( This is the conclusion to the KOTLC fan fiction, “ Andra’s Story”. If you haven’t read the other posts, go to the topic tag “ Andra’s Story” and catch up on all the previous chapters. If you haven’t read Legacy or Unlocked, please catch up on these great KOTLC books before venturing on. Thank you. Now the moment you’ve all been waiting for, Part Eight: The Shadow and finally Part Nine. Enjoy!)
The Shadow
Moonlight seeped through the windows as Andra stepped carefully through the ominously shrouded halls of Foxfire. Sneaking past the empty class rooms beside her, it felt strange being there alone in this vast space with no prodigies milling around, no distant sound of chatter. Just the echoing hush of silence and her quiet, shaky breaths. A queer chill started crawling up her spine as she walked silently past the empty rooms, the shadows playing prolifically within the corners.
Andra had never been at Foxfire at night, and the first thing she noticed was that her vision seemed better as the shadows became more defined. She could see the sharp outlines of objects as well as the very curvature of the moon’s rays as they descended upon the floor, creating a sort of “ night vision” to her unique Shade ability. Every object and every layer of light had a layer of shadow, and with those shadows, she realized she could push those layers back into a corner and make the hall brighter to see all the more clearly.
As the Shade turned a corner, the whispering echos of fear lurked at the back of her mind. The memories of the shadowy figure chasing her through the dark hallways haunted her, and she fought against them, telling herself not be afraid. Her heart beat with the angry, hot emotions she felt from before coursing through her veins, distracting her from her fears. The more she replayed Alvar’s response to her grief, the more she wanted nothing to do with him. She knew she couldn’t control her ability without him, yet the thought of having to go back and have him train her disgusted her. No matter what she did, she could not get the image of her father dying out of her mind.
Clutching her dirt stained pillowcase, Andra crossed the Lunch Hall, pushing the shadows away to reveal the door to the kitchen. She tried the silver knob, but it was locked. After a few more failed attempts at the door, Andra frustratingly tried to kick down the door but ended up with a stubbed toe. Andra stifled a yelp and hopped on one foot, gritting her teeth in pain.
Limping around the corner, she peeked into another hallway to find a door was adjacent to the kitchen’s. Stumbling through the doorway, she found herself in the Healing Center and looked around at the array of medicines and elixirs lining the shelves on the walls. Rubbing her aching toe, Andra spotted an elixir that sat on the shelf closest to her which she recognized as pain medicine. Taking it , Andra quickly gulped down the medicine, feeling relief as the throbbing in her foot ebbed away. Putting the empty vial on the counter, Andra turned to leave when she remembered that Alvar might need some. She hesistated at the idea, and reasoned with herself,
“ He’s just gonna die anyway.”
She was about to leave, when her stubborn mind wouldn’t let her go. Sighing, Andra went back to the shelf and swiped two vials of the elixir, slipping them into her bag.
As she peeked her head out the door, a swift shadow passed in front of her eyes and she hid behind the door. Gasping, Andra clutched her bag, her heart racing a mile a minute. Looking through the crack, she scanned the hallway. Seeing nothing but darkness, she slowly edged out the door and warily stepped back into the hallway, wondering if it was all her imagination. Slowing her rapid breaths, she realized it was probably just another one of her bad memories playing with her mind, and told herself to move on. Yet the feeling of someone watching her persisted as she continued on her quest through Foxfire, keeping herself on guard.
Trying to find another way into the kitchen, Andra racked her brain on where she could find a key. She muttered to herself,
“ Ugh, if only Brenik didn’t change his stupid password! I’m such an idiot thinking I could find food here.”
After a few moments of failed ideas, Andra grew frustrated and chided herself for ever thinking of coming there. Then she remembered Keefe and that ogre bodyguard of his, Ro, were stealing candy the day she ran away. They got it from the Mentor’s secret stash, and Andra immediately tried to figure how she was going to find it in this maze.
Andra thought and thought, until she paused and took in the shadows all around her. Feeling the cool, pulsing energy within her veins, a revelation swept through her as a memory clicked in her mind.
“ Shadows have memory.”
Looking down on the floor, Andra pushed that cool energy through her vision, and suddenly the floor revealed the shadowy imprints of feet that once walked through the hall.
“ Echoes,” Andra whispered as she marveled and bent down to gaze at the shadowy path of footprints she had left behind. Reaching out with her hand, she touched one of the shadows, and they moved slightly, replaying the motion of the footstep that was made before. Amazed, Andra started to push a little farther into her new vision, her footsteps reversing, until they disappeared and suddenly all the shadowed memories of the prodigies and Mentors that have walked there before were revealed, covering the floor in a ghostly display. Andra observed in awe all the shadows of various footprints left behind by prodigies, differing in size and shape, speckling the floor. Giddy, Andra used her new powers and played around with the footprints, making them go back and forth into a swirling, dancing medley 0f shadows.
After playing around for a little bit, Andra immediately went to find the bench where she sat with Keefe and Ro. When she got to Level Three and found what she was looking for, she searched for the slim prints of her boots, but they weren’t there. Realizing that these echoes must be recent, Andra played back the memories and the footprints started to slowly walk backwards. Pushing a little harder, Andra made them go faster, and the footprints started to fade with every step. When Andra spotted the faded grey shadows of her slim booted feet beneath the bench, she stopped and walked over to the bench. She saw the faded footprints of Keefe’s boots next to hers, as well as the large, odd looking feet of the ogre princess. Looking at the memory, Andra pushed with the last of her strength to make the footprints of Keefe and Ro walk further back in time, to the moment where they had stolen the goods.
Following these faded footprints deep into the labyrinth of Foxfire, Andra pushed away the shadows through corridors and passages, when suddenly the footprints faded away, leaving her facing several different doors and a junction of corridors. Panicking, Andra looked around, thinking she would be lost forever, when suddenly she saw a door to her right with a sign that said “ Mentor’s Only”.
