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Daniel held the worm tooth in his hand, turning it around to catch the light from the fire. Sara had boiled it clean, but he'd never expected it to be so smooth and shiny, as if hand polished by an artisan.
"I can't get over how much this looks like a shark's tooth," he mused, watching the light glint off the black surface.
"A shark. That's one of those large, predatory fish in the book Tom has?" Ian asked.
Daniel nodded. "Yes, those. They have teeth shaped in a triangle just like this, with the sharp ridges, and they regenerate. In fact they grow in rows, with a new one moving in to fill a gap if a tooth gets lost. It's one of the things that makes them such perfect predators."
"The worms are close enough for my tastes," Ian huffed. "At least you can stay out of their way."
"Oh you can go your entire life back home without ever seeing a shark, you just have to stay out of the oceans."
"You ever see one?"
"Me, no," Daniel replied. "Well yes, in aquariums, but never when I was in the water, no." He slipped the tooth into an inside pocket of the coat Murphy had loaned him. "So what exactly do you do when you're not ferrying people to this castle to look for a key?"
Ian shrugged. "Mostly ferrying people somewhere. I take the Myst out for supply runs to the mines, travelers either coming or going, dropping them off at the forest edge or picking them up. Sometimes during harvest the farmers will get together and hire a few ships to take their goods to the city." He added a few more pieces of dry wood to the fire. "Every now and then Murphy pays me to get someone from the city to the castle. Once or twice he's conned me into helping someone escape the castle and get to the city. Stuff like that."
"You mean, like smuggling people out?"
"Sometimes," Ian replied. "There is, or was, an underground movement bent on ousting the current, murderous king. It was doomed to fail, and I think we all knew it even before it began."
"We?" Daniel pulled off his coat and draped it over his legs to retain some of the fire's heat for the night. "Is that why you're wanted for treason? You were a part of it?"
Ian poked a stick at the fire and nodded. "It was already building up, negative sentiment toward the prince after his father's death. Since there was no way any of us could find to prove Stefan had murdered his father, some rumors started to circulate that a few key members of the royal court were creating an underground movement to have him either ousted, or assassinated."
"Assassinated? You realize, that would be no different than murder."
Ian shifted. "I did, yeah. But I didn't form the group. They knew I had issues with Stefan, and that I'd suspected him of murder, so recruiting me into the underground was a given." He lifted the stick and watched the tip glow orange. "Truth be told, that movement didn't do much moving. We were unorganized, and only a small minority agreed with assassination as a viable means to the end. After a few months, I began to see it for what it was. More a matter of royal court officers hoping to plunge the kingdom into chaos they could benefit from than any altruistic justice motive."
"So you left?"
"So I left," Ian replied. He put the stick back in the fire and looked at Daniel. "Stefan knew I was a threat, so he put a price on my head, but all he wanted to do was chase me out of the castle and out of his hair. And I was more than happy to oblige."
"So this kingdom, it rules all of Ether, but its influence seems limited to the castle grounds." Daniel shook his head. "I never did understand nations ruled by royalty, when their parliaments really made all the laws and decisions."
"Oh the king in Ether makes the rules, all right. Or the queen, depending. They just don't leave the castle themselves, and the royal guard don't care for mucking through the swamp, or the forest, all that often. But they still do, when necessary. You never know when you'll find a patrol in the city, which is why Murphy doesn't like me loitering about too much." Ian shoved the rest of the burning stick into the fire and pulled his pack around behind him, then draped his own trench coat over his legs. "We'll hit the swamp at sunrise so we can try and get through the whole thing before dark. It's not a place conducive to bunking down for the night."
Daniel brought his coat up to his shoulders and got comfortable against his pack. He slid a hand into the pocket and felt the smoothness of the worm tooth, wondering if his uncle had ever seen one of the giant creatures, or been on a hunt.
It was a shame no one was going to believe his stories.
Morning couldn't have come soon enough for Daniel's taste. Though the camp fire had lasted well into the night, the air was now close to freezing, barely held at bay by the smaller embers they'd used to cook a quick breakfast over.
"It's always a hell of a lot warmer in the trees," Ian complained as he huddled in his coat against the chill of the air. "But once inside the swamp, we'll warm back up."
"Really?" Daniel glanced out at the solid wall of white mist that had risen up off the waters during the night's cool-down. "Looks kinda chilly in there, too."
"The water's pretty warm, that's why there's so much mist. And we'll be pretty damn wet the whole trip, so it helps." Ian doused the last of the embers with fresh dirt and pulled his backpack over both shoulders. He'd removed a machete and a small compass, which he gave a quick tap before putting into a coat pocket.
"Is there a trail or anything through the swamp?" Daniel asked as they left what little warmth they'd had from the fire and started toward the thick white mist.
