"Jas, be sure not to go to far!" Shane called out, eyeing as Jas jumped around near the western edge of the farm, closer and closer to where the fireflies clustered in the tree line. He was always feeling at least slight anxious about his niece, after years of being either buzzed, drunk, or hung over, his feelings of concern were felt with more strength now-a-days.
Laura smiled at him, and he knew she liked his fatherly concern for his niece, it had him smiling back at her slightly. Their hands were just inches from each other, gripping the seat of the bench, warmed by the fire crackling in front of them. His mind went back to their kiss, and his face reddened, but decided to grip onto that feeling and look right at her. The little suck in of her breathe had his chest clench tightly, and he leaned in closer to her, as thought it was gravity pushing on him, or a magnetic force bringing them involuntarily closer. Not that he'd be resisting even if that were the case.
A little shout shook him from that trance, and had her head turning quickly too he noticed. Jas had fallen over a root, but was giggling happily, the noise was like music to his ears even now, knowing that Jas was happy living with him made giving up the booze so much easier. But despite the laughter warming his heart, he still frowned a little, not that she'd make out his stern face.
"Jas, come on. Come back closer to the-"
She was gone. It happened all at once, and he was on his feet without even realizing it and surging forward in the next breath. Time slowed down, because one moment she was there, dusting off her dress, and the next moment an empty space. But he'd seen. In that split second, something dark and rippling like a fire had grabbed her and disappeared into the woods.
Tunnel vision almost immediately set in, and he was barely aware of the noise he made. Not a scream or yell but something else almost animal that caught in his throat as it tore it's way up and out. It was supposed to be her name, but instead it was just a sound of anguish and fury. It was such a brief few seconds but everything was happening at once.
Then it was all light, and the sounds of whining and almost screeching were borderline deafening, the light certainly blinding. There wasn't much of a sight, but rather a feeling of someone or something continuing past him, he felt the pressure change an air minutely, his other senses so disabled. Shane fell to his knees for a moment, hands on the ground but unable to see it, eyes blinking furiously and desperate for the white light to dissipate. He looked up, and within all this light he could see her. Jas, furiously kicking and wordlessly screaming, writhing and contorting her body to try and squeeze out of the death grip some shadowy creature had on her. Nothing could be heard though over the high pitched screeching, and the figure seemed to be slashing through the light, and the noise rose a slight decibel with each torrential swipe the thing made, the light seeming to flicker almost. Shane scrambled to his feet, and was off running again, only then realizing that Laura was already quite a bit ahead of him, movements coming off as strong and determined, somehow he could see her too. There was no dwelling on his floundering though, with only one thing on his mind. Nothing was more important that saving his daughter.
"Stop! Put her down!" he roared, but it may as well have been nothing, even he could not hear himself, but felt the pain in his throat from the strong willed attempt.
And just as it had suddenly appeared, it was suddenly gone. The light dissipated and little squeaking noises were quickly dissipating, moving farther and farther away, and with it, his heart and hope that he'd be able to catch the thing that took his God daughter. Only a glow of light could be seen now, Laura's hand seemed to be holding a lightbulb of some sort, or at least it glowed like she was holding a small torch but with her arms swinging there was no way. He didn't bother to shout to her, just ran as fast as he could to catch up or at least keep pace. Pushing past the brush and over growth, this was a way he'd never been before, the people of Pelican town typically stayed out of the forest for respect of it.
Suddenly, a crack of purple lightning came down, throwing Laura completely on her back, and causing Shane to stagger a bit wheeling back forwards defensively. But before them now stood Rasmodius, his expression grim and firm.
"Stop." he bellowed to both of them, and Shane caught Laura struggling to stand up, but Rasmodius eyed her back down into a sitting position, and so she sat, knees under her head and arms wrapped around her legs looking defeated.
"This creature has already surpassed you both, and there will be no finding him tonight while he is in his element."
"It was a shadow brute." she murmured, almost so quiet he barely heard her. And it startled him, how could she know so easily what that... thing was? Was that a common thing? A monster that people didn't talk about now? The wizard was now closing his eyes, tight for a moment and sighed deeply.
"Yes." he said, "it was a shadow brute but... he is different from most."
"How is that?" Laura asked, and although Shane could see very little of her, the trembling gave away how upset she was. The voice coming from her though seemed steady for how much her shoulders quaked. Not that he was in any better shape, if it weren't for the anger seething through his veins he'd be much more jittery. But with years of alcoholism and rage came the ability to have a control of the shakes and voice crackling.
