Shadow Born, Ch. 1

[Kuro Abisu]

Coldfair, Arcaneos Region

"Give it back!" yelled Nielle. Tears ran down her face as she chased Variya around the yard. Variya laughed as he stopped and held out Nielle's favorite toy. The black, stuffed bear dangled around in the air as Variya tempted her.

"If you want it so much why don't you come get it!" he yelled in joy.

Nielle lunged. Dirt. Again.

Variya took off again chuckling. Nielle had failed again. She planted her hand and hoisted herself up and began the fruitless chase again. Around and around and around she chased him but she never got any closer.

Nielle had had enough. Exhausted she dropped to the ground. Tears started flowing. She only wanted Aunna back.

Variya stopped running.

"You must not want Aunna back that bad after all." he said as he smiled in
triumphant victory.

Rage filled Nielle. She grabbed the nearest rock and threw it him. Variya saw the rock and sidestepped it.

"Hey, what was that for?"

Nielle replied with another rock. Not even close. Rock after rock she threw and Variya avoided each one.

"Hey! Knock it off you two!"

Variya looked and saw his older sister Vaine come outside the house. Immediately, Nielle ran to her and buried her head on her chest.

"Variya took Aunna and won't give her back!" she cried.

Vaine hugged Nielle and patted her back.

"It's ok Nielle." she said sympathetically.

Vaine then looked up at him. Variya knew he was in trouble. It was one thing to pick on his twin sister Nielle but there was no way he would mess with Vaine. Not only was she twice his size but she was twice his age as well.

Vaine gently moved Nielle to the side of her.

"Variya, come here and give me Aunna."

Variya clutched tightly to Aunna and shook his head.

"Give me Aunna or so help me God I will leave you outside until Mom and Dad come home."

Variya stuck his tongue out at her in disgust. Vaine didn't like that and took off running at him. Variya bolted out of their backyard and began running towards Falan's. Vaine chased him for two blocks before giving up. He was faster then her even though she was eight years older.

Variya could see Falan's house now. His house was like every other house in Coldfair. It was a mixture of brick and wood with a red roof. It wasn’t big but it was big enough. He reached his house and knocked on the door. A few moments later he was inside with Falan.. Variya caught his breath as Falan looked at him suspiciously.

"What are you doing here Variya?" asked Falan.

Variya stood up smiling. He proudly showed Falan his trophy still panting. Falan looked at him in shock.

“You actually got it away from Nielle? She never let’s go of it.”

Variya nodded. He didn’t know why his sister loved the bear so much but Falan was right, she never let go of it.

“So where are your parents?” asked Variya.

“They went to the market. Mother wanted to get some fabric for a new dress she wants to make. What about yours?”

“My Father has a meeting with the Cardinal of Arcaneos.” he said with a smile on his face.

“The Cardinal? No way. I don’t believe it. He gets to meet the Cardinal.”

“Father said Cardinal Tessano wanted to meet with the generals and captains of the third battalion and since he is the captain of the Zealots he has to go.” Variya stood proudly as he talked about his father. “I heard him say that it was of the utmost importance and that he’d have to leave right away. Mother just decided to go with him so she can go to the shops in Welland.”

“I’ve never been to Welland.” Falan moved over to a chair and sat down. He folded his hands and began to pout.

“I’ve never been there either but I’ve heard that it’s nothing compared to the cities in the Coranthium region.”

“Do you ever think we’ll see Highbay Variya?”

Variya had always dreamed of going to Highbay. He could see it’s grand columns rising high above the plains. Buildings as tall as the mountains. Streets filled with merchants and people. He only hoped he could see the beautiful capitol of Erya eventually.

“So, have you shown your parents yet?” asked Variya. He looked excitedly at Falan. They had discovered the other day that Falan could make shadows move. This meant that he could join the fourth battalion if he wanted.

“No I haven’t yet. I don’t know how Father would react if he found out that his son could move shadows. He’d probably get mad because that means I couldn’t follow in his footsteps and be a low class Enforcer.”

Falan’s father was a 7th class Enforcer. The Enforcers and Zealots were in charge of the protection of local cities and towns. They usually stayed in the same village they were raised in.

Falan brushed his black hair away from his eyes. He looked just like his Father. They both had long black hair and eyes that reminded Variya of the ground after a rain.

“So what’ so important? Did your Father say?”

