Shadows In The Night
Prelude:
The sun shines bright upon a raging river; animals congregate in a quiet peace. Birds chirp all around. Everything sets up for a normal, average day…
The shadow creeps in - making little noise save for a "clunk-clunk-clunk" every few seconds. Animals seem to take little notice as the vileness slithers through. This shadow continues its slither as it over takes each animal one at a time: the animals overtaken drained of life from no injury. The shadow finishes and reaches the river and halts; a great beast stands in rebellion – preventing all forward movements the shadow tries. The beast guards until a fatal slip occurs; the shadow grasps the beast's leg. The shadow pulls the beast towards it in hate. The Vile sucks life from the beast slowly, and with each passing second the beast curses the Vile in a tongue the Vile does not understand. The beast dies and the Vile determines that all beasts like this one must be exterminated. Humanity must die.
Ch 1 – The Awakening
Hiding, ambushing, killing, hiding again. It's all I have ever been taught. Day and day again, I repeat the scenario all in the name of survival. Survival: what does it mean? That I can go for another day killing more? Bah. Today, I met this child. He seemed so nice, so innocent. Then my cousin bursts forth from the jungle and pushes his dagger through the child's heart. I saw it beating its last beats and the life draining from the child. From that point on, I ask, "What does it mean and take to survive?"
My name is Eli Gruff. The surname is not mine but instead a warning. My tribe is in the Big Council which consists of two Seer tribes, a single Dominator tribe, and the Head tribe. Tribe Gruff happens to be the Dominator tribe: the tribe that ensures that all laws are obeyed and if they are not, well everything becomes messy. Our way of life here has been flowing for around two centuries now without major problems. Survival is our goal.
"Eli! Why didn't you do your duty and kill that child?!" blasted Jason, our squad leader. "You are meant to kill! That child was part of our target! You allowed a lesser member the joy!"
"Jason…" I began to try to explain when leaves rustle in trees caught everyone's attention. Wind speed was next to none today, so anything rustling was out of place. Jason called an "all-silence" order and began towards the tree line. I followed up behind him with my pistol drawn in my offhand and a scimitar in my right. Jason rolled his hand into a fist and began to pace faster to the tree, then slammed his fist into it. The tree shuddered as it dropped a girl from the branches. Instantly everyone drew their weapons and were upon her. I brought my scimitar to her neck with my pistol to her forehead, "Wake up!" I yelled, "Girl, if you have any sense, wake up or your death will be slow." She finally woke up with a calm look. She looked at me with a questionable face. "What is your name? Answer me!"
"Rena," she said after a few tense moments, "Rena Hark. What is this place?"
Jason began to lower his sword and gave a smile in interest, "Why, my dear, you're in the middle of a slaughter field headed by yours truly." He turned around and opened his arms wide, "It's such a wonder sight, no?"
"You caused all this?" Rena asked, seemingly horrified as she let her eyes wander the scene, "You slaughtered innocent people for pleasure?"
Jason began to laugh with gusto, "No, dearie. I stole their lives for disobeying the Head. No one does that and lives; speaking of which…" he turned towards her with his hand brushing my weapons aside then clasping her throat, "How is it you came to be in that tree? Were you hiding from Death or us? Don't lie to us, dearie. Eli is our best marksman and will have his bullets taking the place of your eyes."
Rena gulped and nodded, "I honestly do not know where I am. I know my name and that's all. I was hoping you'd tell me who I am."
I placed a hand on Jason's shoulder, "Brother, leave the girl be. We need to head back to camp before dark… The Shaman may know what the girl means to us, if she has one anyways." I felt Jason tense up at my council; he's never been one for thought. He let go of Rena and motioned all to follow him. I stayed behind to help Rena up. "I'm sorry for how my brother acted. He knows nothing of compassion and thought." I held my hand out for her to grab but she refused it.
She jumped up and stretched, "Don't worry about it." She marched off to follow the group as I ran to match her pace. "You killed these people too, didn't you?" she said after a few moments of silence. I nodded in agreement. She shuttered in her skin. "How could you do this?! All this blood! It's terrible!" She stormed off ahead of me in a rage.
"Wait! Let me explain!" I yelled as I finally caught up to her in a leap. She looked at me with disgust. "I – we – kill for survival. Survival of the fittest, so to speak." She looked away, grabbing at her necklace and frowning. "What's around your neck, Rena?"
She looked down and sighed, "A memory I suppose. Where's all the technology? I lied to your brother about my memory; I come from an area with great technology! Flying automobiles, lasers, missiles, rockets, space modules!" I looked at her with a confused look. She sighed again, "I suppose I truly am lost. I remember falling from my flying city and then waking with you in my face. I assumed I was just back on the ground, but when I look up my city is gone. I want my friends back!" She began to tear up then cry which eventually turned to sobbing. I grabbed her and held her to my shoulder as I pondered where she truly came from – was she lying or were there really flying cities?
After a mile or so, my tribe was in sight and I smiled at the thought of sleep. Looking at Rena I could not help but ask, "So, flying cities, what're they like? Do your beds float too? How about your trees?" She ignored me and looked away. I looked down, "Hey, listen. After The Great Cataclysm, the culture of the past has been lost to us, unfortunately. We've recovered many relics from the past times, the Shaman studies and understands some. Maybe she'll give you the answers to the questions you seek."
She seemed to perk up to the phrase "Great Cataclysm" and asked, "The Great Cataclysm? What do you mean?"
