The Legend of Ajira

By Allison Nelson

Chapter 16: The Dakoshian Mark

Ajira just stood there, unable to believe her eyes. What had Kark just done? He was supposed to be an angel, and angels didn't run around shooting people! She was speechless. "What—just--" she stammered, so shocked she couldn't form her words properly.

Kark saw her stammering and a look of great sadness crossed his face. This was the saddest Ajira had ever seen him. Kark stared at the ground, shuffling his paws, like a guilty little child being caught in the act. "I've killed," whispered Kark. "I…don't know what came over me..I…I…" He walked mournfully over to the corpse sprawled over the countertop. The once brilliant glass arrow had shattered as it hit the storekeeper's skull, and little green shard of glass stained with blood were embedded in his flesh. A few pieces were scattered among the weapons on display. Blood was leaking from his wound onto the countertop. Kark sighed.

"Can't you bring him back?" cried Ajira tearfully.

Kark, brushing back a rare tear, answered softly, "I do not have that kind of power."

Ajira was sobbing uncontrollably. It had all happened too fast, and Kark, her idol, her love, her "guardian angel", had just killed someone.

"Why?" whispered Ajira.

"I…don't know…" mumbled Kark, rubbing his great furry head. "I remember something didn't feel right…not right at all…"

"You've been here before?"

"Yes, many times. In fact, that bow," He pointed to the bow, lying sadly on the ground, "Was my first weapon. I got it from this very shop, from that very same man…" Kark sniffed. "I've…got to go for a minute…I won't be long…Wait for me here." He laid a hand on Ajira's shoulder. "The high angels must've heard what I've done by now. I'm sure they'll want a hearing. Got to go try and explain what I've done." He gave Ajira a long, mournful look. With a magic word and a clap of his paws, he was gone in an explosion of light.

Ajira had never felt so alone.

Several hours had passed. Kark was still not back. Ajira had passed the time by browsing around the shop and looking at everything. She saw sabers, long fancy claymores, daggers, poison darts, shiny spears, crossbows, longswords, broadswords, and lots more. She marveled over the novelty of colorful arrows and bows, and admired the ferocity of the giant swords.

After a while, Ajira had begun to get bored. She had seen all there was to see, it seemed. She wanted to go explore the town some more, but she did not want to disobey Kark. She decided to examine the poor corpse of the man who could've been a great trainer to her. Ajira noticed that his sleeve was ripped. As she touched the fabric, her fingers tingled with magic. This man was not who Kark said he was. Ajira wondered in the darkest corners of her mind if this man was somehow an imposter. It was possible. Estella had told her several stories of people claiming to be who they weren't. If this man was an imposter, where was the real shopkeeper? Was there a real shopkeeper? Was this the same man Kark had known?

Suddenly, she spotted something on the man's arm. A tattoo of some sort. She pushed the sleeve up in order to get a better look at it.

The tattoo was a small black triangle, split in to 3 parts. One of the parts was colored black, and the other 2 sections were hollow. The letter "D" was tattooed boldly below the triangle.

Ajira closed her eyes; she was having a vision in her head…

"She be the one as the darkness arises…she is the one who must do good…The darkness of the land is yet to come, yet to come…"

Ajira moaned. It was the prophecy, ringing in her ears! She couldn't get it out of her head! What did it want her to do? Or know? "Whats happening?" yelled Ajira to the empty shop. "What's wrong with me!"

The prophecy rung in her ears louder and louder. She couldn't take it anymore, it had to stop…

"The darkness of the land is yet to come, yet to come…"