Obsidian Sky (23 page)

“Do you think that’s how Duncan got in?”

“Doubtful. With all his talk of wishes to break down the shield, I assume that’s what he did.”

“Unless it was all a lie, and he found the weak spot.”

“If that’s true, then another attack is imminent.”

“I’ll see if I can find out anything else about it when I’m on the outside. You know where this spot is, right?”

“I do,” he said slowly. “You don’t want to go now, do you?”

“I’ll go tonight, when everyone’s asleep. Being out of my bed will be nothing new.”

“I have to ask that you take Isaac with you.”

“Afraid I might slip up and do more than assess?”

“Precisely.”

“Where is he now anyways?”

“He and Bailey are remaining hidden in the tops of the forest, discussing the mission list. But I’ll relay the message to them and ensure that Isaac meets you in time. How about midnight?”

“Fine.”

“Alright. Meet me at the north end of the Elder compound. Take the long way around through the forest and don’t be seen. You’ll see us when you’ve arrived at your destination.”

“I’ll see you then,” Aidan said, trying to decide whether to follow Eugene or not when he went to deliver the message. It was unusual for Bailey to not be around to guide him, even with a busy schedule. Perhaps the attack on Lowsunn had really ramped up her plans.

Aidan still hadn’t decided on whether he should follow Eugene or not when the older man grunted abruptly and slumped back down into his napping position.

“I’ll do it later,” Eugene yawned. “See you tonight.”

Aidan snickered and walked away. If Eugene was playing him, he had certainly made the right move. Fortunately for the professor, Aidan needed sleep and a moment to say good-bye to Leah. There was no way he was going to wait around.

*              *              *

Aidan had never seen the moon so bright. He had spent the rest of the afternoon and evening sleeping, choosing to slumber in his room rather than the Infirmary. He couldn’t tell Leah he was going outside Lowsunn. Not yet. She would have done everything in her power to go with him, and he didn’t want the distraction. Isaac would provide enough of that on his own.

Taking to the shadows behind the cabins, Aidan slinked his way from the south to the north, as he had done many times before when he had traveled to the Field of Visions in the dead of night. This time, however, he had to be more careful. He couldn’t risk getting caught now. The information he was about to search for was vital to his upcoming mission.

Once Aidan hit the forest, he made sure his body temperature was kept in check. He didn’t want glowing hands giving him away. He obeyed Eugene’s advice and stuck to the outskirts, stooping down low and taking his time to get around the compound. He figured his vision was no better than anyone else’s and so he didn’t want to risk running into any guards – whom he probably wouldn’t see until it was too late. Once he hit the north side of the compound the forest increased in range, stretching much further into the distance than it did anywhere else in Lowsunn. Aidan was able to travel further away from the Elders’ compound and deeper into the forest.

After a couple of miles of heading north, Aidan saw them, sitting with their legs crossed at the edge of the woods. Aidan approached from the front so as not to startle them. It was a good move, for he saw Isaac’s grip on the hilt of his dagger relax once he was able to recognize the intruder as friend and not foe.

“Welcome to the edge of Lowsunn,” Eugene said. Aidan continued moving forward without a word, making sure he didn’t go beyond where the two men stood. Isaac smiled and slapped his friend on the back. He knew what Aidan wanted. To see the outside once more.

But the shielding continued to make the view hazy and fogged. No matter how hard he squinted, Aidan couldn’t make out what was beyond the rolling hills and unfiltered moonlight. With this being the edge of the forest, it was already a brand new world that lay just ahead, and yet it was a familiar one at the same time. He couldn’t believe the sudden pang that shot through his heart at the hazy sight. He was homesick.

Since he had entered Lowsunn, Aidan had refused to go back to the shield’s edge for fear he would try to burn it down. And he would have been right. Outside the village’s confinement was his true home, and it was right there, just a few measly steps away.

“Are you ready for this adventure?” Isaac asked. Aidan nodded and Eugene pointed to a spot in the shielding.

“Listen closely. This is going to be very hard to identify on your way back, but there’s no way I can make a marking of any kind. This tree right here,” he slapped a hand on the tree. “If you look very closely, you can see that some of its branches hang a few inches lower than the others around it. Horizontal to this tree is the opening. A precise line. I’ve already tested the height against Isaac. If you crawl, his back will be two inches lower than the top, and his arms, placed straight under his shoulders, will only be three inches from the sides. Anything goes beyond those parameters and you’ll be found out. You won’t receive any warning either. So please be careful.”

“That tree’s going to be hard to find,” Aidan said. “Won’t Lowsunn look hazy to us once we’re out?”

“That’s why it will take you a while. Maybe even an hour or so to guarantee you have the right one. I wouldn’t spend too much time down below.”

“We’ve received word,” Isaac said, turning to his friend. “The mission selections will be announced at dawn, and everyone will be leaving at noon.”

“They’re not wasting any time,” he replied. “And neither will we.”

“Remember this outing is to gather intel,” Eugene admonished. “No fighting. No talking to others unless it’s absolutely necessary. If anyone discovers you were out, the Elders are going to want to know why.”

“Understood,” Isaac said, patting his dagger, and tucking his Lowsunn uniform shirt into his pants. “Ready?”

“Yep,” Aidan said, lining up his body with the tree. He dropped to his knees and began crawling on all fours, making sure he kept his limbs tight. Once his upper half was beyond the shield, the veil over his eyes lifted. The world opened up in majestic grandeur. It was spacious, it was free, and it was full of life. Thousands of fireflies hovered in the air, blinking with all colors of the rainbow. Shooting stars clashed against each other like a war was being waged in the heavens, and the hills were teeming with sleeping creatures Aidan had never witnessed before. The child in him was salivating at the playground before him. He had dwelled on the horror for so long that he had long forgotten the wonder of it all. 

