Into The Shadows

CHAPTER 16

What in the name of the Shadows are they doing? Mist wondered. She was crouched on the top of the Snowhusk mountain. For the most part the planet was grassy plains, but this was the one area that was covered in massive mountains. Mist pulled up her mask and breathed into it to try and warm her face. She was at a high altitude and it was snowing.

She wasn't affected by the cold, and she knew that no matter how long she spent out here it would not force her into hypothermia. Her Shadow Form protected her from this, but she still felt the cold in her bones and most certainly hated it.

She squinted down the mountain, her eyes burning from the freezing air, and she struggled to see past the thick snowflakes. In spite of her night vision, she couldn't see very far through the snow.

As she sat there on the cold ground, she recalled the events of the last few hours. She had assassinated the captain and left his body in the tent. She hadn't cared that anyone could see her as she left the tent. She wanted them to know she was coming, and she wanted to know that she was there. She shivered again, remembering the anger she felt when she found the bodies of two assassins out in the woods. Their bodies hung from trees like decorations. It was sickening. Mist had nearly run back into the camp to finish them off then and there.

But now she sat freezing on the top of a mountain, watching her Empire gather below her feet at the foot of the mountain with bows ready and weapons drawn. All the thieves were wearing their black or brown armor, from a few yards behind the Leaders. The Leaders stood out, Farniir most of all, his mechanical eye glowing a threatening red. Razor stood to the side, his own little army behind him of about six people, wearing silver armor, and a few had hands that were glowing an odd burning orange.

Even from this distance she could see that Laurie was grief stricken. Mist was not surprised, knowing how close she and Stanton were. Her face was twisted in rage as she spoke to Maelstrom quietly, it seemed that she was planning with him. Her rage-fueled grief must be clouding her judgement.

Maelstrom!

It took years of training and willpower to stop Mist from flying down screaming to attack him. She wanted nothing more than to see him torn apart in battle to satisfy her bloodlust.

She sighed but resisted her anger. She squinted into the distance and saw that the lights from Savini's camp had gone out. She ruffled her wings around herself, but it did little to alleviate the cold. She continued to survey the camp, yet as she watched, the two armies came closer together and they all stood at the base of the mountain, the grassy plains beneath their feet.

Savini and Laurie approached one other alone, but then the other Empire Leaders came forward to stand with her. As they neared, Savini let out a laugh that echoed across the frozen mountain tops.

They began to speak, and the conversation rose and fell on the wind. She couldn't hear them, and it irked her. Maelstrom approached Laurie and put a hand on her shoulder, then spoke to Savini. Savini nodded and laughed again.

That was when Laurie let out a cry of pain as Maelstrom took her dagger and stabbed her in the back. Literally.

"Maelstrom!" Razor yelled. General Pomegranite and Director Farniir both raced forward and grabbed his shoulders. He struggled between them until Razor hit him on the head and he crumpled to the ground. Savini laughed again as Laurie bled out beneath him.

Mist felt the tears streaming down her face freeze in long tracks. She was losing everyone. Eli's shadow came forward and rested next to her.

"She has passed into the Shadow Realm," he said. Mist looked at him, her eyes burning from the cold and the grief induced rage.

"I'm going to make all of them pay," she spat. Savini, who had finally stopped laughing, pulled out a massive blade that crackled with electricity and sparked blue. He aimed it at Razor and this time Mist heard what he said.

"You're next."