by Reja Emran
The shadowy storms grow in the west,
The ice spires and peaks scream with unrest;
A darkness is flooding and cursing the earth,
A shadow is spitting venom in the fiery hearth;
The mists of the morning have darkened to crimson,
The blood of the slain, on the rock glistens;
As death crawls closer and life becomes dear,
All is in obscurity for even the light is feared;
Night is shrouded with the gentle whispers of doom,
All await the curse which looms;
A dark mark on the core of the earth has been laid,
The life and the songs have begun to fade;
The shadow slowly stirs and the storms grow in the west,
The morning lays forgotten and screams with unrest…
CONTENTS
Prologue Shadow Dancer
Chapter 1 Hounds of Darkness
Chapter 2 Gathering of the Storm
Chapter 3 Sacred Glove
Chapter 4 The Demon King
Chapter 5 Torn by the Blade
Chapter 6 Rebirth
Chapter 7 The Earth Stone
Chapter 8 Revelations
Chapter 9 Tides of War
Chapter 10 A Soulless Warrior
Appendix:
Translation of Elentian test in story
~ Prologue ~
A
pine-scented, chilly breeze blew harshly across the dense forest and dew settled on the verdant grass heavily as if burdened by evil. Mournful sounds and cries of anguish shattered the remaining morsels of tranquility and the atmosphere was engulfed with terror and awe unlike before. Creatures and fiends alike had taken refuge in the north, towards the Mountains of Ragnar as their existence was threatened by the darkness which had purged the lands, tainting them with a horrific curse. The mountains gave them a shelter, a barrier to protect them from danger at least for a while as it was an area of peace; an ephemeral peace.
Beneath the pitch black skies in the jungle and in the shadow of a small, dark crevice there moved a figure. Only a keen sight could spot the pale outline of the body in the shimmer of moonlight as the skin was intertwined with the shadows of the night to become one.
The figure appeared to be prancing about merrily in the shadowy enclosure as it clutched an object, a fiery red object in its fist that shone fiercely like fire. The creature’s gleeful, raspy laughs reflected a wicked delight as it ran delicate fingers on the surface of the ruby. In the soft beams of moonlight which broke through the canopy of trees, its features were barely visible except for the incandescent copper red of the long hair and the glint of steel in the eyes glowing with ardor. The nimble creature hunkered down, camouflaging in the dark shadows and placed the flaming rock on a smooth, moonlit boulder. It then cackled and its eyes inflamed to brilliant cobalt as the figure fell to its knees and laughed to the sky; a laugh hardened with venom, tarnished with malice.
Nearby, a kestrel with vibrant shades of indigo and scarlet had settled on the overhanging branch and was watching this figure with interest until it saw the rock. It was the firestone it perceived, the stone that had been stolen from the cave of Solhaven. Gazing awhile at the glimmering ruby with misty eyes and an expression of bewilderment, the kestrel spread its magnificent wings and soared hastily, melting into the starless inky sky to inform those who held the power. It was no ordinary kestrel as it bore the mark of the Elders of Klamath who saw the shapes and patterns which time wove and watched over the earth and the Magic Plains, watching and waiting for the prophecies to be fulfilled; the prophecies which could mark the end of all existence and cause the breaking of the world. Through the whispers of the sands of time these Elders had always watched, they could not interfere with the earth and its tremors. They belonged to a neutral alignment but now they were aware of the balance tipping which would mean their end for which they were ready. In whose favor would the balance fall they would not know until the web of time was completed, the web of destiny of these lands. The weaving of destiny had begun, each thread intertwining with one another for in this age all were given importance.
The creature noticed the kestrel and had stepped out revealing itself. It was a young one or perhaps it had been a young child who had been turned into a spiteful beast through the rages of time. With blazing cobalt eyes, it cursed angrily and grabbing the stone sped away into the asylum of the thick woods…the woods which had long ago been besmirched by evil…the woods known as the Sevin Jungle, a forest which had fallen in the sway of the darkness.
~ Chapter One ~
The night was enveloped by intense, dark masses of clouds which swirled around encircling the empurpled sky and casting a shadow on the clefts and ridges. Torrential rainfall pelted on the soft ground washing away the soil while violent flashes of lightning demolished the strong structures of the trees, which came crashing down resoundingly upon the coarse earth.
The Earth had been plunged in an unprecedented anarchy ever since the firestone had been stolen and now nothing roamed the forests except the creatures of the night. It was a perilous time as all hope had been lost and the brushstroke of blackness had embedded itself into the sky. Even the stars had lost their gleam and they were masked by the feared Dark, the Dark Shadow which had consumed the very cores of the Earth and had shattered all the beacons of hope except for a few that had yet to reveal their light and guide those who had fallen astray. Yet that time was far away and the coming of times revealed that evil would soon be indomitable and perhaps even indestructible.
The singing of nighthawks and the soft whispers of the grass become quiet and all that could be heard was a silence with the occasional rustling of the heavy wind on the ground. The edges of the horizon had faded into oblivion and an accursed shadow had withered the lands. The Magic Plains were being corrupted while fear singed the flesh of the creatures, a fear that was not nameless but could not be named. All was obscured by black and the lands were cursed, villages and people falling victim to the new scourge which had arisen while others betrayed their codes of honor to take place with the Dark Shadow and have the blood of traitors flow through their dry veins.