"The shadow beings have slowly devolved over the years, after being driven from their ancestral home they lost sight of who they were deep in those mines. With little light shadows blur, and so have their minds. They have become hungry for violence and aggression, with rarely the capacity for much thought beyond reproduction and bloodshed."
Shane was rapt, this was a foray into such uncharted territory. Little thought had been given to the mines, he believed little thought was given by almost anyone in town besides Marlon and Gil. The latter he'd never even met before and only heard of him.
"They why the fuck would they take her?" Shane demanded angrily, each word ground out sharply. Rasmodius glanced at him, and then back to Laura, his brows knit together only slightly more under that stupid fucking hat of his.
Rasmodius seemed to be talking exclusively to Laura, which put Shane on edge, but he stayed backed down as this seemed to be his own route to Jas. His eyes stayed pensive in annoyance though, and listened carefully.
"I've had my eye on him for a couple years now, I sensed his presence up on the surface many times but could not suss out what he was doing, if he was more like Krobus and friendly. Clearly though, his intentions were of ill."
"No fuck..." Shane breathed, hardly able to contain himself, but his lips came harder together after a strong eyed look from the wizard.
"You have not been to the mines in almost a year." the wizard finally mused, his attention back on Laura who nodded, grave. Shane perked up now at this. There hadn't been much a conversation of this between them, all he'd heard were rumors really.
"No... I've had... other things going on."
"You started something. It is clear now, and then never returned to tend to it. Choosing a life of an adventurer is life long, not just when it suits you. You've seen the things that lurk below us and hacked at the hornets nest." the wizard was staring at her hard as she hung her head in shame.
Bile and fury rose in Shane. Has she done this? Messed with shit? And left it to fester? Invited me, invited JAS into her home and known the risk? All those moments, all those looks, how often had it been in the back of her mind? That something like this could have happened? he angrily thought. But by the way she looked... she probably hadn't at all. She hadn't thought of the consequences and now Jas was gone.
"I'll find her. I'll right it." Laura shakily announced, and he could hear now the quakes in her voice, and knew tears must be going. As they fucking should be.
"This has moved beyond you. There is much to be done." intoned the wizard who now gazed up at a moonlit sky. "But you do play a part." Laura's shoulders shook harder, but with the loss of his God daughter, Shane felt very little sympathy. Only anger.
"I'll do everything I possibly can." and her voice took on a pleading tone.
"Do not grovel, Laura Serrano. This path will take everything that you have. You must be strong for it." he now looked directly at Shane. "And you as well, Shane Caldwell. To get back your God daughter." he paused before continuing. "There is much to discuss, and now is not the time. Get your rest for tonight, and meet me at my tower at dawn." and with the clap of his hands, he was no gone, just a cold breeze.
Laura now turned to him, but before her face was seen, Shane had turned, and headed back towards her home. His stride was long, and his expression grim at the continued thought that Laura somehow had a hand in his nieces capture.
"Shane!" Laura called out, pleadingly, and he heard her steps heavy as they ran to meet him. Eventually her hand came down on his shoulder at the forests edge but he angrily shouldered the touch off of him.
"Laura seriously. Don't talk to me right now."
"But please, I want to-"
"I don't really give a shit what you want. Not right now. Not with her gone so suddenly." he said, the boiling pot of his anger rattling the lid.
"I know, I just- I swear I-" but this was it, the fuse was so short. Stopping short he whirled hard and narrow to the point she almost slammed right into him, but he stared down as she looked up, their faces inches away.
"I fucking swear Laura! There is nothing on this fucking earth that I wanna talk to you about right now! Not your shit excuses, not your damn commentary! I don't want any of it! All I want is Jas to be back!" he howled at her, the pain evident in his voice, and with it were a wave of tears that stung at his eyes, though he kept them back just from sheer rage. He desperately wanted a drink, just behind the extreme need to have Jas back and tucked into bed safely, was the insatiable desire to drown this away. It was keeping him on edge because he knew that just wasn't an option if he wanted her back.
"Leave me the fuck alone. Seriously. I'm sure we'll have fuck tons of shit to figure out tomorrow." and he turned again, storming away, but without the sound of her plodding behind him. A small part of him wanted to turn back, at least a peek to see what her reaction was. And an even smaller part knew that he played a role in his nieces taking. But the anger trumped all and his pace continued back to the house, into the front door, and then into his room that now only seemed temporary with a slam of the door.
Sleep would be little to none tonight. For anyone.