Dark Form_Book 1 of the Shadow War Trilogy

by M. A. Da Costa

  Its body flies off the ground, only for a second. It turns into a shadowy cloud that reforms in front of my father and backhands him with its left-hand. He flies into a tree about twenty feet away and falls to the ground unconscious. My mother takes the distraction as an opportunity. She slashes with one end and thrusts with the other. The figure dodges both attacks. A tentacle lashes and slams her into another tree.

  “…Delphine…Edon!” The kaine’s deep voice ruptures through my eardrums, however, I can’t recall hearing the sound come from the beast’s muzzle.

  “Genu don’t stop! Go!” The woman snaps.

  Anger boils within me. I scream, “NO!” My hands instinctively rise into the air, the water flowing around the forest’s edge whips through the darkness; I bring my hands together at my chest and the water collides with the figure. Its eyes begin to shine and the liquid explodes. Once again the monster is unharmed. Dark green cracks race through the earth from the bottom of its cloak and into the trees.

  They succumb to a corrupted death plagued by shadow. The branches morph into hands of darkened nature. Roots burst through the softened soil piercing into the air forming spear-like vines. Once smooth bark now transforms into jagged surfaces of thorns. Overwhelming evil centers within its new form, twisting into one final shape: faces of pure power. The former plants have blackened with new life.

  Mother nature has formed an involuntary alliance with this monstrosity of evil. The woman pulls out her bow and fires two arrows; energy shrouds them like before and penetrates two trees ahead of us. The black magic that has taken them over purifies, reverting them back to normal. The light given off from her attacks reveal some of the woman’s appearance that I haven’t noticed beforehand: long, curly, silvery grey hair and bright purple eyes.

  “Why do you―” my question is interrupted as Genu rises on its hind legs forcing me to grab ahold of its fur to keep from falling off.

  It really doesn’t help when the woman falls right into me. But her hair smells like blossoms, so it’s not that bad. The kaine shreds a couple of more plagued trees in our path with its claws and takes off.

  We burst through the forest’s edge and come to a cliff. The sun burns my eyes but they are soothed by the beauty of Elvendora.

  “Hurry!”

  The woman nods her head to the bottom of the cliff. Genu’s body crouches and takes one mighty leap. Once airborne something slithers around my waist. I look down and notice it’s one of the figure’s tentacles.

  “Wai―”

  I am yanked back into the dark dome shrouding the Sacred Forest. I rush by the trees and thrown to the floor. Branches, vines, and roots entwine together to form a cage blocking my escape. I climb to my feet to find boneless limbs floating all over the place. In their center lies the dark form. Its eyes stare into my soul once more before the appendages race towards me.

  “Stay away from my son!”

  My mother slashes through the tentacles, the blades of her glaive shine with golden light. She lands in front of me with the glaive held before her chest prepared to strike again. They begin reforming but are stopped when my father releases several fireballs upon the figure.

  “Come on,” he yells as he sprints backwards towards the trees.

  A ring of golden light flies by him and cuts through the branches revealing the path out of here. The weapon instantly comes back to my mother like a boomerang. We race back to the cliff, once we arrive, I feel like diving off not even caring about the possible effects of dying. I just cannot deal with this sudden uprising of destruction anymore.

  “Zarvick listen to me. I need you to jump off. Don’t worry about getting hurt you’ll be fine,” it’s a couple hundred feet down. What does she mean I’ll be fine?! “Your father and I will follow shortly. Okay?”

  “No…yes?” I really don’t understand. Why follow behind me.

  I hesitantly rock back on me heels preparing to leap despite my urge to wait for my parents; a sudden sharp pain shoots through my chest the moment my feet leave the ground.

  “ZARVICK!” My parents shout, when I look down, a tentacle is sticking out of me.

  “This looks funny,” I laugh half consciously.

  Amethyst blood gushes from the gaping hole in my chest. My father’s hand transforms from skin into dark blue scales and the fingers into long talons. He cuts through the tentacle and I collapse to the edge of the cliff. The figure emerges from the forest seeming more menacing than before now that it’s in the light. My mother charges towards it as tentacles lash out at her, she blocks and slices through them. One stray appendage whips the glaive from her hands and it plunges down the cliff.

  Shadowy darkness begins engulfing the space around us, providing cover for its dark creatures. I’ve lost all hope in survival the moment the glaive fell down the cliff. My mother and father kneel down beside me; they hold their hands above me. Grey light forms between their palms, together they dispel the darkness allowing the sunlight to shine all about us; the few remaining shadow creatures that were surrounding us burn and retreat behind their master.

  “Delphine…now.” My father stares into her eyes.

  “Yes,” she replies with a sorrowful nod.

  They grab ahold of me and throw me off of the cliff; tentacles stab through both of their bodies simultaneously and grapple them. Everything suddenly seems to go in slow motion as I watch the life slowly drain from their eyes. My body continues to fall to my likely demise.

  My father forces his hand through the tentacles barricade around him, my mother follows his lead. A tiny orb red and blue orb emerge from their palms. They are the last things I see of my parents before they are pulled away from my sight.

  “Mom…dad,” the world around me goes cold and black.

