CAIUS: Crown of Threads and Shadows

By the following morning, Sereth had recovered enough strength to stand without assistance. His broken arm was still painful, and the damaged rib made every deep breath uncomfortable, but the healing pill and his meditation had done their work. He tested his movements carefully before looking toward the river and the towering walls of the Abyss.

The dark elf remained silent for some time, studying the surrounding landscape.

Caius noticed the change in his expression. ”You recognize this place?”

Sereth nodded slowly. ”Some of it.”

He turned toward the river and studied the direction of the current before looking up at the rock formations surrounding them. His eyes moved from one landmark to another as memories from years of scouting returned to him.

”We should leave this place tomorrow.”

Caius looked at him. ”Do you know where we are?”

”Not exactly. But I have been through parts of this Abyss.” Sereth pointed toward the river. ”I think the next bend will lead us to a valley.”

Caius looked ahead through the mist. ”A valley?”

”Inside the Abyss. There should be enough vegetation there to hunt, and the water will give us a place to rest.”

Caius nodded.

Sereth settled beside the fire and continued explaining what he remembered. ”Castle Precipice lies southeast of the kingdom. The northern lands beyond the mountains belong to the orcs. If we try to travel north, we will eventually reach their territory.”

Caius looked toward the direction they had come from. ”Then we go south?”

”No.” Sereth shook his head. ”We need to move west.”

Caius considered the direction. ”Why west?”

”Because the kingdom is west of here. If we can cross enough of the Abyss and find a route out, we can eventually reach lands controlled by humans.” Sereth looked toward the enormous cliffs. ”But the Abyss is vast. These mountains stretch farther than most people realize. There are dark canyons within dark canyons, underground rivers, caverns, and valleys hidden beneath the mountains.”

Caius looked around. ”It is hard to believe anyone lives here.”

Stolen novel; please report.

”Very few do.” Sereth’s expression became more serious. ”Even the orcs avoid parts of it.”

”Why?”

”Fear.”

Caius looked at him. ”Orcs are afraid of this place?”

”Some of them.” Sereth stared into the mist. ”They know these mountains better than most humans ever will. They hunt here, travel through the passes, and sometimes use the outer caves. But they avoid the deeper parts of the Abyss.”

Caius glanced into the darkness. ”What are they afraid of?”

Sereth shrugged. ”I never stayed long enough to find out.”

That answer made Caius more curious. ”You explored this place before?”

”When I was bored.”

Caius looked at him.

Sereth gave a faint smile. ”Castle Precipice was quiet for long periods. There were days when nothing happened, so I explored.”

”You explored an enormous Abyss because you were bored?”

”Yes.”

Caius shook his head. ”You’re strange.”

”I have been called worse.” Sereth turned his attention back toward the Abyss. ”I only explored a small part of it. The place is too large to map completely. There is one area I never entered.”

”Where?”

”The center.” Sereth’s voice became quieter. ”There is a mist there.”

Caius looked toward him. ”Just mist?”

”Not ordinary mist.” Sereth stared into the distance. ”It is always there. Thick and cold, even when the surrounding air is clear. I could never see beyond it, and the further I approached, the more uncomfortable I became.”

”You didn’t investigate?”

”No.”

Caius raised an eyebrow. ”You?”

Sereth looked at him. ”Even I know when something is telling me to stay away.”

Caius remained silent. There was something about the way Sereth spoke that made the warning feel more serious than it sounded.

They continued following the river for the rest of the day.

The journey was slow because of Sereth’s injuries, and Caius was still recovering from the fall. They moved carefully through the narrow passages, stopping whenever the terrain became too dangerous.

Eventually, they found a small opening in the rock. Beyond it was a shallow cave, large enough for the two of them to sit and sleep inside. The entrance was partially concealed by stone and thick vegetation, making it difficult to see from the river.

Sereth examined the cave before nodding. ”This will do.”

Caius looked inside. ”It is better than sleeping beside the river.”

They gathered dry branches and moved deeper into the cave. Sereth cleared a section of stone while Caius gathered leaves and dry vegetation that could be used as bedding.

By nightfall, they had made the cave into a crude shelter. A small fire burned near the entrance, providing warmth without producing enough smoke to reveal their position from a great distance.

Caius sat beside the flames, holding a piece of dried meat they had managed to preserve from their supplies. Sereth sat opposite him, his injured arm resting carefully against his side.

For the first time since leaving Castle Precipice, there was no immediate danger around them: no orcs, no battlefield, and no collapsing walls. There was only the distant sound of the river and the soft crackling of the fire.

Caius stared into the flames. His father’s face returned to his thoughts. Cullum had given him Nightdancer. He had given him the family ring. He had taught him the Eye of the Loom. And then he had died protecting him.

Caius’s fingers tightened.

Sereth watched him quietly. After several moments, the dark elf finally spoke. ”What are your plans, Caius?”

Caius looked up. Sereth waited for his answer as the fire burned between them.

The boy remained silent for a long moment, staring into the flames while the vast darkness of the Abyss surrounded their small shelter.