There was no colour. Rolling hills of grey stretched into the distance where black mountains reached like talons into a grey sky. Jace dismounted, his boots crunching into sharp gravel and sand. Outcrops of glassy rock rose from the ground and the only sound was Castor’s breathing until a voice punctured the silence from behind them.

"That was quite an arrival laddie, not often we see dragons in the Lands of Night and Shadow." The golden Sword of Day joined its silvery companion as Jace whirled about.

"Nice swords boy. Last time I saw those was in the hands of a man called Skilgannon. Are you as good as he was?"

Jace froze as Caster lumbered around to look at the stranger. A powerful looking man with a hard face, white beard and pale blue eyes sat nearby. His back rested against a larger rock, and a battle axe leant nearby. The man had made no move towards the weapon and his eyes had not left him for a second.

"You knew Skilgannon?"

"Aye, but it's a long story best told over a meal and a glass of ale. Unfortunately lad there are no Inns here, and no food." The man waved a hand at the expanse of grey around them.

"I'm no lad," Jace said coldly. "I am Prince Jace of the House Kalbrennan, and you shall address me either by my name or my title."

"Well laddie, I don't hold much stock by titles, so it'll have to be Jace then." The older man stood abruptly and hefted his axe. "Now, are you going to put the pig stickers away or are you and I going have an argument?" Cold eyes regarded him for a few moments and then the man softened his tone. "I'd suggest the former Jace. There are few people here in the Lands of Night and Shadow, and if your flying lizard has to depart you'll need someone who knows where you need to go."

"What do you mean 'has to depart'?"

"He's a dragon: he'll need food, but there is none here. We're human and so the Lands will treat us as one of the dead. He's a magical creature. If he stays here he'll die and you'll be stranded. I'm assuming you wish to get back again?"

"Who the hell are you old man? How do you know so much?"

"I've been here before laddie, several times actually so I've picked up some knowledge along the way." The man held out a hand in greeting. "My name is Druss."

~

Jace watched the man walking in front of him. The old axeman seemed to already know the reasons for Jace's arrival and once Castor had slipped back to their own realm, Druss had simply said "we go that way" and they'd started walking towards a low range of hills.

Druss suited the stark landscape: white and grey hair, a black leather jerkin with silver steel pauldrons, black leather gauntlets with steel plates covering the knuckles and forearms, black leather boots and a black pot helmet with a silver axe motif on the brow. Despite his apparent age, he was iron fit, stocky, but moved carefully and always in balance.

"Do you want to ask any questions laddie, or are you happy just watching my arse?" The old man chuckled and stopped to face him. "Yes, I'm Druss, 'The Legend'. Yes, I knew Skilgannon and yes, he was a friend. Yes, I'm dead. No, you're not: not yet anyway. Yes, I know what you seek and yes, I'm going to help you. Are we done?" The axeman grinned and planted the axe head into the sand at his feet, resting his gnarled hands on its haft as the upswept wings of the butterfly shaped blades dug in to the lifeless soil.

"Where are we going old man?"

"Old man now is it? Ah, the arrogance of youth." Druss grinned at him again and held out a hand to forestall an angry outburst from the Prince. "Laddie, I've spent most of my life around kings, warriors and princes. If you're going to get upset by one man's quirks then you've got a lot to learn. We're going to the Hall of Souls. I've been there once before and what you seek will be there. But, any soul in this place will act like a beacon and as we get closer all manner of dark things inhabiting this place will be converging on it like a moth to a flame. We have little time. Now, shall we?"

The two trudged on until Druss held up a hand. They cautiously approached the top of a hill and looked into the valley beyond.

The shallow dip in the hills housed a massive building constructed from the glassy rocks littering the hillsides. The valley floor was split by a stream of dark liquid flowing either side of the building like a moat, a single rocky bridge allowing access to the main entrance of the Hall.

"Is that where we find the soul?" whispered Jace, awed by the size of the building.

"Aye laddie. We just have to get there before anything else does." Druss pointed to the far side of the valley where a steady convoy of dark forms was slowly making its way to the building. "We need to move boy, come on, let's go." The axeman gestured toward a gully in the hillside.

The two of them moved carefully but quickly down the sheltered gully, and broke into a jog as they came in sight of the bridge. As they broke cover, there was a scream of warning and a scout canted away on spindly legs.

