There they stood, a mass of silhouettes that created the mirage of one large sea of black, sucking in all the light around them. The figures emanated fear, despair, loss, and tragedy, which all found their way into Etana's heart. She even felt the light being taken from her very eyes as she stood and gazed from above, too terrified to move or run away.
"Go, child. Go and see."
Etana's legs moved her forward as she mindlessly obeyed her uncle and descended the steps, keeping a death grip on the rail for fear of stumbling. The shadows waited for her without a single movement from either of them; they were uniform, standing tall, eyes (did they have any?) facing front. Looking closer, the girl realized that these weren't just copies of an imitative figure, but actual, individual people.
"They're real people," Etana said to herself as she looked at their unique faces.
"Insolent girl, look closer!"
As she walked through the crowd, Etana felt herself, too, become as a shadow. Their darkness now consumed her, and she felt as emotionless as they looked. She did not know for what she was searching, but something in her gut told her that she should run instead of trying to find it. Curiosity, however, got the best of her. Besides, she thought to herself, I need to get as many details from him as I can.
Etana began to study each one closely, hoping to find some sort of chink in their design that could lead to their demise, if it came down to it. Even through all her observing, however, she couldn't find anything significant about the shadow people.
"Etana!" Rahim barked. The girl flinched and turned to him, fear in her eyes. "The one behind you."
Hesitantly, Etana walked to the row behind where she stood and eyed the shadow with the girlish figure. It was exactly her height with the same hair length as well. She gazed at its face where she presumed the eyes would be. Nothing. She couldn't discern anything remarkable.
"Uncle, I-"
All at once, Etana recoiled and stumbled back into the sturdy shadow figure behind her. The face, the body, it was all so familiar. Once again, she felt her breath being stolen from her lungs and she was left suffocating.
It wasn't just a shadow. It was Etana's shadow.
"How did you do this?" Etana asked, not taking her eyes off of her sinister reflection.
"Magic; drawing the shadows of people to the corporeal world…" A light gleamed in Rahim's eye. "It's wonderful, isn't it? So much time and effort was put into this creation… and now, I have the power created and hidden by the sheikah of old to bring them to life… to their fullest potential in power…"
This was it; Etana had to get out of there before he realized it was a fake, and she would be caught and she would be dead. She feared already that she had waited too long, ensnared by the eyeless stare of her own shadow. But she couldn't hesitate any longer.
She turned to face her uncle to create an excuse to leave, when something else caught her eye. The shadow next to hers… The figure, just taller than her, with gently spiked hair and narrow face…
Ivan's shadow.
And the one next to him, taller and broader. Drury. These were all real people, all people whose shadows had been pulled out from underneath them. But it couldn't be possible. Humans couldn't have such a dark power lying at their feet, such sinister figures. It just couldn't be…
"They're trained in regular combat, but now, they'll be able to do what you never could, what you had the potential to do as the daughter of the greatest mages in the country… but stronger." Etana cringed at the mention of her parents, and shifted toward the main gate.
"I sense someone outside. I should investigate before our secret weapon is leaked," she lied, now having absorbed all the information she needed from Rahim.
"My guards are out there. We needn't worry, child."
"Someone could sneak past them. I don't trust anyone," she tried uneasily. "Are you really willing to risk a surprise attack because of your impatience?" The man turned and glared at her, as if saying how dare she point out a vice of his? He scowled and returned his attention to the stone.
"Do as you must, little girl. And watch your tongue lest I send you to the dungeons."
A wave of relief rushing over her, Etana began heading for the door. At first, she walked, picking up the pace when a sense of urgency coursed through her veins. As she reached for the door to open it, she heard her uncle speak:
"Something's not right here…"
Etana charged at the door, willing its massive weight open with her relatively microscopic body. It began to creak and inch outward as she utilized every last muscle she had, but it wasn't enough. The shadows behind her opened their luminescent blood-red eyes and locked onto the one trying to escape.
"Seize her!" Rahim called to his army, furious. From the middle of them, Etana's shadow lurched forward and narrowed its eyes. Etana, in pure terror, willed her body harder to push the door open, but it was a job for more than one person, an ally, a luxury she didn't have at the moment. She would have to push, even if only enough for her to slip her nimble body through.
But, suddenly, her own shadow was upon her, in the air and ready to come down with a devastating blow. Etana's survival instincts kicked in, and she ducked as the black figure kicked the door at full force, opening it up just enough. A perfect opportunity, if only now it wasn't standing directly in the way.
That strength, she thought to herself. I'm no match for that. Then, she remembered. She remembered her assassin skills and her fights with Ivan and her fights against her own body as she neared the brink of death. Etana didn't have a choice but to fight, or be killed.
The shadow made the first move, a straight kick to Etana's head, which Etana tried blocking with a raised arm, but not without much strain and a crack in her wrist. She yelped in her mind, not wanting to reveal her weakness out loud. Probably broken. And my dominant hand, to boot. The shadow brought its foot to the ground and again raised it to kick, knowing the damage it was able to cause. This time, however, Etana ducked and lunged at the one standing leg holding the creature up. She was able to knock it on its back, but it didn't seem to feel pain, if the fall caused any at all. These things were strong, and they were a major threat to the balance of the world.
While on the ground, the shadow pulled Etana's own leg down with it, then grasped Etana's head firmly and slammed it against the heavy door. Another crack, and a cry from Etana. The figure's glare narrowed, and it seemed to be smirking, if it had a mouth. It stood, grabbed Etana by the collar, and held her above the ground against the blood-stained door. Was that Rahim cackling, or her shadow? It was hard to tell from the pounding and ringing in her ears.
Etana had little time to think about it, as her shadow pulled back its fist and sent it straight into her sternum. No air. Crack. Suffocation. Cry.
She couldn't believe how easily the creature could dominate and maim her. Though, since her first glimpse at it not ten minutes ago, it seemed inevitable.
Rahim walked over as Etana struggled for a breath. "I will not be fooled by a decoy, you insolent brat, nor, unfortunately, will I allow you to live after your betrayal and espionage. Kill her, but make it slow, just as I did her parents." He chuckled at some joke inside his mind. "Say hello to them for me."