The Blood Line by Ben Yallop

plains at night. The woman for whom Sam had done some work had hastily pointed him in the direction of the next village with genuine fear in her eyes. But she had given him a little water, bread and cheese to take before she had shooed him off.
    ‘The closest place nearby is that way. Less than a day’s walk,’ she had called after him when he was a safe distance away. ‘But be careful. You’ll be getting ever closer to the Rivenrok Complex.’
    Sam had set off early, heading in the direction she had pointed and taking a faint path through the long grass. He focused on the high hills and mountains he had seen before but if they came any closer as he walked then they did so at a rate which was all but invisible. So, the Complex lay that way. He had not realised that it was near here. The seat of the Riven King, the nest of the Riven from which they poured like black ants to inject poison into this world and the previous one. A cancer that crossed all times.
    Sam walked and walked, keeping up a good pace despite his tiredness. But as the sun began to near the horizon Sam began to worry. He should have reached the next village well before now. The lady had told him that he would reach it easily before nightfall but he had seen no sign of it. He must have missed it and this was not a place to be out at night. Should he retrace his steps and hope that he came across it quickly, or should he press on? Would the village appear just over the next hill? He decided to keep moving but as the sun itself disappeared and then its light began to fade from the sky Sam realised that he was in trouble. He could see nowhere to shelter. No trees, not even so much as a rock to put his back to. He decided to take a risk and took a few running steps and used his presence to push against the floor driving him high into the air, using presence again to cushion his landing. He didn’t like making himself so visible, so conspicuous, but from above the grassy plain he could see much further. There was still no sign of a village, or much else, although he thought he saw some humped rocks away in the distance. He took another running presence jump facing the other way. Still nothing.
    He had spent nights in the open before, but never so far away from civilisation. He had to admit that he was worried. Although he had presence to protect himself it had not been working as well as it had previously. Sam had at times felt it sort of stutter out. He guessed that he was tired and not eating well which might be affecting him. He hoped that was all it was anyway. As he took a third leap he felt his presence falter slightly and he wasn’t able to manage his landing as well as he would have liked. He stumbled as he fell, and felt his ankle complain as he came back down into the grass. Nursing a limp he continued in the way he had been going, towards the humped rocks he had seen from the darkening sky. His ankle was sore. He would not be moving much further tonight.
    The night became darker, although the half-moon reappeared to light his way. He came across a new path, of sorts. The long grass, silvery grey in the moonlight, had been flattened in a wide road. Clearly this was a well-used pathway for the track to be so broad. Sam crept along it, hoping that the boulders ahead would provide some cover. Before long he saw their humps, catching the moonlight and casting shadows darker than the sky above them. Pools of tar in the pale grass.
    Sam guessed that such a feature in an otherwise empty expanse might attract others to this place. The world of Mu had many weird and fantastical creatures in it. Who knew what beast had decided to call these massive rocks home? Sam approached silently, carefully. All was quiet. He reached the first rock. The pale grey stone was smooth and cold to the touch. He edged around it, intending to check the area for danger.
    Suddenly a rumbling cough shook the air around Sam. He stepped sideways off the trampled area, his ankle