EPISODE 53:CHAOS IN THE DARKVash followed Corwin out of the and into the chill night air. Darkness had descended while they had been inside the tavern and although the second moon had risen, it didn’t give as much light as the greater moon. Torches were lit around the town square, making small pools of orange light to push back the shadow. Above, a carpet of stars twinkled in a bruised purple sky.
Voices shouted to one another over the general cacophony of travelers and merchants, all milling in the center of the square and talking in panicked voices, unsure of what to do. Logan and his apprentices broke into a jog towards the falls along with several other Wayfarers. Across the square, Vash could see the broad shape of Master Stahl leading a knot of mail-clad Wayfarers. He shouted at Master Lin and her delvers, who were moving in the opposite direction.
“…Dammit, Lin, we don’t have time for this! You and your people need to join with the resistance line on the north side of the village!” Stahl bellowed. His voice had the raspy quality of someone used to screaming over the din of battle.
“And do what, Casimir?” Lin called back, not stopping. “We’re wasted in a stand-up fight. My delvers will harass any enemy we find trying to sneak around the line. We’ll find a flanking position and back you up that way.”
“That’s not the strategy I planned!” Stahl called to the retreating figure of Lin as she and her people vanished into the darkness.
“Take it up with Sellick!” Lin’s voice floated out of the darkness.
. Vash thought.
“Let’s head for the infirmary.” Corwin said, turning to the south and the cluster of buildings that made up the School of the Wayward Path. “We won’t be much help without our weapons and gear.”
“Shouldn’t we get a group together?” Vash asked, looking dubiously at the dark path ahead of him. The abundance of bushes and tall grass, coupled with the dim moon, seemed a recipe for an ambush.
Corwin shook his head. “That will take forever, besides it sounds like all the fighting is up by the falls.”
. Vash thought, but Corwin was already on his way out of town.
Vash hesitated, taking stock of his situation.
The path to the infirmary continued on to the south, ran down through the cliffs and eventually met up with the Rivermarch Road somewhere to the east.
. Vash thought.
The idea was tempting.
Then Vash thought of Iona. She and Byar wanted him in the Wayfarers. After defying his orders, Byar wasn’t likely to welcome Vash back with open arms. Regardless of her feelings for Vash, Iona remained dedicated to the Eth Mitaan. He had often thought about the two of them running off together and forming their own group of thieves, but he knew it was just a fantasy. Iona was a true believer. She would never leave the cause.
. Vash thought.
Vash followed Corwin down the path to the cluster of buildings that shone pale in the weak moonlight. A small copse of trees stood to one side of the path, between them and the cliff’s edge. The shadows beneath those pines were deep, and they gave Vash pause.
“Corwin,” Vash said, quietly, getting the big man’s attention. “I don’t like the look of those trees up ahead. Let’s keep our distance.”
Frowning, Corwin glanced at the trees, then at the tall grass and scrub brush on the western side of the path. “That won’t give us much cover.”
“It’s better than nothing.” Vash said. “I’ve got a bad feeling about those trees. Keep low and keep close.”
Vash slid into a low crouch that broke up his form and made him just another shadow in the brush. Corwin watched him moving off into the brush, then with an exasperated sigh, followed Vash, awkwardly trying to copy his movements.
Moving this way took longer and was more difficult, but it kept them at a healthy distance from the copse of trees. Vash watched the shadows as they drew parallel to the trees, looking for motion or for a tug on his Core to let him know that his gut instinct was right.
A sudden, stabbing pain in his temple made Vash stop short and drove him to one knee. The feeling was like a cold dagger digging in the spot where Cass had been. Like icy fingers probing a half-healed wound. Vash gritted his teeth, waiting for the pain to subside.
Corwin watched him with growing concern. He opened his mouth to speak, but Vash silenced him with one raised hand. Vash stared at the edge of the copse where a large elm stood, its branches overhanging the path. He pushed the pain to one side, focusing on the shadows next to the wide trunk. What he’d first taken as simple bumps and protrusions from the body of the tree were moving on their own.
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As they watched, a triangular head extended from the shadows, nose held high and sniffing the air. A body followed, larger and thicker than the Scalebacks that Vash had seen and fought in the Underlands. This creature stood taller than Corwin and its muscular body was wider. Black scales glistened in the moonlight. They had a strange sheen like they were wet, or made from a reflective stone like obsidian or quartz.
Hesitantly, not knowing what might happen, Vash activated his Talent. At first, nothing happened other than a weak sensation of the local ley lines. After a few moments, however, he got a sense of the Scalebacks in front of him. It was faint, and he couldn’t see them in his mind’s eye like he could in the Underlands, but he got a sense of their general position and how many there were.
“There are five Scalebacks in the trees over there.” Vash whispered to Corwin. “Three in the brush by the elm there, including the one that just stepped out. Two more are back in the trees, probably with throwing spears.”
“How do you know?” Corwin whispered back, craning his neck to see in the darkness.
