Chapter 11 - Ballad of Creeping Dark

The tale is told in note and word,

Yet truer truths remain unheard.

A whisper rings through bated breath.

The song that wakes the land from death.

Elanor spotted Raven near the front of the room and hurried over to join him. They faced the low stage where the visiting bard tuned his instruments beneath the glow of lanternlight.

A scent of fresh baked bread, pies and ale wafted from the kitchen and bar through the dining hall, and a server approached their table.

She carried a heaping tray of meats, cheeses and breads and set it on the table. A few minutes later, she brought a fresh mug of ale for Raven and a small glass of wine for Elanor.

Raven glanced at Elanor, nodding at her as the music began. A smile covered her young face, and she wrung her hands in her lap in excitement.

Finn Sweetvale, a well-known bard who traveled the Eastern circuit in Namarien, started his set with a dramatic recitation of the news.

Many in the villages where he performed knew how to read, but this was the normal way in which commoners received news of the realm beyond the local area they inhabited.

He told a story of a group of highway bandits being apprehended by the local guard corps two towns over, and everyone sighed a note of relief that the crime ring hadn’t made it this far before being snuffed out.

He shared news of the Namarien Prince’s betrothal, with grand wedding plans whispered for the coming summer.

After a few more stories, and he took a short break to prepare for the musical performance.

Finn took up his lute and let a few tentative notes ring out. The murmurs around the room fell away.

He strummed the first verse, and the melody was dark and haunting.

When he sang the opening lines, Elanor felt her heart drop in her chest.

---

The shadows creep through vale and hill,

Where once the golden sunlight shone,

And hearts that beat with hope grow still

As darkness claims each field and stone.

The ancient paths lie choked with thorn,

The rivers run with fear and dread,

And those who might have seen the morn

Now count themselves among the dead.

The lords grow fat while children starve,

Their greed consumes both weak and strong,

And cruel men with blades will carve

Their names in blood and bitter song.

The temple bells no longer ring,

The harvest rots upon the ground,

And bards forget the songs they sing

As silence spreads without a sound.

But listen close, you gathered here,

Though shadow falls on hill and dell,

A flame still burns through doubt and fear,

One voice may break the curse's spell.

---

As he finished singing the last verse, his head, which had drooped through the dark melody until then, was lifted high. His voice rang out, clear as a bell in the night.

The song came to a crescendo at the end rather than fading out, and the effect on the audience was impossible to ignore.

After the final chord, not a single patron remained seated. Tankards raised, cheers and applause filled the hall.

Returning to her seat, Elanor fell back in the chair, staring absently into the corner of the room. She sat back, unmoving, that final line echoing in her mind.

I will be the voice that breaks the curse’s spell.

The look of determination that flashed on her face for just a moment wasn’t lost on Raven. Nor was it missed by Finn Sweetvale.

The bard finished his set, and after making the rounds, much of the room had cleared of guests. Servers were moving from table to table, picking up plates and glassware, and wiping down the surfaces.

Elanor looked to Raven, but he didn’t seem ready to leave yet, so she enjoyed her last glass of wine.

Eventually Finn came to their table and sat with them.

“Well?” Raven asked, glancing sideways at Elanor. “What did you think of Master Sweetvale’s performance?”

As if she’d been waiting for this moment for years, Elanor burst out question after question.

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Finn held up his hands. “Hold on there, little lass. I can only answer one at a time!” He laughed goodheartedly and ordered a mug of ale.

The server brought it over and gave Finn a brief nod before vanishing behind the kitchen door. The taproom was suddenly quiet, the hum of laughter and clinking glasses replaced by the creak of settling beams and the crackle of the hearth.

Elanor looked around and noticed the sudden silence.

“Why…” she muttered.

“So we can talk freely,” Finn said.

Raven drained his mug and set it back down on the table.

He stood and stretched, rolling his shoulders.

“I think I’ll get a little rest,” he said. “You’re in good hands with Finn, Elanor. Don’t stay up too late. We’ve got a long day of travel ahead of us tomorrow.”

Finn stood and shook Raven’s hand.

“It was a pleasure seeing you again, old friend.”

Raven smiled and patted the bard on his right shoulder.

“And it’s always a pleasure watching you spin your craft. Till we meet again. Stay safe out there.”

The two men nodded at each other and Raven quickly retreated up the stairs to his room.

Finn sat down and leaned back in his chair.

“So,” he started. “I hear you’ve got quite the talent. Which instruments do you play?”

Elanor looked down a moment, recalling her father’s gift.

