"Sir Faulkner III: The Piercing Gaze" by Lyn LJ Jackson

Chapter Two: The Piercing Gaze

A small raft floated languidly on steady waves. A man with a shaggy mane, course beard, and dirty, ragged clothes lie upon the craft. His name was Sheffield Coppertongue. He clutched an empty bottle in one hand, dreaming of more ale. Just when his thoughts turned to those of serenderry berry pie, a strong wind tossed the light raft wildly. The ragged man quickly sat up and grabbed a hold to the sides of the craft. Coppertongue looked wildly about him, his violet eyes full of fear. He had been a respectable sailor before ale pulled on his life and caused it to fall, and he could tell the wind that blown was not natural. It was artificial, driven by the presence of some dark evil.

Coppertongue's eyes soon fell on the Piercing Gaze Woods. Huge pines and birch towered into the the sky. Shadow dwelt comfortably under its canopy, and an eerie wind flitted from branch to bough. He could make out dark beings moving among the shadows. He watched the creatures move east through the forest, toward the town of Sea Wind. Sheffield Coppertongue sat on his raft helplessly. He wished to warn the town, but by the time his craft would make it over there, it would be too late. If he could get to the closer town of Amiabulburg, he would be able to gather, maybe, some men to help Sea Wind.

Sheffield, you take those oars!, thought Coppertongue to himself, Do something useful with yourself for once! The dirt man took the wooden paddles in his hands, and left the empty bottle and destructive dreams at the bottom of the raft.

Arch Edgewood strolled down the market street of Amiabulburg. Seheir was silent upon his shoulder, dreaming of a meal of pigeon and quail. His white hair was bright against the greys and browns of the farming town. A heavy air of secrets and stubbornness seemed to fill the soul of every towns person. Arch was looking to purchase of one Amiabulburg's famous macoon apples when he heard a disturbance up ahead.

"I am telling you the truth!" cried a voice. "I saw the shadow creatures with my own eyes in the Piercing Gaze Woods!"

"You drunk sailor, shut up!"

"Stop feeding us lies!"

"You were probably influenced by the bottle!"

"But I saw them!" assured a dirty man. Arch was closer now, and he saw a ragged man in the middle of a crowd. He tried to get the people to hear his words, but they all looked ready for violence.

"There has never been a threat of evil since these parts were cleansed during the First Age," said a wry old man. "You are just striving for attention, you mangy mutt!" The crowd began to press in close to the ex-sailor.

"Get him!" And just as one person lurched forward for violence, Arch saw that the drunk man's violet only held truth.

"LEAVE HIM BE," commanded the white haired Arch. His voice crackled with thunder claps, and his now golden eyes flashed lightning. Seheir's eyes flicked open as the harsh sound of his master's voice. He decided to keep aware now. The aroused crowd shrank away from the dirty man.

"By the gods..."

"Its a UeHuman!"

"Sir," addressed Arch to the ragged man. The thunder left his voice, and his gleaming eyes returned to their keen grey. "Tell me what happened." The violet eyed man told his name, and the exact events as they occurred.

"Come with me to Sea Wind, and you will see for yourself if the shadow creatures went there! Go in to the Piercing Gaze Woods, and you will no doubt come across them!" exclaimed Coppertongue.

[Shadow creatures? This might be some creation of Rainne. He is known to be efficient in manipulating shades,] informed the peregrine falcon to his master.

"I will not get myself involved in the Piercing Gaze Woods if that is where the creatures live," began Arch, "But if they did indeed attack the towns people, I will deal with them."

"Then come with me, good sir!" said Coppertongue. "I have a raft to take us across the Searing Bay. Er...What is your name, sir?"

"I--," began Arch, but a high voice soon cut him off.

"That is Sir Faulkner III!" cried a teenage boy. "He saved Putnam Village from the mysterious locus barrels!" Voices began to whisper through the still present crowd.

"Faulkner? Is he descended from the Faulkner of the First Age?"

"Has another hero has arisen in our time of need...?"

"Who is the bird?"

"That is... His name is Falco Peregrinus the Wanderer!"

"I am not Faulkner," refuted Arch, "I do not know who--"

"Good luck you, Sir Faulkner, and your aide Peregrinus!" cried the lad. "Save the people of Shinoir!"

"Hail the Faulkner and the Wanderer! Heimdall's blessing upon Sir Faulkner III!"

Arch sadly should his head as he hurriedly head out of Amiabulburg, following Sheffield Coppertongue. He never did want people to raise their voices against him. He did not want to be a hero. He was only one man; Arch knew he could not save every one. As every person eventually falls from their flaws, he hated to be the one to disappoint their hopes when it came his turn. His anonymity was the only thing he was able to use to separate himself from their world. Now they had given him, and his falcon, a name.

