The Shadow of All Worlds

by Shane Porteous

  Chapter 42

  Yadi seemed liked he had been reborn as a god, a deity of vengeance and there were no atheists at Sorn Field. His wounds had vanished, like the fresh paint strokes washed from the canvas of a frustrated painter wishing to start his masterpiece again. He had once looked at this army of red and Ulnath with concern and fear, two emotions that now were the furthest thing from his mind. Rage had replaced them and he could feel such anger radiate through his arms and into the stone.

  He wielded its power with the skill of a sword causing the air to shudder violently. The fighting had soon ended, every eye whether from foe or ally was upon him as the darkest of light sprang forth from the Shadow Stone, the blackness vanishing under their feet. The air kept on trembling, unable to withstand this new surge of power. Cracking louder than thunder large tears cut into the air, seemingly wounding the very air itself. As the Shadow Stone shone darker the air became a wind, a force like a hurricane that showed no quarter to the Red Army, Atacir, Sampson and Ryder. It happened faster than the clicking of fingers, grasping its chosen victims and forcing them into the air. The winds moved like lightning causing the great mass of red clothed flesh to become a blur, accompanied by a sound track of desperate and injured screams. There were no pleasantries in the wind, they carried the wrath of the king. The once mighty Red Army becoming a single twisting blur. Sampson, Ryder and Atacir could be seen amongst the blur, like small specks in a ravenous dust storm. Distorted faces could be seen in that blur, none amongst them free of agony and despair.

  The wind threw each of them into the tears, thousands of grunts, women and wraiths vanishing from this world like specters driven back into the land of ghosts.

  The Ebulon soldiers and refugees watched on in both terror and amazement, the swirling mass of pained faces appearing like a spinning wall of demons being taken back to the hell they belonged to.

  But the judgement of Yadi had only begun, the Red Army and otherworld villains had been a mere annoyance compared to what he felt for the Ulnath. This comparison was evident for no wind fell upon the Ulnath but twisted frightening shadows summoned forth from the Shadow Stone. Some appeared like massive spears, others like arms, they all shared the same monstrous appearance as they robbed the Ulnath of their lives. They died screaming like the orcs they were, squealing like pigs as the shadows butchered them. The first to die were the shadow Ulnath, exploding like screaming bombs while the death of the others wasn’t so quick, a thousand years of torture taking place within mere moments. Yadi felt no sympathy for them, even these horrid deaths were better than they deserved.

  A mere minute had passed and what were once a thousand Ulnath now was one. Oos had seen the entire thing unfold yet had done nothing about it, because there was nothing he could do about it. He had gone from the edge of victory to utterly helplessness all in the matter of a few moments. This couldn’t be happening, existence couldn’t be this cruel. A hundred thousand years he had waited to claim the Shadow Stone and rid this world of Ebulon. He didn’t know whether to break down crying or stand up screaming. The war within between these emotions kept him frozen in the spot, the muscles of his neck stretched so tight, he seemed on the brink of choking. There wasn’t a single pair of eyes that wasn’t upon him, he could see only hatred and anger in each of them. He could feel their gazes like arrows pulled back on bows, ready to bury him in a volley of vengeance. There was nothing natural about the silence of the air, thousands of living beings and not a single one of them made a sound.

  He suddenly felt his eyes stinging but it wasn’t from sweat. The darkness was no longer in the heavens and the sun seemed to want vengeance as well. He glanced towards it and took its punishment, knowing the sun was the least of his enemies on this day. He watched as the dragons of this world flew away from Sorn field, they had extracted their mountain of flesh from those who had used them. His eyes then fell like suicide victims upon the Shadow Stone. It had been within his grasp, the power to change this world how he saw fit. The gods had abandoned his kind long ago, the memory of that day when the gods had turned their backs on the Ulnath had never faded from his mind. Being abandoned by them felt like losing the warm embrace of a once loving mother. His kind had spent their years in a world that offered only cold and darkness. The Shadow Stone was going to be the blanket that would finally bring warmth to their beings, now that blanket would never be his.

  Oos was many things, all kinds of evil, but a coward he was not. There was nothing left for him now but to look Yadi in the eyes, a motion of movement that felt like a journey into the underworld itself. The look of hate in Yadi’s eyes was the same as his ancestor’s, Ebuwin, the human queen Oos had once saved from destruction. He had first seen this look in her eyes when she had found out about his betrayal, if she had held the Shadow Stone she would had done the same thing Yadi was about to do.

