A cold winter breeze rushed in through the broken glass windows, sending a
shiver down Selira's back. Pulling her thin shawl closer around her
shoulders, she held out a tall thin candle in it's saucer, the candles
light playing with the shadows and distorting her own.
Late in the evening the whole land was covered in shadow, and hope be with those who were too late to return home in the days light. It was a certainty that their hearts were lost forever, and they became that of which had destroyed them a shadow creature.
Feeding off the darkness, in the day they hid under the castles shadows and at night they preyed on the poor souls that were either to drunk to realise where they were or lost and couldn't find their way to shelter. This castle was basically the only shelter there was now though, it was thought that daylight was the safest time to go out as long as you made it back before sunset but that wasn't true either.
Every one had heard the story about the Melstron's. Joston Melstron was the towns Baker he had two daughters aged 15 and 13 and a 6 year old son. Jostons' wife had died of a terrible illness, every one in the town felt bad for them, Joston was one of the nicest men you could find. The loss of his wife was a tragedy but no one expected what happened when his three children, when they went for a picnic one day, they had gone early in the morning, just as the sun had risen, into the forest to the west. When they were late coming home their father had gone looking for them in the midday but when he came across the picnic they were gone they had obviously been attack by the shadow creatures, but how in the middle of the day. When Joston stumbled back into town it was almost nightfall, he held a small teddy bear covered in dirt as much as he was covered in it mixed with his own tears. He'd never spoken since. Now he stayed in a room in the castle.
The shadow creatures had attacked his children in daylight and they were growing stronger, that was obviously how they'd been able to stay in the day light, they were growing more powerful. Soon they would be in the castle, each night they battered against the castles reinforced doors leaving bigger dents each night. Time was running out. The castle now had only one hope. Selira rounded the corner, there was another candle light. thank god walking through these deserted corridors was something she disliked very strongly. She reached the guard with the candle, his name was Seris. He stood in front of a door guarding it. "M'lady" he nodded. "I've come with tonight's dinner" She held up the tray that she held in her other hand. "his lordship has requested that there be no disturbances for the night" "He hasn't eaten for days, I'm going in whether you like it or not" "please m'lady he wont be very happy" he argued "I don't care" Seris smiled. "Such a stubborn one, almost as much as he" He gestured to the door behind him. "your right he hasn't come out in days. He's been examining one of the creatures we caught last evening" He held up his arms, one was bandaged, not very efficiently as the bandages were now soaked with blood, his other arm was covered in tiny scratches. "It was quite a scuffle down there"
"Is he ok" Selira looked at the closed door "I'm not sure, he went straight to his room" "Hmm, well i'll be out in a minute then" Seris stepped aside "thank you"She pushed the door open and walked inside letting the door close behind her of it's own accord.
"Hello" she called, she had stepped into a huge library where the shelves of books stretched far up to the high roof of stone. Candles were placed every where giving a low glow in the room. And there in the corner bent over a table was the man that everyone's hopes rested with. His silver grey hair fell past his shoulders, this always irritated Selira, many times she'd tried to sneak up on him and cut it off but he insisted on keeping it's length, it was a minor thing though she loved him so much it didn't matter. "Ansem I have dinner for you we can eat together" He stood up and turned to face her. "You don't have to stay up this late for me" He slipped his arms around her waist pulling her close. "I don't mind waiting up for you" she stretched up on her toes and gave him a soft kiss. "I love you" Ansem bent into her kiss. " Wait" Ansem pulled away "there is something I wish you to see" He lead her over to a door in the side her hand in his. "What is it" She asked "It is something that could save our world" He opened the door to reveal a large room filled with more shelves only this time they were holding jars of many different things flowers, creatures and some things she couldn't even guess what they were. But immediately her attention came to the table in the middle of the room, light was cast down on it by an over hanging candle chandelier. The table was covered by a sheet. this must be what he's going to show me. A strange feeling came over Selira. Fear. And quite suddenly she didn't want to know what was under the cloth. Ansem walked over to the table placing his hand on the edge. "Iv'e made an amazing discovery" He looked so excited, Selira felt like backing away Ansem noticed her lack in enthusiasm "What's wrong" he asked "I don't know, your spending so much time in here, it's just. well..." "Hey" he placed a hand on her shoulder "don't you worry, i'm gonna figure this out and then we'll have our life back, we'll have our town back. just you wait and see." He walked back over to the table. "now take a look at this" He grabbed the cloth and swiftly took it off the table.
