Shadow of Darkness:

Written by Cyros of Fire Aka Denkou Chundoh

Prologue:

I write in this Journal with utmost urgency. The demons are outside the castle waging war against our last line of defenses. I only hope one will read it and know what has happened here. The rift was formed around 200 years ago. It acted as a barrier, protecting us from the demons. The energy the wizard used to create the rift kept the demons from passing. I can only cringe at the thought of what those demons will do to the tapestry, displaying the formation of the great rift. The inhabitants of Faladose had begun to think things were safe, they believed that the demons would never be able to cross over to our side again. They were sorely mistaken. As the years passed by, about one hundred years later it was noticed that the distance between both of the land was shortening. It was later found out that the power that holding the land masses away was fading, allowing the land to grow closer and closer together. With this startling knowledge all of the nations were united minus a few that would wage a separate war. The Humans, Dauch, and Humanoids were able to form a shaky alliance. The nations began working forming one united army, each nation sharing fighting techniques to breed the best warriors. This marked a new age, never before had the nations of Faladose ever been so close together; they always seemed to be making war with one another. The army got stronger; this time we would be better prepared to deal with the demons, at least that is what we thought. Then about ten years ago without notice the protecting energy collapsed and the people of Faladose were moved towards the heart of the continent leaving towns and small cities abandoned. They were soon looted and ravaged by the demons. A month later the king's son Lucien was out riding around without his protection and was attacked by the demons. It was assumed that he had been kill since tattered clothing and blood were found where the horse lay. Little did we know what they had planned. As the years went by we fought against the demons, repelling them on countless battles. After a while it seemed that the tides of the war, but we were struck down as of recently. Out of nowhere at head of a huge demon horde came marching the prince himself. Yet he was different, from his back grew great black and red wings, large curved horns grew from his head, and he was covered in all sorts of archaic markings. It was something that caught all of us off guard and the demons leapt on us. We were forced to move back from the front slowly. I now close out this journal entry for the demons have taken this outpost and are now banging on the door, I bid you farewell.

-Royale Scholar Gabriel Breed

Chapter One:

Out in the Altair Sea rocked the massive pirate ship known as the Iron Claw. Towards the front stood its captain glaring out at the storm as gale winds whipped around the ship threatening to break and tear it down. He refused to back down from the storm, it would not have the best of him, he would conquer it as he had conquered and won over things before and he would do it now.

One of the corsairs from below made their way up to the top deck and approached the captain, “Cap’n, don’t ya be wantin to come below?”

The captain turned around slowly, his face wrought with anger as he spoke, “Go below? Are you insane, I am Choril the Iron Claw! I bow before no beast, man, or storm! I conquer all that stands in my way, now go away with you before I toss ya overboard!”

The corsair stumbled backwards, scrambling back to his feet as he moved below deck. Choril turned back around to face the sea, the look of defiance having returned once more. A mad chuckle bellowed deep from within his gut.

Diel moved slowly, dragging his blade through the desert sand. He couldn’t believe it, the nerve of Sirik to dare to challenge him to a death match and run like a coward. He let loose a deep roar, a mixture of anger and pain that shook the ground beneath him. Blood dripped from the fresh battle wounds that covered his chest. How could a Vikar dare run away from a fight? That was it, Sirik wasn’t a Vikar; he was a sniveling coward! Diel would track down and slay that weakling. He continued forward with his dogged determined pace.

Sirik came to a stop dropping to his knees; he couldn’t believe the fury with which Diel had attacked him. He had assumed Diel far weaker then he was and had challenged him to a death match for what he had done years before. He had been wrong and Diel had jumped upon him like a madman. He sighed, with his wounds there was no way he could escape from the possessed Vikar. Yet, from know where a dark shadow materialized before him.

An ominous voice spoke from the shadow, “Do you want power? Do you want to be able to kill your assailant?

Sirik turned around seeing Diel closing in, “Yes, anything, just get me away!”

“Very well.” With that a dark whole appeared below Sirik sucking him into an infinite black void.

Diel roared with anger as he slammed his blade into the ground. Sirik had been within his sight. He has seen him and was ready to move in and end this death match but then he’d vanished. He swore he would find Sirik and finish this once and for all. He picked up his blade and proceeded to move on.

Sirik looked around and all he could see was darkness. Fear and panic began to set in. He flailed about with reckless abandon but hit nothing for he was floating in nothingness.

“Calm down Vikar,” came the voice from desert

“W-who are you?!” cried out Sirik.

A dark cackle, “That you need not worry, just embrace your power!”

Sirik was about to respond when all of a sudden an energy poured into his body causing him to spasm uncontrollably, the force was striving to take over his body. He fought desperately to hold on but it was to no avail. His mind was pushed back into a sub-conscious state and a new force had taken control of the body of the Vikar.

The storm had died down and Choril had retreat back to his cabin where he had fallen asleep. He fell asleep hoping for peace in his dreams. This was not the case, his mind instantly fell into the total chaos of a nightmare, but it was the same one happening over and over. A set of slanted red eyes stared out at him, staring straight through him and apparently into his soul. He could not tell what they belonged to. Oh how they burned as they looked at him. He could not understand what they wanted from him yet they drove him crazy. He snapped awake, his face covered in a cold sweat, and breathing in shallow gasps.

A man stood breathing harshly. The battle was over and won but at a horrible cost, almost all of the men he had led into battle had been killed. It was a slaughter, a needless massacre and the demons still had forces that could not be matched by what the people of Faladose had brought together yet they must fight. He leaned down over his blade, covered completely in the black blood of the demons. He had slain his dozens today but it wouldn’t be enough to put an end to all of this warring. He probed at the deep wound in side, his back arched as a scream of pain came out of his mouth then he blacked out.

Lucien stood behind Abora the demon king. The hatred he had for the king built slowly behind the surface. The demon had him taken as a kid and transformed into the creature he was now. He was now half demon and half human. Oh he would pay dearly for that, but not he had to act as the king’s natural born son. His fists clench. Lucien knew that Abora could’ve easily have stomped the humans to pieces, yet Abora was feeding him this trash about the lives of the demons needing to be spared. Spared? They were expendable minions! They had no true mind, only did what you said. The humans and the rest of those accursed creatures should be gone, but no, Abora actually wanted to make slaves out of them. He would have his day and his rule over all. It would just take awhile.

Akuinnen, Abora’s royal guard stared at Lucien. He had told Abora it would be a bad idea to do that to the king’s son but Abora hadn’t listen. Now he could just tell something bad was bound to happen between Lucien and Abora. It was a gut feeling that had served him right for his 600 years of life. After waiting for Lucien to leave Akuinnen followed suit and left the king’s chamber.

The man’s eyes opened to a bright light and a woman’s face. “Huh, wha, where am I?”

The woman spoke in a soothing voice, “Hush and rest now, you’re back in the capitol city Roin.”

Roin smiled faintly and nodded before falling back asleep.