The Shadows Move With Us

Chapter 5

The reports from people around the city were various, one reporting a flash of darkness over their house or passing over their window, one reporting the sounds of what sounded like boots slamming against their walls before suddenly vanishing. Others on the opposite side of the city reported a girl snooping in places she shouldn't have, stealing bread and whatnot....though there was one shop owner who suspected what was going on. And that....was a little witch named Wick. She had been hearing the citizens whispering among themselves whenever she went out for supplies, little snippets of conversation being given to her as she passed by those who didn't simply step to the other side of the road when she walked. Even though she had been nothing but good to the people there, many still held onto the superstition that she was going to cast a spell on them with a look or a curse on them if they stepped the wrong way.

 The young girl didn't pay any attention to them though, only paying attention to the rumors running around the city. "The Shadow One's have come again. I can't sleep because of the house shaking." One said.  "I keep finding ash in my pipes. Someone's trying to smoke me out." Another said. And still another added to the conversation. "Has anyone seen that little brown girl flitting about? I bet she's helping him. Never in the same place twice, she ain't." She rolled her eyes at this last one, the man she was looking for clearly working alone for the longest time. This didn't stop her from following the last of the reports to one of the outlying markets, her eyes scanning each of the people there slowly as she stuck to the outskirts so as to avoid being mixed in with the general populace. She could see the normal venders haggling with customers, each of them minding their own business. She could see townsfolk conversing with each other as they truddled along and laughed with each other, the sight nearly bringing an smile to her face before she allowed her gaze to move on. Her familiar was not far behind, the pillow bobbing up and down at waist height as he followed her almost lazily. 

The reptile blinked it's beady little eyes as it looked about as well, arching it's neck as it tried to see just what it was that Wick was looking for. Slender fingers brushed down the back of its neck for a couple seconds before the shelled animal pushed up into her palm gently, green eyes glancing about around the edges of the market now as she noticed glints of silver moving through the area. The knights she had visit her were patrolling again, causing her pretty face to scrunch up a little bit in a frown that made one of the passing townspeople frown back and stop what he was doing to speak with her. "What's got you frowning like that miss? Something bothering ya?" He was a gruff looking man, with a voice and hands to match. His words got her out of her little revelry upon hearing them, shaking her head lightly after blinking away a confused look in her eyes. "Oh no, nothing it bothering me at all. I am simply concerned to see so much security roaming about. I heard about the destruction of ah.....sorry, the name has slipped my mind." 

"You mean Eastmire, Miss?" He suggested, charcoal black eyes peering at her curiously as he scritched at his stubble. "That's the one, thank you. Was Eastmire's premature demolition really enough to warrant all this?" She asked, looking around once more. "They say that the Shadow caused it. The one who dwells in smoke and ash, the unnatural one." He glanced around him before leaning closer to whisper a couple more words. "The Fumus. He has unfinished business here, mark my words. There will be more chaos and destruction before he is done here." The way he spoke that word, the way he seemed to wish to avoid using it.....it seemed like a curse to Wick. Something spoken about in fairytales and children's bedtime stories. "What exactly is the Fumus? I have heard that word scarcely whispered around this city, mostly as if it is a bad thing." 

He stepped closer, his hand gripping her shoulder with so much force behind it she thought he was actually trying to hurt her. Before she could speak again, he was speaking to her hurriedly. "He is the shadow that comes in the night to avenge those taken from their families, the ash of the fire that consumes lives before drifting off to torment some other poor soul. He is the curse of those who anger our god, Acleras. The one gifted with the magic to tear down kingdoms if he so chose. If he is here......then we are about to witness history change. He is hated by his enemies, but revered by us." He stopped talking again, stepping away just in time to avoid a rather vicious bite from the familiar that had floated closer from the other side. Wick pressed a hand to the shell of her protector, thumb stroking over the hexagonal shapes that helped make up the shell. "Well...sir. I am fairly certain that he doesn't mean other people harm. I'm pretty sure he just wants to be left alone." She said, looking back up to where he was before.....but found he was gone. He wasn't anywhere in front of her, Wick casting her gaze around the area before sighing and continuing to walk. "Come on, J. We got more areas to check out." And as she walked, her eyes dulled from the hyper vibrant glow they had gained when he touched her.