Post by Guardsman Patrick on Oct 12, 2006 23:18:39 GMT -5
Chapter 11: The Hired Hand
Zanthor stood staring into the shadows of the darkened room, the spotlight beating down on his silvery, bleached hair. His right eye, the only eye he had, focused in and out as it tried to see the figure he knew was hidden there in the shadows.
“Master, we have found the one you were looking for,” Zanthor said, finally just closing both of his eyes as he spoke.
“Excellent. Bring him in so I may make sure you didn’t confuse somebody else for him,” the shadow said, seemingly used to this problem. He couldn’t even really be mad. He just more or less understood.
“Yes sir.” Zanthor lifted the communicator that was clipped onto his collar to his mouth, “Bring him in and make sure you don’t touch him.”
The communicator hissed back and a fuzzy voice responded affirmatively. The doors of the elevator at the end of the room slid open and out stepped two small minion guards. They both held long staffs that crackled at the ends with blue electricity. Between them stood a young man.
“Ah, Shade, it has been quite a while,” the shadow sounded pleased as the words flowed from what seemed to be thin air. The two minions stepped back into the elevator.
“Yeah, and who might you be? You don’t seem to be too high on proper greetings,” the boy looked angry as he spoke towards the shadows showing no respect at all.
Shade looked like he was a little over twenty years old, with eyes that were green, but seemed to shine in a golden light, similar to a hawk's eyes. He had on a black jacket and had spiked white hair surrounded by a headband. On the headband was a strange symbol - a large circle, with a gray crescent moon facing towards it. The area of the moon that wasn’t gray was black, and, directly in the middle of the moon, was a small circular black gem.
“Now, is that any way to talk to your master?” the shadow purred with satisfaction. They had obviously gotten the right person.
“You are not my master, whoever you are, and you will never be!” Shade spat back venomously.
Zanthor grabbed Shade by the throat and flung him to the floor, putting his foot on the young thug’s chest as Shade tried to get up, “Now that is all the disrespect I will hear! You may have been a free spirit on the outside, but, when you’re in here, my master is the law.”
“Calm yourself Zanthor. I appreciate your obedience, but you do not need to be so harsh toward our guest,” the words slithered slowly through the air. “Now as for you Shade, I’m surprised and a little hurt that you don’t recognize me.”
“How can I when you won’t even come out of the shadows?” Shade said this as he stood up, grinning over at Zanthor as he spoke. Zanthor glanced back at the thug, then simply turned back toward the shadows and grunted.
“Maybe this will refresh your memory, Seamus...” A necklace was tossed into the spotlight. Zanthor was the first to bend and retrieve it. After inspecting it thoroughly, he handed it to Shade.
Shade muttered as his eyes widened, “How is this possible?” He reached and took the necklace from Zanthor’s hand. On the medallion was a symbol. The same symbol he had on his headband.
“Shade, you will realize one day that it is not how I survived that is amazing, but that I did,” each word echoed around the room, breaking the silence that had fallen around Shade.
“Well if you’re still alive then that must mean…?” Shades voice trailed off with a note of hope, his tone becoming higher.
“I’m afraid not. I may have survived, but we cannot all be so lucky,” the shadow seemed to be disappointed in Shade for hoping, but really expected nothing less.
Shade dropped to his knees as he heard this and then went to all fours. His eyes were beginning to puff up. Tiny droplets hit the floor under the spotlight. Shade sat for a few more moments before gritting his teeth and slamming his fists on the ground.
“Remember Shade, it was not what anyone wanted, but it was for the best,” the shadow said in an effort to comfort him, but it just seemed to make him angrier.
“Have you anything else to say to me? Because this little meeting is over if you only brought me here to give me bad news,” Shade stood up and straightened his jacket.
“This meeting was not called just so we could meet reminisce. I have a business proposition as well,” the shadow brought the conversation back on course, returning to the real reason Shade had been called here.
“Sorry, I’m not interested in any proposition that you have to offer,” Shade turned toward the door, “and money won’t change my mind either. Your little lackey over here has already told me what you’re willing to pay, but it isn’t worth it.”
“Yes, this is true Shade, but I know what you really want,” the shadow breathed back.
“You have no idea what I want. I’m not your servant anymore. I have my own path to follow, so let’s just forget about this, and we can all go back to our old selves.” Shade began walking to the door, glaring at Zanthor as he passed.
“Vengeance,” the shadow whispered almost inaudibly. Shade halted when he heard the word. He clinched his fists as he turned around to face the darkness again.
“What was that?” Shade seemed furious as he strolled back to the center of the room.
“You want vengeance, not money. You want pay back for all your suffering, all your pain, all your agony, and I can help you get it.”
