When twins Elayna and Eliam Alterian land in Adaran after stumbling into a cave of crystal portals, a young halfling named Benji Orly helps them escape the troops that come to investigate the magical disturbance. As they move through the landscape, they stumble into a haunted swamp that leads into a dying glade of what looks to the twins like cypress trees.

~~~
Eliam felt the portal long before anyone else in the group. The energy leaked out for almost a league, making the location obvious to sensitive observers. In the days since their rescue, Eliam learned he had such a sensitivity. Now, he led the others toward that sensation, hoping it would lead him and Elayna back home.

Eli kept walking toward the source of the sensations even when Benji hesitated as they approached the edge of the swamp.

“Eliam!”

Elayna’s voice cut through the fog in his head, and he stopped. Turning toward his twin, he heard her voice in his mind.

Something has Benji spooked.

He snapped out of his stupor.

“What?” he said.

“Slow down, dude. Let’s hear what Benji has to say.”

“I been here before,” Benji said. “And it weren’t like this at all. This ain’t right.”

“What’s changed?” asked Ela.

“Them trees was surrounded by the swamp, for one,” he said. “They wasn’t reaching for the water, ‘cuz they roots was in the water, like they was supposed to be.” He hesitated for a moment. “And I didn’t get the willies when I passed through.”

Eli looked back at his twin, still dazed by the call of the swamp.

~~
Ela stared at her brother, concern rising. She’d never seen him this distracted. Although she knew his mind ran off in a hundred different directions when he was in what he called “squirrel” mode. This was different. She reached out with their “twin-talk”.

Eli, you okay?

Usually when they spoke with their minds, Ela could sense an echo of Eliam; this time was strange. When he didn’t answer, she probed deeper. His mind wasn’t exactly blank, but it wasn’t exactly there, either. She felt Eli’s psyche; it was… quiet. He’d never been quiet in his life.

Ela looked over at Benji, who stared back at her, eyes white with fear.

“He… he ain’t possessed is he?”

“What do you mean, ‘possessed’?”

“Lady, if they’s ghosts in this swamp, like I been hearing, they get into the heads of unsuspecting folk. And your brother, there, ain’t looked the same since we got here. So, tell me, is he possessed?”

“I…” she started, then stopped, looking at Eli once more. She didn’t like what she saw. He stood there with a slack jaw, so unlike his usual sardonic expression that it scared her. “Maybe,” she said at last. “Let’s find a place to camp… away from here. Then see if we get him back.”

They retraced their steps until Benji told her his skin no longer crawled, then searched for a suitable place to camp.

They found a shallow rise beneath a cluster of broad-leafed trees, far enough from the swamp that the fog thinned into harmless ribbons. Benji inspected the ground, the surrounding brush, and even the branches overhead before he finally nodded.

“This’ll do.”

Eliam dropped his pack. Ela watched him. He moved normally now. That bothered her more than if he had stumbled around like a zombie. He unpacked their blankets, checked their food, and even muttered something about Benji’s terrible sense of direction. The old Eliam had returned. Almost. She crouched beside him as he arranged their bedrolls.

“You remember what happened back there?”

Eliam paused.

“Back where?”

Ela’s stomach tightened.

“The swamp.”

He stared at her for a moment, then looked toward the distant wall of fog.

“I remember walking.”

“That’s it?”

“I remember hearing something.”

“What?”

