by A.L. Svartz
Chapter Eight
A Quick Exchange
Meeting up back at the park, the Shadow Seeker approached Vog. "Here," he said, presenting the necklace to him.
Vog studied the necklace, making sure it was the true one. "Ah yes," Vog said. "You have done well Shadow Seeker. You have proven yourself worthy, and for that, I will restore you to your original form."
Vog touched the tip of his staff to the Shadow Seeker's forehead. The tip of the staff started to glow. A faint light surrounded the Shadow Seeker's body before quickly disappearing. He watched at the circular indents on his body vanished. Even his hair grew back. He had returned to his normal self.
"Your true form has been restored," Vog said, removing the staff from the boy's forehead. "Now hand over the necklace." Vog reached out his bulky hand, waiting for his prize to be handed to him.
The Shadow Seeker thought about what Umbra told him. Now that he has been transformed back to normal, and still holds the power of fire, and still has the necklace, he had a feeling he could defeat Vog. The Shadow Seeker retracted his arm away, putting on the necklace. "So, this necklace has what I've heard, great power," the Shadow Seeker said.
"What are you doing?!" Vog yelled. "Hand over the necklace, and I still might spare your life. Give it here boy!" Vog was growing irritated. Again he extended out his arm, waiting for the boy to hand over the necklace.
"Why should I?" The boy questioned Vog. "I have nothing to lose now! And you, you have everything to lose."
"Wrong!" Vog shouted. "I have taken back the powers I gave to you! You are powerless boy! You're nothing but the trash I found you as!"
"Wrong!" The boy mimicked Vog. "You forgot. I have the necklace. I now have a power greater than yours. You should be the one scared now." The Shadow Seeker tried using the necklace's power against Vog, but nothing happened. "What the?" He continued swinging his arms around, not really sure on how to activate the powers.
"You poor confused boy," Vog said. "I'm not going to give you the whole story as to why that necklace won't work, as you will soon be destroyed."
The boy started to back up as Vog walked towards him. Lowering his staff, he aimed it right at the boy's chest. The boy shot up both his hands, as if someone was pointing a gun at him, and started pleading with Vog.
"P...please," he cried out. "I'm sorry. Please don't hurt me." The boy stopped backing up, dropping to his knees as Vog towered over him. His staff was still aimed at the boy. As he slowly removed the necklace from his neck, the boy presented it to Vog with both of his hands. "Here. Take it. I don't want it." He was almost to the point of tears. He could barley keep his hands from jumping.
"Poor boy," Vog stated. "Once I lose trust in someone, there's no way they're ever going to gain it back. No matter the case." The tip of Vog's staff started to glow. Knowing what was coming to him, the boy closed his eyes, waiting for his demise to take place. A small flare shot out from the tip of the staff, implanting itself in the boy's bare chest.
The little flare started to grow. Vog quickly backed up as the boy's skin started to melt off his bones. As he tried to yell, the boy's tongue and cheeks dropped to the park ground, quickly melting away. His eyeballs sank back in their sockets. The rest of his body fell apart. The boy had now become the pile of bones that sat in front of Vog. Reaching down into the puddle of melted skin, Vog pulled out the clean, unaltered necklace. He also pulled out a small bone that somehow wasn't melted like the others. He looked at his shoulder pad, placing the small bone along with the others that protected Vog.
"Another bone for my collection," Vog muttered. "Fits nicely."
He studied the necklace in his hand. Knowing that he held the necklace, the very necklace that destroyed his kind, he knew that he could finally bring peace for the Two Worlds, and justice to his soul. His greatest enemy lies in the palm of his hand.
"Everything is working out," Vog announced. "My planning of this day has become successful. All those years of waiting have paid off. I now hold in my hand, my true enemy." He closed his hand, trying his hardest to crush the necklace. "Soon, it will be all over. The Shadows will finally be erased. The Two Worlds will be safe once again. And I will be doing a justice to my people."
Opening up his fist, he gazed at the necklace one last time. Placing it around his neck, no glowing action took place. Vog then stomped down his staff. He bent over, placing one hand firmly on the ground. Out from his back emerged two boney wings. He stood back up nice and tall. Leaping off of the ground, Vog flew to the only site where he knew the Shadow could be destroyed.