Ian shook his head. "No, they move it all the time. You can't risk trusting the path, so we use a compass and make sure to always head north." He tapped his pocket. "If we can follow a trail here and there, great. But if it veers in any direction other than north, we'll have to trek it."
It seemed to make sense. Swamps were flooded areas, and this one definitely had its share of deep water, so it would naturally play havoc with any prescribed path. Daniel assumed with three moons -- one so large it dwarfed the other two -- the tidal flows on Ether must be incredible.
"Is this swamp area the largest section of water in Ether?"
"Along the mountain ranges are some lakes, and we passed over quite a few rivers in the farmlands. But if you mean oceans like in Tom's book, no."
They'd walked through a grassy section and Daniel was surprised to feel so relieved to be off the dirt and further away from the worms. It occurred to him grass would be even easier for a creature like that to travel through, but he shook that thought off as quickly as it had come.
The water's edge was a few yards away, and the mist was growing thicker already. Beneath his feet, the ground was becoming moist. With each step, water pooled around his feet, but as it slowly began seeping through the tops of his shoes he was surprised by the warmth.
A few feet ahead, Ian began hacking at tall brush with the machete, pushing the thick branches aside as he looked for any signs of a trail.
"In the interest of playing along, what's it like in Otherworld?" Ian asked, pushing a thick branch to the side.
"Well, that depends," Daniel replied as he stepped over a large root and into six inches of water. "I mean, I can't speak for the whole world."
Ian glanced over his shoulder. "Just how big is Otherworld?"
Daniel considered the question. It had been a long time since he'd thought about populations, other than when he got back to his uncle's place and realized how much it had grown over the years. "For the whole world, just a guess, I'd say somewhere in the neighborhood of three and a half billion people."
Ian stopped mid-swing and stared at Daniel. "Did you say billion?"
"Yeah, billion. In perspective, though, the entire population could fit in the state of Texas standing up, which probably doesn't mean anything to you." Daniel shrugged. "Suffice it to say, it's only crowded in places. There's still plenty of open space, though that depends on which political group you ask."
"I don't understand." Ian turned back to his trail-clearing.
"Okay, my home town -- where my uncle lived -- is a nice quiet spot in what's called the Pacific Northwest," Daniel explained. "There are forests, lakes, rivers, mountains, and the ocean is close, plus it comes quite a ways inland. But the forests there are nothing like what we just walked through." Ian had pushed aside another thick branch and Daniel saw a trail spreading out before them before vanishing into the mist. "And there are no predatory worms in Otherworld, though we do have some large land mammals you have to watch out for if you're out for a hike or some such."
Ian pulled the compass from his pocket and checked it against the direction of the trail. "We'll be good on this path for a bit," he declared. With the machete folded and hanging from a clip on his belt, he started down the trail. "You have nothing really to fear on Otherworld, then?"
"I wouldn't go that far," Daniel corrected. "Like I said, there are animals to watch out for if you're off in the mountains or out in the woods, but nothing like the worms. Basically your biggest worry is your fellow man. Or being hit by a car, or falling off a cliff, or bad health."
"Then that doesn't sound much different from life on Ether."
The path was drier, and the mist much more thin along the trail, but the surrounding area was nearly opaque with a wall of white fog severely limiting their field of vision. Ahead Daniel could see tree branches arching down from above, their sources still hidden in the mist. The ground was solid and dry, but littered with tree roots that glistened a deep, almost blood-red color.
While he wanted to glance around as they walked, Daniel found it necessary to keep a careful eye on his footing.
"I'd be willing to bet wherever there are people, there's corruption, greed, lust, all the markers for crime. Be it Otherworld, Ether, or some other place." Daniel paused when movement caught his eye. He stopped walking so as to avoid tripping over a mess of roots and stared into the mist.
"What is it?" Ian turned to look in the direction Daniel was facing. "What did you see?"
"I'm not sure, probably nothing," he shrugged. "A bird, maybe?" Daniel noticed Ian look down at the tree roots, carefully scrutinizing all he could see. Apparently satisfied, he straightened up and gave a shrug.
"Probably." He checked the compass again and continued on. "People are people. It doesn’t matter where they're from. Introduce power, and you've got all you need to set the ball in motion."
"That's an interesting theory," Daniel replied as he followed.
"It's not a theory, it's fact. As soon as one person has something another person wants, trouble's gonna start."
"That's not power as much as greed." Daniel stepped over another clump of roots, but noticed this time they weren't quite as red as before. This batch was a lighter shade, almost pink, which was an usual color for a tree to say the least.
"But power makes it worse," Ian continued. "Do you have royalty in Otherworld?" He paused and looked down at a root off to the side of their path with a worried expression.
"Some areas do, but not many anymore," Daniel replied. "Where I'm from, my ancestors left their areas because of royalty and formed a country where rulers are elected by the people, in theory." He saw Ian check the compass, then draw his gun instead of the machete. Daniel glanced around, but saw no movement and heard nothing other than birds singing happily away in the bushes.
