Dawn of Darkness: Book 1 - Full (Where The Shadows Stalk)

by Adam Watson

  “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

  “Perhaps I should have, but I didn’t want you to get involved, I didn’t want you to get hurt.” Aiden sighed, that was fair enough he supposed, but things between them had changed. He had thought Gustavo to be a happy, carefree, jolly old shopkeeper, but now he was some kind of shady character with connections to the underworld - big connections.

  “So what happens now, do we fix the shop?” Gustavo smirked, he liked Aiden’s innocence.

  “Someone will fix the shop Aiden, but it will be neither one of us. When I first hired you, I thought you were just a boy who had lost his way in the world. The more I worked with you Aiden, the more I liked you. I was thinking of asking you to be my apprentice in the store … maybe one day you would take over from me.” Aiden smiled, wouldn’t that have been great? The owner of his own store, taking over from Gustavo, over the last few months he had become quite attached to it - he enjoyed the lifestyle.

  “You’re not destined to do this kind of work, Aiden. You’re not destined to be a shopkeeper.” Aiden eyed Gustavo with a puzzled look.

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “Jelana was right from the start. You’re a true born fighter Aiden, I can see that clearly now. I know someone who could use your skills. It's dangerous work, but you can handle it. It’ll make you more gold than you could ever dream of making here.” More gold than he could ever dream of? Suddenly the fires lit back up inside of him. He remembered the very reason he left his home and his family in the first place, and that was to make gold - this could be his chance.

  With gold came respect, his parents thought him still a boy, but when he showed them how well he could do on his own - maybe they would finally respect him. He wasn’t willing to return home until he was sure that he was doing better than Greegan. That slime, that betrayer. No, he didn’t want to just be better off than Greegan, he wanted to dwarf Greegan.

  “Who is this … friend?” Gustavo had his elbows resting on the table, his fingers were pressed together in the shape of a steeple; when he spread his fingers apart, he could see Aiden through the gaps.

  “He is the leader of the Black Suns. He has been my boss, but also my friend for many years. His wisdom has brought the Black Suns guild to the forefront of power in this city. His name … well, he doesn’t use a name as such, but everybody knows him as Mortello.” Aiden sat there quietly listening to what Gustavo had to say. Mortello hey? Aiden shrugged his shoulders, he found the name neither inspiring nor intimidating as he imagined the leader of these so-called ‘Black Suns’ would be.

  Still … there was promise here, a leader of a powerful guild could teach him a few things. He could work his way up, make some contacts and get some power of his own. A huge smile formed on Aiden’s face and it was all he could do not to start sniggering madly.

  “Is something funny, Aiden?” asked Gustavo. “This is not something to joke about you know.” Aiden immediately wiped the smile off of his face and put a more serious look on it.

  “I’m sorry Gus. I meant no disrespect. I was just thinking about how I could work my way up the guild.” Gustavo smiled, he was pleased with the answer.

  “Yes, Aiden! Yes … that’s the way. Think of what you will do with your gold and your new-found power. Oh, this is exciting, you remind me of me … thirty years ago, but you’ll do better than me, Aiden; much, much better than me.”

  “Why do you say that, Gus?”

  “Because you already have something that I never had when I was your age.” Aiden looked at him puzzled, and Gustavo smiled again. “You have me.” Aiden slowly began to nod. Yes, everything was beginning to fall into place. I’m going to get my gold back, Hammar. It didn’t matter to Aiden how rich he became or how powerful, he was going to get that gold back off of Hammar no matter what the cost. You won’t be so smug when you’re lying on the ground in a pool of your own blood, WILL YOU!

  ***

  That night Aiden found himself walking down the dark, dank streets of Amalicia City's underbelly - at least he thought it was the underbelly. He couldn't be sure, in fact, he wasn't really sure what an underbelly was, but it sounded both dangerous and shady, and if that was anything to go by then this dirty, little, rat-laden alleyway looked like the right place to be. Every person he passed looked dodgy; every person he passed looked like a criminal and a murderer - and they probably were. He would have to be alert as he was likely to get knifed at any moment.

