Shadows of Ash and Gold

Chapter six

        I gaped at the inky silhouette that stood in front of me with an equal amount of curiosity and terror.
     
Why weren't they moving? Why weren't they attacking? Why were they just ... watching?
     
I heard Bash curse before I felt him right behind me. "Ryn, listen very carefully," he started, his voice was firm, not a doubt of worry in it.
      
I felt something being placed into my palm. I gripped it and stared down at the strange-looking dagger. The hilt was embroidered with a black crow while the rest of it was pure gold. I looked at him over my shoulder wondering where the hell he was keeping this.
   
  "You see the bookshelf on the far right wall?"
     
I flicked my eyes over to it. I nodded only to realize he couldn't see me. "Yes."
     
"Go to it and pull out the red book that says oryandiv. The shelf will open and lead to a passage. Take a right and it will bring you to a room. Wait for me there."
     
I swallowed. "But-"

"Now."
    
I willed my feet to move and ran as quickly as I could. I gripped the dagger tighter in my hand as I swallowed my heart in my throat. From behind me, I could hear muffled voices. Despite everything in me I dared a glance behind my shoulder, the sight of what I saw made me freeze. Bash was fighting them. Like fighting them. As if he had been trained to do such.

He moved like the wind, quick and light. My eyes were transfixed on him, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. He had no weapon in his hands but he clearly didn't need one. His hands were enough of a weapon themselves. I sucked in a breath. Bash's eyes started glowing, crystal white, like diamonds. just like the other night.
      
I tried to tell myself it wasn't real. I tried to grasp at any sort of explanation for everything going on around me but for the first time in my life, I didn't have an answer.
    
Bash deflected every one of their blows like it was nothing. I'd never seen anything like it. It was like watching an action movie. Watching a superhero.

The shadowy figures moved almost as fast as Bash did but not nearly as swift. It was two against one and Bash still seemed like he was effortlessly winning.
How could you possibly win a fight against a shadow?
      
One of the figures said something I couldn't hear but it made Bash's eyes turn wild with rage, just enough emotion for the second figure to get the upper hand and lunge at him, forcing him to the ground. I held back my gasp. I should be running. I should be in that room. But I couldn't force myself to look away. Something was compelling me to stay.
       
Books started flying everywhere. Shooting out from their shelves as if they had a mind of their own. The ground started shaking and I had to grip one of the shelves to keep myself steady. Was Bash doing this?
      
I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that this was really happening. Despite all my knowledge, I had no idea what to make of this. There wasn't one answer in my head that made sense.
      
The second shadow overpowered Bash now that he was on the ground. Bash held his own but there was no mistaking that he was outmatched. Once they overpowered him they laid both of their hands on his chest which had some kind of effect on Bash because he groaned in agony. I watched as one of their shadowy hands became dust-like and slipped through Bash's chest.

My breath caught in my throat, his roar of pain breaking something in me. I stared down at the golden dagger in my hand. I could stop this.

Without thinking, without even processing, on pure instinct, I lifted my arm up and launched the dagger from my hands. The dagger was soaring through the air in the direction of its target and I didn't know how but I knew it wouldn't miss. And it didn't.
      
The dagger gashed through the shadow, slicing through it as smooth as butter. The figure was frozen for a few seconds before it let out a horrific scream and evaporated from thin air, disintegrating like ash.
Bash didn't hesitate. He got up from his position, grabbed the dagger quicker than air, and sliced it through the second shadow like it was nothing.
      
I gaped at him as he stood out of breath looking at the vacant spot the figure used to be.
     
His gaze finally landed on mine, a firm glare set on his face. "I thought I told you to leave."
Seriously? Those were his first words? typical of him. "I thought I told you I don't take orders from you. And you're welcome by the way."
His lips twitched as if he were holding back a smile. "How did you do that?"
    
  "That's not a 'thank you,'" I deflect his question just as he would mine.
This time he did smile. "You're a strange girl Ryn."
      
I held back my own smile. He had no idea how much of a compliment that was to me. I cleared my throat.
      
"So ... Are you going to tell me what the hell just happened?"

He took a step towards me. His eyes ... started to glow again. I couldn't get over how beautiful they were. It was like staring into a million glowing diamonds. He took another step towards me. I told myself not to be afraid. But I unintentionally backed away from him.
     
Something about his gaze ... wasn't right. I couldn't look away. Even if I wanted to. My eyes were stuck on his like magnets. There was a darkness in them. Pulling me towards it. There was a part of me yelling to look away but I couldn't. I tried to fight it but my eyes still stayed on him as if he were controlling me somehow. "What are you-?"
    
"Sleep."
    
Then I fell into the darkness.