Sighing in relief, she walked up to it and entered the room. Setting off the motion sensitive balefire chandelier, Andra awed as she stared into the most luxurious room in Foxfire. The legendary Mentor’s “ closet” was really a cozy, lavish space filled with cushy, elegant chairs and glittering reflective pools. Everywhere you saw, there were sweets set upon fancy stands, displaying some of the most delectable treats you could ever imagine. Butterblasts, custardbursts, blitzenberry muffins, and more all danced before Andra’s eyes, making her mouth water ferociously. Swiping several fluffcreams from under their glass cover, Andra took all she could eat as she quickly went around stuffing her bag full of her delicious plunder. Grabbing a hand full of mood candy, she popped one into her mouth as she headed straight across the room to a cabinet full of Prattle’s candy. The mood candy tasted sweet like sugarplums inside her mouth, and savored the delightful taste as she rolled it around her tongue. She tried to open the cabinet when she realized it was locked, and looked around for a key when she heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps and voices coming from outside the door.
The candy suddenly turned sour in her mouth as Andra panicked, ducking behind the side of the cabinet with her sack. Shrouding herself in shadow, her heart pounded wildly as if it ready to jump right out of her chest. With the lights still on, Andra realized they would know she was there, and quickly dimmed the lights until the room was covered in darkness, and held her breath just as two sets of footsteps entered into the room.
“ This should be more private in here. We can’t be too careful, especially now days.”
Lady Zillah?
“ Of course, I completely understand. Now are you going to tell me what this all about?”a deep, male voice answered back.
Andra let the lights smoothly come back on as she pressed her back tightly against the wooden cabinet, daring not to breath. She pulled back the ends of her cape, praying that they didn’t see her.
“ I know you’re busy dealing with the Black Swan and all that, but this is a matter of urgency I cannot ignore.”
Andra resisted the urge to sneeze in her dust-filled corner, when she caught a rather pungent scent enter the room.
Is that….ruckleberries?
“ If this is about Andra, we’re doing everything we can. I know you are very concerned about this, and believe me, I am doing everything I can to help get her back. It’s just that we have bigger priorities at the moment.”
Andra briefly glanced around the corner and stifled a gasp when she saw the wrinkled old man dressed in an elvish tunic.
The Black Swan’s leader, Mr. Forkle?! What is he doing here?
“ Yes, I know about your operation at Loamnore tomorrow, which I cannot say that I don’t have reservations about your success.”
“ It only takes one spark to start a flame,” Mr. Forkle affirmed, adamantly.
“ I assume that means that you’re being cautiously hopeful, which I will ignore for now. We have bigger issues to deal with,” Lady Zillah wryly responded.
“ Look, my spies are searching every possible place we can think of. We know she couldn’t have gone far. If we knew where she was hiding, I would’ve told you already. I can’t say any more than that,” Mr. Forkle stated firmly.
“ If only you knew how dangerous it is for her to be out there alone while the Neverseen is still in existence, carrying out Gisela’s so called “ legacy” of hers. She could be in their hands right now and we’d have no way of knowing about it.”
“ Look, I know that you’re upset, but at least we’re trying.”
“ Well trying isn’t good enough.”
Silence reigned for an awkward few moments when Mr. Forkle cleared his throat and said,
“ I do have some news. I’ve just got a report that Tam is still alive and being controlled by Lady Gisela. Sophie, Keefe, and Fitz had a run in with her, but Tam helped her escape.”
Tam is still alive??
Andra’s heart fluttered at the thought of Tam, but she resisted, chiding herself for being so silly.
“ Controlled? How do you mean ‘controlled’?”
“ They said that he was being controlled by ethertine bonds.”
“ Ethertine?” Lady Zillah asked, sounding slightly alarmed.
“ This is a lot more serious than I thought,” she said, “ If Lady Gisela has a Flasher within her ranks, then it will be a lot harder for your group to fight him.”
“ What can we do?”
Lady Zillah paused, possibly thinking through her options.
“ It will be difficult to free him. I’ve never heard of ethertine being used for such a purpose, but as I have learned recently, anything is possible. Unless you’ve got a Flasher of your own, the task will be impossible.”
“ We do. Wylie Endal is our Flasher, and he has been very helpful with our last few encounters.”
“ I see. I have heard of Mr. Endal’s abilities, and I highly praise him for it, but he’ll need more training, if you even have the time for that.”
“ We’re doing everything we can before the operation tomorrow. Don’t worry, we’ll cover all the details,” Mr. Forkle assured.
“ And yet it never seems to be enough,” Lady Zillah muttered under her breath. Mr. Forkle rolled his eyes at her usual sardonic manner. Not taking notice, Lady Zillah looked directly at him and said,
“ I suggest you use great caution when dealing with Tam, Mr. Forkle. Powerful Shades like him are not to be trifled with. He has grown stronger in shadowflux. I know it because I have felt it before. In fact, I feel it right now, in this room…”
Andra’s muscles tightened as the room fell eerily silent. Her shadows thickened around her as Andra listened for any sign of movement, but nothing came. Bracing for her discovery, Andra covered her mouth, resisting the urge to shriek. Lady Zillah looked around the room as Andra barely breathed in her corner, searching her inner sensations until she snapped out of her muse and continued on, saying,
“ But you’ll be in greater danger if Andra isn’t found. Especially if she’s in the hands of the Neverseen.”
Andra sighed and slumped against the cabinet.
“ You seem to have reason to believe that the Neverseen could possibly be after Andra. Why? They’ve already got Tam, what more does Lady Gisela want?”
