Shadow Stalker's Adventures.
The Tavern
The tavern was full and rowdy. It stank of sweat and ale and stale perfume. Everyone in the small rural town seemed to pack him or herself into the classy tavern cheering and congratulating each other. The local hunter�s had captured and hung a few of the surrounding forests� bandits and where now classed as hero�s among the community, and everybody wanted to shake their hands.
The minstrel struggled in vein to overcome the noise and sing his melody. His large wooden harp was worn and crooked but still held the tune well enough. His clothes seemed dusty and travel worn. He soon gave up and played a lively old hunters song.
Shadow sat in the corner of the room, in shadows, watching the warrior with great distaste as the beautiful young woman playfully fed him. Her golden hair streaming like sunlight in the fire light, and her smooth pale pink skin almost glowing as she sat on his lap. Though he seemed bored with the game that had gone on since the food arrived, his mistress showed no signs of letting up and shoved a huge piece, of juicy meat, into his objecting mouth.
Shadow watched, calmly assessing him, not worried at being caught as she was across the room, hidden in the shadows and had a roomful of people who gawked openly at the couple and commented sleazily. She had come here in search of a legend and instead found a common philanderer. The woman was far too young for a man of his age and although it seemed common practise in Meadowsweet, Shadow found it rather crude.
Shadow drained her cup and stood quietly and as she did the warriors eyes locked onto hers. His cool blue eyes seemed to look through her.
In that instant a cold foreboding seeped into her bones. It was almost like a feeling of powerlessness and a tug of servitude summoning her to his side.
She knew then that he was no ordinary warrior, and she quickly left the tavern, but could not shake the dark stirring his look had caused.
Taking a cool breath of the night air, she walked to the far end of the street where she knew they�d pass on their way to their inn, and settled in to wait.
As she did, stories of Brimstones� adventures flooded her mind. Things she had scoffed at now seemed all too possible and all to frightening. Shadow shook her head in amusement, as she almost believed the stories, from just one look.
Minutes had passed before her new target emerged from the tavern, unfortunately with his mistress on his arm, and walked towards her hiding spot. Shadow pulled her cloak tightly against her body and stepped into the moonlight alerting them to her presences.
Their reaction was instantaneous. The warrior brandished blades, Shadow had not seen him carry into the tavern, and the woman drew two long wicked looking knives and held his rear. Which made Shadow re-asses her opinion of the woman as just a mistress, for clearly she was more.
�I am unarmed.� Shadow let her cloak fall free to her sides to show she was indeed without weapon, not that she needed to carry one. Her arms where covered in long black leather gloves, and she wore black leather pants, and vest, with undershirt, but still held her face in the darkness of her hood. �Please lower your weapons.�
Neither moved an inch and watched her with cold and alert, stares.
�Very well.� Shadow sighed, once again wishing she didn�t have to go through all this again. �You are Brimstone of the Crystal Legion. As well as the Brimstone spoke of that saved a town in the west from a hoard of undead, and the Brimstone that stopped the massacre of the vampires in Distillan City.� She stated.
Brimstone eyes narrowed, then, darted warily from one side of the street to the other.
�I have come to enlist your help in the fight against the self proclaimed Queen of Glass Lake City, Karleen of the Glass Palace.� Shadow said a little sarcastically. �No doubt you�ve heard of her?�
Brimstone visibly shivered at the mention of her name. �That, I have.� He said finally lowering his weapons. �And no doubt you have heard of my encounter with the witch?�
Shadow grimaced at the familiar phrase, but nodded. �Rumours travel fast." She said drolly. "Should we find some where more private to discuss this? You never know who's listening.�
�Agreed. Especially since it's the witch we're referring to.� Brimstone's companion said, keeping both of her daggers free as she led the way towards their inn. Gone was the playfulness displayed earlier in the tavern, she now resembled more of the warriors that Shadow was accustomed to.
Shadow followed the two through the entrance, eyeing the small amount of drunken patrons and the beady eyed barman, and stepped cautiously into their room. She didn�t trust Brimstone and had even less trust in his mistress and kept close to the door.
