The Ashes of Allmau: The Orfolk of Allmau

Chapter 21

As excited as his sister had been the night before, was as fearful as he felt now. Euol swayed restlessly side to side in the sleeping bag. It was near impossible to close his eyes for longer than a blink, but they were right. He was no use to anyone exhausted, especially her.

Holding his eyes shut, the darkness within slowly created swirls and colours that manifest into the image of Ahna shrinking away into the dark, "No!"

He dressed himself within the sleeping bag and squirmed free. Many of the men were asleep at this point. They'd not brought much for an overnight stay, so they made do with what they had. It was uncomfortable, there were moans, grumbles and exotic curse words, but this culminated in a cover for him to escape by.

Once beyond the light of the campfire, he refocused on continuing up the access road. Others had scouted ahead but the ravine below was complex and twisted, buried beneath thickets and rubble, hard to discern in the dark. Maybe he could see something in the night? He did, the red witch. Rosalyne surveyed the deadlands, staring into absolute darkness at the edge of the campfire. It was creepy, best to avoid her.

He went to creep past, "Looking for your sister?" she asked.

Euol stopped at the edge of the camp light, "Yes."

"Alone?"

"If needs be."

"She's angry at you." She said, as matter of fact.

Rendered honest, he explained, "I know. I said something I regret."

"Words can be taken back." She said softly, more to herself.

This was creepy. Rory, having explained what his siter had been through, inspired some compassion in Euol. He thought of the squeezing fist, he couldn't just leave her staring into the darkness. Maybe she'd come along for a walk?

"Rory told me about what happened to you." He started, "My father brought Meryt to you, right?"

She glanced to him, and after moments pause, she responded, "Meryt was the first orfolk born outside of Allmau. Your father brought his family across years ago."

"I see," Euol nodded, and began "I'm sorry for what happened. I can't imagine-"

"Don't apologise for what you cannot, or could not, control." She concluded, he smirked, "What's funny?"

"Nothing, I just agree." He said, continuing "Why did you come here?"

"The same reason your sister did." Rosalyne turned to Euol with an unusual look of tenderness, "When we find her, talk to her."

He shuffled in his feet, "It will help you both." She said, her expression froze over again, "We do not have the luxury of the aether to talk for us."

Rosalyne returned to her survey. She focused on the deadlands. Far ahead the shadows moved and warped unnaturally and quietly. This could be fatigue, or it could be the ill will manifest. She closed her eyes, took a breath and reassessed. Visibly invisible; intentional shadows particularly those cast in the darkness were an acquired sight. You needed to know how others perceived the dark, compared to true dark. She stiffened and focused, every second that went by made her more certain of what she was seeing.

Blissfully unaware, Euol continued, "Are you going to take the orfolk?"

After a moment, he recognised her focus. Tracing her gaze into the absolute darkness, he asked "What is it?"

"He's back."

She turned about and headed for the camp, "What?" Euol called after her, unable to see anything but the stars.