Shadow within the Darkness

(Day 6 – Part 1)

By: Little Ucchan

Sage had locked eyes with the creature for what had seemed like an eternity. It was like nothing he had ever seen. Never, in his countless battles with Talpa, had he seen a creature that had actual flesh before. This being had no armor, and yet it had such a presence about it that it caused grown men to quiver in fear. Its height alone was terrifying. Ten feet tall with ripples of muscle everywhere.

It smiled a grin of pure evil, showing off its fangs at the currently stunned Ronin. Licking its front gum line with a long grotesque tongue, the creature crouched on its hind legs, preparing itself for its next assault.

Snapping out of his trance with the warning of danger, Sage took a step back. Raising his arms defensively, his whole body tensed, waiting for the monster's move. It only grinned even wider, opening its mouth to make a low hissing sound.

Sage broke out into a cold sweat. The anticipation was killing him. Plus he had gotten a good look at the beast's hands. It wasn't the claws that scared him, or the huge battle-ax it carried around. It was the sight of the needle-sharp tentacles attached to its forearms. They contracted and expanded with the rhythm of the monster's breathing, showing Sage how truly alive they were. Man, I hope he doesn't decide to use those things.

"FIRE!!!" The sudden cry broke his concentration. Sage watched as the soldiers shot their arrows in unison, striking the creature with deadly accuracy. But the monster only flinched. Its attention diverted away from Sage, it turned to eye the soldiers up ahead, lining the castle walls. They fired again, but it did not waver. It didn't move to attack either. Instead, it straightened its back and stood its full height. The soldiers began to back away, fearing the worst. But they were at a dead end. Backed against the castle walls, they were easy pickings.

Sage only stood by as a spectator as the being began to increase its power. He felt the atmosphere swerve around him in sickening waves of raw energy. Before he could even blink, the monster had opened its mouth wide and breathed fire on the helpless victims. He wasn't able to react at all, for when Sage soon realized what was going on the soldiers were gone, incinerated by the flames.

Two others had escaped from certain death, and were now running towards him, heading for the gates to freedom. The monster had seen them though and wasn't about to let its prey go. Turning swiftly, the monster sent a hot blast to greet the fleeing soldiers. They ran even harder, scared to the point of becoming insane. But the all-consuming flames of death followed close behind, growing stronger as it ripped through the earth, shattering the ground like glass. It yearned for the smell of rotting flesh, yearned for the immediate death of these men. Only to satisfy it's hunger for destruction.

Upon feeling the fire's unbearable heat wash over them, the two turned around to catch one last glimpse of the creature that had brought about their deaths. Its malevolent glare paralyzed them, drilling holes right through their very souls. That one moment they stood petrified was all the fire needed for it to take away their earthly bodies forever.

Sage could only utter a low shriek of horror. He saw the soldiers run towards him; watched as they turned around. Witnessed the blazing fire consume them, the shadow outlines of their bodies dissipating into nothingness.

He felt cold all over. Not the type you feel when you're in shock or in fear. It was the kind of iciness that you felt when your attitude hardens. When you can't feel anything else but pure bitterness. Detached from all emotions. Sage couldn't handle standing there doing nothing anymore. Something in him had snapped. No longer was this his dream world. Everything here to him was real. The castle, the soldiers, the fire. Everything was real, including the flow of energy that resided within Sage; the power that the armor of Halo had given him. It was cold. So cold. Capable of freezing almost anything, but Sage ignored it. He only cared about one thing. To destroy that being which had killed all of those people.

Wrenching a nearby sword out of the earth, Sage ran straight for the monster. Raising the blade overhead, he used all of his force against the beast. Clash! The edge of the sword came in contact with metal. The beast had seen Sage coming, and blocked his attack with the handle of his ax.

Sage struggled to overpower it. He felt his muscles labor over the almost impossible task. The creature only smiled at his efforts. To it, the actions of this boy were quite admirable. He had been a key witness to all of the beast's merciless acts and was aware of its strengths, but yet Sage still wanted to fight. But the monster reminded itself that it came to this kingdom to do a specific job. It didn't have anytime to waste on this youth.

