Shadow Spinners
Chapter Five
~Do they not look at Allah's creation, (even) among (inanimate) things, how their (very) shadows turn round, from right to left, prostrating themselves to Allah, and that in the humblest of manner?~
--Koran, Ch. 16: verse 48 (Translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
My nose flared as I took all the smells in. Food… I looked up at the inn, it's lights that blared in the night. It was made of wood, masking the building into the forest itself. Trees veiled the inn that was set on top if a large hill. I realized the tavern was within a small settlement of a human village.
In the midst of the darkness of the starlit night the sea roared; echoing in the distance within my ears with—almost forlornness...
Done observing the structure I looked behind me, the queer boy was gone. Gone? It seemed hard for me to think the young boy that had followed me with such a persistent (seemingly) loyalty and stubborn face was gone. What do I care? Maybe the notion that I was his master left his thick skull. Nevertheless, I had finally gotten rid him.
I again started walking to the tavern, wary of the faint manmade track but in spite of that walked on the widening path that soon lend to the village. The dim noises of cheer, merriment and the low rumble of voices from the inn became clearer and louder with each step.
Suddenly, the noises roared in my head. I felt myself consumed in flames. Freezing cold flames—my legs buckled. I fell to my knees. My breath came out raspy as beaded sweat on my forehead fell to the ground before me. I must be sick—No just a spell.
I restricted myself only few minutes more to recover from my "spell". My head boomed and pealed. Gradually my breath came slower. I let the wind caress my face; the low chime of rustling leaves.
I made my flimsy legs sturdy and walked on. Soon, I came to the desolate street. I made sure my clock covered me fully. I put my weapon within a position so it would be easy to get at. I had a feeling I would need it.
I walked in the tavern, the light blinded me for a moment. Most didn't concern themselves with me. It seemed that they were accustomed to strangers. Only a few stopped talking to stare only to continue their doings as beforehand. The noise was so loud, compared to the silent forest I'd been for so long. However, soon my ears become attuned.
"Wish for an' room?" the man behind the counter asked.
I nodded no. I had coins in a pocket within the cloak but I had no idea of their value. And I had no desire to be cheated or to make myself suspicious.
I sat at small table among shadows; I felt eyes on my back.
Suddenly a waitress with golden curls and dimples walked up to me. "Compliments from the man at the corner, sir." She sat a tumbler in front of me, flashing her white teeth. "And a note," she said as an afterthought. She put her hands on her hips and pointed with her thumb at the benefactor as a neatly folded piece of paper floated and landed before me.
I didn't know that paper was a rare and valuable thing, especially one of this quality, and that a literate person was even more so for the waitress, behind that flashy smile, looked into my hood that revealed nothing. Her blue eyes burned with suspicion.
I glanced up to the dark corner that the waitress's thumb had pointed toward. The hooded lord; I saw that strong jaw curved by a smirk.
I opened the note and read:
I have been waiting for you. Took you long enough.
Who? What? I looked back to the corner, he wasn't there.
"Damn! We got stolen' from, we did." It was the round man from earlier before that I now nickname Bulky and his lean friend whom I called Skinny. He was talking to the man behind the counter.
"Where were thee when it happen? What got nipped?" the balding man inquired. "Would you like another?"
"Yes, Scotch this time—Oh, yes. It was the old kooky dagger I had show ye before and a that pleasant cloak that had quite a few coins in it's pockets. Like that cloak I did…" Skinny had eerily stayed quiet. Some of the men turned around to listen; I had stopped listening. I had to make a retreat before they grasped the knowledge that I was wearing their stolen items. And I did not want to wait until they grasped my neck.
I was out the door; the cool wind soothed my body. The shadows here were natural and strong and didn't flicker on some fire's whim.
"Thief, you think you can get away so easily?" I turned around hand clasped on my dagger. The thin, lean tall man, Skinny suddenly grimaced; before he was playfully curious. To me he looked like a corpus when he smiled.
In truth, I wanted a fight. The breasts here were easy but then again human were breasts. I just hoped better skilled. However, that inborn sense told me no, it was wrong to kill. Wrong, for pleasure. I put down my hand from the weapon. I would only fight if he striked first. But I let my hand ling dangerously near the blade.
I stared at his torso, when he wanted to move that body part would show which way. He silently unsheathed his sword. I reached into the darkness because I believed I felt another being. I could feel the warm body heat; it was the heavy round man, Bulky. He was planning to ambush me. It was like a game a pack plays.
I knew their move—juvenile compared to any fiend in the forest. I wonder how they got through, unless they have something else.