  Oos stepped forward his legs both stiff yet strong. “Let it end how it began Yadi,” Oos said loudly, even though there was no sound for him to talk over. He refused to call this man king, “in darkness…”

  Oos was the ruler of Ebulon’s longest enemy, a fact that had never been lost on the King. Still there was no doubting the strength of Oos’s tone, surely he knew what awaited him, but he refused to show fear. The Ulnath were the most honorable of all the orcs, but that was the equivalent of being the most honest in a pack of liars. Anger was still great within him, however Yadi could feel the heaviness of the moment almost as much as Oos. His bloodline had waited a hundred thousand years for this moment, the moment when the Ulnath would finally be wiped from this world.

  “I will die on my feet Yadi,” Oos said. “I will not beg for a quick death…do what you will…”

  Yadi didn’t doubt Oos, he could’ve tortured the last Ulnath for a decade and Oos wouldn’t plead a single time. The king saw little point in dragging this out any further, it was time that this blood feud was finished. A shadow came from the stone, a great black form that rose up to the heavens before Oos. The last Ulnath didn’t look away from them, nor did his hands tremble or his lips quiver. It wasn’t a peaceful feeling but a calm one as he accepted his fate. The shadow descended upon him, ripping through his flesh like countless ghostly blades. It surely was a painful death but Oos didn’t scream, a final small victory on his behalf. As the shadow returned to the stone Yadi took a very long breath. Oos was dead, the threat to his kingdom was no more.

  “No!” the sound tore through the silence with the savagery Yadi had used to kill the Ulnath. Every head turned to a single spot where Morzu was upon his feet, his eyes filled with tears of both anger and sadness. The residual effects of the shadow stone were subtly working on his wounds cleaning the blood, but not the tears from his face. He barely felt such a change for his focus was on the battered and bloody corpse of Oos. The Ulnath who had raised him since he was a child. His mentor, his closest companion, the being who had given him purpose, the being who had shaped him into the man he was. Oos had been his father, the greatest father this world had ever known as far as he was concerned. His injuries may have healed but his movements remained sluggish, he didn’t walk so much as stumble towards the corpse. His hand was reached out and in his vision it looked like he was holding the body of Oos in one hand. Quickly he opened and shut his hand into a fist, the motion had once felt so invigorating, but now it simply reminded him that he had failed. It started off as a dream and now was a real nightmare, how could he have failed his father?

  His tears seemed to carry a power of their own for he moved passed both soldier and refugee alike without problem. None amongst them raised a weapon to him. They may have been the victors, but each had lost many a good friend and family member on this day. It mattered not that Morzu was their enemy, they knew the sting of loss too much to not allow him to grieve. Amongst the thousands there was only one who felt differently, King Yadi himself.

  The revelation fell upon him like a boulder. The man in white armor was his son, his flesh and blood
that had been lost to him all those years ago. The memory of that day flooded his mind, drowning out all other thoughts. The memory of the orc bellows as they attacked his escort now sounding more like taunts of laughter, soon they gave way to the single sound of his child crying, left alone on the cold ground with not so much as a blanket for protection. He remembered the feeling of being pulled away by Juruz, dragged away from his dead wife and his crying son. Anger gave way to the revelation, moving out of its path like a rabbit fleeing from a charging bull. He said it in his mind 100 times before his lips could move well enough to speak it.

  “Viadi,” he said, his tone distant, hollowed from the burden of memory. Against the near silence his voice was clearly heard by everyone at Sorn field. Morzu had heard the sound, although his mind failed to register it, his vision tunneled by the sight of a dead Oos. Every refugee, otherworld hero and soldier were now looking at Yadi, a man who once seemed the embodiment of a warrior king, now stood on weak legs and possessed trembling hands. “Viadi,” he said again, louder this time but Morzu didn’t break his stumbling step. His hands shook, the emotion within too great for even the Shadow Stone to overpower. “Viadi!” he screamed without strength in his voice, but the desperation was powerful enough to break Morzu out of the grief tunnel.

