Parting Gift

226TuPaGi

As the hulking man cut down another guard, despite the fact his innards were spilling out a gash below his ribs Siu turned to the other Shadow Cursed, standing there with swords, knives and daggers as they cut, stabbed and based the last of the guards in front of the door. Siu rushed forward his serpentine body flickering with a dull light as he glided through the air and heaved the door open with the help of Choi and another of the Cursed, Saem.

“We need to get Kyoko out of here.” Choi cried over the racked of the fight as he plunged a carving knife between helm and breastplate on one of the House guards. “The fallen are rising as undead,” he said as he pointed towards the hulking man – his wounds no longer bleeding profusely and his gate and janky movements indicative of the curse of the dead, “they will be up on shortly and we wont be able to out run them” he said as a battle cry rang out – the last of Kyoko’s guards running forward to make room, and buy some time for his princess, commander and the heroes he had been in awe of since joining their mission to these forsaken halls.

The young man cut down a few of his opponents, most of them undead, before a spear run him through but not before he summoned the last of his strength and courage and separated head from body of the attacker. Siu cursed, a waft of smoke sizzling from his nostrils as he looked across the room to assess the situation. Realising the last ploy, the last scheme he had up his sleeve he cursed that it wasn’t to save his own hide but the thought of seeing his cousin, Siuten – Kyoko’s grandfather, in their ancestral halls with her dying due to his cowardice was a worse fate than death.

Flying above the ground he grabbed Kyoko and Kuang by their backs and heaved them backwards, his bestial form having substantially more strength than his human self he had no issues pulling them through the door before noticing the mute, Sasha he had heard he been called before but he knew her to be Hana – a family member. Bowing deeply towards Hana he rumbled a mournful request “look after our family from here on our dear cousin…” and with that he rushed into the fray, separating limbs from bodies and disembowelling a walking corpse before dodging back from a lucky swing from one of the few living guards – his eyes glazed over from the affect of the charm of the Yuki-onna. As he moved back to join Choi and two, yes one two, glancing around he saw the bodies of two of the shadow cursed at the feet of the undead brute – Lucian.

“That one can see us Siu” Choi said.

“Call me Jung, in the end I think its fitting that I die again being known by my own name” he said glancing at the sailor who held a pilfered axe and short sword in his hand – the man nodded and clasped the scaled beast on the shoulder. Turning around to ensure nothing got past him and the dwindling supporters of the Harimasu family he saw that the party had joined Kyoko. “Choi, help me with this door.” he said as he pushed a straggler through the door with a not-quite-gentle nuzzle. “I am sorry my friends” he whispered as he saw their eyes connect with his as the door was closed, shutting him off from his friends and remaining family. “We can not help them now but buy them time” he said looking at Saem and Choi. “They are in good hands but they will be pursued until the frost queen has her will done. Let’s at least dwindle her forces whilst we have this gift. This Curse will be the minions of The Shadows undoing ” he said as he looked forward, the living having stopped advancing as they glanced around for the source of magic or wind that has closed and barred the door from the inside.

“For Kyoko!” called Choi as he charged the front ranks, his axe and sword separating man from life as he pushed forward through the guards. Saem and Tam followed suit, shouting loudly as they crashed into the guards, a spear by chance found Tams stomach as he pushed past the first rank but using his momentum he pushed onward, using his pain and adrenaline to fuel his fight.

Jung sensed it before the sword struck, rolling through the air and coiling his body around him like a snake as the sword connected with a fallen corpse instead of his head. “Right, the dead,” Jung said as he brought himself up tall using his tail and long limbs to batter the lesser zombies into the ranked behind them as he roared into the roof above them – a sound of unbridled anger, commitment and wrath. “For the Harimasu!” he called as he dashed forward roaring, embers sparking either side of his open maw.

The next few minutes were a constant dance of attacking and retreating and try as he may he couldn’t get past the Zombie-Lucians defences, he just wasn’t up to the standard of the heroes that he had travelled with. As his bites connected with the other dead creatures that were grabbing at his tail or limbs they caught aflame and began to burn as if dried tinder, the smell of burning flesh and blood quickly filled the dining hall.

