When Twins War: Book I

Chapter Ten

The night was still under the crystalline sky. The Dernium army were just as silent as they marched through more archways and ruins telling silent tales of long ago.

Garth became increasingly uneasy as the evening progressed, watching the sands religiously for signs of an enemy. Something plagued him -- a strange foreboding that increased its grip on his heart. Eventually he moved next to Gerald, hoping conversation would make him feel better.

"You fought well today, my friend," he said. "Courageous, too."

"You showed far more courage than I," Gerald replied, looking away.

"It's only that I've received more training," Garth said. Gerald didn't reply and just carried on looking the other direction.

Eventually, Garth changed the subject. "It seems the road is quiet now. I don't suspect we should find much more trouble." That wasn't true, but he said it to brighten his hopes.

"The road is very quiet," Gerald replied. "And yet I sense something is on the move. Something in the shadows of the sides of this road plague me."

Garth looked at Gerald again. "I sense it too."

He looked all the more around him, suspicious of the large ruin they were passing through. Shadows moved around the walls and pillars, as if they were watching their every move. The moonlight shone on the road brightly, but it was quickly lost in deep darkness at the edge of the road. Even at those places where it seemed the light should shine, it did not. The road was the only place where the light seemed to shine.

Noticing this, Gerald called to his men to stay on the road. Cadell, hearing the orders, agreed. Tensions began to rise as the shadows beside them increased. At one time a warrior gave off an awkward cry. But everyone just kept moving.

Garth gradually became aware of a whisper in the air. The words were not clear, and he wondered if it was in his head or real. He asked some others around him but none claimed to hear anything. Fear crept into his heart and his foreboding grew darker.

The dark eyes in the shadows beside them were no longer watching them as a group, he felt, but were watching him alone. They were preying on him, waiting for him to fall to the wayside of the road and be lost in the darkness of that desert for ever. Trying to shake this feeling off, he moved closer to the centre of the road and focused straight ahead.

Don't look into the shadows, he said to himself. I must keep my eyes on the light of the road. Or else these shadows shall take me.

Out of nowhere there was a chilly breeze. Garth heard the faint whisper in the air again.

I see you.

He took a deep breath. Was he going mad?

Then something in his heart spoke. He had a brief flush of joy. The road, to his eyes, grew brighter; a solid powerful beam of light piercing straight through the cloud of darkness ahead.

I watch over you, his heart said. Avert your eyes not to deceptions.

Garth listened and kept his eyes straight, feeling peace come to his heart and fear melt away. Still, the shadows beside them grew darker while the road continued to shine brightly in the moonlight; clear and safe from the madness felt outside its borders.

Some time passed and they emerged from the ruins to a rockier region. The road passed in between two small mountains of rock crevice. It matched a landmark on their maps. As they entered between them, Gerald noticed a strong warm breeze draft through their ranks. He looked at Garth. Weather in the desert could change with no warning and storms appeared very quickly.