Under the shelter of a huge rock sat a brooding black panther, his polished golden eyes riveted to the enraged sky. As he stared, he fell back into the memories of the past, the beautiful yet sorrowful past that had all been lost as the world changed remaining only as a fond remembrance in some hearts…
Houndsville, July 1800 A.D.
It was a gloomy night. Darkness had descended and the light had withdrawn to its slumber. Silently, the creatures of the night stirred at the mournful cry of the coyotes.
Kashya snuggled besides Axhelius, finding comfort in his soft, warm fur. Axhelius looked at her and gently nudged her with his nose which produced a soft smile on Kashya's somber face.
"Axhelius?" she asked, as she stroked him behind his pointed ears.
"Yes Kashya" muttered Axhelius, with a yawn.
Taking a sharp, deep breath Kashya said, "This world will be destroyed if the firestone is taken into the wrong hands."
"Yes Kashya, you're right" answered Axhelius with uncertainty for Kashya knew this very well.
"Hmm…if I died and another Annoxonum came would that be fair?"
Axhelius gazed into her large eyes to find out where this conversation was leading but he found only emptiness. With a low growl he replied reluctantly. "Kashya, after every Annox-onum dies another succeeds. It is the way things are but if it makes you feel any better, it is not really fair."
Flipping
her dark hair over her shoulders and after fiddling with her hands, she finally spoke. "Oh. Then it isn't fair that I am living on while my predecessor suffered so much losing their families, beloved and-" she choked and suddenly became quiet.
Then the chord struck through Axhelius and he realized how dense he had been. Kashya had lost everything. Her parents became victims to hungry wolves, her best friend was murdered by a witch and now Kashya feared that her life would be taken away. He gazed at her, lost for words, as tears trickled down her face which felt like daggers piercing his heart.
"Kashya…" said Axhelius in a soothing voice not able to comfort her though he wanted to.
“Will you abandon me Axhelius?”
“Kashya, never will I desert you. I swear it.”
Kashya nodded and huddled up, closing her eyes wearily. Axhelius sighed with a low grunt and flopped down besides her thinking no more as his exhaustion carried him off to sleep.
The fierce storm had finally abated when Axhelius awoke from his restless slumber and the clouds slowly withdrew overhead, revealing the luminescent moon; twinkling and attempting to penetrate this haven for evil, an evil which had no parallel. An evil which not even the sorceress Aria could have created; it was deadly.
Axhelius glanced at the glittering pale orb against the sinister sky that waxed into a sphere and then hesitating slightly, he bounded off into the darkness.
***
"Axhelius!" screeched Sorceress Aria, "where have you been you feeble minded creature?"
Keeping his temper in control, the panther answered through a tightly gritted jaw, "Patrolling." He did not purposefully add a title of respect to this woman for he felt no respect for her. He had remained in her service for long but one thing that always pinched him was that she never really trusted him. For this witch I turned evil. He shook that thought away knowing it was false, a statement he used to cover his guilt. Axhelius had been overcome with greed when the sorceress promised him powers he could never have dreamed of. For her I betrayed my duties, for her I betrayed Kashya. I have lost her love and will never be loved again, not by the sorceress. Not ever. His eyes shadowed and he gazed at the floor.
"Patrolling!" screamed Aria in response clearly uptight at the moment, "for over three hours. Wow, how exciting! Did you manage to find something besides a few rabbits?"
Taking a sharp breath of annoyance, anger and humiliation, Axhelius remained silent without giving any reply but Aria continued to wail like a banshee about unintelligible things including at least fifteen curses for Axhelius and the Annoxonum. She raved of the rising of the Shadow as well and that they were now in an unstable position. None understood what she meant and all wore similar expressions of surprise. This crazy fit of hers was brought to an end when Jalia, her sprite servant approached, giving all eardrums a moment of peace. The sprite bowed her light head and lowered her eyes.
"Mistress" whispered Jalia in reverence, "I have found news about Fiona. After escaping she sought refuge in the Sacred Glove."
"Really? You are so skilled Jalia." Aria’s tone dripped with sarcasm and her sapphire eyes glittered with impatience. “Well then you should lead your unit to search her out from Sacred Glove. I believe you will be capable enough to locate that giant of a bird. It requires your keen sight.”
"That's impossible. You know the Sacred Glove. Any creature who seeks asylum there is under the personal protection of the noble phoenix King" argued Jalia not at all miffed by the sardonic comments of her mistress, "Arean, the phoenix Queen, is also the mother of Fiona."
Aria stared at Jalia, her blue eyes blazing angrily and she tossed her chestnut hair behind her before walking to the edge of the encampment, standing silently near the forest.
"Aria, are you alright?" asked Axhelius tentatively not sure if she would continue her tirade or do some other unexpected act.
Aria relapsed into a long silence causing an unexpected surge of fear in the hearts of all present for Aria had never been silent, she raged and roared but silence never came upon her, not usually. All her concentration was absorbed into the darkness of the jungle, her eyes penetrating the shadows.
