Shadow Walkers

by Kostura, Micheal

  Valus snaps his fingers, and a purple smoke starts swirling in the air next to him. It stretches out to the size of a door, and Valus puts his hand through the smoke. Hector watches Nick’s face contort with horror as Valus pulls a middle aged woman out of the doorway, her mouth gagged and her hands tied.

  “Mom!” Nick screams. Hector feels his gut drop as he realizes the horror of the situation. Valus had Nick’s mother held captive and was using her to bait the young Walker.

  Valus smiles as Nick’s mother struggles to get away. “That’s right, Nick. You have a choice- either I take your life, or I take your mother’s life. I kept her alive all this time just so you would have some incentive to trust me. You have until the next time we meet to come up with your answer.”

  Without a chance for any words to be exchanged, Valus takes Nicks mother and walks back through the portal with her, the rift disappearing immediately after he goes out of sight.

  Nick screams again. Isaac grabs onto the young boy, trying to calm him down. It was in this moment that Hector realized the reality of being a Shadow Walker. Up until today, he imagined that being a Guardian would be like becoming one of the superheroes depicted on earth. But the fear that the Void can strike into you, the feelings of helplessness that can come over you- Hector didn’t truly experience any of that until today. And it was watching Nick scream at the wind that made Hector’s mind go back to the conversation he had with the stranger from the streets of Eros.

  Hector was asked what his goal was- what his motivation for being a Walker was. While watching his friend cry over his mother, Hector realized that he too had something that he wanted to protect. And with his Invert powers finally letting Hector go on the offensive, he realized that he’d finally be able to do such a thing with his own two hands. It was in this moment, when Nick was at his lowest, that Hector realized what his goal was.

  More than anything else in the world, Hector wanted to keep his friends happy.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Nick

  Nick wipes a tear away as he looks down at the ground. Isaac leans back against a wall and sighs. “Are you good?” He asks.

  Nick clenches his fist and nods his head. “Yeah.” He sits down in a chair, trying his hardest not to punch the table. After his encounter with Valus, Nick started freaking out. After throwing things and freezing over a couple buildings, Isaac had to take Nick away from everybody else to let him calm down. He knew that he should have been embarrassed for the way he acted, but what other people thought of him was the last thing on his mind. The only thing that mattered was his mother.

  “I know what you’re feeling right now, Nick. But in the middle of a mission we can’t have your feelings get the better of you. That’s exactly what Valus wants.”

  Nick looks at his captain with doubtful eyes. “What am I supposed to do, Isaac? My mother is the only person I have left, and Valus can just kill her whenever he wants. How can you expect me to just relax knowing that she’s in danger?”

  Isaac shakes his head. “Come tomorrow, if we don’t destroy both of the Void who are trying to break open the gates to the Pit, then all of us are probably going to get murdered. Then, the humans will be left at the mercy of the Void themselves. Regardless of what personal sacrifices we have to make, this mission has the utmost priority as it puts all of our lives in danger. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”

  Nick slowly nods. “Yeah I get it. But even if Valus is trying to play with my emotions, and even if I am on a mission, I can’t just ignore my mom. She’s all that I have left.”

  Isaac walks over and sits down across from Nick. “Valus has a sense of joy in the two of us being on the same team. Do you know why?”

  Nick quickly brainstorms for an answer, and only comes up with one possibility. “Because you were the one who saved me from his attack on earth?”

  “That’s only a small part of it. You see, the situation you’re experiencing now is very similar to what happened to me about eight years ago. I was on a mission to eliminate a Void who had been causing trouble lately in the Pit. It was my first mission as a captain, and I had about four other captains working alongside me. One of them was this beautiful woman named Fiona. We were engaged and ready to get married once I turned eighteen later that year. I loved her more than anything else in the world.”

  Nick looks down at the ground. “She died, didn’t she?” He asks flatly.