And this age will only grow worse, thought Arch as he tried to keep his mind only on the path ahead of him.

Sea Wind! Land of the Sailors! proclaimed a battered wooden sign. A fog was rolling over the town, and all but the wind was silent. The breeze carried on it the perfumes of the decaying and dead, and it howled the sorrows of the dead to all who would listen. Seheir was still upon Arch Edgewood's shoulder.

[This place is a ghost town. I can see the shades gathering around us,] spoke the falcon in Arch's mind.

"Can you really see them? Because I sure do feel a growing presence," added the white haired UeHuman. Sheffield Coppertongue was hovering distractedly by Arch's right shoulder. His wild violet eyes kept darting around. "If you want to wait by your raft, Sir Coppertongue, you can." The two men and bird proceeded through the town.

"No no," refused the ex-sailor, "I do not want to be alone if those things decide to emerge from the Piercing Gaze Woods again."

"Then keep alert. We need to find some one who might have survived so that we can get an account of what happened here."

[I do not even trust the safety of flight in this fog. I have a feeling those creatures might be able to defy gravity.]

"Then you stick close too," said Arch to his bird.

"Were you...talking to that bird of prey?" asked the mangy haired man.

"Yes...he is...special. Just like me, he has a unique gene in his blood," explained Arch. Suddenly a small figure darted out before them and clung on to Arch's leg.

"Waaaaaah!" A small child was crying with a death grip on the UeHuman's shin. Any normal human would have felt pain. The white haired man took his time to carefully pry the child off his leg. He brought the brown haired girl up to his eye level.

"Are you okay?" asked Arch. But the child kept crying.

[She is afraid. She will not stop crying with the scene of this town around her,] said Seheir.

"Okay I am going to Disperse to Sunny Vale," said Arch. "Maybe I can calm her down there."

"What? Are yo going to leave us here in the shadow town of Sea Wind?" questioned Coppertongue.

"Do not worry, the falcon will take care of you," assured the UeHuman. "I am not strong enough to Disperse us all of us." Holding the wailing girl with one arm, the white haired man's eyes glowed gold as his body faded out of view.

Arch Edgewood reappeared in the Sunny Vale, a bright, wide clearing in the Sevin Valley Chain. Saiph Hemlocks bordered the edge of the area, and sunlight generously flooded the scene. The falconer set the girl on a rock and petted her head. She looked to be only five to six years aged. The grey eyed man wished he had some tissues to give her, but unfortunately did not.

"Do you want to tell me your name?" asked Arch as he kneeled in front of her so he would be at her eye level.

"Erwin," sniffed the brown headed girl. "Where am I?"

"The Sunny Vale," answered the UeHuman. "You seemed really afraid in Sea Wind, so I brought you here to calm you down."

"My mother...she, she is gone," informed the child. "I could not find her..."

"Well my companion Sir Coppertongue brought me to Sea Wind just to find out the situation here. Maybe I will find her," said Arch. No point in telling her that her mother is probably dead, thought the white haired man. It will only cause he to start crying again. "Can you tell me what happened to the town?"

"I was playing in my mother's garden," began Erwin, "And the shadows began messing things up."

"What did they do?"

"They broke things, and hurt people, and they screamed at everything."

"Hm, I see. Thank you Erwin," spoke the UeHuman, "We are going back to Sea Wind now, and the Sir Coppertongue is going to stay with you, okay? So do not be afraid."

"Okay, mister," acknowledge the child. Arch scooped her up and returned to the town of Sea Wind.

[There you are,] said Seheir, who was settled on Coppertongue's fist.

"The shadow creatures have been calling to each other," reported the mangy Coppertongue. "I wonder why they decided to attack the town any way...?"

"Coppertongue, sir," began Arch. He placed the girl Erwin in the ex-sailor's arms as Seheir flew back to his master's shoulder. "I request that you return to your raft and take the dear Erwin with you. Go back to Amiabulburg. Find her some one to stay with. ...And do clean up a bit, fellow." The ragged man nodded and took his leave with the child.

[Now what?]

"I say we take a round through the town," spoke Arch. "If we find some dead bodies, then we plunge in to the Piercing Gaze Woods. And if we find no one... I do not know what good going in to the Piercing Gaze will do. If these shadow creatures are really Rainne's then the towns people are most likely dead, or taken to Rainne to be used for experimentation."

[I will keep an eye set for devices of Rainne's.]

"Yes, do. I am not in favour of getting myself killed trying to find people who are already doomed. There are many more evident people out there that might need my help. Taking time in the Piercing Gaze could have been planned by Rainne. He probably knows about me more now, after the run in with his closest minion Rainne." The UeHuman continued down the main road of Sea Wind and gazed in to every shop and house. He heard only the stillness of the dead air and the faint wailing of the shadows from the Piercing Gaze Woods.