What didn’t catch his attention was the fifty-foot drop that lay mere inches in front of him.

“Isaac, hold on, there’s a –” But Isaac didn’t hear him in time. He began crawling through the hole in the shield, bumping into Aidan’s legs hard enough to send him flying. As soon as Aidan was sure his legs were free of the shield, he summoned a lava cushion to break his fall. Isaac turned his dagger into a pole and rode it down to the ground.

“You think Eugene would have warned us about that drop,” Aidan replied, dismissing the lava.

“The topography might have changed,” Isaac said, but he wasn’t looking at Aidan. His eyes were transfixed on the landscape before him. Dots of blues, reds, yellows and greens blinked at him like flash lights. The rolling hills were tranquil and still but the beasts that rested upon them were mystical. Herds of all different shapes and sizes. Lambs with the bodies of lions. Boars with the bodies of leopards. Small rabbits with the wings of large bats grazed in the moonlight, and through it all, the sound of laughter and cheerful music rode the winds into their hungry ears. On the horizon, they could see traces of smoke and a large bright light. Isaac smacked Aidan on the back playfully.

“That has to be Otalli,” he said, sprinting forward. Aidan grabbed the back of his lapel.

“Hold on there,” he whispered. “Don’t you see the beasts?”

“They’re sleeping. As long as we remain quiet, there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Are you sure? Have you learned nothing from our training session? What if they’re really eyes for a predator, using beasts for their surveillance? What if those beasts are far more dangerous than they appear? What if we attract the attention of some bandits?”

“Do you know what you are, Aidan? You’re scared. You hide it well enough, but I see right through you. How can you not look out over there and see the same thing I do? That this is a land of opportunity and wonder!”

“Wonder doesn’t come until morning,” Aidan muttered. “But since this is your first time out, I’ll let you show me how it’s done.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Does to me. You’re saying that all I’ve told you about the outside doesn’t warrant caution, so go right on ahead. I’ll be your backup.”

“You sure you’re not going to whistle or something and get me killed?”

“It’s tempting, but no.”

“Because Leah would be quite angry with you if you got a friend killed.”

“Can we not talk about her right now?”

“Hey, Aidan,” Isaac asked. He waited for him to answer. Aidan shut his eyes, gave out a heavy sigh, and then took the bait.

“What is it?”

“You get those butterflies yet?” Aidan reached out to grab him but he was already sprinting away. Aidan clenched his jaw and then half-yelled, half-whispered into the air.

“I don’t get butterflies!”

“Liar,” Isaac whisper-yelled back. Aidan shook his head and couldn’t help but chuckle.

Isaac avoided the sleeping beasts at first, but then he really began testing the waters, hurdling over their bodies one after the other. He looked back only once to ensure that Aidan was following suit. He was, but he was also making sure his liquid fire was at the ready. His hands grew hot and became as red as a blacksmith’s unfinished blade. All it would take was one mistake for Isaac to wake the herd.

But nothing happened. And it was all so strange. As the wind whipped through their hair and snapped at their clothes, he allowed himself to take in his surroundings even more. His nose picked up that fact that several roasts were being seared in the town nearby, and it wasn’t the kind created from one’s imagination. It was all-natural, and this made him salivate. The music was also getting louder and the laughter more jovial. How was this all possible? Did Lowsunn keep a tight leash in Otalli as well? Was it also shielded in some manner?

Once they hit the final hill, they both stopped to take in the sights. Their eyes lit up once they saw the town. The homes were more like dollhouses than cabins, painted with bright, vibrant colors and decorated with reflective materials and pieces of candy. They were set up in a half-moon formation with the opening facing towards them and Lowsunn. In the middle was a grand bonfire with a merry band dancing around it as they played their violins, flutes and handheld harps. The crowd around them were absorbed in the music more than the players were as they waltzed away in couples, laughing to the point of tears and hugging each other so tightly that Aidan began wondering if they all knew each other.

“I don’t think there’s a shield,” Isaac said, examining the twenty houses from end to end. “At least not one that blocks out a stranger from seeing in.”

“It’s strange that it’s so open,” Aidan observed. “And even weirder that they would be so happy considering that people have died here recently.”

“We’ll figure it out.” Isaac pointed to the right. “Let’s enter from the side so as not to bring attention to ourselves.”

“Agreed.” They took the long way around, passing several more beasts as they went, except this time, they both traveled with great caution. The music had not died down in intensity, but Aidan was already feeling like they were being watched, as if the beasts were glaring at them through their eyelids, or the moon itself had transformed into one great big eye. He felt exposed, and part of him longed for the safety of Lowsunn’s borders, but he dared not run back now. Come tomorrow afternoon, he would be venturing even further into the unknown.

“This way,” Isaac said as they emerged from behind the flashy house on one end. He tapped one of the gumdrops that was lined down its side. “You think these are real?”

“They’re real alright,” Aidan said. “The question is if you want to see what happens when you eat one.”

“Well, what do you eat out here?”

“The natural stuff. What you know comes from nature. Everything else could be a trap.”

“And how do you do that considering that even the grass could have been fabricated at this point?”

“It’s hard to tell the difference between real and fake considering no one’s willing to label it, but you have to try your best all the same. Usually the beasts will steer clear of the strange accommodations but even that’s not a guarantee.”

“It sounds like life on the outside is one big game of chance.”

“You work with what you have been born with,” Aidan replied, stepping out onto what felt like a stage. The tile underneath him was a mix of hard glass and cooled caramel, but he paid no attention to the strange cracks and minor squishes he felt beneath his feet. He kept his focus on the people. The music didn’t cease and the people kept dancing, but he still felt like it was a trap. What wasn’t a trap on the outside? As long as there were people nearby, and especially those with seals, he felt uneasy.