ã€ŠValley Girlsã€‹


 Sunrise

    The air is crisp and sharp as I breathe in. Winter is almost fully set on the island. All that¡¯s left is the first snow, but the sky, a sheet of mottled grey with heavy looking clouds, refused to give.

    The grass crunches under my feet as I move toward my normal spot in the forest. Katta Forest, named after the island it resided on, is a lush and densely packed forest that, in other months, teems with life. Now, as I reach the clearing I affectionally call my own, I stop, listening. My eyes closed and ears strained, I can pick up on the flap of a bird¡¯s wing and its gentle song. Behind me, something rustles through the brush, and something chitters, scurrying away as it realizes it¡¯s not alone.

    I open my eyes, adjust to the darkness, and move into position. The sun is close to rising.

    My lungs burn as I take a deep breath and sing, my limbs moving in rhythm. Someone typically sings the Song of the Rising Sun while another performs the accompanying dance, but I trained myself to sing and dance at the same time. Every morning since I¡¯d become a priest of the sun god Nzam, I came to the forest to dance in his rising glory, but it never felt complete without the song.

    The dance is sharp and fast, meant to work as many muscles as possible to keep warm when darkness comes. The song was to praise the light and life of the sun and heat. Before my priesthood came to fruition, I would sing and dance at home in our living room. They found it delightful until I began to glow, the totality of my devotion shining through. I became too bright to look at and without sufficient training, I couldn¡¯t keep it down.

    Now, over ten years since I became a priest, I can keep my glow dull enough to be around people, but here in the forest, surrounded by the heart of the gods, I can let myself be.

    As the sun crested the horizon, my voice came to a crescendo, my hands rising high over my head.

    ¡°If you¡¯re going to stand there,¡± I say, lowering my arms. ¡°You could at least do the singing for me.¡±

    Peggy rolls her eyes as she pushes off of the tree she was leaning on. ¡°I could, but then I would risk getting an earful from you when you start glowing and I get distracted and mess up the words.¡±

    ¡°Just close your eyes,¡±

    She shakes her head and says, ¡°And what? Miss the dance. I don¡¯t come all the way out here for nothing.¡±

    I fall in step beside her as we make our way back to town. The farmer¡¯s market is about to be in full swing, and I¡¯m sure Mom wants us to grab what we can before all the good stuff is taken. ¡°Yeah? And I was sure it was because Vidia and Vahn were up to something.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± she says, her voice trailing as if she wants to say more. ¡°I can¡¯t say they aren¡¯t mostly because I haven¡¯t been to the market, but there are a few new people there today.¡±

    I smiled, already knowing something was going to happen. ¡°No worries, Peggy. I was going to go when I was done here anyhow. I may have to leave all the shopping to you, though.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. There¡¯re a few things I want to make sure we get and then I have to make a stop at the blacksmith¡¯s shop.¡±

    ¡°Oh? I thought you just got a new knife.¡±

    ¡°I did, but it¡¯s not balanced right.¡± She rolls her shoulder, massaging the muscle. I got up early to dance and she got up early to practice her knife skills. ¡°It¡¯s throwing me off. Lourens needs to learn from his dad some more.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± I say as we break the tree line. ¡°It¡¯s not because you wanted to see Lourens more. Got it.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    She clicks her teeth, looking at the town ahead. Despite the Valley being a blight on our city Thesgrea, everything always manages to look cheerful. The cobblestone streets of the city center peter out into dirt roads the further away it got, making the paths less structured and more of a path of least resistance. In the center is the Elder¡¯s Building, where anyone could go with a grievance to get resolved and where most legal business was performed. From there, it sprawled out into three distinct sectors: market, training, and residential. We, of course, are headed to the market.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about him,¡± Peggy says, her shoulders stiff and back straight. I know she doesn¡¯t have a crush on Lourens, but I like teasing her about it because Mom and Dad think she has a crush on him. She doesn¡¯t. She has a crush on his sister Antonia, but I know better than to bring that up. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later. Make sure you get Vidia and Vahn. I can see them from here about to do something.¡± From our spot on the hillside, we can see their bright red hair bouncing around the market.

    We split ways as the dirt path turns to cobblestone and I take the long way to the market. Vidia and Vahn are always up to something. Despite having everything they could need, the twins enjoyed being menaces to everyone in town. It¡¯s a near daily occurrence and they depend on me to get them out of trouble. Most of the time I oblige. Sometimes I left them to suffer for it.I work my way through town, taking in the market. Most of the people I know. Vincent sells baked goods to the vendors and Oxana always has the best oranges in town. Tahvo¡¯s is always the liveliest since he brings his chickens. Children always managed to get in the gates and chase them around, not knowing the chickens would sooner bite their fingers than be pet by heavy hands. Closer to the center is where I started to see unfamiliar faces. Further from the Valley to keep them safer.Vidia is leaning against a baked goods stand a few stalls ahead of me. She¡¯s smiling at the boy manning the stall, messing with the asparagus as she flirts with him. Vahn is loitering nearby trying to look inconspicuous and blend in with the crowd of shoppers. They¡¯re good at what they do. Vidia is just interesting enough that Vahn can move unnoticed. It¡¯s not just flirting that Vidia is good at. She¡¯s a natural storyteller and can enchant anyone she chooses. Vahn isn¡¯t without talent either. Quiet and soft-spoken, he could stand next to someone for an hour and if he didn¡¯t want it, they would never know he was there. They make a great team. It¡¯s just a shame they use their gifts to cause trouble.

    I smile as I stop by Urve¡¯s stand, perusing her vegetables.

    ¡°Yvie!¡± she says, a smile brightening her face. She moves back, wheeling around the stall and bringing me into a hug. ¡°I saw the second sunrise and wondered when I would see you.¡±

    ¡°Well, the twins are up to their shenanigans again. Figured I could make sure nothing terrible happens.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± she says, wheeling back around her stand. ¡°Will it be one or two today?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± I hum, pondering. It was always great to get them both, but it looks like Vahn will go unnoticed. I glance back at them and Vahn is nowhere to be seen. ¡°Two. I¡¯ll get Vahn later.¡± I dig into my robes and pull out a few cher as she hands me a sack.

    Urve shakes her head and pushes the money back. ¡°You can¡¯t keep overpaying me.¡±

    ¡°I can and I will,¡± I say, backing away and turning on my heel. ¡°Use it to buy Marjan something nice.¡±

    Urve blushed, shaking her head and she put the money into her cashbox. ¡°I¡¯ll get you back for this, Yvie.¡±

    I wave and start walking. One day she¡¯ll get me back, but today isn¡¯t that day. Someday after she¡¯s proposed to Diana, I¡¯ll take her up on that.

    Winding my way through the market, I keep my eyes on Vidia. As I get closer, I start to see her freckles displayed prominently, a marker of her time well spent in the sun. She adjusts her glasses as she starts to lean away, and the boy is captivated by the movement. I fight the urge to roll my eyes. If only he had seen her dance yesterday. He¡¯d look a lot less interested.

    She walks away and her voice floats to me over the din, ¡°I¡¯ll come see you later,¡± she promises.

    His grin is crooked as he leans forward and says, ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Vidia flits off into the distance, a smile on her face as she weaves through the growing crowd.

    I look closer at his stand. Several muffins, brownies, cookies, loafed bread, and cupcakes are missing. It¡¯s a wonder they manage to get away with it. There¡¯s just no way Vahn left without being seen with that much stuff.

    No sooner do I finish the thought, than I hear the barking yell of a man and slapping footsteps. Vahn is rushing back towards us, a look of panic covering his face, an identical copy of Vidia¡¯s. The biggest difference between them is the fact that Vahn¡¯s face is one of perpetual anxiety instead of the confidence Vidia oozed.

    A warden I recognize is after Vahn, chasing him through the crowds he¡¯s desperately trying to lose himself, but he¡¯s too panicked to disappear from their notice. Vidia is beside him, running as she waves her arms. Even from a distance, I can tell she¡¯s chewing him out for getting caught.

    I adjust the bag in my arms and keep walking.

 Binary Stars

    I stop at the stall Vidia and Vahn stole from and look at the prices. I deliberate for a moment before tapping the counter, getting the boy¡¯s attention. I smile and hand him fifty cher. ¡°For your troubles,¡± I say.

    He cocks his head to the side in confusion, but before he can say anything, the warden catches the twins by the scruff of their necks lifting them off the ground. He growls, ¡°And what do we have here?¡± Vahn juggles the goods in his hands, trying not to drop any of the merchandise. ¡°What are you doing with this?¡±

    ¡°We were going to eat it, obviously,¡± Vidia mutters. Her feet dangle an inch from the ground while Vahn¡¯s toes scrape the stone. The boy stares at them for a moment before looking back to his stock, realizing just how much they got away with. I leave another ten cher before weaving through the crowd that begins to form around them.

    ¡°Not this time, Vidia.¡± He says her name like a curse, and I can¡¯t help but roll my eyes. Warden Manish has been trying to get them arrested for months now but to no avail. It¡¯s not just my intervention that kept them from behind bars, but most of the time their shenanigans weren¡¯t anything to write home about. ¡°This time your precious teacher isn¡¯t here to save you.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s not ¡®our precious teacher¡¯, warden,¡± Vidia says, her voice high as she mocks him. ¡°I can¡¯t stand her.¡±

    I move away from the people standing in front of me and eyeball the distance between us.

    ¡°Vidia,¡± Vahn says, adjusting the food in his hands. ¡°Now¡¯s not the time.¡±

    Digging into my bag, I take position, aiming for their heads.

    ¡°Oh, now¡¯s not the time?¡± Vidia kicks her leg, trying desperately to hit him. ¡°And what about when I said, go right? Was that not the time?¡±

    I take aim and throw them up, watching their trajectory arc. It¡¯s going to be a clean hit.

    ¡°I tried,¡± he mutters. ¡°How about you run with your arms full of shit and see how well you can make sharp turns.¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Manish says, shaking them. ¡°I¡¯m done listening to you whine about¡ª¡± The two rotten tomatoes finish their arc over the crowd, landing squarely on Vidia and Vahn¡¯s head. Manish starts, his grip on them loosening, letting them fall to the ground. I let out a loud gasp and start elbowing my way through the crowd.

    ¡°Oh, my stars,¡± I say, covering my mouth as I see them. Somehow, Vahn is still holding the baked goods. ¡°What happened to the two of you? I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere.¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, we were just¡ª¡±

    ¡°They were just on their way to the Elders¡¯ Building,¡± Manish says, cutting off Vahn. ¡°They¡¯ve been caught stealing.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± I ask. ¡°I told them to get a few things for the service this morning. I¡¯ve paid the vendor for the food.¡±

    His face turns red as the crowd starts to murmur. ¡°We-Well,¡± he sputters. ¡°They ran away from me. If they weren¡¯t guilty, they¡¯d have no reason to run. And everyone knows that you always clean up after them.¡±

    ¡°True, but I did pay the vendor, and I did tell them to get food for the meeting. They probably ran because you¡¯re always harassing them. Besides,¡± I say, holding out my hands for them to grab. ¡°They¡¯re absolutely filthy. They need to be cleaned up.¡±

    They lift themselves from the ground, glaring at Manish. ¡°I told you we weren¡¯t doing anything,¡± Vidia says.

    ¡°One day,¡± Manish says, looking down on me, ¡°you won¡¯t be here to defend them. You won¡¯t be here to pull them out of their crimes.¡±

    I smile. ¡°As far as I know, they haven¡¯t committed any crimes. Unless being cute is a crime.¡± I sling my arms around their shoulders and start walking away. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later at the Elders¡¯ Building, Manish.¡±

    The crowd breaks apart as we start walking. Vidia starts to pull away, but I tighten my grip on her shoulder as we walk. ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± I say once we¡¯re out of earshot. ¡°I won¡¯t always be here.¡±

    ¡°Yes you will,¡± Vahn says, shifting the boxes in his hands. ¡°Nzam loves you too much.¡±

    I laugh. As much as my devotion to Nzam shows through the light that runs through me, I know the gods are as capricious as can be. As much as they need us to remain as powerful as they are, we need them far more. Nzam may like me enough to drink with me during his festival days and talk with me when I reach out, but I was as replaceable as his favorite bangle. Unfortunate, perhaps, but nothing he couldn¡¯t deal with. ¡°Maybe. We¡¯ll see what the future holds.¡±

    Slowly the market shifts to residential and we move past houses and parks, people training and people napping. Most of the time Vidia and Vahn would be here, in the largest park in the city. Being the youngest in the city, they avoid the training areas like the plague. It¡¯s not that they¡¯ll be turned away from the mats or that the blacksmith won¡¯t make them a weapon. Hell, our head trainer Priya would be thrilled to have them in her classes for fresh faces and nimble bodies to kick the ass of. They¡¯re welcome everywhere in a city that bans minors, but it¡¯s because they¡¯re at least ten years younger than everyone here that they stay away from it. Everyone would like a chance to fight them.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    It¡¯s only when the houses, parks, and schools fade away that I loosen my grip and Vidia pulls away, rushing to the river that cuts through the forest and behind the temple. Without stopping, she jumps into the water. Vahn laughs, offloading the food to me and following her lead.

    Inside, I set the food on the tables that had already been set out. This morning more Hunters and Trackers will be sent out to the Valley. Under normal circumstances, almost none of them would bother to come to the temple, Dad among them.

    ¡°Finally.¡± I turn to see Farah coming towards me as the door to the inner sanctum slams shut. She¡¯s not in her robes yet, only a long dressing gown that sweeps the floor as she moves to me. Her hair is pulled up in a bun with three golden hairpins sticking out and her eyes are surrounded by glittering makeup. She stops at the table, flipping open the box of muffins and taking one out. ¡°I thought I was going to starve waiting for your little urchins to get back.¡±

    ¡°They ran into some trouble.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± she says through bits of the muffin, rolling her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so shocked.¡±

    ¡°They meant well,¡± I say. ¡°And I did know that something like this may happen. I was prepared¡±

    ¡°Then you should have given them the money to leave behind.¡± She takes two more muffins and starts back. ¡°We may need you soon. If they can¡¯t get their act together, it¡¯ll be hard on the rest of us. I don¡¯t want to have to send them back to Niawen.¡±

    I straighten, irritation settling in my chest. ¡°We¡¯ll see what the Elders have to say. Besides, we don¡¯t know that I¡¯ll be needed.¡±

    Farah looks at me over her shoulder, eyes narrowing. ¡°How¡¯s your shoulder?¡±

    I click my teeth and start spreading out the food. I¡¯d been doing such a good job ignoring the pain, but today was a bad day. The scars are red with pain, claw marks that remind me of the monster that did it to me daily. I¡¯d hoped that the chill would help, but it doesn¡¯t matter now. I¡¯m annoyed and there¡¯s nothing I can do about the pain that¡¯s now in the front of my mind.

    A year ago, when Vidia and Vahn¡¯s parents went missing in the Valley and were declared legally dead, no one could convince them to move back with their aunt to Niawen so I took them in.

    I placed a hand on their shoulders and told them that no matter what, they could lean on me, and I would ask for nothing in return. Grief-stricken with nowhere else they wanted to go, they agreed. Without much protest, they moved into the temple with me, and I helped them grieve.

    I knew that they¡¯d try to go into the Valley. It was almost impossible for them to want anything else since their parents could have still been alive. I wanted to take them myself when the grief wasn¡¯t so all consuming, but I was too late.

    In the early morning, a week after their parents were declared dead, they snuck out with their weapons and went into the Valley. If I¡¯d noticed any later, they¡¯d be dead.

    I jumped from the lift before Eamon finished lowering me down. I¡¯d picked the right shoes even in a hurry, I thought as I slid down the harsh slope. Vidia was on the ground, a hand pressed to her ribs and Vahn stood above her, sword at the ready as he stared down the bear. No, it wasn¡¯t a bear. Not anymore. Having been exposed to the Valley¡¯s aura, it had transmuted into something altogether different. A Valley Beast driven only by hunger and rage and violence.

    ¡°Get down!¡± I yelled, releasing my volley of arrows. All of them froze for a moment, but Vahn had enough wherewithal to duck, barely dodging my arrows. One stuck in the monster¡¯s eye and another in its throat. I jumped, pressing a button on my bow. Blades shot out along the front side of the limb, and I swung, my feet landing on its chest. I meant to take its head off, but it wasn¡¯t as injured as I¡¯d hoped. I glanced at them, blood and sweat matting their hair as they stared in fear. ¡°Run. Now!¡±

    Vahn scrambled to get Vidia off the ground, and the monster lunged. It was fast. Too fast for them to get out of the way without taking the brunt of the damage. Jumping in front of them, I shone brightly. Bright enough to blind the monster, but it was already swinging. It lost its balance enough that my injury wasn¡¯t as bad as it could have been. If not for the adrenaline coursing through me, though, what I did next would have killed me.

    Taking advantage of its blindness, I grabbed Vahn¡¯s sword and jumped, jamming his sword into its mouth and down its throat. I jumped away, abandoned the sword, and picked up my bow, aiming it at the monster, waiting. After a moment, it fell with enough weight to shake the ground. It wasn¡¯t dead, but that would have to do.

    Priya was the only one impressed by their gumption. Given my position, it would have been devastating to lose me with no preparation. It was decided while I was in surgery that they would return to their aunt.

    It¡¯s not often that I use my rank. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times I have. As hard as I¡¯ve worked to rise, we¡¯re still a community. We can¡¯t rely on and truly care about each other if we¡¯re lording over one another. However, when it came to whether they¡¯d be sent back, I put my foot down.

