The Shadow Man

Five

I struggle against the restraints that bind me here.
"Why are you holding me here?"
I growl.
"Because my master needs your help."
Replies a voice.
"With...?" I ask.
"He wishes to open the gates once again, and release the rest of the darkness upon the world."
I sigh.
"If you wanna convince someone who just spent a really long time trying to save the world to do something, don't start with 'Release Darkness upon the world."
The form steps into the light.
"I know you won't help us, so he has ordered me to pull the energy out of you."
"The energy in me, is needed to open the gates I assume?"
I ask.
"Correct."
I smile.
"Sorry, your friend already pulled it all out of me, there's nothing left for me to give you." I say.
"Your heart still beats, does it not?" He asks.
I tilt my head at him.
"Why do you ask?"
His hands flair up with a green light.
"This may cause some discomfort." He says, placing his hands to my bare chest.
I scream as I feel the momentum of my beating heart slow as the force is pulled out of me.
As the energy is leaving me I'm able to watch the blue light leave my body, hovering over him.
Why does he need my specific energy to open the gate?
I pull the energy back into myself, trying my hardest to keep it within me.
My hands grip the chains above me in agony. The chains, made of steel.
I'm getting out of here.
I close my eyes and grit my teeth as I feel the pain shoot through me.
I use energy that my body needs to survive in order to escape the chains.
My body disintegrates, re-materializing in the air, free from the chains that bind me.
I land on a hand and knee.
Green energy balls in his fist.
I charge past him, running on the fumes of what little energy I have left.
His glowing green fist slams into my chest as I pass him. The green energy soaks my body in a burning inferno that only I can see.
I'm knocked against the wall.
"You think I am inexperienced?"
He asks, grabbing me by the neck.
"I was a warrior once."
He throws me against the opposite wall.
"I was trained, I battled monsters you can only imagine. A thousand years ago this world was more harsh. Every day was a fight for survival. I was one of few who believed only the Strong Ones deserved to survive."
He walks towards me.
I stand, throwing a fist at him.
He allows my knuckles to crash against his unguarded cheek.
His head accepts the impact, turning with my fist.
He grabs my arm, and throws me into the air.
I land hard, rolling onto my back.
"I would gladly give my life, to bring back the Dark world. But the Darkness explained to me, why it must be your energy that opens the gate.
The Dark One was defeated by the Last Strong One. You. You defeated him.
And no doubt you would stop those gates from opening."
I groan as I stand, feeling the fresh bruises on my flexing body.
"You're not wrong."
I grunt.
"So if you were to open the gates, that would render you lifeless. And it would also open the doors to another world. Solving two major problems we face."
My muscles flex and my bones pop and crack as I ready myself for one last push.
"If you think I'm going to let you leave this place you are wrong. Even if you make it past me, there are a legion of others just like me standing outside that door. All of whom, already have the desire to end your life."
He reaches behind him, and pulls my staff from his back.
"This is the weapon you killed the Dark One with. I wonder what it could do to a weaker one."
He says, shaping my staff into a bladed mace.
"Lets find out."
I say, rushing towards him.
He swings the handle up at me, striking my jaw.
I grab the handle, and force the blade away from myself.
He struggles for control, but I don't give it to him.
I knee him in the ribs, over and over until I feel him give. I release the handle, grabbing him by the head.
Something intercepts me, slamming me against the wall, which shakes in response.
It throws me to the ground where I lay broken.
"You are not leaving this place. I have something greater for you to do." Calls the symphony of voices.
"Your friend here already filled me in on all the details, Shadow." I remark.
"Not all of them." He says back.
"You may be gone by the end of this, but your staff, I have something more,
Intriguing in mind." He says.
"What could you possibly want my staff for?" I ask, knowing I won't like the answer.
"It's like your mentor once said. The staff is like a dog tag. It holds your identity, and all of your memories for the next user to see.
Lets see what story this has to tell."