Chapter 8 - Shadow Forms

The morning arrived with a pale haze, the desert still clinging to the night’s coolness. Dew glistened on the rocks, but the air thickened with dry heat as the sun rose.

Bug Bug scuttled ahead, his movements deliberate, his mandibles clicking with random clacks. Jack walked near the front, an orb of light hovering above his palm. He shifted its shape — a disc, a wobbly cube — before it collapsed into a sphere.

“Not bad,” Maya said, adjusting her grip on the box. “Keep practicing.”

“Feels like I’m wrestling a jellyfish,” Jack muttered.

Will snorted. “Could be worse. Try carrying this damn thing.” Jack grinned, but the banter was short-lived.

Rugr stopped, brushing dust from faint markings carved into a weathered stone. His expression remained unreadable as he traced the symbols. “Demana sign,” he said. “Sanctuary is northwest. Three days.” He gestured to a jagged line. “This warns of dangerous ground. And here—” His finger hovered over an arrow. “Shelter and water. About a day’s walk.”

“We’re headed in the right direction,” Kleo said.

Rugr’s nod was grim. “For now.”

The terrain grew rugged, the desert floor sloping into a vast canyon. Jagged walls towered over them, streaked with ochre and silver veins. The distant haze clung to the rocks, the air humming with dry heat.

“We need to cross,” Kleo said, scanning the far side.

Will eyed the descent. “Because getting down looks easy.”

“There’s a cave,” Rugr said, squinting. “Midway along the opposite wall. Likely the shelter from the sign.” Jack couldn’t see it, but Rugr’s certainty was enough.

“We’ll descend here,” Rugr said, motioning to a steep, rocky slope. “It’s manageable.”

“Manageable for who?” Will grumbled.

“Anyone who wants to live,” Rugr shot back.

The group exchanged uneasy glances before Kleo gave a firm nod. “Let’s move.”

The descent was treacherous, loose rocks tumbling beneath their feet. Rugr led the way, calling out hazards while Bug Bug navigated with ease. Thespis stumbled once, saved only by Rugr’s swift grip.

“Steady,” Rugr warned. “Drop that box, and you’ll follow it.”

“I’m fine,” Thespis muttered, though his face was pale.

By the time they reached the canyon floor, the sun was high, its heat pressing down on them. Jagged boulders littered the cracked ground, the air heavy with the metallic tang of minerals.

“We’ll rest here,” Rugr said, leading them to the narrow shade of a towering rock. Water was passed between them, rationed carefully.

Jack crouched beside Thespis. “How’re you holding up?”

“Peachy,” Thespis replied, though little humor was in it.

“You’re still standing. That’s something.”

Will and Maya exchanged a glance. Rugr, noting Thespis’s exhaustion, spoke up.

“Will, Maya — take the box the rest of the way. Thespis did enough.”

Will groaned, flexing his sunburned arm. “Oh good, I was hoping for more of this.”

Jack adjusted the orb’s light, noticing how it now glowed in a soft golden hue — a subtle mimicry of the desert sun. He hadn’t meant to do it. It was a small victory, though no one else seemed to notice.

“Almost there,” Kleo said softly, her fingers brushing against Jack’s. “Just a little further.”

Jack nodded, but the unease gnawing in his mind remained. The canyon’s silence felt heavy, the shadows along the walls too deep. He glanced over his shoulder, finding only jagged rocks and empty air.

Still, the feeling persisted — something unseen was watching.

The group pressed on, their destination—a dark smudge on the far rock wall—still a kilometer away. The cave offered the promise of safety and rest, but between them and that refuge stretched an open expanse of cracked earth and scattered rocks, barren and exposed.

Jack walked near the front, still fiddling with the glowing orb in his hand, trying to twist its shape into something resembling a cube. “Maya, are you sure this is even possible?”

“Keep practicing,” she called over her shoulder. “The more you complain, the faster you’ll learn.”

He looked at Will, not amused. “Is that sarcasm? I feel like that’s sarcasm.”

Will only chuckled, sharing his amusement with Maya.

His concentration broke when Rugr stopped, raising a hand to signal the group. Bug Bug paused, his spindly legs poised mid-stride, antennae twitching. Jack squinted past Rugr, following his line of sight to their left.

“What is it?” Jack asked, his voice low.

“A pile of rocks?” Rugr muttered. “But…” He trailed off, his sharp eyes narrowing. The “rocks” sat to the left of their path, immense and oddly shaped, its edges too smooth and rounded to blend with the jagged formations nearby. A faint ripple ran along its surface, almost imperceptible in the shimmering heat.

Then it moved.

A collective intake of breath swept through the group as the enormous mass shifted. Sand cascaded from its sides as it stretched upward, unfolding limbs that had been tucked against its body. Its head rose last, blocky and horned, with a jagged crest that bristled like stone blades. A long, forked tongue flickered from its mouth, the tip glowing iridescent as it tested the air.