    ¡°Yvanna,¡± Elder Reggie said looking wary. She was on my side almost always, but even she seemed to waver. The sweat beading my brow and the bandaged already soaking through with blood from the stitches I¡¯d ripped rushing over didn¡¯t help. ¡°I have to voice my concerns. Vidia and Vahn could have died due to their actions. This is why we don¡¯t have minors in the city.¡±

    ¡°They also didn¡¯t die due to their actions. Priya can attest that anyone else their age would have died long before I arrived. With more training they can become stronger.¡±

    ¡°Even still,¡± Elder Artur said, his voice gruff as he eyed my shoulder. ¡°I don¡¯t believe they are responsible enough to stay. In a few years, they can come back.¡±

    ¡°A month ago, I took responsibility for these two. All of their actions fall upon me, and I will take any punishment you believe best for endangering minors. However, I must remind you all that it isn¡¯t just me who wants them to stay.¡± They all sucked in a breath or clicked their teeth, irritated at the reminder. ¡°Vidia and Vahn have such a strong connection to Nzam that even without taking an oath, they glow while praying. As Nkam¡¯s head priest, it¡¯s my job to train and take under my wing those with an affinity to him. I will not allow them to leave.¡±

    Elder Artur looked annoyed, his eyes narrowing. ¡°I still cannot approve of this.¡±

    ¡°Whether you approve doesn¡¯t matter. Nkam approves and that¡¯s all the permission I need.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± he sighed. ¡°You will need a punishment. All those in favor of not recruiting a witch to heal Yvanna, raise your hand.¡± Of the nine elders, seven raised their hands. Elder Reggie and Elder Obdulia were the only ones to keep their hands down. ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. You will go back to their infirmary and rest until you are fit enough to continue your role as priest. And when you are healed, you will take on full responsibility for every action Vidia and Vahn Nervetti. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± I said, then fainted.

 Clusters

    Hunters file in¡ªmore so than normal. With their numbers dwindling steadily, I¡¯m happy to give them any comfort I can. While not everyone comes to the temple regularly, I recognize them all. Elvina huddles in her cloak near the breakfast spread as she eyes the cakes. She¡¯s the strongest tank the Hunters still have. Short and stocky, she¡¯s packed with more muscle than would seem at first glance. Having gone down into the Valley with her once before, I know she can lift a half-grown bear without breaking a sweat.

    Lazaro stands at her side, pretending not to be interested in the food. As much as he claims that eating before a hunt makes him nauseous, it doesn¡¯t take much convincing from his wife to get him to put something in his stomach. Elvina offers him a cupcake that he declines, though he never takes his eyes off of it or the savory food Farah added, rubbing the hilt of his sword as he always does when thinking hard about something.

    Eamon is sitting on the altar¡¯s steps, arms crossed and eyes closed. There¡¯s never a moment when he isn¡¯t trying to squeeze in a bit more sleep. At night he mans the lift that brings us in and out of the Valley, the walls being so sharply angled it would take half a day to get to the bottom carefully. His bow lays across his lap, the quiver on his hip angled so his arrows don¡¯t fall.

    The last two to come in are Savvas and Jojo. Jojo is vibrating with energy, dirt and flowers following in their wake as they rush to the breakfast table and start piling food on a plate. Muffins, cupcakes, eggs, sausages¡ªnothing is safe as they start to eat before their plate is even fully made. It¡¯s easy to see why Ayerin, goddess of the earth, chose them as a priest. Robust and brimming with life, happy to help and devastating when need be. Jojo is the second heaviest hitter but has the brightest personality.

    Savvas, my dad, looks at me with heavy eyes. He has been here many times before. Rarely did he ask for my blessing, but I always give it willingly. Now, as he walks into the temple, I have to come to terms with something I have avoided thinking about until now. This may be the last time I¡¯m able to.

    He pulls me into a brief but tight hug before letting go. He smiles. I ignore that it¡¯s forced.

    He turns to everyone else and they quiet before he says, ¡°Thank you all for meeting here instead of the lift.¡± He¡¯s the only one who takes a seat, though chairs have been set up for everyone. The nervous energy is palpable as they all wait for Dad to continue. ¡°Elder Artur will be arriving shortly, but we can get started now. This will be the last hunt.¡±

    Murmurs break out, questions and confusion leaping from their mouth. ¡°What?¡± Jojo asks, debris flying as they refuse to cover their mouth. ¡°We have to make a living, Savva. We can¡¯t just not hunt.¡±

    ¡°I understand that,¡± Dad says. His voice is low and grumbly. He clears it, but it does nothing to mask the irritation. ¡°Hunters and Trackers have been going missing for over a year and every time we send people in to look for them, they don¡¯t return. If they do, they don¡¯t remember what happened to the rest of their party. The Elders have decided that this will be the last hunt if any of us go missing. I don¡¯t like it any more to then the rest of you, but it¡¯s what must happen. Our numbers are dwindling faster than we can replenish them. We can¡¯t keep going on like this.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ve been careful every time we go down,¡± Elvina starts. ¡°But it¡¯s not good enough. We train and retrain. We pick up more safety measures and drill in the old ones. We even stopped hunting as much. Nothing has helped the number of Hunters missing go down. I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m surprised by the Elders¡¯ decision, and I have to agree. A better solution needs to be found.¡±

    ¡°What about Trackers?¡± Eamon asks. He peeks an eye open, glancing around the room. ¡°Will they go after us if we go missing, or will they be done for as well?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Dad says. ¡°Trackers will come after us, but if they also go missing, that¡¯s it.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Jojo asks. They finally have all their food plated and plop down in the seat next to Dad.

    ¡°It means we ban all entry and exit from the Valley.¡± Elder Artur¡¯s voice carries from the entrance as he ascends the steps. His cloak is held tightly against him as he sniffs and heads for the circle of chairs. ¡°We¡¯ll up security around the perimeter to make sure that the Valley Beasts don¡¯t overrun us, and we¡¯ll move on from there.¡±

    ¡°That would change the very foundation of our city,¡± Lazaro says, finally moving away from the table with Elvina to sit. ¡°We¡¯re here because we hunt.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Elder Artur says. ¡°We¡¯re here because we protect. That protection can look like anything as long as we maintain our mission. When Thesgrea and Naunne were founded as protector cities, we didn¡¯t hunt. We made sure to keep everyone but the very best away from the Valley and make sure that everyone was as safe as possible. Those who were willing to lay down their lives were the only ones dubbed Hunters. The name has since been watered down, most people relying on luck to get them out of the Valley. How quickly we forget our history.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s true, but it doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s the right way to go,¡± Lazaro says. ¡°We started Hunting not just to protect, but to give back to everyone who relied on us to make sure that they were safe. We make the best weapons, have the best training programs, foster a tight-knit and capable community¡ªif we give all of that up now, what¡¯s the stop Leyfa or Norni or Ellwood from ceasing their trade with us? What do we have to give back if we¡¯re not hunting?¡±

    ¡°What they choose to do would rely on what the capital chooses to do and Valdage is well aware of the circumstances. Believe it or not, the emperor wants what¡¯s best for everyone.¡±

    ¡°Our skills aren¡¯t only used for hunting Valley Beasts,¡± Alvina says, putting her hand on Lazaro¡¯s leg. His face is red, and brows scrunched. His voice hasn¡¯t risen, but his anger is easy to see. ¡°We can be normal hunters or even go to the mainland and try our hand at being adventurers for hire. We have options.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave Thesgrea or Katta. I want to stay here and lives as we¡¯ve been.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Eamon says, rising from his spot on the floor. He leans against Dad¡¯s chair, a brow raised. ¡°Are you saying you want people to keep going missing?¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be combative,¡± Dad says, knowing there¡¯s nothing good that will come from that branch in the conversation. ¡°Elder Artur, this won¡¯t be forever, will it? Only until we find a better solution?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the thought process,¡± he says. He strokes his beard, frowning. ¡°I don¡¯t want to get any hopes up by saying that this will change soon. I can¡¯t know when this will be figured out, but there are those who have been working to understand the Valley. Those researchers are making their way here to observe closer. They will not, under any circumstances, be allowed to breach the Valley border.¡±

    ¡°In that case, is there even a reason for us to go?¡± Eamon asks. ¡°At this point, we might as well wait for the researchers to get here to we can get their read on the situation. Maybe just bring in some Trackers if we really need to get something done.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯ll be doing,¡± Dad says. ¡°Not everyone here will be going if they don¡¯t want to. We wanted to make sure that those here understood that there is a chance that they will not return if they go. You already know this, but the missing people are becoming more frequent, and you all haven¡¯t been in the field in months. This is your chance to back out.¡±

    Silence envelopes the room as they take in the information. Everyone already knows the danger, though they likely weren¡¯t sure why they were picked to go next. Elder Reggie had told me already.

    ¡°They haven¡¯t been down there lately,¡± she said. ¡°They¡¯re the best of who¡¯s left and I can¡¯t keep sending the same traumatized Hunters even if they do volunteer.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m out.¡± Eamon is the first to speak up, adjusting his bow against his back. ¡°I see the Valley Beasts enough at the night lift operator and suffer the risk then. I won¡¯t do it again if I don¡¯t have to.¡±

    Savva nodded. ¡°I understand. You can leave if you want or stay through the meeting.¡±

    Eamon sighs, leaning back in his chair. ¡°I¡¯ll stay. I don¡¯t want to be left out of the loop.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll go,¡± Elvina says. She smiles at Lazaro who had just opened his mouth to say something. ¡°I love this city and our island. I want to make sure that we keep our reputation as an ass-kicking people.¡±

    Lazaro leaned down and kissed her forehead. ¡°You really do read my mind sometimes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m staying here,¡± Jojo says, setting down their plate of food. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever seen them with a plate of food and not eating it. ¡°My sister is coming here soon. I can¡¯t leave without a guarantee that I¡¯ll be back.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Dad says. ¡°That makes this easier. We¡¯ll have an even team. The best Tracker left will be going with us to make sure to keep on the charted paths and stay together. If nothing else, we keep Chryssa safe.¡±

    I feel Elder Artur¡¯s eyes flicker to me. ¡°You¡¯ve been uncharacteristically quiet.¡±

    ¡°There isn¡¯t much for me to say.¡± I¡¯ve been standing near the table, listening. ¡°When people go into the Valley, I send them off with a prayer, knowing they may never come back. This time is no different. If I were to fawn over my parents with worry, it¡¯d be an insult.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± he says. ¡°Then will you give your opinion on what we¡¯ll be doing if this group doesn¡¯t make it back.¡±

    ¡°We at the temple are always happy to lend a hand where need be. If you need help with restructuring, I¡¯d be happy to offer my assistance and if we need to reorganize our priorities, I¡¯ll lend an ear. I¡¯m hoping that we won¡¯t have to, but I have been thinking about the best way to move forward and looking into our history to see what our cities were like before.¡±

    He smirks. ¡°Three steps ahead as always,¡± he mutters. ¡°Is there anything you would like to add to our discussion?¡±

    ¡°Talaat hasn¡¯t made much sense since he got back,¡± I say, referring to the lone survivor of the last hunting party. ¡°The only thing he remembers about that night is that he couldn¡¯t speak and had to be quiet. I try not to press him too much.¡± Since getting back, my best friend and childhood nemesis is a shell of himself. He keeps losing weight and seems to fold in on himself when anyone looks at him. He doesn¡¯t sleep because the nightmares are too vivid, and he wakes up screaming. He nods off for a few minutes at most, the longest being twenty before he jolted awake. We¡¯ve consulted witches and wizards to see if they could help him sleep without the terrors, but there was little to be done. Their draughts give him four hours, but that¡¯s better than nothing.

    Dad strokes his beard, his eyes cast down in thought. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll have to switch gear. We¡¯ll stay as quiet as possible to increase our chances of success. Are there any more questions or discussions to be had?¡± Heads shake as Dad takes a deep breath. ¡°Chryssa will take the lead in this hunt. We¡¯ll reconvene in one hour at the lift. Lazaro, Elvina¡ªthank you for coming with us. Jojo, Eamon¡ªthank you for being honest with us.¡±

    As they stand, Elder Artur raises his hand for their attention. ¡°Please keep in mind the danger you will be facing and act accordingly. I understand my callousness can be seen as uncaring, but I care deeply about all of you. Be careful, and may the gods guide your path.¡±

    Dad stays behind as everyone else shuffles out and helps me put the chairs away. ¡°Are you truly not worried?¡± he asks. He¡¯s staring at the table that Jojo attempted to clear on their way out. His hands grip the back of the chair. His knuckles are white.

    ¡°Dad, I¡¯m always worried.¡± He chuckles a little, his grip relaxing. I put my arm around his shoulder. It¡¯s jarring even after all this time that we¡¯re the same height. As a child, he was always so big. Larger than life and stronger than any Valley Beast. As I got older, he got smaller and smaller until he was just a man. ¡°I worry about you every day and today is no different. I know the risks, but like I said. I won¡¯t insult you by fussing.¡±

    ¡°You could insult me a little.¡± I pull him into a hug, and he holds me tight. Tighter than is comfortable, but I¡¯m okay with that. I¡¯d rather remember this. The feeling of his arms around me. His warmth and pulse and scent and everything that made him my dad. Too often I remember the sight of his back. I won¡¯t let that be the last thing I see this time. ¡°Your sister insults me all the time.¡±

    I laugh, pulling away. ¡°Peggy can¡¯t help it. She takes after Mom too much.¡±

    ¡°This is true,¡± he says. ¡°Will you send me off with a blessing, dear?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡±

    I turn and shout towards the door. ¡°Vid! Vahn! I know your eavesdropping.¡± There¡¯s a deafening silence before they come inside, for once looking sheepish. ¡°Did you learn anything?¡±

    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t eavesdrop on Hunter meetings?¡± Vahn volunteers.

    ¡°We should make sure we know what¡¯s happening before committing?¡± Vidia adds.

    ¡°You¡¯re both correct. Now, I have to give a blessing. Will you accompany me?¡±

    Their eyes lit up. ¡°I thought you said we weren¡¯t allowed,¡± Vidia says.

    ¡°Normally, no, but I think we can smudge it a little bit.¡± Vidia is a good singer but can¡¯t dance. Her movements are stiff like an unskilled puppeteer is pulling her strings. Vahn is a fantastic dancer, but puberty has him left wanting in terms of singing. ¡°Vidia, you will sing. Vahn, dance. I will channel and Dad, you know what to do.¡±

    We get into position with Vidia and Vahn on either side of me, standing back as Dad kneels. I reach out my hands and they hover over his head like I¡¯m placing a crown on his head. I breath in, letting the heat and light of Nzam flow through me. My blessings, real as they are, are just a plea to Nzam. A plea to protect. A plea to be watchful. A plea for understanding.

    Light fills the temple, and buttery sunlight explodes from me, washing over Dad.

    He smiles.

 Zenith

    Three days.

    That¡¯s how long we have to wait before we send Trackers in.

    Three days is short. We spend our time cleaning, praying, and practicing. My time is occupied every morning, noon, and night. Vidia and Vahn have yet to leave my side, a constant trail of chatter following me.

    My heart hasn¡¯t stopped racing since my parents left.

    On the night of the second day, I don¡¯t sleep. I stay in the watch tower with Beatrice, my glow a beacon in the night as I watch the Valley. Even the trees are twisted and gnarled, reaching up to the sky in the darkness. In the day, they shrink from the light, their withered leaves fanning out to keep the sun from reaching the ground.

    There¡¯s no human movement. Only Valley Beasts that sniff at us with anger. They know well not to try to climb the steep walls unless they want to be shot down from the watchtowers.

    ¡°Yvanna,¡± Beatrice says. ¡°You must be tired. I can continue watching if want to go rest.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I say, my eyes catching movement. It¡¯s a deer peering into the Valley. I pull an arrow from my quiver and take aim. It takes another step forward and I let the arrow fly. It starts and runs away, back into the Katta Forest. ¡°I want to stay and watch. If nothing else, I want to continue being as visible as possible.¡±

    Beatrice is quiet, but I can feel the words she refuses to say. She wants to tell me that I¡¯m wasting my time. That my energy is better served by resting and preparing. She¡¯s right, but she also knows I don¡¯t want to hear it. I can¡¯t believe that it¡¯s hopeless.

    ¡°As you wish,¡± she says, settling back into her position on the other side of the tower.

    The sunrise on the fourth day is quiet. My eyes are heavy as I descend the tower and trek toward the forest. My limbs are heavy as I move, exhaustion eating away at my normally graceful movements.

    My dancing is stiff, and my singing is stilted. When I¡¯m done, I hear Peggy say, ¡°That was the worst I¡¯ve seen in a while.¡±

    ¡°It happens when you stay up all night.¡± She¡¯s leaning against her normal tree. Light peaks over the trees, highlighting the dark bags under her eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t look much better than me.¡±

    She chuckles. ¡°I wear it better.¡± She¡¯s quiet for a moment, watching the sun rise higher as she puffs out a harsh breath. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I lift my arms up in a stretch, watching her watch me. She¡¯s waiting for me to break.

    ¡°You have a choice to make. There are other Trackers.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± The air is sharp. Despite the sunrise, it¡¯s still cold as the wind whips around us.

    ¡°If you leave the temple, Farah would be in charge.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯d be pretty bad,¡± I say. ¡°She doesn¡¯t have the patience I do.¡±

    ¡°Elder Reggie would miss you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. The others would be happier though.¡±

    ¡°Those kids need you.¡±

    I pause. My heart seizes at the thought of leaving them behind. They can survive without me, there¡¯s no question of that. Even with all of their problems, I know they can do it.