Lady Zillah pondered her reply and said in a confiding manner,
“ You know, after Tam was kidnapped, I wanted to be more careful with what I taught my new prodigy in the case of another kidnapping. As I have promised, I’ve worked hard on learning more about shadowflux than any of my other colleagues, and what I’ve learned so far are some pretty dark and terrible secrets. During my last session with Andra, I soon discovered that she could control shadowflux, and not just control it, but wield with such a fluidity as if it were apart of her, and without even realizing it. That’s when I knew she had it.”
“ Had what?”
“ Shadowbond.”
Shadowbond
“ Shadowbond?” Mr Forkle echoed Andra’s thoughts.
“ Yes, shadowbond. As you know, shadowvapor and shadowflux are the two energy sources Shades have access to. Every person has shadowvapor. It’s apart of who they are, their inner layer where all their darkest secrets are stored. Shadowflux, on the other hand, is the sixth element, the pure energy source of all the darkness that exists within our world. Shadowbond allows for a Shade and shadowflux to be as one, apart of each other. Tam may be gifted with the ability to bend shadowflux to his will, but Andra is able to embody it. She has access to all the power shadowflux has to offer all within this ancient genetic bond. I didn’t want Andra to know the truth, so I kept it hidden from her, hoping it would protect her. Now I fear that it may have endangered her.”
“ How did you find all of this information?” Mr. Forkle asked.
“ I have various resources,” she returned vaguely.
Puzzled, Mr. Forkle mulled over this. Andra anxiously listened in her corner, trying to make sense of what this could mean. Then, after a few moments, Mr. Forkle said,
“ How are you so sure Andra has this ‘ shadowbond’?”
“ When the Ancient Shades refused to intermarry with elves of other abilities, they kept their energy pure. Ever since then, it has been distorted and reduced to the measly faculties us modern Shades are now limited to. Varis Evenstar is one of these Ancient Shades, who also happens to be Andra’s ancestor, on her mother’s side. He’s kept that tradition within their family for generations, until the institution of matchmakers and genetic pairing stopped that. He was one of our most respected of Counselors for a time, as well as chief advocate for Shades like myself.”
“ But how is that even possible? After all these years that Andra could still be able to be born with this ability?”
“ You of all people should know that when you consider the genetics behind the matter, it’s not too far-fetched as it may seem. Even after thousands of years, it is still possible for a few to bear the mark of the Ancients,” Lady Zillah explained, matter-of-factly.
“ Well, I will definitely put my very best effort to try to find her before the Neverseen discover her existence. You can be sure of that,” Mr. Forkle stated.
“ We may already be too late. There’s something else I haven’t yet told you,” Lady Zillah began, “ I have seen this kind of power before, only then I didn’t recognize it. It was in one of my earliest prodigies, who unfortunately went missing… and later became a member of the Neverseen.”
“ You mean…Umber?”
“ The very same.”
Andra tried not to gasp as she listened intently.
“ Umber was just like Andra, shy and incompetent. But unlike her, she excelled in her training. She was capable of controlling the very force of darkness itself without so much as a nod of the head. Usually it takes months, even years to strengthen one’s will to master shadowflux, but Umber was able to wield it in one day.”
“ What happened to her?”
“ She was an unstable girl who invested herself too much into shadowflux, until one day she lost her sanity, then disappeared. I never heard of her again. Until one day reports came in about a powerful Shade working within the ranks of the Neverseen. I wasn’t sure if it was her, until I came to visit Mrs. Foster that day in the Healing Center, and her echoes confirmed it.”
“ Are you saying that Umber and Andra are… related?”
Heart thumping wildly, Andra anxiously waited for her answer, half wishing that she wouldn’t know.
“ If I had any proof, I’d say yes, they are related. Even if it were true, the Wolfstods must never be exposed, or else they’d meet the same shame and ridicule as the Vackers.”
“ Your secret is safe with me.”
Shock shot through Andra as she lost her breath. Her head spun with thousands of questions. Anger, fear, confusion, and chaos all numbed in her mind as the revelation hit her.
I…. I’m related… to Umber??
Feeling like she was going to pass out, Andra breathed hard, trying to keep herself together, when Mr. Forkle added,
“ But related or not, I have known Mrs. Wolfstod for a very long time, at least Elwin has, and he has assured me that she would never do such a thing. He’s even told me that she hates the Neverseen.”
“ You don’t understand. Shadowflux absorbs everything, even emotions. If one is bound to it, it is constantly apart of her and it will always be absorbing every thought, every will. Fear, anger, hatred will all be absorbed, and if you’re not careful, you’re very consciousness can be completely consumed by it. It’s like an echo these rare Shades can inflict upon themselves. If we don’t find her soon, Andra will meet the same fate as Umber, and become a very powerful tool for the Neverseen, even more powerful than Tam.”
Andra’s heart beat wildly as she reeled from the confusion and chaos of the truth crashing into her brain still running to catch up. Echoes of pain and grief started screaming at her, all while the pull from the darkness tugged at her will to surrender. Resisting the urge with what was left of herself, Andra took several deep breaths to calm herself back down again, her stomach churning like a violent sea, making her sick.
“ How can we prevent this?”
Lady Zillah came close to Mr. Forkle and said, “ Bring her back. Safe, and alive. I will deal with her then. If she’s sane, we might just prevent another crisis.”
Mr. Forkle sighed, rubbing his tired, sagging eyes, and said,
“ Of course, I will do that.”
Andra felt faint as she started to feel dizzy, muddling through a disarray of thought and emotion.
“ It was my fault,” Mr. Forkle added, sorrowfully, “ I sent her father on that mission to Lumenaria the day it fell. He joined the Black Swan because he believed in a cause that could change our world for the better. I asked him to scout out the castle to make sure the Neverseen didn’t set any hidden traps. He was there to protect Sophie, but after the Neverseen attacked the castle, it was too late. I couldn’t save him, even if I tried. I couldn’t save both of them.”
