Dark Shadows by Tynessia Lett (ebook reader with built in dictionary .txt) 📕

Everyone looked around at one another and they each agreed to be civil toward each other. They did not have to like one another but they needed to be on the same page in this great battle to come. They each stepped back to form a unified circle, that would signify the start of the meeting.

“Looks like we are right on time,” Aego said in a humorous tone. He was Elvin, a light elf to be exact. He was 6ft tall very slender with long blonde hair and pale skin. He wore a long flowing white robe. With him were two Elvin soldiers Drelle and Conall, dressed in the finest armor and wielding the finest swords.

“It is good to see you Aego, Welcome, please join the circle so we may begin” Balanos spoke calmly.

“We are all here because of the deteriorating fate of our world and the human world. Alastor the tormenting demon is trying to ascend back into our world through the help of his supporters. ”

Balanos gave a head nod to Anahita, Anahita took a step forward and with the wave of her hand, a vortex of water began to form the ground. Inside the vortex depictions of a battle that was happening East of the Greenlands played out. East of the Greenlands is where the humans had colonized.

The city that was attacked was Grim Coast. A town that developed into an important trading port when the humans settled there. The town is an important trading port for exporting goods like rum, fish, salt, and tobacco.

The villagers were being attacked by Gnolls. Gnolls were savaged creatures who had a blood lust for anything warm-blooded. They especially liked to prey on small villages and bring complete ruin to them. They stood over 7 feet tall and traveled in packs un-loyal to anyone but themselves. They plowed through the city of Grim Coast destroying everything in sight. They killed off the men, women, and children eating their bellies full.

Elix was enraged as he watched the happenings on Grim Coast. ” “SHEERAH!!” he shouted.

“That scoundrel of a beast. Has attacked the largest of the human villages. with Grim Coast gone their trading will be no more.” Uzul said.

“What reason would Sheerah have for attacking the human cities?” he questioned.

“it’s Sheerah his race is known for being feral and aggressive there isn’t any reasoning behind what they do. They attack humans because it’s in their nature.” Balanos said.

Aego stepped forward observing the images up close ” Could he be allied with Alistor, doing his biddings?” Aego addressed the group.

“These murderous beasts are known to fight among one another and only for one another. I doubt Sheerah has pledged any loyalties in this battle. If he has only a fool would trust his intentions.” Mr. Crane laughs.

“I agree” Balanos sighed. “If the human villages are being attacked Sheerah may just be moving on his own accord. However, we must stop him from commencing these sieges.”

“I for one think we should be thanking him for ridding us of those pesky humans” Arachne spoke in a ghoulish tone.

“How dare you say such dispassionate words. They are beings of this realm just as you and I are and they don’t deserve to be looked down upon or the injustice Sheerah has set upon them.” Meliae said as she directed a hateful gaze at Arachne.

“It’s becoming very hard to believe you stand on the side of good, Arachne” Theon grunted.

Anahita’s water vortex rose up and then dropped again depicting a group of fiends at the far west side of the forest. They were forcing their way by the hundreds.

“Damn them all to hell they must be here for the girl!” Kosac gnarled

“We must block them from coming into the forest any further. Daphnae, gather the others and hold them back as much as you can” Balanos urged.

Daphnae gave a nod and headed into battle.

“How did they know the girl was here?” Uzul grunted.

“I’m not yet sure they know she is here, they could just be attacking because we are known supporters of the girl,” Balanos said as she gestured for Meliae and Kissiae to come forward.

“Meliae, Go with Allure, Mr. Crane, and Matt. Show them the back way through the forest. You must immediately take Blair and leave. Meliae will travel with you for guidance.” Balanos said.

“We will head west to assist you with the fight,” King Theon said as he approached Anthos “You giants would be of great assistance as well. Will you join us?” said King Theon.

“Of course, but what of the human villages being attacked?” Anthos inquired

“Allure you must hurry and head east to support the humans, Sheerah must not be left to attack another village,” Balanos said.

“There is also a human in which I know that could be of some help to us. There is a stone called Black Tourmaline Stone. It is a protection stone against negative energy that could help Blair with controlling the darkness inside of her.

Bane was an old friend of Allure one she hadn’t seen in years. They met when they were just young teens. She knew that getting to him and the Stone was imminent. We must get there quickly if we want to find him. If we are to travel on foot, our aid wouldn’t matter. We’d arrive in time to collect the bones of the humans.” Allure sighed.

