Shadow Smurfs –
Months had passed now and the Smurfs stayed safe from harm completely. Every now and then the Smurflings would go out and tease Gargamel and Azrael into slamming face first into the barrier, Papa Smurf tried to put a stop to that, but they now do it while he's not around. It was during one of their little pranks near twilight that they saw something strange, "Suffering sarsaparilla, Pappy Gargamel's really going to smurf over this new one." Sassy said as she carried a smurf sized doll with her. Snappy strolled behind carrying the lower half, "You betcha Sassette, this will be the smurfiest prank we ever pulled on old Gargamel, and we still never left the barrier."
"We never leave the barrier." Nat said from off to the right of Sassette. Suddenly the four Smurflings heard a sweet gentle female voice call out to them, "Smurflings." it pleaded, "Come find me. Let's play together." the voice sang. "Weeping willows, what was that?" Sassette asked, with fear creeping up her spine. "Come and play with me." the voice said again. Slouchy pointed in front of them, "It sounds like it's smurfing from Gargamel's home." and the four of them ran, leaving the doll on the ground. As the Smurflings approached the spot they knew the barrier was at, they peered out to find what they thought was where the voice was coming from. What they saw was the shape of a Smurf in the shadows of a bush. "Sam?" Snappy asked. When the shadow opened its eyes, they shined a dull yellow, and Slouchy thought he could see malice in them. The shadow lifted its head, revealing long black locks of hair that looked oh so familiar to them. Sassette walked up to nearly touch the barrier, thought she recognized the shape, and reached her hand out, "Smurfette?" she whispered. "Come and play." the voice whispered back. The moment her fingers exited the protective barrier, the shadow shot its hand out like lightning, and gripped her fingers with an iron grip, and began to pull her out of the barrier. "AHHHH!" Sassette screamed out. The other Smurflings quickly grabbed her other hand and played a life or death tug of war with the shadow.
From his home near the forest, Sam knew he heard the distressed scream of Sassette. He stiffened his back and froze, focusing intently on what he heard. Smurfette had gone home for the day, so he was alone. His armor in his house, and his sword in his hands, he took off like a lightning bolt towards their location. Moving as fast as he could, the forest floor was like a blur, and his sword out to his right side, he arrived at the Smurflings' giant doll before he heard the boys grunting, trying desperately to save their friend. Slipping behind a nearby tree, Sam saw the entire situation, Sassette was being pulled almost completely out of the barrier by a shadow form of a Smurfette, and the other three Smurflings were trying with everything they had to save their friend. Silently, he dashed out from the forest and passed the barrier to let his shining sword slice through the shadow's midsection. He ended in a pose that forced him to kneel on one knee, his katana out to his right side pointed out. Silence and stillness perforated through the air before the shadow of a Smurfette let go to scream in agony. The four Smurflings fell in a heap to the ground and watched as the creature slid in half before dissolving into nothing. "Spooky smurfberries, what was that?" Sassette asked in a panic. "First things first, what were you Smurflings doing out here…with a smurf sized doll?" he asked sternly as he entered the barrier. The three boy Smurflings lowered their heads, knowing they were caught, "Playing a smurfy prank?" Slouchy confessed. "Not very smurfy now is it?" he asked looking to the shivering Sassette. "No." the boys all agreed. Sam sighed, releasing all of his anger on the wind of his breath, "Let's see what Papa Smurf has to say." he said. "Aw, do we have to?" Snappy asked, turning to Sassette, he saw her trembling in fear, and just about in tears as Sam walked up to her. Sassette quickly grabbed a hold of his pant leg and buried her face into the fabric. "I guess it's for the best." he said defeated as he dropped his arms and looked to Sassette with regret in his eyes.
