Vessels: Through Smoke and Shadow

“Riders are on their way, we have to move. I sense them coming near us.” Amaya stated in a stern voice, pouring her water onto the campfire and extinguishing it. I stood up with much haste, throwing my brown satchel over my shoulder.

Kaelith started looking straight ahead, studying the air into the abyss of the wilderness. He drew his sword from its sheath quietly.

“No,” Kaelith said in a quiet voice, “they are here.”

Kaelith signaled Amaya with a nod of his head, and Amaya readied her bow.

I hurriedly looked for something to protect myself. I only had my satchel. In it, I had my Bible, journal, along with some herbs...

I heal others through my work. I do not cause the injury.

I looked on the ground near the extinguished fire, felt around, and grabbed a rock. I may not know how to wield a sword, but I do know for sure how to throw. Kaelith and Amaya were both in front of me, Kaelith more on the left and Amaya more on the right. Both of them scanned their surroundings with rapid, steady movements.

The silence that filled the air was heavy, broken only by the sounds of owls in the distance and crickets chirping. I felt my stomach turning with anticipation, waiting for whatever was lurking in the darkness. I started to do my own sense of scanning the perimeter.

I turned in slow, steady circles. What if they come from behind? What am I even looking for? My breath slowed. My fingers tightened around the stone. What if they come from behind?

The thought barely formed, and then, something cut through the air beside me.

Fast and sharp. A violent whoosh split the silence apart.

Time fractured.

I didn’t breathe.

I didn’t allow myself to think. I only felt the nearness of it. A small squeal escaped me as I flinched, my hands rising toward my head, still clenching the rock. A sharp thud struck the tree just behind me. An arrow. The wood shuddered from the force of it, the shaft still vibrating as it embedded deep into the bark. I froze for a fraction of a second too long.

“Essence.” Kaelith’s voice broke through me, but I barely had time to turn before something collided into my side.

Strong, solid, and unyielding.

The world became small as Kaelith pulled me down with him, his arm wrapped around me as we hit the ground hard. One hand braced against the earth beside my head, the other gripping his sword as he angled his body over mine, shielding me completely. The breath left my lungs in a rush as dirt and ash scattered around us. Kaelith gripped me with his right hand, wielding his blade with his left. He is left-handed? Why does that matter at a moment like this?

Another arrow flew, then another. The air filled with the violent hiss of them slicing through the darkness. Amaya moved. I could not see her, but I felt her. Amaya shifted her demeanor. I felt it in the air. Then came the sharp, swift twang of her bow cutting through the night in response. Once, Twice, and then Three times. A cry rang out from the trees. But she didn’t stay at a distance. One of the riders lunged from the shadows, blade drawn, fast and reckless. Amaya stepped forward to meet him. She had no fear, only certainty. His blade came down toward her, and she caught his wrist mid-strike. She did it with such ease. The force of his swing should have driven through her, but it didn’t. She turned her body slightly, guiding his momentum past her instead of stopping it. His own strength betrayed him as he stumbled forward off balance. In the same motion, she pivoted. Her hand pressed firmly against his shoulder and redirected him. Not violently, but decisively. He hit the ground hard enough to knock the breath from him, his weapon slipping from his grasp.

Another rider charged her from the side. Amaya turned with such calmness before a storm. She was very focused. She stepped in close, inside his reach, her hand striking his chest, not to shatter him, but to disrupt. The impact sent him staggering backward, his footing lost as he collided with a tree and slid down, dazed. She didn’t pursue him. She simply reset her stance, bow already returning to her hand as if it had never left. She is precise and merciful, but that does not make her weak. I was in a trance glancing up at Amaya when I heard his voice.

“Stay down,” Kaelith said, low and firm.

Not a suggestion.

A command. My mind came back to reality, and my heart pounded wildly now, panic sinking into my chest, but beneath it, something else stirred.

Focus.

I wasn’t just safe because I was hidden underneath Kaelith. I wasn’t helpless. I still had the rock. My fingers tightened around it. I turned my head slightly, pressing myself lower to the ground as I forced my eyes to adjust to the darkness. There. I can see movement. A shadow shifted between the trees. Another arrow being drawn back. My breath hitched. I could feel the distance. I can measure it and time it.

“Kaelith, right,” I whispered, my voice barely a sound. He didn’t question me. Didn’t hesitate. The moment I shifted, he moved just enough to give me a clear line. I pushed myself up onto one knee, my arm pulling back, and I threw. The rock cut through the air, fast and sure. A crack echoed through the trees, followed by a yelp. The figure dropped the bow they were wielding. Silence filled the air, not of peace, but of shock. A small gasp of victory escaped me, shocked by my own performance.

Kaelith let a little smirk touch his face. “Good shot.” He pulled out his shield instantly to block another shooter, protecting both himself and me. Then he threw his shield, hitting one of the men and bouncing to the next, forcing both shadows out into the open. The shield returned to him. Is that his famous shield in person? I have heard whispers of it in the palace, but never seen it with my own eyes. I wonder if I will find out why he was called “The Bulwark” within the walls. I nodded at Kaelith in amazement.