    I turn away, looking at a bird as it sings. ¡°Mom and Dad need me.¡±

    She¡¯s quiet for a while and her feet crunch on the near-frozen grass as she approaches me. Putting a hand on my shoulder, her grip is tight enough to leave bruises. ¡°If you¡¯re sure, then let¡¯s go. Messengers from Naunne are here.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    We walk in silence to the Elder¡¯s building. There¡¯s no point in exchanging more words. She knows my resolve won¡¯t waver, and it was never a question of whether Peggy would go to find them.

    Peggy doesn¡¯t have many people outside of us she relies on. I have my fellow priests and have long since ingratiated myself with Elder Reggie. Peggy, on the other hand, has never reached out to anyone else. Her quiet, harsh demeanor also does a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of keeping people away from her. She trusts everyone to do their part, but she doesn¡¯t love everyone. She doesn¡¯t even like them very much despite being the head of our home guard. Outside of us, she has herself, her knives, and Antonia if she ever makes a move.

    With the sun on a few minutes into its climb the Elder¡¯s Building is quiet. Normally it would be buzzing with people filing documents, submitting maintaining requests, settling payments, etc. Today, there are only twelve people in the lobby when we walk in¡ªthe nine Elders of Thesgrea, Elder Amata from Naunne, and three people I¡¯ve never seen. They look at us as the door swings open.

    ¡°There you are,¡± Elder Reggie says. ¡°We need to get started.¡±

    We shuffled into the Elder¡¯s chamber, a large room with a round table where only the most important discussions are had. Rarely are the nine Elders in the same place. Each of them deals with a different aspect of our government and while some overlap, none of them are really needed together. It¡¯s only when things go very, very wrong that they convene.

    Extra chairs have been pulled to the table to accommodate the extra people. I sit between Elder Reggie and Peggy who¡¯s tapping her foot with impatience. ¡°I don¡¯t see what there¡¯s to discuss,¡± she says as everyone takes their seats. Her posture is stiff, and her brows furrowed. Her drumming fingers join her foot. ¡°We go into the Valley to see if we can catch their trail. You Elders stay here and bicker amongst yourselves until we get back.¡±

    Elder Rosa clicks her teeth. She looks tired and her eyes squint as if she¡¯s staring into the sun. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for your attitude. Elder Amata is here because they¡¯re having the same problem in Naunne and we¡¯re here to discuss what will happen if your group doesn¡¯t make it back.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what I mean,¡± Peggy says. ¡°We already know what we have to do. Yvie and I will be going and I¡¯m assuming one of the three Amata brought with her. We need one more person to round out our party. Two if you want to keep it even on both sides.¡± The Elders stare at her, not bothering to hide their irritation. Even Reggie seems exasperated. ¡°I¡¯ll worry about what to do after when that comes.¡±

    ¡°I understand your eagerness to go and track them down,¡± Elder Artur starts, ¡°but we have much to discuss, and you all will need to prepare yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Elder Amata,¡± I say before Peggy can retort. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again.¡±

    She sniffs, looking down her nose at me. ¡°You used to be much smaller. And more annoying.¡±

    ¡°Ten years makes a big difference. How long has Naunne been facing the same problem?¡±

    ¡°About a year,¡± she says. ¡°We account for a certain number to go missing or pass away on the job, but the numbers have been steadily increasing. We don¡¯t get Hunters and Trackers in as quickly as we¡¯re losing them.¡±

    ¡°I see. Then let¡¯s start from the beginning and try again.¡± I stand, gesturing to Peggy who is staring daggers at me. I ignore her. ¡°This is my older sister Peggy Gust. She¡¯s a Hunter and head of the home guard. She keeps stray Valley Beasts from wreaking havoc on the city. My name is Yvanna Gust. I¡¯m the head priest of our temple and a Tracker.¡±

    Elder Amata cocks her head before smiling. She stands. ¡°This is Elena Eld.¡± She gestures to the young woman next to her. She looks young. With her blonde hair in two pigtails on her neck and glasses sliding down her nose, she looks like a kid. I know Elder Amata well enough that she would never do that. ¡°She¡¯s an expert on Valley Beasts who will be accompanying you. This is Jameel Severi and Nohemi Arielle. They¡¯re students of the Valley expert who will be joining us soon.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I say. I look at Peggy and she rolls her eyes. Good enough. ¡°When do you want us to leave?¡±

    ¡°Soon,¡± Elder Zahid says. ¡°We don¡¯t have the time to waste on more back and forth so let¡¯s get this done. When you three leave, we¡¯ll begin preparations for the possibility that you won¡¯t come back. When that happens, the Valley will be barred on all sides. Everyone in the home guard in both Thesgrea and Naunne will be given permission to use lethal force on anything attempting to come out of the Valley. If you are coming out of the Valley, make that you use the signals Elder Jameel made.¡±

    Jameel stands and digs through the bag at his side before producing three cylinders. He gives one to Elena and slides the other two across the table to us. It¡¯s made of stone, though there¡¯s a hum of magic to it that feels like lightning gently vibrating my hand. ¡°These will emit a blast of red smoke when they¡¯re broken. Break one when you reach the five-mile mark, so we know where we need to go. Break two if you find where they are in that time. Once they break, they won¡¯t be usable again. I don¡¯t have a good name for it yet. I¡¯ve just been calling it a smoker.¡±

    I turn it over in my hands and see an engraving of his initials on the bottom. ¡°So, if we lose these, we¡¯re screwed.¡±

    He smiles shyly. ¡°Pretty much.¡±

    I look at Peggy. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t be the first time.¡±

    She smirks, rolling her head back. ¡°Sure wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I say, tucking the cylinder into my robes. ¡°Let¡¯s continue.¡±

 Phase

    Elena is nervous. It¡¯s not easy to see from her carefully crafted mask of disinterest, but I can see it. Her eyes, a beautiful light brown, are darting back and forth between her bags and Elder Amata. She¡¯s already snapped at Elena once for rifling through her bags, but there must be something she needs.

    Her heel taps quietly, not quite hitting the wood of the lift. If I wasn¡¯t looking, I might not have noticed. Next to the watch tower is the lift. Perched over the Valley¡¯s edge, it¡¯s an open-air platform with a two-foot high border around it. The way down usually isn¡¯t a problem, and no one has an issue with keeping balance as we¡¯re lowered. It¡¯s coming back that can be an issue. Some Valley Beasts can breathe fire. Some Valley Beasts will lose interest if they lose sight of you. Some are deterred by human construction.

    Its main function, though, is to give us an easy hurdle to jump if we¡¯re running back and can¡¯t stop. The time it takes to open and close a door could be the end.

    Peggy is counting the knives on her belt. Twenty-three. That¡¯s how many times she¡¯s had Lourens make her a weapon and how many times he¡¯s failed.

    They¡¯re good weapons made of Valley Beast bone and tempered in their blood. Anyone else would be happy to have that many, but Peggy disliked all of them. ¡°They¡¯re not balanced,¡± she¡¯d say every time. ¡°When I hold the knife, I need it to feel like an extension of my arm, not an unwieldly stick.¡± There¡¯s only one knife she has that she likes. It¡¯s strapped to her thigh and nearly as long. Serrated on one side and razor-sharp on the other, it¡¯s one that she made three years ago with Antonia. She never goes on a hunt without it.

    ¡°Elena,¡± I say. Her eyes snap to me and her leg stills. ¡°Will anyone be seeing you off?¡±

    Her eyes roll up in thought before she meets mine again. ¡°Everyone already said their goodbyes. What about you?¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± I say, looking over at Vidia and Vahn. ¡°I suppose I should.¡±

    They¡¯re standing close together, their shoulders touching as they look at the ground. Since they woke up, they haven¡¯t been the normal chatterboxes I¡¯ve grown accustomed to. They¡¯re quiet and somber.

    I reach out and smack them, their heads hitting each other as they careen together.

    ¡°What the hell was that for?¡± Vidia yells.

    ¡°I could ask you the same thing,¡± I say. They rub their heads and look back at the ground, clearly irritated. ¡°Do you think I want to see your sad faces as I go down there?¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want us here you could just say that,¡± Vahn mutters and gestures toward the lift. ¡°It was Reggie who dragged us here.¡± She smiles at me and waves. We¡¯ve already said our goodbyes.

    ¡°That¡¯s Elder Reggie,¡± I say. ¡°Be respectful.¡±

    ¡°Only if she is,¡± they say together. They look at each other, a small snort coming from them as they start to giggle.

    ¡°There we go,¡± I say, smiling. ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to see.¡± They look at each other, then back at me, confused. ¡°I want you to be smiling when you send me off. I don¡¯t want to see you looking depressed.¡±

    Vidia opens her mouth, then closes it. She does this several times before Vahn puts a hand on her shoulder. His brows are scrunched with worry as he says, ¡°We¡¯ve done this before. It¡¯s not any easier this time.¡±

    I raise an eyebrow. ¡°I didn¡¯t think either of you cared that much.¡± There¡¯s hardly a time when they prefer to be around me. Most days I don¡¯t see them unless they want something or I¡¯m getting them out of trouble. The last few days being the exception, I figured they were just paying back the favor.

    ¡°Of course we care,¡± Vidia says. Her voice is shaking and quiet. She¡¯s still looking at the ground. Her fists are clenched, and I see something small fall to the ground. ¡°You were the only thing that kept us going after our parents¡­It was thanks to you that we managed to get back up. Of course we care.¡±

    ¡°Come back,¡± Vahn says. His voice is breaking, and tears begin to fall, but he¡¯s not breaking eye contact. There¡¯s no hint of his usual shyness or anxiety. Just a determination I didn¡¯t know he possessed. ¡°You have to come back to us.¡±

    ¡°You know I can¡¯t promise that.¡±

    ¡°Try,¡± he says. He¡¯s pleading as he wraps his arms around Vidia. Her whole body is shaking and her hiccupping sobs seep into my chest and wring my heart. ¡°Try with everything you have to make it back to us. You¡¯re all we have left.¡±

    I shouldn¡¯t promise them. Going into the Valley at this point is all but certain death. If we do as we¡¯re told, there¡¯s a chance we¡¯ll come back. If we don¡¯t, then there¡¯s almost no chance. Peggy will want to come back once we catch the trail, and Elena seems anxious enough for all of us. Mom and Dad are not all that I have, but I owe them so much.

    I pull them into a hug and their arms wrap around me with a tightness that squeezes my heart tighter. Their tears soak into my robes, and I lay my hand on their heads. ¡°Okay,¡± I say. ¡°I promise I will do everything in my power to come back.¡±

    ¡°Yvie,¡± Peggy calls. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡±

    They¡¯re reluctant to let go, but slowly they move back and away.

    I hop over the barrier and take in the forest around us. It¡¯s chilly, and the snow has yet to fall. It¡¯s quiet. Not even the birds sing this close to the Valley. I pick up my bow and sling it around me. The Elders, the students, and the twins are the only ones here are we begin to descend. Vidia is wrapped in Vahn¡¯s arms. Elder Reggie is splitting her gaze between us. I shake my head. I know it¡¯s too much to ask them again.

    Reggie pulled the lever to lower us down and the clunk of the machine draws their attention. Vidia viciously rubs her eyes as they both take a deep breath and shout, ¡°See you later!¡±

    They¡¯re smiling.

    I raise my hand. ¡°Later.¡±

 Waxing

    The lift lowers quickly and quietly. There is little preamble to getting into the Valley.

    The trees that make their home in the Valley have spread their leaves, blocking the light from the ground. The lift continues down on one of the few places where trees don¡¯t grow.

    Our feet crunch the frozen ground, and Peggy pulls on the rope near the pulley system. In the distance, a bell rings and lets them know we¡¯re out of the lift.

    I take the lead, checking the trees for marks and the ground for footprints. The Valley floor is harsh. Grass doesn¡¯t grow and most dirt is too toxic to house even bugs. Perpetually sloping downward, I see more than a few prints that slide, indicating someone slipped. There are a few different ones and most of them are headed in the same direction. Straight ahead with a slight curve to the right. Peggy keeps her hands on her hips, ready to grab a knife. I keep my bow in hand, three arrows outside of my quiver waiting to be used. Elena is weaponless, only her bag at her side as she looks around.

    ¡°It¡¯s darker than I thought,¡± she says. Her voice is the only sound aside from our feet and it seems to carry as if the Valley itself is pulling it out.

    ¡°Be careful,¡± Peggy says. ¡°The further in we get, the darker it is.¡±

    Elena¡¯s footsteps falter. ¡°How are we supposed to fighting in the dark?¡±

    ¡°Yvie will help with that.¡± She doesn¡¯t elaborate and I can feel Elena¡¯s eyes on me. ¡°Torches would only attract flying Valley Beasts. We have enough to deal with it already. Any luck?¡±

    ¡°There are a few tracks here,¡± I say. ¡°But I know which ones to follow. Mom always leaves a line in her tracks from her bo staff.¡±

    ¡°Okay then. We only go five miles in to map the direction they went and then we turn back.¡± She grabs my shoulder and turns me around. ¡°We go back, okay?¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I say. ¡°I can¡¯t break my promise to them.¡± There¡¯s another reason I say okay, but I don¡¯t want to voice it. ¡°Elena, Elder Amata called you a Valley Beast expert. What does that mean?¡±

    She smiles, her nerves seeming to even out as she says, ¡°I¡¯ve spent my entire life studying them. From the normal animals that get transmuted by the Valley¡¯s aura to the Beasts that the Valley itself spawns. I know all of their eating, sleeping, and mating habits. Their different classes and I¡¯m even working on making a taxonomical book about them.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you decided to join us?¡± I say. The foliage is getting thicker above us and thinner on the ground. Branches climb higher and higher as we descend and the meager light from where the lift dropped us is disappearing. I set myself alight, keeping the glow as dim as possible while still being able to see the tracks.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she says. ¡°Studying them from a book is one thing, but actually getting to see them, and see them alive, is another. I want to help everyone with whatever I discover here.¡±

    Peggy gives her a look that¡¯s hard to decipher in the darkness. ¡°You aren¡¯t stupid enough to want to bring one back alive, are you?¡± Her hand twitches toward the closest knife on her belt. Elena doesn¡¯t see it, staring hard at the ground to keep her footing.

    ¡°I may be young, but I¡¯m not stupid,¡± she says, moving to put me in between them. ¡°My mentor only agreed to let me come along if I brought back one alive. I agreed only because I wanted to see what Valley Beast looks like alive.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Peggy says. Her hand starts to relax before she tenses up again. ¡°Something¡¯s coming.¡±

    We still, listening past the sound of our breath and hearts thundering in our ears. Something heavy is on its way. Its charge shakes the trees and makes the ground tremble. Elena reaches into her bag for something and it¡¯s upon us.

    It used to be a stag is the first thing I think. Its antlers are enormous. They¡¯re wide enough that it shouldn¡¯t be able to move so easily around the trees, but it seems to have no trouble. Its hooves are huge to match the size of its bulk, shining red and black, but that¡¯s where the similarities to what it used to be end. Legs thick as a pole and twisted as if they were broken around and around itself. Its body is a shuddering amalgamation of stag, tree, and something black and oozing. It opened its mouth. Wider and wider¡ªfar wider than any deer could possibly fathom to reveal rows and rows of rotten yellow and black teeth.

    The smell is almost enough to make me throw up, but the scream that echoes from its mouth sends me into a frenzy of fight or flight.

    Peggy moves first. Two knives find themself buried in its neck and a third follows soon after. She charges, pulling the knife on her thigh out and hurling it into its body.

    From behind me, I hear something trailing on the ground, and I have only a moment to look to my left before Elena flicks her wrist. A whip cracks through the air and wraps around the Valley Beast¡¯s neck. Elena pulls it, straining against the Beast as it tries to pull back.

    Peggy jumps up, sinking her blade into its back as she uses it to climb up and onto its back. It tries to scream, but another whip cracks and Elena has its head bowing to her.

    It¡¯s only then that I start to move.

    My arrows flow, hitting its legs and the third hitting the already bleeding wound left by Peggy. I pulled out her knife and it bucks, kicking as it tries to howl in pain, but Elena keeps a tight hold on her whips. A choking, hacking noise comes from its maw instead, grating and grinding. It¡¯s tongue lolls, black and puss filled.

    I rush, planting my feet as I swing the blade. It¡¯s a clean cut and its head falls with a sickening squelch. It takes a moment for its body to fall, but Peggy is already off of it.

    Elena is rolling up her whips as she walks to the dead Beast. There¡¯s an unsettling look of hunger on her face as she squats down. She digs in her bag again and pulls out a notebook.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Peggy pulls her knives from the Beast, wiping them on her pants. ¡°Why did you freeze?¡±

    ¡°I¡­When it screamed, what did it sound like to you?¡±

    She stares at me, her brows furrowed in confusion. ¡°The same way it always does.¡±

    I place a hand on my chest. My heart is still beating wildly as I close my eyes. Valley Beasts¡¯ screams sound hollow like they¡¯re in a deep well. It¡¯s unnerving, but part of the way the Valley functions. I¡¯ll never forget my first time hearing, freezing in my tracks like a bucket of ice water was being pour down my spine.

    I open my eyes, and Peggy is still staring at me. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. ¡°It sounded human. It¡­It sounded like Vidia.¡±

 Meteor

    There aren¡¯t many Valley Beasts that sound human. Most of them will probe your mind and pick a voice close to the surface of your thoughts. They will call your name or scream for help. Sometimes, if they¡¯re intelligent enough, they will string together a sentence or two.

    All Valley Beast mimics are birds.

    All Valley Beast mimics affect everyone who can hear them.

