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

by Adam Watson

  “Yes … there was a loud commotion going on outside. I thought it must be the cadets from down the hallway mucking around outside my room. I had no idea we were being attacked.”

  “Then the attack was very sudden indeed.”

  “Yes, it was only when I opened the door to see what was going on did I realise that we were being attacked. There were creatures of the Creed swarming everywhere, it was only luck that I still had my sword on me, and suddenly I found myself in the midst of battle in my own corridor.”

  “And no-one seems to know from where the Creed appeared or how their attack came upon the city so suddenly.”

  “No,” Dray answered. “They just seemed to have come from nowhere.” Dray could tell by the look on the Commander’s face that he found that very hard to believe. “That’s what it felt like anyway.”

  "And what happened after that? How did you escape?" Dray thought about it for a moment and decided against mentioning the ring or the Oracle.

  "I fought my way to a window and jumped out." The Commander's eyebrow was raised again.

  "You jumped out?"

  "There was a haystack below the window, it broke my fall and allowed me to escape unharmed. I fought my way out of the courtyard and into the city."

  "Hmm." Surprisingly, the Commander actually found himself liking this story better than the others - at least as far as Dray was concerned. Dray did look like a soldier, much more than he did a cleric, but there was something more to this soldier than met the eye.

  "You fought your way through the city, and that’s where you met up with your friends? Yes?"

  "Yes."

  “Tell me how you met each one.” Dray had to be careful here, who knows what the others had said, but on the other hand, if the Commander thought that he was trying to hide things from him, he would surely want to know what - and that could get messy.

  “The first one I met was Kayla. I met her out in the city, she needed help, and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time. We found a horse and tried to escape the city, but the guards shut the gates and we got trapped in.” The Commander shrugged his shoulders, it fit the story well enough, and he jotted it down in the journal.

  “We tried to get out of the city, but the guards weren’t letting anyone out.” The Commander nodded his head, he knew that part of the story was true at least. “So, we had to take refuge where we could. It was too dangerous to be out on the streets, especially at night … so we sheltered in abandoned houses, sometimes we would find food and water in them. There wasn’t really anything else we could do.” The Commanders writing was neat and precise, very elegant and a splendour to look at.

  “And what about the others, the berserker and the vagabond? How did you meet those two?” Dray smiled, the Commander seemed to be referring to Goran and Aseeka, but he had never quite thought of Aseeka as a … vagabond.

  “We had been seeking shelter in a house one night, and when we awoke in the morning, we found that Goran and Aseeka had been taking shelter in the house next to us. They were battling the Creed outside, so we went outside and helped them. After the battle ended, we joined forces, figuring safety in numbers. It was also good just to know that we weren’t alone anymore.”

  The Commander didn’t really care how they had all met, he knew he was probably being lied to, but he still wanted the answers. The answers would tell him everything, the answers always told him everything - ink went on the paper.

  “Well, that all sounds fair enough, doesn’t it?” asked the Commander, and Dray nodded. “Now, what I’m really interested in knowing is, what is this glow that seems to be following you around, and what happened to you? When you first came here you looked old and decrepit, big chunks of your body appeared to be missing and yet you now look almost back to normal.”

  This was it. Dray knew that this was the real reason he had been dragged into the Commander’s office, he just knew it. The damned glow, the one thing he didn’t actually know about for real and of course they wanted to question him about it … and why wouldn’t they? It was rather odd to be having some strange light following you around.

  “Well, Commander it’s like this … I’m not actually sure what it is.” The Commander raised his eyebrow again, he didn’t believe that for one second. “Well … I think the glow is what’s healing me, but why it seems to be following me around, I’m not sure.”

  “How did you get it and how did you get injured in the first place?” Dray shrugged his shoulders.

  “I’m not sure.”

