Disclaimer: Shining Force is Copyright © of Sega Enterprises Ltd. I claim no ownership of it.

The Shining Darkness

Chapter One

Winter

The golden color of the sun rising divided the sky from the blue and grey storm clouds. It created a scene of both morning and night; light and darkness. With the light peeking through the clouds, a dramatic effect was created. It was a quiet daybreak all through the town of Protectora.

A light snowfall that took place during the pervious night left the rooftops of the houses and the tall prolonged evergreen trees outside of town covered with a thin layer of weightless snowflakes. Snow landed softy onto his silver hair. The frozen stone structure of the castle beneath him felt like a large icicle. His hand awkwardly gripped the stone as he suddenly grew paranoid. His hand burned with a cold rush to the blood as his knuckles grew purple.

Before he could even think for a moment, he heard a quiet footstep of someone behind him.

"Kane." His voice was strong and commanding. With that came its persuasion. No one could ignore him.

Kane quickly spun around to find a cloaked figure calling to him. With lurid red eyes, a steel helmet with curved horns, a red, white and blue billowing, loose cloak, he was daunting sight.

"Darksol," Kane said in acknowledgement.

"Come," Darksol began. "I have something for you." Without wasting another second, he spun around; assuming that Kane would follow.

Kane sluggishly trailed him as they entered the tower of the castle. Down the dingy staircase, he followed Darksol's bright red cape. In the dark tower, lit only by torches and confined windows covered with bright colored glass, the bright red looked like thick blood splattered all over white material. At the bottom of the stairs, Darksol cornered to the left and stopped before a room. He then stepped aside, allowing Kane to enter his own room first.

Kane's room was a small chamber in the small stone castle of Protectora. There wasn't much to it but a bookcase, a bed, a tiny table, two chairs, and a fireplace for warmth. Even so, it was comfortable and welcoming. An expertly sewn rug with incredible little details took of half of the wooden floor. The room was without any windows, so candles were heavily relied on for a source of light.

Darksol sat down beside the table while Kane sat on the edge of his bed. In a swift motion, Darksol withdrew a wide-bladed sword. The hilt and guard of the sword were deep green in color. He then placed the sword in its sheath.

"This, Kane, is called a broad sword. They were only recently first made; few exist in all. Only a skilled swordsman could truly use it wisely. I believe that you've reached that level."

Holding the sword with on its side, he held it before Kane. He retrieved it whole-heartedly.

"...Thank you.. I will surely not disappoint you."

"I'm certain you will not."

After a moment of silence, Kane piped, "Will we have lessons today?"

XxX

"I feel that there is not much left to teach you, Kane. You have progressed amazingly so quickly. But there is one thing I'm sure you haven't got knowledge of.

"Today, I want you to fight me with all you know and all your power. If you hold back, this lesson will completely be a waste of time."

Darksol withdrew a simple steel sword. It's long, shiny blade looked pathetic in comparison to the mighty blade of the broad sword. None-the-less, it was a powerful sword that not just anyone could master.

Kane unsheathed the broad sword in a quick movement and tossed the sheath to the ground. He waited then for Darksol to shift into a ready for battle position. Gripping the sword tightly, he felt his palm become wet in sweat. Anxiety and excitement coursed through his veins.

Darksol moved into a battle stance that was familiar to Kane.

Of course, he thought. It was the one he had taught me.

"Now!" Darksol commanded.

Kane began to charge forward. His red eyes were focused on Darksol, his position, his sword. Suddenly, the events that followed went by so quickly. He only saw his smirk, and then the blade collided with Kane's body. With only a weak, light armor on, the strong blade penetrated through to his skin. It ripped open the outer skin, and dug through deeply creating a raw, open wound. Red blood gushed out, escaping from the injury. Kane cried out in pain, and fell to his knees. He gripped the stomach gash tightly as his upper body fell on top of his lap.

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?" He cried out, his voice slightly muffled by his body.

Darksol knew he had to keep calm. Expressing his true feelings at the moment would lose Kane's trust in him. He would eventually lose him completely. The plan he spend his whole life perfecting would be shattered.

Firmly, he said, "Kane! This is exactly what you need to work on! Such a reaction to a mere wound-"

"MERE WOUND?" Kane spat.

"..Just cannot be tolerated! Talent is not enough. A strong defense; the ability to not breakdown and show the enemy your weakness is true strength! Without it, you'll forever be weak, Kane!" Darksol's tone changed to repugnance. "On your knees like that, like a lowly worm...You disgust me."

"Why am I even listening to you? You're a fucking mage..."

Darksol only said that last comment to strengthen his anger; to make him want to hate his enemies. He was unsure whether Kane knew that. So in a much gentler voice, he quietly said, "I want to work on that Kane. Our next lesson will be the last."

With that, he left Kane on the snowy ground to agonize amidst his blood.