  Morzu’s eyes didn’t have to wander to find the source of the voice for Yadi stood alone. When he had activated the power of the stone none had dared to remain near him, whether friend or foe. Morzu knew this man was the king, Oos had told him about the great black cloak that Ebulon kings wore into battle. The word Viadi sounded familiar to him, although his mind couldn’t place its meaning. Now seeing his face Yadi’s arms lost strength and fell to his side, the Shadow Stone loosely held in his right hand. The memories continued to plague him and for a spilt second the face of Morzu was the face of the infant son Yadi had thought lost to him. He was now certain this man was his son the revelation becoming heavier on his soul.

  He took a step forward and his legs almost buckled, “Viadi…” Yadi tried to continue but his mind failed to find good enough words.

  There it was again, that strange sounding word that conjured the motion of familiarity but remained shrouded in mystery for Morzu. “I am your father,” Yadi explained, he didn’t know if they were the right words to say, but at the least they were truthful. The field felt empty now, the thousands of onlookers vanishing from view, leaving only Morzu and Yadi. It wasn’t from magic but rather the power of memory and of the moment at hand. Yadi took another step forward as tears formed but didn’t fall within his eyes.

  “Twenty years ago I had lost you…I failed to keep your mother safe…I failed to keep you from harm…” He took another step, his legs still felt weak but his footing was steady. “A day has not gone by when my failures haven’t haunted me…I thought I had lost you…Viadi.”

  Morzu stood with a held breath finally he remembered that word, it was the name he was once known by. Oos had never kept it from him he had been born a human and had once possessed a human name, but he had been raised as an Ulnath and bore an Ulnath name. But he didn’t correct the king, there was something familiar about him, a remnant of a memory once thought lost.

  “Those years cannot be reclaimed,” Yadi said, his voice both strong and vulnerable as he moved closer to Viadi. “I can never be forgiven for what I have done, I cannot make up for the years I have cost you…the death of your mother…my wife.”

  This was the only time that Yadi looked away from his son, he had never been able to talk about his wife for long without weeping. Looking back at his son he discovered he was barely ten feet from him.

  Now being so close together their similarities as well as their differences could be seen in full. His dreary steps moved him forward.

  “Now that this is all over I can only promise to give you the life you deserve my son…the life I should have given you all those years ago…we can start fresh…”

  The weight remained in his chest, it was true, the war was finished but that meant little to him now for Viadi hadn’t spoken this whole time. The King wanted to reach out and embrace his son, to hold the child that had been taken from him. But first he needed to hear his son speak. He didn’t want tears, although he was shedding plenty of his own, he wanted to hear his son’s voice. He didn’t know how much time had passed but it felt like a thousands moments as Viadi merely stared into his eyes, motionless and still.

  When movement came it wasn’t from his lips, his eyes descended to what the king held in his hand. The Shadow Stone, the thing that had made Morzu feel like a god was within his grasp again, all he had to do was reach out and the power would be his. This didn’t have to be over, he could still make Oos proud. The temptation was too great and his hand reached out like a striking python. Yadi had dropped all sense of guarding the power, his mind consumed by the site of his son. His instincts knew that the stone had to remain in his hand, its power couldn’t be taken. It was a simple flash of a thought, but the stone needed no other prompting.

  Like serpents fast moving shadows twirled around the oncoming hand of Morzu coiling up his arm and moving towards his throat. Like a saw through pine the shadows sliced into his flesh, forging a river of blood. The act was as violent as it was bloody, taking Morzu off his feet and driving him upon the ground. It had almost happened too fast to comprehend but Yadi realized instantly the grizzly act.

  “No!” he screamed, his voice as raw as cleaved flesh. He fell to his knees faster than an avalanche, dropping the stone from his hands. “No!” he screamed again, a sound strong enough to rattle the heavens above. He continued screaming, forging a sound that seemed to rattle the entire world. But no matter how loud he screamed the Shadow Stone didn’t comply, even it didn’t have the power to bring the dead back to life.

  Epilogue

  A king should never be on his knees; it was a statement that Yadi had abided by his entire life. He had only seen fit to break it a handful of times when exceptions overruled it. One time had been after the battle of Ebulon, when the Orc Confederation had been beaten back and he realized that his city wouldn’t fall into oblivion, he gladly had gotten on his knees, overwhelmed by the reality and thanked the other world heroes for their aid. Before that there had been only one other time, when he had buried the body of his beloved wife.

