The clouds in the sky were dark gray, the sounds of continuous thunders threatening the city of Dras Leona with heavy rainfall. People walked the muddy streets quickly, not willing to get wet from the cold raindrops that fell from the sky. Merchants were shouting for their goods without success as everyone was running away for cover, covered in mud or were too busy preparing for the upcoming siege of the city. Only food merchants had customers, as everyone ran to buy as much food as they could to store. Everyone knew that food was an important part of a siege, and hunger would become a widespread problem in a few days. Prices were up, for that reason and people and merchants were shouting at each other, barely able to control themselves and not start a riot in the city. Nobody knew how long the siege would be and none wanted to risk the hunger. People were nailing wooden poles on the doors and windows of houses, barricading themselves in their houses, while others were watching from the higher windows on the activity below, their faces miserable and grim.
Surdan soldiers were patrolling the streets and running towards the walls of the city, giving wary looks at the people of the city. The city was theirs but there could still be an uprising or revolt against King Orrin if they were not careful, as not enough time had passed since they had taken the city. People were shouting at one another, but all kept out of the way of Surdan soldiers, afraid that they would harm them, with the slightest cause.
The former Governor's building, where Orrin had made his quarters was magnificently built, with rich decorations and sculptures occupying the majority of the building. Rich paintings and other gold decorations were inside the building. The Hall where Orrin had put his throne, or the King's Hall, as it was widely known after the fall of the city, was dark, the only light coming from a few candles, and the occasional lightning. Small drops of rain fell from an imperfection on the building of the wall, forming a small puddle in a corner of the room. A large wall painting of a great victory the humans had won over the Urgals countless centuries ago in a forgotten battle, covered one side of the wall.
A servant with black clothes and the sigil of orrin's house bowed in front of the king, his face almost reaching the floor.
"Your Highness, the Shade has arrived." the man informed Orrin, with a loud voice, and waited patiently for Orrin to acknowledge he had heard him.
"Send him in" Orrin ordered, distracted, in his own thoughts. "Bring more wine!" Orrin said as an afterthought.
Tenga entered the throne room with a confident proud walk, his red hair covering his black clothes and his beard waving as he walked towards Orrin. Six Guards surrounded the king, and three more were behind Orrin, pointing at him with spears as he approached, but Tenga paid them no mind. It was as if they did not exist to him.
Orrin looked at the shade with a sour expression, as he drank from his wine, filling his glass every once in a while as he gulped down huge quantities of wine in a matter of minutes. His eyes were red from the lack of sleep and he scowled as the shade did not show the proper respect by bowing at him. The guards around him, shifted uneasily as if unsure wether they should make the shade bow, even wondering if they could. Finally they decided against it, but glared at the shade, with disapproving glances.
"You have called for me, and I have come" Tenga said, with a loud voice, ignoring formalities, angering the guards even more. Orrin too, took notice and his eyebrows shade's eyes looked deep within the soul of Orrin, searching for a sign of weakness, searching for anything he could use. Orin inspected the shade too, with curiosity, his eyes looking at the lifeless white skin, at his red hair and his beard, at the black clothes with a thoughtful expression as if trying to solve a very hard puzzle, not knowing what to make of the shade.
Orrin had sent a messenger to the shade and the man had been so scared when he came back it took him a whole day to utter a word.
"Welcome, please, make yourself comfortable." Orrin said, as he sent a guard to grab a chair. A few seconds passed until the guard returned and the shade took a seat, noticing the height disadvantage. Tenga smiled a mysterious smile, as Orrin drummed his fingers on the throne. It was as if they were playing a chess game.
"I understand you have a problem and you need my help to solve it." Tenga said.
"Indeed." Orrin said but before he could say more, the shade interrupted him.
"You must be very desperate to ask me for help." Tenga said with a smile.
Orrin looked at the shade and a sense of anger filled him, but he controlled himself and forced himself to smile.
"Sometimes, you have to do what is not expected by your enemies." Orrin replied.
The shade nodded. "The Dragons and elves are posing a problem to my soldiers, with their supernatural strength and their magic. They are too powerful." Orrin stated.
Tenga laughed, a deep croaky sound.
"Powerful? You have no idea what is power. Power beyond your dreams. Power to defeat a city. Power enough to challenge the Creator." Tenga said, still laughing.
"Will you help us?" Orrin said, ignoring the insult. There really was no option for the shade. He could unleash his whole army against him. For all his pride, the shade had fallen in his trap neatly. Whether he had defeated a whole city, he could never defeat the whole Surdan army.