Ian nodded and continued to follow the path. "Theoretically?"
"It's complicated, at best," Daniel replied.
The ground was getting damp again, and the mist rising from the warm water began to obscure the roots they were carefully stepping over. Ian kept his gun out, and slowed his pace so he could carefully locate the hidden obstacles without tripping over them. He'd pause and point, making sure Daniel knew where to step up and when to be careful. Still he heard no danger and saw nothing moving aside from the occasional bird or wafting mist.
After nearly a mile, Ian checked the compass again and altered direction slightly, still keeping his weapon ready.
"So I take it there are predators in the swamp we're worried about?" Daniel asked after another twenty minutes of trekking.
"No, just the tree," Ian replied with a glance over his shoulder. "So far the roots are all red, but that last one was lighter. There's no way we'll be lucky enough to get through without finding one."
Daniel stopped, shaking his head, and glanced around. "Okay, I'll bite. So far there's been black fog and giant worms. No way this spot gets off easy, is there? What's up with the red trees?"
Ian checked the compass and slipped it back into his coat pocket. "Not the red ones. The red ones are fine. I thought you said you had swamps in Otherworld?"
Daniel opened his mouth to reply, but before he could speak something caught his eye. There was movement in the mist, off to his right, but when he looked, he saw nothing. The birds were still sounding off in the bushes all around them, and the mist was swirling around on a slight breeze that had kicked up.
"Did you see something?" Ian asked, his weapon held slightly higher.
"Probably a bird again." Daniel shrugged. "So what is it about--"
The rest of his sentence was choked out as something thick and rough wrapped itself around his throat and pulled backwards. Daniel grabbed what felt like bark and struggled to stay on his feet. Something was pulling him back and down, trying desperately to knock his feet out from under him as Ian rushed forward, shouting something Daniel couldn't hear. Instinct and training sent one hand to the weapon at his hip, but when he reached around behind himself to locate the body of his attacker, he felt nothing.
Beside him, Ian raised his gun and fired.
Daniel heard a strangled scream, like a wounded animal in the distance, then saw red blood spurt into the air.
Ian fired again, and this time the rough arm released Daniel's throat. He stumbled forward, coughing and gasping for air, but when he spun around to aim his own weapon, there was nothing to shoot.
"Run!" Ian took his arm and pulled Daniel forward.
"What was that?"
"The tree," Ian replied as he pushed Daniel ahead. "Keep going, as quickly as you can, but don't fall down!"
Daniel would have snorted with derision, if he weren't currently running for his life from a tree, in a swamp, fraught with roots that seemed desperate to sprawl him over the damp ground.
He ran as best as he could when the mist cleared enough to show him his footing, and made pretty good time hopping and picking when he couldn’t see the ground. At one point the trail split, and Ian pulled him up to check the compass.
"Okay, tell me what that was," Daniel demanded as he gasped for breath. He rubbed his throat, remembering how the arm pulling him down had felt like bark. "I saw white bark, blood spurting out when you shot it, and there was something screaming in the distance."
Ian nodded. "The tree of lives," he replied matter-of-factly. "White branches haven't feed recently, red ones have. You said--"
"I said we had swamps," Daniel corrected. "We do not have trees that strangle people!"
"The tree of lives doesn't strangle anyone. It was pulling you back, trying to suck you closer to a thorn." He put the compass away and nodded to their left. "That way."
Daniel let him take the lead, but the pace slowed slightly due to thickening mist. "A tree that eats people?"
"Anything living. At least anything large enough." Ian pointed to a bundle of roots. "See these red ones? They've fed within the last few months, they're safe."
"How many of these trees are in the swamp?"
"Just the one," Ian replied. He stopped walking and pointed to his right. "It's in the center, and I'm just praying we don't get routed any closer."
"Why would we?"
"That tree is the source of all the roots we've been walking over, trying to avoid the white ones and stay on our path," Ian explained as they continued to pick their way through the mist. "If too many branches this far out are white, we'll have to angle closer to the tree itself, and that's not something I like to do."
"So let me get this straight," Daniel rubbed his throat again. "That tree branch was going to eat me?"
"In a manner of speaking, yeah."
"Then let's avoid the thing."
"That's my plan."
They continued ahead, and Daniel made a point of trying to see the color of the roots he was stepping over. Whatever this tree of lives was, it was clear the thick, white mist of the swamp afforded it the perfect camouflage for its white -- and apparently hungry -- roots.
The trail seemed to wind around several times, giving Daniel the illusion they were traveling in circles, but he saw Ian check the compass regularly and had to chalk up his disorientation to the distracting tree roots and thick mist. All thoughts of the morning's forest chill were a vague memory, as both men resisted the urge to take off their coats in the steaming swamp.
