My Chapter - Sacrifice -
He watched the children; sleeping.
Only six left.
He could feel the sadness welling up inside him. He felt torn between the two paths he had to choose.
Light and Shadow.
He started.
When the time comes that you have to choose, which path will you follow?
It was a soft, feminine voice. He didn't recognize it, but it sounded almost familiar; like a song he had once known.
Who are you?
I am your shadow.Your
question... Who are you?
I am...
But he couldn't answer.
You are of the twilight, my child. Not many are born to walk this path, but grave times are upon us. Remember this, child, whenever you are forced to choose a way.
Of Light and Darkness...
But the voice had faded away.
He weighed the item bag in his hands. While it could prove a useful item, he knew that without it, the children would inevitably starve.
He looked around at the cave that had been his home for centuries.
Its darkness seemed almost a comfort to him, for it was at least a darkness he could banish. The world outside was one that held no happy memories for him; it was a world that had taken away his family, his friends, his home.
His life had been nothing more.
But then this.
This cave had provided him with more miracles than he could have hoped to ever have witnessed in a lifetime.
But is it all on me now?
Eight children.
That voice again.
Eight children will drive back the darkness. They will learn to laugh, to cry, to hurt, to hope, to try, and to love and hate. For it is these emotions that makes each of us human, and it is with this that we can defeat the Crimson Tide.
It is each other...
The voice choked off.
Wait!
But it was gone again.
He stood, but as he did, he knew he wasn't standing alone.
Spirit of the dark and light; lend me your wings...
Carefully he invoked the power of the magic circle which he had drawn in front of him.
He knew that if he ever wanted to see the light of day, he would have no choice but to use this. It had taken him over a hundred years, but...
Who are you to demand this of us?
The voice sounded distorted; like two voices spliced into one, each trying to speak over the other.
One who has nothing left to give; and nothing left to lose.
The spirits demand a price... Will you pay it?
My mission is bound to me; it is a price I must pay.
The magic circle suddenly glowed a bright green, and from its depths emerged an orb of darkmatter.
He had no idea what price the spirits would demand, but at this point, there was no turning back.
Stretch out your hand.
After a moment of hesitation, he complied.
Quick as thought, the darkmatter enveloped his hand.
AAAAAUUUGHHHH!
He let out a silent scream as the pain spread from his hand to his arm and racked his body. The darkmatter on his arm danced along the length of his body as he fell back; unconscious. Then it settled onto the back of his hand, forming a distinct mark; two snakes intertwined.
From the circle, an orb of light settled around him and lifted him into the air.
Poor child...
He shall
endure much more before his quest is over.
But the price... was
it, perhaps, too high?
The other voice was silent.
He awoke with a splitting headache. Falling to the ground, he waited till his nerves had composed themselves enough, and then brought a hand up to shield his face from the sunlight.
Strange... this mark on my hand...
He got up and realized he was in the middle of a forest. Half-ruined buildings were everywhere around him; it was evident that something had destroyed the place a long time ago. The forest had begun to reclaim it, however, and most of the scars had already been healed.
But the same question remained in his mind.
Where am I?
And then he realized.
Who am I?
