The Shadow Man

TwentyTwo

"He's still alive."
Says the Darkness.
"Give it time. He will eventually tire out."
I reply.
He glares at me.
"Is that what happened with Dāku? Did he give it Time?"
Red energy flows around my hand as I clench my fist.
He grips his throat, and collapses.
"I may not be able to kill you, but let me make one thing clear. I have laid out every option we have. Dāku died because he was weak. He would've only hindered our progress, his death at the hands of the Boy showed that. He was flawed, and broken. Unfit to stand amongst us."
I release him.
"You have no leverage over me, Mikēl.
You have nothing to threaten me with."
The Darkness growls.
It sizes up to me, looking me in the eye.
"You are correct, you cannot Kill me."
It challenges.
"Now is not the time for quarreling, lowly Shadow. Stop toying with your victims, and finish what you've started. Once you are finished, bring me the staff so that I may claim it. Once I unite with the weapon, all of his power, his skill, his energy will be mine, I can open the gate forever."
He looks out at the Shift, who dangles over the edge of an abyss, and smiles back at me.

I hang over the edge, holding onto my ally with a single hand.
With all of my strength, I throw him over the edge.
He pulls me to safety once he's on his feet.
The walls all around us drop to into the abyss.
I see a body begin to vanish into the darkness.
He pulls a knife from its sheath, and spears the wall.
His body hits the wall, as I hear him scream my name.
"Donnie!"
He shouts.
I reach down, and grab his hand.
Pulling him over the edge I notice another man across the crevice.
"You're alive."
He observes.
"I'm just that good, Kree."
I shrug.
"Watch your six!"
Shouts Rone.
Kree instinctively turns and plunges his knife into the chest of a raging G'hunawae, hurling it into the chasm.
"I see you've met Kaleos."
Says Rone.
"Yeah ."
I say, turning my attention back to the shifting grounds.
"What are we gonna do about the ground?"
He asks.
"Not to mention we still have to find Xander and Judger."
Shouts Kree.
"We can't stay here, we have to move."
Says Kaleos.
"I agree."
Says Rone, Who dodges another rising spike.
"We will come back for you!"
I shout.
Kree looks at me and nods.
"Get Out Of here, I'll find Xander and Judger!"
He says.
I look at Kaleos.
"This way!"
He says, pointing an armored finger at the far wall.
"That's a wall, Kal. Can I call you Kal?"
I ask.
"No. I realize that's a wall, but it's our only way out. That's the weakest point, it was taken down by a Striker some years ago."
He explains.
We run, dodging daggers and leaping over obstacles.
We stop.
"Shock me with everything you have!"
He commands.
"Now is not the time for a-"
"Do it, Strong One!"
He shouts.
I sigh, and push all of my energy towards him. The bolt hits him dead center between his shoulders.
He screams as the energy makes him shake.
With what little clear judgement he has, he fires our combined energies into the wall.
I feel the suction of power leaving me dissipate as the force field around us goes down.
The wall explodes.
I hear the voices of panicked onlookers as security is called.
"Containment breach, threat level alpha!"
The three of us flee through the hole, escaping into the night.
The air is thick, and sweet.
It's dark but I can still see a faint beautiful glow of blue in the fluorescent native plant life.
"Don't stop running, no matter what you hear, and no matter what they shoot at you."
He warns.
"I had no idea they had guns."
I reply.
"Don't they know you guys are Nolites? That guns have no effect?"
Asks Rone.
"Their guns are powered by the same negative energy as that wall, there is no way a Nolite can block that. There is no energy to pull away from the bullet, thus we cannot stop them. If one of them hits you, there is no saving you."
He says.
"Okay, sounds good."
I reply.
"My village is not far from here, but it's hidden. You'll need to stay low until I can introduce you as ally's."
He says.
I hear a scream off in the distance.
It's metallic, like the sound of metal grinding on metal.
Kaleos stops.
"The Revants."
I hear him say under his breath.
"The What?"
Asks Rone.
"Run!"
He says.
Another thunderous scream echoes through the Forrest.
The screams are loud enough to make my bones vibrate.
A flash of white zips by.
"They're shooting at us."
Warns Kaleo.
I see another flash of light.
A scout-ship soars over head, shooting a beam of red light down over the foliage.
I grab Rone and slam him against a tree, hiding beneath a veil of branches that cover us from sight.
The scout-ship soundlessly floats on by, keeping a steady pace.
Another thunderous scream makes me flinch.
"Whatever that thing is, it's big."
Gasps Rone.
A hand grabs my shoulder.
I wrap my arm around the appendage and prepare to break the limb.
"Let's go."
Growls Kaleo.
Taking my hand, he leads the two of us trough the trees.
As we run I take a look back at where we came from, only to see darkness.
Words echo in my mind.
"Wherever you go, the darkness will follow."