The Shadow's Call

[Shamus]

The shadows had their own words. Softly in a hurried tone they would whisper. Most often could not even hear much less understand the speech. Those seldom few could would cast a glance over their should to look for something they could not see. For a shadow was always hidden within another shadow, having no true form on this side, but eternal nonetheless. That is what a shadow is and what would catch the attention of a Shadow in his own right, the young vampire Shamus Naarc.

Hunters and Paladins never seemed to have a limit. When one fell it would cause ten to spring to life. The one conclusion that Shamus had was that the true master of their cause hid in order to continue to turn humans into abominations in a much faster rate than a few vampires could kill off. The only solution was to find the one, the needle in the ever growing haystack. It was not much of a quest, but the fighting among vampires had dwindled and Shamus needed something to hone his skills with the blade. Sometimes the young Shadow would find a giant cluster of prey, but after picking them off one by one he would be left with no results to show.

The night his path reached the inevitable fork was on such a night that Shamus stumbled upon one of their small congregations. Often times during these weird anomalies the shadows would be thinned by their presence. It made the work of his task more difficult, but it was better for his training. Such an occurrence was not the case of this night. The shadows were dense and it made the young Shadow think that there was something they were trying to hide. Unable to resist such temptation, Shamus went in for combat.

The shadows were a great aide to his killing techniques. Shamus felled a great number with just the shadows. His confidence slowly got the best of him. Without the young Shadow taking any notice, the paladins and hunters began to close around him in a circle. Closer and closer did the circle become until he heard a faint voice, "...Flee..." The voice unlike any he had heard before caused him to err on the side of caution. His eyes began to dart in directions, searching for something. A bullet came into his peripheral. He had heard no sound of a gun, but the bullet was still coming. With a quick movement to the side, the bullet just grazed his cheek.

As the search began to find where the unheard bullet came from, Shamus was able to see that he may have stumbled upon a trap. The number he had calculated earlier was far too short than what was there. The shadows themselves seemed to be dispersing. A congregation of them seemed to be behind those that had encircled him, but those too soon left. The young Shadow was left with nothing but his almost certain doom.

Shamus could only think of one option at this point. He was fairly certain he would not be able to make it out alive, but he would do his best to destroy those that gathered. With his resolve set, he prepared to go out in a fight. A dense shadow formed behind the hunters and paladins and watched. As the death match started, it looked as if it was slowly walking away. From behind, a sword pierced the young Shadow as he was trying to best another four. He thought it would have lasted longer, but such a wound would be very taxing. The shadow seemed to be waving a hand as if to follow when the tattoos that were all around him began to glow. Knowing he would not last long against such odds, he could not stop thinking about the shadow. Concentrating the last of his energy, Shamus willed himself to follow the shadow. Just before the fatal attack could come, the young Shadow disappeared.

[Shamus]

Sight was impossible. The darkness that was, was overwhelming. In the pitch black abyss that Shamus had found himself in, he could only wish for light. The young Shadow would question himself repeatedly over small things. Are my eyes open? Why do I desire for there to be light. His eyes were wide and there was a small amount of fear of what was to come that he did not recognize. But all was to be consumed by the dark.

Within the darkness, there was a tranquil stillness. Shamus felt like he could move, but to move would break the void and be swallowed. Time was a luxury at best. To some stand point, it seemed not to exist. The young Shadow had tried so many times to count away the hours, but would end lost in thought. Those thoughts to be lost to the darkness. The very meaning of everything to never be seen.

His mind was all he had left. The body, his words, and who he was seemed to have washed away in the dark. Before his mind could truly break, there was movement within the darkness. With the move came so many things. Shamus could feel that all was not lost just yet. The young Shadow now had a hope that he was not lost, that he could persevere. But along with the movement came something else. A small mist that held its ethereal form. From the mist came a voice that sounded like the echo of another time, "Why are thou here?"

The voice shook Shamus to his core. Such a simple question and he could not find an answer. Nor could he recall what had happened at all. As he laid there not knowing, his thoughts began to circle. As each thought pressured his mind, the young Shadow could only come up with the conclusion that he had died. Where he was now must be some purgatory for those as himself. But still he could not answer the question. The voice echoed from within the mist once more, "Stand. If thou are able to. I will show thee of existence."

Such a statement had Shamus floored. All this time he had thought that he was on his own two feet, the world presented that to him. How could he stand if he was already standing? With great effort he tried to walk, to show that he was on is feet. Yet he went nowhere. Nothing changed, nothing happened. The young Shadow was startled to hear the voice once more, "If thou dost not, thou will find place in the shadows." Time apparently did exist and it was not on his side.

As the young Shadow tried to rationalize what was happening, the feel of a vice struck on his chest. It was an intense pressure at first, but oddly soothing after. There was a warm feeling as if a blanket was being laid over him. Within his mind, the words echoed once more. Shamus tried to push his arms underneath him, but the feeling of standing on a wall continued to have him fall. The muscles groaned and his bones creaked as he struggled to get away from everything. As he continued to struggle, a loud pop sounded in his ear and an optical illusion took place for him.

The young Shadow was lying on the floor and it all seemed so easy. All he had to do was to get up. But the comfort of staying where he was, was strong. He could take a nap and do everything later. As Shamus began to drift away, he felt an unbearable pressure. Something was closing in on him. This was not the place he needed to be. He realized he had to do something and then everything stopped. Though his legs felt like lead, he could move. Before the mist began to disappear the words echoed once more, "Come and I shall show thee."