After thirty minutes of walking the town, Arch the falconer now stood next to a bread shop on the main road.

[This town is empty.]

"What do you think we should do?" inquired the falconer.

[The only answer would be to explore the woods.]

"Yea, I know." sighed Arch. "I need to talk to the ex-sailor so I can get some back ground information and legends on that dark forest. I want to know what I will be getting in to by stepping a foot in that place."

The UeHuman Dispersed with Seheir back to Amiabulburg. With little questioning he found that Coppertongue was staying in the Mable Inn. Arch found the ex-sailor and the dark haired Erwin eating lunch.

Sheffield Coppertongue had freshened up just like the falconer had told him to. His hair was cut to a respectable two inches and his beard was shaved off. He was no longer dirty, and wore fresh clothes of a rust orange colour. Some the years that had seemed to weigh on Coppertongue's shoulders were never really there at all.

"You look well, Sir Coppertongue," commented the white haired man, "You must be thinking of watching over Erwin yourself."

"Well it seems you have read my mind," agreed the ex-sailor. "On the return journey to Amiabulburg, the child made so many remarks on my appearance, I had to change." To be told off by a small child, thought Coppertongue, I must have been doing some thing wrong. That ale really did destroy me...but now it my chance to turn my life around.

"Did you find my mother?" asked Erwin hopefully.

"I am sorry, dear child,"began the UeHuman. "She has gone to the halls of Heimdall."

"Will I ever see her again?" asked the brown haired girl, tears welling in her eyes.

"Of course you will," responded Coppertongue. "And when you do your mother will be happy to see you. Now do not cry, your mother is happy you did not have to join her there."

[I am going out for some lunch,] said Seheir as his wings opened.

"Now that I think of it, I could use some to," spoke Arch.

"Oh, talking to the falcon again?" said Coppertongue after making a weird face.

"Yea... But I have other matters that need to be presented before you, sir," states the white haired man.

"Yes? Some thing to do with the Piercing Gaze situation, I presume."

"Correct. Do you know anything about those woods? I need back ground on the place, legends, some fact, other events that have occurred there...," listed Arch. "Just any thing you can give me on the place."

"I just know the rumours and legends connected to the place," began the ex-sailor. "It was said that all the souls of the sea drowned return to that wood. So much pain and anguish is said to wreath there, staring in to any persons that decide to enter the place. The only way to protect yourself from the piercing gaze of the dead souls is to cover your the window to your soul: the eyes. And if the gaze of those demented souls connects with yours, they can cause your very life force to leave your body."

"Interesting...very interesting," commented Arch. He crossed his arms as his mind started to consider what Coppertongue had said.

Meanwhile, Erwin began kicking the edge of the wooden table she was seated at. She had finished her lunch, and was now getting restless.

"Erwin, why you should go play with my falcon," suggested Arch. He then spoke to the falcon who was not present, but till could hear him. "Seheir, make sure to accompany the child."

[Gosh, do I have to?] echoed the bird's question in Arch's mind, but the bird of prey already knew the answer. After the girl left the inn to play outside, Coppertongue spoke.

"So there was no one left in the town, at all?"

"No one, I am afraid. Though there were no bodies. I came here to get information on the forest, and to see what you had done with the girl," informed Arch. "I have decided to enter the forest only in search of answers, because I will not be able to leave this place with empty questions in my mind. Even if I do succeed in finding answers, I might not return; I will have to follow whatever leads that might reside in the forest."

"That is fine; it is to be expected as one such as yourself. As an UeHuman, you are always on the move," said Coppertongue.

"I am glad you understand, Sir Coppertongue."

Outside, Erwin was stepping on dark flowers that grew behind a potions store near the Mable Inn. Seheir was hovering unnaturally close around her head.

"Birdie, these flowers are ugly," said the girl, "I want to find some prettier flowers to pick." Seheir remained silent and only kept an eye out for various dangers. "Come come, let us travel to the brook." Seheir followed the girl, and watched with interest as people stayed out of her way. They seemed to remember that the falcon belonged to 'Sir Faulkner III', and they did not want to incur his wrath or hear his voice with thunder again.

The two soon reached the water's edge and the girl peered in to the clear waters. And as she examined her reflection in the water, another image soon appeared. Erwin stepped back startled. The man known as Subparr to others stood unknown before the child. Seheir landed carefully on the girl's small shoulder.

"So... You were the only survivor, eh?" spoke Rainne's general. "There must be something special about you; the reason why you were not touched by the shadows." Seheir lifted from the girl's shoulder and back to tug on her sleeve with his beak. Erwin moved back from the water, and turned to leave when Subparr suddenly lunged out. "Come here, girl! Time to join the others!"

