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| Whisper of a Demon's Shadow | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Richard LeBlanc | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Truth of deception learned | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The quest resumes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| But will the cost | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Outweigh the prize... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ...The Prophecy | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chapter Eleven: enter the thief | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A short distance away from the ruined city the small gathering was talking with the one that had seemingly saved them from the clutches of the high priest. Although they wanted straight answers - the man seemed more interested with the blade on his throwing dagger. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "If he wants to play games - I say we leave him," Tia remarked. The rogue looked over at her and smirked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "That any way to talk to the man that saved you?" he smugly remarked. Tia glared at him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Those of the ruined city - they do nothing without cause and reason. You did not help us out of the goodness of your heart," she rebutted. Louie smirked as he walked over to where she was - standing mere inches away from her. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I can see in your eyes that you want me," he smugly remarked. Thomas was about to comment when Tia smiled at him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Now that you mention it - you are kind of cute," she began. Before he could remark she had her dagger at his throat and her eyes had churned from their normal hue to jet-black. "But I think you would look so much more charming as an undead slave - interested?" she asked pushing the knife closer to his throat. Louie smirked as he moved the blade away with two fingers. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'll pass," he remarked. "Thought there was something dark about you," he added - walking by Tia over to where Thomas and Gnar were. "So - which one of you boys is in charge here? Please - humor an old thief and say it isn't the ice queen back there," he asked. The dwarf motioned to Thomas. The thief nodded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What do you want?" Thomas asked - scowling at him. The thief studied the young man before him then looked over his shoulder at Tia - who had not taken her eyes off him for an instant. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Perfect - she's with you isn't she?" the thief muttered shaking his head. "No - don't answer. I heard them ranting on about the Burning Star - now - I have been there for quite some time - and the only people that meandered in there asking about that were people trying to fiddle around with the prophecy. If they are with you - that would mean - chosen one?" he asked looking over at the dwarf and necromancer. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "So I'm told," Thomas remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - convincing. I stuck my ass on the line for you boy. There is a price on my head from a rather over zealous high priest because of my absconding you from his clutches. You can at least pretend you give a rat's ass about the prophecy," Louie stated indignantly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Pardon my asking thief - but why do you care about the prophecy?" Gnar asked curiously. Louie looked over at the dwarf that was waving his axe. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "To be honest - I couldn't care a less - but - Fala - he cared. He gave his life for it. I owed that punk for saving my ass when those little fattened warrior monks had me dead to rights. He said that the high priest - he was tainted by Rubius - well no - hard to imagine that. But - Fala - he said the Burning Star was needed for something more important that some priest's decoration. He gave his life so that he and a few friends could liberate the Star," Louie stated calmly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You - know where the Star is?" the dwarf asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Are - you the chosen one. I will not part with this secret for someone who is just playing the part of hero to impress some girl," he asked - ignoring the dwarf. Thomas looked at the finger the thief was pointing at him. "Answer me boy," the thief added. Thomas calmly moved the hand away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I did not ask for this. Had I the choice I would have remained in my village - or at least tried to lead them to a better place. So if you are asking if I believe in this prophecy - if I believe it - or that I am this one that is destined to save everyone - I don't know. But I will try," Thomas replied confidently. Louie studied the young man's face then closed his eyes and groaned. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Damn it - I was afraid of this," he muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What?" Thomas asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You are the one. Damn you Fala - if you weren't dead I would kill you for putting me in this situation!" he shouted to the cloud covered sky. He then became aware that the three people he was with were staring at him. He cleared his throat. "Good news bad news game hero - what will it be?" he asked Thomas. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Good news," Thomas remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Okay - I know where the Burning Star is," Louie commented with a smile. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Where is it?" Tia asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "There is a Tower - east of here. They say that it used to be a library for some sorcerer some drunk knight or something. The main thing is that it has been deserted for centuries," Louie remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Wait - a minute - that is pretty sweet news. What is the catch?" Gnar asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Well - you three can't go there," the thief stated. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Excuse me? Do you plan to stop us?" Tia asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Hey - if you want to see the chosen one die - hey - be my guest - tower that a way," Louie remarked gesturing in the direction of the tower. