Deltora's Protector
Chapter 6 – Doom and Tora
It had been two months since Aiden had last seen Steven and Nevets, and at least five months since he had last seen Queen Bee. In just under a month he would be turning sixteen. He hoped that before then he would be back with his surrogate family.
Yet in the past two months he had become a fully accepted member of the Resistance, and was often referred to as Doom's Shadow. He followed the scarred man everywhere inside the base, and only a month into his stay at the Resistance Base Doom had started to take him out on small missions to stretch his legs and relieve the tension that had accumulated from an extended stay indoors. Aiden had always hated being inside, and after one mere week, everyone in the Resistance knew it as well.
He had seen the inside of four different Resistance Bases throughout Deltora, and each one was different in appearance and location. There was one south of Dread Mountain, which was the one Aiden had stayed in for the first few weeks; another one north-west of Rithmere; one in Withick Mire on the outskirts of Del; and one east of the Os-Mine Hills but west of the Forest of Silence. The most recent base that Aiden had been in was the one north-west of Rithmere and it was the most remote of all four bases.
The missions Doom took him on weren't hard, go outside and grab supplies before returning to the Base and staying out of everyone's way. Doom taught him how to handle the small blade he carried in his pocket, but could find no fault with his evasive abilities. Aiden still practiced his flute playing, and one of the members of the Resistance used to play music in the palace in Del, so Aiden learnt several new songs from him.
There was only one person who Aiden didn't get along with, and that was the young boy Dain. Dain was the same age as he was, but there was something about him that just didn't sit right. The boy had dark hair that brushed his shoulders, pale skin, a narrow face and dark eyes that sent chills down the back of Aiden's neck. Dain often spoke of visiting Tora, but every time he asked Doom told him stories of how Tora was overrun with Grey Guards and how it was unsafe to visit. Aiden avoided him as much as possible, but seeing as Doom preferred to keep both of them in sight, that was very difficult. The fact that Aiden couldn't speak helped a lot in avoiding confrontations.
The heat from the Grey Guards hadn't died down in the slightest, though Aiden took precautions in disguising his appearance. His description that was given to the Grey Guards was of a child wearing a red scarf and no shoes, and had black hair and bright green eyes. Aiden had no idea how they had gotten his description, and decided that the Guard who had captured him, and been eaten by Soldeen, had a mental link with the others in his pod and they all had his description. That description, both of his appearance and abilities, had reached the Shadow Lord's ears and the result was Hunted Human.
Aiden now wore shoes, much to his dislike, and had swapped his treasured scarf for a black shirt with a long neck. Thus his scar was still covered but he no longer wore a red scarf. He had changed that to a bandana to cover his black hair. There was nothing he could do about his green eyes, so he did his best not to look anyone in the eye. He portrayed the perfect, shy child who wouldn't have the courage to defy anyone.
To relieve the boredom of having nothing entertaining to do, Aiden spent a lot of time contemplating the past. Spells he had learnt back at Hogwarts would circulate around in his head, and conversations he'd had with his friends and family would haunt him. He often wondered if Neville had gotten away alive from the Island, and if Ron and Hermione were alright. He remembered one conversation with Sirius the clearest though, and that was what the canine animagus had done to become a dog. That was what Aiden focused on when he had nothing to do. He wanted another form to be able to retreat to, to hide in until the danger was past, and possibly to fly back to England if his form was a bird.
Sirius had stressed that it was important to find your inner animal and learn as much as you could about it before even attempting the transfiguration. It was a long process, and even after two months all Aiden had managed was to glimpse his inner animal, and that was it retreating from him. He was determined to keep trying, but in his heart he doubted if he was even meant to become an animagus.
Doom managed to catch a glimpse of his despair and decided that Aiden would accompany him to getting supplies for the Resistance. This was done for two reasons. One, it would allow Aiden to leave the Base for longer than a day and two, it would reunite Aiden with Steven and Nevets for a while and allow them to catch up. The scarred man imagined that it would cheer all of them up. Dain had wanted to come as well, but Doom refuted him and sent him off north to hunt Ols.
"I'm not carrying you if you fall behind Aiden," Doom suddenly warned from further along the path. Aiden looked up at him and grinned before jogging a little to reach the man's side. Much to his annoyance his head only just reached above Doom's elbow. He was fifteen but many who he had met had stated that he looked closer to thirteen. It was better than the twelve Steven had thought he was when they first met but it was still pretty pathetic.
"Another few hours and we'll reach Where Waters Meet, and then you can rest before that brother of yours arrives," Doom continued. "Then you can carry some of our supplies in that backpack of yours in the week journey back to Base."