Andra held back a sob as she felt bitter anger rise within her.
“ His wife withdrew from her involvement in our order to protect her children from anymore grief,” he continued, “ I know all too well what this family is going through, and now they risk losing their daughter. If only I didn’t insist on sending him, things would’ve been different.”
Lady Zillah became somber, then with a far off look, she said, “ Grief is a terrible thing, unimaginable for most, but for those who go through it, indescribable…and dangerous. That is why you must find her, before she falls into the guilt that preys on us all.”
Collecting himself, Mr. Forkle stood erect and said, “ I swear, I will do the best I can to search for her. As soon as we’re done at Loamnore, we will do everything within our power to get her back safely home. I promise.”
“ You better hope you do. If the Neverseen get a hold of Andra and use ethertine on her, I fear this fight may be lost.”
When Mr. Forkle and Lady Zillah left, Andra slumped against the cabinet, numb from all she had just learned…
—————————————————————————————————————————-
“ They lied to me! They all lied to me!”
Andra yelled as a rock ricocheted off the wall.
“ Throwing rocks isn’t going to help anything,” Alvar stated as he huddled in his corner.
“ How could they do this to me?! After all that I’ve been through, they didn’t even have the decency to just come right out and tell me?! My own Shade mentor kept all of those secrets locked away while leaving me to go through the most horrifying experience of my entire life, and not even saying a word about it?! It just makes me so…so…agh!!”
Another stone went flying against the wall as Alvar hacked into his cloak.
“ Well now you know the truth about the Black Swan. They aren’t all as perfect and good as they seem, do they?”
“ Well, it’s not like they’re the Neverseen, but they did send my father to Lumenaria, which is just…agh!”
Another rock banged off the wall.
“ I mean, how hard is it to tell me, ‘ Oh, by the way, you have a very rare ability that could possibly suck out your very soul and become a total psychopath like that freak, Umber, who is by the way possibly related to you. Oh, and also the so called “ good and noble” Black Swan sent your father to his death, ruining your entire future for all eternity!’” At least someone could’ve led with that!” Andra ranted as she threw another rock, then paced around the cave.
“ Ugh! You’re even more dramatic than my sister! Of all the places I had to pick to die, it had to be this one!” Alvar called out.
“ Well excuse me if I have to vent! And you’re the one to talk. You’re the one who caused all your family drama in the first place! And frankly, I don’t blame your sister one bit! If I had a brother like you, I’d go crazy! And that’s saying something, considering how my brother is,” Andra retorted as she picked up another rock.
“ Well, you’re the one that’s keeping yourself here, Shade, not me. And Biana couldn’t top whatever tantrum you’re having.”
“ I’m not having a tantrum!!”
Andra threw down the rock then sat herself down on the floor, burying her face in her knees. Alvar groaned as Andra heaved a heavy sigh and started to cry, thinking through all the things that should’ve been different in her life.
After a few moments of quiet tears, Andra said to herself,
“ Why didn’t Mom tell me the truth? She’s the one I could usually count on to get a straight answer. Did she not trust me? Does she think I don’t deserve the truth? Why couldn’t she have just told me why Dad was there the night he died?”
“ You’ll find that many of the people in your life will carry secrets even you cannot be trusted with, even family,” Alvar shared bitterly.
“ Ugh, is there anyone I can trust anymore?” Andra sighed as she buried her face back into her knees. Alvar coughed again, readjusting himself against the edgy rock wall, pulling tightly on his haggard cloak. The shaking had gotten a lot worse since the pain started to get worse, his forehead sweat cold beads down to his throat. Gritting his teeth, he tried his best not to scream in agony, and Alvar coughed, cleared his throat, and managed to say,
“ You blame the Black Swan for your father’s death, and you blame the Neverseen for your father’s death. Well, which is it? You’re either mad at the Black Swan or at the Neverseen?”
“ I…I don’t know. Both I guess… I…, I don’t know whether to be mad at Sophie, Mom, Lady Zillah, the Black Swan… I don’t know! Okay?! I don’t want to talk about it right now,” Andra uttered, turning herself away from Alvar. Alvar persisted, saying,
“ It’s not so easy to blame one side for your problems, is it? Every side has it’s flaws, and yet( cough) every one of them trying to achieve the same goal. The Neverseen is no different than the Black Swan.”
“ Then how come you hurt so many people, huh? Why does the Neverseen do so much evil?” Andra asked, turning towards Alvar.
“ You think the Black Swan never hurt anyone? They tortured members of the Neverseen, young kids like you who were trying to do the right thing. Cough. Shades and Pyrokinetics, those who have been shunned by society, were left to rot while the Black Swan did nothing about it. Lady Gisela sheltered dozens of twins and Talentless from the persecution of their own families. She showed them mercy in the face of cruelty from the Counsel. Despite her flaws, ( cough) she taught them how to fight back.”
“ Yeah and what about your family? What about all the innocent elves that suffered because your actions, or was hurting your own family ‘ necessary’ as well? What was the point except to try to prove that…”
“ I had no choice! It was my family that started it all, and I was going to be the one to finish it!”
Andra stopped, startled at Alvar’s outburst. After waiting a few moments, Andra tentatively asked,
“ What are you talking about?”
Alvar sighed, then after a few moments of gathering up the strength to speak, he responded in a stretched voice, “ As ironic as it may seem, you and I have more in common than you realize. I too believed my family to be one thing, when it turned out to be another. Cough, cough. I believed that my family’s legacy was that we were one of the “great founders of our world”. I believed that I was meant to carry on that legacy, to inspire and improve the world, (cough) hoping to change it for the better. So I began by looking for Sophie Foster. Several years passed, but I never( cough) found her, at least at the time I didn’t know I had already found her.”