    It takes a long time for the shuddering to stop. In that time, Elena is kneeling in front of the Valley Beast and the only sound to be heard is her pencil dragging across paper. She¡¯s muttering under her breath that I can¡¯t make out. The blood in my ears is rushing and I¡¯m trying not to faint.

    Peggy holds my hand as she waits for the spell to pass, but even after a few minutes I can¡¯t stop swaying.

    ¡°Yvie,¡± Peggy says. It¡¯s a struggle to focus on her voice. ¡°I¡¯m going to slap you.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Her hand flies, a loud crack echoing through the Valley. Her other hand is still firmly on mine, and I don¡¯t fall. My eyes focus again, and my blood is rushing for a different reason. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    She stares at me for a moment before saying, ¡°It must have been bad. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve managed to slap you in years.¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± I say, rubbing my face. It stings, but at least it¡¯s something to focus on. ¡°The sound keeps playing in my head. I¡­Even when I saved them, they never screamed. Even for surgery, Vidia was closer to cracking a tooth than screaming. But I know it was her voice. I know it.¡±

    ¡°Elena,¡± Peggy says. ¡°Know anything about this?¡±

    Her pencil still moves as she gets closer, squinting. I turn up my brightness and she smiles. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a mimic that can¡¯t fly, but that may just be part of the Beasts¡¯ natural evolution. If something works, then it gets passed on. Beast genetics are wildly different from the animals they used to be or even the Beasts the Valley spawns. It¡¯s like clay. It takes time, but it can be molded into something different.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s horrifying,¡± Peggy grumbles. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to tell everyone about this when we get back. How much farther are we allowed?¡±

    ¡°About four miles,¡± Elena says. ¡°We¡¯ll need to turn back soon, but at least I managed to get this.¡± She all smiles as she stands, that unsettling look of hunger still on her face. ¡°Llewella is going to be so happy about this. I hope we run into another one soon.¡±

    Peggy¡¯s face twists into a snarl, but I put a hand on her shoulder. If there¡¯s an issue between them, it can wait until we resurface. ¡°I¡¯m glad you were able to get something out of this hunt. And thank you, Elena, for backing up Peggy when I wasn¡¯t able.¡±

    ¡°Happy to,¡± she smiles. Any trace of anxiety I felt from her earlier is gone. All that¡¯s left is an eagerness to explore and learn as much as she can. ¡°I haven¡¯t been in the Valley since my first test to make sure I was fit. I had thought I would panic and be useless, but I¡¯m relieved to know that muscle memory kicks in.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Peggy says. She approaches Elena, using her half-foot advantage to look down on her. Her voice is low and aggressive. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t, I would have thrown you over my shoulder and taken you back to Thesgrea myself, Elders be damned.¡±

    Elena¡¯s smile wavers as fear sinks in. ¡°R-Right. Glad I proved myself.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I say. ¡°We¡¯ve stayed in one place for too long.¡±

    The tracks are still there, despite the scuffle. When we see them again, I need to thank Mom for her bo staff.

    The aura of the Valley is oppressive, bearing down on us as we move deeper. I dig into my robes and put on our filtering mask. While humans are the only ones that won¡¯t be transmitted by Valley¡¯s aura, it¡¯s still a mild poison. If breathed in for too long, a creeping sickness will start to set in.

    We don¡¯t move much further before it starts again. It¡¯s something small this time. Perhaps it used to be a rabbit or fox, but now it¡¯s twisted and bleeding. Its bones crack with each movement and its voice is hollow as it cries out. This one is quicker to dispatch. One arrow pins it down and Peggy beheads it. This time we don¡¯t linger long enough for Elena to take notes. She huffs but says nothing.

    The deeper we go, the harder it is to keep track of which direction they went. After the first Hunters retook the island from the initial wave of Beasts, even the dumbest ones know better than to linger around the edges. Now, three miles in, it¡¯s only skill that differentiates us from hunter and prey.Stolen novel; please report.

    It¡¯s fully dark now and the chill has properly set in. Even Elena, who had been chatting mindlessly about whatever Beast came to mind, is quiet. Despite the danger, I keep the light as bright as I need.

    It¡¯s a struggle to get the five-mile mark. The Beasts get craftier as we go further in. Blood Hawks dive bomb us, making way for the Axe Beaks to catch us while we¡¯re distracted.

    Slithering Beasts that used to be snakes lunge at our legs. A timely swing from my bow keeps its rotting venom from sinking into Peggy¡¯s leg.

    ¡°How are you so vigilant?¡± Elena asks. I glance back and she¡¯s squinting around us, trying to see further than the five feet my light gives off. Her voice is quiet, muffled by the mask.

    ¡°Practice,¡± I say.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a priest? Don¡¯t you normally do blessings and stuff?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s the job of everyone in Valley Cities to be well trained. I haven¡¯t been here in well over a year, but I train regularly.¡±

    ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t want to,¡± Peggy adds. ¡°Priya would make sure that you practice. She likes to make sure she can still kick your ass.¡±

    Given Priya¡¯s general dislike for everyone, it was always startling when she asked me to come and hang out with her. Her version of hanging out is sparring without intent to harm, though it took me a while to realize that. ¡°I like your attitude,¡± she said when I asked why she wanted to spar with me. ¡°It¡¯s balanced. Not many people can get that without years of training.¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because my parents are Hunters.¡±

    She smiled. Priya¡¯s grin is huge and threatening, all teeth on display like a lion. When I first met her at seventeen, I thought she wanted to kill me. I¡¯m still not sure she doesn¡¯t. ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    She didn¡¯t elaborate and though I¡¯ve asked her many times since, she just grins and doesn¡¯t answer.

    ¡°I practice too,¡± Elena says. ¡°But I¡¯m still a step behind.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s experience,¡± Peggy says. ¡°With experience comes muscle memory and trained senses. I can¡ª¡± She stops, a knife flinging past me and hitting something. We walk past another Beast, this time I can¡¯t tell what it used to be. Only twisted limbs and popping pustules leaking black acid that burns the ground.

    ¡°Woah,¡± Elena says. ¡°I didn¡¯t even hear it.¡±

    ¡°It was quiet,¡± I said. ¡°But even Valley Beasts breathe.¡±

    Peggy pulls her knife out and flicks the blood off. The specks hit a tree, and they burrow into the already rotted wood. With a sigh, Peggy flings the knife into the tree and leaves it. ¡°You¡¯re young. With time, you¡¯ll be better.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know that I¡¯ll want to come back here. Maybe with more Hunters that can help me with my research,¡± Elena says. ¡°We¡¯re reaching the point of no return. A few more yards and we¡¯ll have to turn back.¡±

    I sigh. The tracks are still clear, though mildly trampled. If we keep going, it¡¯ll help mitigate the amount of tampering the tracks will have later, but I made a promise I intend to keep.

    When we reach the point of no return, I feel on edge. I feel like we¡¯re being watched, but there¡¯s nothing close enough for us to see. Peggy is gripping the knife on her thigh and Elena is holding both whips. Something is making my stomach churn and my heart race. If I glow any brighter, I run the risk of putting us in immediate danger. My hands shake as I pull out my smoker.

    I look at Peggy and Elena. ¡°We leave as soon as I break this.¡± They nod, their eyes looking around, trying to see what¡¯s watching us. I raise my arm and smash it down. It breaks easily, a plume of red rising weaving through the branches and fanned leaves.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± My bow is up and pointed before I fully realize whose voice it is. For a moment my stance wobbles, but I stay firmly locked on. Fein is smiling, a cocky grin I know better than my own. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten a lot bigger.¡± His hands are on his hips as he sways on his feet. He¡¯s looking me up and down with a fondness I haven¡¯t seen in a long time.

    ¡°So have you,¡± I say when I find my voice. It¡¯s been five years since he died. Five years since he was torn in half by a Valley Beast. Sometimes I can still feel the warmth of his blood on my face. I was barely in my twenties. ¡°More handsome, too.¡± He looks exactly the way I thought he would if he¡¯d lived.

    His head tilts, accentuating his smile. ¡°You¡¯ve always known how to flatter me, Yvie. I miss you. You never come to see me anymore.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve been busy,¡± I say. ¡°I¡¯ve got some kids to look after.¡±

    He snorts in laughter, and I want to fall to my knees. I could live off the sound. ¡°How? You don¡¯t even like kids.¡±

    ¡°I would love to say I fell into it, but I sort of strong-armed my way into looking after them. They needed someone stable, and I wasn¡¯t going to let them fall when I could do something about it.¡±

    ¡°I see that hasn¡¯t changed.¡± He stuffs his hands into his pockets. He¡¯s wearing the same outfit he wore the day he died: Nkam¡¯s pakaja priests¡¯ robes of orange, yellow, and white. The same as the ones I wear right now. He leans against a tree, crossing his ankles. He looks up, watching the last of the smoke find its way through the leaves. ¡°How much longer do I have to stall before you find your nerve?¡±

    I want to flinch. That hasn¡¯t changed either. Fein could always see right through me. ¡°Thirty seconds,¡± I say. I take a breath. ¡°Can I¡­Can I ask you something selfish?¡±

    He pushes off of the tree and bows with a flourish. ¡°For you, my sun priest, anything.¡±

    ¡°Say you love me. Just one more time.¡±

    His eyes widen before he doubles over in laughter. ¡°Even in death, you manage to surprise me.¡± He doesn¡¯t move closer, just reaches out his hand as if asking for mine. ¡°I love you, Yvanna. More than the sun loves the sky, and the stars love the moon.¡± His face darkens, eyes steady on mine, as he says, ¡°Now, take the shot, Yvie.¡±

    My arrow flies before he finishes his sentence. It pierces his chest, right between his ribs and another quickly follows to his throat. I know if I hear his voice one more time my resolve will fold.

    Fein smiles as he coughs, and blood runs down his chin. And I watch my best friend die for a second time.

 Sidereal

    I come out of my reverie in time to see Peggy behead her Beast. Iranti Kuroo are one of the biggest threats to Hunters and Trackers. Lifelike hallucinations of the people we miss most are hard to resist. Unknowing Hunters could stay in the same spot forever, while the Kuroo feasts on them, saving their brain for last.

    Elena is stock still, looking at the Kuroo that grabbed her. Its eyes pulse black and purple and red as it stares into hers. It clacks its curled and jagged beak in anticipation. So distracted by its protentional prey, it doesn¡¯t notice when my arrow flies. It¡¯s pinned to the tree, the Kuroo¡¯s echoing screech pulling Elena from her vision.

    Faster than I thought she could move, her whips are around its neck and she pulls it down with a hard flick. Its neck snaps and she pulls her whips back. She looks equal parts shaken and livid.

    ¡°Where are we?¡± Peggy asks. Her eyes are scanning the trees and ground. ¡°We¡¯ve moved.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Elena says. ¡°We couldn¡¯t have. Iranti Kuroos don¡¯t cause their prey to move.¡±

    ¡°Then something else did it,¡± she says. Elena digs into her bag and starts flipping through one of her notebooks. I look to the ground. The tracks we were following are gone. Only smooth ground and Beast tracks.

    I look at Peggy and she¡¯s quietly wiping her knife on a cloth. She¡¯s squatting, her head down and hair falling over her shoulder as she works. It¡¯s not unusual for her to care for her weapons immediately after battle, but something is off. Her hands are shaking.

    I squat next to her earning a small tsk from Elena as she moves closer to my light. ¡°Peggy?¡±

    She stops for a moment before continuing. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Who did you see?¡±

    She¡¯s quiet. After a few seconds I don¡¯t think she¡¯s going to answer, but her voice is a whisper as she says, ¡°Antonia.¡±

    ¡°Fein,¡± I say. Her head flicks up. ¡°I know. I thought it¡¯d be Dad, but I suppose some wounds never heal the way we think they do.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± she says. She digs her knife into the ground, drawing a line. ¡°I know it couldn¡¯t have been easy.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I say, watching Elena furiously page through another book. ¡°But it¡¯s harder for you, I¡¯m sure. I don¡¯t have to see Fein anywhere but my dreams. You get to see Antonia when we get back. Knowing what her last moment looks like¡­ That¡¯s something else.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well,¡± she says. ¡°It¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve seen something like that.¡±

    ¡°Hardly makes it any easier.¡±

    ¡°Sirens!¡± Elena says. She claps a hand over her mouth before squatting down with us. In a lower voice she says, ¡°It must have been sirens. That¡¯s the only Beast that could have gotten us to move without realizing it.¡±

    ¡°Sirens don¡¯t cohabitate with anything,¡± Peggy says. She uses her knife to draw the rough shape of the Valley. It looks like a jagged knife wound in the earth. She draws a small circle near the center and taps it. ¡°Their lake is here and we¡¯re here.¡± She points close to the edge. ¡°There¡¯s no way we would have made it far enough to encounter a Siren.¡±

    Elena bites her top lip, brows furrowed. ¡°I know it doesn¡¯t make any sense, but it¡¯s the only thing that would make sense given the circumstances. No other Valley Beast is capable of doing something like that and Yvanna can verify that we¡¯ve moved.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± I say. ¡°The previous parties tracks are gone, but the more pressing concern is that we didn¡¯t leave any tracks, however we got here.¡±

    Their eyes widen and they look behind us. There are the tracks from our scuffle with the Kuroo, but nothing else. Not even a break in the trees where something might have flown.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°There¡¯s one more explanation,¡± I say. ¡°Magic.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Elena says. ¡°There are no witches or wizards are stupid enough to come to the Valley. Not unless they were being paid well enough to fund their experiments and supplies forever.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve met some very stupid wizards in my day,¡± Peggy says.

    ¡°We can figure this out,¡± I say. ¡°Will you both stand watch while I commune?¡±

    Peggy stands and motions for Elena to do the same. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°Talk to Nkam and see if he has any insights.¡±

    She stands, her whips at the ready. ¡°Does he really talk to you?¡±

    ¡°When he wants to.¡± I sit, cross my legs, and close my eyes. My mind calms as I breathe. Nkam sits with me, breathes with me, when I meditate. He cannot always be with me, but I can feel his presence. Now, I can¡¯t feel anything. His laugh and his smile are too far from me.

    The breeze changes for just a moment. His voice whispers, barely audible, ¡°May my light find you even in the dark.¡±

    I open my eyes. ¡°He can¡¯t reach me. The Valley is too dense here.¡± Peggy helps me to my feet.

    Elena pales. ¡°What? We¡¯re too far for the gods to reach us? Even you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m only a conduit,¡± I say, dusting off my clothes. ¡°Unless I¡¯m interested in being possessed or overloaded, Nkam will not be able to help us anymore than he already is.¡± The fact that I¡¯m still glowing is a testament to how much he cares.

    ¡°I can climb the tree,¡± Peggy says. ¡°Get a lay of the land and figure out what I can see.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re asking to be attacked if you do that,¡± Elena says. ¡°Every flying Beast will attack you and we didn¡¯t even bring climbing tools.¡±

    Peggy reaches into the pack she keeps on her belt and pulls out two thick strips of leather. She wraps them around her hands. ¡°Problem solved. Keep your eyes open down here.¡± She gives Elena another stern look, then starts climbing.

    We stand in silence for a moment, the only sound coming from the cold ground shifting under Elena¡¯s weight.

    She looks up, but Peggy is already out of sight. ¡°Will she be alright?¡± she asks. ¡°I¡¯ve always been told not to climb the trees without proper equipment. It¡¯s an easy way to get you hurt and noticed.¡±

    ¡°True,¡± I say, setting my sights on¡­something. I can¡¯t tell what it is, only that it¡¯s clicking joints make a wet, unnerving sound as it drags its way across the ground. I let my arrow fly, and it pins it, black blood flowing thickly to the ground. I dig my arrow out of the Beast before its blood erodes it further. ¡°But Peggy is the exception. Every time we¡¯ve come down here, she climbs the trees and every time she gets better at it. Only thing she can¡¯t control is whether or not there are any flying Beasts but she likes her chances.¡±

    Elena remains nervous next to me as the minutes pass, her heel bouncing as it almost hits the ground.

    It was interesting seeing her like this. Even on my first trip down, I wasn¡¯t as nervous as she is. I was scared, of course, but I managed to keep it contained until we made it out again. It was part of the training Priya gave everything.

    ¡°Be afraid,¡± she¡¯d said. ¡°Be afraid and terrified and anxious. I only demand that you don¡¯t let your fear weaken you. Be ready and move surely, but by the gods let yourself be afraid. You¡¯ll die otherwise.¡±

    The only time Elena seems in control of herself is when Valley Beasts are involved.

    ¡°Yvanna.¡± Her voice is soft but insistent. I turn and see she¡¯s staring at something on the ground. Following her line of sight, I see that it¡¯s one of the Kuroos. It¡¯s the one that she killed, its neck twisted so hard it¡¯s hanging on by stringy muscle. ¡°What does that look like to you?¡±

    I stare for a moment, trying to see what she sees, but it looks like it always does. ¡°An Iranti Kuroo.¡±

    She steps away, shadows immediately making her face starker as my light recedes. From her bag, she produces something small and silver. It looks like a piercing, but she flicks her wrist, and it extends about two feet. She takes another step and reaches out before stabbing the Kuroo¡¯s wing and dragging it closer to us.

    She squats down, slipping on gloves I hadn¡¯t seen her take out. She picks at it, examining the wings, the body, the beak. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a dead Beast up close. I hope it¡¯s my last as the smell is even worse in death. The distance and mask helped, but with it only a few feet away, my mouth started to water as I choke back a gag.

    Above us the tree rustles and I swing my bow up. After a moment of squinting, I see Peggy¡¯s boot. She drops down once she¡¯s close and shakes her head. Dead leaves fly from her hair and she wipes a new cut on her forehead.

