In the Shadows of the Gods

They walked through the hall, heading toward the mess hall, following the scents and sounds of the festivities. Howl strode confidently ahead, while Jinx hummed a favorite poem to herself, and Shadow grew ever more uneasy at the growing clamor. Howl stopped suddenly. He pointed towards the ground. “What is that?” His finger motioned towards wet footprints in the rug heading from the throne room hallway. “I do not know.” Jinx said dispassionately. “Perhaps it is Pyre, or Blade. They were wet.” Jinx said. “No.” Shadow said as he crouched down by the footprints, running his fingers over the wet tracks. “They weren’t this wet. These footsteps have just come out of the rain. These are not the look of armored feet either.” “Whoever made these, the tracks will lead to him.” Howl growled. He stepped after the trail. It led through several hallways, the trail growing fainter as the person grew dryer. “Something’s not right.” Suddenly, Howl stood up strait, and his body trembled all over. His jaw began to jut out like a wolf’s, and small grey hairs began to grow all over his body. Claws grew out from his fingernails as his feet shrunk to paws. He tossed his helmet aside with distaste as his head morphed. The helm shaped like the upper half of a wolf’s head clattered across the floor as the werewolf warrior finished the transformation. He dropped to all fours, and bolted down the hallway. Shadow and Jinx gave chase, following him desperately through doorway after doorway in the labyrinth halls of Castle Shale. Finally, they broke into a room, and came to a stop within a mage’s private quarters. He must have been a very influential mage, for the room was large, well stocked with furniture as well as potions equipment, and was one of the comparatively few rooms with a window overlooking the courtyard. Within the room, a hooded man held a young mage by the neck; a razor between his fingers just inches from the mage’s eye. “Where is it!?!” The hooded man barked. “It does not exist! I swear it, it is just a myth!” The mage cried pitifully. “Unhand him!” Jinx said, holding her spear at ready. Shadow drew his blade, and Howl unsheathed his scimitar, curling his lip and growling ferociously as he did. The hooded man slowly turned to face them, his blade still held uncomfortably close to the mage. He wore a tunic with black sleeves and leggings. The chest was half white, and half black, with a dragon set in the center, white on black, and black on white with orange eyes. A black hood covered half his face so that only his chin was visible. He swept gracefully behind the mage, and held his razor so tightly to his neck, blood began to trickle down onto the mage’s green robes. “A myth? You mean like hybrids?” He asked the mage calmly. “Put him down!” Jinx yelled, stepping forward. “Take another step closer and no healing spell in the world will save this mage.” The hooded man said forcefully. “You don’t want to kill him.” Jinx said peacefully, focusing all her bewitching strength on his mind. “What you want is to leave here in peace.” “You mean in pieces.” The man said with a snort. “But everyone leaves in peace if the mage talks. Don’t use your bewitching on me. It is irritating.” “What do you wish to know?” Jinx asked, recovering quickly from her surprise of being caught using magic on the man. “I want to know a secret, and I do not think you know, so if you do not mind, I would like to resume my conversation.” “The Relic Sword does not exist!” The mage cried out in near panic. “Say that again and I will slit your throat.” The hooded man hissed. “You think you are the only one who knows? I will not fail. Spare me the time of hunting down others and talk. And you don’t move another step!” The hooded man pointed suddenly to Shadow, who had been slowly flanking the man. Shadow halted, surprised at being caught. The man hadn’t even been looking in his direction. “What is going on in here? Why is everyone shouting?” Silver approached the door casually, still dressed in the cloth he wore to town. He was pulling his shimmering silver hair into a ponytail behind his head as he stepped into the room. His usual casual smirk dropped off his face as he took in the scene. “Assassin!” He exclaimed as he drew his rapier. “You are impossibly outnumbered, outdone, and trapped; yield.” Jinx said. “So you imagine.” The hooded man spoke coldly. “We do not wish to kill you, but we will; yield.” Silver said. “Put your weapons up, and back out of the door, before someone is injured.” “We won’t be.” Silver raised his hand. He grabbed the man with his mind, securing tightly all of his limbs as he began to lift him off the ground. The hooded man laughed. “Am I meant to fear you hybrid?” He raised his own hand, and he lowered once more to the floor. Silver gaped in shock as his own power was overcome by this stranger. The hooded figure jerked his hand, and Silver flew bodily out of the room, the door snapping shut behind him. “My odds improve.” Fear gripped Jinx. Not one of the Guard could defeat Silver’s magic; most could barely block it. “Give up!” She yelled nervously. Even Howl’s growls sounded uncertain. “Not likely.” The man said. The door began to shudder as Silver pounded against it. During the commotion, Shadow inched steadily closer and closer. He was within arm’s reach now, and the hooded man was still oblivious to him. Shadow lunged, his blade poised to cut the man’s neck. The hooded figure leapt back as he shoved the mage forward, pushing them both out of the path of the dirk, which cut a rip into the hood of the man’s tunic. The man grabbed Shadow’s hand, and slammed it against the wall. Shadow cried out in pain as his dirk was jarred from his hand. Jinx leapt forward to Shadow’s aide, stabbing with her spear while Howl roared and pounced into the air, the scimitar poised over his head to strike. The stranger slid past Jinx’s spear, and grabbed her by the face. With a shove, he pushed Jinx into the flying Howl. Howl yelped in surprise as he crashed into Jinx, falling with her in a jumble. Shadow picked up his dirk, and turned to face the hooded man with a throwing knife ready. To his surprise, he saw the man leap through a stained glass window with the mage held over his shoulder, who screamed in terror. Shadow rushed forward, and watched the two fall several stories before splashing into the choppy moat. Suddenly, Silver burst through the door with a yell. “Where is he!?!” He roared. “The courtyard.” Shadow said, watching the hooded man dragging the mage forcefully from the moat. Jinx lifted herself up groggily, and grew wide eyed at the blood pooling around her. “Where did he get you?” Silver asked nervously. “I… I don’t know.” Jinx said in a panic, looking herself over for cuts. They heard a whine. In the corner was Howl with Jinx’s spear embedded into his leg. It was a good four inches into his thigh between two plates of armor. “Howl!!!” Jinx screamed as she rushed forward. “Go find Mer!” Silver waited for no second bidding before he rushed through the door. “Shadow, you …” She found herself speaking to a broken window. She ran to it, but fruitlessly. She couldn’t have seen a wounded drake flying out in the storm.