  “Yeah, she did. During our mission Valus appeared and wiped the whole team out. Fiona and I tried to fight him off, but he was way out of our league. When he was about to land the killing blow on me, Fiona intercepted it. She died in my arms, without saying another word to me. Valus let me live, saying that he preferred a hunt over full on slaughter. He told me that I would be his second most anticipated kill. That day, I made Fiona a promise- I’d avenge her and our fallen friends. And to this very day, me and Valus hold a mutual grudge towards each other. Now I don’t plan on letting Valus win- and neither should you.”

  Nick lets Isaac’s words sink in for a couple of minutes. He tries to imagine what Isaac must have felt all those years ago, and how he must feel now everytime he sees Valus. Even hearing the man’s name had to bring back dark memories for his captain.

  “I think I understand.” Nick says. “Being upset or worrying isn’t going to fix the situation. Before, my only goal was to protect my mother, and then she got kidnapped before my eyes. The only thing I can do now is push forward and get her back from Valus, because that’s the only way to keep my promise to protect her.”

  Isaac smiles. “Exactly. Even if you listened to Valus, just remember that he is the type of man who would still kill your mother even if you gave your own life. It’s all because of that grudge he bears for the two of you. You can’t just lower yourself to playing by his rules. To save your mother, we’re going to have to fight Valus.”

  Nick nods his head. “Thanks for the advice Isaac, really. But I don’t see how I could possibly stand up to him in a fight.”

  Isaac holds out his hand. “Look Nick, let’s make a vow together. Right now.”

  Nick cocks his head to the side. “For what?”

  “You and me both have a messed up history with Valus. I want to make a vow right here and now that the two of us will work together to defeat that man. We’re the two people that Valus hates most, and also the two who he just can’t seem to kill. Once you hone your skills, the two of us will be able to take him down. No matter what happens from here on out, I want to defeat Valus with my own hands. And I’d love it if you were there to help me out. Sound good?”

  Nick knew that making threats to Valus of the Void probably wasn’t the smartest idea in the world. But after capturing his mother there was nothing else that the Void could take away from him. It hasn’t even been two weeks since he met Valus, but he no longer felt intimidated by the Void. Valus took their relationship to a personal level, so much so that Nick didn’t see him as the murderous monster that everybody else saw. To Nick, Valus was just another obstacle there for him to overcome, not some unstoppable beast.

  He reaches out and firmly shakes his captain’s hand. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”

  “Good. Now let’s get back to Hector and Allison, we need to finish this mission before we’re too late.” The captain opens the door and steps into the hallway. He seems to notice that Nick doesn’t move an inch. “We can’t beat Valus if you stay in this room for the rest of your life.”

  Nick smiles and follows his captain out. As he walks behind Isaac, he can’t help but feel grateful. Without him sharing a part of his personal life like that, Nick might not have been able to get any resolve. The whole situation reminded Nick of how his father used to tell him stories about his life. In the few short days after meeting the man, Nick felt as if Isaac was like an older brother. But now, with the two of them making promises to each other, Nick can’t help but see Isaac as the father figure he’s been missing for eight years.

 
And he wouldn’t want any other man as his captain.

  * * *

  “You feeling better?” Allison asks as Nick and Isaac enter the King’s throne room once again.

  “Yeah,” Nick replies, “As long as we don’t get held captive again I think I should be cool.”

  Isaac leans against a pillar and eyes Zerik. “I appreciate the help, but if you ever hold my kids captive again, there won’t be any gratitude left between us. Just remember that.”

  Zerik’s face scrunches up, and Nick was sure that the Invert prince was going to shout some type of insult at Isaac, but he only laughs. “You Walkers really are interesting. Thank you too, for bringing Hector here. As long as things go smoothly, I’m sure we’ll be seeing all of you next year when he comes back to help us.”

  All eyes turn to Hector. “What’s he talking about?” Isaac asks.

  “Oh yeah, I forgot you guys were all captured and stuff. So here’s what’s going down…”

  Hector quickly explains the Inverts plan to Allison, Isaac, and Nick- who was surprised that Hector actually agreed to help them in the first place. When he’s finished explaining Isaac rubs his chin. “I see. I think that if Serena’s ring is hidden in her fortress, and if Hector can truly enter it, then this plan is amazing. I’m behind it all the way. When we finish our mission, I can only hope that the Council will be just as supportive.”