"I told you little Smurflings not to do that. Now look what happened?" Papa Smurf said in a rage. "We're sorry Papa Smurf," the three boys said in unison. Sassette continued shaking in fear as she clutched to Papa Smurf. "Poor Sassette, what was that?" Snappy asked in worry. "That is something we'll call a Shadow Smurf, Snappy." Sam said. "A shadow Smurf?" Papa Smurf asked. Sam looked to the trembling Sassette and sighed, "Looks like I've got some explaining to do huh?" he asked. Papa Smurf simply nodded and turned to Snappy, "Go get Smurfette, perhaps she can help calm Sassette down." he ordered. Snappy nodded and ran to go fetch her. Papa Smurf turned back to Sam with a disapproving glance, "Now, tell me everything." he demanded. Sam took a deep breath and explained, "The first time I saw them they killed my entire village. They always take the shape of the people I care about the most. Their only mission is to destroy the people they represent, and they will stop at nothing to accomplish this mission. Unfortunately I really don't know how they are created but what I do know is that they are empty of all positive emotion, and filled with evil intentions."
"Great smurfs." Papa whispered. "I'm sorry , if you want me to leave then I will, you can even keep the barrier stone." he said, but Papa was interrupted by Smurfette's arrival, "NO." she called out, and ran to embrace him. "You can't," she whispered. "Smurfette, Papa is the leader of the village. So by my honor, I must do what he tells me to do." Sam said while patting her on the head. "I won't let you leave." she said simply, and hugged him tighter. Papa smiled and relaxed, "Looks like my mind has been smurfed for me. You can stay." he said, getting Smurfette to look his way. "Oh thank smurf." Smurfette said, burying her face into his chest in relief. Sam wrapped his arms around her, and looked to Sassette, still shaking from her fear. "Now I have another question, why just you?" Papa Smurf asked stroking his beard and patting Sassette's back at the same time. "Because I'm the guardian of light." he said simply. "Excuse me?" Papa asked. "These swords were made for the chosen warrior to protect the keeper of light, or Lady Light as you call her. I was given them because I was chosen as the guardian." he said, and then he put his hand to his chin, "At least I think so."
"You think so?" Smurfette asked. "It was prophesied that the guardian is the same species as the keeper, but no one knows what the keeper is. When the swords were made, the keeper was human, who knows what she is now." Sam explained. "Why wouldn't she be human now?" Sassette managed to say. "Good question Sassette." Sam said, then he caught who it was who spoke, "Sassette, are you ok?" he asked while coming close to her. "Thanks to you." she said. "Oh Sassette, you've calmed down." Smurfette said, and brought the little girl into a tight hug. Sassette didn't even hesitate to hug Smurfette back and hold on for dear life. "You poor dear, you must have been scared smurfed. Let's go find Greedy and see if he'll make you some of your favorite sweets." she said as she ushered the frightened girl out. "Sassette had a good question," Papa said after they left, "And fortunately, I actually have an answer."
"I'd love to hear it Papa." Sam said. "The power of Lady light is passed to a female of a different species every time her lifespan ends, and like a phoenix she is reborn. It is said that one of every species will be chosen before she becomes immortal." Papa informed him. "So has she ever been a Smurf?" Sam asked. "How should I know?" Papa said shrugging his shoulders. Continuing on, Papa explained, "Lady Light's life span is the lifespan of her species doubled and sometimes tripled. She is to live longer than any of her kind." he said. Sam folded his arms, and bowed his head in thought, "How many guardians have there been?" he asked. "Yours has been the only one recorded." Papa responded. "I wonder what he discovered with these swords." Sam whispered to himself.
Smurfette walked the best she could with Sassette clinging to her dress tightly, on their way to find Greedy Smurf in his kitchen. Sassette, still scared from her run in with the Shadow Smurf, walked slowly to keep her 'big sister' as close as possible as long as possible. Arriving at Greedy's place, Smurfette was the one forced to knock since Sassette refused to. When Greedy opened his door, he smiled, "Oh Smurfette, Sassette!" he greeted and finally saw the look on the little Smurfling's face, "What's wrong?"
"Sassette's just a little smurfed right now; do you have anything that will help?" Greedy placed his hand to his chin in thought, "I have some smurfberry taffy left, think she'd like some?" he asked. Smurfette looked to Sassette, who slowly nodded in response, and the two of them entered onto Greedy's hut.
The end of the chapter.