  What is to become of me now?

  Chapter 2

  My eyes burst open, instantly, my hands search my chest for a hole. Nothing but a scar. I sit up, looking around at the plain grey stone room and the colorful window on the wall to my left. The morning sun shines brightly through the window creating a barrage of energetic colors that float around the room. It’s the only thing that gives it life; with the exception of the large bed. Finely crafted wood makes its post, a huge tiger fur blanket shrouds it and me.

  Something shifts at my feet, causing my hands to ball into fists. Silvery grey hair covers her face like a veil when she lifts her head. As she shifts her hair away from her face I find myself gazing into her beautiful purple eyes. This is when I recognize her.

  “Where am I?” My voice is raspy.

  She smiles, then covers her mouth when she yawns.

  “Sorry, I’m so tired. I’ve been in your room for the past week trying to keep you alive. For a second I thought I lost you.”

  It feels like someone just hit me over the head with a sack of stones.

  “I’m sorry…what?” Frustration outlines my tone.

  She looks taken back.

  “Oh, I thought maybe you remembered. You were almost killed and I’ve been healing you since we brought you here.”

  I throw off the blanket, looking down at the long pinkish scar on my chest.

  “How am I still alive?”

  “Mostly because I healed you. Then again, you aren’t exactly a—um, weakling. Yes, let’s call it that.”

  She smiles as she walks to the door to the right of the room. There are too many questions rambling in my mind to focus on my whereabouts.

  The lady throws a ragged pale shirt in my face.

  “By the way, I am Crystalline.”

  What a lovely name.

  “I’m Zarvick,” I say as I pull the shirt over my head.

  Crystalline looks me in the eyes and smiles once more.

  “Yes, I know,” a hint of irritation can’t be denied, “and before I forget Genu wants to see us.”

  “Who’s Genu?” I ask. This is just all a little too much.

  “The kaine from before. If you wish to know more, he’s your guy.”


  I follow her as we walk through a long and wide hallway. The grey stone is as lifeless and dull as the stone in the room. Yet, unlike the room, this hallway has windows of its own. Each window has a different picture. One with a woman and a man, obviously in love, and further down it shows the same man but standing over a grave. A sad story plastered into graceful windows that shine with such…happiness.

  “Ugh,” Crystalline stops a few feet in front of me, “I should warn you that Genu can be a little blunt.” She turns to face me, her expression is serious. “He wants me to be all rude and obnoxious to you so that I can test how strong your willpower is. What better time to do it than in a crisis,” sarcasm and mockery voice in her sweet voice.

  I just stand there, empty and confused.

  “I’m not sure what testing my willpower has to do with anything but the death of everybody that I know is enough torture. So, thank you for being kind hearted…I guess.”

  She gives a soft laugh and nods. Crystalline is beautiful. As we continue forward I rub my fingers at the scar on my chest. This is just all too much for me to handle.

  * * * * *

  We eventually come to a large courtyard. A tall slender man, wearing ivory garments, with long lovely black hair that ends at his waist, stands in the center of a large garden. The beauty of the plants radiates beyond compare. Flowers and plants of all shapes, sizes, and colors lie in wait to absorb your soul into its perfect harmony. Soothing any and all pain you may have.

  The man turns around and takes one glance at both of us. I look over at Crystalline; sunlight glistens across her smooth tan skin. Her curls bounce as she walks over to the man. Beauty just seems to follow wherever she goes.

  “Genu stop playing with your flowers. Zarvick is awake,” she glances over at me smiling.

  Her smile is overwhelming. I can already tell that we have a strong bond.

  “Hello,” I sound awkward.

  “I see you're not dead,” he said with a lifeless tone.

  “Guess not,” joking doesn’t seem like a wise choice right now.

  “Yes, now we have much to do with such little time.”

  “I’m not doing anything until you tell me why my parents were killed.”

  He turns to face me. Genu’s golden eyes burn holes through me.

  “You will do as I say nothing more, nothing less. Do you understand?”

  My mouth is left ajar. Who does he think he is?! I will not stand for this until I get my answers.

  “I’m not doing anything until you tell me what’s going on.”

  “Is that so,” he sounds amused.

  “Yes,” I will not back down.

  “Then leave. The gates are over there. I don’t have time to deal with ignorant little children who don’t understand what’s at stake. So go and don’t come running back for help.”

  At first, I am hesitant, then I began walking. Before I take three steps towards the gate Crystalline grabs my arm.

  “You're not going anywhere,” she looks me in the eyes.

  The smiling beauty from before has faded.

  “Let him go if he can’t do what he’s told he’s better off dead,” Genu snaps.

  She shakes her head in distaste.

  “You old fool, why don’t you grow a heart and shut your trap,” Crystalline snaps back at him.

  She shoves me back inside the castle. The moment my foot crosses the door’s threshold, I instantly feel the emptiness on my arm. Looking back, I notice Genu lifting Crystalline off the ground by her throat.

  I don’t quite understand this feeling I get when I see her in trouble but I can’t help it. Dashing to her, I leap over the flower beds and land only feet from them. With no strategy, I simply force my fist forwards; a gust of wind surges towards Genu. He holds out his hand and the wind stops, everything stops. The reality around me becomes a blur. Everything focuses back into place.

