The Shadow of Death

by Timothy Smith

  Ira: "But why!?" He said in bitter frustration, swinging his blade threateningly.

  The Elder: “Keller had a vision one night. He said it was so vividly clear, it was as if he saw it with his waking eyes… He foresaw that you would betray us. That you would try to claim the orb!-" After seeing Ira's reaction of disbelief, the man continued, "-Honestly I can’t say I’m too surprised. From the onset, you even being allowed here among us was against the rules of the Order itself, and ever since that time, you've done nothing but continually spit on our ways and traditions." The shock on Ira's face was obvious as he responded.

  Ira: "A vision?... Keller would see me killed simply over a nightmare?... All of this, because the old man had a bad dream!?!" Oland laughed after hearing Ira’s agonizing cries, grinning while he responded.

  Oland: "Now that you say it like that, it does sound ridiculous. Too bad for you, he already gave us the order to see to it that you’re dealt with. And the way I see it, we're just rectifying a mistake he made a long time ago." After Oland had finished saying this, the other remaining nine started slowly approaching Ira.

  Briefly looking down in despair, Ira bitterly, yet silently said to himself.

  Ira: "I'm sorry, Cherise. You were right. You tried to warn me, but I didn't listen!"

  One of the men was able to hear his words, and asked Ira back, saying, "What's this you’re saying about that girl? I thought it was strange when Cherise pulled you aside like that. She really knew what we were planning?"

  Panicked and distraught, Ira frantically looked back at the others, exclaiming defiantly.

  Ira: "You leave her out of this!" He said with ferocity, to accompany the ringing of his black fangs gliding against one another before displaying them threateningly.

  Looking to the other nine, Oland asked them curiously.

  Oland: "Now that you mention it, didn't it seem like she was trying to warn Ira not to come with us?... It sure seemed that way to me." He said with a knowing grin, shrugging simply to taunt Ira.

  The young noble continued speaking slowly, relishing every following word so as to savor Ira’s reaction.

  Oland: "That would mean she deliberately disobeyed the master’s orders. And worse yet, that would also mean she deliberately put the lives of the others in the Order at risk.-“ He said with sinister delight before twiddling his finger, and saying, “-Tsk... Tsk... Tsk... There can only be one punishment for this kind of betrayal."

  Distressed, Ira looked on at the group. They only needed to discuss the matter briefly before coming to a conclusion. The majority of them came to a similar agreement as Oland. And having an expression of utter despair, Ira looked around at all of the others before asking.

  Ira: "No matter what happens here, you all have already decided that both mine and Cherise's lives at the Order is over. After all this time we’ve spent living amongst you, you would all so eagerly sentence us to death?!-” He said while a fierce anger inside overcame him, as he cried out, “-Do you think that I'd just willingly accept that?!"

  Oland: "Ha! We're not exactly asking for your permission here, scum. Take these lasts words to your grave. Once we're finished dealing with you, next, we'll take care of the girl!" Any lingering expression of despair Ira showed was quickly overcome by that of seething rage, as he menacingly said back.

  Ira: "I warned you, didn't I? You shouldn't have involved her in this...-" And yelling now, he proclaimed, "-I have nothing left here to lose! You’re trying to take everything I hold dear away from me!" And with a sudden realization, Ira spoke more calmly.

  Ira: "…No... Keller has.” And he quickly elaborated.

  Ira: “In allowing us to stay, he gave us false hope. And now he’s ordering my death, all because of some damned dream!-" Ira said in utter rage as he yelled out to the sky, "-Keller! You bastard! You've ruined everything! Did you think you could be rid of me so easily?! I won’t allow it! I won’t stand for it!!" And Ira turned to face Oland, glaring the noble down with terrifying eyes as he spoke in a fearsome voice that was nearly unrecognizable.

  Ira: “And I'll start with you!!" Immediately as Ira had said this, he charged straight towards Oland.

