Grip of the Shadow Plague

When the cart came within seventy yards of the barricade, the dark dryads shielded their eyes. At sixty yards, the dark dryads, sinister satyrs, and creepy dwarfs began to fall back. The dark fairies dispersed. By the time the cart was within fifty yards of the barricade, the darkened creatures were in full retreat, most of them abandoning the path to take flight through the woods.

The hamadryads, satyrs, and dwarfs surrounding the cart gave a victorious shout.

"Hugo, clear the path," Patton ordered.

Setting his club aside, the golem released the cart and began fluidly hurling logs and boulders out of the road. The heavy objects thumped heavily as they crashed into the woods.

"It appears our protection is sound," Patton told Kendra. "Your luminance did not even need to touch them. I wonder what would have happened had the light overtaken them."

Hugo finished clearing the path and started pulling the cart again without any prodding from Patton. They passed the site where the Forgotten Chapel once stood and soon journeyed down paths Kendra did not know. They encountered two unmanned barriers but saw no further signs of any dark creatures. Evidently word had spread.

They traversed an unfamiliar bridge and advanced along a path barely wide enough to accommodate the cart. Kendra had never traveled so far from the main house at Fablehaven. The satyrs and hamadryads remained merry as they jogged alongside the cart. Only the sweaty dwarfs huffing and puffing at the rear seemed tired.

"I see a black wall," Seth announced as they topped a gentle rise in the road. "Everything beyond it looks dim."

"Where?" Patton asked, brow furrowed.

"Up ahead, near that tall stump."

Patton scratched his mustache. "That is where Kurisock’s realm begins, but I cannot discern the darkness."

"Me neither," Coulter said.

"I see only that the trees beyond the stump have less vigor," Lena said.

Seth grinned proudly. "It looks like a wall made of shadow."

"This will be the test," Patton said. "My hope is that all who stay near us will be able to cross this border. If not, the five of us will proceed on foot."

Broadhoof and Cloudwing trotted over to the cart.

Cloudwing held an arrow nocked; Broadhoof gripped his sword. Kendra noticed that one of Broadhoof’s fingers on his free hand was discolored and swollen. "We have reached the fell province," Cloudwing confirmed.

"If we are unable to enter, we will harass the enemies and attempt to draw some away," Broadhoof declared.

Patton raised his voice. "Stay near the cart. If any are unable to pass into this dark realm, Broadhoof will escort you to the final refuge at Fablehaven, a sanctuary frequented by his kind. If we manage to penetrate the darkness, stay near us, and protect the children at all costs." .

Hugo had not paused during the exchange. The huge stump beside the path was drawing closer. All the creatures, dryads included, huddled near to the cart.

"The wall is falling back," Seth announced.

"The light ahead is fading," Patton reported a moment later.

"The light and dark seem to be canceling each other, creating neutral territory," Lena guessed. "Make ready for trouble."

Hugo never paused as he plodded past the stump. All of the other creatures remained with them.

"I never imagined my hooves would tread this profane ground," Cloudwing murmured disdainfully.

"I don’t see our dome anymore," Patton warned in a low voice. "Only a glimmer around Kendra."

"The darkness is holding back in a wide circle around us," Seth said.

Kendra observed no abnormal light or darkness, only the path winding ahead into a thick stand of trees. From the trees emerged a grotesque centaur. His fur was black, his skin maroon. In one hand he clutched a heavy mace. A bushy mane went from the top of his head down the center of his broad back. He stood considerably taller than Broadhoof or Cloudwing.

"Intruders, beware," the dark centaur called in a deep snarl. "Turn back now or face destruction." A bowstring thrummed as Cloudwing let an arrow fly. The dark centaur shifted his mace, deflecting the slender projectile.

"You are a traitor to our kind, Stormbrow," Broadhoof accused. "Stand down."

The dark centaur bared his grimy teeth. "Hand over the girl and depart in peace."

Cloudwing pulled a second arrow. As he adjusted his aim, the dark centaur altered the position of his mace. "I have no shot," Cloudwing muttered.

"Requesting permission to engage," Broadhoof growled with a sidelong glance at Patton.

"Forward!" Patton roared, pulling out a sword. Kendra recognized it as the sword Warren had recovered from the vault at Lost Mesa. Warren must have brought the weapon when they had gathered the tents. "Charge!"

The cart lurched as Hugo rushed toward the centaur. Kendra grabbed the railing at the side of the cart to avoid toppling backward and dropped her eyes to avoid stepping on unconscious fairies as she shifted her position. She heard the centaurs’ hooves pounding. Looking up, she saw the dark centaur twirling his mace above his head, the muscles of his maroon arm bunching powerfully.

From the trees emerged a second dark centaur, not quite as large as the first. Behind the centaur came four dark dryads, several dark satyrs, and two dozen minotaurs. Most of the minotaurs looked shaggy and disheveled. A few had broken horns. Some were black, some red-brown, some gray, a few almost blond. Looming over all the other creatures strode three titanic men dressed in mucky furs. They had long, bedraggled hair and thick beards tangled in tar. Even at his new height, Hugo barely came to their waists.

"Fog giants!" Seth cried.

"Keep us away from the giants, Hugo," Patton instructed.

The cart veered away from the colossal threesome. Broadhoof and Stormbrow charged one another at full gallop. The giants hustled to intercept the cart. Satyrs, hamadryads, and dryads closed on the dark satyrs, dark dryads, and minotaurs. The winded dwarfs ran along behind, struggling to keep up.

Broadhoof and Stormbrow were the first combatants to meet. Stormbrow used his mace to deflect Broadhoof’s sword, and the centaurs collided, tumbling wildly to the earth. An arrow from Cloudwing pierced the arm of the other dark centaur. Twirling their staffs, the dryads fell upon the minotaurs, gracefully whirling and leaping and dodging, landing fierce blows at will, effortlessly outclassing the shaggy brutes. But when the dark dryads joined the fray, two light dryads were quickly bitten and transformed, forcing the other light dryads to drop back and regroup.