  “What just happened?” I am dumbfounded.

  “It was a test,” Crystalline strolls up from behind me sounding annoyed.

  “How did you―”

  “I knew Crystalline wouldn’t go through with testing your willpower. So improvised by testing your instincts.”

  Genu appears in front of me. I see that he is a couple inches taller than I am. It’s a little intimidating.

  “If you had kept on walking into the castle I’d have no other choice than to let the darkness take you away because you would be useless in future battles. Since, however, you did remain aware of your surroundings and chose to put your life on the line. There just might be some hope for you.”

  I hardly understand. This is all just useless and I still don’t have any questions answered. I can already tell this new life of mine is going to confuse the living hell out of me.

  “I'll explain more once we are in the training room,” he says as he walks away.

  Training room? I’ve been asleep for a week, I have no idea what’s going on, I have no answers, and now I have to go train. What has my life come to? Contemplating everything is starting to make me dizzy.

  Crystalline nudges my shoulder, “come on.”

  Her light brown leather armor compliments her silhouette. I’ve never seen a more beau—what am I talking about? I just met her. I need to focus on getting my answers.

  “Crystalline, wait.”

  I run over to the castle doors trying to gather my thoughts.

  “I…what’s going on here?”

  She looks at me and smiles.

  “I’m sorry but I don’t have the answers that you seek.”

  Of course, you don’t.

  “Then why are you smiling?”

  Crystalline walks away from me. Leaving me in suspense.

  I follow her through the long hallway, and through giant rooms that could fit small armies within its walls. Nicely crafted furniture, animal skin rugs, colorful windows, and yet the structure is made entirely of plain grey stones. However, I wish I grew up here in a wonderful home. The only downside is that it’s secluded from the rest of the world. Then again, this castle is a world of its own.

  “Is this where you were raised?”

  Crystalline shakes her head, “no, I only admired it.”

  She’s joking, right?

  “I don’t understand,” we stop in front of two giant golden doors.

  The doors have many runes engraved into its surface.

  “I only came up here to sleep, eat and catch a break. But I didn’t grow up in this part of the castle.”

  “Where did you grow up then?”

  Her eyes gaze upon the door’s perfection.

  “Beyond these doors.”

  Crystalline places her hand on the door’s handle. The silky golden knob comes alive and wiggles onto her skin. Slowly gliding on the back of her hand, then along her palm and finishes by wrapping around her wrist. She grasps the handle and pushes the door open with ease.

  “The handle is enchanted. It only allows entry to those who are deemed worthy by Genu’s standards,” Crystalline explains.

  I expected a giant room with amazing things and all sorts of items. Yet, it’s just a staircase. Crystalline goes down the stairs into the darkness. I, on the other hand, am little more hesitant. I decided to take my time but after a few steps into the darkness; I just stand still, waiting for something that isn’t there: my parents.

  They kept me from adventuring outside of the forest and now I am in a castle. I keep expecting them to pop up out-of-nowhere and wake me up from this nightmare. But they don’t. So, I press forward.

  Not a single torch or candle just darkness. I close my eyes honing in on my senses and breathe slowly, allowing my shoulders to fall like feathers. Something just spontaneously clicks in my head. Before I managed to control the elements by just willing it to protect Crystalline and myself. Maybe I can try again.

  I decide to sit down to help me focus better but the moment I do I feel so stupid. I have absolutely no idea what I am doing.

  I ignor
e the feeling and clear my head. The cool steps feel like they haven’t ever felt the warmth of life since the beginning of time. The more I concentrate on the cold, the colder it becomes. My eyes shoot open when my fingers rub against the now icy surface of the stairs.

  Slowly, I bring myself to a wobbly standing position. I breathe into my palms and rub them together to keep them warm. A hot breath escapes my lips, running along the surface of my skin. The moment my hands are released from one another, flame sparks in the center between my palms.

  The small fire flickers into a blazing light; heat licks at my hands providing them with warmth. The frozen walls and stairs glow against the radiating light. Reflecting a bright blue through the darkness.

  “This is g―”

  “Unexpected.”

  A deep voice echoes for my attention.

  “I was going with gorgeous.”

  “I mean that I wasn’t expecting to see how effortlessly you are using your powers,” Genu slides his hand along the ice’s exterior, “wouldn’t you agree?”

  “No, I don’t understand why this is happening.” I thrust my hands forward indicating to the fire.

  “You’re persistent. Be careful with that trait it could get you into trouble. On the other hand, it is quite a convincing quality to possess. So, I will tell you everything you want to know,” he pauses, “at a price.”

  I sigh and shake my head. When I look back at him, it is an unoccupied space, an empty void.

  “The wonders of the world,” I think aloud.

  Keeping my balance, my feet glide along the few icy steps; escalating my speed to…wherever this will take me.

  * * * * *

  Finally, I reach the bottom and wasn’t half expecting what I stumbled into. The room is a beautiful land of jagged rocks and smooth stone that seems to have formed from the natural environment of this underground place. Stalagmites and stalactites pierce from ceiling to floor all over the room.