Seheir suddenly glowed as bright as a yellow sun, and his form began to expand. He grew to a seven foot tall version of his smaller two feet form. Seheir revealed his true size as one of the ancient Great Prey Birds from the Falco line. A huge talon struck out, and drew blood as Subparr was knocked away. The sharp claws cut easily through Subparr's light armour.

The peregrine screamed a piercing cry, threatening the Rainne minion to attempt any thing else. Erwin turned and ran, leaving Seheir, the Subparr, and the scene behind. Seheir kept his sharp, dark eyes on the man. He waited until he felt the human had lost enough blood, and then reverted back to his smaller form. The bird of prey flew off and return to the inn.

There Seheir found Erwin hiding in Sheffield Coppertongue's arms.

"Seheir, what happened?" asked Arch the UeHuman once he saw the falcon approaching.

[It was Subparr,] responded Seheir, and he proceeded to report the rest of everything the general had said to Arch. Coppertongue waited patiently to be filled in after their discourse.

"Could you tell from what he said where the people might have been taken to?"

[I believe they were taken to the Piercing Gaze Woods. There might be a base of operations there,] stated the bird of prey.

"Hmm, you are right," sighed Arch. "I do believe I do not want to find out where this predicament will lead, but being so inquisitive, I have to find out." Arch them told the ex-sailor only the part about where the people might have been taken, and Subparr's interest in Erwin. But the white haired man did not give Subparr's name, or his position in Rainne's hierarchy. The UeHuman did not want any unnecessary panic or worry.

"The plot thickens," said Coppertongue. "I pray that you will get to the bottom of this."

"Sir Coppertongue, I am going to have to bring Erwin with me," informed the grey eyed falconer. "By now, Subparr would have contacted help and found a portable Zephyr Tank to heal in. If he found Erwin here, and knew she was a survivor of the Sea Wind incident, then he will get to her here in the inn. Even your safety might be in danger, but I cannot have you with me. With too many people to watch in the Piercing Gaze Woods, I will be at a disadvantage. I am sorry, sailor. I will return to inquire about your safety at the end of things." Arch leaned in to whisper in the man's ear. "And to return Erwin if her mother is not alive." The falconer stood and Seheir lighted upon his shoulder. He took Erwin from the ex-sailor's arms and quickly left the inn.

Arch stood seemingly alone by the edge of the Piercing Gaze Woods. Next to him stood the seven foot Seheir, with Erwin tied to his back. The falcon was invisible, and so was everything attached to him. Erwin was blinded to dissuade the rumour of the abilities of the demented souls in the Piercing Gaze. Arch's UeHuman eyes of gold were so opaque, they looked solid. He had no worry over any being trying to peer down into his soul. Seheir was a creature, and would not be affected by any thing that had to deal with human souls. of course.

[Ready, Arch?]

"Do I really have a choice?"

[Not really I guess.]

"Erwin? Remember what I told you. Stay quiet and beware that you are on the bird's back, very securely strapped in, I assure you. There might be swift flying ahead, loud wails, and the sound of battle, but remember it is all for the sake of your home, Sea Wind," reminded the white haired falconer. The girl nodded in acknowledgment, which Arch's advanced UeHuman eyes could see.

The falconer went gold, his body flickered with the light of fire and electricity. Arch Edgewood stepped into the forest with Seheir flying silently behind. The two were instantly in a new land where even the sun added to the rejection.

Huge dark pines dwarfed Arch as he walked below their heavy boughs. Angry blacks, greys, and dark blues glared at him from every side. Grey birches lurked among the powerful pines, seeming devious with evil intentions; their arms stretched out as claws for the unsuspecting prey. The air was surprisingly light, and the ground soft and wet. A unusual wind swayed the leaves on the dark trees, and howling could be heard from farther in the wood.

[How pretty,] admired Seheir. [This is what the whole world should look like!]

"Sure...Seheir, sure," said Arch. "What direction should we go first?"

[Let us go with luck: the west.]

"All right then," consented the UeHuman. Arch's feet took him a long way through the forest before the land began to noticeably slope. "I wonder what is at the end here. This area looks like the ground was dug out and the trees replanted. The ground is just dirt and the trees are not growing naturally close together, as if some one had planned them in a systematic way."

[Yes, I see what you mean,] responded the peregrine falcon. Erwin remained silent the entire time of the forty minutes they had been traveling.

The howls suddenly grew very loud, and a rushing wind came straight for Arch. The UeHuman could see the being riding the wind like a chariot. He drew back his arm, and hurled a ball of fire at the shadows. The keen eyed man saw the creatures move to dodge the attack, and shot more fire balls at the oncoming enemy. Fire consumed one being, and Arch waited to see the effects.