  Gustavo, on the other hand, walked through the alleyway without a care in the world. The scum, the filth; it didn't seem to bother him at all - he didn't bat an eyelid. If anything, people seemed to be making way for them. Aiden suspected it was the hats. Gustavo was wearing a small triangular black hat, which various white symbols adorned. It actually looked quite ridiculous in Aiden’s opinion, but he had decided to keep his thoughts to himself and besides, Gustavo had made him wear one exactly the same, except smaller.

  Although unhappy about wearing the hat, Aiden decided if it stopped him from being knifed in the streets it would be well worth it. Where he came from you had a high chance of being knifed for wearing such a hat in the first place, not the other way around, but every city had its little quirks didn't it. That knowledge didn't make him any happier about wearing it though. It’s fucking triangular!

  Eventually, near the end of the alleyway, Gustavo stopped at a small, but very sturdy looking door. He tapped on it five times; a sequential pattern of two quick taps, followed by a short pause, one tap, another pause and then two more quick taps to finish. The slit in the door slid open, and a pair of eyes could be seen.

  “Herrings may swim in the high sea,” stated the voice cryptically.

  “But a lobster’s lair is far below,” answered Gustavo. Aiden raised a bewildered eyebrow at the parley, but once again he kept his opinions to himself.

  “You may enter,” said the voice, and locks could be immediately heard unlocking on the other side. Aiden looked at Gustavo and Gustavo looked at Aiden, nodding his head as if to say ‘all is as it should be.’ Aiden just shrugged his shoulders, he had great trust in Gustavo, but this place seemed as seedy as seedy could be.

  They walked through the door, Aiden looked around; the place was even seedier on the inside than on the outside - if that was possible. The only words that Aiden could think of to describe the interior were ‘a fucking cesspit’. The place literally stank of urine. Aiden seethed as he walked through the dingy corridor. This place is fucking disgusting. He shook his head in disbelief, there were people actually running a guild in here? I'm better off sticking to the shop.

  They kept walking, entering and exiting a few more rooms, eventually coming to one with a cellar door. Aiden was on edge now, the whole place and everyone in it was starting to creep him out. He was seething because Gus had dragged him in here, but now his mind was running rampant. This place is a fucking deathtrap. Do I even want to know what's down in the cellar? It’s probably where they store all the dead bodies. If I see the glimmer of a knife down there Gus, I'll rip your fucking throat out.

  At the back of the cellar was a series of shelves that reached from the floor to the ceiling, every single one of them was full of junk. Aiden tensed himself, ready for hand to hand combat. Gus reached out and turned the rusty kettle ninety degrees clockwise, still tense Aiden could hear a series of latches unlocking. What the fuck is that? There was a scraping sound, and the whole shelf opened, revealing a stone tunnel.

  "I bet you weren't expecting that," commented Gustavo, as he entered the tunnel.

  "No, no I wasn't," answered Aiden. He was right behind Gustavo, but he was still hesitant to enter.

  "I bet you've been thinking that this place was a real shithole too." Aiden laughed.

  "Well ... yeah." Gustavo laughed at that and clapped Aiden on the back.

  “I’m glad that you’ve trusted me enough to bring you this far Aiden. Soon we will go through the Black Door, and once we go through, you are
to never, ever mention anything about what you have seen, heard or done on the other side.” Apprehension filled Aiden’s mind, what exactly was he going to find on the other side? “Aiden,” Gustavo continued, gripping Aiden’s arm. “Aiden, I’m serious here. There are fatal consequences for talking about what goes on behind there.”

  Aiden eyed Gustavo up and down, was that a threat?

  “They’ll know Aiden, somehow they always know. Promise me you won’t say a word to anyone on the outside.”

  “All right Gus, I promise.” Aiden didn’t care anyway … who was he going to tell? Greegan? Oh, that’s right Greegan wasn’t there anymore, was he? Doglover.

