Beyond Ruin: Canyon of Night
Land stoked the fire. The majority of her scouting party was spread out along the canyon wall, a few of them polishing their weapons while the others slept. She saw a few rocks nearby and opened her palm—the stones floated towards her and began to orbit around an imaginary center, gradually speeding up and tightening their circle. The diamonds in the Queen’s crown glimmered briefly, and the stones abruptly ground to a halt.
Hopefully this doesn’t wake you—I just wanted to check in and see how the search is going. Things here are holding steady: the outposts along the border have been scouted and show no problems, and I have also dispatched messengers to begin negotiations with the other Queens as we discussed. I suppose nothing momentous happened, really. The castle just feels a little empty. I wish you the best of luck in your search.
After taking in the message that had appeared in her mind, Land chuckled. Focusing her thoughts, she composed a telepathic wave of her own.
Not to worry, I’m still awake. On the negative side of things, I’m afraid I don’t have anything to report on. We’ve nearly reached the end of the canyon path and haven’t found any sign of our culprits. Tomorrow we plan on searching the foothills, but any further west would cross into Nature’s land, so if we haven’t found whoever is behind the disappearances by then, I suppose we’ll just have to advise her to look into it. But in all likelihood these are just petty bandits, and they may not fare well in the forests anyway. Get some sleep, dear; I’ll send you a wave as soon as we complete our search, one way or the other. I’ll be back in Roche soon.
She thought of Sky and the message was sent. One of her companions soon approached, and Land gestured for her to sit.
“How is morale holding?” the Queen asked.
“Nothing to worry about, Your Majesty,” the knight said. “We’re a bit frustrated by the lack of results, but we’re still just as driven to locate our quarry.”
Land nodded. “It is rather curious, isn’t it? I was sure there’d be some sign by now—the remains of a camp, some animal tracks perhaps…the total absence is baffling.”
The knight looked up the path. She fidgeted slightly, mumbling something Land couldn’t make out.
She chuckled. “Forgive me, Your Majesty, I was just thinking…it’s nothing, just superstitions.”
“Ah. I admit, I’ve been thinking about that as well.”
The knight leaned back. “You have?”
Land nodded, starting to manipulate the rocks in her palm again. “I find it fascinating which stories persist and which do not. I remember almost 200 years ago there was a tale of the northern peak being the roost of hawks made of flame, but it passed in only a few years; the legends about this canyon, however, are just as strong now as they were a century ago.”
The knight watched the stones rotate around the Queen’s hand. “I see. Do you think, possibly, that could mean they are true?”
“I don’t believe that to be the case. I’ve been through this canyon several times before, and I’ve never seen these ‘phantoms’ said to stalk it.”
“Oh. Why do you think the stories persist, then?”
Land shrugged. “I can’t say I understand it. But that’s why it fascinates me so. Even we Queens have trouble predicting what people choose to believe—powerful as we are, we are not omniscient. It’s humbling, in a way, and I also find it reassuring. Even after all this time, so many people still believe in us.”
The knight grinned. She moved to stand, but her body froze at the sound of distant screaming.
“That sounds like it’s coming from the direction the others went…” she muttered.
Land rose. Her troops had swiftly rallied around her, and she wasted no time dividing the party up. “I’m going on ahead. You three stay here in case someone attacks the camp. The rest of you, follow as quickly as you can.”
The assigned guards took up positions around the perimeter while the rest mounted their horses. Land drew her hand to the side and up—the ground beneath her moved, gently but rapidly carrying her to the side of the canyon, up its wall, and then forward along its rim. As she advanced, she scanned the ravine for signs of trouble. It was difficult to see in the darkness, but soon she spotted movement and willed the ground beneath her to fall still.
There were several large shapes grouped together in the middle of the canyon. She was unable to make out any details, but even from this distance she could tell there was something strange about their form, though she wasn’t sure what exactly. When one moved, she caught a glimpse of one of her people lying there battered and bloodied. Land made a slashing motion. The canyon floor fractured, and the odd shapes found themselves slipping into the massive cracks that appeared beneath them.
As Land descended into the canyon, the shapes began to free themselves, so she thought it wise to arm herself. Two small spheres of metal appeared from nothing in front of her palms, and they slowly extended to form thin shafts that were each about the length of her arm. When brought together, they twisted into one and sharpened, quickly hardening to form a deadly rapier. She held it forward and glared.
