Chapter 10

Arlette took them passed the border of light into the realm of darkness a little after noon the next day. When they crossed the border darkness enshrouded them, blinding them. It took mere seconds before a light caressed their eyes and they saw vaguely the world of darkness. Cold touched them stealing all warmth that they held. They slipped on sweaters and looked about.

Low looked about. “So you think that my memories are in the darkness?” He asked for reassurance.

“Yes,” Arlette said. “It's the only logical place. The land of light doesn't hold memories of dark moments, besides the oracle herself told you that you memories are held in the dark.”

Low nodded, a small movement and stared out into the blackness. Their vision had a small radius of two feet, meager two feet. Beyond that was danger and threats.

“I don't like this cold and stillness.” Arless whispered. She gripped the crossbow on her back and looked around her. “Its silent, and eerie and it's unnerving.”

“Sometimes silence is the only assurance of safety.” Said a gentle voice from the dark.

“Whose there?” Lukil said.

“I should ask you that, denizens of light, but I need not such information.” She stepped into the line of sight. She wore deep blue robes. Her skin was a calm color of pale cream. Her eyes held the warmth of a honey suckle in summer. Her hair a straight halo of silver caressing soft angular features. “Lambs as you should remain in the land of light, what you seek the darkness holds not.”

“Why should we believe you, demon of darkness?” Arlette asked.

Calm eyes turned to him. His hand upon the hilt of his sword. “You insult me. I try being nice and you insult me.” She gave a short pain-filled laugh. “I expect nothing less from denizens of light. Just like your kind to act like beast. Still, seeing as you have stumbled into my realm I am demanded to act honorably and ask what you desire in the darkness. We shall speak till negotiations are over, and I shall send you back to your world of light. So what do you... desire.” She said the last with a tinge of venom.

Low stepped forward. “We were told that my memories are hidden in darkness. We have come to search within this realm.”

“Darkness holding memories of the denizen of light. Non such has been heard of. Maybe the darkened portion of you heart of mind, but the realm of darkness hides not what those of light lose.”

“Please allow us passage to your realm so that we may search.” Low said.

She stood there a moment. “No.” She said.

“Why not?” Low asked.

“Just as the denizens of light forbid us passage to you lands we, the 'demons of darkness', as your kind puts it, forbid you passage as well. If that is you desire you may leave us now.” She turned her back and started to walk off.

Low grabbed the back of her robes.

She turned and looked at him. “You have no rights to touch me. You, denizen of the light, have no business touching me.” She jerked the cloth from his hands and brushed as if trying to clean it.

“Why do you hate those that dwell in light?” He watched her movements hurt that she was bushing off her robe like he was something vulgar.

“Hate is given where hate is received.” She said. “Those that dwell in light hate us, so likewise we hate them.”

“You have a personal vendetta though.” Lukil said.

“Then personal it shall remain.” The women said. Again she turned and walked away.

“Demons of darkness are what they are.” Arlette said. “We're lucky she didn't kill us. Most 'civilized' light people who enter turn up dead.”

Her voice echoed from the dark. Cold and threatening. “Civilized? You? 'The great denizens of light' are civilized? Don't make me laugh.” A cold chuckle sent shivers down their spines. “You burned my father and took my mother, then left my brother to die in the cold of this a cursed realm, and you call us demons. Our people who cross to your borders asking for asylum end up charred and eaten bones buried beneath your oh-so perfect feet. We bring peace offerings, and you take those but give us death and torture in return, you light lovers cross our borders, we give you shelter and safety from the darkness that consumes all, some stay, some go, but never do we kill your kind, never do we leave your infants and children to fend for themselves at the hands and claws of the beast that lurk within the light, and still you call us demons, beast, and savages. I curse you and your warmth.”

“Warmth?” Low said. He looked at the others. They shrugged except for Arlette.

“Those who live in the dark live in constant cold. The light offers warmth and security, the darkness offers cold and death.”

“Very good.” She stepped into their vision once more. “But why a denizen such as you would know about such trivial things, I care not, just leave me and my darkness, your trying my patience.”

“I invoke safety and knowledge.” Arlette said.

She turned eyes upon him. “You know our laws well.” She snarled.

“'Safety and knowledge?'” Low asked.

“By invoking 'safety and knowledge', we may ask questions indefinitely, and we remain safe till we have satiated our curiosity. She has to answer the questions to the best of her ability.”

“Even personal questions?” Lukil asked.