�Well,� Brimstone began, watching the cloaked stranger curiously. �What is your particular gripe against the Queen of Glass?�
�It is unimportant what it is, only that it is.� Shadow said bitterly. �Can I count on you?�
�To do what, exactly?� The blond woman said, sensually reaching her arm across Brimstones chest and pressing herself against his side. �As far as I can tell, you want us to fight against a very powerful sorceress who can kill armies by the thousands without so much as seeing them. How much do you think the three of us could hope to achieve against a woman like that?�
�I know what you are doing and it won�t work against me.� Shadow said rudely, feeling the tingly of her seductive magic try to take hold over her. For some reason she didn't like the woman more so than normal. �And I didn't say I wanted you, only him. Who are you no assume otherwise?�
The woman bowed in greeting, with the sensual grace Shadow had never held, and looked up at her with a pale and cold face, exposing her perfect breasts. �I am Lady Selene, mistress, and servant, to the Lord Brimstone, as well as occasional rescuer.� She said sarcastically.
�That�s enough, Selene.� Brimstone said tiredly. �But she is right. My own army was led by General Harper and held over two thousand men and before they got into sight of that cursed lake they where possessed by something unholy and stood frozen in the fields. I was spared their fate with a bad case of food poisoning.�
He said looking accusingly at his angel-faced mistress.
�I�m bore with this Brim. I�m going to bed.� She yawned and left the room through a door to the right into the bedroom."
�Doesn�t seem very servant-like to me.� Shadow said sarcastically.
Brimstone laughed gruffly. �No, not at all. Really that�s the last thing she is. So are you going to show yourself or am I to just try to imagine what you look like?�
"No." She said stiffly. "Why?"
"I'd like to see who I'm partnering myself with in case I have to pick you out of a crowded street, or something."
Shadow watched him from beneath the safety of her cloak. "That will not happen. I prefer not to give myself away, as you said, The Glass Queen is a witch of great power, who's to say she's not watching right now?" She said, telling mostly the truth. "And besides, if you did have to pick me out of a crowd, there would be no mistaking me."
Brimstone raised his eyebrow slightly. "Now I'm intrigued. Can I at least know what to call you? Or is that too much as well, my mystery woman."
Shadow bristled at the comment. "I am not your woman." She said in a low and dangerous voice. "I am Shadow Stalker."
�Pleased to meet you Shadow.� Brimstone said, understanding the threat in her voice.
�Let�s begin then.� Brimstone said. �What would you have me do to the witch Karleen? Storm her fort with my mistress and plunge a blade in her breast, or perhaps knock politely and ask her to step down?�
Shadow�s face broke out into a savage smile, which reflected in her voice. The familiar blood lust cursed through her veins at the thought of her enemy dead. �I only need your assistance, the pleasure of killing her will be mine, and mine alone.�
Brimstone frowned as a silent warning bell rang into his head. There was no mistaking the tone of her voice. What ever the witch had done to cause Shadow's wrath was enough to make her want her dead, and a particularly slow and painful death no doubt. He had first heard that tone when he and Salina first met, when she first tried to kill him.
It was the voice that held a deep lust for death.
=============================//=================================
The dawn was misty and cold. Dew clung to the trees and grass and made the spider's webs stand out beautifully. It was the type of morning one would automatically climb back into bed and not move till the sun had warmed the earth first.
Shadow sat on her giant black horse, Goliath, stroking his neck as she waited outside of town at the agreed meet place. She loved these types of mornings. She felt more at home and eased by them. The cold didn't bother her and the dew and mist seemed magical, as if she could forget her situation and pretend everything was normal. What ever that was. She didn�t' know any more, she thought sadly as she looked at her naked hand. At the sound of approaching horses Shadow pulled her black gloves back on and eased Goliath as he tensed. Shadow turned to see two grey forms come slowly out of the mist.
One figure was large, and the other was small. She didn't have to look at Selene to know how angry she was at getting up at this time of the day, the anger seemed to form a cloud around her that even pushed the mist away.
Brimstone sat on his black and white horse, dressed in a black cape and vest, dark red pants and black boots. His weapon hung at the waist, unbelted.