  ────────

  Back at the Order, Keller was inside the temple’s hall. The orb alongside him with the two guards near the temple’s entrance. The old man was in deep contemplation, staring at the unassuming sphere. Resting his body on his cane, the old man was weighing the consequences of his decision. However, his contemplation was cut short after hearing a sharp yell from a distance from outside the temple’s halls. Keller looked back at the doors in shock after hearing the loud cry, which wouldn’t be the only one to come.

  His eyes were fixated on the doors, as he continued to hear more yells and chilling screams coming from outside. The sounds of blood curdling cries were accompanied with the yells of the fighters in the Order, and the clashing of steel against steel.

  The sound was continually getting closer, with the voice of one of the men from outside yelled aloud, "It's Iranagi! He's still alive!"

  Keller could do nothing except order the two guards who were with him to investigate the matter. The men diligently ran outside as instructed, closing the temple doors behind them. The yells and the clanking of metal kept continuing, but the consistency was slowly dying down until there was nothing but silence from beyond the temple’s doors. Anxiously waiting inside the temple, the old man yelled out frantically.

  Keller: “I don’t hear anything, somebody tell me what’s happening!” No answer was returned.

  After a few seconds of silence, only the sound of lone footsteps drawing closer to the temple’s doors remained. The steps stopped just outside the doors before they were slowly being pushed aside. Now widely opened, they revealed who was on the other side. Standing before Keller at the doorway, was none other than Ira, covered in freshly splattered blood of others.

  As Ira walked inside, the old man was in shock. With cold eyes, the young man from the east spoke calmly, but with contempt.

  Ira: "They all knew, Keller. When I returned, everyone in the Order who saw me, expected me dead. Before I could say anything in my defense, they attacked. All of this, after I personally verified with you that the last trial was really on your order." He said while looking down, disappointed, but at the same time furious, as he tried to remain calm.

  Gaining some of his lost composure at the sight of Ira, the old man nervously responded back.

  Keller: "Yes, that's right! I didn’t want it to come to this, but I was left with no choice. I ordered them to do it!"

  Ira: "WHY?!" He anxiously cried out. To which the old man only spoke more determinedly.

  Keller: "…A vision came to me, as clear as you standing before me now! I saw you bring ruin to the Order!-“ He paused before trying to justify himself, saying, “-With all the rage you’ve had inside of you, and all that you’ve already done, I feared this premonition would come true. And seeing you now, I am certain of it!" Even though Ira heard the others say this before, he was still surprised to hear the old man say it himself.

  Lamenting on how it came to this, the old man held back his tears, as he continued to say bitterly.

  Keller: “I should've never allowed you to stay! I should've never been so lenient! I was blinded by my past friendship! And over the years, I didn't want to see the monster you were becoming!"

  Shocked at the words coming from a man he once held dearly, Ira stood momentarily stunned. His disbelief changed to hatred, as he coldly stared back at the old man. With an aching heart, Ira asked back in a cold rage.

  Ira: "Monster? I would've obeyed the Order's rules, and I would’ve followed its traditions. If nothing else, for Cherise's sake. And on a vision alone, you'd see me killed?-” His voice trailed off after asking the question, but before the old man could respond, Ira cried out, “-Mine and Cherise's life here is over, because of you!"

  With hatred now festering in his heart, Ira wanted to make sure
Keller felt a comparable pain to what he now harbored.

  Ira: "Fine then! I’ll make your nightmare a reality! Before I make you pay for what you’ve done, I intend for you to bear witness to it all! I'll claim the orb’s power for myself!" In a panic, the old man cried out.

  Keller: "No, you fool! No one can control it!" And uncaring of the old man’s warnings, Ira walked forward.

  After he had finished saying this, Keller heard a sinister laughter rising up from behind him, coming from the orb. The old man looked back in terror, as the terrifying laugh continued to get louder. Glancing back at Ira, Keller realized that he wasn’t reacting to the sound at all. The noise of the wicked laughter was so great, there was simply no way it could have gone unnoticed. Ira was simply unable to hear it. The taunting laughter from the Darkness was meant solely for Keller’s ears alone.

  As Ira came closer to the center of the room where the orb lies, Keller stood in his way exclaiming defiantly.

