6 Nations
Ch 4
"Where did you come from?" Henry asked when Casey had fully appeared.
"Why are you even here?" Amber asked as she got up.
"What? No 'thank you' for saving your life?" Casey replied with a sly smile even though he was staring out the window.
"You didn't answer our questions," Amber replied heatedly.
"True. To answer your friend's, the shadows. To answer yours, I came because I wanted to return your necklace. I just happened to notice that this arrow was targeting you," Casey answered holding up the arrow.
"Plenty of people here practice archery. It could just be a stray arrow, it happens," Amber explained.
"You would know better than I would, however who would be practicing archery this late and using an arrow like this?"
"You make seem like that arrow is something special," Henry said.
Casey held up the arrow and snapped it. As soon as the arrow broke, it dissolved into nothingness in his hand.
"That is just one of the things our arrows do."
"What do you mean 'one of the things'?" Amber asked as she got up off the floor.
"Let's just say that the abilities our arrows possess is one of the aspects that make shadow warriors the best assassins."
"Why are you staring out the window like that?" Henry asked.
"I'm trying to see if I can find the shooter."
"How does staring out the window let you accomplish that?"
"We can use a person or object's shadow to track it."
"What does that mean?" Amber asked.
Casey just looked and gave a mischievous smile that said he wasn't going to tell.
"Fine, don't tell me," Amber said in frustration. "Henry, I'll talk to you later. I'm going to bed. Since you found your way in, you can find your way out now."
Amber turned off the video screen and headed to her room. She glanced back and saw that Casey hadn't moved and was still staring out the window.
"And thanks for saving my life I guess," she said before going in her room and closing the door.
Casey just laughed to himself as he blended back into the shadows.
A dull thud woke Amber up. She rolled over and formed a blade out of wind, expecting some form of attack. She was surprised to see Casey sitting on her windowsill and staring out the window. As a small circle of light was forming on the wall across from him, Casey created a spike out of the shadows and threw at the light as it reached its brightest moment, hitting it dead center and producing the thud that Amber heard. As she watched him, she noticed that his attention was focused outside.
"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Casey suddenly asked without turning.
"Shouldn't you?" Amber countered.
"I don't need to sleep as often as you would," Casey said with a laugh.
"What are you talking about?" Amber asked as she got up and sat opposite him on the windowsill.
"Remember, I'm a shadow warrior. When night falls, our strength increases and we can use our true abilities," Casey said glancing at her. "We only really need to sleep once every few days."
"Interesting, but what did you mean by true abilities?"
"Let's say you and your team would've actually caught me today. Even if I was imprisoned with bright lights focused on me, I would've been able to escape once night fell."
"And just how would you have accomplished that?"
"Watch closely," Casey said pulling out a set of handcuffs.
"Why do you have handcuffs?" Amber asked as he placed them tightly on his wrist.
"These are yours actually," Casey said with a smile. "Now watch."
Amber watched in surprise as Casey passed his hand straight through and out of the locked handcuffs.
"This is why only the nation of Light can truly imprison us. Their nighttime is early sunset. Our night abilities only truly come out when sun sets completely," Casey explained as he handed Amber her handcuffs.
"Is there anything else I should know about you?"
"Nothing I'm going to tell you easily," Casey said as he went back to staring out the window.
Amber stared out the window as she absorbed what Casey had just told her.
"I never did get your name," she asked suddenly still looking out the window.
"It's Casey."
"I'm Amber."
"It's nice to meet you, Amber."
"If you don't mind me asking, why did you save me tonight?"
"I simply find you interesting."
"How do you find me interesting?" Amber asked
"You and your team actually caught me today. That rarely happens without me letting it," Casey answered.
While they were silent, Casey formed another spike out of shadow and threw it. Amber tensed when it passed right by her head, ruffling her hair as it passed, and landed in center of the circle of light that appeared on the wall again.
"What were you trying to do, kill me?" she asked angrily.
"If I had wanted to kill you I would've done so long ago," Casey replied with a laugh.
Amber crossed her arms and looked out the window. Casey, still laughing, followed suit. Amber kept glancing at Casey, trying to figure out just what made him tick.
"You said you came by to return my necklace, didn't you?" Amber said suddenly remembering why he was there in the first place.
Casey didn't answer but reached into his pocket and pulled out the necklace and handed it to her.
"It probably doesn't matter to you but it was my grandmother's. She gave it to me shortly before she died," Amber said quietly as she put it on.
Casey simply nodded and continued to stare out the window. Both of them stared out the window for a time.
"Why are you still here?"
"When we're on assassination missions, many of us refuse to let our targets live under any circumstances. If our first attempt fails, we simply hide out and formulate a new plan. I stayed in case whoever it was decided to try again."
"Is that all?"
"Some shadow warriors can be relentless at times, trust me on that," Casey said as he glanced at her.
"You would know better than me," Amber replied with a smirk.
Casey just laughed and shook his head. "I have a feeling you would've made a very good shadow warrior."
"What makes you say that?"
"You have a sharp mind, your fighting skills are rather good, and you have seemed to react quickly. Although I will say that you would need some more work on fighting."
"Thanks, but I bet I could kick your ass."
"If that's true, you would've earlier today."
Before their conversation could continue, Amber's phone starting ringing. When she decided to use the video screen, she glanced at Casey.
"If you're worried that whoever it is will see me, they won't," Casey said as he blended into the shadows.
Amber glanced once more at where Casey vanished before answering the phone and turning on the video screen.
"What is it now?" Amber asked roughly.
"Sorry about calling so late but there's another shadow warrior running around the city," Kevin said.
"Ok, but what does that really have to do with us?"
"The squad chasing him is calling for back up and since we were actually able to catch up to the one from earlier they're asking for us specifically."
