Memories of Gaia: Seeking Shadows in the Storm
Chapter 16 Hollow

Elden was leaning casually against the trunk of a cherry tree, his arms folded over his chest, his eyes downcast. He did not care what they wanted to do or where they wanted to go. He had his own plan and offered no clues as to what it was.

He was waiting for Valeena to return, listening to Rowan and Nyles babble about how they would get to the Isle. Elden felt the cool drops of rain falling from the clear sky and did his best not to complain.

Elden peered up and saw Aira strut past him, her silvery eyes staring straight ahead. She reluctantly took the Element and left quickly. Elden did not even notice when Rowan, Nyles, and Akari had finally left, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

The rain ceased just as quickly as it had started as he waited, glancing towards the stairs to see if Valeena was here yet. He was beginning to think she had stood him up when she appeared at the top of the stairs, looking angry yet beautiful.

“Let’s go.” She demanded, turning swiftly around and walking away. Elden pushed his weight off the tree and followed her, trying his best not to notice how strong she now appeared.

They were walking east towards Cyan Falls, avoiding the main streets of the city as Valeena did not trust the Queen to keep her word. Not a single guard had even glanced her way, but she knew better. The Queen would not go down that easily.

Elden walked several paces behind her, never speaking a word. Valeena had expected him to at least try to ask for forgiveness, and could not help but feel disappointed that he was content to walk in silence. Pink petals of the blossoms swirled around them in the wind, Valeena holding out a hand to catch one. She kept to the city borders until they ran out, reluctantly stepping into the yellow sands.

The desert was warm, the air warmer. Valeena kept her eyes skyward for any signs of her Mother as she walked through the open sands. She could see the lush green field, like a smudge of green paint on a canvas, just beyond the desert. It appeared to be moving as the heat waves rolled off the sands.

She heard Elden clear his throat and she prepared to cut him off if he spoke. But he said nothing as he followed her, his feet crunching the sand behind her.

Night had fallen long ago and they still had not reached Cyan Falls. Valeena glanced to her left and thought of her Aunt Zuri in St. Dalmasca. Elden had not said a word as he followed Valeena, never asking where they were heading. This was fine with Valeena as she still refused to speak to him.

The stars were glittering in the canvas of night, sparkling brighter than usual. Valeena paused to admire their beauty, noticing that several of them were moving. As she watched, the stars seemed to melt out of the sky, landing in the field in front of them.

“Careful…” Elden warned as Valeena approached the mass, ignoring him. “That’s a cometmeleon.” Valeena paused in her steps. She had never heard of such a beast and wondered why it had fallen out of the sky.

Elden removed his rusty blade and cautiously approached the beast as it flipped over, its transparent body sparkling like a million tiny stars. It opened its mouth and released a terrifying cry, sparks shooting out of its throat resembling the tail of a comet.

Elden was quick to avoid the attack, while Valeena searched the ground for a rock to hurl, wishing she had had a weapon. She had wasted an opportunity to get one back in Caspian and Kingyosou.

The cometmeleon swung its mighty, glowing tail, nearly striking Valeena in the stomach in the process. She jumped back as Elden tried to strike with his sword, the blade sparking off its body. It appeared to be a lizard of shorts made out of the cosmos, but its body was tough and hard like stone.

Valeena saw Elden lounge for the cometmeleon, his blade missing the body of the beast. Elden doubled over, holding his stomach and crying out.

Valeena felt confusion sweep over her as she watched Elden call out in pain. She did not see the cometmeleon strike him and began to wonder if it was a trick.

As Valeena watched Elden, she saw the starry beast back up a few paces as two horns began to grow out of Elden’s head. A light rain was falling from the cloudless night, but Valeena did not notice it.

“RUN!” Elden cried out in a hoarse voice, his arms becoming muscular as they doubled in size. Valeena stumbled backward, tripping over her own feet as she prepared to flee. He was transforming into the Ankou, and the berserk spell would soon take a hold of him.

Valeena turned and ran through the damp grass, glancing over her shoulder as the cometmeleon released a stream of starburst at the Ankou. She pumped her legs harder, fighting to get away from the dueling beast as the light rain cried down from the starry sky.

She could see the rocky cove where Cyan Falls was nestled and knew that if she just could make it to the village, then she might have a chance at safety.

As she ran, mounds of dirt began to form in the field. A skeleton-like dog dug its way out of the growing mound, its head nothing more than a skull. Valeena cried out as she fell hard onto the damp grass as the animal nipped at her ankle.

Valeena rolled onto her back, kicking the creature hard in the skull, hearing an audible crack as her foot made contact with the bone. A second creature emerged, shaking the dirt free from its body as it prepared to attack.

