A Shadow in the Darkness

The piercing cry of a wild dragon breaks the stillness of the night. I quietly grasp the purple hilt of my silver sword, and it glides out. I casually glance at the ruins etched into the blade. It is an ancient spell, written in Elfish. I am not an Elf, but was lucky to be trained by them. In a few quick strides I cross the bridge that is connected to the Shade’s fortress.

I remember what my elfin teacher, Eros, had taught me about Shades. They are horrible creatures that take on a humanlike appearance. The only way to kill a Shade is to plunge a silver sword through its heart. They have a powerful brand of magic. There is only one known Shade alive, Castor.

In a few seconds I am staring up at the dark windows of the unfriendly castle. As I sheath my sword, I draw my Blackwood bow and quietly release a fatal arrow towards the guard. I steal his key, and open the entrance gate. I walk in the shadows, as my leather boots slide silently over the marble floors. I make my way towards the Shade’s throne room where he is seated. I slowly start to open the doors when they are wrenched open by an strange force. A flicker of motion catches my eye. It steps into the sputtering light of torch on the wall. It’s the Shade!

“So,” he sneers forcefully grabbing my wrist and dragging me into the throne room, “you thought you could just barge into my palace, and kill me? Think again.”

Surprised of his strength, I struggle against his iron grip. My nails tear at his unbreakable grasp in an attempt to be free. He reaches his arms around my waist to unclasp my blade; then throws me to the icy floor. I observe him as he settles on the stone throne. He unclasps his velvety cloak and it falls away to reveal a small athletic body, like a runner’s. Castor inspects my weapon spitefully.

“Ms. Alecto,” he muses, pressing his long, white fingers to his temples. He runs his hands through his horrid red hair. I wonder how he knows my name.

“What are you going to do to me?” I ask cautiously as I glare into his vile maroon eyes. I pick myself up from the unnaturally cold floor and rub the place that the Shade grabbed my wrist. There is a ghastly red burn where he seized me. It will remain as a terrible memento.

“I am thinking up a terrible punishment for you. What shall it be?” he ponders.

While Castor is contemplating, I start to slide my feet towards the exit. I quickly break into a frenzied run. As I lunge for the door, he shouts an inaudible sentence. Thick ropes fly to bind my arms and legs. The Shade strolls around to see my angry face.

“Now, we didn’t think we could run away, did we?” his mouth opens in a chuckle to reveal a set of sharp teeth. I narrow my emerald eyes at him in repulsion. He releases me from the bonds and leads me to the freezing dungeons. Sitting on an icy bench, my breath condenses in the cold air. A guard is positioned outside my cell.

Castor smirks, “I have been thinking hard about your punishment,” Forgetting the cold, I shiver, “I have decided,” I stare at him, horrified, as he continues, “that I will keep you prisoner here until you tell me everything about what you and King Bacchius is planning against me; then I will kill you myself.” he leers; then leaves his words to sink in.

“I have to get out of here,” I whisper to myself. What will Thor think?

Thor is the dark haired prince whom I love. We live in the kingdom of Charmant, his soon to be realm. As I sit in the freezing jail cell, I think about how he will never hold me again. How I will never see those stunning blue eyes again. A single tear runs down my face and freezes.

***

Weakly, I lie on the iced over bench. I wonder how many days I have been here. It must have been at least a week. Castor has whipped me everyday. I reach to feel my black-and-blue back and wince in pain. He also poisons me every morning, and gives me the antidote every night in the hope I will give him the information he wants. The toxin is a slow-acting one. From my studies, I know it’s made from the fruit of the hemlock plant. The poison in my body will kill me within two days if the remedy is not given.

King Bacchus must have assumed I was trapped. He would have sent my Elvin assistant, Megaria. I slowly turn my head towards a scuffle outside my cell. A man wielding my sword quickly kills all of the guards; his flowing shirt is tainted with blood.

“Thor! Why are you here?” I ask, confused.

“When you didn’t come back, my father sent Megaria. She needed someone to go with her, so here I am,” he gently smiles, “need to get out?” he asks unlocking the cell with a set of corroded keys. He is surprised to see the door is barely locked.

“I can hardly stand. We need to hurry, the Shade might find that I have escaped,” I frantically say.

“Alecto, calm down,” he picks me up, and holds me close to his strong body, “Megaria is on her way to capture Castor now,” he whispers.

As we slowly begin to walk up the stairs, Megaria comes down them. I feel a rush in my head. Collapsing onto the frosty stone, my eyes close. I hear Thor question Megaria what is wrong with me.

As an Elf, she knows the effects of the poison; that I don’t have much time left. I faintly hear her hurry to find the cure. A moment later I cry out as I feel the prick of a needle on my skin. In a while, I open my eyes to see them leaning over me.

“Are you ok?” Thor asks, concerned.

“I think so,” I tell them as I sit up, “thank you for saving my life.”

“I have Castor locked in a room, which I safe guarded with magic. He cannot escape,” Megaria proudly states, “I thought you would like to kill him, Alecto,”

Thor supports me down an icy corridor, along with my beautiful sword and bow. Megaria opens the door. The Shade is confined in a chair. I painfully walk to him.
“So, how do you like to be captured?” I ask, smiling. I can see him struggling to be in control.

“How are you still alive?” he angrily demands. A scowl crosses his face when I don’t answer.

I smile as I take my silver sword in my weary hand, and stab Castor in the heart. His image goes fuzzy, and then he explodes in a burst of light. The Shade’s memories wash over me, and the damage to my body instantly fades away.

“Time to go home,” Thor says, hugging me, “job well done.”