by A.L. Svartz
Chapter Seven
Seeker's Assault
Umbra darted down the city streets. He heard the explosion that Vog created. Watching the smoke rise from Stee's shop, he had a feeling that his new so-called-friend was gone. But Umbra was used to people coming in and leaving quickly in his life. It affected him after his whole town, including his parents, left. He always kept a little hope that one day they'd all return.
As he ran past people, he could see that they paid their attention towards the sound of the explosion. In the distance he could hear the sirens of police cars and firetrucks.
Continuing to run away, Umbra headed into a nearby parking garage. Part of the parking garage rose up a few floors while the other part went down underground.
"Get back here!" A voice from behind Umbra yelled. It didn't sound like Vog's words, but he was still afraid to turn around and see his new foe. He slowed down his running, turning his head slightly to get a look at who was speaking to him.
Looking at the strange figure flying at him, he didn't recognize him at all. "Who are you?!" Umbra yelled as he picked up speed.
"I am the Shadow Seeker!" The flying figure yelled out. His voice turned more high-pitched. Umbra watched as the Shadow Seeker sent out two flaming fireballs at him.
As the fireballs were hurdling at him, Umbra stopped in his tracks. Bringing up his arms, he waited for the fireballs to approach him closer. As they did, Umbra leaped at them, keeping his arms in front of him. Using his newly acquired cuffs, the fireballs struck them. Once they made contact, Umbra swung his arms upward, deflecting the fireballs, forcing them to shoot up in the air.
Once Umbra landed on the ground, he turned around and continued towards the parking garage, hoping he could lose the figure there.
"Oh no you don't you little punk!" The Shadow Seeker yelled.
As Umbra neared the entrance to the parking garage, the Shadow Seeker sent out another set of fireballs. The fireballs struck the top of the concrete entrance, sending it down to block the path in. Luckily, Umbra made inside in time.
Umbra let out a sigh of relief, but knew he had to keep moving as the Shadow Seeker would soon make his way inside. Running down the long concrete ramp that was to the left of him, Umbra knew he had a chance to escape through the underground.
It was more difficult to see now that everything was in black and white. The flickering lights that were in the garage made it even harder to see.
Umbra ran down the underground parking garage, keeping himself low, traveling through the cars. He was looking for another way out. Trying to see if a door or window was against the wall, but there wasn't. He proceeded to head down to the next level.
As Umbra quickly made his way down to the next floor, he felt the whole parking garage structure shake. He knew that the strange figure had made his way inside.
"Where are you!" The Shadow Seeker yelled, flying in through the very top of the parking garage. He shot a couple of fireballs at the first few cars that he saw, causing them to erupt in fire before exploding.
"Ahhhh!" The Shadow Seeker yelled. He flew down inside the parking garage, landing on the concrete floor. Lying on his hands and knees, he felt an ever stronger pain enter his body. He saw with his own eyes that more of the strange circular incisions were forming on his skin. The longer it took him to retrieve the necklace, the more he morphed. "Ahhhh!" He stood back up on his two legs. Surrounded by fire that had spread from the cars, he flew straight through it.
Making it out on the other side, he had not one burn mark from the fire. He continued his search through the garage, setting every single car on fire, making sure that Umbra was hiding behind any.
"Where are you hiding punk!" The Shadow Seeker yelled. His voice echoed throughout the parking garage. Even when he was two floors below where the Shadow Seeker was, Umbra could hear him.
As Umbra heard the Shadow Seeker coming down the floor he was on, he quickly dove behind a car. He watched as the Shadow Seeker set the first couple of cars on fire. Umbra grew nervous as he now has a second enemy after him. He still had a few hours until The Dark Sun would leave. I've made it this far, he kept repeating to himself in his head.
"I know you're here punk!" The Shadow a Seeker said, setting a couple more cars on fire. He struggled through the pain as more of the circular formations scarred his skin. "P...please! All I want is the dumb n...necklace around your neck! That thing turned me into this! H...he said if I give him the necklace, then he would turn me back! Just give me the necklace! Please!" The Shadow Seeker fell back on his knees. He knew that his plea would draw Umbra out of hiding.
Without the necklace active, Umbra's mind now had felt a sense of guilt. The dark thoughts that usually bled into his mind stopped. He figured he could try to persuade the Shadow Seeker into helping him take down Vog. With Umbra's newly acquired cuffs, and the Shadow Seeker by his side, together they could take him down.
Umbra slowly walked out from behind the car. The Shadow Seeker quickly spotted him. He raised both his hands at Umbra, ready to shoot a set of fireballs at him. "Wait! Wait!" Umbra yelled, waving his arms around. "I've come to make a deal."
The Shadow Seeker lowered his hands, curious as to what kind of deal Umbra would offer. "I'm listening," the Shadow Seeker said.
Umbra continued to walk towards the Shadow Seeker, stopping at a fair distance from him. "I know you want my necklace," Umbra started. "But hear me out. It may not be as severe as your scars, but this necklace has changed my life as well. For you, someone's rage and anger to acquire the necklace has caused you to change into something you're not. The same goes for me. My uncle only wanted the best for me. He gave this to me right before he died. He told me not to listen to the monster that was trying to destroy it. But from everyone else, I've been told not to listen to the necklace. This necklace has morphed my mind. Before I got this thing, I used to be happy. I used think happy thoughts, and love and care for the people around me. Especially my family. And now, I couldn't care less for where they are now. I haven't seen them in months. I always wonder if they miss me. But the weirdest thing is, I don't seem to miss them. You've got to hear me out. If we team up together, we can take down that Shadow Hunter. We'll both be free from him tormenting us."
The Shadow Seeker took Umbra's offer into carful consideration. In his mind, it seemed like a pretty good idea. He wouldn't have to do Vog's dirty work. He would go back to being the he was before.
"Betray me, and I will find you!" Vog's voice yelled in the Shadow Seeker's mind. He held his hands up to his ears. "Your mission is to bring me the necklace. I am the only one that can restore you to your original form. Betraying me will do nothing but a disservice to you. Attack the boy and bring me the necklace! Do as your told, or suffer looking the way you are!"
"Your offer is very tempting," the Shadow Seeker said. He removed his hands away from his ears. "But I have no choice but to decline." As he finished speaking, he fired two fireballs directly at Umbra.
He crossed his arms, revealing his cuffs to the Shadow Seeker. The two fireballs struck the cuffs, sending Umbra flying across the parking garage. He smashed onto the windshield of a car. Umbra moaned in pain as he tried to lean forward.
The Shadow Seeker flew over to Umbra, staying above him. "I'll be like his forever if I don't give that "thing" your necklace," the Shadow Seeker announced. He reached down at Umbra's neck, grabbing the pendent part of the necklace, ripping it clean off. Umbra swiped at the Shadow Seeker, but was to slow. He flew back away from Umbra, with his necklace in his hand.
"Give it back!" Umbra barked. He rolled off of the car, barley able to stand on his own two feet.
"This is my ticket to returning to normal," the Shadow Seeker said. "And so you can't ruin anything, I'll do this." The Shadow Seeker shot a single fireball at the car Umbra was standing next to. Umbra jumped in the opposite direction. The Shadow Seeker vanished from the parking garage as Umbra was running out. As the c
ar exploded, the blast knocked over Umbra, leaving him unconscious.