Rise of the Shadow

by Thomas Rouxville

  Jermyn only had a horse because a few times a year or so, he had to visit other towns for supplies. He hadn't ever taken Athena along. Athena could think of a hundred things she'd never done with her grandparents. She could think of a hundred things she wanted to say, but would never have the chance to. She hadn't even said goodbye.

  Slowly, Athena mounted the horse, trying to keep the animal calm. It was a tremendously hard feat, considering she was hardly calm herself. “Shh, Sapphire, it's okay, it's okay.” Sapphire neighed loudly, attempting to throw Athena off. “It's okay,” Athena repeated. It's far from okay.

  Eventually, Athena was able to maneuver the giant horse towards the forest. It was the only place Athena could think of going. It was the only remotely safe place left, though that was hardly any comfort. Spies could already be there right now, waiting to ambush her. Sapphire began to warm up to Athena, beginning to walk faster, finally breaking into a run.

  The cold air whipping past Athena almost felt good. It would have been liberating if not for the fact that she was going to hide. She was leaving one prison and entering another. The forest that she had once cherished so deeply was now nothing more than yet another prison for Athena to lock herself into. It was infuriating, absolutely maddening how such a beautiful place could turn into one of the darkest. Every place was dark now. Athena's mind was dark.

  When Athena reached the forest, she patted Sapphire and jumped down, leading the horse to the clearing. It was heartbreaking being back in the clearing she used to spend so much time in. Memories of Tobin flooded her mind, turning into the sad memories of the night a month earlier when she had learned of her destiny. Finally, memories of her grandparents invaded her, attacking her. She wanted to scream.

  Sapphire laid down, resting. Athena patted her black coat, smoothing it. She brushed off bits of branches and sticks and rested her head on the horse. Sapphire's heart was pounding as if the horse was scared. Could she sense something that Athena couldn't?

  Athena still had the knife she'd used to kill the man. It seemed like it had happened a long time ago in a nightmare, and yet, no more than an hour had gone by. In such a short amount of time, Athena had been attacked, she'd killed someone, and she had watched her bakery become a tomb. Her grandparents were really dead. She couldn't fully process it. This was all a nightmare. That was the best explanation. This entire month was nothing but a nightmare, and Athena would simply wake up from it.

  But the scars on her feet told her otherwise. The feelings in her stomach and heart told her. The blood stains on her clothes told her. This was no nightmare; it was real. Athena's life was a living hell, and there was nothing she could do to change it.

  King Landgrave was responsible. He was a murderer. He killed Athena's parents, he'd sent Tobin to death, and now, he'd killed Jermyn and Laguna. Everybody Athena loved was gone. She couldn't talk to any of them. She couldn't hug them or be comforted by them. They were gone, and she was alone.

  Sapphire's breathing slowed down, and her heart began to beat at a regular speed. She was fast asleep. For a moment, Athena envied the horse. Sapphire had nothing to worry about. No care in the world. She was not responsible for saving an entire kingdom. Her family had not been murdered. She was just a horse.

  Athena had once been just a girl. That was an eternity ago. She was supposed to be a hero, but she truly wondered if she'd be able to fulfill her destiny. She couldn't do it alone, not like this. Being completely alone in the world was terrifying. Having to face evil alone was the most terrifying feeling ever.

  She thought of every good memory she could. Jermyn dancing with her in the kitchen. Laguna hugging her. Tobin smiling and laughing with her. Hunting with Tobin. Trading scary stories and building campfires with him. Telling him she loved him. Athena's heart felt like it would burst out of her chest at any moment. All of her strings had long ago snapped. There was nothing keeping her alive except the thought that Tobin might still be alive. He had a chance, as long as Athena saved him. He had a chance and Athena couldn't let that chance go. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she let Tobin die. That was unthinkable.

  King Landgrave was somewhere out there, searching for Athena. He would be ruthless, merciless, brutal. He wouldn't stop trying to kill her until he saw her dead body with his own eyes. He would destroy Galbar. He would decimate it, leaving nothing behind, except darkness and destruction.

  That was unacceptable. If Landgrave annihilated the Kingdom, all of everyone's efforts to protect it would be useless. All of Jermyn and Laguna's work in the bakery would have been for nothing. All of Tobin and Athena's efforts would be futile. And all of the people who had died already would have died for nothing.

  Athena's parents and grandparent's deaths had to mean something. She would not let Landgrave destroy this kingdom. Tobin would come home to his sisters and mother. He would come home to Athena. Edgehill would be the beautiful town it once was. The forest would once again be a place of peace, instead of a prison. Someday, the bakery would be restored. Athena and Tobin could run it together. They'd be happy. They'd be a family.

  Someday, Landgrave would be dead, paying for all of his sins. The Shadow would cease to exist. All of the corruption and evil in the kingdom would be replaced by unity, by friendship and happiness.

  It all seemed like a distant dream. But Athena needed to dream. She was sick of nightmares. She was sick of living in hell. Dreaming made everything better, even if it wasn't real. Someday it would be real though. Someday, Athena's dreams would come true. She would live to see a brighter day. She'd live to feel the sun on her skin and Tobin's fingertips against hers. She'd live to see everything dark be made light again. However distant it was, however unattainable and impossible it all seemed, Athena knew it wasn't impossible. Galbar would be a place of peace.

  Someday, everything would be made right.

  Someday, I will make everything right.

  The Enlightenment – Chapter 1

  I'll make everything right someday. It won't be today.

  Athena closed her eyes, leaning against Sapphire. She tried to clear her mind, tried to feel any sense of peace she could, but there was no peace. The forest had long ago run out of peace; all it brought now was sadness. Memories of happier days that would never be seen again, that Athena would ache for every moment.

