The Forty Knives of Fifty Theives

Chapter 7

In the heart, the deepest part of the castle. This is farther than any of the thieves have ever gone, all except one. Only one human had been to the room where the evil was encaged, and he miraculously survived. Yet the others though he was crazy, insane even, and some doubted his loyalty. However there was a secret about the evil imprisoned in the castle. Something none of them knew at the time. They all thought that the creature was dangerous, but they were wrong, very wrong.

The creature stirred in the cage; no he didn’t awake from his long slumber. For centuries he had slept unmoving, one might suspect the creature was dead. He simply moved or shifted in his sleep. Something in the outer world had happened and coincidently it made the creature move. He didn’t know what it was and couldn’t care less. The darkness throbbed around the creature; it was swirling, goading the creature to wake. The darkness was inside the cage and was imprisoned as well. The darkness pulsed and slowed down from its Tornado speed. It clung to the skin of the creature needing its power to survive. The creature did not care, he awaited death in his sleep, and for centuries he had waited. The darkness was unhappy; it wanted to be back in the world, causing mayhem. It was not the creature who was the threatening evil it was the darkness, the thick smoke that swirled around in the cage. The creature was simply a tool of great power and size, of course it was dangerous but it had not caused the chaos before. The darkness whispered into the ear of the creature and even in its slumber it heard the words. Why do you sleep when your kingdom is being controlled by those who have caged you? Will you not try to avenge your reputation, or you family? The creature stirred again, that subject had been untouched for a long time it wasn’t fair for the darkness to bring it up again. The swirling smoke made a sound like laughter but not the joyous kind. Ha ha ha, you think I am fair? You underestimate me friend. The creature snorted, friend the darkness had said. It was not his friend, the man who had once lived here had been a friend but the darkness was no more than a wisp of smoke that fed on his power. The creature listened to the silence of the castle. There had been something earlier; someone had touched the castle, someone with a destiny. The darkness gave up for now.

Megan

That next morning I awoke early. It wasn’t like I was leaving any earlier than Josh and I had planned, I just wanted to wake up earlier. I searched through the small selection of outfits in my drawers. I hadn’t gotten much from the tack shop where they sold clothing for the soldiers on the base. I missed my old room and all my other stuff. The army uniform is dull. I decided to where a similar outfit to what I had rode across the desert in. I’d be coming back after breakfast to pack the rest of my stuff for the trip. I pulled my sword and scabbard out from under my bed and glided my fingers across the handle. I would bring this sword along. I certainly didn’t want it here where someone could find it and take it. For now I placed it back under the cot and then exited the common. I crossed the base which was very lively this morning. It seemed like I wasn’t the only one who got up early. It amazed me about what these soldiers found to do all day, some were at the stables, caring for the horses, and some were doing single combat in the arena, which was basically just a wide dirt pit behind the inner base. I could even hear a few grunts and groans when I passed the recruit training facilities. Probably some newbie getting their butt kicked.

I had no idea what to do and after a little walking around I went to help out in the armory. Everyone apparently called the blacksmith Whitey due to the white smoke often swirling out of the armory. Whitey sent me to sharpen blades, which was probably a job to keep me out of the way. I picked up a knife and began to sharpen it. Lots of the blades didn’t feel balanced in my hand. Many were too heavy and others were too light. There was a really shinny sword; its blade looked like it could be embedded with crystals. The handle wasn’t as spectacular as the blade and I wondered if a handle like my sword would go better with this one. The breakfast bell finally rang and I had pretty much sharpened half the blades in the armory. I told Whitey I’d head for breakfast and he nodded. He was busy pulling a piece of metal from the cooling water.