2nd of Ymiden 719
It was in the small, darkening hours of midnight when perfect darkness finally visited upon Tor’ree’s hut in Desnind. Perhaps she’d have been relieved to find her blue Iyo bug lamps still alive and well, even while the rest of the iyo across the city had died off. Whatever the case, hers were hardier than most, and so had survived this long.
However, bit by bit, break by break, their once brilliant blue glow, that had once filled her hut to the brim with light, were beginning to fade. They were growing weaker.
As the night wore on, her Iyo finally breathed and glowed their last.
And all was dark.
What began as a whimper sounding from within her headspace, resembling that of a wolf, became a moan, and finally a bone-chilling howl. If Tor’ree turned her sight inward, she would feel the presence of her familiar nearby, the black-furred and blue-eyed wolf Kae’laen. Outside, in a clearing, he sat, slumped over, lifting his head for yet another mournful howl.
Her connection to that spirit beast was strong enough that she could tell it was more than just the bright stars and moon that prompted it to howl. It was more than just sadness, more than the lonely darkness of a Iyo-less night.
There was something out there. Something that called this darkness into being. The wolf had a fear of what lay within those deep shadows, where the light of the moon and stars couldn’t pierce the canopy. Inside, it crawled and crept, leaking it’s inky tendrils into the once bright jewel of Desnind.
I know it sounds strange… But I’ve felt this fear before. Kae’laen confided in Tor’ree. The only way to break fear, is to follow your inner eye to where it attacks. At the end of that inner path, drink the fear and let darkness wash over us. Once this is done, only we shall stand there.
Let us hunt the darkness, Tor’ree. It’s been far too long.