"So because we were able to catch one shadow warrior, they think we can catch another?"
"That's pretty much it. You say that like it's a problem."
"Let's just say I think the warrior from earlier was toying with us."
Soon, sirens could be heard in the distance and it sounded like they were coming closer.
"He's apparently heading this way," Casey said as he reappeared.
"Where did you come from?" Kevin asked surprised.
"It's been a while since I had a good chase," Casey said with a smile.
Before either Amber or Kevin could say anything, Casey jumped out the window as the shadow warrior and police passed by. Catching the windowsill below him, Casey propelled himself forward and gave chase.
"I'll be there as soon as I can," Amber said annoyed.
Amber turned off the video screen and threw on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before grabbing her Storm Rider jacket. Imitating Casey, she jumped out the window, but landed on her air bike and took off after him and the shadow warrior he was chasing.
It wasn't long before Casey caught up with the other shadow warrior. The other warrior attacked not knowing what to expect from him. Casey easily avoided his attacks and eventually threw him against at nearby wall on a random rooftop and grabbed him by the front of his shirt. Shortly after, the police and Amber reached where they were. While Casey was holding him, the shadow warrior tried to enter the shadows to run, but Casey kept his hold and pulled him back.
"That's not going to work against me," Casey said as he slammed him against the wall.
"So you're helping them aren't you?"
"Nope, I'm here out of boredom."
"Well, boredom or not, I refuse to let anyone catch me," the warrior said pushing Casey away from him and wrapping his arms and legs in shadows and hid them from everyone, except Casey.
"Against the people of other nations, that's a nice advantage, but against me it's pointless," Casey said taking a fighting stance.
The warrior rushed in to attack. Despite the warrior's speed, Casey was able to defend against his attacks easily enough. Casey eventually landed a kick to the warrior's chest that sent him back against the wall and broke his concentration causing him to lose the shadows he held around his limbs. As the warrior recovered, Casey imitated him by wrapping his limbs in shadows before attacking. The warrior was able to defend himself, but it seemed like he was just able to. Casey released the shadows around his limbs as the fight continued. Eventually the warrior caught his arm and started to twist it until he saw a tattoo of crossed blades that was on Casey's upper arm.
"You're a Knight?" the warrior asked shocked as he released him.
"Yep, I joined their ranks a few years ago," Casey replied. "So unless you're one as well you're seriously outmatched."
As Casey was talking, a number of circles formed out of shadows around him. Before the warrior could say anything, Casey started hitting each one. What Amber and the others noticed was that every time Casey hit one of the circles, the warrior would recoil as if hit. After a few more hits, each of the circles shattered. As the last of the circles shattered the warrior fell to the ground from the attack.
The warrior picked himself up and took a fighting stance and waited for Casey's next attack. However, Casey started to blend into the shadows instead.
"If you think that's going to work, your-"
Before the warrior could finish his sentence, his eyes widen in shock. Soon he was frantically looking around him. Amber and the police watching couldn't understand why he was panicking.
"Where are you? Why can't I see you?" the warrior asked
"It's a Shadow Knight ability. Like I said, unless you're one, you're outmatched," Casey replied.
As Amber and the others were watching the warrior frantically search for Casey, the warrior suddenly doubled over as if he was hit in the stomach. It became clear to everyone that it was Casey attacking as the warrior was knocked around, even though no one could see Casey. After a few moments the warrior was knocked face first into the ground. Casey reappeared standing on the warrior's back.
The warrior struggled to try and get up but Casey kept him pinned easily.
"Why don't you just give up already? You should know you can't win," Casey asked him.
The warrior suddenly stopped struggling. Casey noticed that something had his attention as he stared down at him.
"How did you survive?" the warrior suddenly asked staring at the assembled officers.
"How did who survive what?" one of them asked.
"That arrow should've killed you," the warrior responded ignoring the officer's question.
"So that was you that fired that arrow," Casey said.
"Wait, you're saying that this was the guy that tried to assassinate me?" Amber asked.
"So it seems," Casey replied as he reached into his pocket.
"What exactly do you mean, Amber?" one of the officers asked her.
"Basically, he saved my life a few hours ago. An arrow came through my window and would've killed me had he not caught it," she explained quickly.
The shadow warrior Casey fought started struggling again to try and get free, but was unsuccessful. After a few moments, Casey pulled out a red marble and pressed it to activate it.
"Isn't that one of the ones you said inflict pain?" Amber asked when she saw it.
"Are you saying you object?" Casey asked with a mischievous smile.
"We should at least bring him in for questioning," she replied.
"You wouldn't be able to hold him unless I go too, and I have no real intention to."
"So then what do you suggest?"
Casey simply smiled as he drew a hidden dagger. After putting a small cut on the warrior's back, Casey pushed the red marble he was holding into the wound. After a moment the warrior suddenly start to writhe in pain.
"Use this time to get him out of the city and let it run its course. That one should last until morning," Casey said as he walked away.
"And where are you going?" Amber asked as he reached the edge of the rooftop they were on.
"I think the better question would be why is he even here?" one of the officers said before Casey could answer.
"I came to return what I took earlier today," Casey said laughing to himself. "As for where I'm going, I'm going home."
With that Casey jumped off the roof of the building. When the Amber and the others reached the edge to look for him, they couldn't see any sign of him or what direction he could've headed off in. Amber just shook her head and turned to head home.
"What should we do about him," an officer asked indicating the shadow warrior that Casey defeated.
"Just do what he said to do with him," Amber replied. "I'm going back to bed."
As Amber got back on her air bike, she couldn't help wondering just who Casey really was. Even after talking with him, she realized she didn't know much about him. Pushing him from her mind, she headed home as a few of the officers that had chased the shadow warrior down loaded him onto their bikes and headed towards the city limits.