  It was quite suiting now that he found himself on his knees for a third time before the grave of his freshly laid son, Viadi. He was finally where he belonged, next to his mother. Of course neither should’ve been dead, they should have been safe and warm up high in the Ebulon Tower, not cold and lifeless within the ground. It was appropriate that Yadi’s body felt as heavy as a tombstone for his eyes were looking upon two now, reading the names of his wife and son over and over again. The Ebulon graveyard had survived both the attack of the Orc Confederation and the attack of the Ulnath, both enemies had been more interested in creating new death not caressing old death. As Yadi raised his head he took a long weighty breath, he could feel the sun on his face, shining in all its glory. Winter was well and truly over, leaving the snow to melt, making parts of the ground seem covered in tears. It was the dawn of a new age.

  As he stood up taking several slow weighty breaths he turned to face those who had accompanied him here, Heroes United, Kae, Edo Volis and Cada Varl. Each in their own lives knew the sting of losing a loved one, people who were precious to them. None amongst them had made a single sound while Yadi grieved, each knowing the importance of silence in such a moment.

  Beyond the other world heroes, at the edge of the graveyard Yadi could see Alatearame and Juruz, his two most decorated officers. He had once lost the faith of Juruz and many of the Ebulon soldiers and while trust hadn’t completely been reinstalled both Juruz and Alatearame understood the gravity of losing Viadi to this world. At the very least it had been progress, restoring faith and trust in the soldiers had gone further than just words. Yadi had made sure they were the first to be served both ale and
food during the great feast he had held after the battle of Sorn Field was over. Though the king hadn’t felt like celebrating he knew the importance of the gesture, his troops deserved to be recognized and rewarded for what they had done for Ebulon. As did the Sack Swords and refugees, even an infant could taste the amount of tension that filled the halls as refugees and Sack Swords had to sit close to Ebulon soldiers. Though the tension still remained, most were grateful for the reward of a full stomach and a warm place to sleep. The other world heroes had also been at the feast, many of them ate just as well as they had served the kingdom. But now with the feast over Yadi wanted to speak to them alone.

  Before he did so he took notice of the shadows that fell over the tombstones and reached towards him. The act was as perfect as it was terrible. Though the kingdom had been saved, the other world villains either dead or sent back to their own world, the Ulnath destroyed once and for all, Yadi would be shadowed by the deaths of his family for as long as he lived.

  He could feel his hands reach for what hung in a satchel at his waist, it was far from a pleasant feeling. Taking the Shadow Stone in hand once more he could feel its power radiating through him like the warmth of a fire, but even it couldn’t subdue the chill he felt from the shadows of the twin tombstones. Ensuring that he looked everyone gathered in the eye, his voice was somber yet clear.

  “For the second time you have aided Ebulon, it would be a lie to say it would still be standing if you hadn’t answer the call. I am ever so grateful to each of you and I struggle to describe just how much it means to me that this time I had a chance to thank you in person.” The moment was heavy with the truth, they each could see it in his eyes, King Yadi was a man each of them had great respect for.

  “No problem! The Heroes United will always answer the call of the good hearted who are in need!” Wonder Horse proclaimed triumphantly. The hero’s words got a collection of nods from Wonder Horse’s fellow United Heroes members.

  “It was an honor to aid a leader who honestly serves his people and keeps his vows. If you ever need aid again I would be proud to answer the call,” said Kae his words as powerful as they were truthful.

  “The same goes for me,” Edo Volis said, his tone softened by the weight of his words.

  “I’ve seen the destruction monsters cause when there is nothing to stand against them. I promise you King Yadi if you need my help ever again I will give it.” Cada Varl added, his powerful voice feeling even more so because of his certainty.

  Yadi nodded upon hearing these words, seeing the truth in the eyes of all the other world heroes was an incredibly powerful sight. He shook the hand of Kae first, followed by Edo Volis and then Cada Varl. Shaking the hands of the Heroes United proved more difficult, because most didn’t have hands, still he found a way to shake the hooves and paws of the non-human members. It was important to him to do so because these weren’t his servants, none had swore an oath to protect the realm, it would be unfitting to ask them to kneel, if anything he should have been the one kneeling. But he knew that none amongst them wanted such a thing, they wanted to meet him eye to eye, to show respect to the man who had nothing but respect for them.