Aiden wrinkled his nose in distaste and the thought of more weight on his back. His backpack currently held all of his worldly belongings. His flute, red bird mask, notebook, spare charcoal sticks in a wooden case, water canteen, food for himself as Doom carried his own in his knapsack, and his spare dagger given to him by the Resistance all had their own spots in the bag.
He and Doom had been traveling for a week already, stopping only to rest or hide from agents of the Shadow Lord. They had spotted four clusters of Ols along the way, and the only reason they had dodged them was because Doom had an uncanny ability to sense the shape-shifters. They were walking aside the Broad River, but not too close as there were many dangers in the water if one were to slip and fall in.
"How are your feet?" Doom asked, staring at the short boy by his elbow. Aiden held his hand out in front of his and tilted it sideways and then back again. The day before he had slipped on some rocks and landed heavily on his feet. The impact had sent shockwaves throughout his body and left his legs numb for several moments before he was able to stand on them again without falling over. Ever since then his feet had been aching but he was accustomed to feeling pain so he was able to continue despite the ache.
"Alright, now the truth," Doom demanded. Aiden sighed and stopped walking so he could draw on the ground using the Ralad symbols. Doom could read them just fine so he didn't have to reach into his backpack for paper and charcoal.
They ache constantly, but I am capable of walking to the town
Doom mentally translated the symbols before sighing. Over the two months he had been with Aiden, he swore he had never met anyone as stubborn about their health as the boy. Scabs, cuts, hunger, bruises, and headaches, unless you could read his body language, or he told you himself, it was near impossible to tell if anything was wrong with Aiden. The boy was also very stubborn and until he collapsed from pain or exhaustion, there was nothing anyone could do to make him stop.
Unless your name was Doom.
With one explosive sigh Doom lifted Aiden from the ground and onto his back next to his knapsack. The child was so light that his weight barely registered to him. Aiden kicked in protest but stopped once Doom looked back over his shoulder with a glare.
Doom was a complicated person. He was the only known survivor from the Shadowlands but what had happened to him had been so horrific that his memory had been suppressed so much that he didn't have a clue as to who he had been. A man who lived near Dread Mountain had found him, taken care of him, and then died. That man's name had been Doom of the Hills, and in honor of the man's assistance, the survivor had taken the name Doom and thus became a strong leader of the only resistance against the Shadow Lord's reign.
The leader of the Resistance was also a very private man, and it was only after one of Aiden's nightmares that the boy was told anything about the man who was almost like a father to him. Early in their relationship Aiden had woken up silently screaming and inconsolable, Doom had taken him outside and held him as if he were a small child until he had calmed down enough that he was no longer trying to run off.
So on the roof of the Resistance Base, Doom admitted his feelings of fear; fear that he had forgotten something really important, fear that what he was doing was all for nothing, and then fear that paralyzed him when he couldn't recall where he was, thinking he was back in the Shadowlands and everything had been a hope-filled dream. Aiden understood perfectly.
There were times we he believed that his adventures in Deltora were nothing more than an elaborate dream he'd created for himself after being a prisoner on the Island. He figured he'd finally been tortured to insanity and this is what his insanity looked like. It calmed him to know that someone else understood how he felt, even if he couldn't explain the reasons for his nightmares.
"I'd really like to know when you're having trouble Aiden," Doom stated a little further on down the trail. "You're my responsibility, and as much as I tried not to I've come to actually care about you a lot. You repeat that to anyone though and I'll deny it. But the fact is, when you're hurt, I want to know. What if we were suddenly attacked by Grey Guards, or Ols, and your injury held you up without my knowledge? You are being hunted, and believe me when I say you never want to end up in the Shadowlands."
Aiden nodded his understanding but other than that didn't move. He wouldn't admit it, but he did appreciate that he was no longer walking. Doom made no other sound as they walked, and the steady gait they were travelling at had Aiden drifting off into a semi-conscious state. He would have remained like that too if Doom hadn't suddenly frozen in his stride and spun around to stare into the trees. Aiden lifted his head in confusion and tensed as he heard what the older man had heard before him.
"Damn," Doom whispered. "I hate these guys. Annoying Guards."
With that said he started to run. Aiden's grip tightened around Doom's neck as he turned his head to look back at where they had come from. Chasing them were six Grey Guards, and they were gaining on them. He shuddered and turned his eyes back to the front. He had no idea where they were going, but he was sure that Doom did. He had taken them off the trail and if Aiden could guess, they were heading south. Though what was south he had no idea. He couldn't even ask as his voice didn't work.