  “Very well.” They continued down the sconce lit tunnel to the end and there before him, was the Black Door.

  It was a door unlike anything Aiden had ever seen. It was as black as the blackest night. He thought that if he stared at it long enough, he would fall into the void. It seemed to call to him, to beckon him, to draw him near. It wanted him closer, it wanted him to touch it. He feared that if he did, it would drain his very soul.

  Chanting could be heard in the recesses of his mind, he turned his head and looked at Gustavo. Gustavo’s lips were moving, performing an incantation - he would not be touching that door either.

  Aiden peered into the eternal darkness of the Black Door. Something was happening, something was swirling inside it. The words coming from Gustavo’s mouth were invoking a deep magic from within. Colours appeared in the swirls, getting brighter and brighter. They made Aiden’s mind churn and his eyes sting. He thought that if stared into it long enough, he would lose his mind.

  Then … a shaft of light. It appeared in the centre and crawled along the swirling surface. Aiden looked on in awe. He believed he could see something, something magical, something wondrous; he had never thought he would see such a thing here. The swirling disappeared. The door was a portal, he looked to the other side and smiled. What he saw there was astonishing!

  20. SISTERS OF SOLACE: THE HUNT CONTINUES

  And so, the hunt for the Oracle of Tempus continued, the three 'Sisters' following the footsteps of the Oracle’s unknown saviour. Miles and miles, they walked, and a growing admiration for their quarry began to form. Whoever it was they followed, he had tremendous endurance. This man, as they thought of him from the size of the footsteps, was heavily injured and weak and yet he had carried the Oracle for hours on end - never stopping once.

  These were the kind of traits that the Sisters of Solace admired. The traits of a warrior, the traits of the hunter. Great endurance was something that all Sisters had, their own traits being lesser copies of their goddess: the great huntress Solace, who had created them in her image. They all knew what it meant to travel long distances, never giving up, fighting the pain. Doing these things when you were strong and fresh was one thing, doing them when you were hurt or fatigued was another thing entirely. They all knew you had to be stronger in mind than in body and those who could push themselves beyond their normal capabilities were to be admired.

  Through the streets of Candelier City they trudged; through the decimation, through the rubble, through the abandonment. Tall buildings of stone and slate, once full of life, now lay devoid of all humanity.

  They passed by the town hall, now a silent husk, a bygone remnant of something great that the humans had built on this world. The streets were eerily silent, even more so because the Sister’s footfalls made no sound. Out of sheer boredom Calista threw a small stone into the entrance of the hall, its loud bouncing echoes rang out. Volantia considered berating Calista for being reckless. Loud noise could attract attention, and that could mean another melee with the guards, but she decided to remain silent - at the very least a confrontation would break the monotony.

  They walked on, following the trail, they could sense they were coming to the end. The man’s footsteps were becoming chaotic and floundering, he had pushed himself far beyond the capabilities of an ordinary man, but exhaustion was going to overcome even him.

  Volantia looked ahead, there in the distance she thought she could see the end, a sickening feeling entered the pit of her stomach, the signs were not good, the one thing she feared was starting to come to fruition.

  They followed the trail to the edge. Volantia looked down, her two sisters stood behind her. She felt sick and dizzy, this could not be happening, the three stood in silence.

  It was as if a giant sinkhole had opened up a gaping hole large enough to swallow the entire Temple, and then another force, tremendous and powerful, had lifted the Temple up, tore it apart in a swirling eddy and spat the wreckage back down into the hole; filling it with rubble and broken ruins.

  Volantia couldn’t believe it, she had obstacles and trials to overcome on past missions, but they were nothing compared to this.

  “It looks like this is the end of the road,” commented Calista.

  “Are you saying that we give up and go home as failures, Calista?” spat Volantia, even the thought of not being able to complete her mission put her in a hostile mood.