“Jung!” called Choi as he pushed through a few more zombies and revealed several large wounds on his torso. “The queen she is coming!” roared as another guard swung directly at him. It looked like time was up and their ability to stay undetected was being overruled by the queens power over her puppets.

Hearing heavy footsteps he turned his head just in time for his reactions to catch the arms of the Lucian zombie, the sword he was bringing down at Jung’s head mere moments from sending him to his master and ancestral halls, if he would be welcome back.

A cry of pain signalled Saem taking a sword through the chest, and a moment later a roar of anger ended with the clatter of steel on stone -and the room was quiet other than the strain between the undead hulking man and the dragonoid.

Cold immediately began to seep through his scales and he knew it was too late, turning his head he went to exhale, hoping the embers were a predecessor of dragon fire and he was greeted by the eyes of Yukri she she grabbed his snout and held if firmly, the chill was immediate and he felt the Lucian zombie apply more pressure keeping Jungs’ focus on the sword a few inches from his neck. As the Yuki-onna looked at him with curiosity she leaned forward. “I doubt your little ploy here was worth it, you will join that Harimasu princess soon enough in the shadowlands as his darkness spreads through the lands and a new era is brought upon Ryokughan.” She said as she brought her head intimately close “It really is a pity, you have such beautiful scales but, I guess I can always cut them from your dead corpse” and with that she kissed him.

A spike of cold shot through his scales from the point of where her lips touched him and raced towards his heart and all at once his strength failed him, the point of Lucians sword plunged into his neck and his heart beat its last as his blood turned to ice.

As he fell to the ground his eyes fell upon Choi, his friends frozen eyes and the frostbite on his lips evidence that he too fell to the Yuki-onnas touch. As his vision darkened Jung wished that Kyoko was far away by now, that they had brought enough time for his family to escape, that he may be able to one day look Siuten in his eyes and seek forgiveness for the wrongs he had done and then all was silent except for the shuffle of undead and the opening of a door.

A world away, a great golden dragon lowered his head to the crystal orb held in his claws and as his great snout and whiskers touched the smooth surface so to did the tears he wept for the loss of Siu, no he could not be given that name any more as his repentance was over, Jung, for in the end he had proven his worth to his family and had finally realised what it meant to be a part of something bigger than himself.

Lady in White

225TuLaiWh

Siu looked towards Choi and the other three of the cursed that had made it to the hall as each of them glanced between Kyoko, the Party and the girl who stood behind them against the wall. The girl moved like one of them, invisible but present, undetectable but wanting to be seen and she could see them and them her.

As Siu turned around to wards the girl she made a symbol of respect, something that the Harimasu family would do towards his kind and it the copper piece dropped. Who ever was walking down those steps wasn’t Kyoko’s cousin and judging by the smell of fear and apprehension in the room she wasn’t a being that you wanted to be on the wrong side of.

click-click-clack

As the footsteps came closer an eerie silence filled the room, Kuang stood and moved towards the back of the room but a quick nod from the man, Lucian, “Choi” confirmed for Siu as both watchers of Kyoko noticed the man signal his men to intercept the captain who smiled and gestured that he was after something near the kitchens – the guards did not budge but commanded him to return to his seat – which he did begrudgingly.

The uneasy feeling quickly rose in Siu as the first pure white shoe and portions of a robe could be seen at the top of the stairs and sensing the tension in the air he involuntarily let out a low growl-like hum which the companions who he had travelled with for quite some time heard and jumped at the noise.

Kuang had asked the cursed to come with them to the hall, something about a chance to gain perspective and perhaps prove that they are more than just cursed. Siu didn’t understand but looking at the nod that Choi gave him as he moved off and started to pickpocket weapons, daggers, swords and the like from the guards standing close to Kyoko, Kuang and the party he thought that it made sense.