He rubbed his forehead. “I don’t know. Music, maybe.”

Benji had settled near the small fire he’d built. His ears perked up at the conversation.

“Were it calling you?”

Eliam looked at him. Benji swallowed.

“‘Cause that’s what it does.”

“You said you’d never felt anything like that before,” Ela said.

“I said I never felt anything like that there ‘fore. Didn’t say the swamp weren’t calling.”

“Then why didn’t you tell us?”

Benji shrugged, staring down at his feet.

“Thought you’d think I was daft.”

Ela glanced at her brother.

“Pretty sure we passed daft about three realities ago.”

Eliam snorted. The sound relieved something inside her. There he was. She smiled despite herself.

“There you are. Much better.”

“What?” Eliam gave her a puzzled look.

“Nothing.”

She sat beside him. For several minutes, they worked without talking. The fire crackled. Wind moved through the leaves overhead. Somewhere far away, a night bird called once, then fell silent.

Eliam finally spoke.

“I don’t think it was a portal.”

Ela looked at him.

“The thing I felt.”

“What do you mean?” Her relief vanished.

“I thought it was one. At first. It was like what I felt when I touched that crystal.” He stared into the fire.

“A portal’s kinda like a doorway,” said Benji. “You can feel the other side, like walking into a tavern.”

“This didn’t feel like a doorway,” said Eli. “It felt different.”

“Different how?”

“Like…” he frowned, struggling for words. “Like something was reaching through the ground.”

Benji stiffened. “Don’t say that.”

“Why?” Eliam looked at him.

“Because I don’t want to hear it.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the only one I got.”

Ela studied Benji’s face. The halfling’s fear fairly radiated from him.

“What happened here before?”

“Nothing good,” said Benji, shaking his head and pinching his lips together.

“That’s not exactly specific.”

“Me grandda told me about the Glade.”

“What Glade?”

“Them trees.” Benji pointed towards the swamp.

Ela followed his finger. Even from here, she could see them through the fog. Tall, narrow trunks rose from black water. Their branches twisted together high overhead, forming a crooked canopy. They looked like cypress trees, but something about them sent a chill down her spine the moment she saw them.

“What did your grandfather say?”

“He said they weren’t always dead.” Benji poked at the fire.

“Dead?” Eliam leaned forward.

“Dying, maybe. He weren’t sure.”

“You said they’d been surrounded by swamp.”

“They was.”

“And now they’re reaching into it?”

Benji nodded. “Roots weren’t supposed to be there. They grew away from the water. Then the swamp came after them.”

“That makes no sense,” said Ela, staring at him.

“Exactly.”

The fire popped. A tiny ember rose and vanished. Eliam stood. Ela caught his wrist.

“No.”

“I didn’t say anything,” he said, looking down at her hand on his arm.

“You didn’t have to.”

His eyes moved toward the swamp. The pull had returned. She could see it in his face. That distant look. That awful stillness.

“Eli.”

“I just want to look.”

“No.”

“What if there’s something there?”

“What if there isn’t?”

“Then we lose nothing.”

“We lose you.”

The words came out sharper than she intended. Eliam went quiet. She released his wrist. For a heartbeat, neither twin moved. Then Eliam sat again.

“Okay.”

“Thank you.” Ela nodded once.

Benji watched them. “You two always like this?”

“Like what?” Eliam asked.

“Like you’re arguing without talking.”

“We usually are.” Ela gave a faint smile, but said nothing more.

“Must be nice.”

“You don’t have anyone?” She looked at him.

Benji stared into the fire for long moments.

“Not here.”

Something in his voice stopped her from asking more.