  “I’m not saying that Sis …”

  “Good!” said Volantia, cutting her off. “Because it’s not an option. No-one escapes us remember! The Sisters of Solace are hunters just like the Great Huntress; we don’t let our prey get away … do you understand?” Calista blushed and cast her eyes to the ground and slowly nodded that she understood. “You know we can’t go back empty-handed. You know how the other Sisters will treat us, you’ve seen what happens to the packs that fail their missions, but worse than that … we will lose the favour of Solace.”

  Calista stared at the ground, not daring to meet the older Sister’s gaze. Volantia’s wrath was bad enough, let alone having the wrath of the entire coven and possibly Solace’s herself on her.

  “What shall we do then Sister?” asked Solitaire, trying to defuse the situation and for the first time in many, many years Volantia did not know how to answer her.

  Volantia looked from Sister to Sister. She knew they were both waiting, both expecting her to have the answer. She was the leader, they had done many missions together, and she had always known what to do. This was different though, this is something she would never have expected to encounter in her wildest dreams.

  She closed her eyes. She needed a moment to think, to be by herself without the distraction of the world around. The entire Temple had been completely decimated, all those inside should be dead, yet the Oracle lived. She knew this not because she herself could sense it, but because of Solace, the great goddess. The huntress knew, and the commission would never have been accepted or allowed to continue if the Oracle was dead or died during the hunt. Therefore, she had somehow escaped this devastation.

  The next train of thought led her to wonder how the Oracle escaped and where did she escape to? There was nothing left of the Temple on the surface, there had to be another way out. Escape tunnels. The Temple would have had escape tunnels for times of war. Surely it was the only the way the Oracle could still be alive.

  But where would they come out? Volantia was certain that they would come out somewhere on the other side of the wall. It made no sense to have them come out in the city and still be trapped by the walls. It would be somewhere far away from the walls, sheltered so it could not be seen. Perhaps they exited somewhere in the nearby forest, concealed from view and hidden from any hunters or explorers traversing the woods. She opened her eyes.

  "We have some choices," she said dramatically and looked each one in the eye to make sure they were listening. "One … we give up and go back to the coven, all three of us failures, despised by our Sisters and all favour lost from the great huntress herself." The blank stares looking back at her told Volantia that neither one of them liked that idea - even Calista's usual smug smile had been wiped from her eyes.

  "There are alternatives, none of them will be quick, none of them easy, but they are doable. Some are more practical than others, but we must assess all possibilities.” The ot
her two girls nodded to show that they were listening eagerly, anything would be better than going back to the coven empty handed.

  "We're listening Volantia," answered Solitaire, to show that they were all in this together and Calista agreed. Volantia nodded, she was pleased that she was not in this alone.

  "The tracks lead here ... obviously, and I would say that not far from this spot would have been the front entrance to the Temple of Kara. It would have been barred shut during the attack, which means someone let them in." Calista nodded, that all made sense so far. "There are no tracks of theirs leading away from this area, nor are there any other tracks on the surface, so we can be quite confident that they never left this way. That leaves only one practical alternative.”

  “Exit tunnels,” answered Solitaire. The girls stood silent for a moment contemplating the possibility, it was the only thing that made any sense.

  “Where would they come out?” asked Calista.

  “Somewhere hidden and far beyond the walls. To find them would mean we would have to do very careful circular sweeps around the perimeter of the entire city. There are thousands of tracks to and fro and all around the immediate countryside. It could take weeks, but I’m sure we would stumble upon at least one of them … eventually.

  Solitaire sighed, and Calista looked back down to the ground, even with the three of them … doing sweeps around the city in an ever-expanding spiral? Calista thought that would have to be the most mundane and tedious option possible.

  And what if they walked passed the entrance? They were designed to be hidden, after all. They could waste weeks of their time, and if they didn’t find the exit the first time around, Volantia would surely make them go through the whole process again … and they would agree too because the alternative would be going back to the coven empty handed.

  “Another option is to clear the rubble out of this hole and access the tunnels direct, even then we would need to find the trail again. I’m sure once we got to the tunnels we could though, there’s only so many places she could go.”