Cautiously I closed the door to my room behind me, watching as the enchantment flashed once to indicate it was active. I looked around nervously. Nothing here, or at least that I could notice. Dagger in hand, I went to the window. Outside I could see the courtyard, slightly obscured by the green leafed monstrosity outside my window. While it wasn’t optimum, I left the window and shutters open.

Looking around once more, I questioned the wisdom in my actions. This wasn’t the smartest thing I could do, but in the end it was the only cure I knew of. I took out the bag of salt and created a thick uninterrupted line on the window mantle. Next I heavily salted the floor in front of the door, before creating a solid line around the walls. I placed the leftover salt in the chest, retrieving a few pouches of powders.

I spread them around in varying degrees as befit their purposes. Next I moved my bed to the wall, leaving a good amount of empty space in the middle of my room before dispersing more powder. Once this was done, I formed a circular pit on the stone floor using earth I’d brought on my way back. What I was doing was stupid enough, no need to suffer excruciatingly before I expired. With this step done, I took my bag and retrieved the stock I’d only half an hour ago purchased from the storeroom.

Twenty-five medium, twenty small, and twelve large pieces. Fourteen coppers for the set, sadly city prices for firewood. Considering there were no lumber mills around, my choices were limited. I set out my spear near the firepit along with two artisan crafted torches. Two large coppers each, my heart almost bled, but I needed to be certain. I checked my freshly sharpened daggers, all in place. Next, I used some hay and a few of the smaller pieces to kindle a fire in my newly made firepit.

As the fire grew, so too the smoke. Ah, me and my belongings were going to have a distinctly burnt aroma come the morning. But, that was a fair price compared to the alternative. As I tied one of my torches securely to the spear, I couldn’t help but mumble to myself.

“Tome, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“Well you say that, but, I mean, with all that happened…”

“Hey, I told you already, I’m fine, just let be.”

“But, you know, your friends are dead, your legs are broken, and-and that look in your eyes, it’s like you’re frightened half to death!”

“I said I’m fine! Listen, you’re overreacting, leave me be!”

“But Tome…”

“For the love of all that’s holy, leave me alone!”

I yelled out the last bit of my self-performed dialogue, remembering an old anger I thought long gone. It was bad enough my legs had been broken then, but the incessant worrying… Gods, the only thing worse than the questions had been the terror.

By now I had managed to get a few medium pieces burning so I added two of the bigger logs. Uneasily I stared into the shadows around me. Were they here? They couldn’t enter my room now, the salt would prevent them from reaching me, but only if they had been on the outside. I swallowed hard, my breathing heavier. It had taken me a long time to overcome my fear of the forest and those damned shadows, and now I was reduced to this?

A low growl escaped my lips. I felt my daggers at my hip, but restrained myself. You’ve dealt with them before. Time, take your time, haste is not the answer. My eyes darted all around the room, frantically searching for any shadows in the form of a clawed hand. There were none, which meant either I was safe, or that I wouldn’t see the talons before it was too late.

I grabbed the spear/torch, then delicately put it back. Get the bigger wood burning first, you need a stable fire to rely on if it’s a clever one. I thinly smiled, remembering my grandfather Theo, without his levelheaded advice years ago, I wouldn’t be alive today. Slowing my breathing, I did the only two things I could; I kept my attention well trained around me and waited patiently.

After ten minutes the fire was good enough. Even a wind spell couldn’t extinguish all of the flames, or at least the embers depending on the strength. Taking my spear, I dangled the torch over the flames. It lit up well and quick, as a damned 2 large copper torch should. Standing, I took one more slow look around before breathing in deep and exhaling. The smell of wood smoke was heavy in the air, irritating my lungs but bringing my heart untold comfort.

Quickly I sprinted into action, bringing the torch against the nearest wall. I listened carefully as my eyes scried every illuminated stone. No shadows. I moved from one wall to the next, repeating the process from floor to ceiling, right to left. When I finished, I twirled once near the firepit, making sure there were no subtle portions of darkness moving on the walls before stabbing above me.

There was a noisy crack as the head of the torch hit the vaulted ceiling, sparks flying dropping around me. My head snapped upwards, nothing… Studiously I gazed at the ceiling, performing a grid like search for abnormalities. I saw it. Godsdamnit, there was a section a bit darker than the rest. I bit down hard to keep from letting out a whimper. Fight or flight, those were my choices, and flight was only a deferral, not a solution.

My body inched towards the spot, my eyes not daring to let it out of my sight. With every step, the blackness grew closer along with the fear that threatened to take away my breath.