I examined one of the men on the floor. That’s the uniform from the knights in our kingdom. Why are they coming after us? Amaya, on one hand, singing with arrows, and Kaelith guiding his blade so gracefully. The two of them never once tried to kill the men that came; they only knocked them out.

Amaya spoke, “We must head out. I hear them. I think they sent the whole army for us. I only have a few more arrows left.” Amaya retrieved the arrow from the tree that had nearly taken my head earlier.

The three of us ran into the darkness. I could feel my heart beating out of my chest. Just days ago, I was at work sitting in the palace making herbs.

Now here I am running from that same palace. I tried to run without sound, but I was making crunchy noises beneath my feet.

Kaelith and Amaya looked at one another and nodded, moving in opposite directions. I wasn’t too sure what to do, so I hid behind a tree near where Kaelith went. I tried to calm my breathing. I looked into the sky.

God, please help.

I am scared.

I said the plea in my mind as I felt someone come closer. I held my mouth with one of my hands, trying not to make a sound. From where I stood, I could see Amaya slowly walking behind the trees, making her way toward the person on my trail. I could not see behind me. I had begun to cry a little out of fright, silent tears slipping down my face. I heard commotion in the leaves and branches, then silence.

I gulped and looked behind me. Amaya was retrieving her arrows and placing them back into her quiver. She walked toward me and placed her hand on my shoulder, peering into my face, giving me a small smile, ensuring I was okay. I nodded in response to her caring demeanor. She has beautiful light leaf-colored eyes. Her eyes are lighter than mine. Mine are more of an emerald.

Kaelith let out a small whistle and signaled for us to keep moving. We kept moving swiftly, dodging the trees, hearing more footsteps approaching us.

Filled with adrenaline, I suppose I ran faster within the forest, because suddenly I could not find either of them.

“Kaelith? Amaya, where are you?” I whispered loudly.

“Essence,” I heard another voice nearby.

I started to make my way toward the voice, and I was making a ruckus. I tripped, and in an instant an arrow answered my noise, landing near where I had fallen. I got up in a panic and ran, hearing my pants in the eerily quiet air. Somewhere between the arrows and the movement, I had run out of voice range. I looked around frantically, searching for the two once more. Nothing filled the air. Just the distant echo of steel... and then even that faded. A twig snapped behind me. I turned quickly. Too late.

God, please help me. A rider lunged from the shadows, blade already mid-swing, aimed straight for me. Quickly, I took my satchel off, about to swing with it. This was it. I may be scared, but I am not going to just stand here. I didn’t have time to run.

In an instant, purple smoke erupted between us. Thick, swirling, and alive. The blade never reached me. It cut through nothing. The knight stumbled back in confusion as the smoke twisted and folded in on itself, and from it came a figure, a man, if I could even call him that, with purple skin and glowing golden eyes. The figure emerged out while laughing.

“Well now,” he said lightly, glancing between us as if this were all terribly amusing. “That looked unpleasant.”

I stared at him. The rider didn’t. Instead, he attacked again. The man sighed and vanished. The blade cut through empty air. A flash of violet opened behind the rider, and the man reappeared there, tapping him lightly on the shoulder. What am I even witnessing?

The knight spun, and before he could react, another portal snapped open beneath his feet. The knight dropped through it with a shout, and it closed instantly. Silence filled the air. Purple smoke swirled once more, and the strange man appeared before me again. He dusted off his hands as if he had just finished something minor and looked at me.

He really was taking in my face. He tilted his head slightly, eyes curious.

“Oh,” he said, as if realizing something mid-thought. “You’re not supposed to be alone.” I couldn’t speak.

“Right,” he nodded to himself. “That’s a problem.”

Another distant shout echoed through the trees. Kaelith. Amaya. His smile widened. “I’ll be right back.” He disappeared into a ripple of violet smoke. I blinked, trying to see if the smoke in the forest shifted again. I looked to my left and a coughing Amaya appeared with purple smoke. Another instant later, I looked to my right and Kaelith appeared in confusion.

The violet smoke appeared above us, around us, in many different directions. Amaya turned sharply, her bow already drawn. She fired an arrow at the purple smoke and hit nothing. Instantaneously, purple smoke appeared once more, and a purple hand grabbed the arrow. Then we heard a voice behind us. Kaelith threw his shield as the purple smoke split across the ground. I squinted my eyes. Each time the purple man appeared, he was in a different pose. What is he? Kaelith’s shield returned to him without getting a single hit. He pulled out his sword.

The purple man reappeared between us, holding the arrow in one of his hands. “Now, now” he said, raising his hands slightly. “Let’s not make this difficult.”

Another arrow flew. He vanished and reappeared somewhere else with both arrows in his hands. He started to laugh.