“What the…” Jack whispered, his words lost in the dry wind.

The creature’s heavy tail scraped the ground behind it as it took a slow, deliberate step forward. Its lidless eyes gleamed, reflecting the sinking sun like a molten inferno. It seemed almost indifferent to them for a moment, its movements lazy and unhurried. Then its head turned, and the tongue flicked again, this time in their direction.

Jack froze. “Rugr, what the fuck is that?”

“No idea,” Rugr said, his voice grim. “But it’s interested in us.”

The lizard’s tongue flicked again, snapping with a crack as it lashed the air. Then, with deliberate precision, it turned its massive body toward them.

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Then the signal came: Threat.

“Move!” Kleo’s sharp command cut through Jack’s rising panic.

The group bolted, racing across the uneven terrain. Behind them, the lizard took another step, then another, its massive claws carving deep grooves into the earth. At first, its lumbering pace was slow, its heavy body shifting awkwardly with each step. But as they ran, the vibrations beneath their feet began to intensify.

Jack glanced over his shoulder, his heart pounding. The lizard was gaining momentum, its strides lengthening as its movements grew more fluid. The ground trembled with each step, the rhythmic rumble building into a thunderous cadence that echoed off the canyon walls.

“Is it speeding up? Tell me it’s not speeding up,” Jack shouted, his voice tinged with disbelief.

“Don’t look back!” Maya yelled, her hands gripping the box tightly as she and Will struggled to keep their footing.

The creature’s tongue lashed out, snapping through the air with a wet crack. It missed them by a wide margin, leaving no doubt about its reach or intent. Jack stumbled as the ground shifted beneath him, his boots skidding on loose gravel.

Rugr yanked him upright, his grip like iron. “Keep running!” Rugr barked, pushing him forward.

The cave was closer now, but the lizard's massive strides allowed it to close the distance. Its enormous tail swung behind it, smashing rocks and sending dust clouds into the air. The vibrations grew more vigorous, shaking the ground so violently that Jack lost his balance again.

Thespis trailed behind the group, and Jack recalled the joke he and Kleo had shared outside the temple: I only have to outrun you. The thought was morbid now—and despite his lukewarm feelings toward Thespis, Jack hoped it wouldn't come to that. Still, it gave him extra motivation to get to the cave first.

Thespis, panting and stumbling near the rear of the group, skidded to a halt. His face was pale, but his voice rang out with a desperate conviction that surprised even him. “Keep going! I’ll try to distract it.”

The group hesitated, glancing back at him. Rugr’s brow furrowed. “Don’t be stupid, boy—”

“Just go!” Thespis shouted, his voice breaking. “It’s the one thing I’m good at—running away.”

Without waiting for an answer, Thespis veered to the right, sprinting toward another massive rock formation near the canyon wall. The lizard’s head snapped in his direction, its tongue flicking out hungrily as it shifted course to follow.

Jack slowed, his breath ragged. “What the hell is he doing?”

“Buying us time,” Kleo said, grabbing his arm and pulling him forward. “Move!”

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The air burned in Thespis’s lungs as he sprinted across the canyon floor, the ground trembling beneath his boots with the relentless pursuit of the lizard. Each pounding step of the creature behind him sent shockwaves through his legs, but it wasn’t just the lizard’s weight shaking him—it was the growing realization of what he’d done.

What am I doing? What am I doing?!

His mind screamed at him, but his legs kept moving, propelling him forward even as his thoughts spiraled. He risked a glance back—a quick one—and immediately regretted it. The lizard was closer than he thought, its hulking body barreling forward like a rockslide given life. Its glowing tongue lashed out, snapping through the air, and Thespis could almost feel its sickening wetness even at a distance.

“I must be out of my mind,” he muttered between gasps, the words lost in the lizard’s thundering pursuit. “This isn’t brave—this is stupid. Why did I even—”

His thoughts stalled as he realized he knew exactly why. The look on their faces—the way Kleo had grabbed Jack’s arm, how Maya and Will hadn’t even argued before running. For once, they hadn’t dismissed him as a useless hanger-on, and in that split-second decision, he’d felt something unfamiliar: importance. Maybe even… self-worth.

Not that it matters if I die like an idiot.

The jagged pile of rocks loomed ahead. A bitter laugh bubbled in his throat as he realized his plan relied on an ability he hadn’t used in years—one he’d avoided like the plague after that day.

Focus, Thespis. Not the time for that memory.

But it came anyway, unbidden, a vivid burst that almost made him stumble.

He’d been fifteen when it happened, recently awakened to his Kadas Shadoom and brimming with adolescent confidence. The ability to phase through solid objects felt like the ultimate power—there was no door he couldn’t open, no boundary he couldn’t cross. For weeks, he’d indulged in his newfound freedom, slipping through walls and sneaking into places he had no business being: storage rooms, training halls, and even the vault where his father kept the most boring collection of ledgers imaginable.

