Shadow Beings

27. Nature

Cold. I was hit with a blistering cold. The comfort of Hearth escaped me, giving way to weary darkness. Yet something held it back, something so brave and... bitter.

The Land of Destructive Tenebris wasn't enropic like The Land of Chaos, but it was a... destroyed forest. Though the obvious answer pointed to a massive forest fire - poisonous gases consumed the atmosphere, the dry land and most importantly, the fiery aura of destruction - something told me it wasn't nearly as simple. The aura was laden with choking energy of... hatred?

"I'll quickly go in and return the key," Holly said softly immediately after she saw Evelyn and me. "You all stay here."

"Isn't it better if we come with you?" I asked softly, the air around immediately consuming the sound energy produced, barely conveying it to Holly.

"The spirit of the land would prefer me to go alone, I think. Last time Trina's presence somehow affected the delicate nature of the chamber, but it's probably riskier now. The spirit hasn't been well for a long time, so it is wary of strangers."

Long time... three millennia? More?

I nodded, though seeing the young Shadow be anxious was an unusual sight. She jogged towards a large structure situated a fair distance away, her footsteps leaving a trail of healthy soil that gradually spread in both directions..

"She seems a bit...off, don't you think?"

"Huh?" Evelyn blinked, her mind coming out of a dazed state. She frowned sharply, as if only then realising where she was. 

"Oh it's probably just the place, you know, with her ability to speak to and her connection to nature."

"Yeah, that could be it." I smiled in a slightly awkward manner and Evelyn gave me a reassuring nod, although the unease persisted.

Everything was quiet as if the land and its components were moments away from death. Evelyn's silence only added to the uncomfortable ambience; it was reserved rather than calming, pushing down something with a good force. I knew that Evelyn was troubled by a lot of thoughts. She had sworn on the hearthstone and while she acted as if it didn't matter, it was a huge responsibility. Not just for her own sake - she was the reason Zephyr could trust us. At least she chose her words carefully, and I'd never let her suffer like that.

I couldn't let any of us be taken away by something worse than death... separated forever.

I observed the distant look in her eye. More than anything she worried about Conrad and Clay, I was sure of it. Evelyn's lively self was something I admired about her. No matter how bad things got, she'd keep hope together. Her quiet demeanour did worry me, but I wanted her to know that I'd always be there if she needed any help. Besides, a quiet moment can be good for her. Just not alone, here, now.

Sometimes, I forget that I am an individual experiencing reality and not a series of stories. As if the sequence of events added to nothing and the end result was pre-determined. The problems caused on our planet are real, and I couldn't even dream of what would happen if Vlad became the dictator of it. Humans barely have power over the Shadow Dimension; we are not paranormal beings. We're spiritual figures who are connected by something powerful, something that is out there, hidden in the universe. We could keep our identity hidden from all humans. If Vlad were to manipulate the mental state of the universe, humans and other living things across the universe wouldn't even realise what they were dealing with, turning into senseless shallow beings...

I refused to think about it anymore.

"Evelyn, is all good?"

Stupid. Stupid question.