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What do you mean?" Thomas asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Only this - the place is littered with traps. Some magical - some lethal - only a master thief can get you through that place," he remarked. Thomas looked at the thief for a few moments. Louie saw the attention turning his way. "Oh no. Look - Fala - that man was the kind of guy that could do that. Me - I am ten years too late," he began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "How long have you been telling yourself that?" Thomas asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Excuse me?" Louie muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What are you hiding from?" Thomas asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I don't know," he began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "This Fala person - he asked you to go with him - didn't he?" Thomas asked curiously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "What does that?" he began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You - you blame yourself for his death. That is why - you are so hard on yourself," Thomas said - his voice distant. Louie almost spaced out as he backed away from the young man. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Does - he do that sort of thing often?" he asked curiously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "He is the chosen one - what did you expect?" Tia remarked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Okay - even if I am being hard on myself - I am still not that good," he pointed out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Have you ever heard - of the Eye of Light?" Thomas asked - the thief's eyes lit up - the necromancer hurried over and ushered Thomas over to the side. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Are you sure that is a good idea?" she whispered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Positive. Without his help - he won't be able to get the Star - and without the Star - no prophecy - right?" he asked seriously. Tia looked over at the thief and felt a feeling of impending doom. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I hope you are right," she whispered. The two walked over and stood before the thief. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You mentioned the Eye - but that was lost centuries ago - you mean that - you have it?" he asked in modest disbelief. His eyes widened as Thomas took out the ivory dagger that had the Eye worked into the handle. "Oh my god - you actually have it - and you are giving it to me?" he asked stepping away from Thomas. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I trust you," Thomas said flatly. The thief shook his head. He stepped forward and looked at the dagger. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I appreciate your faith in me - but don't trust me - never trust me. In fact - don't trust anybody. Rubius - he can taint anyone in the time it takes to snap your fingers. Don't let something like trust, emotion or attachment cause you to lose your way," he stated seriously carefully taking the dagger from Thomas. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Will you help us?" Thomas asked seriously. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Someone has to make sure that you don't foolishly get yourself killed," he stated - still looking at the dagger. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Are you implying that we don't look out for him?" Tia asked defensively. He looked away from the dagger and could see that she was getting territorial. He smirked and put the dagger away. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm sure that wasn't what he was trying to say," Thomas reassured. Tia glared at Thomas and then stormed away. "Tia?" he muttered. Louie shook his head and placed his hand on Thomas's shoulder. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You don't strike me as overly experienced with the ladies," Louie remarked. "Gnar - why don't you build us a fire - I have a feeling it's going to be a long night," he added as he put his arm around Thomas. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Later that night the three men were by the fire the dwarf had made. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You can't be serious lad - what do you see in that waif of a girl?" Gnar asked. Thomas blushed and looked down at the dancing flames. "Humans - I'll never understand the likes," he muttered. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "She's like no one I've ever met before," Thomas began. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Bah - then just take her," Gnar advised - taking a sip from a flask. Louie smirked and quietly laughed. "Oh - the wily thief has sager advice?" he added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Oh - no - that plan is good - if you want the chosen one to get killed," Louie rebutted. Thomas slowly got up and walked away as the two continued to debate - completely oblivious that | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thomas had walked off. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| A short distance away - Thomas saw Tia sitting by a small pond. He sighed as he walked over and hesitantly sat down beside her. She looked over at him for a moment and then looked down at the pond. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Do - you have a girl back at that village you lived at?" she asked - not looking away from the pond. Thomas sighed and shook his head. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "No - I was seeing someone - but - plague took her," he replied. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "I'm sorry to hear that," she replied quietly. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Don't be - you didn't kill her," he remarked with a sigh. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "You must miss her a lot," she added. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Some times," he replied - looking over at her. Tia smiled at him and then looked back in the direction of the campfire. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Our friends - they are a loud bunch," she began. "Do I want to know?" she asked. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "Talking about women," he answered. She quietly laughed - seeing her laugh relaxed him and caused him to start laughing too. It was then that she stopped and found herself staring at him. "Tia," he began. The two slowly leaned towards each other and began to passionately kiss. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| At that moment - back at the castle where Lia lived - the ghost watched Tia and Thomas making out within a crystal ball. She blew on the image - it vanished and the crystal was coated with a layer of frost. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The frost covered crystal fell from the ethereal hands of the ghost and shattered on the castle's stone floor. She floated over to the window and looked out towards the west. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| To be continued... | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||