"What the hell are those things?" gasped Jace as they increased their pace.

"Humans mainly or what were once humans, with a few goblins, lizards, kobolds and other horrible things thrown in for good measure. All are twisted by lack of will and exposure to the darkness of the lands we inhabit. Ghosts in other realities, real enough here to be a problem."

There was a distant roar from the group as the scout reached them and the race to the bridge was on. Jace drew his swords and Druss transferred his grip from the shaft of his axe to the leather bound grip. The two of them reached the narrow stone bridge just as the first of the once-humans got to them. Druss roared, a huge sound of joy and anger which stopped a few in their tracks and confused many others. Into the confusion strode Druss the Legend, his axe, Snaga, sending the souls of the damned into the void. Jace fought alongside the old axeman, twin blades flashing gold and silver as they held the end of the bridge together.

Druss held his axe one handed, grabbed a goblin by the throat and pulled the creature into a sickening head butt, throwing the disoriented creature over the edge into the abyss and splitting the skull of the next to attack. As Jace neatly parried a club blow with the Sword of Night, he drove the golden sword of Day through a kobold's neck, the magic imbued blade shearing effortlessly through the dark metal armour. As the feckless creature staggered back in its death throes, its fellows withdrew to a safe distance leaving the two humans panting and covered in gore.

"Well this is a bonny wee start to your first day here lad," stated Druss. "Now all we have to do is run like hell to the other side of the bridge and get the portcullis down. He hefted his axe. "Feeling fit laddie?"

Jace grinned. "Let's do it, but you're stronger than I am, so how about you close it and I'll keep this lot off your back."

Druss grinned back. "Cocky little beggar aren't you? Let's go, and when you want me to close the portcullis just let me know."

The two of them span on their heels and ran. Caught by surprise, the creatures behind them were slow to react and the two men made the most of the head start, running toward the Hall of Souls as fast as they could manage. As they drew close, Jace risked a look over one shoulder. Druss was powering towards the Hall, his face drawn into a rictus smile of sheer determination. And then he was down, a thrown club catching him in the back of one knee.

Jace whirled, and ran at the dark creatures following them as Druss struggled to his feet. His blades effortlessly cutting through flesh and bone the Prince whirled through the creatures like a scythe, tumbling them off the narrow bridge on either side. He let loose the banshee-like war cry of his forefathers, the ululating shriek echoing the sound of the dragon he rode to battle as he cut through the dismayed and screeching ranks before him. First one, then another, and then more of the creatures turned and ran, the lure of the live soul inside the Hall no match against fear of the warrior who tore into them with such little regard for his own safety. As sanity began to ebb into Jace's head, he finished off an opponent, turned, and ran towards Druss who had regained his feet and was shouting at him to move. As the two of them finally made it through the portal into the Hall of Souls, Jace whipped the Sword of Day through the chain holding the portcullis and the metal barrier slammed into the ground behind them.

Druss was laughing, bent double and trying to catch his breath. "You are the luckiest, the canniest, and the most reckless man I ever knew. Bless you, laddie. Not many would've come back for an old warrior, but to turn and charge? That was genius. Good lad." Druss clapped Jace on the shoulder and hefted his axe. "Come on Jace, let's find this boy's soul and then we can get the hell out of here."

"Are you sure there's a way out?" Jace was pale, eyes wide as twisted humans and dark creatures snarled at him from the other side of the portcullis.

“All halls lead somewhere. Where there is a way in, there is a way out. Fear cuts deeper than swords. You fought well Jace, don't let the fear get to you now. Here there are only ghosts lad; even you are a ghostly reminder of life. Do you feel hunger, thirst? No: but you can feel fear. What you must not let it do is control you, or you will become like them.”

Jace held out a hand which Druss took wrist to wrist in the warrior's grip. "I'm glad you're here Druss."

"Hopefully not for much longer lad. I hunger to see my lady again. Maybe the next door will finally lead me to her."

"What was she called?"

"Rowena. I travelled half a world for her once. Now I travel the dark worlds searching for the light. She is my light."

"You have the soul of a poet, sir."

"Hardly Jace, my friend Sieben was the poet, but he is long gone. A far better man than I, when he keep could keep his trousers on."