"Oh my" Selira stepped back again. On the table was the most unusual creature she'd ever seen "It's one of them isn't it" "Yes it is, they're not from this world" "is it dangerous" it's body was completely black and its antenna's twitched above it's amber yellow eyes "It is too weak in the light but it has grown stronger as if it has adapted, when we first bought it up here it would not move near any light it was as if it hurt him, now it is merely uncomfortable" "does it use it's claws to hurt people" "I believe that is it's primary attack there is also magic in them which I do not yet understand but I will" "What are they" "Well I believe that they have no heart so I've called it a heartless" "how can you tell" "because it has told me, they speak" "are you sure" the only noise that was coming from the one on the table was a kind of screeching. "It talks now, do you not hear it" "no, what does it say" "It tells me that..." he paused for a minute. "It pleads for me to release it" "Ansem lets go have dinner, I don't like that thing at all and I wish you didn't have to spend so much time near these things" "but we can learn so many things from them, I've already learned so." At that moment there was an interruption. "Sir we have an invader" It was Seris "A heartless" Ansem asked "No sir, I'm not sure what it is. It seems to be harmless. But it is from another world" "Are there guards watching it" "yes it has requested that it speak to the leader of this world" "Then take me to this creature" Ansem rushed out of the room with Seris, leaving Selira alone with the heartless. She was just about to leave when . Wait. "What!" she whirled around puzzled by what she heard or maybe she didn't hear it, she was beginning to doubt herself Do not leave me The voice again. "Wh. Who are you" she whispered a cold shiver raced down her back, the hairs on the back of her neck stood rigid You must have figured it out by now, I'm right here with you. Do not be afraid "I'm not afraid" She lied Don't be silly, every one is afraid once in a while "Who are you?" I'm the heartless, here on the table She looked at the black creature, it's yellow eyes glistening as they watched her "What do you want" Nothing but I feel I must tell you something very important. You are in grave danger. "From your kind" She sneered. No, we do not wish to destroy, we merely wish to survive as you do "Yes but you are killing us to do so" No Selira, your kind seek to kill us. The ones you miss so much are safe with us we never hurt them, they chose this life. To be with us, don't you wish to be with us too "No!" she stepped toward the door Ansem does "No! you lie with you foul little tongue" Selira ran out of the room but she could still hear the creatures terrible rasping voice Yes run my scared little child, straight into the traitors arms I'll see you again soon "Stop it!!" She yelled. A maid happened to be in the corridor to see this and came running to help. "M'lady is there something wrong" "Yes" She stammered before bursting into tears "Oh don't you worry child, everything will be ok. Master will find away" she was of course talking about Ansem, but Selira couldn't stop thinking about the horrible things that creature had said about him. What was worse was that there was a small part of her that felt could be the truth. He spent so much time working to discover their secrets what if he became too submerged in his research.
Late in the evening the whole land was covered in shadow, and hope be with those who were too late to return home in the days light. It was a certainty that their hearts were lost forever, and they became that of which had destroyed them a shadow creature.
Feeding off the darkness, in the day they hid under the castles shadows and at night they preyed on the poor souls that were either to drunk to realise where they were or lost and couldn't find their way to shelter. This castle was basically the only shelter there was now though, it was thought that daylight was the safest time to go out as long as you made it back before sunset but that wasn't true either.
Every one had heard the story about the Melstron's. Joston Melstron was the towns Baker he had two daughters aged 15 and 13 and a 6 year old son. Jostons' wife had died of a terrible illness, every one in the town felt bad for them, Joston was one of the nicest men you could find. The loss of his wife was a tragedy but no one expected what happened when his three children, when they went for a picnic one day, they had gone early in the morning, just as the sun had risen, into the forest to the west. When they were late coming home their father had gone looking for them in the midday but when he came across the picnic they were gone they had obviously been attack by the shadow creatures, but how in the middle of the day. When Joston stumbled back into town it was almost nightfall, he held a small teddy bear covered in dirt as much as he was covered in it mixed with his own tears. He'd never spoken since. Now he stayed in a room in the castle.
The shadow creatures had attacked his children in daylight and they were growing stronger, that was obviously how they'd been able to stay in the day light, they were growing more powerful. Soon they would be in the castle, each night they battered against the castles reinforced doors leaving bigger dents each night. Time was running out. The castle now had only one hope. Selira rounded the corner, there was another candle light. thank god walking through these deserted corridors was something she disliked very strongly. She reached the guard with the candle, his name was Seris. He stood in front of a door guarding it. "M'lady" he nodded. "I've come with tonight's dinner" She held up the tray that she held in her other hand. "his lordship has requested that there be no disturbances for the night" "He hasn't eaten for days, I'm going in whether you like it or not" "please m'lady he wont be very happy" he argued "I don't care" Seris smiled. "Such a stubborn one, almost as much as he" He gestured to the door behind him. "your right he hasn't come out in days. He's been examining one of the creatures we caught last evening" He held up his arms, one was bandaged, not very efficiently as the bandages were now soaked with blood, his other arm was covered in tiny scratches. "It was quite a scuffle down there"
"Is he ok" Selira looked at the closed door "I'm not sure, he went straight to his room" "Hmm, well i'll be out in a minute then" Seris stepped aside "thank you"She pushed the door open and walked inside letting the door close behind her of it's own accord.