Alvar hacked a couple times into his cloak, and waited a couple of moments to catch his breath before he continued saying, “ While on my search, I noticed how the elves had allowed( cough) the humans to overrun the planet, all while pushing the rest of the ancient species back into a corner. I realized that our system was flawed when I saw the persecution of other elves as they were being ridiculed (cough) for what they are. Fallon Vacker told me the true story of our legacy, how our family had shaped the laws that caused the destruction of our own race( cough). He showed me the troll hives, and my trust, my pride in the Vacker name was broken. Fallon knew I wanted to do the right thing,( cough) so he connected me to the Neverseen, and I had been secretly a member ever since. Cough, cough.”
Shocked, Andra took in this new revelation then asked,
“ So… you blamed yourself for all the laws your family started in the first place?”
“ Alden, my father, had always told me that I should be proud to be a Vacker. That was before I realized what the Vacker legacy really was. I will never be proud to be a Vacker again.”
Andra stared at Alvar as he coughed hoarsely into his cloak, rattling with each heave. Andra started to see him in a new way, realizing that beneath the bedraggled, scarred man before her was a boy who was hurt deeply because of his own family’s mistakes. After Alvar recovered again, he took a deep breath and said weakly,
“ You see… I joined the Neverseen to undo what my family had done to create a new legacy… but… cough, cough…it’s too late for me now.”
Andra considered Alvar for a moment, then asked him in a serious tone,
“ Do you still care about your family?”
“ I believe we’re getting off the subject here.”
“ No, I want to know: Do you care about your family?”
“ No. My family abandoned me! My own brother tried to kill me!” Alvar spat.
“ Kill you? Fitz Vacker kill someone? Come on! I find that hard to believe.”
“ Well believe it,” Alvar stated, coughing,“ And what about you? Do you still care about your family?”
“ Of course I do! I love my family!”
“ Then why are you out here, alone, away from your mother and ( cough) your brother who’s probably worried sick about you?”
“ My brother doesn’t even care about me! And I can’t go back home. I don’t know what to do about my new powers! I don’t know what to think anymore!”
“ Well then you’d better get a grip on yourself, cause (cough)…I’m not gonna be around for much longer,” Alvar stated as he pulled tighter on his rags.
“ Oh what makes you think I need you?” Andra started, jumping up from her seat, “ Sure, you’ve helped me some with your little Vanishing tricks, but it won’t work. I’m not even sure why you even wanted to train me in the first place when all I am to you is just…”
Andra stared at Alvar in a weird way, and he turned his gaze from hers and hid his paled, scarred face.
“ You knew, didn’t you? That’s why you insisted on training me. You knew the whole time I was related to Umber. I can’t believe I fell for it! Just when I was starting to trust you!”
Alvar remained silent, avoiding her intimidating stare.
“ How long have you known?”
Alvar stayed silent, his eyes fixed in the distance.
“ No, I want the truth right now! How long have you known?”
Sighing wearily, Alvar returned her gaze and said, “ Since I first saw you. When I was in the Neverseen,( cough) me and Umber saw each other very little,( cough) thankfully. But one day, we were on a scouting mission in the Neutral territories, and Umber’s hood accidentally flew off her head. Cough, cough. It was then I saw the same white hair as you have now( cough). I knew then you were related to Umber, even before I figured out that you were a Shade, (cough, cough, cough).”
Stroking her pale locks, Andra finally grasped the reason why she didn’t look like the rest of her family. As she took in this new revelation, Andra turned her anger back towards Alvar and said,
“ So this whole time you were planning to “ train” me until the Neverseen came and took me away to one of your secret hideouts, where you’d torture me and brainwash me to…”
“ That’s not why I did it.”
“ Oh really, cause it seems pretty obvious!” Andra countered hotly.
“ I did it because you have a gift. I may not be able to change my legacy, but I can help you change yours. You have the potential to change the world, if you only accept who you are,” Alvar explained.
“ You mean the monster? The creepy, horrifying Shade that preys around at night? You don’t know who I am! All I know is that I’ve let down my family, I’ve let down my mentor, and I am trying my hardest to be the best I can be all while trying to deal with something I can barely control! So don’t you tell me that you know who I am, Alvar Vacker, because you don’t!”
Alvar sat there staring up at the troubled Shade before him, shaking as she sucked in shuttering breaths. Andra seethed as she felt the hot tears streaming down her cheeks, her anger melting into raw emotion. Alvar quietly cleared his throat, and waited a moment before he said,
“ You see everyone just the way you want to see them, and yet you’re too blind to even see yourself.”
Aggravated, Andra turned briskly towards the entrance of the cave, hearing all that she could take. Crossing the moonlit lawns, Andra walked stiffly towards the edge of the woods, overwhelmed by emotion. The regret of ever letting Alvar train her in the first place pressed deeply in her heart, until finally all of the emotion that was stuffed down deep inside finally came out, streaming down her troubled face. Andra convulsed bitter sobs as she held herself, letting go of all her anguish.
As she wept, the words “ Umber” and “ monster” kept spinning around in her head. She felt lost as everything she knew about herself was tossed into the wind. All the memories of laughter and joy started to fade as the cold empty of hopelessness startled to settle in.
Alvar was right. I don’t know who I am.
At that thought, Andra cried even harder, as the moon shined it’s kind face down on the troubled Shade. Looking up to the stars, Andra wished that none of this had ever happened, longing more than ever to be home.
“ I wish you were here right now, Dad, ‘cause I don’t know what I am going to do,” Andra cried and she wept bitterly even more.
A gentle breeze brushed against her pale, half braided hair, and a rush of peace suddenly swept though her troubled soul. Slowly, Andra breathed in a deep sigh of relief and her head started to clear. As Andra’s heartbeat began to slow, her tears ebbed until finally she wiped her cheeks and stood calmly before the woods.