“How exactly do you plan to do that?” Shade asked with a sudden interest in his tone. His eyes had a fire in them that seemed to be growing with each passing second.
“I know where you can find the one you want revenge against. As for me, you can simply do a little side work to earn what it is that I want,” the shadow sounded pleased, a smile growing in its voice.
“Where is he?!” Shade’s fury was growing. He slammed his right fist into the palm of his left hand so hard that the resulting smack echoed around the room.
“Now is not the time to attack. We shall wait until the opportune moment to strike,” the shadow hissed once again and the room seemed to drop in temperature.
“I don’t want to hear this ‘it’s not the right time bullshit’. I want you to tell me where he is!” Shade was ready to punch the next thing that moved.
“Shade, you remember what happened the last time someone did not wait for the right time to strike? Of course, you remember the devastating result,” the shadow placed a strong bite behind every word.
“Don’t point the blame at me! It was not me who decided not to wait!” Shade struck back at the shadow.
“Yes, but it is a prime example of what could happen to you,” the shadow did not seem to be affected by Shades counter strike.
“So, when will the opportune moment be O Great One?” Shade asked sarcastically, not pleased at all with the outcome of that word war.
“Soon enough, but you will have to wait,” the shadow spoke quietly, back to its regular tone, “Now go, I must have a word with Zanthor… General.”
Shade was surprised by this sudden action. “I am honored that you have asked me to have this position, Master,” Shade bowed and walked back to the elevator, picking up the sword the exiting minions had propped beside the doors and returned it to the sheath on his side.
As the elevator doors closed Zanthor began to speak.
“Master, are you sure it is the wisest decision to make him a General? He seems…unstable.”
“Zanthor, you are in no position to question my authority,” the shadow answered roughly, back to the regular personality.
“Sorry master, I simply wanted to make certain you were sure,” Zanthor dropped his head to show inferiority.
“General, I will have you know that I have known and trusted him longer than I have known you. If he is not to be trusted, then what of you?” the shadow made it clear that Shade was staying.
“Sorry master, I had no idea of your connection to him. I will make certain not to question you further,” Zanthor bowed and left the room, making sure to continue facing the shadows as he exited.
As the elevator doors closed, Zanthor gently wiped the sweat off his forehead and returned the handkerchief back to his pocket. As he reached to push the button for the ground floor, he noticed something on the elevators rug. He bent over to pick it up, drawing it closer to his face. He couldn’t help but grin slightly when he saw what it was.
The necklace…
Zanthor stood staring into the shadows of the darkened room, the spotlight beating down on his silvery, bleached hair. His right eye, the only eye he had, focused in and out as it tried to see the figure he knew was hidden there in the shadows.
“Master, we have found the one you were looking for,” Zanthor said, finally just closing both of his eyes as he spoke.
“Excellent. Bring him in so I may make sure you didn’t confuse somebody else for him,” the shadow said, seemingly used to this problem. He couldn’t even really be mad. He just more or less understood.
“Yes sir.” Zanthor lifted the communicator that was clipped onto his collar to his mouth, “Bring him in and make sure you don’t touch him.”
The communicator hissed back and a fuzzy voice responded affirmatively. The doors of the elevator at the end of the room slid open and out stepped two small minion guards. They both held long staffs that crackled at the ends with blue electricity. Between them stood a young man.
“Ah, Shade, it has been quite a while,” the shadow sounded pleased as the words flowed from what seemed to be thin air. The two minions stepped back into the elevator.
“Yeah, and who might you be? You don’t seem to be too high on proper greetings,” the boy looked angry as he spoke towards the shadows showing no respect at all.
Shade looked like he was a little over twenty years old, with eyes that were green, but seemed to shine in a golden light, similar to a hawk's eyes. He had on a black jacket and had spiked white hair surrounded by a headband. On the headband was a strange symbol - a large circle, with a gray crescent moon facing towards it. The area of the moon that wasn’t gray was black, and, directly in the middle of the moon, was a small circular black gem.
“Now, is that any way to talk to your master?” the shadow purred with satisfaction. They had obviously gotten the right person.
“You are not my master, whoever you are, and you will never be!” Shade spat back venomously.
Zanthor grabbed Shade by the throat and flung him to the floor, putting his foot on the young thug’s chest as Shade tried to get up, “Now that is all the disrespect I will hear! You may have been a free spirit on the outside, but, when you’re in here, my master is the law.”
“Calm yourself Zanthor. I appreciate your obedience, but you do not need to be so harsh toward our guest,” the words slithered slowly through the air. “Now as for you Shade, I’m surprised and a little hurt that you don’t recognize me.”
“How can I when you won’t even come out of the shadows?” Shade said this as he stood up, grinning over at Zanthor as he spoke. Zanthor glanced back at the thug, then simply turned back toward the shadows and grunted.
