Shadow Stalker Part 2 (Episodes 7 - 12)

by Renee Scattergood

  I did as I was told.

  "Do you think if you came to me, I wouldn't have sent Sephir to look after Shai?"

  "I—" I lowered my gaze, suddenly feeling foolish. "I didn't think of that."

  "Yes, well. Next time you get it in your head to be the selfless hero, Auren. Don't. You have no idea how important you are."

  "My father told me." My throat tightened. I hadn't thought much about my father since leaving the reconciliation center.

  "And you've chosen to ignore him?"

  I shook my head. It wasn't that I ignored what my father told me. I simply didn't understand why I was the only person who could save the people of the Serpent Isles. I was only one person. "I've missed you, Kado."

  His expression softened, and he held his arms out, inviting me in. I leaned my head on his chest and sobbed as he held me close.

  "I've missed you too."

  "I miss my father."

  "He's still with you, Auren. You understand that, right?"

  I nodded into his chest. "Yes. Sort of, but it's not the same."

  "No. It's not, but in some ways it's better."

  My father basically told me the same thing, but I hadn't seen any evidence of it yet. I missed Makari too, and I hoped he was safe. I wished he would just leave the Galvadi and fight for the Coalition. His reasons for staying behind made sense in a way. I just didn't like that he was in more danger now, and it was because of me. If they put a recinder on him—the recinders. He had given me the information on the alloy used to make them.

  "Oh, no." I looked around frantically. I didn't remember having the bag when I got into the hydrocar.

  Shai was just beginning to wake. "What's wrong?"

  "That bag with the files…"

  She reached under her tunic and pulled the bag out from her waistband. "It's right here. I took it when you passed out, just in case."

  "Thanks," I said, letting out a breath and handed the bag to Kado. "Makari gave this to me. It's a file with all the information we need to learn about the alloy and technology the Galvadi have been using against the shadow stalkers."

  Kado looked through the folder, a mix of amazement and relief on his face. He handed them to Sephir. "Finally. This may change the war for us," he said then turned towards me. "Now, about Makari."

  My heart sank. I would have to convince him somehow that Makari was on our side now. I doubted this information would be enough. Maybe nothing would. "I love him."

  "He may be your true mate, Auren, but he is Galvadi. I don't trust him."

  I folded my arms over my chest and leaned back into my seat. "Then you'll have to trust me."

  Epilogue

  It took nearly a year of Makari risking his life for the Coalition and dedicating himself to learning the true ways of the shadow stalkers, but Kado eventually did come to trust him. He was a good, attentive student, and he even pushed Auren into taking her training a little more seriously. Makari was a good influence on her, and it was obvious right from the start that he was determined to protect her even from herself. So Kado called him to a private meeting one day, and they put together a plan to help Auren achieve her goals as efficiently, and with as little risk to herself as possible. It meant getting Auren to a certain level within her training and helping her to reach a true understanding of her importance, without revealing too much. The shadow people were adamant there were certain things she needed to discover for herself.

  What really surprised Kado were the abilities she had discovered during her training. Some were advanced skills that would come out instinctively, like when she had burned those soldiers with condensed hot air. That was a skill many seasoned shadow stalkers had never been able to achieve, let alone master. She had many skills the shadow people usually reserved for Foramars. What concerned Kado though, were the skills she discovered that had never been bestowed on a shadow stalker before. The shadow people only told him she had to learn these skills and how to use them on her own. She could receive no help from him, except for imparting the wisdom needed to use them responsibly. The brutality of some of her abilities was startling. Thankfully her selflessness and desire to preserve life tempered the deadly nature of her power.

  Kado spent most of his training time with Auren teaching her more advanced fighting and stealth skills. She was determined to learn ways to incapacitate a person without killing them. She felt tremendous guilt over the lives she had taken during her escape on Nadiria. This part of the training was where she focused the most. When she wasn't sparring with Kado, she would look for other shadow warriors willing to spar with her or even Deakan when he was available.

  Kado's attention was jarred back into the moment when he was knocked to the ground.

  "Ha! I got you!" Auren cried out.

  "Yes. You got me," Kado conceded. "Good work."

  "You think maybe you're getting too old for this?" She asked, holding a hand out for him.

  Kado raised an eyebrow, springing to his feet without her aid. "Old." In a blur of motion, starting with a light tap behind her elbows, right on the pressure point, he manipulated both arms, so they were locked together behind her back. He wrapped his free hand around her neck, lifting her slightly and pulled her back onto his chest.

  "Okay, maybe not so old."

  Kado grunted and released her.

  Auren was about to say something when Makari appeared nearby. She gazed at Kado, pleading with her eyes. It had been a while since she had seen Makari, so he decided to give her a reprieve.

  "Go, but we will continue this tomorrow." Kado waved her off.

  "Thank you," she said, kissing him on the cheek before she ran into Makari's arms.

