Shadow Chronicles: Hunting for Darkness The Shadow's Whisper

Chapter Six

-Three years later-

Zoe couldn't seem to forget his glowing eyes or his voice. She still remembered when they met and everything leading up to him pushing her into the shadows. She was dreaming of his eyes when she jolted awake, "Cronan.." She muttered before looking around her darkened room. Her aunt and uncle had taken her in when she appeared on their doorstep three years ago, telling them mom had abandoned her at the airport after they landed and took off, her having nowhere to go. Now, she lived a semi-normal life: she had friends, a family, a reputation. She had mastered the bow and now practiced every morning in the woods, preparing for if and when the creatures came after her again.

Zoe walked down the stairs, shrugging on a jacket, still unsure of what had awoken her. Stepping outside, into the chilly air, she stared at him. She shook her head and tried to make the hallucination disappear. "He's not real..he's not real. He isn't here.." She mumbled over and over again, trying to make it go away. "Sorry love," He said, slowly approaching her. "C-Cronan? Are you real? Really here?" She asked, feeling as if her mind and eyes are deceiving her once more. His black hair moved slightly in the wind, only for his image to shift and morph into a more disfigured form, the left half of the being's face was horribly charred and it's left arm was an insect-like limb, it's left eyes was fly like, a green liquid dripped from its maw, a deep buzz like voice spoke "Master, wants you..." It said as it reached it's insect-like hand forwards towards her, it appearance freezing her in place in fear and disgust, the moment it's glowing green finger tips would've made contact with her it suddenly sunk down to its knees in its own shadow, it screeched an awful sound only to have a burst of black smoke that smelled like ash and brimstone appear in front of Zoe with a cloaked figure flying out of it, the figure's outstretched hand gripped the being by the face and brought it back, sending it into its own shadow it's screech still echoing before only silence could be heard.

Zoe shook her head, at herself for not reacting. She'd been training for this and she froze. But..That figure. Although cloaked, had something about them that seemed familiar but she couldn't quite place it. One thing struck her the most, though, "Master...?" She shook her head and then a realization hit her. That thing was pretending to be Cronan and then was taken into its shadow by a cloaked figure that was using shadows to his advantage. "Cronan!" She called out into the night, knowing he'd hear her from the shadows. "I know you're out there." She stated, trying to remain calm and keep any emotion from her voice. A man wearing a black suit that shifted ever so slightly rose from the darkness behind her. His shoulder length hair had been slicked back neatly to tame it. He spoke in a suave manner yet the power radiating from his voice gave every word a slight echo. "Who are you? What Business do you have with my....apprentice?"

"I-I'm Zoe...Cronan and I..we met three years ago..and he saved my life that night...despite my wishes." She stuttered out, still managing to keep the anger from her voice. "I see..." He said in a bored manner, his right eye flashed a bright silver for a split second, and the ground began to shake, "Now I could have done this more cleanly but where's the fun in that." White bone hands shot out from the ground, and wrapped their fingers around her ankles, shadows began pooling at her feet. "Welcome." Was the only warning she got before she was dragged into an inky blackness.
She was utterly confused as the darkness enveloped her. "What--" She began before hitting a ground, the impact cutting her off. "Ow." She uttered before looking around the place she was in. "Where...Where am I?" The same man stepped out of the darkness, his dark hair shifting in the nonexistent wind, "Welcome to what mortals call, hm what are you lot calling it now?" He said pausing before speaking mostly to himself. "What have they been calling it now, Hell..the underworld, the afterlife...hm.." "This area goes by many names, but Welcome to the birthplace of darkness." "Wh-what am i doing here?" "I'll allow him to explain that." He said before dispersing into the shadows, a hooded cloaked figure stepped out of the darkness and walked towards Zoe, the figure removed its hood to reveal a head of pitch black hair with one silver bang, " 'Ello love, 'ow've you been?" He said tiredly