"Expecting trouble?" Shadow asked immediately.
Brimstone looked accusingly at his mistress.
"May be."
Salina looked away in boredom and sighed.
"Lets go." Shadow said, annoyed. Did nothing ever go to plan?
"Where are we off to this fine morning, fearless leader?" Selene said in a bright and bubbly voice.
Shadow detected the underlying sarcasm only because she was listening for it.
"We have more people to get before we attack the Queen so we are going to get one of them." Shadow said dismissively.
"More people?" Salina said in distaste. "What type of 'more people'?"
"Sel," Brimstone growled.
"No, no. I really would like to know what type of atmosphere your subjecting me to, Brimmy, considering I didn't have a say in this." Selene said, her voice sounding calm and rational.
"Oh, I think you will be quite accustomed to the atmosphere of our little band. It will no doubt be that of a group of sane and capable people fed up with the spoilt little mistress of one of their comrades."
Brimstone�s laughter rang out heartily.
Selene on the other hand, answered with silence and then the faint ring of her blade as it cleared its sheath. Before Brimstone could stop her she dove at Shadow's back, stabbed at empty air and fell to the ground.
In a split second Shadow had disappeared and reappeared behind the annoying woman. Her dagger pressed against Selene�s throat.
"If you insist of holding me up, I will kill you." Shadow said angrily.
"No you won't." Brimstone said dangerously, his sword pointed at her. "As much as she is a pain in the ass, she is valuable to me."
Selene chuckled. "We're a packaged deal Shadow, and if you want him you'll have to be nice."
Shadow shoved the woman away from her with her knee, into a large muddy spot of grass.
"Then I guess that goes for you to, Lady Selene." She said sarcastically. "As I'll not play nice the next time a dagger comes at my back."
Selene stood and tried in vain to brush away the mud.
"I don't know what you are, Selene, but I know your no Lady." Shadow said as she climbed up onto Goliaths back.
She rode ahead of them aware of the heated argument they where having and contemplated killing the wretch as it was obvious she was untrustworthy.
Finally the mist cleared and the sun warmed the earth. People attended fields and cattle as they rode out of the rural area and into the forested area. Shadow suddenly turned off into the trees following an invisible path.
"Ho, Shadow." Called Brimstone. "Where are you going?"
"Follow me, and you'll see." She said her voice echoing through the trees.
Brimstone shrugged and followed with his mistress sulking behind him.
As he entered the clearing the smell of roasting meat hit him and his stomach reminded him he hadn't eaten yet. There was a large covered wagon to one side of the small clearing and a track wide enough for it to travel through opposite it. A fire burned brightly and a young man turned a spit with a pig on it slowly. A woman in a long flowing dress sat beside him and watched their approach.
"Shadow!" Some one yelled in greeting. "So you brought him? Did he take much convincing?"
A figure dressed in red stepped out from behind the wagon. Her curly red locks bounced cheerfully around her freckled face.
"I told her you wouldn't pass the chance to kill the bitch, Brimstone!" She yelled and laughed.
"Red." Brimstone smiled recognising her uniform. "I didn't expect you to be here."
"Come and have some food, and introduce us to your sour faced companion." Red said light heartedly.
Shadow dismounted and grunted. "Careful what you say, Red, she'll more than likely try to knife you in the back."
Red looked at the Lady as she dismounted daintily. "Nah!" She said looking at Shadow. "Really? She's just a slip of a thing."
"Don't let her manner fool you, Red. She's more dangerous than you realise." Brimstone said warningly and smiled as she led him over to the fire.
"This is Jeran, and this is Mel." She said pointing at the two at the fire.
Jeran had light brown hair and blue eyes and his face was red and hot from the fire. "Glad to meet you, Brimstone. Red has been telling us all about you."
Mel stood and offered her hand, which he took gently. "We are glad to have you aboard. The more the merrier. Isn't that what they say?"
She said looking at Red, who nodded.
"I believe I've said that before." Her blond hair was loose and her blue eyes distant as she sat back in her spot.