Without being able to be spotted, with people magically unable to recognise or detect them due to The Shadows curse they made the perfect people to keep Kyoko and those who can make a difference safe. Nodding towards the other cursed members he grabbed a few of the smaller weapons of the party members and some that they may be able to use, daggers, short swords and the like and moved over to place them next to the party out of sight. On the way back he noticed a few guards coming to surround the party of adventurers and intercepted them using his sharp claws to cut belts, draw strings to purses and the like and as they scrambled to stop their weapons and items falling to the ground the party was alerted to their movements.

Siu had his head turned towards the back of the door, working on the lock that had locked when he heard the footsteps stop, the steady clicking that was signalling time passing had finished and an audible gasp could be heard from the room.

Turning around his head and vision seemed to move in slow motion as his vision fell upon a woman in complete white at the bottom of the stairs that made his blood freeze like ice.

Lord Toshio’s and ‘His Court’

224TuLTaHC

Shadow blessed

223TuShBl

Reaching the bubbling pot in front of a gathering of refugees from Jade point he turned around and started to place bowls of the hearty meal in their hands. The people stared at him in shock as he jiggled the bowl around in front of them. “You going to take it so I can continue to monitor the perimeter or not?” he asked a tired, gruff man who had the appearance of a sailor.

“How can… ” the man began looking at his fellow shadow bruised, “Is the curse lifted?” he asked a tinge of excitement touching his voice as he grasped the hand of Kuang.

Smiling down at the man and those who clambered around him he shook his head, his smile unable to mask the sadness in his voice as he spoke “The Shadows taint has not yet left your body, but you are not cursed.” the man said as he sat down in front of the gathering of men and women. “When I was a child I wandered the Forest of screams, not its actual name but when the moon was dark and the wind pushed through those twisted branches,” he stopped a warm smile appearing on his face, “My brother used to tell me that there was nothing in those woods, he was strong, one of the last blessed by the lotus in my clan before the harrowing…” his smile dropped. “One night one of our dogs, my mothers prized bitch, ran into the woods at night. She was ready to pup you see and tried to find a place that she could get away from the other dogs. I couldn’t handle seeing my mother that distressed and so I chased after he dog into the woods. It wasn’t long until I became lost, but I was not alone in those twisted branches for like I chased after something that gave my mother joy my brother did also – and he chased after me into those woods.” a crowed gathered, people who could not see the shadow bruised and those travelling with him and the adventurers and, Kuang paused as his eyes met those of Siu, the ancestors emissary, after a nod of reverence towards the golden scaled creature he continued. “My brother was so fast, I did not even see the Oni and the Gaki before they were on me,” Kuang stood up and drew his sword as he began to spar with the fire – his movements like if a snake and the wind had created a being of war, “he drew his sword, this sword, and defended me for hours. Constantly in motion; striking, fading, feinting before decapitating another horrid creature as we constantly moved out of the woods. He was a being of fury, or righteousness but a beacon of light.”

The old mans voice wavered as he stared at the fire dancing along his polished silver of the blade, the reflection of the moon on one side and the flickering flames on the other. “As he pushed me out of the woods he drove his blade through the throat of the most monstrous Gaki I have ever seen but not before one of its limbs pierced him in his side causing him to lose his grip on the blade as he was thrashed around. I did what any brother would do, I rushed forward and ripped the blade out before cutting my brother free, wrenching the limb out as the beast thrashed and wailed. I stood and attempted to lift my brother up but the beast wasn’t done with us yet. I received another one of its barbed limb through my thigh, severing it and pulling it through I moved myself and my brother to a safe distance, bandaged our wounds with my robe and we made as much haste to the safety of the walls of our keep, supporting each other until we made it through the gate.” Kuang sheathed his blade and sat with his back facing the fire a dance of light and shadow. “The wound carried some taint of the shadowlands. I was wracked in pain but I refused to leave my brothers side,” he scoffed with a smile, “they set my bed next to his so I could be next to him as he fought for his life.”