A figured darted out of the tall grass, striking the creature hard in the ribs with a mallet, sending it flying into the air. The figure then swung again, hitting the first beast in the head as it lounged for Valeena’s neck. The creature cried out as it fled back underground, deciding the battle was not worth it.

Valeena climbed to her feet, brushing grass and dirt off her new clothes, upset that she was not stronger after all.

“Thank you.” She mumbled, watching as the figure held the mallet in a defense stance, waiting to see if more of those creatures would appear.

“You are foolish to walk through Skullhound Way at night.” The figure was looking in the distance where the Ankou and the cometmeleon were still locked in battle, their cries echoing in the night.

“I did not know. I am sorry. I am trying to reach Cyan Falls.” Valeena was saying, jumping back as the figure rounded on her, glaring. Valeena could see the figure was tall and muscular, wearing an animal hide over one shoulder and back. They had a second hide fashioned as a dress.

On their feet, they wore lightweight fur boots. The face was hidden by a wooden mask with only two narrow eyes and a nose, the voice was very neutral sounding making it difficult to distinguish if they were male or female.

“What do you want with the Falls?” The figure barked, jumping and striking her mallet hard into the ground where a mound of dirt was forming.

“I am on a quest and thought that the Falls might help me,” Valeena informed them, trying to leave out as much information as possible. Valeena watched as the person stared at her, holding the heavy mallet without talking.

“There is nothing for you there.” The figure said, lowering the mallet. “There is nothing for anyone anymore.” Valeena glanced towards the Falls, as curiosity washed over her.

A dark figure was moving awkwardly in the night, leaning forward then bending back again, moaning softly. It appeared its body had no spine as it flopped forward again, its head nearly touching the ground.

“Come.” The masked person said, leading Valeena through the tall grass. She followed them to a makeshift tree house that overlooked the area. It had been blended well into the canopy of the few trees that had sprouted in the otherwise empty field.

Valeena followed them up a flimsy ladder made of rope and found them perched near the tree house window, motioning for her to follow.

“Look.” They pointed towards the dark figure still moving in its odd bending formation, moaning. Its body was long and disproportionate with elongated arms that drug on the ground.

“What is that?” Valeena asked, flinching as a Skullhound borrowed out of the earth and attacked the arm of the creature. She looked away as a second skullhound appeared, its skeleton-like body leaping out of the ground.

“That is what we call a Hollow. It is the last sound you make before the virus takes over. They were our friends, family, even enemies at times. But now,” The masked person turned away as the head of the Hollow was removed from its body by the skullhound.

“Do not fear I am immune to the virus. I am all that is left of my people.” They said as Valeena subconsciously took a step back, not wanting to catch the virus. She saw them move away from the window and sit in the shadows.

“A strange man had appeared in our village a few months ago, asking if we wanted to fight by their side. The village leader said no, for they were not interested in the affairs of humans. The man eventually left but soon after, the village leader fell ill, his body becoming the Hollow. The virus spread quickly, taking everyone with it. Their fate was better than Oleandra’s.” Valeena did not have to ask to know that the man had been Thanos. Everywhere he went, chaos seemed to follow.

“Oleandra?” Valeena asked lightly, but the figure shook their head, sighing.

“Only death lies there, and things far worse than demons. The world is dying and in a matter of years, we will all be dead.”

Valeena swallowed hard. She had to hurry, to find the last few Elements. She had planned on borrowing a boat from Cyan Falls and sailing to the Forgotten Continent, but now, she would have to backtrack to Caspian.

“What are you thinking about?” The figured asked as it watched Valeena intently. Valeena opened her mouth to say something, but she had no idea where to start. She sighed, telling the figure about the Elements, but leaving out her Mother and Thanos.

When Valeena finished speaking, she brushed a tear from her cheek that had escaped, waiting for the mallet to strike her.

“The answer you seek is hidden in the ruins. Find them, and you can end this.” The person fell silent once more, saying nothing, and Valeena wondered if they were asleep.

Valeena glanced outside as the cometmeleon flew by, the Ankou hurling a chunk of Gaia after it. She closed her eyes as sleep washed over her, dreaming of Hollows and Shadowlings, wondering when her mother’s madness would end.

Valeena awoke slouched against the wall of the tree house, her neck aching from the long night. The masked figure was gone leaving no signs if they were ever returning. Valeena was afraid to eat the fruit that had been left on the table for her, exiting the tree house hungry instead.

It did not take her long to locate Elden as he slept awkwardly on the ground, blood oozing out of the corner of his mouth. Valeena sighed, doing her best not to look at the remains of the Hollow that was lying not too far from her. She peered towards Cyan Falls, a chilling racing down her spine. How could her Mother allow this?