"You'll have to forgive Mel, she has lost her memory and sometimes goes off trying to use a memory recall technique that Lucinda taught her."
"Dinners ready!" Jeran said loudly.
A woman dressed in the healers� uniform of blue over dress came over from the wagon with a Nefiri woman. The Nefiri wore the garb of a Seer, pale blue and green dress and pants. Her tattoos where plain to see from a distance and as she neared Brimstone realised she was blind.
"Greetings, I am Gypsy." She said. On closer inspection, she was only a child, no, more than seventeen or eighteen which shocked Brimstone into curiosity.
"Perhaps another time." She said as if reading his thoughts. "I'm too hungry now."
"I'm Lucinda, the Healer here." The woman said. Her long blond hair was tied tightly back from her face and her temple where greying. She looked every part of a healer down to the roundness of her figure and the comforting presence she held around her. "Eat now or you'll miss your chance."
"Nice to meet you." Brimstone said.
"Shadow." Lucinda called out without turning from Jeran as he served her vegetable stew out of a pot from near his feet. "Will you join us this time?"
Silence was her answer.
"She never does." Red said quietly.
"What is she like? I mean what does she look like? I've noticed she clings to that cloak like it was her protection." Brimstone asked Red. "Though she said I'd no her from a crowd."
"Yeah, she said the same to us too when we met her." Red said and the other's agreed.
"I've never seen her." Jeran said smiling. "But I bet she's stunning. She has that feel about her when you talk to her sometimes."
Mel laughed. "You only think that because you like the mystery of her. Like me and my mysterious memories." She turned to Brimstone smiling. "You should hear some of the theories he has about who I am. I have seen her though, once, but I was so out of it all I could recall was grey and green, grey face, and her black cloak, and her distant voice. She found me in the forest of Cape Yor and took me to Luci here."
"Luci's seen her though, haven�t you?" Red said teasingly. "But she won't talk about it. I bet she's all scarred and disfigure. That's why Luci here won't speak about it, cos she can't heal her."
Reds laughter rang out through the clearing.
Lucinda said nothing but Brimstone saw the small sly smile cross her lips and his curiosity rose.
Shadow walked up to Lucinda before Brimstone could question her and whispered something in her ear. She nodded and stood up with a sigh.
�A healer�s work is never done.� She said putting her plate aside. �Will some one assist me? Shadow�s found a woman wounded in the woods, she has a baby but she can�t walk, and the God�s know I�m too old to be carting women around.�
Shadow was waiting at the edge of the clearing patiently.
�Why does she do that?� Red complained in a hushed tone. �Isn�t it enough we cart her dead brother around, that she has to find more injured people to help? I�m a warrior not a nurse maid.�
�I�ll go.� Brimstone stood. �I have some catching up in the share of work to do here so I don�t mind.�
Selene stood up too.
�No, Lady, you stay here. And no tantrums.� Brimstone cautioned, and added in a quiet voice. �Or I�ll stuff you in my pack.�
�Lead the way.� Brimstone gestured to the Healer.
Lucinda chuckled and followed Shadow�s figure through the forest.
�You can ask all you want Brimstone, but I won�t answer you.� The healer�s blue eyes looked at him knowingly. �Shadow�s tale is for Shadow to tell. Not that even I know anything about her.�
�How long have you known her?� He asked casually, watching Shadow�s figure ahead of them. He felt drawn to the mysterious woman that was more than just his curiosity. There was a connection; he had felt it in the Inn where she had been watching him.
Since I was an apprentice, years ago. She helped me destroy a demon and in so destroyed my dreams of becoming a Master Healer.� Lucinda said bitterly. �She came to me every now and then with a person to heal, warriors and witches mostly, I guess she was trying to find the strongest allies to help her destroy the Glass Queen.�
Shadow stopped suddenly and bent down, hearing a moan from the relieved woman and a sudden cry of the baby, Lucinda hurried over to help, with Brimstone right beside her. She looked over the woman and drew her lips in concentration.
