Under the only tree on the prairie of Noor, a little girl sought for something extremely important. Lina had gone to the tree with a troubled mind. Now that she had arrived, all her confused thoughts seemed to disappear, leaving her strangely empty. She struggled to remember why she had come in the first place. What was she looking for? Something or someone? Blank as she was, it wasn’t long before she lost her train of thought.

The sky was a brilliant purple, even more beautiful than it usually was. There was hardly a cloud to be seen. The wind was blowing ever so gently, whistling through the girl’s long thick hair. Eventually she tired of just watching everything and took to chasing the large butterfly also seeking shelter under the tree from the burning rays of the sun.   

The butterfly’s wings were a smoky ebony with faint streaks of white and dusky gold. It seemed to shimmer like a mirage. And whenever the girl’s hands were about to close over it, the butterfly seemed to vanish then reappear again just beyond of her reach.

This led to a merry chase around the thick old tree. Darting through the long blades of grass and avoiding the tree’s low hanging branches. Her attention on the ethereal butterfly. Just behind the butterfly, two black opals were suspended in the air several inches above the ground. Like eyes peering deep into her very soul. She shifted her gaze momentarily and they were gone. Curiosity piqued she went to where she’d seen the shiny orbs. There was nothing there but an extremely dark shadow. Disappointed she made to chase the butterfly again. But it too had disappeared. 

Those orbs had reminded her of something. Her father’s eyes. She had not seen him in years. That was why she had gone to the tree in the first place. She remembered.

The best memories she had were when her father was home. She loved it when they chased each other across the fields. He would catch her and tickle her until they were both breathless from laughter. She missed his shaggy hair. It was thick and long everywhere. It set him apart from everyone else who had perfectly straight hair. She missed him.

Lina was suddenly aware of the anger that was growing inside her for whatever it was that took him away from her. Without even a goodbye! Mother always said he needed to. But why? Why would he need to leave them? They had everything they needed right here. Something must be preventing him from returning. But who or what?

She resolved to find out. Then she would find a way to bring him back. No matter what, even if it meant killing something.

That thought shocked her. How could she even think of killing anything? She had never hurt a blade of grass.  She dismissed the thought. She would think about it later. First she needed to know what exactly it was that kept her father away. She doubted her mother would tell her, since she hardly said anything on the matter. Perhaps the thing in the shadow would know. Those orbs were the only things she’d seen that could rival the blackness and the depth of her father’s eyes. There had to be a connection somewhere.

Her gaze wandered. The sky was nearly indistinguishable from the sea of green of the grass that stretched out far as the eye could see. Naturally she could see this even though the sun had long since set. Theirs was a small world. It was never truly dark in Noor. The closest thing they had was shadows.

And Noorians tended to avoid the shadows. There were tales of children disappearing into shadows. Children who were never seen again.  They were a superstitious folk. Lina knew that was one reason they lived some distance away from the town. Her family was not at all afraid of the unknown. She was the only child who played in shadows and whose parents allowed to. Thus she played alone. She’d gotten used to it.

She heard her mother calling for her to come home. She stayed where she was. Mother would understand. She herself had spent many nights under the tree.

Where would she find answers?

“Aren’t you hungry?”

Mother had joined her under the tree. So lost in thought was she, that Lina hadn’t even noticed her approaching.

“Not really.” Their food never really made her full anyway.

“Well, just in case, here.”  She handed her a loaf of bread. Lina took it wordlessly.

“You’ll probably need this as well. You’ve always been able to take care of yourself. That’s one reason we let you play even in the shadows. But it’s best you don’t underestimate the darkness.”

She slipped something smooth and elongated into Lina’s hand. It was a small knife in a polished wooden sheath.

Her mother smiled at her, “Don’t stay too long.” She kissed the top of her daughter’s head and made her way to the cottage some distance away that they called home.

Lina stared at her mother’s back, perplexed. It was the first time she had heard her mother speak about darkness and shadows as being dangerous. And the way she spoke, it was like she was saying goodbye. She pushed the matter out of her mind. There were more pressing things to think about.

Chewing a mouthful of bread, she circled the tree, trying to find if there was a hidden door somewhere. There was none. She settled down not far from the thick trunk, gazing at it intently. Waiting.

Time passed.  With her head in her hands, she fell asleep.

 

 Let this be the last.

All the others had been light. They died almost immediately after he took them away. Dag had not been pleased. Though why exactly he needed a living child, the imp never knew. And he didn’t care to know. Probably as tools for another twisted plan to rule the world. He trembled at the memory of the punishments inflicted on him every time he had failed his orders. But this one was different. He had seen a darkness in her. Like the others she was a child of Noor but her light was mingled with something else. Perhaps this one would survive the land of shadows. Something else was different about her. She had seen his eyes and not run away. Instead she had sought him out. She had not been afraid like the other younglings had been.

He stood directly before her. He was a small thing, hardly a foot in height. His skin was like that of a turnip—whitish brown, lumpy, with coarse hair sprouting from the most unlikely places. His limbs resembled shriveled up roots. His head was bare and his feet even hairier than the rest of him. His pitch black eyes glinted in the light. He took a step forward. A dry twig snapped beneath his foot. She opened her eyes and looked directly at him. He froze. All the younglings before had been filled with terror at the sight of him, making it easy for him to subdue and collect them. Not this one.

She stood and took a step towards him. Taken aback, he retreated. She said something.

“Who are you? Do you know my father? I want to ask you a few things.”

It was gibberish to him. Motioning with her hand for him to come closer to her. She waited expectantly. He didn’t budge. So she grabbed one of his arms (if arms they be called) and pulled. He resisted but she was too determined. They were near the edge of the tree’s shadow.

Where the light hit his skin, it became brittle as glass and crumbled into the ground. He let loose an unearthly shriek causing her to let go of him. It wasn’t painful, but it was disconcerting to have a part of himself gone forever. He had never taken seriously the tales of how dangerous light was to their kind. He should have. Withdrawing into the darkest part of shadow, where he was hidden from all light, he gestured at her to follow him.

He did not expect her to follow. It was only a ruse to get her to come closer so he could take them away from this horrible bright world. To his surprise, she did. There was a hint of a smile playing on her lips. But in contrast, her eyes were cold and dark. He had never met a child of Noor with dark eyes. It made him wary of her.

She gripped something small and thin in her pocket and closed the space between them. They stood facing each other. Unmoving, silent.

Before his nerve could break, he grabbed her left arm. She was startled but did not flinch. She gazed at him with questions in her black eyes, her right hand tightening around the object she held.

He closed his eyes. Let this be the last.

It was.

In the next moment, there was nothing alive but wind and grass beneath the tree of shadows in the land of Noor.