Interlude

Awakening

An awakened Shadow dwelt deep within the mountains near Azur Gard. The Shadow panted heavily, it had barely escaped with its life from the clutches of the Azure Dragon. The Shadow looked over their shoulder to see if the dragon still followed but the dragon was gone. The Shadow continued to slither along the cave walls. Its breath was cold as ice, its body dark as coal, the Shadow grunted, then sniffed the air with curiosity and found a peculiar smell. The Shadow followed the scent of fresh mortal blood with glee, it hauled itself over rock and stone, eventually finding a wounded man propped up against the stone wall.

The Shadow smiled; its mouth was empty of teeth and fangs, only a faint light shone from deep inside its throat. The Shadow stalked closer, spreading darkness as it neared the man. The Shadow was then upon the man, gripping his head.

«Tell me your name, mortal.» The Shadow whispered, its voice a deep rumble that made the walls tremble.

The man grunted, clenching his teeth. His head bled from a large gash the Azure Dragon had given him. He gripped his pistol tightly and held it directly beneath the Shadow’s chin.

«Get away from me, monster.» The man said as he coughed. «I’ll shoot you.»

The Shadow narrowed its eyes, focusing on the man’s chest where a tiny golden crest was pinned to the man’s tunic.

«The gold on your chest?» The Shadow rumbled. «Are you a king?»

«Aye,» lied the Jaeger, «I’m the greatest king who ever ruled and I’m going to kill you!»

The Jaeger snickered when he pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed, the sound bouncing off the walls. He smiled, wickedly, but when he looked up again, he saw the Shadow still looming above him. The man shrunk down, looking small, then fired another shot, thinking it would kill the Shadow.

But the Jaeger was foolish, for no bullet made from lead (or silver, or any metal) could kill a Shadow. Shadows were creatures of nightmares, monsters that lurked in the dark, striking their prey before midnight, disappearing before the sun could rise.

Shadows were dark creatures that preyed on the living, devouring minds — corrupting them, much like a parasite. But Shadows needed to possess a body to walk in the light. Without a body, they could not wander far.

Antares, the one who loomed above the cowering Jaeger, was the mightiest Shadow of them all, a child of Aquila — the brightest star that had ever existed — and they had awakened with a thirst for vengeance.

«Are you afraid?» Antares whispered. «Don’t be.» They said. «The darkness will not harm you.»

Before the Jaeger could scream, Antares leapt forwards and devoured the man. The Jaeger’s eyes went wide with fright, he fought against the Shadow, but it was all for naught. His hands, which tried to grip the Shadow’s shoulders, when straight through the Shadow’s body. Then, the man’s eyes rolled to the back of his head, his body went limp, his mouth hung open in a silent scream.

The Shadow disappeared into the Jaeger’s body. All was quiet. The Jaeger did not move a muscle, his eyes were completely white, his skin ice cold. The Jaeger, now possessed by Antares, finally stood and his lips. For the first time in a thousand years, Antares tasted freedom.

«No, the darkness will not harm you.» Said Antares, now a he, «it’ll save you.»

Antares roamed the Plateau, stumbling upon different creatures such as birds that swirled overhead and cows that stood grazing in green hills. He knelt by a running river, dipped his hand into the cool water and felt it against his palm. Antares was a Man now, blood traveled through his veins, he could feel the earth in the water, in the breeze, in the grass that he walked on. 

He was struck by sorrow when he saw the state of the World of Arah. It was not as he remembered: The grass had overgrown, there were fewer wild animals. The Valley was new as well.

Antares sighed, he sought answers to the World. But when he asked the sky above him what had happened over time, the sky remained silent. When he ran his fingers through the grass, he was only met with a shiver as the breeze blew past.

It did not take long for Antares to become angry. He cursed the World of Arah, calling it a place of suffering, then he sobbed, for it pained him so to see what had become of it all.

The World of Arah, in Antares’ eyes, was a grave for fallen stars: Beings that carried star fragments wandered endlessly without direction, without knowledge. He felt as if the World’s equilibrium was at the tipping point, soon to fall asunder. Antares could not help but pity what he witnessed, then a fire blazed deep within him. He channeled his vengeance into something much nobler than revenge: He sought change, for when the World could not answer him, he would have to become the answer.

Antares came across a burnt down mansion. He looked at the wooden wreckage for a while, then immediately knew that no Man could have caused such horrible destruction. He looked over his shoulder, seeking the mountain range that stood proud and tall in the distance. He thought of the Azure Dragon. He thought of the Vermillion Bird. The fury in Antares only burned brighter.

He carried on, trudging over muddy moors and meadows, until he eventually came upon a small farmhouse out on the Plateau. Antares, now tired and hungry (for every mortal Man needed rest, every mortal Man needed to eat, and Antares was very much a mortal Man now), knocked on the wooden door, waiting.

A young boy, no older than six, opened the door. Antares smiled, his white teeth glistening. He bent down, then asked the young boy if his parents were home. The boy shook his head, then said:

«I’ve got no ma or pa. Jus’my uncle.»

Antares smiled. «Then, could I perhaps speak to your uncle?»

The boy looked at Antares with caution, then told him to wait and closed the door. Antares waited and waited until his patience grew thin, and he knocked down the door with his large frame.

A man with greying hair, large arms and an expression of fear stood on the other side of the door. Antares reached for the man’s neck, then pushed him against the wall. The boy struck Antares’ leg, but Antares felt nothing. Without mercy, he kicked the boy away. 

«Don’t hurt the poor boy!» The uncle pleaded as his breath became slower and slower.

Antares let go, the man fell to the floor, gasping. «Do I look a villain?» Antares  asked, his voice was surprisingly sad.

«No, sir!» Yelled the man as he crawled towards the boy. «No, sir! You look jus’ like a man to me!»

Antares eyed the man on the floor, seeing nothing but pain and suffering. Antares thought whether or not he should save him, free him of this World. But Antares knew he did not have time to free every Man, the process would take too long and there was too much land to cover.

He looked back at the man and the boy on the floor. The man wept for his nephew, his golden hair. Antares could not watch anymore and then left with a loaf of stolen bread tucked under his arm (but the truth was, 

wherever Antares went, pain and suffering would surely follow).

The days went on. The sun rose and set, the stars came out to watch Antares. Anta