  Stepping back Yadi’s eyes moved across each of them. “Because of the Shadow Stone the walls and dwellings of Ebulon have been restored, no further unpaid labor from my people is needed. The Shadow Stone has allowed me to multiply food and drink enough times as needed to ensure that no Ebulon citizen, refugee or Sack Sword shall starve. I shall use the power of the Shadow Stone to help rebuild any human city of the refugees and Sack Swords choosing, they shall be safe and warm. The Shadow Stone has enabled all of this to happen…but.”

  He paused as he glanced over his shoulder looking at the fresh carvings on the tombstone that bored the real name of his son. As he looked back they each could feel his burden.

  “We all have seen too well the destruction that can occur because of the desire to wield this stone. I see now why my ancestor Ebuwin hid the stone away. Its power is too tempting, once I have helped the refugees and Sack Swords find a new home I shall hide it away, somewhere new, somewhere that hopefully it will never be found….But before I do that, I want to repay the debt I have to each of you for saving my city. If it is within the power of the Shadow Stone, merely ask and I will grant it.”

  There was silence for a short while, but it ended peacefully.

  “I think a safe travel home will do me,” Kae said with a gentle smile.

  “I agree that’s the best thing I could ask for as well,” said Edo Volis.

  A collection of agreeing sounds came from the Heroes United. Though not surprised Yadi was humbled to hear it, these men, women and talking animals were true heroes in every sense of the word, selfless saviors. It wasn’t weariness that he saw in their eyes, but a longing, a longing for home. Yadi understood such a feeling, he had felt it himself many times when he was on the other side of his world, fighting against the many enemies Ebulon still possessed. What he didn’t understand however was the look in Cada Varl’s eyes.

  He also noticed that Cada Varl had been the only one who hadn’t nodded in agreement with Kae. Having been around Cada Varl for himself he was beginning to understand why Juruz had seen him as such an enigma, because he was. Yadi had also seen that Cada Varl hadn’t touched a scrap of food during the feast and while he had raised his glass when the toasts began he hadn’t had a drop of Vaas.

  “What is it Cada Varl, you deserve to be rewarded.” Yadi, as they all did, noticed that Cada Varl was struggling within. To see a man of Cada Varl’s physical prowess in such a way was a hard thing to comprehend. Cada Varl lowered his eyes, the act felt ominous. Cada Varl was a man of few words, for words wouldn’t exorcise his inner demons and he had spread enough misery in his thousands of years of existence. Raising his eyes again, he paused for a very long moment.

  “You’re right King Yadi, the Shadow Stone has countless powers, but not even it has the strength to give me what I desire. Besides what I desire isn’t what I deserve, I deserve to go back where I came from.”

  Kae, Edo Volis and the Heroes United hearing this shared heavy glances. Yadi didn’t know Cada Varl well, all he knew was what Cada Varl had done for his kingdom.

  Choosing his words carefully Yadi asked, “Cada Varl, at the very least can you do any good where you will be going?”

  “Nothing good occurs where I will be going.” Cada Varl said flatly.

  Yadi lowered his gaze in thought and when he raised his eyes there was revelation in them.

  “I cannot speak to what you feel you deserve Cada Varl, that isn’t my place. But what I can say is sending you somewhere where your strength and will cannot bring aid to the less fortunate is a waste beyond comprehension.” He paused, hoping to see a subtle sign of what Cada Varl was thinking, but the red eyed man didn’t give anything away. “I know there are other worlds out there, worlds where monsters dwell. Worlds where you could do good. Will you allow me to send you to them?” Cada Varl merely stared, clearly struggling with those inner demons but when he nodded his head, Yadi nodded back.

  As Cada Varl lowered his gaze he saw a hand reaching out to him, Kae’s hand. As he looked the Protector in the eyes he shook Kae’s hand firmly.

  “Best of luck to you Cada Varl, if there are monsters out there as powerful as Aneeku. You are going to need it.”

  “And to you Kae,” Cada Varl replied. “This Rhaldan you told me about is a different kind of danger to Aneeku, but a danger nonetheless.”