"It's not safe for us to meet up with Steven and Nevets," Doom muttered as he ran. "We'd never make it to Where Waters Meet, but there is a place a little closer that will work for us. Grey Guards won't survive there, and while we may feel a little uncomfortable, we'll be safe."
Aiden looked around at the landscape in confusion. They had left the Broad River behind, and Aiden wanted to be able to identify their location. He wished his voice worked, but then judging from the steadily increasing shouts behind them, it may be safer if he didn't utter a sound. Doom suddenly pointed out their destination and for a few moments Aiden was able see what he was sure was an architect's greatest achievement.
Tora.
Rising from the ground was a massive block of white marble with creative and mysterious carvings up and down and across. Beyond the wall was a city made of the same white marble. Its structures rose high and majestic, but there was no life. Something was hanging heavy in the air, and Aiden was unable to identify it. It felt like light, but at the same time it was dark, like something horrible had happened but the light was stopping it from consuming everything. Around the outside of the wall was a mist so thick that the base of the wall was invisible.
"We'll be safe within these walls," Doom muttered unwillingly. "I swore I'd never return here, but I believe I will be able to with you. Don't struggle alright?"
That was all the warning Aiden got before they plunged into a thick mist that made the air feel heavier than before. He cringed as he felt something invade his mind, it was pure and warm, and he felt all his fear leave him. He felt calm, like a great weight had suddenly lifted from his shoulders that he hadn't known was sitting there. He closed his eyes and relaxed.
Doom stumbled suddenly but before he could collapse he allowed Aiden stand on his own. Aiden dropped to the ground beside him and put his hands on Doom's shoulders in concern. Doom forced himself into a sitting position and looked at Aiden with a smile.
"This place is protected by magic," he explained. "But for those of us whose purpose in life is ruled by anger, hate and fear, this city is like torture. It takes away our purpose. When I first came here, I swore that I would never return."
Aiden was unsettled, and confused. He could feel the magic in the air, and in the tunnel, but this was different. It seemed that the defenses were the only thing in this city still working, but the magic that was at work in the city was also repelling the inhabitants. He looked around at the perfect city, its white buildings, the little plants in the windows, the coloured stalls around the pathways, and the lack of life. Aiden pulled the paper and charcoal from his bag as there was no dirt he could draw in.
What happened here?
Doom read the words and asked what he meant. Aiden pulled the paper back to him and started to write. It took a while for him to get it done, but Doom waited patiently. When he was done, the older man took the paper and read what had been written.
This place is almost perfect, but it's cold and lifeless. The air feels heavy, like betrayal someone's disappointed. You said this place was under the control of the Shadow Lord, but the Shadow Lord would not survive in a place such as this. The magic in this place robs a person of everything that the Shadow Lord is. But it also protects the innocent. What could have happened that the creators of this magic would be physically repelled from these walls?
Doom thought over the words carefully. There was a lot in it that gave him a clue as to who Aiden was. The admittance to feeling the magic at work was curious, as all he could feel was that the emotions he drew purpose from were suppressed. There was nothing odd about this place, unless one was nervous about being in a white city without another living being in the vicinity.
Before he could answer the question there were several screams from the tunnel they had used. Both he and Aiden spun slowly as to watch what was happening. From the mist there were six shadows twitching in obvious pain before there was a flash and smoke of some kind rose from the shadows and silence fell. Aiden shook slightly. That was what the defenses of Tora did to those who possessed evil souls.
"I'm sure you've guessed that this is Tora," Doom started, drawing Aiden's attention back to him. "This is indeed the place that Dain so dearly wants to visit, but I've told him that the Shadow Lord controls it so that he doesn't lose hope that his parents are still alive. I have no idea where the Torans have gone, but this city hasn't been lived in for close to sixteen years now. The disappointment you feel, I don't know. I guess it ties into why the Torans don't live here anymore. And I don't want to stay here for much longer, I need my purpose for living so now that those Guards are gone let's go ourselves."
Aiden wanted to agree, but a sudden vision before his eyes had him pausing. He took of his right glove, revealing the bracelet to Doom, and rested it on Doom's forehead. He closed his eyes and concentrated, but when he opened them he discovered that they were no longer in Tora.
"What was that?" Doom asked, his voice strangely lacking the anger Aiden expected it to have. He guessed that since they were still in Tora negative emotions still wouldn't work. If he could guess accurately, they were inside Doom's mind. If that were the case then Aiden's voice should work.