“Don’t you dare be afraid of a monster or man, boy, no, that’ll get you killed. No, be afraid of what happens if you run without being prepared, of what can happen if you leave a creature with enough of an anger to come back for you. Fear is something you need to control, or at least fight. If you let your fright govern you, you’ll make the worst of mistakes, and you’ll be dead faster than if you manned up and fought,” my grandfather’s words came back to me, they didn’t alleviate my fears, but they galvanized me to keep pushing forward.

With every step, the spot seemed to only be growing darker. I squinted, my muscles tensing up for the battle to come. Half a foot away, my knees bent, the torch spear was angled, and I took a deep breath. I leapt upwards, my torch colliding with a bang against the stones! I fell back to the floor, my spear quickly repositioned to give another thrust of the torch. Aside from the falling bits of flame, there was no movement, from either me or my foe. Breathing quickly, I jabbed at the spot, another thud and more embers. I moved the torch to and fro rapidly, before realizing that the dark mass was just a stain against the ceiling.

I sighed, wow, well done brave soldier, you keep bringing forth this sort of courage and they’ll have to knight you! Though I hadn’t buckled to the fear, it still held too tight of a grip on me. I double-checked the ceiling and walls with my torch before also analyzing the floor. There were no unexplained shadows. I let out a small chuckle as I sat next to the fire, it’s light reassuring. I wiped the sweat from my brow, not the most comfortable decision to light a fire indoors this time of year.

Exhaustion began to set in, the combination of my injuries, the trauma from the mimic, and the grave fear of shadows having taken their toll. Before, I had planned on just holing up in my room and sleeping after the mimic attack, but I hadn’t been able to. I was tired and hurt, but the fear kept me from even shutting my eyes, that blood, that Godsdamn blood. I’d seen plenty of blood during the siege, not like today, or the first time...

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I had been seventeen, it was to be the last test before officially graduating from the foris magister training. I was tasked with entering at least two miles into the forest and bringing back proof of a rare hunt. I was given cheap lodestone armaments and armor, just enough so that it wasn’t a suicide mission. I was in a collection of twelve, we were to use group tactics to survive. All of us were acquainted, half boys and the other half girls. We were to prove our mettle, our value to the Republic.

We were deep in the forest, where the tree canopy became so thick that only small beams of light ever penetrated. While not pitch black, it was dark. There were trails where the canopy was thinner, even ones where wagons could pass through, but only fools took those. No, the light was a false friend. We used what we knew to navigate our way inwards, finally encountering a sapphire toad. It was a four-foot-tall monster who had incorporated sapphire loadstone into its skin, creating a formidable armor skin.

Thanks to our equipment, prior planning and preparations, the battle went smoothly for us. Six kept back, attacking from a distance while also keeping watch on the peripheries of the battlefield. The other six, myself included, attacked the beast from all sides. Four of us wielded spears, my friend Cassius a sword, and our toughest, Ceres, a giant war hammer. After Ceres finished the beast with a final sledge of her hammer, everyone laughed. Three immediately set to work skinning and butchering, no one wanted to stay in the forest longer than necessary. Three others stood guard, and those of us who were in the thick of the fighting took a well-earned rest. I was sharing a spot of beer that my friend Cassius borrowed from his father, just talking about what we planned to do after the graduation.

Thunk! Cassius cursed as a blue chunk of rock hit him. Narrowly I ducked under another aimed at my head. Looking up, it was Ceres.

“Your proof of the fight, you know, you two should really keep up your guards.”

She sneered, also throwing each of us a claw. Cassius grumbled at his spilt beer, but held the anger in. Ceres was one of those rare specimens built for combat. Whether she was part amazon, Goddess, or rock creature, no one knew. What people did know was to stay out of her way. While no one liked her company, her assistance was more than welcome. Me and Cassius pocketed our items while Ceres went to annoy the other three who were resting.

“She’s such a…”

“Shh! Gods man, don’t be a fool, just let it go.”

“You know, that’s always your attitude, Tome, let it go. The hell you gonna’ do when you meet someone who won’t stop Tome? You gonna’ keep a’ letting it go then?”

“Man, you don’t get it. You don’t cause trouble for others, and they won’t cause trouble for you.”

His eyebrows rose in ridicule.

“Yeah, yeah, only most of the time, I know. But come on, Cassius, you keep your head down and most things’ll take care of themselves.”

“I think all that haggling with your brother’s made you weak.”

“Well, if there’s anyone who knows the definition of weak, I suppose someone with silk undergarments would kn…” my voice rose on the last part.