Having enough of this tiresome game, the creature swung the blade of his ax forward. The sudden movement had driven Sage onto the floor. He looked up in an instant to see the monster looming above him, its ax hovering threateningly overhead. Quickly placing his feet firmly on the ground, Sage used the floor beneath as his driving force to push himself back. He barely missed the blade as it sliced through the earth with ease. But the monster was fast. It didn't waste any time. Outstretching its free hand towards Sage, inviting him to certain death, its razor sharp tentacles shot out to pierce the Ronin's heart.

Sage didn't have enough momentum to get out of harms way. The jump he had made covered a fair amount of distance, but Sage had barely touched the floor when he noticed the three deadly limbs heading straight for him. He didn't have enough time to give an appropriate reaction, and for a split second stood there unmoving.

He heard the revolting sound of metal tearing through skin as it struck Sage hard and fast. He was knocked off of his feet on impact. Falling backwards, he struck the ground crying out in pain. His head throbbed from hitting the floor so hard. Sage felt like he couldn't move at all, like something was on top of him. But ironically, he didn't feel any pain. Sage swore to himself that he had heard the tentacles strike him and had felt the force of the blow, but no pain whatsoever. Was this how it felt like to die? No. He was alive! Sage was sure of it. But why couldn't he move?

Struggling from under the weight of whatever was on top of him, Sage managed to move a bit in order to examine what was going on. Gasping in realization and horror, he found out why he wasn't dead and felt sick to his stomach.

Kneeling beside the fallen commander, Sage checked the man's pulse with a shaky hand. He was still alive, but barely. He then examined the wound. The blades had gone right through him, easily breaking the heavy armored plating that he wore. There was no doubt that this man didn't have long to live.

Sage cursed himself for letting this happen. The commander didn't even know him, but he still saved his life by giving his own. A weak groan coming from the direction of the body brought Sage back to reality. He immediately shook him a little, seeing if he could wake him up.

"Hey, are you alright?!" Sage asked, even though it was a stupid question. The man slightly looked up at Sage but concentrated his gaze on an object behind him.

"M---monster," he whispered a warning to him.

"Monster?" he repeated in surprise then froze as the shadow of the creature washed over them both.

***

"Man, it's a great day!!" Kento yelled to no one in particular. Stretching his hands into the air, he savored the warmth of the sun's rays against his face.

"You said it," Ryo agreed along with the others. Sage was the only one who had to object. As if to prove it, he covered his mouth and let out a huge yawn.

"Eh? Still tired Casanova? But it's the middle of the day!" Kento cried, slowing down a bit to walk along side Sage.

"I didn't really get much sleep," Sage replied lazily. He was about to yawn again when Kento placed his arm around Sage's neck.

"Hey, why don't we go looking for some girls? I'm sure that will wake you right up!" he tempted, pulling Sage closer to him. Now Sage was in trouble. If he had said that he didn't feel like girl chasing, then the guys would definitely know that something's wrong.

But he was soon let off the hook when Cye broke Kento's grip on Sage from behind. Jabbing Kento in the ribs playfully, he teased, "What's the point? Sage will end up with all the girls anyway."

Kento and Cye began to tease each other with Ryo playing referee to make sure it doesn't get out of hand. He was really just enjoying himself watching. Sage didn't pay attention, or he couldn't. It wasn't like his mind would be able to concentrate if it wanted to. He tried to not seem so out of it, but it was an impossible task to achieve, especially in his state. Sage just hoped that no one had noticed.

But someone did notice. Rowen watched in concern at Sage's aloofness. He deduced that Sage had another dream last night. More troubling that the previous ones. Rowen observed that not only was Sage mentally distressed, but he looked physically worn out as well. Like he was in a fight or something. There was no way that he was going to last through the day, especially with the other guys.

"So what do you guys want to do?" Ryo asked when both Kento and Cye had calmed down a bit.

"Let's eat! I'm starving!!"

"You're always starving Kento!" Cye reminded him.

"Yeah, well all the more reason for us to eat!" he shot back.