“he did not make it.” Kuang said looking up towards the gathered audience to his tale. “Before he did he imparted some wisdom to me which I want to share with you now. Do not dwell on what can not be changed. Every power in the land has both a light and a shadow, a yin and yang, and only when there is balance and understanding of such can true power be realised.” Kuang stopped and swallowed. “you see, the power of the lotus that he had received was balance. He could see both sides and in some way that night, the taint of the Gaki that courses through my veins is also a power. After my brother died I could see spirits, benign and malicious, light and shadow and I thought it a curse. But after joining her ladies guard I can tell you now – that the curse has a light to its shadow. Being able to see the taint in others, to see the dark has saved my life and hers more times than I care to count. Don’t view your curse as one, but look for the light to its shadow. You are unseen, unremarkable, unnoticed whilst you bear that taint. That’s a blessing. Imagine what you could do with the power to be a presence in the crowd, maybe you just need to make use of the curse for it to no longer be one.” he said as he stood, looking towards a few men who were meant to be on patrol with a frown.

“Captain,” a timid voice, a young boy who survived Jade Point but was lucky to be untainted. “What happened to the dog?”

Kuang grinned. “The bitch had nine puppies, she had returned home at the first howl of wind through those cursed branches.

Sai Tsugen

222TuSaTs

The man waits for the party to introduce themselves before turning to Liz “you don’t seem to be with these four, who are tasked by Lady Kyoko to visit these stables. What business do you have?” The man asked as the other Red and grey dressed men walked purposefully around the building.

“I am here to examine the horses to make sure they are in good health” said Liz, careful to not reveal too much to ensure that the man could be trusted.

Sighing and smiling a toothy grin the man withdrew his hand from the robe “Apologies lords and ladies, I had to make sure I could trust you. Please, allow me to get the door for you.” he said as he moved towards the door, a mixture between a stride and a waddle – the movement almost purposeful to the trained eye. “A mystery it is, the shaman couldn’t tell what was the matter and we were asked to quickly seal up the area and not allow anyone other than those entrusted to enter. I don’t even quite know myself what is going on as I have come at the change of the shift and been told to show the authorised people into the building.” the man said, a small change in his tone as he spoke almost undetectable.

Knocking on the door and stepping to the side a small wooden panel was opened and Takeo’s eyes were revealed. Moments later the door was unlocked and the door opened – Takeo walking deeper into the stables “come in, towards the back” he called in a carefully measured voice so that only those by the door could hear.

Moving through the red robed man closed the door behind them, or so it sounded like it, and carefully walked in behind them. Moments later the sick mare was revealed, her hide was normally brown with patches of white was now a dark grey, the hair slowly falling out in great patches as the body of it lay unmoving.

“I can’t detect any poisons, curses, wounds, cuts, bruising. Nothing.” Takeo said as he looked down at the mare, crouching down. “there is a build up and a large amount of mucus near the mouth as if the horse spat up as it collapsed but that is all I have found that is odd. Strange..” he said as he turned his head towards the party, his eyes following a moment later “Liz, maybe your divine magic can identify what is going on here…” he stopped as his eyes met the man in the red and grey robe.

“what is he doing in here. None of the hands were meant to enter the room.” he said standing abruptly. Just as quickly as he stood he started to shake, his legs wobbling as his shivering hands reached up to his neck and plucked a tiny fluff covered spike from his neck. His eyes lost focus as they moved between the party and the man at the back of the room then to Liz as he fell to the ground.

Liz shrieked and dashed forwards, a prayer already on her lips as she met his side and a golden glow covered his body, a greenish tinge flowing from a minute puncture wound on his neck flowing through to his limbs. The glow spread down and focused on the puncture which seemed to stop the tinge and slowly it receded.

“Interesting..” they heard on the wind as the door behind them slammed shut – whirling around the man in grey and red had gone, disturbed hay the only evidence that he had been there at all.

Duplicity

221TuDu

Kyoko sat next to Siu, she thought so atleast as it was difficult to make out his presence at times as the curse took hold of him. Liz sat on Kyoko’s other side and she breathed in deeply as she lit some incense as she began a prayer for the success and safe returns of the adventures.