"The leather will give you a fighting chance against a feeder thorn," Ian had explained. "They can penetrate it, but it would take a second or two, and sometimes that's all you need."
So he didn't complain, and now understood the need for the knee-length coats everyone in Ether seemed to prefer.
"Is this the only place this man-eating tree lives, in this swamp?"
"One's enough, don't you think?" Ian took a drink from his canteen, then handed it to Daniel. "There's just the one, but it's roots extend the entire length of the swamp, east and west. The tree itself isn't far from here."
Daniel nearly spat out his drink. "How far isn't too far?"
Ian shrugged, checking the compass. "Closer than an hour ago, unfortunately. We're being steered closer, which is what I didn't want."
Daniel glanced at the ground, but saw only deep, red roots. "Steered closer how?"
"The outer roots are too pale," Ian explained, putting the canteen back in his pack. He nodded to the east. "I'd rather be further that way, give ourselves some buffer, but it knows we're here now, so it's trying to herd us."
Daniel's heart stopped beating, so as not to interfere with his ability to hear. "Did you say, it's trying to herd us?"
Ian nodded. "Look." He pointed to a root beside his left foot.
As Daniel watched, the deep-red color slowly paled, turning lighter, and lighter still.
"The tree is pulling its energy to other roots, making the ones closest to our path hungry."
"So, being closer to the tree itself is more dangerous, I take it?"
Ian nodded and continued walking. "Not because of the roots as much as the tree itself. The sight of it usually stuns people into standing still long enough for a branch to grab hold and pull the victim to a feeder thorn."
"You've seen this tree yourself?"
"I have, and I'd just as soon not see it again."
Daniel cursed his sudden curiosity and refused to let it speak as he followed Ian through the damp mist. They walked another few miles in silence, stepping over roots and trying to see through the mist for signs of moving white wood. Ian checked the compass several times, cursing with each change in direction.
After the eight time they'd been forced to completely alter their course due to roots changing their color, Ian stopped and gave an exasperated sigh.
"Okay, we can't avoid it, we're going to have to pass by the tree." He pulled the machete out of his belt and drew his gun. "Do exactly as I say, and we can get by it."
Daniel felt his heart begin to race as he drew his gun as well.
"We won't be too close, but close enough to see it," Ian explained. "It's on a rise, so there's no mist. We'll be able to run, so long as you keep your wits about you."
"I can do that," Daniel nodded.
Ian continued, undaunted by the reassurance. "If you have to look at it, just make sure you don't stop moving. The roots are fast, but not as fast as a man running, understand?"
Daniel nodded. "No, not really, but I can follow directions. Run, keep running, and try not to look unless I can do it while I'm running."
"Basically, yeah." Ian took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he adjusted his grip on the machete. "You ready?"
Not in a million years, Daniel thought as he gave Ian the thumbs-up.
They started forward, carefully picking their way around and over roots and through a few deep sections of water before the path began to rise up above the dampness. At first the section didn't look any different to Daniel. The mist was still thick and nearly chest-high, and the ground still soft and littered with trip hazards.
As they came around a bend, the ground suddenly dried out and the mist practically vanished. There were fewer roots here to step over, and those Daniel noticed were deep, blood-red and half buried in the soft dirt.
His heart was racing in anticipation, and nearly jumped out of his throat when Ian held up a hand, stopping on a slight rise. He was pointing up, and Daniel looked around, blinking in the newly cleared air at the horrors now visible from above.
They were no longer looking for roots, but branches.
Above their heads and stretching on as far as Daniel could see, were skeletal fingers of red and pink, arching in all directions from thick, rough branches.
Ian nodded with his chin to their right, and Daniel strained to see through the maze of red fingers. In the distance, still a bit too far off to see well, stood a thick, almost black-red mass.
"The tree of lives," Ian whispered. "We'll have to run, get around to the other side and head back into the swamp as quickly as we can. Stay close."
Daniel gripped his weapon and tried to nod as he licked dry lips. "The Brothers Grimm have nothing on this place."
"Let's go."
Ian started running, and Daniel was close on his heels.
Almost immediately, he noticed several branches changing color from red to white. He saw movement out of the corner of his eye, but didn't pause to check it out as he ran after Ian. They skirted around as wide as possible, then had to angle in closer to the dark mass of the tree as more white branches appeared ahead.
Twice Daniel saw a branch actually reach down toward Ian like the fingers of a nightmare, but he ducked and moved clear easily enough. As a larger branch drew too close, Ian fired, hitting the thick branch with an arrow.
A red liquid spurted out of the wood as Daniel ran passed, and the screaming he'd heard earlier repeated, only much closer this time.
"Don't look at it!" Ian called out as he ran.
Daniel looked up, assuming it was the bleeding branch he wasn't supposed to see. Then he saw it and his feet lost all momentum.
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