“Maybe this will refresh your memory, Seamus...” A necklace was tossed into the spotlight. Zanthor was the first to bend and retrieve it. After inspecting it thoroughly, he handed it to Shade.
Shade muttered as his eyes widened, “How is this possible?” He reached and took the necklace from Zanthor’s hand. On the medallion was a symbol. The same symbol he had on his headband.
“Shade, you will realize one day that it is not how I survived that is amazing, but that I did,” each word echoed around the room, breaking the silence that had fallen around Shade.
“Well if you’re still alive then that must mean…?” Shades voice trailed off with a note of hope, his tone becoming higher.
“I’m afraid not. I may have survived, but we cannot all be so lucky,” the shadow seemed to be disappointed in Shade for hoping, but really expected nothing less.
Shade dropped to his knees as he heard this and then went to all fours. His eyes were beginning to puff up. Tiny droplets hit the floor under the spotlight. Shade sat for a few more moments before gritting his teeth and slamming his fists on the ground.
“Remember Shade, it was not what anyone wanted, but it was for the best,” the shadow said in an effort to comfort him, but it just seemed to make him angrier.
“Have you anything else to say to me? Because this little meeting is over if you only brought me here to give me bad news,” Shade stood up and straightened his jacket.
“This meeting was not called just so we could meet reminisce. I have a business proposition as well,” the shadow brought the conversation back on course, returning to the real reason Shade had been called here.
“Sorry, I’m not interested in any proposition that you have to offer,” Shade turned toward the door, “and money won’t change my mind either. Your little lackey over here has already told me what you’re willing to pay, but it isn’t worth it.”
“Yes, this is true Shade, but I know what you really want,” the shadow breathed back.
“You have no idea what I want. I’m not your servant anymore. I have my own path to follow, so let’s just forget about this, and we can all go back to our old selves.” Shade began walking to the door, glaring at Zanthor as he passed.
“Vengeance,” the shadow whispered almost inaudibly. Shade halted when he heard the word. He clinched his fists as he turned around to face the darkness again.
“What was that?” Shade seemed furious as he strolled back to the center of the room.
“You want vengeance, not money. You want pay back for all your suffering, all your pain, all your agony, and I can help you get it.”
“How exactly do you plan to do that?” Shade asked with a sudden interest in his tone. His eyes had a fire in them that seemed to be growing with each passing second.
“I know where you can find the one you want revenge against. As for me, you can simply do a little side work to earn what it is that I want,” the shadow sounded pleased, a smile growing in its voice.
“Where is he?!” Shade’s fury was growing. He slammed his right fist into the palm of his left hand so hard that the resulting smack echoed around the room.
“Now is not the time to attack. We shall wait until the opportune moment to strike,” the shadow hissed once again and the room seemed to drop in temperature.
“I don’t want to hear this ‘it’s not the right time bullshit’. I want you to tell me where he is!” Shade was ready to punch the next thing that moved.
“Shade, you remember what happened the last time someone did not wait for the right time to strike? Of course, you remember the devastating result,” the shadow placed a strong bite behind every word.
“Don’t point the blame at me! It was not me who decided not to wait!” Shade struck back at the shadow.
“Yes, but it is a prime example of what could happen to you,” the shadow did not seem to be affected by Shades counter strike.
“So, when will the opportune moment be O Great One?” Shade asked sarcastically, not pleased at all with the outcome of that word war.
“Soon enough, but you will have to wait,” the shadow spoke quietly, back to its regular tone, “Now go, I must have a word with Zanthor… General.”
Shade was surprised by this sudden action. “I am honored that you have asked me to have this position, Master,” Shade bowed and walked back to the elevator, picking up the sword the exiting minions had propped beside the doors and returned it to the sheath on his side.
As the elevator doors closed Zanthor began to speak.
“Master, are you sure it is the wisest decision to make him a General? He seems…unstable.”
“Zanthor, you are in no position to question my authority,” the shadow answered roughly, back to the regular personality.
“Sorry master, I simply wanted to make certain you were sure,” Zanthor dropped his head to show inferiority.
“General, I will have you know that I have known and trusted him longer than I have known you. If he is not to be trusted, then what of you?” the shadow made it clear that Shade was staying.
“Sorry master, I had no idea of your connection to him. I will make certain not to question you further,” Zanthor bowed and left the room, making sure to continue facing the shadows as he exited.
As the elevator doors closed, Zanthor gently wiped the sweat off his forehead and returned the handkerchief back to his pocket. As he reached to push the button for the ground floor, he noticed something on the elevators rug. He bent over to pick it up, drawing it closer to his face. He couldn’t help but grin slightly when he saw what it was.
The necklace…