Selenite

Chapter 4

I can feel the warmth of the sun on my back as it rises behind me. After seeing the group of running dryads, I made an effort to stay away from the path, in the shadows of the trees, while not losing my course. The building on the hill is closer, now illuminated by the light of the dawn. The fire has long since gone out.

I reach into my pack and pull out an apple. I realize it's been nearly three days since I've eaten; I've had too much to do and think about to have remembered my hunger, but I do now. I bite into the fruit and make a face reflexively. Why the hell did I pack this? I hate apples, but seeing that it's risky to unpack in what will soon be broad daylight, I eat it anyway.

When I finish the apple, I hide the core under the hanging branches of a bush. Leaving tracks is the best way to get myself caught, either by survivors of the burning, or whatever is out there that terrified the tree spirits. There is still no sign of anyone that could have been chasing them, in fact, I've seen no one other than them and myself for the past few days. It's unsettling, to say the least.

I push the thoughts of the mysterious events of the night out of my mind. I need to focus on reaching the building. The fire proved one thing: that someone is there, or was a few hours ago, and there is a remote chance that they at least know of my sister. Honestly, that's about all I can say for myself right now. Five years can completely change a person, and there's no telling whether I'll even recognize her if I see her. Or if she'll even recognize me....even if she does, who's to know what she'll do when I tell her what's happened?

The sight of the path cutting sharply to the right pulls me out of my musings. The building is straight ahead, but the path doesn't lead directly to it. Instead, it veers away from a sheer precipice that extends several dozen feet in the air, choosing to follow a gently upward sloping incline surrounded by trees.

The safer choice would clearly be the tree-shaded path, but it would be slower, and the trees cast a shadow that seems far too dark for the hour of the day. On the other hand, while the cliff does have a decent number of handholds, I'm not an exceptional climber. Maybe there's a tree I could climb up part of the way?

I look up at the trees surrounding the cliff. Most of them are short, and many of the taller ones have thin branches that wouldn't support my weight, but there is one tree in particular that grows close to the base of the cliff that may be suitable. It's a fir, I think, and it stretches to about two-thirds the height of the precipice. I grab a lower branch and test my weight on it; it seems sturdy enough.

I am about to say a silent prayer to the goddess and hoist myself to the lower limbs when I see something. It's hidden behind a cluster of small shrubs, but as I push them aside, a narrow makeshift staircase reveals itself. It seems a little too convenient, but it's a luxury that I won't refuse. I shove the remaining bushes aside and edge myself through the gap, wincing as the branches claw at my arms and legs.

The staircase is claustrophobic, seeming to be carved right out of the stone it is set in, with walls stretching up on either side. There is no room for me to turn around with my pack on my shoulders, so I don't have much of a choice but to ascend. The sound of my footsteps sends echos up the passage, and I worry that someone will hear me, although I don't think there is anyone around to hear. Nevertheless, by the time I emerge at the top, my panicked lungs are gasping for air, and I collapse in the thin grass on my hands and knees. It's okay...you're okay. Just breathe. In and out.

I take a minute to regain my composure, letting my breathing slow enough for me to stand without shaking. The patches of grass where my hands were are now nothing but charred prints. When I am able to rise to my feet, I take a quick survey of my surroundings. The stairs wound in a patternless line through the rock, emerging several dozen yards from where I began. It doesn't take me long to get my bearings in relation to the building, in fact, I can see it clearly, with a group of trees forming a ring around it. It looks strikingly similar to the shrine of the Moon Goddess.

I dust off my cloak and pants. If anyone does happen to be there, it wouldn't be very polite to show up in dirty clothes. I set off walking again, as straight as I can in the direction of the building.

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After about half an hour of walking, I am able to distinguish the details of the building. It seems to be made of a form of black stone, maybe obsidian, and built in a similar, but not as authentic architectural style as the shrine I keep. I can see the smoldering remains of the fire from the night before. I pray silently that there is someone here I can talk to, not just for the sake of finding my sister, but because the silence that has pervaded this land for the past few days is deafening.

Thankfully, as I get closer, I see a man, dressed in the outfit of the monks, sitting at a small desk in front of what looks like an entrance. I enter the ring of trees and take a deep breath as I approach, but he doesn't seem to see me, instead focusing on writing something in a language I don't recognize. I clear my throat, partially to get his attention, but mostly to make sure I can still produce something audible after days of not talking.

He glances up, and upon seeing me, rises, but I can tell he is studying me. "Greetings, traveler," he says, his tone polite but wary. "Is there something I can help you with?"

I nod. "Yes, actually. I was wondering if I could get some information here, or, if not, instructions to somewhere where I can."

"That depends," he replies, still studying my face, and looking more suspicious every moment. "What kind of information?"

I suddenly realize how I must look, wearing a black cloak with the hood pulled down over my face, so I pull the hood back before speaking again. "I'm looking for someone, and I know that she happened to come this way after I last saw her. I was hoping to get some information on where she could be."

He nods slightly; I suppose I passed whatever screening I needed to be able to talk further. "I do not often interact with the travelers that pass through here, but I will try to find one of those who does. Please wait here." With that, he proceeds down the passage that I can see through the open entrance, eventually turning down another hallway and disappearing.

While I wait, I study the building more closely. I was right about it being obsidian; the shiny black look is signature to the stone, and familiar to all witches. A faint indentation of the sun is carved into the south face.

Movement in the corner of my vision pulls me away from the carving. At first I think it is the monk, bringing whoever he went to look for, but it isn't. It's a girl, or, I suppose, a woman. I catch a glimpse of her face. The expression on her face, betraying feelings of anger, is unfamiliar, but the features aren't, and the name escapes my lips before I can stifle it.

"Eris!"

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Okay, I know I said I would update in the next few days, but I'm publishing one early! I hope you guys enjoyed it, and please let me know what you think!