Shades of Darkness - Shadow is Arising: Part Seven

Slave of Darkshadow

     The assassin crept up the stairs and into a sleeping Pudding's room. He stood over her bed with his dagger raised, prepared to do what he did best, but before he could take care of one of Torono_Darkshadow's problems, Pudding woke up and grabbed a dagger that she kept under her pillow and slashed at the assassin.

     "Get out of here now! I've had experiences with assassins attacking me in my sleep, and I know when ones around me!" said Pudding, now locked in a duel with the assassin.

     "My employer wants you dead, and unfortunately for you, I'm not leaving until you are!" sneered the assassin.

     "I have trained to take care of assassins like you!" screamed Pudding as she slashed her dagger at his arm, drawing blood.

     The assassin decided to just finish her off now, as she knew how to fight well. He thrust his blade at Pudding's heart, but Pudding deflected his attack. The assassin, seeing that there was no way he was going to win, threw his dagger at the window, which shattered. He jumped out of it and then ran for his life.

     "What happened here?" I cried and came running into the room, followed by Dark_Intrepid. "I heard a crash."

     "Assassination attempt," said Pudding, acting like it was nothing. "He jumped out the window."

     "Well at least you're alive; now, it's going to get cold in here with that window broken, so Pudding, you can sleep in Dark_Intrepid's room tonight. I'll get the window fixed tomorrow. Now let's go back to bed, everyone. That assassin isn't going to come back for Pudding now that he knows what she can do.

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     The assassin, however, had intentions of coming back. Not in the same night, and not after Pudding. He would kidnap Dark_Intrepid when he left his house the next day.

     The assassin was tracking Dark_Intrepid the moment he left his house the next day. He followed him around the Island as Dark_Intrepid made frequent stops to play games or talk to people. Finally, when the Eyrie was walking down a deserted Mystery Island road, the assassin made his move. He hid in a bush, drew his stunning pistol, and fired at the Eyrie's leg. It hit the target, and he slumped over and hit the ground. The assassin then blindfolded him and carried him into the forest.

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     We sat at the dinner table, waiting for Dark_Intrepid. He should have been back by now, as he only went off to play games.

     It grew dark, and Dark_Intrepid still was not back. It was time to take action.

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     "Can you pick up the scent, Lupenor?" I asked Nfc's Christmas Lupe, who I figured was best suited for the job. We were outside the Tombola game, which I know Dark_Intrepid goes to every day.

     "Yeah, it's leading away from the Tombola. It's a few hours old, but I can read it clearly," replied the Lupe with his nose to the ground.

     Pudding and I followed Lupenor around Mystery Island. Dark_Intrepid seemed to have gone to every place in existence today. Finally, Lupenor brought us to a long, dirt road that leads around the Jungle to the northern parts of Mystery Island.

     "Well the scent blends in with another's here. It's a Darigan Scorchio, and it leads into the jungle," said Lupenor, who then led us into the thick undergrowth.

     We walked for a while until we came to a small clearing. Uni footprints marked the ground.

     "The scents end here, they must have flown off on Unis," said Lupenor. "Well, whoever the attacker was must have taken him off the Island."

     I drew a dagger that I kept in my belt and threw it at a tree. "Arrgh! I'm sick of this! I'm sick of this! I'm sick of worrying about assassins and kidnappers. I'm sick of being one of the few people on Neopia who even know what a Shade is! I don't want my pets or my friends' pets attacked! Well whoever decided to mess with my family is going to pay! All I want is to live a normal life with my pets!" I cried and pulled the dagger out of the tree and sat down and cried.

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     Dark_Intrepid woke up on the hard ground in darkness. He had no idea where he was, or what happened. He stood up rubbing his head. How long had he been asleep? And what was going on? He couldn't see anything, but he could hear mumbling. He walked around and felt bars on all four sides of him. He must be in some sort of cell.

     Dark_Intrepid heard the sound of footsteps approaching. A blue Techo approached the door of his cell, carrying a torch.