“Yes.” Arlette said. “However in exchange we hand over our weapons for her to keep.” He drew out his blade and laid it on the ground at his feet. He dug beneath his shirt and removed his short swords. Hew pulled three small knifes from his arms and a another blade from his back. He kneeled removing another eight knifes from each leg.

The others had laid their weapon at their feet. They watched Arlette.

“You asked passage with the portable knife store?” The woman let out a short giggle. “Step back, so that I may collect such items.”

“Not until you answer our questions.” Arlette said.

“Ask then, knife bearer.”

“What is your name and title?”

“My name is Shadow, Darkness holder.”

“Tell us what happened to your family.” Low whispered.

Shadow remained silent.

“What happened to you family?” Arlette demanded. He looked at Low.

“Concern of my family is not becoming of your kind.” Shadow replied.

“Just answer the damn question demoness.”

“When my brother was born his temperature dropped below that of normal. Our elders and doctors said that his only chance for life was in the warmth of the light. Our elders decided to send my mother to plead asylum with in the realm of light even if only for my brother. A representative of darkness had already crossed the barrier however, sending my mom was risky but we took it. A week passed and my mother didn't return. The darkness however had been unsettled with the howling of the wolves of darkness, our enemies and our protection. Finally my father our leader went to see the pack leader, my father returned with my little brother still alive but barely. My father was angry, he wrapped my brother in the warmest cloth we had and left him in my care. My father was found a day later burned near the border. A note was near him that said, 'He offered violence and asked for warmth. We gave it to him.' We knew then that he went into the light, he went to get back my mother, if nothing else. They burned him alive.”

“Why do you not allow us passage?” Arlette asked.

“Why give passage when we don't receive it?” Shadow replied.

“'Knowledge and safety' is one way.” Arlette said.

“However, I answered your question with another. On a technical level, answering a question with another is the same as answering. Its doubled edged, to give and receive information that answers the first question in a round about way.”

Lukil answered. “We forbid passage because we don't know your motives within our realm, so you forbid passage because you don't know ours.”

Shadow nodded.

“We told you.” Low said. “We have come to find my lost memories. Is that not enough?”

“We go to you asking for warmth, is that enough?Do you say, 'Oh warmth, thats all well then come on in'?”

“No.” Low said.

“Your avoiding our questions with questions.” Arlette said.

“I am not. I'm rephrasing the questions you ask me and asking you so that you may answer them yourselves. There is no specified way for your knowledge to be obtained, so, I am within my rights to do so.”

They looked at each other then nodded.

“In the past eight months has you realm been disturbed by anything?” Arlette asked.

“The realm is always disturbed.” Shadow said with a shrug.

“Has anything new entered your realm?” Arlette asked.

“Nothing new has entered the realm. The realm is as it was since the elders passed the law so many years back.” Shadow said.

“What law? And why?” Arlette said.

“The law forbidding crossers. Since my father was killed all immigrants from your world are banned.” She gave them a tired look.

“Was your father important among your people? Or was there a conjoining reason?”

“Both.” Shadow said.

“Your not answering to the best of your ability.”

“My father was Darkness wielder. He watched the borders and offered passage to those who crossed from the light. After my mother and brother disappeared, without a word or trace he feared the worst. During week of her disappearance those who had left to the realm of light returned dead. Their bodies charred and blackened. We identified many but the rest were torched beyond identification. My father put a petition in to the elders to no longer allow those of the light to cross our borders, and it passed. Those of the light who remained were officially inducted as denizens of dark. No others were allowed to be here. However that was after my father died at your hands.”

“Shadow?” A young voice echoed from the darkness.

“Has your curiosity been satiated?” Shadow asked. “If it hasn't then I don't care. The moon rises soon, and our worlds will be cutoff till it sets. Leave now.”

“Shadow? Who are you talking to?” A harsh growl echoed in the darkness. “Cocoa, be quiet.”

“No one.” Shadow said. She bowed. “Good-bye.”

“We haven't...” Arlette started.

Shadow held up a hand. “Unless you want to spend the night in the dark, you must leave.”

“Will you not offer us shelter if we stay after the moon rises?” Lukil asked.

“No.” She said flatly. “I gave you a warning so you should take it and go.”

Arlette bowed. “As you wish demon of darkness.”

“Good-evening, b******s of light.” Shadow gave a cold smile.

“Shadow, the elders need you. The wolves have... they need a median.” The voice was small and gentle. “Come on, please, there is little time.”

“Head back Shade. I'll be there in a few.” Shadow bowed again.

Arlette and friends bowed back and left.