A few minutes passed as they listened to Liz’s prayer, “They will be fine” Kyoko said after the prayer was finished chanting, “Takeo is guiding them and the monks are a peaceful people” Kyoko reassured both Siu and Liz. The heady incense caused Kyoko’s nose to itch and a pressure to build behind her eyes. Standing she moved to the nearby window in the room they were staying in and went to open it but paused, a vibrant green flying insect was caught in a web that seemed to shimmer as if gold. A red spider crawled out from a hidden nook within the window frame and scurried across the Silk towards its prey that was in the web.

Fascinated and reeling from the overwhelming incense Kyoko stared as the spider approached the insect cautiously – its legs moving expertly to grip the web at key parts as it pulled its way towards the source of the vibrations, its food. Approaching from behind it went to move in for the kill, is fangs poised and clicking as it went to drive them into the abdomen of the fly. With unnatural reflexes the insect buzzed its vibrant wings and flew off the web, the golden threads intact as it looped around, long previously hidden legs outstretched as it grappled the back of the spider as its abdomen throbbed and stretched, revealing a previously concealed stinger. Jab, jab, jab! Went the stinger as it plunged towards the arachnid that was desperately trying to shake the insect off, but it was for naught. Within moments the long legged wasp was feasting on the still twitching corpse of the spider.

“are you ok Kyoko?” Siu asked, concern on his face.

“yes, I was just watching a wasp deceive a spider and shift from being prey to predator in mere moments” Kyoko replied as she opened the window before returning to her seat.

“Deceit is normal practice in the world, like the spider we had been fooled by the shadow. Your mind is likely seeing a likeness to our current situation” Liz responded as she poured some tea for the three of them.

“perhaps. Yes I am sure you are right” Kyoko replied despite not being fully convinced.

The Last of Shuimu’s Monks

220TuTLoSM

---

The path leading up to the mountains where Takeo had scouted what remained of the monastery wound around the mountain like the tail of a giant serpent and it climbed ever upwards. Despite their exhaustion from the night before it wasn’t long until the party were looking at the worn but sturdy looking buildings that seemingly was carved from the mountain itself, flowing with great curves and lines that blended with the landscape around it.

Walking forward the shallow wall’s gate lay open, one side obviously repaired but damaged too far to be closed fully.

“You should not be here” a voice called from somewhere near the gate, “it’s not safe in these mountains, not any more” the voice, a females voice, called again.

“We seek the monks that call these halls and mountains home.” Takeo replied, his eyes narrowing at the rafters of the roof that covered the gate. “I believe that these sages, people of wisdom and greater understanding are the only people who can help us unravel the mysteries of the Shadow bruise curse.” he continued as he drew a small thin throwing blade.

“The monks are gone, only the golden beast calls these halls home at night and I during the day, to repair the damage done during the night before, to honour those who once called this place home.” The voice called back but from lower down as a lady with silver hair that shimmered with gold in the sunlight walked between the doors and stood blocking the path into the monastery. “You wont find what you are looking for here, I suggest you leave before it’s too late.

Takeo bowed deeply and turned around as if to go before spinning on his heel and flicking the throwing blade towards the woman. In the blink of an eye a large blue tinged chain flicked out from the sleeve of the woman and slapped the blade into the ground beneath it, the woman movements were so fluid and graceful that the chain moved as if it were an extension of her arm rather than something gripped and wielded in her hand.

“I thought you said all the monks were gone” Takeo said bowing as a sign of forgiveness, revealing the emptiness of his palms.

“they are, I am all that remains, she who protects the history of the monks and tries to protect fool adventurers from getting killer by the golden beast. If you seek the monks wisdom for a cure then you are on a fools errand. The great library has been sealed for years, it also happens to be where the beast has created its den and it is not safe to be as it will hunt down all that trespass into its lair..” she continued. “To seek the wisdom of the monks is to spar with death itself and that is not something I want to be responsible for. So leave now before it’s too late.”