Mr.Crane slithered to the middle of the circle “I have a faster way to travel if know one is opposed to it.” He hissed.

“We serpents are not bound to just the ground, we thrive in the skies as well” Crane vaguely suggested.

Allure chuckled lowly “You can’t be serious”

“Falak” Mr. Crane shouted

The room went silent. Balanos approached Mr.Crane from the side “Falak the Dragon, will he aid us in our cause? Are you sure?”

“If it is I who call upon him, yes he will come to no doubt” Mr. Crane assured.

“How are we to trust that the vile beast won’t devour us where we stand?” Turgomri stammered.

“I cannot speak for all dragonkin but, Falak is indebted to me and If I call upon him he will serve and you have my word he will not harm you.” Mr. Crane said as he stood up tall on his split tails.

“So what will it be” he hissed.

They all agreed to Mr.Crane calling upon Falak. Aego, Drelle, and Conall agreed to travel west to assist the humans alongside Allure, Mr.Crane, and Matt.

'Burdened with YOUR burdens

I am forced to live vicariously through YOUR hopes and dreams

and suffer YOUR nightmares and fears'

The gloominess filled the streets of the little village and not a sound was heard. The people were in mourning over the news of Grim Coast being attacked so brutally and without cause. Bane was making his way to the local tavern where the village leader had called a town meeting to discuss the attacks happening in human villages. When he arrived he could already see the people were in an uproar about what they should do to protect themselves from the Gnolls. Bane stood in the back of the crowd and observed things quietly.

"What will we do? Our village maybe next" one man shouted.

"We must fight! We can't let Sheerah and his pack of rats run us from our home" another man shouted.

The town leader was a frail old man by the name of Victor. He spoke with a deep raspy voice. " People please stay calm. I know the attack on the other human villages has caused great alarm to all of us but we must stay calm and work together to figure out what we should do." he coughed placing his hand over his chest and taking a deep breath.

"We are not many and we do not have the means to take on Sheerah and his pack. I know this is our home and many of you do not want to abandon all that you know but we must do what we can to survive." Victor placed his arms behind his back and stood up tall. He was all of 5'2 with a face full of grey hair.

"Isn't there anyone we can reach out to for aid?" A woman asked

"As you know we humans don't have many allies here in this world and there are those who would be happy to see us struck down so no my dear I don't think anyone will answer our call for help," Victor said as she began to walk down off the pedal stool.

"We must build up our own saviors and I firmly believe we are capable of doing so with the help of Bane." the crows broke out in whispers of who this Bane person was.

Bane laughed from the back of the crowd. Victor walked through the crowd and directly toward Bane. "Old man you really are something," Bane said lifting his head to meet Victor's eyes.

"The time has come for you to do what you were born to do. You alone possess the power to save us. Tell me Bane will you save us?" Victor asked.

Bane was the scroll keeper and with that title came power. long ago Bane's ancestors were Shamans who were cursed with the mark of the eye. They were to be the protector of all things and knowledgeable in all things. Their sole duty was to keep the secrets of the realm and make sure that the scrolls never ended up in the wrong hands. With that scroll came the ability to do alchemy. The scroll's power combined magic with medicine and Shamanism. The Shaman knew all sorts of magical spells. Bane never wanted to be the scroll keeper after watching the toll it took on his father. He vowed to never live a life dedicated to serving others. He wanted to live for himself and that's what he had been doing since the title was passed down onto him.

"Listen I don't know what you think you know but I am no savior," Bane said attempting to walk past Victor.

"You and I both know that since the passing of your father you have been running from your duties as scroll keeper. You can not outrun fate Bane" Victor said.

Bane side-eyed Victor then pushed past him. The crowd broke out in anger. "Hey, if you can save us you should do it, what the hell is wrong with this guy?" one man shouted.

"So you're just going to sit by while women and children are slaughtered, how cold-hearted can you be?" a woman screamed out.

They pushed and shoved on him as he made his way outside of the tavern. Bane didn't feel any need to help he felt he owed no one anything.

Bane went back home with the intent to pack up and leave before the danger arrived. When he got to his home he noticed someone had broken into his home. He pulled out his sword and proceeded with caution. " You picked the wrong day to mess with me" he urged. Bane kicked his door open further and ran into the house to see Allure and everyone else.

"What the hell Allure? how did you find me?" he