“I think I heard him say something about the Cardinal being worried about people in the Order sleeping or sleepers. I don’t remember, I didn’t really hear him that well.”

“That seems like a funny thing to be worried about. Eh, whatever, let’s go outside.” said Falan as he sprinted to the door. Variya followed him. He ran through the open door. Falan stood outside with a look of horror on his face. Just as Variya turned to see what Falan was staring at he felt a hand yank his shirt.

“Gotcha.”

It was Vaine. She had found where he had gone. She started dragging him home while he fought with every ounce of strength to get away to no avail.

“Just wait until Mother and Father get home. When they hear what you’ve done to Nielle you’re not going to get food for a whole month.”

She was fuming. He knew that she didn’t like to lose and he should have known she would find him. Falan waved at him as Vaine pulled him down the street. Variya tried to wave but lost his balance. If it wasn’t for his sister pulling him he would have fell.

After a fruitless battle through the streets she had finally dragged him back home. Nielle saw them coming and ran out of the house. She sprinted right up to Variya, who had accepted his fate and stopped fighting, and kicked him right in the shin. She grabbed Aunna and ran back into the house. Variya tried to chase after her but Vaine held him tightly.

“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked.

“She kicked me. Aren’t you going to do something?” said Variya as he tried to break away from Vaine.

“No, after what you did you deserve it.”

Vaine turned to walk into the house. She stepped across the threshold and then turned back to face Variya.

“We need more wood so go out back and get some more.”

With that she disappeared inside the house. Variya stuck his tongue out at her and then walked to the back of the house kicking the dirt with each step. He gathered up a few pieces of wood and made his way to the backdoor. The smell of dinner made his mouth water as he walked in the house.

“That smells good. What are you cooking Vaine?”

“Who’s that? Tell us who that is.” said a low, menacing voice in the other room.
Something didn’t seem right. Only Vaine and Nielle should be in the house. Variya wondered whose voice this could be. Then he heard an all to familiar sound. Nielle crying. Except it wasn’t just Nielle. There was a second person crying.

“Tell us who’s in that other room right now,” said the voice again along with the unsheathing of a sword, “or we will kill your sister.”

Panic. Fear. Variya knew he was in trouble. The wood clunked against the floor. He closed his eyes tightly wishing it was just his imagination. There was no one else here and if there was he didn’t just drop the pile of wood.

“Tell us now or she dies!”

“Please no! I don’t know who’s there. Please don’t kill us.”

The sound of skin against skin bounced throughout the room. Variya heard a body hit the floor. Crying. Nielle screamed in terror. But the scream ended harshly. Within an instant he heard Vaine. Tears began to pour as her scream was silenced. Gurgling followed by the thud of a boot against body. He could hear his sister cough in desperation before the room went silent.

Variya felt so powerless. Helpless. Weak. He had to do something but the only thing he could do was stand frozen, crying, in the shadow of darkness. He could hear their boots against the floor as they came for him next. Variya did the only thing he could, he began to pray.

God save me. God protect me. God deliver me.

He repeated this prayer over and over again. The boots creeped closer. His prayer sped up. Their shadows creeped into the room. The reaper was here and he wanted his soul. Variya held his breath as two men entered the room. Their swords drawn. One dripping crimson. Their brown tunics were speckled with blood. The blood of his sisters.

Variya could feel his anger growing but there was nothing he could do. He stood there helpless as one of the men walked towards the dropped wood. He bent over and picked up a piece of the wood. He was just inches from him. He could see the scar across the man’s left eye. But he couldn’t see him. Variya didn’t understand.

Are they just toying with me? Do they see me?

The man put the piece of wood back down on the floor.

“Someone was here.” he told the other man.

“We know you’re in here. Come out and meet your executioners.” said the man with the blood stained sword.

They don’t see me?

The two men walked around the room. They tried to find him but couldn’t. After a few seconds they gave up and left the house. Variya stayed still. Afraid to move. Afraid to make a sound. Afraid they could come back. It felt like hours before he moved.

How did they not see me?

Variya was afraid to walk into the other room. He didn’t want to see what had happened there. Deep down he knew this was all just a horrible nightmare. He would wake up any second now and then run and hug his sisters. The meat was beginning to burn. The stench of burnt flesh filled his nostrils as he walked towards the other room. His gut tightened. Sweat dripped down his forehead. He prayed that it was just a dream.

He turned the corner and immediately fell to his knees. Tears cascaded from his eyes. His throat dried up. He couldn’t breathe.

