The Shadow of Eons

Chapter 6

 "These are grave times," said the tall, crooked man with the thin, white beard and top hat to Jonas. It was the wizard Orpleon, and he had met Jonas and Soluz's party of villagers a couple of leagues from the village with horses and wagons to carry the children the rest of the way. The children were still protesting at having to leave Volsemuth's company, and were in a bad spirit at having to walk so far. They fairly collapsed onto the wagons, burying their heads in the hay and blankets that were provided for their comfort.

Jonas merely nodded, not having said much since having met the wizard, not only from his kins' dangerous reputations but also out of respect, for the old man's servant had rescued him when he was about to die and tended to his recovery.

"It has been a quite a while since I have seen a hayoren," mused the wizard, scratching his beard and peering through the trees above him at the setting sun. "Not since I journeyed to The Crack in the World in my youth. Of course, I knew not to talk to one just from their reputation. They are well known among wizardkind, because we have libraries along The Rip's rim and the hayorens manifest themselves there from time to time, creeping up from their hideouts in the caves at the center of the earth. Indeed, they hardly see human contact, for aside from the occasional hermit, there is no one settled there."

"Then how do they feed?" Jonas asked the old man, peering into his deep blue eyes and finding no marker of either good or evil will. "Soluz said that they feed off peoples' joys."

"Ah, but he was right!" said Orpleon, holding his index finger vertically in the air in triumph. "They do feed on humans' emotions, but they also can make use with animals, although they are of a lower consciousness. They just need more of them."

"Then The Crack in the World must have many animals, so as to sustain a population of hayoren there," Jonas said.

"Yes, there are many beasts that roam The Rip," said Orpleon, flicking his reins on the pair of horses that was pulling their wagon. "For not only are there caves over there, there are also vast grasslands, containing gazelle, zebras, bison and the like."

Jonas considered this: he had known that The Rip was a big place, but he hadn't known that it contained plant and animal life. He would have liked to see it before he died, but for the monsters roaming in its midst.

He caught eye of the wizard studying him from beneath the brim of his top hat. He wondered what the man was up to; did he plan for Jonas ill? It was hard to tell, for his expressions were hardly visible on his face.

"I brought something for you to eat," said the wizard, holding out a red apple he had produced from his coat. "Go on, it's fresh, I had it picked from my gardens this morning. Take it."

Jonas, not wanting to offend the man, took it and bit in. The juice was tart and sweet; it was an excellent apple. His mood buoyed by the tasty fare, he began to tell the wizard stories from his youth to pass the time on the way back to the village.

By the time they arrived at the stronghold, Jonas was feeling sleepy from his ordeal; he took to bed immediately and pulled the snug covers over his head with relief.

***

He awoke to a distant shrieking sound that was coming from somewhere in the interior of the stronghold. It was an ongoing, high-pitched sound, and he found himself agitated by it. He rose from his bed, walked to the door and turned the handle, but it was locked. Jonas banged upon the wood of the door in frustration; how could he have trusted the wizard? He had been an utter imbecile. Noticing that his sword was nowhere to be seen, he thought he had some inkling of Orpleon's motivation.

Just as he had reached his bed again, the door burst open and two burly guards marched in. They grabbed him and started dragging him down the hall toward the sound of the shrieking.