Light rose in the horizon, painting the sky a soft pink. Sitting on a windowsill, Iago followed the sun’s slow waking and cleaning up the darkness. It would be morning soon. Another day to spend considering his choices and plans, chances at winning.

His eyes roamed to the mansion far in the distance. It stood like a bastion, the last stand of the age past. People holed up there were certain nothing had changed. He didn’t need to be there to know they catered to all of her wishes, laughing at her jests and worshipping her every move. A mere destruction of the world couldn’t change something drilled into them through the past centuries.

All of it needed to be eradicated. To the very last notion.

If only Elecar had succeeded. That fool. Iago played with the earring, wondering what Kallum would have done had he lived to see the outcome. Probably continued with his eternal task of helping those that couldn’t help themselves. He wasn’t one to point fingers and start fires. It was Elecar’s favourite past time.

“What did we achieve, friend?”

Nothing. Nothing whatsoever. And that’s why he needed to kill her. If she died, then their dream might still come true. It wouldn’t but at least humanity would get a chance to breathe. For a century or two before shapers rose to power again.

He raked a hand through his hair, moving his gaze to the ground below. It wasn’t that far. A broken bone or two. Maybe a couple bruises if he was lucky. It was pointless. This wasn’t high enough.

From the building nearby, voices came. They were too distant for him to hear but it reminded him that people were raising. It was time for him to go to the kitchen and shape the food for today.

Standing up, he walked onto the mahogany desk and jumped off to the ground. The last semi-clean cloak rested on his chair’s back and he grabbed it on his way out. The robe did nothing to hide him as no one else wore them, but he felt better nonetheless. Something about the cowl’s shadow hiding his features, the lifeless expression he wore most of the time.

“Good morning!”

The cook welcomed him with a bright smile and he answered her in kind. “Good morning, Urri. Any special requests for today?”

She glanced over the buckets of rotten food presented to him, biting on her lower lip. “Would you…” she cast a cautious gaze towards him. “Could you make some Landwir’s bread along with the rest of the products?”

Landwir’s bread? He consider what he knew about the product. It was more of a cake than a bread, and was brought from a kingdom recently integrated into the empire. The recipe was a simple one and quickly spread through the villages and small cities as the go to for any kind of celebration. Landwir’s bread was perfect when needing something delicious but cheaper than the rich cakes that only the nobles could afford.

That, however, said nothing to him about the bread’s substance. He tried to recall the taste of it. When was the last time he’d ate it?

A memory came unbidden. Bacchi, the youngest of his brothers, running up to him as he came from the mines. The boy ignored his soot stained clothes and jumped into his arms, speaking with his mouth full. Iago had caught him, sending a surreptitious glance towards his sister in an attempt to figure out what had happened.

“Today is Lady Mother’s day and the priests gave out a slice of Landwir’s bread to all the children,” Llare explained, tugging Vir’s dress down. The little girl was growing at the speed of a striking snake, having passed her two older brothers, and no longer fit into any of her clothes.

Iago admonished himself for letting her walk like this, with clothes that were too small for her last year, but his earnings were never enough. He clenched his teeth to keep from cursing, himself and everyone else. The boy in his arms stiffened and he returned his eyes to Bacchi who had lost his smile.

“So, what else happened?” he prodded the child, forcing his features to relax. This wasn’t the time to beat onto himself. But he promised to find a way out. He would get Vir a dress that fit her, and sweets for Bacchi so the smile would never leave his face.

His dreams were interrupted by a silent entrance of the twins. They approached him with their hands behind their backs, mischief glinting in their eyes. Iago went down on one knee, staring at them with a pointed question in his look. “What did you do now?”

To his surprise, instead of running or falling into a tirade of how they weren’t the ones at fault, the two boys brought their hands to the front. Each held a bite sized piece of Landwir’s bread. Iago froze, unable to comprehend for a second.