"We're in your mind," Aiden stated, hearing himself speak English for the first time in just over a year. Doom looked at him in shock before looking around. The landscape was dark, but above them shone a red moon. The man shuddered, he knew where they were.
"Why this place?" he asked. Aiden shrugged.
"This is your earliest memory," the boy explained. "There is something that you have to know about yourself. Your whole life cannot be dictated by anger and revenge. Believe me, you will only lose yourself that way."
"How do you know what's in my mind?" Doom asked.
"I'm not of Deltora," Aiden stated. "I was born in a different land, and have abilities that set me apart from the norm. Around my neck I wear an opal, I'm sure you've seen it. It corrects my eyesight, but at the same time it gives me visions of certain things. This is one of them. I followed the prompting of the opal and here we are. Will you let yourself see what your mind has hidden from you?"
For the first time since Aiden had known the man, he saw the man's fear and insecurity. It couldn't have been plainer that he didn't want to, that he was scared of what his mind had hidden from him. Aiden walked across Doom's mind and put his small hand into Doom's larger one.
"I don't think I can," the man whispered.
"One day you will remember," Aiden whispered back. "Isn't it better to get this done now instead of in an inopportune moment, like when we're in the middle of a battle?"
Doom was conflicted, but in the end he nodded and took a deep breath. With that small acceptance the scenery changed to a prison cell with many people inside. Aiden recognised a younger looking Doom, one without the scar on his face, and noticed a young woman attached to his side. There were tears in both their eyes as they clung to each other. Both of them were injured, blood soaked through their clothes, but still they sat and ignored their physical injuries.
"Do you think Jasmine's alright?" the woman asked softly. Younger-Doom looked down at her and nodded.
"She's strong," he murmured. "We taught her everything we could. She will survive."
"She was eight years old," the woman continued. "I've lost track of time. I think she's ten now. She must be so scared. Do you think she's waiting for us to come back? The Forest of Silence is such a dangerous place for a child."
"When we get out of here we'll go and find her," Younger-Doom whispered tearfully. "I promise Anna, when we find our baby she'll be safe. She'll have friends aside from the trees and animals of the Forests, and I bet she'll be just as beautiful as you. Her hair will be wild and free, like her spirit, but she'll have bright green eyes, like yours."
"And she'll be as stubborn as you my dear Jarred," Anna agreed with a watery smile. "When her mind is set on something she will go for it with all her heart and nothing anyone tells her will stop her."
The imprisoned couple, Jarred and Anna, fell silent. Around them people cried in fear. They knew that they wouldn't live long in the Shadowlands. Anna reached up and laid her hand on Jarred's cheek. Tears fell from her eyes as she stared at the man she loved.
"Promise me you'll find our daughter, our beautiful Jasmine," she pleaded. Jarred had tears in his eyes as well as he grasped her hand.
"I promise," he whispered. Anna smiled at him before closing her own eyes. She took one shuddering breath before falling still. Jarred clutched at her limp hand desperately. Tears and sobs coursed throughout his body and before too long his howls of despair echoed along the corridors of the prison complex. No one paid even the slightest attention to him.
Aiden was glad that he was currently just an image in Doom's mind, because otherwise his hand would more than likely be crushed in the grip the man had on him. He pulled them away from the scene and then back into the real world. Doom curled in on himself instantly as sobs shook his body. Aiden rested his hand on the man's shoulder, unsure of whether or not he was wanted there for making him relive what was a traumatic time in his life.
"I have a daughter," Doom eventually muttered. "Her name is Jasmine, and when I last saw her she was eight years old. She lived in the Forest of Silence. It's been eight years, I don't even know if she's still alive, or remembers what I look like. Do you think she hates me?"
With his last question he looked up into Aiden's eyes, reading the shock that was hidden there. Aiden wished he could speak to convey what he wanted to say, and put his right hand back on Doom's forehead. They didn't move into anyone's mind, but Doom could hear the young boy's voice as clearly as if he was speaking aloud.
How could she hate you after what you've been through? More than likely she misses you and no matter what age she is she will want to see you again. I know because it is my greatest desire to see my parents again, and the only memory I have of them is my dad telling mum to run, and then my mum's scream as she died. Anything would be better than that. Go out and find her! You will never know if you keep putting it off!
Doom blinked as the voice faded from his mind and he noticed Aiden was swaying slightly and his face had gone pale. He managed to catch the boy before he hit the ground and pulled him to his chest in gratitude.
"I don't know what I'd do without you," he whispered. "Must be your eyes, they've always stood out to me. With that memory it must be because they remind me of Anna. Ha! I know my name! Who would have thought that I'd ever remember that?"