Jace walked on in silence for a moment. "Where do you think we'll find the soul?"

"It is a beacon of life lad. It'll be somewhere high."

A woman walked toward them from the depths of the Hall and as she came closer Jace recognised her as the ghost from his sister's chamber. "Milady, can you help us?"

The ghost nodded and beckoned them to follow.

~

The tower room was lit with the light of a human soul. The ghost who had led them to the top of the tower, turned, smiled and faded, her soul released. The golden orb floated in the centre of the room, pulsing with life. Jace walked forward and held out a hand, gently cupping the soul of his unborn nephew. Warmth filled his being and he smiled.

"He's still alive Druss."

"Good, now call Castor and get the hell out of here, it sounds like our friends have found a way around the portcullis."

Jace closed his eyes and tried to ignore the sounds coming up the stairwell as he started the Communion.

Druss took station by the top of the stairs, axe ready. "Is he coming lad?"

"He's on his way. Jace motioned to the window. We'll have to jump for it."

"I don't think so son. I can't travel with you. In the lands of men I am dead, only here do I exist. Not that it's much of an existence, but my task here is almost done so now I will travel on."

Druss shook the Prince's hand and looked him in the eye. "Go and do what you need to do Jace. I'll see you in the next life. Besides, I'll enjoy myself here far more than perched on the back of a bloody dragon. The old man grinned fiercely. "Keep those flashy swords of yours sharp."

A kobold skittered up the last few steps to the tower room and screeched in triumph. Druss roared a challenge, smashed his axe through the kobold’s body and was gone, charging down the stone steps, Snaga held high.

Jace climbed to the stone sill of the tower window, the roof of the Hall of Souls stretching out below him as wind whipped his hair around his face. Holding tightly to the shining soul, he closed his eyes and jumped, Castor appearing under him in a coruscating rainbow of colour. The Prince looked back at the receding shadow of the dark Hall and hugged one arm around the neck of his dragon as it breathed in.

“Come on old friend, let’s go home.”

~

Screams of pain filled the air as Jace stepped down from the dragon’s back to the balcony outside his sister’s chamber, unlocking the door to slip inside. His sister lay on the bed, several midwives ministering to her as her ever present lady in waiting sat calmly to one side. She caught his eye as he entered, her own eyes flicking too late to the shadow of the magician. Jace froze, unable to move as the sibilant voice triumphantly whispered in his ear.

“You should not have come back, my Prince. Only death awaits you here. And yet, you have brought me a present. A soul, a shining light of magical power for those who know how to use it, how to twist it and warp it to their own ends. Oh, such a soul will keep me young for centuries. It should have been waiting for me in the Lands of Night and Shadow, but no matter it can still serve me just as well here.”

“It is no use struggling, little Prince, you cannot fight me. You have no hope left to you now, there is nothing here but me, you, a few women and a child’s golden soul. You are doom-”. The magician’s gloating speech was punctuated by a dull twang and a look of surprise as the lady in waiting stood, a now empty crossbow in one hand, an ornate fan in the other.

“I do hate it when people go on when they think they’re winning, don’t you?” she asked sweetly as the magician crumpled to the floor.

“Nice shot,” noted Jace, looking at the end of the crossbow bolt protruding from the man’s head.

“Thank you, my Prince.”

“Remind me not to annoy you,” he murmured walking over to his sister. He opened his hand and the glowing orb sprang from his palm to float over to the woman's stomach. As the orb sank into her belly she opened her eyes and gasped in shock, and the pain changed to a more natural form.  

~

“Thank you little brother.” Princess Alandra laid a soft hand on her brother’s cheek. The other arm curled around her newborn child.

“I think you owe the Lady beside you a greater thanks, her and a man called Druss.” There was a huff from outside the window. “And of course Castor,” said Jace rolling his eyes and smiling. “I was lucky.”

“Maybe, but I’ve always believed that even the smallest person can change the course of the future. You’re my brother, and you have rescued my son. Let us see what the future brings.”

Ice blue eyes of the smallest person in the room opened and regarded him steadily.

“All hail Prince Druss of the House Kalbrennan,” said Jace softly. “The future is yours…”

 ~~~ The End ~~~

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