“Just an Eth Mitaan thing.” Vash said, quickly, and hoping Corwin would forget about it in all the excitement. “I think if we keep our distance, they won’t spot us.”
Vash started moving again, slowly, watching the Scaleback he could see. The lizard man had edged out onto the path and looking out for anything approaching from the direction of the village.
. Vash thought.
Corwin suddenly stopped as a thought struck him. “They’re looking for people going to the Infirmary. Ambush the wounded when they’re at their weakest.”
Vash knew that tone. Corwin wanted to ‘do something’.
“We’re outnumbered and unarmed.” Vash said, sharply. “Once we’ve got our gear, we can find help and deal with the ambush.”
Corwin looked like he wanted to protest, but Vash cut him off.
“The longer we stay here, the more likely it is someone else will come down that path without warning.”
Looking torn, Corwin relented and followed Vash, but he kept looking back at the copse over one shoulder.
. Vash thought.
Thankfully, the way ahead seemed clear. No obvious ambush points jumped out at Vash as they moved through the brush. Before long, the granite walls of the Temple loomed large in front of them, as did the smaller outbuildings. Vash straightened and moved at a swift jog towards the long, low infirmary building.
. Vash thought, though nothing was jumping to his attention. The paths around the Temple and the other buildings were quiet and empty. It was likely that the clerics had joined the other Wayfarers at the defensive line.
“Where are the lights?” Corwin said, voice low.
. Vash thought.
No torches burned outside the Temple. No candlelight or lamplight was visible in any window. It was as if someone had gone around and snuffed out every source of light in the area.
“Be careful.” Vash cautioned. “And keep your eyes open.”
Corwin gave him a side-eye glance. “Thanks, I totally would have forgotten if you hadn’t reminded me.”
“Don’t be a smart ass,” Vash said.
Corwin chuckled. “That’s funny, coming from you.”
Vash gave him a glare, but felt something loosen inside him. The easy banter he’d had with Corwin was something he’d missed. Interactions in the Eth Mitaan were often formal. There was a lot of pride and honor at stake. Slights, even ones meant in jest, had a way of escalating to fists or knives.
“Good point,” Vash conceded. “I just meant don’t get distracted.”
“I understand.” Corwin said, scanning the buildings further up the hillside.
Vash took point and led them to the Infirmary. Like the other buildings, it was dark and silent.
. Vash thought.
Corwin grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him to a stop. Vash had to suppress the sudden urge to lash out, reminding himself that Corwin hadn’t trained the same way he had.
“The door is open.” Corwin said in low tones, nodding towards the Infirmary.
Vash looked again, and the Infirmary’s front door was wide open. All he could see was darkness beyond, which was just as troubling. On the ground, near the entrance, Vash could make out a low shape. It wasn’t big enough to be a Scaleback, but Vash still approached with caution.
Approaching the Infirmary, Vash saw the shape on the ground was wearing the brown and white robes of a Temple apprentice. He hurriedly closed the gap and took a knee by their side. Turning the novice over, it wasn’t anyone he recognized from his earlier time at the Infirmary or the Temple. The novice was a young man, maybe a few years younger than Vash. His eyes were wide with surprise, but glassy and lifeless. A large puncture wound just below the center of his ribcage told the tale. Blood soaked the front of the novice’s robe.
“Spear up under the ribcage.” Vash said with clinical detachment. “Probably punctured the heart. He was dead before he hit the ground.”
Corwin spared a pitying glance for the novice, but his focus was on the darkness beyond the doorway. His hands flexed at his sides. Vash understood what he was feeling.
“I could my way to the room, get our gear and come back.” Vash said.
Corwin shook his head. “We do this together.”
Vash wanted to sigh and say that Corwin was being dramatic, but he felt reassured that he would have his friend at his back. “All right, follow me. My eyes are better in the dark.”
Corwin nodded in agreement and fell in behind Vash.
The hallway beyond looked normal. Even adjusting his eyes for dark vision, Vash didn’t see any evidence of fighting or ransacking. Shelves of healing supplies stood on the walls, undisturbed. Most of the doors remained closed, and those that were open showed undisturbed, empty rooms.
The room that Corwin, Vash, and Jabez shared was towards the end of the hall. Vash could see moonlight pouring through the open door.
Vash tried to remember, but he was drawing a blank. His status with the Wayfarers had occupied his mind at the time, not whether anyone had shut the door. Cautiously, Vash approached the open doorway, keeping his body flat against the wall. No sounds came from the room, no footsteps or heavy breathing.
Vash darted forward, stealth forgotten in an instant. He charged into the room, looking around in panic. It was much as they had left it. Someone had made the bed that Vash slept in. Someone had neatly piled their gear on the benches at the foot of the beds.
Only one thing was different.
.
The bed that Jabez had slept in was a mess. Blankets tossed aside without care. The sheets had a long rip from where a spear or a claw had snagged during the Scaleback’s haste. Other than that, the bed was empty.
Jabez was gone.