  "YOU'RE NOT SURE?!!" roared the Commander. "HOW CAN YOU NOT BE SURE?!! PIECES OF YOUR BODY … WERE MISSING!!" Dray knew the Commander was frustrated and why wouldn't he be? If their roles had been reversed, he would surely want to know what had happened, but if the Commander thought that Dray was going to tell him anything that had anything to do with his powers, then the Commander was going to be bitterly disappointed.

  “I just can’t remember … I can’t remember anything.”

  “I see … you can’t remember anything.” The Commander sounded almost like he was talking to himself rather than Dray. “You can’t remember anything …” The Commander seemed agitated, but he calmly wrote the answer in his log book, he even read the answer out loud as he was writing it. “Can’t … remember … anything.” Hearing the words come out of the Commander’s mouth like that made Dray realise how ridiculous it sounded.

  “Well, I can’t remember exactly what happened to me, I think I blacked out, but I remember fighting, we couldn’t get out of the city, so we were just trying to survive the streets, some Creed came, one of them was a magic user. I can vaguely remember a beam shooting out of his staff, the light from the staff hit me, and I blacked out. The next thing I remember was waking up in the room.”

  “Are you certain that that’s all you remember?” Dray nodded.

  “Yes, that’s all I remember.” The Commander sniffed, he looked to the left, he looked to the right searching the room. The expression on his face said he wasn’t all that happy with the last part of Dray’s story and that he was disappointed by Dray’s actions - now he had to do something he hadn’t wanted to do. He clapped his hands, and two burly guards entered the room.

  “Take him below, lock him in with the berserker. Make sure no-one goes down to disturb them.” The Commander then turned to Dray. “You disappoint me, Dray. I expected more from you … I really did. Perhaps you just need some time to contemplate and reflect upon what you have told me.” Dray was baffled. What I had told him? He didn’t understand, nor did he understand why the guards were dragging him away.

  “What I told you?” As far as he could tell, he hadn’t said anything wrong. “I haven’t told you anything!” The Commander nodded as a disappointed father would to his wayward son.

  “That is exactly my point Dray.” The Commander stood there stone-faced and stoic as he watched Dray being hauled from the room.

  Dray walked the corridors and down into the stone halls of the dungeon, and as he walked along, he thought about what was happening to him. This is the Temple of Kara all over again. He wasn’t ready to be chained up, or to be tortured, or to awaken with a bag over his head; he wasn’t ready for interrogation. No, he thought as he trudged along. He had to get better, he had to get strong, he needed to find the Oracle and get out of this place. With these thoughts, the healing glow, that aura that followed him everywhere, began to flow to him faster. Soon, he thought … Soon.

  22. GREEGAN: ASCENSION

  Greegan stood on the edge of the field, the wind was picking up and his clothes whipped around wildly. He stared into the distance, trying to peer past the horizon, trying to unravel the mysteries that lay beyond. It was the voices that had led him here, to this place and they were all chanting, ever so softly. ‘Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.’ It was the same thing over and over again.

  Stare out into the field, Greegan. That hadn’t been a voice, but a feeling that dwelled deep inside of him. A part
of his mind thought that this whole thing was strange and spooky, and it wanted nothing more than to leave and seek the safety of his former life - he knew that was no longer an option.

  The other part of his mind was excited, this was a true adventure, this would take him to a place few had ever been. It was sunset now, the sky was overcast and bled as the sun's ray filtered through it. Cloudy plumes of blood-red vented from the top of the mountains, filling the sky with an ash that was not an ash. Thick sanguine veins oozed down the sides of the mountains, filling the blood pools in the valleys below - the likes of this had not been seen for centuries.

  He knew that this was where he needed to be, not only from the feelings inside but from the voices as well. He had stood there all morning and at noon turned to leave, but when he had the voices had screamed.

  They wailed and cried, causing such an uproar that it stopped him in his tracks, he turned back to this spot in the field and the voices went quiet. They seemed content, they seemed happy, they seemed eager for what was to come. And what was to come? He had no idea - but something was coming.

  Greegan stood there and watched the sun go down. There was going to be a storm tonight, it was going to be a storm of storms. He could feel it in every fibre of his being - the storm was going to bring with it something terrifying, something dreadful, something that would light up the skies.

