It was Just a Prank

"I Accept Defeat..."

The man who answered the door was, in fact, the leader of the village. The man himself was nice, welcoming. He seemed like a good leader based off his character. He was apparently the one who filed that request. He lead me to this large cave that was nearby. It was like a mine!

Apparently, this village mainly makes money by mining, so the shadow was creating a bit more trouble to these people than I thought...

I hesitantly walk into the large cavern, only with a small lantern the man gave me. It really was not all that helpful to me, especially with how huge this cave was.

I kept walking as the light behind me started to fade away.

(See da symbolism there I should be an actual author, ahahahaha just kidding, the world will blow up with gay fanfics)

This cave seemed like it had no end. After each step I took, it felt like the ground below me was going to crumble. Wait, am I shaking or is the ground...?

I have to be careful, it's very dark in here, and the shadow can attack me from anywhere.

Ugh, it'd be a lot easier if I brought Sting with me. Ugh, no. Anyone but him would be just fine. Well, yeah, his ability to create light would make this job request a hell of a lot easier.

Do I want him here or do I not?!

I was just confused. But I can't really think about that now! I can totally do this by myself!

As I kept walking further in, my steps grew smaller. After every other step, I stop to look around me, making sure that the shadow won't attack me from behind. I guess I'm just very paranoid of it happening.

If Sting were here, he'd make sure it wouldn't happen...

Agh, come on! Focus for at least a minute!

I keep walking forward, and just as I feared, I heard its voice. Behind me... Actually, no. It wasn't speaking, or anything. It was laughing. It was laughing at me.

"You scared, Rogue?"

I jump at how loud the siren-like voice sounded. The walls of the caves were making it echo. I quickly turn around, but damn it, I couldn't see a thing! The light in the lantern was starting to fade...

I suddenly felt myself being thrown to the hard floor below me. The shadow was able to attack me! And I can't do anything! Not like I can move around the cave neither! I wouldn't know where I'd be going, and I wouldn't know when or where the shadow would attack next!

There's almost no point in attacking now. It has the full advantage: the darkness. I can't merge into a shadow neither, I won't know where it is, and I won't be able to attack! Maybe the best way is just hiding... Hiding as a shadow! Might as well try, right?

Maybe if I hide and stay quiet, I might have a ch–

The shadow then attacked me again, shoving me out of my shadow form. And even when I'm a shadow?! So, it learned how to navigate me, even in my shadow form, too, huh? But, how? This is definitely not going to be easy at all...

I am definitely worried. I'm starting to run out of ideas here. I can't attack it, I can't hide from it, neither. What can I do now?! I can't just give up!

I suddenly started to tremble. No, it wasn't the ground, it was me this time. Am I scared? Am I afraid of being in this darkness without my light? Am I actually going to lose this?

And this is where, I definitely regretted not having Sting with me.

"What's the matter, Rogue? Still afraid of the dark?" It chuckles sinisterly.

"Pfft, that was a long time ago," I scoff. Is that really all he could think of and say?

"Maybe, you still are."

"Uh, no, I am definitely not," I was honestly confused. Was this just a game to it? I was still stepping and staggering around in small circles, trying to track down every slight difference in the air, ground, and the cave around me. What if this was a trap? A trap to get me distracted, and then give it a chance to strike at me.

"Maybe you are, because you went alone this time!" The voice boomed before the shadow struck me once more. Ack! It was able to strike while I was still trying to adjust to my surroundings.

"Maybe I am alone! Look! If you think this is some game, you better quit it! What fun is there to terrorize people and just ruin everything?! And I will prove that I will be just fine by myself! I will defeat you!" I tried to pounce towards the voice, still uncertain if it will be effective or not.

Aaand it wasn't, of course...

"I don't know, it's just so amusing to me. Seeing people in fear, I enjoy it all! And I don't think you are even trying, Rogue. You clearly wasted your time. You are pretty much weak and hopeless against me. You need your dumb boyfriend with you if you want to stop me. So stop trying, and just let me finish you off!" The shadow finished his speech with a laugh.

Well, he's not... wrong though... I'm hopeless in this kind of situation.

I mean, even as a Shadow Dragon Slayer, I can't even see the shadow in the pitch black. I can't even see my own hand! Damn it. It's right, for once. There is no point.

"Boyfriend. How creative," I smirk, putting my weakness to the side.

"He doesn't even like you or love you in that way. He just felt bad for you that day when he met you!"

"Well, he's not my boyfriend, but you might actually have a chance of not being wrong here," I let out a small laugh, trying to annoy it.

I couldn't see a thing, and I felt punches and scratches being thrown, with the evil energy of the shadows. They weren't just strong, but they were quick and hard to recover from, especially if you can't see a goddamn thing. I tried to not make a sound, it would only show weakness. And it already knows that I'm weak.

For the first time, I felt like giving up.

Heh, that's definitely strange of me to say, especially when it came to finally getting rid of my shadow.

It keeps attacking, and I still don't make any movement. It was determined to possess and consume my body after. It's going to take over my body to travel to other cities and villages easier. And to my fear, it might actually be successful. I can't run away neither, so I might not have any other choice.

I... accept defeat... at this point.

I close my eyes, trying to ignore the pain, until I heard a familiar voice echo across the cave.

"Don't you dare touch Rogue!"

Then there was a bright flash, it was almost blinding. Bright and blinding, yet familiar.

"Rogue!!"

"Sting..." I smile slightly as I feel myself slip into unconsciousness, falling. It might sound a bit crazy, but I think I just saw him running over and reaching out his arms for me.

It's almost like he was trying to catch me before I could hit the cold floor.
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Ya know?

I might do a double update for y'all

FRIGGIN shadow strikes again

Leave him be!

Second Update coming in a few minutes so yay!