The air felt as if it had been sucked out of the room. Variya stared at the horror before him as the image burned itself in his head. His two sisters laying in the center of the room. Swimming in a pool of red. Lifeless. Their throats open screaming their silent scream.

Variya couldn’t move. They were dead. He wept. Screaming he crawled to them. Aunna laid there soaking in their blood. Nielle still held on to her even when she was dying. He picked up Aunna and buried his face in it. The tears wouldn’t stop. His sisters were dead and somehow he was alive.

He crawled his way over to their cold, lifeless bodies. Tears mixed with blood as he laid down next to them. Variya pulled his knees to his chest and cried.



Cries came from every direction. Coldfair had become the center for massacre. The ground was stained red with the blood of innocence. Men, women, sons, daughters all fell at the hands of steel. Somehow the desert dwellers of Arcaneos had come into Coldfair and killed. In just a few minutes they had completely ravaged the small village.

The Enforcers did what they could they did not receive word fast enough to stop the murders. Of the dead only eight wore the brown tunics of murder. Three more were captured. Derrin and Jessika Maller had returned to chaos. Their trip to Welland had been cut short by a Runner who brought news of a small party of raiders heading towards Coldfair.

Cardinal Tessano had been upset but Derrin was sure that he would understand after news of the massacre reached him. The streets were running red with the blood of victims and the tears of survivors. They had to get home. They had to see their children.

The familiar red tile roof of their house finally appeared on the horizon. Jessika took off sprinting for the house. She threw the door open. Derrin followed.

“Vaine? Variya? Nielle?” she yelled. Nervously she looked around the room.

“Mo...Mother?”

It was Variya’s voice. The eight year old boy walked out of the next room. Jessika ran over and hugged him tightly.

“Oh, Variya.” she said.

Variya began crying. He wrapped his arms tightly around his mother. Relieved Derrin walked towards them. He even saw Variya holding Aunna. Derrin’s veins turned ice cold. Nielle never let go of Aunna. As he got closer he could see Aunna was tinted red.

Derrin dropped his spear and ran past Variya and Jessika.

“Father?” said Variya alarmed.

Derrin entered the room. The air was gone from his lungs. He felt as if he had been hit by a battering ram. Pain shot up his legs as his knees hit the floor. He desperately wanted to look away but he couldn’t look away. Lovely, beautiful white
skin with gorgeous hazel hair dipped in the crimson of life.

Jessika ran into the room as Derrin let out a scream of agony that only a father could.



The symphony had begun to play its tune. The agonizing song of death. The father screams, the mother wails. Variya stood and watched his parents as they mourned Vaine and Nielle. Mother grabbed him and pulled him close as she weeped. Tears began to well up in Variya’s eyes again. The brown demons had a torn a hole in his soul.

Father began to pound his fists against the ground in anger. He grabbed his clothes and began to tear them. Variya had never seen his father this angry before. Mother gripped onto Variya tighter with each blood curdling scream. Father’s screams turned into tears again as he crawled over to his dead daughters. He closed Nielle’s eyes and pulled her stiff body into his lap.

Mother let go of him and went to Father and cried. Helpless. Weak. He wasn’t strong enough to protect his sister’s. Now he wasn’t strong enough to face his parents.
Father put Nielle down. Rage filled his bloodshot eyes. He grabbed Variya by the collar. The back of Father’s hand forced itself upon his cheek.

“Why didn’t you protect them!”

Father hugged him and began to cry again. Variya ignored the sting in his cheek. The gash in his soul was was too painful. He could feel Father’s anger. His blood was pulsing through his veins and with Variya pulled tight he could feel the anger flowing in them.

Father let go of him and stood up. His face filled with hate. The Zealot in him emerged. He grabbed his spear and looked back at Mother.

“Take them out back Jessika. We will bury them there.” he said. He began to leave the room.

“Wh...Where are you going?” she asked.

“The men who did this need to be punished.”

Father marched out of the room. Mother began to cry again. She reached down to pick up Nielle. Her hands were shaking. Mother’s tears fell on Nielle’s cold, pale cheek. She brushed Nielle’s hazel hair back.

Variya walked over to Mother. He knelt beside her and hugged her. He was trying to be strong. He had failed his father, his mother, and most importantly his sisters. He put his hand on hers.

“I’ll help you Mother.”