  Kae smiled humorlessly upon hearing this, clearly he had his own inner demons clawing at him. Taking a long breath of his own Kae replied, “I know what you mean. But I am looking forward to showing Rhaldan what a liar he is, he told me that I would never return to our world.” He lowered his head and there was a slight joy in his smile now, for it was a rare opportunity presented to him. “I hope that revealing his lies will be enough to convince the other Protectors, those who didn’t travel t
o this world, to turn away from him.”

  His eyes became distant thinking about it, thinking about his homeland, thinking about the woman he loved. He also thought about the other Protectors, the ones who had sworn loyalty to him in this world. He found his gaze now upon King Yadi.

  “I am a leader now, I have a lot to consider and take care of. I have seen how you lead and I am grateful for it. I know it will help me be not just a better leader but a better man.”

  “I saw how fearlessly you lead the refugees into battle, how you gathered and organized them. I can say without a word of a lie you are a fine leader.” It meant a lot to hear these words come from King Yadi and now Kae was the one who felt humbled. He also felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and half turned to look Edo Volis in the eyes.

  “King Yadi is right Kae, I didn’t hear a single negative thing about you by any of the refugees. They were starving and desperate but felt strong again under your protection. That means a lot.”

  The two of them shared a collective nod, both men wore a slight smile, their eyes were glinted by sadness. More than any of the other world heroes Kae and Edo Volis had bonded, they considered each other more than just allies, they were friends. But Denarchia still would face many an invasion and Kae had Keepers and corruption to deal with in his own world.

  “Apart of me wishes that we will have a chance to see each other again Edo. But if that were to happen it would mean something disastrous had occurred.”

  Edo Volis took a sharp breath, nodding with a humorless smile. “Trust me, I understand what you mean.” They tightened their grasps on each other’s hands, knowing this could be a last goodbye.

  When the handshake ended Edo Volis offered his hand to Cada Varl.

  “I must admit Cada Varl I will sleep a lot easier knowing that you are out there stalking the monsters of the worlds.” While Cada Varl didn’t smile, his expression changed just enough for Edo to know Cada Varl appreciated his words.

  Shaking the hand of Edo Volis Cada Varl replied, “I am sure that Denarchia is safe in your hands. Only fools would invade it knowing it is under your protection.”

  There was more humor in Edo Volis’ smile as he said, “Unfortunately my world is full of fools.” Cada Varl nodded at this before Edo Volis turned to face the Heroes United.

  Both he and Kae smiled warmly upon them, they were a brave bunch of creatures, but their bright colours and appearances reminded Edo Volis too much of the stories his mother told him as a child for him not to smile.

  “It was a pleasure meeting all of you as well. Do your best keeping the universe safe,” said Edo Volis, even though he still wasn’t sure what the word universe meant.

  “We always do,” Asantra replied. Most of the United Heroes member, but not all of them echoed her sentiment.

  Crimson Claw, the creature that until recently was considered a villain in both his own world and in this one wasn’t nodding. He stalked out from the crowd on powerful fur covered feet, the glint of red on his claws captured the light of the sun as like arrows, his eyes aimed at Cada Varl. Silence fell and the graveyard suddenly became incredibly tense. Edo Volis and Kae stepped back out of Crimson Claws way, not out of fear, just neither man wanted to get in the middle of Crimson Claw and Cada Varl. The red eyed man towered over the feline but at 6 foot four there were few he didn’t tower over. Crimson Claw showed no apprehension at the height and size difference, his eyes didn’t flinch as he looked up to Cada Varl.

  “I know you are the one who killed Fang and Scratch.”

  “That I am,” Cada Varl replied flatly, showing no regret or pride in his voice. He remembered that strange battle well, he was glad to be its victor those creatures needed to die before they could spread further harm, but held no particular pleasure in taking either of their lives.

  “They once served me very well,” Crimson Claw stated just as flatly. “But that was when I was once a villain, that part of who I am died, it is part of my past as are Fang and Scratch.”

  “If you can escape your past I envy you,” Cada Varl replied.

  To this the feline slowly nodded, though anger remained in his eyes. But when he stepped back, it was clear to everyone, he wasn’t looking for a fight from Cada Varl, just mere acknowledgement of what the red eyed man had done.

  Clearly satisfied by what he saw in Cada Varl’s eyes Crimson Claw joined the others of his universe and soon all eyes were back upon King Yadi.

  “Again I say thank you, may your own journeys home be safe. Ebulon and I are forever in your debt, what you have done here will never be forgotten.”

