Edo Volis remembered all too well the eyes of Voak, those awful inhuman rectangles, the strange marks on his face, how twisted his features were. Try as he might Edo Volis would never forget what he looked like. He found himself closing his eyes, slumber demanding it not be ignored, even with his thoughts so troubled. But in place of the darkness of his eyelids he saw Voak. The image was vivid and powerful as Voak looked upon him with the most twisted smile. A gloved hand slowly rose and pointed towards Edo Volis. A gasp fled from his lips as he wretched forward his eyes as wide as a full moon.

  Slowly he looked down and saw that his hands were trembling violently, the Vaas spilling over the rim like larva from an angry volcano. He could feel the sweat gently trickle down his face as the sound of his own breathing became like a drum. His heart was beating like a thousand thunderclaps. The image of Voak was so real, so vivid, so terrifying. Something was very wrong, Voak was gone, Edo Volis had seen to it personally. He had slew his dragon and while the dragon occasionally still haunted his dreams, that image was something else…that image felt more than a memory.

  Torrin sat quietly. At first he thought the Vaas might have gone down the wrong way, those who weren’t use to its taste often made the mistake of chugging it down. But when he saw the look in Edo Volis’ eyes he knew it was something else, something much more worrisome.

  “But you faced him?” Torrin asked, now needing to know if this Denarchian Dragon was dead. Very slowly like a creaking door being opened Edo Volis looked to Torrin. He said nothing, but his eyes spoke many sentences. Torrin sat very quietly, he had seen battle fatigue plenty of times before. This wasn’t weariness, this was a dark kind of fear, one most men never wanted to experience, including himself.

  It was a very long moment before Edo Volis responded. “I did…” he began slowly. Sounding as if he had just woken from a nightmare that still lingered in his mind. Edo Volis looked away, his eyes becoming more distant than Torrin had ever seen them. Torrin’s question fueled his thoughts, he had faced his dragon. Voak was nothing more than a bad memory, but that image when he closed his eyes, it felt far more than just a conjuring. He then took another long drink of the Vaas, even it couldn’t warm him from the chill of fear.

  “That is one dragon that I hope stays dead…” Edo Volis said, his voice distant and unsure. Torrin didn’t know what to make of it, but he didn’t want to push the matter further. This man had survived winter in the mountains, the last thing he needed was further fear.

  A needed distraction came in the return of the lieutenant. “Captain,” the lieutenant began.

  “Yes?” he replied.

  “I have been informed by the king to tell Edo Volis that he is grateful that he answered the call when the city needed him. He informs me to tell you sir, that Edo Volis is allowed to stay within the city until he has recovered enough to return home. The King sends his apology that he was not able to meet with you himself for he has many matters to attend to.”

  Edo Volis simply nodded, he had heard the words but was now thinking about that image. “The king requests an answer to a question Edo Volis. Of the beings that were riding the dragons? Was one of them a snow leopard.”

  “Edo Volis?” Torrin asked.

  Very slowly Edo Volis looked to Torrin before looking back at the Lieutenant, he heard the question but clearly his mind was consumed by internal strife.

  “A snow leopard is a four legged…” Torrin began slowly.

  “I know what a snow leopard is,” Edo Volis replied not caring about the strangeness of the question. “I am reasonably sure that one of the riders was a human but the other one…” he shook his head. Torrin now leaned in, curious as well as concerned. He had been so interested in Edo Volis that he had forgotten the dragon riders. “The only way I can describe it is it was a big green rodent…”

  Torrin and the lieutenant exchanged more glances of confusion.

  “Very well, I shall inform the king of that.” the lieutenant said. Torrin noticed a flash of anger in the lieutenant’s eyes as he added, “The king also apologizes that he cannot offer you more than a warm stew and a somewhat comfortable place to sleep.”

  Torrin understood his anger. The city was desperate enough without one more mouth to feed. Not to mention that a warm stew and a place to sleep was all the Ebulon soldiers had to show for their services. But Torrin agreed with the king’s decision and was grateful for it. He couldn’t help but respect this man, not just because he had come to aid the city for no other reason than being asked. But because he had survived the winter in the mountains. He may have been disheveled, he may have been so weakened by the experience that he couldn’t be of much use military wise. But much like Ebulon itself, he had survived a terrible ordeal, he had faced certain doom and lived to tell about it. That was something that Torrin as well as every Ebulon soldier could easily relate to.

  “That is more than fine. Please tell King Yadi I am grateful for his hospitality.” Edo Volis replied.

  The lieutenant barely acknowledged his words before turning and walking away. Torrin could tell Edo Volis was still bothered by something inside of his head and so Torrin finished his ale before standing up.

  “Come I shall show
you to an eating hall and a place to sleep, you look like you need both.” Edo Volis nodded, not bothering to finish his drink before putting it on the table.

  He hoped that the image of Voak had been a one-time thing, a horrible flash of memory. He had been struggling just to survive for the last three months, his mind was just exhausted, at the least that is what he tried to convince himself of. With a long sigh Edo Volis stood up. “Thank you, Toecch,” he said.

  “Who is Toecch?” Torrin asked.

  Edo Volis took a moment to realize what he had said. “I am sorry Captain Torrin,” he began. “Sleepiness got the better of me. Toecch is a very good friend of mine, a soldier of my homeland. I guess my mind misses him.”

  Torrin nodded, understanding such a notion. It had been quite some time since he had seen lieutenant Ulka.

  “You will feel better once you have had a hot meal and a good rest.”

  “I hope so,” Edo Volis began, wanting to forget the image that had flashed his mind. He ran his hand through his beard, not enjoying the texture at all. “I have always had trouble sleeping with a beard, the sound it makes when it rubs up against something always snaps me out of slumber. I would have shaved it myself while up in the mountains, but it wouldn’t be wise wasting energy on a minor annoyance when your life was at stake, still though if I could concentrate long enough I would shave this thing off.”

  Torrin was surprised to find his hand upon his belt, next to where he kept his knife. Old habits really were never completely done away with. The truth was Torrin enjoyed speaking to Edo Volis, more than just because was a boredom breaker. It felt good to be able to talk to someone on an equal level again. He was a military man and proud of it, but being able to chew the fat with someone who didn’t have to call him captain was surprisingly pleasant.

  “I can take care of that beard for you,” he said confidently.