City of Shadows

City of Shadows

         Smoke curled lazily into the night sky from the campfire as Marik mused about their location.  “Surely we must be nearing the city Nioow”
         “As I've said may a time master, my parents brought be Southward when I was but a lad.  They told me of the ghostly city and showed me a place much as this.  Yet I never saw a city.”
         “Mayn had quite a restive way about her as we made camp.  I was hoping she was sensing our journey goal was neigh.”
         “Just so?  Your horse told you we were near the City of Shadows?”
         “Truth Nioow.  In fact skittish she remains.”
          Nioow looked around pretending to be nervous.  In a a mocking tone he repeated.  “Just... so?”
         Marik rolled his eyes and sighed.  Then replied in the same tone.  “Take heart Nioow.  The One holds my life regardless.  As He does your's yes?”
         Nioow eyes sharpened as he returned Marik's gaze.  He smiled but he made no response. 
         Without a sound the campfire that had been blazing a moment earlier was extinguished.  The moon light allowed Marik and Nioow his serf to see the smoke from the fire be drawn to the North side of the camp.  Ghostly transparent wall began forming.  Soon there seemed to an utterly real stone wall before them.  Near the center of the camp a chunks of stone began falling away forming a massive arched entrance.
         “Master what manner of evil magic is this.  Rock cut away with tools unseen and unheard.”
         The stones from the doorway fell to the ground and melted into the leaves of the forest floor. The finished entrance was half again Marik's height.  The stone wall had continued to extend while the entrance was made.  It now stretched into the trees and disappeared through the forest on both sides of the camp and above them into the tree tops. 
         Marik stood up with a look of curiosity rather than fear but he still gripped the hilt of his sword.  Nioow crouched and hid his head under his arms as Marik made his way toward the entrance.  “Master Marik stop!”
         “I already told you boy.  I belong to the One.  Death has no hold on me.”
         A deep voice came from the doorway.  “Why have you come tradesman?”
         Marik brushed his hand against the stone column making the archway of the door as he passed through it.  He  lifted both eyebrows  and smiled in amusement at the sensation. 
         Nioow peered through this arms to see what had become of his master after he passed through the door.  To his dismay the doorway was gone.  He rushed over to the now solid wall searching for the entrance in vain.

         Looking forward Marik saw a huge man dressed in earth colored breeches and a black leather tunic.  The man sat at the head of a large table made of wooden beams as thick as his forearm.  He glanced over to meet Marik's eyes.
         Marik smiled as he posed a riddle to the giant.  “These walls.  They are solid sire.  Yet I saw them made of but smoke a breath ago.”
         “This world is as real a thing as the green forest and  wood clad houses you came from.  In truth, more so.”  Then he repeated the question.  “Why have you come tradesman?”
         Pain made Marik's break the giant's gaze.  He looked up to the ceiling but saw no structure.  Only a bright white light that seemed to be impossibly far away yet he felt as if he could reach up and touch it.  Pain reminded him of the giant's question.  “I come to find my child.  I come to find my son lost to me.”
         “You think him in the City of Shadows?”
         “It is a place told where the pure in heart rest before seeing the One.  Yes, my Ethan would be there waiting.”
         “We of he One call the resting place the Great Pool of Light.”
         “So it is real?”
         “For those that await the coming of the One.  But the Great Pool is not for one of this realm as you are.”
         Marik looked in the giant's eyes again.  “I must make peace with my son old one.”
         “Truth, I am old.  But I am known as Guath.”
         “Guath, my last hours were not the ones I would have my son remember me by.  I would not live the rest of my days with those images in his heart.
         The giant Guath stood and moved next to Marik.  Guath resting a massive hand on his shoulder closed his eyes.  He tiled his head to the light and remained silent for a moment.  “Rest easy Marik father to Ethan.  Your son knows all that is your soul.  All those in the Pool of Light know also.”
         “No.  I must see him.”
         Guath's opened his eyes.  There was the slightest hint of a smile on his mouth.  “You've traveled far tradesman.  You've come to the City of Shadows.  You belong to the One who comes.  He permits it.  Yet you will only see him long enough to peace your soul.”
         Marik lifted his arm, child like to Guath, and gripped the giants elbow.  “Let it be so Guath.”
         
         Nioow gasped as his master appeared from nowhere back into the camp.  The stone wall was gone and Marik was standing with his right arm outstretched as if holding something.  A single tear ran down his cheek.  “Master Marik!  Whence....whence did you go?  The great wall?  What of the voice I heard?”
         “Lad, so many questions.  I went nowhere.  But my Ethan came to me.  We are at peace now.  He is already neigh the One and I will follow in a time.”
         “You will follow to Ethan in, death?”
         “In its season.  Now friend it seems I've been remiss of my duties to others while on this quest.”
         “Master?”
         “Its been told me by one close that I should look upon you as a son of mine own blood.”
         Niooow's eyes seemed to search the ground for words.  “No master it could never be so.  I'm pledged to you by my parents for life.”
         “Just so?”
         “Yes master and I count myself fortunate to aid one such as you.”
         “Ah.  Then it is clear to me you must be an adopted son then.”
         Nioow was speechless.  “Your son?”
         “Truth.  Yet 'Nioow' sounds to be not a fitting name for a son of mine.”
         Marik began walking toward his bedroll trying to contain his mirth.  “I think you should be known as Mayn.”
         This seemed to bring Nioow back to his senses.  “Master, you are naming me after your horse?”
         As the sun's first light shown over Marik's shoulder he burst out laughing.  “No son, Nioow!  But you do have a horse to tend.”