"We should go then. Before Kento's stomach begins to rebel," Ryo said with a smile. Kento cried a shout of glee and began to run in the general direction of the nearest restaurant. Ryo and Cye were obviously amused by Kento's enthusiasm and began to follow him to make sure he stays out of trouble. Sage didn't go though. He was still lost in his own mind, a rat trapped in a maze.

"Hey Sage!" He blinked, snapping out of his trance to see that Ryo and Cye were waiting for him. Kento was long gone.

"You okay?" Ryo asked, walking up to him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I must have zoned there for a bit. Sorry," Sage replied, then changed the subject so Ryo wouldn't question him any further. "So where are we going to eat?"

"Wherever Kento is," Cye grinned. "But we've got to find him first."

"Well then let's go," Sage hurried them along.

"Wait. Where's Rowen?" Ryo wondered. Turning around to look for Rowen, Sage and the others spotted him about to enter one of the bookstores.

"And he didn't even tell us that he was leaving," Cye sighed, perfectly aware of how Rowen gets when there's a bookstore in sight. Totally ignorant of the world around him.

"Hey Rowen!!!" Ryo screamed, getting the attention of all the people in hearing range. Rowen stopped right in front of the door and looked towards the others. Ryo approached him quickly, followed by Sage and Cye. He didn't feel like shouting out a conversation over the crowds of people.

"So when were you going to tell us that you were going into a store?" Ryo questioned, a bit annoyed.

"I was only going to look," he replied innocently, looking at his three friends. Wait…three? "Where's Kento?"

"Out eating, and that's what we were going to do. Were you planning on joining us?" Ryo asked.

"Oh it's okay, I'm not that hungry. Do you think that I can meet up with you guys later?" Rowen then turned to face the store. Only Sage was able to see his face from that angle. "I wanted to look around for a bit." Rowen looked at him sternly, hinting with his eyes for Sage to stay at the bookstore with him. He caught on quickly and gave Rowen a small nod. 

Oblivious to the transaction that just took place, Ryo agreed to Rowen's request. Cye noted that it was a good move on Ryo's part. If he had said no, Rowen would have been restless for the entire day. It wasn't the best of all things to be near Rowen when he's like that.

"Alright then, where should I meet you?"

"We'll, probably be at the movie theater," Cye answered then looked at his watch. "Say around 2 o'clock. Does that give you enough time?"

"Plenty," Rowen said with a grin, looking at his own watch to see that it was noon.

"See ya." Ryo began to walk with Cye, but then noticed that they were missing yet another person.

"You coming Sage?" Ryo asked.

"I'm going to stay with Rowen. Someone's got to make sure that he leaves the bookstore," Sage replied and then smiled at Rowen's shocked reaction. The other two Ronins gladly agreed. Rowen would never make it to the movies on his own. He'd probably stay at the bookstore all day if he could.

***

Rowen and Sage entered the bookstore, weaving through shelves to the very back of the store. Stopping in one of the lanes between the bookshelves, Rowen turned to glare at Sage, giving him a crossed look.

"I didn't need a chaperone," he retorted, folding his arms across his chest. Sage just shrugged.

"I needed a good reason. Oh, and that was a good plan to get me out of there. I owe you one." Frowning, Rowen circled around Sage, looking at him closely. Sage eyed him suspiciously, wondering what he was up to. Stopping in front of Sage, Rowen sighed aloud.

"I see that your sense of humor is still intact, and you seem to be okay. So tell me, just what happened out there?" Sage became uneasy at the question. This was the reason why Rowen had pulled both of them away from the others, to talk about what was bothering Sage. To talk about the dreams he's been having. He wanted to tell Rowen everything, but somehow he always became tense when the subject pops up. It was painful for Sage to bring it up, especially of what had happened last night.

"I don't know. I just feel so tired now." Sage was exhausted, as if the battle that took place in his dream world had somehow worn down his physical body.

"What happened this time?" Rowen was referring to the dream.

"I saw…this monster…" he began.

"The Dynasty?"

"No. This thing didn't look like anything from the Dynasty," Sage corrected him. "It…it didn't have any armor…but…." He tried to keep his emotions in check, but it was no use. He felt his body grow hot. Recalling the dream made him shudder. Still, Sage brought his strength forward. I will not let this get to me. I refuse to let this dream rule over me!