  ‘LEAVE! EAAAAAT!’ the voices commanded. ‘EAT! EAT! EAT! EAT! BREATHE DEEPLY AND INHALE THE DARKNESS!'

  Yes … he needed to eat, to eat the special dinner. That would give him strength, that would give him power. This transition was not going to be easy, and he would need all the strength and power he could muster to do it. He turned and headed for the Red Goat Inn.

  ***

  Inside he could smell the broth. His stomach was rumbling as hunger overwhelmed, now that he had come in from the cold, he realised just how famished he was. He looked around as he walked through the entrance and into the tavern proper. There was no-one there, even the innkeeper was nowhere in sight - it was like the place had been completely abandoned.

  The tavern itself was completely deserted too, but he could still smell the broth; his special dinner, and now he hungered for it. The voices too hungered for it, and that was clear in their whispering chant. Eat, Eat, Eat, Eat. He wanted to eat, more than anything; he just had to find the broth.

  He followed his nose, the aroma, the sweetness, the bitterness. It was like a pleasure and a pain mixed into one. Eventually, the aroma led him to the same booth that he had sat at for every single meal since he had arrived, there was a note next to the bowl.

  Master,

  I have taken the liberty to clear the entire inn for the night to make absolutely sure you are not disturbed. Funnily enough, once I mentioned it to the other patrons that tonight was the night of the Ascension, no-one seemed to have a problem with it.

  Everything has been prepared, and now everything is ready for your ascension. Make sure you eat the entire meal and then go straight to bed. When you awaken, you’ll know what to do.

  Good luck on your journey Master and if you ever happen to come back to Hagen’s tooth, we will be waiting here to do your bidding.

  One last thing if I may Master, I’d just like to say it has been an honour to serve you.

  Your humble servant,

  Pascal Delvere

  Greegan had to admit that he wasn’t expecting to a find a letter sitting there next to his bowl, and he had to admit that he wasn’t entirely sure what this ‘Ascension’ was, but it didn’t matter - he was hungry.

  The broth was still hot, and the aroma wafted into his face; he breathed deeply, inhaling the concoction. It was good, it was great, even the smell invoked a sense of power - it made him feel alive. The voices too savoured the smell, it even quietened them for a moment, but they wanted the same thing that Greegan himself wanted - to eat the broth.

  He grabbed the spoon and started shovelling it in like a man who hadn’t eaten for eight days. He scoffed it like a man possessed, and even though he knew that he should slow down and savour that taste, he didn’t - he ate it so fast that he almost choked.

  With every spoonful, he could feel the strength, he could feel the power. His muscles felt like they were inflated and bulging. He looked at the goblet sitting next to the bowl; it was golden and jewelled, an ancient artefact from a time gone by. In the goblet there was a frothy green elixir. He didn’t even hesitate, he grabbed it and downed the lot in one almighty swig. He closed his eyes and slammed the goblet down hard. The elixir was so good; it sated every desire, it filled every void, it answered every need.

  Finished, full and bloated, Greegan knew only one thing - he needed to sleep. He needed to sleep and let his body absorb the magic contained within the special dinner. You have drunk deeply from the pools of eternity. One of the voices spoke in his mind - the one that normally stayed quiet. Go now … rest your body and prepare your soul.

  Greegan slowly made his way to the room. Room Eight - what was so special about it, what was the great mystery? He wondered these things and many more as he lay down on the bed. He could feel that sleep was going to overtake him soon and he guessed that he would find out the answers tonight. There was no more doubt, the signs were there; the voices had brought him here for a reason. He closed his eyes – yes, he would find out tonight.

  ***

  Long after the sun had gone down and darkness had descended upon the land, the blood moon rose; shining it's lunar light through the misty clouds of red. Outside the wind raged, whipping the land in a gigantic vortex. Lightning arced from the sea of red that now laced the heavens and struck down into the fields below - the same field located outside room eight of the Red Goat Inn. Greegan opened his eyes - the time had come.