Andra took in the peaceful quiet of the night, when all of a sudden she heard a twig snap in the woods. Startled, Andra looked around, alert. Surveying the dark woods before her, she half-expected the Neverseen to ambush her right there. Andra prepared to run, when emerged from the woods a big, brown bear. Surprised, Andra stood there, staring at the curious beast. It was a large grizzly, shaggy looking bear with a strange gleam in it’s eye. The bear sniffed the ground a few feet in front of her, seeming not to notice here, when suddenly turned it’s gaze on her, and growled. Andra froze, wondering whether to run, when the bear reared it’s massive head and roared. Gasping, Andra fled the fields as the bear chased after her. Pumping her legs as fast as she could go, Andra tried to lose it, when it got in front of her, then she dodged it and without thinking sprinted towards the cave. Diving right in the middle of the dusty floor, Andra got herself up just as the bear came inside, roaring furiously. Alvar, surprised, tried to move when he yelled as the bear knocked him back with it’s great paw, hurling him hard against the wall.
“ Alvar!!”
Andra stood there, helpless. She backed herself into a corner as the monstrous bear came barreling towards her. Andra frantically reached for the melder inside her jacket when she made the horrifying discovery that her pockets were empty. Terrified, Andra dove out of the corner just as the bear smashed it’s head against the rock wall. Scraping herself against the hard floor, Andra held her arm and winced as the bear recovered and tried again. She ducked just as a paw scratched the wall above her, and she ran past it towards the back of the cave. The bear turned towards her, enraged at it’s prey. Panic started to overtake her when she remembered the echos, and she willed herself to focus. The bear charged at her again, when it accidentally stepped into the fire and it reared up in pain.
Taking this moment to act, Andra focused on the pain of her arm, allowing the shadows to absorb it until it was searing fire inside her head, making her yell. She trained her mind on the bear, trying to gather the raging shadows to herself, but something inside of her couldn’t do it. Her hands shook and the image of Maruca passed before her eyes. She couldn’t kill this bear. No matter what it did, she couldn’t hurt another living thing again.
As Andra pressed her back against the wall, the bear limped desperately towards her with fury in it’s eyes. The bear towered over Andra and released a terrible roar as she scrunched into a ball, bracing for the end. She closed her eyes and screamed as the bear roared when suddenly it made an agonized noise then a giant thump rattled the floor.
Daring to open her eyes, she saw Alvar, bloody and alive, standing over the bear with the melder in hand. Shocked, Andra got up and rushed over to Alvar’s side just as he collapsed to the ground. She caught his sweaty head in her hands, saying,
“ I’m so sorry! I didn’t know what to do! That bear was just…”
“ I know… it’s.. it’s okay,” Alvar said, sputtering and gasping.
Blood spilled from the deep gashes that covered his body. His chest heaved, and Andra’s hands were red as she held the dying elf in her arms.
“ I’m sorry. I don’t know why I couldn’t do it. I could’ve killed him, why didn’t I do it?”
“ Because… that’s not who you are.”
Andra stared into Alvar’s greying eyes and saw that he meant it. A warm, strong feeling grew inside of her that made her feel confident, and for that moment, everything was going to be okay.
Alvar sputtered and gasped for air, and Andra immediately focused back on the situation as cold sweat ran down his bruised forehead. She started to panic, when she remembered the medicine she’d retrieved from the Healing Center, and grabbing the vial, she slipped the cool medicine down Alvar’s throat. He started to breath again, his gasps coming at slower intervals, and Alvar breathed a sigh of relief. As Andra cradled his head, he laid there, breathing in short breathes. Then gathering all the strength he had left, he uttered in a desperate gasp,
“ You were right… you were right. I do care. Tell… tell my sister that I…I still…”
Alvar started hacking again, and Andra held tightly to him as he spat up blood and shuttered from the pain. Andra got up and going around the bear’s body, she immediately dragged her sleeping bag over next to Alvar, regretting she didn’t make it more comfortable for him sooner. Then, using all her strength, the desperate Shade rolled the suffering elf onto the cot, and started stripping bandages out of her own cape. As Andra wrapped his wounds, she listened desperately to his shallow breathing, hoping beyond hope.
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Over the past few hours, Alvar’s breathing grew thinner and thinner. Occasionally, Andra would hear a gasp and she’d turn around to check on him, hoping he was still alive. She hugged Gem close, knowing it would only be a matter of time before she would hear nothing, then she’d be all alone in the middle of this wilderness.
As the moon’s glowing face shined down softly upon the valley, thunder rolled across the distant hills, heralding a storm heading this way. Andra adjusted her seat on the boulder outside the cave, anxiously listening for Alvar’s raspy breath. No one had ever risked their life for her before, except that one time when her father protected her from that wild manticore. For the longest time, she had believed that all the Neverseen were the same. Heartless, violent, and cruel. She didn’t think they ever cared about anyone but themselves. But after she met Alvar, she saw then that they were just as normal as she was. All of them had dreams, families, and lives. All of them had a point in their lives where a dream was crushed or family betrayed them, and the only way they could think to seek justice was through vengeance.
Listening to his shallow gasps, Andra was then reminded of how horrible she felt about the things she had said to him, and how insensitive she was towards him and his illness. Despite him being in the Neverseen, it wasn’t his fault that the castle of Lumenaria fell. Andra hoped for a chance to say sorry, to tell him she didn’t blame him anymore. But she feared that she may be too late.
As the nightly breeze blew against her hair, Andra contemplated to herself, and after several drawn-out discussions with herself, she concluded that it wasn’t the Black Swan’s fault either. Sure, they had a hand in the circumstances, but still, if her father knew he was going to die, he still would’ve done it defending a worthy cause for his nation. Andra realized that there was no one person to blame for all that happened. It just happened the way it happened, and that’s how it was going to be. Settling down with that conclusion, Andra she suddenly felt more at peace than she had ever felt before. She felt a piece of herself come back as a great weight was lifted off her shoulders.