[Lightning now, hurry! Fire only weakens them!] The falconer instantly responded as sparks traveled up his arms. A lightning blade rose five feet long from his clenched fists. Arch leapt in to the fray, and sliced the burning shade in half. Seheir watched the scene carefully for a time when he might need to intervene. He usually stayed out of the fights unless he was really needed; there was no reason for anyone to know all of Seheir's abilities.

Arch propelled himself off a birch branch, and sent a volley of fire torpedoes at the shadow creatures. They screamed in the midst of battle, and Erwin had to force herself not to cry out. As the ever growing number of dark beings appeared, fire leaped from foe to foe. Arch darted among them all, using the trees as shields and aides to cut down all the weakened creatures. The UeHuman could tell he must have been with in the first ring of defenses for what ever lay ahead. The fire and electricity on Arch's head and hands never faded, and kept adding fear to the beings who hardly knew light.

Soon the number of shadow creatures dwindled to zero. Arch was sitting up in the stronger boughs of a pine when the last shade was struck down. The ground below was covered in a blanket of the airy bodies of the dark creatures. Seheir flew to settle on the branch with his master. A faint glimmer of sweat was appearing on Arch's pale skin.

"Wow, I am actually breaking in to a sweat," commented the UeHuman as the electricity blade was absorbed by his body. He kept himself gold in case there were any surprise ambushes.  "I had better keep aware if these things are going to make me work this much."

[How long shall you rest here?] asked the peregrine falcon.

"Not long. I just need to gather my thoughts." Arch's eyes of gold turned toward the direction the shadows had come from. The ground now sloped even steeper; the battle had moved them fathered down the dug out section of the forest.

[Look at the fruit on that birch tree,] spoke Seheir.

"Birch trees do not have fruits."

[But that one does.] The UeHuman turned his gaze toward where the bird of prey was looking. He saw a fruit laden birch tree. It bark was unnaturally a pale blue, and three round fruits hung from the branches. Arch stood, and leaped off the dark pine. He landed in a crouch upon the forest floor. The falconer walked over to the tree and snatched a fruit off. The white haired man smelled it, and decided it might be important. He let his fire consumed fist take care of burning it, and in the process would be able to duplicate the fruit later if he so desired.

"Let us get moving," called Arch to his friend who was hovering silently above him.

Twenty minutes later, Arch Edgewood could hear the clanking of armour. He had taken to traveling along the massive trees' branches. If he had kept going down the ever increasing slope, any one below would have easily been able to spot his approach. What sounded like low, whispering voices floated up to his ears. Balanced on a pine with Seheir, Arch could see below on the slope a group of soldiers. They all wore capes with an eternal Celtic knot on the back, the chosen symbol of Rainne. Subparr was no where in sight, but Arch saw another commander standing upon a boulder. Arch remembered passing him when Subparr had led him to Ever Dreaming's spring source. The commander standing there was none other than Lieutenant Fleance, one of Subparr's more favoured commanders.

So, thought the white haired UeHuman, they wish to make me fight people this time, I guess the shadow creatures were not good enough.

[Do they really expect you to waiver because you have to fight men now?] commented Seheir, [I wonder what else they have in store for you.]

"They are not people," whispered Erwin from the peregrine's back. "Mister, those shadows attacked my home."

"Erwin, you are not supposed --"

[Wait, did you hear what she said? The child said these are the creatures that attacked Sea Wind.]

"What?" spoke Arch, his golden eyes fell to the soldiers. Lieutenant Fleance was clearly a man, while the others seemed...kind of odd, now that he looked at them.

[They are shells!] exclaimed the falcon as he saw through their guise. [The shadows are inhabiting the empty armour. The darkness and poor lighting of this place perfectly distorts one from seeing their features clearly.] All of the shadows in armour wore concealing helms and metal plates every where.

"Clever, very clear," commended Arch. "I think I might actually be amused if they were not here to prevent me from getting through to what may lay at the end." Arch turned to where Erwin was tied on Seheir's back. "Thank you, dear child. Now I shall avenge your home."

[Shall I remain an observer?]

"Yes, unless you see that I need help," answered the UeHuman. "I plan to strike right in the middle of them to catch them by surprise; they will expect me to come from the side, not from above, you see." The gold eyed man stood and walked to the edge of the tree branch. The fire and lightning on his hands expanded and grew to cover his entire body. Arch burst from the tree and fell upon the shadowed soldiers as a blazing ball of energy.

He hit the ground on two feet, and the impact caused every thing in the blast radius to be hit by a wave of fire backed by searing bursts of lightning. Shadow filled armour fell to the ground and the shrieks of the shades inhabiting them pierced the light forest air. A region about five metres in diameter was cleared by Arch's purposeful landing.

"Regroup!" barked Lieutenant Fleance, "First volley of soldiers, attack him now!"