  He rose from the bed, feeling strong, feeling powerful. The very air around him felt electrified, and he could feel his body sucking in the power. His eyes opened wide, and the power of his senses multiplied. The voices chanted softly … in ecstasy. ‘Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes.’ He could feel it. This is why they had brought him here, this is why they had dragged him from one side of the country to the other, this is why they had dragged him to these particular mountains.

  He slowly walked from the room and out into the field, every step seemed to empower him, every step made him stronger. All around him as far as he could see was tinged with red. It was like the blood from the mountain itself had seeped into everything around it. Great electrical arcs struck down from the skies into the field. He didn’t fear these arcs - they seemed to be calling him, and as he approached the voices chanted louder and louder. ‘Yes, Yes, YES, YES!’

  Across the field, he walked into the heart of the storm. The electric currents swirled and surged through the air, arcing across the skies. Bolts of electricity arced to him and from him and they crawled over his body.

  This was a dangerous place to be, a normal man would be dead already, but he was no longer a normal man. He had eaten of the broth and drank of the elixir - these things had granted him an immunity to the dangers that faced mortal man. Yes, it was a dangerous place to be, but it was also the right place to be. This was destiny, and it screamed to him as loudly as a thousand lamenting choruses.

  He trudged on, the arcs crawling and jumping across his skin. He could feel the power filling him. Blood rain came down, whipping his skin as it spun in the tremendous whirl. He could see the dust rising, being sucked up by the huge vortex along with anything else that wasn't tied down - the force of it was strong and getting stronger.

  Greegan had never felt so alive. 'Walk into the field and fulfil your destiny.' The voice in his mind spoke, the one that was always quiet. This one didn’t jibber and jabber like the others did. He commanded with certainty - and Greegan was ready to obey.

  He walked into the centre of the field, and as he did, the heavens opened up. The break in the clouds opened and swirled around with the vortex. It was like a huge doorway, a portal to another world. He looked
to the skies, it was an opening to darkness surrounded by a thick bloody swirl. The dust and debris rushed wildly, creating a wall around him that obscured everything from the outside; bolts of lightning continued to arc from one side to the other.

  He lifted his arms up, stretching his hands to the heavens. The bolts formed around his fingers, first shooting out to the skies and then drawing back in, bringing to him even more power. He screamed for the power, he screamed from the pain, he screamed for life, he screamed for his destiny. The voices too screamed loudly and at a frenzied pace. 'YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! YES! DRINK DEEP AND BATHE IN THE POWER! LET IT FILL YOUR SOUL! REACH OUT AND ACCEPT YOUR DESTINY!'

  "YES!" screamed Greegan. "YES!" He reached out sucking even more power into him; arcs shot from all sides and instead of disappearing they arced to him with permanent connections. He could feel them, those fiery bolts, those electric snakes; burning into his body, burning into his soul, licking and lapping, seeking and devouring.

  His body began to tremble, the power was becoming too much, but still he drew it in, more and more. The trembling turned to shaking, violently and uncontrollably. Too much! IT’S TOO MUCH!

  Smoke began to pour off of his body. 'IT’S BURNING!' He wanted to yell, he wanted to scream, to cry out and stop, but he already knew that he had come too far. It would never stop until it was done, now he could only endure.

  The power was immense, the pain unbearable, he could feel his body burning and tearing itself apart. 'YES! YES! YES!' screamed the voices as his body turned into a streak that shot into the air. Higher and higher he rose and into the portal.

  "AAAARRRRGGGHHHHHH!" He couldn’t move, he couldn't breathe, he couldn't even think, he just watched as the world got whiter and whiter and whiter; the lightning sizzling into an almighty thunderclap. 'SSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHH-BOOM!!!'

  ***

  “AWAKEN!” Greegan jumped, his eyes sprung open, his heart raced like a beating drum - the suddenness of the voice had shocked him.