I closed my eyes to try to remember, "Ah…well… legend says that great balls of fire rained from the sky and ate the Earth. Since then, the Vile roams the night, searching for anything to consume and add to its being."
"The 'Vile'?"
"You really don't know? When the cataclysm ended, a single being stood at the epicenter, as the legend goes of course, and it's said that being was once a spirit turned into a hybrid of flesh and ether. Neither living nor dead. The Vile is why we have to be in the tribal camps at night. A truce was made between ancestors of long past and the Vile. People in groups may live, but those who wander away alone may die. Once a year, each tribe sends one person to die in order to keep the Vile at bay. It has been this way for… Creator knows how long."
She wanted to ask more, but we arrived in the village with Jason to greet us, "I see you two have hit it off." Rena scowled at him like a viper. He backed off, "Relax, dearie, all is well. The Shaman wishes to discuss your lack of memory. Just find the large tent in the center of the tribe." He pointed out the direction and she broke off and made a brisk pace to the Shaman's Hut. Jason turned to me, "So is her memory truly faulty, brother?" I shook my head. "I assumed as much, I may not put much thought in many things, but I knew it was odd to have a girl with no memory fall from a tree in the midst of a slaughter." He shrugged his shoulders and wandered off.
I stood there for a moment trying to gather my thoughts when I heard my name being called. "Eli! You're back!" I looked to my left to see a small child, like the one my cousin knifed, yelling my name.
"Maxwell!" I yelled back. He ran to me and jumped to my arms, "Were you successful on your hunt today, little guy?"
"I shot a deer today! It had big antlers too!" he beamed.
"I suppose I should call you a hunter now! Keep that up and you're sure to surpass my marksman record of 400 straight hunts without missing an animal." He beamed wider and ran off yelling that he'll beat my record. I sighed, "Maxwell, if only you knew what those hunts prepared you for…"
When the male children of our tribe are around 5-years-old, they begin to learn the ways of "The Hunt". They scurry about with their new weapons – be them pistols, spears, swords or whatever they want – and try to kill as many animals as possible. The more skilled ones are turned over to the elite hunts, and the skilled few of those turn to be our future tacticians. For the few children who refuse to hunt, they are turned over to the wilds. It's the way of the tribe or no way at all. I merely wish that the true nature of "The Hunt" was as simple as killing a deer.
Alas, after contemplation for Maxwell, I began to trek towards my tent: hoping for some sense of peace. Walking into my tent made me feel much more tranquil than earlier. The tent only had a single bed, a table, a chair and a fire pit from which the chimney could be open or closed depending on the weather. I sat in the chair and began to contemplate over the events of the day. Should we continue to kill merely for survival? Is the death of others our only option? Does the girl, Rena, have the answers I seek for a better future?
In the midst of my pondering Jason came in, "Eli, the Shaman has asked for you by name. Get there quick before she has to ask again." With his message, Jason disappeared.
I quickly arrived into the Shaman's hut to see her and Rena discussing events of Rena's life. "Well, I've arrived, Lady Gale," I said with a bow. Lady Gale motioned me to sit by Rena and I did as instructed. I began to speak more but she raised a hand to keep me quiet.
"Eli, Rena tells me that you prevented Jason from killing her, correct?" I nodded in agreement. "You do realize," she continued with a mystical draw about her face, "You do realize that stopping your older brother from carrying out a kill means death to you? – under normal circumstances this would be true; however, this is no normal circumstance, young one." Rena laughed to herself and stretched, seeming more nonchalant than earlier.
"Eli, for two hundred years our past has eluded us, yet here is a perfect specimen of that which is gone. Her tale is interesting as it follows the legend of 'The Great Cataclysm' closely." Lady Gale motioned for Rena to recall her story.
Rena inhaled and exhaled a heavy breath, "I was walking towards my home in Cyclone, the first major flying city, when the alarms went off. I heard my father's voice come on, 'This is Doctor Hark of Space Defense Inc. This is not a drill; missiles are upon us with intent to kill. Please access any available escape pods quickly.' I ran into my home seeing my father and younger brother fidgeting to get into our personal escape pod. Father yelled my name, but it was too late. A missile landed on them and blew me across the city. I began to fall from the edge and seeing what looked to be the sky burn. Then everything went dark. I woke up with Eli in my face yelling."
Lady Gale nodded with satisfaction and looked at me, "So you see, Eli, the legend isn't entirely true. This girl may be the link to help us turn back to the advanced state we used to be in. I want you to escort, protect, and ensure her safe arrival at the ruins of Alkain. I believe that more answers can be found there. Of course, you have to meet with the Head to obtain permission but that shouldn't be too hard. You leave in two days, enough time to gather supplies and rest. You may leave." I arose and bowed to Lady Gale, so did Rena, and we left the hut to see Jason scowling at me.
"So, dearie, your memory is quite intact. I don't care for liars," Jason bellowed with his fists balled. "You should know, as the Master Tactician I have the right to all information and preparations. I say that I will lead to you the ruins of Alkain and I will help you with this little adventure." He reached for her shoulder only to be cut off by Lady Gale's staff. She gave an icy stare and he stormed off.
"That Jason…" she sighed. She turned to us and proclaimed, "Rena, young girl, I'm afraid we don't have a spare tent, would you mind bunking with Eli for the next two nights? He's the only one with any room." Lady Gale smiled and walked off. Rena looked at me and snorted in disgust. I cracked a half-hearted smile and lead her to my tent, just moments before the sun set.