XxX

Like many chapels in Rune, the one Protectora was small. The large stain glass windows, portraying scenes from the bible, was the main source of light. Its rays cascaded to the cold, stone floor. A few candles were lit off to the side of the pews by some of the people in town.

Kane sat at the first pew on the right side of the chapel. His bare chest was exposed completely, displaying his muscular abs. Through his training with Darksol, he had become strong. Tight, blood-stained bandages covered the wound created by Darksol. His eyes were locked on the priest at the small alter. He thought of telling his about his predicament, to hear his input on it, like he had done many times in the past. Right now, however, his throat felt dry and he found it hard to talk.

His glance drifted about the chapel. Kane had come here to find the strength that Darksol had spoke of. Coming here had originally been a good idea, but now he wasn't so sure. He took one last look at the stain glass scenes on the windows before leaving.

The clouded sky over Protectoria produced a grim mood among the town. Although the snowy landscape was a beautiful sight, it was a hassle to move about in, as well as kept warm in. Wandering individuals gathered in inn where it was always warm and could something to eat or drink.

Kane retreated to the inn in hopes of forgetting his problems for the moment. The pain in his chest was so excruciating that he felt that he was reduced to alcohol. He imagined that Darksol would frown unquestionably to his actions. That was exactly what he wanted.

Kane numbly cut across the white, flaky snow to the inn. Inside, the small inn was just as he expected it to be—mildly crowded, or at more so then on an average day. Men armed with steins complained about snow and the amount labor they endured to warm their houses. Kane smiled at the thought of it.

Suddenly, something caught his eye. In the back of the inn, past a few heavyset men and women was a slender-figured woman. Her skin was a light blue color with a grey and red dress on top of it. A navy blue cloak covered her face until she pulled it down. Thus, her long elf ears were revealed as well as her long, flowing purple hair. Her thin face was long with a triangular chin at the end. She was such a beautiful elf! Where did she come from!

She said something to the bartender and then she was on her on way out. As she struggled her way past the large populace in the inn, she was suddenly face-to-face with Kane. She smiled softly as she looked up at him. Kane suddenly felt his heart throb, but it wasn't in pain. It was wonderful feeling...

The feeling was crushed, however, when the elf passed him; disappearing from his life.

XxX

The main castle of Protectora was never a well lit one. Its floors were various shaped stones that fit together perfectly. It was a task that only an experienced architect could muster up. The castle foyer contained curved archways connected to pillars made of rectangular stones. Hanging torches and ones placed on the wall supplied the limited amount of light.

Darksol walked quickly beneath the various archways to the red carpets before the stairs leading up to King Ramladu. The guards let him advance and so he ran up the stairs covered with carpet and stopped before the king. He bowed down before him on his right leg.

"Your majesty, I am Darksol, a mage who had journeyed from Marinarina. I've brought with me an amazing offer. You see of all the kings I've met along my way, none of them were willing to hear me out..." Darksol's voice trailed off. "However, I'm sure that you will listen, your majesty."

King Ramladu closely scanned Darksol. "What do you really want, mage?"

Darksol looked around to confirm whether or not the guards were listening. He dropped his voice to a high whisper. "Your majesty, there is a tremendous amount of power we could together obtain with your help. Rune itself could be under your rule!" He continued. "If we create a large, powerful army, we could one-by-one we could conquer the towns of rune. You see, building this army will be no problem at all, but supplying them with weapons and amour is costly..."

King Ramladu could hardly believe his ears! This mage is obvious deathly confused, he thought. "I've heard enough of your nonsense. Guards!" He hollered out to armored soldiers at the bottom of the first staircase.

Startled, the guards spun around and snapped to attention. In unison they asked, "Yes, your majesty?"

"Please show this mage the exit and leave him with a sack of five hundred gold!" He waved his hand as a signal.

Darksol could not let this happen; he had already been tossed away from all the other castles. No one would believe him now. "BLAZE!" He screamed.

As a distraction, dark blue flames were produced at the foot of the first staircase. The guards, who were dazed even before Darksol's entrance, went into hysteria. In their panic, they called for a mage and completely ignored what was taking place behind them with the King and Darksol.

Darksol suddenly smirked devilishly. The flames he created as well as some of the original flickered out with a mere wisp of cool air. The currently lit flames cast huge shadows of a demonic army marching upon the dark stone walls of the Protectora castle. He then invaded King Ramladu's mind, changing his thoughts and ideas.

With the King now in his control, Darksol could create his army of darkness starting with his student, Kane.

XxX

After one thousand years of peace throughout the lands of Rune, evil had returned.

Author's Note: This is my first attempt at fan fiction so be nice! No, actually I'd like criticism. This story is really just a possible explanation for things that were never explained in the game. If you enjoyed this, you'll enjoy the rest as it gets better. Cheers.. - Tokay.