     "Well, my master will be pleased to see you awake," said the Techo, taking out a key and unlocking the cell door. "Put your paws behind your back."

     Dark_Intrepid placed his paws behind his back. Even if he did attack the Techo, this place was so dark he would never find his way out. As the Techo bound his hands, he got a glimpse of the Techo's eyes. They were a cold lifeless gray.

     The Techo also drew out a piece of dark cloth. "I'm going to need to blindfold you, too, so you can't figure out how to get out of here." Dark_Intrepid let him blindfold him without a struggle, as there wasn't much chance of finding the way out of here in this darkness, even without a blindfold.

     The Techo lead Dark_Intrepid through a maze of blackness. He figured that the guard was trying to make sure that he wouldn't memorize how many rights and lefts there were to get out of the dungeon.

     When his blindfold was removed, Dark_Intrepid found himself in an office with a large window looking over a field. In front of the window sat a starry Shoyru behind a large desk. The Techo that had led him out of the dungeon stood beside him.

     "I can take it from here, Basil," said the Shoyru to the Techo, who bowed and left the room. The Shoyru had a smile of pleasure on his face, and Dark_Intrepid was unsure of it. Why would anyone want him as a prisoner? He hadn't done anything wrong.

     "Hello, Eyrie," said the Shoyru, his smile growing wider.

     "What do you want from me?" asked Dark_Intrepid. "And why did you bring me here?"

     "I brought you here to give you an opportunity to be one of the most powerful beings in Neopia."

     "Who are you?"

     "I am Lord Torono_Darkshadow. Have you heard of me?"

     "Yeah, my owner says you're ruler of the Shade things that possess people."

     "Yes, we Shades do that, but not to you," said Darkshadow, lying through his teeth. He would get him to join his side first; train him, then try and possess him.

     "Why not to me?"

     "Because, Eyrie, you are very powerful, even if you don't know it. I sense it in you. I don't know what it is, but you are powerful, very powerful. I offer you a chance to join my army and you could live up to what I sense."

     "And if I refuse?"

     "If you refuse, I will send you back down to that dungeon you were in earlier. You will rot there, for a long time, or I will send a Shade to possess you."

     "But what about my owner?"

     "Your owner doesn't care about you," lied Torono. A bluff would work, and once he was on Torono's side, he couldn't go back. "I left a ransom note at her house. She was to bring one hundred thousand Neopoints to me one hour ago."

     "But Mackenzie was my friend."

     "Would a friend leave you here?"

     "No. A friend wouldn't! Fine, I serve you, Lord Torono_Darkshadow."

     "Good Eyrie, you will be the strongest pet ever to enter here, except me. Now come here," said Torono, drawing his sword.

     Dark_Intrepid walked over. "Now that I am on your side, my name is Dark_Intrepid."

     Torono placed the flat part of his sword on Dark_Intrepid's shoulder. "I knight thee, Dark_Intrepid." He then sheathed his blade. "You are now an official member of my army."

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     "Today you begin your training, Dark_Intrepid," said Torono. They were outside on the grounds. It had been three days since Dark_Intrepid was brought here.

     "I am eager to begin my training," said Dark_Intrepid.

     "I have forged you a new sword, it is a very fine make, and very light," said Darkshadow. He handed Dark_Intrepid a beautifully crafted blade that was light and balanced. Engraved on the hilt was Torono's insignia of an eye.

     "It is a beautiful blade, Sir. I will carry it with honor," said Dark_Intrepid, who was now turning the blade over in his hands.

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     "You did well today Intrepid," said Torono. "You will be so powerful someday that the Faeries will fall at your feet."

     "I eagerly await the day when we ride into battle, Sir," answered Dark_Intrepid. He had trained all day, and wanted tomorrow to come so he could train again. He bade goodnight to Torono and went to his bedroom that was provided for him. Torono, however, didn't go to bed, but went to his office and called his messenger.

     "Send a message to my assassins; I have work for them to do."

To be continued...