Shadows

Chapter Nine

Summary

The Chaos Vortex

For once, our heroine has had a good night's sleep: April wakes aboard the Dark People's ship refreshed. The emissary comes to bid her goodbye, but April is distracted by the state of Marcuria's harbour. It's deserted and there are clouds of smoke over the city. As the Dark People leave, she tries to go into the city but is brought up short when the Chaos Vortex appears in front of her. Terrified, April tries to run but is saved just in time by a Shift.

She emerges in the Hope Street Cathedral, much to the surprise of Father Raul. Remembering the conversation she overheard between him and Cortez, April wants him to answer her questions. Raul confesses he doesn't know much about Cortez, but admits that he (Raul) is a Sentinel Minstrum, which surprises April. Raul explains that his Sentinel duties are compatible with his faith, that belief in the Balance and belief in God are not mutually exclusive. Thanking him, April leaves the Cathedral and heads for home, wanting a change of clothes. But when she arrives at the Border House, she finds Fiona weeping on the couch. Emma urges April to run, just as a Vanguard soldier walks into the living room ... followed by Gordon Halloway.

He knows all about April's journey from the Vanguard's agents in Arcadia. He wants April to hand over the pieces of the Stone Disk she has recovered, and the Blue Jewel. Afraid for the lives of her friends, April agrees to hand them over, but Gordon thinks she needs proof he's serious, and orders the soldier to shoot Emma. Just at that moment, Mickey walks in and demands to know what's going on - April takes advantage of the distraction and runs upstairs, straight into Zack Lee, who insists "they said they wouldn't hurt nobody!". He turned informant in revenge for April's actions but he's clearly out of his depth. Behind April, the Vanguard soldier has followed April - he shoots Zack, who collapses to the floor. April runs into her room, opens the window, and leaps into the canal beneath.

Swimming to safety, April surfaces just around the corner from the Border House's front door. A little Invisibility Potion gets her safely past the soldier on guard. April runs to the Fringe Cafe - but the Vanguard are there first. As they close in on her, the Mystery Door near the Cafe - the one that never opens - flies open, with a bright blue light shining inside. April runs through it, and finds herself in the house seen at the beginning of the story, the House of All Worlds. The elderly storyteller, Lady Alvane, invites her to sit.

April is distraught over what happened to Emma, but Lady Alvane assures her that Emma was not seriously wounded and will recover from the injury in time. April is relieved but dispirited by all that has happened. It all seems so hard. Lady Alvane tells her that April must go on - "that's how the story goes". April feels useless; she can't even Shift by herself, to which Lady Alvane suggests she try channelling her talent through what she does best - art.

In the meantime, Lady Alvane says she will send April to Marcuria, to inspire her with the courage of those who are resisting the onslaughts of the Tyren and the Vanguard. April agrees, and the door flies opens again with a Shift inside. She is hesitant to leave the House - something about Lady Alvane makes her want to stay - but she must continue her journey. She steps through the doorway.

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Themes & References

The 'shadows' of this chapter are both literal and metaphysical. The literal shadows include the Dark People, the Chaos Vortex, and April's use of the invisibility potion that makes her a 'shadow'. The less tangible shadows are the influence of Gordon Halloway and the Vanguard, which have fallen over April's path: more benign, if mysterious, shadows are also cast by Father Raul, Lady Alvane, and Cortez, who is still missing. It also signifies that the events of April's journey are about to take a darker turn.

Trivia

• April's arrival at House of All Worlds acts as the final scene for Dreamfall Chapters. The only difference, however, is that it is told from Lady Alvane's perspective.