Attacking in waves?, thought Arch to himself, Are they trying to wear me down that way? I better not complain. Once Rainne turns his eye this way, I will suffer some worse battles.

Arch was charged by the onslaught of soldiers, and from the UeHuman's fist grew fire enhanced storm katana. Lightning and thunder from the blades crackled the air. Arch met the shades of Rainne head on, cutting with both swords through what ever dared face him.

Arch's golden eyes flickered with fire gleaming, and he fought his way through the volleys. He noticed how Lieutenant Fleance kept to the top of the boulder while growling and barking out orders. The UeHuman swiftly turned, and decided to head for the man. Arch did not wish to kill him, but only force answers out of him.

Arch left behind the fray that was still eager to kill him. He then leaped up on the boulder as Lieutenant Fleance shrank to his knees in fear of the glowing eyes of a UeHuman. Arch knocked his rapier out of the minion's hand and dissolved the storm katana on his right fist. The white haired UeHuman hauled Lieutenant Fleance up to his feet, making sure the energies on his body did not burn the lieutenant.

"Hey there. You are going to be coming with me for a bit," said the golden eyed man. He struck the lieutenant unconscious. Arch's legs flexed, and he leaped up in to the huge branches with a firm grip on the lieutenant's armour. He brought them both in to the dark, welcoming arms of the towering birch.

When Lieutenant Fleance woke, he found himself tied with thick vines to the truck of peeling pine tree. His eyes took their time adjusting to the figure before him. He obviously did not see the invisible seven foot falcon, perched above Erwin's hearing level, behind Arch.

"You...," began the lieutenant. His head hurt like a blazing fire. "You...you are that UeHuman opposing Rainne? Subparr told me about you..."

"Hm. Sorry about that pain in your head. It will go away soon," apologized Arch.

"Errrg... What do you want?" inquired Lieutenant Fleance. "Subparr... he did not tell me any thing about encountering an UeHuman. I am dreadfully afraid of your kind... those horrible yellow eyes... I fear Master Rainne, and I fear you too. So let me go, pleasssseee..."

"Sorry. Not until I can get some answers," said Arch, his eyes still blazing fire. "If you cooperate, maybe I will not lean in close so you can see me clearer."

"Oh no! Please no!" begged Lieutenant Fleance. "Errrg, my head..."

"Hmp. Please tell me Rainne's commanders here in Shinoir are like this only because the better ones are busy roping Jshair?"

"True, true. You are a quick one, are not you?"

"Well I would have to be dealing with Rainne, buddy."

"True, true. You are a qui-- No wait, I said that already."

"Yea, you did. Now stop stalling. I have questions."

"Fine," sighed the lieutenant. "Fire away..." Arch shifted his weight to one foot and angled his head to one side.

"Did your shadow men follow you here?" The lieutenant shook his head.

"I was ordered to tell them to stay in that vicinity. Subparr did not want them wandering about snatching more unnecessary people," responded Rainne's minion.

"So where are they?"

"Do not you know? They are at a base at the bottom of the slope. Is not that why you are going down the dug out hill?" spoke the minion. "Dreadful climbing back up once you are down there." Arch only laughed.

"Then it is a good thing I am not a full human like you, lieutenant," laughed the falconer.

"Hey... Subparr told me you had a falcon. Where is it?"

"Buddy, I am asking the questions," began Arch. "Maybe later we can switch roles. So answer this: are any of the people of Sea Wind still alive? And what did Rainne have them taken for in the first place?" Lieutenant Fleance looked around nervously. This was information he was told not to reveal to any one outside of the Piercing Gaze Woods base. "There is no one to hear what it is that you must tell me."

"I.. I, uh, guess they are still alive," stuttered the lieutenant.

"Guesses are not allowed," said the falconer, "Shall I step a bit closer?"

"Ah, no! No no no!" pleaded the man, "They are alive, well at least a good portion of them! Only a few have been taken for experimentation!" The minion immediately cut off. Those last words had just mistakenly slipped out. "Subparr's going to kill me..." muttered Lieutenant Fleance. "No... Subparr and Rainne are going to kill me..."

"Well who spoke those words to me? You did. It will be your own fault if you die," reasoned the white haired man.

"What!? No! You made me! You threatened me!" accused Rainne's minion.

"And who was it that fell to my threats? I guess Subparr did not train you enough."

"Subparr was a very good teacher!" exclaimed the human. "Do not bring him in to this."

"Fine," began the UeHuman."Well, buddy, it was nice talking to you. So I am going to let you free now."

"You are? Oh thank Heimdall!"

"But...you have to guide me past the third defense and quietly in to the base below."

"I knew it...," spoke Lieutenant Fleance. "Some where in the back of my mind a voice said that there was catch."

"Is not there always?"