  “Wait, this sounds like too much.” Allison says. “There’s no way that we could survive in the Void itself.”

  Zerik laughs. “You foolish girl. You not only underestimate the power of us Inverts, but the strength of your own kind as well. However, as much as I’d love to sit here and argue all day long, there isn’t any point in us debating something that’s a year away. Your priority is your current mission. Then, it’ll be up to the Council to decide if you Walkers will help us out.”

  “Brother,” Malia whispers, gaining everybody's attention, “You must feel it too- our mother's wrath burning in the back of your skull.”

  Damon smiles. “Yeah. She’s probably upset that she can’t execute the Inverts now that both of the Gatekeepers guarding Eros’ doors have been taken down. Serves her right.”

  Nick didn’t know much about Damon, including how much he could truly rely on the Void. All he did know was that he and Hector were, for some strange reason, friends. But in this moment, Nick truly liked the guy. It had to take a lot of guts for him to just oppose the Queen of the Void- his own mother. For the first time since he’s met the kid, Nick was actually starting to see Damon as more of a friend than the guy who was just helping him out.

  “Well, thanks again for the stones.” Hector says. Nick notices the two small stones in his teammates hand. One was silver, and he figured it had to be the same one that was used to summon a pack of wolves. The other was a misty purple. Nick wonders what kind of power the second stone holds.

  “No problem.” Zerik says. “Take those as a small parting gift. Oh, and I forgot to mention- we have sent Inverts to earth to help kill the last Gatekeeper stationed there. I wish I could go and help you dispose of it as well, but my father and I must stay here in Eros.”

  Isaac smiles. “I wouldn’t expect royalty to come out of the throne room just to help commoners like us. Thank you for having us, and for the help on earth, but we need to get going. Allison, Hector, Nick.”

  Isaac holds out his hand and the group grabs onto it. Damon frowns as he grabs on as well. “I’m here too you know.”

  “Sorry.” Isaac says with a smirk. Zerik chuckles and turns around.

  “I’ll see you all in a year’s time.” The Invert prince says as he slowly returns to his throne.

  Zerik’s back was the last thing Nick saw before jumping through a shadow at his feet.

  * * *

  After returning to earth Nick felt a river of tension rush out of his body. Even in a town surrounded by mountains- mountains that were probably thousands of miles away from his house- he felt more at home than he did for one second in Eros. He didn’t really know how to feel about Zerik and the rest of the Inverts. He may have actually enjoyed his stay in Eros if it weren’t for all of the drama that unfolded in such a short time. But befriending the Inverts was something that he didn’t need to be worrying about at the moment. Their cooperation meant nothing unless they could manage to stop the Void from annihilating the Shadow Walkers.

  “Okay you guys, listen up.” Isaac says almost immediately after arriving at earth. “If we retrace our steps, the Void that we need to defeat might still be in that direction.” He points to the east and continues his explanation. “That was the direction the lesser Void we were trying to tail was headed.”

  “Before Valus came out of nowhere.” Allison mumbles.

  “Right. So if we continue that way, we should run into a large group of Void trying to protect another Gatekeeper. If we defeat the giant like we did in Eros, then we can return home and finish off the last one there. Even if we only defeat one of them, we should be fine considering that both gates couldn’t be taken down simultaneously. But be prepared. Since we’ve foiled half of the Void’s plans, I’m sure they have a lot more elites stationed here on earth. Got it?”

  Nick and the others nod, and their captain begins walking. “Alright, then follow my lead.”

  After a while the group passes through a small market. Nick recognizes that it’s the same one that he and Allison destroyed their first Void in. The thought causes a strange feeling to surface in Nick’s thoughts. He couldn’t help but wonder if it was a sense of pride that he had finally become a true Shadow Walker.