The Damp Dark

219TuTDD

Drip, drip, dip… The darkness made an excellent chamber for reflecting noice from the other side. The warm, wet dark contrasted to the slightly immuninated ice cold pools of water that had worn away at the rocky surface of the cave floor forming mini reflections of the pool and waterfall that had given life to the cave hundreds of years ago.

A bald hard scalp pierced the waters surface causing the watcher in the dark to narrow her eyes, staring intently at the potential intruder as she lounged in a worn out groove against the back of the cave. Several other protected thick scalps appeared in other connected pools throughout the cave, “ah, they made it back” she thought as she relaxed her guard and picked up what she had been chewing on a few minutes earlier, a femur, broad and strong with some scraps of meat left on it. Her powerful jaws causing a splinter to occur in the bone before she used a sharpened rock to crack open the bone to expose the marrow. A long sharpened finger nail on her right hand made quick work plucking out the rancid congealed goo from the hard casing.

Slowly the figures emerged from the pools, each clutching a body, or body part from something they hunted beyond the cave before they dropped it in a pile on a central smooth and flat rock. The hunched figures showing no sign of weakness of injury, to do so infront of the others would be yo invite canabalism that cost the last tribe more than half its members, no, this time she would not allow it. Despite their scaled limbs which ended in clawed webbed hands and fingers they moved quite well above the water, their thick, heavy shelled back and partially covered torso the only thing that held them back from being as swift on land as in the water of the pools they lived near.

Standing up her thick scalp touching and scraping painlessly along the roof of the cave, being the tallest and strongest here she got the first pick from the pile.

Pushing aside pieces she deemed unsuitable for her she eventually stumbled upon the top torso of what was once a human, the clothes and skin suggested it had sat in water for quite some time but her constitution was not questioned. Dragging the decaying meat, offal and bones back to the wall she ascended the piles of bones from years of eating like this. The bones and other refuse from her meals forming a slope upwards towards the highest part of the cave. Sitting down and sinking her teeth into the cold flesh she looked down at the others like her as they fought and scrapped over the pile of carcases and corpses. Her eyes fixed towards noting the strength in a few of the males in the cave she wondered if they could find enough food for next years brood – they may need to become more n aggressive and start stockpiling food in the frigid pools which means attacking the humans more regularly.

Takeo of the Lotus

218TuTotL

As the door opened and closed, Kyoko going out to mingle amongst the treaty of the crew and people of Jade Point, Takeo looked over the party, Siu and Liz who sat in infront of him.

“my teacher’s have a phrase for that mark, Shadow Bruised, those who have had shadow touch them but not take them.. yet..” he began looking at the confused and concerned faces before him. “Likely started with one, probably not the one who took his life, and its infected the others. Thats about the extent we do know of it, but some monks and shamans may know more. We know you are not the cause or threat but to ensure your safety we must keep you locker up. Until we reach the mainland.” He said looking thoughtful.

“have there been any other people with that mark, the err, shadow bruise?” Liz asked quietly, concern for their health evident on her face.

“one or two, but I suspect there is more. What worries me with our first victim,”he gurstured to a room that was currently closed and locked up, “is that I lost sight of this person, could not see, smell or hear them as if they ceased to exist until that knife pierced his chest. I will need to talk to my master about this to understand how to track those inflicted with the mark.”

As the people present started to discuss the options available to them the door rattled, but no one was there. A few moments passed as the group discussed what they could do Siu stopped mid sentence and stared across the room before lunging forward and pouncing towards the corner of the room, closest to where Liz was standing. As he collided with something a flurry of claws and teeth accompanied a guttural screech. Blood, fabric and the occasional golden scale fell to the floor as the room bore witness to a haggard looking man with eyes sparkling with madness slashing and stabbing as the golden beast did its best to disarm or kill the would be assassin.