�She�s badly hurt.� She said distantly, her magic exploring the woman�s wounds. �It may be too late.�
�No.� Shadow said fiercely. �Healer her, that�s why you�re here. Do it!�
�Shadow, if she can�t be healed there�s not much Lucinda can do about it except make her passing as easy as possible.� Brimstone touched Shadows� shoulder and she whirled away.
�Heal her, or I have no further use of you.� She stormed away and in a blink was gone.
�How does she do that?� Brimstone said half to himself.
�Ok, you heard her, I�ll need your help.� Lucinda said.
�Do you think you can?� Brimstone said looking at the bloodied woman. �How bad is she really?�
�Near death.� Lucinda said sighing. �But if Shadow is adamant about her living then I will make it so.�
Lucinda gave the woman a drug to make her sleep deeply and then directed Brimstone to straighten her bones as straight as possible. She then laid a hand on the woman�s third eye and a hand on Brimstone. He felt as if a warm tickle caressed his whole body and flow out of him.
Before his eyes the woman�s wounds healed themselves. Starting with the exposed and broken bone and going through layer and layer of skin until all there way was a faint red bruise. He felt Lucinda shudder and begin to shake.
Shadow came into view and picked up the crying child and walked a little away whispering to it.
With a cry Lucinda fell back unconscious. Brimstone caught her before she hit her head.
�Look what you�ve done, it nearly killed her.� Brimstone said angrily.
�The woman is alive, Lucinda did well. Take her back to the camp and come back for the woman.� She ordered.
�Don�t you even care that you nearly killed her?�
�Who? Lucinda or this woman?� Shadow said walking away to end the conversation.
Brimstones mind reeled with confusion and anger as he carried the Healer back to the others.
They where all standing as if waiting for him, they had blankets and cushions for Lucinda and a place for the woman. They smiled at him understandingly.
�She is hard on us to make us strong, don�t forget that.� Red said placing a comforting hand on Brimstone.
�She didn�t even care?� Brimstone said bitterly. �Even I�m not so heartless.�
�Didn�t you ask Luci why the woman was injured?� Mel said curiously.
�No. I assumed it was a wolf.� Brimstone said in apprehension.
They all looked at each other and Red sighed. �Shadow tests us to our limits and beyond. She pushes us so that we become strong enough to defeat Karleen. She also brings us weather willingly or not. I came unwillingly. I�m glad you came of your own choice.�
They all set about tending to the healer and Brimstone soon returned with the woman.
�I couldn�t find the baby.� He said feeling drained and shocked. �Shadow has it.�
Gypsy came over and stood beside him. �She has probably placed the child where it needs to be.�
He looked at her young face and shook his head. �Did you come willingly?�
She smiles. �I didn�t have any better alternatives. The wife of the Lord I worked for blinded me. He preferred to visit with me then her at nights and she punished me. I was of no more use as a seer so they where going to sell me. Shadow bought me.�
�So your about as much a slave as the rest of us?�
�Yes, but you get used to it.� Gypsy said. �But remember, we�re all here for one reason and that�s to stop the Glass Queen. We are not ready yet but we have to be by the time we reach her domain. Shadow is preparing us for it. Your time will come when Shadow will teach you what you need to know, but until then try not to be too angry, she has suffered, and continues to do so, more than any of us can fathom.�
I was well into the night before Shadow returned. She stood watching her motley band from the shelter of the trees. She hated herself for the things she did to them, but they where like children being fighting an adult, they didn�t stand a chance. She had to change that. On her own she wasn�t strong enough to defeat Karleen, but with these people at her disposal she knew she could win, even if it meant sacrificing them all. The price was worth it in the end. Or so she kept telling herself.
�Shadow.� Davon Jov enclosed her in his reptilian arms, and purred softly in an effort to comfort. He could always be counted on to be there, lending strength to her when she needed it the most.
She let herself go limp and he gently lowered her to the ground. Her strange reptile like friend had been there from the beginning. He came into her life as mysterious as he did now. He would come and go without command, lending her his ever-plentiful supply of energy.
�Davon Jov.� Shadow whispered. She knew he was intelligent, but why he didn�t show it she didn�t know, nor did she ask. His life was his and his secrets for him to know, just as it was for her.
�
�
�
BACK.