    ¡°We¡¯re damn near in the middle,¡± she says. ¡°I can see the Sirens¡¯ Lake from up there and it¡¯s not too far north of us. Thesgrea and Naunne are likely equidistant from us.¡±

    ¡°Meaning we¡¯ve walked or run or were teleported over twenty miles.¡±

    ¡°Meaning, we¡¯re screwed,¡± Peggy corrects. ¡°There¡¯s one other thing, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good. About a mile west, there¡¯s a clearing. I couldn¡¯t tell from up there what was there, but it looked like a village of sorts. What,¡± she says, finally looking down at Elena, ¡°is she doing to that thing?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I say. ¡°She¡ª¡±

    ¡°Shit,¡± Elena mutters. She has it spread on the ground like it¡¯s ready for dissection. In her hands, she holds its head beaks forced apart as she stares into its mouth. ¡°Shit!¡± It¡¯s louder this time and she takes her metal rod and stabs its eyes. Viscous red and black blood pours out and I finally know what she meant.

    Valley Beasts bleed black.

 Equinox

    ¡°You were right.¡± I hadn¡¯t expected to be right. ¡°You were right!¡± I hoped I was wrong. ¡°You were fucking right!¡± Elena is whisper yelling, trying to keep her frustrations to a minimum but she¡¯s squeezing the Kuroo¡¯s head like it¡¯ll give her answers. One of the eyes pops out but she doesn¡¯t seem to notice.

    ¡°I will slap you,¡± Peggy says. She¡¯s pacing, keeping her eyes moving as she wears a hole into the ground around me. ¡°Take a breath and start using your head.¡±

    The wood is my bow starts to creak under my grip and I release it before I snap the arrow.

    ¡°Okay,¡± I say. ¡°A wizard was controlling the Kuroo. That Kuroo managed to keep up distracted long enough that we were able to be teleported here without noticing. We can¡¯t get back without making a trek that has killed everyone else before us. About a mile away, there¡¯s a village and the Sirens¡¯ Lake. Is that everything?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re screwed,¡± Peggy says. ¡°You missed the conclusion to that.¡±

    ¡°Stop saying we¡¯re screwed,¡± Elena says. Her eyes are wide and I can see the pulse in her neck jumping. She takes off a glove and digs into her bag, pulling out a small wooden box. She drops the Kuroo head in and takes off her other glove. Her movements are quick and jerky as her hands shake. ¡°We don¡¯t know that. I just¡­ I can¡¯t believe Yvanna¡¯s right.¡±

    I can¡¯t calm the quick beats of my own heart. For a wizard to be the reason our Hunters and Trackers keep going missing is a ridiculous notion. There just isn¡¯t anything for them to gain from it, but human blood mixed with a Valley Beasts¡¯¡­ The reason for that would be if a wizard needed utter control of it.

    Behind Peggy¡¯s head, something small moves. It¡¯s quiet, but its scales scrape gently against the dead bark of the tree. I pull a knife from Peggy¡¯s belt and throw it, pinning the creature. It wriggles and writhes, hissing. Just a snake, but the darkened blood that oozes out of the wound means it¡¯s only a few days away from fully transforming.

    I straighten. ¡°We can¡¯t stay here,¡± I say. ¡°Staying in one spot is how we get killed. Elena, pack up anything else you may think we need. We¡¯re going to need it to study when we get back. Peggy, was there any sign of life coming from that village?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± she says. ¡°I didn¡¯t see any movement and I watched it for a while.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± I say. ¡°We still need to be careful. An open space like that invites predators.¡± It doesn¡¯t take long for Elena to look over the rest of the Kuroo body. Nothing else would be helpful to take the head the main focus of the spell. With Peggy in the lead, we march on.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    It takes about ten minutes for us to find the edges of the village. It¡¯s strange but familiar. There are houses and roads and parks, but none of them look like ours. The houses are made of brick and something white that keeps them together with tall chimneys poking out of the top. The streets are smooth and grey with metal disks at the center of them. There¡¯s an engraving on the top I can¡¯t read. There¡¯s a park at the end of the road, a square of grass blocked off by a fence. Inside there are slides and swings and obstacle courses all made from colorful material.

    Peggy is right. There¡¯s no sign of movement was we walk the perimeter, but there¡¯s the unmistakable feeling of being watched by unseen eyes. Behind doors, behind curtains¡ªten or more sets watch us as we walk.

    Walking the perimeter takes twenty minutes, and there¡¯s nothing to find from it other than it looks like whatever village this is, it was taken here by force. It¡¯s a 100-foot diameter circle perfectly placed into the floor of the Valley, the roads flush with the Valley floor. Houses are smoothly cut into where the circle ends, revealing their insides. Despite this, almost none of them have fallen.

    After failing to see any movement, we stepped forward into the village.

    A pressure falls over us and my ears pop. I shake my head, trying to figure out the uneasiness that settles over me as we start forward. It¡¯s not just that we¡¯re being watched. It¡¯s something else that¡¯s nagging at the back of my mind. Something big I¡¯m just not placing.

    ¡°So much for this being empty,¡± Elena mutters. She looks around, white knuckling her whips. Her shoulders are tense and stiff.

    ¡°You¡¯re still in slapping distance,¡± Peggy says. She looks like she¡¯s ready for a hunt to begin¡ªhead on a swivel, hands tensely above her knives, legs tense like she¡¯s about to run¡ªbut there¡¯s nothing for her to chase. Just empty streets and cold houses.

    A curtain moves in the house to our right and I lift my bow, taking aim. It¡¯s still and for a moment I think it¡¯s gone. Then it moves again. There¡¯s a hand. It¡¯s weathered and dark and it beckons us closer.

    ¡°Do you see that?¡± I ask. ¡°A hand in the window.¡±

    They stare and it¡¯s just a curtain again, swishing slightly against the window. We stare, waiting for movement. A different hand appears, and I recognize this one.

    ¡°Mom?¡± Peggy says. She takes a step forward then stops, hand on her knives. ¡°Elena, do you know of anything that would do this?¡±

    ¡°Uh, um, the-there¡¯s the Sower which beckons their prey from afar, but it doesn¡¯t look like anyone specific. It just looks like a pale hand, and they wait for their prey to be tired.¡±

    ¡°Anything else?¡± Peggy is coiled up like a spring, waiting for the okay to go.

    ¡°No,¡± Elena says. ¡°Nothing that I can think of.¡±

    ¡°Then let¡¯s go. I think our parents are waiting for us.¡± There¡¯s a spryness to her that I haven¡¯t seen in a long time. She¡¯s excited. If she¡¯s right, then at least we¡¯ve learned something and we¡¯ve got two smokers left. Maybe we¡¯ll be able to get out of here yet.

 Gibbous

    It¡¯s a short jog to the house and the door opens before we¡¯re even on the front step. The house is dark and quiet, but there¡¯s movement just beyond the threshold.

    We get to the door and a hand shoots out. The same one from earlier. It grabbed Peggy by the wrist and pulls her in before another appears and reaches for me. I recoil, my arm swinging out to block Elena from moving. I grip an arrow, ready to stab.

    Then the hand becomes an arm attached to a shoulder and face I recognize. I relax, almost dropping my arrow. I step into his arms and melt. ¡°Dad!¡± His arms are tight with restraint as he tries not to squeeze the air out of me. He pulls me into the house and Elena closes the door behind us.

    He pulls away and I stare. He doesn¡¯t look any different. His beard is a little shaggier and his hair a little frizzier, but he¡¯s the same. Some part of me expected him to have changed. To be different from being in the Valley for too long.

    He looks me over, tears pooling in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he says. His brow is knit, and I¡¯m reminded by how much Peggy takes after him. ¡°I wish this hadn¡¯t happened to you.¡±

    ¡°I chose this,¡± I say. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have slept right if we hadn¡¯t come after you.¡±

    ¡°I would have insisted had the Elders¡¯ made a different decision,¡± Peggy says. Mom has her hand on Peggy¡¯s shoulder, unwilling to stop touching her. She keeps squeezing as if checking that she¡¯s real. ¡°I don¡¯t think Yvie should have come, but that¡¯s her choice to live with.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Mom asks. She cuts in like she can feel an argument starting. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you before.¡±

    ¡°Elena Eld.¡± She bows her head in greeting. ¡°I¡¯m a Valley Beast researcher who was added to the trip for insight.¡± She fidgets for a moment then says, ¡°I¡¯m not sure that I¡¯ve been much use, to be honest.¡±

    ¡°You have,¡± I say. ¡°Actually, she made an important discovery on our way here.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Dad says. ¡°Then let¡¯s gather everyone before we start. It¡¯ll be best that everyone hears this.¡±

    ¡°Everyone?¡±

    ¡°Upstairs,¡± Mom says. ¡°It¡¯s easier up there.¡± We walk through the house and it¡¯s just as baffling as the outside. A table and chairs made of wood, but countertops made of perfectly smooth stone. Better than any of our craftsman could make. Metal boxes tall and small in the kitchen and soft looking chairs in the living room. The upholstery is flawless.

    The stairs are steep and I hold onto the rail for balance. The upstairs is odd, but more familiar than anything else. A large, open area with chairs, pillows, and blankets with several rooms further down the hallway.

    Fifteen people were waiting for us. Some I recognize and some I don¡¯t. There are a lot less people there than I hoped. Everyone is, in some way, hurt. Arms are wrapped makeshift spints. Oozing cuts and scrapes are hasitily patched. Their eyes are brusied underneath, but their gazes are bright and vigilant.

    ¡°Everyone,¡± Mom says. ¡°Our recon party.¡± They were a mix of disinterest, fear, and resignment as they greeted us. ¡°We also have some news regarding our predicament.¡±

    This got their attention and the looked warily in our direction.

    Elena cleared her throat. ¡°First I¡¯d like to know if your story matches ours. We were about five miles in when we were put into a Kuroo spell. When we managed to break it, we found ourselves here.¡± There were murmurs of agreement. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s good. Sort of. I managed to look at one of the Kuroo that got us, and its blood was mixed with human blood. I don¡¯t know how many of you know this, but that means it was under the control of a wizard. Our adversary isn¡¯t just Beast, it¡¯s also human.¡±

    Louder murmuring broke out, but it quickly quieted. Quick glances to the window follow as if waiting for something, but nothing comes. Someone I don¡¯t recognize raises their hand and Elena¡¯s eyes widen.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Emilia?¡± she says. ¡°I-I¡­¡± She clears her throat with a cough. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s dark in the Valley. How were you able to discern that?¡±

    ¡°Yvanna is a priest of Nkam. She glows.¡±

    Emilia looked at me, her head cocked to the side. She¡¯s wearing priests¡¯ robes, but they¡¯re torn and smeared with dirt and blood. They¡¯re dark blue and from the gentle glow of her freckles, I know she¡¯s a priest of Bir, the goddess of the stars. ¡°Never seen you before.

    ¡°I don¡¯t attend the gatherings for priests. Tends to be a get a bit stuffy for me there.¡±

    ¡°Right. Well keep the glow to a minimum. Light doesn¡¯t reach here, and we don¡¯t want to get its attention.¡±

    There are no trees in the village. The hard stone of the ground leaves no room for greenery and the gardens in front of the houses only have saplings. I realize the thing I hadn¡¯t noticed before. It¡¯s not night yet. We¡¯d been in the Valley for a few hours at most and the sun should be high, but it¡¯s nowhere. The sky gives off only marginal light, letting us see more than the forest, but it¡¯s undeniably night out.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Peggy says. ¡°What is ¡®it¡¯. What don¡¯t we want to get the attention of?¡±

    It¡¯s quiet for a moment before Dad says, ¡°We don¡¯t know what it is. It¡¯s a Valley Beast, but not one we¡¯ve ever seen. It¡¯s not¡­¡± He trails off, struggling to find the words. ¡°It¡¯s not a bear but it has claws like one. It¡¯s not a wolf but it has a snout like one. It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s not a lot of things.¡±

    ¡°What do we know about it?¡± Elena asks. She¡¯s looking at Emilia, but she shrugs, turning her head. ¡°Nothing?¡±

    ¡°Like he said,¡± Emilia says. ¡°It¡¯s not a lot of things. Anyone who got close enough died or refused to speak on it. Our numbers are being whittled down just by being here. No one¡¯s interested in making that number go down quicker.¡±

    ¡°But there has to be something,¡± Elena says. ¡°Anything!¡±

    ¡°Yea,¡± someone else says. Their legs are pulled to their chest as they stare out the window. Their voice is quiet, raspy, and barely above a whisper. I can¡¯t see their face, but I can see a red, angry scar with haphazard stictches on their neck that disappears into their shirt. ¡°It can¡¯t see very well and relies on hearing. We learned that early on.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± It¡¯s someone I recognize, but I can¡¯t place their name. ¡°Alajos died because he started to cry. We weren¡¯t able to calm him down in time and my legs aren¡¯t what they used to be.¡±

    I know Alajos. Knew him, I guess. He was a skilled, but nervous Hunter. He never went on hunts with less than four other people. He was also one of the first parties to disappear. So that makes this¡­

    ¡°Tenley?¡± I ask. I¡¯m hesistant, looking at the figure I once considered a friend. She¡¯s leaning against the wall, arms crossed. Her hair is long and ratty, falling into her face. Her once tanned skin is now pale and stretched across bone that looks far too fragile. Her eyes are hard, squinting out the window, watching. ¡°I¡­I thought you were dead.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯d be better if I was,¡± she says with a sigh. She manages a small smile as she looks at me and says. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you, though. Truly, even if I wish this wasn¡¯t how we were meeting again.¡±

    I frown. ¡°There has to be a way out of here. We¡¯re Hunters and Trackers. There¡¯s got to be a better way than starving to death or getting killed.¡±

    They¡¯re quiet, more resigned to their fate than I am. Dad puts a hand on my shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. The Beast is on a completely different level. It¡¯s not something we can handle with the people we have here. Of everyone that got lost down here, we¡¯re the only ones left. We stay out of its way and eat whatever food we can find in the houses. Just¡­Just let it be, Yvie.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Peggy is squaring her shoulders, shrugging Mom¡¯s hand off in the process. ¡°There has to be a way. We¡¯re not just going to sit here and wallow. We¡¯re going to get out.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯ve tried all they could,¡± Mom says. ¡°There¡¯s no point in doing something so fruitless.¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but we have Elena now. She¡¯s a Valley Beast scholar and knows them all from memory. Even if it is new, she should be able to tell us something about it. Right?¡±

    ¡°Right, yes.¡± She¡¯s bouncing again, her nervous energy come off in waves, but her face is one of determination. ¡°If I have some time to see it in action, watch how it moves, explores its surroundings¡ªthings like that. I can figure out a way for us to take it down or work around it.¡±

    ¡°Good luck with that,¡± Emilia mutters. ¡°It doesn¡¯t come out unless provoked and no one knows where it stays when it¡¯s not hunting us.¡±

    ¡°Then we provoke it,¡± I say. There¡¯s a hush that falls over the room, one full of fear and stomach churning terror. ¡°No one and nothing can take me and Peggy when we work together. We can draw it out, avoid it when we can and fight it if we have to. Elena can keep her distance and take notes on what she figures out. It can work.¡±

    They¡¯re silent and Mom and Dad are doing that thing where they talk with their eyes. No matter how long I watch them do it, I can never seem to decipher it well enough.

    ¡°Alright,¡± Mom says after a minute. ¡°We trust you, but we¡¯ve seen this Beast before. Use every bit of caution you have when facing it and please,¡± her voice cracks and she doesn¡¯t try to hide to her anxiety, ¡°please come back to us.¡±

    She knows we can¡¯t promise that, but we nod anyway.

    Elena squats to talk quietly to Emilia and I try to ignore the way Mom and Dad look at us. Their eyes roam over our faces, eyes squinting and brows furrowing in concentration.

    Dad kisses my forehead and Mom squeezes me into a hug that lasts longer than someone expecting us back.

    We check our weapons and head to the door.

 New Moon

    We stick to corners and back streets as we make our way across the village. Regardless of how stupid the others think this is, we don¡¯t want to endanger them.

    Elena hangs back, only just keeping us in sight.

    Peggy is scouting ahead, beckoning me forward as the way stays clear. There are no Valley Beasts in this village. Whatever creature we¡¯re going to face, none of them want anything to do with it. That makes it marginally easier. If there are no other enemies, we can focus on the Beast in front of us. On the other hand, it lends more credence to what they had said about it.

    I shake my head as I dart across the street to join Peggy. There¡¯s no point in having second thoughts and I stand by what we said. There has to be a way for us to get out of here.

    We¡¯re about a mile away from the other side when we hear it. No, we don¡¯t hear it first we smell it first. A putrid, sickly sweet smell of rot mixed with decaying meat. It makes me want to gag and I can only imagine what it¡¯d smell like without our masks. Peggy furrows her brow in question the second before there¡¯s a soft, almost musical, moaning from our right.

    She throws her arm out and waves me toward the wall in front of her. We¡¯re in an alleyway creeping toward the edge as the moaning sounds again, louder and closer than before. There¡¯s a large street opposite us. Twenty, maybe thirty feet across. We¡¯d be exposed if we tried to make it across and there was no telling what it¡¯d do when it saw us.

    Peggy moves to my side, her back pressed against the wall. ¡°I¡¯m going to look,¡± she mouths.

    ¡°Careful,¡± I mouth back.

    She nods, then peeks.

    Peggy is the strongest person I know. Her mental fortitude has always been stronger than mine and her ability to adapt and make quick decisions never ceases to amaze me. Even physically, the only person to match her strength is Priya. Even scared, she manages to keep it together.