Aiden smiled and wrapped his arms around Doom's neck. Doom stood up and started to walk out of the city of Tora. He continued to speak as they walked back into the mist to continue their journey to Where Waters Meet.
"For now I think I'll stick with Doom, but once we've got these supplies back to the Resistance, I'm going to head east. I'll go alone, that way I can move unseen. It shouldn't take too long, and I can meet up with the Resistance afterwards to establish our next plan of attack. Oh, could you not tell Dain that we've been here? It would crush him if he found out that his parents weren't here like he wants them to be."
Aiden nodded with a smile and relaxed into Doom's hold. Using that much energy in one go hadn't been very smart, but he was glad that he had, there was a spring in Doom's step that hadn't been there before. Aiden had given him a new purpose, even if it was just to find out if his daughter was still alive. But it wasn't just that, Doom had been afraid to face his past because of what he might remember, but now not only did he know he had a daughter, he also knew his name. That was something that no one would be able to take from him again.
An hour later the two of them walked into Where Waters Meet, a small town where few people still lived as it was often prey to pirates that roamed along the Broad River. Doom confessed that he didn't think anyone would be living in the small town in another month or two. But while there was people, there was also sales. Steven and Nevets would blend in easily enough, and Steven was well liked amongst the people.
"We'll rest over here," Doom announced. "Steven won't be long, he sent word that this is where he'll be. He planned on camping on the outskirts of the town tonight I believe. We'll join him and then head back tomorrow. Understand?"
Aiden nodded with a broad grin on his face. He sat down against an abandoned house and crossed his legs. As difficult as it may be at that moment, he closed his eyes with the intention to meditate and find his inner animal. His body relaxed as it normally did, but instead of just drifting in nothingness this time, he was able to see his inner animal. With its bright red feathers, golden beak, long talons and a strange crest on its chest, Aiden found himself staring at a phoenix. He was so startled that he fell out of his meditative state. His green eyes opened wide and a few seconds later he started to smile. He had just gotten further in his mediation than ever before and gained a new goal.
Briefly he wondered over his animal being a phoenix, but then realised that it described him pretty well. He was almost impossible to kill as he just kept coming back, something Voldemort understood very well, and he had an affinity with fire, something that Zerry had noticed when he was still with the Masked Ones. He felt most at home in the air, had a "saving people thing", and after studying healing spells in the library for the Triwizard Tournament he discovered that he had an instinct with healing spells. Another similarity was his love of music, particularly the flute. He wished he had someone to help him with the transformation, but from now on he would go with his instincts as they hadn't led him wrong before.
"That grin tells me that something momentous just happened," Doom suddenly remarked. Aiden nodded at him happily. "Well, Steven just turned up so why don't you run along and you're already gone."
Before Doom had finished speaking Aiden was up and running in the direction of Steven's singing. He could hear Doom laughing as he followed but once he saw his brother there was nothing that could have stopped him from leaping through the air into the giant's waiting arms. Steven started to laugh as he swung the young boy around, and the few people that had gathered looked at the two of them with indulging smiles. Steven promised that they would have a long talk once he was done with business, before setting the boy down on top of the caravan and turning to sell his wares to his customers.
Doom didn't buy anything with the others around, but as soon as the caravan was pulled from the town he and Steven started to talk about prices for Resistance supplies. Nevets separated from Steven, shocking Doom momentarily, but the usually violent brother was only interested in checking Aiden over himself.
"Nevets is only ever calm around myself and mother, but as soon as Aiden came along Nevets has acted as if Aiden were truly a blood relation of ours," Steven explained to Doom. "No one else could get that reaction from him, so don't expect for Nevets to be like this if Aiden isn't around. He will still become violent and protective with others, so I suggest that you remain semi-distant with him."
Doom nodded his understanding and related tales of Aiden's last two months with the Resistance, excluding what happened in Tora. Aiden and Nevets soon joined them, Aiden sitting in Nevets' lap playing his flute. It was a nice change and he wished that he could stay with his family, but his dreams were warning him of something big. Something was about to happen that would affect all of Deltora and he wouldn't be able to hide while it happened.
"Go to sleep Aiden, we'll leave in the morning," Doom ordered. Aiden grinned at him and curled up like a cat on Nevets' lap. Maybe he would be able to return to the orchard after they had dropped the supplies off. Doom would be heading east, and Dain was odd, so maybe he could spend a few weeks with Queen Bee. He'd ask later. For now he soaked in the feeling of being completely safe and surrounded by people he trusted with his life.
Next up in Deltora's Protector:
Chapter 7 - The Death of a Sorceress