  *****

  With the help of the shadow warriors, the Coalition had reclaimed Appolia and began the process of retaking the islands one by one. The information Makari gave them was invaluable. They had been able to remove the recinder from Shai and study it, learning how they could counter the effects it had on a shadow stalker. Their scientists learned the alloy worked by drawing energy into itself. The process of creating it made an energy vacuum within the metal. Shadow stalkers relied on the use of great amounts of energy to draw on their powers, so the effects on them were immediate and extremely debilitating. Though they learned the hard way, it also affected normal people after long-term exposure, causing fatigue, nausea and disorientation.

  The scientists developed a suit which would nullify the effects completely, but knowing how the alloy worked also helped the shadow stalkers learn how they could overcome its influence by creating a barrier using the energy of the shadow world. At first Kado had been concerned using it that way might drain energy from the shadow world, adversely affecting that realm and the shadow stalkers' connection to it. But after speaking with the shadow people, they assured him this wouldn't be the case. Using this shield became part of regular training for the shadow stalkers.

  Auren thought back to her father's ability to overcome the effects of the recinder and, on occasion, even use some of his abilities. It might not have been much, but maybe he had instinctively developed a way to counter it over time. The recinders were not as potent as the balls made from the alloy, but the skin contact still would have kept a shield from being too effective. She was determined to find a way to overcome a recinder's effects altogether though. She doubted it would happen, but if she was captured again, they would know she was a shadow stalker. There was no way she'd get away with another deception.

  Why was she even thinking about this stuff anyway? Makari had come for a visit—visits which were increasingly infrequent—and she didn't want to miss a moment with him.

  *****

  Makari watched with a wide grin as Auren left the training area where she and Kado were sparring moments before. Only the shadow warriors and their wards had remained on Appolia. Now that he had earned the trust of the Foramar and promised to learn their ways properly, Kado had allowed everyone else to return to the Dark Isle, along with the new Council
of Elders he had selected. They had been given the task of running things on the Dark Isle while he was away, but he kept in close contact with them through the shadow world.

  Auren practically leaped into Makari's arms, and he held her close, breathing in her scent. It had been a month since they'd seen each other last. Getting away from the unit he'd been assigned to was getting harder and harder. They only allowed him to leave now whenever the delohi-saqu was spotted. For some reason, his father didn't want him hunting freely anymore. Despite his arguments that he'd have more success on his own, nothing changed Drevin's mind. The commander of his unit hated him too, just for having been born a shadow stalker. Makari wondered if they'd hate their emperor as much if they realized he had once been a shadow stalker.

  If he couldn't be with Auren though, he would make sure he helped end the war more quickly so no one could keep them apart. Whenever he could, he sabotaged the Galvadi's efforts during battles. Auren often worried they might find out what he was doing, but he was careful.

  On their way to the private alcove where Auren set up a room for herself, they passed Shai and Sephir who were involved in training exercises of their own. Auren waved, and they nodded in response. As soon as Makari had her alone, he kissed her deeply.

  "Now that I have you to myself, what shall I do with you?"

  Auren's eyes lit up. "I'm sure we can think of something."

  *****

  Shai shook her head as she watched Auren and Makari round the corner. They seemed to disappear for longer periods of time during each of Makari's visits. She supposed she understood to an extent. They were in love, and the war kept them apart for weeks at a time. It was mainly how they were all over each other, and the way they looked at each other, that made Shai want to throw up sometimes. It made her all the more grateful the shadow people had never seen fit to match Sephir with a mate. She couldn't imagine living with seeing that kind of intimacy all the time.

  She and Sephir had always been close. Shai was glad her father had chosen him. She looked up to him and appreciated him, but after spending nearly a year as the Galvadi's prisoner, believing she would never see her foster father again, she had developed a new appreciation for him. When Kado spoke about sending everyone, except the shadow warriors, back to the Dark Isle, she thought she would be sent back as well. The thought of being apart from Sephir again had nearly made her heart leap into her throat, but he assured her it wouldn't happen. In fact, he wanted to train her as a shadow warrior. Much of the training she had already received for her mission to Nadiria was similar, so it hadn't taken much to adjust it.

  "Sephir," Deakan called as he entered the cave the shadow warriors had claimed as their base and temporary home. "Have you seen Kado and Auren?"

  Deakan had been working closely with the shadow warriors over the last year and acted as a liaison of sorts between the shadow warriors and the Coalition.

  Sephir turned to him. "I'm not sure where Kado has gone, but Auren is in her room. Is something wrong?"

  "No, but the general needs two shadow warrior teams for a mission. He asked for Kado and Auren, and wants you as well, but wasn't sure if you would be willing to leave Shai. He knows you're at a critical point in her training."

  Often when Sephir was called away, she had to train with one of the other shadow warriors. He felt she wasn't ready for missions yet, despite having already been to Nadiria. Maybe it was because of her experiences there he was reluctant to let her accompany him. When she returned, she had lost some of her humanity—according to Sephir and her father—and they felt she needed a lot of psychological healing before being exposed to any sort of violence.

  "I'll go," Sephir said.