    When Peggy turns back to me, her face is blank. No fear or confusion or even anger. Just blank.

    ¡°Peggy,¡± I whisper. ¡°Peggy.¡± Lifting my hand, I flick her forehead twice. She blinks slowly, her eyes still glazed like she¡¯s in a dream. ¡°What did you see?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± She shakes her head, hand rubbing her forehead. She doesn¡¯t rub it like she¡¯s registering the pain. More like a reflex than genuine irritation. ¡°I¡ªIt¡ªThere¡¯s nothing.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean? Do we have to retreat?¡± Her eyes meet mine and I can¡¯t see a clear answer. There¡¯s too much going on in her head. I pull out an arrow and grab a chunk of my hair. This will get its attention, but once I shoot, we¡¯ll be gone.

    I tie my hair around the arrow and all at once that rotting smell is in my nose and crawling down my throat and the Beast is upon us.

    It¡¯s not a bear. Bears don¡¯t have antlers. It¡¯s not a deer. Deer don¡¯t have claws. It¡¯s not a hawk. Hawks don¡¯t have fangs. It¡¯s not any of those but it has something about it that puts me in mind of them. It¡¯s not anything I¡¯ve seen before, Beast or animal. It just¡­isn¡¯t.

    And now it¡¯s here, bearing down on us with venom dripping from its mouth and rot forcing its way past our masks and into our lungs and eyes. Peggy pulls her mask off as bile rips from her throat and lands at our feet.

    I¡¯m frozen. I can¡¯t move as my mind tries and fails to comprehend the bulk and mass of the thing twitching its head in anticipation. It shouldn¡¯t fit in the alleyway, but it squeezes in leaving thick, pulpy residue where it rubs against the wall.Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°Go.¡± Peggy¡¯s voice is strained as she struggles to stand. Her grip on her knife tightens as she holds her hand out. ¡°Keep your distance and I¡¯ll stay right here.¡±

    I can¡¯t get the words out as she pushes me, her gaze never leaving the Beast. I want to protest. I want to tell her that we can¡¯t fight this thing. At least, we can¡¯t fight it while we¡¯re so close to it. Not with that smell making my eyes water. But I can¡¯t get any words out. Instead, as feeling comes back to my legs, I turn and run.

    The further I go, the more my head clears, and I choke down the panic that threatens to consume me. We need to get out of here. Come back another day with a different plan. A better, more air-tight one than this. How could I have been so stupid? Mom and Dad are better Hunters and Trackers than me and Peggy combined, but I refused to listen because of what? Stubbornness? Pride? My stupid promise to Vidia and Vahn?

    There¡¯s no time to dwell on that now. I turn a corner and find the ladder I was looking for. It¡¯s flimsy for something made of metal, but it does the job. I almost lose my balance on the slanted roof but keep my footing as I look back.

    Peggy is in the street. The wide, exposed one that makes my stomach flutter thinking about it. She¡¯s fast on her feet and seems to have left her mask in the alley. She¡¯s throwing knives, aiming for its head, its legs, its body, its feet. Anything that might prove to be a weakness. The blades hit and sink in, an odd slurping sound echoing across the streets as the blade it slowly swallowed by the Beast. It doesn¡¯t seem to feel the pain. It keeps stalking toward her.

    I nock my arrow and take aim. I¡¯m far. Almost out of my range but it¡¯ll be something. Maybe it¡¯ll be enough to get its attention long enough for Peggy to get more distance between them. It flies, cutting through the air.

    When it lands, the Beast stops. The arrow landed in the bulk below its head. Maybe a shoulder or a back or¡ªanything. It could have been anything, but it hit and the Beast stopped. My arrow isn¡¯t sinking in the same way Peggy¡¯s knives were. The arrow sits in its place, unmoving as the Beast turns its bright white eyes upon it.

    I look for Peggy in the street and she¡¯s not moving. Why isn¡¯t she moving? She¡¯s watching the Beast as it tries to pull the arrow out. Its claws fumble to grip the shaft and it only pushes it deeper.

    I want to yell at her to start backing away, but she¡¯s creeping forward instead. Her hand is on her knife, inching closer as the Beast continues to push my arrow deeper. It doesn¡¯t seem to be in pain, but it doesn¡¯t look to Peggy as it tries and fails to remove the arrow.

    I nock another arrow and let it fly. I break out into a run, sizing the distance between houses as I do. It¡¯ll be close, but I can make it. I land in a messy tuck and slide down the roof, hands desperately gripping nothing. I stop at the edge of the roof, feet and legs hanging off the side as I struggle to get up again.

    A shudder runs through me as that low, melodious moan echoes. As I get to my feet, I can see it again. My arrow struck true, and it let out another moan as it tried to pull this one out. I glance around for Peggy and she¡¯s closer now. Too close and even at this distance I can see her struggle to keep her retching choked back.

    She lunges, swinging wildly with her blade and it hit, slicing through the Beast. It screams like a like metal crashing against wet stone and turns all of its attention to her. Peggy pulls at her knife but its stuck and she lets go. She takes a step back but it¡¯s too late. The Beast has her in its sights, its white eyes like mold pulses putrid green. She¡¯s frozen staring and I start to run.

    I know it¡¯s futile. I know I¡¯m too far away to stop what¡¯s coming but I can¡¯t stop moving. My legs propel me forward over roofs and around chimneys as I pray to a god I know can¡¯t hear me.

    It¡¯s head twitches, turning and breaking and snapping until it¡¯s upside down and I can see milky white bone protruding from its neck. Peggy starts to walk forward and I cry out, hoping it could pull her from the reverie. She stops, staggering for a moment. There¡¯s a brief moment where I allow hope to grow. She heard me. She can run now I just need to give her an window to escape.

    It happened so fast. I jump to another roof, pulling on another arrow out and the Beast explodes. It expands, bulbous and engorged, hundreds of screaming faces pushing against its rotted flesh. The smells hits me like a brick and I throw up. My mouth doesn¡¯t even have time to water.

    Teeth like razors grow, flicking out to form a cage around Peggy as it stretches up and out, blotting out what little like shines down. Peggy turns to me, her eyes wide as she comes back to herself. She says something I can¡¯t make out past the rushing in my ears and the Beast snaps shut, absorbing Peggy into its mass.

    That doesn¡¯t stop her scream from ringing out across the village as I land on the other roof.

 Crescent

    I can¡¯t feel my limbs. My legs give out as I crash to the roof, the tiles shattering from the weight, but I don¡¯t feel it. I don¡¯t feel anything.

    The Beast shrinks down, its head clicking and twitching as it rights itself. It¡¯s no bigger than a bear now. It turns its eyes to me. It holds my gaze for a long moment before turning and walking away.

    I don¡¯t know how long I stay there staring where Peggy had been. Throw up is staining my robes and quickly drying as a breeze rolls through. My ankle is throbbing from the botched landing though I can¡¯t feel the pain yet. Blood is rushing through my ears, muffling the world.

    And my sister is dead.

    It¡¯s not right. It¡¯s not right that Peggy was the one to go. It¡¯s not right that I¡¯m still here, frozen in fear as grief tries to make its way through the numbness to strangle me.

    A hand lands on my shoulder. I don¡¯t move. ¡°Yvanna.¡± Elena¡¯s voice is quiet. It¡¯s low and hurried. ¡°We have to leave here.¡±

    I can¡¯t make my mouth form the words so I just stay. If I move then it¡¯s real. If I move then I¡¯m no longer frozen in the moment. It¡¯ll just be me hurtling towards a future without Peggy in it.

    ¡°Yvanna, please.¡± Elena¡¯s voice breaks as her grip tightens. She moves, putting her face close to mine. Her eyes are watering but she blinks the tears away. ¡°We have to move. I won¡¯t let them lose both of you.¡±

    I can¡¯t move. Every muscle is pulled taut as if waiting to snap. I think about Peggy right before we descended into the Valley. Strong. Confident. Self-assured and eager to get moving. The scene of her as the Valley Beast bore down on her flashes in my mind. She mouthed something. What did she say?

    Elena is speaking again, but I can¡¯t hear it. Her mouth is in a tight line as she takes a step back and slaps me.

    My neck snaps right and I blink. The sound echoes across the village and seems to jumpstart my heart. She¡¯s biting her lip as she watches my reaction. I rub my cheek before turning away and starting the climb down. Elena breathes a sigh of relief and follows.

    I¡¯m still numb, but I crawl down. One foot after another. One hand over another. Elena leads the way back. She¡¯s cautious, but some part of me knows she doesn¡¯t have to be. The Beast won¡¯t attack us. Not any time soon.

    I stay downstairs when we arrive. The trek up the stairs feels insurmountable. There¡¯s nothing left for me to give so I sit at the kitchen table. The windows are covered with curtains. They¡¯re sheer white and I can almost see outside. Nothing moves outside.

    Upstairs Elena voice gently floats down. She talks quickly and quietly. I can¡¯t make out what she says, but I know when she tells them about Peggy. There¡¯s a gasp and a hiccupping sob that erupts. My hands find each other as if holding on to something would help the onslaught of emotion that rampages through me.

    Dad¡¯s sobs break me down. Each carefully constructed layer of balance and distance and compartmentalization and disassociation are ripped away as his choking gasps find me. I clench my hands together so hard my nails push through skin and blood falls to the table, mingling with the tears that won¡¯t stop flowing.

    Pushing the heels of my palm against my eyes, I try to keep quiet. I don¡¯t deserve to mourn her. Not when I was the one who insisted we go out and face that Beast. It should have been me.

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    <><><><><>

    We prepare ourselves every time we descend into the Valley. It¡¯s never lost on us how dangerous it can be regardless of how often people make it back. Before the disappearances spiked, at least five people went missing a year. Their friends and family were never prepared and some ignorant part of me never quite understood the intensity of their grief. They knew this could happen. Why did they fall apart so thoroughly? Why did they stop taking care of themselves, their jobs, their homes? I never understood.

    I understand now.

    I don¡¯t move from the kitchen table. Mom and Dad tried to sit with me on the first day, but I couldn¡¯t look in their eyes and stared at the table instead. We sat in silence for hours before they went back upstairs.

    They haven¡¯t been back down since.

    I see Elena the most. She sits with me, fidgeting as she sits across the table. Sometimes she talks, though after the first time she doesn¡¯t talk about anything important. She saw how it washed over me and stuck to things I could absorb.

    ¡°Here,¡± she says, pushing something toward me. ¡°You should at least eat something.¡± I tear my eyes from the window and stare at the plate. There¡¯s bread and something that might be meat. ¡°Apparently the houses all have food that lasts a long time. They¡¯ve been eating what they can to make it last as long as possible.¡±

    My movements are mechanical. My fingers creak and groan as I grab the bread. It tastes like dust. I chew. I swallow. Elena smiles.

    It¡¯s all I do now. I sit at the table, Elena talks at me, and I eat or drink when she pushes something my way.

    I only know how much time has passed when Tenley sits across from me. ¡°It¡¯s been two weeks, Yvie.¡± Her tone isn¡¯t harsh, just matter of fact, but it stings all the same. ¡°How long are you going to mope?¡±

    I open my mouth, but I can¡¯t make any sound come out. It¡¯s so dry. I haven¡¯t seen Elena in days.

    She rolls her eyes and leaves before coming back with water. I take a sip before putting it down. She looks at the water, then back to me. She does this a few more times before I realize what she wants. I down the cup and push it away.

    She nods. ¡°Your parents miss you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m right here,¡± I lie, looking back to the window. ¡°I haven¡¯t left the table.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but you won¡¯t look at anyone¡¯s face except Elena and you don¡¯t talk to her.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m talking to you.¡±

    I can¡¯t see her, but I can hear her frown as she says, ¡°You know what I mean. Peggy died¡ª¡± I flinch as if the word itself lashed me¡ª¡°Yes, Yvanna, she¡¯s dead. Gone. The sooner you come to terms with that, the sooner you can pull yourself together.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± My voice cracks and I try to clear it. Tears are forming again, but I blink them away. ¡°I can¡¯t get over it, Ten. Peggy means everything to me.¡±

    ¡°And your parents don¡¯t?¡± she snaps. ¡°We don¡¯t? And what about those kids Elena talked about? They mean something to you, don¡¯t they?¡±

    ¡°What?¡± My head snaps toward her and something pops. I wince in pain, my hand coming up to rub my neck. My head is fuzzy as a thousand thoughts try to form all at once. I blink hard.

    Tenley leans back, crossing her arms. ¡°So it¡¯s the kids, huh?¡±

    ¡°What about my kids?¡±

    She smirks and looks like the person I used to make jokes with. ¡°Nothing, really. Elena just mentioned you had some kids you looked after. I can¡¯t imagine they¡¯d be too thrilled you didn¡¯t at least try to make it back.¡±

    Closing my eyes, I can still see their faces. Eyes red and puffy as I descended. Their smiles don¡¯t reach their eyes, but they¡¯re trying and I promised them I¡¯d try. Even if that means I won¡¯t be the same on the other side, I promised. No one depends on me like they do. I can be replaced at the temple and meetings, but I can¡¯t be replaced for them.

    Two weeks. They¡¯re already in Niawen with their aunt, but they won¡¯t give up on me. Even after their first trip to the Valley, it took months for them to fully believe their parents were gone.

    I let my hand fall to the table, and I feel a familiar jitteriness. A thought forming. A feeling brewing. My stomach turns and it¡¯s not from fear.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Elena?¡±

    Tenley smiles and stands. ¡°Come on up. We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±

 Constellation

    My legs are sore. I haven¡¯t used them in so long my knees hurt as we ascend the stairs, but I push through. Elena is sitting with my parents and Emilia. They¡¯re looking at something on the ground, talking quietly as she points to something on it.

    Tenley clears her throat. Their heads whip around, taking in Tenley¡¯s small smile then their eyes slide to me. Elena¡¯s face lights up and my parents¡¯ faces go slack as they stand. Everything in me wants to look away, but I hold their gaze. With tentative steps, they walk toward me.

    Dad cups my face and Mom grips my hand. They don¡¯t say anything, but I see the tears they blink away. Mom shakes her head as if she can hear what I want to say. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. We don¡¯t apologize for helping people.¡±

    I open my mouth but close it again. Her eyes are hard, and I know there¡¯s no arguing with her. Dad rubs my cheek, wiping away a tear that escaped. ¡°You¡¯re here with us and we¡¯ll always be grateful for that.¡±

    I nod, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath. ¡°Elena?¡± Her hands twist her shirt and her hair is a mess. I approach her, holding out my hands. She takes them, squeezing. ¡°Thank you, Elena. For everything you did for me.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me just yet,¡± she says. ¡°I¡¯ve been wracking my brain for the past few weeks, but I haven¡¯t gotten much done.¡±

    ¡°Tell me what you have.¡±

    We go to where they¡¯d been sitting, and I see a paper on the ground. It¡¯s a map of the village. Three places are circled.

    We sit around it as Elena starts to explain to me. ¡°That¡¯s us,¡± she says, pointing to the one of the far right. ¡°That¡¯s where the Beast has been spotted most frequently.¡± She points to the left. ¡°This is where we entered.¡± She points to the bottom right. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching the Beast when it comes this way. It doesn¡¯t get closer than ten yards. It just sits and watches before leaving back to the other side. How long it stays and which direction it comes from doesn¡¯t seem to matter other than that it always comes from the village side. Sometimes it stays for an hour. Sometimes it stays all day. One time it came and when it made eye contact with me, it turned and left. I don¡¯t know the pattern here. I also have a list of its strength and weaknesses.¡±

    She hands me a piece of paper and I see her neat writing in two columns.

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    ¡°You got all of this from one fight?¡± I ask.

    ¡°And a week of distant observation, but yes. It¡¯s not nearly as much as I wanted, but the fight got a bit muddled in my head, and I dropped my notebook. I haven¡¯t been out to get it.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± I say. ¡°What¡¯s this about holy power?¡±

    ¡°I figured it was probably that,¡± Emilia says. There¡¯s something different about her. Before her shoulders sagged and her eyes had a far away look. Now she looks sharper. She looks hopeful. ¡°I¡¯ve fought it before. Well,¡± she sighs. ¡°Ran away and shot arrows at it more like. But it did something similar with me. The arrows seemed to bother it, but I never gave it much thought until now.¡±

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    ¡°It certainly got its attention,¡± I say. ¡°Didn¡¯t seem to do much damage and Peggy¡¯s knife did more, though I blessed that directly before we left.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but that is a weakness,¡± she says. ¡°It¡¯s only us but think we could get its attention.¡±

    ¡°And then what?¡± I ask.