“Step away from my knights.”
It was still too dark for her to make out what she was facing, even being this close to them. What she could tell was that they were tall: around seven feet, she guessed. Each appeared to have broad shoulders and large arms, and there was a noticeable lurch to their movements as if they were twitching every few seconds. One swung its fist at the Queen. The ground pulled her to the side and she thrust her blade, slicing it down its arm and eliciting a terrible shriek. Some of the others stepped back, while a few advanced to avenge their comrade; Land drew her sword through them in one non-lethal stroke, simultaneously willing a protective shell of rock to envelop her fallen scouts. When she looked back to the forms, one of them lowered itself to the ground—surrendering, she assumed. Then she noticed a long appendage on its back lunging towards her.
She was pulled aside just in time, her hair rustling in the wake of the attack. Thinking her too stunned to counterattack, the form pressed forward, and this time Land ducked and let the ground carry her farther back. The sound of horses informed her that her knights had caught up. She signaled, and one of the mages created a ball of white light and threw it, letting it arc through the air until it stopped right over the Queen and grew brighter.
Land gasped. Her opponents were reeling from the bright light that now exposed them, scuttling back and regrouping. Their bodies appeared to be made of purple smoke, loosely held together in a human-like form and with faces composed of nothing but four pale blue eyes. The creatures’ large arms ended in scorpion-like claws, a match for the long tails they bore, and the ridges along their back and shoulders seemed more solid than the majority of their bodies.
The horses started to panic at the sight. Land had started to recover, and willed the cocoon holding the injured to move back to the rest of the party—several mages dismounted and began to heal their wounds. In response, the creatures seemed unsure if they should continue their assault.
“...I’ve never seen anything like you,” Land said. She took a step forward. “I suppose we’ve found the ones responsible for the disappearances in this canyon. Why have you been attacking my people?”
The creatures twitched silently.
“You can’t understand a word I say, can you?”
One creature jumped forward. She disabled it with one slash and then pinned it to the ground. The rest ultimately decided to flee, scampering off into the darkness.
Two knights moved to pursue, but Land raised a hand. “No, leave them. It wouldn’t be safe to pursue until we know more.”
She looked to the one she had downed. Leaving her sword in it, she moved back and held both hands out; the blade melted into a puddle that quickly spread, flowing over the creature’s body and in seconds coating it entirely in a metal film. Land clenched her fists, and the shell hardened.
The Queen knelt and laid a hand on her captive. It was still shaking.
Seems they don’t need to breathe.
She looked to the party: the wounded were back on their feet, and the horses had successfully been calmed.
“…I know we agreed to take a rest, but tell me: how would you all feel about making haste back to Roche?”
Hushed remarks rippled through the crowd as the Queen of Knowledge emerged from her carriage. She slowly surveyed them, and when satisfied, began to walk forward at a relaxed pace. Roche’s castle was carved into one side of the mountain ring that encircled it, the face dotted with numerous windows and sectioned off by turret-like molding all centered on a massive stone gate.
The Queen of the Sky came out to meet Knowledge. Bowing, she said, “We are incredibly grateful that you have come to visit us, Queen of Knowledge. Our apologies for bothering you, but we do not know where else to turn.”
Knowledge nodded once. Sky led her inside and through a few torch-lit corridors, eventually coming to an iron door with four guards who parted to make way for them. The room beyond was small and circular with four small magic lanterns in the ceiling. Land looked over her shoulder as they entered, but her attention quickly returned to the cage at the room’s center, containing the captured creature that beat against the bears encasing it.
“I don’t believe it has stopped attacking the bars since being here,” Land said. “Whatever these things are, they don’t appear to need rest.”
Knowledge strode up to the cage and eyed the monster. It paused for a second to take note of her, and then continued its struggle. Knowledge turned to Land.
“I only encountered a handful of them,” Land said. “Even still, it doesn’t make much sense to me. I’ve never seen such a thing, and even if they had somehow eluded me all this time, why would they wait until now to begin attacking people?”
Knowledge closed her eyes and let out a low hum. She paced around to the other side of the room, Land and Sky waiting patiently for her words.
Eventually, the visiting Queen quietly said, “I was told there was folklore regarding the canyon. Please elaborate on these tales.”