They had brought it to him? He wanted to say something, thank them, say they shouldn’t have, but words left him. Something prickled at the corner of his eyes. His earnings were never enough to feed the whole family. The kids went to sleep hungry on most days. They shouldn’t waste something as precious as the sweet bread on him.

“I- I can’t…” he mumbled, words tripping one over the other as he stared at the small outstretched hands, the open expressions of his little brothers.

Llare crouched by his side. “Take it. They held onto them for the whole day, waiting for your arrival.”

“But I can’t, I can’t,” he said in a harsh whisper but only to her ears. Bacchi sitting on his arm looked around with a puzzled expression, too young to understand what they were discussing. He was only certain by their intonation that something was wrong.

“You’ll make them cry if you refuse. They spent the whole day planning the perfect way to present it to you.”

His shoulders slumped. He wouldn’t hurt his brothers. Never. It was one thing he had vowed to never do. They had suffered enough with the death of their mother and father’s descent into the mug.

“Thank you,” he murmurer louder so that the two children growing anxious before him would hear. The words were meant both for them and his sister. For a second, he sat Bacchi on his bent left leg and after eating the crumbs of the sweet bread with fitting reverie, engulfed the twins in a fierce hug.

Vir jumped to join the mass hug and Kali tumbled from the house. “Me too, me too!” she shouted and joined with their eldest sister. Enveloped by the welcoming warmth of their small bodies, Iago knew he was home. For a moment he was free and they were happy. A miracle greater than any the Lady could procure.

Whatever it took, he vowed for the hundredth time, he’ll make sure to protect this blissful beauty. He’ll force the world on its knees if that’s what it took to bring about their happy futures. They won’t have to live wondering whether they’ll make it to tomorrow. Not like him, he’ll never let them fade into oblivion like he will. Worked to death by merciless nobles.

“I-I- I’m sorry! I know that was too much! I’m sorry!” Urri’s rushed voice interrupted his recollection.

Iago blinked, casting the remnants of the memory away. It stuck to him with ravenous claws, tearing into his skin but it was a familiar pain. Another moment and he was free from the guilt and pain of the unknown. Time taught how to forget, block what needed blocking so that another step could be taken.

“Don’t say that.” He forced a smile on his face, at least a shadow of one since anything more would have turned into a grimace. “I just don’t think I’ve ever tasted it.”

It didn’t matter back then. The bread could have tasted like sand and he wouldn’t have noticed.

“Oh!” Urri exclaimed in surprise. “You haven’t tried it?”

He shook his head. It was as good an explanation as any.

“Could you make the materials then? I have the tools and I know Mala can help me with the recipe!”

She named the products necessary and he shaped them alongside the meat, vegetables for breakfast and dinner. While he was busy making them, she chattered about the goings of the camp.

“-need something to cheer them up. They were gone for three days now without any word. Many already proclaim their death, though, only in quiet. It’s hard to believe, isn’t it? Just a few days and people call them dead! How careless! I have more faith in them, of course. They must have found something extraordinary and are taking their time to return. That must be it!”

Her voice was loud and high-pitched. He didn’t look at her, not wanting for her to see the understanding in his. Fear was taking seed but he had no encouraging words. The soldiers were gone and that was it. Shaping wasn’t scrying. For all he knew, they could be dead and buried in the sands already.

“That’s it then,” he said standing up. “It should be enough for today.”

“Yes, thank you!” Urri said with a relieved smile on her face. The sight of all the food brought her calmness back. It was a welcome achievement for his tired soul.

He left her to care for her products and went outside. Early-birds had left the house near his tower and were walking through the street. They nodded in passing to him and he did the same. The extent of his friendship with the survivors. He was doing a marvellous job of it.

On his way, he saw Scorpius’ kid curled in a corner, clutching the music box to his chest. Two people passed discussing the disappearance of the soldiers and the boy screamed out at them to shut up. “They’re not dead! Not dead!”

