The Shadow Man

TwentySix

I look at the man in the golden armor.
He holds out his staff to me.
I grab the other end.
My vision goes black.
Suddenly I have all of this new information.
The ones in golden armor are the Guardians.
Their enormous size allows them to lead their clans as mighty warriors of the Nolite race.
I killed one of them.
A feat that should have been impossible by all means.
Of all the new information, I stumble across a name.
Dāku.
I find the reason he attacked our world.
He was afraid.
He fled from the darkness that has overtaken this world, he and his clan.
His aggression was a show of force to ensure he was not a being to be trifled with.
He never wanted to take over our planet, he only wanted safety for his people.
I took that from him because humanity was at steak.
Did I do the right thing?
"That is a decision you will have to come to on your own."
Answers a voice.
"Having peeked into your mind as well, I see the purity in your heart.
I saw every conflict within you. All of the sacrifices you have made for these people. If you really love them that much, than you cannot be one of us."
He says.
Lost in the whirlwind of information, I turn, and I find the man in golden armor standing behind me.
"But...you can bring light to this world.
You can save us, all of us. Your entire race. Fight with us, and the Nolites will rise."
He says.
I turn to him.
"And what will become of Humanity?"
I ask.
"What happens to them if we win?"
He looks at me.
"What happens to them if we lose?"

"Secure the area, well stay here tonite. I'll see if I can establish radio contact with the other side."
Declares Finley.
"Have you felt anything else?"
She asks, gently.
"No, his trail went cold. It's like he just vanished."
"Did you at least get a location? Even a direction would be helpful in here.
This place is messing with targeting equipment, and I can't get a geological reading. There's no way of navigating this place."
I shake my head.
"Nothing, sorry."
"Finley, come look at this."
Calls a voice.
She and I turn and move towards the soldier.
He hands her a pair of binoculars.
"What is that?"
She asks, with a hint of fear in her voice.
"Beats me, but whatever tore that thing down must have been strong."
The soldier replies.
"That's not all, Captain. There's a trail. I think they're following something."
I pull the rifle from my back, and adjust the sight, zooming in on the warn path.
He's right.
I connect a few dots.
"They were chasing Donnie."
I say.
"How do you know?"
She asks.
I look at her.
"That building over there, it looks like a prison. Whoever is behind this was holding Donnie captive somewhere.
I think he escaped. And that's why I haven't heard anything."
"But if he escaped wouldn't he have contacted you first?"
Asks the soldier.
Finley turns to him.
"Smith, go contact JayVett, tell her to take 2 men and follow that trail."
The man nods before moving away.
"Something isn't right. Why would Donnie call you here and than remain silent once you got here?"
Asks Grey.
I shake my head.
Where are you Donnie?
Can't you hear me?
"I told you to stay away."
Finley and Grey raise their rifles instantly.
"I gave you, a chance."
It's the voices.
That same monster.
And it's stronger here.
"I offered you, freedom."
I pull back the slide on my rifle , clambering a bullet.
The plants all around us lose their blue luminous glow.
The voices growl with a sinister vibration that I feel in my bones.
The soldiers keep their guns raised as they surround us.
A strong blast of air pushes all of us, making me stumble.
I hear all of the soldiers turn around and point their guns at the center of the circle.
A man kneels there, glowing like a shadow of the day.
He stands, and looks me in the eye.
His eyes are white and bare, like two burning stars bored into his head.
"And still you came."
The voices call.
Chin up and shoulders back I step towards him.
"I came for them."
I say, gesturing all around us where the soldiers hold him at gunpoint.
I see white teeth show through as he smiles and chuckles.
"A wasted journey I'm afraid. You see I don't have him anymore. He fled."
He says, crossing his arms and looking down at me as if I'm a little girl.
I raise my gun.
"Where is he?"
I ask.
He cackles at my question before looking at me.
"Dead, likely. There are so many beasts out there, and he has such little experience he was probably slaughtered immediately."
I shake my head.
"Wrong answer."
I growl.
He stops laughing and looks at me.
"I am Not a liar, girl."
"And I am Not a fool, creature."
He raises his hand to me.
I'm thrown back.
My body tumbles before I land on my stomach.
The soldiers open fire upon him.
He cackles like a beast as the bullets pass through him.
He grows with each passing moment.
Now standing over 30 feet tall, he lifts his foot, and brings it down, sending us all flying.
"You shouldn't have come here."
The voices warn as he shines and floats over to me.
I stand.
"Before you were safe. Before I couldn't kill you, because that was your world. But guess what?"
I pull the pistol from my thigh and lift it to his head.
Two bullets pass through his head before he swipes the gun from my hands.
"You're on my playing field now."
He vanishes into a black mist before my eyes.
I try my best not to breath it in.
"Is everyone okay?"
Asks Finley.
She looks at me.
"Are you okay?"
She asks.
I turn to her.
"We have to find Donnie before he does."
I say.
She smiles at me.
"Are you freaking kidding me right now?! What could you possibly be smiling at?!"
I shout.
"While that thing was here, I got a reading, and an idea."
We stare at each other for a moment.
"Tell me everything."