I was right, they did have something else. Skinny tried to slash me from the right but them threw something at me from the left. A magical item. I dodged it but then I had to think about Bulky, for he jumped and was ready to drive a knife into my back. I evaded him too. He fell flat on the ground, knocked out.
Fool. "Idoit." One word spoken, monotone or not, they knew who I was: a woman.
Skinny took up his sword and slashed. I took up my dagger and met him with a clash. I had to blink my eyes: the dagger had just turned into a full-length sword! The once dim and dull emerald at it's cross-guard was now bright and mystically glinting, like an eye of a dragon winking in tease.
I searched for an opening—There! Where he raise his sword trying to bore on me. I work my sword down, under and up catching the opponent's hilt and yanking the weapon out of his hand. Knocking Skinny down, I put cold steel against his neck. "Stupid. Stupid in trying to attack an opponent that's skilled in arts you'll never master." My eyes and voice were icy and callous; I almost felt anger at this fool.
The moon shined its glorious, full face then hid under its veil of clouds before the 'intelligent' one realized I had the upper hand.
I kept my sword at the fool's neck, I suppose he knew what would happened if he moved for he stayed quite still and didn't jump up to retrieve his weapon. Or perhaps he was just scared. "Try something once more and I'll do something permanent." I let him go and left Bulky on the ground.
"You held back." The words were spoken in my ear, almost nuzzling it. Deep, warm words that sounded familiar unlined with not quite laughter but inquiry as to 'why'. Such an emotion startled me; I had never felt familiarity around anything before. However, I kept my face stone and turned expecting to see someone behind me. But that someone, with amazing speed whirled into the shadows of the forest. Was he trying to pick a fight?
He stepped out of the shadows. The hooded lord. I immediately brought up my sword; ready to fight as an inborn resentment grew.
"A magic sword?" There was obvious mockery in his voice. "Your not the only one." And with that he brought up a sword consume in flames that mysteriously acted as blades.
He held himself and his blade in a stance of speed. My mind calculated and found a tactic. Speed equals evading and quick but small strikes. My line would have to be to attack and defense—slow but extra cautiousness.
Suddenly, he opened his hand and a wind-like force whirled me into a tree. Magic, he has magic, was my thought before nettles of pain shot though my body and my breath was taken. He charged at me and it occurred to me that he was flying.
But no matter. As he speed towards me with that flaming sword I knew I couldn't dodge him I would have to attack. Three, Two… One! I lashed out my sword in the artful way with the most damage.
And… it stopped. The lord was in midair, still floating an inch off the dirt floor. My point was against his abdominal; with one swift move I knew how to hunt this man down so that he felt nothing but pain. Nevertheless, his point was against my throat, the flames of his sword licked me but did not burn.
We stood there for endless moments in the dark. Waiting. Daring not to breath.
Once again the moon shined, revealing the landscape in its eerie yet graceful light. But it also revealed my opponent and I. His hood fell. And I found myself staring into warmth, heat, an inferno of flames—staring down upon me. And with a start, I realized I was staring into his eyes. What was that color--?
Red.
Foolishly, that was the last thought I was thinking before I was once consumed in icy wind and bitter cold flames as I fell into darkness.
Expecting to crash into the ground. Expecting cold steel to lash me through. Expecting to feel endless pain till thee eternal darkness came. But, it didn't come.
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R2R
The Matriarch Mavina~I am so pleased that you enjoy my writing. I mean like, "WOW." I love you! Omni Dragon~Yeah! So kool—you like it! Mawahahahahaa!! That's shows my family—they think I'm a literary idiot. LOLz. LCM~You love Garth Nix!? Yeah, join the club. I liked the quote and I'm glad I'm not the only one. just a reader~Yes! ^___^ I'm so thrilled!!! I really dislike too much mushy stuff and I'm relieved I don't have too much. How were the fighting parts in this chapter? Keep me posted, tell me if it goes off the deep end. *_^ DarkAngelB~ What did you think of Lloyd in this chappie—were you pleased or bored. How were the fight scenes??? Aerena~Ah! Death's Side! It's on the other computer, all typed up! I forgot to post it up. Insh-Allah, I'll get to it. . OK? (*Hint, Hint*) I'm not done with the 'freaky' little boy yet…. Sors~Well, Steel Eyes was updated twice. If you haven't read the new chapter—your welcomed to! I am trying to finish that fic first, you know? Then I plan to work on this fic then Death's Side. Insh-Allah (God-willing) it'll workout. Kikaiyu~LOLz, I am delighted you liked Rose's past thingy! I had it all painted in my mind. It was inspired by a book so I can't take all the credit. ^______^
~Muslima