"Your majesty?" questioned Jalia, her hands nervously fingering the wilting roses on the hem of her short dress.
Then at that instant an orb tinted silver appeared in the centre, hovering above the air, vibrating as though furious. All retreated from this glass sphere hanging in mid air as they did not possess knowledge of what Aria was performing.
Aria turned to gaze at the sphere and spoke in an eerie voice which echoed in the hushed encampment, a dark magic that one could not contemplate but only understand the depth of its power. All of a sudden the sphere shed immense scarlet light and as the blinding flashes faded, a beautiful phoenix could be seen and all, but Aria, were stunned for seeing a phoenix was a rare opportunity for these creatures had great respect in the eye of a beholder.
“There is your target, that is where you are to go my hounds,” said Aria in hushed tones as the towers of Sacred Glove appeared in the misty glassed orb and behind her stood a pack of wolves. These were not the normal creatures that were found commonly in the Magic Plains but they were the beasts who ran with the shadows and were engulfed in the darkness till they lost all morality. Their charcoal coat was long and shaggy; their ears longer and sharper than normal wolves and the teeth were like long daggers embedded in the gums of these aberrations. The leader of the pack snarled, the dark eyes focused on the orb as it watched the views change to show the river running alongside the fortress exterior.
Aria smashed the orb with a flick of her hand and it obliterated into a thousand pieces that faded into the night. She turned to the wolf leader, her hand on its head as she whispered something inaudible even to Axhelius’s ears who was disgruntled by the presence of these monstrosities.
The wolf leader growled and bowing his charcoal head, he slinked back into the trees and in his wake several others followed and after a few seconds they had fused with the darkness and one could never prove that there were wolves here a while ago.
"Umm…Your majesty, why have you send these wolves?" questioned Jalia in bewilderment, her voice timid with fear as fairies despised wolves.
"Isn't it clear, my simple minded slave? They are going to rid us of those miserable phoenixes and I shall yet acquire another sacred territory of the enemy. I shall rule over Sacred Glove!" answered Aria in a supernatural tone of voice as she came back to the center of the clearing.
Jalia gasped and then mustering all her strength, she spoke in a firm tone. "The Phoenixes are powerful creatures and they can destroy that puny battalion of wolves in one flash. Arean cannot be defeated easily as she is embodied with limitless powers and Fiona has gained them as well. These are no ordinary phoenixes as along with an enormous size, they belong to the Glove tribe reputed for their powers which are beyond your imagination. Arean can command all the powerful creatures to her side and this minute pack of wolves will not lay even a scratch as the phoenix fire is deadly and burns to ashes.
You cannot stand a chance as their strength is greater than yours! If you will strike war with them then I shall defy your orders and leave this battalion! We do not want to be killed on foolish campaigns!" Jalia sighed deeply and gulped the air after she finished her passionate speech, astonishing the rest at how such a tiny creature had the capacity to talk with such fury before her mistress and the fairy now braced herself for Aria's vicious attack.
But nothing happened.
Silence blanketed the thick woods as Aria remained in a trance, her face glowering with heat and her eyes shining oddly as she regarded the sprite before her.
"Never in my entire life has anyone spoken to me so. Do you think I do not know of this, I’m just a retard to send a pack of wolves to their death like I have nothing better to do…" she said steadily, "such disrespect you have risked Jalia without knowing the consequences. I have little strength according to you but you shall witness only a fr
action of the power that is really vested in me."
Jalia now trembled. "Forgive me, I meant no such insolence. I was just concerned about you. Please spare me Mistress, I beg of you…"
Aria stepped forward and hugged Jalia, locking her in a tight embrace as if she was going to crush the fairy. The colour drained from the face of Jalia and her veins bulged from her gaunt face almost on the brink of ripping apart. "You were a loyal servant. Goodbye." She whispered icily in Jalia's ears. Stepping back, she let the sprite's fragile body float on the ground.
Everyone stared at the sprite's lifeless twisted body; her face robbed of its bliss and her stillness with not a breath sounding. Aria's sapphire eyes glittered with malice as she gazed at her former slave's crushed form. "Whosoever dares to attempt such disobedience shall meet the same fate. Why I have called upon these beasts of the night will not be asked if you value your life. I shall tolerate nothing against myself and tonight we will all journey to my fortress, Nebula!" exclaimed Aria in a booming voice tinted with evil, "Who does not agree?"
All heads bowed gently and Aria smiled, a cruel smile, a triumphant smile. "Mistress, should we remove the body?" asked a fairy named Annor, her voice tinged with apprehension.
"Leave it and Annor, before I forget, I hope you will be more respectful than your predecessor."
"I don't understand Mistress. Who's my predecessor?"
"I’m stuck with dim-bulbs for slaves…Obviously Annor I mean that you are the new leader of the fairies and now my trusted servant." At hearing this, Annor bowed down smiling. Her blonde hair fell to her face and her silver eyes wore a taunting smile as she gazed at the dead Jalia. The slaughtered servant, the servant who had risked defying her Mistress and Annor would not meet this fate.