"Sage." Placing a hand on Sage's shoulder, Rowen looked at him in the eyes. "You alright?" Taking in a deep breath to try and steady himself, Sage nodded. His body still trembled, despite his efforts. Rowen felt it too, and placed both hands on Sage's shoulders to try and calm him down.

"I don't know what to do Rowen. I was able to carry on regardless of what I saw in my dreams…until last night…when I fought it. It just seemed so real."

"It's just a dream Sage," Rowen tried to reassure him, but this only angered Sage.

Pulling away from Rowen's grip, he asked, "But what if it isn't?"

"Talpa's gone. And if there was something going on then Kayura and the others would have told us by now."

"It's not Talpa, Rowen…I know it." Rowen remained silent, waiting for Sage to say some more. "If you saw this beast, you wouldn't think that it came from Talpa. More like the pits of hell. It kills everything and everyone. It thrives off of destruction. It's not like Talpa who wanted to rule the mortal realm and enslave humanity. It wants humanity to die, along with everything else in this world."

Instead of shrugging off the idea like Sage had expected him to do, Rowen considered what he had said. "If that's the case…and this monster is real, then what is that dream trying to tell you? Is it some kind of warning?"

"I don't know. I have a feeling that this dream is far from over."

"Can you handle it?"

"Eh?"

"Can you handle seeing those dreams a bit longer? I mean you're a wreck right now. The other guys will notice if you keep going on like this. You know, maybe we should tell them."

"No. I know that the request sounds odd, but I don't want them to know about this until we know for sure what's going on."

"So, can you handle it?" Sage didn't answer for a while. He didn't know if whether or not he could keep playing it cool with the other guys. He was so tired. The only thing he wanted right now was to sleep, but sleeping could trigger the dream to come alive in his mind. That's the last thing he wanted.

"…I'll manage." Rowen looked at him skeptically.

"You sure?" Sage nodded.

"Alright then! Let's go!" Sage was taken aback by Rowen's sudden outcry. So did the storeowner and several passing customers. Rowen didn't care. He just turned around and walked out of the isle. He stopped to find out that Sage wasn't following him and instead was staring at him like he was crazy.

"I've been surrounded by books all of this time and I was not able to touch a single one! It's been driving me nuts!" he shouted out his explanation, which made Sage smile. Rowen could definitely act like a kid sometimes.

Smiling, he added, "And if you do manage to zone out, I'll be there to help you."

"Hey thanks."

"Sure, no problem. Just as long as you buy a book for me." Sage cringed at that last statement, then sighed in defeat.

"I knew there was a catch," he muttered.

"Hey, nothing comes free ya know," Rowen teased.

"I didn't know that there was a price for friendship," Sage shot back. Rowen backed away defensively, acting as if he was hurt by those last words.

"Oh now that was harsh. Do you think that I would really take advantage of our friendship like that?"

"Yes," he answered without thinking. After a few seconds of silence, they both started to laugh.

"But seriously Sage, do you think that you can pay for these books. I left my wallet at home." Sage reluctantly pulled out his wallet and counted the bills inside.

"Fine, I'll pay. Since I'm such a nice friend, I'll pay."

"Oh you're too kind," Rowen cried sarcastically, knowing that he'll have to pay him back later. He started off to find some books but came to a halt when Sage spoke.

"Just don't go and buy a ton of books or something like that, or we'll both end up broke."

"C'mon Sage. You know me. I'd never do something like that," he cried even though he knew for a fact that he would.

"It's because I know you so well that I said that. You'd buy the whole store if you weren't short on money."

Rowen grinned at the thought. A whole bookstore to myself, huh. I wish. That'd be heaven on earth. His little fantasy was cut short when he felt a presence brush the back of his mind. It was brief, and had soon disappeared. But Rowen knew what it was. Danger.

"Hey Sage, did you…" Rowen turned around to ask his friend if he had felt it too, but stopped short. Sage didn't move, frozen in place out of fear. That aura was familiar to him, too familiar. He had felt it earlier…just last night…before it killed him.