The tension was growing. It was hard to guess what would happen in such a passive community, not yet able to accept that it was all over, just passing the days waiting for it all to return back, but something had to give way. Sooner or later, the terror and fear would explode at the most unfortunate time.

Where was the militia, anyway?

***

Darkness. Pure black, unrelenting darkness.

Two days had passed and Shea could still not keep from shivering as her mind returned to the beginning. She had woken up just like this, without any light to guide her way. At least now she wasn’t alone.

If she listened, she could hear the sounds of breathing to her left and right. Everyone had made it to here but Malek was in a terrible condition. What started as a mild wound, turned into an infection threatening to take his life. None knew how to help him and he was losing the battle against the sickness.

Fevered dreams stole him more and more often. The peace of right now was to be treasured. If she could only make herself care.

“Maybe we should go out to check?” Denni suggested in a subdued voice. The last time they’ve tried to check, the whole ceiling had crumbled on their heads and Shea had barely managed to save them from being buried alive.

Someone hit the ground, or the wall. “What the hell for? You can hear the storm, or have you gone deaf?”

Tyr, and he was right. The howling of the wind hadn’t lessened. Not for a moment. It was distant in their cave but ever present. A constant reminder of their predicament.

“But we have to do something!” Denni fought back, a little of her spirit returning. “We’ll die here if we just sit without doing anything!”

A truth they were all painfully aware of. It felt like they had been stuck here forever. Without the sun it was impossible to tell how much time had passed, but she wouldn’t have been surprised if a week had went by. Or a day. The time crawled without any way to occupy it.

No one had brought a candle or a torch and she didn’t know how to shape a fire. Was fire even a material? Mother had never explained to her. There was a great fire burning in the temple’s hearth all year long and whenever anyone needed it, they just went and took it.

Simple, easy - it should have always been like this. Shea buried her head in her hands, keeping herself from crying. There had been too much of it already. She was starting to learn that tears solved nothing. They just stated the obvious.

“Girl,” a heavy voice said abruptly. It was Commander, he was the only one who referred to her like that. No name, no title as shaper, just ‘girl’. “Blast a way through the wall. As far as you can. We’ll walk it.”

“What?” she asked, terror gripping her heart. “But what if it collapses? I won’t be able to stop it! And if it’s the wrong direction? We might be going closer to the storm’s heart!”

“Do it!” Commander ordered, a distinct sound of sword leaving the scabbard accentuating his words. It was clear what her other options were.

Gulping, she looked for others, wishing for their support, but the darkness hid them. If not for their steady breathing, she wouldn’t even be able to tell they were there. “Al- All right.” Her voice shook as she answered. “Where?”

Something grabbed her shoulder. She screamed out and the man laughed. Buffoon, disgusting ani-

He brought her up, the ceiling was just her height, which meant he had to bend, and moving his hand to her back, pushed her into a wall that had been behind her. “Right here,” he whispered in her ear and she shivered in disgust. It brought another laugh from him. “Now do your stuff, girlie, and get us out of here. I’ll give you a reward you’ll never forget if you do.”

Her knees shook as he took a step back. She wanted no reward from him. It didn’t matter what he had in mind. None of it could be good. Breathing, fighting against the fear of the loathsome creature behind her, she tried to calm her mind. She needed to focus on her task but all she could think of was the man at her side. His filthy breath at her neck.

“Hurry up, dear. I’m not a patient man,” he crooned and chortled. No one else said a word.

For a fraction of a second, she contemplated turning her powers on him, but then was horrified at herself. What was she thinking? It was wrong! Immoral! How could she..?

Fisting her hands, she drove the nails into her skin. This was no game. Everyone’s lives depended on her and she didn’t have time to play, think of her disgust for the man behind her. At time’s Iago had the right of it, no thinking, just doing. It didn’t absolve him of his mistakes, but that was a lesson she would be smart to learn.