  Keller: "You'll have to kill me first!" To which Ira didn’t change his pace, as he continued to walking in a straight line, now heading towards Keller.

  In an ice cold and emotionless tone, he casually responded.

  Ira: "Have it your way than."

  Before Keller knew it, he had been stabbed. Ira's black fang effortlessly pierced through his guts. Seeing as to the old man was still standing, Ira leaned over his shoulder to whisper something in his ear. And as he leaned over the Keller’s shoulder, Ira let out a short despairing chuckle before speaking.

  Ira: "I just realized something. If you hadn’t acted on your vision, I would never have done this. I would have never done any of this… If not for your damn nightmare!-” Almost scoffing in disbelief, he continued.

  Ira: “In the end, your vision was self-fulfilling.-" And now whispering with contempt, he said further, "-This is all your fault..."

  Flashbacks of his nightmare rushed through the old man’s mind after Ira said this. Keller’s eyes widened to this realization that those were the exact words Ira had spoken to him, inside the temple’s halls in his prophetic dream. What was occurring was almost identical to what he had seen in his vision. As Ira withdrew his blade, the unnatural laughter that only Keller could hear grew to a deafening proportion, as if it reveled in the events that unfolded, taunting the despairing old man in his final moments. Before hitting the marble floor, Keller had already passed.

  With his vengeance fulfilled, Ira looked down on the old man in a mixture of emotions.

  Ira: "…Why did this have to happen? How did it come to this?..."

  Shortly after Ira had spoken, he noticed a strange black substance flowing across the ground besides him, nearing his feet. Looking up to see its source, Ira saw the dark cloud was emanating from the orb. Looking on curiously at the sphere, Ira started to succumb to its subtle, yet overwhelming influence. Thoughts started to creep into his mind, as he spoke bitterly to himself.

  Ira: "After everything that's happened here, even Cherise would never be able to forgive me. Not after what I've done…."

  As he continued eyeing the orb, he felt a strange sensation coming over him. Entranced, Ira peered longingly at the unnatural object. Before he knew it, the promise of the orb’s potential looked far more welcoming to him. This simple sphere seemed to offer another path from that of inevitable misery. As he gazed on, Ira spoke out loud to himself, in an effort to rekindle some of his lost hope.

  Ira: "I may no longer belong here, but with this power, I could do anything. I could face any foe! I could even finally have my revenge on the Aelaans!"

  His eyes widened as they were firmly fixated on the sinister orb. Its promise, its temptation, and the will it held, dominating his own.

  Ira: "With this power, I can do it! Only I could do it! No one else can! I can finally have vengeance for what they did to me, to my family, and my people!" Eagerly being drawn in closer, with an outstretched arm Ira grabbed ahold of the orb before exclaiming.

  Ira: "The Empire will finally answer for all the crimes that they’ve done! I'll see to it personally, Aelaa will fall!"

  While Ira was saying this, the Darkness was enveloping him, overtaking him, and he accepted it all with welcoming smile. After the Darkness covered his entire body, Ira yelled out.

  Ira: "It's not enough! I need more!... More!..." He cried out from within the unnatural darkness, finding himself overcome with an unquenchable thirst for power.

  CHAPTER 42 – JOURNEY’S END

  Where the three had first met Obi in the town of Merchant’s Pass, both Cherise and him were finishing packing up their supplies. Among the two, Cherise was hastily making preparations for the journey back to the Order. And tightening the last of the crates down, Obi triumphantly proclaimed.

  Obi: "There! All finished, and ready to go!" He said as Cherise anxiously jumped on the front of their ox pulled cart.

  And amused at her excitement, Obi decided to teasingly ask.

  Obi: "What's the rush? They aren't going anywhere." He said while casually walking towards the cart’s front.

  Right before Cherise could answer, Obi had a wide grin on his face when he spoke further.

  Obi: "Wait... I know what this is about. I heard what Ira told you before he left. Something about a present, was it?" Nearly instantly, she became flustered, and blushing when she responded.

  Cherise: "No! That's not it at all." She exclaimed before she started looking down, and began twiddling her fingers nervously.