Elden groaned and climbed to his feet, spitting out dirt as he wiped his mouth. He saw Valeena and tried not smile, wondering why she had come back to him. She had made it clear she hated him, and he deserved it. He had left her in the mud to cry like a sad, lost puppy.

“Are you alright?” Valeena asked him, ignoring her stomach as it growled in hunger. The masked figure appeared silently behind her, standing tall, not saying a word as they approached Elden.

“The beast walks with you.” They said, holding their mallet in a position that suggested they were about to strike Elden.

Valeena nodded glad the figure was staying back. She was afraid she might catch the virus and felt ashamed to admit it.

Elden rubbed his head and said nothing as he began walking towards Cyan Falls, ignoring the figure with the threatening mallet.

“Stop. You are not welcome there.” The masked figure said, jumping in front of Elden, holding the mallet out.

“We need to get off this damn continent and I am positive my boat is still hidden near the Falls.” Elden was saying, but Valeena felt his words were untrue. He had never mentioned a boat before and she doubted its existence.

“No one goes to Cyan Falls.”

Elden groaned and Valeena saw his crystal began to illuminate. The figure lowered the mallet slightly before swinging hard, nearly striking Elden in the skull. But he had jumped back at the last second, removing his rusty sword in the process.

“Your tricks will not work on me, fool!” The figure spat, planting their feet firmly in the ground holding the mallet tight. Their eyes burned into Elden’s under the mask, the wind blowing around them.

“I am Kai, the last warrior of the Falls. Though my people may be gone, I will remain strong. I will protect my land!”

“Kai, I would like to see Cyan Falls. I am Valeena of Star Kingdom-“

“I know who you are.” Kai interrupted rudely, never taking their eyes off of Elden. “You are known far and wide for the crystal on your head. I heard tales of your rudeness but found you to be weak.”

Valeena did her best to ignore the harsh words as she said, “I would like to see the Falls, to see why my Mother decided to attack.”

Kai was silent for so long that Valeena was beginning to suspect they were never going to respond. But Kai turned abruptly and began to walk towards Cyan Falls, their long legs moving swiftly through the grass. Valeena and Elden exchanged worried looks and followed quietly behind.

The Falls was gorgeous. The tiny village had been built in the basin of the pond that the waterfall filled, its water cycling back into the ocean via an underground river. The homes appeared to be floating, built out of a giant seed that kept them out of the reach of predators.

Valeena saw Kai ducking into the tall grass and indicated that they do the same as they approached the outer limits of the village.

A Hollow was standing not far from them, its body leaning forward with its head nearly touching the ground before it flipped over, arching its back. It appeared to have no backbone, its skin worm-like.

Valeena wondered why the Queen would want such a tiny village. They had maybe thirty homes and the water was no different than the one that surrounded the Star Kingdom.

High above Valeena saw a rich aqua colored bird circling the village, followed by a golden yellow one. The bird had a slender body, a long neck and a plume of beautiful tail feathers that flowed like water.

A Star soldier was near the top of the cliffs, just out of reach of the bird. He was holding a long net, cursing in frustration as the bird avoided him. As the bird flew lower, Valeena saw that it was reptilian in appearance, almost dragon-like. Valeena suddenly understood why the Queen had attacked them. She wanted these birds for herself.

Kai motioned that they should move as a Hollow appeared behind the Soldier, latching onto his neck with its long arms and pulling him out of sight. Valeena gasped, holding a hand over her mouth while backing up, the Hollow near the water flipping awkwardly to peer in her direction.

Valeena paused, her heart pounding, waiting until the Hollow bent away, its body splashing into the water, poisoning it. She then moved through the lush grass towards Kai, who remained silent, watching the Hollow floating in the water.

“He was my friend. Now, he is nothing.” Kai said in their low voice with a slight shake of their head.

“You said I need to go to Oleandra. That is back on the Zula continent, how am I to get there?” Valeena asked, annoyed that she has to go back to that blasted continent once more. She vowed to never travel again when her journey had finally reached its end.

“I will allow you to use Iris. She is a magnificent bird. She can take you where you need to go.” Kai said, whistling through her mask. Moments later one of the dragon-like birds appeared its feathers a brilliant forest green and magenta.

Valeena wasted no time mounting the massive birds back, Elden climbing on behind her. As the bird spread its wings to fly Kai said, “She will take you back here when you are finished. But I will be gone.” Before Valeena could ask what Kai meant, they hit the bird in the side, causing it to screech and fly smoothly into the sky.

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