Do it. Just go and do it. Taking a deep breath, she unleashed the pond. It streamed through her fisted hands and shot into the wall. Further and further it went, decimating everything in its path. Dirt and stones, buried trees and animal bones, some house’s foundation. Everything was obliterated to dust.

The Energy kept on streaming through her: reaching, seeking. It was too much, the power was leaving too fast. Soon there would be nothing left! She levelled herself with the pain in her hands, the nails digging into her skin, and forced the gates shut. The Energy fought back, wishing to escape but she pushed it under, back into the pond where it swirled with a restrained fury.

Did the current have emotions? It didn’t sound right. Tiredness washed over her and she reached for the wall to catch herself.

It wasn’t there.

Her hand encountered nothing and with shock written all over her face, she went down. The hard ground met her hands and the impact reverberated through her body. Bruises were certain to appear.

“Are you done?” a mocking voice asked.

Shea clenched her hands, wishing for, for something and pushed herself off. “Yes,” she ground out.

Commander patted her back, congratulating her with amusement. She tried to step back from his way but he kept her from backing out. “Go there, girlie. You made it so go first.”

Trepidation tightened in her stomach but without saying anything, she advanced into the darkness. At least she was moving away from the abhorrent thing. He waited for a bit, allowing her to test the stability of the new cave and then marched in after.

“Wait, we need to carry Malek!” Alec’s voice came from behind. She stopped, wanting to go back but Commander pushed her onwards.

“Move,” he threatened, all amusement gone. Then he turned and shouted over his back, “Leave him. We’ve no need for dead weight.”

There was a loud intake of breath from the original cave, a stammered refusal but Commander no longer cared. He unsheathed his broad sword and after pushing her forward from him, urged her ahead with the tip of his blade. “Move it,” he hissed whenever she stumbled in her step. “I’m getting out of this mess, and you can show me the way out or die like those rats behind us.”

His voice was a low promise and Shea’s heart rose in volume. She brought her left hand in an attempt to silence it’s flighty beating while using the right one to lead her forward.

Rats? Die? It didn’t make sense. Nothing did! This was Commander! The adult leader of the soldiers! The man that had instantiated them! How could he talk like this about his subordinates? Leave one behind to die? It wasn’t right!

Her breathing went ragged as she rushed through the darkness. The point of the sword was always at her back, poking through her robe whenever she slowed. It’s iron tip was a cold reminder of what would happen were she to stop.

Steps came behind them and Commander ordered for the person to identify himself. It was Tyr. He explained that the rest had made a crude stretcher from a bag and were coming after at a slower pace. Commander cursed them but Shea felt relieved. The terror receded a touch and she examined the pond within her.

Small. Nothing more than a puddle. There would be only one shaping at best. Simple one at that.

Seconds stretched into minutes as they walked through absolute darkness. Fingers on the walls, she pushed onwards, into the unknown, the blade’s tip hovering right behind. Every time it touched her, shivers ran down her back. Would this be the last time? Will it go through now?

“Oomph!”

She slammed into something. Slowly, massaging her nose, she reached with her free hand to check what had blocked her path.

A clean cut wall of earth.

“That’s where my power faded!” she shouted out in surprise. It was amazing how far they had walked, could she really be this powerful? Iago had mentioned that she’s much more talented but she hadn’t believed him, he was much more in tune with his power, after all. He could do everything while what she tried always ended up in a mess.

But if she learned to control her powers… She tried to remember how far they had walked but there was no telling. Having spent forever in the darkness, her sense of time was non-existent. Yet it had to have been awhile. It felt like one.

“What now then?” Tyr asked in a whisper. Shea could barely make out the words with him standing far back.

Commander took a moment to reply. “Dig. You, wench, use those dainty hands of yours and dig our way out.”

“Me?” Shea asked in surprise. She wanted to see his face, to know whether he was joking but the darkness prevented her. There was no telling.

Or maybe there were. The sword’s tip was back. In the dark, it snaked over her arm, cutting through the thin cloth and drawing blood.