  He wasn’t convinced in the slightest by her words, and with a mischievous grin, he continued prodding her.

  Obi: "Hmmm? Is that right?" He asked teasingly, but to his surprise, she had a concern expression.

  Cherise: "It's just… It’s just that things felt out of place when we were last at the temple grounds. And I'm a worried something may have happened to Ira." And Obi could see was completely sincere in her response, but nevertheless, he replied to her worries half-jokingly but reassuringly enough.

  Obi: "I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Ira’s right, you know? You worry too much! We both know he’s too stubborn to get himself killed by some dragon. That hopeless kid may even be intending to bring you something he finds off the dragon, as his present to you." He said before laughing, and jumping onto the front of the cart himself besides her.

  Is that really what he’s planning?... With everything else I’ve been thinking about, I can’t remember.

  Looking back at Obi, she responded playfully.

  Cherise: "I certainly hope not, although it does sound like something he'd do."

  She said pleasantly enough before frowning, not very well pleased with the potential prospect. After seeing her reaction, Obi decided to poke a little more fun at her.

  Obi: "Yes, very romantic indeed!” She just pouted in response.

  And after making sure that he knew she was annoyed with him, Cherise changed topics, speaking hopefully.

  Cherise: "Enough about Ira’s gift! Maybe you’re right on that other thing, Uncle. Everyone keeps telling me, I'm probably just worrying too much, like I usually do." And Obi just raised an eyebrow in return, as he just gave her a suspicious but slightly annoyed look back.

  After a few seconds of the awkward silence with Obi staring at her, without so much as even moving the cart, she finally felt uncomfortable enough to ask him.

  Cherise: "…What’s with that face?" She asked somewhat cautiously, worried that she somehow upset him.

  And still giving Cherise the same exaggerated expression, he answered her.

  Obi: "Hmmm… Still calling me uncle, are you? It comes so naturally to you now, you don't even notice it.-" He asked slightly annoyed before briefly sighing, and continuing to say, "-You're never going to let up, will you?" And pleasantly relieved to see that was the only thing bothering him, Cherise smiled brightly in return, replying innocently.

  Cherise: "Nope!" She said with a hint of mischievous delight.

  Obi would’ve been annoyed, but he couldn’
t help but notice Cherise’s cheerful disposition. A smile crept back onto his face when he shook his head in disapproval at her. Rolling his eyes, he finally got their cart moving.

  ────────

  After a few days journey back, both Obi and Cherise were nearing the entrance of the Order’s temple grounds. It was plain to see, Cherise was anxiously awaiting their return home, fidgeting excitedly like a child. She was hardly able to contain herself from jumping out of the cart, and running off ahead. Getting a laugh at how restless she was, Obi decided to tease her a little.

  Obi: "Looks like someone's excited to see a someone." And knowing how easy she was to find out, Cherise just returned a wide innocent smile back.

  I don’t think I could’ve been more obvious, even if I tried.

  Rubbing the back of his head, Obi didn’t think on the matter very long before he said something.

  Obi: "When we get there, how about you go meet up with Ira. You don't need to go worrying about the unloading part, I'll take care of it myself. I’m used to it." After hearing his remarks, she gleefully leaned over to him before replying.

  Cherise: "Thank you, Uncle! When I find Ira, I'll ask him to help us unload!" She said excitedly before jumping off the cart, and running off ahead.

  Surprised that she came to that conclusion before suddenly bolting off, Obi tried to get her attention.

  Obi: "Hey, wait!... That's not what I..." He said basically to himself before deciding to just let the matter go, since she had already made quite some distance.

  Shaking his head, Obi found the whole situation mildly amusing as he was just about to bring his cart into the Order’s entrance.

  ────────

  And after a good run ahead, Cherise entered the courtyard of the temple grounds. Excited that she finally arrived, she at first didn't even notice something was amiss in the place.

  Once the unusual lack of sound in the Order’s grounds caught her attention, Cherise anxiously started looking around. And catching something at the corner of her eye, any lingering remnants of her excitement upon their return was quickly turned to that of a mixture of worry and fear.