A moment later and a snake-like lunge was followed by a crunch and crack and both Siu and the man fell to the ground. Siu stood up slowly before backing away from the dead man. “I tried to remove the knife but it wouldn’t come free.” He said, panting and looking mortified “he was muttering when I realised he was in the room about snuffing the light and being freed.”

“I didn’t notice him until the blood hit the floor.” Takeo said looking concerned towards the door he swore was locked. At that moment Kyoko pushed open the door in a hurry.

“the key’s missing..” she began before seeing the body in the ground “looks like you found the source of the disappearance” she added.

“Siu.. whats that on your neck?” Liz asked as she pointed at a polished black stone that looked like it had been adhered to his scales, a tarnishing to the scales around the stone gave the appearance of a bruise.

“Well. We now know how they get the mark and know what to ask the monks and my masters” Takeo continued as he stared at the stone.

Siu just stood still as he felt a presence sneak up his spine and as he felt the stone grow heavy on his scales a chilled whisper drifted past his ear “hello Jung..”

Mugrave the Shadows left hand

217TuMu

The wound across her shoulder, running down her torso and to her hip throbbed and ached – a reminder to not underestimate the allies that the people of this land has called for. Sitting down having walked for quite some time since her shadow-form had worn off she rummaged through the bag she kept on her at all times and picked through the trinkets, plant bits and bits of meat that she kept in there – finding a sliver of torn out bark from an old tree that grows in the marshes she bit off a chunk and chewed, welcoming the bitter yet spicy flavours knowing it will help heal her wounds quicker.

“Well, that puts a dint in our plans then” she mumbled, feeling the cold claws of the Shadow pressing on the skin on her shoulders. “Never mind that though the town suffered enough casualties and it looks like they have abandoned it for now. Plus we got the information we needed from them, even if the Toad-kin never returned with their end of the bargain we still found out what is on that ship – Princess Kyoko has brought home something more than magical trinkets. My agents said that there was a Fallen Star amongst that ship,” Mugrave could feel the shadow recoil at the mention of the star – but the knowledge of its existence in the land was better that finding it by surprise, “quite a shock since you killed the last of the realm bound stars – or so the story goes. Perhaps you missed one?” she teased the shadow – feeling its searing cold anger flash against her psyche.

The bombardment of visions, words, sounds and the urgency in its desire for action washed over Mugrave, she was used to the way the Shadow communicates having been born with a connection to the dark entity. “Let me get this straight, the adventurers who nearly killed me and ruined your plans single handed – you want me to follow them into the heart of the enemies territory and snuff out this light before it realises the truth?” she signed, wiping the blood that dripped from her nose – a symptom of having the shadow in your head. A reassuring squeeze, or controlling she wasn’t quite sure, told her what the deal was.

“If I do this I am free. This is it, no more” Mugrave said, turning to stare at the Shadow – something that she knew it hated. The writhing mass of darkness had taken some physical form, two long thin arms ended in three digited hands that ended in claws. a long serrated beak had formed under two glowing embers that narrowed with not only anger, but contemplation.

“Deal” – the one word resounded out in her mind, like a bolt of lightning in the darkness before the thunder caught up. After the word was hissed the shadow turned to mist and disappeared, floating up and over the rocky outcrop in front of her and towards the dark recesses of the mountain. Mugrave turned to stare towards the capital. To make a deal to release a pawn, especially one like herself, the fallen star must either terrify or concern the Shadow – either way she knew where she was going, the price of her freedom was easy enough – A life for a life, the end of this star for the true beginning of her life away from the Shadow – and all the power that came with unbridled access to her birth right.

She grinned revealing her sharpened teeth as she slowly stood, testing out her wounds as she began to walk back the way she came, her body shrinking and cracking as she walked taking on the guise of a young, somewhat beautiful yet plain woman wrapped in furs and commoners clothes. A trick that she loaded to use as it normally added time to her indenture with the Shadow but since it was effectively paying for this – she was able to go fully out and let go of the restrictions and chains that normally held her back.

This star would stutter out and then there would be nothing that could stop her and the master she was soon to stop serving, the shadow.