  Either nods or smiles met his words as power slowly glowed from the Shadow Stone. It was slow and silent, specks of shadow rose in the air and flashed over the other world heroes. Like dust caught in a gentle wind the heroes vanished from both his sight and this world. It was a peaceful vanishing, haunting but beautiful in a dreamlike way.

  Yadi was left alone in the graveyard, but he didn’t feel isolated, because he knew the heroes would return if he or Ebulon ever needed them and that thought was truly warming.

  But that warmth quickly evaporated like water drops upon a forest fire as he looked to Alatearame and Juruz, there was a very important reason why they had accompanied him to the graveyard. Needing only a simple nod to tell them to join him the commander and the captain walked together. No longer did they look weary or worn out, their faces full of colour once more, their stomachs filled with good food. They looked every inch the woman and man their reputations spoke of.

  “My King,” Juruz said.

  “My King,” Alatearame echoed.

  “I want to thank both of you for everything you have done for Ebulon. It wouldn’t have survived if it hadn’t been for the tirelessly effort of the knights of the realm. They may have lost faith in me, but none of them lost any faith in the two of you. Most of them wouldn’t have marched to Sorn Field if you weren’t there Commander Alatearame and most would have fled for their lives if you hadn’t arrived when you did Captain Juruz. More than once you have saved my life.”

  “I would gladly do it again,” Captain Juruz said meaning every word of it. While it would be a lie to say that every Ebulon soldier had restored faith in his or her King, Juruz was proud once again to serve Yadi. The ceremonies that King Yadi had held in tribute to not just the soldiers who had survived the battle but had died had meant a lot to him as it had many of the troops.

  Yadi gave a slight nod upon hearing this, knowing it was a powerful truth.

  “As the two of you know, once the refugees have been taken care of the Shadow Stone will be hidden away. I told this to the other world heroes, what I didn’t tell them was I have decided where it will be hidden.”

  To both Alatearame and especially Juruz this was a heavy honor, having seen for themselves the powers the Shadow Stone was capable of. As well as the truth that Yadi trusted both of them enough that he would reveal such knowledge to only them.

  Yadi hesitated in looking over his shoulder, still feeling like the shadows of the tombstones were reaching out to him like the claws of demons.

  “My son spent almost his whole life preparing to take this stone and use its powers. Even though I did not raise him and what he planned to do with those powers can never be allowed to happen. He was my son, the blood of Itio flowed through his veins…he was of my blood. The gods decreed that our bloodline would hold dominion over of the Shadow Stone…” His lips trembled slightly yet the action was as noticeable as a mountain collapsing. “I lost my son twice because of ambition…I have been thinking of where this stone should be laid.” His took a long moment to compose himself and Alatearame and Juruz waited in a respectable silence. “It should be laid with my son for it is the only thing left that he knew of that bounded him to me, to who he really was. To who he should have been. To who I should have protected.” Each word had to be dragged out of his mouth like condemned prisoners, Yadi was a brave wise men, but even he struggled to ke
ep himself from falling to his knees once more.

  Juruz had spoken to Yadi many, many times, since the battle of Sorn field. Not as a captain to his king but as the only other man who had been there on the day Yadi thought he had lost his new born son. Those years had made the tension of the last few months seem insignificant, like a gray bug compared to a boulder. He had told Yadi about what Kae had told him about Oos. It pained both men greatly that Kae had more first hand knowledge about Viadi in his adult years than the king ever did.

  Gathering enough strength to speak clearly Yadi asked, “I ask both of you when we have finished rebuilding the city of the refugees choosing that you accompany me back to this graveyard to place the Shadow Stone beside my son.”

  “I give you my word I will be at your side my King.” Alatearame said.

  “You have made the right decision my King, there is no better place for the stone to rest. I will do anything you need me to do, I will carry the shovel if that is what is required,” Juruz said.

  “I know you would Juruz,” The king said, seeing the conviction in those marble blue eyes. Seeing such certitude in the eyes of Alatearame as well, he felt strength return to his knees. He didn’t know if he ever would be the same man he once was, but feeling this strength he knew that Ebulon would be safe.

  The End

 

 

 

 

 

  Cada Varl and Aneeku are characters from the novel How Gods Bleed by Shane Porteous available now! 

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