Shadows of the Light

Page 19

In the winter gloom, Sakiya couldn't tell how far the vampite flew. As they flew, Sakiya couldn't help but feel a growing amount of dread stirring in his chest. The vampite turned to look at him at the corner of her eye.

"Are we there?"

The vampite nodded. Not an easy thing to do whilst flying.

"Alright. I'll go in alone. You keep yourself hidden. I don't think many people would see that you came to help."

She nodded again and dived towards the lights of the manor.

Sakiya dropped lightly on the pavement at the right side of the manor. All the lights were off, which was very peculiar. It only confirmed that Lucienne's life was in danger. He tiptoed into the shadows and clambered over the wall. There was no one around in the courtyard and everything was eeriely quiet. His mind suddenly flashed back to the dark, whispering forest. He shook his head. This wasn't the time for it.

He ran inside and was about to call out for Lucienne when he stopped. Shouting would only get him killed. Killed? Were things really that serious? Sakiya paused. Could his imagination just be going crazy? The only confirmation he had that something was actually wrong was a bat-creature. Not to be cruel, but how could he trust an animal?

"She's not an animal," something inside him said quietly. "Look at her; she's almost human! Something's wrong, and you know it!"

Sakiya's steps became more resolute. "Alright," he whispered to himself, "Something has happened but I don't know what. Best to tread carefully until I find someone." He looked around and saw a dagger on the floor. It was unsheathed.

'Hmmm,' he thought, 'More suspicious.'

He took the dagger and moved slowly and silently through the dark once again. At least his night-vision was good. As he passed more and more rooms, it became evident that no one else was present. Something was definitely wrong.

"Darkness falls......" a voice whispered.

Sakiya whirled round. Nothing.

"Soon. Very soon, Sakiya Mening, your light will be snuffed out and you will fall to darkness...."

Again, the vision of the sinister trees creeped past the barriers he had set up. 'No, no! Think about the fire, think about the light!'

"You cannot stop it....."

Sakiya heard footsteps. Someone was running towards him. He brandished the dagger in a reverse grip. Was it friend or foe? He lifted it to where he assumed an adult male's throat would be.

A figure crashed into him just below the dagger and uttered a squeal of fright. Sakiya quickly lowered the dagger. "Light! Luce, are you okay?"

"S-Sakiya? Wha...what's going on??"

"Luce, calm down. I don't know what's going on; I thought you might! My vampite and I rushed over here because we thought something was wrong when you didn't show up at the pens."

Lucienne tried her best to compose herself, but her voice was still very shaky when she spoke. "I....don't know exactly. I was busy running about the house doing things. But I noticed less and less people as I went about and then suddenly I was all alone!" She shivered again. "I tried to get out but wherever I went there were no doors and the windows were warded or something; I couldn't get out." She started to cry.

"Shhh, Luce. I'm going to get us out of here. After all, I got in here, and I don't think my vampite was foolish enough to make me go into a place I couldn't get out from! Follow me, I'll find a way." He held out his hand.

Lucienne nodded and took it and hand-in-hand, they ran.

Another drama was unfolding in the outside world as the couple ran: a courtroom drama. The King's Council sat once again at the round table.

"The die is cast, Your Majesty," the nasal voice of Councilman Ignar rang out, "The boy has turned against us."

"We should have taken Councilman Ignar's suggestion and disposed of him," an old voice cried.

"And how would you have proposed to do that, Shumen? Would you have mobilised the Blades to do it? Or perhaps a Brightspear? How would that portray us?" another countered.

The king spoke up. "Can you confirm that Justice Merton's death was due to the Shadow Knight, Justice?"

The investigator looked a little doubtful but nonetheless spoke without hesitation, "No, my king, but simple trial and error can be used here. No Illumination could do this - he was leeched of all life force! - meaning that it could only be Dark Powers. Nothing that powerful could have snuck by our borders without alerting us."

"But then, you didn't suspect a thing until you noticed the reply you sent never reached him," the king said, accusingly.

The investigator nodded. "I can't say I know for certain, my king, but there have been no other leads. All my men have been working on this but they have found nothing."

"Why do you protect the boy, Your Majesty? He would never of use to us and he himself rejects his Path!" Councilman Ignar said loudly once they had dismissed the investigator.

The king stared at him, and he quailed at the strength of the gaze. All noise ceased. King Tychard VII was not a man to be bullied. "I do not ask idly, councilmen. If we are wrong, it could be the catalyst to him being the instrument of our destruction, or are your brains too addled with age to see that??" His eyes alighted on the one man who was not the least bit worried of his hard glare, but rather of the boy whose life was on a thread. "High Cardinal Cafken. What have you to say?"

The old cardinal said nothing, which was addressed angrily by a councilman seated next to him. "The king is talking to you, High Cardinal! Answer him!"

He remained silent.

The tension in the entire room became palpable as they feared what would happen to them if his disrespect continued. Many mouths were about to condemn him when he finally spoke up. "I....don't know, my king."

The room fell silent once again.

"I truly do not know. He was given this station by the Light, and yet, with no one to guide him, how can he fulfill his Path? I'm afraid, my king......I am lost." He sank in his chair, defeated. All eyes now fell on the king. He had known the High Cardinal his whole life, and never before had he seen him so discouraged. He made his decision.

"Then I put to vote this matter: should we kill him or subdue him?"

Slowly, the hands were raised. Miraculously, the number was completely tied. Then, they noticed the discrepancy.

"Where is Councilman Aelclips?" King Tychard asked. Nobody knew.

"Then this matter shall be adjourned. Until Councilman Aelclips puts forth his vote, it shall be a stalemate. And," he said to stop the protests from breaking out, "I would like to remind the Council that the High Cardinal has the right not to vote." He looked at them all in the eye.

"You are all dismissed."