“The flute, the harp, and…” a single tear fell down her cheek. “A lute. That my father gifted me before…”

Finn put his hand gently on her shoulder. “I know about Goldenvale. No need to relive that…” He looked straight into her eyes, his gaze alarming her. “Now that you’ve taken care of it. Right?”

She stammered. “How… how did you know?”

The bard lifted his head and laughed.

It was a rich, resonant sound that seemed to magically fill the entire room in an instant.

“You’re not the only one whose voice carries power, my dear,” he whispered, still holding her attention with his winter blue eyes.

Elanor’s own eyes opened wide at the statement, but Finn’s expression changed in a way that made her relax.

“You’ve done nothing wrong,” Finn said. “Those men… Every single one of them, deserved their fate a hundred times over. But you,” he leaned forward, taking her hand in his. “You’ve got a gift that must not be quelled. You must learn control, but never suppression. Understand?”

Elanor nodded, and a few more tears escaped the corner of her eyes, but her expression remained resolute.

“Now,” Finn continued. “The original plan was for you to come with me. I have one more stop before heading back to The Eversong Vault. But alas, events have precipitated a change in plans. You’re to head to The Widow’s Shroud first. Once you complete your training there, they will send you to the Vault.”

Elanor nodded, having already been informed by Raven.

“Will I see you again?” she asked, her innocent eyes looking up to him.

Finn laughed again. “Of course! I’ll be one of your trainers at the Vault. I do have one suggestion. Choose two instruments. Carrying three around gets tedious, and while you’ll likely have attendants one day to handle that, we both know you’ll also have other… duties to handle. And traveling light is recommended for those.”

He winked at her as he said the last part.

“If I had to shed one of them,” Elanor said thoughtfully, “it would be the harp.”

Her voice caught for a breath. “I love my flute, and the lute is from my father. I can never let it go.”

They talked a while longer, but once exhaustion set in, Elanor found it hard to stay awake a minute longer.

Finn stood, and before he could speak, Elanor stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him.

Even at just fourteen, she was already tall, but Finn hugged her back, his arms around her shoulders.

“Don’t worry,” Finn said, smiling as he looked down at her. “When I see you next, you’ll be strong enough to protect others. It’s a worthy trade. Just promise me one thing. Don’t stop practicing. Not for a single day, ok?”

She nodded silently, more tears streaking down her cheeks.

They said their goodbyes and both retired to their separate rooms.

Early the next morning, Raven knocked on Elanor’s door.

“Meet me downstairs in ten minutes, okay? It’s time to head out.”

She was already awake and getting dressed.

“No problem, I’m just packing up now. Be there soon,” she hollered through the closed door.

Raven went down to the main hall again, and Amelia was waiting.

“Good morning,” she said, greeting him with a smile. “How did you and Elanor enjoy the performance?”

“Oh,” Raven said, adjusting the pack slung over his shoulder, “you know Finn is always fantastic. It was kind of him to spend some time with her afterward. They talked until she could barely keep her eyes open.”

Amelia chuckled. “Oh, to be young again…” Her eyes darkened and betrayed her centuries of life experience for just a moment, before lighting up again when she saw Elanor approaching.

“Good morning, dear! I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed your stay,” the innkeeper said, smiling.

“Oh, Miss Amelia, it was… It was the most beautiful thing…”

Elanor spent the next few minutes recounting the performance that both Amelia and Raven had also watched. But somehow hearing Elanor’s version of it elevated the experience in their memory.

Raven checked the System clock.

“We need to head out, Elanor. We’ve got a long day of traveling ahead of us.”

Amelia handed them each a large stack of flatbread and some dried fruits.

Then she ensured they had enough water, and sent them on their way.

Raven and Elanor left the village through the same gates and headed west along the road again.

The sun had just begun to rise through the trees behind them, casting long shadows that seemed to reach farther than they should across the path ahead.

A quiet tension settled over Elanor's shoulders. Even the morning birdsong felt muted and hesitant, as if the forest itself was holding its breath.

The familiar scents of dew and earth carried an undertone of something else. Something that made her skin prickle with unease. She had an eerie feeling that today was not going to be an uneventful one.

The lines of Finn’s dark tune echoed in her mind still now.

The shadows creep through vale and hill,

Where once the golden sunlight shone,

And hearts that beat with hope grow still

As darkness claims each field and stone.

“Raven?” she asked as they walked at a brisk pace along the empty path.

“What is it?” he asked, slowing down to check on her.

She kept walking at the same pace, but there was clearly something on her mind.

“That song Finn sang,” she said quieter than usual. “It was the one question he refused to answer last night. What is this darkness creeping through the land?”

“Let’s focus on your training first,” Raven said, exhaling. “You’ll learn about all the grand conspiracies of the land soon enough. No need to lose all your innocence at once.”