As the stars glittered in the sky, she pondered what she was going to go next. Knowing everything she knew now, she had no idea what to do. Should she deal with her ability and face up to Lady Zillah, or not even deal with her powers at all and keep them bottled up forever? And what about the Neverseen? What if their spies are out there searching for her now? She had to find an answer, and fast.
As Andra mulled over this, it suddenly occurred to her that if the Neverseen were so desperate for her abilities, then why not use them for the Black Swan? She could use them help to help stop the Neverseen, then maybe even try to reason with them to not use violence. Maybe then she can change her legacy.
As Andra pondered all of this, a sudden change in the wind caught her attention. The halcyon in the distance cried frantically from it’s tree, and the wind suddenly stopped, and the world fell completely silent. Andra stood up and carried Gem out into the moonlit field, alert and ready. With the melder in hand, she slowly scanned the area, sensing something was wrong. Tensing up, she listened for any sound but felt only the wind holding its breath. Andra steadied her breathing as she grew more anxious, when she turned around and saw a black figure staring right at her, and Andra jumped and dropped Gem at her side.
The mirrored version of herself stood there pulsing in shadow, gazing ominously at her with a faceless gleam. Andra immediately felt pain, grief and terror crash down upon her like a wave, and she gasped at the start. She realized then that this was the true monster. This was sum of her darkest fears. An echo of her past.
As Andra calmed down from the attack, she froze, unsure of what to do. The figure kept on staring at her until it slowly extended a shadowy hand, beaconing her to take it. The familiar tug pulled at her heart, but Andra resisted, saying,
“ NO!”
The shadow cocked it’s head at her speculatively, then she heard a voice inside her head saying,
You will never win.
Gasping, Andra jumped when she doubled over as all the memories and voices started to scream inside her head.
You’ll never be a decent Shade….
You’re a monster!
Why are you such a problem?!
You’ll never be good enough…
I can’t do this.
I am a monster…
Andra screamed, holding her head, trying to get rid of the voices.
The shadow stared at her uncannily then let down it’s outstretched hand. When Andra recovered from the shock, the shadow produced out of it’s side a sword, which pulsed with a dark, terrible energy. Andra stood still, feeling that same power flowing through her veins and she gripped the melder tighter as the shadow fluctuated in angry wisps. Before she could think, the shadow lunged after her, aiming it’s sword at her heart. Andra dodged, nearly slipping on the grass and she stood up, surprised. The shadow looked back at her, then tried again, slashing at the Shade. The Shade avoided and fired the melder at the shadow, and the shadow immediately dispersed. Sighing in relief, Andra let down her melder when it reappeared beside her, slashing it’s sword. Andra ducked just as it swished over her head, barely missing her braid. She knelt on the ground, breathless, as the shadow brought the sword down close to her leg.
Andra rolled out of the way, not sure what to do. She dodged and ducked from the shadow’s strikes, backing up from her adversary as much as she could. She fired the melder, hoping it would slow it down, but it reappeared every time, making her weapon practically useless. None of this could be real, could it? Shadows can’t kill anybody, right? None of this is real. With that in mind, Andra stood her ground, waiting anxiously for the shadow to jab at her again. The shadow started running towards her, it’s sword aimed at her chest. Andra kept herself strong, telling herself it wasn’t real. As the sword came full speed towards her heart, she doubted at the last second then leapt towards the side, getting sliced by the sword’s icy edge. Andra screamed as she fell to the ground. Blood dripped down from her forearm, and that’s when she realized that this was real, and it was going to kill her.
Holding her arm with her left hand, she tried to grab the melder when the shadow’s sword landed just inches from her face. She got up, running for her life across the field and the shadow chased after her. Making itself float above Andra‘s head, the shadow plunged down it’s sword down upon of her. Andra ran just ahead of the attack, then fled towards the woods. When she got closer to it, she realized that the forest’s shadows might make it stronger, so she darted along the edge, trying to think of a plan.
The shadow floated above her, gaining more ground every minute. Andra was running out of breath, trying hard to think of a way to defeat it, when she remembered her echoes, and began blasting it with shadow darts. The shadow absorbed all the darts and grew muscular arms, morphing into the hideous monster of her nightmares. Andra broke away from the forest’s edge when the monster blocked her from escaping. Andra blasted a whole wall of shadow, but the monster simply ripped through it and reached a black claw at her face.
Andra staggered back and screamed, falling backwards upon the grass as the monster floated above her, growing ten feet tall. Andra held her throbbing arm as she desperately backed away from the monster landing softly on the ground. It leered down at it’s prey, and Andra tried to think, but her mind was a race of thoughts and emotions that couldn’t connect. If the echoes made it stronger, then there was nothing she could do. Andra knew then that this was the end.
As she shut her eyes and braced for the end, the monster opened it’s hideous mouth and all her life passed before her eyes. Andra could see when she was little when her and her brother were playing on the beaches of Atlantis. Baking with her mother her favorite savory treats. The time when Brenik pranked her with that gulon trap, and she got him back. Her first painting lesson with her father. The day her father left for Lumenaria. Her mother staying ever strong during their loss. Linh, Maruca, and Marella encouraging her when she wanted to quit. Elwin giving her Gem, to protect her from her nightmares. Even Brenik loving her by leaving her snacks at her door when she was alone and sad. After everything passed before her eyes, the good, the bad, she began to see something she never expected. Through all of it, she still had a good life. She didn’t need to be perfect to have a good life. She just needed to be. And that was enough.