Mother broke down and hugged him tightly. Tears dripped over his hair, the same hazel color as his sisters.

“At least we still have you Variya. At least we still have you.” she said.



Derrin’s hatred flowed through him. He could feel the wooden shaft of his spear digging into his hand. His own blood was mixing with his daughter’s blood. He stormed his way over to the Enforcer’s barracks. A crowd of survivors and a few Zealots stood outside yelling obscenities towards the murderers.

Derrin pushed his way through the crowd. On a normal day the people would have moved at the sight of his Captain’s tunic but today was different. The people of Coldfair wanted justice and Derrin would give it to them.

The Enforcer guarding the door saw his tunic and immediately opened the door for him. Inside the barracks it was just as chaotic. The Enforcers were arguing with each  other over what should be done to the murderers.

“We should kill them like they’ve killed our sons and daughters!” yelled one man to a crowd of cheers and applause.

“No, we should take them before the Cardinal and let him decide.” said another.
Derrin walked over to the crowd.

“No, we will take care of them here ourselves. Where are the prisoners?” he asked.
Silence. The men had been so busy arguing they hadn’t seen Derrin enter.

“Where are they?” he demanded.

“Right over here sir.”

The man pointed to a row of chains anchored against the wall. Three men sat against the wall. Their brown tunics speckled with the blood of innocent people. They sat smiling at Derrin.

He walked over to the prisoners. His foot connected with the first one right in his ribcage. The man took the blow with only a grunt. Derrin turned back to the Enforcers. He pointed at the man who had stated his excitement to punish the men.

“You, come over and unchain these men and escort them outside.”
The man grabbed the keys and ran over to Derrin. He unchained the men while other Enforcers came over and grabbed the prisoners. After all of the prisoners had been unshackled the Enforcers dragged them outside.

The prisoners were welcomed by obscenities and curses from the people of Coldfair. Some threw words, others threw anything they could find. The Enforcers pulled the murderers to the small stage by the barracks. They lined the three of them up on the stage as Derrin paced in front of them.

“People of Coldfair. What would you have us do with these barbaric murderers who swept out of the their desert Hell and brought death upon us?” said Derrin.
The people shouted their responses.

“Kill them!”

“Let them burn!”

“Make them feel the pain my son felt!”

Derrin smiled as he listened to the people’s response. He walked over to one of the Enforcers and drew his sword. He walked over to the first man in the line. He put one hand on his shoulder and forced him on his knees. Derrin moved right next to his ear.

“Do you have anything to say for your actions?”

Silence. The man was accepting his fate. Satisfied with the man’s response Derrin took the sword and split the man’s throat. Blood gushed out of the wound as the man fell over and died. The crowd cheered their approval.

Derrin moved to the next man. The process was repeated again. Question. Silence. Slash. Death. Applause.

This power and anger Derrin was feeling was exhilarating. He had never felt so powerful in his life. He held life and death in the palm of his hand. He was the judgement, the executioner.

He moved to the last man. Forced him to his knees. His blood pulsed with a mix of anger and excitement. He looked down at the last man. He had a scar over his left eye.

“Do you have anything to say?”

The man smiled. Derrin suddenly felt unnerved. This murderer was in the face of death like his victims but instead of silence or sorrow he smiled.

“The day is coming. The night is dark but it will get darker until the dawn rises and the son of the morning takes his throne. He will show you your sins and you will be on your knees, Captain.” said the man with a smirk on his face.

Derrin’s anger boiled. Instead of slitting the man’s throat he took the sword and shoved it straight through the man’s chest. Blood stained his tunic and hands. The man laughed as blood dripped out of mouth.

“You’re no better then me.”

The man fell over. His lungs stopped moving. His breathing stalled. He was dead.
The crowd yelled their excitement for the punishment of these murderers. Justice had been brought to Coldfair. Derrin’s fury was relentless. He kicked the corpse and then turned towards the crowd. He raised the sword and let out a triumphant cry.

“For too many years we’ve allowed these sadistic desert dwellers to rape, pillage, and raid our lands.” he said as he lowered his sword. The mob shouted their anger and approval.

“It’s time we took these injustices into our hands. I will go before the Order of Zion and beg for the cleansing of these savages. We will have justice!”

The roar of the people announced their agreement. Derrin threw the sword into the ground in front of the stage. He picked up his spear. It was time to head home. Time to bury his daughters. Their deaths will be avenged. Even if he had to take it all upon himself.