She hissed in surprise and pain, covering the wound.

“Hurry up, or I’ll kill you right here and now,” Commander ordered with a laugh. His voice then lowered. “Or in some time. It’s hard to hit in this light.”

Shea bit her lip to prevent herself from screaming. The man was crazy! A madman! And she was at his mercy! Shaking, she scrambled to her feet and reached for the ceiling. The earth was easy to get loose, raining on her head, but it wasn’t long before she could no longer touch anything.

Looking back, she wanted to say it but the black emptiness reminded her who was waiting there. The madman won’t understand. He’ll tear her to pieces if she complained, said she couldn’t do something.

She breathed, trying to calm her nerves. The shaking wouldn’t stop. Maybe if she reached the outside, she could run away. It was her only choice.

Holding her hands upwards, she blasted the last of her power. This time it wasn’t a clean cut and she reached for the first handhold before the dust had settled. Light blinded her and she closed her eyes, scrambling upwards on touch alone.

Near the top, sand slowed her ascent but she pushed herself over the edge and crawled from the hole. Sun’s rays streamed through her closed eyelids, so she dragged the cloth covering her head over the eyes. It gave a little respite and she lay on the hot sand, resting.

Heat forced her to move. Faint memories resurfaced, warnings about heat strokes and need to save water. She took her water skin, pulled it to her parched lips but there was nothing inside. A smattering of dust.

Voices came from the hole and she thought to run, but where? The light was too blinding, she couldn’t remove the cloth, not yet. It would have to wait a time before her eyes adjusted. But without sight she had no idea where she was.

Or which direction they had walked in the sandstorm. For all she knew, the city could be standing ten paces away.

“Whoa! We’re out!” Tyr exclaimed in joy. “We’re out! Out! It’s safe here, Commander!” There was a grunt from below and Shea staggered away. It didn’t matter in which direction, just away from the madman.

Her legs were weak, and heat drained the last of her strength. It won’t be long before she fell face first and no longer stood up.

Then what was keeping her from seeing? She dragged the cloth from her eyes, blinked rapidly. It was bright, too bright. Shielding the eyes with her hands, she squeezed them open a crack.

Nothing in her immediate direction. Nor to her right. Just more of the sand, the hills and hazy, heat twisted horizon.

But the left! A house stood there, half submerged in the sand. A mirage? She hoped not. Changing her direction, she moved towards the apparition. It was built, or painted, black with needle thin tower tops, colourful glass windows and arches over everything. They were over the windows, second floor balcony and weird creatures squatting around the roof. Each one was of the same black stone with a grimace worse than the previous statue’s.

It was a nightmarish house. One she would have shied away from on any day but this one. Now it was shelter. The only safe haven in this part of the desert.

Putting one foot before the other, she dragged herself to the building. It’s whole first floor was below the ground, so she located a broken window and crawled through inside. A welcome shadow met her there.

The room wasn’t richly built, austere walls without any paintings or hanging carpets. In the middle stood a dining table of simple making with four chairs surrounding it. In the left corner an open cupboard stood, the crockery smashed to pieces.

There was nothing more in the room besides two doors. One of them led inside a bedroom with a double bed and two smaller ones. The other brought her into a corridor. It was dark, the only light coming from the doorway she’d left open.

Dozens of doors lined the walls and after a couple checks she was certain they all led into identical rooms like the one through which she had entered. What was this place? The outside was grand, if creepy, while the inside scarcely furnished and without a single personal item. It gave her the chills.

Could this be some sort of a haunted house? She’d heard the cities had them, barred off and sealed but still there. Young, daring people often sneaked in to prove the tales wrong and were later found missing, without anyone the wiser about what had happened to them.

It mattered not. She was too tired to care. Entering one of the rooms near the end of the hallway, she went to the bedroom and dropped onto the bed. If some sort of ghost was planning to snatch her into his realm, she was up for it. Few things could be much worse than the world she found herself in now.