  At least there was a semblance of safety. Athena didn't think anyone had followed her. All was quiet, silent. Nothing stirred. Not even a shadow. The only sounds were Sapphire and Athena's heartbeats, thumping away.

  Jermyn's face reappeared in Athena's mind. He was smiling down at her. Athena's heart broke all over again. Stop smiling, Grandfather. You're gone.

  “I'm in heaven now,” Jermyn's voice said, as if he were standing right in front of her. “I'm with your parents.”

  “What's it like there, Grandfather?” Athena's voice cracked.

  “It's absolutely beautiful, Athena. There's no sadness, no anger, only peace.” Athena brushed her tears away. “Only peace?”

  “There's nothing to worry about here, nothing to be scared of. It's wonderful.”

  “Can I go there?” Athena felt like a small child again. She was an innocent little girl. But the moment was fleeting. Jermyn's face wrinkled, lips contorting into a frown. His sigh was enough to shatter Athena's ephemeral happiness.

  “No, Athena, not right now.”

  “When?” Athena managed, practically choking back a sob.

  “When you're old. When you've lived a long, long life. When you're too tired to carry on anymore.”

  “I'm too tired now,” Athena whispered.

  “Be strong,” Jermyn said. “Be strong, my dear girl.” His voice faded away, and only the sound of Athena's crying could be heard.

  She grieved, mourning the loss of the two people who had raised her. Jermyn and Laguna had been a part of her life for fourteen years. They'd been there when no one else was. They'd seen her in her darkest moments, and they'd done their best to bring he
r into light. They loved her deeply. And now they were gone.

  It was hard to believe. Athena could never walk into the bakery again. She couldn't laugh with her grandfather in the kitchen. She couldn't sit by the fireplace, basking in the warmth. She couldn't lay on her bed and stare at the ceiling for hours at a time. Athena would never again smell bread baking in the oven, or feel soft dough between her fingertips. She would never again live the life she once had.

  Everything Athena loved in the world was gone. She felt utterly alone, slipping into the depths of despair, sinking deeper than she ever had before. This was worse than the night she spent in the forest after being told she was the Guardian of the Kingdom. This was worse than saying goodbye to Tobin. This was truly the worst moment of Athena's life. She couldn't turn to anyone. She couldn't talk to anyone. There was no one left. Athena would never recover.

  Faramond was still in Edgehill, probably worried. For all he knew, Athena was already dead. For all he knew, she had been slaughtered right along with her grandparents. Or maybe he was disappointed. Maybe he knew Athena had run away. Perhaps he thought she had completely abandoned her own destiny. He'd be angry, and he'd also be devastated. If Athena abandoned her destiny, she abandoned the lives of thousands, including Faramond's.

  Tobin was out there somewhere too. Being trained to become a killer. Being brainwashed. If he met Athena now, would he embrace her? Would he kiss her and hold her? Or would he try and kill her? Athena wondered if he was the same man he'd been when he left. She wondered if he was still struggling, still fighting. She didn't want to think that he'd given up. If Tobin stopped fighting, succumbing to the king's will, was there any hope for him at all?

  What if he was already dead? What if Athena was too late? Would she find his dead body

  laying on the side of some road, rotting away, tossed to the side as if he meant nothing? After all, to the king, Tobin was nothing. He was just a number in the army. Numbers didn't have thoughts or emotions. Numbers weren't human. Anger welled up in Athena's heart. The king was cruel, inhumane. Nothing would bring him to sanity. He'd long ago lost his sanity. He'd long ago lost his humanity.

  If King Landgrave wasn't going to treat his people as human, Athena wouldn't treat him as a human. She'd taken one life already, and she was capable of taking another. Landgrave deserved death. And as terrifying as it was, Athena was ready to give him death.

  If Athena lost her own humanity in her struggle, so be it. She'd lost everything else already. It wouldn't make a difference if she lost herself.

  I've already lost myself.

  Athena stared up at the sky blankly, waiting for night to come. She watched as the sun set, being replaced by the moon. Stars began to light up, dotting the sky. It was supposed to be beautiful, but Athena didn't see beauty in the world anymore. There wouldn't be beauty until Landgrave's blood was spilled on the ground. There wouldn't be beauty until this was over. There wouldn't be any peace until this was over.

  Eventually Athena fell asleep, still seeing stars imprinted in her vision. As the stars faded, she drifted into her nightmares, seeing her parents, Tobin, and her grandparents. The nightmares were more painful than ever, because for the first time, Athena couldn't be with any of these people. She could not hug them or speak with them. She couldn't tell them how much she loved them. She couldn't say goodbye. And that was heartbreaking.

  All Athena could do was endure. Endure the night and the day. Endure until everything was over. Until everything was made right.

  The full book of "The Enlightenment" can be yours. Click here to find out more.

  The Enlightenment

  About The Author

  Almost all children lie to their parents about skipping school, or avoiding homework. Not Thomas Rouxville. At ten years old, he convinced his mother that he absolutely had to stay up until the small hours of the morning, squinting into yet another novel. His English teacher demanded it, he said innocently; the book had to be read by morning. When his outraged guardian stormed the school in protest, it was gently, but firmly, explained that her son’s assignment was not due for weeks. The boy had a reading addiction, and short of barring him from the library, there was little they could do.

  By fourteen the obsession ran wild as fire, Rouxville losing himself in fantasy novels and role playing games; entire universes of heroes and dragons, magic and dark villains far more exciting than the endless fields and beaches of Kent. As an adult, with a degree in geography and teaching career under his belt, Rouxville embarked on exploring the fictitious worlds of his own mind’s creation, and has since become known for The Kingdom of Shadows and Chronicles of Suvaria fantasy series. He’s currently working on the new, Oswald Sherman series, and loves to connect with his readers.

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