Five days later, after riding through plains and woods, they finally reached their next stop. The promise of their journey being cut in half was an exciting prospect but had its challenges. If they couldn't secure passage through the Valley, they would have to go around it
Shaddow Valley lay up ahead. It didn't look anything different than any other Valley, but Dakran insisted otherwise throughout their journey.
They approached the entrance of the Valley guarded by two towering black rocks on either side. The gap between the two rocks was narrow and allowed entry to only one rider at a time.
Iris looked up at the black rocks and scrunched her eyes, trying to figure out what kind of stone it was. She had never seen black stones before.
" It's mallamite stone. It can withstand the test of time and is very durable. Hard to mine, not that anyone has ever tried. The Shaddow Lords have claimed these lands long ago, and no one has dared to enter ever since!" Dakran's voice rang behind her, but she couldn't take her eye off the stones. It seemed from afar that the stone absorbed the little light that allowed them to see, and it wasn't much.
" We will camp here for the night. Best not enter the Valley uninvited." Dakran said as he unmounted his horse and tied it to a rock.
" Shaddow Lords, who are they?" Iris asked as she jumped off her horse.
" Nobody knows. There are rumours to be the keepers of the underworld. Some say the Valley itself holds the entrance to the realm of Darkness. The most popular one is, and my personal favourite is that the Valley is a breeding ground for creatures of all kinds, not-"
" That's just some first-class bulshit !" a voice rang in the distance. A figure dressed in a black cloak approached.
" You don't say! Enlighten us, please!" Ian quipped, perched on a rock, playing with a stick.
" Welcome to Shaddow Valley!" the man bowed, placing his hand above his chest.
He didn't look anything in particular. His presence seemed pleasant enough. He looked just like any other man.
Ian threw the stick on the wood pile and stood to face the man. Dakran and Iris joined him.
" What brings you into my lands?" the man asked and putting his hands behind his back and looking at three people in front of him.
" Not many people are foolish enough to approach the Valley. In fact, they go through a lot of trouble to keep away!" the man said, his eyes still on them, and he seemed to be studying them keenly.
" We are heading north. We need to shorten the journey," Dakran pointed a the dark clouds looming above them" It seems that trouble is brewing, and we need to make haste!" he finished and took a step closer.
The man looked up at the sky and hummed, " It has been like that for some time now. I will grant you entry, but I cannot ensure whether you'll step out of the Valley in one piece." he warned and walked around them and halted his steps in front of the other.
" Some of you might not step out of the valley at all!" he pined them with his gaze, waiting to see fear and horror.
Iris cleared her throat " I'm sure for the right price you can aid us and make our passage " she paused for a moment and walked to where he was " unincumbered!" she fished out a bag, a black leather pouch.
The man turned to her. His eyes fell on the pouch and then slowly travelled up to her face " It is not a matter of price. It is a matter of cost. Are you willing to pay the cost of crossing the Valley unharmed!" he raised his black eyebrows " Mm?" he hummed and unclasped his hand and took the pouch out of her hand and threw it in the air and let it fall on the ground.
" It is the Wētā's breeding season, and they become vicious. Their hunger needs to be satisfied to get past them. Who will you feed to the beasts?" he asked and walked away. The pile of wood suddenly burst into flames, making Iris take a step back.
" State your price?" she barked, clenching her fists and followed him past Dakran and Ian.
" I'll pay!" her voice softened a little, and the man halted his steps.
" It's a blood sacrifice, Queen. Are you sure you will pay it?" he asked over his shoulder.
Iris's breath hitched when he referred to her as Queen, and she took a step closer.
" I'll pay the price!" she walked closer to him, and the man wickedly chuckled, briskly caught her hand and disappeared along with her into the shadows before anyone had a chance even to react.
" Fuck!" Dakran cursed through gritted teeth and began walking in the same direction, but he felt someone grabbing his arm " She will be fine. She can handle herself!" Ian's calm voice rang behind him, but he couldn't help but stare at the spot they had disappeared.
" How can you be calm? Did we witness the same thing?" Dakran was befuddled. He couldn't understand how Ian wasn't going crazy.
" I know Iris, and she will be fine! If he had wanted us dead, he would have done so by now. He wants something!" Ian reasoned, let go of Dakran's arm, and returned to where the others were.
" What do you think he wants with Iris?" Athan curiously asked and threw more wood on the fire.
Ian shrugged, perched himself on the rock " Will find out soon enough!" he fumbled in his bag and pulled out a piece of stale bread and water flask.
Dakran finally moved from his spot and returned to the camp and took a seat on the ground, giving sideways glances to Ian, who seemed completely unbothered by the fact that his wife had just disappeared with a man they knew nothing about. Only the gods knew what was happening to her.
" You need to have a little faith!" Ian said as he took another bite from his bread and stared at the fire.
" Faith in who? The fucking gods? They abandoned us a long time-"
" Iris!" Ian casually answered and took a swig of water from his flask.
Athan chuckled and shook his head " Let's have some food. Hunger tends to make people angry!" he causally commented, and it was greeted with a scowl from Dakran.
" if you don't stop worrying, I'm inclined to believe that you're fawning over my wife, Dakran!" Ian quipped with a crooked smile, and Dakran scoffed and waved him off.
Dakran opened his mouth to speak, but he clamped it shut when he felt Maya's gaze on him. She looked worried, and he narrowed his eyes at her. Did he see right?
" I wonder what they are? No human can disappear into thin air!" Edýia wondered, her eyes pinned on Athan, who was too distracted to notice.
Tyla hummed, " Shaddow Lords. I guess they could be high-ranking demons, and that would mean that the rumours are true, and somewhere in the valley, there is a gate to the underworld "she hazarded a guess.
" If that is true, then we should go around the Valley. There is no point crossing it if there is a good chance of not coming out!" Rom chimed in and leaned in to put another log on the fire.
" Why rush in making a decision now? We should wait for Iris to return!" Ian piped and took his blanket, and lay on the ground to go to sleep with his head pointing at the fire.
" I suggest you all do the same!" he mumbled, huddled up in his blanket.