    ¡°We run.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a terrible plan.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s what we¡¯ve got right now,¡± she snaps. ¡°Look, you haven¡¯t been here as long as we have. This is incredibly valuable information.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not saying it isn¡¯t, but we¡¯ll need more than just us to keep it distracted.¡± I stare at the map, fingers tapping. ¡°Has anyone been over to where it hides?¡±

    ¡°Talaat,¡± Dad says. He sits close, our knees bumping into each other. ¡°He was the only person who volunteered to do it.¡±

    ¡°Did he ever talk to you about it?¡± Mom asks. ¡°Anything aside from the nightmares?¡±

    ¡°Not really,¡± I say. ¡°When we talked, it was more that I talked at him. He said he liked the sound of my voice, so I tried to talk as much as possible.¡± I close my eyes and try to think. He was almost exclusively in his room, blanket wrapped around him. We watched as his once stocky frame became thinner and thinner. Only one time did he fall asleep around me. He muttered something in his sleep, but nothing I understood at the time. ¡°He said¡­he said it was wet and oily. And the smell¡­¡± I sigh. ¡°Sorry, that¡¯s all I can remember about what he said.¡±

    ¡°No, no, that¡¯s good.¡± Mom says. Her brows are furrowed as she looks over the papers in front of us. ¡°Has anyone else explored the area?¡±

    ¡°I have.¡± Someone plops down next to Emilia, and I blink to make sure I¡¯m not seeing things. ¡°This radius here is where the smell starts.¡± She circles something on the map with her finger, but I can¡¯t help but stare at her. It¡¯s like looking at an older version of Vidia. Same bright red hair and smattering of freckles. Sharp grey eyes framed by thick eyebrows. The deep bags under her eyes and smile lines are the only differences. ¡°When the wind picks up it¡¯s hard to pin down, but it¡¯s consistent around here.¡±

    ¡°Okay,¡± Mom says. ¡°In which case, our best bet is to make our way out from where we are and keep it near its hiding spot.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll need at least three people,¡± Elena says. ¡°Long range archers on the roofs to keep its attention while someone on the ground deals damage up close. We¡¯ll need to bless the weapons beforehand.¡±

    ¡°Three people won¡¯t be enough,¡± Mom says. ¡°Two kept it distracted, but that wasn¡¯t near enough. Our best bet is to have three archers and three swords.¡±

    ¡°Our goal isn¡¯t to take it down,¡± Tenley says. ¡°Even if we were all in top shape, I¡¯m not sure that would work. It¡¯s a wizard behind the scenes so we¡¯ll need another one to even think about taking it down. Right now, we just need it distracted long enough that we can get as many people away as possible.¡±

    The silence is heavy as the implication settles over us. Not everyone will make it out of this alive.

    We stand, hearts racing and blood pumping. ¡°Alright,¡± I say, addressing the rest of the room. They look so weak and exhausted. Even with the hope we managed to give them, there¡¯s a layer of weariness over it. ¡°We need three volunteers for this. It¡¯ll be the last attempt to get out of here and the last stand of anyone who stays. I will stay.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay,¡± Emilia says. ¡°We need the power, and I¡¯ve got the long distance covered.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay,¡± Dad says. ¡°I won¡¯t leave you again. Not now.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± The person who sat down shakes her head. ¡°You and Lena are the best leaders we have here. You¡¯re the most experienced and the most levelheaded. If anyone will be able to lead everyone else out of here, it¡¯s you two.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    ¡°Agnes is right, Sav,¡± Mom says. I can¡¯t hide my surprise, and she musters a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you. Not so soon after Peggy, but I can¡¯t deny the logic is sound. We need archers and of everyone here, you and Emilia are the best suited for the job like Sav and I are best suited for this job.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay instead,¡± Agnes says. ¡°I¡¯m the least injured and I¡¯m a close-range fighter.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay, too,¡± Tenley says. ¡°Three is minimum and you¡¯ll want someone watching your back.¡±

    ¡°Any objections?¡± Elena looks like she wants to say something but shakes her head. I don¡¯t blame her for not volunteering. She¡¯s young and much more useful to everyone alive.

    Quiet settles over the room, but it¡¯s not as tense. There¡¯s something lighter thrumming under the surface as everyone exchanges glances. ¡°Alrighty then. Let¡¯s get to work.¡±

 Culmination

    Mom and Dad stare at me. This time, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re being dramatic as their eyes roam over me. My eyes, my hair, my shoulders¡ªeverything. They take in everything. Looking between them, I try to do the same. Dad¡¯s scraggly beard and Mom¡¯s barely pulled back hair. The scar on his forehead and each mole on her face.

    Thirteen people stand behind them. A mix of fear and determination linger on their faces as we huddle in the living room downstairs.

    ¡°I love you,¡± Mom says. I lean down and press my forehead to hers. She pushes back and grabs my hands, eyes closed as she takes a shaky breath. ¡°I love you.¡±

    ¡°I love you, too.¡± She takes a step back and Dad wraps his arms around me. ¡°I¡¯ll be with you.¡±

    ¡°And we¡¯ll be with you.¡± He gives me another tight squeeze before stepping back. ¡°One more blessing before we go?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Want to join me, Emilia?¡± She nods and I step back to her. Agnes and Tenley move to join the others. Agnes looks hesitant but stands still.

    We can¡¯t sing to them like a real blessing would require, but we can dance for them all the same. A dance with priests of different gods is different than what I¡¯m used to. Nkam¡¯s dance is fast, meant for heat and sweat. Bir is different. Her dance takes space, moves slower. It focuses more on lighting up dark spaces with movement. Together we move. She orbits around me, our movements in synch as we begin to glow. Buttery yellow light radiates from me and crisp blues and purples pulse gently from Emilia.

    As we still, I watch as they perk up. Their eyes are brighter, and they stand a little straighter. It may not last as long as we need, but it¡¯ll be a little something to help them through the trek.

    Mom and Dad look at me one last time, their backs straight and eyes are hardened. This will be the last time I see them.

    ¡°Good luck, everyone. May Nkam and Bir find ways to watch over you,¡± Dad says.

    ¡°One more thing,¡± I say. Elena is standing near my parents, fidgeting with her whips. For once she doesn¡¯t look nervous. Her brown eyes meet mine and she stills. ¡°Thank you,¡± I say. ¡°For everything you¡¯ve done for me and the people here. You¡¯re exceptionally skilled and wickedly smart. It¡¯s been a pleasure to know you.¡±

    She starts to tear up but wipes them away quickly. ¡°I¡¯m grateful to you, Yvanna. Peggy¡­she was mean to me, but I understand why now and I¡¯m grateful for that, too. She wanted to keep you safe. Keep us safe.¡± She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. ¡°I will see you again.¡±

    ¡°Elena¡ª¡±

    ¡°I will see you again. In this life or the next.¡±

    I lean down and kiss her forehead. ¡°In this life or the next.¡±

    <><><><><>

    In the month we waited for our opportunity, we trained. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was better than simply sitting. We ran in place, did pull ups, pushups, sit it, squats¡ªwhatever we could think of to strengthen our bodies. Now, as we head to our positions across the village, our bodies move easily.

    Emilia and I take to the roofs as we get close to the Beast¡¯s hiding spot. It¡¯s easy to survey the land as we take the high ground. Agnes and Tenley weave through the houses, Agnes taking the far side. Their weapons are blessed, and we can only hope that it actually works.

    The smell is as choking as I remember, but our masks are secure as we wait. It¡¯s quiet. There is no wind and the only sound is my breathing, my thundering heartbeat, and the gentle tapping that carries from Emilia at her watch point. Her foot taps the roof as we wait.

    It¡¯s not long before the moaning starts. It¡¯s low and rattles the windows along the wide street. The same street where I lost Peggy. I tense, readying my bow. We have ten arrows each and can¡¯t afford to lose them.

    It comes from below. A metal disc on the ground shakes and rattles before it¡¯s slowly lifted and moved to the side. Then it reveals itself. A hand, a shoulder, a head. With agonizing slowness, it pulls its bulk up and out. It scans the street, stopping at something to its right. Agnes.

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    Emilia lets an arrow fly, and it hits the back of its head. The Beast stops its slow move forward and reaches back. It doesn¡¯t seem particularly hurt, but it¡¯s distracted. I let another fly as Agnes moves close. My arrow and her sword hit at the same time.

    She¡¯s quick to back away as it screams. Her slash was too fast for it to take hold of her sword, and she backs away. I want to spare a glance behind me but maintain my composure. That was the signal for them to start leaving and if the Beast catches wind I know it¡¯ll change its focus.

    It leans down on all four (no five¡ªno six¡ªno¡ª) legs and twitches its head, white eyes shining in the dark. The two arrows pulse in its skin as it tries to push them out. One stays lodged while the other clatters to the ground.

    Agnes tenses, her knees bent and sword in position. She¡¯s ready to run or fight but doesn¡¯t have a chance to make the choice. Emilia and I fire at the same time, hitting one of its legs and its torso. It screeches, reeling in pain as it turns its eyes to us. Its eyes that seem to multiply every time I look at it. Half of them are fixed to me while the other half find Emilia across the roofs.

    Tenley emerges from the shadow of one of the houses. She doesn¡¯t have a mask and didn¡¯t ask for one. Her face is a veil of calm rage as she sneaks forward. Tenley didn¡¯t use many weapons. Never liked the distance between her and her prey. Instead, she wore heavy leather gloves reinforced Valley Beast bones. The knuckles have four sharp spikes two inches long each. I had thought they¡¯d been lost when I didn¡¯t see her with them, but she produced them in almost perfect shape.

    She gets close. Close enough that if it were to notice her, it¡¯d have no issue consuming her like it did with Peggy. Instead, she puts one leg forward and puts her weight into the punch that rockets through the Beasts bulk. It staggers to the side, almost falling over as Tenley dances backward into the shadows again.

    Agnes sweeps in as Emilia lets two arrows fly. It shuffles to one side, avoiding the arrows, but Agnes takes one of its antlers off. It falls to the ground with a soft, wet thump.

    It wastes no time on a scream, swiping Agnes with long claws. She holds her sword up to absorb the shock, but she¡¯s blown away. She sails through the air, across the street and rolls on the grass of a garden. She¡¯s still.

    The Beast begins to stalk forward. There¡¯s no urgency to its movements. Despite the pain we¡¯ve caused it, it doesn¡¯t fully see us as a threat. Its neck begins to turn and click, and panic rises in my chest. Not again. Not now. I can¡¯t have it take Agnes away from us.

    I run, jumping from roof to roof and keeping a wide berth as I start to fire. One, two, three arrows to the back. It stops, its back rippling and shifting. It¡¯s trying to remove the arrows again, but they¡¯re deeper now that I¡¯ve moved closer.

    I blink and its neck snaps backward, white and green eyes pulsing. I close my eyes as it starts to take hold, Peggy¡¯s voice surrounding me as I land. My knees shake and protest, but I keep moving, my eyes cast down as I try not to meet its gaze again.

    ¡°You¡¯re not at fault,¡± she says. I can¡¯t see her, but her voice is clear in my head. ¡°We both made the decision to fight. Stupid as it was.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I say. My breath comes in quick as tears start to invade. I blink them away and nock my arrow. ¡°I know it was both of our choices. It still feels like it¡¯s my fault. I couldn¡¯t get to you fast enough.¡±

    ¡°I made my choice, Yvie, and I stand by it.¡±

    The Beast shifts and I see its neck starts to move. Glancing up, it moves its head back again. Agnes is moving again, albeit slowly. Tenley is nearby. She just needs an opening to grab her and get away.

    I jump again, ignoring the way my chest tightens as I realize it¡¯s the same house I where watched Peggy die. I pull the arrow with all the strength I have. I land hard, but I don¡¯t land on my feet. Something under my feet slips and I fall back, my arrow whiffing and sailing up to the sky. My head cracks against the roof, tiles splitting under my skull. My vision goes double, and it can¡¯t be more than a few seconds before my vision clears, but it feels like an eternity.

    Emilia is close by, a few houses away, saying something. Her voice is muffled behind Peggy¡¯s insistent whispers. ¡°Look up, Yvie. Look.¡±

    My eyes wander up, blurring in and out of focus. My arrow is above us, but it¡¯s not falling. It stays lodged in something I can¡¯t see. The barrier keeping us in perpetual night.

    ¡°¡­the arrows.¡± I finally hear Emilia as she drops down to the street and out of sight. She¡¯s going to retrieve whatever arrows she can.

    ¡°Do you know what I said before I died?¡± Peggy asks as I stagger to my feet. Her voice is quieter now. Further away. Its power is fading. ¡°You must have figured it out by now.¡±

    Ahead of us, the Beast is squeezing itself into an alley. Agnes and Tenley are out of sight. I¡¯m unsteady on my feet but take a breath and narrow my eyes. I just need its attention for long enough that they¡¯ll get some distance between them and the Beast.

    I know exactly what she said. As I sat at the table and replayed her death a million times in my head I looked at her mouth moving in silence again and again. ¡°Live,¡± I answer, expelling a breath. ¡°You asked me to live.¡±

    Something warm hits my shoulder as I release the arrow, and it explodes from my fingers. Faster and stronger than I thought possible, the arrow pierces into and through the Beast. A harsh, burnt smell radiates from the Beast like charred rotted meat as it screams. It doesn¡¯t sound far away this time. It feels like two swords scraping against each other in my ears.

    A hole the size of my fist rests in the Beasts chest. It¡¯s still screaming, but it sounds less like rage and more like a wounded animal.

    On my shoulder, a tiny spot of sunlight rests. I look up again. My arrow has fallen to the ground and left the tiniest hole in the barrier. It¡¯s not much¡ªbarely a pinprick¡ªbut it¡¯s there. Nkam is there.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Peggy says. Her voice is further now, almost gone. ¡°Live, Yvie. Live.¡±

 Dusk

    I waste no time drawing my bow back again. Light sparkles around my fingers, strength I¡¯d long forgotten I possessed coming back to me. Sunlight warps and hardens as I call to Nkam to lend me whatever strength he can. Warm wind envelopes me, pushing away the rot and leaving a pleasant floral scent lingering in my nose.

    The beam through the hole is weak. Constructing an arrow from sunlight takes more power than I have right now, but I¡¯m determined to give it everything and then some. It takes a few seconds for the arrow to form itself. A bright beacon in the dark. I lift it up. The hole will close if I don¡¯t move soon.

    I glance down at the Beast again. It¡¯s crawling, talons digging into the stone to drag itself along the street. It¡¯s not moving quickly, but the wound I gave it is healing too fast for comfort. The more it heals, the quicker it moves. The quicker it gets to Emilia and Agnes.

    Emilia¡¯s quiver is nearly full as she helps Agnes to her feet. They¡¯re leaning against the wall of the house Agnes was thrown into. Agnes¡¯s eyes widen and we notice the Beast at the same time. It¡¯s closing in on them. Agnes starts to push Emilia away.

    ¡°Go,¡± she says, leaning on her sword. ¡°Go!¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t leave you here.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll both die,¡± she grits out. ¡°Get to the roofs. Tenley will need you to cover her.¡±

    ¡°But¡ª¡±

    Agnes grips Emilia¡¯s robes, pulling Emilia up until they¡¯re eye to eye. ¡°Leave.¡±

    There¡¯s another moment of hesitation before Emilia leaves and reappears on the roof a moment later, scurrying away to collect the other arrows.

    I look to my sunlight arrow and the pinprick of light above us. I look to Agnes below me, her sword at the ready as she prepares to face down the Beast for the last time.

    My bow is lowered before I make the choice, but I don¡¯t release it. The Beast lunges at Agnes, but it doesn¡¯t connect. Tenley runs in and punches the Beast before I can intervene. Already wounded, it drops to the ground, moans echoing across the village. Her spikes take some of the Beast with them, but she doesn¡¯t seem to notice. I wish she had noticed.

    It¡¯s fast. The parts of the Beast that cling to her glove start to move on their own. They expand and warp spreading up her arm. It reaches her elbow in a heartbeat and starts to crawl toward her shoulder. Agnes reacts first, swinging down and taking Tenley¡¯s arm clean off and shoves something in her mouth before her arm hits the ground. It muffles her screams, but the Beast flicks its head toward her.

    I don¡¯t hesitate this time. I start running as the arrow flies, cutting through the smog of the Valley, the rot of the Beast, and the screams of my friend. It pierces the Beast, pinning it to the spot.

    Emilia and I hit the ground at the same time. She grabs Agnes and I take Tenley. We make our way through the village, trying doors, hoping any of them may have something to help stanch the flow of blood.

    It¡¯s the fifth door that does it. Several sheets in the bedrooms are torn and used as tourniquets and bandages. Once the bleeding is under control, we leave. The Beast is bound to follow the trail of blood.

    ¡°Yvie,¡± Tenley says. Her voice is soft, but the annoyance is clear. ¡°Your head is bleeding.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± I say. ¡°The boost I got helped me a lot.¡±

    ¡°Bull,¡± she murmurs. She¡¯s heavy on my back, but I keep moving. I want her as far as possible while we keep dealing with the Beast. Tenley faints as we move past another garden and turn onto an empty street. The stench is lighter here, but rot will always be undeniable.

    We stop at a small home. It¡¯s barely two rooms, but there¡¯s a bed which is all we need. Emilia helps settle Tenley and starts looking over her bandages again. They¡¯re soaked through, but Emilia just bites her lips and starts to add more.

    ¡°How are you, Agnes?¡± I ask.

    ¡°Could be better,¡± she says. She¡¯s still a little unsteady, using her sword to lean on. ¡°A few bruised and broken ribs, but nothing I can¡¯t push through.¡±

    ¡°How did you call upon Nkam like that?¡± Emilia asks. ¡°There¡¯s no light here.¡±

    ¡°I fell earlier, after Agnes was thrown. My arrow whiffed and went up instead. The barrier that keeps this place hidden is thin. When the arrow fell a small bit of light hit my shoulder, and I was able to call upon Nkam. I was going to use that strength I got to make a bigger hole, but there were more pressing matters.¡±

    ¡°Then we¡¯ll just have to target that.¡± Emilia ties another sheet onto Tenley¡¯s arm, wincing at the groans that escape her. ¡°If we can get enough light in here, you¡¯ll be able to deal it enough damage that we can get out of here.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I say. ¡°You should take Ten and leave. She¡¯ll die if she stays.¡± I cut off Emilia¡¯s protest. ¡°Agnes can¡¯t take her, and I would go instead, but it¡¯s daylight. I¡¯m the only one here who can wield that.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Agnes says. ¡°She already did a number on it with those two shots earlier. One or two more and we¡¯ll be able to make our way out too.¡±

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    ¡°Tenley may die on the way out of here,¡± Emilia says.