Suddenly, all the power inside of her clicked, and Andra embraced the golden memories as her inner light was absorbed by her shadows. Then, releasing all her energy, she blasted the echos onto the monster just before it struck. The creature reared back in terror, it’s arm disintegrated, and it shrieked in horror. Andra snapped her eyes open, realizing what she had done, and she filled herself with new confidence. Standing firmly before the shadow, Andra blasted it with echos, sending the monster staggering backwards with every blast. The creature grew smaller and smaller with every attack, as Andra grew stronger and stronger as she gathered as much shadowflux to herself as possible. The creature cried a high-pitched wine, until it was reduced back into the dark silhouette of Andra, and it immediately thrust it’s sword upon the powerful Shade.
Andra’s eyes burned bright with icy fire, and produced a shadow blade of her own, blocking the sword before it hit her head. The sword felt solid like glass in her hand as the moon rays gleamed off it’s blade. Surprised, the shadow billowed back as Andra pushed forward, exhilarated at her new power.
Andra braced herself for the attack as the silhouette retaliated and lunged. Clashing and clanging in the field, the shadow and the Shade fought. Andra blocked every attack and fended off every blow as the shadow pushed back with every fiber of it’s being. As Andra thrust and parried, she found herself in the middle of the field and saw the opportunity to strike, and with all her might she stabbed the shadow through the heart. The shadow shrieked and convulsed with the sword thrust through it’s chest, then dissipated into vapors, it’s screams echoing through the night.
Andra heaved a heavy sigh of relief and slowly lowered her sword to the ground. She slowly turned back towards the cave, when the shadow reappeared in front of her, knocking her back across the field. Landing hard, Andra yelled in surprise and she grabbed her arm as the echo inside seethed and burned. The memory of terror rushed back into her head, paralyzing Andra to the ground. Taking advantage of this, the shadow hurled down it’s sword on Andra. Andra snapped out of her trance and quickly reproduced her sword, blocking the shadow’s strike. Pushing back the blade, Andra stood up again, a cold sweat running down her forehead.
The shadow straightened up, taking this new advantage, and advanced on the frightened Shade. Adrenaline rushed through her veins as Andra blocked and defended herself from the determined shadow. The shadow consistently blocked her attacks and drove the Shade back. Andra slashed and stabbed desperately at the shadow’s arm and legs, but the shadow kept regenerating, absorbing the energy every time. She tried to keep a steady hand, but her injured arm shook, making her weary attempts to attack unsteady. The shadow advanced and slashed attack after attack, exhausting the Shade more every minute. Terror started to fill Andra’s heart as she desperately fought to stay alive.
When Andra felt like she couldn’t take much more of this, the shadow plunged it’s blade down upon her, forcing her down to her knees. Andra yelled and gripped her sword tight, keeping the shadow’s blade at bay. As she struggled to stand, she tried to free a hand to blast an echo, but then rejected the idea and held the sword with both hands. The shadow pushed harder and harder as the blade got closer and closer to her chest. Fear started to overtake her as her right arm shook and the blood dripped from her wound. She tried hard to find an answer, a sign, anything that would help.
Then the voice of the shadow glowering down upon her whispered in her frantic mind,
You’re no one. You’re not who you think you are.
Andra shook her head as the taunt echoed in her mind. The pain in her arm increased as sweat dripped down her forehead. The steady bleeding drained the last of her will as she started feeling the pull towards surrender. The thought of succumbing to the shadow almost appealed to her as her strength gave out.
I can’t fight this thing forever. Maybe there is no escaping my destiny.
As Andra began to feel the blade slowly slipping from her, her heart almost gave up until another voice, sweet, wonderful and warm, flooded her mind and said,
Don’t forget who you are.
Andra stayed her blade as the memory of her father’s voice lingered in her mind. It was the thing her father said the day before he left. She remembered all of the sweet and wonderful words of wisdom he had invested in her, telling her that she was good enough. He believed in her. And he wanted her to believe in herself, and not give up.
Andra snapped out of her hopelessness and held fast to the blade. Sensing that she was stronger again, the shadow pushed down even harder, making Andra yelp as she strained to stand firm. How can she defeat this thing she has created? Her echos weren’t good enough. Even if she could summon that light inside of her again, the shadowflux will always be there with all her fears and all it’s lies.
When Andra turned towards the moon, Andra remembered her mother’s words:
Reflect the light.
Her mother was telling her then to reflect the light that was inside her. But what if it was fate that she had said that?
With all the strength she had left, Andra turned toward her shadow and said,
“ You’re wrong, I know who I am.”
Pushing back the sword, Andra stood up on the ground, the shadow fluttering backwards. The shadow hissed and shrieked furiously, preparing for the kill.
“ I am Andralynne Wolfstod.”
Andra yelled as she faced her sword towards the moon and reflected the rays at the shadow. The shadow screeched and convulsed as the pure rays started to disintegrate it. It’s shadowy body fluttered and sputtered erratically until it was no more than a mere cloud. And then with one final wisp, it vanished into vapors, leaving not a trace of darkness left except for the grey shadow of the mountain.
The tired Shade slowly down let her shadowblade as it dissipated from her hand. The gentle rain started to come down, and a deep, resonating sigh started to fill her chest. A heavy weight was lifted off her shoulders as she he took in her first, deep breath with satisfaction, and she looked up into the sky and let the soft drops of water wash over her face. A sense of rapture rose her heart, and she let the feeling flow like the rain. She had won. After all she had been through, she had won.
As Andra relished the sweet taste of victory, she heard a squeak and a pop from beside her. She looked down to see Gem’s fuzzy shell open to reveal a soft white butterfly-shaped creature with three purplish tails peaking out. Andra bent down to pick up the slightly wet genie and stroked her soft fur. Then, as she cuddled the stuffed animal in her arms, the Shade silently walked back to the cave, free at last.
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