~~~
Night settled around them. They ate little. None of them had much appetite. Eliam eventually lay down, but Ela knew he wasn’t sleeping. His thoughts brushed against hers through their twin-talk.

You awake?

Obviously.

You mad at me?

Yeah.

Fair.

You scared me.

I know.

I don’t like that place.

Neither do I.

But you still want to go.

A pause.

Yes.

He closed his eyes.

Why?

Another pause.

Because it knows where we are.

What?

I don’t know how I know. I just do.

~~
Ela rolled onto her side and looked at him. He kept his eyes remained closed. She whispered aloud.

“That’s not comforting.”

His mouth twitched.

“Wasn’t trying to be.”

She almost laughed. Then something moved beyond the firelight. Ela sat up. Benji was already awake, one hand pressed over his mouth, eyes white with fear. A sound drifted through the trees. Not a voice. Not exactly. It sounded like someone dragging wet cloth across stone.

Eliam opened his eyes.

“What was that?”

“Don’t.” Benji shook his head.

The sound came again. Closer. Ela’s heart hammered. She reached for the knife at her belt. Eliam sat up.

“Where did that come from?” Benji pointed.

The swamp. The fog moved. Not drifting. Moving. It rolled between the trees in long, deliberate fingers.

Ela stood.

“Everyone stay together.”

A pale shape appeared among the trees. Ela froze. It looked like a person. A woman. She stood ankle-deep in mist, her long hair hanging over her face.

“No.” Benji whimpered.

The figure raised her head. Ela saw no eyes. Only darkness beneath the hair. Then the figure disappeared.

Eliam stood.

“Did you see—”

“Yeah.”

The fog swallowed the place where the woman had stood. Benji scrambled backward.

“We need to leave, now,” said the halfling, scrambling to gather his gear.

“Agreed,” Ela said.

“But—” Eliam stared toward the swamp.

“No.”

“Ela—”

“No!”

He looked at her, almost pleading. She held his gaze. “Do not finish that sentence.”

For once, he didn’t argue. They packed as fast as they could. They kicked the fire out under a layer of dirt and hurried away from the swamp without a word. Benji led them along a narrow trail between the trees. After half an hour, he stopped.

“This ain’t right.”

“What isn’t?” Ela looked around.

“We should’a reached the ridge.”

Eliam turned in a slow circle.

“How far are we from the swamp?”

“Too close.” Benji’s face turned pale.

Ela listened. She heard nothing. No insects, no birds, no wind. The forest had gone still. Then Eliam pointed.

“Look.”

Between the trees stood the first cypress. Its trunk was black. Its roots spread across the ground like fingers. Ela stared.

“We’re going in circles.”

“No, we ain’t. It’s been herding us again,” said Benji, shaking his head.

The tree’s roots shifted. Ela blinked. They’d moved. Not much. Only enough to drag one thick root across the earth. Eliam skipped backward.

“Okay, then.”

“You finally scared?” Benji looked at him.

“I’m beginning to appreciate your perspective.”

The root stopped moving. Then another one slid through the dirt. The ground trembled. Ela grabbed Eliam’s arm.

“Run.”

They ran. Benji sprinted beside them, shorter legs pumping as he followed the twins through the dark. Behind them came the sound of roots tearing through the dirt.

They didn’t look back. They couldn’t. The trail twisted. Branches clawed at Ela’s clothes. She heard Benji curse somewhere behind her. Eliam grabbed her hand and pulled her around a fallen tree.

Then they broke through the trees. Ela stumbled to a halt. The swamp spread out before them. They’d returned to its edge.

“No,” Benji whispered.

~~
Eliam stared at the water. The sensation flooded him again. Stronger. Far stronger. It wasn’t merely a pull now. It was a presence. Something vast waited beneath the black water. Something old and wounded. And it knew him.

Eli’s knees weakened. Ela caught him.

“Eli?”

“I can feel it.” He stared across the swamp.

“What?”

“It’s not a portal,” he said with a hard swallow.

“What is it, then?” Benji asked, backing away.

“I don’t know.” Eli shook his head.

A low groan rolled across the swamp. The cypress trees bent toward them. Not from wind. Toward them. Every single one. Ela’s grip tightened on his arm.

“Let’s go,” she said, urgency in her tone.

Eli nodded, with no argument this time. They turned away. Behind them, the swamp whispered. Not in words. Not quite. But Eli understood it anyway. It wanted him to come back. And somehow, he knew they hadn’t eluded it. Not yet.

They spent the rest of the night moving away from water, not stopping until dawn painted the sky gray and the trees had all but disappeared. When the sun finally rose, they found themselves on a rocky hillside overlooking miles of unfamiliar country.

No crystal cave waited below. No shimmering doorway hung between the trees. Not a sign of home anywhere. Eli stood beside his sister, arm draped over her shoulder, staring across the horizon.

For the first time since arriving in Adaran, he understood something with painful certainty. The sensation in the swamp had never been a road home. Whatever called to him had drawn him deeper into this world. And whatever it wanted from him, it had only just begun asking.