"Why would I do such a thing?" Tenga asked.
A great anger filled Orrin, blood rushed in his head, and he felt tremors in his body as he raged. Slowly, he breathed deeply, recovering.
"Because I have heard of your hatred for the dragons and the riders. You can never defeat them alone!. For that you need a large army. As long as you help me become Emperor and defeat my enemies, I shall give you the soldiers you need." Orrin replied.
The smile disappeared from Tenga and a scowl appeared on his face.
"And who shall lead this army of yours?" Tenga asked.
Orrin looked at him as if he was a fool. "Me of course."
"You expect me to take orders from you?" the shade asked, a dangerous light in his eyes.
Orrin glared at the shade. A simple order would do to kill him. He needed the shade alive.
The shade laughed loudly.
"How many soldiers will you give me? I want ten thousand of your best soldiers." Tenga stated.
Orrin barely controlled himself from jumping.
"Are you mad?" Orrin asked.
"Do you want to get rid of the elves and dragons or no?" Tenga asked as Orrin remained silent with a thoughtful expression.
"Ten thousand is a lot of soldiers. I do not trust you that much yet. First you must prove yourself." Orrin stated.
"I will give you four thousand soldiers. You must kill the riders and elves or at least cause havoc to them." Orrin said.
"Five thousand." Tenga said. "Or we do not have a deal." he continued.
"Very well." Orrin stated after a bit of thought.
A smile appeared on the shades face.
"Do not disappoint me shade. You will not like my wrath." Orrin said.
A sneer appeared on Tenga's face. Orrin did not realize he could kill the guards in seconds and snap his pretty neck off, Tenga thought.
"What will you do to these soldiers?" Orrin asked.
"You shall see in the battle." Tenga stated.
"With your permission." Tenga continued and left the throne room without waiting for a reply, the sound of a glass bottle breaking on a wall behind him.
.Tenga walked towards a man in command and ordered him to bring the five thousand soldiers.
Soon, neat ranks of Surdan men were in front of him, looking at him with distrust, enough to fill the centre of the city. The shade had found a sacrificial sheep and an assortment of plants, as well as small glasses of various liquids. The soldiers did not want to know what they contained.
"Very well, let us begin." the shade said.
The soldiers looked on with anticipation, and mistrust. Nobody dared defy Orrin's orders, yet nobody wanted to be part of a Shade's crazy experiment.
Some soldier played drums in a corner, creating a rhythm that made the blood in the soldiers bodies flow faster, as if they were in a battle. Tenga's voice boomed as he started saying an assortment of words, in the Ancient language as well as another language, the soldiers had not heard before.
Darkness enveloped the center of the city, above the soldiers, clouds moved and small tendrils of shadow appeared in the air.
"What is he doing?" a soldier asked
"I did not sign up for this!" another man said, trying to draw his blade, but finding himself unable to do so. It was as if they were all paralyzed, unable to move a single muscle. They could only watch as the darkness grew around them. Soldiers screamed, as if dying in a sea of pain.
Finally, the shade finished his incantation, and plunged the dagger in the sheep's heart, after dipping it in an assortment of the liquids. The sheep squeeled, and died. Right after, the shade plunged the dagger in one of the soldiers in the front line, a loud scream filling the air, and the soldiers heads. A wave of pain filled the soldiers as if they too felt the dagger stabbing them, blood ran from their mouths and nose and then there was only darkness.
The soldiers regained consciousness. Nothing felt different for them, only a weird sensation remained from the spell.
"What have you done to us?" a soldier asked. Angry he grabbed a sword and attacked Tenga.
Tenga blocked the blow, but the soldier had moved with superhuman speed. Surprised the soldier looked at his sword, as if it was a poisonous viper and he was afraid it would bite him.
"What have you done to us!" the soldier asked again.
"Isn't it obvious? I have given you superhuman speed. You are as quick as elves now. And you are impervious to magic. Magic cannot hurt you, anymore than a fly can hurt a bear." the shade stated, a loud laugh filling the air.
"You mean we have wards against magic?" the mans asked.
"Do you question my abilities?" Tenga asked a dangerous light in his eyes.
"Magic will not hurt you, and that does not take any of your energy for the spell to work, as wards do. That is all you need to know." Tenga stated.
The soldiers around him looked stunned.
Again the shade laughed as hew looked at their expressions. The dragons would find a nasty surprise when they attacked the city. A great hatred filled him for the dragons and riders. He imagined in his mind the city burning, as the dragons lied dead and the riders too. That was his goal and he would not stop until it was achieved.