    ¡°She¡¯ll definitely die if she stays. The Beast is healing itself the more we stall and whatever wizard controls it will definitely notice the barrier. We have to move. Now.¡±

    Emilia¡¯s face goes red, but she doesn¡¯t protest again. ¡°Fine. But if I see one reason for me to turn back and help, I will.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Agnes says. She straightens, wincing. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Yvanna.¡±

    ¡°May Bir¡¯s light find you,¡± I say. Emilia studies my face before nodding and turning back to Tenley. I take her collected arrows and leave.

    We cut through the streets, only splitting up when I scramble up a ladder to make it to the roofs. The Beast is still on the street, pulling itself back together. The arrow seems to have made it lose some of whatever integrity it has, limbs and horns sliding out of place. It¡¯s moving around the street, its head tilted up as it drags itself along. It looks like it¡¯s listening for something or maybe smelling the air.

    The spot of light is still there. By rights it should die before hitting the ground or the barrier should have repaired itself, but it¡¯s guiding light the dark. I make my way under it and raise my bow. Four arrows pierce the barrier in the same spot. The Beast shrieks¡ªnot in pain but in anger. It moves with a ferocity we hadn¡¯t known it was capable of. Over gardens and bushes it pulls itself toward me.

    Agnes steps in its path, sword pointed and ready. It slows down, wary of the blessed blade, but keeps moving. With more agility than should be possible, she rolls out of the way, sending two little daggers into it. Its moans of anger and pain rattle the windows as Agnes scampers out of sight, its tail whipping after her. Another antler falls to the ground, and it lets out a low, lethal growl.

    I retreat a few houses back before letting loose another arrow. The four that had been stuck wobble and fall one by one to the ground, the beam of light growing with each one.

    I run and stand underneath it, basking in the sun. The light is a halo on my head, warming my hair and infusing me with power. For so long the sun had been a distant dream, but it¡¯s here now and Nkam is here, guiding me.

    Time stands still. The Beast is bearing down on Agnes, swelling and expanding as she runs. Her face is determined as she looks ahead. The Beast is still falling apart, a leg left behind as it tries to consolidate whatever it has left to control.

    Nkam stands in front of me. He¡¯s as handsome as ever. Dark skin, blemished with sunspots and smile lines. His white Agbada robes are wrinkle-free as he spreads his arms. He smiles. ¡°My priest! It¡¯s been so long.¡±

    ¡°It has, my lord,¡± I say, bowing my head. ¡°Thank you for lending me your strength.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for remaining faithful all these years.¡± His eyes turn dark as he becomes serious. ¡°I will help you as much as I can, but I cannot slay this Beast. It can only be unmade, not killed.¡±

    ¡°I understand. Then, will this be enough for us to escape?¡±

    He grins, lighting up the world with his smile. ¡°You will do so much more, my priest.¡± Nkam kisses my forehead, moving behind me. He brings my arms up, guiding them as I ready my shot. The Beast is in my line of sight, and I take a deep breath. All of my anger, frustration, terror, and sorrow are poured into the power I give this arrow. Nkam laughs as he says, ¡°You will live!¡±

    His presence disappears, the arrow flies, and time starts to move again.

    Bigger than a sword, bigger than a spear¡ªbigger than anything I¡¯ve seen before, it soars. It soars past houses and gardens and discarded arrows. It burns the pieces of the Beast it passes, charring them to ash. Instead of the rot that¡¯s permeating this village, a crisp, warm breeze smelling of sunflowers rolls through the streets.

    The Beast is still expanding. It¡¯s fast, but slower than when it consumed Peggy and slower than my arrow. The arrow hits its mark, burrowing into the Beast, burning up everything it touches. None of the other screams it had comes close to the sound it makes now. It wails, windows shattering, streets cracking, the ground shaking. Agnes loses her footing, but stabs her sword into the ground, stabilizing herself, and I drop down on the roof, covering my ears.

    When the screaming stops, all that¡¯s left are pitiful moans and soft squelching. I drop down from the roof, weaving through the streets until I see Agnes. She¡¯s sitting on the ground, holding her side and breathing hard.

    The Beast is gone. In the time it took me to get here, it slithered away. Agnes lifts her hand and points when she sees me scanning. That same metal disc on the ground is moved again. It lays on the street, gently wobbling. It ran away.

    ¡°We did it, Agnes,¡± I say, holding out my hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    She takes a shaky breath and shakes her head. ¡°No. You get out of here.¡±

    ¡°What are you¡ª¡± I gasp as I see why she¡¯s holding on so hard. The Beast managed to get her still. A festering, oozing wound is open on her side as she winces. I kneel down next to her. ¡°When¡­¡±

    ¡°When I get those little ones in it,¡± she says. Her brow is beaded with sweat and her face is growing paler by the second. ¡°Its tail got me. It¡¯s not your fault. I just wasn¡¯t fast enough.¡±

    ¡°You had two broken ribs,¡± I say. My voice cracks and I clear it. Falling apart won¡¯t help her. ¡°Okay, I can get you something clean to wrap that up and some water to clean it out. I¡¯ll carry you on my shoulders¡ª¡±

    ¡°Yvie.¡± Agnes grabs my hand to keep me from standing. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡ªI have to get you back to the surface.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she says again. ¡°Vidia and Vahn¡ªthey¡¯ve already mourned me. They need you.¡±

    ¡°Wha¡ªwho¡ªI¡ª¡±

    She laughs at my stuttering then winces, legs pulling up as she leans over. ¡°Elena,¡± she gasps. ¡°She talked about the kids you were looking after. It was nice, you know.¡± She leans back against the wall. There¡¯s nothing I can do for her, so I sit next to her, still holding her hand. ¡°It was nice to hear how you took care of them. They seem to be such troublemakers. I¡¯m sorry about that. Matteus and I were never good about following rules either. I¡¯m sure they¡¯re just as reckless as their father and I were.¡±

    ¡°They really are troublemakers, but charming all the same,¡± I say. Her hand is cold. ¡°They love you so much still. They talk about you often.¡±

    ¡°I know.¡± Her grip is getting lighter. She leans her head back and sighs. With her free hand , she reaches up and pulls a dagger from under her shirt. Her hand shakes as she holds it out to me. ¡°Take this and make it out of here.¡±

    I nod, taking the dagger. It¡¯s beautiful and sharp. ¡°Of course.¡±

    ¡°Do me a favor.¡± Her voice is soft, barely a whisper. ¡°Don¡¯t tell them you met me. They¡¯ve mourned me already. I won¡¯t have them go through it again.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Her eyes slide up, looking at the patch of light.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad I got to see sunlight one last time. Thank you, Yvanna.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Agnes.¡±

    Her last breath is nothing more than a wheeze, and then Agnes Nervetti is gone.

 Averted Vision

    It takes a moment before I¡¯m able to stand. I lay her down on the grass before walking away. Back to the houses and through back gardens until I find what I¡¯m looking for¡ªa shovel and a sheet.

    I pick the houses closest to her and start digging into the garden. The grave is shallow. I can¡¯t take too much time, and I can feel the adrenaline leaving me the more I dig. My arms are heavy but I push through until I¡¯m two feet deep.

    With all the care I can muster, I wrap her up and carry her to the grave. I set her down, careful not to disturb her too much and start to bury her. Burning would be better, but I can¡¯t risk a fire burning through the village.

    I stab her sword with all my might at the head of the grave, then kneel. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen it up close. It¡¯s thin, tempered with gold flecks throughout the blade. Despite its clear use, the blade remains almost perfect. Valley Beast leather and bone make up the simple pommel and grip. At the base of the blade, I see the mark of the blacksmith carved deep.

    I raise my head to the sky, looking at the sunlight. The hole is smaller now, shrinking slowly. Clapping my hands, I say, ¡°May you rest well, Agnes Nervetti, in the gentle lands of the gods. May they guide you to your next life with love and peace, and may you always have a hand to hold.¡± Standing, I brush the dirt from my knees. There¡¯s nothing more I can do for her. ¡°It was a pleasure to know you.¡±

    It takes a few minutes to gather the few things I need. I take a sheet, some food, a bag for carrying, whatever arrows or weapons I can find, and¡ª ¡°Oh!¡± I rush forward and snatch the small notebook on the ground. Elena¡¯s journal from our fight. I¡¯ll have a lot more to tell her when I get back.

    When I step out of the village and a pressure I hadn¡¯t noticed dissipates, leaving me lightheaded. I look back one more time before plunging ahead. The first few miles I refuse to look back. There¡¯s nothing to gain if I don¡¯t keep going.

    Once the village is well and truly out of sight, I stop and take the sheet from my bag. Ripping them into sheets, I wrap my hands up. It takes a few tries, but I manage to grab a low, sturdy branch and start climbing. It¡¯s still light out so the leaves are fanned, overlapping each other to keep out any sun. With Agnes¡¯s dagger, I cut them out of my way, careful not to let them touch my skin.

    As I reach the top, heart beating fast as I try to catch my breath, I gain a new appreciation for Peggy. She always made this look so easy. I squint, blinded by the light of day. It takes a full minute of blinking to adjust to the sight. I orient myself with the sun, and look to Thesgrea, to home.

    It¡¯s still a ways away. Twenty miles or more that I will need to walk, but I can see it in the distance. Up and up, it sits in the distance to my left. It¡¯s hardly more than a handful of towers, but it¡¯s there. It¡¯s dangerous to stay up here even during the day, but I take a moment to bask in the light. I¡¯ll need all the energy I can get.

    It¡¯ll be hours before I can make it back. Five or six at minimum, and with no one to watch my back, seven or eight is more likely.

    I drop down to the Valley floor, cutting through the leaves that have already grown to replace the ones I cut. Shouldering my bag, I grip the dagger and start forward. I¡¯m almost home.

    <><><><><>

    With no one to watch over me, I¡¯m chased through and the Valley. I have no time to eat and even less to sleep. Four hours in and my arrows are gone. Every Beast eats away the wood of the shaft and burns the feathers of the fletching. Five hours in and only I have the blades of my bow and Agnes¡¯s dagger to rely on.

    I squat down and dig in my bag, hoping to grab something to eat. I brush across something hard and yank it out. The bread is stale and without the safety of a container, it¡¯s succumbed to the Valley¡¯s aura. Green and blue mold have sprouted along the edge. My stomach gnaws at itself, twitching and growling. I tear off the moldy parts and shove the rest in my mouth. It does little to soothe my stomach, but it¡¯s better than nothing.

    Six hours in, I¡¯ve sheathed Agnes¡¯s dagger. I can¡¯t risk losing it as I pin Beasts down. A stag in the midst of transforming staggers in front of me. Its antlers are still normal, but its legs are long and angular and sharp. It stares into my eyes, and I see its fear. It doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s happening to it and doesn¡¯t understand why.

    It takes a step back as I take a step forward. I lower my bow and hold out my hand. It pauses, then lowers its head. I place my hand between its antlers and it leans in, taking comfort in another living being. It¡¯s always cold in the Valley, but it¡¯s freezing in winter. My hands are cold, but still warmer than anything else it will come across.

    I take its head off before it has time to look up. I say a prayer for what¡¯s left of the stag and keep moving.

    Eight hours in, the trees start to thin. Light filters through the trees, though it¡¯s faint. The sun has set and starlight shines on the ground. Exhaustion weighs on my shoulders like armor, and I struggle to keep going. One foot in front of the other. Eyes sweep the trees for threats. Hand grips the bow for support. I¡¯ve done this for so long, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be able to stop.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    I reach the edge of the Valley, but I don¡¯t see the lift. In all my running around, I¡¯ve lost track of where I¡¯m meant to be. Above me is a small rock that, under different circumstances, would have blended into the cliff face. It looks no different from the rest other than a small heart carved into the underside.

    Years ago, Fein, Peggy, Tenley, and I went along the edge of the Valley, carving symbols into the underside of rocks embedded into the ground. It wasn¡¯t sanctioned and every Elder was furious we¡¯d come so close to the Valley without reporting it. It was our way of helping those in the Valley find their way back. The bigger the symbols, the closer to home you¡¯d be. The heart I carved so may years ago is still there, guiding my way home. It¡¯s small, but all that means is that I need to find another one. I turn right and start walking.

    The next symbol I see is a star. It¡¯s smaller than the heart. I turn back and start running, taking off my mask to breathe harder, deeper. Heart, cross, eye, star. Heart, cross, eye, star. Heart, cross, eye, star. Heart, cross¡ª

    A sob starts to crawl up my throat as I see the lift. I choke it back and ignore the burning in my legs and lungs and push harder. It¡¯s still down and waiting. Waiting.

    In my excitement, I don¡¯t notice the Beast. It¡¯s barely a shadow on the ground, its body scraping the hard packed dirt. I lift my bow, but I¡¯m too slow. It lurches, sinking its fangs into my arm. I grit my teeth and drop my bow, catching it in my left hand. I¡¯m not as deft with it, but I manage to bring it down on its slimy body. It glides against the mucus but catches on one of its scales. It bites down harder, but I keep pushing until I pierce it. Its hollow scream is muffled by my arm. I take my bow and stab it into the ground. I wrap my hand around its body and start to pull. My hand burns but I keep my grip tight. It squelches, bones breaking and cracking as I pull the Beast in half.

    Its fangs are still in my arm, but I ignore it. Using my bow as a cane, I pull myself to the lift. It¡¯s so close, but it feels so far. My vision is blurring and no amount of deep breaths will fix that.

    When my knees hit the walls of the lift, I hardly notice. I try to step over it, but fall in instead, my head hitting the hard wood. My good hand flops around, looking for the bell string. My arm is numb, I can¡¯t see, and it¡¯s getting colder. Wind is whipping around me, blowing through my robes.

    Something thin hits my finger and I grasp for it. My grip is weak, but I pull it. Something chimes in the distance, but it¡¯s muffled. I pull again, hoping that Eamon is still up there. That someone is still up here.

    I can¡¯t pull it a third time. My hand betrays me and the string slips from my grasp.

    All at once my vision clears. The moon and stars are gone as clouds roll in. Darkness overtakes me and my breath starts to falter. How stupid of me to drop my guard at the finish line. So close to home I can almost see the sun glinting off the river. Feel the cobblestones hard underfoot as I chase Vidia and Vahn through the city. Hear the chorus the priests as they practice their songs. Smell the mixed scents of fresh baked food, clay pots, beeswax candles, and parchments from the market. Taste the calming tea Elder Reggie serves when I sit in her office.

    Instead, I see the clouds growing heavy above me. Feel the wind kick up and hear the howling of the Beasts. The smell of snow is undeniable. I cough and taste my blood.

    My vision starts to blur again, and I let the tears I¡¯ve been holding back fall. The burn against my cheeks and I can¡¯t stop the fear that grips my heart. I don¡¯t fear death, but I fear being yet another person to leave Vidia and Vahn behind. I fear wasting my last moments in cold darkness instead of the light and heat of the sun.

    The numbness has spread from my arm to my shoulder and slowly creeps up my neck. I stretch out my hand again, but I can¡¯t reach the bell. No one is coming for me.

    A snowflake lands on my cheek and melts, mingling with my tears, then another. Snow flurries down on me, landing softly in my hair and melting against my skin.

    I¡¯m so tired. I can barely keep my eyes open, and I wonder if it¡¯s okay to close them. I can¡¯t hear the howling of the Beasts, and I can hardly feel the snow. My promise has been fulfilled. As hard as I was able I tried to make it back and still failed. Nothing more can be asked of me.

    For a moment there is light, and the stars peak through the sheets of clouds. They are beautiful and shining and I am awed by her gift to me in this moment. Peace. A deep contentment fills me, and I pull what muscles I have control of into a smile.

    I close my eyes as a muffled voice calls out from above: ¡°Yvanna!¡±

    Something heavy lands next to me and the wind is no longer whipping around me. Softness surrounds me coupled with gentle whispers. ¡°Stay with me, Yvie,¡± the voice says. ¡°Please stay with me.¡±

    I want to say it¡¯s okay. That Nkam will welcome me with open arms and I can have my rest. My lips refuse to move, the numbness collapsing my throat and paralyzing my mouth.

    ¡°Fuck,¡± they mutter. ¡°Get me the¡ª Yes, that. Okay, this is gonna hurt like hell, but bear with it.¡±

    Something sharp pokes my chest and fire erupts. My heart leaps as my eyes fly open. I try to sit up, but half my body is frozen. My good hand feels around my chest and pulls out a needle, dropping it to the ground. I can¡¯t breathe, there¡¯s not enough air to fill my lungs and¡ª

    I lean over and throw up, blood and bile and something rancid staining the lift. There¡¯s a hand on my back, rubbing small circles as I empty whatever I had left in me. When there¡¯s no more bile, there¡¯s only blood and that horrid viscous liquid inching up my throat.

    There¡¯s a towel on my face when I¡¯m done, wiping it clean, before handing me a bottle. The water is almost as cold as the wind, but I down it greedily. Only then, when the bottle is finished, am I brought back to myself.

    My vision is still blurry, but I squint at the person next to me, trying to make out their features in the dark. The clouds have moved back, and the snow is falling faster.

    ¡°You¡¯re going to feel awful for a bit, but you¡¯ll be back in shape soon after.¡±

    I know that voice. It¡¯s one that I¡¯ve heard almost every day since I moved to Thesgrea. Elder Reggie.

    ¡°Glad we were able to get here in time,¡± someone else says. My head starts swimming again, and it takes until we reach the top of the Valley for me to place them. Priya.

    When we reach the top of the Valley, they pick me up, sling one arm over each of their shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s get you to a witch, Yvie.¡±