  Shai's heart sank. She'd be left behind again, and this time her father wouldn't be around either. Sephir gazed at her as though he was looking through her, and she felt the familiar feeling of him in her mind. Within moments he turned back to Deakan.

  "Shai will accompany me."

  Her jaw dropped. "Really?"

  "Really," Sephir said, grinning. "You're ready."

  Shai squealed and jumped into his arms.

  ###

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  Glossary

  Ageiyu – (ah-GAY-oo) – Word for beloved in the shadow language.

  Appolia (ah-POLE-ee-uh) – The largest northernmost island of the Serpent Isles, and capital of the Coalition.

  Appolia City (ah-POLE-ee-uh SIT-ee) – A seaside city on the southern coast of Appolia. It is the capital of Appolia.

  Beryllonium (bur-ril-LOH-nee-um) – An alloy made from bentonite and xanthorus, which is used to make the recinder and other devices to aid in interrupting electronic equipment and weapons.

  Brynn Reconciliation Center – Located in Ostare, the capital city of Nadiria. It is the main reconciliation on the island where high profile prisoners and fallen ones are sent.

  Cleansing – A technique used by the Galvadi to protect a person's mind from being controlled. It is series of systematic torture sessions that slowly break a person's will while implanting a specific belief system.

  Coalition; formerly the Coalition against the Galvadi Empire – The current government of the northern territories of the Serpent Isles. They formed a rebel group to fight the influence of the Galvadi Empire. With the help of the shadow stalkers, they won their independence and shortened their name to the Coalition. They are run by an elected council rather than any one leader.

  Council of Elders – The Council of Elders on the Dark Isle is made up of thirteen elders. Each one is chosen by the Foramar and represents one of the thirteen villages on the island. Their purpose is to determine the needs of each of the villages and support the Foramar in caring for their people.

  Danam (DAN-am)) – A green paste that heals surface wounds within 24 to 48 hours depending on the severity of the wound. Used by the Galvadi soldiers and also during interrogations so the victim can be tortured more often, while preventing a premature death due to infection or blood loss.

  Dansig Troops – The Galvadi Empire's elite troops. They serve as Drevin's personal guard as well as participating in other crucial missions that require special training.

  Dark Isle – An island in the equatorial region of the southern hemisphere. It is the home of the shadow stalkers and hidden by the shadow world so that only a shadow stalker can find its exact location.

  Delohi-saqu (duh-LOW-he-SAW-koo) – "one of the prophecy"

  Demons – Shadow people and guardians of the shadow world. Demons are the only shadow people who do not exist in the physical world. Shadow stalkers can transport them to the physical world, but it’s dangerous because they do not recognize friend or foe.

  Foramar (FOR-uh-mar) – A shadow stalker who is chosen by the shadow people and given unique abilities to help him fulfill his purpose, which is to guide his people in following the will of the shadow people, and to see to his people's needs.

  Gauwai (gaw-WHY) – "duality"; It is the name of one of the twin moons that orbits the world. The moons are the same size, but one almost always appears larger than the other because they orbit each other as well. It is also the name of one of the twin brothers in an old shadow stalker legend.

  Gauwin (gaw-WIN) – "oneness"; It is the name of one of the twin moons that orbits the world. The moons are the same size, but one almost always appears larger than the other because they orbit each other as well. It is also the name of one of the twin brothers in an old shadow stalker legend.

  Galvadi (gal-VAH-dee) – "divine"

  Galvadi Empire; formerly the Way of the Galvadi (gal-VAH-dee) – A society that was founded by the former shadow stalker, D
revin, as a way of thwarting the delohi-saqu’s influence on the people of the Serpent Isles. It started as a cult, called the Way of the Galvadi, which infiltrated and destroyed the original government of the Serpent Isles. They then reformed as the Galvadi Empire, with Drevin as their self-proclaimed Emperor.

  Hidalai (hi-DAH-lie) – a large weasel-like animal native to the Dark Isle. It's the only carnivorous animal dangerous to humans on the island.

  Hydrocar – Half car/half boat hybrids designed for traveling on land or water for ease of travel on and between islands. The Galvadi have devised a hydrocar that is able to travel on the surface of the water as well as below it.

  Luten Isle (LOO-ten ile) – The southernmost island in the Coalition territory near the Galvadi border.

  Nadiria (nuh-DEER-ee-uh) – The largest southernmost island of the Serpent Isles, and capital of the Galvadi Empire.

  Recinder (ree-SIN-der) – Round metallic device worn around the neck, nullified a shadow stalker’s power by disrupting their connection to the shadow world.

  Reconciliation centers – Places where people are taken in the Galvadi Empire to be tortured into submission under the guise of saving their minds from the influence of the shadow stalkers. Also a place where they keep prisoners of war and outlaws.

  Ridgecrest – A small town west of Yarrin Lake on Appolia.

  Seajewel Isle – An island south of Gemrod.

  Serpent Isles – An island chain in the northern hemisphere in the shape of the serpent, hence its name. It is one of the few island chains on the planet that is habitable for humans.