“Godsdamnit, shut it! Don’t you go blabbing that!” his angry tone changed to a more conspiratorial one, “Come on, you gotta admit, it’s not nearly as bad as leaving a pretty waitress a five-silver tip!”

The two of us broke out laughing, thinking of another friend’s foolishness. We clinked cups, each taking an enthusiastic sip. We were still laughing when the shadow fell. It couldn’t have been more than the span of a second. The darkness above Cassius deepened and one part became more distinct. A foot-long emaciated hand with equally lengthy, scrawny bone like fingers. All shadow, no substance. My mouth opened to say something, but I was too slow. The fingers opened, before curling like frond leaves around Cassius’s head. Cassius was still chuckling as the black talon tipped fingers wrenched him instantly into the canopy. I jumped away from the tree, my spear at the ready.

“The hell… C-Cassius?”

There were shouts all around me, two others were also taken. Then it rained. Even in the dark we could all tell it wasn’t water, the color was darker, and the metallic taste… It continued for minutes without stopping, our party and the ground soaked dark crimson. No one moved, the fright, the suddenness, and the copious amount of blood, no one knew what we should do. Some screamed, others cried, but still we all stood frozen in place, until they appeared in full form.

The shadows flowed down from the canopy, wispy as smoke. They slowly congealed into images set against the tree trunks. Ten-foot monstrosities, thin, warped bodies and limbs. Their faces featureless ovals whose stares burnt into us. They advanced towards us, their talons streaming flatly over the earth, reaching for us. The nine of us fled quickly as a group in the only direction free of the shadow men. We ran as fast as we could as far as could, the terror so great. Yet no matter how swift we moved, for hours our ethereal pursuers followed, granting us only brief respites.

This was my first true taste of horror and despair, and just before I was to learn the true value of any group.

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I let out a low sigh, thinking of the terror I still couldn’t fully shake. I added another two logs to the fire. Today I had survived the mimic, but there were other dangers, more treacherous and insidious ones. I was safe in my room, logically I knew that, but deep down I was fearful of that second danger, unseen until the last moment… Surviving was not a one-time thing, no, it was a consecutive chain that was always precariously close to breaking. That hunt had taught me that even after you fell an enemy, there's always one waiting in the shadows.

Taking out my flask, I took an extended draught. I had done all that I could to secure my room, now I could sleep. Sleep would let me calm down, organize my thoughts, and help remove some of the terror. I was alive, and I was okay. Troubled and damaged, yes. Crazy or broken, Gods no.

The fear wasn’t gone, but in time it would fade. Certain things could not be forgotten, certain sounds and feelings would also be ever present, but many could fade. There was also the possibility that the moment I admitted something was wrong, the fact that I wasn’t fine would become far more corporeal. The weight might become too heavy to bear, my will and sanity breaking under its bulk. I’d come close to breaking in that damned forest, only my grandfather, the pain, and the actions of my friends allowing me to keep my sanity throughout it all.

Or, perhaps I did break that day… Perhaps the way they looked at me was on the mark, maybe I was broken... No, I couldn’t think that way, wouldn’t think that way. Perhaps I wasn’t fine, but I would be, I should be... That was the truth, the answer that I wish the others could understand. I thought of my goal, of paying back nature and my adversaries. That was the glue to hold everything in place, without a goal in my heart, there would likely only be despair.

As I curled up next to the flame, I couldn’t help but mutter one final time before falling asleep, “I’m fine, just let me be, just let it be...”

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The Tenebrae, a terrible malady sometimes referred to as the darkness. It is an affliction of the mind caused by deep psychological trauma in the forests. While its exact cause is not known, its symptoms are well documented. The disorder causes the victim to hallucinate the appearance of shadow men, and gruesome spectacles of carnage by said apparitions. The victim will display an irrational fear of the darkness, and the desire to continuously flee supposed shadow assassins.

This disorder is purely in the minds of its sufferers, as no evidence has ever been found or witnessed of any such creatures in the forest. The worst part of this malady is that the victims will act irrationally in their quest to escape said phantoms. They will rob, kill, and use any means at their disposal to continuously run. If detained for any reason, they will become enraged, entering a berserk state that will only end upon their death or until every living thing around is slain. Strangely enough, even if unaware of the disease and terminal treatment, the afflicted will continuously insist that they are fine, becoming increasingly irate and paranoid the more they are queried.

It’s almost as if they understand either the nature of the cure, or that their disease is only in their heads.

-Silvanus Bruti, Earth Mage