"I guess you are right," said Rainne's minion. "So... How are you going to contain me so I do not run off while I lead you to the base? Supposing I lead you the right way, that is..." Arch's hand came up and a lightning string was released. It clamped itself around Lieutenant Fleance's throat.

"Like this," responded the UeHuman. "If you do not move, I will increase the voltage of the lightning and burn your neck. And if I realize you are not going the right way, I will tug and increase the voltage to sear your neck off your head. If you cooperate, then you might not receive any damage from me. Got it? Now take your pick."

"Uh... I think I should cooperate, though I will probably get killed once Subparr finds out about this..." Arch's left hand still carried the fire enhanced katana, which he used to cut the vines holding the lieutenant. Rainne's minion had squeezed his eyes shut when Arch came near.

"Oh do grow up," said Arch. "My eyes are not going to jump out and kill you." Soon the lieutenant was free of the pine, and began to lead Arch as he was commanded. Seheir took silent flight and followed after them.

"This," began Lieutenant Fleance, "Is a door to the hallway that leads directly to the holding chambers. I suggest not trying to save the the experimented. They are no longer human." Arch stood in front of a dull brown building. It sat in the middle of a clearing that was at the bottom of the sloping, dug out forest floor. It stood two floors high, and did not seem to have any visible windows. Trees on all sides leaned in toward the base, casting the whole structure in shadow.

"So this is it, hm, buddy?" spoke the falconer. "I bet the actual building itself has defenses. Once we are all inside, then I will release you."

"Do you have to think of every thing? Gosh...," complained the lieutenant. He produced a red torch and flicked it on. He shined it over the entire wall they were facing, including the door and path way in front of it.

"Lead the way, good lieutenant," commanded the UeHuman. Rainne's minion took them inside, and was puzzled when Arch held the door open for seemingly no one.

"What are you doing?" asked Lieutenant Fleance.

"Checking for movement in the trees to make sure you did not have us followed," explained the white haired man. "For if there was some one behind us..." Arch slightly tugged the lightning string. "Searing time..." The lieutenant visibly gulped. He did not have them followed, but he did not want to suffer the consequences if a shadow soldier had decided to.

"Well, sir UeHuman, I have done what you have asked of me," reminded Rainne's minion. "Will you release me now?"

"Hm... Just a bit longer now."

"Noo!" whined Lieutenant Fleance. "This was never part of the deal!"

"Deal? Who ever said we had a deal?" questioned Arch.

"I thought I only had to answer questions."

"Which you did, quite well actually. Now I just need you to lead me to the captives." The lieutenant growled in response and march down the hall with his soldiers slumped over.

"I do not know why I signed up for this sad job..." mumbled he.

"The bad guys always loose eventually, dear buddy," said the white haired falconer. "You should know that."

"But every thing Subparr had said seemed like the right way to go," explained the minion as he headed still straight along the hall. The cells could be seen ahead. The lieutenant turned. He kept hearing a weird clicking noise behind him. "So I joined up with Subparr... What is that noise?"

"Nothing," began Arch, "That I know of. This is your base, should not you know?" Though Arch knew exactly what the noise was. Seheir had to walk on his talons because there was no space for the seven foot falcon to fly. "So... Subparr was the one doing the recruiting? Very interesting. So you did not know about Rainne until you were in to deep to swim out..."

"I did not say that," defended Lieutenant Fleance.

"Oh, but it is true, is it not? Look in to my eyes and tell me I am lying." The lieutenant stayed silent.

He had now come up on the holding cells. People peering through the grey Fohgt glass were trying to see the people that they could hear. Their voices tried to penetrate the cells walls, but only came through as muffles.

The falconer leaned up close to the glass and peered in. His golden eyes could see easily, and he counted about twenty people in each of the three cells. The Sea Wind townspeople shrank back from the glowing orbs that suddenly presented themselves against the glass.

"So, buddy, you want to unlock them for me?" asked the UeHuman.

"I do not have that kind of authority here to have a key." Arch turned his head and the lieutenant could feel his left leg go weak under the gaze of those fiery suns.

"Oh?" spoke Arch, but he did not see any lie on his face. "Then I guess I will have to get rid of the glass the best way I can." The UeHuman's left hand flamed brightly, and he began to heat the Fohgt glass. When it was pliable enough, Arch peeled the glass off the wall. Rainne's minion stood by still on his lease, and watched gape mouthed at what Arch had done.

"How...how did you do that?"

"Because I am an... UeHuman?" respond the falconer, "Gosh, and you are the only one who always notices my eyes." He melted the other glass barriers of the two other cells. Around sixty confused and slightly frightened people looked back at him. "People of Sea Wind," began Arch. "I want you to run down this corridor, and out of the door that the lieutenant will kindly show you. Then climb up the slope, leave the forest, and find what ever way you can to get away from Sea Wind for moment... Understand?"