  After about twenty minutes of silent walking, Damon speaks up.

  “Just so you know, we just entered Void territory. They have four members of the Queen’s Hand here, as well as twelve other non-ranked elites. Valus and his sidekick Amber are among them. As well as two top ranked elites named Cleo and Arion. In other words, four of the top five strongest Void are guarding this Gatekeeper.”

  Isaac grunts. “Five versus seventeen. Just great.”

  “Make that nine versus seventeen.” An unfamiliar voice says from behind Nick. He turns to see four strangers standing side by side. Their group was the exact opposite of Nick’s- an older woman, two young girls and a young boy. Though the younger ones were still around the same age as Nick’s group. He notices that none of them have purple hair or eyes, so they couldn’t be Void. Just as he begins figuring things out himself, Isaac sighs.

  “Regina, thank god you’re here. I was about to call in to base to request for backup. I mean more wouldn’t hurt, but with two Midnight Order captain’s there should be a lot less trouble.” He pauses and smiles at Nick and the others. “This is Regina. She’s a fellow captain and also a friend of mine. And these are her rookies. Er…”

  “Boy is Scott, blonde girl is Rebecca, and the redhead is Jessie.” Regina says flatly.

  “Nick.” Nick says. He never liked introducing himself as Nicholas.

  “Allison Marxon.”

  “Name’s Hector.”

  Everybody from both groups turns to look at Damon. He coughs awkwardly as he kicks the dirt at his feet. “I’m a Void named Damon. I promise I don’t want to kill you.”

  Regina reels her head back, but the look on her face makes it seem like nothing really surprised her. “Isaac, a Void is on your team? You know how much trouble you could get in if the council were to find out?”

  “Well considering that they authorized his assistance, I think I’ll be fine. Besides, he’s half human and harmless to us. He’s not a big fan of the other Void.”

  “Okay guys, I’m not an exhibit. Can we please focus on the mission?” Damon demands as his cheeks turn pink from embarrassment. Nick laughs internally at how shy the boy was. “Since we’ve formed a larger group, let’s examine each other's skills and form a plan of action. We’re dealing with four of the strongest Void as well as some high class fodder, we can’t go in unprepared.”

  Nick and the
others huddle together as everybody starts reciting what class they are and what their Chains do. Nick would be lying if he said he wasn’t fascinated by all of the newcomers abilities. Walker powers, as small as some of them could be, were still like superpowers to him. The slightest thing could make his mouth drop in awe. Throughout their conversation he realizes that, outside of the Council members, these were the first Shadow Walkers that Nick has truly interacted with besides his own team.

  Almost as soon as training was finished the Void were preparing to eradicate all of the Walkers. There wasn’t really any time for him to get accustomed to the Pit and make friends with the other rookie Walkers. Nick makes a quick note in the back of his mind that he should try to socialize more with the other Walkers after all of this was over.

  Of course, that would only happen if everything goes according to plan.

  Chapter Twenty

  Nick

  Nick was having serious doubts about the plan. As he, Hector, and Scott silently make their way towards their target he couldn’t help but feel like every step was going to get him caught. Even though they were invisible, the enemy could still hear every noise they made. It was a lot of pressure for him to not even breath loudly.

  When they got closer to the Void’s position, they realized that many other Walkers had attempted to assault the area. Nick had to force himself to keep his eyes straight. Seeing just one of the bodies lying motionless on the ground made his stomach curl. Overall there had to be about fifty fallen Walkers. There were even some there who wore the uniform of Eros’ guards. Needless to say, he was having a hard time keeping his focus on the mission. One screw up and he would be just another body lying cold on the ground.

  The Gatekeeper was now standing only yards away from Nick’s group. The size of the giant was large enough to dwarf any of the buildings in the surrounding town. Though Nick had too much on his mind for the monster to intimidate him. He was amazed by how in only a couple weeks time he’s managed to be unphased by the worlds he previously knew nothing about. As they crept up on one of the elite Void guarding the Gatekeeper, Nick was more excited than he was scared.