But that day, he’d phased into his father’s office. And there, sprawled on the massive desk, were his parents.

Together.

Doing things that no amount of therapy could ever erase.

He’d frozen, his body half-phased into the wall, hoping the stone could swallow him whole and erase what he’d seen. His father had looked up first, his expression caught between confusion and rage. His mother had shrieked, her voice shattering the air and his soul simultaneously.

Thespis had fled, phasing through wall after wall until he was miles away, his stomach churning and his mind broken. From that day forward, the idea of using his ability filled him with a sickening dread. It was as though every wall now hid some unspeakable horror, waiting to destroy what was left of his psyche.

The memory surged as he hurtled toward the rock formation, twisting his gut. What if I can’t do it? What if I freeze up, or worse, get stuck halfway? He could already imagine his body wedged inside the rocks, his limbs dangling uselessly while the lizard snacked on his appendages.

“No,” he growled aloud, forcing the thought away. “You’re not dying like that. Not today.”

The rocks loomed closer, their jagged edges sharp against the blue sky. The lizard’s growl echoed behind him, a low, guttural sound that sent adrenaline spiking through his veins. He could feel its tongue lashing out again, the air around him growing humid and foul.

Do it, Thespis. Now or never.

Thespis focused, willing his body to shift. There was no time for second-guessing. His feet hit the rocks, and he pushed forward, closing his eyes and bracing for the familiar sensation.

His chest tightened as the stone loomed closer. He focused, willing his body to let go of its boundaries, to slip through the barrier like water through a sieve. For a moment, he felt resistance, and panic surged. What if it doesn’t work? Then, with a ripple of disorientation, the rock gave way, and he was through.

He emerged on the other side of the rocks, stumbling and gasping for air. Behind him, the chasing lizard crashed headlong into the formation with a deafening roar, the impact shaking the ground and sending a plume of dust into the air.

Thespis didn’t stop to look. He kept running, his legs burning and his lungs screaming. He couldn’t believe it had worked—couldn’t believe he’d actually done it. He felt something akin to pride for the first time since gaining the ability from his Kadas Shadoom.

The sound of the second lizard stirring snapped him back to reality. He glanced over his shoulder in time to see it rise, its massive jaws closing around the stunned intruder. The sight was terrifying, but Thespis couldn’t suppress a grim laugh. “Serves you right, you big bastard,” he muttered.

His legs finally gave out as he neared the canyon wall, and he collapsed in the dust, trembling but alive. The cave was just ahead, the others waiting inside. He forced himself to his feet, staggering toward safety.

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From the safety of the cave entrance, the group turned to watch. Thespis ran toward a large pile of boulders, his stride faltering but never stopping. The lizard thundered after him, its tongue lashing out in near-misses.

“He’s not heading for the cave,” Will said, his voice grim. “Why isn’t he heading for the cave?”

The answer came a moment later. When the lizard lunged, its maw gaping wide, Thespis collided with the rock pile—and vanished.

The lizard didn’t have time to stop. Its massive body crashed into the rocks, the impact echoing like a thunderclap. Dust and debris filled the air, obscuring everything from view.

The group stared in stunned silence. “Did he just…?” Jack started, but the words died on his lips as the ground rumbled again.

The rock pile where Thespis had disappeared began to move.

A low, guttural growl rolled through the canyon as a second lizard unfolded, its colossal body dwarfing the first. Its eyes glinted like obsidian as it turned on the stunned intruder. The smaller lizard had no time to react before the second lizard’s jaws closed around it, crushing bone and scale with a sickening snap. Then the great lizard tossed the body of the smaller lizard into the air and opened its mouth, catching its meal and letting the broken body slide down its gullet, its tongue licking its lips with a satisfying slurp.

When Thespis stumbled into the cave, every eye turned to him. Jack’s expression was a mix of disbelief and grudging respect, while Maya’s was equal parts relief and exasperation. Kleo, as always, seemed unreadable, but there was something softer in her gaze.

"Well," Thespis panted, collapsing against the wall. "Guess I'm good for something after all."

"You're insane," Maya said, kneeling beside him.

"Yeah," he said with a sly grin. "I just thought—what would Jack do?"

They all turned to Jack.

Jack held out his hands in mock innocence. "What?"

"That fits," Will said, and the rest of the group agreed.

Kleo moved to place a hand on his shoulder. "That was very brave, big brother. You saved us all."

Her smile was warm and genuine—perhaps the first one she had ever directed toward him. And for the first time in as long as he could remember, Thespis felt like more than a burden. As he let himself sink into the cool darkness of the cave, he thought that maybe—just maybe—he wasn’t as useless as he’d always believed.