Epilogue:

Kalem found his way back to the place where Arel had disappeared. He hesitated at first before opening the door. He wasn’t sure what he had expected, but it was certainly not the sight which met his eyes.

The inert form on the floor was unmistakably Arel’s. Standing over her was another distinctly familiar person. Kalem scowled openly as he watched Marlton from the doorway.

The Duke had not yet noticed the young man at the threshold. He seemed nervous and agitated. Often he would glance down at Arel as if to reassure himself that she was still there, then to the window, as though the moon could tell him how much time had passed. He’s waiting for something, Kalem decided.

For this reason, the Magic Holder decided not to reveal himself. While Marlton’s back was turned, he slipped inside the dark chamber and concealed himself behind some heavy drapes.

Only moments later, a hissing sound broke the solemn silence. It was coming from Arel, though she had not stirred. Marlton turned toward the sound, his attention riveted. Kalem too let his attention be drawn toward it.

Even as they watched, something black and horrific sprouted from Arel’s open mouth and nostrils. It grew and formed expanded itself until it had completely emerged, a smoky, skeletal, ghostly being cloaked in shadows. Only its violet eyes shone from the dark face.

“M-master!” Marlton exclaimed, falling to his knees in either terror or worship or both.

“What have you done?!” The thing reached out toward Marlton as if to strike him. Though the hand consisted of only smoke, the Duke shrank from before it.

“Nothing – exactly what you asked!”

“NO!” Shrieked the thing, “Everything went according to plan for my part. She leapt into death and then she was gone, but I cannot enter her!!”

“I did what you commanded,” whimpered the pathetic excuse for a man as he cowered before the Shadowlord.

“Then you leave me no choice! I cannot last here without – no…” the demon turned its beastly head, eyes scanning the dark room, “there is another…”

It glided over to where Kalem, now petrified with fear, hid. As it saw him, a sinister grin spread across its face. “A Holder!”

Without hesitation, it reached forward and thrust its ghostly hand into Kalem’s eyes. Darkness swam before him, yet he could not close his eyes either. He heard himself scream out in pain, but the sound was distant.

Get out! A voice commanded from inside him, you have no place in here! Get out and the pain will cease.

The pain. Yes, there was pain – terrible pain. Kalem knew that it would end if he would let go. The darkness was occupying him, yet there was the unshakable feeling that he was letting in. The shadows had no power in here. He shoved back.

Get out, the darkness insisted, but Kalem was stronger. He shoved back with all his might. With a cry of agony fury, the shadow withdrew.

The darkness dissolved and he found himself laying on his back. The ghost-like thing stood over him, panting.

With a roar of frustration, it flew back over to Marlton. “I cannot enter him! His mind is closed to me.” The Shadowlord peered closely at its servant, “But yours isn’t. You let me in freely!” Once again, it thrust its hand forward, into the Duke’s wide eyes. Marlton shrieked in pain, clawed his forehead, but to no avail.

The darkness seeped into him and disappeared. Momentarily, the Duke became silent. He straightened and faced Kalem who noticed, with a terrible jolt, that Marlton’s eyes were now vividly purple, glowing is on fire. “When I have my magic back,” hissed the Shadowlord from within its victim, “you will be the first!”

With those words, the Duke’s body walked from the room, leaving Kalem with Arel’s body. Heart pounding, Kalem attempted to calm himself. As soon as he was able to regain control of his emotions, he lifted Arel from the floor and moved blindly into the hallway. It was suddenly many times more urgent that he caught up with Arollan and his father.

--

The room was pure white, smooth, and warm. The walls, made of stone, were dusty to the touch, making me feel as though I were in a dream. Perhaps I was.

I searched for a doorway, but the walls were plain and uninterrupted, extending so far up that I had to crane my neck to see where they ended.

Somewhere near the ceiling a window was cut. Light poured in through it, illuminating the individual specks of floating dust. The beams ricocheted off every wall, filling the entire chamber with light.

I knew that there was no way out. I’d already tried every method imaginable upon hearing the cry. I was still very much shaken from it. Moments before, a scream of anguish had sounded from far above, outside the window, resounding many times louder throughout my chamber, filling every corner of my mind, and then fallen silent. Only afterward had I realized that I knew the sufferer’s voice and I trembled at the memory.

I shook myself, trying to dislodge the sound from my ears. Breathing deeply, I placed my face in my hands, attempting to calm myself. What had happened? What was going on now?

A sound behind me sought my attention, a footstep. I turned to look.

A man stood beside me in the room. He was so close that I could feel his breath on my shoulder. Startled, I gasped and leaped to one side.

The man smiled a bit, but didn’t laugh as I might have expected. He watched me for a moment. I made sure to look anywhere but back at him. Again I searched the room for his way of entry, finding nothing. My eyes moved to his face, studying his features. I didn’t recognize him from anywhere, I was sure…

He caught my gaze and his eyes held mine for a while. He wasn’t old, but he didn’t appear young either. Master Rolian’s age, perhaps.

“How did you get in?” I asked, trying to break the silence between us.

“It doesn’t matter,” he answered. His voice was warm and almost familiar.

“Where…?”

“You’re here because it’s the only place you could hide. If you exit my way, you’ll have to pass through death and Erivor would know it. All other ways are blocked.”

“What about the window?” I asked simply.

He smiled again. Impressed? Condescending? Patient? I couldn’t tell. “That is the way back to your life.”

“I heard a voice from it, someone screamed.” I wasn’t sure why my words sounded so childish and simple. What about this man made my tongue so slippery?

“Someone cried out for your help.”

“Help? Then why didn’t you let me out? Why am I trapped here? I could have helped! What if something terrible has happened?” Why was I blaming him for my inability to climb smooth, stone walls to a window high above my head? Yet somehow I knew that he was the one restraining me here. He was between me and that window.

“You couldn’t have helped. Not yet.”

I felt tears pricking my eyes. I bit my lip and looked away from the stranger. “Why am I here?”

“To learn.”

“Learn what? I finished my ordeal. I did what I was required to do.” How I knew this, I’m not sure.

“To learn what I was not there to teach you.”

I looked at him strangely, feeling at the same time tears sting my cheeks.

His expression changed to a soft smile, edged with pity. He held out his arms to me and, to my surprise, I stepped into them. It seemed natural. As much as I insisted to myself that I didn’t know this man it was a lie.

“You’ll reach the window and all that lies beyond,” he whispered, “but for now stem your tears. I have waited so long to see you.”

Despite and because of his words, my tears flowed more quickly. For many years, I had longed for this moment. Over a long childhood of Silene’s barks and Raman’s roars, throughout the past few months of searching and confusion, I’d wanted nothing more.

For a moment, there was complete and perfect peace in the world and without. This was where I belonged right now. All commotion was stifled and real tranquility was emanated from this place: neither in life, nor in death, but somewhere in between, nestled in the arms of my father.

A/N: Um, yeah. Originally, I’d planned on writing a sequel, but maybe not. I’m too lazy and I haven’t decided whether or not it’s worth my time… By the way, it you’ve made it here, congrats and thank you for reading the whole thing! )