Land gave a confused look to Sky, who cleared her throat and stepped forward. “Yes, there have been some stories surrounding the canyon for about 137 years now. The people say that dark magic taints its walls, and that sometimes that energy will coalesce into phantoms who will brutally assault any who encroach upon their territory. Honestly I have no idea how this began, but I believe these stories have become more prominent since the appearance of the Ruinous.”
Knowledge nodded and resumed pacing. Occasionally she would stop to look up at the creature. Land tapped her fingers against her leg, while Sky stood totally still. As she came back to where the two of them stood, Knowledge looked them each in the eye before taking a deep breath.
“I fear that this confirms a suspicion I have long held,” Knowledge said, her voice slow but clear. “When the Ruinous appeared, the people of this world saw them as manifestations of the hatred and despair they all felt—and though this may have been meant as simple poetry…I could not help but wonder if there could be more to it. Could the world itself have reacted to the malice within it? Could the forces of magic be so malleable that they answer to the powerful emotions, needs, or beliefs of the masses?”
She gestured towards the creature.
“In light of this, I believe my conjecture was correct. The people of this world believed that monsters inhabited those canyon walls. And so the magic of this world created monsters.”
Sky’s eyes widened. “These…these are the same as the Ruinous?”
Land went to her side and took her hand. Knowledge shook her head, saying, “Not the same, no. These may be born of nightmares, but the Ruinous, born of an entire world’s hopelessness, were infinitely more fearsome than these will ever grow to be.”
She looked up. “…Despite myself, I find this truth to be fascinating. To think that something so primal, the very magic our world is woven from, can be influenced subconsciously to such a scale…”
“If you’re right, then doesn’t that mean any story people create could become reality?” Land asked. “Enough people just need to believe it, and it will become true?”
Knowledge nodded. Sky shivered.
“We cannot allow that to happen,” Sky said. “These legends will have to stop. We must forbid such stories from being told.”
Land’s head snapped up. “We will do no such thing!”
“Land, you must see how dangerous this could become. Any manner of abomination could simply be birthed into the world by accident—if we allow these tales to spread unchecked, we have no way of knowing what might happen! It’s possible that something even worse than the Ruinous could appear!”
Land tugged on Sky’s arm. “We are not going to tell the people what to believe! We couldn’t do that even if we tried.”
“It is for their own protection.”
“It is wrong. Don’t you realize that?”
Sky sighed. “…I know that it seems extreme, but what else can we do? It is our duty to protect the people of this world.”
“Of course, but that would be going too far. Even assuming we could stamp out all these stories, it would be impossible for the people to be happy under such strict circumstances.”
Sky looked down. Knowledge turned towards the two of them, saying, “If we take away the freedom of humanity, then we will do far more harm than any monster they can create. This is indeed a dangerous discovery, but we must take care not to overreact. We must guide humanity, not imprison it. Discourage stories with disastrous potential, do your best to keep them safe from their own imaginations, but it is not even a Queen’s place to codify thought.”
Knowledge took one last look at the creature. “This will not be an easy thing to deal with. There is no doubt that the magic of the world will provide us with many monstrosities that we will have to cope with. But—“
“Even if it isn’t easy, this is the right thing to do,” Land interrupted.
Knowledge stared hard at her. After a few awkward seconds, Land gulped and said, “M-My apologies, Queen of Knowledge.”
Staring for a moment more, Knowledge closed her eyes and started for the door. “I shall inform the other Queens of this news shortly. Since these creatures exist within your domain, I leave it to you to decide how they will be dealt with. I wish you the best of luck.”
“Thank you for your help, Queen of Knowledge,” Sky said.
“Yes, thank you,” Land said.
When Knowledge was gone, the two of them turned back to the monster. It was still trying to break free.
“…Word is going to get out,” Sky said. “People will know that these stories are true. They may even work out that any story could be, and try crafting new tales that will put this wretch to shame.”
“They have a right to know,” Land said. “As for the rest…”
She rubbed her arm. “I’ll admit, I’m a little worried too. But I think we need to have faith in people. Just because a horrible story is made doesn’t mean everyone will believe it, and if it remains in obscurity it will eventually die there.”
Sky set a hand on Land’s shoulder. “…Then, we shall trust them.”
Land smiled at her. “These things—they need a name, don’t you think?”
Sky chuckled. “I think that’s something we should leave to the people.”