"Hello" she called, she had stepped into a huge library where the shelves of books stretched far up to the high roof of stone. Candles were placed every where giving a low glow in the room. And there in the corner bent over a table was the man that everyone's hopes rested with. His silver grey hair fell past his shoulders, this always irritated Selira, many times she'd tried to sneak up on him and cut it off but he insisted on keeping it's length, it was a minor thing though she loved him so much it didn't matter. "Ansem I have dinner for you we can eat together" He stood up and turned to face her. "You don't have to stay up this late for me" He slipped his arms around her waist pulling her close. "I don't mind waiting up for you" she stretched up on her toes and gave him a soft kiss. "I love you" Ansem bent into her kiss. " Wait" Ansem pulled away "there is something I wish you to see" He lead her over to a door in the side her hand in his. "What is it" She asked "It is something that could save our world" He opened the door to reveal a large room filled with more shelves only this time they were holding jars of many different things flowers, creatures and some things she couldn't even guess what they were. But immediately her attention came to the table in the middle of the room, light was cast down on it by an over hanging candle chandelier. The table was covered by a sheet. this must be what he's going to show me. A strange feeling came over Selira. Fear. And quite suddenly she didn't want to know what was under the cloth. Ansem walked over to the table placing his hand on the edge. "Iv'e made an amazing discovery" He looked so excited, Selira felt like backing away Ansem noticed her lack in enthusiasm "What's wrong" he asked "I don't know, your spending so much time in here, it's just. well..." "Hey" he placed a hand on her shoulder "don't you worry, i'm gonna figure this out and then we'll have our life back, we'll have our town back. just you wait and see." He walked back over to the table. "now take a look at this" He grabbed the cloth and swiftly took it off the table.
"Oh my" Selira stepped back again. On the table was the most unusual creature she'd ever seen "It's one of them isn't it" "Yes it is, they're not from this world" "is it dangerous" it's body was completely black and its antenna's twitched above it's amber yellow eyes "It is too weak in the light but it has grown stronger as if it has adapted, when we first bought it up here it would not move near any light it was as if it hurt him, now it is merely uncomfortable" "does it use it's claws to hurt people" "I believe that is it's primary attack there is also magic in them which I do not yet understand but I will" "What are they" "Well I believe that they have no heart so I've called it a heartless" "how can you tell" "because it has told me, they speak" "are you sure" the only noise that was coming from the one on the table was a kind of screeching. "It talks now, do you not hear it" "no, what does it say" "It tells me that..." he paused for a minute. "It pleads for me to release it" "Ansem lets go have dinner, I don't like that thing at all and I wish you didn't have to spend so much time near these things" "but we can learn so many things from them, I've already learned so." At that moment there was an interruption. "Sir we have an invader" It was Seris "A heartless" Ansem asked "No sir, I'm not sure what it is. It seems to be harmless. But it is from another world" "Are there guards watching it" "yes it has requested that it speak to the leader of this world" "Then take me to this creature" Ansem rushed out of the room with Seris, leaving Selira alone with the heartless. She was just about to leave when . Wait. "What!" she whirled around puzzled by what she heard or maybe she didn't hear it, she was beginning to doubt herself Do not leave me The voice again. "Wh. Who are you" she whispered a cold shiver raced down her back, the hairs on the back of her neck stood rigid You must have figured it out by now, I'm right here with you. Do not be afraid "I'm not afraid" She lied Don't be silly, every one is afraid once in a while "Who are you?" I'm the heartless, here on the table She looked at the black creature, it's yellow eyes glistening as they watched her "What do you want" Nothing but I feel I must tell you something very important. You are in grave danger. "From your kind" She sneered. No, we do not wish to destroy, we merely wish to survive as you do "Yes but you are killing us to do so" No Selira, your kind seek to kill us. The ones you miss so much are safe with us we never hurt them, they chose this life. To be with us, don't you wish to be with us too "No!" she stepped toward the door Ansem does "No! you lie with you foul little tongue" Selira ran out of the room but she could still hear the creatures terrible rasping voice Yes run my scared little child, straight into the traitors arms I'll see you again soon "Stop it!!" She yelled. A maid happened to be in the corridor to see this and came running to help. "M'lady is there something wrong" "Yes" She stammered before bursting into tears "Oh don't you worry child, everything will be ok. Master will find away" she was of course talking about Ansem, but Selira couldn't stop thinking about the horrible things that creature had said about him. What was worse was that there was a small part of her that felt could be the truth. He spent so much time working to discover their secrets what if he became too submerged in his research.