The people began to slowly creep near the openings of their cells. Arch lengthened the lightning string and had the minion stand far down the hall next to the door they had came through. The townspeople instantly burst from the cages. They had seen some of their friends and family be taken away, one by one, to be used in experiments. They were glad to get out of there, though they knew they left their friends behind; there was no way of helping those Rainne had experiments done on.

Once Arch was sure all of the people of Sea Wind were clambering up the dug out hill, he walked up to Lieutenant Fleance and released the lightning rope.

"Thank you, dear buddy," said the UeHuman. "Now run along. You must not be here when the soldiers arrive to find out why the cells have been broken." Rainne's minion took a few steps away.

"Are you going to destroy this place?"

"Why, I think I shall not spare any more bases that Rainne has set up." Lieutenant Fleance turned and ran out of the building.

"Then I am not going to stick around!" called the minion as he joined the people of Sea Wind in their flight up the slope. Arch exited the building with Seheir. He turned and faced the falcon.

"I want you to follow the progress of the inhabitants of Sea Wind. Intervene if any shadow soldiers try to hurt them," spoke Arch. "I am going to burn this place down." Seheir took off with Erwin still on his back. The UeHuman watched him go for a bit and then turned and leaped up on the roof of the building.

He did not worry about defense systems now. The air around his body was crackling with fire and electricity as his body was consumed in those elements. His white hair became a blaze with bright orange and white light. Arch was going to summon a lot of power to bring the Piercing Gaze Woods base down. The UeHuman called to him the storm and the flame to destroy the building. A storm gathered mysteriously in the east, and sent lightning bolts shooting toward the forest. A jolt hit Arch, and transferred through his body to the building below. The golden eyed man, energized by the lightning, brought forth his hands and ripped apart the fabric of space as he tore a side of the building off in to the vacuum of space. Flame suddenly burst from the ground and showered the base in liquid fire. The base melted away, and the roof began to collapse. Arch kept his footing. The place was too much still in tack for him to leave it as it was. The UeHuman called on the storm and fire again. The lightning was summoned, and he guided it toward the ground. The foundation of the base split, and the earth cracked open. It filled with fire and pulled the base down in to its fiery embrace.

All around Arch the trees like torches blazed with a searing light. Scorched branches and burning boughs brought light to that part of the Piercing Gaze Woods that had never seen light before. The massive trees began to fall and Arch recognized that the fall of the base was ultimate. He jumped up off the roof, Dispersed in mid air.

Arch stood on the port of Sea Wind, watching the Piercing Gaze burn to the ground. The fires had spread, and ate up the darkness as they traveled along. The sky was a light with the orange glow from the fires, and the sun was competing for brightness. Great howls and wails could be heard from the woods as the shadows were subdued by the light.

None of the Sea Wind people remained in town as Arch had instructed. Presently, Seheir, now visible, flew down to meet his master on the port. Erwin was no longer blind folded, as their was no threat of any one losing their life force. Arch untied her from the falcons back.

"Are you okay, Erwin?"

"Yes... But the birdie must be tired from having to carry me around," said child, worried.

"Nah, he is fine," assured Arch as Seheir returned to his smaller form. He flew up to his familiar perch on the grey eyed man's left shoulder.

[I flew around the people as they entered the town to leave. Erwin looked around, but she did not see her mother. I am assuming she was one of the experimented,] informed the peregrine falcon.

"Well they are now at rest," said Arch. He picked up the girl and Dispersed back to Amiabulburg.

Sheffield Coppertongue paced back and forth in the Mable Inn. He saw the fires from the Piercing Gaze and wondered how Arch's quest had gone. As he gazed out a window to look again up on the smoke rising from the forest, he heard foot steps in his room. He turned to find Arch standing with arms crossed with a smile on his face.

"Where you worried about us?" inquired Arch, "We are happy for your concern. I was successful, the people of Sea Wind have had their rightful revenge. Though... I never came across any demented souls."

"What farthing were in you in?" asked Coppertongue as Erwin walked over to him and latched on to his leg. He patted her head.

"The west farthing."

"Then that is why. It is the east farthing that is the one that is haunted."

"Ah. I see," said Arch. "Well have a good life Sir Coppertongue, and take care of Erwin. And...do get some where to live asides from this inn."

"Good luck in the rest of your work against Rainne," began the ex-sailor. "I know you will be able to change things of this age. You listened to me when no one else would, and I do appreciate it. I was able to pull my life up from hanging on the edge of a cliff."

"And you are welcome. Take care," said said the white haired falconer as he strode out of the room with Seheir on his shoulder.

If only this world in time had more people like him, thought Sheffield Coppertongue, this age of fleeting shadows would not be so...