“I assure you, a very charming group, truly, but I am not your enemy.” He appeared near me, giving me both arrows before disappearing again. Amaya’s gaze never left him as she grabbed the arrows from me. Kaelith did not lower his sword.

“State your purpose,” Kaelith said firmly. The purple man paused, looked between them, and examined their armor. Recognition flickered across his face.

“...Knights?” he said, surprised. A beat, and a small grin appeared across his face. “Oh, this just keeps getting better.”

“Knights,” he repeated, shaking his head slightly. “Running around in the woods... Being hunted...” His golden eyes gleamed with amusement. “...from their own kingdom, I presume?” No answer.

He clasped his hands together lightly, filled with joy at the lack of response. I didn’t move at first. I wasn’t sure if I should.

“...Who are you?” I asked, my voice quieter than I intended. He turned to me as if he was waiting for me to speak. He smiled, not in a threatening way, but more entertained.

“Oh,” he said lightly, tilting his head as if I were the interesting one, “that’s usually my question.” I blinked.

What does that even mean? My brows furrowed slightly, confusion pulling through me as I glanced briefly toward Kaelith and Amaya, grounding myself in their presence before looking back at him.

“You just...” I gestured vaguely toward the space where the knight had disappeared. “Made someone vanish, and you appeared and vanished many times.”

"It is dark. Maybe your eyes are playing tricks on you.” I stared at him, and the silence stretched. I glanced next to me and saw that Amaya still had her bow raised, but lowered now. Not directly at him. Her stance had changed in the smallest way, less immediate attack, more assessment. Her eyes were still glued to his every move.

“Why did you help us? You don’t seem like an ally,” she said calmly. Her tone wasn’t accusing. It was more of a warning. The man chuckled lightly.

“I’ve been called worse. Let’s just say I make inconvenient situations... less inconvenient.” Amaya stared at him.

“That’s not an explanation.”

He smiled.

“No,” he agreed. “It’s not.”

Kaelith moved further ahead of Amaya and me.

“You still haven’t answered her,” he stated, gesturing toward me. His expression shifted just slightly, his curiosity softening.

“My name,” he said, placing a hand lightly over his chest with an exaggerated sort of grace, “is Matthias. And yours?”

I was about to speak, but Kaelith put his arm in front of me as if guarding me. “Do not answer.”

“Now, that is rude of you, Kaelith,” Matthias spoke clearly.

He appeared behind us, then in front again with more purple smoke.

“The man with the shield that returns to him has to be the beloved, Kaelith Rowan.” he said in a matter-of-fact tone.

Matthias' gaze flickered to my satchel and then to me. “You’re not what I expected.”

“I don’t even know what you mean.” I replied.

Matthias’s expression shifted. It became real. He looked beyond us. Listening to the air. The forest, once loud with chaos, now held something else. Movement. Far in the distance, but getting closer. His smile didn’t fade, but it changed. Less playful and more aware.

“As delightful as this is,” he said lightly, though his eyes remained fixed on the trees behind us. “I’d prefer not to entertain an audience.”

Kaelith’s grip tightened on his sword.

“What is it?” Amaya asked.

Matthias exhaled softly through his nose. “More,” he said simply.

A beat.

Then he returned his gaze to us, as if his mind was made up. “We should move this conversation somewhere safer.”

No one moved.

Of course not. Trust wasn’t something you handed to a stranger who stepped out of smoke.

Matthias sighed. “Right,” he muttered, almost to himself.

Then his eyes flicked to me, and he appeared in front of me. Something in his tone softened, just slightly. “Hold on to me.”

I blinked. “What?”

There wasn’t any time. Another sound echoed through the trees, closer now. Too close. Kaelith stepped forward immediately.

“No...” Matthias didn’t argue. He simply moved, and fast. One hand caught my wrist, not rough, but firm enough that I couldn’t pull away in time. The other reached outward and the world broke.

Purple light burst around us, folding in on itself like the air had been torn open. For a single, impossible moment, I saw everything at once. The forest. The shadows. Kaelith reached for me, then nothing.

Darkness.

Complete.

Not like night.

Not like closing your eyes.

This was absence.

My eyes were open. I knew they were, but there was nothing to see. No ground beneath my feet.

No air moving against my skin.

No sound.

No time.

Just void.

My breath caught in my throat. I thought I was disappearing, and then Matthias’s voice, calm and unbothered.

“There we are.” Light returned all at once. The world rushed back into place beneath my feet, and I stumbled slightly as stone replaced nothingness.

A cave. A small enclosed one. I turned quickly to see Amaya, and I did not see Kaelith. A second later, Kaelith appeared nearby, followed by the purple smoke.

“As I was saying,” he continued casually, gesturing around the cave as if he had simply walked us here, “somewhere safer.” Matthias said so lightheartedly.

I stared at him. My heart was still racing, but not from fear alone now; from disbelief.

“That’s not normal,” I said quietly.

He glanced at me. A small smile tugged at his lips. “No,” he agreed. “It’s not.”